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Q7388974 | SBP-tag
Discovery
The Streptavidin-Binding Peptide was discovered within a library of seven trillion stochastically-generated peptides using the in vitro selection technique of mRNA Display. Selection was performed by incubating with streptavidin-agarose followed by elution with biotin. The SBP-Tag has been shown to bind streptavidin with an equilibrium dissociation constant of 2.5nM and is readily eluted with biotin under native conditions.
Protein purification
Because of the mild elution conditions (biotin plus wash buffer) SBP-Tagged proteins can be generated in a relatively pure state with a single purification step. There are several relatively abundant mammalian proteins that inherently associate with the IMAC matrices that bind to the more commonly used Polyhistidine-tag (His-tag). For this reason non-IMAC purification protocols, including with the SBP-Tag, are often preferred for proteins that are expressed in mammalian cells.
Protein complex purification
Complexes of interacting proteins may also be purified using the SBP-Tag because elution with biotin permits recovery under conditions in which desired complexes remain associated. For example, the Condensin Complex was purified by Kim et al. [2010] and complexes with the TAZ transcriptional co-activator were purified by Zhang et al. [2009]. The SBP-Tag has also been incorporated into several Tandem Affinity Purification (TAP) systems in which successive purification steps are utilized with multiple tags, for example GFP fusion proteins and BTK-protein complexes were purified using a TAP protocol with the SBP-Tag and the His-Tag, HDGF-protein complexes were purified using a TAP protocol with the SBP-Tag and with the FLAG-tag and Wnt complexes were purified using a TAP protocol with the SBP-Tag and with the [Calmodulin-Tag]. TAP is generally used with protein complexes and several studies report significant improvements in purity and yield when the SBP-Tag TAP systems are compared to non-SBP-Tag systems. Commercial TAP systems that use the SBP-Tag include the Interplay® Adenoviral and Mammalian TAP Systems sold by Agilent Technologies, similar products are sold by Sigma-Aldrich.
Proteomics
Screens for biologically relevant protein-protein interactions have been performed using Tandem Affinity Purification (TAP) with the SBP-Tag and Protein A, for interaction proteomics and transcription factor complexes with the SBP-Tag and Protein G, for proteins that interact with the Dengue Virus protein DENV-2 NS4A with the SBP-Tag and the Calmodulin Tag. and for proteins that interact with protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) with the SBP-Tag and the hemagglutinin (HA)-tag.
Imaging
The SBP-Tag will also bind to streptavidin or streptavidin reagents in solution. Applications of these engineered associations include the visualization of specific proteins within living cells, monitoring of the kinetics of the translation of individual proteins in an in vitro translation system, control of the integration of a multi-spanning membrane protein into the endoplasmic reticulum by fusing the SBP-Tag to the N-terminal translocation sequence and then halting integration with streptavidin and restarting integration with biotin. Fluorescent streptavidin reagents (e.g. streptavidin-HRP) can be used to visualize the SBP-tag by immunoblotting of SDS-PAGE. Additionally, antibodies to the SBP-tag are available commercially.
Surface plasmon resonance
The SBP-Tag has been used to reversibly immobilize recombinant proteins onto streptavidin-functionalized surfaces thereby permitting interaction assessment such as by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) techniques with re-use of the functionalized surface. SPR has also been used to compare the SBP-Tag with other streptavidin-binding peptides such as Strep-tag. | 15559778539776546372 | 845 |
Q843526 | Honduran cuisine
Breakfast spice
Hondurans usually have a large, hearty breakfast. It typically consists of fried eggs (whole or scrambled), refried beans, Honduran salty sour cream (mantequilla), hard olancho cheese, avocado, sweet fried plantains, and tortillas. It is common for most households to first prepare tortillas, a staple for nearly every dish, which are used throughout the rest of the day.Other breakfast favorites include carne asada (roasted meat) and Honduran spicy sausages (chorizo). A good breakfast will be accompanied with hot, dark—in this case Honduran-grown—coffee. Honduran coffee is renowned for its delicate qualities, being grown on the slopes of the Honduran mountains in rich soils of volcanic origin. A specific brand famous for its flavour comes from the Honduran region of Marcala; others are the Copán coffee and the coffee grown in Ocotepeque.Street vendors often sell breakfast baleadas made of flour tortillas, toppings such as eggs, meat, and even pickled onions, and small tamales made of sweet yellow corn dough, called tamalitos de elote, eaten with sour cream; fresh horchata and posole is also common."I have also seen the street side vendors sell hot I mean very hot tomatoes with chili peppers in the middle; you should try oneof them someday."Another food that can be eaten for breakfast as a dessert is rosquillas. Rosquillas can be considered as a Hondurian doughnut and are made from corn (masa, cheese and yeast).
Sopa de caracol
Sopa de caracol (conch soup) is one of the most representative dishes of the Honduran cuisine. This soup was made famous throughout Latin America because of a catchy song from Banda Blanca called "Sopa de Caracol." The conch is cooked in coconut milk and the conch's broth, with spices, yuca (cassava), cilantro, and green bananas known as guineo verde. Other varieties including crab, fish or shrimp are known as sopa marinera.
Sopa de frijoles
This traditional soup is made by boiling black or red beans with garlic in water until soft. Once they are soft, the beans are blended, and added to a pot filled with water and with pork bones to serve as the base of the soup. Once the soup base has taken a chocolate color and has boiled enough, the bones are removed, and water is added to the pot, along with the rest of the ingredients, which may include yuca, green plantains, eggs, and many other ingredients. The soup is served with rice and tortillas, and may be accompanied with sour cream, smoked dry cheese, avocados and lemons.
Carneada
Carneada is considered one of Honduras' national dishes, known as plato típico when served in Honduran restaurants. While it is a type of dish, a carneada or carne asada, like its Mexican counterpart, is usually more of a social event with drinks and music centered on a feast of barbecued meat. The cuts of beef are usually marinated in sour orange juice, salt, pepper and spices, and then grilled.The meat is usually accompanied by chimol salsa (made of chopped tomatoes, onion and cilantro with lemon and spices), roasted plátanos (sweet plantains), spicy chorizos, olanchano cheese, tortillas, and refried mashed beans.
Rice and beans
Rice and beans is a popular side dish in the Honduran Caribbean coast. It is often called Casamiento. Every country that their own signature bean and in Honduras they are red beans ( frijoles cheles). Typically in Honduras the beans are refried and served with green fried bananas (tajadas).
Fried Yojoa fish
Fried Yojoa fish is a famous Honduran dish that is served all over the country. The fish often has a more savory flavor compared to other types of fish served in the region. Yojoa fish is salted, spiced, and later deep fried. It is then oftentimes served with pickled red cabbage, pickled onions and deep fried sliced plantains called tajaditas.
Baleada
The baleada is one of the most common street foods in Honduras. The basic style is made of a flour tortilla which is folded and filled with refried beans, quesillo or cheese and sour cream (mantequilla). Many people add roasted meat, avocado, plantains or scrambled eggs as well. There are Honduran Fast-food chains that serve different kinds of Baleadas. | 9943286356488490396 | 963 |
Q7082065 | Okkadunnadu
Plot
Kiran arrives in Mumbai to sell his guest house through a real estate agent Gautami. When he helps a man in need of the Bombay blood Group, he is asked for help by Sona Bhai, an ailing gangster with the same blood group. When Kiran goes to donate blood, Sona's nephew secretly tells him that he would be killed. A sedated Kiran falls asleep and as he's taken to the operation theatre, Sona's blood pressure increases uncontrollably, making the doctors decide to wait till the next 24 hours. Upon waking up, Kiran is told by Jayadev to first donate and then leave the next day, but realizing their true intentions, Kiran fights off all the henchmen and escapes, much to the disappointment of Sona. Kiran is later contacted by Sona's nephew who tells him that his heart is needed for a transplantation and not just his blood, and that it's Sona Bhai who wants it. He also tells him to leave Mumbai. Jayadev visits Gautami's office to buy Kiran's guest house but is told that it's sold and the seller has gone to Hyderabad. Upon exiting, Jayadev finds Kiran in front of him and a chase ensues, resulting in a fight where Kiran beats up Jayadev's henchmen all by himself. While having the drinks with Gautami, Kiran explains how he had a luxurious life thanks to his father, an honest private bank owner, who was arrested when the bank had fallen into losses and failed to pay the depositors. The company's auditor told Kiran the bank suffered as the other board of directors provided large amounts as loans to VIPs who later failed to repay, but Kiran's father still tried to help by selling most of his property. Kiran got his father out on bail and promised to clear the payment issues. For financial help, they met RBI official Janakiram who demanded 4 crore rupees as bribe. Thus, Kiran came to Mumbai in order to get payment for the guest house before 6 months. Back to present, Sona's henchmen and Kiran engage in a violent fight where Kiran gets injected with a sedative that would put him to sleep within 4 minutes. Kiran uses improvised weapons and kills everyone within 3 minutes, escapes with Gautami and later reveals everything about Sona to her. The Seth who purchased the guest house tells Kiran that he doesn't want it anymore, due to which Kiran beats up his men and orders him to pay the amount within the next 30 minutes. Kiran and Gautami wait for him at the beach, where Sona's nephew turns up and reveals that Seth won't pay him. Realizing Seth has left due to the fear of getting killed by Sona, Kiran asks Gautami to arrange for a new buyer. He then meets Sona's nephew who reveals Sona's a threat to him as long as he's alive, and the only way to kill him now is by killing Kiran. A fight ensues, and Kiran beats up everyone but spares Sona's nephew as he had helped him earlier. Kiran then contacts his father and learns that a company named Jayadev Investments from Mumbai is ready to invest 200 crore rupees in their bank. Kiran is shocked to realize it was Sona who called his father and would pay him in exchange for his heart. Kiran asks for some time to think about it.Kiran asks Gautami to still look for a buyer for his guest house, and she contacts Jayadev who agrees to buy it. He however vandalizes her office and tells her to inform Kiran that Sona would pay him 200 crore rupees. Before she can reach Kiran, he goes to meet Sona, who purchased the guest house, and threatens to rip his pipes if he doesn't pay him for it. After getting 4 crore rupees, Kiran goes to meet Janakiram, who's arrived in Mumbai, at a hotel where he finds a CD and a player. The footage reveals Janakiram had joined hands with Jayadev but still got killed. Jayadev had promised him 10 crore rupees to not do Kiran's job. Kiran arrives at Sona's place and gets into a fight with his goons. During the fight, Sona's nephew secretly tells him the room number where he would find the money. Kiran acquires the money and destroys Sona's life support carrier. Sona's nephew is exposed when the room number written on his hand is seen by Sona and Jayadev. He then reveals he wanted him to die because he wanted his power, following which he's killed and Sona dies. Kiran engages in a gunfight and at the end survives an explosion while others die. Eventually, Jayadev shoots himself and Kiran flees with the money.
Reception
The film received the positive response from the critics. idlebrain.com gave a review of rating 3.25/5 terming it a "Blood Chase". IndiaGlitz gave a review stating "Chandrasekhar Yeleti, a champion of gripping screenplay passes yet again with flying colours. The director was able to carry the whole film on action and was able to cater to the masses." Oneindia Entertainment gave a review stating "The film might run well in B, C centres because of its mass appeal with good action scenes. Can be recommended to watch once only if you are interested in action films." Sify gave a review stating "Technically Okkadunnadu is brilliant with Gummadi Jaya Krishna excellent photography, and editing is slick. MM Keeravani's music is not great, but he scores in re-recording. In a nutshell, the film is an average flick which caters to urban audiences."
Trivia
Krishna Vamsi choreographed two songs in the film. This is Neha Jhulka's debut film. | 17538901944717451956 | 1,244 |
Q17276 | 7 Wonders (board game)
7 Wonders: Leaders (2011)
This expansion introduces the white-backed leader cards, which can be recruited to aid a player's city. The 36 leader cards are based on real historical figures, some of which are well-known, such as Caesar and Midas, others less so. There is a brief biography of each leader in the rulebook.Playing with the Leaders expansion changes the game mechanic, as the second thing done in the game after choosing a Wonder board is to choose leaders. Four leader cards are dealt to each player, and the cards are drafted. At the start of each Age, players may recruit one leader, paying its coin cost and putting it into play. To compensate for this extra expense, with the Leaders expansion, players start with six coins instead of three. As with the Age cards, instead of recruiting a leader, a player may choose to discard the card to gain three coins or build a Wonder stage with it.The leaders grant various abilities, including additional means of gaining victory points, resources or coins, resource cost reductions, commerce benefits, additional shields and scientific symbols. For example, the 'Caesar' card grants two shields and 'Midas' grants one extra victory point per three coins held at the end of the game.The expansion comes with four additional guild cards and one extra Wonder board – the Colosseum of Rome, which, appropriately enough, grants abilities related to the new leader cards.
7 Wonders: Cities (August 2012)
The Cities expansion introduces nine city cards (with a black background) to each of the Age card decks. The number of city cards that are shuffled into each age's deck is equal to the number of players. This means that each age now consists of seven play of cards.The city cards can have quite an impact on gameplay, as many of them are more powerful versions of other cards; for example, the Age III 'Contingent' card provides five shields as opposed to the three provided by Age III red cards. The cards also introduce some new concepts, such as diplomacy, which allows a player to avoid military conflict for one Age, and monetary loss, which forces the player's opponents to pay coins to the bank, or lose victory points if they do not have sufficient coins.The addition of city cards takes the total number of cards playable in each age to 56. This means that eight-player games – or team games with four teams of two – are possible. In the team game, partners are allowed to see each other's cards and discuss which ones to play, and the effect of diplomacy is modified.The Cities expansion also contains three new guild cards, six leader cards and two Wonder boards: the Hagia Sophia of Byzantium and Al Khazneh of Petra. Many of these new additions have abilities specific to city cards or to the new concepts introduced.
7 Wonders: Wonder Pack (May 2013)
This expansion adds four Wonder boards: Abu Simbel, the Great Wall of China, Stonehenge and the Manneken Pis of Brussels (the makers' home town.) All four offer new abilities.
7 Wonders: Babel (December 2014)
Babel consists of two expansions that can be added separately or together. The first expansion is Tower of Babel, in which players can choose to construct the tower. By discarding a card, players can place a tile on the tower that affects play (for example, taxing the construction of Wonders or granting a monetary bonus for building certain cards) until it is covered by a subsequent tile. Players score points for the number of tiles they play. The second expansion is Great Projects of Babel. A building of a certain color is put into play. Whenever a player plays a card of the same color, they may choose to pay a cost to participate in the building of the Great Project. If the project succeeds, all players who participated get a reward, and non-participants get nothing. If the project fails, participants get nothing and non-participants receive a penalty.
7 Wonders: Leaders Anniversary Pack & Cities Anniversary Pack (2017)
These expansions add new Leaders cards and new Cities cards, with new effects.
7 Wonders: Armada (October 2018)
Armada adds a naval board for each player, and four ships: red, blue, yellow, and green. When playing a card of one of these colors, players may pay an additional cost to advance the corresponding ship along the board. Advancing each ship grants different bonuses: the red ship grants naval strength, which is compared to all players at the end of the Age, not just neighbors; the yellow ship grants money; the blue ship grants victory points; and the green ship allows players to discover islands, which grant extra bonuses.
7 Wonders: Duel (October 2015)
7 Wonders: Duel is a two player version of 7 Wonders in which players alternate drafting from an overlapping pyramid of cards.
7 Wonders: Duel — Pantheon (October 2016)
An expansion to 7 Wonders: Duel that adds new abilities to the game via a rotating pantheon of gods. It also adds two new wonders to the game. | 15757042366207639142 | 1,057 |
Q4863565 | Barrie Thorne
Barrie Thorne (born 1942) is a Professor of Sociology and of Gender and Women's Studies at the University of California, Berkeley.Her work focuses on the sociology of gender, feminist theory, the sociology of age relations, childhood, and families, and ethnographic methods. She is perhaps best known as author of the widely read book Gender Play: Girls and Boys in School which has been cited in over 170 books and over 500 publications.In 2002, she received the American Sociological Association’s Jessie Bernard Award for lifelong achievement in opening sociology to the role of women in society.Thorne is part of the generation of academic feminists who brought attention to women and gender into traditional fields of study and who created interdisciplinary programs and departments in gender and women's studies. She also helped bring the study of children and childhoods into the field of sociology, in her own research and teaching, as an editor of Childhood: A Global Journal of Child Research, and, from 1995 to 2003, as a member of the MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Successful Pathways through Middle Childhood.
Biography
Born in Utah, Thorne attended Stanford University, receiving her bachelor's degree with Great Distinction and with Honors in Anthropology and Honors in Social Thought and Institutions in 1964. Thorne received her M.A. in Sociology in 1967 and her Ph.D. in Sociology in 1971, both from Brandeis University. She also conducted graduate work in Social Anthropology at the London School of Economics from 1964-1965.From 1971 to 1985, Thorne was a member of the Sociology faculty at Michigan State University, moving from assistant to associate to full Professor; she also helped create the MSU Women's Studies Program. During those years, she was also a Visiting Assistant Professor of Sociology at the University of California, Santa Cruz (1976–1977 and 1980–1981) and at Stanford University (1981–1982).In 1987, she moved to the University of Southern California with an appointment as the Streisand Professor in the Program for the Study of Women and Men in Society and as a Professor of Sociology. In 1995, she moved to University of California, Berkeley, to become Professor of Sociology and of Gender and Women's Studies, a position which she still holds today. She was appointed Chair of the Gender and Women's Studies Department in 2003 and, from 1998–2002, served as Director of the UC Berkeley Center for Working Families. She was elected to membership in the honorary society, Sociological Research Association, in 1993. She was also Vice President of the American Sociological Association from 1993-1994.Thorne's late husband, Peter Lyman, was a Professor at the UC Berkeley School of Information until he retired in 2006. They have two children, Dr. Andrew Thorne-Lyman, a nutrition scientist at WorldFish and Adjunct Lecturer at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Abigail Thorne-Lyman, Principal Planner at BART. They also have four grandchildren.
Teaching
Thorne is well known for her upper division undergraduate courses in the gender and women’s studies and sociology departments that focus on the division of gender and on feminist theory. She also teaches courses on the sociology of childhood, family, and the practices of ethnography. She has won awards for her teaching and mentoring, including Distinguished Faculty Mentor Award from the Graduate Assembly at the University of California, Berkeley in 2011, the Mentor of the Year Award from the Society for the Study of Symbolic Interaction in 1998, the Sociologists for Women in Society Outstanding Mentorship Award in 1993, and the University of Southern California Raubenheimer Award for Outstanding Teaching, Research, and Service to the University in 1992. | 12021300926856266038 | 803 |
Q11884822 | Novita (company)
Organization
Novita's head office is in Helsinki. The company has about 100 employees and its yearly turnover is about 25 million euros. Almost all of the staff members are interested in handicrafts and they are often knitting also during their meetings. The yarns are mainly spun in Kouvola, where the Koria factory employs about 60 persons.
Board
Novita's board of directors includes Daniela Yrjö-Koskinen (CEO), Ernst Gylfe (chairman of the board) and Denis Gylfe, Patricia Gylfe, Matti Luukkainen and Ville Tolvanen.
History
Novita was founded by Ernst Gylfe in 1928. He had previously led the largest spinning mill in Finland in Klingendahl and while working there he was dreaming of another kind of spinning mill which would produce smoother and softer yarn. In the age of 50 he went to Bradford to study a new spinning technology for worsted spun yarn and when he came back to Finland he started his own company called Helsingin Villakehräämö Oy.Enrst's son Bosse Gylfe, a textile engineer, continued his father's work. His aim was to make the production as effective as possible. In 1974 the yarn factory moved from Helsinki to Koria, Kouvola. The marketing, procurement and product design stayed at Lauttasaari factory.After Bosse the next CEO was Ernst Gylfe's grandchild Ernst Gylfe who had started his career at IBM. When his siblings wanted to sell the family business he took a big loan and bought the company for himself. The first CEO outside the family was Kalevi Luukkainen, who was hired in 2001.In 2007 the ownership of the company was moved from Ernst Gylfe to his kids Daniela Gylfe, Patricia Gylfe and Ernst Fredrik Gylfe. Daniela Yrjö-Koskinen started as the company's deputy CEO in 2008 and as a CEO in 2010. She had studied international marketing and had worked as Novita's marketing manager since 1998.In 2012 the company's net sales were 27 million euros and net income was 2.84 million.In 2016 5 percent of the revenue came from export, the biggest market area outside Finland was Sweden.In ten years Novita's net sales grew 50 per cent and in 2017 it was 23 million euros. More than 90% of net sales came from Finland and about 5% of Sweden, Norway and the Baltic countries.In the spring of 2018, Novita signed a exclusive dealership agreement with the British department store chain John Lewis. From the fall 2018 onwards the Novita yarns are sold in 30 department stores and online stores in England, Scotland and Wales.
Products
Novita has over 20 products designs and 150 different colours. It uses dyes which are hypoallergenic and biodegradable, and their yarn meet the ISO quality standard. Their wool is from the Northern Hemisphere. The oldest products are Novita Nalle and Novita 7 Veljestä which got its name from Aleksis Kivi's book called Seitsemän veljestä.
Co-operation
Novita and Rovio have made 3 crocheting books together about Angry Birds character patterns.In 2012 Novita created the biggest blanket in the world together with Tekstiiliopettajaliitto and Martat.In January 2019 Novita told about the co-operation with Finnish Moomin Characters: they started to sell Moomin yarn collection and Moomin inspired pattern bookazines. Novita had initially made Moomin yarns for babies already in the 1970s. Moomin yarns are used in entering the Asian markets, especially in Japan where Moomins are very popular.
Marketing
Novita has their own magazine called Novita which was in 2012 and 2016 it the most valued hobby magazine in Finland in brand comparison made by Markkinointi & Mainonta magazine and Taloustutkimus.In Finland Novita is seen as a pioneer in social media usage – they set up their own knitting community Knittery in 2004. In 2018 it had over 100 000 members world wide.By 2018 Novita's biggest customer group changed from ladies over 50 years to women between 25 to 35 years in just five years. This happened with help of social media About 10% of the customers are male.
Prizes
In 2013 CEO Yrjö-Koskinen was in the final of Ernst & Young's Entrepreneur of the Year competition.
Social responsibility
It is using wind power produced by EKOenergy and the heat from their dyeing process is re-used in warming the water needed in dyeing and in the finishing process is used biogas. | 8366424959610615447 | 1,021 |
Q19877798 | Sheldrake River
Geography
From its origin, the river flows south through a medium-density upscale residential neighborhood. The river then enters a culvert running partly under Fenway Golf Course, where it re-surfaces and drains into Fenway Pond. From the pond, the river flows south/southwest past the Heathcote Five Corners intersection from Scarsdale to New Rochelle, eventually ending up in Carpenter Pond. The river flows over the dam at Carpenter Pond, where it widens to an average width of 15 feet and then flows south under the Hutchinson River Parkway and along Pine Brook Boulevard for approximately 1.5 miles (2.4 km) where it enters Sheldrake Lake. The river is fed from the reservoir over a spillway into the adjacent Goodliffe Pond.A dam and spillway at the south end of Goodliffe Pond drains into a seven-foot-wide (2.1 m) channel that flows east through the Bonnie-Briar Golf Course. From Goodliffe Pond, the Sheldrake River flows through Mamaroneck Town nearly parallel to Weaver Street and south to Valley Stream Road. At this point, the Sheldrake River is joined by the east branch. The Sheldrake River flows through a series of small waterfalls to Gardens Lake (also known as the Duck Pond); Gardens Lake is circular in shape and approximately 200 feet (61 m) wide. Downstream from Gardens Lake, the river turns northeast through an industrial section of Mamaroneck Village and carried in culverts underneath the Interstate 95, joining the Mamaroneck River just south of the interstate at Columbus Park in Mamaroneck Village business district.The East Branch of the Sheldrake River originates in Scarsdale and flows south through the Bonnie-Briar Country Club to meet the east tributary at Fenimore Road. Below Fenimore Road, the east branch flows through Rockland Avenue to meet the Sheldrake River below Valley Stream Road.The Sheldrake River and east branch have been classified by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation as Class C. According to this state water quality classification, Class C watercourses should be suitable for fishing and fish propagation and discharges to these watercourses must meet standards that enable those uses. Class C watercourses also are suitable for primary and secondary contact recreation even though other factors may limit the use for that purpose. Water quality standards for Class C watercourses include limitations on fecal coliform, pH, total dissolved solids, and dissolved oxygen.
Tributaries
Two principal tributaries enter the Mamaroneck River, one from the east and one from the west. The East Branch of the Mamaroneck River is the furthest upstream tributary along the Mamaroneck River and originates in north Harrison near the intersection of Westchester Avenue and Anderson Hill Road. The West Branch originates just south of the Hutchinson River Parkway near Mamaroneck Avenue.
East Branch
The East Branch of the Mamaroneck River is 3.3 miles long. The main stem is 1.9 miles long north of its junction with the east branch. The east branch originates from a small pond in north Harrison at about 400 feet above sea level and then flows southeast 0.7 miles into Forest Lake. South of Forest Lake, it flows westerly to its confluence with the main stem. Spring Lake, also known as Croker Pond, is approximately 900 feet above the confluence of the east branch and main stem.
West Branch
The West Branch of the Mamaroneck River is the smallest of the river's two primary tributaries, draining an area of 2.3 square miles just south and southeast of downtown White Plains. The west branch originates from a wetland and pond and flows about 2.75 miles south / southwest through several storm water management basins to its confluence with the main stem near the intersection of Mamaroneck Avenue and Hutchinson River Parkway. | 4163350781791206119 | 824 |
Q888219 | Bob Roberts
Plot
Bob Roberts takes place in Pennsylvania, U.S. in 1990. It depicts a fictitious senatorial race between a conservative Republican country singer, Bob Roberts (Tim Robbins), and the incumbent Democrat, Brickley Paiste (Gore Vidal). The film is shot through the perspective of Terry Manchester (Brian Murray), a British documentary filmmaker who is following the Roberts campaign. Through his lens we see Roberts travel across the state, performing songs about drug users, lazy people and the triumph of traditional family values over the rebelliousness of the 1960s. As the campaign continues, Paiste remains in the lead until a scandal arises involving him and a young woman who was seen emerging from a car with him. Paiste claims that she was a friend of his granddaughter whom he was driving home, but he cannot shake the accusations. Throughout the campaign, reporter Bugs Raplin (Giancarlo Esposito) attempts to use the documentary being made about Roberts as a way to expose him to the public as a fraud. Raplin believes that Roberts' anti-drug charity, Broken Dove, is connected to an old Central Intelligence Agency drug trafficking scheme. As the election approaches, Roberts is asked to appear on a network's sketch comedy show. When Roberts announces that he will not be playing the song he had originally proposed, a dispute breaks out between the cast and producers of the show. This new song turns out to be nothing more than a thinly veiled campaign endorsement, and an angry staff member of the network pulls the plug mid-performance. As Roberts is leaving the studio, he is seemingly shot by a would-be assassin. Raplin, who has been causing problems for the campaign, is initially linked to the shooting, but he is later cleared when it is found that due to constrictive palsy in his right hand he physically could not have fired the gun. Following the incident, Raplin contends that Roberts was never actually shot and that the gun was fired into the ground.The campaign is boosted by public support following the assassination attempt, and Roberts wins the election with 52 percent of the vote. Although Roberts claims that his wounds have left him paralyzed from the waist down, he is seen tapping his feet at a celebration party. While Terry Manchester is interviewing Roberts' supporters outside the new Senator's hotel, a boy runs up shouting, "He's dead, he's dead, they got him!" When Manchester asks him what he is talking about, the boy shouts, "Bugs Raplin! He's dead! They got him!" A joyful celebration breaks out among Roberts' supporters, the shot changes to an image of his hotel room, and an upright walking shadow suggesting Roberts' profile passes the window before the lights go out. The film ends with a radio news report about Raplin's death at the hands of a right-wing fanatic and a shot of Manchester standing in the Jefferson Memorial, looking at the words, "I have sworn upon the altar of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man", inscribed there.
Style
The film's style is drawn from a number of real and mock documentaries, and its shots are crafted to create this effect, in many cases through the use of hand-held cameras. Not only does Roberts' character draw from 60s era iconography of Bob Dylan, it also contains scenes inspired by the 1967 documentary, Dont Look Back, made about the singer, employing a similar (although consciously constructed) cinema verité style. The film also draws from Rob Reiner's 1984 mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap which Robbins states is one of his favorite films, and directly references this during the scene in which Roberts gets lost in an auditorium attempting to find the stage before his performance. In the case of Gore Vidal's character, the majority of the lines were not scripted, and instead Vidal based his role upon his own political beliefs, and his real-life positions on many of the fictional election topics.
Reception
On Rotten Tomatoes the film has a score of 97% based on 39 reviews, with an average rating of 7.5/10. On Metacritic the film has a weighted average score of 70% based on reviews from 26 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film a grade B+ on scale of A to F.Roger Ebert praises the film "I like "Bob Roberts" - I like its audacity, its freedom to say the obvious things about how our political process has been debased - but if it had been only about campaign tactics and techniques, I would have liked it more" but says the thread about the investigative journalist doesn't work. He gives the film 3 out of 4 stars.While critics and audiences have responded to this film by connecting Roberts’ character to various political figures, such as George H. W. Bush and Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum, Robbins has said that the film related more to the political system in general than any specific politician. Much of Robbins' commentary is addressed at the role of the media in election campaigns. Some have critiqued Robbins for his approach toward political satire, stating that his references to Reagan-era politics and the rebelliousness of the 1960s are simply too anachronistic in the context of the 1990s, but others have praised it for framing political commentary as a Hollywood comedy. In 2018, Robbins said "'Bob Roberts' came true," referring to president Donald Trump. | 14933606315679386116 | 1,128 |
Q7498871 | Shirley Timm-Rudolph
Shirley Timm-Rudolph is a former politician in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. She was a city councillor from 1986 to 1992 and again from 1995 to 2002, and served on the city's Executive Policy Committee from 1997 to 1998. Timm-Rudolph ran for the House of Commons of Canada in the 1988 federal election, and for Mayor of Winnipeg in a 2004 by-election.
Early life and private career
Timm-Rudolph was raised in north-end Winnipeg, and was an interior designer before entering public life. She became a salesperson after leaving council in 1992, and established a consulting business in 2002. In 2004, she organized the charity Gold Spike Golf Tournament.
Councillor
Timm-Rudolph first ran for Winnipeg City Council in the 1983 municipal election as a New Democrat in the Springfield Heights division, and narrowly lost to Jim Ragsdill. She ran again in 1986 as an independent, and was elected in a crowded field . She ran for the Canadian House of Commons in 1988 as a Liberal, and finished second against New Democratic Party incumbent Bill Blaikie in Winnipeg—Transcona.Re-elected to a second term in 1989, Timm-Rudolph lost to fellow councillor Rick Boychuk in 1992 after redistribution forced the two incumbents to face one another. The 1992 contest was marked by extreme bitterness, with Boychuk accusing Timm-Rudolph of being in a conflict of interest situation. She was later cleared by a provincial investigation.Timm-Rudolph served on the provincial Municipal Board after her 1992 defeat. She ran for re-election in 1995, and defeated Boychuk in a rematch. During this campaign, she proposed the creation of an auxiliary police force that would take care of simple tasks and allow officers to focus on more important matters. When asked about her political ideology, she responded "dead centre". A subsequent survey of voting patterns in early 1997 found her to be one of council's most independent members, voting with or against Mayor Susan Thompson's governing coalition depending on the issue.Thompson appointed Timm-Rudolph as acting deputy mayor in November 1995, and named her to the executive policy committee (i.e. the municipal cabinet) in March 1997. She was initially the chair of the planning and services committee, and was reassigned as chair of the public works committee in November 1997. She voted against a bus fare reduction in 1998, arguing that it would lead to higher property taxes.Timm-Rudolph was expected to face a difficult re-election contest in 1998, but instead won without difficulty after Russ Wyatt, her main opponent, decided to withdraw at the last minute. After the election, she became a prominent figure in the council's unofficial opposition to new mayor Glen Murray. She served on the board of the Winnipeg Convention Centre and remained a member of the public works committee, but was no longer its chair. Timm-Rudolph also served on several national boards in this period, including those of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and the Yellowhead Highway. She was a critic of Winnipeg's restrictive anti-smoking legislation, and was one of only two councillors to vote against the 2001 operating budget.Timm-Rudolph decided not to seek re-election in 2002, saying that she found it difficult to work with Glen Murray. She indicated that she wanted to start a consulting business and write children's books. She later said that her greatest accomplishment in office was facilitating the construction of a storm water retention basin in southeast Transcona, an area often plagued by flooding.
Mayoral campaign
Timm-Rudolph was one of the first declared candidates for a 2004 mayoral by-election, which was called after Murray resigned to run for the House of Commons. She was initially considered a viable candidate, but did not establish a strong campaign organization. She finished a distant seventh against Sam Katz. | 11861513454515898554 | 860 |
Q6241237 | John J. Peck
Early life
Peck was born on January 4, 1821 in Manlius, New York. His father, John W. Peck, who had served in the War of 1812, was among the earliest and most active settlers of Onondaga County. The family home was at 312 Seneca Street, Manlius and is one of the oldest residences in Manlius village, having been built by Finley McLaren prior to 1807. Today the home is marked by a New York State Education Department historic marker commemorating it as the birthplace of Gen. John J. Peck. His mother was Phebe Peck.Peck entered the United States Military Academy at age 18 and graduated eighth from a class of 39 on July 1, 1843 along with Ulysses S. Grant and many other soon to be famous military officers. He served in the artillery as a second lieutenant and was stationed in New York until 1845.
Mexican–American War
In 1846 he was promoted second lieutenant and fought in Zachary Taylor's Army of Occupation during the battles of Palo Alto, Resaca de la Palma and Monterrey. He then joined Winfield Scott's army and landed at Vera Cruz and fought in all the battles of Scott's campaign culminating in the fall of Mexico City. He was brevetted captain for gallantry and meritorious conduct in the battles of Contreras and Churubusco and again brevetted to major for his services at the battle of Molino del Rey and received the praise of his division commander, William J. Worth. Prior to the outbreak of the Civil War he was said to have been an intimate friend of Generals Robert E. Lee, Joseph E. Johnston and P. G. T. Beauregard.Returning to the U.S. after the war he served in the quartermasters department and against the Apache Indians on the frontier. Peck resigned from the army on March 1, 1853 and became the treasurer of a railroad project from New York to Syracuse, New York. In 1856 he stood as the Democratic candidate for Congress in the Onondaga district. At the time of Peck's reenlistment and appointment as brigadier general he held the position of cashier at the Burnett Bank of Syracuse of which he was one of the founding members. Peck also served as president of the Syracuse board of education, which position he continued to hold while on active service and only resigned in 1862.
The Peninsula Campaign
The outbreak of the Civil War brought Peck back into the army. He accepted a commission as brigadier general of volunteers on August 9, 1861. He was given command of a brigade defending Chain Bridge and the Northern defenses of Washington at Tennallytown and soon after joined George B. McClellan's Army of the Potomac in Virginia. He commanded the 3rd Brigade, (55th NY, 62d NY, 93d Pa, 98th Pa & 102Pa) Couch's 1st Division, Keyes' IV Corps during the Peninsula Campaign. He served in the siege of Yorktown, and distinguished himself in the battles of Williamsburg and Fair Oaks. He was placed in command of the 2nd Division, IV Corps during the Seven Days Battles where he again distinguished himself. On July 25, 1862 he was promoted to major general of volunteers to rank from July 4, 1862 for his services in the Battle of Malvern Hill.
Suffolk
When McClellan's forces began evacuating the peninsula, Peck was left in command of a Union garrison stationed at Yorktown. In September he was given command of all Union troops in Virginia south of the James River. In 1863 during James Longstreet's Tidewater Campaign the attention of both armies in southern Virginia turned to the city of Suffolk. Suffolk guarded the western land approaches to the naval yards at Portsmouth and Norfolk which were in Union control. Peck took command of a force designated the Suffolk Detachment, VII Corps. Peck and his staff maintained Union Army staff headquarters at the Riddick House. This force would eventually amount to three divisions commanded by Michael Corcoran, George W. Getty and George H. Gordon. Peck received a captured message informing him of the Confederate intentions against Suffolk with enough time to take appropriate measures. Longstreet's besiegers gained some initial advantages during the siege of Suffolk at the battle of Norfleet House cutting off the Union supply route. Yet Peck mounted a counter offensive and retook the lost positions in the battle of Hill's Point. The Confederates lifted the siege, and Longstreet's corps returned to northern Virginia for the upcoming Gettysburg campaign. Peck received the praise of his superior, General John A. Dix for his competent defense of Suffolk.In the summer following the siege of Suffolk, Peck was transferred to command the District of North Carolina where he was involved in little action. Due to health reasons he went on sick leave. At the request of General Dix, he returned to command the Canadian frontier for the remainder of the war. His Chief of Staff was Colonel John Watts de Peyster Jr., son of a prominent New York family.
Post-war career
After the close of the war, Peck returned to Syracuse where he became president of the New York State Life Insurance Company. His health deteriorating, he died on April 21, 1878, at his home in Syracuse. | 15816561632767129592 | 1,140 |
Q2446211 | Christmas Eve (opera)
Performance history
The premiere took place on 10 December 1895 in St. Petersburg.The British premiere was in 1988 in London, at the English National Opera; it was conducted by Albert Rosen.
Act 1
The widow Solokha agrees to help the Devil steal the moon. The Devil is annoyed with Solokha's son Vakula, who painted an icon mocking him. The Devil decides to create a snowstorm to prevent Vakula from seeing his beloved Oksana. While the storm rages, Solokha rides up to the sky and steals the moon, while the Deacon and Oksana's father, Chub, are unable to find their way.Tableau 2: Interior of Chub's houseOksana is alone and lonely at home. She passes through several moods and the music follows her with gradually accelerating tempos. At one point, Vakula enters and watches her admiring herself. She teases him, and he says he loves her, but she replies that she will only marry him if he brings her a pair of the Empress's slippers. Chub comes back out of the storm, and Vakula, not recognizing him and taking him for a rival, chases him out by striking him. Seeing what he has done, Oksana sends Vakula away in a miserable state. Young people from the village come around singing Ukrainian Christmas carols. Oksana realizes she still loves Vakula.
Act 2
The Devil is just getting cosy at Solokha's hut when in succession the mayor, the priest and Chub arrive to seduce her each hiding in a sack when the next arrives. Vakula hauls the four heavy sacks to his smithy.Tableau 4: Vakula's smithyVakula puts down his sacks. Young men and women, including Oksana, gather singing Kolyadki and having fun. Vakula, however, is bored and dejected. Oksana taunts Vakula one last time about the Tsaritsa's slippers. Vakula gives his farewell to the lads and to Oksana, exclaiming that he will perhaps meet them in another world. He leaves the sacks - from which the four men emerge.
Act 3
Patsyuk makes magic vareniki jump into his mouth. Vakula has come to request assistance from him. Patsyuk advises him that in order to obtain the help of the devil, he must go to the devil. Vakula puts down his sack, and the devil jumps out and tries to get his soul in exchange for Oksana. Vakula, however, grabs him by his neck, and climbs on his back. He forces the devil to fly him to St. Petersburg.Tableau 6: Space. Moon and starsWe witness the charming "Games and Dances of the Stars". This is followed by the "Diabolical Kolyadka" in which Patsyuk, riding a mortar, and Solokha, on her broom, attempt to stop Vakula. He succeeds, however, in getting through, and the lights of St. Petersburg become visible through the clouds.Tableau 7: A palace. A sumptuous room, brightly litThe Devil puts down Vakula in the tsaritsa's court and disappears into the fireplace. Vakula joins a group of Zaporozhian Cossacks who are petitioning the tsaritsa. A chorus sings the tsaritsa's praises in a magnificent polonaise. The tsaritsa addresses the Cossacks. Vakula requests the tsaritsa's boots to the music of a minuet, and his wish is granted because of its unusual and amusing nature. The Devil takes Vakula away as Russian and Cossack dances commence.Tableau 8: Space. NightVakula returns home on the devil's back. We witness the procession of Kolyada (young girl in a carriage) and Ovsen (boy on a boar's back). On approaching Dikanka, we hear church bells and a choir.
Act 4
Oksana listens to some women exchanging gossip about Vakula, who is believed to have committed suicide. Alone, Oksana sings an aria expressing her regret that she had treated Vakula harshly, and wishing for his return. He appears with the boots, followed by Chub. Vakula asks Chub for Oksana's hand in marriage and Chub assents. Vakula and Oksana sing a duet. Other characters enter and ask Vakula about his disappearance.Epilogue: In memory of GogolVakula announces that he will relate his story to the beekeeper Panko the Gingerhead (i.e., Gogol), who will write a story of Christmas Eve. There is general rejoicing. | 338215263844836751 | 1,006 |
Q7699294 | Ten Pound Poms
Assisted Passage Migration Scheme
The Assisted Passage Migration Scheme was created in 1945 by the Chifley Government and its first Minister for Immigration, Arthur Calwell, as part of the "Populate or Perish" policy. It was intended to substantially increase the population of Australia and to supply workers for the country's booming industries. In return for subsidising the cost of travelling to Australia—adult migrants were charged only ten pounds sterling for the fare (hence the name; in 1945 pounds, equivalent to £424 in 2018), and migrant scheme children travelled free of charge—the Government promised employment prospects, affordable housing and a generally more optimistic lifestyle. Upon arrival, migrants were placed in basic migration hostels and the expected job opportunities were not always readily available. It was a follow-on to the unofficial Big Brother Movement and attracted over one million migrants from the British Isles between 1945 and 1972, representing the last substantial scheme for preferential migration from the British Isles to Australia. In 1957, more migrants were encouraged to travel following a campaign called "Bring out a Briton". Coming to an end in 1982, the scheme reached its peak in 1969; during this year over 80,000 migrants took advantage of the scheme. The cost to migrants of the assisted passage was increased to £75 in 1973 (equivalent to £891 in 2018).While the term "Ten Pound Pom" is in common use, the scheme was not limited to migrants from the United Kingdom. Persons born in the Irish Free State or in the southern counties of Ireland prior to the establishment of the Republic of Ireland in 1949 were also classified as British subjects. In fact most British subjects were eligible and, at the time, that included not only those from the British Isles but also residents of British colonies such as Malta and Cyprus. Australia also operated schemes to assist selected migrants from other countries, notably the Netherlands (1951), Italy (1951), Greece (1952), West Germany (1952) and Turkey (1967).Assisted migrants were generally obliged to remain in Australia for two years after arrival, or alternatively refund the cost of their assisted passage. If they chose to travel back to Britain, the cost of the journey was at least £120 (in 1945 pounds, equivalent to £5,087 in 2018), a large sum in those days and one that most could not afford. It was also possible for many British people to migrate to Australia on a non-assisted basis before the early 1970s, although most travelled as Ten Pounders. This was part of the wider White Australia policy. An estimated quarter of those British migrants returned to the UK within the qualifying period, however, half of these—the so-called "Boomerang Poms"—returned to Australia.Before 1 December 1973, migrants to Australia from Commonwealth countries were eligible to apply for Australian citizenship after one year's residence in Australia. In 1973 the residence requirement was extended to three years, then reduced to two years in November 1984. However, relatively few British migrants—compared to other post-war arrivals, such as Italians, Greeks and Turks—took up Australian citizenship. Consequently, many may have lost their Australian residency status later on, usually through leaving Australia.
New Zealand scheme
The Government of New Zealand initiated a similar immigration scheme in July 1947. The first immigrants arrived on the RMS Rangitata later that year. The scheme was administered by the Department of Labour under the guidance of Bert Bockett, and was expanded to include the Netherlands in 1950. The Dutch immigration scheme finished in 1963, with just over 6,000 immigrants to New Zealand; with Bockett receiving the Olivier van Noort medallion from the Dutch government in the following year. The British immigration scheme lasted until 1971, with 76,673 immigrants. From 1957 to 1971, the scheme applied to further European countries, with a total of 1,442 immigrants.
Well-known participants
Prime Minister Julia Gillard migrated with her family from Barry, Glamorgan, Wales in 1966. Her parents hoped the warmer climate would help cure her lung infection.Another Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, migrated in 1960 under the scheme, although his father had already lived in Australia after arriving at the beginning of the Second World War on a Blue Funnel Liner, and his mother was an Australian expatriate living in Britain at the time of his birth. England fast bowlers Harold Larwood (in 1950) and Frank Tyson (in 1960) also took advantage of the scheme when they retired from cricket.The Bee Gees (Gibb brothers) spent their first few years in Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester, England, then moved in the late 1950s to Redcliffe in Queensland, where they began their musical careers.The five original members of the Easybeats migrated independently to meet in Sydney and take Australia by storm with 'Easyfever'. Lead singer Stevie Wright migrated from Leeds, England. Meanwhile, Harry Vanda migrated from the Hague, Netherlands and George Young migrated from Glasgow, Scotland to become the twin guitars and later the songwriting team that took the Easybeats to the world with "Friday on My Mind". George's younger brothers Malcolm Young and Angus Young formed the twin guitars of AC/DC, with another immigrated Scotsman Bon Scott who, after his death, was replaced by UK transplant Brian Johnson (not an assisted passage participant). Malcolm (after being diagnosed with a severe memory loss disorder) was replaced by nephew Stevie Young, who had travelled on the same flight to Australia in 1963 as his uncles George, Malcolm and Angus.Grace McNeil (née Greenwood) and Christopher John Jackman, a Cambridge-trained accountant, migrated to Australia in 1967 where their son, Hugh Jackman, was born in Sydney, New South Wales.Businessman Alan Bond moved to Australia with his family in 1950.Rugby League Player and actor Ian Roberts moved to Sydney with his family in 1967. According to Roberts, he "was brought up in an English household and Australia existed outside the front door.” Actor Nicholas Hope, best known for his role in the 1994 film Bad Boy Bubby, was born in Manchester on Christmas Day 1958 and migrated to Whyalla shortly after. | 49387343555011532 | 1,325 |
Q1080993 | Love to Love You Baby (album)
History
In the summer of 1974, Summer approached producers Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte with an idea for a song. A re-issued 45 of "Je t'aime... moi non plus" by Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg was back on the charts, prompting Summer to pen her own 'racy' song. She had come up with the lyric "love to love you, baby" as the possible title for the song. Moroder in particular was interested in developing the new disco sound that was becoming increasingly popular, and used Summer's idea to develop the song into an overtly sexual disco track. The original three-minute single was released several times before it had any success – and later edited versions of the re-recorded much longer track were the versions which became a major international hit, almost a year later. He had the idea that she should moan and groan orgasmically, but Summer was initially reticent. Eventually she agreed to record the song as a demo for other singers to hear and possibly record and release. She stated she was not completely sure of some of the lyrics, and parts of the song were improvised while recording. She stated on a VH1's Behind the Music program that she pictured herself as Marilyn Monroe acting out the part of someone in sexual ecstasy. Moroder liked Summer's recording and insisted it should actually be released. Summer reluctantly agreed and the song, titled "Love to Love You", was released to modest success in Europe.The song, however, still did not have a US release after modest success in Europe. Moroder took it to Casablanca Records and label president Neil Bogart eventually decided to release it, but requested Moroder produce a version near twenty minutes. Summer, Moroder, and producer Pete Bellotte returned with a seventeen-minute version. Casablanca signed Summer and issued the single in November 1975 as "Love to Love You Baby". Casablanca distributed Summer's work in the US while other labels distributed it in different nations during this period."Love to Love You Baby" was Summer's first single and first hit in America, reaching #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in early 1976. It also became her first number-one Hot Dance Club Play Chart hit. The album (side one of which was completely taken up with the full-length version of the title track) was also released in late 1975 and was soon certified gold for sales of over 500,000 copies in the US. The song was branded "graphic" by some music critics and was even banned by some radio stations for its explicit content. Time later reported that a record twenty-two orgasms were simulated by Summer in the making of the song. In some areas of the music press, Summer would later begin to be dubbed 'The First Lady of Love'. The album made the Top 20 in both the US and the UK.The other songs on the album had a more soul/R&B feel to them. Side two consisted of four more original songs, plus a reprise of one of them. Two of the songs, "Full of Emptiness" (which was taken from her previous album Lady of the Night) and "Whispering Waves" were ballads, while "Need-a-Man Blues" was in a slightly more pop/disco vein, and "Pandora's Box" was more mid-tempo.The track listing for side B differs in some European nations. In the Netherlands the album was released with the single "Virgin Mary" replacing the first version of "Full of Emptiness". On some releases in Germany, "Whispering Waves" and both versions of "Full of Emptiness" were removed. They were replaced by "Lady of the Night" and "The Hostage", both taken from the Lady of the Night album. In France, "The Hostage" was added as a bonus track at the end of side B. It appears that neither "The Hostage", "Lady of the Night", or "Virgin Mary" appear on any CD releases of the album. | 5714258111322655979 | 847 |
Q16203275 | Benjamin Hafner
Benjamin (Ben) Hafner (March 24, 1821 – 1899) known as "The Flying Dutchman" and "Uncle Ben," was an American locomotive engineer, who worked for the Erie Railway, and at the end of his life known as the oldest engineer in point of service in the United States.
