title: National Australia Bank

text: As part of this strategy, NAB's underweight retail bank – under the leadership of Lisa Gray – attempted to increase market share by competing on price and cutting fees. Initially denting earnings in the division, the strategy produced mixed results over the medium term, with cash earnings, market share and customer satisfaction rising, but operating margin and cost to income ratio worsening since it began in 2009. In line with the strategy, NAB attempted to differentiate itself from the other "Big 4" Australian banks in a large, national public relations campaign centred around a theme of "breaking up" with the other banks on Valentine's Day 2011. The campaign received both a positive and negative reception. It also attracted swift competitive responses from other major banks. The campaign won an advertising award at Cannes.


title: National Australia Bank

text: In 2009, NAB acquired the mortgage business of Challenger Financial Services for $385 million, in order to boost its market share in the broker channel. The purchase also included the PLAN, Choice, and FAST mortgage aggregation businesses and approximately 17.5% in Homeloans Ltd. In June that year it paid A$825m ($660m:£401m) for UK insurer Aviva's Australian wealth management businesses, including their "Navigator" platform. NAB beat off competition from AMP for Navigator. In July 2009 NAB acquired an 80% stake in the private wealth management division of Goldman Sachs JBWere, for A$99m.


title: National Australia Bank

text: In December 2009 NAB began a 9-month attempt to purchase Axa Asia Pacific. This attempt was blocked twice by the ACCC. The first time, in April 2010, was because the regulator believed that the merger would cause a substantial lessening of competition in the retail investment platform market. NAB subsequently lodged a revised bid which aimed to address these concerns but was rejected a second time in September of that year. The Axa deal's drawn out process drew criticism for the bank's underperformance.


title: National Australia Bank

text: NAB's poor 2012 financial results called its strategy into question: net profit dropped by 22% compared to the previous year. In 2014, the NAB Melbourne Government announced that Cameron Clyne would be succeeded as CEO by Andrew Thorburn, NAB's New Zealand head. In August 2014, Lisa Gray left NAB as part of a broader set of executive changes.


title: National Australia Bank

text: As part of a strategy to focus NAB on its domestic markets, the bank listed its US subsidiary, Great Western Bank, on the New York Stock Exchange in October 2014 as part of an initial public offering. NAB sold its final 28.5% holding in Great Western in July 2015.


title: National Australia Bank

text: In May 2015, NAB also confirmed it would demerge its Clydesdale and Yorkshire Bank business in the UK, through an initial public offering. The business was partially floated on the London Stock Exchange and Australian Securities Exchange under a new holding company, CYBG plc, in February 2016, with the remaining shares distributed to NAB's shareholders.


title: National Australia Bank

text: In July 2019, Ross McEwan was appointed Group Chief Executive Officer and managing director, after resigning from the Royal Bank of Scotland in April of that year.


title: National Australia Bank

text: In January 2021, NAB announced plans to acquire the neobank 86 400 for $220 million and subsequently merge it with UBank.


title: National Australia Bank

text: In the first half of 2022, NAB relocated it's global headquarters from 800 Bourke Street Docklands to a new natural light and greenery purpose built 39 storey building at 395 Bourke Street. The move also replaced National Bank House at 500 Bourke Street. The bank currently has 2 main buildings for employees at 700 Bourke Street Docklands and the new 395 NAB Place.


title: National Australia Bank

text: On 1 June 2022, National Australia Bank Limited (NAB) acquired the consumer banking business from Citigroup Pty Ltd (Citi), an Australian branch of Citibank.


title: National Australia Bank

text: The National Australia Bank Group is organised into eight divisions, spread across two geographic regions.


title: National Australia Bank

text: NAB is a large user of the Siebel and Teradata CRM systems. While NAB has received recognition as an early adopter and leader in CRM (Customer Relationship Management)


title: National Australia Bank

text: the system was reinvigorated in 2004–5 as part of the broader turnaround to support the new focus on cross-selling.


title: National Australia Bank

text: In 2006, NAB was named the winner of the IFS/Cap Gemini Financial Innovation awards for its CRM system, internally called "National Leads".


title: National Australia Bank

text: On 25 November 2010, NAB suffered a system malfunction resulting in the failure of accounts processing. As a result, around 60,000 banking transactions were lost, and had to be manually recovered. The malfunction was caused by a corruption of an irreplaceable system file. This issue has been dubbed by some commentators as one of the biggest failures in the history of the Australian banking system.


title: National Australia Bank

text: Under Cameron Clyne's leadership, NAB began to upgrade its core banking platform in a project dubbed "NextGen". The project involves the replacement of its legacy systems which are up to 40 years old with an Oracle-based solution. UBank was reported to be the first beneficiary of this project. In total, the project was expected to be completed in 2014 and cost $1 billion.


title: National Australia Bank

text: In July 2020, NAB signed an agreement with Microsoft to further develop its multi-cloud computing strategy including the migration of key applications to the cloud while accelerating development and innovation.


title: National Australia Bank

text: In September 2020, The National Australia Bank partnered with crowdsource security firm Bugcrowd to launch a bug bounty program, which offers a reward to security researchers who can find previously unknown vulnerabilities in the bank's system. Would be participants must have an "Elite Trust Score" on Bugcrowd.


title: National Australia Bank

text: In 2008, NAB invested $33.5 million in corporate responsibility initiatives. Its target is to spend 1% of cash earnings before tax in this area. In 2009, NAB became the largest Fairtrade accredited workplace in Australia through purchasing Fairtrade tea, coffee and hot chocolate for their offices and retail branches. In March 2010 NAB stated it expected to save nearly $1 million in annual power costs from a $6.5 million tri-generation plant at its main data centre. NAB became one of Australia's largest carbon neutral companies in September 2010. NAB ranked equal first among financial service companies in the Global 500 companies in the 2010 Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index.


title: National Australia Bank

text: In 2013 NAB emerged as a sponsor of Australian rules football, both at grassroots and elite level. It supports Auskick, an initiative to improve young footballers, as well as the NAB Cup (an Australian Football League pre-season competition), the NAB AFL Rising Star award; and the AFL National Draft. Other significant sporting sponsorships included the Socceroos, the 2006 Commonwealth Games, and was the main shirt sponsor of the South Sydney Rabbitohs between 2008 and 2010.


title: National Australia Bank

text: Support is also given towards community group volunteers around Australia. In recent years, NAB has provided financial support and relief to drought affected farmers and helped in the clean-up of flood affected in Queensland and Victoria. NAB has also sponsored the Sheikh Fehmi El-Imam Scholarship, designed to help strengthen the links between NAB and the Muslim community and enables an undergraduate student to continue post-graduate studies in finance and economics.


title: National Australia Bank

text: In 2004, NAB discovered that as a result of unauthorised spot trades on its foreign currency options desk, losses totalling A$360 million had been covered up. Investigations by PricewaterhouseCoopers and the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority highlighted a need for cultural change. The losses were a result of a failed speculative position where the traders falsified profits to trigger bonuses over a number of years. In order to actually generate the reported profits, the traders speculated on the US dollar, betting that it would rise against the Australian dollar and other currencies.


title: National Australia Bank

text: In 2006, two former NAB foreign currency options traders were sentenced on charges brought by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) and incurred jail terms.


title: National Australia Bank

text: Acting on a customer complaint, an Australian Securities & Investment Commission (ASIC) investigation found that between 1997 and 2001, a NAB financial products seller, Paul Drakos, working out of a northern Sydney branch at Hornsby made recommendations to a number of NAB clients, mostly retirees, to invest in BSI Corp, an entity based in the Bahamas which was not a NAB approved investment product. According to ASIC, at least $6.2m was subsequently transferred from the overseas accounts in the Bahamas and the Dominican Republic back to a private company account, held for Strategic Investments Group ACN 080 924 036 and controlled by a single director, the same Paul Drakos. Funds were then applied from this account as loans disguised as investments to a number of failed business opportunities among his familial associates including a golf driving range on the Central Coast of NSW, a plumbing business, and futures and commodities trading. The land holdings, as inflated securities, were also used by the failed Allco Hit. The NAB employee was not officially connected with BSI but gave instructions to agents based in Canada to arrange for the transfer of funds back to Strategic Investments Group and other accounts. On 29 May 2006 the NAB employee pleaded guilty to 8 counts of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception, 2 counts of fraudulent misappropriation and 3 counts of making and using false documents. There is also a connection, not yet pursued by ASIC, to the collapse of the Allco HIT Ltd and Strategic Finances where it is suspected that the swampland was used to underpin financial dealings. During the time of the investigations the NAB provided the perpetrator of the fraud with a loan of $350,000 secured by swampland on the Central Coast of NSW.


title: National Australia Bank

text: More than $5.5 million in inflated invoices from an event and function company Human Group were paid between 2014 and 2017 to Rosemary Rogers an NAB employee for more than twenty years, nine of which was as chief of staff to CEOs Cameron Clyne and Andrew Thorburn. The money was paid by a co-accused Helen Rosamond "as an inducement or reward to ensure that Human Group maintained a contract with NAB" according to court documents. The court was told by the prosecution Rogers was motivated by "greed, personal gain and self-gratification". In sentencing, Judge Paul Conlon said the benefits she received went "well beyond compensating family for any perceived neglect", and went onto say, "I find it absolutely staggering that this fraud were not detected by some appropriate system of internal auditing by NAB". An anonymous whistle-blower sent a letter to NAB executives in 2017, alleging "Rose" had been receiving money and gifts over a number of years from Ms Rosamond. In sentencing, Rogers is to serve at least four years and nine months of her sentence being eligible for parole in October, 2025. Her co-accused is yet to be sentenced.


title: National Australia Bank

text: The Irish subsidiary of the bank, National Irish Bank was the subject of a six-year Inquiry carried out by Inspectors appointed by the Irish High Court. They established that National Irish Bank had engaged in overcharging its own customers and tax evasion schemes prior to 1998. Mr Justice Peter Kelly, an Irish High Court judge commented following publication of the Report "The edifice of banking is built on a foundation of trust. On the Inspectors findings there was a breach of trust. The operation was carried out over a period of years in a deliberate fashion". The Director of Corporate Enforcement subsequently applied to the High Court to have 9 senior managers barred from being an officer of any company.


