ejaasaari/simplewiki-2025-04-01 huggingface dataset:
The Bridges of Madison County is a 1992 fictional novel written by American author, Robert James Waller. The book was published by Warner Books, Inc. In the first chapter, “The Beginning,” the author misleads the readers by saying that the book is a true story. It is actually a work of fiction. The main character, Kincaid, has the same first name as author and is a photographer and an artist, as was Robert James Waller.  The book is a love story about an Italian woman, Francesca Johnson, a farmer’s wife, who falls in love with Robert Kincaid, a photojournalist from Bellingham, Washington over a four-day period. The story is set in Madison County, Iowa. Winterset, the nearby town, is quite small, according to the book. The novel has been translated into 25 languages and has sold 50 million copies worldwide. It was on the New York Times best seller list for 164 weeks from 1992 until 1995. The story was made into a movie in 1995, directed by Clint Eastwood. Meryl Streep plays Francesca Johnson and Clint Eastwood plays Robert Kincaid.  Main Characters. Francesca Johnson. Francesca Johnson is a conservative Italian woman in her mid-forties, living a quiet, conventional life on an Iowa farm. Over a four-day period, while her husband and children are away, she meets and falls in love with Robert Kinkaid, a National Geographic photojournalist. She wants to run away with him, but ultimately stays to protect her family from the hurt and scandal it would cause. Her time with Robert is carefully conducted as she lives in a small community where the local residents know everyone else's business. Though devoted to her family, she loathes her dull life. Francesca's teen children take her for granted and her kindly husband does not fulfill her romantic needs. Robert's presence reawakens her femininity and passion. She often feels unappreciated, much like the covered bridges which the locals consider to be worn out but are always there. Robert admires the elegant covered bridges. While Francesca feels undervalued
Massimo Firpo (Turin, 1946) is an Italian historian. Academic career. Firpo teaches early modern history at the University of Turin and at the Scuola Normale Superiore of Pisa. He is a member of the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei. He studied at the University of Turin (where he was a pupil of Franco Venturi, and where he obtained his "laurea" in 1969 with a thesis about "Pietro Bizzarri esule Italiano del Cinquecento", published in 1971). Subsequently he has been Accademia dei Lincei fellow at the Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa. He has taught early modern history at the Faculty of Political Sciences of the University of Cagliari. Ha has been fellow or visiting professor at the Newberry Library, Chicago, at the Cornell University, Ithaca and at the University of Oxford (where in 2006 he was "Isaiah Berlin" visiting professor). Research activity. He started his researches studying the heretical movements of the 16th century and focusing on the Italian heretical diaspora in Eastern Europe, radical movements such as Antitrinitarianism and Socinianism and the relations between this cultural tradition, the deism and the origins of Enlightenment thought. Subsequently his studies have dealt with the Italian religious crisis of the 16th century, focusing especially on Juan de Valdés, Reginald Pole, Giovanni Morone and the Spirituali movements and on the role played by the Roman Inquisition in these decades. He has published the critical edition of the most important inquisitorial trials of the Italian 16th century (Giovanni Morone, Pietro Carnesecchi, Vittore Soranzo). He has also published many studies of art history (especially about Pontormo, Lorenzo Lotto and Battista Franco and the relations between their works and the new religious ideas). Family. His father, Luigi Firpo (1915-1989), was a prominent Italian historian, professor of history of political thought at the Faculties of Law and Political Sciences at the University of Turin, and a member of the Italian Republican Party.
are a Japanese form of self-government which focuses on local issues below the prefectural level.  Each subprefecture is part of the greater administration of the prefecture and the national state. It is also as part of a self-government system.  History. Subprefectures were given a definite form in 1878 ("Meiji 11).  The Meiji government established the as an administrative unit.  In 1888 ("Meiji 21"), the sub-prefecture as a form of self-government was officially recognized as more general than civic corporations like cities, towns and villages.  Some prefectures of Japan include subprefectures. The subprefecture is the jurisdiction surrounding a "branch office" of the prefectural government.
