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= Russian battleship Tsesarevich = Tsesarevich ( Russian : Цесаревич ) was a pre @-@ dreadnought battleship of the Imperial Russian Navy , built in France at the end of the 19th century . The ship 's design formed the basis of the Russian @-@ built Borodino @-@ class battleships . She was based at Port Arthur , Manchuria after entering service and fought in the Russo @-@ Japanese War of 1904 – 05 . Tsesarevich was the flagship of Admiral Wilgelm Vitgeft in the Battle of the Yellow Sea and was interned in Tsingtau after the battle . After the end of the war , the ship was transferred to the Baltic Fleet and helped to suppress the Sveaborg Rebellion in mid @-@ 1906 . While on a Mediterranean cruise , she helped survivors of the 1908 Messina earthquake . Tsesarevich was not very active during the early part of World War I and her bored sailors joined the general mutiny of the Baltic Fleet in early 1917 . Now named Grazhdanin , the ship participated in the Battle of Moon Sound in 1917 , during which she was lightly damaged . The ship seized by the Bolsheviks during the Russian Revolution in late 1917 and decommissioned the following year . Grazhdanin was scrapped in 1924 – 1925 . = = Design and description = = The ship was ordered as part of the " Programme for the Needs of the Far East " , authorised by Tsar Nicholas II in 1898 to defend Russia 's newly acquired ice @-@ free port of Port Arthur in Manchuria . Russian shipyards were already at full capacity so the Naval Ministry decided to order ships from abroad . Specifications were issued on 14 June 1898 and a few days later the chief designer of the French shipyard Forges et Chantiers de la Méditerranée proposed a design based on that of the French battleship Jauréguiberry . The Naval Technical Committee approved the design with a few changes to which the French readily agreed . The General Admiral , Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich selected the French design over a competing proposal from the Baltic Works . A contract was signed on 20 July 1898 at a cost of 30 @.@ 28 million francs ( 11 @.@ 355 million rubles ) for delivery in 42 months . Tsesarevich 's most obvious design feature was her tumblehome hull . This had several advantages because it allowed greater freeboard since the narrow upper decks reduced the structural weight of the vessel 's hull , it increased the field of fire of guns mounted on the sides , and it reduced the ship 's roll in heavy seas . Its great disadvantage was that it reduced buoyancy and stability which contributed to excessive heel during turns . During the Battle of the Yellow Sea in August 1904 , Imperial Japanese Navy observers thought the Tsesarevich was going to capsize when she suddenly turned out of the battleline . Tsesarevich was 118 @.@ 5 metres ( 388 ft 9 in ) long overall , had a beam of 23 @.@ 2 metres ( 76 ft 1 in ) and a draught of 7 @.@ 92 metres ( 26 ft 0 in ) . The ship displaced 13 @,@ 105 tonnes ( 12 @,@ 898 long tons ) . Her crew consisted of 28 – 29 officers and 750 enlisted men . The ship was powered by two vertical triple @-@ expansion steam engines using steam generated by 20 Belleville boilers at a working pressure of 19 kg / cm2 ( 1 @,@ 863 kPa ; 270 psi ) . The boilers were fitted with economizers that preheated their feed water . The engines were rated at 16 @,@ 300 indicated horsepower ( 12 @,@ 200 kW ) and designed to reach a top speed of 18 knots ( 33 km / h ; 21 mph ) . Tsesarevich handily exceeded her design speed and reached 18 @.@ 77 knots ( 34 @.@ 76 km / h ; 21 @.@ 60 mph ) from 15 @,@ 254 indicated horsepower ( 11 @,@ 375 kW ) during her official machinery trials in July – August 1903 . She normally carried 800 long tons ( 810 t ) of coal , but could carry a maximum of 1 @,@ 350 long tons ( 1 @,@ 370 t ) . This allowed the ship to steam for 5 @,@ 500 nautical miles ( 10 @,@ 200 km ; 6 @,@ 300 mi ) at a speed of 10 knots ( 19 km / h ; 12 mph ) . Tsesarevich was fitted with six steam @-@ driven generators with a total capacity of 550 kilowatts ( 740 hp ) . = = = Armament and fire control = = = Tsesarevich 's main armament consisted of two pairs of 40 @-@ calibre 12 @-@ inch guns mounted in center @-@ pivot , electrically powered , twin @-@ gun turrets fore and aft . The guns and their mountings were Russian @-@ built , but the turrets themselves were made in France . The guns could be loaded at all angles of elevation and the turrets could traverse 270 ° . Trials revealed that the ammunition hoists tended to jam when the ship was rolling ; the shipyard shipped new hoists to Port Arthur because the Russians wanted the ship in the Far East as soon as possible and they were installed in January 1904 . 70 rounds per gun were carried . The guns fired one shell every 90 – 132 seconds . They fired a 731 @.@ 3 @-@ pound ( 331 @.@ 7 kg ) shell at a muzzle velocity of 2 @,@ 598 ft / s ( 792 m / s ) to a range of 16 @,@ 010 yards ( 14 @,@ 640 m ) at an elevation of 15 ° . The secondary armament of the ships consisted of a dozen 45 @-@ caliber Canet Model 1892 6 @-@ inch ( 150 mm ) ( QF ) guns mounted in six electrically powered twin @-@ gun turrets on the upper deck . The corner turrets had an 150 ° arc of fire and the center turrets could cover 180 ° . Each six @-@ inch gun was provided with 200 rounds . Their rate of fire was 2 – 4 rounds per minute . They fired shells that weighed 91 lb ( 41 @.@ 4 kg ) with a muzzle velocity of 2 @,@ 600 ft / s ( 792 @.@ 5 m / s ) . They had a maximum range of approximately 12 @,@ 600 yards ( 11 @,@ 500 m ) . A number of smaller guns were carried for defense against torpedo boats . These included twenty 50 @-@ calibre Canet QF 75 @-@ millimetre ( 3 @.@ 0 in ) guns ; 14 in hull embrasures and the remaining six mounted on the superstructure . The ship carried 300 shells for each gun . They fired a 11 @-@ pound ( 4 @.@ 9 kg ) shell at a muzzle velocity of 2 @,@ 700 ft / s ( 820 m / s ) to a maximum range of 7 @,@ 005 yards ( 6 @,@ 405 m ) at an elevation of 13 ° . Tsesarevich also mounted twenty 47 @-@ millimetre ( 1 @.@ 9 in ) Hotchkiss guns in the superstructure . They fired a 2 @.@ 2 @-@ pound ( 1 @.@ 00 kg ) shell at a muzzle velocity of 1 @,@ 400 ft / s ( 430 m / s ) at a rate of around 15 rounds per minute . Eight smaller 37 @-@ millimetre ( 1 @.@ 5 in ) Hotchkiss guns were also fitted , but their locations are unknown . The ship carried four 381 @-@ millimetre ( 15 @.@ 0 in ) torpedo tubes ; two of these were mounted above water in the bow and stern , and the two broadside underwater tubes were located near the forward 12 @-@ inch magazine . Tsesarevich carried a total of 14 torpedoes . The ship also carried 45 mines to be laid to protect her anchorage in remote areas . The ship was fitted with two Barr and Stroud coincidence rangefinders that used two images that had to be superimposed to derive the range . The gunnery officer then calculated the proper elevation and deflection required to hit the target and transmitted his commands via a Geisler electro @-@ mechanical fire @-@ control transmission system to each turret . = = = Protection = = = Tsesarevich used the latest Krupp armor in a version of the French cellular armor scheme . This consisted of a full @-@ length waterline armoured belt with armored decks above and below . Behind the belt were well @-@ subdivided compartments mostly used to store coal . This was intended to keep the ship afloat regardless of the damage inflicted above the upper armoured deck . The waterline armor belt was 2 metres ( 6 ft 7 in ) high , with 1 @.@ 5 metres ( 4 ft 11 in ) below the waterline at normal load . It had a maximum thickness of 250 millimetres ( 9 @.@ 8 in ) for a length of 60 metres ( 196 ft 10 in ) amidships which gradually reduced to a thickness of 180 millimetres ( 7 @.@ 1 in ) at the bow and 170 millimetres ( 6 @.@ 7 in ) at the stern . The belt tapered to a thickness of 170 millimetres at its bottom edge amidships and presumably tapered proportionally along its length . Above the waterline belt was an upper strake of armour that was 1 @.@ 67 metres ( 5 ft 6 in ) high and had a maximum thickness of 200 millimetres ( 7 @.@ 9 in ) . It was slightly shorter than the waterline belt and similarly reduced in thickness towards the ends of the ship . Forward it consisted of 120 @-@ millimetre ( 4 @.@ 7 in ) armour plates and 130 millimetres ( 5 @.@ 1 in ) aft . The armor of the main gun turrets and their supporting tubes was 250 millimetres thick with roofs 63 millimetres ( 2 @.@ 5 in ) thick . Below the upper armour deck the armour of the support tubes decreased to 100 millimetres ( 3 @.@ 9 in ) . The turrets of the secondary armament had 150 @-@ millimetre ( 5 @.@ 9 in ) sides with 30 millimetres ( 1 @.@ 2 in ) roofs . The sides of the conning tower were 254 millimetres ( 10 @.@ 0 in ) thick and it had a 63 @-@ millimetre roof . It had a communications tube that extended down to the upper armoured deck that was protected by 100 @-@ millimetre armour . The funnel uptakes were protected by 19 millimetres ( 0 @.@ 7 in ) of armour for the height of one deck above the upper armoured deck . Above the upper armour belt there was a deck that ran the full length of the ship that consisted of a 50 @-@ millimetre ( 2 @.@ 0 in ) armour plate laid on 10 @-@ millimetre ( 0 @.@ 39 in ) deck plating . At the top of the waterline belt was two layers of 20 @-@ millimetre ( 0 @.@ 79 in ) armour . It also extended the full length of the ship , but not the full width ; it curved downward behind the belt and was connected to the lower edge of the belt by a 20 @-@ millimetre plate . It continued downward to the ship 's inner bottom plates and formed a sort of torpedo bulkhead . This bulkhead was 2 metres ( 6 ft 7 in ) from the side of the ship and extended for a length of 84 metres ( 275 ft 7 in ) . It was backed with coal bunkers . = = Construction and service = = Construction began on Tsesarevich , named after the title of the heir to the Russian throne , on 18 May 1899 at the Forges et Chantiers de la Méditerranée shipyard in La Seyne @-@ sur @-@ Mer , France . The ship was laid down on 8 July 1899 and launched on 23 February 1901 . Construction was supervised by Captain Ivan Grigorovich , who became the ship 's first captain . Tsesarevich entered service in August 1903 and was assigned to the Far East . She arrived in Port Arthur on 2 December 1903 . Upon completion , the Tsesarevich was the Russian Navy 's best battleship at the beginning of the Russo @-@ Japanese War . = = = Russo @-@ Japanese War = = = She was one of three ships to be struck by Japanese torpedoes during the surprise attack on Port Arthur during the night of 8 / 9 February 1904 . Tsesarevich was hit abaft the portside torpedo bulkhead and the ship took on an 18 ° list that was partially corrected by counterflooding compartments on the starboard side . She got underway , but ran aground at the narrow harbor entrance . She was refloated and moved into the harbour for repairs that lasted until 7 June . Some of the ship 's guns were removed during the summer to reinforce the defenses of the port . Tsesarevich lost a total of four 75 @-@ millimeter , two 47 @-@ millimeter and two 37 @-@ millimeter guns . The ship was hit twice on 7 August by Japanese 4 @.@ 7 @-@ inch ( 120 mm ) shells fired at long range ; a fragment from one of them lightly wounded Vitgeft . On the morning of 10 August 1904 , the First Pacific Squadron sortied from Port Arthur in an attempt to break through the Japanese fleet blockading the port and reach Vladivostok . The Russian squadron consisted of six battleships , Tsesarevich , Retvizan , Pobeda , Peresvet , Sevastopol and Poltava , along with four protected cruisers and eight destroyers . The Japanese fleet , commanded by Admiral Togo , was comprised four battleships , Mikasa , Asahi , Fuji , Shikishima , two armoured cruisers Nishin and Kasuga , as well as seven protected cruisers . Tsesarevich and Pobeda both suffered mechanical problems within an hour of departure that forced the fleet to slow down to a speed of 13 knots ( 24 km / h ; 15 mph ) . Togo failed in his attempt to cross the Russian 's T after spotting them around 12 : 25 and a general engagement began around 13 : 25 with the Japanese ships concentrating their fire on Tsesarevich and Retvizan , but the effective Russian fire forced Togo to disengage around 15 : 20 . He closed with the Russians about two hours later and opened fire at 17 : 35 . Neither side was able to mortally damage any ships while the Russians were still in the lead with about a half @-@ hour of daylight left when two 12 @-@ inch shells fired by Asahi struck near Tsesarevich 's conning tower at 18 : 40 . Shell fragments bounced off the conning tower 's overhanging roof into the conning tower , killing Vitgeft , two staff officers and the helmsman . The ship turned to port with the steering wheel jammed and was followed by several other battleships . Tsesarevich became the focus of attention from every Japanese ship so the captain of Retvizan decided to charge the Japanese battleline to buy time for Tsesarevich to fix her steering problem . He succeeded in doing so and the squadron 's second @-@ in @-@ command , Rear Admiral Prince Pavel Ukhtomsky gradually asserted command over the scattered Russian ships and ordered them back to Port Arthur in the darkness . Tsesarevich attempted to head north to Vladivostok in the dark , but her damaged funnels greatly increased her coal consumption and reduced her speed to only 6 knots ( 11 km / h ; 6 @.@ 9 mph ) so that she was forced to head for the German treaty port of Tsingtau instead with three destroyers for escort . Upon arrival the following day , Tsesarevich and her companions were interned and disarmed . The ship had been hit by thirteen 12 @-@ inch and two 8 @-@ inch ( 200 mm ) shells that killed 12 and wounded 47 members of her crew . = = = Post Russo @-@ Japanese War and WWI = = = At the end of the Russo @-@ Japanese war , the ship was transferred to the Baltic in early 1906 and helped to suppress the Sveaborg Rebellion later that year . Around 1906 , her fighting top was removed and her superstructure was cut down . The 75 mm guns in the superstructure were apparently removed as well . Tsesarevich made regular winter cruises to the Mediterranean before World War I and aided survivors of the Messina earthquake in December 1908 . In 1909 – 10 the ship 's machinery was overhauled and her amidships casemated 75 mm guns were removed and plated over four years later . Tsesarevich was not very active during the early part of World War I and she reportedly received two 37 mm anti @-@ aircraft guns during the war . Because of her inactivity her bored sailors joined the general mutiny of the Baltic Fleet in early 1917 . She was renamed Grazhdanin ( Russian : Гражданин ( meaning Citizen ) ) on 13 April 1917 after the February Revolution . The ship took part in the Battle of Moon Sound in October 1917 . During the climatic part of the battle , Grazhdanin engaged the German minesweepers on 17 October with little effect while Slava engaged the German dreadnoughts König and Kronprinz . The latter fired at Grazhdanin and hit her twice , killing one and wounding four crewmen , although neither hit caused significant damage . The German dreadnoughts outranged Grazhdanin , and she was forced to retreat and abandon Moon Sound in the face of German pressure . By December the ship was in Kronstadt , where she came under the control of the Bolsheviks , and she was hulked there in May 1918 . Grazhdanin was scrapped beginning in 1924 , although she was not officially stricken from the Navy List until 21 November 1925 .

= Bob Feller = Robert William Andrew Feller ( November 3 , 1918 – December 15 , 2010 ) , nicknamed " The Heater from Van Meter " , " Bullet Bob " , and " Rapid Robert " , was an American baseball pitcher who played 18 seasons in Major League Baseball ( MLB ) for the Cleveland Indians . Feller pitched from 1936 to 1941 and from 1945 to 1956 , interrupted only by a four @-@ year sojourn in the Navy . In a career spanning 570 games , Feller pitched 3 @,@ 827 innings and posted a win – loss record of 266 – 162 , with 279 complete games , 44 shutouts , and a 3 @.@ 25 earned run average ( ERA ) . A prodigy who bypassed the minor leagues , Feller first played for the Indians at the age of 17 . His career was interrupted by four years of military service in World War II , during which time he served as Chief Petty Officer aboard the USS Alabama . Feller became the first pitcher to win 24 games in a season before the age of 21 . During his career , he threw no @-@ hitters in 1940 , 1946 , and 1951 . Feller also recorded 12 one @-@ hitters ( his no @-@ hitters and one @-@ hitters were records at the time of his retirement ) . He helped the Indians win a World Series title in 1948 and an American League @-@ record 111 wins and the pennant in 1954 . Feller led the American League in wins six times and in strikeouts seven times . In 1946 , he recorded 348 strikeouts , a total not exceeded for 19 years . An eight @-@ time All @-@ Star , Feller was ranked 36th on Sporting News 's list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players and was named the publication 's " greatest pitcher of his time " . He was a finalist for the Major League Baseball All @-@ Century Team in 1999 . Baseball Hall of Fame member Ted Williams called Feller " the fastest and best pitcher I ever saw during my career . " Hall of Famer Stan Musial believed he was " probably the greatest pitcher of our era . " He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962 on his first ballot appearance ; at the time only three players ever had a higher percentage of ballot votes . He was elected the inaugural President of the Major League Baseball Players ' Association and participated in exhibition games which featured players from both the Major and Negro Leagues . Feller died at the age of 92 in 2010 . = = Early life = = Feller was born and raised with his sister , Merrilee , in Van Meter , Iowa . His father , William , ran the 360 @-@ acre ( 150 ha ) family farm , and his mother , Lena ( Forret ) , was a teacher and registered nurse . Feller played catch daily with his father . He had learned to throw a curveball by the time he was eight years old , and could throw a ball 270 feet ( 82 m ) when he was nine . To assist his son , Feller senior started growing wheat on his farm , a less labor @-@ intensive crop than corn , to allow his son more time to play baseball . Originally the Fellers were Roman Catholics but converted to Methodism after Feller 's father was reprimanded by their parish priest for letting him play on Sundays . Feller later suggested that his arm strength and ball speed during his major league career came from his childhood work milking cows , picking corn , and baling hay . He recalled his childhood fondly : " What kid wouldn 't enjoy the life I led in Iowa ? Baseball and farming , and I had the best of both worlds . " The family 's farm is on the National Register of Historic Places . Feller began to play American Legion Baseball in the nearby town of Adel at the age of 10 ; the following year , his father built a baseball diamond on the farm . The diamond was named Oak View Park and included a pitching mound , scoreboard and concessions area . Feller and other players formed a team , the Oakviews , consisting of semi @-@ pro and high school ballplayers . Feller played primarily as a shortstop or outfielder , and emulated Rogers Hornsby 's batting stance . From the age of 15 , he began to pitch for the Oakviews after a starting pitcher was injured ; while doing so , Feller continued to play American Legion baseball . His catcher during this period was Nile Kinnick , who later became a member of the College Football Hall of Fame . A student at Van Meter High School , Feller was a starting pitcher for the school 's baseball team . During this time he continued to play on the Farmers Union team in the American Amateur Baseball Congress , and had 19 wins and four losses for Farmers Union one season . He also was the starting center for the high school basketball team . By the age of 16 , Feller possessed what critics judged a high quality fastball ; major league scouts traveled to Dayton , Ohio to watch him in the annual national baseball tournament . After the game , several big league clubs offered signing bonuses with their contract offers , but he had already been signed to a professional contract with the Cleveland Indians . = = Professional career = = = = = Teenage phenomenon ( 1936 – 41 ) = = = In 1936 , Feller was signed by Cy Slapnicka , a scout for the Indians , for one dollar and an autographed baseball . While scouting Feller , Slapnicka said , " This was a kid pitcher I had to get . I knew he was something special . His fastball was fast and fuzzy ; it didn 't go in a straight line ; it would wiggle and shoot around . I didn 't know then that he was smart and had the heart of a lion , but I knew that I was looking at an arm the likes of which you see only once in a lifetime . " Feller was assigned to the Fargo @-@ Moorhead Twins and was to report there after finishing the high school semester . Slapnicka was later named general manager of the Indians and transferred Feller 's contract from Fargo @-@ Moorhead to the New Orleans Pelicans . He was planning to add Feller , along with outfielder Tommy Henrich , to the major league roster after a few exhibition and semi @-@ pro games without visiting either farm club . By doing so , the Indians would be in violation of Major League Baseball 's rule stating that , at the time , only minor league teams could sign amateur baseball players to contracts . After a three @-@ month investigation , concluding in December 1936 , about whether the Indians broke any Major League Baseball rules by signing Feller , Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis disagreed with the argument presented by Slapnicka and Indians president Alva Bradley , but awarded both Feller and Henrich free agency and required the club to pay a $ 7 @,@ 500 fine . Landis made the decision partly due to the testimony of Feller and his father , who wanted his son to play for Cleveland and who had also told Landis he would take the issue to court . Feller elected to remain with the Indians but Henrich joined the New York Yankees . Sports columnist Joe Williams wrote , " For $ 7500 the Cleveland Indians received $ 500 @,@ 000 worth of publicity . ... I feel pretty sure Mr. Alva Bradley , president of the Indians , will admit this is the cheapest investment he ever made in publicity . " Feller joined the Indians and made his Major League debut on July 19 , 1936 in a relief appearance against the Washington Senators . A month later on August 23 , Feller made his first career start against the St. Louis Browns . Indians manager Steve O 'Neill had Denny Galehouse warmed up in the bullpen in case the 17 @-@ year @-@ old Feller had early troubles , but he struck out all three batters he faced in the first inning , and recorded 15 strikeouts in earning his first career win . His strikeout total was the highest for a ( starting ) pitching debut . Two weeks later , he struck out 17 batters , tying a single @-@ game strikeout record previously set by Dizzy Dean , in a win over the Philadelphia Athletics . He finished the season with a 5 – 3 record , having appeared in 14 games ; he had 47 walks and 76 strikeouts in 62 innings . Feller 's fame reached such a level that when he returned to Van Meter for his senior year of high school , the governor of Iowa greeted him . His record @-@ setting rookie year made him , according to baseball writer Richard Goldstein , " the best @-@ known young person in America , with the possible exception of Shirley Temple . " Feller 's entrance to the big leagues was later described : It is difficult to imagine now what a marvel Feller was when he burst upon the scene in 1936 , a callow youth of 17 . Many athletes are great . Bob Feller was seminal . In the long @-@ ago time , unlike nowadays , it was unheard of for teenagers to succeed in the big top of athletics . Children politely waited their turn in the sunshine . Perhaps in all the world only Sonja Henie had previously excelled at so young an age in any sport that mattered , and , after all , she was but a little girl wearing tights and fur trim , performing dainty figure eights . Feller dressed in the uniform of the major league Cleveland Indians , striking out – fanning ! – American demigods ... in the only professional team sport that mattered then in the United States . As the 1937 season began , Feller appeared on the cover of the April 19 , 1937 issue of Time magazine . In his first appearance of the season on April 24 , Feller suffered an injury to his elbow while throwing a curveball . He spent April and May healing the arm , and in May graduated from high school ; the ceremony aired nationally on NBC Radio . In mid @-@ May , the Indians considered ending Feller 's season early . " We 're not taking any chances on that arm and we 're not going to allow him to pitch again until the last trace of soreness has disappeared " , said Slapnicka . On May 18 Feller appeared in his first game since April 24 but did not record an out . He did not pitch again until June 22 , when he recorded two innings , then returned to normal pitching duties on July 4 . On October 2 , 1938 , Feller was the starting pitcher against the Detroit Tigers . Detroit 's Hank Greenberg was two home runs short of Babe Ruth 's then @-@ single @-@ season record of 60 home runs . By the ninth inning , Feller had recorded 16 strikeouts , one fewer than the MLB record in a nine @-@ inning game . He tied the record when he struck out Detroit 's Pete Fox and passed it , to set a modern major league record of 18 strikeouts , when he struck out Chet Laabs for the fifth time that day . Greenberg said , " Feller 's curve was jumping wickedly and with that and his fast ball , he was murder . " Feller did not earn a win , however , as the Indians lost , 4 – 1 . " It was one of those days when everything feels perfect , your arm , your coordination , your concentration , everything . There was drama in the air because of Greenberg 's attempt to break Ruth 's record , and the excitement grew even greater when my strikeouts started to add up " , Feller said . For the 1938 season , Feller led all pitchers with 208 walks and 240 strikeouts . In 1939 , Feller received his first career Opening Day start against the Tigers after a match against the Browns was rained out . He won the game 5 – 1 , after allowing three hits . On Mother 's Day , Feller pitched against the Chicago White Sox with his family in attendance . One pitch was fouled off by Marv Owen into the seats and into the face of Feller 's mother ; he went on to win the game . Feller finished the 1939 season having led the AL in wins ( 24 ) , complete games ( 24 ) and innings pitched ( 296 @.@ 2 ) and led the majors for a second consecutive year in both walks ( 142 ) and strikeouts ( 246 ) . Opening Day of the 1940 season featured a no @-@ hitter from Feller against the Chicago White Sox . Feller was assisted by Indians second baseman Ray Mack when he made a diving play to record the final out . This is the only no @-@ hitter to be thrown on Opening Day in major league history . He followed his no @-@ hitter with a six @-@ run , three @-@ inning performance in his next start , however , in a game against the Detroit Tigers . By the end of the season he had a 27 – 11 record , his win total the best in the majors that season and a career @-@ high for Feller . He accomplished a pitching triple crown for the 1940 season as he led the AL in ERA ( 2 @.@ 61 ) , wins ( 27 ) and strikeouts ( 261 ) ( the latter two led the entire majors ) . Feller also led the majors with 31 complete games and 320 @.@ 1 innings pitched , and won the Sporting News Player of the Year Award . Feller later assessed his first few years in the majors : " I relied on the catcher too much . It 's swell to have a good catcher calling ' em for you , but the pitcher should take responsibility on his own shoulders . " Due to Feller 's pitching speed , Lew Fonseca was commissioned by the Office of the Commissioner to pit Feller 's fastball against a Harley @-@ Davidson motorcycle in a speed trial . The test was conducted in Chicago 's Lincoln Park and required Feller to hit a target 12 inches ( 300 mm ) in diameter , 60 feet 6 inches ( 18 @.@ 44 m ) away . The motorcycle passed Feller going 86 miles per hour ( 138 km / h ) and with a 10 foot ( 3 @.@ 0 m ) head start but the ball beat the bike to the target by three feet ( 0 @.@ 91 m ) . Feller 's throw was calculated at the time to have reached 98 @.@ 6 mph ( 158 @.@ 7 km / h ) , and later 104 mph ( 167 km / h ) using updated measuring methods . Feller again led the majors in wins ( 25 ) , strikeouts ( 260 ) , innings pitched ( 343 ) , and walks ( 194 ) for the 1941 season . His six shutouts were an AL @-@ best on the season . That year , Joe DiMaggio talked about Feller 's pitching ability , stating " I don 't think anyone is ever going to throw a ball faster than he does . And his curveball isn 't human . " Feller appeared in the May 12 , 1941 , edition of Life , which said : " ... he is unquestionably the idol of several generations of Americans , ranging in age from 7 to 70 . They represent of city , town , and village in the land , speak of him familiarly as ' Bob ' , and talk about him by the hour , with enthusiasm . " = = = Military service ( 1941 – 45 ) = = = The United States entered World War II with the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7 , 1941 . Feller heard about the bombing while returning from a visit to his terminally ill father at Des Moines to Chicago where he was to sign a new Indians contract . Two days later , he volunteered for the United States Navy , becoming the first American professional athlete to enlist . Originally he tried to enlist as a fighter pilot but failed hearing tests . Feller attended basic training at Norfolk Naval Base and served as a physical fitness instructor there . He also pitched in baseball games hosted by the military . Although he had received a military exemption owing to his father 's failing health , he wanted to serve in combat missions . Feller said , " I told them I wanted to ... get into combat ; wanted to do something besides standing around handing out balls and bats and making ball fields out of coral reefs . " Feller was assigned to the USS Alabama ; he had hoped to serve on the USS Iowa , but nearly all servicemen from Iowa had requested a place on that ship , and Feller was not selected . Shortly before Feller left for combat , his father died of brain cancer in early January 1943 . Five days later he married Virginia Winther whom he met while in Florida for spring training ; she was a student at Rollins College . After the marriage , Feller returned to service as Gun Captain aboard the Alabama and kept his pitching arm in shape by throwing near a gun turret . Feller and the Alabama crew spent most of 1943 in the British Isles along with USS South Dakota , but in August were reassigned to the Pacific Theater of Operations . Feller 's first taste of direct combat was at Operation Galvanic in November 1943 . The Alabama also served during Operation Flintlock while primarily being used as an escort battleship in 1944 . Feller participated in the Battle of the Philippine Sea before his combat duty ended in January 1945 ; he spent the rest of the war at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station as an instructor . When the war ended , Feller was discharged as a Chief Petty Officer on August 22 , 1945 . Feller was decorated with six campaign ribbons and eight battle stars while serving on missions in both the Pacific and North Atlantic , and he was made an honorary member of the Green Berets later in life . = = = Return to Cleveland ( 1945 – 48 ) = = = Upon arrival in Cleveland after his discharge , Feller was honored with a civic luncheon on August 24 , 1945 , with more than 1 @,@ 000 people in attendance at the Carter Hotel . Feller said to the crowd : " The real heroes didn 't come home . " Later that day , the city held a parade and Feller was the starting pitcher in the Indians ' game against the Detroit Tigers . Feller allowed four hits in the game and earned a win in the Indians ' 4 – 2 victory . " I was so tired from all the receptions I didn 't know if I could finish the game " , Feller said . For the 1945 season , he appeared in nine games and notched a 5 – 3 record with 59 strikeouts and 2 @.@ 50 ERA . Before the 1946 season , Feller signed a $ 50 @,@ 000 contract for the year , including a bonus for attendance , as the Indians felt many were attending baseball games primarily to see him ; he was offered $ 100 @,@ 000 by Jorge Pasquel to play in the Mexican League , but declined to leave the States again . Feller recorded his second career no @-@ hitter on April 30 , 1946 , against the New York Yankees . He allowed five walks and struck out 11 Yankees . Feller said of the game , " The no @-@ hitter on opening day in Chicago is the one that gets all the attention . But my no @-@ hitter at Yankee Stadium was against a much better team than the White Sox . There was no comparison . I had to pitch to Tommy Henrich , Charlie Keller and Joe DiMaggio in the ninth inning to get the Yankees out . " At one point during the season ( as Feller thought he might be nearing Rube Waddell 's AL record for strikeouts ) , Feller confirmed Waddell 's record of 344 strikeouts with the AL office as opposed to 349 . In his last appearance of the season on September 29 , Feller threw five strikeouts against the Detroit Tigers to set the then @-@ AL single @-@ season strikeout record . During the 1946 season , he registered career @-@ highs in strikeouts ( 348 ) , games started ( 42 ) and games pitched ( 48 ) , shutouts ( 10 ) , complete games ( 36 ) and innings pitched ( 377 @.@ 1 ) — all major league bests that season . Feller finished 26 – 15 with an ERA of 2 @.@ 18 , the latter a career @-@ low . Nearly 20 years later , Feller recalled , " For the 1946 season , though , the Indians were so thin in pitching that Boudreau decided I was to pitch every fourth day , regardless of rainouts , open dates , or anything else . " Feller began 1947 by setting up a barnstorming tour , pitting his own selected team against a Negro league baseball team led by Satchel Paige . Feller 's team included Stan Musial and Phil Rizzuto while Paige 's included Buck O 'Neil and Hilton Smith . They played in 22 games across the United States , and at the conclusion of the tour , each player had made nearly as much money as the St. Louis Cardinals made as a team for their 1946 World Series win . Against the St. Louis Browns in Feller 's second start of the season , he extended his major league record for one @-@ hitters when he recorded his ninth one @-@ hit game in a shutout win on April 22 . In a June 13 game against the Philadelphia Athletics , having already amassed 10 strikeouts through four innings , Feller fell from the mound , which rain had made slippery , and injured his back . " My fastball was never the same after that " , Feller said . He ended the season as the AL leader in wins ( 20 ) and shutouts ( 5 ) , and led the majors in strikeouts ( 196 ) and innings pitched ( 299 ) . = = = World Series champion ( 1948 ) = = = In 1948 , the Indians had one of their finest seasons , though Feller experienced a season that had more ups and downs . Feller was selected to represent the AL All @-@ Stars for the seventh time in his career in the 1948 All @-@ Star Game but declined to play , feeling that his performance did not warrant selection as an All @-@ Star . At one point he was winless for a month , and by July 22 , his record was 9 – 12 . Lou Boudreau , the Indians ' player @-@ manager , declared " we sink or swim with Feller " , and continued to pick him . Feller proceeded to go 10 – 3 for the remainder of his appearances to finish the season with a record of 19 – 15 , a league @-@ leading 164 strikeouts , and a 3 @.@ 56 ERA . The Indians won a one @-@ game playoff against the Boston Red Sox to determine the team to represent the AL in the World Series ; it was the first time the team had won the pennant since the 1920 season . Feller started Game One of the 1948 World Series against the NL @-@ champion Boston Braves . In the eighth inning , Feller and Boudreau appeared to have picked off the Braves ' Phil Masi as he attempted to steal a base , but umpire Bill Stewart ruled he was safe . Masi scored the only run of the game on a Braves single . Despite surrendering just two hits on 85 pitches for the game , Feller and the Indians lost 1 – 0 . Later , photographs showed that Boudreau had tagged Masi out by two feet . Feller said , " Stewart was the only guy in the park who thought he was safe . " Feller was again named the starter in Game Five , which set an attendance record ; the 86 @,@ 288 fans in Cleveland was the then @-@ largest attendance at a baseball game . The Braves put up three runs in the top of the first inning . The Indians came back to tie the game , but by the seventh inning the Braves regained the lead for good and Feller was removed from the game . He finished having allowed eight hits and seven earned runs . Lemon won Game Six and gave the Indians their second World Series championship . After the Indians returned to Cleveland and were given a victory parade , Feller said , " This is as good as being President . " = = = Later years ( 1949 – 56 ) = = = After taking a pay cut to start the 1949 season , Feller pitched on Opening Day against the St. Louis Browns . During the game , he injured his shoulder and missed the rest of April . His performances were mixed in the rest of the season and he finished the year with a 15 @-@ 14 record and a 3 @.@ 75 ERA . Before the 1950 season , Feller suggested to Indians management he take a pay cut , and did so . Indians general manager Hank Greenberg said , " He himself made the suggestion . In fact , he offered to take more than the 25 per cent maximum pay cut allowed . There was absolutely nothing to it . We all agreed quickly on the figure after Bob showed up yesterday . " In a win over the Detroit Tigers in the second game of a doubleheader , Feller became the 53rd pitcher to win 200 games . Throughout the year , players noted that his velocity had returned , and , winning games with finesse rather than power , he was again effective . He finished the year with 16 wins and a 3 @.@ 43 ERA . On July 1 , 1951 , Feller recorded his third career no @-@ hitter against the Detroit Tigers . " I was depending on my slider and I didn 't begin to think of a no @-@ hitter until about the seventh inning . I tried to keep it in the back of my mind , bearing down and concentrating on one hitter at a time " , Feller said . Feller was the third pitcher , after Larry Corcoran and Cy Young , to record three career no @-@ hitters . He became the first pitcher of the 1951 season to reach 20 wins after he pitched a shutout against the Washington Senators on August 21 . Along with Early Wynn and Mike Garcia , Feller reached the 20 @-@ win mark during the season ; they were the first trio of pitchers on the same staff to earn 20 wins since 1931 . Feller was named the Sporting News Pitcher of the Year . Feller started the 1952 season with three wins in his first five starts ; one of the losses was an April 23 one @-@ hitter against Bob Cain , who also allowed only one hit . Feller struggled for the rest of the season , and after an argument with an umpire over a strike call in late August , manager Al López shut Feller down for the season . He finished the season with a 9 – 13 record , a 4 @.@ 74 ERA , and a rating of − 3 @.@ 1 in wins above replacement , worst in the major leagues . He improved the following year , winning 10 games and losing 7 in 25 starts after Lopez gave him extra days of rest between appearances . The Indians won 111 regular season games during 1954 , beating an AL record previously held by the 1927 New York Yankees . The 35 @-@ year @-@ old Feller finished 13 – 3 on the year , earning his 250th pitching victory in a May 23 win and his 2,500th career strikeout in a win on June 12 . The Indians played against the New York Giants in the 1954 World Series , but unlike the 1948 Series , Feller did not make an appearance . The Indians were swept in four games by the Giants . Indians manager Al López said of not starting Feller , " I know Feller wanted to start one of the games in the 1954 World Series ( when the Indians were swept by the New York Giants ) , though we never really talked about it ... If we had won the first or second game in New York , I was going to start Feller in Cleveland in the fourth game . But when we didn 't ( win either game in New York ) , why in the hell was I going to pitch Feller ? He was the fifth starter on the club at that time , and wasn 't the Feller he 'd been ( earlier in his career ) . " In 1955 , Feller spent part of the season as a starter , then was moved to the bullpen later in the season . He won and lost four games each in 25 appearances . During the offseason , he became chairman of the Ohio March of Dimes and served as player representative for the American League . He worked with National League representative Robin Roberts throughout the offseason , discussing the possibility of player arbitration and pensions with baseball owners ; he then became president of the Baseball Players ' Association . In the 1956 season , Feller started four games and appeared in 15 others , and finished with an 0 – 4 record and career @-@ worst 4 @.@ 97 ERA . The Indians held " Bob Feller Night " on September 9 , and he appeared in his last major league game on September 30 . After the season , speculation mounted regarding whether Feller would retire as a player . In December 1956 , Feller told The Plain Dealer : " I will return to Cleveland later this week and plan to confer with Hank Greenberg before Christmas . I hope to reach a decision at that time . " Greenberg had also offered Feller his release or a job with the Indians in their front office . Greenberg said , " We sincerely want Feller to remain with us . As far as I 'm concerned , there will always be a job waiting for Bob in the Cleveland organization . " On December 28 Feller officially retired from the Indians as a player to continue his work selling insurance . Announcing his retirement , Feller said , " I could have gone with a couple other ball clubs , but anything I might have done with them would have taken the edge off the success I have had with the Cleveland club the last 20 years . " He continued , " What if I did pitch another year , so what ? I would have to come to the decision I am making now , some time . " He spent his entire career of 18 seasons with the Indians , being one of " The Big Four " in the Indians ' pitching rotation in the 1950s , along with Bob Lemon , Early Wynn and Mike Garcia . Feller shares the Major League record of 12 one @-@ hitters with Nolan Ryan , and was the first pitcher to win 20 or more games before the age of 21 . He ended his career with 266 wins , 2 @,@ 581 strikeouts and 279 complete games . Over the course of his career , he led the AL in strikeouts seven times and walks four times . Upon his retirement , Feller held the major league record for most walks in a career ( 1 @,@ 764 ) , and holds the 20th @-@ century record for most walks in a season ( 208 in 1938 ) . The Indians retired his jersey number , 19 , in 1957 . In 1962 , Feller was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum along with Jackie Robinson . Both were the first to be elected on their first ballot appearance since the original induction class of 1936 . At the time of his induction only Ty Cobb ( 98 @.@ 2 % ) , Babe Ruth ( 95 @.@ 1 % ) , and Honus Wagner ( 95 @.@ 1 % ) had a higher percentage of ballot votes . In 2010 , after Feller had been admitted to hospice , a reporter released a story recalling a 2007 interview with an aged Feller where he brought up Feller and Robinson 's occasional dislike for each other . " They overhyped Jackie Robinson . He was a good baserunner . He was a fair hitter . He was an average second baseman . He was not as good a ballplayer as Larry Doby . There were a lot of better black ballplayers than Jackie Robinson " , said Feller . = = Dispute with Commissioner Chandler = = Throughout his career , Feller played exhibition games during the off @-@ season , playing in towns unaccustomed to seeing major league ballplayers . His exhibition tours often featured other big leaguers and Negro League players , like Satchel Paige , who was also a teammate of Feller 's with the Indians . Other players included Stan Musial , Mickey Vernon , and Jeff Heath . During a barnstorming tour in 1945 , Feller pitched against Jackie Robinson after he had been signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers . He told a reporter in Los Angeles he believed Robinson was too muscle @-@ bound to succeed against pitching in the major leagues although Robinson recorded two hits off Feller . Players had to notify the Commissioner of Baseball , A.B. " Happy " Chandler , before participating in exhibitions games and were not allowed to begin games before the conclusion of the major @-@ league season . Feller wrote to Chandler , challenging the league 's limit on the number of games that were allowed to be played and proposing an increase ; the Commissioner agreed to Feller 's proposal . To minimize travel time , Feller employed airplanes , such as two DC @-@ 3s in 1947 , to transport players from town to town . Feller 's involvement , as well as that of other major league players , was the subject of meetings between the Commissioner and AL and NL presidents . In 1947 , Feller announced that he would pitch in the Cuban winter league during the off @-@ season , but Commissioner Chandler ruled no major leaguer could play in Cuba . Feller said he would donate his profits from playing in the Cuban winter league to the American Major League players ' pension fund : " I want to prove I 'm not going to Cuba for any selfish interest but because there is a principle involved and that is the right of any ball player to work at his chosen profession " . Feller also believed it was " grossly unfair " that major leaguers who were U.S. citizens could not play in winter leagues but Latin Americans were permitted . Indians owner and president Bill Veeck said , " I have no comment on Bob 's outside activities . I don 't know whether they 've hurt him or not . But I do know this . The great majority of the people of Cleveland think they 've hurt him . " Feller 's barnstorming business savvy and endorsement details made him one of the wealthiest players of his time but he claimed his off @-@ season exhibitions and barnstorming were necessary to pay for increased medical expenses for his family . His first wife developed anemia after giving birth to their second child when she was given the wrong type of blood during transfusions ; she subsequently became addicted to the prescribed medication for her condition . Feller was trying to make up lost earnings as a result , since he missed out on over $ 200 @,@ 000 in salary when he served in the Navy ; he missed more than three major league seasons . Feller 's biographer John Sickels suggested : " They were trying to make money , but part of it was also , he felt that the black players weren 't necessarily getting a fair chance and that he wanted to sort of showcase it . And seeing those , I think , those exhibition games helped people realize that the Negro League players were just as good as the Major League players . " = = Records = = Feller estimated that military service cost him at least 100 career wins . Based on his exceptional 1941 and 1946 seasons , it is likely that Feller would have finished his career with more than 300 wins and perhaps 3 @,@ 800 strikeouts . Feller said " I know in my heart I would have ended up a lot closer to 400 than 300 if I hadn 't spent four seasons in the Navy . But don 't take that as a complaint . I 'm happy I got home in one piece . " There is footage of a Feller fastball being clocked by Army ordnance equipment ( used to measure artillery shell velocity ) and registering at 98 @.@ 6 mph ( 158 @.@ 7 km / h ) . However , this took place in the later years of his career and the speed of the ball was measured as it crossed the plate ( whereas later methods measure the speed as it leaves the pitcher 's hand ) . With primitive equipment Feller was at one point measured at 105 mph ( 169 km / h ) . Feller once mentioned that he was clocked at 104 mph ( 167 km / h ) at Lincoln Park in Chicago . He also threw the second fastest pitch ever officially recorded , at 107 @.@ 6 mph ( 173 @.@ 2 km / h ) , in a game in 1946 at Griffith Stadium . Feller said a 1974 test involving Nolan Ryan would be evaluated when he threw the ball rather than when it reached home plate , and as columnist Milton Richman wrote , Feller said " Sandy Koufax had the best live fast ball he ever saw . " Ted Williams said , " Three days before he pitched I would start thinking about Robert Feller , Bob Feller . I 'd sit in my room thinking about him all the time . God I loved it ... Allie Reynolds of the Yankees was tough , and I might think about him for 24 hours before a game , but Robert Feller : I 'd think about him for three days . " Feller was ranked 36th on Sporting News 's list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players and also the publication 's " greatest pitcher of his time " as well as a finalist for the Major League Baseball All @-@ Century Team in 1999 . Each year , American Legion Baseball presents the " Bob Feller Pitching Award " to the pitcher " with the most strikeouts in regional and national competition . " = = Later life = = Feller was elected the inaugural president of the Major League Baseball Players ' Association in 1956 . As president , he appeared before Congress to speak about baseball 's reserve clause . Feller was the first player to get a franchise to agree to a share of game receipts when he was the starting pitcher for Indians ' games . He was also the earliest player to incorporate himself ( as Ro @-@ Fel , Inc . ) . He was also one of the first players to work for the right of a player to enter free agency . Feller and his wife , Virginia Winther , had three sons , Steve , Martin , and Bruce . The couple divorced in 1971 ; from the divorce settlement , Virginia received the house she and Feller had built . Virginia died on May 6 , 1981 in her home in Shaker Heights , Ohio . In retirement , Feller lived with his second wife , Anne Feller , in Gates Mills , a suburb of Cleveland . Feller is credited with being the first baseball star to sign autographs at baseball memorabilia conventions , and was such a frequent guest at such events that one ESPN writer speculated that he may have signed more autographs than any other person . In June 2009 , at the age of 90 , Feller was one of the starting pitchers at the inaugural Baseball Hall of Fame Classic , which replaced the Hall of Fame Game at Cooperstown , New York . Feller was treated for leukemia in August 2010 . By October , Feller was fitted with a pacemaker and was diagnosed with pneumonia and thrush , an infection of the mucous membrane lining the mouth and throat . He was transferred on December 8 from the Cleveland Clinic to hospice care . On December 15 , Feller died of complications from leukemia at 92 . = = Legacy = = Of Feller 's death , Mike Hegan , Indians broadcaster and son of former Feller teammate and battery mate Jim Hegan , stated , " The Indians of the 40s and 50s were the face of the city of Cleveland and Bob was the face of the Indians . But , Bob transcended more than that era . In this day of free agency and switching teams , Bob Feller remained loyal to the city and the team for over 70 years . You will likely not see that kind of mutual loyalty and admiration ever again . " In 2010 , the " Cleveland Indians Man of the Year Award " was renamed the " Bob Feller Man of the Year Award " . On Opening Day of the 2011 season , the Indians invited Feller 's widow , Anne , to present a silent first pitch . During pregame introductions , Cleveland players wore a No. 19 jersey in honor of Feller . For the entire 2011 season the players ' uniforms were outfitted with an outline of Feller 's pitching motion . The organization also made a permanent memorial of the press @-@ box seat that Feller used in later life . The Bob Feller Museum opened in Van Meter , Iowa , on June 10 , 1995 . Designed by Feller 's son Stephen , on land donated by Brenton Banks , the museum has two rooms that contain Feller memorabilia and items from his own collection . The Feller bat used by Babe Ruth when he made his last public appearance at Yankee Stadium is at the museum . Feller said a teammate had stolen the bat and eventually it was purchased by the sports card company Upper Deck for $ 107 @,@ 000 . Feller later offered the company $ 95 @,@ 000 in return for the bat .

= M @-@ 201 ( Michigan highway ) = M @-@ 201 is a state trunkline highway in the US state of Michigan that serves as a spur route for the village of Northport near the northern tip of Leelanau County . The trunkline zig @-@ zags through to provide a path through the village , connecting with the county road that provides access to Leelanau State Park . The highway was first shown on state maps in the late 1940s , and remains unchanged since . = = Route description = = M @-@ 201 starts on the south side of the Northport at M @-@ 22 and runs north on Shabwasung Street . The highway turns east onto Main Street for one block ; the area in town is predominantly residential . At the intersection with Waukazoo Street , the trunkline turns north until it meets Nagonaba Street where it runs west for a block before turning north onto Mill Street , passing near the marina . Heading out of the village , the highway crosses Northport Creek and passes some small farms . The designation ends at the village limits just south of the three @-@ way intersection of Mill Street , County Road 640 ( CR 640 ) , and East Peterson Park Road . CR 640 continues northward to Leelanau State Park at the tip of the Leelanau Peninsula Like other state highways in Michigan , M @-@ 201 is maintained by the Michigan Department of Transportation ( MDOT ) . In 2011 , the department 's traffic surveys showed that on average , 2 @,@ 245 vehicles used the highway daily . No section of M @-@ 201 is listed on the National Highway System , a network of roads important to the country 's economy , defense , and mobility . = = History = = The entire routing was transferred to state control at an earlier date , but it would first appear on the state highway map published on April 1 , 1949 . The highway remains unchanged since designation . = = Major intersections = = The entire highway is in Leelanau County .

= Battle of Dover Strait ( 1916 ) = The Battle of Dover Strait that occurred on 26 – 27 October 1916 was a naval battle of the First World War between Great Britain and the German Empire . Two and a half flotillas of German torpedo boats from the Flanders Flotilla launched a raid into the Dover Strait in an attempt to disrupt the Dover Barrage and destroy whatever Allied shipping could be found in the strait . Upon approaching the barrage , the German torpedo boats were challenged by the British destroyer HMS Flirt and an engagement broke out . The Germans were able to destroy Flirt and successfully assault the barrage ′ s drifters , but were once more engaged when a flotilla of British destroyers was sent to repel them . The Germans were able to fight off the additional British units before successfully withdrawing . By the end of the night , the British had lost one destroyer , a transport , and several drifters while the Germans themselves suffered only minor damage to a single torpedo boat . = = Background = = In October 1916 , the Flanders Flotilla was finally reinforced by the German Admiralty with two full torpedo boat flotillas . The transfer of the 3rd and 9th Torpedo Boat Flotillas to Flanders had immediate consequences to the balance of power in the Dover Strait . Whereas before , the Flanders Flotilla had only been equipped with three large torpedo boats and several of the smaller inferior A @-@ class torpedo boats , they now possessed 23 large torpedo boats capable of meeting the British Dover Patrol in combat . Due to the lack of large torpedo boats , the Flanders Flotilla had not sortied against the Dover Patrol in several months and as a result British defences were quite lax in the area . With his newly acquired flotillas , the Flanders Flotilla ′ s commander — Ludwig von Schroeder — decided to launch a raid in the Dover Strait against the Dover Barrage as well as any Allied shipping that could be found in the Channel . Although the British had prohibited transports from being in the Channel at night in anticipation of a German raid , the Dover Barrage was not prepared to meet such an attack . Facing Schroeder ′ s 23 boats , the Dover Barrage was only guarded by the old destroyer HMS Flirt , the yacht Ombra , and the naval trawler H. E. Straud . The four divisions of drifters manning the barrage ′ s anti @-@ submarine nets were only armed with a single rifle each for defence . In addition to the forces guarding the Barrage , there were six Tribal @-@ class destroyers at Dover that could be called upon in the event of a raid as well as several units of Harwich Force dispersed at the Downs . = = Battle = = The German torpedo boats split into five groups , with each attacking a different section of the shipping in the channel . The German 5th Half @-@ Flotilla sailed into the Dover Barrage and soon came into contact with five drifters of the 10th Drifter Division tending the anti @-@ submarine nets and attacked . After hearing gunfire , Flirt — the drifters ′ escort — approached the unidentified vessels and challenged them . The boats responded to the British signal with a similar signal . Confused , Flirt 's commander decided that the approaching vessels were Allied destroyers and that drifters had been attacked by a submarine . An open boat was also launched from Flirt to rescue survivors from the sinking drifters . The German boats attacked the destroyer , surprising the crew and outnumbered , Flirt tried to ram one of the German boats ; after a brief engagement it was sunk by gunfire and torpedoes . After sinking Flirt , the Germans continued the attack on the barrage , sinking two drifters each from the 8th and 16th Drifter Divisions . Six drifters were sunk and three others damaged , as well as the trawler H. E. Straud , before the Fifth Half @-@ Flotilla withdrew . When Bacon heard about the raid , he sent six Tribal @-@ class destroyers — HMS Amazon , Mohawk , Viking , Tartar , Cossack and Nubian — to engage the Germans . Due to a misinterpretation of his orders , the British commander of the destroyer division — Commander Henry Oliphant of the Viking — deployed his destroyers in two loose groups , one consisting of Viking , Mohawk , and Tartar and the other Nubian , Amazon and Cossack . Nubian soon steamed far ahead of her group and was the first vessel to reach the scene of Flirt 's sinking . Another half @-@ flotilla of German boats had caught the empty British transport Queen off Goodwin Sands as it returned from the French coast , boarded it and removed her crew before sinking her . Upon Nubian 's contact with the German 17th Half Flotilla , she made the same error as Flirt and mistook the German boats for Allied vessels . Surprised with a hail of gunfire , Nubian attempted to ram the last boat in the German line of battle but was struck by a torpedo that blew off her bow and reduced her to a drifting hulk . Amazon and Cossack soon arrived to aid Nubian and engaged the German boats . The Germans scored several hits on Amazon , knocking out two of her boilers before withdrawing . Viking 's division of boats also clashed with Kaiserliche Marine torpedo boats . The German 18th Half Flotilla was heading back to Zeebrugge when it sailed into Oliphant ′ s group of destroyers , engaging them as they passed . Although Viking escaped unscathed , Mohawk suffered several hits , before the Germans were able to break away to the safety of the coast . Near the end of the action , Reginald Bacon — the commander of the Dover Patrol — dispatched the Dunkirk Division to intercept the German torpedo boats before they could return to Flanders but the Germans were able to successfully withdraw before being caught by these further reinforcements . = = Aftermath = = The British had failed to stop the raiders from destroying the drifters and 45 men were killed , four wounded and 10 taken prisoner . Six ships were sunk in addition to Flirt , the transport Queen and three destroyers , three drifters and a naval trawler were damaged . Of the German torpedo boats , only SMS G91 suffered any damage and no German vessel suffered any casualties . The success of the raid encouraged the Germans to plan more sorties into the English Channel and the raids continued until the 3rd and 9th Torpedo Boat Flotillas were redeployed to the High Seas Fleet in November 1916 .

= Hurricane Brenda ( 1973 ) = Hurricane Brenda of August 1973 was the first tropical cyclone on record to make landfall in the Mexican Province of Campeche . The tropical wave that spawned Brenda moved off the west coast of Africa on August 9 , and uneventfully traversed the Atlantic . By August 18 , an associated area of low pressure developed sufficient convective activity to be declared a tropical depression . Later that day , the system intensified into a tropical storm before moving inland over the Yucatan Peninsula . Brenda had moved back over water by August 21 and began to quickly intensify , with an eye forming later that day . The storm peaked as an upper @-@ end Category 1 hurricane with winds of 90 mph ( 140 km / h ) before making landfall in Campeche . The hurricane rapidly weakened after moving over land and dissipated the following day . Brenda made two landfalls in Mexico : first in the Yucatan and later in Campeche . Little damage resulted from the storm throughout the Yucatan Peninsula . However , severe damage took place in areas near Brenda 's second landfall . A total of 10 people were killed by the hurricane and over 2 @,@ 000 more were left homeless . Flooding caused by Brenda was considered to be the worst in over 25 years in some places . = = Meteorological history = = Hurricane Brenda originated from a tropical wave that moved off the western coast of Africa on August 9 ; however , the initial wave quickly weakened upon entering the Atlantic Ocean . By August 13 , the wave began to regenerate as it passed through the Lesser Antilles , producing scattered shower and thunderstorm activity . Several days later , convection associated with the system consolidated into a central , organized mass and on August 18 , the system had become sufficiently organized to be declared a tropical depression . Early the next day , the depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Brenda following reports of gale @-@ force winds from ships in the vicinity of the storm . Prior to its first landfall , Brenda suddenly intensified , with the central barometric pressure decreasing to 992 mbar ( hPa ; 29 @.@ 29 inHg ) and winds reached 65 mph ( 105 km / h ) . The storm moved inland roughly 30 mi ( 48 km ) north of Cozumel at the northern edge of the Yucatan Peninsula on August 19 . Roughly 24 hours after landfall , the center of Brenda passed directly over the city of Mérida , Yucatán . By this time , a strong ridge over southern Texas and northern Mexico caused the storm to take an unusual southwest turn . Later on August 20 , the center of Brenda moved into the Gulf of Mexico , specifically the Bay of Campeche . Once back over water , Brenda began to quickly intensify , attaining hurricane status later that day . The next day , a well @-@ defined eye had developed and the storm attained its peak intensity as a high @-@ end Category 1 hurricane with winds of 90 mph ( 140 km / h ) and a minimum pressure of 977 mbar ( hPa ; 28 @.@ 85 inHg ) . Around this time , the tropical storm force winds extended out 150 mi ( 240 km ) to the north and 75 mi ( 121 km ) to the south . The storm made landfall later that day near Ciudad del Carmen , Mexico at this intensity , becoming the first hurricane to strike the region on record . After moving inland , Brenda rapidly weakened to a depression by the morning of August 22 and dissipated later that day . = = Impact and aftermath = = The tropical wave that spawned Brenda produced significant amounts of rainfall in the Cayman Islands as it became better organized . Upwards of 4 in ( 100 mm ) was recorded on Grand Cayman on August 17 . Following its first landfall in the northern Yucatan , Brenda produced heavy rainfall and high winds , gusting near 70 mph ( 110 km / h ) . Along the cost , waves were recorded up to 20 ft ( 6 @.@ 1 m ) . Offshore , a freighter with 25 crewman became trapped in the storm after its engines failed . The United States Coast Guard responded to the distress call sent out by the ship once Brenda had moved into the Gulf of Mexico on August 21 . Already suffering from severe flooding that killed at least 18 people and left 200 @,@ 000 homeless , Hurricane Brenda worsened the situation with torrential rainfall and additional flooding . Following the damage wrought by Brenda , a large earthquake struck the region , hampering relief efforts and collapsing numerous structures . Winds on land gusted up to 112 mph ( 180 km / h ) , leading to severe wind damage . Brenda caused a total of 10 deaths . Two of the fatalities occurred in Campeche after 80 % of the city was flooded . Two more of these deaths occurred in the coastal city of Veracruz . This was considered to be the worst flooding in the city in over 25 years . According to officials , 452 homes and the local docks were destroyed in the region . An estimated 2 @,@ 000 people were left homeless as a direct result of Brenda throughout Mexico .

= Holborn tube station = Holborn ( / ˈhoʊbərn / HOH @-@ bə ( r ) n ) is a London Underground station in Holborn , central London . It is served by the Central and Piccadilly lines . On the Central line the station is between Tottenham Court Road and Chancery Lane stations ; on the Piccadilly line it is between Covent Garden and Russell Square . The station is located at the junction of High Holborn and Kingsway and is in Travelcard Zone 1 . Close by are the British Museum , Lincoln 's Inn Fields , Red Lion Square , Bloomsbury Square and Sir John Soane 's Museum . Located at the junction of two earlier tube railway schemes , the station was opened in 1906 by the Great Northern , Piccadilly and Brompton Railway ( GNP & BR ) . The station entrances and below ground circulation were largely reconstructed for the introduction of escalators and the opening of Central line platforms in 1933 , making the station the only interchange between the lines . Before 1994 , Holborn was the northern terminus of the short and little @-@ frequented Piccadilly line branch to Aldwych and two platforms originally used for this service are disused . One of the disused platforms has been used for location filming when a London Underground station platform is needed . = = History = = = = = Planning = = = The station was planned by the Great Northern and Strand Railway ( GN & SR ) , which had received parliamentary approval for a route from Wood Green station ( now Alexandra Palace ) to Strand in 1899 . After the GN & SR was taken over by the Brompton and Piccadilly Circus Railway ( B & PCR ) in September 1901 , the two companies came under the control of Charles Yerkes ' Metropolitan District Electric Traction Company before being transferred to his new holding company , the Underground Electric Railways Company of London ( UERL ) in June 1902 . To connect the two companies ' planned routes , the UERL obtained permission for new tunnels between Piccadilly Circus and Holborn . The companies were formally merged as the Great Northern , Piccadilly and Brompton Railway following parliamentary approval in November 1902 . = = = Construction = = = The linking of the GN & SR and B & PCR routes at Holborn meant that the section of the GN & SR south of Holborn became a branch from the main route . The UERL began constructing the main route in July 1902 . Progress was rapid , so that it was largely complete by the Autumn of 1906 . Construction of the branch was delayed while the London County Council carried out slum clearances to construct its new road Kingsway and the tramway subway running beneath it and while the UERL decided how the junction between the main route and the branch would be arranged at Holborn . When originally planned by the GN & SR , Holborn station was to have just two platforms . The first GNP & BR plan for the station would have seen the two platforms shared by trains on the main route and by the shuttle service on the branch with the junctions between the tunnels south of the station . The interference that shuttle trains would have caused to services on the main route led to a redesign so that two northbound platforms were provided , one for the main line and one for the branch line , with a single southbound platform . The junctions between the two northbound tunnels would have been 75 metres ( 246 ft ) north of the platforms . When powers were sought to build the junction in 1905 , the layout was changed again so that four platforms were to be provided . The southbound tunnel of the main route no longer connected to the branch , which was to be provided with an additional platform in a dead @-@ end tunnel accessed from a crossover from the northbound branch tunnel . As built , for ease of passenger access , the branch 's northbound tunnel ended in a dead @-@ end platform adjacent to the northbound main line platform with the branch 's southbound tunnel connected to the northbound main line tunnel . To enable the southbound tunnel of the main route to avoid the branch tunnels , it was constructed at a lower level than the other tunnels and platforms . The tunnel towards Covent Garden ( at this point heading south @-@ west ) passes under the branch tunnels . As with most of the other GNP & BR stations , the station building was designed by Leslie Green , though at Holborn the station frontage was , uniquely , constructed in stone rather than the standard red glazed terracotta . This was due to planning regulations imposed by the London County Council which required the use of stone for façades in Kingsway . The station entrance and exit sections of the street façade were constructed in granite with the other parts of the ground and first floors in the same style , but using Portland stone . The rest of the building above first floor level was constructed contemporaneously with the station . Access to the platform levels of the station was provided by trapezium @-@ shaped electric lifts manufactured by Otis in America . These operated in pairs in shared circular shafts , with an escape stair in a separate , smaller shaft . Although the station was constructed where the GNP & BR 's tunnels crossed those of the Central London Railway ( CLR , now the Central line ) running under High Holborn , no interchange between the two lines was made as the CLR 's nearest station , British Museum , was 250 metres ( 820 ft ) to the west . Passengers wishing to interchange between the two stations had to do so at street level . The station opened on 15 December 1906 , although the opening of the branch was delayed until 30 November 1907 . = = = Station modernised = = = The street level interchange between the GNP & BR and CLR involving two sets of lifts was considered a weakness in the network . A below ground subway connection was considered in 1907 . A proposal to enlarge the CLR 's tunnels to create new platforms at Holborn station and to abandon British Museum station was included in a private bill submitted to parliament by the CLR in November 1913 , although the First World War prevented any works taking place . Like many other central London Underground stations , Holborn was modernised in the early 1930s to replace the lifts with escalators . The station frontages on Kingsway and High Holborn were partially reconstructed to modernist designs by Charles Holden with the granite elements replaced with plain Portland stone façades perforated with glazed screens . The lifts were removed and a spacious new ticket hall was provided giving access to a bank of four escalators down to an intermediate concourse for the Central line platforms . A second bank of three escalators continues down to the Piccadilly line platforms . The new Central line platforms came into use on 25 September 1933 replacing those of British Museum , which had closed the day before . As part of the modernisation the station was renamed Holborn ( Kingsway ) on 22 May 1933 , but the suffix gradually dropped out of use and no longer appears on station signage or tube maps . The new platforms at Holborn led to the number of passengers switching between the lines increasing tenfold by 1938 . = = = Branch operations = = = Initially , shuttle train services on the branch operated from the through platform at Holborn . At peak times , an additional train operated alternately in the branch 's western tunnel from the bay platform at Holborn . During the first year of operation , a train for theatregoers operated late on Monday to Saturday evenings from Strand through Holborn and northbound to Finsbury Park ; this was discontinued in October 1908 . In March 1908 , the off @-@ peak shuttle service began to use the western tunnel on the branch , crossing between the two branch tunnels south of Holborn . Low usage led to the withdrawal of the second peak @-@ hour shuttle and the eastern tunnel was taken out of use in 1914 . Sunday services ended in April 1917 and , in August of the same year , the eastern tunnel and the bay platform at Holborn were formally closed . Passenger numbers on the branch remained low : when the branch was considered for closure in 1929 , its annual usage was 1 @,@ 069 @,@ 650 and takings were £ 4 @,@ 500 . The branch was again considered for closure in 1933 , but remained open . Wartime efficiency measures led to the branch being closed temporarily on 22 September 1940 , shortly after the start of The Blitz , and it was partly fitted out by the City of Westminster as an air @-@ raid shelter . The tunnels were used to store items from the British Museum , including the Elgin Marbles . The branch reopened on 1 July 1946 , but patronage did not increase . In 1958 , London Transport announced it would be closed . Again it survived , but the service was reduced in June 1958 to run only during Monday to Friday peak hours and Saturday morning and early afternoons . The Saturday service was withdrawn in June 1962 . After operating only during peak hours for more than 30 years , the closure announcement came on 4 January 1993 . The original 1907 lifts at Aldwych required replacement at a cost of £ 3 million . This was not justifiable as only 450 passengers used the station each day and it was losing London Regional Transport £ 150 @,@ 000 per year . The Secretary of State for Transport granted permission on 1 September 1994 to close the station and the branch closed on 30 September . After its closure in 1917 , the bay platform was converted into rooms for use , at various times , as offices , air @-@ raid shelters , store rooms , an electrical sub @-@ station and a war @-@ time hostel . Since 1994 , the branch 's remaining platform at Holborn has been used to test mock @-@ up designs for new platform signage and advertising systems . = = Incidents and accidents = = The Holborn rail crash occurred on the Central line at Holborn on 9 July 1980 , at about 13 : 28 and involved two 1962 stock trains . The 13 : 17 train from Liverpool Street to White City , standing at the westbound platform , was run into by the 12 : 49 Hainault to Ealing Broadway train . The rear train was slowing after its brakes had been applied by the emergency train stop system because it had passed two signals at danger , but it failed to stop in time to avoid collision . The driver of the rear train and 20 passengers were injured . An inquiry concluded that the accident was caused by the driver failing to control his train . Disruption of services occurred until the following morning . On 21 October 1997 , a 9 @-@ year @-@ old boy , Ajit Singh , was dragged to his death when a toggle on his anorak was trapped in the closing doors of a Piccadilly line train . = = Use in media = = The disused branch line platform and other parts of the station have been used in the filming of music videos for Howard Jones ' " New Song " , Leftfield 's " Release the Pressure " , Suede 's " Saturday Night " and Aqua 's " Turn Back Time " . The pre @-@ war operation of the station and the branch line features in a pivotal scene in Geoffrey Household 's novel Rogue Male , when the pursuit of the protagonist by enemy agents sees them repeatedly using the station 's escalators , passageways and the shuttle service . = = Services = = The station is in London fare zone 1 . On the Central line the station is between Tottenham Court Road and Chancery Lane , and on the Piccadilly line , it is between Covent Garden and Russell Square . Holborn is the only interchange between these lines . Train frequencies vary throughout the day , but generally Central line trains operate every 2 – 6 minutes from approximately 05 : 53 to 00 : 30 westbound and 05 : 51 to 00 : 33 eastbound . Piccadilly line trains operate every 2 – 6 minutes from approximately 05 : 42 to 00 : 28 westbound and 05 : 54 to 00 : 38 northbound . On the Central line 1992 Stock is used . On the Piccadilly line 1973 Stock is used . = = Connections = = = = = Historical tram connections = = = Before the closure of the original London tram network in 1952 , Holborn provided an interchange between trams and tubes , via the underground Holborn tramway station located a little distance south of the underground railway station . This was the only part of London with an underground tram system , and Holborn tramway station ( named Great Queen Street when first opened ) is still extant beneath ground , though with no public access . = = = Current bus connections = = = London Buses routes 1 , 8 , 19 , 25 , 38 , 55 , 59 , 68 , 91 , 168 , 171 , 188 , 242 , 243 , 341 , 521 and X68 and night routes N1 , N8 , N19 , N35 , N38 , N41 , N55 , N68 , N91 , N98 , N171 and N207 serve the station .

= Kony 2012 = Kony 2012 is a short documentary film produced by Invisible Children , Inc . ( authors of Invisible Children ) . It was released on March 5 , 2012 . The film 's purpose was to promote the charity 's " Stop Kony " movement to make Ugandan cult and militia leader , indicted war criminal and the International Criminal Court fugitive Joseph Kony globally known in order to have him arrested by the end of 2012 , when the campaign expired . The film spread virally . As of April 1 , 2016 , the film has received over 101 million views and nearly 1 @.@ 4 million " likes " on the video @-@ sharing website YouTube , and over 18 @.@ 6 million views and over 21 @.@ 5 thousand " likes " on Vimeo , with other views on a central " Kony 2012 " website operated by Invisible Children . The intense exposure of the video caused the " Kony 2012 " website to crash shortly after it began gaining widespread popularity . A poll suggested that more than half of young adult Americans heard about Kony 2012 in the days following the video 's release . It was included among the top international events of 2012 by PBS and called the most viral video ever by TIME . The campaign resulted in a resolution by the United States Senate and contributed to the decision to send troops by the African Union . The film also called for an April 20 world wide canvassing campaign , called " Cover the Night " . On April 5 , 2012 , Invisible Children released a follow @-@ up video , titled Kony 2012 : Part II – Beyond Famous , which failed to repeat the success of the original . = = KONY 2012 = = The film documents the Invisible Children 's plans and efforts to capture Joseph Kony . It describes Kony 's actions with his rebel militia group Lord 's Resistance Army ( LRA ) , including forced recruitment of child soldiers , and the regions ( northern Uganda , the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan ) in which they have been active . One of the main people featured in the film is a young Ugandan named Jacob Avaye , whose brother was killed by the LRA . In response , director and founder of Invisible Children , Jason Russell , promises Jacob that he will help " stop Kony " . The film advocates the restoration of social order and curtailing compelled and coerced youth military service . The video also has clips of Jason Russell 's young son reacting to the information about Kony . Near the end of the film , a 2011 announcement from U.S. President Barack Obama is shown authorizing the deployment of 100 Special Forces military advisers to provide " information , advice , and assistance to partner nation forces " of Central African countries to " remove Joseph Kony from the battlefield " . The video concludes by urging viewers to join its publicity campaign by putting up posters and helping out in their communities . = = Invisible Children = = The Invisible Children charity has focused on obtaining the support of a select group of individuals in order to " help bring awareness to the abuse and killing of children in the East and Central African countries at the hands of Kony and his leadership . " This list included 20 " celebrity culture makers " , such as George Clooney , Angelina Jolie , Oprah Winfrey ( who significantly helped to spread the video ) , Taylor Swift and Ryan Seacrest . The list also featured 12 " policy makers " that have " the power to keep U.S. government officials in Africa " in order to work toward the capture of Kony . This list includes former U.S. President George W. Bush and his Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice , and current Secretary of State John Kerry . A number of celebrities endorsed the awareness campaign against Kony , including Justin Bieber , Bill Gates , Christina Milian , Nicki Minaj , Kim Kardashian , Rihanna and Ellen Page . = = = Cover the Night = = = As part of the campaign , American supporters were asked to put up posters in their hometowns in an action named " Cover the Night " , which took place on April 20 , 2012 . Invisible Children website offers posters and T @-@ shirts in an attempt to gain wider recognition . They also created action kits to help spread awareness that include campaign buttons , posters , bracelets and stickers . The " Cover the Night " event took place worldwide on April 20 , 2012 and was to be conducted by supporters who were encouraged to perform some sort of charity work that morning in their local community . Then , that evening , they were to post flyers and posters throughout their city for the Kony 2012 campaign . The turnout for the event worldwide was much smaller than initially expected , with no organized spots officially announced and much fewer people attending than had pledged to attend . A tweet from Invisible Children stated , " There is no official meet @-@ up as we are asking people to act locally with friends + family [ sic ] in their neighborhoods . " One gathering in Vancouver had only 17 people ; another in Brisbane had fewer than 50 attendees . In Kelowna , British Columbia several signs and posters were put up , including two large banners that were " placed on both sides of the pedestrian overpass " . In Canberra , several Facebook groups resulted in a few gatherings of two or three people each ; Pierre Johannessen , a " law firm partner who runs a charity for disadvantaged children " , distributed around 3 @,@ 000 posters to the groups to be put up throughout the city . In Phoenix , 200 posters were put up by " college students and other people in their teens and 20s " , along with a number of chalk and stencil messages . = = Reception = = The film sparked a heated controversy regarding its merits , with very differing opinions being expressed by various NGO workers , government and international officials , journalists , and other groups and individuals . = = = Positive = = = Luis Moreno Ocampo , who was featured in the film and was , at the time , the chief Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court ( ICC ) , voiced his support of the film and the campaign that had " mobilised the world " , and said that the criticism was " stupid " . The Special Representative and head of the newly created United Nations Regional Office for Central Africa ( UNOCA ) , Abou Moussa , said that international interest in Kony was " useful , very important " . The White House released a statement of support through Press Secretary Jay Carney , who stated in a news conference , " We congratulate the hundreds of thousands of Americans who have mobilized to this unique crisis of conscience " and said that the raised awareness from the video is " consistent with the bipartisan legislation passed by our congress in 2010 . " Cameron Hudson , policy director at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and former Africa director in the National Security Council , also praised Invisible Children for reaching " tens of millions of people who probably never previously heard of Joseph Kony . " Anthony Lake , the executive director of UNICEF , was cited as saying that a similar viral video would have made a difference during the Rwandan Genocide in 1994 , also suggesting that " this kind of public attention would also have helped save more lives in Darfur and in Congo ’ s warring east . " Human Rights Watch ( HRW ) ' s Africa division senior researcher Anneke Van Woudenberg wrote in a statement : " We ’ ve spent years investigating the horrors perpetrated by the LRA in central Africa — Uganda , Democratic Republic of Congo , Central African Republic ( CAR ) , and South Sudan . We gathered evidence at massacre sites — wooden clubs covered in dried blood , rubber strips from bicycle tires used to tie up the victims , and freshly dug graves — and spoke to hundreds of boys and girls forced to fight for his army or held captive as sex slaves . And we ’ re elated that # stopKony is a trending topic on Twitter — if anyone deserves global notoriety it ’ s Kony . " She added : " Arresting Kony and other senior LRA leaders would reaffirm that those who commit mass atrocities will face justice . It will also help end the scourge of one of the most brutal rebel groups in Africa . " HRW 's LRA researcher Ida Sawyer reaffirmed , " we definitely support the message of the film and we think it 's great that they 're bringing so much attention to the film with Kony 's crimes and the phenomena of the LRA . " Amnesty International , which had documented what it described as the LRA 's " horrific impact on the lives of thousands of civilians in Central African Republic , Democratic Republic of Congo , South Sudan and Uganda " and for years had been calling for the LRA leaders to be arrested , welcomed the massive public response to the Kony 2012 campaign . Erwin van der Borght , the organization 's Africa director , wrote in a statement : " Joseph Kony and other LRA leaders have evaded arrest for far too long and this campaign is a salient reminder of the continuing crimes by LRA members and the need to arrest and surrender their leaders to the ICC so they can face trial , " but added : " Anyone joining the Kony 2012 campaign should insist that efforts to arrest Joseph Kony must respect human rights " , especially because " many of LRA members were themselves victims of human rights violations including forcible recruitment " , and ensure the protection of civilians . Opinions on the film were mixed in Gulu , one of former centers of rebel activities in northern Uganda , during a showing of the film , with several of the leaders expressing support and criticism . One of the attendees , State Minister for Foreign Affairs Henry Oryem Okello , said that the criticisms directed at the film and Invisible Children were " unfounded " , going on to state , " Invisible Children has done visible things in Acholi [ land ] , for example offering scholarships to thousands of children and anyone against them is our enemy . " Betty Bigombe , a Ugandan cabinet minister and former peace negotiator , said , " I do not know whether it makes any difference as far as taking [ Kony ] out is concerned . However , what is important is bringing this to the attention of policymakers . I hope that something innovative will come out of it . " Norbert Mao , Ugandan politician and president of the opposition Democratic Party , stated his support for the film , explaining that while it does have some problems , such as implying Ugandans did not try to fight back against the LRA and not explaining how many of the issues in the film were also exacerbated by the Ugandan government itself , the film is still a " positive development " for the issue , adding that while Invisible Children may not be " the foremost analysts of the complicated political , historical and security dynamics " in the situation , " they have the most beautiful trait on earth -- compassion . " Journalist Nicholas D. Kristof thanked Invisible Children for making the film and addressed its criticism , stating that rather than being " white man 's burden " , when " a warlord continues to kill and torture across a swath of Congo and Central African Republic ... it 's a human burden . " He also said that complexity had long been " a leading excuse for inaction during atrocities " and that Kony remains a threat in Uganda 's neighbour countries , so the simplicity of the film " has left the American public more informed " than it would be otherwise , and that if he " were a Congolese villager " , he would " welcome these uncertain efforts over the sneering scorn of do @-@ nothing armchair cynics . " Foreign correspondent Roger Cohen called it " simplifying grossly and distorting adeptly to make a valid point : that no effort should be spared to arrest Kony . " British film critic Peter Bradshaw wrote that Kony 2012 , despite its flaws , " lands an almighty punch . This is a principled campaign ad , and a very , very effective one . " Former war correspondent Gotham Chopra said that he understands " the instinctive backlash ( really it ’ s irritation ) " towards the film and the campaign , but " there is enormous value in the fact that millions of people are talking today about genocide in Africa that were mostly unaware of it yesterday . " Jane Bussmann , author of a 2009 book about Kony and the President of Uganda Yoweri Museveni , compared the campaign favorably to the " culture of charity @-@ as @-@ industry " as " at least Kony2012 linked suffering to perpetrators , and urged the young American audience it 's aimed at to contact a politician . " Matthew Green , author of a 2008 book about Kony and the LRA conflict , The Wizard of the Nile , wrote that IC had " achieved more with their 30 @-@ minute video than battalions of diplomats , NGO workers and journalists have since the conflict began 26 years ago . " Jacob Acaye , the former child soldier featured in the film , supported the video and defended its makers . In response to Ugandans saying that the film was out @-@ of @-@ date , Jacob stated that , " It is not too late , because all this fighting and suffering is still going on elsewhere . Until now , the war that was going on has been a silent war . People did not really know about it . Now what was happening in Gulu is still going on elsewhere in the Central African Republic and in Congo . What about the people who are suffering over there ? They are going through what we were going through . " It was noted by Los Angeles Times journalists Lindsay Branham and Jocelyn Kelly that a number of people living in the areas where the LRA is currently active have previously called for attention and advocacy to be directed at the issue . Julien Marneffe , a worker for Catholic Relief Services in Goma said " it 's been an undeniable success -- and one all humanitarian organizations working in this area can be happy about , " but added to " be careful not to oversimplify the issue " and worried that the interest might be short lived when " another crisis or another video will be the next online trend , and I fear that most people will forget about the problems of the LRA . " = = = Negative = = = Since the video 's release , Invisible Children has come under criticism for oversimplification of events in the region and has been accused of engaging in " slacktivism " , in which one donates or takes actions that have little to no effect beyond making one feel like one contributed . While the campaign promotes global activism , it has been criticized for providing a black @-@ and @-@ white picture rather than encouraging the viewers to learn about the situation . Mikaela Luttrell @-@ Rowland from Clark University 's Strassler Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies stated that it was " irresponsible to prize feel good , simplistic messages over complex history and to treat consumerist @-@ consciousness raising as interchangeable with education . " Africa researcher Alex de Waal accused the film of " peddling dangerous and patronizing falsehoods , " criticized the campaign as " naive " for " elevating Kony to a global celebrity , the embodiment of evil , " that might only help him as a terrorist and cult leader , and called for instead " demystifying Kony — reducing him to a common criminal and a failed provincial politician . " One point of criticism is that the film gives a misleading impression of the whereabouts and magnitude of Kony 's remaining LRA forces . As of early 2012 , Kony 's followers were thought to number only in the hundreds , and Kony himself was believed to be in the Central African Republic rather than Uganda — a fact that receives only a passing mention in the video . This problem raised questions about the plausibility of Ugandan army intervention , which the video advocates . Since Kony and most of the LRA forces are currently not in Uganda , the Ugandan army would need to coordinate with the governments and militaries of the other countries where the LRA is active . Dinaw Mengestu , an Ethiopian American writer and Africa researcher , wrote that the real world Kony is " not a click away " , and a simple solution of raising popular awareness , " a beautiful equation that can only work so long as we believe that nothing in the world happens unless we know about it ... only works in the myopic reality of the film , a reality that deliberately eschews depth and complexity . " Amanda Weisbaum of the charity War Child said that " just getting rid of one person does not solve the problem " and the film 's focus should have been rather on helping ex @-@ child soldiers . Anne Goddard , president and CEO of ChildFund International , wrote that " by narrowing the focus on Kony , by defining success so singularly , it gives people a greater sense that the issue [ of globally widespread conscription of young children ] can be resolved . And that hope feeds on itself in a way that becomes infectious . " United Nations Under @-@ Secretary @-@ General Radhika Coomaraswamy called for the Kony2012 campaign to divert its donation funds from supporting military action to capture Kony to rehabilitation and reintegration programmes for former child soldiers . Victor Ochen , founder and director of Ugandan rehabilitation NGO Ayinet , said that campaign " to promote [ Kony ] or make him famous " is " offensive " , in part because of the Cover the Night event 's date ( an anniversary of the Atiak massacre by the LRA in Uganda in 2005 and the date of birth of Adolf Hitler ) , adding " How do you think Americans would have reacted if people in another country wore Osama bin Laden T @-@ shirts ? " After the film 's release , there was criticism in Uganda of its failure to state more clearly that Kony and his forces fled northern Uganda in 2006 and were dispersed across the jungles of three neighbouring countries . Fred Opolot , spokesman for the Ugandan government , said , " It is totally misleading to suggest that the war is still in Uganda . " Arthur Larok , ActionAid 's director in Uganda , said , " It doesn 't sound like a fair representation of Uganda . We have challenges within the country , but certainly the perception of a country at war is not accurate at all . " Dr Beatrice Mpora , director of a community health organization in Gulu , commented , " There has not been a single soul from the LRA here since 2006 . Now we have peace , people are back in their homes , they are planting their fields , they are starting their businesses . That is what people should help us with . " Prime Minister of Uganda Amama Mbabazi launched an online response on YouTube , in which he seeks to correct the " false impression " that Uganda is still at war , and invites everyone to visit the country , assuring that people would find it " a very different place to that portrayed by Invisible Children " . Meanwhile , dozens of members of Ugandan diaspora in United States protested outside the Invisible Children offices in San Diego , also criticizing the video but saying Kony represents " only three percent of all the problems " in their home country and lambasting the Ugandan government for its inadequate response to Kony 's terror and other issues . A March 2012 mass showing of the film in Lira , the site of one of Kony 's worst atrocities in Uganda , was met with jeering and thrown objects at the screen and at the group African Youth Initiative Network , which screened the film and provided translations . The screening prompted angry calls to local radio stations by Ugandans upset that the film was so focused on the filmmakers and Kony while neglecting the conflict 's victims , prompting complaints that the film was " more about whites than Ugandans . " Others objected to being reminded of the horrors Kony brought to Uganda . Despite the negative response , the organization still planned on showing the film in other towns , hoping to avoid this response by providing context for the film . Some Ugandan commentators have also criticized the video for its aim of making Kony " famous " , even believing it means to " celebrate " him , and for its advocacy of foreign military intervention to stop him . Mahmood Mamdani , director of the Institute of Social Research at Makerere University , Kampala , argued that the LRA is " a Ugandan problem calling for a Ugandan political solution " and against " mobilisation of millions [ to ] be subverted into yet another weapon in the hands of those who want to further militarise the region . " Ugandan journalist Rosebell Kagumire said that " the war is much more complex than one man called Joseph Kony . " A more recent showing of Kony 2012 at Pece War Memorial Stadium in Gulu , Uganda sparked a riot in which dozens of people were injured . The archbishop of Gulu , Rt Rev. John Baptist Odama , was reported as saying that the video " has ill motives and geared towards igniting anger in the population to cause violence . " Margaret Aciro , whose picture appears in the video showing her face mutilated by the LRA , said she " became sad " after seeing it being " used to profit . " Father Ernest Sugule , national coordinator of the Congolese non @-@ governmental organization SAIPD in Dungu , DRC , claimed that the few people there " who have succeeded in watching [ Kony 2012 ] are very critical on the film , " as is he himself . Charlie Beckett , a media communications expert at the London School of Economics ( LSE ) , said Invisible Children , " haven 't got the capacity for is to take that beyond another action . What are they going to do with all this energy and interest ? It 's going to dissipate . ... I think this will crash and die , I don 't think they will catch Kony . People will say they bought the bracelet and stuck posters on lamppost but that could have negative effects when it doesn 't actually lead anywhere . " = = = Lord 's Resistance Army 's response = = = A statement purported to be released by Kony 's Lord 's Resistance Army rebels and signed by the group 's spokesman and negotiator Justine Nyeko ( " The Leader , LRA Peace Team " ) condemned the film as " a cheap and banal panic act of mass trickery to make the unsuspecting peoples of the world complicit in the US rogue and murderous activities in Central Africa . " The statement was obtained by Ugandan journalist Frank Nyakairu , received from Nairobi , Kenya @-@ based LRA representatives . It was also reported that the LRA abduction rate sharply increased in the weeks since the film was released , although it was impossible to confirm the link between the rise in LRA attacks and Kony 's global notoriety . = = = Invisible Children 's response = = = On March 8 , 2012 , Invisible Children released an official response addressing the criticisms directed at Kony 2012 . As an explanation for the simplicity of the movie , they stated that " in [ their ] quest to garner wide public support of nuanced policy , [ they ] sought to explain the conflict in an easily understandable format . " Jedidiah Jenkins , the director of idea development for Invisible Children , responded to the new criticisms by saying that they were " myopic " and that the video itself was a " tipping point " that " got young people to care about an issue on the other side of the planet that doesn ’ t affect them . " In response to concerns about working with the Ugandan government , Invisible Children explained that they " do not defend any of the human rights abuses perpetrated by the Ugandan government or the Ugandan army " . They added that the reason why they are working with the Ugandan army even though Kony is no longer in Uganda is that the army is " more organized and better equipped than that of any of the other affected countries ( DRC , South Sudan , CAR ) to track down Joseph Kony " and that they want all of the governments in the region to work together to arrest Kony . Jenkins stated , " There is a huge problem with political corruption in Africa . If we had the purity to say we will not partner with anyone corrupt , we couldn ’ t partner with anyone . " A video titled Thank you , KONY 2012 Supporters was released on March 12 , 2012 to address the criticisms directed at the film and to be " fully transparent " , according to Invisible Children CEO Ben Keesey . The film begins with Keesey discussing the three things that the charity focuses on , which are to " create films with compelling narratives , promote international advocacy and run on @-@ the @-@ ground initiatives . " He also points out that " overhead and travel costs are essential to those efforts " , as a part of the group 's management expenses , along with going toward " thousands of free screenings of the group ’ s films worldwide , as well as toward bringing survivors of the Lord ’ s Resistance Army ... to speak at these events . " Keesey explains the way the charity 's annual expenditures are made , with " 80 @.@ 5 percent to 85 @.@ 7 percent of total annual spending from fiscal 2007 to 2011 " going toward " ' program expenses ' — money that directly benefits their cause " , and finished by urging interested parties to make inquires to the group via Twitter , using the account @ invisible and hashtag # AskICAnything . Two further short videos featured LRA survivors expressing support for the film and the organization . The website Kickstriker , a parody of Kickstarter , contains a fake appeal to crowdsource the " hiring private military contractors from Academi ( formerly Blackwater ) , who will be immediately deployed to central Africa " with a mission to capture or kill Kony . In response , Invisible Children sent the Kickstriker team a cease and desist warning to take down the parody page , accusing them of " causing public confusion through your use of Invisible Children ’ s copyrighted and trademarked property " and threatening a legal action . According to Wired.com , the legal threats " [ had ] Kickstriker ’ s founders rolling their eyes . " = = Kony 2012 Part II = = Kony 2012 : Part II – Beyond Famous is a 20 @-@ minute video follow @-@ up to Kony 2012 . The film was announced early on April 2 , 2012 , to be released within the week . It was initially announced to be released on April 3 , but was delayed for two days due to editing problems . Beyond Famous aims to address criticisms of the original film and to present more information about Kony 's LRA rebellion , including its impact on the countries other than Uganda , as well as about Invisible Children 's work and the Kony 2012 campaign . Executive Director and CEO of Invisible Children , Inc . Ben Keesey , who narrates the film , said the sequel was made in two weeks . In a statement announcing the video , Keesey said that Invisible Children wants people " to dig deeper into this conflict and actively engage in the solutions . " Jason Russell , who was hospitalized on March 15 due to " a temporary psychotic breakdown believed to have been brought on by the pressure of the success — and criticism — of the first film " , is not featured in Part II . = = = Reception = = = In a pre @-@ release comment , popular culture expert Robert Thompson said : " The fact is , the story has developed in so many odd ways with all the controversy , and the sequel can 't really promise the bang of that first video — which is informing people of something they did not know before . Now we 're getting into the details , which is never that thrilling . " The LRA researcher Craig Valters of the LSE 's department of International Development said that the second video " overwhelmingly " failed to answer criticisms raised by the first film . On the other hand , Mike Pflanz , East Africa correspondent for The Daily Telegraph , said that the sequel was " a more solid , moving and , finally , accurate presentation of the ongoing battle to capture Joseph Kony " and that , in comparison to the original video , the " new video is couched in nuance and deploys dialogue more commonly heard in a United Nations workshop – displacement , rehabilitation , post @-@ conflict — than in a YouTube smash . " According to The Guardian , the sequel " does not seem to have captured the public 's imagination in quite the same way as Invisible Children 's earlier video did , failing to significantly trend on social media websites . " By April 16 , 2012 , it had received 1 @.@ 7 million views in 11 days , less than 2 % of what the first video had in its first five days . Matt Fiorentino , director of marketing at video measurement firm Visible Measures , considered the first campaign a never @-@ seen @-@ before anomaly , and despite being dwarfed by its predecessor , the number of views Beyond Famous received was " pretty good " when compared to a regular social campaign . The Guardian nevertheless described Beyond Famous as " one of the top 25 non @-@ profit campaigns ever . " = = Impact = = = = = United States = = = On March 21 , 2012 , a resolution " condemning Joseph Kony and his ruthless guerrilla group for a 26 @-@ year campaign of terror " was put forward by Senators Jim Inhofe and Chris Coons . The resolution stated that it would back " the effort of Uganda , the Democratic Republic of Congo , the Central African Republic and the newest country , South Sudan , to stop Kony and his Lord 's Resistance Army " , along with an official statement of support " for the U.S. effort to help regional forces pursue commanders of the militia group . " Overall , the resolution received support from 34 senators , both Republicans and Democrats . Support among senators for the resolution came about after the release of the Kony 2012 video and its subsequent popularity . One of the resolution leaders , Senator Chris Coons , became aware of the situation after his daughters asked him what he was doing to stop Kony and Senator Roy Blunt was informed " at a Missouri caucus in St. Louis when a constituent quizzed him about Kony " . One of the co @-@ sponsors of the resolution , Senator Lindsey Graham , stated that , " When you get 100 million Americans looking at something , you will get our attention . This YouTube sensation is gonna help the Congress be more aggressive and will do more to lead to his demise than all other action combined . " = = = Africa = = = On March 23 , 2012 , the African Union ( AU ) announced its intentions to send an international brigade of 5 @,@ 000 military troops " from Uganda , South Sudan , Central African Republic and Congo , countries where Kony ’ s reign of terror has been felt over the years ... to join the hunt for rebel leader Joseph Kony " and to " neutralize " him . According to the statement , the mission commenced on March 24 , 2012 and the search " will last until Kony is caught " , after which the task force will be disbanded . The effort is Ugandan @-@ led and backed by the U.S. with the 100 advisers already there , who are offering advice , intelligence and training , along with equipment . The brigade has established its headquarters in Yambio in South Sudan , close to the border with the DRC , and is commanded by a Ugandan officer ; a Congolese officer has oversight of intelligence operations . The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees ( UNHCR ) spokeswoman Melissa Fleming said the agency welcomed the " unprecedented " initiative to " end the atrocities in the region " and urged all involved to respect human rights and minimize risk to civilians . AU counter @-@ terrorism envoy Francisco Madeira said , " We need to stop Kony . " The ICC chief prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo voiced confidence that the video will " produce the arrest of Joseph Kony this year , " adding : " That is the impact of the campaign . " However , Patrick Wegner , an academic at the Max Planck Research School on Successful Dispute Resolution in International Law , claimed it was " plain wrong " to suggest the AU action was prompted solely by Kony 2012 , saying that " the idea is a lot older than the Kony 2012 video " as the plans for forming an anti @-@ LRA regional military force have been first reported in international news media in 2010 .

= Banksia prionotes = Banksia prionotes , commonly known as acorn banksia or orange banksia , is a species of shrub or tree of the genus Banksia in the family Proteaceae . It is native to the southwest of Western Australia and can reach up to 10 m ( 33 ft ) in height . It can be much smaller in more exposed areas or in the north of its range . This species has serrated , dull green leaves and large , bright flower spikes , initially white before opening to a bright orange . Its common name arises from the partly opened inflorescence , which is shaped like an acorn . The tree is a popular garden plant and also of importance to the cut flower industry . Banksia prionotes was first described in 1840 by English botanist John Lindley , probably from material collected by James Drummond the previous year . There are no recognised varieties , although it has been known to hybridise with Banksia hookeriana . Widely distributed in south @-@ west Western Australia , B. prionotes is found from Shark Bay ( 25 ° S ) in the north , south as far as Kojonup ( 33 ° 50 ′ S ) . It grows exclusively in sandy soils , and is usually the dominant plant in scrubland or low woodland . Pollinated by birds , it provides food for a wide array of vertebrate and invertebrate animals in the autumn and winter months . It is an important source of food for honeyeaters ( Meliphagidae ) , and is critical to their survival in the Avon Wheatbelt region , where it is the only nectar @-@ producing plant in flower at some times of the year . = = Description = = Banksia prionotes grows as a tree up to 10 m ( 30 ft ) high in southern parts of its distribution , but in northern parts it is usually a shorter tree or spreading shrub , reaching about 4 m ( 13 ft ) in height ; it diminishes in size as the climate becomes warmer and dryer further north . It has thin , mottled grey , smooth or grooved bark , and tomentose young stems . The alternate dull green leaves are 15 – 27 cm ( 6 – 11 in ) long , and 1 – 2 centimetres ( 1 ⁄ 3 – 2 ⁄ 3 in ) wide , with toothed leaf margins made up of triangular lobes , and often a wavy surface . Flowers occur in a typical Banksia flower spike , an inflorescence made up of hundreds of small individual flowers , or florets , densely packed around a cylindrical axis . B. prionotes has cream @-@ coloured flowers with a bright orange limb that is not revealed until the flower fully opens . Known as anthesis , this process sweeps through the inflorescence from bottom to top over a period of days , creating the effect of a cream inflorescence that progressively turns bright orange . The old flower parts fall away after flowering finishes , revealing the axis , which may bear up to 60 embedded follicles . Oval or oblong in shape and initially covered in fine hairs , these follicles are from 14 to 20 mm ( 1 ⁄ 2 to 3 ⁄ 4 in ) long and 6 – 11 mm ( 1 ⁄ 4 – 3 ⁄ 8 in ) wide , and protrude 3 – 6 mm ( 1 ⁄ 8 – 1 ⁄ 4 in ) from the cone . Inside , they bear two seeds separated by a brownish woody seed separator . The matte blackish seeds are wedge @-@ shaped ( cuneate ) and measure 8 – 10 mm ( 3 ⁄ 8 – 3 ⁄ 8 in ) long by 5 – 6 mm ( 1 ⁄ 4 – 1 ⁄ 4 in ) wide with a membranous ' wing ' . The root system consists of a main sinker root , and up to ten lateral roots extending from a non @-@ lignotuberous root crown . The main sinker root grows straight down to the water table ; it may be up to 15 m ( 49 ft ) long if the water table is that deep . Typically from 3 to 5 cm ( 1 1 ⁄ 4 to 2 in ) in diameter immediately below the root crown , roots become gradually finer with depth , and may be less than half a centimetre ( 0 @.@ 2 in ) wide just above the water table . Upon reaching the water table , the sinker branches out into a network of very fine roots . The laterals radiate out horizontally from the base of the plant , at a depth of 3 – 10 cm ( 1 1 ⁄ 4 – 4 in ) . They may extend over 5 m ( 16 ft ) from the plant , and may bear secondary laterals ; larger laterals often bear auxiliary sinker roots . Lateral roots seasonally form secondary rootlets from which grow dense surface mats of proteoid roots , which function throughout the wetter months before dying off with the onset of summer . = = Taxonomy = = Banksia prionotes was first published by English botanist John Lindley in the January 1840 issue of his A Sketch of the Vegetation of the Swan River Colony ; hence the species ' standard author citation is Banksia prionotes Lindl . He did not specify the type material upon which he based the species , but A Sketch of the Vegetation of the Swan River Colony is based primarily upon the collections of early settler and botanist James Drummond . A sheet of mounted specimens at the University of Cambridge Herbarium ( CGE ) , labelled " Swan River , Drummond , 1839 " and annotated " Banksia prionotes m " in Lindley 's hand , has since been designated the lectotype . Lindley also made no mention of the etymology of the specific epithet , " prionotes " , but it is assumed to be derived from the Ancient Greek prion ( " saw " ) and -otes ( " quality " ) , referring to the serrated leaf margins . The most commonly reported common names of B. prionotes are acorn banksia , derived from the resemblance of partly opened inflorescences to acorns ; and orange banksia . Other reported common names include saw @-@ toothed banksia and golden banksia Bwongka is a generic Noongar name for Banksia in the Avon River catchment , where B. prionotes is one of several species occurring . No further subspecies or varieties of B. prionotes have been described , and it has no taxonomic synonyms . Its only nomenclatural synonym is Sirmuellera prionotes ( Lindl . ) Kuntze , which arose from Otto Kuntze 's unsuccessful 1891 attempt to transfer Banksia into the new name Sirmuellera . When Carl Meissner published his infrageneric arrangement of Banksia in 1856 , he placed B. prionotes in section Eubanksia because its inflorescence is a spike rather than a domed head , and in series Salicinae , a large series that is now considered quite heterogeneous . This series was discarded in the 1870 arrangement of George Bentham ; instead , B. prionotes was placed in section Orthostylis , which Bentham defined as consisting of those Banksia species with flat leaves with serrated margins , and rigid , erect styles that " give the cones after the flowers have opened a different aspect " . In 1981 , Alex George published a revised arrangement that placed B. prionotes in the subgenus Banksia because of its flower spike , section Banksia because its styles are straight rather than hooked , and the series Crocinae , a new series of four closely related species , all with bright orange perianths and pistils . George 's arrangement remained current until 1996 , when Kevin Thiele and Pauline Ladiges published an arrangement informed by a cladistic analysis of morphological characteristics . Their arrangement maintained B. prionotes in B. subg . Banksia , but discarded George 's sections and his series Crocinae . Instead , B. prionotes was placed at the end of series Banksia , in subseries Cratistylis . Questioning the emphasis on cladistics in Thiele and Ladiges ' arrangement , George published a slightly modified version of his 1981 arrangement in his 1999 treatment of Banksia for the Flora of Australia series of monographs . To date , this remains the most recent comprehensive arrangement . The placement of B. prionotes in George 's 1999 arrangement may be summarised as follows : Banksia B. subg . Banksia B. sect . Banksia B. ser . Salicinae ( 11 species , 7 subspecies ) B. ser . Grandes ( 2 species ) B. ser . Banksia ( 8 species ) B. ser . Crocinae B. prionotes B. burdettii B. hookeriana B. victoriae B. ser . Prostratae ( 6 species , 3 varieties ) B. ser . Cyrtostylis ( 13 species ) B. ser . Tetragonae ( 3 species ) B. ser . Bauerinae ( 1 species ) B. ser . Quercinae ( 2 species ) B. sect . Coccinea ( 1 species ) B. sect . Oncostylis ( 4 series , 22 species , 4 subspecies , 11 varieties ) B. subg . Isostylis ( 3 species ) Since 1998 , American botanist Austin Mast has been publishing results of ongoing cladistic analyses of DNA sequence data for the subtribe Banksiinae , which includes Banksia . With respect to B. prionotes , Mast 's results are fairly consistent with those of both George and Thiele and Ladiges . Series Crocinae appears to be monophyletic , and B. hookeriana is confirmed as B. prionotes ' closest relative . Overall , however , the inferred phylogeny is very different from George 's arrangement . Early in 2007 , Mast and Thiele initiated a rearrangement of Banksiinae by publishing several new names , including subgenus Spathulatae for the species of Banksia that have spoon @-@ shaped cotyledons ; in this way they also redefined the autonym B. subgenus Banksia . They have not yet published a full arrangement , but if their nomenclatural changes are taken as an interim arrangement , then B. prionotes is placed in subgenus Banksia . = = = Hybrids = = = = = = = With Banksia hookeriana = = = = Banksia prionotes readily hybridises with Banksia hookeriana ( Hooker 's banksia ) under experimental conditions , indicating that these species have highly compatible pollen . The cultivar B. ' Waite Orange ' is believed to be such a hybrid , having arisen by open pollination during a breeding experiment conducted at the Waite Agricultural Research Institute of the University of Adelaide in 1988 . Banksia prionotes × hookeriana has also been verified as occurring in the wild , but only in disturbed locations . The two parent species have overlapping ranges and are pollinated by the same honeyeater species ; and though preferring different soils , they often occur near enough to each other for pollinators to move between them . It therefore appears that the only barrier to hybridisation in undisturbed areas is the different flowering seasons : B. prionotes has usually finished flowering by the end of May , whereas flowering of B. hookeriana usually does not begin until June . In disturbed areas , however , the increased runoff and reduced competition mean extra nutrients are available , and this results in larger plants with more flowers and a longer flowering season . Thus the flowering seasons overlap , and the sole barrier to interbreeding is removed . The resultant F1 hybrids are fully fertile , with seed production rates similar to that of the parent species . There is no barrier to backcrossing of hybrids with parent species , and in some populations this has resulted in hybrid swarms . This raises the possibility of the parent species gradually losing their genetic integrity , especially if the intermediate characteristics of the hybrid offer it a competitive advantage over the parent species , such as a wider habitat tolerance . Moreover , speciation might occur if the hybrid 's intermediate characteristics allow it to occupy a habitat unsuited to both parents , such as an intermediate soil type . Banksia prionotes × hookeriana hybrids have characteristics intermediate between the two parents . For example , the first putative hybrids studied had a habit " like that of gigantic B. hookerana [ sic ] " , having inherited the size of B. prionotes , together with B. hookeriana 's tendency to branch from near the base of the trunk . Similarly , the infructescences were like B. prionotes in size , but had persistent flowers like B. hookeriana . Inflorescences and leaves were intermediate in size and shape , and bark was like that of B. prionotes . = = = = Other putative hybrids = = = = During data collection for The Banksia Atlas project , a single presumed natural hybrid between B. prionotes and B. lindleyana ( porcupine banksia ) , with fruit like B. lindleyana but leaves intermediate between the two parents , was found north of Kalbarri National Park . At the time this was considered an important discovery , as the parent species were thought not to be closely related . Mast 's analyses , however , place them both in a clade of eight species , though B. lindleyana remains less closely related to B. prionotes than B. hookeriana . Hybrids of B. prionotes with B. menziesii ( firewood banksia ) have also been produced by artificial means , and presumed natural hybrids have been recorded . = = Distribution and habitat = = Banksia prionotes occurs throughout much of the Southwest Botanical Province , occurring both along the west coast and well inland , and ranging from Shark Bay ( 25 ° 30 ′ S ) in the north , to Kojonup ( 33 ° 50'S ) and Jerramungup ( 34 ° 24'S 118 ° 55'E ) in the south and south @-@ east respectively . It grows among tall shrubland or low woodland , mostly in the swales and lower slopes of dunes , and shows a very strong preference for deep white or yellow sand . It is most common amongst the kwongan heath of the Geraldton Sandplains north of Jurien ; it has a fairly continuous distribution there , often as the dominant species , and extends inland to around the 350 mm isohyet . On the Swan Coastal Plain to the south , its distribution is discontinuous , being largely confined to patches of suitable sand in the narrow transition zone where tuart forest gives way to jarrah forest . With the exception of a population at Point Walter ( 32 ° 00 ′ S ) , it does not occur on the sandplain south of the Swan River . The soils east of the Darling Scarp are generally too heavy for this species , with the exception of some isolated pockets of deep alluvial or aeolian yellow sand . B. prionotes thus has a very patchy distribution east of the scarp . This area nonetheless accounts for around half of its geographic range , with the species extending well to the south and south @-@ east of the scarp . In total , the species occurs over a north – south distance of about 815 km ( 500 mi ) , and an east – west distance of about 125 km ( 80 mi ) . The species is almost totally restricted to the swales and lower slopes of dunes . Various reasons for this have been proposed ; on the one hand , it has been argued that its dependence on ground water necessitates that it grow only where ground water is relatively near the surface ; on the other hand , it has been suggested that it cannot survive in higher parts of the landscape because fires are too frequent there . The latter hypothesis is supported by the recent expansion of B. prionotes along road verges of the Brand Highway , where fires are relatively rare . Despite B. prionotes ' occurrence in lower parts of the landscape , it does not occur in areas prone to flooding , because of its intolerance of heavy soils , and because extended periods of flooding kill seedlings . However , recent falls of the water table on the Swan Coastal Plain have seen B. prionotes replace the more water @-@ loving Banksia littoralis in some areas that were previously flood @-@ prone . = = Ecology and physiology = = = = = Growth = = = The structure of the root system , comprising a vertical tap root and multiple horizontal laterals , develops in the seedling 's first year . Thereafter , the sinker and laterals continue to lengthen , and new laterals appear . There are only three to five laterals at first , but this number typically increases to eight to ten within ten years . During the first winter , there is a great deal of root system development , especially elongation of the sinker root , but almost no shoot growth . By summer , the sinker root has generally almost reached the water table , and shoot growth increases substantially . Around February , the shoot forms a resting bud , and growth then ceases until October . On resumption of shoot growth , the shoots grow rapidly for a short time , while the plant is under little water stress ; then , with the onset of water stress , the plants settles into a long period of slower shoot growth . This pattern of summer @-@ only shoot growth is maintained throughout the life of the plant , except that in mature plants , seasonal shoot growth may cease with the formation of a terminal inflorescence rather than a resting bud . Inflorescence development continues after shoot growth ceases , and flowering commences in February or March . March and April are the peak months for flowering , which ends in July or August . Annual growth increases exponentially for the first eight years or so , but then slows down as resources are diverted into reproduction and the greater density of foliage results in reduced photosynthetic efficiency . = = = Nutrition and metabolism = = = The root structure of B. prionotes exhibits two common environmental adaptations . Firstly , this species is phreatophytic , that is , its long taproot extends down to the water table , securing it a continuous water supply through the dry summer months , when surface water is generally unavailable . This not only helps ensure survival over summer , but allows plants to grow then . Though the supply of water is the taproot 's primary function , the ground water obtained typically contains ionic concentrations of chloride , sodium , magnesium , calcium and potassium that are adequate for the plant 's nutritional needs . The other common adaptation is the possession of cluster roots , which allow it to extract enough nutrients to survive in the oligotrophic soils in which it grows . With the onset of autumn rains , the lateral roots form dense surface mats of cluster roots in the top 20 cm ( 8 in ) of soil , just below the leaf litter , where most minerals are concentrated . These roots exude chemicals that enhance mineral solubility , greatly increasing the availability and uptake of nutrients in impoverished soils such as the phosphorus @-@ deficient native soils of Australia . For as long as surface water is available , they take in water and a range of minerals . In B. prionotes they are principally responsible for the uptake of malate , phosphate , chloride , sodium and potassium . When soils are high in nitrates , they may also perform some nitrate reductase activities , primarily the conversion of ammonium into amino acids such as asparagine and glutamine . The uptake of nutrient and water by the cluster roots peaks through winter and spring , but ceases when the upper layer of soil dries out in summer . The cluster roots are then allowed to die , but the laterals are protected from desiccation by a continuous supply of water from the sinker root . The water supplied to the laterals by the sinker root is continually lost to the soil ; thus this plant facilitates the movement of ground water from the water table into surface soil , a process known as hydraulic redistribution . Cluster roots have been estimated as comprising about 30 % of total root biomass in this species ; the seasonal production of so much biomass , only for it to be lost at the end of the growing season , represents a substantial investment by the plant , but one that is critical in the competition for nutrients . During winter , asparagine is metabolised immediately , but other nutrients , especially phosphates and glutamine , are removed from the xylem sap and stored in mature stem , bark and leaf tissues for release back into the xylem just before shoot growth begins in mid summer . This is also the time when the oldest leaves senesce and die , returning nutrients to the plant at the time when they are needed most . When glutamine eventually reaches the leaves , it is broken down and used to synthesise protein and non @-@ amide amino acids such as aspartate , threonine , serine , glutamate , glycine , alanine and cystine . Together with sucrose and other solutes , these are then circulated in the phloem . The phloem sap of B. prionotes is unusual in having an extremely low ratio of potassium to sodium cations , and very low concentrations of phosphate and amino acids compared to chloride and sulfate anions . The low levels of potassium and phosphate reflect the extremely low availability of these minerals in the soil . The unusually high levels of sodium and chloride — at concentrations usually only seen under saline conditions — may be due to the necessity of maintaining turgor pressure ; that is , with so little potassium and phosphate available , and that needed in the building of new tissue , B. prionotes is forced to circulate whatever other ions are available in order to maintain turgor . = = = Breeding system = = = Flowering begins in February and is usually finished by the end of June . The species has an unusually low rate of flowering : even at the peak of its flowering season , it averages less than seven inflorescences per plant flowering at any one time . Individual flowers open sequentially from bottom to top within each inflorescence , the rate varying with the time of day : more flowers open during the day than at night , with a peak rate of around two to three florets per hour during the first few hours of daylight , when honeyeater foraging is also at its peak . The flowers are fed at by a range of nectarivorous birds : mainly honeyeaters , including the New Holland honeyeater ( Phylidonyris novaehollandiae ) , white @-@ cheeked honeyeater ( P. nigra ) , brown honeyeater ( Lichmera indistincta ) , singing honeyeater ( Lichenostomus virescens ) , tawny @-@ crowned honeyeater ( Gliciphila melanops ) and red wattlebird ( Anthochaera carunculata ) . Lorikeets have also been observed feeding at the flowers , as have insects , including ants , bees , and aphids . Of these , evidence suggests that only birds are effective pollinators . Insects apparently play no role in pollination , since inflorescences do not form follicles when birds are excluded in pollinator exclusion experiments ; and pollination by mammals has never been recorded in this species . Honeyeaters prefer to forage at individual flowers which have only just opened , as these offer the most nectar . As they probe for nectar , honeyeaters end up with large quantities of pollen on their beaks , foreheads and throats , some of which they subsequently transfer to other flowers . This transfer is quite efficient : flowers typically lose nearly all their pollen within four hours of opening , and pollen is deposited on the majority of stigmata . Around 15 % of these stigmata end up with pollen lodged in the stigmatic groove , a prerequisite to fertilisation . The structure of the Banksia flower , with the style end functioning as a pollen presenter , suggests that autogamous self @-@ fertilisation must be common . In many Banksia species , the risk of this occurring is reduced by protandry : a delay in a flower 's receptivity to pollen until after its own pollen has lost its viability . There is dispute , however , over whether this occurs in B. prionotes : one study claimed to have confirmed " protandrous development " , yet recorded high levels of stigmatic receptivity immediately after anthesis , and long pollen viability , observations that are not consistent with protandry . If it does occur , protandry does nothing to prevent geitonogamous self @-@ pollination : that is , pollination with pollen from another flower on the same plant . In fact , when birds forage at B. prionotes , only about a quarter of all movements from inflorescence to inflorescence involve a change of plant . Geitonogamous self @-@ pollination must therefore occur more often in this species than cross @-@ pollination . This does not imply high rates of self @-@ fertilisation , however , as the species appears highly self @-@ incompatible : although pollen grains will germinate on flowers of the self plant , they apparently fail to produce pollen tubes that penetrate the style . Even where cross @-@ pollination does occur , fertilisation rate is fairly low . It is speculated that this is related to " a variety of chemical reactions at the pollen @-@ stigma interface " . Cone production varies a great deal from year to year , but , as a result of its low flowering rate , is generally very low . However , there are typically a very high number of follicles per cone , leading to relatively high seed counts . There is some seed predation , primarily from the curculionid weevil Cechides amoenus . = = = Response to fire = = = Like many plants in south @-@ west Western Australia , B. prionotes is adapted to an environment in which bushfire events are relatively frequent . Most Banksia species can be placed in one of two broad groups according to their response to fire : reseeders are killed by fire , but fire also triggers the release of their canopy seed bank , thus promoting recruitment of the next generation ; resprouters survive fire , resprouting from a lignotuber or , more rarely , epicormic buds protected by thick bark . B. prionotes is unusual in that it does not fit neatly into either of these groups . It lacks a lignotuber or thick bark , and so cannot be considered a resprouter ; yet it may survive or escape some fires because of its height , the sparseness of its foliage , and because it occurs in dune swales where fire are cooler and patchier . On the other hand , it is not a typical reseeder either , because of its relatively low fire mortality rates , and because it is only weakly serotinous : although fire promotes seed release , seed release still occurs in the absence of fire . The actual degree of serotiny and fire mortality in B. prionotes varies with latitude , or , more likely , climate . Observations suggest that it is always killed by fire in the north of its range , which is relatively hot and dry , and where individual plants are usually smaller , but may survive fire in the cooler , moister , south . Moreover , it is essentially non @-@ serotinous in the south , since all seed is released by the end of the second year , but seed retention increases steadily to the north , and at the northern end of its range , it typically takes around four years for a plant to release half of its seed in the absence of bushfire , with some seed retained for up to 12 years . A number of other characteristics of B. prionotes can be understood as secondary responses to weak serotiny . For example , winter flowering ensures that seed is ripe by the beginning of the bushfire season ; this is very important for weakly serotinous species , which rely heavily upon the current year 's seed crop . Another example is the deciduous florets of B. prionotes . In strongly serotinous species , the old florets are retained on the cones , where they function as fire fuel , helping to ensure that follicles reach temperatures sufficient to trigger seed release . In B. prionotes , however , seed release is triggered at relatively low temperatures : in one study , 50 % of follicles opened at 265 ° C ( 509 ° F ) , and 90 % opened at 330 ° C ( 626 ° F ) ; in contrast , the closely related but strongly serotinous B. hookeriana required 340 and 500 ° C ( 644 and 932 ° F ) respectively . Floret retention would therefore be to no advantage , and might even prevent seed from escaping spontaneously opened follicles . Seed release in B. prionotes is promoted by repeated wetting of the cones . The seed separator that holds the seeds in place is hygroscopic ; its two wings pull together then wet , then spread and curl inwards as it dries out again . In doing so , it functions as a lever , gradually prying seeds out of a follicle over the course of a wet @-@ dry cycle . This adaptation ensures that seed release following fire is delayed until the onset of rain , when germination and seedling survival rates are higher . Because of its higher susceptibility and lower reliance on fire for reproduction , the optimal fire interval for B. prionotes is higher than for other Banksia species with which it occurs . One simulation suggested an interval of 18 years was optimal for B. prionotes , compared to 15 years for B. hookeriana and 11 years for B. attenuata . The same model suggested that B. prionotes is quite susceptible to reductions in fire intervals . On the other hand , it shows little susceptibility to increases in fire interval : although senescence and death are often observed in plants older than about 30 years , healthy stands have been observed that have escaped fire for 50 years . These stands have a multi @-@ aged structure , demonstrating the occurrence of successful inter @-@ fire recruitment . Fire response may also furnish an explanation for the evolution of this species . The differences in fire regime between dune crests and swales would have created different evolutionary pressures , with plants on crests adapting to frequent hot fires by becoming strongly serotinous , and plants in swales adapting to patchier , cooler fires with weaker serotiny . Speciation would be made possible by the much reduced genetic exchange between crest plants and swale plants , although evidence suggests that there was some introgression at first . Eventually , however , the need for weakly serotinous plants to produce ripe seed by the bushfire season would have brought forward its flowering season until the flowering seasons no longer overlapped ; thus a phenological barrier to exchange was erected , allowing the two populations to drift independently of each other . = = Conservation = = Banksia prionotes is susceptible to a number of threatening processes . It is highly susceptible to Phytophthora cinnamomi dieback ; wild populations are harvested commercially by the cut flower industry ; and some of its range is subject to land clearing for urban or agricultural purposes . An assessment of the potential impact of climate change on this species found that severe change is likely to lead to a reduction in its range of around 50 % by 2080 ; and even mild change is projected to cause a reduction of 30 % ; but under mid @-@ severity scenarios the distribution may actually grow , depending on how effectively it can migrate into newly habitable areas . However , this study does not address the potential of climate change to alter fire regimes ; these have already been impacted by the arrival of humans , and this change is thought to have led to a decline in the abundance and range of B. prionotes . The species as a whole is not considered particularly vulnerable to these factors , however , as it is so widely distributed and common . Western Australia 's Department of Environment and Conservation does not consider it to be rare , and has not included it on their Declared Rare and Priority Flora List . It nonetheless has high conservation importance in at least one context : it is a keystone mutualist in the Avon Wheatbelt , where it is the only source of nectar during a critical period of the year when no other nectar @-@ producing plant is in flower . The loss of B. prionotes from the region would therefore mean the loss of all the honeyeaters as well , and this would affect the many other species of plants that rely on honeyeaters for pollination . The primary vegetation community in which Banksia prionotes occurs in the Avon Wheatbelt is considered a priority ecological community , and is proposed for formal gazetting as a threatened ecological community under the name " Banksia prionotes and Xylomelum angustifolium low woodlands on transported yellow sand " . Although currently in near @-@ pristine and static condition , it is considered at risk due to a large number of threatening processes , including land clearing , landscape fragmentation , rising soil salinity , grazing pressure , competition with weeds , changes to the fire regime , rubbish dumping , and P. cinnamomi dieback . = = Cultivation = = Described as " an outstanding ornamental species " , its brightly coloured , conspicuous flower spikes make B. prionotes a popular garden plant . It is good for attracting honeyeaters to the garden , and sometimes flowers twice a year . A low growing dwarf form which reaches 1 m ( 3 @.@ 3 ft ) high is available in Western Australia , sold as " Little Kalbarri Candles " . It is fairly easy to grow in areas with a Mediterranean climate , but does not do well in areas with high summer humidity . It requires a sunny position in well @-@ drained soil , and tolerates at least moderate frost . It should be pruned lightly , not below the green foliage , as it tends to become straggly with age otherwise . Seeds do not require any treatment prior to sowing , and take 21 to 35 days to germinate . The species is also considered ideal for cut flower production , as its flowers fulfill the commercial criteria of terminal blooms and a long stem length . As such it is one of the most popular banksias for cut flower production , with commercial crops grown in Israel , Victoria , South Australia and Hawaii .

= Tropical Storm Norman ( 2012 ) = Tropical Storm Norman brought minor flooding to western Mexico and record rainfall to areas of Texas in September 2012 . The fourteenth tropical cyclone and fourteenth named storm of the 2012 Pacific hurricane season , Norman developed near the southern tip of Baja California early on September 28 . Upon developing into a tropical cyclone on September 28 , Norman attained its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph ( 85 km / h ) . Heading northward into the Gulf of California , the storm began to weaken later that day due to southwesterly wind shear and land interaction . Norman curved northwestward and weakened to a tropical depression early on September 29 . Around that time , it briefly moved inland near Topolobampo , Sinaloa , before re @-@ emerging into the Gulf of California . Later on September 29 , Norman degenerated into a remnant low pressure area . In anticipation of the storm , a tropical storm warning was issued for a portion of the Pacific coast of Mexico . Additionally , orange , yellow , green , and blue alerts were posted for several states . About 553 shelters were opened , though only 65 people sought refuge in them . Heavy rainfall from Norman was reported in Colima , Jalisco , Nayarit , Sinaloa , Baja California Sur , Durango , and Zacatecas . In Baja California Sur , mudslides and flooding left roads impassable , mainly in the La Paz area . Flooding in Sinola left streets inundated and about 150 families fled their homes . About 24 cars in the area were swept away . The remnants of Norman brought record rainfall totals to some areas of Texas . Local flooding occurred , with a few roads inundated in Wimberley . A woman died after her vehicle was swept off the road . = = Meteorological history = = A tropical wave emerged into the Atlantic Ocean from the west coast of Africa on September 12 . The wave moved westward across the Atlantic basin with minimal deep convection . By September 23 , it reached the eastern Pacific Ocean and began increasing in shower and thunderstorm activity over the next few days . While located near Acapulco another burst in convection occurred on September 25 , likely due to interaction with the Intertropical Convergence Zone ( ITCZ ) . Around that time , the National Hurricane Center began Tropical Weather Outlooks ( TWOs ) on the system , which is information issued every six hours on significant areas of disturbed weather and their potential for development out to 48 hours . The tropical wave split on September 26 , with the northern portion moving northwestward near the southwestern coast of Mexico . By September 27 , the system had organized deep convection and was producing tropical storm force winds , but data from scatterometers indicated that it lacked a closed circulation . Although TWOs issued on September 27 predicted a high probability for development , the chances for tropical cyclogenesis was decreased later that day , due to the system 's close proximity to land . On September 28 , satellite data and ships ' observations indicated a closed circulation . Thus , Tropical Storm Norman developed at 0600 UTC , while located about 115 mi ( 185 km ) southeast of Cabo San Lucas . Initially , the storm was expected to intensify slightly before making landfall on September 29 and then dissipate on the following day . However , upon developing into a tropical cyclone at 1200 UTC on September 28 , Norman attained its peak intensity with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph ( 85 km / h ) . Thereafter , Norman began heading northward between a mid @-@ to upper @-@ level low to its west and a mid @-@ level ridge over the Gulf of Mexico . Later on September 28 , the storm entered the Gulf of California and began weakening due to a significant increase in wind shear and interaction with land . Around that time , the cloud pattern became less organized and convection was being displaced from the circulation . Early on September 29 , the storm curved northwestward and was downgraded to a tropical depression due to difficulty in locating the center of circulation and significant disorganization . Norman made landfall near Topolobampo with winds of 35 mph ( 55 km / h ) at 0500 UTC on September 29 . Shortly thereafter , the storm re @-@ curved west @-@ northwestward and re @-@ emerged into the Gulf of California . Norman degenerated into a remnant low pressure area at 1200 UTC on September 29 . The remnant low moved slowly west @-@ southwestward , before dissipating over Baja California Sur near Loreto on September 30 . = = Preparations and impact = = The Government of Mexico issued a tropical storm warning along the Pacific coast of Mexico from La Cruz , Sinaloa to Huatabampo at 1500 UTC on September 28 . Early on the following day , the tropical storm warning was discontinued . An orange alert " ( high risk ) was issued for parts of the state of Sinaloa , and a yellow alert was in effect for Baja California Sur , and green alert was declared for southern Sonora . A " blue alert " , minimum risk , was issued for north @-@ central Sonora , Durango , Chihuahua and Zacatecas . Officials deployed 400 soldiers in the cities of La Paz and Los Cabos . According to the state director of Civil Protection , Carlos Enriquez Rincon , 500 schools were available to operate as temporary shelters . The shelters have a capacity of around 30 @,@ 000 people , though only 65 people spent the first night of the storm in shelters . Furthermore , a total of 5 @,@ 000 food packages were sent to residents . In the mainland , authorities in the municipality of Culiacán opened 53 shelters , with a total capacity of over 7 @,@ 000 . In addition , classes were suspended in 5 states . Tropical Storm Norman brought extremely heavy rains to Colima , Jalisco , Nayarit , Sinaloa , Baja California Sur , Durango , and Zacatecas . The ports of Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo were closed for boats and water activities . In the former , 15 – 20 ft ( 4 @.@ 6 – 6 @.@ 1 m ) waves were recorded . Due to mudslides and wash flooding over 24 cars were swept away in La Paz . In Sinaloa , the rains caused by Norman did not represent an important contribution to the 11 dams in the state , with mean water levels rising from 42 @.@ 5 % to 42 @.@ 6 % . Eight fisherman were rescued near the port of Mazatlan when their boat tipped over . Five fisherman were initially reported missing ; however , following the passage of the storm , the missing people were later found alive . Street flooding was also reported . A total of 150 families were evacuated in two fishing villages along the mainland . Following the storm , a state of emergency was declared for the municipalities of Los Cabos , Angostura , and Navolato . The remnants of Norman brought record rains to Texas . A peak rainfall total of 8 @.@ 4 in ( 210 mm ) fell on La Pryor . At Camp Mabry in Austin , 1 @.@ 38 inches ( 35 mm ) of rain fell in a 24 ‑ hour period , breaking a daily precipitation record set in 1985 . However , across the central portion of the state , rainfall from the system was less than expected . A few roads in Wimberley were temporarily closed due to flooding . One women was killed in Nacogdoches County after her car was swept off a roadway . A tornado warning was also issued in the Corpus Christi area .

