Knowledge Base/z.txt

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The Z & M Coach Company operated public buses in Queens, New York City. It was established in 1926. == History == The Z & M Coach Company was incorporated on August 19, 1926, by Frederick M. Zander. The company's first route, later the Q27, started in October 1928 to connect the subway in Flushing at Main Street and Amity Street to the Rosewood section of Bayside. Zander was fined $25 twice in November for operating the route without a license. He continued operating the service despite the order to stop service until he obtained a permit for it. Rosewood residents banded together to raise money and hire the bus like a taxi to allow service to continue. The bus route was supported by the Rosewood Improvement Association and the East Flushing Civic Association. The route originally operated between Flushing and the Horace Harding Expressway, and was known as the Flushing—Rosewood route. In 1931, the New York City Board of Estimate was deciding which bus route franchises would be given to which private operators. Along with thirty other bus routes, the Q27 was tentatively assigned to the North Shore Bus Company, as part of Zone B (Flushing and Northern Queens). In 1932, the company operated a route from Flushing to Queens Village, which was divided into two five-cent fare zone. At the time, the franchise for the route was pending before the Board of Estimate. At the time, the company was not operating the Q27 to its eastern terminal named in the franchise contract. However, this was not viewed as a significant breach in the contract since that area was largely unpopulated, and since no riders ride the full length of the route. As of March 1, 1933, Z & M Coach Corporation used six buses on its Q27 route and twelve buses on its unfranchised Flushing to Queens Village route. At the time, the Q27 was not operated to its eastern terminal. Z & M obtained a one-year franchise to the route on December 30, 1932. On May 2, 1933, the New York State Transit Commission granted the company a certificate of public convenience and necessity for the route for the duration of the franchise. New York City granted the company another franchise for the Q27 and a franchise for the new Q26 route on April 26, 1935, for a period beginning at the end of the first contract, and ending no later than December 31, 1938. On November 9, 1936, the operation of these routes was transferred to the North Shore Bus Company. On that same date, the company started operating the Q1 and Q32, which had been operated by North Shore. Between December 31, 1936, and April 27, 1937, the company operated a route running between the Kew Gardens–Union Turnpike subway station and 165th Street and Shelton Avenue in Jamaica. In 1938, eleven new buses were placed into service. ==References== Category:Bus transportation in New York City Category:Transport companies established in 1926 Category:1926 establishments in New York (state)
Z is a 1969 political thriller film directed by Costa-Gavras, from a screenplay he co-wrote with Jorge Semprún, adapted from the 1967 novel of the same name by Vassilis Vassilikos. The film presents a thinly-fictionalized account of the events surrounding the assassination of the democratic Greek politician Grigoris Lambrakis in 1963. With its dark view of Greek politics and its downbeat ending, the film captures the director's outrage about the junta that then ruled Greece. The title refers to a popular Greek protest slogan (, ) meaning "he lives," in reference to Lambrakis. A French and Algerian co-production, the film stars Jean-Louis Trintignant as the investigating magistrate, an analogue of Christos Sartzetakis, who would become the Greek president from 1985 to 1990. International stars Yves Montand and Irene Papas also appear, but despite their star billing, they have very little screen time. Jacques Perrin, who also produced the film, plays a key role as a photojournalist. Other actors in the film include Pierre Dux, Charles Denner, François Périer, Georges Géret and Bernard Fresson. The musical score was composed by Mikis Theodorakis. Z was the first film and one of only a handful to be nominated by the Academy Awards for both Best Picture and Best Foreign Language Film. It won the latter as well as the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, the BAFTA Award for Best Film Music and the Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Film. At the 27th Golden Globe Awards, its producers refused the award to protest the film's exclusion from the Best Motion Picture – Drama category. ==Plot== The film centers on the right-wing, military-dominated government of an unnamed Mediterranean state (based on Greece). The story begins with the closing moments of a rather dull government lecture on agricultural policy until the leader of the security police takes over the podium for an impassioned speech describing the government's program to combat leftism by using the metaphors "a mildew of the mind", an infiltration of "isms" and "sunspots". The scene shifts to preparations for a political rally of the opposition faction in which the left-leaning, pacifist deputy is to give a speech advocating nuclear disarmament. There have been attempts by the government to prevent the speech from being delivered. The venue has been changed to a much smaller hall, logistical problems have appeared out of nowhere and the people handing out leaflets about the change of venue are attacked by thugs under the command of the police. On his way to the venue, the deputy is hit on the head by one of the right-wing anticommunist protestors, some of whom are sponsored by the government, but carries on with his sharp speech. As the deputy crosses the street from the hall after giving his speech, a delivery truck speeds past him, and a man on the open truck bed strikes him down with a club. The injury eventually proves fatal, and the police manipulate witnesses to force the conclusion that the deputy was simply run over by a drunk driver. However, the police do not control the hospital, where the autopsy disproves their interpretation. The examining magistrate, with the assistance of a photojournalist, now uncovers sufficient evidence to indict not only the two right-wing militants who committed the murder but also four high-ranking military police officers. The action of the film concludes with one of the deputy's associates rushing to see his widow to give her the surprising news of the officers' indictments. The widow looks distressed and appears not to believe things will change for the better. An epilogue provides a synopsis of the subsequent turns of events. Instead of justice being served, the prosecutor is mysteriously removed from the case, several key witnesses die under suspicious circumstances, the assassins receive relatively short sentences, the officers receive only administrative reprimands, the deputy's close associates die or are deported and the photojournalist is sent to prison for disclosing official documents. The heads of the government resign after public disapproval, but before elections are carried out, a coup d'état occurs, and the military seize power. They ban modern art, popular music, avant-garde novelists, modern mathematics, classic and modern philosophers and the use of the term "Ζ" (, or , which is used by protesters against the former government), which refers to the deputy and means "He lives." ==Cast== ==Background== The 1963 murder of Greek politician and physician Grigoris Lambrakis and subsequent military junta served as the basis for the story. Among Costa-Gavras' references to the actual events was the frequency with which the military compared ideologies to diseases, seen when the General compares -isms to mildew. The Magistrate was based on real-life Greek jurist Christos Sartzetakis. Costa-Gavras opted to show the Deputy had adulteries and conflicts with his wife to demonstrate he was simply a man. Costa-Gavras was also motivated by the suspicious disappearance of Mehdi Ben Barka in 1965. Some American viewers infer parallels between the film and the assassination of John F. Kennedy, particularly given how some stylistic elements seem to mimic the Zapruder film. That said, Costa-Gavras has stated that the Zapruder film had not been widely circulated in Europe at the time and that Kennedy's assassination did not influence the production. ==Production== Principal photography took place in Algiers at actor Jacques Perrin's suggestion, which the filmmakers approved for its Mediterranean environment and because the Ministry of Culture was accommodating. In Algiers, the Hotel St. Georges and the central square were filming locations, while Paris' Théâtre des Champs-Élysées was used for the ballet scenes. Marcel Bozzuffi performed his own stunts wrestling on the "Kamikaze" vehicle due to the production's lack of budget for professional stunt performers. Costa-Gavras chose Z as the title of the film based on its common occurrence in Greek graffiti for "He lives" (or even "Lambrakis you live; be our guide!" [Λαμπράκη ζεις, εσύ μας οδηγείς!; Lambráki zis, esý mas odigís!]); Costa-Gavras acknowledged a one-letter film title was unconventional and said Yves Montand expressed concern it would be confused with Zorro, but Costa-Gavras said the novelty of the idea won him over. ==Soundtrack== The soundtrack by Mikis Theodorakis was a hit record. The Greek junta had placed the composer under house arrest but he was able to give his approval to Costa-Gavras for the use of existing musical pieces. The film features, but does not credit, Pierre Henry's contemporary hit song "Psyché Rock". The soundtrack as released on LP and CD replaces Henry's song with a similar track written by Theodorakis titled "Café Rock." # Main Title (Antonis) from the "Mauthausen Trilogy" of Mikis Theodorakis # The Smiling Youth # The Chase-The Smiling Youth # Murmur of the Heart # Cafe Rock # Arrival of Helen-The Smiling Youth # Batucada # The Smiling Youth (Bouzouki Version) # The Smiling Youth # Who's Not Talking About Easter # Finale-The Smiling Youth # Murmur of the Heart # In This Town "The Happy Youth" and "Who's Not Talking About Easter" were among the poems adapted from Brendan Behan's play The Hostage by Theodorakis in 1962. By referring to the Irish struggle against British rule rather than Greek realities, the poems offered a way to circumvent censorship in Greece and condemn Greece's post-war right- wing establishment. "The Smiling Youth" (το γελαστό παιδί) was also one of the nicknames of Lambrakis. ==Release== Z was picked up for U.S. distribution by the specialty company/New York City theatre chain Cinema 5. ==Reception== Prints of the film were acquired by the Black Panther Party and shown at underground screenings. An advance copy of the film was shown at the United Front Against Fascism conference in 1969. It first aired on American television on The ABC Monday Night Movie in March 1974. ===Critical response=== At the time of release, Chicago Sun-Times film critic Roger Ebert, who named Z the best film of 1969, liked the screenplay and its message, and wrote, "[Z] is a film of our time. It is about how even moral victories are corrupted. It will make you weep and will make you angry. It will tear your guts out...When the Army junta staged its coup in 1967, the right-wing generals and the police chief were cleared of all charges and 'rehabilitated.' Those responsible for unmasking the assassination now became political criminals. These would seem to be completely political events, but the young director Costa-Gavras has told them in a style that is almost unbearably exciting. Z is at the same time a political cry of rage and a brilliant suspense thriller. It even ends in a chase: Not through the streets but through a maze of facts, alibis and official corruption." In 2006, James Berardinelli wrote, "Z was the third feature film from Greek-born Costa- Gavras, but it is the movie that captured him to the world's attention, winning a Best Foreign Language Film Oscar. It introduced the director's signature approach of combining overt political messages with edge-of-the-seat tension." Jonathan Richards wrote in 2009, "It's hard to overstate the impact that this Oscar-winning procedural thriller had in 1969, on a world roiling in political activism, repression, and discord. In the U.S., the Vietnam War was on the front burner, the populace was passionately engaged, and the police riots outside the '68 Chicago Democratic Convention and the murder of Black Panther Fred Hampton were raw wounds. With this stylish, intense indictment of the assassination of a leftist political leader by a right wing government cabal in his native Greece, director Costa-Gavras struck a nerve that resonated here and around the globe." On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a 94% "fresh" score based on 47 reviews, with an average rating of 8.2/10. The site's consensus states: "Powerfully effective, this anti-fascist political thriller stands out as both high-conscience melodrama and high-tempo action movie." The film was voted in Time's list of The 15 Best Political Films of All Time. The film was selected to be screened in the Cannes Classics section of the 2015 Cannes Film Festival. ===Box office=== The film had a total of 3,952,913 admissions in France and was the 4th highest-grossing film of the year. It was also very popular in the United States grossing $17.3 million, being one of the top five highest-grossing non-English language films there. == Awards and nominations == Z was the second foreign-language film in Academy history to receive a nomination for Best Picture, after Grand Illusion. Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Academy Awards 7 April 1970 Best Picture Ahmed Rachedi, Jacques Perrin Academy Awards Best Director Costa- Gavras Academy Awards Best Adapted Screenplay Jorge Semprún, Costa-Gavras Academy Awards Best Foreign Language Film Costa-Gavras Academy Awards Best Film Editing Françoise Bonnot BAFTA Awards 1970 Best Film Costa-Gavras BAFTA Awards Best Screenplay Costa-Gavras, Jorge Semprun BAFTA Awards Best Editing Françoise Bonnot BAFTA Awards Best Film Music Mikis Theodorakis BAFTA Awards United Nations Award Costa-Gavras Cannes Film Festival 8 – 23 May 1969 Jury Prize Cannes Film Festival Palme d'Or Cannes Film Festival Best Actor Jean- Louis Trintignant Directors Guild of America Award 1970 Best Director Costa- Gavras Golden Globes 2 February 1970 Best Foreign Language Film National Society of Film Critics January 1970 Best Film New York Film Critics Circle 25 January 1970 Best Film New York Film Critics Circle Best Director == Legacy == Filmmakers Paul Greengrass and Aki Kaurismäki listed the film in their top 10 films of all time for the 2012 Sight and Sound poll. The French filmmaker Mathieu Kassovitz listed the film as influential to his work. The French filmmaker Rachid Bouchareb listed Z as an influence on his film Outside the Law. It is regarded as one of American filmmaker Oliver Stone's favorite films that inspired his filmmaking. John Milius also cited the film as an influence. The American filmmaker Steven Soderbergh listed Z as an inspiration on his film Traffic and stated that he: "wanted to make it like [Costa- Gavras]'s Z". The American filmmaker William Friedkin listed Z as one of his favorite films and mentioned the film's influence on him when directing his film The French Connection: "After I saw Z, I realized how I could shoot the French Connection. Because he [Costa-Gavras] shot 'Z' like a documentary. It was a fiction film but it was made like it was actually happening. Like the camera didn't know what was gonna happen next. And that is an induced technique. It looks like he happened upon the scene and captured what was going on as you do in a documentary. My first films were documentaries too. So I understood what he was doing but I never thought you could do that in a feature at that time until I saw Z."Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: As an homage, Friedkin cast actor Marcel Bozzuffi in a similar role. The American actor and filmmaker Ben Affleck listed the film as an influence for his film Argo. ==See also== * List of submissions to the 42nd Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film * List of Algerian submissions for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film * Shanghai, a Hindi film based on Z ==References== ==External links== * * * * * Z background and analysis at Plaka * Z: Sounding the Alarm an essay by Armond White at the Criterion Collection Category:1969 films Category:1960s French-language films Category:1960s Russian-language films Category:1960s English-language films Category:1960s crime thriller films Category:1960s French films Category:1960s in Greek politics Category:Algerian drama films Category:Best Foreign Language Film Academy Award winners Category:Best Foreign Language Film Golden Globe winners Category:Docudrama films Category:Edgar Award-winning works Category:French political thriller films Category:French crime thriller films Category:English-language French films Category:English-language Algerian films Category:Existentialist films Category:Films about assassinations Category:Films based on Greek novels Category:Films directed by Costa Gavras Category:Films set in Greece Category:Films shot in Algeria Category:Films shot in France Category:Films shot in Paris Category:Films set in 1963 Category:Films about coups d'état Category:Films about political repression Category:Films à clef Category:Films scored by Mikis Theodorakis Category:Films about anti-fascism Category:Films whose editor won the Best Film Editing Academy Award Category:National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Film winners Category:Political films based on actual events
Z () is a 1999 Indian Kannada-language mystery thriller film written and directed by K. Praveen Nayak. It stars Prakash Rai, Prema and Ritu Shivpuri in the lead roles and features five different composers tuning for the soundtrack. Z was released on 19 February 1999. It was dubbed in Telugu and released in Telugu as Maha Natudu. ==Plot summary== == Cast == * Prakash Rai as Prakash * Prema as Prema * Ritu Shivpuri * Sundeep Malani * Tennis Krishna * Harsha Darbar * Kote Prabhakar * Agro Chikkanna * Sunitha * Nagesh Mayya * Dinesh Mangalore * K. Praveen Nayak * Vaijanath Biradar * Bank Suresh * Fayaz Khan * A. S. Murthy == Soundtrack == Five composers contributed six tracks for the film, including the film's director Praveen Nayak, who composed one song and wrote lyrics for two others. S. No. Song Title Music Director Singer(s) Lyrics 1 "Prema Prema" Rajesh Ramanath Rajesh Krishnan, Sowmya Raoh K. Praveen Nayak 2 "Reelo Reelo" Murali Mohan Murali Mohan, L. N. Shastry Murali Mohan 3 "Nee Rathiyu Naa Rathanu" K. Praveen Nayak Mangala Sadhu Kokila 4 "Thutiyali Thutiyu" Rajesh Ramanath Sowmya Raoh K. Praveen Nayak 5 "Choli Aata" Praveen D. Rao L. N. Shastry Achyuth 6 "Kele Kishori" V. Manohar Rajesh Krishnan, Sowmya Raoh V. Manohar == Reception == A critic from The New Indian Express wrote that "The only reason to watch this movie is if you have nothing else to do". Jyothi Raghuram of The Hindu wrote "Praveen’s story rambles, and his dialogues are simplistic. His screenplay is in keeping with all of this. Yet, this debutant director cannot be written off, for ‘Z” does have its moments of pluses, and Praveen, his flashes of directorial grip." == References == == External links == * Category:1999 films Category:1990s Kannada-language films Category:Indian thriller films Category:Films scored by V. Manohar Category:Films about filmmaking Category:1999 directorial debut films Category:1999 thriller films Category:Films scored by Rajesh Ramnath
Z is a 2019 Canadian horror film directed by Brandon Christensen and based on a script written by Christensen and Colin Minihan. The film stars Keegan Connor Tracy, Jett Klyne, and Sean Rogerson. ==Plot== A couple is terrorized by their eight-year old son’s imaginary friend. ==Cast== * Keegan Connor Tracy as Elizabeth "Beth" Parsons * Jett Klyne as Joshua Parsons * Sean Rogerson as Kevin Parsons * Sara Canning as Jenna Montgomery * Stephen McHattie as Dr. Seager * Chandra West as Georgia * Ali Webb as Mrs. Hirsch * Deborah Ferguson as Alice Montgomery * Luke Moore as Z * Fox Rose as Daniel * Jayson Therrien as Beth's Dad * Sarah Munn as Young Beth * Grace Christensen as Young Jenna ==Development== Keegan Connor Tracy stated that the film "was such a huge emotional journey for me and I had to sort of sequester myself a lot to stay in that woman’s mental and emotional space". ==Release== Z was released as a Shudder exclusive on May 7, 2020. ==Reception== Critical reception has been positive and the movie holds a rating of on Rotten Tomatoes, based on reviews. ==References== ==External links== * * Category:2019 horror thriller films Category:English-language Canadian films Category:Films about imaginary friends Category:2010s English-language films Category:Shudder (streaming service) original programming Category:Canadian horror thriller films Category:2010s Canadian films
Z (Z [ZETTO]) is the fifth album released by the Japanese metal band Aion. Promotional videos were made for the songs "Truth" and "Ira Ira". There is also live footage of them performing the songs "So Many" and "Confession", recorded at the "Ariola Meeting 1993". This is the band's first release with new drummer Shu. ==Track listing== ==Personnel== *Nov – vocals *Izumi – lead and rhythm guitars *Dean – bass guitar *Shu – drums ==References== Category:1993 albums Category:Aion (Japanese band) albums
Z is the third extended play (EP) by American R&B; singer SZA. It was released on April 8, 2014, by Top Dawg Entertainment. After amassing two self-released EPs, See.SZA.Run and S, as well as meeting with members of Top Dawg Entertainment, she subsequently signed a recording contract with the indie label. The recording of the EP took place in Carson, California during the summer of 2013 with the help of her Top Dawg labelmate Isaiah Rashad, among others. An alternative R&B; and neo soul album, Z has a diverse musical style that incorporates contemporary urban genres such as soul, hip hop, and minimalist R&B;, as well as 1980s synth-pop elements. Its production is characterized by layers of sliced, delayed, and reversed vocals, which are synthetic and fluid. Its lyrics explore the complexities of romantic relationships, sexuality, nostalgia, and abandonment. The album was written by SZA herself, with production handled by Mac Miller, Emile Haynie and others. Z received generally positive reviews from music critics, who commended its production and musical style. Critics also praised the EP's lyrical content and SZA's vocals, as well as comparing the EP to the work of singer and songwriter Lorde. Z debuted on the US Billboard 200 at number thirty-nine, selling 6,980 copies in its opening week. It peaked at number nine on the US Hip-Hop/R&B; chart. To date, the EP has sold over 26,000 copies in the US. == Background == SZA first met members of Top Dawg Entertainment at the CMJ 2011, when her boyfriend's clothing company sponsored a show in which Kendrick Lamar was performing. A friend attending the show with her foisted early SZA songs onto TDE president Terrence "Punch" Henderson, who liked the material and stayed in touch. On October 29, 2012, SZA released her debut self-released extended play entitled See.SZA.Run, which featured production from brandUn DeShay and APSuperProducer, among others. In June 2013, Top Dawg Entertainment announced they were planning to sign two more artists. On July 14, it was revealed Top Dawg had signed the upcoming singer SZA to the label. SZA's intention was to release another EP, but she felt she owed "people more", leading her to release the full-length album. == Recording == SZA said the public could expect to hear a "completely different level of insight" into her life through this album. She described the recording process as not being "rushed or afraid", and that she had "vocal freedom" during the process. During the writing process SZA felt she "ran out of shit to say", which led her to force herself to "dig deeper... It's funny because I get to choose all these crazy producers who I never got to work with before, so I'm getting to know myself around some of the most creative minds ever." In May 2013, SZA revealed that she had been working with producers Holy Other and Emile Haynie, the latter of whom had previously worked with Lana Del Rey and Kid Cudi. The majority of Z was recorded in Carson, California in the summer of 2013, in a "little club house" along with labelmate Isaiah