Joe J. Hayashi (August 14, 1920-April 22, 1945) was a United States Army soldier. He received the Medal of Honor because of his actions in World War II. Early life. Hayashi was born in Salinas, California. He was the son of immigrants who were born in Japan. He is a "Nisei", which means that he is a second generation Japanese-American. Soldier. Six months before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hayashi joined the US Army in May 1941. Hayashi volunteered to be part of the all-"Nisei" 442nd Regimental Combat Team. This army unit was mostly made up of Japanese Americans from Hawaii and the mainland. For his actions in April 1945, Hayashi was awarded the Army's second-highest decoration, the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC). In the 1990s, there was a review of service records of Asian Americans who received the DSC during World War II. Hayashi's award was upgraded to the Medal of Honor. In a ceremony at the White House on June 21, 2000, his family was presented with his medal by President Bill Clinton. Twenty-one other Asian Americans also received the medal during the ceremony, but only seven of them were still alive. Medal of Honor citation. Hayashi's Medal of Honor recognized his conduct in fighting in northern Italy in 1945. He led an attack on strongly defended positions; and without help from others, he silenced three machine guns. The words of Hayashi's citation explain: Private Joe Hayashi distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action on 20 and 22 April 1945, near Tendola, Italy. On 20 April 1945, ordered to attack a strongly defended hill that commanded all approaches to the village of Tendola, Private Hayashi skillfully led his men to a point within 75 yards of enemy positions before they were detected and fired upon. After dragging his wounded comrades to safety, he returned alone and exposed himself to small arms fire in order to direct and adjust mortar fire against hostile emplacements. Boldly attacking the hill with the remaining men of
Dobermann or Doberman Pinscher is a medium to large dog breed. It originated in Germany about 1890. It was named after a tax collector, Friedrich Louis Doberman (1834-1894), who wanted a dog as a companion and for protection. Doberman Pinschers are known as being very intelligent, loyal and fearless dogs. They are used by police forces, search and rescue dogs, guard dogs and as guide dogs for blind people. Description. Size. The Doberman is a dog of medium large size. Although the breed standards vary among kennel and breed clubs, according to the FCI standard the dog typically stands between and The Kennel Club in the UK quote as being ideal. The female is typically somewhere between . A height of is considered ideal. Colors. Dobermans have short smooth coats which are most commonly black. Less common are red (reddish-brown), blue, or fawn-colored coats. Blue and fawn colored Dobermans usually have rust-colored (reddish-brown) markings on their legs, chest and heads. Ears and tail. Normally a Doberman puppy has floppy ears and a long tail. While still a puppy, the tails are often shortened by surgery (called "docking") which heals quickly and causes the puppy very little pain. The ears are cut to a point and so they stand up (called "cropping"). This takes longer to heal. Cropping is considered by many to be unnecessary and is illegal in much of Europe. But it is still done in the United States and is part of the standard. Temperament. People who think they are like any other dogs or are often vicious and dangerous are for the most part wrong. It is true that any dog that is mistreated or not taken care of can become dangerous. Viciousness is a learned behavior and few dogs, including the Doberman, are naturally vicious. Dobermans can be protective and guarded or they can be sweet and eager to please. To get the desired temperament, training should start when the dog is about 8 months old. Bite force. A Doberman bite force is &lt;mark&gt;between 245 and 305 pounds per square inch
George Michael Steinbrenner III (July 4, 1930 – July 13, 2010) was an American businessman who was the owner of the New York Yankees from 1973 until his death in 2010. He made his initial fortune as part of the Great Lakes shipping industry. After purchasing the Yankees, Steinbrenner became famous for his adjustment of team affairs, such as making a policy that prohibits facial hair and setting a trend with paying big salaries to marquee free agents like Reggie Jackson and Catfish Hunter. Manager Billy Martin alone was not allowed to continue his job on five separate occasions.  Steinbrenner was born on July 4, 1930 in Rocky River, Ohio a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio. He studied at Williams College and at Ohio State University. He was married to Elizabeth Joan Zieg from 1956 until his death 2010. He had four children. Steinbrenner died on July 13, 2010 in Tampa, Florida from a heart attack, aged 80. He died 9 days after his 80th birthday. A fictionalized version of George Steinbrenner was a character that appeared often on the popular NBC sitcom Seinfeld, voiced by series creator Larry David.
