the-french-artist/wikipedia_20220301.simple_sentence_split huggingface dataset:
3-1-1 is available in several major American cities, including: Akron, Albuquerque, Austin,  Baltimore, Charlotte, Chattanooga, Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Hartford, Houston, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Little Rock, Los Angeles, Miami, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Mobile, Nashville, New York City, Rochester, Orlando, Pittsburgh, San Antonio, San Francisco, San Jose, Somerville, and Washington, D.C..
Calgary, Alberta (18 May 2005)
Gatineau, Quebec (22 June 2005)
Windsor, Ontario (22 August 2005)
Ottawa, Ontario (19 September 2005)
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador (27 June 2006)
Fort St. John, British Columbia (14 November 2006)
Greater Sudbury, Ontario (12 February 2007)
Laval, Quebec (3 October 2007)
Montreal, Quebec (mid-December 2007)
Other Canadian municipalities are expected to use 3-1-1 in the near future.
These include Edmonton, Winnipeg and Toronto.
Oleander, Nerium oleander, is a poisonous shrub.
It is commonly used in gardens because of its pink colored flowers.
Nerium oleander is native to northern Africa, the eastern Mediterranean basin and southeast Asia.
Oleander prefers dry, warm climates and may naturalize in such areas.
Recently, scientific studies on cardenolide oleandrin show that it may be used to prevent mutagenesis.
Aon Center is a skyscraper in Chicago, United States.
It is 346 meters (1,136 feet) tall and has 83 floors.
It was built in 1973 and is one of the tallest buildings in the world and the third tallest in Chicago.
At first it was named the Standard Oil Building, but when the name of the company changed in 1985 it became the Amoco Building.
The building was sold and became the Aon Center in 1999.
Emporis.com - Aon Center
SkycraperPage.com – Aon Center
Aon Center (Los Angeles)
875 North Michigan Avenue is a skyscraper in Chicago, United States.
It was formerly known as the John Hancock Center.
It is 344 meters (1,127 feet) tall and has 100 floors, including an observation deck on the 94th floor (1,000 ft).
It was built in 1969 and is one of the tallest buildings in the world.
On February 12, 2018, John Hancock Insurance requested that its name and logos throughout the building's interior be removed immediately; John Hancock had not had a naming-rights deal with the skyscraper's owners since 2013.
Until a new naming-rights deal is finalized, the skyscraper will be known as "875 North Michigan Avenue".
The Hancock Observatory
Franklin Center is a skyscraper in Chicago, United States.
It is 307 meters (1,007 feet) tall and has 60 floors.
It was built in 1989 and is one of the tallest buildings in the world
Emporis.com - AT&T Corporate Center
SkycraperPage.com – AT&T Corporate Center
1989 establishments in Illinois
Two Prudential Plaza is a skyscraper in Chicago, United States.
It is 303 meters (995 feet) tall and has 64 floors.
It was built in 1990 and is one of the tallest buildings in the world.
Emporis.com - Two Prudential Plaza
SkycraperPage.com – Two Prudential Plaza
Noam Pikelny is a United States banjo player and singer-songwriter, famous as a member of Leftover Salmon and Punch Brothers.
Pikelny lives in Brooklyn, New York.
Official MySpace site
Punch Brothers official website
Leftover Salmon official website
Gabe Witcher is a United States fiddle player and singer-songwriter, famous as a member of Punch Brothers.
Witcher has also toured with artists such as Jerry Douglas.
311 South Wacker Drive is a skyscraper in Chicago, Illinois.
It is 293 meters (961 feet) tall and has 65 floors.
Emporis.com - 311 South Wacker
SkycraperPage.com – 311 South Wacker Drive
900 North Michigan is a skyscraper in Chicago, United States.
It is 265 meters (871 feet) tall and has 66 floors.
Emporis.com - 900 North Michigan
SkycraperPage.com – 311 South Wacker900 North Michigan
Bryan Sutton is a United States guitarist.
He also plays many other instruments including mandolin, banjo, and electric guitar.
He has performed or recorded with artists such as Ricky Skaggs, Dixie Chicks, Jerry Douglas, Sam Bush, Béla Fleck, Hot Rize, Chris Thile, and Tony Rice.
People from Asheville, North Carolina
Water Tower Place is a skyscraper in Chicago, United States.
It is 262 meters (859 feet) tall and has 74 floors.
It was built in 1976 and is one of the tallest buildings in the world.
Emporis.com - Water Tower Place
SkycraperPage.com – Water Tower Place
1976 establishments in the United States
1970s establishments in Illinois
Park Tower is a skyscraper in Chicago, United States.
It is 257 meters (844 feet) tall and has 67 floors.
It was built in 2000 and is one of the tallest buildings in the world
Emporis.com - Park Tower
SkycraperPage.com – Park Tower
20th-century establishments in Illinois
Toltec is used by historians in different ways.
It is either used to refer to certain people that lived in what is Mexico today, before Christopher Columbus came there.
Some scholars also use the word to refer to the people that later developed into the Aztec civilisation.
These people are only known from Aztec stories.
It is not known if they actually formed one people or not.
Abi Ja'far Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari (838-923 أبي جعفر محمد بن جرير الطبري) was one of the earliest, most important and famous Persian historians and explainers of the Qur'an, most famous for his Tarikh al-Tabari (History of the Prophets and Kings) and Tafsir al-Tabari.
He was born in Amol, Tabaristan, some twenty kilometres south of the Caspian Sea, in the winter of 838-9.
He was precocious.
He left home to study in A.H. 236  (850-1) when he was twelve.
He retained close ties to his home town.
He did return at least twice, the last time in A.H. 290 (903) when his outspokenness caused some uneasiness and led to his quick departure.
Bosworth, C.E., Encyclopedia of Islam, "Al-Tabari, Abu Djafar Muhammad b. Djarir b. Yazid"
Rosenthal, Franz, "The Life and Works of al-Tabari" pp.
5–134 of volume one of the English translation of the History.
http://www.salaam.co.uk/knowledge/biography/viewentry.php?id=114
http://www.answering-ansar.org/biographies/abu_jaffar_muhammad_tabari/
838 births
Something from the region of Tabaristan
Mazandarani language, also called Tabari
A basilica is a large, important church.
