title: Joh Bjelke-Petersen

text: Bjelke-Petersen's government was kept in power in part due to an electoral malapportionment where rural electoral districts had significantly fewer enrolled voters than those in metropolitan areas. This system was introduced by the Labor Party in 1949 as an overt electoral fix in order to concentrate its base of voters in regional towns and rural areas in as many districts as possible. Under Nicklin the bias in favour of rural constituencies was maintained, but reworked to favour the Country and Liberal parties by carving new Country-leaning seats in the hinterlands of provincial areas and Liberal-leaning seats in Brisbane.


title: Joh Bjelke-Petersen

text: The bias worked to Bjelke-Petersen's benefit in his first election as premier, in 1969. His Country Party won only 21 percent of the primary vote, finishing third behind Labor and the Liberals. However, due to the Country Party's heavy concentration of support in the provincial and rural zones, it won 26 seats, seven more than the Liberals. Combined, the Coalition had 45 seats out of 78, enough to consign Labor to opposition even though it finished percentage points ahead of the Coalition on the two-party vote. While in opposition, Bjelke-Petersen had vehemently criticised the 1949 redistribution, claiming that Labor was effectively telling Queenslanders, "Whether you like it or not, we will be the government."


title: Joh Bjelke-Petersen

text: In 1972, Bjelke-Petersen strengthened the system to favour his own party. To the three existing electoral zones—metropolitan Brisbane, provincial and rural—was added a fourth zone, the remote zone. The seats in this area had even fewer enrolled electors than seats in the rural zone—in some cases, as few as a third of the enrolled electors in a typical Brisbane seat. This had the effect of packing Labor support into the Brisbane area and the provincial cities. On average, it took only 7,000 votes to win a Country/National seat, versus 12,000 for a Labor seat. This gross distortion led to his opponents referring to it as the "Bjelkemander", a play on the term "gerrymander". The 1985 proposal would have made the malapportionment even more severe, to the point that a vote in Brisbane would have only been worth half a country vote. The lack of a state upper house (which Queensland had abolished in 1922) allowed legislation to be passed without the need to negotiate with other political parties.


title: Joh Bjelke-Petersen

text: Queensland political scientist Rae Wear described Bjelke-Petersen as an authoritarian who treated democratic values with contempt and was intolerant and resentful of opposition, yet who also demonstrated a down-home charm and old-fashioned courtesies as well as kindness to colleagues. Those who worked closely with him described him as stubborn with a propensity to fly into rages in which he would "rant and rave like Adolf Hitler", creating "fantastic performances" as he shook with rage, becoming increasingly incoherent. Many of his National Party colleagues were in terror of him on such occasions. Raised by migrant parents in spartan rural surroundings, he combined a strong work ethic with an ascetic lifestyle that was strongly shaped by his Lutheran upbringing. As a young man Bjelke-Petersen lived alone for 15 years in an old cow bail with a leaky bark roof and only the most basic of facilities. He had a lifelong habit of hard work and long days and while premier often slept for just four hours a night. He valued "the School of Life, the hard knocks of life" more than formal education and showed little respect for academics and universities, although he accepted an honorary doctorate of Laws from the University of Queensland in May 1985, prompting criticism from both students and staff. Wear dismissed Bjelke-Petersen's claim that he was a reluctant and accidental entrant into state politics, concluding that he "seized opportunity whenever it presented and held tenaciously to power", and was later willing to use any device to remain premier. She said that although Bjelke-Petersen denied ever knowing anything about corruption, "the evidence suggests this is untrue. He ignored it because to acknowledge its presence was to hand a weapon to his political enemies and because he was prepared to trade off corruption for police loyalty".


title: Joh Bjelke-Petersen

text: Biographers have suggested that Bjelke-Petersen, raised under a resented patriarch, himself came to play the strong patriarch, refusing to be accountable to anyone: "Rather than explaining himself or answering questions, he demanded to be taken on trust." He believed God had chosen him to save Australia from socialism and also had a profound sense of Christian conscience that he said guided political decisions, explaining, "Your whole instinct cries out whether it's good or bad." A cousin of Bjelke-Petersen said the premier "has an inner certainty that he knows the answers to our political and social woes" and as a good Christian expected to be trusted, thus needing no constitutional checks and balances.


title: Joh Bjelke-Petersen

text: Guided by media adviser Allen Callaghan, with whom he worked from 1971 to 1979, Bjelke-Petersen was an astute manager of news media. He made himself available to reporters and held daily press conferences where he "fed the chooks". Callaghan released a steady stream of press releases, timing them to coincide with periods when news editors were most desperate for news. For most of Bjelke-Petersen's premiership, Queensland newspapers were supportive of his government, generally supporting the police and government on the street march issue, while Brisbane's "Courier-Mail" endorsed the return of the coalition government at every state election between 1957 and 1986.


title: Joh Bjelke-Petersen

text: According to Rae Wear, Bjelke-Petersen demanded total loyalty of the media and was unforgiving and vindictive if reporting was not to his satisfaction. In 1984, he reacted to a series of critical articles in the "Courier-Mail" by switching the government's million-dollar classified advertising account to the rival "Daily Sun". He banned a "Courier-Mail" reporter who was critical of his excessive use of the government aircraft and Wear claims other journalists who wrote critical articles became the subject of rumour-mongering, were harassed by traffic police, or found that "leaks" from the government dried up. Journalists covering industrial disputes and picketing were also afraid of arrest. In 1985, the Australian Journalists Association withdrew from the system of police passes because of police refusal to accredit certain journalists. Journalists, editors and producers were also deterred from critical stories by Bjelke-Petersen's increasing use of defamation actions in order to try to "stop talk about a corrupt government". Queensland historian Ross Fitzgerald was threatened with criminal libel in 1984 when he sought to publish a critical history of the state. The premier and his ministers launched 24 defamation actions against the Opposition leader and Labor Party and trade union figures, with 14 of them publicly funded. He saw no role for the media in making government accountable, telling the "Australian Financial Review" in 1986: "The greatest thing that could happen to the state and the nation is when we get rid of the media. Then we would live in peace and tranquillity and no one would know anything."


title: Joh Bjelke-Petersen

text: Callaghan's advice to Bjelke-Petersen included the recommendation that he maintain his rambling style of communication with mangled syntax, recognising it added to his homespun appeal to ordinary people and also allowed him to avoid giving answers. His catchphrase response to unwelcome queries was, "Don't you worry about that", a phrase that was used as the title of his 1990 memoir. Wear wrote: "His verbal stumbling communicated decent simplicity and trustworthiness and, in order to enhance his popular appeal, Bjelke-Petersen appears to have exaggerated, or at least not tried to rid himself of, his famous speaking style."


title: Joh Bjelke-Petersen

text: The premier showed little concern for heritage and environmental issues, attracting widespread public fury over the 1979 demolition of Brisbane's historic Bellevue Hotel and favouring oil drilling on the Great Barrier Reef and sand mining on Moreton Island. He opposed the expansion of Aboriginal land rights, barred state officials from meeting World Council of Churches delegates who were studying the treatment of Aborigines in Queensland and demonstrated a strong moralistic streak, banning "Playboy" magazine, opposing school sex education and condom vending machines and in 1980 proposing a ban on women flying south for abortions. In May 1985 the government conducted a series of raids on so-called abortion clinics.


title: Joh Bjelke-Petersen

text: Bjelke-Petersen had a confrontational approach to industrial relations. As a backbencher he had made clear his opposition to unions and the 40-hour week and in 1979 he pushed for legislation that would lead to the lifetime loss of a driver's licence for union members using their own vehicles to organise strikes.


title: Joh Bjelke-Petersen

text: For four days in 1981, Queensland power workers had been using rotating blackouts and restrictions as a means of pressure. Bjelke-Petersen responded by closing licensed clubs and hotels and publishing the names and addresses of the 260 involved workers, with the aim of inspiring members of the public to harass them. The intimidation tactic worked and the union resumed normal work schedules within 15 minutes of government ads arriving in Brisbane newspapers. "I believe the Government now knows how in the future to approach such disputes in essential services", said Bjelke-Petersen.


title: Joh Bjelke-Petersen

text: In 1982 he ordered the dismissal of teachers who were conducting rolling stoppages on the issue of class sizes. The same year he invoked the Essential Services Act to declare a state of emergency when government blue-collar workers launched industrial action to support a 38-hour week.


title: Joh Bjelke-Petersen

text: His biggest showdown with unions came in February 1985 when electrical workers, opposing the increasing use of contract labour in their industry, placed a ban on performing routine maintenance. Bjelke-Petersen ordered the shutdown of several of the states generators. That led to two weeks of blackouts. The government declared a state of emergency on 7 February, sacked as many as 1100 striking workers but offered their jobs back if they would sign a no-strike clause and work a 40-hour week; most accepted but 400 lost their jobs and superannuation. Labor compared the government with the Nazi regime, calling the new laws "police-state legislation".


title: Joh Bjelke-Petersen

text: Bjelke-Petersen believed that he and his government knew what was best for Aboriginal Australians. He excused racially discriminatory legislation as a protective measure and generally supported Aboriginal self-determination at least partly as striking a blow against the monolithic centralism of Canberra under Labor.


title: Joh Bjelke-Petersen

text: In June 1976, Bjelke-Petersen blocked the proposed sale of a pastoral property on the Cape York Peninsula to a group of Aboriginal people, because according to cabinet policy, "The Queensland Government does not view favourably proposals to acquire large areas of additional freehold or leasehold land for development by Aborigines or Aboriginal groups in isolation." This dispute resulted in the case of "Koowarta v Bjelke-Petersen", which was decided partly in the High Court in 1982, and partly in the Supreme Court of Queensland in 1988. The courts found that Bjelke-Petersen's policy had discriminated against Aboriginal people.


title: Joh Bjelke-Petersen

text: In 1978, the Uniting Church supported Aborigines at Aurukun and Mornington Island in their struggle with the Queensland Government after it granted a 1900 square kilometre mining lease to a mining consortium under extremely favourable conditions. The Aurukun people challenged the legislation, winning their case in the Supreme Court of Queensland but later losing when the Queensland Government appealed to the Privy Council of the United Kingdom.


title: Joh Bjelke-Petersen

text: Bjelke-Petersen was opposed by Sir Robert Sparkes, church groups and the federal government over a 1982 push to abolish Aboriginal and Islander community reserves and to give title to the reserve lands to local councils elected by communities—titles that could be revoked by the government for unspecified reasons. Bjelke-Petersen claimed there were over-riding issues of defence and security because of fears of a communist plot to create a separate black nation in Australia.