Robert Leo "Bob" Sheppard (October 20, 1910 – July 11, 2010) was an American journalist and announcer for the New York Yankees from 1951 until 2007 and for the New York Giants from 1956 until 2006.  Sheppard was born on October 20, 1910 in Richmond Hill, Queens, New York. He studied at St. John's Preparatory School, at St. John's University, and at Columbia University. He was married to Margaret Sheppard until her death in 1959. They had four children. Then he was married to Mary Hoffman from 1961 until his death in 2010. Sheppard died on July 11, 2010 in Baldwin, New York from natural causes, aged 99.
William Makepeace Thackeray (18 July 1811 – 24 December 1863) was an English writer. He is most famous for his novel, Vanity Fair. The title is from a place in Pilgrim's Progress. The novel is about the adventures of Becky Sharp, an ambitious girl who wishes to rise in English society.
Rebecca ([ ri-bek-"uh" ]) is a female name. It is the name of Isaac's wife in the Book of Genesis (Chapter 24). The name Rebecca has been very popular for centuries. It has an interesting backstory and significance. Its Hebrew roots give it the meaning of "to tie, to bind, to snare," from the term "Ribqah," which means "to bind firmly." Additionally, the name is linked to the biblical figure of Rebecca, who was Isaac's spouse and the mother of Jacob and Esau. Rebecca is a popular name for girls in English-speaking countries. Nicknames include Becky, Becca, Beck, And Bex/Becks. The name Rebecca is the English translation of the name (Rivka). This name was ranked #304 on the US Popular Names in 2021.
Sardar or Sirdar or Serdar, is a title of nobility in India, Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan.  The word is from the old Sanskrit and Avesta languages. It means a prince, nobleman, tribal chief or leader or other aristocrat. In some tribes and ethnic groups in India and Pakistan, especially among the Baloch people and Punjabis, it is quite commonly used to denote even certain families of noble origins.
The Cameroon () is a domesticated breed of sheep from west Africa which has been exported to Europe. As of 2008, there were less than 650 but the population was increasing. Characteristics. The Cameroon is a hair sheep which it sheds yearly in the spring. Ewes can raise two lamb crops per year. Their most common color is brown with a black belly, head, and legs.
Shizuya Hayashi (November 28, 1917-March 12, 2008) was a United States Army soldier. He received the Medal of Honor because of his actions in World War II. Early life. Hayashi was born in Waiakea, Hawaii. He was the son of immigrants who were born in Japan. He was a "Nisei", which means that he was a second generation Japanese-American. Soldier. Nine months before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hayashi joined the US Army in March 1941. He was given the nickname "Cesar" because his sergeant could not pronounce his name. Hayashi volunteered to be part of the all-"Nisei" 100th Infantry Battalion. This army unit was mostly made up of Japanese Americans from Hawaii and the mainland. For his actions in November 1943, Hayashi was awarded the Army's second-highest decoration, the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC). In the 1990s, there was a review of service records of Asian Americans who received the DSC during World War II. Hayashi's award was upgraded to the Medal of Honor. In a ceremony at the White House on June 21, 2000, he was presented with his medal by President Bill Clinton. Twenty-one other Asian Americans also received the medal during the ceremony, but only seven of them were still alive. Medal of Honor citation. Hayashi's Medal of Honor recognized his conduct in fighting in central Italy in 1943. Without help from others, he silenced a machine gun nest and an anti-aircraft gun. The words of Hayashi's citation explain: Private Shizuya Hayashi distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action on 29 November 1943, near Cerasuolo, Italy. During a flank assault on high ground held by the enemy, Private Hayashi rose alone in the face of grenade, rifle, and machine gun fire. Firing his automatic rifle from the hip, he charged and overtook an enemy machine gun position, killing seven men in the nest and two more as they fled. After his platoon advanced 200 yards from this point, an enemy antiaircraft gun opened
