title: Stan Van Gundy

text: Van Gundy then became an assistant at the University of Wisconsin under Stu Jackson. When Jackson left after 2 years to become general manager of the expansion NBA Vancouver franchise, Van Gundy was promoted to replace him as head coach and given a 5-year contract. Coming off an 18–11 season with future NBA star Michael Finley back for his senior year and highly touted recruits coming in, the team went into the season with high expectations, but ended with a disappointing 13–14 record (7–11 and ninth place in the Big 10). Van Gundy was fired at the end of the season and given a buyout for the 4 years remaining on his contract. Van Gundy blamed financial concerns at the school for his firing. The team would go on to hire Dick Bennett from the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay and he finished his first year with a 17–15 record and NIT appearance despite losing Finley and other key players.


title: Stan Van Gundy

text: When Pat Riley left the New York Knicks to coach the Miami Heat, the Knicks refused to let him hire Jeff Van Gundy, perhaps his most valuable assistant. Riley hired Stan, his brother, saying "I wanted at least one Van Gundy with me". Stan Van Gundy spent 12 years with the Heat. After working as an assistant under Riley, Van Gundy was named head coach when Riley abruptly resigned as coach prior to the 2003–04 season. However, Riley remained as President of the team. Van Gundy took over a team that had won 25 games the previous season. He led them to a 42-win season, in which they won a very high percentage of their late season games and surprised many by advancing to the second round of the 2004 NBA playoffs, nearly defeating the team with the league's best record, the Indiana Pacers, with Van Gundy's dynamic coaching showcasing the strong play of rookie Dwyane Wade.


title: Stan Van Gundy

text: During the off-season, Shaquille O'Neal demanded a trade and made Miami the only viable option for the Lakers to make a transaction with. Riley gave up Caron Butler, Lamar Odom, Brian Grant and a future first-round draft choice, replacing three of the team's starters, including an Olympian, with O'Neal. Van Gundy led the Heat to the best record in the Eastern Conference in the first half of the season, becoming the first Heat coach to coach in the All-Star Game, where he led the East to a victory. The Heat finished the season with 59 wins, earning the best record in the conference. The Heat went on to advance to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals, where they lost to the Detroit Pistons. Injuries played a factor in their defeat, particularly a rib injury to leading scorer Wade during Game 5, which prevented him from playing Game 6 and severely hindered him in Game 7, both Piston wins.


title: Stan Van Gundy

text: During the 2005 off-season, it was widely speculated that Pat Riley was attempting to run Van Gundy out of his coaching job and take over the job himself, now that the team was in a position to contend for the championship. Van Gundy would resign from his position as head coach on December 12, 2005, just 21 games into the season, citing a need to spend more time with his family. Riley replaced him as head coach, and led Miami to their first championship that same season.


title: Stan Van Gundy

text: In Shaquille O'Neal's book, "Shaq Uncut: My Story", O'Neal responded to allegations of being a "coach killer" and that he forced Van Gundy out of Miami by stating: "Stan got fired because Pat (Riley) wanted to take over, not because I wanted him out. I had no control over it — not a smidgen of control. We all kind of knew it was coming because Pat and Stan were always arguing. Pat would come down and tell Stan how to do something and Stan would want to do it his own way, and that was a fine game plan if you wanted to get yourself fired."


title: Stan Van Gundy

text: Though at the time of his resignation Van Gundy asserted he was not being forced out by Riley, he has more recently declined comment on the situation after he accepted a coaching job with the Orlando Magic less than two years later. Riley himself would resign from his coaching duties two years later, following a 15–67 season from the Heat.


title: Stan Van Gundy

text: In May 2007, Van Gundy received an offer to replace the fired Rick Carlisle as head coach of the Indiana Pacers. Van Gundy turned down the offer, but began interviewing for other head coaching jobs. He was considered a lead candidate to become head coach of the Orlando Magic and also the Sacramento Kings. However, the Magic hired Billy Donovan. Shortly thereafter, Donovan decided he wanted to back out of the deal and return to the University of Florida. Finally on June 5, 2007, the Magic released Donovan and offered another contract to Van Gundy. ESPN SportsCenter reported that the Miami Heat allowed Van Gundy to coach the Magic in exchange for a second-round draft pick in 2007 and the right to swap first-round picks in 2008 or another 2008 second-round draft pick and cash.


title: Stan Van Gundy

text: In Van Gundy's first season with the Magic, he guided them to a 52-win season, earning the team's first division championship since the 1995–96 season, and the third-best record in the Eastern Conference. Orlando defeated the Toronto Raptors 4–1 in the first round of the playoffs, advancing to the Eastern Semifinals for the first time in twelve seasons. They were later defeated in the Eastern Semifinals by the Detroit Pistons 4–1.


title: Stan Van Gundy

text: Van Gundy and the Magic won 59 games in 2008–09, the second most in franchise history, along with a second consecutive division championship finished at third place behind Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers. During playoffs, they defeated the Philadelphia 76ers from a deficit of 2–1, before squalling with Boston Celtics in seven games. Later, they defeated 66–16 Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals in six games to advance to the NBA Finals, Orlando's first Finals appearance since 1995. After suffering a blowout loss in game 1 against the Los Angeles Lakers, the Magic put up a better effort in game 2, but were defeated in overtime. In game 3, the Magic shot 63% for the game, a Finals record, en route to their first win in a Finals game in franchise history. They went on to lose the next two games, a controversial decision for allowing the four-month injury absence all-star, Jameer Nelson to play in heavy minutes and decided not fouling the opposite team in less than 30 second in game 4, that ultimately cost them the title as the Lakers won the series in five.


title: Stan Van Gundy

text: Also during the 2008–09 season, a feud developed between Van Gundy and the then Phoenix Suns' center, and former Magic/Heat player, Shaquille O'Neal (the two were together when O'Neal played for the Heat and Van Gundy was his coach). After a game between the Suns and Magic, Van Gundy said O'Neal was flopping throughout the night. O'Neal fired back by calling Van Gundy "a master of panic," because Van Gundy was not successful in the playoffs per O'Neal.


title: Stan Van Gundy

text: On January 31, 2010, Van Gundy was named the coach of the Eastern Conference All-Star team for the 2010 NBA All-Star Game, making it the second time he had been given the honor to coach an all-star team. He led the Eastern Conference to victory for the second time.


title: Stan Van Gundy

text: On May 21, 2012, Van Gundy was relieved of his duties as head coach. Prior to the firing, Van Gundy had stated that he had knowledge that Dwight Howard wanted him fired. Van Gundy stated that a person within management had told him this, and that the team did not want to risk angering Howard (Howard had an opt-out clause in his contract). Howard still requested a trade after the season, and was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in August 2012.


title: Stan Van Gundy

text: On May 14, 2014, Van Gundy was hired as the new head coach and president of basketball operations of the Detroit Pistons, replacing interim head coach John Loyer. On February 9, 2015, Van Gundy became the 43rd coach in NBA history to win 400 games when the Pistons defeated the Atlanta Hawks 105–95. He clinched a berth in the 2016 playoffs. On May 7, 2018, the Pistons announced that Van Gundy was released from his duties as head coach and president of basketball operations.


title: Stan Van Gundy

text: On October 22, 2020, Van Gundy was hired as the new head coach of the New Orleans Pelicans, replacing Alvin Gentry. Van Gundy and the Pelicans parted ways on June 16, 2021.


title: Stan Van Gundy

text: Van Gundy was born in Indio, California. He grew up as a son of a basketball coach, Bill Van Gundy, the former head coach at Brockport State University in Western New York. His younger brother Jeff Van Gundy has coached two teams in the NBA as well. After Jeff became a member of the "NBA on ABC's" broadcast team, he was an analyst during the 2009 NBA Finals while Stan coached the Orlando Magic. He returned to being an analyst in September 2018, working with ESPN (SVG Wednesday on "The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz"). Van Gundy left ESPN in 2019 to work for Turner Sports. He would leave Turner after one season to become the head coach of the New Orleans Pelicans, but would return to Turner one year later after he parted ways with the Pelicans. He is also teaching a sports business course at Stetson University.


title: Stan Van Gundy

text: Van Gundy is a frequent critic of former United States President Donald Trump, and endorsed former United States Vice President Joe Biden in the 2020 United States Presidential Election.


title: Grand Guignol

text: Le Théâtre du Grand-Guignol (: "The Theatre of the Great Puppet")—known as the Grand Guignol–was a theatre in the Pigalle district of Paris (7, cité Chaptal). From its opening in 1897 until its closing in 1962, it specialised in naturalistic horror shows. Its name is often used as a general term for graphic, amoral horror entertainment, a genre popular from Elizabethan and Jacobean theatre (for instance Shakespeare's "Titus Andronicus", and Webster's "The Duchess of Malfi" and "The White Devil"), to today's splatter films.


title: Grand Guignol

text: "Le Théâtre du Grand-Guignol" was founded in 1897 by Oscar Méténier, who planned it as a space for naturalist performance. With 293 seats, the venue was the smallest in Paris.


title: Grand Guignol

text: A former chapel, the theatre's previous life was evident in the boxes – which looked like confessionals – and in the angels over the orchestra. Although the architecture created frustrating obstacles, the design that was initially a predicament ultimately became beneficial to the marketing of the theatre. The opaque furniture and gothic structures placed sporadically on the walls of the building exude a feeling of eeriness from the moment of entrance. People came to this theatre for an experience, not only to see a show. The audience at "Le Théâtre du Grand-Guignol" endured the terror of the shows because they wanted to be filled with strong "feelings" of something. Many attended the shows to get a feeling of sexual arousal. Underneath the balcony were boxes (originally built for nuns to watch church services) that were available for theatre-goers to rent during performances because they would get so aroused by the action happening on stage. It has been said that audience members would get so boisterous in the boxes, that actors would sometimes break character and yell something such as "Keep it down in there!" Conversely, there were audience members who could not physically handle the brutality of the actions taking place on stage. Frequently, the "special effects" would be too realistic and often an audience member would faint or vomit during performances. Maurey used the goriness to his advantage by hiring doctors to be at performances as a marketing ploy.


title: Grand Guignol

text: The theatre owed its name to Guignol, a traditional Lyonnaise puppet character, joining political commentary with the style of Punch and Judy.


title: Grand Guignol

text: The theatre's peak was between World War I and World War II, when it was frequented by royalty and celebrities in evening dress.


title: Grand Guignol

text: Oscar Méténier was the Grand Guignol's founder and original director. Under his direction, the theatre produced plays about a class of people who were not considered appropriate subjects in other venues: prostitutes, criminals, street urchins and others at the lower end of Paris's social echelon.