The word can also be used for an Ancient Roman building that was used for law and meetings.
The word "basilica" is Latin which was taken from the Greek "Basiliké Stoà".
A Roman Catholic church that has been given the right to use that name, by the Pope.
Only some large important churches have this right.
An Ancient Roman basilica
People who write about architecture often use the word "basilica" to mean a building that is shaped like an Ancient Roman basilica.
A Roman basilica was a large hall built for meetings, business and law.
A Roman basilica usually had the doors at the long sides of the building.
At each end was a semi-circular part where the judges sat.
The building usually had two rows of columns, which made a high central part and a lower aisle on either side.
The light came in from windows above the columns.
As the Roman Empire spread, every city had a basilica.
Early Christian basilicas
Early in the 4th century (312 AD), the Roman Emperor Constantine made Christianity the legal religion of the Roman Empire.
The Christians who had been worshipping secretly in private houses now wanted to build churches.
They did not want the churches to look the same as Roman Temples.
They built them to look more like Roman Basilicas.
A basilica was a good plan for a Christian church because lots of people could fit inside, and the aisles were useful for people to move around.
The semi-circular part at one end, the apse, was just right to put the altar.
Christian basilicas usually have the door at one end, rather than at the side.
In front of the door there was often a courtyard called an atrium.
Most of these atriums have gone, but churches often have a town square or a market place in front of them.
Some of the oldest Early Christian basilicas were four that were begun in Rome by the Emperor Constantine.
Three of them are still standing, but they have had many changes in the last 1,700 years.
These are the basilicas of Santa Maria Maggiore, St. John Lateran and St. Paul's outside the Walls.
The fourth basilica was 'Old St. Peter's which was replaced in the 16th and 17th centuries by the present St. Peter's Basilica.
Other Early Christian Basilicas were built in Greece and the Holy Land.
Present-day basilicas
Some basilicas are called "Ancient Basilicas".
These have been called basilicas since Early Christian or Medieval times.
It is their traditional name.
Ancient Basilicas include the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna and the Basilica of San Lorenzo in Rome.
The four other ancient basilicas of Rome are called the "Major Basilicas".
Each Major Basilica has a throne for the pope and an altar that is specially for the pope to celebrate mass.
No-one else can use that altar without the pope's permission.
All the other basilicas are called "Minor Basilicas".
Nowadays, for a church to be called a Minor Basilica, it has to be given some special privileges or rights by the pope in a document called a "Papal Brief".
When a church has been made a basilica, the clergy then carry some special symbols when they are in procession.
In 2008 there were more than 1,600 basilicas in the world.
Why do churches become basilicas?
Ancient basilicas
Many churches are given the name "basilica" to show that they are special in some way.
There are a very few ancient basilicas that were built on a place that was associated with Jesus.
They are thought of as some of the holiest Christian sites in the world.
These include the Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth, the Basilica of All Nations where Jesus prayed on the Mount of Olives and the Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.
The Basilica of the Holy Sepulchre is very unusual because the church is shared by the Catholic and Orthodox Churches.
Other ancient basilicas are places where a saint was martyred (put to death).
One of these is the Basilica of Saint Stephen, the first Christian Martyr, which is also in Jerusalem.
There are many ancient basilicas which were built on the place where a saint was buried.
In Rome there are many basilicas like this, because Rome was a very big city, with many Christian people.
The Emperors thought Christianity was dangerous to them, because Christians put the rules of Jesus before the law of the Emperor.
Many Christians were martyred.
When Christianity became legal, churches were built over the graves of martyrs.
These churches often became known as basilicas, because they were in the shape of a Roman basilica.
Basilicas built over tombs of martyrs include Sant'Agnese outside the Walls, San Lorenzo outside the Walls, and St. Paul's outside the Walls.
The words "outside the walls" mean that the burial place of the saint was outside the walls of the city.
Some basilicas are famous because they have "relics" (or bones or perhaps a body part) of a saint.
It could also be the case that the relics were reinterred from the original place.
If a church housed the body of an important saint, then many people would come on pilgrimage and would dedicate themselves to prayer and the use of the sacraments.
Basilicas that have bodies include St. Mark's, Venice, St. Nicholas of Bari, also in Italy, and the Basilica of St. Mary Magdalene in Vezelay, France.
Not all relics are bodies.
Basilicas may also hold a famous object like a piece of the True Cross, or the belt worn by the Virgin Mary.
People often ask whether all these precious relics are authentic.
The Roman Catholic Church does not get into arguments about trying to prove whether the pieces of the Cross, the body parts and other things are real.
Sometimes the relic is known to be real.
Sometimes there is no way to prove it, either way.
Other basilicas are churches that were built by a famous saint, were used by a famous saint, or were built to honour the saint, who did not die as a martyr but lived a very holy life.
Two of the most famous basilicas of this sort are the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi and the Basilica of St. Anthony of Padua.
Many thousands of pilgrims go to these churches every day to remember two saints who were gentle, humble and taught people to live better lives.
Signs and Miracles
Some basilicas are built because a miracle or special sign took place.
The sign might be a vision and might give a plan to build.
The Basilica of Lourdes in France is built at the place where Bernadette Soubirous had a vision of the Virgin Mary.
It is an important pilgrimage place.
Sometimes the sign is not so strange as a vision.
In the Philippines, the Basilica del Santo Niño was built at the place where a partly burnt box was found in 1565.
It contained a little statue of the Christ Child and had been left behind by some Spanish or Portuguese explorers many years earlier. "
Santo Niño" means "Holy Child" in Spanish.
Well-known basilicas
Major basilicas
The four great Basilicas of Rome, as well as having a seat and an altar for the pope, have a Holy Door which is only opened for special occasions such as a Jubilee Year.
The Basilica of St. John Lateran, is also called the Lateran Basilica.
It is the cathedral of the Bishop of Rome, the Pope.
St. Peter's Basilica, also called the Vatican Basilica, is a major pilgrimage site, being built over the burial place of Saint Peter.
It is used for most of the main religious ceremonies in which the Pope takes part.