title: Joh Bjelke-Petersen

text: In 1982, Bjelke-Petersen also denied John Koowarta, an aboriginal man, the sale of a large block of traditional aboriginal land, due to Aboriginal people 'not being allowed to buy large areas of land'. Koowarta appealed the decision to the High Court, arguing that the Queensland Government could not do this under the "Racial Discrimination Act" "1975 (Cth)." The High Court overruled Bjelke-Petersen's decision, allowing the Wik nation's traditional land to be bought by Koowarta.


title: Joh Bjelke-Petersen

text: During his period in office Bjelke-Petersen frequently raised fears of a conspiracy of "southern homosexuals" to gain electoral advantage and to oppose the policies of the federal government or other states.


title: Joh Bjelke-Petersen

text: He was a leading proponent of Wivenhoe and Burdekin Dams, encouraging the modernising and electrifying of the Queensland railway system, and the construction of the Gateway Bridge. Airports, coal mines, power stations, and dams were built throughout the state. James Cook University was established. In Brisbane, the Queensland Cultural Centre, Griffith University, the Southeast Freeway, and the Captain Cook, Gateway and Merivale bridges were all constructed, as well as the Parliamentary Annexe that was attached to Queensland Parliament House. Bjelke-Petersen was one of the instigators of World Expo 88 (now South Bank Parklands) and the 1982 Brisbane Commonwealth Games.


title: Joh Bjelke-Petersen

text: His government worked closely with property developers on the Gold Coast, who constructed resorts, hotels, a casino and a system of residential developments. In one controversial case, the Queensland government passed special legislation, the Sanctuary Cove Act 1985, to exempt a luxury development, Sanctuary Cove, from local government planning regulations. The developer, Mike Gore, was seen as a key member of the "white shoe brigade", a group of Gold Coast businessmen who became influential supporters of Bjelke-Petersen. The "white-shoe" nickname was a contemptuous allusion to the nouveau riche origins revealed by their gaudy and tasteless choice of clothing, which included brightly coloured or patterned shirts, slacks with white stripes or in pastel shades, and shoes and belts of white leather, these often having gold or gilt buckles. They became known for shady deals with the government concerning property development, often with dire consequences for heritage buildings. A similar piece of legislation was passed to allow the Japanese company, Iwasaki Sangyo, to develop a tourist resort near Yeppoon in Central Queensland.


title: Joh Bjelke-Petersen

text: He was an associate of Milan Brych, who had previously been removed from the New Zealand Medical Register for promoting unproven cancer cures.


title: Sara Sothern

text: Sara Sothern (born Sara Viola Warmbrodt; August 21, 1895 – September 11, 1994) was an American stage actress and the mother of actress Elizabeth Taylor.


title: Sara Sothern

text: Sothern was born Sara Viola Warmbrodt in Arkansas City, Kansas, the daughter of Elizabeth Ann (née Wilson; February 10, 1864 – February 7, 1932) and Samuel Sylvester Warmbrodt (October 8, 1861 – January 6, 1948), son of Samuel Warmbrodt, from Switzerland.


title: Sara Sothern

text: Her film debut was on "One of the Flames" (1914) which was filmed at the Miller Brothers 101 Ranch. Sothern was a seasoned actress by the time she made her Broadway debut in "The Dagger" (1925), followed by "Arabesque" and "Fool's Bells" that same year. She next appeared in "Mama Loves Papa" (1926). During this time, she acted in plays across the U.S., including the theatre venues of downtown Los Angeles.


title: Sara Sothern

text: She married art dealer Francis Lenn Taylor in 1926 in New York City. They were the parents of Howard Taylor (27 June 1929 – 31 August 2020), and the movie star Elizabeth Taylor (19322011). After marrying, Sothern retired from the stage and never acted again. After living in England several years, where her children were born, they returned to the United States. Living in Los Angeles, California, she devoted herself to her family and the movie career of her daughter.


title: Sara Sothern

text: Sothern died on September 11, 1994, less than a month after her 99th birthday in Palm Springs, California. She is interred in Westwood Village Memorial Park, Los Angeles.


title: Gündüz Alp

text: Gündüz Alp was the likely father of Ertuğrul (13th century) and grandfather of Osman I, the founder of the Ottoman Dynasty. According to some sources, the name of one of the sons of Ertuğrul was also Gündüz Alp, and thus the brother of Osman I. Ottoman histories, written around the 15th century, differ in details about Osman I's ancestry.


title: Gündüz Alp

text: According to 15th century Ottoman writers Enveri and Karamani Mehmet Pasha, Gündüz Alp was the father of Ertuğrul. Yazıcızâde Âli's "Tevârih-i Al-i Selçuk" (15th century) indicated Gök Alp, the brother of Gündüz Alp as the father of Ertuğrul. Some other writers in their published works like 15th century historians; Şükrullah's "," Hasan bin Mahmûd el-Bayâtî's "Câm-ı Cem-Âyîn," Âşıkpaşazâde's "History of Âşıkpaşazâde," Neşri's ' and early 16th century Oruç Bey's ' had asserted that Süleyman Şah was the father of Ertuğrul. Historian Halil İnalcık argued that the latter have confused Süleyman Şah with the grandfather of Gündüz Alp, namely Mir Süleymân Alp. Three coins which read "Osman bin Ertuğrul bin Gündüz Alp" supports the view that Gündüz was Ertuğrul's father.


title: Gündüz Alp

text: Erhan Afyoncu claims that "Mir Süleymân Alp" in the family tree above is the "Amir of İznik or Antakya "Suleiman ibn Qutulmish.""


title: Gündüz Alp

text: Âşıkpaşazâde, in chapter fourteenth of "," argues that Osman I put forward that he had descended from "Gökalp" and ""Suleiman ibn Qutulmish"" the founder of Anatolian Seljuk Sultanate instead of ""Süleyman Şah ibn Kaya Alp"." According to Erhan Afyoncu, the identity of "Süleyman Şah" in the Tomb of Suleyman Shah is unidentified. He also defends that the father of "Ertuğrul" according to the recent investigations is "Gündüz Alp."


title: Gündüz Alp

text: Three coins minted by Osman I in Yenişehir-Bursa during his reign which reads "Osman bin Ertuğrul bin Gündüz Alp" showed that the name of the father of Ertuğrul was Gündüz. Many contemporary history professors like İlber Ortaylı, Halil İnalcık, Erhan Afyoncu, and demonstrated that those history books written more than six hundred years ago had erred in determining the father of Ertuğrul for some reasons, and had given Ertuğrul's father name incorrectly as Suleyman Shah instead of Gündüz Alp because of the similarity of the name of Kutalmışoğlu Suleyman Shah the founder of Seljuks of Rum, and Osman I's presumed ancestor Suleyman Shah.


title: Gündüz Alp

text: According to "Hasan bin Mahmûd el-Bayâtîs "Câm-ı Cem-Âyîn," Âşıkpaşazâde's ' and Neşrî's "", the name of one of the sons of Ertuğrul and one of the brothers of Osman I was also Gündüz, who had a son named Aydoğdu Bey. Some other sources also indicate that he had another son, Aktimur Bey who was a soldier and government official in the establishment of the Ottoman Empire. This Gündüz had another brother named Saru-Yatı (Savcı Beg). Osman I may also have had a nephew named Gündüz.


title: Pi bond

text: In chemistry, pi bonds (π bonds) are covalent chemical bonds, in each of which two lobes of an orbital on one atom overlap with two lobes of an orbital on another atom, and in which this overlap occurs laterally. Each of these atomic orbitals has an electron density of zero at a shared nodal plane that passes through the two bonded nuclei. This plane also is a nodal plane for the molecular orbital of the pi bond. Pi bonds can form in double and triple bonds but do not form in single bonds in most cases.


title: Pi bond

text: The Greek letter π in their name refers to p orbitals, since the orbital symmetry of the pi bond is the same as that of the p orbital when seen down the bond axis. One common form of this sort of bonding involves p orbitals themselves, though d orbitals also engage in pi bonding. This latter mode forms part of the basis for metal-metal multiple bonding.


title: Pi bond

text: Pi bonds are usually weaker than sigma bonds. The C-C double bond, composed of one sigma and one pi bond, has a bond energy less than twice that of a C-C single bond, indicating that the stability added by the pi bond is less than the stability of a sigma bond. From the perspective of quantum mechanics, this bond's weakness is explained by significantly less overlap between the component p-orbitals due to their parallel orientation. This is contrasted by sigma bonds which form bonding orbitals directly between the nuclei of the bonding atoms, resulting in greater overlap and a strong sigma bond.


title: Pi bond

text: Pi bonds result from overlap of atomic orbitals that are in contact through two areas of overlap. Pi bonds are more diffuse bonds than the sigma bonds. Electrons in pi bonds are sometimes referred to as pi electrons. Molecular fragments joined by a pi bond cannot rotate about that bond without breaking the pi bond, because rotation involves destroying the parallel orientation of the constituent p orbitals.


title: Pi bond

text: For homonuclear diatomic molecules, bonding π molecular orbitals have only the one nodal plane passing through the bonded atoms, and no nodal planes between the bonded atoms. The corresponding "anti"bonding, or π* ("pi-star") molecular orbital, is defined by the presence of an additional nodal plane between these two bonded atoms.


title: Pi bond

text: A typical double bond consists of one sigma bond and one pi bond; for example, the C=C double bond in ethylene (HC=CH). A typical triple bond, for example in acetylene (HC≡CH), consists of one sigma bond and two pi bonds in two mutually perpendicular planes containing the bond axis. Two pi bonds are the maximum that can exist between a given pair of atoms. Quadruple bonds are extremely rare and can be formed only between transition metal atoms, and consist of one sigma bond, two pi bonds and one delta bond.


title: Pi bond

text: A pi bond is weaker than a sigma bond, but the combination of pi and sigma bond is stronger than either bond by itself. The enhanced strength of a multiple bond versus a single (sigma bond) is indicated in many ways, but most obviously by a contraction in bond lengths. For example, in organic chemistry, carbon–carbon bond lengths are about 154 pm in ethane, 134 pm in ethylene and 120 pm in acetylene. More bonds make the total bond shorter and stronger.


title: Pi bond

text: In certain metal complexes, pi interactions between a metal atom and alkyne and alkene pi antibonding orbitals form pi-bonds.


title: Pi bond

text: In some cases of multiple bonds between two atoms, there is no net sigma-bonding at all, only pi bonds. Examples include diiron hexacarbonyl (Fe(CO)), dicarbon (C), and diborane(2) (BH). In these compounds the central bond consists only of pi bonding because of a sigma antibond accompanying the sigma bond itself. These compounds have been used as computational models for analysis of pi bonding itself, revealing that in order to achieve maximum orbital overlap the bond distances are much shorter than expected.


