title: Assassination of Yitzhak Rabin

text: On 28 March 1996, the Shamgar Commission issued its final report into the assassination. It was critical of Shin Bet for putting the Prime Minister at risk and ignoring threats to his life from Jewish extremists.


title: Mr. Tumnus

text: Tumnus is a faun in the "Narnia" books written by C. S. Lewis, primarily in "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" but also briefly in "The Horse and His Boy" and in "The Last Battle". He is the first creature Lucy Pevensie meets in Narnia and becomes her first friend in the kingdom. Lewis wrote that the first Narnia story, "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe", all came to him from a single picture he had in his head of a faun carrying an umbrella and parcels through a snowy wood. Tumnus thus became the initial inspiration for the entire Narnia series.


title: Mr. Tumnus

text: Lewis describes Tumnus as having reddish skin, curly hair, brown eyes, a short pointed beard, horns on his forehead, cloven hooves, goat legs with glossy black hair, a "strange but pleasant little face," a long tail, and being "only a little taller than Lucy herself."


title: Mr. Tumnus

text: Tumnus first appears when Lucy arrives in Narnia at the lamp post. He invites her back to his cave for tea, during which, they talk about Narnia. Tumnus plays an evocative tune on his flute, but when Lucy says that she has to go, he bursts into tears. He confesses that he is in the pay of the White Witch (Jadis), who rules Narnia and has made it always winter but never Christmas. She had ordered him and the other Narnians to hand over any Sons of Adam or Daughters of Eve—humans—that he sees in Narnia. Tumnus, despite knowing that the Witch will find out and is likely to punish him severely if he disobeys her orders, quickly realises that he cannot bring himself to give up Lucy to the Witch, so he guides her back to the lamp-post to see that she returns safely to her own world.


title: Mr. Tumnus

text: When Lucy returns to Narnia a few days later, Tumnus is still safe: evidently the White Witch has not discovered his disobedience. However, Lucy's brother Edmund enters Narnia shortly afterward and mentions to the White Witch that his sister had visited Narnia before and met a faun—even though he does not name the faun as Tumnus.


title: Mr. Tumnus

text: When Lucy and her siblings subsequently come to Narnia, they find that Tumnus has been arrested by Maugrim, Chief of the White Witch's secret police, and is awaiting trial on a charge of high treason which involves harbouring spies and fraternizing with humans. Tumnus had spoken to Mr Beaver of his fears not long before his arrest and asked him to guide the four children if he found them in Narnia. The children meet Mr Beaver just after leaving Tumnus's ransacked cave.


title: Mr. Tumnus

text: Later in the story, when the winter has come to an end and Aslan is preparing an army to take on the White Witch, Lucy and Susan find Tumnus petrified as a statue in the Witch's castle, and he is restored by Aslan. He follows the other Narnians to the battle as the Witch is defeated and killed.


title: Mr. Tumnus

text: Years later, he is the one who tells the Kings and Queens that the White Stag has been spotted near his home. Their hunt for it leads to their disappearance from Narnia and the end of the Golden Age.


title: Mr. Tumnus

text: In "The Horse and His Boy", Tumnus appears as a royal adviser to the four Pevensie monarchs (fourteen years later, according to Lewis's Narnian Timeline). He devises a ruse for escaping from Calormen, thereby saving Queen Susan from being forcibly married to Prince Rabadash, and the other Narnians, including her brother Edmund, from certain death trying to defend her.


title: Joker Stairs

text: The "Joker Stairs" is the colloquial name for a step street connecting Shakespeare and Anderson avenues at West 167th Street in Highbridge in the Bronx, New York City. Located near the 167th Street station on the New York City Subway's , the stairs served as one of the filming locations in the 2019 film "Joker".


title: Joker Stairs

text: In the film, the character Arthur Fleck, portrayed by Joaquin Phoenix, is repeatedly shown walking up and down these stairs as part of his daily routine. Later, towards the film's climax, he dances down the stairs wearing a brightly-colored suit and clown makeup, which represent a change in his character, as Gary Glitter's "Rock and Roll Part 2" plays in the background. The stairs appear in a promotional poster for the film and have become a tourist destination. Both the stairs and Arthur's dance have become Internet memes.


title: Joker Stairs

text: Many visitors reenact the scene from the film, sometimes in Joker attire, to the point that the stairs have become crowded with sightseers. Bronx residents complained that tourists caused crowding during their commutes while snapping pictures and wielding selfie sticks. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, U.S. representative for New York's 14th congressional district (which covers portions of the Bronx), asked visitors to stay away from the Joker Stairs to avoid causing problems for residents.


title: Joker Stairs

text: "India Today" notes, "Even though the stairs have been around for years and lead to some of the most famous spots in New York [...] they were never really popular because of their association with crime in the area." "The New York Times" notes that originally, the stairs used in the 2007 biographical crime film "American Gangster", located in a South Bronx neighborhood, were going to be used in the scene, but they had been repaved and beautified too much to be aesthetically acceptable for "Joker".


title: Joker Stairs

text: NBC New York notes that the Joker Stairs have joined "the ranks of well-known movie settings, like that of the steps at the Philadelphia Museum of Art" seen in the 1976 American sports drama "Rocky". In 2019, Burger King released a promotional video featuring the Joker Stairs, with a title card saying "We know clowns can be annoying", an innuendo directed at McDonald's.


title: Mitsubishi Astron engine

text: The Mitsubishi Astron or 4G5/4D5 engine, is a series of straight-four internal combustion engines first built by Mitsubishi Motors in 1972. Engine displacement ranged from 1.8 to 2.6 litres, making it one of the largest four-cylinder engines of its time.


title: Mitsubishi Astron engine

text: It employed a hemispherical cylinder head, chain-driven single overhead camshaft (SOHC) and eight valves (two per cylinder). United States passenger car versions had a small secondary intake valve referred to as the "Jet Valve". This valve induced swirl in the intake charge, enabling the use of leaner fuel/air mixtures for lower emissions. It was designed as a cartridge containing the valve spring and seat which simply screwed into a threaded hole in the head, similar to a spark plug but inside the cam cover. The rocker arms for the intake valve were widened on the valve end to accommodate the cartridge, which was equipped with a very soft valve spring in order to avoid wear on the camshaft intake lobe. Modifications to the head were thereby reduced as the Jet Valve negated the necessity for a three-valve-per-cylinder design.


title: Mitsubishi Astron engine

text: In 1975, the "Astron 80" introduced a system dubbed "Silent Shaft": the first use of twin balance shafts in a modern engine. It followed the designs of Frederick Lanchester, whose original patents Mitsubishi had obtained, and proved influential as Fiat/Lancia, Saab and Porsche all licensed this technology.


title: Mitsubishi Astron engine

text: The 4D5 engine is a range of four-cylinder belt-driven overhead camshaft diesel engines which were part of the "Astron" family, and introduced in 1980 in the then new fifth generation Galant. As the first turbodiesel to be offered in a Japanese passenger car, it proved popular in the emerging SUV and minivan markets where Mitsubishi was highly successful, until superseded by the 4M4 range in 1993. However, production of the 4D5 (4D56) continued throughout the 1990s as a lower-cost option than the more modern powerplants. Until now it is still in production, but made into a modern powerplant by putting a common rail direct injection fuel system into the engine.


title: Mitsubishi Astron engine

text: The 4G52 displaces . Peak power for a 1975 Canter is , but power increased to as much as for the twin-carb version fitted to the Galant GTO GSR and A115 Galant GS-II.


title: Mitsubishi Astron engine

text: The SOHC eight-valve 4G53 displaces , with bore & stroke at . Peak power is at 5000 rpm, as fitted to the Rosa bus or the Canter cabover truck. This engine shares its dimensions with the contemporary Fuso 4DR1 diesel engine.


title: Mitsubishi Astron engine

text: The SOHC eight-valve 4G54 (also known as the G54B) displaces , with bore & stroke at . The G54B for the US market had a cylinder head with additional jet valves to improve emissions (MCA-Jet system). The engine was fitted to various Mitsubishi models from 1978 to 1997 and to the American Chrysler K-cars and their derivatives between 1981 and 1987. It was primarily set up longitudinally for use in rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive platforms but also as a transverse engine in the front-wheel drive platform of the Mitsubishi Magna and Chrysler K platform. Chrysler commonly marketed the engine "Hemi," whereas the Australian-made version was marketed as the "Astron II" and featured "Balance Shaft" technology, which was subsequently licensed to Porsche and other automakers. The original engine featured a Mikuni two-barrel carburetor with a secondary vacuum actuator; later versions adopted EFI. Chrysler commonly paired this engine with its A470 3-speed automatic transmission; in Australia, Mitsubishi adapted it to a 5-speed manual transmission and its "ELC" (Electronic Control) 4-speed automatic transmission, featuring electronic overdrive. Chrysler eventually replaced the 4G54 with its own 2.5 L engine, whereas Mitsubishi replaced it with a 2.4 L engine codenamed 4G64.


title: Mitsubishi Astron engine

text: Single two-Venturi downdraught carburetor. at 5000 rpm (91 RON), at 3000 rpm (91 RON). Compression ratio: 8.8:1


title: Mitsubishi Astron engine

text: This engine is also built by Hyundai in South Korea, meaning it also sees use in some products made by their Kia subsidiary.


title: Bea Miller

text: Beatrice Annika Miller (born February 7, 1999) is an American singer and actress. She came in ninth place on season two of "The X Factor" (US) when she was 13 years old. She was later signed to Hollywood Records. Her debut EP "Young Blood" was released in 2014, and her debut album "Not an Apology" was released on July 24, 2015. In 2016, she released the single "Yes Girl". During 2017, she released the EPs "", "", and "". The three EPs, along with five additional songs, were collected as her second studio album, "Aurora".


title: Bea Miller

text: In 2018, she featured as the lead vocalist on NOTD's single "I Wanna Know", which reached the top 20 in Australia, Belgium and Norway. In 2019, she released the singles "It's Not U It's Me" with 6lack, "Feel Something", "Feels Like Home" with Jessie Reyez and "Never Gonna Like You" with Snakehips. She signed with Olliebear Records and Create Music Group in November 2019 to release the single "That Bitch".


title: Bea Miller

text: In October 2020, after the unexpected success of "Feel Something", Miller would return to releasing under Hollywood Records with the single "Wisdom Teeth". The song was released as the lead single to Miller's EP titled, "Elated!", which was released on October 23 of that same year.