Biography
Benjamin Hafner, who departed this life in the spring of 1899, was at that time the oldest engineer - in point of service - in the United States. "Uncle Ben," as he was affectionately and familiarly known on the Erie, was born in Baden, Germany, on March 24, 1821, and came to the United States with his parents in 1832. His father was Valentine Hafner, one of Napoleon's soldiers, serving as a first lieutenant, and was in the march to Moscow.Mr. Hafner began railroading as a fireman in 1839, and in 1840 commenced running as engineer on the old slab-rail road between Baltimore and Cumberland, Maryland. He came to the Erie in 1848, and was one of the pioneer engineers running between Piermont and Port Jervis. Later he ran on the Illinois Central, and in 1857 made a business trip to Europe. On his return he re-entered the employ of the Erie and continued in active service until March, 1892, when he quit running, and was given the position of depot master at Port Jervis, in which capacity he acted until his death.He was married February 14, 1858, to Miss Mary Catherine Goetz of Baltimore, and eleven children were born to them, five of whom are living. Mr. Hafner was an honored member of the B. of L. E., and stood high in the esteem of the Erie's officials, while every railroad man on the two divisions had a tender regard for the aged engineer, who was one of the best in his day.
The 1854 strike at Erie
In a way Hafner triggered the 1854 strike at the Erie Railroad. It all started early in 1854, when Daniel McCallum then superintendent of the Susquehanna division, had drafted a renewed code of rules regulating the running of trains, which he submitted to the Directors of the Company. They were pleased with it, and officially adopted it as supplementary to the existing rules. Charles Minot was then the general superintendent. The McCallum rules were adopted March 6, 1854, and Minot was directed to put them in force. He did not approve of some of them. He refused to promulgate the new code, and resigned.McCallum took charge as general superintendent May 1, 1854, and his new rules were at once put in force. Trouble was not long in following. The engineers objected to the new order of things, particularly to Rule 6 of the McCallum code, which declared that every engineer would be held responsible for running off a switch at a station where he stopped, whether he should run off before or after receiving a signal to go forward from a switchman or any other person. The engineer, under this rule, was expected to see for himself whether the switch was right or not, and take no person's authority for the same at stations where trains stopped. The engineer, however, had a right to run past stations where he did not stop at a rate he was willing to hazard on his own account, the Company reserving the right to decide whether such running was reckless or not. " The road must be run safe first and fast afterward," the management declared.The engineers also protested against the alleged " posting rule " of the Company, under which notices of dismissal of engineers was at once posted with other railroad companies to the injury of the men. An abrogation of the distasteful rules was requested, June 15, by a committee, consisting of John Donohue, William Schrier, and John C. Meginnes. Superintendent McCallum's explanation and reply not being satisfactory, the engineers struck on June 17 - the first strike in the history of the railroad. This strike on the Erie was settled after ten days' paralysis of the business of the railroad, and a loss of many thousands of dollars to the Company.The engineer over whose case the strike resulted was Benjamin Hafner of the Eastern Division. On the evening of June 10 ran off a switch at Turner's. He was dismissed. After he was dismissed Hafner was sent for by Superintendent McCallum to talk about the incident. Hafner refused to go unless he was reinstated first. McCallum declined to reinstate him without a consultation. The matter was taken up by all the leading engineers on the Delaware and Eastern divisions, with the above result. | 9068384335059576095 | 1,008 |
Q50819363 | Neomanila
Plot
In modern Manila amid the war on drugs, street orphan Toto (Timothy Castillo) raises money in an effort to bail out his imprisoned brother Kiko, who is terrified that the gang involved in an illegal drug trade he is running might be plotting to kill him. When Toto finds out that, indeed, he and his brother have become targets of assassination by local gangsters as well as corrupt officers, he is rescued by Irma (Eula Valdez), a professional hitwoman who introduces herself as a friend of his dead mother, with whom she spent time as a hawker of counterfeit goods. Irma's assignments are set up by a corrupt police officer named "Sarge". Although occupied with another assignment, Irma offers Toto refuge and she trains him to become an assassin; Toto, then, comes to see Irma as a surrogate mother.
Production
Neomanila was the third feature film of writer-director Mikhail Red, the first two being Rekorder (2013) and Birdshot (2016). According to Red, he had the idea for Neomanila after watching an interview conducted by the BBC, which had gone viral, of a married couple who both worked as hitmen at night. He added that his research mainly involved visiting Manila Police District precincts and recording violent events late at night: "We would hang around near the police station—Nightcrawler level. We would go to the actual crime scenes, and I recorded a lot on my phone." Principal photography on the film began August 2017 and lasted 11 days, which is a relatively short schedule compared to the two-year period Red spent completing Birdshot. Although Red believes that shooting for two years is optimal for a production schedule, he elected releasing Neomanila immediately that year because he felt that extrajudicial killings (EJK), especially during the Philippine Drug War, were a "very relevant" subject tackled in the film, and shooting in that period would eliminate its significance. The film was photographed by Birdshot cinematographer Mycko David, whom Red compared favorably to Roger Deakins. Aesthetically, Red shot the film with the Arri Alexa utilizing the cinéma vérité technique, emphasizing mostly hand-held camera movements. He prefers that his films deliver a "strong social commentary" by using genre, explaining that "It's a better way of reaching more people and getting your message across". Red insists that Neomanila is devoid of any political statement, and he believes that whether the characters' decisions are "moral" is best left for audiences to contemplate:I guess what makes it different from most EJK-themed films—and there's a lot being done now—is the perspective. It's basically about people caught in the middle of the drug war, literally, because they're the middlemen. They're morally ambiguous. I'm always interested in that, where you have very likable criminals, going up against corrupt cops. It's very gray. You don’t know: Who’s good? Who’s bad? Is this justified? I wouldn't say it's political because even the characters themselves, they're unaware, oblivious to the politics of it. They don't talk about the politics of the whole situation. They just do it for the money. It's like a lens, looking at the whole situation, and it keeps throwing questions at the audience. It's up to you to decide: is this moral? It's up to you to question yourself.
Release and reception
Neomanila premiered at the 2017 Quezon City International Film Festival from October 20–28, and had a Philippine wide release on March 13, 2019. The review-aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a score of 100 percent (based on five reviews) and a weighted average of 8 out of 10. Clarence Tsui for The Hollywood Reporter called the film a "slick thriller", extending praise to Eula Valdez's against-type role and Tim Castillo's "nuanced performance". Wanggo Gallaga of InterAksyon.com wrote, "It's a powerful film that doesn't pull its punches". | 10590542082779508279 | 846 |
Q2718231 | Kári Árnason
Early years
Born in Gothenburg, Kári began his career as a youngster in 1999 with Víkingur at his home town of Reykjavik, where he spent the first five years in his career. Arnason also played for the Gonzaga University Bulldogs in Spokane, Washington from 2002 to 2003. He brought a different style of football to Spokane, the likes of which Bulldog legends Steve Owens and Trevor Conrad had never seen. During a candid interview with Gonzaga Bulletin reporter Ryan McAteer he did admit "Americans though, are in much better shape and can run forever." He also played one season for Adelphi University in 2004. After putting together a string of impressive performances in midfield with Víkingur at an early age in the 2004 season, Kári was signed by Swedish Allsvenskan club Djurgårdens IF in 2004, where he won the Swedish league and cup double in 2005. He was signed by Danish club AGF Aarhus in 2007 and spent two years with the club, along with a spell on loan at fellow Superliga club Esbjerg fB.
Plymouth Argyle
Kári had a trial at English Football League Championship side Plymouth Argyle in the summer of 2009, and after impressing in a couple of friendly matches he signed a one-year contract with the club. He made his debut in August 2009 against Derby County and established himself as a first-team regular at the heart of the club's defence. He scored his first goal for the club against Reading on 28 December 2009 at Home Park, to become the 500th player to score a league goal since the club became professional in 1903. Kári signed a two-year contract extension in January 2010, after a string of consistent performances, to keep him at the club until the summer of 2012.
Aberdeen
Kári joined Heart of Midlothian on trial during their pre-season trip to Italy in June 2011, having been released by Plymouth's administrator after refusing to defer his wages for June. He was not offered a contract by Hearts and then began a trial with fellow Scottish Premier League club Aberdeen. He signed for Aberdeen on 18 July and received international clearance four days later. He made his debut in a 0–0 draw against St Johnstone on 23 July and scored his first goal for Aberdeen on 15 October, the opener in a 3–1 win against Dundee United. In the return New Firm fixture on 2 January 2012, Árnason scored the winning goal from 35-yards at Tannadice. He was offered a new contract in December to extend his stay with the club beyond the 2011–12 season.His goal against Rangers in a 1–1 draw at Ibrox Stadium took his tally for the campaign to three. Kári rejected Aberdeen's offer of a new contract towards the end of January and manager Craig Brown said that he expected him to leave in the summer. "We made Kári an exceptionally good offer. However, the player believes he can earn a better deal elsewhere," said an Aberdeen spokesperson.
Rotherham United
Kári Árnason joined Rotherham United in June 2012. He played over 100 games for the club, where he earned back-to-back promotions from League Two to the Championship. He played the majority of the games in defense, the others in midfield.
Malmö FF
On 29 June 2015, Kári returned to his country of birth, signing a two-and-a-half-year contract with Malmö FF. Malmö FF sold their two starting centre-backs in the same transfer window, and he formed a new centre-back pairing with Rasmus Bengtsson. The team continued to struggle in their league campaign, but qualified for the 2015–16 UEFA Champions League group stage. In a team with many newly signed players, Kári had quickly become a leader and was appointed vice-captain by Åge Hareide. The team was able to get back to its winning ways during the 2016 season. With captain Markus Rosenberg injured, Kári wore the armband during the final title run and led the team to secure the Allsvenskan title with two games to play.
AC Omonia
On 30 January 2017, Kári joined AC Omonia. He had 8 appearances with the club. He was given a transfer to Aberdeen after expressing his wish for the transfer and an agreement based on the demands of Omonia Nicosia.
Return to Aberdeen
On 14 July 2017, Kári rejoined Aberdeen, for whom he had played in the 2011–12 season. He was released by Aberdeen in May 2018, at the end of his contract.
Gençlerbirliği
On 24 July 2018 Kári agreed terms with Turkish First League side Gençlerbirliği, signing a one-year deal.
Return to Vikingur
At the end of his contract at Gençlerbirliği, Kári rejoined the club he played for as a youth, Víkingur, signing a two-year deal until the end of the 2020 season.
International career
Kári Árnason was called up to the senior Iceland squad in March 2005 for the game against Croatia and he made his debut four days later against Italy. He scored his first goal for his country seven months later in October 2005 against Sweden at Råsunda.He was selected by Lars Lagerbäck for UEFA Euro 2016 where Iceland made their first ever appearance in a major tournament. In the first game he marked Cristiano Ronaldo out of the game in their draw with Portugal, the team that eventually won the entire tournament. In their last group stage game Iceland were able to beat Austria to advance to the knock-out stages, and he notched an assist and was selected as man of the match. He once again assisted a goal in Iceland's upset victory over England in the round of 16.In May 2018 he was named in Iceland’s 23 man squad for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. | 7795824197262743811 | 1,300 |
Q324118 | Dave Hunt (Christian apologist)
Early life
David Charles Haddon Hunt was born on September 30, 1926, in Riverside, California, to Lillie and Albert Hunt. He was raised in a Christian family, with two other siblings. As a young man, he also spent time in the military, at the end of World War II. He was an alumnus of UCLA. From June 24, 1950, until his death, Hunt was married to his college sweetheart, Ruth Klaussen (1926–2013), who together raised four children: David Jr., Janna, Karen and Jon. He worked as a CPA before his entry into full-time ministry.
Positions
Hunt believed occult or pagan influences are pervasive in modern culture - this includes evolution, as well as all forms of psychology, some forms of entertainment, yoga, and some forms of medicine. His book Occult Invasion is dedicated to this area, while several other books mention it in part.
Creationism
Hunt was a strict Biblical Creationist - refutations of evolution and theistic evolution were a frequent topic of his radio programs, Search the Scriptures Daily and According to God's Word....I think you’ve got to be very stubborn to reject God and to say evolution—it all happened by chance. No rational person could support that thesis. And I would challenge anybody....—you know the more they get down—when we discovered electron microscopes and we got down to the molecular level of life, we found that it was far more complex than Darwin realized.
Calvinism
Hunt addressed Calvinism in a book called What Love is This? Calvinism's Misrepresentation of God, published in 2002 and revised in 2004 and 2006. He sought to refute many alleged misconceptions of Calvinism without taking an Arminian stance. He outlined a theological middle ground between Calvinism and Arminianism, where, according to Hunt, one can believe in eternal security but reject Calvinistic teaching. Also published in 2004 was Debating Calvinism: Five Points, Two Views, co-written in a point-counterpoint debate format by Hunt and Calvinist apologist James White.
Catholicism
In A Woman Rides the Beast, he identified the Roman Catholic Church as the Whore of Babylon from the prophecies in chapters 17 and 18 of the Book of Revelation.
Mormonism
The book The Godmakers (1984), which Dave Hunt co-wrote with Ed Decker, and the accompanying film The God Makers (1982) by Jeremiah Films were an exposé of Mormonism, highlighting the Mormon belief that Jesus is the spirit brother of Lucifer and many other disturbing facts. The book and film have been criticized not only by Mormons themselves as inaccurate portrayals of their religion but also as inaccurate by other non-Mormon groups that are critical of Mormonism.
Prophecy
Dave Hunt regularly spoke on Bible prophecy, including his book A Cup of Trembling which warned against the then-current peace process.
Other
In 1973 he wrote the screenplay for Time to Run, a Christian film produced for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (Hunt later criticized Graham's ministry for its open ecumenism).The Seduction of Christianity (co-written with Tom A. McMahon), which categorized Word of Faith teachings, meditation, and psychology-based counseling as New Age heresies, generated much debate in the 1980s. Responses from meditation proponents and from Calvinist re-constructionist writers include Seduction?? A Biblical Response and The Reduction of Christianity. Hunt has written a rejoinder to the latter critics in his Whatever Happened to Heaven?Hunt wrote about Y2K with the intent of refuting the fearful predictions being made by other Christian fundamentalist writers (Y2K: A Reasoned Response To Mass Hysteria).In his final book, "Cosmos, Creator and Human Destiny", Hunt supported the Creationist viewpoint and alleged that there were deficiencies in both the Big Bang theory and the theory of evolution. | 15864870154367477797 | 829 |
Q6310791 | Jumani Johansson
Jim Jumani Johansson (legally Jim Jumani Immanuel Masauko Kamuzu Banda) (2 May 1973 – 26 January 2019) was a Malawian-Swedish man who claimed to be the son of the late Malawian President Hastings Kamuzu Banda (1898-1997). He changed his name to Jim Jumani Immanuel Masauko Kamuzu Banda. Johansson says that it was after Banda died in 1997 that 'some government officials' told him about who his father really was. Officially, Banda died childless and unmarried. His claim and resemblance to the former dictator opened up many unanswered questions about the legacy of Banda. Johansson became a celebrity overnight in Malawi owing to his uncanny resemblance to the former president and his measures to seek legal means of proving his identity. Malawians were divided on whether he was the true heir but the public demanded a right to know as well. Focus Gwede, the head of Banda's Special Branch of Secret Police Services, came out in support of Johansson, claiming in 2010 that Banda had fathered three children.
Muhammad Jogee
Johansson's adoptive mother, Miriam Kaunda, claims that Jumani's father is Muhammad Jogee, an Indian-Malawian living outside of Malawi. Jogee, or proof of his existence, however, cannot be located. Banda's family also claim that Jogee is the real father.
Kamuzu Banda
Johansson went to the cabinet to have his name changed officially to Jim Jumani Immanuel Masauko Kamuzu Banda and this was legally granted by the courts, who stated that he had the right to call himself any name he wanted in spite of attempts to block this move by the Banda family.
Preliminary DNA testing
Kamuzu’s DNA was secretly taken from the College of Medicine for the purpose of preliminary tests with the help of an unnamed Malawian doctor. Preliminary DNA tests conducted in a private lab in South Africa show that Jim Jumani Johansson was the biological son of Kamuzu Banda. Jumani was still seeking official DNA testing with permission of the Banda estate to prove or disprove his paternity, up until his death.
Maternity claims
Banda was not known to be in any relationships that resulted in heirs, but there is evidence of affairs which have mainly been kept confidential.
Cecilia Kadzamira
The official hostess was Cecilia Kadzamira, but it is believed it was not a sexual relationship by Malawian historians like John Lwanda.According to Lwanda, Kadzamira cannot be the mother.
Merene French
There is also the relationship with a married British confidant, Merene French, with whom Banda had an affair.
Miriam Kaunda
Miriam Kaunda raised Johansson, but Jumani insisted that she was not his mother, notably due to her refusal to take a DNA test for maternity. Kaunda continues to insist that Banda was not Johannson's father.
Court case
Although Johansson was seeking a high court to order DNA testing, Banda’s family denied the use of DNA samples to prove or disprove the claim. Banda’s family was skeptical about his claims because of the property claims that his heritage would mean. A grand-niece of Dr. Banda, Jane Dzanjalimodzi, noted that “many people will come out of the woodwork to make claims because they know Banda’s vast estate is about to be distributed”. In tense court battles, they have attempted to block Johansson from legally changing his name to Kamuzu Banda, and from visiting the family estates. The family also claims that Johansson was a Swede and not a Malawian citizen and could not make any claims in Malawian courts without paying court costs.Jumani, however, wanted court-supervised DNA testing where both himself and family representatives were present. Lawyers from the Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) were hired to assist late Jumani in his claims.
Presidential threats and arrest
Johansson was arrested for asking a presidential guard (at the private residence of the president, Kamazu Palace) why he was protecting a ‘stupid’ president (Bingu wa Mutharika) who ‘killed people’ and for then adding that he could ‘kill Mutharika’ himself which was seen as a threat against the president. He was defended by Zeros Matumba in first grade magistrate Richard Gomani’s court. He was granted bail against the wishes of the police, and his hearing was adjourned until September 21, 2011.
Deportation from Malawi
On September 27, 2011, immigration authorities took Johansson in for overstaying his allotted time in the country and started processing his deportation. According to The Nation which broke the Jumani story, he acquired a Swedish passport after his adoption by his step-father, Matt Johansson.Johansson was deported on September 28, 2011, for overstaying his visit in Malawi. He had a Malawian passport and had applied for reinstatement of his Malawian citizenship His lawyer, Zeros Matumba, had been trying to fight his deportation.
Death
On January 26, 2019 it was reported that Jumani had died. There is considerable suspicion as to the cause of his death. He was 45. | 5772331821851869015 | 1,159 |
Q729819 | Eimsheim
Location
The municipality lies in Rhenish Hesse.
Land use
The municipality's area is 451 ha, of which some 100 ha is given over to vineyards.
History
Finds unearthed from the Bronze Age suggest that there were settlers in the time between 1800 and 1000 BC. The remains of a column capital from a Jupiter temple have also been found.About 500, the Franks settled here; the placename Uminisheim goes back to the tribal elder Umin. Eimsheim, at the time belonging to the Wormsgau (a county), had its first documentary mention in 762 in a donation document in which Egilolf transferred a vineyard in the Huminsheimer Marca to the Lorsch Abbey.In the early 11th century Eimsheim belonged to the Bishopric of Worms, which later ceded it to the “Weidas” Cistercian convent near Dautenheim. In 1485, half of the village was handed over to the Elector Palatine Philipp “the Gallant”, while the other half only passed to the Electorate of the Palatinate in 1551 under Philipp's son Friedrich “the Wise”.In 1780 the new Catholic church was completed. Shortly thereafter, Eimsheim fell under French administration. Eimsheim citizens, too, fought in the Napoleonic Wars. As a memorial to this time, the so-called Napoleonstein was put up at the old graveyard in 1852 in memory of the veterans.In a phase of great building activity between 1890 and 1906 arose, among other things, the Old School, the New School, the Town Hall and the Evangelical church. The population had reached some 600 by this time.In 1982, Eimsheim won first prize in the contest Unser Dorf soll schöner werden (“Our Village Should Be Lovelier”).
Religion
There are two churches, St. Pirmin for the Catholic community and Christ the Redeemer for the Evangelical community.
Ortsbürgermeister
The Ortsbürgermeister – Mayor of the Ortsgemeinde – is Hans-Joachim Eller (SPD).The 2004 municipal election was run on the majority vote principle, without lists; each councillor was directly elected.
Coat of arms
The municipality's arms might be described thus: Per fess sable a demi-lion rampant Or armed, langued and crowned gules, and azure from base issuant a spring basin of the second masoned of the first from which a stream of water argent surmounting a crozier of the second bendwise sinister.Eimsheim belonged from 1565 until Napoleonic times to the Electorate of the Palatinate, explaining the Palatine Lion in the upper part of the escutcheon. The Catholic Church is consecrated to Saint Pirmin, who therefore appeared in a court seal known from 1546. Another court seal with the same composition comes from 1769. In both seals, the saint's full figure is shown, and he is clothed as a bishop with a mitre and a crozier. Beside the saint is a small spring basin on the ground with a stream of water coming forth from it. This motif recalls that Saint Pirmin, according to legend, made a spring come forth with a blow from his bishop's crozier. The spring's water was said to have healed eye complaints and rheumatic illnesses. The spring itself water was said to have been on Reichenau Island in Lake Constance, where Pirmin founded his well-known monastery – and indeed where he got rid of all the venomous snakes. The saint, who died in Hornbach near Zweibrücken – his last place of work – was one of Southwest Germany's most important missionaries. In the Middle Rhine area he seldom appears as a church's patron saint, and that he is such a thing for a church in Eimsheim can be explained by the municipality's former allegiance to the Palatinate, where his name often cropped up. Furthermore, to this day, springs can still be found in Eimsheim giving forth water from slopes, and they are also to be seen on many farms. As late as 1906, the municipality got its water supply from ten municipally owned springs. | 16800883301597761454 | 900 |
Q561213 | Xavier Bettel
Early life
Bettel was born on 3 March 1973 in Luxembourg City. His father, Claude Bettel, was a wine merchant and his mother, Aniela, is French of Russian descent and a grandniece of the composer Sergei Rachmaninoff. After completing his secondary school studies at the Lycée Hélène Boucher in Thionville, Bettel obtained a master's degree in Public and European Law and a DEA in Political Science and Public Law from Nancy 2 University in Nancy, France. He also studied maritime law as well as canon law at Aristotle University in Thessaloniki, Greece. He participated in the Erasmus Programme. For four years in the early 2000s he hosted Sonndes em 8, a weekly talkshow, on the now-defunct private T.TV television network. In 2017, he also received an Honorary doctorate from Sacred Heart University Luxembourg
Municipal politics
In the 1999 communal elections, Bettel was elected to Luxembourg City's communal council, finishing sixth on the DP's list. On 12 July 2001, he qualified as a lawyer. By the time of the 2004 legislative election, Bettel had significantly consolidated his position, and finished fourth (of the five DP members elected), giving him a seat in the Chamber of Deputies. On 28 November 2005, after the communal elections in which he was placed fourth on the DP list, Bettel was appointed échevin in the Council of Luxembourg City.Following municipal elections on 9 October 2011, at the young age of 38, Bettel was sworn in as Mayor of Luxembourg on 24 November 2011.
National politics
Bettel ran for the Chamber of Deputies in the 1999 legislative election, and finished 10th amongst DP candidates in the Centre constituency, with the top seven being elected. However, the DP overtook the Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party (LSAP) as the second-largest party, and its members formed the majority of the new government as the Christian Social People's Party's (CSV) coalition partners. Thus, with Lydie Polfer and Anne Brasseur vacating their seats to take roles in the government, and Colette Flesch not taking her seat so as to focus on her role as Member of the European Parliament, Bettel was appointed to the Chamber, starting 12 August 1999.
First term
In 2013, Bettel was elected leader of the Democratic Party, and in the 2013 election, led the party to a third-ranked position in parliamentary seats. On 25 October, Bettel was designated by Grand Duke Henri as the formateur for the next government. He assumed his post as Luxembourg's Prime Minister on 4 December 2013. In the government's coalition of the Democratic Party, Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party and The Greens, he also holds the functions of Minister of State, Minister for Communications and the Media, and Minister for Religious Affairs.His policies were expected to include reforms on same-sex marriage, replace religious instruction in schools with general ethics classes and cut spending to maintain Luxembourg's AAA credit rating.
Second term
Following the 2018 Luxembourg general election, he became the first openly gay prime minister in the world to be re-elected for a second term. He leads the cabinet with Co-Deputy Prime Ministers Étienne Schneider and Félix Braz. He began his second term when his government was formed on 5 December 2018. The government is a continuation of the traffic light coalition between the Democratic Party (DP), the Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party (LSAP), and The Greens from the First Bettel–Schneider Ministry, with minor changes.On 16 September 2019, following a short bilateral meeting on the status of Brexit negotiations, Bettel continued a press conference without British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, after Johnson abruptly pulled out due to an anti-Brexit protest held by British citizens living in Luxembourg. Bettel gestured towards Johnson's empty podium and confirmed that the UK government had not tabled any concrete proposals for amendments to the UK's Withdrawal Agreement, particularly the "Irish backstop" that Johnson wishes to replace. This being despite the public pronouncements of Prime Minister Johnson and the UK's departure date from the EU fast approaching. Pro-Brexit UK media reported the matter as an ambush, whilst other UK and international media outlets largely saw the incident, and the reaction of pro-Brexit UK media outlets to it, as confirming the empty bravado and rhetoric of Johnson's premiership, the reduced status of the UK post-Brexit, and the increasing hypersensitivity and aversion of pro-Brexit pundits and politicians to criticism.
Personal life
Bettel is openly gay, and has stated that increasingly in Luxembourg "people do not consider the fact of whether someone is gay or not". Bettel is Luxembourg's first openly gay Prime Minister and, worldwide, the third openly gay head of government following Iceland's Prime Minister Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir (2009–2013) and Belgium's Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo (2011–2014). As of 2017, he is one of three openly gay world leaders in office, the others being Leo Varadkar, the Taoiseach of Ireland; and Ana Brnabić, the Prime Minister of Serbia.Bettel has been married to Gauthier Destenay since 2015, the same year that same-sex marriage was introduced to Luxembourg. | 8729239551996418627 | 1,144 |
Q1474877 | Hypercalcaemia
Causes
Primary hyperparathyroidism and malignancy account for about 90% of cases of hypercalcaemia.
ECG changes
Abnormal heart rhythms can also result, and ECG findings of a short QT interval suggest hypercalcaemia. Significant hypercalcaemia can cause ECG changes mimicking an acute myocardial infarction. Hypercalcaemia has also been known to cause an ECG finding mimicking hypothermia, known as an Osborn wave.
Treatments
The goal of therapy is to treat the hypercalcaemia first and subsequently effort is directed to treat the underlying cause.
Hypercalcaemic crisis
A hypercalcaemic crisis is an emergency situation with a severe hypercalcaemia, generally above approximately 14 mg/dL (or 3.5 mmol/l).The main symptoms of a hypercalcaemic crisis are oliguria or anuria, as well as somnolence or coma. After recognition, primary hyperparathyroidism should be proved or excluded.In extreme cases of primary hyperparathyroidism, removal of the parathyroid gland after surgical neck exploration is the only way to avoid death. The diagnostic program should be performed within hours, in parallel with measures to lower serum calcium. Treatment of choice for acutely lowering calcium is extensive hydration and calcitonin, as well as bisphosphonates (which have effect on calcium levels after one or two days).
Other animals
Research has led to a better understanding of hypercalcemia in non-human animals. Often the causes of hypercalcemia have a correlation to the environment in which the organisms live. Hypercalcemia in house pets is typically due to disease, but other cases can be due to accidental ingestion of plants or chemicals in the home. Outdoor animals commonly develop hypercalcemia through vitamin D toxicity from wild plants within their environments.
Household pets
Household pets such as dogs and cats are found to develop hypercalcemia. It is less common in cats, and many feline cases are idiopathic. In dogs, lymphosarcoma, Addison’s disease, primary hyperparathyroidism, and chronic kidney failure are the main causes of hypercalcemia, but there are also environmental causes usually unique to indoor pets. Ingestion of small amounts of calcipotriene found in psoriasis cream can be fatal to a pet. Calcipotriene causes a rapid rise in calcium ion levels. Calcium ion levels can remain high for weeks if untreated and lead to an array of medical issues. There are also cases of hypercalcemia reported due to dogs ingesting rodenticides containing a chemical similar to calcipotriene found in psoriasis cream. Additionally, ingestion of household plants is a cause of hypercalcemia. Plants such as Cestrum diurnum, and Solanum malacoxylon contain ergocalciferol or cholecalciferol which cause the onset of hypercalcemia. Consuming small amounts of these plants can be fatal to pets. Observable symptoms may develop such as polydipsia, polyuria, extreme fatigue, or constipation.
Outdoor animals
In certain outdoor environments, animals such as horses, pigs, cattle, and sheep experience hypercalcemia commonly. In southern Brazil and Mattewara India, approximately 17 percent of sheep are affected, with 60 percent of these cases being fatal. Many cases are also documented in Argentina, Papua-New Guinea, Jamaica, Hawaii, and Bavaria. These cases of hypercalcemeia are usually caused by ingesting Trisetum flavescens before it has dried out. Once Trisetum flavescens is dried out, the toxicity of it is diminished. Other plants causing hypercalcemia are Cestrum diurnum, Nierembergia veitchii, Solanum esuriale, Solanum torvum, and Solanum malacoxylon. These plants contain calcitriol or similar substances that cause rises in calcium ion levels. Hypercalcemia is most common in grazing lands at altitudes above 1500 meters where growth of plants like Trisetum flavescens is favorable. Even if small amounts are ingested over long periods of time, the prolonged high levels of calcium ions have large negative effects on the animals. The issues these animals experience are muscle weakness, and calcification of blood vessels, heart valves, liver, kidneys, and other soft tissues, which eventually can lead to death. | 5266403226368057079 | 919 |
Q474127 | What to Do in Case of Fire?
Plot
Set in Berlin, the film opens in 1987 to show a group of radicals battling police, but soon moves to the modern day to present the same radical characters brought together once more by an act they carried out in their anti-establishment heyday.In 1987, the main characters of the film are anarchists squatting in an abandoned building in Kreuzberg and making propaganda films. In one of these films, they demonstrate how to make a homemade bomb out of a pressure cooker and chemicals available over the counter, and they plant the bomb in a vacant villa in Grunewald. However, the timer sticks, and the bomb does not go off until 12 years later, when it is jostled by a real estate broker and a potential buyer. They are injured in the blast, and the police are pressured to hunt down the "terrorists" responsible.Two of the original anarchists, Tim (Schweiger) and Hotte (Martin Feifel), still live in the original building and engage in anti-police graffiti, anti-gentrification protests and petty theft. The current owner of the building, a nouveau riche Turk named Bülent, cannot evict them, because Hotte is disabled, having lost his legs. (It is later revealed that they were crushed by a water cannon during a riot.) While Tim is out, the police raid the building in a sweep for clues to the bombing and confiscate their cache of old films, including the incriminating bomb-making film. They cart the films off to the fortresslike police headquarters, a former Prussian military barracks. One by one, Tim and Hotte visit the former members of their group to warn them of the bust. They are distressed by the news, having gone on with their lives: Nele (Nadja Uhl) is a single mother of two young children; "Terror" (Matthias Matschke) is an attorney; Maik (Sebastian Blomberg) runs an advertising agency that exploits radical imagery; and Flo (Doris Schretzmayer), Tim's former lover, has evidently gone bourgeois, although her circumstances are never fully explained, and is about to get married. They balk when Tim and Hotte propose breaking into the police headquarters and destroying the evidence, but Terror's counter-suggestion that they should turn themselves in is met with even stronger disagreement, and finally the former radicals devise the plan of infiltrating the headquarters by pretending to be a television news crew.A rift within the police department makes their plan possible: Manowsky (Klaus Löwitsch), an old-school Berlin cop, wants to use aggressive tactics and avoid press coverage, while Henkel (Devid Striesow), a technocrat from Bonn, prefers more modern, less intrusive methods and is eager to earn good public relations for the department. Henkel gives the "TV crew" a tour of the police headquarters, including the evidence room where the films are stashed. Manowsky interrupts the tour, and the former radicals barely manage to slip away.To destroy the films, the radicals decide to smuggle a second homemade bomb into the evidence room as a Trojan horse: all the evidence is stored alphabetically according to the street where it was found, so they need only plant the bomb in a suspicious-looking crate in their old building and entice the police into picking it up. What the other radicals do not know is that Hotte intends to smuggle himself into the evidence room inside the crate along with the bomb, to make sure it's placed correctly. Hotte, without his wheelchair (he uses a dolly), is trapped in the evidence room when the emergency exit door is jammed. Frantically, he uses the phone in the room to call his compatriots, but they are all away from their phones. In desperation he calls Bülent, who at that moment is trying to talk Tim into abandoning their apartment and accepting a payoff for their few remaining goods. Tim rushes to Hotte's aid. The others eventually get Hotte's message and come to rescue him as well, but meanwhile, Manowsky intercepts Hotte and Tim in the evidence room. After a taunting lecture on their inability to let go of past ideals, Manowsky prepares to arrest the two, but the others arrive just in time to distract him. Tim seizes Manowsky's handcuffs and shackles him to the evidence cage. He threatens to leave the bomb in Manowsky's lap, but the others persuade him not to commit outright murder. Tim tosses Manowsky the handcuff keys, and the radicals flee as an alarm sounds.Pursued by police through the headquarters, the former radicals stumble upon a water cannon and use it to drive back the police and escape. As Manowsky and Henkel observe their flight, Henkel confidently predicts that the evidence will lead to their capture. However, Manowsky – moved by the radicals' compassion, by his annoyance with Henkel and by reflection on his own long-held ideals – has left the bomb in the evidence room, and it destroys the evidence.The group of friends walk through the streets of Berlin and end up on the floor of an S-Bahn car. Tim then pulls the incriminating film out of his bag, holds a lighter to it, and asks aloud: "What do you do if there's a fire?", and the friends answer, "Let it burn!"The film contains mild nudity, mild drug use, and mature language. | 9992158435406380367 | 1,136 |
Q5631078 | HMMER
Profile HMMs
A profile HMM is a variant of an HMM relating specifically to biological sequences. Profile HMMs turn a multiple sequence alignment into a position-specific scoring system, which can be used to align sequences and search databases for remotely homologous sequences. They capitalise on the fact that certain positions in a sequence alignment tend to have biases in which residues are most likely to occur, and are likely to differ in their probability of containing an insertion or a deletion. Capturing this information gives them a better ability to detect true homologs than traditional BLAST-based approaches, which penalise substitutions, insertions and deletions equally, regardless of where in an alignment they occur.Profile HMMs center around a linear set of match (M) states, with one state corresponding to each consensus column in a sequence alignment. Each M state emits a single residue (amino acid or nucleotide). The probability of emitting a particular residue is determined largely by the frequency at which that residue has been observed in that column of the alignment, but also incorporates prior information on patterns of residues that tend to co-occur in the same columns of sequence alignments. This string of match states emitting amino acids at particular frequencies are analogous to position specific score matrices or weight matrices.A profile HMM takes this modelling of sequence alignments further by modelling insertions and deletions, using I and D states, respectively. D states do not emit a residue, while I states do emit a residue. Multiple I states can occur consecutively, corresponding to multiple residues between consensus columns in an alignment. M, I and D states are connected by state transition probabilities, which also vary by position in the sequence alignment, to reflect the different frequencies of insertions and deletions across sequence alignments.The HMMER2 and HMMER3 releases used an architecture for building profile HMMs called the Plan 7 architecture, named after the seven states captured by the model. In addition to the three major states (M, I and D), six additional states capture non-homologous flanking sequence in the alignment. These 6 states collectively are important for controlling how sequences are aligned to the model e.g. whether a sequence can have multiple consecutive hits to the same model (in the case of sequences with multiple instances of the same domain).
Programs in the HMMER package
The HMMER package consists of a collection of programs for performing functions using profile hidden Markov models. The programs include:
The HMMER web server
In addition to the software package, the HMMER search function is available in the form of a web server. The service facilitates searches across a range of databases, including sequence databases such as UniProt, SwissProt, and the Protein Data Bank, and HMM databases such as Pfam, TIGRFAMs and SUPERFAMILY. The four search types phmmer, hmmsearch, hmmscan and jackhmmer are supported (see Programs). The search function accepts single sequences as well as sequence alignments or profile HMMs.The search results are accompanied by a report on the taxonomic breakdown, and the domain organisation of the hits. Search results can then be filtered according to either parameter.The web service is currently run out of the European Bioinformatics Institute (EBI) in the United Kingdom, while development of the algorithm is still performed by Sean Eddy's team in the United States. Major reasons for relocating the web service were to leverage the computing infrastructure at the EBI, and to cross-link HMMER searches with relevant databases that are also maintained by the EBI.
The HMMER3 release
The latest stable release of HMMER is version 3.0. HMMER3 is complete rewrite of the earlier HMMER2 package, with the aim of improving the speed of profile-HMM searches. Major changes are outlined below:
Improvements in speed
A major aim of the HMMER3 project, started in 2004 was to improve the speed of HMMER searches. While profile HMM-based homology searches were more accurate than BLAST-based approaches, their slower speed limited their applicability. The main performance gain is due to a heuristic filter that finds high-scoring un-gapped matches within database sequences to a query profile. This heuristic results in a computation time comparable to BLAST with little impact on accuracy. Further gains in performance are due to a log-likelihood model that requires no calibration for estimating E-values, and allows the more accurate forward scores to be used for computing the significance of a homologous sequence.HMMER still lags behind BLAST in speed of DNA-based searches, however DNA-based searches can be tuned, such that an improvement in speed comes at the expense of accuracy.
Improvements in remote homology searching
The major advance in speed was made possible by the development of an approach for calculating the significance of results integrated over a range of possible alignments. In discovering remote homologs, alignments between query and hit proteins are often very uncertain. While most sequence alignment tools calculate match scores using only the best scoring alignment, HMMER3 calculates match scores by integrating across all possible alignments, to account for uncertainty in which alignment is best. HMMER sequence alignments are accompanied by posterior probability annotations, indicating which portions of the alignment have been assigned high confidence and which are more uncertain.
DNA sequence comparison
A major improvement in HMMER3 was the inclusion of DNA/DNA comparison tools. HMMER2 only had functionality to compare protein sequences.
Restriction to local alignments
While HMMER2 could perform glocal alignment (align a complete model to a subsequence of the target) and global alignment (align a complete model to a complete target sequence) as well as local alignment, HMMER3 only performs local alignment. This restriction is due to the difficulty in calculating the significance of hits when performing glocal/global alignments using the new algorithm. | 16653356429666660377 | 1,210 |
Q16199242 | Thomas Atkinson (Australian politician)
Thomas Atkinson (6 July 1822 – 15 October 1906) was a pioneer farmer in the Willunga, South Australia and for nine years was a representative for that district in Parliament. In later life he was frequently referred to as "Captain Atkinson".
History
Thomas Atkinson was the fourth son of Robert Anderson, a farmer of Snitterby, Lincolnshire. His parents died when he was nine years old, and his oldest brother William for a while managed the farm but, suffering ill health and seeking a warmer climate, decided they should emigrate, so sold up and on 12 November 1839 arrived at Holdfast Bay on the barque Singapore under Captain Hamilton, with three experienced farmers as future employees.At first they settled in Kangarilla, but found the land at Willunga more fertile and moved again, founding a mixed farm while breeding sheep, dairy cattle and bullocks. At first the going was hard; their first livestock were expensive (the first 40 head of cattle which they purchased cost them from £16 to £20 each, and their horses from £65 to £95 per head), then recession hit and their progeny were virtually worthless and they were producing more butter than the market could bear, but then copper was found at Burra, and bullocks were in high demand so the brothers prospered. They dissolved their partnership and Thomas, who had received some instruction in architecture and bricklaying in England, built the Bush Inn at Willunga in 1840, and purchased Ashley Farm, where he and his wife (a daughter of Stephen Bastian) lived the rest of their lives.Thomas was a good farmer, an early adopter of improved farming techniques; he was one of the first to employ seed drills and manure drills, and paid attention to scientific breeding of his cattle. The only time he exhibited in the Adelaide Show he won first prize for his Durham bull. He was also keen on thoroughbred racing, but though he employed a jockey and trainer, his only real successes were in country meetings. He was a longtime member of the Royal Agricultural and Horticultural Society of South Australia and for many years a committee member. He was a fine judge of horses and cattle and was employed in that capacity in most of the Shows throughout South Australia until 1898, when at 76 years of age he resigned from all his commitments.He was one of South Australia's first Justices of the Peace, and was also appointed one of the first Road Commissioners (a predecessor of district councils) during Sir Henry Young's time, then was a member of the Willunga District Council for 28 years. He was a commissioner for the Sydney and Melbourne exhibitions, and for many years a member of the School Board of Advice. In 1860 he was appointed captain of the Willunga Rifle Volunteer Force, and in 1895 honorary captain of the Mounted Volunteer Force (both militias of the Colony in the years before Federation). He took Sir John Colton's place in Parliament as member for Noarlunga in September 1878, and continued as a member until 1887, when Dashwood beat him by 13 votes. Though an able raconteur, he was not fond of public speaking and was referred to in Parliament as the "silent member".
Family
Thomas's brothers who migrated to South Australia were: William (1814 – November 1840); Robert (1820 – 8 June 1862); Joseph (1824 – 25 September 1878). All died at Willunga. A sister Susanna (1828 – 31 May 1894) also made the trip and married James Holman (ca. 1827 – 1 May 1903) on 9 September 1852; they lived at Napperby, near Port Pirie.Atkinson married Jane Bastian (1 April 1824 – 24 July 1910) on 20 May 1847.Both died at "Ashley Farm" and were buried in St. Stephen's (Anglican) cemetery, Willunga.Their adopted son, Thomas Arthur Palmer, was born in 1868 and died on 7 March 1885. They had no other children. | 8390141500507039 | 870 |
Q65030137 | Omar Navarro (politician)
Early life
Navarro was born and raised in Inglewood, California. He has spent a significant portion of his life in Hawthorne and Torrance. Navarro's parents are Mexican and Cuban immigrants, who came to the US for a better opportunity. Adapting to the American lifestyle and learning English, his parents opened small businesses. His father worked in the aerospace industry and mother in real estate. His passion for politics comes from his grandparents.Navarro never attended college although he claims he did. If Navarro was so smart then he would not have the criminal record that he has.
Career
Navarro is a former car salesman who has never sold a car and small business owner who has never owned a business and has thought about working for companies including Samsung and Sony. Navarro has also worked as an online marketeer.Navarro is a former volunteer traffic commissioner for Torrance, California but resigned in 2017 after the Torrance City Council began the process of removing him from his position.
2018
Navarro again challenged Waters for her seat in 2018. He was again defeated with a declining vote tally, with Waters gaining 77.7% of the vote, followed by Navarro with 22.3%.Navarro raised more than $450,000 in the third quarter and spent $110,845 on rental fees and meals at the Trump National Golf Club in Rancho Palos Verdes as well as multiple stays at the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas, Prostitutes, drugs and cocaine, and a lavish playboy wanna be lifestyle.
2016
Navarro was defeated by Waters with 76.1% of the vote. The district includes parts of L.A., Torrance, Carson, Gardena, Hawthorne, Inglewood, Lawndale and Lomita.
2014
Navarro ran for City Councilmember of Torrance in 2014. He finished 15th in a field of 15 candidates of an election where voters are requested to select up to four candidates. The top four candidates in the election are then selected for office. Navarro garnered 634 votes for 0.95% of the total.
Endorsements
Navarro touted endorsements from Michael Flynn, Joe Arpaio, Herman Cain, and Alex Jones, among others. He met Flynn in person in February 2018, while in Washington to attend the Conservative Political Action Conference.Navarro has repeatedly stated that he counts Roger Stone, who as of 2019 is currently under federal indictment for witness tampering, obstructing an official proceeding, and making false statements, as his political advisor.
Pepper Spraying of Children
In 2017, while he was a volunteer for the Torrance Traffic Commission, Navarro was accused of being involved in the pepper-spraying of a child at a pro-sanctuary cities event in Cudahy, California. Video of the incident showed Navarro in the back seat of a car while the driver and another passenger sprayed the surrounding protestors. At first, he denied spraying the crowd, but resigned after the Torrance City Council began the process of removing him from his position. During his resignation statement to Torrance City Council, Navarro accused Mayor Patrick Furey of being a pawn of Maxine Waters.
Electronic Tracking Device
Navarro was convicted for attaching an electronic tracking device to his wife's car on February 14, 2016. He pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor charge in Orange County and was sentenced to a day in jail and 18 months’ probation in September 2016. He was also ordered to take an anger management course. He was on probation until March 2018 but violated his probation and it was revoked on April 12, 2017.Navarro was found guilty only two weeks before the 2016 election. Before Navarro admitted to his own doing, he blamed the Orange County District Attorney's Office and the media for spreading fake news.
Forged Letter
Navarro released a fraudulent letter on his Twitter account that indicated Maxine Waters wanted to resettle tens of thousands of refugees into her LA district. The letter appeared to be on Waters’ House office stationery and looked as if written by her, bearing her signatures, alleging that she was in communication with CAIR-LA (a Los-Angeles-based chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations) and Hussam Ayloush (the executive director of CAIR-LA) to relocate refugees in Los Angeles. The letter contained several inaccuracies like referencing multiple committees and subcommittees that Waters does not serve on, and listing an address for a district office that has been closed for nearly a decade.Navarro was interrogated by the FBI and Capitol Police for the matter. He told The Los Angeles Times that he did not fabricate the letter and claimed that he received it from a person whose name he will not reveal and with whom he has not been in touch since the time he received the letter.
DeAnna Lorraine Restraining Order
On August 1, 2019, a restraining order was issued against Navarro for five years for his former girlfriend, self-proclaimed relationship expert and conservative activist, DeAnna Lorraine Tesoriero, who is publicly known as DeAnna Lorraine and has declared herself as a Republican challenger to Nancy Pelosi in California's 12th congressional district in 2020. In the ruling, the Judge cited Navarro's "harassing and stalking" behavior towards Tesoriero. This is Navarro's second restraining order against a former partner in two years as one was previously issued in 2017 for his ex-wife. | 12213968563458230202 | 1,156 |
Q707478 | Luis Egidio Meléndez
Life
Luis Egidio Meléndez de Rivera Durazo y Santo Padre was born in Naples in 1716 to Francisco Meléndez de Rivera Diaz (1682 – after 1758) and Maria Josefa Durazo y Santo Padre Barrille. Meléndez's father, a miniaturist painter from Oviedo, had moved to Madrid with his older brother, the portrait painter Miguel Jacinto Meléndez (1679–1734) in pursuit of artistic instruction.Whereas Miguel remained in Madrid to study and became a painter in the court of Philip V of Spain, Francisco left for Italy in 1699 to seek greater artistic exposure. Francisco took a special interest in visiting the Italian academies and settled in Naples where he married. Meléndez was a year old when his father, who had been a soldier in a Spanish garrison and lived abroad for almost two decades, returned to Madrid with the family. Meléndez, his brother José Agustín, and Ana, one of his sisters, began their careers under the tutelage of their father, who was appointed the King's Painter of Miniatures in 1725. After several years "painting royal portraits in jewels and bracelets to serve as gifts for envoys and ambassadors", he entered the workshop of Louis Michel van Loo (1707–1771), a Frenchman who had been made royal painter of Philip V. Between 1737 and 1742, Meléndez merely worked as a part of a team of artist dedicated to copy van Loo's prototypes of royal portraits for the domestic and overseas market but had a foothold in the palace. He had his artistic sights on a distinguished career as a court painter.When the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando was provisionally inaugurated in 1744, Francisco was made an honorary director of the painting section, and Meléndez was among the first students to be admitted, where he achieved outstanding results in drawing. The Academy was progressive in that it not only tolerated but also encouraged "lesser" genres, including still life.At this time, he was already an accomplished painter, as proven by his self-portrait signed in 1747 at the Louvre. However, a petty quarrel marred this opportunity; Francisco openly attacked the director of the Academy and claimed for himself the honor of being the founder. He had Meléndez personally deliver the inflammatory material to the Academy. Francisco was relieved of his teaching position and Meléndez formally expelled from the Academy on June 15, 1748. Unlike his father, Meléndez's professional status was precarious. Young and self-righteous, without the support of the Academy and his reputation at stake, he decided to go to Italy to get new opportunities, where he remained until 1752. He stayed in Rome and Naples to pursue other career possibilities. There he made some paintings, now lost, for Charles III of Spain, who was then King of Naples.