title: Infiniti Q45

text: The Infiniti Q45 is a full-size luxury sedan manufactured and marketed by Nissan's Infiniti brand for model years 1989-2006, over three generations.


title: Infiniti Q45

text: The first generation Q45 (1989–1999) was based on the Nissan President; the second generation (1997–2000) and third generation (2002–2006) were based on Nissan's JDM Nissan Cima. Exports of the Q45 ended after MY 2006.


title: Infiniti Q45

text: The first generation Q45 came to market in 1989 as a 1990 model with a high-output 4.5 L V8 engine rated at and . All Q45s included a VLSD (viscous limited-slip differential), as part of a multi-link suspension. At the time, Nissan was working on a program called the "901 Movement," with the aim of making Nissan's the best handling lineup in the industry. In Japan, it was marketed as the Nissan Infiniti Q45, and was exclusive to "Nissan Prince Store" locations, as its platform twin the President was exclusive to "Nissan Motor Store" locations.


title: Infiniti Q45

text: Equipment included a Bose sound system, leather interior, power adjustable front passenger seats with two position memory feature that also electrically adjusted the steering wheel, exterior mirrors, one-touch power windows, digital climate control, and keyless entry system.


title: Infiniti Q45

text: It was equipped with instrument lighting using a reverse effect of white light on the gauges with black numbers. Revisions in 1993 included 17:1 steering (except on the Q45t, which retained the original 15.1:1 ratio), lower ratio 1st and 2nd gears, and a dynamically smooth suspension, thicker glass, keyless remote, auto-dim rear-view mirror, dipping side view mirrors, revised transmission heat exchanger and external ATF filter, revised oval intake ports and revised disc injectors, fog lights and metal-backed camshaft timing chain guides.


title: Infiniti Q45

text: Infiniti offered the Q45 in three trim levels: base, Q45t, and Q45a. The Q45t and Q45a featured a multi-link suspension at both the front and rear wheels, and included a rear stabilizer bar (with the Q45a model being larger in diameter) and both models having a 1 mm smaller in diameter front sway bar, rear spoiler, BBS forged alloy wheels, 4-wheel steering. HICAS and the faster steering ratios was discontinued in the 1995 Q45t model and the Q45a model was not imported in 1996.


title: Infiniti Q45

text: In 1989 (as a 1990 model) a full "active suspension (FAS)" was introduced. It employed 10 sensors sending signals to microprocessor-controlled hydraulic actuators at each wheel. It was designed to reduce body roll, dive and pitch and was very similar to Mercedes-Benz's Active Body Control, which was introduced in 1999 on the C215 CL-Class.


title: Infiniti Q45

text: The contemporary upstart luxury marque Lexus (Toyota) had managed to challenge the establish dominance of European full-size luxury cars with the LS 400, so the Q45 seemed poised for similar success with comparable specifications and price to the LS 400 while featuring more emphasis upon handling. However Q45 sales didn't take off which was attributed to the car's unconventional styling, particularly the grille and lack of interior woodgrain or chrome trim. There was also an unusual advertising campaign which did not include actual photos or information about the car.


title: Infiniti Q45

text: In 1993 the Infiniti brand was launched in Australia with the sole model on offer being the Q45. With a price of A$140,000, the Q45 sold poorly and the brand was subsequently withdrawn from the market in 1996. The G50 chassis continued in production in Japan until 2002 as the President in both regular and extended wheelbase versions. The Japanese version had many options that never appeared on the North American G50.


title: Infiniti Q45

text: The second generation Q45 was a lightly revised variant of Nissan’s JDM Nissan Cima, using the Cedric / Gloria platform. For the prior generation, the "Q45" took its name from its 4.5-liter V8; the nameplate remained though the second generation, which featured a 4.1 L VH41DE engine producing and acceleration figures of 0- in about 7.5 seconds. Styling featured an inverse curve C-pillar, and a pronounced full-length horizontal character beltline.


title: Infiniti Q45

text: The Q45 Anniversary Edition, limited to 3,000 units, offered highest trim level available for the second-generation Q45, available on 2000 models and standard on the 2001 models. The package included all features of the Q45t model along with “Anniversary Edition” markings on the tailgate badge, ignition key, front seat embossing and floor mats as well as genuine wood trim, wood tone/leather steering wheel, special bright machine finish 17-inch performance wheels and exclusive body color door handles.


title: Infiniti Q45

text: The Q45t featured 17-inch wheels and tires, electronically modulated performance-tuned suspension, blackout grille, blackout headlight treatment, performance style steering wheel and “t” badging on the rear decklid.


title: Infiniti Q45

text: The Q45 front and rear fascias were slightly revised for 1999; HID headlights and an analog clock became standard equipment. 17" wheels and an electronic adjustable suspension became standard on the Q45t.


title: Infiniti Q45

text: Standard features for the second-generation Q45 included traction control, leather interior with faux wood trim, single (later dual) zone climate control, Bose audio system with eight speakers and in-dash single disc CD player, auto dimming rear view mirror, automatic light on and delay off timer, steering wheel-mounted cruise control and head unit controls. Also standard was a memory system for the driver's seat and steering wheel. Options included an integrated satellite navigation system, 6-disc CD autochanger and heated seats.


title: Infiniti Q45

text: Nearly all Infinitis before or since have used a two-digit number following a letter to indicate displacement; the second-generation Q was an exception (as was the Nissan Pathfinder clone QX4).


title: Infiniti Q45

text: Introduced as a concept at the 2000 New York Auto Show, the Q45 was completely redesigned for 2002 and was heavily based on the JDM Cima. This Q45 focused on performance again with a new 340 hp (253 kW) 4.5 L VK45DE V8 engine, HID headlights, and revised styling. The car featured a 5-speed automatic transmission with overdrive.


title: Infiniti Q45

text: Development began in 1996, with exterior designs under Mamori Aoki frozen in 1998 and patented in March 2000. It was the first Infiniti with laser autonomous cruise control system.


title: Infiniti Q45

text: 1129 Q45s were sold in the United States for 2005. The 3rd generation Q45 reviewed by "Car and Driver", "Edmunds" and "Consumer Guide", receiving relative positive reviews.


title: Infiniti Q45

text: The 2003 model received a revised security system, numerically higher final drive ratio (for better acceleration - decreased highway fuel economy), reprogrammed TCU, and a mid-year satellite radio option. The CD changer could load CDs directly at the dashboard head unit.


title: Infiniti Q45

text: Standard equipment included a leather interior, power sunroof, 8-way power front seats, remote keyless entry, rain-detecting wipers and side curtain airbags. Standard electronics include: CD, 8 speaker Bose audio system, trip computer, rear view parking camera system, and voice-activated navigation system. The 2002 Q45 was the first vehicle to ever offer voice-activated navigation controls and a reverse parking camera outside Japan, following the JDM 1991 Toyota Soarer. The car seated five passengers and was offered at MSRP of .


title: Infiniti Q45

text: The 2005 Q45 received revised front and rear fascias, hood, grille, trunk decklid and finisher, headlights, revised exterior chrome trim, integrated fog lights and LED taillights, recontoured double-stitched seating, white luminescent gauge markings, genuine metal knobs for accessory controls, a darker shade of maple interior trim, recalibrated transmission and new 17" alloy wheels.


title: Infiniti Q45

text: The Infiniti Q45 was no longer exported to the USA after 2006, being unintentionally replaced by a newly redesigned Infiniti M35/45. While the M is a mid-luxury (executive) car that has a shorter length than the Q45, it boasts more interior room, greater performance, a superior rear multilink suspension and front double wishbone, and much friendlier ergonomics, so it succeeded the Q45 as Infiniti's flagship.


title: Infiniti Q45

text: A new Q flagship was anticipated by the end of the 2000s decade. According to Mark Igo, the general manager of Infiniti North America, "the new Q will make the brand better, but it is questionable whether it will be very profitable".


title: Infiniti Q45

text: Infiniti introduced the next iteration of its flagship, the Y51 series Infiniti M37/56/Nissan Fuga in November 2009. Continuing as a mid-luxury car, the new Infiniti M is only shorter than the final generation Q45, with the same width dimensions of and height of compared to the F50 series Cima of height.


title: Infiniti Q45

text: By August 2010 the Nissan Cima, on which the final generation Q45 essentially was based, had been discontinued in Japan, along with its Nissan President sibling. This made the second generation Nissan Fuga the marque's top-of-the-line flagship sedan. When the Fuga assumed the role as flagship sedan of Nissan Japan August 2010, it became the first time that Nissan didn't sell a premium luxury V8 sedan in Japan, although the Fuga's North American cousin, the Infiniti M56, is offered with a V8 shared with the Infiniti QX56.


title: Infiniti Q45

text: In May 2012, Nissan released a new version of the Cima in Japan, based on the Fuga Hybrid (Infiniti M35h).


title: Infiniti Q45

text: On 17 December 2012, Infiniti announced that all of its future sedan offerings will use the Q prefix, starting from the Q50 as a G37 replacement, Q70 for its M35/45/56 replacement, and a rumored Q80 for the new flagship model.


title: Blood (South Korean TV series)

text: Blood () is a 2015 South Korean television series starring Ahn Jae-hyun, Ji Jin-hee, Koo Hye-sun, and Son Soo-hyun. It aired on KBS2 from February 16 to April 21, 2015 on Mondays and Tuesdays at 22:00 for 20 episodes.


title: Blood (South Korean TV series)

text: Park Ji-sang (Ahn Jae-hyun) is a doctor specializing in hepato-pancreato-biliary surgery in the best cancer research hospital in the country. He is also a vampire. Despite seeming cold and unfeeling, Ji-sang masks his soft heart and inner pain and yearns for closeness with people. He believes very strongly in the sanctity of human life, and suppresses his thirst for blood to treat terminally ill patients and save lives. Among his colleagues is Yoo Ri-ta (Ku Hye-sun), a hotshot physician who entered medical school at the age of 17 and is also the niece of the chaebol group chairman who owns the hospital. Ri-ta is highly capable but snooty and arrogant, yet Ji-sang finds himself falling for her. He also gets drawn into a conflict between good and evil as he encounters Lee Jae-wook, a two-faced hospital director who gains everyone's trust with his gentle demeanor, but inwardly harbors a dangerous ambition for power and a talent for cruelty.


title: EMD F40PH

text: The EMD F40PH is a four-axle B-B diesel-electric locomotive built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division in several variants from 1975 to 1992. Intended for use on Amtrak's short-haul passenger routes, it became the backbone of Amtrak's diesel fleet after the failure of the EMD SDP40F. The F40PH also found widespread use on commuter railroads in the United States and with Via Rail in Canada. Additional F40PH variants were manufactured by Morrison-Knudsen and MotivePower between 1988 and 1998, mostly rebuilt from older locomotives.


