title: Blow Up Your Video

text: The album was the band's biggest-selling album of new material since "For Those About to Rock We Salute You", being certified Platinum in the US. "Blow Up Your Video" reached No. 2 in the UK and No. 12 in the US. The album was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance Vocal or Instrumental in 1989. In the original "Rolling Stone" review, Jim Farber wrote, "Fortunately, the Young brothers continue to come up with enough inspired riffs to make the tunnel vision justifiable. In fact, the riffs here add up to the band's catchiest work since its classic album "Back in Black"." Greg Prato of AllMusic called the album "unfocused" and "glutted with such throwaways as "Nick of Time"." Canadian journalist Martin Popoff found the album "frustrating" and the band "looking too deeply for a new enigmatic direction".


title: Blow Up Your Video

text: Author Paul Stenning however described the album as, "the sound of a group remaining current but still defining the rock art form on their own terms."


title: Blow Up Your Video

text: The additional songs "Snake Eye" and "Borrowed Time" were recorded but only released on the 12-inch single versions of "Heatseeker" and "That's the Way I Wanna Rock 'n' Roll", respectively. "Snake Eye" was also included on the 3-inch CD-single for "Heatseeker". The song "Down on the Borderline" was recorded, but not released until 1990, as the B-side of the Australian "Moneytalks" single in 7-inch, 12-inch and CD-single formats.


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: Berlin Hauptbahnhof () (English: Berlin Central Station) is the main railway station in Berlin, Germany. It came into full operation two days after a ceremonial opening on 26 May 2006. It is located on the site of the historic Lehrter Bahnhof, and on the Berlin S-Bahn suburban railway. The station is operated by DB Station&Service, a subsidiary of Deutsche Bahn AG, and is classified as a Category 1 station, one of 21 in Germany and four in Berlin, the others being Berlin Gesundbrunnen, Berlin Südkreuz and Berlin Ostbahnhof.


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: "Lehrter Bahnhof" (Lehrte Station) opened in 1871 as the terminus of the railway linking Berlin with Lehrte, near Hanover, which later became Germany's most important east–west main line. In 1882, with the completion of the Stadtbahn (City Railway, Berlin's four-track central elevated railway line, which carries both local and main line services), just north of the station, a smaller interchange station called Lehrter Stadtbahnhof was opened to provide connections with the new line. This station later became part of the Berlin S-Bahn. In 1884, after the closure of nearby Hamburger Bahnhof (Hamburg Station), Lehrter Bahnhof became the terminus for trains to and from Hamburg.


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: Following heavy damage during World War II, limited services to the main station were resumed, but then suspended in 1951. In 1957, with the railways to West Berlin under the control of East Germany, Lehrter Bahnhof was demolished, but Lehrter Stadtbahnhof remained as a stop on the S-Bahn. In 1987, it was extensively renovated to commemorate Berlin's 750th anniversary. After German reunification, it was decided to improve Berlin's railway network by constructing a new north–south main line, to supplement the east-west Stadtbahn. Lehrter Stadtbahnhof was considered to be the logical location for a new central station.


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: The station is located in the Moabit district, in the Mitte constituency. To the north is Europaplatz and Invalidenstraße, and to the south is Washingtonplatz and the Spree. South of the station is the Spreebogenpark, the Bundeskanzleramt, and the Paul-Löbe-Haus. To the east is the Mitte district and the Humboldthafen.


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: Berlin Hauptbahnhof is part of the mushroom concept in Berlin, in which the station forms a connecting point for converging and intersecting lines of different modes of public transport.


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: Structurally, the entire station complex is a tower station, while operationally it is a crossing station similar to all central stations. The complex consists of several independent operating points:


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: The station building has two platform levels and three connecting and business levels. Compared to Raffles Place MRT station and Taipei main station, it is one of the most densely packed stations. The upper platform level serves the Berlin Stadtbahn, and consists of six elevated tracks on four bridge structures, served by three island platforms ten metres high. The outer bridges carry one track each, while the inner bridges carry two each. The lower platform level serves the Berlin North–South mainline, and consists of eight underground tracks served by four island platforms 15 metres deep. To the east are two tracks and an island platform serving U-Bahn line U5 (formerly line U55). Further to the east, a similar double track platform is being built as part of the S21 project.


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: The bridges carrying the Stadtbahn are approximately 680 metres long, and span not only the station area, but also the adjacent Humboldthafen. Due to the way the Stadtbahn is aligned, they are curved, and due to the broadening from four to six tracks and the additional platforms, the total width has increased from 39 to 66 metres wide. The Humboldthafen Bridge spans the Humboldthafen with a span of 60 metres. It consists of a bow with steel tubes and pre-stressed concrete beam as upper flange.


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: The upper platform hall, which runs east–west, is 321 metres long and consists of the arched, column-free, glass roof structure, which is supported by the two outer railway overpass structures. In the glass surface, a 2700 square metre photovoltaic system with a capacity of 330 kilowatts was integrated. The hall is between 46 and 66 metres wide and a maximum of 16 metres high. It consists of three sections, with the western segment 172 metres and the eastern 107 metres long. In between lies the 50 metres wide and 180 metres long north–south roof, whose barrel vaults with the main roof form a flat viaduct. Parallel to the north–south roof, the two "ironing structures" span the main roof of the platform hall and carry the north–south roof. These ironing structures contain 42,000 square metres of office space.


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: On the northeastern part of the two diagonally opposite station terraces, the sculpture of Rolling Horse, erected in 2007 by Jürgen Goertz, artificially complements the building and is reminiscent to Lehrter Bahnhof and Lehrter Stadtbahnhof. There are integrated artificial elements, which can be viewed through four portholes.


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: From the southwestern terrace, it rises the disguised chimney located underneath the Tunnel Tiergarten Spreebogen.


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: During Cyclone Kyrill, on 18 January 2007, the 8.4 metre long, 1.35 ton horizontal strut 40 metres high, crashed from the lattice-like exterior onto a staircase, onto the southwestern part of the building, another strut was torn from the anchorage. These decorative elements had only been hung up and should only hold their own weight. As a remedy, small sheets were placed above the carrier to prevent further carrier dissolution.


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: Between 1868 and 1871, a 239 kilometre railway was built between Hannover and Berlin via Lehrte by the Magdeburg Halberstädter railway company. Lehrter Bahnhof was constructed as the Berlin terminus. It was adjacent to Hamburger Bahnhof, just outside what was then Berlin's boundary at the Humbolthafen port on the river Spree. Its architects were Alfred Lent, Bertold Scholz, and Gottlieb Henri Lapierre.


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: In contrast to earlier railway stations, built with brick façades, and in keeping with then-current trends, Lehrter Bahnhof was designed in the French Neo-Renaissance style. Its originally planned stone façade was replaced with glazed tiles to save money. With its magnificent architecture, the station was known as a "palace among stations".


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: The train shed was 188 metres long and 38 metres wide. Its roof was a long barrel vault with steel supports. As was common for the period, the station was divided into an arrival side on the west, and a departure side on the east. Originally there were five tracks, four of which ended at the side and the central platform; the fifth track had no platform and served as a turnaround for the locomotives. At the turn of the century this track was removed to accommodate the widening of the central platform.


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: Although the front of the building was ornate and had a grand entrance, most passengers entered and left via the east side, where horse-drawn carriages were able to stop.


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: In 1882 the metropolitan railway, predecessor of the S-Bahn, began service along two of the Stadtbahn tracks; long-distance traffic commenced in 1884 along the other two. With the expansion of Lehrter Bahnhof, it was able to take over the functions of Hamburger Bahnhof. A 300 m connector line was built; on 14 October 1884, traffic towards Hamburg, northeast Germany, and Scandinavia was diverted to Lehrter Bahnhof, and Hamburger Bahnhof closed.


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: In 1886, the Berlin-Lehrte railway, and with it Lehrter Bahnhof, was nationalized and subsequently came under the control of the Prussian State Railways.


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: Even in its early years, the line was known as one of the country's fastest: in 1872, express trains could attain a speed of . 19 December 1932 marked the maiden voyage of the famous diesel-powered Fliegender Hamburger (Flying Hamburger), which whisked passengers to Hamburg at .


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: In the Second World War the station was severely damaged. After the war, the shell was repaired such that it could be used temporarily. During the late 1940s it became a frequent spot for Group of Soviet Occupation Forces in Germany soldiers to sexually assault passengers. However, the postwar division of Germany spelled the end for most of West Berlin's mainline stations. On 28 August 1951 the final train departed from Lehrter Bahnhof, heading for Wustermark and Nauen. On 9 July 1957 demolition began, and on 22 April 1958 the main entrance was blown up. The biggest challenge in the demolition of the station was to preserve the viaducts of the Stadtbahn, which ran directly overhead. Work was completed in the summer of 1959.


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: On 15 May 1882, Lehrter Stadtbahnhof opened, situated on the Stadtbahn viaduct at the northern end of Lehrter Bahnhof's concourse.


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: This four-track station on the Stadtbahn was used mainly by suburban trains. The main purpose of the Stadtbahn was to connect central areas of Berlin with the Lehrter Bahnhof, the Schlesischer Bahnhof termini with nearby Charlottenburg, then still a separate city. It also provided an east–west railway connection across the centre of Berlin.


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: Because of steadily increasing traffic to Lehrter Stadtbahnhof and its location on a bridge crossing the north end of Lehrter Bahnhof, elaborate changes were made to the track structure in 1912 and again in 1929. On 1 December 1930, the newly electrified suburban trains were given the designation S-Bahn, making the Lehrter Stadtbahnhof an S-Bahnhof.


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: During the War, in April 1943 the station was bombed by the Polish sabotage and diversionary squad "Zagra-lin".


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: The Stadtbahnhof survived WWII intact, but came to lose its pre-war significance due to the division of Berlin; with Lehrter Bahnhof closed, the Stadtbahnhof served only a relatively underpopulated area near the border with East Berlin. It was the final stop in West Berlin; the next station, Berlin Friedrichstraße, was in East Berlin, although it served as a stop on the West Berlin S- and U-Bahn systems; these parts of the station were sealed off and inaccessible to East Berliners. The S-Bahn, like the mainlines leading to West Berlin, was run by the East German railway, the Deutsche Reichsbahn. The 1961 construction of the Berlin Wall further isolated the station, and led to a boycott of the S-Bahn in West Berlin that lasted until the 1980s, when operation of the West Berlin S-Bahn lines was transferred to the West Berlin transit authority, the BVG.