title: Bea Miller

text: Miller was a contestant on season two of "The X Factor", finishing in ninth place. She was eliminated after losing the final showdown to CeCe Frey. However, Miller received more votes than Frey meaning if the result went to deadlock, Miller would have been saved. She performed the following songs on the show:


title: Bea Miller

text: On April 11, 2013, it was officially announced that she was signed to Syco Music and Hollywood Records, marking the first collaborative arrangement between these two labels. Shortly after the ending of the second season of "The X Factor", Miller changed her name to simply Bea Miller. She contributed her voice towards the audio book for Jennifer Donnelly's new book, "Deep Blue: Songspell" and a promotional song for it called "Open Your Eyes" in 2014. She uploaded her new song "Rich Kids" to YouTube in 2014, and it was included in her 2015 album "Not an Apology". She released a clip of a new song called "Enemy Fire".


title: Bea Miller

text: "Enemy Fire" premiered on her own Vevo channel in April 2014. She worked with busbee, Jarrad Rogers, Mike Del Rio, and other noteworthy producers for her album. Her debut EP "Young Blood" was released on April 22, 2014, with the lead single "Young Blood". Her EP peaked at No. 2 on the iTunes pop albums chart. Her EP had a debut peak on "Billboard" 200 at No. 64. Miller opened up for Demi Lovato on select cities for her Demi World Tour.


title: Bea Miller

text: In December 2014, she was picked as Elvis Duran's Artist of the Month and was featured on NBC's "Today" show hosted by Kathy Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb, where she performed live her single "Young Blood".


title: Bea Miller

text: In 2015, Miller was named Radio Disney's newest Next Big Thing artist. She appeared on Disney Channel many times with it and promoted her album with it as well. Her debut single "Young Blood" won the 2015 Radio Disney Music Awards for "Best Song to Rock Out to With Your BFF".


title: Bea Miller

text: Miller released her debut album, "Not an Apology", on July 24, 2015, on Hollywood Records. The album peaked at No. 7 on the "Billboard" 200. On April 24, 2015, it was announced that Miller would accompany Debby Ryan and Natalie La Rose as opening acts for the summer leg of Fifth Harmony's The Reflection Tour, which began on July 15 in Louisville, Kentucky. Miller finished the tour in late August. In July 2015, she was chosen by public vote to be the next Vevo Lift artist.


title: Bea Miller

text: On April 20, 2016, it was announced that Miller would join Selena Gomez on her Revival Tour as an opening act along with DNCE. The tour ran from May throughout the summer. Miller also announced that she would be hosting meet and greets titled "Tea With Bea".


title: Bea Miller

text: Miller released a non-album single "Yes Girl" on May 20, 2016. She performed the song and a song that was unreleased at the moment, titled "Song Like You" numerous times on the Revival Tour. Her song "This Little Light of Mine" was featured in a 2016 advertising campaign for 3 Musketeers. On February 24, 2017, she released the first part of a three-EP project, "". On March 30, 2017, she performed "Song Like You" on "The Late Late Show with James Corden". It was her first late-night talk show appearance. On June 2, 2017, she released the second part of her three-EP project, "". The final EP, "" was released on October 6, 2017.


title: Bea Miller

text: In August 2017, Miller's song "Brand New Eyes" was featured in the trailer to the film "Wonder", directed by Stephen Chbosky and starring Julia Roberts and Owen Wilson.


title: Bea Miller

text: Miller's second full-length album and debut international album "Aurora" was released on February 23, 2018. It includes all the songs from the three previous extended plays (dubbed as "chapters"), along with five new tracks. Miller had a hand in writing all but one of the songs on "Aurora", on topics about "everything from existential boredom to slut shaming". She performed "S.L.U.T.", the album's lead single, on MTV's TRL on February 12, 2018. She conceived of the song as a way to reclaim the word's negative connotations as the positive acronym "sweet little unforgettable thing".


title: Bea Miller

text: She was featured on vocals on the 2018 NOTD single "I Wanna Know", released in March 2018. The song went Gold in the US and is Platinum in several countries, including Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and Sweden. She performed the song live on "Today" in June 2018. She also promoted the single at multiple shows and acoustic sets.


title: Bea Miller

text: In February 2019, Miller announced her first headlining tour titled "Nice To Meet U Tour". On March 1, she released the lead single off her upcoming third studio album, titled "It's Not U It's Me", which is a collaboration with American R&B singer 6lack. Following this, she released the single "Feel Something" and announced her "Sunsets in Outerspace Tour". In August 2019, Bea Miller released the single "Feels Like Home" with Canadian singer-songwriter Jessie Reyez. A collaboration with production team Snakehips titled, "Never Gonna Like You", was released in September 2019.


title: Bea Miller

text: Miller released the single "That Bitch" in November 2019, independently from her record label. She portrayed "League of Legends" character Evelynn in the virtual musical group K/DA for "The Baddest" a single from K/DA's EP "All Out". In September 2020, Bea Miller would release a series of compilation EPs which consisted of; "Quarantine" on September 4, "Sad Boy Hours" on September 18 and "Lust" on September 24.


title: Bea Miller

text: On October 7, 2020, Bea Miller announced the release of the single "Wisdom Teeth" which would be released on October 9 and serve as the lead single to Miller's EP "Elated!", which was released on October 23, 2020. On November 6, 2021, Miller's single "Playground" was featured in the first act of the "League of Legends" animated series "Arcane"; this single was released the same day. The single's music video was part of the opening ceremony for the 2021 "League of Legends" World Championship.


title: Bea Miller

text: Miller is the daughter of two mothers, and has two adopted younger siblings. She is from Maplewood, New Jersey. As a preteen, Miller attended the family camp COLAGE in Provincetown, Massachusetts. Miller experiences synesthesia, which means she sees different colors when hearing certain sounds.


title: Bea Miller

text: In 2015, Miller began dating American singer Jacob Whitesides. The couple broke up in May 2016, after one year of dating.


title: AJ Odudu

text: Onatejiro "AJ" Odudu (born 12 February 1988) is a British television presenter from Blackburn, UK. She is best known for co-presenting the 2013 Channel 5 reality show spin-off "Big Brother's Bit on the Side", alongside Emma Willis and Rylan Clark-Neal and the 2021 Channel 4 reality show spin off "Married at First Sight: Afters".


title: AJ Odudu

text: Odudu was born in Blackburn, Lancashire. Her parents are Nigerian and she is one of eight children. Odudu attended St Bede's RC High School and St Mary's College in Blackburn. She later graduated with a degree in English and Politics from Keele University.


title: AJ Odudu

text: Odudu began her career as a reporter for BBC Blast based at Radio Lancashire. Her first presenting roles began in 2009 on the BBC Two series "The Almost Perfect Guide to Life" and on "The 5:19 Show", an online show on the BBC website, having previously served as the latter's 'raving reporter'. In 2010, she was a guest on "100 Greatest Toys", a one-off special broadcast on Channel 4. She starred as herself in "Comedy Lab" in 2011 and co-presented Sky Arts' coverage of the Isle of Wight Festival 2012.


title: AJ Odudu

text: In June 2013, Odudu began presenting "Big Brother's Bit on the Side" with Rylan Clark-Neal and Emma Willis, and then "Celebrity Big Brother's Bit on the Psych" from August 2013. Her departure from the show was confirmed in November 2013, being replaced by "Celebrity Big Brother 12" contestant and former "Loose Women" panellist, Carol McGiffin. In August 2013, Odudu launched her own blog on "Hello" magazine's UK website. From 2015 to 2019, Odudu hosted the 4Music programme, "Trending Live!", with Jimmy Hill and Vick Hope.


title: AJ Odudu

text: In July 2021, she won the second series of "Celebrity Karaoke Club" on ITV2. Also in that month, Odudu was confirmed as co-host of a one-off revival episode of "The Big Breakfast", presenting alongside the already-announced Mo Gilligan, for Channel 4 in September 2021.


title: AJ Odudu

text: Odudu presented the UK jury points in the Eurovision Song Contest 2022. In June 2022 she was a presenter for the BBC's coverage of the Platinum Jubilee Pageant.


title: AJ Odudu

text: From September 2021, she was a competitor on the nineteenth series of "Strictly Come Dancing", partnered with professional dancer Kai Widdrington. They topped the leaderboard in their first week with a score of 34, and again in week 7, when they scored 39 for their Charleston to "Don't Bring Lulu". The couple also jointly topped the leaderboard in the semi-final, but were forced to withdraw from the competition on 17 December, the day before the final, after Odudu tore a ligament in her right ankle.


title: Fernando Santos (footballer, born 1954)

text: Fernando Manuel Fernandes da Costa Santos (born 10 October 1954) is a Portuguese professional football manager and former player who played as a defender.


title: Fernando Santos (footballer, born 1954)

text: He amassed Primeira Liga totals of 161 games and two goals over eight seasons, almost always with Estoril. After retiring, he worked as a coach for several decades, starting out at his main club in 1988.


title: Fernando Santos (footballer, born 1954)

text: Santos managed Portugal's Big Three, winning five major titles with Porto. For the better part of the 2000s he worked in Greece, mainly with AEK Athens and PAOK. In 2010, he was appointed at the helm of the Greece national team, coaching them in a World Cup and one European Championship. Subsequently, he led Portugal to victory in the Euro 2016 and the 2019 Nations League, which were the first two major titles in the nation's history.


title: Fernando Santos (footballer, born 1954)

text: Born in Lisbon, Santos finished his development with Benfica, having joined its youth system at the age of 16. His senior debut was made with Estoril, which he went on to represent in all three major levels of Portuguese football.


title: Fernando Santos (footballer, born 1954)

text: Santos made his Primeira Liga debut on 7 September 1975, playing the full 90 minutes in a 2–0 home win against Farense. He finished his first season with a further 12 appearances, helping his team to the eighth position.


title: Fernando Santos (footballer, born 1954)

text: Santos scored his first goals in the top division in the 1978–79 campaign, only missing one league game in an eventual 11th-place finish. For 1979–80, he moved to fellow league team Marítimo, where he was also first choice. Having returned to his previous club, he played with them a further eight years (five being spent in the Segunda Liga) before retiring at the age of 33.


title: Fernando Santos (footballer, born 1954)

text: Santos started working as a manager immediately after retiring. He helped Estoril return to the top tier in 1991 and, in the following ten years, only worked in that competition, being in charge of Estrela da Amadora and Porto.


title: Fernando Santos (footballer, born 1954)

text: Having signed for the latter side in summer 1998, Santos won the national championship and the Portuguese Supercup in his first season. He finished second in the following to Sporting CP, and led the team to the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League.


title: Fernando Santos (footballer, born 1954)

text: In 2001, Santos was appointed at AEK Athens in the Super League Greece, winning the domestic cup and losing the league to Olympiacos on goal difference. Staying in the country, he then joined Panathinaikos, leaving by mutual consent after only four months.


title: Fernando Santos (footballer, born 1954)

text: Santos returned to his country for the 2003–04 campaign, replacing László Bölöni at the helm of Sporting. He was relieved of his duties on 2 June 2004, after his team was only able to rank third.


title: Fernando Santos (footballer, born 1954)

text: From 2004 to 2006, Santos again managed AEK. He led them to consecutive top-three finishes during his tenure, being voted Manager of the Year in 2005.


title: Fernando Santos (footballer, born 1954)

text: On 20 May 2006, Santos joined former youth club Benfica. He was responsible for the signing of former AEK player Kostas Katsouranis the following month.


title: Fernando Santos (footballer, born 1954)

text: After a third place in his debut season, only two points behind champions Porto, Santos witnessed the departure of captain and top scorer Simão Sabrosa to Atlético Madrid during pre-season. On 20 August 2007, after a 1–1 away draw against Leixões, he was sacked and replaced with José Antonio Camacho.


title: Fernando Santos (footballer, born 1954)

text: Santos returned to Greece and its top flight in early September 2007, signing a three-year contract with PAOK. There, he joined forces with director of football – and former international – Theodoros Zagorakis, leading the team to the second position in 2009–10.


title: Fernando Santos (footballer, born 1954)

text: On 19 May 2010, despite a chance of competing again in the Champions League, Santos announced his decision of leaving the Thessaloniki-based side in a press conference.


title: Fernando Santos (footballer, born 1954)

text: On 1 July 2010, Santos was named the new coach of the Greece national team, succeeding longtime incumbent Otto Rehhagel on a two-year deal. He qualified the country to the UEFA Euro 2012 tournament, subsequently reaching the last-eight stage.


title: Fernando Santos (footballer, born 1954)

text: Santos was also in charge during the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, as Greece reached the knockout stage for the first time ever. Shortly before the start of the penalty shootout against Costa Rica, eventually lost 5–3, he was sent off by referee Ben Williams for apparent dissent. He watched the decision unfold on a television from inside the stadium, and the defeat marked the end of his tenure as his contract expired the very next day; he was initially banned for eight matches for the incident, reduced to six upon appeal.


title: Fernando Santos (footballer, born 1954)

text: On 23 September 2014, Santos was chosen as the new manager of Portugal, after Paulo Bento was fired due to poor results. His first game in charge took place on 14 October in a 1–0 win in Denmark for the Euro 2016 qualifiers, and the side went on to reach the finals in France; during his suspension, it was Ilídio Vale that sat on the bench.


title: Fernando Santos (footballer, born 1954)

text: On 10 July 2016, after three group stage draws that enabled group stage qualification as third, Santos coached Portugal to its first-ever major international conquest, after a 1–0 extra time defeat of the hosts. The only win in 90 minutes occurred in the semi-finals, against Wales, but his team was also the only undefeated in the tournament.


title: Fernando Santos (footballer, born 1954)

text: On 10 October 2017, the day of his 63rd birthday, Santos coached Portugal to a 2–0 win over Switzerland at the Estádio da Luz, which enabled them to finish the 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign with nine wins in ten games. In the finals in Russia, the tournament ended at the round-of-16 stage after a 2–1 loss against Uruguay.


title: Fernando Santos (footballer, born 1954)

text: After conquering the 2018–19 UEFA Nations League, Santos led the national team to the round of 16 at Euro 2020, where they lost 1–0 to Belgium. In the 2022 World Cup, after being disrespected by star forward Cristiano Ronaldo in the last group fixture against South Korea as he was replaced (2–1 loss), he decided to bench him for the knockout stages, beating Switzerland 6–1 in the last 16 but being ousted by Morocco in the next round; on 15 December, he stepped down.


title: Fernando Santos (footballer, born 1954)

text: Santos earned a degree in electrical and telecommunications engineering, awarded in 1977 by the Instituto Superior de Engenharia de Lisboa. As he was in charge when Porto won its fifth consecutive championship in 1999, he was nicknamed "Engenheiro do Penta" (Penta's engineer).


title: MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss

text: The following list is for the MTV Movie Award winners and nominees for Best Kiss. Kristen Stewart & Robert Pattinson won for "The Twilight Saga films" (along with "Best Movie") in four consecutive years (2009–2012).


title: Ashtavinayaka

text: Ashtavinayaka () literally means "eight Ganeshas" in Sanskrit. Ganesh is the Hinduism/Hindu deity of unity, prosperity, learning, and removing obstacles. The term refers to eight Ganeshas. Ashtavinayaka yatra trip refers to a pilgrimage to the eight Hindu temples in Maharashtra state of India that house eight distinct idols of Ganesh, in a pre-ascertained sequence. The Ashtavinayak yatra or pilgrimage covers the eight ancient holy temples of Ganesh which are situated around Pune. Each of these temples has its own individual legend and history, as distinct from each other as the murtis in each temple. The form of each murti of Ganesh and His trunk are distinct from one another. However, there are other temples of eight Ganesh in various other parts of Maharashtra; the ones around Pune are more well known than the former.


title: Ashtavinayaka

text: It is believed that to complete the Ashtavinayak Yatra, one must revisit the first Ganpati after visiting all the eight Ganpatis.


title: Ashtavinayaka

text: Traditionally, Moreshwar of Moregaon is the first temple visited by the pilgrims. The temples visited in descending order are Siddhatek, Pali, Mahad, Thevur, Lenyandri, Ozar, Ranjangaon. The pilgrimage is concluded with a second visit to Moregaon.


title: Ashtavinayaka

text: All these murtis are called Swayambhu effigies, or the "self-existent" in Sanskrit. This is to indicate that they were not sculpted but they were found formed by nature.


title: Ashtavinayaka

text: This is the most important temple on this pilgrimage. The temple, built from black-stone during the Bahamani reign, has four gates (it is supposed to have been built by one of the knights named Mr. Gole, from the court of Bidar's Sultan). The temple is situated in the centre of the village. The temple is covered from all sides by four minarets and gives the impression of a mosque if seen from a distance. This was done to prevent attacks on the temple during Mughal periods. The temple has a 50-foot tall wall around it.


title: Ashtavinayaka

text: There is a Nandi (Shiva's bull mount) sitting in front of this temple entrance, which is unique, as Nandi is normally in front of only Shiva temples. However, the story says


title: Ashtavinayaka

text: The murti of Lord Ganesha, riding a peacock, in the form of Mayureshwara is believed to have slain the demon Sindhu at this spot. The idol, with its trunk turned to the left, has a cobra ("Nagaraja") poised over it protecting it. This form of Ganesha also has two other murtis of Siddhi (Capability) and Riddhi (Intelligence).


title: Ashtavinayaka

text: However, this is not the original murti -which is said to have been consecrated twice by Brahma, once before and once after being destroyed by the asura Sindhurasur. The original murti, smaller in size and made of atoms of sand, iron, and diamonds, was supposedly enclosed in a copper sheet by the Pandavas and placed behind the one that is currently worshiped.


title: Ashtavinayaka

text: The temple is situated at a distance of 55 km from Pune, next to the river Karha in the village of Moregaon. The village derives its name from the "Marathi" name of the bird peacock - there used to be a lot of peacocks in this village in the ancient time, and the village is also set out in the shape of a peacock.


title: Ashtavinayaka

text: God Vishnu is supposed to have vanquished the asuras Madhu and Kaitabh after propitiating Ganesha here.


title: Ashtavinayaka

text: It is believed that the two saints Shri Morya Gosavi and Shri Narayan Maharaj of Kedgaon received their enlightenment here.


title: Ashtavinayaka

text: The temple is North-facing and is on a small hillock. The main road towards the temple was believed to be built by Peshwa's general Haripant Phadake. The inner sanctum, 15 feet high and 10 feet wide is built by Punyashloka Ahilyabai Holkar. The idol is 3feet tall and 2.5feet wide. The idol faces North-direction. The stomach of the murti is not wide, but Riddhi and Siddhi murtis are sitting on one thigh. This murti's trunk is turning to the right. The right-sided-trunk Ganesha is supposed to be very strict for the devotees. To make one round (pradakshina) around the temple one has to make the round trip of the hillock. This takes about 30 minutes with moderate speed.


title: Ashtavinayaka

text: Peshwa general Haripant Phadake lost his General's position and did 21 Pradakshina around the temple. On the 21st day Peshwa's court-man came and took him to the court with royal honor. Haripant promised the God that he will bring the stones of the castle which he will win from the first war he will fight as the general. The stone pathway is built from the Badami-Castle which was attacked by Haripant soon after he became the general.


title: Ashtavinayaka

text: This temple is situated off the Pune-Solapur highway about 48 km from the town of Srigonda in Ahmadnagar district. The temple is situated next to Bhima river. On Pune-Solapur railway, Daund Railway station is 18 km from here.


title: Ashtavinayaka

text: Ganesha is believed to have saved this boy-devotee, Ballala, who was beaten by local villagers and his father (Kalyani-seth) for his single-minded devotion to him.


title: Ashtavinayaka

text: The original wooden temple was reconstructed into a stone temple by Nana Phadanavis in 1760. There are two small lakes constructed on two sides of the temple. One of them is reserved for the puja (worship) of the Deity.


title: Ashtavinayaka

text: This Temple faces the east and has two sanctums. The inner one houses the murti and has a Mushika (Ganesha's mouse vahana) with modaka in his forepaws in front of it. The hall, supported by eight exquisitely carved pillars demands as much attention as the idol, sitting on throne carved like a cypress tree. The eight pillars depict the eight directions. Inner sanctum is 15 feet tall and outer one is 12 feet tall. The temple is constructed in such a way that after the winter (dakshinayan : southward movement of the sun) solstice, the sun rays fall on the Ganesha murti at sunrise. The temple is built with stones which are stuck together very tight using melted lead.


title: Ashtavinayaka

text: Like a few other murtis, this one has diamonds embedded in the eyes and navel, and with His trunk pointing to the left.


title: Ashtavinayaka

text: One speciality of this temple is that the prasad offered to this Ganapati at Pali is Besan Laadu instead of Modak that is normally offered to other Ganapatis.


title: Ashtavinayaka

text: The shape of the idol itself bears a striking semblance with the mountain which forms the backdrop of this temple. This is more prominently felt if one views the photograph of the mountain and then sees the idol.


title: Ashtavinayaka

text: The temple is located in the town of Pali, off the Mumbai-Pune highway, about 11 km before Nagothane on the Mumbai-Goa highway. This is located 30 km to the South-West of Karjat Railway Station. Mumbai-Panvel-Khopoli-Pali is 124 km. Pune-Lonavla-Khopoli-Pali is 111 km.


title: Ashtavinayaka

text: Behind this temple is the temple of Shri Dhundi-Vinayak which is West facing. This is a very rare idol which is facing the West. The story says that this idol was the same one which


title: Ashtavinayaka

text: Ganesh Purana gives an elaborate picture of LEELAS of Lord Ganesha. The legendary story of Shri Ballaleshwar is covered in Upasana Khand Section -22 occurred in Pali – the old name Pallipur.


title: Ashtavinayaka

text: Kalyansheth was a merchant in Pallipur and was married to Indumati. The couple was childless for quite some time but later was blessed with a son known as Ballal. As Ballal grew, he spent much of his time in worshiping and praying. He was devotee of Lord Ganesha and used to worship stone idol of Shri Ganesha in the forest along with his friends and companions. As it used to take time, the friends would reach home late. Regular delay in returning house used to irritate the parents of the friends of Ballal who complained to his father saying that Ballal was responsible for spoiling the kids. Already unhappy with Ballal for not concentrating on his studies, Kalyansheth was boiling with anger when he heard the complaint. Immediately he reached the place of worship in the forest and devastated Pooja arrangements organized by Ballal and his friends. He threw away the Stone Idol of Shri Ganesh and broke the pandal. All the kids were frightened but Ballal who was engrossed in Pooja and japa, did not notice the event. Kalayan beat Ballal mercilessly and tied him to the tree saying to get fed and freed by Shri Ganesha. He left for home thereafter.


title: Ashtavinayaka

text: Ballal semiconscious and tied to the tree in the forest was lying as that with severe pain all over, started calling his beloved God, Shri Ganesha.


title: Ashtavinayaka

text: "O Lord, Shri Ganesha, I was busy in praying you, I was right and humble but my cruel father has spoiled my act of devotion and hence I am unable to perform Pooja."


title: Ashtavinayaka

text: Shri Ganesha was pleased and responded quickly. Ballal was freed. He blessed Ballal to be superior devotee with larger lifespan. Shri Ganesha hugged Ballal and said that his father would suffer for his wrongdoings.


title: Ashtavinayaka

text: Ballal insisted that Lord Ganesha should continue to stay there at Pali. Nodding His head Shri Ganesha made his permanent stay at Pali as Ballal Vinayak and disappeared in a large stone. This is famous as Shri Ballaleshwar.


title: Ashtavinayaka

text: In the above-mentioned story the stone idol which Ballal used to worship and which was thrown away by Kalyan Sheth is known as Dhundi Vinayak. The idol is facing west. The birth celebration of Dhundi Vinayak takes place from Jeshtha Pratipada to Panchami. From ancient time, it is a practice to take darshan of Dhundi Vinayak before proceeding to main idol Shree Ballaleshwar.


title: Ashtavinayaka

text: The handsome Prince Rukmangad refused sage Vachaknavi's wife Mukunda's illicit call, and was cursed to suffer from leprosy. Mukunda was satisfied by Indra who deceived her as Rukmangad and she bore a child by name Grutsamad. When Grutsamad discovered the truth, he cursed his mother Mukunda to become the tree of Bori and she in turn cursed him to bear a demon son named Tripurasur, the one who was defeated by Shiva after praying the Ranjangaon Ganesha. Grutsamad after being cursed went to the forest of Pushpak and worshipped Ganesha. Sage Grutsamad is famous for the mantra "GaNanaN Tva". He founded the temple and called this Ganesha: Varada-Vinayak.


title: Ashtavinayaka

text: Ganesha is said to reside here in the form of Varada Vinayaka, the giver of bounty and success. The idol was found in the adjoining lake (to Mr. Dhondu Paudkar in 1690AD), in an immersed position and hence its weathered look. In 1725AD the then Kalyan subhedar, Mr. Ramji Mahadev Biwalkar built the Varadavinayak temple and the village of Mahad.


title: Ashtavinayaka

text: The idol faces the east, has its trunk to the left and has been in the constant company of an oil lamp - said to be burning continuously since 1892. There are four elephant idols on four sides of the temple. The hall is 8 feet by 8 feet. The dome is 25feet high and is golden at the top. The dome has designs of cobra.


title: Ashtavinayaka

text: This is the only temple where devotees are allowed to personally pay their homage and respects to the idol. They are allowed in the immediate vicinity of this idol to perform their prayers.


title: Ashtavinayaka

text: The temple is located three kilometers off the Mumbai-Pune highway near Khopoli (80 km from Pune), and is thus closest to Mumbai city. Karjat Railway Station, Karjat on Mumbai-Pune railway is 24 km from this place and 6 km from Khopoli.


title: Ashtavinayaka

text: Ganesha is believed to have got back the precious Chinatamani jewel from the greedy Guna for sage Kapila at this spot. However, after bringing back the jewel, sage Kapila put it in Vinayaka's (Ganesha's) neck. Thus the name Chintamani Vinayak. This happened under the Kadamb tree, therefore Theur is known as Kadambanagar in old times.


title: Ashtavinayaka

text: The lake behind the temple is called Kadambteertha. The temple entrance is North facing. The outer wooden hall was built by Peshwas. The main temple is supposed to have been built by Dharanidhar Maharaj Dev from the family-lineage of Shri Moraya Gosavi. He must have built this around 100 years before Senior Shrimant Madhavrao Peshwa built the outer wooden hall.


title: Ashtavinayaka

text: Theur's Chintamani was the family deity of Shrimant Madhavrao I Peshwa. He suffered from tuberculosis and died at a very young age (~27 years). He is supposed to have died in this temple. His wife, Ramabai committed Sati with him on 18 November 1772.


title: Ashtavinayaka

text: The temple is located 22 km from Pune, off the Pune-Solapur highway, and is hence the nearest from Pune. The village of Theur sits at the confluence of three major regional rivers—Mula, Mutha & Bhima.


title: Ashtavinayaka

text: It is believed that Parvati (Shiva's wife) performed penance to beget Ganesha at this point. Girija's (Parvati's) Atmaj (son) is Girijatmaj. This temple stands amidst a cave complex of 18 caves of Buddhist origin. This temple is the eighth cave. These are called Ganesh-leni as well. The temple is carved out of a single stone hill, which has 307 steps. The temple features a wide hall with no supporting pillars. The temple hall is 53 feet long, 51 feet wide and 7 feet high.


title: Ashtavinayaka

text: The idol faces north with its trunk to the left, and has to be worshipped from the rear of the temple. The temple faces south. This idol seems little different from the rest of the Ashtavinayak idols in a sense that it appears to be poorly designed or carved like the other idols. This idol can be worshipped by anyone. There is no electric bulb in the temple. The temple is constructed such that during the day it is always lighted by sunshine.


title: Ashtavinayaka

text: The temple is situated 12 km from Narayangaon, which is about 94 km from Pune on the Pune-Nashik highway. Nearest railway station is Talegaon. From Junnar, Lenyadri is about 5 km. Shivaneri castle is close by (5 to 6 km) where Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was born.


title: Ashtavinayaka

text: The history encompassing this idol states that Vighnasur, a demon was created by the King of Gods, Indra to destroy the prayer organized by King Abhinandan. However, the demon went a step further and destroyed all vedic, religious acts and to answer the people's prayers for protection, Ganesh defeated him. The story goes on to say that on being conquered, the demon begged and pleaded with Ganesha to show a mercy. Ganesha then granted in his plea, but on the condition that demon should not go to the place where Ganesha worshipping is going on. In return the demon asked a favour that his name should be taken before Ganesha's name, thus the name of Ganesha became Vighnahar or Vighneshwar (Vighna in Sanskrit means a sudden interruption in the ongoing work due to some unforeseen, unwarranted event or cause). The Ganesha here is called Shri Vighneshwar Vinayak.


title: Ashtavinayaka

text: The temple faces east and is surrounded by a thick stone wall. One can walk on the wall. The main hall of the temple is 20feet long and the inner hall is 10feet long. This idol, facing the east, has its trunk towards the left and rubies in its eyes. There is a diamond on the forehead and some jewel in the navel. Idols of Riddhi and Siddhi are placed on the two sides of the Ganesha idol. The temple top is Golden and is possibly built by Chimaji Appa after defeating the Portuguese rulers of Vasai and Sashti. The temple is probably built around 1785CE.


title: Ashtavinayaka

text: This temple is located just off the Pune-Nashik Highway, in the town of Ozhar. It is enclosed on all sides by high stone walls, and its pinnacle is made of gold. The temple is situated on the banks of river Kukadi. Via Mumbai-Thane-Kalyan-Bapsai-Saralgaon-Otur, Ozhar is 182 km.


title: Ashtavinayaka

text: Shiva is believed to have worshipped Ganesha before fighting the demon Tripurasura here. The temple was built by Shiva where he worshipped Ganesha, and the town he set up was called Manipur which is now known as Ranjangaon.


title: Ashtavinayaka

text: Ranjangaon Ganpati is one among the Ashtavinayak, celebrating eight instances of legends related to Ganesha. This Temple Ganpati Idol was inaugurated and donated by "Khollam" family one of the Gold Smith family in Ranjangaon. According to the history the temple was built in between 9th and 10th centuries.


title: Ashtavinayaka

text: While going from the Pune - Nagar highway the route is Pune - Koregaon - then via Shikrapur; Rajangaon is 21 km before Shirur. From Pune it is 50 km.


title: Ashtavinayaka

text: The idol faces the east, is seated in a cross-legged position with a broad forehead, with its trunk pointing to the left. It is said that the original idol is hidden in the basement, having 10 trunks and 20 hands and is called Mahotkat, however, the temple authorities deny existence of any such idol.


title: Ashtavinayaka

text: Constructed so that the rays of the sun fall directly on the idol (during the Southward movement of the sun), the temple bears a distinct resemblance to the architecture reminiscent of the 9th and 10th Centuries and faces the east. Shrimant Madhavrao Peshwa used to visit this temple very often and built the stone sanctum around the idol and in 1790 AD Mr. Anyaba Dev was authorised to worship the idol.


title: Ashtavinayaka

text: The Temple: Mahaganapati is portrayed, seated on a lotus, flanked by his consorts Siddhi and Ridhi. The temple dates back to the period of Peshwa Madhav Rao.


title: Ashtavinayaka

text: The temple of Maha Ganpati is very close to the centre of the town Ranjangaon. The temple was erected during the rule of the Peshwas. Peshwa Madhavrao had constructed the inner sanctum, to house the swayambhoo (naturally found) idol.


title: Ashtavinayaka

text: The temple faces east. It has an imposing main gate which is guarded by two statues of Jay and Vijay. The temple is designed in such away that during Dakshinayan, the apparent movement of the sun to the south, the rays of the sun fall directly on the deity.


title: Ashtavinayaka

text: The deity is seated and flanked on both sides by Riddhi and Siddhi. The trunk of the deity turns to the left. There is a local belief that the real statue of Mahaganpati is hidden in some vault and this statue has ten trunks and twenty arms. But there is nothing to substantiate this belief.


title: Ashtavinayaka

text: Festivals: As with all other Ashtavinayak (Ganesha) temples, Ganesha Chaturti is celebrated in great splendor here.


title: Ashtavinayaka

text: Legend has it that when a sage had once sneezed he gave out a child; since being with the sage the child learnt many good stuff about lord Ganesha, however had inherited many evil thoughts within; when he grew he developed in to a demon by name Tripurasura; thereafter he prayed to Lord Shiva and got three powerful citadels (the evil Tripuram forts) of gold, silver and bronze with a boon of invincibility until all the three are in linear; with the boon to his side he caused suffering to all beings in the heavens and on earth. Upon hearing the fervent appeals of the Gods, Shiva intervened, and realized that he could not defeat the demon. It was upon hearing Narada Muni's advice that Shiva saluted Ganesha and then shot a single arrow that pierced through the citadels, bringing an end to the demon.


title: Ashtavinayaka

text: A variation of this legend is commonly known in southern India. Ganesha is said to have caused the axle in Shiva's chariot to break, as the latter headed to battle the demon without saluting Ganesha before he set out. Upon realizing his act of omission, Shiva saluted his son Ganesha, and then proceeded victoriously to a short battle against the powerful demon. (See Acharapakkam - an ancient temple in Tamil Nadu glorified by the 1st millennium Tamil hymns enshrining Shiva associated with this legend, as well as Tiruvirkolam and Tiruvatikai - both over 1200 years old, associated with the legend of Tripurasamhaaram).


Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is an American national park that conserves an area of large sand dunes up to tall on the eastern edge of the San Luis Valley, and an adjacent national preserve in the Sangre de Cristo Range, in south-central Colorado, United States. The park was originally designated Great Sand Dunes National Monument on March 17, 1932, by President Herbert Hoover. The original boundaries protected an area of . A boundary change and redesignation as a national park and preserve was authorized on November 22, 2000, and then established on September 24, 2004. The park encompasses while the preserve protects an additional for a total of . The recreational visitor total was 527,546 in 2019.


title: Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve

text: The park contains the tallest sand dunes in North America. The dunes cover an area of about and are estimated to contain over of sand. Sediments from the surrounding mountains filled the valley over geologic time periods. After lakes within the valley receded, exposed sand was blown by the predominant southwest winds toward the Sangre de Cristos, eventually forming the dunefield over an estimated tens of thousands of years. The four primary components of the Great Sand Dunes system are the mountain watershed, the dunefield, the sand sheet, and the sabkha. Ecosystems within the mountain watershed include alpine tundra, subalpine forests, montane woodlands, and riparian zones.


text: Evidence of human habitation in the San Luis Valley dates back about 11,000 years. The first historic peoples to inhabit the area were the Southern Ute Tribe; Apaches and Navajo also have cultural connections in the area. In the late 17th century, Diego de Vargas, a Spanish governor of Santa Fe de Nuevo México, became the first European on record to enter the San Luis Valley. Juan Bautista de Anza, Zebulon Pike, John C. Frémont, and John Gunnison all travelled through and explored parts of the region in the 18th and 19th centuries. The explorers were soon followed by settlers who ranched, farmed and mined in the valley starting in the late 19th century. The park was first established as a national monument in 1932 to protect it from gold mining and the potential of a concrete manufacturing business.


text: Visitors must walk across the wide and shallow Medano Creek to reach the dunes in spring and summer. The creek typically has a peak flow from late May to early June. From July to April, it is usually no more than a few inches deep, if there is any water at all. Hiking is permitted throughout the dunes with the warning that the sand surface temperature may reach in summer. Sandboarding and sandsledding are popular activities, both done on specially designed equipment that can be rented just outside the park entrance or in Alamosa. Visitors with street-legal four-wheel drive vehicles may continue past the end of the park's main road to Medano Pass on of unpaved road, crossing the stream bed of Medano Creek nine times and traversing of deep sand. Hunting is permitted in the preserve in the autumn, but prohibited within national park boundaries at all times. The preserve encompasses nearly all of the mountainous areas north and east of the dunefield, up to the ridgeline of the Sangre de Cristos.


text: The oldest evidence of humans in the area dates back about 11,000 years. Some of the first people to enter the San Luis Valley and the Great Sand Dunes area were nomadic hunter-gatherers whose connection to the area centered around the herds of mammoths and prehistoric bison. They were Stone Age people who hunted with large stone spear or dart points now identified as Clovis and Folsom points. These people only stayed when hunting and plant gathering was good, and avoided the region during times of drought and scarcity.


text: Modern American Indian tribes were familiar with the area when Spaniards first arrived in the 17th century. The traditional Ute phrase for the Great Sand Dunes is "Saa waap maa nache" (sand that moves). Jicarilla Apaches settled in northern New Mexico and called the dunes "Sei-anyedi" (it goes up and down). Blanca Peak, just southeast of the dunes, is one of the four sacred mountains of the Navajo, who call it "Sisnaajini" (White Shell Mountain). These various tribes collected the inner layers of bark from ponderosa pine trees for use as food and medicine. The people from the Tewa/Tiwa-speaking pueblos along the Rio Grande remember a traditional site of great importance located in the valley near the dunes: the lake through which their people emerged into the present world. They call the lake "Sip'ophe" (Sandy Place Lake), which is thought to be the springs or lakes immediately west of the dunefield.


text: In 1694, Don Diego de Vargas became the first European known to have entered the San Luis Valley, although herders and hunters from the Spanish colonies in present-day northern New Mexico probably entered the valley as early as 1598. De Vargas and his men hunted a herd of 500 bison in the southern part of the valley before returning to Santa Fe. In 1776, Juan Bautista de Anza and an entourage of men and livestock probably passed near the dunes as they returned from a punitive raid against a group of Comanches. At this time, the valley was a travel route between the High Plains and Santa Fe for Comanches, Utes, and Spanish soldiers. The dunes were likely a visible landmark for travelers along the trail.


text: The first known writings about Great Sand Dunes appear in Zebulon Pike's journals of 1807. As Lewis and Clark's expedition was returning east, U.S. Army Lt. Pike was commissioned to explore as far west as the Arkansas and Red Rivers. By the end of November 1806, Pike and his men had reached the site of today's Pueblo, Colorado. Still pushing southwest, and confused about the location of the Arkansas River, Pike crossed the Sangre de Cristos just above the Great Sand Dunes.


text: In 1848, John C. Frémont was hired to find a railroad route from St. Louis to California. He crossed the Sangre de Cristos into the San Luis Valley in winter, courting disaster but proving that a winter crossing of this range was possible. He was followed in 1853 by Captain John Gunnison of the Corps of Topographical Engineers. Gunnison's party crossed the dunefield on horseback.


text: In the years that followed, the Rockies were gradually explored, treaties were signed and broken with resident tribes, and people with widely differing goals entered the San Luis Valley from the United States and Mexico. In 1852, Fort Massachusetts was built and then relocated to Fort Garland, about southeast of the Great Sand Dunes, to safeguard travel for settlers following the explorers into the valley. Although many settlers arrived via the trails from Santa Fe or La Veta Pass, several routes over the Sangre de Cristos into the valley were well-known to American Indians and increasingly used by settlers in the late 1800s. Medano Pass, also known as Sand Hill Pass, and Mosca Pass, also called Robidoux's Pass, offered more direct routes from the growing front range cities and dropped into the valley just east of the Great Sand Dunes. Trails were improved into wagon routes and eventually into rough roads. The Mosca Pass Toll Road was developed in the 1870s, and stages and the mail route used it regularly until about 1911, when the western portion was damaged in a flash flood. Partially rebuilt at times in the 1930s through the 1950s, the road was repeatedly closed due to flood damage and is now a hiking trail.


text: The Herard family—after whom Mount Herard is named—established a ranch and homestead along Medano Creek in 1875, using the old Medano Pass Road to travel to and from their home. The modern unpaved road follows the old route and is open only to four-wheel drive, high-clearance vehicles as it passes through deep sand, rises to Medano Pass, and continues east into the Wet Mountain Valley. The Herards grazed and bred cattle in the mountain meadows, raised horses, and established a trout hatchery in the stream. Other families homesteaded near the dunes as well, including the Teofilo Trujillo family whose sheep and cattle ranch in the valley later became part of the Medano–Zapata Ranch, owned by the Nature Conservancy since 1999. The Trujillo's extant homestead and the ruins of a destroyed one were declared a National Historic Landmark in 2004. Frank and Virginia Wellington built a cabin and hand-dug the irrigation ditch that parallels Wellington Ditch Trail located south of the park campground.


text: Gold and silver rushes occurred around the Rockies after 1853, bringing miners by the thousands into the state and stimulating mining businesses that are still in operation. Numerous small strikes occurred in the mountains around the San Luis Valley. People had frequently speculated that gold might be present in the Great Sand Dunes, and local newspapers ran articles in the 1920s estimating its worth at anywhere from 17 cents/ton to $3/ton (equivalent to $/ton to $/ton today). Active placer mining operations sprang up along Medano Creek, and in 1932 the Volcanic Mining Company established a gold mill designed to recover gold from the sand. Although minute quantities of gold were recovered, the technique was too labor-intensive, the stream too seasonal, and the pay-out too small to support any business for long.


text: The idea that the dunes could be destroyed by gold mining or concrete manufacturing alarmed residents of Alamosa and Monte Vista. By the 1920s, the dunes had become a source of pride for local people, and a potential source of tourist dollars for local businesses. Members of the P.E.O. Sisterhood sponsored a bill to Congress asking for national monument status for Great Sand Dunes. Widely supported by local people, the bill was signed into law in 1932 by President Herbert Hoover. Similar support in the late 1990s resulted in the monument's expansion into a national park and preserve in 2000–2004.


text: The park contains the tallest sand dunes in North America, rising to a maximum height of from the floor of the San Luis Valley on the western base of the Sangre de Cristo Range. The dunes cover an area of about and are estimated to contain over of sand.


text: Creation of the San Luis Valley began when the Sangre de Cristo Range was uplifted in the rotation of a large tectonic plate. The San Juan Mountains to the west of the valley were created through extended and dramatic volcanic activity. The San Luis Valley encompasses the area between the two mountain ranges and is roughly the size of the state of Connecticut. Sediments from both mountain ranges filled the deep chasm of the valley, along with huge amounts of water from melting glaciers and rain. The presence of larger rocks along Medano Creek at the base of the dunes, elsewhere on the valley floor, and in buried deposits indicates that some of the sediment has been washed down in torrential flash floods.


text: In 2002, geologists discovered lakebed deposits on hills in the southern part of the valley, confirming theories of a huge lake that once covered much of the San Luis Valley floor. The body of water was named Lake Alamosa after the largest town in the valley. Lake Alamosa suddenly receded after it broke through volcanic deposits in the southern end of the valley. The water then drained through the Rio Grande, likely forming the steep Rio Grande Gorge near Taos, New Mexico. Smaller lakes still covered the valley floor, including two broad lakes in the northeastern side of the valley. Large amounts of sediment from the volcanic San Juan Mountains continued to wash down into these lakes, along with some sand from the Sangre de Cristo Range. Climate change later significantly reduced these lakes, leaving behind the sand sheet. Remnants of these lakes still exist in the form of sabkha wetlands.


text: Sand that was left behind after the lakes receded blew with the predominant southwest winds toward a low curve in the Sangre de Cristo Range. The wind funnels toward three mountain passes—Mosca, Medano, and Music Passes—and the sand accumulates in this natural pocket. The winds blow from the valley floor toward the mountains, but during storms the winds blow back toward the valley. These opposing wind directions cause the dunes to grow vertically. Two mountain streams—Medano and Sand Creeks—also capture sand from the mountain side of the dunefield and carry it around the dunes and back to the valley floor. The creeks then disappear into the sand sheet, and the sand blows back into the dunefield. Barchan and transverse dunes form near these creeks. The combination of opposing winds, a huge supply of sand from the valley floor, and the sand recycling action of the creeks, are all part of the reason that these are the tallest dunes in North America.


text: Sufficient vegetation has grown on the valley floor that there is little sand blowing into the main dunefield from the valley; however, small parabolic dunes continue to originate in the sand sheet and migrate across grasslands, joining the main dunefield. Some of these migrating dunes become covered by grasses and shrubs and stop migrating. The dunes system is fairly stable as the opposing wind directions balance each other out over time. Also, the main dunefield is moist beneath a thin layer of dry surface sand. While the top few inches of sand are blown around during windstorms, the moist sand remains largely in place.


text: Scientists estimate that Lake Alamosa disappeared about 440,000 years ago, but the dunes themselves apparently originate from sand deposits from later, smaller lakes. A relatively new dating process, optically stimulated luminescence (OSL), is still in development. This method takes core samples of sand from deep within a dune, and attempts to measure how long quartz grains have been buried in the dark. If the deepest sand deposits can be accurately dated, the age of the dunes could be determined. Samples of sand from deep in the dunes have returned OSL dates varying between a few hundred years to tens of thousands of years old. The oldest dated deposits found so far would have accumulated in the late Pleistocene epoch, during the middle years of the current ice age's third stage.


text: The dunes contain dark areas which are deposits of magnetite, a mineral that has eroded out of the Sangre de Cristo Range. Magnetite is both attracted to a magnet and can be magnetized to become a magnet itself; it is the most magnetic mineral in nature. Magnetite is an oxide of iron which is heavier than the surrounding particles of sand. When overlying sand is removed by wind, magnetite deposits stay in place and are visible as dark patches in the dunefield.


text: Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is located in Saguache and Alamosa Counties, Colorado at approximately 37.75° north latitude and 105.5° west longitude. The national park is located in the San Luis Valley while the national preserve is located to the east in an adjacent section of the Sangre de Cristo Range of the Rocky Mountains. Elevations range from in the valley west of the dunes, to at the summit of Tijeras Peak in the northern part of the preserve.


text: The dunes cover an area of about while the surrounding relatively flat sand sheet which feeds the large dunes is actually the largest component of the entire dunes system, containing about 90% of all the sand in the park. The forested and often snowcapped mountains exceeding to the east are the most prominent feature, towering over the high dunes. Other features include snow-fed creeks originating high in the mountains, and several alpine lakes. Two spring-fed creeks in the sand sheet along with a few small lakes in the valley's sabkha section southwest of the dunes create a wetland that nurtures wildlife.


text: The main dunefield measures roughly east-to-west and north-to-south, with an adjacent area to the northwest called the Star Dune Complex, for a total of about . The park and preserve together are approximately east-to-west at the widest point, and approximately north-to-south, also at the widest point. The park encompasses , while the preserve protects an additional for a total of .


text: The Rio Grande National Forest is located to the north and southeast while the remaining forested slopes directly to the east of the dunes were redesignated the Great Sand Dunes National Preserve. The San Isabel National Forest is located to the east of the preserve just beyond the ridge of the Sangre de Cristo Range. Private property abuts most of the southern boundary of the park. The San Luis Lakes State Wildlife Area lies adjacent to the southwestern corner of the park, while the Rio Grande flows through the valley farther to the southwest. The Baca National Wildlife Refuge lies adjacent to the west, and the slopes of the San Juan Mountains begin at the western edge of the valley. Private property of the Baca Grande subdivision of Crestone lies adjacent to the northwest.


text: The nearest city is Alamosa which is about away by road to the southwest. The nearest towns are Crestone to the north, Mosca and Hooper to the west, Blanca and Fort Garland to the south, and Gardner to the east. Colorado Springs and Denver are located a few hours away by car to the northeast. The major roads through the San Luis Valley are U.S. Route 160 on an east–west alignment passing south of the park, and U.S. Route 285 on a north–south alignment passing west of the park and generally parallel to Colorado State Highway 17, which is the closer of the two north–south roadways.


text: The Great Sand Dunes are located in the high elevation desert of the San Luis Valley at about , just west of the Sangre de Cristo Range. The dunefield's Köppen climate classification type is cold semi-arid ("BSk"), while the mountainous preserve's climate type is warm-summer humid continental ("Dfb"), at an average elevation of . Summer high temperatures are moderate with an average high temperature slightly above in July, which is the warmest month. The park's large spread between high and low temperatures, about , is typical of a high desert climate. Low temperatures during winter nights can be extremely cold, with average low temperatures well below and record low temperatures below from November through April. Precipitation is very low on the dunes, averaging just of rainfall per year. A high evaporation rate on the dunes qualifies the area as a desert, even though precipitation exceeds .


text: Spring conditions vary greatly, from mild and sunny to cold and snowy, with occasional high winds in the afternoon. March is the snowiest month, though some days are above . In late spring, when Medano Creek usually has its peak flow, snow and high winds are still possible. In summer, daytime high temperatures average ; however, sand surface temperatures can soar to on sunny afternoons. Summer nights are cool—the park is located above sea level—with nighttime temperatures often dropping below . Afternoon thundershowers are common in July and August with cool winds, heavy rain and lightning. Fall is generally mild, with Indian summer days when temperatures reach or exceed , but nighttime temperatures drop below freezing. Occasional fall storms bring icy rain or snow. Cold temperatures well below freezing are typical in winter, although the sunshine is generally abundant and the dry air doesn't feel as cold as more humid areas. The average winter high temperatures are just above freezing even in January, which is the coldest month.


text: The four primary components of the Great Sand Dunes system are the mountain watershed, the dunefield, the sand sheet, and the sabkha. The mountain watershed receives heavy snow and rain which feeds creeks that flow down from alpine tundra and lakes, through subalpine and montane woodlands, and finally around the main dunefield. Sand that has blown from the valley floor is captured in streams and carried back toward the valley. As creeks disappear into the valley floor, the sand is picked up and carried to the dunefield once again. The recycling action of water and wind, along with a 7% moisture content below the dry surface holding the sand together, contributes to the great height of the dunes.


text: The dunefield is composed of reversing dunes, transverse dunes—also called crescentic or barchan dunes—and star dunes. The sand sheet is the largest component of the system, comprising sandy grasslands that extend around three sides of the dunefield. Almost 90% of the sand deposit is found in the sand sheet, while the remainder is found in the dunefield. Small parabolic dunes form in the sand sheet and then migrate into the main dunefield. Nabkha dunes form around vegetation. The sabkha forms where sand is seasonally saturated by rising ground water. When the water evaporates away in late summer, minerals similar to baking soda cement sand grains together into a hard, white crust. Areas of sabkha can be found throughout western portions of the sand sheet, wherever the water table meets the surface. Some wetlands in the sabkha are deeper with plentiful plants and animals, while others are shallow and salty.


text: There are hundreds of plant species in the park and preserve, adapted for environments as diverse as alpine tundra and warm water wetlands. Trees include aspen, Douglas fir, pinyon pine, ponderosa pine, Rocky Mountain juniper, three-leaf sumac, bristlecone pine, red osier dogwood, and narrow-leaf cottonwood.


text: Among the flowering plants are alpine phlox, dwarf clover, alpine forget-me-not, fairy primrose, alpine aven, Indian paintbrush, lousewort, blue-purple penstemon, aspen daisy, western paintbrush, elephantella, snow buttercups, scurfpea, Indian ricegrass, blowout grass, prairie sunflower, Rocky Mountain beeplant, rubber rabbitbrush, speargrass, small-flowered sand verbena, narrowleaf yucca, prickly pear cactus, Rocky Mountain iris, and white water buttercup.


text: Mammals include—from alpine tundra to low elevation grasslands—pika, yellow-bellied marmot, bighorn sheep, black bear, snowshoe hare, Abert's squirrel, gray and red foxes, cougar, coyote, mule deer, water shrew, beaver, porcupine, kangaroo rat, badger, pronghorn, and elk. More than 2000 bison are ranched within park boundaries on private land, owned by The Nature Conservancy, that is closed to the public.


text: More than 250 species of birds have been documented in the park and preserve. Many species nest in the mountains, forests, grasslands, or wetlands during the summer. From higher to lower elevations, and dependent on season, some of the bird species include the brown-capped rosy finch, white-tailed ptarmigan, red-breasted nuthatch, peregrine falcon, mountain bluebird, northern pygmy owl, dusky grouse, hummingbird (four species), western tanager, burrowing owl, bald eagle, golden eagle, sandhill crane, American avocet, and great blue heron.


text: Various reptiles live in the park, such as the short-horned lizard, fence lizard, many-lined skink, bullsnake, and garter snake.


text: Fish living in the park's streams include the Rio Grande cutthroat trout, Rio Grande sucker (Catostomus plebeius), and fathead minnow.


text: Amphibians include the tiger salamander, chorus frog, northern leopard frog, spadefoot toad, Great Plains toad, and Woodhouse's toad.


text: The park harbors several endemic insects including the Great Sand Dunes tiger beetle, a circus beetle ("Eleodes hirtipennis"), Werner's ("Amblyderus werneri") and Triplehorn's ("Amblyderus triplehorni") ant-like flower beetle, as well as undescribed species of clown beetle, noctuid moth, and robber fly. More than a thousand different kinds of arthropods have been found at the Great Sand Dunes.


text: Alpine tundra is the highest elevation ecosystem at Great Sand Dunes where the conditions are too harsh for trees to survive, but wildflowers, pikas, yellow-bellied marmots, ptarmigans, and bighorn sheep thrive. The tundra begins about and continues upward to the highest peaks in the park. At subalpine elevations near the tree line grow krummholz (meaning "crooked wood")—trees which are stunted and twisted due to high winds, snow, ice, short growing seasons, and shallow, poorly developed soils. The transition zone between subalpine forest and alpine tundra is an important refuge during storms for some mammals and birds who primarily live on tundra. Bristlecone and limber pines grow at an extremely slow rate, with small statures that belie their true ages as some are more than a thousand years old.


text: Subalpine forests and meadows capture heavy snow in winter and soaking rains in summer. The highest diversity of Rocky Mountain species of plants and animals are found in this ecosystem. Subalpine forest extends from to tree line at . Montane forests and woodlands are found along the drier foothills at approximately to . Pinyon-juniper and ponderosa pine woodlands are found on open, drier slopes, while cottonwood and aspen trees are in drainages. Cougars hunt mule deer here at night. Owls, dusky grouse, turkeys, and bullsnakes all find habitat in these drier, open woodlands.


text: The riparian zone follows creeks through the subalpine and montane ecosystems at Great Sand Dunes. Cottonwood and aspen trees, red osier dogwood, and alder grow well in this wet environment, in turn providing shade and habitat for black bears, water shrews, and western tanagers. Rio Grande cutthroat trout are found in Medano Creek.


text: While the top few inches of the dunefield are often dry, the dunes are moist year-round due to ongoing precipitation. Moisture content of 7% beneath the surface sand allows species such as Ord's kangaroo rat, Great Sand Dunes tiger beetle, scurfpea, and blowout grass to survive here. Many animals visit the dunes from other habitats, including elk, pronghorn, bison, coyotes, bobcats, and raptors.


text: The sand sheet includes extensive grasslands and shrublands that surround the dunefield on three sides, from to . The sand sheet varies from wet meadows to cool-grass prairie to desert shrubland, depending on proximity to groundwater and soil type. Elk and pronghorn are common, while burrowing owls nest in the ground and other raptors float through the skies searching for mice, kangaroo rats, and short-horned lizards.


text: The sabkha is a wetland region where groundwater rises and falls seasonally, leaving white alkali deposits on the surface. Inland saltgrass is common in this area. Toads can reproduce in sabkha wetlands when they are seasonally filled with sufficient fresh water. Shore birds such as the American avocet hunt tadpoles and insects in the shallow water. Wetlands speckle the San Luis Valley and are important habitat for sandhill cranes, shore birds, amphibians, dragonflies, and freshwater shrimp. Grassland species such as elk also use these waters for drinking. The sabkha and wetlands are at approximately in elevation.


text: The park preserves the tallest sand dunes in North America, as well as alpine lakes and tundra, mountain peaks over 13,000 feet (3,962 m) in elevation, mixed conifer forests, grasslands, and wetlands.


text: Medano Creek, which borders the east side of the dunes, never finds a permanent and stable streambed as fresh sand falls in the creek. Small underwater sand ridges that act like dams form and break down, creating surges of water which resemble waves. The surges occur at an average interval of about 20 seconds. In a high-water year, the surges can be as high as . The "surge flow" mainly occurs during the peak flow period from late May to early June in most years.


text: Big Spring Creek is a unique spring-fed creek formed by an unconfined aquifer which creates wetlands that support rare species and plant communities in a generally arid area. The creek was designated a National Natural Landmark in 2012.


text: Accessing the dunes requires walking across the wide and shallow Medano Creek. The creek typically flows past the main dunes parking area from late April through late June, with peak flow occurring from late May to early June in most years. In other months, the creek is usually only a few inches deep, if there is any water at all. Hiking is permitted throughout the dunes, with the warning that the sand can get very hot in the summer, up to . Sand wheelchairs are available at the visitor center. Sandboards and sand sleds can be rented just outside the park entrance or in Alamosa which is the closest city.


text: Mosca Pass Trail is a roundtrip hike that follows a small creek through aspen and evergreen forests to Mosca Pass—elevation —in the Sangre de Cristo Range. American Indians and early settlers used this route for travel between the San Luis Valley and the Wet Mountain Valley to the east. Several trails located in the northeastern section of the park lead to alpine lakes high in the mountains. A trail to Medano Lake and the summit of Mount Herard is located off Medano Pass Road. A trail along Sand Creek leads to the Sand Creek Lakes and Music Pass—elevation —with a view of the Upper Sand Creek basin. Spur trails along Sand Creek lead to the four alpine lakes which feed the creek, and to several peaks above the basin. The Sand Ramp Trail traverses between the dunefield and the mountains, connecting the park's campground to Medano Pass Road (follow the road up to Medano Lake and Pass), as well as the base of the Sand Creek Trail. Most of the park's grasslands, shrublands and wetlands have no established trails but are generally open to hiking. The Nature Conservancy's Medano Ranch property may only be visited on a guided tour. A fence surrounds the property to contain the Conservancy's bison herd and demarcate the boundaries.


text: Medano Pass Road is a four-wheel drive (4WD) road that begins where the main park road ends. The unpaved road crosses Medano Creek nine times and traverses of deep sand. Only street-licensed 4WD motor vehicles or motorcycles, and bicycles are permitted. Fat tire bikes are the only type of bicycle recommended by the park service due to the deep sandy stretches. The road winds around the eastern side of the dunefield, up through a forested mountain canyon inside the National Preserve, and then over Medano Pass—elevation —at the mark. The road then continues down into the Wet Mountain Valley and connects with Colorado State Highway 69. Travellers are advised that hunting is permitted in the National Preserve during the months of autumn.


text: Most of the national park and the entire national preserve are open to horseback riding and pack animals. Prohibited zones include all developed areas—such as the Pinyon Flats campground, picnic areas, and the visitor center—all paved roadways and many of the hiking trails, along with the dunes area from the parking lot to as far as the High Dune, which is for pedestrian use only. All national park horse camping areas are in the wilderness in designated backcountry campsites or other wilderness areas at least from roads or trails. Camping is permitted most places in the national preserve and at designated sites along the Medano Pass Road, as long as minimum impact guidelines are followed. Permitted pack animals in the national park and the preserve include horses, mules, burros, donkeys, alpacas, and llamas. Overnight guests at the Zapata Ranch may take guided trips into the park; Zapata Partners is the only NPS-licensed provider of horseback riding in the Great Sand Dunes.


text: The national preserve adjacent to the national park is also managed by the National Park Service and seasonal hunting is permitted there. Sport hunting has regulations which include not pursuing a wounded animal if it leaves the preserve and enters the national park. Mountain lion hunting with dogs is also allowed in the preserve, but unless the dogs have spotted the lion and are pursuing it, they are required to be leashed. Other game species include turkey, bear, bighorn sheep, elk and mule deer.


text: The dunes and surrounding area were designated a national monument in 1932 after a bill—sponsored by the P.E.O. Sisterhood and widely supported by local residents—was signed into law by President Herbert Hoover. The original monument boundaries protected an area of . Similar support in the late 1990s resulted in the monument's redesignation as Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve in 2000. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) listed the Great Sand Dunes as a protected landscape (management category V) in 2000, including the national park, the preserve, and the adjacent Baca National Wildlife Refuge.


text: In 1976, the U.S. Congress designated the Great Sand Dunes Wilderness—a wilderness area encompassing within the monument. This wilderness is the only one in the U.S. that protects a saltbush-greasewood ecosystem and includes the entire dunefield as well as much of the area west of the dunes. Congress also designated the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness in 1993, which contains a total of of mountainous terrain. Most of the Sangre de Cristo Wilderness is managed by the U.S. Forest Service while the National Park Service manages the area that has since been designated a national preserve. Mechanized transport and motorized equipment or vehicles are not permitted in wilderness areas, while ATVs are not permitted anywhere in the national park and preserve. The restrictions of a wilderness designation protect native wildlife such as the endemic Great Sand Dunes tiger beetle from potential extinction caused by human activities. Both of the wilderness area designations exclude the existing road corridors that pass through them, specifically the paved park road and the unpaved Medano Pass Road. The IUCN has included the same of dunes and surrounding sand sheet on their global list of wilderness areas (management category Ib) since 1976.


text: In 1999, the Nature Conservancy purchased surrounding state-owned land. The land is within the Medano–Zapata Ranch, located to the west and south. Some of the ranch land is located within the current national park boundary in its southwestern corner, and includes a fenced area that contains a bison herd within —an area that can only be visited on a guided tour. The objective of the Nature Conservancy, as well as the federal and state governments, is to combine conservation and sustainable use of the ecosystem, in a manner similar to the protected area mosaic recommended in the early 1980s for parts of the Yukon in Canada.


text: The eventual redesignation as Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve was authorized on November 22, 2000 when President Bill Clinton signed the Congressionally-approved Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve Act. The act directed the Secretary of the Interior to "establish the Great Sand Dunes National Park when sufficient land having sufficient diversity of resources has been acquired to warrant its designation." The new designation as a national park and preserve was made official in September 2004 after sufficient land had been acquired, quadrupling its sitze.


text: In 2002, the Nature Conservancy purchased the Baca Ranch—an area of —for $31.28 million. Financing was provided by the Department of the Interior, the Colorado State Land Board and private donors. The Baca Ranch had property located in the valley and the adjacent mountains, ranging in elevation from west of the dunes to the summit of Kit Carson Peak. The purchase approximately tripled the size of the monument. The ranch was split into three sections: the Sangre de Cristos section east of Crestone became part of the Rio Grande National Forest; the section west of the dunes was designated the Baca National Wildlife Refuge and managed by the Fish and Wildlife Service; the section east of the dunes was transferred first to the Rio Grande National Forest and later redesignated a national preserve in 2004 managed by the National Park Service. The national preserve remains open to regulated seasonal hunting, as it was when designated national forest land, but is protected from logging and mining activities which are generally permitted in national forests.


text: In 2016, the federal government began negotiations toward purchasing of the Medano–Zapata Ranch from the Nature Conservancy. The plan is to complete the park, making it fully accessible to the public, by acquiring the final piece of privately-held land located within the current park boundaries. The land includes the area presently occupied by the bison herd, as well as adjacent meadows and wetland areas.


text: In May 2019, the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve was designated an International Dark Sky Park by the International Dark-Sky Association.


title: G.R.L.

text: G.R.L. is an American girl group formed by Robin Antin. The group consists of members Lauren Bennett, Natasha Slayton, and Emmalyn Estrada.


title: G.R.L.

text: The original line-up consisted of Bennett, Slayton, Estrada, Paula van Oppen, and Simone Battle. They made their debut appearance on the "Smurfs 2" soundtrack with "Vacation". They would go on to appear on Pitbull's internationally successful track "Wild Wild Love", which peaked in the top 40 in the United States and top 10 in the United Kingdom, and was certified platinum by Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Their second single "Ugly Heart" gained international success shortly after the suicide of member Simone Battle. Leaving the group as a quartet, this inspired the group to release their next single "Lighthouse" in memory of Battle. The group disbanded shortly after its release, on June 2, 2015.


title: G.R.L.

text: G.R.L. officially reformed on August 5, 2016, with the addition of new member Jazzy Mejia alongside Bennett and Slayton.


title: G.R.L.

text: In October 2020, the group's original line-up briefly reformed to record new music before van Oppen announced her departure from the group on December of the same year, thus leaving the group a trio for the second time before they announced their indefinite hiatus.


title: G.R.L.

text: In March 2011, Antin began holding auditions to find new girls to replace the departed members of The Pussycat Dolls. The new line-up made their debut on February 5, 2012, during the Super Bowl, as part of GoDaddy's annual TV commercials, appearing with Danica Patrick. "The look of the commercial is not necessarily the new look of the group this time around," said Robin Antin, adding, "It's breathtakingly beautiful. It's a fun, real-campy kind of sexy. It's all of that, but again, what we're doing for this next life of the Pussycat Dolls, the girls are all young. It's a fresh, young energy." An official picture taken from the ad showed five members: Lauren Bennett, Paula van Oppen, Vanessa Curry, Chrystina Sayers, and Erica Kiehl Jenkins.


title: G.R.L.

text: On April 13, 2012, it was announced that Chrystina Sayers was no longer a part of the new line-up. In July 2012, the line-up was announced consisting of Bennett and Van Oppen, with new members Natalie Mejia, Amanda Branche, and Natasha Slayton, thus confirming Jenkins and Curry's withdrawal from the group. In August 2012, publicity photos showed the "new" line-up including Simone Battle (from Season one of The X Factor USA) replacing Branche. In November 2012, it was revealed, through the hiring of Emmalyn Estrada, that Mejia was no longer part of the group, thus creating the official lineup of G.R.L. Mejia announced that she was expecting her first child with her husband, and due to her situation she made a choice to not continue with the group.


title: G.R.L.

text: In February 2013, Antin officially announced that the girls will be making their debut as a brand-new group with a different name instead of replacing the departed members of the Pussycat Dolls. The group was officially unveiled at Chateau Marmont in April. On June 16, the group released their debut single, "Vacation", which was included on the soundtrack for the animated movie "The Smurfs 2" as a B-side to Britney Spears' "Ooh La La". The song made its official debut on a national chart on the South Korea Gaon International Chart at number ninety-seven. On September 10, 2013, in Brooklyn, New York, the group began a monthlong promotional tour partnered with Claire's and Westfield Malls meeting fans, visiting radio stations, and performing at select locations. The group's collaboration with rapper Pitbull on the lead single, "Wild Wild Love" off his album "Globalization", became successful internationally. The single peaked at number thirty on the "Billboard" Hot 100 chart, selling 767,000 copies in the U.S. as of March 2015. The song made the top ten in Australia, Belgium, Indonesia, Norway, United Kingdom, including certified platinum in Australia and Canada.


title: G.R.L.

text: Not long after their formation they announced they had begun recording for their debut studio album, with songwriters and record producers Dr. Luke, Max Martin, Cirkut, Darkchild, and Lukas Hilbert. However, the album was scrapped in favor of a self-titled EP instead. The lead single off the EP, "Ugly Heart", debuted in the ARIA Singles Chart at forty-one, before peaking in the top ten at number 2, becoming the group's most successful single to date, being certified 4× platinum by Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). The song peaked at number ten on The Australian 2014 Year End charts, certifying platinum. The track reached a peak position of number 3 on the Official New Zealand Music Chart.


title: G.R.L.

text: On September 5, 2014, Battle was found dead in her West Hollywood home. Los Angeles County Coroner's Lieutenant Fred Corral ruled the death a suicide, following an autopsy. The next day, the group released a statement via Twitter, saying, "Words cannot express the depth of our loss. Simone's incredible talent was only surpassed by the size of her heart." In a following tweet, they said "We will carry her memory with us in everything we do."


title: G.R.L.

text: The group released their first single since Battle's death, "Lighthouse". Along with the single, the group announced a new campaign with Give an Hour called G.R.L. Gives an Hour, which was dedicated to raise awareness about mental health issues in America. G.R.L. Gives an Hour later became an associate campaign of Michelle Obama's Change Direction. "Lighthouse" peaked at number thirty on the ARIA Singles Chart in Australia, number eighteen on the New Zealand singles chart, number 55 on the UK Singles Chart, number 35 on the sales-only based version of the chart and at number 24 on the Scottish Singles Chart.


title: G.R.L.

text: On March 10, 2015, it was revealed by the band during their performance on Australian breakfast television program "Sunrise" while in Hawaii that they would be the opening act for Meghan Trainor on the Australian leg of her That Bass Tour where they performed on April 27 and April 30.


title: G.R.L.

text: The group officially disbanded on 2 June 2015 through a joint statement from RCA Records, Kemosabe Records, Larry Rudolph, and Robin Antin, stating "Nearly 9 months following the tragic death of band member Simone Battle, girl group G.R.L. announces today that they are disbanding. We wish them continued success in each of their next creative endeavors."


title: G.R.L.

text: In June 2016, the group's new rep, Matt Wynter, stated that the girls are back via Loco Talent's website. G.R.L.'s new single is expected to be released in the summer.


title: G.R.L.

text: On August 5, 2016, it was announced that Jazzy Mejia was added as the third member of G.R.L. alongside Bennett and Slayton, making the group officially a trio. The newly reformed G.R.L. headlined the Australian music festival Nickelodeon Slimefest in September 2016.


title: G.R.L.

text: On August 28, 2016, the trio released their first promotional single together, "Kiss Myself". The single "Are We Good" was released on December 9, with a music video released on January 26, 2017.


title: G.R.L.

text: In May 2018, Jazzy Mejia confirmed on Twitter that G.R.L. would be going on tour. Dates were announced for February 2019 in Australia alongside S Club 3, Big Brovaz and 5ive, but it was later confirmed that G.R.L. would not be performing on the tour. They stated on Twitter that they hope to tour soon.


title: G.R.L.

text: In September 2020 member Natasha Slayton posted a video of herself, Lauren Bennett and former members Emmalyn Estrada and Paula van Oppen dancing to a song alongside the founder of the group, Robin Antin, on her Instagram stories. Since then, fans started speculating that the group was reforming alongside member Jazzy Mejia. Later in October of the same year, Slayton, Estrada and van Oppen started posting TikTok videos with each other, making the rumors of the group reforming increase. By November 2020, posts from the group's Instagram and Twitter accounts during the time Mejia was a member of the group were unexpectedly deleted, a new profile picture with the group's logo was added. During the same month, a TikTok account by the group's name was made, posting clips from the music videos by the original line-up of the group.


title: G.R.L.

text: On December 10, 2020, a few clips and pictures from what seemed to look like the set from the group's next music video were posted by Bennett, Estrada and Slayton. The fans immediately noticed the absence of van Oppen. Later that day, the group's manager, Matt Ziedman, announced that van Oppen had decided not to rejoin the group. van Oppen also explained why she decided not to reform with the rest of the group on an Instagram post.


title: G.R.L.

text: In January 2021, a few clips from what was rumored to be the group's next music video were posted to the group's Instagram, TikTok and Twitter accounts, the clips in fact were the members dancing and singing along to a medley of the group's singles. Later in the same month, the group did an Instagram live alongside Antin and Ziedman confirming their return and future new music. They also explained why Mejia was not invited to said return by saying that Estrada, van Oppen and management were only interested in reforming the group's original line-up.


title: G.R.L.

text: By April 2021, Ziedman, the group's manager, responded to a fan of the group on Twitter explaining that he was not "involved" with the group's return anymore.


title: Big Jim Colosimo

text: Vincenzo Colosimo (; February 16, 1878 – May 11, 1920), known as James "Big Jim" Colosimo or as "Diamond Jim", was an Italian-American Mafia crime boss who emigrated from Calabria, Italy, in 1895 and built a criminal empire in Chicago based on prostitution, gambling and racketeering. He gained power through petty crime and by heading a chain of brothels. From about 1902 until his death in 1920, he led a gang that became known after his death as the Chicago Outfit. Colosimo was assassinated on May 11, 1920, and no one was ever charged with his murder. Johnny Torrio, an enforcer whom Colosimo imported in 1909 from New York, seized control of Colosimo's businesses after his death. Al Capone, a close associate of Torrio, has been accused of involvement in Colosimo's murder, but was not yet in Chicago at the time.


title: Big Jim Colosimo

text: Colosimo was born on February 16, 1878, to Luigi Colosimo and his second wife Giuseppina Mascaro in the town of Colosimi, Province of Cosenza, Italy. He emigrated from Italy to Chicago at the age of 17, starting out as a petty criminal. Colosimo attracted the attention of First Ward aldermen Michael "Hinky Dink" Kenna and John Coughlin. They made him a precinct captain and later their bagman. This gave Colosimo the political connections that helped him in his rise to power as a mob boss.


title: Big Jim Colosimo

text: Later, Colosimo acquired another nickname, "Diamond Jim," because he frequently dressed in a white suit and wore diamond pins, rings and other jewelry. This, combined with his personal charm and money, helped him establish relationships with women. He had a love of both women and money, which fueled his enthusiasm for prostitution. In 1902, Colosimo married Victoria Moresco, an established Chicago madam and together they opened a second brothel. Torrio was the nephew of Moresco. According to Laurence Bergreen, "Torrio is [also] described as Colosimo’s nephew, but in the absence of any evidence to confirm the relationship, it is more likely their kinship was spiritual rather than familial." There are also references to Colosimo's wife being somehow related to John Torrio.


title: Big Jim Colosimo

text: Among his first brothels were The Victoria, on Armour Avenue (named in honor of his wife) and The Saratoga, at Dearborn and 22nd Street. Within a few years, Colosimo had expanded this to nearly 200 brothels and had also made inroads into gambling and racketeering. Colosimo was reputedly making $50,000 ($ 720 000 in 2022) per month from his various legal and illegal operations.


title: Big Jim Colosimo

text: By 1909, Black Hand extortion was a serious threat to Colosimo in Chicago. He brought in gangster John "The Fox" Torrio from Brooklyn and made him his second in command. The following year, he opened Colosimo's Cafe, a restaurant and nightclub at 2126 South Wabash. It quickly became a popular destination for prominent Chicagoans and visitors to Chicago. In 1919, Torrio and Colosimo opened a brothel at 2222 South Wabash called the Four Deuces, a reference to the address. Torrio hired his old Brooklyn colleague Al Capone to work as a bartender and bouncer, which gave Capone his entry into Chicago crime.