title: EMD F40PH

text: Amtrak retired its fleet of F40PHs in the early-2000s in favor of the GE Genesis, but the locomotive remains the mainstay of Via Rail's long-distance trains; a depiction of the locomotive hauling "The Canadian" is featured on the reverse of the Frontier series Canadian $10 bill. The F40PHs are still a common sight on many other commuter railroads throughout the United States. In addition, Amtrak has kept 22 of its F40PHs in use as non-powered control units.


title: EMD F40PH

text: Amtrak inherited an aging and mechanically-incompatible fleet of diesel locomotives from various private railroads on its startup in 1971. The most modern locomotives remained in private hands for freight service, or to operate the various commuter services which, by law, did not pass to Amtrak. To replace these Amtrak ordered 150 EMD SDP40F locomotives, which began entering service in 1973. These were supplemented by 25 GE P30CHs which entered service in 1975. The SDP40F was a troubled design; problems with weight distribution led to a series of derailments in the mid-1970s. Meanwhile, the poor truck design of the P30CH (and the electric GE E60CP) curtailed further orders of that unit when Amtrak found itself needing more short- and medium-distance power in the spring of 1975.


title: EMD F40PH

text: The design of the F40PH was based on the EMD GP40-2 freight road-switcher and shared that locomotive's turbocharged EMD 645E3 V16 cylinder, two-stroke, water-cooled diesel engine (prime mover). The prime mover developed at 893 RPM. The main (traction) generator converts mechanical energy from the prime mover into electricity distributed through a high voltage cabinet to the traction motors. Each of the four traction motors is geared to a pair of driving wheels; the gear ratio determines the maximum speed of the locomotive. A standard F40PH has a gear ratio of 57:20, permitting a maximum speed of . Some Amtrak F40PHs were delivered with a 56:21 gearing for . The first 30 locomotives were built with a fuel tank. Subsequent units were built with a tank. Beginning with the EMD F40PH-2, introduced in 1985, the prime mover developed . Many of the original F40PHs were updated to match that output. The locomotives were long. A standard F40PH weighs .


title: EMD F40PH

text: For passenger service the F40PH has another electrical alternator, the head-end generator. The HEP unit generates three-phase AC power at 480 V (500 kW on the first order, 800 kW on later units) for lighting, heating and air-conditioning the train. Originally, F40PHs powered the HEP alternator from the prime mover. As a result of that, the train had to be at a constant 60Hz frequency, and the prime mover had to turn at a constant 893 RPM while supplying head end power (even standing still, with the throttle in idle). Power to the traction motors was controlled by varying the field excitation of the main (traction) generator. On some later versions of the F40PH (and on many rebuilt F40s), a second small auxiliary diesel engine at the rear of the locomotive powers the HEP alternator. In these engines, the prime-mover speed varies in the usual way. They can be identified by the diesel exhaust at the rear of the locomotive and by their quiet idle. Remaining F40s, with the constant-RPM prime movers, are noticeably louder.


title: EMD F40PH

text: In the initial design the battery box and air reservoirs were located forward of the fuel tank. In locomotives manufactured after 1977 these were relocated behind the tank. The battery box returned to its original location in the F40PH-2. The F40PH-2s delivered to Caltrain incorporated Southern Pacific Railroad-style headlights.


title: EMD F40PH

text: The designation "F40PH" stood for the following: "F" for the full-width cowl carbody, "40" as the locomotive is part of EMD's 40-series (based on the GP40-2 freight locomotive), "P" for passenger service, and "H" for head-end power.


title: EMD F40PH

text: Amtrak ordered its first 30 F40PHs on May 8, 1975; the first of the new locomotives entered service on April 9 the following year. Amtrak intended the locomotives for short routes such as the "San Diegan" in California and Northeast Corridor services in the then non-electrified portion between New Haven, Connecticut and Boston, Massachusetts. The long-distance routes were protected by the then-new EMD SDP40F, described by J. David Ingles in late 1975 as the "stars of Amtrak's long-distance trains". Two events led to a major change in thinking within Amtrak. The first was a sharp decline in the mechanical reliability of the EMD SDP40F, including several derailments. The second was the unusually harsh winter of 1976–1977, which sidelined many of Amtrak's aging steam-heated coaches. Amtrak suspended numerous routes and pressed the new HEP-equipped Amfleet I coaches, designed for short runs, into service. The F40PH, with its built-in HEP generator, was the natural choice to haul these trains.


title: EMD F40PH

text: As problems with the EMD SDP40F mounted, Amtrak adopted the F40PH as its long-term solution nationwide for diesel service. In the spring of 1977 Amtrak traded 40 SDP40Fs back to EMD; components including the prime mover were installed into an F40PH's frame. The 40 rebuilt locomotives were designated F40PHR and were identical to new-build F40PHs, incorporating the larger fuel tank and more powerful HEP generator which had become standard. Amtrak ultimately acquired 132 F40PHRs in this manner, which combined with new orders between 1975 and 1988, and the purchase of six GMD F40PHs from GO Transit in 1990, led to a fleet of 216 locomotives, the country's largest fleet.


title: EMD F40PH

text: The first commuter rail operator to order F40PHs was Chicago's Regional Transportation Authority (RTA), a forerunner to Metra, who ordered 74 between 1977 and 1983. Metra ordered 41 more between 1988 and 1992. Other agencies who bought the F40PH included the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA) (18), Caltrain (20), GO Transit (6), New Jersey Transit (17), and Via Rail (59). Finally, the rail construction firm Speno ordered four. In total EMD built 449 locomotives, including the F40PHR trade-ins.


title: EMD F40PH

text: The F40PH performed well for Amtrak; at the start of the 1990s only four had been retired due to wrecks and the locomotive was at the center of Amtrak's advertising. "Trains" magazine estimated that on average, each F40PH traveled as many as a year. Amtrak began replacing the F40PH with the GE Dash 8-32BWH in 1991, the GE P40DC in 1993 and the GE P42DC in 1996. All were retired by 2001 with the arrival of the last P42DC and their last regular assignment was on the "Maple Leaf" in December 2001. The Panama Canal Railway acquired several ex-Amtrak F40PHs for both freight and passenger service; the 480V head-end power matched the voltage used by the refrigeration in Maersk Sealand containers.


title: EMD F40PH

text: The F40PH has continued to serve Via Rail into the 21st century; between 2007 and 2012 Via refurbished its entire fleet for CAD $100 million. The rebuild program included separate HEP generators, overhauled engines, a 3rd headlight addition, cab reconditioning, additional safety horns at the front, and repainting into the newer VIA scheme. A rebuilt locomotive, No. 6403, pulling the "Canadian" through the Rocky Mountains, was included on the back of the redesigned Canadian ten-dollar note in 2013 (the actual 6403 was later renumbered to 6459). As of 2018, VIA has 53 such locomotives in service. These locomotives are now supplemented by GE P42DC locomotives delivered in 2001.


title: EMD F40PH

text: Three ex-Amtrak F40PHs have been preserved: No. 231 is owned by Dynamic Rail Preservation in Boulder City, Nevada, No. 281 is at the California State Railroad Museum, and No. 307 is at the North Carolina Transportation Museum. Coaster plans to donate two of its F40PHM-2C locomotives that were retired on February 8, 2021; Two locomotives were donated; 2103 to the Pacific Southwest Railway Museum, and 2105 to the Southern California Railway Museum.


title: EMD F40PH

text: The longevity of the F40PH has led to numerous conversions, rebuildings, and remanufacturings. In some instances new locomotives were assembled using EMD components. Several transit agencies lengthened their locomotives to include a separate HEP generator. These were designated F40PH-2C and F40PH-CAT where Cummins and Caterpillar generators were used, respectively. The F40PH-2C was considerably heavier than the standard design, weighing . The F40PH-2D, employed by Via Rail, had special customizations for operating in Canada, including ditch lights. Metra's last 30 locomotives, designated F40PHM-2 (now rebuilt as F40PHM-3), were built with a sloped cab similar to the experimental EMD F69PHAC. The streamlined appearance acquired the nickname "Winnebago." Speno's four locomotives, designated F40PH-2M, were delivered without turbochargers, limiting power output to . The five EMD GP40 locomotives Morrison-Knudsen rebuilt for Tri-Rail in 1988 were designated F40PHL-2. Progress Rail rebuilt 41 Metra units with remanufactured engines, rebuilt traction motors and microprocessor traction control. These have been designated the F40PH-3. The MBTA's dozen F40PHM-2C locomotives were built new using EMD components, as were the six F40PH-3 locomotives of the Altamont Commuter Express.


title: EMD F40PH

text: As Amtrak's F40PH fleet was replaced by newer GE Genesis-series locomotives, Amtrak converted a number of the retired units into baggage/cab cars. Colloquially known as "cabbages" (a portmanteau of "cab" and "baggage"), and officially known as Non-Powered Control Units (NPCUs), these units had their diesel engines, traction motors, and main alternators removed, as well as a large roll-up door installed in the side (allowing the former engine compartment to be used for baggage). Amtrak converted 22 locomotives into cabbage cars between 1996 and 2007. Each converted unit was renumbered by prefixing "90" to its original number. In 2011, Amtrak converted F40PH No. 406 to an NPCU to enable push-pull operation of Amtrak's 40th-anniversary exhibit train; in addition, a HEP generator was installed to supply auxiliary power. Unlike other NPCUs, No. 406 retains its original number (instead of being renumbered to 90406) and resembles an operational F40PH externally.


title: EMD F40PH

text: Some F40PHs found their way into freight service, after suitable modifications. The F40M-2F, which runs on the San Luis and Rio Grande Railroad and formerly the Canadian American Railroad, was regeared for a maximum speed of and given an enlarged fuel tank. It was also fitted with a door, platform, and steps at the front. One unit, 450, was acquired by Western Maryland Scenic Railroad in 2018.


title: EMD F40PH

text: Electro-Motive Division manufactured 475 F40PHs of all types between 1975 and 1992. The orders for GO Transit and Via Rail Canada were built by General Motors Diesel (GMD), the company's Canadian subsidiary. Morrison-Knudsen and its successor MotivePower remanufactured another 31 locomotives between 1988 and 1998.


title: Samurai Shodown

text: Samurai Shodown, known in Japan as is a fighting game series by SNK. The series began in 1993 and is known for being one of the earliest in the genre with a primary focus on weapon-based combat.


title: Samurai Shodown

text: The stories in the series take place in 18th-century Japan, during the Sakoku or seclusion period of Japan (the first four games run across 1788 and 1789) with great artistic license so that foreign-born characters (including some from places that did not exist as such in 1788) and fictional monsters can also be part of the story. The plot of each game is quite different, but they circle a central group of characters and a region in Japan.