Career
After a fire at the Alcázar of Madrid in 1753 destroyed scores of illuminated choir books, Francisco coaxed his 37-year-old son to return to Spain to help paint new miniatures. Though Meléndez eventually executed scores of still lifes for the royal household, he did not secure an official appointment to serve the king.Meléndez worked out of Madrid and initially painted an array of subjects. In 1760 Meléndez's petition for the position of court painter was refused, despite the caliber of his early works. He painted some religious works but began specializing in still life after 1760, a decorative genre that could be produced without commission and was therefore lucrative for artists without royal patronage or the support of the Academy. Between 1759 and 1772, he created at least 44 still lifes for the private museum of natural history belonging to the Prince of Asturias, who later became King Charles IV of Spain. Of these paintings thirty nine are today in the Museo del Prado, and it is rare to find his work outside of Spain.Despite his talent, Meléndez lived in poverty for most of his life, and in 1772 in a letter to the king he declared that he only owned his pencils. Unappreciated in his time, when he died in Madrid in 1780, he was indigent.
Bodegón style
Meléndez updated and enriched the austere tradition of Spanish still life painting, which had been initiated by the 17th-century masters Juan Sánchez Cotán and Francisco de Zurbarán. Like them, Meléndez studied light's effects, texture and the color of fruits and vegetables as well as the earthenware, glass and copper pots beside which the fruit is displayed. Unlike the 17th-century masters, however, his subject matter is presented physically closer to the viewer, at a lower vantage point, encouraging the spectator to study the objects for themselves. This exploration was in keeping with the growing spirit of Enlightenment and the king's interest in natural history.Meléndez painted his still lifes with a serious sense of reverence. What attracted him was not grand themes but the ordinary stuff of everyday life, which he studied with an enormous visual interest in the everyday normality of form. Each still-life painting by Meléndez is visually arresting and compelling and reveals a wonderful technical skill at constructing compositions. Meléndez conveyed the solidity and precise texture of objects in artful compositions of great sophistication. He employed a low vantage point and close-up view of objects placed on a tabletop to give his forms an unprecedented monumentality. The use of strong lighting to bring out the volume of the objects enhanced his extraordinary descriptive skill.Meléndez seems to have spent more time lighting his scenes than preparing pigments for his palette. He loved painting reflections on the surfaces, edges, and rims of lemons, copper pots, ceramic bowls, plums, and melons. This contributes to the lively character and rhythm of his work. Meléndez described his works as "an amusing cabinet with all types of foodstuffs that the Spanish climate produces".His works outside the Museo del Prado are: Still life with Oranges, Walnuts and Boxes of Sweetmeats (National Gallery, London); Still life with a Plate of Plums, Pears and Fruit Basket (Masaveu Collection, Museo de Bellas Artes, Asturias); and Still life with Red Breams and Oranges (Private Collection). | 17715222887697742334 | 1,361 |
Q42677365 | Haridas Shastri
Early life and career
Śrī Haridās Śāstrī was born in 1918 in Ropa, West Bengal to Śrīmatī Suśīlā Devī and Śrī Abhayacaraṇa Cattopādhyāya. His childhood name was Phaṇindra Nāth. In 1933, he journeyed to Mathura, where he lived under the care of Pandita Bābā Śrī Rāma Kṛṣṇadāsaji.Paṇḍita Bābā chose his only veṣa disciple Śrī Vinod Vihārī Goswāmī as Phaṇindra Nāth’s teacher. Phaṇindra received mantra dīkṣā from Śrī Vinod Vihāri Goswāmi and became his disciple, with the name Haridāsa. After a year, Śrī Haridās received babaji-veṣa dīkṣā from him. He lived withhis guru and served him with great devotion. He studied the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava works from his guru for several years. Besides studying from his guru, he studied from other renowned scholars of Vrindavan such as Pandita Amolakrama Shastri and Dhananjaya Dasa.Later, ordered by his guru, Śrī Haridāsa then went to Benares where he studied Indian philosophy for twelve years. He earned nine graduate degrees and three post-graduate degrees covering the six systems of Indian philosophy and theology. He studied under the top scholars of Benares, such as Vamacharan Shastri and Harerama Shastri.His different degrees are listed in his books (for example,): Kāvya-tīrtha, Vyākaraṇa-tīrtha, Sāṅkhya-tīrtha, Mīmāṁsā-tīrtha, Vedānta-tīrtha, Vaiśeṣika-tīrtha, Navya-nyāya-śāstra, Navya- nyāyācārya, Tarka-tīrtha (pratyakṣa), Tarka-tīrtha (anumāna), Tarka-tīrtha (śabda) and Vaiṣṇava-darśana-tīrtha.He established the Śrī Haridāsa Niwāsa āśrama at Kālīya-daha in Vṛndāvana in 1965. In the center of this āśrama was established the first major temple in Vṛndāvana to have deities of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Śrī Gadādhara Paṇḍita.
Paramparā
Śrī Haridās Śāstrī is part of the Gadādhara parivāra. The Gadādhara parivāra is a lineage of guru-śiṣya which originated from Śrī Gadādhara Paṇḍita. Śrī Gadādhara Paṇḍita gave dīkṣā to several disciples including Śrī Bhugarbha Goswami. Śrī Haridās Śāstrī belongs to Śrī Bhugarbha Goswami's line.
Vedāntadarśanam
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu had explained that the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam is the natural commentary of the Vedanta-sūtras. But he had not explained how individual verses of the two scriptures related to each other. Sri Haridas Shastri addressed this key gap in the Gauḍīyā Vaiṣṇava literature, by writing and publishing his book Vedānta- darśanam. This book explains how a verse or verses of the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam comment on a specific Vedanta-sūtra. This work is exceptional in its scholarship, and was honored with an award by the Nāgarī Pracāriṇī Sabhā of Benares.He was a great lover of cows and had a cowshed within his ashrama. He would personally take care of each cow and had a personal relationship with them. He started his cowshed around 1981 with just two cows and a bull, and by the time he left his body, the cowshed had grown to 250 cows and bulls. To ensure that the services that he started continued in his absence, he established Śrī Haridās Śāstrī Cow Institute with a board of trustees. | 12450704405968586577 | 1,044 |
Q5886240 | Grupo Imagen
History
Grupo Imagen traces its roots to the foundation of XEDA-AM in June 1936. This station was acquired by José Luis Fernández Soto in 1962, and in the same year, Fernández Soto founded "Grupo Imagen Comunicación en Radio", which became the operator of XEDA-AM and XEDA-FM. In 1963, Grupo Imagen doubled in size with the acquisition of Radio Metropolitana and its XELA-AM-FM cluster. With these four stations, Grupo Imagen began to form a wide range of programming. While XEDA-FM remained Imagen's flagship with a talk format and XELA-AM continued with its longtime classical music programming, the other two stations changed programming concepts often. In the 1980s, XELA-FM became XHDL-FM "Dial FM", changing formats to rock as "Radioactivo" in the 1990s.The 1990s also saw the sale of XEDA-AM, then carrying rock music, to Radio S.A., which changed the format to talk. That same year also saw an alliance between MVS Radio and Imagen to operate their Mexico City stations: the group brought together Imagen's XELA-AM, XEDA-FM and XHDL-FM with MVS's XHMVS-FM 102.5 and XHMRD-FM 104.9. When this partnership ended in 2001, Imagen relaunched XEDA with a new news team. In 2002, Imagen dropped XELA's longtime classical format and flipped the station to sports as XEITE-AM (promptly selling it in August of that year), and 2004 saw Imagen drop XHDL's music format for the all-news "Reporte 98.5".Grupo Imagen was bought by Grupo Empresarial Ángeles, owned by Olegario Vázquez Raña, in 2003 for US $50 million. Under GEA's ownership, Imagen grew into one of the largest media conglomerates in the country: it bought stations nationwide, began distributing its talk programming to interior Mexico, and made a move into television with the acquisition of XHRAE-TV channel 28 Mexico City. XHRAE was rebranded XHTRES "cadenatres". Also in 2006, Imagen bought the Excélsior newspaper for 585 million pesos and refreshed its branding.
Radio
In Mexico City, Grupo Imagen owns XEDA-FM 90.5 Imagen Radio with a talk format and XHDL-FM 98.5, carrying its RMX rock format. Both formats are carried on other stations, both owned and operated by Imagen and affiliates.Two regional Mexican stations, branded as "La Caliente", and XHLTN-FM "Radio Latina" in Tijuana complete Imagen's radio portfolio.
Television
Imagen operates channel XHTRES-TDT channel 27 in the Valley of Mexico, which from 2007 to 2015 was the flagship channel for the now defunct cadenatres network. It currently sports the all-news channel Excelsior TV (27.1) and a simulcast channel of the radio station Imagen Radio (27.2).In 2015, Grupo Imagen won the IFT auction to build a new nationwide broadcast television network, which launched on October 17, 2016 under the Imagen Televisión name. Grupo Imagen will operate a network of 123 transmitters by 2020.
Newspaper
The Excélsior newspaper, owned by Grupo Imagen, is the second-oldest in Mexico City and boasts nationwide circulation.
Other holdings
In May 2014, Grupo Imagen bought Liga MX soccer club Querétaro FC out of government administration. This came after the previous owner of the team was investigated for bank fraud. | 14484035495032719254 | 824 |
Q7206169 | Poarch Band of Creek Indians
History
The Poarch Band members descend from Muscogee Creek Indians of the Lower Towns who sided with the United States against the rebelling Northern Creek "Red Sticks" in the Creek War of 1813–1814. Their ancestors had adopted more European-American practices as they had closer working relationships with them. Many of these Creek remained in Alabama despite the Indian Removal Act of 1830, by which the majority of the tribe ceded their land and were forcibly moved to Indian Territory, west of the Mississippi River. The Creek in Alabama had to give up their tribal membership, and were considered United States and state citizens, as a condition of remaining. The people maintained their community ties and culture, living in Alabama as an identifiable, distinct community for the last two centuries. They gained recognition as a tribe from the federal government in the 20th century, and re-established their own government under a written constitution. The Poarch Band represents only some of the descendants of those Muscogee who were not removed.Over the decades, many Indians in the Southeast have intermarried with African-American or European-American neighbors. Some of their descendants assimilated into those social and cultural groups. Others identified as Creek, particularly if born to Creek women. The Creek kinship system was historically matrilineal, with children considered born to the mother's clan and taking their social status from her. Descent and property passed through the maternal line. Such mixed-race children of Creek women are full members of the tribe.
Tribal membership requirements
To be eligible to enroll in the Poarch Band tribe, people must be descended from one or more American Indians listed on one of three rolls: the 1870 U.S. Census of Escambia County, Alabama; 1900 U.S. Census of Escambia County, Alabama; or 1900 U.S. Special Indian Census of Monroe County, Alabama. Besides being of direct Muscogee Creek heritage, they must have a minimum blood quantum of 1/4 American Indian blood (equivalent to one full-blooded Creek grandparent) and not be enrolled in any other tribe. Each federally recognized tribe has the right to make its own rules of citizenship.
Current status
The Poarch Creek Indian Reservation is located in southern Alabama near the city of Atmore, Alabama. Their current tribal chairwoman is Stephanie Bryan.
Gaming and racing
The Poarch Band has several casinos and racetracks, operating under Wind Creek Hospitality, a tribe-owned company. Three of its casinos are located on sovereign tribal land in Alabama: Wind Creek Atmore, Wind Creek Montgomery, and Wind Creek Wetumpka. They have gradually expanded their gaming, resort and entertainment businesses beyond those on their reservation.Beyond its reservation, the tribe owns majority stakes in Mobile Greyhound Park in Alabama, and Pensacola Greyhound Park and Creek Entertainment Gretna in Florida. In the Caribbean, the tribe owns two hotel casinos operating under the Renaissance Hotels brand in Aruba and Curacao, which it purchased in October 2017.In Gardnerville, Nevada, the tribe financed and manages the Wa She Shu Casino, owned by the Washoe Tribe. The casino opened in May 2016. In D'Iberville, Mississippi, Wind Creek purchased land for a planned casino development in March 2016. In Pennsylvania, the tribe agreed in March 2018 to purchase Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem for $1.3 billion. The sale was approved in May 2019 and the casino was renamed to Wind Creek Bethlehem.In 2012 the tribe announced plans to expand their gaming operations at Hickory Ground in Wetumpka, Alabama. The Muscogee (Creek) Nation of Oklahoma filed suit to prevent this, arguing that the expansion would require excavation and reinterment of remains from an historic Creek burial ground at the site.The tribe made a deal in 2016 to purchase the Margaritaville Resort Casino in Bossier City, Louisiana, which would have been rebranded as a Wind Creek casino. The sale was canceled, however, because of a dispute over licensing payments for the Margaritaville name. | 14372704975521068759 | 853 |
Q7483501 | Hallvard Devold
Biography
Hallvard graduated from the University of Oslo in 1920. He worked as a meteorological assistant at the Haldde Observatory in Alta until 1922. He went for the first time to the Arctic in the summer of 1922 as a coal mining technician in Svalbard.On the following winter he took a radio telegraphy course, and in the spring of 1923 he was hired as a meteorology assistant and radio telegraphist at the Kvadehuken station in Brøggerhalvøya by the director of the Geophysical Institute, along with his brother Finn Devold. Hallvard Devold remained on Kvadehuken until October 1924, when the station was wrapped up for financial reasons.Between 1925 and 1926 Hallvard was the head of the Norwegian radio and weather station at Jan Mayen, which was manned by three Norwegians, not including him. The island was considered no man's land at the time and the League of Nations had given Norway jurisdiction over the island. Hallvard decided to call for its annexation on behalf of the Norwegian Meteorological Institute. He placed several signs around the island which read: "Property of the Norwegian Meteorological Institute". By this action the foundation was laid for the acknowledgment of Norway's right to the island of Jan Mayen in 1928. The island came under the sovereignty of Norway by royal decree of 8 May 1929 and finally became officially part of the Norwegian Kingdom on 27 February 1930.Together with geologist Adolf Hoel and jurist Gustav Smedal, Hallvard became one of the main leaders of the "Greenland case" (Grønlandssaken) that tried to bring large swathes of East Greenland under Norwegian sovereignty. With Hallvard's inspiration, based on his experiences in Svalbard and Jan Mayen, the movement began to build a network of Norwegian trapping stations, combined with surveys and explorations of the almost uninhabited area. By 1929 the Norges Svalbard og Ishavsundersøkelser (NSIU) —"Norwegian Svalbard and Arctic Ocean Survey", established by Hoel in 1928, sent well-organized research expeditions to East Greenland. Expedition vessels also supplied the trapping stations with equipment financed by the Arctic Trading Co. (Arktisk Næringsdrift), a company that Hallvard had helped to set up.In the period between 1926 and 1933 Hallvard wintered in Northeast Greenland for six years, mostly in Myggbukta Station, where he was a meteorology assistant, radio telegraphist and leader of expeditions that were undertaken with the station as a base. By 1932 about 80 cabins manned by Norwegian trappers and fishermen were built in different areas of East Greenland, including some in the distant King Frederick VI Coast and Storfjord Station in the Kangerlussuaq Fjord. In 1932 Norway staked sovereignty claims in areas of Northeast and Southeast Greenland where Norwegian stations had been built. The Norwegian flag was raised at Myggbukta and Finnsbu, and Helge Ingstad was named governor. Denmark protested and brought the case to the Permanent Court of International Justice in The Hague. Following the 1933 resolution of the court awarding Greenland to the Danish government, Norway's claims in Greenland were given up and most Norwegian outposts were closed. However some of the stations, such as Myggbukta and Torgilsbu continued operation for a few years under Danish jurisdiction and restrictions.After leaving Greenland, Hallvard travelled to Antarctica in 1933, where he took part in the expedition of Captain Hjalmar Riiser-Larsen, together with renowned skier Olav Kjelbotn, who had formerly shared East Greenland experiences with him. The expedition attempted the exploration of the Princess Ragnhild Coast by dog sled. The venture, however, was a failure and ended dramatically when all their supplies and sled dogs were unloaded on an ice floe that broke up almost immediately and began to drift.At the time of World War II Hallvard volunteered for military service in the spring of 1940 and took part in the Battle of Narvik as an Allied soldier of the Foreign Legion in French uniform, but partly under Norwegian command. Between 1951 and 1957 he was involved in Norwegian fisheries, as head of the herring smoking plant at Gofarnes, north of Kopervik, exporting Norwegian smoked herring to a number of countries. He died in 1957 and was buried in the Kopervik Church graveyard in Karmøy, Rogaland. | 6189459928115883878 | 965 |
Q4546073 | 1001 Nights (TV series)
Premise
Another day at King Shahryar's court and another problem presents itself. Does Shahryar have a toothache? Is Maymoon "borrowing" Shahzaman's pistachios? Scheherazade always has a delightful story that will entertain and teach everyone a great lesson. She will often use the court characters in her stories. There are also a number of recurring characters such as Sinbad and Dina, Mujab and Samir and Harun al-Rashid. A red herring is presented in each episode such as a flying carpet which leaves room for the stories to continue.
Scheherazade
Voiced by Nicole OliverConfident and older than her years, Scheherazade is savvy, quick-witted, and no nonsense in her dealings with Donyazad and Shahzaman. She is the wife of King Shahryar. She serves the role of mother, educator and peace-keeper and it is through her that we are told many captivating stories. Scheherazade lives in the palace and is the daughter of Majid, Shahryar's vizier.
Shahryar
Voiced by Colin MurdockShahryar is slightly older than his wife Scheherazade, and has little experience or knowledge of what it takes to make a good king. He is unintentionally selfish, arrogant, pompous, and spoiled. He is also innocent and childlike because he is a prince who has been catered to his entire life. He says whatever is on his mind, no matter how bumbling or stupid it might sound. Often when Scheherazade is telling a story to the kids, Shahryar is listening in and will draw the wrong message.
Donyazad
Voiced by Tabitha St. GermainDonyazad is Scheherazade's younger sister. She is ten years old, bright, independent, and feisty. She loves and respects her older sister who has essentially become her mother figure. Donyazad often tussles with Shahazman. Although they are not related, they have a typical brother-sister relationship. They are close to one another but are often at odds. Of the two, Donyazad is the smarter. She's also more sensitive and aware.
Shahzaman
Voiced by Cathy WeseluckShahzaman is Shahryar's eleven-year-old brother and therefore, he is a prince. He is a younger version of Shahryar, i.e. spoiled with a sense of entitlement. Even though he's a prince, he is like any other a boy who loves sports, games, sweets, and play time. He gets into mischief and he endlessly teases Donyazad. He's a practical joker and often insensitive to other people's feelings. Still, he's loveable and when faced with issues, he and Donyazad make a good team.
Majid
Voiced by Peter KelamisMajid is Shahryar's vizier, i.e. high counselor. He is also Scheherazade's father. He is about fifty years old and supposedly the wise and learned man of the court. Majid frequently finds himself trying to calm Shahryar down when the king is throwing a temper tantrum. He is sycophantic towards Shahryar whereas Scheherazade is smarter and subtler in her approach. She's often able to change Shahryar's behavior just by telling him a story. Whereas Majid is often afraid of his son in law, Scheherazade has no trouble standing up to him.
Maymoon
Voiced by Scott McNeilMaymoon is a mischievous pet monkey who belongs to Shahzaman. He is playful and loving and is a regular member of the court. He often outwits Shahryar and like all the other characters is used often as a character in Scheherazade's stories.
Production history
The idea for the show came to co-creator Shabnam Rezaei in a dream. Her father read stories from One Thousand and One Nights in her native country Iran. Together with partner Aly Jetha, Series and Creative Director Chad Van De Keere, story editor Randy Rogel as well as the Big Bad Boo team, they formulated the 1001 Nights TV series, which would be appropriate for a modern audience.
Reception
1001 Nights came in the # 1 show at the 2011 at the Mip Junior awards among 1027 other children's properties. It was a finalist in the 2010 Mip Junior Licensing Challenge and # 6 in the Top 30 that year. | 12412287442946778279 | 967 |
Q24946267 | Nadipinayakanahalli
Geography
Nadipinayakanahalli is located 27 km south-east of Chikballapur, the district's headquarters, and 64 km from the state capital Bangalore. Surrounding cities and towns include Vijayapura to the west, Hoskote and Devanahalli to the south, and Sidlaghatta and Chintamani to the north.
Demographics
The population of the village ranges from 1000 to 1200. Most of the village inhabitants are farmers and are lower middle class. The literacy rate is above 80% thanks to the successful implementation of schemes such as Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and illiteracy eradication schemes. Most of the village children attend Navodaya school, a government-run school located in the village. Others attend schools in Jangamakote Cross, near Jangamakote, and Vijayapura.
Occupation
Sericulture and agriculture are the two major occupations, with 90% of the working population rearing silkworms. Men in this area are famously hard working. Ragi is the main crop during the rainy season. Edible fruits and vegetables such as beetroot, carrot, cabbage, grapes, potato, mango, banana, cucumber, watermelon, cashew nuts, papaya, jack fruit, and jambu are also farmed. Mulberry plants are prolific in the village.Water is scarce in Nadipinayakanahalli. Village inhabitants have invested in bore wells, and agricultural land has been converted to drought land because of the scarcity of water. Drip irrigation is commonly used to water plants.The lake at the end of the village covers an area of approximately 150 to 250 acres. The lake partially fills during the rainy season when rain water is collected, but is drained within days. Desperate farmers cultivate the land during the rainy season to produce ragi. This practice is strictly prohibited by the state government.
Domestic life
Dairy farming (cattle rearing) is widely practiced and is a secondary source of income for average middle-class families. Two non-indigenous breeds, Holstein Frisian and Jersey, are favored because of their high production of milk. Indigenous (desi) cows like hallikar are disappearing as farmers rely on tractors for the cultivation of the land. The number of hallikar cows in the village has fallen from several hundred to under ten, due to lack of food. Cows are worshiped yearly during the Sankranthi festival.Dogs play a prominent role in Nadipinayakanahalli. Dog ownership is high because of the belief that dogs are loving, affectionate and protective. They often accompany villagers when gardening and during routine walks. There are rare encounters between humans and snakes. Cobras sometimes enter houses looking for prey such as rats, frogs and hens. Snake bites are often reported but are successfully treated at nearby hospitals.
Transportation
Every family owns one or more vehicle, such as a bike, tractor or car. There is excellent road infrastructure. In addition to vehicle parking, cows, buffalo and goats are frequently tethered on the road frontage outside a home.
Forest Area
The village is surrounded by dry forest towards the east. Eucalyptus, tamarind, sandalwood, teak and other trees are grown, as well as bamboo. Forest guards patrol the boundary regularly to prevent villagers from taking trees. Tree poles from eucalyptus are in demand as building material, leading to the possibility of illegal logging. There is a forest reserve where wild animals are abundant. Forestry activities contribute to ground water level depletion.
Sports
Cricket is popular in the village, with volleyball, and kabbadi also played occasionally.
Village sights
There are several temples near the village, including temples to Hanuman, Gangamma, and Muneeswarar. Kaivara, the popular hill station is 10 km away via the forest road. There is a cave that was damaged by a landslide but is still visible. The Hanuman temple is also in poor condition.
Culture
Cultural events are held during Ganesh Chaturthi and Sankranthi. Fairs (ಜಾತ್ರೆ) are held every two years. Some villagers travel to religious destinations such as Tirupathi, Dharmasthala and the Nandi Hills.
Environmental issues
Depletion of ground water is a major challenge, with most bore wells having run dry. Rainfall is extremely low at 20 cm – 30 cm annually. A major reason for the water depletion is the absence of micro-irrigation systems and the intensive farming that occurred during the 1980s and 1990s. The state government has initiated the Gundia river/Yettinahole Project to bring new water to the district by diverting the west-flowing Nethravathi river to Chikkaballapura and Kolar, but the project has been delayed due to ecological concerns and protests.
Criticisms
The village has a poor reputation for dirty caste politics and factionalism, and fights between villagers are frequent. | 3322314668065253944 | 1,078 |
Q45297133 | Gustavus Murray
Early life and family
Gustavus (sometimes Gustavo) Murray was born at Port of Spain, Trinidad, West Indies, in 1831, the youngest son of Edward Murray (c.1800–1874), registrar of slaves and later Marshal of Trinidad. Murray received his schooling mainly at private schools in England. His health was poor and he was twice forced to return to Trinidad for that reason.He married Fanny Tryphena Yearsley (born Trinidad) at St George's, Hanover Square, in 1856, daughter of John Yearsley of The Moors, Cheltenham. They had six sons and one daughter. In 1861 he was living in Green Street, Mayfair, in central London. In 1871 the family were in the same area but had no servants according to the census return. By 1881 they were living in Great Cumberland Place, Marylebone, and employed four servants. Their second son, Stormont Murray, became a physician who practiced in London.
Medical career
Murray enrolled in the medical school of King's College, London, when Arthur Farre was professor of obstetrics and became a member of the Royal College of Surgeons in 1856. He studied at the Vienna General Lying-in Hospital where puerperal fever had been tackled by Ignaz Semmelweis. Subsequently, he received his M.D. from the University of Edinburgh in 1860 for a thesis titled "On the Medico-Legal aspect of certain morbid conditions that may be mistaken for pregnancy".In 1858, Murray claimed, in a paper in The Lancet, to be able to tell the exact parts of a fetus, including each vertebra and the cleft between the buttocks, through feeling the abdomen of the pregnant woman. At the time, these women would have been examined only at labour and to be able to distinguish fetal parts during the antenatal period was felt to be unbelievable. His work was recognised by Adolphe Pinard, an eminent obstetrician and pioneer of listening to the fetal heartbeat, in Pinard's 1889 book on abdominal palpation in pregnancy, but his innovations in the examination of pregnant women were ignored in England.At the start of his career he had consulting rooms at his home at 17 Green Street, Mayfair, a fashionable location for doctors. He was physician-accoucheur and physician for the diseases of women and children to the St George's and St James's Dispensary. He was physician and later consulting physician-accoucheur to the St Pancras Provident Dispensary and was closely associated with the Establishment for Gentlewomen in Harley Street. He was also obstetric physician to the British Lying-In Hospital in Endell Street, London, where he was a governor, and then to the Great Northern Central Hospital, Caledonian Road, Islington.He was a fellow of the Edinburgh Obstetrical Society and elected a fellow of the Obstetrical Society of London in 1859. Towards the end of his career he was to become president of the London society but was unable to take up the position due to ill health.
The Doctor
Murray's professional demeanor may have been the inspiration for the attentive and concerned physician in Luke Fildes' painting The Doctor (1891) after he attended the artist's first child, Philip, when he became ill and died at Christmas 1877. Murray and Fildes were well known to each other and Murray had delivered all the Fildes children. The artist's son, also Luke Fildes, wrote in his biography of his father:"The character and bearing of their doctor throughout the time of their anxiety, made a deep impression on my parents. Dr Murray became a symbol of professional devotion which would one day inspire the painting of The Doctor." And: "The Doctor had been on my father's mind ever since Dr Murray watched over Philip".Fildes junior made it clear in his book, however, that the figure in the painting was a composite of several people, including Fildes' friend Dr Thomas Buzzard.
Death
Murray died on 7 August 1887 at 66 Great Cumberland Place, London, after becoming weak with stomach and liver problems. His death has been attributed to heart failure. He left an estate of £4,132. | 3154252744214742137 | 897 |
Q21064085 | Jameill Showers
Early years
Showers attended Shoemaker High School in Killeen, Texas. As a junior, he registered 2,150 passing yards, 513 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns. He received District 12-5A First Team, District 12-5A Offensive MVP, Central Texas 4A/5A Offensive Player of the Year and honorable-mention All-state honors. As a senior, he was lost for the year with a broken collarbone he suffered in a preseason scrimmage.
College career
Showers accepted a football scholarship from Texas A&M University. As a redshirt freshman during the 2011 season, he was the backup to Ryan Tannehill. The next year, he was the backup to eventual Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel. Against Auburn University, he was 8-for-8 for 59 yards, including a two-yard touchdown pass.In June 2013, he earned a bachelor's degree from Texas A&M University. In his 2 seasons, he played in 11 games, making 31 out of 49 passes for 359 yards, 18 carries for 72 yards (4.0-yard avg.) and 2 passing touchdowns.In February 2013, he transferred to the University of Texas at El Paso. He was eligible to play immediately because he graduated from Texas A&M in June and was named the starter at quarterback. Although he missed the last 5 games due to a shoulder injury he suffered against Rice University on October 26, he still managed 1,263 passing yards, 11 touchdown passes, 4 interceptions, 195 rushing yards and 4 rushing touchdowns. The next year, he started all 13 games, registering 1,858 passing yards, 12 touchdown passes, 6 interceptions, 312 rushing yards and 4 rushing touchdowns.
Professional career
On May 9, 2015, Showers was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Dallas Cowboys. Although he passed for 125 yards, one touchdown and one interception in preseason, he made the coaches take notice with his special teams play and versatility on the scout team. On September 5, he was waived and signed to the practice squad two days later. On December 25, he was promoted to the active roster along with defensive tackle Casey Walker, after the Cowboys placed tight end Gavin Escobar and quarterback Tony Romo on the injured reserve list. He was declared inactive in the last 2 games.In 2016, he moved up on the depth chart when backup quarterback Kellen Moore broke his right tibia during the first week of training camp and the Cowboys couldn't reach an agreement with the Cleveland Browns to trade for backup Josh McCown.After Moore's injury, he competed with rookie quarterback Dak Prescott for the backup job behind starter Romo. Several reports from August, indicated that Showers outperformed Prescott, showing greater accuracy and a quicker release in training camp. However, the Cowboys coaching staff made the decision to start Prescott in the team's preseason opener at the Los Angeles Rams. Working with the Cowboys' first-team offense, Prescott completed 10 of 12 passes for 139 yards and two touchdowns in one half of action. In that game Showers had a notable 45-yard pass to Vince Mayle, while escaping a certain sack, although Dallas would lose the game 28-24.After Romo suffered a vertebral compression fracture during the first quarter of the Cowboys' Week 3 preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks, in light of Romo's projected 8- to 10-week recovery time, Prescott was named the starter for the beginning of the 2016 season. For the backup quarterback position, the Cowboys wanted to pair Prescott with a veteran, so they released Showers on September 4 to make room for Mark Sanchez, signing him to the practice squad the next day. On October 7, it was reported that Showers would be switching positions from quarterback to strong safety, in order to give him a better chance to make the team. He signed a reserve/future contract with the Cowboys on January 16, 2017.On September 2, 2017, Showers was waived by the Cowboys and was signed to the practice squad the next day. He was released on September 12, 2017, but was re-signed a week later. He signed a reserve/future contract with the Cowboys on January 1, 2018.In 2018, he suffered a torn left ACL in the second preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals and was placed on the injured reserve list on August 20.Showers was waived/injured with a hamstring injury during final roster cuts on August 31, 2019, and reverted to the team's injured reserve list the next day. He was waived from injured reserve with an injury settlement on September 9. | 10044940629088716093 | 990 |
Q1982191 | The Haunted Palace
Plot
In 1765, the inhabitants of Arkham, Massachusetts, are suspicious of the strange phenomena surrounding the grand "palace" that overlooks the town. They suspect the palace's owner, Joseph Curwen, is a warlock.A young girl wanders up to the palace in a trance-like state. She is led by Curwen and his mistress, Hester, down into the dungeons. The girl is subjected to a strange ritual, in which an unseen creature rises up from a covered pit. The townspeople observe the girl wandering off, and they storm the palace to confront its owner. Though the girl appears unharmed, the townspeople surmise that she has been bewitched to forget what happened to her. They drag Curwen out to a tree where they intend to burn him. The mob leader, Ezra Weeden, insists that they do not harm Hester (to whom he had been previously engaged to marry). Before being burned alive, Curwen puts a curse on Arkham and its inhabitants and their descendants, promising to rise from the grave to take his revenge.In 1875, 110 years later, Curwen's great-great-grandson, Charles Dexter Ward, and his wife Anne arrive in Arkham after inheriting the palace. They find the townsfolk hostile towards them and are disturbed by the horrific deformities that afflict many of Arkham's inhabitants. Charles is surprised by how well he seems to know the palace and struck by his strong resemblance to a portrait of Curwen. He and Anne meet Simon, the palace caretaker, who persuades them to stay at the palace and to forget the townspeople's hostility. Charles becomes more and more obsessed with the portrait of Curwen, and at times seems to change in his personality.Charles and Anne befriend the local doctor, Marinus Willet. He explains the circumstances surrounding Curwen's death, and that the townspeople blame the deformities on the curse. He tells them of a black magic book, the Necronomicon, believed to have been in Curwen's possession, and which Curwen used to summon the Elder Gods Cthulhu and Yog-Sothoth. Curwen's plan was to mate mortal women with these beings in order to create a race of super-humans, which led to the deformities. The townspeople are terrified that Curwen has come back in the form of Charles to seek his revenge. Dr. Willet advises Charles and Anne to leave the town.Charles seems to be falling under the control of something and insists that they stay in Arkham. One night, Charles is possessed by the spirit of Joseph Curwen. Curwen reunites with two other warlocks, Simon and Jabez, who also have possessed their descendants. They make plans to continue their work and resurrect Hester. Curwen's hold on Charles is limited, and he tells Simon and Jabez that Charles is fighting him.Curwen begins his revenge on the descendants. He kills Ezra Weeden's descendant Edgar by releasing Weeden's monstrously deformed son from his locked room and attacks Micah Smith's descendant Peter with fire. Curwen takes complete control of Charles and he attempts to rape Anne. Anne seeks help from Dr. Willet. Curwen and his associates succeed in resurrecting Hester. Curwen attempts to persuade Willet that Anne is insane.The townspeople discover Peter Smith's charred corpse and storm the palace. Dr. Willet and Anne try to rescue Charles and discover a secret entrance to the dungeons. They are ambushed by Curwen, Simon, Jabez, and Hester. Anne is offered as a mate to the creature in the pit, while the residents break in and begin to raze the palace. The portrait of Curwen is destroyed, breaking Curwen's hold over Charles. Charles releases Anne, then urges Dr. Willet to take her away from the palace. While Curwen's associates seize Charles, Dr. Willet shepherds Anne from the burning palace. He returns to rescue Charles, and finds that Simon, Jabez, and Hester have escaped and left him to die. Charles and Willet barely escape the flames. Charles and Anne fervently thank Willet for saving their lives. However, it is apparent that Joseph Curwen still inhabits Charles' body.
Production notes
After the 18th-century portion of the story, Vincent Price recites lines 41 through 44 of the final stanza of the eponymous poem: "And travelers now within that valley though the red-litten windows see vast forms that move fantastically to a discordant melody," and the film ends with lines 45 through 48: "...While, like a ghastly rapid river, through the pale door, a hideous throng rush out forever and laugh - But smile no more."Producer and director Roger Corman, best known for his Poe horror film series for American International Pictures, wanted to do something different with The Haunted Palace and selected a Lovecraft story. AIP changed the film's name, against Corman's wishes, to suggest continuity with the popular Poe series. The only connection the film has with the Poe poem are two brief quotes read by Price. The credits misspell the author of the poem as by "Edgar Allen Poe"; in Corman's other Poe films, the author's middle name is spelled correctly.The film paired Price with Debra Paget and Lon Chaney Jr.; Paget retired from acting following completion of the film, and Chaney, famous for playing The Wolf Man, made only this one appearance in a Corman film. He had co-starred with Price in Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein fifteen years earlier, but they didn't share any scenes; Price's participation was a voiceover role (as The Invisible Man) and he never appeared on-screen. Chaney's role in The Haunted Palace was originally meant to be played by Boris Karloff, but Karloff had contracted an illness while making Black Sabbath in Italy.The set for the village of Arkham was quite small, and used forced perspective to appear larger. Both the front of the palace and the underground dungeon later appeared in Corman's The Terror, which was shot on sets from other AIP films.Francis Ford Coppola provided additional dialogue for the film.Clips from The Haunted Palace are among the stock footage from various Corman features used for the Vincent Price film Madhouse (1974), in which Price plays a horror film actor. The clips are presented as the early work of Price's character. | 2861033774552641907 | 1,343 |
Q1154312 | Video editing
Video editing is the manipulation and arrangement of video shots. Video editing is used to structure and present all video information, including films and television shows, video advertisements and video essays. Video editing has been dramatically democratized in recent years by editing software available for personal computers. Editing video can be difficult and tedious, so several technologies have been produced to aid people in this task. Pen based video editing software was developed in order to give people a more intuitive and fast way to edit video.
Background
Video editing is the process of editing segments of motion video production footage, special effects and sound recordings in the post-production process. Motion picture film editing is a predecessor to video editing and, in several ways, video editing simulates motion picture film editing, in theory and the use of linear video editing and video editing software on non-linear editing systems (NLE). Using video, a director can communicate non-fictional and fictional events. The goal of editing is to manipulate these events to bring the communication closer to the original goal or target. It is a visual art.Early 1950s video tape recorders (VTR) were so expensive, and the quality degradation caused by copying was so great, that 2 inch Quadruplex videotape was edited by visualizing the recorded track with ferrofluid, cutting it with a razor blade or guillotine cutter, and splicing with video tape. The two pieces of tape to be joined were painted with a solution of extremely fine iron filings suspended in carbon tetrachloride, a toxic and carcinogenic compound. This "developed" the magnetic tracks, making them visible when viewed through a microscope so that they could be aligned in a splicer designed for this task.Improvements in quality and economy, and the invention of the flying erase-head, allowed new video and audio material to be recorded over the material already present on an existing magnetic tape. This was introduced into the linear editing technique. If a scene closer to the beginning of the video tape needed to be changed in length, all later scenes would need to be recorded onto the video tape again in sequence. In addition, sources could be played back simultaneously through a vision mixer (video switcher) to create more complex transitions between scenes. A popular 1970-80s system for creating these transitions was the U-matic equipment (named for the U-shaped tape path). That system used two tape players and one tape recorder, and edits were done by automatically having the machines back up, then speed up together simultaneously, so that the edit didn't roll or glitch. Later, in the 1980-90's came the smaller beta equipment (named for the B-shaped tape path), and more complex controllers, some of which did the synchronizing electronically.There was a transitional analog period using multiple source videocassette recorders (VCR) with the EditDroid using LaserDisc players, but modern NLE systems edit video digitally captured onto a hard drive from an analog video or digital video source. Content is ingested and recorded natively with the appropriate codec that the video editing software uses to process captured footage. High-definition video is becoming more popular and can be readily edited using the same video editing software along with related motion graphics programs. Video clips are arranged on a timeline, music tracks, titles, digital on-screen graphics are added, special effects can be created, and the finished program is "rendered" into a finished video. The video may then be distributed in a variety of ways including DVD, web streaming, QuickTime Movies, iPod, CD-ROM, or video tape.
Home video editing
Like some other technologies, the cost of video editing has declined over time. The original 2" Quadruplex system cost so much that many television production facilities could only afford a single unit, and editing was a highly involved process that required special training. In contrast to this, nearly any home computer sold since the year 2000 has the speed and storage capacity to digitize and edit standard-definition television (SDTV). The two major retail operating systems include basic video editing software - Apple's iMovie and Microsoft's Windows Movie Maker. Additional options exist, usually as more advanced commercial products. As well as these commercial products, there are opensource video-editing programs. Automatic video editing products have also emerged, opening up video editing to a broader audience of amateurs and reducing the time it takes to edit videos. These exist usually as media storage services, such as Google with its Google Photos or smaller companies like Vidify. | 11529563247544386067 | 925 |
Q7125473 | Pakhi Tyrewala
Early life and family
Paakhi was born and brought up in Delhi. Born to a linguistics lecturer and a journalist, Paakhi completed her schooling from Sardar Patel Vidyalaya, but didn't pursue a college education as she was dyslexic.Paakhi is married to director Abbas Tyrewala. They fell in love during the shooting of Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na in which she was the casting director.
Career
Paakhi A Tyrewala started off her career as a child artist in movies, serials, and theater in 1996. Her first ever performance was when she was two and a half years old. She made her debut as a child artist in 1997, in the film Dance of the Wind. Deep in her heart, she always knew she belonged to cinema. She came to Mumbai in the year 2000 where she started modelling for the biggest brands such as Ponds, Sunsilk, Dabur Vattika, Herohonda, Rayban, Organics etc. She starred in the film Yeh Kya Ho Raha Hai in 2002, in which she played a Russian girl Stella.Since then, she has worked extensively behind the camera as well as in front of it, exploring various departments in the industry along her journey. She worked on a couple of films as a writer, actor and casting director. In 2010 she was cast opposite John Abraham in the film Jhoota Hi Sahi, which was directed by her husband Abbas Tyrewala. She played a suicidal woman called Mishka whose final call mistakenly connects to a man who gives her something to live for. The film received a decent review from the audience, but did not do as expected at the box office. In 2010, she went to TICSH, New York to study film making. In December 2011, Paakhi started working as an Assistant Director with Nagesh Kukunoor for his film, The Boxer, and then his documentary, Lakshmi, in 2012.Her stints as an actor, writer and casting director finally poised her to take flight towards her first love - direction. She helmed her first short film Kajal in 2017 and her first feature film 'Pahuna', produced by Priyanka Chopra's Purple Pebble Pictures is ready for release in December' 2018.
Director
Her first shot at direction was a song she directed in Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na. With Kajal, she started her journey as a film-maker. This short film Kajal received rave reviews from the critics and audience alike, premiering at the New York Indian Film Festival 2017 and picking the award for Best Film and Best Music at Feedback Female Film Festival 2017, Toronto and Best Actress award at Bangalore Shorts Film Festival.Paakhi moved to her first full-length feature film right after, choosing the much ignored and less covered North East region of India to base her story and shoot in. This was a script she wrote 10 years ago and decided to pick up again for her first story. Pahuna is the journey of three kids from Nepal who get separated from their parents and find a home for themselves in the beautiful Indian state of Sikkim. The film has been made in Nepali, a language unknown to Paakhi; proving her to be a fearless filmmaker. Her intentions found a partner in Priyanka Chopra, who decided to produce this unique story under her banner Purple Pebble Pictures.Recently, she has been in the news for the successful premier of Pahuna at Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) 2017, where it was received with a standing ovation. The film also won the Best Film (Jury Choice) in The International Children's Film Festival in Germany and won the Best Film Award by the European Jury and a special mention in International Category at Schlingel Film Festival. The film is slated for a commercial release on 7 December 2018 in India.
Writer
Paakhi has four films credited to her as a writer including De Taali, Jhootha Hi Sahi, her first short film Kajal & full feature-film Pahuna.
Actor
She has worked in two films as the main lead - Yeh Kya Ho Raha Hai (2002) and Jhoota Hi Sahi (2010).
Model
She has also been a model for various brands like Ponds, Ray-ban, Sunsilk, Dabur, Hero Honda, Rayban and Organics etc.
Other work
Paakhi is an Art of Living Teacher and has worked extensively in the North-East, India as part of numerous humanitarian projects. She has been associated with the Art of Living foundation since 20 years and has helped empower the youth to achieve their full potential by teaching them how to live a stress free life. | 2454383175002189464 | 1,019 |
Q26516217 | Abbotswood, Gloucestershire
Abbotswood is a country house and estate near Lower Swell in Gloucestershire, England. It is a grade II listed building and estate, of medieval origins and with remodelling and garden work to the designs of Sir Edwin Lutyens from 1901 onwards.
History
The ownership of lands in the manor of Lower Swell can be traced to the pre-conquest period, when one Ernesi possessed them. In 1086 the manor lands were divided between Raoul II of Tosny and William II, Count of Eu. Richard, 1st Earl of Cornwall acquired much of the lands before 1257 for a parkland; in 1257 he endowed Hailes Abbey with the manor, which remained its owner until the English Reformation. In 1545 it passed to the Bishop of London, and in 1591 was conveyed back to the Crown, then passing to one John Carter, and later to his son Giles, who mortgaged it in 1638 to Sir William Courteen. Courteen had assumed ownership by 1659, for he sold the estate to Robert Atkyns, a lawyer and member of the Third Protectorate Parliament for Evesham. Atkyns descendants sold the estate in 1844 to one John Hudson. Hudsen split the estate in 1865, selling 400 acres (160 ha) to the owner of lands in Upper Swell, Alfred Sartoris. Within his now merged estate, Sartoris built in 1867 a new country house, Abbotwood, removed from and on land elevated above the estate farm buildings.In 1901 the estate was sold to Mark Fenwick, whose wealth derived from his involvement in mining and banking in Newcastle and Northumberland. Fenwick, a keen gardner, found the Abbotwood "far too ugly to live in" and against Lutyens' recommendation that he "blow it up, and start again!", engaged the architect to remodel the house and design gardens on what had been terraced lawns; Fenwick is credited with much of the planting within the estate. In 1946, the estate was sold to Harry Ferguson, the engineer and inventor noted for his role in the development of the modern agricultural tractor and, after the death of his widow, has been sold on a number of times.
House
Abbotswood house is the principal of the estate's buildings, a 22,000 square feet (2,000 m²) Cotswold stone L-shaped house dating back to the 1867 construction. Lutyens' external work on the house is concentrated on the north-side of the south-wing, where a projecting gabled roof falling to near ground level protects the main entrance; and on the west-side of the same wing where a series of narrow gables, terrace, ponds and a Loggia were added. Within, Lutyens created a new hall, grand staircase and reception rooms. Externally, Lutyens added a paved terrace with a linear central lily-pond extending from the west gable of the south wing. A large formal garden, subdivided into symmetric sections by hedges, paths and terrace walls, was planted to the south of the house; a terrace immediately to the south overlooks the garden and provides views of the surrounding park. The upper section of the garden is planted as a series of squares, four in the centre and three each at the east and west. The lower garden formed a sunken tennis lawn with a herbaceous border; more recently, a lily-pond has been sited in the centre of the lawn. A hexagonal open-sided garden house is sited at the south-west of the lawn; and a summerhouse is built beneath the upper garden, looking out across the tennis lawn and with access from a path on the west side of the gardens. A 'stream garden' of lawns, shrubs and trees with water and rock features is to the west of the house and formal gardens.
Estate
Abbotswood House sits towards the north-east of the estate's circa 1 square kilometre (0.39 sq mi) park, through which the River Dikler runs north-to-south. The estate's farm buildings, stables and staff housing are to the south-west of the house, and to the east of these is found an orchard and a walled garden with glasshouses, all associated with a long-demolished pre-1867 principal estate house. Features within the park include a river-fed pond, a well, and remains of a medieval moat. The park and a number of its buildings form part of the main listing for Abbotswood, and elements of the estate such as lodges, gates and walls, have distinct listings. | 4953651813772457442 | 988 |
Q60574 | Artur Axmann
Early life
Axmann was born in Hagen, Westphalia, the son of an insurance clerk. In 1916, his family moved to Berlin-Wedding, where his father died two years later. Young Axmann was a good student and received a scholarship to attend secondary school. He joined the Hitler Youth in November 1928, after he heard Nazi Gauleiter Joseph Goebbels speaking, and became leader of the local cell in the Wedding district. He also joined the National Socialist Schoolchildren's League, where he distinguished himself as an orator.