= John Kourkouas = John Kourkouas ( Greek : Ἰωάννης Κουρκούας , fl. circa 915 – 946 ) , also transliterated as Kurkuas or Curcuas , was one of the most important generals of the Byzantine Empire . His success in battles against the Muslim states in the East definitively reversed the course of the centuries @-@ long Byzantine – Arab Wars and began Byzantium 's 10th century " Age of Conquest " . Kourkouas belonged to a family of Armenian descent that produced several notable Byzantine generals . As commander of an imperial bodyguard regiment , Kourkouas was among the chief supporters of Emperor Romanos I Lekapenos ( reigned 920 – 944 ) and facilitated the latter 's rise to the throne . In 923 , Kourkouas was appointed commander @-@ in @-@ chief of the Byzantine armies along the eastern frontier , facing the Abbasid Caliphate and the semi @-@ autonomous Muslim border emirates . He kept this post for more than twenty years , overseeing decisive Byzantine military successes that altered the strategic balance in the region . During the 9th century , Byzantium had gradually recovered its strength and internal stability while the Caliphate had become increasingly impotent and fractured . Under Kourkouas 's leadership , the Byzantine armies advanced deep into Muslim territory for the first time in almost 200 years , expanding the imperial border . The emirates of Melitene and Qaliqala were conquered , extending Byzantine control to the upper Euphrates and over western Armenia . The remaining Iberian and Armenian princes became Byzantine vassals . Kourkouas also played a role in the defeat of a major Rus ' raid in 941 and recovered the Mandylion of Edessa , an important and holy relic believed to depict the face of Jesus Christ . He was dismissed in 944 as a result of the machinations of Romanos Lekapenos 's sons but restored to favour by Emperor Constantine VII ( r . 913 – 959 ) , serving as imperial ambassador in 946 . His subsequent fate is unknown . = = Biography = = = = = Early life and career = = = John was a scion of the Armenian Kourkouas family — a Hellenized form of their original surname , Gurgen ( Armenian : Գուրգեն ) — which had risen to prominence in Byzantine service in the 9th century and established itself as one of the great families of the Anatolian land @-@ holding military aristocracy ( the so @-@ called " dynatoi " ) . John 's namesake grandfather had been a commander of the elite Hikanatoi regiment ( tagma ) under Emperor Basil I ( reigned 867 – 886 ) ; John 's brother Theophilos became a senior general , as did John 's own son , Romanos , and his great @-@ nephew , John Tzimiskes . Little is known about John 's early life . His father was a wealthy official in the imperial palace . John himself was born at Dokeia ( now Tokat ) , in the region of Darbidos in the Armeniac Theme , and was educated by one of his relatives , the bishop of Gangra Christopher . In the late regency of Empress Zoe Karbonopsina ( 914 – 919 ) for her infant son Constantine VII ( r . 913 – 959 ) , Kourkouas was appointed as the commander of the Vigla palace guard regiment , probably through the machinations of the fellow Armenian , admiral Romanos Lekapenos , as part of his drive for the throne . In this capacity , he arrested several high officials who opposed Lekapenos 's rise to power , opening the road to the appointment of Lekapenos as regent in place of Zoe in 919 . Lekapenos gradually assumed more powers until he was crowned senior emperor in December 920 . As a reward for his support , in ca . 923 , Romanos Lekapenos promoted Kourkouas to the post of Domestic of the Schools , in effect commander @-@ in @-@ chief of all the imperial armies in Anatolia . According to the chronicle of Theophanes Continuatus , Kourkouas held this post for an unparalleled continuous term of 22 years and seven months . At this time , and following the disastrous Battle of Acheloos in 917 , the Byzantines were mostly occupied in the Balkans against Bulgaria . Hence , Kourkouas 's first task as Domestic of the East was the suppression of the revolt of Bardas Boilas , the governor ( strategos ) of Chaldia , a strategically important area on the Empire 's northeastern Anatolian frontier . This was quickly achieved and his brother , Theophilos Kourkouas , replaced Boilas as governor of Chaldia . As commander of this northernmost sector of the eastern frontier , Theophilos proved a competent soldier and gave valuable assistance to his brother 's campaigns . = = = First submission of Melitene , campaigns into Armenia = = = Following the Muslim conquests of the 7th century , the Arab – Byzantine conflict had featured constant raids and counter @-@ raids along a relatively static border roughly defined by the line of the Taurus and Anti @-@ Taurus Mountains . Until the 860s , superior Muslim armies had placed the Byzantines on the defensive . Only after 863 , with the victory in the Battle of Lalakaon , did the Byzantines gradually regain some lost ground against the Muslims , launching ever @-@ deeper raids into Syria and Upper Mesopotamia and annexing the Paulician state around Tephrike ( now Divriği ) . Furthermore , according to historian Mark Whittow , " by 912 the Arabs had been pinned back behind the Taurus and Anti @-@ Taurus " , encouraging the Armenians to switch their allegiance from the Abbasid Caliphate to the Empire , in whose service they entered in increasing numbers . The revival of Byzantine power was further facilitated by the progressive decline of the Abbasid Caliphate itself , particularly under al @-@ Muqtadir ( r . 908 – 932 ) , when the central government faced several revolts . In the periphery of the Caliphate , the weakening of central control allowed the emergence of semi @-@ autonomous local dynasties . In addition , after the death of the Bulgarian Tsar Simeon in 927 , a peace treaty with the Bulgarians allowed the Empire to shift attention and resources to the East . By 925 , Romanos Lekapenos felt himself strong enough to demand the payment of tribute from the Muslim cities on the western side of the Euphrates . When they refused , in 926 , Kourkouas led the army across the border . Aided by his brother Theophilos and an Armenian contingent under the strategos of Lykandos , Mleh ( Melias in Greek sources ) , Kourkouas targeted Melitene ( modern Malatya ) , the center of an emirate which had long been a thorn in Byzantium 's side . The Byzantine army successfully stormed the lower city , and although the citadel held out , Kourkouas concluded a treaty by which the emir accepted tributary status . In 927 – 928 , Kourkouas launched a large raid into Arab @-@ controlled Armenia . After taking Samosata ( modern Samsat ) , an important stronghold on the Euphrates , the Byzantines advanced as far as the Armenian capital of Dvin . An Arab counter @-@ offensive forced them out of Samosata after only a few days , and Dvin , which was defended by the Sajid general Nasr al @-@ Subuki , successfully withstood the Byzantine siege , until the mounting losses forced the Byzantines to abandon it . At the same time , Thamal , the emir of Tarsus , conducted successful raids into southern Anatolia and neutralized Ibn al @-@ Dahhak , a local Kurdish leader who supported the Byzantines . The Byzantines then turned toward the Kaysite emirate in the region of Lake Van in southern Armenia . Kourkouas 's troops and plundered the region and took the towns of Khliat and Bitlis , where they are said to have replaced the mosque 's minbar with a cross . The local Arabs appealed to the Caliph for aid in vain , prompting an exodus of Muslims from the region . This incursion , more than 500 kilometres ( 310 mi ) from the nearest imperial territory , was a far cry from the defensive @-@ minded strategy Byzantium had followed during the previous centuries and highlighted the new capabilities of the imperial army . Nevertheless , famine in Anatolia and the exigencies of parallel campaigns in southern Italy weakened Kourkouas 's forces . His army was defeated and driven back by Muflih , a former Sajid ghulam and governor of Adharbayjan . In 930 , Melias 's attack on Samosata was heavily defeated ; among other prominent officers , one of his sons was captured and sent to Baghdad . Later in the same year , John and his brother Theophilos besieged Theodosiopolis ( modern Erzurum ) , the capital of the emirate of Qaliqala . The campaign was complicated by the machinations of their ostensible allies , the Iberian rulers of Tao @-@ Klarjeti . Resenting the extension of direct Byzantine control adjacent to their own borders , the Iberians had already provided supplies to the besieged city . Once the city was invested , they vociferously demanded that the Byzantines hand over several captured towns , but when one of them , the fort of Mastaton , was surrendered , the Iberians promptly returned it to the Arabs . As Kourkouas needed to keep the Iberians placated and was aware that his conduct was being carefully observed by the Armenian princes , he did not react to this affront . After seven months of siege , Theodosiopolis fell in spring 931 and was transformed into a tributary vassal , while , according to Constantine VII 's De Administrando Imperio , all territory north of the river Araxes was given to the Iberian king David II . As in Melitene , the maintenance of Byzantine control over Theodosiopolis proved difficult and the population remained restive . In 939 , it revolted and drove out the Byzantines , and Theophilos Kourkouas could not finally subdue the city until 949 . It was then fully incorporated into the Empire and its Muslim population was expelled and replaced by Greek and Armenian settlers . = = = Final capture of Melitene = = = Following the death of Emir Abu Hafs , Melitene renounced its Byzantine allegiance . After attempts to take the city by storm or subterfuge failed , the Byzantines established a ring of fortresses on the hills around the plain of Melitene , and methodically ravaged the area . By early 931 , the inhabitants of Melitene were forced to come to terms : they agreed to tributary status and even undertook to provide a military contingent to campaign alongside the Byzantines . The other Muslim states were not idle , however : in March , the Byzantines were hit by three successive raids in Anatolia , organized by the Abbasid commander Mu 'nis al @-@ Muzaffar , while in August , a large raid led by Thamal of Tarsus penetrated as far as Ancyra and Amorium and returned with prisoners worth 136 @,@ 000 gold dinars . During this time , the Byzantines were engaged in southern Armenia , aiding the ruler of Vaspurakan , Gagik I , who had rallied the local Armenian princes and allied himself with the Byzantines against the emir of Adharbayjan . There they raided the Kaysite emirate and razed Khliat and Berkri to the ground , before marching into Mesopotamia and capturing Samosata again . Gagik was unable to take advantage of this and capture Kaysite territory , however , as Muflih immediately raided his domains in retaliation . At this point , the Melitenians called upon the Hamdanid rulers of Mosul for help . In response , the Hamdanid prince Sa 'id ibn Hamdan attacked the Byzantines and drove them back : Samosata was abandoned , and in November 931 , the Byzantine garrison withdrew from Melitene as well . Sa 'id was , however , unable to remain in the area or to leave a sufficient garrison ; once he left for Mosul , the Byzantines returned and resumed both the blockade of Melitene and their scorched @-@ earth tactics . The sources record no major Byzantine external campaigns for 932 , as the Empire was preoccupied with two revolts in the Opsician Theme . In 933 , Kourkouas renewed the attack against Melitene . Mu 'nis al @-@ Muzaffar sent forces to assist the beleaguered city , but in the resulting skirmishes , the Byzantines prevailed and took many prisoners and the Arab army returned home without relieving the city . In early 934 , at the head of 50 @,@ 000 men , Kourkouas again crossed the frontier and marched toward Melitene . The other Muslim states offered no help , preoccupied as they were with the turmoil following Caliph al @-@ Qahir 's deposition . Kourkouas again took Samosata and besieged Melitene . Many of the city 's inhabitants had abandoned it at the news of Kourkouas 's approach and hunger eventually compelled the rest to surrender on 19 May 934 . Wary of the city 's previous rebellions , Kourkouas only allowed those inhabitants to remain who were Christians or agreed to convert to Christianity . Most did so , and he ordered the remainder expelled . Melitene was fully incorporated into the empire , and most of its fertile land was transformed into an imperial estate ( kouratoreia ) . This was an unusual move , implemented by Romanos I to prevent the powerful Anatolian landed aristocracy from taking control of the province . It also served to increase direct imperial presence and control on the crucial new borderlands . = = = Rise of the Hamdanids = = = The fall of Melitene profoundly shocked the Muslim world : for the first time , a major Muslim city had fallen and been incorporated into the Byzantine Empire . Kourkouas followed this success by subduing parts of the district of Samosata in 936 and razing the city to the ground . Until 938 , the East remained relatively calm . Historians suggest that the Byzantines were likely preoccupied with the full pacification of Melitene , and the Arab emirates , deprived of any potential support from the Caliphate , were reluctant to provoke them . With the decline of the Caliphate and its obvious inability to defend its border provinces , a new local dynasty , the Hamdanids , emerged as the principal antagonists of Byzantium in northern Mesopotamia and Syria . They were led by al @-@ Hasan , called Nasir al @-@ Dawla ( " Defender of the State " ) , and by his younger brother Ali , best known by his epithet , Sayf al @-@ Dawla ( " Sword of the State " ) . In ca . 935 , the Arab tribe of Banu Habib , defeated by the rising Hamdanids , defected in its entirety to the Byzantines , converted to Christianity , and placed its 12 @,@ 000 horsemen at the disposal of the Empire . They were settled along the western bank of the Euphrates and assigned to guard five new themes created there : Melitene , Charpezikion , Asmosaton ( Arsamosata ) , Derzene , and Chozanon . The first Byzantine encounter with Sayf al @-@ Dawla took place in 936 , when he tried to relieve Samosata , but a revolt at home forced him to turn back . In another invasion in 938 , however , he captured the fort of Charpete and defeated Kourkouas 's advance guard , seizing a great amount of booty and forcing Kourkouas to withdraw . In the same year , a peace agreement was signed between Constantinople and the Caliphate . The negotiations were facilitated by the rising power of the Hamdanids , which caused anxiety to both sides . Despite the official peace with the Caliphate , ad hoc warfare continued between the Byzantines and the local Muslim rulers , now aided by the Hamdanids . The Byzantines attempted to besiege Theodosiopolis in 939 , but the siege was abandoned at the news of the approach of Sayf al @-@ Dawla 's relief army . By that time , the Byzantines had captured Arsamosata and additional strategically important locations in the mountains of southwest Armenia , posing a direct threat to the Muslim emirates around Lake Van . To reverse the situation , in 940 Sayf al @-@ Dawla initiated a remarkable campaign : starting from Mayyafiriqin ( Byzantine Martyropolis ) , he crossed the Bitlis pass into Armenia , where he seized several fortresses and accepted the submission of the local lords , both Muslim and Christian . He ravaged the Byzantine holdings around Theodosiopolis and raided as far as Koloneia , which he besieged until Kourkouas arrived with a relief army and forced him to withdraw . Sayf al @-@ Dawla was not able to follow up on this effort : until 945 , the Hamdanids were preoccupied with internal developments in the Caliphate and with fighting against their rivals in southern Iraq and the Ikhshidids in Syria . = = = Rus ' raid of 941 = = = The distraction by the Hamdanids proved fortunate for Byzantium . In early summer 941 , as Kourkouas prepared to resume campaigning in the East , his attention was diverted by an unexpected event : the appearance of a Rus ' fleet that raided the area around Constantinople itself . The Byzantine army and navy were absent from the capital , and the appearance of the Rus ' fleet caused panic among the populace of Constantinople . While the navy and Kourkouas 's army were recalled , a hastily assembled squadron of old ships armed with Greek Fire and placed under the protovestiarios Theophanes defeated the Rus ' fleet on June 11 , forcing it to abandon its course toward the city . The surviving Rus ' landed on the shores of Bithynia and ravaged the defenseless countryside . The patrikios Bardas Phokas hastened to the area with whatever troops he could gather , contained the raiders , and awaited the arrival of Kourkouas 's army . Finally , Kourkouas and his army appeared and fell upon the Rus ' , who had dispersed to plunder the countryside , killing many of them . The survivors retreated to their ships and tried to cross to Thrace under the cover of night . During the crossing , the entire Byzantine navy attacked and annihilated the Rus ' . = = = Campaigns in Mesopotamia and recovery of the Mandylion = = = Following this distraction , in January 942 Kourkouas launched a new campaign in the East , which lasted for three years . The first assault fell on the territory of Aleppo , which was thoroughly plundered : at the fall of the town of Hamus , near Aleppo , even Arab sources record the capture of 10 – 15 @,@ 000 prisoners by the Byzantines . Despite a minor counter @-@ raid by Thamal or one of his retainers ( ghilman ) from Tarsus in the summer , in autumn Kourkouas launched another major invasion . At the head of an exceptionally large army , some 80 @,@ 000 men according to Arab sources , he crossed from allied Taron into northern Mesopotamia . Mayyafiriqin , Amida , Nisibis , Dara — places where no Byzantine army had trod since the days of Heraclius 300 years earlier — were stormed and ravaged . The real aim of these campaigns , however , was Edessa , the repository of the " Holy Mandylion " . This was a cloth believed to have been used by Christ to wipe his face , leaving an imprint of his features , and subsequently given to King Abgar V of Edessa . To the Byzantines , especially after the end of the Iconoclasm period and the restoration of image veneration , it was a relic of profound religious significance . As a result , its capture would provide the Lekapenos regime with an enormous boost in popularity and legitimacy . Kourkouas assailed Edessa every year from 942 onward and devastated its countryside , as he had done at Melitene . Finally , its emir agreed to a peace , swearing not to raise arms against Byzantium and to hand over the Mandylion in exchange for the return of 200 prisoners . The Mandylion was conveyed to Constantinople , where it arrived on August 15 , 944 , on the feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos . A triumphal entry was staged for the venerated relic , which was then deposited in the Theotokos of the Pharos church , the palatine chapel of the Great Palace . As for Kourkouas , he concluded his campaign by sacking Bithra ( modern Birecik ) and Germanikeia ( modern Kahramanmaraş ) . = = = Dismissal and rehabilitation = = = Despite this triumph , the downfall of Kourkouas , as well as of his friend and protector , Emperor Romanos I Lekapenos , was imminent . The two eldest surviving sons of Romanos I , co @-@ emperors Stephen and Constantine , were jealous of Kourkouas and had in the past tried to undermine him , albeit without success . Following the success of Kourkouas in the East , Romanos I considered marrying his trusted general into the imperial family . Kourkouas 's daughter Euphrosyne was to be wedded with the emperor 's grandson , the future Romanos II ( r . 959 – 963 ) , the son of his son @-@ in @-@ law and junior emperor Constantine VII . Although such a union would effectively cement the loyalty of the army , it would also strengthen the position of the legitimate Macedonian line , represented by Constantine VII , over the imperial claims of Romanos 's own sons . Predictably , Stephen and Constantine opposed this decision and prevailed upon their father , who was by this time old and ill , to dismiss Kourkouas in the autumn of 944 . Kourkouas was replaced by a certain Pantherios , who was almost immediately defeated by Sayf al @-@ Dawla in December while raiding near Aleppo . On 16 December , Romanos I himself was deposed by Stephen and Constantine and banished to a monastery on the island of Prote . A few weeks later , on 26 January , another coup removed the two young Lekapenoi from power and restored the sole imperial authority to Constantine VII . Kourkouas himself appears to have soon returned to imperial favour : Constantine provided the money for the repair of Kourkouas 's palace after it was damaged by an earthquake , and in early 946 , he is recorded as having been sent with the magistros Kosmas to negotiate a prisoner exchange with the Arabs of Tarsus . Nothing further is known about him . The fall of the Lekapenoi signalled the end of an era in terms of personalities , but Kourkouas 's expansionist policy continued : he was succeeded as Domestic of the Schools by Bardas Phokas the Elder , followed by Nikephoros Phokas , who reigned as emperor in 963 – 969 , and finally , by Kourkouas 's own great @-@ nephew , John Tzimiskes , who reigned as emperor in 969 – 976 . All of them expanded the Byzantine frontier in the East , recovering Cilicia and northern Syria with Antioch , and converting the Hamdanid emirate of Aleppo into a Byzantine protectorate . = = Assessment = = Kourkouas ranks among the greatest military leaders Byzantium produced , a fact recognized by the Byzantines themselves : later Byzantine chroniclers hailed him as the general who restored the imperial frontier to the Euphrates , and in a contemporary eight @-@ book history , written by a protospatharios Michael and now lost save for a short summary in Theophanes Continuatus , he is acclaimed as " a second Trajan or Belisarius " . The ground work for his successes had certainly been laid by others : Michael III , who broke the power of Melitene at Lalakaon ; Basil I , who destroyed the Paulicians ; Leo VI the Wise , who founded the vital theme of Mesopotamia ; and Empress Zoe , who extended Byzantine influence again into Armenia and founded the theme of Lykandos . It was Kourkouas and his campaigns , however , that incontrovertibly changed the balance of power in the northern Middle East , securing the frontier provinces against Arab raids and turning Byzantium into an expansionist power . In the words of historian Steven Runciman , " a lesser general might [ ... ] have cleared the Empire of the Saracens and successfully defended its borders ; but [ Kourkouas ] did more . He infused a new spirit into the imperial armies , and led them victoriously deep into the country of the infidels . The actual area of his conquests was not so very large ; but they sufficed to reverse the age @-@ old roles of Byzantium and the Arabs . Byzantium now was the aggressor ... [ John Kourkouas ] was the first of a line of great conquerors and as the first is worthy of high praise . "

= Grrrrrrrrrrr ! ! = Grrrrrrrrrrr ! ! is a 1965 oil and Magna on canvas painting by Roy Lichtenstein . Measuring 68 in × 56 @.@ 125 in ( 172 @.@ 7 cm × 142 @.@ 6 cm ) , it was bequeathed to the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum collection from Lichtenstein 's estate . It depicts a head @-@ on representation of an angry dog growling with the onomatopoeic expression " Grrrrrrrrrrr ! ! " . The work was derived from Our Fighting Forces , which also served as the source for other military dog paintwork by Lichtenstein . = = Background = = The Lichtenstein foundation notes that the inspiration for this painting is a frame of Our Fighting Forces # 66 ( February 1962 ) , which was published by National Periodical Publications ( now DC Comics ) . In that frame only a portion of the dog 's head is visible and the speech balloon says " Grrrrr ! " In addition to the painting itself , Lichtenstein produced a small 5 @.@ 75 in × 4 @.@ 5 in ( 14 @.@ 6 cm × 11 @.@ 4 cm ) graphite on paper study . The painting was bestowed to the Guggenheim Museum after Lichtenstein 's 1997 death , following a promise made in 1992 . The museum used Grrrrrrrrrrr ! ! in the promotional posters for the 1993 exhibition " Roy Lichtenstein : A Retrospective " , which ran from October 7 , 1993 – January 16 , 1994 . Other notable exhibitions where this work was shown include " Rendezvous : Masterpieces from the Centre Georges Pompidou and the Guggenheim Museums " which ran from October 16 , 1998 – January 24 , 1999 at the Guggenheim Museum in New York , as well as " Art in America : 300 Years of Innovation " which traveled to several museums in China between 2007 and 2008 . The work appeared on the cover of the November 1993 issue of ARTnews . = = Details = = Although Grrrrrrrrrrr ! ! is derived from what Guggenheim Senior Curator Susan Davidson calls a " low @-@ grade comic strip " that is a typical Lichtenstein source , it is representative of Lichtenstein 's fascination with " the atomic language of Ben @-@ Day dots , black outlines and the three primary colors as the elementary vocabulary of low @-@ budget commercial imagery . " According to Jennifer Blessing of the Guggenheim , " There is also an element of humor in creating fine art out of what has customarily been considered ' low , ' a playfulness that is equally evident in the onomatopoeic caption and bellicose expression of the dog in Grrrrrrrrrrr ! ! " = = Related works = = In 1962 , Lichtenstein created Arrrrrff ! , an oil and graphite pencil on canvas painting depicting a dog from a subsequent issue of Our Fighting Forces , the series that was the source of Grrrrrrrrrrr ! ! That source depicts the dog by the name of " Pooch " in profile with a text bubble reading " Sniff--Sniff--Sniff--Sniff--Arrrrrff ! " above his head . The inspiration for this painting came from Our Fighting Forces # 69 ( July 1962 ) . Arrrrrff ! was sold at Christie 's in 1996 for $ 420 @,@ 500 to an undisclosed buyer .

= Baltimore City College = Baltimore City College , known colloquially as City ( also known as City College or BCC ) , is a public magnet high school in Baltimore City , Maryland , United States . Established in March 1839 , City is the third oldest active public high school in the US . A citywide college preparatory school with a liberal arts focus , City has selective admissions criteria based on entrance exams . It is located on a 38 acres ( 0 @.@ 15 km2 ) hill @-@ top campus in Northeast Baltimore bordered by 33rd Street , the Alameda , and Loch Raven Boulevard . The school 's main building is a National Historic Landmark . According to the Maryland Historical Society , " The gothic structure , aptly nicknamed ' the Castle on the Hill , ' sits atop the highest point within the city limits . With a singular tower that stands over 200 feet high , the building and campus hold scenic views of the surrounding region . " = = History = = The creation of a high school " in which the higher branches of English and classical literature should be taught exclusively " was unanimously authorized by the Baltimore City Council on March 7 , 1839 . Accordingly , the Board of School Commissioners rented a townhouse structure on a small narrow by @-@ way of what was then called Courtland Street ( now on the east side of Saint Paul Street / Place . The High School , as it was first called , opened its doors on October 20 , 1839 , with 46 students and one teacher / professor , Nathan C. Brooks ( 1809 – 1898 ) , who also served as first principal . The school moved several times and was housed in three different locations in its first three years before returning again to the original townhouse building on Courtland Street . Finally , in 1843 , the City Council allocated $ 23 @,@ 000 to acquire the vacant old landmark Assembly Rooms structure at the northeastern corner of East Fayette and Holliday Streets for the school . The famous Assembly Rooms also served as the intellectual and educational center of town , with the upper floors holding rooms where the new Library Company of Baltimore and the later Mercantile Library were located for several years . In 1850 , the City Council granted the Board of School Commissioners the right to confer graduates of the decade old high school with certificates of graduation , and the following year the school held its first commencement ceremony . In 1865 , in accordance with a recommendation from the Board of Commissioners of the Baltimore City Public Schools , the school began offering a five @-@ year track , as part of a process aimed at elevating the school to the status of a college so that it could grant its graduates baccalaureate degrees . The following year , on October 9 , 1866 , the school was renamed " The Baltimore City College " ( BCC ) by the City Council . The Council failed to take any further action , and although the school changed nominally , it was never granted the power to confer Bachelor of Arts degrees . The building on Fayette and Holliday Streets had been in a state of decline for two decades . It was not until 1873 , when a fire spread from the Holliday Street Theater to the " Assembly Rooms " , that the City Council dedicated the resources to erect a new building for City College . A lot was acquired on North Howard Street opposite West Centre Street and the Council allocated $ 150 @,@ 000 for the construction of the new building designed by Baltimore architect Edmund G. Lind . The new English Gothic revival @-@ styled building faced east on Howard Street and was dedicated on February 1 , 1875 . The school moved in the following week . The Tudor Gothic building which housed the school was undermined , in 1892 , by the construction of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad tunnel from Camden Street Station to Mount Royal Station and collapsed . In 1895 , a new larger structure , designed in the Romanesque Revival style by the noted local architects Baldwin & Pennington , was erected on the same site , only facing the Centre Street northern side . This new building quickly became overcrowded and an annex was established on 26th Street . The addition did not help with the increase in school @-@ aged youth beginning to attend City College by World War I. During the 1920s , alumni began a campaign to provide the school with a more suitable building , and , in 1926 , ground was broken for a massive Collegiate Gothic stone castle on Collegian Hill at 33rd Street and The Alameda . This new structure cost almost $ 3 million and officially opened April 10 , 1928 . The school began admitting African American students following the landmark ruling Brown v. Board of Education . In September 1954 , 10 African @-@ American students enrolled at City College . The school board also sent two African American men , Eugene Parker and Pierre H. Davis , to teach at the school in 1956 . Parker taught at City College for 30 years . Davis taught for one year , but returned as the school 's first black principal in 1971 . In 1978 , at the urging of concerned alumni , City College underwent its first major capital renovations . When the campus reopened , the high school welcomed women for the first time . The all @-@ male tradition did not end easily ; alumni had argued for the uniqueness of a single @-@ sex educational system and convinced the task force studying the issue to vote 11 – 6 in favor of keeping the all @-@ male tradition . The Board of School Commissioners , in a reversal , voted to admit women citing constitutional concerns . = = Campus = = Baltimore City College stands on an expansive , tree @-@ shaded 38 @-@ acre ( 153 @,@ 781 m2 ) hill @-@ top campus in northeast Baltimore at the intersection of 33rd Street and the Alameda . The campus , which includes an enormous grassy front lawn with large ancient trees , consists of two buildings : the Gothic @-@ style edifice known locally as the " Castle on the Hill " which sits in the center of the campus , and the power plant building east of the castle . In addition to providing the building 's utilities , the power plant originally housed five workshops : an electrical shop , a mechanical shop , a metal shop , a printing shop , and a wood shop . It currently houses the Coldstream @-@ Homestead @-@ Montebello community corporation headquarters . Both buildings were designed by the architecture firm of Buckler and Fenhagen . The castle features an iconic 150 @-@ foot @-@ tall central tower that is visible from many locations throughout the city , courtyards , stained glass , and gargoyles modeled on the faces of the architects . Just south of the main building is Alumni Field , the school 's stadium , which serves as home to the school 's football , boys and girls lacrosse , and track teams . During a major building renovation in 1978 , a modern gymnasium was added to the southwest corner of the main building . Other athletic facilities include fields for baseball , softball , soccer , and lacrosse , and tennis courts . The castle sits on Collegian Hill , the former site of Canton Iron Works industrialist , Horace Abbott with its Victorian @-@ styled twin mansions known as " Abbottston " and " Woodlands " built in the 1870s and later known as the " Gilman @-@ Cate Estate " in the early 20th Century when it passed to his children . Nearby also was the historic " Montebello " estate of the 1790s of General Samuel Smith , ( 1752 @-@ 1839 ) , a noted American Revolutionary War hero and officer in the War of 1812 in the Battle of Baltimore , commanding the Maryland state militia forces against the British Army and Royal Navy attack . Smith also served as a local merchant , elected U.S. Representative , and Senator , and near the end of his remarkable eight @-@ decades life , served as the Mayor of Baltimore . On June 30 , 2003 , the current building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places . The listing of the building coincided with the structure 's 75th anniversary . The immediate past location of the school , on Howard Street in downtown Baltimore , is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places . On April 24 , 2007 , the building was designated a Baltimore City landmark , which means that the building 's exterior cannot be altered without approval of the city Commission for Historical and Architectural Preservation . On June 21 , 2007 , the school 's Alumni Association received a historic preservation award from Baltimore Heritage for its leadership role in preserving the building as an historic Baltimore landmark . = = = City College library = = = In 2015 , City launched a campaign to build a new library called the Torch Burning Bright campaign . Co @-@ chaired by Kurt Schmoke , BCC ' 67 , former Baltimore Mayor and current President of the University of Baltimore , and Bob Embry , BCC ' 55 , President of the Abell Foundation , the Torch Burning Bright campaign is working in partnership with the State of Maryland , Baltimore City Public Schools , alumni , parents , students , faculty , and other community partners , including private foundations and individual donors , to " modernize the school 's academic resources to help maintain and expand [ its ] legacy as an educational leader . " The $ 2 million project , which includes a complete overhaul and revisioning of the current library space , will add new spaces for resource stacks , new areas for studying and reading , including a casual reading room in the great hall under the tower , new classroom and seminar spaces and conference rooms , a new location for library archives , a listening and viewing room , and office space . Additionally , the new City College library will feature new computers and access to online databases . Construction of the new library commenced in January 2016 . = = Academics = = = = = Mission = = = When it was founded in March 1839 as the flagship school of what later became the Baltimore City Public Schools , Baltimore City College was charged with providing a unique classics- and liberal arts @-@ based course of study and with holding all members of its school community to the highest standards of academic achievement and personal development . The school 's mission is to prepare its students to succeed in the best colleges In the United States . The faculty and staff of the school strive to engage every student in a rigorous university preparatory study of liberal arts , provide strong extended academic and social support services , and to develop students who enjoy studying and learning . The school 's ultimate goal is to produce competitive graduates who have an appreciation for scholarship , perform well on meaningful assessments , make meaningful contributions to society , behave with civility and respect , and perform as reasonable leaders . = = = 19th Century Curriculum : The Five @-@ Year Course era = = = The creation of a male high school " in which the higher branches of English and classical literature should be taught exclusively " was authorized unanimously by the Baltimore City Council on March 7 , 1839 . The school opened its doors October 20 , 1839 with 46 students . Those enrolled were offered two academic tracks , a classical literature track and an English literature track . The sole instructor for both tracks was the educator and poet , Nathan C. Brooks , who also served as principal . To accommodate the two tracks , Brooks split the school day into two sections : one in the morning from 9 am to 12 am , and another in the afternoon from 2 pm to 5 pm . During the morning session , students studied either classics or English ; however , the afternoon was devoted to English . In 1849 , after a decade of service , Prof. Brooks resigned as principal of the school , which had now grown to include 232 students and 7 teachers , excluding Brooks . Rev. Dr. Francis G. Waters , who had been the president of the Washington College , on the Eastern Shore of Maryland in Chestertown , succeeded Brooks . The following year the city council renamed the school " The Central High School of Baltimore " and granted the commissioners of the public schools the right to confer certificates to the high school 's graduates , a practice still in place today . By 1850 , growing enrollment necessitated a reorganization of the school . Under the direction of Waters , the school day was divided into eight periods lasting forty @-@ five minutes : four sessions were held in the morning and four in the afternoon . In addition to reorganizing the schedule , he divided the courses into seven different departments : Belles @-@ letters and history , mathematics , natural sciences , moral , mental , and political science , ancient languages , modern languages and music . Each of the seven instructors was assigned to a distinct department and received the title of " professor " . In 1850 , the Baltimore City Council granted the school the authority to present its graduates with certificates of completion . An effort to expand that academic power and allow the then @-@ named " Central High School of Baltimore " to confer Bachelor of Arts degrees began in 1865 , and continued the following year with the renaming of the institution as " The Baltimore City College " the retitling of its chief academic officer from " principal " to " president " , along with an increase in the number of years of its course of study and the expansion of its courses . However , despite this early elevation effort , it ended unsuccessfully in 1869 , although Baltimore City College continued for a number of years as a hybrid public high school and early form of junior college ( later known as community college ) which did not fully appear in America until the beginning of the 20th Century . As the importance of college education increased toward the end of the 19th century , the school 's priorities shifted to preparing students for college . = = = 20th Century Curriculum : The A / B Course era = = = In 1901 , the course of study at Baltimore City College went through a series of further changes . The most significant was the reduction of the five @-@ year course of study to four years ; though students who entered prior to 1900 were allowed to complete the five @-@ year course . The new course , like the course it replaced , allowed graduates to be admitted to Johns Hopkins University without examination , and provided students with greater flexibility . Instead of requiring students to complete the same set of courses , it allowed students to choose their courses , as long as they completed 150 credits . From 1927 to the early 1990s , the college preparatory curriculum at Baltimore City College was divided into two tracks : the " A " course and the " B " course . Though both tracks were intended to provide students with the skills necessary for college , the " A " course was intended to be more rigorous , enabling students to complete sufficient college @-@ level courses to enter directly into the second year of college . In the early @-@ 1990s , then @-@ Principal Joseph Antenson removed the two @-@ tier system because he believed it to be racially discriminatory . = = = = The 1960s and 1970s = = = = Population decline in the city of Baltimore due to the migration of middle @-@ class white populations to the suburbs during the 1950s and 1960s , coupled with the failure of Baltimore City Public Schools officials to address infrastructure improvements needed in the school 's deteriorating , then @-@ thirty @-@ seven @-@ year @-@ old main academic building lead to a gradually declining public perception of the school 's academic reputation . In response , school administrators and faculty developed the " City Forever " strategic plan in 1965 @-@ 66 . The performance improvement plan also served as a call to action for the school community , resulting in formal recommendations from the Alumni Association , a series of student @-@ led demonstrations , newspaper articles and television news segments produced by alumni working as media professionals , letters @-@ to @-@ the @-@ editors of local newspapers submitted by parents and teachers , and routine public comments in support of City College at School Board meetings . The public outcry stunned city leadership , which resulted in the district announcing a recommitment to Baltimore City College and its unique role as the selective flagship high school of Baltimore . Over the next decade , the local school district failed to delivery on its pledge to adequately fund the revitalized Baltimore City College curriculum and enforce higher admissions standards . In 1975 , City students , faculty , and influential alumni like then @-@ Mayor of Baltimore William Donald Schaefer ' 39 and then @-@ City Comptroller Hyman A. Pressman ' 33 again engaged in a series of coordinated campaigns , urging political leaders and members of the School Board to provide the resources and enforce the high standards the school needs to succeed . As a result , the City of Baltimore announced its plan to advance funds to complete a $ 9 million renovation of the school 's main building and earmarked funding for a comprehensive , two @-@ year study ( 1977 – 79 ) . Subject matter experts in education and pedagogy , school faculty , parents , alumni , and other members of the school community formed the " New City College Task Force " . The task force , which combed through two decades of previous improvement plans , academic proposals , and experimental curricula , recommended to the School Board a plan that included stricter admissions and retention standards , a revitalized humanities- and liberal arts @-@ based curriculum , and the autonomy to selectively recruit new , highly qualified faculty and administrators . The Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners ultimately accepted all but one of the task force 's recommendations in 1979 . The group recommended maintaining the school 's then @-@ 141 @-@ year @-@ old tradition of all @-@ male education . Citing concerns over conflicting federal and district court decisions which had not yet been resolved by the U.S. Supreme Court , the school board voted to make City a coeducational school . The board 's action followed trends at the time at all @-@ male colleges and universities like Harvard University , Yale University , and nearby Johns Hopkins University , which admitted women during the 1970s . = = = = The 1990s = = = = By 1990 , enrollment was declining and the academic program at Baltimore City College had once again become subpar compared to its historically high standards . The Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools , the organization that had accredited the school for years , began raising questions about the institution 's ability to offer students an academically rigorous course of study . During this period of decline , the " A " Course was discontinued by newly appointed Principal Joseph Antenson , who contended that the program was racially discriminatory and opted for a standardized curriculum . Antenson was dismissed in 1992 after two tumultuous years as head of school and for the first time ever a private contractor was hired to operate Baltimore City College . In 1994 , Joseph M. Wilson , a lawyer by trade with degrees from Amherst College ( B.A. ) , the University of Pennsylvania ( M.A. ) , the University of Southern California ( J.D. ) , and Harvard University ( M.A. ) , was appointed principal and with the support of alumni and parents , was able to secure more funding and additional autonomy from the Baltimore City Public Schools . Wilson introduced the IB Diploma Program in 1998 . The turnaround Wilson orchestrated led to a quick resurgence and restoration of the school 's academic reputation . Enrollment , student performance , and the quality of the colleges and universities to which graduates matriculated improved , which attracted critical acclaim from education professionals and international media attention . In 2000 , City College was recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School , the highest academic honor bestowed by the U.S. Department of Education . In 2001 , the Toronto National Post reported on its search for the perfect high school in Great Britain , the United States , and Canada . One subject of the prominent feature article was Baltimore City College and its turnaround . = = = 21st Century Curriculum = = = International Baccalaureate ( IB ) is a rigorous , internationally accepted academic program required of all 21st century Baltimore City College students . The IB Middle Years Program is intended to teach freshman and sophomore students to understand how core subjects are interrelated , how to master critical thinking processes , and to increase intercultural awareness . As juniors and seniors , students engage in the rigorous two @-@ year IB Diploma curriculum that requires a comprehensive study of world topics , literature , languages , science , and math . City College 's IB certificate and diploma programs provide upperclassmen access to thirty advanced studies courses , which often translate into credit hours at colleges and universities world @-@ wide . Controversy surrounded the program briefly in 2007 when the Board of Directors of the Baltimore City College Alumni Association , an influential group that performs several tasks in perpetuation of the school , including managing a nearly $ 2 million scholarship endowment and coordinating fundraising efforts for capital projects and other initiatives , argued to school officials that the IB Program diverts a significant percentage of the school 's resources to benefit a fraction of the student population . Approximately 30 students were enrolled in the full IB Diploma Program at that time . The Association also argued that the rigidity of the program did not give students enough coursework scheduling flexibility . Citing these concerns , the board of directors of the BCC Alumni Association formally voted to recommend that the school replace the IB Program with the " A course " , which was discontinued in the 1990s , and expand the number of Advanced Placement courses offered to students . The recommendation , though non @-@ binding , was intended to persuade the school to replace the curriculum with what its members believed to be more equitable and flexible . Despite the recommendation , school administrators proceeded with plans to expand the City College IB Program by incorporating the IB Middle Years Program into the 9th and 10th grade curricula . In addition to the IB courses , the school 's academic program offers a small selection of Advanced Placement courses . = = = = International Baccalaureate course offerings = = = = As of the 2015 @-@ 2016 school year , the International Baccalaureate courses below are offered at the school . Some courses are offered at the higher level ( HL ) and standard level ( SL ) . Biology Business and Management Chemistry English A Literature Environment and Society Film French B French AB German B History Latin Literature and Performance Math Studies Mathematics Music Physics Psychology Social and Cultural Anthropology Spanish B Spanish AB Theater Theory of Knowledge Visual Arts = = = Graduation requirements = = = Students who successfully complete the school 's required curriculum earn the Baltimore City College diploma upon graduation , which has been granted since 1851 . The requirements are more stringent than those designated by the State of Maryland . Requirements for the Baltimore City College Diploma : Successful completion of a minimum of one IB Diploma- or Certificate @-@ level course , or AP course Successful completion of the IB Personal Project Physics or an advanced @-@ level IB / AP science Two Fine Arts courses ( requirement waived for IB Diploma candidates ) Successful completion of the College Writing seminar ( requirement waived for IB Diploma candidates and students enrolled in IB English IV ) Minimum cumulative GPA of 70 % Submit admission applications to a minimum of four colleges ( including FAFSA submission ) Take the SAT or ACT at least two times 75 hours of documented Service Learning activity = = Admissions = = Admission to Baltimore City College is selective but is open to residents of Baltimore City and the surrounding counties in the metropolitan area , though non @-@ Baltimore City residents must pay tuition . Applicants must meet all requirements for promotion to ninth grade , as determined by the Maryland State Department of Education . Additionally , applicants must earn a minimum composite score of 610 , calculated by Baltimore City Public Schools . Generally , candidates for admissiom must have a 3 @.@ 0 overall numeric grade average ( B letter grade ; 80 or better percentage grade ) , have at least a 3 @.@ 0 average in both Mathematics and English , rank in the 65th percentile or better among all Maryland students in Math and English on the Maryland School Assessment ( MSA ) , and have 90 % or better attendance rate . Due to the highly competitive nature of the City College admissions process , successful applicants typically exceed the aforementioned minimums . J.D. Merrill , BCC ' 09 , is the school 's current Director of Admissions and Institutional Advancement . = = Enrollment = = There were 1 @,@ 309 students enrolled at Baltimore City College in 2015 . Of those students , 43 percent were male and 57 percent were female . 85 percent of the total student body identifies as African @-@ American . 10 percent of students at the school identify as Caucasian . Roughly two percent of City College students identifies as Hispanic . One percent of the total student population identifies as Asian . = = Athletics = = Interscholastic athletics at Baltimore City College date back over 120 years . Though varsity sports were not formally organized until 1895 , interscholastic athletics became a fixture at the school earlier in the 19th century . In the late @-@ 1890s , City competed in the Maryland Intercollegiate Football Association ( MIFA ) , a 9 @-@ member league consisting of colleges in Washington , D.C. and Maryland . City College was the lone secondary school among MIFA membership . The 1895 football schedule included St. John 's College , Swarthmore College , the United States Naval Academy , University of Maryland , and Washington College . Between 1894 and 1920 , City College regularly faced off against the Johns Hopkins Blue Jays and the Navy Midshipmen in lacrosse . Baltimore City College began competing against other secondary schools in 1919 when it was invited to join the Maryland Scholastic Association ( MSA ) as a founding member . After 75 years of governing Baltimore @-@ metro area boys high school athletics , the Maryland Scholastic Association dissolved in 1993 when its 15 public school members , including City College , withdrew from the league to join the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association ( MPSSAA ) . The Knights currently compete with other public secondary schools in the MPSSAA ( Class 3A , North Region , District 9 ) , more commonly referred to as the Baltimore City League ( Division 1 ) , but routinely schedule contests against area private schools in various sports . The current City College varsity athletic program consists of 18 sports : six for boys , seven for girls , and five coeducational teams . The boys sports includes baseball , basketball , football , lacrosse , soccer , and wrestling . The girls sports are badminton , basketball , lacrosse , soccer , softball , and volleyball . The five co @-@ ed sports are cross country , indoor track and field , swimming , outdoor track and field , and tennis . Girls sports were added to City 's athletic department in the Fall of 1978 when the school became coeducational for the first time in its then @-@ 139 @-@ year @-@ old history . The school 's football , track and field , and girls basketball teams are currently outfitted by Under Armour , while the boys basketball team and others are outfitted by Nike . = = = Championships = = = Baltimore City College 's championship pedigree predates World War I. Since winning its first championships ( baseball and ice hockey ) in 1903 , the Knights ' athletic success has spanned every sport offered by the school . Though it no longer sponsors bowling , fencing , golf , and ice hockey , City has won titles in 20 different sports in its history . The list below includes championships won in single @-@ sport leagues before the school joined an athletic association in all sports in 1919 , championships earned between 1919 and 1993 as members of the Maryland Scholastic Association ( now Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association ) , and Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association ( MPSSAA ) district , regional , and state championships won by the Knights since joining the MPSSAA in 1993 . Badminton ( 17 championships ) Pre @-@ MPSSAA Championships — 1990 – 92 MPSSAA District Championships — 1993 , 1995 – 97 , 2004 – 09 , 2011 – 14 Baseball ( 12 ) Pre @-@ MSA Championships — 1903 , 1915 MSA Championships — 1926 , 1934 – 38 , 1940 , 1942 , 1962 MPSSAA District Championships — 1994 Boys Basketball ( 24 ) Pre @-@ MSA Championships — 1916 MSA Championships — 1922 – 23 , 1934 – 35 , 1938 – 40 , 1961 , 1963 , 1965 – 67 , 1969 MPSSAA State Championships — 2009 , 2010 , 2014 MPSSAA Regional Championships — 1997 – 99 , 2009 – 10 , 2014 MPSSAA District Championships — 2014 Girls Basketball ( 4 ) MPSSAA State Championships — 2009 MPSSAA Regional Championships — 2004 , 2005 , 2009 Bocce ( 2 ) MPSSAA District Championships — 2013 , 2014 Boys Bowling ( 7 ) MSA Championships — 1938 , 1944 , 1945 , 1946 , 1948 , 1949 , 1954 Boys Cross Country ( 20 ) MSA Championships — 1936 – 37 , 1939 , 1941 , 1943 , 1950 , 1955 , 1958 , 1960 – 69 , 1983 , 1989 Fencing ( 11 ) MSA Championships — 1930 , 1932 , 1936 , 1938 , 1940 , 1947 , 1949 , 1951 , 1954 – 56 Football ( 25 ) MSA Championships — 1937 – 42 , 1961 , 1964 – 68 , 1986 – 88 , 1991 – 92 MPSSAA Regional Championships — 1996 , 2005 , 2006 Boys Golf ( 10 ) MSA Championships — 1935 , 1940 – 42 , 1944 , 1954 – 57 , 1960 Ice Hockey ( 2 ) Pre @-@ MSA Championships — 1903 MSA Championships — 1941 Boys Lacrosse ( 18 ) MSA Championships — 1933 – 35 , 1941 , 1955 , 1957 – 62 , 1984 , 1987 MPSSAA District Championships — 1993 , 2008 – 10 , 2015 Girls Lacrosse ( 6 ) MPSSAA District Championships — 1998 , 1999 , 2000 , 2009 , 2011 , 2013 Boys Soccer ( 11 ) MSA Championships — 1934 , 1935 , 1938 , 1939 , 1941 , 1963 , 1982 , 1985 , 1986 , 1987 MPSSAA District Championships — 1994 Girls Soccer ( 3 ) MPSSAA District Championships — 2000 , 2012 , 2013 Softball ( 2 ) MPSSAA District Championships — 1994 , 1996 Swimming ( 34 ) MSA Championships — 1930 – 42 , 1943 – 44 , 1946 – 47 , 1949 – 53 , 1986 – 90 MPSSAA District Championships — 2007 – 08 , 2010 – 2013 Boys Tennis ( 14 ) MSA Championships — 1923 , 1925 – 27 , 1929 , 1933 , 1935 , 1944 , 1946 , 1954 , 1958 , 1959 , 1961 , 1988 Co @-@ Ed Tennis ( 6 ) MPSSAA District Championships — 1990 , 1991 , 1992 , 2007 – 09 , 2011 Boys Track and Field ( 22 ) MSA Championships — 1903 , 1906 , 1936 , 1939 , 1941 , 1956 – 67 , 1969 , 1986 – 87 MPSSAA Regional Championships — 1997 Volleyball ( 4 ) Pre @-@ MPSSAA Championships — 1980 , 1982 MPSSAA District Championships — 1996 , 2010 Wrestling ( 15 ) MSA Championship — 1923 , 1938 , 1940 , 1942 , 1956 , 1963 – 64 , 1967 – 70 , 1973 , 1975 – 76 MPSSAA District Championships – 2008 = = = Boys basketball = = = Basketball has been played at Baltimore City College for more than a century . One of the earliest recorded results in program history is a one @-@ point overtime road loss to the University of Maryland Terrapins ( then known as the Maryland Agricultural College Aggies ) on January 25 , 1913 . The most successful head coach in school history was George Howard " Jerry " Phipps , who led the Knights to a record of 133 – 27 , four Maryland Scholastic Association ( MSA ) championships , and a streak of forty straight games without a loss spanning two seasons between 1960 – 1968 . In all , the school won twelve MSA A @-@ Conference basketball championships ( 1922 , 1923 , 1934 , 1935 , 1938 , 1939 , 1940 , 1961 , 1963 , 1965 , 1966 , 1967 , 1969 ) . Baltimore City College currently competes in District 9 ( Baltimore City League ) of the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association ( MPSSAA ) . Since 2007 , City College has earned berths in every MPSSAA state tournament and has posted seven 20 + win seasons . The Knights have won three MPSSAA state championships ( 2009 , 2010 , and 2014 ) , one of just five schools in Maryland that have won three or more boys basketball state titles since 2000 . City has advanced to the MPSSAA state tournament semifinals six times ( 1997 , 1998 , 1999 , 2009 , 2010 , and 2014 ) , third most all @-@ time among Baltimore City League teams . The Knights won the Baltimore City League Division I championship in 2014 and also appeared in the district championship game in 2011 . With a record of 27 – 0 in 2014 , City College posted the third undefeated season in school history ( 1966 , 1967 ) and became the first Baltimore City League team since 2008 – 2009 to finish the season without a loss . The Knights ended the 2014 season as the No. 18 @-@ ranked team in the country in the final USA Today Super 25 and Student Sports Fab 50 national boys basketball polls , the team 's highest national ranking since beginning the 2011 – 12 season as the No. 21 @-@ ranked team in the preseason USA Today national poll . Daryl Wade is the current City College head boys basketball coach . In addition to winning the 2014 MPSSAA state championship , Wade has guided the Knights to three additional MPSSAA state semifinal appearances and has a 133 – 42 win @-@ loss record in nine seasons at the school , including a 30 @-@ game win streak between December 2013 and December 2014 . Coach Wade was named Baltimore Sun All @-@ Metro Coach of the Year in 2014 , the school 's second Coach of the Year award winner since 2010 . = = = Football = = = The Baltimore City College football program began in the mid @-@ 1870s , and has won more than 20 Maryland Scholastic Association ( MSA ) A @-@ Conference and Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association ( MPSSAA ) championships in its history . The Knights primarily competed against are colleges and universities throughout the 1880s and 1890s because few secondary schools existed at the time . The program began competing against other high schools at the beginning of the 20th century , and has held since 1941 the record for the longest streak of games played without a loss in MSA and MPSSAA history . The Knights played 54 consecutive games without a loss between 1934 – 1941 . Harry Lawrence , who guided the Knights to a 38 @-@ game undefeated streak between 1936 and 1940 ( including 35 wins , three ties , and four MSA championships ) , remains City College 's most successful head football coach . George Young became head football coach in 1959 and guided the Knights to six Maryland Scholastic Association A @-@ Conference championships . Young left the program after the 1967 season to join the National Football League as an offensive line coach for the Baltimore Colts and would later become the general manager of the New York Giants . One of his star players was quarterback Kurt Schmoke , who later became States ' Attorney for Baltimore City and served two terms as the Mayor of Baltimore , the first elected African @-@ American mayor in the history of Baltimore City . George Petrides was named head football coach in 1975 and remained in the same position for 40 years . Petrides , a 1967 graduate of the school , retired in 2015 with a coaching record of 257 – 144 – 1 and as the second winningest active coach in Maryland high school football . During his tenure , City had a 29 @-@ game winning streak en route to two Maryland Scholastic Association A @-@ Conference championships in 1991 and 1992 . Coach Petrides guided City College to appearances in the semifinals of the MPSSAA state football playoffs in 1996 , 2001 , and 2005 . The Knights finished the 1987 and 1992 seasons ranked in the top @-@ 20 nationally in the USA Today high school football poll . In August 2015 , Daryl Wade was named the 27th head football coach in Baltimore City College history , the first African @-@ American head football coach in school history . = = = = City – Poly rivalry ( 1889 – present ) = = = = The City @-@ Poly football rivalry is the oldest American football rivalry in Maryland , and one of the oldest public school football rivalries in the United States . The rivalry began in 1889 , when City College met the Baltimore Polytechnic Institute ( Poly ) at Clifton Park for a football scrimmage in which City 's freshman team beat Poly . City remained undefeated in the series until 1908 . In the 1920s , the rivalry turned so fierce that riots erupted on the streets of downtown Baltimore on the day before " The Game " when opposing parades clashed resulting in the sons of both the Mayor of Baltimore and the Governor of Maryland were arrested in 1928 . By the 1930s a " Peace Pact " was sworn annually and signed by student government leaders of both schools before the cameras of the press in the Mayor 's Ceremonial Office in City Hall . Several student disturbances at games or on transit buses afterwards in the late @-@ 1960s and early @-@ 1970s threatened to put an end to the athletic tradition reflecting the tense tenor of the times , but goodwill eventually prevailed again by the quieter 1980s . By the 1950s , it had become a Baltimore tradition that after a morning of church services , parades and rallies , the two Catholic high school football powers of Loyola High School ( Loyola Blakefield ) and Calvert Hall College would play on Thanksgiving Day morning at 10 a.m. , followed at 2 p.m. by City @-@ Poly as the two public school rivals at Memorial Stadium on 33rd Street . That evening 's TV news and sports casts led off with the scores and highlights of " The Game " and half @-@ time shows and parades . Next day 's The Sun and The News @-@ Post and American had special sections and stories covering all facets of the day before . One of the most memorable City @-@ Poly games occurred on Thanksgiving Day 1965 , at Baltimore 's Memorial Stadium , with some 25 @,@ 000 fans in attendance . City beat Poly 52 – 6 , and completed a 10 – 0 season with the team finishing the season ranked eighth in the nation by a national sports poll . City 's 52 – 6 victory over Poly in that game is the largest margin of victory in the history of the series . Former Baltimore Mayor Kurt Schmoke was the quarterback and Maryland Delegate Curt Anderson was the captain . The game is no longer played on Thanksgiving or at Memorial Stadium , but is now located at the home of the Baltimore Ravens , M & T Bank Stadium , at Camden Yards in downtown Baltimore . City College won the 127th meeting in 2015 by routing Poly by a final score of 42 – 6 , the school 's fourth consecutive victory in the series . Poly now leads the series 62 – 59 – 6 . = = Extracurricular activities = = Baltimore City College offers more than 20 student clubs and organizations . These activities include chapters of national organizations such as the National Honor Society ( established at the school in 1927 ) and Quill and Scroll . Service clubs include the Red Cross Club and Campus Improvement Association . Other activities include the Drama Club , which produces an annual play , the Art Club , Model UN , Band , Dance , and One City One Book , an organization that invites the entire school community to read one book selected by faculty and invites the author of the book for a reading , discussion , and question and answer period . In 2007 , Pulitzer Prize winner , MacArthur Fellow , and novelist Edward P. Jones discussed his book Lost in the City . The school store is operated by students and managed by the Student Government Association . One of City College 's most notable academic teams is the It 's Academic team which participates on It 's Academic , a local television show . = = = Speech and debate / literary and debating societies = = = The Baltimore City College debate team has a long and storied tradition that dates back over 150 years . The speech and debate teams are formally referred to as the Bancroft and Carrollton @-@ Wight Literary Societies . The school 's first formal debate team within a literary society was established in 1876 as the " Bancroft Literary Association " . In 1878 , a second competing society , the " Carrollton Literary Society " , was formed , named for Maryland 's famous longest @-@ living signer of the Declaration of Independence , the only Roman Catholic member , Charles Carroll of Carrollton , ( 1737 @-@ 1832 ) . That society was later renamed the " Carrollton @-@ Wight Literary Society " , in honor of the program 's first advisor , Charles Wight , a celebrated faculty member during the 1870s . Today , the speech and debate team competes in various speech events , Student Congress , Mock Trial , Lincoln @-@ Douglas debate , and Policy Debate against teams throughout Maryland and routinely travels around the United States to compete on the " national circuit " . The team currently participates in four competitive debate leagues : the " Baltimore Catholic Forensic League " , the Baltimore Urban Debate League , the Chesapeake region of the National Catholic Forensic League , and the National Forensic League . Several community partners , including the Abell Foundation and the Baltimore Community Foundation , which endowed the Gilbert Sandler Fund for Speech and Debate in 2008 , help provide financial support to the program . In 2012 , City College won the Baltimore Urban Debate League championship . In the same year , the school hosted the 61st National Catholic Forensic League Grand National Tournament in Baltimore and earned a third place national finish in policy debate . In recent years , the team has advanced to final rounds at the Harvard Invitational Tournament and the National Forensic League National Tournament . Baltimore City College debate has sent multiple policy debate teams to the Tournament of Champions , the most elite high school debate competition in the United States . In 2013 , City 's Speech and Debate beat Chicago 's top @-@ ranked Whitney Young Magnet High School to win the prestigious National Association of Urban Debate Leagues ( NAUDL ) policy debate national championship . BCC Debate again won the NAUDL national championship in 2015 . = = = Bands and Orchestra = = = The marching band at Baltimore City College was created in the late 1940s . At the time , the instrumental music program consisted of the orchestra , concert band and marching band . The director who brought the band to prominence was Dr. Donald Norton . In 1954 , while on sabbatical , he was replaced by Professor Charles M. Stengstacke . The 65 member concert band doubled as a marching band in the fall . During halftime performances at home the band would form the shape of a heart or a car , but always ending the performance by forming the letters C @-@ I @-@ T @-@ Y. In the 1980s , under James Russell Perkins , these groups grew in size and changed styles , adding " soulful " dance steps . Perkins 's groups toured and traveled the east coast . They received superior ratings at district and state festivals . Perkins is responsible for the creation of the City College Jazz Band , the " Knights of Jazz " . In 1994 , Alvin T. Wallace became Band Director . During his tenure , a wind ensemble was added and the marching band grew to include over 150 members . In 1999 , the band swept the top categories in the Disney World high school band competition . In 2006 , the wind ensemble received a grade of superior at the district adjudication festival and marched in the Baltimore Mayor 's Christmas Day Parade . = = = Choirs = = = The Baltimore City College choir was founded in 1950 by Professor Donald Regier . Originally a co @-@ curricular subject with only 18 members , by 1954 it had developed into a major subject of study with 74 students enrolled . Under the direction of Linda Hall , today 's choir consists of four groups : the Mixed Chorus , the Concert Choir , the Singin ' / Swingin ' Knights , and the Knights and Daze Show Choir . The Mixed Choir is opened to all students at City College and currently has a membership of approximately 135 students . The Concert Choir is a more selective group consisting of about 50 students , who must audition for their places in the choir . The Singin ' / Swingin ' Knights is an even more selective group composed of 25 students . The Knights and Daze Show Choir is a group of students , who perform a choreographed dance routine while they sing . With the exception of the Knights and Daze Show Choir , which performs jazz and pop music , the choir 's repertoire consists of gospel music , spirituals , and Classical works by composers such as Handel and Michael Praetorius . The choir has traveled to Europe on several occasions . Its first trip was in 1999 , after receiving an invitation to perform at the Choralfest in Arezzo , Italy . In 2003 , the choir returned to Italy to perform at the annual Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change . The choir has also performed in France and Spain . On October 2 , 2007 , the Weill Institute of Music at Carnegie Hall announced that the City College choir was one of four high school choirs selected to participate in the National High School Choral Festival on March 10 , 2008 . The four choirs will perform Johannes Brahms ' A German Requiem under the direction of Craig Jessop , Mormon Tabernacle Choir Director . The choirs will also be led by their own directors in performing choral selections of their choosing . = = Student publications = = = = = The Green Bag = = = The Green Bag is the senior class annual at the Baltimore City College . Published continuously since 1896 , The Green Bag is the oldest publication still in existence at the school and one of the oldest high school or college yearbooks in America . G. Warfield Hobbs Jr . ( later an Episcopal priest ) , president of the 1896 senior class and first editor @-@ in @-@ chief of The Green Bag , gave the publication its name in recognition of the role of City College graduates in political leadership . Historically , the famous green " carpet bag " in the 19th century containing the lists of political appointees ( also known as " patronage " ) of the Governor of Maryland to be approved by the General Assembly of Maryland has long been known as the " green bag " , though the derivation of the term is unknown . So the term became synanmous with " good news " and " glad tidings " , such as could be applied to the feelings that recent graduates felt when seeing and reading their new yearbooks published soon after their graduations . The first yearbooks contained sketches of faculty and seniors , and included recollections , anecdotes , stories , and quotes significant to the student body . Underclassmen were included for the first time with individual portraits in the growing student body in 1948 . In 2007 , The Green Bag released its first full @-@ color edition , one of the most colorful since color printing of photographs was first introduced in The Bag in 1963 and again in 1967 . For many years the annual was printed by the local well @-@ known printer / publisher of H.G. Roebuck and Son , owned by a City alumnus up to 1970 The most controversial issue of The Green Bag was published in 1900 when members of the senior class used the annual to make fun of their professors . The Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners attempted to censor the edition by requiring The Green Bag to be reviewed by Principal Francis A. Soper . The yearbook had already been printed , and in defiance of the school board , the editors refused to have the edition censored and reprinted . The School Board responded by withholding the diplomas of six of the editors and the business manager and by preventing the school from holding a public commencement ceremony . One of the boys expelled , Clarence Keating Bowie , became a member of the School Board himself in 1926 . The infamous cartoon was later printed for the first time in a " Bag " in an opening segment on school history in 1972 . = = = The Collegian = = = The Collegian has been the school student newspaper of record at Baltimore City College since it was first published as a bi @-@ weekly newspaper in 1929 . There have been other similar publications , such as The Oriole , the student magazine which started printing in 1912 , however The Collegian is oldest , continuous student @-@ run publication . Originally , the newspaper was both managed and printed by students . During the 1930s , The Collegian won numerous awards including second place in the Columbia Scholastic Press Association 's annual contest for five years in a row . Since 2000 , printing of the publication has been scaled back . The Collegian is now published quarterly , often with a bonus issue around the time of the annual City @-@ Poly football game . Since 2014 , The Collegian also actively engages students and alumni through various social media platforms . = = Alumni Association = = The Baltimore City College Alumni Association Inc . ( BCCAA ) was established in 1866 as a support network for City College . The BCCAA holds an annual meeting at the school every November and its Board of Governors meets the first Monday of each month at the school . The BCCAA publishes the class reunion guide , established and maintains a life membership endowment fund , presents Golden Apple Awards annually to faculty members , sponsors the Hall of Fame selection and induction , publishes a semi @-@ annual newsletter , maintains an alumni database , and assists with projects designed to enrich student life and improve the school 's facilities . = = = Trustees of the Baltimore City College Scholarship Funds = = = The Trustees of the Baltimore City College Scholarship Funds , Inc . , was established and incorporated in 1983 , and replaced a similar entity that was established in 1924 . The Trustees manage endowments , most of which provide annual scholarships to graduating seniors based on criteria stipulated by the donors . Combined endowment assets are currently valued at or around $ 1 @.@ 68 million ( adjusted for inflation ) covering thirty @-@ four annual scholarships . To recognize the custodianship provided by the Trustees , the BCCAA has placed a bronze plaque in the main hall of the school which carries an individually cast nameplate for each of the thirty @-@ four permanent endowments held by the Trustees . = = = Baltimore City College Hall of Fame = = = The Baltimore City College Hall of Fame induction ceremony is held annually in October . Alumni that have demonstrated extraordinary service to the school , city , state , country , or world are elected to the Hall of Fame , with former inductees , alumni , and students attending the two @-@ hour ceremony . Inductees included Vice @-@ President at Goldman Sachs Robert Hormats in 2007 , and Maryland State delegate Curt Anderson in 2013 . = = Notable alumni = = Many City College alumni have become civil servants , including three of the 10 individuals currently representing the state of Maryland in the U.S. Congress — Congressman Elijah Cummings , Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger , ( also former County Executive of surrounding suburban Baltimore County ) , and Senator Ben Cardin . Among graduates with significant military service are two Commandants of the U.S. Coast Guard - Rear Admiral Frederick C. Billard and Admiral J. William Kime , as well as 2nd Lieutenant Jacob Beser of the U.S. Army Air Corps the only individual at the end of World War II to serve on both atomic bomb missions over Japan , on the B @-@ 29 bomber planes , the " Enola Gay " , when it dropped the device " Little Boy " on Hiroshima , and second plane " Bocks Car " when it dropped the " Fat Man " bomb on Nagasaki in August 1945 , and was one of the very few crewmen who had an inkling of atomic energy theory . In addition , three City College alumni are also recipients of the congressional Medal of Honor , the nation 's highest military award . The list of BCC alumni includes prominent scientists , such as Dr. Hugh Dryden , associate administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration ( NASA ) during the early U.S. space exploration program and missions to the Moon in the 1960s , theoretical physicist John Archibald Wheeler , who coined the term black hole and received the 1997 Wolf Prize in Physics , Martin Rodbell , who received the 1994 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his discovery of G @-@ proteins , and Abel Wolman , the nationally famous " father " of chlorinated drinking water and a National Medal of Science recipient who brought the Baltimore metropolitan areas public water supply system to be among the best in the country , Alexander Ashley Weech ( Class of 1913 ) , a pioneer pediatrician and scientist who treated the first patient in the U.S. with an antibiotic ( 1935 ) and was awarded the John Howland Medal ( 1977 ) . Notable writers such as Leon Uris , author of the novel Exodus , inspiring the motion picture , Pulitzer Prize @-@ winning poet Karl Shapiro , and Pulitzer Prize @-@ winning author , New York Times columnist , and host of the Masterpiece Theatre anthology programs on PBS , Russell Baker are also alumni . Businessmen , who have graduated from the school , include David M. Rubenstein , co @-@ founder of The Carlyle Group , and David T. Abercrombie , namesake and co @-@ founder of Abercrombie & Fitch . = = Notable faculty members = = Blanche F. Bowlsbey , first female teacher ( 1935 – 1955 ) Ed Burns , Edgar Award @-@ winning writer for The Corner and The Wire McFadden Newell , first principal , Towson University ZZ Packer , author , Guggenheim Fellow Pierre Davis , first African @-@ American teacher ( 1956 ) , first African @-@ American principal ( 1971 ) Eugene Parker , first African @-@ American coach ( 1956 – 1986 ) George Petrides , longest serving faculty member ( 1972 – present ) Mellasenah Morris , Dean , Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University ( 2008 – present ) George L. P. Radcliffe , U.S. Senator Henry E. Shepherd , superintendent , Baltimore City Public Schools ; president , The College of Charleston ( 1882 – 1897 ) Robert Herring Wright , first president , East Carolina University George Young , NFL Executive , General Manager New York Giants = = Principals = = Nathan C. Brooks , ( 1839 – 1849 ) , first principal of " The High School " , then first established in rented townhouse on west side of Courtland Street ( now St. Paul Street / Place - " Preston Gardens " ) , by East Saratoga Street , later moved briefly several times . Noted classical scholar / educational leader of the era , later only President of the Baltimore Female College until the 1880s , one of earliest institutions of higher learning for women - predecessor to later Goucher College Rev. Francis G. Waters , ( 1849 – 1853 ) , second principal of the then Central High School of Baltimore , when located in old " Assembly Rooms " former social hall at northeast corner of Holliday and East Fayette Streets . Later President of historic Washington College in Chestertown , Maryland on the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay Francis A. Soper , ( 1890 – 1911 ) , longest serving tenured principal Wilbur F. Smith , ( 1911 – 1926 ) , when BCC then in second structure at southwest corner of North Howard and West Centre Streets , just prior to construction of current " Castle on the Hill " . Later first Chancellor of the University of Baltimore , ( 1926 – 1933 ) Pierre H. Davis , ( 1970 – 1974 ) , first African @-@ American faculty member in 1955 , later principal Cynthia ( Cindy ) Harcum , ( 2010 – present ) , one of the first female graduates of the Baltimore City College , after its major physical renovation of 1977 – 79 , reorganization / stiffening of curriculum and admission standards , becoming co @-@ educational for the first time . Later to become its principal .

= St Kilda , Scotland = St Kilda ( Scottish Gaelic : Hiort ) is an isolated archipelago 64 kilometres ( 40 mi ) west @-@ northwest of North Uist in the North Atlantic Ocean . It contains the westernmost islands of the Outer Hebrides of Scotland . The largest island is Hirta , whose sea cliffs are the highest in the United Kingdom ; three other islands ( Dùn , Soay and Boreray ) were also used for grazing and seabird hunting . The islands are administratively a part of the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar local authority area . The origin of the name St Kilda is a matter of conjecture . The islands ' human heritage includes numerous unique architectural features from the historic and prehistoric periods , although the earliest written records of island life date from the Late Middle Ages . The medieval village on Hirta was rebuilt in the 19th century , but illnesses brought by increased external contacts through tourism , and the upheaval of the First World War contributed to the island 's evacuation in 1930 . The story of St Kilda has attracted artistic interpretations , including Michael Powell 's film The Edge of the World and an opera . St Kilda may have been permanently inhabited for at least two millennia , the population probably never exceeding 180 ( and certainly no more than 100 after 1851 ) . The entire remaining population was evacuated from Hirta ( the only inhabited island ) in 1930 . Currently , the only year @-@ round residents are military personnel ; a variety of conservation workers , volunteers and scientists spend time there in the summer months . The entire archipelago is owned by the National Trust for Scotland . It became one of Scotland 's six World Heritage Sites in 1986 and is one of the few in the world to hold joint status for its natural and cultural qualities . Parties of volunteers work on the islands in the summer to restore the many ruined buildings that the native St Kildans left behind . They share the island with a small military base established in 1957 . Two different early sheep types have survived on these remote islands , the Soay , a Neolithic type , and the Boreray , an Iron Age type . The islands are a breeding ground for many important seabird species including northern gannets , Atlantic puffins , and northern fulmars . The St Kilda wren and St Kilda field mouse are endemic subspecies . = = Origin of names = = Various theories have been proposed for the word Kilda 's origin , which dates from the late 16th century . No saint is known by the name . Haswell @-@ Smith ( 2004 ) notes that the full name St Kilda first appears on a Dutch map dated 1666 , and that it may have been derived from Norse sunt kelda ( " sweet wellwater " ) or from a mistaken Dutch assumption that the spring Tobar Childa was dedicated to a saint . ( Tobar Childa is a tautological placename , consisting of the Gaelic and Norse words for well , i.e. , " well well " ) . Martin Martin , who visited in 1697 , believed that the name " is taken from one Kilder , who lived here ; and from him the large well Toubir @-@ Kilda has also its name " . Maclean ( 1972 ) similarly suggests it may come from a corruption of the Old Norse name for the spring on Hirta , Childa , and states that a 1588 map identifies the archipelago as Kilda . He also speculates that it may refer to the Culdees , anchorites who may have brought Christianity to the island , or be a corruption of the Gaelic name for the main island of the group , since the islanders tended to pronounce r as l , and thus habitually referred to the island as Hilta . Steel ( 1988 ) adds weight to the idea , noting that the islanders pronounced the H with a " somewhat guttural quality " , making the sound they used for Hirta " almost " Kilta . Similarly , St Kilda speakers interviewed by the School of Scottish Studies in the 1960s show individual speakers using t @-@ initial forms , leniting to / h / , e.g. ann an t @-@ Hirte ( [ ˈan ̪ ˠən ̪ ˠ ˈtʰʲirˠʃt ̪ ʲə ] ) and gu Hirte ( [ kə ˈhirˠʃt ̪ ʲə ] ) . Maclean ( 1972 ) further suggests that the Dutch may have simply made a cartographical error , and confused Hirta with Skildar , the old name for Haskeir island much nearer the main Outer Hebrides archipelago . Quine ( 2000 ) hypothesises that the name is derived from a series of cartographical errors , starting with the use of the Old Icelandic Skildir ( " shields " ) and appearing as Skildar on a map by Nicholas de Nicolay ( 1583 ) . This , so the hypothesis goes , was transcribed in error by Lucas J. Waghenaer in his 1592 charts without the trailing r and with a period after the S , creating S.Kilda. This was in turn assumed to stand for a saint by others , creating the form that has been used for several centuries , St Kilda . The origin of Hirta , which long pre @-@ dates St Kilda , is similarly open to interpretation . Martin ( 1703 ) avers that " Hirta is taken from the Irish Ier , which in that language signifies west " . Maclean offers several options , including an ( unspecified ) Celtic word meaning " gloom " or " death " , or the Scots Gaelic h @-@ Iar @-@ Tìr ( " westland " ) . Drawing on an Icelandic saga describing an early 13th @-@ century voyage to Ireland that mentions a visit to the islands of " Hirtir " , he speculates that the shape of Hirta resembles a stag , ( Hirtir meaning " stags " in Norse ) . Steel ( 1998 ) quotes the view of Reverend Neil Mackenzie , who lived there from 1829 to 1844 , that the name is derived from the Gaelic Ì Àrd ( " high island " ) , and a further possibility that it is from the Norse Hirt ( " shepherd " ) . In a similar vein , Murray ( 1966 ) speculates that the Norse Hirðö , pronounced ' Hirtha ' ( " herd island " ) , may be the origin . All the names of and on the islands are fully discussed by Coates ( 1990 ) . = = Geography = = The islands are composed of Tertiary igneous formations of granites and gabbro , heavily weathered by the elements . The archipelago represents the remnants of a long @-@ extinct ring volcano rising from a seabed plateau approximately 40 metres ( 130 ft ) below sea level . At 670 hectares ( 1 @,@ 700 acres ) in extent , Hirta is the largest island in the group and comprises more than 78 % of the land area of the archipelago . Next in size are Soay ( English : " sheep island " ) at 99 hectares ( 240 acres ) and Boreray ( ' the fortified isle ' ) , which measures 86 hectares ( 210 acres ) . Soay is 0 @.@ 5 kilometres ( 0 @.@ 31 mi ) north @-@ west of Hirta , Boreray 6 kilometres ( 4 mi ) to the northeast . Smaller islets and stacks in the group include Stac an Armin ( ' warrior 's stack ' ) , Stac Lee ( ' grey stack ' ) and Stac Levenish ( ' stream ' or ' torrent ' ) . The island of Dùn ( ' fort ' ) , which protects Village Bay from the prevailing southwesterly winds , was at one time joined to Hirta by a natural arch . MacLean ( 1972 ) suggests that the arch was broken when struck by a galleon fleeing the defeat of the Spanish Armada , but other sources , such as Mitchell ( 1992 ) and Fleming ( 2005 ) , provide the more credible ( if less romantic ) explanation that the arch was simply swept away by one of the many fierce storms that batter the islands every winter . The highest point in the archipelago , Conachair ( ' the beacon ' ) at 430 metres ( 1 @,@ 410 ft ) , is on Hirta , immediately north of the village . In the southeast is Oiseval ( ' east fell ' ) , which reaches 290 metres ( 950 ft ) , and Mullach Mòr ( ' big hill summit ' ) 361 metres ( 1 @,@ 185 ft ) is due west of Conachair . Ruival ( ' red fell ' ) 137 metres ( 449 ft ) and Mullach Bi ( ' pillar summit ' ) 358 metres ( 1 @,@ 175 ft ) dominate the western cliffs . Boreray reaches 384 metres ( 1 @,@ 260 ft ) and Soay 378 metres ( 1 @,@ 240 ft ) . The extraordinary Stac an Armin reaches 196 metres ( 643 ft ) , and Stac Lee , 172 metres ( 564 ft ) , making them the highest sea stacks in Britain . In modern times , St Kilda 's only settlement was at Village Bay ( Scottish Gaelic : Bàgh a ' Bhaile or Loch Hiort ) on Hirta . Gleann Mòr on the north coast of Hirta and Boreray also contain the remains of earlier habitations . The sea approach to Hirta into Village Bay suggests a small settlement flanked by high rolling hills in a semicircle behind it . This is misleading . The whole north face of Conachair is a vertical cliff up to 427 metres ( 1 @,@ 401 ft ) high , falling sheer into the sea and constituting the highest sea cliff in the UK . The archipelago is the site of many of the most spectacular sea cliffs in the British Isles . Baxter and Crumley ( 1988 ) suggest that St Kilda : " ... is a mad , imperfect God 's hoard of all unnecessary lavish landscape luxuries he ever devised in his madness . These he has scattered at random in Atlantic isolation 100 miles from the corrupting influences of the mainland , 40 miles west of the westmost Western Isles . He has kept for himself only the best pieces and woven around them a plot as evidence of his madness . " Although 64 kilometres ( 40 mi ) from the nearest land , St Kilda is visible from as far as the summit ridges of the Skye Cuillin , some 129 kilometres ( 80 mi ) distant . The climate is oceanic with high rainfall , 1 @,@ 400 millimetres ( 55 in ) , and high humidity . Temperatures are generally cool , averaging 5 @.@ 6 ° C ( 42 @.@ 1 ° F ) in January and 11 @.@ 8 ° C ( 53 @.@ 2 ° F ) in July . The prevailing winds , especially strong in winter , are southerly and southwesterly . Wind speeds average 13 kilometres per hour ( 8 @.@ 1 mph ) approximately 85 percent of the time and more than 24 kilometres per hour ( 15 mph ) more than 30 percent of the time . Gale force winds occur less than 2 percent of the time in any one year , but gusts of 185 kilometres per hour ( 115 mph ) and more occur regularly on the high tops , and speeds of 209 kilometres per hour ( 130 mph ) have occasionally been recorded near sea level . The tidal range is 2 @.@ 9 metres ( 9 @.@ 5 ft ) , and ocean swells of 5 metres ( 16 ft ) frequently occur , which can make landings difficult or impossible at any time of year . The oceanic location protects the islands from snow , which lies for only about a dozen days per year . The archipelago 's remote location and oceanic climate are matched in the UK only by a few smaller outlying islands such as the Flannan Isles , North Rona , Sula Sgeir , and the Bishop 's Isles at the southern edge of the Outer Hebrides . Administratively , St Kilda was part of the parish of Harris in the traditional county of Inverness @-@ shire . Today it is incorporated in the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar ( Western Isles ) unitary authority . = = Sheep = = On the inaccessible island of Soay are sheep of a unique type , which lived as feral animals and belonged to the owner of the islands , not to the islanders . These Soay sheep are believed to be remnants of the earliest sheep kept in Europe in the Neolithic Era , and are small , short @-@ tailed , usually brown with white bellies , and have naturally moulting fleeces . About 200 Soay sheep remain on Soay itself , and soon after the evacuation a second feral population of them was established on Hirta , which at that time had no sheep ; these now number between 600 and 1 @,@ 700 . A few Soays have been exported to form breeding populations in other parts of the world , where they are valued for their hardiness , small size and unusual appearance . On Hirta and Soay , the sheep prefer the Plantago pastures , which grow well in locations exposed to sea spray and include red fescue ( Festuca rubra ) , sea plantain ( Plantago maritima ) and sea pink ( Armeria maritima ) . The St Kildans kept up to 2 @,@ 000 of a different type of sheep on the islands of Hirta and Boreray . These were a Hebridean variety of the Scottish Dunface , a primitive sheep probably similar to those kept throughout Britain during the Iron Age . At the time of the evacuation all the islanders ' sheep were removed from Hirta , but those on Boreray were left to become feral , and these are now regarded as a breed in their own right , the Boreray . The Boreray is one of the rarest British sheep , and is one of the few remaining descendants of the Dunface ( although some Scottish Blackface blood was introduced in the nineteenth century ) . = = Wildlife = = St Kilda is a breeding ground for many important seabird species . One of the world 's largest colonies of northern gannets , totalling 30 @,@ 000 pairs , amount to 24 percent of the global population . There are 49 @,@ 000 breeding pairs of Leach 's petrels , up to 90 percent of the European population ; 136 @,@ 000 pairs of Atlantic puffins , about 30 percent of the UK total breeding population , and 67 @,@ 000 northern fulmar pairs , about 13 percent of the UK total . Dùn is home to the largest colony of fulmars in Britain . Prior to 1828 , St Kilda was their only UK breeding ground , but they have since spread and established colonies elsewhere , such as Fowlsheugh . The last great auk ( Pinguinus impennis ) seen in Britain was killed on Stac an Armin in July 1840 . Unusual behaviour by St Kilda 's bonxies was recorded in 2007 during research into recent falls in the Leach 's petrel population . Using night vision gear , ecologists observed the skuas hunting petrels at night , a remarkable strategy for a seabird . Two wild animal taxa are unique to St Kilda : the St Kilda wren ( Troglodytes troglodytes hirtensis ) , which is a subspecies of the Eurasian wren , and a subspecies of wood mouse known as the St Kilda field mouse ( Apodemus sylvaticus hirtensis ) . A third taxon endemic to St Kilda , a subspecies of house mouse known as the St Kilda house mouse ( Mus musculus muralis ) , vanished completely after the departure of human inhabitants , as it was strictly associated with settlements and buildings . It had a number of traits in common with a sub @-@ species ( Mus musculus mykinessiensis ) found on Mykines island in the Faroe Islands . The grey seal ( Halichoerus grypus ) now breeds on Hirta but did not do so before the 1930 evacuation . The St Kilda Dandelion ( Taraxacum pankhurstianum ) is an endemic species of dandelion , identified in 2012 . The archipelago 's isolation has resulted in a lack of biodiversity . The most successful colonists with nearly two hundred species are the flies followed by beetles with approximately 140 species . There are no bees on the islands so the flies are probably important pollinators of plants . One beetle , the rare and endangered weevil , Ceutorhynchus insularis , is known from only Dùn and the Westmann Islands , an archipelago off the south @-@ west coast of Iceland . Less than one hundred species of butterfly and moth occur , compared to 367 recorded on the Western Isles . Red admiral ( Vanessa atalanta ) and painted lady ( Vanessa cardui ) are two of only seven species of butterflies , both well known and common migrants . Common summer moths are the antler ( Cerapteryx graminis ) , dark arches ( Apamea monoglypha ) and the migrant silver Y ( Autographa gamma ) . One unusual moth recorded is the least carpet ( Idaea rusticata ) , an occasional migrant , and in the UK , usually recorded in the south @-@ east of England . On 4 September 2014 a rare vagrant oleander hawk @-@ moth ( Daphnis nerii ) was recorded . Oleander is not found in the UK every year , and the larva have never been recorded in the Britain . Plant life is heavily influenced by the salt spray , strong winds and acidic peaty soils . No trees grow on the archipelago , although there are more than 130 different flowering plants , 162 species of fungi and 160 bryophytes . Several rarities exist amongst the 194 lichen species . Kelp thrives in the surrounding seas , which contain a diversity of unusual marine invertebrates . The beach at Village Bay is unusual in that its short stretch of summer sand recedes in winter , exposing the large boulders on which it rests . A survey of the beach in 1953 found only a single resident species , the crustacean isopod Eurydice pulchra . = = Way of life = = Most modern commentators feel that the predominant theme of life on St Kilda was isolation . When Martin Martin visited the islands in 1697 , the only means of making the journey was by open boat , which could take several days and nights of rowing and sailing across the ocean and was next to impossible in autumn and winter . In all seasons , waves up to 12 metres ( 39 ft ) high lash the beach of Village Bay , and even on calmer days landing on the slippery rocks can be hazardous . Separated by distance and weather , the natives knew little of mainland and international politics . After the Battle of Culloden in 1746 , it was rumoured that Prince Charles Edward Stuart and some of his senior Jacobite aides had escaped to St Kilda . An expedition was launched , and in due course British soldiers were ferried ashore to Hirta . They found a deserted village , as the St Kildans , fearing pirates , had fled to caves to the west . When the St Kildans were persuaded to come down , the soldiers discovered that the isolated natives knew nothing of the prince and had never heard of King George II either . Even in the late 19th century , the islanders could communicate with the rest of the world only by lighting a bonfire on the summit of Conachair and hoping a passing ship might see it , or by using the " St Kilda mailboat " . This was the invention of John Sands , who visited in 1877 . During his stay , a shipwreck left nine Austrian sailors marooned there , and by February supplies were running low . Sands attached a message to a lifebuoy salvaged from the Peti Dubrovacki and threw it into the sea . Nine days later it was picked up in Birsay , Orkney , and a rescue was arranged . The St Kildans , building on this idea , would fashion a piece of wood into the shape of a boat , attach it to a bladder made of sheepskin , and place in it a small bottle or tin containing a message . Launched when the wind came from the north @-@ west , two @-@ thirds of the messages were later found on the west coast of Scotland or , less conveniently , in Norway . Another significant feature of St Kildan life was the diet . The islanders kept sheep and a few cattle and were able to grow a limited amount of food crops such as barley and potatoes on the better @-@ drained land in Village Bay ; in many ways the islands can be seen as a large mixed farm . Samuel Johnson reported that in the 18th century sheep 's milk was made " into small cheeses " by the St Kildans . They generally eschewed fishing because of the heavy seas and unpredictable weather . The mainstay of their food supplies was the profusion of island birds , especially gannet and fulmar . These they harvested as eggs and young birds and ate both fresh and cured . Adult puffins were also caught by the use of fowling rods . This feature of island life came at a price . When Henry Brougham visited in 1799 he noted that " the air is infected by a stench almost insupportable – a compound of rotten fish , filth of all sorts and stinking seafowl " . An excavation of the Taigh an t @-@ Sithiche ( the " house of the faeries " – see below ) in 1877 by Sands unearthed the remains of gannet , sheep , cattle and limpets amidst various stone tools . The building is between 1 @,@ 700 and 2 @,@ 500 years old , which suggests that the St Kildan diet had changed little over the millennia . Indeed , the tools were recognised by the St Kildans , who could put names to them as similar devices were still in use . These fowling activities involved considerable skills in climbing , especially on the precipitous sea stacks . An important island tradition involved the ' Mistress Stone ' , a door @-@ shaped opening in the rocks north @-@ west of Ruival over @-@ hanging a gully . Young men of the island had to undertake a ritual there to prove themselves on the crags and worthy of taking a wife . Martin Martin wrote : In the face of the rock , south from the town , is the famous stone , known by the name of the mistress @-@ stone ; it resembles a door exactly ; and is in the very front of this rock , which is twenty or thirty fathom [ 120 to 180 feet ( 37 to 55 m ) ] perpendicular in height , the figure of it being discernible about the distance of a mile ; upon the lintel of this door , every bachelor @-@ wooer is by an ancient custom obliged in honour to give a specimen of his affection for the love of his mistress , and it is thus ; he is to stand on his left foot , having the one half of his sole over the rock , and then he draws the right foot further out to the left , and in this posture bowing , he puts both his fists further out to the right foot ; and then after he has performed this , he has acquired no small reputation , being always after it accounted worthy of the finest mistress in the world : they firmly believe that this achievement is always attended with the desired success.This being the custom of the place , one of the inhabitants very gravely desired me to let him know the time limited by me for trying of this piece of gallantry before I design ’ d to leave the place , that he might attend me ; I told him this performance would have a quite contrary effect upon me , by robbing me both of my life and mistress at the same moment . Another important aspect of St Kildan life was the daily ' Parliament ' . This was a meeting held in the street every morning after prayers and attended by all the adult males during the course of which they would decide upon the day 's activities . No one led the meeting , and all men had the right to speak . According to Steel ( 1988 ) , " Discussion frequently spread discord , but never in recorded history were feuds so bitter as to bring about a permanent division in the community " . This notion of a free society influenced Enric Miralles ' vision for the new Scottish Parliament Building , opened in October 2004 . Whatever the privations , the St Kildans were fortunate in some respects , for their isolation spared them some of the evils of life elsewhere . Martin noted in 1697 that the citizens seemed " happier than the generality of mankind as being almost the only people in the world who feel the sweetness of true liberty " , and in the 19th century their health and well being was contrasted favourably with conditions elsewhere in the Hebrides . Theirs was not a utopian society ; the islanders had ingenious wooden locks for their property , and financial penalties were exacted for misdemeanours . Nonetheless , no resident St Kildan is known to have fought in a war , and in four centuries of history , no serious crime committed by an islander was recorded there . = = History = = = = = Prehistory = = = It has been known for some time that St Kilda was continuously inhabited for two millennia or more , from the Bronze Age to the 20th century . Recently , the first direct evidence of earlier Neolithic settlement emerged — shards of pottery of the Hebridean ware style , found to the east of the village . The subsequent discovery of a quarry for stone tools on Mullach Sgar above Village Bay led to finds of numerous stone hoe @-@ blades , grinders and Skaill knives in the Village Bay cleitean — unique stone storage buildings ( see below ) . These tools are also probably of Neolithic origin . = = = 14th to 17th century = = = The first written record of St Kilda may date from 1202 when an Icelandic cleric wrote of taking shelter on " the islands that are called Hirtir " . Early reports mentioned finds of brooches , an iron sword and Danish coins , and the enduring Norse place names indicate a sustained Viking presence on Hirta , but the visible evidence has been lost . The first English language reference is from the late 14th century , when John of Fordun mentioned ' the isle of Irte , which is agreed to be under the Circius and on the margins of the world ' . The islands were historically part of the domain of the MacLeods of Harris , whose steward was responsible for the collection of rents in kind and other duties . The first detailed report of a visit to the islands dates from 1549 , when Donald Munro suggested that : " The inhabitants thereof ar simple poor people , scarce learnit in aney religion , but M ’ Cloyd of Herray , his stewart , or he quhom he deputs in sic office , sailes anes in the zear ther at midsummer , with some chaplaine to baptize bairnes ther . " Despite the chaplain 's best efforts , the islanders ' isolation and dependence on the bounty of the natural world meant their philosophy bore as much relationship to Druidism as it did to Christianity until the arrival of Rev. John MacDonald in 1822 . Macauley ( 1764 ) reported the existence of five druidic altars , including a large circle of stones fixed perpendicularly in the ground near the Stallir House on Boreray . Coll MacDonald of Colonsay raided Hirta in 1615 , removing 30 sheep and a quantity of barley . Thereafter , the islands developed a reputation for abundance . At the time of Martin 's visit in 1697 the population was 180 and the steward travelled with a " company " of up to 60 persons to which he " elected the most ' meagre ' among his friends in the neighbouring islands , to that number and took them periodically to St. Kilda to enjoy the nourishing and plentiful , if primitive , fare of the island , and so be restored to their wonted health and strength . " = = = Religion = = = Visiting ships in the 18th century brought cholera and smallpox . In 1727 , the loss of life was so high that too few residents remained to man the boats , and new families were brought in from Harris to replace them . By 1758 the population had risen to 88 and reached just under 100 by the end of the century . This figure remained fairly constant from the 18th century until 1851 , when 36 islanders emigrated to Australia on board the Priscilla , a loss from which the island never fully recovered . The emigration was in part a response to the laird 's closure of the church and manse for several years during the Disruption that created the Free Church of Scotland . A missionary called Alexander Buchan went to St Kilda in 1705 , but despite his long stay , the idea of organised religion did not take hold . This changed when Rev. John MacDonald , the " Apostle of the North " , arrived in 1822 . He set about his mission with zeal , preaching 13 lengthy sermons during his first 11 days . He returned regularly and raised funds on behalf of the St Kildans , although privately he was appalled by their lack of religious knowledge . The islanders took to him with enthusiasm and wept when he left for the last time eight years later . His successor , who arrived on 3 July 1830 , was Rev. Neil Mackenzie , a resident Church of Scotland minister who greatly improved the conditions of the inhabitants . He reorganised island agriculture , was instrumental in the rebuilding of the village ( see below ) and supervised the building of a new church and manse . With help from the Gaelic School Society , MacKenzie and his wife introduced formal education to Hirta , beginning a daily school to teach reading , writing and arithmetic and a Sunday school for religious education . Mackenzie left in 1844 , and although he had achieved a great deal , the weakness of the St Kildans ' dependence on external authority was exposed in 1865 with the arrival of Rev. John Mackay . Despite their fondness for Mackenzie , who stayed in the Church of Scotland , the St Kildans " came out " in favour of the new Free Church during the Disruption . Mackay , the new Free Church minister , placed an uncommon emphasis on religious observance . He introduced a routine of three two @-@ to @-@ three @-@ hour services on Sunday at which attendance was effectively compulsory . One visitor noted in 1875 that : " The Sabbath was a day of intolerable gloom . At the clink of the bell the whole flock hurry to Church with sorrowful looks and eyes bent upon the ground . It is considered sinful to look to the right or to the left . " Time spent in religious gatherings interfered seriously with the practical routines of the island . Old ladies and children who made noise in church were lectured at length and warned of dire punishments in the afterworld . During a period of food shortages on the island , a relief vessel arrived on a Saturday , but the minister said that the islanders had to spend the day preparing for church on the Sabbath , and it was Monday before supplies were landed . Children were forbidden to play games and required to carry a Bible wherever they went . Mackay remained minister on St Kilda for 24 years . = = = Tourism in the 19th century = = = In 1898 and again in 1899 Norman Heathcote visited the islands and wrote a book about his experiences . During the 19th century , steamers had begun to visit Hirta , enabling the islanders to earn money from the sale of tweeds and birds ' eggs but at the expense of their self @-@ esteem as the tourists regarded them as curiosities . It is also clear that the St Kildans were not so naïve as they sometimes appeared . " For example , when they boarded a yacht they would pretend they thought all the polished brass was gold , and that the owner must be enormously wealthy " . The boats brought other previously unknown diseases , especially tetanus infantum , which resulted in infant mortality rates as high as 80 percent during the late 19th century . The cnatan na gall or boat @-@ cough , an illness that struck after the arrival of a ship off Hirta , became a regular feature of life . By the early 20th century , formal schooling had again become a feature of the islands , and in 1906 the church was extended to make a schoolhouse . The children all now learned English and their native Gaelic . Improved midwifery skills , denied to the island by John Mackay , reduced the problems of childhood tetanus . From the 1880s , trawlers fishing the north Atlantic made regular visits , bringing additional trade . Talk of an evacuation occurred in 1875 during MacKay 's time as minister , but despite occasional food shortages and a ' flu epidemic in 1913 , the population was stable at between 75 and 80 , and no obvious sign existed that within a few years the millennia @-@ old occupation of the island was to end . = = = First World War = = = Early in the First World War , the Royal Navy erected a signal station on Hirta , and daily communications with the mainland were established for the first time in the history of the islands . In a belated response , the German submarine SM U @-@ 90 arrived in Village Bay on the morning of 15 May 1918 and , after issuing a warning , started shelling the island . Seventy @-@ two shells were fired , and the wireless station was destroyed . The manse , church , and jetty storehouse were damaged , but there was no loss of life . One eyewitness recalled : " It wasn 't what you would call a bad submarine because it could have blowed every house down because they were all in a row there . He only wanted Admiralty property . One lamb was killed ... all the cattle ran from one side of the island to the other when they heard the shots . " As a result of this attack , a 4 @-@ inch Mark III QF gun was erected on a promontory overlooking Village Bay , but it never saw action against the enemy . Of greater long @-@ term significance to the islanders were the introduction of regular contact with the outside world and the slow development of a money @-@ based economy . This made life easier for the St Kildans but also made them less self @-@ reliant . Both were factors in the evacuation of the island little more than a decade later . = = = Evacuation = = = Numerous factors led to the evacuation of St Kilda . The islands ' inhabitants had existed for centuries in relative isolation until tourism and the presence of the military during the First World War led the islanders to seek alternatives to privations they routinely suffered . The changes made to the island by visitors in the nineteenth century disconnected the islanders from the way of life that had allowed their forebears to survive in this unique environment . Despite construction of a small jetty in 1902 , the islands remained at the weather 's mercy . After the War , most of the young men left the island , and the population fell from 73 in 1920 to 37 in 1928 . After the death of four men from influenza in 1926 , there was a succession of crop failures in the 1920s . Investigations by the University of Aberdeen into the soil where crops had been grown have shown that there had been contamination by lead and other pollutants , caused by the use of seabird carcasses and peat ash in the manure used on the fields . This occurred over a lengthy period of time , as manuring practices became more intensive , and may have been a factor in the evacuation . The last straw came with the death of a young woman , Mary Gillies , who fell ill with appendicitis in January 1930 and was taken to the mainland for treatment . She later died in hospital . For many years it was assumed that she had died of appendicitis , but her son Norman John Gillies discovered in 1991 that she had in fact died of pneumonia , having given birth to a daughter who also died . On 29 August 1930 , a ship called Harebell took the remaining 36 inhabitants to Morvern on the Scottish mainland , a decision they took collectively themselves . The morning of the evacuation promised a perfect day . The sun rose out of a calm and sparkling sea and warmed the impassive cliffs of Oiseval . The sky was hopelessly blue and the sight of Hirta , green and pleasant as the island of so many careless dreams , made parting all the more difficult . Observing tradition the islanders left an open Bible and a small pile of oats in each house , locked all the doors and at 7 am boarded the Harebell . Although exhausted by the strain and hard work of the last few days , they were reported to have stayed cheerful throughout the operation . But as the long antler of Dun fell back onto the horizon and the familiar outline of the island grew faint , the severing of an ancient tie became a reality and the St Kildans gave way to tears . The last of the native St Kildans , Rachel Johnson , died in April 2016 at the age of 93 , having been evacuated at the age of 8 . In 1931 the islands ' laird , Sir Reginald MacLeod , sold them to Lord Dumfries , who later became the 5th Marquess of Bute . For the next 26 years they saw few people , save for the occasional summer visit from tourists or a returning St Kildan family . = = = Later military events = = = The islands saw no military activity during the Second World War , remaining uninhabited , but three aircraft crash sites remain from that period . A Beaufighter LX798 based at Port Ellen on Islay crashed into Conachair within 100 metres ( 328 ft ) of the summit on the night of 3 – 4 June 1943 . A year later , just before midnight on 7 June 1944 , the day after D @-@ Day , a Sunderland flying boat ML858 was wrecked at the head of Gleann Mòr . A small plaque in the church is dedicated to those who died in this accident . A Wellington bomber crashed on the south coast of Soay in 1942 or 1943 . Not until 1978 was any formal attempt made to investigate the wreck , and its identity has not been absolutely determined . Amongst the wreckage , a Royal Canadian Air Force cap badge was discovered , which suggests it may have been HX448 of 7 OTU which went missing on a navigation exercise on 28 September 1942 . Alternatively , it has been suggested that the Wellington is LA995 of 303 FTU which was lost on 23 February 1943 . In 1955 the British government decided to incorporate St Kilda into a missile tracking range based in Benbecula , where test firings and flights are carried out . Thus in 1957 St Kilda became permanently inhabited once again . A variety of military buildings and masts have since been erected , including a canteen ( which is not open to the public ) , the ' Puff Inn ' . The Ministry of Defence ( MOD ) leases St Kilda from the National Trust for Scotland for a nominal fee . The main island of Hirta is still occupied year @-@ round by a small number of civilians employed by defence contractor QinetiQ working in the military base on a monthly rotation . In 2009 the MoD announced that it was considering closing down its missile testing ranges in the Western Isles , potentially leaving the Hirta base unmanned . = = Nature conservation = = On his death on 14 August 1956 , the Marquess of Bute 's will bequeathed the archipelago to the National Trust for Scotland provided they accepted the offer within six months . After much soul @-@ searching , the Executive Committee agreed to do so in January 1957 . The slow renovation and conservation of the village began , much of it undertaken by summer volunteer work parties . In addition , scientific research began on the feral Soay sheep population and other aspects of the natural environment . In 1957 the area was designated a national nature reserve . In 1986 the islands became the first place in Scotland to be inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site , for its terrestrial natural features . In 2004 , the WHS was extended to include a large amount of the surrounding marine features as well as the islands themselves . In 2005 St Kilda became one of only two dozen global locations to be awarded mixed World Heritage Status for both ' natural ' and ' cultural ' significance . The islands share this honour with internationally important sites such as Machu Picchu in Peru , Mount Athos in Greece and the Ukhahlamba / Drakensberg Park in South Africa . The St Kilda World Heritage Site covers a total area of 24 @,@ 201 @.@ 4 hectares ( 59 @,@ 803 acres ) including the land and sea contained within a square with the coordinates 57 ° 54 ' 36 " N / 08 ° 42'W , 57 ° 46'N / 08 ° 42'W , 57 ° 46'N / 08 ° 25 ' 42 " W , 57 ° 54 ' 36 " N / 08 ° 25 ' 42'W . The land area is 854 @.@ 6 hectares ( 2 @,@ 112 acres ) . St Kilda is a Scheduled Ancient Monument , a National Scenic Area , a Site of Special Scientific Interest , and a European Union Special Protection Area . Visiting yachts may find shelter in Village Bay , but those wishing to land are told to contact the National Trust for Scotland in advance . Concern exists about the introduction of non @-@ native animal and plant species into such a fragile environment . St Kilda 's marine environment of underwater caves , arches and chasms offers a challenging but superlative diving experience . Such is the power of the North Atlantic swell that the effects of the waves can be detected 70 metres ( 230 ft ) below sea level . In 2008 the National Trust for Scotland received the support of Scotland ’ s Minister for Environment , Michael Russell for their plan to ensure no rats come ashore from the Spinningdale , a UK @-@ registered / Spanish @-@ owned fishing vessel grounded on Hirta . There was concern that bird life on the island could be seriously affected . Fortunately , potential contaminants from the vessel including fuel , oils , bait and stores were successfully removed by Dutch salvage company Mammoet before the bird breeding season in early April . = = Architecture = = = = = Prehistoric buildings = = = The oldest structures on St Kilda are the most enigmatic . Large sheepfolds lie inland from the existing village at An Lag Bho 'n Tuath ( English : the hollow in the north ) and contain curious ' boat @-@ shaped ' stone rings , or ' settings ' . Soil samples suggest a date of 1850 BC , but they are unique to St Kilda , and their purpose is unknown . In Gleann Mòr , ( north @-@ west of Village Bay beyond Hirta 's central ridge ) , there are 20 ' horned structures ' , essentially ruined buildings with a main court measuring about 3 by 3 metres ( 10 by 10 ft ) , two or more smaller cells and a forecourt formed by two curved or horn @-@ shaped walls . Again , nothing like them exists anywhere else in Britain or Europe , and their original use is unknown . Also in Gleann Mòr is Taigh na Banaghaisgeich , the ' Amazon 's House ' . As Martin ( 1703 ) reported , many St Kilda tales are told about this female warrior . This Amazon is famous in their traditions : her house or dairy of stone is yet extant ; some of the inhabitants dwell in it all summer , though it be some hundred years old ; the whole is built of stone , without any wood , lime , earth , or mortar to cement it , and is built in form of a circle pyramid @-@ wise towards the top , having a vent in it , the fire being always in the centre of the floor ; the stones are long and thin , which supplies the defect of wood ; the body of this house contains not above nine persons sitting ; there are three beds or low vaults that go off the side of the wall , a pillar betwixt each bed , which contains five men apiece ; at the entry to one of these low vaults is a stone standing upon one end fix ’ d ; upon this they say she ordinarily laid her helmet ; there are two stones on the other side , upon which she is reported to have laid her sword : she is said to have been much addicted to hunting , and that in her time all the space betwixt this isle and that of Harries , was one continued tract of dry land . Similar stories of a female warrior who hunted the now submerged land between the Outer Hebrides and St Kilda are reported from Harris . The structure 's forecourt is akin to the other ' horned structures ' in the immediate area , but like Martin 's " Amazon " its original purpose is the stuff of legend rather than archaeological fact . Much more is known of the hundreds of unique cleitean that decorate the archipelago . These dome @-@ shaped structures are constructed of flat boulders with a cap of turf on the top . This enables the wind to pass through the cavities in the wall but keeps the rain out . They were used for storing peat , nets , grain , preserved flesh and eggs , manure , and hay , and as a shelter for lambs in winter . The date of origin of this St Kildan invention is unknown , but they were in continuous use from prehistoric times until the 1930 evacuation . More than 1 @,@ 200 ruined or intact cleitean remain on Hirta and a further 170 on the neighbouring islands . House no . 16 in the modern village has an early Christian stone cross built into the front wall , which may date from the 7th century . = = = Medieval village = = = A medieval village lay near Tobar Childa , about 350 metres ( 1 @,@ 150 ft ) from the shore , at the foot of the slopes of Conachair . The oldest building is an underground passage with two small annexes called Taigh an t @-@ Sithiche ( house of the faeries ) which dates to between 500 BC and 300 AD . The St Kildans believed it was a house or hiding place , although a more recent theory suggests that it was an ice house . Extensive ruins of field walls and cleitean and the remnants of a medieval ' house ' with a beehive @-@ shaped annexe remain . Nearby is the ' Bull 's House ' , a roofless rectangular structure in which the island 's bull was kept during winter . Tobar Childa itself is supplied by two springs that lie just outside the Head Wall that was constructed around the Village to prevent sheep and cattle gaining access to the cultivated areas within its boundary . There were 25 to 30 houses altogether . Most were blackhouses of typical Hebridean design , but some older buildings were made of corbelled stone and turfed rather than thatched . The turf was used to prevent ingress of wind and rain , and the older " beehive " buildings resembled green hillocks rather than dwellings . = = = Recent structures = = = The Head Wall was built in 1834 when the medieval village was abandoned and a new one planned between Tobar Childa and the sea some 700 feet ( 200 m ) down the slope . This came about as the result of a visit by Sir Thomas Dyke Ackland , the MP for Devon . Appalled by the primitive conditions , he made a donation that led to the construction of a completely new settlement of 30 new blackhouses . These houses were made of dry stone , had thick walls and were roofed with turf . Each typically had only one tiny window and a small aperture for letting out smoke from the peat fire that burnt in the middle of the room . As a result , the interiors were blackened by soot . The cattle occupied one end of the house in winter , and once a year the straw from the floor was stripped out and spread on the ground . Several of the new dwellings were damaged by a severe gale in October 1860 , and repairs were sufficient only to make them suitable for use as byres . According to Alasdair MacGregor 's analysis of the settlement , the sixteen modern , zinc @-@ roofed cottages amidst the black houses and new Factor 's house seen in most photographs of the natives were constructed around 1862 . One of the more poignant ruins on Hirta is the site of ' Lady Grange 's House ' . Lady Grange had been married to the Jacobite sympathiser James Erskine of Grange for 25 years when he decided that she might have overheard too many of his treasonable plottings . He had her kidnapped and secretly confined in Edinburgh for six months . From there she was sent to the Monach Isles , where she lived in isolation for two years . She was then taken to Hirta from 1734 to 1740 , which she described as " a vile neasty , stinking poor isle " . After a failed rescue attempt , she was removed by Erskine to the Isle of Skye , where she died . The ' house ' is a large cleit in the Village meadows . Boswell and Johnson discussed the subject during their 1773 tour of the Hebrides . Boswell wrote : " After dinner to @-@ day , we talked of the extraordinary fact of Lady Grange ’ s being sent to St Kilda , and confined there for several years , without any means of relief . Dr Johnson said , if M ’ Leod would let it be known that he had such a place for naughty ladies , he might make it a very profitable island . " In the 1860s unsuccessful attempts were made to improve the landing area by blasting rocks . A small jetty was erected in 1877 , but it was washed away in a storm two years later . In 1883 representations to the Napier Commission suggested the building of a replacement , but it was 1901 before the Congested Districts Board provided an engineer to enable one to be completed the following year . Nearby on the shore line are some huge boulders which were known throughout the Highlands and Islands in the 19th century as Doirneagan Hirt , Hirta 's pebbles . At one time , three churches stood on Hirta . Christ Church , in the site of the graveyard at the centre of the village , was in use in 1697 and was the largest , but this thatched @-@ roof structure was too small to hold the entire population , and most of the congregation had to gather in the churchyard during services . St Brendan 's Church lay over a kilometre away on the slopes of Ruival , and St Columba 's at the west end of the village street , but little is left of these buildings . A new kirk and manse were erected at the east end of the village in 1830 and a Factor 's house in 1860 . = = = Buildings on other islands = = = Dùn means " fort " , and there is but a single ruined wall of a structure said to have been built in the far @-@ distant past by the Fir Bolg . The only " habitation " is Sean Taigh ( old house ) , a natural cavern sometimes used as a shelter by the St Kildans when they were tending the sheep or catching birds . Soay has a primitive hut known as Taigh Dugan ( Dugan 's house ) . This is little more than an excavated hole under a huge stone with two rude walls on the sides . The story of its creation relates to two sheep @-@ stealing brothers from Lewis who came to St Kilda only to cause further trouble . Dugan was exiled to Soay , where he died ; the other , called Fearchar Mòr , was sent to Stac an Armin , where he found life so intolerable he cast himself into the sea . Boreray boasts the Cleitean MacPhàidein , a " cleit village " of three small bothies used on a regular basis during fowling expeditions . Here too are the ruins of Taigh Stallar ( the steward 's house ) , which was similar to the Amazon 's house in Gleann Mòr although somewhat larger , and which had six bed spaces . The local tradition was that it was built by the " Man of the Rocks " , who led a rebellion against the landlord 's steward . It may be an example of an Iron Age wheelhouse and the associated remains of an agricultural field system were discovered in 2011 . As a result of a smallpox outbreak on Hirta in 1724 , three men and eight boys were marooned on Boreray until the following May . No fewer than 78 storage cleitean exist on Stac an Armin and a small bothy . A small bothy exists on the precipitous Stac Lee too , also used by fowlers . = = Media and the arts = = The steamship company running a service between Glasgow and St Kilda commissioned a short ( 18 @-@ minute ) silent movie , St Kilda , Britain 's Loneliest Isle . Released in 1928 , it shows some scenes in the lives of the island ’ s inhabitants . In 1937 , after reading of the St Kilda evacuation , Michael Powell made the film The Edge of the World about the dangers of island depopulation . It was shot on Foula , one of the Shetland Islands . The writer Dorothy Dunnett wrote a short story , " The Proving Climb " , set on St Kilda ; it was published in 1973 in the anthology Scottish Short Stories . In 1982 , the noted Scottish filmmaker and theatre director Bill Bryden made the Channel 4 @-@ funded film Ill Fares The Land about the last years of St Kilda . It is not currently on commercial release . The fictional island of Laerg , which features in the 1962 novel Atlantic Fury by Hammond Innes , is closely based on Hirta . The Scottish folk rock band Runrig recorded a song called " Edge of the World " on the album The Big Wheel , which dwells on the islanders ' isolated existence . The folk music singer / songwriter Brian McNeill wrote about one of St. Kilda 's prodigal sons , a restless fellow named Ewan Gillies , who left St. Kilda to seek his fortune by prospecting for gold first in Australia and later California . The song recounts fortunes won and lost , his return to the island , and concludes with his inability to stay . Entitled " Ewan and the Gold " , it was published on the album Back O ' The North Wind in 1991 and is the subject of McNeill 's audio @-@ visual presentation about the Scottish diaspora . In a 2005 poll of Radio Times readers , St Kilda was named as the ninth greatest natural wonder in the British Isles . In 2007 an opera in Scots Gaelic called St Kilda : A European Opera about the story of the islands received funding from the Scottish Government . It was performed simultaneously at six venues in Austria , Belgium , France , Germany and Scotland over the summer solstice of 2007 . As part of its legacy , the production left a year @-@ long time lapse camera on Hirta . Britain 's Lost World , a three @-@ part BBC documentary series about St Kilda began broadcasting on 19 June 2008 . Stamps were issued by the Post Office depicting St. Kilda in 1986 and 2004 . St Kilda was also commemorated on a new series of banknotes issued by the Clydesdale Bank in 2009 ; an image based on a historical photograph of residents appeared on the reverse of an issue of £ 5 notes . In 2006 , the documentary film " On the Edge of the World " by director Sylvestre Sbille was released . The film depicts the history of the life on the isle and follows UNESCO volunteers , working on St Kilda . In 2009 Pròiseact nan Ealan , the Gaelic Arts Agency , announced plans to commemorate the evacuation on 29 August , ( the 79th anniversary ) including an exhibition in Kelvingrove Art Gallery . Comhairle nan Eilean Siar are planning a feasibility study for a new visitor centre to tell the story of St Kilda , although they have specifically ruled out using Hirta as a location . Hirta Songs , a song cycle about and inspired by the archipelago was released in 2013 on the label Stone Tape Recordings by musician Alasdair Roberts and poet Robin Robertson

= The Boat Race 1954 = The 100th Boat Race took place on 3 April 1954 . Held annually , the Boat Race is a side @-@ by @-@ side rowing race between crews from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge along the River Thames . In a race umpired by former Cambridge rower Kenneth Payne , Oxford won by four @-@ and @-@ a @-@ half lengths in a time of 20 minutes 23 seconds , taking the overall record in the competition to 54 – 45 in Cambridge 's favour . = = Background = = The Boat Race is a side @-@ by @-@ side rowing competition between the University of Oxford ( sometimes referred to as the " Dark Blues " ) and the University of Cambridge ( sometimes referred to as the " Light Blues " ) . First held in 1829 , the race takes place on the 4 @.@ 2 @-@ mile ( 6 @.@ 8 km ) Championship Course on the River Thames in southwest London . The rivalry is a major point of honour between the two universities ; it is followed throughout the United Kingdom and , as of 2014 , broadcast worldwide . Cambridge went into the race as reigning champions , having won the 1953 race by eight lengths , and led overall with 54 victories to Oxford 's 44 ( excluding the " dead heat " of 1877 ) . Cambridge were coached by N. B. M. Clack ( who had rowed in the 1952 race ) , James Crowden ( who had represented Cambridge in the 1951 and 1952 races ) and R. H. H. Symonds ( who had rowed in the 1931 race ) . Oxford 's coaches were Hugh Edwards ( a Blue in 1926 and 1930 ) , W. J. Llewellyn @-@ Jones , J. H. Page and A. D. Rowe ( who had represented Oxford in the 1948 and 1949 races ) . The race was umpired for the fourth time by the former British Olympian Kenneth Payne , who had rowed for Cambridge in the 1932 and 1934 races . During the build @-@ up to the race , the rowing correspondent for The Times had suggested that " until three weeks ago a Cambridge victory seemed almost certain " but practice rows had proved disappointing . The Oxford crew had been struck down by influenza in training , and had to reshuffle their order a month before the race . Although the new order " seemed weak " , they made better progress in training than Cambridge , yet the Light Blues , who were described as " well drilled " but with " erratic timekeeping " nevertheless remained " precarious favourites " . = = Crews = = The Cambridge crew weighed an average of 12 st 9 @.@ 5 lb ( 80 @.@ 3 kg ) , 5 pounds ( 2 @.@ 3 kg ) per rower more than their opponents . The Oxford crew saw two members return to the boat , including the cox W. R. Marsh and their boat club president H. M. C. Quick , who was making his third consecutive appearance . Cambridge 's crew contained a single participant with Boat Race experience in their stroke and boat club president J. A. N. Wallis . According to the rowing correspondent for The Times , " perhaps the crews have never been more closely matched " . Oxford 's crew contained four non @-@ British participants , all of them Australian , in E. V. Vine , J. A. Gobbo , J. G. McLeod and Edward Pain . = = Race = = Oxford won the toss and elected to start from the Surrey station , handing the Middlesex side of the river to Cambridge . In a stiff south @-@ westerly wind , umpire Payne started the race at 12 : 45 p.m. Oxford made a quick start , and according to the rowing correspondent of The Times " literally leaped away , seemingly to row two strokes almost before Cambridge had begun " . By the end of the first minute , the Dark Blues were a few feet ahead but with the bend in the river favouring Cambridge , the crews were level by Craven Steps . Despite a push from Cambridge 's stroke M. J. Marshall , the Light Blues could not gain any advantage and both crews passed the Mile Post level . Although rating slightly lower than their opposition , Oxford made the best of the bend in the river at Harrods Furniture Depository to lead by about a canvas @-@ length by the time they passed below Hammersmith Bridge . A strong headwind faced both crews as they rowed into Chiswick Reach and Cambridge struggled in the rough water in the middle of the river . Oxford , whose cox W. R. Marsh had steered towards the shelter of the Surrey shore , gained a length in half a minute , extending out to almost four lengths by Barnes Bridge . Oxford won by four @-@ and @-@ a @-@ half lengths in a time of 20 minutes 23 seconds , for their second victory in eight years .

= Rumors ( Lindsay Lohan song ) = " Rumors " is a song by American actress and singer @-@ songwriter Lindsay Lohan , taken from her debut studio album , Speak ( 2004 ) . Originally titled " Just What It Is " , the song was written and produced by Cory Rooney , while additional writing was done by Lohan , Taryll Jackson , and TJ Jackson . It was released as Lohan 's debut single and lead single from the " Speak " on September 21 , 2004 , through Casablanca Records . The song 's lyrics allude to the constant paparazzi and media backlash regarding Lohan . Music critics reviews were mixed ; with statements like " infectious " or " unnecessary " . " Rumors " achieved moderate commercial success worldwide , reaching top thirty positions in Australia , Austria , Germany and Switzerland . In the United States , the song peaked at number six on Billboard 's Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles , but was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) for shipping over 500 @,@ 000 units of the single . The music video directed by Jake Nava featured Lohan attending a club , playing around with the paparazzi . The video was nominated for Best Pop Video at the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards and reached the top position on MTV 's Total Request Live . In 2014 Billboard ranked the song in its " Top 50 Forgotten Gems From the Now ! Series " , which list songs from the series that were underrated at the time of their release . = = Background and composition = = " Rumors " was originally titled " Just What It Is " . The track was written by Lohan , Cory Rooney , Taryll Jackson , and TJ Jackson . It was also produced by Rooney , who provided keyboards and background vocals . Peter Wade Keusch assisted the production , and was responsible along with Chris Avedon for Lohan 's vocal recording , which occurred at the Poolhouse West and The Village Recorder in Los Angeles , California . Audio mixing was done by Keusch at Sony Music Studios in New York , New York . Christopher J. Warner provided the guitar present in the song 's composition . It was released as a single on September 21 , 2004 , through Casablanca Records . " Rumors " is in the style of contemporary R & B. Lyrically , the song was written as a response to the paparazzi and media 's backlash , both which are addressed in the chorus lines , where Lohan sings , " I 'm tired of rumors starting / I 'm sick of being followed / I 'm tired of people lying / Saying what they want about me / Why can 't they back off me ? / Why can 't they let me live ? I 'm going to do it my way / Take this for just what it is . " Spence D. of IGN noted that the singer 's vocals are " driven by snarls , breathy croons , and emotionally restrained angst , " while John Murphy of musicOMH considered it " a feisty dance anthem with intelligent lyrics attacking the paparazzi and press in general . " = = Reception = = = = = Critical response = = = " Rumors " received generally mixed reviews from music critics , however it has become one of Lohan 's most recognized songs and has now been labeled as " cult pop treasure " . Charles Merwin of Stylus Magazine thought that " Rumors " was not a good choice for a single , stating , " in fact , for a girl , that has been tagged as America ’ s next sweetheart by some media outlets , it might be the worst choice of subject matter for the opening statement from a girl that automatically has more to prove to audiences because of her stature as an actress . Unfortunately , ' Rumors ' is about as good as it gets . " Erik Missio of ChartAttack thought that the song " presented potential for a semi @-@ palatable debut effort " , but further added that it is a " crap of a spectularly unspectacular level . " Entertainment Weekly contributor Nicholas Fonseca , however , considered " Rumors " a guilty pleasure , while Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic selected the song a Track Pick in the review of Speak . IGN 's Spence D. described it as " pervasively infectious , the kind of track that will no doubt keep the dance floors sweaty and steamy for a few months to come . " John Murphy of musicOMH praised " Rumors " as a departure from Speak 's soft rock genre . = = = Chart performance = = = " Rumors " achieved moderate commercial success worldwide . In the United States , the song peaked at number six on Billboard 's Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles , and reached number 23 on the Pop Songs component chart . However , it was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) in February 2005 for shipping over 500 @,@ 000 copies of the single . In Australia , " Rumors " debuted at number 19 on the ARIA charts , peaking at number 10 six weeks later , while being certified Gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association ( ARIA ) . The song also attained top thirty positions in Austria and Switzerland , and reached the top forty in Netherlands and Sweden . In Germany , the song debuted and peaked at number 14 . = = Promotion = = = = = Music video = = = Casablanca Records commissioned a music video to be directed by Jake Nava , who previously worked in the same year with Britney Spears on her music video for " My Prerogative " ( 2004 ) . The music video for " Rumors " premiered on October 14 , 2004 and October 20 , 2004 through Disney Channel and MTV . In the beginning of the video , Lohan is followed by paparazzi as she is entering her car . It is revealed that this is a Lindsay @-@ look @-@ alike , and that the real Lohan is entering another car to go to a club . The car comes to a stop , and she then steps into an elevator and sings the first verse of the song , while she is filmed by a CCTV camera in the elevator . The next sequence shows her running through a hallway , dressed up , before getting into the club . There , she dances in the crowd , where she takes a picture of one of the paparazzi herself to get back at him . In the next sequence , she is walking slowly through the club where she finds the man who seems to be her boyfriend . She takes a seat next to her lover and they begin kissing and touching each other , all the while being constantly filmed by cameras in the club . While Lohan sings the second chorus , she is trapped in a cage in the middle of the club and the whole crowd is watching her . After this Lohan is shown dancing in the club with her friends . At the end of the music video Lohan and her friends enter the top of a high @-@ rise and perform a dance routine while helicopters are circling around them . Finally Lohan gets into a helicopter and escapes . In the end , she throws her camera away with all the pictures taken of her . = = = Critical response = = = The music video for " Rumors " received very positive reviews from critics and viewers which eventually lead to the video reaching the top position on the countdown of Total Request Live in the week of October 27 , 2004 , and was nominated on the category Best Pop Video during the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards . = = = Live performance = = = Lohan performed " Rumors " on Good Morning America on December 2004 . According to a MTV News staff report , " Lohan missed the cue to mouth along , forcing cameras to cut away when her mouth remained closed as she was heard singing , thanks to a backing track . " A representative for Lohan , however , revealed that the singer actually sang it live , and noted that Lohan only used a background track " to help make the song sound like it does on her album . " = = Track listings = = = = Credits and personnel = = Recording Recorded at Poolhouse West and The Village Recorder at Los Angeles , California . Mixed at Sony Music Studios in New York , New York . Personnel Songwriting : Cory Rooney , Lindsay Lohan , Taryll Jackson , Tito Jackson Production : Cory Rooney , Peter Wade Keusch Recording : Peter Wade Keusch , Chris Avedon Mixing : Electric Pete Keyboards : Cory Rooney Guitar : Christopher J. Warner Background vocals : Lindsay Lohan , Cory Rooney Credits are taken from Speak liner notes . = = Charts and certifications = =

= Isidor Isaac Rabi = Isidor Isaac Rabi ( / ˈrɑːbi / ; born Israel Isaac Rabi , 29 July 1898 – 11 January 1988 ) was an American physicist and Nobel laureate , recognized in 1944 for his discovery of nuclear magnetic resonance , which is used in magnetic resonance imaging . He was also one of the first scientists in the US to work on the cavity magnetron , which is used in microwave radar and microwave ovens . Born into a traditional Jewish family in Rymanów , Galicia , in what was then part of Austria @-@ Hungary , Rabi came to the United States as a baby and was raised in New York 's Lower East Side . He entered Cornell University as an electrical engineering student in 1916 , but soon switched to chemistry . Later , he became interested in physics . He continued his studies at Columbia University , where he was awarded his doctorate for a thesis on the magnetic susceptibility of certain crystals . In 1927 , he headed for Europe , where he met and worked with many of the finest physicists of the time . In 1929 Rabi returned to the United States , where Columbia offered him a faculty position . In collaboration with Gregory Breit , he developed the Breit @-@ Rabi equation and predicted that the Stern – Gerlach experiment could be modified to confirm the properties of the atomic nucleus . His techniques for using nuclear magnetic resonance to discern the magnetic moment and nuclear spin of atoms earned him a Nobel Prize for Physics in 1944 . Nuclear magnetic resonance became an important tool for nuclear physics and chemistry . The subsequent development of magnetic resonance imaging from it has made it important to medicine as well . During World War II he worked on radar at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Radiation Laboratory ( RadLab ) and on the Manhattan Project . After the war , he served on the General Advisory Committee ( GAC ) of the Atomic Energy Commission , and was chairman from 1952 to 1956 . He also served on the Science Advisory Committees ( SACs ) of the Office of Defense Mobilization and the Army 's Ballistic Research Laboratory , and was Science Advisor to President Dwight D. Eisenhower . He was involved with the establishment of the Brookhaven National Laboratory in 1946 , and later , as United States delegate to UNESCO , with the creation of CERN in 1952 . When Columbia created the rank of University Professor in 1964 , Rabi was the first to receive such a chair . A special chair was named after him in 1985 . He retired from teaching in 1967 but remained active in the department and held the title of University Professor Emeritus and Special Lecturer until his death . = = Early years = = Israel Isaac Rabi was born on 29 July 1898 into a Polish @-@ Jewish Orthodox family in Rymanów , Galicia , in what was then part of Austria @-@ Hungary but is now Poland . Soon after he was born , his father , David Rabi , emigrated to the United States . The younger Rabi and his mother , Sheindel , joined David there a few months later , and the family moved into a two @-@ room apartment on the Lower East Side of Manhattan . At home the family spoke Yiddish . When Rabi was enrolled in school , Sheindel said his name was Izzy , and a school official , thinking it was short for Isidor , put that down as his name . Henceforth , that became his official name . Later , in response to anti @-@ Semitism , he started writing his name as Isidor Isaac Rabi , and was known professionally as I.I. Rabi . To most of his friends and family , including his sister Gertrude , who was born in 1903 , he was known simply as " Rabi " , which was pronounced " Robby " . In 1907 , the family moved to Brownsville , Brooklyn , where they ran a grocery store . As a boy , Rabi was interested in science . He read science books borrowed from the public library and built his own radio set . His first scientific paper , on the design of a radio condenser , was published in Modern Electrics when he was in elementary school . After reading about Copernican heliocentrism , he became an atheist . " It 's all very simple " , he told his parents , " who needs God ? " As a compromise with his parents , for his Bar Mitzvah , which was held at home , he gave a speech in Yiddish about how an electric light works . He attended the Manual Training High School in Brooklyn , from which he graduated in 1916 . Later that year , he entered Cornell University as an electrical engineering student , but soon switched to chemistry . After the American entry into World War I in 1917 , he joined the Students Army Training Corps at Cornell . For his senior thesis , he investigated the oxidation states of manganese . He was awarded his Bachelor of Science degree in June 1919 , but since at the time Jews were largely excluded from employment in the chemical industry and academia , he did not receive any job offers . He worked briefly at the Lederle Laboratories , and then as a bookkeeper . = = Education = = In 1922 Rabi returned to Cornell as a graduate chemistry student , and began studying physics . In 1923 he met , and began courting , Helen Newmark , a summer @-@ semester student at Hunter College . In order to be near her when she returned home , Rabi continued his studies at Columbia University , where his supervisor was Albert Wills . In June 1924 Rabi landed a job as a part @-@ time tutor at the City College of New York . Wills , whose specialty was magnetism , suggested that Rabi write his doctoral thesis on the magnetic susceptibility of sodium vapor . The topic did not appeal to Rabi , but after William Lawrence Bragg gave a seminar at Columbia about the electric susceptibility of certain crystals called Tutton 's salts , Rabi decided to research their magnetic susceptibility , and Wills agreed to be his supervisor . Measuring the magnetic resonance of crystals first involved growing the crystals , a simple procedure often done by elementary school students . The crystals then had to be prepared by skillfully cutting them into sections with facets that had an orientation different from the internal structure of the crystal , and the response to a magnetic field had to be painstakingly measured . While his crystals were growing , Rabi read James Clerk Maxwell 's 1873 A Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism , which inspired an easier method . He lowered a crystal on a glass fiber attached to a torsion balance into a solution whose magnetic susceptibility could be varied between two magnetic poles . When it matched that of the crystal , the magnet could be turned on and off without disturbing the crystal . The new method was not only much less work , it also produced a more accurate result . Rabi sent his thesis , entitled On the Principal Magnetic Susceptibilities of Crystals , to Physical Review on 16 July 1926 . He married Helen the next day . The paper attracted little fanfare in academic circles , although it was read by Kariamanickam Srinivasa Krishnan , who used the method in his own investigations of crystals . Rabi concluded that he needed to promote his work as well as publish it . Like many other young physicists , Rabi was closely following momentous events in Europe . He was astounded by the Stern – Gerlach experiment , which convinced him of the validity of quantum mechanics . With Ralph Kronig , Francis Bitter , Mark Zemansky and others , he set out to extend the Schrödinger equation to symmetric top molecules and find the energy states of such a mechanical system . The problem was that none of them could solve the resulting equation , a second @-@ order partial differential equation . Rabi found the answer in a book by the 19th century mathematician Carl Gustav Jacob Jacobi . The equation had the form of a hypergeometric equation to which Jacobi had found a solution . Kronig and Rabi wrote up their result and sent it to Physical Review , which published it in 1927 . = = Europe = = In May 1927 , Rabi was appointed a Barnard Fellow . This came with a stipend of $ 1 @,@ 500 ( $ 20 @,@ 434 in 2016 dollars ) for the period from September 1927 to June 1928 . He immediately applied for a year 's leave of absence from the City College of New York so he could study in Europe . When this was refused , he resigned . On reaching Zürich , where he hoped to work for Erwin Schrödinger , he met two fellow Americans , Julius Adams Stratton and Linus Pauling . They found that Schrödinger was leaving , as he had been appointed head of the Theoretical Institute at Friedrich Wilhelm University in Berlin . Rabi therefore decided to seek a position with Arnold Sommerfeld at the University of Munich instead . In Munich , he found two more Americans , Howard Percy Robertson and Edward Condon . Sommerfeld accepted Rabi as a postdoctoral student . German physicists Rudolf Peierls and Hans Bethe were also working with Sommerfeld at the time , but the three Americans became especially close . On Willis ' advice , Rabi traveled to Leeds for the 97th annual meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science , where he heard Werner Heisenberg present a paper on quantum mechanics . Afterwards , Rabi moved to Copenhagen , where he volunteered to work for Niels Bohr . Bohr was on vacation , but Rabi went straight to work on calculating the magnetic susceptibility of molecular hydrogen . After Bohr returned in October , he arranged for Rabi and Yoshio Nishina to continue their work with Wolfgang Pauli at the University of Hamburg . Although he came to Hamburg to work with Pauli , Rabi found Otto Stern working there with two English @-@ speaking postdoctoral fellows , Ronald Fraser and John Bradshaw Taylor . Rabi soon made friends with them , and became interested in their molecular beam experiments , for which Stern would receive the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1943 . Their research involved non @-@ uniform magnetic fields , which were difficult to manipulate and hard to measure accurately . Rabi came up with the idea of using a uniform field instead , with the molecular beam at a glancing angle , so the atoms would be deflected like light through a prism . This would be easier to use , and produce more accurate results . Encouraged by Stern , and greatly assisted by Taylor , Rabi managed to get his idea to work . On Stern 's advice , Rabi wrote a letter about his results to Nature , which published it in February 1929 , followed by a paper entitled Zur Methode der Ablenkung von Molekularstrahlen ( " On the method of deflection of molecular beams " ) to Zeitschrift für Physik , where it was published in April . By this time the Barnard Fellowship had expired and Rabi and Helen were living off a $ 182 per month stipend from the Rockefeller Foundation . They left Hamburg for Leipzig , where he hoped to work with Heisenberg . In Leipzig , he found Robert Oppenheimer , a fellow New Yorker . It would be the start of a long friendship . However , Heisenberg departed for a tour of the United States in March 1929 , so Rabi and Oppenheimer decided to go to the ETH Zurich , where Pauli was now the professor of Physics . Rabi 's education in physics was enriched by the leaders in the field he met there , which included Paul Dirac , Walter Heitler , Fritz London , Francis Wheeler Loomis , John von Neumann , John Slater , Leó Szilárd and Eugene Wigner . = = Molecular Beam Laboratory = = On 26 March 1929 , Rabi received an offer of a lectureship from Columbia , with a good annual salary of $ 3 @,@ 000 . The Dean of Columbia 's Physics Department , George B. Pegram , was looking for a theoretical physicist to teach statistical mechanics and an advanced course in the new subject of quantum mechanics , and Heisenberg had recommended Rabi . Helen was now pregnant , so Rabi needed a regular job , and this job was in New York . He accepted , and returned to the United States in August on the SS President Roosevelt . Rabi became the only Jewish faculty member at Columbia at the time . As a teacher , Rabi was underwhelming . Leon Lederman recalled that after a lecture , students would head to the library to try and figure out what Rabi had been talking about . Irving Kaplan rated Rabi and Harold Urey as " the worst teachers I ever had " . Norman Ramsey considered Rabi 's lectures " pretty dreadful " , while William Nierenberg felt that he was " simply an awful lecturer " . Despite his shortcomings as a lecturer , his influence was great . He inspired many of his students to pursue careers in physics , and some became famous . Rabi 's first daughter , Helen Elizabeth , was born in September 1929 . A second girl , Margaret Joella , followed in 1934 . Between his teaching duties and his family , he had little time for research , and published no papers in his first year at Columbia , but was nonetheless promoted to assistant professor at its conclusion . He subsequently became a professor in 1937 . In 1931 Rabi returned to particle beam experiments . In collaboration with Gregory Breit , he developed the Breit @-@ Rabi equation , and predicted that the Stern – Gerlach experiment could be modified to confirm the properties of the atomic nucleus . The next step was to do so . With the help of Victor W. Cohen , Rabi built a molecular beam apparatus at Columbia . Their idea was to employ a weak magnetic field instead of a strong one , with which they hoped to detect the nuclear spin of sodium . When the experiment was conducted , four beamlets were found , from which they deduced a nuclear spin of 3 ⁄ 2 . Rabi 's Molecular Beam Laboratory began to attract others , including Sidney Millman , a graduate student who studied lithium for his doctorate . Another was Jerrold Zacharias , who , believing that the sodium nucleus would be too difficult to understand , proposed studying the simplest of the elements , hydrogen . Its deuterium isotope had only recently been discovered at Columbia in 1931 by Urey , who received the 1934 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for this work . Urey was able to supply them with both heavy water and gaseous deuterium for their experiments . Despite its simplicity , Stern 's group in Hamburg had observed that hydrogen did not behave as predicted . Urey also helped in another way ; he gave Rabi half his prize money to fund the Molecular Beam Laboratory . Other scientists whose careers began at the Molecular Beam Laboratory included Norman Ramsey , Julian Schwinger , Jerome Kellogg and Polykarp Kusch . All were men ; Rabi did not believe that women could be physicists . He never had a woman as a doctoral or postdoctoral student , and generally opposed women as candidates for faculty positions . At the suggestion of C. J. Gorter , the team attempted to use an oscillating field . This became the basis for the nuclear magnetic resonance method . In 1937 , Rabi , Kusch , Millman and Zacharias used it to measure the magnetic moment of several lithium compounds with molecular beams , including lithium chloride , lithium fluoride and dilithium . Applying the method to hydrogen , they found that the moment of a proton was 2 @.@ 785 ± 0 @.@ 02 nuclear magnetons , and not 1 as predicted by the then @-@ current theory , while that of a deuteron was 0 @.@ 855 ± 0 @.@ 006 nuclear magnetons . This provided more accurate measurements of what Stern 's team had found , and Rabi 's team had confirmed , in 1934 . Since a deuteron is composed of a proton and a neutron with aligned spins , the neutron 's magnetic moment could be inferred by subtracting the deuteron and proton magnetic moments . The resulting value was not zero , and had sign opposite to that of the proton . Based on curious artifacts of these more accurate measurements , Rabi suggested that the deuteron had an electric quadrupole moment . This discovery meant that the physical shape of the deuteron was not symmetric , which provided valuable insight into the nature of the nuclear force binding nucleons . For the creation of the molecular @-@ beam magnetic @-@ resonance detection method , Rabi was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1944 . = = World War II = = In September 1940 , Rabi became a member of the Scientific Advisory Committee of the U.S. Army 's Ballistic Research Laboratory . That month , the British Tizard Mission brought a number of new technologies to the United States , including a cavity magnetron , a high @-@ powered device that generates microwaves using the interaction of a stream of electrons with a magnetic field . This device , which promised to revolutionize radar , demolished any thoughts the Americans had entertained about their technological leadership . Alfred Lee Loomis of the National Defense Research Committee decided to establish a new laboratory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to develop this radar technology . The name Radiation Laboratory was chosen as both unremarkable and a tribute to the Berkeley Radiation Laboratory . Loomis recruited Lee DuBridge to run it . Loomis and DuBridge recruited physicists for the new laboratory at an Applied Nuclear Physics conference at MIT in October 1940 . Among those who volunteered was Rabi . His assignment was to study the magnetron , which was so secret that it had to be kept in a safe . The Radiation Laboratory scientists set their sights on producing a microwave radar set by 6 January 1941 , and having a prototype installed in a Douglas A @-@ 20 Havoc by March . This was done ; the technological obstacles were gradually overcome , and a working microwave radar set was produced . The magnetron was developed to permit a reduction in wavelength from 150 cm to 10 cm , and then to 3 cm . The laboratory went on to develop air @-@ to @-@ surface radar to detect submarines , the SCR @-@ 584 radar for fire control , and LORAN , a long @-@ range radio navigation system . At Rabi 's instigation , a branch of the Radiation Laboratory was located at Columbia , with Rabi in charge . In 1942 Oppenheimer attempted to recruit Rabi and Robert Bacher to work at the Los Alamos Laboratory on a new secret project . They convinced Oppenheimer that his plan for a military laboratory would not work , since a scientific effort would need to be a civilian affair . The plan was modified , and the new laboratory would be a civilian one , run by the University of California under contract from the War Department . In the end , Rabi still did not go west , but did agree to serve as a consultant to the Manhattan Project . Rabi attended the Trinity test in July 1945 . The scientists working on Trinity set up a betting pool on the yield of the test , with predictions ranging from total dud to 45 kilotons of TNT equivalent ( kt ) . Rabi arrived late and found the only entry left was for 18 kilotons , which he purchased . Wearing welding goggles , he waited for the result with Ramsey and Enrico Fermi . The blast was rated at 18 @.@ 6 kilotons , and Rabi won the pool . = = Later life = = In 1945 , Rabi delivered the Richtmyer Memorial Lecture , held by the American Association of Physics Teachers in honor of Floyd K. Richtmyer , wherein he proposed that the magnetic resonance of atoms might be used as the basis of a clock . William L. Laurence wrote it up for the New York Times , under the headline " ' Cosmic pendulum ' for clock planned " . Before long Zacharias and Ramsey had built such atomic clocks . Rabi actively pursued his research into magnetic resonance until about 1960 , but he continued to make appearances at conferences and seminars until his death . Rabi chaired Columbia 's physics department from 1945 to 1949 , during which time it was home to two Nobel laureates ( Rabi and Enrico Fermi ) and eleven future laureates , including seven faculty ( Polykarp Kusch , Willis Lamb , Maria Goeppert @-@ Mayer , James Rainwater , Norman Ramsey , Charles Townes and Hideki Yukawa ) , a research scientist ( Aage Bohr ) , a visiting professor ( Hans Bethe ) , a doctoral student ( Leon Lederman ) and an undergraduate ( Leon Cooper ) . Martin L. Perl , a doctoral student of Rabi 's , won the Nobel Prize in 1995 . When Columbia created the rank of University Professor in 1964 , Rabi was the first to receive such a chair . This meant that he was free to research or teach whatever he chose . He retired from teaching in 1967 but remained active in the department and held the title of University Professor Emeritus until his death . A special chair was named after him in 1985 . A legacy of the Manhattan Project was the network of national laboratories , but none was located on the East Coast . Rabi and Ramsey assembled a group of universities in the New York area to lobby for their own national laboratory . When Zacharias , who was now at MIT , heard about it , he set up a rival group at MIT and Harvard . Rabi had discussions with Major General Leslie R. Groves , Jr . , the director of the Manhattan Project , who was willing to go along with a new national laboratory , but only one . Moreover , while the Manhattan Project still had funds , the wartime organization was expected to be phased out when a new authority came into existence . After some bargaining and lobbying by Rabi and others , the two groups came together in January 1946 . Eventually nine universities ( Columbia , Cornell , Harvard , Johns Hopkins , MIT , Princeton , Pennsylvania , Rochester and Yale ) came together , and on 31 January 1947 , a contract was signed with the Atomic Energy Commission ( AEC ) , which had replaced the Manhattan Project , that established the Brookhaven National Laboratory . Rabi suggested to Edoardo Amaldi that Brookhaven might be a model that Europeans could emulate . Rabi saw science as a way of inspiring and uniting a Europe that was still recovering from the war . An opportunity came in 1950 when he was named the United States Delegate to the United Nations Educational , Scientific and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO ) . At a UNESCO meeting at the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence in June 1950 , he called for the establishment of regional laboratories . These efforts bore fruit ; in 1952 , representatives of eleven countries came together to create the Conseil Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire ( CERN ) . Rabi received a letter from Bohr , Heisenberg , Amaldi and others congratulating him on the success of his efforts . He had the letter framed and hung it on the wall of his home office . The Atomic Energy Act of 1946 that created the Atomic Energy Commission provided for a nine @-@ man General Advisory Committee ( GAC ) to advise the Commission on scientific and technical matters . Rabi was one of those appointed in December 1946 . The GAC was enormously influential throughout the late 1940s , but in 1950 , the GAC unanimously opposed the development of the hydrogen bomb . Rabi went further than most of the other members , and joined Fermi in opposing the hydrogen bomb on moral as well as technical grounds . However , President Harry S. Truman overrode the GAC 's advice , and ordered development to proceed . Rabi later said : I never forgave Truman for buckling under the pressure . He simply did not understand what it was about . As a matter of fact , after he stopped being President he still didn 't believe that the Russians had a bomb in 1949 . He said so . So for him to have alerted the world that we were going to make a hydrogen bomb at a time when we didn 't even know how to make one was one of the worst things he could have done . It shows the dangers of this sort of thing . Oppenheimer was not reappointed to the GAC when his term expired in 1952 , and Rabi succeeded him as chairman , serving until 1956 . Rabi later testified on Oppenheimer 's behalf at the Atomic Energy Commission 's controversial security hearing in 1954 that led to Oppenheimer being stripped of his security clearance . Many witnesses supported Oppenheimer , but none more forcefully than Rabi : So it didn 't seem to me the sort of thing that called for this kind of proceeding ... against a man who has accomplished what Dr. Oppenheimer has accomplished . There is a real positive record ... We have an A @-@ bomb and a whole series of it , and we have a whole series of super bombs , and what more do you want , mermaids ? Rabi was appointed a member of the Science Advisory Committee ( SAC ) of the Office of Defense Mobilization in 1952 , serving as its chairman from 1956 to 1957 . This coincided with the Sputnik crisis . President Dwight Eisenhower met with the SAC on 15 October 1957 , to seek advice on possible US responses to the Russians ' satellite success . Rabi , who knew Eisenhower from the latter 's time as president of Columbia University , was the first to speak , and put forward a series of proposals , one of which was to strengthen the committee so it could provide the President with timely advice . This was done , and the SAC became the President 's Science Advisory Committee a few weeks later . He also became Eisenhower 's Science Advisor . In 1956 Rabi attended the Project Nobska anti @-@ submarine warfare conference , where discussion ranged from oceanography to nuclear weapons . He served as the US Representative to the NATO Science Committee at the time that the term " software engineering " was coined . While serving in that capacity , he bemoaned the fact that many large software projects were delayed . This prompted discussions that led to the formation of a study group that organized the first conference on software engineering . In the course of his life , Rabi received many honors in addition to the Nobel Prize . These included the Elliott Cresson Medal from the Franklin Institute in 1942 , the Medal for Merit and the King 's Medal for Service in the Cause of Freedom from Great Britain in 1948 , the officer in the French Legion of Honor in 1956 , Columbia University 's Barnard Medal for Meritorious Service to Science in 1960 , the Niels Bohr International Gold Medal and the Atoms for Peace Award in 1967 , the Oersted Medal from the American Association of Physics Teachers in 1982 , the Four Freedoms Award from the Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Institute and the Public Welfare Medal from the National Academy of Sciences 1985 , and the Vannevar Bush Award from the National Science Foundation in 1986 , He was a Fellow of the American Physical Society , serving as its President in 1950 , and a member of the National Academy of Sciences , the American Philosophical Society , and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences . He was internationally recognized with membership in the Japan Academy and the Brazilian Academy of Sciences , and in 1959 was appointed a member of the Board of Governors of the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel . Rabi died at his home on Riverside Drive , Manhattan , from cancer on 11 January 1988 . He was survived by his wife , Helen , who died at the age of 102 on 18 June 2005 . In his last days , he was reminded of his greatest achievement when his physicians examined him using magnetic resonance imaging , a technology that had been developed from his ground @-@ breaking research on magnetic resonance . The machine happened to have a reflective inner surface , and he remarked : " I saw myself in that machine ... I never thought my work would come to this . " = = Books = = Rabi , Isidor Isaac ( 1960 ) . My Life and Times as a Physicist . Claremont , California : Claremont College . OCLC 1071412 . Rabi , Isidor Isaac ( 1970 ) . Science : The Center of Culture . New York : World Publishing Co . OCLC 74630 . Rabi , Isidor Isaac ; Serber , Robert ; Weisskopf , Victor F. ; Pais , Abraham ; Seaborg , Glenn T. ( 1969 ) . Oppenheimer : The Story of One of the Most Remarkable Personalities of the 20th Century . Scribner 's . OCLC 223176672 .