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: Berlin’s 750th-anniversary celebration in 1987 saw the station, now under West Berlin control, renovated at a cost of about DM 10 million. Because it had largely been preserved in its original condition, it became a listed building.


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: However, in 2002, Lehrter Stadtbahnhof was demolished to make way for the new central station, despite its listed status. The argument was that Bellevue and Hackescher Markt stations were architecturally similar. Hackescher Markt, in former East Berlin, had been restored in 1994–1996, after German reunification.


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: Soon after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, city planners began work on a transport plan for reunified Berlin. One element of this became the "Pilzkonzept" (mushroom concept), in which a new north–south railway line intersecting the Stadtbahn was to be constructed. The name derived from the shape formed by the new line and existing lines, which vaguely resembles a mushroom.


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: In June 1992 the federal government decided that the new station should be built on the site of Lehrter Bahnhof. While close to the centre of Berlin and government buildings, the area was still not heavily populated. The following year, a design competition for the project was held, which was won by the Hamburg architecture firm Gerkan, Marg and Partners.


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: The design called for five levels. The highest level, on a bridge 10 metres above street level, was to have platforms for both long-distance and S-Bahn trains on the existing Stadbahn. The lowest level, 15 metres underground, was to have platforms served by new tunnels to Potsdamer Platz under the Spree and the Tiergarten, forming a new north–south line running to the northern part of the S-Bahn ring around central Berlin. Platforms for the planned extension to U-Bahn line 5 were also included.


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: The planning approval for the station and the north–south connection was made on 12 September 1995. In 1997, a financing agreement was signed between Perleberger Straße and Spreebogen, between the federal government and the railway in the total amount of €700 million. The federal share amounted to €500 million. Any additional cost increases were supposed to be broken down according to a defined key.


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: New York-based Tishman Speyer Properties was commissioned by Bahn AG to develop the station. Execution planning and construction supervision were carried out by the Stuttgart engineering consultants Schlaich, Bergermann and Partner.


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: The Hauptbahnhof was planned to have platforms for the cancelled Transrapid maglev train at track 8. Later on, it was replaced by normal railway tracks.


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: The building work took place in several stages. In 1995 the construction of the Tiergarten tunnels began, and this work was finished in 2005 with the completion of the last station tunnel. The tunnels provide four tubes for long-distance and regional services and two tubes in a separate alignment for the U-Bahn, in addition to a road tunnel ventilated by a tower completed in 2004. During its construction, the course of the Spree had to be diverted (1996–1998). Water leaks in the tunnels caused over one year's delay to the construction work.


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: In 1998, the construction of the station proper began. About 1.5 million cubic meters of material were excavated for the pits, which are 90,000 square meters in total and about 20 meters deep. In their place, 227,000 cubic meters of concrete and 13,000 tons of steel reinforcement were installed. With 27-meter-long buoyancy anchors (a total of 250 kilometres) and 180 kilometres of inclined anchors, the foundation was anchored against the buoyant pressure of groundwater (200 kilonewtons per square meter).


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: On 9 September 1998, the foundation stone was laid symbolically by Federal Minister of Transport Wissmann, railway director Ludewig and Berlin's governing mayor Eberhard Diepgen in the then 17-metre-deep excavation pit. The commissioning date was in 2003. Construction costs were estimated at 800 million DM (€409 million). Over 50 million long-distance passengers and 86 million regional passengers were projected to use the station each year.


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: After groundwater had penetrated into the excavation pit as a result of a leak, the completion date was postponed in the spring of 1999. The incident necessitated a far-reaching change in the safety concept during the construction phase, in order to keep the groundwater lying about three meters below the ground. Under the new schedule, the station's shell should have been finished in 2003, and trial operations should have begun in 2004. In the middle of 2001, commissioning for 2006 was expected.


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: Construction of the bridges for the new S-Bahn route began in 2001. These needed to span not only the entire length of the station, but also the adjacent Humboldthafen port, and are long. Because of the alignment of the S-Bahn they are curved, and each pair of tracks has a separate bridge. Bridges of this type had never been built before, and represented a special challenge for the Egyptian engineer Hani Azer, the chief construction engineer since 2001.


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: The main station hall is spanned by a similarly curved glass roof with a surface area of about by , which was installed in February 2002. A photovoltaic system was integrated into the glass surface. The steel and glass construction was a difficult task for the engineers, particularly as the glass roofs were shortened by approximately 100 metres to speed up construction.


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: Over the first weekend of July 2002 the bridges and main station hall were brought into service so that traffic could be diverted onto the new alignment. The old Lehrter Stadtbahnhof S-Bahn station was closed and rapidly demolished to make way for further construction. On 9 September 2002 the station was renamed "Berlin Hauptbahnhof – Lehrter Bahnhof".


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: The main concourse, supported by two towers, provides roughly of commercial space. Construction of the towers began in 2005. On two separate weekends, 29 July and 13 August 2005, structural frames were installed, supporting the structure above the east–west tracks. This was built using a new technique: the frames, each weighing 1250 t, were lowered by steel cables at a rate of per hour; the remaining gap between the bow frames upon completion of the lowering process was subsequently closed.


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: During summer 2003 a survey commissioned by Peter Strieder, Berlin's Senator for City Development and Traffic, and Deutsche Bahn director Hartmut Mehdorn was conducted among Berlin residents with the intention of selecting a name for the station. Of the three possibilities listed on the survey, the majority of participants opted for Lehrter Bahnhof; nevertheless, the station remained "Berlin Hauptbahnhof – Lehrter Bahnhof", an option that was not listed. It was decided early in 2005 that the station would be renamed "Berlin Hauptbahnhof" on the date of its opening, 28 May 2006, to avoid confusing rail passengers. On the same day, Berlin Papestraße station, which was rebuilt as the city's second-largest station, opened officially under its new name, Berlin Südkreuz (South Cross), similar to the existing Ostkreuz and Westkreuz stations. It is also on the new north–south route. Although it was intended to open a further station as Berlin-Nordkreuz (North Cross), the name Berlin-Gesundbrunnen was retained for what became Berlin's fourth biggest railway station for commuter and long-distance trains, located in a more northern part of Berlin, where the circle and north–south-line of the S-Bahn cross each other.


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: In 2005 the bridging segments, which cross over the roof of the station, were lowered. This was the first time this unique method to build later office rooms was applied.


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: The architect Meinhard von Gerkan filed a complaint against Deutsche Bahn in October 2005 after Deutsche Bahn altered the station construction timeline without proper approval. The complaint was upheld in late 2006. There may therefore be further construction on the station in the future.


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: In addition, Deutsche Bahn decided to implement a slightly different version of the "Pilzkonzept" by running intercity trains through the new Tiergarten tunnels rather than via the Stadtbahn. This move was unpopular for its effect on Berlin's two previous main stations; Bahnhof Berlin Zoologischer Garten (Zoo Station) was downgraded to a regional railway station, and the number of mainline services to Berlin Ostbahnhof (East Station) was drastically reduced.


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: On 26 May 2006, the station was ceremonially opened by Chancellor Angela Merkel, who arrived together with transport minister Wolfgang Tiefensee in a specially chartered InterCityExpress from Leipzig. A "Symphony of Light" was performed immediately following the dedication. Reamonn and BAP performed at the station, and there were also events at the other new stations: Gesundbrunnen, Potsdamer Platz and Südkreuz. Berlin Hauptbahnhof officially went into operation on 28 May 2006.


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: The opening ceremony was marred by an attack by a drunken 16-year-old wielding a knife, who stabbed members of the public leaving the ceremony. Forty-one people were wounded, six seriously, before the youth was arrested. According to police, the youth said he could not remember his act of violence and denied it. One of the first stabbing victims was HIV-positive, leading to worries that other victims may have been infected, although this did not prove to be the case. The youth was charged with attempted murder, and was sentenced to seven years in prison for attempted manslaughter in 33 cases in 2007.


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: On 18 January 2007, two steel beams of the south-west façade were torn loose during European windstorm Kyrill. One of them, an 8.4 metre long beam weighing 1.35 tonnes, dropped 40 metres onto a staircase below, and the other impacted and damaged a third beam. The station had suffered some flooding and had been evacuated due to the complete cancellation of train service in Germany. Consequently, nobody was injured and the station was cleared for reopening the following day. The beams had not been welded or bolted in place but laid down like shelves in a bookcase.


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: In the next days extra lugs were welded to the remaining beams to secure them in place and the station declared stormproof on 23 January.


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: The Berlin U-Bahn line U55 opened in August 2009, connecting Hauptbahnhof with the Brandenburger Tor station. In December 2020 the line was extended to Alexanderplatz and it became part of line U5.


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: The airport express line was connected to the new Berlin Brandenburg Airport in 2020. It still has a travel time of 30 minutes.


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: The rail bridge construction leading into the upper level of the station forms a curve, and some of the screws holding it in place have loosened. This required a €25 million reconstruction which involved the closure of the upper level rail tracks during a 3-month period in summer 2015.


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: In 2022, the train station became a key gateway for tens of thousands of refugees fleeing Ukraine and entering Germany. The station's basement became a makeshift processing point where refugees received supplies and directed to temporary accommodation or their next destination.


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: The upper level of the station has six tracks (two of which are used for the Berlin S-Bahn) served by three island platforms. The lower level has eight tracks served by four island platforms for main-line trains, plus a further island platform for the Berlin U-Bahn. The lower level is often denoted by 'tief' on travel guides, etc. (thus the calling point may be "Berlin Hbf (tief)"). There is no rail connection between the upper and lower level track in the station area (or anywhere else nearby). 1,800 trains call at the station per day and the daily number of passengers is estimated to be at 350,000.