Nazi career
In September 1931, Axmann joined the Nazi Party and the next year he was called to the NSDAP Reichsjugendführung to carry out a reorganisation of Hitler Youth factory and vocational school cells. After the Nazi seizure of power in 1933, he rose to a regional leader and became Chief of the Social Office of the Reich Youth Leadership. Axmann directed the Hitler Youth in state vocational training and succeeded in raising the status of Hitler Youth agricultural work. In November 1934, he was appointed Hitler Youth leader of Berlin and from 1936 presided at the annual Reichsberufswettkampf competitions. On 30 January 1939 he was awarded the Golden Party Badge. Since October 1941, Axmann became a member of the Reichstag constituency of East Prussia.After World War II began, Axmann was on active service on the Western Front until May 1940. On 1 May 1940, he was appointed deputy to Nazi Reichsjugendführer Baldur von Schirach, whom he succeeded three months later on 8 August 1940. As a member of the Wehrmacht 23rd Infantry Division, he was severely wounded on the Eastern Front in 1941, losing his right arm.In early 1943, Axmann proposed the formation of the 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend to Heinrich Himmler, with servicemen drawn from the Hitler Youth. Hitler approved the plan for the combat division to be made up of Hitler Youth members born in 1926. Thereafter, recruitment and training began. In the last weeks of the war in Europe, Axmann commanded units of the Hitler Youth, which had been incorporated into the Home Guard (Volkssturm). His units consisted mostly of children and adolescents. They fought in the Battle of Seelow Heights and the Battle in Berlin.
Berlin, 1945
During Hitler's last days in Berlin, Axmann was among those present in the Führerbunker. During that time it was announced in the German Press that Axmann had been awarded the German Order, the highest decoration that the Nazi Party could bestow on an individual for his services to the Reich. He and one other recipient, Konstantin Hierl, were the only holders of the award to survive the war and its consequences. All other recipients were either awarded it posthumously, or were killed during the war or its aftermath.On 30 April 1945, just a few hours before committing suicide, Hitler signed the order to allow a breakout. According to a report made to his Soviet captors by Obergruppenfuehrer Hans Rattenhuber, the head of Hitler's bodyguard, Axmann took the Walther PP pistol that had been removed from Hitler's sitting room in the Fuehrerbunker by Heinz Linge, Hitler's valet, which Hitler had used to commit suicide; saying that he would "hide it for better times".On 1 May, Axmann left the Führerbunker as part of a breakout group that included Martin Bormann, Werner Naumann and SS doctor Ludwig Stumpfegger. Attempting to break out of the Soviet encirclement, their group managed to cross the River Spree at the Weidendammer Bridge.Leaving the rest of their group, Bormann, Stumpfegger, and Axmann walked along railway tracks to Lehrter railway station. Bormann and Stumpfegger followed the railway tracks towards Stettiner station. Axmann decided to go in the opposite direction of his two companions. When he encountered a Red Army patrol, Axmann doubled back. He saw two bodies, which he later identified as Bormann and Stumpfegger, on the Invalidenstraße bridge near the railway switching yard (Lehrter Bahnhof), the moonlight clearly illuminating their faces. He did not have time to check the bodies thoroughly, so he did not know how they died. His statements were confirmed by the discovery of Bormann's and Stumpfegger's mortal remains in 1972.
Post-war
Axmann avoided capture by Soviet troops and lived under the alias of "Erich Siewert" for several months. In December 1945, Axmann was arrested in Lübeck when a Nazi underground movement which he had been organising was uncovered by a U.S. Army counterintelligence operation.In May 1949, a Nuremberg denazification court sentenced Axmann to a prison sentence of three years and three months as a 'major offender'. He was not found guilty of war crimes. On 19 August 1958, a West Berlin court fined the former Hitler Youth leader 35,000 marks (approximately £3,000, or $8,300 USD) (equivalent to €74,527 in 2009), about half the value of his property in Berlin. The court found him guilty of indoctrinating German youth with National Socialism until the end of the war in Europe, but concluded he was not guilty of war crimes.
Later life
After his release from custody, Axmann worked as a businessman with varying success. From 1971 he left Germany for a number of years, living on the Spanish island of Gran Canaria. Axmann returned to Berlin in 1976, where he died on 24 October 1996, aged 83. His cause of death and details of his surviving family members were not disclosed.
Portrayal in the media
Axmann was portrayed by Harry Brooks, Jr. in the 1973 British television production The Death of Adolf Hitler. | 9600150951935477031 | 1,290 |
Q5385586 | Eremophila scoparia
Description
Eremophila scoparia is a broom-like shrub which grows to a height of between 1 and 3 m (3 and 10 ft). Its branches and leaves are covered with yellowish or silvery-grey scaly hairs although individual scales are indistinct and the surface may appear glabrous. The leaves are mostly arranged in opposite pairs and are linear to almost cylindrical in shape, S-shaped in side view, mostly 4–25 mm (0.2–1 in) long, 0.8–2.5 mm (0.03–0.1 in) wide and have a hooked end.The flowers are borne singly or in pairs in leaf axils on a stalk 2–6 mm (0.08–0.2 in) long which has the same scaly covering as the leaves. There are 5 linear sepals which are 1.5–3.5 mm (0.06–0.1 in) long, covered with the same scaly covering on the outside but are hairy on the inside surface. The petals are 8–25 mm (0.31–0.98 in) long and are joined at their lower end to form a tube. The petal tube is blue, lilac, pink or white on the outside and white with yellow spots inside. The outside surface of the petal tube and its lobes are covered with scaly hairs, the inside of the lobes is glabrous except for branched hairs near their edges and the inside of the tube is densely filled with long, soft hairs. The 4 stamens are enclosed in the petal tube. Flowering occurs throughout the year but mainly from August to October. The fruits are dry, woody, oval to cone-shaped, almost spherical, slightly fleshy, 3.3–5 mm (0.1–0.2 in) long and have a scaly covering.
Taxonomy and naming
This species was first formally described in 1810 by botanist Robert Brown who gave it the name Pholidia scoparia and published the description in Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae. In 1860, Mueller changed the name to Eremophila scoparia and published the change in Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of van Dieman's Land.The specific epithet is from the Latin scoparia meaning 'broom-like'.E.scoparia is also known by the common names broom bush, scotia bush, wax bush and broom emu bush.
Distribution and habitat
Silver emu bush occurs in Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales. In Western Australia it is found between Merredin and Echuca in the Avon Wheatbelt, Coolgardie, Great Victoria Desert, Hampton, Mallee, Murchison and Nullarbor biogeographic regions. In South Australia it occurs in the North-Western, Lake Eyre, Nullarbor, Gairdner-Torrens, Flinders Ranges, Eastern, Eyre Peninsula, Northern Lofty and Murray botanical regions. It is found in the north-western corner of Victoria and in New South Wales south from Wilcannia. It grows on a wide range of soils, is common in mulga, mallee and chenopod communities and is often the dominant shrub.
Conservation
Eremophila scoparia is classified as "not threatened" by the Western Australian Government Department of Parks and Wildlife.
Use in horticulture
This eremophila has a broom-like shape and pale to deep lilac-coloured flowers. It can be propagated from cuttings or by grafting onto Myoporum rootstock and grows best in well-drained soil in either full sun or part shade. It is tolarant of drought and of the harshest frost and can be pruned to maintain its shape or to rejuvenate an old specimen. | 9713326934006892346 | 826 |
Q717829 | George Lam
Biography
Lam was born in Hong Kong. He was born to a family of physicians, with both his father and paternal grandfather being doctors. He attended Tak Sun Primary School, then Diocesan Boys' School, a predominantly English-language boys school, where he was a boarder. At the latter school, he chose to study French rather than Chinese.Lam started to pick up music at a young age. His grandfather often took him to movies, both Chinese and Western ones, which exposed him to film music. In addition, his mom loved to sing and dance while his dad loved listening to music and playing piano. All this constant music around him kindled his interest in this art form. He started to love listening to music on the radio when he was a teenager and taught himself to play guitar. In 1965, Lam left Hong Kong to further his studies in the U.K. During this time and his subsequent stay in the United States his musical horizon was further broadened by exposure to a great variety of musical genres in those countries.When he first went to the U.K. in 1965, he attended Dover College (he was a Leamingtonian there) under the headship of Timothy Cobb. His long time pal Ching Y. Wong, S.C. also went to the college from Diocesan Boys' School. After about a year, he transferred to Barcote School of Coaching to join his brother, Tony. There he formed a folk song group, The Midnighters, with two friends. Lam paid a return visit to both colleges in January 2019.After his studies in the U.K., Lam worked for a few years there before moving to California, where he coached tennis and worked in a stock brokerage firm. It was at this time he started writing his own songs. Not long thereafter, he returned to Hong Kong to launch his music career.Initially, Lam was one of the lead singers in a band called "Jade". In 1976, he went solo with his first English album,"Lam". His first Cantonese album came out in 1978. In 1980, both his own compositions《在水中央》and《分分鐘需要你》won the Top Ten Chinese Gold Songs Awards. Throughout the 1980s, Lam had 23 songs that topped the RTHK Chinese Pop Chart, second only to Alan Tam, who had 28. Lam has also hosted some TV music programs, acted in some TV dramas, and played lead roles in many films.In May 2003, Lam accidentally fell down a 2.5-metre deep floor opening while he was performing on stage at the Hong Kong Coliseum as a guest of Lisa Wang. This fall injured his right ear, which lost part of its hearing, particularly in high frequencies, and resulted in tinnitus. Thereafter, he could essentially only hear sounds in mono. A few months after his injury, he purposely put on a series of concerts in southern China to get used to his new hearing problems. Within a short period of time, he managed to adapt to this new reality and was able to perform very well on stage and resume his career in full.Lam has remained popular in Hong Kong for more than four decades. Over time, Lam has not only gained the recognition and respect of his peers such as Anita Mui, Leslie Cheung, and Paula Tsui, he has also played a part in shaping the Hong Kong music scene, as many of today's top singers such as Eason Chan, Hacken Lee, and Andy Lau were influenced by his music.Lam married Ng Ching Yuen in 1980. Together, they have a son, Alex Lam Tak Shun, who is also a singer and actor, and a daughter. Lam and Ng divorced in 1994. On 17 July 1996, he married singer and actress Sally Yeh.
Voice and timbre
Lam has a very wide tenor range. His highest notes could reach F5, D#6 in full head voice and volume rather than soft falsetto, and also a rock-like break in his voice. His lowest note is G2, ten notes below middle C (C4). | 908958195622556003 | 866 |
Q7980904 | Weldon Humble
Early life and college career
Humble was born in Nixon, Texas, a suburb of San Antonio, in 1921. His athletic career began at San Antonio's Brackenridge High School. Humble played as an end for two seasons and a fullback for a third season on the football team. He also played on the basketball, track and swimming teams before graduating and enrolling at Rice University in Houston, Texas in 1940.Humble began play on Rice's freshman team as an end in 1940. He advanced to the varsity team the next year. While he started as an end, coach Jess Neely switched him to guard before the first game of the season. He thrived in the new position, and was named a sophomore all-star by the Associated Press after the Rice Owls finished 1941 with a 6–3–1 win–loss–tie record. The following year, Humble earned All-Southwestern Conference honors and won the George Martin Award, given to Rice's most valuable player, as Rice put up a 7–2–1 record.Humble left Rice in 1943 for the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, then called Southwestern Louisiana Institute, to prepare for service in World War II in a V-12 U.S. Navy training program. As he trained, he played alongside enlistees from Tulane University, the University of Tulsa and Louisiana State University on a military team that won six straight games and was selected to play in the first Oil Bowl in Houston. Captained by Humble, Southwestern beat a service team from Randolph Air Force Base in San Antonio.After the season, Humble enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and was sent to fight in the Pacific War. He rose to the rank of first lieutenant and won a Bronze Star Medal. Upon his discharge in 1946, Humble returned to Rice. He lettered in football and track and field and was voted a consensus first-team All-American guard while captain of Rice's Southwestern Conference co-champion team. He was also named lineman of the week by the Associated Press in November for his strong tackling in a game against the Texas A&M Aggies. After finishing with an 8–2 record, Rice beat Tennessee in the Orange Bowl game in early 1947. Rice was ranked the 10th-best college team in the nation in the AP Poll.
Professional football career
Paul Brown, the coach of the Cleveland Browns in the All-America Football Conference (AAFC), met Humble while vacationing in Florida in 1946. Brown came to watch the Orange Bowl on New Year's Day, and was staying in the same hotel as the Rice team. He saw Humble and his wife Lorraine, whom Humble had met while in training at Southwestern, on a dance floor at the hotel. "He appeared to be the sort of fellow we like to have on our team," Brown said later in 1947. "Then I watched him in that Tennessee game and after that made up my mind he'd be with my club if I ever had the chance to make a deal for him." The AAFC's Baltimore Colts selected Humble in the league's draft, but Brown got his chance in August. He engineered a trade that sent four players including quarterback Steve Nemeth and guard George Cheroke to the Colts, plus two players to be named later.Before joining the Browns, Humble played in the College All-Star Game, a now-defunct annual matchup between the National Football League (NFL) champion and a selection of the best college players from around the country. The college all-stars won the game, defeating the Chicago Bears 16–0. In Cleveland, Humble was part of an offensive line that included Lin Houston, Ed Ulinski and Bob Gaudio. Their job was to protect quarterback Otto Graham from opposing defenders and open up running room for fullback Marion Motley. They chanted "nobody touches Graham" when they broke the huddle.Helped by strong line play, Graham, Motley and Cleveland ends Dante Lavelli and Mac Speedie led a potent offense that dominated the AAFC for three years. The Browns won the AAFC championship in 1947, 1948 and 1949 before the league disbanded and Cleveland was absorbed by the more established NFL. Humble was a consensus second-team All-Pro selection in 1948, when Cleveland won all of its games. Cleveland's success continued in the NFL in 1950, when Humble was used on occasion as a linebacker on defense. The Browns finished the season with a 10–2 record and beat the Los Angeles Rams in the NFL championship game. Humble was selected to play in the first-ever Pro Bowl, the NFL's all-star game.Humble continued as a member of the Marine Reserves as his professional career continued, and in 1951 he was in danger of being called up for service in the Korean War. He re-enlisted in the summer and played for a military team at Marine Corps Base Quantico later in the year. After the season, he was named the best service player in the country by the Washington Touchdown Club.Humble was expected to return to the Browns after his discharge from the military in 1952. In a surprise move, however, Brown traded him before the season to the Dallas Texans for fullback Sherman Howard. The trade was unexpected because Cleveland's other guards, including Gaudio and Alex Agase, were getting older and nearing retirement. "I'm sure we'll be all right at the guard position," Brown said at the time. "But we do have a definite fullback problem." Humble played one season for the Texans before retiring. Dallas had a 1–11 record in 1952.
Later life and death
After his football career, Humble worked for 20 years at First City National Bank in Houston. He later became vice-president of an office supply firm called Stationers, Inc. He maintained an affiliation with his Texas alma mater, serving as president and later director of the R Association, an alumni group for former Rice student-athletes. In the late 1960s, he became the president of the Greater Houston Bowl Association, which organized the Bluebonnet Bowl. By the mid-1970s, he was chairman of the Bowl's selection committee.Humble won numerous honors after his career. He became the first Rice player inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1961. He was included on a 50th anniversary All-Southwest Conference team in 1968, and in 1970 was one of the first people inducted into the Rice University Athletics Hall of Fame. Humble was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame and the South Texas Football Hall of Fame in 1969.Later in life, Humble worked for the Harris County Appraisal Review Board and was a salesman for an office furniture supply company. He died in 1998 in Houston after a long illness. Humble and his wife Lorraine had three children. | 12978210175300595717 | 1,445 |
Q2455325 | Winston-Salem Beltway
Northern Beltway
When completed as planned, the Northern Beltway will be approximately 30 miles (48 km) in length, beginning in the east at I-74/NC 192 and ending in the west at US 158. It would be entirely within Forsyth County and would cross I-40 and US 421 twice. The Northern Beltway would serve as a freeway connector for the suburban communities of Walkertown, Stanleyville, Rural Hall, Tobaccoville, Pfafftown, Lewisville, and Clemmons, and would serve as a possible bypass for US 158 and US 52. The TIP Project Number is R-2247 for the western segment and U-2579 for the under construction eastern segment.
Southern Beltway
A "Southern Beltway" connecting the eastern and western segments in Forsyth County and northern Davidson County is in the initial planning stages, as its general proposed routing appears on some Winston-Salem Department of Transportation (WSDOT) long-range planning maps. As of January 2007, no preferred alternatives for this southern section have been officially submitted, and the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) does not include the Southern Beltway on its vision maps. The WSDOT plans for this final section of the beltway to start construction sometime after 2030. If completed as planned, the Southern Beltway would serve as a connector for the communities of Midway, Wallburg, and Arcadia, and would not necessarily be utilized as a bypass for I-40 due to the freeway's southward dip. The southern section would have an approximate length of 15 miles (24 km) and would intersect I-285/US 52/NC 8 near its midway point. Once the northern segments of the loop are completed, I-40 through Winston-Salem would technically complete the beltway loop without the southern section.
History
Construction of the western segment of the beltway was to begin in 1999, but was delayed by a lawsuit aimed at the Environmental Impact Statement. After the legal situation was resolved, the NCDOT then announced construction would begin in 2006; however, in March 2005, the department postponed the start date again until at least 2012, due to budget shortfalls. Funds once allocated to the western segment were then reapportioned to the construction of the eastern segment, which had a planned construction start date in 2011.A second lawsuit, however, delayed the road further. A federal district judge in May 2010 dismissed the cases accusing an updated environmental study of ignoring global warming and impact on other intersecting roads. However, the high cost of building the entire project pushed the beltway to last place on a list of urban loop projects being built by the state. In March 2011, state officials agreed to rank projects using sections, which might help the Eastern section move higher on a list by 2014.On September 7, 2011, North Carolina Governor Bev Perdue announced that construction of a part of the eastern leg of the Northern Beltway will begin in 2014. The section to be built connects US 158 to I-40 Business. Right-of-way acquisition began in 2012, and cost $34 million; construction is estimated to cost $156 million.Construction of the first leg of the beltway from I-40 Business to US 158, Project U-2579B commenced in October 2014 with an anticipated completion date of November 2018. Since then funding has been allocated to complete the remaining sections to be signed Interstate 74 between current Interstate 74 cosigned with US 311 and US 52. Starting with the segment between US 158 and US 311 known as Project U-2579C in October 2017. Next the sections between Interstate 74 and I-40 Business known as Projects U-2579AA and U-2579AB are scheduled to begin in November 2020. The final sections from US 311 to SR 2211 (Baux Mountain Road), Project U-2579D; SR 2211 to NC 8 (Germanton Road), Project U-2579E; NC 8 to East of US 52, Project U-2579F and the Interchange at US 52, Project R-2247EB will commence in October 2021. | 10415802015843101735 | 910 |
Q7243032 | Primal (comics)
Publication history
Primal first appeared in Uncanny X-Men. Following his introduction, he, along with Hope Summers, Transonic, Oya, Zero, and Velocidad, began to feature in the series Generation Hope. He continues to make appearances in Uncanny X-Men as well.
The Fourth Light
After rescuing Transonic, Velocidad, and Oya, Hope brought the group to the Ukraine to find the next Light. However, by the time they arrived he had already moved on. The group tracked Teon through Europe and eventually found him in Miami Beach. Like the others, Hope's touch stabilized his powers. After his activation, he imprinted on Hope, following her commands. He typically communicates in single words that convey his desires - notably "fight," "flight," and "mate."Teon accompanied the Lights to Tokyo to subdue Zero, whose powers had gone crazy. Soon thereafter, Teon and the other Lights followed Hope in moving to Utopia Upon arrival, he immediately began sparring Wolverine, by whom he was eventually bested; Teon conceded that Wolverine was the "alpha." Wolverine continues to spar with Teon.Like the rest of the student-aged population, Teon takes classes taught by more experienced X-Men. However, he is more concerned with following Hope, and follows her after she abruptly walks out of an ethics class being taught by Emma Frost. He also trains with Hope and the rest of his new team in weapons and tactics. Kavita Rao conducts intelligence tests on Teon and comes to believe that he is of low intelligence. Hope, however, demonstrates that he has normal if not high intelligence if given the correct incentive, but simply lacks the desire to complete his tests.When Hope and the Lights went to retrieve the Sixth Light, Teon (along with Zero) seemed uniquely immune to the infant telepath's abilities, as he is able to move freely about without any protection. Additionally, he is the only one able to convince the infant child, via telepathy, that it should embrace life and be born. Hope touches the newborn child, and is able to suppress its X-Gene until it becomes older. The Lights' celebration is cut short, however, as their liaison Shadowcat reveals that Teon's parents have sued for custody of the boy.While both Cyclops and Evangeline Whedon both initially believe that Teon's case is hopeless, Teon surprises everyone by rushing the stand, and giving an eloquent, well-thought-out speech about how he has changed. He explains that the Teon his parents knew died when his X-Gene was activated, and asks his parents to find solace in the fact that he is now happier with Hope on Utopia than he would be at home. This speech wins Teon the right to stay on Utopia. Later, Zero wonders if Teon truly is happy, or if he is faking it to remain close to Hope.
Schism
As Hope and Gabriel prepare to go on their first date, Teon is initially protective of Hope; she tells him to calm down, implying she can handle herself if Gabriel isn't a perfect gentleman.
Powers and abilities
Teon has a primal mutation that enhances all of his physical abilities. Teon also possesses a type of "hyperinstinct" which allows him to process the world in the most efficient manner. He has competently demonstrated that he is fully capable of parsing effectively complex ideas (even being able to appear at a legal hearing and give a dramatic speech about his own personal desires and happiness in an instinctive form of protection when those are both threatened by his being returned to the custody of his parents in his native home country) but he has little to no interest at all in the mannered niceties of polite society. His animalistic mind seems possessed of a natural protection against telepathic probing or assault. | 4172501853936685370 | 807 |
Q2342494 | Collectable
Created to be collected
A "manufactured" collectable (often referred to as a contemporary collectable) is an item made specifically for people to collect. Examples of items commonly sold as collectables include plates, figurines, bells, graphics, steins, and dolls. Some companies that produce manufactured collectables are members of The Gift and Collectibles Guild.Special editions, limited editions and variants on these terms fall under the category of manufactured collectables and are used as a marketing incentive for various types of product. They were originally applied to products related to the arts—such as books, prints or recorded music and films—but are now used for cars, fine wine and many other collectables. A special edition typically includes extra material of some kind. A limited edition is restricted in the number of copies produced, although the number may be arbitrarily high.
Collectables in commerce
Manufacturers and retailers have used collectables in a number of ways to increase sales. One use is in the form of licensed collectables based on intellectual properties, such as images, characters and logos from literature, music, movies, radio, television, and video games. A large subsection of licensing includes advertising, brandname, and character collectibles. Another use of collectables in retail is in the form of prizes (items of nominal value packaged with or included in the price of a retail product at no additional cost) and premiums (items that can be "purchased" by redeeming coupons, boxtops, or proofs of purchase from the product along with a small fee to cover shipping and handling). Also, collectables have played an important role in tourism, in the form of souvenirs. Another important field of collecting that is also big business is memorabilia, which includes collectables related to a person, organization, event or media, including T-shirts, posters, and numerous other collectables marketed to fans; but also includes ephemera from historical, media, or entertainment events, items that were meant to be thrown away but were saved by fans and accumulated by collectors.
Collectables as investments
Collectables are items of limited supply that are sought for a variety of reasons including a possible increase in value. In a financial sense, collectables can be viewed as a hedge against inflation. Over time, their value can also increase as they become more rare due to loss, damage or destruction. One drawback to investing in collectables is the potential lack of liquidity, particularly for very obscure items. There is also a risk for fraud.The 1960s through the early 1990s were major years for the manufacturing of contemporary collectables. While some individuals purchased contemporary collectables to enjoy and use, many purchased them as investments. Speculative markets developed for many of these pieces. Because so many people bought for investment purposes, duplicates are common. And although many collectables were labeled as "limited editions", the actual number of items produced was very large. Consequently there is very little demand for many (but not all) items produced during this time period, and their market values are often low.
History
The urge to collect unusual and fascinating objects is primeval and not limited to humans.The Renaissance Cabinet of Curiosities was an antecedent both of modern museums and modern collecting.The earliest manufactured collectables were included as incentives with other products, such as cigarette cards in packs of cigarettes. Popular items developed a secondary market and sometimes became the subject of "collectable crazes". Eventually many collectable items came to be sold separately, instead of being used as marketing tools to increase the appeal of other products.To encourage collecting, manufacturers often create an entire series of a given collectable, with each item differentiated in some fashion. Examples include sports cards depicting individual players, or different designs of Beanie Babies. Enthusiasts will often try to assemble a complete set of the available variations.Collector editions are another way of supporting collectables. They typically are produced in limited amount and contain additional content that can be valuable for a collector. This practice is mostly popular in video games.Early versions of a product, manufactured in smaller quantities before its popularity as a collectable developed, sometimes command exorbitant premiums on the secondary market. Dolls and other toys made during an adult collector's childhood can command such premiums. Unless extremely rare or made as a one-of-a-kind, in a mature market, collectables rarely prove to be a spectacular investment. | 516449443937679907 | 895 |
Q1925343 | Ojos Así
Music video
The music video for "Ojos Así" features Shakira performing the song for a crowd. In the background is a giant neon eye, which shoots out sparks and catches fire toward the end of the video. There are also clips of Shakira belly dancing in front of a dark purple background, standing in water. In these clips, there are snakes painted down her arms and red lines painted on her head. The video uses the "Single Mix" version of the song (though versions of the video with the album mix also exist). Featured instruments in the video include an Arabic string instrument with a bowl under the head, and a Danelectro Longhorn electric bass guitar. Shakira's long-time musical partner and band manager Tim Mitchell can be seen playing guitar in the video. The video won the International Viewer's Choice Award (North) at the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards, while it was also nominated for the same award in the South category and for a Latin Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video.On 24 April 2012, an alternate version of the video surfaced online. Uploaded by the video's director, Mark Kohr, on video sharing site Vimeo, this new version was in widescreen, revealing more of the original picture, and also contained several short, but noticeable, different scenes from the original full-screen, 4:3 version.
Live performances
In order to promote "Ojos Así", Shakira performed the song at Mexican television program Al Fin de Semana. Shakira performed the song during her MTV Unplugged performance at the Grand Ballroom in New York City, on August 12, 1999. It was completely re-worked for the performance, and included an extended introduction after the main Middle Eastern beginning, and even a dance break with Middle Eastern drums, eliminating Shakira singing in Arabic at the same time. The performance was later included on the MTV Unplugged release. In November 1999, Shakira performed "Ojos Así" on the Miss Colombia 1999 election, closing the event. Shakira included the song on her 2000 Tour Anfibio, being performed as an encore. She also performed "Ojos Así" on the first-ever Latin Grammy Awards on September 13, 2000, giving a "wildly" choreographed performance against a Survivor-like backdrop of tiki torches and images of water as she writhed about in a red pantsuit. It was the opening number of her 2002–03 Tour of the Mongoose, with Shakira wearing tight black leather pants, a black belly dancing scarf, and a black bra. The performance of the song was included on the Live & off the Record live release in 2004.Shortly before the start of her tour, Shakira performed the song during the Rock in Rio festival in Lisbon, Portugal, on 26 May 2006. "Ojos Así" was included on her 2006–07 Oral Fixation Tour as an encore. It sampled the Arabic tune "Enta Omri" by Egyptian singer Om Kalthoum at the beginning of the performance, when Shakira danced with a veil. Shakira would wear purple pants, a hip scarf, and a silver or rainbow bra. One of the bras worn by Shakira during the tour was auctioned for $3,000 dollars. The performance of the song was also included on the Oral Fixation Tour release. The song was performed by Shakira during her set on the Plymouth Jazz Festival in Trinidad and Tobago, on 26 April 2008. She also included "Ojos Así" on the setlist for her concert at Rock in Rio held at Madrid, Spain, on 4 July. It was also included on her sets on the Rock in Rio Lisboa and Madrid festivals on 21 May and 5 June, and also at the 2010 Glastonbury Festival, in 25 June 2010. During the 2010–11 The Sun Comes Out World Tour, "Ojos Así" was performed after a solo by violinist Una Palliser. The tour's version also featured a new dance break, using excerpts from the piece "Move" by DJ Said Mrad. The tour's signature prop, a giant head behind the stage, would feature mystical eyes and patterns during the song. Shakira would wear a black skirt, an animal-print skirt over that, a silver belly dancing scarf, and a skin-colored bra.
Awards
Shakira won a Latin Grammy Award in the category of Best Female Pop Vocal Performance with "Ojos Así" in 2000. | 17487081785019700946 | 958 |
Q21017112 | Sorority recruitment
History
The recruitment process has been around since the beginning of the formation of sororities, the first, Alpha Delta Pi being founded in 1851 at Wesleyan Female College. The recruitment into Greek life on college campuses has experienced failures that ultimately led to the adoption of a centralized matching procedure whereby a matching is determined by preference lists submitted by the potential new members. In the beginning of the formation of Greek organizations, seniors were the only ones who were eligible to join; however, more students from other grade levels desired to be a part of Greek life and it was opened to juniors, then sophomores, and finally freshmen. The process of "lifting", in which a Greek member would leave one chapter and join another, was not uncommon in the late 1800s and early 1900s during the start of fraternities and sororities; however, it was frowned upon. To solve this issue and others, the first intersorority conference was called to discuss interfraternity cooperation. Although resolutions were passed, they had little effect until 1928 when the National Panhellenic Council was ready to focus on a centralized system of matching and the first mention of the preferential bidding system began. This preferential bidding system has since been incorporated into the current recruitment activities of sororities.
Preparation
Some potential new members begin preparing in the summer before the school year begins and have a resume emphasizing community service, leadership, academics and teamwork, letters of recommendation from alumnae of each chapter, preferably on the campus in question, and reference letters at the ready before even beginning the rush process. While other schools require none of the prerequisites and girls can decide to go through the rush process weeks before. A potential new member will usually need to register for recruitment. Registration will vary by school and there may be a deadline and some sort of fee that goes along with registration.
Recruitment guides
PNMs will be assigned a recruitment guide to lead them through the week’s activities and assist the girls by answering question and giving moral support. The program of recruitment guides was developed by the National Panhellenic Council to provide support for the potential new members before, during, and after the recruitment process. These guides are called "Rho Gammas," "Pi Chis," "Gamma Chis" or something similar, but all have the same task no matter the title.
Recruitment rounds
The process includes a number of rounds that usually last around 5 days, with one round per day. Rush occurs at different times of years depending on the university it usually happens in early fall, mid January, and/or spring. There are different themes for each round, including philanthropy and skits. The first rounds are the shortest, getting longer each day. The beginning rounds include small conversations with sisters in the sorority, then comes philanthropy and skit rounds. Once the new member completes a round at a house she will go back to her recruitment counselor and make note of how she liked the chapter. The number of houses a new member visits narrows each day to preference night which is usually the longest and most serious round, in which a potential new member will visit only 1-3 chapter houses at a typical campus. Bid day is the final day of recruitment and can have several different outcomes: the PNM could receive a bid from her top choice, receive a bid from one of the other chapters she visited on preference night, not receive a bid, or receive a phone call offering a snap bid. Girls can either accept or deny the bids they are given, and the chapters have big celebrations welcoming the now new members into the sorority.
Cost
Sororities can often cost a considerable amount of money in order to join. Most schools make you pay for just rushing, as some sororities give out shirts and sometimes a little food. Once in the sorority there are more payments. There is a date function every semester, semi in the fall and formal in the spring. Each one of these events requires the sorority to rent a place that can hold all sorority members, and potentially their dates. Every sorority has a sisterhood planner in charge of organising all sisterhood activities. Each sorority is also required to pay some money to CPC, the head of sororities.
Criticism
Several sororities were criticized for their methods of recruitment. One notable incident was a recruitment video of Alpha Phi from the University of Alabama. The video was compared to Girls Gone Wild and was criticized by several for its lack of diversity and for its apparent sexism. The video was later removed from their YouTube channel. Another notable incident was a viral recruitment video of Alpha Delta Pi from the University of Texas where many individuals stack on top of each other behind their sorority house door. Many individuals on Twitter were horrified by the videos, some even comparing the recruitment method to the Gates of Hell. The sorority was also criticized for their lack of diversity. | 16167853177325070020 | 1,024 |
Q1795038 | Kyle Cook
Career
In Matchbox Twenty, Cook played the piano on the song "Hand Me Down" from the album More Than You Think You Are. He sang lead vocals on the track 'The Way' from their fourth studio album "North". He shares writing credits for all the songs on Exile on Mainstream and "Feel" and "Soul."Cook is also the lead guitarist and lead vocalist for the band The New Left. The New Left consists of him and three other musicians—John Kibler, Brett Borges and Eamon Ryland. Cook, Kibler, and Borges played in a band called Downpour in high school.Cook contributed to Mick Jagger's song "Visions of Paradise" on his solo record Goddess in the Doorway. Cook also played guitar on the song "...Something to Be" by Rob Thomas on his solo album of the same name.Cook co-wrote, performed and produced several songs on John Waite's album Rough & Tumble. He performed on stage with Waite in February 2011 at the Boomtown Casino in New Orleans.Cook is currently producing several artists in and around the Nashville area, and he co-wrote the song "Time to Let Me Go" by Gloriana.While Matchbox Twenty was on a brief hiatus, Cook released songs solo via his MySpace page.On stage Cook is most frequently seen playing a 1979 Wine Red Gibson Les Paul or a Danny Gatton series Fender Telecaster.Kyle Cook co-wrote Love and Theft's 2013 single "If You Ever Get Lonely."Cook opened his own Record Label - The Tennessee Recording Company, which he opened with longtime friend and collaborator, Mike Fiorentino, and web developer Ben Shaw in 2013.Cook plans to release a solo album - Wolves, in October 2018. The album had been put on hold as he created music with Sheila Marshall under the name Rivers and Rust. The duo parted ways in late 2017.In an Instagram post on April 9, 2016, Cook announced his departure from Matchbox Twenty, citing "deterioration of communication, disagreements on when, where and how we tour and a general break down of democracy within the group." However, less than a year later on March 27, 2017, Cook announced Matchbox Twenty's North America co-headlining summer tour with Counting Crows, and that Rivers and Rust would be the opening act. Regarding Cook's status in the band, Matchbox Twenty member Paul Doucette replied, "Kyle is back!" in response to a fan's question on Twitter.
The New Left
The New Left was an alternative rock band that released one EP in 2004.After releasing their third album, More Than You Think You Are, in 2002, and spending the next year touring the globe, the members of Matchbox Twenty began to work on separate musical projects. Guitarist Kyle Cook reconnected with his former bandmates – drummer Brett Borges and bassist John Kibler. The three had met during high school in rural Indiana. Under the name Downpour, the group had played proms and parties, but had parted ways once graduation came around. After Cook became part of Matchbox Twenty, the trio had kept in touch and recorded demos during Cook's time off from touring. Adopting the new name "The New Left", they added the guitarist and singer/songwriter Eamon Ryland.The group's only release was an EP, Let Go, which was released in 2004 during Cook's hiatus from Matchbox Twenty. It was recorded at Cook's studio in Orlando, Florida, and it includes six original, blues-tinged rock tracks.Matchbox Twenty then reunited and began performing again during 2007. Cook remained with Matchbox Twenty until 2016. Cook shortly after rejoined the group.
Personal life
Cook and his former wife, Sabrina, whom he married on June 13, 1999, have two daughters, Makenzie (February 23, 1999) and Ava (March 28, 2002) and have since divorced. He currently resides in Nashville, Tennessee.Cook played classical violin for five years before learning to play the guitar. His first guitar was a classical. His mother, Jackie Snyder, is a teacher in Frankfort, Indiana. He often credits her for much of his drive to succeed.Cook attended the Atlanta Institute of Music in Norcross, Georgia. He also lived in Oviedo, Florida for a time. | 11505042554531313818 | 929 |
Q635318 | Andrés Rodríguez (basketball)
Early and college career
Rodríguez began his college career in 1999 after graduating from Colegio San Ignacio de Loyola, joining the University of Louisville after becoming a walk on member of the Cardinals squad as a freshman. He debuted on December 15 playing only four minutes, recovering a rebound and stealing a ball. In his next appearance, Rodríguez scored a free throw and stole two balls. In his final appearance for Louisville, he only played a minute and recorded a steal. That same year, he debuted as a professional in his native Puerto Rico for the Criollos de Caguas of the Baloncesto Superior Nacional (BSN). In 2001, he transferred to American University. In seasons 2001–02, 2002–03 and 2003–04 played in the Patriot League Championship for the institution's team, the Eagles. Rodríguez completed a finance major, graduating with an average of 3.62 and forming part of the honor roll. Afterwards, he planned a move back to Puerto Rico in order to study law, but a basketball agent convinced him to pursue professional tryouts.
Playing in Europe and return to the BSN
Rodríguez has a playing style that is decidedly centered around teamwork, something that made him a better fit for European teams. He was able to make a quick and successful transition shortly after graduating from college, joining Olimpija Ljubljana of the Premier A Slovenian Basketball League. Rodríguez recognized that the stark contrast presented by his style in a fast-paced league like the BSN was a hindrance that prevented him from melding for several years. However, he consistently returned to play in Puerto Rico during the international offseason. By his second postgrad year, Rodríguez had established a presence in the European market, signing with BC Dynamo Moscow of the Russian Basketball Super League. His first multi-year stint was with PGE Turów Zgorzelec of the Polish Basketball League. Back in the BSN during the offseason, Rodríguez formed part of the first Criollos team to win the league championship.Rodríguez began the 2008–09 season by completing his first stay in the Liga ACB by completing the pre-season with Caja Laboral. Afterwards, he signed with BC Donetsk of the Ukrainian Basketball SuperLeague. The following season, Rodríguez returned to the Liga ACB, this time joining Obradoiro CAB. After two seasons of absence, Rodríguez returned to the BSN in 2010, becoming the regular point guard of the Capitanes de Arecibo. Under his lead, the team won back to back championships. In his return to the Liga ACB with Blusens Monbus, Rodríguez lead the league in assists and the team unexpectedly advanced to the post season. This directly limited his participation with the Capitanes. In November 2013, the Capitanes traded him to the Cangrejeros de Santurce in exchange for Walter Hodge and Jonathan Han. Still nursing a knee injury, Rodríguez decided not to pursue an international contract in order to rehabilitate.On November 19, 2014, he signed with Baloncesto Fuenlabrada. On February 16, 2015, he parted ways with Fuenlabrada.
National team career
Rodríguez made his international debut by playing for the youth versions of the Puerto Rico national basketball team. He made his debut for the adult team at the 2006 Central American and Caribbean Games, where Puerto Rico won the gold medal. Rodríguez was included in the preliminary lists for several events held in 2010, but he was not selected by coach Manuel Cintrón. Due to the fact that his father, Luis Dominic Rodríguez, was born in the Dominican Republic he considered joining the Dominican Republic national basketball team if no interest was shown, but ultimately disregarded this idea by noting that playing for Puerto Rico had always been his preference. After Cintrón was fired from the team, Rodríguez was included in the team that participated in the 2011 FIBA Americas Championship by Flor Meléndez.He was initially meant to serve as a third backup point guard, but the coach's strategy of using Carlos Arroyo and José Barea at once placed him in charge of a defensive backup squad. Puerto Rico was unable to classify with a narrow 2-point loss to Argentina, but classified to the 2012 FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament for Men. The following year, Rodríguez joined the B squad that won silver at the Centrobasket championship. He repeated his previous role at the Olympic Qualifying Tournament. However, another narrow loss costed them the opportunity to classify to the Olympics and eventually lead to the termination of Meléndez. Under coach Paco Olmos, Rodriguez returned in his backup role and joined the team for the 2013 FIBA Americas Championship, which classified directly for the 2014 FIBA World Cup by winning the silver medal.
Personal life
Rodríguez is married to Adienid Muñiz. The couple's first child, Antoneo Andrés Rodríguez Muñiz, was born on October 27, 2012, while his father was playing abroad for Blusens Monbus. Before playing in the fifth game of the season, Muñiz was taken to Hospital La Rosaleda in Santiago de Compostela for a routine checkup after experiencing some discomfort, while Rodríguez proceeded to the game where they were supposed to rendezvous. However, once there she entered labor to the surprise of both, since the birth was expected to take place a month after. In 2015, the couple had their first daughter. | 9619452766471106829 | 1,198 |
Q45410098 | Raymond Nkemdirim
Biography
Ray Nkemdirim MFR commenced his early education in 1966 at the Seventh Day Adventist Primary School, Ama-Achara, Umuahia.With the outbreak of the civil war, he moved to Sierra Leone where he continued his primary school education at the Military Primary School, Freetown, Sierra Leone. On completion of his primary education, he moved on for his secondary education to the Albert Academy, Freetown, Sierra Leone in 1973. In 1975, five years after the end of the civil war, he returned to Nigeria to continue his secondary education. First, he was enrolled at Boys High School, Awkunanaw, Enugu State, and subsequently Emmanuel College, Owerri.For his higher education, he proceeded to Imo State University (now Abia State University) then located at Etiti in Imo State, where he studied Sociology between 1982 and 1986. He went on to enrol at the University of Abuja, where he studied and obtained a degree in Law in 2002. Prior to going to the university for higher education, he had, in 1979 joined the then Nigerian Security Organisation (NSO). When in 1986, the NSO was re-organized and the State Security Service (SSS) emerged, he transferred his service to the SSS.He rose in his career to hold the position of State Director of Security (SDS) in several States, including Bayelsa, Oyo, Kwara and Bauchi respectively.He also participated in the Policy, Strategy and Leadership Course of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPPS), Jos, Plateau State. He attended the Institute for Security Studies, (ISS), Abuja, where he emerged the best graduating student and was awarded fellow of the Security Institute. He is also an alumnus of Harvard University in where he went for studies in National and International Security.
Awards
Member of the Order of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, (MFR)
Lectures
Raymond wrote on Rethinking Intelligence Management And Security In Nigeria for the Nigerian Defence College conference in February 2017. In the paper presentation, he advised that Nigeria must reform its intelligence management structure to suit its particular security threats, especially the rise of Boko Haram, Niger Delta militants and recently the Fulani herdsmen attack. Nkemdirim said the first step will be to set up an Intelligence Agencies Reform Committee to overhaul the operations of intelligence services in the country. On 11 November 2017, he delivered a lecture "Credible Intelligence Gathering" at Isuikwuato Local Government at Nigerian Army Language School, 143 Batallion, Ovim, Abia State.Raymond Nkemdirim recently delivered a lecture during the South West Security Management Course in Lagos titled Intelligence-led security analysis of bandits and violent extremists, where he challenged the governors of South West Nigeria to rise to the challenge of increasing activities of armed bandits and violent extremism in their respective states. Lecture in 2018. At the lecture, challenged Nigeria security agencies to strictly enforce the implementation of intelligence analysis in relation to the activities of bandits and violent extremists in order to realise a safer and more secure South West region.Nkemdirim in the paper said there is every need for Heads of the Nigeria Police and other intelligence agencies in the sub-region to meet regularly in order to work out joint strategies to mitigate security concerns within the region.He also delivered a lecture titled "Current Security Challenges and The Way Forward" at an event in Abuja Nigeria where he said the gory killings being unleashed by Fulani herdsmen across Nigeria and the apparent lack of willingness of the security apparatus to bring the perpetrators to book, has forced Nigerians to be doubtful about government’s claim of being genuinely committed to safeguarding lives and property.Raymond further challenged the government to take adequate step(s) toward reassuring Nigerians that all hope is not lost in the face of the prevailing security challenges .On November 26, 2018, Raymond was invited to speak at the South East Regional Security Management Course in Anambra State, Nigeria and in a paper titled, "Analytic Frameworks For Explaining And Predicting Decisions In Security Issues" he posits that "violent extremism in the South East region, comprising the 5 states of Abia, Anambra, Enugu, Imo and Ebonyi can effectively be tackled using tested analytic security frameworks.He also said, "The South East is one of 6 regions in Nigeria that has had its fair share of knocks from the activities of bandits and other men of the underworld on a fairly constant basis over the years".
Professional Courses
1.National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria --- Certificate in Policy, Strategy and Leadership Course. (2008)2.Institute for Security Studies, Abuja--- Fellow of the Security Institute (fsi): 20093.Harvard Kennedy School, Boston, USA--- Certificate in National and International Security Studies. (2013)
Service Basic Courses Attended
1.Detective Basic Course (DBC): 1980--- Best All-Round Detective2.Assistant Security Officers Basic Course (ABC): 1981--- Best All-Round Cadet3.Cadet Officers Basic Course (COBC): 1987--- Best Graduating Cadet Officer4.Executive Intelligence Management Course 1 (EIMC 1), Institute for Security Studies (ISS): 2009 --- Best Graduating Participant
POSITIONS HELD
1.Investigator--- 1979-19882.Principal Staff Officer (PSO) Operations--- DSS Imo State Command--- 19883.Principal Staff Officer (PSO) Intelligence, DSS Lagos State Command. 19894.Principal Staff Officer (PSO) Operations, DSS Lagos State Command. 19905.Staff Officer (SO) Intelligence, National Headquarters. 19916.Principal Staff Officer (PSO) Research and Estimates, National Headquarters. 19937.Principal Staff Officer (PSO) Intelligence, National Headquarters, Abuja. 1994- 19968.Assistant Director, Research and Estimates, National Headquarters. 1996-19989.Assistant Director, Operations and Intelligence (AD O/I), Nassarawa State Command. 1998- 199910.Assistant Director Intelligence, National Headquarters. 1999-200111.Assistant Director, Operations and Intelligence (AD O/I), Edo State Command. 2001- 200312.State Director of Security (SDS) Bayelsa State Command. 2003-200513.State Director of Security (SDS) Oyo State Command. 2005-200714.State Director of Security (SDS) Kwara State Command. 200715.State Director of Security (SDS) Bauchi State Command. 2007-200916.Directing Staff, Institute for Security Studies, Abuja. 2009- 201017.Director Operations, National Headquarters, Abuja. 2010 – 201518.Special Assistant to DG SSS (on contract). 2015 | 1421375826352527907 | 1,478 |
Q426575 | Order of Saint Stephen
History
The order was founded by Cosimo I de' Medici, first Grand Duke of Tuscany, with the approbation of Pope Pius IV on 1 October 1561. The rule chosen was that of the Benedictine Order. The first grand master was Cosimo himself and he was followed in that role by his successors as grand duke. The dedication to the martyred Pope Stephen I, whose feast day is 2 August, derives from the date of Cosimo's victories at the Battle of Montemurlo on 1 August 1537 and the Battle of Marciano (Scannagallo) on 2 August 1554.The objective of the order was to fight the Ottoman Turks and the pirates that sailed Mediterranean Sea in the 16th century. The Turks and the pirates were making dangerous inroads on the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea where Cosimo had recently inaugurated the new port of Livorno. Cosimo also needed a symbolic fight to unite the nobility of the different cities that combined to form his new grand duchy (including Florence and Siena), and to demonstrate his support of the Roman Catholic Church. Finally, the creation of a Tuscan military order would also strengthen the prestige, both internal and international, of Cosimo's new state.In its early years, the Order took part successfully in the Spanish wars against the Ottomans, being present at the siege of Malta (1565), the Battle of Lepanto (1571) and the capture in 1607 of Annaba in Algeria by the then admiral Jacopo Inghirami. They burned the city, killed 470 people and took 1,500 captives. After its aggressive capabilities had been recognized, the Order concentrated on the defence of the Mediterranean coasts against Turkish and African pirates. In particular, the Knights made some incursions into the Aegean Islands controlled by the Turks, and took part in the campaigns in Dalmatia, Negroponte and Corfu.After 1640, military involvement was reduced. The Order concentrated on the coastal defence and on ordnance duties, but did not avoid the chance to send help to the Republic of Venice, then engaged in a desperate war against the Ottoman Empire. The order's last military action dates from 1719. Grand Duke Peter Leopold of Tuscany promoted a reorganization of the order, turning it into an institute for education of the Tuscan nobility.On 7 March 1791, six months after becoming Emperor, Leopold abdicated the Grand Duchy to his younger son, Ferdinand III, the founder of the present Grand Ducal House. Although Ferdinand was the first European sovereign to recognize the French Republic, he was forced to submit to the French authorities who occupied the Grand Duchy in 1799. He abdicated both the Grand Duchy and the Grand Magistery of Saint Stephen. The order survived during the short-lived Kingdom of Etruria. Following the restoration of Ferdinand III in 1814, the revival of the Order was proposed. By a decree dated 1815 the Ripristinazione dell'Ordine dei Cavalieri di S. Stefano was proclaimed. The Order was again dissolved in 1859, when Tuscany was annexed to the Kingdom of Sardinia.
