prompt_front: Answer the question based on the given passages. Only give me the answer and do not output any other words.

Question: Which mountain is higher, Tongshanjiabu or Himalchuli?

The following are given passages.
Context 1: Passage 1:
Bajura District
Bajura District (Nepali: बाजुरा जिल्ला Listen ), a part of Sudurpashchim Province, is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal  The district, with Martadi (today part of Badimalika municipality) as its district headquarters, covers an area of 2,188 km2 (845 sq mi) and had a population of 108,781 in 2001 and 134,912 in 2011 The annual rainfall is about 13,433 mm and temperatures vary from 0 °C to 40 °C  The livelihood of more than 80% of the district population depends on agriculture farming, mainly small scale livestock  Due to low level of agricultural production, the majority of the households face acute food shortages for a large part of the year  According to the National Census 2011, the total population of the district is 134,912 comprising 69,106 female (51%) and 65,806 male (49%) residing in 24,908 households  Bajura district has an average population density of around 62 people per square km  The average family size is 5 4  Life expectancy of the people is 58 years  The average literacy rate is about 32%  Bajura district has a multi ethnic composition with Chhetri, Kami, Thakuri, Brahman, Damai, SarkI and Sanyashi (Giri and Puri)  The common language is Nepali (96%) followed by Bhote Sherpa (0 46%) and Tamang (0 42%)  Although accessibility to Bajura is very poor, this is improving rapidly  The Government strategy is mainly focused on the connection of VDC headquarters with all-weather motor able roads to SRN or District headquarters  Moreover, the DDC body of Bajura district has given higher priority on rural roads 

Geography and Climate
The district has nine municipalities, 9 Ilakas (administrative areas) and 1 constituency areas  The district is situated in Longitude between 81° 10′ 20″ to 81° 48′ 27″ East and Latitude 29° 16′ 21″ to 29° 56′ 56″ North  Geographically the district is divided in three distinct regions from north to south viz  Higher Himalayan Region, Higher Mountain and mid – Mountains  The Higher Himalayan region comprises Saipal Himalayan range; High Mountain region comprises Doha Lekh and Ghori Lekh  Similarly, Mid-Mountain range comprises different ranges of mountains e g  Badimalika Temple  The District has started from 300m to 6400m in height 

Demographics
At the time of the 2011 Nepal census, Bajura District had a population of 134,912 
As their first language, 99 2% spoke Nepali, 0 5% Sherpa, 0 1% Tamang and 0 1% other languages Ethnicity/caste: 57 8% were Chhetri, 9 8% Kami, 7 0% Hill Brahmin, 5 2% Thakuri, 5 0% Sarki, 4 2% Damai/Dholi, 3 9% Lohar, 2 4% Sanyasi/Dasnami, 1 4% Badi, 1 0% Bhote, 0 9% other Dalit, 0 3% Kumal, 0 2% Teli, 0 1% Limbu, 0 1% Magar, 0 1% Mallaha, 0 1% Musalman, 0 1% Tamang, 0 1% other Terai, 0 1% Tharu and 0 2% others Religion: 98 7% were Hindu, 1 1% Buddhist, 0 1% Christian and 0 1% Muslim,Literacy: 55 4% could read and write, 2 5% could only read and 42 1% could neither read nor write 

Administration
The district consists of nine municipalities, out of which four are urban municipalities and five are rural municipalities  These are as follows:
Badimalika Municipality
Triveni Municipality
Budhiganga Municipality
Budhinanda Municipality
Gaumul Rural Municipality
Jagnnath Rural Municipality
Swamikartik Khapar Rural Municipality
Chhededaha Rural Municipality
Himali Rural Municipality

Former Village Development Committees
Prior to the restructuring of the district, Bajura District consisted of the following Village development committees:

Health care
The small health centres in many VDCs are without Auxiliary Health Workers (AHWs), Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs) and Community Health Workers (CHWs)  Primary or normal treatment can be done in the district headquarters and also in Bayalpata Hospital of neighbouring district Accham while people seeking severe cases have to travel a long distance to Kathmandu or other major cities or end up dying because of lack of treatment  Many people still believe in Dhami and Jhakri and do not always seek medical or go to the hospital for treatment  An NGO, PHASE Nepal provides many health care facilities and training programs to six VDCs: Kolti, Wai, Kotila, Pandusain, Rugin and Bandhu  Many people residing in these VDCs have benefited from the program Currently PHASE Nepal is working on several projects in this district including community health and education, livelihood, hygiene, sanitation and diarrhoea mitigation programmes  PHASE Nepal also conduct education programs like teacher training and girls empowerment programme 

Colleges and School in Bajura
Martadi, Bajura

Bajura Multiple CampusIt has been conditioning the bachelor level programs with affiliation to Tribhuwan University, Kirtipur, Kathmandu, Nepal 

Badimalika English Boarding School
Converse Academy
Shree Malika Higher Secondary SchoolKolti, Bajura 

Shree Jana Prakash Higher Secondary SchoolNaubis, Bajura

Shree Bhanodaya higher Secondary School
Badimalika Multiple CampusIt is conducting the Bachelor's level program BBS, BEd & B A  with affiliation to Tribhuwan University
Triveni, Bajura

Ratna Higher Secondary School, Seliphal, Bajura It was established in 2022 BS, it recently started offering +2 level program in Humanities and Education stream 

Masteshwori Higher Secondary School, Pandhara, Bajura The school is providing plus two level program in Humanities and Education stream 

Tolidewal Danda Secondary School, Toli, Bajura The school is providing plus two level program in Humanities and Education stream 

Tribhuwaneshwari Secondary School, Chhatara, Bajura The school is providing plus two level program in Management and Education stream 

Shree Parvati Secondary School, Paima, Bajura
Nateshwori Secondary School, Khripata, Bajura
Damtha Secondary School, Kailashmandu Bajura
Bajura Model Academy, Khirpata Bajura
Bahrabis, Bajura

Shree Trishakti Higher Secondary School, Tallakot, BajuraThe school is providing plus two level education in Management and Education faculty 

Photos of Bajura
Passage 2:
Gap Mountain
Gap Mountain, located in Troy, New Hampshire, United States, is a small monadnock with three summits ranging between 1,820 feet (555 m) and 1,900 feet (579 m) above sea level  The lower north and middle summits are mostly bald and offer panoramic views of the surrounding rural landscape and of the higher and more popular Mount Monadnock  The Metacomet-Monadnock Trail passes over the north and middle peaks  The higher southern summit is wooded with no views  The mountain, located entirely within the Gap Mountain Reservation managed by the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, is named for the cleft separating the south peak from the north and middle summits 

The mountain is flanked by Mount Monadnock 3 miles (5 km) to the north and Little Monadnock Mountain 4 miles (6 km) to the southwest; the mountain's slopes drain to the east and south into the Millers River, thence into the Connecticut River to Long Island Sound  To the north and west, the slopes drain into the Ashuelot River, thence to the Connecticut River 

History and conservation
Gap Mountain was cleared of timber in the 19th century and used for pasture for nearby dairy farmers  The summit was still open pasture as late as 1950 but has become progressively more wooded since  In the 1960s the mountain was put up for sale and passed hands several times; a housing development and a ski resort were proposed  Local citizens, concerned about the fate of the mountain, formed a coalition and, with the help of the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, began a twenty-year effort to purchase and conserve Gap Mountain and its environs  Several land donations completed the project, enlarging it to more than 1,100 acres (4 5 km2)  The mountain supports a variety of wildflower species unusual to New Hampshire  The north / middle summits of the mountain are still more or less bare and support extensive blueberry heath   The south summit is entirely wooded and no longer supports extensive views 

Recreation
Hiking and blueberry picking are commonly enjoyed activities on the mountain  The Metacomet-Monadnock Trail, a 114-mile (183 km) trail which stretches from the Massachusetts/Connecticut border to Mount Monadnock, crosses the bald northern and middle summits  Two parking lots provide access to the trail  It is about 1 3 miles (2 1 km) from the south parking lot to the middle summit and about 1 2 miles (1 9 km) from the north parking lot to the north summit  The middle and north summits are about one tenth of a mile apart  The parking lots were constructed and are maintained by the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests 
Passage 3:
Skarstind
Skarstind or Skardstinden is a prominent part of the Galdhøpiggen mountain range in northwestern Jotunheimen, Norway, and is the sixth highest summit in the country  The mountain has three summits, the main summit at 2,373 metres (7,785 ft) above sea level, Nåle (the Needle) at 2,310 metres (7,580 ft) and the small western summit at 2,215 metres (7,267 ft)  It is located within the municipality of Lom in Innlandet county  The mountain is located on the eastern side of the Leirdalen valley, and the summit can be seen from the road along the valley floor  There are several other peaks in the vicinity, but only Galdhøpiggen, a few kilometers to the east, is higher  The mountain can be seen from most of the higher peaks in Jotunheimen and Breheimen to the northwest  
The summit was reached for the first time in 1884 by Severin Wleugel, Sig  Thor, Oskar Kristiansen  The first ascent of the two lower summits remains unknown, but it is probable that they were climbed at the same time 

Location
The mountain sits about 25 kilometres (16 mi) southwest of the village of Fossbergom and about 45 kilometres (28 mi) northeast of the village of Øvre Årdal  The mountain is surrounded by several other notable mountains including Storgrovtinden and Storgrovhøe to the north; Veslpiggen to the northeast; Galdhøpiggen, Keilhaus topp, and Storjuvtinden to the east; Store Tverråtinden and Svellnosbreahesten to the southeast; Bukkehøe and Lindbergtinden to the south; and Loftet to the west 
 
The views, except towards the east, where Galdhøpiggen blocks the view, are among the best in Jotunheimen  To the west, you see the Smørstabbtindene range, the Hurrungane range and the Jostedalsbreen glacier  To the northwest you see the Hestbrepiggane range and to the south you see most of the summits in central Jotunheimen 
The shape of the mountain is extremely characteristic  Only from northwest does it look like a 'tind' a high pointy summit in Norwegian  From the east, from Galdhøpiggen, it shows its steep wall with Nåle balancing on the left flank, as seen in the table  This wall is one of the more inaccessible in Jotunheimen and is climbed rarely  The southwest face is less forbidding, and it is possible to find a way up through the partly snow-covered talus slopes  The mountain, as its neighbors, consists of the hard gabbro rock, which withstands erosion better than most other rocks  The orientation of the layers of gabbro in Skarstind is uncommon  Normally they rise from northwest towards southeast, which is why many summits are easiest to reach from the north side  At Skarstind the layers rise from southwest towards northeast  This is easily seen on the photo in the table 

Access
The summit can be reached without equipment if the conditions are good and there is very little snow on the talus slopes on the southwest face  The normal ascent starts from Leirdalen up to Dummhøe, which is an easy, but rather steep climb of more than 1,000 metres (3,300 ft)  Up to approximately 1,500 metres (4,900 ft), there is a path, made by sheep and goats, and used by mountaineers, but from there one has to follow the ridge up to Dummhøe, which is more of a small plain than a mountain  The plain is followed up to the summit of Western Skarstind, but from that small summit you can see the difficult west wall of the main summit   
There are four small walls to climb, but they may all be outflanked on the right side if the conditions are good  From the Western summit the flank seems nearly as forbidding as the wall itself, but at a close distance it is not too difficult and no equipment should be necessary  However, on poor conditions, the Talus may be very loose and great caution is advised  On days with fresh snow, like the last picture, equipment will probably be necessary on all routes 
Nåle seems to be very difficult, but it is much easier than the summit itself 
Skarstind is quite popular, given the mountain's high rank among Norwegian peaks; on most days during the short summer season peakbaggers climb the mountain, but the summit is hardly ever crowded  A winter ascent is only for the very experienced 

Name
The first element is the genitive of skard which means 'gap' or 'pass'  The last element is the finite form of tind which means 'mountain peak'  Hence the name means mountain pass peak, but it is impossible to say which pass has given its name to the mountain  It might be the pass to the south or it might be the pass between the summit itself and the pinnacle, Nåle  Nåle, which means 'the Needle', got its name from the local word for pinnacle, which describes the shape of it 
Passage 4:
Maple Mountain (Ontario)
Maple Mountain is a mountain, located within Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater Provincial Park, Northeastern Ontario, Canada, estimated 642 m (2,106 ft) above mean sea level  It has a higher vertical rise over the surrounding landscape, 37 m (121 ft) higher than the Ishpatina Ridge, which is the highest point of land in Ontario rising over Scarecrow Lake  Maple Mountain rises over Tupper Lake and is considerably better known than Ishpatina Ridge  It ranks thirteenth, but when ranked by vertical rise it is the highest of the top 25 peaks in Ontario  The 100-ft fire tower is also still intact and attracts many hikers  A 3 2 kilometre long hiking trail leads to the abandoned fire tower 
Located in Timiskaming District of Northeastern Ontario, the mountain is not very accessible; roads and trails in the remote area are difficult to travel in poor weather  The most popular approach routes to Maple Mountain are by canoe and/or float plane 
The indigenous Temagami First Nation call the mountain Chee-bay-jing, meaning "the place where the spirits go" and consider it a sacred site  The English name of the mountain was given by Dr  Robert Bell of the Geological Survey of Canada in 1888  Bell was the first known non-aboriginal to scale the mountain 

See also
Ishpatina Ridge
Temagami Magnetic Anomaly
List of highest points of Canadian provinces and territories

External links
Maple Mountain Myth - The highest point in Ontario
Maple Mountain firetower
Ontario's Highest Elevations
Friends of Temagami
Passage 5:
Tongshanjiabu
Tongshanjiabu is a mountain in the Himalayas 

Location
At 7,207 metres (23,645 ft) tall, Tongshanjiabu is the 103rd tallest mountain in the world  It sits in the disputed border territory between Bhutan and China  The name "Tongshanjiabu" is indicated on a map from the Japanese Alpine News, May 2003, p  44  The region's highpoint is sometimes given as "Teri Kang", but this appears to be the name of a subsidiary top 

Climbing history
Tongshanjiabu has never been officially climbed 

See also
Mountains of Bhutan
List of Ultras of the Himalayas
Passage 6:
Himalchuli
Himalchuli (also sometimes written as two words, Himal Chuli) is the second-highest mountain in the Mansiri Himal, part of the Nepalese Himalayas, and the 18th-highest mountain in the world (using a cutoff of 500 meters prominence, or re-ascent)  It lies south of Manaslu, one of the eight-thousanders  Himalchuli has three main peaks: East (7893 m), West (7540 m) and North (7371 m) 

Himalchuli is also notable for its large vertical relief over local terrain  For example, it rises 7,000 meters over the Marsyangdi River to the southwest in about 27 km (17 mi) horizontal distance 

Climbing history
Exploratory visits to the peak were made in 1950 and 1954, and a first attempt in 1955 failed early on  Further reconnaissance and attempts followed in 1958 and 1959 
The first ascent was made on May 24, 1960, by Hisashi Tanabe and Masahiro Harada, of Japan  The route followed the "Sickle Ridge" from the southwest  They first climbed to the saddle between the West and Main peaks, where they placed the last of six camps  This ascent was somewhat unusual for a sub-8000m peak in using bottled oxygen 
The Himalayan Index lists five other ascents of this peak, and 10 additional unsuccessful attempts  The ascents were by various routes on the south, southwest, and southeast sides of the mountain 
The West Peak was first climbed in 1978 by two members of a Japanese expedition to the main peak of Himalchuli  They climbed from the south (the Dordi Khola) and approached the summit of the West Peak from the east 
The North Peak was first climbed in 1985 by a Korean expedition, via the North Face 
Passage 7:
Nanda Devi
Nanda Devi is the second-highest mountain in India, after Kangchenjunga, and the highest located entirely within the country  (Kangchenjunga is on the border of India and Nepal ) Nanda Devi is the 23rd-highest peak in the world 
Nanda Devi was considered the highest mountain in the world before computations in 1808 proved Dhaulagiri to be higher  It was also the highest mountain in India until 1975, when Sikkim, an independent kingdom until 1948 and a protectorate of India thereafter, became a part of the Republic of India  It is located in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, between the Rishiganga valley on the west and the Goriganga valley on the east 
The peak, whose name means "Bliss-Giving Goddess", is regarded as the patron goddess of the Garhwal and Kumaon Himalayas  In acknowledgment of its religious significance and for the protection of its fragile ecosystem, the Government of India declared the peak as well as the circle of high mountains surrounding it—the Nanda Devi sanctuary—off-limits to both locals and climbers in 1983  The surrounding Nanda Devi National Park was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988 

Description and notable features
Nanda Devi is a two-peaked massif, forming a 2-kilometre-long (1 2 mi) high ridge, oriented east–west  The western summit is higher than the eastern summit, which is called Nanda Devi East, (locally known as Sunanda Devi)  The main summit stands guarded by a barrier ring comprising some of the highest mountains in the Indian Himalayas, twelve of which exceed 6,400 metres (21,000 ft) in height, further elevating its sacred status as the daughter of the Himalaya in Indian folklore  The interior of this almost insurmountable ring is known as the Nanda Devi Sanctuary, and is protected as the Nanda Devi National Park  Nanda Devi East lies on the eastern edge of the ring (and of the Park), at the border of Chamoli, Pithoragarh and Bageshwar districts 
Together the peaks may be referred to as the peaks of the goddesses Nanda and Sunanda  These goddesses have occurred together in ancient Sanskrit literature (Srimad Bhagvatam or Bhagavata Purana) and are worshipped together as twins in the Kumaon, Garhwal and elsewhere in India  The first published reference to Nanda Devi East as Sunanda Devi appears to be in a recent novel (Malhotra 2011) that has the Kumaon region as backdrop 
In addition to being the 23rd highest independent peak in the world, Nanda Devi is also notable for its large, steep rise above local terrain  It rises over 3,300 metres (10,800 ft) above its immediate southwestern base on the Dakshini Nanda Devi Glacier in about 4 2 kilometres (2 6 mi), and its rise above the glaciers to the north is similar  This makes it among the steepest peaks in the world at this scale, closely comparable, for example, to the local profile of K2  Nanda Devi is also impressive when considering terrain that is a bit further away, as it is surrounded by relatively deep valleys  For example, it rises over 6,500 metres (21,300 ft) above the valley of the Goriganga in only 50 km (30 mi) On the northern side of the massif lies the Uttari Nanda Devi Glacier, flowing into the Uttari Rishi Glacier  To the southwest, one finds the Dakkhini Nanda Devi Glacier, flowing into the Dakkhini Rishi Glacier  All of these glaciers are located within the Sanctuary, and drain west into the Rishiganga  To the east lies the Pachu Glacier, and to the southeast lie the Nandaghunti and Lawan Glaciers, feeding the Lawan Gad; all of these drain into the Milam Valley  To the south is the Pindari Glacier, draining into the Pindar River  Just to the south of Sunanda Devi, dividing the Lawan Gad drainage from the Dakkhini Nanda Devi Glacier, is Longstaff Col, 5,910 m (19,390 ft), one of the high passes that guard access to the Nanda Devi Sanctuary  For a list of notable peaks of the Sanctuary and its environs, see Nanda Devi National Park 

Exploration and climbing history
The ascent of Nanda Devi necessitated fifty years of arduous exploration in search of a passage into the Sanctuary  The outlet is the Rishi Gorge, a deep, narrow canyon which is very difficult to traverse safely, and is the biggest hindrance to entering the Sanctuary; any other route involves difficult passes, the lowest of which is 5,180 m (16,990 ft)  Hugh Ruttledge attempted to reach the peak three times in the 1930s and failed each time  In a letter to The Times he wrote that 'Nanda Devi imposes on her votaries an admission test as yet beyond their skill and endurance', adding that gaining entry to the Nanda Devi Sanctuary alone was more difficult than reaching the North Pole [1]
In 1934, the British explorers Eric Shipton and H  W  Tilman, with three Sherpa companions, Angtharkay, Pasang and Kusang, finally discovered a way through the Rishi Gorge into the Sanctuary 