title: Grand Guignol

text: André Antoine was the founder of the Théâtre Libre and a collaborator of Méténier. His theatre gave Méténier a basic model to use for The Grand Guignol Theatre.


title: Grand Guignol

text: Max Maurey served as director from 1898 to 1914. Maurey shifted the theatre's emphasis to the horror plays it would become famous for and judged the success of a performance by the number of patrons who passed out from shock; the average was two faintings each evening. Maurey discovered André de Lorde, who would become the most important playwright for the theatre.


title: Grand Guignol

text: De Lorde was the theatre's principal playwright from 1901 to 1926. He wrote at least 100 plays for the Grand Guignol, such as "The Old Woman", "The Ultimate Torture", "A Crime in the Mad House" and more. He collaborated with experimental psychologist Alfred Binet to create plays about insanity, one of the theatre's favourite and frequently recurring themes.


title: Grand Guignol

text: Camille Choisy served as director from 1914 to 1930. He contributed his expertise in special effects and scenery to the theatre's distinctive style.


title: Grand Guignol

text: Jack Jouvin served as director from 1930 to 1937. He shifted the theatre's subject matter, focusing performances not on gory horror but psychological drama. Under his leadership, the theatre's popularity waned and, after World War II, it was not well-attended.


title: Grand Guignol

text: In a typical Grand Guignol performance patrons would see five or six short plays, all in a style that attempted to be brutally true to the theatre's naturalistic ideals. The most popular and best-known were the horror plays, which featured a distinctly bleak worldview and gory special effects, particularly in their climaxes. The horrors depicted at Grand Guignol were generally not supernatural; rather these plays often explored altered states like insanity, hypnosis, or panic. To heighten the effect, the horror plays were often alternated with comedies, a lineup referred to as "hot and cold showers."


title: Grand Guignol

text: Audiences waned in the years following World War II, and the Grand Guignol closed its doors in 1962. Management attributed the closure in part to the fact that the theatre's faux horrors had been eclipsed by the actual events of the Holocaust two decades earlier. "We could never equal Buchenwald," said its final director, Charles Nonon. "Before the war, everyone felt that what was happening onstage was impossible. Now we know that these things, and worse, are possible in reality."


title: Grand Guignol

text: The Grand Guignol building still exists. It is occupied by the , a company devoted to presenting plays in sign language.


title: Grand Guignol

text: While the original Grand Guignol attempted to present naturalistic horror, the performances would seem melodramatic and heightened to today's audiences. For this reason, the term is often applied to films and plays of a stylized nature with heightened acting, melodrama and theatrical effects such as "", "Sleepy Hollow", "Quills", and the Hammer Horror films that went before them. "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?"; "Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte"; "What Ever Happened to Aunt Alice?"; "What's the Matter with Helen?"; "Night Watch" and "Whoever Slew Auntie Roo?" form a sub-branch of the genre called Grande Dame Guignol for its use of aging A-list actresses in sensational horror films.


title: Grand Guignol

text: Audiences had strong reactions to the new disturbing themes the horror plays presented. One of the most prevalent themes staged at the Grand-Guignol was the demoralization and corruption of science. The "evil doctor" was a recurring trope in the horror shows performed. The popular show "The System of Doctor Goudron and Professor Plume" by André de Lorde displays a depiction of a doctor typical of the theater. Dr. Goudron is portrayed as manic, insane, unreliable. He is seen "pac[ing] nervously" and "jumping on [a] desk and gesticulating". Later Lorde depicts the scientist as violent, with Goudron attempting to carve out an eye and then bite the hands of guards. During the time, curiosity and skepticism ravaged science and medicine. The depiction of scientists at the Grand-Guignol reflected the public attitude of fear and disdain. Medical science held a reputation of "terror and peculiar infamy". Middle-class Parisian society believed science existed in a world of frivolity and falsehood, whereas art existed in a world of honesty. Poet Matthew Arnold is an exemplary lens to use in order to understand these sympathies.


title: Grand Guignol

text: The themes the Grand-Guignol introduced into the horror genre impacted how the genre exists today. The Grand-Guignol's introduction of naturalism into horror "unmasked brutality of contemporary culture". Previously horror served as escapism, dealing with the supernatural and unrelatable. After the theater introduced relatable topics into the genre, the audience could visualize the plots taking place and thus experienced greater fear - the Grand-Guignol transformed the horror plot into something the audience could feel personally. Horror became a vehicle for ideas and philosophy where deep "insights gave way to spectacle, and spectacle to violence and gore, until in the end little was left but the gore". Today the horror genre begins with "optimism and hope", which "wither before random, chaotic, and inevitable violence".


title: Grand Guignol

text: Grand Guignol flourished briefly in London in the early 1920s under the direction of Jose Levy, where it attracted the talents of Sybil Thorndike and Noël Coward, and a series of short English "Grand Guignol" films (using original screenplays, not play adaptations) was made at the same time, directed by Fred Paul. Several of the films exist at the BFI National Archive.


title: Grand Guignol

text: The Grand Guignol was revived once again in London in 1945, under the direction of Frederick Witney, where it ran for two seasons at the Granville Theatre. These included premiers of Witney's own work as well as adaptations of French originals.


title: Grand Guignol

text: In recent years, English director-writer, Richard Mazda, has re-introduced New York audiences to the Grand Guignol. His acting troupe, The Queens Players, have produced six mainstage productions of Grand Guignol plays, and Mazda is writing new plays in the classic Guignol style. The sixth production, "Theatre of Fear", included De Lorde's famous adaptation of Poe's "The System of Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether" ("Le Systéme du Dr Goudron et Pr Plume") as well as two original plays, "Double Crossed" and "The Good Death" alongside "The Tell Tale Heart".


title: Grand Guignol

text: The 1963 mondo film "Ecco" includes a scene which may have been filmed at the Grand Guignol theatre during its final years.


title: Grand Guignol

text: American avant-garde composer John Zorn released an album called "Grand Guignol" by Naked City in 1992, in a reference to "the darker side of our existence which has always been with us and always will be".


title: Grand Guignol

text: The Swiss theatre company, Compagnie Pied de Biche revisits the Grand Guignol genre in contemporary contexts since 2008. The company staged in 2010 a diptych "Impact & Dr. Incubis", based on original texts by Nicolas Yazgi and directed by Frédéric Ozier. More than literal adaptations, the plays address violence, death, crime and fear in contemporary contexts, while revisiting many trope of the original Grand Guignol corpus, often with humour.


title: Grand Guignol

text: Recently formed London-based Grand Guignol company Theatre of the Damned, brought their first production to the Camden Fringe in 2010 and produced the award nominated "Grand Guignol" in November of that year. In 2011, they staged "Revenge of the Grand Guignol" at the Courtyard Theatre, London, as part of the London Horror Festival.


title: Grand Guignol

text: Between 2011 and 2016, Baltimore-based Yellow Sign Theatre performed Grand Guignol productions (including a heavily updated version of "Le Systéme du Dr Goudron et Pr Plume") as well as integrating Guignol elements into other performance forms.


title: Grand Guignol

text: In November 2014, 86 years after the last show of Alfredo Sainati's "La Compagnia del Grand-Guignol", founded in 1908 and which had been the only example of Grand Guignol in Italy, the Convivio d'Arte Company presented in Milan "Grand Guignol de Milan: Le Cabaret des Vampires". The show was an original tribute to Grand Guignol, a horror vaudeville with various horror and grotesque performances such as monologues, live music and burlesque, with a satirical black humour conduction.


title: Grand Guignol

text: One of the more prominent examples of Grand Guignol in television is "Hannibal". Every episode includes at least one grisly murder and Hannibal Lecter, the main protagonist, is a cannibal that the audience gets to see specifically choosing his victims, removing their organs, and cooking them into a feast that he serves to his unsuspecting friends and colleagues at the FBI. Abbott remarks how "the show's artistic design and display of the corpses calls to mind images from Grand Guignol theatre, featuring weekly macabre images such as a human totem pole made out of dismembered corpses". This show is calling back to the grisly themes of the Grand Guignol and the audience reacts the same way they did in the past: with terrified faces, but never once choosing to leave.


title: Grand Guignol

text: The Grand Guignol plays a prominent role in Ib Melchior's WWII novel "Code Name: Grand Guignol" (1987), in which a small group of actors from the theatre team up with the French resistance and use their special skills to infiltrate Hitler's construction of a secret weapon, the V-3 cannon. Melchior explains in the postscript that he based the novel on his own experiences as an actor in France, where he befriended the stage manager of the Grand Guignol and learned many of its secrets.


title: The Ballad of John and Yoko

text: "The Ballad of John and Yoko" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles that was released as a non-album single in May 1969. It was written by John Lennon and credited to the Lennon–McCartney partnership, and chronicles the events surrounding the wedding of Lennon and Yoko Ono. The song was the Beatles' 17th and final UK number-one single. In the United States, it was banned by some radio stations due to the lyrics' reference to Christ and crucifixion. The single peaked at number 8 on the US "Billboard" Hot 100. The song has subsequently appeared on compilation albums such as "Hey Jude", "1967–1970" and "1".


title: The Ballad of John and Yoko

text: Lennon wrote the song while he and Ono were on their honeymoon in Paris. It describes the events of the couple's wedding, in March 1969, and highly publicised honeymoon activities, including their "Bed-In" at the Amsterdam Hilton Hotel and their demonstration of "bagism". In an interview with Alan Smith of the "NME" published in May 1969, Lennon described it as "Johnny B. Paperback Writer"; in a 1980 interview, he said it was "a piece of journalism".


title: The Ballad of John and Yoko

text: Lennon took the song to Paul McCartney at the latter's home in St John's Wood, London, on 14 April, eager to record it that evening. Recalling the controversy engendered by Lennon's "more popular than Jesus" remarks in 1966, McCartney was alarmed at the references to Christ in the new song but agreed to assist Lennon. Ono later said: "Paul knew that people were being nasty to John, and he just wanted to make it well for him. Paul has a very brotherly side to him."


title: The Ballad of John and Yoko

text: Lennon and McCartney recorded the song without their bandmates George Harrison, who was abroad, and Ringo Starr, who was filming "The Magic Christian". McCartney recalled that Lennon was so convinced the song had to be recorded immediately, he was "on heat, so to speak". Reflecting the unusual situation, the session tapes include the following exchange:


title: The Ballad of John and Yoko

text: In choosing to collaborate on the song, Lennon and McCartney set aside the antagonism that existed between them during a period when McCartney was outvoted in the Beatles' choice of a new manager for their failing business enterprise, Apple Corps. The recording also marked the return of Geoff Emerick as recording engineer at a Beatles session, after he had quit working with the group in July 1968 during the tense White Album sessions. Commenting in the "Beatles Anthology" book, Harrison said: "I didn't mind not being on the record, because it was none of my business... If it had been 'The Ballad of John, George and Yoko', then I would have been on it."