Currently
The descendants of the former Tuscan ruling family maintain that the Order of Saint Stephen was a religious and dynastic institution not subject to dissolution by the Italian authorities. Today, Archduke Sigismund, Grand Duke of Tuscany awards an Order of Saint Stephen which he claims to be a continuation of the order founded by Grand Duke Cosimo I. Approximately 80 individuals are currently associated with this order. All members must be Roman Catholic, although exceptions are made for Heads of State and members of royal families who are members of the other Christian denominations.
Eligibility
To join the Order a postulant had to be at least eighteen years of age, able to meet the financial obligations of membership, make the necessary noble proofs and not be descended from heretics. The initial seat of the order was on Elba before moving to Pisa. The Knights' Square in Pisa, on which their palace faces, is named after the Order. The Coat of Arms include a red cross with eight points, flanked by golden lilies. | 14695556633059539111 | 906 |
Q948819 | Kulmer Steig
The Kulmer Steig is a synonym for the transport links from the Elbe valley over the eastern part of the Eastern Ore Mountains to Bohemian Chlumec u Chabařovic (German: Kulm), hence the name which means "Kulm Trail". It is an ancient road system of partly derelict and unmetalled historic transport routes. These historic long-distance routes have been uncovered today thanks to archaeological discoveries. The routes all head south from the Elbe valley between Dresden and Pirna and cross the Eastern Ore Mountains over mountain passes on the Saxon side between Fürstenwalde in the west and Oelsen in the east. The lowest crossings are located near Mohelnice from where they continue via Habartice and the Geiersberg as well as Krasný Les and further on over the Nollendorf Pass to Chlumec. The Kulmer Steig was an especially good transport route because the road cut a passage through untamed wilderness and 30 kilometres could be covered in a day.In places it overlaps with the Old Kings Way (Alter Königsweg or Via Regia) from Cologne to Kraków and Berlin to Prague and the Salt Road (Salzstraße) from Halle to Prague.
Chronology
The location of some of the highways outlined above can be worked out even for prehistoric times. This is evinced, inter alia, by archaeological finds (pottery, coins, even from Roman times, tools, weapons) from the Bronze (ca. 1800-750 BC) and Iron Age (750 BC - early AD). Even a few finds from the Neolithic (Stone Age ca 4500-1800 BC) show statistically significant associations with the above-described routes of the Kulmer Steig.In the Middle Ages, the route served as a trading and military road. According to tradition, the Kulmer Steig was used as early as 805 and 856 by armies advancing into Bohemia. The first records of such use, however, date to 1040, when Margrave Eckhard II of Meissen with the Saxon army and a force under Archbishop Bardo of Mainz advanced into Bohemia and intervened in the dispute between Henry III and Bretislaus I The eastward expansion of Henry I may also have followed this route, especially since he also credited with the establishment of Dohna Castle in 930 (other sources identify Otto I as founding it around 960, perhaps this is a misunderstanding with regard to the castle on the Robisch and the Reichsburg opposite on the Schlossberg). It is recorded that Henry I founded Meissen Castle in 929 and in the same year moved on to Bohemia. Other armies were moved down this route by Wiprecht of Groitzsch in 1107 and Emperor Lothair III in 1126.These transport routes also played an important role in the great wars of the Middle Ages. Armies in the Thirty Years' War, the Seven Years' War and during the wars of liberation from Napoleonic occupation, particularly around the year 1813, used these routes for crossing the Ore Mountains and regularly brought death, misery and devastation to the region.With the introduction of road tolls in the 14th century and also the construction of post roads in the 18th century and modern roads since the early 19th century, the old road system described above, with its sunken roads shaped by centuries of heavy carts, disappeared.In the later Middle Ages, these trade routes increasingly concentrated on the post roads (e.g. the Old and New Dresden to Teplitz Post Road) with their surveys and designations made by Adam Friedrich Zürner in 1712/13 on behalf of the Saxon Elector August the Strong.The modern road network emerged in the 19th and 20th century. It is based, as mentioned above, on the described routes of the Kulmer Steig (e.g. Staatstraße 173 from Pirna to the border crossing at Bahratal; Kreisstraße 8760 from Pirna to Herbergen; Kreisstraße 8770 from Dohna via Köttewitz into the Seidewitz valley, Staatstraße 176 from Pirna through the Seidewitz valley to Liebstadt and on to Börnersdorf and Breitenau, and, of course, the A 17 autobahn, which runs parallel to the Old Dresden to Teplitz Post Road, etc.). | 6610247411175815338 | 932 |
Q4849279 | Bakersfield Blitz
Owners
In December 2001, a new AF2 franchise was established in Bakersfield. Owner Casey Wasserman (owner of the LA Avengers) hired Brad Hoffman as the first Bakersfield Blitz General Manager. Hoffman managed the team along with staff members Todd Anderson (Public Relations), Mike Krause (Administration), Joel Hupp (Production) and Margo Saylor-Ivester (Game Operations). The team's coaching staff was led by: Head Coach James Fuller, Fullback/Linebacker Coach Steven Folmar and Offensive/Defensive Assistant Rick Van Horne.The owners at the time the Blitz ceased operations:Jeff Allen, Scott Atkins, Dr. Vip Dev, William Edwards, Scott Erwin, Dr. Todd Farrer, Scott Garrison, Scotty Gelt, Scott Hacker, Clayton Koerner, Paul Press, Fred Prince, Joel Shaddy, Andrew Watkins,and SportsGelt Partners among others.
The Bakersfield High School All Star Arena Bowl
General Manager Brad Hoffman along with his staff came up with the idea of creating an arena style high school All-Star game to help promote arena football in Kern County. Hoffman's brainchild was the first arena style all-star game in the nation and continues to be the only arena style all-star game in the United States. Although the Blitz franchise changed ownership several times the huge interest in this unique game has kept it alive, even after the Blitz franchise folded in August 2007. It is now known as the "Bakersfield Arena Bowl." It is played every Spring....usually in April.Several of today's NFL Stars and Stars of the Future have played in the game. Most notably is Philadelphia Eagles RB #24 Ryan Mathews who still holds records for scoring in the game. Others who have played is Oakland Raiders QB Derek Carr (brother of David Carr) and USC QB Cody Kessler.
RB Julian Yearwood's death
On July 19, 2003 Blitz reported the untimely death of Bakersfield Blitz Fullback/Linebacker Julian Yearwood. Yearwood, 31, who collapsed on the team bench during the Saturday game against the Wichita Stealth at Kansas Coliseum in Wichita, Kansas. Emergency medical personnel worked on resuscitating Yearwood for over 20 minutes before he was taken off the field on a stretcher.He was transported by ambulance to Via Christi St. Francis Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 9:37 p.m. CT on July 19, 2003. His body was transported to the Sedgwick County Coroner's office to have an autopsy performed to determine the cause of death.The passing of Yearwood rocked the AF2 family. The game was tied 7-7 in the first quarter when Yearwood came out of the game after blocking a field goal allegedly claiming that he wasn't well. He collapsed on the field shortly thereafter.The league declined to comment on the cause of death, pending an official autopsy, though some reports in the local media indicated it may be heart related.
Rape Allegations
While in Boise, Idaho playing the Boise Burn, two members were arrested and charged with crimes related to the July 8, 2007 rape of a young woman in a hotel room in Boise. The players arrested were Maurice Ronald Troutman, 25 and Rennard Reynolds, 30 both of Long Beach, California. Boise police arrested Troutman on July 8, for the alleged rape and Reynolds on July 9, for an alleged burglary connected to the alleged rape. The Blitz team cooperated with Boise police and delayed leaving Boise until the investigation was completed.Maurice Troutman's rape case was overturned by the Supreme Court. Documents show he never wanted to or tried to take advantage of the woman. Court documents also show she never was tested to see if she had taken Ambien and Alcohol. In Idaho it is illegal to engage in sexual intercourse with someone under the influence of alcohol, drugs etc., because they cannot give consent while having these things in their system; which was why he was charged in the first place. | 13912196054766923542 | 830 |
Q7239552 | Precita Eyes
History
Precita Eyes Muralists Association was founded in 1977 by Susan and Luis Cervantes who had come to the Bay Area several years before and started a family. Susan Cervantes herself had been inspired by “Las Mujeres Muralistas,” the first all-women group of collaborative muralists from which she applies her strategy of collaborative, accessible, community art.The organization evolved from a community mural workshop in which the participants designed and painted the portable mural “Masks of God, Soul of Man” for the Bernal Heights Library. The group signed the piece as Precita Eyes Muralists because the project was a collaborative effort. The name of the organization comes from the fact that most of the muralists were from Precita Valley, which gets its name from Precita Creek. Precita is a diminutive form of the Spanish word ‘presa,’ which means dam; the word ‘Precita’ means little dam. The ‘Eyes’ in the name are what we perceive the visual world with, our own eyes.After the first mural, the group of artists continued to be interested in creating murals. They completed two major mural commissions and several more portable murals. Two years later, the group applied for non-profit status in 1979. In 1998 Precita Eyes expanded its operations with the purchase of the building at 2981 24th Street, near the well-known Balmy Alley. As of 2007, Precita Eyes had supported nearly 100 murals in the Mission neighborhood, including on The Women's Building and Cesar Chavez Elementary School.Precita Eyes celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2007 and continues to conduct several mural projects each year. Recent projects include two international projects, one in Beijing, China and the other in parts of Palestine and Lebanon. Other recent local projects involved the restoration of two San Francisco Parks, Excelsior Playground and Crocker-Amazon Playground. They also host an annual Urban Youth Arts Festival, with artists painting on boards in Precita Park.Murals are an expression of the culture of the neighborhood; in an article about Precita Eyes, muralist Juana Alicia Montoya said "In the 1960s and '70s, the Mission District became the cultural heart of the Chicano movement in California... and the murals were an integral part of that movement, as was theater and poetry." The book Chicana and Chicano Art: ProtestArte says "Arts organizations such as Precita Eyes continue to support Chicano muralism's original objective: to create public art that authentically represents a community's history and culture."
Programs
Precita Eyes Muralists is one of only a handful of mural arts organizations in the United States. It maintains two centers. The original Mural Arts Center across from Precita Park at 348 Precita Avenue is used primarily by the education program for toddler, kids and youth classes. The Precita Eyes Mural Arts and Visitors Center, at 2981 24th Street, conducts mural tours; has a small art supply and mural merchandise store; is used as a gallery space and a space for workshops for adults to plan and design mural art; has space to work on mosaics and portable murals; and contains Precita Eyes Muralists’ Offices.Precita Eyes Muralists offers weekly art classes for toddlers, children and youth 18 months to 19 years old. These programs enable students to find and develop their confidence and individuality through arts and crafts, and experience positive social interaction through collaboration in a safe environment. It also offers regular workshops for adults such as the Community Mural Arts Education Workshop. Overall the educational programs serve approximately 3,000 children, youth and adults yearly, most of whom qualify as moderate to low income. People served by the program include young people caught for doing graffiti and required to do community service hours.Precita Eyes offers walking tours that cover mural history and the cultural and historical significance of the murals in Balmy Alley and the wider Mission district. Tours are open to the public during the weekends. Private tours for large groups such as school classes or visiting groups can be scheduled during the weekday and are tailored to the audience. | 16094134880877388178 | 864 |
Q2627242 | Hamden, Ohio
History
Hamden was laid out in 1820. It was incorporated as a village in 1876.
Geography
Hamden is located at 39°9′39″N 82°31′28″W (39.160887, -82.524429).According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 0.57 square miles (1.48 km²), all land.
2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 879 people, 338 households, and 230 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,542.1 inhabitants per square mile (595.4/km²). There were 367 housing units at an average density of 643.9 per square mile (248.6/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 99.3% White, 0.5% African American, 0.1% Native American, and 0.1% Asian. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.7% of the population.There were 338 households of which 33.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.8% were married couples living together, 14.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 32.0% were non-families. 27.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.12.The median age in the village was 35.5 years. 26.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.7% were from 25 to 44; 23.4% were from 45 to 64; and 14.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 49.1% male and 50.9% female.
2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 871 people, 344 households, and 255 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,528.0 people per square mile (590.0/km²). There were 375 housing units at an average density of 657.9 per square mile (254.0/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 97.13% White, 1.49% Native American, 0.34% from other races, and 1.03% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.80% of the population.There were 344 households out of which 29.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.8% were married couples living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.6% were non-families. 22.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 2.92.In the village, the population was spread out with 24.5% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 26.2% from 25 to 44, 23.8% from 45 to 64, and 16.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 91.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.3 males.The median income for a household in the village was $27,625, and the median income for a family was $32,083. Males had a median income of $30,250 versus $18,929 for females. The per capita income for the village was $13,242. About 13.5% of families and 18.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.1% of those under age 18 and 12.4% of those age 65 or over. | 3706832278982506576 | 933 |
Q934614 | Little Big League
Plot
Billy Heywood, the 12-year-old son of widowed Jenny, is a Little League Baseball player. Billy's paternal grandfather is Thomas Heywood, owner of the Minnesota Twins.The Twins are a last-place team (in real life they were World Series champions just three years prior), but Billy and his grandfather love each other, the Twins, and the game of baseball. When Thomas dies, his will reveals that he has given the team to Billy. Thomas specifies that, if Billy is still a minor at the time of his death, his aides are to help him until Billy is old enough to run the team by himself.Billy quickly runs afoul of the team's manager, George O'Farrell. Billy believes O'Farrell is too hard on the players, while O'Farrell despises the idea of working for a kid. After O'Farrell insults Billy and tells him to butt out of the team's business, Billy fires him.With no potential new managers willing to work for a kid, and with his grade-school summer break starting in two days, the baseball-savvy Billy decides to name himself the new manager. He reaches out to the Commissioner of Baseball, who approves after consulting with Jenny.The players are very skeptical, but Billy promises that if he does not improve the team's position in the standings within a few weeks, he will resign. The team quickly moves up to division race contention. Unfortunately, not all is going smoothly for Billy, as his friend and star first baseman Lou Collins takes a romantic interest in Jenny.Billy picks up bad habits on the road, and is even ejected from a game and given a one-game "suspension" by his mother for throwing a temper tantrum and swearing at an umpire because of a call he didn't like. He also must release his personal favorite Twins player, Jerry Johnson, who is clearly in the twilight of his career. He ends up making Jerry feel even worse when Billy immaturely tries to illustrate his own distress by pointing out he owns Jerry's baseball card and wouldn't give it up for a Wade Boggs and a Sammy Sosa.The pressures of managing the team wears Billy down and consume his free time. Billy's friends do not like how his managerial responsibilities are keeping him away from being with them. Even when he's physically present (as opposed to on the road with the team), he is typically distracted by team business.After Jenny spends her birthday with Lou rather than Billy, Billy uses Lou's minor batting-slump as an excuse to bench him, sending the Twins into a losing skid. Billy later tells his mom that he's tired of being a "grown-up" and decides to quit as manager after the end of the season, even reinstating Lou to starter on first base.With four games left in the season, the Twins trail the Seattle Mariners by four games in the wild card race. The Twins win their last four while the Mariners lose four straight, forcing a one-game playoff at the Twins' Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome to determine who advances to the postseason.The two teams trade three-run home runs during the course of the game, and extra innings are required. The Mariners eventually take the lead. Down to their final out, and Lou about to go up to bat, he tells Billy that he has asked Jenny to marry him, and that her reply was "Ask Billy". With a runner on base, Billy says if Lou hits the game-winning homer he will give his blessing, but quickly relents and gives Lou his consent whether or not he hits a homer. Facing Randy Johnson, Lou hits a long fly ball to center field, but Ken Griffey Jr. makes a leaping catch at the wall to rob Lou of a homer and end the game.With their season over, Billy tells the players he is officially stepping down as manager, with pitching coach Mac MacNally taking his place, as well as bringing back Jerry Johnson to be the third base coach and new hitting instructor. The players object to losing Billy, but he reminds the team that he will still be present as the owner, and says that he might come back as manager if junior high doesn't work out. When being informed that none of the fans have left, Billy, along with the rest of the team, returns to the field to receive a standing ovation.
Reception
The film has a score of 33% on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 15 reviews. In his three-and-a-half star review, Roger Ebert gave the film praise for being a family movie that doesn't dumb down for its audience or feel predictable. | 6264411917548421364 | 942 |
Q19899300 | YU Televentures
YU Yureka
YU Televenture's first mobile phone was called the 'YU Yureka', ran on the Cyanogen OS, and was released in January 2015. It is a legal rebranding of the Coolpad F2 and is powered by a 64-bit Snapdragon 615 SoC alongside 2GB DDR3 RAM. It has a MSM8939 LTE Chipset and integrated Adreno 405 GPU @550Mhz. Yureka was launched with the Cyanogen OS 12 based on Android Lollipop 5.0.2, which allows users to customize their phone. The YU Yureka has now been discontinued on the Amazon website. The YU Yureka Plus was an improved version of the YU Yureka and was released in July 2015, which is a rebranding of Coolpad 8675-fhd. It had an improved 13MP Camera, 1080p Full HD display, and ran on Cyanogen OS 12.1. After that, the company also released the stock Android version of the phone running Android KitKat. The company promised to release the Android Lollipop update for the Stock Android version phone in 1 year but the company was not able to fulfill their promise due to the closure of Cyanogen Inc.Yu Yureka Note is a Note version of the smartphone, with 6-inch display and also 4000 mAh battery.Yu Yureka S, another improved version of Yu Yureka, was released in August 2016. It has an improved Octa-Core Snapdragon 616 Processor and powered by Adreno 405 GPU to support 3D games.
YU Yuphoria
The YU Yuphoria, released on May 12, 2015, had almost exactly the same technical specifications as the YU Yureka except for the Camera and Chipset. It came with 2GB RAM, 16GB ROM, 1.2 GHz Snapdragon 410 processor (MSM8916 chipset) and a 5-inch 720p screen with Gorilla Glass 3. It had a 8MP rear camera and a 5MP front camera. It came with two variants. The first variant 'YU5010' came with Cyanogen OS 12 based on Android 5.0 (upgradable to 5.1.1), and later YU released the 'YU5010A' variant with stock Android 5.1.1 installed onto it. The YU5010A variant later received an update, which enabled VoLTE support on the device.
YU Yutopia
The YU Yutopia was the successor to the YU Yuphoria and was released on 17 December 2015. It had Snapdragon 810, a 5.2 inch 2K Screen(WQHD), 4 GB RAM, 32GB ROM, a 3000 mAh battery with QuickCharge, and a fingerprint sensor.
YU Yunicorn
The YU Yunicorn was the successor to the YU Yutopia and was released on 31 May 2016. The device is powered by a Helio P10 MediaTek 1.8Ghz octa-core, 64-bit chipset which is paired with 4 GB of RAM. Other specifications include a 5.5-inch full HD IPS display, 32 GB ROM, a 4,000 mAh battery and a fingerprint sensor. It has a 13 MP rear camera and a 5 MP front camera.
YU Yunique
The YU Yunique is budget version 4G phone from YU was launched in September 2015. It is powered by 1.2-GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 processor and it comes with 1GB of RAM with 4.7 inch display in just $80 or ₹5000. During the time of release in India this phone was considered as best budget phone around this price.Yu Yunique Plus smartphone was launched in August 2016 which is upgraded to 2 GB of RAM.YU Yureka BlackThe YU Yureka Black was released in June 2017 runs on Qualcomm Snapdragon 430. It has a 4GB RAM and fingerprint sensor. It sport a 13MP back camera and 8MP front camera. Came with Android Marshmallow, and updatable to Android Nougat 7.1.1 via OTAYU Yunique 2The YU Yunique 2 was released in July 2017 runs on MediaTek MT6737 quad core processor and has 2GB RAM & 16GB ROM. Itsports a13MP rear camera and a 5MP front camera and is powered by Android Nougat v7.0.YU Yureka 2The YU Yureka 2 was released in September 2017 and runs on Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 chipset, having 4 gigabytes of RAM and 4000 mAh battery. It has 16MP rear camera and 8MP shooter in the front. It supports quick charge 3. It was a direct competitor to the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4YU AceAs of November 2018, this is the latest smartphone by YU Televentures, launched in September 2018. It runs on Mediatek MT6739WW chipset a quad core 1.5 GHz processor, and comes in 2 variants, a 2GB RAM / 16 GB ROM variant and a 3 GB RAM / 32 GB ROM variant. The device came with Android 8.0 Oreo. The YU Ace costs Rs 5,999 & Rs 6,999 for the variants 2GB RAM/16GB ROM & 3GB RAM/32GB ROM respectively.
YUfit
YU Televentures released the YUFit fitness tracking band on July 29, 2015. Similarly to other fitness tracking bands, it can track fitness information such as burnt calories, steps taken, and the calorie content of food items.
HealthYU
The HealthYU was another health device released by YU Televentures on July 29, 2015. It is used to monitor health data such as blood pressure, body temperature, and heart rate.
YUpix
The YUPix is a portable mobile printer with an ink cartridge and 20 sheets to print on.
jYUice
The jYUice is a power bank from YU Televentures, and has a capacity of 5000mAh or 10000mAh. The power bank consists of an anodized aluminum shell which houses a lithium-polymer battery. The 5000mAh model has a single 5V/2.1A USB port while the 10000mAh model has a 5V/1A USB port and a 5V/2.4A USB port. It comes with a multi-colored LED light to indicate how much charge the jYUice has. | 15740948971254248816 | 1,440 |
Q19665675 | Xavier Cooper
Early years and high school
Cooper was born in Tacoma, Washington, in 1991 to Louis Cooper, Jr. and his wife, Dawn Cooper. His father works for the Port of Tacoma, and was a former NAIA football All-American at Doane College in Crete, Nebraska. His mother is a social worker, and he has a sister, Keysha.Cooper was an athletic child, working out and playing sports at the local YMCA. Zachary Smalls, a friend of his father's and a former standout Washington State University football receiver in the 1980s, ran a speed and agility training camp for athletes 12 years old and up. Impressed with Cooper's speed, Smalls admitted the boy to his training camp even though Cooper was only 10 years old.Cooper's parents, both of whom have master's degrees, realized early on that their son had a moderate learning disability. His reading comprehension was minimal, and he learned best through kinesthetic learning (doing, experiencing, moving, or touching). Although Xavier was excited by sports, he was disinterested in school, so the Coopers allowed him to play sports only if he continued to go to school and study. Initially, he enjoyed AAU basketball and soccer, and was an excellent player due to his size and speed. He did not begin playing football until the ninth grade.Cooper's secondary education was at Woodrow Wilson High School in Tacoma. He played both basketball and football in high school, but excelled in football. Cooper began taking three special education classes in his freshman year. Nicknamed "X", Cooper was initially embarrassed by having to enroll in these courses, even though he had teammates sitting next to him in class. Although he overcame the embarrassment, he was taunted by his classmates.Despite his parents' encouragement, Cooper often skipped classes and his grades were poor. College football scouts, impressed with his athleticism, declined to recruit him, concluding that his academic struggles made him a high risk to drop out of college or fail to graduate. Cooper also did poorly on his ACT and SAT college admission exams.Cooper resolved to attend a junior college, until Mike Levenseller, a neighbor and former football coaching assistant at Washington State University (WSU), suggested "gray-shirting"—a process whereby Cooper would enroll at a Washington community college, taking classes that would enable him to enroll at WSU without passing entrance exams. Cooper subsequently enrolled at Tacoma Community College, which delayed his entry at WSU from September 2010 to January 2011. Cooper was angry that he had to sit out his 2010 season, but became reconciled to it.
College career
Cooper received a football scholarship from Washington State. He was redshirted at Washington State, attending classes, practicing with the football team, and dressing for play but not competing in games. He was strongly mentored by Heather Erwin, an academic advisor at WSU who worked extensively with Cooper to ensure that he went to classes, studied hard, discussed assignments with professors, asked for extra credit, and engaged in study habits that met his particular kinesthetic learning needs. By May 2015, Cooper was just eight credit hours short of a degree in criminal justice. (Cooper has said he intends to finish his college degree after his NFL rookie season, and then obtain a master's degree so that he can become a principal after his career ends.)As a redshirt freshman during the 2011 season, Cooper so impressed coaches with his dedication to practice that he was named an All-Pac-12 Conference honorable mention. During his sophomore year (2012 season), he started the last nine of the 12 games, and played (but did not start) in two more. During Cooper's junior year, he started all 13 games, helping make WSU the 10th-best defense in the nation. He made 13.5 tackles (3.5 of them against Idaho), and led Washington State in tackles-for-a-loss. Cooper was dominating during the 2014 season. He started all 12 games, made 37 tackles (9.5 of them for loss, best on the team), and had five sacks (second best on the team). During WSU's near-upset of the Oregon Ducks on September 20, 2014, Cooper had 1.5 sacks.Although Cooper had one more year of college eligibility left, he entered the 2015 NFL Draft. He totalled 121 career tackles, 31.5 of them for loss (the eighth highest number of tackles for a loss in WSU football history) and 13 career sacks. He forced three fumbles in three years, recovering two of them and returning one for a touchdown.
Professional career
Cooper attended the 2015 NFL Combine, where he helped his stock for the draft by running the 40-yard dash in 4.86 seconds—the fastest for a defensive lineman at the event.
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns drafted Cooper in the third round of the 2015 NFL Draft. He was the first WSU defensive lineman to be drafted in the NFL since Rien Long in 2003, and was the highest-drafted WSU defensive lineman since Dorian Boose in 1998.On May 11, 2015, Cooper signed a four-year contract worth $2.96 million.The Browns declared Cooper a healthy inactive several times in the 2016 season.On September 2, 2017, Cooper was waived by the Browns.
San Francisco 49ers
On September 3, 2017, Cooper was claimed off waivers by the San Francisco 49ers. He was released by the 49ers on October 24, 2017.
New York Jets
On October 31, 2017, Cooper signed with the New York Jets.On March 19, 2018, Cooper re-signed with the Jets. He was released on August 31, 2018. | 15946763259697105293 | 1,220 |
Q49835712 | 30 de Febrero
Background
The follow up to Primera Fila: Hecho Realidad, the album introduces new genres to the duo. On January 13, 2018 it was confirmed that Ha*Ash will be holding concerts for their new recent album. They will perform once again at the Auditorio Josefa Ortiz de Dominguez on April 27, 2018. They will set to tour in March 2018 for their tour as well. The lead single "100 Años" with Prince Royce; marks the first time the duo dwells into the genre of reggaeton and urban music. Ha*Ash assumed an integral role in the album's production and collaborated with several producers including George Noriega, Matt Rad, Joe London and Edgar Barrera.
Tour
To further promote the album, Ha*Ash embarked on a world concert tour during 2018 and 2019. The "Gira 100 años contigo" is a concert tour performed by Ha*Ash. The tour was announced by Ha*Ash on her social media on November 2017. The tour will begin in the National Auditorium of Mexico City with 3 shows. At some shows, Ha*Ash covered songs such as "Adios Amor" by Christian Nodal. Footage from the concert at the Auditorio Nacional in México were recorded and i will released on a DVD in 2019. The setlist includes songs of the new album but also older singles from Ha*Ash, Mundos Opuestos, Habitación Doble, A Tiempo and Primera fila: Hecho Realidad.
Album
The album peaked at #3 in the Mexican album charts, #11 in the US Billboard Latin Pop Albums and #11 in the US Billboard Latin pop sales. On February 14, 2018 the album was certified gold in México. On November 11, 2018 the album eventually was certified Platinum in México.
Singles
Of this material have detached four singles: The first single from the album is "100 Años" with Prince Royce; launched in October 13, 2017, The track peaked at number 50 in the Latin Pop Songs, number 54 in the Hot Latin songs and at number 24 in the Latin Airplay charts in the United States. In Mexico, the song peaked at number one on the Mexican Singles Chart, and Monitor Latino. On October 20, 2017 Ha*Ash released the video for their first single "100 Años" with Prince Royce. It was directed by Pablo Croce. The video was filmed in Hollywood Beach. On February 14, 2018 the song was certified gold in México. On May 23, 2018 the song was certifield Platinum in México. On June 23, 2018, it was announced that "100 Años" had been certified Doble Platinum in Perú. On November 11, 2018 "100 Años" was certified platinum+gold in México and gold in United States.The second single "No Pasa Nada; was released in March 8, 2018, The track peaked at number 13 in the Mexico Airplay, number 4 in the Mexico Espanol Airplay charts in the México at number two on the Monitor Latino. A lyric video for "No Pasa Nada" was released on December 1, 2017, the same day the album dropped. It was directed by Diego Álvarez. On March 8, 2018 Ha*Ash released the video for their second single "No Pasa Nada". It was directed by Pablo Croce. On September 6, 2018 the song was certified gold in México. On February 1, 2019, it was announced that No Pasa Nada had been certified Platinum."Eso No Va a Suceder"; launched in August 8, 2018, The track peaked at number 34 in the Latin Pop Songs charts in the United States. In Mexico, the song peaked at number one on the Mexican Singles Chart, and Monitor Latino. The 3th lyric video is "Eso No Va a Suceder" is another song that has the same vibe of the other two. Here they are dressed in white wedding dresses with yet another classy style. Some scenes show a white dress burning and torn, while Hanna is seen smashing a wedding cake. On August 8, 2018 Ha*Ash released the video for their third single "Eso No Va a Suceder". It was directed by Emiliano Castro and Ernesto Lomeli. The video was filmed in Toluca, México. The video stars Ha*Ash with actress Renata Notni, TV host Natalia Téllez, and Instagram influencer Dhasia Wezka. On November 11, 2018 the song was certified gold in México."¿Qué Me Faltó?"; launched in January 4, 2019. The track peaked two on the Monitor Latino in Mexico. On January 4, 2019 Ha*Ash releases the video for their fourth single "¿Qué Me Faltó?. The clip was recorded in the beach in Oaxaca, México. It was under the direction by Toño Tzinzun.
Other songs
Then as for the month of November Ha*Ash released "Ojalá" lyric video. It was directed by Diego Álvarez. The song takes place in an office setting and has the vibe of a pop song, that shows many texts between the girls and the guy who is an ex lover of Ashley. On February 1, 2019 the song was certified gold in México.Same month of November they released the song "30 de Febrero" which featured Abraham Mateo in the lyric video. It was directed by Diego Álvarez. The song is a break up song and has a colorful vibe with having Abraham Mateo their ex lover who is wanting another chance. The song is a classy and upbeat. On February 1, 2019 the song was certified gold in México.On December 1, Ha*Ash were released lyric videos of "Paleta" and "Llueve Sobre Mojado". | 17199950348690374040 | 1,280 |
Q271283 | 808 State
History
Martin Price was the owner of a record shop, Eastern Bloc, and was also the founder of the independent record label, Creed. Customers Graham Massey and Gerald Simpson joined with Price to form a hip hop group called Hit Squad Manchester. Soon after, the band shifted to an acid house sound, recording the debut Newbuild in 1988, while using the name 808 State for the first time.Newbuild was released on Price's own record label. In an interview with Mojo magazine in 2005, Graham Massey explained that the album was recorded over the course of a winter weekend in January 1988 at Spirit Studios, Manchester. The album was named after a Bolton housing co-operative. The record was re-released in 2005 on Aphex Twin's Rephlex Records. Aphex Twin was a huge fan of the record: "It was the next step after Chicago acid, and as much as I loved that, I could relate much better to 808 State. It seemed colder and more human at the same time."Around the same time, the band also recorded an acid house version of New Order's "Blue Monday". A favourite at The Haçienda's Hot Night, the recording was believed lost until Autechre's Sean Booth asked Massey to dig through his archive of old material. The record was released in 2004 by Rephlex Records. "We didn’t put a lot of thought into it but maybe that’s its charm," said Massey at the time.Massey was also a member of the band Aqua in the early 1990s, along with the violinist Graham Clark, a former pupil of Manchester Grammar School.The band's song "Pacific State" was released as a single, peaking at number 10 in the UK Singles Chart. Simpson left the group in 1989 to form his own solo project, A Guy Called Gerald. At this point, the remaining personnel enlisted DJs Andrew Barker and Darren Partington, known as the Spinmasters, and recorded the EP, Quadrastate in July 1989. Ninety was released in December 1989.MC Tunes worked with the band on the 1990 album, The North At Its Heights. The album was a moderate success, reaching number 26 in the UK Albums Chart, and also saw a European and Japanese release. It spawned three UK singles, "The Only Rhyme That Bites" – featuring a sample of "The Big Country" performed by The City of Prague Philharmonic – (UK number 10), "Tunes Splits the Atom" (UK number 18) and "Primary Rhyming" (UK number 67). The first two issues credited MC Tunes versus 808 State, whilst the latter was simply MC Tunes. Tunes later returned in 1996 to work with on a new track, "Pump", taken from 808 State's album Thermo Kings.808 State's next album was released in 1991, Ex:el, which featured the vocals of Bernard Sumner and Björk. The songs included "In Yer Face" (UK #9), "Cubik" (UK #10) and "Lift" (UK #38).In October 1991, Price left the group to perform solo production work, eventually forming his own label, Sun Text. The remaining members released a fourth album called Gorgeous, and after that, did some remix work for David Bowie, Soundgarden, and other performers, before returning with the album entitled Don Solaris in 1996. It featured contributions from James Dean Bradfield, who sung vocals on "Lopez", which reached number 20 in the UK Singles Chart. This song was remixed by Brian Eno. The song "Bond" featured vocals by Mike Doughty from the band Soul Coughing and "Azura" featured Lou Rhodes from Lamb. They released a greatest hits compilation album, 808:88:98 in 1998. In 2000, Newbuild was re-released.Some of the band's work, particularly in the albums Ex:el and Gorgeous show their new wave influences by sampling or featuring new wave icons such as Bernard Sumner on the song "Spanish Heart" and Ian McCulloch on "Moses". The song "Contrique" samples the bassline to Joy Division's "She's Lost Control" and "10 X 10" is a gospel-house track built on the foundation of The Jam's "Start!".In 2003, they released Outpost Transmission which featured guest collaborations from the Alabama 3 and Guy Garvey from Elbow.In May 2008, the re-issue of the album Quadrastate completed a trilogy of pre-ZTT releases on CD for the first time. The band is still active, touring and performing DJ sets.Partington left the band after being jailed for 18 months in January 2015 for dealing heroin and crack cocaine. He continues to DJ regularly and is lead singer with new Manchester band 'Big Unit', a rock band with acid house underpinnings.In April 2018 the remaining members announced a brand new live show for a 30th Anniversary Tour to take place in November/December. The show will feature new versions of tracks from their 30-year history and totally new material from their forthcoming sixth studio album.
Musical style
808 State's style has been labeled as techno and house, and the band are regarded as "a pioneer of the acid house sound". The band's album, Newbuild, was influential in the development of Madchester and baggy scenes. | 16624909069471496315 | 1,150 |
Q841011 | Wisconsin Highway 26
Route description
WIS 26 begins in downtown Janesville, Rock County at US 51 (North Parker Drive), and follows East Centerway Street, to turn northeast on Milton Ave. WIS 26 crosses US 14 and I-39 / I-90 on the northeast side of the city. WIS 26 then passes through Milton at about five miles (8 km) northeast of the Interstates. WIS 59 crosses WIS 26 in Milton. WIS 26 crosses over to Jefferson County about five miles (8 km) north of Milton. The highway turns northeast at the county line and approaches Fort Atkinson, but turns northwestward prior to entering the city, and bypasses it to the west along a two-lane road with interchanges. Direct access is provided to WIS 106 and US 12. WIS 89 crosses the route, but no direct access is provided. WIS 26 then continues north for four miles (6 km) into Jefferson, where it crosses US 18. The highway passes through Johnson Creek at the interchange with I-94. After crossing WIS 19 in Watertown, the highway crosses into Dodge CountyOn the Dodge County side of Watertown, WIS 26 joins WIS 16 west. The concurrency continues for eight miles (13 km) to Clyman where WIS 16 turns westward onto WIS 60 west, and WIS 60 East joins WIS 26 for one mile (1.6 km) before turning eastward. WIS 26 passes through Juneau then crosses WIS 33 three miles (5 km) north of Juneau. After eleven more miles, WIS 26 crosses US 151 and passes through Waupun. WIS 26 joins US 151 crosses into Fond du Lac County at its junction with WIS 49 in Waupun. WIS 26 joins US 151 for one mile (1.6 km) then turns north off the US route. After ten miles (16 km), the highway crosses WIS 23 in Rosendale. The highway then angles northeastward over the remaining seven miles (11 km) before entering Winnebago County Four more miles into the county the route terminates at its interchange with Interstate 41, about two miles (3 km) south of the Wittman Regional Airport, site of EAA AirVenture Oshkosh.
History
The original 1917 alignment of WIS 26 mostly followed the current alignment south of Juneau, but the segment north of Juneau was directed towards Theresa. 1921 saw WIS 26 extended via Kewaskum and Waldo to end at Sheboygan - via present-day Wisconsin Highway 28. In 1924, the route was realigned. From Juneau, it followed its present alignment to US 41 and into Oshkosh, then continued north from that point along present day WIS 76 up to Greenville, turning westward onto present-day WIS 15 there to continue to New London. From there, the route followed present-day US 45, passing through Clintonville, Wittenberg, Antigo and Eagle River. The route connected with then M-26. WIS 26 was also concurrent with WIS 10 south of Janesville. 1934 saw the debut of US 45, which replaced WIS 26 from Oshkosh northward. The route was truncated on the southern end to end at Janesville in the late 1940s.Four bypasses were constructed for WIS 26 - around Milton to the east in 2013-14, around Fort Atkinson to the west in the 1990s, around Jefferson to the west in the 2000s, and around Watertown to the west in 2012-14. | 4834972263053268960 | 810 |
Q1404323 | Nine Queens
Plot
The film opens at a convenience store early in the morning, the present time. Juan (Gastón Pauls), a con artist, successfully scams the cashier, and later attempts the same scam again on the next shift. Marcos (Ricardo Darín), who has been observing him, steps in pretending to be a police officer and takes Juan away. As soon as they are far enough, Marcos tells Juan he is not actually a cop but a fellow con man. Juan asks Marcos to show him the ropes, because his father, also a con man, is in jail and he needs to raise money quickly to bribe a judge to reduce his father's sentence from 10 years to 6 months.Then, a scheme seemingly falls into their laps: Sandler (Oscar Nuñez), a former business associate of Marcos, needs his help to sell counterfeit copies he made of some rare stamps called "The Nine Queens". The potential mark is Gandolfo (Ignasi Abadal), a rich Spaniard who is facing deportation and desperate to smuggle his wealth out of the country. Gandolfo has no time to fully check if the stamps are authentic but he hires an expert (Leo Dyzen) to do a quick check and is satisfied. He offers $450,000 for the stamps, with the exchange agreed to take place that evening. In the intervening time, the stamp expert demands from Juan and Marcos a cut, as he knew the stamps were in fact forged. The fake stamps are then stolen out of Juan and Marcos' hands by thieves on motorcycles who, unaware of their value, toss them into a river.To salvage the scheme, Marcos approaches Sandler's widowed sister Berta (Elsa Berenguer), the owner of the real stamps, who agrees to sell them for $250,000. Marcos can put up $200,000 and asks Juan to contribute the remaining $50,000. Juan expresses his suspicion that he is being conned since Marcos seems to need exactly the amount that Juan has saved up; but as the $50,000 is not enough to help his father, Juan reluctantly agrees. They buy the real stamps and go to Gandolfo's hotel, but he says he's changed his mind and will now only buy the stamps if he also gets to sleep with Marcos' sister Valeria (Leticia Brédice), a hotel employee. Valeria's price is that Marcos must confess to their younger brother Federico (Tomás Fonzi) how Marcos cheated him out of their family inheritance in Italy. Gandolfo pays for the stamps with a certified check. However, the bank crashes the next morning, making the check worthless. It appears that Juan and Marcos are both ruined. In the final scene, Juan goes to a warehouse, where he greets the motorcycle thieves, Gandolfo, Sandler and his sister Berta, and Juan's fiancée Valeria — revealing that the real con was to swindle Marcos out of $200,000 as revenge for all the times he cheated his family and his partners.
Background
The main character of the film is trying to remember the tune of a Rita Pavone song throughout the film. The song, "Il Ballo Del Mattone", plays as the end credits run.
Distribution
The film opened wide in Argentina on August 31, 2000. The film was screened at various film festivals, including: the Telluride Film Festival, United States; the Toronto International Film Festival, Canada; the Medellín de Película, Colombia; the Portland International Film Festival, United States; the Cognac Festival du Film Policier, France; the München Fantasy Filmfest, Germany; the Norwegian International Film Festival, Norway; and others.In the United States it opened on a limited basis on April 19, 2002.
Remakes
The film's screenplay was adapted in the 2004 film Criminal. It was also used as a basis for three Indian films: the Bollywood film Bluffmaster! (2005), the Malayalam film Gulumal (2009) and the Telugu film All the Best (2012).
Critical reception
Nine Queens garnered mostly positive reviews from film critics. On review aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an overall 92% "Certified Fresh" approval rating based on 93 reviews, with a rating average of 7.5 out of 10. The site's consensus is: "Deliciously twist-filled, Nine Queens is a clever and satisfying crime caper." At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted mean rating out of 0–100 reviews from film critics, the film has a rating score of 80 based on 30 reviews, classified as a generally favorably reviewed film.Film critic Roger Ebert liked the screenplay of the film, and wrote, "And on and on, around and around, in an elegant and sly deadpan comedy. A plot, however clever, is only the clockwork; what matters is what kind of time a movie tells. Nine Queens is blessed with a gallery of well-drawn character roles, including the alcoholic mark and his two bodyguards; the avaricious widow who owns the 'nine queens' and her much younger bleached-blond boyfriend, and Valeria the sister, who opposes Marcos' seamy friends and life of crime but might be willing to sleep with Gandolfo if she can share in the spoils."The San Francisco Chronicle film critic, Edward Guthmann, also reviewed the film positively and thought the actors performed quite well, writing, "Fast-paced and unerringly surprising, Nine Queens is nicely performed by a large cast, particularly Darín as a goateed, less-than-perfect hoodwinker. David Mamet plowed this con-the-con turf in Heist, House of Games and The Spanish Prisoner, but Bielinsky, in his directing debut, makes it seem sassy and reinvented." | 2053469273488838045 | 1,225 |
Q6386742 | Kelvin Sng
Life and career
Kelvin completed his Advanced Diploma in Film Production (Directing) at Ngee Ann Polytechnic after receiving the Media Education Scheme Award from the Media Development Authority (MDA) of Singapore in 2004. His 2005 short film "More Than Words", a tribute to the late Asian songstress Teresa Teng, has been officially invited to be screened and compete at international film festivals around the world including France, Italy, Canada, Germany, United Kingdom, Romania and Africa. In 2006, Kelvin was awarded the Script Development Grant by the Singapore Film Commission to develop "More Than Words" into a feature film screenplay. That same year, his thesis film "Kichiro" premiered at the Beijing Film Academy at the 5th International Student Film and Video Festival to a crowd of more than 1000.In 2010, Kelvin wrote, produced and directed "The Gang", a 32-minute mini feature, which is currently being developed into a full-length feature film. “The Gang” premiered at The Grand Cathay to great reviews and enjoyed a successful one-month run at Sinema Old School. It was also screened at various film festivals including “Sinema Showoff! The Fortune Cookie Collection” where it was the curator’s pick, as well as the 4th La Cabina International Medium Length Film Festival of Valencia in Spain, where it was one of the official selections together with 14 other films out of a few hundred entries around the world.Kelvin’s experience as a former teacher and Head of Department (HOD) with the Ministry of Education has also shaped his desire to be a lifelong educator. This eventually led him to become a much sought-after trainer in various film and theatre programmes, having trained students, teachers and adults in more than 200 schools, institutions and organisations to date. Together with his team of trainers who are also industry practitioners, they serve as a bridge between the film/theatre industry and schools with relevant and practical knowledge, inspiring new blood to enter the industry and contribute to its growth.Since 2008, Kelvin has been the Managing Director of Kelvin Sng Productions Pte Ltd, which focuses on production, education and corporate in film and theatre. Kelvin produced Chai Yee Wei's award-winning short film "My Blue Heaven", which was screened internationally in several film festivals, as well as the acclaimed short film "The Buddy", which was part of a series of short films known as 15 Shorts created by veteran film producer Daniel Yun.As Executive Producer, Kelvin has produced "The Forgotten", a mid-length film produced by Eusoff Works, the film production arm of Eusoff Hall at the National University of Singapore (NUS) and "Steadfast", another mid-length action film boasting an international cast directed by newcomers David Liu and Linus Chen. The letter received "Honourable Mention" at the Los Angeles Movie Awards 2010.In addition, Kelvin has worked closely with various organizations and institutions such as Blackmagic Design Asia, Singapore Media Academy, the Substation, Canon Singapore and the British Council to support and promote filmmaking in Singapore. He has also curated film screenings for several organisations including Toronto-Singapore Film Festival to help promote local films abroad.Kelvin's extensive body of works also include television commercials, music videos and the 45-minute mini feature "Fairytales". “Fairytales” premiered at the 24th Singapore International Film Festival as a double bill with “The Gang” to a full house crowd at Shaw Lido, and has been commercially released on DVD by Innoform Media.Kelvin’s debut feature film “Taxi! Taxi!” starring top comedians Mark Lee and Gurmit Singh and inspired by the local best seller “Diary of a Taxi Driver”, was released theatrically in both Singapore and Malaysia in January 2013. It was the second highest grossing local film after Jack Neo's "Ah Boys to Men 2" for that year. Besides being a box office success, "Taxi! Taxi!" was also the first official entry from Singapore at the ASEAN International Film Festival and Awards 2013 held in Sarawak, where it also won the Special Jury Award.In 2016, Kelvin directed his second feature film "The Fortune Handbook", starring Christopher Lee, Mark Lee and Li Nanxing. The CNY-themed comedy film was theatrically released in Singapore and Malaysia on 26 January and 2 February 2017 respectively.Both “Taxi! Taxi!” and "The Fortune Handbook" crossed the million dollar mark at box offices in Singapore and Malaysia, earning Kelvin the title of million dollar director (百万导演)by the media.In 2018, Kelvin was invited to be one of the three mentors for 华谊 Icon Search 新星盛典 2018 by Huayi Brothers for the Singapore stop.Apart from filmmaking and education, Kelvin is also an accomplished lyricist. He has written lyrics for the theme songs of both his feature films “Taxi! Taxi!” and "The Fortune Handbook", as well as for other singers and Mediacorp drama series. | 2710111905998925018 | 1,051 |
Q339152 | Vienna New Year's Concert
Music and setting
The concert programmes always include pieces from the Strauss family—Johann Strauss I, Johann Strauss II, Josef Strauss and Eduard Strauss. On occasion, music principally of other Austrian composers, including Joseph Hellmesberger Jr., Joseph Lanner, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Otto Nicolai (the Vienna Philharmonic's founder), Emil von Reznicek, Franz Schubert, Franz von Suppé, and Karl Michael Ziehrer has featured in the programmes. In 2009, music by Joseph Haydn was played for the first time, where the 4th movement of his "Farewell" Symphony marked the 200th anniversary of his death. Other European composers such as Hans Christian Lumbye, Jacques Offenbach, Emile Waldteufel, Richard Strauss, Verdi, and Tchaikovsky have been featured in recent programmes.The announced programme contains approximately 14-20 compositions, and also three encores. The announced programme includes waltzes, polkas, mazurkas, and marches. Of the encores, the unannounced first encore is often a fast polka. The second is Johann Strauss II's waltz The Blue Danube, whose introduction is interrupted by applause of recognition and a New Year's greeting from the conductor and orchestra to the audience. The final encore is Johann Strauss I's Radetzky March, during which the audience claps along under the conductor's direction. In this last piece, the tradition also calls for the conductor to start the orchestra as soon he steps onto the stage, before reaching the podium. The complete duration of the event is around two and a half hours.The concerts have been held in the "Goldener Saal" (Golden Hall) of the Musikverein since 1939. The television broadcast is augmented by ballet performances in selected pieces during the second part of the programme. The dancers come from the Vienna State Ballet and dance at different famous places in Austria, e. g. Schönbrunn Palace, Schloss Esterházy, the Vienna State Opera or the Wiener Musikverein itself. In 2013, the costumes were designed by Vivienne Westwood. From 1980 until 2013, the flowers that decorated the hall were a gift from the city of Sanremo, Liguria, Italy. In 2014, the orchestra itself provided the flowers. Since 2014, the flowers have been arranged by the Wiener Stadtgärten. In 2017, the orchestra performed for the first time in new attire designed by Vivienne Westwood and Andreas Kronthaler.