= Cinematic style of Abbas Kiarostami = The Iranian film director Abbas Kiarostami is known for uses of certain themes and cinematic techniques that are instantly recognizable in his work , from the use of child protagonists and stories that take place in rural villages , to conversations that unfold inside cars utilizing stationary mounted cameras . He often undertaked a documentary style of filmmaking within narrative works , and frequently employs contemporary Iranian poetry in dialogue , movie titles , and in the thematic elements of his pictures . = = The Kiarostamian style = = Though Abbas Kiarostami has been compared to Satyajit Ray , Vittorio de Sica , Eric Rohmer , and Jacques Tati , his films exhibit a singular style , often employing techniques of his own invention ( the so @-@ called " Kiarostamian style " ) . During the filming of The Bread and Alley , his first film , Kiarostami disagreed with his experienced cinematographer about how to film the boy and the attacking dog . The cinematographer wanted separate shots of the boy approaching , a close up of his hand as he enters the house and closes the door , followed by a shot of the dog . Kiarostami believed that if the three scenes could be captured as a whole it would have a more profound impact , creating tension . That one shot took some forty days to complete . Kiarostami later commented that the breaking of scenes can disrupt the rhythm and content of the film 's structure , stating he prefers to let the scene flow as one . Unlike other directors he showed no interest in developing his directorial muscles by staging extravagant combat scenes or complicated chase scenes in large @-@ scale productions . Instead , he attempted to use the medium of film in his own unique way . As he quoted in relation to his cinematographer 's perspective on filming : " I did not follow the conventions of film making that he had become accustomed to " . Kiarostami appeared to have settled on his style when he made the Koker trilogy . Nevertheless , he continued experimenting with new modes of filming , using different directorial methods . Much of Ten , for example , was filmed in a moving automobile without Kiarostami present . He gave suggestions to the actors about what to do , and a camera placed on the dashboard then filmed them while they drove around Tehran . The camera was allowed to roll , capturing the faces of the people during their daily routine , using a series of extreme close @-@ up shots . Kiarostami 's cinema offers a different definition of film . According to film professors such as Jamsheed Akrami , unlike many other contemporary filmmakers Kiarostami has consistently attempted to redefine film by forcing the audience 's increased involvement . In recent years he has also progressively trimmed down the size of his films , which Akrami believes reduces the film making experience from a collective endeavor to a purer , more basic form of artistic expression . As Kiarostami quoted in relation to his individual style of minimalism : My films have been progressing towards a certain kind of minimalism , even though it was never intended . Elements that can be eliminated have been eliminated . This was pointed out to me by somebody who referred to the paintings of Rembrandt and his use of light : some elements are highlighted while others are obscured or even pushed back into the dark . And it 's something that we do - we bring out elements that we want to emphasise . Self @-@ referencing is a feature specific to Kiarostami 's cinema . Stephen Bransford contends that Kiarostami 's films do not contain references to the work of other directors , but do include a myriad of references to his own work . Bransford believes his films are often fashioned into an ongoing dialectic : one film reflecting on and partially demystifying an earlier film . = = Fiction and non @-@ fiction = = Kiarostami 's films contain a notable degree of ambiguity , an unusual mixture of simplicity and complexity , and often mix fiction and documentary elements . As Kiarostami has said , " We can never get close to the truth except through lying . " Kiarostami has said of his film making : " An artist designs and creates a piece hoping to materialize some thoughts , concepts or feelings through his or her medium . The credibility of great Persian poets like Rumi and Hafez comes from the very fact that they are composed in such a way that they are fresh and meaningful regardless of the time , place and conditions in which you read them — and this means reading them while doing divination or simply as literature . " The boundary between fiction and non @-@ fiction is significantly reduced in Kiarostami 's cinema . The French philosopher Jean @-@ Luc Nancy , writing about Kiarostami , and in particular Life , and Nothing More ... , has argued that his films are neither quite fiction nor quite documentary . Life and Nothing More ... , he argues , is neither representation nor reportage , but rather " evidence " : [ I ] t all looks like reporting , but everything underscores ( indique à l 'évidence ) that it is the fiction of a documentary ( in fact , Kiarostami shot the film several months after the 1990 earthquake ) , and that it is rather a document about " fiction " : not in the sense of imagining the unreal , but in the very specific and precise sense of the technique , of the art of constructing images . For the image by means of which , each time , each opens a world and precedes himself in it ( s 'y prédède ) is not pregiven ( donnée toute faite ) ( as are those of dreams , phantasms or bad films ) : it is to be invented , cut and edited . Thus it is evidence , insofar as , if one day I happen to look at my street on which I walk up and down ten times a day , I construct for an instant a new evidence of my street . > Close @-@ Up , for example , contains scenes from the real @-@ life trial of a man charged with fraudulently impersonating a film director . To make the film , however , Kiarostami coaxed the antagonists to re @-@ stage scenes occurring between them , including the arrest . While such a technique clearly precludes labeling the film as a documentary , by re @-@ staging events between the deceiver and the deceived Kiarostami implicitly poses questions about the validity and significance of what the audience sees . Because these are the actual participants in a drama played out in criminal court , it dawns on the audience that these re @-@ stagings are also part of the real life of these people , especially since both the impersonator and the family he fooled were interested in working in cinema . If these re @-@ enactments constitute a kind of " evidence " , this is less because they show us what took place to cause the arrest than because the audience is witness to a scene in which the actors are in fact continuing the story of their confrontation and / or reconciliation . For Jean @-@ Luc Nancy , this notion of cinema as " evidence , " rather than as documentary or imagination , is tied to the way Kiarostami deals with life and death : Existence resists the indifference of life and death , it lives beyond mechanical " life , " it is always its own mourning , and its own joy . It becomes figure , image . It does not become alienated in images , but it is presented there : the images are the evidence of its existence , the objectivity of its assertion . This thought — which , for me , is the very thought of this film [ Life and Nothing More ... ] — is a difficult thought , perhaps the most difficult . It 's a slow thought , always under way , fraying a path so that the path itself becomes thought . It is that which frays images so that images become this thought , so that they become the evidence of this thought — and not in order to " represent " it . Wanting to do more than just represent life and death as an opposition , and instead to show the way in which each is inevitably and profoundly involved with the other , Kiarostami has devised a cinema that does more than just present the viewer with the documentable " facts , " but neither is it simply a matter of artifice . Because " existence " means more than simply life , it is projective , containing an irreducibly fictive element , but in this " being more than " life , it is therefore contaminated by mortality . Nancy is giving an interpretation of Kiarostami 's statement that lying is the only way to truth . = = Themes of life and death = = Themes of life and death and the concepts of change and continuity play a major role in Kiarostami 's works . In the Koker trilogy , for example , we see an ongoing life force in the face of death and destruction , and the power of human resilience to overcome and defy death . The film is set in the aftermath of the 1990 Tehran earthquake . Kiarostami expressed how important these themes are in his films , particularly in the film Life , and Nothing More ... , directed soon after the disaster : It is a very important film , Life , and Nothing More ... , in that what was filmed was inspired by a journey I had made just three days after an earthquake . And I speak not only of the film itself but also of the experience of being in that place , where only three days before 50 @,@ 000 people had died . For the survivors , it was as if they were reborn , having experienced death around them . The earthquake had happened at four or five in the morning , so in a sense everybody could have been dead and it was almost accidental that they hadn 't died . So I didn 't just see myself as a film director here , but also as an observer of people who had been condemned to death . So this was a very big influence on me , and the issue of life and death from then on does recur in my films . . The theme of suicide is also important in several of his earlier films . He shows how the desire to self @-@ harm is often counteracted by humanity and the need to help others in the face of death . This illustrates the ongoing life force and the power of life over death . Taste of Cherry explores the fragility of life and rhetorically focuses on the preciousness of life . Badii , a middle aged apparently healthy and well off Tehrani ( played by Homayoun Ershadi ) , cruises the city ’ s outskirts in his Range Rover trying to find a stranger who will help him commit suicide . Conversations with people on the way gradually convince him of the positivity and preciousness of life . From the young Kurdish soldier who is spooked by the shuddering request to a middle @-@ aged Afghani seminarian who is unable to dissuade Badii with religious sympathy to a Turkish taxidermist at a natural history museum who urges the glories of nature — the taste of cherries — as the prime reason not to kill oneself , Kiarostami evokes a high degree of emphasis on the different elements of life . When the protagonist reaches his grave , a black screen evokes his symbolic death , but the finality of this ending is undermined by the video sequences that follow , which show the actor playing Mr. Badiei lighting a cigarette and the film crew resting . Again , life goes on , but in an off @-@ screen elsewhere . Symbols of death proliferate throughout The Wind Will Carry Us with scenes set in a graveyard , the imminence of the old woman ’ s passing , and the ancestors that the character of Farzad mentions in an early scene . Such devices ask the viewer to consider the parameters of the afterlife and the concept of immaterial existence . In the film ’ s opening sequence , Behzad tells Farzad that like people , cars have ghosts . This becomes the theme of the work and the subject of the film — they are waiting for the old woman to give up the ghost . The viewer is asked to consider what constitutes the soul , and what happens to the soul after death . In discussing the film , Kiarostami stated that his function is that of one who raises questions , rather than answers them . Kiarostami affirms that the audience must decide for themselves . Some film critics believe that the assemblage of light versus dark scenes in Kiarostami 's film grammar in Taste of Cherry and The Wind Will Carry Us suggests the mutual existence of life with its endless possibilities and death as a factual moment of anyone ’ s life . When the leading actor in The Wind Will Carry Us enters the dark he recites a poem by Forough Farrokhzad that represents his nostalgic yearning for light and life in a dark , dead moment : Regarding Kiarostami 's ABC Africa made in Kampala in 2001 during the AIDS epidemic , Geoff Andrew stated that " like his previous four features , this film is not about death but life @-@ and @-@ death : how they 're linked , and what attitude we might adopt with regard to their symbiotic inevitability ... " = = Visual and audio techniques = = Kiarostami 's style is notable for the use of long shots , such as in the closing sequences of Life , and Nothing More ... and Through the Olive Trees , where the audience is intentionally distanced physically from the characters to invite reflection on their fate . Taste of Cherry is punctuated throughout by shots of this kind , including distant overhead shots of the suicidal Badii 's car moving across the hills , usually while he is in conversation with a passenger . The physical distancing techniques stand in juxtaposition to the dialogue , which always remains in the foreground . Like the coexistence of private and public space , or the frequent framing of landscapes through car windows , this fusion of distance with proximity has been seen as a way of generating suspense in the most mundane of moments . This relationship between distance and intimacy , between imagery and sound , is also present in the opening sequence of The Wind Will Carry Us . From the outset , Kiarostami formulates a dialectical relationship between image and sound . The camera moves from long shots of the Land Rover winding its way through the mountain paths to extreme close @-@ ups of the film ’ s protagonist . Concurrently , Kiarostami aurally represents an expanse that extends far beyond what the viewer can see at any moment , even when the camera remains a considerable distance from the subject matter on @-@ screen . Kiarostami establishes numerous spaces beyond the visual field by fragmenting his soundtrack to include other sounds such as birds singing , dogs barking and electronic devices such as cell phones and radios blaring in the distance . By referring to characters the viewer does not see or hear , Kiarostami widens the scope of his films . Michael J. Anderson has argued that such a thematic application of presence without presence manipulates our perception of nature and space in the geographical framework in which the world is portrayed . Kiarostami 's use of sound and imagery conveys a world beyond what is directly visible and / or audible , which Anderson believes emphasises the shrinking of time and space and the interconnectedness of the modern world . Film critic Ben Zipper believes that Kiarostami ’ s work as a landscape artist is evident in the composition of distant shots of the dry hills throughout a number of his films . He points out that Kiarostami ’ s use of rural locations and remote settings is reminiscent of Sohrab Sepehri ’ s attention to landscape as represented in his poems such as Golestaneh , in which the poet treats the rural environment realistically and imbues it with a poetic aura . = = Poetry and imagery = = Ahmad Karimi @-@ Hakkak of the University of Maryland discusses how one aspect of Kiarostami 's cinematic style is that he is able to capture essences of Persian poetry and create poetic imagery within the landscape of his films . In Where Is the Friend 's Home ? and The Wind Will Carry Us , classical Persian poetry is directly quoted in the film , highlighting the artistic link and intimate connection between them . This in turn reflects on the connection between the past and present , between continuity and change . In 2003 , Kiarostami directed Five , a poetic feature that contained no dialogue or characterisation whatsoever . The movie consists of five single @-@ take long shots of the natural landscape along the shores of the Caspian Sea . Although the film lacks a clear storyline , Geoff Andrew argues that the film is " more than just pretty pictures " : " assembled in order , they comprise a kind of abstract or emotional narrative arc , which moves evocatively from separation and solitude to community , from motion to rest , near @-@ silence to sound and song , light to darkness and back to light again , ending on a note of rebirth and regeneration . " He notes the degree of artifice concealed behind the apparent simplicity of the imagery as everyday moments are captured . A piece of driftwood is tossed and broken by the waves ; people stroll along the promenade ; a group of dogs gather by the water 's edge whilst ducks strut across the frame . A pool of water is shot at night with the sounds of a storm , and frogs croaking break the stillness . An aspect of Abbas Kiarostami 's artistry that eludes those unfamiliar with Persian poetry and that has therefore remained inaccessible to many is the way he turns poetic images into cinematic ones . This is most obvious in those Kiarostami films that recall specific texts of Persian poetry more or less explicitly : Where 's the Friend 's Home ? and The Wind will Carry Us . The characters recite poems mainly from classical Persian poet Omar Khayyám or modern Persian poets Sohrab Sepehri and Forough Farrokhzad . One of the most poetic moments in Wind Will Carry Us is a long shot of a wheat field with rippling golden crops through which the doctor , accompanied by the filmmaker , is riding his scooter down a twisting road . In response to his comment that the other world is a better place than this one , the doctor recites this poem of Khayyam : However , the aesthetic involved with the poetry goes much farther back in time and is used much more subtly than these examples suggest . Beyond issues of adaptation of text to film , Kiarostami often begins with an insistent will to give visual embodiment to certain specific image @-@ making techniques in Persian poetry , both classical and contemporary , and often ends up enunciating a larger philosophical position , namely the ontological oneness of poetry and film . Sima Daad from the Department of Comparative Literature at the University of Washington feels that the creative merit of Kiarostami 's adaptation of Sohrab Sepehri and Forough Farrokhzad 's poems extends the domain of textual transformation . Adaptation is defined as the transformation of a prior text to a new text . Kiarostami 's adaptation arrives at theoretical realm of adaptation by expanding its limit from inter @-@ textual potential to trans @-@ generic potential . = = Spirituality = = Kiarostami 's complex sound @-@ images and philosophical approach have caused frequent comparisons with mystical filmmakers such as Andrei Tarkovsky and Robert Bresson . Irrespective of substantial cultural differences , much of western writing about Kiarostami positions him as the Iranian equivalent of such directors , by virtue of universal austere , spiritual poetics and moral commitment . Some draw parallels between certain imagery in Kiarostami 's films with that of Sufi concepts . Kiarostami 's films often reflect upon immaterial concepts such as the soul and afterlife . At times , however , the very concept of the spiritual seems to be contradicted by the medium itself , given that it has no inherent means to confer the metaphysical . Some film theorists have argued that The Wind Will Carry Us provides a template by which a filmmaker can communicate metaphysical reality . The limits of the frame and the representation through dialogue with another that is not represented , physically become metaphors for the relationship between this world and those that may exist apart from it . By limiting the space of the mise en scène , Kiarostami expands the space of the art . Asked in a 2000 Film Comment interview if there are any other directors who might be working on a " similar wavelength " , Kiarostami pointed to Hou Hsiao @-@ hsien as one . He said , " Tarkovsky 's works separate me completely from physical life , and are the most spiritual films I have seen — what Fellini did in parts of his movies , bringing dream life into film , he does as well . Theo Angelopoulos ' movies also find this type of spirituality at certain moments . In general , I think movies and art should take us away from daily life , should take us to another state , even though daily life is where this flight is launched from . " Differing viewpoints have arisen in this debate . While the vast majority of English @-@ language writers , such as David Sterritt and Spanish film professor Alberto Elena , interpret these films as spiritual films , critics including David Walsh and Hamish Ford disagree . = = Kiarostami and digital micro cinema = = At the turn of 21st century Kiarostami decided to change from 35 mm film production to digital video . The first film where he used this technology was ABC Africa , which was compiled from footage shot with two small digital video cameras , material originally gathered for the purposes of research and scouting . Referring to digital cinema Kiarostami said : " Digital video is within the reach of anybody , like a ballpoint pen . I 'd even dare to predict that within the next decade , we 'll see a burst of interest in film @-@ making as a consequence of the impact of video " . Kiarostami stated about the documentary ABC Africa that " directing was spontaneously and unconsciously eliminated , by which I mean artificial and conventional directing . " Abbas Kiarostami 's film Ten ( 2002 ) was an experiment that used digital cameras to virtually eliminate the director . Kiarostami fastened cameras to the dashboard of a car , and then allowed his actors to act . There was no film crew in the car , and no director . There is no camera movement , other than the movement of the car which carries the camera . There is minimal cutting and editing . This new direction is towards a digital micro cinema , defined as micro @-@ budget filmmaking allied with digital production . According to filmmaker Matthew Clayfield , Kiarostami 's work with digital video may be more valuable to cinema than it is to post @-@ cinema , but it also proves that virtually anyone with a camera can contribute to the art form in ways that were previously impossible . In 2005 , Kiarostami directed a workshop on digital film @-@ making at the London Film School , in which he expressed reservations about digital cinema . " My film 10 is a couple of years old now , " explains Kiarostami to film students , " and today I 'm not so fascinated by digital technology . [ ... ] recently it has become clear to me just how few people actually know how to use it properly . " He also stated : " I have somewhat lost my enthusiasm [ for digital video ] in the last four or five years . Mainly because film students using digital video these days have not really produced anything more than superficial or simplistic ; so I have my doubts . Despite the great advantages of digital video and the great ease of using the medium , still those who use it have first to understand the sensitivities of how to best use the medium . " = = Secondary literature = = Books : Víctor Erice ; Abbas Kiarostami ( 2006 ) . Erice — Kiarostami : correspondences . Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona . ISBN 84 @-@ 96540 @-@ 24 @-@ 3 . Alberto Elena ; Iran Heritage Foundation ( 2005 ) . The cinema of Abbas Kiarostami . Saqi Books . ISBN 978 @-@ 0 @-@ 86356 @-@ 594 @-@ 6 . Saeed @-@ Vafa , Mehrnaz ( 2003 ) . Abbas Kiarostami . University of Illinois Press . ISBN 978 @-@ 0 @-@ 252 @-@ 07111 @-@ 9 . Nancy , Jean @-@ Luc ( 2001 ) . بداهت فیلم : عباس کیارستمی . ISBN 978 @-@ 2 @-@ 930128 @-@ 17 @-@ 7 . Bernardet , Jean @-@ Claude ( 2004 ) . Caminhos de Kiarostami . ISBN 978 @-@ 85 @-@ 359 @-@ 0571 @-@ 7 . Marco Dalla Gassa ( 2000 ) . Abbas Kiarostami . Le Mani @-@ Microart 'S . ISBN 978 @-@ 88 @-@ 8012 @-@ 147 @-@ 3 . Ishaghpour , Youssef ( 2000 ) . Le réel , face et pile : Le cinéma d 'Abbas Kiarostami . Editions Farrago . ISBN 978 @-@ 2 @-@ 84490 @-@ 063 @-@ 0 . Barbera , Alberto ; Resegotti , Elisa ( 2003 ) . Kiarostami . Mondadori Electa . ISBN 978 @-@ 88 @-@ 370 @-@ 2390 @-@ 4 . Žižek , Slavoj ( 2006 ) . Lacan : The Silent Partners . Verso . ISBN 978 @-@ 1 @-@ 84467 @-@ 549 @-@ 4 . Articles : Cheshire , Godfrey , " Confessions of a Sin @-@ ephile : Close @-@ Up " Cinema Scope ( Toronto ) , Winter 2000 , issue 2 , pp. 3 – 8 Cheshire , Godfrey , " The Short Films of Abbas Kiarostami , " Cinematexas 5 ( film festival catalog , October 16 – 22 , 2000 , Austin Texas ) , pp. 154 – 159 Doraiswamy , Rashmi , " Abbas Kiarostami : Life and Much More " ( interview ) , Cinemaya : The Asian Film Quarterly , Summer 1999 , pp. 18 – 20 Ghoukasian , Zavin , ed . , Majmou @-@ e @-@ ye Maghalat dar Naghd @-@ e va Moarrefi Asar @-@ e Abbas Kiarostami ( " A Collection of Articles on Criticizing and Introducing the Work of Abbas Kiarostami " ) , Tehran : Nashr @-@ e Didar , 1375 [ 1996 ] ( In Persian ) Haghighat , Mamad , with the collaboration of Frédéric Sabouraud , Histoire du Cinéma Iranian , 1900 — 1999 , Paris : Centre Georges Pompidou / Bibliothèque publique d ’ information ( Cinéma du réel ) , 1999 ( In French ) Hampton , Howard , " Lynch Mob , " Artforum , January 2000 ( See also letters from Kent Jones and Jonathan Rosenbaum and responses from Hampton in March 2000 issue of Artforum ) Ishaghpour , Youssef , Le réel , face et pile : Le cinéma d ’ Abbas Kiarostami , Tours : Farrago , 2000 ( In French ) Jones , Kent , " The Wind Will Carry Us " , Film Comment , Volume 36 , No. 2 , ( March – April 2000 ) , pp. 72 – 3 Karimi , Iraj , Abbas Kiarostami , Filmsaz @-@ e Realist ( " Abbas Kiarostami : The Realistic Filmmaker " ) , Tehran : Nashr @-@ e Ahoo , 1365 [ 1987 ] ( In Persian ) Kiarostami , Abbas : Textes , enretiens , filmographie complète , Paris : Petit Bibliothèque des Cahiers du Cinéma , 1997 ( In French ) Kiarostami , Abbas , " Le Goût de la Cerise " ( cutting continuity of Taste Of Cherry ) , L ’ Avant @-@ Scène Cinéma no . 471 , April 1998 Kiarostami , Abbas , " Le monde d 'A.K. , " Cahiers du Cinéma no . 493 . ( in French ) Kiarostami , Abbas , Photographies , Photographs , Fotografie ... , Paris : Editions Hazan , 1999 ( trilingual book in French , English , and Italian ; includes interview with Kiarostami by Michel Ciment and short biographical sketch ) Kretzschmar , Laurent " Is Cinema Renewing Itself ? " , Film @-@ Philosophy. vol . 6 no . 15 , July 2002 . Naficy , Hamid , An Accented Cinema : Exilic and Diasporic Filmmaking , Princeton / Oxford : Princeton University Press , 2001 Nancy , Jean @-@ Luc and Kiarostami , Abbas , L ’ Evidence du film / The Evidence of Film ( trilingual text in French , English , and Persian ) , Bruxelles : Yves Gevaert Editeur , 2001 Nakjavani , Erik , “ Between the Dark Earth and the Sheltering Sky : The Arboreal in Kiarostami ’ s Photography ” IRANIAN STUDIES , March 2006 ( Vol.39 , No.1 ) Over , William , " Worlds Transformed : Iranian Cinema and Social Vision " Contemporary Justice Review , Volume 9 , Number 1 , Number 1 / March 2006 , pp. 67 – 80 ( 14 ) Perez , Gilberto , " History Lessons , " The Material Ghost : Films and Their Medium , Baltimore and London : The Johns Hopkins University Press , 1998 Piroposhteh , Mohammed Shabani , ed . , Tarhi Az Doust : Negahi be Zendegi va Asar @-@ e Filmsaz @-@ e Andishmand Abbas Kiarostami ( " A Design of a Friend " ) , Tehran : Entesharat @-@ e Rozaneh , 1376 [ 1997 ] ( In Persian ) Rosenbaum , Jonathan , " The Death of Hulot , " Placing Movies : The Practice of Film Criticism , Berkeley / Los Angeles : University of California Press , pp. 163 – 179 . See also " Tati 's Democracy , " Movies as Politics , Berkeley / Los Angeles : University of California Press , 1997 , pp. 37 – 40 Rosenbaum , Jonathan , " Lessons from a Master , " Chicago Reader , June 14 , 1996 ( Other early Chicago Reader articles on Kiarostami : October 23 , 1992 and September 29 , 1995 ) Rosenbaum , Jonathan , " Short and Sweet " , Film Comment , Volume 36 , No. 4 , ( July / August 2000 ) , p 27 Rosenbaum , Jonathan , " Life and Nothing More - Abbas Kiarostami 's African Musical " , Film Comment , vol . 37 no . 5 , Sept / Oct 2001 , pp. 20 – 21 Saeed @-@ Vafa , Mehrnaz , " Sohrab Shahid Saless : A Cinema of Exile , " Life and Art : The New Iranian Cinema , edited by Rose Issa and Sheila Whitaker , London : National Film Theatre ( British Film Institute ) , 1999 , pp. 135 – 144 Sterritt , David , " With Borrowed Eyes " , Film Comment , Volume 36 , No. 4 , ( July – August 2000 ) , pp 20 – 26

= Light gun shooter = Light gun shooter , also called light gun game or simply gun game , is a shooter video game genre in which the primary design element is aiming and shooting with a gun @-@ shaped controller . Light gun shooters revolve around the protagonist shooting targets , either antagonists or inanimate objects . Light gun shooters generally feature action or horror themes and some may employ a humorous , parodic treatment of these conventions . These games typically feature " on @-@ rails " movement , which gives the player control only over aiming ; the protagonist 's other movements are determined by the game . Games featuring this device are sometimes termed " rail shooters " , though this term is also applied to games of other genres in which " on @-@ rails " movement is a feature . Some , particularly later , games give the player greater control over movement and in still others the protagonist does not move at all . Light gun shooters employ " light gun " controllers , so named because they function through the use of light sensors . Mechanical games using light guns had existed since the 1930s , though they operated differently from those used in video games . Throughout the 1970s mechanical games were replaced by electronic video games and in the 1980s popular light gun shooters such as Duck Hunt emerged . The genre was most popular in the 1990s , subsequent to the release of Virtua Cop , the formula of which was later improved upon by Time Crisis . The genre is less popular in the new millennium , as well as being hampered by compatibility issues , but retains a niche appeal for fans of " old school " gameplay . = = Definition = = " Light gun shooters " , " light gun games " or " gun games " are games in which the protagonist shoots at targets , whether antagonists or objects , and which utilize a gun @-@ shaped controller ( termed a " light gun " ) with which the player aims . While light gun games may feature a first @-@ person perspective , they are distinct from first person shooters , which utilize more conventional input devices . Light gun games which feature " on @-@ rails " movement are sometimes termed " rail shooters " , though this term is also applied to other types of shooters featuring similar movement . The light gun itself is so termed because it functions through the use of a light sensor : pulling the trigger allows it to detect light from the on @-@ screen targets . = = Design = = Targets in light gun shooters may be threatening antagonists such as criminals , terrorists or zombies , or they may be inanimate objects such as apples or bottles . Although these games may be played without a light gun , the use of more conventional input methods has been deemed inferior . Light gun shooters typically feature generic action or horror themes , though some later games employ more humorous , self @-@ referential styles . Light gun shooters primarily revolve around shooting large numbers of enemies attacking in waves . The protagonist may be required to defend himself by taking cover , or by shooting incoming thrown weapons , such as axes or grenades . The player may also compete against the clock , however , with some games also featuring boss battles . Games may also reward the player for accurate shooting , with extra points , power @-@ ups or secrets . Games which do not pit the player against antagonists instead feature elaborate challenges constructed mainly from inanimate objects , testing the player 's speed and accuracy . More conventional games may feature these types of challenges as minigames . Light gun shooters typically feature " on @-@ rails " movement , which gives the player no control over the direction the protagonist moves in ; the player only has control over aiming and shooting . Some games , however , may allow the protagonist to take cover at the push of a button . Other games may eschew on @-@ rails movement altogether and allow the player to move the protagonist freely around the game 's environment ; still others may feature a static environment . Light gun shooters utilise a first person perspective for aiming , though some games may allow the player to switch to a third person perspective in order to maneuver the protagonist . = = History = = Mechanical gun games existed before the emergence of electronic video games , as far back as the 1920s . The first light guns appeared in the 1930s , with the Seeburg Ray @-@ O @-@ Lite . Games using this toy rifle were mechanical and the rifle fired beams of light at targets wired with sensors . These evolved throughout subsequent decades , culminating in games such as Sega 's Periscope ( the company 's first successful game , released in 1966 ) , which required the player to target cardboard ships . Throughout the 1970s , mechanical arcade games were gradually replaced by electronic video games , following the release of Pong in 1972 , with 1978 's Space Invaders dealing a yet more powerful blow to the popularity of mechanical games . Light guns used in electronic video games work in the opposite manner to their mechanical counterparts : the sensor is in the gun and pulling the trigger allows it to receive light from the on @-@ screen targets . Computer light pens had been used for practical purposes at MIT in the early 1960s , and the Magnavox Odyssey had a light gun accessory , in the production of which Nintendo was involved . Light guns first became popularly used for video games in the mid @-@ 1980s , with Nintendo 's Duck Hunt being a much @-@ loved example . Sega 's Virtua Cop , released in arcades in 1994 , broke new ground , popularized the use of 3D polygons in shooter games , and led to a " Renaissance " in the popularity of arcade gun games . The game was inspired by the Clint Eastwood film Dirty Harry as well as a coffee advertisement in which a can of coffee grew larger in a gun 's sights ; in Virtua Cop the player had to shoot approaching targets as fast as possible . The acclaimed Time Crisis by Namco , released in Japanese arcades in 1995 and Sony 's PlayStation console in 1997 , introduced innovations such as simulated recoil and a foot pedal which when pressed caused the protagonist to take cover . The game 's light gun controller , the GunCon , was also acclaimed . Namco also released Point Blank for the PlayStation in 1998 ( previously available in Japanese arcades as Gun Bullet since 1994 ) , a 2D sprite @-@ based game featuring a unique minigame structure and quirky , humorous tone . The game was critically acclaimed and received two sequels , both for the PlayStation console . Light guns were suppressed for a time in the U.S. after the 1999 Columbine High School massacre and its attendant controversy over video games and gun crime . Since the late 1980s light gun controllers have been generally manufactured to look like toys by painting them in bright colours . In Japan , which lacks the gun crime found in the U.S. and in which civilians cannot legally own guns , more realistic light guns are widely available . Light gun shooters are less popular in the new millennium than in the 1990s , with new games in the genre seen as " old school " . The Time Crisis and House of the Dead franchises continued to receive acclaimed installments , with the arcade machine for the latter 's House of the Dead 4 Special ( 2006 ) featuring large screens enclosing the player , as well as swivelling , vibrating chairs . Some games attempted to incorporate elements of first person shooter or survival horror games through the use of less restricted character movement and exploration , with varying degrees of success . Others , however , unashamedly paid homage to 1990s arcade gameplay , even embracing a somewhat parodic style . Light guns are not compatible with modern high @-@ definition televisions , leading developers to experiment with hybrid controllers , particularly with the Wii Remote for the Nintendo Wii , as well as the PlayStation 3 's GunCon 3 peripheral used with Time Crisis 4 . Others have used the PlayStation Move motion control system .

= Young Lord Stanley = Young Lord Stanley , possibly re @-@ issued as His Only Son , is a 1910 American silent short drama produced by the Thanhouser Company . The film focuses on Jack Stanley who is disinherited by this father , Lord Stanley , for refusing to marry his cousin . Jack heads to America and takes a job as a groom . He is dismissed from his position after his employer learns of Jack 's affections for his daughter , Ann . Meanwhile , Lord Stanley decides to reinstate Jack in his will and then promptly dies , giving him his entire fortune . Jack reads of his father 's death in the newspaper and learns of his father 's will . The film concludes with the lawyer bringing Jack to a dinner party as " Lord Stanley " . Ann 's father wishes for her to earn his affections , but she is defiant and does not even look at him . Once she learns it his Jack , they kiss . The scenario was written by Lloyd Lonergan and the only known actor is Justus D. Barnes as Ann 's father . A surviving print of the film exists in the Library of Congress and it shows the improvement of the Thanhouser interior sets over films from months prior . The film was released on October 25 , 1910 , and was met with mixed reviews . = = Plot = = Jack Stanley is disinherited by his father , Lord Stanley , because he refuses to marry his cousin , Lady Maude . Jack emigrates to America , but has no money and has no job upon which to sustain himself . While pondering his actions , he witnesses a trio of riders approach and speak to him . He accepts a position as a groom for a wealthy American , but he falls in love with his daughter , Ann . When her father learns of this , he dismisses Jack and Ann says she will never marry anyone but him . Meanwhile , Lord Stanley has come to forgive his son and decided to reinstate him in his will . No sooner has the task been completed does Lord Stanley suddenly dies . Upon reading the paper , Jack sees an advertisement about the heir of the late Lord Stanley . He heads to Hotel Astor and learns that he has received his father 's entire fortune . The lawyer accepts a dinner invitation at the wealthy American 's house and brings along Jack . The father urges his daughter to win the affections of the rich , handsome and unmarried young Lord Stanley . Upon his arrival , the father who had shunned him is taken aback and greets him , but Ann refuses to even look at the guest . She ignores him , and refuses to face him even as they head towards the dining room , but Jack attempts to kiss her and she pulls away . Suddenly , Ann sees it is Jack and embraces him with a kiss . = = Cast = = Jack ( Young Lord Stanley ) - Unknown actor Lord Stanley - Unknown actor Ann ( the girl ) - Unknown actress Ann 's father - Justus D. Barnes Snaith the lawyer - Unknown actor = = Production = = The script for the production was written by Lloyd Lonergan , an experienced newspaperman employed by The New York Evening World while writing scripts for the Thanhouser productions . The film director is unknown , but it may have been Barry O 'Neil . Film historian Q. David Bowers does not attribute a cameraman for this production , but at least two possible candidates exist . Blair Smith was the first cameraman of the Thanhouser company , but he was soon joined by Carl Louis Gregory who had years of experience as a still and motion picture photographer . The role of the cameraman was uncredited in 1910 productions . The other cast credits are unknown , but many 1910 Thanhouser productions are fragmentary . In late 1910 , the Thanhouser company released a list of the important personalities in their films . The list includes G.W. Abbe , Justus D. Barnes , Frank H. Crane , Irene Crane , Marie Eline , Violet Heming , Martin J. Faust , Thomas Fortune , George Middleton , Grace Moore , John W. Noble , Anna Rosemond , Mrs. George Walters . The production of the film shows the continuing improvement of Thanhouser works , specifically for more realistic interior scenes , over those shot in the months prior . The progress referred to here is the improvement from works like The Two Roses . The interior sets are still very small , but the exterior shots show strength in their variety . Bowers believes that the uncommon surname , Snaith , is of some importance to Lonergan because of its reoccurring usage , including the titled works Miss Arabella Snaith and Professor Snaith . An analysis of the frame showing the newspaper advertisement shows that it was from a real newspaper dated from September 21 , 1910 . The title of the film might possibly be a reference to " Lord Stanley " , the courtesy title of the heir apparent of the Earl of Derby . At the time of the production Edward Stanley , Lord Stanley , was " Lord Stanley " . = = Release and reception = = The single reel drama , approximately 1 @,@ 000 feet long , was released on October 25 , 1910 . The film was originally released a Young Lord Stanley , but the surviving print from the Library of Congress has " His Only Son " as what appears to be the title of the print . Bowers notes that this first card is in a different format from the other inter @-@ titles which follow and may have been a replacement or alternate name for the print . The surviving print is 928 feet long , and its shown length is 13 minutes and 35 seconds . The film likely had a wide national release , advertising theaters are known in Kansas , Indiana , and Pennsylvania . Walton of The Moving Picture News said the film was , " A bright , clean , human interest tale . It holds the attention from beginning to end . A thoroughly commendable reel - in every way . " The Moving Picture World offers a summary of the work and was more or less neutral in its review of the film . The reviewer states , " It is a romantic picture , affording ample opportunity for the imagination to run riot in a number of different directions . ... Much of human nature is disclosed in this film , even though it is , in a way , a travesty upon the way wealthy girls often fall in love with stablemen or others employed about their fathers ' places . " The New York Dramatic Mirror was not very critical , but not offering any praise either . The reviewer highlighted the " common fault of actors " by throwing things on the floor and how Ann 's refusal to even look at the titled guest was overdone .

= Fatimid architecture = The Fatimid architecture that developed in the Fatimid Caliphate ( 909 – 1167 CE ) of North Africa combined elements of eastern and western architecture , drawing on Abbasid architecture , Byzantine and Coptic architecture and North African traditions ; it bridged early Islamic styles and the medieval architecture of the Mamluks , introducing many innovations . The wealth of Fatimid architecture was found in the main cities of Mahdia ( 921 – 948 ) , Al @-@ Mansuriya ( 948 – 973 ) and Cairo ( 973 – 1169 ) . The heartland of architectural activity and expression during Fatimid rule was at al @-@ Qahira , the old city of Cairo , on the eastern side of the Nile , where many of the palaces , mosques and other buildings were built . Al @-@ Aziz Billah ( ruled 975 – 996 ) is generally considered to have been the most extensive of Fatimid builders , credited with at least thirteen major landmarks including the Golden Palace , the Cairo Mosque , a fortress , a belvedere , a bridge and public baths . The Fatimid Caliphs competed with the rulers of the Abbasid and Byzantine empires , and indulged in luxurious palace building . Their palaces , their greatest architectural achievements , are known only by written descriptions , however . Several surviving tombs , mosques , gates and walls , mainly in Cairo , retain original elements , although they have been extensively modified or rebuilt in later periods . Notable extant examples of Fatimid architecture include the Great Mosque of Mahdiya , and the Al @-@ Azhar Mosque , Al @-@ Hakim Mosque , Juyushi and Lulua of Cairo . Although heavily influenced by architecture from Mesopotamia and Byzantium , the Fatimids introduced or developed unique features such as the four @-@ centred keel arch and the squinch , connecting square interior volumes to the dome . Their mosques followed the hypostyle plan , where a central courtyard was surrounded by arcades with their roofs usually supported by keel arches , initially resting on columns with leafy Corinthian capitals . They typically had features such as portals that protrude from the wall , domes above mihrabs and qiblas , and façade ornamentation with iconographic inscriptions , and stucco decorations . The woodwork of the doors and interiors of the buildings was often finely carved . The Fatimids also made considerable development towards mausoleum building . The mashad , a shrine that commemorates a descendant of the Prophet Muhammad , was a characteristic type of Fatimid architecture . Three Fatimid @-@ era gates in Cairo , Bab al @-@ Nasr ( 1087 ) , Bab al @-@ Futuh ( 1087 ) and Bab Zuweila ( 1092 ) , built under the orders of the vizier Badr al @-@ Jamali ( r . 1074 – 1094 ) , have survived . Though they have been altered over the centuries , they have Byzantine architectural features , with little trace of the eastern Islamic tradition . Recently a " Neo @-@ Fatimid " style has emerged , used in restorations or in modern Shia mosques by the Dawoodi Bohra , which claims continuity from the original Fatimid architecture . = = Background = = = = = Origins = = = The Fatimid Caliphate originated in an Ismaili Shia movement launched in al @-@ Salamiyah , on the western edge of the Syrian Desert , by Abd Allah al @-@ Akbar , a claimed eight generation descendant of the Islamic prophet Muhammad , through the prophet 's daughter Fatimah . In 899 his grandson , to be known as Abd Allah al @-@ Mahdi , became leader of the movement . He fled from his enemies to Sijilmasa in Morocco , where he proselytized under the guise of being a merchant . He was supported by a militant named Abu Abd Allah al @-@ Shi 'i , who organized a Berber uprising that overthrew the Tunisian Aghlabid dynasty , and then invited al @-@ Mahdi to assume the position of imam and caliph . The empire grew to include Sicily and to stretch across North Africa from the Atlantic to Libya . The Fatimid caliphs built three capital cities , which they occupied in sequential order : Mahdia ( 921 – 948 ) and al @-@ Mansuriya ( 948 – 973 ) in Ifriqiya and Cairo ( 973 – 1169 ) in Egypt . = = = Ifriqiya = = = Mahdia was a walled city located on a peninsula that projected into the Mediterranean from the coast of what is now Tunisia , then part of Ifriqiya . The Carthaginian port of Zella had once occupied the site . Mahdia was founded in 913 by Abdullah al @-@ Mahdi Billah , the first Fatimid imam , and later was the port from which the Fatimid invasion of Egypt was launched. al @-@ Mahdi built the Great Mosque of Mahdiya , the earliest Fatimid mosque , in the new city . The other buildings erected nearby at that time have since disappeared , but the monumental access gate and portico in the north of the mosque are preserved from the original structure . Al @-@ Mansuriya , near Kairouan , Tunisia , was the capital of Fatimid Caliphate during the rules of the Imams Al @-@ Mansur Billah ( r . 946 – 953 ) and Al @-@ Mu 'izz li @-@ Din Allah ( r . 953 – 975 ) . Built between 946 and 972 , it was a circular walled city holding elaborate palaces surrounded by gardens , artificial pools and water channels . The caliph Al @-@ Mu 'izz moved from the city to the new city of al @-@ Qāhira ( Cairo ) in 973 , but Al @-@ Mansuriya continued to serve as the provincial capital . In 1057 it was abandoned and destroyed . Any useful objects or materials were scavenged during the centuries that followed . Today only faint traces remain . = = = Egypt = = = The Fatimid general , Jawhar al @-@ Siqilli built a new palace city near to Fusṭāt upon conquering Egypt in 969 , which he at first called al @-@ Manṣūriyya after the capital in Tunisia . When Al @-@ Mu 'izz arrived in 973 , the name was changed to al @-@ Qāhira ( Cairo ) . The new city incorporated elements of the design of Al @-@ Mansuriya , although it was rectangular rather than circular in plan . Both cities had mosques named al @-@ Azhar after the Prophet 's daughter , Fatima al @-@ Azhar , and both had gates named Bab al @-@ Futuh and Bab Zuwaila . Both cities had two palaces , for the caliph and for his heir , opposite and facing each other . Al @-@ Aziz Billah ( 955 – 996 ) is generally considered to have been the most extensive of Fatimid builders . Aided in part by funds generated through his father al @-@ Mu 'izz 's tax reforms , Al @-@ Aziz is credited with at least 13 major building works during this reign from 975 until his death , including the Golden Palace , the Cairo Mosque , a fortress , a belvedere , a bridge and public baths . His mother , Durzan , widow of al @-@ Mu 'izz , was also responsible for ordering the commencement of building projects , mainly in the Qarafa area , ordering construction of the second mosque in Cairo , Jami al @-@ Qarafa Mosque , in 975 . Similar to the first mosque , Al @-@ Azhar Mosque , it had some fourteen gates but was later destroyed by fire , leaving only its " green mihrab " . Durzan is also credited with ordering construction of the Qarafa Palace , a public bath , cistern , or pool , and a royal garden and hydraulic pump for the Abu ' l @-@ Ma 'lum fortress . She also ordered a well to be built in the courtyard of Ibn Tulun Mosque in 995 , a pavilion overlooking the Nile called Manazil al @-@ izz , and her own mausoleum in Qarafa . Badr al @-@ Jamali was also a noted builder , sponsoring numerous state architectural projects and restoration works during his rule from 1074 – 1094 , particularly with mosques , restoring minarets in Upper Egypt and building mosques in Lower Egypt . He also built many of the gates and fortifications in Cairo . = = Architectural style = = According to Ira M. Lapidus , public architecture under the Fatimids was an " extension of the ceremonial aspects of the royal court " , and was also intricately made . Fatimid architecture drew together decorative and architectural elements from the east and west , and spanned from the early Islamic period to the Middle Ages , making it difficult to categorize . The architecture that developed as an indigenous form under the Fatimids incorporated elements from Samarra , the seat of the Abbasids , as well as Coptic and Byzantine features . Most early buildings of the Fatimid period were of brick , although from the 12th century onward stone gradually became the chief building material . The Fatimids combined elements of eastern and western architecture , drawing on Abbasid , North African , Greek and indigenous Coptic traditions , and bridged between the early Islamic styles and medieval architecture of the Mamluks . The Fatimids were unusually tolerant of people with different ethnic origins and religious views , and were adept at exploiting their abilities . Thus many of the works of Fatimid architecture reflect architectural details imported from Northern Syria and Mesopotamia , probably in part due to the fact that they often employed architects from these places to construct their buildings . Fatimid architecture in Egypt drew from earlier Tulunid styles and techniques , and used similar types of material . While also consciously adhering to Abbasid architectural concepts , the architecture is more influenced by Mediterranean cultures and less by Iranian . While Fatimid architecture followed traditional plans and aesthetics , it differed in architectural details such as the massive portals of some mosques and their elaborate façades . Scholars such as Doğan Kuban describe Fatimid architecture as " inventive more in decoration than in broad architectural concept " , although he acknowledges that the Fatimids contributed to a distinct style of mosque . The Fatimids introduced or developed the usage of the four @-@ centreed keel arch and the muqarnas squinch , a feature connecting the square to the dome . The muqarnas squinch was a complex innovation . In it a niche was placed between two niche segments , over which there was another niche . It is possible that this design had Iranian inspiration . A similar system was applied to window building . According to De Lacy O 'Leary , the horse @-@ shoe arch was developed in Egypt under Fatimid rule and is not of Persian origin as is commonly thought . = = Palaces = = The palaces of the Caliphs , their greatest architectural achievements , have been destroyed and are known only from written descriptions . The heartland of architectural activity and expression during Fatimid rule was at al @-@ Qahira , on the outskirts of Cairo on the eastern side of the Nile , where many of the palaces , mosques and other buildings were built . The Caliphs competed with their rivals of the Abbasid and Byzantine empires , and were known to indulge in furnishing their palaces with " extraordinary splendor " . The palaces had gold rafters to support the ceilings and Caliphs typically asked for a golden throne encased with a curtain similar to those of the rulers of the Abbasids and Byzantines . Furniture and ceramics were elegantly adorned with motifs of birds and animals which were said to bring good luck , and depictions of hunters , and musicians and dancers of the court which reflected the exuberance of Fatimid palace life . Fountains were installed in the palaces to cool the atmosphere . = = Mausoleums = = The mashad is a characteristic type of Fatimid building , a shrine that commemorates a descendant of the Prophet Muhammad . The tombs of the Fatimid caliphs were also treated as shrines . Most of the mashhads were straightforward square structures with a dome , but a few of the mausoleums at Aswan were more complex and included side rooms . During the rule of al @-@ Hafiz ( r . 1130 – 1149 ) several mausoleums and mosques were rebuilt to honour notable female figures in Shi 'i history . The caliphs also built tombs for their wives and daughters . Most of the Fatimid mausoleums have either been destroyed or have been greatly altered through later renovations . The Mashad al @-@ Juyushi , also called Mashad Badr al @-@ Jamali , is an exception . This building has a prayer hall covered with cross @-@ vaults , with a dome resting on squinches over the area in front of the mihrab . It has a courtyard with a tall square minaret . It is not clear whom the mashhad commemorates . Two other important mashads from the Fatimid era in Cairo are those of Sayyida Ruqayya and Yayha al @-@ Shabib , in the Fustat cemetery . Sayyida Ruqayya , a descendant of Ali , never visited Egypt , but the mashhad was built to commemorate her . It is similar to al @-@ Juyushi , but with a larger , fluted dome and with an elegantly decorated mihrab . = = Mosques = = The plan and decoration of Fatimid mosques reflect Shiite doctrine and that the mosques were often used for royal ceremonial purposes . The characteristic architectural styles of Fatimid mosques include portals that protrude from the wall , domes above mihrabs and qiblas , porches and arcades with keel @-@ shaped arches supported by a series of columns , façade ornamentation with iconographic inscriptions and stucco decorations . The mosques followed the hypostyle plan , where a central courtyard was surrounded by arcades with their roofs usually supported by keel arches , initially resting on columns with Corinthian capitals . The arches held inscription bands , a style that is unique to Fatimid architecture . The later columns often had a bell @-@ shaped capital with the same shape mirrored to form the base . The prayer niche was architecturally more elaborate , with features such as a dome or transept . The Fatimid architects built modified versions of Coptic keel @-@ arched niches with radiating fluted hoods , and later extended the concept to fluted domes . The woodwork of the doors and interiors of the buildings was often finely carved . Early Fatimid mosques such as the mosque of the Qarafa did not have a minaret . Later mosques built in Egypt and in Ifriqiya incorporated brick minarets , which were probably part of their original designs . These were derived from early Abbasid forms of minaret . Minarets later evolved to the characteristic mabkhara ( incense burner ) shape , where a lower rectangular shaft supported an octagon section that was capped by a ribbed helmet . Almost all of Cairo 's Fatimid minarets were destroyed by an earthquake in 1303 . Some " floating " mosques were located above shops . For the first time , the façade of the mosque was aligned with the street and was elaborately decorated . The decorations were in wood , stucco and stone , including marble , with geometrical and floral patterns and arabesques with Samarran and Byzantine origins . The decorations were more complex than the earlier Islamic forms and more carefully adapted to structural constraints . The imposing architecture and decoration of Fatimid buildings such as the al @-@ Hakim mosque provided a backdrop that supported the dual role of the Fatimid caliph as both religious and political leader . = = = Great Mosque of Mahdiya = = = The Great Mosque of Mahdiya was built in Mahdia , Tunisia , in 916 CE ( 303 – 304 in the Islamic calendar ) , on an artificial platform " reclaimed from the sea " as mentioned by the Andalusian geographer Al @-@ Bakri , after the founding of the city in 909 by the first Fatimid imam , Abdullah al @-@ Mahdi Billah . Internally , the Great Mosque had a layout similar to other mosques in the region . A transverse aisle paralleled the qibla wall , with nine aisles at right angles to the transverse . The original qibla wall was destroyed by sea erosion and had to be rebuilt , reducing the size of the prayer hall . Like other mosques in the region , the orientation of the qibla differs significantly from the " true " great circle route to Mecca . Unlike other North African mosques , the Great Mosque did not have minarets , and had a single imposing entrance . This is the first known example of a projecting monumental porch in a mosque , which may have been derived from the architecture of secular buildings . The mosque at Ajdabiya in Libya had a similar plan , although it did not have the same monumental entrance . Like the Mahdiya mosque , for the same ideological reasons , the Ajdabiya mosque did not have a minaret . = = = Al @-@ Azhar Mosque = = = The Al @-@ Azhar Mosque was commissioned by the Caliph Al @-@ Mu 'izz li @-@ Din Allah for the newly established capital city of Cairo . Its name is a tribute to the name of Fatima Al @-@ Azhar , the daughter of the Prophet Mohammed . Jawhar al @-@ Siqilli , commander of the Fatimid army started construction of the mosque in 970 . It was the first mosque established in the city . The first prayers were held there in 972 , and in 989 the mosque authorities hired 35 scholars , making it a teaching centre for Shia theology . A waqf for the mosque was established in 1009 by Caliph al @-@ Hakim . The Al @-@ Azhar Mosque in Cairo seems to have had a similar projecting entrance to the Great Mosque of Mahdiya . The original building had an open central courtyard with three arcades . Its layout was similar to the Kairouan and Samarra mosques . These had round arches on pre @-@ Islamic columns with Corinthian capitals . There were three domes ( indicative of the location of the prayer hall ) , two at the corners of the qibla wall and one over the prayer niche , and a small brick minaret over the main entrance . The gallery around the courtyard had series of columns and the prayer hall , which had the domes built over it , had five more rows of five pillars . Minor alterations were made by the Caliphs Al @-@ Hakim bi @-@ Amr Allah in 1009 and Al @-@ Amir bi @-@ Ahkami l @-@ Lah in 1125 . The Caliph al @-@ Hafiz ( 1129 – 1149 ) made significant further changes , adding a fourth arcade with keel arches , and a dome with elaborate carved stucco decorations in front of the transept . Since then , the mosque has been greatly enlarged and modified over the years . Of the original building little remains other than the arcades and some of the stucco decoration . = = = Mosque of the Qarafa = = = An unusually detailed description of the mosque of the Qarafa in Cairo , built by two noblewomen in 976 , has been left by the historian al @-@ Quda 'i , who died around 1062 – 1065 . He said , This mosque had a lovely garden to its west , and a cistern . The door by which one enters has large mastabas . The middle [ of the mosque ] is under the high manar , which has iron sheets on it . [ It runs ] from the door right up to the mihrab and the maqsurah . It has fourteen square doors of baked brick . In front of all the doors is a row of arches ; each arch rests on two marble columns . There are three ṣufūf . [ The interior ] is carved in relief and decorated in blue , red , green and other colors , and in certain places , painted in a uniform tone . The ceilings are entirely painted in polychrome ; the intrados and the extrados of the arcades supported by columns are covered with paintings of all different colors . It seems probable from this description that the mosque had a portal that projected from the wall , as did the earlier Great Mosque of Mahdiya . In other respects it seems to have resembled the al @-@ Azhar mosque in layout , architecture and decoration . Although the geographers al @-@ Muqaddasi and Ibn Hawqal both praised this mosque , neither left specific descriptions of this or any other mosque . Thus Ibn Hawqal says of it only that , " It is one of the mosques distinguished by the spaciousness of its court , elegance of construction , and the fineness of its ceilings . " = = = Al @-@ Hakim Mosque = = = The Al @-@ Hakim Mosque is named after Imam Al @-@ Hakim bi @-@ Amr Allah ( 985 – 1021 ) , the third Fatimid caliph to rule in Egypt . Construction of the mosque started in 990 . In 1002 – 3 Caliph al @-@ Hakim ordered completion of the building . The southern minaret has an inscription with his name and the date of 393 ( 1003 ) . Significant changes were made to the minarets in 1010 . At first the mosque was outside the city walls , but when Badr al @-@ Jamali rebuilt the walls he enclosed a larger area , and the north wall of the mosque became part of the new stone city wall . The mosque was badly damaged in the 1303 earthquake , and suffered further damage in later years . By the nineteenth century it was ruined , but has since been reconstructed . The mosque is an irregular rectangle with four arcades that surround the courtyard . As with the Ibn Tulun mosque , the arches are pointed and rest on brick piers . It resembles the al @-@ Azhar mosque in having three domes along the qibla wall , one at each corner and one over the mihrab . Also like al @-@ Azhar , the prayer hall is crossed by a transept at right angles to the qibla . This wide and tall central aisle leading to the prayer niche borrows from the Mahdiya mosque 's design . The al @-@ Hakim mosque differs from the al @-@ Azhar and Ibn Tulun mosques in having two stone minarets at the corners of the stone façade , which has a monumental projecting portal like the Mosque of Mahdiya . = = = Other Cairo mosques = = = The Lulua Mosque , located in the southern cemetery of the Moqattam hills , was built in 1015 – 16 during the reign of the third Caliph al @-@ Hakim . The mosque was built on a promontory of limestone and consisted originally of a three @-@ storey tower @-@ like structure built over a rectangular plan . It exhibited typical aspects of the Fatimid architectural style , with portals with slight protrusions , mihrabs and qibla walls , several domes , and columned porches with triple arches or keel @-@ shaped arches.The mosque partially collapsed in 1919 , but was later refurbished in 1998 by the Dawoodi Bohras . The Juyushi Mosque was built by Badr al @-@ Jamali , the " Amir al Juyush " ( Commander of Forces ) of the Fatimids . The mosque was completed in 1085 under the patronage of the then Caliph and Imam Ma 'ad al @-@ Mustansir Billah . It was built on an end of the Mokattam Hills which would ensure a view of the Cairo city . The Aqmar Mosque was built in the under vizier al @-@ Ma 'mun al @-@ Bata 'ihi during the caliphate of Imam Al @-@ Amir bi @-@ Ahkami l @-@ Lah . The mosque is located on north Muizz Street . It is notable for its façade , which is elaborately decorated with inscriptions and geometric carving . It is both the first mosque in Cairo to have such decoration , and also the first to have a façade which follows the line of the street , built at an angle to the rectangular hypostyle hall whose orientation is dictated by the qibla direction . = = Cairo fortifications = = A new city wall was built around Cairo on the orders of the vizier Badr al @-@ Jamali ( r . 1074 – 1094 ) . Cairo had expanded beyond the original city walls , and the city faced threats from the east , notably by the Turkoman Atsiz ibn Uvaq , commander of the Seljuk army . In fact , the fortifications were never put to the test . Three of the gates in the new walls have survived : Bab al @-@ Nasr ( 1087 ) , Bab al @-@ Futuh ( 1087 ) and Bab Zuweila ( 1092 ) . Bab al @-@ Futuh and Bab Zuweila were built at the northern and southern ends of Muizz Street , the main axis of Fatimid Cairo . Al @-@ Jamali , an Armenian in origin , is said to have employed Armenians from the north of Mesopotamia as well as Syrians in his extensive building works . Each gate was said to have been built by a different architect . The gates have Byzantine architectural features , with little trace of the Islamic tradition . According to Maqrīzī , the gates were built by three Christian monks from Edessa , who had fled from the Saljūqs . There are no surviving structures similar to the gates near Edessa or in Armenia , but stylistic evidence indicates that Byzantine origins for the design are entirely plausible . Al @-@ Jamali preferred stone as the medium for his building works , introducing a new style into Cairo architecture . All three gates have massive towers linked by curtain walls above the passageways . They introduced architectural features new to Egypt including the pendentives that support the domes above the passageways of the Bab al @-@ Futuh and Bab Zuweila gates , and intersecting barrel vaults . Use of semi @-@ circular and horizontal arches , and lack of pointed arches , represented a departure from normal Fatimid architecture , probably taken from Syrian examples , and were never widely used during the Fatimid period . The use of stone also reflects Syrian tastes . The passageways through each of the gates are 20 metres ( 66 ft ) long , and have vaulted ceilings with hidden machicolation openings in their ceilings . The lower part of each tower is of solid stone , while the upper third has a vaulted room with arrowslits . An unusual feature of the wall near Bab al @-@ Nasr is a stone latrine which appears like a balcony . The wall between Bab al @-@ Nasr and Bab al @-@ Futuh contains an inscription of Quranic texts in Kufic characters . = = = Bab al @-@ Futuh = = = Bab al @-@ Futuh is a gate in the north wall of the old city , built in 1087 . It stands at the northern end of Muizz Street . The name " Futuh " means " conquest " . the gate had rounded towers , with both of their façades incorporating a design of two parallel carved lines with loops between them . No earlier use of this decorative style is known , although it became common in the Mamluk period . There are carved brackets above the entrance arch , two of which have the head of a ram . This appears to be a survival of pre @-@ Islamic symbolism . However , Fatimid arabesques decorate the brackets . = = = Bab al @-@ Nasr = = = Bab al @-@ Nasr is a massive fortified gate built in 1087 with rectangular stone towers . The name means " Gate of Victory " . The entrance vestibule is cross @-@ vaulted . There are two shallow domes over the upper levels of the towers . The walls are decorated with shields and swords , possibly Byzantine in design . Many French inscriptions on the Bab al @-@ Nasr indicate use of the fort by Napoleon 's soldiers , including " Tour Courbin " and " Tour Julien " . = = = Bab Zuweila = = = Bab Zuweila ( or Zuwayla ) is a medieval gate built in 1092 . It is the last remaining southern gate from the walls of Fatimid Cairo . The gate is today commonly called Bawabet El Metwalli . Its name comes from bab , meaning " door " , and Zuwayla , the name of a North African tribe . The towers are semi @-@ circular . Their inner flanks have lobed arches as decorations , a North African motif introduced to Egypt by the Fatimids . The vestibule to the right contains a half @-@ domed recess with elegantly carved arches at each corner . The gates were massive , weighing four tons . The gates today have two minarets , open to visitors , from which the area may be viewed . Additions were made during the 15th century . = = Restorations and modern mosques = = The Fatimid buildings have gone through many renovations and restructurings in different styles from the early Mamluk period to modern times . The Fakahani Mosque exemplifies this process . It was built in the Fatimid period , either as a suspended mosque ( one with shops underneath it ) or with a high basement . After the earthquake of 1302 it was rebuilt . In 1440 an ablution basin was added , and early in the Ottoman period a minaret was built . The amir Ahmad Katkhuda Mustahfazan al @-@ Kharbutli in 1735 ordered a major reconstruction , almost all of the original building being replaced apart from two doors . These finely carved doors were registered as a historical monument in 1908 by the committee of conservation , and the building itself was registered in 1937 . The Dawoodi Bohra , a group of around one million Ismaili Shi 'ites who trace their faith back to converts from the Hindu faith during the time of the Fatimid caliph Al @-@ Mustansir Billah ( 1029 – 1094 ) , have been engaged in restorations of the Cairo mosques since the 1970s . Aside from respecting their heritage , the purpose of the campaign to restore Fatimid architecture in Cairo is to encourage ziyaret , a pilgrimage which aims to increase the cohesion of the Bohra community internationally . These activities have drawn negative comments from critics in Europe and America who believe that the mosques should be preserved in their current state . In November 1979 the first newsletter of the Society for the Preservation of the Architectural Resources of Egypt wrote a scathing report of the Bohras ' renovation of the al @-@ Hakim mosque , saying " Though their method of financing the project is intriguing , their concrete arcades can only be deplored . " However , when the mosque was re @-@ opened a year later the Egyptian Gazette was complimentary about the transformation of the run @-@ down building , achieved without resort to public aid . The restorations have significantly changed the buildings from their prior state . Helwan marble has been used extensively on both interior and exterior surfaces , and inscriptions in the interior have been gilded . Motifs and designs have been copied from one mosque to another . The qibla bay of the al @-@ Hakim mosque , which had been irreparably damaged , was replaced by a version in marble and gilt of the mihrab of al @-@ Azhar mosque . The Lu 'lu 'a Mosque , formerly a ruin , has been rebuilt as a three @-@ story building somewhat like Bab al @-@ Nasr , with decorative elements from al @-@ Aqmar and al @-@ Hakim . Silver and gold grilles now enclose tombs in mosques and mausoleums . Arches , particularly in groups of three , are considered " Fatimid " , regardless of their shape . The result is what could be termed " Neo @-@ Fatimid " architecture , now found in new Bohra mosques around the world . The Aga Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah , leader of the Ismaili sect , was buried in 1957 in a mausoleum built in this neo @-@ Fatimid style . In some cases this style incorporates elements that are clearly from a different period . All but one of the Fatimid minarets were destroyed by an earthquake in 1303 , and later rebuilt by the Mamluks , but replicas of these minarets are used in Neo @-@ Fatimid mosques . = = To Read = = Al @-@ Aqmar @-@ Living @-@ Testimony @-@ Fatemiyeen [ 1 ] al Juyushi : A Vision of the Fatemiyeen [ 2 ] = = Gallery = =

= Wicked ( musical ) = Wicked : The Untold Story of the Witches of Oz is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and book by Winnie Holzman . It is based on the 1995 Gregory Maguire novel Wicked : The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West , an alternative telling of the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz and L. Frank Baum 's classic 1900 story , The Wonderful Wizard of Oz . The musical is told from the perspective of the witches of the Land of Oz ; its plot begins before and continues after Dorothy 's arrival in Oz from Kansas , and it includes several references to the 1939 film and Baum 's novel . Wicked tells the story of two unlikely friends , Elphaba ( the Wicked Witch of the West ) and Galinda , ( whose name later changes to Glinda the Good Witch ) who struggle through opposing personalities and viewpoints , rivalry over the same love @-@ interest , reactions to the Wizard 's corrupt government and , ultimately , Elphaba 's public fall from grace . Produced by Universal Stage Productions in coalition with Marc Platt , Jon B. Platt and David Stone , with direction by Joe Mantello and choreography by Wayne Cilento , the original production of Wicked premiered on Broadway at the Gershwin Theatre in October 2003 , after completing pre @-@ Broadway tryouts at San Francisco 's Curran Theatre in April 2003 . Its original stars included Idina Menzel as Elphaba , Kristin Chenoweth as Glinda , and Joel Grey as the Wizard . The original Broadway production won three Tony Awards and six Drama Desk Awards , while its original cast album received a Grammy Award . Wicked celebrated its tenth anniversary on Broadway on October 30 , 2013 . On February 14 , 2016 , Wicked performed its 5124th performance with a 2PM matinee , making Wicked the 10th longest @-@ running Broadway show , passing Rent . A typical performance runs for approximately two hours and 30 minutes , plus a 15 @-@ minute intermission . The success of the Broadway production has spawned several other productions worldwide , including various North American productions , a long @-@ running Laurence Olivier Award – nominated West End production and a series of international productions . Since its 2003 debut , Wicked has broken box office records around the world , currently holding weekly @-@ gross @-@ takings records in Los Angeles , Chicago , St. Louis and London . In the week ending January 2 , 2011 , the London , Broadway and both North American touring productions simultaneously broke their respective records for the highest weekly gross . In the final week of 2013 , the Broadway production broke this record again , earning $ 3 @.@ 2 million . The West End production and the North American tour have each been seen by over two million patrons . = = Inception and development = = Composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz discovered writer Gregory Maguire 's 1995 novel Wicked : The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West while on vacation and saw its potential for a dramatic adaptation . Maguire , however , had released the rights to Universal Pictures , who had planned to develop a live @-@ action feature film . In 1998 , Schwartz persuaded Maguire to release the rights to a stage production while also making what Schwartz called an " impassioned plea " to Universal producer Marc Platt to realise Schwartz 's own intended adaptation . Persuaded , Platt signed on as joint producer of the project with Universal and David Stone . The novel , described as a political , social and ethical commentary on the nature of good and evil , takes place in the Land of Oz , in the years leading to Dorothy 's arrival . The story centers on Elphaba , the misunderstood , smart , and fiery girl of emerald @-@ green skin who grows up to become the notorious Wicked Witch of the West and Galinda , the beautiful , blonde , popular girl who grows up to become Glinda the Good Witch of the South . The story is divided into five different sections based on the plot location and presents events , characters and situations from L. Frank Baum 's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz ( 1900 ) and its 1939 film adaptation in new ways . It is designed to set the reader thinking about what it really is to be ' Wicked ' , and whether good intentions with bad results are the same as bad intentions with bad results . Schwartz considered how best to condense the novel 's dense and complicated plot into a sensible script . To this end , he collaborated with Emmy Award – winning writer Winnie Holzman to develop the outline of the plot over the course of a year while meeting with producer Marc Platt to refine the structural outline of the show , spinning an original stage piece rather than creating a strict adaptation of Maguire 's work . While the draft followed Maguire 's idea of retelling the story of the 1939 film from the perspective of its main villain , the storyline of the stage adaptation " goes far afield " from the novel . As Holzman observed in an interview with Playbill , " It was [ Maguire 's ] brilliant idea to take this hated figure and tell things from her point of view , and to have the two witches be roommates in college , but the way in which their friendship develops – and really the whole plot – is different onstage . " Schwartz justified the deviation , saying " Primarily we were interested in the relationship between Galinda – who becomes Glinda – and Elphaba ... the friendship of these two women and how their characters lead them to completely different destinies . " In addition to this change in focus , other major plot modifications include Fiyero 's appearance as the scarecrow , Elphaba 's survival at the end , Nessarose using a wheelchair instead of being born without arms , Boq having a continuing love interest for Glinda - and eventually becoming the Tin Woodman instead of Nick Chopper , the complete cutting of Elphaba 's years in the Vinkus , the deletion of Liir 's birth , Fiyero not having a wife and children , and Doctor Dillamond not being murdered . The book , lyrics and score for the musical were developed through a series of readings . For these developmental workshops , Kristin Chenoweth , the Tony Award – winning actress whom Stephen Schwartz had in mind while composing the music for the character , joined the project as Glinda . Stephanie J. Block played Elphaba in all of the workshops , ( she was the original Elphaba in the 1st National Tour and joined the Broadway cast later on ) before fellow performer Idina Menzel was cast in the role in late 2000 . In early 2000 , the creators recruited New York producer David Stone , who began the transition of the workshop production into a full Broadway production . Joe Mantello was brought in as director and Wayne Cilento as choreographer while Tony Award – winning designer Eugene Lee created the set and visual style for the production based on both W. W. Denslow 's original illustrations for Baum 's novels and Maguire 's concept of the story being told through a giant clock . Costume designer Susan Hilferty created a " twisted Edwardian " style through more than 200 costumes , while lighting designer Kenneth Posner used more than 800 individual lights to give each of the 54 distinct scenes and locations " its own mood " . By April 2003 , a full cast had been assembled and the show readied its debut . On May 28 , 2003 , the first performance of Wicked was held at the Curran Theatre in San Francisco , as the start of SHN pre @-@ Broadway tryouts . After officially opening on June 10 , 2003 , it ran there for the month and finished on June 29 , 2003 . Audience reaction was mostly positive and although critics tended to compliment the aesthetic and spectacle of the show , they disparaged the state of its book , score , and choreography . Dennis Harvey of Variety commented positively of the " sleekly directed " , " snazzily designed " and " smartly cast " production yet still disapproved of its " mediocre " book , " trite " lyrics and " largely generic " music while Karen D 'Souza of the San Jose Mercury News wrote that " Style over substance is the real theme in this Emerald City . " Noting mixed response , the creative team started making extensive changes , tweaking it before its transfer to Broadway . Winnie Holzman stated , " Stephen [ Schwartz ] wisely had insisted on having three months to rewrite in @-@ between the time we closed in San Francisco and when we were to go back into rehearsals in New York . That was crucial ; that was the thing that made the biggest difference in the life of the show . That time is what made the show work . " Elements of the book were rewritten while several songs underwent minor transformations . This included the excision of " Which Way is the Party ? " , the introductory song to the character Fiyero , which was subsequently replaced by " Dancing Through Life " in Schwartz 's fear that the former failed to be a clear " statement of Fiyero 's philosophy of life " . In addition , there was concern that Menzel 's Elphaba " got a little overshadowed " by Chenoweth 's Glinda . San Francisco Chronicle critic Robert Hurwitt wrote , " Menzel 's brightly intense Elphaba the Wicked Witch [ needs ] a chance of holding her own alongside Chenoweth 's gloriously , insidiously bubbly Glinda " , so the creative team set about making her character " more prominent " . On the subject of the Broadway revisions , Schwartz recalled , " It was clear there was work to be done and revisions to be made in the book and the score . The critical community was , frankly , very helpful to us . We learned a lot from the reviews , which were honest and constructive in the aggregate , unlike New York , where the critics make up their minds before they come to the theatre . " On October 30 , 2003 , the musical opened on Broadway . = = Plot = = Act One The Ozians are cheering that the Wicked Witch of the West , Elphaba , is dead ( " No One Mourns the Wicked " ) . Glinda arrives and an Ozian asks her if she and Elphaba were friends . She admits that they knew each other , which surprises all of the Ozians , leading Glinda to tell them the story of how they became best friends . She also tells them her name was Galinda before she changed it . A flashback starts with a scene in a school , Shiz , where Elphaba arrives . Elphaba ( later known as the Wicked Witch of the West ) was the daughter of the governor of Munchkinland - but it is heavily implied that she is the product of an affair between the governor 's wife and a mysterious stranger and his bottle of " green elixir . " Elphaba was born with green skin . Her father despised her and showered his affection on her younger sister , Nessarose , who is confined to a wheelchair . The two sisters both go to Shiz University , where the pretty and popular Galinda is also in their class ( " Dear Old Shiz " ) . As their father says goodbye , he gives Nessarose a pair of silver slippers . The headmistress , Madame Morrible , decides to take Nessarose under her protection , despite Elphaba 's objections . Elphaba is now without a roommate and ends up with Galinda , to the disgust of both . Elphaba attempts to take back her sister as she is wheeled away , and her frustration manifests itself physically in an explosion . Madame Morrible recognizes that she has special powers and decides to teach her sorcery - and to teach no one else , even though Galinda had her heart set on studying with magic at school . She even tells Elphaba that her powers might allow her to work with the Wonderful Wizard of Oz , something which Elphaba has dreamed of ( " The Wizard and I " ) . All of this does little to endear Elphaba to Galinda and the feeling is mutual ( " What is this Feeling ? " ) . They clash constantly , even in their classes , such as their history class with Dr. Dillamond . Dr. Dillamond is the only Animal professor at the university and is beginning to suffer from discrimination , even from the students , which is shown when someone writes " Animals should be seen and not heard " on the chalkboard . He tells Elphaba that there is a conspiracy to stop the Animals from speaking , and she wants to let the Wizard know , for he would surely stop it ( " Something Bad " ) . Meanwhile , a young roguish prince , Fiyero , has arrived at Shiz . Galinda is charmed when Fiyero shares his life philosophy ( " Dancing Through Life " ) . They all decide to have a party that evening . Boq , a Munchkin that has developed a crush on Galinda , tries to invite her to the party , but she convinces him instead to ask Nessarose out of pity , leaving her free to go with Fiyero . Nessarose is delighted and tells her sister how she and Boq are meant to be together and how Galinda helped it happen . When Galinda offers Elphaba a hat to wear to the party , Elphaba begins to wonder if she was wrong about her roommate . At the party that evening , Boq tries to tell Nessarose the real reason he invited her , but is unable to hurt her feelings . She is becoming infatuated with him . Madame Morrible arrives to tell Glinda that she can join her sorcery class , at Elphaba 's request . Elphaba herself arrives , wearing the hat Galinda gave her , a witch 's hat . The other students laugh and stare while Elphaba awkwardly dances on her own . Glinda feels terrible , and goes to dance with Elphaba . Soon everyone joins them , and the two girls look at each other in a new light . Back in their room , they continue to bond . Galinda tells Elphaba of her plans to marry Fiyero even though he hasn 't proposed and Elphaba confesses that her father blames her for the death of her mother , who died birthing Nessarose . Galinda decides that she will help Elphaba become popular and she gives her roommate the nickname " Elphie " ( " Popular " ) . When Elphaba arrives at class the next day , Fiyero sees Galinda 's influence , and tells Elphaba that she doesn 't need to change . Dr. Dillamond enters to tell the class that he is leaving - he is no longer permitted to teach . Elphaba wants to help , but no one will stand up with her . The students are introduced to the new technological advancement of the cage , which will keep Animals controlled , so that they never learn to speak . Elphaba 's outrage cannot be contained , and in the ensuing chaos , she and Fiyero grab the Lion cub in the cage and escape . Fiyero is confused about what he has just seen and what he is doing , but he is caught up in Elphaba 's passion . She begins to fall in love with him and they share a moment before he has to leave . Elphaba reminds herself that it 's pointless to wish for something to happen between them ( " I 'm Not that Girl " ) . Madame Morrible comes and tells her that the Wizard has asked to meet her . Nessarose and Glinda come to see her off , and Fiyero meets her too . Galinda is saddened by Fiyero 's emotional distance from her , and tries to win his respect by changing her name to " Glinda " , in solidarity with Dr. Dillamond , who could not pronounce the first syllable of her name . But Fiyero barely notices , saying goodbye to Elphaba , and it is suggested that her feelings for him are mutual . Elphaba invites Glinda to the Emerald City with her ( " One Short Day " ) . At last , the two girls stand in front of the Wizard . He turns out to be not quite as terrifying as they thought ( " A Sentimental Man " ) . He promises Elphaba that he will grant her request if she proves herself . Madame Morrible appears - she is the Wizard 's new " Press Secretary " . She gives Elphaba an ancient book of spells , called the " Grimmerie , " which only the magically gifted can read . Elphaba is asked to try a levitation spell on the Wizard 's monkey servant , Chistery . However , the spell doesn 't go the way Elphaba plans when Chistery sprouts wings , and she realizes that the Wizard is the one behind the suppression of the Animals . Elphaba has been tricked , and instead of just performing the spell on one monkey , she actually performed the spell on all of them . Elphaba realizes that the Wizard is not who she thought he was - he has no powers ; he is merely a charlatan who cannot read the Grimmerie . He offers her and Glinda everything they 've ever wanted if they will help him , but Elphaba is unable to comply . She runs away , and in order to prevent the truth from getting out , Madame Morrible spreads reports that Elphaba is " wicked , " not to be trusted , and claims that Elphaba is the one behind the animal mischief . This only reaffirms Elphaba 's belief that she must not let anyone hold her down ; she must go on her own to do what 's best for her . She performs a spell on a broom and flies . ( " Defying Gravity " ) . Act Two Some time later , Elphaba 's opposition of the Wizard 's regime has earned her the title " The Wicked Witch of the West " . Glinda has become the smiling public front of the Wizard 's regime , given the title " Glinda the Good " and positioned by Morrible as the nation 's defender against the Witch . A press conference to celebrate Fiyero 's appointment as Captain of the Guard ( a position he has accepted in order to find Elphaba ) is hijacked by the crowd 's panicked rumors about the Witch , including an idiotic story that she will be melted by water . Fiyero is furious and not calmed by Glinda 's insistence that Elphaba does not want to be found . He is further shocked when Morrible announces his engagement to Glinda . This is news to Fiyero and he storms off . Glinda attempts to keep a cheerful front for the press , but it is clear she realizes her dream life has come at a great price ( " Thank Goodness " ) . Elphaba pays a visit to Nessarose , who is now the governor of Munchkinland following the death of their father , who Nessarose says " died of shame " when he heard what Elphaba did . Nessarose has taken away the rights of the Munchkins in a desperate attempt to keep Boq at her side . Elphaba tries to convince her sister to side with her against the Wizard , but Nessarose is more concerned with her own problems . Elphaba tries to help by giving Nessarose the power to walk . Convinced that Boq must love her now , Nessarose calls for him , but he only sees this as proof that she doesn 't need him any more . Furious , Nessarose takes Elphaba 's spell book and tries to cast a spell to make Boq fall in love with her . However , the spell backfires , shrinking Boq 's heart and Elphaba must work another spell to save his life , if in a slightly different condition than he was before ( " The Wicked Witch of the East " ) . When Boq awakens , he is horrified at his new state as a man made of tin , and Nessarose tells him it was Elphaba who did this to him . Elphaba returns to the Wizard 's palace to free the monkey servants and comes across the Wizard himself . He tries once again to convince her to work with him , telling her that he is not evil - just a mediocre man who came into his position by chance , led to stay by the reverence of the Ozians , and he offers to redeem Elphaba 's reputation ( " Wonderful " ) . She is almost won over , until she sees Dr. Dillamond , who has lost the power of speech . She vows to fight the Wizard until the end . Fiyero and the guards enter , followed by Glinda . Fiyero helps Elphaba escape , and decides to escape with her , leaving Glinda behind . Broken @-@ hearted , Glinda tells the Wizard and Madame Morrible that the way to capture Elphaba is to make her think her sister is in trouble , and she will be sure to come to her rescue . She mourns that Fiyero does not love her ( " I 'm Not that Girl , Reprise " ) . Elphaba and Fiyero are both taken by surprise by the strength of their feelings for each other , and promise to be together always ( " As Long As You 're Mine " ) . Their happiness is interrupted when Elphaba suddenly has a vision of a house flying through the sky and Nessarose being in pain . Before Elphaba leaves to investigate , Fiyero tells her about a castle that his family owns that she can stay in . Glinda and Elphaba meet again at the site where Nessarose has been crushed by a house with a girl named Dorothy inside . Fueled by the rivalry over Fiyero , the two have a heated argument . The guards arrive , and Elphaba guesses that Glinda arranged for all of this . Fiyero arrives as well , and holds Glinda hostage until Elphaba can escape . Glinda realizes that Fiyero does truly love Elphaba , and tells the guards not to hurt him , but they don 't listen . Elphaba tries to cast a spell to save his life and protect him from injury , but is frustrated by the limitations of her power . She decides that from this point on , she will live up to her reputation as the Wicked Witch of the West ( " No Good Deed " ) . Meanwhile , the citizens of Oz , spurred on by Madame Morrible and Boq 's testimony , band together to help rescue Dorothy from the clutches of the Wicked Witch of the West . Glinda has realized Morrible , who can control the weather , is responsible for Nessarose 's death , but when she confronts her Morrible tells her that there is blood on her hands as well , and advises her to smile and wave . Glinda flees in horror to warn Elphaba as the angry mob sets out to kill Elphaba . ( " March of the Witch Hunters " ) . Elphaba captures Dorothy , refusing to release her until she relinquishes Nessarose 's slippers – the only things left of her dead sister . Glinda travels to Elphaba 's castle to warn her of the danger and persuade her to let Dorothy go . Elphaba refuses until she suddenly receives a letter saying that Fiyero has supposedly died . The two women forgive each other for all grievances , acknowledging they have both made mistakes . To help her in her future , Elphaba gives the Grimmerie to Glinda . The two friends embrace for the last time before saying goodbye forever , and acknowledge that they are who they are because of each other ( " For Good " ) . As the Mob Arrives at the Castle Elphaba forces Glinda to hide , and she watches from the shadows as Dorothy throws a bucket of water on Elphaba , who appears to melt away . Grief @-@ stricken , Glinda sees that all that remains of her friend is her black hat and the small bottle of green elixir which she had slept with under her pillow . Back at the Emerald City , Glinda confronts the Wizard with Elphaba 's bottle , which he recognizes as identical to his own . He was Elphaba 's biological father , and the cause of her green skin . He breaks down in agony , and Madame Morrible surmises that Elphaba 's powers were so strong because she was a child of two worlds . Glinda orders the Wizard to leave Oz and sends Madame Morrible to prison for murdering Nessarose . Meanwhile , back at the castle , Fiyero ( now a scarecrow ) comes to the spot where Elphaba was melted . Making sure that no one is observing , he knocks on the floor and out from a trap door steps Elphaba , very much alive ; the entire thing was a ruse to convince her enemies of her death and to ensure her future with Fiyero , who was transformed into the scarecrow by her spell . Before leaving , Elphaba regrets that she 'll never see Glinda again and tell her that she and Fiyero are alive . Simultaneously , returning to the musical 's starting point , Glinda reports to the people of Oz that the Wicked Witch of the West has been killed and promises to properly earn her title as Glinda the Good . As the people celebrate and Glinda mourns , Elphaba and Fiyero leave Oz behind . ( " Finale " ) = = Cast = = = = = Original casts = = = Notes Kristy Cates began the 1st National Tour as Elphaba on March 8 , 2009 , while Block was out due to injury , and Block returned to the role on March 25 , 2009 . Victoria Matlock became the first standby for Elphaba on the 1st National Tour on March 8 , 2006 . Laura Bell Bundy became the first standby for Glinda on Broadway in November 2003 . Neither US National Tour has / had a Glinda standby . = = = Casts of current productions = = = = = = Cast distinctions = = = In January 2005 , Saycon Sengbloh took over as the standby for Elphaba and became the first African @-@ American woman to play the role of Elphaba . Since then , five other black women have either played or covered the role ( Brandi Chavonne Massey , Dan 'yelle Williamson , Alexia Khadime , Lilli Cooper and Emmy Raver @-@ Lampman ) with Khadime being the first , and so far only , to play Elphaba full @-@ time . Marcie Dodd is the only actress to have been billed in both lead roles of Elphaba and Nessarose when she starred as Elphaba on Broadway after playing Nessarose in Los Angeles . Willemijn Verkaik , who created the role of Elphaba for German and Dutch audiences , joined the Broadway production for a limited run in 2013 , becoming the first actress to have appeared in three different language productions . Later that year , she transferred to the London company and made her West End debut . British Glinda Gina Beck joined the company of the first North American tour only weeks after completing her West End run , making her the first performer to play the role on both sides of the Atlantic . Jackie Burns and Rachel Tucker are the longest @-@ running Broadway and West End Elphabas respectively . Katie Rose Clarke and Savannah Stevenson are the longest running Broadway and West End Glindas respectively . When Louise Dearman took over as London 's Elphaba , she became the first person in the musical 's history to play both female leads , having played Glinda in the production from 2010 @-@ 11 . Jennifer DiNoia has played Elphaba in four countries ( six productions ) and became the fourth actress to have played the role on Broadway and in the West End . Miriam Margolyes became the first ( and only to date ) actress to have played Madame Morrible in the West End ( original cast ) and on Broadway , when she repeated her performance at the Gershwin in 2008 . Tom McGowan became the first ( and only to date ) actor to have played The Wizard on Broadway and in the West End , when he joined the London company in 2015 . Willemijn Verkaik , Dee Roscioli , Rachel Tucker and Jemma Rix have each performed as Elphaba over 1000 times . Danna Paola , the Mexican Elphaba , is the youngest actress to play the role at 18 years old . Myra Ruiz , currently playing Elphaba in the Brazilian production , is the second youngest actress to play the role , at 23 years old . Katie Rowley Jones has played Nessarose more times than any other actress , having spent seven years in the role ( 2006 @-@ 2008 , 2012 @-@ 2017 ) by the time her contract expires in January 2017 . = = Musical numbers = = = = Music and recordings = = = = = Music analysis = = = The score of Wicked is heavily thematic , bearing in some senses more resemblance to a film score than a traditional musical score . While many musical scores employ new motifs and melodies for each song with little overlap , Schwartz integrated a handful of leitmotifs throughout the production . Some of these motifs indicate irony – for example , when Galinda presents Elphaba with a " ghastly " hat in " Dancing through Life " , the score reprises a theme from " What is this Feeling ? " a few scenes earlier , in which Elphaba and Glinda had espoused their mutual loathing . Two musical themes in Wicked run throughout the score . Although Schwartz rarely reuses motifs or melodies from earlier works , the first – Elphaba 's theme – came from The Survival of St. Joan , on which he worked as musical director . " I always liked this tune a lot and I never could figure out what to do with it , " he remarked in an interview in 2004 . The chord progression that he first penned in 1971 became a major theme of the show 's orchestration . By changing the instruments that carry the motif in each instance , Schwartz enables the same melody to convey different moods . In the overture , the tune is carried by the orchestra 's brass section , with heavy percussion . The result is , in Schwartz ' own words , " like a giant shadow terrorizing you " . When played by the piano with some electric bass in " As Long As You 're Mine " , however , the same chord progression becomes the basis for a romantic duet . And with new lyrics and an altered bridge , the theme forms the core of the song " No One Mourns the Wicked " and its reprises . Schwartz uses the " Unlimited " theme as the second major motif running through the score . Although not included as a titled song , the theme appears as an interlude in several of the musical numbers . In a tribute to Harold Arlen , who wrote the score for the 1939 film adaptation , the " Unlimited " melody incorporates the first seven notes of the song " Over the Rainbow . " Schwartz included it as an inside joke as , " according to copyright law , when you get to the eighth note , then people can come and say , ' Oh you stole our tune . ' And of course obviously it 's also disguised in that it 's completely different rhythmically . And it 's also harmonized completely differently .... It 's over a different chord and so on , but still it 's the first seven notes of ' Somewhere Over the Rainbow ' " . Schwartz further obscured the motif 's origin by setting it in a minor key in most instances . This also creates contrast in the songs in which it forms a part , for example in " Defying Gravity " , which is written primarily in the key of D @-@ flat major . In the song " The Wicked Witch of the East " , however , when Elphaba finally uses her powers to let her sister walk , the " Unlimited " theme is played in a major key . = = = Recordings = = = A cast recording of the original Broadway production was released on December 16 , 2003 , by Universal Music . All of the songs featured on stage are present on the recording with the exception of " The Wizard and I ( Reprise ) " and " The Wicked Witch of the East " . The short reprise of " No One Mourns the Wicked " that opens Act II is attached to the beginning of " Thank Goodness " . The music was arranged by Stephen Oremus , who was also the conductor and musical director and James Lynn Abbott , with orchestrations by William David Brohn . The recording received the Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album in 2005 and was certified platinum by the RIAA on November 30 , 2006 . The album was certified double platinum on November 8 , 2010 . A fifth @-@ anniversary special edition of the original Broadway cast recording was released on October 28 , 2008 , with a bonus CD including tracks from the Japanese and German cast recordings , " Making Good " – a song later replaced by " The Wizard and I " – sung by Stephanie J. Block with Schwartz at the piano , " I 'm Not that Girl " by Kerry Ellis ( featuring Brian May on guitar ) , Menzel 's dance mix of " Defying Gravity " and " For Good " sung by LeAnn Rimes and Delta Goodrem . A German recording of the Stuttgart production was released on December 7 , 2007 , featuring a track listing and arrangements identical to those of the Broadway recording . The Japanese cast recording was released on July 23 , 2008 , featuring the original Tokyo cast . It is notable for being the only Cast Album of the show that includes Glinda 's Finale dialogue . = = = Orchestration = = = = = Productions = = = = = Original Broadway production = = = Wicked officially opened on June 10 , 2003 at the Curran Theatre in San Francisco , after previews began on May 28 , in a pre @-@ Broadway tryout presented by SHN . The cast included Kristin Chenoweth as Glinda , Idina Menzel as Elphaba , Robert Morse as the Wizard , Norbert Leo Butz as Fiyero , Michelle Federer as Nessarose , Carole Shelley as Madame Morrible , John Horton as Doctor Dillamond , and Kirk McDonald as Boq while Stephanie J. Block , who originally read the role of Elphaba in workshop development , served as an ensemble member and understudied the lead role . The tryout closed on June 29 , 2003 , and after extensive retooling , the musical began previews on Broadway at the Gershwin Theatre on October 8 , 2003 , and made its official premiere on October 30 . Most of the original production team and cast members remained with the show , with the exception of some minor ensemble changes and the replacement of Robert Morse with Joel Grey as the Wizard , John Horton with William Youmans as Doctor Dillamond and Kirk McDonald with Christopher Fitzgerald as Boq , while Eden Espinosa and Laura Bell Bundy were added as standbys for Elphaba and Glinda respectively . = = = North American productions = = = In 2005 , the first national tour of Wicked ( called the " Emerald City Tour " by the producers ) started in Toronto , Ontario , and has since visited numerous cities throughout the United States and Canada . Stephanie J. Block was set to open the tour as Elphaba with previews beginning March 8 , but after having sustained a minor injury in rehearsal , Kristy Cates temporarily took her place . Previews were therefore postponed until the following day . After some delay , Block made her debut on March 25 , and the tour officially opened on March 31 . The original touring cast also included Kendra Kassebaum as Glinda , Derrick Williams as Fiyero , Jenna Leigh Green as Nessarose , Carol Kane as Madame Morrible , Timothy Britten Parker as Doctor Dillamond , Logan Lipton as Boq , and David Garrison as the Wizard . After a decade of shows , the tour concluded at the Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles on March 15 , 2015 . The tour played 4 @,@ 160 performances at 124 engagements , and grossed over $ 790 million ( an average of $ 1 @.@ 5 million a week ) . It was seen by 10 @.@ 3 million people in 55 cities . The closing cast included Jennifer DiNoia as Elphaba , Chandra Lee Schwartz as Glinda , Nick Adams as Fiyero , Kim Zimmer as Madam Morrible , Tim Kazurinsky as The Wizard , Jenny Florkowski as Nessarose , Tom Flynn as Doctor Dillamond and Etai Benson as Boq . While the original touring cast intended to play a limited engagement from April 29 to June 12 , 2005 at the Oriental Theatre in Chicago , producers decided to extend it to an open @-@ ended run , making it the first non @-@ Broadway sit @-@ down production of Wicked . Opening at the same Chicago theatre the day after the touring production had finished , the original Chicago cast included Ana Gasteyer as Elphaba , Kate Reinders as Glinda , Rondi Reed as Madame Morrible , Kristoffer Cusick as Fiyero , Telly Leung as Boq , Heidi Kettenring as Nessarose and Gene Weygandt as the Wizard . The production closed on January 25 , 2009 , after over 1 @,@ 500 performances . The touring production returned to Chicago for a special engagement at the Cadillac Palace Theatre from December 1 , 2010 to January 23 , 2011 . In celebration of the musical 's 10th anniversary , the tour played an eight @-@ week return engagement , returning to the Oriental Theatre , from October 30 through December 21 , 2013 . An open @-@ ended production also appeared in Los Angeles , California at the Pantages Theatre . Performances began on February 10 , 2007 , with an official opening on February 21 . Megan Hilty and original Broadway standby Eden Espinosa were Glinda and Elphaba respectively while Carol Kane was Madame Morrible , Timothy Britten Parker was Doctor Dillamond , Jenna Leigh Green was Nessarose , Adam Wylie was Boq , Kristoffer Cusick was Fiyero , and John Rubinstein was the Wizard . The production closed on January 11 , 2009 , after 791 performances and 12 previews . The first national touring production returned to the Pantages Theatre for a limited engagement from November 30 , 2011 until January 29 , 2012 . Another engagement played at the Pantages Theatre for an extended run lasting from December 10 , 2014 until the tour 's closing performance on March 15 , 2015 . This LA production was also featured in " Something Wicked This Way Comes " , a 2007 episode of Ugly Betty , as the Broadway production of Wicked , which is a major setting and plot point of the episode . A San Francisco production of Wicked officially opened February 6 , 2009 , at SHN 's Orpheum Theatre , following previews from January 27 . The cast included Teal Wicks as Elphaba , Kendra Kassebaum as Glinda , Nicolas Dromard as Fiyero , Carol Kane as Madame Morrible , David Garrison as the Wizard , Deedee Magno Hall as Nessarose , Tom Flynn as Doctor Dillamond , and Eddy Rioseco as Boq . The production closed on September 5 , 2010 , after 672 performances and 12 previews with Marcie Dodd as Elphaba and Alli Mauzey as Glinda . The first national touring company ended their second San Francisco engagement at the Orpheum Theatre , which ran January 23 – February 17 , 2013 . The second national tour of Wicked ( called the " Munchkinland Tour " ) began in 2009 with previews on March 7 and official opening night on March 12 at the Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall in Fort Myers , Florida . Like the first , this touring production has since visited numerous cities throughout North America . The original cast starred Marcie Dodd as Elphaba , Helene Yorke as Glinda , Colin Donnell as Fiyero , Kristine Reese as Nessarose , Marilyn Caskey as Madame Morrible , David deVries as Doctor Dillamond , Ted Ely as Boq and Tom McGowan as the Wizard . = = = London = = = The West End production began previews at the Apollo Victoria Theatre from September 7th , and officially opened on September 27th , 2006 . The production is currently booking until April 29th , 2017 and celebrated its fifth anniversary in 2011 with a special curtain call featuring former West End cast members . On June 3 , 2014 , the production became the 10th longest running show in the West End . The London production was tailored slightly for a British audience , including minor creative changes to dialogue , choreography and special effects . A majority of these changes were later incorporated into all productions of Wicked . The changes include Elphaba first meeting Fiyero when he first arrives at Shiz University . In addition , the waltz between Elphaba and the Wizard during Wonderful was removed . The West End production reunited the show 's original creative team with Idina Menzel , who had originated the role of Elphaba in the Broadway production . Original London cast members included Helen Dallimore as Glinda , Miriam Margolyes as Madame Morrible , Adam Garcia as Fiyero , Martin Ball as Doctor Dillamond , James Gillan as Boq , Katie Rowley Jones as Nessarose and Nigel Planer as the Wizard . After her limited engagement , Menzel was succeeded by Kerry Ellis , who became the first British woman to assume the role of Elphaba and the following year , the second actress to play Elphaba on Broadway and in the West End productions . Wicked will have the premiere of its first Autism @-@ Friendly performance on 14 May 2016 . The production was working with the National Autistic Society to adapt the show for people with autism . = = = U.K. and Ireland tour = = = The show began its first national tour of the UK and Ireland on September 12 , 2013 at the Palace Theatre in Manchester , where it is played to November 16 . It then played Dublin in 2013 , and in 2014 , Milton Keynes , Cardiff , Glasgow , Leeds , Birmingham , Liverpool , Southampton and Edinburgh . In 2015 , the tour visited Plymouth , Bristol , Sunderland and Aberdeen , before concluding in Salford on July 25 , 2015 . The original cast comprised former West End standby Nikki Davis @-@ Jones as Elphaba , with former ensemble member of the West End production , Emily Tierney , as Glinda . Alongside them were Liam Doyle as Fiyero , Marilyn Cutts as Madame Morrible , Carina Gillespie as Nessarose and George Ure , who was reprising his role as Boq from the West End production . For the first time , the roles of The Wizard and Doctor Dillamond were played by a single actor , Dale Rapley . At the time , the only other actor to play both roles in a single performance was London 's David Stoller in November 2008 , but this was only due to the absence of several actors . Another former West End standby , Ashleigh Gray , took over as Elphaba for the tour 's second contract run , making her the second actress after Davis @-@ Jones to have played the role in both the West End and the UK touring production . Originally , Davis @-@ Jones was due to leave in order to return to the London company and lead its cast , however , it was later announced that , towards the end of her run in August 2014 she had withdrawn from the tour and subsequently would not be appearing in the West End . The tour is expected to re @-@ launch in July 2016 . The show will open with its only UK dates being a 5 @-@ week run at the Bradford Alhambra before heading to Asia . = = = Australian productions = = = An Australian production officially opened on July 12 , 2008 , with previews commencing June 27 at the Regent Theatre in Melbourne . Amanda Harrison was originally cast as Elphaba , with Lucy Durack as Glinda . The original cast consisted of Rob Mills as Fiyero , Anthony Callea as Boq , Rob Guest as the Wizard , Maggie Kirkpatrick as Madame Morrible , Penny McNamee as Nessarose and Rodney Dobson as Doctor Dillamond . Guest unexpectedly died months into the Melbourne season , with the role being taken up by Bert Newton . Closing in Melbourne August 9 , 2009 , the show transferred to Sydney 's Capitol Theatre . Previews began on September 5 , 2009 , with the official opening on September 12 . Shortly into the run , Harrison was forced to leave the role of Elphaba , so current standby Jemma Rix and Australian theatre veteran Pippa Grandison began to share the role , each appearing in four shows per week . Eventually , it was confirmed that she would not be returning to the cast . Closing in Sydney September 26 , 2010 , the production embarked on a national Australian tour which began at the QPAC Lyric Theatre in Brisbane . After a two @-@ week delay due to the Queensland floods , performances began January 25 , 2011 , and ran until April 2 . Rix became the sole lead Elphaba with David Harris joining as the new Fiyero . The touring production then moved to the Festival Centre in Adelaide , running from April 14 until June 4 , 2011 , with the final leg of the tour playing the Burswood Theatre in Perth , from June 19 to September 11 , 2011 , wrapping up more than three years of performances in Australia . An Asian tour began at Singapore 's Grand Theater in Marina Bay from December 6 , 2011 with Suzie Mathers taking over as Glinda opposite Rix . After the Singapore engagement of the tour closed April 22 , 2012 , performances began in Seoul , Korea from May 31 through October 6 , 2012 . The show then made its premiere in New Zealand , with previews taking place on September 17 , 2013 , and the official opening night on September 21 . The Auckland run concluded on November 24 , 2013 , where it played the Civic Theatre . The cast then moved on to the Main Theater of the Cultural Center of the Philippines in Manila on a limited run from January 22 through March 9 , 2014 after having been extended from its original closing date . At the time of the Wicked ’ s 10th Anniversary on Broadway , the show announced it would return to Australia for a commemorative national tour , beginning in Melbourne on May 10 , 2014 . Lucy Durack returned as Glinda , with Jemma Rix continuing as Elphaba . The final cast included Suzie Mathers ( who had returned once Durack announced her pregnancy ) as Glinda , Steve Danielsen as Fiyero , Simon Gallaher as the Wizard , Edward Grey as Boq , Emily Cascarino as Nessarose , Glen Hogstrom as Doctor Dillamond and original cast members Jemma Rix as Elphaba and Maggie Kirkpatrick as Madame Morrible . After seven years and close to 2 @,@ 000 performances across 8 different cities internationally , Wicked closed indefinitely at the Burswood Theatre in Perth on June 28 , 2015 . In 2015 , CLOC announced a non @-@ professional performance in May 2016 at The National Theatre in Melbourne . The show , which was the Australian amateur premiere , ran from 16 to 21 May 2016 . Redcliffe Musical Theatre will stage the Queensland amateur premiere from 29 July to 14 August 2016 . = = = Subsequent international productions = = = A condensed thirty @-@ minute version of the musical played at Universal Studios Japan in Osaka , Japan . Australian Jemma Rix was part of the original cast , alternating the role of Elphaba with Jillian Giaachi and Taylor Jordan . The show , which opened on July 12 , 2006 , featured the preliminary storyline of Act 1 but Fiyero , Madame Morrible , Boq , Nessarose and Doctor Dillamond were absent and there were considerable changes in sets and costumes . The final performance took place on January 11 , 2011 . The first replicated non @-@ English production opened in Tokyo , Japan , on June 17 , 2007 with Hamada Megumi as Elphaba and Numao Miyuki as Glinda . The production closed on September 6 , 2009 , in preparation for its transfer to Osaka . After opening on October 11 , 2009 , the Osaka production closed on February 13 , 2011 , featuring Ebata Masae as Elphaba with Tomada Asako as Glinda . The production then moved again to Fukuoka on April 2 , 2011 where its original stars were Ebata Masae ( Elphaba ) and Numao Miyuki ( Glinda ) . After its closure in Fukuoka on August 28 , 2011 , the production re @-@ located to Nagoya with performances beginning September 23 . It starred Masae Ebata and Asako Tomada as Elphaba and Glinda , respectively . Wicked re @-@ opened in Tokyo at the Dentsu Shiki Theatre on August 3 , 2013 . The production closed on November 16 , 2014 . And the Production re @-@ located to Sapporo in May 2016 . Renamed Wicked : Die Hexen von Oz ( Wicked : The Witches of Oz ) , the German production of Wicked began previews on November 1 , 2007 and opened on November 15 , at the Palladium Theater in Stuttgart . Willemijn Verkaik played Elphaba , Lucy Scherer played Glinda , Mark Seibert played Fiyero , Angelika Wedekind was Madame Morrible , Nicole Radeschnig was Nessarose , Stefan Stara was Boq , Michael Gunther was Doctor Dillamond , and Carlo Lauber played the Wizard . The production was produced by Stage Entertainment and closed on January 29 , 2010 , and transferred to Oberhausen where previews began at the Metronom Theater am CentrO on March 5 , 2010 , with an opening night of March 8 . The cast featured Willemijn Verkaik as Elphaba , Joana Fee Würz as Glinda , Barbara Raunegger as Madame Morrible , Mathias Edenborn as Fiyero , Janine Tippl as Nessarose , Ben Darmanin as Boq , Thomas Wissmann as Doctor Dillamond , and Carlo Lauber as the Wizard . Willemijn Verkaik left the role of Elphaba in February 2011 , after being consistently billed as lead for almost three and a half years between the Stuttgart and Oberhausen productions . The Oberhausen production closed on September 2 , 2011 . A brand new production , notable for not being a replica of the original Broadway staging , opened at the City Theatre in Helsinki , Finland on August 26 , 2010 after a preview performance took place on August 24 . Directed by Hans Berndtsson , the production stars Maria Ylipää as Elphaba , Anna @-@ Maija Tuokko as Glinda , Tuukka Leppänen as Fiyero , Ursula Salo as Madame Morrible , Vuokko Hovatta as Nessarose , Antti Lang as Boq , Heikki Sankari as Doctor Dillamond , and Eero Saarinen as the Wizard . The second non @-@ replicated production ran in Copenhagen , Denmark from January 12 until May 29 , 2011 , and was presented by Det Ny Teater . The cast included Annette Heick as Glinda , Maria Lucia Heiberg Rosenberg as Elphaba , John Martin Bengtsson as Fiyero , Marianne Mortensen as Madame Morrible , Anais Lueken as Nessarose , Kim Hammelsvang Henriksen as Boq , Kristian Boland as Doctor Dillamond and Steen Springborg as the Wizard . A Dutch @-@ language production began previews at the Circustheater in Scheveningen , The Netherlands on October 26 , 2011 and was produced by Joop van den Ende Theaterproducties / Stage Entertainment . The official opening took place on November 6 . Willemijn Verkaik reprises her role of Elphaba from the German productions , becoming the first actress to play the role in two different languages . She is joined by Chantal Janzen as Glinda , Jim Bakkum as Fiyero , Pamela Teves as Madame Morrible , Christanne de Bruijn as Nessarose , Niels Jacobs as Boq , Jochem Feste Roozemond as Doctor Dillamond and Bill van Dijk in the role of the Wizard . As musicals do not usually run for a long open @-@ ended run in the Netherlands , closing night took place as announced on January 11 , 2013 , following a 14 @-@ month run . The first Spanish @-@ language production opened in Mexico City , Mexico on October 17 , 2013 , following previews from October 10 . Produced by OCESA Teatro , the replica production plays at the Teatro Telcel . Former child star , Danna Paola , shares the role of Elphaba with Ana Cecilia Anzaldúa , making the 18 @-@ year @-@ old Paola the youngest actress in history to take on the role . They are both joined by Cecilia de la Cueva and Majo Pérez as Glinda , Jorge Lau as Fiyero , Anahi Allué as Madame Morrible , Marisol Meneses as Nessarose , Adam Sadwing as Boq and Beto Torres as Doctor Dillamond . Eugenio Montessoro was originally cast as the Wizard , but was replaced during previews by Paco Morales , for unknown reasons . Sebastian Treviño and Estibalitz Ruiz are recurrent Boq and Nessa Understudies and play the roles once a week . The first Korean @-@ language production began performances in Seoul on November 22 , 2013 and is an all @-@ new replica production . This production , located at the Charlotte Theater in Songpa , ran from November 22 , 2013 , to October 5 , 2014 . In November 2015 , the company " Time For Fun " , a leading company in the entertainment market in Latin America , announced the adaptation of the musical in Brazil , that debuted in March 2016 in São Paulo . = = Film adaptation = = A film adaptation of Wicked had been in talks since 2004 , though producers were waiting for a dip in the stage musical 's earnings . Since 2012 , Universal Studios were reported to be producing the film with Stephen Daldry as director and Winnie Holzman , who wrote the musical 's book , to pen the screenplay . After long development , Universal announced in 2016 that the film will be released in theaters on December 20 , 2019 . Daldry is still scheduled to direct it , and the script is to be co @-@ written by the musical 's creators , Holzman and Schwartz . = = Response = = = = = Awards and nominations = = = The original Broadway production of Wicked was nominated for 10 Tony Awards in 2004 , including Best Musical ; Book ; Orchestrations ; Original Score ; Choreography ; Costume Design ; Lighting Design ; Scenic Design while receiving two nominations for Best Actress – for Menzel and Chenoweth . Menzel won the Best Actress award , and the show also won the Tony Awards for Best Scenic Design and Best Costume Design , notably losing Best Book , Original Score and ultimately Best Musical to Avenue Q. The same year , the show won 6 Drama Desk Awards out of 11 nominations , including Outstanding Musical , Book , Director and Costume Design in addition to winning 4 Outer Critics Circle Awards out of 10 nominations . The original Broadway cast recording also received the 2005 Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album . Subsequent productions have received awards and nominations . The West End production received 5 Laurence Olivier Award nominations and later won the Audience Award for Most Popular Show at the 2010 award ceremony . The original Australian production received 6 Helpmann Awards out of 12 nominations , including Best Musical . Wicked was named the Best Musical of the Decade by Entertainment Weekly magazine and hailed " a cultural phenomenon " by Variety magazine . While not technically an " award " , the character of Elphaba was named 79th on Entertainment Weekly 's list of The 100 Greatest Characters of the Past 20 Years . = = = Critical reception = = = The Broadway production opened on October 30 , 2003 , to mixed reviews from theatre critics . Menzel and Chenoweth received nearly unanimous praise for their performances as Elphaba and Glinda . Both USA Today and Time Magazine gave the Broadway production of Wicked very positive reviews , with Richard Zoglin of Time saying , " If every musical had a brain , a heart and the courage of Wicked , Broadway really would be a magical place . " Elysa Gardner of USA Today described it as " the most complete , and completely satisfying , new musical I 've come across in a long time . " Conversely , Ben Brantley in the New York Times loved the production but panned the show itself , calling it a " sermon " that " so overplays its hand that it seriously dilutes its power , " with a " generic " score . He noted that Glinda is such a showy role that the audience ends up rooting for her rather than the " surprisingly colorless " Elphaba , who is " nominally " the hero . Despite these mixed reviews , interest in Wicked spread quickly by word @-@ of @-@ mouth , leading to record @-@ breaking success at the box office , as described below . Speaking to The Arizona Republic in 2006 , Schwartz commented , " What can I say ? Reviews are reviews .... I know we divided the critics . We didn 't divide the audience , and that 's what counts . " International productions have opened to similarly ambivalent critical reception . The West End production opened to a slightly more upbeat response . The majority of critics have appreciated the spectacle of the lavish production , and the " powerhouse " performances of actors in the roles of the two witches . However , contemporaries have characterized the production as overblown , occasionally preachy , and suffering from more hype than heart . Although Charles Spencer of The Daily Telegraph described it as " at times ... a bit of a mess , " he praised Holzman 's script , described Kenneth Posner 's lighting design as " magical " and lauded Menzel 's Elphaba and Helen Dallimore 's Glinda . Michael Billington of The Guardian gave it three out of five stars and remarked on the competence of all the lead actors ; however , he complained that Wicked was " all too typical of the modern Broadway musical : efficient , knowing and highly professional but more like a piece of industrial product than something that genuinely touches the heart or mind " . Paul Taylor of The Independent gave extremely negative remarks to his viewing of the London production , calling the attempt at topical political allegory " well @-@ meaning but also melodramatic , incoherent and dreadfully superficial " while deploring the acting , songs and book , concluding that " the production manages to feel at once overblown and empty . " = = = Commercial reception = = = Since its opening in 2003 , the original Broadway production of Wicked has broken the house record at the Gershwin Theatre twenty times . It regularly grosses in excess of $ 1 @.@ 6 million each week , making it one of the most lucrative productions on Broadway . With a $ 14 million capitalization , the Broadway production took 15 months to break even , earning back its initial investment by December 21 , 2004 . In its first year , it grossed more than $ 56 million . In the week ending January 1 , 2006 , Wicked broke the record , previously held by the musical The Producers , for the highest weekly box office gross in Broadway history , earning $ 1 @,@ 610 @,@ 934 . It has gone on to break its own record numerous times , reaching $ 1 @,@ 715 @,@ 155 in November 2006 , $ 1 @,@ 839 @,@ 950 , during the 2007 Christmas week , $ 2 @,@ 086 @,@ 135 for the week ending November 29 , 2009 , $ 2 @,@ 125 @,@ 740 just a few weeks later for the eight performances ending January 3 , 2010 , and over $ 2 @.@ 2 million in the week ending January 2 , 2011 . In the first week of 2012 , the Broadway production broke a record again , earning $ 2 @.@ 7 million . Wicked once again broke this record in the final week of 2012 when it grossed $ 2 @.@ 9 million . In the final weekend of 2013 , Wicked became the first musical to gross $ 3 million in one week . Wicked 's productions across North America and abroad have been equally financially successful . The Los Angeles production took the local weekly gross record , again from a performance of The Producers , bringing in $ 1 @,@ 786 @,@ 110 in the week ending March 4 , 2007 . The production joined its Broadway counterpart in setting a new record over Christmas 2007 with $ 1 @,@ 949 @,@ 968 , with records also set in Chicago ( $ 1 @,@ 418 @,@ 363 ) , and St Louis ( $ 2 @,@ 291 @,@ 608 ) , to bring the collective gross of the seven worldwide productions to a world record @-@ breaking $ 11 @.@ 2 million . A new suite of records were set over Christmas 2010 , with house records broken in San Francisco ( $ 1 @,@ 485 @,@ 692 ) , Providence ( $ 1 @,@ 793 @,@ 764 ) and Schenectady ( $ 1 @,@ 657 @,@ 139 ) as well as Broadway , bringing the musical 's one @-@ week gross in North America alone to $ 7 @,@ 062 @,@ 335 . Wicked played to more than 2 million visitors in Chicago with a gross of over $ 200 million , making it the highest @-@ grossing show in Chicago history by June 2007 . With an opening @-@ week gross of $ 1 @,@ 400 @,@ 000 , it continually set records and became the longest @-@ running Broadway musical in Chicago history . Producer David Stone told Variety , " we thought it [ the Chicago production ] would run 18 months , then we 'd spend a year in Los Angeles and six months in San Francisco ... but sales stayed so strong that the producers created another road show and kept the show running in Chicago . " In addition , over 2 @.@ 2 million saw the touring production in its first two years , which grossed over $ 155 million The Los Angeles production grossed over $ 145 million and was seen by more than 1 @.@ 8 million patrons . Over the 672 performances of the San Francisco production , Wicked sold over 1 million tickets with a cumulative gross of over $ 75 million . While the Broadway production of Wicked welcomed its 5 millionth audience member on September 29 , 2010 @,@ International productions of Wicked have matched the extremely positive reception at the box @-@ office . Although West End theatres do not publish audited weekly grosses , the West End production of Wicked claimed to take the record for highest one @-@ week gross in December 2006 , taking £ 761 @,@ 000 in the week ending December 30 . On June 23 , 2008 , the producers reported that over 1 @.@ 4 million people had seen the London production since its opening , and grosses had topped £ 50 million ; The same reports stated that the show has consistently been one of the two highest @-@ grossing shows in the West End . For the week commencing December 27 , 2010 , the London production grossed £ 1 @,@ 002 @,@ 885 , the highest single @-@ week gross in West End theatre history , with over 20 @,@ 000 theatregoers attending the nine performances of Wicked that week . The Melbourne production broke Australian box @-@ office records , selling 24 @,@ 750 tickets in three hours during pre @-@ sales and grossing over $ 1 @.@ 3 million on the first business day after its official opening . On April 27 , 2009 , the production passed the milestone of 500 @,@ 000 patrons . When it transferred to Sydney , the production broke " all previous weekly box office records for a musical at the Capitol Theatre , grossing $ 1 @,@ 473 @,@ 775 @.@ 70 " in one week during October 2009 . In the week ending October 17 , 2010 , Wicked became only the third musical in Broadway history to exceed $ 500 million in total gross . By seats sold on Broadway , it ranks tenth of all time . As of September 2011 , Wicked 's North American and international companies have cumulatively grossed nearly $ 2 @.@ 5 billion and have been seen by nearly 30 million people worldwide . The original production still runs today and currently stands as the 11th longest @-@ running Broadway show in history . Wicked celebrated its 1,000th performance on Broadway on March 23 , 2006 . Several other productions have also reached the 1,000th performance milestone , including the first North American touring company on August 15 , 2007 , the Chicago company on November 14 , 2007 , the West End company on February 14 , 2009 , the Australian company on May 7 , 2011 and the second North American touring company on August 4 , 2011 . = = = Behind the Emerald Curtain = = = The success of the Broadway production has led to the development of an auxiliary show , Behind the Emerald Curtain , created by Sean McCourt – an original Broadway production cast member who played the Witch 's Father , among other roles , in addition to understudying the Wizard and Doctor Dillamond , before taking over the latter principal role – and Anthony Galde who was a long @-@ running swing in the Broadway company from 2004 to 2012 . The tour features a ninety @-@ minute behind @-@ the @-@ scenes look at the props , masks , costumes and sets used in the show , and includes a question @-@ and @-@ answer session with the cast members . The Broadway tour is currently led by McCourt and long @-@ running ensemble member and Glinda understudy Lindsay K. Northen . The tour also featured in the Los Angeles , San Francisco and Chicago sit @-@ down productions , and were each run by different long @-@ serving cast members of the show . The tour provides a behind the scenes look at what goes into putting on the show every day . Participants get a first hand account of what it is like to be a part of the massive production that Wicked is . = = In popular culture = = The success of Wicked has made several of the show 's songs popular and has resulted in references to the show , characters , and songs in popular culture . The Broadway production has been featured in episodes of television programs , including Brothers & Sisters and The War at Home . For filming purposes , the Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles doubled for the Gershwin Theatre on Broadway in Ugly Betty in an episode titled " Something Wicked This Way Comes " in which Betty , the show 's protagonist , goes to see Wicked on a date and accidentally stops the show . In the previous episode " Brothers " , Betty gets tickets to see Wicked and discusses with a friend how much she relates to Elphaba 's outcast status in a popularity and beauty @-@ oriented environment ; In addition , The Simpsons episode " Donnie Fatso " sees Homer Simpson and Moe Szyslak accidentally sneak into a Springfield production of the show while the South Park episode " Broadway Bro Down " features Wicked and other musicals and have these shows contain subliminal messaging . In the episode , these messages persuade women into performing oral sex upon their spouse or boyfriend . The television series Glee has featured covers of songs from Wicked four times : firstly in the " Wheels " episode where two students ( Rachel and Kurt ) compete for a lead solo , using the song " Defying Gravity " , secondly in the " New York " episode where the same students duet on the Gershwin stage and sing " For Good " , on the show 's 100th episode , where three students sing " Defying Gravity " together and in the series ' penultimate episode , the same students sing " Popular " . On the show New Girl , a main character ( Winston ) sings the songs " Popular " and " Defying Gravity " on a trip to Mexico . A clip of the song " Popular " also plays in the 2009 movie Zombieland . Entertainer John Barrowman sang a version of " The Wizard and I " ( retitled " The Doctor and I ) on his 2008 UK tour , with adapted lyrics referring to his Doctor Who and Torchwood character Jack 's affection for The Doctor . Kerry Ellis , who played Elphaba in the West End and on Broadway , recorded " I 'm Not that Girl " for the fifth anniversary edition of the original Broadway cast recording . She also recorded her own rock version of " Defying Gravity " . Both songs were produced by British musician Brian May and were featured on her extended play Wicked in Rock ( 2008 ) and debut album Anthems ( 2010 ) . She performed her version of " Defying Gravity " at the 2008 Royal Variety Performance alongside May on guitar . A dance remix of her rock version of " Defying Gravity " was later released in 2011 . Louise Dearman , who has played both Elphaba and Glinda in the West End , released an acoustic version of " Defying Gravity " for the Wicked edition of her album Here Comes the Sun . Her former co @-@ star and London Elphaba Rachel Tucker also covered " Defying Gravity " on her debut album The Reason ( 2013 ) . Rapper Drake and singer Mika both sampled the musical 's song in their songs " Popular " and " Popular Song " respectively . American band Wheatus released an EP ' The Lightning EP ' in their ' Pop , Songs & Death ' series that was inspired by Wicked with heavy influences throughout including lyrics in " Real Girl " such as " You were the perfect colour , Bright green lady " with Elphaba and Scarecrow @-@ like characters in the video . The cover art for the album was also bright green and included an Elphaba @-@ style hat . Media as diverse as the anime series Red Garden , the daytime drama Passions and the Buffy the Vampire Slayer graphic novels have all parodied Wicked 's songs and characters . At the start of the second of three episodes of the miniseries , Tin Man ( another adaptation of Baum 's Ozian universe ) , protagonist DG refers to her father as " Popsicle " vice the more common names " Pop " or " Pappi " , echoing Galinda in her letter home at the start of " What is this Feeling ? " . Also , in the second episode of the ABC Family drama series Huge , one of the characters wears a " Shiz University " athletic Dept T @-@ shirt , while Wicked and its " long lines " have been mentioned in the Nickelodeon series iCarly . The Broadway musical Shrek the Musical parodies the show 's Act I finale with " What 's Up , Duloc ? " ; character Lord Farquaad re @-@ enacts " Defying Gravity " by proclaiming " No one 's gonna bring me down " followed by the legato belt while atop his castle . The end of the song " Killer Instinct " in Bring It On the Musical parodies the closing notes of " No One Mourns the Wicked . " The Oscar @-@ winning song " Let It Go " from the successful 2013 Disney film Frozen , that also won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature , had been compared to " Defying Gravity " due to its similar theme and similar singing style , and was sung by the original Elphaba Idina Menzel . Willemijn Verkaik voiced the Dutch and German versions of the role of Elsa in Frozen and sang Let It Go in these two languages . This became another role originally played by Idina Menzel that Willemijn Verkaik played , following her success in the German , Dutch and English language productions of Wicked .