Rashad. The experience gave SZA a crucial ally within the crew, and the two have since made a habit of collaborating. About recording the EP, SZA said, "Him and all his producers would kick open my door in the morning and jump on the bed and light blunts at 9 AM... Now we're each other's security blanket, in a way. We just get each other really well." SZA met producer Felix Snow via a mutual friend and they later began "hanging out". SZA described him as being "completely not the textbook producer". On working with Felix, SZA said, > If you've ever seen him he wears sunglasses inside all day and sandals all > year round. He's basically always in yacht mode. He has a Tamagachi and a > Giga Pet, so he's a character-and-a-half. But we're like family. I went to > his house in Connecticut and played with his menagerie of animals and met > his parents and ate soup. == Composition == Z contains alternative, synth-pop, modern R&B; style, neo soul, and hip hop genres; the album's instrumentals "vary in groove". The album's production is characterized as being "mainly synthetic" with guitar work scattered throughout. Z featured a "genre agnostic utopia dripping with mood"; the album was described as straddling the "line between minimalist R&B;, '80s synth pop and soul". The production is "consistently fluid" and built over "layers of sliced, delayed, and reversed vocals." The album has "unraveling lyrics" that touch upon themes of sexuality, nostalgia, and abandonment, and which have been compared to the work of Lorde. SZA's vocals were described as merging and melting into the album's production, creating a "chilled aesthetic". According to Michael Madden from Consequence of Sound, Z follows in the same vein as her previous EPs See.SZA.Run and S; Madden noted that, like her previous work, Z sounds "organic and self-sufficient. The tricky part is getting to that point". He described the album's genre as being "agnostic", noting that Z is not just one style of music and is versatile, with a musical style that is not just "R&B;, pop, soul, or one thing at all". Madden described the album's lyrical content as sometimes being "purposefully general" and sometimes "an ambitious but quick reference", which he compared to the rapper Angel Haze and their debut album Dirty Gold. The album opens with "U R", a "slow-moving, emotional track" that was produced by rapper Mac Miller. It is a "disorienting" song that is built over a variety of instrumentals featuring "twangy guitar, subtle synthesizers, echoing vocals, delicate piano chords, and futuristic sound effects." The musical style then moves into a more upbeat, energetic set of songs. "Child's Play" features rapper Chance the Rapper. It was produced by DAE ONE and XXYYXX, and contains minimalist drums and synths. Its lyrics mention Nintendo and Street Fighter. "Julia" is an uptempo synth-pop song that contains a "danceable, energetic vibe" described as being built on a "glorious" and "glittering" production, with lyrics that revolve around romantic relationships. The album's fourth song, "Warm Winds", features rapper and labelmate Isaiah Rashad, whose vocals have been described as sounding like backing vocals. "HiiiJack" is a R&B; song produced by Toro y Moi, whose lyrics are about love. "Green Mile" was compared to the work of singer Jessie Ware, and is built over a "crashing" sound with a "dark, shady beat". Lyrically the song describes the difficult ending of a relationship and the "massacre" of love. "Babylon" is an "alt-R&B;" song featuring rapper Kendrick Lamar and produced by DJ Dahi. It has been described as having an "airy, mystical croon" coupled with Lamar's "fluid, and at times ravenous, flow". "Sweet November" is musically more upbeat than some of the EP's previous material. It contains "breathy" vocals and guitar riffs, while its lyrics are about "love and life lessons". The song contains guitar, piano and organ instruments and a sample of Marvin Gaye's "Mandota", which was originally featured on the deluxe edition of his 1973 album Let's Get It On. "Shattered Ring" is a pop song that contains "haunting vocals" and "guitar tabs", as well as borrowing "songwriting and vocal cues from country and acoustic music." "Omega" is a R&B; song that is described as "goth-hop" with "bold and oblique" elements. ==Marketing and sales== After appearing on a variety of songs by her fellow Top Dawg Entertainment artists, SZA announced the title and release date of her next EP, and released a new video. It was announced that the EP titled Z would be released on April 8, 2014. Prior to its release, Metacritic named the EP as one of their "45 Notable Upcoming Albums" during March and May, calling it a "noteworthy album". The same company also placed the album on their "Most Anticipated Albums" of 2014. To promote the Z EP, SZA performed at several performance showcases at the SXSW Music Festival in Austin, Texas. The EP was preceded by the release of video of the lead single, "Babylon", which was directed by APLUSFILMZ. The visuals feature SZA leaving her unimportant essentials behind as she gets baptized in the swamp's murky waters. On March 26, 2014, SZA released the single "Child's Play", featuring Chance the Rapper. On May 14, 2014, SZA released a music video for the song "Warm Winds", featuring Isaiah Rashad. The video was directed by APLUSFILMZ, and depicts SZA and Rashad running through a field and walking down a deserted path. On July 11, 2014, SZA released a video for "Julia" from the EP, which featured a snippet of a new song entitled "Tender". Z made its chart debut in the United Kingdom, where it charted at number 32 on the UK R&B; Chart, the week ending April 19, 2014, and at number 197 on the UK Albums Chart. Z debuted on the US Billboard 200 at number 39, selling 6,980 copies in its first week of availability, where it charted for just one week. The album also debuted at number nine on the US Top R&B;/Hip-Hop Albums chart and at number five on the US Top R&B; Albums chart, where it charted for three weeks on the former and four weeks on the latter. To date, the EP has sold over 26,000 copies in the US. == Critical reception == At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted mean rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 66, based on 15 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews." Ben Benjamin of Neon Tommy praised Z, comparing it to the work of singer Lorde and calling Z "compelling", yet "slightly static". He felt it worked well within its "narrow dynamic range", but noted that the album's end began "one of the few adrenaline boosters on the entire record", in which SZA had an "aptitude for injecting deep listening into songs that will please even the shallowest ears". Ryan B. Patrick from Exclaim! gave Z eight out of ten stars, calling the work a "quality beginning" and praised the "fresh futurist sound". He noted "Sweet November" and "Julia" as standout tracks. Steven Goldstein from HipHopDX gave the album three and half stars out of five; he called it a strong debut. He praised the album's "nostalgic trance about heartbreak and self-questioning." On the other hand, Goldstein felt that sometimes SZA fell "victim to Pop platitudes." Brandon Soderberg from Spin magazine commended the album's "atmospheric" tones and called the album's lyrical content "compelling". However, he felt the "elements melt into the background" and described the genre as "weeded R&B.;" Writing for Consequence of Sound, Michael Madden commended the "organic" themes but felt the album did not "get to the point". He praised SZA's vocals, calling them her "biggest asset." The album was included on numerous year-end critics' lists, including Exclaim!, who placed the album at number seven on their Soul and R&B; albums list. Z was thirty-four on Vibe Magazines end-of- year list, and number ten on Sweden's Nöjesguiden international list. == Track listing == == Charts == Chart (2014) Peak position UK Albums (OCC) 197 == Release history == Region Date Format Label United States April 8, 2014 Digital download Top Dawg == References == == External links == * Category:2014 EPs Category:Albums produced by DJ Dahi Category:Albums produced by Emile Haynie Category:Albums produced by Mac Miller Category:Contemporary R&B; EPs Category:Neo soul EPs Category:Top Dawg Entertainment albums Category:SZA albums
Z is the fourth studio album by psychedelic rock band My Morning Jacket. This collection features a much spacier and more polished sound than previous releases, making heavy use of synthesizers throughout and incorporating reggae and dub influences. The heavy reverb that was a defining characteristic of the band's prior recordings is largely absent. The songs on the album are more focused and shorter compared to the band's previous albums. A double-live album, Okonokos, was recorded at the end of the Z Tour and was released on September 26, 2006; it features live versions of eight of Z's 10 songs. In 2012, Rolling Stone ranked the album at number 457 on its list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. The magazine has also ranked the album 31st on its list of the 100 best albums of the 2000s and 23rd of the 40 greatest stoner albums ever. ==Background and production== In September 2003, My Morning Jacket released its third album It Still Moves. It was the band's first album to be released by ATO Records. It Still Moves was well received by critics and peaked at number two on the Heatseekers Albums in the United States. During the subsequent tour, guitarist Johnny Quaid and keyboardist Danny Cash quit the band on amicable terms, and were replaced by guitarist Carl Broemel and keyboardist Bo Koster. Drummer Patrick Hallahan said that while the arrival of new members put the band in an awkward position, it was also a liberating experience. "We thought, 'Let's take ourselves out of our element.'" For the next My Morning Jacket album, the band members wanted to experiment with unique arrangements and a greater usage of musical soundscapes when compared to their previous albums. Vocalist Jim James said the band went out of their comfort zone, and decided to record the album at the remote Allaire Studios in the Catskill Mountains instead of in their hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. According to bassist Tom Blankenship: "We had been talking for years about really locking ourselves in when we did an album, and now there was no excuse but to be in the studio all the time. You'd wake up and have breakfast and grab your coffee and walk into the control room." Z was the first My Morning Jacket album to have a professional producer. James had previously produced every album, which he said was out of pride. Before the recording sessions began, James met producer John Leckie, who was known for his work with bands such as Pink Floyd and Radiohead. Leckie was also a tape operator on the George Harrison album All Things Must Pass, one of James' favorite albums. James said Leckie's perspective as an outsider played a pivotal role in the production of the album. According to James: "Sometimes when everybody in the band is just there, you know, people don't want to hurt anyone's feelings, or you might think that it was a good take because everyone is tired. We really learned the value of having another ear there." ==Composition== This album was seen by reviewers as a shift in the musical genre of the band and vocal style of James, in part due to working with John Leckie and the inclusion of genres such as reggae on "Off the Record". ==Digital rights management== The CD was one of the more high-profile releases in 2005 featuring digital rights management technology to prohibit owners from playing the music on a computer or creating digital copies. United States pressings of this CD contain MediaMax CD-3 by SunnComm. The band's manager, Mike Martinovich, expressed their dissatisfaction with the technology and it was abandoned on subsequent releases. The band themselves provided information on their website about how to bypass the software, and also offered to burn individual copies of the album for fans, free of copy-protection software. ==Critical reception== The album was the second highest rated album of 2005 according to Metacritic, behind Sufjan Stevens' Illinois; the album has a total score of 90 out of 100. Technically, both Z and Illinois were tied for the