title: The Ballad of John and Yoko

text: Music critic Richie Unterberger comments on the historical significance of the seven-hour session since it produced "probably some of the final tapes of Lennon and McCartney working closely together, alone". In Beatles historian Mark Lewisohn's description, the session tapes challenge the typical reports of Lennon and McCartney's relationship becoming acrimonious in 1969, as the pair's "great talent, humour, musical understanding and togetherness shone through from start to finish".


title: The Ballad of John and Yoko

text: Mark Hertsgaard of "The New Yorker", the only other writer known to have heard the tapes, attended a private listening session in London with Lewisohn in January 1994. Soon afterwards, Hertsgaard wrote that Lewisohn had again enthused about Lennon and McCartney's camaraderie and "musical kinship", but he himself detected "a forced, polite quality to their joking, and none of the enthusiastic electricity heard during earlier Beatles sessions ... They are coming apart, and they know it."


title: The Ballad of John and Yoko

text: Although Lennon was impatient to issue the single, its release was delayed to allow for the Beatles' April 1969 single, "Get Back". Backed with Harrison's "Old Brown Shoe", the single was issued in the United Kingdom on 30 May 1969. Lennon and Ono were performing a second bed-in at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal at the time. The United States release followed on 4 June.


title: The Ballad of John and Yoko

text: In the UK and Europe, "The Ballad of John and Yoko" was the first Beatles single to be issued in stereo. It was therefore their first release not given a mono mix. Lennon advised Tony Bramwell, Apple Records' promotions manager, to limit pre-release previews of the record and not to give it any advance publicity, especially with regard to "the Christ! bit". In his "NME" interview at this time, Lennon said that although the story had already emerged that Harrison and Starr did not play on the song, he would not have chosen to publicise this, adding, "It doesn't mean anything, it just so happened that there were only us two there."


title: The Ballad of John and Yoko

text: In the US, Apple issued the record in a picture sleeve containing two photos of the Beatles and Ono in the garden of McCartney's London home, taken by Linda McCartney. The front of the sleeve shows Lennon and Ono seated, and Harrison, McCartney and Starr standing behind them. According to author Bruce Spizer, Lennon's bandmates appear uncomfortable ceding the spotlight to Ono and in better humour in the shot used for "Old Brown Shoe", on the reverse of the sleeve.


title: The Ballad of John and Yoko

text: In New Zealand it was considered unfit for Government-regulated radio broadcast (NZBC), and was edited locally to omit the word 'Christ' in each chorus and replace it with just a drum beat. As there were some 50 NZBC radio stations at the time it's thought that perhaps only 50 copies may have been pressed.


title: The Ballad of John and Yoko

text: The single was accompanied by two promotional clips assembled from footage of some of Lennon and Ono's public activities – all of which the couple routinely filmed – between July 1968 and April 1969. The first clip was broadcast three times on "Top of the Pops" and contains footage from four events. When shown on the Australian TV show "Rage" long afterwards, in black and white, this version had the word "Christ" bleeped out in the choruses with an on-screen starburst effect. In the second film, broadcast on the US show "The Music Scene", a traffic sign containing an exclamation mark appears each time the word is heard. This film is made up of footage from considerably more events, showing Lennon and Ono in London, Paris, Amsterdam and Vienna, among other locations; for this reason, according to author John Winn, it "illustrates the lyrics much more effectively" than the first clip.


title: The Ballad of John and Yoko

text: The song has been included on several compilation albums: "Hey Jude" (US, 1970), "1967–1970" (1973), "20 Greatest Hits" (1982), "Past Masters, Volume Two" (1988) and "1" (2000). Apple's electronic press kit for "1" included a new colour print of the US promo clip.


title: The Ballad of John and Yoko

text: In his review of the single in the "NME", John Wells said he found "The Ballad of John and Yoko" profoundly moving as an account of people's attitude towards Lennon and Ono, and only the "raw, earthy rock" backing stopped him succumbing to tears. He described it as a "stormer" but predicted that the record's sales would be affected by "Get Back"'s ongoing chart success.


title: The Ballad of John and Yoko

text: The single became the Beatles' 17th and final UK number 1. In the US, it peaked at number 8 on the "Billboard" Hot 100. On the other national charts there, it reached number 10 in "Cash Box" and number 7 in "Record World". Several US radio stations declined to broadcast the song because of the use of the words "Christ" and "crucify" in the chorus:


title: The Ballad of John and Yoko

text: "The Ballad of John and Yoko" never appeared on the surveys of WLS in Chicago or WABC in New York, two of the largest Top 40 stations in the US. The word "Christ" was censored (by being "bleeped out") for radio airplay in Australia. The Spanish government under Franco objected to the song because of the phrase "Gibraltar near Spain". The status of Gibraltar is a long-running subject of debate between Spain and the United Kingdom.<ref name="Fontenot/About"></ref>


title: The Ballad of John and Yoko

text: When cartoonist Al Capp visited Lennon and Ono at their 1969 Bed-In for Peace in Montreal, he pointedly asked Lennon about the meaning of the song's lyrics. Their testy exchange, which included Capp referring to Ono as "Madame Nhu", later appeared in the 1988 documentary film "". On Capp's exit, Lennon sang an impromptu version with a slightly revised lyric that stated, "They're gonna crucify Capp!"


title: The Ballad of John and Yoko

text: In 2012, "The Ballad of John and Yoko" was ranked as the 404th best classic rock song of all time by New York's Q104.3. Less impressed, Alex Petridis of "The Guardian" ranks the song last of the Beatles' 22 UK singles, saying: "John Lennon once convened a meeting of the Beatles to inform them that he was Jesus: the charmless 'Ballad of John and Yoko' is that crazed egotism and messiah complex wrought into song." "Rolling Stone" ranked it at number 48 on the magazine's list of the 100 greatest Beatles songs.


title: Del Monte Foods

text: Del Monte Foods, Inc (trading as Del Monte Foods) is an American food production and distribution company headquartered in Walnut Creek, California. Del Monte Foods is one of the country's largest producers, distributors and marketer of branded processed food for the U.S. retail market, generating approximately $1.8 billion of annual sales. Its portfolio of brands includes Del Monte, S&W, Contadina, College Inn, Fruit Burst, Fruit Naturals, Orchard Select and SunFresh. Greg Longstreet is the current Chief Executive Officer of the Del Monte Foods. Several Del Monte products hold the number one or two market share position. The company also produces, distributes and markets private-label food.


title: Del Monte Foods

text: In 2014, Del Monte Foods, Inc. was acquired by Del Monte Pacific Limited in an acquisition deal that cost US$1.67 billion. The pet food division of Del Monte Foods, Inc. was not part of the deal and continued to operate as a separate company under the name Big Heart Pet Brands, Inc. The J.M. Smucker Company acquired Big Heart Pet Brands in 2015 for $5.8 billion.


title: Del Monte Foods

text: In the 1870s and 1880s, California became a major producer of fruits and vegetables. The Hotel Del Monte was a famous resort hotel on the Monterey Peninsula which first built the now Pebble Beach Golf Links. In the 1880s an Oakland, California foods distributor used the Del Monte name to market a premium blend of coffee that had been prepared for the hotel. By 1892, the firm expanded its business and selected Del Monte as the brand name for its new line of canned peaches. In 1898, the California Fruit Canners Association (CFCA) formed when 18 West Coast canning companies merged. The Del Monte brand was one of several brands marketed by the new company. It introduced the Del Monte Shield in 1909.


title: Del Monte Foods

text: Under the leadership of George Newell Armsby, in 1916, CFCA added Alaska Packers Association, Central California Canneries, two canners, and Griffin & Skelley, a food brokerage house, incorporating itself as California Packing Corporation, or Calpak, and began selling its products under the Del Monte and Sunkist brands. The new company grew to operate more than 60 canneries in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah and Alaska. In 1917, it acquired pineapple farms and a cannery in Hawaii and, in the 1920s, added canneries in Florida and the Midwest, as well as in the Philippines. After WWII, it constructed or purchased more facilities overseas. These multinational operations made the name California Packing Corporation obsolete, and in June 1967, the corporation adopted the name of its leading brand to become Del Monte Corporation.


title: Del Monte Foods

text: In 1972, Del Monte became the first major US food processor to voluntarily adopt nutritional labeling on all its food products, an innovation that made headlines throughout the country and applauded by government officials as a breakthrough in consumer education.


title: Del Monte Foods

text: Del Monte became part of R.J. Reynolds Industries, Inc. (later RJR Nabisco, Inc.) in 1979. After being acquired by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts in 1988, RJR Nabisco sold several Del Monte divisions. The fresh fruit business was sold to Polly Peck. RJR Nabisco retained Del Monte Canada and Venezuela. The remaining food processing divisions, known as Del Monte Foods, were sold to Merrill Lynch, Citicorp Venture Capital, and Kikkoman in 1989. Kikkoman separately acquired Del Monte brand in Asia (excluding Philippines, the Indian subcontinent and Myanmar). In 1990, the European division was subject to a management buyout and Hawaiian Punch was sold to Procter & Gamble. Del Monte sold part of its Philippines division in 1991 and the remainder in 1996. In 1993, Del Monte's dried fruit division was sold to Yorkshire Food Group. In 1996, Del Monte sold its pudding division to Kraft. In 1996, Del Monte Mexico was sold to Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst; the Central American and Caribbean operations were also sold.<ref name="DEL-MONTE-FOODS-CO-Mar-1998-S-4/A"></ref>Texas Pacific Group acquired Del Monte in 1997. Del Monte acquired Contadina from Nestlé in 1997 and reacquired Del Monte Venezuela from Nabisco in 1998. Del Monte Foods again became a publicly traded company in 1999, and in 2002, it purchased several brands from US food giant Heinz in an all-stock transaction that left Heinz shareholders with 74.5% of Del Monte and original Del Monte shareholders with 25.5% of the company, and nearly tripled Del Monte Foods' size. Del Monte subsequently established an East Coast headquarters in Pittsburgh, home of Heinz, in a building which sits on a portion of the site of Three Rivers Stadium.


title: Del Monte Foods

text: Del Monte acquired the worldwide rights to the SunFresh brand, a brand of premium citrus and tropical fruits, in 2000. In March of the following year, it acquired the worldwide rights to the S&W brand of processed fruit, vegetable, tomato and specialty sauce products.


title: Del Monte Foods

text: On September 28, 2004, the site of Del Monte's former Plant No. 1 in San Francisco was dedicated as Del Monte Square. It was once the world's largest fruit and vegetable cannery.