= John O 'Reily = John O 'Reily ( born John O 'Reilly , 19 November 1846 – 6 July 1915 ) was an Australian Roman Catholic clergyman , the first Bishop of Port Augusta , and the second Archbishop of Adelaide . Born in Kilkenny , Ireland , O 'Reily studied for the priesthood in Dublin . Upon his ordination in 1869 , he migrated to Western Australia , serving as a parish priest in Fremantle , and founding a Catholic newspaper there . When the Diocese of Port Augusta was established in 1887 , Pope Leo XIII named O 'Reily as its first bishop . Concerned about the financial position of the diocese ( which had inherited significant debt from the Diocese of Adelaide ) , he accepted the posting reluctantly . As bishop , he greatly improved the financial position of the new diocese , reducing its debt by half and earning a reputation as a competent administrator . In 1894 , O 'Reily was appointed to replace the deceased Christopher Reynolds as Archbishop of Adelaide . The archdiocese he inherited was burdened with substantial debt , again left over from the old Diocese of Adelaide . Through the sale of church assets and a fundraising campaign , O 'Reily was able to eliminate most of the Archdiocese 's liabilities while still investing in church infrastructure . He also actively participated in public discussions relating to education policy at a time when the role of the state in supporting religious education was topical . O 'Reily publicly advocated government assistance for religious schools , stating that it was unfair Catholics paid taxes to support state schools , but received no funding for their own . In the later years of his life , poor health forced him to spend less time attending to his episcopal duties , and from 1905 , he largely retreated from public life . At his request , Robert Spence was appointed as his coadjutor and successor in 1914 , and on 6 July 1915 , he died at his house in Adelaide . O 'Reily was highly regarded by many in South Australian society , with Adelaide 's daily newspapers praising his character , administrative ability and positive relations with non @-@ Catholics . = = Early life = = O 'Reily was born John O 'Reilly on 19 November 1846 , in Kilkenny , Ireland , the son of Michael , a military officer , and Anne , née Gallagher . He completed his primary education at the parochial school of St. John 's Parish , and spent six and a half years at St Kieran 's College . Due to poor health , he decided against pursuing a military career , and in 1864 he entered All Hallows College in Dublin to study for the priesthood . He learnt Irish , and studied mental philosophy , mathematics and ecclesiastical studies , achieving first prize in each of his classes . After being ordained on 21 June 1869 , he left Ireland for Western Australia in October , arriving in January 1870 . Having served briefly in Newcastle ( present day Toodyay ) and Northam , he became a parish priest in Fremantle , establishing the West Australian Catholic Record in 1874 and serving as its publisher , editor and printer from 1883 . = = Bishop of Port Augusta = = Following a recommendation from the first plenary council of Australia and New Zealand in 1885 , in May 1887 Pope Leo XIII elevated the Diocese of Adelaide to an Archdiocese and metropolitan see . As a suffragan diocese to Adelaide , the Pope established the rural Diocese of Port Pirie , naming O 'Reilly as its inaugural bishop . Upon his appointment , O 'Reilly travelled to Adelaide , where he met with the Archbishop of Adelaide Christopher Reynolds and the Cardinal of Sydney Patrick Moran to discuss the formation of the new diocese . The poor financial state of the Archdiocese made the discussions contentious , with O 'Reilly concerned about the amount of debt Port Augusta would inherit from Adelaide . To ensure a sufficiently large population for the new diocese , Moran suggested that its boundaries be altered from those drawn up by the Pope , but Reynolds opposed this plan . Dissatisfied with the outcome of the discussions , O 'Reilly decided to travel to Sydney to deliberate further with the Cardinal , prompting Reynolds to write to Moran : " If the Holy See would think well of giving the entire colony of South Australia to the care of Dr O 'Reily , [ sic ] I would offer no opposition to it and would gladly enter a monastery and spend my few remaining years in preparation for the end ! " On 27 October , O 'Reilly wrote to Pope Leo XIII requesting permission to reverse his decision to accept the appointment to Port Augusta , believing he would be unable to administer a diocese with such significant debt and such a small , impoverished population . In addition , he wrote , he had no personal wealth to contribute to the finances of the diocese . The concerns O 'Reilly raised prompted Cardinal Simeoni of the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith to call for an official church inquiry into the financial situation of the South Australian dioceses . The report found a total of almost £ 38 @,@ 000 of debt , with the new Port Augusta diocese bearing £ 18 @,@ 000 . Following the report , O 'Reilly 's request was refused , and on 1 May 1888 , he was consecrated in St Mary 's Cathedral in Sydney . Later that year , in an effort to save time while signing documents , O 'Reilly removed an " l " from his surname . Although the Sisters of St. Joseph operated eight primary schools in the Diocese of Port Augusta , it was without a Catholic high school — boarding or otherwise . Accordingly , while he was staying in Sydney for his consecration , O 'Reily sought to establish a convent for the Sydney @-@ based Sisters of the Good Samaritan in Port Pirie . At the bishop 's expense , the order 's Mother @-@ General spent two months in Port Pirie , and once she had found appropriate living quarters , a school was established , teaching over 100 students . A convent for the sisters was completed in 1890 on the same block as the school . Upon his return to South Australia , O 'Reily immediately set about improving the financial situation of the Diocese of Port Augusta . He requested financial assistance from the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith , and divided the diocese into fund @-@ raising districts , campaigning for contributions in each of them . With the permission of Archbishop Thomas Carr in Melbourne , O 'Reily toured parishes in Victoria asking for funds for his new diocese . By 1893 , he had reduced the diocesan debt by half , with his peers describing him as a " practical , clear @-@ headed man of business " due to his administrative ability . While Bishop of Port Augusta , O 'Reily showed an interest in education policy . He authored a pastoral letter on the matter in March 1889 , and the next year gave a speech criticising the lack of government funding for Catholic schools . According to O 'Reily , it was unfair and unjust that Catholics paid taxes to support state schools but received no government support for their own . O 'Reily 's views on education were frequently cited when the Free Education Bill ( which aimed to make state schools free ) came before the South Australian Parliament in 1890 , but the cost of the scheme meant that the bill was not passed . Although there was some discussion of funding for religious schools when the bill was reintroduced the next year , these proposals failed to gain significant parliamentary support , and in 1891 , the bill was passed without assistance for religious schools . O 'Reily suffered a long and serious illness through early 1894 and continued to suffer from migraines throughout the year , forcing him to delegate many of his duties to James Maher ( his vicar general ) and John Norton ( an official consultor ) who would later become , respectively , the second and third Bishops of Port Augusta . = = Archbishop of Adelaide = = After suffering a two @-@ year illness , Archbishop Reynolds died in June 1893 , and by January 1894 , rumours of O 'Reily being appointed as his successor were published in Port Augusta papers . Although he dismissed such speculation , a letter of appointment arrived from Rome in March , naming him as the next Archbishop of Adelaide . = = = Archdiocesan finances = = = As Bishop of Port Augusta , O 'Reily had fought to minimise the debt inherited from the old Diocese of Adelaide . Having reduced the new diocese 's debts by half in his six years as bishop , upon becoming Archbishop of Adelaide , O 'Reily found the rest of the old diocesan liabilities awaiting him , their size having actually increased . In 1895 , he presented a report on the state of the archdiocesan finances to the Sunday congregation in St. Francis Xavier 's Cathedral , revealing total liabilities of just over £ 37 @,@ 000 . O 'Reily reckoned £ 10 @,@ 000 could be paid off by selling land owned by the Archdiocese . Two weeks after his address , a meeting of Adelaide Catholics supported moves to liquidate the archdiocesan debts , with £ 3 @,@ 600 pledged at that meeting , including £ 1 @,@ 000 over four years from O 'Reily himself , a significant portion of his income . Since the sale or mortgaging of church land required an act of Parliament , in 1896 , the South Australian Parliament unanimously approved The Catholic Church Endowment Society Incorporated Sale of Lands Bill . This allowed the Archbishop to make good on his intention to sell all diocesan land not used for church purposes , and over the next few years , land , surplus vestments and works of art owned by the Archdiocese were sold off . These sales , combined the efforts of the Archbishop and diocesan priests to secure donations from around the Archdiocese , meant that by 1901 O 'Reily was able to report that the debt had been reduced by three @-@ quarters . This had been achieved at the same time as expenditure was being made on new schools , churches and other diocesan buildings . In fact , O 'Reily noted in his report for that year that the remainder of the debt could have been removed had expenditure been cut , writing : " Were we but willing to check our expansion and in checking it , check our expenditure as well , the last vestige of our debts would speedily have disappeared . Living things must grow , however . Our churches , our schools , our charitable institutions must expand and multiply . We have future needs to provide for as well as at present . " = = = Education policy = = = As Archbishop , O 'Reily continued his participation in public discussions regarding education . In 1896 , a colony @-@ wide referendum sought to gauge public opinion on state education , scripture reading in state schools , and the provision of capitation grants ( fixed grants per student ) to non @-@ state schools . O 'Reily weighed into the debate in The Register , giving conditional support to scriptural instruction in state schools , so long as the teachers themselves were religious and Catholic students received instruction from Catholic teachers . On the subject of a capitation grant , O 'Reily was strongly supportive , arguing that moral impediments prevented Catholics from using secular education , and that , since religious schools provided elements of secular education as well as religious instruction , they should receive government assistance . At the referendum , South Australians affirmed the system of free secular education , but rejected scriptural readings in schools and the capitation grant . O 'Reily blamed the Labor Party for the loss of the capitation grant . According to O 'Reily , the serving Premier Charles Kingston could have been convinced to support the grant were it not for the objections of Labor , with whom Kingston had formed a coalition government . In 1899 , in the lead @-@ up to that year 's general election , O 'Reily gave a speech criticising the Labor Party , accusing some Labor leaders of having " an evident disposition to crush [ Catholic labourers ] with successive burdens . " = = Later life and legacy = = In 1904 , O 'Reily travelled Europe to make his ad limina visit to Rome , and to visit his native Ireland where he was made a freeman of Kilkenny . Due to poor health , from 1905 , O 'Reily kept to himself in his house in Glen Osmond , leading to the local press referring to him as the " Recluse of Glen Osmond " . Increasingly , his episcopal duties were fulfilled by Bishop of Port Augusta John Norton , who would have to visit the more remote parts of O 'Reily 's see on his behalf . As he became more frail , O 'Reily would ask certain priests to accompany him when he travelled , among whom was the Dominican prior Robert Spence . When O 'Reily requested a coadjutor in 1913 , he chose Spence as his first preference for the role . Despite the reluctance of some clergy to the appointment of a religious as Archbishop , Spence was consecrated as coadjutor , with right of succession , in August 1914 . O 'Reily died on 6 July 1915 at his house in Glen Osmond , and was buried under a large Celtic cross at the West Terrace Cemetery . During his time as Archbishop , O 'Reily had formed positive relationships with many senior members of South Australian society , including the Anglican Bishop of Adelaide Nutter Thomas , and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of South Australia , Samuel Way , who considered him a friend . In an editorial in 1913 , The Advertiser praised O 'Reily , lauding his administrative abilities and crediting the good relations between Protestants and Catholics in South Australia to his " broadness of mind and to his quiet determination to avoid all unnecessary controversy . " Upon his death , The Register gave a glowing editorial , describing him as " loveable and highly estimable " , a " hard hitter " and asserting that , had he not been a religious leader , he could have been " a leading financier , Imperial legislator or even an eminent military commander . "

= SS El Occidente = SS El Occidente was a cargo ship for the Morgan Line , a subsidiary of the Southern Pacific Company . During World War I , she was known as USAT El Occidente in service with the United States Army and as USS El Occidente ( ID @-@ 3307 ) in service with the United States Navy . At the end of war , she reverted to her original name of SS El Occidente . Built in 1910 , SS El Occidente was one of four sister ships that carried cargo and a limited number of passengers for the Morgan Line . She was acquired by the U.S. Army after the United States entered World War I in April 1917 , and converted to carry horses and mules to France . In February 1918 , she fought a 20 @-@ minute gun battle with two German submarines , destroying the periscope of one . In August 1918 , the ship was transferred to the U.S. Navy and continued transporting animals through the end of the war . El Occidente returned to the Morgan Line in 1919 and sailed with them until June 1941 , when the entire Morgan Line fleet was purchased by the United States Maritime Commission . While serving as a civilian @-@ crewed cargo ship during World War II , El Occidente was torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U @-@ 435 on 13 April 1942 . = = Early career = = SS El Occidente was a cargo and passenger steamship launched on 24 September 1910 by the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co. of Newport News , Virginia ( yard no . 133 ) , and delivered to the Atlantic division of the Morgan Line on 2 December 1910 . She was the newest of four sister ships ; the older three being El Sol , El Mundo , and El Oriente . El Occidente was 6 @,@ 008 gross register tons ( GRT ) , was 430 feet 2 inches ( 131 @.@ 11 m ) long by 53 feet 1 inch ( 16 @.@ 18 m ) abeam , and made 15 @.@ 5 knots ( 28 @.@ 7 km / h ) . The vessel sailed for the Morgan Line , the brand name of the Southern Pacific Steamship Company ( a subsidiary of the Southern Pacific Railroad ) , which employed her to carry cargo and a limited number of passengers between New York and New Orleans , the eastern terminus of the Southern Pacific line . In April 1913 , The New York Times reported that El Occidente , loaded only with cargo , had rammed a schooner in fog off the New Jersey coast . Responding to a wireless message , the Savannah steamer City of Montgomery came alongside El Occidente to offer assistance , but was refused . The name and fate of the schooner were not reported . = = World War I = = After the United States declared war on Germany in April 1917 , the United States Army , needing transports to get its men and materiel to France , had a select committee of shipping executives pore over registries of American shipping . The committee selected El Occidente and thirteen other American @-@ flagged ships that were sufficiently fast , could carry enough fuel in their bunkers for transatlantic crossings , and , most importantly , were in port or not far at sea . After El Occidente discharged her last load of passengers and cargo , she was officially handed over to the Army on 30 May . Before any troop transportation could be undertaken , all of the ships had to be hastily refitted . Of the fourteen ships , four , including El Occidente , were designated to carry animals and cargo ; the other ten were designated to carry human passengers . The four ships designated to carry animals had to have ramps and stalls built . All the ships had to have gun platforms installed , before each ship docked at the Brooklyn Navy Yard to have the guns themselves installed . All the ships were manned by merchant officers and crews but carried two U.S. Navy officers , Navy gun crews , quartermasters , signalmen , and wireless operators . The senior Navy officer on board would take control if a ship came under attack . The American convoy carrying the first units of the American Expeditionary Force was broken into four groups ; El Occidente was in the fourth group with Montanan , Dakotan , and Edward Luckenbach , and escorts consisting of cruiser St. Louis , U.S. Navy transport Hancock , and destroyers Shaw , Ammen , and Flusser . El Occidente departed with her group on the morning of 17 June for Brest , France , steaming at an 11 @-@ knot ( 20 km / h ) pace . A thwarted submarine attack on the first convoy group , and reports of heavy submarine activity off of Brest resulted in a change in the convoy 's destination to Saint @-@ Nazaire . El Occidente departed Saint @-@ Nazaire on 14 July in the company of her convoy mates Dakotan , Montanan , and Edward Luckenbach . Joining the return trip were Army transport Momus , Navy armed collier Cyclops , Navy oiler Kanawha , and cruiser Seattle , the flagship of Rear Admiral Albert Gleaves , the head of the Navy 's Cruiser and Transport Force . Sources do not reveal El Occidente 's movements over the next eight months . But in April 1918 , the Chicago Daily Tribune reported on an encounter El Occidente had with two German submarines that had occurred on 2 February . In a 20 @-@ minute running gun battle , Naval Armed Guardsmen aboard El Occidente exchanged fire with two U @-@ boats , one on the port and one on the starboard . The news item reported that El Occidente 's gunners had demolished the periscope of one of her attackers . El Occidente 's next recorded convoy trip took place on 23 March , when she sailed with Navy transports Martha Washington and Powhatan , Army transport ship Finland , and cruiser Pueblo , arriving in France on 4 April . El Occidente next sailed on 18 May with President Grant , Calamares , stores ship Bridge , and Italian steamer Duca degli Abruzzi . Rendezvousing with a contingent of transports from Newport News — Madawaska , Pocahontas , Zeelandia , and Italian steamer Re d 'Italia — the convoy was escorted by American cruiser Huntington , and destroyers Little and Kimberly . The convoy arrived in France on 30 May . On 10 July , El Occidente departed Newport News with Navy transports Aeolus , Powhatan , Martha Washington , Matsonia , but had to return to port with a leaky gas injector . On 27 August 1918 , El Occidente was transferred to the Navy and commissioned the same day with Lt. Commander E. S. Campbell , USNRF . El Occidente loaded cargo and 585 horses and mules , and sailed for France on 17 September . Five animals died or were destroyed during the voyage . Offloading her cargo at Saint @-@ Nazaire and Verdun , El Occidente returned to the U.S. on 1 November . In port when the Armistice with Germany was signed on 11 November , El Occidente loaded 1 @,@ 467 short tons ( 1 @,@ 331 t ) of cargo and 800 animals for a second Navy voyage . Departing on 17 November for Verdun , the ship arrived there on 19 December . Returning to Baltimore for repairs and alterations which included the removal of her armament and the stalls for animal cargo , El Occidente sailed again on 15 January 1919 for Bordeaux where she unloaded cargo for the Army of Occupation and embarked 90 passengers for return to the United States . She was decommissioned at New York on 18 March 1919 , and delivered to the United States Shipping Board the same day . = = Interwar civilian service = = Returned by the USSB in March 1919 , El Occidente resumed cargo service with the Morgan Line , where she had almost 15 years of routine operation . However , in the 1930s , sailing on a New York – Galveston route , El Occidente was involved in several notable events . In July 1933 , El Occidente had a fire in her No. 1 cargo hold while she was southbound 15 nautical miles ( 28 km ) out from Norfolk , Virginia . El Occidente 's initial radio message reported that her crew had the blaze under control , but when that proved not to be the case , she headed in , docked at the Norfolk grain elevator , and requested assistance from local firefighters . In September 1935 , El Occidente came to the aid of Morgan passenger liner Dixie , which had been driven onto French Reef by the Labor Day Hurricane . Dixie had been headed from New Orleans to New York when she grounded on the reef , located about 60 nautical miles ( 110 km ) south of Miami , Florida and 4 @.@ 5 nautical miles ( 8 @.@ 3 km ) off shore . El Occidente , one of 15 ships that responded to Dixie 's distress calls , carried two loads of passengers and baggage from Dixie to Miami . There was no loss of life during the grounding or the rescue of Dixie 's passengers . In January 1937 , El Occidente issued a distress call while she was in the Gulf of Mexico . After she reported a fire while some 200 nautical miles ( 370 @,@ 000 m ) south of the mouth of the Mississippi River , U.S. Coast Guard cutters Kimball and Triton and German freighter Leubeck all responded to the call . Before any reached the burning vessel , El Occidente reported that she had gotten the fire under control and needed no further assistance . El Occidente headed to Galveston . The following month , El Occidente issued another distress call , this time for a broken rudder while 80 nautical miles ( 150 km ) off the Virginia Capes . Coast Guard cutter Sebago responded and towed El Occidente to Norfolk , delivering her there on 7 February . = = World War II = = In June 1941 , the United States Maritime Commission ( USMC ) announced that it had requisitioned the entire Morgan Line fleet of ten ships , including El Occidente and her remaining sister ships , El Oriente and El Mundo . The ships were to finish previously scheduled cargo runs and be handed over to the USMC over the following six weeks . The USMC had been charged with assembling a 2 @,@ 000 @,@ 000 GRT U.S. fleet to " aid the democracies " fighting Germany in World War II , and paid $ 4 @.@ 7 million for all ten ships and a further $ 2 @.@ 6 million for repairs and refits . El Occidente was handed over to the War Shipping Administration at Galveston on 7 July and assigned to United States Lines , Inc . , for operation . The cargo ship was placed under Panamanian registry by U.S. Lines . Little is known of El Occidente 's movements over the six months , but on 30 January 1942 , she left Boston for Halifax loaded with a general cargo . Arriving at Halifax on 1 February , she joined Convoy HX 174 and headed for Liverpool on 7 February , arriving at her destination on 21 February . Two days later , El Occidente sailed for Reykjavík , where she arrived on 1 March , just in time to depart with Convoy PQ 12 for Murmansk . After the convoy arrived at Murmansk on 12 March , El Occidente unloaded her cargo and took on a partial ballast load of chromium ore . She departed in Convoy QP 10 on 10 April . At 01 : 29 on 13 April , while at position 73 ° 28 ′ N 28 ° 30 ′ E , German submarine U @-@ 435 under the command of Siegfried Strelow fired one or two torpedoes which struck El Occidente in the engine room , nearly breaking the vessel in half . El Occidente went down stern first within two minutes , with no time to launch lifeboats . Within 30 minutes of her sinking , HMS Speedwell , one of the convoy 's escorts , rescued 21 of the ship 's 41 @-@ man crew ; the remaining 20 crewmen died .

= Wally Hammond = Walter Reginald " Wally " Hammond ( 19 June 1903 – 1 July 1965 ) was an English Test cricketer who played for Gloucestershire in a career that lasted from 1920 to 1951 . Beginning as a professional , he later became an amateur and was appointed captain of England . Primarily a middle @-@ order batsman , Wisden Cricketers ' Almanack described him in his obituary as one of the four best batsmen in the history of cricket . He was considered to be the best English batsman of the 1930s by commentators and those with whom he played ; they also said that he was one of the best slip fielders ever . Hammond was an effective fast @-@ medium pace bowler and contemporaries believed that if he had been less reluctant to bowl , he could have achieved even more with the ball than he did . In a Test career spanning 85 matches , he scored 7 @,@ 249 runs and took 83 wickets . Hammond captained England in 20 of those Tests , winning four , losing three , and drawing 13 . His career aggregate of runs was the highest in Test cricket until surpassed by Colin Cowdrey in 1970 ; his total of 22 Test centuries remained an English record until Alastair Cook surpassed it in December 2012 . In 1933 , he set a record for the highest individual Test innings of 336 not out , surpassed by Len Hutton in 1938 . In all first @-@ class cricket , he scored 50 @,@ 551 runs and 167 centuries , respectively the seventh and third highest totals by a first @-@ class cricketer as of 2015 . With the ball , he took 732 wickets . Although Hammond began his career in 1920 , he was required to wait until 1923 before he could play full @-@ time , after his qualification to play for Gloucestershire was challenged . His potential was spotted immediately and after three full seasons , he was chosen to visit the West Indies in 1925 – 26 as a member of a Marylebone Cricket Club ( M.C.C. ) touring party , but contracted a serious illness on the tour . He began to score heavily after his recovery in 1927 and was selected for England . In the 1928 – 29 series against Australia he scored 905 runs , then a record aggregate for a Test series . He dominated county cricket in the 1930s and , despite a mid @-@ decade slump in Test form , was made captain of England in 1938 . He continued as captain after the Second World War , but his health had deteriorated and he retired from first @-@ class cricket after an unsuccessful tour of Australia in 1946 – 47 . He appeared in two more first @-@ class matches in the early 1950s . Hammond was married twice , divorcing his first wife in acrimonious circumstances , and had a reputation for infidelity . His relationships with other players were difficult ; team @-@ mates and opponents alike found him hard to get along with . He was unsuccessful in business dealings and failed to establish a successful career once he retired from cricket . He moved to South Africa in the 1950s in an attempt to start a business , but this came to nothing . As a result , he and his family struggled financially . Shortly after beginning a career as a sports administrator , he was involved in a serious car crash in 1960 which left him frail . He died of a heart attack in 1965 . = = Early life and career = = = = = Childhood and school life = = = Hammond was born on 19 June 1903 in Dover . His parents , William — a corporal in the Royal Garrison Artillery — and Marion Hammond ( née Crisp ) , lived in the married quarters at Dover Castle where Walter was born . They had wed the previous December . Hammond spent his early years in Dover , often playing cricket . When he was five years old , his father was posted to Hong Kong to serve on the China Station and promoted to sergeant . The family remained there until 1911 , followed by a posting to Malta until 1914 . Hammond later recalled playing cricket in Malta using improvised equipment , including a soldier 's old bat which he believed taught him to strike the ball powerfully . When the First World War broke out , the Hammonds returned to England with the rest of the 46th Company of the Royal Garrison Artillery . William was subsequently posted to France where , promoted to major , he was killed near Amiens in 1918 . Marion settled in Southsea and sent Walter to The Portsmouth Grammar School , before moving him in 1918 to board at Cirencester Grammar School , believing that he would benefit from living away from home and hoping to encourage a career in farming . He did not enjoy an easy relationship with his mother , often staying with friends during holidays in preference to returning home . At both Portsmouth and Cirencester , Hammond excelled at sports including cricket ( playing for the Portsmouth Grammar School second eleven ) , football and fives . At Cirencester , he played football for the school first eleven in his first term . He quickly reached the school cricket first eleven , where he outperformed the other players and became captain in his second season ; his headmaster , quickly spotting his potential , encouraged him . His first century was scored in a match against a parents ' team from the school . In an inter @-@ house match , he scored 365 not out , albeit against very weak bowling . These achievements brought him some local acclaim . Hammond enjoyed less success in the classroom ; his marks were usually low , and he preferred to be out playing cricket . Leaving Cirencester in July 1920 , Hammond planned to go to Winchester Agricultural College , following the path into farming mapped out by his mother . However , his plans changed when his headmaster wrote to the captain of Gloucestershire , Foster Robinson , reporting Hammond 's school cricket record and suggesting that they take a look at him . Hammond , who scored a century in his first appearance in adult cricket days after leaving school , played in a trial match for the Gloucestershire Club and Ground , scoring 60 runs , taking two wickets and impressing the local press . Subsequently , two members of Gloucestershire 's committee visited Hammond 's mother in an attempt to sign him for the club . Hammond 's mother was initially reluctant , but his eagerness finally convinced her and he signed a professional contract . = = = First years with Gloucestershire = = = Hammond made his first @-@ class debut for Gloucestershire in August 1920 . Although his first four innings yielded only 27 runs , the local press saw enough to predict a great future for him . He spent the winter working on a farm on the Isle of Wight , then moved to Bristol for the start of the 1921 English cricket season . Playing only two first @-@ class matches in 1921 , both against the powerful Australian tourists , Hammond scored two runs in three innings , overwhelmed by fast bowler Jack Gregory . In between these games , Gloucestershire arranged his appointment as assistant coach at Clifton College , Bristol , where he worked on his batting technique with former county cricketers John Tunnicliffe and George Dennett . Gloucestershire gave Hammond an extended run at the start of the 1922 season . He played five matches without passing 32 runs in an innings at a batting average of under ten . He did not have the opportunity to improve his record as Lord Harris , the Marylebone Cricket Club ( M.C.C. ) treasurer , noticed that Hammond was born in Kent . He had not resided in Gloucestershire long enough to be eligible to play for the team under County Championship rules , and was barred for the rest of the season . The press criticised the ruling for interrupting the career of a player seen as very promising , despite his lack of success thus far . Hammond spent the rest of the summer , which he later described as the most miserable of his life , watching county games , although Gloucestershire continued to pay him in full . = = = Football career = = = In the winter of 1921 – 22 , Hammond , needing work , signed to play professional football for Bristol Rovers F.C. in Division Three South , following his success at school and in the Bristol Downs Football League . After some time in the reserves , he made four appearances for the first team that season . He played in ten games the following season , and four times in 1923 – 24 . His usual position was on the right wing . Despite scoring twice in his career , he never showed much enthusiasm for the game and was cautious around tackles , mindful that his main career was cricket . He was criticised in the local press for his role in two defeats shortly before his final appearance . After he was left out of the team , he never played again and left the club , deciding that he could not play two sports professionally . Even so , the Rovers ' trainer , Bert Williams , and manager , Andy Wilson , believed that Hammond , one of the fastest players they had seen at the club , would have had the potential to play international football . = = = Making an impression = = = Conscious of the need to improve after his uncertain start to first @-@ class cricket , Hammond scored his maiden first @-@ class century in the first match of the 1923 season , making 110 and 92 opening the batting against Surrey . He did not reach three figures again that season , but his performances and batting technique impressed several critics , such as cricket correspondent Neville Cardus , former England and Middlesex captain Plum Warner , and The Times correspondent ; Cardus described him as a future England player . In all first @-@ class matches that season , Hammond scored 1 @,@ 421 runs at an average of 27 @.@ 86 . With the ball , he took 18 first @-@ class wickets at an average of 41 @.@ 22 , including figures of six for 59 against Hampshire . Reviewing the season , Wisden 's correspondent declared that Hammond " has all the world before him and there is no telling how far he may go " . Hammond reached 1 @,@ 239 runs in 1924 , scoring a century against Somerset and reaching fifty against Oxford , Essex and Hampshire . In the final County Championship match of the season , against Middlesex , he scored 174 not out after Gloucestershire had been bowled out for 31 in their first innings . He finished the season with an average of 30 @.@ 21 and supplemented his batting with 29 wickets . He improved on this record in 1925 with 1 @,@ 818 runs at an average of 34 @.@ 30 and 68 wickets at an average of just under 30 , more than doubling his career aggregate of wickets . His bowling performances led critics to describe him as a potentially good all @-@ rounder . Hammond was not satisfied with his batting form in 1925 , but against Lancashire at Old Trafford , he scored 250 not out , repeatedly hooking the short @-@ pitched bowling of Australian Test bowler Ted McDonald . Cardus described it as " one of the finest innings that can ever have been accomplished by a boy of his age " . Over these two seasons , Hammond increasingly batted in the middle order , where he remained for most of his career . = = = Serious illness = = = Hammond 's performances earned him selection for the M.C.C. winter tour of the West Indies in the 1925 – 26 season . At that time , such tours were popular with amateur cricketers , who were often chosen for social rather than cricketing reasons . The touring party contained only eight professionals , who were expected to do most of the bowling and provide the cricketing quality . The West Indies team did not have Test status , so no official internationals were scheduled , but a series of representative matches against a West Indian team were played . Rain disrupted much of the cricket , but Hammond enjoyed the experience . In first @-@ class matches , he scored 732 runs at an average of 48 @.@ 80 , with two hundreds and two fifties , and took 20 wickets at an average of 28 @.@ 65 . He scored 238 not out in the first representative game against a West Indies side . Following the tour , he won praise from Warner and the captain of the M.C.C. team , Freddie Calthorpe , and was believed to be close to the full England side . Towards the end of the tour , Hammond fell seriously ill ; according to him , a mosquito stung him in the groin area , close to a strain he had suffered , causing blood poisoning . Playing against Jamaica , he moved awkwardly and his team @-@ mates observed him to be in pain . He missed the remaining matches of the tour , and none of the doctors he saw were able to help . On the journey home , during which no doctor was available , his condition worsened , confining him to his cabin with a severe fever for most of the trip . The day after his arrival home , in April 1926 , Hammond had the first of 12 operations at the nursing home to which he was taken . His condition worsened to the point where the doctors believed he would die ; they considered amputating his leg , a suggestion vetoed by his mother out of concern for his career . Hammond later claimed that his illness remained a mystery to those treating him . A visit from Warner encouraged Hammond to believe recovery was possible , and he began a slow return to health about a month after his return to England . By July , he could watch Gloucestershire playing in Bristol , though he missed the entire 1926 season . No official announcement about Hammond 's illness was made , other than to say he was in a nursing home . Although the cause of the illness was never made clear , David Foot has argued that it was syphilis or a related sexually transmitted disease . He has also suggested that its treatment , which in the days before antibiotics probably involved mercury , adversely affected Hammond 's subsequent character and personality , leading to moody and depressive behaviour . Rumours of this nature circulated among his contemporaries for many years before Foot published his theory . That winter , Hammond coached in South Africa , where it was felt the climate might aid his recovery . = = Test cricketer = = = = = Test debut = = = On his return to first @-@ class cricket in the 1927 season , Hammond made an immediate impact , becoming only the second man , after W. G. Grace , to score 1 @,@ 000 runs in May , traditionally the first month of the English cricket season . This sequence included another effective performance against Lancashire , regarded by some observers as one of the best innings ever played . He scored 99 in the first innings and 187 in the second to ensure the match was drawn . He again hooked McDonald effectively , at one point hitting five consecutive fours . Hammond played in the prestigious Gentlemen v Players match at Lord 's for the first time , although he neither batted nor bowled , as well as two Test trials . Coming close to scoring 1 @,@ 000 runs in June as well , he finished the season with 2 @,@ 969 runs , including 12 centuries . His average of 69 @.@ 04 was the fifth highest in first @-@ class cricket . He won selection for the M.C.C. team that would tour South Africa in the winter and the accolade of being named one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year . While on tour in South Africa in 1927 – 28 , Hammond did not dominate as expected . Still recovering from his illness , he was worn out from the strain of a long season . He showed good batting form , but once George Geary was injured , a strong but not fully representative side found itself short of bowling , forcing Hammond to play as an all @-@ rounder . In all first @-@ class matches on the tour , he scored 908 runs at an average of 47 @.@ 78 , and took 27 wickets at an average of 23 @.@ 85 . His Test debut came in the first match of the series , as he scored a quick 51 in his only innings and took five wickets for 36 runs in the South African second innings . At one point , he took three wickets for no runs and his bowling was described by Wisden as a key factor in an England victory . His best innings came in the third Test as he reached 90 . He had some good bowling spells , and in the fourth Test he removed both South African openers . An innings of 66 in the fifth and final Test left him with 321 runs at an average of 40 @.@ 12 in his debut series , while his 15 wickets cost 26 @.@ 60 runs each . All of Hammond 's batting appearances were at number four in the order ; of his 140 career Test innings , 118 were at number three or four . The series was drawn 2 – 2 . In the following season of 1928 , Hammond scored 2 @,@ 825 runs ( average 65 @.@ 69 ) with three double centuries , took 84 wickets ( average 23 @.@ 10 ) , his highest total in a season , and held 79 catches , a single season record . These performances helped Gloucestershire to mount a rare but unsuccessful challenge for the County Championship . At the Cheltenham festival , in six days , Hammond scored 362 runs , took 11 wickets and held 11 catches . Against Surrey , he scored a century in both innings and held ten catches , including six in the second innings , which remains a first @-@ class record as of 2015 . In the following match , against Worcestershire , Hammond scored 80 . Bowling off @-@ spin on a testing pitch , he then took nine wickets for 23 , the best bowling figures of his career . He followed up with six for 105 as Worcestershire followed on . He played in a Test trial and in the Gentlemen v Players match at Lord 's for the second time , before participating in the three Test matches against the West Indies cricket team . While England won the series 3 – 0 , Hammond had mixed success . Despite scores of 45 in the first Test and a careful 63 in the second , he made just 111 runs in the series at an average of 37 . = = = 1928 – 29 tour of Australia = = = In the winter of 1928 – 29 , Hammond toured Australia with the M.C.C. The side was a strong one which overpowered Australia , winning the five @-@ match series 4 – 1 . Hammond was remarkably successful in his first campaign for The Ashes . Wisden described his batting as a " series of triumphs " . He scored 779 runs in five consecutive Test innings , totalling 905 runs at an average of 113 @.@ 12 in the series , a record passed only by Don Bradman since . In all first @-@ class matches , he scored 1 @,@ 553 runs ( average 91 @.@ 35 ) . However , except for one inspired spell in the final Test , in which he bowled the first three batsmen , Wisden described his bowling as disappointing . He began the tour with a century and a double century before the Test series . He scored 251 in a seven @-@ hour innings in the second Test . This was his maiden Test century and the second highest Test score between England and Australia . In the next Test , Hammond scored 200 against an accurate attack , again taking around seven hours . In the fourth Test he scored 119 not out and then 177 , in what Wisden judged his best innings of the tour due to his mastery of the bowlers and the difficult match situation when he came in to bat . Hammond had altered his usual batting style , playing more carefully and avoiding risk as runs were certain to come in the easy Australian batting conditions if a batsman did not get out . He eliminated the hook shot entirely from his repertoire and rarely played the cut shot . Unless the bowler bowled a bad ball , he limited his scoring between extra cover and midwicket , as the Australians unsuccessfully tried to block his shots in that area . Wisden stated that , even with his more cautious play , his batting on tour had shown skill and beauty . Hammond married Dorothy Lister almost immediately after returning home , just before the 1929 season began . Gloucestershire 's inspirational new captain , Bev Lyon , led another Gloucestershire challenge for the County Championship . He used Hammond 's bowling less due to the emergence of Tom Goddard , but Hammond was less dominant with the bat than was expected . In first @-@ class cricket , he scored 2 @,@ 456 runs at an average of 64 @.@ 63 . He played in four of the five Tests against South Africa , missing the fourth due to injury ; he also suffered an injury in the second Test which required him to use a runner . Adopting tactics similar to those with which he had success in Australia , he scored two centuries — an unbeaten 138 in the first Test , and a match @-@ saving 101 not out in the final Test which gave England a 2 – 0 series victory . His only other innings over fifty was played in the third Test . He ended the series with 352 runs at an average of 58 @.@ 66 . At the time , critics considered him the best batsman in the world . = = = Career in the early 1930s = = = The 1930 season saw the Australians tour England , Bradman 's first tour . Over five Tests , the young Australian scored 974 runs in a flawless batting display to break Hammond 's record run aggregate and average set in the 1928 – 29 series . While Bradman dominated , Hammond found it very difficult to play the leg spin bowling of Clarrie Grimmett , who dismissed him five times . Hammond scored 306 runs at an average of 34 @.@ 00 , passing fifty just twice . He batted over five hours for a match @-@ saving 113 in the third Test . On a difficult pitch and with little support , he made a hard @-@ hitting 60 in the final Test in a losing cause . The visitors took the series 2 – 1 , and the newspapers unfavourably compared Hammond 's scoring with Bradman 's . Later in the season , Hammond scored 89 for Gloucestershire in a tied match against the Australians which he described as the most exciting of his career . One player said that he had never seen Hammond as excited as he was at the conclusion of the game . In all first @-@ class cricket that season , he scored 2 @,@ 032 runs ( average 53 @.@ 47 ) and for Gloucestershire , he came top of the batting averages as the club finished second in the Championship . He took 30 wickets , including match figures of 12 for 74 against Glamorgan . Hammond toured South Africa in the winter of 1930 – 31 , in a weak M.C.C. side without some of the best English players . The tourists were short of opening batsmen , frequently forcing Hammond into the role . Although successful , he brought a more wary approach than usual to his unaccustomed position . In all first @-@ class cricket , he scored 1 @,@ 045 runs ( average 61 @.@ 47 ) . In the five @-@ Test series , which South Africa won 1 – 0 , he scored 517 runs ( average 64 @.@ 62 ) , passing fifty five times in nine innings . A very cautious approach batting at number three saw Hammond score 49 and 63 in the first Test . Opening the batting in the second Test , he scored two fifties to save the game ; he also kept wicket for a time following an injury to the regular wicketkeeper . Hammond continued to open in the third Test , playing more aggressively for 136 not out , before returning to number three and making 75 in the fourth Test . In the final Test , he opened both the batting and the bowling . In 1931 , Hammond increased his first @-@ class wicket total to 47 , and scored 1 @,@ 781 runs at an average of 42 @.@ 40 . Although he remained a key batsman for Gloucestershire , both his aggregate and average fell , at least partly due to wet weather that often led to difficult batting conditions . In the three Tests against New Zealand , their first in England , he made an attacking century in the second Test , England 's only victory . He did not pass fifty in the rest of the series , ending the victorious campaign with 169 runs at an average of 56 @.@ 33 . In 1932 , Hammond was appointed vice @-@ captain of Gloucestershire , but it was noted in Wisden that he sometimes failed to inspire his team . Hammond himself felt unable , as a new captain , to take the same risks that Lyon had done . He scored 2 @,@ 528 runs ( average 56 @.@ 17 ) , including his then highest score of 264 , and his first hundred for the Players against the Gentlemen . He also took 53 wickets . = = = Bodyline tour = = = Hammond was selected for the M.C.C. tour of Australia in 1932 – 33 . Known as the Bodyline series , it became notorious for the controversial English tactic of bowling short on the line of leg stump , making the ball rise towards the batsman 's body to create deflections that could be caught by leg @-@ side fielders . Hammond , one of the first players selected , was part of the selection committee on tour , and the M.C.C. captain , Douglas Jardine , may have discussed tactics with him on the outward journey . Hammond disapproved of Bodyline bowling , believing it to be dangerous , although he understood some of the reasons for its use . He kept his feelings hidden during the tour , preferring to go along with his captain and the rest of the team . It was not until 1946 that he openly voiced his opinion . Wisden described Hammond 's campaign as successful , although he failed to reach the heights of his previous tour . In the Tests , Hammond scored 440 runs ( average 55 @.@ 00 ) and took nine wickets ( average 32 @.@ 33 ) , while scoring 948 runs ( average 55 @.@ 76 ) and taking 20 wickets ( average 28 @.@ 90 ) in all first @-@ class matches . Although Wisden said that Hammond accomplished little with the ball , team manager Plum Warner praised his bowling , claiming that during the first Test it was comparable to that of revered former England bowler Sydney Barnes . His best performance was in a match against New South Wales , where he took six for 43 , including the wicket of Bradman . In an early game on tour against Victoria , Hammond was instructed by Jardine to attack the bowling of Chuck Fleetwood @-@ Smith , who was on the verge of making his Test debut . Hammond scored 203 , freely punishing Fleetwood @-@ Smith 's bowling and in effect delaying his Test debut for several years . In England 's victory in the first Test , Hammond scored 112 , playing powerfully through the off side . He took two wickets in two balls in the second Australian innings , making the ball move around . In the second Test , he bowled spin , as England left out Hedley Verity , their specialist spinner ; his bowling impressed Jardine and the Wisden correspondent . His bowling against Bradman , who scored an unbeaten century , produced a personal duel that struck observers as particularly tense . Hammond took three for 23 in the second innings but achieved little with the bat as England lost the match . In the third Test , he appeared uncomfortable facing Tim Wall 's fast , short bowling , and was heard to say , " If that 's what the bloody game 's coming to , I 've had enough of it ! " He scored 85 in the second innings before being bowled by a full toss from Bradman , to his annoyance . Hammond did not pass 20 runs in England 's Ashes @-@ securing victory in the fourth Test , attracting criticism from Wisden and others for overcautious batting . He returned to form in the final Test at Sydney , a ground on which he was often successful , scoring 101 and 75 not out . Wisden praised his style and brilliant play , and he ended the match with a six , securing England 's third successive victory and a 4 – 1 series win . A short tour of New Zealand followed ; Hammond scored 621 runs in three first @-@ class innings . In the first Test , he scored 227 , and in the second and final Test , he broke the world record for a Test innings on 1 April by scoring 336 not out . His record innings began cautiously , but against a weak bowling side , he increased his scoring rate after making his century and again after reaching 200 . As he passed Bradman 's record of 334 , he shouted " Yes ! " He hit ten sixes , then a Test record , including three from consecutive balls . However , the weakness of the bowling compared to that faced by Bradman and the importance of Ashes matches meant that Hammond 's record was not as prestigious as the Australian 's . When Len Hutton broke the record in 1938 , he considered Bradman 's 334 the score to beat . = = = Loss of Test form = = = The Bodyline controversy continued into the 1933 season . Bodyline tactics were used in several matches , including by the West Indian tourists in the second Test . In all first @-@ class cricket , Hammond , no longer vice @-@ captain of Gloucestershire , scored 3 @,@ 323 runs , passing 3 @,@ 000 in a season for the first time . With an average of 67 @.@ 81 , he topped the first @-@ class tables for what would be the first of eight successive seasons . He also took 38 wickets . However , his highest score in three Test innings was 34 . In the second Test , unsettled by Bodyline , Hammond was cut on the chin by a short ball , causing him to retire hurt . He again commented that he would quit rather than face such bowling ; soon after his return , he was out . Les Ames , who played in the three @-@ match series , won by England 2 – 0 , believed that the West Indian pacemen worried Hammond , who showed a weakness against short , fast bowling . Hammond spent much of the 1934 season troubled by sore throats and back problems which restricted his appearances for Gloucestershire . His form for his county was good and in all first @-@ class matches , he scored 2 @,@ 366 runs ( average 76 @.@ 32 ) , although he took fewer wickets at a higher average than the previous season . Awarded a benefit match , which raised just over £ 2 @,@ 600 , Hammond was idolised by the press and public for his achievements . In Tests , it was a different story ; according to Wisden , he failed badly . England lost the Ashes , 2 – 1 , in a series overshadowed at times by the Bodyline controversy . Hammond played in all five Tests against Australia but his top score was 43 ; he scored 162 runs at an average of 20 @.@ 25 , and took five wickets at an average of 72 @.@ 80 . Although the press and selectors supported him , there were some suggestions he should be left out of the side , and Hammond felt under great pressure . The pattern of failure in Test matches but success elsewhere continued during the 1934 – 35 tour of the West Indies . In all first @-@ class cricket he scored 789 runs , averaging 56 @.@ 35 , with an innings of 281 not out the highest of his three centuries . The four @-@ Test series , which England lost 2 – 1 , was another matter . Wisden noted that the West Indian pace attack , considered the best in the world by Bob Wyatt , unsettled the English batsmen ; the home bowlers were accused of intimidation by some of the England side . Hammond had a top score of 47 and scored 175 runs at an average of 25 @.@ 00 . He played well in difficult batting conditions , which he believed were among the worst he ever faced , in the first Test . In the first innings he scored 43 , before dominating the bowlers at a critical time in his unbeaten 29 in the second innings , winning the match with a six . Hammond 's health remained poor at the start of the 1935 season . He developed septic tonsillitis which made it difficult for him to breathe , eat and sleep , and ultimately required an operation to remove his tonsils in early 1936 . Hammond 's form was indifferent and he believed it was his worst season . In first @-@ class matches , he scored 2 @,@ 616 runs ( average 49 @.@ 35 ) and took 60 wickets ( average 27 @.@ 26 ) . He became the ninth player to reach 100 first @-@ class centuries , emerging from a run of bad form against Somerset . Long a regular in the side , for the first time he captained the Players against the Gentlemen at Lord 's . In the five @-@ Test series against South Africa , a run of low scores again brought press speculation about his place in the national side . He did not pass fifty until the third Test , when he scored 63 and 87 not out , ending a run of 22 innings without a fifty , in which time he averaged 23 @.@ 47 over 14 Tests . Hammond made two more fifties in the last two Tests , although they were insufficient to prevent England from losing 1 – 0 , their third successive series defeat . He finished the series with 389 runs at an average of 64 @.@ 83 , but remained unsatisfied with his form . = = = Return to form = = = As the 1936 season began , Hammond remained weak from the recent removal of his tonsils . Returning to cricket too soon , he was in poor form ; he took a longer rest , which caused him to miss the first of three Tests against India . It was July before he felt fully well . In all first @-@ class cricket that season , Hammond scored 2 @,@ 107 runs , averaging 56 @.@ 94 , and took 41 wickets . In county cricket , Gloucestershire appointed a new captain , Dallas Page . Hammond had been offered the joint captaincy with Bev Lyon , conditional on his becoming assistant secretary at the club to enable him to play as an amateur , but declined for financial reasons . Hammond returned to the England side for the second Test , making 167 , his first century in 28 innings , scoring quickly throughout . He was praised by Wisden for his control . Hammond continued to score heavily in the third Test , making 217 after being dropped twice early on . His highest score came in the last county match of the season , at Gloucestershire , which was Tom Goddard 's benefit match . A difficult pitch meant that wickets tumbled on the first day , prompting fears of an early finish which would possibly lose money for Goddard . Hammond batted all of the second day , ensuring the match lasted the full three days , to score 317 out of a total of 485 . Selected for the M.C.C. tour of Australia in 1936 – 37 under the captaincy of Gubby Allen , Hammond was again part of the tour selection committee . He was successful with bat and ball , scoring 1 @,@ 206 runs ( average 67 @.@ 00 ) and taking 21 wickets ( average 24 @.@ 57 ) in all first @-@ class matches in Australia ( he played two more in New Zealand at the conclusion of the tour ) . In Tests , Hammond scored 468 runs at an average of 58 @.@ 50 and took 12 wickets at an average of 25 @.@ 08 . His tour began with four consecutive first @-@ class hundreds against the state teams , but Wisden reported that he never recaptured this form during the remainder of the tour , owing to the bowling of Bill O 'Reilly . Hammond could not overcome O 'Reilly 's use of slow leg theory in the later Tests which restricted scoring . England won the first two Tests , although Hammond did not contribute in the first , making a first ball duck . In the second he scored an unbeaten 231 , then took three for 29 with the ball in Australia 's second innings , during a period when the other bowlers lost control . From this point , his contributions fell away , although he believed that the best innings of his life , on one of the most difficult pitches he ever confronted , was his 32 in the third Test . Neville Cardus , who saw it , described it as remarkable . However , his free @-@ scoring 51 in the second innings was not enough to prevent defeat in the face of an unrealistic target . In the fourth Test , Hammond took five for 57 in Australia 's second innings , but his dismissal on the final morning by Fleetwood @-@ Smith ensured that Australia won the match to level the series . One of Hammond 's team @-@ mates opined that Bradman would not have been dismissed as easily in a similar situation . In the decisive final Test , he was restricted by O 'Reilly 's leg theory attack and failed in the first innings . His 56 in the second innings was not enough to prevent Australia 's third win in succession to take the Ashes 3 – 2 . In the 1937 season , Hammond scored 3 @,@ 252 runs at an average of 65 @.@ 04 , passing 3 @,@ 000 runs a second time , and taking 48 wickets . In the three Tests against New Zealand , he passed the previous record number of England appearances , overtaking Frank Woolley 's 64 Tests . While scoring 140 in the first Test , he passed the total number of runs scored by Jack Hobbs to become the leading run scorer in Tests , a record he held until it was broken by Colin Cowdrey in December 1970 . This innings was his only score above fifty in the series , in which he scored 204 runs ( average 51 ) . At the end of the season , in November 1937 , it was announced that he had accepted a job , joining the Marsham Tyres board of directors , meaning he would play as an amateur in the future . This led to immediate speculation that he would be made captain of England in the 1938 Ashes series . The chairman of selectors , Plum Warner , later wrote that there was never any doubt from then that Hammond would be captain . = = Amateur cricketer = = = = = England captain = = = In the 1938 season , his first as an amateur , Hammond scored 3 @,@ 011 runs at an average of 75 @.@ 27 . During the season , he was elected to life membership of Gloucestershire and membership of the M.C.C. , which barred professionals . He captained the Gentlemen against the Players at Lord 's — having previously led the Players , he is the only person to skipper both teams . Early in the season , he led England in a Test trial before , as expected , being given the role full @-@ time against Australia . His leadership during the series , which was drawn 1 – 1 , won him praise . He was criticised , however , for his handling of bowlers , specifically for not giving enough work to spinners Hedley Verity in the first Test or Doug Wright in the fourth . In the second Test , he scored 240 , briefly a record for an England batsman playing at home , to rescue the side from a poor start . This innings was lauded by observers including Warner , Bradman and Cardus , and The Times correspondent pronounced it one of the best ever . The match , like the first , was drawn and with the third Test completely washed out by rain , the crucial match proved to be the fourth . In a low @-@ scoring game , Hammond scored 76 , holding England 's first innings together . In the second innings , however , he made a first @-@ ball duck ; an English batting collapse allowed Australia to win the match and retain the Ashes . England had some consolation with a massive victory in the final Test ; following Hammond 's instructions to be cautious , the side slowly amassed a record total of 903 for seven , with Hutton beating Hammond 's Test record innings by scoring 364 . Hammond scored 59 , giving him 403 runs at an average of 67 @.@ 16 in the series . In the 1938 – 39 season , Hammond captained the M.C.C. tour of South Africa in a five @-@ match series . Wisden criticised both sides for slow play , and the almanack 's correspondent felt Hammond was reluctant to try to force a win . In general , though , judgements on his captaincy were positive ; his team @-@ mates and opponents believed he had firm control of the side and E. W. Swanton complimented his tactics . In the Tests , he used the cautious batting method which had been successful in Australia . He scored three Test centuries , making 181 after a shaky start in the second Test , a quick 120 in the third and 140 in the fifth . England won the third match , the only one in the series with a result , and Hammond was praised for his use of bowlers . The final match , in which Hammond lost the toss , having previously won it eight consecutive times , was drawn after ten days ' play . In the fourth innings , England faced a victory target of 696 . Hammond was credited with nearly forcing a remarkable win , first by promoting Bill Edrich , who had failed thus far in the series but scored 219 , and then by playing himself what Wisden described as " one of the finest innings of his career " before rain forced the match to be abandoned . Hammond also tallied two fifties in the series to score 609 runs in total , at an average of 87 @.@ 00 . In all first @-@ class tour matches , he scored 1 @,@ 025 runs ( average 60 @.@ 29 ) . While on tour , he met Sybil Ness @-@ Harvey , who was to become his second wife . Appointed as Gloucestershire captain for the 1939 season , Hammond led the team to third in the County Championship and recorded a rare double victory over Yorkshire . While Wisden commended his adventurous style of leadership , others such as Basil Allen , his predecessor as captain , did not approve ; their main criticism was his failure to encourage his players . In first @-@ class cricket , he scored 2 @,@ 479 runs at an average of 63 @.@ 56 . He placed at the top of the first @-@ class averages for the seventh successive season , although some critics detected a decline in his abilities . While he led England to a 1 – 0 series victory over West Indies in three Tests , Wisden reported some criticism of his captaincy . R. C. Robertson @-@ Glasgow said that " Hammond does not rank among the more imaginative England captains " , although he concluded by defending Hammond as " experienced and sound " . In the second match , he took his 100th catch in Tests , and in the third , he scored 138 , his final Test century . In the series , Hammond scored 279 runs ( average 55 @.@ 80 ) . The impending war overshadowed much of the season ; throughout the Tests , Hammond made public appeals for citizens to join the armed forces . On the outbreak of the Second World War , he joined the services and was commissioned as a pilot officer in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve ( RAFVR ) in October 1939 . = = = Career in the war = = = Hammond was posted to a training wing of the Royal Air Force ( RAF ) at Hastings in Sussex before he moved with his unit to Torquay . He had mainly administrative duties , including instructing recruits , for whom he made life hard . He played some games of cricket in 1940 for various teams before being posted to Cairo in December . His responsibilities in Egypt included organising , promoting and playing in cricket matches . Posted there until 1943 , he was promoted to flight lieutenant and then to squadron leader . While Hammond may have helped to raise morale , Cairo was an easy posting during the war and he was not involved directly in combat . He also spent much time in South Africa , where he played cricket and was reunited with Sybil Ness @-@ Harvey . At the beginning of 1944 , Hammond was posted back to England , where he lectured and drilled cadets . Playing as captain in many one @-@ day cricket matches , he was praised by Wisden for encouraging exciting contests . Others applauded his batting , including his hitting of many sixes , fitting the games ' relaxed atmosphere . In December 1944 , Hammond , suffering from fibrositis , was discharged from the RAFVR on health grounds and returned to work at Marsham Tyres . Once the war ended in Europe in May 1945 , several first @-@ class matches were organised . Hammond played in six , scoring 592 runs at an average of 59 @.@ 20 with two centuries . In a match for an England team against the Dominions at Lord 's , he made a century in each innings , becoming the first man to do this seven times . = = = End of career = = = During 1946 , the first full season after the war , Hammond played only 26 innings but scored 1 @,@ 783 runs at an average of 84 @.@ 90 , topping the first @-@ class averages for the eighth time in succession — still an English record as of 2015 . At times , he began to show technical weaknesses . Captaining England to a 1 – 0 victory in a three @-@ Test series against India , he scored one fifty , making 119 runs at an average of 39 @.@ 66 . He batted fifth in the order in the final match , as he would in four of his five remaining Tests . Gloucestershire fell to fifth in the County Championship , and Hammond , after enthusiastically making the team very competitive at the start of the season , became increasingly affected by pain , particularly in damp weather . As captain , he could be irritable and consciously created remoteness and division . Remaining captain of England , Hammond led the M.C.C. side which toured Australia in 1946 – 47 . The visit was unsuccessful as England lost the five @-@ match Test series 3 – 0 . According to Wisden , Hammond 's inability to make large scores was one of the reasons for the failure . Nor was he a success as captain . He was criticised for his field placement and people at home wondered if he had lost control of the team . While he suffered some ill luck , Wisden said that he " was not the same inspiring leader as at home against Australia in 1938 " . Other journalists noted that he did not consult his players , one of whom later commented that he showed little imagination in his use of bowlers . Hammond approached the tour as an exercise in goodwill , promising his men an enjoyable time . It was noted that Bradman , the Australian captain , took a more competitive attitude towards the series . Team spirit was good on the outward journey , but Hammond 's forthcoming divorce and other domestic concerns caused him to become isolated from the players and increasingly moody . He had poor relations with the press , who were very critical of his captaincy and reporting details of the dissolution of his marriage . As the tour progressed , he lost his dynamism as a leader , gave poor advice to the batsmen and made poor selections for the team . As a batsman , Hammond started the tour well , scoring 208 in an early game , but lost form once the Tests began . One of the turning points of the series was a disputed catch in the first Test . Bradman , who looked in poor form and uncertain to continue his cricket career for much longer , had reached 28 when the English team believed he had edged the ball to Jack Ikin at slip . Bradman , as was his entitlement , waited for the umpire 's decision instead of leaving the field . The fielders were certain that he was out , but the umpire said he was not , believing the ball had bounced before it was caught ; opinion among other participants and spectators was divided . However , Hammond was extremely angry , saying loudly , either to Bradman or the umpires , " a fine fucking way to start a series " . Afterwards , relations between Hammond and Bradman deteriorated and there was a coldness between them . Bradman went on to score 187 and Australia won the match and , ultimately , the series . In that first Test , Hammond played two good innings on a very difficult wicket , but in the series , he did not pass fifty , scoring 168 runs at an average of 21 @.@ 00 before missing the final Test . In all first @-@ class cricket , he scored 633 runs ( average 45 @.@ 21 ) . He suffered increasing pain from fibrositis throughout the series , and later admitted that he felt close to a breakdown . Hammond played his last Test in New Zealand at the end of the tour , scoring 79 in his final innings . He ended his career with 7 @,@ 249 Test runs at an average of 58 @.@ 46 . His 22 centuries remained an English record until surpassed by Alastair Cook in December 2012 . Hammond decided to retire from all cricket after the tour , not returning for Gloucestershire in 1947 . Within 24 hours of his arrival back in England , he married Sybil Ness @-@ Harvey . He played only two more first @-@ class games . He scored an unbeaten 92 for the M.C.C. against Ireland in 1950 . To help boost a Gloucestershire membership drive , he joined his former side for a match the following year . Although given an excellent reception by the crowd , his tired appearance and struggle to score seven runs before being dismissed embarrassed many of those present . In all first @-@ class cricket , Hammond scored 50 @,@ 551 runs at an average of 56 @.@ 10 with 167 centuries . He remains seventh on the list of highest run scorers in first @-@ class cricket and has the third highest number of centuries , as of 2015 . = = Style and technique = = Wisden 's obituary described Hammond as one of the top four batsmen who had ever played , calling him " a most exciting cricketer . ... The instant he walked out of a pavilion , white @-@ spotted blue handkerchief showing from his right pocket , bat tucked underarm , cap at a hint of an angle , he was identifiable as a thoroughbred . " Throughout the 1930s , the public and critics regarded Hammond as England 's best batsman , succeeding Jack Hobbs , and next to Bradman , the best in the world ( although George Headley also had a claim ) . Among English batsmen , only Herbert Sutcliffe , with a higher Test average , was similarly successful . According to Alan Gibson , however , although Sutcliffe was dependable in a crisis , " his batting never gave quite the same sense of majesty and excitement that Hammond 's did " . More recently , Hammond was one of the inaugural inductees into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame , launched in January 2009 , and was selected by a jury of cricket journalists as a member of England 's all @-@ time XI in August 2009 . Balanced and still at the crease , Hammond was known for the power and beauty of his driving through the off side , although he could play any shot . A very attacking player early in his career , he later became more defensive , playing more frequently off the back foot and abandoning the hook shot as too risky . He was particularly effective on difficult wickets , scoring runs where others struggled to survive . Many of his contemporaries believed that he was the finest off @-@ side player in the history of cricket . In the words of Patrick Murphy , fellow players considered him " on a different plane — majestic , assured , poised , a devastating amalgam of the physical and mental attributes that make up a great batsman . " County bowlers who played against him considered it an achievement merely to prevent him scoring runs . However , Australian bowlers such as O 'Reilly and Grimmett troubled him by bowling at his leg stump , restricting his scoring as he had fewer effective leg @-@ side shots . Occasionally , he displayed discomfort against the fastest bowlers . His team @-@ mate Charlie Barnett said that he did not relish fast bowling , although he was capable of playing it well in the initial stages of his career . Other colleagues , such as Les Ames , Bob Wyatt and Reg Sinfield , believed that he did not like to face the new ball , and he was occasionally happy for the other batsmen to face the difficult bowling . His bowling was smooth and effortless , with a classical action . He could bowl fast , but more often bowled at fast @-@ medium pace . He could make the ball swing in humid weather , and deliver off @-@ spin when conditions were suitable . However , Hammond was reluctant to bowl , particularly for Gloucestershire . Bill Bowes believed that he was a very good bowler who would not take it seriously . In his obituary , Wisden said that " at slip he had no superior . He stood all but motionless , moved late but with uncanny speed , never needing to stretch or strain but plucking the ball from the air like an apple from a tree . " He was also able to field further away from the batsmen than was the norm , particularly in his younger days , as he could chase the ball quickly and had a very good throwing arm . = = Personal life = = = = = Personality = = = Hammond struck his contemporaries as a sad figure , a loner with few friends in cricket . He rarely encouraged young players or gave out praise . He liked to mix with middle @-@ class people , spending money he did not really have , leading to accusations of snobbery . Team @-@ mates regarded him as moody , private and uncommunicative . Often silent in the company of others , he could be arrogant and unfriendly . Charlie Barnett and Charles Dacre , two of his Gloucestershire team @-@ mates , came almost to hate him . Dacre often played in a reckless way of which Hammond disapproved ; Hammond , in turn , may have been jealous of him . Hammond once tried hard to injure Dacre by bowling fast at him while he was wicketkeeper . Barnett began as a close friend but fell out over Hammond 's treatment of his first wife and later his refusal to play in Barnett 's benefit match . Other players who were involved in disputes with Hammond included Denis Compton , whose cavalier approach Hammond disliked , and Learie Constantine , who believed Hammond insulted him in the West Indies in 1925 , although the two later made peace . Hammond 's ultimate rivalry was with Bradman , who overshadowed him throughout his career , and with whom he developed an increasing obsession . It was not enough for Hammond to be the second @-@ best batsman in the world , and he disliked the constant comparisons made between them in Bradman 's favour . He felt not only that he had to do well , but also that he had to score more than Bradman . = = = Marriage = = = David Foot quotes an unnamed cricketer saying that the two ruling passions of Hammond 's life " were his cricket bat and his genitals " . His strong desire for women was noticed by team @-@ mates from early in his career . Foot believes that Hammond had sexual relationships with many women , sometimes several contemporaneously , before and during his first marriage , some of which led to marriage proposals . This was widely known in cricket circles , prompting disapproval from figures such as Barnett . In 1929 , Hammond married Dorothy Lister , the daughter of a Yorkshire textile merchant , in a highly publicised ceremony at a parish church in Bingley . They met at a cricket match in 1927 but spent little time together before the wedding , having little in common . When married , they rarely communicated or got on well . Acquaintances believed Hammond treated her badly , particularly once her father lost nearly everything in the Depression , causing them financial worry . She remained loyal , but their relations gradually broke down , even after she sailed to South Africa , joining Hammond on tour in 1939 in an attempt to save the marriage . By that time , he was already seeing his future second wife , Sybil Ness @-@ Harvey , a former beauty queen whom he had met while on tour . During the war , Hammond spent much of his leave with Ness @-@ Harvey in South Africa . In 1945 , she followed him back to England , but did not like it . When Hammond left to tour Australia in 1946 – 47 , Ness @-@ Harvey remained behind with his mother , with whom she did not get along . This was one of the factors which led to Hammond 's problems on the tour . His divorce went through , and on his return , he and Sybil married at Kingston Register Office . She had already changed her name to Hammond by deed poll . Their first child , Roger , was born in 1948 . Carolyn was born in 1950 and Valerie was born in 1952 . = = = Business = = = Hammond was involved with several businesses . In 1933 , to ease his financial concerns , he took a job with the Cater Motor Company . He was used as a sales promotions manager , which mainly involved publicity and meeting customers , although he also test @-@ drove cars . Taking a job with Marsham Tyres in 1937 enabled him to become an amateur cricketer . He joined the board of directors and was again used for publicity , but he was never a hard worker or determined salesman . Returning to Marsham 's after he was discharged from the RAF in 1944 , he supplemented his income by working as a journalist . He wrote for The Star during the 1948 Test series and penned three books with the assistance of a ghostwriter . In 1951 , Hammond resigned from Marsham 's ; his wife was homesick , leading Hammond to plan a business in South Africa with a partner . However , after moving to Durban , they realised they had insufficient money . He took a job with Denham Motors in Durban , where he was forced to work much harder than in England . He lost his job in 1959 when the firm went out of business , and the Hammond family again found themselves in financial trouble . = = = Final years = = = At the end of 1959 , Hammond was offered a job as a sports administrator at University of Natal with the aim of developing its sports facilities . In February 1960 , he was involved in a serious car crash . It was uncertain whether he would survive , but he pulled through . Three months after the accident , he returned to work and became involved with coaching . In 1962 , Hammond visited England as part of a drive to recruit new members for Gloucestershire . He showed some interest in taking over a pub , but nothing came of it . On the M.C.C. tour of South Africa in 1964 – 65 , he joined the England dressing room , becoming popular with the players . On 1 July 1965 , he had a heart attack and died after a few hours ' illness .

= Quainton Road railway station = Quainton Road railway station was opened in 1868 in under @-@ developed countryside near Quainton , in the English county of Buckinghamshire , 44 miles ( 71 km ) from London . Built by the Aylesbury and Buckingham Railway , it was the result of pressure from the 3rd Duke of Buckingham to route the railway near his home at Wotton House and to open a railway station at the nearest point to it . Serving a relatively unpopulated area , Quainton Road was a crude railway station , described as " extremely primitive " . The Duke of Buckingham built a short horse @-@ drawn tramway to transport goods between his estates at Wotton and a terminus adjacent to the station . He extended it soon afterwards to provide a passenger service to the town of Brill , & the tramway was converted to locomotive operation , known as the Brill Tramway . All goods to and from the Brill Tramway passed through Quainton Road , making it relatively heavily used despite its geographical isolation , and traffic increased further when construction began on Ferdinand de Rothschild 's mansion of Waddesdon Manor . The plan of extending the Brill Tramway to Oxford , which would have made Quainton Road a major junction station , was abandoned . Instead , the Aylesbury and Buckingham Railway and the Brill Tramway were absorbed by London 's Metropolitan Railway ( MR ) , which already operated the line from Aylesbury to London . The MR rebuilt Quainton Road and re @-@ sited it to a more convenient location , allowing through running between the Brill Tramway and the Aylesbury and Buckingham Railway . When the Great Central Railway ( GCR ) from the north of England opened , Quainton Road became a significant junction at which trains from four directions met , and by far the busiest of the MR 's rural stations . In 1933 the Metropolitan Railway was taken into public ownership to become the Metropolitan line of the London Passenger Transport Board 's London Underground , including Quainton Road . The LPTB aimed to move away from freight operations , and saw no way in which the rural parts of the MR could be made into viable passenger routes . In 1935 the Brill Tramway was closed . From 1936 Underground trains were withdrawn north of Aylesbury , leaving the London and North Eastern Railway ( successor to the GCR ) as the only operator using the station , although Underground services were restored for a short period in the 1940s . In 1963 stopping passenger services were withdrawn but fast passenger trains continued to pass through . In 1966 the line was closed to passenger traffic and local goods trains ceased using the station . The line through the station was singled and used by occasional freight trains only . In 1969 the Quainton Road Society was formed with the aim of preserving the station . In 1971 , it absorbed the London Railway Preservation Society , taking over its collection of historic railway equipment . The station was fully restored and reopened as a museum , the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre . In addition to the original station buildings , the museum has also acquired the former Oxford Rewley Road railway station and a London Transport building from Wembley Park , both of which have been reassembled on the site . Although no scheduled trains pass through Quainton Road , the station remains connected to the railway network . Freight trains still use this line , and passenger trains still call at the station for special events at the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre . = = Origins = = On 15 June 1839 entrepreneur and former Member of Parliament for Buckingham Sir Harry Verney , 2nd Baronet , opened the Aylesbury Railway . Built under the direction of Robert Stephenson , it connected the London and Birmingham Railway 's Cheddington railway station on the West Coast Main Line to Aylesbury High Street railway station in eastern Aylesbury , the first railway station in the Aylesbury Vale . On 1 October 1863 the Wycombe Railway opened a branch line from Princes Risborough railway station to Aylesbury railway station on the western side of Aylesbury , making Aylesbury the terminus of two small and unconnected branch lines . Meanwhile , to the north of Aylesbury the Buckinghamshire Railway was being built by Sir Harry Verney . The scheme consisted of a line running roughly southwest to northeast from Oxford to Bletchley and a line running southeast from Brackley via Buckingham , joining roughly halfway along the Oxford – Bletchley line . The first section opened on 1 May 1850 , and the rest opened on 20 May 1851 . The Buckinghamshire Railway intended to extend the line southwards to connect to its station at Aylesbury , but this extension was not built . Richard Plantagenet Campbell Temple @-@ Nugent @-@ Brydges @-@ Chandos @-@ Grenville ( 10 September 1823 – 26 March 1889 ) , the only son of Richard Plantagenet Temple @-@ Nugent @-@ Brydges @-@ Chandos @-@ Grenville , 2nd Duke of Buckingham and Chandos , was in serious financial difficulties by the middle of the 19th century . The 2nd Duke had spent heavily on artworks , womanising , and attempting to influence elections , and by 1847 he was nicknamed " the Greatest Debtor in the World " . Over 40 @,@ 000 acres ( 16 @,@ 000 ha ) of the family 's 55 @,@ 000 @-@ acre ( 22 @,@ 000 ha ) estates and their London home at Buckingham House were sold to meet debts , and the family seat of Stowe House was seized by bailiffs as security and its contents sold . The only property remaining in the control of the Grenville family was the family 's relatively small ancestral home of Wotton House and its associated lands around Wotton Underwood in Buckinghamshire . Deeply in debt , the Grenvilles began to look for ways to maximise profits from their remaining farmland around Wotton , and to seek business opportunities in the emerging fields of heavy industry and engineering . Richard Plantagenet Campbell Temple @-@ Nugent @-@ Brydges @-@ Chandos @-@ Grenville , who became the Marquess of Chandos on the death of his grandfather Richard Temple @-@ Nugent @-@ Brydges @-@ Chandos @-@ Grenville , 1st Duke of Buckingham and Chandos in 1839 , was appointed chairman of the London and North Western Railway ( LNWR ) on 27 May 1857 . On the death of his father on 29 July 1861 he became the 3rd Duke of Buckingham and Chandos , and resigned from the chairmanship of the LNWR , returning to Wotton House to manage the family 's remaining estates . = = Aylesbury and Buckingham Railway = = On 6 August 1860 the Aylesbury and Buckingham Railway ( A & B ) , with the 3rd Duke ( then still Marquess of Chandos ) as chairman and Sir Harry Verney as deputy chairman , was incorporated by Act of Parliament with the object of connecting the Buckinghamshire Railway ( by now operated by the LNWR ) to Aylesbury . The 2nd Duke used his influence to ensure the new route would run via Quainton , near his remaining estates around Wotton , instead of the intended more direct route via Pitchcott . Beset by financial difficulties , the line took over eight years to build , eventually opening on 23 September 1868 . The new line was connected to the Wycombe Railway 's Aylesbury station , and joined the existing Buckinghamshire Railway lines at the point where the Oxford – Bletchley line and the line to Buckingham already met . Verney Junction railway station was built at the point where the lines joined , named after Sir Harry who owned the land on which it was built , since there was no nearby town . Aylesbury now had railways to the east , north and southwest , but no line southeast towards London and the Channel ports . Quainton Road station was built on a curve in the line at the nearest point to the Duke 's estates at Wotton . Six miles ( 10 km ) northwest of Aylesbury , it was southwest of the small village of Quainton and immediately northwest of the road connecting Quainton to Akeman Street . The railway towards Aylesbury crossed the road via a level crossing immediately southeast of the station . The Aylesbury and Buckingham Railway had spent most of their limited budget on the construction of the line itself . Details of the design of the original Quainton Road station are lost , but it is likely that the station had a single timber @-@ covered earth platform and minimal buildings ; it was described in 1890 as being extremely primitive . = = Wotton Tramway = = With a railway now running near the boundary of the Wotton House estate at Quainton Road , the 3rd Duke decided to open a small @-@ scale agricultural railway to connect the estate to the railway . The line was intended purely for the transport of construction materials and agricultural produce , and not passengers . The line was to run roughly southwest from Quainton Road to a new railway station near Wotton Underwood . Just west of the station at Wotton the line split . One section would run west to Wood Siding near Brill . A short stub called Church Siding would run northwest into the village of Wotton Underwood itself , terminating near the parish church , and a 1 mile 57 chain ( 1 mile 1 @,@ 254 yards ; 2 @.@ 8 km ) siding would run north to a coal siding near Kingswood . Construction began on the line on 8 September 1870 . It was built as cheaply as possible , using the cheapest available materials and winding around hills wherever feasible to avoid expensive earthworks . The station platforms were crude earth banks 6 inches ( 150 mm ) high , held in place by wooden planks . As the Duke intended that the line be worked by horses , it was built with longitudinal sleepers to reduce the risk of them tripping . On 1 April 1871 the section between Quainton Road and Wotton was formally opened by the Duke in a brief ceremony . At the time of its opening the line was unnamed , although it was referred to as " The Quainton Tramway " in internal correspondence . The extension from Wotton to Wood Siding was complete by 17 June 1871 ; the opening date of the northern branch to Kingswood is not recorded , but it was not yet fully open in February 1873 . The London and North Western Railway immediately began to operate a dedicated service from Quainton Road , with three vans per week of milk collected from the Wotton estate shipped to Broad Street . Passengers were not carried , other than estate employees and people accompanying livestock . The tramway did not link to the A & B , but had its own station at Quainton Road at a right angle to the A & B. A 13 @-@ foot ( 4 @.@ 0 m ) diameter turntable at the end of the tramway linked to a spur from the A & B. This spur ran behind a goods shed , joining the A & B line to the northwest of the road . The Tramway had no buildings at Quainton Road , using the A & B 's facilities when necessary . As the tramway ran on the east side of the road , opposite the station , the spur line had its own level crossing to reach the main line . In 1871 permission was granted to build a direct connection between the two lines , but it was not built . = = = Expansion of the Wotton Tramway = = = In late 1871 the residents of Brill , the former seat of the Mercian kings and the only significant town near Wotton House , petitioned the Duke to extend the route to Brill and to run a passenger service on the line . In January 1872 a passenger timetable was published for the first time , and the line was officially named the " Wotton Tramway " , but it was commonly known as the " Brill Tramway " from its opening to passengers until closure . The new terminus of Brill opened in March 1872 . With horses unable to cope with the loads being carried , the Tramway was upgraded for locomotive use . The lightly laid track with longitudinal sleepers limited the locomotive weight to a maximum of nine tons , lighter than almost all locomotives then available , so it was not possible to use standard locomotives . Two traction engines converted for railway use were bought from Aveling and Porter at a cost of £ 398 ( about £ 32 @,@ 000 as of 2016 ) each . The locomotives were chosen on grounds of weight and reliability , and had a top speed on the level of only 8 miles per hour ( 13 km / h ) , taking 95 – 98 minutes to travel the six miles ( 10 km ) between Brill and Quainton Road , an average speed of 4 miles per hour ( 6 @.@ 4 km / h ) . The line was heavily used for the shipment of bricks from the brickworks around Brill , and of cattle and milk from the dairy farms on the Wotton estate . By 1875 the line was carrying around 40 @,@ 000 gallons ( 180 @,@ 000 l ; 48 @,@ 000 US gal ) of milk each year . Delivery of linseed cake to the dairy farms and of coal to the area 's buildings were also important uses of the line . The line also began to carry large quantities of manure from London to the area 's farms , carrying 3 @,@ 200 tons ( 3 @,@ 300 t ) in 1872 . As it was the only physical link between the Tramway and the national railway network , almost all of this traffic passed through Quainton Road station . By the mid @-@ 1870s the slow speed of the Aveling and Porter locomotives and their unreliability and inability to handle heavy loads were recognised as major problems for the Tramway . In 1874 Ferdinand de Rothschild bought a 2 @,@ 700 @-@ acre ( 1 @,@ 100 ha ) site near the Tramway 's Waddesdon station to use as a site for his country mansion of Waddesdon Manor . The Tramway 's management recognised that the construction works would lead to a significant increase in the haulage of heavy goods , and that the Aveling and Porter engines would be unable to cope with the increased loads . The newly established engineering firm of W. G. Bagnall wrote to the Duke offering to hire a locomotive to him for trials . The offer was accepted , and on 18 December 1876 the locomotive was delivered . The tests were generally successful and an order was placed to buy a locomotive from Bagnall for £ 640 ( about £ 54 @,@ 300 in 2016 ) which was delivered on 28 December 1877 . With trains now hauled by the Bagnall locomotive ( the Kingswood branch generally remained worked by horses , and occasionally by the Aveling and Porter engines ) , traffic levels soon rose . Milk traffic rose from 40 @,@ 000 gallons carried in 1875 to 58 @,@ 000 gallons ( 260 @,@ 000 l ; 70 @,@ 000 US gal ) in 1879 , and in 1877 the Tramway carried a total of 20 @,@ 994 tons ( 21 @,@ 331 t ) of goods . In early 1877 the Tramway was shown on Bradshaw maps for the first time , and from May 1882 Bradshaw included its timetable . Although the introduction of the Bagnall locomotives and the traffic generated by the works at Waddesdon Manor had boosted the line 's fortunes , it remained in serious financial difficulty . The only connection with the national railway network was by the turntable at Quainton Road . Although the 3rd Duke of Buckingham was both the owner of the Wotton Tramway and Chairman of the A & B , the latter regarded the Tramway as a nuisance , and in the 1870s pursued a policy of charging disproportionately high fees for through traffic between the Tramway and the main line , with the intention of forcing the Tramway out of business . A & B trains would deliberately miss connections with the Tramway , causing milk shipped via Quainton Road to become unsellable . The Tramway sought legal advice and was informed that the Duke would be likely to win a legal action against the A & B. However , the A & B was in such a precarious financial position that any successful legal action against it would likely have forced its through Quainton Road to close , severing the Tramway 's connection with the national network . Many Tramway passengers changed trains at Quainton Road to continue their journey on the A & B ; in 1885 , 5 @,@ 192 passengers did so . The Tramway 's management suggested that the A & B subsidise the Tramway to the sum of £ 25 ( about £ 2 @,@ 400 in 2016 ) per month to allow passenger services to continue , but the A & B agreed to pay only £ 5 ( about £ 500 in 2016 ) per month . By the mid @-@ 1880s the Tramway was finding it difficult to cover the operating expenses of either goods or passenger operations . = = Metropolitan Railway takeover of the Aylesbury and Buckingham Railway = = In 1837 Euston railway station opened , the first railway station connecting London with the industrial heartlands of the West Midlands and Lancashire . Railways were banned by a Parliamentary commission from operating in London itself , and thus the station was built on what was then the northern boundary of the built @-@ up area . Other main line termini soon followed at Paddington ( 1838 ) , Bishopsgate ( 1840 ) , Fenchurch Street ( 1841 ) , King 's Cross ( 1852 ) and St Pancras ( 1868 ) . All were built outside the built @-@ up area , making them inconvenient to reach . Charles Pearson ( 1793 – 1862 ) had proposed the idea of an underground railway connecting the City of London with the relatively distant main @-@ line termini in around 1840 . Construction began in 1860 . On 9 January 1863 the line opened as the Metropolitan Railway ( MR ) , the world 's first underground passenger railway . The MR was successful and grew steadily , extending its services and acquiring other local railways north and west of London . In 1872 Edward Watkin ( 1819 – 1901 ) was appointed its Chairman . A director of many railway companies , he had a vision of unifying a string of railways to create a single line from Manchester via London to an intended Channel Tunnel and on to France . In 1873 Watkin entered negotiations to take control of the A & B and the section of the former Buckinghamshire Railway north from Verney Junction to Buckingham . He planned to extend the MR north from London to Aylesbury and the Tramway southwest to Oxford , creating a through route from London to Oxford . Rail services between Oxford and London at this time were poor : although still an extremely roundabout route , this scheme would have formed the shortest route from London to Oxford , Aylesbury , Buckingham and Stratford upon Avon . The Duke of Buckingham was enthusiastic , and authorisation was sought from Parliament . Parliament did not share the enthusiasm of Watkin and the Duke , and in 1875 the Buckinghamshire and Northamptonshire Union Railway Bill was rejected . Watkin did , however , receive consent in 1881 to extend the MR to Aylesbury . = = Wotton Tramway Oxford extension scheme = = With the MR extension to Aylesbury approved , in March 1883 the Duke announced his own scheme to extend the Tramway to Oxford . The turntable at Quainton Road would be replaced by a junction to the south of the turntable to allow through running of trains . The stretch from Quainton Road to Brill would be straightened and improved to main @-@ line standards , and the little @-@ used stations at Waddesdon Road and Wood Siding would be closed . From Brill , the line would pass in a 1 @,@ 650 @-@ yard ( 1 @,@ 510 m ) tunnel through Muswell Hill to the south of Brill , and on via Boarstall before crossing from Buckinghamshire into Oxfordshire at Stanton St. John , calling at Headington on the outskirts of Oxford and terminating at a station to be built in the back garden of 12 High Street , St Clement 's , near Magdalen Bridge . At 23 miles ( 37 km ) the line would have been by far the shortest route between Oxford and Aylesbury , compared with 28 miles ( 45 km ) via the Great Western Railway ( GWR ) , which had absorbed the Wycombe Railway , and 34 miles ( 55 km ) via the Aylesbury and Buckingham Railway and the LNWR . The Act of Parliament authorising the scheme received the Royal Assent on 20 August 1883 , and the new Oxford , Aylesbury and Metropolitan Junction Railway Company , including the Duke of Buckingham , Ferdinand de Rothschild and Harry Verney among its directors , was created . The scheme caught the attention of the expansionist Metropolitan Railway , who paid for the survey to be conducted . Despite the scheme 's powerful backers , the expensive Muswell Hill tunnel deterred investors and the company found it difficult to raise capital . De Rothschild promised to lend money for the scheme in return for guarantees that the line would include a passenger station at Westcott , and that the Duke would press the A & B into opening a station at the nearest point to Waddesdon Manor . Waddesdon Manor railway station was duly opened on 1 January 1897 . = = Oxford & Aylesbury Tramroad = = The new company was unable to raise sufficient investment to begin construction of the Oxford extension , and had been given only five years by Parliament to build it . On 7 August 1888 , less than two weeks before the authorisation was due to expire , the directors of the Oxford , Aylesbury and Metropolitan Junction Railway Company received the Royal Assent for a revised and much cheaper version . To be called the Oxford & Aylesbury Tramroad ( O & AT ) , this envisaged the extension being built to the same light specifications as the existing Tramway . On 26 March 1889 the 3rd Duke of Buckingham and Chandos died , aged 65 . By this time the construction of the MR extension to Aylesbury was well underway , and on 1 July 1891 the MR formally absorbed the A & B. Sir Harry Verney died on 12 February 1894 , and on 31 March 1894 the MR took over the operation of the A & B from the GWR . On 1 July 1894 the MR extension to Aylesbury was completed , giving the MR a unified route from London to Verney Junction . The MR embarked on a programme of upgrading and rebuilding the stations along the newly acquired line . Construction from Brill to Oxford had not yet begun . Further Acts of Parliament were granted in 1892 and 1894 varying the proposed route slightly and allowing for its electrification , but no work was carried out other than some preliminary surveying . On 1 April 1894 , with the proposed extension to Oxford still intended , the O & AT exercised a clause of the 1888 Act and took over the Tramway . Work began on upgrading the line in preparation for the extension . The line from Quainton Road to Brill was relaid with improved rails on transverse sleepers , replacing the original flimsy rails and longitudinal sleepers . At around this time two Manning Wardle locomotives were brought into use . = = Re @-@ siting = = The rebuilding of the Tramway greatly improved service speeds , reducing journey times between Quainton Road and Brill to between 35 and 43 minutes . The population of the area had remained low ; in 1901 Brill had a population of only 1 @,@ 206 . Passenger traffic remained a relatively insignificant part of the Tramway 's business , and in 1898 passenger receipts were only £ 24 per month ( about £ 2 @,@ 400 in 2016 ) . Quainton Road had seen little change since its construction by the A & B in 1868 , and in 1890 was described by The Times as " one of the most primitive @-@ looking stations in the British Isles " . While the line to Brill was being upgraded , the MR were rebuilding and re @-@ siting Quainton Road as part of its improvement programme , freeing space for a direct link between the former A & B and the O & AT to be built . The new station was re @-@ sited to the southeast of the road , on the same side as the turntable connection with the Tramway . The new station had two platforms on the former A & B line and a third platform for Brill trains . In 1896 the level crossings around the station were replaced by a road bridge over the railway . A curve between the former A & B and the Tramway opened on 1 January 1897 , allowing through running without the need to turn the engine and carriages individually on the turntable for the first time . The MR made a concerted effort to generate passenger traffic on the line . From 1910 to 1914 Pullman cars operated between Aldgate and Verney Junction , calling at Quainton Road , and a luxurious hotel was built in the new village of Verney Junction . = = Metropolitan Railway takeover of Oxford & Aylesbury Tramroad services = = By 1899 the MR and the O & AT were cooperating closely . Although the line had been upgraded in preparation for the Oxford extension and had been authorised as a railway in 1894 , construction of the extension had yet to begin . On 27 November the MR arranged to lease the Tramway from the O & AT , for an annual fee of £ 600 ( about £ 61 @,@ 000 in 2016 ) with an option to buy the line outright . From 1 December 1899 , the MR took over all operations on the Tramway . The O & AT 's single passenger coach , a relic of Wotton Tramway days , was removed from its wheels and used as a platelayer 's hut at Brill . An elderly Brown , Marshalls and Co passenger coach was transferred to the line to replace it , and a section of each platform was raised to accommodate the higher doors of this coach , using earth and old railway sleepers . D class locomotives , introduced by the MR to improve services on the former Tramway line , damaged the track , and in 1910 the line between Quainton Road and Brill was relaid to MR standards using old track removed from the inner London MR route , still considered adequate for light use on a rural branch line . Following this track upgrading , the speed limit was increased to 25 miles per hour ( 40 km / h ) . The MR was unhappy with the performance and safety record of the D Class locomotives , and sold them to other railways between 1916 and 1922 , replacing them with A class locomotives . = = Great Central Railway = = In 1893 another of Edward Watkin 's railways , the Manchester , Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway , had been authorised to build a new 92 @-@ mile ( 148 km ) line from Annesley in Nottinghamshire south to Quainton Road . Watkin had intended to run services from Manchester and Sheffield via Quainton Road and along the MR to Baker Street . Following Watkin 's retirement in 1894 , the Manchester , Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway obtained permission for a separate station in London near Baker Street at Marylebone , and the line was renamed the Great Central Railway ( GCR ) . The new line joined the MR just north of Quainton Road , and opened to passengers on 15 March 1899 . Although it served a lightly populated area , the opening of the GCR made Quainton Road an important junction station at which four railway lines met . The number of passengers using the station rose sharply . It had many passengers in comparison to other stations in the area . In 1932 , the last year of private operation , the station saw 10 @,@ 598 passenger journeys , earning a total of £ 601 ( about £ 37 @,@ 600 in 2016 ) in passenger receipts . Quainton Road was by far the busiest of the MR 's rural passenger stations north of Aylesbury . Verney Junction railway station saw only 943 passenger journeys in the same year , and the five other stations on the Brill Tramway had a combined passenger total of 7 @,@ 761 . = = = Great Western and Great Central Joint Railway = = = Following Watkin 's retirement relations between the GCR and the MR deteriorated badly . The GCR route to London ran over the MR from Quainton Road to London , and to reduce reliance on the hostile MR , GCR General Manager William Pollitt decided to create a link with the Great Western Railway and a route into London that bypassed the MR. In 1899 the Great Western and Great Central Joint Railway began construction of a new line , commonly known as the Alternative Route , to link the GWR at Princes Risborough to the GCR at Grendon Underwood , about three miles ( 5 km ) north of Quainton Road . Although formally an independent company , the new line was operated as a part of the GCR . A substantial part of GCR traffic to and from London was diverted onto the Alternative Route , reducing the significance of Quainton Road as an interchange and damaging the profitability of the MR. = = London Transport = = On 1 July 1933 the MR , along with London 's other underground railways aside from the short Waterloo & City Railway , was taken into public ownership as part of the newly formed London Passenger Transport Board ( LPTB ) . Despite being 44 miles ( 71 km ) from London , Quainton Road became part of the London Underground network . By this time , the lines from Quainton Road to Verney Junction and Brill were in severe decline . Competition from the newer lines and from improving road haulage had drawn away much of the Tramway 's custom in particular , and Brill trains would often run without a single passenger . Frank Pick , Managing Director of the Underground Group from 1928 and the Chief Executive of the LPTB , aimed to move the network away from freight services and concentrate on the electrification and improvement of the core routes in London . He saw the lines beyond Aylesbury via Quainton Road to Brill and Verney Junction as having little future as financially viable passenger routes . On 1 June 1935 the LPTB gave the required six months ' notice to the O & AT that it intended to terminate operations on the Brill Tramway . = = Closure = = The last scheduled passenger train on the Brill Tramway left Quainton Road in the afternoon of 30 November 1935 . Hundreds of people gathered , and a number of members of the Oxford University Railway Society travelled from Oxford in an effort to buy the last ticket . Accompanied by firecrackers and fog signals , the train ran to Brill , where the passengers posed for a photograph . Late that evening , a two @-@ coach staff train pulled out of Brill , accompanied by a band bearing a white flag and playing Auld Lang Syne . The train stopped at each station , picking up the staff , documents and valuables from each . At 11 @.@ 45 pm the train arrived at Quainton Road , greeted by hundreds of locals and railway enthusiasts . At the stroke of midnight , the rails connecting the Tramway to the main line were ceremonially severed . Quainton Road remained open , but with the closure of the Brill Tramway it was no longer a significant junction . A connection between the GCR and the former Buckinghamshire Railway at Calvert was opened in 1942 , leaving the A & B route to Verney Junction with no purpose other than as a diversionary route . It was closed to passengers on 6 July 1936 . London Transport passenger services beyond Aylesbury were withdrawn , leaving the former GCR ( part of the London and North Eastern Railway after 1923 ) as the only passenger services to Quainton Road . London Transport reduced the A & B route between Quainton Road and Verney Junction to a single track in 1939 – 40 . LT continued to operate freight services until 6 September 1947 , when the Quainton Road – Verney Junction route closed altogether , leaving the former GCR route from Aylesbury via Rugby as the only service through Quainton Road . London Transport services were briefly restored in 1943 with the extension of the Metropolitan line 's London – Aylesbury service to Quainton Road , but this service was once more withdrawn in 1948 . Quainton Road closed to passengers on 4 March 1963 and to goods on 4 July 1966 . On 3 September 1966 the GCR line from Aylesbury to Rugby was abandoned , leaving only the stretch from Aylesbury to Calvert , running through the now @-@ closed Quainton Road , open for freight trains . This was reduced to a single track shortly afterwards . The signal box at Quainton Road was abandoned on 13 August 1967 , and the points connecting to the goods yard were disconnected . = = Restoration = = While other closed stations on the former MR lines north of Aylesbury were generally demolished or sold , in 1969 the Quainton Railway Society was formed to operate a working museum at the station . On 24 April 1971 the society absorbed the London Railway Preservation Society , taking custody of its collection of historic railway equipment . The station was maintained in working order and used as a bookshop and ticket office , and the sidings — still intact , although disconnected from the railway line in 1967 — were used for locomotive restoration work . The Quainton Railway Society , which operates the station as the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre , restored the main station building to its 1900 appearance . A smaller building on the former Brill platform , once a shelter for passengers waiting for Brill and down trains , was used first as a store then as a shop for a number of years before its current use to house an exhibit on the history of the Brill Tramway . A former London Transport building from Wembley Park was dismantled and re @-@ erected at Quainton Road to serve as a maintenance shed . In 1988 , the station briefly came back into passenger use , with the introduction of special Christmas shopping services between Aylesbury and Bletchley . These services ran on Saturdays only , and stopped at Quainton Road . Rewley Road , the Oxford terminus of Harry Verney 's Buckinghamshire Railway and of the Oxford to Cambridge Line , closed to passengers on 1 October 1951 with trains diverted to the former GWR Oxford General , the current Oxford station . In co @-@ operation with the Science Museum , Rewley Road was dismantled in 1999 , the main station building and part of the platform canopy being moved to Quainton Road for preservation and improved visitor facilities with the main shop and office of the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre , thus maintaining it as a working building . A number of former Ministry of Supply food warehouses in what is now the extended Down Yard have been converted for various uses by the Society , including storage and exhibition of rolling stock . Although the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre 's steam trains run on the sidings which were disconnected from the network in 1967 , the station still has a working railway line passing through it , used for occasional special passenger trains from Aylesbury in connection with events at the Centre . Regular freight trains are mainly landfill trains from waste transfer depots in Greater London to the former brick pits at Calvert . As one of the best @-@ preserved period railway stations in England , Quainton Road is regularly used as a filming location for period drama , and programmes such as The Jewel in the Crown , the Doctor Who serial Black Orchid and Midsomer Murders have been filmed there . As of 2010 the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre are negotiating for a reconnection of the link between their sidings and the main line to allow their locomotives to run to Aylesbury when the line is not in use by freight trains , and to rebuild part of the Brill Tramway between Quainton Road and Waddesdon Road .

= Castlevania : Lords of Shadow = Castlevania : Lords of Shadow is an action @-@ adventure video game developed by MercurySteam and Kojima Productions , published by Konami and released on October 5 , 2010 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 . The PC version was released on August 27 , 2013 . The game is a reboot of the Castlevania series , and reveals the origins of Dracula . Set in Southern Europe during the Middle Ages , the story focuses on Gabriel Belmont and his quest to defeat a malevolent order known as the Lords of Shadow and resurrect his wife . The player controls Gabriel in 3D environments as he uses melee skills to defeat enemies and solves puzzles to move through the game . The game was originally announced as Lords of Shadow with no connection to the Castlevania series mentioned . This was done to keep their plans to radically change the direction of the Castlevania mythos a secret and to prevent the announcement of the game from upstaging another series release , Castlevania Judgment . Hideo Kojima , creator of the Metal Gear series , helped produce the title . The music was composed by Spanish composer Óscar Araujo , who was acclaimed for his work on the game . The game sold well and received positive reviews from video game publications . It was praised for new elements it provided to the franchise , although this was also the subject of criticism as it did not retain traits from previous Castlevania games . Konami requested that the development team produce more titles related to Lords of Shadow . This includes two sequels titled Castlevania : Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate and Castlevania : Lords of Shadow 2 . = = Gameplay = = Lords of Shadow is a third @-@ person action @-@ adventure game in which the player controls the main character , Gabriel Belmont . The combat involves a retractable chain whip called the Combat Cross . The player can perform up to forty unlockable combos with it . The commands consist of direct attacks for dealing damage to single enemies , and weak area attacks when surrounded by them . It is also capable of interactions with secondary weapons , such as knives , holy water and other items which can be upgraded . In addition , the Combat Cross 's melee skills can be combined with the Light and Shadow magic system , which are spells aimed at defense and aggression , respectively . The whip is upgradeable and can also be used to guard against an opponent 's attack . The developers attempted to reach out to new audiences by distancing Lords of Shadow from previous Castlevania games , but kept some elements intact to not alienate franchise fans . For example , vampires and werewolves are recurring enemies in the game , but other existing enemies include trolls , giant spiders and goblin @-@ like creatures . The enemies can be defeated for experience points , which can be used to purchase combos or to augment the player 's abilities further . Lords of Shadow has large @-@ scale bosses known as titans . The Combat Cross can be used to grapple onto their bodies and navigate them , and break the runes that animate the titan . Similar to the original Castlevania titles , platforming and puzzles are a key component and are featured in fifty levels . The player can control Gabriel to jump most distances , dash or hold his balance above fatal pits . The Combat Cross can be used for exploration purposes like scaling walls , rappelling and swinging across gaps . Some sequences of the game require the player to solve physical puzzles or brain teasers . Alternatively , moving certain objects can set off chain reactions and open paths to new areas . Activating switches can also assist against traps . The player can explore the levels in order to find hidden items , which can increase health or magic abilities . These items are " gems " ; there are three types , including life gems , light gems and dark gems . These can increase life endurance , light magical ability and dark magical ability , respectively . = = Synopsis = = = = = Setting and characters = = = Producer David Cox stated the game is a reboot of the franchise . The setting of Lords of Shadow is during " the end of days " in the year 1047 . The Earth 's alliance with the Heavens has been threatened by a malevolent force known as the Lords of Shadow . A dark spell has stopped the souls of the deceased from leaving , while evil creatures inhabit the dying land and attack living people . The main character , Gabriel Belmont ( voiced by Robert Carlyle ) , is a member of the Brotherhood of Light , an elite group of holy knights who protect and defend innocent people against the supernatural creatures . Gabriel 's wife Marie ( Natascha McElhone ) was brutally murdered by one of them , and her soul cannot leave as it is trapped in limbo . Because she is now neither alive nor dead , she realizes what is at stake and guides Gabriel to his destiny to save the world as he investigates the dark spell . He travels the destroyed land , meeting other characters , such as the oldest living member of his order , Zobek ( Patrick Stewart , who additionally narrates the game ) . Two masks referred to as the God and Devil Masks lie at the center of the plot , with the God Mask having powers to resurrect the dead . Gabriel intends to defeat the three factions of the Lords of Shadow in order to obtain the pieces of the God Mask and bring back his deceased wife . = = = Plot = = = Gabriel is sent by the Brotherhood of Light to the Lake of Oblivion , where his deceased wife , Marie , tells him that Spirits who founded the Brotherhood said that the Lords of Shadow 's power will save the world . Gabriel meets a man from the Brotherhood called Zobek , who states that a prophecy has been kept a secret by a select few , which tells of a pure @-@ hearted warrior who will claim the Lords of Shadow 's power to overcome evil . Zobek says that he and Gabriel must enter the lands of the Dark Lords in order to unite the Heavens with the world again , and that with this Gabriel can bring Marie back from the dead . Gabriel defeats the werewolf Cornell ( Richard Ridings ) and the vampire Carmilla ( Sally Knyvette ) for the first two pieces of the God Mask on his journey , while learning that they were once two of the three founding members of the Order who fought the spawns of Satan in God 's favor until they transformed into the Spirits , with power only second to God 's . After they ascended to the Heavens , they left behind their dark sides , who were known as the Lords of Shadow . Gabriel departs for the Land of the Necromancers for the last part of the mask . There , Zobek appears before Gabriel with the Devil Mask over his face , and divulges that he is the Lord of the Necromancers and that he grew tired of the Lords of Shadow dividing the power amongst the three of them . Orchestrating the events of the story , he searched Hell for this power until an evil force entered him and expanded his knowledge of the dark arts , which allowed him to cast the spell that separated the Earth from the Heavens so that the Spirits would contact the Brotherhood . Zobek discloses he used the Devil Mask on Gabriel to kill Marie and that all he needed was for Gabriel to restore the power of the Spirits to avoid suspicion from them . Satan ( Jason Isaacs ) emerges and takes the God Mask from Zobek , revealing himself as the mastermind who gave Zobek his powers so that Satan could have revenge on God and return to the Heavens . Gabriel confronts Satan and defeats him , releasing souls of the deceased from limbo . Gabriel discovers the God Mask cannot bring Marie back and that it only allows him to see through God 's eyes . Marie tells him he has been given a new life to redeem himself before she departs with the God Mask . The story is expanded in two DLC packs titled Reverie and Resurrection . Reverie has Gabriel returning to Carmilla 's castle to contain an ancient evil , the Forgotten One ( Colin McFarlane ) , with the help of Carmilla 's daughter Laura ( Grace Vance ) , who is also a playable character that assists Gabriel in some sequences of the DLC . Before entering a portal into the Forgotten One 's prison , Laura tells Gabriel he cannot enter it in his mortal form and dies after she has Gabriel drink her blood to use its powers to enter , turning him into a vampire . During Resurrection , the Forgotten One aspires to destroy the humans ' world , but he is defeated by Gabriel who claims his power for himself . Corrupted by the Forgotten One 's power , Gabriel destroys his Combat Cross and leaves through the portal . In a post @-@ credits scene after the main game 's ending , Zobek is seen alive during modern times , and has uncovered Gabriel living as a vampire called Dracula . Zobek mentions the acolytes of Satan are preparing for his return and that they must stop him before he takes revenge on both of them . Before Gabriel disappears , Zobek tells him he will free him of his immortality if he helps him . = = Development = = Castlevania was rebooted due to the team 's concern over the poor sales in their latest Castlevania games . The team wished to expand the franchise 's fanbase with this game . A number of prototypes in parallel development competed to become the next Castlevania title . Konami told MercurySteam the game would be an original intellectual property ( IP ) when it was first greenlit as a Castlevania title . Konami eventually asked them to cease work on Lords of Shadow while it was still in its early stages , until David Cox showed the Japanese senior management the game and was offered help by video game designer Hideo Kojima . Konami then chose the pitch for it as the next Castlevania entry . The original concept for the game was to remake the first Castlevania starring Simon Belmont , but it was later decided to make a reboot of the franchise . Lords of Shadow still drew inspiration from earlier titles in the series , most notably Castlevania for the Nintendo Entertainment System , and Super Castlevania IV . Kojima 's input included advising Cox 's team to redesign some of the lead character , Gabriel , who he felt needed a " more heroic face " . Originally , Gabriel 's design resembled a classic barbarian , before Kojima then advised the staff to refine him into a character that was more relatable for the player . Cox mentioned that the voice acting provided by Robert Carlyle helped humanize Gabriel 's character . Kojima also oversaw the Japanese localization of the game , employing a number of voice actors from the Japanese versions of Metal Gear Solid . Cox stated that Kojima otherwise allowed the actors a lot of freedom with the project . MercurySteam wanted to depart from the art style of the other games in favour of one that was darker . Cox said , " The old games had this boyish depiction of vampires and monsters and we wanted them to have a darker edge this time around . " VideoGamer.com drew comparisons between the art style and Guillermo del Toro 's work . The developers claimed to avoid the use of quick time events during combat , stating that they distracted the player from the action , but the game relies heavily upon them , requiring their use for nearly every engagement . When the game was 60 % complete , MercurySteam was aiming for 30 frames per second performance , as opposed to 60 frames , which the company said was not a priority at that stage . The game reached gold status following an announcement on Twitter made by David Cox on September 9 , 2010 . The game 's two downloadable content ( DLC ) episodes , Reverie and Resurrection , were released in February 2011 and June 2011 respectively to explain the twist from the story 's ending . David Cox referred to these DLC chapters as " a mistake . " A port for Microsoft Windows was announced in June 2013 with the subtitle of " Ultimate Edition " . The downloadable content chapters are also included within the game . It was released in Steam on August 27 , 2013 and in retail on August 30 , 2013 . = = Audio = = The game 's musical score was written by Spanish composer Óscar Araujo using a 120 @-@ piece orchestra . It also features previous Castlevania musical themes . A soundtrack CD was also included in limited editions of the game , with twenty tracks in total . In October 2013 , specialist label Sumthing Else Music Works issued the soundtrack in a more widely available CD release while selling a digital format of the previously issued tracks that were featured on the CD that came with collector 's editions of the game alongside additional material exclusive to the digital release . Araujo was nominated by the International Film Music Critics Association for breakout composer of the year for his work on Lords of Shadow . He won " Best Original Score for a Video Game or Interactive Media . " Lords of Shadow features voiced dialogue by a professional cast recorded in London , an aspect which has been acclaimed by the gaming press . The cast includes Robert Carlyle and Patrick Stewart . The part of Gabriel was originally going to be offered to Gerard Butler , but he was not available . The cast would make their own contributions to the characters during the recordings . David Cox mentioned that " What could have been an ' in and out ' voiceover job for them [ the voice actors ] wasn 't . Instead , their love of the script and praise saw them developing their characters and working through the motivations for them " . = = Reception = = During its development , Lords of Shadow was placed on several lists for most anticipated video games . GameTrailers ranked it at number 7 for " Top 10 Most Anticipated Games of 2010 . " Explicit Gamer wrote " With so many great games in store for us in 2010 , you should be sure not to overlook Castlevania : Lords of Shadow when it hits the shelves . " Games Radar placed Lords of Shadow at number 26 for 100 Most Anticipated Games of 2010 , stating that " This could be a megaton release . " 1UP.com 's top 50 most anticipated games of E3 2010 ranked Lords of Shadow at number 17 . Despite the heavy anticipation , Cox noted there was still a small number of fans who did not like the game 's transition to the 3D format . He stated , " Fair enough , some people aren 't going to like what we 're doing and we accept that but generally what we 're trying to do is bring the fans with us ... there 's no point in going back and making the same game again – the point is to make a clean break and move forward with the series . " Reaction to Lords of Shadow was highly positive . 1UP 's review praised how the game took elements from other series and executed them well . GamesRadar drew favorable comparisons to other action games it has given a perfect score , including God of War III , Bayonetta and Dante 's Inferno , while praising it for being " huge in scope , length , and depth , and it 's polished with obvious love and passion " . Official Xbox Magazine lauded the size of the game 's content , writing " ... [ it ] is big . Actually , big 's too little a word . It 's monolithic ... From the Resi 4 mood of the scarecrow puzzle to the unexpected oddity of the music box level , this is a game that seemingly hasn 't heard of DLC – and decides to offer you immense value for money instead . " The publication concluded it was otherwise a success . Other reviews noted that it was derivative of other games and that it was unlike the classic Castlevania series . GameSpot 's review calls the game " a good start for a series in need of some new blood – so to speak – it 's just unfortunate so much of it comes from other games and not an original source . " IGN found the combat repetitive but felt the puzzles and platforming provided good pacing . Game Informer 's Tim Turi praised its boss battles , its magic @-@ based combat system , and its story . GameZone ranked it as the sixth best Castlevania title . The staff praised the developers ' success at bringing Castlevania to 3D . Xbox World 360 awarded the game the " Star Player Accolade " in 2010 . GamesMaster also gave it the " Gold Award . " The game was a commercial success . By November 2010 Konami had shipped one million copies in North America and Europe . Despite not achieving a high rank on the sales chart , Konami was satisfied with the game 's sales considering the budget it had and the staff 's intentions . The game also became the best @-@ selling Castlevania game , which resulted in Konami 's request to produce more titles . = = Sequels = = On May 29 , 2012 , Nintendo Power magazine revealed a sequel to Lords of Shadow for the Nintendo 3DS was in development by MercurySteam , titled Castlevania : Lords of Shadow – Mirror of Fate . The game takes place 25 years after Lords of Shadow and is in 3D with 2D gameplay . It follows Trevor Belmont , Simon Belmont , Alucard and Gabriel Belmont at different points in history . On May 31 , 2012 , Konami announced the sequel at E3 2012 , Castlevania : Lords of Shadow 2 . The game stars Gabriel as Dracula while he seeks to regain his lost powers to combat the return of Satan . He also must deal with the Belmont clan , who want him dead . Mirror of Fate has a climax that sets up the events of Lords of Shadow 2 .

= Aaron Eckhart = Aaron Edward Eckhart ( born March 12 , 1968 ) is an American film and stage actor . Born in California , he moved to the United Kingdom at the age of 13 , when his father relocated the family . Several years later , he began his acting career by performing in school plays , before moving to Sydney , Australia for his high school senior year . He left high school without graduating , but earned a diploma through an adult education course , and graduated from Brigham Young University , Utah in 1994 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in film . For much of the mid @-@ 1990s , he lived in New York City as a struggling , unemployed actor . As an undergraduate at Brigham Young , Eckhart met director and writer Neil LaBute , who cast him in several of his own original plays . Five years later Eckhart made a debut as an unctuous , sociopathic ladies ' man in LaBute 's black comedy film , In the Company of Men ( 1997 ) . Under LaBute 's guidance he worked in the director 's films , Your Friends & Neighbors ( 1998 ) , Nurse Betty ( 2000 ) , and Possession ( 2002 ) . Eckhart gained wide recognition as George in Steven Soderbergh 's critically acclaimed film , Erin Brockovich ( 2000 ) , and in 2006 received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor for his portrayal of Nick Naylor in Thank You for Smoking . Another mainstream breakout occurred in 2008 when he starred in the blockbuster Batman film The Dark Knight as District Attorney Harvey Dent . Other key roles include The Pledge ( 2001 ) , The Core ( 2003 ) , Rabbit Hole ( 2010 ) and Olympus Has Fallen ( 2013 ) . = = Early life = = Eckhart was born on March 12 , 1968 in Cupertino , California , the son of Mary Martha Eckhart ( née Lawrence ) , a writer , artist , and poet , and James Conrad Eckhart , a computer executive . He is the youngest of three brothers . His father was of German ( including German @-@ Russian ) descent , while his mother was of English , Scottish , German and Scotch @-@ Irish ancestry . He was raised as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter @-@ day Saints ( LDS Church ) , and served a two @-@ year LDS mission in France and Switzerland . Eckhart 's family relocated to England in 1981 , following his father 's job in information technology . The family resided in Ripley Surrey , South East England , then moved onto Walton @-@ on @-@ Thames , later moving to Cobham . While living in England , Eckhart attended American Community School , now known as ACS International Schools , where he was first introduced to acting , starring in a school production as Charlie Brown . In 1985 he moved to Sydney , where he attended American International School of Sydney for his high school senior year ; he further developed his acting skills in productions like Waiting for Godot , where he admits that he gave a " terrible " performance . In the autumn of his senior year Eckhart left the school in order to take a job working at the Warringah Mall movie theater . He eventually earned his diploma through an adult education course . This also allowed Eckhart time to enjoy a year of surfing in Hawaii and the coastal waters of France as well as skiing in the Alps . In 1988 , Eckhart returned to the United States and enrolled as a film major at Brigham Young University – Hawaii , but later transferred to Brigham Young University ( BYU ) in Provo , Utah . He graduated in 1994 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree . = = Career = = = = = Early work = = = While at Brigham Young University , Eckhart appeared in the Mormon @-@ themed film , Godly Sorrow , and the role marked Eckhart 's professional debut . At this time he met director / writer Neil LaBute , who cast him in several of his own original plays . After graduating from BYU , Eckhart moved to New York City , acquired an agent , and took various occasional jobs , including bartending , bus driving , and construction work . His first television roles were in commercials . In 1994 he appeared as an extra on the television drama series , Beverly Hills , 90210 . Eckhart followed this small part with roles in documentary re @-@ enactments ( Ancient Secrets of the Bible : Samson ) , made @-@ for @-@ television movies , and short @-@ lived programs like Aliens in the Family . In 1997 Eckhart was approached by Neil LaBute to star in a film adaptation of LaBute 's stage play , In the Company of Men . He played a frustrated white @-@ collar worker who planned to woo a deaf office worker , gain her affections , then suddenly dump her . The film , his first feature to reach theaters , was critically well received , with Desson Howe of The Washington Post reporting that Eckhart is the " movie 's most malignant presence " and that he " is in chilling command as a sort of satanic prince in shirtsleeves " . In the Company of Men was a critical success , winning Best First Film at the 63rd annual New York Film Critics Circle Award . His performance won him the Independent Spirit Award in the category of Best Debut Performance . The film was ranked as one of " The 25 Most Dangerous Movies " by Premiere magazine . The following year Eckhart starred in another LaBute feature , Your Friends & Neighbors ( 1998 ) , as Barry , a sexually frustrated husband in a dysfunctional marriage . For the role Eckhart was required to gain weight . In 1999 he starred opposite Elisabeth Shue in Molly , a romantic comedy @-@ drama in which he played the self @-@ absorbed brother of an autistic woman who was cured by surgery . Eckhart also starred that year as a football coach , an offensive coordinator in Oliver Stone 's Any Given Sunday . = = = Critical success = = = Eckhart first gained wide exposure in 2000 as George , a pony tailed , goateed biker , in Steven Soderbergh 's drama , Erin Brockovich . The film was met with reasonable reviews , and was a box office success , earning $ 256 million worldwide . His performance was well received by critics ; Entertainment Weekly 's Owen Gleiberman , wrote that Eckhart " may be playing a bit of an ideal [ ... ] but he makes goodness as palpable as he did yuppie evil in ' In the Company of Men ' . " In an August 2004 interview , Eckhart claimed that he had not worked for nearly a year before he was cast in the movie . " I felt like I sort of was getting away from what I wanted to do as an actor . [ ... ] I had nine months off , but it wasn 't a vacation . Sure , I didn 't earn any money for nine months , but every day I was reading scripts , I was producing my own material , I was taking meetings , I was working on my craft . " Following the release of Erin Brockovich , Eckhart co @-@ starred with Renée Zellweger in LaBute 's Nurse Betty ( 2000 ) . He next appeared in Sean Penn 's mystery feature The Pledge ( 2001 ) , in which he played a young detective partnered with a veteran detective , played by Jack Nicholson . The movie received generally favorable reviews , but it did not fare particularly well at the box office . The following year , he collaborated with LaBute in a film adaptation of the Man Booker Prize @-@ winning novel Possession ( 2002 ) . In 2003 , Eckhart co @-@ starred with Hilary Swank in The Core , a film about a geophysicist who tries to detonate a nuclear device in order to save the world from destruction . The film was critically and financially unsuccessful . Also in 2003 , he appeared in The Missing , in which he played Cate Blanchett 's lover , and in the action @-@ thriller Paycheck opposite Ben Affleck . Paycheck , based on a short story by science fiction writer Philip K. Dick , garnered generally negative reception . Film critic Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun @-@ Times gave the film two stars ( out of four ) , saying that he " enjoyed the movie " but felt that it " exploits [ Dick 's story ] for its action and plot potential , but never really develops it . " The following year , away from film , Eckhart guest starred in two episodes of NBC 's comedy sitcom Frasier , where he played a boyfriend of Charlotte , Dr. Frasier Crane 's love interest . His next film role was in E. Elias Merhige 's thriller Suspect Zero , a movie about an FBI agent who tracks down a killer who murders serial killers . Upon release , the movie received broadly negative reviews . Despite the reception , Eckhart 's performance was favored by critics ; Newsday wrote that Eckhart was a " classically handsome leading man ... but Merhige demands of him complexity and anguish . " Suspect Zero was a box office disappointment , earning $ 11 million worldwide . Also in 2004 , Eckhart starred on the London stage , opposite Julia Stiles , in David Mamet 's Oleanna at the Garrick Theatre . The drama ran until mid @-@ 2004 . For this performance , Eckhart received favorable critical reviews . In 2005 , returning to film , Eckhart appeared in Neverwas as a therapist who takes a job at a rundown mental hospital that once treated his father ( Nick Nolte ) . The feature was never given a full theatrical release , eventually being released straight to DVD in 2007 . = = = Worldwide recognition = = = Eckhart 's next project was Thank You for Smoking , in which he played Nick Naylor , a tobacco lobbyist whose firm researched the link between smoking cigarettes and lung cancer . Eckhart said that he felt challenged playing the role : " You have to say these words that are crazy , and yet do it with a smile on your face and have the audience like you . At one point , I 'm doing a talk show with a kid who 's dying of cancer , and he 's going through chemotherapy and the whole thing , and I spin it so the anti @-@ smoking people are the bad guys and I 'm the good guy , and I 'm this guy 's best friend . I mean , it 's whacked out . " The film was screened at a special presentation at the 30th annual Toronto International Film Festival in 2005 . It had a limited release in March 2006 and was released worldwide the following month . For his performance , Eckhart received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy . A contributor of USA Today wrote that he gave a " standout , whip @-@ smart performance " citing that as Nick Naylor he kept him " likable even in his cynicism . " In the Seattle Post @-@ Intelligencer review of the film , it was reported that " Under his chummy but compassionless smile " Eckhart radiated charm and " Naylor 's true joys : manipulating arguments , steering debate , cooking words . " In this same year , he starred with Helena Bonham Carter in Conversations with Other Women ( 2006 ) . While promoting this film , Eckhart revealed that he wishes not to be typecast or repeat himself , saying he does not want to play any more villains . He appeared in the 2006 film noir The Black Dahlia — based on a real 1947 crime — as Sergeant Leland " Lee " Blanchard , a detective investigating the murder of Elizabeth Short , later dubbed the " Black Dahlia " . The film premiered at the 63rd Venice International Film Festival . Reception for the movie was mixed , but many critics enjoyed Eckhart 's performance ; Time Out magazine praised Eckhart and co @-@ star Hilary Swank for their performances , writing " ... both [ are ] great in their secondary roles . " Internationally viewed as a sex symbol , he was named one of People magazine 's 100 Most Beautiful People in 2006 . The following year , Eckhart was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences . He starred in No Reservations ( 2007 ) , a remake of the 2001 German romantic comedy , Mostly Martha . He starred opposite Catherine Zeta @-@ Jones as an up @-@ and @-@ coming hotshot chef . The film was met with mixed reviews and was unfavorably compared to the original film . Eckhart starred in the 2008 comedy Meet Bill , in which he played the eponymous character , a sad executive working at his father @-@ in @-@ law 's bank . He gained 30 pounds and donned a fat suit for the role . Also in 2008 , Eckhart portrayed the comic book character , Harvey Dent , in Christopher Nolan 's The Dark Knight , the sequel to the 2005 film Batman Begins . Nolan 's decision to cast Eckhart was based on his portrayal of corrupt characters in the films In the Company of Men , The Black Dahlia , and Thank You For Smoking . He noted in his depiction of the character that " [ he ] is still true to himself . He 's a crime fighter , he 's not killing good people . He 's not a bad guy , not purely " , while admitting " I 'm interested in good guys gone wrong . " The Dark Knight was a big financial and critical success , setting a new opening weekend box office record for North America . With revenue of $ 1 billion worldwide , it became the fourth highest grossing film of all time , and the highest grossing film of Eckhart 's career . Roger Ebert opined that Eckhart did an " especially good job " as his character in the feature , while Premiere magazine also enjoyed his performance , noting that he " makes you believe in his ill @-@ fated ambition ... of morphing into the conniving Two @-@ Face . " Following the success of The Dark Knight , Eckhart next appeared in Alan Ball 's Towelhead ( 2008 ) , an adaption of the Alicia Erian novel of the same name , in which he played a Gulf War Army reservist who sexually abuses his 13 @-@ year @-@ old Arab @-@ American neighbor . The film was screened under the name Nothing is Private at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival . When he was first approached for the role , Eckhart revealed that he did not want to play a " pedophile " . When asked about the sex scenes , Eckhart said : " Those were difficult times .... The way I did it was to really trust Alan . It was in the words . I really trusted Summer [ Bishil ] , and I tried to get her to trust me , to build a relationship when we were doing physical scenes . We 'd really rehearse them mechanically , and I 'd say , ' OK , I 'm going to put my hand here , I 'm going to do this . ' ... I think I found it more difficult . " Towelhead was critically and financially unsuccessful . He next co @-@ starred with Jennifer Aniston in the romantic drama , Love Happens , released in September 2009 , as a motivational speaker coming to terms with his own grief . The movie received ambivalent reviews , with a contributor of the Orlando Sentinel reporting that Eckhart plays " broken " for the whole movie . The following year he starred alongside Nicole Kidman in Rabbit Hole ( 2010 ) , an adaption of David Lindsay @-@ Abaire 's 2005 drama of the same name . The feature premiered at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival . In 2011 , Eckhart starred in Jonathan Liebesman 's science fiction film Battle : Los Angeles , in which he portrayed a combat veteran Marine platoon sergeant . The film was set in modern @-@ day Los Angeles during a global alien invasion , and followed a platoon of U.S. Marines who are joined by an Air Force special operations sergeant and some Army infantry soldiers in combat operations against the alien enemy . He appeared alongside Johnny Depp , Richard Jenkins , and Amber Heard in Hunter S. Thompson 's novel adaptation The Rum Diary , directed by Bruce Robinson . In the film , Eckhart played Sanderson , a wealthy landowner , who believes everything has a price and introduces Paul Kemp ( Depp ) to a different standard of living . He recently appeared as the U.S. President who has taken hostage in the 2013 action thriller Olympus Has Fallen . = = Personal life = = Eckhart once was engaged to actress Emily Cline whom he met during filming of In the Company of Men , but they separated in 1998 . He always has been reluctant in speaking about his relationships in interviews . Eckhart dated country music songwriter and member of SHeDAISY , Kristyn Osborn , from 2006 – 2007 . He appeared in the group 's video for their single , " I 'm Taking the Wheel " . In various interviews Eckhart has talked about his beliefs , his way of life , and his future career ambitions . Talking to Entertainment Weekly regarding his Mormon faith , he revealed : " I 'm sure people think I 'm a Mormon , but I don 't know that I 'm a Mormon anymore , you know ? To be honest , to be perfectly clear , I 'd be a hypocrite if I did say that I was , just because I haven 't lived that lifestyle for so many years . " In other interviews he has divulged that , through hypnosis , he quit drinking , smoking , and partying , and that in his spare time , he enjoys photography . In an interview with Parade magazine , Eckhart revealed that before he discovered acting , he wanted to become a songwriter . = = Filmography = =

= When God Writes Your Love Story = When God Writes Your Love Story : The Ultimate Approach to Guy / Girl Relationships is a 1999 book by Eric and Leslie Ludy , an American married couple . After becoming a bestseller on the Christian book market , the book was republished in 2004 and then revised and expanded in 2009 . It tells the story of the authors ' first meeting , courtship , and marriage . The authors advise single people not to be physically or emotionally intimate with others , but to wait for the spouse that God has planned for them . The first edition was packaged with a CD single by the Ludys : " Faithfully " , a song they had written specifically to accompany the book . The book is divided into five sections and sixteen chapters . Each chapter is written from the perspective of one of the two authors ; nine are by Eric , while Leslie wrote seven , as well as the introduction . The Ludys argue that one 's love life should be both guided by and subordinate to one 's relationship with God . Leslie writes that God offers new beginnings to formerly unchaste or sexually abused individuals . Other American Christian authors , such as Mark Matlock and Jason Evert , wrote highly of When God Writes Your Love Story . Leah Andrews of the Lewiston Morning Tribune compared When God Writes Your Love Story to other popular Christian books providing alternatives to dating , including Joshua Harris 's I Kissed Dating Goodbye and Boy Meets Girl . Eastern University Christian studies professors Margaret and Dwight Peterson responded to the Ludys ' book by writing an essay called " God Does Not Want to Write Your Love Story , " in which the Petersons argue that the book makes young people see marriage as a fantasy comparable to that of Disney Princesses , and that this fantasy often results in disappointment . Rick Holland , an instructor at The Master 's College and Seminary and pastor of College and Student Ministries at Grace Community Church , criticized the Ludys ' description of dating , claiming it was based too much on anecdotes and not enough on the Bible . = = Background = = When God Writes Your Love Story , first published in the United States in 1999 , is the third book written by Eric and Leslie Ludy , an American married couple . Like the Ludys ' previous two books , His Perfect Faithfulness : The Story of our Courtship ( 1996 ) and Romance God 's Way ( 1997 ) , its major themes are romance and Christianity ; it tells the story of the authors ' first meeting , courtship , and marriage . After becoming a bestseller on the Christian book market , When God Writes Your Love Story was republished in 2004 and then revised and expanded in 2009 . More than 350 @,@ 000 copies were sold worldwide by 2009 . Translations of the book have been published in Spanish , German , and Traditional Chinese . Eric and Leslie Ludy met when Eric was 21 and Leslie was 16 . They pursued a friendship for several months before starting to court , and married in December 1994 , the same month that Eric turned 24 . In When God Writes Your Love Story , the Ludys advise single people not to be physically or emotionally intimate with others , but to wait for the life partner that God has planned for them ; the Ludys suggest that one should marry this person rather than independently choosing a mate . Also focusing on premarital physical and emotional purity , the authors do not discuss the physical processes of sexual activity . Like many other Christian books about premarital romantic relationships , the Ludys ' book explicitly does not present a set of rules to follow or a strategy for romantic success , but rather gives readers a framework for pursuing Christian romantic relationships ; the book is intended to be a tool in the creation of the reader 's unique romantic relationship rather than as a blueprint explaining what all Christian romantic relationships are supposed to look like . Before the book 's release , it was endorsed by Leslie and Les Parrott , authors of Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts ; Beverly LaHaye of Concerned Women for America ; and Joe White , President of Kanakuk Kamps . The first edition was packaged with a CD single by the Ludys : " Faithfully " , a song they had written specifically to accompany the book , with lyrics discussing the beauty of having a life partner . = = Content = = The book is divided into five sections and sixteen chapters . Each chapter is written from the perspective of one of the two authors ; nine are by Eric , while Leslie writes seven , as well as the introduction . The first section , " Desiring a Love Story " , addresses sexual desire and lovesickness , suggesting that temporary relationships cannot fulfill those longings . Section Two , " Preparing for a Love Story " , advances ways in which one might , before initiating a romantic relationship , develop the characteristics of a good spouse . The next section , " Waiting for a Love Story " , discusses the practice of fidelity to one 's future spouse before meeting them by way of sexual abstinence and argues that waiting indefinitely is worth it even if one 's soulmate never arrives . In the fourth section , " Sweetening a Love Story " , the Ludys provide advice on how to proceed once the possibility of a romantic relationship has presented itself . The final section , " Discovering a God @-@ written Love Story " , argues that it is never too late to give God control of one 's love life , and that this sacrifice should be made not in expectation of personal benefit but rather to benefit one 's future spouse and to honor God . Early in the book , Eric retells a portion of Homer 's Odyssey , describing the episode in which Ulysses sails near the land of the Sirens : creatures whose song so attracts seafarers that they sail towards them and crash on the rocks . In this story , Ulysses orders all his men to fill their ears with beeswax and then tie him to the mast ; the ship therefore sails through the area unharmed . Still , Ulysses , hearing the Sirens ' song the entire time , is tortured by its beauty and his inability to get to the song 's source . Eric follows this story with a retelling of the story of Orpheus 's encounter with the Sirens . In this story , Orpheus 's solution is to play a " sweeter song " than that of the Sirens ; his ship also passes unharmed , his men so entranced by his song that they do not notice the Sirens . Eric then argues from analogy that , normally , those who force themselves to resist premarital sexual and romantic temptations are likely to find the process torturous ( like Ulysses ) , while those who listen to the plans God has for them find waiting for marriage much easier ( as it was for Orpheus 's crew ) . Eric expands on the concept of the " sweeter song " throughout the book and often refers to it . Another frequently mentioned concept in the book is " the beautiful side of love " ; the Ludys use this phrase to refer to a lasting , satisfying romance and contrast this state with such other experiences as breakups , unrequited love , and sexual frustration . The Ludys argue that one 's love life should be both guided by and subordinate to one 's relationship with God . They suggest that , " if God 's plan and purpose for you is marriage , then the person you will one day marry ... is alive and wandering the earth " and that this knowledge should encourage people to act in such a way that their future spouses would be pleased . The Ludys contest the definition of " true love " as an emotion ; instead , they define " true love " as the choice to commit to another person no matter what happens . Eric writes that " there are two ways each of us can approach life : spending our days meeting our needs or looking for ways to meet others ' needs . The mystery is that when we spend our life focused on our own needs , we are never satisfied ... but when we pour out our life and focus on how we can serve others ... our deepest needs are met as well ! " Leslie argues that non @-@ permanent relationships involving physical or emotional intimacy ( or both ) result in long @-@ term psychological pain and that one should therefore only become physically or emotionally intimate with one 's spouse . Eric retells the Greek myth of the suitors of Penelope , in which Penelope , whose husband Ulysses is erroneously believed to be dead , resists a large number of marriage proposals until Ulysses returns and kills the suitors . Eric uses the story to suggest that one should be faithful to one 's future spouse even if it appears that they will never arrive . Eric argues that selfless service is an important part of marriage . He therefore suggests that a good way for a man to make himself ready for his future spouse is to serve his mother and sisters , and that single women should practice serving their fathers and brothers . Leslie writes that she is commonly asked the question " How will I know when a relationship is from God ? " and her response is that people are likelier to recognize that a relationship is from God when they have a " team ... made up of godly people who can keep us accountable to our commitments , pray with us , and provide a refreshing outside perspective . " She indicates that this team should include one 's parents or , if one does not have living Christian parents , other Christians of an older generation . She writes that God offers new beginnings to formerly unchaste or sexually abused individuals . = = Critical response = = = = = Discussions of context = = = When God Writes Your Love Story is a popular Christian book that provides alternatives to dating . For this reason , Leah Andrews of the Lewiston Morning Tribune compared the book to Joshua Harris 's I Kissed Dating Goodbye and Boy Meets Girl . When God Writes Your Love Story also contains Evangelical sexual abstinence teachings . Christine Gardner , a communications professor at Wheaton College , investigates such teachings in Making Chastity Sexy : The Rhetoric of Evangelical Abstinence Campaigns , and discusses the Ludys ' book as part of this investigation . Gardner writes that she interviewed a twenty @-@ two @-@ year @-@ old woman who had read When God Writes Your Love Story and " desperately wanted God to write her love story , but she thought that she would help him out by filling in the blanks . " Gardner argues that the result " was a fractured fairy tale , one without a happy ending . " In the journal Critical Research on Religion , Courtney Ann Irby of Loyola University Chicago writes that the Ludys disparage secular American culture as overtly sexual and thus an obstacle to Christians . According to Irby , secular beliefs about dating are negatively presented in When God Writes Your Love Story and hookup culture is consistently discussed , although Irby indicates that , since the publication of the Ludys ' book , some scholars have disputed the prevalence of casual sex in the United States . Irby suggests that the Ludys have no discernible qualifications to speak on the issues they discuss , but rather justify their message by emphasising their own personal experience as the reason for their authority . She writes that the Ludys recognize their lack of expertise and therefore emphasize trusting God as being more important than learning from the specific stories in the book . Irby suggests that the Ludys ' book is , in these respects , similar to many other Evangelical books about premarital romantic relationships , such as Dannah Gresh 's And the Bride Wore White , Elisabeth Elliot 's Passion and Purity and Quest for Love , Don Raunikar 's Choosing God 's Best , Ben Young 's and Sam Adams ' The Ten Commandments of Dating , Henry Cloud 's and John Townsend 's Boundaries in Dating , Alex Chediak 's 5 Paths to the Love of Your Life , and Joshua Harris 's I Kissed Dating Goodbye and Boy Meets Girl . = = = Christian responses to the book 's advice = = = Christine A. Colón and Bonnie E. Field , two single women in their thirties , expressed their frustrations with the Ludys ' book in Singled Out : Why Celibacy Must Be Reinvented in Today 's Church . Colón , an English professor at Wheaton College ; and Field , a former English professor at Wayland Baptist University , criticize Leslie Ludy 's account of her own wait for God to bring her a romantic partner . They argue that " the language Ludy uses to describe her time of waiting and trusting implies a difficult and long struggle that is finally rewarded by God " and suggests that a long wait results in an even greater reward , a concept that Colón and Field , despite acknowledging as commonplace , disagree with and trace back to William Shakespeare 's Cymbeline , which states " the more delay 'd , delighted . " Singled Out suggests that , because Leslie was only 16 when she met Eric , her story is unlikely to inspire hope in older singles . Colón and Field compare When God Writes Your Love Story to Derek Prince 's God Is a Matchmaker , and argue that Prince 's book better expresses the concept that God allows some people to receive their soulmates quickly , while requiring others to undergo a long wait . While the Ludys ' book suggests that it is worth waiting for a soulmate because the wait indicates a better prize , Colón and Field favour Prince 's reasons for advocating waiting for one 's soulmate , which are that doing so tests one 's faith and that " God has required many of His choicest servants to wait long periods for the fulfillment of His promise or purpose . " Margaret and Dwight Peterson , an American married couple who are Christian Studies professors at Eastern University , teach a course together called " Christian Marriage " and were very critical of When God Writes Your Love Story . They responded to the Ludys ' book by writing an essay called " God Does Not Want to Write Your Love Story . " They write therein that , while they read When God Writes Your Love Story , " it began to dawn on us with particular clarity how different these stories of romance are from any traditionally Christian understanding of marriage . " In response to Leslie Ludy 's recommendation that a single woman should seek to be God 's princess until becoming the princess of a human prince , the Petersons argue that this analogy makes young people see marriage as a fantasy comparable to that of Disney Princesses , and that this fantasy often results in disappointment . While referencing When God Writes Your Love Story specifically on several occasions , the Petersons acknowledge that the Ludys ' book is one of many books with this premise and write that " it is the entire genre that is problematic . " Rick Holland , an instructor at The Master 's College and Seminary and pastor of College and Student Ministries at Grace Community Church , criticized the Ludys ' description of dating , claiming it was based too much on anecdotes and not enough on the Bible . Nonetheless , he commended the couple on the relevant Bible verses they do quote and he argued that the advice the Ludys share in the book is sound and that their story is an encouraging one . When God Writes Your Love Story was received positively by some American Christian authors . In Freshman : The College Student 's Guide to Developing Wisdom , Mark Matlock , an ordained minister and youth pastor recommends When God Writes Your Love Story to college students . He describes the Ludys ' book as funny , honest , and candid . Jason Evert , a Catholic author and chastity speaker , wrote positively of When God Writes Your Love Story in his book If You Really Loved Me : 100 Questions on Dating , Relationships , and Sexual Purity . Evert commends Leslie Ludy writing about the importance of listening intently and regularly to God 's voice in seeking discernment about romantic relationships . Also in If You Really Loved Me , Evert praises a passage from When God Writes Your Love Story in which Leslie Ludy recalls having spoken with a group of young men who all agreed that the most desirable women were those who were slow to establish strong emotional attachments to potential romantic partners , and that the least desirable women were those who were emotionally promiscuous . According to Evert , these men are right ; he uses the passage to support his argument that lack of sexual experience is attractive . Commentators have also noted the song " Faithfully " that accompanied the book . The Petersons criticized it , arguing that its lyrics suggest that singles should seek a kind of unachievable perfection in their future marriage and spouse . On the other hand , in Eyes Wide Open : Avoiding the Heartbreak of Emotional Promiscuity , Brienne Murk , a Christian musician and public speaker , identifies " Faithfully " as one of her favourite songs . In 22 and Single : A Coming of Age Story , Katie Kiesler wrote that , after reading the first chapter of When God Writes Your Love Story , she stopped because " it was too hard to hear about the wonderful way in which God brought another perfect couple together — because it wasn 't happening for me . " She wrote that her friends kept recommending the book to her , even after she had tried starting it . She eventually decided that the reason she didn 't like the book was her own selfishness in seeking to fulfill her own desires rather than leaving her desires for God to work out . She then read the book again , and wrote that God used her reading of it to make her thankful for her time as a single person . She also wrote that she found the book to be " mostly about letting God 's love overflow into all areas of your life rather than tales of perfect Christian couples . " In 2012 , Clear Choices Pregnancy Resources Center , an American pro @-@ life crisis pregnancy center operated by Christians in Grayson County , Kentucky , offered a course on the topic of sexual integrity that employed When God Writes Your Love Story and two other Christian books as its basis , the other two being Gary Chapman 's The Five Love Languages and Bill and Pam Farrel 's Single Men Are Like Waffles — Single Women Are Like Spaghetti .

= Twice Through the Heart = Twice Through the Heart is a musical work by the English composer Mark @-@ Anthony Turnage , variously described as a dramatic scena , as a monodrama , as a song cycle , as a chamber opera or even as a " dramatic song @-@ cycle @-@ cum @-@ scena " . It is scored for mezzo @-@ soprano and 16 instrumentalists and sets an English @-@ language libretto by the Scottish poet Jackie Kay based on her script for a television programme about a woman jailed for killing her violent husband . Originally intended to be a full @-@ length opera , Twice was composed between 1994 and 1996 , undergoing substantial reworking before Turnage found a form with which he was satisfied . It was first performed in 1997 when it was put on both in the concert hall and in the opera house . The critical reception has been generally favourable , with several authors commenting positively about the instrumental writing and emotional impact of the work , though some critics see limitations in the libretto , find the mood of the work too unrelenting or note the great demands that the vocal writing provides for the soloist . = = Background and composition = = Twice Through the Heart is based on a 1992 poetry documentary of the same name that Kay had written for the BBC television series Words on Film . Kay was concerned by inequalities in how the legal system treats men and women who kill their spouses and , in particular , in how the law on provocation in the United Kingdom was then interpreted , allowing a defence to murder only in the context of what happened immediately before a homicide and excluding the battered woman defence which considers the broader context which may have involved years of violent abuse . She chose to base the poems on a specific true case , that of Amelia Rossiter , a woman in her sixties who refused to give evidence in court about the years of violence from her husband that eventually led to her stabbing him twice through the heart with a kitchen knife . By the time Kay 's programme was broadcast , Rossiter had been freed , her conviction reduced to manslaughter after her plea of provocation was accepted . Turnage , who had previously composed one full @-@ length opera , Greek , worked on the musical version of Twice between 1994 and 1996 . It was commissioned by the John S. Cohen Foundation . He had learnt of Kay 's original work after he was shown a copy of the BBC video by poet and artistic director Maura Dooley . It was a difficult development with Turnage at one point abandoning the work in favour of other pieces . Composer and librettist had started out with the intention of developing a full @-@ length opera including both soprano and baritone narrators . ( The original television script had included poems for the judge as well as for the woman . ) However , the creators felt that their attempts at redeveloping and expanding the original work " water [ ed ] down its impact " and they eventually cut everything apart from the woman 's words . Both text and setting also underwent repeated changes in detail . Kay changed some of the wording to make it easier to sing . Similarly , Turnage revised the music after trying it out with Sally Burgess who was to give the first performance . He had become Composer in Association with English National Opera ( ENO ) in 1995 and was able to thoroughly workshop Twice and its companion piece with ENO 's Contemporary Opera Studio before arriving at their respective final versions . = = Description = = Twice Through the Heart lasts for approximately 30 minutes . It consists of nine musical numbers arranged in three sections . It is narrated by a woman in the prison cell where she has been sent for the murder of her husband . To express the woman 's feelings , Kay deliberately chose a voice that was unpoetic : " I wanted the voice to be so everyday , it would be banal . " Turnage 's music too includes similarly basic material , what critic Tom Service describes as " simple hummable tunes " , but these are transformed and distorted , a metaphor for how initial loving intimacy is destroyed and distorted by years of violence and abuse . Turnage 's musical language is modernist but influenced by jazz , an area of musical interest he shared with Kay . The instrumental scoring is for flute ( doubling alto flute ) , oboe ( doubling cor anglais ) , 2 clarinets ( one doubling bass clarinet ) , horn , trumpet , trombone , one percussionist , harp , piano ( doubling celeste ) , violin , 2 violas , 2 cellos and double bass . The percussion consists of 8 crotales , vibraphone , marimba , suspended cymbal , 3 gongs , tam @-@ tam , bass drum , pedal bass drum , ratchet , claves and whip . = = = The work = = = = = = = Part One = = = = 1 . No Way Out — The woman tells of how her husband beat her and threatened to garotte her with a towel and of how she picked up a kitchen knife to defend herself . 2 . Inside ( part 1 ) — The woman is in jail thinking of how she failed to take her lawyer 's advice to give evidence about her husband 's violence , because she did not want to be disloyal . 3 . Love — She remembers how she and her husband once loved each other and how things went wrong after their child was born . = = = = Part Two = = = = 4 . By the Sea — She thinks of how she felt trapped in their house by the sea because she could not talk of his violence . 5 . Inside ( part 2 ) — She thinks of her husband and of her " heart , broken like bones " . 6 . Four Walls — She is trapped within the four walls of her house , her husband turning down suggestions of holidays and writing instructions for her in notes . = = = = Part Three = = = = 7 . Interlude — Instrumental section . 8 . Landslide — Her husband is buried in land , she in prison . 9 . China Cup — She is locked in with only the decorated china cup which she has taken from home to prison . = = Performance and recording history = = Twice Through the Heart was first performed on 13 June 1997 at the Snape Maltings Concert Hall during the 50th Aldeburgh Festival . Sally Burgess was accompanied by the ENO Contemporary Opera Studio conducted by Nicholas Kok . The companion piece was the chamber opera The Country of the Blind which Turnage had composed relatively quickly in order to make up a full programme after Twice had turned out much shorter than originally intended . To Turnage 's surprise , ENO decided to follow up the original four performances , split between Snape Maltings and the Queen Elizabeth Hall , with a staging at its main home in the London Coliseum . This production was premiered on 20 October 1997 with Susan Bickley as the soloist and with Kok again conducting . In this context it was a companion piece for From the House of the Dead , an opera set in a Siberian prison camp . Twice had received its mainland European premiere a day earlier than the first Coliseum performance , when it was given by the State Opera in Gießen , Germany . In 1998 , Twice received its North American premiere in Winnipeg , Canada and was also given in the United States , ( by the New York Philharmonic , ) Italy , Belgium and the Netherlands . In these last two countries composer Oliver Knussen conducted . The work has continued to receive international performances , for example by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in 2009 . A commercial recording was made in 2007 with Sarah Connolly singing and Marin Alsop conducting the London Philharmonic Orchestra . Some live performances have been recorded for broadcast , including one at the Queen Elizabeth Hall with the original performers , and the Winnipeg performance . = = Reception = = In reviewing the first performance for The Independent , Nick Kimberley felt that the Twice Through the Heart " w [ ore ] the scars of a difficult birth " with Sally Burgess " strain [ ing ] to find specific expression in the sharp angles and steep slides Turnage provided " in a work that Kimberley considered less natural than its relatively quickly written companion piece . For this critic , the instrumental writing came over far more successfully than the vocal part with Kimberley praising the use of colour and finding the " draining " final climax particularly effective . Michael Kennedy , in contrast to Kimberley , found the scena " the more dramatic and musically more inventive " of the two works performed that night . Bernard Holland , of The New York Times heard both the Aldeburgh and New York premieres . He noted the influence both of Alban Berg and , in the strings and percussion , of rock music and appreciated a musical language that makes modernism easier on the ears . However , he felt a degree of ambivalence about a composer he described as " theatrical ... in both the good and bad senses of the word . " Geoff Brown , reviewing Marin Alsop and Sarah Connolly 's recording in The Times , praised the directness of both Kay 's and Turnage 's writing and described Twice Through the Heart and its " awful clarity " as " among the best in Turnage 's recent output " . David Gutman suggested in Gramophone that " if listeners feel uncomfortable with the mix of artful delivery and documentary realism , that may be part of the intended effect . " The critics of The Daily Telegraph were later to list this disc among the hundred best classical recordings . John von Rhein of the Chicago Tribune noted the trickiness of the solo part and criticised the " banality " of Kay 's verse but reported that he " was held by the sensitive lyrical , rather Bergian vocal writing and often translucent scoring " . " The woman 's suppressed anger and fear rise to the surface through Turnage 's music — poignant gritty yet always compassionate . " Considering the same Chicago performance , freelance music critic Lawrence A. Johnson , was taken by the use of instrumental colour and also by Turnage 's " whipcrack rhythmic vitality " , but " If Twice through the Heart [ sic ] just misses being one of Turnage 's top @-@ drawer works , it 's because of the somewhat unvaried air of doleful melancholy as well as the text 's more pedestrian moments and repetition . " Not all critics have been hostile to Kay 's poetry : reviewing a concert by the London Sinfonietta , Nicholas Williams refers to her " arresting text " . Whether positive or negative , the music critics only assessed part of Kay 's original work . In considering the original television version of Twice , the literary critic Laura Severin , praised the contrasted voices and the use of repetition as an adaptation to a medium where listeners would be less attentive to the words than if they were attending a conventional poetry reading . She also saw Kay 's portrayal of Rossiter as one that avoided both a conventional masculine representation of her as a ruthless murderer and an overly simplistic feminist one of her as a passive victim .