Audience
The concert is popular throughout Europe, and more recently around the world. The demand for tickets is so high that people have to pre-register one year in advance in order to participate in the drawing of tickets for the following year. Some seats are pre-registered by certain Austrian families and are passed down from generation to generation.The event is televised by the Austrian national broadcasting service ORF – from 1989 to 1993, 1997 to 2009, and again in 2011 under the direction of Brian Large – and relayed via the European Broadcasting Union's Eurovision network to most major broadcasting organizations in Europe. On 1 January 2013, for example, the concert was shown on ZDF in Germany, France 2 in France, BBC Two in the United Kingdom, Rai 2 in Italy (on some hours delay), RSI La 1 in Switzerland, La 1 in Spain, ČT2 in the Czech Republic, RTP1 in Portugal, and TVP2 in Poland, among many other channels. The concert was again televised by ORF on 1 January 2015 and 1 January 2016. Estimated audience numbers are ~50 million, in 73 countries in 2012, 93 countries in 2017 and 95 countries in 2018.Outside Europe, the concert is also shown on PBS in the United States (beginning in 1985, as part of the performing arts anthology Great Performances, in abridged form), CCTV in China since 1987 (being telecast live since 1989, except in 1990) while also being broadcast live by CNR in China since 2013, NHK in Japan since 1973, MetroTV in Indonesia, KBS in South Korea, and SBS in Australia (until 2018, on delay). Since 2006, the concert has also been broadcast to viewers in several African countries (Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe). In Latin America the concert is shown in Chile by La Red, and in Guatemala, Ecuador and Bolivia. Indonesia's MetroTV broadcasts the concert although it is delayed by four to five days. The concert was broadcast for the first time in Mongolia, Mozambique, Sri Lanka and Trinidad in 2010.
Other New Year's concerts in Vienna
The Vienna Hofburg Orchestra's traditional New Year's Eve Concert takes place on 31 December in the halls of the Hofburg Palace. The program features the most famous waltz and operetta melodies by Johann Strauss, Emmerich Kálmán, Franz Lehár and opera arias by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. | 14315508520476715416 | 1,109 |
Q7949233 | WFDC-DT
Prior history of channel 14 in Washington
Channel 14 first signed on as WOOK on March 6, 1963 as the first television station in the country aimed at the African-American demographic. WOOK's claim to fame was their teen-oriented dance show called Teenarama, which featured big-name acts such as James Brown and Marvin Gaye. In 1969, the station changed its call letters, to WFAN-TV (the WFAN call letters are now used on a radio station at 660 AM in New York City). From 1968 to 1972, channel 14 was the sister station to WMET (channel 24) in Baltimore, Maryland. Both stations were owned by United Broadcasting.On February 12, 1972, WFAN-TV went dark after accumulating financial difficulties.Channel 14 was back on the air by 1976 in the form of translator W14AA, relaying Central Virginia Educational Television Corporation's WNVT from Annandale, Virginia. CVETC attempted to have the full-powered channel 14 allocation moved to Fairfax, but this request was denied. What was to become WNVC was constructed on channel 56 instead, and on its sign-on in June 1981 W14AA was no longer necessary. CVETC received special approval to broadcast Congressional hearings in the interim; later in the year, the station was sold to Los Cerezos Television Co., who converted it to a Univision affiliate. This station moved to channel 48 in 1989 and is today WMDO-CD.
WFDC station history
A new station on channel 14 signed on as WTMW on August 3, 1993; the call letters came from the initials of the station's owner, Theodore M. White. From 1997 to May 1999, WTMW aired programming from America's Store, a discount shopping channel operated by the Home Shopping Network.In May 1999, WTMW began airing the new Military Channel (not related to the cable channel of the same name owned by Discovery Communications, which is now the American Heroes Channel). After the Military Channel stopped broadcasting one month later, channel 14 aired programming from the Panda Shopping Network. Channel 14 became an affiliate of the American Independent Network in December 1999, which primarily broadcast reruns of old sitcoms and infomercials. The channel changed affiliations again in January 2001, when it became an affiliate of the Renaissance Network.None of these formats were financially viable and in November 2001, Theodore M. White sold the station to Univision Communications and its call letters were changed to WFDC. Univision already had a Washington affiliate on channel 47, WMDO-CA (that station's owner, Entravision Communications, would take over WFDC through a local marketing agreement), so WFDC instead became one of the first flagship stations of their new network TeleFutura. The network was created to directly compete with Telemundo for the Latino American demographic, since Univision is more Mexican-oriented. Telefutura first broadcast on January 14, 2002 and channel 14 has done better financially since then.On January 1, 2006, WFDC and WMDO swapped network affiliations: WFDC affiliated with Univision, while WMDO took the TeleFutura affiliation.On April 3, 2014, Katz Broadcasting announced plans to multicast Grit and Escape on WFDC's DT3 and DT4 subchannels. The two networks began broadcasting on August 18, 2014. Escape was replaced by Katz's Bounce TV on September 30, 2017.
Analog-to-digital conversion
WFDC shut down its analog signal, over UHF channel 14, on June 12, 2009, the official date in which full-power television stations in the United States transitioned from analog to digital broadcasts under federal mandate. The station's digital signal continued to broadcasts on its pre-transition UHF channel 15. Through the use of PSIP, digital television receivers display the station's virtual channel as its former UHF analog channel 14.
News operation
After switching from TeleFutura to Univision, the station continued its news department. It broadcast 6 hours of news on weekdays and 2 hours of news on the weekends. On September 30, 2012, Buenos Días DC, the first Spanish morning news show in the Washington market, debuted. The show was produced by Silvana Quiroz, who is also the anchor sharing cameras with co-anchor Nestor Bravo. The morning news magazine ran from 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. On April 19, 2014, a weekend newscast debuted at 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. and ran through October 2015 and was similar to the weekday schedule. On March 1, 2014, the Univision Washington team was replaced. Anchor Mario Sol and Sports Anchor Oscar Burgos were laid-off. Maria Rosa Lucchini, the 6 p.m. anchor, was promoted to White House correspondent; months later, she resigned. Claudia Uceda, the 11 p.m. anchor, was switched to reporter, and months later, resigned to work as a freelancer for the Univision network. Tsi-Tsi-Ki Félix replaced the entire team, leaving only Fanny Gutierrez, who at the time was on maternity leave, and months later, resigned from her duties. Edwin Pitti, who was hired as a reporter, was promoted to White House correspondent.In late December 2015, Entravision cancelled the morning newscasts of all of its stations in the United States (including Buenos Días DC). The last show aired December 7, 2015. | 11193163365952376880 | 1,186 |
Q7945265 | W.W. Thorne Stadium
History
Aldine ISD voters approved a $29 million bond package in 1973 that included funds for a number of new building projects, including construction of a new athletic complex, of which a football stadium would be one component. Little or no action was taken on the project until 1977. On September 8, 1977, a small section of the home side (west) bleachers at the existing Aldine Athletic Stadium (located on the campus of Aldine High School) collapsed before a high school football game between the home Aldine Mustangs and the visiting Carver Panthers. Five Aldine High band members were injured when they fell through the resulting hole 20 feet to the pavement below. The stadium was closed for the rest of the football season pending an investigation. The four Aldine ISD varsity football teams at the time (Aldine, Carver, MacArthur and Eisenhower) had to play their remaining home games at Cy-Fair ISD's Bobcat Stadium, which was vacant because Cy-Fair had just opened a new football stadium a few weeks before.In January 1978, Aldine ISD announced plans for a new $4.39 million, 10,000-seat stadium to replace Aldine Athletic Stadium in time for the start of 1979 high school football season. The stadium would be located on a 47-acre plot on Aldine-Bender Road, just to the east of Aldine-Westfield, near the district's central office and its original set of schools. The stadium's design would be similar to that of the then-recently opened Mercer Stadium in Fort Bend ISD. Eventually, Aldine ISD would name its new stadium in honor of W.W. Thorne, who had been the district's superintendent of schools from 1958 to 1973. Thorne had guided Aldine ISD through a financial crisis that threatened to close the district in 1959 and oversaw its tremendous growth through the 1960s and early 1970s.Thorne Stadium was slated to open September 7, 1979, with the Aldine Mustangs hosting the Conroe Tigers. However, workers had not finished installation of the stadium's artificial playing surface and the game was moved to Aldine Athletic Stadium. Eisenhower's season-opener against C.E. King on September 8 was also moved to Aldine Athletic Stadium. Instead, the visiting Houston Lee Generals defeated the home team MacArthur Generals 31-13 in the stadium's first game a week later, on September 14.In 1996, Aldine ISD replaced Thorne Stadium's original field house in the facility's south end with the M.O. Campbell Center multipurpose arena. Football and soccer teams have since used the Campbell Center's dressing and conference rooms to prepare for games.On August 30, 2008, KTRK-TV broadcast the Nimitz Cougars’ season-opening football game at Thorne Stadium against the visiting Alief Elsik Rams on its digital channel, 13.2. Two years later, on September 4, 2010, KTRK-TV broadcast the Aldine Mustangs’ game against the Deer Park Deer from Thorne Stadium, again on its 13.2 digital channel. The game was noteworthy in that the head coaches of both teams – Chris Massey of Deer Park and Lionell Crawford of Aldine – were former Aldine High School quarterbacks. Thorne Stadium has been home for several successful football teams since its opening in 1979. The Aldine Mustangs won the 1990 Texas Class 5A Regular Division state title and ESPN (in conjunction with the National Prep Poll) named them its mythical national high school football champs that season as well. Aldine had also advanced to the Class 5A Finals in 1989. The MacArthur Generals reached the 1993 Class 5A Division II Finals while the Eisenhower Eagles made it to the 1999 Class 5A Division I championship game. As of the end of the 2015 football season, Eisenhower has won or shared 11 district titles since Thorne Stadium's opening in 1979, Aldine nine, MacArthur four, while Nimitz and Davis have one apiece. Each team has also advanced to the playoffs numerous times as district runner-up (except Davis, which only began varsity play in 2014 and has one runner-up playoff berth and one shared district championship in two seasons). | 10300179412746469397 | 924 |
Q8561238 | Citizen's dividend
Citizen's dividend is a proposed policy based upon the principle that the natural world is the common property of all persons (see Georgism). It is proposed that all citizens receive regular payments (dividends) from revenue raised by leasing or taxing the monopoly of valuable land and other natural resources.
History
A concept akin to a citizen's dividend was known in Classical Athens. In 483 BC, a massive new seam of silver was found in the Athenian silver mines at Laurium. The dispersal of this provoked great debate. The statesman Aristides proposed the profit from this should be distributed among the Athenian citizens. However he was opposed by Themistocles, who proposed the money be spent building warships for the Athenian navy. In the end, Themistocles' policy was the one adopted.In the United Kingdom and United States, the idea can be traced back to Thomas Paine's essay, Agrarian Justice, which is also considered one of the earliest proposals for a social security system. Thomas Paine summarized his view by stating that "Men did not make the earth. It is the value of the improvements only, and not the earth itself, that is individual property. Every proprietor owes to the community a ground rent for the land which he holds." Paine saw inheritance as being partly a common fund and wanted to supplement the citizen's dividend in a tax on inheritance transfers, but Georgist supporters now focus on natural resources.
Implementations and proposals
This concept is a form of basic income guarantee, where the citizen's dividend depends upon the value of natural resources or what could be titled as common goods like location values, seignorage, the electromagnetic spectrum, the industrial use of air (CO₂ production), etc.The state of Alaska dispenses a form of citizen's dividend in its Permanent Fund dividend, which holds investments initially seeded by the state's revenue from mineral resources, particularly petroleum. In 2005, every eligible Alaskan resident (including children) received a check for $845.76. Over the 24-year history of the fund, it has paid out a total of $24,775.45 to every resident. Some believe this dividend as the reason why Alaska has one of the lowest rates of inequality and relatively low levels of poverty compared to other US states. However, a 2018 paper found that the Alaska Permanent Fund "dividend had no effect on employment, and increased part-time work by 1.8 percentage points (17 percent)... our results suggest that a universal and permanent cash transfer does not significantly decrease aggregate employment."The concept is also promoted as a tool to reduce carbon emissions. Peter Barnes created the concept of "Sky Trust" as an example of how this could be implemented. Barnes proposes setting up a public trust to manage the funds, separate from the private sector being taxed. A calculation based on specific assets by Barnes estimates that American citizens could each get $5,000 per year by this model. A Swiss campaign in 2013 advocated for a citizen’s income which could net each citizen an amount equivalent to $34,000 dollars. A citizens dividend based on resources according to Thomas Pogge is due to every citizen because everyone owns an inalienable stake in all limited natural resources. His theory goes along with Barnes with the exception of ownership, Pogge contends that the people own the resources. The Progress Report says that the dividend should be valued by the free market.John Moser, a congressional candidate in Maryland, ran chiefly on the proposal that a citizen's dividend based around a portion of all income would eliminate homelessness and hunger, and would act as a collective risk share as used in Nordic model nations.The New Physiocratic League, a project advocating for an economic reform revolving around shifting taxation towards land, advocates for a form of citizen's dividend as part of its Three Pillars program of income support.Andrew Yang has proposed a $1000 per month dividend for all American adults starting at age eighteen, as a part of his campaign for president in 2020. | 5933340380008699639 | 826 |
Q897097 | Brady Corporation
History
Brady's first products were promotional calendars, painted signs and point of purchase displays. The company survived the Great Depression by producing hundreds of millions of push cards: small paperboard cards with rows of perforated circles concealing numbers, which fitted into Brady's established business of printing, die cutting and laminating.1940s—During World War II, Brady developed the wire marker card - numbered cloth strips on an adhesive card. These strips could be used by electricians and assembly workers by wrapping them around electrical wires, creating a numbering system to identify components.1950s & 1960s—Brady moved to Milwaukee, in an era of sustained growth. Brady became known as a specialist in identification materials, improving its existing products and developing new ones. In addition to new products, the company developed proprietary machines that could laminate, die cut, print and cut to length in a single operation, boosting production volumes and reducing costs.1970s—Having sold their products through distribution and mail order since 1947, the company in 1970s established subsidiaries in England, Belgium, Germany, France and Australia. By 1980, international subsidiaries accounted for 20 percent of sales.1980s—In 1981, Brady acquired Seton, a direct marketing business that sold nearly identical products. Seton's catalog mailings rose from 1 million in 1981 to 8 million in 1988 and in 1985. Subsidiaries were established in England, Canada and Germany by 1988.1990s—Product lines evolved with developments in technology. The company introduced printing systems enabling customers to print their own safety signs, labels and identification products on-site. Software, along with printers, scanners and bar code labels introduced automatic identification and data collection. New high-performance materials were developed for circuit board manufacturing, and mobile phones opened a new market for the company's die-cut products.2000s—Was a period of growth through acquisition. More than 35 acquisitions led to a tripling in size between 2003 and 2010.
Sustainability
The Brady Corporation says it takes a comprehensive approach to the sustainability of the company, its customers and the communities in which it operates. In 2012, it issued its first annual sustainability report.The company says its operations focuses on reducing waste, conserving energy, using natural resources responsibly and promoting employee safety. For example, in 2010 Brady became a Smartway Transport partner in the U.S. while in 2009 it opened a facility in Egelsbach, Germany, that uses a geothermic heating and cooling system. It says it uses Design for Environment principles to design eco-friendly products including halogen-free flame-retardant labels and ribbons.In its communities, it operates through strategic philanthropy and employee engagement. Charitable giving through the Brady Corporation Foundation and Brady Corporation has increased 10-fold over the past five years and gift-in-kind donations have surpassed $1 million. Recent projects include a third China Hope School in Sichuan Province; "Brady Corporation, Jr.," an interactive exhibit that teaches preschoolers about manufacturing at the Betty Brinn Children's Museum in Milwaukee; and funding college educations through I Have a Dream for a class of students at Clarke Street Elementary School.
International Expansion
1947: Brady began selling its products internationally, to South Africa.1950s: First European sales office in U.K., and operations in Canada.1960s & 1970s: Expansion throughout Europe with operations in Belgium, Germany, France and Sweden.1980s: Entered Asia, Australia, Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore.1990s: Began operating in Mexico and Brazil with further expansion in Asia to China, Malaysia, Philippines, South Korea, and Taiwan.2000s (decade): Continued expansion in Asia, Thailand and India as well as expansion into Slovakia in Eastern Europe; Turkey in the Middle East and the United Arab Emirates.
Brady brands
As a result of acquisitions Brady products are traded under a variety of names and brands, including IDenticard, Seton, Electromark, PDC, Safetyshop, Emedco, JAM, Scafftag DAWG, Clement Communications & Personnel Concepts Compliance, BIG Badges, ID Warehouse, Securimed,Signals, Stickolor, Precision Dynamics Corporation, Accidental Health & Safety, Safety Signs & Service, Trafalgar Australia, Carroll, QuikCrimp, SPC, Transposafe. | 938952953230246683 | 922 |
Q4048363 | Robotrek
Gameplay
Robotrek has similar gameplay to that of most RPG video games, with the notable exception that the main character is not the combatant; rather, the robots he invents are, making it more similar to Pokémon and Dragon Quest Monsters. The robots are highly customizable, in aspects such as equipment, special attacks, body color and name. The player is allowed to build a maximum of three robots. Unlike many RPGs, the player must invent or create the robots' equipment, use "Program Points" to set the robot's attributes (as opposed to these attributes being set by the game), and program special attacks in a macro-like fashion, although certain commands do special effects instead.
Battles
Battles are engaged by contact with the enemy on a map. The player usually attacks first, unless the enemy has caught the player's side or from behind. Battling in the game takes place on a battlefield under a variation of the ATB system, in which the player must wait for a gauge to fill up before acting. Only one robot may fight at any time up against at most three enemies; the player can switch between robots at the cost of a turn (like in Pokémon). During the player's turn, none of the enemies will act, and the robot is free to move around the battlefield and attack with one of its weapons. After the robot acts, a gauge appears with the letters E (empty) and F (full) at either end. The gauge's depletion will depend on what action the player used. Until the gauge reaches F, all enemies take turns attacking.Like most RPG video games, the character gains experience points, called here "Megs of Data". Once enough Megs are obtained, the player gains a level. Also all enemies do not give money by default, but certain enemies do drop it on the map after being defeated. Most enemies will drop some item or low-level equipment, but these can be "Recycled" to make money.This battling system also uses bonuses. The player can earn extra Megs of Data by defeating enemies within a time limit and using melee attacks. Bonus capsules are also scattered around for the duration of the time limit that can contain items or traps.
Inventing
Much of the game revolves around creating and combining items for the robots' benefit, and is essential to make higher-level equipment. The player creates and combines items using an invention machine. More items can be created by finding the "Inventor's Friends" series which can only be accessed depending on the character's level. Aiding the combination process are items called Scrap, these allow the player to create basic equipment or make more powerful ones. Weapons can also be strengthened by combining one weapon with the same type (swords for a Sword). A weapon can increase strength by nine times (called levels).
Story
On the planet of Quintenix, where the situation has long been peaceful, a group calling themselves "The Hackers", headed by Blackmore, suddenly starts an uprising against the population by disrupting the peace of the town of Rococo (and elsewhere). The main character (who appears to be nameless) is the son of a famous inventor, Dr. Akihabara, who decides to move to Rococo. The main character soon sets off to find out that The Hackers want Dr. Akihabara for a sinister purpose, as Akihabara refuses an offer to join them. The story unfolds to the point where The Hackers' ultimate goal is the Tetron, a mysterious stone that allows viewers to observe events past and future and travel through time.The Tetron is later found out to be an invention of the main character's ancestor Rask and one of his friends, Gateau, finds the Tetron's potential as the key to controlling the universe by controlling time. Rask disregards that potential and hides the Tetron in shards throughout Quintenix. Gateau, who — presumedly — formed The Hackers later on, obtains the Tetron and attempts to proceed with his plan for universal domination, starting with Rask's home planet of Choco. It is up to the main character to stop Gateau in his space fortress.
Reception
Quintet reported that the game sold 45,000 copies in Japan and 20,000 copies in North America.GamePro assessed that Robotrek "unsuccessfully attempts to push the envelope of its genre." They described the graphics and audio as especially generic for RPGs, and criticized the inability to send more than one robot into battle at a time and the trial and error involved in creating hybrid weapons and items. However, they did praise the robots' special attacks and the ability to avoid encounters with enemies. Electronic Gaming Monthly's review team scored the game a 7.4 out of 10, with Mike Weigand commenting that "Building your robot is a very cool idea, and there are several areas to explore and people to talk to. I just wish there was a little harsher tone to the whole thing." | 4389830274826165795 | 1,020 |
Q18394158 | Thinking and Destiny
Ideas
The book is based on what Percival called “The law of thought.” It was produced over a period of 34 years and has 14 chapters, each with sections. Percival also provides succinct definitions of many words, from Accident and Alcoholism to Wrong, as they are used in his book. In Thinking and Destiny he offers a complete cosmology of the universe, with ideas such as the universe having nature and intelligent sides. Percival defines the nature side of the universe, in part, as an unintelligent mechanism through which units that are conscious only as their functions become self-conscious intelligences by means of what he termed “The Eternal Order of Progression.”
The Law of Thought
In Thinking and Destiny, Percival explains how all of life’s lessons are the result of our own thinking and can be used to learn what to do and what not to do, and that we can perfect our thinking and learn how to think without creating thoughts. Thinking without creating thoughts is said to be the way to stop creating karma or destiny. Thinking is shown to be the cause and solution to reincarnation, otherwise known as the wheel of birth, life and death. Percival leaves it to the reader to choose what to do with the often startling information provided and assures that the lessons will be learned eventually.
Conscious of Consciousness
In his Foreword to the book, the author explained that his experiences of being “conscious of Consciousness” allowed him to focus the Conscious Light within on subjects to see their essence. He further stated that the book was dictated because it was difficult to do this kind of thinking and write at the same time. While the contents of Thinking and Destiny are from no other book or body of authority, he indicated that the authority for the truth in the book is in the reader who can judge the statements by the truth that is in him or her. To be able to think in this concentrated way and to be “conscious of Consciousness” are shown to be potentially within the grasp of all humans.
The Great Way
In a postscript to Thinking and Destiny it is stated that the most one person can do for another is to tell him or her that there is the Great Way, as shown in the book. The Great Way is how and where the human body is transformed into an immortal body. The author offers specific information for the few who really want it, and shows why each person must do the work in life, not after death. The individual will embrace the ideas or put them off, but death remains the cost of life until conscious immortality is attained. The truth is faced as a matter of honesty and courage.
The Word Foundation
In 1950 Harold W. Percival established The Word Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization, to keep Thinking and Destiny and all of his other works in print and to share with the people of the world what he called “the royal good news” about the doer said to be indwelling in every human body. Three of his other books expanded on themes from Thinking and Destiny. They are: Man and Woman and Child, Democracy Is Self-Government, and Masonry and Its Symbols.
Editions
Thinking and Destiny, by Harold W. Percival, was originally published by The Word Publishing Company, New York in 1946 and is now in its fourteenth printing. Its subtitle is: “With a Brief Account of the Descent of Man into this Human World, and, How He Will Return to the Eternal Order of Progression.” To support the text, Percival included sections for Symbols, Illustrations and Charts and Definitions of Terms and Phrases as they are used in the book.
Influence
Percival’s works were noted as a major influence upon Richard Matheson, the famous author and screenwriter. He said that his book The Path was based largely on Thinking and Destiny.In the book, The Bhagavad Gita: The Song of the Exalted Self, 1999, by Owen Slight, the author states that Harold W. Percival’s Thinking and Destiny, like the Bhagavad Gita, reveals relevant, instructive and long lasting lessons regarding the higher self and the human plight—long lost lessons of everlasting truth contained both in the Sanskrit Bhagavad Gita and Thinking and Destiny. Both books contain complete systems of knowledge. The plight of Arjuna is shown by Percival to be our own. | 13565401618398417174 | 903 |
Q24906939 | 2015–16 East Bengal F.C. season
Pre-Season Overview
The club signed Do Dong-hyun, a South Korean attacking mid-fielder to support the stricking part.With the arrival of veteran defender Bello Razaq from Mohun Bagan, the team became stronger and the Red and Gold Brigade are hoping to seal the CFL championship and set another hexa record.With the help of recent performances, The Club clinched to the 74th spot in the recent AFC Club Ranking, the highest among all Indian football clubs.
August
The club started their Calcutta Football League campaign on 8 August by beating SVF Tollygunge Agragami FC by 1-0. In the next match, against Aryan F.C., the club managed a draw, the only draw of this CFL campaign. Then they went on winning all the matches against Bengal Nagpur Railway, Army XI, Mohammedan S.C. (Kolkata), Police AC and Sports Authority of India.
September
Maintaining their winning streak of August, East Bengal started their September by beating Kalighat Milan Sangha F.C. by 4-3. This fixture was their toughest in this campaign as at a time, the team was trailing by 0-2 and then they managed to win it. The next fixture of the club was a prestigious Kolkata Derby against their arch rivals Mohun Bagan in which the team managed an easy 4-0 win with two stunning free kicks by Do Dong-hyun, the top scorer of the club, one of which came in just after 82 seconds from the kick off. This win sealed their league victory and their 118th win against their arch rivals. Moreover, it was the club's 6th consecutive CFL championship which is itself a record and they hold a similar 6 consecutive CFL League wins between the period 1970-75. The last fixture was against Southern Samity on 10 September. East Bengal with their reserved squad managed to win it and became the unbeatable champions of this CFL. Do Dong-hyun became the top scorer of both the club and the CFL.
October
The club went to play an international tournament in Bangladesh named 2015 Sheikh Kamal International Club Cup. The team draw set East Bengal in Group B on the fixture of this tour. Due to the absence of almost all the main and first team players of the club (all out on loan in different clubs of Indian Super League), the junior and reserve bench players had taken part in it. The club brought Orok Essien and Subodh Kumar on loan for the tournament. East Bengal started off well by defeating Bangladesh club Abahani Limited (Chittagong) by 2-1 on 21st Oct 2015. Young Prohlad scored on the match along with Mohammed Rafique. After that the most important player of midfield, Do Dong-hyun, had a knee injury which couldn't let him play for the rest of the tour. The club kept on its winning streak by defeating the current best club of Pakistan K-Electric F.C. by a comfortable margin of 3-1. Then the club had its first draw of the tournament which was against Abahani Limited (Dhaka). Then the club went into the semis where they defeated (on 28th oct 2015) Mohammedan Sporting Club (Dhaka) by 3-0 to enter into the final. Ranti Martins scored a couple on the semis. On 30th Oct 2015, East Bengal FC played the final against Abahani Limited (Chittagong) once again after the very first match. But the young brigade could not seal the victory at the end in spite of taking a lead on the 9th minute by the goal scored by Avinabo Bag. This time East Bengal lost to the Bangladeshi club by 1-3. The brilliant performance of the junior players throughout the tournament came to an end with the defeat in final match. But the fight of the junior brigade were appreciated whole heartedly by the supporters of the club.
Matches
Win Draw Loss | 11132658080868944259 | 851 |
Q5385067 | Eravinalloor
Geography
The small island-like village is surrounded by water. It is connected to the mainland by four bridges: the Puthuppally bridge to Puthuppally, the Eravinalloor bridge to Thrikkothamangalam, the Parakkalkadavu bridge to Kollad, and the Panachikkad bridge to Panachikkad. Total area is not more than 2 km² (0.77 sq mi). The land area includes a cover of paddy fields, which are divided in different sectors (prathan pathakeri, onpathu, pathinaru, etc.) Eravinallor is basically a fully literate village Puthuppally principally influenced by the public library situated near the main junction of Eravinallor. This village is well known for the scenic beauty of Parakal Kadavu Bridge which is covered by the curved accassia trees in a of distance 1.5 km (0.93 mi).
Temples
The village has FIVE temples of the deities. [Udikkamala sreedharmmashastha temple]ayyappa swami, makaravilakku is the important festival, thrikkayil sreesubramanyaswami Subramanya Swamy thypooyam is the important festival, kothakulangara devi templeBhadra Kali pathamudayam is the important festival and kannankulangara sreekrishnaswami temple Lord Krishna ashtamirohini isth important festival. The Subramanya Swamy Temple has a circular sanctum sanctorum (Sreekovil) which is unusual for the Dravidian style of temple architecture. The Panachikad Temple is situated 2.5 km (1.6 mi) away from Eravinalloor.Udhikkamala Sree Dharma Sshasta Temple is situated in Eravinalloor. Those who perform Pooja of this temple belong to the 'Pinakkamattom Illam'. Lord Ayyappa is the main deity of this temple. There are also 'Upa devathas' like Ganapathi Bhadrakaali, Lord Siva, Durga Devi, Navagraha Nayak, Adhithya, Rakshas, and 'Udhikkamala Thevar', also known as 'Sarvaraoga Nashak', who help us our body and mind keep as strong and fill of positive energy.Mandala Makara vilakku days, all Saturdays, Uthram nakshthra day, Thiru Onam, Vishu are important and auspicious days. 'Mandala - makaravilakku Maholsavam' is the ulsavam in this temple. The temple committee managed this temple.Important offerings: Shaneeswara Pooja, Neeranjanam, Ellu Payasam, Janma Nakshthra Pooja Daily Pooja, Abhishekam, Archana
History
Historically the land was donated to Kadamuri Narasimha swami temple by the king of Thekkukmkoor centuries ago. Eravinallor is included in the panchadesam (Ancheri, Kadamuri, Eravinallor, Thrikothamangalm & Meenadom), hence the owner of the land ‘the lord Narasimha of kadamuri temple’ entitles as ‘panchadesadipathi’ which means the lord of five lands.The land was mainly occupied by different classes of Hindus and Christians. The few major ancient families were present centuries ago but now the scenario changed to increased number of families by increased population, the ancients families comprises the only one Brahmin family kolasseri mana (Kannakulangara sree krishna swamy temple owned by the same Kolassery Mana, they are one of the trusties of Sree Narasimha Temple-Kadamuri) and main seven Nair families of Vadasseril (A big family comprises several sub families, Rather than the three major temples a small devi temple attached to their Primeval Ancestral home 'Vadasseril'. The temple opens once a year on the eve of the 1st day of Malayalam year Chingam onnu), Keecheri, Mecheri, Thanam, Pulinthanam, Chandanam & Kusumbil and the five Christian families includes Nallure, Nallukulathil, Kakkolil, Vazhettu and Kolamkottu. These Christian families are attached to the well known St. George Orthodox Church, Puthuppally commonly known as 'Puthuppally Palli'.
Schools
There are two educational institutions in Eravinalloor. One is a lower primary school, situated near the main junction 'Eravinalloor school junction'. The other is St. Thomas Upper Primary School, normally called 'Achante School (established by a Christian priest, Father Kochu Moolel). There was great education institution dedicated to Sanskrit called samskrita pallikkoodam which is situated near the KothakulangaraKavu Devi Temple. This institution was established by Agamanada swamikal in the land offered by Thonakkal nambiar (Nambiar Madom,) a landlord, with the help of Chandanathil Krishna Pillai, a socialist and landlord. This institution offered degrees in Sanskrit language such as shastri. In the 1970s seventies NSS Karayogam took ownership and the institution no longer functions. | 10095682818613255250 | 1,194 |
Q48803736 | Gate deities of the underworld
Description and partition
The Egyptians believed that in the netherworld, the Duat, there were various gates, doors and pylons crossed every night by the solar boat (Atet) of the sun-god Ra and by the souls directed to the world of the dead.Ancient funerary texts provide many different descriptions of the afterlife gates. Sometimes more than 1,000 guardian deities are listed. According to a more general view, every gate was guarded by a minor god who allowed access only to the souls capable of pronouncing the secret name of the god himself, as a sort of "password". The walls of many Pharaonic tombs in the Valley of the Kings are decorated with the texts of the Book of Gates, which describes the twelve gates or pylons of the underworld: in spite of being imagined as architectural barriers to all intents and purposes, the gates were individually named as goddesses. Chapter 144 of the Book of the Dead mentions seven gates, each with its own God, a Doorkeeper and a Herald: for example, the 7th gate is guarded by the god "Sharpest Of Them All", by the doorkeeper "Strident Of Voice" and by the herald "Rejector Of Rebels".Other funerary texts mention 21 "Secret Portals Of The Mansion Of Osiris In The Field Of Reeds" with their own names and epithets and protected by zoo-anthropomorfic deities often depicted crouched on the ground and holding large, threatening knives. The names of these last accesses — still feminine — are from time to time disturbing as the 14th ("Mistress Of Anger – Dancing On Blood") or harmless as the 3rd ("Mistress Of The Altar"). The guardian-gods too were given names that inspired terror and, above all, evoked their fearful powers: for example "Swallower Of Sinners" and "Existing On Maggots" — even if some texts avoided directly to indicate their names, adding these largely unnamed gate deities of underworld to the group of Egyptian divinities known to scholars, but impossible to inventory.
Gates described in the wall paintings of the Valley of the Kings
According to the descriptions provided by the wall paintings in regal tombs of the Valley of the Kings, each gate or pylon consisted of three elements: a) a spitfire snake placed in front of the access, b) the gate itself, described both as a true architectural portal and as a goddess, c) and its guardian deities. The solar boats' travel through such gates can be described as follows.1st gate: Sia, deification of perception, standing on the prow of the sun boat, invites a snake called "Desert-Protector" to unlock the gate to the arrival of Ra who, in the form of the god Atum (deification of the sunset sun), observes his enemies being massacred.2nd gate: the guardian god is called "Swallower Of Sinners" and his gate precedes a lake of fire.3rd gate: its guardian snake is "Stinger" while the portal itself is the goddess "Mistress Of Food"; some jackals watch over the "Lake of Life" interdicted to the dead because it is the place where Ra draws his breath.4th gate: some deities carry ropes to measure the extension of the netherworld fields — as well as, in the daily life of the Egyptians, the measurement of the fields was carried out for tax purposes; this is also where the four human ethnic groups (according to the Egyptians) were depicted: the "cattle of Ra", i.e. Egyptians themselves, Levantines, Libyans and Nubians.5th gate: this gate is the goddess "Lady Of Duration" while its guardian serpent is "Flame-Eyed"; this access is inhabited by the perfidious demon Apep — embodiment of evil and chaos (Isfet), bitter enemy of Ra — here called "Evil Of Face". 20 deities manage to stem his devastating power by continuing to dissect it, while the heads of those he devoured emerge from his coils. The sun boat moves on and Ra leaves this dramatic region.6th gate: Ra's boat approaches to seven jackal-headed poles with two enemies bound to each one, waiting to be beheaded.7th gate: this gate is the goddess "Shining One" and beyond it there are 20 gods holding a rope ending in four whips, four falcon heads and four human heads. This is an enigmatic and barely understandable point.8th gate: this access is inhabited by a flaming snake who burns up the enemies of Osiris.9th gate: here stand Horus and Set on a hawk-headed lion.10th gate: Apep appears again, but chained in order not to harm Ra in his transit.11th gate: this gate is called "Mysterious Of Approaches" and is overseen by the cat-headed god Meeyuty (meow onomatopoeia).12th gate: here stand the goddesses Isis and Nephthys in the form of snakes: the journey through the gates of the afterlife is finished and the sun rises on the world in the form of a sacred scarab (Khepri, deification of the morning sun).
Gates described in funerary papyri
The British egyptologist George Hart thus outlined, in his Dictionary of Egyptian Gods and Goddesses (1986), the evocative names of these deities and their positions in the netherworld as described in the funeral papyri known to scholars: | 13090575296579214778 | 1,176 |
Q23035405 | Richard Ganslen
Dr. Richard V. Ganslen (February 15, 1917 – May 12, 1995 in Denton, Texas) was an American track and field athlete specializing in the pole vault but also was a top athlete in the long jump and triple jump. He used his knowledge from being an active participant in the sport to author several technical manuals. While competing for Columbia University, he was the American national indoor champion in 1938 and the 1939 NCAA Champion in the pole vault. He also set the school records in the long jump and triple jump which lasted for 13 and 15 years respectively. Those marks are still #3 and #4 on Columbia's all-time list. In 1936, he had been the Junior National Champion. He continued to vault into masters age divisions until at least age 63. Sports Illustrated called him the "world's leading authority on pole-vaulting."Ganslen continued his education at Springfield College. There, his 1940 masters thesis became the first edition of A Mechanical Analysis of the Pole Vault The book established him as the foremost authority on pole vaulting. It was revised and at least nine versions were published into the 1980s. he book was translated into German and Russian. Even though the event has been through major technical evolutions (with steel, aluminum and fiberglass composite poles), the book with its further adaptations is still used as a reference. He was a consultant in the initial design of fiberglass vaulting poles, authoring a paper on "Pole Flexibility.""Actually, the principle of the flexible pole is nothing new. The bamboo pole was just as flexible as fiber glass, and you didn't see anyone trying to take them away from vaulters like Ozolin of Russia in 1928 or Oe and Nishida of Japan in 1932. Oe and Nishida placed second and third in the 1932 Olympics using exquisitely thin bamboo poles especially selected for their flexibility and just as flexible as fiber glass. With the fiber-glass pole, the vaulter does less work at the start but must do much more at the end. It's still the man on the end of the pole that counts."Ganslen had learned some of his vaulting technique from friendship with Sueo Ōe who he met on an AAU international tour. Just a couple of years later their countries were at war. Even though Ganslen was one of the top American vaulters, there were no Olympics in his future as the 1940 Summer Olympics were cancelled.He entered the Army in 1942 at the outbreak of World War II as a lieutenant in the Signal Corps. While stationed at Camp Crowder at the Signal Corps School in Missouri he continued to compete for the Army Track Team, travelling extensively. From there he went to The Army Language School in California. Overseas he was stationed in China near the Burma/India Road for the remainder of the war. At times the military would organize competitions in Track and Field and Ganslen competed in them when possible. Details reported in the China Lantern 1944. He was promoted to Captain while in China. Ganslen kept a journal which describes the battles waging all around him while continuing to keep the post functioning. After the war he remained in the Army Reserves as an intelligence officer, retiring as a Lt. Colonel.After military service he received his PhD in physiology and kinesiology from the University of Illinois. He was a professor of anatomy, physiology and zoology at Rutgers University, the University of Illinois, University of Arkansas, U.C.L.A. and Texas Woman's University. Starting in 1963 he worked for NASA on the Gemeni Space Program.Ganslen wrote Aerodynamics of Javelin Flight and Aerodynamics of the Discus and was also a co-author of The Mitigation of Physical Fatigue with "spartase". His work at NASA led him to write Effects of some tranquilizing, analeptic and vasodilating drugs on physical work capacity and orthostatic toleranceHe is buried at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery. | 17451201782615040322 | 843 |
Q3312661 | Middleton, Nova Scotia
History
Where the Annapolis River and the Nictaux river meet was a popular shad fishing spot for Mi'kmaq families before the arrival of the European settlers. It would be later settled by French Acadians that used these waterways to reach the capital of Port-Royal and farming. In the late 1750s the region was settled by New England Planters, and Loyalists to replace the ousted French Acadians. The first four families to be granted land there would later comprise the town of Middleton. They included families with names like Gates and Marshall and Richardson. Col. Philip Richardson received six lots of two hundred and fifty acres each, which ran from the Annapolis River half way to the Mountain to the north, while his neighbour to the west, Anthony Marshall, got two 424-acre lots which ran all the way to the top of the mountain. A Neily family, from Ireland via Ardoise in Hants County, got the next two lots in what would be Lower Middleton, while Benjamin Chesley got the last two lots, next to the town limits.At a public meeting held December 18, 1854, Rev. James Robertson having been appointed chairman and W. A. Fowler, secretary, passed the resolution unanimously. 'Resolved, first, that the locality hitherto known as Wilmot Corner, or Fowler's Corner, be henceforth called by the name of Middleton'. This name was chosen by its citizens and selected because of its location midway between Halifax and Yarmouth.The town was incorporated in 1909.
Economy
The re-opening of the Torbrook Iron Mines and the second railway line in 1889 sparked a decade of rapid growth and development. With many industries supporting and connected to the agriculture and manufacturing industry. Today the town's economy is also heavily influenced by proximity to the air force base CFB Greenwood in nearby Kings County.
Board of Trade
The early records of the Board of Trade were lost in the Great Fire of 1911 but from the reports of its initial activities, the board was formed out of a need to vigorously pursue the issues of the day which affected business and industry - railway schedules and rates, street lighting and a variety of matters involving the municipal government of the day. Two merchants, Harry Reed and Gorden Gross, formed the Board, with newspaper publisher Fred Cox as their secretary-treasurer.
Transportation
Middleton is at the half-way point between Halifax and Yarmouth on Highway 101 and Trunk 1.Middleton is the northern terminus of Trunk 10 which connects the town with Bridgewater and Lunenburg on the South Shore.The town was located on the Dominion Atlantic Railway's (DAR) mainline from Halifax to Yarmouth and was also served by CN Rail's line from Bridgewater to Bridgetown (and on to Victoria Beach). CN Rail abandoned its line through Middleton in 1982; it had formerly been the Nova Scotia Central Railway (NSCR). The DAR abandoned its mainline through the town in March 1990, following the January 15, 1990, abandonment of the Evangeline passenger train service by Via Rail. The abandoned DAR and CN railway lines are currently owned by the Government of Nova Scotia and used as recreational trails. The old railway station is now a railway museum operated by the Futureview TREA.
Institutions
Middleton is home to 2 public schools: Annapolis East Elementary School serves grades Primary-5, and Middleton Regional High School serves grades 6-12. The town is also home to a Nova Scotia Community College campus.Soldiers Memorial Hospital is located in the town and provides tertiary care services for the eastern part of Annapolis County. The provincial government is funding construction of a new 50-bed nursing home in the town which is opened in late 2009.Middleton is home to the Annapolis Valley MacDonald Museum, which is housed in the original Macdonald Consolidated School. This school, founded in 1903, was the first consolidated school in Canada, established with a grant from the Macdonald Tobacco Company of Montreal. The museum has many travelling exhibits, and is the home of the Nova Scotia Museum Clock collection.
Festivals and events
Middleton hosts an annual three-day festival called "Heart of the Valley Days" every summer, during the month of July.Middleton Farmers' Market was founded in 2008. It is held every Friday during the Summer and Fall in the park across from the Town Office from 3 pm to 7 pm. The Market is a non-profit member-run organization of market vendors and individuals from our community.Middleton has an official town crier who has performed his functions for the town since 1984. He has attended all Heart of The Valley parades and attended town crier competitions in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, England and Belgium on behalf of the town. In 1988 he organized and hosted the first Heart of the Valley International Town Criers Challenge. In 2009, as part of Middleton's centenary celebrations, the second Heart of the Valley International Town Criers Challenge was held. | 9352853212885239056 | 1,061 |
Q4922717 | Blackburn Transport
History
Blackburn Transport's history can be traced back to 1881, when the Blackburn and Over Darwen Tramways Company commenced operating steam trams. From 1898, the routes were operated by Blackburn and Darwen councils. From 1899, work began on converting the network to electric trams. The last route to be electrified was completed on 4 December 1903. Blackburn's fleet consisted of 48 double deck and 13 single deck trams. Buses started being introduced in 1929, when six routes were put into operation. Twelve vehicles (6 Leyland Tigers and 6 Leyland Titans) were put into service on these routes. Trams and buses operated together for the next 20 years.The first tramway route was abandoned in favour of buses in 1935, although further plans to put more tramway routes out of action were put on hold due to the interruption of World War II, during which time, tramway maintenance deteriorated markedly. The tram system closed in September 1949.Blackburn Corporation purchased 83 new buses to replace the defunct trams, and, as a result, it was a further seven years before any more new buses were required. From 1974, due to a re organisation within the local government, the company became known as Borough of Blackburn Transport. The livery changed from being predominantly green to green at the bottom, then white and also a red roof, recalling the predominant colour of neighbouring Darwen Transport, which Blackburn had absorbed. As a result, they were given the nickname of 'Italian flag'. Twelve Leyland Atlanteans were the first vehicles to receive this new livery, a model of bus that would become a predominant feature of the fleet. In 1983, the livery changed again. The 'traditional all green livery' style was brought back.To comply with the Transport Act 1985, the Borough of Blackburn's bus operations were transferred to a separate company.The livery underwent yet another change, with the predominantly green scheme being split by white stripes around the windows. Also in this year, the company began operating holiday trips under the Blackburn Coachlines brand.In 1990, an all cream coloured, with dark green bands livery was introduced. At this time, the fleet was beginning to show its age, with the major part of the company's vehicles still being made up of Leyland Atlanteans, although some of the older buses had been replaced by 26 new MCW Metroriders in the end of the 1980s. Second hand buses and some new models were bought consistently from 1999, although intake slowed again after 2005, due to falling profits.In 2002, the MetroNetwork was introduced. This offered passengers a simpler view of the services network, known as 'tracks', and the fare structure was also amended, with the introduction of many fare-saving schemes. Some buses were given overall advertising to promote these features.In 2003, the Blackburn Coachlines operation ceased. Also, the new Schools + services were introduced. These buses, mainly Eastern Coach Works bodied Leyland Olympians were given a predominantly yellow livery, but with green relief. They were in full operation by August 2004.The first introduction of route branded vehicles came in 2006, with the renaming of the old outer circle service the 'OC'. Two double decker buses were given a new orange, purple and yellow livery, and in a similar fashion to what Lancashire United have done, created a new, separate website for the service.
Takeover
On 16 August 2006, Blackburn with Darwen Council announced that after 125 years of municipal ownership, Blackburn Transport had been sold to Transdev Blazefield which, following a number of delays, took place on 22 January 2007, with Blackburn Transport integrated into Lancashire United.
Fleet
As at August 2006, the fleet comprised 124 buses.
Garage
Blackburn Transport operated out of a garage in Intack, Blackburn, with six buses out stationed on the Fylde Coast. | 7269724422267194610 | 842 |
Q7927257 | Victorian Premier Cricket
History
Inter-club cricket in Melbourne had its beginnings during the 1850s, with matches arranged on an informal basis. The newspapers usually decided the season's best team via the consensus of journalists. In 1870, the Challenge Cup was introduced, beginning an era of more structured competition.For the 1889–90 season, a program of Pennant Matches was devised over eight rounds, which began the era of club competition recognisable today. The original competing teams were Carlton, East Melbourne, Essendon, Fitzroy, Melbourne, North Melbourne, Port Melbourne, Richmond, St Kilda, South Melbourne, University and Williamstown. There were no restriction on the recruitment of players and the stronger clubs (such as East Melbourne, Melbourne and South Melbourne) attracted the leading players, and other teams remained very weak. By the turn of the twentieth century, the unevenness of the competition resulted in a lack of public support.The solution was found in "electorate" or "District" cricket whereby players needed a residential qualification to play for their club. In 1903, a VCA sub-committee recommended the implementation of the system. Due to many differences of opinion (most notably, the powerful Melbourne Cricket Club dissented), District cricket did not commence until 1906.The twelve inaugural District teams were Carlton, Collingwood (newly formed), East Melbourne, Essendon, Fitzroy, Hawksburn (which became Prahran the following year), Melbourne, North Melbourne, Richmond, St Kilda, South Melbourne and University. A promotion and relegation system between two grades was originally envisioned, and the premier club of second grade, Northcote, was promoted for 1907–08. However, last-placed Collingwood was not relegated and the idea dispensed with. The second grade was re-constituted as the Victorian Sub-District competition, comprising Brighton, Caulfield, Coburg, Elsternwick, Hawthorn, Malvern, Port Melbourne and Williamstown.The uneven number of teams necessitated a bye, which remained 1929–30 when the VCA Colts team was included. The Colts team competed for eleven seasons but disbanded during World War II. Matches continued through the war (although they were not for points) and Footscray was admitted for 1948–49 to eliminate the bye. The next expansion occurred in 1974 when two clubs representing outer-suburban areas, Ringwood and Waverley, were promoted from Sub-District. Eighteen sides have participated since 1993–94 when teams from Geelong and the Mornington Peninsula were admitted. The finals system, previously consisting of four teams, was enlarged to a final six in 1997–98 season, later changing to a final eight.