title: National Australia Bank

text: NAB booked two write-downs associated with HomeSide. First, in July 2001, NAB had a $450 million write down of the value of its capitalised mortgage servicing rights (CMSRs) during the quarter ending 30 June 2001, and was the result of exceptionally high mortgage refinance volumes which lowered the value of the CMSRs, combined with a more challenging capital markets environment in which to hedge interest rate risk. This was followed shortly by a second write-down reported in September totalling $1.75 billion; this second write-down consisted of US$400 million from an incorrect interest rate assumption embedded in the mortgage servicing rights valuation model, US$760 million from changed assumptions in the model flowing from the continued unprecedented uncertainty and turbulence in the mortgage servicing market, and US$590 million from writing off of the goodwill. In total, NAB booked $2.2 billion in losses due to HomeSide.


title: National Australia Bank

text: As a result of all these events, NAB's Australian shareholders attempted to sue it in the United States for securities fraud, even though the plaintiffs, the defendant, and the actual securities at issue (NAB's shares) were all located in Australia. (The main advantage of suing in the U.S. arises from "Basic Inc. v. Levinson" (1988), under which it is presumed that the defendant committed "fraud-on-the-market" unless the defendant proves otherwise.) The case of "Morrison v. National Australia Bank Ltd" ultimately ended up before the U.S. Supreme Court, which held in a unanimous 8–0 decision on 24 June 2010 that U.S. law against securities fraud does not apply to securities deals occurring outside of the country.


title: National Australia Bank

text: On 5 Nov 2015, NAB publicly supported the climate goals of the Paris Agreement. In the four years following this commitment, from 2016 to 2019, NAB loaned A$7.3 billion to the fossil fuel industry. Despite evidence that there can be little or no development of new or expansionary fossil fuel projects if the Paris Agreement climate goals are to be met, NAB loaned A$1.2 billion to such projects during 2016–2019. Over the same timeframe, NAB loaned A$1.1 billion to ten companies that were expanding the scale of the fossil fuel sector and/or relying on scenarios consistent with the failure of the Paris Agreement to justify their future business prospects.


title: National Australia Bank

text: Despite publicly committing to “no longer finance new thermal coal mining projects” in December 2017, the bank reportedly funded New Hope Group for its development of the New Acland Stage 3 Coal Mine, and Coronado Global Resources in connection with an expansion of its Curragh coal mine. Environmental groups have questioned whether NAB breached its thermal coal commitment by providing this funding.


title: National Australia Bank

text: In November 2019, NAB announced it would exit the thermal coal sector by 2035, attracting criticism on the basis that this is five years too late to be considered compatible with the Paris Agreement climate goals.


title: National Australia Bank

text: The Australian investor community has had various responses to continued financing of fossil fuel projects by NAB and the other members of the Big Four banks. These responses include:


title: National Australia Bank

text: A royal commission was established on in December 2017 to inquire into and report on misconduct in the banking, superannuation, and financial services industry. The establishment of the commission followed revelations in the media of a culture of greed within several Australian financial institutions. A subsequent parliamentary inquiry recommended a royal commission, noting the lack of regulatory intervention by the relevant government authorities, and later revelations that financial institutions were involved in money laundering for drug syndicates, turned a blind eye to terrorism financing, and ignored statutory reporting responsibilities and impropriety in foreign exchange trading.


title: National Australia Bank

text: During the Royal Commission, it was revealed that NAB subsidiary, MLC Limited, had charged some of its customers "adviser contribution fees" and "employer service fees" on its superannuation products. By its own admission, NAB executives told the Royal Commission that the customers might have not received any service, in spite of being charged a fee. NAB tried to disguise these fees as commissions. The following month ASIC commenced civil proceedings in the Federal Court alleging that NAB-owned superannuation entities had deducted $100 million in fees from more than 300,000 customers where services were not provided. Appearing before the Royal Commission in November 2018, NAB Chief Executive Officer Andrew Thorburn defended the fees-for-no-service issue as a "process issue" rather than dishonesty. Days earlier, NAB Chairman and former Secretary of The Treasury Ken Henry defensively appeared before the Royal Commission, with some tense exchanges between Henry and legal counsel Rowena Orr.


title: Mung bean sprout

text: Mung bean sprouts are a culinary vegetable grown by sprouting mung beans. They can be grown by placing and watering the sprouted beans in the shade until the hypocotyls grow long. Mung bean sprouts are extensively cultivated and consumed in East and Southeast Asia and are very easy to grow, requiring minimal care other than a steady supply of water. They are often used in school science projects.


title: Mung bean sprout

text: A variety of techniques are used for sprouting mung beans. A common technique for home growers is sprouting the beans in a jar, with a fine mesh or muslin cloth tied over the top with a rubber band or string. Fresh water is then poured into the jar three to four times a day; the jars are then upturned and left to drain. The precise growing technique to use depends on the amount that one wants to collect. The main principles are: selecting good seed (new and uniform), ensuring that light reaches the seeds, and also ensuring they receive enough humidity while avoiding waterlogging.


title: Mung bean sprout

text: Mung bean sprouts can be microwaved or stir fried. They may also be used as an ingredient, e.g., for spring rolls.


title: Mung bean sprout

text: In Chinese cuisine, common dishes that may use mung bean sprouts, known as "dòuyá" (), are fried rice, spring rolls, egg drop soup, and hot and sour soup.


title: Mung bean sprout

text: In Indian cuisine, especially in Maharashtrian cuisine, "Usal" is a spicy dish that balances the heat of curry with either mung beans or sprouts.


title: Mung bean sprout

text: In Japanese cuisine, "moyashi" (, "bean sprout") in a strict sense refers to the mung bean sprout. They are a common ingredient in many Japanese dishes such as stir-fries and soups.


title: Mung bean sprout

text: In Korean cuisine, "sukjunamul" () refers to both the mung bean sprouts themselves and the "namul" (seasoned vegetable dish) made from mung bean sprouts. Mung bean sprouts are not as common an ingredient as soybean sprouts in Korean cuisine, but they are used in bibimbap, in the fillings of dumplings and in "sundae" (Korean sausage).


title: Mung bean sprout

text: The name "sukjunamul" is a compound of Sukju and "namul", of which the former derived from the name of Sin Sukju (1417–1475), one of the prominent Joseon scholars. Sin Sukju betrayed his colleagues and favoured the King's uncle as a claimant to the throne. People regarded Sin Sukju's move as unethical and immoral, and so gave his name to mung bean sprouts, which tend to go bad and spoil very easily.


title: Mung bean sprout

text: In Nepalese cuisine, "kwati", a soup of nine types of sprouted beans, is especially prepared in a festival of "Janai Purnima" which normally falls in the month of August. "Kwati" is prepared by frying and mixing onion, garlic, ginger, potatoes, spices and bean sprouts, including mung bean sprouts. A lot of variation exists from house to house but is basically about making the "kwati". It is considered to be a nutritious food in Nepal. "Kwati" is normally eaten with rice. Sometimes meat (esp. fried goat) is also added to spice up the kwati.


title: Mung bean sprout

text: In Thai cuisine, mung bean sprouts are usually eaten in soups and stir-fried dishes. In "pad thai" they are often added to the pan for one quick stir before serving and in soups such as "nam ngiao" they are sprinkled on top of the dish.


title: Mung bean sprout

text: Mung bean sprouts are used widely in Indonesian Cuisine. Mung bean sprouts usually accompany soup dishes such as "rawon", "mie celor", or "soto"; mixed in Indonesian vegetable salads such as "pecel", "karedok", or "gado-gado"; and stir fried like in "tauge goreng"