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: , the station is used by InterCityExpress, Intercity, Interregioexpress, RegionalExpress, RegionalBahn and S-Bahn trains. The station also hosts several international trains, and the most distant cities reached are Novosibirsk (Russia) and Astana (Kazakhstan), with an express named ""Sibirjak"". The upper part of the station, with the east–west tracks, is part of the Berlin Stadtbahn, with trains leading to locations like Hanover or Cologne. The subterranean station, which lies in the north-south Tiergarten tunnel, offers long-distance services to Hamburg, Leipzig or Munich.


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: For the north–south connection is in the course of S21 S-platform in the tunnel level initially in a northerly direction with the Ringbahn, later of a continuation as a tunnel section with the Potsdamer Platz are connected. The construction of the northern section began in January 2010 and was initially scheduled to be completed by 2015. The realization of the southern section is after completion of the construction work on the extension of U5 expected to end of 2020.


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: The U-Bahn tracks are served by the U5, running from Hauptbahnhof to Hönow via Alexanderplatz. It was opened on 8 August 2009 as line U55, a shuttle to Brandenburger Tor via Bundestag, the only intermediate station. This line was operated as a single-track shuttle, and only one of the two platform tracks was used, the other being behind a metal fence, mounted in the ground. Construction of a connection to line U5 commenced in April 2010 and opened to the public on 4 December 2020. In the long term it is planned to extend the U5 from the main station towards the west to Turmstraße and Jungfernheide. Due to lack of funds from the state of Berlin, the northwestern continuation is not expected in the near future.


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: The underground station is in the second level of the main station, and east of the deep north–south train platforms (tracks 1–8). It has a central platform, which is covered with granite. To exit the platform are three stairs, an escalator and a lift. In addition, the station is equipped with tactile paving for accessibility.


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: The platform hall has a length of 140 metres, 11 metres in height and 19 metres in width. The wall cladding consists of enamel plates which are decorated with photographs of the former Berlin head stations. Furthermore, colored lighting illuminates the ceiling space above the platform.


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: Since it is the terminus of the U5, a short two-pronged branch railway was built to the north. One of the two sweeping tracks is located at a lockable manhole, through which the U-Bahn carriages can be replaced if necessary with a crane.


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: Zoning for the underground line U11 under the Invalidenstraße is provided for at the station, however construction of this line has not yet commenced.


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: In 2009, the approval process was started to build a tram track connecting Hauptbahnhof to the existing tram network. After some legal hurdles by residents, construction started in the spring of 2011. On 14 December 2014, line M5 was extended from S Hackescher Markt to Hauptbahnhof.


title: Berlin Hauptbahnhof

text: There are plans to extend the tram network and line M10 further to the west, to Turmstraße U-Bahn station on line U9.


title: Sparkle (2012 film)

text: Sparkle is a 2012 American musical film directed by Salim Akil and produced by Stage 6 Films. It was released on August 17, 2012, by TriStar Pictures. Inspired by The Supremes, "Sparkle" is a remake of the 1976 film of the same title, which centered on three singing teenage sisters who form a girl group in the late 1950s. The remake takes place in Detroit, Michigan in 1968 during the Motown era.


title: Sparkle (2012 film)

text: The film stars Jordin Sparks, Whitney Houston, Derek Luke, Cee Lo Green, Mike Epps, Carmen Ejogo, Tika Sumpter, Tamela Mann, and Omari Hardwick. "Sparkle" features songs from the original film written by soul musician Curtis Mayfield as well as new compositions by R&B artist R. Kelly. This film is the debut of R&B/pop singer and "American Idol" winner Jordin Sparks as an actress. "Sparkle" also marks Whitney Houston's fifth and final feature film role before her death on February 11, 2012, three months after filming ended. The film is dedicated to her memory.


title: Sparkle (2012 film)

text: In Detroit, Michigan in 1968, the three Anderson sisters—19-year-old Sparkle, middle sister Delores aka Dee, and eldest Tammy aka "Sister"—are approached by aspiring record label executive Stix to form a music group after he sees Sister perform a song that Sparkle wrote at a nightclub. The girls are raised by their mother Emma, who disapproves of her daughters singing outside of church.


title: Sparkle (2012 film)

text: Dee agrees to join the girl group, reasoning she will perform until she has earned enough money to pay for medical school. Though Sister is initially undecided, Sparkle convinces her that if the group wins a local talent show, she could use the prize money to finally move out of Emma's home. Stix becomes romantically involved with Sparkle, and his cousin Levi also becomes involved with Sister.


title: Sparkle (2012 film)

text: With Stix as their manager, the three sisters enter the talent competition and wow the crowd with their performance of "Hooked on Your Love". The sisters become a popular act and are invited to perform at clubs throughout Detroit. Sister gains the attention of stand-up comedian Satin Struthers, whom Sister dumps Levi for.


title: Sparkle (2012 film)

text: When a newly engaged Sister brings Satin over for a family dinner, an argument erupts after Satin makes insulting remarks and Emma makes her dislike for him known to everyone at the table. In response, Sister lashes out at Emma, criticizing her for having her as a teen, which left Sister to raise her younger siblings as Emma was out drinking and trying to pursue a music career. Sister leaves with Satin and Emma banishes her from returning home.


title: Sparkle (2012 film)

text: As the girls' fame continues to rise, Sister's relationship with Satin becomes physically abusive and she spirals into drug abuse. This becomes apparent to Dee and Sparkle when, in preparation to open for Aretha Franklin on a television show, Sister walks into the dressing room with a black eye and bruises. Sparkle, Sister and Dee manage to perform "Something He Can Feel". Emma catches a glimpse of their performance on television but is resentful that her daughters have gone against her wishes to pursue singing.


title: Sparkle (2012 film)

text: Stix introduces the girls to Larry Robinson, a Columbia Records executive who offers to sign them as a group. Dee and Sparkle try to get Sister to leave Satin and come back home with them, but are unsuccessful. At home, Sparkle's relationship with Emma becomes increasingly strained as she is pressured into abandoning her love of singing.


title: Sparkle (2012 film)

text: A meeting with Columbia Records is derailed when Dee and Sparkle find Sister in a back room looking for a cocaine fix. At Satin and Sister's home, Dee and Sparkle plea for Sister to leave and get help for her drug problem. When Satin shows up and punches Sparkle, the three sisters fight Satin in self-defense. Satin is struck by Dee with a tire iron and falls unconscious. Though Dee tries to administer CPR, the sisters realize he is dead. Sister orders Sparkle and Dee to leave the house and accepts blame when police arrive.


title: Sparkle (2012 film)

text: Hearing that Sister has been arrested and charged with manslaughter, Emma leads her church choir in a performance of "His Eye is on the Sparrow". She arrives home to find Dee packing up to leave, with Dee revealing she was accepted to Meharry Medical College and must enroll promptly to receive her scholarship money. Emma proudly hugs Dee before she departs.


title: Sparkle (2012 film)

text: Sparkle visits Sister in prison, confiding she turned down a marriage proposal from Stix and broke up with him. Later, Sparkle moves out of Emma's home and rents her own apartment. She secures a meeting with Larry at Columbia and convinces him to give her a shot at a solo career, on the condition that she first put on a musical showcase. Sparkle reaches out to Stix to help her set up the showcase, and the couple eventually rekindle their relationship. Sparkle also extends an invitation to her mother to see the show, but Emma seems uninterested.


title: Sparkle (2012 film)

text: Emma goes to visit Sister in prison and the two reconcile. While getting ready for her showcase, Sparkle suffers a nose bleed in the dressing room, ruining her dress. To Sparkle's surprise, Emma walks in with a new dress for her and expresses pride in Sparkle for following her dreams.


title: Sparkle (2012 film)

text: Sparkle goes on stage and performs "One Wing", a song which she dedicates to Sister. A proud Emma watches in the audience while Stix and Larry watch from the side. Larry informs Stix that he wants to sign Sparkle. The closing credits show Sparkle continuing her set with the performance of "Love Will".


title: Sparkle (2012 film)

text: The original "Sparkle", produced by The Robert Stigwood Organization in 1975 and released by Warner Bros. Pictures in 1976, starred Philip Michael Thomas, Irene Cara, Lonette McKee and Mary Alice, with songs and score composed and produced by Curtis Mayfield. One song from the "Sparkle" soundtrack, "Something He Can Feel", became a hit single for both Aretha Franklin (in 1976) and En Vogue (in 1992).


title: Sparkle (2012 film)

text: Howard Rosenman, an original producer and writer on the 1976 film, said Whitney Houston was influenced by the original movie as a girl and once went to see it every day for a week when she was a teenager, inspiring her to become a singer. In the mid-1990s, BrownHouse Productions, run by Whitney Houston and Debra Martin Chase, secured the rights to a "Sparkle" remake from Warner Bros. When the remake was put into development, Rosenman approached Houston to play the role of Emma. Rosenman also served as an executive producer for the remake.


title: Sparkle (2012 film)

text: Houston had intended to cast R&B singer Aaliyah in the lead role as Sparkle, but due to Aaliyah's untimely death in August 2001, the film's production plans were put on hold. Over the years, multiple actresses and singers, including Raven-Symoné and Ashanti, were also considered for the lead role. Following the 2011 release of their first feature, "Jumping the Broom", Salim Akil and Mara Brock Akil, the creative team behind the TV series "The Game" and "Girlfriends", took on "Sparkle" as their next project, with Houston executive producing and starring as the mother of the three girls.


title: Sparkle (2012 film)

text: The official trailer for "Sparkle" premiered on "Today" on April 2, 2012. With the release of the trailer, producer Debra Martin Chase said she had mixed emotions, commenting, "On the one hand, I'm so excited about the movie and we're really happy with how it turned out. [But with this being]...Whitney's last performance, it's hard. It's hard."


title: Sparkle (2012 film)

text: In December 2011, Sony announced the United States release date for "Sparkle" would be set for August 10, 2012. This was later pushed back by a week to August 17, 2012, due to Whitney Houston's death.


title: Sparkle (2012 film)

text: On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a 56% approval rating based on 94 reviews. The site's critical consensus states: "While undeniably melodramatic and old-fashioned, "Sparkle" transcends its formulaic trappings thanks to Salim Akil's empathetic direction and strong performances from a committed cast". Metacritic, another review aggregator, assigned the film a weighted average score of 55 out of 100 based on 25 reviews from mainstream critics, considered to be "mixed or average reviews".