title: Del Monte Foods

text: In 2006, Del Monte became the second largest pet foods company upon divesting its US infant feeding business and US retail private label soup and gravy businesses and acquiring two key pet brands. The company sold its Soup and Infant Feeding business in April 2006 to TreeHouse Foods, Inc. Del Monte bought Meow Mix in May 2006, and acquired Milk-Bone in July of that year from Kraft Foods. Also in 2006, Del Monte sold the S&W bean line to Faribault Foods.


title: Del Monte Foods

text: As a precautionary measure, in 2007 Del Monte declared a voluntarily recall of several of brands of its pet foods due to the 2007 pet food recalls.


title: Del Monte Foods

text: In June 2008, Del Monte announced the sale of its seafood division, StarKist, to South Korea-based Dongwon Enterprise Company. Dongwon purchased the business for $363 million. Del Monte stated that StarKist was no longer a good fit for the company and that they would be concentrating on pet food and higher margin produce.


title: Del Monte Foods

text: On March 8, 2011, the company announced it had been acquired by an investor group led by funds affiliated with Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and with PediaBears Wholesome Foods, Vestar Capital Partners and Centerview Partners. The stock was delisted from the New York Stock Exchange prior to the start of trading on March 9, 2011.


title: Del Monte Foods

text: On February 19, 2014, Philippines based food producer Del Monte Pacific Limited completed the purchase of Del Monte's consumer food business, for US$1.675 billion. The remaining company consisted of the pet food division and was renamed Big Heart Pet Brands.


title: Del Monte Foods

text: In 2015, Del Monte Foods acquired Sager Creek, owner of the Vegetable, Freshlike, Popeye, Trappley's and Allen's brands of canned vegetables. Also in 2015, Del Monte Foods moved its headquarters to Contra Costa Centre, California, from San Francisco.


title: Del Monte Foods

text: Del Monte Foods markets packaged food products under the Del Monte brand in the United States and South America.


title: Del Monte Foods

text: The Del Monte brand in Canada was retained by Nabisco when the rest of the business was sold. Nabisco merged with Kraft in 2000. In 2006 Kraft sold Del Monte and other underperforming assets to Sun Capital Partners and EG Capital. ConAgra Foods acquired Del Monte Canada in 2012. In 2018, Del Monte Canada was acquired by Bonduelle.


title: Del Monte Foods

text: Del Monte Europe (including African operations) was subject to a management buyout in 1990 and renamed Del Monte International. Cirio acquired Del Monte International in 2001. After Cirio's bankruptcy, Del Monte Europe was acquired by Fresh Del Monte Produce.


title: Del Monte Foods

text: Del Monte in India is produced by FieldFresh, a joint venture of Del Monte Pacific and Bharti Enterprises.


title: Del Monte Foods

text: In 1996, Del Monte Mexico was sold to Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst. It later became part of Hicks Muse holding International Home Foods, which was acquired by ConAgra Foods in 2000.


title: Del Monte Foods

text: Del Monte sold stakes in Del Monte Philippines to Kikkoman and Del Monte International in 1991. In 1996 Del Monte and Kikkoman sold their stakes and Del Monte International and Macondray & Co., Inc. (owned by the Lorenzo family) became joint owners. Del Monte Pacific became the parent company and became publicly traded in 1999. Cirio acquired Del Monte International in 2001. In 2005, Macondray and Cirio sold their controlling stakes in Del Monte Pacific to NutriAsia, maker of UFC Catsup. In 2014, Del Monte Pacific acquired Del Monte Foods.


title: Del Monte Foods

text: The Del Monte brand in South America was retained by Nabisco when the rest of the business was sold. Del Monte Foods reacquired Del Monte South America from Nabisco in 1998.


title: Del Monte Foods

text: Fresh Del Monte Produce was created in 1989 when RJR Nabisco sold the fresh fruit division of Del Monte Foods to Polly Peck. Mohammed Abu-Ghazaleh purchased Fresh Del Monte in 1996. The company went public in 1997.


title: Del Monte Foods

text: Del Monte Dried Fruit was sold to Yorkshire Food Group in 1993. Yorkshire's US division became Premier Valley Foods. Premier Valley Foods was sold to a group led by Brent Enterprises in 2003. Premier Valley was later acquired by Sunsweet Growers.


title: Del Monte Foods

text: A 1953 Alcoa Aluminum advertisement features a Del Monte Ketchup bottle with the caption "you mean a woman can open it?" The ad, which has been seen as a symbol of casual sexism in the United States during the 1950s, is sometimes mistakenly attributed to Del Monte.


title: Del Monte Foods

text: In 1977, Del Monte was accused of profiting from the South African apartheid regime after sardines used in some of the company's products were found to have been sourced from the coast of Namibia which was under South African control at the time. The revelation caused uproar among international civil rights organizations, with some activists calling for a boycott of Del Monte products.


title: Del Monte Foods

text: In 2001, Del Monte obtained a favorable judgment in the case "Del Monte Fresh Produce Co. v. Dole Food Co." where the court held that Dole Foods had misappropriated Del Monte's trade secret when Dole Foods obtained Del Monte's specially bred pineapple through non-legal means.


title: Del Monte Foods

text: In January 2007, Del Monte Foods was accused of opposing efforts by the United States Congress to apply the continental minimum wage to the lower-paying tuna packing plants in American Samoa. On January 16, 2007, Melissa Murphy Brown, spokesperson for Del Monte, stated that the application would "severely cripple the local economy." She also stated that "For over 50 years, the Federal Department of Labor has provided that wages in U.S. territories, including American Samoa, be set by a federally appointed wage board, following public hearings".


title: Del Monte Foods

text: EEOC ALLGED ... A class of Thai farmworkers were trafficked to the U.S. under H2-A visas and subjected to deplorable working conditions, including but not limited to harassment, lower wages, prohibited from leaving farm, threats of deportation. Defendant, a farm labor contractor and several farms including Del Monte, also retaliated against the workers, some of whom subsequently escaped and sought help.


title: Del Monte Foods

text: CONSENT DECREE: Del Monte Fresh Produce will pay $1.2 million in monetary damages and agreed to injunctive relief, including but not limited to issuance of EEO policies written in Thai and other native languages of guest workers, designation of a compliance officer to oversee compliance with Title VII.


title: Del Monte Foods

text: Del Monte produced an advertising campaign in the 1980s with the catchphrase "The Man from Del Monte, he says Yes!". The man from Del Monte was portrayed by British actor Brian Jackson. In early 1999, an advert for Red Noses being sold at Sainsbury's in the run up to Red Nose Day 1999 starring John Cleese parodied the "man from Del Monte" advert campaign; near the end of the advert, the sentence "With thanks to Del Monte" could be seen at the bottom of the screen.


title: Dina Lohan

text: Donata Melina Nicolette "Dina" Lohan ( ; ; born September 15, 1962) is an American television personality who rose to fame as the mother and manager of actress Lindsay Lohan. She is also the mother of Michael Jr., Aliana and Dakota Lohan.


title: Dina Lohan

text: Lohan was born and raised in New York City, to John L. and Ann Sullivan. She has two brothers, Matt and Paul. She is of Italian (from her mother) and Irish descent, and was raised Catholic. Lohan is a former singer and dancer.


title: Dina Lohan

text: Lohan and her younger daughter Ali starred in the reality show "Living Lohan", which debuted on May 26, 2008 on the cable television network "E!". Lohan is also one of the executive producers of the series.


title: Dina Lohan

text: Lohan has been the subject of media scrutiny and criticism that claim she is exploiting her daughters Ali and Lindsay Lohan for personal fame.


title: Dina Lohan

text: Lohan's claimed career as a Radio City Rockette has also been questioned, with a spokesperson for Radio City stating there was no record of this and that executives at Cablevision, which owns Radio City, were indignant at the claim.


title: Dina Lohan

text: On August 5, 2008, Anderson Cooper appeared as a guest co-host on the ABC talk show "Live with Regis and Kelly", during which he stated, in reference to "Living Lohan", "I can't believe I'm wasting a minute of my life watching these horrific people". In an interview with "OK!" magazine, Dina Lohan responded, "people are just cruel...This is bad karma for him". Cooper did not respond directly to Lohan's comments but clarified that while he felt bad for Ali Lohan, he opined that she should be living the conventional life of a teenager, and not be made to star in a reality television show. Michael Lohan also responded to Cooper's comments, telling "Access Hollywood", "I think Anderson Cooper is an opinionated, hypocritical idiot who should be an adult and keep his opinion to himself...He is the last person to judge anyone, when he and his own family have their own issues."


title: Dina Lohan

text: In 1985, she married Michael Lohan. The couple briefly separated in 1988, and later reunited. Dina filed for divorce in 2005, and the couple reached a divorce settlement in August 2007, with the divorce scheduled to be finalized three months later. She was granted custody of their two youngest children, Ali and Cody. He had worked as a Wall Street trader and businessman who inherited his father's pasta business and has been in trouble with the law on several occasions. The Lohans have four children: Lindsay (b. 1986), Michael, Jr. (b. 1987), Aliana (b. 1993), and Dakota "Cody" Lohan (b. 1996).


title: Dina Lohan

text: Lohan was arrested for speeding and driving under the influence in Nassau County, Long Island on September 12, 2013, and agreed to a plea deal which included admitting guilt. She was sentenced to 100 hours community service, had her drivers license revoked for one year, and was fined $3,000.


title: Dina Lohan

text: Lohan was arrested for driving under the influence and leaving the scene of an accident in Nassau County on January 11, 2020. CNN reported Lohan also faced "four other charges: operating an unregistered vehicle, operating an uninspected vehicle, driving without a license, and aggravated unlicensed operation of a vehicle in the 3rd degree, the online court records state."


title: A Sound of Thunder

text: "A Sound of Thunder" is a science fiction short story by American writer Ray Bradbury, first published in "Collier's" magazine in the June 28, 1952, issue and later in Bradbury's collection "The Golden Apples of the Sun" in 1953.


title: A Sound of Thunder

text: In the year 2055, time travel has become a practical reality, and the company Time Safari Inc. offers wealthy adventurers the chance to travel back in time to hunt extinct species such as dinosaurs. A hunter named Eckels pays $10,000 to join a hunting party that will travel back 66 million years to the Late Cretaceous period, on a guided safari to kill a "Tyrannosaurus rex". As the party waits to depart, they discuss the recent presidential elections in which an apparently fascist candidate, Deutscher, has been defeated by his opponent Keith, to the relief of many concerned. When the party arrives in the past, Travis (the hunting guide) and Lesperance (Travis's assistant) warn Eckels and the two other hunters, Billings and Kramer, about the necessity of minimizing the events they change before they go back, since even the smallest alterations to the distant past could snowball into catastrophic changes in history. Travis explains that the hunters are obliged to stay on a levitating path to avoid disrupting the environment, that any deviation will be punished with hefty fines, and that prior to the hunt, Time Safari scouts had been sent back to select and tag their prey, which would have died within minutes anyway, and whose death has been calculated to have minimal effect on the future.