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: Waterloo is a city in and the county seat of Black Hawk County, Iowa, United States. As of the 2020 United States Census the population was 67,314, making it the eighth-largest city in the state. The city is part of the Waterloo – Cedar Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area, and is the more populous of the two cities.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: Waterloo was originally known as Prairie Rapids Crossing. The town was established near two Meskwaki American tribal seasonal camps alongside the Cedar River. It was first settled in 1845 when George and Mary Melrose Hanna and their children arrived on the east bank of the Red Cedar River (now just called the Cedar River). They were followed by the Virden and Mullan families in 1846. Evidence of these earliest families can still be found in the street names Hanna Boulevard, Mullan Avenue and Virden Creek.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: On December 8, 1845, the "Iowa State Register and Waterloo Herald" was the first newspaper published in Waterloo.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: The name Waterloo supplanted the original name, Prairie Rapids Crossing, shortly after Charles Mullan petitioned for a post office in the town. Since the signed petition did not include the name of the proposed post office location, Mullan was charged with selecting the name when he submitted the petition. Tradition has it that as he flipped through a list of other post offices in the United States, he came upon the name Waterloo. The name struck his fancy, and a post office was established under that name. There were two extended periods of rapid growth over the next 115 years. From 1895 to 1915, the population increased from 8,490 to 33,097, a 290% increase. From 1925 to 1960, population increased from 36,771 to 71,755. The 1895 to 1915 period was a time of rapid growth in manufacturing, rail transportation and wholesale operations. During this period the Waterloo Gasoline Traction Engine Company moved to Waterloo and, shortly after, the Rath Packing Company moved from Dubuque. Another major employer throughout the first two-thirds of the 20th century was the Illinois Central Railroad. Among the others was the less-successful brass era automobile manufacturer, the Maytag-Mason Motor Company.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: On June 7, 1934, bank robber Tommy Carroll had a shootout with the FBI when he and his wife stopped to pick up gas. Accidentally parking next to a police car and wasting time dropping his gun and picking it back up, Carroll was forced to flee into an alley, where he was shot. He was taken to Allen Memorial Hospital in Waterloo, where he soon died.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: Waterloo suffered in the agricultural recession of the 1980s; its major employers at the time were heavily rooted in agriculture. John Deere, the area's largest employer, cut 10,000 jobs, and the Rath meatpacking plant closed altogether, losing 2,500 jobs. It is estimated that Waterloo lost 14% of its population during this time. Today the city enjoys a broader industrial base, as city leaders have sought to diversify its industrial and commercial mix. Deere remains a strong presence in the city, but employs only roughly one-third the number of people it did at its peak.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: In 1910, a significant number of black railroad workers were brought in as strikebreakers to the Waterloo area. Black workers were relegated to 20 square blocks in Waterloo, an area that remains the east side to this day. In 1940, more black strikebreakers were brought in to work in the Rath meat plant. In 1948, a black strikebreaker killed a white union member. Instead of a race riot, a strike ensued against the Rath Company. The National Guard was called in to end the 73-day strike.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: United Packinghouse Workers of America became the main union of the Rath Company, welcoming black workers, but United Auto Workers Local 838 continued to refuse black members. With the power of the union, Anna Mae Weems, Ada Treadwell, Charles Pearson and Jimmy Porter formed an anti-discrimination department at Rath by the 1950s. This department helped organize protests against local places that discriminated against blacks.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: Porter would go on to organize the first black radio station in Waterloo, KBBG, in 1978. Weems became the head of the anti-discrimination department and local NAACP chapter.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: On May 31, 1966, Eddie Wallace Sallis was found dead in the local jail. The black community felt the death was suspicious, and protests were held. On June 4, Weems led a march on city hall to encourage investigation into his death. The march led to the creation of the Waterloo Human Rights Commission, which lasted only a year due to lack of funding.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: On Sept. 7, 1967, a city report, "Waterloo's Unfinished Business", was released. The report covered the ongoing problems in housing, education and employment faced by Waterloo's black community. It confirmed the housing bias faced by black residents, that many of the schools were generally 80% of one race, and that 80% of black residents held service jobs. In a 2007 article, the Courier covered some changes in the 40 years since, finding that housing was now mostly divided by socioeconomic status, schools still violated the desegregation plan, and black unemployment was still double that of white residents.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: The Iowa Supreme Court outlawed school segregation in 1868. A 1967 commission found most schools were still segregated and recommended immediate desegregation, which Mayor Lloyd Turner opposed. In 1969, the Waterloo school board voted to allow open enrollment in all their schools to encourage integration. Many parents felt it was not enough. Despite the efforts between 1967 and 1970, already-black schools in the area increased in their segregation.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: By the 1960s, Rath was declining and jobs there were harder to come by. A federal government program trained 1,200 local youths with the promise of summer jobs, only to hire two as bricklayers. Starting in the summer months of 1966, Waterloo was subject to riots over race relations between the white community and the black community. Many white residents expressed confusion as to why riots were occurring in Waterloo, while younger black residents felt they were being treated unfairly, as their conditions seemed worse than those of their white neighbors. In 1967, the black population of Waterloo was equivalent to 8%, and according to the Courier, had a 4% unemployment rate. Waterloo was segregated at the time, as 95% of its black population lived in "East" Waterloo. While the white community felt East High was integrated with a 45% black student body, the black community pointed out that the elementary school in East Waterloo had only one white pupil.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: Protests were mostly organized by black youths aged 16–25. Protests became riots when the youth felt protesting wasn't effective. Protests turned into riots in July 1968 and reached a critical mass by September, with buildings on East 4th street torched and vandalized.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: In August 1968, East High students Terri and Kathy Pearson gave the principal a list of grievances detailing how they felt the discrimination could be lessened. The principal refused to implement any of the requested changes. Student protests and walkouts continued through September. Students were angry that no African American history course was being taught, and that interracial dating was discouraged by teachers and administrators.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: On Sep 13, 1968, during an East High School football game, police attempted to arrest a black youth. He resisted arrest, drawing attention of students in the stands. Black students fought and argued with the police, and police responded by using clubs and mace. The riot continued into the east side of Waterloo, with a subsequent fire that claimed a lumber mill and three homes. There was an attempt to set East High on fire as well. The riot lasted until midnight and resulted in seven officers injured and thirteen youths jailed. The National Guard was called in the following day. The riots were called off and a solution was reached thanks to civil rights leader William G Parker.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: In 2003, Governor Tom Vilsack created a task force to close the racial achievement gap in Waterloo. In 2009, a fair housing report, "Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice", compiled by Mullin & Lonergan Associates Inc., found Waterloo to be Iowa's most segregated city. "Historical patterns of racial segregation persist in Waterloo. Of the 20 cities in Iowa with populations exceeding 25,000, Waterloo ranks as the most segregated."


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: Many activists who participated in the original protests feel that Waterloo has remained the same. In 2015, The Huffington Post listed Waterloo as the 10th worst city for black Americans. The site noted that the city's black residents have a 24% unemployment rate compared to 3.9% for whites, giving Waterloo one of the highest black unemployment rates among Midwest cities. Waterloo still has a higher percentage of blacks than most Iowa cities.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: In December 2012, Derrick Ambrose Jr. was shot by a police officer. Ambrose's family maintains he was unarmed, while the officer stated that he felt his life was in danger. A grand jury acquitted the officer. The shooting sparked outrage in the community.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: June 2008 saw the worst flooding the Waterloo – Cedar Falls area had ever recorded; other major floods include the Great Flood of 1993. The flood control system constructed in the 1970s–90s largely functioned as designed.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: In areas not protected by the system, the Cedar River poured out of its banks and into parking lots, backyards and across the farmland surrounding the city. Although much damage was done, the larger downstream city of Cedar Rapids was much harder hit.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: An area of the west side of the downtown and an area near the former Rath Packing facility were impacted, not directly by water coming from the river, but as a result of storm runoff draining toward the river but then being trapped on the back side of the flood levy system. These areas did not have lift stations or alternate pumping capacity sufficient to force this water back to the river side of the control system. Areas where lift stations had been constructed (Virden Creek and East 7th Street) to pump this storm runoff into the swollen river remained largely dry (the east and north sides of downtown). Several areas experienced water seeping into basements due to high water-table levels.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: According to the National Weather Service, the ten highest crests of the Cedar River recorded at East 7th Street in downtown Waterloo:


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: Crests reported in the 1960s and earlier were before completion of major flood control projects and therefore may not be directly comparable.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: In September 2016, flood watches and warnings were put into effect for Waterloo and its surrounding cities. The crest was expected to just barely hit the height of the 2008 flood.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: The average elevation of Waterloo is 846 feet above sea level. The population density is 1101 people per square mile, considered low for an urban area.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: Waterloo has a humid continental climate zone (Köppen classification "Dfa"), typical of the state of Iowa, and is part of USDA Plant Hardiness zone 5a. The normal monthly mean temperature ranges from in January to in July. On average, there are 22 nights annually with a low at or below , 58 days annually with a high at or below freezing, and 16 days with a high at or above . As the mean first and last occurrence of freezing temperatures is October 1 and April 29, respectively, this allows for a growing season of 154 days. Temperature records range from on March 1, 1962, and January 16, 2009, up to on July 13 and 14, 1936, during the Dust Bowl. The record cold daily maximum is on February 2, 1996, while conversely the record warm daily minimum is on July 31, 1917, and August 16, 1988.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: Normal annual precipitation equivalent is spread over an average 112 days, with heavier rainfall in spring and summer, but observed annual rainfall has ranged from in 1910 and 1993, respectively. The wettest month on record is July 1999 with ; on the 2nd of that month, of rain fell, making for the heaviest rainfall in a single calendar day. The driest months are October 1952 and November 1954 with trace amounts each.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: Winter snowfall is moderate, and averages per season, spread over an average 27 days, and snow cover of or more is seen on 67 days, mostly from December to March. Winter snowfall has ranged from in 1967–68 to in 1904–05. The most snow in a calendar day and month is and on January 3, 1971, and in December 2000, respectively.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: As of the census of 2020, the population was 67,314. The population density was . There were 31,603 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 67.5% White, 18.0% Black or African American, 3.0% Asian, 1.1% Pacific Islander, 0.5% Native American, 3.3% from other races, and 6.5% from two or more races. Ethnically, the population was 7.1% Hispanic or Latino of any race.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: As of the census of 2010, there were 68,406 people, 28,607 households, 17,233 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 30,723 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 77.3% White, 15.5% African American, 0.3% Native American, 1.1% Asian, 0.3% Pacific Islander, 2.6% from other races, and 3.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 5.6% of the population.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: There were 28,607 households, of which 29.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.3% were married couples living together, 14.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 39.8% were non-families. 31.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.95.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: The median age in the city was 35.9 years. 23.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 10.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.4% were from 25 to 44; 25.5% were from 45 to 64; and 14% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.4% male and 51.6% female.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: As of the 2000 census, there were 68,747 people, 28,169 households, and 17,746 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 29,499 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 79.2% White, 14.5% African American, 1.1% Asian, 1.9% from other races, and 2.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 3.2% of the population.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: There were 28,169 households, out of which 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.0% were married couples living together, 13.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.0% were non-families. 30.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.97.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: Age spread: 24.7% under the age of 18, 10.6% from 18 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 15.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.0 males.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: The median income for a household in the city was $34,092, and the median income for a family was $42,731. Males had a median income of $31,491 versus $22,569 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,558. About 10.0% of families and 13.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.6% of those under age 18 and 10.5% of those age 65 or over.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area consists of Black Hawk, Bremer, and Grundy counties. The area had a 2000 census population of 163,706 and a 2008 estimated population of 164,220.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: Waterloo is next to Cedar Falls, home to the University of Northern Iowa. Small suburbs include Evansdale, Hudson, Raymond, Elk Run Heights, Gilbertville, and Washburn.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: The largest employers in the Waterloo/Cedar Falls MSA, according to the Greater Cedar Valley Alliance, as of June 2016 include (in order): John Deere, Tyson Fresh Meats, Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare, UnityPoint Health, the University of Northern Iowa, HyVee Food Stores, Waterloo Community Schools, Target Regional Distribution Center, CBE Companies, Inc., City of Waterloo, and Bertch Cabinet Manufacturing.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: The Cedar Valley Arboretum & Botanic Gardens is a public garden located directly east of Hawkeye Community College. Admission is $5/adult and $2/child, under five and members are free.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: Lost Island Waterpark, which opened in 2001, is one of the highest rated waterparks in the United States and was joined in 2022 by Lost Island Theme Park.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area (SSNHA) preserves and tells the story of American agriculture and its global significance through partnerships and activities that celebrate the land, people, and communities of the area. SSNHA is one of 49 federally designated National Heritage Areas and is an Affiliated Area of the National Park Service. Through the development of a network of 113 partner sites, programs and events, SSNHA's mission is to interpret farm life, agribusiness and rural communities-past and present. Waterloo partner sites include the Waterloo Center for the Arts and the Grout Museum. The SSNHA office is located in the Fowler Building, Suite 2, 604 Lafayette Street.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: The Waterloo Center for the Arts (WCA) is a regional center for visual and performance arts. It is owned and operated by the City of Waterloo with oversight by the advisory Waterloo Cultural and Arts Commission. The center is located at 225 Commercial Street. It is also an anchor for the Waterloo Cultural and Arts District (a State of Iowa designation).