= Harry Trott = George Henry Stevens " Harry " Trott ( 5 August 1866 – 10 November 1917 ) was an Australian Test cricketer who played 24 Test matches as an all @-@ rounder between 1888 and 1898 . Although Trott was a versatile batsman , spin bowler and outstanding fielder , " ... it is as a captain that he is best remembered , an understanding judge of human nature " . After a period of some instability and ill discipline in Australian cricket , he was the first in a succession of assertive Australian captains that included Joe Darling , Monty Noble and Clem Hill , who restored the prestige of the Test team . Respected by teammates and opponents alike for his cricketing judgement , he was quick to pick up a weakness in opponents . A right @-@ hand batsman , Trott was known for his sound defence and vigorous hitting . His slow leg spin bowling was often able to deceive batsmen through subtle variations of pace and flight , but allowed opposition batsmen to score quickly . Trott made his Test debut in 1888 and toured England four times ; 1888 , 1890 , 1893 and 1896 , scoring over 1000 runs on each occasion . For the tour in 1896 , Trott was elected captain by his team @-@ mates . Despite England winning the series two Tests to one and retaining The Ashes , Trott 's ability as a captain was highly regarded . In the return series in Australia in 1897 – 98 , Trott 's team was more successful , winning the series 4 Tests to 1 and regaining The Ashes . At a time when the federation of the Australian colonies was under discussion , the victory saw Trott praised as a " national institution " and his team as having " done more for the federation of Australian hearts than all the big delegates put together " . A severe mental illness abruptly ended the Test career of Trott at the age of 31 . After a series of seizures in 1898 , he suffered from insomnia , apathy and memory loss . Failing to recover lucidity , he was committed to a psychiatric hospital for over 400 days . After he was discharged , in time he returned to cricket , once again playing first @-@ class cricket for his state , Victoria , and performing at a consistently high level for his club , South Melbourne . A postman by trade , after retirement from cricket Trott served as a selector for the Victorian team . = = Early life and career = = Born in Collingwood , an inner suburb of Melbourne , Trott was the third of eight children for accountant Adolphus Trott and his wife Mary @-@ Ann ( née Stephens ) . His younger brother Albert also became a Test cricketer . The siblings played their junior cricket with the local Capulet club . Harry transferred to South Melbourne , which played in Melbourne 's pennant competition , after scouts for the club noticed him playing park cricket . In his first season , the 18 @-@ year @-@ old Trott recorded the best batting average and bowling average for the team . Trott made his first @-@ class debut for Victoria against an " Australian XI " on New Year 's Day 1886 , scoring four and 18 not out . Two months later , he played his first inter @-@ colonial match , against South Australia at the Adelaide Oval . Batting , he scored 54 runs ; his innings included a memorable hit over the leg side boundary from the bowling of leading Test all @-@ rounder George Giffen , and he captured seven wickets for the match with his bowling . In 1886 – 87 , Trott hit a double century for South Melbourne in a match against St Kilda and appeared for Victoria against Alfred Shaw 's touring English team , claiming four wickets for 125 runs ( 4 / 125 ) . During the next summer , he played for a non @-@ representative " Australian XI " against Arthur Shrewsbury 's XI and George Vernon 's XI , two English teams touring Australia simultaneously . His chances for inclusion in the Australian squad for the forthcoming tour of England were enhanced when a number of leading players made themselves unavailable . However , Trott 's batting credentials were modest : he had scored only one half @-@ century in 29 first @-@ class innings . At this point , Trott had enjoyed more success with his bowling . Prior to the Australian team departing for England , a change to the leg before wicket ( LBW ) law that would aid bowlers of Trott 's style seemed imminent . The former Australian player Tom Horan wrote : " There is no bowler in England who has such a fast leg @-@ break , and on a fine , firm pitch many a batsman has saved his wicket by his legs or body in opposing Trott 's deliveries . " = = Test cricket = = = = = First tours of England = = = Included in the Australian squad to tour England , Trott was selected in the team for the First Test at Lord 's . He had an inauspicious Test debut : he made a duck in the first innings and three runs in the second , and did not bowl . The Australians won the game by 62 runs , only their second Test match victory in England . However , England retained The Ashes by winning the remaining two Tests and Trott 's influence on the series was negligible : he did not pass 20 in an innings , and he failed to take a wicket . Nevertheless , his performances in the other matches of the season prompted Wisden Cricketers ' Almanack to write that he , " ... fully justif [ ied ] his selection by scoring the highly creditable total of 1 @,@ 212 runs , with an average of over 19 per innings " , and that his fielding was " excellent at point " . Wisden was less complimentary about his bowling : " We have no great opinion of Trott 's leg break bowling , and think it probably too slow to be effectual against good batsmen . " Trott 's opportunities were limited as his teammates Charles Turner and John Ferris , " monopolised the bowling " . On his return to Australia , Trott 's batting continued to improve . He scored 172 runs for an Australian XI against New South Wales , his maiden century in first @-@ class cricket . The Sydney Morning Herald wrote that the innings " ... stamped him as a batsman of the highest class " . In first @-@ class matches , Trott posted 507 runs ( at 39 @.@ 00 average ) and claimed 25 wickets ( at 17 @.@ 44 average ) for the summer , and hit a double century in a club match against Melbourne . Another good all @-@ round season in 1889 – 90 ensured his place for the next trip to England . The 1890 Australian team touring England was relatively inexperienced . The team missed the all @-@ round ability of George Giffen who had refused to tour , thinking it unlikely the tour would be a sporting or financial success . The Australians won 13 matches on tour , losing 16 and drawing 9 . Trott scored 1 @,@ 211 first @-@ class runs ( at 20 @.@ 87 average ) with a highest score of 186 against Cambridge University Past and Present , and captured 20 wickets . Disappointed by Trott 's performances , Wisden felt that he " ... barely maintained the reputation he had so honestly gained during the tour of 1888 ... it cannot be said that he came up to expectations " . = = = Australian revival and Wisden cricketer of the year = = = In 1891 – 92 , Lord Sheffield 's team ( captained by W. G. Grace ) toured Australia , the first English side to do so in four years . The presence of Grace contributed to a revival of interest in the game that had waned due to a surfeit of international tours and indifferent performances by the Australian team . The Australians won the series 2 – 1 to regain The Ashes . In the first Test at Melbourne , Trott scored three and 23 , but had greater impact with the ball . Requiring 213 runs for victory , England 's score reached 60 before their first two batsmen were dismissed . The Australian captain Jack Blackham then gambled by calling on Trott 's often inaccurate bowling . Trott took two quick wickets and the English innings never recovered . In returning 3 / 52 for the innings , Wisden noted that Trott " bowled admirably " . The remaining two Tests were less productive for Trott : he finished with 48 runs ( at an average of 8 @.@ 00 ) and 6 wickets ( at an average of 35 @.@ 00 ) for the series . A reorganisation of Australian cricket took place in the wake of the tour . The first national body to control the game , the Australasian Cricket Council ( ACC ) , was formed to co @-@ ordinate the Australian Test team . Previously , private entrepreneurs and the players themselves organised international cricket . Lord Sheffield donated money to the ACC , which was used to purchase a trophy for the champion domestic team . Trott appeared in Victoria 's inaugural Sheffield Shield match , against New South Wales in December 1892 . He scored 63 and 70 not out in a winning effort . The ACC appointed Trott as one of the six players to select the touring team for England . The Australian team toured England in 1893 to compete for The Ashes . The English won the series one Test to nil , with two drawn to recover The Ashes . Playing in all three Tests , Trott scored 146 runs in the series at an average of 29 @.@ 20 and in all first @-@ class matches he scored 1269 runs . While Trott did not take a wicket in the Tests , he took 38 wickets in all first @-@ class matches that season . In the Second Test at the Oval , Trott scored 92 runs in the second innings after the Australians were forced to follow @-@ on ; an innings described as " really superb cricket " and " the finest exhibition he has ever given in England " . England , regardless , still won the match by an innings . Trott was named as a Wisden Cricketer of the Year . Wisden noted that Trott " batted uncommonly well — much better than in 1890 " but that when bowling he " did a good many brilliant things against the weaker teams , but he was nearly always expensive and very rarely successful when opposed to batsmen of high class " . = = = The Trott brothers = = = Andrew Stoddart led an English team to Australia in 1894 – 95 to defend The Ashes . A feature of the summer was the emergence of Albert Trott and the performance of the brothers in tandem . Playing for Victoria against the touring side , the Trotts claimed twelve wickets and held eight catches between them ; Harry scored 63 in the second innings . During the second innings of the traditional Christmas fixture against New South Wales , Albert claimed five wickets , took three catches ( two from Harry 's bowling ) and made a run out . In between these two games , England won the first Test at Sydney — a remarkable turnaround after they had been forced to follow @-@ on — by bowling the Australians out for 166 in the second innings . The second Test at Melbourne saw another English victory ; Trott played a rearguard innings of 95 in the second innings , to no avail . Attempting to stay in the series , Australia dramatically revamped their team for the next Test at Adelaide . Albert Trott , making his Test debut , was one of four inclusions while Harry was elevated to open the batting . In a match played in intense heat throughout , Harry Trott made 48 on the opening day before he was run out . Albert was the dominant player of the match with innings of 38 not out and 72 not out ( both scored from the number ten position ) , and a bowling return of 8 / 43 in England 's second innings . Australia won the match by 382 runs . In a Sheffield Shield match that followed , the Trotts extricated Victoria from a difficult situation . Chasing 155 to win , New South Wales fell for 99 with Albert taking four wickets and Harry five . In the fourth Test at Sydney , Australia batted first and scored 284 runs ( Albert Trott 85 not out ) before England were bowled out for 65 and 72 on a wicket affected by heavy rain . Opening the bowling in the first innings , Harry Trott dismissed Archie MacLaren , Johnny Briggs and Stoddart . The fluctuating fortunes of the Test series created immense interest in the deciding Test at Melbourne . Spectators arrived from all over the country , with special trains laid on from Adelaide and Sydney . Harry Trott 's all @-@ round contribution was a score of 42 in each innings , six wickets and two catches , but England won The Ashes by chasing a target of 297 runs in the second innings , which they reached with six wickets in hand . Even in England , " the interest was greater than had ever been felt in matches played away from [ England ] " . During the following summer , Trott again acted as a Test selector , along with the incumbent Test captain George Giffen and former captain Percy McDonnell . When choosing the Australian team for the previous tour of England , Giffen used his influence to ensure the selection of his younger brother , Walter . The team chosen for the 1896 tour of England included a number of promising young players , including Joe Darling and Clem Hill , both of whom went on to captain Australia . Albert Trott was a controversial omission , in light of performances in the previous Ashes series , but he accompanied the team on their voyage and later settled in England . He had a successful career with Middlesex and appeared for England in two Test matches against South Africa . The cricket historian David Frith records that when the Trott brothers encountered each other on an English street , they merely exchanged acknowledging nods and kept walking . = = = Captain of Australia = = = While the team was en route to England , the players elected Trott as captain ahead of George Giffen . On the opening day of the first Test at Lord 's , England bowled Australia out in 75 minutes for only 53 runs on a pitch thought to be good for batting . In reply , England made 292 with Trott taking two wickets . In their second innings , Australia was still 177 runs in arrears with three wickets down when Syd Gregory joined Trott at the crease . Their partnership of 221 runs led Wisden to record that , " as long as cricket is played ... cause the match to be remembered " . Trott 's score of 143 ( the only Test century of his career ) was not enough to prevent England winning by six wickets . In the second Test at Manchester , Australia again batted first , scoring 412 runs ; Frank Iredale making 108 and Trott 53 . At the beginning of England 's first innings , Trott opened the bowling with his flighted leg @-@ spin . It was unusual for a leg @-@ spinner to take the new ball , but the move — a " stroke of genius " according to Wisden — was successful as he dismissed Stoddart and WG Grace for low scores . Both batsmen were deceived by Trott 's flight and stumped by the wicket @-@ keeper . England totaled 231 and , forced to follow on , scored 305 runs in the second innings , K. S. Ranjitsinhji making 154 not out . In a tense finish , Australia made the 125 runs needed for victory with three wickets in hand . On a pitch affected by rain , England won the series and The Ashes , defeating Australia in the Third Test by 66 runs ; Australia were bowled out for 44 runs in the second innings , at one stage having lost nine wickets for 25 . Trott made 1297 runs and took 44 wickets in first @-@ class matches on the tour . Of his batting Wisden said " Trott 's average is a little disappointing , but when a special effort was required he was not often at fault . " and he bowled " on a good many occasions with fair results " . However it was as a captain that Trott earned most plaudits . Wisden rated Trott as " with the exception of [ Billy Murdoch ] , ... incomparably the best captain the Australians had ever had in this country " . He was by no means anxious for the post , but almost from the first match it was perfectly clear that he was in every way fitted for it . Of course the continuous success of his side made his duties far more pleasant and easy than those of some previous captains , but we feel quite sure that in a season of ill @-@ fortune he would have earned just as great a reputation . Blessed with a temper that nothing could ruffle , he was always master both of himself and his team whatever the position of the game . More than that his judgement in changing the bowling was rarely or never at fault . Although the team was considered successful , in spite of the failure to recapture The Ashes , the problems between the players and the administrators continued . Before the team departed Australia , the players arbitrarily replaced one of the selected players without recourse to the ACC . After the final match in England , Trott and his players broke an agreement to return home in time for the 1896 – 97 Australian season . Instead , they organised matches in North America and New Zealand . = = = " A national institution " = = = Trott retained the captaincy when Andrew Stoddart returned to Australia with his English team in 1897 – 98 . Stoddart 's team got away to a good start when they won the First Test in Sydney by nine wickets , K. S. Ranjitsinhji scoring 175 runs . With Joe Darling , Trott devised a plan to curb Ranjitsinhji 's run scoring . An exponent of the leg glance , " Ranji " would take a last look at the field before he took guard . Taking advantage of this fact , after he took strike , the Australians deliberately weakened the off side with two men placed about 10 metres ( 33 ft ) away from him . Bowling a leg side line , the Australians aimed for a catch from a shot played to that side . Darling said of the plan , " As soon as he had his last look and the bowler was at the point of delivering the ball , we shifted positions by a few yards , sometimes one way , sometimes the other . Occasionally , only one would move and sometimes none would move . [ ... ] This eventually put him clean off his game . " The English captain Archie MacLaren agreed saying , " Ranji is in a blue funk " . Regardless of the tactics , Ranji made 457 runs at an average of 50 @.@ 77 for the Test series . Australia fought back to win the Second Test in Melbourne by an innings and 55 runs with Trott scoring 79 runs . The Third and Fourth Tests were both won by Australia as they retrieved The Ashes . The Fifth and final Test in Sydney would be Trott 's last . In the Sydney heat , Australia won the Test by 6 wickets but Trott had an attack of sunstroke . This caused him to lose the sight in one eye before his last Test innings , where he made 18 runs . In a review of the Test series Wisden noted that " the Australians owed much to the unfailing skill and tact of Trott as a captain " . During the course of the Test series , a major convention was in progress to discuss the proposed federation of the Australian colonies . However , the victory over England dominated the attention of the Australian public and some newspapers decried the focus on cricket when important matters were being discussed . Another editor remarked in defence of the public , " We believe that Harry Trott and his ten good men and true have done more for the federation of Australian hearts than all the big delegates put together . " In reply to complaints about leave granted to Trott to play cricket , his proud employers at the Post office responded " Harry Trott is a national institution . " Passers @-@ by , including men and their families , would stop and look at Trott 's home in Albert Park " with the deference of worshippers at a shrine " , in the words of cricket writer Ray Robinson . The impetus for federation did not extend to the administration of cricket , however . The ACC continued to attract criticism for being ineffectual and at a meeting of the Victorian Cricket Association in July 1898 , Trott ( in his capacity as a delegate for the South Melbourne club ) tabled a motion that Victoria secede from the ACC . Although the proposal was defeated by a single vote , Trott was one of twelve Test players who signed a letter to the ACC secretary calling for the disbanding of the organisation . Failing to win the support of the players , the ACC folded in January 1900 following the withdrawal of the New South Wales Cricket Association . = = Illness and recovery = = Less than six months after leading his team to victory over England , Trott endured a severe mental illness . While visiting his mother on 8 August 1898 , Trott collapsed and lost consciousness . Later , on the train home with his wife , he had another convulsive fit and yet another at 10 pm that evening , in the presence of a doctor . Trott passed in and out of consciousness over the next four weeks , unable to work or even communicate . His supporters raised ₤ 453 to send him for two weeks at a private retreat at Woodend , a small town north @-@ west of Melbourne . The treatment was unsuccessful and Trott continued to suffer from insomnia , memory loss and apathy . = = = Hospitalisation = = = Because Trott 's illness precluded his selection for the 1899 Australian team to England , the Australian captaincy passed to Joe Darling . On 8 May 1899 , Trott was committed to the Kew Asylum , a psychiatric hospital in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne . The facility opened in 1871 during an era when large asylums were in vogue . By the time of Trott 's admission , expert opinion had changed ; in January 1898 The Argus reported a specialist 's claim that the asylum was likely to make a patient , " just mad enough to be put under restraint " — that is , worse rather than better . Trott was recorded as suffering " dementia " and " alcoholism " , although there is little empirical evidence for either diagnosis . Cricket writer Gideon Haigh suggests that his symptoms would possibly be identified in modern times as depressive psychosis and treated with antipsychotics or electroconvulsive therapy . Doctors observed that Trott continually stood in one place , showing little interest in events around him . A doctor noted on Trott 's file : " Refuses to converse not appearing to be able to follow what is said to him . Answers questions in monosyllables . Does not rouse up when subjects are spoken of that formerly he was interested in . " Attempting to reach him , doctors sent Trott to play cricket which he did in a , " mechanical , indifferent fashion " . In a departure from normal hospital procedure , he was allowed newspapers reporting the details of Darling 's Australian side in England ; this left him unmoved . Trott 's friend Ben Wardill , the secretary of the Melbourne Cricket Club , visited in November 1899 but Trott did not recognise him . A fellow patient , when released , wrote of Trott : " Here is a well @-@ known cricketer , whom we once treated as a hero . But alas ! Like everything else , times have changed and he is almost forgotten . " = = = Return to cricket = = = In February 1900 , Trott played in a cricket match for the asylum team against the North Melbourne Rovers club . To the astonishment of his treating doctors and his teammates , he scored 98 runs in 40 minutes , including 20 fours and a six . While the doctors remained cautious about his chances of recovery , Trott played in further matches against other visiting teams and in April 1900 , he took a hat @-@ trick against a team from the Commercial Travellers Association . Declared to be " recovered " , Trott was discharged after spending 400 days at Kew Asylum . He returned to the South Melbourne team and captained Victoria against Tasmania at Launceston ( taking eight wickets ) during the 1900 – 01 season , but otherwise failed to recapture the form that made him captain of his country . To aid his convalescence , the Postmaster @-@ General 's Department — Trott 's employer — transferred him to the post office at Bendigo in central Victoria . In 1902 – 03 , he turned up uninvited to a Bendigo United Cricket Club practice session and asked to join in . He played five first @-@ class matches during 1903 – 04 , scoring 268 runs at an average of 26 @.@ 80 and taking 13 wickets at 23 @.@ 53 runs each . In his final appearance of the season , he led Victoria against Plum Warner 's touring English team . He captained the Carlton club for two seasons , before spending two seasons with Fitzroy . During the 1907 – 08 season , he led XVIII of Bendigo against the touring English team and made a farewell first @-@ class appearance against the tourists for Victoria . Opening the bowling , Trott returned 5 / 116 , including the wickets of England 's leading batsmen Jack Hobbs and George Gunn . Trott later returned to South Melbourne , where he played until the age of 44 . He led the club on a tour of New Zealand in 1912 – 13 and in the next season ( his last ) he topped the club 's batting and bowling averages , for the fifth time as a batsman and the third time as a bowler . = = Personal life = = Trott spent his entire working life in the Post Office , employed as a postman and mail sorter . He married Violet Hodson in Fitzroy on 17 February 1890 and the couple had one son . In 1911 , Trott became a selector for the Victorian team when Hugh Trumble resigned to take the secretaryship of the Melbourne Cricket Club . Trott 's high standing in the cricket community saw the other candidate for the position withdraw rather than oppose him . In 1912 , Trott took the side of the " Big Six " , the Australian cricketers opposed to the newly formed Australian Board of Control for International Cricket 's attempt to wrest control of touring Australian sides from the players . At an " indignation meeting " at the Athenaeum Hall on Collins Street in Melbourne , the Argus reported Trott as saying that " to say he was disgusted with the Board of Control was to put it mildly " and that " [ h ] e would like to shake hands with the six men who had stood out against the Board " . At the age of 51 , Trott died of Hodgkin 's lymphoma , at his home in inner @-@ suburban Albert Park on 9 November 1917 . He was buried at Brighton Cemetery where , two years later , a large monument was erected over his grave , paid for by the Victorian Cricket Association and cricket enthusiasts . His great @-@ grandson , Stuart Trott , played 200 games for St Kilda and Hawthorn in the Victorian Football League between 1967 and 1977 . The South African @-@ born English cricketer Jonathan Trott says he is a distant relation to Harry and Albert Trott . Trott 's role in Australian cricket was recognised by the clubs for which he had played . Until 2005 , Trott 's club team , South Melbourne Cricket Club was based at Harry Trott Oval in Albert Park , while Bendigo United Cricket Club , for whom Trott played in 1902 , still play at the Harry Trott Oval in the Bendigo suburb of Kennington . = = Context = = = = = Playing style = = = The authoritative cricket journal Wisden Cricketers ' Almanack , in an obituary , wrote " Australia has produced greater cricketers than Harry Trott , but in his day he held a place in the front rank of the world 's famous players . He was a first @-@ rate bat , a fine field at point , and his leg breaks made him a very effective change bowler . " As a batsman , Trott scored his runs mostly in front the wicket . He often lifted his on @-@ drives and was an exponent of the late cut . George Giffen said of Trott , " On a good wicket , I have seen Harry Trott adopt forcing tactics worthy of the big hitter , and in the very next match play keeps on a difficult pitch with wonderful skill . " Wisden Cricketers ' Almanack described Trott as " one of the soundest [ Australian batsman ] , combining as he does vigorous hitting with a strong , watchful defence " . Trott was able to obtain turn from all types of pitches bowling his loopy leg spinners , through varying his pace and flight . He was noted for giving young batsmen a full toss on the leg side , allowing the batsman to hit it to the boundary . The next ball would seem identical , but for a subtle change in the position of a fielder , resulting in a catch and the comment , " That first ball was to give you confidence , son . The second to teach you a lesson . " Warwick Armstrong , a childhood admirer and later team @-@ mate of Trott , said " Trott had an almost uncanny knowledge of batsman who were likely to succumb to his wiles and after he had met with a success , he would at once take himself off and put on some other bowler of a different type . " Wisden thought his bowling was " too slow to be effectual against good batsmen " and " that though he may now and then get a wicket , runs are sure to come at the rate of six or eight an over " . Clem Hill said , " As a captain Harry Trott was in a class by himself — the best I ever played under . Harry was quick to grasp a situation . He saw an opponent 's weakness in a second . [ ... ] Time and time again , he got a champion batsman 's wicket by putting on a bowler he knew the batsman did not like . " The English batsman K. S. Ranjitsinhji considered Trott as a captain " without a superior anywhere today " . Wisden thought him , " with the exception of [ Billy Murdoch ] ... incomparably the best captain the Australians had ever had in this country . " The sporting newspaper , The Referee wrote " [ Trott 's ] bowlers felt he understood the gruelling nature of their work and that they had his sympathy in the grimmest of battles . " Some English professional cricketers thought less of Trott 's captaincy ; wicket @-@ keeper William Storer said , " I like a captain to have a settled plan , [ Trott ] just seemed to do whatever he thought of at the moment . " = = = Personality = = = Trott 's sense of humour was well known . He originated a persistent myth that workers at the Sheffield steelworks generated extra plumes of smoke when the Australians were batting at nearby Bramall Lane , in order to reduce the quality of the light . When Australia played the Gentlemen of Philadelphia in the United States , a local reporter asked Trott why Australians did not play baseball . He replied : " Running around in circles makes us giddy . " When Trott , a humble postman , met the Prince of Wales ( later Edward VII ) in 1896 , his teammates admired his natural ease of manner in the presence of royalty . Given a cigar by the Prince , Trott simply smoked it , to the surprise of those who thought a royal souvenir worth keeping . With this in mind , Trott later played a practical joke when he returned home . Gathering cigar butts on board the ship before disembarking in Australia , he distributed them to his friends claiming it was the one given to him by the Prince of Wales ; he asked the recipients not to tell others in case it provoked jealousy . Trott was extremely fond of hats ; a teammate described him as , " ... the only man I have seen who , in the nude , had to have a hat on his head " . Jack Pollard wrote " It was said that [ Trott ] never made an enemy and was universally admired . " His rival , England captain Archie MacLaren said " I would give anything to play the game as keenly and yet as light @-@ heartedly as Trott 's lads did . " The personal popularity that Harry Trott enjoyed ... was remarkable . One is inclined to think that no Australian captain before or since , was liked so much by his opponents . By sheer force of character he overcame the disadvantages involved in lack of education , and won the warm regard of men with whom , apart from the comradeship of the cricket field , he had nothing in common .

= Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge = The Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge is a 1 @,@ 856 acres ( 751 ha ) wetlands and lowlands sanctuary in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Oregon . Established in 1992 and opened to the public in 2006 , it is managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service . Located in southeastern Washington County , 15 miles ( 24 km ) southwest of Portland , the refuge is bordered by Sherwood , Tualatin and Tigard . A newer area , extending into northern Yamhill County , is located further west near the city of Gaston surrounding the former Wapato Lake . Part of the network of National Wildlife Refuges ( NWR ) , the Tualatin River refuge is one of only ten urban refuges in the United States . Habitats in the refuge include forested areas , wetlands , oak and pine grassland , and meadows , with mixed deciduous and coniferous forests common to Western Oregon . The refuge was established as an urban refuge to provide wetland , riparian , and upland habitats for a variety of migratory birds , threatened and endangered species , fish and other resident wildlife . The refuge is home to nearly 200 bird species and more than 70 other animal species . A visitor center with exhibits and information about the refuge was opened in 2008 off of Oregon Route 99W near Sherwood in the Portland metropolitan area . Next to the center is the refuge 's headquarters and an observation deck overlooking seasonal ponds . The refuge has nearly five miles of wildlife interpretive trails open to the public . Up to 50 @,@ 000 waterfowl can be seen at the refuge during the winter months when officials flood portions of the refuge . = = History = = The creation of the refuge was first proposed to the city of Sherwood by a local citizen in 1990 . A year later , the United States Fish and Wildlife Service began looking at creating a national wildlife refuge along the Tualatin River near Sherwood at Rock Creek . The original plans called for a 2 @,@ 500 @-@ acre ( 1 @,@ 000 ha ) refuge near Sherwood and Oregon Route 99W and then grew to a 3 @,@ 000 @-@ acre ( 1 @,@ 200 ha ) proposal that would have unconnected parts , with the additional wetlands near Scholls to the west . To press for the creation of the proposed Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge , citizens groups lobbied Congress for funding , which included a video narrated by actor Robert Wagner . Initial estimates for the completion of the project were up to 30 years at a cost of USD $ 10 million for land acquisitions . In late 1992 , area residents Tom Stibolt and Lisa Brenner donated the first 12 acres ( 4 @.@ 9 ha ) to the project , with the Fish and Wildlife Service then accepting the donation to officially create the refuge . They had purchased the 12 acres ( 49 @,@ 000 m2 ) of woodland which adjoined their own property and donated it to the refuge . Sherwood donated the second parcel to the refuge , 1 @-@ acre ( 0 @.@ 40 ha ) in 1993 . Congress approved $ 2 million for the project to purchase more land in November 1993 . In January 1994 , the Department of the Interior granted the Fish and Wildlife Service the authority to spend the money in order to begin buying land for the refuge . Congress gave the project an additional $ 2 @.@ 5 million in 1995 . In the early years , the facility was only open to the public for a songbird festival in May and National Wildlife Refuge Week in October . A program to restore the habitat to its original state began in 1997 . During that year , twenty water flow systems and dikes were added at the refuge to allow managers to flood parts of the land . The refuge grew from what was once a former dairy farm that spanned 400 acres ( 160 ha ) to more than 800 acres ( 320 ha ) by September 1998 . In the spring of 1999 , the $ 1 @.@ 1 million system for flooding parts of the refuge was completed . In total , the refuge grew to 1 @,@ 066 acres ( 431 ha ) in 1999 , and increased the number of bird species from 18 to 146 . The facility was further enlarged to 1 @,@ 268 acres ( 513 ha ) in 2003 , and received nearly $ 750 @,@ 000 to build a new safe entrance to the planned visitor 's area . In November 2004 , Congress appropriated $ 700 @,@ 000 for the NWR to cover the costs of designing a public visitor ’ s center . By 2005 construction had progressed on public facilities at the site that included trails , observations decks , parking , and an entrance from Oregon Route 99W with plans for permanently opening to the public in 2006 . In July 2005 , the refuge received $ 3 @.@ 9 million from the federal government to complete a visitor ’ s center and new headquarters for the facility . In February 2006 , construction began on the main observation deck at the visitor ’ s plaza , with plans to open the refuge to the public in June . Regular public access began on June 3 , 2006 , when roughly 450 acres ( 180 ha ) of more than 1 @,@ 300 acres ( 530 ha ) of the refuge was opened on a permanent basis ; Construction on the visitor ’ s center began later that month . In March 2007 , the Wapato Lake Unit was created to the west near Gaston . In the same month , the refuge received the 2007 Sunset Magazine Environmental Award , with the magazine honoring the refuge as a " preserved paradise " . The number of annual visitors to the refuge totaled 40 @,@ 000 in 2007 . The Wildlife Center at the refuge was finally completed and opened in January 2008 . A dedication ceremony was held at the Wildlife Center on March 29 , 2008 ; 500 people attended the event including Congressman David Wu and author Richard Louv . In 2008 , the refuge had attracted 50 @,@ 000 birds in a single day , with 20 @,@ 000 birds wintering in the refuge . As of December 2008 , the federal government had spent $ 10 @.@ 4 million on the refuge and it had grown to 1 @,@ 358 acres ( 550 ha ) . The refuge submitted a proposal to start collecting user fees in February 2009 , with a planned start date of August 2009 . In December 2013 , the Wapato Lake National Wildlife Refuge was split out from TRNWF . = = Natural environment = = Before becoming a protected area , much of the land in the Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge was agricultural , with hog and dairy farms , and crops such as corn ( maize ) and onions . Today , the refuge spreads out over ten miles ( 16 km ) along the Tualatin River , Rock Creek , and Chicken Creek , and is managed in five main sections ( units ) : Rock Creek , Onion Flats , Riverboat , Tualatin River , and Atfálat ´ i . The refuge also includes the Tonquin scablands created by the Missoula Floods to the southeast of the river . These scablands were scoured of the top layers of soil , leaving a marsh @-@ filled valley . There is also the Wapato Lake Unit approximately 15 miles ( 24 km ) to the west . Located along the Pacific Flyway for migratory birds , this habitat includes seasonal wetlands , streams , forested wetlands , savanna , riparian zones , forested uplands , and the Tualatin River and portions of its floodplain . The refuge is home to almost 200 species of birds , more than 50 mammal species , and 25 species of reptiles and amphibians . Tree species include red alder , aspen , maple , oak , Oregon white ash , Douglas fir , ponderosa pine , Pacific yew , and cedar . A pair of 350 @-@ year @-@ old oak trees can be found at the visitor center . Plant species in the refuge include bulrushes , wapato , water plantain , as Oregon grape , wild trillium , camas , iris , snowberry , cattails , wild millet , wild rose , thimbleberry , and others . Wildflowers include blue chicory , Douglas spirea , and purple crocuses . Waterfowl at the refuge are great blue herons , Canada geese , wood ducks , swans , northern pintails , green herons , teals , mergansers , belted kingfishers , and American wigeons among others . Birds that spend time there include , sandhill cranes , Oregon juncos , wren , common starlings , blackbirds , nuthatches , Pacific @-@ slope flycatchers , red @-@ tailed hawks , American goldfinch , peregrine falcons , yellow warblers , western flycatchers , killdeer , northern harriers , osprey , egrets , quail , pheasants , golden @-@ crowned kinglets , owls , and black @-@ headed grosbeaks to name a few . There is also a pair of bald eagles . The year it was created officials counted 24 different bird species . By 2008 there were 185 birds species represented at the refuge . River otter , beaver , nutria , mink , weasel , red fox , deer , elk , coyotes , raccoons , and rabbits make up a portion of the terrestrial animals . Other wildlife includes painted turtles , frogs , salamanders , crawfish , fish , and alligator lizards . The refuge is one of only ten national wildlife refuges in the United States located in an urban area . Groups have suggested that the refuge be expanded all the way to the Willamette River to provide a greenway through a heavily populated area . The Tualatin 's floodplain is the largest of any of the Willamette River ’ s tributaries . = = Amenities = = Within the refuge only 450 acres ( 180 ha ) of the Atfalat 'i Unit is open to the public . This section includes the visitor ’ s center with the Wildlife Center and refuge headquarters . The Wildlife Center includes classrooms , a student lab , a gift shop , and informational displays , and is next to a grove of oak trees estimated to be 350 years old . Inside the center are murals , dioramas , and hands @-@ on exhibits , plus the classroom contains skins and skulls of wildlife that live in the refuge . From inside the center , visitors can view the scenery using a viewing scope through a large window overlooking the pond . The 6 @,@ 300 @-@ square @-@ foot ( 590 m2 ) Wildlife Center was designed to give basic information and encourage visitors to then explore the wildlife in their natural habitats . The building is sienna in color and was built with a flat roof that has gravel on top to provide nesting habitat for birds , one of the features designed to be environmentally friendly . Built at a cost of $ 4 @.@ 6 million , the Wildlife Center also has a large arced skylight and atrium in the center to provide lots of natural light . Builders used local wood in the Wildlife Center , which has large , exposed beams . The center and headquarters are adjacent to each other off Oregon Route 99W on a knoll above a seasonal pond . Original plans called for a $ 5 million headquarters and wildlife visitor ’ s center . Refuge headquarters were previously in old farm buildings to the west on Roy Rogers Road . The new building was awarded honorable mention by the Department of the Interior in its 2008 Environmental Achievement Awards . It was designed to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standards at the silver level , but did not receive certification from the United States Green Building Council . The administration building and visitor structures were constructed by Wade Perrow Construction . A variety of people @-@ oriented amenities are spread outdoors across the part of the refuge open to the public . One feature is an outdoor deck overhanging an embank that overlooks ponds at the refuge . This 50 @-@ foot ( 15 m ) long concrete deck is of a cantilevered design that extends 30 feet ( 9 @.@ 1 m ) over the embankment . Other amenities include footbridges , education sites , and walking trails . There are nearly five miles ( 8 @.@ 0 km ) of trails , but they are closed in the fall and winter . Centennial and River are two of the viewing areas along the trails , each offering a place to view wildlife . Photographers have access to blinds which allow them to take pictures without disturbing the wildlife . = = Wapato Lake Unit = = Wapato Lake Unit is located about 15 miles ( 24 km ) to the west of the main refuge , near the city of Gaston along Oregon Route 47 in Washington and Yamhill counties . The area was once the site of Wapato Lake , whose soil held an organic @-@ rich peat that sustained a shrub swamp ecosystem . The wapato plant ( Sagittaria fasciculata ) grew in the upper marsh of the Wapato Lake Basin and was harvested by Native Americans . In 1892 , attempts began to drain the 800 acres ( 320 ha ) lake to increase farmland , with the Wapato Improvement District completing the effort in the 1930s . Valley forests , prairies , and wetlands encompass the region today , including two small streams , Ayers and Wapato creeks . The government had hoped to add land in the Gaston area to the main refuge , but initially met resistance from local residents . Some residents later asked the government to buy their land for the refuge in 2000 . By 2002 , up to 6 @,@ 400 acres ( 2 @,@ 600 ha ) were being studied in that area for inclusion into the wildlife refuge as part of the then uncreated unit . At that time the Fish and Wildlife Service owned 108 acres ( 44 ha ) in the area , with plans to restore the lake if the unit was established . In March 2007 , the Service approved the creation of the Wapato Lake Unit with a boundary encompassing 4 @,@ 310 possible acres ( 17 @.@ 4 km2 ) . In June 2008 , the Wapato Lake Unit purchased its first sets of properties . Totaling 180 acres ( 73 ha ) from three properties , the Fish and Wildlife Service paid $ 631 @,@ 000 for the land using a grant from the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission . An additional 15 acres ( 6 @.@ 1 ha ) were added in September . Plans called for restoring the farmland back to its natural state and acquiring all land by 2011 .

= HMCS Fredericton ( K245 ) = For the Halifax @-@ class frigate , see HMCS Fredericton ( FFH 337 ) HMCS Fredericton was a Flower @-@ class corvette of the Royal Canadian Navy . She was ordered from Marine Industries Ltd. in Sorel , Quebec and laid down on 22 March 1941 . She was launched on 2 September 1941 and commissioned on 8 December 1941 . She was named after the community of Fredericton , New Brunswick . Fredericton 's design was slightly revised from the earlier Flower @-@ class ships . Corvettes built before 1941 behaved poorly in heavy seas , so her length and weight were increased . She was also outfitted with a water @-@ tube boiler which was more powerful and stable than earlier models . Her armament was limited to a 4 @-@ inch ( 100 mm ) gun forward and a 2 @-@ pound ( 0 @.@ 9 kg ) pom @-@ pom gun aft gun as well as depth charge throwers which suited her escort duties and anti @-@ submarine capabilities . Later on she was outfitted with the improved Hedgehog anti @-@ submarine device . She was manned by a crew of 85 which included six officers . Her unofficial emblem was a badge emblazoned with a flying tiger dropping a depth charge on a U @-@ boat . Fredericton served during the Battle of the Atlantic from 1941 to 1945 . During 1942 she escorted oil tankers from the Caribbean to New York City . From 1943 to 1945 she escorted convoys in the Western Atlantic and then later on across the Atlantic to Northern Ireland . She was decommissioned on 14 July 1945 . Some question as to her final disposition lies with a possible error in Lloyd 's Register . Either she was sold for scrap in 1946 or ended up as a Panamanian @-@ flagged Japanese whaler which was used until 1979 . = = Royal Canadian Navy corvettes = = At the advent of World War II , the Royal Canadian Navy greatly desired to build naval class warships . However , Canadian ship building yards were not capable of building such vessels and at the time it was impossible to buy such ships from Britain as its capacity was taken up entirely by its own defence needs . It was decided that a modified whale catcher design could be built by Canadian yards which could later be traded with Britain for Tribal @-@ class destroyers . The barter scheme eventually failed , but the Canadian Navy had already ordered the whale catchers . Sixty @-@ four ships were originally ordered and these were built between 1939 – 1940 , becoming the basis of the RCN corvette fleet . It was initially expected that the corvette fleet would be superseded by a line of larger frigates and destroyers , but the narrowness of Montreal 's Lachine Canal prevented larger ships from getting to Atlantic Ocean from Great Lake shipyards . The corvette fleet stayed . Eventually 123 were built , the largest class of ships ever used by the Canadian Navy . The corvettes were dubbed the Flower class after a similar British design . The British gave them names of flowers such as Begonia and Gladiolus . The Canadian Navy decided to name their ships after Canadian towns . While they should have been called the Town class , a line of American destroyers was already using that name so the term " flower " was retained for Canadian corvettes . = = Building Fredericton = = = = = Construction = = = Fredericton was laid down by Marine Industries on 22 March 1941 and completed five months and 11 days later on 2 September 1941 . The total cost for construction was about $ 600 @,@ 000 CAN . She was commissioned for active duty on 8 December 1941 . = = = Design = = = Fredericton was part of the Revised Flower class built between 1940 and 1941 . There were 10 ships in this class including HMCS Calgary , HMCS Charlottetown and HMCS Halifax . Improvements on the original design included a lengthened forecastle and the foremast was moved behind the main bridge to improve forward vision . The sheer and flare of the bow was increased to improve performance in heavy seas . Earlier Flowers had twin 0 @.@ 5 inches ( 12 @.@ 7 mm ) machine guns , which proved ineffective . The revised Flowers were built with single Oerlikon 20 mm ( 0 @.@ 8 in ) cannon mounted on either side of the bridge . Fredericton was built with a water @-@ tube boiler . Ships built from 1939 – 1940 used a Scotch marine boiler . The revised design used a water @-@ tube boiler that had not been available earlier . These boilers subsequently became standard in future ships as they were smaller , safer and easier to maintain than the Scotch marine , and produced a more reliable supply of steam . Fredericton was 208 feet 4 inches ( 63 @.@ 50 m ) long , which was about 3 feet ( 0 @.@ 91 m ) longer than earlier designs . This allowed for a longer forecastle that added more living space and dry quarters . She was 33 ft 1 in ( 10 @.@ 08 m ) wide and she had a draught of 11 ft ( 3 @.@ 35 m ) forward and 15 ft 7 in ( 4 @.@ 75 m ) aft . She was driven by a single @-@ screw , triple @-@ expansion reciprocating engine of 2 @,@ 750 ihp ( 2 @,@ 050 kW ) , which gave her a top speed of 16 knots ( 30 km / h ) . Like most corvettes , Fredericton was installed with a Type 123A ASDIC detection system . This technology was designed in 1934 for armed trawlers and minesweepers of the Royal Navy . The system was outdated but was the best system available to the Canadian Navy at the time . Type 123A could detect the distance to underwater sounds but could not determine the depth . = = = Armament = = = Fredericton was armed with one 4 @-@ inch ( 101 @.@ 6 mm ) gun forward and a 2 @-@ pound ( 0 @.@ 9 kg ) pom @-@ pom gun mounted aft . Two Oerlikon 20 mm ( 0 @.@ 8 in ) cannon were mounted on the bridge wings for air defence . Depth charges , which were rolled from the stern through two ports or thrown from four launchers aft were used for anti @-@ submarine warfare . Later in the war , she was outfitted with the more effective Hedgehog depth bomb throwers . = = = Crew = = = Fredericton was built for a crew of 85 including the commanding officer and five other officers . From 8 December 1941 to 1 July 1942 she was commanded by Acting Lieutenant Commander ( LCdr ) J.H.S. MacDonald of the RCNR . LCdr J.E. Harrington of the RCNVR commanded her from 2 July 1942 to 20 July 1944 and Lieutenant J.C. Smythe of the RCN commanded her from 21 July 1944 until she was decommissioned on 14 July 1945 . MacDonald also served on two other corvettes , HMCS Windflower from February to December 1941 and HMCS Timmins from March to April 1943 . = = = Badge = = = Many Canadian naval ships of World War II adopted an unofficial coat of arms , and Fredericton was no exception . Her badge , which was displayed on the front of the bridge , was a flying tiger dropping a depth charge on a U @-@ boat . = = War duty = = Fredericton served during the Battle of the Atlantic from December 1941 to the end of the war in May 1945 . After Fredericton was launched she spent a short time undergoing sea trials . From January to July 1942 she escorted convoys between Halifax , St. John 's , New York City and Boston . In 1942 there was an increased U @-@ boat threat in the Caribbean against oil shipments . After Halifax and the UK started experiencing oil shortages , tanker convoys were organized between Caribbean ports and Halifax and New York City . In July , Fredericton was assigned to escort convoy HA002 / AH002 from Halifax to Aruba and back . Since the U.S. Navy had insufficient ships for these convoys , Fredericton along with six other Canadian corvettes was temporarily transferred to American naval operational command for convoy escort between Guantánamo Bay and New York City . She participated in these oil convoy escorts from September until February 1943 . After the Caribbean duty she was transferred to Western Local Escort Force for duty between New York City and St. John 's , Newfoundland . Fredericton came close to seeing action when she was assigned to convoy HX229 on 8 March 1943 , but she turned back at St. John 's on 14 March . Two days later the convoy was attacked by a wolfpack of nearly 40 U @-@ boats , which resulted in the sinking of 22 ships . After a major refit she was reassigned to the Mid @-@ Ocean Escort Force in October 1943 escorting convoys between St. John 's and Londonderry , Northern Ireland . Fredericton spent 11 months in this capacity before undergoing a second refit in September 1944 . For the remainder of the war , she served as an ocean escort . During her time in the Battle of the Atlantic she was never fired upon nor had cause to use her own weapons in anger . This earned her the reputation as the " luckiest ship in the Royal Canadian Navy " . = = Convoy record summary = = = = Disputed disposition = = Several sources ( Lenton , Lynch , Macpherson ) show that in July 1945 Fredericton was transferred to Sydney , Nova Scotia to be decommissioned for disposal and scrapping . Other sources ( uboat.net , Royal Canadian Navy ) claim that a mistake in Lloyd 's Register switched its records with HMCS Saskatoon ( K158 ) . The alternative information shows that Fredericton was sold in 1948 . She was registered under the Panamanian flag as Tra los Montes . In 1950 she was renamed as Olympic Fighter for use as a whaler . Subsequent names included Otori Maru No. 6 in 1956 and Kyo Maru No. 20 in 1961 . The last notation in Lloyd 's Register was for 1978 – 79 .

= Binary logarithm = In mathematics , the binary logarithm ( log2 n ) is the power to which the number 2 must be raised to obtain the value n . That is , for any real number x , <formula> For example , the binary logarithm of 1 is 0 , the binary logarithm of 2 is 1 , the binary logarithm of 4 is 2 , and the binary logarithm of 32 is 5 . The binary logarithm is the logarithm to the base 2 . The binary logarithm function is the inverse function of the power of two function . As well as log2 , alternative notations for the binary logarithm include lg , ld , lb , and ( with a prior statement that the default base is 2 ) log . Historically , the first application of binary logarithms was in music theory , by Leonhard Euler : the binary logarithm of a frequency ratio of two musical tones gives the number of octaves by which the tones differ . Binary logarithms can be used to calculate the length of the representation of a number in the binary numeral system , or the number of bits needed to encode a message in information theory . In computer science , they count the number of steps needed for binary search and related algorithms . Other areas in which the binary logarithm is frequently used include combinatorics , bioinformatics , the design of sports tournaments , and photography . Binary logarithms are included in the standard C mathematical functions and other mathematical software packages . The integer part of a binary logarithm can be found using the find first set operation on an integer value , or by looking up the exponent of a floating point value . The fractional part of the logarithm can be calculated efficiently . = = History = = The powers of two have been known since antiquity ; for instance they appear in Euclid 's Elements , Props . IX.32 ( on the factorization of powers of two ) and IX.36 ( half of the Euclid – Euler theorem , on the structure of even perfect numbers ) . And the binary logarithm of a power of two is just its position in the ordered sequence of powers of two . On this basis , Michael Stifel has been credited with publishing the first known table of binary logarithms in 1544 . His book Arthmetica Integra contains several tables that show the integers with their corresponding powers of two . Reversing the rows of these tables allow them to be interpreted as tables of binary logarithms . Earlier than Stifel , the 8th century Jain mathematician Virasena is credited with a precursor to the binary logarithm . Virasena 's concept of ardhacheda has been defined as the number of times a given number can be divided evenly by two . This definition gives rise to a function that coincides with the binary logarithm on the powers of two , but it is different for other integers , giving the 2 @-@ adic order rather than the logarithm . The modern form of a binary logarithm , applying to any number ( not just powers of two ) was considered explicitly by Leonhard Euler in 1739 . Euler established the application of binary logarithms to music theory , long before their more significant applications in information theory and computer science became known . As part of his work in this area , Euler published a table of binary logarithms of the integers from 1 to 8 , to seven decimal digits of accuracy . = = Definition and properties = = The binary logarithm function may be defined as the inverse function to the power of two function , which is a strictly increasing function over the positive real numbers and therefore has a unique inverse . Alternatively , it may be defined as ln n / ln 2 , where ln is the natural logarithm , defined in any of its standard ways . Using the complex logarithm in this definition allows the binary logarithm to be extended to the complex numbers . As with other logarithms , the binary logarithm obeys the following equations , which can be used to simplify formulas that combine binary logarithms with multiplication or exponentiation : <formula> <formula> <formula> For more , see list of logarithmic identities . = = Notation = = In mathematics , the binary logarithm of a number n is often written as log2 n . However , several other notations for this function have been used or proposed , especially in application areas . Some authors write the binary logarithm as lg n , the notation listed in The Chicago Manual of Style . Donald Knuth credits this notation to a suggestion of Edward Reingold , but its use in both information theory and computer science dates to before Reingold was active . The binary logarithm has also been written as log n with a prior statement that the default base for the logarithm is 2 . Another notation that is sometimes used for the same function ( especially in the German scientific literature ) is ld n , from Latin logarithmus dualis . The DIN 1302 , ISO 31 @-@ 11 and ISO 80000 @-@ 2 standards recommend yet another notation , lb n . According to these standards , lg n should not be used for the binary logarithm , as it is instead reserved for log10 n . = = Applications = = = = = Information theory = = = The number of digits ( bits ) in the binary representation of a positive integer n is the integral part of 1 + log2 n , i.e. <formula> In information theory , the definition of the amount of self @-@ information and information entropy is often expressed with the binary logarithm , corresponding to making the bit the fundamental unit of information . However , the natural logarithm and the nat are also used in alternative notations for these definitions . = = = Combinatorics = = = Although the natural logarithm is more important than the binary logarithm in many areas of pure mathematics such as number theory and mathematical analysis , the binary logarithm has several applications in combinatorics : Every binary tree with n leaves has height at least log2 n , with equality when n is a power of two and the tree is a complete binary tree . Relatedly , the Strahler number of a river system with n tributary streams is at most log2 n + 1 . Every family of sets with n different sets has at least log2 n elements in its union , with equality when the family is a power set . Every partial cube with n vertices has isometric dimension at least log2 n , and has at most 1 / 2 n log2 n edges , with equality when the partial cube is a hypercube graph . According to Ramsey 's theorem , every n @-@ vertex undirected graph has either a clique or an independent set of size logarithmic in n . The precise size that can be guaranteed is not known , but the best bounds known on its size involve binary logarithms . In particular , all graphs have a clique or independent set of size at least 1 / 2 log2 n ( 1 − o ( 1 ) ) and almost all graphs do not have a clique or independent set of size larger than 2 log2 n ( 1 + o ( 1 ) ) . From a mathematical analysis of the Gilbert – Shannon – Reeds model of random shuffles , one can show that the number of times one needs to shuffle an n @-@ card deck of cards , using riffle shuffles , to get a distribution on permutations that is close to uniformly random , is approximately 3 / 2 log2 n . This calculation forms the basis for a recommendation that 52 @-@ card decks should be shuffled seven times . = = = Computational complexity = = = The binary logarithm also frequently appears in the analysis of algorithms , not only because of the frequent use of binary number arithmetic in algorithms , but also because binary logarithms occur in the analysis of algorithms based on two @-@ way branching . If a problem initially has n choices for its solution , and each iteration of the algorithm reduces the number of choices by a factor of two , then the number of iterations needed to select a single choice is again the integral part of log2 n . This idea is used in the analysis of several algorithms and data structures . For example , in binary search , the size of the problem to be solved is halved with each iteration , and therefore roughly log2 n iterations are needed to obtain a problem of size 1 , which is solved easily in constant time . Similarly , a perfectly balanced binary search tree containing n elements has height log2 ( n + 1 ) − 1 . The running time of an algorithm is usually expressed in big O notation , which is used to simplify expressions by omitting their constant factors and lower @-@ order terms . Because logarithms in different bases differ from each other only by a constant factor , algorithms that run in O ( log2 n ) time can also be said to run in , say , O ( log13 n ) time . The base of the logarithm in expressions such as O ( log n ) or O ( n log n ) is therefore not important and can be omitted . However , for logarithms that appear in the exponent of a time bound , the base of the logarithm cannot be omitted . For example , O ( 2log2 n ) is not the same as O ( 2ln n ) because the former is equal to O ( n ) and the latter to O ( n0.6931 ... ) . Algorithms with running time O ( n log n ) are sometimes called linearithmic . Some examples of algorithms with running time O ( log n ) or O ( n log n ) are : Average time quicksort and other comparison sort algorithms Searching in balanced binary search trees Exponentiation by squaring Longest increasing subsequence Binary logarithms also occur in the exponents of the time bounds for some divide and conquer algorithms , such as the Karatsuba algorithm for multiplying n @-@ bit numbers in time O ( nlog2 3 ) , and the Strassen algorithm for multiplying n × n matrices in time O ( nlog2 7 ) . The occurrence of binary logarithms in these running times can be explained by reference to the master theorem . = = = Bioinformatics = = = In bioinformatics , microarrays are used to measure how strongly different genes are expressed in a sample of biological material . Different rates of expression of a gene are often compared by using the binary logarithm of the ratio of expression rates : the log ratio of two expression rates is defined as the binary logarithm of the ratio of the two rates . Binary logarithms allow for a convenient comparison of expression rates : a doubled expression rate can be described by a log ratio of 1 , a halved expression rate can be described by a log ratio of − 1 , and an unchanged expression rate can be described by a log ratio of zero , for instance . Data points obtained in this way are often visualized as a scatterplot in which one or both of the coordinate axes are binary logarithms of intensity ratios , or in visualizations such as the MA plot and RA plot that rotate and scale these log ratio scatterplots . = = = Music theory = = = In music theory , the interval or perceptual difference between two tones is determined by the ratio of their frequencies . Intervals coming from rational number ratios with small numerators and denominators are perceived as particularly euphonious . The simplest and most important of these intervals is the octave , a frequency ratio of 2 : 1 . The number of octaves by which two tones differ is the binary logarithm of their frequency ratio . To study tuning systems and other aspects of music theory that require finer distinctions between tones , it is helpful to have a measure of the size of an interval that is finer than an octave and is additive ( as logarithms are ) rather than multiplicative ( as frequency ratios are ) . That is , if tones x , y , and z form a rising sequence of tones , then the measure of the interval from x to y plus the measure of the interval from y to z should equal the measure of the interval from x to z . Such a measure is given by the cent , which divides the octave into 1200 equal intervals ( 12 semitones of 100 cents each ) . Mathematically , given tones with frequencies f1 and f2 , the number of cents in the interval from f1 to f2 is <formula> The millioctave is defined in the same way , but with a multiplier of 1000 instead of 1200 . = = = Sports scheduling = = = In competitive games and sports involving two players or teams in each game or match , the binary logarithm indicates the number of rounds necessary in a single @-@ elimination tournament required to determine a winner . For example , a tournament of 4 players requires log2 4

= 2 rounds to determine the winner , a tournament of 32 teams requires log2 32 = 5 rounds , etc . In this case , for n players / teams where n is not a power of 2 , log2 n is rounded up since it is necessary to have at least one round in which not all remaining competitors play . For example , log2 6 is approximately 2 @.@ 585 , which rounds up to 3 , indicating that a tournament of 6 teams requires 3 rounds ( either two teams sit out the first round , or one team sits out the second round ) . The same number of rounds is also necessary to determine a clear winner in a Swiss @-@ system tournament . = = = Photography = = = In photography , exposure values are measured in terms of the binary logarithm of the amount of light reaching the film or sensor , in accordance with the Weber – Fechner law describing a logarithmic response of the human visual system to light . A single stop of exposure is one unit on a base @-@ 2 logarithmic scale . More precisely , the exposure value of a photograph is defined as <formula> where N is the f @-@ number measuring the aperture of the lens during the exposure , and t is the number of seconds of exposure . Binary logarithms ( expressed as stops ) are also used in densitometry , to express the dynamic range of light @-@ sensitive materials or digital sensors . = = Calculation = = = = = Conversion from other bases = = = An easy way to calculate log2 n on calculators that do not have a log2 function is to use the natural logarithm ( ln ) or the common logarithm ( log or log10 ) functions , which are found on most scientific calculators . The specific change of logarithm base formulae for this are : <formula> or approximately <formula> = = = Integer rounding = = = The binary logarithm can be made into a function from integers and to integers by rounding it up or down . These two forms of integer binary logarithm are related by this formula : <formula> The definition can be extended by defining <formula> . Extended in this way , this function is related to the number of leading zeros of the 32 @-@ bit unsigned binary representation of x , nlz ( x ) . <formula> The integer binary logarithm can be interpreted as the zero @-@ based index of the most significant 1 bit in the input . In this sense it is the complement of the find first set operation , which finds the index of the least significant 1 bit . Many hardware platforms include support for finding the number of leading zeros , or equivalent operations , which can be used to quickly find the binary logarithm . The fls and flsl functions in the Linux kernel and in some versions of the libc software library also compute the binary logarithm ( rounded up to an integer , plus one ) . = = = Iterative approximation = = = For a general positive real number , the binary logarithm may be computed in two parts . First , one computes the integer part , <formula> ( called the characteristic of the logarithm ) . This reduces the problem to one where the argument of the logarithm is in a restricted range , the interval [ 1 @,@ 2 ) , simplifying the second step of computing the fractional part ( the mantissa of the logarithm ) . For any x > 0 , there exists a unique integer n such that 2n ≤ x < 2n + 1 , or equivalently 1 ≤ 2 − nx < 2 . Now the integer part of the logarithm is simply n , and the fractional part is log2 ( 2 − nx ) . In other words : <formula> For normalized floating point numbers , the integer part is given by the floating point exponent , and for integers it can be determined by performing a count leading zeros operation . The fractional part of the result is log2 y , and can be computed iteratively , using only elementary multiplication and division . The algorithm for computing the fractional part can be described in pseudocode as follows : Start with a real number y in the half @-@ open interval [ 1 @,@ 2 ) . If y = 1 , then the algorithm is done and the fractional part is zero . Otherwise , square y repeatedly until the result z lies in the interval [ 2 @,@ 4 ) . Let m be the number of squarings needed . That is , z = y2m with m chosen such that z is in [ 2 @,@ 4 ) . Taking the logarithm of both sides and doing some algebra : <formula> Once again z / 2 is a real number in the interval [ 1 @,@ 2 ) . Return to step 1 , and compute the binary logarithm of z / 2 using the same method . The result of this is expressed by the following recursive formulas , in which <formula> is the number of squarings required in the i @-@ th iteration of the algorithm : <formula> In the special case where the fractional part in step 1 is found to be zero , this is a finite sequence terminating at some point . Otherwise , it is an infinite series that converges according to the ratio test , since each term is strictly less than the previous one ( since every mi > 0 ) . For practical use , this infinite series must be truncated to reach an approximate result . If the series is truncated after the ith term , then the error in the result is less than 2 − ( m1 + m2 + ... + mi ) . = = = Software library support = = = The log2 function is included in the standard C mathematical functions . The default version of this function takes double precision arguments but variants of it allow the argument to be single @-@ precision or to be a long double . In MATLAB , the argument to the log2 function is allowed to be a negative number , and in this case the result will be a complex number .

= The Regina Monologues = " The Regina Monologues " is the fourth episode of The Simpsons ' fifteenth season , and originally aired November 23 , 2003 in the United States . It was written by John Swartzwelder , and directed by Mark Kirkland . The episode sees the Simpson family travel to the United Kingdom for vacation . There , they meet several celebrities including Tony Blair , Evan Marriott , Ian McKellen and J. K. Rowling , who all appear as themselves . Later , Homer gets arrested and locked in the Tower of London for accidentally crashing into the Queen 's carriage . Meanwhile , Abraham Simpson journeys to find Edwina , his long lost love , who is voiced by Jane Leeves . = = Plot = = Mr. Burns withdraws a $ 1000 bill from an ATM , but he drops it and an updraft carries it away to the Simpsons ' house , where it is found by Bart and Milhouse . Marge makes Bart and Homer put up fliers so that the person who lost the bill can reclaim it . No one can describe it correctly so Lisa suggests that they spend the money on a vacation , but then decide against it because Homer always manages to ruin any trip they go on . After realizing he can make money from the bill , Bart displays it in a museum in his tree house . Mr. Burns visits and reclaims his money , forcing Bart to close his museum . However , Bart has made over $ 3000 from the museum so they decide to spend the money on a vacation for Marge . Abraham Simpson suggests they go to Britain , where he hopes to meet his long @-@ lost love Edwina . During World War II , he made love to her after claiming he was going out to the front lines the next day , not realising that he really was shipping out the next day ( D @-@ Day ) . Upon their arrival in London the family is greeted by the Prime Minister , Tony Blair , whom Homer mistakes for Mr. Bean . They visit London 's tourist attractions , and later meet J. K. Rowling and Ian McKellen . Grampa tries to contact Edwina whilst Bart and Lisa go on a " sugar rush " after discovering the joys of British candy . Homer and Marge rent a Mini Cooper and start to drive around London but get stuck on Hyde Park Corner . After literally driving in circles for hours , Homer decides to break out of it , plows straight through the gates of Buckingham Palace and slams into Queen Elizabeth II 's horse @-@ drawn carriage . Homer is put on trial for causing harm to the Queen as well as wrecking her carriage . He humiliates himself by calling the Queen an impostor , since her luggage is inscribed " H.R.H. " which he believes is short for " Henrietta R. Hippo " , and mistaking the judge for a woman due to the wig he is wearing . The Queen , highly offended , demands that he be executed . He is taken away to the Tower of London to await his execution , where it is planned for his head to be stuck on a pike . The rest of the family call him from outside and Lisa tells him that he can use a secret tunnel that Sir Walter Raleigh built to escape . However , the tunnel leads straight into the Queen 's bedroom , and she calls her guards . Homer pleads with the Queen to find it in her heart to forgive him and she allows him to leave the country on the condition that he take Madonna as well . As they prepare to leave , Edwina appears and introduces Abe to her daughter Abbie Simpson , who looks and sounds like an British female version of Homer . Fearing that he is most likely the father , Abe runs away quickly to the plane . = = Production = = " The Regina Monologues " is ( as of 2016 ) the last regular episode written by longtime Simpsons writer John Swartzwelder ( though Swartzwelder was credited for contributing to the script to The Simpsons Movie ) . The episode was directed by Mark Kirkland . The plot of Homer hitting the Queen 's carriage was recycled from a spec script that previous Simpsons showrunning team Al Jean and Mike Reiss had pitched to The Golden Girls . In that script , Dorothy Zbornak was injured after a collision with Mother Teresa 's car . Tony Blair recorded his part for the episode in April 2003 , in ten minutes at Downing Street . Blair was sent the script early on in the writing process , and it took eight months of negotiation between Fox and Blair 's director of communications Alastair Campbell before Blair could guest star . In the original script , Blair was supposed to welcome the Simpsons to the United Kingdom " with a garland of ' genuine Newcastle coal ' and hand [ Marge ] a complimentary Corgi " , but Campbell had them changed , as Blair " made it very clear that he was only interested in doing the show if he could promote tourism in Britain " . The show 's staff did not know whether Blair would actually record his lines until showrunner Al Jean and his wife were in London promoting the 300th episode of The Simpsons . They received a call stating : " If you go over to Downing Street tomorrow and can promise to get the recording done in 15 minutes , then the Prime Minister will do it " . Jean was " so nervous , it was ridiculous " when he met Blair , an event he has cited as " one of the most fantastic moments of his life " . Blair was the top choice to guest star in the episode , but the staff did not think they had a chance to get him to appear . Blair is the only head of government to guest star in the show , with Rudy Giuliani ( who played himself in the episode " Stop or My Dog Will Shoot " ) the only other politician to guest star . J. K. Rowling recorded her part via satellite from her home in Scotland , and Ian McKellen recorded his over the phone . Evan Marriott , contestant on the first series of Joe Millionaire appears as himself , while Jane Leeves plays Edwina . Manchester United footballer Ryan Giggs is mentioned by Homer , something which Giggs thought was " brilliant " . The writers originally drew up a list of ten British celebrities they wanted to appear in the episode . The Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams ( a fan of the show ) was included in a draft of the script acting as a tour guide and showing some of his relatives around London . Williams had to reject the part due to other engagements . The script also included a role for a musician ; the staff had hoped to get David Bowie or Morrissey for the part but nothing came together . David and Victoria Beckham were also originally sought to guest star in the episode , and would be seen bickering on the street . The idea was dropped after Blair agreed to guest star , and it was deemed that they were not famous enough in the United States and so were not approached . Jean commented " We thought about it , we didn 't ask . I 've heard of him because my daughter plays soccer . " = = Reception = = The episode originally aired in America on November 23 , 2003 on Fox , and on January 9 , 2004 in the United Kingdom on Sky One . IGN.com named the episode the best of the fifteenth season , saying that " It may not be the best episode ever , but hell if it isn 't a lot of fun " , as well as calling it " extremely funny " and a " high point for the past few seasons " . Tony Blair received criticism from a number of commentators for his appearance in the episode due to the fact that he recorded his part at the height of the war in Iraq . Sunday Telegraph journalist Jack Roberts noted that it was " not [ Blair 's ] finest hour " . On the other hand , Simon Crerar of The Times named Blair 's appearance as one of the 33 best guest appearances in the show 's history , and the BBC classified his appearance as a " PR masterstroke " . The episode is included on the Around the World in 80 D 'ohs DVD . When Blair left office in 2007 , it was reported that his successor as Prime Minister , Gordon Brown , was also being lined up to guest star on the show . Animator Dan Povenmire noted that American audiences would probably require subtitles to understand what Brown was saying . Voice actress Yeardley Smith noted that she would like Brown to appear in The Simpsons , but Brown ruled a guest role out stating : " I think Tony Blair did that , I don 't think that is for me " . Series creator Matt Groening confirmed that Brown would not be approached for a part . I think with Tony Blair we 've reached our quota of British Prime Ministers we 're going to have on the show . We have one per century – I think that 's our rule . Sorry , Gordon Brown , it 's too late ! The episode has become study material for sociology courses at University of California Berkeley , where it is used to " examine issues of the production and reception of cultural objects , in this case , a satirical cartoon show " , and to figure out what it is " trying to tell audiences about aspects primarily of American society , and , to a lesser extent , about other societies " . Some questions asked in the courses include : • What aspects of American society are being addressed in the episode ? • What aspects of them are used to make the points ? • How is the satire conveyed : through language ? drawing ? music ? • Is the behavior of each character consistent with his / her character as developed over the years ? • Can we identify elements of the historical / political context that the writers are satirizing ? • What is the difference between satire and parody ?

= River Frome , Bristol = The River Frome / ˈfruːm / , historically the River Froom , is a river in South Gloucestershire and Bristol , England . It is approximately 20 miles ( 32 km ) long , rises in Dodington Park , South Gloucestershire , and flows in a south westerly direction through Bristol , joining the former course of the river Avon in Bristol 's Floating Harbour . The mean flow at Frenchay is 60 cubic feet per second ( 1 @.@ 7 m3 / s ) The name Frome is shared with several other rivers in South West England and means ' fair , fine , brisk ’ . The river is familiarly known in east Bristol as the Danny . Originally the Frome joined the Avon downstream of Bristol Bridge , and formed part of the city defences , but in the thirteenth century the river was diverted through marshland belonging to St Augustine 's Abbey ( now Bristol Cathedral ) , as part of major port improvement works . In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries , the lower reaches of the river were culverted and the river now flows under The Centre into St Augustine 's Reach . As with many urban rivers , the Frome has suffered from pollution , but several stretches run through parks and reserves that sustain a range of wildlife . The power of the water was harnessed in many watermills and the area around the river mouth was developed as shipyards by the eighteenth century . As the city of Bristol developed in the nineteenth and twentieth century , flooding became a major problem , remedied by the construction of storm drains and diversions . = = Course = = 20 miles ( 32 km ) long , the River Frome rises in the grounds of Dodington Park in the Cotswolds of South Gloucestershire , flows through Chipping Sodbury in a north westerly direction through Yate , and is then joined by the Nibley brook on the left at Nibley . The river turns south towards the next settlement of Frampton Cotterell , where it is met by the Ladden brook on the right bank . Continuing southwards between Yate and Winterbourne , the Frome crosses Winterbourne Down , to Damsons Bridge where the Folly brook tributary merges on the left bank . The Bradley brook joins on the right bank at Hambrook just before the river passes underneath the M4 motorway . After passing under the A4174 the Frome enters a more urban environment passing between Frenchay on the right and Bromley Heath and Downend on the left . Turning in a more south westerly direction the river enters Oldbury Court estate , a city park also known as Vassal 's , past Snuff Mills , entering a steep valley at Stapleton , then passing Eastville park , where it feeds the former boating lake and is met by the Fishponds brook on the right . The river then flows under the M32 motorway and parallels its course for a while before disappearing into an underground culvert at Eastville Sluices , upstream of Baptist Mills . It is joined underground by Coombe brook on the left and Horfield brook on the right . A brief stretch in St Judes is uncovered and then the river runs underneath Broad Weir , Fairfax Street and Rupert Street . At the site of the former Stone Bridge , near the junction of Rupert Street and Christmas Street , the main flow is channelled through Mylnes Culvert . This follows the course of Marsh Street , Prince Street and Wapping Road , and joins the New Cut close to Gaol Ferry Bridge . The culverted section between Stone Bridge and St Augustine 's Reach is now a flood relief channel . = = = Navigation = = = From Damsons Bridge ( Grid Reference ST657794 ) to Snuff Mills ( ST623764 ) the river is navigable , but only by canoe ( kayak ) though some portaging may be required . It 's also possible to start at Moorend Bridge ( ST650794 ) or Frenchay Bridge ( ST644777 ) . Some of the Bradley brook has also been kayaked . = = History = = Between Frenchay and Stapleton the river drops nearly 50 feet ( 15 m ) , and as a result there a number of corn and other mills were established to harness the water power . They were undershot mills with no mill ponds . Today a wheel at Snuff Mills is preserved and the mill buildings of Cleeve Mill survive as a private residence . The Frome originally flowed east of its present @-@ day course from Stone Bridge ( now underground by St John 's Gate ) along the line of St Stephen 's Street and Baldwin Street , joining the Avon near Bristol Bridge . The narrow strip of high land between the two rivers was a naturally strategic place for the Saxon town of Brigstow , later the walled centre of the city , to develop . When Robert , 1st Earl of Gloucester , rebuilt Bristol Castle , the Frome was diverted ( at present @-@ day Broad Weir ) to form the castle moat , so that the city was entirely surrounded by water . In the mid @-@ thirteenth century the harbour had become so busy that it was decided to divert the Frome into a new course through a marsh belonging to St Augustine 's Abbey into a " Deep Ditch " that was dug from Stone Bridge to join the Avon at the present site of Prince Street bridge . This has been the line of the river ever since , known as St Augustine 's Reach . The Floating Harbour was constructed in 1809 , isolating the Avon and Frome from tides between Cumberland Basin and Totterdown Lock . The increasing use of the Frome as an open sewer combined with the loss of the scouring action of the tides meant that it was now becoming a health hazard and in 1825 it was again diverted , with locks at Stone House , channelling the main flow through Mylne 's Culvert to the tidal Avon at New Cut , to the east of what is now Gaol Ferry Bridge . Up to 1858 the Frome was open along its whole length , and crossed by some 13 bridges . During the latter half of the nineteenth century , a culvert was built from Wade Street in St Judes to Stone Bridge , covering this stretch completely : Rupert Street , Fairfax Street and Broad Weir run over this culverted section . St Augustine 's Trench from Stone Bridge to Draw Bridge ( near the northern end of Baldwin Street ) was covered over in 1893 and the section between that point and the bottom of Park Street was covered over in 1938 . = = = Shipbuilding = = = Shipbuilding began on the River Frome near its mouth in Bristol at least by the seventeenth century , with Francis Baylie building warships at Narrow Quay . Tombs ' Dock was built opposite at Dean 's Marsh in 1760 , the builders including FW Green , and two additional docks were built by at Teast 's Docks in 1790 . The last shipbuilder closed in 1883 . = = = Etymology = = = The name derives from the British Celtic , meaning ' fair , fine , brisk ’ . It is not to be confused with other rivers in the south west of England with the same name . The historic spelling , Froom , is still sometimes used and this is how the name of the river is pronounced ( as in broom ) . In the nineteenth and twentieth century the River Frome became known in East Bristol as the Danny . The derivation of this name is uncertain , some suggest a nickname , taken from the Blue Danube Waltz , others that it was derived from the Australian slang word dunny . = = Hydrology and flooding = = The mean flow as measured at Frampton Cottrell is 60 cubic feet per second ( 1 @.@ 7 m3 / s ) , with a peak on 30 October 2000 of 788 cubic feet per second ( 22 @.@ 3 m3 / s ) and a minimum on 10 August 1990 of 1 @.@ 0 cubic foot per second ( 0 @.@ 028 m3 / s ) . The mean flow as measured at Frenchay is 60 cubic feet per second ( 1 @.@ 7 m3 / s ) , with a peak on 10 July 1968 of 2 @,@ 474 cubic feet per second ( 70 @.@ 1 m3 / s ) and a minimum on 9 August 1976 of 2 @.@ 8 cubic feet per second ( 0 @.@ 079 m3 / s ) . The Environment Agency in 2008 classified the river as Grade A ( highest grade ) for chemical content , but the biology was assessed at C grade ( mid ) . Measurements were taken over a stretch of river between Bradley brook and Broomhill . Where it passes through Bristol the river was prone to flooding , but the Northern Stormwater Interceptor , running from Eastville Sluices to the River Avon downstream of Clifton Suspension Bridge , has since been constructed to control this . At Wade Street , St Judes , the river enters an underground culvert , emerging at what Bristolians call The Centre ( formerly the ' Tramways Centre ' ) , but only when there is a risk of flooding . The river is otherwise channelled through Mylne 's Culvert into the River Avon at a point between Bathurst Basin and Gaol Ferry Bridge . Three further flood relief tunnels- Castle Ditch , Fosseway and Castle Green Tunnel - run under Castle Park in central Bristol to carry excess flows into the Floating Harbour . Major floods have included Mina Road , St Werburghs and Wellington Road in October 1882 ; Eastville , St Werburghs and Broadmead in 1936 and 1937 ; Eastville Park and nearby due to melting snow in 1947 ; 1968 Bristol Rovers F.C. old ground at Eastville . The Broadmead area still remains at risk of flooding in severe weather conditions . In December 2011 , a kayaker was killed after capsizing in the flooded river at Snuff Mills weir in Frenchay during a night @-@ time paddle . = = Frome Valley Walkway = = The Frome Valley Walkway is a public footpath , 18 miles ( 29 km ) long , that runs almost the entire length of the river from Old Sodbury to Bristol . A guide pamphlet has been published . The walkway was created by a partnership between local authorities , the Environment Agency , wildlife organisations and location action groups , including Avon Biodiversity Partnership , Avon Invasive Weeds Forum , Avon Wildlife Trust , Bristol City Council , Bristol Naturalists ' Society and South Gloucestershire Council . Regular events include clearing of invasive species and guided walks . = = Natural history = = The Frome valley supports a range of wildlife and plants , passing through or near to a number of nature reserves and parks , including Goose Green fields , Chill Wood , Cleeve Valley , Oldbury Court park and Eastville Park . Notable species include grey wagtails , wild service trees , dippers and several species of bats . One of the last British populations of the endangered native white @-@ clawed crayfish in the Bristol area was found in the river , but became extinct in 2008 .

= French cruiser Amiral Charner = Amiral Charner was an armored cruiser built for the French Navy in the 1890s , the name ship of her class . She spent most of her career in the Mediterranean , although she was sent to China during the Boxer Rebellion of 1900 – 01 . The ship was assigned to the International Squadron off the island of Crete during the Greco @-@ Turkish War of 1897 to protect French interests and citizens . Amiral Charner spent most of the first decade of the 20th century as a training ship or in reserve . The ship was recommissioned when World War I began in 1914 and escorted convoys for several months before she was assigned to the Eastern Mediterranean to blockade the Ottoman @-@ controlled coast . During this time , she helped to rescue several thousand Armenians from Syria during the Armenian Genocide of 1915 . Amiral Charner was sunk in early 1916 by a German submarine , with only a single survivor rescued . = = Design and description = = The Amiral Charner @-@ class ships were designed to be smaller and cheaper than the preceding armored cruiser design , the Dupuy de Lôme . Like the older ship , they were intended to fill the commerce @-@ raiding strategy of the Jeune École . The ship measured 106 @.@ 12 meters ( 348 ft 2 in ) between perpendiculars , with a beam of 14 @.@ 04 meters ( 46 ft 1 in ) . Amiral Charner had a forward draft of 5 @.@ 55 meters ( 18 ft 3 in ) and drew 6 @.@ 06 meters ( 19 ft 11 in ) aft . She displaced 4 @,@ 748 metric tons ( 4 @,@ 673 long tons ) at normal load and 4 @,@ 990 metric tons ( 4 @,@ 910 long tons ) at deep load . The Amiral Charner class had two triple @-@ expansion steam engines , each driving a single propeller shaft . Steam for the engines was provided by 16 Belleville boilers and they were rated at a total of 8 @,@ 300 metric horsepower ( 6 @,@ 100 kW ) using forced draught . Amiral Charner had a designed speed of 19 knots ( 35 km / h ; 22 mph ) , but during sea trials on 18 July 1895 the engines produced 8 @,@ 956 metric horsepower ( 6 @,@ 587 kW ) , but only gave a maximum speed of 18 @.@ 4 knots ( 34 @.@ 1 km / h ; 21 @.@ 2 mph ) . The ship carried up to 535 metric tons ( 527 long tons ; 590 short tons ) of coal and could steam for 4 @,@ 000 nautical miles ( 7 @,@ 400 km ; 4 @,@ 600 mi ) at a speed of 10 knots ( 19 km / h ; 12 mph ) . The ships of the Amiral Charner class had a main armament that consisted of two Canon de 194 mm Modèle 1887 guns that were mounted in single gun turrets , one each fore and aft of the superstructure . Their secondary armament comprised six Canon de 138 @.@ 6 mm Modèle 1887 guns , each in single gun turrets on each broadside . For anti @-@ torpedo boat defense , they carried four 65 @-@ millimeter ( 2 @.@ 6 in ) guns , four 47 @-@ millimeter ( 1 @.@ 9 in ) and eight 37 @-@ millimeter ( 1 @.@ 5 in ) five @-@ barreled revolving Hotchkiss guns . They were also armed with four 450 @-@ millimeter ( 17 @.@ 7 in ) pivoting torpedo tubes ; two mounted on each broadside above water . The side of the Amiral Charner class was generally protected by 92 millimeters ( 3 @.@ 6 in ) of steel armor , from 1 @.@ 3 meters ( 4 ft 3 in ) below the waterline to 2 @.@ 5 meters ( 8 ft 2 in ) above it . The bottom 20 centimeters ( 7 @.@ 9 in ) tapered in thickness and the armor at the ends of the ships thinned to 60 millimeters ( 2 @.@ 4 in ) . The curved protective deck of mild steel had a thickness of 40 millimeters ( 1 @.@ 6 in ) along its centerline that increased to 50 millimeters ( 2 @.@ 0 in ) at its outer edges . Protecting the boiler rooms , engine rooms , and magazines below it was a thin splinter deck . A watertight internal cofferdam , filled with cellulose , ran the length of the ship from the protective deck to a height of 1 @.@ 2 meters ( 4 ft ) above the waterline . Below the protective deck the ship was divided by 13 watertight transverse bulkheads with five more above it . The ship 's conning tower and turrets were protected by 92 millimeters of armor . = = Construction and career = = Amiral Charner , named after Admiral Léonard Charner , was laid down at the Arsenal de Rochefort with the name of Charner on 15 June 1889 . She was launched on 18 March 1893 and renamed Amiral Charner on 25 March 1895 before she was commissioned on 26 August . The ship was initially assigned to the 2nd Light Division of the Mediterranean Squadron before she was briefly detached for service in the Eastern Mediterranean . On 6 January 1896 , Amiral Charner became the flagship of the Higher Naval War College ( École supérieure de guerre de la marine ) , commanding her sister ship Latouche @-@ Tréville and the protected cruiser Suchet . The mission of the school was to prepare officers for command at sea and for service on staffs . Ten months later , she was reassigned back to the active fleet on 20 October . The ship was sent to Crete on 10 February 1897 as part of the French contingent of the International Squadron deployed there during the Greco @-@ Turkish War to protect Western interests and citizens and remained with the squadron until November 1898 . Amiral Charner was reassigned to the college on 1 January 1899 together with the protected cruisers Friant and Davout . She was detached to the Northern Squadron ( Escadre du Nord ) , based at Brest , for the first half of the year before returning to Toulon in late June . Three months later , the ship returned to Brest and was temporarily placed in reserve . In January 1900 she was ordered to Rochefort for repairs to her steam @-@ piping in preparation for her upcoming deployment to the Far East . Amiral Charner departed Brest on 26 June and arrived in Saigon , French Indochina , on 1 August . She supported Allied forces during the later stages of the Boxer Rebellion in mid @-@ 1901 before returning to Toulon on 8 November . After a brief refit , the ship was assigned to the 3rd Armored Division on 24 January 1902 . During the annual naval maneuvers in July – August 1902 , Amiral Charner simulated defending against a force breaking into the Mediterranean from the Atlantic , attacked the fortifications at Bizerte , French North Africa , and blockaded hostile ports . She was placed in reserve in Toulon on 15 January 1903 and later assigned to the gunnery school there until the middle of 1910 . Amiral Charner became the guardship at Souda Bay , Crete on 13 May until relieved by her sister Bruix in July 1912 and was then refitted before being placed in reserve at Bizerta , Tunisia . When World War I began in August 1914 , she was recommissioned and assigned to escort convoys between Morocco and France together with Latouche @-@ Tréville and Bruix . In November she was assigned to the 3rd Division of the 3rd Squadron based at Port Said , Egypt where she bombarded Ottoman positions on the Syrian coast several times . Amiral Charner ran aground under enemy fire off Dedeagatch , Bulgaria on 3 March 1915 and had to be pulled off by the small Italian cargo liner SS Bosnia . Together with the predreadnought battleship Jauréguiberry and the protected cruiser Destrées , she was assigned to blockade the coast between Tripoli , Lebanon and El Arish , Egypt in late August . On 11 – 12 September , the ship participated in the rescue of 3 @,@ 000 Armenians north of the Orontes River Delta from pursuing Ottoman troops . The ship supported the occupation of the island of Kastelorizo on 28 December , along with the armored cruiser Jeanne d 'Arc . Sailing from Ruad Island , Syria to Port Said , Egypt , Amiral Charner was torpedoed by the German submarine U @-@ 21 on the morning of 8 February 1916 . She sank in only two minutes with the loss of nearly the entire crew . Some 427 men were lost , with only a single survivor rescued five days later .

= Boeing Chinook ( UK variants ) = The Boeing Chinook is a tandem rotor helicopter operated by the Royal Air Force ( RAF ) . A series of variants based on the United States Army 's Boeing CH @-@ 47 Chinook , the RAF Chinook fleet is the largest outside the United States . RAF Chinooks have seen extensive service including fighting in the Falklands War , peace @-@ keeping commitments in the Balkans , and action in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars . The Chinook aircraft , normally based at RAF Odiham , provides heavy @-@ lift support and transport across all branches of the British armed forces , and is supported by the smaller , medium @-@ lift helicopters such as the AgustaWestland Merlin HC.3 of the Royal Navy 's Commando Helicopter Force and the RAF 's Westland Puma HC.2 , based at RNAS Yeovilton and RAF Benson . = = Design and development = = = = = Chinook HC Mk1 = = = In March 1967 an order was placed for fifteen Chinook HC Mk1s , standing for Helicopter , Cargo Mark 1 , for the Royal Air Force to replace the Bristol Belvedere . This original MK1 variant was to be based on the CH @-@ 47B but the order was cancelled in a review of defence spending in November 1967 . UK Chinook procurement ambitions were revived in 1978 with an announced requirement for a new heavy @-@ lift helicopter to replace the Westland Wessex . Thirty Chinooks were ordered at a price of US $ 200 million . These helicopters , comparable to the CH @-@ 47C with Lycoming T55 @-@ L @-@ 11E engines , were again designated Chinook HC Mk1 , and entered service in December 1980 . Eight more Mk1s were delivered from 1984 to 1986 with the CH @-@ 47D 's Lycoming T55 @-@ L @-@ 712 turboshafts . The replacement of the Mk1 's metal rotor blades with aluminium and glass fibre composite rotor blades saw these aircraft designated Chinook HC Mk1B . All surviving aircraft were later returned to Boeing and updated to the Chinook HC Mk2 standard for further service within the RAF . = = = Chinook HC Mk2 = = = The US Army 's next generation Chinook , the CH @-@ 47D , entered service in 1982 . Improvements from the CH @-@ 47C included upgraded engines , composite rotor blades , a redesigned cockpit to reduce pilot workload , redundant and improved electrical systems , an advanced flight control system ( FCS ) and improved avionics . The RAF returned their original Mk1s to Boeing for upgrading to CH @-@ 47D standard , the first of which returned to the UK in 1993 . Three additional HC Mk2 Chinooks were ordered with delivery beginning in 1995 . Another six were ordered in 1995 under the Chinook HC Mk2A designation ; the main difference between these and the standard Mk2 was the strengthening of the front fuselage to allow the fitting of an aerial refuelling probe in future . One Argentine CH @-@ 47C was captured during the Falklands War , and used by the RAF as a training aid . The rear fuselage was later used to repair a crashed RAF Chinook in 2003 . In 2006 , the retirement dates for the Mk2 and Mk2A fleets were scheduled for 2015 and 2025 respectively , but if planned upgrades are made both types could expect to be flying until 2040 . = = = Chinook HC Mk3 = = = Eight Chinook HC Mk3s were ordered in 1995 as dedicated special forces helicopters , which were intended to be low @-@ cost variants of the US Army 's MH @-@ 47E . The Mk3s include improved range , night vision sensors and navigation capability . The eight aircraft were to cost £ 259 million and the forecast in @-@ service date was November 1998 . Although delivered in 2001 , the Mk3 could not receive airworthiness certificates as it was not possible to certify the avionics software . Unfortunately the procurement was " a profoundly inept piece of procurement " : Sir Peter Spencer , who as head of Defence Procurement inherited the project , said that : the " original requirement was ... actually impossible . I mean , there were 100 essential requirements . I read all of them . One of them said to give protection against any missile coming from any direction . " Spencer later commented : " it is always hard to imagine why people think you would be able cost effectively to buy a bespoke requirement for a very small production run . " The avionics were unsuitable due to poor risk analysis and necessary requirements omitted from the procurement contract . The Times claimed that the Ministry of Defence planned to perform software integration itself , without Boeing 's involvement , in order to reduce costs . While lacking certification , the helicopters were only permitted to fly in visual meteorological conditions and subsequently stored in climate controlled hangars . After protracted negotiations to allow them to enter service , Air Forces Monthly reported in November 2006 that the Defence Aviation Repair Agency would likely receive a contract to install the Thales " TopDeck " avionics system on the Chinook HC Mk3s . However , the Ministry of Defence announced in March 2007 that this so @-@ called " Fix to Field " programme would be cancelled , and instead it would revert the helicopters ' avionics to Chinook Mk2 / 2A specification . The programme was estimated to cost £ 50 – 60 million . In June 2008 , the National Audit Office issued a scathing report on the MoD 's handling of the affair , stating that the whole programme was likely to cost £ 500 million by the time the helicopters enter service . On 6 July 2009 the first of the eight modified Chinook HC Mk3s made its first test flight at MoD Boscombe Down as part of the flight testing and evaluation phase of the HC Mk3 " reversion " program . = = = Chinook HC Mk4 / Mk5 / Mk6 = = = A programme to upgrade 46 Chinook Mk2 / 2A and Mk3 helicopters was initiated in December 2008 . Called Project Julius , it includes new digital flight deck avionics based on the Thales TopDeck avionics suite , comprising new multifunction displays , a digital moving map display and an electronic flight bag , installation of a nose @-@ mounted FLIR detector , and upgrading the engines to the more powerful T55 @-@ 714 standard . Upgraded Mk2 / 2A and Mk3 aircraft will be redesignated Mk4 from Mk2 / 2a , and Mk5 from Mk3 . Deliveries are expected to commence in 2011 . The first conversion , a Chinook HC Mk4 , first flew on 9 December 2010 . Initial operating capability status was reached in June 2012 with seven aircraft delivered . The Chinook HC Mk6 designation has been assigned to the 24 ( later reduced to 14 ) CH @-@ 47F @-@ derived Chinooks ordered in 2009 . These have digital flight @-@ control systems and have all now been delivered = = Operational history = = = = = Overview = = = RAF Chinooks have been widely deployed in support of British military engagements , serving their first wartime role in Operation Corporate , the Falklands War , in 1982 . Chinooks were used in Operation Granby in the 1991 Gulf War , attached to large peace @-@ keeping commitments in the Balkans , the continued British presence in Afghanistan , and in Operation Telic in the 2003 Iraq War . They provide routine supply and support missions to the British military , notably in Operation Banner in Northern Ireland . The helicopter has also been of use in military humanitarian missions and the extraction of civilians from warzones , such as the evacuation of Sierra Leone in 2000 , and the evacuation from Lebanon in 2006 . One Chinook in particular , known by its original squadron code Bravo November , has come to widespread public recognition due to its remarkable service record . It has seen action in every major operation involving the RAF in the helicopter 's 25 @-@ year service life , including the Falkland Islands , Lebanon , Germany , Northern Ireland , Iraq , and Afghanistan . = = = Falklands War = = = During the Falklands War , Chinooks were deployed by both the British and Argentinian forces . In April 1982 , five Chinooks were loaded aboard the container ship MV Atlantic Conveyor bound for the Falkland Islands , to support the British operations . On 25 May 1982 , the Chinook Bravo November was sent to pick up freight from HMS Glasgow . While the helicopter was airborne , the Atlantic Conveyor was attacked by an Argentine Navy Dassault Super Étendard with an Exocet sea @-@ skimming missile . Bravo November avoided the ship 's destruction , assisted in the evacuation of the ship , and later landed on the aircraft carrier HMS Hermes , gaining the nickname " The Survivor " . Owing to the rapid spread of fire and smoke aboard the Atlantic Conveyor after the Exocet strike , it was not possible to fly any of the helicopters that remained on the ship 's deck . One Argentine Army Chinook was captured intact by British Army forces after the surrender . RAF Chinooks were part of an estimated force of 40 helicopters in the British task force , alongside Westland Sea King and Westland Wessex helicopters . Post @-@ war , two Chinooks were operated by No. 78 Squadron as part of the Falklands Garrison ; this was reduced to a single helicopter in the mid @-@ 1990s and the type was eventually withdrawn from the Falklands in 2006 in order to free up resources and craft for operations in Afghanistan . = = = First Gulf War = = = The Chinook became a vital transit tool during the 1991 Gulf War in Iraq . They were used for moving troops into the region at the start of the conflict ; a Chinook was used on 22 January 1991 to transport a Special Air Service ( SAS ) patrol on the infamous Bravo Two Zero mission . In the aftermath of the conflict as many as nine British Chinooks delivered food and supplies to thousands of Kurdish refugees from Iraq . = = = Kosovo = = = On 6 June 1999 , two Chinooks of No. 27 Squadron left base at RAF Odiham in Hampshire , carrying paratroopers to join NATO forces serving in the Balkans ; six more arrived the following week in Kosovo to support operations such as casualty evacuations and transporting vital supplies . On 12 June 1999 , waves of Chinooks , escorted by Westland Lynx and American AH @-@ 64 Apache attack helicopters , were used to rapidly deploy British infantry forces into Kosovo as a part of NATO 's first phase of deployment . On 10 August 1999 hundreds of Chinooks around the world , including those used by the British armed forces , were grounded due to cracking discovered in the landing gear of a British helicopter during routine inspection . = = = Sierra Leone = = = In May 2000 , several Chinook helicopters airlifted British and European Union citizens out of Freetown in Sierra Leone in an evacuation due to regional instability . In September 2000 Chinooks were being used to evacuate casualties from fighting in Freetown to RFA Sir Percivale , a support ship docked there . = = = Lebanon = = = In July 2006 , 3 Chinook helicopters of No. 27 Squadron deployed to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus to evacuate British citizens from Lebanon ; the squadron also flew the EU foreign affairs representative Javier Solana to Beirut at the start of the crisis . Members of the SAS and Special Boat Service ( SBS ) units were deployed via Chinooks into Lebanon to locate and make contact with British citizens . = = = Afghanistan = = = Chinook helicopters have been relied upon heavily to support the British forces in Afghanistan continuously since the start of the war in Afghanistan in 2001 ; Operation Snipe saw the helicopters used to assist the 1 @,@ 000 British Commandos sweeping a region of southeathern Afghanistan . Due to the threat of improvised explosive devices ( IEDs ) scattered throughout the terrain by insurgents , transport helicopters have become highly valued and demanded units in this style of warfare . By April 2006 six Chinooks had been deployed by C @-@ 17 transport planes to Kandahar in Southern Afghanistan , in support of Operation Herrick . Two RAF Chinooks were lost in August 2009 during combat operations with the Taliban , one of which was brought down by enemy fire , in spite of warnings months before of Taliban plans to attack the helicopters . The continued operation of the fleet was made more cost effective when maintaince and support regimes were altered in 2006 – 7 . On 15 December 2009 the British government announced its Future Helicopter Strategy including the purchase of 24 new build Chinooks , 22 to expand the force and two to replace losses in Afghanistan , to be delivered to the Royal Air Force from 2012 . The number of additional Chinooks was cut to 12 with the October 2010 defence review , however . This will bring the total fleet size to 60 aircraft ; as of 2009 , the RAF had 48 Chinooks in inventory . = = Variants = = Chinook HC Mk1 New @-@ build aircraft for the RAF based on the CH @-@ 47C , 41 built . Chinook HC Mk1B Modification of the 41 Mk1s with metal rotor blades , survivors converted to Mk2 . Chinook HC Mk2 Conversion by Boeing of 32 surviving Mk1Bs to CH @-@ 47D standard , and 3 new build @-@ aircraft Chinook HC Mk2A Similar to the HC2 with strengthened fuselage using milled structure manufacturing techniques , 6 built . Chinook HC Mk3 Special forces variant based on the CH @-@ 47SD , 8 built . Chinook HC Mk4 Mk2 / 2A aircraft with upgraded engines and avionics under Project Julius . 46 conversions planned . Chinook HC Mk5 Mk3 aircraft with upgraded avionics under Project Julius . Chinook HC Mk6 New @-@ build Chinooks announced in 2009 , expected to be delivered beginning in 2014 . Originally 24 aircraft , later reduced to 14 ( 12 helicopters plus 2 attrition replacements ) . = = Operators = = RAF Odiham 7 Squadron - Joint Special Forces Aviation Wing 18 ( B ) Squadron 27 Squadron RAF Benson 28 ( R ) Squadron - Joint Chinook and Puma HC.2 OCU There is a suggestion that 78 Squadron , which previously operated the Merlin HC.3 from RAF Benson , could reform as a new Chinook squadron when new HC.6 aircraft on order from Boeing are delivered . The day @-@ to @-@ day maintenance of Nos. 18 and 27 Squadron aircraft is carried out by 18 / 27 ( Engineering ) Squadron , a separate Squadron using the innovative ' fight by flight ' structure to provide the efficiencies of combined engineering whilst maintaining aircrew / ground crew relationships when deployed . When deployed , the detachment of Nos. 18 and 27 Squadron aircrew and 18 / 27 ( Engineering ) Squadron groundcrew is known as No. 1310 Flight . The RAF has a total of 48 Chinooks in inventory as of late August 2009 . = = Notable incidents and accidents = = On 13 May 1986 , Chinook HC Mk1 ZA715 crashed in bad weather in the Falkland Islands . The helicopter , with four crew and 12 troops , crashed into a hill 4 miles from its destination . With rescuers hampered by blizzards , the personnel were recovered but one crew member had died shortly after the crash , and the co @-@ pilot and a soldier died on the way to hospital . The board of enquiry concluded that the crew had become disorientated due to " white @-@ out " conditions . On 27 February 1987 , Chinook HC Mk1 ZA721 crashed in the Falkland Islands on a test flight following servicing . After leaving RAF Mount Pleasant , the helicopter was at a normal cruising speed and an altitude of between 300 and 700 feet when it nosed down and crashed into the ground about 6 kilometres south @-@ east of the airfield ; it was destroyed by a subsequent fire . The board of enquiry was unable to determine the exact cause but it may have been the forward @-@ swivelling upper boost actuator jamming . All seven on board , three crew and four technicians , were killed . On 6 May 1988 , Chinook HC Mk1 ZA672 hit a pier at Hannover Airport while taxiing into position in a confined space . Its front rotor struck the underside of Pier 10 , causing the helicopter to rear up vertically and then fall on its side . A fire started at the rear of the fuselage and soon spread . Three crew members were killed and one had major injuries ; the Chinook was destroyed . On 2 June 1994 , Chinook HC Mk2 ZD576 crashed on the Mull of Kintyre , Scotland , killing all 25 passengers and all four crew members ; the cause is disputed . On 19 August 2009 , Chinook HC Mk2 ZA709 the Ministry of Defence announced that a Chinook made an emergency landing following an RPG strike and subsequent engine fire after a cargo drop @-@ off just north of Sangin in Helmand Province , Afghanistan . The Chinook flew two kilometres to a safe area before landing . None of the crew sustained any injuries and all evacuated the aircraft before they were rescued by a second Chinook on the same sortie . The damaged aircraft was then destroyed by coalition air strikes to prevent it falling into the hands of the Taliban . On 30 August 2009 , Chinook HC Mk2 ZA673 the loss of another Chinook was announced . The helicopter made a hard landing while on operations near Sangin , Helmand province . It suffered damage to the undercarriage , nose and front rotor , but the crew and 15 soldiers on board were unharmed . According to the Ministry of Defence due to the location of the crash it was not possible to safely recover the aircraft and it was destroyed with explosives deliberately . The cause of the hard landing is being investigated , although it is not thought to have been shot down . = = Specifications ( Chinook ) = = Data from Royal Air Force . General characteristics Crew : 3 – 4 ( pilot , copilot , one or two air loadmasters depending on aircraft role ) Capacity : 55 soldiers and equipment Length : 30 @.@ 1 m ( 98 ft 9 in ) Rotor diameter : 18 @.@ 3 m ( 60 ft 0 in ) Height : 5 @.@ 7 m ( 18 ft 8 in ) Empty weight : 10 @,@ 185 kg ( 22 @,@ 450 lb ) Loaded weight : 12 @,@ 100 kg ( 26 @,@ 680 lb ) Max. takeoff weight : 22 @,@ 680 kg ( 50 @,@ 000 lb ) Powerplant : 2 × Honeywell T55 @-@ GA @-@ 712 turboshaft , 2 @,@ 800 kW ( 3 @,@ 750 hp ) each Performance Maximum speed : 295 km / h ( 183 mph ; 159 kn ) Service ceiling : 5 @,@ 600 m ( 18 @,@ 500 ft ) Rate of climb : 10 @.@ 1 m / s ( 1 @,@ 980 ft / min ) Armament 2 × M134 Miniguns and 1 × M60 machine gun

= Once More , with Feeling ( Buffy the Vampire Slayer ) = " Once More , with Feeling " is the seventh episode of the sixth season of the supernatural drama television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer ( 1997 – 2003 ) and the only one in the series performed as a musical . It was written and directed by the show 's creator , Joss Whedon , and originally aired on UPN in the United States on November 6 , 2001 . " Once More , with Feeling " explores changes in the relationships of the main characters , using the plot device that a demon — credited as " Sweet " but unnamed in the episode — compels the people of Sunnydale to break into song at random moments to express hidden truths . The title of the episode comes from a line sung by Sweet ; once the characters have revealed their truths and face the consequences of hearing each other 's secrets , he challenges them to " say you 're happy now , once more , with feeling " . All of the regular cast performed their own vocals , although two actors were given minimal singing at their request . " Once More , with Feeling " is the most technically complex episode in the series , as extra voice and dance training for the cast was interspersed with the production of four other Buffy episodes . It was Joss Whedon 's first attempt at writing music , and different styles — from 1950s sitcom theme music to rock opera — express the characters ' secrets in specific ways . The episode was well received critically upon airing , specifically for containing the humor and wit to which fans had become accustomed . The musical format allowed characters to stay true to their natures while they struggled to overcome deceit and miscommunication , fitting with the sixth season 's themes of growing up and facing adult responsibilities . It is considered one of the most effective and popular episodes of the series , and — prior to a financial dispute in 2007 — was shown in theaters with the audience invited to sing along . = = Background = = Throughout the series Buffy Summers ( Sarah Michelle Gellar ) , in her role as the Vampire Slayer , is assisted by her close friends , who refer to themselves as the " Scooby Gang " . These include Xander Harris ( Nicholas Brendon ) , a young man without particular strengths or talents , but devoted to Buffy and her calling , and Willow Rosenberg ( Alyson Hannigan ) , a young woman who has grown from a shy but gifted student into a strong woman and powerful user of magic . They are mentored by Buffy 's " Watcher " , Rupert Giles ( Anthony Stewart Head ) , a paternal figure since the first season , when Buffy moved to Sunnydale after her parents ' divorce . Xander is engaged to Anya Jenkins ( Emma Caulfield ) , a former vengeance demon who has become human . They have struggled with disclosing their engagement to the rest of the group and individually doubt their impending marriage . Buffy died at the end of the fifth season ( " The Gift " ) , sacrificing herself in place of her younger sister Dawn ( Michelle Trachtenberg ) in order to save the world . In the first episode of the sixth season , Willow , believing Buffy to be in Hell , used magic to bring her back from the grave . Buffy was in fact at peace , in what she thinks was heaven , but she has kept this a secret from her friends . Since her resurrection , Buffy has been lost and without inspiration to perform her duties as a Slayer . Willow is romantically involved with Tara Maclay ( Amber Benson ) , a powerful but ethical witch . Tara has previously expressed concern at Willow 's use of her emergent magical powers for trivial or personal matters . In the preceding episode ( " All the Way " ) , Willow cast a spell to make Tara forget an argument about her abuse of magic . In the same episode , Dawn , who has been stealing from stores , including Anya 's magic shop , lies to Buffy and goes on a clandestine and almost deadly date . Left to take care of Dawn after the death of their mother Joyce Summers ( Kristine Sutherland ) in the fifth season ( " The Body " ) , Buffy has come to depend more heavily on Giles . Following Dawn 's date , Buffy asks Giles to shoulder responsibility for disciplining her , much to his discomfort . Buffy 's former nemesis is Spike ( James Marsters ) , a vampire . In the fourth season The Initiative , a secret military organization whose mission is to evaluate and eliminate demonic beings , rendered Spike harmless by implanting a microchip in his head that causes him intense pain when he attacks humans . However , the chip does not affect him when he harms demons and he now often fights on Buffy 's side , after at first fighting just for the pleasure of brawling . His motivations changed when , in the fifth season , Spike realized he had fallen in love with Buffy . She initially rejected him , but after and just before her death they had begun to form a friendship of sorts . She has been confiding in him ; prior to this episode , he is the only one to whom Buffy has revealed that she was in heaven . Throughout Buffy the Vampire Slayer , music serves as a narrative tool , integral to character development and action . The mood is set by music , characters discuss it , and writers use it to emphasize differences between generations . In an essay on the use of music in the series , Jacqueline Bach writes that in conjunction with the sixth season themes of growing up , " Once More , with Feeling " gives music a central role instead of keeping it in the background . = = Plot = = On a routine nighttime graveyard patrol , Buffy laments in song about how uninspired her life has become ( " Going Through the Motions " ) . The next morning at the Magic Box , Buffy 's friends reveal that they also sang that evening . Led by Giles , the gang theorizes about the cause of the singing , sensing no immediate danger but agreeing that by working together they can overcome anything ( " I 've Got a Theory / Bunnies / If We 're Together " ) . Buffy learns that the whole town is affected when she looks outside the shop to see a large group ( led by series writer and producer David Fury ) singing and dancing about how a dry @-@ cleaning service got their stains out ( " The Mustard " ) . Tara and Willow leave to research at home , but dally along the way while Tara muses about how much Willow has improved her life ( " Under Your Spell " ) . The next morning , Xander and Anya perform a duet about their secret annoyances with each other and their respective doubts about their impending marriage ( " I 'll Never Tell " ) . They realize that the songs are bringing out hidden truths , and later insist to Giles that something evil is to blame . As they argue , they walk past a woman ( series writer and producer Marti Noxon ) protesting a parking ticket ( " The Parking Ticket " ) . That evening , Buffy visits Spike , who angrily tells Buffy to leave him alone if she will not love him ( " Rest in Peace " ) . Dawn tells Tara she is glad that Tara and Willow have made up after their argument . Since Tara has no recollection of an argument , she suspects that Willow has used magic to alter her memory . She goes to the Magic Box to consult a book , leaving Dawn alone . Dawn starts to bemoan that no one seems to notice her ( " Dawn 's Lament " ) , but is seized by minions of Sweet ( Hinton Battle ) , a zoot suit @-@ wearing , tap @-@ dancing , singing demon . They take Dawn to The Bronze , where her attempt to escape transforms into an interpretive dance with the minions ( " Dawn 's Ballet " ) before she meets Sweet . He tells Dawn that he has come to Sunnydale in response to her " invocation " , and he will take her to his dimension to make her his bride ( " What You Feel " ) when his visit is complete . At the Magic Box , Giles recognizes that he must stand aside if Buffy is to face her responsibilities to Dawn instead of relying on him ( " Standing " ) and Tara finds a picture of the forget @-@ me @-@ not flower Willow used to cast a spell on her in a book of magic . Giles and Tara separately resolve to leave the people they love , respectively Buffy and Willow . In the case of Buffy , for her own good , and in the case of Willow because Tara has become disgusted by Willow 's magical manipulation of their relationship ( " Under Your Spell / Standing — Reprise " ) . Captured by Spike outside the store , one of Sweet 's minions conveys a challenge from Sweet for Buffy to rescue Dawn from The Bronze . Giles forbids the gang to assist Buffy so she goes alone , despite having no will to do so ; eventually Giles and the Scoobies change their minds and leave to catch up . Spike begrudgingly decides to help Buffy , despite thinking things would be better for him if she were dead , and Sweet opines that Buffy is drawn to danger ( " Walk Through the Fire " ) . Meeting Sweet at The Bronze , Buffy offers a deal to Sweet to take the place of her sister if she can 't kill him . When asked by Sweet what she thinks about life , Buffy gives her pessimistic take on its meaning ( " Something to Sing About " ) . When the others arrive , she divulges that Willow took her from heaven and Willow reacts with horror at finding out what she 's done . Upon divulging this truth , Buffy gives up on singing and dances so frenetically that she begins to smoke , on the verge of combusting as other victims of Sweet have been shown to have done , until Spike stops her , telling her that the only way to go forward is to just keep living her life . Xander then reveals that he , not Dawn , called Sweet , hoping he would be shown a happy ending for his marriage plans . Sweet tells the group how much fun they have been ( " What You Feel — Reprise " ) and disappears . The Scoobies realize that their relationships have been changed irreversibly by the secrets revealed in their songs ( " Where Do We Go from Here ? " ) . Spike leaves The Bronze , but Buffy follows him out and they kiss ( " Coda " ) . = = Production and writing = = Joss Whedon had wanted to make a musical episode since the start of the series . This was heightened during the fifth season when he hosted a Shakespeare reading at his house , to which the cast was invited . They began drinking and singing , demonstrating to Whedon that certain cast members had musical talents . Whedon knew he would have to write an entire score , which would take weeks or months . During the first three seasons of Buffy , he was unable to take more than two weeks off at a time , and the constraints of writing and directing the show precluded him from putting forth the effort of preparing a musical . Whedon spoke to the show 's producer , Gareth Davies , about his idea ; they agreed that a musical episode would be written . Whedon spent six months writing the music for " Once More , with Feeling " . When he returned after the end of the fifth season , he presented Davies with a script and CD , complete with notated and orchestrated music , which Davies found " mind @-@ boggling " . The actors were initially bewildered ; in 2012 , James Marsters commented that " it 's obvious now that they were good songs but the thing was Joss and his wife Kai , they don 't sing very well . And they don 't play piano very well . The songs sounded really cheesy and horrible ... We were saying , ' Joss , you 're ruining our careers . ' " Preparing for the episode was physically difficult for some of the cast members , most of whom had little experience singing and dancing . They spent three months in voice training . Two choreographers worked with Whedon and the cast on dance sequences . Michelle Trachtenberg ( Dawn ) , who is trained in ballet , requested a dance sequence in lieu of a significant singing part , and Alyson Hannigan ( Willow ) , according to Whedon , begged him not to give her many lines . Sarah Michelle Gellar ( Buffy ) told the BBC that " It took something like 19 hours of singing and 17 hours of dancing in between shooting four other episodes " and she was so anxious about singing that she " hated every moment of it " . When Whedon suggested using a voice double for her , however , she said , " I basically started to cry and said , ' You mean someone else is going to do my big emotional turning point for the season ? ' In the end , it was an incredible experience and I 'm glad I did it . And I never want to do it again . " Davies was so impressed with Hinton Battle 's performance on Broadway in The Wiz that he asked Battle to play the demon Sweet . Battle , a three @-@ time Tony @-@ winner , wore prosthetic make @-@ up for the first time to give him a demonic red face . Sweet was portrayed as " slick " , smooth and stylish ; in contrast , most demons on the series were designed to be crude and ugly . The set for The Bronze was used frequently throughout the series , but stairs were built from the stage to maximize floor space for Battle 's dance . Running eight minutes longer than any in the series , the episode was also the most technical and complex . Whedon , who has stated this is one of his favorite Buffy episodes , used a widescreen letterbox format for filming ( the only episode in the series to get this treatment ) , different lighting to bring out the sets more vibrantly , and long takes for shooting — including a complicated shot with a full conversation , a song , and two choreographed dances that took 21 attempts to get right . These were designed to give viewers all the clues they needed to establish all the nuances of the relationships between characters . Davies commented that the intricacies of filming this episode were " infinitely more complicated than a regular Buffy " episode , and Whedon stated in the DVD commentary that he was ambitious to prove what television is capable of , saying " it just depends how much you care " . UPN , the television network that aired Buffy 's last two seasons , promoted the episode by displaying Gellar 's face on billboards with music notes over her eyes , and held a special premiere event . Network president Dean Valentine remarked he thought it was " one of the best episodes of television I ever saw in my life " . Critics hailed the episode as successful in telling a complex story about all the characters in a unique way , while retaining the series ' effective elements of writing and character development . Throughout the show — as in the rest of the series — the characters self @-@ consciously address their own dialogue and actions . Anya describes her own duet " I 'll Never Tell " as " a retro pastiche that 's never gonna be a breakaway pop hit " . With a characteristic dry demeanor , Giles explains that he overheard the information about Sunnydale residents spontaneously combusting as he was eavesdropping upon the police taking " witness arias " . In her opening number , " Going Through the Motions " , Buffy sings that she feels as though she is playing a part : " nothing here is real , nothing here is right " . The song introduces the character 's emotional state but also removes the barrier between the actor and the audience , as Gellar the actor portrays Buffy , who feels she is merely playing the part of the Slayer . This hints to the audience that the episode 's musical format is strange to the actors and characters . According to Buffy essayist Richard Albright , the lack of polish among cast members ' singing voices added to the authenticity of their breaking out into song for the first time in the series . Whedon included self @-@ conscious dialogue and references about the characters being in a musical and showed their reluctance toward song and dance , so that the audience would feel more comfortable with the improbability of such a thing happening on the show . = = Themes = = The dynamic nature of the characters was a unique element of writing in the series at the time . Once they were established in the twelve episodes of the first season , characters began to change and relationships were developed in the second . This continued through the series to the point of unpredictability that sometimes became unsettling to fans . Buffy essayist Marguerite Krause asserts that the monsters and demons faced by the Scoobies are thin symbolism for the show 's true focus : relationships and how to maintain or ruin them . Common among most of these relationships — romantic , platonic , and familial — is , according to Krause , a " failure to communicate , lack of trust , [ and the ] inability to envision or create a viable future " . Miscommunication is worsened or sustained through multiple episodes and seasons , leading to overwhelming misunderstanding and critical turning points for the characters , some of whom do not recover . " Once More , with Feeling " propelled the story arc for season six by allowing characters to confess previously taboo issues to themselves and each other . Whedon commented that he was " obsessive about progressing a plot in a song , about saying things we haven 't said " , comparing the musical theater format to the fourth season episode " Hush " , in which characters begin communicating when they stop talking . According to Buffy essayist Zoe @-@ Jane Playdon , earlier episodes ' " false saccharine behaviour " impedes the characters so crucially that it summons a demon to force them to be honest . The consequences in the episode of concealing truth , spontaneous combustion , is an allusion to Bleak House by Charles Dickens — of whom Whedon is a fan — where characters also face immolation for being deceitful . For Buffy , however , truth is slow in coming , as she continues to lie to the Scoobies , claiming to forget what she sang about in the graveyard during " Going Through the Motions " . Buffy continues her charade in the chorus number " If We 're Together " , beginning the song by persuading others to join in one by one , as if each is convinced that she is still invested and in charge , and their strength as a group is infallible . Although she asks in verse " Apocalypse / We 've all been there / The same old trips / Why should we care ? " , all the Scoobies join her , including Giles despite his suspicions that Buffy is no longer interested in her life . Secrets reveal themselves steadily throughout the episode . Xander fears that his future marriage will turn him into an argumentative drunk like his father . He attempts to avoid his fears through the song " I 'll Never Tell " , singing " ' coz there 's nothing to tell " , after summoning Sweet to Sunnydale to show him that he and Anya will be happy . Amid the various annoyances Xander and Anya express through this song , some verses are clear @-@ sighted observations of behavior , such as Anya 's accusation that Xander — once in love with Buffy — uses Buffy as a mother figure to hide behind . Anya also avoids the truth by burying herself in wedding plans without thinking critically about what being married will entail ; instead she considers Xander an accessory to her desired lifestyle . Of all the characters , Anya is the most preoccupied with the style of singing and songs , demanding to know if Spike sang " a breakaway pop hit , or a book number " , and asking Dawn if the pterodactyl she facetiously says she gave birth to also broke into song . Anya and Xander 's duet is the only song in the episode to address the audience directly . During the long single @-@ shot scene when she and Xander talk over each other insisting to Giles that evil must be at play , Anya refers to the audience , saying " It was like we were being watched ... Like there was a wall missing ... in our apartment ... Like there were only three walls and not a fourth wall . " Albright asserts that Anya 's constant preoccupation with her and others ' performances indicates that she has serious doubts about her future supporting role as Xander 's wife . Giles 's truth , according to Whedon , is that he realizes he must not " fight my kid 's battles or my kid will never grow up " , which he sings in " Standing " while he throws knives at Buffy as part of her training . Whedon remarked that this touch " is the kind of complete turnaround that is a staple of the Buffy universe " . Tara 's heartfelt love song also has an ironic subtext ; although she appears to mean that she is fulfilled by her relationship with Willow , the lyrics include multiple allusions to Willow working her manipulative will over Tara , overlaid with Tara 's euphoric singing about her pleasure in their union . In Sex and the Slayer , Lorna Jowett calls the song between Willow and Tara the transformational event in their relationship , from Tara 's subservient bearing towards Willow , into a relationship of equals . Two Buffy essayists note that Willow and Giles sing together at the start of the episode , but later Tara and Giles share a duet to express the diminished part each plays in their respective relationships . Although " Once More , with Feeling " allows all the characters to confess truthfully , with the exception of Willow , it does not resolve the behavior that demanded confession in the first place . At the end of the episode , Buffy kisses Spike , initiating a romance that she hides from her friends . Their relationship lasts until the end of the series , marked for a time by Buffy 's loathing of him because he has no soul . Her relationship with Spike , however , allows her to feel lust and attraction , which she yearns for after being pulled back from a heavenly dimension . In The Psychology of Joss Whedon , Mikhail Lubyansky writes that , although Buffy 's first step toward re @-@ engaging with her life is telling the Scoobies the truth in the song " Something to Sing About " , she does not find meaning again until the end of the season . In his essay " A Kantian Analysis of Moral Judgment in Buffy the Vampire Slayer " , Scott Stroud explains that Buffy , as the central character throughout the series , is torn between her desires and her duty , in a Kantian illustration of free will vs. predeterminism , symbolized by her responsibility as a Slayer and her adolescent impulses . In earlier seasons , this takes the form of simpler pleasures such as dating and socializing , interspersed with defeating evil forces . It reaches a climax in the ultimate sacrifice when Buffy offers to die to save the world . However , " Once More , with Feeling " , according to Stroud , is the turning point at which she begins to face her responsibility to the community , her friends and her family . Not only does she continue her Slaying despite a lack of inspiration , but for the rest of the season she works at a humiliating job to provide for her sister and friends . = = Music and style = = " Once More , with Feeling " was Joss Whedon 's first attempt at writing music , which he had always wanted to do . He learned how to play guitar to write several songs . Christophe Beck , a regular composer for the series , filled in the overture and coda and composed " Dawn 's Ballet " . Whedon is a fan of Stephen Sondheim , and used him as the inspiration for much of the music , particularly with the episode 's ambiguous ending . Cast member James Marsters ( Spike ) said , " Some of Joss 's music is surprisingly complicated . Maybe it 's a Beatles thing . He doesn 't know enough to know what he can 't do and he 's smashing rules . " The episode 's musical style varies significantly . Buffy 's opening number , " Going Through the Motions " , was influenced heavily by the Disney song " Part of Your World " sung by Ariel in The Little Mermaid . Whedon wanted to use a similar opening in which the heroine explains her yearning . While singing her song , Buffy fights three vampires and a demon who themselves break into a choreographed dance ; Whedon wanted this to be fun but not distracting . The song ends with chord influences from Stephen Schwartz 's Pippin and a visual tribute to Disney : as Buffy stakes a vampire , it turns to dust that swirls around her face . Whedon chose the most complicated scene , with the most dancers and choreography in the classic style of musical theater , to accompany an 18 @-@ second song ( " The Mustard " ) " to get it out of the way " for more personal numbers later in the episode . Stephanie Zacharek of Salon.com considers this " brilliant because it frees even people who hate musicals to settle into the story without getting hung up on the genre 's conventions " . The musical styles span from a jaunty 1950s sitcom arrangement of the Buffy theme in the opening credits — the only episode in the series to begin without the normal version of the theme song and full cast roll , signifying a genre shift — to Anya 's hard @-@ rock version of " Bunnies " . Whedon assigned Emma Caulfield the rock @-@ opera format because Caulfield often sang in such a way to him on the set . Spike 's " Rest in Peace " is also a rock song , which Whedon wrote after completing the episode 's first song , Tara 's " Under Your Spell " , a contemporary pop song with radio @-@ play potential . Xander and Anya 's duet — the most fun to shoot but difficult to write , according to Whedon — is inspired by Fred Astaire @-@ Ginger Rogers comedies as evidenced by the silken pajama costumes and art deco apartment setting . Musically , the song uses influences from Ira Gershwin , a Charleston rhythm , and jazz @-@ like chord slides . Giles ' " Standing " is a ballad to Buffy that she does not hear , unlike the songs revealing truths elsewhere in the episode . Whedon shot the scene so that Giles moves in real time while Buffy works out in slow motion , to accentuate Giles ' distance from her . Buffy 's not hearing his song was intentional ; Whedon explained , " you can sing to someone in musicals and they can never know how you feel or how much you love them , even if they 're standing right in front of you " . " Under Your Spell " received attention from Buffy studies writers because it presents a frank and unflinching expression of lesbian romance . Buffy the Vampire Slayer was the first show in U.S. television history to portray a long @-@ term lesbian relationship among the core cast of characters . Previous televised depictions of lesbian relations were primarily limited to single " coming out " or " lesbian kiss " episodes , showing lesbian @-@ identified characters as affectionate but not erotic . Tara and Willow demonstrate throughout the series , and specifically in " Once More , with Feeling " , that they are " intensely sexual " , according to Buffy essayist Justine Larbalestier . Near the end of Tara 's song , she sings , " Lost in ecstasy / Spread beneath my Willow tree / You make me / Com — plete " , as Tara levitates off the bed while Willow tacitly performs cunnilingus on her . Lorna Jowett called the song " the most erotic scene " of the series . Whedon admitted on the DVD commentary for the episode that the song is " pornography " and " probably the dirtiest lyric I 've ever written , but also very , very beautiful " . Buffy essayist Ian Shuttleworth writes that Amber Benson ( Tara ) has " the sweetest singing voice of all the lead players " , referring to " Under Your Spell " as " heavenly and salacious " ; author Nikki Stafford concurs , writing that Benson " has the most stunning voice , showing a surprising range " . Whedon acknowledged that the " lyrical , heavenly quality " of Benson 's voice led him to assign her the episode 's love song . Alyson Hannigan ( Willow ) was unwilling to sing much and her performance is " apprehensive " , according to Shuttleworth . He considers this an example of Tara 's quieter strength coming out in front of Willow 's showy demonstrations of powerful magic . Buffy studies scholar Rhonda Wilcox interprets Willow 's diminished role representing the show 's silence about Willow 's descent into addiction and darkness through the rest of the season . Benson remarked that Tara 's story arc is significant within the episode , starting out with ecstasy but soon recognizing the illusory circumstances surrounding her bliss and that " life can 't be perfect all the time " . The most complicated song , " Walk Through the Fire " , leads all the characters to the climax from different locations for different reasons , reminiscent of the " Tonight Quintet " from West Side Story . When they all sing the chorus at once to the line " We will walk through the fire / And let it — burn " , two fire trucks race behind the Scoobies as they proceed to the Bronze . Whedon called the shot the " single greatest thing we ever did " . Each of the singers in this song , which " marries soft rock to the function of a dirge " , connects musically to earlier songs while foreshadowing Buffy 's next number and the final chorus , providing an ominous anxiety . Buffy 's numbers are the most complex , changing key and tempo when she begins to reveal the secrets she swore she never would . This appears specifically in " Something to Sing About " , which starts with uptempo platitudes : " We 'll sing a happy song / And you can sing along : / Where there 's life , there 's hope / Every day 's a gift / Wishes can come true / Whistle while you work ... " While singing , she kills Sweet 's minions with a pool cue . Whedon attempted to make the song tuneful yet chaotic to express the main point of the episode . It transitions suddenly into her desire to be like normal girls , then changes again , slowing the tempo as she challenges Sweet not to give her a song , but " something to sing about " . Musicologist Amy Bauer categorizes the tempo shifts as " rock ballad to punk polka to hymn " that indicates Buffy 's turmoil . The key and tempo slow again , as Buffy finally reveals " I live in hell / ' Cause I 've been expelled from heaven / I think I was in heaven " with the chord changing from B minor to B diminished , each time she repeats " heaven " . When replying to her , Spike has the same shift from minor to diminished each time he repeats the word " living . " The episode nears the end with " Where Do We Go from Here ? " , as the Scoobies stand dazed and disoriented , facing different directions . As they sing " Understand we 'll go hand in hand / But we 'll walk alone in fear " , they line up , hold hands , then fling each other 's hands away in a piece of what Whedon calls " literal choreography " . Each of the eight characters in this line wears a color in the visible spectrum , a conscious decision by the costume designer . The couples in the group wear opposite colors ( Giles in green and Buffy in red , Anya in blue and Xander in orange , Tara in yellow and Willow in purple ) , and Rhonda Wilcox interprets the color @-@ coding and choreography to represent the " tension between the individual and the group " . The characters as a chorus sing " The curtains close on a kiss , God knows / We can tell the end is near " , moments before Buffy runs out to kiss Spike and the show closes with actual curtains . As Spike and Buffy kiss , a swell of music accompanies them , similar to the ending of Gone with the Wind . Lyrics sung moments before , however , forecast the uncertainty of the relationship between Spike and Buffy . = = Reception = = When the episode was originally broadcast in the United States on UPN on November 6 , 2001 , it received a Nielsen rating of 3 @.@ 4 and a share of 5 . This placed the episode in sixth place in its timeslot , and 88th among broadcast television for the week of November 5 – 11 , 2001 . It was the most watched program on UPN that night , and the third most watched program that week , trailing episodes of Star Trek : Enterprise and WWF SmackDown . This was a decrease from the 3 @.@ 7 rating received by the previous episode a week prior . " Once More , with Feeling " received positive praise from media and critics when it aired , during overseas syndication , and in reminiscences of the best episodes of Buffy after the series ended . Although Salon.com writer Stephanie Zacharek states " ( t ) he songs were only half @-@ memorable at best , and the singing ability of the show 's regular cast ranged only from the fairly good to the not so great " , she also asserts that it works " beautifully " , paces itself gracefully , and is " clever and affecting " . Zacharek 's unenthusiastic assessments of the music and cast 's singing abilities were not shared by other writers . Debi Enker in Australia 's The Age writes , " Giles ( Anthony Stewart Head ) and Tara ( Amber Benson ) are terrific , Xander ( Nicholas Brendon ) and Dawn ( Michelle Trachtenberg ) struggle valiantly , and Willow ( Alyson Hannigan ) barely sings a note " . Tony Johnston in The Sunday Herald Sun writes that Gellar " struggles on some of her higher notes , but her dance routines are superb , Michelle Trachtenberg 's Dawn reveals sensual dance moves way beyond her tender years , and James Marsters ' Spike evokes a sort of Billy Idol yell to disguise his lack of vocal proficiency [ ... ] The rest of the cast mix and match like ready @-@ made Broadway troupers . " Johnston counts " I 'll Never Tell " as one of the episode 's " standout moments " . Connie Ogle in The Miami Herald calls the songs " better and far more clever than most of the ones you 'll hear on Broadway these days " . Writers agree that the episode was risky and could have failed spectacularly . Jonathan Bernstein in the British newspaper The Observer writes " What could have been , at best , an eccentric diversion and , at worst , a shuddering embarrassment , succeeded on every level [ ... ] It provided a startling demonstration that creator Joss Whedon has a facility with lyrics and melody equal to the one he 's demonstrated for the past six seasons with dialogue , character and plot twists . Rather than adopt the ' Hey , wouldn 't it be wacky if we suddenly burst into song ? ' approach practised by Ally McBeal , the Buffy musical was entirely organic to the series ' labyrinthine progression . " Johnston in the Sunday Herald Sun says , " There is just so much to this marvellously cheeky episode that suggests the show can take any route it pleases and pull it off " , while Debi Enker in The Age comments , " Whedon demonstrates yet again what Buffy aficionados have known and appreciated for years : that his wit , playfulness and readiness to take a risk make his television efforts rise way above the pack . " Steve Murray in The Atlanta Journal @-@ Constitution characterizes the episode as " scary in a brand @-@ new way " , saying " Once More , with Feeling " is " as impressive as Whedon 's milestone episodes ' Hush ' and ' The Body ' " ; the episode is " often hilarious " , according to Murray , and acts as " ( b ) oth spoof and homage , [ parodying ] the hokiness of musicals while also capturing the guilty pleasure and surges of feeling the genre inspires " . Writing in the Toronto Star , Vinay Menon calls " Once More , with Feeling " " dazzling " and writes of " Joss Whedon 's inimitable genius " ; he goes on to say " ( f ) or a show that already violates conventions and morphs between genres , its allegorical narrative zigging and zagging seamlessly across chatty comedy , drama and over @-@ the @-@ top horror , ' Once More , with Feeling ' is a towering achievement [ ... ] The show may be anchored by existential weightiness , it may be painted with broad , supernatural brushstrokes , but in the end , this coming @-@ of @-@ age story , filled with angst and alienation , is more real than any other so @-@ called teen drama [ ... ] So let 's add another line of gushing praise : ' Once More , with Feeling ' is rhapsodic , original , deeply affecting , and ultimately , transcendental . Quite simply , television at its best . " The episode was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Musical Direction , but the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences ( NATAS ) neglected to include the title on the ballots for Emmy nominations in 2002 . NATAS attempted to remedy this by mailing a postcard informing its voters that it should be included , but the episode did not win . NATAS ' oversight , according to the Washington Post , was " another example of the lack of industry respect afforded one of television 's most consistently clever shows " . Ogle in The Miami Herald vigorously protests this omission , writing , " [ T ] he most astonishing , entertaining hour ( hour plus , actually ) of TV in the past year slips by virtually unnoticed . Nothing here is real ; nothing here is right . Buffy the Vampire Slayer 's musical episode , ' Once More , with Feeling ' , registers a paltry outstanding music direction nomination . Nice for the musical directors . A stake through the aspirations of writer / director Joss Whedon , the beating creative heart of Buffy , the only TV writer brave and clever enough to use horror as one great big wonderful metaphor for growing up [ ... ] ' Once More , with Feeling ' is TV of a different sort , something that comes along once in a lifetime and should not be buried but celebrated and rewarded . " The episode was also nominated for a Best Dramatic Presentation Hugo Award and a Best Script Nebula Award , both given for excellence in science fiction and fantasy writing . In 2009 TV Guide ranked the episode # 14 on its list of " TV 's Top 100 Episodes of All Time " . = = = Soundtrack = = = An album including all 14 songs in the episode , with Christophe Beck 's scores for three other Buffy episodes , was released by Rounder Records in September 2002 as season seven premiered . John Virant , president and chief executive of Rounder Records , told the Los Angeles Times , " I remember watching the episode when it aired last October , and after it was over , I said to my wife , ' That 's the best hour of TV I 've ever seen . Someone should put that [ soundtrack ] out . ' I inquired at Fox , just following up , and they said , ' Well , we tried , it didn 't happen . If you want to take a run at it , feel free . ' " AllMusic gives the album five out of five stars , stating that the music is " every bit as fun as the episode itself " , praising the voices of Benson , Marsters and Head . Reviewer Melinda Hill states it is " a must @-@ have for Buffy fans , but it wouldn 't be out of place in anyone 's collection " . = = = DVD releases = = = In addition to featuring on the sixth season box set , " Once More , with Feeling " was individually released on DVD in Region 2 format on April 14 , 2003 , the only episode to be individually released . In Region 1 , the episode was released on the sixth season box set on May 25 , 2004 , over a year later than the Region 2 release . = = = Influence on television = = = Since the musical episode of Buffy aired , several other series have worked musical format into episodes , including Scrubs , ( " My Musical " ) in 2007 , an episode of Grey 's Anatomy entitled " Song Beneath the Song " in 2011 and Batman : The Brave and the Bold , ( " Mayhem of the Music Meister ! " ) in 2009 . The musical television episode was declared a genre , a gimmick , according to Mary Williams at Salon.com , for series that had run out of interesting story lines and characters . Both Williams and Margaret Lyons at New York magazine , however , declared " Once More , with Feeling " the " gold standard " for musical episodes . Despite this , Joss Whedon recognized the influence " Once More , with Feeling " has had on other shows , but denied that it was primarily responsible for the rise in musical television episodes or series such as Glee , citing the popularity of High School Musical instead . = = Public showings = = Buffy the Vampire Slayer developed an enthusiastic fan following while it aired . Following its series finale , fans continued their appreciation in theater showings of " Once More , with Feeling " where attendees are encouraged to dress like the show 's characters , sing along to the musical numbers , and otherwise interact in the style of The Rocky Horror Picture Show . Clinton McClung , a New York @-@ based film programmer , got the idea for a sing @-@ along from audience @-@ participation showings of The Sound of Music in 2003 . The next year , he began putting on sing @-@ alongs to " Once More , with Feeling " in Boston 's Coolidge Corner Theater , which became so popular that it went on the road . Audience members received props to use during key scenes , as well as directions ( for example , to yell " Shut up , Dawn ! " at Buffy 's younger sister ) , and a live cast performed the episode alongside the screen . Buffy sing @-@ alongs received growing media attention as they spread . At the 2007 Los Angeles Film Festival , a special screening and sing @-@ along was held that featured both Marti Noxon and Joss Whedon giving brief speeches to the audience . In October 2007 , after a dispute with the Screen Actors Guild over unpaid residuals , 20th Century Fox pulled the licensing for public screenings of " Once More , with Feeling " , effectively ending official Buffy sing @-@ alongs . Whedon called the cancellation " hugely depressing " and attempted to influence the studio to allow future showings .