title: Samurai Shodown

text: "Samurai Shodown" consequently portrays snippets of the Japanese culture and language internationally with little edits. For instance, unlike most fighting games made in Japan, the characters in the series (including the announcer) generally speak only in Japanese, with dialects ranging from archaic formalities and theatricalism to modern-day slang, something that has been preserved for overseas releases. Win quotes and other cut scenes provide subtitles in several languages, including but not limited to English, Portuguese, and German. Much of the music includes traditional Japanese instruments (predominantly the shakuhachi, shamisen, koto and taiko) and later "enka". Several characters are loosely based on real figures from Japanese history.


title: Samurai Shodown

text: There are two main artists responsible for the character designs and illustrations. For the early games (Part 1 to 4), the characters are created and illustrated by Eiji Shiroi. His illustrations featured a distinctive, traditional Japanese calligraphy style. While he continues to design for a few of the later games, they are illustrated by another artist named Senri Kita until the fifth title.


title: Samurai Shodown

text: The "Samurai Shodown" games are most famous for their "Rage" (怒) gauge, a meter that only increases as a player receives damage, and which when fully activated has numerous effects depending on game. Earlier games also have a referee in the background, officiating the match.


title: Samurai Shodown

text: Over the course of years since the first game, the "Samurai Shodown" games (excluding spin-offs) have come to feature over 80 playable warriors. The most famous among them include Haohmaru and Nakoruru, who are both considered the series' flagship characters. Characters directly inspired from historical figures and keeping their names, like Hattori Hanzō and Yagyū Jūbei, are present as well.


title: Samurai Shodown

text: A television special (later dubbed a "motion picture" for international release) loosely based on the first game aired in Japan in 1994. An English adaptation was produced by ADV Films, on VHS in 1995 and on DVD in 2005. The plot means to reenact the events of Samurai Shodown (1993 video game), but the characters’ roles highly deviated from their original source. One of such bizarre changes made was switching Amakusa's gender from male to female. Another questionable change was the inclusion of the “Seven Holy Warriors”, skilled warriors who were resurrected to specifically fight Ambrosia, which is an idea never mentioned in any other continuity.


title: Samurai Shodown

text: Several manga adaptations of "Samurai Spirits" were produced in Japan. One of them, titled , written by Kyoichi Nanatsuki and illustrated by Yuki Miyoshi, was serialized in the "Weekly Shonen Sunday" in 1994. It was later adapted into English under the simplified titled "Samurai Shodown" by Viz Media in 1996, where it was serialized in the short-lived "Game On! USA" magazine and concluded in "Animerica". The story is meant to be a prequel to "Samurai Shodown II", establishing an original character, Yui Minbunosuke Shosetsu, as the main antagonist. Game characters Haohmaru, Nakoruru, Hanzo, Charlotte, and Genan remain the focal characters to the plot. They often interacted with several original characters in the story; the most prominent perhaps is the Koga kunoichi, Nagiri, who believed Haohmaru had killed her father during his travels and sought to avenge him.


title: Samurai Shodown

text: The first anime OVA, the two-part "Spirits 2: Asura Zanmaeden", serves as a preface to the events of "". Character designs were done by Aoi Nanase, a longtime fan of SNK. Unlike most game-based anime, the voices were supplied by the same actors as in the game. It is relatively obscure, never having been released in the U.S., and the prospect of licensing is dim at best, as it offers no introduction to any of the characters, assuming (not unreasonably) that anyone watching it is likely to be familiar with the series and its cast already. The story mainly revolves on Nakoruru and her humanistic ideals: she believes that anyone with a heart has the right to live peacefully. Shiki, though apparently free from Yuga's influence, is recognized as a threat for the sorcerer's return and it was through Nakoruru's reasonings that previously saved her life from Haohmaru. Nakoruru finds her and then struggles to peacefully defend her from her pursuers, which include Haohmaru, Galford, and Asura. Though torn because of her morals and pacifistic nature, Nakoruru eventually agrees to draw her blade and fight for those who need protecting. Despite being wounded in his final skirmish with Nakoruru, Asura stabs Shiki and they both sink into a portal to the underworld. Making peace with her blood-thirsty alter ego, the Ainu priestess leaves Kamui Kotan, hoping to find news of Shiki's safety.


title: Samurai Shodown

text: The second 30-minute OVA, "Nakoruru ~Ano hito kara no okurimono~ (OVA)", centers around the "Nakoruru ADV" game, again using Nakoruru as the main heroine. Character designs were done by Yasuomi Umetsu, who is best known for his work in "Mezzo Forte" and "Kite". The events of the story are meant to take place during the time of peace between the first and second games of the series. The story introduces her childhood friends, Yamtamu and Manari, along with her younger sister, Rimururu, and the relentless enigma, Rera. Nakoruru, though glad that there is serenity, experiences several premonitions of devastation and is haunted by the thought of further bloodshed. The climax of the episode has Nakoruru protecting a deer from a rock slide, implied to be caused by evil entities. For undisclosed reasons, the OVA never released another episode and the story remains unfinished.


title: Samurai Shodown

text: In 2006, Sabertooth Games released a "Samurai Shodown V" collectible card game set along with "" for its "Universal Fighting System" ("UFS") collectible card game. Featured character starter decks were also released for Haohmaru and Ukyo Tachibana. STG staff favorites from the "Samurai Shodown" side tend to favor towards characters Nakoruru and Hanzo Hattori.


title: The History Boys

text: The History Boys is a play by British playwright Alan Bennett. The play premiered at the Royal National Theatre in London on 18 May 2004. Its Broadway debut was on 23 April 2006 at the Broadhurst Theatre where 185 performances were staged before it closed on 1 October 2006.


title: The History Boys

text: The play won multiple awards, including the 2005 Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Play and the 2006 Tony Award for Best Play.


title: The History Boys

text: The play opens in Cutlers' Grammar School, Sheffield, a fictional boys' grammar school in the north of England. Set in the mid-late 1980s, the play follows a group of history pupils preparing for the Oxford and Cambridge entrance examinations under the guidance of three teachers (Hector, Irwin, and Lintott) with contrasting styles.


title: The History Boys

text: Hector, an eccentric teacher, delights in knowledge for its own sake but his ambitious headmaster wants the school to move up the academic league table and hires Irwin, a supply teacher, to introduce a rather more cynical and ruthless style of teaching. Hector is discovered sexually fondling a boy and later Irwin's latent homosexual inclinations emerge.


title: The History Boys

text: The play opened at the Lyttelton Theatre (part of the National Theatre) in London on 18 May 2004, directed by Nicholas Hytner. It played to sell-out audiences and its limited run was frequently extended. Richard Griffiths, James Corden, Dominic Cooper, Russell Tovey, Sacha Dhawan, Samuel Barnett, Jamie Parker and Andrew Knott were among the original cast. On 24 November 2005, the same production was revived once again at the Lyttelton Theatre where it played another successful run. Matt Smith took on the role of Lockwood in the November 2005 revision of the cast. The original cast reunited in the final week in February 2006.


title: The History Boys

text: Following closing in London, the National Theatre production toured to Hong Kong in February 2006 and featured in the 2006 New Zealand International Arts Festival held in Wellington (February 2006) before playing at the Sydney Theatre in Sydney, Australia from 4 March to 8 April 2006. At each venue, the play was presented to sell-out audiences with the original London cast, including Richard Griffiths; however, Frances de la Tour and Clive Merrison were replaced by Maggie Steed and Malcolm Sinclair until the Broadway season.


title: The History Boys

text: The American premiere of the play took place on 23 April 2006 when the same National production opened on Broadway at the Broadhurst Theatre. Originally scheduled to run through 2 September 2006, the run was extended through to 8 October 2006 following huge public demand after the show won the Tony, New York Critics Circle and other American theatrical awards.


title: The History Boys

text: Following its Broadway triumph and second UK tour, the play opened at London's Wyndham's Theatre on 2 January 2007, following previews from 20 December 2006. The production closed on 14 April 2007. A further West End run of the play opened once again at Wyndham's Theatre on 20 December 2007 running through 26 April 2008.


title: The History Boys

text: The first national tour of the production opened in 2005, continuing to play nine regional venues. A second Britain wide tour began on 31 August 2006 at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre, touring to eight further venues. The third tour launched on 6 September 2007 at the Theatre Royal, Plymouth, before continuing to Truro, Cheltenham, Bath, Dublin, Blackpool, Leeds, Cambridge and Eastbourne, culminating in Newcastle on 10 November 2007.


title: The History Boys

text: A majority of the original cast reunited on 2 November 2013 for the National Theatre 50th Anniversary special and performed the French lesson scene, with Philip Correia taking over for Russell Tovey, Marc Elliott performing as Akthar, original Akthar actor Sacha Dhawan as Posner (as Samuel Barnett was performing in "Richard III/Twelfth Night" on Broadway at the time) and playwright Alan Bennett taking over as Hector from Richard Griffiths, who had died in March 2013.


title: The History Boys

text: A fourth national tour co-produced by the West Yorkshire Playhouse and Theatre Royal Bath commenced in early 2010. This was a new production not produced by the National Theatre and directed by Christopher Luscombe. The cast were as follows:


title: The History Boys

text: After a successful run the West Yorkshire Playhouse/Bath Theatre Royal production was revived for 2011 with the following cast:


title: The History Boys

text: In October 2006 a film adaptation of the play was released in the United States, and later in November 2006 in Britain. The film, also titled "The History Boys", was directed by Nicholas Hytner and featured the original stage cast.


title: Sumptuary law

text: Sumptuary laws (from Latin "sūmptuāriae lēgēs") are laws that try to regulate consumption. "Black's Law Dictionary" defines them as "Laws made for the purpose of restraining luxury or extravagance, particularly against inordinate expenditures for apparel, food, furniture, etc." Historically, they were intended to regulate and reinforce social hierarchies and morals through restrictions on clothing, food, and luxury expenditures, often depending on a person's social rank.


title: Sumptuary law

text: Societies have used sumptuary laws for a variety of purposes. They were used to try to regulate the balance of trade by limiting the market for expensive imported goods. They made it easy to identify social rank and privilege, and as such could be used for social discrimination. They could also be used to prevent, or at least reduce opportunities for political bribery and corruption.


title: Sumptuary law

text: The laws often prevented commoners from imitating the appearance of aristocrats, and could be used to stigmatize disfavored groups. In Late Medieval cities, sumptuary laws were instituted as a way for the nobility to limit the conspicuous consumption of the prosperous bourgeoisie. Bourgeois subjects appearing to be as wealthy as or wealthier than the ruling nobility could undermine the nobility's presentation of themselves as powerful, legitimate rulers. This could call into question their ability to control and defend their fief, thus inspire traitors and rebels. Such laws continued to be used for these purposes well into the 17th century.