The Four Freedoms Award is an annual award. It is presented to people and organisations who have "demonstrated" the principles of the "Four Freedoms" of US-president Franklin Delano Roosevelt. President Roosevelt described his "Four Freedoms" during the State of the Union speech of 6 January 1941. In his speech he said that if democracy is to survive and flourish, people everywhere in the world are entitled to four human rights: freedom of speech and expression, freedom of worship, freedom from want and freedom from fear. The awards have been given since 1982, alternately in the United States and the Netherlands. In odd years the awards are given to Americans by the Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute in Hyde Park, New York. In some years special awards have been given. In even years the award ceremony is held in Middelburg and honours non-Americans. The choice for Middelburg was motivated by the suspected descendance of the family Roosevelt from the village of Oud-Vossemeer in the province of Zeeland. Four Freedoms Speech. The speech delivered by President Roosevelt incorporated the following In the future days, which we seek to make secure, we look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms. That is no vision of a distant millennium. It is a definite basis for a kind of world attainable in our own time and generation. That kind of world is the very antithesis of the so-called new order of tyranny which the dictators seek to create with the crash of a bomb.—Franklin D. Roosevelt, excerpted from the State of the Union Address to the Congress, January 6, 1941
A flare star is a variable star that becomes very much brighter unpredictably for a few minutes at a time. Flares happen on flare stars in a similar way to solar flares. They are magnetic disturbances in the atmosphere of stars. The brightness increases across the spectrum, from X rays to radio waves.  The first known flare stars were discovered in 1924, they were V1396 Cygni and AT Microscopii. Still the best-known flare star is UV Ceti, that star was discovered in 1948. Today similar flare stars are classified as UV Ceti type variable stars in variable star catalogs. Flares can happen once every few days or, as in the case of Barnard's Star, much less frequently. Proxima Centauri, the nearest star to the Solar System, is also a flare star. Most flare stars are dim red dwarfs, although less massive (lighter) brown dwarfs might also be able to flare. The more massive (heavier) RS Canum Venaticorum variables (RS CVn) are also known to flare, but scientists understand that a companion star in a binary system causes these flares. This companion star disturbs the magnetic field. Nine stars similar to the Sun have also been seen to flare. There is a suggestion that this happens for similar reasons to the flares of the RS CVn variables. A companion causes the flares, this companion is a massive planet like the planet Jupiter that orbits the flaring star closely. Nearby flare stars. Flare stars are give off relatively little light, but have been found as far away as 1,000 light years from Earth. Proxima Centauri. Proxima Centauri is closer to the sun than any other star and is a flare star. Proxima Centauri increases its brightness randomly and magnetic force causes this. Convection creates a magnetic field throughout the matter in Proxima Centauri, and this leads to flaring with a total X-ray output similar to that of the Sun though the sun is much more massive (heavier) than Proxima Centauri. Wolf 359. The flare star Wolf 359 is another star relatively near the Solar System in
Edward Christopher “Ed” Sheeran (born 17 February 1991) is an English singer, songwriter and guitarist. He also writes and produces songs on his own and created his label, Paw Print Records. Sheeran is recognized for doing pop music. He was born in Halifax, West Yorkshire, England. As a child, he lived in Framlingham, Suffolk, England. Early life. Edward Christopher Sheeran was born on 17 February 1991 at Royal Halifax Infirmary in Halifax, West Yorkshire, England. His father worked as an art curator at Cartwright Hall, his mother worked at Manchester City Art Gallery. Sheeran started writing music in his early teen's.  2005–10: Early career. In 2005, Sheeran started publishing some EP albums. The first one has been named "Orange Room EP". He continued publishing EPs until 2010 when he released "Songs I Wrote with Amy". It was the last EP released before publishing his number one popular album "+". He then moved to London in 2008 to start a music career. He first played in various events and also made an EP. Then he signed a contract with a record company, Atlantic Records. 2011–13: "+". In 2011 he made his first album, called "+". The album went to number one in the music rankings of many countries and had also been certified double platinum. Some of the songs on this album have been successful, such as "The A Team" and "Lego House" (leaked as the third single of the album in November 2011). Also, the song "You Need Me, I Don't Need You" was released as the second single in August before the album came out. As the fourth single, "Drunk" was out in January 2012. Finally, the song "Give Me Love" was released as the sixth and final single of "+", on 26 November. From this album, his first single "The A Team" has been recently nominated in the Song of the Year category for the 2013 Grammy Awards. Sheeran was nominated in many categories at the