= West Liberty Foods = West Liberty Foods , L.L.C. is a US meat processing company owned by the Iowa Turkey Growers Cooperative and formed in 1996 by a group of Iowa turkey growers , and now owns four meat processing plants . The company mainly produces products for customers to sell under their own brand names . As of 2006 , West liberty Foods was the 12th largest turkey company in the United States . Each plant , located in the three Iowa towns of West Liberty , Mount Pleasant , and Sigourney as well as Tremonton , Utah , focuses on specific aspects of the meat packing process . The West Liberty plant participates in the entire process by slaughtering animals , further processing meats into products , and packaging finished products , and the Sigourney plant focuses on the further processing step only , and the Mount Pleasant plant only packages finished product . While West Liberty Foods has experienced growth and received industry recognition since its inception , it initially faced a difficult market for turkeys , and has experienced problems with labor discontent . Employees remain with the company for an average of nine years , with more than 1 @,@ 500 employed . = = Information = = The company primarily provides meat for other marketing brands , producing 90 % of its product for customers while selling only 10 % under the West Liberty Foods brand name . In addition to slaughtering turkeys , the company produces prepared beef , chicken , pork , and turkey products . Company revenue has grown rapidly with US $ 65 million in sales during 1997 , US $ 120 million in 2000 , and US $ 200 million in 2003 . Most recently , West Liberty Foods posted US $ 442 million in revenue for 2006 , making the company the 56th largest meat packing company by sales in the United States . Much of the company 's sales come from large nationwide foodservice customers , and , as of 2006 , was Subway 's largest supplier of sliced sandwich meat , providing the franchise with more than 1 million pounds per week . As a result of servicing national customers , the company is inspected more than other food manufacturers . West Liberty Foods ' three plants have been ISO 14001 certified for meeting environmental management standards , and the West Liberty plant was the first turkey processing plant in the United States to receive this certification . West Liberty Foods maintains separate facilities for research and development and laboratory testing services . They are housed in adjacent buildings several blocks from the plant in West Liberty . The R & D facility includes testing space for both raw and cooked product , and can create test products from start to finish , including initial formulation , final slicing , and packaging . The lab conducts product quality testing for the three production facilities and uses polymerase chain reaction ( PCR ) technology for rapid bacteriological testing . This system can return results within 30 hours of production . = = History = = Prior to 1996 , Louis Rich , the brand name for Oscar Mayer 's turkey division , owned the processing plant in West Liberty , IA . In early 1996 , Oscar Mayer 's parent company , Kraft Foods , announced that they would close the plant that December if no buyer purchased it . The Iowa turkey growers who sold to Kraft discussed purchasing the plant to ensure that demand for their birds remained . In May 1996 , forty @-@ seven of the turkey growers formed the Iowa Turkey Growers Cooperative ( ITGC ) . ITGC purchased the plant from Kraft and took control of it in December . The growers hired meat industry veteran Ken Rutledge to be President and COO of the company . Oscar Mayer helped West Liberty Foods by promising to purchase half of the plant 's output in 1997 and a quarter of the output in 1998 to help the startup company . Production under ITGC ownership began in January 1997 . The company faced financial difficulty because the turkey market was oversupplied and prices hit historic lows . While financial projections assumed a price of US $ 1 @.@ 92 per pound for turkey , prices averaged US $ 1 @.@ 46 per pound in 1997 . During this time period , four of the growers left ITGC . Turkey prices eventually rebounded , and the company was bolstered by sales to Sara Lee near the end of 1998 . Since the rebound , West Liberty Foods ’ sales have grown steadily . In 2000 , the company acquired a second plant in Sigourney , IA from Pinnacle Foods to meet rising orders.The facility was sold in 2012 . The company grew again in April 2003 when it opened a processing plant in Mount Pleasant , IA which was later expanded in 2004 . Company leadership changed in 2004 as Ed Garrett was named president and COO when Rutledge resigned to take a position with another growers ' organization . In 2006 the company entered into a marketing alliance agreement with Midvale , Utah based Norbest Foods . = = Labor episode = = In 2004 , workers at the West Liberty plant considered joining the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union ( UFCW ) . On July 1 , 2004 the workers voted on whether they would be represented by UFCW Local 431 . An initial tally of votes came out 301 in favor and 299 against union representation . However , the count did not include 13 ballots which were disputed by UFCW . The ballots were challenged on claims that they were cast by management personnel who would not be union members . A National Labor Relations Board ( NLRB ) hearing to confirm or invalidate the vote was scheduled for January 5 , 2005 but then postponed until February 16 , 2005 . On February 1 , 2005 the company and UFCW settled their dispute . UFCW withdrew its objections , and West Liberty Foods posted a notice that they would not close the plant or fire workers if employees unionized . This resulted in a final vote count of 303 to 308 against union representation . UFCW Local 431 held a second vote at the West Liberty plant on July 15 , 2005 . The vote was 231 to 322 against unionization . In 2009 , the company paid US $ 58 @,@ 613 @.@ 75 to Labor Information Services , an anti @-@ union management services company connected to The Burke Group , to provide consultants who met directly with workers " either individually or in group meetings ... regarding union issues . " = = Plants = = West Liberty Foods ' three plants combined can convert 4 @.@ 5 million turkeys into product annually . This equals approximately 180 million pounds of product per year . = = = West Liberty plant = = = The West Liberty Plant is a 270 @,@ 000 @-@ square @-@ foot ( 25 @,@ 000 m2 ) facility which slaughters and further processes turkey products . The slaughter operation converts approximately 20 @,@ 000 turkeys per workday . Louis H. Rich , purchased the West Liberty plant , a former tomato canning facility , in 1943 , when he decided to expand the operations of the Rock Island Produce Company , located on 9th Street in Rock Island , Illinois . The plant was converted to a poultry , including chickens and turkeys , slaughter facility in 1946 and refocused by Rich 's sons , Norman and Martin , on turkey in 1949 . The plant was first expanded in 1960 . Oscar Mayer acquired the plant , through its purchase of Louis Rich , Inc . , in 1979 and used it for turkey production until selling the plant in 1996 . = = = Mount Pleasant plant = = = The Mount Pleasant plant is a 85 @,@ 000 @-@ square @-@ foot ( 7 @,@ 900 m2 ) facility that is used for slicing cooked cheese , turkey , chicken , beef , pork and other products . The plant employs approximately 500 people working in three shifts . A 68 @,@ 000 @-@ square @-@ foot ( 6 @,@ 300 m2 ) Millard Refrigerated Services facility is located adjacent to the Mount Pleasant plant . The two facilities are connected , and product is immediately transferred by conveyor from the plant to cold storage when packaging is complete . The design and operation of the Mount Pleasant plant to are intended decrease potential hazards to food safety . WLF representatives have stated that the goal of the Mount Pleasant plant is to create a pathogen @-@ free environment . Because company officials believe that the food safety aspects of the plant are unique in the meat industry , they submitted the plant design for patent approval through the U.S. Patent Office . The Mount Pleasant plant is located approximately 50 miles ( 80 km ) from either the West Liberty or Sigourney plants . This reduces the likelihood that pathogens will be carried either by air or foot traffic from a raw production area to Mount Pleasant 's ready to eat production . The Mount Pleasant facility consists of approximately 20 individual processing cells that are separated from one another and are set up so that they could operate as individual meat slicing facilities . Before anti @-@ microbial flooring was poured , the cells were erected with stainless steel anti @-@ microbial walls that are built into the floor . Each processing cell has independent refrigeration and drainage systems . The refrigeration systems filter the cell 's air and maintain positive air pressure at 38 ° F ( 3 ° C ) , and the drainage systems are sealed off and flooded with sanitizers nightly . During operation , fully cooked meat or cheese logs arrive sealed in impermeable casings . The logs go through a casing sanitation step that involves being treated with a sanitizing liquid before the casings are removed from the logs . The logs then undergo a post @-@ lethality treatment by passing through an infrared pasteurization tunnel to kill pathogens on the logs . The logs are then mechanically transferred to slicers , sliced , and placed in sealed packages that are transferred out of the processing cell . The mechanical transfers decrease the risk of product contamination by reducing handling of product by personnel . Food safety is a factor in hiring employees at the Mount Pleasant facility . Before applying , potential employees must complete a 16 @-@ hour food safety training course through Iowa State University . The class includes written tests which each applicant must pass before completing the course . On the job , employees must don a sealed clean room suit before entering slicing cells . The suits are cleaned and sealed in a clean room laundry facility in North Carolina by the uniform company Cintas . Employees replace the clean suit each time they leave the cell so each employee averages five suits per day . = = = Sigourney plant = = = The Sigourney plant is no longer active , and has been closed . The remaining employees were released as of Wed . March 18 , 2009 . West Liberty sold the facility in 2012 . = = = Tremonton , Utah plant = = = As of 2006 , West Liberty Foods plans to build a plant in Tremonton , Utah . The plant will not slaughter , but the 200 @,@ 000 @-@ square @-@ foot ( 19 @,@ 000 m2 ) facility will allot 93 @,@ 000 @-@ square @-@ foot ( 8 @,@ 600 m2 ) for processing and 74 @,@ 000 @-@ square @-@ foot ( 6 @,@ 900 m2 ) for slicing a variety of meat products . The company broke ground for the facility in October 2006 . It is expected to begin production in July 2007 . When completed , the plant will be the first in North America to slice 10 ft ( 3 @.@ 0 m ) slicing logs . The plant will initially have ten slicing cells allowing production of 150 million pounds per year and will eventually add ten more cells to double the plant 's capaicty . At full capacity , the plant will employ more than 500 people . Similar to the Mount Pleasant plant , a 50 @,@ 000 @-@ square @-@ foot ( 4 @,@ 600 m2 ) Millard Refrigerated Services facility will be built adjacent to the Tremonton plant for warehouse storage of refrigerated and frozen products . Initially , the company investigated sites for the new plant in Utah , Nevada , and Arizona . It requested US $ 5 @.@ 2 million in tax incentives Utah to build in Pleasant View , Utah . On April 26 , 2006 Utah 's Department of Community and Economic Development approved a US $ 2 million tax @-@ rebate over 10 years . The incentives were conditioned on the new jobs paying a certain level above the county median wage , offering health insurance , and the company staying in Utah for 10 years . Pleasant View offered another US $ 1 @.@ 4 @-@ US $ 1 @.@ 8 million in incentives . However , construction in Pleasant View became impossible when it was discovered that much of the site consisted of wetland areas . After this development , the state held the incentive offer open provided that West Liberty Foods could find another suitable site that met Utah 's requirements . On July 29 , 2006 , the company announced that they would build the new plant in Tremonton , Utah . The tax incentives will total an 80 % property tax break , but Tremonton is projected to experience a US $ 508 thousand financial benefit over 12 years after the plant is completed . Of the 500 jobs at the plant , 300 are expected to pay between US $ 21 @,@ 500 and US $ 26 @,@ 875 . The rest of the jobs will pay more with about 100 paying around US $ 37 @,@ 000 . = = Awards = = West Liberty Foods has received a number of awards from various organizations . 2001 – Subway Supplier of the Year 2003 – Paul Hill honored by the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives 2005 – Economic Vision Award from USDA Rural Development , Best Business Recycling Program award from Iowa Recycling Association , Dedicated Services Award from Subway 2006 – Ed Garrett named " Executive of the Year " by The National Provisioner , Mount Pleasant and Sigourney plants receive Safety Awards from Iowa @-@ Illinois Safety Council , a chapter of the National Safety Council 2007 – Quality Gold Standard Award from Subway Hormel Spirit of Excellence Award in 1998 , 1999 , 2000 , 2001 , and 2002 . 2008 – Subway Supply Chain Partner Award – Iowa @-@ Illinois Safety Council Safety Award -Food Quality Award

= The Boat Race 1962 = The 108th Boat Race took place on 7 April 1962 . Held annually , the Boat Race is a side @-@ by @-@ side rowing race between crews from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge along the River Thames . Umpired by former Blue , Ran Laurie , it was won by Cambridge by five lengths in a time of 19 minutes 46 seconds . The race featured the heaviest oarsman since the 1829 race . = = Background = = The Boat Race is a side @-@ by @-@ side rowing competition between the University of Oxford ( sometimes referred to as the " Dark Blues " ) and the University of Cambridge ( sometimes referred to as the " Light Blues " ) . First held in 1829 , the race takes place on the 4 @.@ 2 @-@ mile ( 6 @.@ 8 km ) Championship Course on the River Thames in southwest London . The rivalry is a major point of honour between the two universities ; it is followed throughout the United Kingdom and , as of 2014 , broadcast worldwide . Cambridge went into the race as reigning champions , having won the 1961 race by four @-@ and @-@ a @-@ quarter lengths , and led led overall with 58 victories to Oxford 's 48 ( excluding the " dead heat " of 1877 ) . Cambridge were coached by J. R. F. Best , James Crowden ( who rowed twice for Cambridge , in the 1951 and 1952 races ) , Charles Lloyd ( a three @-@ time Blue , rowing in the 1949 , 1950 and 1951 races ) and Harold Rickett ( who rowed in the 1930 , 1931 and 1932 races ) . Oxford 's coaches were Jumbo Edwards ( who rowed for Oxford in the 1926 and 1930 races ) , Ronnie Howard ( who represented Oxford in the 1957 and 1959 races ) and Antony Rowe ( who had rowed in the 1948 and 1949 races ) . Although the Cambridge crew were favourites on their arrival at Putney , and were reckoned to be " one of the best Boat Race crews for ten years " , their early performances in practice did not impress the critics . However , in their final row before the race , Cambridge took four seconds off the record time from the Mile Post to Putney Bridge , covering the distance in 4 minutes 6 seconds . The race was umpired by Ran Laurie who had rowed for Cambridge in the 1934 , 1935 and 1936 races , and had gone on to win a gold medal for Great Britain at the 1948 Summer Olympics . = = Crews = = The Oxford crew weighed an average of 13 st 2 @.@ 75 lb ( 83 @.@ 6 kg ) , 2 @.@ 75 pounds ( 1 @.@ 2 kg ) per rower more than their opponents . The Cambridge crew saw two former Blues return , bow R. Nicholson , and number four A. J. Collier . Similarly , Oxford 's crew contained two rowers with Boat Race experience , including C. M. Davis who was rowing at stroke for the third consecutive year . Two non @-@ British participants were registered in the race , both in the Cambridge crew : John Lecky , rowing at number five was a Canadian Olympic oarsman while American Harold Budd occupied the six seat . Budd , at 15 st 1 lb ( 95 @.@ 5 kg ) was the heaviest oarsman to feature in the Boat Race since J. J. Toogood who rowed for Oxford in the inaugural race in 1829 . = = Race = = Cambridge won the toss and elected to start from the Surrey station , handing the Middlesex side of the river to Oxford . The race commenced at 3.45pm , with the Dark Blues making a better start and quickly held the lead , as Cambridge had a " sticky second stroke " . With both crews rating 34 strokes per minute , the Light Blues quickly restored parity before taking the lead and holding a one @-@ length advantage by Craven Steps . A spurt from Oxford reduced the deficit to half a length but Cambridge began to pull away again , despite being outrated by the Dark Blues . Another spurt at the Crab Tree saw the two crews level by Harrods Furniture Depository , and as they passed below Hammersmith Bridge . There , the Cambridge cox succeeded in forcing the Oxford boat wide and into rough water , and took advantage , drawing clear above Chiswick Eyot . To avoid the breaking waves , Oxford pulled in behind the Light Blue boat and as such , the race as a contest was effectively ended . Cambridge continued to pull away and passed the finishing post with a lead of five lengths in a time of 19 minutes 46 seconds , the slowest winning time since the 1954 race . It was Cambridge 's second consecutive victory and their largest winning margin since the 1955 race . According to the rowing correspondent for The Times , " for Cambridge this was a most convincing though not unexpected victory " .

= Blur ( Blur album ) = Blur is the eponymous fifth studio album by the English rock band Blur , released on 10 February 1997 by Food Records . Blur had previously been broadly critical of American popular culture and their previous albums had become associated with the Britpop movement , particularly Parklife ( 1994 ) , which had helped them become one of Britain 's leading pop acts . After their previous album , The Great Escape , the band faced media backlash and relationships between the members became strained . Under the suggestion of the band 's guitarist , Graham Coxon , the band underwent a stylistic change , becoming influenced by American indie rock bands such as Pavement and Sonic Youth . Recording took place in London as well as in Reykjavík , Iceland . Drummer Dave Rowntree described the music on the album as being more aggressive and emotional than their previous work . Producer Stephen Street claimed that lead singer @-@ songwriter Damon Albarn had started writing about more personal experiences while Coxon revealed that listening to his lyrics it was clear to him that " he 'd obviously gone off his head a bit more " . Despite worries from Blur 's label , EMI , and the music press that the change in style would alienate the band 's predominantly teenage fanbase and that the album would flop as a result , Blur , as well as lead single , " Beetlebum " , reached the top of the UK charts and the album was certified platinum . The album also reached the top 20 in six other countries . The success of " Song 2 " led to Blur becoming the band 's most successful album in the US where the Britpop scene had been largely unsuccessful . The album received positive and mixed reviews from most music critics , many praising the stylistic change as well as Albarn 's improved songwriting . = = Background = = Despite Blur 's previous album , The Great Escape being released to positive reviews , and entering the UK charts at number one , the album 's success was left in the shadows compared to ( What 's the Story ) Morning Glory ? by Britpop rivals Oasis which went quadruple platinum in the US . Blur became perceived as an " inauthentic middle class pop band " in comparison to the " working class heroes " Oasis , which made lead singer @-@ songwriter , Damon Albarn feel " stupid and confused " . Bassist Alex James later summarised , " After being the People 's Hero , Damon was the People 's Prick for a short period ... basically , he was a loser — very publicly . " An early 1996 Q magazine interview revealed that relations between Blur members had become very strained ; journalist Adrian Deevoy wrote that he found them " on the verge of a nervous breakup " . Guitarist Graham Coxon , in particular , began to resent his bandmates ; James for his playboy lifestyle and Albarn for his control over Blur 's musical direction and public image . In February 1996 , when Coxon and James were absent for a lip @-@ synced Blur performance broadcast on Italian television , they were replaced by a cardboard cutout and a roadie , respectively . Blur biographer Stuart Maconie later wrote that , at the time , " Blur were sewn together very awkwardly . " Coxon struggled with drinking problems and , in a rejection of the group 's former Britpop aesthetic , made a point of listening to noisy American alternative rock bands such as Pavement . In the 2010 documentary on the band , No Distance Left to Run , Coxon stated that he was getting more influenced by American guitarists as " a lot of them were doing very interesting stuff with guitars and I needed to be nourished . I suppose as a guitar player and there was none of that happening in English music although English music was now more popular [ so ] I started listening to more stuff from the States from smaller labels . " Although he had previously dismissed it , Albarn grew to appreciate Coxon 's tastes in Lo @-@ fi and underground music , and recognised the need to significantly change Blur 's musical direction once again . " I can sit at my piano and write brilliant observational pop songs all day long but you 've got to move on " , he said . He subsequently approached Street , and argued for a more stripped @-@ down sound on the band 's next record . Coxon , recognising his own personal need to , as drummer Dave Rowntree put it , " work this band " , wrote a letter to Albarn , describing his desire for their music " to scare people again . " = = Recording = = Recording sessions for the album started in June 1996 at Mayfair studios in London . After the initial sessions , the band left to record the rest of the album in Reykjavík , Iceland , away from the Britpop scene . It was in Iceland that the vocals to " Strange News from Another Star " , " Essex Dogs " , " Beetlebum " , and " On Your Own " were recorded . " We just recorded some vocals there , " Albarn revealed in an Addicted To Noise interview . " I have a house there and it 's the perfect place to write because of the light [ The sun doesn 't rise until midday ] . Not good during the summer because it 's sunshine all the time , 24 hours a day . " Apart from a change in musical style , the band changed the way they recorded . " It was the first time we sort of jammed , " Coxon revealed . " We 've never really jammed before . We 've been quite white @-@ coaty , overall about recording , like in a laboratory . Yeah , we did actually feel our way through just playing whatever came to our minds and editing , which was really exciting . " " We just played together for two weeks in a way we hadn 't done since 1991 , " Dave recalls . " We wanted to purify the sound , to not have anything there not played by us . We reasoned that if we made small changes at the input end , we could effect large changes in the output . " According to producer Stephen Street , " Blur had decided that commercial pressures and writing hit singles wasn 't going to be the main consideration any more . The mood in the studio was very different to when I 'd first worked with them . " " In the studio , once we got past those first few days , where I felt everyone was treading on eggshells , there was a great atmosphere . I think it was because they didn 't want to be competing with anyone on this record , they wanted to make a record that would help keep the band together . " Street had acquired a new piece of hardware , described as " muso @-@ ish to talk about but really useful " which enabled him to sample loops and otherwise cut @-@ and @-@ paste entire sections of the band 's jam sessions . = = Music = = Rowntree stated that the band decided to give Coxon a much freer hand on Blur . Street also observed a change of Albarn 's writing style , as he " was much more prepared to write in the first person , rather than about interesting characters . I think [ Albarn had ] grown a bit and was prepared to start writing about his own experiences rather than transposing them on to a character like Tracy Jacks or Dan Abnormal . " Coxon agreed , and felt " Damon 's songs were revealing more to me than to him " and said that when he heard some of his home demos he realised " he 'd obviously gone off his head a bit more " . The album features the first song to appear on a studio album in which Coxon not only wrote the lyrics , but also sang lead vocal — " You 're So Great " . According to Mark Redfern of Under the Radar , Blur eschewed Britpop in favour of American indie rock . NME magazine similarly argued that it favoured lo @-@ fi and alternative rock over Britpop . By contrast , Margaret Moser of The Austin Chronicle characterised its music as " a punchy brand of muscular Brit @-@ pop " , while AllMusic 's Stephen Thomas Erlewine said it " may superficially appear to be a break from tradition " but is a " logical progression " from Britpop rather than an abandonment of it . Album opener " Beetlebum " has been described as a " Beatles tribute " by several publications ; Erlewine wrote that the song " [ runs ] through the White Album in the space of five minutes . " Q magazine 's Andrew Collins compared the song to The Auteurs as well as a " slightly menacing Free as a Bird " , due to " a slight drone undulating in the foreground " and a " sweet , elongated coda busied by what sounds like an invasion of turkeys . " Albarn admitted that " Beetlebum " was about heroin and the drug experiences he had with his then @-@ girlfriend , Justine Frischmann of Elastica . Albarn also stated that the song describes a complicated emotion , sort of " sleepy " and sort of " sexy " . The song 's title is a reference to the phrase " Chasing the beetle " which refers to inhaling the smoke from heated heroin , morphine , or opium that has been placed on a piece of tin @-@ foil . " Song 2 " is notable for its hook which features Albarn yelling " woo @-@ hoo ! " The song 's intro has been called Coxon 's " finest moment . " Erlewine described " Country Sad Ballad Man " as a bizarrely affecting , strangled lo @-@ fi psychedelia , whilst Collins claimed that " the seated intro is a rustic mess from which arises a simply beautiful , lazy riff . " " M.O.R. " was described by James Hunter of Rolling Stone as a homage to Mott the Hoople . The song borrows the chord progression from David Bowie 's " Boys Keep Swinging " and " Fantastic Voyage " , the latter of which was co @-@ written by Brian Eno . " On Your Own " is notable for its usage of a Roland TR @-@ 606 Drumatix , a 1980s drum machine . Erlewine described the song as " an incredible slice of singalong pop spiked with winding , fluid guitar and synth eruptions . " " There 's a terrace singalong in here somewhere " , Collins claimed , " undermined by its indistinct drum sound . " " Theme From Retro " was described as " obligatory space @-@ rock trip @-@ hop " by The Austin Chronicle , whilst Collins claimed that it " presents Blur in dub " , referring to it as " an unyielding , lovely row . Like , say , a Blur B @-@ side . " " You 're So Great " , performed only by Coxon , was described by Collins as " the most American of all " as " [ Coxon 's ] voice – faraway badly recorded , wavering but heartfelt – belongs to anyone but Old Blur . " Tom Sinclair of Entertainment Weekly described the song as recalling the " whacked @-@ out plangency of Midwestern lo @-@ fi heroes Guided By Voices . " Lindsay Zoladz 's review of the album ( as part of Blur 21 ) for Pitchfork claimed that " Death of a Party " is the album 's highlight , speculating that it influenced Gorillaz – another musical project which features Albarn as the chief songwriter . Collins claimed that it sounded like Blur 's " second homage " to The Specials ' " Ghost Town " , speculating that the lyrics , " Why did we bother ? / Should 've stayed away " reflected Blur 's recent withdrawal from the public eye despite the song being written years before , and summarised the track as " a genuinely creepy piece . " Sinclair described " Chinese Bombs " as sounding like a " Lower East Side mosh @-@ pit den , " while Zoladz felt that " I 'm Just a Killer for Your Love " was " exquisitely bleary @-@ eyed . " In " Look Inside America " , Albarn recalls the band waking up from a previous night 's show , swigging Pepsi to find the energy to do a local TV show . Hunter called the song a " classic ' 90s road ballad . " The song contains the refrain " Look inside America , she 's all right ; she 's all right , " which was said by Erlewine to " cleverly subvert the traditional Blur song , complete with strings . " Collins described " Strange News From Another Star " as " Blur 's Space Oddity " , stating that the " acoustic guitar , quiet intro , nutty mood @-@ change into a darker passage [ and ] a melancholy report whose central thrust ( " I don 't believe in me " ) [ express ] further doubt from the troubled Albarn . " Originally performed as a poem at the Albert Hall in July 1996 , the studio version of " Essex Dogs " was described by Erlewine as a " six @-@ minute slab of free verse and rattling guitar noise . " Collins revealed that " here it 's set to a starter @-@ motor riff so berserk even its author , Coxon , confesses to find it hard to listen to . " Collins also described it as " a fitting ending ( all eight exploratory minutes of it ) to a challenging , barbed masterwork . " The song is followed by " Interlude " , a hidden track which was described by Collins as " a distressed instrumental sign @-@ oft that goes nowhere . " In a November 1996 video interview , Rowntree claimed , " It 's a much more aggressive record in many ways as well as a more emotional record . I think the music we 're making now is the music that we 've always wanted to make but got distracted from in a way . " = = Artwork and packaging = = The artwork for Blur , as well the album 's associated singles , was designed by design company Yacht Associates , which consists of Chris Thomson and Richard Bull . The pair had also been involved in the design process for Blur 's previous album covers as part of Stylorouge . The cover @-@ art depicts a patient being rushed into an emergency ward . Searching for an image which conveyed " both optimism and scariness " , Yacht Associates chose the stock photo from Tony Stone Images , describing it as " an anaesthetic dream . " In 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die , reviewer Mark Bennett speculates that the cover @-@ art represented the band 's critical status prior to the album . The back cover and inside sleeve by Paul Postle depict sulphur fields in Iceland , where much of the album was recorded . Postle also took photos of the band rehearsing for the gatefold . Blur is also the group 's first album not to have lyrics and chords printed in the liner notes , instead having a composite photo of the band in the studio spread out over three panels . When questioned on this decision , Albarn revealed they " didn 't wanna have to go through explaining what the lyrics are about because they 're quite odd to explain , " although he stated that " ' Death of a Party ' and ' Strange News From Another Star ' are [ both ] pretty clear . " = = Release and promotion = = The music press predicted that the lo @-@ fi sonic experimentation would alienate Blur 's fan @-@ base . These fears were also shared by James who revealed that the front rows of the gigs that the band were performing at during the Britpop years were primarily attracting 15 @-@ year @-@ old girls and that he thought the change in style was a " fucking big balls move . " Andy Ross , who was running Food Records at the time , admitted that when he first heard it he was " taken aback . We 'd won Brits , we 'd won two consecutive Q magazine Albums of the Year and my initial reaction was it 's awkward and difficult . My immediate reaction was will you sell as many records ? Where 's my royalties ? Everyone 's first reaction to it was that it was a departure : that ’ s clear from the artwork onwards . " Albarn dismissed the EMI 's concerns calling them " The usual thing — ' It 's got no singles on it ' . Meanwhile , they 're giving Radiohead the full marketing works . That hurt for a while because we 've done so well for them . We were trying to be really brave . But it was all made up pretty quickly . " Parlophone MD Tony Wadsworth was enthusiastic however as Coxon recalls , " We played him " Song 2 " as a bit of a test of whether he was on our wavelength . We told him this was the second single . Course , we had no idea that it would be . He sat there , grinning — ' Definitely ! Definitely a single ! ' " Worries of " commercial suicide " were eased when the lead single , " Beetlebum " , debuted at number one on the UK Singles Chart . Blur topped the UK Albums Chart when it was released in February , knocking White on Blonde by Texas off the topspot . Blur eventually went on to be certified Platinum . Although the album could not match the sales of their previous albums in the UK , Blur became the band 's most successful internationally , reaching the Top Twenty in Switzerland , France , Norway , New Zealand , Sweden and Japan . In the US , the album peaked at number sixty @-@ one on the Billboard 200 , Blur 's highest charting album at the time , and was certified gold . The album 's US success has been attributed partially to the popularity of " Song 2 " , which peaked at number six on the Modern Rock chart . After " Song 2 " was licensed for use in soundtracks , advertisements and television shows — it became the most @-@ recognisable Blur song in the US . After the success of Blur , the band embarked on a nine @-@ month world tour . = = Critical reception = = According to AllMusic , Blur received generally positive reviews from music critics but at the time of its release , according to Q , the reviews were mixed in the UK press . David Cavanagh reported that The Guardian praised it , whereas The Times was more " ambivalent " and The Independent was negative . Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic said the album highlights " the band 's rich eclecticism and sense of songcraft . Certainly , they are trying for new sonic territory , bringing in shards of white noise , gurgling electronics , raw guitars , and druggy psychedelia , but these are just extensions of previously hidden elements of Blur 's music . " Margaret Moser of The Austin Chronicle praised the album for " unveiling a punchy brand of muscular Brit @-@ pop that dances around raucous , Kinks @-@ like garage @-@ pop ( " Movin ' On , " " M.O.R. " ) , tender , Beatles @-@ like harmonies ( " Beetlebum , " " Look Inside America " ) , punky quirk ( " Chinese Bombs " ) , soulful balladry ( " Country Sad Ballad Man " ) , obligatory space @-@ rock trip @-@ hop ( " Theme from Retro , " " I 'm Just a Killer for Your Love " ) , and a raise @-@ yer @-@ mug singalong ( " On Your Own " ) . " Jonathan Bernstein of Spin also felt that , " despite their traitorous pronouncements , Blur 's highlights are consistently British @-@ bred . " James Hunter , writing for Rolling Stone , claimed that " what still makes [ Blur ] great is their deep grasp of style and genre . What they haven 't done on Blur is roll out of bed , strum a few chords and loudly free @-@ associate about the first thing that pops into their heads . This is a record that inhabits current American rock biases as cogently and intelligently as Parklife corralled the last few decades of British rock . " Many praised lyrics such as the ones in " Look inside America / She 's alright " , and noting Albarn 's " obligatory nod to Beck , [ and promotion of ] the new Pavement album as if paid to do so " , reviewers felt the band had come to accept American values during this time — an about @-@ face of their attitude during the Britpop years . Erlewine wrote that " Blur might be self @-@ consciously eclectic , but Blur are at their best when they are trying to live up to their own pretensions , because of Damon Albarn 's exceptional sense of songcraft and the band 's knack for detailed arrangements that flesh out the songs to their fullest . " Alternative Press called it " a whirl of weird esotericism , precious , precocious and impressively " . Robert Christgau of The Village Voice was less enthusiastic and cited only " Song 2 " as a " choice cut " , indicating " a good song on an album that isn 't worth your time or money " . At the 1998 NME Awards , Blur received a nomination for Best Album . However , it lost to Radiohead 's OK Computer . In 2013 , NME ranked it at number 137 in its list of 500 Greatest Albums of All Time . The album was also included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die . Unlike some of Blur 's previous albums , praise from the band members has remained . " I 'm really fond of that record , " Coxon said in 2009 . " I think it 's one of our best . " = = Track listing = = All songs written and composed by Damon Albarn , Graham Coxon , Alex James and Dave Rowntree , except where noted . Notes The length of track 14 on the American version of the album is 11 : 24 , with " Dancehall " as a hidden track in between " Essex Dogs " and " Interlude " . The European version came with a live CD recorded in The Netherlands ( also with selected B @-@ sides from the " Blur " singles ) that was also released separately in The Netherlands as simply " Blur Live E.P. " The Australian version came with a second CD featuring the complete Peel Acres sessions ( as released in the UK on the " On Your Own " singles ) The Japanese version of the album has " Dancehall " as a separate , listed track ( 15 ) , which includes " Interlude . " " Death of a Party " was demoed in 1992 . That recording was released to the fan club prior to the version which appears on the album . The 7 " remix version appears on Midlife : A Beginner 's Guide to Blur . = = Personnel = = Damon Albarn – lead vocals , piano , keyboards , Hammond organ , acoustic guitar Graham Coxon – electric and acoustic guitars , backing vocals , vocals on " You 're So Great " , theremin , additional drums on " Song 2 " Alex James – bass guitar , lead and rhythm basses on " Song 2 " Dave Rowntree – drums , percussion Produced by Stephen Street , except for " I 'm Just a Killer for Your Love " produced by Blur John Smith – engineer ( all tracks except for " I 'm Just a Killer for Your Love " ) Jason Cox – engineer ( " I 'm Just a Killer for Your Love " ) Arnþór " Addi 800 " Örlygsson – additional engineering = = Charts = = = = Certifications = =

= Casino Royale ( 2006 film ) = Casino Royale ( 2006 ) is the 21st film in the Eon Productions James Bond film series and the first to star Daniel Craig as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond . Directed by Martin Campbell and written by Neal Purvis & Robert Wade and Paul Haggis , the film marks the third screen adaptation of Ian Fleming 's 1953 novel of the same name . Casino Royale is set at the beginning of Bond 's career as Agent 007 , just as he is earning his licence to kill . After preventing a terrorist attack at Miami International Airport , Bond falls in love with Vesper Lynd , the treasury employee assigned to provide the money he needs to bankrupt a terrorist financier , Le Chiffre , by beating him in a high @-@ stakes poker game . The story arc continues in the following Bond film , Quantum of Solace ( 2008 ) , with explicit references to characters and events in Spectre ( 2015 ) . Casino Royale reboots the series , establishing a new timeline and narrative framework not meant to precede or succeed any previous Bond film , which allows the film to show a less experienced and more vulnerable Bond . Additionally , the character Miss Moneypenny is , for the first time in the series , completely absent . Casting the film involved a widespread search for a new actor to portray James Bond , and significant controversy surrounded Craig when he was selected to succeed Pierce Brosnan in October 2005 . Location filming took place in the Czech Republic , the Bahamas , Italy and the United Kingdom with interior sets built at Barrandov Studios and Pinewood Studios . Although part of the storyline is set in Montenegro , no filming took place there . Casino Royale was produced by Eon Productions for Metro @-@ Goldwyn @-@ Mayer and Columbia Pictures , making it the first Eon @-@ produced Bond film to be co @-@ produced by the latter studio . Casino Royale premiered at the Odeon Leicester Square on 14 November 2006 . It received positive critical response , with reviewers highlighting Craig 's reinvention of the character and the film 's departure from the tropes of previous Bond films . It earned almost $ 600 million worldwide , becoming the highest @-@ grossing James Bond film until the release of Skyfall in 2012 . = = Plot = = In Prague , James Bond kills traitorous MI6 station chief Dryden and his terrorist contact , thus earning his license to kill and becoming a 00 agent . In Uganda , the mysterious Mr. White introduces warlord Steven Obanno to Le Chiffre , a French financier of terrorism . Obanno entrusts Le Chiffre with a large sum of money , which Le Chiffre uses to short @-@ sell stock in the aerospace company Skyfleet , thus betting Obanno 's money on the company 's failure . In Madagascar , Bond pursues bomb maker Mollaka to an African embassy . Bond kills Mollaka and blows up the building . In London , MI6 chief M admonishes Bond for his rashness , and advises him to rethink his future as an agent . Clues from Mollaka point to corrupt Greek official Alex Dimitrios . Bond finds Dimitrios in the Bahamas and pursues him to Miami . Bond kills Dimitrios and follows his henchman to the airport . He thwarts the destruction of Skyfleet 's airliner , costing Le Chiffre his investment . To recoup the money , Le Chiffre sets up a high @-@ stakes Texas hold ' em tournament at the Casino Royale in Montenegro . MI6 enters Bond in the tournament , believing a defeat will force Le Chiffre to aid the British government in exchange for protection from his creditors . On the train to Montenegro , Bond meets Vesper Lynd , a British Treasury agent there to protect the government 's $ 10 million buy @-@ in . In Montenegro , Bond and Vesper meet their MI6 contact , René Mathis . When the tournament begins , Bond appears to have the upper hand . In Le Chiffre 's suite , Obanno ambushes him , furious over the loss of his money . Bond engages Obanno , and in an ensuing struggle , kills him and his henchmen . Vesper is traumatized , but Bond comforts her . When the tournament resumes , Bond loses his initial stake , and Vesper refuses to fund further playing . Frustrated , Bond is about to assassinate Le Chiffre when he meets Felix Leiter , a fellow player and CIA agent . Leiter stakes Bond in exchange for custody of Le Chiffre . Le Chiffre 's girlfriend Valenka poisons Bond 's martini . Bond throws up the poison and escapes to his Aston Martin , where he injects an antidote . MI6 instructs him to use the defibrillator , but he finds that one of the wires is disconnected . Vesper saves Bond by connecting the wires and pushing the button . Bond returns to the game , and wins with a straight flush . Le Chiffre captures Vesper and Bond , and reveals that Mathis is working for him . Le Chiffre tortures Bond for the password to the account containing his money , but Bond refuses to give in . As Le Chiffre prepares to castrate Bond , Mr. White bursts in and kills him . Bond awakens in a hospital on Lake Como and Mathis is taken in by MI6 . Bond and Vesper fall in love , and he decides to resign from MI6 to be with her . Bond and Vesper travel to Venice . M calls Bond and tells him the money was never deposited , and Bond realizes Vesper has stolen the money . He pursues her and her clients into a building under renovation . In the ensuing struggle , the building is damaged and begins sinking into the Grand Canal . Bond kills Vesper 's accomplices and tries to rescue her , but she drowns herself as the building sinks . Mr. White , watching nearby , walks away with the money . Bond rejoins MI6 , and copes with Vesper 's death by renouncing her as a traitor . M informs him the same organisation behind Le Chiffre had kidnapped Vesper 's lover , and threatened to kill him unless she became a double agent . During the torture sessions with Le Chiffre , Vesper had made a deal : the money in exchange for Bond 's life . Bond discovers a text message left for him by Vesper with Mr. White 's name and phone number . At his estate in Lake Como , Mr. White receives a phone call , and is shot in the leg when he answers . Bond strolls into his path holding a machine gun , and introduces himself : " The name 's Bond ... James Bond " . = = Cast = = Daniel Craig as James Bond : A British MI6 officer who , after being assigned 00 @-@ status , is sent on a mission to arrest a bomb @-@ maker in Madagascar , where he stumbles upon Le Chiffre 's terrorist cell and is then sent to defeat him in a high @-@ stakes poker game at Casino Royale . Eva Green as Vesper Lynd : An agent for HM Treasury assigned to supervise Bond and finance him in a high @-@ stakes poker game . Mads Mikkelsen as Le Chiffre : A banker who services many of the world 's terrorists . He is a mathematical genius and expert chess player and uses these skills when playing poker . Judi Dench as M : The head of MI6 . Although she feels she has promoted Bond too soon and chides him for his rash actions , she acts as an important maternal figure in his life . Dench was the only cast member carried through from the Pierce Brosnan films . Giancarlo Giannini as René Mathis : Bond 's contact in Montenegro . Jeffrey Wright as Felix Leiter : A CIA operative participating in the poker tournament while assisting Bond . This is the first Eon @-@ produced Bond film in which Leiter is played by a black actor . ( The only other black actor to portray Leiter was Bernie Casey in Never Say Never Again , which was not produced by Eon . ) Simon Abkarian as Alex Dimitrios : Another contractor in the international terrorist underworld and associate of Le Chiffre , based in the Bahamas . Caterina Murino as Solange Dimitrios : Dimitrios ' wife , whom Bond seduces , causing her unintentionally to reveal one of his plans . After Bond kills Dimitrios , she is found tortured and killed . Ivana Miličević as Valenka : Le Chiffre 's girlfriend and henchwoman , who accompanies him to the poker game . Isaac de Bankolé as Steven Obanno : A leader of the Lord 's Resistance Army , introduced to Le Chiffre by Mr. White to account his finances . Jesper Christensen as Mr. White : A liaison for an unnamed criminal organisation . Sébastien Foucan as Mollaka : A bomb @-@ maker pursued by Bond through a construction site in Madagascar . Tobias Menzies as Villiers : M 's young secretary at MI6 Headquarters . The character 's last name is a reference to James Villiers , who portrayed Bill Tanner in For Your Eyes Only , and to the character of Amherst Villiers in the original novel . Ludger Pistor as Mendel : A Swiss banker responsible for all monetary transactions during and after the poker tournament . Claudio Santamaria as Carlos : A terrorist employed by Le Chiffre to blow up an aircraft . Richard Sammel as Gettler : An assassin who works for an unnamed criminal organisation and contacts Vesper in Venice . Clemens Schick as Kratt : Le Chiffre 's bodyguard , who often accompanies his boss wherever he travels . Joseph Millson as Carter : An MI6 agent who accompanies Bond in Madagascar . Ben Cooke as Williams : An MI6 agent who debriefs Bond in London . Malcolm Sinclair as Dryden : A corrupt MI6 Section Chief , and Bond 's second official target . Darwin Shaw as Fisher : Dryden 's underground contact . M sends Bond to kill him , his first official target . Bond tracks him down ( in Lahore , Pakistan in deleted scenes ) , nearly drowns him , and then shoots him dead . Tom Chadbon as a stockbroker , briefly seen having a telephone conversation with Le Chiffre . Tsai Chin as Madame Wu : A professional veteran poker player . Chin portrayed Ling , a Bond girl in You Only Live Twice . Veruschka as Gräfin von Wallenstein : a countess participating in the poker tournament . Alessandra Ambrosio as Tennis Girl . Christina Cole as Ocean Club Receptionist . Diane Hartford as Card Player . Casino Royale includes a cameo by British entrepreneur Richard Branson ( seen being frisked at Miami International Airport ) . The cameo was cut out of the in @-@ flight versions shown on British Airways ' in @-@ flight entertainment systems , as was a shot of the Virgin Atlantic aircraft Branson supplied . = = Production = = Casino Royale was previously produced as a 1954 television episode and a 1967 satirical film . Eon Productions gained the rights to Casino Royale in 1999 after Sony Pictures Entertainment exchanged them for Metro @-@ Goldwyn @-@ Mayer 's rights to Spider @-@ Man . In March 2004 , Neal Purvis and Robert Wade began writing a screenplay for Pierce Brosnan as Bond , aiming to bring back the flavour of Ian Fleming 's original Bond novels . Paul Haggis ' main contribution was to rewrite the climax of the film . He explained , " the draft that was there was very faithful to the book and there was a confession , so in the original draft the character confessed and killed herself . She then sent Bond to chase after the villains ; Bond chased the villains into the house . I don 't know why but I thought that Vesper had to be in the sinking house and Bond has to want to kill her and then try and save her . " Director Quentin Tarantino expressed interest in directing an adaptation of Casino Royale , but Eon were not interested . He claims to have worked behind the scenes with the Fleming family , and believed this was the reason why filmmakers finally went ahead with Casino Royale . Tarantino also said , he would have set it in the 1960s and would have only made it with Pierce Brosnan as Bond . In February 2005 , Martin Campbell was announced as the film 's director . Later in 2005 , Sony led a consortium that purchased MGM , allowing Sony to gain distribution rights starting with the film . Eon believed that they had relied too heavily on CGI effects in the more recent films , particularly Die Another Day , and were keen to accomplish the stunts in Casino Royale " the old fashioned way " . In keeping with this drive for more realism , screenwriters Purvis , Wade and Haggis wanted the script to follow as closely as possible to the original 1953 novel , keeping Fleming 's darker storyline and characterisation of Bond . = = = Casting = = = Pierce Brosnan had signed a deal for four films when he was cast in the role of James Bond . This was fulfilled with the production of Die Another Day in 2002 . At this stage , Brosnan was approaching his 50th birthday . Brosnan kept in mind fans and critics were not happy with Roger Moore playing Bond until he was 58 and speculation began the producers were seeking to replace Brosnan with a younger actor . Brosnan officially announced he was stepping down in February 2004 . At one point , producer Michael G. Wilson claimed there was a list of over 200 names being considered for his replacement . Croatian actor Goran Višnjić auditioned for the role the same day as Craig , but was reportedly unable to master a British accent . New Zealander Karl Urban was considered , but was unable to make the screen test due to filming commitments . According to Martin Campbell , Henry Cavill was the only actor in serious contention for the role , but at 22 years old , was considered too young . Australian actor Sam Worthington and Scottish actor Dougray Scott were also considered . In May 2005 , English actor Daniel Craig stated MGM and producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli had assured him he would get the role of Bond , and Matthew Vaughn told reporters MGM offered him the opportunity to direct the new film , but Eon Productions at that point had not approached either of them . A year beforehand , Craig rejected the idea of starring , as he felt the series had descended into formula : only when he read the script did he become interested . Craig read all of Fleming 's novels to prepare for the part , and cited Mossad and British Secret Service agents who served as advisors on the set of Munich as inspiring because , " Bond has just come out of the service and he 's a killer . [ ... ] You can see it in their eyes , you know immediately : oh , hello , he 's a killer . There 's a look . These guys walk into a room and very subtly they check the perimeters for an exit . That 's the sort of thing I wanted . " On 14 October 2005 Eon Productions , Sony Pictures Entertainment and MGM announced at a press conference in London that Craig would be the sixth actor to portray James Bond . A tuxedo @-@ clad Craig boarded a Royal Marines Rigid Raider from HMS Belfast before travelling to HMS President where he was introduced to the world 's press . Significant controversy followed the decision , with some critics and fans expressing doubt the producers had made the right choice . Throughout the entire production period , Internet campaigns such as " danielcraigisnotbond.com " expressed their dissatisfaction and threatened to boycott the film in protest . Craig , unlike previous actors , was not considered by the protesters to fit the tall , dark , handsome and charismatic image of Bond to which viewers had been accustomed . The Daily Mirror ran a front page news story critical of Craig , with the headline , The Name 's Bland – James Bland . The next important casting was that of the lead Bond girl , Vesper Lynd . Casting director Debbie McWilliams acknowledged Hollywood actresses Angelina Jolie and Charlize Theron were " strongly considered " for the role and Belgian actress Cécile de France had also auditioned , but her English accent " wasn 't up to scratch . " French actress Audrey Tautou was also considered , but not chosen because of her role in The Da Vinci Code , which was released in May 2006 . It was announced on 16 February 2006 French actress Eva Green would play the part . = = = Filming = = = Principal photography for Casino Royale commenced on 3 January 2006 and concluded on 20 July 2006 . The film was primarily shot at Barrandov Studios in Prague , with additional location shooting in the Bahamas , Italy and the United Kingdom . The shoot concluded at Pinewood Studios . Michael G. Wilson had stated Casino Royale would either be filmed or take place in Prague and South Africa . However , Eon Productions encountered problems in securing film locations in South Africa . After no other locations became available , the producers had to reconsider their options . In September 2005 , Martin Campbell and director of photography Phil Meheux were scouting Paradise Island in the Bahamas as a possible location for the film . On 6 October 2005 , Martin Campbell confirmed Casino Royale would film in the Bahamas and " maybe Italy " . In addition to the extensive location filming , studio work including choreography and stunt co @-@ ordination practice was performed at the Barrandov Studios in Prague , and at Pinewood Studios , where the film used several stages , the paddock tank and the 007 Stage . Further shooting in the UK was scheduled for Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey , the cricket pavilion at Eton College ( although that particular scene was cut from the completed movie ) and the Millbrook Vehicle Proving Ground in Bedfordshire . After Prague , the production moved to the Bahamas . Several locations around New Providence were used for filming during February and March , particularly on Paradise Island . Footage set in Mbale , Uganda , was filmed at Black Park , a Country Park in Buckinghamshire , on 4 July 2006 . Additional scenes took place at Albany House , an estate owned by golfers Ernie Els and Tiger Woods . The crew returned to the Czech Republic in April , and continued there , filming in Prague , Planá and Loket , before completing in the town of Karlovy Vary in May . A famous Czech spa , Karlovy Vary was used as the exterior of the Casino Royale , with the Grandhotel Pupp serving as " Hotel Splendide " . The main Italian location was Venice , where the majority of the film 's ending is set . Other scenes in the latter half of the film were shot in late May and early June at the Villa del Balbianello on the shores of Lake Como . Further exterior shooting for the movie took place at properties such as the Villa la Gaeta , near the lakeside town of Menaggio . A recreation of the Body Worlds exhibit provided a setting for one scene in the film . Among the Body Worlds plastinates featured in that scene were the Poker Playing Trio ( which plays a key role in one scene ) and Rearing Horse and Rider . The exhibition 's developer and promoter , German anatomist Gunther von Hagens , also has a cameo appearance in the film , although only his trademark hat is actually visible on screen . = = = Effects = = = In designing the credit sequence for the film , graphic designer Daniel Kleinman was inspired by the cover of the 1953 British first edition of Casino Royale , which featured Ian Fleming 's original design of a playing card bordered by eight red hearts dripping with blood . Kleinman said , " The hearts not only represent cards but the tribulations of Bond 's love story . So I took that as inspiration to use playing card graphics in different ways in the titles , " like a club representing a puff of gun smoke , and slashed arteries spurting thousands of tiny hearts . In creating the shadow images of the sequence , Kleinman digitised the footage of Craig and the film 's stuntmen on the Inferno visual effects system , at Framestore CFC in London ; the actors ' silhouettes were incorporated into more than 20 digitally animated scenes depicting intricate and innovative card patterns . Kleinman decided not to use the female silhouettes commonly seen throughout the Bond title sequences , considering that the women did not fit with both the film 's spirit and the storyline following Bond falling in love . For the rest of the film , Chris Corbould , the special effects and miniature effects supervisor , returned to a more realistic style of film making and significantly reduced digital effects . According to Corbould , " CGI is a great tool and can be very useful , but I will fight to the tooth and nail to do something for real . It 's the best way to go " . Three scenes involving primarily physical effects in the film were the chase at a building site in Madagascar , the Miami Airport chase sequence , and the sinking Venetian house , with sets located on the Grand Canal and in Pinewood Studios . First on the schedule were the scenes on the Madagascar building site , shot in the Bahamas on the site of a derelict hotel which Michael G. Wilson had become acquainted with in 1977 during the filming of The Spy Who Loved Me . In the scene , Bond drives a digger toward the building , slamming into the concrete plinth on which Mollaka is running . The stunt team built a model and put forward several ways in which the digger could conceivably take out the concrete , including taking out the pillar underneath . A section of the concrete wall was removed to fit the digger and reinforced with steel . The sequence at Miami International Airport was partly shot at the Dunsfold Aerodrome , in Surrey , which is known from British car show Top Gear , with some footage from the Prague and Miami airports . In filming the scene in which the engine thrust of the moving aircraft blows the police car high into the air , second unit directors Ian Lowe , Terry Madden and Alex Witt used a crane with a strong lead cable attached to the rear bumper of the vehicle to move it up and backwards at the moment of full extension away from the plane . The Skyfleet S570 aircraft in the film was an ex @-@ British Airways 747 @-@ 200B G @-@ BDXJ which had its engines removed and was modified for its appearance in the film . The modified aircraft had the outboard engines replaced by external fuel tanks , while the inboard engines were replaced by a mock @-@ up pair of engines on each inboard pylon . The cockpit profile was altered to make the 747 look like a prototype of an advanced airliner . The plane used can be seen on the BBC motoring programme Top Gear on the Test Track . The sinking of the Venetian house at the climax of the film featured the largest rig ever built for a Bond film . For the scene involving Bond following Vesper into the house undergoing renovation supported by inflatable balloons , a tank was constructed at the 007 stage at Pinewood , consisting of a Venetian piazza and the interior of the three @-@ story dilapidated house . The rig , weighing some 90 tons , incorporated electronics with hydraulic valves which were closely controlled by computer because of the dynamic movement within the system on its two axes . The same computer system also controlled the exterior model which the effects team built to one @-@ third scale to film the building eventually collapsing into the Venetian canal . The model elevator within the rig could be immersed in 19 feet ( 5 @.@ 8 m ) of water , and used banks of compressors to strictly regulate movement . At the time of filming , Aston Martin were still in the final phases of designing the DBS . The scene involving the car crash was devised using an Aston Martin DB9 that was especially modified to look like Bond 's Aston Martin DBS V12 and reinforced to withstand the impact . Due to the low centre of gravity of the vehicle , an 18 @-@ inch ( 450 mm ) ramp had to be implemented on the road tarmac at Millbrook Proving Grounds and Adam Kirley , the stunt driver who performed the stunt , had to use an air cannon located behind the driver 's seat to propel the car into a roll at the precise moment of impact . At a speed exceeding 70 mph ( 113 km / h ) , the car rotated seven times while being filmed , and was confirmed by the Guinness Book of Records on 5 November 2006 as a new world record . = = = Music = = = The soundtrack of Casino Royale , released by Sony Classical on 14 November 2006 , featured music composed by veteran composer David Arnold , his fourth soundtrack for the Bond film series , while Nicholas Dodd orchestrated and conducted the score . Producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli announced on 26 July 2006 Chris Cornell , then @-@ former lead singer of Soundgarden and former lead singer of Audioslave , composed and would perform the title song , " You Know My Name " . The song 's main notes are played throughout the film as a substitute for the James Bond theme , to represent Bond 's youth and inexperience . The classic theme only plays during the end credits to signal the climax of his character arc . = = Release = = Casino Royale premiered at the Odeon Leicester Square , the Odeon West End and the Empire simultaneously in London on 14 November 2006 . It marked the 60th Royal Film Performance and benefited the Cinema & Television Benevolent Fund ( CTBF ) , whose patron , Queen Elizabeth II , was in attendance with the Duke of Edinburgh . It is the third James Bond premiere that the Queen attended , following You Only Live Twice and Die Another Day . Along with the cast and crew , numerous celebrities and 5 @,@ 000 paying guests were also in attendance with half the proceeds benefiting the CTBF . Only two days following the premiere , unlicensed copies appeared for sale in London . " The rapid appearance of this film on the streets shows the sophistication and organisation behind film piracy in the UK , " said Kieron Sharp , from the Federation Against Copyright Theft . Infringing copies of the DVD were selling for less than £ 1 @.@ 57 . Craig himself was offered such a DVD while walking anonymously through the streets of Beijing wearing a hat and glasses to avoid being identified . In January 2007 , Casino Royale became the first Bond film ever to be shown in mainland Chinese cinemas . The Chinese version was edited before release , with the reference to the Cold War re @-@ dubbed and new dialogue added during the poker scene explaining the process of Texas hold ' em , as the game is less familiar in China ( this addition is reminiscent of dialogue that was added to the 1954 American TV adaptation to explain the rules of baccarat , the game featured in the original book ) . Casino Royale has earned approximately $ 11 @.@ 7 million in China since its opening on 30 January on 468 screens , including a record opening weekend collection for a non @-@ Chinese film , with $ 1 @.@ 5 million . After critics dubbed Die Another Day " Buy Another Day " because of around 20 product placement deals , Eon limited their promotions for Casino Royale . Partners included Ford Motors , Heineken Pilsener ( which Eva Green starred in adverts for ) , Smirnoff , Omega SA , Virgin Atlantic Airways and Sony Ericsson . = = = Box office = = = The film has earned $ 599 @,@ 045 @,@ 960 worldwide . Casino Royale was the 4th highest @-@ grossing film of 2006 , and was the highest @-@ grossing instalment of the James Bond series until Skyfall surpassed it in November 2012 . Upon its release in the United Kingdom Casino Royale broke series records on both opening day — £ 1 @.@ 7 million — and opening weekend — £ 13 @,@ 370 @,@ 969 . At the end of its box office run , the film had grossed £ 55 @.@ 4 million , making it the most successful film of the year in the UK , and as of 2011 , the tenth highest @-@ grossing film of all time in the country . On its US opening day Casino Royale was on top with $ 14 @,@ 741 @,@ 135 , and throughout the weekend grossed a total of $ 40 @,@ 833 @,@ 156 , placing it second in the ranking behind Happy Feet ( $ 41 @.@ 5 million ) . However , Casino Royale was playing in 370 fewer cinemas and had a better average ( $ 11 @,@ 890 per cinema , against $ 10 @,@ 918 for Happy Feet ) . It earned $ 167 @,@ 445 @,@ 960 by the end of its run in North America , marking what was at the time the highest grossing film of the series , before being surpassed by Quantum of Solace 's $ 168 @.@ 4 million . On 18 November 2006 Casino Royale opened at the first position in 27 countries , with a weekend gross of $ 43 @,@ 407 @,@ 886 in the non @-@ UK , Irish , US or Canada markets . The film retained the top spot at the worldwide box office for four weeks . = = = Home media = = = Casino Royale was simultaneously released on DVD , UMD and Blu @-@ ray Disc on 16 March 2007 . In the UK , Casino Royale was released on 16 March 2007 on DVD and Blu @-@ ray Disc . The DVD and Blu @-@ ray Disc releases broke sales records : the Region 1 Blu @-@ ray Disc edition became the highest selling high @-@ definition title to date , selling more than 100 @,@ 000 copies since its release . The region 2 DVD edition achieved the record of fastest selling title for its first @-@ week release . The UK DVD has continued to sell well , with 1 @,@ 622 @,@ 852 copies sold since 19 March . A copy of the Blu @-@ ray Disc edition of Casino Royale was given out to the first 500 @,@ 000 PAL PlayStation 3 owners who signed up to the PlayStation Network . The DVD release includes the official music video for the film , and three documentaries detailing how Daniel Craig was chosen for the role of Bond , the filming , and an expanded version of the Bond Girls Are Forever documentary incorporating new interviews with Casino Royale cast members . A three @-@ disc edition of Casino Royale on DVD was released in the United Kingdom on 31 October 2008 , coinciding with the cinema release of the sequel , Quantum of Solace ( the following week in the United States ) . As well as features present from the 2007 release , the collector 's edition contains an audio commentary , deleted scenes , featurettes and a storyboard @-@ to @-@ film comparison . A two @-@ disc Blu @-@ ray version also followed in late 2008 , featuring additional supplementary materials , enhanced interactivity through BD @-@ Live , and the previous version 's 5 @.@ 1 PCM soundtrack was replaced with a similar 5 @.@ 1 Dolby TrueHD soundtrack . = = = Cuts and censorship = = = Casino Royale was censored for its release in Britain , Germany and the United States . In Britain , the film received a BBFC 12 rating after omitting some of Le Chiffre 's sadism and James Bond 's reactions in the torture scene . In the United States , two fight scenes were censored to achieve a PG @-@ 13 rating : the fight between Bond and the traitorous MI @-@ 6 agent 's contact Fisher , and the fight between Bond and Obanno in the stairway at the Casino Royale . The German edit of the film cuts a sequence where the bomb @-@ planter at the airport breaks a man 's neck , instead replacing it with an alternate take . The mainland Chinese cut of the film also trims the torture scene and the stairway fight , as well as a shot of Bond cleaning his wound at the hotel , and a boat scene . The fully uncensored version can be found on the Australian , Dutch , French , Hong Kong , Japanese , and Scandinavian Blu @-@ ray and DVD releases , and on more recent UK releases ( rated 15 ) . = = Reception = = = = = Critical response = = = Critics responded positively to the film , in particular to Craig 's performance and credibility . During production , Craig had been subject to debate by the media and the public , as he did not appear to fit Ian Fleming 's original portrait of the character as tall , dark and suave . The Daily Telegraph compared the quality of Craig 's characterisation of Bond to Sean Connery 's and praised the script as smartly written , noting how the film departed from the series ' conventions . The Times compared Craig 's portrayal of the character to that of Timothy Dalton , and praised the action as " edgy " , with another reviewer citing in particular the action sequence involving the cranes in Madagascar . Critics Paul Arendt of BBC Films , Kim Newman of Empire , and Todd McCarthy of Variety all described Craig as the first actor to truly embody Ian Fleming 's James Bond from the original novel : ironic , brutal and cold . The film was similarly well received in North America . MSNBC gave the movie a perfect 5 star rating . The film was described as taking James Bond " back to his roots " , similar to From Russia with Love , where the focus was on character and plot rather than the high @-@ tech gadgets and visual effects that were strongly criticised in Die Another Day . Rotten Tomatoes gave the movie an aggregate rating of 95 % , the highest rating for a wide @-@ release of the year . It is the fourth @-@ highest rating for a Bond film on the site behind Goldfinger which received a 96 % , From Russia with Love which received a 96 % , and Dr. No , with a 96 % score . Metacritic gave the movie a Metascore of 80 , signifying " generally favorable reviews " . Entertainment Weekly named the film as the fifth best of the series , and chose Vesper Lynd as the fourth best Bond girl in the series . Some newspaper columnists and critics were impressed enough by Craig 's performance to consider him a viable candidate for an Academy Award nomination . Roger Ebert gave the film a four out of four star rating , and wrote that " Craig makes a superb Bond ... who gives the sense of a hard man , wounded by life and his job , who nevertheless cares about people and right and wrong , " and that the film " has the answers to all my complaints about the 45 @-@ year @-@ old James Bond series , " specifically " why nobody in a Bond movie ever seems to have any real emotions . " Time Out New York 's Joshua Rothkopf called Craig " the best Bond in the franchise 's history , " citing the actor 's " crisp , hateful , Mamet @-@ worthy snarl ... This is a screwed @-@ up Bond , a rogue Bond , a bounder , a scrapper and , in the movie 's astoundingly bleak coda , an openhearted lover . " Vicky Allan of the Sunday Herald noted Bond himself , and not his love interests , was sexually objectified in this film . A moment where he rises from the sea is reminiscent of Ursula Andress in Dr. No ; he feels " skewered " by Vesper Lynd 's criticism of him ; " and though it would be almost unthinkable now have a female character in a mainstream film stripped naked and threatened with genital mutilation , that is exactly what happens to Bond in [ the film ] . " So although the film backed off from past criticism of Bond girls being sex objects , " the once invincible James Bond becomes just another joint at the meat market . " This sentiment is shared by the University of Leicester 's James Chapman , author of License to Thrill , who also notes Craig 's Bond is " not yet the polished article " ; he felt his incarnation of Bond is close to Fleming 's because he is " humourless , " but is also different because " Fleming 's Bond did not enjoy killing ; Craig 's Bond seems almost to relish it . " Andrew Sarris of The New York Observer wrote that this particular Bond film is " the very first that I would seriously consider placing on my own yearly 10 @-@ best list . Furthermore , I consider Daniel Craig to be the most effective and appealing of the six actors who have played 007 , and that includes even Sean Connery . " Roger Moore wrote , " Daniel Craig impressed me so greatly in his debut outing , Casino Royale , by introducing a more gritty , unrefined edge to the character that I thought Sean might just have to move over . Craig 's interpretation was like nothing we 'd seen on screen before ; Jimmy Bond was earning his stripes and making mistakes . It was intriguing to see him being castigated by M , just like a naughty schoolboy would be by his headmaster . The script showed him as a vulnerable , troubled , and flawed character . Quite the opposite to my Bond ! Craig was , and is , very much the Bond Ian Fleming had described in the books – a ruthless killing machine . It was a Bond that the public wanted . " So impressed was Moore that he chose to buy the DVD . Raymond Benson , the author of nine Bond novels , called Casino Royale " a perfect Bond film . " However , the film met with mixed reactions from other critics . Rob Gonsalves of eFilmCritic.com gave the film a positive review , but commented , " When you strip the 007 films down for action and ' realism , ' you lose the soul of those old beloved Bond movies – they might as well be Jason Bourne movies . " John Beifuss of The Commercial Appeal said , " Who wants to see Bond learn a lesson about ego , as if he were Greg Brady in his ' Johnny Bravo ' phase ? " Anthony Lane of The New Yorker criticised the more imperfect and self @-@ aware depiction of the character , saying , " Even James Bond , in other words , wants to be 007 . " Though American radio personality Michael Medved gave the film three stars out of four , describing it as " intriguing , audacious and very original ... more believable and less cartoonish , than previous 007 extravaganzas , " he commented that the " sometimes sluggish pacing will frustrate some Bond fanatics . " Similarly , a reviewer for The Sun praised the film for its darkness and Craig 's performance , but felt that " like the novel , it suffers from a lack of sharpness in the plot " and believed that it required additional editing , particularly the finale . Commentators such as Emanuel Levy concurred , feeling the ending was too long , and that the film 's terrorist villains lacked depth , although he praised Craig and gave the film a B + overall . Other reviewers responded negatively , including Tim Adams of The Observer who felt the film came off uncomfortably in an attempt to make the series grittier . In December 2006 , Casino Royale was named the best film of the year by viewers of Film 2006 . The sequence with Craig sporting swimming trunks topped the sexiest male celebrity poll of The Sun , and in 2009 Del Monte Foods launched an ice lolly moulded to resemble Craig emerging from the sea . In 2008 , Entertainment Weekly named it the 19th best film of the past 25 years . = = = Top ten lists = = = The film appeared on many critics ' top ten lists of the best films of 2006 . 1st – Owen Gleiberman , Entertainment Weekly 3rd – Empire 3rd – Marc Moha , The Oregonian 3rd – Stephanie Zacharek , Salon.com 3rd – William Arnold , Seattle Post @-@ Intelligencer 7th – Jack Mathews , New York Daily News 8th – James Berardinelli , ReelViews 8th – Desson Thomson , Washington Post 8th – Michael Phillips , Chicago Tribune 9th – Andrew Sarris , The New York Observer 9th – Stephen Hunter , Washington Post 10th – Michael Wilmington , Chicago Tribune 10th – Mike Russell , The Oregonian = = = Accolades = = = At the 2006 British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards , Casino Royale won the Film Award for Best Sound ( Chris Munro , Eddy Joseph , Mike Prestwood Smith , Martin Cantwell , Mark Taylor ) , and the Orange Rising Star Award , which was won by Eva Green . The film was nominated for eight BAFTA awards , including the Alexander Korda Award for Best British Film of the Year ; Best Screenplay ( Neal Purvis , Robert Wade , Paul Haggis ) ; the Anthony Asquith Award for Best Film Music ( David Arnold ) ; Best Cinematography ( Phil Meheux ) ; Best Editing ( Stuart Baird ) ; Best Production Design ( Peter Lamont , Simon Wakefield ) ; Best Achievement in Special Visual Effects ( Steve Begg , Chris Corbould , John Paul Docherty , Ditch Doy ) ; and Best Actor ( Daniel Craig ) . This made Craig the first actor ever to receive a BAFTA nomination for a performance as James Bond . He also received the Evening Standard British Film Award for Best Actor . Casino Royale won the Excellence in Production Design Award from the Art Directors Guild , and singer Chris Cornell 's " You Know My Name " won the International Press Academy Satellite Award for Best Original Song . The film was nominated for five Saturn Awards — Best Action / Adventure / Thriller Film , Best Actor ( Daniel Craig ) , Best Supporting Actress ( Eva Green ) , Best Writing ( Purvis , Wade and Haggis ) and Best Music ( David Arnold ) . The 2006 Golden Tomato Awards named Casino Royale the Wide Release Film of the Year . Casino Royale was also nominated for , and has won , many other international awards for its screenplay , film editing , visual effects , and production design . At the 2007 Saturn Awards , the film was declared to be the Best Action / Adventure / Thriller film of 2006 . Several members of the crew were also recipients of 2007 Taurus World Stunt Awards , including Gary Powell for Best Stunt Coordination and Ben Cooke , Kai Martin , Marvin Stewart @-@ Campbell and Adam Kirley for Best High Work .

= Womanizer ( song ) = " Womanizer " is a song recorded by American singer Britney Spears for her sixth studio album , Circus ( 2008 ) . It was released on October 3 , 2008 by Jive Records as the lead single of the album . Produced and co @-@ written by Nikesha Briscoe and Rafael Akinyemi of The Outsyders , the song was re @-@ recorded after a snippet was leaked onto the internet . " Womanizer " is an up @-@ tempo electropop and dance @-@ pop song with characteristic sirens and a repetitive hook . Described by Spears as a girl anthem , the song 's lyrics recall a womanizing man , while the protagonist of the song makes clear she knows who he really is . Music critics mostly praised its hook , melody and empowering lyrics . Critics also observed it was a stand @-@ out track from its album and also deemed it as a comeback single for Spears . " Womanizer " was a commercial success , peaking atop of the charts in Belgium , Canada , Denmark , Finland , France , Norway , Sweden and the United States . It also reached the top ten in every country it charted in also receiving several certifications from several countries . In the United States , " Womanizer " was her first single to reach number @-@ one since " ... Baby One More Time " in 1999 . The song broke the record for the highest jump to number one at a time which was later broken by Kelly Clarkson 's " My Life Would Suck Without You " in 2009 . It is also her best @-@ selling digital song in the country , having sold over 3 @.@ 5 million copies . The music video , directed by Joseph Kahn , was created by Spears as a sequel to the music video of " Toxic " . It portrays Spears as a woman who disguises herself in different costumes and follows her boyfriend through his daily activities to expose him in the end . The video also contains interspersed scenes of Spears naked in a steam room , as a response to the attacks she had received over the years about her weight . The video was also nominated for two categories at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards , and went on to win Best Pop Video . The song has been covered by a number of artists from different genres , including Lily Allen , Franz Ferdinand and Girls Aloud . Spears performed " Womanizer " on several television shows including The X Factor and Good Morning America , as well as award shows such as the 2008 Bambi Awards . She has also performed the song at The Circus Starring Britney Spears ( 2009 ) , the Femme Fatale Tour ( 2011 ) and Britney : Piece of Me ( 2013 ) . " Womanizer " received a Grammy nomination in 2010 in the Best Dance Recording category , but lost to Lady Gaga 's " Poker Face " . = = Background = = The song was written and co @-@ produced by Nikesha Briscoe and Rafael Akinyemi of the production team , The Outsyders . Spears recorded main vocals with Brendan Dakora at Glenwood Place Studios in Burbank , California and Bojan " Genius " Dugic at Legacy Studios in New York City . Pro Tools engineering was done by John Hanes , assisted by Tim Roberts . On September 19 , 2008 , a low quality 37 second snippet of the song was posted on the official website of 107 @.@ 5 The River , a radio station in Lebanon , Tennessee . According to Jive Records , a representative of the label played a rough mix of the song for people at the station , who recorded it and leaked it on the Internet . The snippet was later removed from the website . The song was scheduled to premiere on September 23 , 2008 , but the release was delayed when Spears went into the studio to re @-@ record some vocals . The new recordings were done with Jim Beanz and Marcella " Ms. Lago " Araica . The song was finally mixed by Serban Ghenea at MixStar Studios in Virginia . = = Music and lyrics = = " Womanizer " is an uptempo electropop and dance @-@ pop song with dark synths that runs through a dance oriented beat . It has been compared to previous Spears ' songs such as " Toxic " ( 2004 ) and " Ooh Ooh Baby " ( 2007 ) . It is written in the verse – pre @-@ chorus – chorus form . The track opens with its characteristical sirens . According to Ann Powers of the Los Angeles Times , Spears " quick @-@ witted " vocals are similar to the style of The Andrews Sisters . It was also noted by Daily News writer Jim Farber that Spears ' delivery has a " tone of petulance " . After the bridge , Spears sings the chorus one more time and the song ends while the beat drops and Spears sings the " you ’ re a womanizer , baby " hook . The song is set in a 12 / 8 time signature and composed in the key of C ♯ minor with 139 beats per minute . The chord progression in the song is C # m @-@ F # m @-@ E @-@ Eb @-@ D. Lyrically , the song refers to a womanizing man . It has been suggested that the lyrics address Spears ' ex @-@ husband Kevin Federline . = = Critical reception = = Upon release , the song received mostly positive reviews from contemporary music critics . Peter Robinson of The Observer gave the song the maximum five stars referring to it as a " comeback single " and as having a " genius hook " . He added that the song " [ has ] been called lazy , largely by misinformed people who also think that Kylie 's ' la la la 's would have been better with proper words " . Popjustice compared it to " Some Girls " by Rachel Stevens and added " [ The ] track lays a really strong foundation for the fully @-@ realised comeback that didn 't quite happen last time and it 's hard not to think of it as a late contender for single of the year . [ ... ] It 's literally quite good " . Myrddin Gwynedd of The New Zealand Herald said " it 's got hit written all over it " . On the week of November 24 , 2008 , the Derby Telegraph chose it as single of the week . In the album review , Nekesa Mumbi Moody of The Providence Journal said that along with " Shattered Glass " , they were " [ two ] fun disco tracks " . USA Today writer Steve Jones named it one of the standout tracks of the album and commented that " she seems most at ease when she 's playing the teasing tart " . Talia Kraines of the BBC commented that Spears needed more songs like " Womanizer " , saying " Britney 2 @.@ 0 needs to be full of wild dancefloor driven moves " . Simon Price of The Independent commented the song borrows its electronic sound from Goldfrapp . Ann Powers of the Los Angeles Times complimented Spears ' delivery and the lyrics , saying the song is " about the kind of girl power that 's focused on besting one obnoxious man , is also vintage and contemporary at the same time – more feminism as individualism " . Mike Newmark of PopMatters called the song " a meaty , high @-@ voltage shuffler helmed by the Outsyders , who do an admirable job of recreating the chemistry of Spears and Danja on last year ’ s single ' Gimme More ' " . Jim Farber of the Daily News said the pre @-@ chorus was the most repetitive in a pop song since The Shaggs 's " Gimmie Dat Ding " . Jim Abbott of the Orlando Sentinel called it " basically an adult update of her teen @-@ pop tease act " . Ian Watson of Dotmusic wrote that Spears sounded " trapped on this single . Not trapped , as in desperate and distraught , but trapped as in literally frozen – like she 's been placed into a robot on a production line and she has to sing these words , dance these steps , work it like this , until the spotlight snaps off and the factory 's powered down for the night " . The song has been nominated for a Grammy Award in the category of Best Dance Recording on December 2 , 2009 . Spears had previously won the category in the 2005 ceremony for her single " Toxic " . However , it lost to Lady Gaga 's " Poker Face " . = = Commercial performance = = In the United States , the song entered the Billboard Hot 100 at number ninety @-@ six on the issue dated October 8 , 2008 . The following week , the song jumped to number one breaking the records for largest jump to number one and largest jump to any position in the history of the chart , previously held by T.I. ' s " Live Your Life " ( feat . Rihanna ) and Beyoncé and Shakira 's " Beautiful Liar " , respectively . The record was later broken by Kelly Clarkson 's " My Life Would Suck Without You " . It also garnered first @-@ week download sales of 286 @,@ 000 , the biggest opening @-@ week tally by a female artist since Nielsen SoundScan began tracking digital downloads in 2003 , surpassing the record previously held by Mariah Carey 's " Touch My Body " . The record was broken on January 27 , 2010 by Taylor Swift 's " Today Was a Fairytale " . " Womanizer " was Spears ' first number one single since her debut " ... Baby One More Time " in 1999 . On the week of January 3 , 2009 , the song reached number one on the Billboard Pop Songs and number six on Radio Songs . As of July 2009 , " Womanizer " was listed at number thirty @-@ nine in the best selling digital songs of all time , with sales over 2 @,@ 777 @,@ 600 . As of March 2015 , " Womanizer " has sold 3 @.@ 5 million digital downloads in the United States , according to Nielsen SoundScan . It is Spears ' best @-@ selling digital single in the country . In Canada , the single topped the Canadian Hot 100 on October 18 , 2008 , and stayed in the position for five consecutive weeks . " Womanizer " entered the Australian charts on October 13 , 2008 at number sixteen . Three weeks later , it peaked at number five . It shipped over 70 @,@ 000 copies , earning a platinum certification by the Australian Recording Industry Association ( ARIA ) . In New Zealand , the song peaked at number nine on October 27 , 2008 . The song was certified gold according to the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand ( RIANZ ) , selling over 7 @,@ 500 copies . The track debuted at number four in the United Kingdom on November 9 , 2008 and reached its peak position of number three four weeks later . On January 16 , 2009 , it was certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry ( BPI ) , with sales over 200 @,@ 000 copies . According to The Official Charts Company , the song has sold 447 @,@ 000 copies there . " Womanizer " reached the peak in a number of European countries , including Belgium ( Flanders ) , Denmark , Finland , France , Norway and Sweden . It also reached the top ten in Austria , Belgium ( Wallonia ) , Czech Republic , Italy , Spain and the Netherlands . In addition , the track became Spears ' sixth European number @-@ one single . = = Music video = = = = = Development = = = The music video was filmed on September 24 and 25 , 2008 in Los Angeles , directed by Joseph Kahn , who previously worked with Spears for the music videos of " Stronger " and " Toxic " . According to Kahn , Spears pitched him her original concept , which included all the main elements used in the final version . Spears thought of the video as a sequel to " Toxic " , as seen in her documentary Britney : For the Record , whereas Kahn approached it as " a 2008 answer " to the previous clip . He added that , " ' Toxic ' was a crystallization of her career at that time , [ ... ] There are elements and moments of that I felt could [ have been ] improved . [ ' Womanizer ' ] is a bit more fashion @-@ forward " . About how the concept of the video related to their previous work , Kahn commented that " It 's just a great girl fantasy . There are things she 's really good at , like having a really natural knack for knowing what girls want . [ ... ] It 's a much more mature sound and much more mature lyrics , and she always has the greatest ideas . She 's hyper @-@ aware of pop culture " . The costumes and looks for each of the different women were chosen by Spears and Kahn . The scenes in the sauna were suggested by Kahn , as a response to the attacks Spears received over the years about her weight . He stated , " I knew that the whole world would be watching , so I wanted something in there that stated , ' This is Britney , this is why you should respect her ' " . The set was cleared for two hours , leaving her and Kahn alone shooting the sequence . Kahn also decided to end the video with an image of Spears smiling , because " We just needed to tell everybody she 's OK " . A censored version of the music video premiered on October 10 , 2008 on ABC 's 20 / 20 at the end of their show . The uncensored version premiered on MTV the same night . = = = Synopsis = = = The video begins with an opening caption that reads " Womanizer " . During the introduction , Spears is naked and smiling at a sauna , while covering herself with her hands . These scenes are seen throughout the video . When the first verse begins , the official version of Spears wearing a slip nightgown is making breakfast for her boyfriend ( Brandon Stoughton ) as he gets ready for work . When he is at the office , he sees a new secretary , which is actually Spears in disguise wearing horn @-@ rimmed glasses and a pencil skirt . She starts dancing in front of him and sings the chorus . She makes him follow her into the photocopier , where she photocopies her buttocks . On the back , we see an awkward @-@ looking man , the same who appears in the plane scene on " Toxic " . Then , Spears is disguised as a red @-@ haired , tattooed waitress in a restaurant . She dances around him with her dancers and plays with him over the kitchen counter . After this , her boyfriend is seen getting driven home by Spears , disguised as a chauffeur . She starts to kiss him , driving the car with her heel until both get home . Once they get into the bedroom , Spears reveals that she was the three women he was " womanizing " all along . She then begins attacking her boyfriend . This is shown through Spears as her three alter egos , and then as the real version of herself . Spears throws a blanket over her boyfriend and makes the bed . The video ends with Spears smiling , and a repeat of the opening caption . = = = Reception = = = Margeaux Watson of Entertainment Weekly said the video " looks promising . [ ... ] The dancing is stiff and minimal , a disappointment since her moves are her strong suit . But this is a welcome return to the Britney we love – gorgeous , gyrating , greased up , and gamely playing the vamp " . OK ! commented that " in addition to seeing Brit in three different sexy getups , the video [ ... ] features an oiled @-@ up Britney writhing around in nothing but a smile " . Rolling Stone said the video was " a cross between ' Toxic ' and The Office " and added , " she ’ s dancing [ and ] looking like the old Britney " . Courtney Hazlett of msnbc.com claimed " When Spears isn ’ t shown naked and writhing in a steam room , she ’ s fired up " . TV Guide writer Adam Bryant said that " the music video features some of the most strategically placed hands in music @-@ video history [ ... ] [ The ] video is quite a return to form for the troubled pop star " . The music video for " Womanizer " became a worldwide success right after it premiered on the Internet , gaining seven million viewers in less than 48 hours . The music video was listed as the best video of 2008 in polls by MTV and Fuse TV . It won Music Video of the Year at the 2009 NRJ Music Awards . The video was also nominated for Best Pop Video and Video of the Year at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards . It lost the latter category to Beyoncé 's " Single Ladies " , but won Best Pop Video . Womanizer is already VEVOcertified after reach 100 million views on YouTube . = = Live performances = = The song was performed for the first time at the Bambi Awards in Germany , on November 27 , 2008 . For the performance Spears wore hot pants , fishnet stockings and a black top hat . The ensemble was compared to the costume Madonna wore during the first act of her Sticky & Sweet Tour ( 2008 – 09 ) . Spears was also presented with an award for Best International Popstar by Karl Lagerfeld , who said , " I admire you ... not just for your art , but for your energy . [ You are ] coming back not only as a phoenix but as a bird of paradise " . The following night , Spears performed the song at Star Academy , with similar choreography and dance moves but wearing a red strapless dress . On November 30 , 2008 , Spears performed at The X Factor . The performance was watched by over thirteen million UK citizens , making it the most viewed episode in the show ’ s history . On December 2 , 2008 , she performed the song at Good Morning America along with a performance of " Circus " . On December 15 , 2008 , she performed at the Japanese music show Hey ! Hey ! Hey ! Music Champ . The following day , she performed at NTV Best Artist 2008 in a black and gold bra , hot pants and a white top hat . She also sported a fake tattooed heart in her cheek . The song was a major part in The Circus Starring Britney Spears ( 2009 ) , as the encore of the show . After a video interlude of Spears 's music videos set to " Break the Ice " ended , Spears appeared wearing a police officer uniform designed by Dean and Dan Caten , with black sunglasses , a hat with her trademark logo and sequined handcuffs . Her female dancers were also dressed as policewomen , while her male dancers were dressed as criminals . During the performance , she danced and flirted with the male dancers . At the end of the song , she returned to the main stage while her dancers surrounded her and a shower of sparks fell over them . She thanked the audience and bowed to each side of the arena . She left the stage with an instrumental version of " Circus " playing in the background . Jane Stevenson of the Toronto Sun praised the performance for being a standout number in the show . " Womanizer " was also performed at the Femme Fatale Tour ( 2011 ) as the last song of the fourth act . Following " I Wanna Go " , which featured her dancing with members of the audience onstage , Spears performed " Womanizer " while surrounded by her dancers dressed as police officers . Shirley Halperin of The Hollywood Reporter stated that " [ the ] mid @-@ tempo numbers [ ... ] seemed to stall out quickly , where faster offerings like ' Womanizer , ' ' I Wanna Go ' and ' Toxic ' had the sold out crowd jumping in place and pumping their number twos in the air . " Ed Masley of The Arizona Republic called the back @-@ to @-@ back performances of " I Wanna Go " and " Womanizer " " a triumphant double shot of dance @-@ pop greatness . " Keith Caufireld of Billboard said the performance " seemed a bit flat after the crowd @-@ wowing ' I Wanna Go . ' " Spears is currently performing " Womanizer " as the second song for her Las Vegas residency , Britney : Piece of Me at The AXIS theater . She is accompanied by dancers clad in spandex outfits and masks , and walks on their backs . The song was later performed in a greatest hits medley , at the 2016 Billboard Music Awards . = = Cover versions = = " Womanizer " has been covered by many artists from a variety of music genres , as well as a great number of amateurs . Clark Collis of Entertainment Weekly explained that " the song has been covered by other artists with an enthusiasm only matched in recent times by musicians ’ desire to remake Radiohead ’ s ' Creep ' in their own image " . On December 8 , 2008 , New Zealand singer Ladyhawke performed a cover at BBC Radio 1 's Live Lounge . The song was covered by American band The All @-@ American Rejects on the Yahoo ! Music Pepsi Smash show in December 2008 . It was performed in an acoustic version , in which the band members played percussions with beer bottles . The cover also included an excerpt from The Turtles 's " Happy Together " . British singer Lily Allen also covered the song , because " simple really , I love Britney and I love the song " . Her cover was a stripped down version , that according to Nick Levine of Digital Spy , " might provoke those who reckon it doesn 't have much of a chorus to revise their opinion " . Allen also performed the song as the encore during her 2009 tour . French singer Sliimy cover was deemed as an " indie makeover " . He would later be the opening act of the second Paris date at The Circus Starring Britney Spears . On January 13 , 2009 , English singer Ana Silvera covered the song during one of her London concerts . On April 6 , 2009 , Scottish band Franz Ferdinand also covered the song at Radio 1 's Live Lounge . Lead singer Alex Kapranos claimed " It 's been the best song out in the last few months " . It was also covered regularly by them during their 2009 American spring tour . The song was performed live by UK girl group Girls Aloud during their Out of Control Tour , starting April 24 , 2009 . Their version was released on their 2009 live album Out of Control : Live from the O2 . " Womanizer " was also covered by Fall Out Boy , among others . " Weird Al " Yankovic also covered this song for part of the polka medley off his 2011 album Alpocalypse . In the 2012 Glee episode " Britney 2 @.@ 0 " , actors Melissa Benoist , Alex Newell and Jenna Ushkowitz performed a cover of the song . = = Track listings = = = = Credits and personnel = = Backing vocals , Lead vocals : Britney Spears Writers : Nikesha Briscoe , Rafael Akinyemi Producers : K. Briscoe / The Outsyders Mixing : Serban Ghenea Pro Tools editing : John Hanes Mastering : Tom Coyne = = Charts = = = = Certifications = = = = Release history = =

= Caught in a Moment = " Caught in a Moment " is a song by English girl group Sugababes from their third studio album Three ( 2003 ) . It was released in the United Kingdom on 23 August 2004 as the album 's fourth and final single . The song was written by the group 's members in collaboration with Karen Poole , Marius De Vries and its producer Jony Rockstar . " Caught in a Moment " is a downtempo R & B and soul ballad backed by an orchestal musical arrangement , and contains emotive lyrics that explore concepts of melancholy and hopefulness . The track received mixed reviews from critics who were ambivalent towards its balladry . Following its release , the song became the group 's fourth consecutive top @-@ ten hit on the UK Singles Chart , while internationally it peaked within the top forty on the singles charts of Ireland , Hungary and the Netherlands . The music video , which is black @-@ and @-@ white , was directed by Howard Greenhalgh and features the Sugababes ' silhouettes behind a large screen . To promote " Caught in a Moment " , the trio performed it at the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta and as part of the set lists for their tours in support of Taller in More Ways ( 2005 ) , Overloaded : The Singles Collection ( 2006 ) and Change ( 2007 ) . = = Background and composition = = In 2003 , the Sugababes began to work on songs for their third studio album Three ( 2003 ) . They wrote and recorded material in various countries around the world as they performed at festivals such as the Liverpool Summer Pops . " Caught in a Moment " was written by the Sugababes — consisting of Keisha Buchanan , Mutya Buena and Heidi Range — in collaboration with Karen Poole , Marius De Vries and its producer , Jony Rockstar . Pete Craigie recorded the group 's vocals while Tom Elmhirst mixed the song ; both musicians engineered it . " Caught in a Moment " is the album 's fourth and final single , and was released as a CD single in the United Kingdom on 23 August 2004 . It appears on the soundtrack to the 2004 film Wimbledon , and is included on the group 's 2006 greatest hits album Overloaded : The Singles Collection . " Caught in a Moment " is a downtempo R & B and soul ballad , with similar production to the Sugababes ' older ballads " Stronger " and " Too Lost in You " . It was composed in the key of E minor using common time at a tempo of 72 beats per minute , and follows the chord progression of Em — A — D. The song 's instrumentation is provided by bass , guitar , percussion , piano , beats , strings , violins , cello and double bass . The strings are high @-@ pitched and the song is supported by an electronica @-@ infused ambience . " Caught in a Moment " contains emotive lyrics that explore concepts of melancholy and hopefulness . It was compared to the works of girl band All Saints , and English musical group Massive Attack . = = Reception = = = = = Critical response = = = " Caught in a Moment " received mixed reviews from critics . K. Ross Hoffman of AllMusic described the song as " a stirring , string @-@ laden monolith of melody " and commended it as the standout ballad from Three . Dorian Lynskey of The Guardian praised the song as terrific and highlighted its " deep @-@ pile swoon " . Dan Gennoe of Yahoo ! Music wrote that " Caught in a Moment " and " Too Lost in You " are reminders that the Sugababes " handle trip @-@ hop melancholy with the same devastating confidence as their seething club stomps " . Tim de Lisle from Daily Mail acknowledged that while some parts are unoriginal , the song succeeds through its " colossal simplicity " . According to a critic from Entertainment Ireland , " Caught in a Moment " is one of three tracks from the album that displays the group 's " funky vocals and brattish attitude " . A writer for Daily Record described it as a " slow , thoughtful number " with sophisticated sounds . Hot Press magazine 's Phil Udell called the song an elegant ballad , while Shane Murray of RTÉ.ie described it as atmospheric . The song 's balladry was also a focal point for criticism . Writers from the London Evening Standard wrote that " instead of sweeping you up all misty @-@ eyed " like their previously released ballad " Too Lost in You " , " Caught in a Moment " " drifts by a bit inconsequentially " . The Observer 's Kitty Empire was unfavourable of the sound and mature nature of the song , questioning : " Who wants Sugababes to grow up gracefully , into the mini @-@ Gabrielle poses of songs like ' Caught in a Moment ' ? " A writer from Virgin Media criticised the song 's " trudging " balladry and its orchestral backdrop as bland , elaborating : " For a band who 've previously put out some genuinely edgy and confident pop , this is inexcusably forgettable " . A critic from The Scotsman regarded " Caught in a Moment " as a mediocre filler track , while The Independent 's Simon Price considered it insipid . Anna Britten of Yahoo ! Music rated the song five out of ten stars and wrote that it " has all the standard features of your average MOR lady ballad " . = = = Chart performance = = = The song 's first chart appearance was on the 26 August 2004 issue of the Irish Singles Chart , where it debuted and peaked at number 28 . It subsequently became the group 's second lowest @-@ charting single in Ireland to date . " Caught in a Moment " was most successful on the UK Singles Chart , where it debuted at number eight with sales of 11 @,@ 633 copies , and became the Sugababes ' fourth consecutive top @-@ ten hit in the United Kingdom . The song spent seven weeks on the chart . In the Netherlands , " Caught in a Moment " debuted on the Dutch Top 40 chart at number 32 and later peaked at number 30 , while on the Mega Single Top 100 chart , it reached number 46 . The ballad reached number 38 on the Hungarian Dance Chart , and number 56 on the Austrian and Swiss charts . The song spent nine weeks on the German Singles Chart , where it charted at number 71 . = = Music video = = The music video for " Caught in a Moment " was directed by Howard Greenhalgh and filmed in July 2004 . It was reported that during the filming , Buena , Buchanan and Range were experiencing conflicts , refused to speak with each other and would only communicate through intermediaries . According to British newspaper the Daily Star , " the frosty silence between Mutya , Heidi and Keisha , made for a difficult afternoon 's work " . The video is black @-@ and @-@ white , and features Buena and Range in dresses , and Buchanan in a two @-@ piece outfit . It was later included on the group 's DVD release , Overloaded : The Videos Collection . During the video , the group 's members undress and kiss a man behind a large screen . The clips show them seated both individually and as a group , and surrounded by large lights which flash several times . At the time of its release , the video was considered one of the group 's most sexually suggestive videos ; Sky News described it as " their most explicit yet with scenes showing the girls writhing , stripping and kissing in silhouette behind giant screens " . A critic from the Daily Record was favourable of the video and wrote that it " sums up the classy appeal " of the song . It debuted and peaked at number 12 on the UK TV airplay chart . = = Live performances = = The Sugababes performed " Caught in a Moment " on 12 August 2004 at the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta , which is one of Europe 's biggest balloon festivals . The third @-@ line up of the band , consisting of Buchanan , Range and Amelle Berrabah , performed " Caught in a Moment " at the Sheffield City Hall in March 2006 as part of their tour in support of Taller in More Ways ( 2005 ) . According to Dave Simpson of The Guardian , the performance suggested that Berrabah " could trigger an unlikely shift into soul " for the group . The trio performed " Caught in a Moment " at the 100 Club , London on 3 October 2006 as part of a gig , which was in promotion of Overloaded : The Singles Collection . They performed the song as part of the Overloaded tour , and were seated on stools in the centre of the stage . With regard to their performance on 13 April 2007 at the Wembley Arena , London , Ben Rawson @-@ Jones of Digital Spy commented : " Their epiphanic beauty was fully realised with the fragile , emotive nature of Heidi 's voice and Keisha 's powerful singing " . " Caught in a Moment " appeared in the set list for the group 's 2008 Change Tour . According to The Journal 's Kat Keogh , their performance at the Newcastle City Hall " displayed a confident shift from moody pop princesses to sassy Supremes @-@ style harmony " . = = Track listings and formats = = = = Credits and personnel = = Recording Recorded in Mayfair , Strongroom and Metropolis Personnel Credits are taken from the liner notes of Overloaded : The Singles Collection . = = Charts = =

= Infamous ( video game ) = Infamous ( stylized as inFAMOUS ) is an action @-@ adventure video game developed by Sucker Punch Productions and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 3 . The game was released in North America on May 26 , 2009 , in Europe on May 29 , 2009 , in Australia on June 4 , 2009 and in Japan on November 5 , 2009 . In Infamous , the player controls the protagonist Cole MacGrath , a bike messenger caught in the center of an explosion that devastates several city blocks of the fictional Empire City . The explosion sends the city into chaos while Cole finds himself with new electricity @-@ based super powers . Though the game 's story follows Cole using his new abilities to restore some semblance of order to Empire City , the player is given several opportunities to use these powers for good or evil purposes in the game 's Karma system . These choices ultimately affect character growth , the reaction of the City 's populace towards Cole , and finer elements of gameplay and the story . Sucker Punch developed Infamous as a change of pace from their earlier Sly Cooper series of stealth @-@ based games , but using a similar comic book @-@ inspired origin story to help the player become more connected with Cole . The game 's pacing in the introduction of new super powers and ease of movement about the city by unconventional means were critical factors during development . The desolate urban atmosphere was inspired by comics such as DMZ and Batman : No Man 's Land . Amon Tobin was among the artists that helped to compile its soundtrack , which aimed to reflect the environment . The game was well received by the gaming press . It was praised for many of its elements , including the implementation of Cole 's powers and climbing ability , and the game 's content and mission structure . Reviewers commented on the repetitive nature of combat and enemies , limitations of the Karma system , and technical aspects in the graphical display . Infamous was compared to and contrasted with Radical Entertainment 's Prototype , a video game released the following month which had many elements similar to Infamous , including exploration of an open world @-@ style city by a protagonist with superpowers . The game was offered by Sony as a free download as part of their ' Welcome Back ' program , after the 2011 PlayStation Network outage . A sequel , Infamous 2 , was released on June 7 , 2011 . A third game designed specifically for the PlayStation 4 , titled Infamous Second Son , was released worldwide on March 21 , 2014 . = = Gameplay = = Infamous is an action @-@ adventure and open world video game where the player controls Cole and primarily interacts with the world of Empire City through Cole 's newly gained electricity @-@ based powers ; these are used for movement , offense and defense in combat , and either for better or worse in dealing with the citizens of Empire City . In order for Cole to use his powers , he must have stored electrical power , represented by a node meter on the player 's heads up display ( HUD ) . The player can recharge Cole by draining electricity from powered sources or from living beings ; recharging also restores Cole 's health , though if the player stays out of battle long enough , Cole 's health will regenerate over time . The game features seventeen different electrical powers , ranging from simple bolts that do not consume Cole 's energy to wide @-@ field lightning storms that drain most of Cole 's energy . The player can use such powers , giving the player options in certain situations . For example , the player may fire at a generator near foes to cause it to explode and cripple his opponents , then restrain them or fire at the body to kill the enemy . Due to being vivified electricity , Cole is unable to use vehicles , take up weapons , or swim . Cole easily climbs buildings and other structures and can fall a great height without taking damage . Many powers are acquired over the course of the game ; once acquired the player can use experience points , awarded for specific actions , stunts and missions , to increase the power 's effectiveness . The growth of these powers is affected by Cole 's current Karma level . Starting in a neutral position , it ranges from Guardian to Champion to Hero on the Good side , and from Thug to Outlaw to Infamous on the Evil side . Certain actions , such as stopping to help injured citizens or draining their health to restore Cole 's , will affect the Karma level in either direction . Normal story missions may also alter the Karma level . During the game the player will encounter Karma Moments , when the action pauses and the player is told , through a monologue by Cole , of two actions that can be taken , always a good and bad option . For example , one scenario the player is presented with is to either pull a valve and get a spray of tar in his face ( Good ) , or force a civilian to do it for him ( Evil ) . There are also a number of paired Good / Evil side missions in the game ; completing one will lock out the other mission but will reward the player with a large amount of Karma towards their selected Karma goal . Completion of these missions helps gain access to unique super powers based on the Karma level . The player is not locked into choosing either Karma path , and may opt to play towards one extreme and later switch to the other mid @-@ game . Doing so will lock out any purchased power ( s ) in the original chosen Karma sector . In addition to altering Cole 's appearance and certain aspects of the game 's story , Karma also influences the behavior of the citizens of Empire City , they will come to help Cole in battle if his Karma is Good , but will turn on Cole and throw rocks at him if he has Bad Karma . Empire City is built on three islands , and the player must work through main story missions on each island before being able to access the next one , though future missions may require the player to return to an earlier island . Each island is divided into a number of sectors , at the start of the game controlled by three different gangs , the Neon District beiing controlled by Sasha and her Reaper Gang , the Warren District being controlled by Alden and the Dust Men Gang , and the Historic District being controlled by Kessler and the First Sons . The player can undertake a side mission in each sector , once certain main story requirements have been met , to free that sector from gang control , reducing or eliminating the presence of the gang in that sector . Other side missions may also unlock medical stations where Cole will re @-@ awaken should he die . Though Cole must travel on foot he eventually gains powers that allow him to grind along power cables and powered , elevated train rails and to hover for a short time . Scattered around the city are hundreds of ' Blast Shards ' which Cole can collect to increase the amount of electricity he can store . There are 32 ' Dead Drop ' satellite transmitters that help to reveal more of the back @-@ story in the game , all being narrated by John White , or being recordings of Kessler and his experiments . = = Plot = = = = = Setting = = = The game takes place in fictional Empire City ( based on New York City ) , laid across three islands : the Neon District , where many businesses and entertainment venues are located , the Warren , the slum where goods are shipped into and out of the city , and the Historic District , the smallest of the three islands . The districts are connected by bridges , and each district has its own elevated train system . At the start of the game , six blocks of the Historic District are wiped out by an explosion from a bio @-@ electrical device called the Ray Sphere . A plague develops soon afterwards , forcing the government to quarantine the region . In doing so , they block the only bridge to the mainland from the city , causing societal collapse within the isolated city . = = = Characters = = = The protagonist is Cole MacGrath ( voiced by Jason Cottle ) , a bike courier of Empire City who happens to be in the center of the explosion , surviving it and gaining electricity @-@ based super powers . His best friend and fellow courier , Zeke Jedediah Dunbar ( voiced by Caleb Moody ) takes initial refuge from the chaos on the streets at a rooftop pad and becomes both impressed and envious of Cole 's newfound powers . Trish Dailey ( voiced by October Moore ) is a medical student and Cole 's girlfriend at the start of the game , who rejects him after accusing him of causing her sister 's death . Shortly after the explosion , Cole meets with FBI agent Moya Jones ( voiced by Kimberli Colbourne ) , who assigns him missions to complete in Empire City in hopes of finding an agent named John White ( voiced by Phil LaMarr ) who was trapped in the city while investigating a case for another agency when the quarantine was enacted and has left numerous encoded messages on satellite receivers . A rogue VJ , " The Voice of Survival " ( real name Dallas , voiced by Derrick Forget ) , manages to broadcast his conspiracy @-@ laden , panic @-@ provoking messages across the city from a TV station , as well as a legitimate reporter who tries to give the government some PR . As Cole explores the city , he confronts three others with super powers like himself , including Sasha ( voiced by Jessica Straus ) , a scorned lover and former high @-@ ranked member of the First Sons , trying to earn Cole 's romance , and has the ability to use a tar @-@ like plague @-@ inducing substance to control the minds of others . She controls the Reaper gang , ex @-@ drug dealing junkies as Cole put it , of the Neon District . Alden Tate , ( also voiced by Jason Cottle ) son of Richard , the previous leader of the First Sons , and a wizened old man with powerful telekinesis abilities that leads the Dust Men gang in the Warren District under his control . They fight the First Sons , a fraternal organization founded in medieval Europe that operates in the Historic District by Kessler ( voiced by Sam A. Mowry ) , a man with many super powers , controls the First Sons , using them to seek out Cole and the Ray Sphere , the device that caused the explosion in Empire City . = = = Story = = = While the basic story of the game remains unchanged whether the player opts for the " Good " or " Evil " karma path , there are some story elements that change depending on the player 's choice at that time . Cole is instructed by an anonymous customer to deliver a package to a location in the Historic District , and then to open it ; unbeknownst to Cole , the package contains the Ray Sphere , which activates upon opening and wipes out six city blocks . Cole manages to survive the blast and is nursed back to health by his girlfriend Trish , during which he discovers his newfound electricity powers . After stopping members of The Reapers gang from stealing food from a supply drop , the Voice of Survival reveals Cole was responsible for the explosion and the city turns against him , including Trish , whose sister was killed in the blast . Cole and Zeke try to escape the quarantine with Cole 's new powers which results in the army opening fire on them along with a crowd of escapees . Zeke escapes by jumping off the bridge into the harbor and Cole jumps into a container on the side of the bridge and inside meets Moya , a high ranking government agent , who convinces Cole to return to Empire City to seek out the Ray Sphere and her husband John in exchange for Cole and his friends ' release from quarantine . Cole proceeds to follow Moya 's orders , restoring power to the city to be able to fight off the various gangs that have taken over . As he comes to interact with Sasha , Alden , and Kessler , the leaders of each gang , he learns that Kessler displaced Alden from the leadership of the First Sons , an organized crime group , and initiated construction of the Ray Sphere , while rejecting Sasha 's attempts for romance . Cole is able to defeat Sasha and capture Alden , but during a breakout attempt by the Dust Men , Zeke 's own heroism antics allow Alden to go free , much to Cole 's irritation . Later , Cole and Zeke track down Alden , who has recovered the Ray Sphere ; Cole is able to distract Alden long enough for Zeke to recover it . However , Zeke is caught between Alden and Kessler , and realizes that he could gain superpowers himself through the Sphere and activates it , but nothing happens . Kessler knows what went wrong and offers Zeke power in exchange for assistance to fix it . Zeke agrees and departs with Kessler , taking the Ray Sphere with him . Cole is finally able to track down John , but learns that John is neither from the FBI nor Moya 's husband , but instead an undercover NSA agent who assisted in the creation of the Ray Sphere . John explains that the Ray Sphere consumes the bio @-@ energy from those around it and transfers that power to the person holding it , granting them superpowers at the cost of thousands of lives . John urges Cole to help him find and destroy it . Alden goes on a killing spree while heading into the Historic District . After a long battle , Alden is defeated and jumps off the bridge . During the battle , Alden destroys huge sections of the bridge . Cut off from the Warren , Cole goes ahead into the Historic District . As they search for the Ray Sphere , Cole discovers that Kessler has kidnapped Trish along with six other doctors , and forces Cole to choose between saving her or the other doctors . Regardless of the player 's choice , Kessler has arranged for Trish to fall to her death , but is briefly revived by Cole . If the player has good Karma , Trish will be proud of Cole and profess her love , while if the player has bad Karma , she will curse his name with her dying breath . After mourning for her loss , Cole works with John to recover the Ray Sphere ; the player can then opt to either destroy it or use it to further enhance Cole 's powers ( which also gives him red and black electricity ) , but either option causes the Ray Sphere to malfunction , disintegrating John . Once the player chooses their side , they cannot change their Karma level , either being Hero rank ( Good Karma ) or Infamous ( Bad Karma ) . Cole then goes to face Kessler at Ground Zero of the original explosion . As they fight , Zeke appears and tries to intervene but is tossed aside by Kessler . This scene is the last time Zeke is shown in the game . Cole eventually mortally wounds Kessler . Kessler uses his last actions to implant his memories into Cole 's mind , revealing that Kessler is a version of Cole from the future of an alternate timeline . In that timeline , Cole ( as Kessler ) and Trish were happily wed with children , but soon the appearance of an entity known as the Beast plunged their world into chaos . Kessler and Trish fled with their children rather than fight , but after years of running , the Beast eventually caught up to them and killed his family . Kessler realized the only way to stop the Beast would be to use his powers to go back in time and prepare his past self , Cole , for battle against it as it was too late to fight back in Kessler 's time . Kessler seized control of the First Sons from Alden , manipulating then shunning Sasha 's advances due to his past love for Trish , and ordered the construction of the Ray Sphere much earlier than in his timeline . Kessler was also the anonymous customer that directed Cole to use it . Kessler used Trish 's death as a means of making sure Cole could choose the impossible in the battle with the Beast . After Kessler dies from the battle , Cole declares his hatred for Kessler , and says he will be ready when the Beast arrives . The ending of the game depends on the player 's Karma . If the player 's Karma is good , Empire City continues to rebuild itself , while still idolizing Cole as its savior . However , Cole realizes that he can never lead a ' normal ' life again due to the city 's dependence on him , and laments that he has " never been more alone " , citing his growing estrangement with Zeke and his severed ties with Moya . If the player 's Karma is evil , Empire City has fully slid into chaos . The sky is red , people are dying in the streets , and Cole recognizes himself as the strongest person alive . Declaring Kessler an idiot for thinking he would use his powers for the greater good , he then laughs at the idea of using them to fight The Beast . Once the storyline is finished , the player can continue to gain XP and collect Blast Shards . = = Development and release = = Infamous was developed by Sucker Punch Productions , with a team of 60 people working for about three years . Though they could have opted to request the necessary funds from Sony to increase the team size and finish the game in two years , producer Brian Fleming noted that Sucker Punch 's iteration @-@ based development approach worked better with a smaller team size . Infamous came during the end of the development for Sly 3 : Honor Among Thieves as the team began to look towards their next game . After spending the last six years on the same stealth game genre with the Sly Cooper games , they wanted to make something that was more " brazen and loud . " However , as fans of the " comic book " motif , they decided to develop it in the direction of a superhero game , working with the idea of an origin story that would allow the player to experience the growth of the character . Fleming stated that with the slower development time , they knew they needed to develop the game for the PlayStation 3 and that the work needed to complement their previous game , akin to how Shigeru Miyamoto 's The Legend of Zelda series contrasted his earlier Mario series . They also sought a project that would allow them to become familiar with the new PlayStation 3 hardware but had enough commonalities to allow them to bring their previous work on the Sly Cooper series forward . Director Nate Fox stated that much of the inspiration of the superhero story came from two DC Comics series , DMZ and Batman : No Man 's Land . Both center on a city after a large disaster . The series also inspired the crafting of the game 's grim take on the superhero genre . Fox further stated that the film Batman Begins was an inspiration for the game . However , any correlation to DC Comics ' Static Shock was unintentional . Fox considered his own personal involvement in the Seattle WTO riots of 1999 as influencing the reflection of " spending time in a lawless place " within the game . Grand Theft Auto III was also stated as an influence , in that the team could easily see themselves as superheroes in the open world of Liberty City ; similarly , Spider @-@ Man 2 was used as a model to demonstrate what it would be like to move about the city and answer random requests for help alongside regular missions . The character of Cole was created to be a " kind of an everyman " so that players could then " get into the headspace of what it would be like to be a real human being who has been granted these exceptional abilities " . The team also avoided giving Cole an alter @-@ ego or outfitting him with a costume as it would not have reasonably fit in with the character or the game 's story . The story and cut scene animations were created in @-@ house . The plot was originally written by Fox , who had also written most of the Sly Cooper stories , and reviewed by Fleming . As they continued to develop the game , they rewrote pieces of the story to reflect changes in the game , making sure that the story remained enjoyable . As the game became more complex , they brought in Bill Harms , a published comic book author , who had previously written for Supreme Commander and other video games . Harms assisted with the story and in @-@ game dialog in addition to marketing materials . Fleming noted that the second half of the story underwent significant changes in the last nine months of development ; for example , when voice actor Caleb Moody voiced the lines for Zeke , he ad libbed additional lines that the team found to be enjoyable , and they reworked the story to incorporate them . The cut scenes were created in a similar format to the comics that the game was influenced by , and used to further extend the atmosphere of the superhero motif . The cut scenes were created by taking 2D art created in Corel Painter and Adobe Photoshop and placing them into artificial 3D stages built in Adobe After Effects to create a pseudo @-@ 3D effect that allowed them to play with camera placement and effects , and addition of organic elements such as dust clouds and ink spots . Darren Bridges , a developer for Sucker Punch , noted that they wanted to make Infamous about " becoming a modern @-@ day superhero " , stressing the word " becoming " as the key motivator to show the growth of Cole from a simple bike messenger to someone with god @-@ like powers . This led to instilling a " sense of progress " and growth of the character in all aspects of the game including the story , the progression of the player 's powers , and the variation and difficulty in the enemies that the player faced . The team initially brainstormed on what powers that the lead character had , but selected electricity @-@ based powers for two primary reasons . First , the power translated well to a video game context , as it would be easy to conceptualize the aspects of electrical @-@ based powers in terms of video game concepts such as ranged combat . Secondly , electrical @-@ based powers could then be tied to the city that the player would explore , requiring the player to use the city 's electricity as fuel , and thus developing a " real relationship with the city " . Initially , the game was more free @-@ form , allowing players to purchase new powers at any point during the game , but the developers found it difficult to create a challenging game on that basis , particularly as they could not design missions calling for specific powers that the player may not have at that time . This evolved into the scheme of presenting new powers to the player over the course of the game , with the developers created guiding rules for which powers were ultimately included in the game and when : the power had to be useful and add something unique to the game , the player would need a chance to use that power immediately after they got it , and the power would need to be enjoyable to use . The team employed frequent reviews of when these powers were introduced to the player as other gameplay elements were added to the game . Not all powers were necessarily offensive ; the " postcognition " power , allowing the player to see the psychic echo of a dead person of where they were before their death , was added as the team found there was an element of fun in tracking the echo through the crowded city . Some powers were cut from the game . One power , gained through the Evil karma path , was called " Minionize " , and would have allowed Cole to control the minds of civilians and force them to join him in battle . Although the power was " decidedly evil and very fun to watch " , the team felt it wasn 't useful to the game , though they managed to retain a hint of it in one of the Evil side missions . Though the team had tested each of the core missions individually with the powers that the player would have based on the game 's storyboard , they found that play @-@ testers , who played the missions back @-@ to @-@ back , found the game lacked a variety of combat situations . The developers revisited all the combat scenarios from this feedback to alter the combat layouts as well as adding new enemies , a step that Bridges believes the game " benefited greatly " from . The ability to use Cole 's electrical powers to ride along Empire City 's elevated train rails was a last @-@ minute addition during the last month of development based on a play @-@ tester 's suggestion . Empire City was designed to marry with Cole 's new @-@ found superpowers . The city was built with a " crime ecosystem " , where petty crimes or calls for help were always occurring outside of the main story , requiring the player to decide to stop to help or not to resolve them . A portion of the team was devoted to implementing the behavior of the citizens of the city and how that behavior would change as the state of the city altered due to the player 's actions . Climbing buildings was considered to be an important aspect of the game , both as part of the superhero motif and because it was considered " fun to do " , and Sucker Punch set out to make the whole city climbable . Many details of every building have been modeled to allow the player to climb the buildings , " down to the last window frame , lighting sconce and storefront " , however , Fox noted that getting the climbing system " just right " was the most challenging aspect of development . One employee was dedicated to making sure the entire city was climbable . Fleming noted that during Infamous 's development , both Crackdown and Assassin 's Creed , two games with alternative takes on the climbing aspect , were released ; the team felt that each of the games ' climbing systems had their own strengths and weaknesses . To reflect the nature of change of the city as the player interacts with it — either restoring power or taking it away — the developers created a " deferred shading " rendering engine that would render the effects of moving and damaged light sources . The Karma system in the game came about as a result of the team wanting to include the " judicious use of power " within the game . Fox commented that they wanted to lead the player along a path of doing the harder tasks believing that these actions were the right things to do . However , without the contrast of " evil " tasks that were simpler to complete , there would be no means of motivating the player to be a " selfless hero " . The team wanted to encourage players to think about the results of not only large decisions — Karma moments in the game where Cole thinks of which option to select — but also every moment @-@ to @-@ moment action , such as considering the presence of civilians in the area around a battle . They arranged for the first major use of Cole 's powers to turn the city 's inhabitants against him , to encourage players to consider both sides . In this mission , Cole is given the option to keep a drop @-@ supply of food for himself or to give it to the people ; they found that most players would give it to the people , but very shortly after this event , the population turns against Cole due to evidence linking him to the explosion , forcing the player to run or to attack them . Fox compared the Karma dichotomy to the differences in styles of Batman versus the Punisher ; the former using precision attacks to avoid harming innocents while the latter would hurt anything in his path to complete his goal . To that end , they designed the powers in the game to reflect this nature ; powers acquired with Good Karma would be more precise while Evil Karma powers were more destructive . = = = Downloadable content = = = On December 10 , 2010 , the " Gigawatt Blade " which had previously been available only as a preorder incentive - was made available on the North American PlayStation Store as a free download . It was released in Europe on January 25 , 2010 . In the downloadable version of the game , they are packaged in . The Gigawatt Blade allows players to deal heavy amounts of damage with a melee attack . The shape and the color of the blade depends on your Karma , blue being good and red being evil ( red and black if the Ray Sphere is activated ) . Once activated , you can use it on an enemy for one hit , usually killing them instantly . It has 3 upgrades that are available in the Powers Store in the game , that can be spent using XP , each upgrade increasing the damage dealt . = = = Marketing = = = In March 2009 , Sony Computer Entertainment America released a trailer titled " The Beauty of Powers " , which was later released on the PlayStation Store . Early copies of Infamous included a multiplayer beta voucher for the then upcoming Uncharted 2 : Among Thieves . The beta started on June 3 . Anyone who preordered Infamous from GameStop received an exclusive code for the Gigawatt Blades Power , and those who preordered from Amazon.com received a special Reaper costume for PlayStation Home , while those who downloaded the Infamous demo from the PlayStation Store and beat it received a Cole costume for PlayStation Home on June 18 , 2009 . Pre @-@ orders from GameCrazy and Best Buy stores came with an early demo released on May 7 . Redeem codes were sent via email to several Oceanic PlayStation Network users on May 14 . The demo , which includes four missions , was made available to everyone else on 21 May . Infamous was released May 26 , 2009 in the United States . It was released May 29 , 2009 in Europe and on June 4 , 2009 for Australia and New Zealand . In July 2009 , Sucker Punch Productions released an Infamous themed space in the PlayStation 3 's online community @-@ based service , PlayStation Home . This space is modeled after and called the " Abandoned Docks of Empire City " , and includes a mini @-@ game based on zapping Reapers with leaderboard tracking and clothing reward items , and a graffiti wall that allows players to create their own graffiti . The Infamous Home space is the first to broadcast media from the game 's developer . Outso developed the Infamous Game Space for Sucker Punch Productions . Two Sackboy outfits for LittleBigPlanet , representing both the good and evil Cole , are available as an expansion pack for that game . Good and Evil version of Cole and Zeke appear as downloadable content for the multiplayer mode of Uncharted 2 : Among Thieves . Cole appears as a guest character for the PlayStation Vita and PlayStation 3 version of Street Fighter X Tekken . Good and Evil Cole appear as playable characters in the PlayStation 3 title PlayStation All @-@ Stars Battle Royale . Infamous – along with Infamous 2 and Infamous : Festival of Blood – was released on August 28 , 2012 as part of the Infamous Collection under Sony 's line of PlayStation Collections for the PlayStation 3 . In 2012 , Sony Computer Entertainment America released the Infamous Collection to be bundled with a 250 GB PlayStation 3 , Uncharted : Drake 's Fortune , Uncharted 2 : Among Thieves , a PlayStation Plus 30 day free trial , and the entirety of the Infamous 2 DLC . = = = Audio = = = The soundtrack is composed by the electronic musician Amon Tobin , composers James Dooley and Mel Wesson , and electric cellist Martin Tillman , under the direction of Sony 's music manager , Jonathan Mayer . Tobin was specifically brought on board due to his recent trend of blurring the lines between music and sound design as exhibited in his then @-@ recent album , Foley Room . Instead of using traditional instruments , the team sought to use sounds that results from objects that would be found in an urban environment and using such objects in combination with other instruments used in non @-@ traditional manners ; for example , bungee cords were strung alongside a bass drum and strummed , and wire brushes were hit against a suspended tuba . The music was divided between Tobin , who worked on the in @-@ game music , and Dooley who worked on the music for the cinematics ; the two worked together to make sure common musical themes were present in both aspects . Tillman was brought in late to the process to add the cello sounds , but the group was so impressed with his work that they remixed already @-@ completed pieces to incorporate his contribution further . Manchester music group , Working for a Nuclear Free City were commissioned by Sony to produce a song for the game . The song was penned " Silent Melody " and was used in one of the game 's promotional trailers . The soundtrack was released for digital download from the iTunes Store in May 2009 . = = Reception = = The game was overall well received by game critics . Greg Miller of IGN considered the title to be " one of the best PlayStation 3 games to date " . Core to the game 's success , according to reviewers , were the basic mechanics of the game . Giant Bomb 's Brad Shoemaker considered that Sucker Punch had " nailed the basic gameplay elements " , tying all the various aspects of the game together . The mixture of Cole 's powers with the Karma elements of the game were also praised . The powers and Karma system were seen to bring difficult choices to how the player approach battles . Both sides of the Karma system were considered to be fun to play . The mission structure was considered a strong asset of the game . According to X @-@ Play 's Matt Kiel , the missions forced the player to consider the full extent of Cole 's powers through their difficulty but provided " generous " checkpoints to prevent too much frustration with the game . Reviewers cited the variation in side missions and how they related to the main story as positive aspects of the game . The presentation of Empire City was also considered to be a significant factor of the success of the game . The climbing and grabbing aspect was considered well done and avoided a " frustration @-@ fest " that other games with precision jumping generally bring about , according to Miller . However , some reviewers noted that Cole 's climbing ability was too touchy , with the character grabbing onto ledges too greedily , making it difficult to fine @-@ tune jumps . In combination with Cole 's other powers , Miller cited the game as having the " most original city @-@ traversal mechanics " for an open @-@ world game . The behavior of the city 's population and how that was affected by the player 's choice in Karma was also seen as a positive , and as a constant reminder of the game 's setting . The game 's story , particularly in the second half of the game , was considered to be strong , enhanced by presentation of the cut @-@ scenes . However , the quality of these scenes was seen to negatively highlight the poor animation used for in @-@ game generated cut @-@ scenes and the quality of the voice work ; Miller considered Cole 's voice to be too gravelly for the character . The initial hours of the game , before the player started to acquire some of the more potent powers , were considered to be difficult and may be off @-@ putting to some . Tom Bramwell of Eurogamer noted the remainder of the game continues to have some difficult sections , such as sections where the player must defend a moving target against a large number of foes , and considered these to be " repetitive and overlong " . Bramwell further commented that the electrical powers in the game are simply electricity @-@ based reimaginings of standard video game weapon archetypes , such as shotguns and sniper rifles , and , with this awareness , leaves the difficulty of the game up to the enemy placement during encounters . The game is also considered to be rough around the edges in technical execution , with the lack of anti @-@ aliasing and occasional " pop @-@ in " rendering , as well as drops in frame rates when there was a significant amount of action on the screen . Infamous was released a few weeks before Radical Entertainment 's Prototype , a game with many similar concepts including a character finding himself with super powers , a large open @-@ world environment that can be traveled by climbing up buildings and gliding about the city , and several other comparisons . This led many game critics to compare and contrast the games . In his sarcastic Zero Punctuation review of Prototype , Ben " Yahtzee " Croshaw ( who had initially praised Infamous as " huge , creative and fun , " ) compared the two games point for point , and determined that he could not tell which was the better game , and challenged the respective studios to " produce the best image of the rival game 's main character wearing a women 's bra " as a tiebreaker . To his surprise , both development teams rose to the challenge , producing said images , and forcing Croshaw to call it a near @-@ tie , edging out in favor of Infamous , though still noted that , like their games , both images created independently were nearly equal in the assets that they included . This rivalry highlighted the advantages and disadvantages of exclusivity over a multiplatform release . Gaming analysts Jesse Divnich had this to say " Due to near identical game play and quality scores , the Infamous vs. Prototype case study presents interesting data to publishers when considering the sales bump a title could receive by choosing exclusivity over a multiplatform release . " Infamous was released at the end of May , and the game sold 175 @,@ 900 copies in the United States on its opening week , recorded in May 2009 sales according to the NPD Group , and sold 192 @,@ 700 copies in the United States over the month of June 2009 , the 10th highest @-@ selling game that month . In June 2010 , Game Informer stated Infamous sold nearly two million copies . IGN awarded Infamous Best Story , and Game of the Year and Best Acting at the 2009 Golden Game Awards . Infamous was also nominated for four other Golden Game Awards , including Best PlayStation 3 Game , Best Graphics , Best Independent Game , and Studio of the Year . On September 4 , 2010 , Infamous was ranked fifth in " The Top 25 PlayStation 3 Games " of IGN , stating that " when Infamous was released on PlayStation 3 in the spring of 2009 , it quickly became clear that this was unlike any sandbox game anyone had ever played " .