title: A Sound of Thunder

text: Although Eckels is initially excited about the hunt, when the monstrous "Tyrannosaurus" approaches, he loses his nerve. Travis tells him to go back to the time machine, but Eckels panics, steps off the path, and stumbles into the forest. Eckels hears shots, and on his return, he sees that the two guides have killed the dinosaur, and shortly afterward the falling tree that would have killed the "T. rex" has landed on top of it. Realizing that Eckels has fallen off the path, Travis threatens to leave him in the past unless he removes the bullets from the dinosaur's body, as they cannot be left behind. Eckels obeys, but Travis remains furious, threatening on the return trip to shoot him.


title: A Sound of Thunder

text: Upon returning to 2055, Eckels notices subtle changes: English words are now spelled and spoken strangely, people behave differently, and Eckels discovers that Deutscher has won the election instead of Keith. Looking at the mud on his boots, Eckels finds a crushed Golden Butterfly, whose death has apparently caused a rift in the timeline that has affected the nature of the alternative present to which the safari has returned. He frantically pleads with Travis to take him back into the past to undo the damage, but Travis had previously explained that the time machine cannot return to any point in time that it has already visited (so as to prevent any paradoxes). Travis raises his gun, and there is "a sound of thunder."


title: A Sound of Thunder

text: A comic-book version appeared in issue #25 of EC Comics's "Weird Science-Fantasy" (1954), adapted by Al Feldstein with art by Al Williamson and Angelo Torres.


title: A Sound of Thunder

text: The story was adapted for the first issue of Topp's Publishing's "Ray Bradbury Comics" (1993) with art by Richard Corben.


title: A Sound of Thunder

text: The story was adapted for the third season of "The Ray Bradbury Theater" on October 8, 1989, starring Kiel Martin.


title: A Sound of Thunder

text: A film adaptation of the same name starring Ben Kingsley, Edward Burns, and Catherine McCormack was released in 2005. Famed film critic Roger Ebert stated that while he "cannot endorse it, [he] can appreciate it" as a film that is bad because it "want[s] so much to be terrific that [it] explode[s] under the strain."


title: A Sound of Thunder

text: A Game Boy Advance video game based on the film was also released. It was finished in time for the film's planned 2003 release, delayed along with it, and ultimately released in February 2005. Planned console ports were canceled.


title: A Sound of Thunder

text: The story is parodied in the "Time and Punishment" section of "The Simpsons" episode "Treehouse of Horror V".


title: A Sound of Thunder

text: "A Sound of Thunder" is often credited as the origin of the term "butterfly effect", a concept of chaos theory in which the flapping of a butterfly's wings in one part of the world could create a hurricane on the opposite side of the globe. The term was actually introduced by meteorologist Edward Norton Lorenz in the 1960s. However, Bradbury's concept of how the death of a butterfly in the past could have drastic changes in the future is a representation of the butterfly effect and is used as an example of how to consider chaos theory and the physics of time travel.


title: Neil Bhatt

text: Neil Bhatt is an Indian television actor known for portraying Ranveer Singh Vaghela in "Roop - Mard Ka Naya Swaroop" and ACP Virat Chavan in "Ghum Hai Kisikey Pyaar Meiin".


title: Neil Bhatt

text: Bhatt studied law but acting and dance have always been his passion. He told "Times of India" that education is something which will always stand by him in good stead. Bhatt is also trained in gymnastics, capoeira, and he reportedly learnt the art for a flexible body.


title: Neil Bhatt

text: In 2020, Bhatt had met actress Aishwarya Sharma on the sets of "Ghum Hai Kisikey Pyaar Mein" and the couple soon fell in love. They announced their engagement in January 2021 and got married on 30 November 2021 in Ujjain.


title: Neil Bhatt

text: Bhatt starred in "Kaboom" a dance reality show as a participant where he won the first place. Catapulting to fame through the cult dance show "Boogie Woogie", his passion led him to one show after the other. He debuted with "Arslaan" on Sony Television in the year 2008. He got fame by serials like 12/24 Karol Bagh and "Gulaal" where he played the character of Abhinav Taneja and Kesar and received praise from the audiences. His performance as Lakshman, the soul of Ram in Ramayan was widely appreciated. The show was immensely popular in Indonesia and hence Bhatt, together with his Ramayan co-stars, was invited to perform in a special stage show and fan meeting tour in Jakarta organised by antv.


title: Neil Bhatt

text: He has played many challenging roles, one of them being Zakir in "Diya Aur Baati Hum" and was last seen in a daily soap playing the lead role in "Tum Hi Ho Bandhu Sakha Tumhi" as Bhushan Pethawala. He was also seen in episodic series of "Zindagi Wins" and "Pyar Tune Kya Kiya". His debut film "Bhanwar" is an untold story of a folk puppeteer in modern Gujarat. In 2018, he portrayed the negative role of Ranveer Singh Vaghela in Colors TV's "Roop - Mard Ka Naya Swaroop". He is currently portraying the lead role of ACP Virat Chavan in Star Plus's "Ghum Hai Kisikey Pyaar Meiin".


title: Ana Lily Amirpour

text: Ana Lily Amirpour () is a British-born American film director, screenwriter, producer and actress. She is best known for her feature film debut "A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night", self-described as "the first Iranian vampire spaghetti western" that made its debut at the Sundance Film Festival in 2014, and which was based on a previous short film that she wrote and directed, which won Best Short Film at the 2012 Noor Iranian Film Festival.


title: Ana Lily Amirpour

text: Amirpour was born in Margate, England, and moved to Miami, Florida with her family when she was young. Her family then settled in Bakersfield, California, where she attended high school. She began studying biology at UC Santa Barbara, but dropped out after one year. Later she returned to school to study painting and sculpting, attending San Francisco State University for her undergraduate degree, and then studied screenwriting at the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television . She has been making films since she was 12 years old.


title: Ana Lily Amirpour

text: Amirpour's love for film came about the same time she moved to the United States with her family in the 1980s. She speaks often about the culture shock she experienced and her connection with American films. "I got hooked on them. It's how I assimilated and became American, through American pop culture and music—Madonna, Michael Jackson. And movies. I was always putting on shows and stuff. My dad got a camcorder when I was 12 and I started making films and imitating commercials. Like, I would remake commercials. I wasn't like, I'm going to be a filmmaker. My parents, they never encouraged that; I don't know how they even would have. Iranians don't do that."


title: Ana Lily Amirpour

text: Amirpour suffers from 30% hearing-loss which she correlates with her lack of dialogue in her films. She writes all of her scripts in Las Vegas.


title: Ana Lily Amirpour

text: Amirpour's feature directorial debut was "A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night", described as "the first Iranian vampire spaghetti western" "with elements of film noir and the restraint of Iranian New Wave cinema" starring Sheila Vand, Arash Marandi, Marshall Manesh, Dominic Rains, Mozhan Marnò, and Rome Shadanloo. The film built up significant buzz when it premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, eventually being picked up by Kino Lorber and distributed by VICE films. The film also won the "Revelations Prize" at the 2014 Deauville Film Festival and the Carnet Jove Jury Award, as well as the Citizen Kane Award for Best Directorial Revelation from the Sitges Film Festival. The film was also nominated for the Halekulani Golden Orchid award at the Hawaii International Film Festival.


title: Ana Lily Amirpour

text: At the film's premiere, VICE Creative Director Eddy Moretti, whose company released the film, called Amirpour "the next Tarantino". "The New York Times"'s A.O. Scott also remarked that the film had a "Jim Jarmusch-like cool" and a "disarmingly innocent outlaw romanticism." In the wake of the film's release, "Filmmaker" named her to their 2014 list of the 25 New Faces of Independent Film.


title: Ana Lily Amirpour

text: Amirpour's debut film underscores her interstitial identity as an Iranian-American through its landscape and language. Wide shots featuring the monotonous, dipping movement of dark, heavy machinery against an industrial backdrop in "A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night" can bring to mind either "an American suburban neighborhood" or "the oil fields of Iran." The film's language offers layered meanings for both an Iranian and American audience. For instance, an English-speaking audience may call the fictional town of the film "Bad City," whereas an Iranian audience may interpret it as "Wind City," depending on the particular audience's understanding of an English subtitle-based or Persian-based reading of Arash's license plate.


title: Ana Lily Amirpour

text: Amirpour described her second film, an English-language film entitled "The Bad Batch" as "a post-apocalyptic cannibal love story set in a Texas wasteland" where a "muscled cannibal breaks the rule 'don't play with your food - "It's "Road Warrior" meets "Pretty in Pink" with a dope soundtrack." She has also described it as "very violent" and "very romantic" and like ""El Topo" meets "Dirty Dancing"". The film stars Suki Waterhouse, Jason Momoa, Jim Carrey and Keanu Reeves. It premiered at the 73rd Venice International Film Festival on September 6, 2016 and won the Special Jury prize.


title: Ana Lily Amirpour

text: Amirpour's third feature film is "Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon," starring Jun Jong-seo and Kate Hudson. The movie is described as "a mind-bending adventure set in the humid, neon-lit streets of New Orleans. Inspired by adventure films of the 1980s and ’90s, the film follows a young girl with special abilities. After escaping from an asylum, she enters back into the chaotic reality around her, making unexpected allies along the way." It was filmed in New Orleans in summer 2019 and was produced by John Lesher. It had its world premiere at the 78th Venice International Film Festival on September 5, 2021 and was released in the United States on September 30, 2022, by Saban Films.


title: Ana Lily Amirpour

text: In May 2019, Amirpour announced that she will direct a female-led reboot of the 1993 film "Cliffhanger". Jason Momoa has signed on to be a principal actor. No release date has been set.


title: Ana Lily Amirpour

text: Amirpour has written, produced and directed a number of short films before her directorial debut with "A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night". Among them was a 2011 short, of the same name, which won a "Best Short Film" award at the 2012 Noor Iranian Film Festival and features Nazanin Boniadi in the role played by Sheila Vand in the feature, as well as Marshall Manesh and Dominic Rains from the feature film version.


title: Ana Lily Amirpour

text: Among these short films is also "A Little Suicide" (2012), which received nominations for Best Short Film from the Edinburgh International Film Festival, the Oldenburg Film Festival and the Zlin International Film Festival for Children and Youth; "Pashmaloo" (2011), also starring Sheila Vand from the feature film version of "A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night" and screened at Berlinale (Berlin International Film Festival) in 2011; "Ketab" (2010), which stars Sheila Vand, and Marshall Manesh from "A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night;" "True Love" (2010), which won an Audience Award for Best International Short from the Milano International Film Festival Awards; "You" (2009), a music video featuring San Francisco rock duo Juanita and the Rabbit; and "Six and a Half" (2009).