highest Metacritic rating in 2005, with a score of 90 each. However, the score for Illinois was based on a larger overall number of reviews: 40, compared to 31 for Z. Online music magazine Pitchfork Media placed Z at number 146 on their list of top 200 albums of the 2000s, calling it My Morning Jacket's OK Computer. In 2012, Rolling Stone ranked the album at number 457 on its list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.Wenner, Jann S., ed. (2012). Rolling Stone - Special Collectors Issue - The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. USA: Wenner Media Specials. The magazine has also ranked the album 31st on its list of the 100 best albums of the 2000s and 23rd of the 40 greatest stoner albums ever. In March 2022, the album ranked at number 1 on WFPK Louisville's "Top 500 Albums of the 2000's Countdown" which was conducted by a public poll. ==Track listing== All songs written by Jim James, except where noted: #"Wordless Chorus" – 4:12 #"It Beats 4 U" – 3:46 #"Gideon" – 3:39 #"What a Wonderful Man" – 2:25 #"Off the Record" (James, Tom Blankenship, Patrick Hallahan) – 5:33 #"Into the Woods" – 5:21 #"Anytime" – 3:56 #"Lay Low" – 6:05 #"Knot Comes Loose" – 4:02 #"Dondante" – 8:01 The U.S. and Japanese pressing of the album contains the B-side "Chills"; digital copies include the other b-side "How Could I Know" (length 5:27) as well. ==Personnel== My Morning Jacket *Tom Blankenship – bass guitar *Carl Broemel – guitar, saxophone on "Dondante" *Patrick Hallahan – drums *Jim James – vocals, lead and Rhythm guitars, and production *Bo Koster – keyboards Additional musicians and technical personnel *Andrew Bird – strings, and whistles on "Gideon", "Into the Woods", and "It Beats 4 U" *John Leckie – production *M. Ward – acoustic guitar and choirs on "Into the Woods" Artwork *Katie Beach *Guy Burwel *Nicolai Denchev *Mike Fulkerson *Brandon Jones *Kathleen Lolley ==Release history== Release formats for Z Region Date Label Format Catalog Worldwide Badman LP 947 United States ATO/RCA Compact Disc 71067 Europe BMG 21448 United States ATO 21601 Japan BMG 21448 2006 24078† United States 2008 ATO LP 8808821601 United States August 21, 2020 ATO 2×LP, purple vinyl† †This edition includes the bonus track "Chills" ==References== ==External links== * * * Category:2005 albums Category:Albums produced by Jim James Category:Albums produced by John Leckie Category:ATO Records albums Category:Bertelsmann Music Group albums Category:Jam band albums Category:My Morning Jacket albums Category:Southern rock albums Category:Space rock albums
Z (often stylized as _Z_) is the nom de plume of an anonymous Tunisian political cartoonist and online activist whose humorous cartoons and writings have appeared on his online blog DébaTunisie, which he launched in 2007, and have targeted the government of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and the administrations that followed the Tunisian Revolution of 2011. ==History== Z, an architect, launched his blog on August 28, 2007. He first began criticizing government development projects in the Tunisian capital, Tunis, and the fact that residents had no say on the matter. Z believed that the government's plans threatened the natural habitat of the city's local flamingo population. A signature pink flamingo later became his blog's mascot, and appeared in many of his future drawings. In 2008, he started posting cartoons on DébaTunisie. Among his first drawings was one of a small demonstration by a group of pink flamingos protesting the government's projects. His first cartoon featuring the country's president, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, was posted in March 2009, ahead of the upcoming presidential election that same year, which depicts men in a mosque bowing in the direction of a mural portrait of Ben Ali instead of Mecca. The government took notice of his online activism in October 2009 after he drew a cartoon titled "La Comédie électorale", two days following Ben Ali's re-election. A month later, authorities arrested and later released an online blogger and university professor named Fatma Riahi, wrongly assuming her to be Z, whose blog they had already tried to shut down. ===Post-revolution=== In the days and months following the stepping down of Ben Ali on January 14, 2011, Z posted a series of cartoons about his optimistic vision for a Tunisia in which the country's social and political constituents, particularly secularists and Islamists, would coexist peacefully. He chose, however, to remain anonymous, believing that "nothing really changed" in regards to Tunisia's censorship issue. Following Tunisia's first free election since Ben Ali's overthrow, which saw the Islamist Ennahda Movement win the majority of seats, Z attracted criticism from Islamists and online followers due to some cartoons that were perceived as insulting to Islam. On August 7, 2012, he wrote on his blog: "It is evident that I will soon be regarded as an outlaw the moment the Constituency validates the anti-blasphemy law." ==Style== Among the noticeable themes in Z's writings and cartoons are the "mauves", supporters of the government of Ben Ali, whom he calls "Zaba" (acronym of his full name). He also refers to Islamists as the "bleus", who are under the leadership of "Zaballah", a play on words merging Zaba (the initials of Zine el Abidine Ben Ali) with "Allah". Another recurrent feature in his cartoons is the "Ben Simpsons" family, representing the typical secular Tunisian bourgeoisie that is alarmed by the country's political developments. ==See also== *Political cartoons in the Middle East ==Notes== ==References== ==External links== *DEBATunisie - official website of Z Category:Tunisian cartoonists Category:Living people Category:Freedom of expression in Africa Category:Pseudonymous artists Category:People of the Tunisian Revolution Category:1979 births
thumb|Zzzzzz as it appears in the June 1971 issue of the Los Angeles Central White Pages Zzzzzz, later just Z, was a dial-a-joke service active in the 1970s and early 1980s. Started by Bob Bilkiss (1949–1989) of West Los Angeles in 1970, it operated from the 213 area code and was named so to appear last in the Los Angeles telephone directory. Emerging from a wave of dial-a-joke numbers in Los Angeles in the turn of the 1970s, Zzzzzz enjoyed a high level of popularity in its day. For several years, it was the busiest residential telephone number in the United States, if not the world. ==History== ===Conception and development=== Zzzzzz was launched by Bob Bilkiss of West Los Angeles, who originally operated the service from his residential phone line, in February 1970. Bilkiss, then a student of Santa Monica College, said that Zzzzzz grew out of a whimsical desire to have the first and last entries in the Los Angeles telephone directory. He was able to obtain the first listing because the phone books of Pacific Bell used the street name as a second sort key when two entries had the same name. There was already a entry with the name "A"; Bilkiss's appeared above it because his street name started with a B. To obtain the last listing in the book, however, Pacific Bell required Bilkiss to prepare a notarized statement that "Zzzzzz" was his official nickname. He got a friend to bear witness that his "nickname" was due to his propensity for falling asleep in class. The February 1970 issue of the Pacific Bell telephone directory was the first time Zzzzzz's number, 837-5566 (later 836-5566), was published. Bilkiss's phone line—by this point not set up as a dial-a-joke service—rang nonstop on the first day of February as a consequence, much to the chagrin of his parents, who had to set up another phone line in the household because of the sheer volume of calls. Bilkiss recruited his friend Dave Friedman, an engineering student at UCLA, to devise an answering machine for the line, along with a counter that would advance every time the answering machine would take a call. The first recordings on the answering machine was a teaser reel comprising humorous impersonations of people curious to the purpose of Zzzzzz's entries in the phone book, as a way to build further interest for the launch of Zzzzzz as a dial-a-joke service. The line was updated weekly, and the number of calls per week were logged. The line initially attracted hundreds of callers per day. By 1972, this had grown to 1,500 per day; it reached 100,000 calls in December 1970. Callers frequently encountered busy signals when trying to reach the line due to the volume of traffic—a fact that was spoofed by the line in one skit. Bilkiss and Friedman rented an apartment on Los Palmas Avenue from which to run the service. By 1971 the service had grown to a staff of five, including writer Jeff Robbins, announcer and tape editor John Shannon and cartoonist Jerry Leibowitz. Starting in June 1970, Zzzzzz began advertising hour-long "live" shows, wherein callers could talk to Bilkiss and company, twice a week. It was through these shows that the crew discovered the young Shannon in 1970, who had considerable experience in production work. Shannon became Zzzzzz's announcer and was responsible for the line's format refresh in September 1970. ===Content and technical details=== Though Pacific Bell was rumored to have split the profits they made from calls to the line with the Zzzzzz staff, Zzzzzz was an entirely non-profit affair, with Bilkiss paying for the monthly telephone bill (about $5.85 in 1979). In 1971, Bilkiss explained that he and his colleagues represented "a sort of melting pot ... a cross-section of interests ... a combination of long-hairs and short-hairs. We are all in college except for Jeff and we're all 21 except for John, who is 19". He and Friedman initially spent two to three days a week recording jokes, which at the onset were spoofs of contemporary radio and television advertisements and programs. They later gained access to a small professional recording studio by way of a friend in broadcasting. Friends and acquaintances volunteered their voice talents, while Bilkiss and Friedman acquired a stack of royalty-free production music and produced their own sound effects for use in skits. To prevent the recordings from wearing out due to the heavy traffic the line received, the answering machine was built to be rugged and outfitted with high-quality, high-fidelity tape stock. Bilkiss defined the skits in Zzzzzz as middle-of-the-road and apolitical, explaining that "We like humor that doesn't point a finger at anyone or insult anyone". In addition he explained that he and his staff were drug-free, stating, "Somehow we never find neither time nor desire for it. We have enough going on with Z to turn us on". Bilkiss and Friedman occasionally hijacked the line from the answering machine to talk to their callers directly. From doing this they found that their audience comprised a varied audience: children, switchboard operators, businesspeople calling from expensive long-distance lines and phone phreaks. The nationalities of their callers also ran the gamut, with Bilkiss in 1973 saying that they received calls from Europe, New Zealand, Japan and Vietnam. ===Final years=== The number of reels of tape the Zzzzzz staff recorded had grown to several hundred by 1979. New weekly recording mostly ceased by 1974; afterwards Bilkiss and Friedman only recorded when the inspiration struck. After Bilkiss graduated from Santa Monica College and UCLA, he worked at Magtec, a manufacturer of audiotape, before moving to AT&T; to work as a national sales manager for their Recording subsidiary in 1975. He and Friedman later worked full-time as telephone systems designers and consultants in the late 1970s, still running Zzzzzz as a hobby on the side. The line was still operational in 1982. Bilkiss died in 1989, in Culver City, California, survived by his wife and two daughters. ==Archives== Select excerpts from Zzzzzz have been digitized and uploaded to DialAJoke.us, an online repository run by Ronald Gibson dedicated to dial-a-joke lines of Zzzzzz's day. More recordings are available online from phone phreak Evan Doorbell. ==Notes== ==References== ==External links== * Zzzzzz on DialAJoke.us Category:1970 establishments in California Category:1980s disestablishments in California Category:Humor media Category:Telephone numbers in the United States