When the mountain was later climbed in 1936 by a British-American expedition, it became the highest peak climbed by man until the 1950 ascent of Annapurna, 8,091 metres (26,545 ft)  (However, higher non-summit elevations had already been reached by the British on Mount Everest in the 1920s, and it is possible that George Mallory reached Everest's summit in 1924 ) It also involved steeper and more sustained terrain than had been previously attempted at such a high altitude  The expedition climbed the south ridge, also known as the Coxcomb Ridge, which leads relatively directly to the main summit  The summit pair were H  W  Tilman and Noel Odell; Charles Houston was to be in place of Tilman, but he contracted severe food poisoning  Noted mountaineer and mountain writer H  Adams Carter was also on the expedition, which was notable for its small scale and lightweight ethic: it included only seven climbers, and used no fixed ropes, nor any Sherpa support above 6,200 m (20,300 ft)  Eric Shipton, who was not involved in the climb itself, called it "the finest mountaineering achievement ever performed in the Himalaya "After abortive attempts by Indian expeditions in 1957 and 1961, the second ascent of Nanda Devi was accomplished by an Indian team led by N  Kumar in 1964, following the Coxcomb route 

CIA mission
From 1965 to 1968, attempts were made by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), in co-operation with the Intelligence Bureau (IB), to place a nuclear-powered telemetry relay listening device on the summit of Nanda Devi  This device was designed to intercept telemetry signals from missile test launches conducted in the Xinjiang Province, at a time of relative infancy in China's missile program  The expedition retreated due to dangerous weather conditions, leaving the device near the summit of Nanda Devi  They returned the next spring to search for the device, which ended without success  As a result of this activity by the CIA, the Sanctuary was closed to foreign expeditions throughout much of the 1960s  In 1974 the Sanctuary re-opened 

Subsequent climbs
A difficult new route, the northwest buttress, was climbed by a 13-person team in 1976  Three Americans, John Roskelley, Jim States and Louis Reichardt, summitted on 1 September  The expedition was co-led by Reichardt, H  Adams Carter (who was on the 1936 climb,) and Willi Unsoeld, who climbed the West Ridge of Everest in 1963  Unsoeld's daughter, Nanda Devi Unsoeld, who was named after the peak, died on this expedition  She had been suffering from "diarrhea and flare-up of an inguinal hernia, which had shown up originally on the second day of the approach march", and had been at 7,200 metres (23,600 ft) for nearly five days In 1980, the Indian Army Corps of Engineers made an unsuccessful attempt 
This was followed in 1981 by another Indian Army expedition of the Parachute Regiment, which attempted both main and eastern peaks simultaneously  The expedition had placed a memorial to Nanda Devi Unsoeld at the high altitude meadow of Sarson Patal prior to the attempt  The successful attempt lost all its summiteers 
In 1993, a 40-member team of the Indian Army from the Corps of Engineers was given special permission  The aim of the expedition was multifold: to carry out an ecological survey, clean up the refuse left behind by previous expeditions, and scale the summit  The team led by Lt Col V K  Bhatt included a number of wildlife scientists and ecologists from Wildlife Institute of India, Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History, World Wide Fund for Nature and Govind Ballabh Pant Institute for Himalayan Environment and Development amongst others  The expedition carried out a comprehensive ecological survey and removed from the park, by porter and helicopter, over 1,000 kilogrammes of litter  Additionally, five summiteers reached the summit: Amin Naik, Anand Swaroop, G  K  Sharma, Didar Singh and S  P  Bhatt 

Recent history and conservation
After the re-opening of the sanctuary in 1974 to foreign climbers, trekkers and locals, the fragile ecosystem was soon compromised by firewood cutting, littering and grazing  Serious environmental problems were noted as early as 1977, and the sanctuary was closed again in 1983  Currently, Nanda Devi forms the core of the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve (which includes Nanda Devi National Park), declared by the Indian government in 1982  In 1988, Nanda Devi National Park was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, "of outstanding cultural or natural importance to the common heritage of humankind " The entire sanctuary, and hence the main summit (and interior approaches to the nearby peaks), are off-limits to locals and to climbing expeditions, although a one-time exception was made in 1993 for a 40-member team from the Indian Army Corps of Engineers to check the state of recovery and to remove garbage left by prior expeditions  Sunanda Devi remains open from the east side, leading to the standard south ridge route  After a sustained campaign by the local community as reflected in the Nanda Devi Declaration of 2001, the core zone of the Nanda Devi was opened for limited eco-tourism activity in 2003  In 2006, the campaign invited women trekkers from 4 countries during the inaugural trek inside the National Park  As a follow up, the Campaign for Cultural Survival and Sustainable Livelihoods has now designed an Interpretive Trek to the Nanda Devi National Park  An Interpretation Centre on Bio Cultural Diversity of the Nanda Devi National Park is under development in the village of Lata, the gateway to the Nanda Devi National Park  A maximum number of 500 trekkers are now allowed to enter the core zone until Dharansi between May and October  The trek to Nanda Devi National Park starts from the village of Lata, located 25 kilometres upstream from the town of Joshimath on Niti-Malari highway 

2021 flood
On 7 February 2021 it was reported that a portion of the Nanda Devi glacier broke away, causing the Dhauliganga and the Rishiganga rivers to flood  One dam at the Dhauliganga hydropower project at Reni village was destroyed and another suffered a partial collapse  Initial reports said nine people were dead and 140 missing  Water levels on the Alaknanda also rose 

Gallery
Passage 8:
Sumas Mountain (British Columbia)
Sumas Mountain, also referred to as Canadian Sumas to distinguish it from an identically-named mountain just 10 km (6 2 mi) to the south in U S  state of Washington across the border, is a mountain in eastern Fraser Lowland, in the Lower Mainland region of the Canadian province of British Columbia   It sits on the south bank of the Fraser River, west of the smaller Chilliwack Mountain across the Vedder River mouth, and serves as a geographic landmark dividing the Fraser Valley into "Upper" and "Lower" sections  Sumas Peak is an official name for the summit located on the south shore of the Fraser River in the Fraser Valley between Abbotsford and Chilliwack, British Columbia  Elevation 910 m (2,986 ft) above sea level, prominence 875 m (2,871 ft) 
The mountain is separated from the Vedder Mountain and the North Cascades by the drained Sumas Lake, now a flatland called Sumas Prairie that is part of the greater floodplain of the Fraser River basin, south of which is a same-named sister mountain (American Sumas) in Washington state's Whatcom County   West of the mountain is Matsqui Prairie, another floodplain, and north of the Fraser, which lies along the mountain's north flank, are similar floodplains - Nicomen Island and Hatzic Prairie 
The urban area of Abbotsford is located to the mountain's west, and it is home to a number of Abbotsford's suburban areas, notably Clayburn   In its central portion is the historic community of Straiton, officially named in 1904 for Thomas Bell Straiton who founded a homestead on Sumas Mountain in 1893 and also a store and post office  Its higher eastern reaches tower over Greendale, a community within the City of Chilliwack and is mostly wilderness; the mountain's summit, Sumas Peak, is located in this area, along with Chadsey Lake 
Sumas Mountain Provincial Park is located in the higher, northern reaches of the mountain  Historic industry on the mountain includes livestock and crop farming, logging, and mining, notably brick-clay, which gave rise to the mining community of Clayburn  Farming, gravel mining, and logging continue on the mountain to the present day  Located on the mountain's north foot, adjacent to the Fraser, is a Canadian Forces base naval station   On its south side is the reserve of the Sumas First Nation 
The mountain protects McDonald Park, a dark-sky preserve, from the light pollution caused by the nearby cities of Abbotsford, Chilliwack, and Mission 

Name
"Sumas" is a Halqemeylem word meaning "a big level opening", referring to the Sumas Prairie area south of the mountain, formerly Sumas Lake   A common 19th Century spelling of Sumas was "Smess"; Simon Fraser's journal recorded the name as "shemotch" 
Passage 9:
Mountain bike orienteering
Mountain bike orienteering (MTB-O or MTBO) is an orienteering endurance racing sport on a mountain bike where navigation is done along trails and tracks  Compared with foot orienteering, competitors usually are not permitted to leave the trail and track network  Navigation tactics are similar to ski-orienteering, where the major focus is route choice while navigating  The main difference compared to ski-orienteering is that navigation is done at a higher pace, because the bike can reach higher speeds  As the biker reaches higher speeds, map reading becomes more challenging 

Equipment
Preferred bike type is a robust mountain bike meant for cross-country cycling, but any type of bike can be used  Depending on terrain type either hard tailed or full suspension mountain bikes are more appropriate  Clipless pedals with a special cycling shoe are mostly used by serious cyclists to enable maximum power output, and to keep feet secure on the pedals  Bicycle helmets are usually a requirement in competitions 

Special equipment
A map holder attached to the handlebar of the bike is an essential piece of equipment in mountain bike orienteering, and most holders allow the map to be rotated  Known brands for map holders are Orifix, Mapdec, Miry, Devotech, Nordenmark, Autopilot and Windchill  Compasses may be used but electronic navigational aids (such as GPS-based watches) are not permitted  Competitors may carry repair tools and spare parts during races 

Map
Maps are usually smaller scale (1:5 000 – 1:30 000) and less detailed than standard orienteering maps  Trails and tracks are marked on mountain bike orienteering maps based on their riding difficulty, with four classifications: easy, slow, difficult and impossible to ride  Also, obstacles that require a dismount are usually marked on the map 

Organization and events
MTB-O is one of four orienteering sports governed by the International Orienteering Federation  The first World Championship event was held in 2002 in Fontainebleau, France  Since 2004 the World Championships have been held annually  European Championships have been held annually since 2006  Mountain bike orienteering is most popular in European countries and Australia 

M17 and W17 (Youth) is for competitors who reach the age of 17, or younger, in the year which the event is held 
M20 and W20 (Junior) is for competitors who reach the age of 20, or younger, in the year which the event is held 
M21 and W21 (Elite) is meant for competitors who reach the age of 21, or older, in the year which the event is held  Any competitor, regardless of their age, can however compete in the elite classes There are annual World Championships in the elite and junior classes  There are also world championships for masters, which is for competitors aged 35 and up 
There are annual European Championships in elite, junior and youth classes 

Mountain bike orienteerers
The most successful mountain bike orienteerer is Anton Foliforov from Russia, who has taken 31 World Championship and 11 European Championship medals  Other successful mountain bike orienteers are Michaela Gigon, Ruslan Gritsan, Adrian Jackson, Christine Schaffner and Päivi Tommola 
For a full list of all medals taken by mountain bike orienteerers at World- and European Championships, visit MTBO Info

Time-Keeping
In order to keep track of the competitors' riding times, Sportident is typically used  Each rider has a 'card' (chip) on their finger, and they 'punch' the Control point (orienteering) as shown on the image below  The card registers when the punch was made, which can be used for keeping track of riding times and split-times for each control point a rider has punched 
In recent years, time-keeping has become more modern, and mountain bike orienteering events typically use touch-free time-keeping, meaning that competitors can maintain their speed while punching the control points  The competitors can ride past the control points at up to 180 cm range and still punch the controls 
Another time-keeping system is Emit, which works in a similar fashion to Sportident 

Disciplines
In mountain bike orienteering there are 5 main disciplines which can be competed in at the world championships 
Generally, all disciplines have around 25 control points along the way 

Sprint
The sprint is the shortest discipline, with estimated winning-times of 20–25 minutes for M21 and W21 (elite classes), and 16–20 minutes for M20 and W20 (junior classes)  Sprints often take place in cities, towns or industrial districts  Competitors race individually, typically starting with 1–2 minute gaps between the competitors  Fastest time to punch all the controls in the right order and cross the finish line wins 

Middle Distance
The middle distance is somewhere between the sprint and long distance  Winning times are 50–55 minutes for M21 and W21, and 40–45 minutes for M20 and W20  Middle distances often take place in forests  Competitors race individually, typically starting with 2 minute gaps between the competitors  Fastest time to punch all the controls in the right order and cross the finish line wins 

Long Distance
The long distance is the longest discipline  Winning times are 105–115 minutes for M21 and W21, and 84–92 minutes for M20 and W20  Long distances often take place in forests  Competitors race individually, typically starting with 3 minute gaps between the competitors  Fastest time to punch all the controls in the right order and cross the finish line wins 

Mass Start
The mass start is known as the most chaotic discipline  Winning times are 75–85 minutes for M21 and W21, and 60–68 minutes for M20 and W20  Mass starts often take place in forests  Competitors all start at the same time, hence the name mass start  In order to keep competitors from just following each other and ensuring they have to orienteer themselves, there are 'forkings' on mass starts  This means that not all competitors have to ride to the control points in the same order  It could for example be 2 loops called A and B where half the competitors do A first and then B, and the other half does B first and then A  All competitors will end up riding the exact same course in the end, but will have to split up during the race  First competitor to punch all controls in the right order and cross the finish line wins 

Relay
The relay is a team-discipline  There are 3 competitors on each team, taking turn to ride their course  Winning times are 120–135 minutes (total) for M21 and W21, and 90–105 minutes for M20 and W20  Relays often take place in forests  The first competitors on all teams start at the same time, similar to the mass start  When they cross the finish line and touch their team's next competitor, the next competitor continues the race  Similarly to the mass start, there are forkings on the relay, so competitors can't just follow other riders  All teams will end up riding the exact same courses in the end, but in different orders  First team to all finish their courses and cross the finish line wins 

Rules
There is a set of rules which must be followed when competing at events  If not followed, it can lead to disqualification  The most prominent rules are:

Competitors may not leave their bike; it has to be ridden, carried or pushed at all times 
Competitors may only ride on paths and roads that are on the map, unless otherwise described  In some countries or areas riders are allowed to ride off-track, which will be specified in the event bulletin 
Competitors may not use GPS devices while competing in a race For a full list of the rules, see MTBO Competition Rules

Most recent World Championships
The most recent World Championships were in Finland, Kuortane from 9 to 18 June 2021  The winners and World Champions of each discipline were as follows:

Mass StartM21: Samuel Pökälä 

W21: Svetlana Foliforova 

M20: Morten Örnhagen Jørgensen 

W20: Kaarina Nurminen 

Sprint DistanceM21: Krystof Bogar 

W21: Marika Hara 

M20: Mikkel Brunstedt Nørgaard 

W20: Kaarina Nurminen 

Middle DistanceM21: Samuel Pökälä 

W21: Svetlana Foliforova 

M20: Morten Örnhagen Jørgensen 

W20: Kaarina Nurminen 

Long DistanceM21: Andre Haga 

W21: Camilla Søgaard 

M20: Morten Örnhagen Jørgensen 

W20: Lucie Nedomlelova 

RelayM21: Andre Haga, Pekka Niemi, Samuel Pökälä 

W21: Cæcilie Christoffersen, Nikoline Splittorff, Camilla Søgaard 

M20: Noah Tristan Hoffmann, Mikkel Brunstedt Nørgaard, Morten Örnhagen Jørgensen 

W20: Ekaterina Landgraf, Daria Toporova, Alena Aksenova

See also
Alleycat races
Adventure racing
Passage 10:
Avalanche Lake (New York)
Avalanche Lake is a 9-acre (3 6 ha) mountain lake located in the Adirondack High Peaks in New York  Avalanche Lake sits at 2,885 feet (879 m) between 4,714-foot (1,437 m) Mount Colden and 3,816-foot (1,163 m) Avalanche Mountain  The two mountains rise in vertical cliffs from the surface of the lake  Immediately west of Avalanche Mountain (formerly known as Caribou Mountain) lies the MacIntyre Range: 5,115-foot (1,559 m) Algonquin Peak (the second highest mountain in the state), 4,829-foot (1,472 m) Boundary Peak, 4,843-foot (1,476 m) Iroquois Peak and 4,380-foot (1,340 m) Mount Marshall  Mount Marcy is 2 5 miles (4 0 km) to the east  Avalanche Lake feeds Lake Colden to the south, in the Hudson River watershed  To the north, the trail to the lake from the Adirondak Loj surmounts Avalanche Pass, which is only slightly above lake level but separates it from the Lake Champlain (St  Lawrence River) watershed  Following the lake toward Lake Colden, the trail is choked with large boulders, and a number of wooden ladders have been built to make passage possible  There are also three places where the trail takes to wooden catwalks, first built in the 1920s, that are bolted directly into the cliff face  This section is known as the "Hitch-Up Matilda;" in 1868 when a mountain guide waded to carry one of his clients past a point with no footing on shore, her husband urged her to sit higher on his shoulders 

History
The European discovery of the lake dates to an 1833 surveying party led by Judge John Richards and Major Reuben Sanford; it was named by William C  Redfield  A large avalanche occurred on August 20, 1869, that created a number of the landslides on Mount Colden, the rubble from which substantially raised the level of the lake  Another avalanche in 1942 caused further slides that raised the lake level by 10 feet (3 0 m) 
Context 2: Passage 1:
Merck &amp; Co 
Merck & Co , Inc  is an American multinational pharmaceutical company headquartered in Rahway, New Jersey, and is named for Merck Group, founded in Germany in 1668, of whom it was once the American arm  The company does business as Merck Sharp & Dohme or MSD outside the United States and Canada  It is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world, generally ranking in the global top five by revenue Merck & Co  was originally established as the American affiliate of Merck Group in 1891  Merck develops and produces medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies and animal health products  It has multiple blockbuster drugs or products each with 2020 revenues including cancer immunotherapy, anti-diabetic medication and vaccines against HPV and chickenpox 
The company is ranked 71st on the 2022 Fortune 500 and 87th on the 2022 Forbes Global 2000, both based on 2021 revenues 

Products
The company develops medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies and animal health products  In 2020, the company had 6 blockbuster drugs or products, each with over $1 billion in revenue: Keytruda (pembrolizumab), a humanized antibody used in cancer immunotherapy that had $14 3 billion in 2020 revenue; Januvia (sitagliptin), an anti-diabetic medication used to treat type 2 diabetes that had $5 3 billion in 2020 revenue; Gardasil, an HPV vaccine that had $3 9 billion in 2020 revenue; Varivax, a varicella vaccine used to protect against chickenpox that had $1 9 billion in 2020 revenues; Bridion (Sugammadex), a neuromuscular-blocking drug that had $1 2 billion in 2020 revenue; and Pneumovax 23, a pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine that had $1 1 billion in 2020 revenue  Other major products by the company include Isentress (raltegravir), an antiretroviral medication used to treat HIV/AIDS that had $857 million in 2020 revenue; Simponi (golimumab), a human monoclonal antibody used as an immunosuppressive drug that had $838 million in 2020 revenue; RotaTeq, a rotavirus vaccine that had $797 million in 2020 revenue; and Lynparza (olaparib), a medication for the maintenance treatment of BRCA-mutated advanced ovarian cancer in adults that generated $725 million in 2020 revenue for the company Details of Merck's major products are as follows:

Januvia (sitagliptin) is a dipeptidyl peptidase IV inhibitor for the treatment of type 2 diabetes  In 2013, Januvia was the second largest selling diabetes drug worldwide  Januvia is commonly paired with the generic anti-diabetes drug metformin  It has been popular due in part because unlike many other diabetes drugs, it causes little or no weight gain and is not associated with hypoglycemic episodes  Merck also sells a single pill combination drug containing both Januvia and metformin under the trade name Janumet  There has been some concern that treatment with Januvia and other DPP-IV inhibitors may be associated with a modestly increased risk of pancreatitis 
Zetia (ezetimibe) is a drug for hypercholesterolemia that acts by inhibiting the absorption of dietary cholesterol  Zetia has been controversial, as it was initially approved based on its impact on serum cholesterol levels without proof that it actually impacted the incidence of cardiovascular disease  Results of the IMPROVE-IT study, however, introduced at the 2014 Scientific Sessions of the American Heart Association, showed a statistically significant, albeit modest, benefit in adding Zetia to simvastatin for high-risk, post-acute-coronary-syndrome patients 
Remicade (infliximab) is a monoclonal antibody directed toward the cytokine TNF-alpha and used for the treatment of a wide range of autoimmune disorders, including rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, ankylosing spondylitis, plaque psoriasis, and others  Remicade and other TNF-alpha inhibitors exhibit additive therapeutic effects with methotrexate and improve quality of life  Adverse effects include increased risk of infection and certain cancers  Merck had rights to the drug in certain areas, while Janssen Biotech had rights in other areas; in 2017, Merck announced a biosimilar to Remicade, Renflexis 
Gardasil (recombinant human papilloma virus vaccine) is a vaccine against multiple serotypes of human papilloma virus (HPV), which is responsible for most cases of cervical cancer worldwide 
Isentress (raltegravir) is a human immunodeficiency virus integrase inhibitor for the treatment of HIV infection  It is the first anti-HIV compound having this mechanism of action  It is part of one of several first line treatment regimens recommended by the United States Department of Health and Human Services 
Keytruda (pembrolizumab) is an immune modulator for the treatment of cancer  On September 4, 2014, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Pembrolizumab (MK-3475) as a breakthrough therapy for melanoma treatment  In clinical trials, pembrolzumab provided partial tumor regression in about one quarter of patients, many of whom have not seen further progression of their disease in over 6 months of follow-up 
Invanz (Ertapenem) is an injectable antibiotic, rights to which Merck has owned since 1999  Merck was in a legal dispute with the Taiwanese company Savior Lifetec over their attempt to secure rights to sell a generic drug version in the United States  Savior has since obtained approval to market generic ertapenem 
Mexsana is an antiseptic medicated powder 
Mectizan (ivermectin) is an anti-parasitic medicine traditionally used to treat river blindness  It is the focus of Merck's Mectizan Donation Program, wherein Merck has donated doses of the drug to treat millions of people in countries such as Yemen and African nations 
Molnupiravir is an antiviral pill to treat COVID-19, developed in partnership with Ridgeback Biotherapeutics Merck & Co  publishes The Merck Manuals, a series of medical reference books for physicians, nurses, technicians, and veterinarians  These include the Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy, the world's best-selling medical reference  The Merck Index, a compendium of chemical compounds, was published by Merck & Co  until it was acquired by the Royal Society of Chemistry in 2012 

History
Roots and early history
Merck & Co  traces its origins to its former German parent company Merck Group, which was established by the Merck family in 1668 when Friedrich Jacob Merck purchased a drug store in Darmstadt  In 1827, Merck Group evolved from a pharmacy to a drug manufacturer company with the commercial manufacture of morphine  Merck perfected the chemical process of deriving morphine from opium and later introduced cocaine, used to treat sinus problems and to add to beverages to boost energy levels In 1887 a German-born, long-time Merck employee, Theodore Weicker, went to the United States to represent Merck Group  In 1891, with $200,000 received from E  Merck, Weicker started Merck & Co , with headquarters in lower Manhattan  That year George Merck, the 23-year-old son of the then head of E  Merck (and grandson of the founder) joined Weicker in New York  Merck & Co  operated from 1891 to 1917 as the US subsidiary of the Merck Group 

Nationalization
After the U S  entered World War I, due to its German connections, Merck & Co  was the subject of expropriation under the Trading with the Enemy Act of 1917  In 1919, George W  Merck, in partnership with Goldman Sachs and Lehman Brothers, bought the company back at a U S  government auction for $3 5 million, but Merck & Co  remained a separate company from its former German parent  Merck & Co  holds the trademark rights to the "Merck" name in the United States and Canada, while its former parent company retains the rights in the rest of the world; the right to use the Merck name was the subject of litigation between the two companies in 2016 In 1929, H  K  Mulford Company merged with Sharp and Dohme, Inc  and brought vaccine technology, including immunization of cavalry horses in World War I and delivery of a diphtheria antitoxin to Merck & Co 
In 1943, Streptomycin was discovered during a Merck-funded research program in Selman Waksman's laboratory at Rutgers University  It became the first effective treatment for Tuberculosis  At the time of its discovery, sanatoriums for the isolation of tuberculosis-infected people were a ubiquitous feature of cities in developed countries, with 50% dying within 5 years of admission  Although Merck's agreement with Rutgers gave it exclusive rights to streptomycin, at Waksman's request the company renegotiated the agreement, returning the rights to the university in exchange for a royalty  The university then set up non-exclusive licenses with seven companies to ensure a reliable supply of the antibiotic 

1950–2000
In the 1950s, thiazide diuretics were developed by Merck scientists Karl H  Beyer, James M  Sprague, John E  Baer, and Frederick C  Novello and led to the marketing of the first drug of this class, chlorothiazide, under the trade name Duiril in 1958  The research leading to the discovery of chlorothiazide, leading to "the saving of untold thousands of lives and the alleviation of the suffering of millions of victims of hypertension" was recognized by a special Public Health Award from the Lasker Foundation in 1975 In 1953, Merck & Co  merged with Philadelphia-based Sharp & Dohme, Inc , becoming the largest U S  drugmaker  Sharp and Dohme had acquired H  K  Mulford Company in 1929, adding smallpox vaccines to its portfolio  The combined company kept the trade name Merck in the United States and Canada, and as Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD) outside North America In 1965, Merck & Co  acquired Charles Frosst Ltd  of Montreal (founded 1899), creating Merck-Frosst Canada, Inc , as its Canadian subsidiary and pharmaceutical research facility  Merck & Co  closed this facility in July 2010 but remerged in 2011 as Merck Canada Maurice Hilleman, a scientist at Merck, developed the first mumps vaccine in 1967, the first rubella vaccine in 1969, and the first trivalent measles, mumps, rubella (MMR vaccine) in 1971  The incidence of rubella-associated birth defects fell from up to 10,000 per year in the U S  to zero in the aftermath of the rubella vaccine's development  Hilleman also developed the first Hepatitis B vaccine and the first varicella vaccine, for chickenpox The company was incorporated in New Jersey in 1970  John J  Horan became CEO and Chairman in 1976, serving until 1985  Under his leadership, the company's investment in R&D grew threefold, and Merck became the largest pharmaceutical company in the world In 1979, Merck scientists developed lovastatin (Mevacor), the first drug of the statin class Merck scientist William C  Campbell and Satoshi Ōmura developed ivermectin for veterinary use in 1981, and later put it to human use against Onchocerciasis in 1987–88 with the name Mectizan; today the compound is used against river blindness, lymphatic filariasis, scabies and other parasitic infections In 1982, the company formed a joint venture, KBI Inc , with AstraZeneca  During the late 1980s and 1990s, the company also established joint ventures with DuPont to access research and development expertise, and with Johnson & Johnson to sell over-the-counter consumer medications In 1985, Merck received approval for imipenem, the first member of the carbapenem class of antibiotics  Antibiotics of the carbapenem class play an important role in treatment guidelines for certain hospital-acquired and multi-drug resistant infections  P  Roy Vagelos became CEO and Chairman that year, succeeding Horan In 1991, Merck's Kelco subsidiary was responsible for volatile organic compound (VOC) emission pollution in the San Diego area  In 1996 Merck paid $1 8 million for polluting the air  New machines were installed to reduce smog emissions by 680,000 lb (310,000 kg) a year In November 1993, Merck & Co  acquired Medco Containment Services for $6 billion  Merck & Co  spun Medco off ten years later 

2001–2019
In May 2002, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation purchased stock in Merck From 2002 through 2005, the Australian affiliate of Merck paid publishing house Elsevier an undisclosed amount to produce eight issues of a medical journal, the Australasian Journal of Bone and Joint Medicine  Although it gave the appearance of being an independent peer-reviewed journal, without any indication that Merck had paid for it, the journal actually reprinted articles that originally appeared in other publications and that were favorable to Merck  The misleading publication came to light in 2009 during a personal injury lawsuit filed over Vioxx; 9 of 29 articles in the journal's second issue referred positively to Vioxx  The CEO of Elsevier's Health Sciences Division, Michael Hansen, admitted that the practice was "unacceptable" In 2005, CEO Raymond Gilmartin retired following Merck's voluntary worldwide withdrawal of Vioxx  Former president of manufacturing Richard Clark was named CEO and company president In November 2009, Merck & Co  completed a merger with Schering-Plough in a US$41 billion deal  Although Merck & Co  was in reality acquiring Schering-Plough, the purchase was declared a "reverse merger", in which "Old" Merck & Co  was renamed Merck Sharp & Dohme, and Schering-Plough renamed as "Merck & Co , Inc  The maneuver was an attempt avoid a "change-of-control" in order to preserve Schering-Plough's rights to market Remicade  A settlement with Johnson & Johnson was reached in 2011, in which Merck agreed to pay $500 million  Merck Sharp & Dohme remains a subsidiary of the Merck & Co  parent Richard Clark retired as CEO and company president in October 2011 and Kenneth Frazier became CEO In October 2013, Merck announced it would cut 8,500 jobs in an attempt to cut $2 5 billion from its costs by 2015  Combined with 7,500 job cuts announced in 2011 and 2012, the layoffs amounted to 20% of its workforce By 2014, research performed at Merck has led to U S  FDA approval of 63 new molecular entities In August 2014, Merck acquired Idenix Pharmaceuticals for $3 85 billion In December 2014, the company acquired Swiss biotechnology company OncoEthix for up to $375 million Between 2010 and 2015, the company cut around 36,450 jobs  During that time, the company sold its consumer health business to Bayer and narrowed the company's focus to immunology, vaccines, diabetes, emerging markets and medicines used in hospitals, like certain antibiotics In January 2015, Merck acquired Cubist Pharmaceuticals In July 2015, Merck and Ablynx expanded their 18-month-old immuno-oncology collaboration by four years, generating a potential $4 4 billion in milestone payments for the Abylnx  The company also announced it would spend $95 million up front collaborating with cCAM Biotherapeutics and its early-stage treatment similar to Keytruda  Merck & Co  will bring in CM-24, an antibody designed to block the immune checkpoint CEACAM1 In January 2016, Merck announced two new partnerships; the first with Quartet Medicine and its small molecule pain treatments, the second with Complix investigating intracellular cancer targets, with both collaborations potentially generating up to $595 million and $280 million respectively  Days later the company announced it would acquire IOmet Pharma, with IOmet becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of Merck & Co  The acquisition includes IOmets indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO), tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase (TDO), and dual-acting inhibitors In July 2016, the company acquired Afferent Pharmaceuticals, developer of a candidate used to block P2RX3 receptors, for approximately $1 billion, plus up to $750 million in milestone payments In 2017, Merck bought the PARP inhibitor Lynparza from AstraZeneca In April 2017, Merck Animal Health acquired Vallée S A , a Brazilian animal health product manufacturer In September 2017, the company announced it would acquire Rigontec, developer of a candidate to target the retinoic acid-inducible gene I pathway, for $554 million In October 2017, the company granted the inaugural Merck-AGITG Clinical Research Fellowship in Gastro-Intestinal (GI) Cancer to David Lau, a professional in Melbourne, Australia In June 2018, Merck acquired Viralytics, an Australian viral cancer drug company, for AUD$502 million In 2018, Merck began the submission process for a Biologics License Application to the Food and Drug Administration under the Breakthrough Therapy Designation for an investigational vaccine, called V920, to fight the Zaire strain of the Ebola virus In April 2019, the company acquired Immune Design for approximately $300 million, gaining access to its immunotherapy programs  It also acquired Antelliq Group for $2 4 billion, or $3 7 billion including debt In May 2019, Merck announced it would acquire Peloton Therapeutics, developer of a HIF-2alpha inhibitor for Von Hippel–Lindau disease-associated renal cell carcinoma, for up to $2 2 billion In June 2019, Merck announced it would acquire Tilos Therapeutics for up to $773 million In November 2019, the company acquired Calporta, which focused on Parkinsons and Alzheimers treatments In December 2019, Merck Animal Health acquired Vaki, an aquaculture company, from Pentair 

2020–present
In January 2020, Merck acquired ArQule, developer of ARQ 531, an oral Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor, for $2 7 billion In March 2020, Merck was one of ten companies recognised at the inaugural Manufacturing Awards by New Jersey Business magazine and the New Jersey Business and Industry Association In June 2020, Merck acquired Themis Bioscience, a company focused on vaccines and immune-modulation therapies for infectious diseases including COVID-19 and cancer Also in June 2020, Merck Animal Health acquired Quantified Ag, a data and analytics company that monitors cattle body temperature and movement in order to detect illness early In August 2020, Merck Animal Health acquired IdentiGEN, engaged in DNA-based animal traceability In September 2020, Merck acquired $1 billion of Seattle Genetics common stock, and agreed to co-develop ladiratuzumab vedotin In November 2020, Merck announced it would acquire VelosBio for $2 75 billion, developer of VLS-101, an antibody-drug conjugate designed to target Tyrosine kinase-like orphan receptor 1 (ROR1) in both hematological and solid tumors  VLS-101 is currently Phase I and Phase II clinical trials  The company also announced it would acquire OncoImmune for $425 million and its phase 3 candidate, CD24Fc, used in the treatment of patients with severe and critical COVID-19 In February 2021, Merck Animal Health acquired PrognostiX Poultry In March 2021, Merck Head of Corporate Affairs Petra Wicklandt represented the company at the Munich Security Conference, where she participated in a tabletop exercise simulating the public health response to the release of a weaponized strain of monkeypox In April 2021, Merck acquired Pandion Therapeutics for $1 85 billion, expanding its offering in treating autoimmune diseases In June 2021, the U S  government agreed to spend $1 2 billion to purchase 1 7 million doses of Molnupiravir, a Merck product, if it were to be approved by regulators to treat COVID-19  In October 2021, the company said that the drug reduces the risk of hospitalization or death by around 50% for patients with mild or moderate cases of COVID-19 and that it would seek Emergency Use Authorization for the drug In July 2021, Robert M  Davis became CEO, succeeding Kenneth Frazier, who became executive chairman In July 2021, Merck completed the corporate spin-off of Organon & Co In September 2021, Merck announced it would acquire Acceleron Pharma for $11 5 billion, gaining control over Sotatercept, used in the treatment of pulmonary hypertension, and luspatercept-aamt In September 2022, the company announced it would acquire Vence, a livestock management company for an undisclosed sum, incorporating it within Merck Animal Health In December 2022, the company announced a licensing deal with Kelun-Biotech of China whereby it would expand its early cancer pipeline with a set of antibody-drug conjugates; this follows an earlier agreement between the two companies to co-develop such drugs In April 2023, Merck announced it would acquire Prometheus Biosciences Inc for $10 8 billion 

Acquisition history
Philanthropy
Merck Company Foundation
Since it was founded in 1957, the Merck Company Foundation has distributed $740 million in overall charitable distributions including more than $480 million to educational and non-profit organizations On December 7, 2012, the foundation announced that it was ending its donations to the Boy Scouts of America citing its discrimination against gay people 

Patient assistance programs
Merck & Co  was one of the first American pharmaceutical companies to offer assistance to those unable to afford its medications, beginning a program in the 1950s  Merck & Co  offers seven patient assistance programs, each with specific eligibility requirements 

Hilleman Laboratories
Merck and the Wellcome trust jointly fund the Hilleman Laboratories, an India-based non-profit research organization dedicated to the development of low-cost vaccines for use in developing countries  Current projects include the development of low cost, thermostable vaccines for the prevention of cholera, rotavirus, and meningitis 

Merck for Mothers
Merck for Mothers is Merck's global initiative to help create a world where no woman has to die while giving life 

Mectizan donation program
In 1987, Merck began a program with UNICEF to donate its new drug Mectizan to "all that need it for as long as needed" in an effort to combat onchocerciasis, also known as river blindness, primarily in Africa  Up to that point, the World Health Organization had fought the disease through the use of insecticides to lower the population of its primary vector, the Black Fly  However, when studies in the 1980s showed how effective the drug was at treating and preventing the disease, the WHO agreed to use it instead of its previous strategies  Merck's involvement is considered a key factor in the success against the disease all over the world, and the decision to donate the entirety of the drug to all those in need of it is used as part of the Mectizan Donation Program that covers countries such as Yemen and African countries  More than 700 million people have been treated since the inception of the program with 80 million people still undergoing treatment in Africa, Latin America, and Yemen  Blindness caused by onchocerciasis is decreasing, and there are regions of Latin America and Africa that have been shown to have eliminated the disease altogether 

Lawsuits and controversies
Vioxx
In 1999, the U S  Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Vioxx (known generically as rofecoxib), a Merck product for treating arthritis  Vioxx was designed as a selective inhibitor of the enzyme cyclooxygenase-2  Such compounds were expected to cause less gastrointestinal bleeding than older anti-inflammatory drugs such as naproxen, which were associated with 20,000 hospitalizations and 2000 deaths each year  Vioxx became one of the most prescribed drugs in history Thereafter, studies by Merck and by others found an increased risk of heart attack associated with Vioxx use when compared with naproxen  Merck adjusted the labeling of Vioxx to reflect possible cardiovascular risks in 2002 On September 23, 2004, Merck received information about results from a clinical trial it was conducting that included findings of increased risk of heart attacks among Vioxx users who had been using the medication for over eighteen months  On September 28, 2004, Merck notified the FDA that it was voluntarily withdrawing Vioxx from the market, and it publicly announced the withdrawal on September 30  An analysis for the period 1999–2004, based on U S  Medical Expenditure Survey data, reported that Vioxx was associated with 46,783 heart attacks, and along with the other popular COX-2 inhibitor Celebrex, an estimated 26,603 deaths from both About 50,000 people sued Merck, claiming they or their family members had suffered medical problems such as heart attacks or strokes after taking Vioxx  In November 2007, Merck agreed to pay $4 85 billion to settle most of the pending Vioxx lawsuits  The settlement required that claimants provide medical and pharmacy records confirming the occurrence of a heart attack, ischemic stroke, or sudden cardiac death; the receipt of at least 30 Vioxx pills within 60 days prior to the injury or death; and confirmation of Vioxx being used within 14 days of the Vioxx-related event  The settlement was generally viewed by industry analysts and investors as a victory for Merck, considering that original estimates of Merck's liability reached between $10 billion and $25 billion  As of mid-2008, when the plaintiff class had reached the threshold percentage required by Merck to go through with the settlement, plaintiffs had prevailed in only three of the twenty cases that had reached juries, all with relatively small awards Merck has refused to consider compensation for Vioxx victims and their families outside the US  This is particularly true in the UK where there are at least 400 victims and the legal protection afforded to the victims and their families is particularly weak According to internal e-mail traffic released at a later lawsuit, Merck had a list of doctors critical of Vioxx to be "neutralized" or "discredited"  "We may need to seek them out and destroy them where they live," wrote an employee  A Stanford Medical School professor said that Merck was engaged in intimidation of researchers and infringement upon academic freedom On May 20, 2008, Merck settled for $58 million with 30 states alleging that Merck engaged in deceptive marketing tactics to promote Vioxx  All its new television pain-advertisements must be vetted by the Food and Drug Administration and changed or delayed upon request until 2018 

Fosamax
Fosamax (alendronate) is a bisphosphonate used for the treatment of post-menopausal osteoporosis and for the prevention of skeletal problems in certain cancers  The American College of Clinical Endocrinology, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the North American Menopause Society and the UK National Osteoporosis Guideline Group recommend alendronate and certain other bisphosphonates as first line treatments for post-menopausal osteopotosis  Long-term treatment with bisphosponates produces anti-fracture and bone mineral density effects that persist for 3–5 years after an initial 3–5 years of treatment  Alendronate reduces the risk of hip, vertebral, and wrist fractures by 35-39% In December 2013, Merck agreed to pay a total of $27 7 million to 1,200 plaintiffs in a class action lawsuit alleging that the company's osteoporosis drug had caused them to develop osteonecrosis of the jaw  Prior to the settlement, Merck had prevailed in 3 of 5 so-called bellwether trials  Approximately 4000 cases still await adjudication or settlement as of August 2014 