title: Sparkle (2012 film)

text: Critical praise has been particularly been given to Carmen Ejogo's performance. Film critic Roger Ebert of "The Chicago Sun-Times" awarded the film 3 stars, claiming Ejogo "steals the film not only in her sultry singing numbers but in her violent marriage to a snaky, evil comedian named Satin." While giving the film a negative review, "The Globe and Mail" critic Courtney Shea stated Ejogo, in comparison to Sparks' performance, was "in fact more dynamic, sexy and, dare we say, Bootylicious than the real thing – plays hardened vulnerability to perfection, so much so that you wonder (given her 38 years) where Hollywood has been hiding her." Mick LaSalle of the "San Francisco Chronicle" went as far as to suggest in his review that Ejogo's performance might place her under serious consideration for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination. LaSalle comments: "...very few people will walk out of "Sparkle" talking about either Sparks or Houston, at least not at first. Instead they will be saying, "Who was that?" And they'll be referring to Carmen Ejogo...If there is any justice, Ejogo will become very famous very soon. As in, maybe today...It's rare to see someone become a movie star right before your eyes, but that's what happens with Ejogo in "Sparkle."...For an actress, this was the opportunity of a lifetime, and Ejogo plays it that way. She leaves nothing out, holds nothing back."


title: Sparkle (2012 film)

text: The soundtrack's first official lead single is the last song recorded by Whitney Houston before she died on February 11, 2012, a duet with R&B/pop singer and "American Idol" winner Jordin Sparks on a song called "Celebrate". The song premiered on "On Air with Ryan Seacrest" on May 21, 2012 and was made available for digital download on iTunes on June 5. Whitney Houston's other track, "His Eye Is On The Sparrow", debuted only one day after the premiere of "Celebrate". The official music video for Celebrate was filmed on May 30, 2012. It made its world premiere on BET's 106 & Park on June 27, 2012. For the week ending August 18, 2012 "" debuted on the Billboard 200 at number 26, number 7 on the "Billboard" Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and at number 1 on the "Billboard" Soundtracks chart.


title: Sparkle (2012 film)

text: In August 2012, Howard Rosenman reported that novelization rights of the movie were sold to Simon & Schuster. The book, written by Denene Millner, was published on August 7, 2012. Rosenman had also announced plans to team with director Joel Schumacher, one of the screenwriters of the original 1976 film, to add five new songs by Curtis Mayfield (in the original) and R. Kelly (in the 2012 version) for a Broadway musical of "Sparkle".


title: September equinox

text: The September equinox (or southward equinox) is the moment when the Sun appears to cross the celestial equator, heading southward. Because of differences between the calendar year and the tropical year, the September equinox may occur anytime from September 21 to 24.


title: September equinox

text: At the equinox, the Sun as viewed from the equator rises due east and sets due west. Before the Southward equinox, the Sun rises and sets more northerly, and afterwards, it rises and sets more southerly.


title: September equinox

text: The equinox may be taken to mark the end of astronomical summer and the beginning of astronomical autumn (autumnal equinox) in the Northern Hemisphere, while marking the end of astronomical winter and the start of astronomical spring (vernal equinox) in the Southern Hemisphere.


title: September equinox

text: The September equinox is one point in time commonly used to determine the length of the tropical year.


title: September equinox

text: The dates and times of the September equinoxes that occur from the year 2017 to 2027 (UTC) are listed as follows:


title: September equinox

text: The point where the Sun crosses the celestial equator southwards is called the First Point of Libra. However, because of the precession of the equinoxes, this point is no longer in the constellation Libra, but rather in Virgo.


title: September equinox

text: The solar point of the September equinox passed from Libra and into Virgo in −729 (730 BCE) and will enter Leo in 2439.


title: September equinox

text: At the equinox, the Sun rises directly in the east and sets directly in the west. However, because of refraction it will usually appear slightly above the horizon at the moment when its "true" middle is rising or setting. For viewers at the north or south poles, it moves virtually horizontally on or above the horizon, not obviously rising or setting apart from the movement in "declination" (and hence altitude) of a little under a half (0.39) degree per day.


title: September equinox

text: For observers in either hemisphere not at the poles, the Sun rises and sets more and more to the south during the 3 months following the September equinox. This period is the second half of a 6-month long southerly movement, beginning with the June solstice when the Sun rises and sets at its most northern point.


title: Destruction of early Islamic heritage sites in Saudi Arabia

text: The destruction of heritage sites associated with early Islam is an ongoing phenomenon that has occurred mainly in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia, particularly around the two holiest cities of Islam, Mecca and Medina. The demolition has focused on mosques, burial sites, homes and historical locations associated with the Islamic prophet Muhammad, his companions, and many of the founding personalities of early Islamic history by the Saudi government. In Saudi Arabia, many of the demolitions have officially been part of the continued expansion of the Masjid al-Haram at Mecca and the Prophet's Mosque in Medina and their auxiliary service facilities in order to accommodate the ever-increasing number of Muslims performing the pilgrimage ("hajj").


text: Much of the Arabian Peninsula was politically unified by 1932 in the third and current Saudi state, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The military campaign led by King Abdulaziz ibn Saud and his Bedouin army of tribesmen conquered the Hejaz and ousted the ruling Hashemite clan. The new Najdi rulers, nomadic Arabs largely found themselves at the reins of a highly sophisticated society. A cohesive political structure based on the Majlis al-Shura (consultative council) system had been in place for centuries. A central administrative body managed an annual budget which allocated expenditure on secondary schools, military and police forces. Similarly, the religious fabric of the Najd and the Hejaz were vastly different. Traditional Hejazi cultural customs and rituals were almost entirely religious in nature. Celebrations honouring Muhammad, his family and companions, reverence of deceased saints, visitation of shrines, tombs and holy sites connected with any of these were among the customs indigenous to Hejazi Islam. As administrative authority of the Hejaz passed into the hands of Najdi Wahabi Muslims from the interior, the Wahabi Ulama viewed local religious practices as unfounded superstition superseding codified religious sanction that was considered a total corruption of religion and the spreading of heresy. What followed was a removal of the physical infrastructure, tombs, mausoleums, mosques and sites associated with the family and companions of Muhammad.


text: In 1801 and 1802, the Saudis under Abdul Aziz ibn Muhammad ibn Saud attacked and captured the Shia holy cities of Karbala and Najaf in today's Iraq, massacred parts of the Shia Muslim population and destroyed the tomb of Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of Muhammad and son of Ali, Muhammad's son-in-law. In 1803 and 1804, the Saudis captured Mecca and Medina and destroyed historical monuments and various holy Muslim sites and shrines, such as the shrine built over the tomb of Fatimah, the daughter of Muhammad, and even intended to destroy the grave of Muhammad himself as idolatrous, causing outrage throughout the Muslim world. In Mecca, the tombs of direct relations of Muhammad located at Jannatul Mualla cemetery, including that of his first wife Khadijah bint Khuwaylid, were demolished. The initial dismantling of the sites began in 1806 when the Wahhabi army of the First Saudi State occupied Medina and systematically levelled many of the structures at the Jannat al-Baqi cemetery. This is the vast burial site adjacent the Prophet's Mosque (Al-Masjid al-Nabawi) housing the remains of many of the members of Muhammad's family, close companions and central figures of early Islam. The Ottoman Turks, practitioners themselves of more tolerant and at times mystical strains of Islam, had erected elaborate mausoleums over the graves of Al-Baqi. These were levelled in their entirety. Mosques across the city were also targeted and an attempt was made to demolish Muhammad's tomb. Widespread vocal criticism of this last action by Muslim communities as far away as India, eventually led to abandoning any attempt on this site. Political claims made against Turkish control of the region initiated the Ottoman–Saudi war (1811–1818) in which the Saudi defeat forced Wahhabi tribesmen to retreat from the Hejaz back into the interior. Turkish forces reasserted control of the region and subsequently began extensive rebuilding of sacred sites between 1848 and 1860, many of them done employing the finest examples of Ottoman design and craftsmanship.


text: On 21 April 1925 the mausoleums and domes at Al-Baqi in Medina were once again levelled and so were indicators of the exact location of the resting places of Muhammad's family members and descendants, as it remains to the present day. Portions of the famed Qasida al-Burda, the 13th century ode written in praise of Muhammad by Imam al-Busiri, inscribed over Muhammad's tomb were painted over. Among specific sites targeted at this time were the graves of the Martyrs of the Battle of Uhud, including the grave of the renowned Hamza ibn 'Abd al-Muttalib, uncle of Muhammad and one of his most beloved supporters, the Mosque of Fatimah Al Zahraa', daughter of Mohammad, the Mosque of the Two Lighthouses (Manaratayn) as well as the Qubbat Al-Thanaya, the cupola built as the burial place of Mohammad's incisor tooth, which was broken from a blow received during the Battle of Uhud. In Medina, the Mashrubat Umm Ibrahim, the home of Mohammad's Egyptian wife Mariah and birthplace of their son Ibrahim, as well as the adjacent burial site of Hamida al-Barbariyya, mother of Musa al-Kadhim, were destroyed during this time. The site was paved over and is today part of the massive marble esplanade beside the Mosque. The government-appointed permanent scholarly committee of Saudi Arabia has ordered the demolition of such structures in a series of Islamic rulings noting excessive veneration leading to shirk (idolatry).


text: The twenty-first century has seen an increase in the demolition of sites in Mecca and Medina by Saudi authorities, alongside expansion of luxury development.


text: As the annual "hajj" continues to draw larger crowds year after year, the Saudi authorities deemed it necessary to raze large tracts of formerly residential areas around the two important mosques to make way for pilgrimage-related infrastructure. In 2010, it was forecast that developers were going to spend an estimated $13 billion on the largest expansion project in the city's history.


text: While there is widespread agreement for the need of facilities that can accommodate greater numbers of pilgrims, the development of upscale hotels and condominium towers, restaurants, shopping centres and spas has caused some to criticize the over-commercialization of a site which many consider to be a divinely ordained sanctuary for Muslims.