Z is a 1996 real-time strategy computer game by The Bitmap Brothers. It is about two armies of robots (red and blue) battling to conquer different planets. A sequel, Z: Steel Soldiers, was published in 2001. ==Plot== The game opens with Commander Zod shooting the Bitmap Brothers Logo off the screen. Meanwhile, a Supply Ship is adrift in space. Its occupants, two robots named Brad and Allan, wake up to the radio buzzer. The two find two new messages from Commander Zod. The first shows Zod telling about his delivery, one hour overdue; the second shows him threatening to "kick their red butts" if he finds out about them slacking off. Allan and Brad just resume their mission. The two constantly steer the ship in a bunch of twists and turns (one sends them knocking the game's title into the opening credits, which are just visible in space), and finally arriving at their first destination. Their mission sends them across twenty levels on five planets, fighting enemy soldiers. Only when the five planets are conquered will the party begin. After the final level, Zod gets a promotion to Supreme Space Colonel. Zod and the other soldiers celebrate by drinking many cans of rocket fuel, and by the next morning, so many discarded cans litter the ground that Brad and Allan are sick. Zod gets into the Supply Ship with Brad and Allan and decides to show them how to fly the spacecraft. Zod uses the ship to pull acrobatic stunts in space, leaving Brad thrilled. When Allan pulls another can of rocket fuel from the box, he notices a "do not shake" warning on its side. He shakes it up and tosses it to Zod. When Zod opens the can, an explosion blows the ship apart. Brad and Allan are hurled off, and Zod's hat can be seen floating in deep space. ==Gameplay== Unlike traditional real-time strategy (RTS) games, collecting resources or building specific structures is unnecessary for creating an army - the same principle that was introduced by Nether Earth, one of the RTS games ancestors. Regions and structures within their borders that actually manufacture the units are captured by moving troops to their respective flags. All that is needed to do is to hold acquired position for a certain amount of time while the unit is manufacturing. The more regions are under the player's control, the less the time required. More powerful units take more time to construct. The objective of the game is to eliminate the opponent by taking out their command Fort: either by sending a unit to enter it, or by destroying it directly. Alternatively, destroying all of the opponent's units immediately wins the game. At the start of every mission, each side is given control of their Fort and a small group of units. A host of unmanned turrets and vehicles are usually scattered about the map and sending a robot to these will allow the player to add them to their army. However, the assigned robot will remain in the captured vehicle or turret as a pilot or a gunner although he may be removed from the gun effectively splitting him from his squad. The game is significantly different from others of its type: for example, vehicle drivers can take damage from enemy fire, and if the driver is destroyed, the vehicle they were commandeering will be unmanned and can be captured by either side. At the time of its release, Z was also noted for being more complex, intense, and challenging compared to other games of its time, like the original Command & Conquer, where the gameplay usually boiled down to tankrushing AIs showing a lack of aggression. Further different robot types behaved differently. Units such as a sniper with a higher intelligence level are less likely to pop up from a tank because they are likely to be shot. The game starts off with simple, symmetric levels where the CPU starts with roughly the same hardware as the player. As the game progresses, the levels become more complex, demanding more skill to control all units effectively, and the computer gains an advantage in starting units. For example, the CPU's fort usually has substantially more powerful guard turrets. The computer also gains more logistic advantages. Combat takes place on several planets, with 4 missions on each. When one is successfully captured, a space ship transports the robot army to another. ==Versions== There are 2 main versions for PC use, one for DOS named Z and another one for Windows 95 named Z 95 & Expansion (that give Zeditor and Extension pack with additional challenging levels from 20 to 35. Each of these level are parallel; so 21 is the same kind as level 1 but with a bigger map and all units available). The former used to require DOSBox (an open source DOS emulator for various operating systems) to run on a modern Windows XP system. A workaround for Z 95's incompatibility with Windows XP which allows Z 95 to run on a Windows XP system without any form of emulation was posted on the ZZone forums. The workaround, named Z Expansion XP, involves disabling some protected instructions in the Z 95 executable and contains a custom installer since the original Z 95 installer refuses to run under Windows XP. In the concerning forum thread the Z Expansion XP workaround is also reported to work under Windows Vista. Ports for the PlayStation and Sega Saturn were released in 1997 and 1998 only in Europe. Both were handled by Krisalis Software and published by GT Interactive. Even though the Saturn mouse was never released in Europe, the Saturn version of Z includes mouse support. A mobile version of Z was developed by Peter Harrap and TickTock Games and was published by KavCom. It was released on iPhone and iPad in 2011, with further releases on BlackBerry Playbook, Android, and Kindle in 2012. The mobile version remake by TickTock Games was also released for Mac in 2012, and then published by Kiss Ltd and KavCom for Windows PC on Steam and GOG.com in July 4th of 2014. There was also a "Directors cut version". There was a very limited number of these mostly given away at the launch party. There were only a couple of levels with this version and it featured "R" rated audio for the robot voices. ===Difference between Z and Z 95=== There are few differences between the Z DOS version and the Z 95 version. Most of all Z 95 was made much more compatible with Windows 95 which was becoming more and more popular. Also some more levels were added to the so-called Expansion Kit. The Z DOS version has an interface for loading the game as its first step. In Z 95 the interface is still there but modified and is just a normal interface using APIs of Windows 95 without the eyecandy buttons. Z DOS version is much slower, which affects the game play, whereas the Z 95 version improves the speed and lets the game feel like a real time strategy field. Also, a few unit statistics were changed to improve the game's balance. ==Reception== Reviewing the PC version, Chris Hudak of GameSpot called Z "the alcoholic, head-banging, gap-toothed, punch-drunk, inbred cousin of Command & Conquer." He particularly praised the game's accessibility, the networked multiplayer, and the ability to blast through obstructive terrain, though he found some issues with the AI. A Next Generation critic commented that Z stands out from other real-time strategy games because of the absence of resource management, which puts the focus of the game on fast reaction time and raw strategy rather than on economics. He said Z lacks the longevity of its nearest competition, since it has relatively few missions and the two sides use the same units, but is "a very good, original game that's enjoyable in its own right" with its AI, interface, and multiplayer mode all being strong assets. PC Zone magazine described Z as "a brilliant strategy game that is so hard you can't help but get value for money from it ... Like all Bitmap Bros' games, there are loads of little touches that will amuse you, from the incompetent piss-head droids in the cut-scenes, flying you from level to level and crashing on the people flagging them in, to the voice which says, when you're struggling, 'You are so crap'." Computer Gaming World gave it a 3.5/5, and called it an "excellent quick-'n'-dirty version of Command & Conquer, stripped down for speed and playability." They said that "if you don't mind a game that's on the short side, and you are a real-time tactical game lover with a good sense of humor, then buckle into your computer chair, dude, and crack open a cold can of Rocket Fuel, because Z is going to be your favorite letter." Reviewing the Saturn port, Sega Saturn Magazines Lee Nutter gave the AI for both friendly and enemy troops the highest of praise, and also commented on the addictiveness of the gameplay and the effectiveness of the point-and-click controls. However, he rated it the weakest of the three war simulators available for the Saturn in Europe, citing its short length, lack of multiplayer, and comparatively shallow gameplay. According to Sega Saturn Magazine, "The PC version was a hit (despite being released on the same day as Quake)". The re-release by Tick Tock Games received a negative review from Softpedia, which criticized the lack of modern enhancements, arguing that both the gameplay and graphics of Z had aged badly. ==Legacy== ===ZZone=== During a period of no official support, the game was 'kept alive' with the help of an unofficial fan website called ZZone. The fan community created fan fixes for Z95 support past Windows 95. It also data mined for the original graphic and sound assets from the game. ===The Zod Engine (Remake)=== The Zod Engine is an actively developed open source remake of the game. Its main focus is to provide a cross platform friendly source base which is multiplayer oriented. Considering that the original is easily available the developers of the Zod Engine decided not to focus their efforts on the single player aspect but instead to make single player merely an option of multiplayer. The Zod Engine currently entails almost all of the original features and gameplay of the original game and is in a Beta stage. It is derived out of the efforts of the hackers at the ZZone website and is available at SourceForge.http://zod.sourceforge.net/ The Zod Engine has had an article written about it by the magazine Linux Format June 2011. ==References== ==External links== * *Z at GameSpy *The Zod Engine Category:1996 video games Category:Android (operating system) games Category:BlackBerry PlayBook games Category:Classic Mac OS games Category:DOS games Category:GT Interactive games Category:IOS games Category:Krisalis Software games Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games Category:PlayStation (console) games Category:Real- time strategy video games Category:Sega Saturn games Category:Sony Interactive Entertainment games Category:The Bitmap Brothers games Category:Video games about robots Category:Video games developed in the United Kingdom Category:Video games set on fictional planets Category:Virgin Interactive games Category:Windows games