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: The permanent collection at the WCA includes the largest collection of Haitian art in the country, Midwest Regionalist art (including works by Grant Wood and Thomas Hart Benton), Mexican folk art, international folk art, American decorative arts, and public art.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: President Barack Obama gave a speech here on August 14, 2012, during the 2012 presidential campaign. Originally scheduled for 7:45 pm, the speech was delayed by about 15 minutes, when Obama made an unannounced stop in neighboring Cedar Falls for a beer at a pub.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: Included in the WCA is the Phelps Youth Pavilion (PYP), which opened in 2009. The PYP is an interactive children's museum. PYP provides additional gallery and studio space.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: The Riverloop Amphitheater, completed in 2011, is an outdoor plaza and amphitheater available to rent for events and weddings. The Riverloop Amphitheater also is home to Mark's Park, a water park playground open to the public.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: The WCA also houses the Waterloo Community Playhouse, the oldest community theatre in Iowa (operating since 1916), and the Black Hawk Children's Theatre, that started in 1964, then, merged with the Waterloo Community Playhouse in 1982. Both perform in the Hope Martin Theatre, which opened in 1965. The theatre's administrative offices are located across the street in the historic Walker Building.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: Established in 1932, the district started with an endowment set up in the will of Henry W. Grout. The district is a nonprofit educational entity that is active in engaging the students and all people from the surrounding communities. It is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: The Grout Museum of History and Science, the first museum which would grow into the museum district, was displayed for many years in the building that was the local YMCA. The current building was completed and opened to the public as a not-for-profit museum in 1956.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: The Sullivan Brothers Iowa Veterans Museum was opened in November 2008 at a cost of $11 million, funded in part by a citizens' grassroots campaign.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: The Rensselaer Russell House is at 520 W. 3rd Street. Built in 1858, it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Rensselaer and Caroline Russell built the house utilizing Italianate architecture in 1861 for $5,878.83.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: The Carl A. and Peggy J. Bluedorn Science Imaginarium opened in 1993 and provides both interactive exhibits and formal demonstrations in various fields of science.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: The Snowden House is a two-story brick Victorian era house listed on the National Register of Historic Places was built in 1875. The house was once used as the Waterloo Woman's Club.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: Waterloo has one central public library. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, there were 92,342 patron visits resulting in a circulation of 199,249 items. The total collection consisted of 607,583 items. The library's reference services, supported by 4.75 FTE librarians, answered 28,970 questions. Its 99 public access computers provided over 30,047 sessions for patrons and the library's wireless network hosted 30,692 sessions. (Waterloo Public Library Annual Report). .


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: The library is governed by a board of trustees, nominated by the city mayor and confirmed by the city council: John Berry, Larry Bjortomt, Ivy Hagedorn, Kathleen Wernimont and Cindy Wells. The library is directed by Nick Rossman, MLS.<>


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: The Waterloo Public Library is in a renovated Great Depression era building that served as a post office and federal building (Waterloo Public Library history ). The building was renovated in the late 1970s for use as a library. In 2011, the Waterloo Public Library celebrated 30 years at its Commercial Street location.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: Two New Deal-funded murals by artist Edgar Britton are on display at the library. "Exposition" is an image of the National Cattle Congress, and "Holiday" is of a picnic.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: Waterloo is administered by the mayor and council system of government. One council member is elected from each of Waterloo's five wards, and two are elected at-large. The current mayor is Quentin Hart. He is the city's first black mayor.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: The city holds elections to elect its mayor and city council every two years, in odd-numbered years. Mayoral elections are held every two years, meanwhile each city council seat is up for grabs every four years.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: Hawkeye Community College is located in Waterloo. Neighboring Cedar Falls is home to the University of Northern Iowa.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: Almost all of the city is within the Waterloo Community School District. The three public high schools in the city are Waterloo West High School, Waterloo East High School, and Expo High School. Additionally a portion of the city is within the Cedar Falls Community School District.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: Waterloo's private high schools are Waterloo Christian School and Columbus Catholic High School, which is supported by the Catholic parishes of Waterloo and Cedar Falls. Waterloo Christian is a non-denominational college preparatory school located on the grounds of Walnut Ridge Baptist Church. The school's colors are green and yellow, and its mascot is the "Regent." Columbus' mascot is the "Sailor", a connection to the school's namesake Christopher Columbus, and its colors are green and white.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: There is also a wide array of elementary and junior high schools in the area, with open enrollment available.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: Waterloo is located at the north end of Interstate 380. U.S. Highways 20, 63, and 218 and Iowa Highway 21, also run through the metropolitan area. The Avenue of the Saints runs through Waterloo.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: American Airlines provides non-stop air service to and from Chicago from the Waterloo Regional Airport as of April 3, 2012. As of October 27, 2014, American Airlines runs two flights to/from Chicago O'Hare (ORD). Departures to Chicago are early morning and mid/late afternoon. Arrivals are early/mid-afternoon and evening.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: Waterloo is served by a metropolitan bus system (MET), which serves most areas of Cedar Falls and Waterloo. Most routes meet at the central bus station in downtown Waterloo. The system operates Monday through Saturday. During the week the earliest bus is at 5:45 am from downtown Waterloo, and the last bus arrives downtown at 6:40 pm. Service is limited on Saturdays.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: Waterloo is served by one daily intercity bus arrival and departure to Chicago and Des Moines, provided by Burlington Trailways. New service to and from Mason City and Minneapolis/St. Paul provided by Jefferson Lines started in the fall of 2009.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: There are currently five taxi operators in Waterloo and Cedar Falls: First Call, Yellow, City Cab, Cedar Valley Cab, and Dolly's Taxi.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: The MidAmerican Energy Company supplies Waterloo with electricity and natural gas. The Waterloo Water Works supplies potable water with a capacity of 50,400,000 GPD (gallons per day) with an average use of 13,400,000 GPD and a peak use of 28,800,000 GPD. News reports indicate that 18.5% of the system's output in 2013, or 851 million gallons, was unaccounted for. Sanitation service (sewage) is operated by the city of Waterloo, with a capacity of 36,500,000 GPD and an average use of 14,000,000 GPD.


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: Waterloo is home to two hospitals, Mercy One Waterloo Medical Center, which has 366 beds, and Unity Point Health


title: Waterloo, Iowa

text: Allen Memorial Hospital, with 234 beds. Neighboring Cedar Falls is home to Sartori Memorial Hospital, with 83 beds. The Waterloo-Cedar Falls metropolitan area has 295 physicians, 69 dentists, 52 chiropractors, 24 vision specialists and 21 nursing/retirement homes.


title: Flag of Guatemala

text: The flag of Guatemala, often referred to as "Pabellón Nacional" (literally, "National Flag") or "Azul y Blanco" ("Blue and White") features two colors: Sky blue and white. The two Sky blue stripes represent the fact that Guatemala is a land located between two oceans, the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean (Caribbean sea); and the sky over the country (see Guatemala's national anthem). The white signifies peace and purity. The blue and white colors, like those of several other countries in the region, are based on the flag of the former Federal Republic of Central America.


title: Flag of Guatemala

text: In the center of the flag is the Guatemalan coat of arms. It includes the resplendent quetzal, the national bird of Guatemala that symbolizes liberty; a parchment scroll bearing the date of Central America's independence from Spain, 15 September 1821; crossed Remington rifles, indicating Guatemala's willingness to defend itself by force if need be; a bay laurel crown, the symbol for victory; and crossed swords, representing honor. It is one of four national flags among UN member states that features a firearm, along with those of Mozambique, Haiti and Bolivia.


title: Flag of Guatemala

text: It is one of five national flags that use the ratio 5:8, with the others being Argentina, Palau, Poland, and Sweden.


title: Flag of Guatemala

text: The Federal Republic of Central America flag was used in Guatemala until 1851, when a pro-Spanish faction took over and added the Spanish colors of red and yellow to the flag. The original colors were restored on 17 August 1871, but as vertical (rather than horizontal) stripes in order to distinguish it from other flags and with a new coat of arms.


title: Flag of Guatemala

text: The resplendent quetzal previously appeared in the 1830s in the flag of Los Altos, the sixth state in the Federal Republic.


title: Flag of Guatemala

text: In 2008 a flag called the "Bandera de Los Pueblos" (Flag of indigenous peoples) was adopted by law and is shown together with the national flag of Guatemala in all events featuring the President of Guatemala since then. The flag is divided in four parts, red, yellow, white and black, each colour representing Xinca people, Garifuna people, Maya people, and Ladino people, respectively.


title: Flag of Guatemala

text: These colours are also part of the "Qanil", a Maya symbol in which each color represents a point of the compass, an element of nature and a part of the human being. "Qanil" means "seed" in Mayan languages, and is also one of the 20 days of the Maya calendar.


title: Flag of Guatemala

text: Aimed at promoting "interculturality" in Guatemala, the "Bandera de los Pueblos" was received with disinterest by the leaders of the peoples, who do not seem to have been consulted.


title: Anti-Monitor

text: The Anti-Monitor is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He served as the main antagonist of the 1985 DC Comics miniseries "Crisis on Infinite Earths" and later appears as an enemy to the Green Lantern Corps and the Justice League.


title: Anti-Monitor

text: LaMonica Garrett portrayed the character as the main antagonist in the Arrowverse crossover "Crisis on Infinite Earths", as well as The Monitor.


title: Anti-Monitor

text: The Anti-Monitor first appeared in "Crisis on Infinite Earths" #2 (although he remained in shadow until "Crisis on Infinite Earths" #5) and was created by Marv Wolfman, George Pérez, and Jerry Ordway. He was believed to have been destroyed in "Crisis on Infinite Earths" #12 only to return after a long absence in "Green Lantern: Sinestro Corps Special" #1 (August 2007).