text: The rapid influx of capital investment in Mecca and Medina leads many to believe that money and economic growth are the ultimate reason for Saudi authorities. Critics argue that this monetary focus works with Wahhabi state policy that imposes a massive cultural and social deletion within the Holy Cities, erasing any elements that encourage practices counter to the Wahhabi creed.


text: According to "The Independent", the House of Mawalid where Muhammad is said to have been born is about to be replaced by a huge royal palace, as a part of a multibillion-pound construction project in Mecca which has resulted in the destruction of hundreds of historic monuments.


title: Transformco

text: Transform SR Brands LLC (doing business as Transformco, referred to as "New Sears") is an American privately held company formed on February 11, 2019, to acquire some of the assets of Sears Holdings Corporation. The new company is owned by ESL Investments. Following the Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing of Sears Holdings on October 15, 2018, Transformco purchased the surviving assets owned by Sears Holdings for $5.2 billion.


title: Transformco

text: On June 3, 2019, it was announced that Transformco would acquire Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores. As per deal, Sears Hometown might need to divest its Sears Outlet division to gain approval.


title: Transformco

text: On November 17, 2004, the management of Kmart Holding Corporation announced its intention to purchase Sears, Roebuck and Co. under a new corporation. Kmart previously emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on May 6, 2003. The new corporation became known as Sears Holdings Corporation, simply known as Sears Holdings. The new corporation announced that it would continue to operate stores under both the Sears and Kmart brands. The merger of Kmart and Sears closed on March 24, 2005, following affirmative shareholder votes of both companies. The result of the merger was Kmart and parent Kmart Holding Corporation and Sears became subsidiaries of the new Sears Holdings Corporation. Sears Holdings then operated Sears and Kmart stores. The company continued to market products under brands held by both companies. The merger was completed on March 24, 2005, after receiving regulatory approval from the government and approval by shareholders of both companies. The combined company had approximately 3,500 stores at the time of the merger.


title: Transformco

text: Eddie Lampert led the company for the next thirteen years. (See Sears Holdings#History for more detailed history of the intervening years.)


title: Transformco

text: On October 10, 2018, it was reported that Sears Holdings had engaged advisors regarding an imminent bankruptcy filing.


title: Transformco

text: The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on October 15, 2018, in New York; the same day that a $134 million debt payment was due.


title: Transformco

text: On October 15, 2018, Sears Holdings announced that it would close 142 stores, including 63 Kmart stores and 79 Sears stores. Sears Holdings' bankruptcy also marked Kmart's second bankruptcy in 16 years. On November 8, 2018, Sears Holdings announced it would close an additional 40 stores, including 11 Kmart and 29 Sears stores. On November 23, 2018, Sears Holdings released a list of 505 stores, including 239 Kmart and 266 Sears stores, that are for sale in the bankruptcy process while all others are currently holding liquidation sales. However, the stores for sale are not guaranteed to be protected from liquidation in the future. On December 28, 2018, Sears Holdings announced it would close 80 additional stores, including 37 Kmart and 43 Sears stores.


title: Transformco

text: In a proposal announced in early January, Sears Holdings plans only to keep 202 Kmart stores along with 223 Sears stores open, assuming that it survives the bankruptcy process. Most of the proposed locations are in highly populated coastal regions.


title: Transformco

text: On January 15, 2019, when it had appeared that Sears Holdings was preparing to file for Chapter 7 liquidation, the bankruptcy court judge ordered the company to return to negotiation table and work out a new deal with Eddie Lampert to prevent the liquidation from occurring. A new deal was struck at the last minute that would keep up to 400 Sears and Kmart stores operating. On January 19, 2019, Sears Holdings officially announced that they had won the auction, and that some of the then existing stores were to remain open.


title: Transformco

text: On January 24, 2019, a group of unsecured creditors, which included Simon Property Group, filed a motion with the bankruptcy court to overturn the deal Sears Holdings had recently made with Lampert claiming that Lampert had been "engaged in serial asset stripping" of the company at the expense of suppliers and landlords. The creditors had requested that the bankruptcy court rule to have the company be liquidated instead of being reorganized so that the creditors would be able to recover more money that was still owed to them. On January 28, the federal government-operated Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation announced that they were not in favor of the current Sears Holding agreement with Lampert since that agreement would create a $1.7 billion funding gap in the employee pension fund that would require the American tax-payers to cover the shortfall. In papers filed on February 1 with the bankruptcy court, ESL "outlined plans to close three Kmart stores per month in 2019" if the court decides to accept ESL's purchase bid.


title: Transformco

text: In February 2019, it was announced that a U.S. bankruptcy judge approved the sale of the most lucrative part of Sears Holdings to Edward Lampert allowing the surviving part of the company that operates both Sears and Kmart to remain in business at the expense of suppliers, landlords, employees, pensioners, the U.S. government, and other creditors. Kmart would have 202 locations after the sale is completed.


title: Transformco

text: In February 2019, the company finalized the acquisition of 425 stores (223 Sears and 202 Kmart) from Sears Holdings for $5.2 billion. Stores not purchased by Transformco were immediately liquidated. During bankruptcy proceeding of Sears Holdings, ESL, the parent company of both "old Sears" and "new Sears", told the court that it had "plans to close three Kmart stores per month in 2019" if the court decides to accept ESL's purchase bid.


title: Transformco

text: In June 2019, Sears customers discovered that they were having a hard time getting warranties honored for items previously purchased from Sears.


title: Transformco

text: On August 6, 2019, it was announced that Transformco will be closing 26 stores, including 5 Kmarts and 21 Sears stores, in October. these closing would result in approximately 380 remaining stores. On August 31, 2019, It was announced that Transformco would close an additional 92 stores, including 77 Kmarts and 15 Sears stores, by the end of 2019.


title: Transformco

text: On November 7, 2019, it was announced that Transformco would close an additional 96 stores, including 45 Kmarts and 51 Sears stores, February 2020, leaving 70 Kmart stores in 19 states, Guam, Puerto Rico, and United States Virgin Islands, and 123 Sears stores, respectively. At least one source reported in November 2019 that Transformco would have a total of 182 full Sears and Kmart stores remaining after the 96 announced stores were closed by February 2020.


title: Transformco

text: In December 2019, Transformco sold the DieHard brand to Advance Auto Parts for $200 million. Under this agreement, Sears and Kmart can continue to sell DieHard branded batteries through their stores while Advance Auto Parts has exclusive rights to the DieHard brand in the automotive and vehicular supplies and service industries.


title: Transformco

text: On February 6, 2020, Transformco announced an additional closure of 15 Kmarts and 26 Sears, effective to close around April 2020. Throughout June and July 2020, Sears' job website has indicated that over twenty more stores are closing.


title: Transformco

text: In December 2021, Transformco announced its plans to sell the Sears headquarters in Hoffman Estates. In 2022, the owner of Sears confirmed that the last full-line Sears store in Pennsylvania, in Abington Township, Montgomery County, is closing. On January 21, 2022, the last remaining Searstown in Fort Lauderdale, Florida abruptly closed at the end of the day without any prior announcement or liquidation.


title: Transformco

text: On August 29, 2022, it was announced that the Sears at Newburgh Mall would be closing in fall of 2022 marking the end of era after 43 years as the last original anchor store in the mall as well as the last Sears department store in New York. The closing date for this store was announced 2 days later on August 31, 2022 in a Facebook post with the final day of operation being Sunday, October 16, 2022.


title: Transformco

text: On September 22, 2022, it was announced that Sears would be closing at the Valley Mall in Union Gap, Washington by Sunday, November 20, 2022. Once this store closes, the last full line Sears department in Washington will be the store at Westfield Southcenter in Tukwila.


title: Transformco

text: On September 23, 2022, it was announced that Sears would be closing at Burbank Town Center in Burbank, California, the last original anchor from opening day of 1991. This was also the last store in the Greater Los Angeles Area to be connected to a mall.


title: Transformco

text: On October 15, 2022, it was announced that the only remaining Kmart store in Puerto Rico at the Plaza Las Americas would be closed by the end of that month.


title: Transformco

text: On December 12, 2022 it was announced that the last Sears store in the state of Maryland at the Francis Scott Key Mall in Frederick, Maryland would close. One day later an article came out saying that the store was to be closed by Sunday, January 15th, 2023.


title: Transformco

text: On June 3, 2019, it was announced that Transformco would acquire Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores. As a part of the deal, Sears Hometown may need to divest its Sears Outlet division to gain regulatory approval. At the time announcement, Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores had 491 Hometown stores and 126 Outlet stores in 49 states, Puerto Rico and Bermuda. 98% of the Hometown stores are owner operated franchise operations.


title: Transformco

text: On October 23, 2019, Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores completed its sale of its Sears Outlet division to Franchise Group, Inc while Transformco completed the acquisition of the remainder of Sears Hometown at the end of the same business day. Sears Hometown had 414 stores at the time of its acquisition by Transformco in October 2019.


title: Transformco

text: In January 2020, "The Wall Street Journal" reported that Sears Hometown franchisees were having trouble getting needed inventory from Transformco and also being penalized if they tried to match prices on products sold on Sears.com.


title: Transformco

text: Chain Store Age estimated in May 2022 that approximately 100 Hometown stores were in the process of closing.


title: Transformco

text: In December 2022, Sears Hometown Stores, Inc., filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and plans to liquidate the inventory at all of its 121 stores. In the bankruptcy proceedings, Eddie Lampert is listd as a 37.75% owner of Sears Hometown The website for Sears Hometown Stores and for Sears Home Appliance Showroom was deactivate shortly after the bankruptcy announcement.


title: Transformco

text: In March 2019, Sears Holdings sued Transform Holdco for $57.5 million it says was owed from the sale. Sears Holdings also said Transformco owes $41.3 million for credit card and cash transactions that occurred before the sale closed, as well as $16.2 million for a portion of February rent. A hearing on the matter was anticipated to take place on March 21, 2019. The lawsuit was settled in January 2020 with Transformco paying the bankrupt Sears Holdings $18.3 million. A portion went to Sears creditors.


title: Transformco

text: In June 2020, a group of 19 Bangladeshi suppliers filed a $40-million lawsuit against Transformco for canceled orders that had already been shipped and stuck in American warehouses. The lawsuit was settled out-of-court in January 2021 for $6.3-million.