title: Sumptuary law

text: The "Sumptuariae Leges" of ancient Rome were various laws passed to prevent inordinate expense (Latin "sūmptus") in banquets and dress, such as the use of expensive Tyrian purple dye. Roman senators and senior magistrates were entitled to wear a Tyrian purple stripe on their toga and tunic. In the early years of the Empire, men were forbidden to wear silk, which was deemed an effeminate and morally suspect material. During the height of the Empire, expenditure on silk imported from China was so high, Imperial advisers warned that Roman silver reserves were becoming exhausted.


title: Sumptuary law

text: The Roman censors had a duty to put a check upon morals and extravagance in personal and political expenditure. The censors published details of offences in the "nota censoria", which listed the names of everyone found guilty of a luxurious mode of living; a great many instances of this kind are recorded. Towards the end of the Roman Republic, laws were passed against political corruption of Roman magistrates, forbidding their attendance at banquets given by candidates or their agents. During the period of transition from Republic to Empire, such antisumptuary laws, which may have still existed were virtually ignored by most. In the period of profligate luxury that characterized the height of the Roman Empire, the laws regarding the wearing of Tyrian purple were rigorously enforced. Infringement of this prohibition was treasonous, so punishable by death.


title: Sumptuary law

text: Roman sumptuary laws applied to both the living and the dead. Rome's most ancient laws, the laws of the Twelve Tables, forbade extravagant expenses at funerals. This included the pouring of wine over the ashes at cremations (which seems nevertheless to have been an invariable practise), the use of smoothed timbers in funeral pyres, and "excessive" mourning.


title: Sumptuary law

text: Sumptuary laws existed in China in one form or another from the Qin dynasty onwards (221 BC). The Confucian virtue of restraint was embodied in the scholarly system central to China's bureaucracy and became encoded in its laws.


title: Sumptuary law

text: Some laws concerned the size and decoration of graves and mausoleums. The founder of the Ming dynasty, the Hongwu Emperor, issued such regulations in the first year of his rule (1368) and tightened them in 1396, allowing only the highest nobility and officials of the top three ranks a memorial stele installed on top of a stone tortoise; the steles of lower-level mandarins were perched on rectangular pedestals, while commoners had to be satisfied with a simple gravestone. The location of graves and the number of attendant statues depended on rank.


title: Sumptuary law

text: After around 1550, sumptuary law in China was reformed. It had long been ineffective. The consumption of luxuries had risen over the previous several centuries, and at the time of the European Industrial revolution, Chinese consumption of luxuries such as tea, sugar, fine silk, tobacco, and eating utensils was on a par with core regions in Europe.


title: Sumptuary law

text: According to "Britannica Online", "In feudal Japan, sumptuary laws were passed with a frequency and minuteness of scope that had no parallel in the history of the Western world." During the Tokugawa period (1603–1868) in Japan, people of every class were subject to strict sumptuary laws, including regulation of the types of clothing that could be worn. In the second half of that period (the 18th and 19th centuries), the merchant class ("chōnin") had grown far wealthier than the aristocratic samurai, and these laws sought to maintain the superiority of the samurai class despite the merchants being able to afford far more luxurious clothing and other items. The shogunate eventually gave in and allowed certain concessions, including allowing merchants of a certain prestige to wear a single sword at their belt; samurai were required to wear a matched pair when on official duty.


title: Sumptuary law

text: Islamic sumptuary laws are based upon teachings found in the Quran and Hadith. Males are exhorted not to wear silk clothes, nor have jewelry made of gold. Likewise, wearing clothes or robes that drag on the ground, seen as a sign of vanity and excessive pride, are also forbidden. These rules do not apply to women, who are allowed all this, but also need to cover their bodies and hair.


title: Sumptuary law

text: Prohibition of depictions of human and animal figures in general are similar to those of the Quranic prohibition on graven images. Hadiths do allow the depiction of animals on clothing items.


title: Sumptuary law

text: Sumptuary laws issued by secular authorities, aimed at keeping the main population dressed according to their "station", do not begin until the later 13th century. These laws were addressed to the entire social body, but the brunt of regulations was directed at women and the middle classes. Their curbing of display was ordinarily couched in religious and moralizing vocabulary, yet was affected by social and economic considerations aimed at preventing ruinous expenses among the wealthy classes and the drain of capital reserves to foreign suppliers.


title: Sumptuary law

text: Special forms of dress for prostitutes and courtesans were introduced in the 13th century - in Marseille, a striped cloak, in England a striped hood, and so on. Over time, these tended to be reduced to distinctive bands of fabric attached to the arm or shoulder, or tassels on the arm. Later restrictions specified various forms of finery that were forbidden, although there was also sometimes a recognition that finery represented working equipment (and capital) for a prostitute, and they could be exempted from laws applying to other non-noble women. By the 15th century, no compulsory clothing seems to have been imposed on prostitutes in Florence, Venice (the European capital of courtesans), or Paris.


title: Sumptuary law

text: As early as the 12th century, certain articles of clothing were prohibited to crusaders and pilgrims travelling to the Holy Land under the Saladin Tithe of 1188, but scant evidence exists in the historical record of legal regulations on dress in Britain until the reign of Edward III, during which prohibitions were enacted on the import of textiles from lands outside Ireland, England, Scotland, and Wales and the exportation of domestically produced wool was likewise banned. The statute contained further restrictions on clothing based on social class; the earliest example of class-based restriction was that of fur, prohibited for anyone below the rank of lady or knight. The restriction on fur was expanded in subsequent decades in London to restrict prostitutes from wearing any furs, including "budge" (low-quality wool) or lambswool.


title: Sumptuary law

text: In England, which in this respect was typical of Europe, from the reign of Edward III in the Middle Ages until well into the 17th century, sumptuary laws dictated what colour and type of clothing, furs, fabrics, and trims were allowed to persons of various ranks or incomes. In the case of clothing, this was intended, amongst other reasons, to reduce spending on foreign textiles and to ensure that people did not dress "above their station":


title: Sumptuary law

text: The first major sumptuary act was passed in the April of 1463 during the reign of Edward IV. Earlier statutes had sought to control the expense of household liveries, but the April 1463 statute marked the first attempt at a comprehensive sumptuary legislation. Scholars have interpreted the act as part of a set of protectionist economic measures that included regulations of the textile industry and trade in cloths. This statute is the first known English legislation restricting the use of "royal purple" - a term which, during the Middle Ages, referred not only to the Tyrian purple of Antiquity, but also to crimson, dark reds and royal blue. The language of the act uses technical terminology to restrict certain features of garments that are decorative in function, intended to enhance the silhouette.


title: Sumptuary law

text: A second "Act of Apparel" followed in January 1483 restricting cloth-of-gold, sable, ermine, velvet on velvet and satin brocade to knights and lords. Damask and satin were allowed for yeoman of the Crown and esquires and other members of the gentry, only if they had a yearly income of £40. Bustian, fustian, scarlet-dyed cloths and any leathers or animal hides other than lambskins were also restricted.


title: Sumptuary law

text: A 1571 Act of Parliament to stimulate domestic wool consumption and general trade decreed that on Sundays and holidays, all males over six years of age, except for the nobility and persons of degree, were to wear woolen caps on pain of a fine of three farthings (¾ penny) per day. This law instituted the flat cap as part of English wear. The 1571 act was repealed in 1597.


title: Sumptuary law

text: An extremely long list of items, specifying colour, materials, and sometimes place of manufacture (imported goods being much more tightly restricted) followed for each sex, with equally specific exceptions by rank of nobility or position held. For the most part, these laws seem to have had little effect, though the Parliament of England made repeated amendments to the laws, and several monarchs (most notably the Tudors) continually called for stricter enforcement, especially at Court "to the intent there may be a difference of estates known by their apparel after the commendable custom in times past."


title: Sumptuary law

text: The laws were justified by the reasoning that the price of certain goods increased to levels where "the treasure of the land is destroyed, to the great damage of the lords and the commonality" when "various people or various conditions wear various apparel not appropriate to their estate".


title: Sumptuary law

text: Adam Smith was against the necessity or convenience of sumptuary laws, he wrote: "of It is the highest impertinence and presumption… in kings and ministers, to pretend to watch over the economy of private people, and to restrain their expense... They are themselves always, and without any exception, the greatest spendthrifts in the society. Let them look well after their own expense, and they may safely trust private people with theirs. If their own extravagance does not ruin the state, that of their subjects never will."


title: Sumptuary law

text: During the Medieval and Renaissance eras in Italy, various towns passed sumptuary laws ("leggi suntuarie") often in response to particular events or movements. For example, San Bernardino da Siena, in his public sermons in Siena, thundered against the vanity of luxurious dress; this, however, was counterbalanced by the economic benefit Siena derived as a manufacturer of items, including clothes, of luxury. One source describes these types of laws as constantly published, and generally ignored. These laws, mostly aimed at female apparel, sometimes became a source of revenue for the state: the Florentine laws of 1415 restricted the luxury that could be worn by women, but exempted those willing to pay 50 florins a year. The laws were often quite specific. Low necklines were prohibited in Genoa, Milan, and Rome in the early 16th century, and laws restricting zibellini (sable furs carried as fashion accessories) with heads and feet of precious metals and jewels were


title: Sumptuary law

text: One of the earliest known Scottish sumptuary regulations was passed in 1429 during the reign of James I of Scotland. The text, written in Old Scots, preserves some medieval legal terminology related to textiles, limiting silk, some types of furs (pine martens, beech martens) and other items to men of certain social ranks like knight, lord, burgess, and their families. As with the laws of Henry V of England in 1420, silver plating was reserved for the spurs of knights and the apparel of barons or higher ranking persons. Metalsmiths caught violating these laws would be punished by death and all their lands and goods forfeit. Embroidery and pearls were also restricted. Yeomen and commoners could not wear colored clothes longer than the knee. The poke sleeve that narrowed at the wrist were allowed for sentinel yeomen who lived in their lord's house and rode with the gentlemen. Commoners' wives could not wear long-tail hoods or side-necked hoods, poked sleeves, or caps made from rich textiles like Lawn cloth or Rheims (fine linen).


title: Sumptuary law

text: Sumptuary laws were repealed in the early 17th century, but new protectionist laws were passed prohibiting the purchase of foreign silks and laces. Prohibitions were tied to rank and income and continued to be widely ignored.


title: Sumptuary law

text: In 1629 and 1633, Louis XIII of France issued edicts regulating "Superfluity of Dress" that prohibited anyone but princes and the nobility from wearing gold embroidery or caps, shirts, collars, and cuffs embroidered with metallic threads or lace, and puffs, slashes, and bunches of ribbon were severely restricted. As with other such laws, these were widely disregarded and laxly enforced. A series of popular engravings by Abraham Bosse depicts the supposed effects of this law.