The Basilica of St. Paul outside the Walls, is also known as the Ostian Basilica, because it is on the road that led to Ostia.
It is built over the burial place of Saint Paul.
The Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, (St. Mary Major) is also called the Liberian basilica, because the building was thought to have been built by Pope Liberius.
It is the largest church in Rome dedicated to the Virgin Mary.
Other well-known basilicas
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem, Israel
The Basilica of St. Nicholas of Bari in Bari, Italy
The Basilica of St. Anthony of Padua in Padua, Italy
The Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi in Italy
The Basilica of St. Mark in Venice, Italy
The Basilica of St. Denis, near Paris, France
The Basilica of St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri USA
The Basilica of Our Lady of Fátima, Portugal
The Cathedral Basilica of San Thome, Chennai, India
St. Stephen's Basilica, Budapest, Hungary
The Cathedral Basilica of St. Chad, Birmingham England(1941)
The Cathedral Basilica Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary, Argentina
The Cathedral Basilica of St. Mary, Help of Christians Sydney, Australia
The Basilica of Our Lady of Peace of Yamoussoukro, in Côte d'Ivoire West Africa
The Cathedral Basilica of Notre-Dame de Québec in Quebec City was the first basilica in North America. (
The Cathedral Basilica of Our Lord Jesus Christ King of the Universe, Reykjavík, Iceland
The Basilica of St. Adalbert in Buffalo, New York United States of America, (1907)
The Cathedral Basilica of Las Lajas, in Colombia
Berchem Basilica, Antwerp, Belgium (1878)
San Francisco de la Habana Basilica in Havana, Cuba
The Basilica of St. Gereon, Cologne, Germany (1920)
The Basilica of Our Lady of Lanka, Tewatte, Sri Lanka
The Basilica of San Isidoro , León, Spain
The Basilica of the Black Nazarene, Philippines
The Basilica of Emmaus Nicopolis, Israel
The Basilica of la Sagrada Familia, Spain, has been under construction since 1882, and although it is still unfinished, it was consecrated and proclaimed a minor basilica by Pope Benedict XVI in November 2010
Architecture of the basilica, well illustrated.
Basilica Porcia
W. Thayer, "Basilicas of Ancient Rome": from Samuel Ball Platner (as completed and revised by Thomas Ashby), 1929.
A Topographical Dictionary of Ancient Rome (London: Oxford University Press)
Paul Veyne, ed.
A History of Private Life I: From Pagan Rome to Byzantium, 1987
List of All Major, Patriarchal and Minor Basilicas by Giga-Catholic Information
Catholic Encyclopedia: Basilica & minor parts in other articles
Richard Krautheimer, Early Christian and Byzantine Architecture
Domus ecclesiae: Privileges and obligations pertaining to minor basilicas
This article is about the fictional locations, landscapes, mountains, rivers etc.
from J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth universe.
Middle-earth regions
Beleriand
Beleriand was a large region in northwestern Middle-earth until the end of the First Age.
Beleriand is between the sea in the west and south, and the Blue Mountains in the east.
Eriador
Eriador is a large region in Middle-earth.
It is between the Blue Mountains in the west, the Misty Mountains in the east, the Ice-bay of Forochel in the north, and the rivers Glanduin and Greyflood in the south.
In the earlier part of the Third Age much of Eriador was part of the kingdom of Arnor.
Apart from Arnor, other settlements in Eriador of the Third Age were Rivendell, Bree-land and the Shire.
Rhovanion
Rhovanion or Wilderland is a large region in Middle-earth.
It is east of the Misty Mountains and south of the Grey Mountains and the Iron Hills.
The river Anduin flows through it from the Grey Mountains to the Emyn Muil.
A big part of Rhovanion is covered by the forest of Mirkwood.
Rhûn
Rhûn is a large region in Middle-earth.
It is the lands east of Rhovanion, and around the Sea of Rhûn.
Harad
Harad or Haradwaith is the name for the lands south of Gondor and Mordor.
The coasts of Harad were settled by the Black Númenóreans.
The peoples living in Harad were often influenced by Sauron and made war with the western realms.
In the Fourth Age the Reunited Kingdom of Arnor and Gondor made peace with Harad.
In Harad also lived the elephant-like mûmakil (or oliphaunts).
Middle-earth mountains
Amon Hen
Amon Hen (Sindarin: "Hill of the Eye") is a hill on the west side of the river Anduin, at the southern end of the long lake Nen Hithoel, by the Falls of Rauros.
On the other, eastern side of the lake is the hill Amon Lhaw.
On Amon Hen the Fellowship of the Ring was broken, and they went in different directions.
Ered Luin
The Ered Luin (Sindarin: Blue Mountains), also known as Ered Lindon, are a mountain range in the far west of Eriador.
Until the end of the First Age, the Ered Luin separated Beleriand and Eriador.
In the middle of the mountain range is a gap, creating the Gulf of Lhûn/Lune, where the Grey Havens lie.
Ered Mithrin
The Ered Mithrin (Sindarin: Grey Mountains) is mountain range to the north of Rhovanion.
At the western end of the Grey Mountains is Mount Gundabad of the Misty Mountains, east of it lie the Iron Hills.
Ered Nimrais
The Ered Nimrais (Sindarin: "Whitehorn Mountains") or White Mountains are a mountain range, which is between Gondor in the south and Rohan in the north.
In its western part the White Mountains are separated from the Misty Mountains by the Gap of Rohan, near which is the valley of Helm's Deep.
Through the Mountains ran the Paths of the Dead.
The easternmost end of the White Mountains is the mountain Mindolluin, on which is the city of Minas Tirith.
The Misty Mountains (or Sindarin Hithaeglir) are a great mountain range, between Eriador in the west and Rhovanion in the east.
At the southern end of the Misty Mountains is Isengard, at the northern end Mount Gundabad.
Under the Misty Mountains is the old dwarven city Khazad-dûm.
Mount Doom
Mount Doom (Sindarin: Amon Amarth) or Orodruin (Sindarin: "fiery mountain") is a volcano in northeastern Mordor.