Royal Navy ranks, rates, and uniforms of the 18th and 19th centuries were the original effort of the Royal Navy to create standardized rank and insignia system for use both at shore and at sea.


title: Royal Navy ranks, rates, and uniforms of the 18th and 19th centuries

text: Prior to the 1740s, Royal Navy officers and sailors had no established uniforms, although many of the officer class typically wore upper-class clothing with wigs to denote their social status. Coats were often dark blue to reduce fading caused by the rain and spray, with gold embroidery on the cuffs and standing collar to signify the officer's wealth and status. The early Royal Navy also had only three clearly established shipboard ranks: captain, lieutenant, and master. This simplicity of rank had its origins in the Middle Ages, where a military company embarked on ship (led by a captain and a lieutenant) operated independently from the handling of the vessel, which was overseen by the ship's master.


text: Over time, the nautical command structure merged these two separate command chains into a single entity with captain and lieutenant as commissioned officer ranks while sailing master (often shortened to simply "master") was seen as a type of warrant officer specializing in navigation and ship handling. In 1758, the rank of midshipman was introduced, which was a type of officer candidate position. The rank of "master and commander" (completely separate from the rank of master) first appeared in the 1760s and was originally a temporary appointment, rather than a substantive rank, whereby a lieutenant was appointed to command a vessels without a captain's commission (and the associated seniority and privileges). By the 1790s, the "master and commander" was routinely shortened to simply "commander" and was functionally a permanent rank. The practice of appointing lieutenants to command smaller vessels continued, however, and the term "lieutenant commanding" eventually evolved into the rank of "lieutenant commander."


text: Lord Anson first issued uniform regulations for naval officers in 1748; this was in response to the naval officer corps wishing for an established uniform pertaining to their service. Officer uniforms were at first divided into a "best uniform", consisting of an embroidered blue coat with white facings worn unbuttoned with white breeches and stockings, as well as a "working rig" which was a simpler, less embroidered uniform for day-to-day use.


text: In 1767, the terms "dress" and "undress" uniform had been adopted and, by 1795, epaulettes were officially introduced. The epaulette style uniforms and insignia endured slight modifications and expansions until a final version appeared in 1846. In 1856, Royal Navy officer insignia shifted to the use of rank sleeve stripes – a pattern which has endured to the present day.


text: Naval ranks and positions of the 18th and 19th-century Royal Navy were an intermixed assortment of formal rank titles, positional titles, as well as informal titles used onboard oceangoing ships. Uniforms played a major role in shipboard hierarchy since those positions allocated a formal uniform by navy regulations were generally considered of higher standing, even if not by rank.


text: In the 18th century Royal Navy, rank and position on board ship was defined by a mix of two hierarchies, an official hierarchy of ranks and a conventionally recognized social divide between gentlemen and non-gentlemen. Royal Navy ships were led by commissioned officers of the wardroom, which consisted of the captain, his lieutenants, as well as embarked Royal Marine officers, all of whom were officers and gentlemen. The higher ranked warrant officers on board, the Sailing Master, Purser, Surgeon and Chaplain held a warrant from the Navy Board but not an actual commission from the Crown. Warrant officers had rights to mess and berth in the wardroom and were normally considered gentlemen; however, the Sailing Master was often a former sailor who had "come through the ranks" therefore might have been viewed as a social unequal. All commissioned and warrant officers wore a type of uniform, although official Navy regulations clarified an officer uniform in 1787 while it was not until 1807 that masters, along with pursers, received their own regulated uniform.


text: Next came the ship's three "standing officers", the Carpenter, Gunner and Boatswain (Bo'sun), who along with the master were permanently assigned to a vessel for maintenance, repair, and upkeep. Standing officers were considered the most highly skilled seaman on board, and messed and berthed with the crew. As such, they held a status separate from the other officers and were not granted the privileges of a commissioned or warrant officer if they were captured.


text: "Cockpit mate" was a colloquial term for petty officers who were considered gentlemen and officers under instruction and messed and berthed apart from the ordinary sailors in the cockpit. This included both midshipmen, who were considered gentlemen and officers under instruction, and master's mates, who derived their status from their role as apprentices to the sailing master. A midshipman outranked most other petty officers and lesser warrant officers, such as the Master-at-arms. Boys aspiring for a commission were often called young gentlemen instead of their substantive rating to distinguish their higher social standing from the ordinary sailors. Occasionally, a midshipman would be posted aboard a ship in a lower rating such as able seaman but would eat and sleep with his social equals in the cockpit (all Midshipman would be 'rated able' at some point in their service – it was a requirement for them to have been so before they could stand as a Mate, another requirement for promotion to Lieutenant).


text: The remainder of the ship's company, who lived and berthed in the common crew quarters, were the petty officers and seamen. Petty officers were seamen who had been "rated" to fill a particular specialist trade on board ship. This rating set the petty officers apart from the common seaman by virtue of technical skill and slightly higher education. No special uniform was allocated for petty officers, although some Royal Navy ships allowed such persons to don a simple blue frock coat to denote their status.


text: Seamen were further divided into two grades, these being ordinary seaman and able seaman. Seamen were normally assigned to a watch, which maintained its hierarchy consisting of a watch captain in charge of a particular area of the ship. Grouped among the watches were also the landsmen, considered the absolute lowest rank in the Royal Navy and assigned to personnel, usually from press gangs, who held little to no naval experience.


text: Until the child labour laws of the late 19th century, poor children started work as soon as they were able. Child labour was considered both necessary and desirable; being good for the child's development and providing additional income to struggling families. From the ages of five or six, farmers' children would assist with the sowing and gathering crops while a chimney sweep's climbing boy might be as young as three or four. The view that child labour was both morally and legally acceptable was prevalent not just in Britain but throughout the world's most advanced nations.


text: The Royal Navy was not exceptional in its employment of young boys, who were rated in three classes: A Boy Third Class was under 15 and was usually employed as an officer's servant, a Boy Second class was between 16 and 18 and undertook normal seaman's duties. Boy First Class was a rating reserved for those training to become officers; usually young gentlemen from well-to-do families. This was a popular and recognised route, offering an opportunity to accumulate knowledge and sea time, prior to becoming a midshipman. Service as a ship's boy was recorded as sea-service; officers' servants could obtain credit towards the mandatory six years of sea time needed before attempting the lieutenant's exam. It was not uncommon for these boys to be signed on in name only while they remained on land at school, high-ranking officers supplying fictitious seatime in exchange for some reward or favour.


text: The number of second and third class boys allowed on each ship was dictated by the Admiralty and could be as many as 13 and 19 respectively for first rate ships while a large frigate might have 10 third class and six second class. The youngest were not supposed be less than 13, or 11 if they were the son of an officer, but this rule was often broken. The Marine Society, founded in 1756 by Jonas Hanway, was a charity that encouraged poor and destitute young boys to seek a better life in the navy. The society provided food, clothing and bedding, and an education which included basic seaman skills. At its peak, in the 1790s, it was providing 500 to 600 boys a year for the Royal Navy.


text: Once a boy, further advancement could be obtained through various specialties. A cabin boy assisted with the ship's kitchen, as well as other duties, while a powder monkey helped in the ship's armoury. After the Age of Sail ended, the position of ship's boy became an actual Royal Navy rank known as "Boy seaman".


text: Promotion and advancement within the 18th and 19th century Royal Navy varied depending on the status of the sailor in question. At the lower levels, most inexperienced sailors began in the rank of landsman – those joining ships at a very young age were typically entered in the navy as cabin boys or officers' servants.


text: After a year at sea, landsmen were normally advanced to ordinary seaman. Three more years, with appropriate ability displayed, would see a sailor advanced to able seaman. For the "common seaman", this level is where the career path usually ended, and many sailors spent their entire Royal Navy careers as able seaman on various vessels.


text: Advancement into the petty officer positions required some level of technical skill. A ship's captain typically made petty officer appointments – sailors could also be "rated on the books" as a petty officer when a ship was in port searching for a crew Honesty was implied, as a sailor falsely claiming experience in order to rate a billet on board ship would be quickly discovered once at sea.


text: Senior petty officers could also be rated as a standing officer, of which only three such positions normally existed (boatswain, carpenter, and gunner). These were highly coveted positions since Standing officers were highly valued due to their skill and experience. Additionally the Standing Officers remained with a vessel, and continued to be paid, during lay-up and maintenance, whereas the rest of the officers and crew would often be discharged and lose their income if they could not find another ship to join.


text: Warrant officers were given their positions by various certification boards and had nearly the same rights and respect as commissioned officers, including access to the quarterdeck and wardroom. Advancement into the commissioned officer grades required a royal appointment, following a certification by the lieutenant's examination board. Board eligibility was most often achieved by serving as a midshipman, although the career path of a master or master's mate also permitted this opportunity.


text: Once commissioned, lieutenants would be rated onboard based on seniority, such as "1st lieutenant", "2nd lieutenant", "3rd lieutenant", etc. with the 1st lieutenant filling the modern-day role of executive officer and second-in-command. Lieutenants, like ordinary sailors, were required to be signed on to various vessels due to manpower needs. If a lieutenant could not find a billet, the officer was said to be on "half-pay" until a sea billet could be obtained.


text: The title of commander was originally a temporary position for lieutenants placed in charge of smaller vessels. Successful commanders (who were known by courtesy on board their ships as "captain") could aspire for promotion to captain which was known as "making post". Such post captains were then assigned to-rated vessels in the rating system of the Royal Navy. Once a captain, advancement to admiral was strictly determined by seniority – if a captain served long enough for more senior officers to retire, resign, or die, he would eventually become an admiral. One distinguishing element among captain was, however, determined by the rating of the vessel they commanded. The captain of a sixth rate, for instance, was generally junior to a captain of a first-rate.