title: Anti-Monitor

text: During the "Crisis on Infinite Earths", it was revealed how the existence of all parallel universes in the Multiverse came to be, including the positive matter multiverse and also the anti-matter universe, and how the Monitor and the Anti-Monitor came into existence; when the menace posed by the Anti-Monitor became apparent, several villains were sent back in time to stop him, but were defeated by Krona and the other Oans. In a final revision, it was established that it increased entropy in the universe, shortening its existence by a billion years (see heat death). In any event, two beings were created, one on the moon of Oa and the other on the moon of Qward. On the moon of Oa, the being known as the Monitor was instantly aware of his counterpart, the Anti-Monitor (although his official name is the Monitor in his own universe, and he is often addressed as such, the name Anti-Monitor is used to distinguish him from his heroic positive matter counterpart). By this time the Anti-Monitor had quickly conquered Qward, as well as the rest of the anti-matter universe. In searching for other places to conquer, he also became aware of his counterpart. These two beings battled for a million years, unleashing great powers against each other, but to no avail. At the end of their stalemate, they simultaneously attacked one another, rendering both inert for nine billion years.


title: Anti-Monitor

text: In "Final Crisis", it was revealed that, in the wake of the birth of the original Multiverse, an unfathomable being of limitless imagination, the original Monitor, or "Overmonitor", became aware of the life germinating in the budding Multiverse, occupying the void space in which he resided and which he encompassed. Curious about it and wanting to interact with and know better the lesser life-forms birthed by the Multiverse, he fashioned a probe, a "smaller Monitor". Unprepared to deal with the complexity of life and the passing of time, the probe-Monitor was instantly split into two symmetrical, opposite beings upon coming into contact with the Multiverse itself: the Monitor, embodying the positive matter and "goodness", and the Anti-Monitor, embodying anti-matter and "evil".


title: Anti-Monitor

text: The Anti-Monitor, who appears monstrous, barely resembles the Monitor, who bears a physically near-human appearance. The Anti-Monitor has empty, sometimes luminous eye sockets, and a wide, wrinkled mouth, often mistaken for a mass of teeth. When his armor is destroyed by Supergirl, his form appears not dissimilar to that of the Monitor, but unstable, and surrounded by a coruscating aura of radiant energy—his life force, leaking out like water from a failing vessel, explaining the need for the armor. The Anti-Monitor himself refers to the armor as his "Life Shell". When the Manhunters re-build his armor, it is revealed his body is little more than a churning mass of energy. Much later, when his helmet is disintegrated by Firestorm, the Anti-Monitor's head is revealed to be featureless except for his eyes and mouth.


title: Anti-Monitor

text: In more modern times, the being known as Pariah performed an experiment similar to the one Krona attempted long ago on a parallel Earth (this was changed later to an alternate world in the Post-"Crisis" single universe). This experiment resulted in the reawakening of both the Monitor and the Anti-Monitor and the destruction of Pariah's Earth and his universe. The Anti-Monitor rebuilt his army, taking over Qward and using the Thunderers as his own private army, as well as creating the Shadow Demons from the elite of the Thunderers.


title: Anti-Monitor

text: The Anti-Monitor then released a massive anti-matter wave, absorbing the energies of the destroyed positive matter universes and growing stronger even as his counterpart grew weaker, and employed the second Psycho-Pirate, using his emotion control powers to terrorize the populations of the planets he sought to conquer and destroy. The Monitor, along with his aide Harbinger, gathered a group of heroes and villains from various alternate universes in order to combat the threat of the Anti-Monitor. One of Harbinger's duplicates was taken control of by the Anti-Monitor and apparently killed the Monitor, but the Monitor was able to use his death to create a pocket universe to contain the remaining realities from the Anti-Monitor's attack.


title: Anti-Monitor

text: After defeats by various heroes, including the Flash (Barry Allen) and Supergirl sacrificing themselves to destroy an anti-matter cannon and to save Superman, respectively, the Anti-Monitor absorbed the entirety of the anti-matter universe and traveled to the beginning of time, intending to stop the formation of the positive matter Multiverse and to create a Multiverse where anti-matter prevailed. When the heroes followed him there, he began to drain the power from most of them.


title: Anti-Monitor

text: However, the actions of the Spectre, empowered by the sorcerers of the surviving Earths, brought the Anti-Monitor to a stalemate. The villains of said Earths, sent to stop Krona from viewing the origins of the universe, failed due to squabbling, allowing Krona to see the hands of the Anti-Monitor and the Spectre struggling for domination, which collapsed the current Multiverse.


title: Anti-Monitor

text: From the ashes rose a new, singular universe. While various persons adjusted to the newly singular Earth (including those whose worlds and histories had been destroyed with the loss of the Multiverse), the Anti-Monitor, enraged, drew this new Earth into the anti-matter universe, intending to destroy this last bastion of positive matter once and for all. What followed was the Shadow Demon War, wherein many heroes and villains lost their lives against the Anti-Monitor's forces. Finally, the combined efforts of various superheroes and villains (most notably Doctor Light; the heroic Alexander Luthor, Jr. of Earth-Three; Darkseid; Superboy of Earth Prime; and Kal-L, the Superman of Earth-Two) were able to weaken the Anti-Monitor enough for Kal-L to deliver the final blow, destroying the Anti-Monitor by punching him into a star. The star went nova and caused anti-matter waves to erupt, threatening to destroy the entire anti-matter universe. Kal-L and Superboy-Prime were willing to resign themselves to their final fates, when Alexander Luthor, using his power to open dimensions, revealed that he had created a "paradise dimension", and he used it to prevent the Lois Lane Kent of Earth-Two from being erased from existence when the Post-"Crisis" universe was formed, as he foresaw how events would unfold and refused to allow Superman to have to deal with such a terrible loss. Using his own body as a portal, Alexander Luthor, Kal-L, and Superboy-Prime went into the "paradise dimension" alongside Lois.


title: Anti-Monitor

text: Among the other beings who died because of his actions were the entire Crime Syndicate of America, Kid Psycho, Nighthawk, the Losers, Flower of Easy Company, Starman, the Immortal Man, the Dove, Kole, Clayface II, the Bug-Eyed Bandit, the Angle Man, Prince Ra-Man, Sunburst, Lori Lemaris, Aquagirl, Earth-2's Green Arrow, Huntress, Robin, and Alexander Luthor Sr. of Earth-Three, just to name a few.


title: Anti-Monitor

text: The Superman (and Lois Lane) of Earth-Two, Superboy of Earth-Prime, and Alexander Luthor Jr. of Earth-Three were revealed to be observing the events of the newly formed universe, as well as the actions of its heroes, from their home in the hidden pocket universe. Upon observing the events leading up to "Infinite Crisis", the heroes returned to the universe in an attempt to restore Earth-Two's existence, at the expense of Earth-One.


title: Anti-Monitor

text: The Anti-Monitor's remains were then used by Alexander Luthor as part of a tuning fork, similar to the ones used during the first Crisis. This construct then created the vibrational frequency that Earth-Two was on prior to its non-existence, which in turn recreated Earth-Two with no visible effect on Earth-One, save the movement of characters who originated on Earth-Two to the recreated Earth-Two. Alexander Luthor then recreated the other Earths with his tuning fork, with their respective heroes forcibly migrating to said Earths. Superboy-Prime (followed soon by Bart Allen) then returned from the Speed Force wearing what appeared to be select elements of the Anti-Monitor's armor, using it as a yellow sunlight collector. Ultimately, the tower was destroyed when Kon-El, the modern Superboy, and Superboy-Prime crashed into it while fighting each other, forcing all of the Earths to merge into a new Earth once again. Kon-El died in the arms of Wonder Girl as Superboy-Prime fled.


title: Anti-Monitor

text: Despite his extremely limited exposure (he only appeared in the "Crisis on Infinite Earths" miniseries, a single issue of "Wonder Woman", and "The Flash" vol. 2 #149–150, the Anti-Monitor was responsible for one of the most profound changes in the entire history of DC Comics, the DC Universe, and all of its parallel universes. The anti-matter universe still existed, now with both Qward (said to be the counterpart of Oa) and an alternate Earth populated by counterparts of the positive matter heroes and villains (each taking the opposite role) among its planets.


title: Anti-Monitor

text: Perhaps the most notable impact the Anti-Monitor had on the Post-"Crisis" universe was the elimination of the Multiverse aspect of the DC Universe. Previously, there existed an infinite number of Earths, each one with a unique history, that could be accessed through various means, the most common being vibrational attunement. During Post-"Crisis", with the restart of the universe as one thanks to the machinations of the Anti-Monitor, a simpler, more streamlined DC Universe seemed imminent, with characters acquired from Charlton Comics, Fawcett Comics, and Quality Comics all becoming incorporated into the new DC Universe.


title: Anti-Monitor

text: At the end of DC Comics' 2006 special "Brave New World", it is revealed that there are five figures calling themselves "the Monitors" watching over the new post-"Infinite Crisis" Earth. Four of the figures resemble the original Monitor from "Crisis on Infinite Earths" and the fifth figure resembles the Anti-Monitor. In the pages of "Countdown", it has been revealed that there are fifty-two Monitors, with each of them representing one of the new alternate realities in the new Multiverse, each with a slightly different appearance. A Monitor was shown in "Supergirl" recalling Dark Angel, one of his agents. This Monitor was dressed like the Anti-Monitor, but appeared to have no other connection.


title: Anti-Monitor

text: It was revealed that the Anti-Monitor was reborn following the recreation of the Multiverse and that he had been fueling Sinestro's ideology since the return of Hal Jordan, acting as the Sinestro Corps' "Guardian of Fear". His body was rebuilt by the Manhunters, and in addition, he recruited Superboy-Prime, the Cyborg Superman, and Parallax, who was using Kyle Rayner as its host, along with Sinestro as his heralds.


title: Anti-Monitor

text: During the war between the Sinestro Corps and the Green Lantern Corps, the Anti-Monitor contacted Cyborg Superman to inquire about the status of New Warworld. The cosmic tyrant stated that he would soon abandon Qward and that he would kill Henshaw for his services, allowing him the peace that had for so long evaded the Cyborg.