Inside the volcano are the Sammath Naur (or Cracks of Doom) where Sauron made the One Ring, and which is the only place where the Ring can be destroyed.
Weathertop
Weathertop (Sindarin Amon Sûl, "Hill of Wind") is a hill in Eriador; it is the southernmost and highest summit of the Weather Hills.
The Weather Hills lie next to the Great East Road, about halfway between the Shire and Rivendell.
On Weathertop was the Tower of Amon Sûl, a watch-tower built by the kingdom of Arnor.
Oneof the palantíri was kept in the Tower.
In T.A. 1409 the Tower was destroyed, and only ruins were left.
In October T.A. 3018, Aragorn and the hobbits camped on Weathertop and were attacked by the Ringwraiths; Frodo Baggins was wounded by a Morgul-blade.
Middle-earth rivers
The Anduin is the largest river in Middle-earth.
It comes out of the Grey Mountains and flows through Rhovanion and the Emyn Muil.
There it goes through the rapids of Sarn Gebir and into the long lake Nen Hithoel, after which it falls down the Falls of Rauros.
After that the river Anduin flows between the White Mountains and the Mountains of Shadow.
It flows into the sea in a broad river delta, which is called the Mouths of Anduin or the Ethir Anduin.
Bruinen
Bruinen or Loudwater was a river in Eriador.
It began in the Misty Mountains, and flowed south, through the valley of Rivendell, and into the river Mitheithel.
Baranduin
The Baranduin or Brandywine River is a river in Eriador.
It begins out of Lake Evendim in northern Eriador, and flows south.
It flows through the Shire, and at last into the sea.
Other Middle-earth locations
Arnor
Arnor was a human realm in Eriador.
It was founded by Elendil and his people, who survived the Fall of Númenor towards the end of the Second Age.
The peoples living in Arnor were the descendants of the Númenorean survivors, and the indigenous human peoples who had lived there before.
The capital of Arnor was the city Annúminas on the shores of Lake Evendim in northern Eriador.
Elendil became the first King of Arnor; after his death, his older son Isildur became King.
After the death of the tenth king, Eärendur, in T.A. 861, his three sons split Arnor into three new lands, one for each of them: Arthedain in the west, Cardolan in the south, and Rhudaur in the north.
With time, all three countries were destroyed in wars against the northern land Angmar.
Bree-land
Bree-land is a small region in Eriador, which is around the Breehill.
It has four villages: Bree (the biggest), Archet, Combe and Staddle.
The peoples living in the villages of Bree-land are Men and Hobbits; it is the only place where both people live together.
The only other place inhabited by Hobbits is the Shire.
Erebor
The Lonely Mountain or Sindarin Erebor is a mountain in the northeast of Rhovanion.
When the dwarves had to leave their ancient home Khazad-dûm, it became the new home of Durin's folk.
They were led by Thráin I, who became King under the Mountain.
Later Erebor was attacked by the dragon Smaug, and the dwarves had to flee again.
In the story told in The Hobbit, the dragon Smaug is killed and the dwarves again return to the Lonely Mountain.
Dáin II Ironfoot becomes new King under the Mountain.
Esgaroth
Esgaroth or Lake-town is a town in the northeast of Rhovanion.
It is built at the Long Lake, south of the Lonely Mountain and east of Mirkwood.
It was destroyed by the dragon Smaug, but was rebuilt.
Fangorn
Fangorn or Fangorn Forest is a large forest on the eastern side of the southern end of the Misty Mountains.
Fangorn is the only known home of the Ents, a people of giant tree-like beings.
The Sindarin word "Fangorn" translates to "Beardtree", and is also the Sindarin name of the Ent Treebeard.
Gondor
Gondor was a human realm in southeastern Middle-earth.
It was founded by the brothers Isildur and Anárion and their people, who had survived the Fall of Númenor towards the end of the Second Age.
In the later part of the Third Age, Gondor was between the sea in the south, the Mountains of Shadow in the east, and the White Mountains  in the north; in earlier times the land of Gondor reached farther north.
The city Osgiliath, built over the river Anduin, became the capital of Gondor.
Isildur also founded the city Minas Ithil east of the Anduin, and his brother Anárion founded the city Minas Anor west of the Anduin on the mountain Mindolluin.
Gondor had several regions.
Ithilien is in the east, between the river Anduin in the west and the Mountains of Shadow in the east.
Anórien was a small land north of the White Mountains, between the river Anduin in the east and Rohan in the west.
Calenardhon was the land north of the White Mountains, which later became Rohan in the 26th century T.A. Enedwaith was northwest of the White Mountains, which was mostly abandoned in the later part of the Third Age.
Between the coast and the White Mountains were several regions, from the west to the Anduin in the east.
Near the seashore in the south were the regions Anfalas, Belfalas, Dor-en-Ernil, Lebennin, and Lossarnach.
Along the Mountains in the north were the Morthond Vale,  Lamedon, and the Ringló Vale.
Southeast of the Anduin was the region South Gondor.
After the War of the Last Alliance of Elves and Men against Sauron, Isildur left to rule the northern kingdom Arnor, while the son of Anárion stayed to rule Gondor.
During the time of the rule of King Eärnur, the Ringwraiths captured Minas Ithil, and it was renamed Minas Morgul.
Minas Anor was renamed Minas Tirith ("Tower of Guard").
Both cities were in a constant state of war, much of the action taking place around or in the former capital of Osgiliath.
During the War of the Ring, Gondorian-controlled Western Osgiliath fell to Mordor, allowing Sauron to attack Minas Tirith.
The Orcs attacked the city, but the coming of the Rohirrim forced them to stop, allowing the defenders to charge the enemy.
The Battle of the Pelennor Fields was won by the Men of Gondor and Rohan.
The last King, Eärnur, disappeared in 2050 of the Third Age.
After this Gondor was ruled by the Stewards of Gondor instead of a king until the end of the Third Age.
Great East Road
Helm's Deep
Helm's Deep was a deep valley on the north side of the western part of the White Mountains, south to the Gap of Rohan.
The valley was blocked by a natural series of hills called Helm's Dike.
Behind this lay a fortress: the Hornburg.