= Zaharije Ostojić = Zaharije Ostojić ( Serbian Cyrillic : Захарије Остојић ; 1907 – April 1945 ) was a Montenegrin Serb military officer who served as the chief of the operational , organisational and intelligence branches of the Chetnik Supreme Command led by Draža Mihailović in Yugoslavia during World War II . He was a major in the Yugoslav Royal Air Force prior to the Axis invasion of Yugoslavia , and was involved in the coup that deposed Prince Paul of Yugoslavia on 27 March 1941 . After the coup , he escorted Prince Paul to exile in Greece , and was in Cairo at the time of the invasion in April . In September 1941 , he was landed on the Italian @-@ occupied Montenegrin coast along with a British Special Operations Executive ( SOE ) liaison officer and two companions . He escorted the SOE officer to the Territory of the Military Commander in Serbia and introduced him to the Yugoslav Partisan leader Josip Broz Tito then Mihailović . Ostojić soon became Mihailović 's chief of staff , and after the German attempt to capture the Chetnik leader during Operation Mihailović in December 1941 , brought the Chetnik Supreme staff to Montenegro where they were re @-@ united with Mihailović in June 1942 . During the remainder of 1942 , Ostojić launched a counter @-@ attack against Ustaše troops of the Independent State of Croatia returning to the eastern Bosnian town of Foča where they were expected to continue their genocidal anti @-@ Serb policies . As many as 2 @,@ 000 local Muslims were subsequently killed in the town by forces under Ostojić 's command . Ostojić later oversaw large @-@ scale massacres of civilians and burning of Muslim villages in the border region between Montenegro and the Sandžak . While the Chetniks were an anti @-@ Axis movement in their long @-@ range goals and did engage in marginal resistance activities for limited periods , they also carried out almost throughout the war a tactical or selective collaboration with the occupation authorities against the Partisans . The Chetnik movement adopted a policy of collaboration with the Axis powers , and engaged in cooperation to one degree or another by establishing modus vivendi or operating as auxiliary forces under Axis control . This was demonstrated in late 1942 and early 1943 , when Ostojić planned and oversaw the Chetnik involvement in the large Axis anti @-@ Partisan offensive Case White alongside Italian troops . In 1944 , he became a leader of the Chetnik forces in Herzegovina , and along with Dobroslav Jevđević was involved in attempts to come to terms with the Allied forces . In late 1944 , as the Partisans tightened their grip on the country and the Soviet Red Army captured Belgrade , he re @-@ joined Mihailović in northeastern Bosnia but they could not agree on what course of action to take . Ostojić , along with Chetnik leaders Pavle Đurišić and Petar Baćović and Chetnik ideologue Dragiša Vasić decided to move west to the area of the Ljubljana Gap in modern @-@ day Slovenia where other friendly forces were concentrating . In early April 1945 , faced with attacks by the Partisans and the Armed Forces of the Independent State of Croatia ( HOS ) along their route , the combined Chetnik force was defeated by HOS forces in the Battle of Lijevče Field , after which Ostojić was captured by the Ustaše in an apparent trap . According to some sources , he was killed in the Jasenovac concentration camp alongside Đurišić , Baćović and Vasić . = = Early life = = Zaharije Ostojić was a Montenegrin Serb , and was born in 1907 in the village of Gluhi Do , near the Adriatic seaport of Bar in the Principality of Montenegro . He joined the Yugoslav Royal Air Force and prior to the outbreak of World War II had risen to the rank of major . Little else is known of Ostojić 's early life , but his sister was married to Royal Yugoslav Army Brigadier General Ljubo Novaković . = = To Cairo and back = = After the outbreak of World War II , the government of Regent Prince Paul of Yugoslavia declared its neutrality . Despite this , and with the aim of securing his southern flank for the pending attack on the Soviet Union , Adolf Hitler began placing heavy pressure on the Kingdom of Yugoslavia to sign the Tripartite Pact and join the Axis . After some delay , the Yugoslav government conditionally signed the Pact on 25 March 1941 . Two days later a bloodless coup d 'état deposed Prince Paul and declared 17 @-@ year @-@ old Prince Peter II of Yugoslavia of age . Ostojić was involved in the coup through his close relationship with one of the main instigators , the commander of the Yugoslav Royal Air Force Brigadier General Borivoje Mirković . Ostojić escorted Prince Paul to exile in Greece and then traveled on to Cairo . Following the subsequent German @-@ led invasion of Yugoslavia and the Yugoslav capitulation 11 days later , Ostojić remained in Cairo until he was selected to join a combined British – Yugoslav Special Operations Executive team which was to infiltrate into occupied Yugoslavia and make contact with resistance groups . The other members of the team were Captain Bill Hudson , a fellow Yugoslav Air Force officer , Major Mirko Lalatović , and a radio operator . They flew from Cairo to Malta on 13 September 1941 , before being landed from the British submarine HMS Triumph on the Montenegrin coast near Petrovac between 20 and 22 September 1941 . They quickly came into contact with Montenegrin Partisans , including Milovan Đilas and Arso Jovanović , who escorted Hudson and Ostojić to Partisan @-@ held Užice in the Territory of the Military Commander in Serbia . While Hudson familiarised himself with the Partisans , Ostojić went on to Mihailović 's headquarters at Ravna Gora , but after briefing Mihailović went back to escort Hudson to Ravna Gora , arriving there on 25 October . When he first arrived at Ravna Gora , Ostojić had delivered a message to Mihailović from the War Minister of the Yugoslav government @-@ in @-@ exile , Bogoljub Ilić , assuring him of the official support of the government @-@ in @-@ exile , but stating that " a rebellion would not be tolerated " . Ostojić also told Mihailović that the communists had taken control of Montenegro . Ostojić and Lalatović then assumed senior staff positions in Mihailović 's supreme command headquarters . = = Move to Montenegro = = After Mihailović went on the run in early December 1941 in the wake of Operation Uzice , Operation Mihailovic and the split with the Partisans , Ostojić maintained a small headquarters consisting mainly of the intelligence branch , which remained close to Mihailović and his small personal staff as he moved around the Rudnik mountain area during the remaining winter months of 1941 – 42 . Mihailović eventually made his way to Montenegro , where he arrived in June 1942 . Ostojić , Hudson and other officers joined him soon after , travelling through Italian @-@ held towns by truck disguised as troops of the Nedić regime . In a directive letter dated 30 July 1942 , Ostojić urged all Chetnik commanders to " develop the strongest possible oral and written propaganda " . He stated that , " the people must be persuaded that the Chetniks are their only friends and that it is from them that they can expect freedom and a happy life " and instructed the Chetniks to " work day and night and maintain the spirit of the people " . He wrote , " the hour of freedom is near . Allied aid for the Chetniks is assured , and the whole world is admiring them . " In August , he launched a counterattack against Ustaše troops returning to Foča as the Italians withdrew their garrisons from the hinterland . The Chetniks feared the Ustaše were about to unleash another round of genocidal violence on the Serb population in the area . At least 2 @,@ 000 local Muslims were subsequently killed in Foča by forces under Ostojić 's command . In November 1942 , Ostojić was encouraged by Mihailović to wage a campaign of terror against the Muslim population living along the borders of Montenegro and the Sandžak , and subsequently reported that Chetniks had destroyed 21 villages and killed about 1 @,@ 300 people . Between 30 November and 2 December 1942 , Ostojić represented Mihailović at the Conference of Young Chetnik Intellectuals of Montenegro at the village of Šahovići near Bijelo Polje in the Sandžak , which was also attended by Đurišić . The conference was dominated by Đurišić and its resolutions " expressed extremism and intolerance " , as well as an agenda which was focused on restoring the pre @-@ war status quo in Yugoslavia implemented in its initial stages by a Chetnik dictatorship . It also laid claim to parts of the territory of Yugoslavia 's neighbors . = = Operation Weiss = = A few weeks after the conference , Mihailović sent Ostojić to establish a forward headquarters in Kalinovik in south @-@ eastern Bosnia . Ostojić was to command an operation aimed at encircling and destroying Partisan forces in Bosnia , which was to utilise Chetnik units serving as Italian auxiliaries in Herzegovina and Montenegro , as well as other Chetnik units in the Lika region , northern Bosnia and northern Dalmatia . The plan was predicated on an Allied landing on the Dalmatian coast , which Mihailović believed was imminent . The outline concept was that the Chetniks would set up a corridor through the Italian occupied zone of the NDH as far as the Partisan liberated area in western Bosnia and Lika , neutralising the Italians through a combination of vague promises , encouraging them to surrender , and disarming them if necessary . The plan was finalised by early December 1942 at Mihailović 's headquarters in Montenegro , and operations were planned to commence on 5 January 1943 . However , the plan assumed that Mihailović 's forces were unified , which they were not , and also that his authority extended to many more Chetniks than it did in reality . However , what transpired instead was that the Chetniks that were preparing for the " march on Bosnia " were drawn into closer collaboration with the Axis during the second phase of Case White that took place in the Neretva and Rama river valleys in late February 1943 . During this offensive , between 12 @,@ 000 and 15 @,@ 000 Chetniks fought alongside Italian forces , and in one case alongside German and Croatian troops against the Partisans . Despite the fact that the Chetniks were an anti @-@ Axis movement in their long @-@ range goals and did engage in marginal resistance activities for limited periods , their involvement in Case White is one of the most significant examples of their tactical or selective collaboration with the Axis occupation forces . In this instance , the participating Chetniks operated as legalised auxiliary forces under Italian control . Ostojić believed that it was actions such as these that would cost the Chetniks the support of the Allies , and he wrote to Mihailović that the Allies would probably have supported the Chetniks had they been more involved in fighting the occupation . Ostojić told Mihailović that his officers also held this view , and proposed that Chetnik collaboration be reconsidered . However , upon receiving Ostojić 's message , Mihailović did not even consider changing his strategy . The plan that Ostojić drew up called for the Chetniks to remain south of the Neretva to avoid being outflanked by the Partisans . However , this essentially defensive strategy was rejected by Herzegovinian Chetnik commanders such as Dobroslav Jevđević and Bajo Stanišić , who wished to follow the Axis @-@ led offensive strategy . This placed Ostojić in a very difficult position , with some of his key detachment commanders following the orders of the Italians rather than his , while the Chetniks were reliant on Italian air and artillery support , particularly around Jablanica . Ostojić subsequently changed his mind and supported the Italian offensive plans , launching an attack against the Partisans retreating from Jablanica to Prozor on 27 February 1943 . The attack was indecisive and Ostojić reprimanded the detachment commanders responsible , particularly Stanišić . During this phase Ostojić first asked Jevđević to obtain more supplies from the Italians , and then when they refused , threatened to declare war on them . By early March , just as the Partisans were forcing a crossing of the Neretva at Jablanica , Mihailović joined Ostojić . In a letter to one of his other Montenegrin Chetnik commanders , Mihailović stated that he was managing the whole operation through Ostojić , although Mihailović later denied that he was in charge of the operation when questioned during his trial by a Partisan court after the war . Mihailović and Ostojić realised that the large concentrations of Chetnik troops in and around Mostar and the nearby bauxite mines were likely to draw German attention , and while they were focused on this issue , the Partisans forced a crossing of the Neretva . Within a week of Mihailović 's arrival the Partisans had successfully crossed the Neretva , and within another week they had forced the Chetniks to withdraw , losing Nevesinje then Kalinovik to the Partisans before the end of March . During the fighting , Chetnik commanders had been ill @-@ disciplined and had failed to cooperate , causing Ostojić to threaten them with courts martial and summary execution . Mihailović ordered Ostojić to pull the Chetniks back towards positions on the line of the Drina – Piva rivers , some 80 – 90 kilometres ( 50 – 56 mi ) southeast of Jablanica . By this point the Chetniks had suffered heavy losses , and the Partisans broke through the combined Italian – Chetnik defence line in early April . In a report dated November 1944 , Colonel S.W. " Bill " Bailey , the senior British liaison officer with the Chetniks during the war , stated that both Ostojić and Major Vojislav Lukačević had been very critical of Mihailović 's " foolhardy , though brave , tactical handling " of Chetnik forces during Case White , which had " contributed largely to the failure of operations " . However , Ostojić himself did not possess the necessary authority with his subordinate commanders , had been unable to cope with the rapidly changing situation , had adopted an unpopular and ineffective defensive strategy , and had then blamed the detachment commanders for the Chetnik failures . = = 1943 – 1944 = = In July 1943 , the Montenegrin Partisan leader Đilas contacted both Ostojić and Baćović to establish their willingness to work jointly against the Axis occupiers , given that a new government @-@ in @-@ exile was about to be established without Mihailović . They reported this contact to Mihailović who threatened to exclude them from his Chetnik organisation if they maintained contact with the Partisans . By September 1944 , Ostojić had been promoted to lieutenant colonel , and was the Chetnik area commander in eastern Bosnia . In early September 1944 , as Mihailović had been removed as Minister of the Army , Navy and Air Force with the demise of the Purić government @-@ in @-@ exile , Ostojić tried to make contact with Allied forces in Italy , and agreed with Lukačević to issue a proclamation to the people explaining that they were going to attack the Germans . After 12 September 1944 , when King Peter called for all in Yugoslavia to rally around Tito , he and Baćović warned Mihailović that their men were losing their will to fight the Partisans . Concerned that the Russians would hand the Chetniks over to the Partisans , he then contacted the United States Office of Strategic Services ( OSS ) liaison officer with the Chetniks , Colonel Robert H. McDowell , but was unable to arrange for the Chetniks to be placed under American command . = = Retreat and death = = After the fall of Belgrade on 20 October 1944 , Mihailović and a force of a few hundred of his Chetniks withdrew from Serbian territory , crossed the Drina and based themselves in the Majevica mountain area north of Tuzla in north @-@ eastern Bosnia . Ostojić , who was commanding Herzegovinian Chetniks , was joined by Đurišić and his Montenegrin Chetniks and together they withdrew towards Mihailović . From the time he joined Mihailović in northeastern Bosnia , Đurišić was very critical of Mihailović 's leadership , and argued strongly for all the remaining Chetnik troops to move to the area of the Ljubljana Gap in modern @-@ day Slovenia . At this point Ostojić and Baćović were also questioning Mihailović 's plans . When Mihailović remained unconvinced , Đurišić decided to move to the Ljubljana Gap independent of Mihailović , and arranged for Dimitrije Ljotić 's forces already in the Ljubljana Gap to meet him near Bihać in western Bosnia to assist his movement . When he left Mihailović , he was joined by Chetnik ideologue Dragiša Vasić and the Chetnik detachments commanded by Ostojić and Baćović as well as a large number of refugees . In order to get to Bihać , Đurišić made a safe @-@ conduct agreement with elements of the Armed Forces of the Independent State of Croatia ( HOS ) and with the Montenegrin separatist Sekula Drljević . The details of the agreement are not known , but it appears Đurišić , Ostojić and Baćović and their troops were meant to cross the Sava river into Slavonia where they would be aligned with Drljević as the " Montenegrin National Army " with Đurišić retaining operational command . The Chetniks however , appear to have tried to outsmart the HOS forces and Drljević by sending their sick and wounded across the river , but retaining their fit troops south of the river , after which they began moving them westwards . Harassed by both the HOS troops and Partisans , they reached the Vrbas river , which they began to cross . In the Battle of Lijevče Field , north of Banja Luka , the combined Chetnik force was badly beaten by a strong HOS force which possessed German @-@ supplied tanks . Following this defeat and the defection of one of their sub @-@ units to Drljević , Đurišić was induced to negotiate directly with the leaders of the HOS forces about the further movement of the Chetniks towards the Ljubljana Gap . However , this appears to have been a trap , as he was attacked and captured by them on his way to the meeting . According to the historian Professor Jozo Tomasevich , exactly what occurred after his capture is not clear , but Baćović , Đurišić , Vasić , Ostojić were subsequently killed , along with some Serbian Orthodox priests and others . According to some sources , on 20 April , Đurišić , Baćović , Vasić and Ostojić were taken to the Stara Gradiška prison , near Jasenovac . The Ustaše gathered them in a field alongside 5 @,@ 000 other Chetnik prisoners and arranged for Drljević and his followers to select 150 Chetnik officers and non @-@ combatant intellectuals for execution . Đurišić , Baćović , Vasić and Ostojić were amongst those selected . They and the others were loaded onto boats by the Ustaše and taken across the Sava River , never to be seen again . It is reported that they were killed either in the Jasenovac concentration camp itself , or in a marsh in its vicinity . The website of the Jasenovac Memorial Site says Ostojić was killed at the camp by the Ustaše in 1945 . The location of Ostojić 's grave , if any , is unknown . Both the NDH forces and Drljević had reasons for ensnaring Đurišić . The NDH forces were motivated by the mass terror committed by Đurišić on the Muslim population in Sandžak and southeastern Bosnia while Drljević was opposed to Đurišić 's support of a union of Serbia and Montenegro which ran counter to Drljević 's separatism . = = = Books = = = = = = Journals = = = = = = Websites = = =

= New Brighton Tower = New Brighton Tower was a steel lattice observation tower at New Brighton in the town of Wallasey , Cheshire ( now in the Borough of Wirral , in Merseyside ) , England . It stood 567 feet ( 173 m ) high , and was the tallest building in Great Britain when it opened some time between 1898 and 1900 . Neglected during the First World War and requiring renovation the owners could not afford , dismantling of the tower began in 1919 , and the metal was sold for scrap . The building at its base , housing the Tower Ballroom , continued in use until damaged by fire in 1969 . The tower was set in large grounds , which included a boating lake , a funfair , gardens , and a sports ground . The sports ground housed , at different times , a football team , an athletics track and a motorcycle speedway track . The Beatles played at the Tower Ballroom 27 times , more than at any other venue in the United Kingdom except the Cavern Club in nearby Liverpool . = = Location = = In 1830 , James Atherton purchased much of the land at Rock Point , in the north @-@ east corner of Wallasey opposite the city and docks of Liverpool . He renamed it New Brighton and organised its development as a tourist destination . In July 1896 a new group , the New Brighton Tower and Recreation Company , with a share capital of £ 300 @,@ 000 , purchased the estate of the demolished Rock Point House . Their ambition was to create an observation tower in the grounds , designed to rival the Blackpool Tower , while using the remaining grounds to create a more " elegant " atmosphere . The New Brighton Tower and Recreation Company had more than 20 acres ( 8 @.@ 1 ha ) of land available to construct the tower , which enabled them to include more attractions than at Blackpool Tower . = = Construction = = The company Maxwell and Tuke , who had designed Blackpool Tower buildings and Southport Winter Gardens , was responsible for overseeing and supervising the project , despite the deaths in 1893 of the company founders , James Maxwell and William Charles Tuke . The excavations and laying of the foundations for the tower were contracted to William Clapham of Stockport . The primary contractor for the tower was Andrew Handyside and Company , based in Derby . The ground breaking happened on 22 June 1896 , before the formation of the new company , completion of land purchase and announcement of contracts on 26 July 1896 . The construction of the steel lattice tower started in July 1897 and was completed some time between 1898 and 1900 , 10 years after the Blackpool Tower had been finished . The grounds were opened before then for a short period in 1897 however . New Brighton Tower was the tallest building in England , standing 567 feet ( 173 m ) tall , and 621 feet ( 189 m ) above sea @-@ level . A total of 1000 tons ( 1 @,@ 016 @,@ 047 kg ) of mild or low @-@ carbon steel was used , at a cost of £ 120 @,@ 000 , in contrast to the earlier Blackpool and Eiffel towers , both constructed using wrought iron . The building below the New Brighton Tower , which was to contain the ballroom , was constructed by Peters and Sons of Rochdale . It was a four @-@ storey red @-@ brick building with arched windows and hexagonal , copper @-@ domed turrets . A series of accidents during the tower 's construction resulted in the deaths of six workmen and serious injury to another . Two of the men , Jonathan Richardson and Alexander Stewart , were killed when a crane hook snapped and a girder fell and hit the scaffold platform on which they were standing , causing them to fall to the ground . A third man , John Daly , suffered serious injuries . The other four were killed in separate incidents by falling off the tower structure . A fire on the tower at 172 feet ( 52 m ) in 1898 resulted in the death of a fire @-@ fighter from the New Brighton Fire Brigade . He fell 90 feet ( 27 m ) while walking along a beam 6 @-@ inch ( 150 mm ) wide to try and extinguish the flames . = = Tower building = = New Brighton Tower regularly advertised itself as " the highest structure and finest place of amusement in the Kingdom " . A single entrance fee of one shilling ( or a ticket for the summer season , costing 10s 6d ) was charged for entrance into the grounds , which included the gardens , the athletic grounds , the ballroom and the theatre . An additional charge of sixpence was levied on those who wished to go to the top of the tower . There was a menagerie within the building , containing Nubian lions , Russian wolves ( which had eight cubs in 1914 ) , bears in a bear pit , monkeys , elephants , stags , leopards and other animals . There was also an aviary above the ballroom . The Tower Building also contained a shooting gallery and a billiard saloon with five tables . Maxwell and Tuke clothed the entertainment buildings in hard @-@ wearing , red Ruabon brick with terracotta and stone dressings , and the plan of the buildings was octagonal , with the Tower , also built on an octagonal plan , at its centre . The roofline of the three @-@ to @-@ four @-@ storey building was dramatic , as four corners of the octagon were emphasised by tall pavilions with steeply pitched roofs topped by cupolas = = = Tower = = = The tower had four lifts , each capable of reaching the top in 90 seconds and conveying up to 2000 people an hour . The views from the top included the Liverpool skyline , the River Mersey estuary and the River Dee . On a clear day visitors could see across the Irish Sea to the Isle of Man , along with views of the Lake District and Welsh Mountains . In its first year the tower attracted up to half a million visitors to the top . At night the tower was illuminated by fairy lights . On 7 September 1909 two visitors were left stranded at the top of the tower as the final lift car of the night descended without them . The woman and twelve @-@ year @-@ old child were not noticed during the final round of inspection and so , without a way to communicate with anyone on the ground , they spent the night on the tower until 10 am the following morning . They did not appear too concerned by the ordeal and left without giving their names to officials . = = = Tower Ballroom = = = The ballroom had a sprung floor and dance band stage . It could accommodate more than a thousand couples dancing and had a separate area for couples to learn the dances before taking to the main floor . It was decorated in white and gold with emblems of Lancashire towns , and had balcony seating for spectators . The composer Granville Bantock was enlisted as musical director in 1897 at the ballroom to provide music each weekday for six hours of ballroom dancing . To begin with , as the tower was being erected , he was in charge of a " semi @-@ military band " that played outdoors with the fear that the tower might fall upon him and his players . Bantock is quoted as saying , " The noise of the riveting of the tower while we were playing ... reminded me of the anvil music in Das Rheingold " . Bantock often played for the workmen during their lunch breaks , when they could frequently be heard saying , " play it again , guv 'nor " . Soon , Granville had a full orchestra at his disposal , so he convinced the management committee to allow him to give classical concerts on Fridays and Sundays . He then embarked on advanced concerts of new composers , as well as his own works . As he had difficulty finding time to practice these works , Bantock used afternoon sessions , in which he was supposed to play dance music , to rehearse his classical pieces . When the classical pieces spread to the afternoon programme , the management felt it was not commercially viable to continue the concerts . After three years at the tower , Bantock was appointed Principal of the School of Music at Birmingham and Midland Institute . The composer Edward Elgar conducted his Enigma Variations at the New Brighton Tower Ballroom in 1898 , the second time he performed the piece . In 1900 he conducted Tchaikovsky 's Pathétique symphony at New Brighton Tower . The interior of the ballroom was completely destroyed by fire in 1956 , but it was restored in its original style and reopened two years later . On 10 November 1961 , The Beatles played for an audience of 4 @,@ 000 people at the New Brighton Tower Ballroom as the headline act of a five @-@ and @-@ a @-@ half @-@ hour concert named Operation Big Beat . Rory Storm and the Hurricanes , Gerry and the Pacemakers , Remo Four and Kingsize Taylor and the Dominoes also performed at the concert . The Beatles played at the venue 27 times , commemorated in a blue plaque erected in New Brighton in 2011 . The only British venue The Beatles played at more often was the Cavern Club . Little Richard and the Rolling Stones also performed at the Tower Building . = = = Tower Theatre = = = On 30 May 1898 the Tower Theatre was opened , sited between the legs of the tower . Capable of accommodating an audience of 2 @,@ 500 , it was the largest theatre in England outside London . Each season at the theatre was different ; some years it would show a play or an opera , others it would focus on variety acts such as magicians , comedians and lion tamer Mademoiselle Marguerite , with her seven lions . Wrestling was hosted at the theatre as early as 1903 , and had become a weekly event by 1937 . When the Americans occupied the site during the Second World War they used the Tower Theatre to show their own roadshows to the troops . = = Grounds = = The tower 's grounds were enclosed by iron railings , and throughout the gardens the roads and paths were illuminated with 30 @,@ 000 red , white and green fairy lights at night . The tower 's grounds had a band stand , a dancing platform , a fountain , seal pond and tennis courts . The gardens were separated into wooded areas , rockeries and flower beds . There was a lake in the grounds , which had a 130 @-@ foot ( 40 m ) water chute and gondolas with Venetian gondoliers . There were also a number of venues providing refreshments , including a Japanese restaurant that could cater for up to 700 people , the Parisian Tea Garden , the Rock Point Castle restaurant , which could accommodate 400 people , and an Algerian café . At the grounds of the tower there was a large permanent funfair , with rides including Figure of Eight , Wall Of Death , Donkey Derby , The Himalayan Switchback Railway and The Caterpillar . To give easy access from the promenade entrance to the tower , a chair lift was introduced . In 1898 – 99 an acrobat named Hardy performed for a season at the tower without a safety net and often without a balancing pole on the high wire 100 feet ( 30 m ) above the dancing platform . = = = Tower Athletic Ground = = = An area was set aside within the grounds for athletics , aptly named the Tower Athletic Ground . It consisted of a stadium opened in 1896 ; the hope was to provide additional entertainment for visitors to the tower in the winter months . The capacity of the grounds varied , but at one point was as high as 100 @,@ 000 , although attendances rarely , if ever , approached that figure . The New Brighton Tower and Recreation Company formed a football team , New Brighton Tower F.C. , and applied for membership to the Lancashire League . The team joined at the start of the 1897 – 98 season and promptly won the league . The club then applied for election to the Football League . Although they were initially rejected , the league later decided to expand Division Two by four clubs and New Brighton Tower were accepted . They carried on playing until 1901 when the company disbanded the team as they did not gain the fan base they were hoping for and so it was no longer considered financially viable . The Tower Athletic Grounds was a multi @-@ purpose stadium and ground that could be laid out for athletics field events . The field was encircled by an athletics track surrounded by a banked cycle track , which hosted the World Cycling championships in July 1922 . It was the biggest sporting and motorcycling track in the North of England . In 1933 , the athletics track was replaced for use every Saturday by motorcycle speedway racing . Disaster struck the motorcycling in 1911 when T. Henshaw 's bike struck six spectators at around 50 miles per hour ( 80 km / h ) . This left Henshaw with serious fractures and one woman with a severe brain injury . In another incident on 18 May 1959 five people were injured while watching a motorcycling stunt when a 10 @-@ foot ( 3 @.@ 0 m ) wide section of stands collapsed , causing the spectators to fall 15 feet ( 4 @.@ 6 m ) to the ground . On 15 May 1919 a fire destroyed the grandstand . During the Second World War the United States Army took over the Tower Athletic Grounds as a storage facility for military vehicles to be used in the invasion of France . Following the war the stadium was reopened as the home ground for New Brighton A.F.C. , whose Sandheys Park had been requisitioned for housing . They sold it to the Wallasey Housing Corporation in 1977 . = = = Exhibitions = = = In 1900 , New Brighton Tower athletic grounds boasted the UK 's first visit from a group known as The Ashanti Village , in which 100 West African men , women and children re @-@ created an Ashanti village , produced and sold their wares and performed " war tournaments , songs [ and ] fetish dances " . Although they had arrived , delays meant that they were not set up in time for Whitsun the traditional start of the summer season . As was common at fairgrounds of the time , there was a Bioscope exhibition showing the latest wartime pictures to audiences of up to 2 @,@ 000 . In the summer of 1907 there was a Hale 's Tours of the World exhibition in the tower 's grounds , consisting of short films shown in a stylised railway carriage with sound effects and movements at the appropriate times . = = Closure = = The tower was closed in 1914 following the outbreak of the First World War , for the duration of which the steel structure was not maintained and consequently became rusty . During the war the government made unsuccessful attempts to buy the tower for its metal . Controversy still surrounds the decision to dismantle the tower after the war ended ; some still believe the structure was safe and could have been repaired . Demolition began in 1919 and by 1921 only the ballroom remained . The metal was sold to scrap dealers . On 5 April 1969 the ballroom was destroyed by fire , the cause of which is unknown . In place of the tower 's grounds , including the athletics ground and stadium , a new housing estate was built , River View Park , which has a community football pitch and swing park . In 1997 Wirral Council made an unsuccessful bid for Millennium funding to build a new tower in New Brighton .

= Constitution of New Jersey = The Constitution of the State of New Jersey is the basic governing document of the State of New Jersey . In addition to three British Royal Charters issued for East Jersey , West Jersey and united New Jersey while they were still colonies , the state has been governed by three constitutions . The first was issued on July 2 , 1776 , shortly before New Jersey ratified the United States Declaration of Independence and the second was issued in 1844 . The current document was issued in 1947 and has been amended several times . The state constitution reinforces the basic rights found in the United States Constitution , but also contains several unique provisions , such as regulations governing the operation of casinos . At 26 @,@ 159 words , the document is slightly shorter than the average American state constitution ( about 28 @,@ 300 words ) . = = Previous versions = = Three fundamental documents had governed the territory now known as New Jersey . The first was the Concession and Agreement , which was written in 1665 by the colony 's proprietors Lord John Berkeley and Sir George Carteret , and included a provision granting religious freedom . After Berkeley and Carteret sold New Jersey to the Quakers , the colony was split into West and East Jersey . Each had its own constitution : the West Jersey Constitution ( 1681 ) and the East Jersey Constitution ( 1683 ) . The two were reunited in 1702 by Queen Anne . New Jersey 's first state constitution was adopted on July 2 , 1776 . The American Revolutionary War was underway and George Washington had recently been defeated in New York , putting New Jersey in imminent danger of invasion . With Patriot and Tory factions plotting and battling each other , New Jersey was a state at war and was nearly a state at civil war . Composed in a span of five days and ratified only two days later , during this state of emergency , on July 2 , 1776 , the New Jersey State Constitution reflects the turbulence and uncertainty of the moment . Its primary objective was to provide a basic governmental framework that would preempt New Jersey 's fall into anarchy . And yet this Constitution served as the charter document for the State 's government for the next 68 years . Among other provisions , it granted unmarried women and blacks who met property requirements the right to vote . It did not specify an amendment procedure and had to be replaced entirely in a constitutional convention . The succeeding constitution , adopted on June 29 , 1844 , restricted suffrage to white males . It separated the government 's powers into judicial , legislative , and executive branches and granted the people ( as opposed to the legislature ) the ability to elect a governor . It also formally limited state debt , a predecessor of many contemporary " debt ceiling " clauses . The constitution was amended in 1875 , mainly to conform to the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments . Additionally , the state 's amendments required that the legislature provide for a free public school system . = = Current constitution ( 1947 ) = = = = = Preamble = = = We , the people of the State of New Jersey , grateful to Almighty God for the civil and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy , and looking to Him for a blessing upon our endeavors to secure and transmit the same unimpaired to succeeding generations , do ordain and establish this Constitution . = = = " Rights and Privileges " = = = Article I , as is usual for constitutions , establishes the rights and freedoms inherent people and relevant operation of the government . The rights discussed in this Article largely mirror the Constitution of the United States . Such rights include freedom of speech , a speedy and public trial , and religious freedom . Article I also contains a Victims ' Bill of Rights . The article is a de facto enumeration of the rights of the common man ; Article I , Section I , Paragraph 21 deliberately states : This Article is similar to the U.S. Constitution 's enumeration of rights . Similar to the U.S. Bill of Rights , the document also still has " holdover " rights , or rights left over from fear of Britain during the Revolutionary War . These passages still do guarantee important rights to New Jerseyans , but violations are not necessarily common . Such rights include : = = = " Elections and Suffrage " = = = Article II lays out dates for elections of the Governor , the Lieutenant Governor , and members of the New Jersey Legislature . It establishes the qualifications necessary for voting and states the right of suffrage may be removed from certain convicted criminals . The process of absentee balloting is instituted , as well as the structure of voting by people currently in military service . The New Jersey Redistricting Commission is established , and the distribution of selection of its 13 members is discussed , who are to represent the " geographic , ethnic and racial diversity " of the state . The method of appointment of New Jersey Redistricting Commission members ensures the minority party which lost the general election prior to the census will have the upper hand in redistricting the state . Along with the other 12 appointed members , there is one " independent " member , who is to not have held office within the past five years . He is chosen by the other twelve members , yet is automatically the chairman of the Commission . On the occasion that the twelve members may not reach a decision , the Commission picks two ( which assumes there are two dominant parties which have their favorites ) and sends them to the New Jersey Supreme Court . A majority of the court ( 4 of 7 ) then picks the one that " by education and occupational experience , by prior public service in government or otherwise , and by demonstrated ability to represent the best interest of the people of this State . " = = = " Distribution of the Powers of Government " = = = The sole content of Article III is the statement regarding separation of powers . The three branches ( executive , judicial , and legislative ) are created and defined . No individual can be affiliated with more than one unless the Constitution explicitly allows it . Before the constitution was amended , a vacancy in the Governor of New Jersey would be filled by the president of the New Jersey Senate , who would retain their Senate seat . = = = " Legislative " = = = Article IV establishes the bicameral New Jersey Legislature , composed of 40 in the Senate and 80 in the General Assembly , and their apportionment amongst the state . The Apportionment Commission is created within the Legislature to modify the proration of legislative districts on a rolling basis , following every United States Census . It also creates the requirements for office , and the roles of the Senate and General Assembly . This includes the judging of elections , the selection of officers , a journal of proceedings , and the inability to adjourn for a period of greater than three days without the consent of the other house . This article also allows the Legislature to appoint commissions , committees , and other bodies to help perform the functions of the Legislature . Regulations regarding members of the Legislature , including singularity of employment . This is the law that no senator or member of the General Assembly can hold any other Federal or State position , and also cannot be a judge . Further topics are discussed , including bills , agencies , subdivisions , and emergencies . A negative enumeration of legislative powers is included within the article . Among this list of powers denied are granting divorces , gambling ( with obvious exceptions ) , and passing omnibus acts . Although the phrase omnibus acts is never formally used in this document , the actual wording skirts around the phrase : Finally , an oath / affirmation is included that is required by members and officers of the Legislature before the person enters upon his / her duties . = = = " Executive " = = = Article V enacts the executive branch . It also sets out the terms of office for the governor and lieutenant governor , the succession of future governors , and the process of gubernatorial elections . The Governor is given total authority over clemency except in cases of impeachment . This is to bar him from pardon in his own impeachment , or disturbing cases of treason . His clemency powers extend to the ability to suspend and remit fines and forfeitures . The system of granting parole is provided by law . The " militia " is created , or what is now the National Guard . Regulation regarding nominations and appointments of generals and flag offices is described . The executive and administrative offices , departments , and instrumentalities of the State government are placed under the supervision of the Governor . The Governor has the ability to appoint the Secretary of State and the Attorney General with the consent of the New Jersey Senate , though he also can appoint the Lieutenant Governor to serve as Secretary of State without consent of the Senate . He can also start inquiries into the conduct of officers and employees . = = = " Judicial " = = = Article VI creates the Judicial branch , and permits the establishment , alteration , and abolishment of any court other than the Supreme Court of New Jersey . Under the State Constitution , " ' judicial power shall be vested in a Supreme Court , a Superior Court , County Courts and inferior courts of limited jurisdiction . ' " The Supreme Court is New Jersey 's appellate court of last resort . " By constitutional mandate , the Court consists of a Chief Justice and six associate justices , with five members constituting a quorum . " Article VI , Section II , Paragraph 3 provides that , " The Supreme Court makes its own rules governing the administration of all State courts ' and , subject to law , the practice and procedure of all such courts . ' " The State Constitution renders the New Jersey Superior Court , Appellate Division the intermediate appellate court , and " [ a ] ppeals may be taken to the Appellate Division of the Superior Court from the law and chancery divisions of the Superior Court and in such other causes as may be provided by law . " " The trial divisions of the Superior Court are the principal trial courts of New Jersey . They are located within the State 's various judicial geographic units , called ' vicinages , ' R. 1 : 33 @-@ 2 ( a ) , and are organized into two basic divisions : the Chancery Division and the Law Division " of the New Jersey Superior Court . The Governor 's power to appoint and nominate the judges of the Supreme and Superior Courts , with the consent of the Senate , is established . He may also nominate and appoint , with the consent of the Senate , judges of the inferior courts whose jurisdiction is only within one municipality . The term of office of Justices and Judges , including their retirement ages and pensions , is stated . Impeachment of Justices and Judges is also legalized , and their inabiling of powers until acquitted . During their term , the judges are restricted to one public office and may not practice law outside the state government . The powers of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court are enumerated . Terms specifying costs of the facilities and materials used by the Justice Department are listed . = = = " Public Officers and Employees " = = = Article VII involves the public officers and employees , including appointment / nomination , compensation , promotions , affirmations , and powers . The role of officers in the state government is discussed . Before the officer enters the duties of office , the officer must subscribe an oath . Appointments for officers are based upon merit , fitness , and examinations . Fees are paid to the New Jersey State Treasury . The term of office for an officer commences on the day of the date of their commissions . The Auditor , who has a term of five years , is to be appointed by the New Jersey Senate and New Jersey General Assembly . The rest of the section details the duties of the State Auditor and the nomination / appointment of county prosecutors , county clerks , surrogates , and sheriffs . County prosecutors are nominated and appointed by the Governor . The term of office for county clerks and surrogates is five years , and for sheriffs three years . Impeachment and the process by which impeachment occurs are discussed : A state officer may be impeached while in office or for two years after leaving office . The impeachment process is similar to that of the Federal level : an absolute majority in the lower house ( the General Assembly ) against the employee causes a trial to take place in the upper house ( the State Senate ) with the Chief Justice presiding . Unlike the Federal process , the oath necessary to participate in the impeachment sessions is specified and requires the senators to " truly and impartially " address the charge as a reminder that they are exercising more judicial functions . ⅔ of the votes , or 27 votes , are needed to convict , but the President of the Senate is excluded from the trial , so the required percentage is slightly higher than ⅔ of 40 . The maximum penalty is removal from office with disqualification to hold further state office . However , the impeachment does not count towards the restriction on double jeopardy ; after being convicted by the senate , a person could then be tried by the judiciary and punished further . If this crime was listed according to Article II , Section I , Item 7 , the offender can be disenfranchised . = = = " Taxation and Finance " = = = In Article VIII , taxation is created . It states the Legislature 's duty to create laws " to provide the value of land " and the uniformity of these rules . Taxing of lands of agriculture is discussed , as well as taxation regulations regarding the re @-@ use of agricultural land for different purposes . Tax exemption is legalized , including the continued tax exemptions carried over from the previous constitution . Alteration or repeal of tax exemption is allowed , provided that the real or personal property is not used for " religious , educational , charitable or cemetery purposes , as defined by law , and owned by any corporation or association organized and conducted exclusively for one or more of such purposes and not operating for profit . " Tax exemptions regarding the honorably discharged and exemptions for senior citizens who live in apartments and may / may not be disabled are discussed . Pensions , disability , and retirement programs for federal railroad workers , or any state employees are described . Surviving spouses of deceased citizens , besides exceptions , are entitled to tax deductions . This article also restricts any citizen from receiving more than one tax deduction . The Legislature 's right to instantiating a homestead statue is discussed . General laws enacted by legislature which permit municipalities to grant tax exemptions on buildings in blighted urban areas are legalized , with exceptions relating to the deduction 's permanence . Income taxes are banned unless the revenue is placed into a specific perpetual fund , or if the taxer is receiving payments from the Federal Railroad Retirement Act , or similar . The credit of the state is barred from being publicly or privately loaned . Any fiscal year plan which creates more than one percent debt and / or liabilities is banned . The voting on such plans in public elections is banned , as well as the creation of debt or liabilities " for purposes of war , or to repel invasion , or to suppress insurrection or to meet an emergency caused by disaster or act of God . " Taxation of motor vehicle fuel , and the funds the moneys are deposited in are discussed ; the appropriation of moneys from the Sales and Use Tax Act are defined . A council of local mandates is created , and regulation regarding the appointment of the members for this body . Some moneys from the Corporate Business Tax Act are directed to the General Fund . The appropriation of moneys to the remediation of hazardous discharges and buildings that hold hazardous substances or public water supplies are discussed . A General Fund is created , as well as the distribution of moneys into and from it . The " clearance , replanning , development or redevelopment of blighted areas " is made a public and state duty . The redevelopment of any of these properties is permitted to be completed by municipal , public , or private corporations . The continuing of appropriation of moneys to the corporation that completes the redevelopment after its completion is banned . A free public school system is created , as well as a busing system . The appropriation of moneys into the public school system fund is legalized . The lands that are tidal or were within forty years ago are protected from riparian claims . = = = " Amendments " = = = Article IX involves amendments to the New Jersey state constitution . A potential amendment is submitted through the Senate or General Assembly . The amendment is voted upon by both of the houses . If it gathers at least three @-@ fifths of both the Senate and the General Assembly , the amendment is to be submitted to be voted upon by the people of New Jersey . If a majority votes for the amendment , the amendment is passed on the thirtieth day after the vote . It also explains how the amendments are submitted to the people , i.e. , all amendments are to be voted upon separately . = = = " General Provisions " = = = Article X contains involves miscellaneous final addenda . Paragraph 1 states that " the seal of the State shall be kept by the Governor , or person administering the office of Governor , and used by him officially , and shall be called the Great Seal of the State of New Jersey . " The seal 's design and the state flag are not mentioned . Paragraph 2 provides for the salutation and protocol of giving grants and commissions . Paragraph 3 states that that " All writs shall be in the name of the State . All indictments shall conclude : " against the peace of this State , the government and dignity of the same . " Paragraph 4 provides for a rule of construction that words such as " person " and all pronouns include both sexes . Paragraph 5 provides that the effective date of the Constitution is January 1 , 1948 , " except as herein otherwise provided . " = = = " Schedule " = = = Article XI , the schedule , is the list of amendments to the Constitution in order of their addition . Sections I through IV , were adopted with the rest of the constitution . They lay out the process of supersession . The others were adopted as individual amendments . The Article orders the Legislature to pass all laws necessary for the activation of the new constitution . Existing instruments of government , contracts , officers , and judgments are continued unless they are expired , superseded , altered , or repealed . This is to prevent application as an ex post facto law or violation of the Contract Clause , both prohibited by the United States Constitution . The new legislature members are elected , and the process of election , term , and rotation are created . The members may be appointed to offices of government , likely new ones created at the behest of Article XI , Section I , Paragraph 2 . The remaining sections are the amendments . For reasons unknown , this constitution has never been directly updated since its adoption . The amendments are enumerated in this Article . Essentially , this section of the article records the development of the constitution through amendments . Such amendments include the abolishment of the New Jersey Court of Errors and Appeals and Chancery , transferring the cases before them and offices under the other courts , such as the New Jersey Supreme Court . The requirement of the Federal Supreme Court that the apportionment of all state legislatures be by population is stated . It mainly consists of an interim list of districts and the number of Senators they can elect until the next United States Census comes around and is received by the Governor . It also contains provisions for apportioning ten districts of the lower house . If it is deadlocked , the Chief Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court will appoint an 11th and then the vote is by absolute majority . It was passed on election day , 1966 , but was first applied on January 17 , 2006 . This was superseded in 1995 by Article II , Section II . It took effect on December 7 , 1978 . Section VII , the final section of this constitution , was passed in a referendum on November 8 , 2005 , and takes full effect at noon , January 19 , 2010 , following the transfer of power to the next executive . = = Criticisms = = The New Jersey State Constitution has been criticized , mainly for its disorganized succession plan , as seen following Jim McGreevey 's resignation . Senate President Richard Codey assumed command , and since he legally held both positions , he temporarily had more power than any other governor in the country , being the head of both Executive and Legislative branches . An amendment was later passed to prevent the possibility of Executive and Legislative conflation in the future . The constitution has also been denounced for its unorganized composition . Paragraphs traditionally in Article I , e.g. , the banning of ex post facto laws , are in Article IV " Legislative . "

= Galileo Galilei = Galileo Galilei ( Italian pronunciation : [ ɡaliˈlɛːo ɡaliˈlɛi ] ; 15 February 1564 – 8 January 1642 ) was an Italian astronomer , physicist , engineer , philosopher , and mathematician who played a major role in the scientific revolution of the seventeenth century . He has been called the " father of observational astronomy " , the " father of modern physics " , and the " father of science " . His contributions to observational astronomy include the telescopic confirmation of the phases of Venus , the discovery of the four largest satellites of Jupiter ( named the Galilean moons in his honour ) , and the observation and analysis of sunspots . Galileo also worked in applied science and technology , inventing an improved military compass and other instruments . Galileo 's championing of heliocentrism and Copernicanism was controversial during his lifetime , when most subscribed to either geocentrism or the Tychonic system . He met with opposition from astronomers , who doubted heliocentrism because of the absence of an observed stellar parallax . The matter was investigated by the Roman Inquisition in 1615 , which concluded that heliocentrism was " foolish and absurd in philosophy , and formally heretical since it explicitly contradicts in many places the sense of Holy Scripture . " Galileo later defended his views in Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems , which appeared to attack Pope Urban VIII and thus alienated him and the Jesuits , who had both supported Galileo up until this point . He was tried by the Inquisition , found " vehemently suspect of heresy " , and forced to recant . He spent the rest of his life under house arrest . While under house arrest , he wrote one of his best @-@ known works , Two New Sciences , in which he summarized work he had done some forty years earlier on the two sciences now called kinematics and strength of materials . = = Early life and family = = Galileo was born in Pisa ( then part of the Duchy of Florence ) , Italy , in 1564 , the first of six children of Vincenzo Galilei , a famous lutenist , composer , and music theorist , and Giulia Ammannati . Galileo became an accomplished lutenist himself and would have learned early from his father a scepticism for established authority , the value of well @-@ measured or quantified experimentation , an appreciation for a periodic or musical measure of time or rhythm , as well as the results expected from a combination of mathematics and experiment . Three of Galileo 's five siblings survived infancy . The youngest , Michelangelo ( or Michelagnolo ) , also became a noted lutenist and composer although he contributed to financial burdens during Galileo 's young adulthood . Michelangelo was unable to contribute his fair share of their father 's promised dowries to their brothers @-@ in @-@ law , who would later attempt to seek legal remedies for payments due . Michelangelo would also occasionally have to borrow funds from Galileo to support his musical endeavours and excursions . These financial burdens may have contributed to Galileo 's early fire to develop inventions that would bring him additional income . When Galileo Galilei was eight , his family moved to Florence , but he was left with Jacopo Borghini for two years . He then was educated in the Camaldolese Monastery at Vallombrosa , 35 km southeast of Florence . = = = Name = = = The surname Galilei derives from the given name of an ancestor , Galileo Bonaiuti , a physician , university teacher and politician who lived in Florence from 1370 to 1450 ; his descendents had changed their family name from Bonaiuti ( or Buonaiuti ) to Galilei in his honor in the late 14th century . Galileo Bonaiuti was buried in the same church , the Basilica of Santa Croce in Florence , where about 200 years later his more famous descendant Galileo Galilei was also buried . It was common for mid @-@ sixteenth century Tuscan families to name the eldest son after the parents ' surname - hence , Galileo Galilei was not necessarily named after his ancestor Galileo Bonaiuti . The Italian male given name " Galileo " ( and thence the surname " Galilei " ) derives from the Latin " Galilaeus " , meaning " of Galilee " , a biblically significant region in Northern Israel . The biblical roots of Galileo 's name and surname were to become the subject of a famous pun . In 1614 , during the Galileo affair , one of Galileo 's opponents , the Dominican priest Tommaso Caccini , delivered against Galileo a controversial and influential sermon . In it he made a point of quoting Acts 1 : 11 , " Ye Men of Galilee , why stand you gazing up in heaven ? " . = = = Children = = = Despite being a genuinely pious Roman Catholic , Galileo fathered three children out of wedlock with Marina Gamba . They had two daughters , Virginia ( born in 1600 ) and Livia ( born in 1601 ) , and a son , Vincenzo ( born in 1606 ) . Because of their illegitimate birth , their father considered the girls unmarriageable , if not posing problems of prohibitively expensive support or dowries , which would have been similar to Galileo 's previous extensive financial problems with two of his sisters . Their only worthy alternative was the religious life . Both girls were accepted by the convent of San Matteo in Arcetri and remained there for the rest of their lives . Virginia took the name Maria Celeste upon entering the convent . She died on 2 April 1634 , and is buried with Galileo at the Basilica of Santa Croce , Florence . Livia took the name Sister Arcangela and was ill for most of her life . Vincenzo was later legitimised as the legal heir of Galileo and married Sestilia Bocchineri . = = Career as a scientist = = Although Galileo seriously considered the priesthood as a young man , at his father 's urging he instead enrolled at the University of Pisa for a medical degree . In 1581 , when he was studying medicine , he noticed a swinging chandelier , which air currents shifted about to swing in larger and smaller arcs . To him it seemed , by comparison with his heartbeat , that the chandelier took the same amount of time to swing back and forth , no matter how far it was swinging . When he returned home , he set up two pendulums of equal length and swung one with a large sweep and the other with a small sweep and found that they kept time together . It was not until the work of Christiaan Huygens , almost one hundred years later , that the tautochrone nature of a swinging pendulum was used to create an accurate timepiece . Up to this point , Galileo had deliberately been kept away from mathematics , since a physician earned a higher income than a mathematician . However , after accidentally attending a lecture on geometry , he talked his reluctant father into letting him study mathematics and natural philosophy instead of medicine . He created a thermoscope , a forerunner of the thermometer , and in 1586 published a small book on the design of a hydrostatic balance he had invented ( which first brought him to the attention of the scholarly world ) . Galileo also studied disegno , a term encompassing fine art , and in 1588 obtained the position of instructor in the Accademia delle Arti del Disegno in Florence , teaching perspective and chiaroscuro . Being inspired by the artistic tradition of the city and the works of the Renaissance artists , Galileo acquired an aesthetic mentality . While a young teacher at the Accademia , he began a lifelong friendship with the Florentine painter Cigoli , who included Galileo 's lunar observations in one of his paintings . In 1589 , he was appointed to the chair of mathematics in Pisa . In 1591 , his father died , and he was entrusted with the care of his younger brother Michelagnolo . In 1592 , he moved to the University of Padua where he taught geometry , mechanics , and astronomy until 1610 . During this period , Galileo made significant discoveries in both pure fundamental science ( for example , kinematics of motion and astronomy ) as well as practical applied science ( for example , strength of materials and pioneering the telescope ) . His multiple interests included the study of astrology , which at the time was a discipline tied to the studies of mathematics and astronomy . = = = Galileo , Kepler and theories of tides = = = Cardinal Bellarmine had written in 1615 that the Copernican system could not be defended without " a true physical demonstration that the sun does not circle the earth but the earth circles the sun " . Galileo considered his theory of the tides to provide the required physical proof of the motion of the earth . This theory was so important to him that he originally intended to entitle his Dialogue on the Two Chief World Systems the Dialogue on the Ebb and Flow of the Sea . The reference to tides was removed from the title by order of the Inquisition . For Galileo , the tides were caused by the sloshing back and forth of water in the seas as a point on the Earth 's surface sped up and slowed down because of the Earth 's rotation on its axis and revolution around the Sun . He circulated his first account of the tides in 1616 , addressed to Cardinal Orsini . His theory gave the first insight into the importance of the shapes of ocean basins in the size and timing of tides ; he correctly accounted , for instance , for the negligible tides halfway along the Adriatic Sea compared to those at the ends . As a general account of the cause of tides , however , his theory was a failure . If this theory were correct , there would be only one high tide per day . Galileo and his contemporaries were aware of this inadequacy because there are two daily high tides at Venice instead of one , about twelve hours apart . Galileo dismissed this anomaly as the result of several secondary causes including the shape of the sea , its depth , and other factors . Against the assertion that Galileo was deceptive in making these arguments , Albert Einstein expressed the opinion that Galileo developed his " fascinating arguments " and accepted them uncritically out of a desire for physical proof of the motion of the Earth . Galileo dismissed the idea , held by his contemporary Johannes Kepler , that the moon caused the tides . ( Galileo also took no interest in Kepler 's elliptical orbits of the planets . ) = = = Controversy over comets and The Assayer = = = In 1619 , Galileo became embroiled in a controversy with Father Orazio Grassi , professor of mathematics at the Jesuit Collegio Romano . It began as a dispute over the nature of comets , but by the time Galileo had published The Assayer ( Il Saggiatore ) in 1623 , his last salvo in the dispute , it had become a much wider controversy over the very nature of science itself . The title page of the book describes Galileo as philosopher and " Matematico Primario " of the Grand Duke of Tuscany . Because The Assayer contains such a wealth of Galileo 's ideas on how science should be practised , it has been referred to as his scientific manifesto . Early in 1619 , Father Grassi had anonymously published a pamphlet , An Astronomical Disputation on the Three Comets of the Year 1618 , which discussed the nature of a comet that had appeared late in November of the previous year . Grassi concluded that the comet was a fiery body which had moved along a segment of a great circle at a constant distance from the earth , and since it moved in the sky more slowly than the moon , it must be farther away than the moon . Grassi 's arguments and conclusions were criticised in a subsequent article , Discourse on the Comets , published under the name of one of Galileo 's disciples , a Florentine lawyer named Mario Guiducci , although it had been largely written by Galileo himself . Galileo and Guiducci offered no definitive theory of their own on the nature of comets although they did present some tentative conjectures that are now known to be mistaken . In its opening passage , Galileo and Guiducci 's Discourse gratuitously insulted the Jesuit Christopher Scheiner , and various uncomplimentary remarks about the professors of the Collegio Romano were scattered throughout the work . The Jesuits were offended , and Grassi soon replied with a polemical tract of his own , The Astronomical and Philosophical Balance , under the pseudonym Lothario Sarsio Sigensano , purporting to be one of his own pupils . The Assayer was Galileo 's devastating reply to the Astronomical Balance . It has been widely recognized as a masterpiece of polemical literature , in which " Sarsi 's " arguments are subjected to withering scorn . It was greeted with wide acclaim , and particularly pleased the new pope , Urban VIII , to whom it had been dedicated . In Rome , in the previous decade , Barberini , the future Urban VIII , had come down on the side of Galileo and the Lincean Academy . Galileo 's dispute with Grassi permanently alienated many of the Jesuits who had previously been sympathetic to his ideas , and Galileo and his friends were convinced that these Jesuits were responsible for bringing about his later condemnation . The evidence for this is at best equivocal , however . = = = Controversy over heliocentrism = = = In the Christian world prior to Galileo 's conflict with the Church , the majority of educated people subscribed either to the Aristotelian geocentric view that the earth was the center of the universe and that all heavenly bodies revolved around the Earth , or the Tychonic system that blended geocentricsm with heliocentrism . Nevertheless , following the death of Copernicus and before Galileo , heliocentrism was relatively uncontroversial ; Copernicus 's work was used by Pope Gregory XIII to reform the calendar in 1582 . Opposition to heliocentrism and Galileo 's writings combined religious and scientific objections and were fueled by political events . Scientific opposition came from Tycho Brahe and others , and arose from the fact that , if heliocentrism were true , an annual stellar parallax should be observed , though none was . Copernicus had correctly postulated that parallax was negligible because the stars were so distant . However , Brahe had countered that , since stars appeared to have measurable size , if the stars were that distant , they would be gigantic , and in fact far larger than the Sun or any other celestial body . In Brahe 's system , by contrast , the stars were a little more distant than Saturn , and the Sun and stars were comparable in size . Religious opposition to heliocentrism arose from Biblical references such as Psalm 93 : 1 , 96 : 10 , and 1 Chronicles 16 : 30 which include text stating that " the world is firmly established , it cannot be moved . " In the same manner , Psalm 104 : 5 says , " the Lord set the earth on its foundations ; it can never be moved . " Further , Ecclesiastes 1 : 5 states that " And the sun rises and sets and returns to its place . " Galileo defended heliocentrism based on his astronomical observations of 1609 ( Sidereus Nuncius 1610 ) . In December 1613 the Grand Duchess Christina of Florence confronted one of Galileo 's friends and followers , Benedetto Castelli , with biblical objections to the motion of the earth . According to Maurice Finocchiaro this was done in a friendly and gracious manner , out of curiosity . Prompted by this incident , Galileo wrote a letter to Castelli in which he argued that heliocentrism was actually not contrary to biblical texts , and that the bible was an authority on faith and morals , not on science . This letter was not published , but circulated widely . By 1615 Galileo 's writings on heliocentrism had been submitted to the Roman Inquisition by Father Niccolo Lorini , who claimed that Galileo and his followers were attempting to reinterpret the Bible , which was seen as a violation of the Council of Trent and looked dangerously like Protestantism . Lorini specifically cited Galileo 's letter to Castelli . Galileo went to Rome to defend himself and his Copernican and biblical ideas . At the start of 1616 , Monsignor Francesco Ingoli initiated a debate with Galileo , sending him an essay disputing the Copernican system . Galileo later stated that he believed this essay to have been instrumental in the action against Copernicanism that followed . According to Maurice Finocchiaro , Ingoli had probably been commissioned by the Inquisition to write an expert opinion on the controversy , and the essay provided the " chief direct basis " for the Inquisition 's actions . The essay focused on eighteen physical and mathematical arguments against heliocentrism . It borrowed primarily from the arguments of Tycho Brahe , and it notedly mentioned Brahe 's argument that heliocentrism required the stars to be much larger than the Sun . Ingoli wrote that the great distance to the stars in the heliocentric theory " clearly proves ... the fixed stars to be of such size , as they may surpass or equal the size of the orbit circle of the Earth itself . " The essay also included four theological arguments , but Ingoli suggested Galileo focus on the physical and mathematical arguments , and he did not mention Galileo 's biblical ideas . In February 1616 , an Inquisitorial commission declared heliocentrism to be " foolish and absurd in philosophy , and formally heretical since it explicitly contradicts in many places the sense of Holy Scripture . " The Inquisition found that the idea of the Earth 's movement " receives the same judgement in philosophy and ... in regard to theological truth it is at least erroneous in faith " . ( The original document from the Inquisitorial commission was made widely available in 2014 . ) Pope Paul V instructed Cardinal Bellarmine to deliver this finding to Galileo , and to order him to abandon the opinion that heliocentrism was physically true . On 26 February , Galileo was called to Bellarmine 's residence and ordered : ... to abandon completely ... the opinion that the sun stands still at the center of the world and the earth moves , and henceforth not to hold , teach , or defend it in any way whatever , either orally or in writing . The decree of the Congregation of the Index banned Copernicus 's De Revolutionibus and other heliocentric works until correction . Bellarmine 's instructions did not prohibit Galileo from discussing heliocentrism as a mathematical and philosophic idea , so long as he did not advocate for its physical truth . For the next decade , Galileo stayed well away from the controversy . He revived his project of writing a book on the subject , encouraged by the election of Cardinal Maffeo Barberini as Pope Urban VIII in 1623 . Barberini was a friend and admirer of Galileo , and had opposed the condemnation of Galileo in 1616 . Galileo 's resulting book , Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems , was published in 1632 , with formal authorization from the Inquisition and papal permission . Earlier , Pope Urban VIII had personally asked Galileo to give arguments for and against heliocentrism in the book , and to be careful not to advocate heliocentrism . He made another request , that his own views on the matter be included in Galileo 's book . Only the latter of those requests was fulfilled by Galileo . Whether unknowingly or deliberately , Simplicio , the defender of the Aristotelian geocentric view in Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems , was often caught in his own errors and sometimes came across as a fool . Indeed , although Galileo states in the preface of his book that the character is named after a famous Aristotelian philosopher ( Simplicius in Latin , " Simplicio " in Italian ) , the name " Simplicio " in Italian also has the connotation of " simpleton " . This portrayal of Simplicio made Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems appear as an advocacy book : an attack on Aristotelian geocentrism and defence of the Copernican theory . Unfortunately for his relationship with the Pope , Galileo put the words of Urban VIII into the mouth of Simplicio . Most historians agree Galileo did not act out of malice and felt blindsided by the reaction to his book . However , the Pope did not take the suspected public ridicule lightly , nor the Copernican advocacy . Galileo had alienated one of his biggest and most powerful supporters , the Pope , and was called to Rome to defend his writings in September 1632 . He finally arrived in February 1633 and was brought before inquisitor Vincenzo Maculani to be charged . Throughout his trial Galileo steadfastly maintained that since 1616 he had faithfully kept his promise not to hold any of the condemned opinions , and initially he denied even defending them . However , he was eventually persuaded to admit that , contrary to his true intention , a reader of his Dialogue could well have obtained the impression that it was intended to be a defence of Copernicanism . In view of Galileo 's rather implausible denial that he had ever held Copernican ideas after 1616 or ever intended to defend them in the Dialogue , his final interrogation , in July 1633 , concluded with his being threatened with torture if he did not tell the truth , but he maintained his denial despite the threat . The sentence of the Inquisition was delivered on 22 June . It was in three essential parts : Galileo was found " vehemently suspect of heresy " , namely of having held the opinions that the Sun lies motionless at the centre of the universe , that the Earth is not at its centre and moves , and that one may hold and defend an opinion as probable after it has been declared contrary to Holy Scripture . He was required to " abjure , curse and detest " those opinions . He was sentenced to formal imprisonment at the pleasure of the Inquisition . On the following day this was commuted to house arrest , which he remained under for the rest of his life . His offending Dialogue was banned ; and in an action not announced at the trial , publication of any of his works was forbidden , including any he might write in the future . According to popular legend , after recanting his theory that the Earth moved around the Sun , Galileo allegedly muttered the rebellious phrase And yet it moves . A 1640s painting by the Spanish painter Bartolomé Esteban Murillo or an artist of his school , in which the words were hidden until restoration work in 1911 , depicts an imprisoned Galileo apparently gazing at the words " E pur si muove " written on the wall of his dungeon . The earliest known written account of the legend dates to a century after his death , but Stillman Drake writes " there is no doubt now that the famous words were already attributed to Galileo before his death " . After a period with the friendly Ascanio Piccolomini ( the Archbishop of Siena ) , Galileo was allowed to return to his villa at Arcetri near Florence in 1634 , where he spent the remainder of his life under house arrest . Galileo was ordered to read the seven penitential psalms once a week for the next three years . However , his daughter Maria Celeste relieved him of the burden after securing ecclesiastical permission to take it upon herself . It was while Galileo was under house arrest that he dedicated his time to one of his finest works , Two New Sciences . Here he summarised work he had done some forty years earlier , on the two sciences now called kinematics and strength of materials , published in Holland to avoid the censor . This book has received high praise from Albert Einstein . As a result of this work , Galileo is often called the " father of modern physics " . He went completely blind in 1638 and was suffering from a painful hernia and insomnia , so he was permitted to travel to Florence for medical advice . Dava Sobel argues that prior to Galileo 's 1633 trial and judgement for heresy , Pope Urban VIII had become preoccupied with court intrigue and problems of state , and began to fear persecution or threats to his own life . In this context , Sobel argues that the problem of Galileo was presented to the pope by court insiders and enemies of Galileo . Having been accused of weakness in defending the church , Urban reacted against Galileo out of anger and fear . = = Death = = Galileo continued to receive visitors until 1642 , when , after suffering fever and heart palpitations , he died on 8 January 1642 , aged 77 . The Grand Duke of Tuscany , Ferdinando II , wished to bury him in the main body of the Basilica of Santa Croce , next to the tombs of his father and other ancestors , and to erect a marble mausoleum in his honour . These plans were dropped , however , after Pope Urban VIII and his nephew , Cardinal Francesco Barberini , protested , because Galileo had been condemned by the Catholic Church for " vehement suspicion of heresy " . He was instead buried in a small room next to the novices ' chapel at the end of a corridor from the southern transept of the basilica to the sacristy . He was reburied in the main body of the basilica in 1737 after a monument had been erected there in his honour ; during this move , three fingers and a tooth were removed from his remains . One of these fingers , the middle finger from Galileo 's right hand , is currently on exhibition at the Museo Galileo in Florence , Italy . = = Scientific methods = = Galileo made original contributions to the science of motion through an innovative combination of experiment and mathematics . More typical of science at the time were the qualitative studies of William Gilbert , on magnetism and electricity . Galileo 's father , Vincenzo Galilei , a lutenist and music theorist , had performed experiments establishing perhaps the oldest known non @-@ linear relation in physics : for a stretched string , the pitch varies as the square root of the tension . These observations lay within the framework of the Pythagorean tradition of music , well @-@ known to instrument makers , which included the fact that subdividing a string by a whole number produces a harmonious scale . Thus , a limited amount of mathematics had long related music and physical science , and young Galileo could see his own father 's observations expand on that tradition . Galileo was one of the first modern thinkers to clearly state that the laws of nature are mathematical . In The Assayer he wrote " Philosophy is written in this grand book , the universe ... It is written in the language of mathematics , and its characters are triangles , circles , and other geometric figures ; .... " His mathematical analyses are a further development of a tradition employed by late scholastic natural philosophers , which Galileo learned when he studied philosophy . His work marked another step towards the eventual separation of science from both philosophy and religion ; a major development in human thought . He was often willing to change his views in accordance with observation . In order to perform his experiments , Galileo had to set up standards of length and time , so that measurements made on different days and in different laboratories could be compared in a reproducible fashion . This provided a reliable foundation on which to confirm mathematical laws using inductive reasoning . Galileo showed a modern appreciation for the proper relationship between mathematics , theoretical physics , and experimental physics . He understood the parabola , both in terms of conic sections and in terms of the ordinate ( y ) varying as the square of the abscissa ( x ) . Galilei further asserted that the parabola was the theoretically ideal trajectory of a uniformly accelerated projectile in the absence of air resistance or other disturbances . He conceded that there are limits to the validity of this theory , noting on theoretical grounds that a projectile trajectory of a size comparable to that of the Earth could not possibly be a parabola , but he nevertheless maintained that for distances up to the range of the artillery of his day , the deviation of a projectile 's trajectory from a parabola would be only very slight . = = Astronomy = = Based only on uncertain descriptions of the first practical telescope which Hans Lippershey tried to patent in the Netherlands in 1608 , Galileo , in the following year , made a telescope with about 3x magnification . He later made improved versions with up to about 30x magnification . With a Galilean telescope , the observer could see magnified , upright images on the earth — it was what is commonly known as a terrestrial telescope or a spyglass . He could also use it to observe the sky ; for a time he was one of those who could construct telescopes good enough for that purpose . On 25 August 1609 , he demonstrated one of his early telescopes , with a magnification of about 8 or 9 , to Venetian lawmakers . His telescopes were also a profitable sideline for Galileo , who sold them to merchants who found them useful both at sea and as items of trade . He published his initial telescopic astronomical observations in March 1610 in a brief treatise entitled Sidereus Nuncius ( Starry Messenger ) . = = = Kepler 's supernova = = = Tycho and others had observed the supernova of 1572 . Ottavio Brenzoni 's letter of 15 January 1605 to Galileo brought the 1572 supernova and the less bright nova of 1601 to Galileo 's notice . Galileo observed and discussed Kepler 's supernova in 1604 . Since these new stars displayed no detectable diurnal parallax , Galileo concluded that they were distant stars , and therefore disproved the Aristotelian belief in the immutability of the heavens . = = = Jupiter = = = On 7 January 1610 , Galileo observed with his telescope what he described at the time as " three fixed stars , totally invisible by their smallness " , all close to Jupiter , and lying on a straight line through it . Observations on subsequent nights showed that the positions of these " stars " relative to Jupiter were changing in a way that would have been inexplicable if they had really been fixed stars . On 10 January , Galileo noted that one of them had disappeared , an observation which he attributed to its being hidden behind Jupiter . Within a few days , he concluded that they were orbiting Jupiter : he had discovered three of Jupiter 's four largest satellites ( moons ) . He discovered the fourth on 13 January . Galileo named the group of four the Medicean stars , in honour of his future patron , Cosimo II de ' Medici , Grand Duke of Tuscany , and Cosimo 's three brothers . Later astronomers , however , renamed them Galilean satellites in honour of their discoverer . These satellites are now called Io , Europa , Ganymede , and Callisto . His observations of the satellites of Jupiter caused a revolution in astronomy : a planet with smaller planets orbiting it did not conform to the principles of Aristotelian cosmology , which held that all heavenly bodies should circle the Earth , and many astronomers and philosophers initially refused to believe that Galileo could have discovered such a thing . His observations were confirmed by the observatory of Christopher Clavius and he received a hero 's welcome when he visited Rome in 1611 . Galileo continued to observe the satellites over the next eighteen months , and by mid @-@ 1611 , he had obtained remarkably accurate estimates for their periods — a feat which Kepler had believed impossible . = = = Venus , Saturn , and Neptune = = = From September 1610 , Galileo observed that Venus exhibited a full set of phases similar to that of the Moon . The heliocentric model of the solar system developed by Nicolaus Copernicus predicted that all phases would be visible since the orbit of Venus around the Sun would cause its illuminated hemisphere to face the Earth when it was on the opposite side of the Sun and to face away from the Earth when it was on the Earth @-@ side of the Sun . On the other hand , in Ptolemy 's geocentric model it was impossible for any of the planets ' orbits to intersect the spherical shell carrying the Sun . Traditionally the orbit of Venus was placed entirely on the near side of the Sun , where it could exhibit only crescent and new phases . It was , however , also possible to place it entirely on the far side of the Sun , where it could exhibit only gibbous and full phases . After Galileo 's telescopic observations of the crescent , gibbous and full phases of Venus , therefore , this Ptolemaic model became untenable . Thus in the early 17th century as a result of his discovery the great majority of astronomers converted to one of the various geo @-@ heliocentric planetary models , such as the Tychonic , Capellan and Extended Capellan models , each either with or without a daily rotating Earth . These all had the virtue of explaining the phases of Venus without the vice of the ' refutation ' of full heliocentrism 's prediction of stellar parallax . Galileo 's discovery of the phases of Venus was thus arguably his most empirically practically influential contribution to the two @-@ stage transition from full geocentrism to full heliocentrism via geo @-@ heliocentrism . Galileo observed the planet Saturn , and at first mistook its rings for planets , thinking it was a three @-@ bodied system . When he observed the planet later , Saturn 's rings were directly oriented at Earth , causing him to think that two of the bodies had disappeared . The rings reappeared when he observed the planet in 1616 , further confusing him . Galileo also observed the planet Neptune in 1612 . It appears in his notebooks as one of many unremarkable dim stars . He did not realise that it was a planet , but he did note its motion relative to the stars before losing track of it . = = = Sunspots = = = Galileo was one of the first Europeans to observe sunspots , although Kepler had unwittingly observed one in 1607 , but mistook it for a transit of Mercury . He also reinterpreted a sunspot observation from the time of Charlemagne , which formerly had been attributed ( impossibly ) to a transit of Mercury . The very existence of sunspots showed another difficulty with the unchanging perfection of the heavens as posited in orthodox Aristotelian celestial physics . And the annual variations in sunspots ' motions , discovered by Francesco Sizzi and others in 1612 – 1613 , provided a powerful argument against both the Ptolemaic system and the geoheliocentric system of Tycho Brahe . A dispute over priority in the discovery of sunspots , and in their interpretation , led Galileo to a long and bitter feud with the Jesuit Christoph Scheiner . In fact , there is little doubt that both of them were beaten by David Fabricius and his son Johannes . Scheiner quickly adopted Kepler 's 1615 proposal of the modern telescope design , which gave larger magnification at the cost of inverted images ; Galileo apparently never changed to Kepler 's design . = = = Moon = = = Prior to Galileo 's construction of his version of a telescope , Thomas Harriot , an English mathematician and explorer , had already used what he dubbed a " perspective tube " to observe the moon . Reporting his observations , Harriot noted only " strange spottednesse " in the waning of the crescent , but was ignorant to the cause . Galileo , due in part to his artistic training and the knowledge of chiaroscuro , had understood the patterns of light and shadow were in fact topographical markers . While not being the only one to observe the moon through a telescope , Galileo was the first to deduce the cause of the uneven waning as light occlusion from lunar mountains and craters . In his study he also made topographical charts , estimating the heights of the mountains . The moon was not what was long thought to have been a translucent and perfect sphere , as Aristotle claimed , and hardly the first " planet " , an " eternal pearl to magnificently ascend into the heavenly empyrian " , as put forth by Dante . = = = Milky Way and stars = = = Galileo observed the Milky Way , previously believed to be nebulous , and found it to be a multitude of stars packed so densely that they appeared from Earth to be clouds . He located many other stars too distant to be visible with the naked eye . He observed the double star Mizar in Ursa Major in 1617 . In the Starry Messenger , Galileo reported that stars appeared as mere blazes of light , essentially unaltered in appearance by the telescope , and contrasted them to planets , which the telescope revealed to be discs . But shortly thereafter , in his letters on sunspots , he reported that the telescope revealed the shapes of both stars and planets to be " quite round " . From that point forward , he continued to report that telescopes showed the roundness of stars , and that stars seen through the telescope measured a few seconds of arc in diameter . He also devised a method for measuring the apparent size of a star without a telescope . As described in his Dialogue Concerning the two Chief World Systems , his method was to hang a thin rope in his line of sight to the star and measure the maximum distance from which it would wholly obscure the star . From his measurements of this distance and of the width of the rope , he could calculate the angle subtended by the star at his viewing point . In his Dialogue , he reported that he had found the apparent diameter of a star of first magnitude to be no more than 5 arcseconds , and that of one of sixth magnitude to be about 5 / 6 arcseconds . Like most astronomers of his day , Galileo did not recognise that the apparent sizes of stars that he measured were spurious , caused by diffraction and atmospheric distortion ( see seeing disk or Airy disk ) , and did not represent the true sizes of stars . However , Galileo 's values were much smaller than previous estimates of the apparent sizes of the brightest stars , such as those made by Tycho Brahe ( see Magnitude ) and enabled Galileo to counter anti @-@ Copernican arguments such as those made by Tycho that these stars would have to be absurdly large for their annual parallaxes to be undetectable . Other astronomers such as Simon Marius , Giovanni Battista Riccioli , and Martinus Hortensius made similar measurements of stars , and Marius and Riccioli concluded the smaller sizes were not small enough to answer Tycho 's argument . = = Engineering = = Galileo made a number of contributions to what is now known as engineering , as distinct from pure physics . Between 1595 and 1598 , Galileo devised and improved a Geometric and Military Compass suitable for use by gunners and surveyors . This expanded on earlier instruments designed by Niccolò Tartaglia and Guidobaldo del Monte . For gunners , it offered , in addition to a new and safer way of elevating cannons accurately , a way of quickly computing the charge of gunpowder for cannonballs of different sizes and materials . As a geometric instrument , it enabled the construction of any regular polygon , computation of the area of any polygon or circular sector , and a variety of other calculations . Under Galileo 's direction , instrument maker Marc 'Antonio Mazzoleni produced more than 100 of these compasses , which Galileo sold ( along with an instruction manual he wrote ) for 50 lire and offered a course of instruction in the use of the compasses for 120 lire . In about 1593 , Galileo constructed a thermometer , using the expansion and contraction of air in a bulb to move water in an attached tube . In 1609 , Galileo was , along with Englishman Thomas Harriot and others , among the first to use a refracting telescope as an instrument to observe stars , planets or moons . The name " telescope " was coined for Galileo 's instrument by a Greek mathematician , Giovanni Demisiani , at a banquet held in 1611 by Prince Federico Cesi to make Galileo a member of his Accademia dei Lincei . The name was derived from the Greek tele

= ' far ' and skopein = 'to look or see ' . In 1610 , he used a telescope at close range to magnify the parts of insects . By 1624 Galileo had used a compound microscope . He gave one of these instruments to Cardinal Zollern in May of that year for presentation to the Duke of Bavaria , and in September he sent another to Prince Cesi . The Linceans played a role again in naming the " microscope " a year later when fellow academy member Giovanni Faber coined the word for Galileo 's invention from the Greek words μικρόν ( micron ) meaning " small " , and σκοπεῖν ( skopein ) meaning " to look at " . The word was meant to be analogous with " telescope " . Illustrations of insects made using one of Galileo 's microscopes , and published in 1625 , appear to have been the first clear documentation of the use of a compound microscope . In 1612 , having determined the orbital periods of Jupiter 's satellites , Galileo proposed that with sufficiently accurate knowledge of their orbits , one could use their positions as a universal clock , and this would make possible the determination of longitude . He worked on this problem from time to time during the remainder of his life ; but the practical problems were severe . The method was first successfully applied by Giovanni Domenico Cassini in 1681 and was later used extensively for large land surveys ; this method , for example , was used to survey France , and later by Zebulon Pike of the midwestern United States in 1806 . For sea navigation , where delicate telescopic observations were more difficult , the longitude problem eventually required development of a practical portable marine chronometer , such as that of John Harrison . Late in his life , when totally blind , Galileo designed an escapement mechanism for a pendulum clock ( called Galileo 's escapement ) , although no clock using this was built until after the first fully operational pendulum clock was made by Christiaan Huygens in the 1650s . = = Physics = = Galileo 's theoretical and experimental work on the motions of bodies , along with the largely independent work of Kepler and René Descartes , was a precursor of the classical mechanics developed by Sir Isaac Newton . Galileo conducted several experiments with pendulums . It is popularly believed ( thanks to the biography by Vincenzo Viviani ) that these began by watching the swings of the bronze chandelier in the cathedral of Pisa , using his pulse as a timer . Later experiments are described in his Two New Sciences . Galileo claimed that a simple pendulum is isochronous , i.e. that its swings always take the same amount of time , independently of the amplitude . In fact , this is only approximately true , as was discovered by Christiaan Huygens . Galileo also found that the square of the period varies directly with the length of the pendulum . Galileo 's son , Vincenzo , sketched a clock based on his father 's theories in 1642 . The clock was never built and , because of the large swings required by its verge escapement , would have been a poor timekeeper . ( See Engineering above . ) Galileo is lesser known for , yet still credited with , being one of the first to understand sound frequency . By scraping a chisel at different speeds , he linked the pitch of the sound produced to the spacing of the chisel 's skips , a measure of frequency . In 1638 , Galileo described an experimental method to measure the speed of light by arranging that two observers , each having lanterns equipped with shutters , observe each other 's lanterns at some distance . The first observer opens the shutter of his lamp , and , the second , upon seeing the light , immediately opens the shutter of his own lantern . The time between the first observer 's opening his shutter and seeing the light from the second observer 's lamp indicates the time it takes light to travel back and forth between the two observers . Galileo reported that when he tried this at a distance of less than a mile , he was unable to determine whether or not the light appeared instantaneously . Sometime between Galileo 's death and 1667 , the members of the Florentine Accademia del Cimento repeated the experiment over a distance of about a mile and obtained a similarly inconclusive result . We now know that the speed of light is far too fast to be measured by such methods ( with human shutter @-@ openers on Earth ) . Galileo put forward the basic principle of relativity , that the laws of physics are the same in any system that is moving at a constant speed in a straight line , regardless of its particular speed or direction . Hence , there is no absolute motion or absolute rest . This principle provided the basic framework for Newton 's laws of motion and is central to Einstein 's special theory of relativity . = = = Falling bodies = = = A biography by Galileo 's pupil Vincenzo Viviani stated that Galileo had dropped balls of the same material , but different masses , from the Leaning Tower of Pisa to demonstrate that their time of descent was independent of their mass . This was contrary to what Aristotle had taught : that heavy objects fall faster than lighter ones , in direct proportion to weight . While this story has been retold in popular accounts , there is no account by Galileo himself of such an experiment , and it is generally accepted by historians that it was at most a thought experiment which did not actually take place . An exception is Drake , who argues that the experiment did take place , more or less as Viviani described it . The experiment described was actually performed by Simon Stevin ( commonly known as Stevinus ) and Jan Cornets de Groot , although the building used was actually the church tower in Delft in 1586 . However most of his experiments with falling bodies were carried out using inclined planes where both the issues of timing and wind resistance were much reduced . In his 1638 Discorsi , Galileo 's character Salviati , widely regarded as Galileo 's spokesman , held that all unequal weights would fall with the same finite speed in a vacuum . But this had previously been proposed by Lucretius and Simon Stevin . Cristiano Banti 's Salviati also held it could be experimentally demonstrated by the comparison of pendulum motions in air with bobs of lead and of cork which had different weight but which were otherwise similar . Galileo proposed that a falling body would fall with a uniform acceleration , as long as the resistance of the medium through which it was falling remained negligible , or in the limiting case of its falling through a vacuum . He also derived the correct kinematical law for the distance travelled during a uniform acceleration starting from rest — namely , that it is proportional to the square of the elapsed time ( d ∝ t 2 ) . Prior to Galileo , Nicole Oresme , in the 14th century , had derived the times @-@ squared law for uniformly accelerated change , and Domingo de Soto had suggested in the 16th century that bodies falling through a homogeneous medium would be uniformly accelerated . Galileo expressed the time @-@ squared law using geometrical constructions and mathematically precise words , adhering to the standards of the day . ( It remained for others to re @-@ express the law in algebraic terms ) . He also concluded that objects retain their velocity in the absence of any impediments to their motion , thereby contradicting the generally accepted Aristotelian hypothesis that a body could only remain in so @-@ called " violent " , " unnatural " , or " forced " motion so long as an agent of change ( the " mover " ) continued to act on it . Philosophical ideas relating to inertia had been proposed by John Philoponus and Jean Buridan . Galileo stated : " Imagine any particle projected along a horizontal plane without friction ; then we know , from what has been more fully explained in the preceding pages , that this particle will move along this same plane with a motion which is uniform and perpetual , provided the plane has no limits " This was incorporated into Newton 's laws of motion ( first law ) . = = Mathematics = = While Galileo 's application of mathematics to experimental physics was innovative , his mathematical methods were the standard ones of the day , including dozens of examples of an inverse proportion square root method passed down from Fibonacci and Archimedes . The analysis and proofs relied heavily on the Eudoxian theory of proportion , as set forth in the fifth book of Euclid 's Elements . This theory had become available only a century before , thanks to accurate translations by Tartaglia and others ; but by the end of Galileo 's life , it was being superseded by the algebraic methods of Descartes . The concept now named Galileo 's paradox was not original with him . His proposed solution , that infinite numbers cannot be compared , is no longer considered useful . = = His writings = = Galileo 's early works describing scientific instruments include the 1586 tract entitled The Little Balance ( La Billancetta ) describing an accurate balance to weigh objects in air or water and the 1606 printed manual Le Operazioni del Compasso Geometrico et Militare on the operation of a geometrical and military compass . His early works in dynamics , the science of motion and mechanics were his 1590 Pisan De Motu ( On Motion ) and his circa 1600 Paduan Le Meccaniche ( Mechanics ) . The former was based on Aristotelian – Archimedean fluid dynamics and held that the speed of gravitational fall in a fluid medium was proportional to the excess of a body 's specific weight over that of the medium , whereby in a vacuum , bodies would fall with speeds in proportion to their specific weights . It also subscribed to the Philoponan impetus dynamics in which impetus is self @-@ dissipating and free @-@ fall in a vacuum would have an essential terminal speed according to specific weight after an initial period of acceleration . Galileo 's 1610 The Starry Messenger ( Sidereus Nuncius ) was the first scientific treatise to be published based on observations made through a telescope . It reported his discoveries of : the Galilean moons the roughness of the Moon 's surface the existence of a large number of stars invisible to the naked eye , particularly those responsible for the appearance of the Milky Way differences between the appearances of the planets and those of the fixed stars — the former appearing as small discs , while the latter appeared as unmagnified points of light Galileo published a description of sunspots in 1613 entitled Letters on Sunspots suggesting the Sun and heavens are corruptible . The Letters on Sunspots also reported his 1610 telescopic observations of the full set of phases of Venus , and his discovery of the puzzling " appendages " of Saturn and their even more puzzling subsequent disappearance . In 1615 Galileo prepared a manuscript known as the Letter to the Grand Duchess Christina which was not published in printed form until 1636 . This letter was a revised version of the Letter to Castelli , which was denounced by the Inquisition as an incursion upon theology by advocating Copernicanism both as physically true and as consistent with Scripture . In 1616 , after the order by the inquisition for Galileo not to hold or defend the Copernican position , Galileo wrote the Discourse on the Tides ( Discorso sul flusso e il reflusso del mare ) based on the Copernican earth , in the form of a private letter to Cardinal Orsini . In 1619 , Mario Guiducci , a pupil of Galileo 's , published a lecture written largely by Galileo under the title Discourse on the Comets ( Discorso Delle Comete ) , arguing against the Jesuit interpretation of comets . In 1623 , Galileo published The Assayer — Il Saggiatore , which attacked theories based on Aristotle 's authority and promoted experimentation and the mathematical formulation of scientific ideas . The book was highly successful and even found support among the higher echelons of the Christian church . Following the success of The Assayer , Galileo published the Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems ( Dialogo sopra i due massimi sistemi del mondo ) in 1632 . Despite taking care to adhere to the Inquisition 's 1616 instructions , the claims in the book favouring Copernican theory and a non Geocentric model of the solar system led to Galileo being tried and banned on publication . Despite the publication ban , Galileo published his Discourses and Mathematical Demonstrations Relating to Two New Sciences ( Discorsi e Dimostrazioni Matematiche , intorno a due nuove scienze ) in 1638 in Holland , outside the jurisdiction of the Inquisition . = = = Summary of Galileo 's published written works = = = Galileo 's main written works are as follows : The Little Balance ( 1586 ) On Motion ( 1590 ) Mechanics ( ca . 1600 ) The Starry Messenger ( 1610 ; in Latin , Sidereus Nuncius ) Discourse on Floating Bodies ( 1612 ) Letters on Sunspots ( 1613 ) Letter to the Grand Duchess Christina ( 1615 ; published in 1636 ) Discourse on the Tides ( 1616 ; in Italian , Discorso del flusso e reflusso del mare ) Discourse on the Comets ( 1619 ; in Italian , Discorso Delle Comete ) The Assayer ( 1623 ; in Italian , Il Saggiatore ) Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems ( 1632 ; in Italian Dialogo dei due massimi sistemi del mondo ) Discourses and Mathematical Demonstrations Relating to Two New Sciences ( 1638 ; in Italian , Discorsi e Dimostrazioni Matematiche , intorno a due nuove scienze ) = = Legacy = = = = = Church reassessments of Galileo in later centuries = = = The Galileo affair was largely forgotten after Galileo 's death , and the controversy subsided . The Inquisition 's ban on reprinting Galileo 's works was lifted in 1718 when permission was granted to publish an edition of his works ( excluding the condemned Dialogue ) in Florence . In 1741 Pope Benedict XIV authorised the publication of an edition of Galileo 's complete scientific works which included a mildly censored version of the Dialogue . In 1758 the general prohibition against works advocating heliocentrism was removed from the Index of prohibited books , although the specific ban on uncensored versions of the Dialogue and Copernicus 's De Revolutionibus remained . All traces of official opposition to heliocentrism by the church disappeared in 1835 when these works were finally dropped from the Index . Interest in the Galileo affair was revived in the early 19th century , when Protestant polemicists used it ( and other events such as the Spanish Inquisition and the Flat Earth Myth ) to attack Roman Catholicism . Interest in it has waxed and waned ever since . In 1939 Pope Pius XII , in his first speech to the Pontifical Academy of Sciences , within a few months of his election to the papacy , described Galileo as being among the " most audacious heroes of research ... not afraid of the stumbling blocks and the risks on the way , nor fearful of the funereal monuments " . His close advisor of 40 years , Professor Robert Leiber , wrote : " Pius XII was very careful not to close any doors ( to science ) prematurely . He was energetic on this point and regretted that in the case of Galileo . " On 15 February 1990 , in a speech delivered at the Sapienza University of Rome , Cardinal Ratzinger ( later to become Pope Benedict XVI ) cited some current views on the Galileo affair as forming what he called " a symptomatic case that permits us to see how deep the self @-@ doubt of the modern age , of science and technology goes today " . Some of the views he cited were those of the philosopher Paul Feyerabend , whom he quoted as saying " The Church at the time of Galileo kept much more closely to reason than did Galileo himself , and she took into consideration the ethical and social consequences of Galileo 's teaching too . Her verdict against Galileo was rational and just and the revision of this verdict can be justified only on the grounds of what is politically opportune . " The Cardinal did not clearly indicate whether he agreed or disagreed with Feyerabend 's assertions . He did , however , say " It would be foolish to construct an impulsive apologetic on the basis of such views . " On 31 October 1992 , Pope John Paul II expressed regret for how the Galileo affair was handled , and issued a declaration acknowledging the errors committed by the Catholic Church tribunal that judged the scientific positions of Galileo Galilei , as the result of a study conducted by the Pontifical Council for Culture . In March 2008 the head of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences , Nicola Cabibbo , announced a plan to honour Galileo by erecting a statue of him inside the Vatican walls . In December of the same year , during events to mark the 400th anniversary of Galileo 's earliest telescopic observations , Pope Benedict XVI praised his contributions to astronomy . A month later , however , the head of the Pontifical Council for Culture , Gianfranco Ravasi , revealed that the plan to erect a statue of Galileo in the grounds of the Vatican had been suspended . = = = Impact on modern science = = = According to Stephen Hawking , Galileo probably bears more of the responsibility for the birth of modern science than anybody else , and Albert Einstein called him the father of modern science . Galileo 's astronomical discoveries and investigations into the Copernican theory have led to a lasting legacy which includes the categorisation of the four large moons of Jupiter discovered by Galileo ( Io , Europa , Ganymede and Callisto ) as the Galilean moons . Other scientific endeavours and principles are named after Galileo including the Galileo spacecraft , the first spacecraft to enter orbit around Jupiter , the proposed Galileo global satellite navigation system , the transformation between inertial systems in classical mechanics denoted Galilean transformation and the Gal ( unit ) , sometimes known as the Galileo , which is a non @-@ SI unit of acceleration . Partly because 2009 was the fourth centenary of Galileo 's first recorded astronomical observations with the telescope , the United Nations scheduled it to be the International Year of Astronomy . A global scheme was laid out by the International Astronomical Union ( IAU ) , also endorsed by UNESCO — the UN body responsible for educational , scientific and cultural matters . The International Year of Astronomy 2009 was intended to be a global celebration of astronomy and its contributions to society and culture , stimulating worldwide interest not only in astronomy but science in general , with a particular slant towards young people . Asteroid 697 Galilea is named in his honour . = = = In artistic and popular media = = = Galileo is mentioned several times in the " opera " section of the Queen song , " Bohemian Rhapsody " . He features prominently in the song " Galileo " performed by the Indigo Girls and Amy Grant 's Galileo on her Heart in Motion album . Twentieth @-@ century plays have been written on Galileo 's life , including Life of Galileo ( 1943 ) by the German playwright Bertolt Brecht , with a film adaptation ( 1975 ) of it , and Lamp At Midnight ( 1947 ) by Barrie Stavis , as well as the 2008 play " Galileo Galilei " . Kim Stanley Robinson wrote a science fiction novel entitled Galileo 's Dream ( 2009 ) , in which Galileo is brought into the future to help resolve a crisis of scientific philosophy ; the story moves back and forth between Galileo 's own time and a hypothetical distant future , and contains a great deal of biographical information . Galileo Galilei was recently selected as a main motif for a high value collectors ' coin : the € 25 International Year of Astronomy commemorative coin , minted in 2009 . This coin also commemorates the 400th anniversary of the invention of Galileo 's telescope . The obverse shows a portion of his portrait and his telescope . The background shows one of his first drawings of the surface of the moon . In the silver ring other telescopes are depicted : the Isaac Newton Telescope , the observatory in Kremsmünster Abbey , a modern telescope , a radio telescope and a space telescope . In 2009 , the Galileoscope was also released . This is a mass @-@ produced , low @-@ cost educational 2 @-@ inch ( 51 mm ) telescope with relatively high quality . = = Timeline = = 1543 – Nicolaus Copernicus publishes De revolutionibus orbium coelestium as an alternative world system to the Ptolemy 's geocentric model causing subsequent questions to be raised about Aristotelian physics following Copernicus ' death 1563 – Parents Vincenzo Galilei and Giulia Ammannati marry 1564 – Birth in Pisa , Italy ~ 1570 – Thomas Digges publishes Pantometria describing a telescope built between 1540 – 1559 by his father Leonard Digges 1573 – Tycho Brahe publishes De nova stella ( On the new star ) refuting Aristotelian belief in immutable celestial spheres and an eternal , unchanging , more perfect heavenly realm of celestial aether above the moon 1576 – Giuseppe Moletti , Galileo 's predecessor in the mathematics chair at Padua , reports falling bodies of the same shape fall at the same speed , regardless of material 1581 – His father , Vincenzo Galilei publishes Dialogo della musica antica et moderna formulating musical theories 1581 – Enrols as medical student at University of Pisa 1582 – Attends mathematics lecture by Ostilio Ricci and decides to study math and science 1585 – Leaves University of Pisa without degree and works as tutor 1586 – Invents hydrostatic balance ; wrote La Balancitta ( The little balance ) 1586 – Simon Stevin publishes results for dropping lead weights from 10 meters 1588 – Tycho Brahe publishes work on comets containing a description of the Tychonic system of the world 1589 – Appointed to Mathematics Chair , University of Pisa 1590 – Partially completes De Motu ( On Motion ) , which is never published 1591 – Death of his father , Vicenzo Galilei 1592 – Appointed professor of mathematics at University of Padua , remains 18 years ~ 1593 – Invents early thermometer that unfortunately depended on both temperature and pressure ~ 1595 – Invents improved ballistics calculation geometric and military compass , which he later improves for surveying and general calculations and earns income from tutoring on its use 1597 – Letter to Kepler indicates his belief in the Copernican System 1600 – First child , Virginia is born ; ~ 1600 Le Meccaniche ( Mechanics ) 1600 – William Gilbert publishes On the Magnet and Magnetic Bodies , and on That Great Magnet the Earth with arguments supporting the Copernican system 1600 – Roman Inquisition finds Giordano Bruno , Copernican system supporter , guilty of heresy for opinions on pantheism and the eternal plurality of worlds , and for denial of the Trinity , divinity of Christ , virginity of Mary , and Transubstantiation ; burned at the stake by civil authorities 1601 – Daughter Livia is born 1604 – Measures supernova position indicating no parallax for the new star 1605 – Sued by brothers @-@ in @-@ law for nonpayment of sisters ' dowries 1606 – Son Vincenzo born 1606 – Publishes manual for his calculating compass 1607 – Rotilio Orlandini attempts to assassinate Galileo 's friend , Friar Paolo Sarpi 1608 – Hans Lippershey invents a refracting telescope 1609 – Independently invents and improves telescopes based on description of invention by Hans Lippershey 1609 – Kepler publishes Astronomia nova containing his first two laws and for the first time demonstrates the Copernican model is more accurate than the Ptolemaic for uses such as navigation and prediction 1609 – Thomas Harriot sketches the Moon from telescopic observations made four months before Galileo 's 1610 – Publishes Sidereus Nuncius ( Starry Messenger ) ; views our moon 's mountains and craters and brightest 4 of Jupiter 's moons 1610 - Martin Horky publishes Brevissima Peregrinatio Contra Nuncium Sidereum , opposing Galileo 1610 – Kepler requests one of Galileo 's telescopes or lenses , but Galileo replies he is too busy to build one and has no extras 1610 – Lifetime appointment to mathematics position at University of Padua , and as mathematician and philosopher for Cosimo II , Grand Duke of Tuscany 1611 – Discovers phases of Venus ; granted audience with Pope ; made member of Lincean Academy 1611 - Awarded an honorary degree by the Jesuit College in Rome 1611 – David Fabricius publishes Narration on Spots Observed on the Sun and their Apparent Rotation with the Sun prior to Christoph Scheiner and Galileo 's published works on the subject 1612 – Proposed Jupiter 's moons could be used as a universal clock for possible determination of longitude ~ 1612 or 1613 – Francesco Sizzi discovers annual variations in sunspots ' motions 1613 – Letters on Sunspots 1613 - Letter to Benedetto Castelli discussing the rotation of the sun and Galileo 's support of the Copernican system . Using Biblical inerrancy as a basis , Galileo writes that Joshua 's command for the sun to stand still in Joshua 10 : 13 proves the " impossibility of the Aristotelian and Ptolemaic world system , and on the other hand agrees very well with the Copernican one . " He went on to write that " the sun gives not only light ( as it obviously does ) but also motion to all the planets that revolve around it " by its rotation . 1615 – Letter to Grand Duchess Christina ( not published until 1636 ) 1616 – Officially warned by the Church not to hold or defend the Copernican System 1616 – The Catholic Church places De revolutionibus orbium coelestium on the List of Prohibited Books , pending correction 1616 – Private letter Discourse on the Tides 1617 – Moves into Bellosguardo , west of Florence , near his daughters ' convent ; observes double star Mizar in Ursa Major 1619 – Kepler publishes Harmonices Mundi which introduces his third law 1619 – Discourse on the Comets 1623 – Maffeo Barberini becomes Pope Urban VIII 1623 – Publishes The Assayer 1624 – Visits Pope who praises and honours him , leaving with assumed permission to publish work on the Copernican vs. Ptolemaic Systems ; used a compound microscope 1625 – Illustrations of insects made using one of Galileo 's microscopes published 1630 – Completes Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems and subsequently receives approval of Church censor 1632 – Publishes Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems 1633 – sentenced by the Inquisition to imprisonment , commuted to house arrest , for vehement suspicion of heresy in violating the 1616 injunction 1633 – Catholic Church places Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems on the List of Prohibited Books 1638 – Publishes Dialogues Concerning Two New Sciences 1642 – Death in Arcetri , Italy 1668 – Isaac Newton builds his reflecting telescope 1687 – Isaac Newton publishes Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica deriving Kepler 's laws from the Universal Law of Gravitation and the Laws of Motion

= The Daedalus Variations = " The Daedalus Variations " is the 84th episode of the science fiction television series Stargate Atlantis , and is the fourth episode in the series ' fifth season . The episode first aired on August 1 , 2008 on the Sci Fi Channel in the United States , and subsequently aired on October 9 on Sky One in the United Kingdom . The episode was written by Alan McCullough , and directed by regular Stargate director , Andy Mikita . Richard Woolsey ( Robert Picardo ) and Jennifer Keller ( Jewel Staite ) do not appear in the episode , despite being credited during the opening title sequence . The episode bears similarities to the Flying Dutchman , a mythical ghost ship that drifts forever in the ocean with no chance of returning home . It received generally favourable reviews . Episode writer McCullough described the episode as a one @-@ off " wild romp " , with much use of visual effects . The episode follows John Sheppard and his team , who investigates the mysterious appearance of the Daedalus over Atlantis , where they soon find the ship is from a parallel universe and makes its way through various alternate realities with an " alternate reality drive " . Stuck on the Daedalus , the team seeks to find a way to return , while they run into contact with a newly introduced alien race and find the ship 's new drive is slowly burning out , and they could be stranded in another universe forever . = = Plot = = A spaceship appears out of nowhere over Atlantis . John Sheppard ( Joe Flanigan ) and his team discover that the ship is the Daedalus , which is strange as Stargate Command confirms that the Daedalus is actually two days away from Earth . Sheppard 's team boards the new Daedalus and find it apparently abandoned with signs of battle damage . Teyla ( Rachel Luttrell ) views a log entry from the Daedalus commander , Colonel Sobel , who the team has never heard of before . Suddenly , there is a power spike and the Daedalus disappears from above Atlantis , while from the perspective of Sheppard 's team , Atlantis disappears . McKay finds that they have been propelled into a parallel universe by what he terms an " alternate reality drive " , and thus the Daedalus is actually from an alternate reality . The team finds another version of themselves , dead , who come from yet another parallel universe and were trapped aboard while investigating the ship , just as they are . Soon , the ship jumps again , into a reality where Atlantis is under attack from an unfamiliar alien ship . Sheppard intervenes , and the aliens retaliate by launching fighters . One of the fighters crashes into the Daedalus before it jumps again , this time into a universe where Atlantis ' sun has already swelled into a red giant . To keep the ship from being burned up , McKay ( David Hewlett ) increases the rate at which the alternate reality drive activates , warning that his modifications are irreversible . Meanwhile , the team must contend with aliens from the crashed fighter . McKay figures out that there is no way to guide the alternate reality drive , but that they can return to their original reality by reversing the drive and jumping back through the realities they had visited before . They use the maneuvering thrusters to stabilize the ship 's orbit above the red giant , and weather another attack by the aliens , with help from an alternate Atlantis . Once they return to their own reality , they leave the ship in space suits after a remaining alien detonates an explosive , causing a breach in the ship 's hull and are picked up by Lorne ( Kavan Smith ) after the Daedalus disappears . In the end , McKay is shown working on fixing the alternate reality drive , despite Sheppard 's admonishments . = = Production = = The original concept of an episode involving alternate realities was a room in Atlantis that shifts into alternate realities . However , the idea had several issues , including the possibility of no Atlantis in one reality , so Robert C. Cooper suggested using the Daedalus . The final draft of " The Daedalus Variations " was completed on February 11 . On February 12 , the prosthetics meeting for the episode , as well as " The Seed " , " Broken Ties " and " Whispers " took place , which most likely involved the unknown aliens featured from the episode . The appearance of the aliens was revealed in the advertisement for the episode on July 27 . In an interview with episode writer , Alan McCullough , he described the episode as a " great team show " , and a " visual effects spectacular . " On March 10 , Captain Sobol was cast . Sobol was the alternate commander of the Daedalus , rather than Colonel Caldwell ( Mitch Pileggi ) . By the time the episode aired , Sobol was female ( portrayed by Tracy Waterhouse ) , she held the rank of Colonel instead , and her name was spelled " Sobel " . Much of the episode was filmed on the Daedalus set . Due to that , visual effects were required to fill in the external shots . The episode was reportedly one of the most expensive VFX budgets in the series , and is the most expensive for the season . The star map behind the captain 's chair of the Daedalus is usually lit green . However , the episode 's writer and supervising producer , Alan McCullough , deliberately turned the map 90 degrees and changed the color from green to orange , so as to make the ship different from the normal Daedalus . McCullough also stated that the episode is a one @-@ off , but did not rule out a return beyond the fifth season . He also said that he originally planned the team to visit a reality where the Ancients won the war against the Wraith , but this idea was dropped as it would detract from the main storyline . The episode was Jason Momoa 's first appearance with his customised wig . After he had his hair cut by the time the fourth season was completed , for the first three episodes he had it sewn back on . However , when SCI FI wouldn 't allow his hairstyle to be changed , they switched to the wig after Momoa complained about the pain of having his hair sewn on again . = = Reception = = " The Daedalus Variations " was given a household rating of 1 @.@ 3 , making Stargate Atlantis the fourth most viewed series for the week on Sci Fi Channel . They were beaten by ECW on Sci Fi ( with 1 @.@ 4 ) , Ghost Hunters International ( with 1 @.@ 6 ) and the season three premiere of Eureka ( which earned the highest rating of 2 @.@ 1 ) . The episode was also received generally positive . Tory Ireland Mell of IGN praised the episode for its reasonably short teaser , thinking the shorter it is , the better the episode , as well as its gripping storyline and the introduction of the alien race , particularly the fact that very little is known about them , stating it was " a perfect tease by the writers . " The episode was rated 9 @.@ 1 out of 10 overall . Marx Pyle of the SyFy Portal ( which was since renamed Airlock Alpha ) compared the episode as Atlantis ' version of Star Trek : The Next Generation episode " Q Who ? " in respect to the introduction of a new " big bad " for the future . It was praised for being a " fun filler " episode , and Pyle enjoyed the scene where the two Sheppards converse , and the space battle , believing only Battlestar Galactica could beat them . However , Pyle criticised the episode for the absence of Woolsey , and McKay 's apparent quick understanding of new technologies including the alternate reality drive , as well as feeling that Sci Fi gave away too much information from the previews of the episode .

= Warhawk ( 2007 video game ) = Warhawk is a multiplayer third @-@ person vehicle and flight combat video game developed by Incognito Entertainment exclusively for the PlayStation 3 . It is a remake of an aerial warfare game of the same name , which was a launch title on the original PlayStation . Apart from the similarity of controlling aircraft , the remake bears little other resemblance . It was the first PlayStation 3 game to be available both for download on the PlayStation Network and for retail on Blu @-@ ray Disc . For the United States , Blu @-@ ray Disc and PlayStation Network versions were released on August 28 , 2007 . The PlayStation Network version was released in Europe , Australia and Japan on August 30 , August 31 and October 4 respectively . The Blu @-@ ray Disc version was released in Australia and Europe on September 20 and September 21 , respectively , but was not released in Japan . Warhawk was initially intended to have both single @-@ player and multiplayer modes , however the single @-@ player element was canceled during development due to concerns that it was inferior to the game 's multiplayer component . The game was released with five maps ( each with five possible configurations ) and four game types , Deathmatch , Team Deathmatch , Zones and Capture the Flag . After the 1 @.@ 4 update , the number of game types increased to six with the addition of the Hero and Collection modes . Three optional expansion packs for the game containing new maps and equipment increase the number of available maps to eight . Warhawk was met with a generally positive reception by reviewers . However , for a few months after its initial launch it was plagued by connection and server issues , including ranking issues with players , which were subsequently corrected in updates . The player is able to rank @-@ up though 20 ranks ranging from Recruit to General , unlocking new personnel and aircraft customization options at each rank . A spiritual successor , Starhawk , was released in May 2012 . = = Gameplay = = Warhawk is a third @-@ person shooter set in a science fictional , perpetual war between the Eucadian Republic and Chernovan Empire ( blue and red team , respectively ) . There are two ground vehicles , a jeep and a tank , and an armored personnel carrier is added by the Operation : Broken Mirror expansion . There are two air vehicles , the Warhawk and Nemesis ( which are only cosmetically different ) , both of which can use nine weapons , an example is the AS @-@ 3 Tow Missile system . That weapon is the only weapon in the game where the player guides the weapon , the players screen is devoted to guiding the missile and leaving the player open to getting hit . But the upside is that it does massive damage and is the largest explosion in the game . The Omega Dawn expansion adds a dropship , and the Fallen Star expansion adds a jetpack . There are three turrets available to the player ( anti @-@ air missile turret , anti @-@ air flak turret , and the .50 caliber anti @-@ infantry machine gun ) . The game uses the PlayStation 3 Sixaxis and DualShock 3 controllers . The game can be set to make use of these controllers ' motion sensing function to allow the players to control aircraft and ground vehicles by tilting the controller in different directions rather than the more conventional methods of using the D @-@ pad or analog sticks . However , a traditional control scheme is the default option . Warhawk offers online and offline multiplayer play . Offline allows for 1 @-@ 4 players splitscreen ( without bots ) . Online features up to 32 @-@ player battles , with the ability to have up to 4 players use one PlayStation 3 in split screen mode ( on non @-@ ranked servers that permit it ) . Players 2 @-@ 4 can enter or exit the game while a match is in progress . The game uses medals and rewards , which are awarded for certain tasks . As of v1.50 , the game supports trophies , which will be used in the online service PlayStation Home . Players are also able to customize their characters with armor squad markings , Warhawk paint schemes , and other accessories . More customization options are unlocked as the player increases in rank . Warhawk also allows the creation of clans , which may participate in online events and competitions . The game also makes use of arbiters , paid anonymous players who are tasked to find cheaters within the game . They are able to punish offending players in several ways , such as an email warning , a forum post , a kick , or a temporary / permanent ban . Arbiters can also request that the player 's stats be erased . = = = PlayStation Home = = = Warhawk is one of many games that supports game launching in PlayStation Home . This feature allows players to host a game in Home and then launch it once other players have joined . The player may even invite friends to the game launch . Once the game has been launched from Home the players may return to Home at any time via the " Return to PlayStation Home " option that appears instead of the " Quit Game " option . On February 26 , 2009 , Incognito Entertainment and SCE Studios Santa Monica launched the Warhawk space for PlayStation Home . Beyond its unique aesthetics , the space is functionally similar to those for Uncharted : Drake 's Fortune and Far Cry 2 , with one notable exception : the " Warhawk Sand Table " . It 's a place to plan in @-@ game strategies using " VR " set @-@ pieces — vehicles , maneuver icons , etc . - which can be moved around on 2D versions of any of the game 's maps ( and their variants ) . The first person to access the table is in control . Here 's where one of the problems arises : anyone can walk up and watch as a user plans their " secret " strategy . Furthermore , there 's no way to share or use the finished battle plan within the game . It 's all up to each player 's memory ( or notepad ) . There is also a " Learning Terminal " ( eight in all ) that tells the users about General Hints , Weapons , and Flying . Outso developed the Warhawk game space for Incognito Entertainment and SCE Studios Santa Monica as well as the " Warhawk Sand Table " in the space . On February 11 , 2010 , a Warhawk personal space was released in Home . It includes the Sand Table featured in the Game Space as well as a mutliplayer turret mini @-@ game . As of July 2010 , the Warhawk game space has been removed from PlayStation Home , due to lack of players actually using the space . = = = Game modes = = = Warhawk supports 6 separate game modes compatible with all variations of all of the maps . Deathmatch . Every man for himself . The game ends when a player reaches the score limit , or when time expires . Team Deathmatch . Same rules as a deathmatch except the player is automatically assigned to either the Chernovan ( red ) or Eucadian ( blue ) teams . Game ends when the combined score limit is met or when time expires . Dogfight . A variation on Deathmatch / Team Deathmatch where you play only in the Warhawk / Nemisis planes . Hero . A version of the team deathmatch where a hero is randomly selected on both sides for one minute , or until the hero dies . The hero gets a health boost , damage boost , and every weapon in the game ( which the hero can keep if he survives the one minute ) . The key difference between Hero and TDM is that in TDM all enemy kills are counted to the team total whereas in Hero , only when killing the Hero or when the Hero kills an enemy are they counted towards the total . Capture the Flag . This mode of game play is by far the most popular among Warhawk players . In this mode each team has a flag at their base which they must defend while attempting to capture the second flag in their opponent 's base . You can only capture the flag if your flag remains at the base . Collection . This mode features 4 " cores " scattered along the map . The object is to collect as many cores as possible . Once a core has been collected , a new one will respawn in the same spot as where the player got it . If a player dies , all cores are lost , and an enemy , or nearby team mate can collect them . Zones . The object of this mode is to capture various control points on the map . Each control point has 3 levels for each team , and a neutral level . A player can do this in other game modes ( except deathmatch ) to earn points for yourself , but in Zones , their team gains points for the number of zones the player has , and how many levels each one has . The player will only be able to capture levels if the area around it is clear , or captured by their team . The game ends when the time runs out , score limit is reached , or if the player is able to capture all control points . = = Development = = Warhawk was first announced to the public in May 2005 , with a working build shown at E3 in 2006 . This version was the first PlayStation 3 title to be shown with the newly announced Sixaxis motion sensing technology . In February 2007 , it was announced that the single player element of the game was to be pulled . This was due to concerns Incognito had over the quality of the single @-@ player campaign , particularly when compared to the multi @-@ player modes . Dylan Jobe , the game 's director , stated , " If we were to continue down our single @-@ player / multiplayer approach , it would have resulted in not as good single player or not as good multiplayer " . The extra development of the multiplayer mode was used to improve existing elements such as in @-@ game communication , and to implement new features such as On Demand Split Screen , whereby players can easily enter split screen mid @-@ game . Split screen can only be used in battles that allow it . Only unranked servers have the ability to have it and even then , it is an option whether or not the host wants it on or off . It was also revealed at the same time that Warhawk would be made available for download over the PlayStation Network . In August 2007 , Sony Computer Entertainment America released news that PlayStation 3 consoles would be used as the dedicated servers for Warhawk . A photograph was released which showed a server room with several PlayStation 3 consoles in racks . Each server is able to support 32 players . The games developers have commented that the engine used in the game features technology which could not be easily implemented on any other platform , such as procedurally generated water and waves , as well as volumetric clouds . Following the games release , many issues with networking and player statistics were reported , such as delays in receiving points and awards , failure to receive the points or awards , and " connection failed " and " connection lost " errors . To address these issues , Incognito released several server @-@ side patches before releasing the games first update , Version 1 @.@ 1 . This update addressed the majority of issues users experienced with the game , with others being addressed in the Version 1 @.@ 2 update . A demo was released on the PlayStation Store on October 9 , 2008 . = = = Release = = = There was initial confusion as to how this game would be distributed to consumers , after the announcement that it would be a multiplayer @-@ only title . Sony announced on May 16 , 2007 , that there would be two iterations of the game . The game alone is downloadable from the PlayStation Store for US $ 29 @.@ 99 ( £ 19 @.@ 99 , € 29 @.@ 99 ) , with an initial download size of 798MB . This version is restricted to the PlayStation Network account that buys it . The second is a retail Blu @-@ ray Disc version that sells for $ 59 @.@ 99 ( the standard retail price of most PlayStation 3 games upon release ) , bundled with a Jabra BT125 Bluetooth headset in America and the Jabra BT135 in Europe , allowing players to chat with other players online while playing the game . An additional third was later released on October 10 , 2007 without the inclusion of a USB headset , which was priced at US $ 39 @.@ 99 . Both retail versions feature extra content such as behind @-@ the @-@ scenes developer interviews , concept art and trailers . Warhawk was re @-@ released as a Greatest Hits title on July 28 , 2008 for $ 29 @.@ 99 . = = = Updates and expansions = = = Additional downloadable content ( DLC ) has been released , with more announced , since the game 's launch . Expansions include new maps , weapon upgrades and character customization options . The DualShock 3 controller became compatible with the game upon the release of the version 1 @.@ 20 patch . Incognito has stated that any future development on the incomplete single player campaign would only be released as a separate product , and not as an expansion to the current game . Warhawk updates are free , but expansion packs are sold online for a price . Updates are mandatory installations that must be completed in order to play the game . Expansion packs are optional , and the ability to purchase expansion packs is available within the menu of the game itself , as well as through the PlayStation Store . The 1 @.@ 1 and 1 @.@ 2 updates were released on October 19 , 2007 and December 19 , 2007 respectively , fixing numerous exploits and stability issues . Update 1 @.@ 3 was released on April 2 , 2008 and included two new weapons , eighteen new player @-@ made customizations for planes and forty @-@ four new player @-@ made custom insignias for both troops and planes , integration of PlayStation Home , and new in @-@ game chat features , such as cross @-@ team chat . Also in update 1 @.@ 3 , the " stat padding " issue , a bug that allowed game players to cheat by increasing their points cumulatively by dropping the opponents ' flag off the level and having it respawn back into the players ' hands to repeat , was resolved by completely removing the ability to drop the flag . Update 1 @.@ 4 , released on July 16 , 2008 , features two new game modes called " Hero " and " Collection , " and introduced the Quick Join feature , which searches for a server that connects the user to matches that work with the user 's current level . The next update , Version 1 @.@ 5 , was released on August 27 , 2008 and includes trophy support , the winning entries from the European version of the paint and insignia contest , and allows the user to play music via the XrossMediaBar in @-@ game . Three expansion packs have been released . The first , " Operation : Omega Dawn , " released on December 20 , 2007 , includes a new night @-@ themed map , Omega Factory , and a new aircraft , the KT @-@ 424 Combat Dropship . The second expansion pack was released on April 17 , 2008 entitled " Operation : Broken Mirror " , which includes a new armoured personnel carrier equipped with an energy shield and the ability to boost , similar to a Warhawk , as well as serving as a mobile spawn point . A new map called Vaporfield Glacier was also included in the new expansion . It is the largest map to date , and includes 10 different layouts . In the PlayStation Store , there is also an option to purchase the first two Booster @-@ packs for a reduced price , and there will be another combo pack with all three included . The latest booster pack , " Operation Fallen Star , " was released on August 28 , 2008 and added the Icarus MK1 Jetpack which allows troops to fire while airborne as well as a new map called Tau Crater . All three of the booster packs cannot be combined , nor can one affiliate with another , and people who do not own an expansion featured in a server they are attempting to join will not be able to join the server . On August 27 , 2008 the 1 @.@ 5 patch was released and included the addition of trophy support . A total of 57 trophies are available in the game , 10 of which are retroactive and can be obtained based on previously recorded statistics without the user having to complete tasks a second time . A further 34 are based upon gameplay and so are not retroactive . The trophies can be attained Split @-@ screen or Unranked as well . Each of the available expansions also feature an additional 4 trophies . On May 13 , 2011 , game developer Dylan Jobe unveiled the successor to the game entitled Starhawk on GTTV . Starhawk was released on May 8 , 2012 . = = Music = = The music is composed by both Christopher Lennertz and Timothy Michael Wynn . Their scores for this video game were recognized as one of the best video game scores of 2007 by IGN . = = Reception = = Warhawk generally received positive reviews , with its aggregate review scores being classed as generally favorable by Metacritic and GameRankings . PSM provided the lowest review score officially qualified by the GameRankings website . The magazine described it as " a third @-@ person shooter that never quite gets off the ground . " Other reviews were more positive in their outlook . PSM3 described the game as " a masterpiece of balance , of design , and the jewel in Sony 's online crown . " UK magazine Edge described it as an " instantly gratifying experience " , also saying that the lack of a single @-@ player campaign was made up for by " its brilliantly implemented notion of flight and considered balance " . Nick Costanza and Vin Acosta were largely critical of the game , saying " it can 't be taken seriously " . 1UP.com gave Warhawk a positive review , but said , " It 's just not quite $ 40 worth , " referring to the price of the downloadable version on the U.S. PlayStation Store . It was given the IGN Editors ' Choice Award , calling it " a AAA experience that is an adrenaline rush for online fans . " Game Informer described Warhawk as " better than they 'd hoped for " . GamePro stated that although Warhawk offers an intense online combat experience , being dropped immediately into the action leaves you " somewhat bewildered " and doesn 't give you that " feeling of connection " to the game . GameTrailers described Warhawk as " simply fun , easy to compete , but challenging to shine . " Adam Sessler from X @-@ Play complimented the game 's multiplayer only style saying " ... I wouldn 't have it any other way . " Gaming Target selected Warhawk as one of their " 52 Games We 'll Still Be Playing From 2007 " and awarded it " PlayStation 3 @-@ Exclusive Game of the Year " .

= New Jersey Route 28 = Route 28 is a state highway in the central part of New Jersey , United States that is 26 @.@ 44 mi ( 42 @.@ 55 km ) long . Its western terminus is at U.S. Route 22 in Bridgewater Township , Somerset County while its eastern terminus is at Route 27 in Elizabeth , Union County . From its western terminus , Route 28 heads east through Raritan , intersecting County Route 567 and then U.S. Route 202 and U.S. Route 206 at the Somerville Circle before heading through the central part of Somerville . Past Somerville , the route interchanges with Interstate 287 in Bridgewater Township before intersecting many 500 @-@ series county roads including County Route 525 and County Route 527 in Bound Brook , County Route 529 in Dunellen , Middlesex County , County Route 531 in Plainfield , Union County , and County Route 509 in Westfield . Route 28 continues east , intersecting Route 59 and the Garden State Parkway in Cranford before heading to Elizabeth , where it crosses Route 439 before ending at Route 27 . Route 28 is a two- to four @-@ lane road its entire length that passes through suburban areas and runs within a close distance of New Jersey Transit ’ s Raritan Valley Line for much of its length . Prior to 1927 , Route 28 was known as Route 9 , which was designated in 1917 to run from Phillipsburg east to Elizabeth . With the creation of the U.S. Highway System in 1926 , U.S. Route 22 was designated along with Route 28 . In 1927 , most of pre @-@ 1927 Route 9 became Route 28 , with the exception of the route through Elizabeth , which became Route 27 @-@ 28 Link as Route 28 followed present @-@ day Route 439 to the Goethals Bridge . Also legislated at this time was a spur of Route 28 called Route S28 , which became Route 18 in 1953 . By 1941 , U.S. Route 22 was moved off the Route 28 alignment in Phillipsburg , with U.S. Route 22 Alternate ( now Route 122 ) taking its place , as well as east of Bridgewater Township , where it was realigned to follow Route 28 @-@ 29 Link and Route 29 to Newark . In 1953 , the western terminus of Route 28 was moved to its current location to avoid the concurrencies with U.S. Route 22 and U.S. Route 22 Alternate while the portion of the route in Elizabeth was realigned to replace Route 27 @-@ 28 Link , with the former route becoming Route 439 . = = Route description = = = = = Somerset County = = = Route 28 begins at an interchange with U.S. Route 22 in Bridgewater Township , Somerset County , heading to the southeast on Easton Turnpike , a two @-@ lane undivided road with a speed limit of 45 mph ( 72 km / h ) . Past this interchange , Easton Turnpike continues to the northwest as County Route 614 . The route heads through predominantly residential areas , eventually forming the border between Raritan to the southwest and Bridgewater Township to the northeast . It intersects the northern terminus of County Route 567 ( First Avenue ) before heading into business areas , where it comes to the modified Somerville Circle , where Route 28 intersects U.S. Route 202 and U.S. Route 206 . This traffic circle has been modified to allow U.S. Route 202 to pass over and interchange with the circle , while U.S. Route 206 and Route 28 continue through the circle . Past the Somerville Circle , Route 28 becomes a 35 mph ( 56 km / h ) road named West End Avenue that intersects County Route 644 ( Frelinghuysen Avenue ) just before entering Somerville . Here , the route passes residences and crosses County Route 643 ( Mountain Avenue ) before coming to an intersection with County Route 626 ( Somerset Street ) . At this intersection , Route 28 bears to the left and heads east on 30 mph ( 48 km / h ) West Main Street , which proceeds through the business district of downtown Somerville . The route becomes East Main Street upon crossing Bridge Street . Upon leaving the downtown area , the route turns north onto Gaston Avenue and heads into residential areas again , with County Route 612 continuing east on Main Street . At the intersection with Union Avenue , Route 28 turns to the east to follow that road , which has a 40 mph ( 64 km / h ) speed limit . The route continues past residential neighborhoods containing some businesses , briefly forming the border between Bridgewater Township to the north and Somerville to the south before fully entering Bridgewater Township . It intersects County Route 633 ( Finderne Avenue ) before crossing County Route 675 ( Chimney Rock Road ) , where Route 28 widens into a four @-@ lane divided highway that heads through industrial and commercial areas . The road makes a junction with County Route 685 ( Promenade Boulevard ) before coming to an interchange with Interstate 287 . Past this interchange , the route continues into Bound Brook as a two @-@ lane undivided road with a 35 mph ( 56 km / h ) speed limit and heads through business areas . In Bound Brook , Route 28 intersects the southern terminus of County Route 525 ( Thompson Avenue ) and County Route 635 ( Vosseller Avenue ) before heading into more residential surroundings and crossing County Route 527 ( Mountain Avenue ) . = = = Middlesex County = = = Upon crossing Green Brook , Route 28 enters Middlesex in Middlesex County , where it becomes a four @-@ lane undivided road that continues northeast through residential neighborhoods , intersecting County Route 622 ( Raritan Avenue ) . The route heads into a mix of residences and businesses , turning more to the northeast and becoming Bound Brook Avenue at the intersection with Marlborough Avenue . It intersects County Route 607 ( Lincoln Avenue ) , where Route 28 narrows to two lanes , and Warrenville Road before crossing into Dunellen . Here , Route 28 heads east through residential and commercial areas before turning northeast to closely parallel New Jersey Transit ’ s Raritan Valley Line ( which runs to the south of the route ) as North Avenue . The route crosses County Route 529 ( Washington Avenue ) in the downtown area of Dunellen . = = = Union County = = = Route 28 crosses into Plainfield , Union County , where it becomes county @-@ maintained Front Street , resuming northeast through residential and industrial areas before entering a more residential environment . The road encounters a mix of residences and businesses before intersecting Plainfield Avenue , where County Route 620 continues northeast on West Front Street and Route 28 turns to the southeast onto Plainfield Avenue . The route crosses the Raritan Valley Line before turning northeast on a one @-@ way pair , with eastbound Route 28 following Fifth Street and westbound Route 28 following Fourth Street . County Route 603 continues southeast on Plainfield Avenue from this point . The one @-@ way pair , which has two lanes in each direction , passes residences before crossing County Route 531 ( Park Avenue ) in the commercial downtown area of Plainfield , coinciding with the directional change of Fourth Street and Fifth Street from west to east . At the intersection with Roosevelt Avenue , Route 28 becomes 25 mph ( 40 km / h ) two @-@ way East Fifth Street , with the name becoming South Avenue at the intersection with Richmond Street . The route passes through urban residential and industrial areas , with the Raritan Valley Line located a short distance to the northwest . The road extends through more suburban commercial areas before crossing County Route 611 ( Terrill Road ) , where Route 28 enters Fanwood as a 35 mph ( 56 km / h ) road . A short distance later , at the second intersection with Old South Avenue , the route becomes state @-@ maintained again and continues past businesses , intersecting County Route 655 ( Martine Avenue ) before it heads into residential neighborhoods and meets County Route 601 ( Laurel Place ) . Upon crossing County Route 606 ( Hetfield Avenue ) , Route 28 turns slightly mor east and enters Scotch Plains , where it passes homes to the south and businesses to the north . It continues into Westfield , where it passes more residences and businesses with the speed limit dropping to 25 mph ( 40 km / h ) . The road intersects County Route 648 ( Broad Street ) before coming to a roundabout . Here , County Route 610 continues east on South Avenue and Route 28 heads north as a four @-@ lane divided highway concurrent with County Route 610 that passes under the Raritan Valley Line . After crossing under the railroad line , the road intersects North Avenue , which heads west as County Route 610 and east as Route 28 . Meanwhile , County Route 509 continues north on East Broad Street from this intersection . Route 28 continues east as a four @-@ lane undivided road through the downtown area of Westfield , crossing County Route 613 ( Central Avenue ) . The route passes residences to the north and businesses to the south , with the Raritan Valley Line located a short distance to the south , becoming a two @-@ lane 35 mph ( 56 km / h ) road before entering Garwood . In Garwood , the road heads through more commercial areas before intersecting Route 59 ( Lincoln Avenue ) on the border of Cranford . Route 59 is a short route that provides access to County Route 610 , passing under the Raritan Valley Line . In Cranford , Route 28 becomes a 25 mph ( 40 km / h ) that passes homes before entering the commercial downtown area , where it intersects County Route 615 ( Springfield Avenue / Centennial Avenue ) . From here , the road stretches through residential and commercial areas as a 35 mph ( 56 km / h ) road before widening into a four @-@ lane divided highway and interchanging with the Garden State Parkway . Past this interchange , Route 28 becomes West Westfield Avenue and crosses into Roselle Park , where it continues through a mix of residences and commercial establishments , where it crosses over the Raritan Valley Line and intersects with County Route 617 ( Faitoute Avenue / Gordon Street ) before heading into the downtown area of Roselle Park . Here , the road comes to junctions with County Route 619 ( Locust Street ) and County Route 627 ( Chestnut Street ) before heading into residential areas . The route intersects County Route 616 ( Linden Road ) , forming a brief concurrency with that route until the county route turns north onto Galloping Hill Road . At this point , Route 28 enters Elizabeth , where it continues through more urbanized residential areas before crossing Route 439 ( Elmora Avenue ) . After the intersection with Route 439 , the route continues past urban residences and business , narrowing into a two @-@ lane undivided road at the intersection with County Route 618 ( Magie Avenue ) . A short distance later , Route 28 ends at an intersection with the southbound direction of Route 27 , which turns from Westfield Avenue to head south on Chilton Street . = = History = = In 1917 , Route 9 was designated by the state of New Jersey to run from Phillipsburg east to Elizabeth , passing through Clinton , Somerville , Plainfield , and Westfield . With the establishment of the U.S. Highway System in 1926 , U.S. Route 22 was concurrently designated along the entire length of Route 9 . A year later , in the 1927 New Jersey state highway renumbering , Route 28 was legislated to run from Phillipsburg east to the Goethals Bridge , replacing pre @-@ 1927 Route 9 between Phillipsburg and present @-@ day Route 439 in Elizabeth , and following current Route 439 toward the Goethals Bridge . Meanwhile , the former alignment of pre @-@ 1927 Route 9 east became Route 27 @-@ 28 Link , as it provided a connection between Route 27 and Route 28 . A spur of Route 28 , named Route S28 , was also legislated in the 1927 renumbering and was to run from Route 28 in Middlesex southeast to Route 4 ( now Route 79 ) in Matawan . What was built of this route became Route 18 in the 1953 New Jersey state highway renumbering . By 1941 , U.S. Route 22 was eventually moved from Route 28 to follow Route 28 @-@ 29 Link and Route 29 between the Somerville area and Newark . Also , U.S. Route 22 was realigned to its current alignment along Route 24 and Route 24 @-@ 28 Link in Phillipsburg , with the alignment along Route 28 becoming U.S. Route 22 Alternate ( now Route 122 ) . In the 1953 renumbering of state highways , which eliminated long concurrencies between U.S. and state highways , the western terminus of Route 28 was cut back to its current location with U.S. Route 22 in Bridgewater Township , with the designation west of there dropped in favor of U.S. Route 22 and U.S. Route 22 Alternate . In addition , Route 28 was moved to its current alignment in Elizabeth , replacing Route 27 @-@ 28 Link ; Route 439 was designated along the former alignment of Route 28 that ran to the Goethals Bridge . = = Major intersections = =

= Washington State Route 100 = State Route 100 ( SR 100 ) is a 4 @.@ 68 @-@ mile @-@ long ( 7 @.@ 53 km ) state highway in the U.S. state of Washington , serving Cape Disappointment State Park in Pacific County . The highway travels counterclockwise from U.S. Route 101 ( US 101 ) in Ilwaco south to Cape Disappointment and north to an intersection with itself in Ilwaco . SR 100 , part of the Lewis and Clark Trail Scenic Byway , serves as a loop route and has a spur route that serves the state park and a Coast Guard station . SR 100 was established in 1991 on the existing North Head Road , which was a paved county road by the late 1950s . The highway was washed away during a 1994 winter storm and had its spur route shortened in 2006 . = = Route description = = SR 100 begins at an intersection with US 101 in Ilwaco as the highway turns north onto 1st Avenue towards Seaview . The highway , part of the Lewis and Clark Trail Scenic Byway , travels west on Spruce Street through an intersection with the clockwise terminus of SR 100 , on 2nd Avenue , and continues towards the Pacific Ocean on North Head Road . SR 100 turns south along the Pacific coast past North Head Lighthouse and into Cape Disappointment State Park on Robert Gray Drive . The highway intersects its spur route that travels south on Fort Canby Road towards Coast Guard Station Cape Disappointment . SR 100 turns north and travels into Ilawaco along Baker Bay and the Columbia River before it ends at an intersection with SR 100 a block from its terminus at US 101 . Every year , the Washington State Department of Transportation ( WSDOT ) conducts a series of surveys on its highways in the state to measure traffic volume . This is expressed in terms of average annual daily traffic ( AADT ) , which is a measure of traffic volume for any average day of the year . In 2011 , WSDOT calculated that the busiest section of SR 100 was its terminus at US 101 in Illwaco , serving 2 @,@ 100 vehicles , while the least busiest section was the intersection with its spur route in Cape Disappointment State Park , serving 650 vehicles . = = History = = The North Head Road portion of SR 100 , traveling west from Ilwaco to the Pacific coast and south to Cape Disappointment within Fort Canby State Park , has existed as a paved roadway since 1957 . SR 100 was established in 1991 by the Washington State Legislature and was made into a complete loop route around the cape , with a short spur route traveling south into Fort Canby State Park , later renamed to Cape Disappointment State Park . Robert Gray Way was rebuilt after a 1994 winter storm washed away the roadway into Baker Bay . = = Spur route = = SR 100 has a 0 @.@ 08 @-@ mile @-@ long ( 0 @.@ 13 km ) spur route that travels south from the SR 100 mainline to the boundary of Cape Disappointment State Park . The spur route was established in 1991 along with the main route and was originally 0 @.@ 61 miles ( 0 @.@ 98 km ) long until part of the highway was transferred to Pacific County on January 3 , 2006 . = = Major intersections = = The entire highway is in Pacific County .