The Z 23000 was a type of railcar run by the Compagnie du chemin de fer métropolitain de Paris (CMP). The trains, better known during their 50 years of service as the "automotrices Z" (English: Z railcars), were brought in from 1934 to serve la Ligne de Sceaux in the southern suburbs of Paris, which had been modernized and electrified by 1937. The Z 23000 were built with identical motors and were the first generation of modern self-propelled locomotive technology engineered for the future regional metro network, which would not be created until forty years later under the name Reseau Express Regional (RER). == History == In 1930, the CMP ordered the Z 23000, intended to be suitable for reliable and efficient suburban service on the Sceaux Line, which was being radically modernized and electrified at the time of the order. These new railcars introduced several new features, including four pairs of doors per side (similar to equipment used on the Paris Métro) allowing for faster passenger boarding at stations, high platform boarding, longer cars without significant gaps at curved platforms, light construction for faster acceleration and simple, reliable electrical equipment. The railcars were equipped with a pantograph for capturing the 1.5 kV DC power from overhead catenary lines. The Z 23000 railcars were ordered in several installments: the first phase in 1934, built by the Forges et ateliers de constructions électriques de Jeumont company, followed by a second order in 1937, a third in 1942 and a fourth in June 1950. Similarly, the commercial implementation of the railcars was also rolled out in multiple phases between November 1937 and December 1938 (for the first two series) on the Sceaux Line, which had just been modernised and electrified. Two final orders were placed in 1959 for 21 engines and in 1961 for a further 25. A total of 148 railcars were built over a period of almost 30 years. The Z 23000 also played a part in the integration of the Sceaux and the RER B Lines in 1977, initially extending to Châtelet-Les Halles. They received some technical improvements at this time to accommodate the steeper gradients on the new tracks for the RER B. The line has a north–south ramp with a gradient of 40 per thousand. RATP engineers tested the railcars on the Line A ramp between Le Vésinet et Saint-Germain-en-Laye. The brakes needed replacing, and the wheels were upgraded to monoblock (there were also some spoke wheels.) However the Z 23000, designed for a continuous 1500 V current, had limited functionality on the RER B because north of Gare du Nord the line was electrified using SNCF's incompatible 25 kV AC system. Because of this, the RATP ordered the MI 79 (French: Matériel d'Interconnexion de 1979, English: interconnection rolling stock of 1979) trainsets for the RER B, which could use both electric systems (interconnect). === Withdrawal === Because of these issues, the Z 8100 (or MI 79) model was brought in. The RATP planned to withdraw the Z 23000 from service by 1983, but technical issues with the MS 61 (which would soon operate exclusively on the RER A) forced 24 trains of the then-new MI 79 to leave the RER B to make up for the shortfall. Withdrawal actually began in 1984, but the process was slowed down by a cold wave in 1985–86, which caused technical issues with the MI 79 fleet, forcing the surviving Z 23000 units to make up for the shortfall. The withdrawal of the Z 23000 was necessary to free up the terminus tracks at Gare du Nord for the opening of the first section of the RER D on 27 September, as well as the opening of the Saint-Michel – Notre-Dame platforms in the following year: although the Z 23000 was upgraded to climb a 4.08% gradient from to Châtelet, the momentum would have been lost if the train stopped at Saint Michel. The last Z 23000 train ran on 27 February 1987, fifty years after the railcars were introduced on the Sceaux Line, from Gare du Nord to Orsay-Ville. After its official withdrawal from service, two runs took place on the southern part of the line, in 1990 and 1994. == Order list == Order Number purchased Numbering Original owner Ordered Builder Delivered Notes 1 21 Z 23221-241 CMP 1934 Decauville 1937 Delivered in "duck blue" livery 24 Z 23242-265 CFMCF 12 Z 23266-277 2 4 Z 23278-281 CMP 1937 CFMCF ? 14 Z 23451-464 PO 1937 1938 3 5 Z 23282-286 CMP 1942 Brissonneau et Lotz 1947 Delivered in "celtic green" livery 10 Z 23287-296 1949 4 14 Z 23297-310 RATP 20 June 1950 1952 Fluorescent lights instead of chandeliers 5 21 Z 23311-331 2 October 1959 1961 6 25 Z 23332-356 1961 1962 == Preserved examples == The Z 23461 is preserved in its original "duck blue" livery at the Cité du train museum in Mulhouse. The RATP preserves five railcars in the Villeneuve-Saint-Georges reserve. Z 23237 has been restored into the "celtic green" livery, while Z 23342, Z 23312, Z 23326 and Z 23328 were preserved in the same blue and gray livery they had when they were retired. == Photo gallery == MS61 Z23237.jpg|MS 61 (left), Z 23237 (right) preserved at Villeneuve-Saint-Georges Z 23237 cabine conducteur.jpg|Control cab Z 23237 plan ligne.jpg|Route map Z 23237 1er classe.jpg|First class seat Z 23237 lustre.jpg|Chandelier ==References== Category:SNCF multiple units Category:Réseau Express Régional multiple units Category:Electric multiple units of France
The Z 2N (French: Automotrice Z à 2 niveaux, English: two-level Z series) is a family of double-deck electric multiple unit trainsets that are operated on the Réseau Express Régional (RER), a hybrid suburban commuter and rapid transit system and the Transilien, a suburban commuter rail system, both serving Paris and its Île-de-France suburbs. == Variants == There are five variants of the Z 2N that have been produced: *The Z 5600 is the original version of the Z 2N, it is a single-voltage trainset (1.5 kV DC). 52 trains were built between 1982 and 1985 by , TCF, and TCO. Currently the type is primarily assigned to the RER C line, and the TER Bourgogne-Franche-Comté line. *The Z 8800 added dual-voltage capabilities (1.5 kV DC and 25 kV AC). 58 trains were built between 1985 and 1988 by ANF, CIMT, and TCO. Currently the type is assigned to the RER C line, and the Transilien N and U lines. *The Z 20500 is dual-voltage capable and is an improved version of the Z 8800. 194 trains were built between 1988 and 1998 by Alsthom, ANF, and CIMT. Currently the type is assigned to the RER C and D lines, and the Transilien P and R lines. **The Z 92050 is mechanically identical to the Z 20500, but with a different class number because they were purchased by the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region for TER services. The trains were purchased by the Île-de-France region in December 2012 and refurbished to more closely resemble the rest of the Z 20500 class. Six trains were built in 1996 by GEC-Alsthom, ANF, and CIMT. Currently the type is assigned to Transilien Line P. *The Z 20900 is dual- voltage capable and is an improved version of the Z 20500. 54 trains were built between 2001 and 2004 by Alstom and Bombardier. Currently the type is assigned to the RER C. The RENFE Class 450 (built 1988) and CP Class 3500 (built 1999) are also based on the Z 2N family of trains. == Gallery == File:Z5669 (35T) à Vitry par Cramos.JPG|SNCF Z 5600 File:Z8828 01.jpg|SNCF Z 8800 File:2017-06-07 SNCF Class Z 20500, Livrée Transilien at Gare de Fontainebleau - Avon 2.jpg|SNCF Z 20500 File:Z 92050 Arras.jpg|SNCF Z 92050 File:Z20900 sqy.jpg|SNCF Z 20900 File:Ut 450 STVC.jpg|RENFE Class 450 File:Fertagus 3500 (35610075761).jpg|CP Class 3500 == References == Category:Réseau Express Régional multiple units Category:Electric multiple units of France Category:SNCF multiple units
Z Andromedae is a binary star system consisting of a red giant and a white dwarf. It is the prototype of a type of cataclysmic variable star known as symbiotic variable stars or simply Z Andromedae variables. The brightness of those stars vary over time, showing a quiescent, more stable phase and then an active one with a more pronounced variability and stronger brightening and/or dimming. ==Binary system== Z Andromedae is a binary star system. The two components have a circular orbit that takes 759 days to complete. The red giant is around twice the mass of the sun and 880 times its luminosity, but its effective temperature is only 2,800 K. The white dwarf is around a thousand times the luminosity of the sun during the quiescent phase, but up to 10 times more luminous during the active phases. Its temperature is as high as 150,000 K when quiescent, but drops below 100,000 K when active. It also spins around its rotation axis every 1,682 seconds and displays a strong magnetic field. The evolved red giant star is losing mass, since radiation pressure overcomes the low gravity on the surface. The outflow of matter is captured by the gravitational field of the white dwarf and falls on its surface in the end. At least during the active phase an accretion disk forms around the white dwarf. ==Variability== thumb|left|Light curve of Z Andromedae, showing a typical outburst in 1986 and the abnormally long active period from 2000 onwards During the quiescent phase, most of the white dwarf luminosity comes from stable hydrogen burning on its surface, and photons emitted this way ionize the wind of the red giant which causes nebular emission. The giant star, however, follows a quasi-periodic activity cycle (similar to the solar cycle) roughly every 7,550 days; when the activity of the star is enhanced, the stellar wind becomes stronger, and in response the white dwarf increases in size and cools, triggering the active phase. In the quiescent phase, the brightness of Z Andromedae is modulated by the orbital period of the system, and can reach a magnitude of mv = 11.3 at minimum. During the active phase Z Andromedae makes luminosity outbursts and can increase its brightness up to a magnitude of mv = 7.7. Eclipses from the red giant are still visible in this phase. During this phase, a shorter periodicity of 685 days is observed; this could be a beat period between the unknown rotation period of the giant star and the orbital period, which arise from the non-spherical outflow of matter from the atmosphere of the giant star. Z Andromedae started an unusually long active phase in September 2000, brightening by several magnitudes multiple times over at least a decade. During the outbursts, irregular brightness variations (up to 0.065 magnitudes) were observed at timescales shorter than a day, interpreted as warping in the accretion disk. If models for this source are correct, it should enter a quiescent phase again in 2020. ==Spectrum== ===Optical=== The spectrum of Z Andromedae has been recognised as extremely peculiar since the early 20th century. Early spectra during a bright period, showing only emission lines against a red continuum, were interpreted as a star embedded in dense nebulosity. As the star's brightness faded, the spectrum lost the high excitation "nebular" lines and developed absorption lines with P Cygni profiles. These spectra were readily identified as being due to a hot nova-like star with a cool companion. Emission lines identified included low ionization states of hydrogen and helium with high ionization states of oxygen and iron. The MK spectral classification is typical of a cool giant, for example M4.5. The exact spectral type has been shown to vary, for example between M5 in 1987 and M3.5 in 1989. Infrared observations gave a combination spectral type of M2III + B1eq. Here the luminosity class of III is for a normal giant star, and the peculiarity codes eq indicate emission lines with P Cygni profiles. ===Ultraviolet=== Z Andromedae shows also a strong ultraviolet emission, which follows the optical behaviour; absorption lines identified during the quiescent phase becomes emission lines during outbursts. Elements identified in this region of the spectrum are carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and silicon in their ionized states. ===Radio=== The radio flux from Z Andromedae at the beginning of outbursts is lower than the usual quiescent level, and has a maximum after the optical one. After the outbursts, radio jets can be seen flowing out of this system, in a direction perpendicular to the orbital plane. ===X-ray=== Z Andromedae is much fainter in X-ray, and has not been detected when in the quiescent phase. During outbursts, X-ray emission comes from shock-heated plasma, where the kinetic energy of the outflowing material is converted in X-ray radiation. This emission "mimics" a blackbody radiation with a temperature different from the one of the white dwarf, but its real nature can be identified because it shows absorption edges (which shows also the presence of neon) and an excess at high frequencies. ==Bipolar jets== Following the 2006 outburst, the hydrogen Balmer emission lines included faint wings at a velocity of ±1,150 km/s. Since extended radio outflows had previously been seen during the long 2000-2002 outbursts, collimated jets along the axis of the system were the most likely explanation for this phenomenon. It is thought that the jets are only present during bright outbursts. The jets were observed again during subsequent outbursts; their velocity is highly variable at the beginning but settles on a constant velocity after roughly 1 month. A single jet can also occur. The jets could be formed by material that cannot accrete on the white dwarf that reaches the Eddington limit. ==References== ==Further reading== * * * * * * * * * * ==External links== * Image Z Andromedae * AAVSO chart for Z Andromedae * AAVSO long-term light curve of Z And * Z Andromedae: The Prototype of the Symbiotic Class AAVSO 221650 Category:Z Andromedae variables Category:Andromeda (constellation) Andromedae, Z Category:M-type giants J23333994+4849059 116287 Category:Durchmusterung objects Category:IRAS catalogue objects