text: Royal Navy vessels operated on a number of parallel hierarchies in addition to formal ranks and positions, paramount of which was the vessel's watch organization. Watches were stood 24 hours a day and divided into "watch sections" each of which was led by an "officer of the watch", typically a lieutenant, midshipman, or master's mate (the captain and master did not stand watch but were on call 24 hours a day)


text: The heart of the watch were the watch teams, each led by a petty officer known as a captain (separate entirely from the vessel's commanding officer). There were six watch teams on most Royal Navy vessels, divided into three "deck" teams and three "aloft" teams. The aloft teams were manned by sailors known as "topmen" and were considered the most experienced men aboard. In all, the six watch teams were as follows:


text: A special watch team of quartermasters handled the navigation and steering of the vessel from the quarterdeck. Furthermore, the ship's boatswain and his mates were interspersed among the various watch teams to ensure good order and discipline. The remainder of the ships' company, who did not stand a regular watch, included the ship's carpenter's crew and the gunnery teams (in charge of the maintenance of the ship's guns). Any other person on board who did not stand watch was collective referred to as an "idler" but was still subject to muster when the "all hands on deck" was called by the boatswain.


text: In addition to the standard watch organisation of a Royal Navy vessel, additional organisational hierarchies included the division, headed by a lieutenant or midshipman, mainly to muster, mess, and berth; divisions were typically present only on the larger rated vessels.


text: The term "Action Stations" was a battle condition in which a Royal Navy vessel manned all of its guns with gun crews, stood up damage control and emergency medical teams, and called the ship's senior officers to the quarterdeck in order to direct the ship in battle. A sailor's action station was independent of their watch station or division, although in many cases groups of sailors manning the same action station were assigned from the same division or watch section.


text: A unique readiness condition of some Royal Navy vessels was known as "in ordinary". Such vessels were usually permanently moored with masts and sails removed and manned only by a skeleton crew. In ordinary vessels did not maintain full watch sections and were normally maintained as receiving ships, shore barges, or prison ships.


text: The first uniforms of the Royal Navy were issued to commissioned officers only and consisted of a blue dress uniform or 'suit', which featured 'boot cuffs'; based upon formal court wear of the time,


text: and a 'frock', which was a simpler uniform that featured 'mariners cuffs' which were used to turn back the cuffs of the coat when strenuous or dirty work was being done. The frock also featured (unlike the single-breasted suit) double-breasted lapels that could be worn either buttoned back or worn buttoned across the chest to protect the wearer from the elements.


text: Both the dress suit and frock worn by lieutenants were rather plain, the dress suit featuring plain white boot cuffs and the frock being plain blue with no other distinction. Although included in the 1748 dress regulations, midshipmen were only issued with a frock to act as an all-purpose uniform. This featured (from 1758) the white 'turnback' that is still used as rank insignia for midshipmen to the present day. Both the dress 'suit' and undress 'frock' uniforms were worn with blue breeches and black cocked hats; which were gold-laced and featured a black cockade.


text: The next major change in Royal Navy uniforms occurred in 1767 when the dress uniform 'suit' was abolished, and the frock became an all-purpose uniform. This state of affairs continued until 1774; when the former frock became the full dress uniform, and a new working or 'undress' uniform was introduced. Enlisted sailors had no established uniform, but were often issued standardised clothing by the ship on which they served to create a uniform appearance among seaman.


text: In this year the former 'all-purpose' uniform became full dress. A simpler blue 'frock' was introduced for everyday purposes. In 1783, flag officers were granted a new full-dress uniform; again a heavily embroidered single-breasted coat as before, but for the first time denoted what rank the bearer was by stripes on the cuffs; three for Admirals, two for vice admirals, and one for rear admirals.


text: 1787 saw the slashed cuffs of the full-dress for commissioned officers replaced with white round cuffs with three buttons (the lapels and cuffs were blue for Masters and Commanders). For flag officers, the embroidery on the coat and cuffs was replaced with lace. This year also saw Warrant officers (Masters, Surgeons, Pursers, Boatswains, and Carpenters) being granted a standardised, plain blue uniform as well. Midshipmen's cuffs were changed from slashed cuffs to blue round cuffs with three buttons as well.


text: The most significant uniform change of the late 1700s was on 1 June 1795 when flag officers, captains and commanders were granted epaulettes. Uniforms for all ranks lost their white facings. Over the next fifty years, epaulettes were the primary means of determining officer rank insignia. Surgeons, who had hitherto worn the standard warrant officer's uniform, were, in June 1805, given waistcoat and breeches, a blue, single-breasted coat with white lining, standing collar and eight buttons for dress occasions. An undress coat was also provided which had a falling collar and no cuff or pocket buttons. A full-dress uniform for pursers and masters was introduced in June 1807.


text: From March 1812 the full-dress uniform reinstated the white lapels, collars and cuffs that had been replaced by blue in 1795, except on the undress uniform. Midshipmen also retained the all blue jacket and the captain's uniform was now double-breasted. Lieutenants were granted a single gold epaulette on the right-hand side. In 1812, the fouled anchor insignia on uniform buttons was topped with a crown.


text: 1825 saw the introduction of the 'undress tailcoat'; which was a blue tailcoat, similar to that worn by civilians at the time, that was worn with the epaulettes.


text: A radical change in the full-dress coat occurred in 1827 when a new pattern was introduced that was very similar to the undress coat of the 1812-1825 pattern. Instead of sloping away from the chest, the tails of the coat were now cut away at the waist (like a modern-day civilian tailcoat) and were ordered to be buttoned up at all times. Midshipmen, Masters, Volunteers of the First and Second class and Surgeons were to keep their existing uniforms but were to wear them fully buttoned up. In 1827, regulations; there was ordered to be no distinction between full dress and undress, the only distinction between the two being that officers were allowed to wear plain blue trousers in undress. In 1829, however, a single-breasted frock coat was allowed to officers for wear in the vicinity of their ships. This featured sleeve lace to denote rank: a braid for midshipmen and mates, two stripes for lieutenants, two stripes for commanders, and three stripes for captains. Flag officers were to wear their epaulettes with the frock coat. This garment was worn with plain blue trousers and a peaked cap by all officers. Although short-lived (it was abolished in 1833), this frock-coat was an important precursor and influence on later styles of uniform, particularly in undress.


text: In 1830, the facings of the full-dress coat were changed from white to scarlet. This was the case until 1843.


text: 1843 saw the return of white facings to the full dress uniforms of commissioned officers. Lieutenants were granted two plain epaulettes in place of the former one.


text: 1847 saw the adoption of a double-breasted frock coat, worn in undress that featured rank lace on the sleeves similar to the single-breasted frock coat of the 1820s and 30s. This could be worn either with the peaked cap or with the cocked hat, sword and sword belt for more formal occasions.


text: Sleeve stripes were introduced for full dress and on the undress tailcoat for all commissioned officers as well from 1856.


text: Although they had always been authorized for undress uniforms, 1878 saw a clarification of the wearing of cuff buttons worn on the undress coats (the frock coat and undress tailcoat) this were worn beneath the cuff stripes. For Flag Officers, the buttons were worn between the thicker line of braid and the thinner ones above. 1880 saw the introduction of the 'ship jacket' (similar to today's reefer jacket) for wear at night or in inclement weather in undress. In 1885, a white tunic, worn with white trousers and white sun helmet and black boots, was introduced for wear in hot climates, as well as a navy blue tunic and trousers, of the same cut, for wear in undress in temperate climates. On both garments, rank was initially worn on the sleeve: in white silk for the white uniform, in gold for blue. The reefer jacket replaced the blue tunic in 1889. The white tunic was redesigned at the same time, with rank being worn on shoulder-boards instead of the sleeve.


text: Flag rank advancement in the 18th and 19th century Royal Navy was determined entirely by seniority. Initial promotion to flag rank from the rank of captain occurred when a vacancy appeared on the admirals' seniority list due to the death or retirement of a flag officer. The captain in question would then be automatically promoted to rear admiral and assigned to the first of three coloured squadrons, these being the blue, white and red squadrons.


text: As further vacancies occurred, the British flag officer would be posted to the same rank in higher squadrons. For instance, a rear admiral of the blue squadron would be promoted to become rear admiral of the white, and then rear admiral of the red squadron. When reaching the highest position of the rank (rear-admiral of the red), the flag officer would next be promoted to the rank of vice admiral, and begin again at the lowest coloured squadron (vice-admiral of the blue). The process would continue again, until the vice-admiral of the red was promoted to admiral of the blue. The highest possible rank was admiral of the red squadron, which until 1805 was synonymous with admiral of the fleet (originally this rank wore the same insignia as a regular admiral – a special insignia was first created in 1843).


text: Situations did occur where flag officers would "jump" to a higher rank in a different squadron, without serving their time in each rank of each squadron. Such was the case with William Bligh, who was promoted directly from rear admiral to vice-admiral of the blue without ever having served as a rear-admiral of the red or white squadron. On the opposite, a higher-ranked admiral in a lower squadron (i.e. vice-admiral of the blue) could not be demoted to a lower rank yet in a higher rated squadron (i.e. rear admiral of the red).


text: Some flag officers were not assigned to a squadron and thus were referred to simply by the generic title "admiral". Formally known as "admiral without distinction of a squadron", the common term for such officers was "yellow admiral". Still another title was port admiral which was the title for the senior naval officer of a British port.


title: Cirroc Lofton

text: Cirroc Lofton (, born August 7, 1978) is an American actor and podcaster who started his career at nine years of age with many minor roles. He got his start in the 1989 child education program "Econ and Me", which teaches kids economics. He is best known for playing Jake Sisko on the 1990s TV series "".


title: Cirroc Lofton

text: Lofton was born in Los Angeles, California. He is the nephew of the former Major League Baseball center fielder Kenny Lofton.


title: Cirroc Lofton

text: Lofton's first major role on a TV series was also his longest role, playing Jake Sisko, the son of the lead character, Benjamin Sisko on the science fiction TV series "" from 1993 to 1999.


title: Cirroc Lofton

text: In September 2003 he played Maynard, a preacher's son who went to Harvard in the "7th Heaven" episode "PK".


title: Cirroc Lofton

text: He also had a regular role as professional basketball player Curtis Thorpe on the Showtime drama series "The Hoop Life", and a recurring role as law student Anthony Carter on the Showtime drama series "Soul Food".