Medicaid overbilling
A fraud investigation by the United States Department of Justice began in 2000 when allegations were brought in two separate lawsuits filed by whistleblowers under the False Claims Act  They alleged that Merck failed to pay proper rebates to Medicaid and other health care programs and paid illegal remuneration to health care providers  On February 7, 2008, Merck agreed to pay more than $650 million to settle charges that it routinely overbilled Medicaid for its most popular medicines  The settlement was one of the largest pharmaceutical settlements in history  The federal government received more than $360 million, plus 49 states and Washington, DC, received over $290 million  One whistleblower received a $68 million reward  Merck made the settlement without an admission of liability or wrongdoing 

"Merck" name legal dispute
In 191 of 193 countries, the original Merck company, the Merck Group of Darmstadt, owns the rights to the "Merck" name  In the United States and Canada, the company trades under the name EMD (an abbreviation of Emanuel Merck, Darmstadt), its legal name here says Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, and instead of "Merck Group", the "EMD Group" name is used  In the United States and Canada, Merck & Co  holds the rights to the trademark "Merck", while in the rest of the world the company trades under the name MSD (an abbreviation of Merck, Sharp & Dohme) and its legal name says here Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC , a subsidiary of Merck & Co , Inc  Kenilworth, NJ, USA 
In 2015 the Merck Group adopted a new logo and said it will be "much more aggressive" about protecting the brand of "the real Merck"  Merck of Darmstadt has initiated litigation against its former subsidiary, Merck & Co  (MSD) of Kenilworth, in several countries over infringing use of the Merck name  In 2016, the High Court of Justice in the United Kingdom ruled that MSD had breached an agreement with its former parent company and that only Merck of Darmstadt is entitled to use the Merck name in the United Kingdom  The judge also held that MSD's use of "Merck" as part of branding on its global websites were directed to the UK and infringed Merck's trade mark rights in the UK In response to the ruling, MSD initiated counter-litigation in the United States in January 2016 by filing a federal lawsuit which accused its former parent company of "infringing on its trademark" through actions that included the increased usage of "Merck KGaA" and "MERCK" in branding in the US as well as on its social media presence  Further Merck & Co  has also accused the Merck Group of federal trademark dilution, unfair competition, false advertising, deceptive trade practices, breach of contract, and cybersquatting  The case came to a head when a research scientist believed he was communicating with Merck & Co regarding a research grant in oncology, when in fact he was talking with the Merck Group  As a result, Merck & Co  asked the federal court to stop the Merck Group from using "Merck" on any products or marketing materials in the United States  As a direct result, Merck & Co is seeking "all monetary gains, profits, and advantages" made by the Merck Group and three-times the damage, plus additional punitive damages In April 2020, in the course of litigation of Merck against MSD in Switzerland, the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland ruled that MSD's use of the "Merck" brand in its global websites could, absent geotargeting mechanisms, have "commercial effect" in Switzerland and could therefore violate Merck's rights (if any) to the "Merck" brand in Switzerland 

Tax fraud
In 2007, Merck paid $2 3 billion to settle allegations of offshore tax fraud between 1993 and 2001 

Propecia
In 2021, an investigation by Reuters revealed that Merck's baldness drug Propecia caused persistent sexual dysfunction in men  The drug has been linked to over 700 incidences of suicidal thoughts and 110 deaths  Merck has been receiving reports since 1998, but never included the risks on the label  In 2015, Merck was sued by consumer-rights law firm Hagens Berman over a wrongful death linked to Propecia 

Environmental violations
Merck & Co  once used methylene chloride, an animal carcinogen on the United States Environmental Protection Agency's list of pollutants, as a solvent in some of its manufacturing processes  Merck chemists and engineers subsequently replaced the compound with others having fewer negative environmental effects  Merck has also modified its equipment to protect the environment, installing a distributed control system that coordinates chemical reactions more efficiently and expedites manufacturing by 50 percent, eliminating the need for the disposal and storage of harmful waste  Biological oxygen demand has also been reduced  In 2011, Merck paid a $1 5 million civil penalty to settle alleged violations of federal environmental laws at its pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities in Riverside, Pennsylvania and West Point, Pennsylvania 

Public-private engagement
Conferences
Merck was a Conference Supporter for the Virtual ISPOR Asia Pacific conference in September 2020 

Political lobbying
Merck is a contributing member of AcademyHealth, a health research advocacy network that also includes government agencies, universities, pharmaceutical companies and lobbying groups 
Passage 2:
American Laser Games
American Laser Games was a company based in Albuquerque, New Mexico that created numerous light gun laserdisc video games featuring live action full motion video  The company was founded in the late 1980s by Robert Grebe, who had originally created a system to train police officers under the company name ICAT (Institute for Combat Arms and Tactics) and later adapted the technology for arcade games  Its first hit game was Mad Dog McCree, a light gun shooter set in the American Old West  By mid-1995 they were recognized as the leading company in the medium of laserdisc-based arcade games  Almost all arcade games released by the company were light gun shooters and a number of them also had an Old West theme 
Later, the company turned toward compact disc technology to release its games  Ports of its arcade titles were released for the Sega CD, CD-i and DOS computers equipped with CD-ROM drives  The company was particularly supportive of the 3DO, not only releasing versions of its games for the console, but also offering a modified version of the 3DO platform as an upgrade kit for existing arcade video game cabinets, supporting compressed video versions of their games at a lower cost  In 1995, American Laser Games released Mazer for the 3DO home market and Orbatak (3DO-powered) for the arcade - their first and only in-house non-Full motion video based games  The company also released a series of light-gun controllers, including the 3DO Game Gun and the PC Gamegun, for home computer use  The latter proved unsuccessful due to its poor accuracy 
American Laser Games lasted until the mid-to-late 1990s, by which time it had begun making "games for girls" for the PC under the moniker Her Interactive, beginning with McKenzie & Co  In response to a major slump in the arcade industry, American Laser Games ended its direct manufacturing of coin-op machines in November 1995, and turned its focus to developing games for the Sega Saturn and Sony PlayStation  This failed to revive the company's fortunes, and revenues in 1996 were roughly half of the $16 million it generated in 1995  At the end of 1996 ALG laid off a third of its staff, Jan Claesson replaced Grebe as president, and the company began focusing primarily on the Her Interactive line, cancelling all the games in their mainstream line except for Shining Sword  The company eventually closed its doors and was bought out by Her Interactive, which had been spun off before ALG closing and is still making games as of January 2018  In 2000, the development and publishing rights to all of the games that were produced by American Laser Games were purchased by Digital Leisure, Inc from Her Interactive  Many of these games were then re-released for the PC and in DVD TV game format 

Games
Light gun arcade games
Mad Dog McCree (1990)
Who Shot Johnny Rock? (1991)
Space Pirates (1992)
Mad Dog II: The Lost Gold (1992)
Gallagher's Gallery (1992)
Crime Patrol (1993)
Crime Patrol 2: Drug Wars (1993)
The Last Bounty Hunter (1994)
Fast Draw Showdown (1994)
Shootout at Old Tucson (1994, limited arcade release  3DO port was cancelled)

Other games
Mazer
Way of the Warrior (with Naughty Dog)
Orbatak
McKenzie & Co 
McKenzie & Co  : More Friends
The Vampire Diaries
Battles in Time (with QQP)
Shining Sword (cancelled)
Blood Bath at Red Falls(1995)

See also
Digital Pictures

Notes
Passage 3:
Devon General
Devon General was the principal bus operator in south Devon from 1919  The name was first used by the Devon General Omnibus and Touring Company which was created in 1919  In 1922 it was purchased by the National Electric Construction Company which merged with British Electric Traction in 1931  Nationalisation in 1969 resulted in 1971 with the company being merged into Western National  In 1983 a new Devon General Limited was created which became the first operating subsidiary of the National Bus Company to be privatised in 1986 when it became the first company of Transit Holdings  It was sold to the Stagecoach Group in 1996 and renamed Stagecoach Devon in 2003 
Coaches were operated under various names, principally Fleet Cars from 1925 until 1933, and Grey Cars from 1932 until 1971 
Its main principal depots were in Exeter and Torquay, but the area of operation covered most of south, east and mid Devon 

History
The Devon General Omnibus and Touring Company started operations in south Devon in 1919 with two bus routes from Exeter to Torquay  In 1922 Torquay Tramways bought the company for £36,000, although it was operated as a subsidiary of the National Electric Construction Company (NECC) and the motor buses already owned by the tramway company were transferred to Devon General  Some charabanc tours had been operated by the Torquay Tramways and this continued under Devon General
Context 3: Passage 1:
CNN World News
CNN World News, a program that airs on CNN International and CNN International Asia Pacific  It is supplemented by CNN World News Asia and CNN World News Europe The show's traditional time run is 24-hours if it is followed by CNN World News Middle East The show's regular presenters include Errol Barnett  Its main role is to update viewers of the latest news in the world  It contains a weather update from the CNN World Weather Forecast News  CNN World News can usually air up to three times on weekends, and is known to be bringing the latest on a story 

Regular presenters
Errol Barnett

Schedule
Daily:
24-hours (all times EST) – Errol Barnett (North America)
24-hours (all times HKT) – Errol Barnett (Asia Pacific)
24-hours (all times UTC) – Paula Hancocks (Europe)

International broadcasts outside United States
In Singapore, it is broadcast live on MediaCorp TV Channel 5 daily at 6:00–6:30 am 
In Hong Kong, it is broadcast live on ATV World and TVB Pearl daily at 7:30–8:00 am 
In Indonesia, it is broadcast live on RCTI (relayed on RCTI; recorded on SCTV (simulcast on RCTI)) and SCTV (relayed on RCTI; recorded on RCTI (simulcast on SCTV)); carrying simulcast relayed and recorded network on RCTI daily at 05:30–06:00 am 

Simulcast in the International
International simulcast relay network Radio and Television on CNN International News Asia Pacific such : 

Television Indonesia : RCTI (recorded on SCTV in 1997 and now recorded on JakTV and MNC International)/SCTV (recorded on RCTI in 1997)/JakTV (recorded on RCTI and MNC International)/CNN Indonesia
 Malaysia : TV1/TV Kuala Lumpur/TV Selangor
 Singapore : MediaCorp TV Channel 5/MediaCorp HD5
 Brunei : RTB TV2
 Philippines : DZKB-TV
 China : Shanghai International Television
 Hong Kong : ViuTVsix
 Thailand : TrueVisions
 United States : CNNRadio:

 Indonesia : Radio Elshinta News and Talk
 Malaysia : Klasik Nasional FM/Kuala Lumpur FM/Selangor FM/Suara Malaysia/Radio24
 Singapore : CNA938
 Brunei : Radio News in English
 China : China English International News Radio
 Hong Kong : Radio Hong Kong National News in English/Radio Hong Kong International News in English
 United States : IRN/USA Radio Network
Passage 2:
Foil bearing
A foil bearing, also known as a foil-air bearing, is a type of air bearing  A shaft is supported by a compliant, spring-loaded foil journal lining  Once the shaft is spinning fast enough, the working fluid (usually air) pushes the foil away from the shaft so that no contact occurs  The shaft and foil are separated by the air's high pressure, which is generated by the rotation that pulls gas into the bearing via viscosity effects  The high speed of the shaft with respect to the foil is required to initiate the air gap, and once this has been achieved, no wear occurs  Unlike aerostatic or hydrostatic bearings, foil bearings require no external pressurisation system for the working fluid, so the hydrodynamic bearing is self-starting 

Development
Foil bearings were first developed in the late 1950s by AiResearch Mfg  Co  of the Garrett Corporation using independent R&D funds to serve military and space applications  They were first tested for commercial use in United Airlines Boeing 727 and Boeing 737 cooling turbines in the early and mid-1960s  Garrett AiResearch air cycle machine foil bearings were first installed as original equipment in 1969 in the DC-10's environmental control systems  Garrett AiResearch foil bearings were installed on all US military aircraft to replace existing oil-lubricated rolling-contact bearings   The ability to operate at cryogenic gas temperatures and at very high temperatures gave foil bearings many other potential applications Current-generation foil bearings with advanced coatings have greatly exceeded the limitations of earlier designs  Antiwear coatings exist that allow over 100,000 start/stop cycles for typical applications 

Applications
Turbomachinery is the most common application because foil bearings operate at high speed  
Commercial applications in production include microturbines, fuel cell blowers, and air cycle machines   The main advantage of foil bearings is the elimination of the oil systems required by traditional bearing designs  Other advantages are:

Higher efficiency, due to a lower heat loss to friction; instead of fluid friction, the main source of heat is parasitic drag
Increased reliability
Higher speed capability
Quieter operation
Wider operating temperature range (40–2,500 K)
High vibration and shock load capacity
No scheduled maintenance
No external support system
Truly oil free where contamination is an issue
Capable of operating above critical speedAreas of current research are:

Higher load capacity
Improved damping
Improved coatingsThe main disadvantages are:

Lower capacity than roller or oil bearings
Wear during start-up and stopping
High speed required for operation

See also
Fluid bearing – Type of bearings which use pressurized liquid or gas between the bearing surfaces
Tribology – Science and engineering of interacting surfaces in relative motion
Passage 3:
Gordon Burns (footballer)
Gordon Burns (born 2 December 1978) is a Scottish former professional footballer who played in the Scottish First Division for Ayr United 

Playing career
Burns began his footballing career with local boys club Troon Thistle, and also spent time playing with Prestwick Boys Club & Coylton Boys Club, before joining Ayr United Boys Club  He was scouted by several senior teams and trained with Motherwell, Dundee United, Hearts and Celtic before deciding to sign 'S' forms with Ayr United under Manager George Burley  He left Marr College at 16 to sign a 2-year YTS contract at Somerset Park with Manager Simon Stainrod, before signing his first professional contract at Ayr United at the age of 18 

Ayr United
"Burnsie" began his professional career with his local senior club Ayr United in July 1995 and made an early impact when he made his first team debut at the age of 17 against Berwick Rangers at Shielfield Park  He didn't have to wait long for his first start either, which came at Somerset Park against Raith Rovers when he was just 18 
In 1997, along with fellow starlets Keith Hogg, Neil Scally, Gareth "Bo" Armstrong and Joe Carruth, he enjoyed a spell on loan at Glenafton Athletic under Alan Rough which prepared him for the rough and tumble of Scottish football 
Next season, in February 1998, he was thrown in at the deep end by manager Gordon Dalziel as a versatile youngster in an Ayrshire derby match against Kilmarnock at Somerset Park, with the home side recording a famous 2-0 victory courtesy of an 83rd minute headed goal from Jim Dick & a beautiful lob from Ian Ferguson over the head of Killie keeper Gordon Marshall 
A period of vast investment in the playing squad at Ayr from millionaire Chairman Bill Barr saw the arrivals of high-calibre players such as Neil Duffy, Pat McGinlay, Eddie Annand, John Hughes, James Grady, Andy Walker, Glynn Hurst and Gary Teale  This left youngsters like Burns sidelined, and in 1999 he was signed by legendary Manager John Lambie (footballer, born 1941) for Partick Thistle on loan with a view to a permanent move  He made 6 appearances in an impressive spell, but chances of a permanent move were scuppered when Ayr demanded a transfer fee and he was recalled to Somerset Park 
Burns enjoyed a brief spell at his hometown club Troon F C  under Manager John Redmond during his rehabilitation from injury in 2000 
After making 28 league appearances for the club, he was released in December 2001 seeking regular first-team football 

Queen of the South
Burns was signed for Queen of the South by Manager John Connolly (Scottish footballer) in December 2001 to supplement a title-chasing squad 
The club won the 2001–02 Scottish Second Division, finishing 8 points clear of Alloa Athletic in 2nd place, but it was a frustrating period for Burns who only made a solitary appearance 

Peterhead
After completing a pre-season campaign with Forfar Athletic in the summer of 2002, Manager Neil Cooper decided against signing Burns permanently, but recommended him to Peterhead Manager Ian Wilson who was delighted to sign him up for the 2002-03 season  This was a hugely enjoyable season for Burns, as he was an integral part of the team who were chasing the Balmoor side's first ever promotion, with the season ending in spectacular fashion as an incredible four sides went into the final day chasing the title  A 1–0 defeat away to Greenock Morton at a packed Cappielow saw Morton crowned champions and East Fife narrowly pip Peterhead to promotion 
Despite enjoying being a first team regular, the travelling from Burns' home in Troon to Peterhead was taking its toll and Burns rejected the offer of a new contract with the club in search for something closer to home 

Kilwinning Rangers
Burns joined the all-conquering Buffs side in July 2003, becoming a key member of the side that went on to win the West of Scotland Super League Premier Division in season 2003-04  The departure of the Management team led by Mark Shanks sparked a remarkable change of fortunes which saw the Abbey Park side relegated the following season to the West of Scotland Super League First Division under new manager Paul Wright 
Burns rejected the offer of a new contract in order to concentrate on a new career, and left Abbey park in the summer of 2005 

Troon
After 2 years out of the game due to work demands, Burns signed for his home-town team Troon in June 2007  Signed by Manager Michael O'Neill, it wasn't long before Burnsie was named Club Captain as he enjoyed some of the best years of his career at Portland Park 
Niggling injuries and work commitments forced an early retirement from playing at the age of 31, although returning Manager John Redmond was keen to utilise Burns's knowledge in a coaching capacity 

Coaching career
After serving on the coaching staff under John Redmond following his retirement from playing, Burns formed part of the new management team with Jimmy Kirkwood when Redmond stepped down in March 2011 and the two oversaw a dramatic overhaul of the club and the playing staff with an emphasis on youth development & attractive football  Results were erratic to begin with, but the improvement was remarkable and a title push was well underway in season 2011-12 with the team narrowly missing out on the second promotion spot by one point  The club went one better in 2012-13, securing second place with weeks to spare after a season long title battle with Kilwinning Rangers and promotion back to the Super League was assured 
Season 2013-14 saw unprecedented success, as the club were crowned the Super League First Division Champions, Ayrshire Cup winners and were also West of Scotland Cup finalists 
Burns became manager of Troon in the summer of 2015, after Jimmy Kirkwood stepped aside due to work pressures, and he led them to their highest ever league finish in his first season in charge as well as an appearance in the Final of the Ardagh Cup  Following the club's relegation from the West of Scotland Super League Premier Division, Burns stood down in May 2017 after 10 years at the club to spend more time with his family 
Passage 4:
The Krypton Factor
The Krypton Factor is a British game show produced by Granada Television for broadcast on ITV  The show originally ran from 7 September 1977 to 20 November 1995, and was hosted by Gordon Burns and usually broadcast on the ITV network on Mondays at 7 00pm 
Contestants from across the United Kingdom and Ireland competed in a series of rounds that tested their physical stamina and mental attributes  The title of the show is a reference to Superman's home planet Krypton, the title perceiving that the contestants had strong superhuman "powers" for taking part in the challenges they were set  The contestants, from 1986 onwards, all had their own corresponding colour, either red, green, yellow or blue  The points contestants earned through the game were not referred to as their score, but as their "Krypton Factor", e g  "The winner, with a Krypton Factor of 46, is the technical specialist from Birmingham, Caroline White"  The 1987 series won the prestigious Premios Ondas – Spanish Television Award for Entertainment 
The show was revived for two series which aired in 2009 and 2010, presented by Ben Shephard 

History
Original series
The first series of the show was shown on Wednesdays, presented by Gordon Burns and ran for eleven weeks, consisting of eight heats, two semi-finals and the final  It was then on Fridays for two years before arriving on Mondays in 1980  Up to and including the 1979 series, Gordon Burns would be seen standing next to the master scoreboard before being given a desk at which to sit from 1980 onwards (he would be seen sitting next to the master scoreboard for the 1980 and 1981 series before taking his traditional place in front of the audience and facing the contestants for the series which followed)  In the first few series, there were no groups and eight heats, the winner of each advancing to a semi-final  The top two of each semi-final qualified for the Grand Final 
From 1981 to 1985, each series had twelve heats, from which each winner along with the top four runners-up progressed to the four semi-finals, the winners of which competed in the Grand Final  In 1986 and in 1987, the series was divided into four groups (A, B, C, and D)  Each group consisted of three heats, with the winner of each heat and the highest scoring runner up of the heats within a group making it to the group final  The winner of each group final would qualify for the grand final  From 1988 to 1995, the series had 13 episodes, and only had three groups (A, B, and C)  The highest scoring runner-up from the group finals would then go through to the Grand Final 
In 2009 and 2010, each series has seven heats and the winners of which in addition to the highest runner-up of the heats would qualify for the two semi-finals, the winners of which in addition to the top two overall runners-up advancing to the Grand Final  The overall winner of the Grand Final would receive a bronze trophy and would traditionally be titled as Superperson of the Year  Unusually and possibly uniquely for the time, until 1993, the series had no advert break in the middle even though it was on ITV in a primetime 7 00pm slot  This explains why some of the elements (most notably, the time for the quiz) were shortened in later series 
In the 1991 series, for two weeks in a row, contestants Tony Hetherington and Paul Evans won all of the first five rounds in their heats, scoring 50 points; in addition, Hetherington set an all-time record of 62 points  They both later met in the same Group Final, in which Evans won and Hetherington qualified as the Highest Scoring Runner-up, and went on to win the Grand Final 
In 1995, the show was heavily revamped, including the introduction of co-host Penny Smith  In that series, the intelligence round was dropped, first round being physical ability with the rules in each round changed dramatically, with the exception of General Knowledge  The second half of the show was a "super round" which included a 3D maze, code cracking and a race up Mount Krypton, with points accumulated being exchanged for equipment to assist the contestants with the challenge  While some viewers liked the changes, others felt that scrapping the Intelligence round was a sign of dumbing down and that changing the format so dramatically was a mistake 

Revival
Since its cancellation in 1995, there had been persistent rumours of a revival on the BBC  In April 2005, it was widely reported that the BBC would be going ahead with a revival  However, the source of this story turned out to be a misinterpretation of comments by Wayne Garvie, head of BBC's Entertainment Group (and previously the last producer on The Krypton Factor) naming it as the next "TV gem" that "should" (rather than would) be revived On 24 September 2008, Broadcast reported that ITV was expected to commission a new series within weeks  As part of their wider Business Brains campaign, The Sage Group funded the return of the show, and in November it was confirmed that it would be hosted by Ben Shephard  The first episode was shown on Thursday 1 January 2009 at 7 30pm and ran for 10 consecutive weeks  The new series is based on the original five-round format of the show with every round being "brought bang up-to-date" and features "state-of-the-art" technology, although The Guardian described the rounds as having "irritating bleeping noises and confusing graphics"  The series was recorded at Granada Studios in Manchester from 7–10 December 2008  It was filmed in London for the 2010 series, which used a four-round format, as the Intelligence round was dropped again 
Critical reception to the revival were poor, with UKGameshows stating "it's hard to think of anything they've done differently this time where the change is an improvement" and The Guardian ultimately describing it as "like getting back together with an ex (drunkenly, on New Year's Eve)  And then sobering up quickly and realising why you split up in the first place " The launch episode of the revival was watched by only half as many viewers as a repeat of Wallace and Gromit: A Matter of Loaf and Death 

Rounds
During the original series, the rounds were usually in the same order as below, with exception of the 1995 series  However, in the earlier series, there were only five rounds, as Response had yet to be introduced; this round was also dropped for the 2009 revival 
In all rounds except the final round, 10 points were awarded to the winner, then 6 (8 in early series), 4 and 2 to the remaining contestants  In the event of a tie, all tied players would receive the score for the higher place – in an extreme case, if three contestants tied with the highest score, they would all receive 10 points, with just 2 points for the unlucky fourth contestant  In the Mental Agility and Observation rounds, the contestant who answered faster would sometimes be awarded the higher place; in other cases, a tiebreaker question was used  On rare occasions, an Observation round would have the players answer a five-part question, such as "Name the five continuity errors in the film clip," and players would receive 2 points for each correct answer 
From 1986 to 1991, each round was introduced by the distinctive K logo, which would morph into a symbol for the round  A similar version of this was used in the 2009 revival 

Personality (1977)
This round only took place in the first series, where it was third  In it, the contestants were sequestered where they had to write a 30-second script on a subject given to them like a destination brochure, a letter of complaint, etc , which they had one chance to perform  The performances were filmed and a focus group taken in twenty cities and towns across Great Britain voted on the best effort 

Mental agility (1978–1995, 2009–2010)
First played in the second series, this often took the form of a memory test (though other versions would require mental computation of time and date differences, or to add up a sequence of numbers and return the number which, when added to that sum, gave a pre-determined answer)  The contestants frequently had to memorise a sequence and then answer a series of progressively more complicated questions  For instance, if the sequence to be memorised was a series of coloured blocks, the questions might start as "What is the colour of the third block from the left?" and progress to "What is the colour of the block two to the left of the block to the right of the green block?"  Other forms of memory test might require contestants to remember a phrase or proverb and answer a series of questions about it (e g  "What was the fifth letter of the fourth word?" or "Spell the last word backwards") 
Originally the round consisted of a "knock-out" format, where contestants were asked increasingly difficult questions in turn and eliminated for wrong answers  If two or more players were eliminated on the same turn, ties were broken based on who had answered the most parts of their question correctly  Later, the contestants were shown 9 images along with a statement read to them by Charles Foster and the contestants had to pick which 4 images were correct and they scored 2 points for each correctly identified image, with a maximum ten points for all four  In the semi-finals and final, this would change to showing two sequences in turn and asking each player a 3-point question about each sequence  A third sequence was then shown to all players at once and one toss-up question, worth four points, was open to all players on the buzzer  If a player jumped in with the incorrect answer, that player was not penalized and any other player could jump in  Then, until 1987, the Mental Agility round alternated between the knock-out format (without tiebreaks) and a 45 or 50-second "speed test" where each player had to come up with as many correct answers as possible before time expired, and could pass on any of them  Only if they answered incorrectly would they be informed of it, possibly as to discourage guesswork 
From 1988 onwards, the Mental Agility round consisted entirely of 40-second speed tests, and from 1991 to 1993, ties were broken by the amount of time it took each player to achieve their score  In the 1995 series, a set of four images (such as numbers, letters, or dates) were shown to the players, who were all read a statement pertaining to one or two of the images, and the contestants had to touch the correct image(s) on their screen  The monitors were placed on a rotating turntable, in order to increase the difficulty of being the first to answer  This round lasted for two minutes, with the set of images changing every eight questions  Only the first player to provide a correct answer would score for that answer, with answering time used to break ties 
This round was originally conducted with all contestants wearing headphones to prevent the other participants from hearing their competitors' answers  However, from the 1991 series, each contestant came on individually to perform their test in front of the audience before sitting down in their respective places behind them, no headphones were worn  By the end of the round, all 4 contestants would be seated  In the 2009 revival, the Mental Agility round followed the 1988 format, only using the tiebreaker rules when there is a tie for first place  Contestants individually complete this round in an isolation booth referred to as "The Kube", and their heart rates were also measured while they took the test  The time each contestant had was increased from 40 to 45 seconds for the 2010 version, and the tiebreak rule from 1991 returned 

Response (1986–1995)
The Response round was introduced by new producer Geoff Moore for the 1986 and 1987 series  In 1987, the Response round in the initial heats was a combination of a race between the contestants using double-odometer bicycles, and a video wall which would display random numbers of coloured blocks; the contestants were required to press one of four coloured buttons corresponding to the highest number of blocks of any one colour being displayed  This alternated with a test in which the contestants had to walk a balance beam to the first challenge - placing coloured wooden blocks into frames either side of them, swinging from side to side in doing so (this was known as the Fleischmann Flexibility Tests)  They then had to run across a balance beam linked to the Minnesota Manual Dexterity Test, where they had to take a shape and place it into a corresponding space  After a final balance beam, they jump onto their respective mat to finish the race  The 1986 series consisted of the contestants competing in twos to perform first the Minnesota Manual Dexterity test (moving differently coloured cylinders from one side to the other), then running over to perform the Fleischmann Flexibility Test and then the final test, which involved hitting the relevant button whenever a colour flashed up on the screen (only one colour at a time in this case) 
In the Group and Grand Finals in the 1986 and 1987 series, this consisted of each player taking turns on a flight simulator and being marked by an actual flight instructor  From 1988 onward the Response round consisted entirely of flight simulator tests   In 1988, the contestants had to land a BAe 146 in the heats, a Harrier jump jet in the Group Finals and a Sea King on an aircraft carrier in the Grand Final (recorded at Culdrose Navy base in Helston, Cornwall)  In 1989, the heats used three different simulators  The first heat in each group required the contestants to land Concorde, the second heat required the contestants to land a Red Arrow, and the third heat required them to land a Boeing 737  The group finals required the contestants to land the Sea King on an aircraft carrier  The Grand Final of the 1989 series saw the contestants use a Space Shuttle simulator in California 
In 1990, the contestants landed Concorde in the heats, the Sea King on an aircraft carrier in the group final and in the Grand Final, the contestants were in the Sea King again, but this time they used the simulator in a rescue mission  They started from an oil rig (carrying an injured passenger), and had to take off from the oil rig and land on the aircraft carrier  From 1991 to 1993, the heats and group finals were the same; Boeing 737 in the heats and the Sea King in the group finals  The 1991 Grand Final involved the contestants using a Nimrod simulator in a refuelling mission involving a Hercules aircraft  The 1992 and 1993 grand finals required the contestants to land a real plane  In 1995, all tests involved the Red Arrows flight simulator and the simulator scored each player automatically, with losses based on their overall flight time prior to either crashing or losing contact with the lead plane for too long  The 2009 revival of the show did not include this round 

Observation (1977–1995, 2009–2010)
This round often involved watching a specially made clip that was being broadcast at the time, with an edited together clip from a feature film or a television programme which was out in that particular year



ground_truth: Himalchuli has three main peaks: East (7893 m), West (7540 m) and North (7371 m)

prompt_front: Answer the question based on the given passages. Only give me the answer and do not output any other words.

Question: Where is the company that created Doravirine ( from?

The following are given passages.
Context 2:  A local independent company that traded as Fleet Cars was purchased in 1925 but continued to operate as a separate business for a few seasons, during which time a number of other small operators were also acquired and merged with Fleet Cars In 1931 the NECC became a part of British Electric Traction (BET)  The Torquay tram network was closed in January 1934  The Tramways company was sold to Devon General, the fleet of which was enlarged by 24 buses to allow it to operate the former tram routes Devon General had turned down the chance to buy local independent coach operator Grey Cars in 1930 so it had instead been purchased by A Timpson & Sons of Catford in 1931  Timpsons sold the business to Devon General in 1932 and the following year both Grey Cars and Fleet Cars, which had been operated as separate businesses, were merged into Devon General  Most coaches continued to operate under Grey Cars' name, although some small operators that were subsequently bought out by Devon General continued in their old names for a while 

National Bus Company
BET's bus operations, including Devon General, became part of the National Bus Company (NBC) when it was formed on 1 January 1969  Devon General had worked closely with the Corporation of Exeter's bus services since 1947  In April 1970 the corporation's buses and routes were transferred to the NBC and merged into Devon General  The city's unusual use of route letters (as opposed to numbers) continued In January 1971, the NBC transferred the bus operations of Devon General to neighbouring Western National but the Devon General name was retained as a brand, while the Grey Cars coaching operation was transferred to Exeter-based Greenslades  NBC split Western National into four new companies on 1 January 1983, one of which was Devon General Limited  This operated in south and east Devon as the old Devon General had done, but the Tiverton area became a part of a new North Devon operation 

Transit Holdings
On 19 August 1986, Devon General became the first NBC operating subsidiary to be privatised under the Transport Act 1985 by being sold in a management buyout led by managing director Harry Blundred An experimental high-frequency service using 22 minibuses had been introduced in Exeter on 27 February 1984  By the time the company was privatised in August 1986, the minibus fleet had expanded to more than 200 vehicles, more than half the buses in service  By the end of 1990 all regular services had been converted to minibus operation using a mixture of 16 and 24-seat vehicles The new owners of Devon General formed Transit Holdings to operate number of other bus companies, most of them in southern England:
Bayline (Torquay)
Devon General (Exeter)
Docklands Transit (London)
Portsmouth Transit (Portsmouth)
Thames Transit (Oxford)
Transit AustraliaBayline was established in 1992 for the operations in Torbay and Newton Abbot, after which Devon General operated in the Exeter area  Both companies were sold to the Stagecoach Group in 1996, and became Stagecoach Devon in 2003 

Area of operation
Devon General quickly expanded beyond its original routes between Exeter, Newton Abbot and Torquay  A number of small operators were bought out (see below), but area agreements with larger neighbours set out the company's area of operation  While the boundaries changed in detail from time to time, the area was largely set out in two agreements 

In 1922 an eastern boundary was agreed with the National Omnibus and Transport Company along the road from Minehead via Tiverton, Cullompton and Honiton to Sidmouth 
In 1924 a northern boundary was agreed with Hardy Central Garage between Okehampton, Bampton and Wellington 
By 1929 the western boundary had settled at Kingswear, Totnes, Buckfastleigh and Okehampton, with Western National having control beyond 

Offices and depots
Most of the directors of the Devon General Omnibus and Touring Company came from the London area and so the company offices were established in a house Kilmore Road, Forest Hill, London  The first buses were housed at the Exeter Garage Company's premises in Paris Street, Exeter  In 1921 the offices were moved to the new garage that was being constructed at Blackboy Road in Exeter, but the takeover by the NECC the following year saw the office moved back to Queen Street in the city of London The merger of NECC with BET in 1932 saw the Queen Street office closed in favour of BET's headquarters in Kingsway, London  At around this time work started on the construction of a new large garage and central workshops at Newton Road in Torquay  The BET headquarters were moved across London to Piccadilly in 1952 but in 1956 the registered offices of Devon General were moved to the garage at 87 Newton Road, Torquay When Devon General was absorbed into Western National in 1971, all the office work was moved to the latter company' offices in Queen Street, Exeter  The newly independent Devon General Limited of 1983 chose to remain in Exeter, but moved into offices in Belgrave Road where a new bus depot had opened in 1975 Buses were based in garages or open yards at
Ashburton
Dropping Wells 1925–1927
West Street (Blue Saloon Motor Services) 1927–1928
Brixham
New Road 1935–1939
Mount Pleasant Road 1940–1957
Bus Station 1957–1992
Crediton
Unknown site 1928?–1931
Mill Street 1931–1954
Exeter
Gold's Garage, Heavitree Road 1919–1921
Blackboy Road 1921–1971
Heavitree Road (Exeter Corporation) 1970–1975
Belgrave Road 1975–(1996)
Exmouth
New Street 1921–1931
Imperial Road 1931–(1996)
Moretonhampstead
Station Road June – September 1924
Steven's Garage, Chagford 1924–1928?
Court Street 1928–1971 Moved to a different site in Court Street in 1931
Newton Abbot
Bradley Hotel 1919–1921
Newton Road, Kingsteignton 1921–1960
Kingsteignton Road 1960–1992
Paignton
Roundham Road 1923–1925
Churston 1925–1930
Orient Road, Preston 1924–1932
Bus Station 1988–(1996) The bus station opened in 1954
Sidmouth
Mill Street 1922–?
Station Road, Newton Poppleford ?–1930
Woolbrook 1930–1996
Tiverton
Chapel Street (Croscols) 1924–1938
Old Road 1938–1971 After 1971 buses were kept at the bus station 
Torquay
Westhill Avenue (Torquay Tramways) 1922–1931
Newton Road 1931–1988
Torwood Street (Grey Cars) 1933–1940 and 1946–1971
Belgrave Road (Court Garages) 1940–1946 and 1966–1973
Regents Close 1992–(1996)One or two buses were also kept at a number of other towns and villages such as Axminster (1922–1924, 1927–1984), Budleigh Salterton (1930–1939, 1988–1989), Crockernwell (1942–1957), Cullompton (1922–1996), East Budleigh 1921–1931, Kenton (1942–1947), Okehampton (1923–1997), Ottery St Mary (1927–1938, 1949–1967), Tiverton Junction (1955–1977), Uffculme (1942–1954) 

Livery
The first buses were painted in red with cream relief  Coaches were generally grey with deep red relief and open top buses (introduced in 1955) were given a cream livery with red relief In 1972 NBC imposed a standard poppy red colour with white relief, but from 1979 Devon General buses started to be painted in leaf green and white, the same colours as the parent Western National fleet  Six months after the operation became independent of Western National in 1983 a red livery was again adopted  The first minibuses were painted in bright red and yellow colours with a black skirt To coincide with privatisation in 1986 a new livery was introduced  Buses were painted an ivory colour with red skirt and lower deck window surrounds 

Amalgamated companies
Over the years many rival operators were purchased and their fleets and/or routes were amalgamated into Devon General 

Torquay–Chelston Car Company
The Torquay–Chelston Car Company, which Devon General bought in 1927, had its origins in 1903, when a Chelmsford steam bus was demonstrated in Torquay in May 1903  Torquay & District Motor Omnibus Co Ltd, formed on 23 July 1903, ran a Strand - Chelston route from 2 November 1903 via Torbay Road and Rathmore Road terminating at Normanhurst, just short of Rosery Road railway bridge  The bus was green with orange lines and the domed roof was white  It carried 12 inside and 2 beside the driver and 2,828 passengers in the first week  8 steam buses were working by Easter 1905 between St Marychurch and Babbacombe, but sold after trams started on 4 April 1907  Torquay Road Car took over the old bus garage and ran until liquidation on 24 December 1908 
On 28 March 1911 Torquay-Chelston Steam Car Company Ltd started with 3 Chelmsford buses, possibly those stored after the liquidation  They dropped the 'Steam' part of the name when a single deck RAF type Leyland took over, after Devon General started a competing Meadfoot Beach - Chelston route on 31 March 1923  The Chelston company bought a new Leyland PLSC Lion in 1925  In 1926, Devon General started to shadow the Chelston bus  The company sold out to Devon General in 1927, the Leylands becoming 98 and 99 in their fleet  The Devon General timetables were revised in July, 1929, with numbering similar to current services, including 32 (Torquay - Paignton via Preston), 33 (Strand-Chelston circular) and 35 (Shiphay Turn - Meadfoot Beach) 
On the Chelston routes Devon General used Leyland Lions, Dennis Lancet lIs from 1938, AEC Regals from 1939, Leyland Royal Tigers in 1954, AEC Reliances in 1957, Regent IIIs in 1960 and Leyland Atlanteans from 1964 

See also
Open top buses in Torbay
Passage 4:
Hercules Inc 
Hercules, Inc  was a chemical and munitions manufacturing company based in Wilmington, Delaware, United States, incorporated in 1912 as the Hercules Powder Company following the breakup of the DuPont explosives monopoly by the U S  Circuit Court in 1911   Hercules Powder Company became Hercules, Inc  in 1966,  operating under this name until 2008, when it was merged into Ashland Inc 
An earlier Hercules Powder Company was formed in 1882 by DuPont and Laflin & Rand Powder Company   This company was dissolved on June 30, 1904 Hercules was one of the major producers of smokeless powder for warfare in the United States during the 20th century  At the time of its spin-off, the DuPont Corp  retained the processes and patents for the production of "single-base" nitrocellulose gunpowders, whereas Hercules was given the patents and processes for the production of "double-base" gunpowders that combined nitrocellulose and nitroglycerine 

History
A special formulation of dynamite was patented in 1874 by J W  Willard, superintendent of the California Powder Works in Santa Cruz, California  He called his invention "Hercules powder", a competitive jab at rival Giant Powder Company which had acquired the exclusive U S  rights to Alfred Nobel's original dynamite formula   The mythological Hercules was known as a giant slayer 
The California Powder Works became the only manufacturer of Hercules powder  In 1877, J W  Willard moved to Cleveland, Ohio to oversee the opening of a new California Powder Works plant there, dedicated to the manufacture of Hercules powder  In 1881, the California Powder Works moved its Hercules powder manufacturing in California to a new site along the northeast shore of San Francisco Bay   The company town that grew up around the facility became known as "Hercules", later (1900) incorporated as Hercules, California 
In 1882, thanks to their interlocking ownership interests with the California Powder Works by that time, the DuPont corporation and Laflin & Rand Powder Company acquired the rights to manufacture Hercules powder and incorporated the Hercules Powder Company for that purpose   In 1904, Du Pont dissolved the company as part of its ongoing effort to consolidate the many explosives manufacturers that it controlled under the Du Pont name 
In 1911, the United States won a lawsuit that it had brought against the Du Pont corporation under the Sherman Antitrust Act  The U S  Circuit Court in Delaware found that Du Pont had been operating an unlawful monopoly, and ordered a breakup of its explosives and gunpowder manufacturing business   The breakup resulted in the creation of two new companies in 1912, Atlas Powder Company and Hercules Powder Company  Atlas received the explosives manufacturing portion of Du Pont's business (including the facilities acquired from the Giant Powder Company), while Hercules received the gunpowder portion 
The first management team of this new Hercules Powder Company included President H  Dunham, T W  Bacchus, G G  Rheuby, J T Skelly, Norman Rood, Fred Stark, C D  Prickett, and George Markell Some of their products were used by the military in World War I  A school and a plant were named after T  W  Bacchus in Bacchus, Utah  Hercules Powder Company ranked 65th among United States corporations in the value of World War II military production contracts In the 1920s and 30s, Hercules diversified into the pine resin products business (see below) 
On 12 September 1940, the Kenvil, New Jersey plant suffered a major explosion  News reports at the time estimated at least fifteen buildings were destroyed along with twenty-five tons of explosives  Fifty-one people were killed outright with perhaps two hundred injured and many missing  This facility also exploded twice in 1934 and again in 1989 Richard F  Heck, recipient of the 2010 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, gained experience with transition metal chemistry while working at Hercules in 1957 By the 1960s, the community was experiencing the first signs of a suburban transition  The Hercules Powder Co , once a small dynamite manufacturing firm, had begun producing rocket motors at its Bacchus Works south of the Magna community  The growing availability of jobs was one factor encouraging subdivision development in the Magna, Kearns and West Valley areas 
In 1966, the Hercules Powder Company changed its name to Hercules, Inc 

In 1995, Hercules, Inc  sold its subsidiary Hercules Aerospace Co  to Alliant Techsystems Inc  The sale included all of what remained of Hercules' gunpowder lines 
By the end of the 1990s, Hercules Inc , had sold off a significant number of its divisions that had not been profitable for the company  This caused the price of shares of common stock in Hercules to rise above US$70  Several successful cost-savings programs were implemented in addition to buying back its own shares   Also at that time, Hercules had a significant amount of assets  available for possible purchases of other corporations  Hercules, Inc , had a Paper Technology Division (PTD) whose products were slowly becoming commodities  In order to survive, this division needed to obtain new products 
First, Hercules Inc , tried to purchase the Allied Colloids Company, but this was not successful  Next, Hercules bought the Betz-Dearborn Corporation  Betz-Dearborn produced mostly chemicals for paper processing, and the Hercules PTD produced mainly functional chemicals for paper  According to some business analysts, Hercules Inc  paid about three times as much for Betz-Dearborn as compared with its actual value 
Soon after the purchase of Betz-Dearborn, the price per share of stock in Hercules Inc , had dropped from above US$70 to below US$10  It has been speculated that Hercules Inc , was close to going bankrupt after this failed purchase operation  Afterwards, several senior managers were forced out of the company because of this failure; however, a significant amount of former PTD senior managers were able to keep their positions within Hercules  The price of stock shares in Hercules Inc  never recovered from this debacle  Finally, Hercules Inc  was sold off to the Ashland Corporation in 2008, and dissolved 
In 2009, rapper George Watsky released a song about the history of the company called "Hercules" 

Product lines
Commercial gunpowders
Some of the more recent gunpowders marketed to reloaders include the brand names "Bullseye", "2400", "Reloder", "Unique", and "Red Dot"   These gunpowders are still being manufactured by Alliant Techsystems Inc  in Radford, Virginia 

Powders inherited from DuPont in 1912
EC (Explosives Company) shotgun powder was the first smokeless powder manufactured in the United States   Production began in 1890, and was discontinued in 1931 
WA  30 caliber powder was named W for United States Army Lieutenant Whistler and A for American Smokeless Powder Company factory superintendent Aspinwall   This tubular powder was used for military loading of the  30 U S  Army (the M1892 Springfield and the M1893 Gatling) from 1894 until the military specification was changed to single-base nitrocellulose powder in 1908   Grains of 2 mm (0 08 inch) diameter were 1 mm long   Hercules continued producing the powder for other users until 1930 
Sharpshooter was a flake powder introduced by Laflin & Rand in 1897 to replace black powder for loading the  45-70   Black flakes containing 15 to 18 percent nitroglycerin were approximately 2 mm in diameter   Production was discontinued after World War II 
Bullseye was introduced by Laflin & Rand in 1898   Large surface area per unit weight enables rapid combustion in short-barreled handguns   Laflin & Rand began production using small, irregular particles removed by screening runs of larger grained powders   Improved manufacturing processes offered other reclamation options for reduced quantities of rejected material   Hercules manufactured Bullseye as thin, round flakes   It is believed to be the oldest smokeless powder formulation still being manufactured in the United States   It is designed for handguns and can also be used in 12-gauge shotgun target loads
Lightning was introduced by Laflin & Rand in 1899 for lever action sporting rifles like the  30-30 Winchester and  303 Savage   Production of 2 mm diameter flakes was discontinued after World War II   Tubular Lightning # 2 was manufactured from 1903 to 1929 
Infallible was a flake shotgun powder introduced by Laflin & Rand in 1900   Initial production had an orange color, but graphite coating gave later production a black color   Production was discontinued after World War II 
Unique is a gray flake powder introduced by Laflin & Rand in 1900   Individual flakes are approximately 1 5 mm (0 06 inch) in diameter   It is designed for shotguns and can be used in handguns 
Bear was a tubular powder introduced by Laflin & Rand in 1908 for small capacity rifle cartridges like the  351 and  401 Winchester Self-Loading and the  32-20 and  25-20 Winchester   Production was discontinued after World War II 
Military Rifle (MR) # 19 was a tubular powder containing 20 percent nitroglycerin introduced by DuPont in 1908 and was renamed HiVel (# 1) when manufactured by Hercules   It was modified as HiVel # 2 in 1915   Production was discontinued in 1964   A smaller grained version was produced as HiVel # 3 from 1926 to 1941 

Powders developed by Hercules Powder Company
Hercules # 308 was Hercules production of single-base tubular Pyro DG (Diphenylamine Graphited) powder for loading military  30-06 Springfield ammunition through World War I   Production began in 1915 and continued through the 1920s 
Hercules # 300 was a black, tubular single-base rifle powder produced from 1916 to 1932 
Pyro was produced from 1922 to 1928 as lightly graphited yellow flakes for loading the  45 ACP 
Hercules # 2400 is a coated flake powder containing 20 percent nitroglycerin introduced in 1932   Individual dark gray flakes are approximately 1 mm (0 04 inch) in diameter and 0 3 mm thick   It is designed for small capacity center-fire rifle cartridges and can be used in magnum handgun and  410 bore shotgun loads 
Red Dot is a flake powder introduced in 1932   Individual flakes are approximately 1 5 mm (0 06 inch) in diameter and some are dyed red to aid identification   It is designed for light and standard loads for 12, 16, and 20 gauge shotguns and can be used in handguns 
HiVel # 6 was produced from 1933 to 1941 for loading the  30-06 Springfield 
Herco is a flake powder introduced in the 1930s   Individual flakes are approximately 1 5 mm (0 06 inch) in diameter   It is designed for heavy loads for 10, 12, 16, 20 and 28 gauge shotguns and can be used for heavy handgun loads 
Green Dot is a flake powder introduced in 1965   Individual flakes are approximately 1 5 mm (0 06 inch) in diameter and some are dyed green to aid identification   It is designed for medium and standard loads for 12, 16, and 20 gauge shotguns and can be used in handguns 
Reloder 7 was the most popular of three cylindrical rifle powders introduced in 1965 to replace HiVel # 2   Each powder was blended from four different formulations dyed different colors   Production of the other two longer-grained powders, Reloder 11 and Reloder 21, was discontinued in 1972 
Blue Dot is a flake powder introduced in 1972   Individual flakes are approximately 1 5 mm (0 06 inch) in diameter and some are dyed blue to aid identification   It is designed for magnum loads for 10, 12, 16, 20 and 28 gauge shotguns and can be used for magnum handgun loads 

Pine resin products
In the 1920s, Hercules entered the pine resin products business, a development which followed upon the faster clearing of forests for lumber and farmland , especially in the southeast U S , around the time of the First World War  The clearings had left many stumps which had to be removed, often with dynamite supplied by Hercules and others   Hercules itself was a consumer of wood pulp, a key ingredient in their dynamite  The increasing surplus of wood pulp led the company to the idea of producing other things from it, namely, the various chemicals that were present in pine resin  They set up production sites such as the one in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and Brunswick, Georgia for this express purpose, and added to their raw supply by offering to take or buy tree stumps from farmers 

Solid-fuel rocket motor production
Beginning in 1959, Hercules, Inc , began to diversify into the production of large solid-propellant rocket motors, and it soon became a primary producer of these, especially for the U S  Department of Defense, U S  Air Force, U S  Navy, and U S  Army - and to a lesser degree for the civilian National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)  In 1961, the company hired contractors C H  Leavell & Company, Morrison-Knudsen, and Alaskan Plumbing and Heating Company to expand the existing Bacchus Works site  The contractors added "Air Force Plant 81" adding 97 buildings, including a 97,000 square foot administration building  One of its major solid-fuel rocket products was the third-stage engine for the three -stage solid-fueled Minuteman intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) for the U S  Air Force, of which 1,000 were made and deployed at Air Force Bases in several northern states during the 1960s  In addition, all of the missiles of the Minuteman I series were removed from service and replaced with the Minuteman II and Minuteman III series of more-advanced ICBMs  Hence, the Minuteman ICBM program was a huge project and a major source of revenue for Hercules, Inc 
Hercules, Inc , also produced the solid-fueled rocket motors for the two-stage Polaris missile system of intermediate-range ballistic missiles (IRBMs) for the U S  Navy in its 41 for Freedom series of 41 George Washington class ballistic missile submarines  These nuclear submarines carried 16 Polaris missiles apiece for a grand total of 656 missiles  In addition, the Polaris series consisted of the successively-improved Polaris A-1, Polaris A-2, and Polaris A-3 missiles  The early Polaris submarines that had been armed with the Polaris A-1 were upgraded to the Polaris A-2; and then all that had been armed with the Polaris A-2 were upgraded to the Polaris A-3 
For some of the early Polaris submarines, the Polaris A-3 was the end of their upgrades, but a large number of them (about 31) were further rearmed with the more-advanced and longer-ranged two-stage Poseidon C-3 missile  Hence, the Polaris missile submarine program was also a huge project and a major source of revenue for Hercules, Inc 
During the 1960s, Hercules, Inc , also made solid-fuel rocket motors for hundreds of the U S  Army's Honest John missile, a mobile tactical missile for carrying tactical nuclear weapons for U S  Army divisions  The Honest John missile was mostly deployed with the U S  Seventh Army in West Germany as part of the American commitment to NATO to defend Western Europe against aggression from the Warsaw Pact, using nuclear weapons on Eastern Europe, if necessary  None of the Honest John, Minuteman, Polaris, or Poseidon has ever been used in combat, and the threat of nuclear war has been sufficient to deter aggression and make it unnecessary to use nuclear weapons for defense 
During the 1970s and 80s, the Honest John missile was removed from deployment, scrapped, and replaced by the more-advanced Lance missile by the U S  Army in Europe  Of all of the missiles mentioned above, only a reduced number of the Minuteman missiles remain in service at Air Force Bases in the United States, with all of the others having been removed from deployment and scrapped, along with all of the Polaris and Poseidon submarines 
For space exploration and satellite launches by the U S  Air Force and NASA, Hercules, Inc , developed and manufactured the two large, strap-on solid-fueled Solid Rocket Motor Upgrade (SRMU) booster rockets for the otherwise liquid-fueled Titan IVB rockets  These strap-on rockets replaced the UA120 series of boosters used on the Titan IVB's predecessors, the Titan IIIC, Titan IIIE and Titan IVA 
After the end of production and firing of NASA's huge Saturn IB and 
Saturn V rockets, the Titan IV was the largest and heaviest  unmanned rocket available anywhere in the world, and especially in the Titan IV-Centaur version  The Titan IV-Centaur was used for special launches of heavy space probes into the Solar System, such as the Cassini-Huygens mission to Saturn which was launched in 1997  The Titan IV is no longer manufactured, and the last one of these was fired during a launch in October 2005   In 1995 the aerospace division of Hercules, including its solid motor line, was acquired by the American defense contractor ATK 

Business segments
In its later years, Hercules, Inc , manufactured and marketed worldwide specialist chemicals that were used in a wide variety of industrial, home, and office markets, and it and had over 4,500 employees  Hercules was composed of two major divisions: the Paper Technologies and Ventures (PTV) division and the Aqualon division  In 2005, the former accounted for 49% of its sales and 35% of its operating profits, with the latter producing 37% and 68% respectively 

Aqualon Group
Aqualon produces products for physical property modification of aqueous systems which are sold into a wide variety of industries including personal care, food additives, and construction 

Paper Technologies and Ventures Group
Paper Technologies
Paper Technologies produces specialty chemicals to the pulp and paper industry  These products include functional, process, and water treatment chemicals for a wide variety of pulp and paper applications 
Functional chemicals can be divided in three main groups  Wet strength resins, Rosin sizes and AKD -sizes  Significant persons developing functional chemicals in Hercules could be mentioned: Dr  Keim on his efforts developing PAE wet strength resin, Mr Kai Kiviö on his efforts on developing cationic rosin size  Basis of AKD -technology Hercules acquired more or less voluntary from German BASF after the Second World War 

Ventures
Ventures produces specialty chemicals for a variety of markets, including adhesives and sealants, paints, inks, coatings, lubricants, rubber, plastics, and building and construction 
Hercules Incorporated, in collaboration with Professor Kaichang Li of Oregon State University and Columbia Forest Products, received a 2007 Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award for the Greener Synthetic Pathways category in developing and commercializing a formaldehyde-free adhesive made from soy flour and Hercules' unique polymer chemistries 

See also
Tekoi, a former solid fuel rocket motor test and calibration site operated by Hercules Aerospace
Passage 5:
Doravirine
Doravirine, sold under the brand name Pifeltro, is a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor medication developed by Merck & Co  for use in the treatment of HIV/AIDS 
Doravirine was approved for medical use in the United States in August 2018 
Passage 6:
Liquid Assets Paint &amp; Pigment Company
Liquid Assets Paint & Pigment Company is an artist supply company based in Buenos Aires, Argentina that manufactures acrylic paints and pigments created with real currency, such as Euro, US Dollar, Argentine Peso, and Romanian Leu  The Company's slogan "The Price of Art" refers to the company's assertion that its products allow fine artists to quantify the precise and actual value of a work of art created using Liquid Assets products  The company was started in 2007 by a group of Buenos Aires–based professional artists and presently operates a manufacturing plant in Buenos Aires, as well as a retail store in the Palermo Soho neighborhood  In September 2010, Liquid Assets opened a temporary pop up store in New York City's Tribeca neighborhood in conjunction with the Swervewolf Experience marketing and design firm  Although artists have used valuable commodities such as gold leaf to create works of art for centuries, such as gilding, Liquid Assets Paint & Pigment Company is the world's only known manufacturer of artist paint and pigment created with actual currency 
Passage 7:
New England Emigrant Aid Company
The New England Emigrant Aid Company (originally the Massachusetts Emigrant Aid Company) was a transportation company founded in Boston, Massachusetts by activist Eli Thayer in the wake of the Kansas–Nebraska Act, which allowed the population of Kansas Territory to choose whether slavery would be legal  The Company's ultimate purpose was to transport anti-slavery immigrants into the Kansas Territory  The Company believed that if enough anti-slavery immigrants settled en masse in the newly-opened territory, they would be able to shift the balance of political power in the territory, which in turn would lead to Kansas becoming a free state (rather than a slave state) when it eventually joined the United States The Company is noted less for its direct impact than for the psychological impact it had on proslavery and abolitionist groups  Thayer's prediction that the Company would eventually be able to send 20,000 immigrants a year never came to fruition, but it spurred border ruffians from nearby Missouri, where slavery was legal, to move to Kansas to ensure its admission to the Union as a slave state  That, in turn, further galvanized Free-Staters and other enemies of the Slave Power 
Thayer's intention was to capitalize on anti-slavery sentiment in the Northern United States and to send settlers to Kansas to purchase land and build houses, shops, and mills  They could then sell the land at a significant profit and send the proceeds back to Thayer and his investors  At the behest of several investors, who found the notion of profiting from the anti-slavery cause distasteful, the company's model was shifted to that of a benevolent society, and it was renamed the New England Emigrant Aid Company in 1855  While the company achieved neither a profit nor a significant impact on the population of Kansas, it played an important role in the events that would later be termed Bleeding Kansas 

Creation
The Company was formed in the midst of the sectional crisis that preceded the American Civil War  To the Northern United States, the concept of popular sovereignty, which stated that the population of each new U S  state should be allowed to decide if it allowed slavery, was an attempt by Southerners to gain power  When the Kansas–Nebraska Act threatened to extend popular sovereignty into the new Kansas Territory, Eli Thayer, a second-term Congressman from Massachusetts, hatched the idea of an Emigrant Aid Company in the winter of 1853–1854  His primary partners in the venture were Alexander H  Bullock and Edward Everett Hale, and together, they set Thayer's plans in motion on March 5, 1854  Thayer announced the Company at a rally against the impending passage of the Kansas–Nebraska Act in Worcester on March 11  Shortly thereafter, the Company's charter was approved by the Massachusetts Legislature for up to $5,000,000 in capital Officially, the Company was a profit-making venture, and how the settlers voted was of no consequence to the company  For example, the company secretary, Thomas Webb released a pamphlet in 1855 stating that although the settlers sent to the territories would not be required to vote for one side or the other, they were expected to support the free-state movement  A number of abolitionists questioned the profit motive behind the company, and even many of Thayer's potential investors balked at the notion "that people might say we were influenced by pecuniary considerations in our patriotic work " Although Thayer personally disagreed with such hesitations, in 1855 the Company reorganized as a benevolent society and changed its name to the New England Emigrant Aid Company 

Reaction
The success of the endeavor prompted other aid assistance companies to form back East, in New York and Ohio, with new companies such as the Worcester County Emigrant Aid Society 

Impact
The company was directly responsible for creating the Kansas towns of Lawrence and Manhattan, and it played a key role in founding Topeka and Osawatomie  Lawrence was named after the Company secretary, Amos Adams Lawrence  Multiple politicians were found in the emigrants who left for Kansas, such as Daniel Read Anthony, Charles L  Robinson, Samuel C  Pomeroy, and Martin F  Conway, who would later be Kansas's first US Representative 
The exact number of people who left for Kansas is unknown  James Rawley puts the numbers somewhere around 2000, about a third of whom returned home, but the Kansas Historical Society puts the number at around 900 for those who left for Kansas in 1855 alone The Company's mission was ultimately successful, and Kansas entered the United States as a free state in 1861 

Notes
Context 3:  In the earliest series, contestants were each asked three two-point questions (the first was an either or question, the second was visual and the third pertained to dialogue) on the clip in turn, followed by an identity parade where they were shown nine similar-looking actors, one of whom appeared in the clip  Each player who identified the correct actor earned four points  This was later changed so that each contestant was asked two two-point questions in turn, followed by a series of four one-point toss-up questions open to all players with no penalty for a wrong answer, and the identity parade was worth two points 
From 1986 to 1988, contestants were shown a clip twice and asked to spot five differences between two similar clips (six differences in 1988) and in 1986 and 1987, each player earned two points for each correctly identified difference  Many of the sequences recorded for the 1988 series were written by, and featured, Andrew O'Connor  From the 1989 and 1990 series, contestants were invited to spot six deliberate continuity errors (five in the 1990 series) contained in one single clip  Steve Coogan, in some of his earliest television appearances, starred in many of the sequences featured in the 1989 series  From 1991 to 1993, contestants answered six multiple-choice questions (five in the 1993 series) relating to the clip (e g  "What did he say when he entered the room?" or "What was on the table?"), and the time used to provide the correct answers was used to break ties 
Sometimes, original serials specially produced for the show were used; such as 1990's Sam Smith: Private Detective (starring Gwyneth Strong), which saw the female detective investigating rather silly cases (which often featured her young chubby nephew, Wallace)  Some guests in then Sam Smith stories included Derek Griffiths, Matthew Kelly and Keith Chegwin, who all appeared in the final instalment of the series  The 1991 series featured the saga Where is Don Day? starring Tony Robinson and Michelle Collins, about a bank manager whose dull life is suddenly changed when he accidentally becomes involved in a robbery from his own bank  1992 saw Dead Ringer starring Tony Slattery; a thriller about a man suffering from amnesia trying to discover who he really is, whilst being hunted down by a hitman named Preston, played by Roger Lloyd-Pack  In 1993, the round featured Roy Barraclough and Annabel Giles in a collection of investigative police stories, with Barraclough playing a retired police detective 
In 1995, short computer-animated segments commissioned from Bournemouth University's Department of Media Production were used for the test, and only five questions were asked  As with Mental Agility round, answers were provided via touch screen monitors, placed on a rotating turntable with Penny walking around the turntable asking the questions 
In the 2009 revival, each contestant was asked one individual question, then four further questions were asked on the buzzer  If a player answers incorrectly, one more player can buzz in, but there are no penalties for a wrong answer  Contestants are ranked on how many correct answers, and if two or more players are tied they each receive the same number of points  The exception to this is when there is a tie for the most correct answers  In this case, an extra question is asked to break the tie  In the 2010 version, each player is asked two questions in turn, and the contestants are awarded two points for a correct answer; however, like General Knowledge, one point is deducted away for a wrong answer, and the next player to jump in has a chance to steal  The point totals for this round are then used to rank each player 

Physical ability (1977–1995, 2009–2010)
In the original series, this pre-recorded segment involved the contestants racing to complete an army assault course located at Holcombe Moor in Bury  This round typically included 20 obstacles including vertical and flat cargo nets, rope swings, water jumps, Burma rope bridges, and a rope slide into water  Gordon Burns stated in some of the episodes that the contestants trained for the assault course in the physical ability round for up to five weeks in advance  In the first series, the assault course was done as an athletics track type with all of the contestants starting at the same time from different starting points, handicapped by age and sex  The second series onwards featured the more recognised assault course, but didn't feature the aerial slide until the early 1980s; instead the contestants would jump from a high platform onto a mat below to end their run of the course 
In this round, female contestants were allowed a head start over their male competitors, and in early series, contestants were given staggered starts to the assault course; following practice sessions with army personnel, the contestant of the weakest physical ability would set off first  The physical ability criteria were established from a simple formula derived from age of the contestant and the gender  Typically, in 1980, this meant two seconds per year of age difference and a 40-second advantage for female competitors  In the 1980 semi-final, the youngest competitor, Ted Stockton, (a taxi driver, aged 25) started 56 seconds after the only female semi-finalist who was 33  The age-based calculation was abolished in 1988  In 1995, the Physical Ability round was moved to the start of the show as the first round and all contestants started at the same time, and were ranked according to how far ahead each had come of an individual "par time" based on age and sex 
The 1990 series saw many of the metal obstacles on the course replaced by wooden substitutes, including a wooden S-bend frame contestants had to descend   In the first episode of the 1978 series, one female contestant (Diane Lindsay) injured her arm while practising for the long drop at the end of the course, but later ran and completed the course, and was found to have broken her arm in the practice run   Another female contestant (Judith Stafford) in 1989 broke her ankle after landing badly on one of the obstacles (near the end of the course), but managed to complete the rest of the course and finish in third place   Another female contestant (this time in 1987), Sue Dandy completed the course despite having torn ligaments in her leg while coming out of a narrow, upward-sloping tunnel   (In 1982, a male contestant cut his forehead on this obstacle)   A male contestant (Paul Evans) in 1991 who fell from the top of the A-frame net managed to not only complete the course but actually win the round despite suffering from shock as a result of his fall   Another male contestant (Jackie Harte), this time in 1992, broke the safety rules when he went down the aerial slide not placing his feet in the water   Another male contestant (Jon Johnson), this time in 1993, fell off the Burma rope bridge towards the end of the course, but luckily, he landed in the net below and was able to finish in second place   For at least some series (around 1986–88), the fastest man and fastest woman on the assault course both received a special trophy   Winners include: Barbara Murray and Stuart Worthington (1986), Marian Chanter and Ted Daszkiewicz (1987), Elizabeth Hayward and Alan Robbie (1988) 
The 2009 revival used a new assault course which only has room for two contestants at a time  The time it took each contestant to complete the course was recorded, and revealed when the main part of the show was recorded  Female contestants had 45 seconds deducted from their time  The assault course was once again changed for the 2010 version, with all four contestants competing at the same time 

Intelligence (1977–1993, 2009)
A two or three-dimensional puzzle where shapes had to be put together to fill a rectangular grid or make a bigger shape was the basis for this round  Most of these were devised by Dr  Gerry Wickham of the University of Manchester's School of Mathematics  As the contestants performed the task, presenter Gordon Burns provided a commentary to viewers at home on the contestant's progress and advice on how to solve the puzzle  The contestants do not see beforehand what the completed puzzle should look like  In the first series this round was first, and tests varied, often taking the form of what would later be Mental Agility tests 
In the event a contestant is injured and unable to physically participate in this round (as happened to Diane Lindsay in the first episode of the 1978 series), an assistant may be brought in to complete the task under the contestant's instructions, but the assistant may not speak back or otherwise interfere with the task 
It is reputed that some of the intelligence tests featured took contestants hours to solve, with edited highlights of their performance in the round shown on the programme  At least one contestant was moved to tears by the difficulty of the puzzles  In 1990, Gordon Burns told contestants that over the years, some of the tests had taken 15 or 20 minutes to complete, but that in one programme in the 1980 series, when the competitors' tables had been placed too close together for this round, two competitors accidentally picked up pieces from each other's table, making it impossible to complete the puzzle, and nearly an hour went by as they vainly attempted to finish, before the problem was realised  This round was eliminated from the 1995 series 
In the early series, as well as the 2009 revival, a time limit was placed for completion and after the time runs out, the contestants who have not finished are ranked according to the progress they have made on the puzzle  This round was removed (again) in the 2010 series 

General knowledge (1977–1995, 2009–2010)
A quick-fire question round with a varied time limit (which depended on the year) and only one player could answer each question  For most of the run this final round was conducted in darkness using a side shot of the four contestants lit in profile – when a contestant buzzed in, the remaining three players' spotlights would go out  A feature of this round was that, as each question was answered, the next question contained either the answer to the last question, a word from the last answer, or a word that sounded like it  Originally players were asked as many toss-up questions as time allowed, with two points added for a correct answer and two points deducted for an incorrect response or none at all (+/- 1 in the first series) 
Later the round was in two stages: the first stage had the contestants answering three general knowledge questions each from the same set of categories with 2 points for each correct answer, then it was on to stage 2 which was the quick-fire stage, which lasted 90 seconds, with each question worth +/- 1  Starting in 1986, the round consisted solely of a quick-fire round  Until 1987, the round lasted 100 seconds and each question worth +/- 1  In 1988 the values changed to +/- 2 points, and the time was reduced to 90 seconds (100 in 1989, and 75 in 1993 and 1995)  In 2009, the round lasted 70 seconds, and a correct answer was worth two points while an incorrect answer cost one point  In the 2010 series, time was increased from 70 seconds to 90 seconds  The player with the highest Krypton Factor won the game, and in the event of a tie, the tied players were asked further questions until the tie was broken 

Super Round (1995)
In 1995, the game was decided by a "Super Round," a race that encompassed all abilities from the previous rounds  At the start of the round, players were shown five coloured circles, each with a letter or number, and the players had to memorize the sequence before making a parachute jump down 50 feet to the floor  They then entered the Kryptic Rings, a three-dimensional maze of interlocking rings with numbered and lettered junctions where following and correctly interpreting the sequence (by following the circles clockwise, starting with the circle of their colour) would lead each player to their correct exit  Each exit was marked with a letter, which they would memorize on their way to the next part of the race, the Laser Matrix, preceded by a computer where each player had to log in by hitting the letter key matching their exit  Each player then had to type in four words with a common thread, however each key corresponded to a different letter according to a code (such as each key giving the preceding letter) 
After cracking the code and typing in the four words, each player had to cross a corridor of shifting laser beams, where breaking each beam resulted in a seven-second penalty  Once out, the players entered the Response Revolve, a rotating cylinder where each player had to collect six batons of their colour from their holds, however, each baton could only be removed when a light by the baton flashed, and all lights flashed according to a sequence  Once all six batons were out and placed in the player's pedestal, each player had to run to the Krypton Mountain, where they first had to build a four-piece ladder, which they ascended before making a vertical climb up the Krypton Mountain, completing the race by grabbing a letter K of their colour at the top of the Krypton Mountain 
The players started at the same time and place, and used their points from the first five rounds to buy advantages, such as directional arrows in the Rings, completed words at the computer (in Heat 2 of Group C, an easier path through the Laser Matrix), batons already removed from the Response Revolve, or ladder pieces already built  The value of each advantage varied with the heats, group finals and final  The player who won the Super Round won the game, and completion time was used to determine who held the wild card spot 
The Super Round was also notable for a few incidents regarding cheating; in Group B, two contestants (both wearing yellow) were disqualified for unknowingly breaking the rules of the Super Round  Heat 1 contestant Simon Evans was disqualified as he had not completely finished all four words at the Laser Matrix computer (having produced a "j" instead of an "h" in the third word) yet continuing through the rest of the round regardless (Penny told him about his disqualification at the top of the Krypton Mountain) and in Heat 2 the following week, contestant Alison Riley was disqualified as she had forcibly pulled out batons from the Response Revolve when their adjacent lights weren't flashing and unlike Evans, she was edited out of the remainder of the round after she had begun her ascent on the ladder and a replay was shown of her illegal move  As a result of their actions, Simon Evans and Alison Riley were the only two contestants in Krypton Factor history to be disqualified 

Young Krypton
A spin-off series was produced for children, Young Krypton, and was presented by Ross King  The series was based on a similar structure to the adult version, but with simpler intelligence tasks and a shorter obstacle course (located at The American Adventure Theme Park near Nottingham, owned by the Granada Group at the time) in place of the Physical Ability round 
The 1988 series, which had only five rounds (Mental Agility, Response, Observation, Physical Ability and General Knowledge, with Intelligence in place of Response in the Group and Grand Finals) followed the tournament format of the regular series, while the 1989 series, which only ran 8 episodes, consisted of five heats, two semi-finals, and the Grand Final  The five heat winners plus the three highest runners-up advanced to the semis, the winners of which along with the top two runners-up from both matches qualifying for the Grand Final 
At the end of both series, Gordon Burns appeared to present the trophy to the winner  Also in the 1988 Grand Final, Ross King presented a special trophy to Phillip Westwick, who completed the adventure course in the fastest time 

Special episodes
The Krypton Factor had several Champion of Champions episodes; the first edition aired on 22 December 1980, featuring the winners of the first four series which was won by Philip Bradley (1980) and the trophy was presented by Ian Botham  This was followed by another Champion of Champions edition of the show on 22 July 1985, featuring the winners from the previous four years: John McAllister (1981), John Webley (1982), Chris Topham (1983) and Paul Smith (1984), with McAllister winning the game and trophy  The next Champion of Champions episode aired on 27 March 1989, featuring four star contestants: Marian Chanter and Alison Heath (1987), David Lee (1988) and Andrew Gillam (1985)  This match was won by Alison Heath On 28 March 1988, an International special was broadcast in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand as part of Australia's bi-centennial celebrations  Made in the UK and presented by Gordon Burns, the episode featured Marian Chanter and Alison Heath, winner and runner-up respectively of the UK Krypton Factor Grand Final 1987 and John Cargill and Christopher Connolly, winner and runner-up respectively of the Australia & New Zealand Krypton Factor 1987 final  The International title was won by Alison Heath, and the trophy was presented by Fatima Whitbread 

Theme tune
During the original series of The Krypton Factor, four different theme tunes for the programme were used  The first two theme tunes (the first from 1977 to 1982, and the second from 1983 to 1985) were written by Mike Moran  The theme tune used between 1986 and 1993 was performed by Art of Noise, and is perhaps the programme's best-known theme  It was written by band members Anne Dudley and J  J  Jeczalik  The exact version of this theme tune varied in some episodes/series-for example, the drum beats in the music in some episodes/series were more emphasised, as was the synthesizer melody, but generally it remained the same  Mistakenly referred to as "Beat Box", the track which appeared on their debut album Who's Afraid of the Art of Noise?, it is in fact an original composition, and was reworked as "Crusoe" in 1987  A version of the Art of Noise theme, first heard in 1986, was released on the compilation album Influence in 2010  For the 1995 series, the theme tune was a reworked version of the 1986–93 theme tune, but was performed by Dudley alone with the incidental music composed by Mike Woolmans The music used during the scoring at the end of the Response round in 1988 was "Forgotten Town" by The Christians  In the 1989 series, "Left to My Own Devices" by the Pet Shop Boys was used 
Generally, during the opening title sequence, the contestants were introduced by former Granada Television continuity announcer Charles Foster The music to the 2009 revival was created by Paul Farrer  In their review, UKGameshows asked "can anyone actually remember the new theme "tune"?" 

Merchandise and commercial representations
The Krypton Factor had a number of clothing merchandises, including a pair of black trainers bearing the Krypton K on the sides and the tongue  A Krypton Factor sports bag, mug and teatowel was also produced  Although, not mentioned on the air, all the contestants were given a Sports bag and some clothing with the Krypton Factor logo on them as gifts for appearing on the programme 
A computer game version of The Krypton Factor was published by TV Games and released in 1987 for the home computers of the era  A Krypton Factor Quizbook was published in 1989 
ITV released The Krypton Factor interactive DVD board game via their website in 2010, and then again in 2011  The DVD game is hosted by Ben Shephard Adrenalin in North Yorkshire markets itself as the home of the obstacle course from the TV series, which offers paying public a chance to take on the Assault course Demon Wheelers have developed a team-building event based around the rounds from The Krypton Factor TV series and incorporating an inflatable assault course 
There have also been several Krypton Factor tie-in books published 

Other versions
The Krypton Factor was later exported to the United States  Two short-lived United States versions of The Krypton Factor aired  In 1981, Dick Clark hosted a 5-week summer series on ABC  In 1990, Willie Aames hosted a syndicated version for children  In 2000, a version hosted by Pat O'Brien in production by Fox TV was never shown to the public  In 2015, another version in production for Syfy was also never shown to the public The New Zealand version of The Krypton Factor ran from 1987 to 1991 on TVNZ on TV2 and was hosted by veteran presenter Dougal Stevenson  There was no Response round in the New Zealand version, and the video clips used for the Observation test were taken from the United Kingdom version  The Physical Ability test was done at Burnham Military Camp, just south of Christchurch  The first season in 1987 consisted of a challenge between Australian and New Zealand contestants, with all of the series hosted in New Zealand and aired on ABC in Australia during that time  The winners of the 1987 series competed against the winners of the 1987 series in the United Kingdom  Reruns of The Krypton Factor were screened on TVNZ 6 
A German version of the show called Krypton Faktor presented by Jörg Draeger aired in 1991, with 13 episodes shown on Sat 1 before the show was cancelled 

In popular culture
The series was parodied, in darkly comic form on BBC1's The Armstrong and Miller Show as "The Critical Factor"  Here, the contestant coming last in each event is brutally killed in the background by two figures dressed in black  Plus, the three male contestants are all 'consultant civil engineers', a reference to the number of contestants in the actual show that came from 'white collar' middle-class backgrounds, with the winner, Susan Small, referred to as a 'housewife' A 1990 sketch in series 2 of A Bit of Fry and Laurie depicts a scene in which a representative of an unnamed organisation (Stephen Fry) holds a clandestine meeting in an underground car park with a gruff, vaguely criminal type with an extensive record of adventures (Hugh Laurie)  The "impossible" task that the organisation wants this man to attempt: to watch a full episode of The Krypton Factor, a feat which, according to the organisation's representative, has never been done before 
Even after the axing of the 2009 revival (due to lack of funding), there were plenty of references to The Krypton Factor, especially as one of the prizes on The All-New Blockbusters (hosted by Simon Mayo)  Ironically, in the same year, the "1" and the "2" in the logo for the London 2012 Olympics had accidentally made a reference to the show, as fans pointed out its similarities to the very first Krypton Factor "K" from the early 1980s 
A deleted scene from the ITV variety series It'll Be Alright on the Night made it to many compilations; it showed Ben Shephard biting his tongue, after he accidentally said "two points for second", instead of fourth  It was subsequently referenced on the game show Tipping Point (which Shephard also presented) as a question 
The series was also referenced in the ITV documentary Come On Down: The Game Show Story, with current Krypton Factor presenter Ben Shephard and former presenter Gordon Burns both hinting that it was a mistake on ITV's part to end the programme 

Transmissions
United Kingdom Superperson of the Year
This is a complete list of all winners (include one female and 19 male contestants) from 20 series of the show:
Passage 5:
A Word in Your Ear
A Word in Your Ear is a game show that originally aired BBC1 from 19 April 1993 to 14 October 1994 then on The Family Channel from 1995  
The programme originated on ITV Tyne Tees in 1990 and ran for two series locally, on Fridays at 6:30pm, also hosted by Burns as seen in this TV guide from the time  https://transdiffusion org/2014/10/18/tonights-tv-in-1991/
It was hosted by Gordon Burns, best known for hosting ITV's The Krypton Factor (1977-1995)  The host presided over male and female pairs of celebrities as they participate in a few rounds of communication games  Celebrities appearing included Lynsey De Paul, Nick Owen, Philippa Kennedy and Bob Holness 

Transmissions
Passage 6:
Krypto the Superdog
Krypto the Superdog is an American animated television series produced by Warner Bros  Animation, based on Superman's canine companion Krypto, which premiered on Cartoon Network on March 25, 2005 (exactly 50 years after his comic debut), and aired on The CW's Saturday morning block Kids' WB from September 23, 2006 until September 15, 2007  39 episodes were produced A comic book series (based on the TV show) was published by DC Comics under the Johnny DC imprint, which lasted 6 issues, from 2006 to 2007 
The show was developed by producers Alan Burnett and Paul Dini, who had produced the successful Batman: The Animated Series and Superman: The Animated Series  Instead of continuing in that style, Krypto was produced in a manner reminiscent of the Hanna-Barbera shows of the 1960s to the 1980s, from the sound effects down to the animation style (veteran Hanna-Barbera designer Iwao Takamoto served as a creative consultant) 

Plot
As the planet Krypton is about to be destroyed, Superman's father Jor-El makes a ship and puts a white puppy named Krypto into it for a test flight to see if it is safe enough for interstellar travel  While aboard the ship, Krypto was playing with his ball when he accidentally destroyed several wires and causes the ship to release a sleeping gas to put him into a deep sleep while it heads on to Earth



ground_truth: American

prompt_front: Answer the question based on the given passages. Only give me the answer and do not output any other words.