title: Anti-Monitor

text: When the Lost Lanterns made their way to the anti-matter universe to save Hal Jordan and the Ion power, they inadvertently stumbled upon the Anti-Monitor in a basement chamber of his stronghold on Qward. He was seemingly experimenting on or torturing the Ion entity previously inhabiting Kyle Rayner. He proceeded to kill Ke'Haan before the other Lanterns forced him back, taking the Ion entity from the planet and the anti-matter universe. The Anti-Monitor pursued the Lanterns for a short while, long enough for Hal Jordan, Guy Gardner, John Stewart, and the other Lanterns to learn of his return. Having this vital information, they then leave Qward.


title: Anti-Monitor

text: Shortly after, the Sinestro Corps launched its attack on Earth. The Anti-Monitor traveled to the planet aboard New Warworld, and landed shortly thereafter, along with Sinestro. He was attacked by Sodam Yat and other members of the Green Lantern Corps, but the tyrant killed the two unnamed Lanterns and severely injured the Daxamite Lantern.


title: Anti-Monitor

text: The Anti-Monitor began to siphon the positive matter of New York City to create his anti-matter waves. However, he was attacked by the Guardians of the Universe, angry at being impotent during his first war. The Anti-Monitor was able to counter the vicious attack, permanently disfiguring the face of Scar. John Stewart and Guy Gardner brought down New Warworld and the Yellow Central Power Battery, which were detonated next to the Anti-Monitor, and contained by a shield created by hundreds of Green Lanterns to contain the explosion; even this was not enough to kill him. Superboy-Prime, seeing an opportunity to defeat the now-weakened Anti-Monitor, flew through the Anti-Monitor's chest and hurled his shattered body into space.


title: Anti-Monitor

text: The Anti-Monitor's corpse crash landed on desert planet where a voice (later revealed to be Nekron) acknowledged him and told him to rise. Before he could escape, the Anti-Monitor found himself imprisoned inside a large Black Power Battery. Soon afterwards, the Guardian Scar, corrupted by the Anti-Monitor's energies, dispatched the Green Lanterns Ash and Saarek to locate and recover the Anti-Monitor's body.


title: Anti-Monitor

text: Green Lanterns Ash and Saarek find the Black Central Power Battery on the dead planet Ryut in Sector 666, and try to escape just before two monstrous hands emerge from below them and drag them into the planet, killing them.


title: Anti-Monitor

text: When the Black Central Power Battery is later brought to Earth, the Anti-Monitor stirs within, demanding to be let out. He begins draining the white energies of Dove in order to escape. The Anti-Monitor is reanimated as a Black Lantern independent from Nekron's control. The Anti-Monitor is attacked by the various Lantern Corps just as he is about to pull himself out of the battery. Combining their energies, the various Lantern Corps use Dove as a human bullet shooting the Anti-Monitor through the head and pulling him back into the Battery.


title: Anti-Monitor

text: The Anti-Monitor is eventually resurrected by a White Power Ring and breaks free of the battery, fighting Nekron in revenge for imprisoning him. Nekron then banishes the Anti-Monitor back to the anti-matter universe.


title: Anti-Monitor

text: Later, the Anti-Monitor is confronted by the White Lantern Boston Brand. As Brand is forced by the White Ring to "fight for his life", damaging the Anti-Monitor's chest plate armor, the Anti-Monitor retaliates by firing a burst of anti-matter energy at Brand, who evades the blast. The Anti-Monitor resumes his duties in the anti-matter universe while Brand leaves. He also prevented Deathstorm, the Black Lantern version of Firestorm, in his attempt to destroy the White Lantern Battery and instead commands him to bring the lantern to him as well as an army, at which point Deathstorm brings back the Black Lantern versions of Professor Zoom, Maxwell Lord, Hawk, Jade, Captain Boomerang, Martian Manhunter, Aquaman, Hawkman, Hawkgirl, Deadman and Osiris.


title: Anti-Monitor

text: Deathstorm eventually brought the White Lantern Battery to him, and he tried to access the White Lantern power; however, his efforts are prevented by Firestorm who, after engaging in battle with the Anti-Monitor and the Black Lanterns, is able to regain the White Power Battery from the Anti-Monitor. It is also revealed that the "Entity" allowed itself to be captured so it could obtain unspecified information from the Anti-Monitor.


title: Anti-Monitor

text: The Anti-Monitor was introduced in The New 52 (a 2011 reboot of the DC Comics universe) in the final page of the "Forever Evil" storyline. It is revealed to the reader as the being which destroyed Ultraman's Krypton and Earth 3. As he is seen finishing off Earth 3, the Anti-Monitor declares "Darkseid shall be mine."


title: Anti-Monitor

text: The Anti-Monitor has found the Prime Earth because the ring of Volthoom's energy signature was emitting a traceable pulse. He was also responsible for blinding Martian Manhunter's Earth 3 counterpart by burning out his eyes and destroying one of his arms beyond repair even by the capabilities that Martians possess.


title: Anti-Monitor

text: When Metron confronted the Anti-Monitor amidst the ruins of Earth 3, it was revealed the Anti-Monitor was the former owner of Metron's traveling device, the Mobius Chair—and that his true name "is" Mobius. He intends to make up for an unknown wrong he regrets, and to this end intends to kill Darkseid with the help of the latter's daughter, the half-Amazon, half-Apokoliptian known as Grail.


title: Anti-Monitor

text: With the help of Grail, the Anti-Monitor attacks the Justice League on Prime Earth while waiting for Darkseid as he was promised by Grail. It is eventually revealed that Mobius became what he is after attempting to peer into the origins of the anti-matter universe on Qward, similar to how Krona sought the origins of his positive-matter universe. While the White Light of the Life Equation was the origin of the positive universe, it is the Anti-Life Equation that serves as the foundation of the anti-matter universe, and Mobius released it from within the world of Qward, transforming him into the Anti-Monitor. With the Anti-Life Equation in his body, Anti-Monitor has the ability to enslave any living thing to his will. He uses this power to bind the Black Racer to the Flash, enslaving the New God and using him to kill Darkseid.


title: Anti-Monitor

text: Having killed Darkseid, the Anti-Monitor cocooned himself in a shell of energy, and eventually separated himself from the Anti-Life Equation, which was then obtained by Grail. Shortly afterward, he emerged from his shell changed into a more human-looking form, once again Mobius, but still possessing vast power and legions of Shadow Demons. Superwoman and Wonder Woman attempt to subdue him together with their respective lassos: one compelling him to be truthful, the other to obey, but he defies and defeats both. Ultraman, re-empowered through a chunk of kryptonite, engages Mobius, but is swiftly defeated and killed. Next, Mobius is attacked by Lex Luthor, now wielding the Omega Force formerly belonging to Darkseid, as well as an army of Shadow Demons. Even now, fighting Luthor as well as the Justice League and the Crime Syndicate, Mobius has the upper hand until Grail, Darkseid's daughter, appears with Steve Trevor in tow. She has transferred the Anti-Life to him, making him into a new vessel for its power. Now basically a living weapon under Grail's control, Trevor releases a tremendous blast of power against Mobius, reducing him to a smoldering skeleton.


title: Anti-Monitor

text: In the DC Rebirth relaunch, Anti-Monitor's history is revealed where he and his brothers Monitor/Mar Novu and World Forger were created by a Super Celestial named Perpetua in the Sixth Dimension where she tasked them to monitor their assigned realms. Anti-Monitor was tasked to make sure the light of creation didn't breach the greater Omniverse. If Anti-Monitor, his brothers, or Perpetua would be destroyed, they would regenerate in the Sixth Dimension.


title: Anti-Monitor

text: The Anti-Monitor lies in wait at the end of the universe, where the former Source Wall was located. He saved Aquaman at the end of "Drowned Earth" and sends him into the past to aid the Flash, Green Lantern, and the Justice Society of America's attempts in retrieving Starman's Cosmic Rod and to head to Atlantis to use the Conch of Arion to return everyone back to the present. The Anti-Monitor is confronted by Perpetua and Apex Lex who try to convert him to their cause but are interrupted by the arrival of the Monitor, World Forger, Hawkgirl and Starman. The Anti-Monitor fuses with his brothers to become the Ultra-Monitor and fight their mother. They are able to hold back Perpetua but due to Doom's influence empowering her and Hawkgirl straying from the plan, the Ultra-Monitor is defeated when Perpetua gives the Anti-Monitor the Anti-Life back, restoring him to his Pre-Crisis appearance and changing allegiance to Perpetua. Anti-Monitor is sent by Perpetua to kill Hawkgirl and Shayne, who Perpetua has stranded in space and prevented from returning to Earth. Before he can kill the two, the Anti-Monitor is struck by John Stewart/Green Lantern, who was driving the Flash's Speed Force car, forcing the Anti-Monitor back into his Rebirth appearance and releasing the Monitor and World Forger. The Anti-Monitor cries out for his mother's help, which he receives in the form of the fiery remains of Earth-44 which Perpetua flung towards his location.


title: Anti-Monitor

text: Anti-Monitor is one of the most formidable foes ever faced by the heroes of the DC Universe. He is directly responsible for more deaths than any other known DC supervillain, having destroyed at least thousands of universes, if not an actual infinitude of them. He was powerful enough to kill Supergirl when she became distracted. He consumed at least thousands of positive-matter universes to increase his power and was able to personally battle scores of the multiverse's strongest heroes simultaneously. During the "Blackest Night," the Anti-Monitor was reanimated as a Black Lantern. However, Nekron was unable to fully control him and thus was only able to subdue the Anti-Monitor to be used as a power source for the Black Lantern Corps' Central Battery, much in the same way the entity Parallax is the power source for the Green Lanterns' battery.


title: Anti-Monitor

text: The Anti-Monitor was also responsible for the death of Barry Allen, the hero better known as the Flash. After capturing Barry because his ability to traverse the multiverse unaided made him a dangerous variable, the Anti-Monitor created an anti-matter cannon that would destroy the then-five remaining Earths with a concentrated beam much faster than the wave of entropy he had originally unleashed. The cannon was destroyed by the Flash when he escaped and forced the energies of the weapon's power source into itself, causing it to explode and Barry to disintegrate.