title: Model M keyboard

text: Model M designates a group of computer keyboards designed and manufactured by IBM starting in 1985, and later by Lexmark International, Maxi Switch, and Unicomp. The keyboard's many variations have their own distinct characteristics, with the vast majority having a buckling-spring key design and swappable keycaps. Model M keyboards have been praised by computer enthusiasts and frequent typists due to their durability and consistency, and the tactile and auditory feedback they provide.


title: Model M keyboard

text: The popularity of the IBM PC and its successors made the Model M's design tremendously influential. Almost all later general-purpose computer keyboards mimicked its key layout and other aspects of its ergonomics. The layout was standardized by ISO in 1994 and ANSI in 1998, with minor additions—most notably the Windows key and Menu key.


title: Model M keyboard

text: The Model M is regarded as a timeless and durable piece of hardware. Although the computers and computer peripherals produced concurrently with them are considered obsolete, many Model M keyboards are still in use due to their physical durability and the continued validity of their ANSI 101-key and ISO 102-key layouts, through the use of a PS/2-female-to-USB-male adapter with a built-in level converter. Since their original popularity, new generations have discovered their unique functionality and aesthetics.


title: Model M keyboard

text: It is estimated that during the IBM and Lexmark years, over 10 million Model Ms were shipped. Their mass-market success ended in the 1990s amidst an industry-wide switchover to lower-cost dome-switch keyboards. IBM stopped producing the Model M keyboard in 1996.


title: Model M keyboard

text: The Model M keyboard was designed to be less expensive to produce than the Model F keyboard it replaced. Principal design work was done at IBM in 1983-1984, drawing on a wide range of user feedback, ergonomic studies, and examination of competing products. Its key layout, significantly different from the Model F's, owed much (including notably the inverted-T arrangement of its arrow keys) to the LK-201 keyboard shipped with the VT220 serial terminal.


title: Model M keyboard

text: Production of Model M keyboards began in 1985. They were often bundled with new IBM computers. While today primarily associated with the IBM PC and its successors, it actually first shipped with the 3161 terminal and was deployed across several other IBM product lines as well, notably including the 5250 terminal and the RS/6000.


title: Model M keyboard

text: They were produced at IBM plants in Lexington, Kentucky; Greenock, Scotland; and Guadalajara, Mexico. The most common variant is the IBM Enhanced Keyboard identified by IBM assembly part number 1391401, the U.S. English layout keyboard bundled with the IBM Personal System/2. Until around 1993, most Model Ms included a sturdy, coiled, detachable cable, with either an AT (pre-1987) or PS/2 connector, in 5- and 10-foot lengths (1.5 and 3 metres). From about 1994 onwards, flat non-detachable cables were used to reduce manufacturing costs; however, IBM retained its 101-key layout, never implementing the Microsoft Windows keys common on other keyboards from that time. Unicomp later designed a 104-key Model M with Windows keys.


title: Model M keyboard

text: On March 27, 1991, IBM divested a number of its hardware manufacturing operations, including keyboard production, forming Lexmark International. Lexmark continued manufacturing Model M keyboards in the United States, United Kingdom, and Mexico, with IBM as their major customer. Many of these keyboards are identified by IBM assembly part numbers 52G9658, 52G9700, 71G4644, 82G2383, and 42H1292, which were bundled with IBM PS/ValuePoint and IBM PC Series.


title: Model M keyboard

text: Over the next four years, cost pressure led to several minor design changes intended to lower the part and fabrication costs of Lexmark Model Ms. The case and metal backplate were repeatedly lightened. The cable jack and detachable SDL cable were replaced with a fixed cable. Some variants were made with a single color for key legends.


title: Model M keyboard

text: In 1995 Lexmark made the most sweeping design change in the Model M's history, altering the size and location of the internal controller board. While the new "press-fit" design successfully lowered manufacturing costs by eliminating the two ribbon cables and separate LED daughterboard of older versions, the controller's new card-edge connector proved to be a failure point that shortened the keyboard's average lifetime. The classic era of the Model M is generally considered to have ended with this change, though a few on the older pattern continued to be made at Greenock and Guadalajara until 1999. Relatively few press-fit model Ms have survived.


title: Model M keyboard

text: During the Lexmark years, a few Model M variants were manufactured with rubber-dome keyswitches rather than buckling springs. Due to these switches' comparatively short durability, few of these variants have survived. Despite their rarity, today's enthusiasts and collectors do not value them nearly as highly as the more common buckling-spring variants.


title: Model M keyboard

text: A five-year agreement obligating IBM to purchase nearly all of its keyboards from Lexmark expired on March 27, 1996. Lexmark exited the keyboard business, selling related assets to IBM and Maxi Switch. When Lexmark discontinued keyboard production in April 1996, IBM continued producing buckling-spring Model M's in Scotland until 1999. Maxi Switch purchased assets for rubber-dome keyboards and the Lexmark Select-Ease Keyboard (model M15), including a buckling-spring switch patent. They continued to manufacture the IBM Enhanced Keyboard with TrackPoint II (model M13) in Mexico until 1998.


title: Model M keyboard

text: Some of Lexmark's keyboard manufacturing assets were also sold to a group of Lexmark employees, who formed Unicomp whose basic version of the Model M was similar to part number 42H1292, first renamed 42H1292U and later the Customizer. There have been other configurations, including updated 104- and 105-key layouts; a Unix layout (where the Ctrl and Caps Lock keys and Esc and tilde keys are transposed); models with integrated pointing sticks and trackballs; and POS-specific models such as those with built-in magstripe readers. All used the press-fit controller characteristic of late Lexmarks.


title: Model M keyboard

text: Unicomp continued to use the original IBM machinery to produce Model Ms, leading to a gradual decline in quality as the tooling became worn. This, and various problems with their USB controllers helped keep a market for vintage Model Ms thriving. In 2020 Unicomp replaced its tooling and shipped a "New Model M" with noticeably improved build quality that more closely resembles the classic 1391401 (though with a 104- or 103-key layout and USB); many older variants are no longer sold on Unicomp's website and some still on sale have been deprecated.


title: Model M keyboard

text: The Model M's numerous variations (referred to as "part numbers") incorporated alternative features and/or colors. One of the most popular variants is the Space Saving Keyboard, which integrates the number pad into the keyboard's main section, substantially reducing its width.


title: Model M keyboard

text: IBM released the standard and Space Saving Model M's in an alternative 'gray/pebble' color for use with their Industrial computers, designed to conceal discoloration from handling in production environments. Other variable features include a grounded spacebar and, on some later models, drainage holes to deter damage from spilled drinks.


title: Model M keyboard

text: The M2 was a late Lexmark variation issued under cost pressure from competing rubber-dome keyboards. Some revisions used rubber-dome switches; others retained buckling springs. All had a much thinner, lighter case and discarded the metal backplate. It can easily be distinguished from the original Model M design by its flat, unsculpted front case section; also the manufacturing label, if present, says "M2" rather than "M". M2s were poorly fabricated and notoriously unreliable; comparatively few survived into the 21st century, and Model M enthusiasts do not value them.


title: Model M keyboard

text: The M2 should in turn be distinguished from the M5, another Lexmark variant which returned to the rugged Model M case/backplate construction but added a built-in trackball; and those two from the M13, which was also built like rugged Model Ms but featured a pointing stick. The M5 and M13 designs are still carried by Unicomp in 2021 under the names Trackball Classic and Endura Pro.


title: Model M keyboard

text: The variant most commonly referred to as "Model M" is Part No. 1391401, on which many other variants were based. This model, known as the Enhanced Keyboard, included IBM's patented buckling spring design and swappable keycaps.


title: Model M keyboard

text: The Model M's design has been widely praised as durable and reliable, and has remained basically the same since the 1980s, while virtually all other computing hardware, from PCs to monitors to mice, has changed dramatically. The M's sturdy design, including its heavy steel backplate and strong plastic frame, has allowed even the most abused examples to survive for years.


title: Model M keyboard

text: The Model M's buckling spring key design gives it a unique feel and sound. Unlike more common and cheaper dome switch designs, buckling springs give users unmistakable tactile and auditory feedback. Because of its more defined touch, some users report they can type faster and more accurately on the Model M than on other keyboards. Additionally, many model M enthusiasts believe that tactile-feedback keyboards like the model M reduce stress on the hands, preventing or even reversing Repetitive Strain Injury. The key presses require strong pressure and a pronounced sound, meant to help typists previously trained on typewriters who had become accustomed to that level of feedback. This resulted in the Model M sometimes being referred to as the "clicky keyboard."


title: Model M keyboard

text: Unlike competitors such as Cherry and Alps-style keyswitches, buckling-spring keyswitches do not have a plunger part with sliding surfaces that can be fouled by contaminants. This makes model Ms much more resistant to dirt, dust, and grit, and is a significant factor in their long service lifetimes and appeal in challenging industrial environments.


title: Model M keyboard

text: Until the late fourth-generation variants, most Model Ms have a 1.25" slotted, circular speaker grille in their bottom surfaces. Relatively few contain an actual speaker, however, which was useful only for sounding beep codes on older terminal systems. The most common P/Ns with speakers are 1394540 and 51G872, made for RS/6000 UNIX workstations.


title: Model M keyboard

text: Model Ms have been manufactured to quite a number of different interface and connector standards, some of which (such as the 5-pin DIN used on 5250 terminals) are poorly documented and have had to be reverse-engineered by enthusiasts. Early variants shipped with the PC XT and AT used connectors specific to those systems. After the introduction of the PS/2 most shipped with a connector for a PS/2 port; these included the 1391401. Unicomp introduced support for USB.


title: Model M keyboard

text: Older model Ms used a detachable cable with an SDL connector on the keyboard, later Lexmark and Unicomp variants used a fixed cable, and one very recent variant from Unicomp has a detachable cable with a rare locking variant of the USB Type A jack on the keyboard.


title: Optic neuritis

text: Optic neuritis describes any condition that causes inflammation of the optic nerve; it may be associated with demyelinating diseases, or infectious or inflammatory processes.