Z Apodis (Z Aps) is a variable star in the constellation of Apus. It has an apparent visual magnitude which varies between 10.8 and 12.8, over a period of 39.37 days. Although described in the General Catalogue of Variable Stars as a cataclysmic variable star, it appears that it is a pulsating variable star, and has been classed as an RV Tauri variable star, type RVa. Other sources classify it is a type II (W Virginis) Cepheid. ==References== Category:Apus Category:RV Tauri variables Apodis, Z J14065484-7122167
The IBM System z Application Assist Processor (zAAP), previously known as the zSeries Application Assist Processor, is a mainframe processor introduced by IBM in 2004. zAAP engines"Engine" is the common name for a primary mainframe CPU. Mainframes contain numerous secondary assist processors, so the use of "engine" to refer to a primary workload processor is an attempt to avoid confusion with these I/O, network, and other assist processors. are dedicated to running specific Java and XML workloads under z/OS, accelerating performance. zAAPs are available for zSeries 990 and 890 servers and later zSeries and zEnterprise models. Beginning with the IBM z13, the zAAP functionality is integrated with zIIP processors (zAAP on zIIP). Currently a zAAP engine contains the same underlying hardware as any other mainframe engine. However, IBM uses microcode to limit code execution to Java and XML workloads only. As with Integrated Facility for Linux (IFL) and zIIP, zAAPs are not specifically optimized to run Java faster or better. IBM does not change the "software model" or MSU rating on its mainframes with the installation of zAAPs. Consequently, IBM's customers do not incur software license charges for their zAAPs, reducing their costs of running Java- and XML-oriented applications. The number of zAAPs cannot exceed the number of central processors (CPs, general purpose engines) within a zSeries/z9 machine. IBM made the zAAP feature (i.e. the microcode) generally available on June 30, 2004, although the required z/OS release was not generally available until September 24, 2004. zAAPs work with z/OS V1R6 and higher, and Java 1.4.1 and higher. IBM modified the z/OS dispatcher and Workload Manager (WLM) to switch pure Java workload to the dedicated engines. These modifications are completely transparent to Java applications. However, because Java must at least occasionally call native system services (I/O services, for example), some conventional processor (CP) capacity must be available to initiate and sustain a zAAP engine. Major software subsystems that could benefit from zAAP (i.e. that rely on Java workloads) include WebSphere Application Server, WebSphere Business Integration Server Foundation, WebSphere Process Server, WebSphere Message Broker, Db2, CICS Transaction Server, CICS Transaction Gateway, IMS, and (JZOS and z/OS UNIX System Services) Batch, among others. In 2007, IBM added zAAP support to the XML System Services for z/OS, so now products such as DB2 9 for z/OS can also take advantage of zAAPs for XML- related processing. The first commercial production workload for zAAP began on September 1, 2004, at an undisclosed Midwestern U.S. insurance company performing claims processing. The company used Java 1.4.2, WebSphere Application Server Version 5.1, and a near-final z/OS V1R6 build on a zSeries 990 (2084-304/A08 with two zAAPs). This deployment is probably a mainframe record for speed of both development and adoption, since IBM only began its zAAP design project in 2003. ==Support for zAAPs== Third-party independent software vendors (ISVs) have introduced support for execution of their products on zAAP Specialty Engines by using Java or XML Services toolkit from IBM. For example, Ivory Server for z/OS and Ivory Server for CICS from GT Software, Inc. provide zAAP support for XML parsing using the optional IBM z/OS XML Services feature. The Ivory Server for Java will also take advantage of the zAAP in addition to supporting zIIP and the Integrated Facility for Linux (IFL). == See also == * Integrated Facility for Linux (IFL) * zIIP == References == == External links == * Category:IBM mainframe technology Category:Java enterprise platform
thumb|right| A Z Battery was a short range anti-aircraft weapon system, launching diameter rockets from ground-based single and multiple launchers, for the air defence of Great Britain in the Second World War. The rocket motors were later adapted with a new warhead for air-to-ground use as the RP-3. ==Development== The solid-fuel 3 inch (76 mm) rocket used by the Z Batteries was known as the UP-3 (Unrotated Projectile) and had been developed in the late 1930s by the Projectile Development Establishment at Fort Halstead in Kent under the direction of Alwyn Crow. The naval weapon had been enthusiastically backed by Winston Churchill when he was First Lord of the Admiralty at the outbreak of war. By June 1940, Churchill was Prime Minister and he requested "large supplies of [rocket] projectors" for the anti-aircraft defence of the mainland. The development of British rockets was under the control of Professor Frederick Lindemann and he enthusiastically backed Churchill's suggestion. The naval weapon was intended to bring down low-flying aircraft with a trailing wire, at the end of which was an explosive mine; the land-based system was intended to have a high explosive warhead, detonated by a specially designed photoelectric (PE) proximity fuse. The rocket was propelled by special solvent-free cordite, which was initially manufactured at ROF Bishopton in Scotland; in December 1940, a new propellant factory was commissioned at Ranskill, which was in production by the start of 1942. By August 1940, more than 7,000 rocket projectors were available to Anti-Aircraft Command but output of the rockets lagged and by April only 18,600 had been made, of which Anti-Aircraft Command was allocated 8,400, preference being granted to the Admiralty; the command was only able to operate 840 launchers with ten rockets apiece. In October 1940, an experimental Z Battery became operational at Cardiff in South Wales under the command of Major Duncan Sandys, Churchill's son-in-law. Trials against a radio-controlled Queen Bee target aircraft were successful, although the Director of Artillery at the Ministry of Supply suspected that the results were "fixed". Despite this Churchill and Lindemann drove the project forward and by 1942, 2.4 million rockets were being produced annually. ==Service== thumb| The first Z Batteries were equipped with a single-rocket launcher, the Projector, 3-inch, Mark 1. It was soon found that the rockets did not perform as accurately as the trials had suggested and that the proximity fuses were rarely effective. Salvo-fire was introduced and projectors capable of firing an ever-larger number of rockets were developed. The Projector, 3-inch, No 2, Mk 1 was a twin launcher and the No 4 Mk 1 and Mk 2 fired ripples of 36 rockets. During the Battle of Britain in an attack on RAF Kenley by Dornier Do 17 bombers, AC2 David Roberts brought down one of the two attacking aircraft destroyed, using the RAF's newest anti-aircraft weapon, a line of twenty-five rockets that deployed a barrage of cables suspended on parachutes. This weapon, the naval version of the Z Barrage, was an example of the hodge-podge of weapons issued to the RAF in the early war years. The other Dornier 17 was shot down by Corporal John Miller of the Scots Guards, using a Lewis gun; both men were awarded the Military Medal. From early 1942, the manning of Z Batteries began to be transferred to the Home Guard, as the equipment was comparatively simple to operate and the rounds were lighter. The age limit for Home Guards to work on Z Batteries was 60, whereas it was 40 for those posted to conventional anti- aircraft guns and coast defence batteries, because of the heavier ammunition. ==Ground attack version== The No 2 and No 4 projectors were used in the North African Campaign, mounted on converted QF 3-inch 20 cwt gun trailers. The emergency use of a No 4 projector against an Axis infantry attack in that theatre provided the inspiration for the No 8 Projector, better known as the Land Mattress, a surface-to-surface rocket system, used by the Canadian Army in 1945. The UP-3 rocket was also developed into the RP-3 air-to-ground anti- tank rocket. == See also == * AA Mine Discharger, a Japanese anti-aircraft mortar. * Holman Projector, a steam-powered anti-aircraft grenade launcher. * Henschel Hs 297 / 7.3 cm Föhn-Gerät, a German anti-aircraft rocket system. * Bethnal Green disaster == Footnotes == ==References== ==Bibliography== * * * * * * == External links == * A Brief Assessment of the role of Fort Halstead in Britain's early Rocket Programmes and the Atomic Bomb Project * BBC : "Z" Battery, Rocket AA in Hyde Park by Lionel Francis * Memories of the Home Guard * Underground Kent - Z Rocket Category:Anti-aircraft weapons Category:World War II weapons of the United Kingdom Category:Weapons and ammunition introduced in 1940
Z Battery RA was a Battery of 5th Regiment Royal Artillery in the Royal Artillery. It had the Surveillance and Target Acquisition role and was equipped with various weapon platform locating equipment using radars and acoustic sound ranging assets. ==Early history== ===First formation=== Z Battery was originally raised in Poona, India on 1 April 1824 as 4th Troop, Bombay Horse Artillery, part of the Bombay Presidency Army of the Honourable East India Company. As a result of the Indian Rebellion of 1857, the British Crown took direct control of India from the East India Company on 1 November 1858 under the provisions of the Government of India Act 1858. The Presidency armies transferred to the direct authority of the British Crown and its European units were transferred to the British Army. Henceforth artillery, the mutineers most effective arm, was to be the sole preserve of the British Army (with the exception of certain Mountain Artillery batteries). On 19 February 1862, the Bombay Horse Artillery transferred to the Royal Horse Artillery as its 4th Brigade and 4th Troop became D Battery, 4th Horse Brigade, RA. A reorganization of the horse artillery on 13 April 1864 saw 1st Brigade split as A and B Brigades, 2nd Brigade became C Brigade, 3rd Brigade became D Brigade, 4th Brigade became E Brigade, and 5th Brigade became F Brigade. As battery designations were tied to the brigade the battery was assigned to, the battery was now designated D Battery, E Brigade, the first of a bewildering series of redesignations. From 1866, the term "Royal Horse Artillery" appeared in Army List hence the battery was designated D Battery, E Brigade, RHA from about this time. Throughout this period, the battery was based at Ahmednager. On 1 February 1871 it was designated H Battery, C Brigade, became H Battery, D Brigade on 16 January 1873 and E Battery, E Brigade on 1 April 1875. Another reorganization on 1 July 1877 saw E Brigade disbanded with its batteries distributed amongst A, B and C Brigades. The battery was now redesignated E Battery, C Brigade at Aldershot. By January 1882, the battery was at Kirkee. On 1 April 1882, C Brigade was in its turn disbanded with its batteries distributed amongst A and B Brigades. The battery was now redesignated N Battery, A Brigade at Canterbury. The battery took partas N/A Battery in the Anglo-Egyptian War, notably the Battle of Tel el-Kebir in September 1882. The battery was disbanded in February 1884. The brigade system was abolished on 1 July 1889. From now on, RHA batteries would be designated in a single sequence. ===Reformed=== Z Battery, RHA was reformed on 13 February 1900. The Brigade system was revived on 1 March 1901 and the battery was assigned to the 4th Brigade-Division, RHA on formation (along with AA Battery, RHA). In 1903, the brigade was redesignated IV Brigade, RHA and was stationed at Newbridge in Ireland. On 1 October 1906, the brigade was redesignated XIV Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery and was broken up on 1 August 1913. The battery was transferred to II Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery at Canterbury and was disbanded again on 24 December 1913. ==World War I== ===(Tempy) Z Battery=== As a result of the action at Néry