title: Ana Lily Amirpour

text: Amirpour has written the short films "I Feel Stupid" (2012) (directed by Milena Pastreich), and part of the story for the feature film "The Garlock Incident" (2012), in which she also stars.


title: Ana Lily Amirpour

text: In January 2018, Amirpour released a short film for fashion house Kenzo, entitled "Yo! My Saint" in which she collaborated with indie musicians and actors Karen O, Michael Kiwanuka, Alex Zhang Hungtai and Kiko Mizuhara. Karen O and Kiwanuka composed the film's song of the same name while Zhang and Mizuhara star in the film.


title: Ana Lily Amirpour

text: In July 2016, it was announced Amirpour would direct an episode of the documentary series "Breakthrough" for National Geographic Channel.


title: Ana Lily Amirpour

text: In April 2019, Amirpour directed "A Traveler," an Alaska-set episode of Jordan Peele's "Twilight Zone". The episode stars Steven Yeun, Marika Sila and Greg Kinnear and was written by "X-Files" veteran Glen Morgan. She also directed another episode of the show one year later, entitled "Ovation."


title: Ana Lily Amirpour

text: Amirpour also directed the pilot episode of the crime-drama series "Briarpatch," which aired in February 2020.


title: Ana Lily Amirpour

text: Amirpour directed "The Outside", the 4th episode of the horror anthology streaming television series "Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities," which aired on October 26, 2022.


title: Ana Lily Amirpour

text: After the release of "A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night", Amirpour wrote an e-comic miniseries of the same name focusing on the backstory of The Girl and featuring illustrations by Michael DeWeese. The two issues, titled "Death is the Answer" and "Who Am I," were published by RADCO in 2014.


title: Ana Lily Amirpour

text: Amirpour's films are known for being highly stylized and her creative choices often revolve around the mixing and meshing of cultural backgrounds and genres. She puts particular emphasis on worldbuilding, and setting plays an important role in her films. In an interview with Matt Mullen from "Interview Magazine," she explains, "I think locations are as important as a character in a story. The whole personality of the place. I’m into creating an immersive, transportive experience. And there are so many interesting places on Earth already."


title: Ana Lily Amirpour

text: Music and score is important to her work. Her two released films both feature eclectic soundtracks that play a major role in establishing character feelings and settings. "I love music and whenever I start thinking of a story or characters there's always music that pops up. It's just as much as an outfit that you'd think they would wear. The music they listen to will tell you more about their character." These qualities feature significantly in "A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night", a film that is widely regarded as the "first Iranian vampire western."


title: Ana Lily Amirpour

text: Inspiration from the eastern and western worlds are equally present in all her work, particularly influenced by Amirpour's experience as a first generation Iranian-American. Themes of outcasts, rebels, and "otherness" are a staple to her filmography to date, which she attributes to her personal history of feeling out of place. “I’m a brown woman immigrant, my family escaped the Iranian Revolution, I grew up on two continents, English wasn’t the first language in my home. I know what it is to be the ‘other’ very, very well.” These themes usually revolve around central female characters who are outcasts in their own worlds and must find a way to break free from the molds they've been confined to by society. Yet when confronted with the question of feminism, she explains that her debut film "can be feminist if that's what people think," while still prompting her critics and audience to consider her individuality as an artist separate from her womanhood. Amirpour quips, "I wonder if when Tarantino made , did people say he was being a feminist? It's weird. I wonder if like, 'Oh a female and so she's battling misogyny.'” However, women are not the only source of outcasts in her films. In her "A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night Q&A with Roger Corman", Amirpour explains how "all the characters in the story are isolated and grappling with something that keeps them away from other people and themselves and from knowing what they want and from figuring out how to get it." She often notes that she finds the characters from a personal place within herself. "I like outcasts, I'm always drawn to the people that don't neatly fit into the conventional shit that's all around, the system. But, for what I'm writing right now, once again it's all about this shit that I'm personally trying to figure out."


title: Ana Lily Amirpour

text: Another signature characteristic of Amirpour's film-making is her embrace of the political. Although she approaches any feminist reading of "A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night" with a level of reserve, Amirpour hopes her audience will appreciate the film's representation of a drag-wearing, silent character named Rockabilly who she describes as gay and Bitch Media calls genderqueer. Amirpour says, "If there's one political thing [in the movie], it's not the chador, it's Rockabilly, because it's not OK to be gay in Iran." In "Bad Batch", Amirpour ends up claiming a popular political interpretation of her work that moves beyond her original intention. She created the film in 2015 with the vision of depicting society's outcasts and later donned the anti-Trump message ascribed to it. The film was also meant to be a critique of modern capitalism and consumerist ideology, as motifs of overindulgence and consumption took center stage, themes which were also present in her first feature.


title: Ana Lily Amirpour

text: Amirpour's films often value images and framing over dialogue. When questioned about the sparse dialogue in her films she was quoted saying, "For me, it's interesting that people take the lack of dialogue as there being no story. It makes people uncomfortable, which I understand." Still, the prioritization of strong visual imagery remains effective for her. "A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night" received two nominations for Best Cinematography at the Chlotrudis Awards and Independent Spirit Awards, and won the Dublin Film Critics Award for the same category.


title: Ana Lily Amirpour

text: Various film directors have had an impact on Amirpour's style: David Lynch, Francis Ford Coppola, Robert Zemeckis, and Sergio Leone. In an interview with IU Cinema, she expresses that she also finds inspiration in all kinds of art: filmmakers, writers, photographers, and music, especially. Anne Rice was the major influence for "A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night""," and Bruce Lee remains one of her biggest artistic heroes (his book "Striking Thoughts" is one she continually returns to for inspiration). Films that she's found inspiring throughout her life and career include "The NeverEnding Story"", Back to the Future"", Sin City""," and "Pulp Fiction".


title: Maya Ali

text: Maryam Tanveer, known by her stage name Maya Ali (; born ), is a Pakistani actress. She made her debut with a brief role in telenovela "Durr-e-Shehwar" and later received praise for portraying the titular characters in "Aik Nayee Cinderella" and "Aun Zara" both (2012). Ali got breakthrough for her performance as Manahil Javed in Hum TV's romance "Mann Mayal". In 2018 she made her film debut with "Teefa In Trouble".


title: Maya Ali

text: Ali received critical acclaim for her role of Zuleikha in the romantic dramality "Mera Naam Yousuf Hai" (2015) and Faarah Wali Khan in the ensemble family drama "Diyar-e-Dil" (2015) these earned her the Lux Style Award for Best Television Actress. In 2019 she appeared in romantic-comedy, "Parey Hut Love" which rank among one of highest-grossing Pakistani films and earned her two nominations at Lux Style Awards. In 2021, she did her comeback on television after 5 years with ARY Digital's romantic "Pehli Si Muhabbat" portraying Rakshi.


title: Maya Ali

text: Maya Ali was born as Maryam Tanveer Ali on 27 July 1989 in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan, to Muslim parents. Her father, Tanveer Ali, was a businessman, and her mother, Shagufta Nazar, is a homemaker. She has one younger brother, Affnan. Ali completed her master's degree in mass communication from the Queen Mary College. Ali started her career at early age, working as a video jockey for the channels Samaa TV, Waqt News and Dunya News. According to Ali, her father was against her working in the entertainment industry and did not talk to her for six years, but she reconciled with him, before his death in 2016.


title: Maya Ali

text: In 2012, She started off well with a brief role in drama "Durr-e-Shehwar", telecasted on Hum TV. In this drama her name is Mahnoor. Her role is not very explanatory except that she is a younger sister of Durr-e-Shahwar (played by Sanam Baloch) and was born in a rich family and she always respects her elder sister. The drama was directed by Haissam Hussain and written by Umera Ahmed. "Aik Nayee Cinderella" was her next show after "Durr-e-Shehwar" telecasted on Geo TV and she got the lead role in this drama opposite Osman Khalid Butt and Faizan Khawaja. Maya's role in this serial was Meesha (cinderella). The serial is a modern retelling story of Cinderella and people were resembling it to Disney world stories. The serial was directed by Haissam Hussain and written by Faiza Iftikhar. After "Aik Nayee Cinderella" in 2013, she got the comedy project "Aunn Zara", again under the direction of Haissam Hussain. The show is written by Faiza Iftikhar and was earlier titled as "Hisar e Muhabbat". She played the role of Zara, opposite Osman Khalid Butt as her husband, Aunn. In 2013, Ali finally opted out from Haissam Hussain's direction to catch up with Ahsan Khan and Sohai Ali Abro for "Khoya Khoya Chand", a romantic series which again was written by Faiza Iftikhar. She played the role of Ahmerin who is a loving and caring sister with a sweet nature.


title: Maya Ali

text: In 2013, she starred as Hiba in "Ranjish Hi Sahi". The show contains a much diversified story from usually stories, another project by A&B production which was ON-AIRED on Geo TV. It is full of tragedies, sorrows, sufferings and pain. Each and every character is very difficult to be played. Ali is yet again in a sisterly role but a possessive sister. Again in 2013, she did her another serial named "Meri Zindagi Hai Tu" which was on-aired on Geo TV. this serial was directed by Amin Iqbal, produced by A&B Entertainment and written by Faiza Iftikhar. The drama stars Ahsan Khan, her and Ayeza Khan in lead roles. The serial was first aired 20 September 2013 on Geo Entertainment, being aired on prime slot on Friday at 8:00 pm. The serial also aired on Indian channel Zindagi under the same title.


title: Maya Ali

text: Her next project was "Ladoon Mein Pali", alongside Sajal Aly and Affan Waheed. In this serial Ali is playing a leading role which is based on the story of a young girl her family. She played the role of Laraib, a girl whose family is traditional and respect their customs. This serial was aired on drama channel GEO TV at 8 pm every Tuesday. The story is written by Adam Aazeen and directed by Waseem Abbas. In 2014, Ali was cast in "Shanakht", in which she played the role of Qurat-ul-Ain, who follows Islam but is criticized by her family and society. Ali also starred as Saman in "Zid" alongside Ahsan Khan. The series was directed by Adnan Wai Qureshi, while the story was written by Bee Gul, and was presented by Momina Duraid. "Zid" tells the story of an ambitious girl, named Saman, who is married to an American Pakistani man (played by Ahssan Khan) against her will. In 2015, Ali worked in Mehreen Jabbar's romantic drama "Mera Naam Yousuf Hai". She played the role of Zulaikha, alongside Imran Abbas. That same year, she played the role of an estranged granddaughter Faarah Wali Khan in the blockbuster ensemble family drama "Diyar-e-Dil", alongside Osman Khalid Butt, Abid Ali, Sanam Saeed, Mikaal Zulfiqar, Hareem Farooq and Ali Rehman Khan. The series was based on the novel of the same name by Farhat Ishtiaq, and was shot at the Khaplu Palace in Gilgit-Baltistan. For her performance in the series, she won the Hum Award for Best Actress Popular and received her first Lux Style Award for Best Actress nomination.