title: Anti-Monitor

text: In addition to possessing vast size (varying from about nine feet to hundreds of meters tall), vastly superhuman strength, extraordinary durability (by the end of the "Crisis" series he was able to effortlessly withstand blows from Superman and even surviving a blue star going supernova), the ability to project destructive bolts of energy, and greatly augmenting another being's powers (as he did with Psycho-Pirate, whose powers were increased to levels too much for him to handle), the Anti-Monitor also possessed reality-warping abilities, which he displayed by removing Psycho-Pirate's face. The Anti-Monitor also commanded an army of Qwardians and shadow demons and had access to highly advanced technology capable of shifting, merging, or destroying entire universes.


title: Anti-Monitor

text: By far, his most devastating power was the ability to absorb the energies of his surroundings into himself; once he fused with his anti-matter universe, he went even as far as absorbing the energies of entire universes. In addition to devouring the energies of untold numbers of universes, he also absorbed the energy of "over one million worlds" in his own anti-matter universe in order to gain the power to travel to the beginning of time to attempt to stop the creation of the positive matter universe. When Earth's heroes followed him to the beginning of time, he then absorbed all of their power and energy; this made him strong enough to alter the creation of the universe until he was opposed by the Spectre. During his final battle in "Crisis on Infinite Earths" #12, the Anti-Monitor maintained his power by "feeding on" a nearby star; and when his power was drained and he was reduced to a state of near-death, he absorbed his own anti-matter demons to rejuvenate himself.


title: Anti-Monitor

text: The Anti-Monitor is not immortal, but may be ultimately indestructible so long as the anti-matter universe exists; having been destroyed with an immense effort at the end of the Crisis, he was recreated by his universe, just as he had been formed originally. It's been revealed that if the Anti-Monitor or any other member of his family were to be destroyed, they would regenerate in the Sixth Dimension.


title: Tiger 131

text: Tiger 131 is a German Tiger I heavy tank captured by the British 48th Royal Tank Regiment in Tunisia during World War II. Preserved at The Tank Museum in Bovington in Dorset, England, it is currently the only operational Tiger I in the world.


title: Tiger 131

text: Known to the Allies as a Tiger I, the German model designation was a "Panzerkampfwagen VI, Tiger I (H1), Sd.Kfz. 181". It was built in Kassel, Germany with the hull being constructed by Henschel while the turret was made by Wegmann A. The tank was completed in February 1943. It was shipped to Tunisia between 12 March and 16 April 1943. The tank was assigned to the 504th "Schwere Heerespanzerabteilung" German heavy tank battalion in Tunisia during the North African Campaign. It was placed in No. 1 Company, No. 3 Platoon, 1 commanders tank, giving it tactical number 131 shown on the turret, by which it has come to be known.


title: Tiger 131

text: Knowing that the Allies were preparing a major push toward Tunis, the Germans launched a spoiling attack on the night of 20/21 April 1943. Four points were attacked simultaneously, including a pass on the north side of a hill called Djebel Djaffa. Two Tigers and several other tanks advanced through this pass before dawn, and were gradually driven back during the day. Tiger 131 was hit by three shots from 6-pounders from British Churchill tanks of A Squadron, 4 Troop of the 48th Royal Tank Regiment (RTR). A solid shot hit the Tiger's gun barrel and ricocheted into its turret ring, jamming its traverse, wounding the driver and front gunner and destroying the radio. A second shot hit the turret lifting lug, disabling the gun's elevation device. A third shot hit the loader's hatch, deflecting fragments into the turret. The German crew bailed out, taking their wounded with them and leaving the knocked-out but still driveable and largely intact tank behind. The tank was secured by the British as they captured Djebel Djaffa hill. Tiger 131 was the first intact Tiger tank captured by British forces.


title: Tiger 131

text: A 2012 article in the "Daily Mail" followed by a book by Noel Botham and Bruce Montague entitled "Catch that Tiger" claimed that Major Douglas Lidderdale, the engineering officer who oversaw the return of Tiger 131 to England, was responsible for the capture of Tiger 131 as the leader of a secret mission appointed by Winston Churchill to obtain a Tiger for Allied intelligence.


title: Tiger 131

text: Though the account has been considered plausible (if only in light of Churchill's reputation for being "hands on" in his dealings with military affairs during wartime) it has been rejected by The Tank Museum as inaccurate. The story as told in the book contradicts Lidderdale's own letters and papers written in the years before his death, in which he stated that he was not personally present when the Tiger was captured.


title: Tiger 131

text: In April 2019, Dale Oscroft visited the Tank Museum and was struck by the similarity between Tiger 131 and a story told to him by his father John Oscroft, who was part of 2nd Battalion Sherwood Foresters who took point 174 without the promised tank support. After its capture the Germans immediately counter-attacked with tanks including Tigers. John Oscroft was told to hit one Tiger with his PIAT. After crawling forward to get as close as he dared he saw the bomb just bounce off the Tiger so decided to get his head down. Fortunately their supporting Churchill tanks had finally arrived and one shot from a Churchill jammed the turret. Based on photographic and documentary evidence, the disabled Tiger was definitely 131 at Gueriat el Atach ("Point 174") during an attack on 2nd Battalion Sherwood Foresters on 24 April 1943. The Tiger was struck by a Churchill of either 142 Regiment Royal Armoured Corps or 48 RTR, which were supporting the Foresters, and abandoned. This confirms that the Tiger at Djebel Djaffa on 21 April was not 131.


title: Tiger 131

text: Tiger 131 was repaired with parts from other destroyed Tigers and inspected to judge its performance. It was displayed in Tunis and formally inspected there by King George VI and Winston Churchill. The tank was sent to England in October 1943 where it was displayed as a trophy at various locations to raise wartime morale before it was subjected to extensive testing and evaluation by the School of Tank Technology who produced detailed reports on its construction. The captured tank was transferred to The Tank Museum by the British Ministry of Supply on 25 September 1951 where it was given the accession number 2351 (later E1951.23).


title: Tiger 131

text: In 1990, the tank was removed from display at the museum for restoration by the museum and the Army Base Repair Organisation. The restoration involved an almost complete disassembly of the tank. The Maybach HL230 engine from the museum's Tiger II was installed as the Tiger's original Maybach HL210 had been cut into cross sections for display. A modern fire-suppressant system was added to the engine compartment, the only other significant alteration. The wear and performance of the refitted Tiger engine was studied by metallurgists to explore the alloys and performance of WWII German manufacturing.


title: Tiger 131

text: In December 2003, Tiger 131 returned to the museum with a working engine, making it the only working Tiger tank in the world and the most popular exhibit at the museum. Further work and repainting in period colours completed the restoration in 2012, for a total cost quoted at £80,000.


title: Tiger 131

text: This tank was used in the 2014 film "Fury", the first time a real Tiger has appeared in a feature film since "They Were Not Divided" (1950).


title: A Little Chaos

text: A Little Chaos is a 2014 British period drama film directed by Alan Rickman. The story was conceived by Alison Deegan who co-wrote the screenplay along with Rickman and Jeremy Brock. The film stars Kate Winslet, Matthias Schoenaerts, Alan Rickman, Stanley Tucci, Helen McCrory, Steven Waddington, Jennifer Ehle, and Rupert Penry-Jones. The film was financed by Lionsgate UK and produced by BBC Films. It was the second film directed by Rickman, after his 1997 directorial debut "The Winter Guest", as well as the last before his death in 2016. It was the second collaboration of Rickman and Winslet after their 1995 film "Sense and Sensibility". Production took place in London in mid-2013. The film had its world premiere at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival as the closing night film on 13 September 2014.


title: A Little Chaos

text: King Louis XIV of France assigns the design and construction of the Gardens of Versailles to head landscape architect André Le Nôtre. Overwhelmed by his workload having to manage several projects, Le Nôtre (Matthias Schoenaerts) interviews several other garden designers who have submitted designs for the project, including one woman, Sabine De Barra (Kate Winslet). When Madame De Barra arrives on the grounds of the palace, Le Nôtre sees her move a potted plant in his garden prior to her interview and asks her if she gives deference to order in design. Sabine affirms her respect for landscape "order", but when pressed for a direct answer, she suggests that she would like to create something uniquely French rather than follow classical and renaissance styles. Le Nôtre reminds her that everything he has built and designed follows "order" and is clearly offended by her comments. She apologizes and expresses her sincere admiration for him and his work. Mid-sentence during her apology, Le Nôtre stands up, interrupts her and shows her the door; she leaves disheartened.


title: A Little Chaos

text: After all the interviews, André mulls over the candidates, oppressed by the weight of the King's expectations. A few judicious words from his assistant as well as him presenting Madame De Barra's designs to Le Nôtre again, prompt him to reconsider Sabine's designs. Later that night, unexpectedly, André surprises Sabine at her home and, after examining her seemingly untamed but magical home garden, discovers an appreciation for her talent and ultimately tasks her with responsibility for an outdoor "bosquet" ballroom at Versailles, surrounded by fountains and landscaping. André's plans had called for a constant supply of water from a distance at great expense, but Sabine devises another engineering solution: a reservoir from which water can be continuously recycled through the fountains. As work begins on her design, Sabine initially makes little progress with the workmen recommended by one of the designers rejected by André. Another competitor and an acquaintance of hers, Thierry Duras, intervenes and offers the use of his crew and construction begins to take place.


title: A Little Chaos

text: As a striking commoner, artlessly beautiful and fearlessly honest, Sabine attracts attention at court, and is befriended by the King's brother Duc Philippe d'Orleans and his wife Elizabeth Charlotte, Princess Palatine. At times, Sabine appears haunted by recurring images of wagon wheels in movement and brief glimpses of a young girl or the girl's voice. Sabine and André strike up a quiet, loving friendship and become increasingly attracted to each other but do not act on their feelings. André quietly endures the infidelities of his wife Françoise, who insists that her husband's success is founded on her influence at court. When Françoise senses his interest in Sabine and warns him against an affair, he quotes her own speech declaring their right to seek comfort elsewhere, and becomes resolute in his intention to pursue a relationship with Sabine.