on 1 September 1914, L Battery, RHA was almost destroyed as an operational unit: of five Officers, three were killed and two wounded; of 200 Other Ranks, 20 were killed and 29 wounded; and five of six 13 pounders were lost. It had to be withdrawn to England to reform. (Tempy) Z Battery, RHA was formed on 1 September from the Centre and Left Sections of I Battery, RHA to replace L Battery in VII Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery, 1st Cavalry Division. On 3 September, the Left Section of I Battery was replaced by a section of D Battery, RHA. On 15 September, this section returned to D Battery and on 17 September a section of J Battery, RHA joined. On 27 September, the sections of I and J returned to their batteries and (Tempy) Z Battery ceased to exist. The next day, H Battery, RHA joined 1st Cavalry Division in its place. During the battery's brief existence, 1st Cavalry Division saw action in the First Battle of the Marne and the First Battle of the Aisne. ===Z Battery=== Z Battery, RHA was reformed on 9 October 1914 equipped with six 13 pounders. It joined the Ipswich based G Battery and O Battery in V Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery. V Brigade, RHA was assigned to 8th Division on formation in October 1914. With 8th Division, it crossed to France on 4 and 5 November 1914 and served with the division on the Western Front until January 1917. While with the division, it served in the battles of Neuve Chapelle, Aubers Ridge, and of the Somme. On 8 June 1915, the battery was re-armed with six 18 pounders. On 13 January 1917, V Brigade, RHA left 8th Division and became V Army Brigade, RHA. At the Armistice, it was serving as Army Troops with the Fourth Army. By October 1919, the battery had joined the newly reformed VIII Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery. On 4 January 1920, the battery was absorbed into B Battery, RHA. ==Recent operations== Z Battery deployed on Operation Herrick 13 and 18 in Afghanistan. ==See also== *British Army *Royal Artillery *Royal Horse Artillery *List of Royal Artillery Batteries ==Notes== ==References== ==Bibliography== * * * * * ==External links== * * The Royal Artillery Association * Fire Power Museum Category:Royal Artillery batteries Category:1824 establishments in British India Category:Military units and formations established in 1824
The Z Bend lookout is a popular tourist lookout on the Murchison River Gorge in Western Australia. It is located at ,Gazetteer of Australia (1996). Belconnen, ACT: Australian Surveying and Land Information Group. about east of Kalbarri, in the Kalbarri National Park. One of four lookouts in the national park, it is situated on a sharp bend in the gorge. The view includes an excellent section through the Tumblagooda Sandstone, a geological sequence of fluvial and coastal deposits over deep. ==Facilities== Picnic seating and toilets are situated next to the car park. From the car park there is a walk of about to the gorge lookout. There is then a climb of about to the bed of the Murchison River. ==References== Category:Tourist attractions in Western Australia Category:Landforms of Western Australia
Elizabeth Anne "Z" Berg (born June 28, 1986) is an American musician. She was a founding member, guitarist, and lead vocalist of the indie rock group the Like. Berg's father is former Geffen Records A&R; exec/record producer Tony Berg. ==Musical career== Berg co-founded the Like along with members Charlotte Froom and Tennessee Thomas at the age of 15. Following the hiatus of the Like in 2011, Berg formed the band JJAMZ along with James Valentine (Maroon 5), Jason Boesel (Bright Eyes/Rilo Kiley), Alex Greenwald (Phantom Planet), and Michael Runion.KROQ: JJAMZ’s Z. Berg Made A Suicide Pact With Friends, Isn’t Afraid To Jump. October 23, 2012. Accessed February 16, 2014. Their debut album, Suicide Pact, was released on July 10, 2012, via Dangerbird Records.Spin: JJAMZ, 'Suicide Pact' (Dangerbird). July 16, 2012. Accessed February 16, 2014. Following Valentine's departure from the band it was renamed Phases, and a new record, For Life, was released under the new name and lineup on September 18, 2015. Music critic Dan Cairns described her voice as "Björk meets Harriet Wheeler". In 2018, Z Berg released four songs as a solo artist, "I Fall For the Same Face Every Time" and "I Go to Sleep" (released February 25, 2018) and "Time Flies" (released 11 May 2018). She also directed the music video for "Time Flies." Z Berg released the music video for her song "All out of Tears" on 26 September 2018 and the single was released on music platforms on 2 October 2018. In December 2018, Berg collaborated with Ryan Ross on the Christmas single "The Bad List". September 30, 2019 marked the first show of The Dead End Kids Club tour, a 7 show tour that she performed on alongside Ryan Ross, Dan Keyes, and Palm Springsteen. The tour concluded with a Halloween show in San Francisco on October 28, 2019. Berg released her first solo album, Get Z to a Nunnery, in July 2020. ==Discography== ;Studio albums * Get Z to a Nunnery (2020) ;EP * Covers and Love Letters: Screaming into the Void (2021) ;Digital singles * "I Fall For the Same Face Every Time" * "I Go to Sleep" (2018) * "Time Flies" (2018) * "All Out of Tears" (2018) * "The Bad List" (featuring Ryan Ross) (2018) ==References== ==External links== * Category:Living people Category:American women singer-songwriters Category:Singer-songwriters from California Category:1986 births Category:Crossroads School alumni Category:21st-century American women singers Category:21st-century American singers Category:Phases (band) members Category:The Like members
Z Brewer, previously known as Zac Brewer (born Heather Brewer; September 21, 1973), is an American writer of young adult fiction. Their debut series, The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod, was published by Dutton Juvenile. == Personal life == Brewer grew up with a history of being bullied, which led them to become an anti-bullying and mental health awareness advocate. Brewer lives in Missouri with their husband, child, and four cats. == Publications == ===The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod=== * Eighth Grade Bites (Dutton Juvenile, 2007) * Ninth Grade Slays (Dutton Juvenile, 2008) * Tenth Grade Bleeds (Dutton Juvenile, 2009) * Eleventh Grade Burns (Dutton Juvenile, February 9, 2010) * Twelfth Grade Kills (Dutton Juvenile, September 19, 2010) ===The Slayer Chronicles=== A spin-off trilogy of the Vladimir Tod series. * First Kill (Dutton Juvenile, September 20, 2011) * Second Chance (Dutton Juvenile, October 16, 2012) * Third Strike (Dutton Juvenile, February 20, 2014) ===Legacy of Tril=== * Soulbound (Dial Books, June 19, 2012) ‘’Soulbroken’’ ===Stand-alone novels=== * The Cemetery Boys (HarperCollins, March 31, 2015) * The Blood Between Us (HarperCollins, May 3, 2016) *Madness (Harper Teen, September 19, 2017) *Into the Real (HarperCollins, October 6, 2020) === Short stories and anthologies === * The Ghost of Ben Hargrove (HarperCollins, October 7, 2014) * Foretold: 14 Tales of Prophecy and Prediction (Delacorte Press, August 28, 2012) * Dear Bully: Seventy Authors Tell Their Stories (HarperCollins, September 6, 2011) * Eternal: More Love Stories with Bite (Smart Pop, November 2, 2010) * Fear: 13 Stories of Suspense and Horror (Dutton Books for Young Readers, September 2, 2010) ==References== ==External links== * Category:1973 births Category:21st- century American novelists Category:American bloggers Category:American children's writers Category:American writers of young adult literature Category:Living people Category:Video bloggers Category:American LGBT writers Category:21st-century American male writers
Z Cam may refer to: * Z Camelopardalis, a dwarf nova in the Camelopardalis constellation * ZCam, a brand of 3D time-of-flight camera products in the 2000s by 3DV Systems
Z Camelopardalis (Z Cam) is a cataclysmic variable star system in the northern constellation of Camelopardalis. It has an apparent visual magnitude which varies between 9.8 and 14.5. This system is the prototype star for the family of Z Camelopardalis variable stars: dwarf novae with standstills at a brightness intermediate between their maxima and minima. It may be the same bright nova that was recorded by Chinese astrologers in the autumn of 77 BCE. Z Camelopardalis was discovered photographically in 1904 by Henry Park Hollis during work for the Astrographic Catalogue. It is surrounded by an extensive shell thought to have been ejected in a nova explosion, the largest known of its type. The size and expansion of this shell sets a firm lower limit since the last eruption of at least 220 years. ==Gallery== File:Z Camelopardalis light curve.png|Z Camelopardalis light curve showing a characteristic standstill interrupting the otherwise regular eruptions File:Gas Shell Around Z Cam.jpg|Gas shell Around Z Camelopardalis File:Z Camelopardalis GALEX.jpg|Z Camelopardalis in ultraviolet ==References== ==External links== * Category:G-type main-sequence stars Category:Dwarf novae Category:Camelopardalis Camelopardalis, Z J08251318+7306391
Z Canis Majoris (Z CMa) is a B-type star in the constellation of Canis Major. It has an average apparent visual magnitude of approximately 10, though has brightened by 1-2 magnitudes in irregular outbursts in 1987, 2000, 2004 and 2008. The star is a complex binary system only 300,000 years old with two main components separated by an estimated 100 astronomical units (AU) or 0.1" as seen from Earth. The southeast component is an FU Orionis star (a type of pre- main-sequence star in a phase of very high mass accretion resulting in an accretion disk which dominates the optical spectrum) that is 1300 times as luminous as the Sun, has 3 times its mass and 13 times its diameter and a surface temperature of 10,000 K. The northwest component is a Herbig Ae/Be star that has been calculated to be 12 times as massive as the Sun with 1690 times its diameter, and shining with 2400 times its luminosity, though there is some uncertainty about its properties. It is enveloped in an irregular roughly spherical cocoon of dust that has an inner diameter of 20 and outer diameter of 50 AU. The cocoon has a hole in it through which light shines that covers an angle of 5 to 10 degrees of its circumference. Both stars are surrounded by a large envelope of in-falling material that left over from the original cloud that formed the system. Both stars are emitting jets of material, that of the Herbig Ae/Be star being much larger - up to 11.7 light- years (3.6 parsecs) long. It is unclear whether the most recent (and brightest) brightening in 2008 was due to the Herbig Ae/Be star increasing in luminosity or a hole appearing in the cocoon. ==References== Category:FU Orionis stars Category:Herbig Ae/Be stars Category:Canis Major Category:B-type stars 053179 034042 Canis Majoris, Z Category:Durchmusterung objects
Z Carinae and z Carinae are designations referring to stars in the constellation Carina. The Bayer designation z Carinae (z Car) is shared by two stars in the constellation Carina: * HD 96566 (z1 Carinae), the brighter of the pair, often referred to as simply z Carinae * V371 Carinae (z2 Carinae) They are separated by 0.53° on the sky. The variable star designation Z Carinae is used by the star HD 88946, a 10.20m Mira variable. Category:Carina (constellation) Carinae, z
Z Chamaeleontis (abbreviated Z Cha) is a dwarf nova variable star system approximately 377 light-years away from the Sun, where two stars orbit each other every 1.78 hours. The system comprises an eclipsing white dwarf and red dwarf and possibly a yet unconfirmed third low-mass substellar companion. == Substellar companion == Dai et al. (2009) invoke the presence of a third object to explain orbital period variations with an apparent periodicity of roughly 28 years. The third body could yield a minimum mass 20 times greater than Jupiter and be located 9.9 Astronomical Units away from the dwarf nova, being likely a low-mass brown dwarf. thumb|left|Possible makeup of the Z Chamaeleontis Star system. == See also == * HW Virginis * NN Serpentis * OY Carinae == References == Category:Chamaeleon Category:Eclipsing binaries Category:Dwarf novae Category:Hypothetical planetary systems Chamaeleontis, Z Category:White dwarfs Category:M-type main-sequence stars