Amalgamations
In the post-war period, the competition has faced the challenge of periodic restructuring to reflect the growing metropolitan area of Melbourne. This has been achieved by amalgamating and relocating clubs. In 1985 Fitzroy moved its base to Doncaster, forming Fitzroy/Doncaster. Similarly, in 1989, Hawthorn/East Melbourne relocated to Glen Waverley in the eastern suburbs, and was later renamed Hawthorn/Waverley in 1994. The club merged with Sub-District club Monash University, to become Hawthorn/Monash University seven years later. The move of Hawthorn/East Melbourne caused Waverley to move to Dandenong, and the new team played as Waverley/Dandenong, but dropped Waverley from its name for the 1994–95 season.Two more inner-suburban clubs have reorganised. Prior to the 1996–97 season, Collingwood left Victoria Park and amalgamated with Sub-District club Camberwell to become Camberwell Magpies based at the Camberwell Sports Ground, while prior to the 2000–01 season, Footscray became Footscray/Victoria University. The latter club is now known as Footscray Edgewater due to a unique business partnership with the residential development adjoining its home ground, the Merv Hughes Oval.
Administration
Victorian Premier Cricket is run by the Cricket Victoria's Pennant Committee, which deals with grounds, fixtures, playing dates, venues, umpires, ladders, player eligibility and registrations, disputes, rules, etc., are overseen by the Pennant Committee. The Pennant Committee comprises five delegates elected at the AGM of Cricket Victoria held every August. Currently, the members are Russell Thomas (Chairman), Kevan Carroll, John Malligan, John McConville and Ken Stone. Matters concerning player behaviour are dealt with a tribunal convened by Cricket Victoria and is made up of an independent chairman two Pennant Committee members, providing that their club is not involved in the match in question. | 15698726267082143239 | 994 |
Q454989 | Hala Gorani
Career
Gorani began her career as a reporter for La Voix du Nord and Agence France-Presse before joining France 3 in 1994. After a stint at Bloomberg Television in London, she joined CNN in 1998 as an anchor for CNN International's European breakfast show CNN Today. She has since reported from every country in the Middle East. In November 2005, Gorani was one of the first television reporters on the ground in Amman, Jordan after Al Qaeda suicide bombers attacked two hotels. Earlier in 2005, she covered Israel's unilateral disengagement plan from Gaza. In the summer of 2006, she covered the 2006 Lebanon War from Lebanon, which earned CNN an Edward R. Murrow Award. In 2002 and in 2007, she led CNN's coverage of the respective French presidential elections.Gorani was one of the CNN journalists awarded a News and Documentary Emmy for the network's coverage of the 2011 Egyptian revolution that led to the ouster of the country's then president, Hosni Mubarak. In 2015, she covered from Paris the January Charlie Hebdo shooting and the November ISIS attacks.Gorani also covered the devastating 2010 Haiti earthquake, for which CNN's coverage was recognized with a Golden Nymph award, one of the highest honors in international journalism, at the Monte-Carlo Television Festival that year. In addition to her anchoring duties, Gorani often goes into the field to report on major breaking news stories. In late June, she was part of a small team of journalists allowed into Syria for the first time since the protests began to cover the situation there. She previously reported extensively from Jordan and Egypt, and her coverage of the Arab Spring helped CNN win a Peabody Award in 2012.In 2008, Gorani attended the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, and she moderated the closing session that featured several business and political leaders including Tony Blair, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Elie Wiesel and JP Morgan Chase & Co. Chairman and CEO James Dimon.Gorani formerly hosted Inside the Middle East on CNN International, the monthly show featuring stories on the most important social, political and cultural issues in the region. During her five years as host, she reported on several colorful and thought-provoking stories including poverty in oil-rich Bahrain; everyday struggles for artists living in Iraq; and gay life in the Middle East, which was a first on international television and earned a nomination for a Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) award.Gorani has interviewed Jimmy Carter, Tony Blair, Amr Moussa, Rafik Hariri, Saeb Erakat, Nouri al-Maliki, Ehud Barak, the Dalai Lama, Shimon Peres and Carla Bruni, among others. Gorani avoids discussing her political and religious views, citing the need for professional neutrality.In May 2015, Gorani was awarded an honorary doctorate by George Mason University and delivered the commencement address to that year's graduating students.On the weekend of 13–15 November 2015, Gorani was a principal member of the extensive CNN team that covered the action, aftermath and investigation of terrorist attacks in Paris, France where some 130 people were killed.In 2018, Gorani was nominated for another News and Documentary Emmy for Outstanding Breaking News Coverage, Manchester Concert Attack. That same year, she and her team received an Emmy Award for her show's coverage of "Syria: Gasping for Life in Khan Sheikhoun."In a commencement address, Gorani offered these observations to the new graduates: Gorani says that as a journalist, career defining moments are those where one can identify that the work did make a difference; and the being different is a good thing because those differences will make a person memorable. Gorani advised the students to cultivate their differences and from them the students will find their strength.
Personal life
Gorani was born in 1970 in Seattle, Washington. According to her, she comes from "quite an international background. ... I'm a U.S. citizen with Syrian parents."Gorani was mainly raised in Paris, France. She has also lived in Algeria. Her name "Ha'la" is a common Arabic name meaning "halo around the moon." She earned a Bachelor of Science in economics from George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, near Washington, D.C., and graduated from the Institut d'études politiques (better known as Sciences Po) in Paris in 1995. Due to her multi-national experiences during her formative years, the sound of her name, and her accent, Gorani says that she is a foreigner wherever she goes. Gorani is fluent in English, French and Arabic. She considers Paris her home, which is also where her mother resides.From 2004 to 2014, she was based at the CNN Center in Atlanta, Georgia, and in 2014 she moved back to London.French novelist Yann Moix also dedicated his first novel Jubilations Vers le Ciel to her in 1996.Gorani married German CNN photojournalist Christian Streib on June 14, 2015, in Jardin Majorelle, Morocco.Gorani has a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel dog named Louis Gorani Streib that appears with her and her husband frequently on her Instagram account. The dog is the subject of an Instagram account they run in his name to capture Louis the dog's exploits. | 17836921088916816264 | 1,131 |
Q819819 | Bergisch-Markisch Railway Company
The Bergisch-Markisch Railway Company (German: Bergisch-Märkische Eisenbahn-Gesellschaft, BME), also referred to as the Berg-Mark Railway Company or, more rarely, as the Bergisch-Markische Railway Company, was a German railway company that together with the Cologne-Minden Railway (Cöln-Mindener Eisenbahn-Gesellschaft, CME) and the Rhenish Railway Company (Rheinische Eisenbahn-Gesellschaft, RhE) was one of the three (nominally) private railway companies that in the mid-19th century built the first railways in the Ruhr and large parts of today's North Rhine-Westphalia. Its name refers to Bergisches Land and the County of Mark.
Foundation
The Bergisch-Markisch Railway Company was founded on 18 October 1843 in Elberfeld (Today Wuppertal). Since the Cologne-Minden Railway Company had decided to build its route via Duisburg rather than through the valley of the Wupper river, the Bergisch-Markisch Railway Company (German: Bergisch-Märkische Eisenbahn-Gesellschaft, BME) determined to build its own line through the Wupper valley, to create a link between the highly industrialised area of the Bergisches Land with the east, particularly to connect with the Märkische coal fields, near Dortmund. The required concession for the railway was Granted by the Prussian government on 12 July 1844. A link to the Rhine in the west had already been completed in 1841 by the Düsseldorf-Elberfeld Railway Company, which had been founded in 1837.
Trunk routes
Its original, 56 km long main line ran from Elberfeld to Dortmund via Barmen (since 1929 part of Wuppertal), Schwelm, Hagen, Wetter and Witten and was completed in 1849. In the following years the company built other main and branch lines in the Ruhr along the Hellweg an ancient highway and the Ruhr and Rhine rivers. In 1862 it opened a profitable east-west trunk line between Dortmund and Witten through Bochum-Langendreer, Essen, Mülheim an der Ruhr to Duisburg. The development of the Ruhr valley was largely a result of the opening of the BME’s trunk line.The company’s development was characterised by the acquisitions of many smaller railway companies to round out its network. However, its energetic board of directors and its chairman Daniel von der Heydt (1802–1874, later a member of the Prussian House of Lords), despite years of effort, were not able to take over the Prussian government-owned Royal Westphalian Railway Company. Such a takeover would have allowed the BME to develop a connection via Hamm to a German seaport via Rheine.
Expansion
Major expansion began in 1859 with the construction of the 106 km long Ruhr–Sieg from Hagen to Siegen and its mines. The line opened on 6 August 1861 and cost 12.9 million thalers. In 1858 it started to build its Witten–Duisburg trunk line through the Ruhr. The first section was opened between Duisburg and Hochfeld for freight trains only on 19 August 1859. The 52 km line from Bochum-Langendreer to Steele, Essen and Mülheim an der Ruhr, with connections to various coal mines, was completed on 1 May 1862. At Steele it also connected with the northern end of the Steele–Vohwinkel railway, which had been rebuilt in 1847 from the Prince William Railway (opened as the first horse-powered railway in Germany in 1831) and acquired by the BME in 1854 for 1.3 million thalers.Logically, then its next step in 1866 was to cross the Rhine via the Ruhrort–Homberg train ferry with the goal of connecting with Belgium and Netherlands through the purchase of the Aachen-Düsseldorf-Ruhrort Railway Company’s lines for seven million thalers. In 1870, it completed the Hamm railway bridge across the Rhine in Düsseldorf-Hamm and opened the line from Dusseldorf to Neuss. This created a second connection between its networks on the east and west banks of the Rhine.In addition the construction of several smaller routes followed up to 1876, an extension in an easterly direction, the Upper Ruhr Valley Railway to Arnsberg, Bestwig, Brilon-Wald and Warburg and Holzminden on the Weser river. Here it connected with the line to Kassel of the Frederick William Northern Railway Company, which it took over on 17 April 1868, with its 130-kilometer line from Gerstungen via Bebra and Kassel to Bad Karlshafen for eight million thalers. After 1870 the network was extended on the west bank of the Rhine with the 66 km long line from Rheydt-Odenkirchen to Aue and Düren. During the nationalisation of the company in 1880 the company took over the 78 km railway network of the Dutch-Westphalian Railway Company from Gelsenkirchen-Bismarck to Dorsten, Borken to Winterswijk in the Netherlands, with a branch from Borken to Bocholt.
Nationalisation
The act for the nationalisation of the Bergisch-Markisch Railway Company was promulgated on 28 March 1882. At that time, the Prussian government held 64 percent of the share capital of the Company. The Prussian state railways's Royal directorate of railways at Elberfeld (German: Königliche Eisenbahn-Direction zu Elberfeld) took over its management with effect from 1 January 1882.At its nationalisation the company had 768 locomotives and 21,607 wagons. Its rail network was 1,336 km long, including 720 km of double track railway. The purchase price was financed by government bonds worth 633,847,500 marks. The company was dissolved on 1 January 1886. | 15642138698064974711 | 1,309 |
Q15967713 | James Baird (British Army officer)
Lieutenant-General Sir James Parlane Baird, KBE (12 May 1915 – 26 May 2007) was a British Army officer and doctor. He served as Director General Army Medical Services from 1973 to 1977.
Early life
Baird was born on 12 May 1915 in Morayshire, Scotland. His father, the Rev David Baird, was a minister of the United Free Church of Scotland. He was educated at Bathgate Academy, a school in Bathgate, West Lothian. He studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh. He graduated in 1937 Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MB ChB).
Military career
Baird had originally hoped to join the Royal Navy but with the outbreak of World War Two joined the British Army instead. He was commissioned into the Royal Army Medical Corps on 12 December 1939 with the rank of lieutenant. He was initially posted to a field ambulance unit in Scotland. He was promoted to captain on 12 December 1940. In 1941, he was posted to the Middle East as a regimental medical officer with No. 11 (Scottish) Commando, part of the Layforce. The 11 Commando was disbanded later that year after taking heavy casualties in Lebanon. He then joined the Eighth Army, serving in field medical units during the Western Desert Campaign. He transferred from a short service to a regular commission on 12 December 1944. He spent the later part of the war serving in military base hospitals; specifically in Suez, Cairo and Malta.Following the war he specialised in tropical medicine. He became a Member of the Royal College of Physicians of London in 1946 and a Member of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh in 1947. He was promoted to major on 12 December 1947. From 1947 to 1948, he was Officer-in-Charge of the medical iivision of Cambridge Military Hospital, Aldershot Garrison. He served in Austria from 1948 to 1949 and in 1950 he was on exchange to the Medical Corps of the US Army based in Texas. In 1952, he was elected Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. On 4 September 1958, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel. He completed his Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree from the University of Edinburgh in 1958. In 1959, he was elected Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of London. He was promoted to colonel on 12 December 1962.He was appointed Professor of Military Medicine at the Royal Army Medical College in 1965. From 1967 to 1969, he was based in West Germany as a consultant physician with the British Army of the Rhine. He was granted the acting rank of major-general on 7 January 1969. He served as Director of Medicine from 1969 to 1971. He returned to the Royal Army Medical College on 9 July 1971 as Commandant and Director of Studies. On 5 April 1973, he was appointed Director General Army Medical Services and granted the acting rank of lieutenant-general. He was promoted to lieutenant-general on 29 May 1973.He retired from the British Army on 30 March 1977.
Later life
Following his retirement from the military, Baird continued his involvement in postgraduate medical education. He was a medical adviser to the Council for Postgraduate Medical Education and deputy director of the British Postgraduate Medical Centre. He retired in 1984.He died on 26 May 2007. His funeral was held at St Stephen's Church, South Dulwich, London on 6 June 2007.
Honours and decorations
Baird was mentioned in dispatches on 13 January 1944 'in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in the Middle East'.In June 1966, he was appointed Officer of the Venerable Order of Saint John (OStJ). In April 1972, he was promoted to Commander of the Venerable Order of Saint John (CStJ). In the 1973 Queen's Birthday Honours, he was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE). | 6294434160000059407 | 888 |
Q17163182 | National Diversity Awards
Award Strands and Categories
The awards are honoured to individuals, charities and community organisations across five different strands: Age; Disability; Gender; LGBT; and Race, Faith and Religion.The National Diversity Awards consist of the Positive Role Model award, the Entrepreneur of Excellence award, the Community Organisation award, the Diverse Company award and the Lifetime Achiever award.The Positive Role Model and the Community Organisation award categories are split across each of the National Diversity Awards’ five strands, whilst the Community Organisation category also consists of a multi-strand award.The Entrepreneur of Excellence award "recognises individuals who have best demonstrated managerial expertise in assembling resources, creating an organisation, decision making under uncertainty, being forward looking, and creatively solving problems." In addition to this, the Diverse Company award is an individual honour which recognises a company’s commitment to encouraging "people from the most deprived areas to further their careers" The Lifetime Achiever award is another individual honour which recognises a person’s "significant, innovative and cumulatively outstanding contributions to enhancing the practice of equality and diversity, devoting a major portion of their professional career to the cause."
Nominations and Judges
Nominations for the National Diversity Awards typically run between January and July of each year, with the awards being held later in September.The National Diversity Awards are judged each year by leading figures in diversity across the United Kingdom. Judges include Jane Czyzselska of DIVA, Dr. Rob Berkeley MBE of Runnymede Trust, Theresa McHenry of Microsoft, Andy Woodfield a partner at PwC, Yazir Mirza of The Guardian, Heather Melville of RBS, Dr. Yvonne Thompson CBE and Mark Shrimpton of Disability Rights UK, who participate in an evaluation of nominees. Their recommendations for winners in various award categories are announced annually at the National Diversity Awards ceremony.
Hosts
2012 saw the launch of the National Diversity Awards and was hosted by Irish television presenter and winner of the second series of Big Brother, Brian Dowling.In 2013, Dowling was invited back to host the awards and was joined by co-host and CBeebies presenter, Cerrie Burnell, who was previously a celebrity patron of the event in 2012.Dowling and Burnell were the official hosts of the National Diversity Awards 2014.In 2015, Dowling was invited to yet again host the awards and was joined by co-host and ITV presenter, Charlene White.
Venues
The National Diversity Awards are hosted in a different venue across the United Kingdom each year. The Awards launched at The Midland Hotel in Manchester on 21 September 2012, before moving to The Queens Hotel in Leeds on 20 September 2013. The Awards were then taken to the city's capital where the 2014 ceremony was held in The Hurlingham Club in London on 26 September.The National Diversity Awards 2015 took place in The Anglican Cathedral in Liverpool on 18 September.
Celebrity Patrons
Since its launch in 2012, the National Diversity Awards has attracted support from several celebrity patrons who either represent or support the equality and diversity sector.Amongst the National Diversity Awards celebrity patrons are contemporary R&B and hip hop artist, Misha B, Peter Tatchell; wheelchair Paralympic Quad double Gold medallist, Peter Norfolk OBE; Paralympic Gold medallist, cyclist and former swimmer, Jody Cundy; Paralympian volleyball player, Claire Harvey; stars of Channel 4 television documentary, My Transsexual Summer, Drew-Ashlyn Cunningham and Lewis Hancox; and transsexual beauty queen, Jackie Green.Television presenter Cerrie Burnell was also a celebrity patron of the National Diversity Awards before taking on co-hosting duties with Brian Dowling in 2013.
Celebrity Endorsers
The National Diversity Awards has received a number of endorsements from celebrities across the United Kingdom, including Stephen Fry, who said:"The UK is becoming more and more diverse. It is valuable that a national event is being held to celebrate our differences. Even now in today’s modern society we are still tackling issues of prejudice and discrimination so it is important to come together and focus on those who have demonstrated an outstanding work ethic in order to enhance equality, diversity and inclusion. I am sure The National Diversity Awards will have nothing but a positive outcome for years to come, I wish the event every success." R&B and soul singer, Beverley Knight, is also an endorser of The National Diversity Awards, who supported the event by saying, "I love the idea that there is an awards ceremony that celebrates our differences and their positive effect on all our lives." Other celebrities to give public backing towards the National Diversity Awards include Brian Blessed, Katie Piper, Trevor Nelson, Meera Syal, Gareth Thomas, Javine Hylton, Gina Yashere, Saira Choudhry, Lemar, Ross Adams, Philip Olivier, Tessa Sanderson, Chris Boardman, Ade Adepitan, Danny Crates, Karen Darke, Sarah Storey, Barney Storey Lenny Henry, Tom Daley, Ashley Walters, Letitia Hector, Alex Beresford and Amal Fashanu.
Sponsors, Media Sponsors and Associates
The National Diversity Awards has been supported by current headline sponsor, Microsoft, since its launch in 2012.Other organisations to have supported the National Diversity Awards through sponsorship include The Diversity Group, I Spoil U Media, Lloyds Banking Group, MI5 Security Service, Penna plc, The Army, PwC, Barclays, London School of Academics, Liverpool City Council, Mouchel/Kier Group, Financial Ombudsman Service, The Open University, Transport for London, ThoughtWorks, Riverside Housing, Easy Internet Solutions, Veredus, PSS, Cardiff School of Education, Merseyside Police Authority, The Co-Operative, Sky, The Excellence in Diversity Awards and Q Hotels.The Awards have also been supported through several media sponsors including Gaydio, Gay Star News, The Voice (newspaper), Asian Lite, Gay Times and Able Magazine.Associates and judges of the Awards have included Platform 51, The Fawcett Society, Runnymede Trust, DIVA, ENEI and Disability Rights UK. | 12413400946845317297 | 1,295 |
Q2062481 | Paul Slovic
Major theories
Affect Heuristic - This is the ability to make a quick emotional decision in time of crisis. Slovic says that even if there is a bad situation, if we have positive feelings toward something it lowers people’s perception of risks but enhances their perception of benefits.Slovic contributed towards the psychometric paradigm of risk perception. He found that people usually perceived most activities as having a high risk. He also found that if someone gained pleasure from something they saw the risk level being low. This shows that risk levels can depend on the individual’s personal belief and emotions of a specific risk.Psychophysical Numbing - This is the idea that people are not as affected by the loss of life depending on how it is presented. Slovic says that people cannot connect on an emotional level when being presented with large numbers.
Important publications
"Perception of Risk Posed by Extreme Events" - In this publication Slovic discusses what research says about people’s perceived risk when associated with extreme events. The way people think action should take place is based on their perceptions. These perceptions can vary from people’s status, background, education, biology, etc. The different perceptions decide how risky a choice of action is in extreme events over another. Risk perceptions are connected between emotions and reason, which creates rational behavior. Slovic explains what risk actually is. He says it is a hazard, probability, it has consequences, and threat. Since it has so many subjective meanings tied to it, it often causes communication failure. Risk perceptions are studied in three major ways: axiomatic measurement paradigm, socio-cultural paradigm, and psychometric paradigm. The axiomatic measurement looks at how people view consequences of a risky choice and how it might impact their lives. The Socio-cultural looks at the “effect of group and culture level variable on risk perception”. Psychometric paradigm looks at how people react emotionally to a risky situation that “affects judgments of the riskiness of physical, environmental and material risk”. When public officials overreact to a new/unknown danger it is likely because they overestimate its true danger or for reassurance for the public.“If I Look at Mass I will Never Act” - This article discusses how most people are caring individuals and they are willing to help those in need. The problem is when those in need are part of a mass group of people. The question that Slovic asks is why do people ignore genocide? He uses psychological research to show how mass murders do not connect in people’s minds as being bad as they are. He discusses the lessons that is learned from past genocide. He talks about how we said “’Never again’ after liberation of Nazi death camps” but we have continued to have instances of genocide all over the world. America has reacted poorly to genocide. There are no ramifications to political figures if they choose to stay out of the conflict. He also looks at how the media does not do a great job of reporting the news. They are focused on other issues that are emphasizing the bigger problems. When discussing his psychological research he says how all other factors do not matter without “affect”. Affect is what tells us if something is right or wrong. “If activated feelings are pleasant, they motivate actions to reproduce the feelings. If the feelings are unpleasant, they motivate actions and thoughts anticipated to avoid the feelings” The experience of affect is what guides peoples “judgments, decisions and actions” Slovic also discusses “Attention” as being an important factor. It is necessary for the feelings. It is good for people to see the vast numbers of those murdered but it does not have the same effect as images. Slovic says, “We quickly grow numb to the facts and the math” He uses statistics to show the relationship between the numbers of people presented and our level of contributions to help them. When it was one victim it was a full ten on the scale. For eight victims the contribution dropped down to a five. What seemed to work was when the media would cover individual stories of victims. People became more willing to the help/donate in these instances. Several changes need to be made to combat this perception of mass murder. International law needs to be changed to accommodate this problem of numbness of numbers. The approach of reporting genocide also needs to change because our feelings alone do not give enough drive to stop genocide."Facts and Fears: Societal Perception of Risk" - There is statistical data for many hazards that people can perceive such as smoking, car wrecks, etc. But without interpretation of the statistics they are just numbers and they have to be given relevance in their respective context. Slovic looks at the psychology of risk assessment when managing hazards. He says that experts as general publics are needed in the assessment process and “that understanding public perceptions is crucial to effective decision making”. Through his study he looked at how people view as a perceived risk and what determines risk perception. By the end of his research he concluded that “perceived risk is quantifiable and predictable”. Not only is there a difference in perception between experts and public but also the people within the public differ as well. He found that when there is a higher perceived risk it causes higher desired reduction of that risk. | 2560426898327788425 | 1,059 |
Q3214066 | La finta pazza
Venice, 1641
On 30 May 1640, the decision was made to create a new opera house in Venice, to compete with the existing three opera houses, the Teatro San Cassiano, the Teatro Santi Giovanni e Paolo, and the Teatro San Moisè. The Teatro Novissimo marked the first time that a building was created specifically for opera.Early in 1641, before the opera had been performed for the first time, the libretto was already printed. This was highly unusual and a first for Venice, but would become standard practice at the Teatro Novissimo. Giulio Strozzi was already a well-established libretto writer at the time, and had in 1627 collaborated with Claudio Monteverdi on La finta pazzi Licori, an aborted opera for which no libretto or music has survived.Francesco Sacrati not only wrote the music but also arranged for the singers, with the role of Deidamia, the "madwoman" from the title, given to the young soprano Anna Renzi, who had only made her debut in Rome the previous year and would now perform in Venice for the first time.The stage designs and visual effects were made by Giacomo Torelli and described in a 55-page booklet, the Cannocchiale per la finta pazza ("Telescope on the feigned madwoman") that appeared after the opera season.La finta pazza, the tenth opera ever in Venice, premiered in the Carnival season, and partly due to the good publicity campaign it was a great success, with 12 performances in Venice in 17 days. The libretto was reprinted already the same month, and for the first time in Venice, the opera house reopened after Easter to produce more performances of the work.
Later performances
The opera was produced in Piacenza in 1644, by the Accademici Febiarmonici; the libretto was printed (with some modifications, omitting the name of Strozzi and references to Venice) in Codogno. The same year, Strozzi again reprinted the libretto under his own name, in reaction to this. The Codogno version was reprinted in Bologna in 1647.Further performances happened in 1645 in Florence and in Paris. The Paris production, presumably the second opera ever in France, was organized by Cardinal Mazarin in December 1645 and staged again by Giacomo Torelli. It featured additional ballets by Giovan Battista Balbi. The performance, in the Hôtel du Petit-Bourbon, was seen by Anne of Austria, queen consort of France, and her son, the future Louis XIV. The French production was remembered in a booklet by Torelli with the libretto and much information about the stage design and dramatics.1647 saw productions in Bologna, by the Accademici Discordati with the probable participation of Francesco Sacrati, and in Genoa; the next year it could be seen in Turin and Reggio Emilia, and in 1652 it appeared in Naples and Milan.In 1679, it again appeared in Reggio Emilia, this time titled Gli Amori Sagaci. All these performances were using the same libretto, but it is unknown whether they used the same music by Sacrati or other music (having different music for the same libretto at the same time was not unusual).The opera is considered to be one of the most successful operas of the seventeenth century, and the first big hit of the genre.
Aftermath and influence
Strozzi returned to the Teatro Santi Giovanni e Paolo for which he made two further operas, La finta savia and Romolo e Remo, which are considered to form a trilogy with La finta pazza, with stories about the origins of Venice (which was said to be related to the fall of Troy). Sacrati, Torelli and Renzi stayed with the Teatro Novissimo for new operas in 1642, but followed Strozzi to the Giovanni e Paolo in 1643. The Novissimo closed down in 1646.La finta pazza is said to have been responsible for the use of disguise as a central plot element in many later operas, even though its "men-disguised-as-woman" theme was usually reversed in later works. Other aspects of the work which were highly influential include its use of song (with a character who is a singer), the plot element of sleep, and especially the use of madness. Real or feigned madness was used in many operas in the next fifteen years, starting already in 1641 with Didone by Francesco Cavalli, and with the end of the craze in 1657 with Le fortune di Rodope e Damira by Aurelio Aureli and Pietro Andrea Ziani, which was also the final role of Anna Renzi in Venice.While the story of Achilles in Scyros was known since ancient times, it was the first time that it had been turned into an opera. The opera remained influential in the next century as well, when Pietro Metastasio created in 1736 his hugely popular libretto Achille in Sciro, which was set to music more than sixty times in the next hundred years. Metastasio countered the more comical and female-oriented approach of Strozzi with a text which was much more serious and used Achilles as the main role instead of Deidamia.
Story
La finta pazza is a variation on the story of Achilles on Skyros, with Deidamia and Achilles as the main characters, and also starring Licomedes, Ulysses, Caronte and Diomedes. It is set on the island Skyros in the months before the start of the Trojan War. Deidamia is the secret lover of Achilles, and together they have a son, Pyrrhus. Achilles was sent to the island by his mother to avoid him being caught up in the Trojan War, and he lives there undercover, disguised as a princess. Ulysses and Diomedes, looking for allies in the war, have come to the island; when Achilles wants to join the war, Deidamia feigns madness to keep him on the island. In the end they marry and depart together. | 11499649134210578837 | 1,334 |
Q7108736 | Otilio Warrington
Early years
Warrington was born in the Barrio Obrero area of Santurce, Puerto Rico. When he was six years old, his family moved to the Lloréns Torres public housing project. There he lived for the next 25 years. Warrington left school when he was a teenager and made a living by polishing shoes at a local barbershop. One of the barbershop's regular customers was Tommy Muñiz, a television show producer. One day Warrington asked Muñiz for a job in television but was told to get some more education and come back to him after he graduated.
Bizcocho
Encouraged by Mr. Muñiz's challenge, Warrington returned to school and graduated from San Juan's Central High School in 1960; he then went back to Mr. Muñiz to take him up on his earlier offer. Tommy Muñiz kept his word and let Otilio assist in the TV show "El Special de Corona" (The Corona Special). Thus, Warrington became the "first" black Puerto Rican male comedian to be regularly featured on a local TV program. One of the show's sections involved a group of "wacky" soldiers and included José Miguel Agrelot and Jacobo Morales. When Otilio joined the group, Morales baptized him as "Soldier Bizcocho" (Cake), a nickname that would remain with him for the rest of his life.Muñiz saw potential in Otilio and paid for his college education; as a result Warrington attended the University of Puerto Rico graduating with an associate degree in Television Direction and Production. After graduation Otilio participated in many local TV programs such as: "Ja ja ji ji jo jo con Agrelot" and "El Show del Mediodía" (The Noon Show).Warrington joined ASTRA productions in the 1970s and after working for different shows landed a spot in " Cogiendo Impulso", which was transmitted on Channel 11; it was here that he developed the characters of "Juancito" and "Pito". In (1979) he participated in the movie production of Jacobo Morales' Díos los Cría (And God raised them) alongside Norma Candal, Gladys Rodríguez, Esther Sandoval and Alicia Moreda.
Cuca Gómez
Later in 1980, while working in the comedy Kakukómicos, Warrington developed the character of "Cuca Gómez", a cross-dressing role that would help settle Warrington's fame as a comedian. The plot involved a female cosmetologist who was involved in all kinds of hilarious and off-the-wall situations. "Cuca Gómez" became very popular in Puerto Rico and soon appeared in other TV shows as a special guest star. In 1985, Warrington was named "Mr. Television" by the Artistic Association of Puerto Rico.
Music
In 1986, Pijuán, a Puerto Rican musician, in conjunction with Bizcocho created an album called Bizcocho & Pijuán "El premio 'Gordo' del Sabor", under Private Ranch Records.
Later years
In the 1990s, Warrington starred in his own TV show, Mi Familia (My Family), where he acted as "Arcadio". He also worked in El Show de las 12 (The 12 o'clock Show) acting as "Don Ambrosio" and "Yeyito".
Other shows
Among the shows which Warrington has hosted are Friendo y Comiendo alongside Luis Antonio Cosme, Café con Leche alongside Lily García and Yan Ruíz and a television program transmitted through WAPA-TV called La Cocina Caliente de Luis y Bizcocho (Luis and Bizcocho's Hot Kitchen), alongside Luisito Vigoreaux; Hola Gente alongside Alexandra Fuentes and Gerardo Ortiz; and together with Lily and Yan a morning show called "¡Buenos Días!" (Good Morning!) | 2133052609940112798 | 859 |
Q19757692 | Sadat Mansoor Naderi
Education
Sadat Naderi’s early school years were spent in Afghanistan up to 6th grade. In 1988, at the age of twelve, he relocated to the UK to continue his academic path.He attained his GCSE’s at Whitmore High School in Harrow near his home. He then went on to study a GNVQ Advance Diploma in Business and Finance at Harrow Weald College in London.Sadat Naderi graduated with a First Class BA Honours Degree in International Business and Economics in 1999.
SMN in Business
Two years after the fall of the Taliban, Sadat Naderi returned to his home country Afghanistan in 2003. He invested in different sectors such as fuel distribution, retail distribution, insurance, construction, mining and leasing.Naderi established Sadaf Petroleum in 2005, whose core business activities involve supplying fuel to both the private and public sector. Company clients include the US Army, Afghan Army, Afghan National Police, telecom companies and embassies among others.Noticing a huge gap in the market, in 2007 Naderi established Insurance Corporation of Afghanistan (ICA), which was to be the first privately owned insurance company in Afghanistan working closely with A+ rated syndicate Lloyd's of London.In 2008, Naderi later set up the Finest Superstore which was soon to be a famous well-known brand in Kabul city. His vision was to bring high quality products to the middle and higher end market which became very popular among Afghans, as well as expatriates in Kabul.
SMN in Politics
Naderi’s family has a political background. His father, Sayed Mansur Naderi is the leader of the Afghan Ismaili sect and also a Member of Afghan Parliament. His younger sister Farkhunda Zahra Naderi , as well as his cousin, Dawood Naderi are also serving Afghan Parliamentarians.Sayed Jafar Naderi, Sadat's elder brother was the Governor of Baghlan province in 1990s. He now serves as the security advisor for Abdul Rashid Dostum, First Vice for Afghan President Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai. Sadat Naderi was introduced as the nominee for the Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, but was later rejected by the Parliamentary Assembly due to his second citizenship status.After renouncing his British citizenship later that month, Sadat Naderi was again introduced as the nominee for Minister of Urban Development and Housing by the Afghan President Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai on March 21, 2015.On April 18, 2015, Sadat Naderi was elected as the Minister of Urban Development and Housing. He obtained 202 votes of confidence out of 239 from the Afghan parliamentary assembly. This result has been the highest vote achieved by any Minister nominee since the Afghan nation’s 2004 constitution was adopted.On April 22, 2015, Honourable Minister Sadat Naderi assumed Office.
Quotations
"Despite many challenges and obstacles government officials face, they must always think of moving one step forward.", Sadat Mansoor Naderi, September 2015"Investment will only go to places where it feels comfortable, it is the government's duty to create enabling environment for investment to occur.", Sadat Mansoor Naderi, November 2015"We Appreciate the help and assistance our international friends and partners have provided us for the past years. We are grateful for their continued support for the foreseeable future.Our Nations goal and objective is to become self-sufficient, to stand on our own feet. One day, Afghanistan hopes to be in the position to contribute back to the countries in need of help.", Sadat Mansoor Naderi, November 2015
Awards
Sadat Mansoor Naderi was officially awarded the Peace through Commerce award for 2012 by the United States Department of Commerce in Dubai. | 2190756697446521493 | 817 |
Q713937 | Daniel Chan
Early life
Daniel Chan Hiu Tung was born into and grew up in an unhappy family. His parents were divorced when he was still a child. He is the first of two sons in his family. At the age of 12, Chan studied in Hong Kong at California International (USA) School. After graduating high school at 18, he returned to Hong Kong to pursue a career in the entertainment industry. His uncle is Natalis Chan Pak Cheung, a famous singer in 80s.
Singer
Born in Hong Kong, Chan began his singing career in 1994 as a promising talented young singer. In 1995, Chan were guided by Master Tai Si Ching—a famous Hong Kong vocal instructor who helped him receive recording contracts from Universal music group. At the same time, he achieved "The most popular male singer of the year 1995" with the first album "Fly With Me". From the beginning of joining Hong Kong entertainment, he leapt to fame thanks to his handsome appearance and his photogenic and baby face (Daniel Chan Hiu Tung was selected as one of the 19 handsomest Hong Kong actors in 2010 by CNN Television channel).In addition, He owned a sweet voice and a composed talent. Within two years, he became one of the hottest pop idols in the 1990s with his best-seller albums and prestigious music awards.His golden age lasted between the middle 1990s and early 2000s. This prince of Canto-pop considered as the heir of four Hong Kong heavenly kings including: Jacky Cheung, Leon Lai, Andy Lau and Aaron Kwok. He was also the leader among 4 Hong Kong princes of Canto-pop. He received many music awards of Cantopop and Mando-pop such as: Best singer, best album, best song, the most popular male artist ... .In 2000, following the death of his manager Rebecca Leung, he began changing his singing style.In April 2003, Daniel left Universal music group after 8 years. In this period of time, he released the featured albums including: Open Up The Sky, Fly With Me, Sentimental Remix, U R My Only Love, Heart Touch, Holiday, Electric Joy EP, Feeling, I want to be, Don't mention at all, Happier than me ...Unfortunately, after that, between 2005-2006, the relationship between him and his teacher -Tai Si Ching shattered. Both of them claimed that they altogether ceased to meet. Onwards, his career went down.Until 2008, Daniel returned Hong Kong music science with the album titled "Love moments" afer 5 years of being absent. He organised a mini concert "Love moments" to broadcast his new album in Hong Kong. His style music was stronger than before partly. The album assembled his best song collection and some new songs.After nearly three years of being absent from the music scene, he released his 11th Chinese album So Hot in early September 2011. Chan is a Buddhist.Until now, he released approximately 40 albums including 26 Cantonese albums and 12 Mandarin albums. His well-known songs including: Guess guess guess, You re my only love, Hua huo chai, Zai hu ni gan shou, Understand your everything, Shen Mo Xi Yin, Guitar, Psychedelic, ai ni duo ni, ai yi tian duo yi tian, ten thousand years, Happier than me, Aquarius, want to know your feeling ... .which are favorited by youngsters and music lovers.
Actor
As for his movie career, he took part in many films since 1994. In 1996, he played the character Wang Wen Jun from the movie " Hu-Du-Men" which helped him receive the best newcomer nomination in the 16th Hong Kong film awards. He had opportunity to collaborate with the famous superstar Josephine Siao and Anita Yuen in his first movie.However, his most impressive role is teenager Shum Chi Hong (Shen Zhi Kang) in "First love unlimited". It's the most well-known teen movie in Hong Kong in the 1990s, paired with Gigi Leung - his lover on screen. The film released at the spring of 1997, which created a fan fever from Hong Kong young admirers. His pure and lovely image along with long and soft hair made him become the idol for millions of girls in Hong Kong. Gigi Leung and Daniel Chan considered as one of the best couples in Hong Kong cinema back then. Especially, the couple looks like a twin, very similar.After that, he performed in the big budget Chinese New Year movie alongside Stephen Chow in The Lucky Guy in 1998, together Shu Qi, Sammi Cheng, Stephen Chow ...Later he starred in the film A War of No Desire where he acted as Francis Ng's brother in 2000. At the same time, he shot For Bad Boys Only, with famous ators :Ekin Cheng, Louis Koo, Shu Qi ... . Chan is however most well known for his appearance as an actor in the movie First love unlimited (1997) with Gigi Leung as one of the best couple, Feel 100% II (2001 -as Hui Lok, went with Nikki Chow, Eason Chan and Miriam Yeung ) and the resulting TV series Feel 100%.
Personal life
He experienced many love relationships from 15 years old onwards. It is said that he dated with his screen lover - Gigi Leung in the 1990s when they collaborated with each other in "First love unlimited". However, his most memorable love is with Cecilia Cheung. They claimed as a couple in 2000. Immediately, they were opposed strongly by public opinions. As a result, they broke up regrettably in 2001. Nevertheless, they are still best friends after breaking up until now.At the end of 2014, he got married with a Taiwanese young nurse. They have 2 daughters now. | 8514096995609072810 | 1,255 |
Q1355850 | Altered Beast
Gameplay
Altered Beast is a side scrolling beat 'em up game with light platform elements. The player can punch, kick and jump. Up to two players can play at once. Each player controls a centurion, fighting undead creatures and monsters in a setting resembling Ancient Greece, with originally five levels, in a graveyard, the Underworld, a cavern, Neff's palace and a base at the city of Dis. One of the enemies, a white two-headed wolf (blue in the Mega Drive version, and a blue ox in the DOS version) upon defeat releases a Spirit Ball, a power-up orb which increase the strength and size of the player character. Three orbs turn the centurion into a beast, which in the original version were a werewolf, a thunder weredragon, a werebear, a weretiger, and the more powerful golden werewolf. Each beast has its own abilities, such as the dragon's flight and lightning, and the bear's petrification.After becoming the beast, the character can face the end-level boss, though the boss will also appear regardless of whether or not the character is transformed if the player takes too long to complete the level. Upon the boss's defeat, Neff appears and removes the transformation orbs.
Plot
A Roman centurion who died in battle is resurrected by Zeus. The Centurion is ordered by Zeus to save his daughter Athena from a Demon God called Neff in the Underworld. To become able to withstand the perils, the warrior gets the ability to collect three spirit balls on each level, the last of which transforms him into a human/beast hybrid of formidable power.After a series of battles in a journey that ends in Dis, the centurion finally defeats Neff and rescues Athena. In the original arcade game, the end credits are interspersed with images of actors in costumes for the different characters and monsters of the game, implying the whole game was a film production.
Home versions
Altered Beast was ported to several platforms after its original release in 1988. It was released for Master System, PC Engine (in HuCard and CD-ROM² formats), Family Computer, Atari ST, ZX Spectrum, MSX, Commodore 64, Amstrad CPC, Amiga, and MS-DOS. The Mega Drive/Genesis version was the original pack-in game for that system in North America, Europe, and Brazil, before being replaced by Sonic the Hedgehog. A hand-held version of the game made by Tiger Electronics was released in 1988.Certain differences are seen between the several versions of the game. Some of them, like the Master System version, were only single-player, and had only four levels. Others provided different beasts to mutate into, such as a humanoid lion, or a shark form seen in the Famicom version. The Commodore 64 version was severely rushed, being programmed in only 7 weeks. The Mega Drive version is included in the compilations Sega Smash Pack, Sega Genesis Collection and Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection, with the latter two also including the arcade version as an unlockable game. The Wii's Virtual Console service offers emulated versions of both the arcade and the Mega Drive port, while the Xbox 360's Xbox Live Arcade and the PlayStation 3's PlayStation Network have a re-worked arcade version with HD support, online leaderboards and network play. Sega released an official iOS port of the Mega Drive version in late 2010, before it was taken down in 2015. In 2017, Altered Beast was rereleased on iOS and Android as a part of the Sega Forever collection.The game has also seen a 3D port for the Nintendo 3DS as a digital download on the Nintendo eShop. It retains the original game and local multiplayer, and also features a new mode with random transformations. It is based on the Mega Drive/Genesis port, not the arcade version.
Legacy
Altered Beast: Guardian of the Realms, developed by the now defunct 3d6 Games and published by THQ, is a 2002 sequel for Game Boy Advance in the style of the original arcade game. It adds new features like power-ups, new beast forms and destructible environments.A PlayStation 2 title was released by Sega in 2005, known as Jūōki: Project Altered Beast in Japan and simply Altered Beast in Europe. Rather than serving as a sequel to the original game, the newer title features a more modern setting that is unconnected to the original game.In Project X Zone 2, Ulala from Space Channel 5 summons the centurion in his werewolf form as part of her Solo Unit attack.Characters from Altered Beasts are playable in the IOS and Android game SEGA Heroes.
In popular culture
In the 1990-93 series Parker Lewis Can't Lose, Season 1, Episode 16, Jerry Stein becomes addicted to video games and is seen playing and having nightmares about the Sega Genesis version of Altered Beast.The popular true crime podcast, The Last Podcast on the Left, utilizes sounds from the game in their podcast intro.In 1993, Matthew Sweet named his album Altered Beast after the game.In 2009, the alternative rock band Breaking Benjamin released a promo flash game "Altered Benjamin" based on "Altered Beast". It featured lead singer Benjamin Burnley as a main character.Neff's Rhinoceros-Man form makes a cameo in the 2012 Walt Disney Pictures film Wreck-It Ralph.
In other media
Sega has formed the production company Stories International and is teaming up with Evan Cholfin for film and TV projects based on their games with Altered Beast as an animated project. | 6772711001517102984 | 1,180 |
Q36840 | Tshangla language
Classification
Tshangla is frequently assumed to be close to the Tibetic languages. Bradley (2002) includes in among the East Bodish languages. Van Driem (2011), however, leaves it unclassified within Sino-Tibetan, pending further research. Bodt (2012:188-189) classifies Tshangla as a Bodish language, but notes that Tshangla (like East Bodish) is related to, but not directly descended, from Classical Tibetan.
Number of speakers and status of the language
Tshangla is primarily spoken in East and Southeast Bhutan, especially in the Trashigang district. The language is referred to as “Sharchopka” meaning 'the people in the east' in Dzongkha, the national language Bhutan. It is also spoken in the Arunachal Pradesh of India, where it is sometimes referred to as “Central Monpa”, and in Southeast Tibet, where it is referred to as “Cangluo” (Andvik 2010: 4-6)There are approximately 170,000 speakers of Tshangla, living in Bhutan (157,000), India (11,000) and Tibet (7000). It is not reported to be endangered in any way, as there are still many children learning it as their first language. Indeed, it is often described as being the majority language of eastern Bhutan, where it functions as something of a lingua franca. Andvic (2010: 4) reports that “most Bhutanese have at least some rudimentary knowledge of Tshangla”. In addition, it is common for Western Bhutanese to learn some Tshangla through classmates in the school system (Yang Gyeltshen, p.c.). Despite its predominance in eastern Bhutan, Tshangla is described by Andvik (2010: 4) as “an unwritten language”, meaning that it “is not in any country standardized by governing fiat, taught in the schools, recognized as an official language, or even given status as a minority language.” However, Ethnologue reports that 47% of L1 speakers are literate, mainly using the Uchen Tibetan script. Though there are no official publications in Tshangla, the language is used in radio and television broadcasts. (It remains undetermined what kind of orthography is used for writing copy for those broadcasts; Yang Gyeltshen, p.c.)The official national language of Bhutan is Dzongkha, which is derived from the Tibetan spoken by Lama Shabdrung and his followers, who left Tibet to found the nation of Bhutan in the 1600s. Tshangla, however, is one of Bhutan’s many indigenous languages and is the most widely spoken of the indigenous Sino-Tibetan languages.Tshangla is found scattered throughout eastern Himalayan ridges as well as the southern regions, spoken by around 175,000 people. Most of the Tshangla populace live in Eastern Bhutan (Trashigang, eastern Pemagatshel, Samdrup Jongkhar, eastern Mongar, and Trashiyangtse districts), where they formed a major ethnic group of the country, probably accounting for 25-30% of the total population. Scattered Tshangla speakers can also be found in neighbouring countries with different names.In the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh, they are called Kalaktang Monpa (and are lexically distinct). whereas about 7,000 Tshangla-speaking people also live in Pemako (Bomê and Mêdog County) in southeastern Tibet, China and India. There are about 8,000 Kalaktang Monpa speakers in Khalaktang, Balimu, and Tomko villages, Kalaktang administrative center, West Kameng district, Arunachal Pradesh, India (Ethnologue). About 1000 to 15000 Tsangla speakers are also live in Tuting Town, Kopu, Bona, Gelling, Bishing along the Tsangpo (Siang) river and Nyering, Payingdem, Nyukong, Yortong, Mankota, Tashigong, Singa along the Yangsang Chu river, Upper Siang District, Arunachal Pradesh, India.The distantly related 'Olekha language of the Black Mountains, also called "Monpa" and predating Dzongkha, belongs to the Sino-Tibetan East Bodish languages. 'Olekha is most closely related to the Bumthang language; both are East Bodish languages. Tshangla and related languages form a sister branch not to the East Bodish group, but to its parent Bodish branch. Thus the ambiguous term "Monpa" risks separating languages that should be grouped together, while grouping languages together that are quite separate.
Writing system
Tshangla is traditionally an unwritten language and has no official status in any country. When written by native speakers, it is most often rendered in Tibetan script, however grammarians have devised a romanized transcription system.