At the end of the valley is the entrance to the Glittering Caves.
Isengard is a fortress at the southern end of the Misty Mountains.
It is a small valley inside a ring-shaped wall, the Ring of Isengard, and in its middle is a tall black tower, Orthanc.
It belonged to Gondor, but in the 28th century it was given to Saruman.
It housed a palantír.
In the War of the Ring the Ents destroyed the ring-wall.
After the War, the tower Orthanc was given back to King Elessar and the Reunited Kingdom.
Khazad-dûm
Khazad-dûm was the ancient home of the Dwarves under the Misty Mountains.
It was a great underground city and mines.
It was the only place in Middle-earth where the precious metal mithril could be found, which made the dwarves very rich.
In the Third Age the dwarves woke a Balrog deep in the mines of Khazad-dûm.
The Balrog killed King Durin VI and many Dwarves, and the surviving Dwarves had to flee and left for other places.
Khazad-dûm got a new name, Moria, which is Sindarin for "dark pit".
Lothlórien
Lothlórien was an elven realm, between the Misty Mountains and the Anduin.
It lay on the land between the rivers Anduin and Silverlode, close to the dwarven realm Khazad-dûm.
Lothlórien was founded in the Second Age, and Amdír became the first King.
The elves of Lothlórien fought in the War of the Last Alliance of Elves and Men against Sauron.
In the war Amdír was killed, and his son Amroth became king after him, but Amroth later left Lothlórien.
Since then until the end of the Third Age it was ruled by Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel.
Caras Galadhon was the main city of Lothlórien.
Other names of Lothlórien are the shortened form Lórien, and the names Laurelindórenan, Dwimordene (Rohirric), or The Golden Wood.
Mordor
Mordor (Sindarin: "Black Land" and Quenya: "Land of Shadow") is a land in the southeastern part of Middle-earth, east of the Anduin.
It was the land of Sauron in the Second and Third Age.
Mordor is surrounded by mountain ranges: the Ered Lithui (Sindarin: "Mountains of Ash") in the north, the Ephel Dúath (Sindarin: Mountains of Shadow) in the west and another mountain range in the south.
In the northwest is the plateau Gorgoroth.
At the foothills of the Ered Lithui in northwestern Mordor was Sauron's main fortress Barad-dûr.
Southwest of Barad-dûr lay the volcano Mount Doom.
Parts of Mordor are a wasteland.
The southern part of Mordor, around the Sea of Núrnen was more fertile and used as farmland, to produce food for Sauron's armies.
Mirkwood is a large forest in Rhovanion.
Originally it was known as Greenwood the Great (Sindarin: Eryn Galen).
In the Second Age an Elven people settled in the Greenwood, founding the Woodland Realm, with its capital on the hill Amon Lanc.
After the end of the Second Age, the Elves went  to live farther north.
In the 11th century of the Third Age, Sauron settled himself in the hill-fortress of Dol Guldur on Amon Lanc in the south of the forest.
His evil influence darkened the woods, although it lessened towards the north; after this the forest became known as Mirkwood.
After the War of the Ring the forest was cleared of Sauron's influence and became known as Eryn Lasgalen (Sindarin: "Wood of Greenleaves").
North-South Road
The North-South Road is a long road running from the realm of Arnor in the north to Gondor in the south.
The road began in the city Fornost Erain, the capital of Arthedain, crossed the Great East Road at Bree, and ran farther to the southern end of the Misty Mountains.
There the road turned east, towards the cities Minas Tirith, to Osgiliath, and ended at Minas Ithil.
Rivendell (Sindarin: Imladris, Westron: Karningul) was an elven city in eastern Eriador.
It was founded in the Second Age by Elrond, who ruled it until the end of the Third Age.
Rohan or the Riddermark (or short The Mark) was a human realm in southeastern Middle-earth, north of Gondor.
Rohan lay north of the White Mountains, southeast of Isengard and southwest of the Emyn Muil.
Originally it was a part of Gondor, and named Calenardhon.
The capital of Rohan is Edoras, with the king's hall Meduseld.
But because of the plague in 1636 T.A. and the later wars, Calenardhon was mostly empty and very few people lived there.
In 2509 T.A. the Rohirrim came south from the north, to help Gondor fight against a combined invasion of Men from the north-east and Orcs from Mordor.
The Rohirrim helped Gondor win the Battle of the Field of Celebrant and the war.
As a reward, Steward Cirion of Gondor gave the land Calenardhon to the Rohirrim.
The King of the Rohirrim, Eorl the Young, swore the Oath of Eorl: that Rohan would come and help Gondor, if it needed help in its wars.
Afterwards, the people of the Rohirrim moved into their new land, which they named the Riddermark or just The Mark.
Gondor called the land Rohan (Sindarin: "Land of the Horse-lords").
The Shire is a land in Eriador.
It is settled by Hobbits.
Its name in Westron was Sûza "Shire" or Sûzat "The Shire".
Its name in Sindarin was i Drann.
The Shire was settled by the Hobbits in the 24th century of the Third Age.
It is divided into four Farthings: the North-, West-, South- and Eastfarthing.
The leaders of the Shire were the Mayor of Michel Delving, the Thain from Tuckborough and the Master of Buckland.
Númenor
Númenor was a huge star-shaped island west of Middle-earth in the Second Age.
At the beginning of the Age it was given to the human peoples who had helped the elves in the wars against Morgoth.
In the middle of the island was the mountain Meneltarma, which was a holy place for the Númenoreans.
Númenor was divided into six regions, one in each "star-arm" and one in the middle.
The regions were Forostar ("Northlands"), Andustar ("Westlands"), Hyarnustar ("Southwestlands"), Hyarrostar ("Southeastlands"), Orrostar ("Eastlands"), and the central region Mittalmar ("Inlands").
Their first king was Elros Tar-Minyatur, brother of Elrond.
Númenor became the most powerful nation of Men.
But later many Númenoreans, including their kings, became power-hungry and became enemies of the elves.
Towards the end of the Second Age, when it was ruled by King Ar-Pharazôn the Golden, Númenor was destroyed and sank in the sea, similar to the legendary Atlantis.