title: Maya Ali

text: In 2016, Ali starred as Manahil in "Mann Mayal" along with Hamza Ali Abbasi, Gohar Rasheed and Aisha Khan, for which she won Lux Style Award for Best Television Actress. It was co-created and co-produced by the creative head Momina Duraid with Sana Shahnawaz, Samina Humayun and Tariq Shah. The show was first aired on Hum TV, as a part of night programming all under Duraid's production company. The show was set in Hyderabad and Karachi, narrated the story of two neighbors from opposite background who fall in love with each other, but when he leaves the country to study, he falls for another woman. "Mann Mayal" premiered in Pakistan, UK, USA and UAE with same premier date and timings.


title: Maya Ali

text: Ali then appeared in the romance "Sanam", another Hum TV series, directed by Haseeb Hassan. "Sanam" had an ensemble cast, with Osman Khalid Butt as Harib, her as Aan, and Hareem Farooq as Ayla in leading roles, along with the supporting cast of Hina Khawaja Bayat, Asad Ali, Sharmeen Ali and Akbar Islam. The story of serial was told in a heavily serialized manner and it follows a love triangle. It revolves around the journey of Harib, a successful businessman, as he discovers the difference between a life partner and a soulmate. The show was first aired on Hum TV, and was set in Karachi, Sindh. "Sanam" premiered in Pakistan, UK, USA and UAE with same premier date and timings. Series received generally positive reviews in its premier, however throughout its broadcast it received mixed to negative reviews where viewers and critics declared it as a drag.


title: Maya Ali

text: In January 2017, she signed Ahsan Rahim's debut romantic action comedy film "Teefa in Trouble" (2018), as a co-star with Ali Zafar. Pre-production work began in 2016 when Zafar, Rahim and Danyal Zafar wrote the story and screenplay. Principal photography took place in Lahore and Warsaw between 18 February and 26 July 2017. Ali Zafar also created the music, while the film score was composed by Shani Arshad. The film released on 20 July 2018; it was distributed by Mandviwalla Entertainment and Geo Films nationwide. It is the first non-Indian film which was distributed internationally by Yash Raj Films. Critical reaction was largely positive and her performance of a Polish born rebellious daughter of a Don was particularly praised. "Galaxy Lollywood" stated that she "leaves a mark with her debut performance and shows that she has arrived. She is believable in her role and looks beautiful on-screen and definitely has that elusive screen presence." Omair Alavi of "Samaa" wrote that Ali came as a "breath of fresh air and looks naturally beautiful", however, she "needs to work on her dialogue delivery but here it suited her character". "OyeYeah" thought that Ali has the "required energy" for the role and gets the acting, dancing part "right'. At the time of its release, it was one of the most expensive Pakistani films ever made. Trade journalists had high expectations for the film which ultimately became the third Pakistani film to cross the mark, despite facing protests and film piracy afterwards.


title: Maya Ali

text: Ali next played the role of a Turkey returned strong willed girl in the romantic comedy film "Parey Hut Love" (2019), directed by Asim Raza. The film, divided into four chapters, tells the story of an aspiring actor (played by Sheheryar Munawar) who falls in love with an already engaged girl (played by Ali). The film received positive reviews from critics, and Ali was praised for her performance. Fatima Awan of Reviewit thought that Ali "has given a really solid performance, her dialogue delivery and overall look is right on point." "The Express Tribune" took note of her performance and wrote that she "handles her character with maturity; [she] impresses the audience in almost every scene. Besides looking elegant, charming and graceful which was a requirement of the character, Ali proves that she can, without a doubt, be the next superstar of Pakistani cinema, provided she selects great films with greater directors." Mahwash Ajaz opined that she is "one of the best leading ladies in cinema right now. She looks, breathes and appears to be the heroine of the modern day cinema in Pakistan. A lot of her emotional scenes are well-capitalized by Asim Raza. She is clearly made for the big screen." "Parey Hut Love" earned over to emerge as one of the highest-grossing Pakistani films. At the annual Lux Style Awards, she received two Best Actress nominations.


title: Maya Ali

text: Ali created further hype in 2021, when she starred in the romantic television series, "Pehli Si Muhabbat"; it marked her second collaboration with Sheheryar Munawar and fifth with Faiza Iftikhar. Directed by Anjum Shahzad, the series tells the story of two neighbors who fall in love and give birth to a new rivalry. "Pehli Si Muhabbat" was acclaimed by the critics for its screenplay and performances, and went on to become a major success. Later that year, Ali appeared as Sonia in historical drama "Jo Bichar Gaye", which was based on true events from 1971 Indo-Pak War including the Fall of Dhaka, in her fourth collaboration with Haissam Hussain. Criticality, her performance was praised in the series.


title: Maya Ali

text: As of January 2021, she has signed her next project, a television series, "Main Manto Nahi Hoon", opposite Humayun Saeed. The series, written by Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar, will be aired on ARY Digital in the mid of 2021.


title: Maya Ali

text: Ali is brand ambassador of Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre. Ali has visited different institutions to raise awareness of breast cancer among young girls. Maya Ali has recently launched her own clothing brand named MAYA Pret-A-Porter, which has become quite famous among masses in Pakistan. She hosted Eid special show, named "Milan", on 7 February 2017. Ali is the brand ambassador of Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League. Ali had gotten her own customized Shan e Pakistan jersey and was spotted wearing it as she was unveiled as the brand ambassador of the cricket team. On 19 April 2017, she and Ali Zafar performed at the sixteenth ceremony of the Lux Style Awards on Zafar's song "Ishq". Ali walks the ramp of Bridal Week 2018 as showstopper for Nomi Ansari. She always had a special preference for Nomi Ansari's designs and has been a brand ambassador for him for a few years now. She serves as an ambassador for a number of brands and products, such as Lux, QMobile, Sprite, Diva body spray and Royal fan. She has appeared as a guest on many television shows, including "Sunrise from Istanbul", that was hosted by Maria Wasti in Turkey, "The Afternoon Show with Yasir", "Tonite with HSY" and "With Samina Peerzada". With 5 million followers on Instagram, she is one of the most followed actresses in the country. In January 2021, the clothing brand, Alkaram Studio, announced Ali as the next Alkaram Woman for the year 2021.


title: Katar (dagger)

text: The katar is a type of push dagger from the Indian subcontinent. The weapon is characterized by its H-shaped horizontal hand grip which results in the blade sitting above the user's knuckles. Unique to the Indian subcontinent, it is the most famous and characteristic of Indian daggers. Ceremonial katars were also used in worship.


title: Katar (dagger)

text: Having originated in South India, the weapon's earliest name-form was likely the Tamil (). It is alternatively known in Tamil as () which means "stabbing blade". This was adapted into Sanskrit as () or . Due to the schwa deletion in Indo-Aryan languages however, the word often came to be rendered as "katar" in modern Hindi and by extension in colonial transliterations.


title: Katar (dagger)

text: Other regional names for the weapon include () in Kannada, () in Telugu, () in Malayalam, () in Marathi, , () in Panjabi, and () or in Hindi.


title: Katar (dagger)

text: The katar was created in Southern India, its earliest forms being closely associated with the 14th-century Vijayanagara Empire. It may have originated with the "mustika", a method of holding a dagger between the middle and index finger still used in kalaripayattu and gatka today. The real name of this is "Kidaari" is from the ancient Tamil warfare class of weapons. Kidaari derived from the term "Kedayam Ari" meaning the "Shield Splitter" in Tamil. The name indicates this weapon being used to break shields and armor. The weapon was used by many ethnic Tamil infantry units aka "Kaalatpadai". This falls under the "mushtikai" class of Indian weapon system. "Mushti" means the fingers closed and "kai" means arm.


title: Katar (dagger)

text: A Tamil king would be gifted with a golden Kidari as a token of loyalty from the Kaalatpadai General. It was worn as a symbol of respect by the king to the soldiers who lay down their lives for him in war without any hesitation. Later Chhatrpati Shivaji Maharaj was gifted with a Kidaari during his conquest to Tamil Nadu. A specific type of dagger might have been designed for this, as "maustika" is described vaguely as a "fist dagger" in the arsenal list of Abu'l-Fazl ibn Mubarak. One of the most famous groups of early katar come from the Thanjavur Nayak kingdom of the 17th century. Katar dating back to this period often had a leaf- or shell-like knucklebow curving up from the top of the blade to protect the back of the hand. This form is today sometimes called a "hooded katara" but the knuckleguard was discarded altogether by the later half of the 17th century. As the weapon spread throughout the region it became something of a status symbol, much like the Southeast Asian kris or the Japanese katana. Princes and nobles were often portrayed wearing a katar at their side. This was not only a precaution for self-defense, but also meant to show their wealth and position. Upper-class Rajputs would even hunt tigers with a katar. For a hunter to kill a tiger with such a short-range weapon was considered the surest sign of bravery and martial skill.


title: Katar (dagger)

text: Some modern katar designs may include single-shot pistols built into either side of the weapon. In the 18th century, some traditional katar were refurbished with this innovation. The pistols are meant to deal the killing blow after the weapon has been thrust into the enemy. The katar ceased to be in common use by the 19th century, though they were still forged for decorative purposes. During the 18th and 19th century, a distinctive group of katar were produced at Bundi in Rajasthan. They were ornately crafted and their hilts were covered in gold foil. These katar were shown at the Great Exhibition of 1851 in Crystal Palace, London. Since then, the weapon has sometimes been mistakenly referred to in English as a "Bundi dagger".


title: Katar (dagger)

text: The basic katar has a short, wide, triangular blade. Its peculiarity lies in the handle which is made up of two parallel bars connected by two or more cross-pieces, one of which is at the end of the side bars and is fastened to the blade. The remainder forms the handle which is at right angle to the blade. Some handles have long arms extending across the length of the user's forearm. The handle is generally of all-steel construction and is forged in one piece together with the blade.


title: Katar (dagger)

text: The blade, typically measuring in length, is usually cut with a number of fullers. Most katar have straight blades, but in south India they are commonly wavy. South Indian blades are often made broad at the hilt and taper in straight lines to the point, and elaborately ribbed by grooves parallel to the edges. Occasionally the blades are slightly curved, making them suited for slashing attacks. Some blades are forked into two points, which would later develop into the scissors katar.