Italian Libya was a colony of the Kingdom of Italy, from 1911 to (officially) 1947. History. Italy conquered Libya in 1911 from the Ottoman Empire. Libyan Muslims continued fighting against the Christian Italians for some years, mainly during World War I. Fighting increased after the dictator Benito Mussolini took power in Italy. Idris (later King of Libya) fled to Egypt in 1922. From 1922 to 1928, Italian forces under General Badoglio waged a "punitive pacification" campaign. Badoglio's successor in the field, Marshal Rodolfo Graziani, accepted the commission from Mussolini on the condition that he was allowed to crush Libyan resistance without having to follow either Italian or international law. Mussolini reportedly agreed immediately and Graziani intensified the oppression. Some Libyans continued to defend themselves, with the strongest voices of dissent coming from Cyrenaica. Omar Mukhtar, a sheikh of the Sennusi tribe, became the leader of the uprising. After a much-disputed truce on 3 January 1928, the Italian policy in Libya reached the level of full-scale war, including deportation and concentration of people of northern Cyrenaica to deny the rebels the support of the local population. After Omar Mukhtar's capture September 15, 1931 and his execution in Benghazi, the resistance gradually disappeared. Limited resistance to the Italian occupation crystallized round Sheik Idris, the Sennusi Emir of Cyrenaica. Creation of "Libya". By 1934, Libya was fully pacified and the new Italian governor started a policy of integration between the Arabs and the Italians. New laws in 1939 allowed Muslims to join the National Fascist Party and in particular the "Muslim Association of the Lictor" ("Associazione Musulmana del Littorio"). The 1939 reforms also allowed the creation of Libyan military units within the Italian army. During the North African Campaign of World War II this brought strong support for Italy among many Muslim Libyans, who enrolled in the Italian Army  Governor Balbo created "Libya" in 1934, with the unification of
Richard Joseph Daley (May 15, 1902 – December 20, 1976) was an American politician who served for 21 years as the mayor of Chicago. He was one of the biggest bosses of the Democratic Party in the United States. At his time while being the mayor, he was one of the most well-known Irish-Americans. His son, Richard M. Daley was also the mayor of Chicago for 22 years. He is also the father of William M. Daley. Daley was born in Bridgeport, Chicago, Illinois. He studied at DePaul University. He was married to Eleanor "Sis" Daley from 1936 until his death in 1976. They had 7 children. Daley died on December 20, 1976 in Chicago, Illinois from a heart attack, aged 74.
Harold Lee Washington (April 15, 1922 – November 25, 1987) was an American lawyer and politician. He became the first African-American Mayor of Chicago, serving from 1983 until his death in 1987. Before, he was a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Illinois's 1st congressional district. He was also a member of the Illinois State Senate and Illinois House of Representatives. Washington was born on April 15, 1922 in Chicago, Illinois. He studied at Roosevelt College and at Northwestern University School of Law.  He was married to Nancy Dorothy Finch from 1942 until they divorced in 1950. Then he was engaged to Mary Ella Smith until his death in 1987.  During his first term as mayor, Washington led the city through the "council wars" which were intense political disagreements between city hall and the city council. Despite this, Washington enjoyed positive approval among the city's residents. Washington died suddenly on November 25, 1987 in Chicago City Hall from a heart attack, aged 65. A 1993 survey of historians, political scientists and urban experts conducted by the University of Illinois at Chicago ranked Washington as the nineteenth-best American big-city mayor to have served between the years 1820 and 1993. The Harold Washington Library and Harold Washington College are named after him.