Only a group of Númenoreans led by Elendil, the Elendili ("Elf-friends") or the Faithful, could escape the destruction of Númenor and came to Middle-earth, where they founded the realms Arnor and Gondor.
The Akallabêth is the story of Númenor's history and downfall.
Some of the many names of Númenor were Westernesse, Númenórë (Quenya, the long form of Númenor) and Anadûnê (Adûnaic), both meaning "West-land"; Andor (Quenya) and Yôzâyan (Adûnaic), which both mean "the Land of the Gift".
Later it was also called Atalantë (Quenya) and Akallabêth (Adûnaic), both meaning "the Downfallen".
A parliamentary system of government means that the executive branch of government has the direct or indirect support of the parliament.
This support is usually shown by a vote of confidence.
A balanced relationship between the executive and the legislature in a parliamentary system is called responsible government.
The separation of powers between the executive and law making branches is not as obvious as it is in a presidential system.
There are different ways of balancing power between the three branches which govern the country (the executive (or ministers), the law makers and the judges).
Parliamentary systems usually have a  head of government and a head of state.
They change after their terms are over.
The head of government is the prime minister, who has the real power.
The head of state may be an elected president or, in the case of a constitutional monarchy, hereditary.
Examples of a few countries which practice parliamentary systems are India, Italy, Japan, and Latvia to name a few.
Parliament is different in every country.
Slavic peoples, the largest ethno-lingustic group in Europe.
They live in Central Europe, Eastern Europe, and Southeastern Europe
Someone may ask for political asylum when they are frightened to live in their own country.
They will then go to another country.
If they are allowed to live in the new country this is called political asylum.
The political asylum is one of the human rights affirmed by Article 14 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and a rules of international human rights law.
All countries who have agreed to the United Nations Conventions Relating to the Status of Refugees must let people, who do qualify, come into their country.
Religion,
Political opinions
Membership of a particular social group or social activities or
Personal lifestyle and sexual orientation.
People who are given political asylum are called refugees.
They are often confused with "economic refugees".
Economic refugees are people who move from a poor country to a richer one so that they may work and make more money, often to send back to their families.
Neuendorf-Sachsenbande is a municipality in Wilstermarsch, in the district of Steinburg, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.
The municipality has an area of .
On 31 December 2006, 493 people lived there.
The town is has  the lowest point in Germany, which is below sea level.
The town was made on April 15, 2003, when the municipalities of Neuendorf bei Wilster, Sachsenbande, and Bredensee were all joined together.
Gießen is one of the three Regierungsbezirke of Hesse, Germany.
Cecilia Cheung is a Hong Kong actress and C-pop singer.
She is the ex-wife of Nicholas Tse and ex-daughter-in-law of Patrick Tse and Deborah Lee.
She and Nicholas have two sons, Lucas and Quintus.
Cheung was born in Hong Kong to a Chinese father and a Chinese-British mother.
Her parents divorced when she was just a child, after which she was sent to Australia to live with her aunt.
Cheung has an elder half-sister, two younger brothers and a younger half-brother from her father's side of the family.
In 1998, while helping a hairstylist friend at a catwalk show, she was offered to appear in a TV advertisement advertising lemon tea.
Later, Cheung made her movie debut as a young nightclub hostess in Stephen Chow's King of Comedy in 1999, followed soon after by Fly Me to Polaris.
Her role in Fly Me to Polaris got her the award for Best Newcomer at the Hong Kong Film Awards.
In the same year, Cheung launched her singing career with her first C-pop album Any Weather.
For Derek Yee's romance-drama Lost in Time (2003), Cheung won the Best Actress award at the Hong Kong Film Awards.
She played a young woman who lost her fiancé in a traffic accident which left her as a grieving single mother struggling to make ends meet.
Cheung has been linked to Hong Kong singer-actor Edison Chen and has also dated another Hong Kong singer-actor Daniel Chan.
She then dated Nicholas Tse in early 2002, but they split up late that year.
Later she was rumored to have dated a younger Lu Siyuan before the relationship ended in 2003.
Cheung suffered serious depression and eating disorder after the break up .
Cheung and Tse were first reported to be "getting back together" in early 2006 and on July 31 that year, Tse officially admitted dating Cheung in an interview with Commercial Radio Hong Kong 881/903.
In September, the same year, Tse showed off his wedding ring at the Hong Kong International Airport, announcing he and Cheung had been married in a secret wedding ceremony in the Philippines.
On the 8 January 2007 episode of TVB's Entertainment Scoop (東張西望), Cheung was publicly confirmed by Nicholas' father, Patrick Tse to be approximately three months pregnant with the couple's first child.
A March episode of Entertainment Scoop (東張西望) said that their child is due in August.
It is confirmed by Nicholas Tse that she is expecting a baby boy.
On 2 August, it was reported that Cheung and Tse were both in the maternity ward waiting for their child to be born.
However no specific photo was enclosed with such report.
The very next day, Cecilia gave birth to a baby boy named Lucas.
2008 Edison Chen Photo scandal
In January and February 2008 many explicit photos were found online involving Cecilia Cheung and Edison Chen.
The scandal also involved Gillian Chung and Bobo Giglioti.
The 601st Phone Call (第601個電話) (2006)
My Kung-Fu Sweetheart (野蠻秘笈) (2006)
The Shopaholics (最愛女人購物狂) (2006)
The Promise (無極) (2005)
Nominated in the Golden Globe, Hong Kong Film Awards, Golden Trailer and Fantasporto.
