Samuel Wilson (September 13, 1766 – July 31, 1854) was a meat-packer from Troy, New York whose name is likely the source of the personification of the United States known as "Uncle Sam".
Theodosia Okoh
Theodosia Salome Okoh (13 June 1922 — 19 April 2015) was a Ghanaian stateswoman, teacher and artist. She was known for designing Ghana's flag in 1957. She also played a leading role in the development of hockey in Ghana.
Tema
Tema is a city on the Gulf of Guinea and Atlantic coast of Ghana. It is located east of the capital city; Accra. As of 2013, the population was 161,612.
Santa Rosa, California
Santa Rosa is a city in and the county seat of Sonoma County, California, United States. The Census Bureau estimated its 2012 population at 170,685. In the beginning of October, 2017, a firestorm burnt 5% of the homes in the city, killing atleast 19 people.
Shiaphobia
Anti-Shi'ism (pronounced: Anti, She, ism) or Shiaphobia is the prejudice against or hatred of Shia Muslims. Shia Muslims make up somewhere between 10 and 20 percent of Muslims worldwide. Sunni Islam and Shia Islam split because the two groups have different beliefs about the type of person that could become a caliph, a top leader of Muslim peoples. Shias believed the leader should be related to the Prophet Muhammad. Sunnis believed the leader should be chosen for his ability to lead the community ( it's not because the leader should be related but because the prophet Mohammed said in the ghadeer that Ali will be the leader after him which they didn't follow.
The two groups have lived together peacefully for centuries. Shia and Sunni have not only lived together they have intermarried in many cases. But modern politics and recent events have sparked new fighting between the two groups. Modern Anti-Shi'ism violence is just a part of the overall conflict. It is one result of the collapse of authoritarian rule in the region.
Controlled burn
A controlled burn (sometimes also called a prescribed fire) is a fire that is started on purpose, and kept under control. It is done by people who are trained in controlling a fire, with the right equipment and the right weather conditions. It is done to help the environment or to make an area safer for people.
This is not the same as a practice fire, where a firefighter crew might start a fire in a house or other building that is going to be destroyed. They use it for practice, to learn how to enter a burning house safely and how to put out a house fire. Controlled burns, on the other hand, are done outdoors in forests or prairies.
There are several reasons why a controlled burn may take place. In some areas, there may be too much dry wood and dead plants. If a fire started there that was not controlled (like arson, an accident, or a lightning strike), that fire could become dangerous. So by having trained people there, and burning it carefully, then the fire won't be as hot and won't get out of control.
Another reason is to help nature. Some plants need fire so their seeds can start to grow, some animals prefer to live in places that have been recently burned, and sometimes it helps to get rid of weeds. Also, the ash on the ground is a quick fertilizer and helps return nutrients to the soil.
Sometimes it is done to help people. It can clear an area of brush and make it easier to see and move around. Hunter-gatherer people would do this to chase game into an area where they can kill the animal for food. This is becoming rare.
From the fire triangle, it is known that a fire needs fuel, oxygen and heat. To control a fire, removing one of these three things will cause the fire to go out. To keep the fire in the area it is supposed to be in, the fire can be smothered, removing oxygen. Or it can be sprayed with water, removing the heat. And the fire finishes when there is no more fuel.
Generally, the "back fire" is started first. This is the fire that burns into the wind, and moves slowly. This is a smaller, safer fire, and is easier to control. It can be started next to a trail or stream or other "fire break" that keeps the fire from moving downwind.
After the back fire is in place, then the "head fire" is started. It will burn downwind (travels with the wind). This will burn faster and hotter. When it reaches the back fire, there is no more fuel for the fire, and it dies out.
The list can depend on the group doing the burn, but often includes:
Gennadi Vengerov
Gennadi Aronovich Vengerov (; 27 August 1959 – 22 April 2015) was a Belarusian-born Russian-German actor and voice artist. He began acting in 1978 on stage, and later in 1987 on television and movies. He had over 150 credits to his name. He was also the Russian voice of the title character of "EVE Online" and appeared in the movie "Enemy at the Gates" (2001). In 1990, he moved to German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, and worked as a Deutsche Welle radio announcer.
Vengerov was born in Vitebsk. He served in the Soviet Army until 1983 when he moved to Moscow.
Vengerov died from lung and bone cancer on 22 April 2015 in Düsseldorf. He was 55.
Fastlane (2015)
Fastlane (2015) was a professional wrestling pay-per-view show made by WWE. It was held on February 22, 2015 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. It was the first Fastlane event held by the WWE.
The main event saw Roman Reigns defeat Daniel Bryan to keep his spot in the WWE World Heavyweight Championship main event match against Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 31.
Smith v. Allwright
Smith v. Allwright (1944), was a landmark decision by the United States Supreme Court. The decision made it unconstitutional to keep African Americans from voting in a Democratic Party primary in Texas. By extension it covered white primaries in all states. It overturned "Grovey v. Townsend" (1935) which had allowed the Democratic party to hold all-white primaries that excluded black voters.
The Reconstruction Amendments to the United States Constitution gave African Americans freedom from slavery, citizenship and the right to vote. But many former slave states came up with ways to keep blacks from voting. These included poll taxes, literacy tests and complex voter registration laws. While these worked in most southern states, it did not work in Texas. The party needed the Hispanic vote but wanted to exclude blacks. They needed also to split the black and hispanic vote. Texas, like most southern states, was a one-party state. The Democratic party controlled politics. The state and local primary elections decided which candidate would ultimately win office in the general election. Democrats in Texas used the "white primary" to serve their purposes. It prohibited non-whites from joining the Democratic party and taking part in primary elections. It could be used also to exclude Mexican Americans in areas of the state where the party did not need them. The Reconstruction Amendments applied to the state. But in "Grovey v. Townsend" the state of Texas was allowed to pass on its responsibility for protecting black voter rights to a private organization—the Democratic party. This allowed Texas to use the all-white primary.
In another decision, "Grovey v. Townsend" (1935), the Supreme Court decided that the Democratic Party was a private organization. Their state convention could decide who can be a member. Lonnie E. Smith, a Houston dentist, and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) decided to fight this decision.
In Smith v. Allwright (1944), the court overturned the Grovey ruling. A majority of the justices decided that the Democratic party was more than a private organization. It was a part of the election process in Texas. For this reason the court said that it was unconstitutional to stop African Americans from voting in the Democratic primary.
Cindy Yang