title: Katar (dagger)

text: The force of a katar thrust could be so great that many blades were thickened at the point to prevent them from bending or breaking. This also strengthened their use against mail. All katar with thickened tips are commonly described as "armour-piercing", but it is likely that only narrow and slender blades made this function possible. Such a weapon was capable of piercing textile, mail, and even plate armor. This quality was preferred for warfare, where an opponent was more likely to be armor-clad, as opposed to single combat.


title: Katar (dagger)

text: The Indian nobility often wore ornamental katar as a symbol of their social status. The hilts may be covered in enamel, gems, or gold foil. Similarly, figures and scenes were chiselled onto the blade. Sheaths, generally made from watered steel, were sometimes pierced with decorative designs. The heat and moisture of India's climate made steel an unsuitable material for a dagger sheath, so they were covered in fabric such as velvet or silk. Some katar served as a sheath to fit one or two smaller ones inside.


title: Katar (dagger)

text: Because the katar's blade is in line with the user's arm, the basic attack is a direct thrust identical to a punch, although it could also be used for slashing. This design allows the fighter to put their whole weight into a thrust. Typical targets include the head and upper body, similar to boxing. The sides of the handle could be used for blocking but it otherwise has little defensive capability. As such, the wielder must be agile enough to dodge the opponent's attacks and strike quickly, made possible because of the weapon's light weight and small size. Indian martial arts in general make extensive use of agility and acrobatic maneuvers. As far back as the 16th century, there was at least one fighting style which focused on fighting with a pair of katar, one in each hand.


title: Katar (dagger)

text: Aside from the basic straight thrust, other techniques include the reverse flipped pierce, inwards side slashing, outwards side slashing, cobra coiled thrust, and tiger claw pierce performed by jumping towards the opponent.


title: West Village

text: The West Village is a neighborhood in the western section of the larger Greenwich Village neighborhood of Lower Manhattan, New York City.


title: West Village

text: The traditional boundaries of the West Village are the Hudson River to the west, West 14th Street to the north, Greenwich Avenue to the east, and Christopher Street to the south. Other popular definitions have extended the southern boundary as far south as Houston Street, and some use Seventh Avenue or Avenue of the Americas as the eastern boundary. The Far West Village extends from the Hudson River to Hudson Street, between Gansevoort Street and Leroy Street. Neighboring communities include Chelsea to the north, the South Village and Hudson Square to the south, and the Washington Square neighborhood of Greenwich Village to the east.


title: West Village

text: The West Village is part of Manhattan Community District 2, and is patrolled by the 6th Precinct of the New York City Police Department. Residential property sale prices in West Village are among the most expensive in the United States, typically exceeding US in 2017.


title: West Village

text: Beginning in the early 1980s, residential development spread in the Far West Village between West Street and Hudson Street, from West 14th Street to West Houston Street, resulting in the area being given its own name.


title: West Village

text: Historically, local residents and preservation groups have been concerned about development in the Village and have fought to preserve the architectural and historic integrity of the neighborhood. More than 50 blocks, bordering 14th Street to the north, comprise a historic district established by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. The district's convoluted borders run no farther south than 4th Street or St. Luke's Place, and no farther east than Washington Square East or University Place. Redevelopment in this area is severely restricted, and developers must preserve the main facade and aesthetics of the buildings, even during renovation. This district—which was for four decades the city's largest—was created in 1969 by the then-four-year-old New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. However, preservationists advocated for the entire neighborhood to be designated a historic district; although it covers most of the West Village, the blocks closest to the Hudson River are excluded.


title: West Village

text: Advocates continued to pursue their goal of additional designation, spurred in particular by the increased pace of development in the 1990s. The Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation (GVSHP), a nonprofit organization dedicated to the architectural and cultural character and heritage of the neighborhood, successfully proposed new districts and individual landmarks to the LPC. Those include:


title: West Village

text: In addition, several contextual rezonings were enacted in Greenwich Village in recent years to limit the size and height of allowable new development in the neighborhood, and to encourage the preservation of existing buildings. The following were proposed by the GVSHP and passed by the City Planning Commission:


title: West Village

text: The West Village historically was known as an important landmark on the map of American bohemian culture in the early and mid-twentieth century. The neighborhood was known for its colorful, artistic residents and the alternative culture they propagated. Due in part to the progressive attitudes of many of its residents, the Village was a focal point of new movements and ideas, whether political, artistic, or cultural. This tradition as an enclave of avant-garde and alternative culture was established during the 19th century and into the 20th century, when small presses, art galleries, and experimental theater thrived. Known as "Little Bohemia" starting in 1916, West Village is in some ways the center of the bohemian lifestyle on the West Side, with classic artists' lofts in the form of the Westbeth Artists Community and Julian Schnabel's Palazzo Chupi.


title: West Village

text: In 1924, the Cherry Lane Theatre was established at 38 Commerce Street. It is New York City's oldest continuously running Off-Broadway theater. A landmark in Greenwich Village's cultural landscape, it was built as a farm silo in 1817, and also served as a tobacco warehouse and box factory before Edna St. Vincent Millay and other members of the Provincetown Players converted the structure into a theatre they christened the Cherry Lane Playhouse, which opened on March 24, 1924, with the play "The Man Who Ate the Popomack". During the 1940s The Living Theatre, Theatre of the Absurd, and the Downtown Theater movement all took root there, and it developed a reputation as a place where aspiring playwrights and emerging voices could showcase their work.


title: West Village

text: On January 8, 1947, stevedore Andy Hintz was fatally shot by hitmen John M. Dunn, Andrew Sheridan and Danny Gentile in front of his apartment on Grove Street. Before he died on January 29, he told his wife that "Johnny Dunn shot me." The three gunmen were immediately arrested. Sheridan and Dunn were executed.


title: West Village

text: The Village hosted the first racially integrated night club in the United States, when Café Society was opened in 1938 at 1 Sheridan Square by Barney Josephson. Café Society showcased African American talent and was intended to be an American version of the political cabarets Josephson had seen in Europe before World War I. Notable performers there included among others: Pearl Bailey, Count Basie, Nat King Cole, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Ella Fitzgerald, Coleman Hawkins, Billie Holiday, Lena Horne, Burl Ives, Lead Belly, Anita O'Day, Charlie Parker, Les Paul and Mary Ford, Paul Robeson, Kay Starr, Art Tatum, Sarah Vaughan, Dinah Washington, Josh White, Teddy Wilson, Lester Young, and The Weavers, who also in Christmas 1949, played at the Village Vanguard.


title: West Village

text: The annual Greenwich Village Halloween Parade, initiated in 1974 by Greenwich Village puppeteer and mask maker Ralph Lee, is the world's largest Halloween parade and America's only major nighttime parade, attracting more than 60,000 costumed participants, 2 million in-person spectators, and a worldwide television audience of over 100 million.


title: West Village

text: The neighborhood is distinguished by streets that are "off the grid", being set at an angle to the other streets in Manhattan. These roads were laid out in an 18th-century grid plan, approximately parallel or perpendicular to the Hudson, long before the Commissioners' Plan of 1811 which created the main street grid plan for later parts of the city. Even streets that were given numbers in the 19th century to make them nominally part of the grid can be idiosyncratic, at best. West 4th Street, formerly Asylum Street, crosses West 10th, 11th and 12th Streets, ending at an intersection with West 13th Street. Heading north on Greenwich Street, West 12th Street is separated by three blocks from Little West 12th Street, which in turn is one block south of West 13th Street. Further, some of the smaller east–west residential streets are paved with setts (often confused with cobblestones), particularly in Far West Village and the Meatpacking District.


title: West Village

text: Based on data from the 2010 United States Census, the population of the West Village neighborhood tabulation area was 66,880, a change of -1,603 (-2.4%) from the 68,483 counted in 2000. Covering an area of , the neighborhood had a population density of . The racial makeup of the neighborhood was 80.9% (54,100) White, 2% (1,353) African American, 0.1% (50) Native American, 8.2% (5,453) Asian, 0% (20) Pacific Islander, 0.4% (236) from other races, and 2.4% (1,614) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.1% (4,054) of the population.


title: West Village

text: The approximate residential population in the West Village is 34,000 people based on seven 2010 Census Tracts for Manhattan Community District 2. Some population characteristics include:


title: West Village

text: About 13,000 out-of-town visitors also visit the neighborhood daily. A portion of these approximately 139,452 domestic and international visitors that enter the city daily visit or stay in the West Village; an average of 11,000 people visit the High Line every day.


title: West Village

text: The West Village is patrolled by the 6th Precinct of the NYPD, located at 233 West 10th Street. The 6th Precinct ranked 68th safest out of 69 patrol areas for per-capita crime in 2010. This is due to a high incidence of property crime.


title: West Village

text: The 6th Precinct has a lower crime rate than in the 1990s, with crimes across all categories having decreased by 80.6% between 1990 and 2018. The precinct reported 1 murder, 20 rapes, 153 robberies, 121 felony assaults, 163 burglaries, 1,031 grand larcenies, and 28 grand larcenies auto in 2018.


title: West Village

text: The Meatpacking District at the north end of this neighborhood, also known as the "Gansevoort Historic District", is filled with trendy boutiques and nightclubs. It is also the area's most concentrated site of grand larceny. (Grand larceny in New York is legally defined as stealing property worth $1,000 or more or property taken from the person of another without the threat of force.) In February 2013 the NYPD passed out 3,500 fliers to bars and clubs in the Sixth Precinct warning people to guard their valuables, especially at district's clubs, due to the rise in grand larceny rates. Police have said these crimes mostly happen in the Meatpacking District from 11 p.m. to 3 a.m.


title: West Village

text: The West Village includes two ZIP Codes. Most of the West Village, south of Greenwich Avenue and west of Sixth Avenue, is located in 10014, while the northern section north of Greenwich Avenue is in 10011. The United States Postal Service operates the West Village Station at 527 Hudson Street.


title: West Village

text: There are two zoned elementary schools nearby: PS 3 Melser Charrette School, and PS 41 Greenwich Village School. Residents are zoned to Baruch Middle School 104. Greenwich Village High School was a private high school formerly located in the area, but later moved to SoHo. In 2017, Middle School 297 opened at 75 Morton Street.


title: West Village

text: The New York Public Library (NYPL) operates two branches near the West Village. The Jefferson Market Library is located at 425 Avenue of the Americas (Sixth Avenue). The building was a courthouse in the 19th and 20th centuries before being converted into a library in 1967, and it is now a city designated landmark. The Hudson Park branch is located at 66 Leroy Street. The branch is housed in Carnegie library that was built in 1906 and expanded in 1920.


title: West Village

text: The area is served by the MTA Regional Bus Operations’ routes and the following New York City Subway stations: