title: Contrapposto

text: Greek art emphasized humanism along with the human mind and the human body's beauty. Greek youths trained and competed in athletic contests in the nude. A great contribution to the contrapposto pose was the concept of a canon of proportions, in which mathematical properties are used to create proportions.


title: Contrapposto

text: Classical contrapposto was revived in Renaissance art by the Italian artists Donatello and Leonardo da Vinci, followed by Michelangelo, Raphael and other artists of the High Renaissance. One of the achievements of the Italian Renaissance was the re-discovery of contrapposto.


title: Contrapposto

text: The technique continues to be widely employed in sculpture. Modern psychological research confirms the attractiveness of the pose.


title: Linnea Berthelsen

text: Linnea Berthelsen (born 13 July 1993) is a Danish actress of Indian descent, who is best known for her recurring role as Kali, also known as Eight, the sister of Eleven in the second season of the science-fiction horror Netflix original series "Stranger Things".


title: Linnea Berthelsen

text: Berthelsen was born in India, and brought up in Kalundborg. She moved to England in 2014 to study at East 15 Acting School in Essex, and now lives in London.


title: Linnea Berthelsen

text: Berthelsen started acting in her late teens. She made her acting debut in the short film "Mirrors" in 2014. She later continued to appear in short films such as "Natskygge", "Dyspno" and "Cape Fear". In 2015, she appeared in the Danish film "Hybrid". In 2017, she was cast as Kali / Eight with the ability to create hallucinations, in the Netflix original science fiction horror series "Stranger Things".


title: Choroid plexus

text: The choroid plexus, or plica choroidea, is a plexus of cells that arises from the tela choroidea in each of the ventricles of the brain. Regions of the choroid plexus produce and secrete most of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of the central nervous system. The choroid plexus consists of modified ependymal cells surrounding a core of capillaries and loose connective tissue. Multiple cilia on the ependymal cells move to circulate the cerebrospinal fluid.


title: Choroid plexus

text: There is a choroid plexus in each of the four ventricles. In the lateral ventricles it is found in the body, and continued in an enlarged amount in the atrium. There is no choroid plexus in the anterior horn. In the third ventricle there is a small amount in the roof that is continuous with that in the body, via the interventricular foramina, the channels that connect the lateral ventricles with the third ventricle. A choroid plexus is in part of the roof of the fourth ventricle.


title: Choroid plexus

text: The choroid plexus consists of a layer of cuboidal epithelial cells surrounding a core of capillaries and loose connective tissue. The epithelium of the choroid plexus is continuous with the ependymal cell layer (ventricular layer) that lines the ventricular system. Progenitor ependymal cells are monociliated but they differentiate into multiciliated ependymal cells. Unlike the ependyma, the choroid plexus epithelial layer has tight junctions between the cells on the side facing the ventricle (apical surface). These tight junctions prevent the majority of substances from crossing the cell layer into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF); thus the choroid plexus acts as a blood–CSF barrier. The choroid plexus folds into many villi around each capillary, creating frond-like processes that project into the ventricles. The villi, along with a brush border of microvilli, greatly increase the surface area of the choroid plexus. CSF is formed as plasma is filtered from the blood through the epithelial cells. Choroid plexus epithelial cells actively transport sodium ions into the ventricles and water follows the resulting osmotic gradient.


title: Choroid plexus

text: The choroid plexus consists of many capillaries, separated from the ventricles by choroid epithelial cells. Fluid filters through these cells from blood to become cerebrospinal fluid. There is also much active transport of substances into, and out of, the CSF as it is made.


title: Choroid plexus

text: The choroid plexus regulates the production and composition of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), that provides the protective buoyancy for the brain. CSF acts as a medium for the glymphatic filtration system that facilitates the removal of metabolic waste from the brain, and the exchange of biomolecules and xenobiotics into and out of the brain. In this way the choroid plexus has a very important role in helping to maintain the delicate extracellular environment required by the brain to function optimally.


title: Choroid plexus

text: The choroid plexus is also a major source of transferrin secretion that plays a part in iron homeostasis in the brain.


title: Choroid plexus

text: The blood–cerebrospinal fluid barrier (BCSFB) is a fluid–brain barrier that is composed of a pair of membranes that separate blood from CSF at the capillary level and CSF from brain tissue. The blood–CSF boundary at the choroid plexus is a membrane composed of epithelial cells and tight junctions that link them. There is a CSF-brain barrier at the level of the pia mater, but only in the embryo.


title: Choroid plexus

text: Similar to the blood–brain barrier, the blood–CSF barrier functions to prevent the passage of most blood-borne substances into the brain, while selectively permitting the passage of specific substances into the brain and facilitating the removal of brain metabolites and metabolic products into the blood. Despite the similar function between the BBB and BCSFB, each facilitates the transport of different substances into the brain due to the distinctive structural characteristics of each of the two barrier systems. For a number of substances, the BCSFB is the primary site of entry into brain tissue.


title: Choroid plexus

text: The blood–cerebrospinal fluid barrier has also been shown to modulate the entry of leukocytes from the blood to the central nervous system. The choroid plexus cells secrete cytokines that recruit monocyte-derived macrophages, among other cells, to the brain. This cellular trafficking has implications both in normal brain homeostasis and in neuroinflammatory processes.


title: Choroid plexus

text: During fetal development, some choroid plexus cysts may form. These fluid-filled cysts can be detected by a detailed second trimester ultrasound. The finding is relatively common, with a prevalence of ~1%. Choroid plexus cysts are usually an isolated finding. The cysts typically disappear later during pregnancy, and are usually harmless. They have no effect on infant and early childhood development.


title: Choroid plexus

text: Cysts confers a 1% risk of fetal aneuploidy. The risk of aneuploidy increases to 10.5-12% if other risk factors or ultrasound findings are noted. Size, location, disappearance or progression, and whether the cysts are found on both sides or not do not affect the risk of aneuploidy. 44-50% of Edwards syndrome (trisomy 18) cases will present with choroid plexus cysts, as well 1.4% of Down syndrome (trisomy 21) cases. ~75% of abnormal karyotypes associated with choroid plexus cysts are trisomy 18, while the remainder are trisomy 21.


title: Choroid plexus

text: There are three graded types of choroid plexus tumor that mainly affect young children. These types of cancer are rare.


title: Choroid plexus

text: Choroid plexus translates from the Latin plexus chorioides, which mirrors Ancient Greek χοριοειδές πλέγμα. The word "chorion" was used by Galen to refer to the outer membrane enclosing the fetus. Both meanings of the word plexus are given as pleating, or braiding. As often happens language changes and the use of both "choroid" or "chorioid" is both accepted. Nomina Anatomica (now Terminologia Anatomica) reflected this dual usage.


title: Sasha Clements

text: Sasha Nicole Clements (born March 13, 1990) is a Canadian actress. She is known for her role as Kiki Kincaid on the Teletoon sitcom "Majority Rules!". She was cast in the 2005 fantasy "The Snow Queen" (2005). and the 2010 television series "What's Up Warthogs!". She also starred in the Disney Channel Original movie "How to Build a Better Boy" (2014), playing the role of Marnie.


title: Sasha Clements

text: Clements was born in Toronto, Ontario. Her mother is Anna Clements, and her father is actor Christopher Lee Clements, who was an actor on the Canadian musical drama series Catwalk. She has two younger brothers. Her great-grandmother is Russian Canadian. She enrolled in York University.


title: Sasha Clements

text: Clements's first role with Juliet Stevenson in the BBC TV movie "The Snow Queen" (2005). In 2009, she won her first starring role in the Canadian Teletoon series "Majority Rules!", playing 15-year-old Kiki Kincaid. and she guest starred in one episode of "What's Up Warthogs!" in 2010. She has had guest roles on television series such as "Rookie Blue" and "Really Me" (2011). Clements had a recurring role as Sarah on "Lost Girl" (2012). She guest starred as Emma in the premiere two episode of YTV's "Life with Boys" (2012). She then guest starred as Nikki in one episodes of "Mudpit" (2013).


title: Sasha Clements

text: In mid-2013, Clements began work on the Disney Channel Original Movie, "How to Build a Better Boy" (2014), alongside China Anne McClain and Kelli Berglund. The film is directed by Paul Hoen and premiered on August 15, 2014. In January 2015, Clements had a recurring role on the YTV and TeenNick series "Open Heart" as Rayna Sherazi. She guest starred as Cat in the premiere two episode of Canadian television series "" (2015). She also appeared in the 2015 Canadian television film based on the popular Degrassi series, "Degrassi Don't Look Back" (2015).


title: Sasha Clements

text: In February 2017, had a supporting role in the drama film "From Straight As to XXX" (2017), alongside Haley Pullos. and she working one episode with the internet personality Manon Mathews, on "New Form" channel, who has a series on YouTube. In 2019, she was cast in a co-starring role in the Jordan Barker film "Witches in the Woods" (2019), the project also stars Hannah Kasulka, and with her husband Corbin Bleu.


title: Sasha Clements

text: In July 2021, she was cast in the Hallmark Channel original entitled "Love, for Real" (2021), alongside Chloe Bridges, Camille Kostek and Corbin Bleu, directed by Maclain Nelson. In December 2021, She was cast for a Lifetime Christmas movie, titled "A Christmas Dance Reunion" (2021), directed by Brian Herzlinger. In 2022, she was cast in the comedy film "Camp Hideout" (2022), with Christopher Lloyd, and directed by Sean Olson. She guest starred as Wendy in the premiere one episode of HBO Max's "Minx" (2022). She then guest starred as Katya Miranova in one episodes of "" (2022).


title: Sasha Clements

text: In 2011, Clements started dating "High School Musical" star Corbin Bleu. On October 15, 2014, Clements and Bleu announced their engagement. They later appeared on TLC reality series "Say Yes to the Dress". They currently reside in Los Angeles. They married on July 23, 2016.


title: Steve Keirn

text: Stephen Paul Keirn (born September 10, 1951) is an American retired professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances in multiple National Wrestling Alliance territories as Steve Keirn as one-half of the tag team The Fabulous Ones, as well as his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation under the ring name Skinner.


title: Steve Keirn

text: Keirn graduated from Robinson High School in Port Tampa. His father, Richard Keirn, was a B-17 pilot who was shot down over Germany in September 1944 and became a POW. In July 1965, when Stephen was 13, Richard was shot down over Vietnam and again taken prisoner. He was held in the Hanoi Hilton for seven and half years. While his father was imprisoned he hung out with his school friend Mike Graham whose father Eddie Graham is in the WWE Hall of Fame.


title: Steve Keirn

text: Much of Keirn's early career was spent wrestling as part of a tag team. While wrestling in Championship Wrestling from Florida (CWF), he held the NWA Florida Tag Team Championship twelve times; once each with Bob Backlund, Jimmy Garvin, and Brian Blair, and nine times with Mike Graham. In addition, the team of Keirn and Graham won the NWA Florida United States Tag Team Championship three times.


title: Steve Keirn

text: In 1980 and 1981, Keirn focused on his career as a singles wrestler. He won many titles in Florida and Georgia, including the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Title by defeating Chavo Guerrero Sr. This title reign was recognized by New Japan Pro-Wrestling, as well as the Los Angeles and Florida NWA territories, but not by the NWA as a whole, which considered the title vacant and held a tournament to crown a new champion. The title Keirn held was later renamed the NWA International Junior Heavyweight Title. Keirn also won the NWA National Television Championship twice, defeating Terry Funk and Kevin Sullivan.


title: Steve Keirn

text: In 1981, Keirn began wrestling with the Tennessee-based Continental Wrestling Association (CWA). He was successful as a singles wrestler, winning a tournament to claim the AWA Southern Heavyweight Championship. He also held the NWA Mid-America Heavyweight Championship on two occasions. As in CWF, Keirn found his greatest success in the tag team division. He held the AWA Southern Tag Team Championship 17 times, including 14 reigns as one half of The Fabulous Ones with Stan Lane. Keirn and Lane also teamed to win the CWA World Tag Team Championship twice.


title: Steve Keirn

text: The Fabulous Ones competed in various promotions over the next decade. In 1984, the team won the Southwest Championship Wrestling World Tag Team Championship while wrestling in Australia. In the United States, they won the NWA Florida United States Tag Team Championship twice. In 1991, the pair wrestled in the United States Wrestling Association, defeating Tony Anthony and Doug Gilbert to win the USWA Tag Team Championship.


title: Steve Keirn

text: In the summer of 1991, Keirn debuted in the WWF as Skinner, an alligator hunter from the Florida Everglades. He was portrayed as a generally nasty individual, always chewing on tobacco and sometimes spitting it on his opponent. He carried an alligator claw to the ring with him, which he would often use as a weapon against his opponents. He competed in the 1991 King of the Ring tournament, defeating Virgil in the first round but losing to Bret Hart in the second round. While still being billed as undefeated, he challenged Hart for the WWF Intercontinental Championship at This Tuesday in Texas on December 3, 1991, but lost by submission. Skinner competed in the 1992 Royal Rumble, lasting 2:13 before being eliminated by Rick Martel. At WrestleMania VIII, he was defeated in one minute and eleven seconds by Owen Hart.


title: Steve Keirn

text: Keirn also unsuccessfully challenged Randy Savage for the WWF Championship on the June 29, episode of Prime Time Wrestling. He also competed in the 1993 Royal Rumble, but was eliminated by Mr. Perfect at the 3:05 mark. While in the WWF, Keirn also portrayed Doink the Clown on occasion. At WrestleMania IX, Keirn helped the original Doink defeat Crush by attacking Crush dressed as Doink during the match.


title: Steve Keirn

text: Along with Bobby Eaton, Keirn wrestled in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in 1994 in a tag team known as "Bad Attitude". Despite the tag team success both Keirn and Eaton enjoyed in the past (with The Fabulous Ones and the Midnight Express respectively), the team made little impact, losing dark matches to Brian and Brad Armstrong at Bash at the Beach 1994 and Fall Brawl 1994. While in WCW, Keirn was also involved in an angle in which masked men attacked Hulk Hogan. Several times in October 1994, Keirn wore a black mask to attack Hogan during and after Hogan's matches.


title: Steve Keirn

text: Since the late 1980s, Keirn has run a school to train wrestlers. Originally located in Tampa, Florida, Keirn's "Professional Wrestling School of Hard Knocks" is now located in Brandon, Florida.


title: Steve Keirn

text: Keirn helped train many wrestlers, including Mike Awesome, Dennis Knight, Diamond Dallas Page, Dustin Rhodes, Tracy Smothers, and Roman Reigns.


title: Steve Keirn

text: The school was incorporated into the WWE's developmental territory, Florida Championship Wrestling, which opened on June 26, 2007, and Keirn was named President of the FCW and made regular appearances on FCW television. His last match was on December 10, 2007, at the 15th Anniversary Raw participating in a Battle Royal where he was eliminated from the match by Sgt. Slaughter. On August 14, 2012, FCW was discontinued and the WWE Performance Center opened on July 11, 2013.


title: Kiowa Gordon

text: Kiowa Joseph Gordon (born March 25, 1990) is an American actor of Hualapai descent. He is best known for his role as shapeshifter Embry Call in "The Twilight Saga," as well as Junior in the TV series "The Red Road".


title: Kiowa Gordon

text: Gordon was born in Berlin, Germany, where his father, Thomas Gordon, was working. He is the seventh of eight children (Mac, Sean, Aaron, Josh, Cheyenne, Sariah, Lakota). His mother, Camille Nighthorse Gordon, is also an actress. Gordon is partly of Hualapai Native American descent, and is a member of the Hualapai tribe of Northern Arizona.


title: Kiowa Gordon

text: His family moved back to the U.S. when he was two years old, and he grew up in Arizona, where he attended Cactus Shadows High School in Cave Creek, Arizona. He attended the LDS church for a while in the same ward as "Twilight" author Stephenie Meyer. Aside from acting, Kiowa is also a vocalist, and used to be a member of a progressive metal band called Touché, leaving it to focus on acting.


title: Kiowa Gordon

text: In 2009, Gordon played shapeshifter Embry Call in "New Moon", based on Stephenie Meyer's novel of the same name. Kiowa has said that he was approached one day at church by Stephenie Meyer as she thought he would be perfect for the wolf pack. He then attended an open casting where he landed the role of Jacob Black's best friend. Gordon replaced Krys Hyatt (who played Embry in "Twilight") in "New Moon", "Eclipse", and "Breaking Dawn".


title: Kiowa Gordon

text: Gordon was set to play Brad in the proposed American film "Into The Darkness", but the film never came to fruition. Gordon portrayed Jake Kingston in the 2014 thriller "Wind Walkers", which tells a Native American Urban legend. Gordon starred in "An Act of War", released on Netflix in 2015. The film was directed by Ryan M. Kennedy and produced by Atit Shah.


title: Kiowa Gordon

text: In 2021, it was announced that Gordon will star as Jim Chee in "Dark Winds," an upcoming television series on AMC.


title: Members Only (The Sopranos)

text: "Members Only" is the 66th episode of the HBO series "The Sopranos", and the first of the show's sixth season. Written by Terence Winter and directed by Tim Van Patten, it aired originally on March 12, 2006.


title: Members Only (The Sopranos)

text: Nearly two years have passed. Janice is raising a new daughter with Bobby Baccalieri, who has taken up model railroading as a hobby. Meadow continues her relationship with Finn. A.J. is now attending college. Adriana is remembered by a worrying Carmela. Vito is thinner and is now a spokesperson for a weight loss company; he is Tony's best earner and is ambitious. Phil Leotardo, now the acting boss of the Lupertazzi crime family, is taking care of business for the imprisoned Johnny Sack.


title: Members Only (The Sopranos)

text: In Brooklyn, Hesh Rabkin and his son-in-law Eli Kaplan are assaulted by Lupertazzi associates. Trying to escape, Eli is knocked down by a hit-and-run driver and seriously injured. At Hesh's request, Tony tries to reach out directly to Johnny through his optometrist brother-in-law, Anthony Infante, but Johnny is only paying attention to his immediate family's financial troubles. Tony, Vito, and Christopher, now a capo in the Soprano family, meet with Phil and Gerry "The Hairdo" Torciano. Disputes between Tony and Phil are resolved, and it is explained that the New York associates were protecting Gerry's area and did not know Eli was associated with the Sopranos; they agree to pay Eli $50,000 compensation.


title: Members Only (The Sopranos)

text: Carmela's construction of her spec house is suspended, due to a "stop order" issued by a building inspector because improper lumber has been used. Her father, Hugh De Angelis, thinks an inspector he used to know would waive the requirement, but his contact has retired. Carmela repeatedly asks Tony to see if he can get the stop order lifted, but he keeps putting it off.


title: Members Only (The Sopranos)

text: Eugene Pontecorvo inherits $2 million and would like to retire with his family to Florida. Bearing gifts, he goes to Tony to ask permission. Tony reminds Eugene that he took an oath. Later, Eugene gives him a cut of the inheritance. At Chris's behest, he then kills a debtor; in return, Chris says, "I'll put in a good word to T about the Florida thing." Tony's decision is relayed through Silvio: "Your Florida thing. That's a no-go." Eugene is also an informant for the FBI, and has become more valuable to the Bureau since the death of Ray Curto; they, too, will not free him. With his wife bitter and his son using heroin, Eugene hangs himself.


title: Members Only (The Sopranos)

text: Uncle Junior's mind is deteriorating. Tony helps him look for some money he thinks he buried in his backyard thirty years ago, but they find nothing. Both Dr. Melfi and Janice suggest a retirement home or assisted living for him, but Tony forcefully refuses. One afternoon, Junior is particularly agitated, and Tony goes to his house because no one else is free to look after him. While Tony is cooking dinner, Junior, thinking he is a long-dead mobster, shoots him in the gut. While Junior cowers in a closet upstairs, Tony manages to dial 911 before passing out.


title: China National Petroleum Corporation

text: The China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) () is a major national oil and gas corporation of China and one of the largest integrated energy groups in the world. Its headquarters are in Dongcheng District, Beijing. CNPC was ranked fourth in 2020 Fortune Global 500, a global ranking of the largest corporations by revenue.


title: China National Petroleum Corporation

text: CNPC is the government-owned parent company of publicly listed PetroChina, which was created on November 5, 1999, as part of the restructuring of CNPC. In the restructuring, CNPC injected into PetroChina most of the assets and liabilities of CNPC relating to its hydrocarbon exploration and production, refining and marketing, chemicals and natural gas businesses. CNPC and PetroChina develop overseas assets through a joint venture, the CNPC Exploration & Development Company (CNODC), which is 50% owned by PetroChina.


title: China National Petroleum Corporation

text: In March 2014, CNPC Chairman Zhou Jiping announced that CNPC would be opening six business units to private investors.


title: China National Petroleum Corporation

text: CNPC also has a memorandum of understanding with UOP Llc, under which the two companies will collaborate on a range of biofuels technologies and projects in China.


title: China National Petroleum Corporation

text: Unlike the Chinese Petroleum Corporation (CPC Corporation), which was relocated to Taiwan with the retreat of the Republic of China following the communist revolution in 1949, CNPC can be traced from the beginning as a governmental department of the Government of the People's Republic of China. In 1949, the Chinese government formed a 'Fuel Industry Ministry' dedicated to the management of fuel. In January 1952 a division of the fuel ministry was formed to manage petroleum exploration and mining, called the 'Chief Petroleum Administration Bureau'. In July 1955 a new ministry was created to replace the Fuel Industry Ministry, called the Ministry of Petroleum. From 1955 to 1969, approximately 4 oil fields were found in 4 areas in Qinghai, Heilongjiang (Daqing oilfield), Bohai Bay and Songliao basin. CNPC was created on 17 September 1988, when the government decided to create a state-owned company to handle all Petroleum activities in China and disbanded the Ministry of Petroleum.


title: China National Petroleum Corporation

text: CNPC's international operations began in 1993. The CNPC subsidiary SAPET signed a service contract with the government of Peru to operate Block VII in the Talara Province basin. This was followed by an oil contract with the government of Sudan "In June 1997, the Greater Nile Petroleum Operating Company was established with the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) taking 40 percent ownership".


title: China National Petroleum Corporation

text: In August 2005 it was announced that CNPC agreed to buy the Alberta-based PetroKazakhstan for US$4.18 billion, then the largest overseas acquisition by a Chinese company. The acquisition went through on 26 October 2005 after a Canadian court turned down an attempt by LUKoil to block the sale. In 2006 67% of shares were sold from the parent company to PetroChina


title: China National Petroleum Corporation

text: In June 1997, the company bought a 60.3% stake in the Aktobe Oil Company of Kazakhstan, and in July 1997 CNPC won an oil contract for the Intercampo oilfield and East Caracoles oilfield in Venezuela.


title: China National Petroleum Corporation

text: In July 1998, the government restructured the company in accordance with the upstream and downstream principle of the oil industry. and CNPC spun off most of its domestic assets into a separate company, PetroChina. On 5 November 2007, HK listed PetroChina was listed as an A-share in the Shanghai Stock Exchange.


title: China National Petroleum Corporation

text: In 2012, a CNPC subsidiary, the Bank of Kunlun, was sanctioned because of its financial relationship with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Quds Force.


title: China National Petroleum Corporation

text: In July 2013, CNPC and Eni signed a $4.2 billion deal to acquire a 20% stake in a Mozambique offshore natural gas block.


title: China National Petroleum Corporation

text: In June 2014, the "head of a key China National Petroleum subsidiary was recalled to Beijing" and fell "from public view". Replacement of China National Petroleum's top representative in Canada was announced in July.


title: China National Petroleum Corporation

text: CNPC holds proven reserves of of oil equivalent. In 2007, CNPC produced 54 billion cubic metres of natural gas. CNPC has 30 international exploration and production projects with operations in Azerbaijan, Canada, Iran, Indonesia, Myanmar, Oman, Peru, Sudan, Niger, Thailand, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela. Many of the company's exploration projects are carried out by the Great Wall Drilling Company (GWDC), a wholly owned drilling services company.


title: China National Petroleum Corporation

text: In 2018 the company announced it is building natural gas storage facilities with a total capacity of 55.6 billion cu m in the northern Henan province, to ease supply bottlenecks in the peak winter season. China has accelerated the construction of underground gas storage facilities due to the challenges faced in transporting gas last winter when logistical issues forced buyers to truck LNG thousands of kilometers from import terminals to consumption areas. The country has started an ambitious program to convert large numbers of coal-fired boilers to cleaner natural gas, to curb smog and pollution.


title: China National Petroleum Corporation

text: CNPC is a major investor in South Sudan's oil sector. The company is major stockholder in Petrodar consortiums.


title: China National Petroleum Corporation

text: The Great Wall Drilling Company, a subsidiary of the China National Petroleum Company, invested $700 million in drilling 57 wells in Sudan over a 3-year period starting in 1997. In 2010, the company was awarded a contract by the Sudanese Petroleum Ministry to build 5 oil rigs for $75.5 million.


title: China National Petroleum Corporation

text: In December 2011, Afghanistan signed a deal with CNPC for the development of oil blocks in the Amu Darya basin, a project expected to earn billions of dollars over two decades; the deal covers drilling and a refinery in the northern provinces of Sar-e Pol and Faryab and is the first international oil production agreement entered into by the Afghan government for several decades.


title: China National Petroleum Corporation

text: CNPC is one of the most active Chinese companies in the petroleum sector in Kazakhstan. It is heavily involved in the development of Kazakh oil after the acquisition of Alberta-based PetroKazakhstan, a company with all operations in Kazakhstan. The company was purchased for $4.18 billion. Political resistance in Kazakhstan to the deal was placated by the sale of a minority stake in PetroKazakhstan by CNPC to KazMunaiGaz, the Kazakh state-owned oil company.


title: China National Petroleum Corporation

text: In 2006, CNPC formed an international consortium with state-run Uzbekneftegaz, LUKoil Overseas, Petronas, and Korea National Oil Corporation to explore and develop oil and gas fields in the Aral Sea.


title: China National Petroleum Corporation

text: In May 2014, A 30-year deal between Russia's Gazprom and China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) which was 10 years in the making was estimated worth $400 billion. The agreement was signed at a summit in Shanghai and is expected to deliver some 38 billion cubic meters of natural gas a year, starting around 2018, to China's burgeoning economy.


title: China National Petroleum Corporation

text: CNPC operated in New Zealand as CCDC (NZ) Drilling and had one drilling rig, a triple stand DC rig named Rig 43. CCDC NZ started workover/drilling operations in the Kapuni gas fields of South Taranaki New Zealand in late 2012 for "tight gas". The rig completed the Kapuni drilling campaign of 4 wells for STOS (Shell Todd Oil Services) in August 2013. Its next drilling project commenced August 2013 for Tag Oil with one well successfully drilled at Cheal C of a depth of just under 5,000m. The rig was then stood down pending appeals for the next stage of a drilling campaign for Tag Oil in March 2014. Due to the periods involved it was decided to end its drilling campaign in New Zealand. Rig 43 was then dismantled and shipped to other overseas locations and no longer operates in New Zealand.


title: China National Petroleum Corporation

text: China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering, a unit of CNPC, was the primary contractor working to establish two pipelines in Malaysia. The project was accused of involvement in corruption and was suspended by the Pakatan Harapan seventh cabinet of Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamed in 2018. The company denied the allegations. In July 2019, Malaysian authorities seized $243.5M from China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering to compensate for the paid for but unfinished pipelines and transferred to a Malaysian government-owned business.


title: China National Petroleum Corporation

text: In March 2009, CNPC began development of Ahdab, an oil field in Wasit Governorate holding a modest one billion barrels, becoming "the first significant foreign investors" in Iraq. The contract is a renegotiated version of a 1997 agreement between China and Iraq under Saddam Hussein. The project progressed despite security problems with local farmers. Dozens of farmers complained of damage to property because of work on the site and Iraqi oil officials claimed thievery from the oil site by local farmers. Adhab is not expected to be a major profit center, earning the company a projected 1 percent profit, but the field was seen as an entry strategy into Iraq.


title: China National Petroleum Corporation

text: Following Adhab, CNPC obtained a production contract during the 2009/2010 Iraqi oil services contracts tender to develop the much larger "Rumaila field" with joint venture partner BP, which contains an estimated of oil. It is expected that crude oil production from Rumaila will expand by 10% by the end of 2010 once the BP PLC/CNPC consortium takes over development of the field in June 2010. A contract was also awarded to a consortium led by CNPC (37.5%), including TotalEnergies (18.75%) and Petronas (18.75%) for the "Halfaya field" in the south of Iraq, which contains an estimated of oil.


title: China National Petroleum Corporation

text: CNPC became increasingly involved in the development of Iranian oil fields following Western sanctions that targeted the Iranian oil and gas sectors leading many European energy companies such as Shell Oil, Repsol, etc. to shut down operations in Iran. The CNPC along with Sinopec has been involved in various projects relating to Iran's oil/gas development. As of 2011, CNPC has been developing Iran's age-old Masjed Soleyman Oil Field, the oldest oil field of the Middle East, together with Iranian counterpart NIOC in a deal worth 200 million dollars. Production from this particular oil field was expected to increase in 2011 from a day to after the completion of the first phase, and to following the completion of phase 2 of the project.


title: China National Petroleum Corporation

text: In August 2018, TotalEnergies officially withdrew from the Iranian South Pars gas field because of sanctions pressure from the US, leaving CNPC to take up their 50.1% stake in the $5 billion natural gas field, of which it had already 30%. It held this 80.1% share until it withdrew its investment in October 2019 due to the US sanctions on Iran, according to Oil Minister Bijan Zangeneh quoted by the SHANA news agency.


title: China National Petroleum Corporation

text: CNPC with Indian state oil firm, ONGC created a joint venture to acquire minority stakes ranging from about 33.3% to 39% in several mature Syrian oil and natural gas properties. The combined entity was a notable instance of cooperation between two state oil firms that regularly competed for assets around the world.


title: China National Petroleum Corporation

text: In September 2013, Jiang Jiemin, a former chairman of PetroChina, a subsidiary of CNPC, was abruptly removed from his role as director of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council and investigated for corruption and abuse of power, along with four other senior oil executives. Jiang was considered an ally of corrupt former security chief Zhou Yongkang, and part of a group of officials that had political ties with Zhou. On October 12, 2015, the court found Jiang guilty on all counts, including accepting bribes, possessing dark assets, and abusing his power. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison.


title: China National Petroleum Corporation

text: In January 2017, former PetroChina vice chairman Liao Yongyuan was sentenced to 15 years in prison for abuse of power and accepting nearly $2 million worth of bribes.


title: China National Petroleum Corporation

text: In October 2021, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection announced that it was investigating former PetroChina vice president Ling Xiao, for “serious disciplinary violations.”


title: China National Petroleum Corporation

text: In 2014, Lanzhou Petrochemical, a subsidiary of CNPC, was responsible for ethylene and ammonia leaks, benzene contamination of water supplies, and air pollution in Lanzhou. City officials criticized the company and demanded an apology.


title: China National Petroleum Corporation

text: On 23 December 2003, a gas blowout occurred at the Luojia No. 16H gas well. The toxic fumes killed 243 people and hospitalized substantially more. Specialists concluded that the accident was the result of negligence on the part of Eastern Sichuan Drilling Company, which was working under China National Petroleum Corporation. They concluded that Sichuan technicians had failed to fix a blowout-prevention valve, a basic safety measure, that the gas well was built too close to homes, that workers failed to promptly inform authorities, that workers neglected to ignite the gas to prevent disaster, and that the company had not undergone an official environmental and safety assessment before commencing operations. On March 25, 2006, another leak in the Luojia No. 2 gas well in Chongqing required the evacuation of 15,000 people. Three attempts were required to properly seal the leak.


title: China National Petroleum Corporation

text: In August 2013, the operations of a CNPC subsidiary in Chad were suspended entirely by the country's government after it had violated environmental standards while drilling for crude oil in the south of the country. “We found flagrant violations of environmental standards by the company ... CNPC’s behavior was unacceptable,” said Le Bemadjiel, Chad's minister of oil. The minister also claimed that CNPC discharged oil intentionally to reduce costs, did not have facilities to clean spilled crude oil, dumped crude oil without safeguards, and asked locals to help remove crude oil without providing them with appropriate protective gear.


title: China National Petroleum Corporation

text: In March 2014, Chad fined CNPC worth a total of $1.2 billion. In August 2014, CNPC had five of its permits revoked after failing to pay the fine. In October 2014, CNPC agreed to pay $400 million.


title: China National Petroleum Corporation

text: In November 2005, chemical plants belonging to PetroChina, a subsidiary of CNPC, exploded in Jilin, China, resulting in 100 tons of benzene, which is a carcinogen and toxic, pouring into the Songhua River. There was a slick of chemicals that spanned 80 kilometres. Harbin, another city along the Songhua River, had to cut the water supply from almost 4 million people, for 5 days. More than 60 people were injured, five died, and one person was missing due to the incident. The spill reached as far as Khabarovsk, Russia, where residents stocked up on bottled water. The Russian city tried filtering its water of toxic substances, but couldn't guarantee the water was safe. China's environmental agency fined the company one million yuan (approximately $125,000, £64,000) for its pollution, which was the maximum fine that can be handed out in Chinafor breaking an environmental law. The Chinese government said that cleaning up the aftermath would require one billion US dollars. Li Zhaoxing, Chinese Foreign Minister at the time, issued a public apology to Russia due to the incident. The Chinese press responded harshly to the authorities' response to the disaster. Another gas pipeline exploded on 20 January 2006 in Sichuan. Reportedly, nine were killed and nearly 40 injured.


title: China National Petroleum Corporation

text: In January 2010, it was revealed that a CNPC diesel pipeline had burst near the confluence of the Chishui and Weihe rivers, in Huaxian County, Shaanxi. The extensive pollution ended up in the Yellow River, China's longest waterway.


title: China National Petroleum Corporation

text: In July 2010, two pipelines exploded at an oil storage depot belonging to China National Petroleum Corp near Dalian's Xingang Harbour in Liaoning province which spilled an estimated 1,500 tonnes of crude into the sea. Two thousand firefighters took fifteen hours to subdue the fire and the spill reached a size of .


title: China National Petroleum Corporation

text: On January 19, 2022, Chinese authorities punished CNPC's subsidiary "PetroChina Fuel Oil Co Ltd" for alleged oil trade inconsistencies that "severely disrupted oil products market order... facilitated blind development of outdated production capacity at independent refineries...caused losses in government tax revenue indirectly," said the National Development and Reform Commission.


title: China National Petroleum Corporation

text: In 2011, Earthrights International accused PetroChina, a subsidiary of CNPC, of complicity in serious human rights abuses in Burma, a country known for militarily furthering its economic interests through the use of forced labor.


title: China National Petroleum Corporation

text: In January 2014, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists published research based on leaked financial records from the British Virgin Islands, implicating CNPC, PetroChina, Sinopec, and CNOOC in offshore tax evasion.


title: Sahir Shamshad Mirza

text: General Sahir Shamshad Mirza () is a four-star rank general in Pakistan Army, currently serving as the 18th Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committeeappointed to the post on 27 November 2022. Prior to his appointment as Commander of X Corps at Rawalpindi, he previously served as 35th Chief of General Staff until succeeded by Azhar Abbas.


title: Sahir Shamshad Mirza

text: He was commissioned in the 8th battalion of the Sind Regiment. His previous assignments includes Adjutant General at the General Headquarters until November 2019 and Director General for Military Operations. During his assignment at Military Operations, he commanded 40th Infantry Division in Okara.


title: Sahir Shamshad Mirza

text: On December 8, 2022, Asim Munir received the Nishan-i-Imtiaz (Military) award from President Arif Alvi. At the Aiwan-e-Sadr, the top military officials were given special investitures in front of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, diplomats, lawmakers, and federal ministers were present during the ceremony.


title: Taylor Handley

text: In 1998, Handley played Rory Buck in the movie "Jack Frost". In 2000, Handley starred in the Disney Channel Original Movie, "Phantom of the Megaplex". Handley appeared in three episodes during the last season of "Dawson's Creek" and guest starred during an episode of "". In 2003 and 2004, Handley appeared as Oliver Trask in six episodes of the first season of "The O.C." In 2005, he starred in "Zerophilia", a speculative-fiction romantic comedy exploring gender identity. In 2006, Handley appeared in two films: "The Standard" and "". Handley's next film, "September Dawn", was released to theaters on August 24, 2007.


title: Taylor Handley

text: On April 9, 2009, he guest-starred in the pilot of "Southland", playing Wade. He returned as Wade in the second episode of the second season.


title: Taylor Handley

text: Handley also co-starred alongside Dennis Quaid in the series "Vegas", playing the character Dixon Lamb.


title: Taylor Handley

text: In 2013, he appeared in the commercial "Greatness Awaits" for the PlayStation 4 console, and in 2020 in the State Farm Insurance commercial "Not the One", in which he played a rejected contestant from a "Bachelorette"-esque program who is comforted by "Jake from State Farm".


title: Front Mission

text: The main selling point of "Front Mission" is its storytelling approach. Taking place during the 21st and 22nd centuries, the series revolves around military conflicts and political tension between powerful supranational unions and their member states. Although the "Front Mission" video games use self-contained, standalone stories, these tie into a greater overarching storyline that encompasses the entire series. In combination with the stories from its other media, the series possesses a level of storytelling depth and continuity comparable to a serial drama. Another major draw of "Front Mission" is its use of giant mecha called "wanzers" (from the German word "Wanderpanzer", or walking tanks) in battle.


title: Front Mission

text: Development of the first "Front Mission" started with discussions between software developers Square and G-Craft. Square had never had another developer make a game for them and planning proceeded slowly, but an agreement between the two was finished in the Fall of 1993. Game producer and writer Toshiro Tsuchida presented a proposal for a game called “100 Mission” to Square through his own development company, Solid, on G-Crafts behalf. When Square producer Shinji Hashimoto first saw the first version of the game proposal, he thought it was “too radical” and usually such proposals would not be approved. Square was not enthusiastic, repeatedly telling Tsuchida “no robots”, and being told by Square that game development couldn't just be driven by a creators passion anymore. Tsuchida also had difficulty explaining how much of a role robots would have in the proposed game, and so he obtained some development hardware to create a prototype of the title. Square was the only publisher at the time willing to consider Tsuchidas’ proposal. They finally agreed to make the game because they thought working in a new genre would be stimulating and it was a title they probably could not do themselves as to that point Square had mostly made fantasy games.


title: Front Mission

text: There are two types of "Front Mission" installments: the numbered entries and the non-numbered entries. The numbered "Front Mission" titles are all structured as tactical role-playing games. All other "Front Mission" titles that do not have a number assigned to it are genre spin-offs. Each of the five spin-off entries are classified under different genres. "Front Mission: Gun Hazard" is a side-scrolling shooter video game. "Front Mission Alternative" is a real-time strategy video game. "Front Mission: Online" is a massively multiplayer online third-person shooter video game. "Front Mission Evolved" is a third-person shooter video game with rail shooter segments. In an RPGamer interview with Front Mission developer Koichi Sakamoto in 2007, he suggested that the development team is interested in combining real-time and turn-based aspects for future installments.


title: Front Mission

text: Since 1995, the "Front Mission" series has released 15 video games, seven of which are main (numbered) entries and the other five are spin-off entries. Additionally, the series has spawned a number of video game ports, remakes, and compilations over its 15-year history. On July 12, 2002, a direct port of "Front Mission" was released for the Bandai WonderSwan Color. A year later, the video game entry received a Sony PlayStation remake under the title "Front Mission First" on October 23, 2003. Shortly after its release, a compilation titled "Front Mission History" was released in Japan on December 11, 2003. The compilation contained the "Front Mission First" remake, a modified "Front Mission 2", and "Front Mission 3". "Front Mission First" also spawned an enhanced port of the game on March 22, 2007 for the Nintendo DS. A second remake for "Front Mission 2089" was developed and titled as "Front Mission 2089: Border of Madness". This remake was released for the "Nintendo DS" in Japan on May 29, 2008. A third remake for Front Mission is planned to be released in 2022 for the Nintendo Switch.


title: Front Mission

text: While all "Front Mission" video games have seen releases in Japan, only a few been localized overseas. "Front Mission 3" was the first entry to receive both a North American and European localization on March 22, 2000 and August 11, 2000 respectively. "Front Mission 4" became the second entry to undergo an English localization and was released in North America on June 15, 2004. A three-year gap followed before the localization of the Nintendo DS port of "Front Mission First", which saw a release in North America on October 23, 2007. This marked the third time that a "Front Mission" title was localized for the North American region. "Front Mission Evolved" became the first spin-off entry to be localized in North America and Europe, making it the fourth and second titles respectively to reach those regions. It was released in Japan on September 16, 2010, in North America on September 28, 2010, and in Europe on October 8, 2010.


title: Front Mission

text: To date, only five "Front Mission" entries have ever been officially localized and released outside Japan.


title: Front Mission

text: Although "Front Mission" video games venture into multiple genres, each of them contain core elements that are universal to the entire series. In the "Front Mission" series, players use playable units called wanzers, a term for mecha derived from the German word ""Wanderpanzer"", or "walking tank". Wanzers differ from the typical combat unit in that it has four modular parts: body, left arm, right arm, and legs. Each part has a specific function and its own health bar. The legs parts enable movement and evasion, the arm parts are necessary to use hand and shoulder weapons, and the body part maintains the wanzer's operability. In the event the body is destroyed, the wanzer is removed from play completely. Destruction of arm and leg parts does not remove the wanzer from play, but it severely cripples its performance. While the player fights mostly wanzers, vehicles, aircraft, and mobile weapons platforms are also featured. These enemy units generally have only one part, the body, and are much stronger than wanzers themselves.


title: Front Mission

text: Wanzers can be customized with a variety of parts, computers, auxiliary backpacks, and weapons. The player has full control over customizing their wanzers and can do so as long as its total weight value does not exceed its given power output. To field a wanzer in battle, it must have a complete frame of parts: body, left arm, right arm, and legs. Parts with built-in weapons in the body or arm sections can also be equipped on a wanzer. In most "Front Mission" titles, computers must also be installed; these improve the accuracy of the weapons equipped on the wanzer. Auxiliary backpacks and weapons are not mandatory equipment to use wanzers, but are crucial in order to progress through the games. Auxiliary backpacks serve to give a wanzer special features during combat. For example, storage backpacks allow the player to carry extra ammunition or armor repair items.


title: Front Mission

text: In terms of weapons, there are four classes of weapons: melee weapons, short-range weapons, long-range weapons, and support fire weapons. Melee weapons are hand-to-hand weapons with a tendency to strike the body part of its target. Knuckles, pile bunkers, and rods are examples of melee weapons. Short-range weapons, such as machine guns, shotguns, and flamethrowers are used at close range and deal damage to all parts of a target. Long-range weapons have a long reach and are ideal for avoiding counterattacks. Sniper rifles, bazookas, and Gatling guns are examples of long-range weapons. Support-fire weapons, such as missiles, grenades, and rockets are indirect fire weapons; they can never be counterattacked and almost always hit their target, but have limited ammunition supply. Lastly, shields can be equipped on wanzers to absorb some of the damage taken from incoming attacks.


title: Front Mission

text: The Oceania Cooperative Union (OCU) is a supranational union of countries in Southeast Asia, Oceania, and Australia. The OCU capital, where the OCU Central Parliament located, is Canberra, Australia. The union's roots date back to 2006, when the Association of Southeast Asian Nations reorganized itself into the Bangkok Economic Alliance. The alliance is later renamed into the Oceania Cooperative Union in 2019 after Australia and Oceania decided to join the bloc. It is finally consolidated as a political union in 2026.


title: Front Mission

text: In the localized version of "Front Mission 3", the OCU's full name is presented as "Oceana Community Union". The localized versions of subsequent games use the current naming convention instead.


title: Front Mission

text: The United States of the New Continent (USN) is a supranational union of the North and South American countries. The USN capital, where the USN Central Government operates, is Washington DC. The union's roots date back to 2011, when its relations with Australia began to sour following a diplomatic incident over the detention of an Australian ship named "The Trinidad". The United States and Canada begin negotiations on merging with South American countries after the Republic of Zaftra is formed in 2015. These talks culminate in the creation of the USN five years later.


title: Front Mission

text: In the localized versions of "Front Mission First", "Front Mission 4", and "Front Mission Evolved", the USN is presented as the Unified Continental States (UCS). The localized version of "Front Mission 3" retains the original naming convention.


title: Front Mission

text: The European Community (EC) is a supranational union of the nations in Europe. The capital, where the EC Central Assembly operates, is Paris, France. The union's roots date back to the European Union's (EU) genesis in 1993. In the late 1990s, the EU's founding member-states began to convince other European countries to join their banner. The EU is renamed as the European Community in 2005 as the last of the non-EU countries agree to join the bloc.


title: Front Mission

text: The Organization of African Consolidation (OAC) is an alliance of African countries. The union's roots date back to 2026, when the EC and the OCU assisted the African nations to merge as a super-state. Unlike the other unions, the OAC is divided into five semi-autonomous regional blocs: the South African United States (SAUS), Union of North African States (UNAS), West African States Community Union (WA), the Community of Central African States (CA), and the East African Community (EA).


title: Front Mission

text: The Republic of Zaftra is a supranational union consisting of Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States. The Zaftran capital, where the Zaftra Central Administration operates, is Moscow, Russia. The union's roots date back to the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. The former Soviet republics struggled to survive on their own after it collapsed, facing economic hardships and civil conflicts. In an attempt to remedy their issues and make capitalism work, the post-Soviet nations reformed as the Republic of Zaftra in 2015.


title: Front Mission

text: The Republic of Ravnui is Belarus renamed after it seceded from the Commonwealth of Independent States rather than join the Republic of Zaftra in 2015. The nation's capital is Minsk.


title: Front Mission

text: The People's Republic of Da Han Zhong (DHZ) is formed from the presumably peaceful reunification of China and Taiwan. The nation's capital is Beijing.


title: Front Mission

text: The music of the series includes the soundtracks to the main series, composed of "Front Mission" through F"ront Mission 5: Scars of the War", as well as the spin-off games, which include "Front Mission Series: Gun Hazard", "Front Mission Alternative", "Front Mission: Online", "Front Mission 2089" and its remake "Front Mission 2089: Border of Madness", "Front Mission 2089-II", and "Front Mission Evolved". The soundtracks of the series' installments have been released in album form in Japan, with the exceptions of "2089", "2089-II", "Border of Madness" (which reuse music from the other installments) and "Evolved", which was published in 2010. The soundtrack to "Front Mission" was released in 1995 by NTT Publishing, which also published the soundtrack to "Front Mission: Gun Hazard" in 1996. DigiCube published soundtrack albums for "Front Mission 2" and "Alternative" in 1997 and "3" in 1999. Square Enix published the albums for "Front Mission 4" in 2004, and "5" and "Online" in 2006.


title: Front Mission

text: The soundtracks of the series have been warmly reviewed by critics, especially those of the main series and "Gun Hazard". The music of "Alternative" and "Online" was less well-received. The music of the series typically includes a fusion of electronic and orchestral music, though each game and composer in the series has taken the music in different directions. The composers for the series have included Yoko Shimomura, Noriko Matsueda, Koji Hayama, Hayato Matsuo, Hidenori Iwasaki, and Garry Schyman. A box set of music from across the series is currently planned, but has not yet been formally announced or given a release date.


title: Front Mission

text: In April 1995, Front Mission's original release on the Super Famicom was well received. "Famitsu" magazine gave the Super Famicom version of the game first a 9 out of 10 and later an 8 out of 10 in their Reader Cross Review. "Mega Fun" gave the game a Gold for an import game. "" was rated by "Fun Generation" a 7 out of 10, while "Super GamePower" gave it a 4.2 out of 5. "Famitsu" magazine awarded "Front Mission 2" the game 32 out of 40 upon its release. The magazine chose the game as the number 63rd best game on the original PlayStation. Greg Kasavin of "GameSpot" praised the graphics of "Front Mission Alternative" and audio experience, but criticized the game for being too short and rewarding players with more elaborate story sections if they failed to achieve game missions, indirectly rewarding failure. He also called the soundtrack "a bunch of dizzying techno that doesn't suit the onscreen grandeur". "Hardcore Gaming 101" noted it was not a very deep real time strategy game, but praised its branching stories and variety of endings. "GameSpot" noted that "Front Mission 3" may be a title worth introducing the franchise to American audiences, but criticized its graphics for being a notch lower than "Front Mission 2". "IGN" lauded the game's battle mechanics as rare in other Square installments since "Final Fantasy Tactics", but cited the graphics transitions between overhead play and individual battles as spotty.


title: Front Mission

text: "Front Mission 4" holds a 75% on both GameRankings and Metacritic. North American reaction to the game was consistent across the board, receiving mixed to generally good reviews. It was praised for its deep gameplay, customizable wanzers, and high production values. On the disapproving side many felt the plot advanced at a sluggish pace, the AI was subpar, and the menu system was cumbersome at times. "GameSpot" gave generally positive feedback for "Front Mission Online", describing how the game was successfully transforming the strategy game series into an action and combat based experience. In RPG Fan's Games of 2006 feature, they enumerated the reasons that "" was the "Import RPG of the Year" make note of the game's improvements and excellent execution in design and functionality. The game was also voted the runner-up "Strategy RPG of the Year" by RPG Fan in their "Games of 2006" awards. While the developers acknowledge the good reception of the cinematic focus of the game, they noted that later entries in the series would not necessarily follow the same direction.


title: Front Mission

text: Greg Miller of "IGN" scored "Front Mission Evolved" a 6.0/10, calling it "uninspired" and that it would only appeal to "hardcore mech-heads". He commented that the missions were mainly "frustrating filler", and while the customization of the wanzer was enjoyable, it was often negated by missions "shoehorning you into annoying loadouts". Calling its story "less than stellar", he stated that "it doesn't feel like a full fledged game". "IGN" called "Left Alive" a “failure on every level”, with poor controls and game balances issues cited along with technical glitches. "Destructoid" praises the game's soundtrack and art direction, but highlighted the low resolution graphical textures that gave the game a “drab” look. They also noted “laughable” enemy physics, where killed enemies bodies would jump in the air however they died. They further describes voice acting as “varied”, from decent, to sounding like the actors “gave up” after one take. "Kotaku" loved the idea of urban warfare, including searching for improvised weapons to take on war mechs, but the game's “stiff” and “sluggish” controls made the game impossibly hard to play.


title: Front Mission

text: Since 1994, the "Front Mission" series has spawned numerous products in various media outside of video games. The series has a long-running line of manga and novels that are expanded universe supplements to the stories of the "Front Mission" video games. Likewise, the series has produced two live-action films directed by Yoshihiko Dai and a ten-episode radio drama directed by Hiroshi Yamaguchi, both of which further expand the "Front Mission" universe. Some of the actors and actresses that have been involved in these productions include Banjō Ginga, Hiromi Tsuru, Dax Griffin, Danielle Keaton, and Tina Coté. Apart from these media, there have been numerous books, toys, and soundtracks that have been published under the "Front Mission" brand name.


title: Freelancer (video game)

text: Freelancer is a space trading and combat simulation video game developed by Digital Anvil and published by Microsoft Game Studios. It is a chronological sequel to Digital Anvil's "Starlancer", a combat flight simulator released in 2000. The game was initially announced by Chris Roberts in 1999, and following many production schedule mishaps and a buyout of Digital Anvil by Microsoft, it was eventually released in March 2003.


title: Freelancer (video game)

text: In the game, players take on the roles of spacecraft pilots. These characters fly single-seater ships, exploring the planets and space stations of 48 known star systems. They also engage in dogfights with other pilots (player- and computer-controlled) to protect traders or engage in piracy themselves. Other player activities include bounty-hunting, commodity trading, and resource mining. The single-player mode puts the player in the role of Edison Trent, who goes through a series of missions to save the Sirius sector from a mysterious alien force. In multiplayer mode, players are free to take on any role and to explore anywhere from the start.


title: Freelancer (video game)

text: Players take up the roles of pilots who fly single-seat spacecraft, trading with merchants on space stations and planets, and engaging in combat against other vessels. Starting with a small spacecraft in a star system, the player's character explores the region, opening up new systems for further adventures. Each system provides opportunities to increase the pilot's wealth; aside from taking on jobs to ferry goods and hunting for bounties, the player character can engage in trade. The player character's primary goal in the game is to accumulate money, so as to buy more advanced weaponry and equipment to upgrade his ship.


title: Freelancer (video game)

text: The game is played primarily through "pointing and clicking" with the mouse and a few keyboard commands. This system is also used to control the spacecraft, a breakaway from the traditional use of joysticks for space flight simulators. Observing their spacecraft from the rear, players fly their ships by moving the mouse in the direction they want the vessels to go. "Freelancer"s spacecraft follow simplistic flight dynamics; however, a dash of realism is implemented by allowing the vessels to cut power to their engines and turn to face any direction while drifting along their original path—conservation of momentum. Clicking the mouse button shoots the ship's weapons at the location of the cursor. The interface has no radar display; the location of objects not shown on the screen are indicated by pointers at the screen's edges. Targeting, communications, and navigation data are displayed in information boxes that can be minimized.


title: Freelancer (video game)

text: After the pilot docks with a space station or lands on a planet, the screen and its interface change to a rendition of the area he is visiting. The player moves the pilot to different locations and interacts with certain objects, such as reading a bulletin board and talking to other characters, by clicking on their graphical representations. "Freelancer"s economy consists of buying and selling spacecraft, their armaments and components, and commodities. Certain goods are considered contraband in some systems, and they have to be smuggled past police patrols to their buyers. Computer-controlled characters (non-player characters or NPCs) in certain locations on the planets or stations offer quests and jobs.


title: Freelancer (video game)

text: "Freelancer" features a multiplayer mode, allowing up to 128 players to play together in a game. Multiplayer games are hosted on game servers; personal computers that meet the requirements for the game can act as a server. Gameplay is similar to the single-player mode, but is absent of story-driven quests. The server keeps individual records of the players' progress, and they can resume their game on their next log on to this server. A persistent virtual galaxy is thus maintained for them.


title: Freelancer (video game)

text: The events in "Freelancer" take place 800 years after those in the video game "Starlancer" (2000). The Solar System was engulfed in a civil war, fought between the Western Alliance and the Eastern Coalition. Facing defeat, the Alliance placed its people in stasis and sent them to the Sirius system, where they settled and transformed the surrounding space (the Sirius sector) into a region of political intrigue and opportunity. The rule of the sector is mostly split among four houses, each named after the sleeper ship that brought them to the system. Each house exhibits the culture of its terrestrial ancestor: Liberty of 1920s United States, Bretonia of Victorian era United Kingdom, Kusari of Shogunate era Japan, and Rheinland of Second Industrial Revolution Germany. The fifth sleeper ship, "Hispania", suffered a malfunction en route and was abandoned in deep space (in the Omicron Alpha system). The descendants of its crew became pirates.


title: Freelancer (video game)

text: "Freelancer"s planetary bodies and space stations lie close to a single plane in each system, although some are above or below this plane and ships can travel out of the plane. There are 48 known star systems, and spacecraft can travel from one system to another by passing through jump gates. Within a system, spacecraft can travel in the trade lanes—a series of gates that connect to form a "space highway"—to quickly reach places of interest, such as planets, space stations, and mining operations. Asteroid and debris fields populate some of the systems, and secret hideouts and derelicts with valuable items exist in deep space. Merchant ships ply the trade lanes, carrying cargo from system to system and occasionally coming under attack by pirates. Police and Militaries generally patrol the areas, while larger warships can be found near some hubs.


title: Freelancer (video game)

text: The player takes on the role of Edison Trent, a "mercenary freebooter", in single-player mode. Regardless of Trent's background, the player can play him in different roles, such as being a trader, pirate, or bounty hunter. Throughout the story, Trent meets several NPCs, such as Liberty Security Force (LSF) commander Jun'ko Zane, xenoarchaeologist Professor Roland Quintaine, and head of a secret organization, Casper Orillion. Trent's relationships with these NPCs are pre-determined and illustrated by cutscenes; the player has no choice of import in Trent's interactions with these NPCs.


title: Freelancer (video game)

text: Most NPCs are aligned with a certain faction, such as the police, pirates, a company, or government. Each faction has its own agenda, and the relationships among them are interlinked in a web of alliances and hostilities. Player characters anger a faction and its allies by destroying its ships. Likewise, they gain the favor of a faction—and, to a smaller extent, its allies—by attacking its enemies. Player characters who have a bad relationship with a faction are attacked on sight by its forces and denied from docking with its stations. Paying bribes to a faction improves its attitude to the player character. Several NPCs with major roles are voiced by professional voice actors, such as Ian Ziering ("Beverly Hills, 90210"), Jennifer Hale ("Metroid" games), George Takei ("Star Trek"), and John Rhys-Davies ("Indiana Jones" films and "Sliders"). These NPCs are excluded from the multiplayer mode because of its lack of a campaign story (scripted missions).


title: Freelancer (video game)

text: The plot of "Freelancer"s single-player campaign is illustrated with two hours worth of in-game cutscenes. The story is linear in structure—the player is unable to effect a different storyline—and broken down into stages. Cutscenes inform players of background events and the goals in a stage. Most stages have no time limits for their completion, and players can put the main story on hold while taking on missions (jobs) not crucial to it. However, players can only proceed to other regions of the Sirius sector, where more advanced ships, weaponry, and equipment are obtained, after completing missions that advance the story. Some stages are not introduced until the character has achieved a certain level (based on total worth accumulated), and it is not possible to gain sufficient levels just through the story itself, so players must spend at least some time on side missions to gain money to advance to the level required for the next stage of the story. This is also necessary as some stages would be too tough with only the money and items collected in the story.


title: Freelancer (video game)

text: On starting single-player mode, a cutscene shows the destruction of space station Freeport 7 by unknown forces, leaving Trent without money or ship on the planet Manhattan. While waiting for his debtor, Lonnigan, to regain consciousness, Trent takes up employment with the LSF under Jun'ko Zane, who provides him with a small ship. Lonnigan refuses to pay Trent when he awakes and is mysteriously taken away by the LSF. His death is later announced, and Trent is contacted by a thief who reveals that a mystery party destroyed Freeport 7 to get an artifact in the thief's possession. An LSF officer kills the thief, but the officer is shot by Zane in self-defense as she arrives at the scene. Zane and Trent are forced to flee Liberty space, traveling across approximately half of the "Freelancer" world in their flight. Trent locates xenoarcheology expert Dr. Quintaine to learn more about the artifact. While finding additional materials for their research, they discover the existence of the Nomad alien race, who are the caretakers of an empire that belonged to the previous inhabitants of the Sirius sector, the Dom'Kavosh. The Nomads can possess humans and have slowly infiltrated the four Houses in this manner, planning to ignite a civil war to weaken the humans for elimination.


title: Freelancer (video game)

text: Trent joins the Order, a secret organization formed to combat the Nomads, and helps to rescue the Liberty president from the aliens. Quintaine's research reveals the artifact to be a map and the key to the Dom'Kavosh's hyper gate—super jump gate—network, which currently acts as the Nomads' source of power. The Order launches an attack on what they believe to be the Nomads' homeworld, aiming to activate the hyper gates and cut off the Nomads from their power supply. The activated gates suck the Nomads to an unknown location, and the Order watches over the gates for their return. With the Nomads' defeat, events return to normal in the "Freelancer" world. Trent and Zane are granted full pardons by the governments, and Trent is asked by the Order to be their eyes and ears in Liberty space, allowing the player to continue the game without any story elements.


title: Freelancer (video game)

text: In 1997, Chris Roberts began work on a vision he had since he first conceived "Wing Commander". He wanted to realize a virtual galaxy, whose systems execute their own programs regardless of the players' presence; cities would be bustling with transports and each world's weather changes on its own time. Commodity prices in each star system would fluctuate, according to the activities of the computer controlled traders, who import and export goods. Roberts envisioned thousands of players simultaneously interacting with and influencing this world through a unique and intuitive user interface never seen before in other games. Each player could pursue a quest set up for their character, and join other players to attempt other missions together without needing to exit the game and start a new mode of play. Artificial intelligence would fly the players' spacecraft, letting them concentrate on combat or other tasks. Roberts intended the cutscenes and gameplay visuals to be of equal quality so players would be unable to distinguish between the two. By the end of 1997, it was officially announced that "Freelancer" was in the early stages of a two-and-a-half-year development schedule.


title: Freelancer (video game)

text: Two years later, the project was displayed at GameStock, an annual showcase to the mass media of Microsoft's games. The media covered the event, focusing on the features promised for this game. There were concerns about the state of the graphics and uncertainties over the promise of a dynamic economy, but gaming site GameSpot gave Roberts and his company, Digital Anvil, the benefit of their doubts. Initially in 1999, Roberts announced the game would be available on the market by fall 2000. However, the project suffered delays and by Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) 2000, Roberts said the earliest release for the game was at the end of 2001.


title: Freelancer (video game)

text: In June 2000, Microsoft started talks to buy Digital Anvil. Roberts admitted that his team required large sums of money, which only a huge company could provide, to continue developing "Freelancer" with its "wildly ambitious" features and unpredictable schedule; the project had overshot its original development projection of three years by 18 months. Roberts trusted that Microsoft would not compromise his vision for "Freelancer", and was convinced the software giant would not attempt the takeover if it did not believe "Freelancer" could sell at least 500,000 copies when released. Roberts left the company on completion of the deal, but assumed a creative consultant role on "Freelancer" until its release. Microsoft instructed Digital Anvil to scale down the ambitions of the project and focus on finishing the game based on what was possible and the team's strengths. Features such as the automated flight control, conversations that had different choices of responses, and sub-quests were abandoned. Despite the reductions, several reviewers believed the resultant product was still true to Roberts' vision.


title: Freelancer (video game)

text: The "Freelancer" team kept a low profile throughout 2001 before displaying a demo of their latest work at International Games Festival 2002, drawing large crowds. Microsoft announced the project was on schedule, and Digital Anvil added all the planned content for the game by October 2002. A beta test with approximately 500 testers was conducted, and the only main activities left were to refine the game's features and to fix errors uncovered in the testing. The game shipped to retailers on March 4, 2003, and was later available online through Yahoo's Game on Demand service. Digital Anvil's role on "Freelancer" ended on June 6, 2003, with their delivery of a software patch to resolve issues on the server and cheating; the staff were redeployed to other departments in Microsoft. In accordance with their five-year support policy for software, Microsoft stopped supporting the game on April 8, 2008, and shut down their global server, which managed the list of multiplayer servers and the connection of players to them.


title: Freelancer (video game)

text: "Freelancer"s soundtrack was released by Sumthing Else Music Works on November 18, 2003. Composed by award-winning composer James Hannigan, music group Visual Music Incorporated, and Digital Anvil's musician and programmer Andrew Sega, it includes a bonus DVD that contains the game's alternative introduction movies, concept art, scripts, and deleted content. Communities of "Freelancer" players banded together to produce modified versions of the game. Their software modifications included new ships—including big capital ships—for players to fly and new factions for them to join. Certain modifications allowed the players to fly ships of one franchise against another, for example, "Star Wars" versus "Wing Commander". The communities also worked around the loss of the global server, allowing players to host the modified games on their servers and continuing the Freelancer multiple-player online gaming world.


title: Freelancer (video game)

text: In the United Kingdom, "Freelancer" sold roughly 20,000 units during the first half of 2003. Kristan Reed of GamesIndustry.biz wrote that these were "not figures that spell H.I.T."


title: Freelancer (video game)

text: Chris Roberts is highly regarded in the field of spaceflight combat simulators due to his successful "Wing Commander" franchise. When the industry learned that he was creating a new spaceflight combat simulator, they paid close attention to it. In its first public showing at E3 1999, Roberts's "Freelancer" won four Game Critics Awards, including Best Game of the Show. Journalists at one of the game's later showings queued up to 90 minutes to catch a glimpse of a half-hour demonstration. "Computer Gaming World", trusting Roberts's vision, named "Freelancer" as a game that would revolutionize the gaming industry. Shortly after the game was released, IGN called it the Game of the Month. Early in the game's development, the industry was enthusiastic about the prospect of playing in a world that changes without player interaction (a dynamic world), although there was caution over the possibility of such implementation with contemporary technology. Delays in the schedule and Microsoft's take over of Digital Anvil gave rise to speculation that Roberts's most promised feature—the dynamic world—would be cut.


title: Freelancer (video game)

text: The concerns were partially realized; the features, although not cut, were reduced, leaving "Freelancer" with a virtual world that did not live up to the industry's expectations. It presented a static galaxy, where territories of various factions never change despite the groups' frequent raids and attacks on each other, and commodity prices remain fixed. Nonetheless, reviewers from video game sites, such as Eurogamer and GameSpy, accepted the limitations and focused on other areas of the game. They found the lack of variety a greater detraction from the game than the compromised dynamic world. Excluding the single-player campaign, players never meet any memorable NPC because almost everyone sounds American. According to Game Nation TV, after playing for a while, every character and place looked similar to the extent that the game makes ""Star Trek" look like a xenomorphic zoo". Furthermore, instead of serving as entertainment, the missions, which entail the pilot to fly to a particular location and destroy the enemies there, are so repetitive that they become chores to the reviewers instead.


title: Freelancer (video game)

text: "Freelancer"s graphics software was of older technology, but it did not detract from FiringSquad's praise of the game's artistic quality. The beautiful and realistic depictions of the universe impressed other reviewers, such as GameCritics.com and the Stratos Group. IGN, in particular, was enamored with the game's graphics, describing them as "simply gorgeous" with the best explosions and enormous ships. The mouse-and-keyboard flight control was praised by the industry. Several reviewers found it easy to shoot down enemy ships with the intuitive controls, but others pointed out that aerobatic maneuvers, such as jinking or barrel rolls, cannot be performed, reducing dogfights to overly simplistic and repetitive "chase or be chased" sequences that pale in comparison to the action in other spaceflight simulators.


title: Freelancer (video game)

text: On the story side, reviewers agreed the professional actors, such as Ian Ziering, did a good job in bringing their respective characters to life. However, criticism was placed on the lone voice who voiced all the generic male encounters for his monotonous delivery and making all his characters sound alike. The long cutscenes, which cannot be skipped, frustrated game journalist Tom Chick; he wanted to skip the scenes and continue playing instead of being forced to watch a clichéd story. Other reviewers expressed their own frustrations with the story, such as being forced to move to another star system at undesired times, or leaving them without an objective after the campaign abruptly ended.


title: Freelancer (video game)

text: FiringSquad said "Freelancer"s multiplayer mode encapsulated the "best and worst of [the game] in a nutshell": although players can move their characters anywhere, group with others for missions, and trade ships and equipment, they have very little else to do in the unchanging virtual galaxy. Despite these limitations, Stratos Group said the joy of playing with real-life counterparts is a positive factor; the NPC pilots are so inept that human-controlled pilots outperform them most of the time. However, as the missions are practically the same, IGN and GameCritics.com questioned the point of playing them repeatedly with friends. Furthermore, IGN thought it was meaningless to amass wealth and higher-grade equipment when they cannot be transferred to other servers. The lack of substance and repetitiveness led the gaming site to wonder how long "Freelancer" can be viable as a commercial multiplayer product. Whereas massively multiplayer online games such as "EverQuest" have thousands of players in a vast playing area, "Freelancer" can accommodate only up to 128; the loneliness of playing in such a sparsely populated virtual world gave UGO concern as well over the longevity of "Freelancer"s multiplayer mode.


title: Freelancer (video game)

text: Overall, reviewers acknowledged "Freelancer" fell short of the promises initially made by Roberts; however, it demonstrated a high quality of work in its implemented features. The various concepts were well meshed together to form an entertaining product. It never broke or raised the bar of its genre, but boasted a high production value, and has been said to be well worth the money. The game, however, was an anti-climax for those who were hooked by the touted and promised initial concepts, many of which were never realized. "Freelancer" was a "hugely ambitious game", as admitted by Chris Roberts, for a company to develop without the necessary capital and resources.


title: Freelancer (video game)

text: The editors of "Computer Gaming World" nominated "Freelancer" for their 2003 "Shooter of the Year" award, which ultimately went to "Call of Duty". They wrote, ""Freelancer" dazzled us with its immersive interstellar world, wild combat, and ambitiously open-ended design, but it can't compete with the cinematic spectacle of Europe at war."


title: Freelancer (video game)

text: There were reports that Digital Anvil and Microsoft Game Studios worked on a Freelancer sequel called "Project Lonestar" for the Xbox 360 until Digital Anvil dissolved in 2006.


title: Brownout (electricity)

text: Unintentional brownouts can be caused by excessive electricity demand, severe weather events, or a malfunction or error affecting electrical grid control or monitoring systems. Intentional brownouts are used for load reduction in an emergency, or to prevent a total grid power outage due to high demand. The term "brownout" comes from the dimming of incandescent lighting when voltage reduces.


title: Brownout (electricity)

text: In some countries, the term "brownout" refers not to a drop in voltage but to an intentional or unintentional power outage (or blackout).


title: Brownout (electricity)

text: Different types of electrical apparatus will react in different ways to a voltage reduction. Some devices will be severely affected, while others may not be affected at all.


title: Brownout (electricity)

text: The heat output of any resistive device, such as an electric space heater, is equal to the power consumption, which is directly proportional to the square of the applied voltage if the resistance stays constant. Therefore, a significant reduction of heat output will occur with a relatively small reduction in voltage. An incandescent lamp will dim due to lower heat creation in the filament, as well as lower conversion of heat to light. Generally speaking, no damage will occur but functionality will be impaired.


title: Brownout (electricity)

text: Commutated electric motors, such as universal motors, will run at reduced speed or reduced torque. Depending on the motor design, no harm may occur. However, under load, the motor may draw more current due to the reduced back-EMF developed at the lower armature speed. Unless the motor has ample cooling capacity, it may eventually overheat and burn out.


title: Brownout (electricity)

text: An induction motor will draw more current to compensate for the decreased voltage, which may lead to overheating and burnout. If a substantial part of a grid's load is electric motors, reducing voltage may not actually reduce load and can result in damage to customers' equipment.


title: Brownout (electricity)

text: An unregulated DC supply will produce a lower output voltage. The output voltage ripple will decrease in line with the usually reduced load current. In a cathode-ray tube television, the reduced output voltage will make the screen image smaller, dimmer and fuzzier.


title: Brownout (electricity)

text: A linear DC regulated supply will maintain the output voltage unless the brownout is severe and the input voltage drops below the drop out voltage for the regulator, at which point the output voltage will fall and high levels of ripple from the rectifier/reservoir capacitor will appear on the output.


title: Brownout (electricity)

text: A switched-mode power supply will be affected if the brownout voltage is lower than the minimum input voltage of the power supply. As the input voltage falls, the current draw will increase to maintain the same output voltage and current, until such a point that the power supply malfunctions or its under-voltage protection kicks in and disables the output.


title: Brownout (electricity)

text: Brownouts can cause unexpected behavior in systems with digital control circuits. Reduced voltages can bring control signals below the threshold at which logic circuits can reliably detect which state is being represented. As the voltage returns to normal levels the logic can latch at an incorrect state; to the extent that even 'can't happen' states become possible. The seriousness of this effect and whether steps need to be taken by the designer to prevent it depends on the nature of the equipment being controlled; for instance, a brownout may cause a motor to begin running backwards.


title: Mitchell and Webb

text: Mitchell and Webb are a British comedy double act, composed of David Mitchell and Robert Webb. They are best known for starring in the Channel 4 sitcom "Peep Show" and their radio and TV sketch shows "That Mitchell and Webb Sound" and "That Mitchell and Webb Look". The duo first met at the Footlights in 1993 and collaborated on the 1995 revue while at Cambridge.


title: Mitchell and Webb

text: After graduating from university, the duo performed in two-man shows at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and some sketch writing, including a series of "Big Train" and also for Armstrong and Miller's eponymous show. Their big break came in 2000 when they joined the writing team for the BBC Two sketch show "Bruiser". The following year, the short-lived Play UK channel invited them to write their own sketch show, "The Mitchell and Webb Situation". Later, they wrote and starred in the Radio 4 sketch show "That Mitchell and Webb Sound", later adapted for television on BBC Two as "That Mitchell and Webb Look". The first series of "That Mitchell and Webb Look" won the BAFTA for Best Comedy Programme in 2007.


title: Mitchell and Webb

text: In 2008, the duo wrote a pilot script for their first original TV sitcom, "Playing Shop". The two star as Eric and Jamie, friends who set up a business together after they are made redundant from their old jobs. Hartswood Films recorded the pilot episode on 20 December, with a view to producing a full series for BBC Two. Although approved by BBC, plans for future episodes fell through as Mitchell and Webb decided not to proceed with it.


title: Mitchell and Webb

text: Mitchell and Webb collaborated with Armstrong and Miller again for the 2009 Red Nose Day fundraising event. They co-wrote and starred in two short sketches incorporating Armstrong and Miller's World War II airmen characters from "The Armstrong and Miller Show" and their characters Sir Digby and Ginger from their radio show "That Mitchell and Webb Sound".


title: Mitchell and Webb

text: In 2012, the pair provided the voices for the pair of robots in the "Doctor Who" TV episode "Dinosaurs on a Spaceship" in addition to starring in the BBC Two comedy-drama "Ambassadors".


title: Mitchell and Webb

text: In 2022, they appeared in the Adult Swim series "Rick and Morty" as "Knights of the Sun" in the episode titled "A Rick in King Mortur's Mort" alongside Jack Black, Matt King (comedian) and Daniel Radcliffe


title: Mitchell and Webb

text: Mitchell and Webb have also appeared in the U.K. regional versions of the 'Get a Mac' advertisements for Apple.


title: Mitchell and Webb

text: They also voiced a pair of peas on the "Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway" sponsorship TV adverts for Bird's Eye.


title: Naval Base San Diego

text: Naval Base San Diego, also known as 32nd Street Naval Station, is the second largest surface ship base of the United States Navy and is located in San Diego, California. Naval Base San Diego is the principal homeport of the Pacific Fleet, consisting of over 50 ships and over 150 tenant commands. The base is composed of 13 piers stretched over of land and of water. The total on base population is over 24,000 military personnel and over 10,000 civilians.


title: Naval Base San Diego

text: The of land on which the Naval Base sits today was occupied in 1918 by a coalition of concrete ship building firms known as the Emergency Fleet Corporation, under the single company name Pacific Marine Construction. But Pacific Marine began to lose profits with the conclusion of World War I, and negotiated a return of the land back to the City of San Diego. Meanwhile, the Navy was exploring the small tract of land to establish a west coast ship repair facility and moved on the opportunity to acquire the land. By 1920, the Navy and the Emergency Fleet Corporation had negotiated the transfer of land improvements to the United States Navy. Still, three obstacles stood in the way of a Navy repair facility: the coalition company, Schofield Engineering Co., still retained an option to purchase the existing plant; a local shipping board had not granted permission for more construction; and finally, Congress had not yet passed an appropriations bill to authorize funds to begin work.


title: Naval Base San Diego

text: Nevertheless, by June 1920, Congress passed the appropriations bill- $750,000 of which was earmarked for the navy repair base. With the money appropriated, Schofield still delayed in releasing their option on the land. At the time, Admiral Roger Welles, then Commandant of the 11th Naval District, had grown weary of Schofield's delaying tactics and threatened to pull stakes and establish a repair base in San Pedro, Los Angeles, California.


title: Naval Base San Diego

text: His threats worked. On 21 February 1921, Welles assumed formal custody of the property. In May 1921, Commander H.N. Jensen, Commanding Officer of the repair tender USS "Prairie", was directed to moor at the site to establish repair operations. On 23 February 1922, acting Secretary of the Navy Theodore Roosevelt Jr. issued General Order 78 establishing the facility as the U.S. Destroyer Base, San Diego.


title: Naval Base San Diego

text: During its first years in commission, the base grew rapidly as repair facilities expanded, torpedo and radio schools were established, and more shops were constructed. During 1924, the base decommissioned 77 destroyers and commissioned seven.


title: Naval Base San Diego

text: By 1937, the Destroyer Base had added two additional tracts of land and by then, its 29 buildings and other improvements amounted to a cost of more than $3.2 million.


title: Naval Base San Diego

text: The base then expanded heavily during World War II, and by 1942, the Navy had added expanded fleet training schools, and an amphibious force training unit. By the following year, it was determined the scope of operations exceeded the base's basic function as a Destroyer Base. On 7 October 1943, the base was re-designated the U.S. Repair Base, San Diego, a title it retained throughout World War II. Between 1943 and 1945, the newly named base performed conversion, overhaul, maintenance, and battle damage repair to more than 5,117 ships. Central to this maintenance were the Navy's construction and delivery of 155 new floating dry docks deployed to various bases, including three 3,000-ton, three 1,000-ton and one 900-ton floating docks remaining at the San Diego Repair Base. The floating dry docks became the central repair and training facilities on the base which were crucial to the World War II mission.


title: Naval Base San Diego

text: After World War II, base operations were again reorganized, with a post-war mission to provide logistical support (including repair and dry-docking) to ships of the active fleet. On 15 September 1946, the Secretary of the Navy re-designated the repair base Naval Station, San Diego. By the end of 1946, the base had grown to 294 buildings with floor space square footage of more than , berthing facilities included five piers of more than of berthing space. Land then totaled more than and of roads. Barracks could accommodate 380 officers and 18,000 enlisted men. More than 3,500 sailors could be fed in the galley at a single sitting on the base.


title: Naval Base San Diego

text: Later, in the 1990s, the Naval Station became the principal homeport of the then U.S. Pacific Fleet, when the Long Beach Naval Shipyard was closed for the final time on 30 September 1994. Naval Station San Diego was realigned under Commander, Navy Region Southwest and became one in a triad of metropolitan Navy bases that now make up the bulk of the metro area Navy's presence. With that change, the base became the hub of all Navy port operations for the Region, assumed logistical responsibility for both Naval Medical Center San Diego and the Region headquarters and was re-designated Naval Base San Diego.


title: Naval Base San Diego

text: Naval Base San Diego is home port to approximately 54 ships, including 46 U.S. Navy ships, two Littoral Combat Ships, two U.S. Coast Guard cutters, and eight ships of the Military Sealift Command, as well as research and auxiliary vessels.


title: Naval Base San Diego

text: Ashore, the base has approximately 150 separate tenant commands and other Navy support facilities, each having specific and specialized fleet support missions. The base is a workplace for approximately 26,000 military, civilian, and contract personnel. Additionally, the base has rooms to house more than 4,000 men and women in modern apartment-like barracks, including newer state-of-the-art residential towers.


title: Naval Base San Diego

text: Support services on base includes less direct and indirect fleet support: waterfront operations, force protection (security), supply, Navy Exchange and Commissary shopping centers, bachelor quarters, food services, public affairs, administration, transient personnel administration, fiscal management, equal employment opportunity, civil engineering, family services, recreation on the base and near various military family housing areas, medical and dental care, religious services, transportation, utilities, legal support, counseling and assistance, facility maintenance, fire protection, educational services, and child care for more than 300 children daily at the base Child Development Center.


title: Naval Base San Diego

text: An explosion and fire on the USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6) on July 12, 2020 resulted in the eventual decommissioning and scrapping of the ship.


title: Louisiana Creole

text: Louisiana Creole () is a French-based creole language spoken by fewer than 10,000 people, mostly in the state of Louisiana. It is spoken today by people who may racially identify as White, Black, mixed, and Native American, as well as Cajun and Creole. It should not be confused with its sister language, Louisiana French, a dialect of the French language. Many Louisiana Creoles do not speak the Louisiana Creole language and may instead use French or English as their everyday languages.


title: Louisiana Creole

text: Due to the rapidly shrinking number of speakers, Louisiana Creole is considered an endangered language.


title: Louisiana Creole

text: Louisiana was colonized by the French beginning in 1699, as well as Canadians who were forced out of Acadia around the mid-18th century. Colonists were large-scale planters, small-scale homesteaders, and cattle ranchers who had little success in enslaving the indigenous peoples who inhabited the area; the French needed laborers as they found the climate very harsh. They began to import African slaves, as they had for workers on their Caribbean island colonies. It is estimated that, beginning about 1719, a total of 5,500 persons were transported from the Senegambia region of West Africa. These people originally spoke a Mande language related to Malinke. They were in contact with slaves speaking other languages, such as Ewe, Fon, and Igbo. The importation of slaves by the French regime continued until 1743.


title: Louisiana Creole

text: Kouri-Vini developed in 18th century Louisiana from interactions among speakers of the lexifier language of Standard French and several substrate or adstrate languages from Africa. Prior to its establishment as a creole, the precursor was considered a pidgin language. The social situation that gave rise to the Louisiana Creole language was unique, in that the lexifier language was the language found at the contact site. More often the lexifier is the language that arrives at the contact site belonging to the substrate/adstrate languages. Neither the French, the French-Canadians, nor the African slaves were native to the area; this fact categorizes Louisiana Creole as a contact language that arose between exogenous ethnicities. Once the pidgin tongue was transmitted to the next generation as a "lingua franca" (who were considered the first native speakers of the new grammar), it could effectively be classified as a creole language.