Question: What time did the show, in which Gordon Burns was the host, usually air on Monday?

The following are given passages.
Context 3:  When he arrived in Earth's solar system he woke up and found himself fully grown  The rocket's computer system gave him a collar and an ID with an intergalactic communicator 
Upon landing on Earth, Krypto is a full-grown dog, possessed of superpowers similar to those of Superman's (since all Kryptonian life-forms gain superpowers from exposure to a yellow sun, such as Earth's sun)  Later, he is adopted by Kevin Whitney, a 9-year-old boy, with whom Superman arranges for him to stay (as Superman himself is often too busy saving the world to take care of him)  Krypto poses as an ordinary dog while living with Kevin's family, but adopts the secret identity of Krypto the Superdog for his superheroic deeds; Kevin is aware of Krypto's dual identity, but the rest of Kevin's family is not (excluding Kevin's spoiled cousin Bailey, who found out accidentally)  Kevin lives next door to Andrea, a girl who takes care of Krypto's best friend, Streaky 
In the series, the various animals, including Krypto, all are capable of speaking to each other, but not to humans, except for Kevin and later Andrea (they are able to communicate with Krypto and the other animals thanks to a universal translator that they wear, known as an intergalactic communicator)  The viewers can understand them, though, especially when Krypto and Streaky talk to the camera 
With his allies Streaky the Supercat, Ace the Bat-Hound, and Stretch-O-Mutt, Krypto fights the plots of Lex Luthor's pet iguana Ignatius, Joker's pet hyenas Bud and Lou, Penguin's trained birds called the Bad News Birds, and Catwoman's cat Isis  When working either alone or with a group of alien dog superheroes known as the Dog Star Patrol, Krypto faces off against the evil Mechanikat and his agents Snooky Wookums and Delilah 

Episodes
Characters
Main
Krypto the Superdog (voiced by Samuel Vincent) is the main protagonist of the show, formerly Superman's pet on Krypton before it was destroyed  Krypto came to Earth in a rocket when it malfunctioned  He is a white Labrador Retriever and has all of the powers of Superman, though some are heightened due to being a dog, such as his super hearing and sense of smell  Krypto also shares Superman's moral values and feelings 
Streaky the Supercat (voiced by Brian Drummond), Krypto's best friend and sidekick, is an orange Somali cat with a yellow streak along his back who lives next door to Krypto and Kevin's family  He gained Kryptonian-like powers and weaknesses after an accident involving a duplicating ray that was aimed at Krypto, but deflected off him and hit Streaky instead  Unlike Krypto, Streaky is less serious about his superhero activities, and sometimes needs prodding to perform heroic deeds, but usually is dependable  He also has a nephew named Squeaky who is the leader of the Supercat Fan Club  Streaky often refers to Krypto as "K-Dog" 
Ace the Bat-Hound (voiced by Scott McNeil) is Batman's pet Great Dane (though Ace says that he is Batman's partner) who is the mentor of Krypto, Streaky and the Dog Star Patrol  Ace fights crime utilizing various detective skills and gadgetry built into his collar (an analogue of Batman's utility belt); he also uses a rocket sled for traveling long distances  Ace wears a dark-colored cape and collar similar to Batman's, and (like Batman) possesses a stoic personality  However, Ace does occasionally work alongside Krypto and considers him an ally  Ace's nemeses are Catwoman's pet cat, Isis, the Joker's two pet hyenas Bud and Lou, and the Penguin's three trained pet birds Artie, Griff, and Waddles 
Kevin Whitney (voiced by Alberto Ghisi) is the 9-year-old young boy who Krypto lives with in the series, with Superman's permission  Kevin enjoys Krypto's company greatly, and is able to communicate with him and the other animals in the series thanks to a universal translator device  Kevin has a bratty cousin named Bailey who finds out Krypto's secret, but fortunately, he is such a notorious liar that no adult believes him 
Andrea Sussman (voiced by Tabitha St  Germain) is Kevin's next-door neighbor and the owner of Streaky  Andrea enjoys making Streaky play dress-up, but was unaware of his (or Krypto's) superheroic identity until later in the series, when she accidentally stumbles upon Krypto's spaceship  In "Iguanikkah", it is revealed that Andrea is Jewish and celebrates Hanukkah  She loves to play and dress up Streaky, and she treats him like a baby The Dog Star Patrol are a superpowered group of canines who each possess a unique superpower, and fight crime across the galaxy  Krypto joined the Dog Star Patrol by helping the group out on a mission  Ace the Bat-Hound and Streaky the Supercat also helped them out on different occasions  The group is based on DC Comics' Space Canine Patrol Agents with elements of the Legion of Super-Heroes  Members of the Dog Star Patrol include:

Brainy Barker (voiced by Ellen Kennedy) - A purple Saluki and leader of the Dog Star Patrol  Brainy Barker possesses telepathic/telekinetic powers, allowing her to read minds, project force fields, and levitate objects 
Mammoth Mutt (voiced by Kelly Sheridan) - A pink Chihuahua with the ability to inflate her body to an enormous ball-shaped size, allowing her to use her size to attack foes  She can also expand other parts of her body 
Bull Dog (voiced by Michael Dobson) - A lavender Bulldog with a stereotypical British accent and two retractable, bull-like horns that can be used for attacking foes and breaking objects 
Paw Pooch (voiced by Dale Wilson) - A yellow and brown Basset Hound with eight legs that enable him to dig and run quickly  They can also grow in size, as seen in "Puss In Space Boots" 
Tail Terrier (voiced by Peter Kelamis) - A green Scottish Terrier with the ability to stretch his tail and use it like a lasso  He also has a stereotypical Texas accent 
Tusky Husky (voiced by Terry Klassen) - A sky blue Alaskan Malamute with a stereotypical French-Canadian accent and a giant front tooth which is incredibly durable and can be used as a drill 
Hot Dog (voiced by Trevor Devall) - A red Dachshund with the ability to generate tremendous heat from his body and breathe fire  He also has a short temper, but started to control his anger in "Bones Of Contention" 
Drooly (voiced by Ty Olsson): An Old English Sheepdog who can use his drool as a weapon in various ways, such as grabbing objects, creating bubbles, and using it as projectiles  Appeared only in "The New Recruit" and was made a reserve member after defeating Mechanikat's forces 

Supporting
Superman (voiced by Michael Daingerfield) - The main superhero of Metropolis and Krypto's original owner  He was only seen in "Krypto's Scrypto", allowing Kevin to watch over Krypto because of how busy he is 
Stretch-O-Mutt (voiced by Lee Tockar): Buddy, a Bloodhound at S T A R  Labs, accidentally fell into a vat of chemicals and developed shape-changing powers similar to Plastic Man and Elongated Man  Sometimes he can be too silly for his own good 
Thundermutt (voiced by Phil Hayes) - An egotistical, world-famous canine actor who was somewhat jealous of Krypto when he "stole" the limelight at one of his movie premieres (Thundermutt II: Scratch And Sniff)  Though he is cowardly, he is also mostly good at heart  The films he has appeared in, that are mentioned in the show, are Thundermutt II: Scratch And Sniff, Invasion of the Alien Cats, K-9 Krusader and Harry Rottweiler and the Doghouse of Doom (a parody of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom) 
Jimmy the Rat (voiced by Phil Hayes) - A rat and informant for Krypto and Ace 
Robbie the Bird Wonder (voiced by David Paul Grove) - An American robin whose life was saved after he witnessed an encounter between Ace and the Joker's hyenas  After that, he decides to be Ace's sidekick, much to Ace's dismay  Robbie was based on Robin  Like Ace, he has gadgets like a glider, birdarangs, and egg bombs and he also came back to Gotham to be partners with Ace 
The Supercat Fan Club - A group of kittens who are fans of Streaky, and occasionally assist him in crime-fighting despite not having powers  They consist of Streaky's nephew Squeaky (voiced by Lee Tockar), Nikki (voiced by Kathleen Barr), Puff (voiced by Samuel Vincent), and Ramone (voiced by Brian Drummond) 
Melanie Whitney (voiced by Tabitha St  Germain) - Kevin's 2-year-old baby sister  She knows that Krypto ("Kippo" as she puts it) is Superdog, but being a baby, her parents do not take her seriously 
Smokey (voiced by Phil Hayes) - A Dalmatian who appears in "Old Dog, New Tricks"  He believes that the firemen are going to replace him with a new puppy  So Streaky paints spots on Krypto to prove that Smokey is still up to the job, though at the end of the episode, he is still in the Fire Service working with Blaze 
Blaze - The Dalmatian puppy in "Old Dog, New Tricks"  Streaky thought Blaze was intended to be Smokey's replacement, but Smokey explained that Blaze is his new trainee  The firemen believe that Smokey can teach Blaze the ropes until the time he helps in fire emergencies 
Dooley (voiced by Brad Swaile) - A dolphin who befriends Krypto and Streaky when they were turned into fish in "Furry Fish" 
Dogbot (voiced by Scott McNeil) - A robot dog built by Jor-El to keep Krypto company while he was in space, he appears in the episode of the same name and Dogbot to the rescue 

Antagonists
Mechanikat (voiced by Mark Oliver) is the main antagonist of the series, he is based on Metallo  Mechanikat is a cyborg feline, who constantly plots to conquer Earth  He usually keeps a bit of green Kryptonite on hand to use against Krypto, or to power up his machines with so they can affect Krypto  He is also a member of the Intergalactic Villains Club (a spoof of the Legion of Doom) who gather in a base similar to the Hall of Doom  Due to Mechanicat's repeated failure to defeat Krypto, he has been unable to get elected as leader with the recent election having the members voting for Glorg to be the leader of the Intergalactic Villains Club Snooky Wookums (voiced by Nicole Bouma) is Mechanikat's sidekick and secret agent  Snooky is a blue kitten mastermind who uses his cuteness and intelligence to cause trouble  He later became part of the Supercat Fan Club 
Delilah (voiced by Kathleen Barr) is another feline agent of Mechanikat  She helped make the Katbots, and is skilled in kung fu 
The Katbots are the foot soldiers of Mechanikat 
Ignatius (voiced by Scott McNeil) is the pet green iguana of Superman's archenemy, Lex Luthor  Like Luthor, Ignatius is very intelligent, vain and is morally ambivalent; however, he is effete, selfish and tends to behave in a much less dignified manner than Luthor  He is also more prone to engaging in frivolous (and dangerous) personal whims, such as employing a growth ray to enlarge a caterpillar for food or using a wind tunnel to harvest one of Krypto's hairs as part of a scheme to grow a lovely fur coat  Notable is that on occasion, he shows basic morals and honor 

Other antagonists
Lex Luthor (voiced by Brian Dobson) - An evil genius and the owner of Ignatius, who is very intelligent and uses technology to take over the city  He is Superman's archnemesis that is always causing chaos and is the CEO of LexCorp where he makes his own top secret gadgets 
Bud and Lou (voiced by Peter Kelamis and Lee Tockar) - A pair of spotted hyenas who serve the Joker, previously having been created for Batman: The Animated Series  Their names are references to comedians Abbott and Costello  Additionally, they are depicted with red fur and are practically identical in appearance, only being distinguished by their collar colors - Bud purple and Lou green 
Isis (voiced by Kathleen Barr) - Catwoman's cat, originally created for Batman: The Animated Series, who like her is seductive, and a master thief  In Batman: The Animated Series she was a black or dark gray cat - possibly a Russian Blue; here, she is a Siamese 
The Bad News Birds - Three trained birds who work with the Penguin and are usually up to some elaborate caper  They consist of the puffin Artie (voiced by Dale Wilson), vulture Griff (voiced by Matt Hill), and penguin Waddles (voiced by Terry Klassen),
Dogwood (voiced by Louis Chirillo) - A half-dog, half-plant hybrid who can bring plants to life  He bears a striking resemblance to another cartoon canine, Muttley 
Mertin the Magnificent (voiced by Scott McNeil) - A magician's rabbit who wields a magic wand that he stole from his master  His only real intentions are stealing carrots, but he can hold his own against Krypto and Ace if confronted by them  His name is a reference to the famous wizard, Merlin 
Superflea (voiced by Scott McNeil) - A Kryptonian flea who stowed away on Krypto's ship  Like all Kryptonian creatures, it gained a multitude of powers under Earth's yellow sun  It was ultimately driven off by a spray can, and stowed away on a plane 
The Junkyard Dogs - A group of never-do-well stray dogs  At best small-time hoods, they do periodically menace the heroes, and once took advantage of Krypto when he lost his memory due to Red Kryptonite  They consist of Mutsy (voiced by Lee Tockar), Beazel (voiced by Brian Drummond), and Beane (voiced by Samuel Vincent)  Additionally, Rosie (voiced by Janyse Jaud) was formerly part of the group and Mutsy's girlfriend, but later left and was adopted by flower saleswoman Mrs  Fritch 
Krypto's Tail (voiced by Samuel Vincent) - Once, when Krypto was exposed to Red Kryptonite, his tail became sentient, separated from him and caused havoc in Metropolis  After Krypto and the Dog Star Patrol defeated it, they learned that it only wanted freedom, and brought it to an island to roam until the Kryptonite's effects wore off 
Bailey Whitney (voiced by Reece Thompson in Season 1 and Noel Callahan in Season 2) - Kevin and Melanie's bratty cousin, who bullies Kevin and Krypto  Bailey too discovered Krypto's secret and has unsuccessfully tried to reveal it 
Blackbeak (voiced by Brian Drummond): A thorn on Stretch-O-Mutt's side  Blackbeak is a parrot who leads a pirate crew called the Pi-Rats, who steal cheese and crackers  He additionally wears a Kryptonite necklace and hates cats 
Barrump Barrump (voiced by Phil Hayes) - A sinister space monkey who pulls pranks all around the galaxy  In his self-titled episode, he steals a device that freezes time so that he can pull pranks on everyone on Earth  He is known as the "Primate Prankster" and is one of the galaxy's most dangerous criminals 

Voice cast
Samuel Vincent as Krypto the Superdog
Brian Drummond as Streaky the Supercat and Edward 'Eddy' Whitney (Kevin's father)
Scott McNeil as Ace the Bat-Hound, Ignatius, Mertin the Magnificent and Super-Flea
Ellen Kennedy as Brainy Barker
Kelly Sheridan as Mammoth Mutt
Michael Dobson as Bull Dog
Dale Wilson as Paw Pooch and Artie
Peter Kelamis as Tail Terrier
Terry Klassen as Tusky Husky and Waddles
Trevor Devall as Hot Dog
Lee Tockar as Stretch-O-Mutt
David Paul Grove as Robbie the Robin
Mark Oliver as Mechanikat
Nicole Bouma as Snooky Wookums
Alberto Ghisi as Kevin Whitney
Tabitha St  Germain as Andrea Sussman and Melanie Whitney
Nicole Oliver as Mary Whitney (Kevin's mother)
Michael Daingerfield as Kal-El / Clark Kent / Superman
Brian Dobson as Lex Luthor
Kathleen Barr as Isis and Delilah
Matt Hill as Griff
Ty Olsson as Drooly

Additional voices
Ending and broadcast reruns
On December 15, 2006, the series ended  Reruns were shown on Kids' WB as part of the then-new CW network's E/I requirement, but stopped airing due to Kids' WB opting to use Cookie Jar Entertainment's shows Will & Dewitt and Magi-Nation  Krypto was aired on Boomerang from February 5, 2007 for a duration of 7 years until January 3, 2014  The two-part holiday special, "Iguanukkah", aired on Cartoon Network, December 21, 2008 (as well as Christmas Eve and Christmas Day), as part of the all-day holiday specials marathon  It was shown on Boomerang 
Overseas, the show currently airs on Boomerang in Australia and on France 3 (as part of Ludo) in France  The show began airing on Boomerang Latin America in 2014  In the UK & Ireland, the series, upon starting, aired on the CBBC Channel before later moving to Cartoonito  However, as of November 2017, it appears to be no longer broadcast on that channel  Since September 2018, It started airing reruns on Tooncast in Latin America 

Home media
Warner Home Video released two DVD volumes in 2006 - each featured a few episodes from the first season; no further releases took place until it was announced that the complete series would be released on DVD on September 27, 2022  The series was recently added alongside other DC animated shows onto HBO Max, but currently only in Latin America 
Passage 7:
Gordon Burns
Gordon Henry Burns (born 10 June 1942) is a Northern Irish journalist and broadcaster  He was the host of The Krypton Factor for its original 18-year run (1977–1995) and was the chief anchorman for the BBC regional news programme North West Tonight from January 1997 to October 2011  In November 2011, Burns moved back to Belfast where he was born 
Due to his work commitments with Granada Television on programmes such as World in Action and Granada Reports and later BBC Manchester for North West Tonight, he resided in Manchester for over thirty years  Burns most recently hosted a Sunday morning radio show for BBC Radio Manchester and BBC Radio Lancashire  He is known for a bona fide style of presenting which has made him popular with his audience 

Early life
Burns was born in Wellington Park, in Belfast  When he was a child his family moved to Kent where he attended the local primary school and then went to Dulwich College in London  The family then returned to live at Belfast's Belmont Road, where Gordon attended Campbell College 

Career
He began his journalism career working on the Belfast Telegraph and worked on BBC radio's long-running Sports Report before joining Ulster Television as a sports editor and programme producer in 1967  Two years later, Burns began presenting the nightly news programme UTV Reports, first as a stand-in for regular frontman David Mahlowe and later as a chief anchor, during the early stages of The Troubles  In 1973, Burns joined Granada Television to anchor their nightly news programme Granada Reports and to work on the station's current affairs output, including World in Action 
In September 1976 he presented a edition of the North West Friday night Football preview programme Kick Off covering for the regular presenter  Gerald Sinstadt who that weekend was covering for Dickie Davies on World of Sport and was also covering the presenter and commentator roles for the Sunday Afternoon match highlights based version The Kick Off Match where he presented the programme and commentated on Sunderland v Manchester City at Roker Park which was being covered by Tyne Tees cameras for Granada viewers which was the main match that weekend at the time he was the producer of both Kick Off and The Kick Off Match but this stint as presenter and commentator was a one-off
Burns' national profile began with his association of ITV's game show The Krypton Factor which he presented for eighteen years from 1977 to 1995  He was the presenter of Password for Ulster, one of their few programmes shown throughout the ITV network, and also hosted a segment in several series of LWT's Surprise Surprise  During the 1980s, Burns also continued reporting from the political party conferences for the ITV network and presenting the Channel 4 current affairs series Irish Angle  In the early 90s, he also presented two parlour game shows for the BBC – A Word in Your Ear and Relatively Speaking  He has also appeared as a guest on Noel's House Party, and on Shooting Stars as a member of Ulrika Jonsson's team 
From 1997 to 2011, Burns presented North West Tonight, alongside its shorter lunchtime version, North West Today  In 2007, Ranvir Singh joined as co-anchor of the previously single-headed main evening programme  Burns announced in April 2011 that he would be retiring from the role but would move on to present a Sunday morning show on BBC Radio Manchester and BBC Radio Lancashire in September 2011 with his last TV bulletin broadcast on 30 September 
He was the voice of "The Chain" feature and other features on the Radcliffe & Maconie show on BBC Radio 6 Music  He appears as a guest on the show when The Chain reaches a significant milestone, for example, for the 5,000th (musically based) item on 3 March 2015 which was the single "Dancing Queen" by ABBA 
In 2013, Burns retired properly after stepping down from his radio show 

Personal life
Burns is the second cousin of British singer/songwriter Ed Sheeran  Burns is married and has two adult children 



ground_truth: 7pm