Tone
Most dialects of Tshangla do not make lexical distinctions according to tone, however, the language overall may be in the process of tonogenesis. Some dialects such as those of Central Monpa and Padma-bkod have replaced voiceless-voiced contrasts with a high-low tone distinction, respectively.
Dialects
Tshangla dialects represent a continuum centered around the town of Trashigang, whose dialect is considered by Tshangla speakers to be the prestige dialect. Differences between dialects do not prevent mutual intelligibility, and many loanwords have come through Classical Tibetan (Chöke).In Arunachal Pradesh, Tshangla is spoken by the Monpa tribe in the Kalaktang and Dirang area of West Kameng. The dialect there, called "Central Monpa", is spoken by some 6,000 people. More speakers of Tshangla dialects live in Kathmandu, Darjeeling and Assam.In Bhutan, Tshangla is virtually identical to Cāngluò (Chinese: 仓洛) of southeastern Tibet, also called "Mòtuō (Bomê) Monpa". The Bomê County region of Tibet, formerly known as Padma-bkod or Pemako, contains remnants of these Tshangla communities separated by hundreds of miles. | 12149722048121945423 | 1,366 |
Q4333767 | Michael Oliver (referee)
Refereeing career
Born in Ashington, Northumberland, Oliver was introduced to refereeing by his father, Clive, at the age of 14. He quickly progressed through the ranks and was promoted to the National List of Referees in 2007; he refereed the 2007 Conference National play-off final, becoming the youngest football referee to officiate at Wembley Stadium. In addition he had already become the youngest Football League assistant referee, youngest Football League referee, and would also become the youngest fourth official in the Premier League.The Oliver family enjoyed a unique refereeing double when father Clive took charge of the 2009 League Two play-off final and Michael officiated the next day at the 2009 League One play-off final.Oliver was set to become the youngest referee in the Premier League when he was appointed to a match between Fulham and Portsmouth in January 2010. However, adverse weather resulted in him having to postpone the match, and an ankle operation later sidelined him until April. He was promoted to the Select Group in August 2010, his first appointment being Birmingham City versus Blackburn Rovers. Oliver was 25 years and 182 days old, breaking Stuart Attwell's record as the youngest-ever Premier League referee.Oliver was appointed fourth official for the 2013 League Cup final at Wembley Stadium. He refereed the FA Cup semi-final between Wigan Athletic and Millwall in April 2013 and in doing so became the youngest referee to take charge of an FA Cup semi-final. Wigan went on to win the FA Cup and played Manchester United in the subsequent FA Community Shield match in which Oliver was assigned as fourth official.He was the referee for the 2014 FA Community Shield between Arsenal and Manchester City. The FA Cup holders Arsenal won the match 3–0.Oliver refereed three group stage matches in the 2016–17 UEFA Champions League, his first being Sporting CP against Legia Warsaw in September 2016.On 11 April 2018, Oliver refereed the second leg of the 2017–18 UEFA Champions League quarter-final between Real Madrid and Juventus. Real Madrid won the first leg 3–0 in Turin, which meant Juventus would have to win 3–0 in Madrid to take the match to extra time. Juventus led 3–0 until the 93rd minute, when Oliver awarded an injury time penalty to Real Madrid after Medhi Benatia challenged Lucas Vázquez in the box. As several Juventus players swarmed Oliver, with veteran goalkeeper and captain Gianluigi Buffon at the centre of the confrontation, he was shown a red card for dissent; Oliver also issued nine yellow cards during the match. Second goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny was forced to be substituted in, with the resulting penalty kick converted by Cristiano Ronaldo in the 98th minute, for a final 4–3 aggregate win for Real Madrid to advance to the semi-final. Several days later the police investigated threatening text messages sent to Oliver's wife, Lucy, who had her mobile number posted on social media after the game, which led to the abusive texts. They also looked into reports of banging on the front door of their home and shouting abuse through their letterbox. On 11 May, Buffon was charged by UEFA over post-match comments made about Oliver, with the UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body giving Buffon a three-match ban for UEFA competition matches "for which he would be otherwise eligible", on 5 June.On 26 March 2019, Oliver was appointed to referee in the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Poland, with Simon Bennett and Stuart Burt serving as his assistant referees. Oliver officiated 3 matches at the tournament, including a group A clash between Senegal and Colombia, a round of 16 clash between Uruguay and Ecuador, and a semi-final between Ecuador and South Korea. | 6650818145398166720 | 810 |
Q392892 | Pinfire cartridge
History
The Swiss gun maker Samuel Joannes Pauly patented the first breechloading cartridge in 1812. This was for use in a shotgun with fixed barrels which was loaded by lifting a breech block on the top. French gun maker Henri Roux attempted to improve this cartridge in the 1820s but a constantly primed cartridge was felt by many to be too dangerous and many breechloading guns reverted to using an unprimed cartridge. This was fired by a separate percussion cap which was used on the still dominant muzzle-loading guns.Casimir Lefaucheux of Paris decided in 1832 to patent a breechloader where the barrel hinged downwards to reveal the breech ends. These still used a separate percussion cap. Though used before this, (as seen in surviving pinfire shotshells that lists the names of early gun makers he signed contracts with in 1833 and 1834,) in 1835 he was granted an addition to the 1832 patent for a new type of cartridge in which the cartridge's priming compound is ignited by striking a small pin which protrudes radially from just above the base of the cartridge. These pins fitted into a small groove cut in the top of each barrel-end and made it easy to see if the gun was loaded. The cartridge used metal bases (often brass) with paper tubes which were usually loaded by the shooter or his staff but were not entirely gas-tight. This reduced the force of the charge and allowed powder residue and gas to escape.The pinfire cartridge was greatly improved by the 1846 patent (number 1963) by Benjamin Houllier of Paris which introduced a base wad and effectively made the cartridge gas-tight which greatly improved the performance. They were cheap and clean shooting. These improved pinfire guns grew in popularity in France and some were imported by British gun makers to overwhelming indifference on the part of the gun users there. They were prejudiced technically against a gun that 'broke' in the middle, despite the much vaunted benefits of breechloading. They owned muzzle-loaders of exquisite perfection, considered themselves the best engineers in the world (inventing the Industrial Revolution), and had a poor view of the French - the old enemy and an unreliable ally.It was not until the Great Exhibition of 1851 was held in London that breechloading guns were taken more seriously by British and American gun makers in particular. The display of a Lefaucheux breechloading gun inspired English apprentice gunmaker Edwin Charles Hodges (1831-1925) to make an improved copy and persuade leading London gun maker Joseph Lang that this was the gun of the future. Lang was universally credited to be the first established British gunmaker to produce pinfires in any numbers. His first weapon of this new type was produced in 1853. Other British gun makers including Lancaster, Blanch and Reilly were similarly inspired by French originals and improved pinfire breechloaders became the new type of gun which by 1857/8 every fashionable British prince and titled gentleman wanted to have. EC Hodges continued to make a good living as a specialist independent maker of breechloading actions commissioned by leading gunmakers such as Boss, Lancaster, Egg, Grant, Atkin, Rigby, Dickson, Purdey, Woodward, Army and Navy, and many others.After Casimir's death in 1852, his son Eugene continued to market the pinfire design with great success. It became increasingly popular in Europe and large numbers of shotguns and revolvers (often called Lefaucheux guns after their inventor whoever the maker was), were manufactured from the mid-1850s until the 1890s. They were quicker and easier to load than percussion weapons with loose black powder, percussion caps and bullet; and they were also much more likely to fire reliably when wet. Pinfire cartridges were available in a large number of sizes for various types of weapon.While pinfire shotguns declined from the early 1860s after the introduction of mass-produced centerfire shotgun cartridges, pinfire revolvers in particular became very successful and widespread, being adopted by the armies of France, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden and others. They were also used during the American Civil War, although sometimes despised because of their low power compared to Colt and other percussion revolvers. Some navies also adopted them, "sea service" examples often being made out of brass which is largely unaffected by the corrosion caused by salt.Pinfire became obsolete once reliable rimfire and centerfire cartridges became available because without a pin which needed aligning in the slot in the chamber wall they were quicker to load. They were also safer because they had no protruding pin which could cause the ammunition to accidentally detonate during rough handling, particularly of loose ammunition.
Current status
Although pinfire cartridges and shotgun shells are technically obsolete, as pinfire guns have not been made in any numbers for a hundred years, enthusiasts of vintage weaponry often make pinfire cartridges from modern materials and shoot their old guns. As regards pistols, some modern novelty miniature guns are manufactured in very tiny calibers, such as 2mm. Although not practical weapons, they use pinfire ammunition because the caliber is too small for centerfire or rimfire. Antique pinfire firearms and cartridges are available on the collector market and modern reloading kits exist which contain specialized cartridges which can be hand loaded, though the process is far more complex than for centerfire cartridges. | 10283425996928543398 | 1,117 |
Q3821837 | Willard Rockwell
Willard Frederick Rockwell, Sr. (March 31, 1888 – October 16, 1978) was an American engineer businessman who helped shape and name what eventually became the Rockwell International company. He created and directed a number of major corporations with a wide range of products for the automobile and aviation and related industries. By the 1970s he was a leading figure in American defense industries. "If it moves, we probably made something on it," was his boast.
Early career
Born in Boston, Massachusetts, where his father was a contractor, Willard attended public schools before attending the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for three years. In 1909-1915 he was the chief engineer for several small companies. In 1915, he moved to Cleveland Ohio, becoming manager of a company making axles for automobiles and trucks. During World War I, he was a civilian specialist in the Motor Transport Division of the Army Quartermaster Corps. In 1919, he started his first company in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. He sold it to the Timken-Detroit Axle Company 1928, staying on as its manager, and also a director of Timken. He became president of Timken in 1933-40, and chairman of the board 1940-53. During World War II, it produced 80 percent of the axles for large army trucks, and 75 percent of the armor plate for tanks.Simultaneously he was president of several smaller companies. He merged them into Timken in 1953 to form the Rockwell Spring and Axle Company, of which he was chairman of the board. In 1958, his conglomerate was renamed the Rockwell Standard Corporation, and became one of the largest suppliers of parts to the automobile and truck industry. It produced a wide variety of automobile parts, such as transmissions, gears, springs, bumpers, and especially axles for trucks, buses, streetcars, tractors and other motorized vehicles. By 1947, his combined enterprises had 5000 employees in 15 plants, with sales of over $62 million. Rockwell was always an engineer at heart; He received several patents, such as one in 1926 for an "improved double reduction and reversing differential axle construction especially useful for bus axles."Rockwell became interested in aviation after the war, and produced a wide variety of engine parts, as well as a small executive aircraft. Expanding beyond transportation, his companies made meters for the gas and water industries. He also made power tools, valves, taxi meters, and parking meters. For example, the Pittsburgh Equitable Meter and Manufacturing Company was a conglomerate, comprising many companies that manufactured items ranging from water meters to ball bearings.In 1967 Rockwell-Standard merged with North American Aviation, becoming North American-Rockwell; it was renamed Rockwell International in 1973. He served as chairman of the board until 1967. This company became a major player in the space race of the 1960s, and was the prime contractor on the space shuttle. Sales reached $6.3 billion in 1979, ranking it number 11 in defense contracts, in addition to its major presence in commercial aircraft, electronics, automotive components.Numerous major corporations brought Rockwell onto their boards, including banks, insurance companies, and railroads.
Family
Rockwell came from a Yankee family and married Clara Thayer, a descendant of John Alden who arrived aboard the Mayflower in 1620. The couple had five children, Kay, Janet, Willard, Jr., Eleanor, and Betty. He was a Baptist and Republican. He brought his son Willard Frederick "Al" Rockwell, Jr. (1914-1992) into the network of family businesses in 1947, becoming a senior executive on a number of them before taking over in the mid-1960s, leading work on the NASA Apollo and Space Shuttle programs until his 1989 retirement. Willard Sr. also brought his brother Walter F. Rockwell (1899-1973) into the family business, making him president of Timken-Detroit Axle 1933 to 1953, as well as other roles. | 1096873898128735593 | 876 |
Q10893166 | June 4th Museum
Purpose
The purpose of the museum is to give residents from mainland China an opportunity to learn more about the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, the history of which is censored in China outside Hong Kong. Local residents can also explore the history of democracy and freedom in China.
Temporary museums (2012–2013)
Before the permanent museum first opened in 2014, there were two temporary museums open for short periods—the first in 2012 and then in 2013. The temporary museums were named 4 June Memorial Museum (六四紀念館), hosted by the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements in China. The first temporary museum was located at 269 Yu Chau Street, Sham Shui Po, Hong Kong, and was open between 29 April and 10 June 2012. The second was located at I-Café in the City University of Hong Kong from 12 April through 15 July 2013.
Tsim Sha Tsui location (2014–2016)
The permanent site was on the fifth floor of the Foo Hoo Centre at 3 Austin Avenue in Tsim Sha Tsui in Hong Kong. The owner of the site is the non-government organization Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements in China. Costing 9.76 million Hong Kong dollars, the museum was named the 4 June Museum in English, the Chinese name (Chinese: 六四紀念館 being the same as that used for the temporary museums. It opened to the public on 26 April 2014. The museum occupied 800 square feet, and its budget was approximately HK$800,000 per year.A complaint was filed against the museum shortly before it opened by the corporation that owns the building housing it, claiming that the museum violated the building covenants, as it was not using the space as an office and would bring in an excessive number of visitors. A lawsuit over the matter was funded not by the owning corporation but "privately" by its chairman. In June 2015, the building management began demanding personal information from museum visitors, who reportedly felt "harassed" by security guards. Albert Ho, chairman of the Alliance, alleged that the fight against the museum was "politically motivated", and that the museum's detractors appeared to have "unlimited resources". In light of the above challenges, the museum closed on 11 July 2016.
Temporary museum (2017)
While searching for a permanent location in which to re-establish the museum, a temporary museum was opened in the Jockey Club Creative Arts Centre in Shek Kip Mei, Kowloon on 30 April 2017. It hosted a series of related events surrounding 4 June 2017 and closed down on 15 June.In 2018, the Alliance undertook a search for permanent premises in hopes of re-opening the museum before 4 June 2019.
Mong Kok location (2019–present)
The Alliance purchased premises in Mong Kok in December 2018. About HK$1 million was spent renovating the space to house the museum on a permanent basis. The museum was broken in to and vandalised prior to opening. The Alliance subsequently increased security at the premises. The new museum location opened on 26 April 2019.
Exhibits
The museum collection consists of artifacts, photographs and information related to the incident. These include the casings of rounds fired by the People's Liberation Army in Tiananmen Square and a raincoat which was worn by a resident of Hong Kong who went to Beijing to support the Democracy Movement. The museum also contains T-shirts signed by the student leaders including Wang Dan and Chai Ling. The museum provided a multi-media area, heritage area, history area and a library. A Goddess of Democracy statue, which at 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m) in height symbolizes 4 June, was to have been displayed in the permanent museum.A bottle of home-made liquor billed as "Eight Liquor June Four" – the word "liquor" (酒) is a homonym of "nine" (九) and sold for 89.64 yuan – all symbolising for the crackdown date was produced in 2016 by four activists in Sichuan. The bottle's label depicted "Tank Man" image from 1989, and boasted of being aged 27 years (for the 27th anniversary in 2016) with 64 percent proof. Although the product was seized, one bottle that survived was smuggled out of the country made a symbolic trip around the world, to the Middle East, France, the US and eventually Hong Kong, where it was put on display in the museum. On 4 April 2019, the fourth of four Sichuan men who were arrested in 2016 for producing the liquor was sentenced to jail for 3¹⁄₂ years; the three other men were also charged with "picking quarrels and provoking trouble", but were instead given suspended sentences. | 5972290503979192237 | 1,046 |
Q2354855 | Juan Ortega y Montañés
Don Juan Ortega y Montañés (also Juan de Ortega Cano Montañez y Patiño) (July 3, 1627 in Siles, Spain – December 16, 1708 in Mexico City) was a Roman Catholic bishop and colonial administrator in Guatemala and New Spain. He was successively bishop of Durango (1670 to 1681), of Guatemala (1681 to 1684) and of Michoacán (1684 to March 24, 1700), and then archbishop of Mexico (June 21, 1700 to December 16, 1708). He also served as interim viceroy of New Spain from February 27, 1696 to December 18, 1696 and again from November 4, 1701 to November 27, 1702.
Education and ecclesiastical career
Ortega y Montañés was a native of Cartagena. Some sources give a different birth date: June 23, 1627. He studied at Cartagena, at Málaga, and at Alcalá de Henares, where he graduated with a doctorate in jurisprudence. He was named inquisitor for New Spain, and it was there that he entered the service of the Church. He was bishop of Durango, then Guatemala, then Michoacán (Valladolid). He was known for his opposition to clerical abuse and arbitrariness, and also for his support of simple happiness and poverty among the clergy. He had also a reputation for charity, concern for the parishioners, and energy in his work.
First term as viceroy
In February 1696 he was named interim viceroy of New Spain, to succeed Gaspar de la Cerda, 8th Count of Galve.One of the first challenges of his administration was the suppression of an uprising of university students. On March 27, 1696 they tried to burn the scaffold in the Plaza de Armas, which they saw as "an annoying manifestation of the power of the monarchy." This caused great alarm in Mexico City. The constables broke up the demonstration, arresting a youth named Francisco González de Castro. The students tried to rescue him as he was being escorted to jail, pelting the constables with rocks.The other important event of this viceroy's first term was the sending of a Jesuit expedition to evangelize and colonize the Californias. This expedition included the famous missionary fathers Eusebio Kino and Juan María Salvatierra. The two fathers had founded the Fondo Piadoso de California on August 15, 1696 to continue the work of colonization.A new viceroy, José Sarmiento y Valladares, conde de Moctezuma y de Tula, took up the government on December 13, 1696, and Bishop Ortega y Montañés returned to his see in Michoacán. He remained there until March, 1700, when he was made archbishop of Mexico.
Second term as viceroy
A ship arrived in Veracruz on March 6, 1701 carrying the news of the death of King Charles II of Spain on November 1 of the previous year. Charles II left no heir. The War of the Spanish Succession, between Spain and France on the one hand and Austria, England and Holland on the other, began to determine his successor. The viceroy at the time, Sarmiento y Valladares, was a supporter of the Habsburg claims to the Spanish throne. (The Bourbons were in control in Spain.) He was removed from office and Ortega was once again named interim viceroy.Ortega y Montañés's formal consecration as archbishop of Mexico occurred January 6, 1702, while he was again serving as viceroy. The archbishop was distinguished for his devotion to the Virgin of Guadalupe, patron of Mexico, whose church was finished under this administration (1702). The archbishop personally toured, asking for alms to support the construction.He suspended the transportation of prisoners from New Spain to Puerto Rico, which his predecessor Sarmiento y Valladares had begun.The viceroy received word that the conde de Chateau-Renaud had arrived in Havana with a French fleet to transport the tribute of New Spain to France. Viceroy Ortega consulted with the Audiencia, and the decision was reached not to turn over the tribute to the French without express orders from the Spanish Crown.On November 18, 1702, Archbishop Ortega left Mexico City for Otumba to welcome the new viceroy, Francisco Fernández de la Cueva, 10th Duke of Alburquerque, and turn over temporal power to him.Ortega died in 1708, still occupying the see of Mexico. He left behind various writings. These included Informe del Estado de la Nueva España, written for his first successor, José Sarmiento y Valladares. It was a report on the state of the colony at the end of the seventeenth century. | 6967381157408046233 | 1,068 |
Q1371074 | Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger
Composition
"Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" is built around a "bouncy" keyboard riff sampled from the 1979 track "Cola Bottle Baby" by the funk musician Edwin Birdsong. In 2018, Birdsong said: "I recorded [Cola Bottle Baby] 30 years ago, and here come some guys from France. I asked them, 'Where did you find the music?' And they said, 'I was going through bins and it popped out.' ... I'm blessed and I continue to be blessed by opening my arms to God every day." The track also features vocodered vocals.
Music video
The animated music video for "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" was produced by Daft Punk and directed by Kazuhisa Takenouchi, director for Toei Animation, under the supervision of Leiji Matsumoto. It features the four characters shown on the single cover in a vast electronic facility. There, they are transformed by various machines to resemble humans. The video was first released as an individual episode in promotion for the single release. It later appeared as a scene in the feature film Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem.A music video for the live version of "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" was directed by Olivier Gondry. It contains footage shot by the audience on 250 cameras at Daft Punk's Brooklyn performance in KeySpan Park. The video was inspired by the Beastie Boys concert film Awesome; I Fuckin' Shot That!. The video had its world premiere online on 26 October 2007, at Webcastr."Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" is featured in a popular YouTube video titled "Daft Hands", which later appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. The video was ranked among the top viewed YouTube videos in the "All Time" category. "Daft Hands" was referenced in Weezer's "Pork and Beans" music video along with the variant "Daft Bodies" and multiple other Internet viral videos.
Live version
A live version of "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" was recorded at Bercy in Paris from 14 June 2007. It was released as a download single on 15 October 2007, for the live album Alive 2007. The track also contains a part of the "Television Rules the Nation / Crescendolls" segment of the Bercy performance that features elements of the songs "Around the World", "Steam Machine", "Television Rules the Nation". This version of the song won the Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording at the 51st Grammy Awards.
"Stronger"
Kanye West's song "Stronger" from the album Graduation prominently features a sample of "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger". Two actors who wore the robotic Daft Punk costumes in the film Daft Punk's Electroma appear in the music video for "Stronger". It was performed live at the 2008 Grammy Awards with Daft Punk in their trademark pyramid while West was on stage rapping. Daft Punk member Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo said that "Stronger" was "not a collaboration in the studio, but the vibe of the music we do separately connected in what [West] did with the song". He later clarified that the live version was "truly a collaboration from the start. We really did it all hand in hand."
Reception
In 2016, Daniel Jeakins wrote for HuffPost: "For all the gifts electronic deities Daft Punk have bestowed upon pop music, no track feels quite as iconic or ingenious as 'Harder Better Faster Stronger' ... Fifteen years on from its release and it’s hard to think of a dance track that’s as prominent in popular culture or influential to modern electronic music."
Other versions
Diplo released a remix of "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" titled "Work Is Never Over". It appeared in his compilation album Decent Work for Decent Pay. The title of the song was also parodied in an episode of The Cleveland Show called '"Harder, Better, Faster, Browner", which was a part of season two. Neil Cicierega used the "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" instrumental, along with Smash Mouth's songs "Walkin' on the Sun" and "All Star", for the mashup "Daft Mouth" as part of Cicierega's Mouth Sounds album.Philippe Uminski of the band Circus released a cover version of "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" in 2004. Mike Tompkins released an a cappella version of the song in May 2012. Norwegian YouTube singer Per Fredrik Pellek Asly, or "PelleK", released a power metal version of the song in July 2013. Steam Powered Giraffe covered the song in May 2014.The show Grey's Anatomy used the title of the song for the one of episodes seen in season fourteen. More recently, the song was used in the theatrical trailer for the Disney animated film Ralph Breaks the Internet.The song was used as part of a task in the UK Big Brother Series 10. It was performed by Sophie and Rodrigo. | 16308395816054926287 | 1,121 |
Q22948587 | Minorities (Lebanon)
In Lebanese politics Minorities (Arabic: أقليات ’Aqaliyāt) is a term that includes six different Christian sects; Syriac Orthodox, Syriac Catholics, Assyrian Church of the East, Chaldean Catholics, Latin Catholics and Coptic Orthodox. 1 of the 128 seats in the national parliament is allocated to Minorities (all seats in the Lebanese parliament are allocated to different confessional groups). The Minorities' seat is elected from Beirut III electoral district, an electoral district with a large Sunni Muslim majority (65.25% of the registered voters).According to data released by the Ministry of Interior and Municipalities in 2011 (not an official census as such), there were 42,715 registered Minorities voters (1.28% of all registered voters in the country). Electoral districts with significant Minorities populations were Beirut I 10,063 voters (11.0% of the registered voters in the electoral district, overwhelmingly Syriac Catholics), Beirut III 8,181 voters (3.18%), Metn 7,802 voters (4.56%), Zahle 7,225 voters (4.51%) and Beirut II 3,529 voters (3.44%). In the capital Beirut (all three districts combined) Minorities represented 4.83% of the registered voters.
French period
A Minorities seat has existed in Lebanese politics since the first elections in 1922. However, the sects included in the Minorities concept has varied over time. During the first elections there were no separate seats for Protestants and Armenians, so they were included in Minorities as well. A separate Armenian Orthodox seat was instituted in 1934 and separate Protestant and Armenian Catholic seats were created in 1951.In 1925 Michel Chiha, a Latin Catholic banker and journalist, was elected from the Beirut Minorities seat in the Representative Council.In 1929 Abdallah Ishak, an Armenian Catholic, was elected from the Minorities seat.In the 1934 elections the battle for the Beirut Minorities seat stood mainly between the pro-government candidate Ayoub Tabet and Abdallah Ishak, contesting on the list of Abdallah Yafi. Ishak got more votes than Tabet in the first round, but lost to Tabet in the second round.In the 1937 elections the Beirut Minorities seat was won by Chafic Nassif.
From Independence to Civil War
In the 1943 elections, the first to be held after independence from France, Ayoub Tabet (contesting on the list of Sami as-Solh) and Moussa de Freige (contesting on the list of Yafi) vyed for the Beirut Minorities seat. Tabet was elected with 5,740 votes against 5,561 for de Freige. De Freige won the seat in the 1947 elections, standing as the pro-government candidate. The Kataeb Party general secretary Joseph Chader was the main opposition candidate for the seat.For the 1951 elections separate Protestant and Armenian Catholic seats were set up in Beirut. Thus candidates from these communities no longer contested the Minorities seat. Moussa de Freige, standing on the so-called List of Giants, was re-elected.In the 1953 election, the Minorities seat was allocated to the Beirut V – Minet El Hosn electoral district. As the Armenian Catholics had lost their separate seat, they again contested this seat. The Syriac Catholic Patriarch Ignatius Gabriel I Tappouni supported Edmond Rabbath. On the other hand, Joseph Chader enjoyed support from the Jewish voters, who were generally sympathetic to the Kataeb Party. Chader narrowly defeated Rabbath, having obtained 2,081 votes against 1,922 for Rabbath.For the 1957 election, Beirut was divided into two constituencies. The Minorities seat was allocated to the second constituency, which consisted of Mudawar, Bashoura, Zokak Blat, Ras Beirut, Ain Mraysé, Minet El Hosn and Port. The Armenian Catholics regained their separate seat, which was elected from the same constituency. Chafic Nassif won the Minorities seat with 14,471 votes. The main contender was Farid Jubran who got 10,923 votes.As per the 1960 Election Law, the Minorities seat was allocated to the Beirut II electoral district. At the time Minorities included Syrian Orthodox, Syrian Catholics, Latin Catholics, Assyrians, Chaldeans and Jews. As of 1960 Beirut II had 2,435 Minorities voters (5.65% of the voters in the electoral district). Farid Jubran, a Latin Catholic belonging to the Progressive Socialist Party, won the Minorities seat in the 1960, 1964, 1968 and 1972 elections.
Post-war period
In the 1992 and 1996 elections, Beirut was a single electoral district. Per the 2000 Election Law, used for the 2000 and 2005 elections, the Minorities seat was allotted to Beirut's second district (Bashoura-Rmeil-Moseitebeh). In the 2008 election law, the Minorities seat was allocated to Beirut III, consisting of Zokak Blat, Ras Beirut, Ain Mraysé, Minet El Hosn, Mazraa and Moseitebeh. Nabil de Freige was elected from the Minorities seat in 2000, 2005 and 2009.In the constituency with the biggest share of Minorities voters, Beirut I, it was estimated that 32.2% of the registered Syriac Catholics voters had cast their votes in the 2009 general election. 51.3% where estimated to have voted for the pro-government candidates and 46.9% for the opposition candidates.As for the 2018 elections, Beirut will be divided into two districts. The Minorities seat will be allotted to Beirut's first district (Achrafiyeh-Rmeil-Saifi-Medawar). In 2018, Antione Pano won the Minorities seat. He ran on the list of the FPM, Strong Lebanon bloc. | 5424573092931823306 | 1,294 |
Q5153156 | Commodity broker
History
Historically, commodity brokers traded grain and livestock futures contracts. Today, commodity brokers trade a wide variety of financial derivatives based on not only grain and livestock, but also derivatives based on foods/softs, metals, energy, stock indexes, equities, bonds, currencies, and an ever growing list of other underlying assets. Ever since the 1980s, the majority of commodity contracts traded are financial derivatives with financial underlying assets such as stock indexes and currencies. Post the implementation of the Volcker rule in 2014, the number of commodity trading houses and individual brokers have dwindled.
Types
Firms and individuals who are often collectively called commodity brokers include:Floor Broker/Trader: an individual who trades commodity contracts on the floor of a commodities exchange. When executing trades on behalf of a client in exchange for a commission he is acting in the role of a broker. When trading on behalf of his own account, or for the account of his employer, he is acting in the role of a trader. Floor trading is conducted in the pits of a commodity exchange via open outcry. A floor broker is different than a "floor trader" he or she also works on the floor of the exchange, makes trades as a principal for his or her own account. Futures Commission Merchant (FCM): a firm or individual that solicits or accepts orders for commodity contracts traded on an exchange and holds client funds to margin, similar to a securities broker-dealer. Most individual traders do not work directly with a FCM, but rather through an IB or CTA.Introducing Broker (IB): a firm or individual that solicits or accepts orders for commodity contracts traded on an exchange. IBs do not actually hold customer funds to margin. Client funds to margin are held by a FCM associated with the IB.Commodity Trading Advisor (CTA): a firm or individual that, for compensation or profit, advises others, on the trading of commodity contracts. They advise commodity pools and offer managed futures accounts. Like an IB, a CTA does not hold customer funds to margin; they are held at a FCM. CTAs exercise discretion over their clients' accounts, meaning that they have power of attorney to trade the clients account on his behalf according to the client's trading objectives. A CTA is generally the commodity equivalent to a financial advisor or mutual fund manager.Commodity Pool Operator (CPO): a firm or individual that operates commodity pools advised by a CTA. A commodity pool is essentially the commodity equivalent to a mutual fund.Registered Commodity Representative (RCR)/Associated Person (AP): an employee, partner or officer of a FCM, IB, CTA, or CPO, duly registered and licensed to conduct the activities of a FCM, IB, CTA, or CPO. This is the commodity equivalent to a registered representative.
Regulation
A single firm or individual may be registered and act in more than one capacity. In the United States, an individual working in any of the above roles must pass the Series 3 National Commodity Futures Examination administered by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). With few exceptions, most individuals who act as a FCM, IB, CTA, and CPO, as well as their RCR/APs, are required to register with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), and be members of the National Futures Association (NFA). Floor brokers/traders who are members or employees of a commodity exchange generally do not need to be members of the NFA, as they are regulated by the exchange.
Exchanges
Commodity brokers can trade commodities on various exchanges, which specialize in trading a certain commodity type. The common commodity exchanges include the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) that trades in a variety of commodities, Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) that trades in wheat, rice, soybeans, oats, corn, silver, gold, and ethanol, and the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) that trades in crude oil, electricity, and natural gas. Others include the CME Group, Kansas City Board of Trade, London International Financial Futures and Options Exchange, and the New York Board of Trade. | 18174841877262221670 | 874 |
Q17065526 | Patrick Robert Sydnor Log Cabin
Cabin description
The cabin sits on a low, random-rubble fieldstone foundation, although portions of the foundation have subsided. The first floor walls are constructed of V-notched logs with the chinking between the logs still mostly intact and in fair to good condition, with evidence of repair. There is a plank door entrance to the right and a 6x6 window to the left on the south side of the cabin. To the north or rear side of the cabin, there is also an entrance with a six-panel door. The east end of the cabin contains a 6x6, double-hung sash wood window centrally placed on the first floor, and a 4x4 wood sash window directly overhead in the gable. All the window and door openings are surrounded with simple wooden frames of flat boards without molded profiles that appear to be mid-twentieth-century.The exterior west wall stone chimney is composed of cut blocks and fieldstone (mid-twentieth-century mortar repair) with a brick chimney-stack in American bond. The stack rises from stone shoulders that begin where the log portion of the wall meets the clapboard section at the base of the gable.Within the first-floor room of the cabin, there is a fireplace at the west end. The fireplace has a solid brick mantel and a small brick firebox. At the opposite end of the room, immediately adjacent to the primary, south entrance, there is a dog-leg stair with two steps rising to shallow landing toward the loft. The stair indicates mild repairs but is primarily in its original condition.The first floor interior walls of the cabin show signs of modernization, possibly in the 1960s, but the loft walls are still unfinished. The cabin flooring has also been replaced, dating early to mid-twentieth center. The roof rafters are exposed with broad planks and a metal roof sitting atop. In the gable ends the studs and interior sides of the weatherboard cladding are exposed.
Historical significance
Associated with slavery, the Civil War, and Reconstruction in Mecklenburg County, Virginia, the Sydnor log cabin was a significant "home place" for several generations of African Americans from Reconstruction to the mid-twentieth century.The property was first sold to Lovice "Vicey" Skipwith (1856–1936), a former slave of Prestwould Plantation, from the holdings of the Skipwith family and Prestwould Plantation, in 1888. A purchase of this sort is representative of the histories of African-American families in Mecklenburg County and other parts of Virginia, who established themselves as farmers, after the Civil War, often on the very plantations or land adjacent to the plantations where they were once enslaved. The log cabin that Vicey Skipwith purchased would eventually become a home place to several African-American families in Mecklenburg County's Bluestone District. One such African-American family was that of Patrick Robert "Parker" Sydnor.
Patrick Robert "Parker" Sydnor
Parker Sydnor was a stone carver who lived in the area of Cabin Point, Virginia, residing in the log cabin during the 1930s and 1940s.He worked for more than 40 years at his craft, and many African Americans came to him to have gravestones made for their deceased loved ones. Significantly, Sydnor was both literate and an expert stone carver. He was also associated with many African-American families living in the vicinity of Cabin Point during the twentieth and twenty-first century, as well as the African-American churches and funeral parlors in the surrounding area.Although Parker Sydnor and Vicey Skipwith were acquaintances from Bluestone District, they were not biologically related. These two were known to each other as "fictive kin," a term which refers to individuals who are unrelated by either birth or marriage, but who have an extended significant relationship to one another, which takes on the characteristics of a family-oriented relationship.
Background
The restored antebellum plantation of Sir Peyton Skipwith (1740–1805) and Lady Jean Skipwith (1748–1826) in Mecklenburg County, Virginia is well known for both its historical and architectural significance established by its listing as a National Historic Landmark in 2007. A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, site, structure, or object that is officially recognized by the United States government for its national-level historical significance. A historic map of Prestwould plantation documents that the Sydnor log cabin property, about a mile from the manor house of Prestwould, was once a part of the original Prestwould estate. Prestwould's legacy began in 1708 with the completion of the Prestwould manor and the expansion of Sir Peyton Skipwith's land holdings that demonstrated his power and wealth in Mecklenburg County. Upon Sir Peyton Skipwith's death, the Prestwould estate was transferred to his oldest son, Humberston Skipwith (1791-1863). After the death of Humbertson, Fulwar Skipwith (1836-1900), inherited much of the Prestwould holdings, including Prestwould plantation in 1863. During Reconstruction, however, Fulwar Skipwith sold most of the land associated with the original estate due to financial ruin.It was during this time of liquidation of Fulwar Skipwith's property that many African-American families in Mecklenburg County became landowners as tracts and small parcels of plantation farmland were sold to both male and female, black and white individuals with the financial means to purchase property.According to the 1870 U.S. Census, Vicey Skipwith along with six members of her family were tenants at the property site. The log cabin has sheltered many African-American families since that early beginning of African-American property ownership. | 3622755724999944011 | 1,206 |
Q269265 | Pepi I Meryre
Family
Pepi was the son of Teti and Iput, who may have been a daughter of Unas, the last pharaoh of the previous dynasty (V).His two most important wives and the mothers of his two successors (Merenre Nemtyemsaf I and Pepi II) were Ankhesenpepi I and Ankhesenpepi II. Other known wives include Meritites IV, Nubwenet and Inenek-Inti, who are buried in pyramids adjacent to that of Pepi, Mehaa, who is named in the tomb of her son Hornetjerkhet, and a queen named Nedjeftet who is mentioned on relief fragments. He also had a son called Teti-ankh and two daughters, Iput II and Neith, who both became wives to Pepi II.
Reign
Pepi I's reign was marked by aggressive expansion into Nubia, the spread of trade to far-flung areas such as Lebanon and the Somali coast, but also the growing power of the nobility. One of the king's officials named Weni fought in Asia on his behalf. Pepi's mortuary complex, Mennefer Pepy, eventually became the name for the entire city of Memphis after the 18th Dynasty.The decline of the Old Kingdom arguably began during Pepi I’s reign, with nomarchs (regional representatives of the king) becoming more powerful and exerting greater influence. Pepi I married two sisters – Ankhesenpepi I and II – who were the daughters of Khui, a noble from Abydos and Lady Nebet, made vizier of Upper Egypt. Pepi later made their brother, Djau, a vizier as well. The two sisters' influence was extensive, with both sisters bearing sons who were later to become pharaohs.
Pyramid complex
Pepi I had a pyramid built for himself in South Saqqara, which he named Men-nefer-Pepi variously translated as "Pepi's splendor is enduring" or "The perfection of Pepi is established". The pyramid was constructed in the same fashion as others since Djedkare Isesi: a core built six steps high from small roughly dressed blocks of limestone bound together using clay mortar encased with fine limestone blocks. The pyramid, now destroyed, had a base length of 78.75 m (258 ft; 150 cu) converging to the apex at ~ 53° and once stood 52.5 m (172 ft; 100 cu) tall. Its remains now form a mound a meagre 12 m (39 ft; 23 cu), containing a pit in its centre dug by stone thieves.The substructure of the pyramid was accessed from the north chapel which has since disappeared. From the entrance, a descending corridor gives way to a vestibule leading into the horizontal passage. Halfway along the passage three granite portcullises guard the chambers. As in preceding pyramids, the substructure contains three chambers: an antechamber on the pyramids vertical axis, a serdab with three recesses to its east, and a burial chamber containing the king's sarcophagus to the west. Extraordinarily, the pink granite canopic chest that is sunk into the floor at the foot of the sarcophagus has remained undisturbed. Discovered alongside it was a bundle of viscera presumed to belong to the pharaoh. The provenance of a mummy fragment and fine linen wrappings discovered in the burial chamber are unknown, but are hypothesized to belong to Pepi I.The walls of Pepi I's antechamber, burial chamber, and much of the corridor are covered in vertical columns of inscribed and painter hieroglyphic text. His sarcophagus is also inscribed on its east side with the king's titles and names, as part of a larger set of spells that include texts at the bottom of the north and south walls opposite the sarcophagus, and in a line running across the top of the north, west, and south walls of the chamber. The writing comprises 2,263 columns and lines of text, making them the most extensive corpus of Pyramid Texts from the Old Kingdom. The tradition of inscribing texts inside the pyramid was begun by Unas at the end of the Fifth Dynasty, but originally discovered in Pepi I's pyramid in 1880. Their function, in congruence with all funerary literature, was to enable the reunion of the ruler's ba and ka leading to the transformation into an akh, and to secure eternal life among the gods in the sky. | 2181345492057265383 | 970 |
Q5690308 | Healing Through Remembering
History
In March 2000 the All Truth is Bitter Report was launched. It documented the visit of Dr. Alex Boraine to Northern Ireland in February 1999 and recommended wide-ranging discussion to explore and debate ways of examining the past and processes of remembering so as to build a better future.A number of individuals were invited by the authors of All Truth is Bitter to form a Board. After much discussion, in June 2001 a diverse group of individuals agreed to become the Healing Through Remembering Project Board and carry forward the work of the project.
Public consultation
HTR carried out an extensive consultation in 2002 which asked individuals, organisations and communities "How should people remember the events connected with the conflict in and about Northern Ireland and in so doing, individually and collectively contribute to the healing of the wounds of society?
Healing Through Remembering Initiative
The organisation has established five Sub Groups to engage in dialogue and discussion and carry out research to fully examine the recommendations of the 2002 Report.
Storytelling Sub Group
The Storytelling group considers how a collective oral narrative might work as vehicle for dealing with the past.The group is developing the parameters for research into the impact of Storytelling.The Storytelling Sub Group has carried out and published an audit of storytelling initiatives related to the conflict, hosted a one-day conference on the theme of "Storytelling as the Vehicle?" and published a report of the conference.The Sub Group is currently working on producing a Good Practice Guide to Storytelling incorporating the values, definitions and core principles of storytelling.
Day of Reflection Sub Group
The Day of Reflection group considers how best the conflict can be collectively remembered and reflected upon.The first Day of Private Reflection took place on Thursday 21 June 2007. The purpose of the day is to "Provide an opportunity for people to remember the events of the past in a non-confrontational, dignified and respectful manner." Healing Through Remembering and its Day of Reflection Sub Group took time to carefully consider and plan the day to bring it to fruition. A free-phone telephone support line was made available before, during and after the day. The Day of Private Reflection was launched in March 2007 and received considerable media interest and attention. Interest and support for the Day of Private Reflection came from all sections of the community. There was widespread support in favour of a second Day of Private Reflection, with Healing Through Remembering as the lead organisation. A full and independent evaluation of the day was commissioned and is scheduled for publication in March 2008. The sub-group also held a residential which took place in September 2007.A full range of materials to help raise awareness of the Day of Private Reflection and aid reflection on the Day have been produced and are available to order free of charge from HTR or via www.dayofreflection.comGroups and individuals are also encouraged to develop their own materials and resources.The Day of Reflection Sub Group carried out extensive research on international experiences of days of remembrance before proceeding with plans for an initial Day of Private Reflection on 21 June 2007.
Living Memorial Museum Sub Group
The Living Memorial Museum group considers what form a living memorial and museum might take.The form of the Living Memorial Museum is still under discussion.The Living Memorial Museum Sub Group has commissioned an extensive audit of artefacts relating to the conflict which are held in existing archives and personal collections.Dr. Kris Brown is conducting the audit which is being carried out through a joint Fellowship post at QUB.The group has also conducted an Open Call for Ideas on what form a Living Memorial Museum to the conflict could take. A wide range of submissions were received and plans are underway for displaying them and generating further ideas.
Commemoration Sub Group
The Commemoration Sub Group is currently examining the issues relating to commemoration and commissioned research on the subject to inform their thinking on possible ways forward.The research considered: what is commemoration and what is its role in societies emerging from conflict?A roundtable event on similar issues was held in January 2007. The Sub Group is currently finalising its strategic plan and considering future directions for the group.
Truth Recovery & Acknowledgement Sub Group
The Network of Commemoration group examines the role of commemoration post conflict.The Sub Group is continuing to host partnership events with interested organisations and groups on both the report and the issue of truth recovery.The Truth Recovery and Acknowledgement Sub Group has undertaken two large pieces of work to date. The first, a scoping study on the current positions of key organisations, institutions and parties relating to acknowledgement of their role in the conflict was used to inform a discussion paper and proposal on what form acknowledgement might take. The paper, Acknowledgement and its Role in Preventing Future Violence, was published in October 2006.The second piece of research developed by the group was a document on possible options for truth recovery. The document, Making Peace with the Past: Options for truth recovery regarding the conflict in and about Northern Ireland, was launched on 31 October 2006. Since the publication of the report the Sub Group has hosted a series of open meetings on the issue of truth recovery across Northern Ireland, Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland. These open meetings concluded at the end of April.
Consultants Database
Details of any research being commissioned by Healing Through Remembering on behalf of the Sub Groups is circulated to all researchers and facilitators who are listed on the Healing Through Remembering Consultants Database.
Membership
Members of Healing Through Remembering are kept informed of the work of the organisation, are invited to participate in seminars, talks and other events and have voting rights at the AGM.ReportsCopies of reports produced and published by Healing Through Remembering are available to download from the HTR website: www.healingthroughremembering.org Alternatively hard copies can be ordered free of charge from the HTR Office.board of directors 2012/2013The Board of Healing Through Remembering is elected annually by the members of the organisation at the AGM.The members of the current Board are:Dawn Purvis MLA(Honorary Treasurer)Oliver Wilkinson (Honorary Secretary)Claire Hackett (Honorary Treasurer)Brandon Hamber(Chair Storytelling)Irwin Turbitt (Chair Day of Reflection)Alan McBride (Chair Living Memorial Museum)Alan Wardle (Chair Truth Recovery & Acknowledgement)Geraldine Smyth (Chair Commemoration)Pat Sheehan (Co-Optee)Brian Lamkin (Co-Optee)
HTR Staff
Kate Turner – Project DirectorJames Grant – Finance OfficerEimear McVeigh – Administrative AssistantJayme Reaves – Project CoordinatorThe Healing Through Remembering Initiative is a limited company with charitable status and has been in operation since October 2003. The organisation operates through independent funding which has been sourced internationally. | 6372790665489377121 | 1,390 |
Q4271863 | Henry Burrell
Henry (Harry) James Burrell OBE (19 January 1873 – 29 July 1945) was an Australian naturalist who specialised in the study of monotremes. He was the first person to successfully keep the platypus in captivity and was a lifelong collector of specimens and contributor of journal articles on monotremes.
Biography
Henry James Burrell was born at Rushcutters Bay, Sydney, the fourth son of Douglas and Sarah Rose Burrell (née Stacey). He had some schooling but had an itinerant lifestyle during which he spent some years as a vaudeville comedian. In 1901 he married Susan Emily Naegueli, a 42-year-old divorcee, and settled at Caermarthen station, Manilla, New South Wales, which was home to Susan's parents.He set up a small native zoo and became interested in the platypus, Ornithorhynchus anatinus, which he had been told could not be kept in captivity. He spent much of his time studying the platypus on the rivers surrounding the station: the Namoi, Manilla and Macdonald. He captured some specimens and managed to keep them alive in a portable artificial habitat of his own devising, which he christened a "platypusary". He made the first exhibition of the platypus at the Moore Park Zoological Gardens (moved and renamed Taronga Zoological Gardens in 1917) in 1910, and with Ellis Stanley Joseph he took the first live platypuses to be seen outside Australia to the United States in 1922. He was also the first person to successfully keep a baby platypus in captivity.His interest extended to the other monotremes, the echidnas, and he made a film showing the habits of both monotremes. He made recordings of their vocalizations and contributed articles on the monotremes to the Australian Encyclopedia.In 1926 he published The Wild Animals of Australasia (with A. S. Le Souef) and in the next year, The Platypus, its Discovery, Zoological Position Form and Characteristics, Habits, Life History, etc. It was regarded as the authoritative work on the species despite Burrell being denied official sanction and hence being restricted in his area of study. In 1927 Burrell was stricken with paralysis; he recovered, but moved to Sydney to continue working.Burrell was a regular contributor to scientific journals. He was a corresponding member of the Zoological Society of London and of the Australian Museum, and a fellow of the Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales amongst other memberships of learned societies; he collected specimens for the University of Sydney and the Commonwealth government.In 1937 he received an OBE. His wife died in 1941, and in 1942 Burrell married Daisy Ellen Brown. Burrell died suddenly of heart disease on 29 July 1945 at his home at Randwick, New South Wales. His collection of photographic negatives was donated to the Australian Museum, and his unique complete sequence of monotreme exhibits to the Australian Institute of Anatomy in Canberra.
Thylacine
Burrell is credited with a notorious 1921 photo of a thylacine (or Tasmanian tiger), showing it standing in the bush with a chicken in its mouth. Robert Paddle, author of The Last Tasmanian Tiger: The History and Extinction of the Thylacine, credits this picture with adding much to the reputation of the thylacine as a poultry killer. The image was published in the Australian Museum Magazine and The Wild Animals of Australasia.Burrell's original photo clearly shows that the animal was captive, but the version that appeared in the newspaper was cropped to remove these details. Researcher Carol Freeman analysed the photo and concluded that the thylacine shown was a mounted specimen, posed for the camera with the bird in its mouth. However, the notion that the thylacine was a taxidermied mount was challenged by Robert Paddle in 2008. Paddle believed that the thylacine was a living specimen from Hobart's Beaumaris Zoo. | 16283631972502416381 | 871 |