Himalaya Singh (喜瑪拉阿星) (2005)
The White Dragon (小白龍情海翻波) (2004)
One Nite in Mongkok (旺角黑夜) (2004)
Papa Loves You (這個阿爸真爆炸) (2004)
性感都市 (2004)
Fantasia (鬼馬狂想曲) (2004)
Lost in Time (忘了忘不了) (2003)
Won Best Female Actress in Golden Bauhinia and Hong Kong Film Awards
Running on Karma (大隻老) (2003)
Cat and Mouse (老鼠愛上貓) (2003)
Honesty (絕種好男人) (2003)
Mighty Baby (絕世好B) (2002)
Second Time Around (無限復活) (2002)
The Lion Roars (我家有一隻河東師) (2002)
The Legend of Zu (屬山正傳) (2001)
Para Para Sakura as Yuriko (2001)
Shaolin Soccer (少林足球) (2001)
Failan (파이란, 白蘭) (2001)
Every Day Is Valentine (情謎大話王) (2001)
Master Q 2001 (老夫子2001) (2001)
鐘無艷 Wu Yen (2001)
Twelve Nights (十二夜) (2000)
Tokyo Raiders (東京功略) (2000)
Help!!! (
辣手回春) (2000)
The Legend of Speed (烈火戰車2之極速傳說) (1999)
Fly Me to Polaris (星願) (1999)
Won Best Newcomer in the Hong Kong Film Awards.
King of Comedy (喜劇之王)(1999)
Nominated Best New Actress in the Hong Kong Film Awards.
C1 (2005)
Colour of Lip (至愛唇色(新曲+精選) (2002)
Shaolin Soccer (2002)
Party All the Time (2001)
New and Best Collection (2001)
Cecilia Cheung (2000)
Brand New Me (最新形象) (2000)
903 California Red Concert (2000)
Destination (1999)
Any Weather (1999)
HKADB entry
Cecilia Cheung Gallery
Portrait of Cecilia Cheung  (French)
Cecilia's Hong Kong Movie Database Entry
Gießen () is a Kreis (district) in the middle of Hesse, Germany.
Marburg-Biedenkopf is a Landkreis (district) in the west of Hesse, Germany.
The district was created in 1974 when the districts Marburg, Biedenkopf and the former urban district of Marburg were merged.
The urban district is now a "town with special status" inside the district.
Districts of Hesse
Lahn-Dill is a Kreis (district) in the west of Hesse, Germany.
In 1977 the district Gießen was merged with the districts Wetzlar and Dillkreis to the new Lahn-Dill-Kreis.
However this big district was not popular, so in 1979 Giessen was split from it.
Official Online-Community  (German)
The Vogelsbergkreis is a Kreis (district) in the middle of Hesse, Germany.
Website of the district administration
5-1-1 is a special telephone number in the United States and some parts of Canada.
It is made to be easy to remember.
People can dial the number on a landline phone or on a mobile phone to get information about traffic and travel.
In March 2001, there were more than three hundred phone numbers about traffic and travel.
This was confusing to many people, because so many numbers existed, or were there, for the same thing.
To fix this, the United States Department of Transportation (called the USDOT) asked the Federal Communications Commission (called the FCC) for a special N11 code.
On July 21, 2000, the FCC made 5-1-1 the national telephone number for travel information.
5-1-1 numbers for specific places
Florida - Tampa Bay Area
Florida - Southwest Florida Area
Northern New England – Vermont
Northern New England – New Hampshire
Northern New England – Maine
Southwest Ohio - Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky
Transport in the United States
Transport in Canada
6-1-1 is a special telephone number in the United States and Canada.
It is the number to call for phone service customers when there is a problem with phones in an area, or when a payphone is not working properly.
Many mobile phone service providers use 6-1-1 as a customer service number.
The Federal Communications Commission did not officially decide that the 6-1-1 number should be used for this.
They decided to let it stay because it had already been accepted, or chosen, by the North America Numbering Plan.
Fulda () is a city in Hesse, Germany; it is on the Fulda River and is the administrative seat of the Fulda district (Kreis).
From its foundation, the abbey Fulda and its territory was subject only to the German emperor, not to the control of the local lords.
Fulda was made a bishopric in 1752 and the prince-abbots were given the additional title of prince-bishop.
The prince-abbots (and later prince-bishops) ruled Fulda and the surrounding region until the bishopric was forcibly dissolved by Napoleon in 1802.
From 1764 until 1789 Fulda had a porcelain factory.
Because of its quality and rarity, it is much prized by collectors.
The factory was begun under Prince-Bishop, Prince-Abbot Heinrich von Bibra and closed down shortly after his death by his successor, Prince-Bishop, Prince-Abbot Adalbert von Harstall.
Rulers of Fulda until Secularization
St. Sturmius 744-779
Baugulf 779-802
Ratgar 802-817
Eigil of Fulda 818-822
Rabanus Maurus 822-842
Hatto I 842-856
Thioto 856-869
Sigihart 869-891
Huoggi 891-915
Helmfried 915-916
Haicho 917-923
Hiltibert 923-927
Hadamar 927-956
Hatto II 956-968
Werinheri 968-982
Branthoh I 982-991
Hatto III 991-997
Erkanbald 997-1011
Branthoh II 1011-1013
Poppo 1013-1018, also Abbot of Lorsch (Franconian Babenberger)
Richard 1018-1039
Sigiwart 1039-1043
Rohing 1043-1047
Egbert 1047-1058
Siegfrid I von Mainz (Sigfried von Eppenstein) 1058-1060
Widerad von Eppenstein 1060-1075
Ruothart 1075-1096
Godefrid 1096-1109
Wolfhelm 1109-1114
Erlolf of Bergholz 1114-1122
Ulrich of Kemnaten 1122-1126
Heinrich I of Kemnaten 1126-1132
Bertho I of Schlitz 1132-1134
Konrad I 1134-1140
Aleholf 1140-1148
Rugger I 1148
Heinrich II of Bingarten 1148-1149
Markward I. 1150-1165
Gernot of Fulda 1165
Hermann 1165-1168
Burchard Graf von Nürings 1168-1176
Rugger II 1176-1177
Konrad II 1177-1192
Heinrich III of Kronberg im Taunus 1192-1216
Hartmann I 1216-1217
Kuno 1217-1221
Konrad III von Malkes 1221-1249
Heinrich IV von Erthal 1249-1261
Bertho II von Leibolz 1261-1271
Bertho III von Mackenzell 1271-1272
Bertho IV von Biembach 1273-1286
Markward II von Bickenbach 1286-1288
Heinrich V Graf von Weilnau 1288-1313
Eberhard von Rotenstein 1313-1315
Heinrich VI von Hohenberg 1315-1353
Heinrich VII von Kranlucken 1353-1372
Konrad IV Graf von Hanau 1372-1383
Friedrich I von Romrod 1383-1395
Johann I von Merlau 1395-1440
Hermann II von Buchenau 1440-1449
Reinhard Graf von Weilnau 1449-1472
Johann II Graf von Henneberg-Schleusingen 1472-1513
Hartmann I Burggraf von Kirchberg 1513-1521/29
Johann III.