title: A Little Chaos

text: Queen Maria Theresa dies suddenly. The King is stunned at the loss of his wife and takes refuge in one of his gardener's work areas, among his prized pear trees. Sabine finds the King there as she delivers perennials for a trade, initially mistaking him for the gardener. The King enjoys her warmth and forthrightness, and after she recognizes him, she agrees to continue their conversation as equals. He invites her to travel with him and his court to the Palace of Fontainebleau.


title: A Little Chaos

text: At the Versailles garden site, Sabine is visited by Françoise, who tells her that André's interest in her is only a whim and will prove short-lived. After they both have left the site, Françoise's lover (acting on behalf of his mistress) opens the sluice gates from the reservoir in the middle of a powerful storm and floods the work site, destroying much of the earthworks. Sabine nearly drowns trying to close the gate until André rescues her from the gushing water. The next morning, Sabine works vigorously to mend some of the damage done by the storm and flood. That same day, Louis XIV visits Sabine's work site and assesses the project skeptically but allows it to proceed.


title: A Little Chaos

text: Afterwards, André finds a glove at the worksite that he knows belongs to his wife Françoise. He realizes she is behind the sabotage of the project, confronts her with the glove, and ends their relationship.


title: A Little Chaos

text: Sabine goes to court again, where the Duc de Lauzun introduces her to the King's mistress, the Marquise de Montespan, who in turn introduces her to the women of the court. At first they tease her, but when they learn that Sabine is widowed and also lost her 6-year-old daughter, they reveal their own losses and welcome her into their circle, where they often discuss topics the King forbids at court. The Marquise formally presents Sabine to the King when he arrives, and Sabine offers him a four-seasons rose — the same kind found in the garden where they first met. They converse about the nature of the rose and its life cycle, beauty, hardships, and death, and the gardener's responsibilities — all of it Sabine's veiled defense of Madame de Montespan, who has begun to lose the King's favor. Again, the King is charmed and touched by her observations.


title: A Little Chaos

text: André waits for Sabine outside her room that night, and they finally make love. In the morning, André finds himself alone in bed. Sabine is upstairs, traumatized by the memory of the day her daughter and husband died: he was taking their daughter with him on a day trip. Prior to leaving, he reveals to Sabine that he has a mistress. He then rounds up their daughter and gets into the carriage. As they are leaving, Sabine sees that the carriage has a faulty wheel and learns from the footman that her husband is taking their daughter to his mistress's home — not on a business trip as he had indicated. She races after the carriage, and when she tries to block the carriage in the road (in an attempt to stop it), it veers off track and topples down a steep hill, killing both father and daughter. André finds Sabine in the grip of this memory, evoked by her conversation with the ladies of the court and her intense night with him, and he convinces her to stop blaming herself for their deaths. André stays with Sabine and calms her. During their conversation, she asks Le Nôtre what will happen to his wife. André admits that their marriage is over and his wife knows it. Sabine then asks, so what of us? André says that the two of them will shape one another.


title: A Little Chaos

text: When Sabine's project is complete, the King and his court arrive for its inauguration. To the music of a hidden orchestra, everyone begins dancing as the fountains send water coursing down the tiers around the ballroom floor. After Sabine dances with the King, she and André join hands, kiss, and leave the others to walk into the forest together.


title: A Little Chaos

text: The story was conceived by Allison Deegan, who co-wrote the screenplay along with Rickman and Jeremy Brock. The film was financed by Lionsgate UK and produced by BBC Films.


title: A Little Chaos

text: Production began in March 2013. Producer Zygi Kamasa of Lionsgate said that "we are delighted to be working with the best of British actors and directors like Kate Winslet and Alan Rickman as we move forward in doubling our investment in British films in 2014." Rickman said: "The film is not just frills at the wrists and collars. It's about people getting their hands dirty and building something in order to entertain the other world they serve. It's about how one world maintains the other, often at the cost of women."


title: A Little Chaos

text: On 17 January 2013, it was announced that Kate Winslet and Matthias Schoenaerts had been cast as the leads in the film. Rickman had Winslet in mind for the lead role of Sabine de Barra and continued with her when two weeks into shooting, Winslet announced that she was pregnant. In addition to directing, Rickman took the role of King Louis XIV. He explained that "the only way I could do it was because in a way, he's like a director, Louis, so you kind of keep the same expression on your face. As a director, you see everything somehow. It's like a huge all-encompassing eye that sees everything, and it's able to cherry pick; ‘Move that,’ ‘Don't do that,’ ‘Do it this way,’ ‘Change this colour.’ And I don't know where that comes from, but it does, once you're given the job, and I have a feeling Louis probably would've been a great film director."


title: A Little Chaos

text: Despite being set in France, complete filming took place in England. Principal photography commenced on 27 March 2013 and continued over eight weeks in Black Park, Cliveden House, Pinewood Studios, Blenheim Palace, Waddesdon Manor, Hampton Court Palace, Ham House, Ashridge, and Chenies Manor. Filming ended on 8 June 2013 in Richmond, London.


title: A Little Chaos

text: According to Rickman, filming "wasn't easy, though; throwing Kate into freezing water at 1 a.m., the carriage crash, scenes with 80 extras, tight schedules in venues like Blenheim Palace. It's a constant tap dance between control and freedom and of course the budget guides everything."


title: A Little Chaos

text: The soundtrack was composed by Peter Gregson. It was the first feature film for Gregson, who previously composed music for a 2014 short film "Every Quiet Moment". Veigar Margeirsson's 2008 composition "Rise above" was used in the trailer of the film but was not part of soundtrack album, which was released by Milan Records on 16 April 2015.


title: A Little Chaos

text: BBC Films revealed footage from the film as part of their "BBC Films Sizzle Showreel 2013" on 25 November 2013. First stills of Kate Winslet were released on 22 July 2014 with the announcement of film's premiere at 2014 Toronto International Film Festival. Three images from the film featuring Winslet, Alan Rickman, and Jennifer Ehle were released on 27 August 2014. A scene from the film featuring Winslet and Rickman was revealed on 9 September 2014. The full-length official trailer was revealed on 19 December 2014. The first poster and another trailer were released on 20 January 2015. On 11 June 2015, another scene from the film featuring Stanley Tucci was released.


title: A Little Chaos

text: The film had its world premiere at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival as the closing night film on 13 September 2014. It was then shown in gala screenings as "Love Gala" at the 2014 BFI London Film Festival on 17 October 2014. Rickman presented the film at Camerimage film festival in November 2014. The United States premiere was held at the Sonoma International Film Festival on 25 March 2015. It had a theatrical release in Australia on 26 March 2015 and in UK on 17 April 2015.


title: A Little Chaos

text: It was initially set for a theatrical release on 27 March 2015 in the United States but it was later pulled out. Focus Features finally gave the film a theatrical and VOD release simultaneously in United States on 26 June 2015.


title: A Little Chaos

text: As of July 2015, the film has been opened in fourteen territories including Australia and UK and had grossed $10,084,623 worldwide.


title: A Little Chaos

text: The film generated mixed reviews from critics, with the performances from the cast being highly praised. , the film holds a 48% approval rating on review aggregator, Rotten Tomatoes, based on 92 reviews with an average score of 5.41/10. The site's consensus states that "Stylish and well-acted without ever living up to its dramatic potential, "A Little Chaos" is shouldered by the impressive efforts of a talented cast." At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted mean rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the film holds an average score of 51, based on 21 reviews, which indicates "mixed or average reviews".


title: A Little Chaos

text: Catherine Shoard of "The Guardian" gave the film two out of five stars and wrote that "Winslet manages emotional honesty within anachronistic confines, and Schoenaerts escapes with dignity." Mark Adams in his review for "Screen International" said, "the film is a gracefully made delight, replete with lush costumes, fruity performances, love amongst the flowerbeds and even a little mild peril. Yes it lacks real dramatic edge and may be seen as a typical British period costume film, but it is also a classily made pleasure that will delight its target audience." David Rooney of "The Hollywood Reporter" felt that "This decently acted film is agreeable entertainment, even if it works better on a scene by scene basis than in terms of overall flow." Tim Robey in writing for "The Telegraph" said in his review: "If you see only one film about 17th-century French landscape gardening this year, it probably ought to be "A Little Chaos", a heaving bouquet of a picture."


title: A Little Chaos

text: David Sexton of the "London Evening Standard" gave the film a negative review, saying that "Kate Winslet charms as a gardener at the Court of Louis XIV, but it's not enough to keep this inauthentic piece from wilting." Dennis Harvey of "Variety" criticized the film, calling it "all too tidy as it imposes a predictable, pat modern sensibility on a most unconvincing depiction of late 17th-century French aristocratic life." Kaleem Aftab of "The Independent" gave the film two out of five stars, noting that while the performances were exceptional, the talents of the players were wasted. He wrote that "it all starts off so promisingly" and praised the camera work and language, but found it quickly fails as "a melancholic look at grief" where "at least four different genres [clash] against each other, occasionally in the same scene" and "the romance seems to take place off-screen." She concluded: "There was a 17-year gap between Rickman's first and second film and on this evidence it's easy to see why. While he can get performances out of the actors, he lacks command of pacing and plot."


title: A Little Chaos

text: Some of the film's characters are fictional, including Kate Winslet's Sabine de Barra. The film is set in 1682, but André Le Nôtre began work at Versailles in 1661. Le Nôtre was nearly seventy in 1682, twice the age he appears to be as portrayed by Schoenaerts in the film. A garden much like that in the film exists at Versailles, the Salle de Bal or "Bosquet de la Salle-de-Bal" (the Forest Ballroom).


title: 16 mm film

text: 16 mm film is a historically popular and economical gauge of film. 16 mm refers to the width of the film (about inch); other common film gauges include 8 and 35 mm. It is generally used for non-theatrical (e.g., industrial, educational, televisual) film-making, or for low-budget motion pictures. It also existed as a popular amateur or home movie-making format for several decades, alongside 8 mm film and later Super 8 film. Eastman Kodak released the first 16 mm "outfit" in 1923, consisting of a camera, projector, tripod, screen and splicer, for US$335 (). RCA-Victor introduced a 16 mm sound movie projector in 1932, and developed an optical sound-on-film 16 mm camera, released in 1935.