title: Sumptuary law

text: In the Massachusetts Bay Colony, a 1634 prohibition deemed that only people with a personal fortune of at least two hundred pounds could wear lace, silver or gold thread or buttons, cutwork, embroidery, hatbands, belts, ruffles, capes, and other articles. After a few decades, the law was being widely defied. By 1651, flouting of the rules causes the leadership to issue a new strongly worded regulation to the populace again.


title: Sumptuary law

text: While rarely do restrictions exist on the type or quality of clothing, beyond maintenance of public decency (covering parts of the body, depending upon the jurisdiction, not exhibiting unacceptable wording or images), wearing certain types of clothing is restricted to specific occupations, specifically the uniforms of organisations such as police and the military.


title: Sumptuary law

text: In some jurisdictions, clothing or other visible signs of religious or political opinion (e.g. Nazi imagery in Germany) are forbidden in certain public places.


title: Sumptuary law

text: Many American states in the 20th century prohibited the wearing of KKK hoods, masks, masquerade, or drag; gay men in New York City seized on the exemption for masquerade balls in the 1920s to 1930s to go in drag.


title: Sumptuary law

text: Sumptuary laws have also been used to control populations by prohibiting the wearing of native dress and hairstyles, along with the proscription of other cultural customs. Sir John Perrot, the Lord Deputy of Ireland under Queen Elizabeth I, banned the wearing of traditional woollen mantles, "open smocks" with "great sleeves", and native headdresses, requiring the people to dress in "civil garments" in the English style.


title: Sumptuary law

text: In a similar manner, the Dress Act of 1746, which formed part of the Act of Proscription issued under King George II following the Jacobite rising of 1745, made the wearing of Highland dress, including tartan and kilts, illegal in Scotland (an exemption was made for soldiers and veterans). The Act was eventually repealed in 1782, and during the Regency and Victorian eras, Highland dress gained widespread popularity, in part thanks to the visit of George IV to Scotland in 1822, which was organised by Scottish writer Sir Walter Scott.


title: Sumptuary law

text: In Bhutan, the wearing of traditional dress (which also has an ethnic connotation) in certain places, such as when visiting government offices, was made compulsory in 1989 under the "driglam namzha" laws. Part of the traditional dress includes the kabney, a long scarf whose coloring is regulated. Only the King of Bhutan and Chief Abbot may don the saffron scarf, with various other colors reserved for government and religious officers, and white available for common people.


title: Sumptuary law

text: The term "sumptuary law" has been used as a pejorative term to describe any governmental control of consumption, whether based on moral, religious, health, or public safety concerns. American Judge Thomas M. Cooley generally described their modern form as laws that "substitute the legislative judgment for that of the proprietor, regarding the manner in which he should use and employ his property." Policies to which the term has been critically applied include alcohol prohibition, drug prohibition, smoking bans, and restrictions on dog fighting.


title: Sumptuary law

text: As early as 1860, Anthony Trollope, writing about his experiences in Maine under the state's prohibition law, stated, "This law (prohibition), like all sumptuary laws, must fail." In 1918, William Howard Taft decried prohibition in the United States as a bad sumptuary law, stating that one of his reasons for opposing prohibition was his belief that "sumptuary laws are matters for parochial adjustment." Taft later repeated this concern. The Indiana Supreme Court also discussed alcohol prohibition as a sumptuary law in its 1855 decision "Herman v. State". During state conventions on the ratification of the 21st Amendment in 1933, numerous delegates throughout the United States decried prohibition as having been an improper sumptuary law that never should have been included in the Constitution of the United States.


title: Sumptuary law

text: In 1971, a United States federal study stated that federal laws on alcohol include "sumptuary laws which are directed at the purchaser", including, "Sales are not permitted to minors or intoxicated persons. Credit is often prohibited on liquor sales, as well. Criminal penalties may be imposed for driving under the influence of alcohol, as well as for drunken behavior."


title: Sumptuary law

text: When the U.S. state of Washington considered cannabis decriminalization in two initiatives, 229 and 248, the initiatives' language stated, "Cannabis prohibition is a sumptuary law of a nature repugnant to our Constitution's framers."


title: Islam in Ukraine

text: Islam in Ukraine is a minority religious affiliation with Muslims representing around 0.9% of the total population as of 2016. The religion has a long history in Ukraine dating back to Berke Khan of the Ulug Ulus (Golden Horde) in the 13th century and the establishment of the Crimean Khanate in the 15th century.


title: Islam in Ukraine

text: Crimean Muslims were subjected to mass deportation in 1944 when Joseph Stalin accused them of collaborating with Nazi Germany. More than 200,000 Crimean Tatars were deported to Central Asia, primarily the Uzbek SSR. It is estimated that more than 100,000 deportees died of starvation or disease due to the deportation.


title: Islam in Ukraine

text: Sunni Islam of the Hanafi school is the largest non-Christian religion in Ukraine, and the majority of Ukrainian Muslims are Crimean Tatars. Other Turkic peoples indigenous to Ukraine, predominantly found in South and south-east Ukraine, practice other forms of Islam. These include Volga Tatars, Azeris, North Caucasian ethnic groups and


title: Islam in Ukraine

text: There is also a smaller community of Turks in Ukraine, although due to language convergence and cultural assimilation they are often included as part of the Crimean Tatar minority. In 2012 an estimated 1,500,000 of Muslims lived in Ukraine.


title: Islam in Ukraine

text: Muslims in Ukraine have 445 communities, 433 ministers, and 160 mosques, with many more mosques currently being built.


title: Islam in Ukraine

text: Estimates of the Ukrainian Muslim population vary. Muslims make up only approximately 0.9% of the Ukrainian population, but as much as 12% in Crimea. According to the 2000 census Ukraine was home to 248,193 Crimean Tatars, 73,304 Volga Tatars, 45,176 Azeris, 12,353 Uzbeks, 8,844 Turks, 6,575 Arabs and 5,526 Kazakhs.


title: Islam in Ukraine

text: The 2012 Freedom Report estimated a Muslim population of 500,000 in Ukraine, including 300,000 Crimean Tatars. A 2011 Pew Forum study estimated a Ukrainian Muslim population of 393,000, but the Clerical Board of Ukraine's Muslims claimed there were two million Muslims in Ukraine as of 2009. According to Said Ismagilov, the mufti of Ummah, in February 2016 one million Muslims lived in Ukraine.


title: Islam in Ukraine

text: Due to the 2014 Russian annexation of Crimea and the War in Donbass, which is fought near Donetsk and Luhansk, 750,000 Muslims (including half-million Crimean Tatars) are living in territory no longer controlled by Ukraine. (According to figures as stated by Sheikh Ahmad Tamim, the mufti of Religious Administration of Muslims of Ukraine "DUMU".)


title: Odin Sphere

text: Odin Sphere is an action role-playing game developed by Vanillaware for the PlayStation 2. It was published by Atlus (Japan and North America) in 2007, and by Square Enix (Europe) in 2008. A remake, titled Odin Sphere Leifthrasir (stylized as "Leifþrasir"), was released on PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation Vita in 2016: Atlus handled publishing duties in Japan and North America, while NIS America published the title in PAL territories.


title: Odin Sphere

text: Using a two-dimensional side-scrolling perspective, gameplay focuses on a beat em up-style fighting system while incorporating role-playing elements — "Leifthrasir" expands upon and refines these elements. The story, shared between both versions, follows five characters on the fantasy continent of Erion during a war between the nations of Ragnanival and Ringford over a weapon called the Crystallization Cauldron, and their roles in the Armageddon, a catastrophe which will destroy Erion.


title: Odin Sphere

text: The game was conceived by George Kamitani as first a sequel and then a spiritual successor to the 1997 Sega Saturn title "Princess Crown". Development began in 2004 after the official formation of Vanillaware. The story was based around the concept of a Valkyrie princess. The scenario and world design incorporated Norse mythology, the works of William Shakespeare, fairy tales and early video games. 2D graphics were chosen over 3D graphics as Kamitani felt the style was stagnating, which necessitated presenting cutscenes as if on a stage rather than using traditional cinematography. "Leifthrasir" began development in 2013 as a means of addressing the issues both players and staff had with the original game while keeping the story intact. The music for both versions was composed by a team from Basiscape, led by company founder Hitoshi Sakimoto.


title: Odin Sphere

text: Prior to Atlus picking up the title, Vanillaware had encountered difficulties finding a publisher due to Kamitani's sparse record as a developer. Completed in 2006, "Odin Sphere" was delayed into the following year so it would not compete with Atlus' own titles. The localization was handled by Atlus USA, and proved challenging in multiple areas. Upon release, it garnered a positive reception from video game journalists: praise was given to its story, visuals and old-school gameplay, with criticism focused on its inventory system and framerate issues. "Leifthrasir" was praised for its improved performance and reworked mechanics. The game was a commercial success, contributing to the rise of Vanillaware as a developer.


title: Odin Sphere

text: "Odin Sphere" is a two-dimensional (2D) side-scrolling action role-playing game where the player takes control of five different characters across six playable scenarios. Areas within levels are circular stages allowing movement left or right with exits leading to other areas; the main goal in each area is to eliminate all enemies and proceed to the next area. Combat—which uses a beat em up-style battle system—takes place within these areas, and revolves around the player character using a combination of physical attacks and Psypher skills, skills tied to each character's magical weapon. Combination attacks are triggered by attacking enemies continuously. Jumping can be used to reach airborne enemies within stages. At the end of each battle, grades are awarded based on the battle time, damage taken from enemies, and the amount of damage dealt. The amount of in-game currency the player receives as a reward after each battle depends on the battle grade.


title: Odin Sphere

text: Rather than the typical experience point-driven character growth of most role-playing games, each characters' abilities is linked to their Psyphers, and the amount of damage characters can inflict depends upon the strength of their Psypher. These two elements are upgraded by collecting Phozons, spirit energy released from defeated enemies. Phozons fill a magic meter, which is used to trigger special skills. All physical attacks drain a character's POW (power) gauge, and if depleted entirely the character must rest until the gauge refills. Tied to Phozons and leveling is a farming system, where seeds planted and fueled with Phozons provide meals which raise a character's level, boosting their health and abilities. Food can be grown in the wild using seeds, but later two restaurants are available where prepared meals can be eaten. Various elements, such as food and material, can be used together using an Alchemy system which allows for the creation of potions with various effects, from dealing damage to healing the main character.