Graf von Henneberg-Schleusingen 1521/29-1541
Philipp Schenk zu Schweinsberg 1541-1550
Wolfgang Dietrich von Eusigheim 1550-1558
Wolfgang Schutzbar (named Milchling) 1558-1567
Philipp Georg Schenk zu Schweinsberg 1567-1568
Wilhelm Hartmann von Klauer zu Wohra 1568-1570
Balthasar von Dernbach (nanmed Grauel) 1570-1576, 1602-1606
Johann Friedrich von Schwalbach 1606-1622
Johann Bernhard Schenk zu Schweinsberg 1623-1632
Johann Adolf von Hoheneck 1633-1635
Hermann Georg von Neuhof (named Ley) 1635-1644
Joachim Graf von Gravenegg 1644-1671
Cardinal Gustav Adolf (Baden) (Bernhard Gustav Markgraf von Baden-Durlach) 1671-1677
Placidus von Droste 1678-1700
Adalbert I von Schleifras 1700-1714
Konstantin von Buttlar 1714-1726
Adolphus von Dalberg 1726-1737
Amand von Buseck, 1737-1756, Prince-Bishop starting 1752
Adalbert II.
von Walderdorff 1757-1759
Heinrich VIII.
von Bibra, 1759-1788
Adalbert von Harstall, 1789-1814, Prince-Bishop until 1802
Adam of Fulda
Tobias Sammet
Martin Hohmann
Ferdinand Braun
Marcel Lehmann
Franz Kaspar (or Caspar) Lieblein
Max Stern
Dirk Sauer
Father Gereon Goldmann
Annales Fuldenses (The Annals of Fulda)
Diocese of Fulda
Flora fuldensis (The Flowers of Fulda)
Ludwig Fulda (Fulda pedigrees)
Fulda Symphonic Orchestra
Fulda, Minnesota
360degree virtual tour through downtown Fulda
Vonderau Museum Fulda
Hochschule Fulda (University of Applied Science)
Institut of interdisziplinary Research - inter.research e.V.
Fulda () is a Kreis (district) in the north-east of Hesse, Germany.
The district was created in 1821, when the duchy of Stift Fulda became a province of Hesse, and was split into four districts.
The last change to the district was in 1975, when the Hünfeld district was added to the district.
Stiffolder
Arround 1720 People from Stift Fulda went to Hungary, and settled especially in the Komitat Baranya.
This subgroup of the Danube Swabians are called Stiffolder or Stiffoller, Stifuler, etc.
All around information portal of Fulda
360 degree virtual tour through the Hessian Rhön
Kassel is one of the three Regierungsbezirke of Hesse, Germany, in the north of the country.
It was created in 1866 when Prussia took over the area to form the new province Hesse-Nassau.
Altogether it consists of 138 municipalities.
Kassel is a Landkreis (Rural District) in the north of Hesse, Germany.
The district-free city Kassel is nearly completely surrounded by the district.
The Transvaal (lit.
beyond the Vaal [pale river]) is the name of an area of northern South Africa.
At the start, it made up a great part of the independent Boer South African Republic.
Before the Anglo-Boer War of 1899-1902 it became the Transvaal Colony.
It is one of the original provinces of the Union of South Africa from 1910 until 1994 with capital in Pretoria.
The province no longer exists, and its territory now forms the provinces of Gauteng, Limpopo and Mpumalanga and part of the North West Province.
Even though it no longer exists as an administrative unit, the Transvaal is still a commonly used geographical term and retains its historical meaning.
The Kuril Islands (; ; ), also called the , are a group of islands (archipelago) between Russia and Japan.
The northern islands are a part of Russia and the southern islands are a part of Japan.
Both countries say that they own four of the islands in the middle of the group.
This disagreement is called the Kuril Islands dispute.
Japan is asking for return of Etorofu, Kunashiri, Shikotan and Habomai shoto.
They say that these islands are being illegally held by Russia.
Several political parties in Japan are asking for return of all Chishima Islands.
Russia has said that it would return Shikotan and Habomai shoto in 1956 but Japan did not agree to this agreement because it meant the United States would keep the island of Okinawa.
North-Chishima / North Kurils
Shumshu (占守島/)
Araido (阿頼度島/Atarasov)
Paramushiru (Paramushiru, Horomushiro / 幌筵島)
Shirinki( 志林規島/Antsiferov)
Makanru (Makanru / 磨勘留島 Makanrusi)
Onnekotan (温禰古丹島/Onekotan)
Harimukotan (春牟古丹島)
Ekaruma ( 越渇磨島/Ekarma)
Chirinkotan (知林古丹島)
Shiashukotan (捨子古丹島 Shaskotan)
Raikoke (雷公計島)
Matsuwa(松輪島 Matuwa)
Rashowa(羅処和島 Rasowa)
Ushishiru ( 宇志知島/Uchicir)
Ketoi ( 計吐夷島/Ketoy)
Simushiru ( 新知島/Shimushir)
Buroton (武魯頓島/Buroton)
Chirpoi (知理保以島/Chirihoy)
Chirihoinan (知理保以南島/Brat Chirpoyev)
Uruppu ( 得撫島/Urup)
South Chishima / South Kuril
Etorofu (Iturup / 択捉島)
Kunashiri (Kunashiri / 国後島)
Little Kuril
Shikotan （色丹島）
Habomai shoto (歯舞諸島) →　2008.3.21 - Habomai Gunto（歯舞群島）
Todo（海馬島/Kaiba）
Taraku(多楽島Polonskogo)
Shibotsu(志発島/ZelyoniShibotsu)
Yuri (勇留島)
Akiyuri(秋勇留島/AnuchinaAkiyuri)
Harukaru (春苅島/Kharkar)
Suishō （水晶島/Tanfilyeva )