The letter ß (also known as sharp S, German: "Eszett" or "scharfes S") is a letter in the German alphabet. It is the only German letter that is not part of the basic Latin alphabet. The letter is pronounced (like the "s" in "see") and is not used in any other language.
Today's "ß" was created around the 1900s. (See w:en:ß and w:de:ß for details on the so-called "Sulzbacher Form".) It has two origins, one in Blackletter and one in Roman type (also called Antiqua).
The letter came from the long s ("ſ") and the normal "z". Written fast by hand, they over time joined together to form a single glyph.
The "ß" is used only in German and never at the start of German words. The uppercase "ß" ("ẞ") exists only for typesetting, such as in a dictionary. Instead of lowercase "ß", one can also write "ss". As no words start with double "s" or "ß", no uppercase "ß" is necessary.
However, not every "ss" can be written as "ß". German often puts two or more words together to make a longer word. If the new word has "ss", it cannot be written as "ß". For example, "Voßstraße" is two words joined together ("Voß" and "straße"). It can also be written as Vossstraße but not as "Vosßtraße" because "sstraße" (or "ßtraße") is not a word, and the "ß" is in the word "Voss" ("Voß").
The rules for German orthography have changed since 1996. Many common words that used to be written with "ß" are now written with "ss". For example, "Fluß" (river) is now spelled "Fluss". When the preceding vowel is short, as in "Fluss", "ss" is used. However, the "ß" is used when the preceding vowel is long as in "Straße".
General Motors railway station, Melbourne
General Motors Railway Station was a railway station in Melbourne, Australia.
The station was opened on November 18, 1956 to service the General Motors factory near it. The station had two platforms and a footbridge into the factory. In 1991, the General Motors factory closed. Since the main purpose of the station was to support the factory, the station was no longer needed, but the station stayed open for eleven years after the factory had been destroyed. It was estimated to be the least used station in the entire city network. It had an average of eight passengers using it a day. The last trains stopped at the station on July 28 2002.
Agronomy
Agronomy is the study of soil in relation to how it affects plant growth. "Agronomists" work to make methods that will improve the use of soil and increase the amount of food and fiber crops.
Metlink
Metlink is the marketing name for all public transport operators' in Melbourne, Australia.
The "Metlink" brand was introduced in 2003.
Under the new branding, railway station signage and timetables are colour-coded blue, tram stop signs and timetables are green, and the bus network is orange. The regional train network is colour-coded purple.
Metlink has also been active in the use of 'value Metcards' (like credit cards but work only for trains) and is known for running a "funny" campaign called BATBYGOBSTOPL (Buying A Ticket Before You Get On Board Saves Time Or Problems Later). In July 2007, Metlink launched a new campaign, "I Highly Recommend You Get on the Bus", featuring musical comedian Frank Woodley, to improve bus services.
While they do not have control, representatives of the Bus Association of Victoria and V/Line have helped Metlink.
Victoria's regional bus and rail services will at some future date be brought under a similar brand to Metlink named Viclink. Signage upgrades at regional railway stations have started from October 2006 . The signage will be fully implemented when V/Line is re-privatized following the completion of the Fast Rail project.
Sanyo
Sanyo is a Japanese electronics company. They specialise in home appliances.
Sanyo was founded in 1947 by Toshio Iue.
Panasonic acquired it in 2011.
As of 2018, the company's revenue was ¥84.678 billion.
Sanyo on Panasonic website
Celtic Frost
Celtic Frost was a thrash/black metal band from Zurich, Switzerland. The band was formed in 1984 and broke up in 1993. The reunited in 2001 and broke up again in 2008.
Celtic Frost released 6 studio albums:
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Privy Council
The Privy Council is a group of advisors to a Monarch.
Cable knitting
Patterns called cables are created using special cable knitting needles. The cables often look like braids. They are typically used on sweaters, particularly on Aran sweaters from Ireland.
Maraghar Massacre
The Maraghar Massacre happened on April 10, 1992, during the Nagorno-Karabakh War.
Circular knitting
Circular knitting or knitting in the round is a form of knitting that creates a seamless tube. It is done with circular or double-pointed needles. Socks, mittens, and sweaters can be made with circular knitting.
Knitting machine
Knitting machines are used to make knitted cloth for clothing or household items. They can make flat shapes or tubular shapes. The tubular shapes can be used for t-shirts.
Kirovabad pogrom
The Kirovabad pogrom was an attack by Azeris against the targeted Armenian population living in the Azerbaijani town of Kirovabad in November 1988. It is estimated that at least 130 people were killed.
Tree of Knowledge
In the Book of Genesis, chapters two and three, the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil was a tree in the middle of the Garden of Eden, along with the Tree of Life. God Told Adam and Eve) to never eat from this Tree. When Eve and Adam, ate the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge, they discovered that they were naked, and were banished from the garden and forced to survive through farming.
According to the Jewish tradition, God telling Adam and Eve not to eat from the Tree was to give them free choice and allow them to earn perfection instead of getting it with a simple deed. According to this tradition, Adam and Eve would have become perfect and immortal had they not eaten from the Tree. After failing, they were sentenced to a long time of hard work to get themselves back into God's trust.
In Christianity, the Tree of Knowledge is connected to the beginning of sin. By eating the fruit of the Tree, Adam and Eve tried to become like God.
In Buddhism, the Buddha became enlightened under a Bodhi tree. While the biblical tree is usually seen as representing pleasure, the Bodhi tree gave pure knowledge.
Symbolically, the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge tries to divide human action into Right or Wrong, Good or Evil and Lawful or Unlawful with privileges and punishments for each case.
Royal Academy of Music
The Royal Academy of Music is a conservatory in London where young people can study music. It was founded in 1822. Many musicians who became famous studied music at the Royal Academy of Music.
The Royal Academy of Music was officially founded (started) in 1822 and was opened the next year. King George IV was the patron of the conservatory. At first it had 21 students.
In 1830 it received its Royal Charter, but for many years it had financial problems and it was not until 1868, when the British Prime Minister William Ewart Gladstone arranged for it to have a regular grant, that it began to do well. During the 19th century the Academy was in Hanover Square, but in 1912 it moved to Marylebone Road near Regent's Park.
Since 1912 many changes and extensions have been made to the building. Many concerts are given in the Duke’s Hall and operas are performed in the Sir Jack Lyons Theatre. Many of the professors (teachers) at the Academy come from other countries. The Academy works together with King’s College, London where many of the students take a 4 year performance course. In 1997 they won some lottery money which helped them to get a new building for their collection of musical instruments. It has a large library which includes all the books and music which used to belong to the conductors Sir Henry Wood and Otto Klemperer.