title: Odin Sphere

text: "Leifthrasir" adds to and augments the existing features. These include new battle arenas, and new vertical areas within environments to create platforming segments. Characters now have exclusive abilities and elemental affinities, such as Gwendolyn having access to ice attacks. Battle rankings now depend upon skills used and time taken rather than a quick clearing of arenas, with items as well as money being awarded for high scores. The POW system is redesigned so that only special attacks consume POW with the exception of one character. Some special attacks also consume a portion of phozons collected in battle. Each character also possesses skill and ability trees, which are unlocked with Phozons stored during and after battles. While skill trees are unlocked with Phozons, abilities are upgraded with Ability Points. The food and growing systems remain roughly similar, while the Alchemy system is streamlined. "Leifthrasir" also includes a "Classic" mode, which switches from the redesigned look of "Leifthrasir" to the original version.


title: Odin Sphere

text: "Odin Sphere" is set on the fictional continent of Erion, which is divided into multiple nations scattered across the land. The two main nations are the warrior land of Ragnanival, and the forest-bound Fairy Kingdom of Ringford, separated by a wasteland that was once the kingdom of Valentine. At the game's opening, Ragnanival is ruled by the Demon Lord , and Ringford is ruled by the Fairy Queen with help from her nephew . The other nations include the neutral land of Titania; the volcano-bound Fire Kingdom ruled by the one male resident King ; and the Netherworld, the land of the dead where natural crystals grow, ruled by the undead Queen . Two key elements in the game are psyphers, weapons incorporating crystals made from phozon life energy; and the Crystallization Cauldron, a weapon created by Valentine that crafts crystals by absorbing phozons from the land. A driving force of the plot is the tale of the Armageddon, a foretold catastrophe in which Erion is destroyed and the survivors rule the new world.


title: Odin Sphere

text: Many years prior to the game's events, the world was controlled by King , who ruled the kingdom bearing his name. Originally a kind man, a spell to bring his people prosperity drained his goodness, causing him to turn into a vicious dictator who declared war on the rest of Erion. During his conquests, the Cauldron went wild and destroyed the kingdom in a single night — everyone was cursed and transformed into Pookas, while Valentine's kingdom was reduced to a wasteland. In the aftermath of Valentine's fall, Ragnanival and Ringford had become Erion's most powerful nations, while the other nations have become weak in comparison. At the game's opening, Ragnanival and Ringford are at war over possession of the Cauldron in the wasteland of Valentine, as each see the Cauldron as too dangerous for the other to possess.


title: Odin Sphere

text: The story is told from the perspective of a young girl named Alice reading a series of books in her attic, with five initial storylines or "books" playing out between the five main characters and overlapping at multiple points. The five main protagonists are , a Valkyrie and daughter to the Demon Lord Odin who has lived for years in the shadow of her sister ; , the prince of Titania turned into a Pooka; , daughter of Elfaria and later the reluctant queen of Ringford; the "Shadow Knight" , a dark knight in service to Ringford who was found abandoned as a baby and adopted by Melvin; and , a survivor from the Kingdom of Valentine who hides her identity as Odin's illegitimate daughter and has been dubbed the "Forest Witch". Other key characters outside the royalty of Erion's surviving nations include the Three Wise Men, a group manipulating Erion's nations to fulfill the ancient prophecies surrounding the Armageddon; , Velvet's brother who like Velvet retained his humanity and was key to the disaster that consumed his kingdom; and King Valentine, having escaped the Netherworld as an insane revenant bent on destroying Erion.


title: Odin Sphere

text: The game's opening sees Ringford holding the Cauldron and its controlling ring Titrel, having been given Titrel by Ingway as part of his vengeance against Odin. Elfaria is ultimately killed by Odin, who takes Titrel from her. Velvet steals it in turn and gives it to the dragon Wagner, hoping that this would prevent the Cauldron being used. Her lover Cornelius is meanwhile changed into a Pooka by Ingway and thrown into the Netherworld, escaping with the aid of his grandfather Gallon. He learns that the people of Valentine share his curse, and is embroiled in both the Pookas' efforts to collect wish-granting coins to reverse their condition and his attempts to save Velvet from danger. The Three Wise Men are attempting to fulfill the prophecies of the Armageddon — all but one Wise Man are killed during the course of the story, while the third Beldor is afflicted with the Pooka's curse and gains subsequent immortality. Cornelius rescues Velvet from their clutches, and despite his fears she reaffirms her love for him in his new form. Several characters also encounter King Valentine, who continues to be tormented by memories of murdering Velvet's mother in a rage — as part of his scheme to trigger the Armageddon, he hatches the dragon Leventhan.


title: Odin Sphere

text: Gwyndolyn's story focuses on the time after her sister Griselda is killed in battle — having always come second in her father's eyes, Gwyndolyn tries hard to impress him, but must ultimately defy him when his general Brigan attempts to undermine him. Gwyndolyn is placed in an enchanted sleep for her defiance, to be woken and fall in love with the first man who kisses her. After being spirited to the lands of Onyx by the Three Wise Men, Gwyndolyn's story becomes intertwined with Oswald's. Oswald is involved in an attempted coup against Mercedes by Melvin and is taken by Odette as payment for the power Melvin infused into Oswald's psypher. He is then used by Odin to take Titrel from Wagner by force, but ultimately rebels and rescues Gwyndolyn from Onyx after learning that Odin did not enchant her, giving Titrel to the awoken Gwyndolyn as a gift. Gwyndolyn, initially defiant, begins to fall in love, but is tricked into giving Titrel to Odin. Broken hearted and believing Gwyndolyn despises him due to her love being solely due to Odins spell, Oswald allows Odette to take him. Mercedes' story runs parallel to the others, chronicling her efforts to become queen in the wake of her mother's death and Melvin's attempted coup, aided by Ingway after he is turned into a frog by the Three Wise Men. With the help of the dwarf smith Brom, she refashions her psypher into a weapon powerful enough to destroy Odin's psypher, winning a battle against him and taking Titrel. She also breaks Ingway's curse, and the two grow attached to each other. Titrel is subsequently stolen by Gwyndolyn, who uses it as a bargaining chip to rescue Oswald from Odette, who is killed by Gwyndolyn. Initially torn between love for Oswald and duty to Odin, Gwyndolyn defies her father and leaves with Oswald and Titrel, which now acts as a symbol of their love. Odin is then accosted by Ingway and Velvet; Ingway transforms into a monster in an unsuccessful attempt to kill Odin, then Velvet and Ingway are rescued by Cornelius.


title: Odin Sphere

text: The sixth book shows the advent of Armageddon — King Valentine activates the Cauldron and uses it to absorb phozons from the land to feed the growth of Leventhan. Ingway attempts to destroy the Cauldron using his cursed form, but he falls under the control of Beldor, who has also led the monstrous Gallon and the Netherworld army into Erion. In the ensuing chaos, Odin is killed, and Onyx decides to destroy Ringford to avert a prophecy of his death at the "World Tree". The story then divides between the main characters' battles in the wake of these events, with different endings playing out depending on who is matched with which battle; Erion's rebirth or absolute destruction depending on whether or not the choices are correct. In the canon series of events, Cornelius defeats Ingway and Beldor and is rescued by Velvet, who learns from the dying Ingway that the Cauldron can be used to reverse the destruction; Oswald defeats Gallon, learning that he is Gallon's grandson by his banished son Edgar and thus Titanian royalty; Mercedes, whose true name is "Yggdrasil" (World Tree), finds Ingway's corpse and dies in battle after fatally wounding Onyx; Velvet stops the Cauldron without destroying its core, but King Valentine curses the Cauldron before waking Leventhan and killing himself by jumping into its path; and Gwyndolyn kills Leventhan before it can destroy Erion, losing her wings in the process.


title: Odin Sphere

text: Having finished the books, Alice finds a magical coin on the front cover of the sixth book. Called downstairs by her mother, she misses seeing Cornelius and Velvet, both in Pooka form, take the coin and leave a seventh book. In this book, Gwyndolyn is rescued by Oswald, who carries her to the Cauldron before collapsing. Velvet and Cornelius are there, and Velvet finds Titrel on Gwyndolyn's hand. Using Titrel, Velvet turns their psyphers back into phozons to power the Cauldron and revives the land, turning into a Pooka due to Valentine's curse. Oswald and Gwyndolyn bear witness to the rebirth of the land, and become the ancestors to the new humanity; Mercedes is reincarnated as its World Tree. In a special ending set thousands of years after the events of "Odin Sphere", Cornelius and Velvet have successfully gathered all the coins and use their combined power to break their curse. A post-credits scene shows an unseen author, who is writing a book called ""Odin Sphere"", talking with a merchant while the main characters pass by. A new scene in "Leifthrasir" shows Ingway's spirit resting within the World Tree's roots, reunited with the reincarnated Mercedes.


title: Odin Sphere

text: "Odin Sphere" was the brainchild of George Kamitani, a video game designer who had worked on "Princess Crown", a 1997 Japan-exclusive side-scrolling action RPG developed by Atlus for the Sega Saturn. The game was developed by Vanillaware, a studio created by former Atlus staff including Kamitani to create successor projects to "Princess Crown". Initially founded as "Puraguru" in 2002 when it worked on "Fantasy Earth Zero", the company changed its name in 2004 when the staff moved to Kansai. It was during his time working on "Fantasy Earth Zero" that Kamitani met the founding members of Vanillaware. "Odin Sphere", which began development in 2004, was designed as a spiritual successor to "Princess Crown", specifically evolving the multi-layered narrative style of the original game. The game's programmer was Kentaro Ohnishi, one of the founding members of Vanillaware. The producer was Atlus staff member Akiyasu Yamamoto. According to Ohnishi, the project started as a direct sequel to "Princess Crown", but later became a spiritual successor which incorporated multiple nods to the original game. The reason it changed was that the initial plan for the "Princess Crown" sequel was to have used 3D visuals, which would have looked wrong with Kamitani's character designs and artwork.


title: Odin Sphere

text: Development was difficult for the team due to its small size and hardware difficulties when trying to fit high-quality artwork onto the PlayStation 2 (PS2), resulting in compromises in the visual quality the team had initially planned for the project. This pressure lasted right up to release, as Ohnishi needed to do emergency work to fix game-breaking bugs. Development was completed in 2006. Vanillaware had great difficulty securing a publisher and the necessary funding for the project, as Kamitani's last project had been the unsuccessful "Princess Crown" over seven years before. They made unsuccessful pitches to multiple publishers before the title was finally accepted by Atlus, although there was some doubt as to whether it would prove a success. While the game was completed in 2006, Atlus delayed its release into 2007 as they did not want it to cannibalize the market for their other titles, particularly "Persona 3". "Odin Sphere" was first revealed in February 2007, three months prior to release. "Odin Sphere" eventually released on May 17, 2007.