= Sperm whale = The sperm whale ( Physeter macrocephalus ) , or cachalot , is the largest of the toothed whales and the largest toothed predator . It is the only living member of genus Physeter , and one of three extant species in the sperm whale family , along with the pygmy sperm whale and dwarf sperm whale of the genus Kogia . Mature males average 16 metres ( 52 ft ) in length but some may reach 20 @.@ 5 metres ( 67 ft ) , with the head representing up to one @-@ third of the animal 's length . Plunging to 2 @,@ 250 metres ( 7 @,@ 382 ft ) , it is the second deepest diving mammal , following only the Cuvier 's beaked whale . The sperm whale 's clicking vocalization , a form of echolocation and communication , may be as loud as 230 decibels ( re 1 µPa at 1 m ) underwater . It has the largest brain of any animal on Earth , more than five times heavier than a human 's . Sperm whales can live for more than 60 years . The sperm whale can be found anywhere in the open ocean . Females and young males live together in groups while mature males live solitary lives outside of the mating season . The females cooperate to protect and nurse their young . Females give birth every four to twenty years , and care for the calves for more than a decade . A mature sperm whale has few natural predators , although calves and weakened adults are sometimes killed by pods of orcas . From the early eighteenth century through the late 20th , the species was a prime target of whalers . The head of the whale contains a liquid wax called spermaceti , from which the whale derives its name . Spermaceti was used in lubricants , oil lamps , and candles . Ambergris , a waste product from its digestive system , is still used as a fixative in perfumes . Occasionally the sperm whale 's great size allowed it to defend itself effectively against whalers . The species is now protected by a whaling moratorium , and is currently listed as vulnerable by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources ( IUCN ) . = = Taxonomy and naming = = = = = Etymology = = = The name sperm whale is a clip of spermaceti whale . Spermaceti , originally mistakenly identified as the whales ' semen , is the semi @-@ liquid , waxy substance found within the whale 's head ( see below ) . The sperm whale is also known as the " cachalot " , which is thought to derive from the archaic French for " tooth " or " big teeth " , as preserved for example in cachau in the Gascon dialect ( a word of either Romance or Basque origin ) . The etymological dictionary of Corominas says the origin is uncertain , but it suggests that it comes from the Vulgar Latin cappula , plural of cappulum , " sword hilt " . The word cachalot came to English via French from Spanish or Portuguese cachalote , perhaps from Galician / Portuguese cachola , " big head " . The term is retained in the Russian word for the animal , кашалот ( kashalot ) , as well as in many other languages . The scientific genus name Physeter comes from Greek physētēr ( φυσητήρ ) , meaning " blowpipe , blowhole ( of a whale ) " , or – as a pars pro toto – " whale " . The specific name macrocephalus is Latinized from the Greek makrokephalos ( μακροκέφαλος , meaning " big @-@ headed " ) , from makros ( μακρός , " large " ) + kefalos ( κέφαλος , " head " ) . Its synonymous specific name catodon means " down @-@ tooth " , from the Greek elements cat ( a ) - ( " below " ) and odṓn ( " tooth " ) ; so named because it has visible teeth only in its lower jaw . ( See : Teeth ) Another synonym australasianus ( " Australasian " ) was applied to sperm whales in the southern hemisphere . = = = Taxonomy = = = The sperm whale belongs to the order Cetartiodactyla , the order containing all cetaceans and even @-@ toed ungulates . It is a member of the unranked clade Cetacea , with all the whales , dolphins , and porpoises , and further classified into Odontoceti , containing all the toothed whales and dolphins . It is the sole extant species of its genus , Physeter , in the family Physeteridae . Two species of the related extant genus Kogia , the pygmy sperm whale Kogia breviceps and the dwarf sperm whale K. simus , are placed either in this family or in the family Kogiidae . In some taxonomic schemes the families Kogiidae and Physeteridae are combined as the superfamily Physeteroidea ( see the separate entry on the sperm whale family ) . The sperm whale is one of the species originally described by Linnaeus in 1758 in his eighteenth century work , Systema Naturae . He recognised four species in the genus Physeter . Experts soon realised that just one such species exists , although there has been debate about whether this should be named P. catodon or P. macrocephalus , two of the names used by Linnaeus . Both names are still used , although most recent authors now accept macrocephalus as the valid name , limiting catodon 's status to a lesser synonym . = = Biology = = = = = External appearance = = = The sperm whale is the largest toothed whale , with adult males measuring up to 20 @.@ 5 metres ( 67 ft ) long and weighing up to 57 @,@ 000 kilograms ( 56 long tons ; 63 short tons ) . By contrast , the second largest toothed whale , Baird 's Beaked Whale measures 12 @.@ 8 metres ( 42 ft ) and weighs up to 15 short tons ( 14 @,@ 000 kg ) . The Nantucket Whaling Museum has a 5 @.@ 5 metres ( 18 ft ) -long jawbone . The museum claims that this individual was 24 metres ( 80 ft ) long ; the whale that sank the Essex ( one of the incidents behind Moby @-@ Dick ) was claimed to be 26 metres ( 85 ft ) . A similar size is reported from a jawbone from the British Natural History Museum . A 67 @-@ foot specimen is reported from a Soviet whaling fleet near the Kurile Islands in 1950 . There is disagreement on the claims of adult males approaching or exceeding 24 metres ( 80 ft ) in length . Extensive whaling may have decreased their size , as males were highly sought , primarily after World War II . Today , males do not usually exceed 18 @.@ 3 metres ( 60 ft ) in length or 51 @,@ 000 kilograms ( 50 long tons ; 56 short tons ) in weight . Another view holds that exploitation by overwhaling had virtually no effect on the size of the bull sperm whales , and their size may have actually increased in current times on the basis of density dependent effects . Old males taken at Solander Islands were recorded to be extremely large and unusually rich in blubbers . It is among the most sexually dimorphic of all cetaceans . At birth both sexes are about the same size , but mature males are typically 30 % to 50 % longer and three times as massive as females . The sperm whale 's unique body is unlikely to be confused with any other species . The sperm whale 's distinctive shape comes from its very large , block @-@ shaped head , which can be one @-@ quarter to one @-@ third of the animal 's length . The S @-@ shaped blowhole is located very close to the front of the head and shifted to the whale 's left . This gives rise to a distinctive bushy , forward @-@ angled spray . The sperm whale 's flukes ( tail lobes ) are triangular and very thick . Proportionally , they are larger than that of any other cetacean , and are very flexible . The whale lifts its flukes high out of the water as it begins a feeding dive . It has a series of ridges on the back 's caudal third instead of a dorsal fin . The largest ridge was called the ' hump ' by whalers , and can be mistaken for a dorsal fin because of its shape and size . In contrast to the smooth skin of most large whales , its back skin is usually wrinkly and has been likened to a prune by whale @-@ watching enthusiasts . Albinos have been reported . = = = Skeleton = = = The ribs are bound to the spine by flexible cartilage , which allows the ribcage to collapse rather than snap under high pressure . While sperm whales are well adapted to diving , repeated dives to great depths have long @-@ term effects . Bones show the same pitting that signals decompression sickness in humans . Older skeletons showed the most extensive pitting , whereas calves showed no damage . This damage may indicate that sperm whales are susceptible to decompression sickness , and sudden surfacing could be lethal to them . Like all cetaceans , the spine of the sperm whale has reduced zygapophysial joints , of which the remnants are modified and are positioned higher on the vertebral dorsal spinous process , hugging it laterally , to prevent extensive lateral bending and facilitate more dorso @-@ ventral bending . These evolutionary modifications make the spine more flexible but weaker than the spines of terrestrial vertebrates . As with other toothed whales , the skull of the sperm whale is asymmetrical so as to aid echolocation . Sound waves that strike the whale from different directions will not be channeled in the same way . Within the basin of the cranium , the openings of the bony narial tubes ( from which the nasal passages spring ) are skewed towards the left side of the skull . = = = Jaws and teeth = = = The sperm whale 's lower jaw is very narrow and underslung . The sperm whale has 18 to 26 teeth on each side of its lower jaw which fit into sockets in the upper jaw . The teeth are cone @-@ shaped and weigh up to 1 kilogram ( 2 @.@ 2 lb ) each . The teeth are functional , but do not appear to be necessary for capturing or eating squid , as well @-@ fed animals have been found without teeth or even with deformed jaws . One hypothesis is that the teeth are used in aggression between males . Mature males often show scars which seem to be caused by the teeth . Rudimentary teeth are also present in the upper jaw , but these rarely emerge into the mouth . Analyzing the teeth is the preferred method for determining a whale 's age . Like the age @-@ rings in a tree , the teeth build distinct layers of cementum and dentine as they grow . = = = Brain = = = The brain is the largest known of any modern or extinct animal , weighing on average about 7 @.@ 8 kilograms ( 17 lb ) , more than five times heavier than a human 's , and has a volume of about 8 @,@ 000 cm3 . Although larger brains generally correlate with higher intelligence , it is not the only factor . Elephants and dolphins also have larger brains than humans . The sperm whale has a lower encephalization quotient than many other whale and dolphin species , lower than that of non @-@ human anthropoid apes , and much lower than humans ' . The sperm whale 's cerebrum is the largest in all mammalia , both in absolute and relative terms . The olfactory system is reduced , suggesting that the sperm whale has a poor sense of taste and smell . By contrast , the auditory system is enlarged . The pyramidal tract is poorly developed , reflecting the reduction of its limbs . = = = Biological systems = = = The sperm whale respiratory system has adapted to cope with drastic pressure changes when diving . The flexible ribcage allows lung collapse , reducing nitrogen intake , and metabolism can decrease to conserve oxygen . Between dives , the sperm whale surfaces to breathe for about eight minutes before diving again . Odontoceti ( toothed whales ) breathe air at the surface through a single , S @-@ shaped blowhole , which is extremely skewed to the left . Sperm whales spout ( breathe ) 3 – 5 times per minute at rest , increasing to 6 – 7 times per minute after a dive . The blow is a noisy , single stream that rises up to 2 metres ( 6 @.@ 6 ft ) or more above the surface and points forward and left at a 45 ° angle . On average , females and juveniles blow every 12 @.@ 5 seconds before dives , while large males blow every 17 @.@ 5 seconds before dives . A sperm whale killed 160 km ( 100 mi ) south of Durban , South Africa after a 1 @-@ hour , 50 @-@ minute dive was found with two dogfish ( Scymnodon sp . ) , usually found at the sea floor , in its belly . The sperm whale has the longest intestinal system in the world , exceeding 300 m in larger specimens . Similar to ruminants the sperm whale has four stomachs . The first secretes no gastric juices and has very thick muscular walls to crush the food ( since whales cannot chew ) and resist the claw and sucker attacks of swallowed squid . The second stomach is larger and is where digestion takes place . Undigested squid beaks accumulate in the second stomach – as many as 18 @,@ 000 have been found in some dissected specimens . Most squid beaks are vomited by the whale , but some occasionally make it to the hindgut . Such beaks precipitate the formation of ambergris . In 1959 , the heart of a 22 metric tons ( 24 short tons ) male taken by whalers was measured to be 116 kilograms ( 256 lb ) , about 0 @.@ 5 % of its total mass . The circulatory system has a number of specific adaptations for the aquatic environment . The diameter of the aortic arch increases as it leaves the heart . This bulbous expansion acts as a windkessel , ensuring a steady blood flow as the heart rate slows during diving . The arteries that leave the aortic arch are positioned symmetrically . There is no costocervical artery . There is no direct connection between the internal carotid artery and the vessels of the brain . Their circulatory system has adapted to dive at great depths , as much as 2 @,@ 250 metres ( 7 @,@ 382 ft ) . Myoglobin , which stores oxygen in muscle tissue , is much more abundant than in terrestrial animals . The blood has a high density of red blood cells , which contain oxygen @-@ carrying haemoglobin . The oxygenated blood can be directed towards only the brain and other essential organs when oxygen levels deplete . The spermaceti organ may also play a role by adjusting buoyancy ( see below ) . The arterial retia mirabilia are extraordinarily well @-@ developed . The complex arterial retia mirabilia of the sperm whale are more extensive and larger than those of any other cetacean . = = = Senses = = = = = = = Spermaceti organ and melon = = = = Atop the whale 's skull is positioned a large complex of organs filled with a liquid mixture of fats and waxes called spermaceti . The purpose of this complex is to generate powerful and focused clicking sounds , which the sperm whale uses for echolocation and communication . The spermaceti organ is like a large barrel of spermaceti . Its surrounding wall , known as the case , is extremely tough and fibrous . The case can hold within it up to 1 @,@ 900 litres of spermaceti . It is proportionately larger in males . This oil is a mixture of triglycerides and wax esters . The proportion of wax esters in the spermaceti organ increases with the age of the whale : 38 – 51 % in calves , 58 – 87 % in adult females , and 71 – 94 % in adult males . The spermaceti at the core of the organ has a higher wax content than the outer areas . The speed of sound in spermaceti is 2 @,@ 684 m / s ( at 40 kHz , 36 ° C ) , making it nearly twice as fast as in the oil in a dolphin 's melon . Below the spermaceti organ lies the " junk " which consists of compartments of spermaceti separated by cartilage . It is analogous to the melon found in other toothed whales . The structure of the junk redistributes physical stress across the skull and may have evolved to protect the head during ramming . Running through the head are two air passages . The left passage runs alongside the spermaceti organ and goes directly to the blowhole , whilst the right passage runs underneath the spermaceti organ and passes air through a pair of phonic lips and into the distal sac at the very front of the nose . The distal sac is connected to the blowhole and the terminus of the left passage . When the whale is submerged , it can close the blowhole , and air that passes through the phonic lips can circulate back to the lungs . The sperm whale , unlike other odontocetes , has only one pair of phonic lips , whereas all other toothed whales have two , and it is located at the front of the nose instead of behind the melon . At the posterior end of this spermaceti complex is the frontal sac , which covers the concave surface of the cranium . The posterior wall of the frontal sac is covered with fluid – filled knobs , which are about 4 – 13 mm in diameter and separated by narrow grooves . The anterior wall is smooth . The knobbly surface reflects sound waves that come through the spermaceti organ from the phonic lips . The grooves between the knobs trap a film of air that is consistent whatever the orientation or depth of the whale , making it an excellent sound mirror . The spermaceti organs may also help adjust the whale 's buoyancy . It is hypothesized that before the whale dives , cold water enters the organ , and it is likely that the blood vessels constrict , reducing blood flow , and , hence , temperature . The wax therefore solidifies and reduces in volume . The increase in specific density generates a down force of about 392 newtons ( 88 lbf ) and allows the whale to dive with less effort . During the hunt , oxygen consumption , together with blood vessel dilation , produces heat and melts the spermaceti , increasing its buoyancy and enabling easy surfacing . However , more recent work has found many problems with this theory including the lack of anatomical structures for the actual heat exchange . Herman Melville 's fictional story Moby Dick suggests that the " case " containing the spermaceti serves as a battering ram for use in fights between males . Apart from a few famous instances such as the well @-@ documented sinking of the ships Essex and Ann Alexander by attackers estimated to weigh only one @-@ fifth as much as the ships , this hypothesis is not well supported in current scientific literature . = = = = Eyes and vision = = = = The sperm whale 's eye does not differ greatly from those of other toothed whales except in size . It is the largest among the toothed whales , weighing about 170 g . It is overall ellipsoid in shape , compressed along the visual axis , measuring about 7 × 7 × 3 cm . The cornea is elliptical and the lens is spherical . The sclera is very hard and thick , roughly 1 cm anteriorly and 3 cm posteriorly . There are no ciliary muscles . The choroid is very thick and contains a fibrous tapetum lucidum . Like other toothed whales , the sperm whale can retract and protrude its eyes thanks to a 2 @-@ cm @-@ thick retractor muscle attached around the eye at the equator . According to Fristrup and Harbison ( 2002 ) , sperm whales eyes afford good vision and sensitivity to light . They conjectured that sperm whales use vision to hunt squid , either by detecting silhouettes from below or by detecting bioluminescence . If sperm whales detect silhouettes , Fristrup and Harbison suggested that they hunt upside down , allowing them to use the forward parts of the ventral visual fields for binocular vision . = = = Sleeping = = = For some time researchers have been aware that pods of sperm whales may sleep for short periods , assuming a vertical position with their heads just below or at the surface . A 2008 study published in Current Biology recorded evidence that whales may sleep with both sides of the brain . It appears that some whales may fall into a deep sleep for about 7 percent of the time , most often between 6 p.m. and midnight . = = = Genetics = = = Sperm whales have 21 pairs of chromosomes ( 2n = 42 ) . The genome of live whales can be examined by recovering shed skin . = = Vocalization complex = = = = = Mechanism = = = When echolocating , the sperm whale emits a directionally focused beam of broadband clicks . Clicks are generated by forcing air through a pair of phonic lips ( also known as " monkey lips " or " museau de singe " ) at the front end of the nose , just below the blowhole . The sound then travels backwards along the length of the nose through the spermaceti organ . Most of the sound energy is then reflected off the frontal sac at the cranium and into the melon , whose lens @-@ like structure focuses it . Some of the sound will reflect back into the spermaceti organ and back towards the front of the whale 's nose , where it will be reflected through the spermaceti organ a third time . This back and forth reflection which happens on the scale of a few milliseconds creates a multi @-@ pulse click structure . This multi @-@ pulse click structure allows researchers to measure the whale 's spermaceti organ using only the sound of its clicks . Because the interval between pulses of a sperm whale 's click is related to the length of the sound producing organ , an individual whale 's click is unique to that individual . However , if the whale matures and the size of the spermaceti organ increases , the tone of the whale 's click will also change . The lower jaw is the primary reception path for the echoes . A continuous fat @-@ filled canal transmits received sounds to the inner ear . The source of the air forced through the phonic lips is the right nasal passage . While the left nasal passage opens to the blow hole , the right nasal passage has evolved to supply air to the phonic lips . It is thought that the nostrils of the land @-@ based ancestor of the sperm whale migrated through evolution to their current functions , the left nostril becoming the blowhole and the right nostril becoming the phonic lips . Air that passes through the phonic lips passes into the distal sac , then back down through the left nasal passage . This recycling of air allows the whale to continuously generate clicks for as long as it is submerged . = = = Types of vocalization = = = A creak is a rapid series of high @-@ frequency clicks that sounds somewhat like a creaky door hinge . It is typically used when homing in on prey . A coda is a short pattern of 3 to 20 clicks that is used in social situations . They were once thought to be a way by which individuals identified themselves , but individuals have been observed producing multiple codas , and the same codas are used by multiple individuals . However , each click contains a physical signature which suggests that clicks can be used to identify individuals . Geographically separate pods exhibit distinct dialects . Large males are generally solitary and rarely produce codas . In breeding grounds , codas are almost entirely produced by adult females . Despite evidence that sperm whales share similar codas , it is still unknown whether sperm whales possess individually specific coda repertoires or whether individuals make codas at different rates . Slow clicks are heard only in the presence of males ( it is not certain whether females occasionally make them ) . Males make a lot of slow clicks in breeding grounds ( 74 % of the time ) , both near the surface and at depth , which suggests they are primarily mating signals . Outside breeding grounds , slow clicks are rarely heard , and usually near the surface . = = Ecology = = = = = Distribution = = = Sperm whales are among the most cosmopolitan species . They prefer ice @-@ free waters over 1 @,@ 000 metres ( 3 @,@ 300 ft ) deep . Although both sexes range through temperate and tropical oceans and seas , only adult males populate higher latitudes . They are relatively abundant from the poles to the equator and are found in all the oceans . They inhabit the Mediterranean Sea , but not the Black Sea , while their presence in the Red Sea is uncertain . The shallow entrances to both the Black Sea and the Red Sea may account for their absence . The Black Sea 's lower layers are also anoxic and contain high concentrations of sulphur compounds such as hydrogen sulphide . Populations are denser close to continental shelves and canyons . Sperm whales are usually found in deep , off @-@ shore waters , but may be seen closer to shore , in areas where the continental shelf is small and drops quickly to depths of 310 to 920 metres ( 1 @,@ 020 to 3 @,@ 020 ft ) . Coastal areas with significant sperm whale populations include the Azores and Dominica . In Asian waters , whales are also observed regularly in coastal waters in places such as Commander and Kuril Islands , Shiretoko Peninsula , off Kinkasan , vicinity to Tokyo Bay and Boso Peninsula to Izu and Izu Islands , Volcano Islands , Yakushima and Tokara Islands to Ryukyu Islands , Taiwan , Northern Mariana Islands , and so forth . Historical catch records suggest there could have been smaller aggression grounds in the Sea of Japan as well . Grown males are known to enter surprisingly shallow bays to rest ( whales will be in state of rest during these occasions ) . There are unique , coastal groups reported from various areas among the globe such as Scotland , Shiretoko Peninsula , off Kaikoura , in Davao Gulf . Such costal groups were more abundant in pre @-@ whaling days . = = = Diet = = = Sperm whales usually dive between 300 to 800 metres ( 980 to 2 @,@ 620 ft ) , and sometimes 1 to 2 kilometres ( 3 @,@ 300 to 6 @,@ 600 ft ) , in search of food . Such dives can last more than an hour . They feed on several species , notably the giant squid , but also the colossal squid , octopuses , and fish like demersal rays , but their diet is mainly medium @-@ sized squid . Some prey may be taken accidentally while eating other items . Most of what is known about deep sea squid has been learned from specimens in captured sperm whale stomachs , although more recent studies analysed feces . One study , carried out around the Galápagos , found that squid from the genera Histioteuthis ( 62 % ) , Ancistrocheirus ( 16 % ) , and Octopoteuthis ( 7 % ) weighing between 12 and 650 grams ( 0 @.@ 026 and 1 @.@ 433 lb ) were the most commonly taken . Battles between sperm whales and giant squid or colossal squid have never been observed by humans ; however , white scars are believed to be caused by the large squid . One study published in 2010 collected evidence that suggests that female sperm whales may collaborate when hunting Humboldt squid . Tagging studies have shown that sperm whales hunt upside down at the bottom of their deep dives . It is suggested that the whales can see the squid silhouetted above them against the dim surface light . An older study , examining whales captured by the New Zealand whaling fleet in the Cook Strait region , found a 1 @.@ 69 : 1 ratio of squid to fish by weight . Sperm whales sometimes take sablefish and toothfish from long lines . Long @-@ line fishing operations in the Gulf of Alaska complain that sperm whales take advantage of their fishing operations to eat desirable species straight off the line , sparing the whales the need to hunt . However , the amount of fish taken is very little compared to what the sperm whale needs per day . Video footage has been captured of a large male sperm whale " bouncing " a long line , to gain the fish . Sperm whales are believed to prey on the megamouth shark , a rare and large deep @-@ sea species discovered in the 1970s . In one case , three sperm whales were observed attacking or playing with a megamouth . The sharp beak of a consumed squid lodged in the whale 's intestine may lead to the production of ambergris , analogous to the production of pearls . The irritation of the intestines caused by squid beaks stimulates the secretion of this lubricant @-@ like substance . Sperm whales are prodigious feeders and eat around 3 % of their body weight per day . The total annual consumption of prey by sperm whales worldwide is estimated to be about 91 million tonnes ( 100 million short tons ) . In comparison , human consumption of seafood is estimated to be 115 million tonnes ( 127 million short tons ) . Sperm whales hunt through echolocation . Their clicks are among the most powerful sounds in the animal kingdom ( see above ) . It has been hypothesised that it can stun prey with its clicks . Experimental studies attempting to duplicate this effect have been unable to replicate the supposed injuries , casting doubt on this idea . It has been stated that sperm whales , as well as other large cetaceans , help fertilise the surface of the ocean by consuming nutrients in the depths and transporting those nutrients to the oceans ' surface when they defecate , an effect known as the whale pump . This fertilises phytoplankton and other plants on the surface of the ocean and contributes to ocean productivity and the drawdown of atmospheric carbon . = = Life cycle = = Sperm whales can live 70 years or more . They are a prime example of a species that has been K @-@ selected , meaning their reproductive strategy is associated with stable environmental conditions and comprises a low birth rate , significant parental aid to offspring , slow maturation , and high longevity . How they choose mates has not been definitively determined . Males will fight with each other over females , and males will mate with multiple females , making them polygynous , but they do not dominate the group like a harem . Males do not provide paternal care to their offspring . Females become fertile at around 9 years of age . The oldest pregnant female ever recorded was 41 years old . Gestation requires 14 to 16 months , producing a single calf . Sexually mature females give birth once every 4 to 20 years ( pregnancy rates were higher during the whaling era ) . Birth is a social event , as the mother and calf need others to protect them from predators . The other adults may jostle and bite the newborn in its first hours . Lactation proceeds for 19 to 42 months , but calves , rarely , may suckle up to 13 years . Like other whales , the sperm whale 's milk has a higher fat content than that of terrestrial mammals : about 36 % , compared to 4 % in cow milk . This gives it a consistency similar to cottage cheese , which prevents it from dissolving in the water before the calf can eat it . It has an energy content of roughly 3 @,@ 840 kcal / kg , compared to just 640 kcal / kg in cow milk . Calves may be allowed to suckle from females other than their mothers . Males become sexually mature at 18 years . Upon reaching sexual maturity , males move to higher latitudes , where the water is colder and feeding is more productive . Females remain at lower latitudes . Males reach their full size at about age 50 . = = Social behaviour = = = = = Relations within the species = = = Adult males who are not breeding live solitary lives , whereas females and juvenile males live together in groups . The main driving force for the sexual segregation of adult sperm whales is scramble competition for mesopelagic squid . Females and their young remain in groups , while mature males leave their " natal unit " somewhere between 4 and 21 years of age . Mature males sometimes form loose bachelor groups with other males of similar age and size . As males grow older , they typically live solitary lives . Mature males have beached themselves together , suggesting a degree of cooperation which is not yet fully understood . The whales rarely , if ever , leave their group . A social unit is a group of sperm whales who live and travel together over a period of years . Individuals rarely , if ever , join or leave a social unit . There is a huge variance in the size of social units . They are most commonly between six and nine individuals in size but can have more than twenty . Unlike orcas , sperm whales within a social unit show no significant tendency to associate with their genetic relatives . Females and calves spend about three quarters of their time foraging and a quarter of their time socializing . Socializing usually takes place in the afternoon . When sperm whales socialize , they emit complex patterns of clicks called codas . They will spend much of the time rubbing against each other . Tracking of diving whales suggests that groups engage in herding of prey , similar to bait balls created by other species , though the research needs to be confirmed by tracking the prey . = = = Relations with other species = = = The most common natural predator of sperm whales is the orca , but pilot whales and false killer whales sometimes harass them . Orcas prey on target groups of females with young , usually making an effort to extract and kill a calf . The adults will protect their calves or an injured adult by encircling them . They may face inwards with their tails out ( the ' marguerite formation ' , named after the flower ) . The heavy and powerful tail of an adult whale can deliver lethal blows . Alternatively , they may face outwards ( the ' heads @-@ out formation ' ) . Other than sperm whales , southern right whales had been observed to perform similar formations . However , formations in non dangerous situations have been recorded as well . Early whalers exploited this behaviour , attracting a whole unit by injuring one of its members . If the orca pod is extremely large , its members may sometimes be able to kill adult female sperm whales . Solitary mature males are known to interfere and come to the aid of vulnerable groups nearby . Individual large mature male sperm whales have no non @-@ human predators , and are believed to be too large , powerful and aggressive to be threatened by orcas . In addition , male sperm whales have been observed to attack and intimidate orca pods . An incident was filmed from a long @-@ line trawler : an orca pod was systematically taking fish caught on the trawler 's long lines ( as the lines were being pulled into the ship ) when a male sperm whale appeared to repeatedly charge the orca pod in an attempt to drive them away ; it was speculated by the film crew that the sperm whale was attempting to access the same fish . The orcas employed a tail outward and tail slapping defensive position against the bull sperm whale similar to that used by female sperm whales against attacking orcas . Sperm whales are not known for forging bonds with other species , but it was observed that a bottlenose dolphin with spinal deformity had been accepted into a pod of sperm whales . They are known to swim alongside other cetaceans such as humpback , fin , minke , pilot , and orca whales on occasion . = = Evolutionary history = = = = = Fossil record = = = Although the fossil record is poor , several extinct genera have been assigned to the clade Physeteroidea , which includes the last common ancestor of the modern sperm whale , pygmy sperm whales , dwarf sperm whales , and extinct physeteroids . These fossils include Ferecetotherium , Idiorophus , Diaphorocetus , Aulophyseter , Orycterocetus , Scaldicetus , Placoziphius , Zygophyseter and Acrophyseter . Ferecetotherium , found in Azerbaijan and dated to the late Oligocene ( about 28 to 23 million years ago ) , is the most primitive fossil that has been found which possesses sperm whale @-@ specific features such as an asymmetric rostrum ( " beak " or " snout " ) . Most sperm whale fossils date from the Miocene period , 23 to 5 million years ago . Diaphorocetus , from Argentina , has been dated to the early Miocene . Fossil sperm whales from the Middle Miocene include Aulophyseter , Idiorophus and Orycterocetus , all of which were found on the west coast of the United States , and Scaldicetus , found in Europe and Japan . Orycterocetus fossils have also been found in the North Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea , in addition to the west coast of the United States . Placoziphius , found in Europe , and Acrophyseter , from Peru , are dated to the late Miocene . Fossil sperm whales differ from modern sperm whales in tooth count and the shape of the face and jaws . For example , Scaldicetus had a tapered rostrum . Genera from the Oligocene and early and middle Miocene , with the possible exception of Aulophyseter , had teeth in their upper jaws . Acrophyseter , from the late Miocene , also had teeth in both the upper and lower jaws as well as a short rostrum and an upward curving mandible ( lower jaw ) . These anatomical differences suggest that fossil species may not have necessarily been deep @-@ sea squid eaters like the modern sperm whale , but that some genera mainly ate fish . Zygophyseter , dated from the middle to late Miocene and found in southern Italy , had teeth in both jaws and appears to have been adapted to feed on large prey , rather like the modern Orca ( Killer Whale ) . Other fossil sperm whales with adaptations similar to this are collectively known as killer sperm whales . = = = Phylogeny = = = The traditional view has been that Mysticeti ( baleen whales ) and Odontoceti ( toothed whales ) arose from more primitive whales early in the Oligocene period , and that the super @-@ family Physeteroidea , which contains the sperm whale , dwarf sperm whale , and pygmy sperm whale , diverged from other toothed whales soon after that , over 23 million years ago . From 1993 to 1996 , molecular phylogenetics analyses by Milinkovitch and colleagues , based on comparing the genes of various modern whales , suggested that the sperm whales are more closely related to the baleen whales than they are to other toothed whales , which would have meant that Odontoceti were not monophyletic ; in other words , it did not consist of a single ancestral toothed whale species and all its descendants . However , more recent studies , based on various combinations of comparative anatomy and molecular phylogenetics , criticised Milinkovitch 's analysis on technical grounds and reaffirmed that the Odontoceti are monophyletic . These analyses also confirm that there was a rapid evolutionary radiation ( diversification ) of the Physeteroidea in the Miocene period . The Kogiidae ( dwarf and pygmy sperm whales ) diverged from the Physeteridae ( true sperm whales ) at least 8 million years ago . = = Relationship with humans = = = = = Sperm whaling = = = Spermaceti , obtained primarily from the spermaceti organ , and sperm oil , obtained primarily from the blubber in the body , were much sought after by eighteenth , nineteenth , and twentieth century whalers . These substances found a variety of commercial applications , such as candles , soap , cosmetics , machine oil , other specialised lubricants , lamp oil , pencils , crayons , leather waterproofing , rust @-@ proofing materials and many pharmaceutical compounds . Ambergris , a solid , waxy , flammable substance produced in the digestive system of sperm whales , was also sought as a fixative in perfumery . Prior to the early eighteenth century , hunting was mostly by indigenous Indonesians . Legend has it that sometime in the early eighteenth century , around 1712 , Captain Christopher Hussey , while cruising for right whales near shore , was blown offshore by a northerly wind , where he encountered a sperm whale pod and killed one . Although the story may not be true , sperm whales were indeed soon exploited by American whalers . Judge Paul Dudley , in his Essay upon the Natural History of Whales ( 1725 ) , states that one Atkins , ten or twelve years in the trade , was among the first to catch sperm whales sometime around 1720 off the New England coast . There were only a few recorded catches during the first few decades ( 1709 – 1730s ) of offshore sperm whaling . Instead , sloops concentrated on Nantucket Shoals , where they would have taken right whales or went to the Davis Strait region to catch bowhead whales . By the early 1740s , with the advent of spermaceti candles ( before 1743 ) , American vessels began to focus on sperm whales . The diary of Benjamin Bangs ( 1721 – 1769 ) shows that , along with the bumpkin sloop he sailed , he found three other sloops flensing sperm whales off the coast of North Carolina in late May 1743 . On returning to Nantucket in the summer 1744 on a subsequent voyage , he noted that " 45 spermacetes are brought in here this day , " another indication that American sperm whaling was in full swing . American sperm whaling soon spread from the east coast of the American colonies to the Gulf Stream , the Grand Banks , West Africa ( 1763 ) , the Azores ( 1765 ) , and the South Atlantic ( 1770s ) . From 1770 to 1775 Massachusetts , New York , Connecticut , and Rhode Island ports produced 45 @,@ 000 barrels of sperm oil annually , compared to 8 @,@ 500 of whale oil . In the same decade , the British began sperm whaling , employing American ships and personnel . By the following decade , the French had entered the trade , also employing American expertise . Sperm whaling increased until the mid @-@ nineteenth century . Spermaceti oil was important in public lighting ( for example , in lighthouses , where it was used in the United States until 1862 , when it was replaced by lard oil , in turn replaced by petroleum ) and for lubricating the machines ( such as those used in cotton mills ) of the Industrial Revolution . Sperm whaling declined in the second half of the nineteenth century , as petroleum came into broader use . In that sense , petroleum use may be said to have protected whale populations from even greater exploitation . Sperm whaling in the eighteenth century began with small sloops carrying only one or two whaleboats . The fleet 's scope and size increased over time , and larger ships entered the fishery . In the late eighteenth century and early nineteenth century sperm whaling ships sailed to the equatorial Pacific , the Indian Ocean , Japan , the coast of Arabia , Australia and New Zealand . Hunting could be dangerous to the crew , since sperm whales ( especially bulls ) will readily fight to defend themselves against attack , unlike most baleen whales . When dealing with a threat , sperm whales will use their huge head effectively as a battering ram . Arguably the most famous sperm whale counter @-@ attack occurred on 20 November 1820 , when a whale claimed to be about 25 @.@ 9 metres ( 85 ft ) long rammed and sank the Nantucket whaleship Essex . Only 8 out of 21 sailors survived to be rescued by other ships . This instance is popularly believed to have inspired Herman Melville 's famous book Moby @-@ Dick . The sperm whale 's ivory @-@ like teeth were often sought by eighteenth- and nineteenth @-@ century whalers , who used them to produce inked carvings known as scrimshaw . Thirty teeth of the sperm whale can be used for ivory . Each of these teeth , up to 20 cm ( 8 in ) and 8 cm ( 3 in ) across , are hollow for the first half of their length . Like walrus ivory , sperm whale ivory has two distinct layers . However , sperm whale ivory contains a much thicker inner layer . Though a widely practised art in the nineteenth century , scrimshaw using genuine sperm whale ivory declined substantially after the retirement of the whaling fleets in the 1880s . Currently the Endangered Species Act and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora ( CITES ) , prevents the sales of or trade in sperm whale ivory harvested after 1973 or scrimshaw crafted from it . Modern whaling was more efficient than open @-@ boat whaling , employing steam @-@ powered ships and exploding harpoons . Initially , modern whaling activity focused on large baleen whales , but as these populations were taken , sperm whaling increased . Spermaceti , the fine waxy oil produced by sperm whales , was in high demand . In both the 1941 to 1942 and 1942 to 1943 seasons , Norwegian expeditions took over 3 @,@ 000 sperm whales off the coast of Peru alone . After the war , whaling continued unabated to obtain oil for cosmetics and high @-@ performance machinery , such as automobile transmissions . The hunting led to the near extinction of large whales , including sperm whales , until bans on whale oil use were instituted in 1972 . The International Whaling Commission gave the species full protection in 1985 but hunting by Japan in the northern Pacific Ocean continued until 1988 . It is estimated that the historic worldwide population numbered 1 @,@ 100 @,@ 000 before commercial sperm whaling began in the early eighteenth century . By 1880 it had declined by an estimated 29 percent . From that date until 1946 , the population appears to have partially recovered as whaling activity decreased , and after World War II , the whale population increases to 33 percent of the pre @-@ whaling population . Between 184 @,@ 000 and 236 @,@ 000 sperm whales were killed by the various whaling nations in the nineteenth century , while in the twentieth century , at least 770 @,@ 000 were taken , the majority between 1946 and 1980 . Sperm whales increase levels of primary production and carbon export by depositing iron @-@ rich faeces into surface waters of the Southern Ocean . The iron @-@ rich faeces cause phytoplankton to grow and take up more carbon from the atmosphere . When the phytoplankton dies , it sinks to the deep ocean and takes the atmospheric carbon with it . By reducing the abundance of sperm whales in the Southern Ocean , whaling has resulted in an extra 2 million tonnes of carbon remaining in the atmosphere each year . Remaining sperm whale populations are large enough that the species ' conservation status is rated as vulnerable rather than endangered . However , the recovery from centuries of commercial whaling is a slow process , particularly in the South Pacific , where the toll on breeding @-@ age males was severe . = = = Current conservation status = = = The total number of sperm whales in the world is unknown , but is thought to be in the hundreds of thousands . The conservation outlook is brighter than for many other whales . Commercial whaling has ceased , and the species is protected almost worldwide , though records indicate that in the eleven @-@ year period starting from 2000 , Japan has caught 51 sperm whales . Fishermen do not target the creatures sperm whales eat , but long @-@ line fishing operations in the Gulf of Alaska have complained about sperm whales stealing fish from their lines . Currently , entanglement in fishing nets and collisions with ships represent the greatest threats to the sperm whale population . Other threats include ingestion of marine debris , ocean noise , and chemical pollution . The International Union for Conservation of Nature ( IUCN ) regards the sperm whale as being " Vulnerable " . The species is listed as endangered on the United States Endangered Species Act . Sperm whales are listed on Appendix I and Appendix II of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals ( CMS ) . It is listed on Appendix I as this species has been categorized as being in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant proportion of their range and CMS Parties strive towards strictly protecting these animals , conserving or restoring the places where they live , mitigating obstacles to migration and controlling other factors that might endanger them . It is listed on Appendix II as it has an unfavourable conservation status or would benefit significantly from international co @-@ operation organised by tailored agreements . It is also covered by the Agreement on the Conservation of Cetaceans in the Black Sea , Mediterranean Sea and Contiguous Atlantic Area ( ACCOBAMS ) and the Memorandum of Understanding for the Conservation of Cetaceans and Their Habitats in the Pacific Islands Region ( Pacific Cetaceans MOU ) . = = = Cultural importance = = = Rope @-@ mounted teeth are important cultural objects throughout the Pacific . In New Zealand , the Māori know them as " rei puta " ; such whale tooth pendants were rare objects because sperm whales were not actively hunted in traditional Māori society . Whale ivory and bone were taken from beached whales . In Fiji the teeth are known as tabua , traditionally given as gifts for atonement or esteem ( called sevusevu ) , and were important in negotiations between rival chiefs . Friedrich Ratzel in The History of Mankind reported in 1896 that , in Fiji , whales ' or cachalots ' teeth were the most @-@ demanded article of ornament or value . They occurred often in necklaces . Today the tabua remains an important item in Fijian life . The teeth were originally rare in Fiji and Tonga , which exported teeth , but with the Europeans ' arrival , teeth flooded the market and this " currency " collapsed . The oversupply led in turn to the development of the European art of scrimshaw . Herman Melville 's novel Moby @-@ Dick is based on a true story about a sperm whale that attacked and sank the whaleship Essex . Melville associated the sperm whale with the Bible 's Leviathan . The fearsome reputation perpetuated by Melville was based on bull whales ' ability to fiercely defend themselves from attacks by early whalers , occasionally resulting in the destruction of the whaling ships . The sperm whale was designated as the Connecticut state animal by the CT General Assembly in 1975 . It was selected because of its specific contribution to the state 's history and because of its present @-@ day plight as an endangered species . = = = Watching sperm whales = = = Sperm whales are not the easiest of whales to watch , due to their long dive times and ability to travel long distances underwater . However , due to the distinctive look and large size of the whale , watching is increasingly popular . Sperm whale watchers often use hydrophones to listen to the clicks of the whales and locate them before they surface . Popular locations for sperm whale watching include the town of Kaikoura on New Zealand 's South Island , Andenes and Tromsø in Arctic Norway ; as well as the Azores , where the continental shelf is so narrow that whales can be observed from the shore , and Dominica where a long @-@ term scientific research program , The Dominica Sperm Whale Project , has been in operation since 2005 . = = = Plastic waste = = = The introduction of plastic waste to the ocean environment by humans is new . Sperm whales are now occasionally found with pieces of plastic in their stomachs .

= Merced River = The Merced River ( pronounced mɜːsɛd ) , in the central part of the U.S. state of California , is a 145 @-@ mile ( 233 km ) -long tributary of the San Joaquin River flowing from the Sierra Nevada into the San Joaquin Valley . It is most well known for its swift and steep course through the southern part of Yosemite National Park , and the world @-@ famous Yosemite Valley . The river 's character changes dramatically once it reaches the foothills and the lowlands , becoming a slow @-@ moving waterway meandering through irrigated fields . When tectonic activity first led to the uplift of the Sierra , the river formed as a steep stream eroding into the range 's western flank , carrying sediments that would later help form the floor of the Central Valley . A rich riparian zone around the Merced once supported millions of migratory birds along the Pacific Flyway , and the river had one of the southernmost runs of salmon in North America . Indigenous people , including the Miwok and Paiute tribes , lived along the river for thousands of years , thriving on the bountiful flora and fauna supported by the river and its diverse lower course , aided by fertile soils eroded from the mountains . Military expeditions during the Mexican Era history of California passed through the Merced River region in the early 19th century . The California Gold Rush brought many people into California and some settled leading to the establishment of a railroad along the river , bringing minerals and lumber to towns that had been established on the lower Merced , and later provided tourism to the now @-@ national park area . Conflicts between whites and indigenous peoples prompted wars , resulting in the expulsion of the Ahwahnechee from Yosemite Valley . In the 20th century , the river saw further development that would change its state forever . Large @-@ scale irrigated agriculture was introduced to the Central Valley in the late 19th century , and led to the construction of numerous state , federal and privately owned dams . Water demand has often been higher than the river 's environment can sustain . Salmon have been blocked from migrating and riverside habitat has declined dramatically . Recent years have seen habitat conservation work , mimicking of historic streamflow patterns , and the establishment of a salmon hatchery , in the hopes that the river 's health can be protected from further damage . = = Course = = The headwaters of the Merced River are at 8 @,@ 017 feet ( 2 @,@ 444 m ) at the foot of the Clark Range , a subrange of the Sierra Nevada , rising at the confluence of the Triple Peak Fork and Merced Peak Fork after they cascade down glacially polished slopes from the high country in the southeastern corner of Yosemite National Park. the Merced River flows for 145 miles ( 233 km ) westward through a series of canyons , gorges and finally the flat plains of the Central Valley . From its headwaters , the river flows north for a short distance and collects the Lyell Peak Fork . The course of the Merced then turns to the north west and flows through a steep walled canyon for 2 @.@ 5 miles ( 4 @.@ 0 km ) where the river receives the Red Peak Fork and then collects into Washburn Lake at 7 @,@ 612 feet ( 2 @,@ 320 m ) elevation . The Merced continues to the northwest for 3 miles ( 4 @.@ 8 km ) where collects into Merced Lake . Leaving Merced Lake , the river continues to the west northwest for 2 @.@ 3 miles ( 3 @.@ 7 km ) where the canyons open up into Echo Valley . The river then turns generally westward for another 3 miles ( 4 @.@ 8 km ) , where it snakes through a spectacular narrow gorge between massive , glacially resistant granite cliffs . The gorge opens up after Bunnell Point and Sugarloaf Dome confine the river to form Bunnell Cascade , before turning southward through the Lost Valley of the Merced , and then spills over an unnamed granite cascade into Little Yosemite Valley , a glacial valley that sits 2 @,@ 000 feet ( 610 m ) feet above the more famous Yosemite Valley at approximately 2 / 3 scale . The Merced River then drops over Nevada Falls and Vernal Falls , receives Illilouette Creek , and passes into the main Yosemite Valley , where it meanders between pine forests that fill the valley floor . Tenaya , Yosemite , Bridalveil and Pigeon Creeks join the Merced before it breaches the glacial moraine at the valley 's end . From there the river picks up Cascade Creek and turns south near El Portal , flowing through Merced River Canyon . State Route 140 follows the river out of the west entrance to the national park , a few miles before the South Fork Merced River , the largest tributary , joins from the left . The river arcs northwest to receive the North Fork , and a few miles after it enters Lake McClure , formed by New Exchequer Dam . Below New Exchequer , the river flows west through a heavily irrigated region of the Central Valley , passing through McSwain and Crocker @-@ Huffman Dams and the cities of Hopeton , Delhi and Livingston . It joins the San Joaquin River at Hills Ferry , a few miles south of Turlock . = = Watershed = = The drainage basin of the Merced River is located in the central Sierra Nevada , spreading across 1 @,@ 726 square miles ( 4 @,@ 470 km2 ) . It can be characterized as the slightly smaller southern companion of the Tuolumne River , the major Sierran river just north of the Merced . On the south , the basin borders on the headwaters of the San Joaquin River itself . The Merced River watershed includes the subwatersheds of Illilouette , Echo , Tenaya , Yosemite , Bridalveil , Cascade , and Dry Creeks , as well as the South and North forks of the river , of which the South Fork , at 43 miles ( 69 km ) long , is the largest . Tributaries to the South Fork include Bishop , Rail , Alder and Chilnualna Creeks . There are also many lakes in the watershed of the Merced River , including Merced Lake , Tenaya Lake , the Chain Lakes , May Lake , Lake McClure , and Lake McSwain . Much of the basin of the Merced River is characterized by an alpine climate . The upper basin of the river receives heavy snowfall in the winter , which is usually enough to feed the river and its tributaries year round . However , most of the snowpack melts by the late autumn , reducing flows in the main stem and its tributaries significantly , and causing some smaller tributaries to dry up altogether . Snowmelt constitutes a majority of the river 's springtime and early summer flow , and provides up to 85 % of the flow above Happy Isles . The dry season depends more on groundwater to supply the river 's flow . The middle and lower basin are dominated by an arid , Mediterranean or even semi @-@ desert climate . The Merced River is the third largest tributary of the San Joaquin River . Before irrigation started in the Central Valley and dams were constructed , the river 's natural flow at the mouth was much higher than the current average of 661 cubic feet per second ( 18 @.@ 7 m3 / s ) , or about 479 @,@ 000 acre feet ( 591 @,@ 000 @,@ 000 m3 ) per year . Upstream on the river , at Happy Isles , the average flow is 355 cubic feet per second ( 10 @.@ 1 m3 / s ) . The United States Geological Survey has river gauges at three locations along the Merced River : at Happy Isles , above Lake McClure , and at the mouth . The first two record flows unaffected by dams and human intervention , but discharge at the mouth is chiefly controlled by New Exchequer Dam . The Lake McClure gauge , located at the former mining town of Bagby , is probably the most accurate gauge for flows overall . The average annual flow recorded there was 1 @,@ 185 cubic feet per second ( 33 @.@ 6 m3 / s ) from 1923 to 1966 . A peak of 92 @,@ 500 cubic feet per second ( 2 @,@ 620 m3 / s ) was reported there on December 23 , 1955 . For the mouth gauge , the highest flow was only 13 @,@ 600 cubic feet per second ( 390 m3 / s ) in 1950 . Finally , for the gauge at Happy Isles , the largest flow ever recorded was 10 @,@ 100 cubic feet per second ( 290 m3 / s ) in the 1997 Yosemite floods , which destroyed many campgrounds , roads , paths , and bridges in the valley . The Merced River 's primary human use is irrigation . The Merced Irrigation District ( MID ) operates most of the irrigation infrastructure , which supplies water to 154 @,@ 394 acres ( 624 @.@ 81 km2 ) of farmland . As a whole , the system includes about 4 @,@ 000 sets of control gates and 793 miles ( 1 @,@ 276 km ) of canals . Irrigation has taken most of the water out of the lower river , which now rarely reaches the sea . Water that does return to the river does so in for form of irrigation return flows , which carry pesticides , fertilizer and other pollutants . The MID is federally required to allow at least 15 @,@ 000 acre feet ( 19 @,@ 000 @,@ 000 m3 ) of water annually to flow continually down the river , not including flooding . The water has allowed the San Joaquin River below the Merced River confluence to contain water , while above the confluence all of its water is usually diverted for irrigation . = = Ecology = = According to a study in 2006 , there were 37 species of fish , 127 bird species , and 140 insect and invertebrate species found in the Merced River watershed . Most of these species are divided between the upper and lower watershed , which is usually defined by Lake McClure , formed by New Exchequer Dam . Of the fish , there were 26 species found in the lower Central Valley portion of the river , including Sacramento sucker , smallmouth bass , largemouth bass and carp , all but three of which are resident species , and some of which were intentionally introduced by humans . The three anadromous fish species that still use the lower Merced are the chinook salmon , Pacific lamprey and striped bass . The upper section of the river , defined as the stretch from Lake McClure to the headwaters , had 11 species of fish . Historically , the range of anadromous fish extended to the head of Yosemite Valley , but by the 1950s and 1960s , except in the wettest years , not enough water flowed down the Merced and San Joaquin Rivers at all to allow them to spawn in significant numbers . New water use requirements have allowed many anadromous species to revitalize , from a low of 500 chinook salmon in the mid @-@ 20th century to a high of 30 @,@ 000 fish in 1984 . After the 1970s , the annual run was about 5 @,@ 300 fish . Of the one hundred and twenty @-@ seven bird species found along the Merced River , only 35 occur along the entire length of the river . Many of these birds are migratory and only pass the area a few times every year , while 109 species of birds are found only in the breeding season . However , despite the more extensive modifications to the lower part of the river , there are more species of birds found in the lower watershed , due to the slow @-@ flowing nature of the river that forms marshes and riparian zones . Common species of bird throughout the basin include ruby @-@ crowned kinglet , cedar waxwing , American robin , yellow @-@ rumped warbler , tree swallow and European starling , and several endangered species , including white @-@ tailed kite and Swainson 's hawk . Birds that occur commonly in the middle and upper sections of the Merced River include mourning dove , Cassin 's finch , California quail , dark @-@ eyed junco , woodpecker , dipper , great blue heron , scrub jay , red @-@ winged blackbird , red @-@ tailed hawk , turkey vulture , cliff swallow , canyon wren , merganser , and rarely , bald eagle . Of the 140 insect and invertebrate species , which include mayflies , stoneflies and caddisflies , there are also three major exotic species : Asiatic clam , Chinese mitten crab , and New Zealand mud snail . Many species of plants are found throughout the middle and upper basin , including California poppy , white alder , Oregon ash , oak , poison oak , bigleaf maple , Indian rhubarb , buttonbush , willow , whiteleaf manzanita , and historically , sugar pine , before logging began in the late 19th century . Squirrels , raccoon , jackrabbits , bats , skunks , beavers , mule deer , coyote , bobcat and black bear are among the mammal species found in the middle and upper watershed . One species of interest is the limestone salamander , an extremely rare amphibian whose only habitat is in the Merced Canyon downstream of Yosemite Valley . The limestone salamander depends on the granite walls of the Merced Canyon to survive . To protect the species , a 20 @-@ mile ( 32 km ) segment of the canyon covering 1 @,@ 600 acres ( 6 @.@ 5 km2 ) was designated in 1986 an " Area of Critical Environmental Concern " . = = Geology = = When the North American Plate on its slow journey westwards encountered the Pacific Plate approximately 250 million years ago during the Paleozoic , the latter began to subduct under the North American continent . Intense pressure underground caused some of the Pacific Plate to melt , and the resulting upwelling magma pushed up and hardened into the granite batholith that makes up much of the Sierra Nevada . Extensive layers of marine sedimentary rock that originally made up the ancient Pacific seabed were also pushed up by the rising granite , and the ancestral Merced River formed on this layer of rock . Over millions of years , the Merced cut a deep canyon through the softer sedimentary rock , eventually hitting the hard granite beneath . The encounter with this resilient rock layer caused the Merced River to mostly stop its downcutting , although tributary streams continued to widen the ancient canyon . Over about 80 million years , erosion caused the transportation of massive amounts of alluvial sediment to the floor of the Central Valley , where it was trapped between the California Coast Range on the west and the Sierra Nevada on the east , forming an incredibly flat and fertile land surface . The present @-@ day form of the upper Merced River watershed , however , was formed by glaciers , and the lower watershed was indirectly but significantly affected . When the last glacial period or Ice Age arrived , a series of four tremendous valley glaciers filled the upper basin of the Merced River . These glaciers rose in branches upstream of Yosemite Valley , descending from the Merced River headwaters , Tenaya Canyon and Illilouette Creek . Tenaya Canyon was actually eroded even deeper by an arm of the Tuolumne Glacier , which formed the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne and Hetch Hetchy Valley on the Tuolumne River in the north . Little Yosemite Valley formed as a result of the underlying rock being harder than that below the Giant Staircase , the cliff wall containing Vernal Fall and Nevada Fall . These three branches of each glacier combined to form one large glacier about 7 @,@ 000 feet ( 2 @,@ 100 m ) thick at maximum , stretching 25 miles ( 40 km ) downstream past the mouth of Yosemite Valley , well into Merced Canyon . These glaciers formed the granite cliffs that now constitute landmarks such as Half Dome , El Capitán , and Cloud 's Rest . The first and largest glacier was the Sherwin or Pre @-@ Tahoe glacier , which eroded the upper Merced watershed to an extent close to its present form . Three stages followed during the Wisconsinian glaciation ; these were the Tahoe , Tenaya and Tioga stages , of which the Tioga was the smallest . The Tioga glacier left at the mouth of Yosemite Valley a rocky moraine . This moraine was actually one of several moraines deposited by the four glaciations , which include Medial Moraine and Bridalveil Moraine . After the Tioga Glacier retreated this moraine formed a lake that flooded nearly the entire valley . Gradual sedimentation filled Lake Yosemite , creating a broad and flat valley floor . Sediments of glacial origin continued to travel down the Merced River following then , helping to form the flat floor of the Central Valley . = = History = = Of the many Native American tribes that have lived on the Merced River the most prominent were the Miwok ( consisting of Plains Miwok and Sierra Miwok ) , Paiute , and Ahwahnechee . Many Plains Miwok settled in the lowlands along the lower Merced River . The Sierra ( or Mountain ) Miwok lived in the upper Merced Canyon and in Yosemite Valley , and at the time the first white explorers came to the area , there were about 450 Sierra Miwok split among ten permanent villages . Paiute , of origin from the eastern Sierra near the Mono Lake area , also lived in the upper watershed of the Merced River . The Sierra Miwok and Mono Lake Paiute eventually , through cultural interaction over time , formed a new culture , the Ahwahnechee , derived from Ahwahnee , meaning " the valley shaped like a big mouth " ( referring to U @-@ shaped Yosemite Valley ) . In the early 19th century , several military expeditions sent by Spanish colonists from coastal California traveled into the Central Valley . One of these trips , headed by lieutenant Gabriel Moraga , arrived on the south bank of the Merced River on September 29 , 1806 . They named the river Rio de Nuestra Señora de la Merced ( River of Our Lady of Mercy ) , who is the patron saint of Barcelona and is celebrated on September 24 . Another expedition to the Central Valley in 1805 also named the Kings River upon reaching it on January 6 , 1805 , which is the feast of the Magi or Epiphany . Moraga 's expedition was part of a series of exploratory ventures , funded by the Spanish government , to find suitable sites for missions in the Central Valley and the Sierra Nevada foothills . In 1808 and 1810 , Moraga led further expeditions along the lower Merced River below Merced Canyon , each time coming to nothing . Eventually , plans to establish a mission chain in the Valley were abandoned . In 1855 , Merced County was created , named after the Merced River . Following the establishment of Merced County and the independence of California from Mexico , many settlers came to the Merced River area and established small towns on the Merced River . One of the first was Dover , established in 1844 at the confluence of the Merced River with the San Joaquin River . Dover functioned as an " inland seaport " where boats delivered supplies from the San Francisco Bay area to settlers in the San Joaquin Valley . Some towns that followed were Hopeton , Snelling and Merced Falls , the latter named for a set of rapids on the Merced River near the present @-@ day site of McSwain Dam . In the late 1880s a flour mill , woolen mill and a few lumber mills were constructed at Merced Falls . The Sugar Pine Lumber Company and Yosemite Lumber Company operated lumber mills at Merced Falls for over thirty years , relying on narrow @-@ gauge railroads to ship lumber from the Sierra Nevada along the Merced River . Following the construction of the Central Pacific and Southern Pacific Railroads , many of the river towns on the Merced River were deserted . Several cities that did achieve prominence , however , include Merced and Turlock , both located on the railroad . The California Gold Rush in the 1850s saw gradually increasing mining in Merced Canyon and Yosemite Valley . Many Native Americans in the area revolted , leading to conflicts between miners and the Ahwahnechee . In 1851 the Mariposa Battalion was formed to drive the remaining Ahwahnechee out of the valley into reservations . The Battalion fought an Ahwahnechee group led by Chief Tenaya over the South Fork of the Merced River . Eventually , they succeeded in driving most of the Indians out of the Yosemite Valley , first into a reservation near Fresno . Following the gold rush , the Ahwahnechee were allowed back into Yosemite Valley , but further incidents prompted a second battalion to drive them out , this time to the Mono Lake area . Many place names in the valley have their origin from the Mariposa Battalion . Even before the establishment of Yosemite National Park , tourists began to travel into the Merced Canyon and Yosemite Valley as early as 1855 . The first roads were constructed into Yosemite Valley in the 1870s . The first was Coulterville Road , followed by Big Oak Flat Road , a trading route from Stockton to Merced Canyon . Environmental movements led by John Muir and Robert Underwood Johnson convinced the U.S. Congress to establish Yosemite National Park in 1890 . With the creation of the national park tourism to the Valley and the Merced River increased significantly , leading to many other roads being built throughout the upper Merced River watershed . Other national forests protecting more of the Merced River upper basin followed , including Sierra National Forest and Stanislaus National Forest . The Yosemite Valley Railroad , originally established with the discovery of mineral deposits in Yosemite Valley and Merced Canyon , continued functioning through the early 20th century carrying tourists to Yosemite Valley along the Merced River . El Portal Road , constructed through Merced Canyon in 1926 , put an end to passenger service on the railway , but operations continued until the mid @-@ 1940s , when major flooding occurred , destroying sections of the railroad . In the early 20th century , when the upper Merced River basin lay mostly protected , the lower river was the subject of dam @-@ building and irrigation diversions by the Merced Irrigation District . The District proposed the Exchequer Dam , completed in the mid @-@ 1920s and raised in the 1960s , as a water storage facility on the Merced River . Irrigation with water from the Merced River continued to grow substantially until most of the arable land around the river , some 120 @,@ 000 acres ( 490 km2 ) , was under cultivation . By the late 1950s and early 1960s , irrigation in the San Joaquin Valley was to such an extent that many of the rivers ran dry in sections . Upriver of the Merced River confluence with the San Joaquin , the latter river was usually dry , only regaining flow where the Merced River enters . In the mid @-@ 20th century , the flow in the Merced River diminished to such a degree that very few salmon returned to spawn in the lower section of the Merced River . In 1991 , a fish hatchery , the Merced River Hatchery , was built beside the Merced River just downstream of the Crocker @-@ Huffman Diversion Dam , the lowermost Merced River dam . Fall chinook salmon travel up a fish ladder into the hatchery 's pools , which are supplied with water diverted from the Merced River . Yosemite Valley saw significant amounts of damage when the river flooded the valley in 1997 . = = River modifications = = Despite its partial status as a National Wild and Scenic River , the Merced River has been the subject of dam @-@ building and irrigation diversions . The dams on the Merced River are New Exchequer Dam , McSwain Dam and the Crocker @-@ Huffman Diversion Dam . New Exchequer Dam is the largest dam on the river and forms Lake McClure , which holds 1 @,@ 032 @,@ 000 acre feet ( 1 @.@ 273 × 109 m3 ) . This modern structure was preceded by the old Exchequer Dam forming Exchequer Reservoir , with a capacity of 281 @,@ 000 acre feet ( 347 @,@ 000 @,@ 000 m3 ) . The old concrete arch dam , completed in 1926 , has since been inundated by a new rockfill structure . Many small diversion dams block the Merced River downstream , many of which were built by the Merced Irrigation District to supply water to farms in the Central Valley . The lowermost , the Crocker @-@ Huffman Diversion Dam , was built just before 1907 , and completely blocks the passage of anadromous fish up the Merced River . McSwain Dam , the other major lower dam , also serves as a forebay ( regulating dam ) for New Exchequer Dam . Aside from controlling flows in the lower river the dam also produces some hydroelectricity . Because of the nearly desiccated flow of the river as it nears the mouth , like most other rivers in the San Joaquin Valley , little water in the Merced River actually reaches the Pacific Ocean . Cascades Diversion Dam was a timber crib dam built in 1917 near where the Merced River flows out of Yosemite Valley . Because of its impact on the environment and damage from floods , the dam , originally built to generate hydropower , was decommissioned in 1985 and removed in the 1990s . The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation surveyed the dam site in 1997 and found that the dam was in danger of failure . Classified as a " high hazard " structure , it was originally considered for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places but was deemed too dangerous to keep . Today , the Merced to Lake McClure is completely free @-@ flowing and unobstructed by any dams . = = Recreation = = The Merced River and its tributaries are a popular recreational area in part because of Yosemite National Park . There are many activities within the watershed , including boating , fishing , camping and hiking . Whitewater rafting is permitted throughout Merced River Canyon from the downstream half of Yosemite Valley to the entrance of Lake McClure . The most difficult rapids in this segment rate Class III and Class IV , mostly upstream of El Portal . There is also boating on Lake McClure . Camping throughout the upper Merced watershed is generally only permitted in designated campgrounds . Campgrounds along the Merced River and its tributaries include ones at Railroad Flat , McCabe Flat , Willow Placer , Merced Lake , Vogelsang Lake , Sunrise Creek , May Lake , Bridalveil Creek , and a ski hut at Ostrander Lake , the source of Bridalveil Creek . The name " Railroad Flat " originates from the Yosemite Valley Railroad , which once travelled up Merced River Canyon into Yosemite Valley . The old railroad grade still exists , and is now the site of a public trail . Many other trails lead throughout the Merced River watershed , notably the John Muir Trail , which starts near Happy Isles and climbs the Giant Staircase , past Vernal and Nevada Falls , into Little Yosemite Valley and north along Sunrise Creek to join the Pacific Crest Trail near Tuolumne Meadows . Trails also follow the river through Little Yosemite Valley to the headwaters area , and along Illilouette , Bridalveil , Yosemite , Alder and Chilnualna Creeks , and the lower South Fork of the Merced River . There are no trails along some segments , including the lower Bridalveil Creek , upper South Fork , and specifically Tenaya Canyon , which is extremely dangerous .

= Crime and Dissonance = Crime and Dissonance is a 2005 compilation album of Italian composer Ennio Morricone 's film score work . Intended as a follow @-@ up to two earlier Morricone compilations assembled by Dagored , the album was put together by Alan Bishop and released by Ipecac Recordings . Crime and Dissonance features work ranging from the later 1960s to the early 1980s , and contains scores taken from films of several different genres . The collection focuses on Morricone 's lesser @-@ known soundtrack work , with Ipecac founder Mike Patton consciously wishing to distance it from similar compilations . Released on October 18 , 2005 , Crime and Dissonance has been met with favorable reviews by critics . The album has attracted comments on Morricone 's experimental and innovative compositional style , often in contrast to the spare @-@ sounding westerns he is known for . = = Production = = Crime and Dissonance , a collection of Ennio Morricone 's film scores from the 1970s , was conceived as a follow @-@ up to Dagored releases Morricone 2000 and Morricone 2001 . However , that label abandoned the project , and Mike Patton of Ipecac Recordings decided to release it instead . Morricone had no input in the project ; instead the track listing was assembled by Alan Bishop . Bishop had previously assembled the Morricone 2000 and Morricone 2001 collections as well . All three compilations cover a roughly coterminous time period , spanning the late 1960s to the early 1980s , but concentrating primarily on the early 1970s . Bishop had been given a list of films whose scores were available to use in the collection ; he set about compiling the two @-@ disc set from there . However , the final song on the album , an eleven @-@ minute section from the soundtrack to Un uomo da rispettare , was not included in the list of available material . The project was delayed for some time while Bishop waited for record label Sugar Music to license the song . Patton , founder of Ipecac Recordings , has described his admiration for Morricone 's writing , feeling that the composer turned " what could be banal , surface @-@ style pop into really deep , orchestrated , tense and compelling music " . Patton considers Morricone to be one of his favorite composers , and wanted the compilation to serve as a fitting tribute . He felt it was " imperative " for Crime and Dissonance to focus on Morricone 's lesser @-@ known work , as it had to compete with a large back catalogue of similar compilations . To this end , Patton and Bishop focused on Morricone 's more experimental work , which Patton has compared to the music of Brazilian tropicália group Os Mutantes . Patton has praised Bishop 's work on the project , calling him " a big Morricone scholar " , and has described Crime and Dissonance as one the Ipecac releases he is most proud of . Crime and Dissonance features liner notes written by composer John Zorn , who had previously reinterpreted Morricone 's work on the album The Big Gundown . The album 's title reflects the range of genres covered by the films whose scores have been included , with the collection gathering music from " horror , suspense , mafia , and period movies " , including several pieces taken from Dario Argento 's giallo film L 'uccello dalle piume di cristallo . However , the album itself only lists the titles of the films , omitting the context in which the music was originally presented and leaving the compositions to " speak for themselves " . = = Track listing = = All songs written and composed by Ennio Morricone , except for " Memento " by Morricone and Walter Bianchi and " Il Buio " by Morricone and Bruno Nicolai . = = Reception = = Crime and Dissonance was released on October 18 , 2005 , through the Ipecac Recordings label , although it has previously been scheduled for release on September 6 of the same year . The album has garnered mostly positive reviews from critics . Writing for Allrovi , Thom Jurek rated the collection four @-@ and @-@ a @-@ half stars out of five , calling it " essential Morricone " . Jurek felt that the album served to present " a much wider view of Morricone not only as a composer , but as a sonic experimentalist " . Pitchfork Media 's Joe Tangari awarded the album a score of eight out of ten , describing it as " a minor revelation " . Tangari felt that the collection represented Morricone 's most innovative period of work , and praised Bishop 's compilation for its cohesion and flow . Joshua Klein of The Washington Post has described the album as featuring " bizarre soundscapes , discordant drones , proto @-@ sampledelica , weird instruments , strange sounds and oddball voices " . Klein felt that the collection portrayed Morricone as a ground @-@ breaking and confident composer , eschewing his trademark spare @-@ sounding scores to freely experiment . The A.V. Club 's Andy Battaglia rated the compilation an A − , noting its dissimilarity to Morricone 's more well @-@ known work . Battaglia complimented the arrangement of the tracks , feeling that they flowed into one another well , and noted the range of genres the collection represented . Danny Fasold of The Roanoke Times has commented on the wide variety of styles the collection contains , adding that it proves " Morricone always delivered something interesting " . Stylus Magazine 's Cameron Macdonald rated the album an A − , finding that the " kitsch " mass @-@ market appeal of Morricone 's better @-@ known western scores made Crime and Dissonance a more " relevant " record . However , Macdonald felt that album 's second disc was the weaker of the two , finding that the " slapstick " nature of some of its pieces seemed out of place . Dave Gurney of Tiny Mix Tapes rated Crime and Dissonance three @-@ and @-@ a @-@ half out of five , calling it " a group of Morricone 's most uncompromising works " . However , Gurney questioned the target audience of the collection , believing that it would not be likely to appeal to casual listeners while not presenting much new material for dedicated Morricone collectors . An anonymous review for The Stranger described the album as proof that " there 's much more to the maestro than his revered spaghetti @-@ western work for Sergio Leone " . The review highlighted the range of genres present in the collection , calling the end result a " deluge of otherworldly , endlessly fascinating sounds " .

= Men in Black : Alien Attack = Men in Black : Alien Attack is an interactive dark ride located at Universal Studios Florida in Orlando , Florida . As the name suggests , the ride is themed to the 1997 film , Men in Black ( MIB ) . The ride opened in 2000 after a three @-@ year development process . The ride has generally been well received , winning an Outstanding Achievement award from the Themed Entertainment Association . Riders enter a MIB training facility disguised as a pavilion at the 1964 New York World 's Fair . After navigating through a themed queue and pre @-@ show , riders board a spinning dark ride system . Once dispatched riders are tasked to kill aliens using the supplied laser guns , and subsequently accumulate points . At the time of its opening , the ride was the biggest dark ride ever built at a Universal park , spanning 70 @,@ 000 square feet ( 6 @,@ 500 m2 ) and featuring over 125 animatronic aliens . = = History = = After the release of the first Men in Black ( MIB ) film in 1997 , Universal Creative , the research and development division of Universal Parks & Resorts , set about developing a MIB @-@ themed shooting dark ride for Universal Studios Florida . After the ride system was finalised in mid @-@ 1998 , construction began on the ride 's large show building . By late 1998 , sources speculated that a Men in Black @-@ themed attraction would be built . Planning documents filed with Orlando City Hall in March 1999 , described an alien @-@ themed laser tag ride , supporting previous rumors . After an official announcement of the $ 70 million attraction in October 1999 @,@ Men in Black : Alien Attack officially opened to the public on April 14 , 2000 , in the World Expo area of the park , replacing the Back to the Future Part III Locomotive Display which were relocated two years prior . In 2001 , a year after its opening , Men in Black : Alien Attack was awarded a Thea Award for Outstanding Achievement by the Themed Entertainment Association . = = Experience = = = = = Exterior queue = = = Guests approach the building under the guise of visiting an exhibit called The Universe & You - Are We Alone ? which has been transplanted from the 1964 New York World Expo . The exterior queue is flanked by posters advertising extraterrestrial activity and microphones giving " updates " on the fair . = = = Pre @-@ show = = = Guests are then ushered into the building and into the retro @-@ modern exhibit . The 1960s narration , however , is cut short by a MIB agent terminating the false program and issuing the " recruits " into Men in Black Headquarters . One of the walls of the exhibit splits , opening up into an elevator , which travels deep into the Earth . Guests who have an Express Pass and use it for this ride takes another entrance which , instead of riding the elevator , walk up a long hallway and meets the guests with no Express Passes after they have walked through the hallway . Single riders follow a third queue . = = = Interior queue = = = Upon exiting the elevator , guests enter a hallway within the secret MIB Headquarters . Traveling down the hall , they pass the film 's famous " worm guys " on break , several interactive doors to various labs , and through the alien scanners . At the end of the hallway , guests overlook the immigration and controls room , with a large video screen broadcasting the training information and alien twins , Bob and Bhnxaxx operating controls . They then move into the weapons room , and finally into the training facility , where a training vehicle awaits . Guests who use an Express Pass skip some rooms and meet the normal riders when they see the alien twins in the control rooms , then follow the normal riders but in a different path . = = = Ride = = = Pitted against another team of players ( riding on a separate vehicle ) , the recruits board their training vehicles equipped with laser guns , called S4 Alienators ( " Jumbo Judy " ) and proceed into the training room , blasting at cardboard cutouts and crudely drawn images of aliens amid flashing red lights . Soon , however , MIB Director Zed ( played by Rip Torn ) informs the trainees that an alien prison ship has crash landed in the middle of New York City . The guns are then " set to full power " as the trainees are instantly launched into the heart of New York , attempting to score as many points as they can by shooting the aliens in their vulnerable areas ( the eyes and shoulders ) . Aliens vary from large , plain @-@ in @-@ sight creatures to small ones hiding in windows and bushes . Certain aliens will fire back causing the cart to spin out of control . After a brief romp through the city , the two head @-@ to @-@ head vehicles face each other and pass on either side of a large green scanner . The scanner reveals that the opposing car is really full of aliens in disguise , thus prompting a shoot @-@ out between the two paired vehicles . Both cars race to shoot the other 's " fusion exhaust port , " a glowing red light atop their vehicle . A hit causes the opposing vehicle to wildly spin out of control , offering more time to collect points while they spin . The battle between the cars comes to an end when Jay ( played by Will Smith ) appears on a giant television screen in Times Square , alerting the riders to " get their game faces on " because a " really big bug " has been found . Turning the corner , riders come face @-@ to @-@ face with Edgar , a gigantic cockroach @-@ like alien seen in the first film . The animatronic bug in the ride stands 30 feet ( 9 @.@ 1 m ) tall , measures 50 feet ( 15 m ) wide , has 8 @-@ foot @-@ long ( 2 @.@ 4 m ) teeth , and 20 @-@ foot @-@ long ( 6 @.@ 1 m ) claws . The bug is immune to the weak guns ' laser fire , so Zed orders the riders to press the much @-@ dreaded red button ( which activates the Subatomic Thermonuclear Disruptor ) . There is a small window of time when the button is effective , and every rider that presses the button during this window is granted a 100 @,@ 000 point bonus ( average first time riders will score about 40 @,@ 000 to 60 @,@ 000 points , without the bonus , while experienced riders with good aim will already be anywhere between 500 @,@ 000 and 900 @,@ 000 points ) . Both cars enter into the bugs mouth and spin out of control amid fog and strobe flashes . During the wind down , both teams have their scores averaged and Agent J appears to declare them MIB material while encouraging the losing team to try again . The two vehicles separate to view the final scene ; Losing teams are shown an alien " Coach " saying " Basically , you zigged when you shoulda zagged ! You gotta learn when to run and gun and when to lock and load baby . Try again ! " . The winning team pulls up to an alien " Tailor " finishing a black suit and telling the riders " your suit will be ready next Wednesday " . These various combinations allow for 35 different endings . Agent J neuralizes both teams regardless and the vehicles re @-@ enter a retro @-@ themed atrium with the " Universe & You " logo on the wall in front of them , and the big question answered : " Are We Alone ? Of Course We Are ! " Riders then exit into the Men In Black Gift Shop . = = Production = = The production of Men in Black : Alien Attack was completed by Universal Creative . Vice president of attraction development Philip Hettema headed up the project , with Dave Cobb as the creative director . Other Universal employees included Jimmy Pickering ( production designer ) , Craig Hanna & John Murdy ( show designers for story and concept ) , Desiree Soto ( character art director ) , Mary Lamm @-@ Kaleta ( show set art director ) and Joel Kagan ( ride management director ) . Will Smith and Rip Torn reprised their roles as Agent J and Z , respectively . Andy Garfield composed the music in the attraction Men in Black : Alien Attack . The lyrics for the song " The Universe and You " were written by the attraction 's Creative Director David Cobb and the attraction 's Document Control Coordinator Timothy Bernardi . = = = Ride system = = = At the time of Men in Black : Alien Attack 's development , Universal Creative were installing two new dark ride systems at the neighbouring Islands of Adventure theme park . The first system was designed for The Amazing Adventures of Spider @-@ Man and was manufactured by Oceaneering International . It featured track @-@ mounted motion bases with six degrees of freedom that were able to tour physical sets and allow riders to view 3D projections . The second system was developed by MTS Systems Corporation for The Cat in the Hat . This system was simpler , offering track @-@ mounted spinning platforms , with no additional degrees of freedom . The MIB design team initially intended to utilise the Spider @-@ Man ride system ; however , when shooting tests were performed on the ride , the vast motion of the vehicles made it impossible for riders to achieve a reasonable score . As a result , The Cat in the Hat system was selected for the MIB attraction . The Men in Black : Alien Attack dark ride system was manufactured by MTS , with Rod Millen Special Vehicles theming the upper half of the ride vehicles . The system consists of two tracks , allowing riders of two vehicles to be pitted against each other . Each vehicle has two onboard computers which control the motion , lighting , audio and game play , with all vehicles communicating wirelessly to a central controller . The vehicles each seat six riders in two rows of three . The ride system consists of a total of 44 vehicles , allowing for 2 @,@ 200 riders per hour . Riders must be 42 inches ( 110 cm ) or taller to ride . The infrared guns mounted on the vehicles were developed by Universal in conjunction with toy and laser tag manufacturers . A patent for the ride system was filed on July 8 , 1998 , and was granted on April 24 , 2001 . The patent credits Craig Hanna , Jennifer Sauer , and Philip Hettema as the inventors , with Universal Studios as the assignee . = = = Theming design = = = The initial storyline developed for the attraction would have seen riders enter a replica of the Orlando International Airport , before being ushered onto people movers taking them to the underground to the MIB training facility . However , executives were unsure of the concept and instead wanted at least one recognisable item from the 1997 film to be on the outside facade . Responding to the concern , designers chose the film 's flying saucer @-@ shaped towers , adding elements of a building from the 1964 World 's Fair , Dodgers Stadium , and the St. Louis Arch to form the facade . Other elements of the storyline also did not make the final cut . The immigration office from the film is featured in the attraction 's queue ; however , it was intended that it would feature numerous animatronics . However , due to the large animatronics budget for the ride itself , this idea was scrapped . In homage , ride employees for the first few months of the ride 's operation would take their breaks in the room , to give the effect of a working office . At the time of the ride 's opening , Universal officials described Men in Black : Alien Attack as both the biggest attraction at Universal Studios Florida , and as their most ambitious use of animatronics ever . The 70 @,@ 000 square feet ( 6 @,@ 500 m2 ) show building featured 127 animatronics as interactive targets . Eighty of the animatronics were designed in @-@ house by Universal , with the remaining ones being adapted from the film . The animatronics were manufactured by Advanced Animatronics , AVG , and ASI . An average of seven sensors cover each animatronic . Other special effects inside the show building include lighting and 13 fog machines — the latter using 7 @,@ 000 US gallons ( 26 @,@ 000 L ) of liquid nitrogen daily .

= RNA interference = RNA interference ( RNAi ) is a biological process in which RNA molecules inhibit gene expression , typically by causing the destruction of specific mRNA molecules . Historically , it was known by other names , including co @-@ suppression , post @-@ transcriptional gene silencing ( PTGS ) , and quelling . Only after these apparently unrelated processes were fully understood did it become clear that they all described the RNAi phenomenon . Andrew Fire and Craig C. Mello shared the 2006 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their work on RNA interference in the nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans , which they published in 1998 . Since the discovery of RNAi and its regulatory potentials , it has become evident that RNAi has immense potential in suppression of desired genes . RNAi is now known as precise , efficient , stable and better than antisense technology for gene suppression . Two types of small ribonucleic acid ( RNA ) molecules – microRNA ( miRNA ) and small interfering RNA ( siRNA ) – are central to RNA interference . RNAs are the direct products of genes , and these small RNAs can bind to other specific messenger RNA ( mRNA ) molecules and either increase or decrease their activity , for example by preventing an mRNA from producing a protein . RNA interference has an important role in defending cells against parasitic nucleotide sequences – viruses and transposons . It also influences development . The RNAi pathway is found in many eukaryotes , including animals , and is initiated by the enzyme Dicer , which cleaves long double @-@ stranded RNA ( dsRNA ) molecules into short double @-@ stranded fragments of ~ 20 nucleotide siRNAs . Each siRNA is unwound into two single @-@ stranded RNAs ( ssRNAs ) , the passenger strand and the guide strand . The passenger strand is degraded and the guide strand is incorporated into the RNA @-@ induced silencing complex ( RISC ) . The most well @-@ studied outcome is post @-@ transcriptional gene silencing , which occurs when the guide strand pairs with a complementary sequence in a messenger RNA molecule and induces cleavage by Argonaute , the catalytic component of the RISC complex . In some organisms , this process spreads systemically , despite the initially limited molar concentrations of siRNA . RNAi is a valuable research tool , both in cell culture and in living organisms , because synthetic dsRNA introduced into cells can selectively and robustly induce suppression of specific genes of interest . RNAi may be used for large @-@ scale screens that systematically shut down each gene in the cell , which can help to identify the components necessary for a particular cellular process or an event such as cell division . The pathway is also used as a practical tool in biotechnology , medicine and insecticides . = = Cellular mechanism = = RNAi is an RNA @-@ dependent gene silencing process that is controlled by the RNA @-@ induced silencing complex ( RISC ) and is initiated by short double @-@ stranded RNA molecules in a cell 's cytoplasm , where they interact with the catalytic RISC component argonaute . When the dsRNA is exogenous ( coming from infection by a virus with an RNA genome or laboratory manipulations ) , the RNA is imported directly into the cytoplasm and cleaved to short fragments by Dicer . The initiating dsRNA can also be endogenous ( originating in the cell ) , as in pre @-@ microRNAs expressed from RNA @-@ coding genes in the genome . The primary transcripts from such genes are first processed to form the characteristic stem @-@ loop structure of pre @-@ miRNA in the nucleus , then exported to the cytoplasm . Thus , the two dsRNA pathways , exogenous and endogenous , converge at the RISC . = = = dsRNA cleavage = = = Endogenous dsRNA initiates RNAi by activating the ribonuclease protein Dicer , which binds and cleaves double @-@ stranded RNAs ( dsRNAs ) to produce double @-@ stranded fragments of 20 – 25 base pairs with a 2 @-@ nucleotide overhang at the 3 ' end . Bioinformatics studies on the genomes of multiple organisms suggest this length maximizes target @-@ gene specificity and minimizes non @-@ specific effects . These short double @-@ stranded fragments are called small interfering RNAs ( siRNAs ) . These siRNAs are then separated into single strands and integrated into an active RISC complex . After integration into the RISC , siRNAs base @-@ pair to their target mRNA and cleave it , thereby preventing it from being used as a translation template . Exogenous dsRNA is detected and bound by an effector protein , known as RDE @-@ 4 in C. elegans and R2D2 in Drosophila , that stimulates dicer activity . This protein only binds long dsRNAs , but the mechanism producing this length specificity is unknown . This RNA @-@ binding protein then facilitates the transfer of cleaved siRNAs to the RISC complex . In C. elegans this initiation response is amplified through the synthesis of a population of ' secondary ' siRNAs during which the dicer @-@ produced initiating or ' primary ' siRNAs are used as templates . These ' secondary ' siRNAs are structurally distinct from dicer @-@ produced siRNAs and appear to be produced by an RNA @-@ dependent RNA polymerase ( RdRP ) . = = = MicroRNA = = = MicroRNAs ( miRNAs ) are genomically encoded non @-@ coding RNAs that help regulate gene expression , particularly during development . The phenomenon of RNA interference , broadly defined , includes the endogenously induced gene silencing effects of miRNAs as well as silencing triggered by foreign dsRNA . Mature miRNAs are structurally similar to siRNAs produced from exogenous dsRNA , but before reaching maturity , miRNAs must first undergo extensive post @-@ transcriptional modification . A miRNA is expressed from a much longer RNA @-@ coding gene as a primary transcript known as a pri @-@ miRNA which is processed , in the cell nucleus , to a 70 @-@ nucleotide stem @-@ loop structure called a pre @-@ miRNA by the microprocessor complex . This complex consists of an RNase III enzyme called Drosha and a dsRNA @-@ binding protein DGCR8 . The dsRNA portion of this pre @-@ miRNA is bound and cleaved by Dicer to produce the mature miRNA molecule that can be integrated into the RISC complex ; thus , miRNA and siRNA share the same downstream cellular machinery . First , viral encoded miRNA was described in EBV . Thereafter , an increasing number of microRNAs have been described in viruses . VIRmiRNA is a comprehensive catalogue covering viral microRNA , their targets and anti @-@ viral miRNAs ( see also VIRmiRNA resource : http : / / crdd.osdd.net / servers / virmirna / ) . siRNAs derived from long dsRNA precursors differ from miRNAs in that miRNAs , especially those in animals , typically have incomplete base pairing to a target and inhibit the translation of many different mRNAs with similar sequences . In contrast , siRNAs typically base @-@ pair perfectly and induce mRNA cleavage only in a single , specific target . In Drosophila and C. elegans , miRNA and siRNA are processed by distinct argonaute proteins and dicer enzymes . = = = Three prime untranslated regions and microRNAs = = = Three prime untranslated regions ( 3'UTRs ) of messenger RNAs ( mRNAs ) often contain regulatory sequences that post @-@ transcriptionally cause RNA interference . Such 3 ' -UTRs often contain both binding sites for microRNAs ( miRNAs ) as well as for regulatory proteins . By binding to specific sites within the 3 ' -UTR , miRNAs can decrease gene expression of various mRNAs by either inhibiting translation or directly causing degradation of the transcript . The 3 ' -UTR also may have silencer regions that bind repressor proteins that inhibit the expression of a mRNA . The 3 ' -UTR often contains microRNA response elements ( MREs ) . MREs are sequences to which miRNAs bind . These are prevalent motifs within 3 ' -UTRs . Among all regulatory motifs within the 3 ' -UTRs ( e.g. including silencer regions ) , MREs make up about half of the motifs . As of 2014 , the miRBase web site , an archive of miRNA sequences and annotations , listed 28 @,@ 645 entries in 233 biologic species . Of these , 1 @,@ 881 miRNAs were in annotated human miRNA loci. miRNAs were predicted to have an average of about four hundred target mRNAs ( affecting expression of several hundred genes ) . Friedman et al. estimate that > 45 @,@ 000 miRNA target sites within human mRNA 3'UTRs are conserved above background levels , and > 60 % of human protein @-@ coding genes have been under selective pressure to maintain pairing to miRNAs . Direct experiments show that a single miRNA can reduce the stability of hundreds of unique mRNAs . Other experiments show that a single miRNA may repress the production of hundreds of proteins , but that this repression often is relatively mild ( less than 2 @-@ fold ) . The effects of miRNA dysregulation of gene expression seem to be important in cancer . For instance , in gastrointestinal cancers , nine miRNAs have been identified as epigenetically altered and effective in down regulating DNA repair enzymes . The effects of miRNA dysregulation of gene expression also seem to be important in neuropsychiatric disorders , such as schizophrenia , bipolar disorder , major depression , Parkinson 's disease , Alzheimer 's disease and autism spectrum disorders . = = = RISC activation and catalysis = = = The active components of an RNA @-@ induced silencing complex ( RISC ) are endonucleases called argonaute proteins , which cleave the target mRNA strand complementary to their bound siRNA . As the fragments produced by dicer are double @-@ stranded , they could each in theory produce a functional siRNA . However , only one of the two strands , which is known as the guide strand , binds the argonaute protein and directs gene silencing . The other anti @-@ guide strand or passenger strand is degraded during RISC activation . Although it was first believed that an ATP @-@ dependent helicase separated these two strands , the process proved to be ATP @-@ independent and performed directly by the protein components of RISC . However , an in vitro kinetic analysis of RNAi in the presence and absence of ATP showed that ATP may be required to unwind and remove the cleaved mRNA strand from the RISC complex after catalysis . The guide strand tends to be the one whose 5 ' end is less stably paired to its complement , but strand selection is unaffected by the direction in which dicer cleaves the dsRNA before RISC incorporation . Instead , the R2D2 protein may serve as the differentiating factor by binding the more @-@ stable 5 ' end of the passenger strand . The structural basis for binding of RNA to the argonaute protein was examined by X @-@ ray crystallography of the binding domain of an RNA @-@ bound argonaute protein . Here , the phosphorylated 5 ' end of the RNA strand enters a conserved basic surface pocket and makes contacts through a divalent cation ( an atom with two positive charges ) such as magnesium and by aromatic stacking ( a process that allows more than one atom to share an electron by passing it back and forth ) between the 5 ' nucleotide in the siRNA and a conserved tyrosine residue . This site is thought to form a nucleation site for the binding of the siRNA to its mRNA target . Analysis of the inhibitory effect of mismatches in either the 5 ’ or 3 ’ end of the guide strand has demonstrated that the 5 ’ end of the guide strand is likely responsible for matching and binding the target mRNA , while the 3 ’ end is responsible for physically arranging target mRNA into a cleavage @-@ favorable RISC region . It is not understood how the activated RISC complex locates complementary mRNAs within the cell . Although the cleavage process has been proposed to be linked to translation , translation of the mRNA target is not essential for RNAi @-@ mediated degradation . Indeed , RNAi may be more effective against mRNA targets that are not translated . Argonaute proteins are localized to specific regions in the cytoplasm called P @-@ bodies ( also cytoplasmic bodies or GW bodies ) , which are regions with high rates of mRNA decay ; miRNA activity is also clustered in P @-@ bodies . Disruption of P @-@ bodies decreases the efficiency of RNA interference , suggesting that they are a critical site in the RNAi process . = = = Transcriptional silencing = = = Components of the RNAi pathway are used in many eukaryotes in the maintenance of the organization and structure of their genomes . Modification of histones and associated induction of heterochromatin formation serves to downregulate genes pre @-@ transcriptionally ; this process is referred to as RNA @-@ induced transcriptional silencing ( RITS ) , and is carried out by a complex of proteins called the RITS complex . In fission yeast this complex contains argonaute , a chromodomain protein Chp1 , and a protein called Tas3 of unknown function . As a consequence , the induction and spread of heterochromatic regions requires the argonaute and RdRP proteins . Indeed , deletion of these genes in the fission yeast S. pombe disrupts histone methylation and centromere formation , causing slow or stalled anaphase during cell division . In some cases , similar processes associated with histone modification have been observed to transcriptionally upregulate genes . The mechanism by which the RITS complex induces heterochromatin formation and organization is not well understood . Most studies have focused on the mating @-@ type region in fission yeast , which may not be representative of activities in other genomic regions / organisms . In maintenance of existing heterochromatin regions , RITS forms a complex with siRNAs complementary to the local genes and stably binds local methylated histones , acting co @-@ transcriptionally to degrade any nascent pre @-@ mRNA transcripts that are initiated by RNA polymerase . The formation of such a heterochromatin region , though not its maintenance , is dicer @-@ dependent , presumably because dicer is required to generate the initial complement of siRNAs that target subsequent transcripts . Heterochromatin maintenance has been suggested to function as a self @-@ reinforcing feedback loop , as new siRNAs are formed from the occasional nascent transcripts by RdRP for incorporation into local RITS complexes . The relevance of observations from fission yeast mating @-@ type regions and centromeres to mammals is not clear , as heterochromatin maintenance in mammalian cells may be independent of the components of the RNAi pathway . = = = Crosstalk with RNA editing = = = The type of RNA editing that is most prevalent in higher eukaryotes converts adenosine nucleotides into inosine in dsRNAs via the enzyme adenosine deaminase ( ADAR ) . It was originally proposed in 2000 that the RNAi and A → I RNA editing pathways might compete for a common dsRNA substrate . Some pre @-@ miRNAs do undergo A → I RNA editing and this mechanism may regulate the processing and expression of mature miRNAs . Furthermore , at least one mammalian ADAR can sequester siRNAs from RNAi pathway components . Further support for this model comes from studies on ADAR @-@ null C. elegans strains indicating that A → I RNA editing may counteract RNAi silencing of endogenous genes and transgenes . = = = Variation among organisms = = = Organisms vary in their ability to take up foreign dsRNA and use it in the RNAi pathway . The effects of RNA interference can be both systemic and heritable in plants and C. elegans , although not in Drosophila or mammals . In plants , RNAi is thought to propagate by the transfer of siRNAs between cells through plasmodesmata ( channels in the cell walls that enable communication and transport ) . Heritability comes from methylation of promoters targeted by RNAi ; the new methylation pattern is copied in each new generation of the cell . A broad general distinction between plants and animals lies in the targeting of endogenously produced miRNAs ; in plants , miRNAs are usually perfectly or nearly perfectly complementary to their target genes and induce direct mRNA cleavage by RISC , while animals ' miRNAs tend to be more divergent in sequence and induce translational repression . This translational effect may be produced by inhibiting the interactions of translation initiation factors with the messenger RNA 's polyadenine tail . Some eukaryotic protozoa such as Leishmania major and Trypanosoma cruzi lack the RNAi pathway entirely . Most or all of the components are also missing in some fungi , most notably the model organism Saccharomyces cerevisiae . The presence of RNAi in other budding yeast species such as Saccharomyces castellii and Candida albicans , further demonstrates that inducing two RNAi @-@ related proteins from S. castellii facilitates RNAi in S. cerevisiae . That certain ascomycetes and basidiomycetes are missing RNA interference pathways indicates that proteins required for RNA silencing have been lost independently from many fungal lineages , possibly due to the evolution of a novel pathway with similar function , or to the lack of selective advantage in certain niches . = = = Related prokaryotic systems = = = Gene expression in prokaryotes is influenced by an RNA @-@ based system similar in some respects to RNAi . Here , RNA @-@ encoding genes control mRNA abundance or translation by producing a complementary RNA that anneals to an mRNA . However these regulatory RNAs are not generally considered to be analogous to miRNAs because the dicer enzyme is not involved . It has been suggested that CRISPR interference systems in prokaryotes are analogous to eukaryotic RNA interference systems , although none of the protein components are orthologous . = = Biological functions = = = = = Immunity = = = RNA interference is a vital part of the immune response to viruses and other foreign genetic material , especially in plants where it may also prevent the self @-@ propagation of transposons . Plants such as Arabidopsis thaliana express multiple dicer homologs that are specialized to react differently when the plant is exposed to different viruses . Even before the RNAi pathway was fully understood , it was known that induced gene silencing in plants could spread throughout the plant in a systemic effect and could be transferred from stock to scion plants via grafting . This phenomenon has since been recognized as a feature of the plant adaptive immune system and allows the entire plant to respond to a virus after an initial localized encounter . In response , many plant viruses have evolved elaborate mechanisms to suppress the RNAi response . These include viral proteins that bind short double @-@ stranded RNA fragments with single @-@ stranded overhang ends , such as those produced by dicer . Some plant genomes also express endogenous siRNAs in response to infection by specific types of bacteria . These effects may be part of a generalized response to pathogens that downregulates any metabolic process in the host that aids the infection process . Although animals generally express fewer variants of the dicer enzyme than plants , RNAi in some animals produces an antiviral response . In both juvenile and adult Drosophila , RNA interference is important in antiviral innate immunity and is active against pathogens such as Drosophila X virus . A similar role in immunity may operate in C. elegans , as argonaute proteins are upregulated in response to viruses and worms that overexpress components of the RNAi pathway are resistant to viral infection . The role of RNA interference in mammalian innate immunity is poorly understood , and relatively little data is available . However , the existence of viruses that encode genes able to suppress the RNAi response in mammalian cells may be evidence in favour of an RNAi @-@ dependent mammalian immune response , although this hypothesis has been challenged as poorly substantiated . Maillard et al. and Li et al. provide evidence for the existence of a functional antiviral RNAi pathway in mammalian cells . Other functions for RNAi in mammalian viruses also exist , such as miRNAs expressed by the herpes virus that may act as heterochromatin organization triggers to mediate viral latency . = = = Downregulation of genes = = = Endogenously expressed miRNAs , including both intronic and intergenic miRNAs , are most important in translational repression and in the regulation of development , especially on the timing of morphogenesis and the maintenance of undifferentiated or incompletely differentiated cell types such as stem cells . The role of endogenously expressed miRNA in downregulating gene expression was first described in C. elegans in 1993 . In plants this function was discovered when the " JAW microRNA " of Arabidopsis was shown to be involved in the regulation of several genes that control plant shape . In plants , the majority of genes regulated by miRNAs are transcription factors ; thus miRNA activity is particularly wide @-@ ranging and regulates entire gene networks during development by modulating the expression of key regulatory genes , including transcription factors as well as F @-@ box proteins . In many organisms , including humans , miRNAs are linked to the formation of tumors and dysregulation of the cell cycle . Here , miRNAs can function as both oncogenes and tumor suppressors . = = = Upregulation of genes = = = RNA sequences ( siRNA and miRNA ) that are complementary to parts of a promoter can increase gene transcription , a phenomenon dubbed RNA activation . Part of the mechanism for how these RNA upregulate genes is known : dicer and argonaute are involved , possibly via histone demethylation. miRNAs have been proposed to upregulate their target genes upon cell cycle arrest , via unknown mechanisms . = = Evolution = = Based on parsimony @-@ based phylogenetic analysis , the most recent common ancestor of all eukaryotes most likely already possessed an early RNA interference pathway ; the absence of the pathway in certain eukaryotes is thought to be a derived characteristic . This ancestral RNAi system probably contained at least one dicer @-@ like protein , one argonaute , one PIWI protein , and an RNA @-@ dependent RNA polymerase that may also have played other cellular roles . A large @-@ scale comparative genomics study likewise indicates that the eukaryotic crown group already possessed these components , which may then have had closer functional associations with generalized RNA degradation systems such as the exosome . This study also suggests that the RNA @-@ binding argonaute protein family , which is shared among eukaryotes , most archaea , and at least some bacteria ( such as Aquifex aeolicus ) , is homologous to and originally evolved from components of the translation initiation system . The ancestral function of the RNAi system is generally agreed to have been immune defense against exogenous genetic elements such as transposons and viral genomes . Related functions such as histone modification may have already been present in the ancestor of modern eukaryotes , although other functions such as regulation of development by miRNA are thought to have evolved later . RNA interference genes , as components of the antiviral innate immune system in many eukaryotes , are involved in an evolutionary arms race with viral genes . Some viruses have evolved mechanisms for suppressing the RNAi response in their host cells , particularly for plant viruses . Studies of evolutionary rates in Drosophila have shown that genes in the RNAi pathway are subject to strong directional selection and are among the fastest @-@ evolving genes in the Drosophila genome . = = Applications = = = = = Gene knockdown = = = The RNA interference pathway is often exploited in experimental biology to study the function of genes in cell culture and in vivo in model organisms . Double @-@ stranded RNA is synthesized with a sequence complementary to a gene of interest and introduced into a cell or organism , where it is recognized as exogenous genetic material and activates the RNAi pathway . Using this mechanism , researchers can cause a drastic decrease in the expression of a targeted gene . Studying the effects of this decrease can show the physiological role of the gene product . Since RNAi may not totally abolish expression of the gene , this technique is sometimes referred as a " knockdown " , to distinguish it from " knockout " procedures in which expression of a gene is entirely eliminated . Extensive efforts in computational biology have been directed toward the design of successful dsRNA reagents that maximize gene knockdown but minimize " off @-@ target " effects . Off @-@ target effects arise when an introduced RNA has a base sequence that can pair with and thus reduce the expression of multiple genes . Such problems occur more frequently when the dsRNA contains repetitive sequences . It has been estimated from studying the genomes of humans , C. elegans and S. pombe that about 10 % of possible siRNAs have substantial off @-@ target effects . A multitude of software tools have been developed implementing algorithms for the design of general mammal @-@ specific , and virus @-@ specific siRNAs that are automatically checked for possible cross @-@ reactivity . Depending on the organism and experimental system , the exogenous RNA may be a long strand designed to be cleaved by dicer , or short RNAs designed to serve as siRNA substrates . In most mammalian cells , shorter RNAs are used because long double @-@ stranded RNA molecules induce the mammalian interferon response , a form of innate immunity that reacts nonspecifically to foreign genetic material . Mouse oocytes and cells from early mouse embryos lack this reaction to exogenous dsRNA and are therefore a common model system for studying mammalian gene @-@ knockdown effects . Specialized laboratory techniques have also been developed to improve the utility of RNAi in mammalian systems by avoiding the direct introduction of siRNA , for example , by stable transfection with a plasmid encoding the appropriate sequence from which siRNAs can be transcribed , or by more elaborate lentiviral vector systems allowing the inducible activation or deactivation of transcription , known as conditional RNAi . = = = Functional genomics = = = Most functional genomics applications of RNAi in animals have used C. elegans and Drosophila , as these are the common model organisms in which RNAi is most effective . C. elegans is particularly useful for RNAi research for two reasons : firstly , the effects of gene silencing are generally heritable , and secondly because delivery of the dsRNA is extremely simple . Through a mechanism whose details are poorly understood , bacteria such as E. coli that carry the desired dsRNA can be fed to the worms and will transfer their RNA payload to the worm via the intestinal tract . This " delivery by feeding " is just as effective at inducing gene silencing as more costly and time @-@ consuming delivery methods , such as soaking the worms in dsRNA solution and injecting dsRNA into the gonads . Although delivery is more difficult in most other organisms , efforts are also underway to undertake large @-@ scale genomic screening applications in cell culture with mammalian cells . Approaches to the design of genome @-@ wide RNAi libraries can require more sophistication than the design of a single siRNA for a defined set of experimental conditions . Artificial neural networks are frequently used to design siRNA libraries and to predict their likely efficiency at gene knockdown . Mass genomic screening is widely seen as a promising method for genome annotation and has triggered the development of high @-@ throughput screening methods based on microarrays . However , the utility of these screens and the ability of techniques developed on model organisms to generalize to even closely related species has been questioned , for example from C. elegans to related parasitic nematodes . Functional genomics using RNAi is a particularly attractive technique for genomic mapping and annotation in plants because many plants are polyploid , which presents substantial challenges for more traditional genetic engineering methods . For example , RNAi has been successfully used for functional genomics studies in bread wheat ( which is hexaploid ) as well as more common plant model systems Arabidopsis and maize . = = = Medicine = = = It may be possible to exploit RNA interference in therapy . Although it is difficult to introduce long dsRNA strands into mammalian cells due to the interferon response , the use of short interfering RNA has been more successful . Among the first applications to reach clinical trials were in the treatment of macular degeneration and respiratory syncytial virus . RNAi has also been shown to be effective in reversing induced liver failure in mouse models . = = = = Antiviral = = = = Potential antiviral therapies include topical microbicide treatments that use RNAi to treat infection ( at Harvard Medical School ; in mice , so far ) by herpes simplex virus type 2 and the inhibition of viral gene expression in cancerous cells , knockdown of host receptors and coreceptors for HIV , the silencing of hepatitis A and hepatitis B genes , silencing of influenza gene expression , and inhibition of measles viral replication . Potential treatments for neurodegenerative diseases have also been proposed , with particular attention to polyglutamine diseases such as Huntington 's disease . RNA interference @-@ based applications are being developed to target persistent HIV @-@ 1 infection . Viruses like HIV @-@ 1 are particularly difficult targets for RNAi @-@ attack because they are escape @-@ prone , which requires combinatorial RNAi strategies to prevent viral escape . = = = = Cancer = = = = RNA interference is also a promising way to treat cancers by silencing genes differentially upregulated in tumor cells or genes involved in cell division . A key area of research in the use of RNAi for clinical applications is the development of a safe delivery method , which to date has involved mainly viral vector systems similar to those suggested for gene therapy . Due to safety concerns with viral vectors , nonviral delivery methods , typically employing lipid @-@ based or polymeric vectors , are also promising candidates . Computational modeling of nonviral siRNA delivery paired with in vitro and in vivo gene knockdown studies elucidated the temporal behavior of RNAi in these systems . The model used an input bolus dose of siRNA and computationally and experimentally showed that knockdown duration was dependent mainly on the doubling time of the cells to which siRNA was delivered , while peak knockdown depended primarily on the delivered dose . Kinetic considerations of RNAi are imperative to safe and effective dosing schedules as nonviral methods of inducing RNAi continue to be developed . = = = = Safety = = = = Despite the proliferation of promising cell culture studies for RNAi @-@ based drugs , some concern has been raised regarding the safety of RNA interference , especially the potential for " off @-@ target " effects in which a gene with a coincidentally similar sequence to the targeted gene is also repressed . A computational genomics study estimated that the error rate of off @-@ target interactions is about 10 % . One major study of liver disease in mice reported that 23 out of 49 distinct RNAi treatment protocols resulted in death . Researchers hypothesized this alarmingly high rate to be the result of " oversaturation " of the dsRNA pathway , due to the use of shRNAs that have to be processed in the nucleus and exported to the cytoplasm using an active mechanism . Such considerations are under active investigation , to reduce their impact in the potential therapeutic applications . RNAi in vivo delivery to tissues still eludes science — especially to tissues deep within the body . RNAi delivery is only easily accessible to surface tissues such as the eye and respiratory tract . In these instances , siRNA has been used in direct contact with the tissue for transport . The resulting RNAi successfully focused on target genes . When delivering siRNA to deep tissues , the siRNA must be protected from nucleases , but targeting specific areas becomes the main difficulty . This difficulty has been combatted with high dosage levels of siRNA to ensure the tissues have been reached , however in these cases hepatotoxicity was reported . = = = Biotechnology = = = RNA interference has been used for applications in biotechnology and is nearing commercialization in others . RNAi has developed many novel crops such as nicotinefree tobacco , decaffeinated coffee , nutrient fortified and hypoallergenic crops . The genetically engineered Arctic apples are near close to receive US approval . The apples were produced by RNAi suppression of PPO ( polyphenol oxidase ) gene making apple varieties that will not undergo browning after being sliced . PPO @-@ silenced apples are unable to convert chlorogenic acid into quinone product . There are several opportunities for the applications of RNAi in crop science for its improvement such as stress tolerance and enhanced nutritional level . RNAi will prove its potential for inhibition of photorespiration to enhance the productivity of C3 plants . This knockdown technology may be useful in inducing early flowering , delayed ripening , delayed senescence , breaking dormancy , stress @-@ free plants , overcoming self @-@ sterility , etc . = = = = Foods = = = = RNAi has been used to genetically engineer plants to produce lower levels of natural plant toxins . Such techniques take advantage of the stable and heritable RNAi phenotype in plant stocks . Cotton seeds are rich in dietary protein but naturally contain the toxic terpenoid product gossypol , making them unsuitable for human consumption . RNAi has been used to produce cotton stocks whose seeds contain reduced levels of delta @-@ cadinene synthase , a key enzyme in gossypol production , without affecting the enzyme 's production in other parts of the plant , where gossypol is itself important in preventing damage from plant pests . Similar efforts have been directed toward the reduction of the cyanogenic natural product linamarin in cassava plants . No plant products that use RNAi @-@ based genetic engineering have yet exited the experimental stage . Development efforts have successfully reduced the levels of allergens in tomato plants and fortification of plants such as tomatoes with dietary antioxidants . Previous commercial products , including the Flavr Savr tomato and two cultivars of ringspot @-@ resistant papaya , were originally developed using antisense technology but likely exploited the RNAi pathway . = = = = Other crops = = = = Another effort decreased the precursors of likely carcinogens in tobacco plants . Other plant traits that have been engineered in the laboratory include the production of non @-@ narcotic natural products by the opium poppy and resistance to common plant viruses . = = = = Insecticide = = = = RNAi is under development as an insecticide , employing multiple approaches , including genetic engineering and topical application . Cells in the midgut of many larvae take up the molecules and help spread the signal throughout the insect 's body . RNAi has varying effects in different species of Lepidoptera ( butterflies and moths ) . Possibly because their saliva is better at breaking down RNA , the cotton bollworm , the beet armyworm and the Asiatic rice borer have so far not been proven susceptible to RNAi by feeding . To develop resistance to RNAi , the western corn rootworm would have to change the genetic sequence of its Snf7 gene at multiple sites . Combining multiple strategies , such as engineering the protein Cry , derived from a bacterium called Bacillus thuringiensis ( Bt ) , and RNAi in one plant delay the onset of resistance . = = = = = Transgenic plants = = = = = Transgenic crops have been made to express small bits of RNA , carefully chosen to silence crucial genes in target pests . RNAs exist that affect only insects that have specific genetic sequences . In 2009 a study showed RNAs that could kill any one of four fruit fly species while not harming the other three . In 2012 Syngenta bought Belgian RNAi firm Devgen for $ 522 million and Monsanto paid $ 29 @.@ 2 million for the exclusive rights to intellectual property from Alnylam Pharmaceuticals . The International Potato Center in Lima , Peru is looking for genes to target in the sweet potato weevil , a beetle whose larvae ravage sweet potatoes globally . Other researchers are trying to silence genes in ants , caterpillars and pollen beetles . Monsanto will likely be first to market , with a transgenic corn seed that expresses dsRNA based on gene Snf7 from the western corn rootworm , a beetle whose larvae annually cause one billion dollars in damage in the United States alone . A 2012 paper showed that silencing Snf7 stunts larval growth , killing them within days . In 2013 the same team showed that the RNA affects very few other species . = = = = = Topical = = = = = Alternatively dsRNA can be supplied without genetic engineering . One approach is to add them to irrigation water . The molecules are absorbed into the plants ' vascular system and poison insects feeding on them . Another approach involves spraying RNA like a conventional pesticide . This would allow faster adaptation to resistance . Such approaches would require low cost sources of RNAs that do not currently exist . = = = Genome @-@ scale screening = = = Genome @-@ scale RNAi research relies on high @-@ throughput screening ( HTS ) technology . RNAi HTS technology allows genome @-@ wide loss @-@ of @-@ function screening and is broadly used in the identification of genes associated with specific phenotypes . This technology has been hailed as the second genomics wave , following the first genomics wave of gene expression microarray and single nucleotide polymorphism discovery platforms . One major advantage of genome @-@ scale RNAi screening is its ability to simultaneously interrogate thousands of genes . With the ability to generate a large amount of data per experiment , genome @-@ scale RNAi screening has led to an explosion data generation rates . Exploiting such large data sets is a fundamental challenge , requiring suitable statistics / bioinformatics methods . The basic process of cell @-@ based RNAi screening includes the choice of an RNAi library , robust and stable cell types , transfection with RNAi agents , treatment / incubation , signal detection , analysis and identification of important genes or therapeutical targets . = = History = = The discovery of RNAi was preceded first by observations of transcriptional inhibition by antisense RNA expressed in transgenic plants , and more directly by reports of unexpected outcomes in experiments performed by plant scientists in the United States and the Netherlands in the early 1990s . In an attempt to alter flower colors in petunias , researchers introduced additional copies of a gene encoding chalcone synthase , a key enzyme for flower pigmentation into petunia plants of normally pink or violet flower color . The overexpressed gene was expected to result in darker flowers , but instead produced less pigmented , fully or partially white flowers , indicating that the activity of chalcone synthase had been substantially decreased ; in fact , both the endogenous genes and the transgenes were downregulated in the white flowers . Soon after , a related event termed quelling was noted in the fungus Neurospora crassa , although it was not immediately recognized as related . Further investigation of the phenomenon in plants indicated that the downregulation was due to post @-@ transcriptional inhibition of gene expression via an increased rate of mRNA degradation . This phenomenon was called co @-@ suppression of gene expression , but the molecular mechanism remained unknown . Not long after , plant virologists working on improving plant resistance to viral diseases observed a similar unexpected phenomenon . While it was known that plants expressing virus @-@ specific proteins showed enhanced tolerance or resistance to viral infection , it was not expected that plants carrying only short , non @-@ coding regions of viral RNA sequences would show similar levels of protection . Researchers believed that viral RNA produced by transgenes could also inhibit viral replication . The reverse experiment , in which short sequences of plant genes were introduced into viruses , showed that the targeted gene was suppressed in an infected plant . This phenomenon was labeled " virus @-@ induced gene silencing " ( VIGS ) , and the set of such phenomena were collectively called post transcriptional gene silencing . After these initial observations in plants , laboratories searched for this phenomenon in other organisms . Craig C. Mello and Andrew Fire 's 1998 Nature paper reported a potent gene silencing effect after injecting double stranded RNA into C. elegans . In investigating the regulation of muscle protein production , they observed that neither mRNA nor antisense RNA injections had an effect on protein production , but double @-@ stranded RNA successfully silenced the targeted gene . As a result of this work , they coined the term RNAi . This discovery represented the first identification of the causative agent for the phenomenon . Fire and Mello were awarded the 2006 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine .

= Adam 's Song = " Adam 's Song " is a song recorded by the American rock band Blink @-@ 182 for its second studio album , Enema of the State ( 1999 ) . It was released as the third and final single from Enema of the State on September 5 , 2000 through MCA Records . " Adam 's Song " shares writing credits between the band 's guitarist Tom DeLonge and bassist Mark Hoppus , but Hoppus was the primary composer of the song . The track concerns suicide and depression . It incorporates a piano in its bridge section , and was regarded as one of the most serious songs the band had written to that point . Hoppus was inspired by one of his friends that died while on tour ; while his bandmates had significant others to return home to , he was single . He was also influenced by a teen suicide letter he read in a magazine . The song takes the form of a suicide note , and contains lyrical allusions to the grunge band Nirvana . " Adam 's Song " was one of the last songs to be written and recorded for Enema of the State , and it was nearly left off the album . Though Hoppus worried the subject matter was too depressing , his bandmates were receptive to its message . The song was produced by Jerry Finn . " Adam 's Song " peaked at number two on the US Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart ; it was also a top 25 hit in Canada and Italy , but did not replicate its success on other charts . It received praise from music critics , who considered it a change of pace from the trio 's more lighthearted singles . The single 's music video , a hit on MTV , was directed by Liz Friedlander . Though the song was intended to inspire hope to those struggling with depression , it encountered controversy when a student of Columbine High School committed suicide with the track on repeat in 2000 . = = Background = = Beginning in the summer of 1997 , Blink @-@ 182 would enter an extended period of touring to support their second studio album , Dude Ranch . The group had played a handful of dates on the Vans Warped Tour 1996 , a lifestyle tour promoting skateboarding and punk rock music . However , upon Dude Ranch 's release and popularity , Blink @-@ 182 would play every date of the 1997 tour worldwide with the bands NOFX and Social Distortion . The group were gone from their hometown of San Diego for nearly nine months straight beginning in late 1997 . " When we did our longest tour stretch , it was right when I started dating my fiancee , " recalled vocalist / guitarist Tom DeLonge . " We were all new and in love , and I had to leave . It was just , " Hey , I 'll see you in nine months . " It was really hard . " Bassist Mark Hoppus penned " Adam 's Song " to vent these frustrations and the loneliness he experienced on the tour ; while the other members had longtime girlfriends to return home to , Hoppus was single . " When you ’ re on tour , you 're so lonely , " Hoppus said . " You hang out with all your bros and it ’ s a great time and everything , but everybody wants to come home and have a girlfriend . And every time we 'd fly home , Tom and [ former drummer ] Scott [ Raynor ] always had girlfriends waiting for them at the airport , and I didn 't . It ’ s about me being depressed and lonely out on tour , and not really having anything to come home to . " The couplet " I couldn ’ t wait til I got home / To pass the time in my room alone " originally ended " to get off the plane alone . " Hoppus said the song 's inspiration came from " reading a magazine where some teenage kid had killed himself and left a letter for his family . " Untrue online rumors purported that the song was inspired by a friend from Hoppus ' high school years who committed suicide , or a play titled Adam 's Letter that has the same focus . A fictional suicide note was a part of the script for Adam 's Letter , a play that wasn 't written until two years after " Adam 's Song " came out . John Cosper , the writer behind Adam 's Letter , said : " The play was written in 2001 with a different title , Final Word . It was renamed and released on the web as Adam 's Letter in around 2005 . The actual suicide note was written by me as a part of the play script . As it was written two years after the blink song , there is absolutely no connection whatsoever between the note and the writing of the song . By the same token , the naming of the central character was a coincidence . The name goes back to the original script ; I had no knowledge of Blink @-@ 182 or their music at that time . " In his memoir Can I Say , drummer Travis Barker wrote that the song 's title was taken from a " sketch on Mr. Show about a band that writes a song with that name encouraging one particular fan to kill himself . " David Cross , co @-@ creator of Mr. Show , confirmed this , commenting , " They were fans of the show and that was a knowing tribute that I thought was pretty cool . " = = Recording and production = = " Adam 's Song " was among the last tracks composed and recorded for Enema of the State , and was nearly absent from the final album . The band were halfway finished with recording when Hoppus developed the idea . Though he worried it was " a bit too far and depressing for what we were trying to do , " his bandmates were receptive towards the idea : " I remember the day I played [ " Adam 's Song " ] for Tom and Travis , and they were like , " Wow , that 's a pretty heavy song . It 's really good . " [ There ] was never even a question of whether or not to put it on the record , or was that a " real " Blink song , or was that the right direction for us to go . Whatever song we write , if it 's a good song , we 'll put it on the record . If we wanted to write a song about — I don 't know , people starving somewhere , we would . " Although vocals would usually take many alternate takes to complete , Hoppus completed much of the vocal track for " Adam 's Song " in a single take . " It 's in a pretty high register for me , so I just blasted it out one night after dinner . That 's , like , 90 per cent of what 's on the final track , " he told Kerrang ! . The idea to include piano in the track came without much forethought ; " We realized , ' Well , this part here could sound rad if we put piano in here . ' So we tried it out , and it sounded rad , " said Hoppus . The piano was performed by session musician Roger Joseph Manning , Jr . , best @-@ known for his work with Beck . = = Composition = = " Adam 's Song " was a departure from the content of the band 's previous singles , in favor of a slower tempo and more depressing lyrics . Brian Wallace of MTV wrote that Blink @-@ 182 " explores new ground on “ Adam ’ s Song , ” setting aside their normal pop @-@ punk punch for a more emo @-@ influenced approach . " The song is a pop punk and alternative rock track composed in the key of C major and is set in time signature of common time with a tempo of 136 beats per minute . Hoppus ' vocal range spans from G3 to G4 . The song begins with the narrator contemplating suicide with the lyrics " I never thought I 'd die alone . " The lyrics continue : " I 'm too depressed to go on / You 'll be sorry when I ’ m gone . " " Adam 's Song " includes a reference to " Come as You Are " by Nirvana . " Come as You Are " by Nirvana includes the lyrics " Take your time , hurry up , the choice is yours , don 't be late " . " Adam 's Song " , in turn , includes the lyrics " I took my time , I hurried up , The choice was mine , I didn 't think enough " . Barker 's drum track was labeled by Drummerworld as " one of the most creative beats of his career , " and mainly consists of the same basic beat repeated in sections throughout the verses . The first measure begins with the kick drum and splash cymbal playing on the downbeat , followed by a hit on the bell of the ride cymbal on beat two , preceding an open hi @-@ hat that rings out for a full count on beat three . " The kick , snare , and floor tom are all hit simultaneously on beat four , followed by floor tom hits on the last two sixteenth @-@ note triplets of beat four . " The snare is hit on beats two and four , respectively . The song " gradually builds to a powerful , piano @-@ laden crescendo , " and the song 's final chorus and conclusion take a more uplifting view of the world : " Tomorrow holds such better days / Days when I can still feel alive / When I can 't wait to get outside . " DeLonge noted that over six guitar parts were recorded for the " gigantic , sad " choruses , but upon mixing , only four were used . " The extra ones didn 't really do anything besides make it a little more unclear what was going on . " = = Commercial performance = = " Adam 's Song " was mainly a commercial success in the United States , but it also was a top 25 hit in Canada and Italy as well . In the US , it debuted on Billboard 's Modern Rock Tracks chart at number 38 in the issue dated March 18 , 2000 . Over the following weeks , it gradually ascended the chart to a peak of number two in the issue dated April 29 . It remained at that position for seven weeks , held off the top position by " Otherside " by the Red Hot Chili Peppers , and " Kryptonite " by 3 Doors Down . On May 13 , the single peaked at number one on the Bubbling Under the Hot 100 chart . In CMJ New Music Report , a trade magazine that contained exclusive charts of non @-@ commercial and college radio airplay and independent and trend @-@ forward retail sales , " Adam 's Song " was a number one hit on their Commercial Alternative Cuts chart in the issue dated May 15 , 2000 . The song made its sole appearance on Billboard 's Hot 100 Airplay chart on that same date , peaking at number 79 . The song 's last appearance on the Modern Rock Tracks chart came on September 9 , 2000 ; as a whole , it spent 26 weeks on the chart . In the Billboard issue for July 19 , 2003 , Nielsen Broadcast Data Systems recognized the single with the BDS Certified Award for 100 @,@ 000 radio spins . The song later made an appearance on Billboard 's Rock Digital Songs at position 38 shortly after the release of the band 's sixth album , Neighborhoods , in October 2011 . In Canada , the single debuted on the Rock Report chart , compiled by RPM , on May 15 , 2000 at number 26 . Over the ensuing weeks , its position fluctuated , but it reached a peak of number 20 on June 12 , 2000 . It last appeared on the chart on July 24 at number 29 before dropping out . In Italy , the single reached a peak of number 21 and spent three weeks on the charts . In New Zealand , the song reached a peak of number 39 and spent six weeks on the chart , while in Germany , the single fared poorly , spending only one week and reaching a peak of 98 . = = Critical reception = = " Adam 's Song " is generally considered one of the band 's more serious songs , one " that hints at the emotional maturity they 'd show on later releases , " particularly their eponymous 2003 release . Richard Harrington of The Washington Post deemed the song " a powerful exploration of exhaustion and depression . " Alex Pappademas , writing for Spin , compared the song to the music of Weezer . Katy Kroll of Billboard recognized it among her top 10 singles of 2000 , calling it " a good old @-@ fashioned depressing song with mainstream flair . " Geoff Boucher , writing for the Los Angeles Times , called it " a poignant essay on a teen mulling over suicide " ; conversely , Steve Appleford of the Los Angeles Times dubbed it a " moving if unremarkable examination . " Scott Mervis of the Pittsburgh Post @-@ Gazette called it a " rare departure from the usual Blink fare . " Writers for the The A.V. Club listed it among other suicide @-@ related songs in 2009 , describing it as " surprisingly affecting , especially when the band reaches the bombastic chorus , and when the song describes suicide 's crushing aftermath . " In a retrospective review , Chris Payne of Billboard wrote , " Stylistically , it 's also a Blink breakthrough : rather than putting their heads down and plowing through at breakneck speed , the band dials back the verses and interludes to let them breathe a bit . The resulting chorus achieves an arena @-@ worthy feel not achieved anywhere else on Enema of the State . " = = Controversy = = The song caused a controversy in 2000 when it was set to replay indefinitely on a nearby stereo as 17 @-@ year @-@ old Greg Barnes , a teenager who attended Columbine High School and had lost one of his best friends in the massacre the previous year , hanged himself in the garage of his family 's home . Both Hoppus and DeLonge were sympathetic but stressed the song 's meaning : Hoppus : " I was actually out shopping , and management called me up and told me the story of what happened , and I was like , " But that 's an anti @-@ suicide song ! " It felt awful . I mean , the things that the kid had had to go through in his life were very saddening , and then to end it that way was really depressing . But " Adam 's Song " , the heart of the song is about having hard times in your life , being depressed , and going through a difficult period , but then finding the strength to go on and finding a better place at the other side of that . " DeLonge : " It affected us really strongly because that song was a song of hope . When we were writing it , we knew specifically that we did not want kids to think it was something that we thought was cool or rad . We didn 't endorse it in any way . " Mark Hoppus also told interviewers he received fan mail following the song ’ s release from fans that had contemplated suicide , but decided not to go through with it after hearing the song . Rolling Stone compared the controversy to that of Ozzy Osbourne 's " Suicide Solution " , which similarly was playing as a teen committed suicide . = = Music video = = The song 's music video was directed by Liz Friedlander and debuted on MTV 's Total Request Live on March 7 , 2000 . It consists of performance footage of the trio in a warehouse in front of a wall decorated with photographs . In between verses , the photos ' origins are explored through the different perspectives of individuals near the band . As the band prepares to play a show , a man has a conversation with a girl and is subsequently left alone . In another , while DeLonge and Hoppus read magazines inside a late @-@ night convenience store , a melancholy woman attempts to make a call via a pay phone . Other montages show the trio in the company of friends and practicing , a man looking out upon the sea , and a solitary man deserted by others at an outdoor restaurant . The final montage consists of personal photos from the band 's past . = = Use in popular culture , covers and live performances = = The song was covered in 2014 by the math rock group Dads , for the compilation EP I Guess This is Growing Up . In 2015 , a mashup combining " Adam 's Song " with " Hotline Bling " by Drake surfaced online . Called " Hotline Blink " , the mashup received a positive review from Loren DiBlasi of MTV , who called the mashup " hip @-@ hop @-@ meets @-@ pop @-@ punk @-@ nostalgia " and wrote " Trust us , you ’ ll want to watch again and again and again . " In an article about the mashup , Tyler Sharp of Alternative Press wrote " In a bizarre , unexpected way , the result is tolerable — maybe even enjoyable ? " Following the death of DJ AM ( born Adam Michael Goldstein ) , a close friend of Barker , Hoppus wrote on Reddit that " Adam 's Song " is " too hard " to perform and may be permanently retired from Blink @-@ 182 's set list . = = Formats and track listing = = All songs written by Mark Hoppus and Tom DeLonge , except where noted . Live tracks recorded in November 1999 at the Universal Amphitheatre , Los Angeles , California . = = Credits and personnel = = Credits adapted from the liner notes for Enema of the State . Locations Recorded at Signature Sound and Studio West in San Diego , California , Mad Hatter Studios and the Bomb Factory in Los Angeles , California , Conway Recording Studios in Hollywood , California , and Big Fish Studios in Encinitas , California . Mixed at Conway Recording Studios in Hollywood , California , and South Beach Studios in Miami , Florida . Mastering at Bernie Grundman Mastering in Hollywood , California . Personnel = = Charts = =

= Louise Glover = Louise Helena Glover ( born 8 February 1983 ) is an English model . She is well known for her work as a glamour model , with appearances in British lad mags , including FHM , Bizarre , Maxim , Loaded , and tabloids such as the News of the World , The Sun and Daily Star . She is the first British model to be named " Model of the Year " in Playboy Special Editions . = = Early life = = Glover was born on 8 February 1983 in St Helens , Merseyside , England . She had a troubled childhood . She grew up partly in St Helens with her father 's family , partly in Great Yarmouth with her mother 's , and partly in foster care , which , she says , led to her being bullied and made her a very shy and quiet child . She changed homes and schools many times . At age 15 , she was released from foster care , and got her own apartment . Glover had started her modelling career early , when at the age of 9 , a photographer noticed her on a shopping trip with her mother , and compared her to a young version of Lorraine Chase from the British TV show Emmerdale . Glover found she enjoyed being photographed , and planned to become a professional model from the age of 12 . She began entering modelling contests at the age of 14 , and beauty pageants , to get noticed as a model . She was a regional finalist for the beauty title Miss Great Britain at the age of 17 , and traveled to London to be a national finalist at the age of 18 , while studying Holistic Therapy at St Helens College . At age 17 , in 2000 , Glover travelled to Belize with a Raleigh International project . The ten weeks in Belize had a great impact on her motivation . " It was the best thing I could have ever done at that point in my life " , she said . At age 19 , she represented Great Britain in the Miss Earth contest in the Philippines . Soon after , her modelling offers increased tenfold . = = Career = = = = = 2002 – 2005 : modelling work for British newspapers and magazines = = = Glover began getting paid modelling work in 2002 . She became known as a glamour model , appearing topless in British lad mags , including FHM , Bizarre , Maxim , Loaded , and tabloids News Of The World , The Sun and Daily Star . She was featured in TV shows and documentaries including Dream Team , National IQ Test , and Blaggers . She has also appeared as a clothing model , for Ed Hardy clothing , Sex Symbol denim wear , Austin Reed ladies wear , and on front covers , photo shoots and interviews for magazines in South America , USA , Canada , Spain , Sweden , Germany , Russia , South Africa , and Australia . Glover continued to support Raleigh International after her modelling success , raising funds for the group , and traveling to Malaysia in 2004 to help build a footbridge and teach English to residents of a remote village . She climbed Mount Kinabalu , the highest mountain in Malaysia , to help Raleigh International raise funds . In August 2005 , Glover was sentenced to 240 hours community service by St Helens magistrates after admitting claiming £ 14 @,@ 831 in welfare benefits between August 2002 and November 2004 while posing for newspapers and magazines . She stated that she did not know the small and irregular earnings would make a difference to her benefits , and that she had been sometimes too depressed to leave her flat . While performing the community service in 2006 , she was assaulted twice by a group of girls , one attack leaving her with a broken nose . This cost her a month of modelling work , and contributed to her depression , but also to her taking kickboxing classes to learn to defend herself . = = = 2005 – : Playboy , Penthouse , photography , and career diversification = = = Glover says appearing in Playboy magazine was an important goal for her ever since becoming a glamour model . She met publisher Hugh Hefner during a photo shoot in Los Angeles , when she was 21 . He offered her a test shoot , and she visited the Playboy Mansion . Glover appeared on the cover of Playboy Vixens magazine in January 2006 , in the " Top 100 Sexiest Playboy Models " 2006 pictorial special edition , and won Playboy Special Editions Model of the Year 2006 ; she was the first British winner . To celebrate her success , she was portrayed on the cover and inside a special edition of Playboy Lingerie , which she calls possibly her favourite magazine cover . Glover became the UK 's Penthouse " Pet of the Month " for March 2007 after posing for a celebrity cover and 10 page feature . She has appeared in the American edition of Playboy magazine for September 2007 , and on the cover of Playboy France . Her beauty pageants also continued , and after three tries , she won Miss Hawaiian Tropic UK 2007 , and competed in the international finals in Las Vegas , Nevada . Besides modelling , Glover has attempted to expand her career into other areas , as a fall @-@ back if she cannot make it as a model . As of 2007 , she has maintained a web site as a professional photographer since 2004 . In 2006 Glover co @-@ launched an adult lingerie online store called Female Bliss , and signed a contract with a Swedish record label as an aspiring singer . In 2007 , she appeared in her first music video acting role , for Scouting for Girls ' single " She 's So Lovely " . In 2007 , Glover was interested in expanding from glamour modeling into fitness modelling , and was in talks with WWE to become a professional wrestler , which were put on hold due to her lack of US citizenship . = = Personal life = = As of 2007 , Glover lives in London . She has loved to travel since her early days working for the charity Raleigh International in Malaysia and Belize . She spends so much time in the United States that she says she should have been born in America . Glover 's favourite sports pastime is scuba diving in her travels , and her favourite diving location is the Red Sea . She passed her open water certification in Malta , and an advanced scuba diving course in Borneo . In addition to another conviction for assaulting a police constable in 2001 and a caution for assault occasioning actual bodily harm in 2005 ; Glover was , in December 2009 , found guilty of physically attacking DJ Maxine Hardcastle in the Oceana Club in Brighton . After accusing Glover of showing " complete absence of any sign of remorse " and having perpetrated a " vicious and unprovoked attack , " the judge sentenced her to a 30 @-@ week suspended prison term for two years and community service .

= Order of the Garter = The Most Noble Order of the Garter , founded in 1348 , is the highest order of chivalry and the third most prestigious honour ( inferior only to the Victoria Cross and George Cross ) in England and the United Kingdom . It is dedicated to the image and arms of Saint George , England 's patron saint . It is awarded at the Sovereign 's pleasure as a personal gift on recipients from the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms . Membership of the Order is limited to the Sovereign , the Prince of Wales , and no more than 24 members , or Companions . The order also includes supernumerary knights and ladies ( e.g. members of the British Royal Family and foreign monarchs ) . New appointments to the Order of the Garter are always announced on St George 's Day ( 23 April ) , as Saint George is the order 's patron saint . The order 's emblem is a garter with the motto Honi soit qui mal y pense ( Middle French : " shame on him who thinks evil of it " ) in gold lettering . Members of the order wear it on ceremonial occasions . = = History = = King Edward III founded the Order of the Garter around the time of his claim to the French throne . The year is usually presumed to be 1348 , however , the Complete Peerage , under " The Founders of the Order of the Garter " , states the order was first instituted on 23 April 1344 , listing each founding member as knighted in 1344 . The list includes Sir Sanchet D 'Abrichecourt , who died on 20 October 1345 . Other dates from 1344 to 1351 have also been proposed . The King 's wardrobe account shows Garter habits first issued in the autumn of 1348 . Also , its original statutes required that each member of the Order already be a knight ( what would now be referred to as a knight bachelor ) and some of the initial members listed were only knighted that year . The earliest written mention of the Order is found in Tirant lo Blanch , a chivalric romance written in Catalan mainly by Valencian Joanot Martorell . It was first published in 1490 . This book devotes a chapter to the description of the origin of the Order of the Garter . = = = List of Founder Knights = = = At the time of its foundation , the Order consisted of King Edward III , together with 25 Founder Knights , listed in ascending order of stall number in St. George 's Chapel : King Edward III ( 1312 – 77 ) Edward , the Black Prince , Prince of Wales ( 1330 – 76 ) Henry of Grosmont , Earl of Lancaster ( c . 1310 – 61 ) Thomas , Earl of Warwick ( d . 1369 ) Jean de Grailly , Captal de Buch ( d . 1377 ) Ralph , Lord Stafford ( 1301 – 72 ) William , Earl of Salisbury ( 1328 – 97 ) Roger , Earl of March ( 1328 – 60 ) John , Lord Lisle ( 1318 – 56 ) Bartholomew , Lord Burghersh ( d . 1369 ) John , Lord Beauchamp ( d . 1360 ) John , Lord Mohun ( c . 1320 – 76 ) Sir Hugh de Courtenay ( d . 1349 ) Thomas , Earl of Kent ( 1314 @-@ 1360 ) John , Lord Grey de Rotherfield ( c . 1300 – 59 ) Sir Richard Fitz @-@ Simon ( b . 1295 ) Sir Miles Stapleton ( d . 1364 ) Sir Thomas Wale ( d . 1352 ) Sir Hugh Wrottesley ( d . 1381 ) Sir Nele Loring ( d . 1386 ) Sir John Chandos ( d . 1369 ) Sir James Audley ( d . 1369 ) Sir Otho Holand ( d . 1359 ) Sir Henry Eam ( d. before 1360 ) Sir Sanchet D 'Abrichecourt ( d . 1345 ) Sir Walter Paveley ( d . 1375 ) They are all depicted in individual portraits in the Bruges Garter Book made c . 1431 . = = = Legendary origins = = = Various legends account for the origin of the Order . The most popular legend involves the " Countess of Salisbury " ( either Edward 's future daughter @-@ in @-@ law Joan of Kent or her former mother @-@ in @-@ law , Catherine Montacute , Countess of Salisbury ) . While she was dancing at a court ball at Calais , her garter is said to have slipped from her leg . When the surrounding courtiers sniggered , the king picked it up and returned it to her , exclaiming , " Honi soit qui mal y pense " ( " Shame on him who thinks evil of it . " ) , the phrase that has become the motto of the Order . According to another legend , King Richard I was inspired in the 12th century by St George the Martyr while fighting in the Crusades to tie garters around the legs of his knights , who subsequently won the battle . King Edward supposedly recalled the event in the 14th century when he founded the Order . This story is recounted in a letter to the Annual Register in 1774 : In Rastel 's Chronicle , I. vi. under the life of Edward III is the following curious passage : " About the 19 yere of this kinge , he made a solempne feest at Wyndesore , and a greate justes and turnament , where he devysed , and perfyted substanegally , the order of the knyghtes of the garter ; howe be it some afferme that this order began fyrst by kynge Rycharde , Cure de Lyon , at the sege of the citye of Acres ; where , in his great necessyte , there were but 26 knyghtes that fyrmely and surely abode by the kynge ; where he caused all them to were thonges of blew leyther about theyr legges . And afterwarde they were called the knyghtes of the blew thonge . " I am obliged for this passage to John Fenn , Esq ; a curious and ingenious gentleman of East @-@ Dereham , in Norfolk , who is in possession of the most rare book whence it is taken . Hence some affirm , that the origin of the garter is to be dated from Richard I * and that it owes its pomp and splendor to Edward III . * Winstanley , in his Life of Edward III says that the original book of the institution deduces the invention from King Richard the First . Another explanation is that the motto refers to Edward 's claim to the French throne , and the Order of the Garter was created to help pursue this claim . The use of the garter as an emblem may have derived from straps used to fasten armour . Medieval scholars have pointed to a connection between the Order of the Garter and the Middle English poem , Sir Gawain and the Green Knight . In Gawain , a girdle , very similar in its erotic undertones to the garter , plays a prominent role . A rough version of the Order 's motto also appears in the text . It translates from Old French as " Accursed be a cowardly and covetous heart . " While the author of that poem remains disputed , there seems to be a connection between two of the top candidates and the Order of the Garter . Scholar J.P. Oakden has suggested that it is someone related to John of Gaunt , 1st Duke of Lancaster , and , more importantly , a member of the Order . Another competing theory is that the work was written for Enguerrand de Coucy , seventh Sire de Coucy . The Sire de Coucy was married to King Edward III 's daughter , Isabella , and was given admittance to the Order of the Garter on their wedding day . " = = = Ladies Companion of the Garter = = = Soon after the founding of the Order , women were appointed " Ladies of the Garter , " but were not made companions . King Henry VII discontinued the practice in 1488 ; his mother , Margaret Beaufort , was the last Lady of the Garter before Queen Alexandra . Except for female sovereigns , the next Lady of the Garter named was Queen Alexandra , by her husband King Edward VII . King George V also made his consort , Queen Mary , a Lady of the Garter and King George VI subsequently did the same for his wife , Queen Elizabeth . Throughout the 20th century , women continued to be associated with the Order , but except for foreign female monarchs , they were not made companions . In 1987 , however , it became possible to install " Ladies Companion of the Garter " under a statute of Queen Elizabeth II . = = Order = = = = = Members = = = Membership in the Order is strictly limited and includes the Monarch , the Prince of Wales , not more than 24 companion members , and various supernumerary members . The monarch alone can grant membership . He or she is known as the Sovereign of the Garter , and the Prince of Wales is known as a Royal Knight Companion of the Garter . Male members of the Order are titled " Knights Companion , " and female members are called " Ladies Companion . " Formerly , the Sovereign filled vacancies upon the nomination of the members . Each member would nominate nine candidates , of whom three had to have the rank of earl or higher , three the rank of baron or higher , and three the rank of knight or higher . The Sovereign would choose as many nominees as were necessary to fill any vacancies in the Order . He or she was not obliged to choose those who received the most nominations . Candidates were last nominated in 1860 , and appointments have since been made by the Sovereign acting alone , with no prior nominations . The statutes prescribing the former procedure were not amended , however , until 1953 . From the 18th century , the Sovereign made his or her choices on the advice of the Government . In 1946 , with the agreement of the Prime Minister Clement Attlee and the Leader of the Opposition Winston Churchill , membership of the United Kingdom 's highest ranking Orders of Chivalry ( the Order of the Garter , the Order of the Thistle and the dormant Order of St. Patrick ) became a personal gift of the Sovereign once again . Thus , the Sovereign personally selects Knights and Ladies Companion of the Garter , and need not act on or solicit the advice of His or Her Government . = = = Supernumerary members = = = In addition , the Order includes supernumerary members , who do not count towards the limit of 24 companions . Several supernumerary members , known as " Royal Knights and Ladies of the Garter " , belong to the royal family . These titles were introduced in 1786 by King George III so that his many sons would not count towards the limit on the number of companions . He created the statute of supernumerary members in 1805 so that any descendant of King George II could be installed as such a member . In 1831 , this statute was extended again to include all descendants of King George I. With the installation of Emperor Alexander I of Russia in 1813 , supernumerary membership was extended to foreign monarchs , who are known as " Stranger Knights and Ladies of the Garter " . Each such installation originally required the enactment of a statute ; however , a 1954 statute authorises the regular admission of Stranger Knights or Ladies without further special enactments . In lesser orders of chivalry , such foreign members would be regarded as having received honorary knighthoods . Traditionally , reigning European monarchs are admitted to the Order as Strangers . Constantine II , King of the Hellenes , neither in his short reign nor since he was deposed in 1973 , has succeeded his father Paul of Greece as a member of the Order . Similarly , Albert II , King of the Belgians and his son and successor Philippe are the only Belgian monarchs to date not to have been admitted to the Order . For a time , both Juliana , Queen of the Netherlands and her successor , Queen Beatrix were concurrently members of the Order as Stranger Ladies of the Garter . Akihito , Emperor of Japan is the only non @-@ European monarch and likely the only non @-@ Christian who is currently a member of the Order . He is the fourth ( consecutive ) Emperor of Japan to be a Stranger Knight . The first non @-@ Christian ruler to be admitted to the Order was Abdülmecid I , Sultan of the Ottoman Empire , in 1856 as a Stranger Knight . The first , and to date only , member of the Order from South America was Pedro II , Emperor of Brazil , created a Stranger Knight in 1871 . He was a member of the House of Braganza , the ruling house of Portugal and Brazil . The first member of the Order admitted from Asia was Naser al @-@ Din Shah Qajar , King of Persia , created a Stranger Knight in 1873 . His immediate successor was also admitted to the Order in 1903 , to be followed by the Meiji , Emperor of Japan in 1906 . The first , and to date only , member of the Order from Africa was Haile Selassie , Emperor of Ethiopia , created a Stranger Knight in 1954 . The first knight from Australasia or Oceania was Richard Gardiner Casey , Baron Casey , an Australian politician , diplomat and the 16th Governor @-@ General of Australia , created a Knight Companion in 1969 . Subsequently , two more Australians , Sir Paul Hasluck and Sir Ninian Stephen , were appointed . Three New Zealanders have been appointed : Charles , Lord Elworthy , Sir Keith Holyoake , and Sir Edmund Hillary . There have been no appointments from North America . = = = Degradation of members = = = The Sovereign may " degrade " members who have committed very serious crimes , such as treason or fleeing the battlefield , or those who have taken up arms against the Sovereign . From the late 15th century , there was a formal ceremony of degradation , in which Garter King of Arms , accompanied by the rest of the heralds , proceeded to St George 's Chapel . While the Garter King of Arms read out aloud the Instrument of Degradation , a herald climbed up a ladder and removed the former knight 's banner , crest , helm , and sword , throwing them down into the quire . Then the rest of the heralds kicked them down the length of the chapel , out of the doors , and into the castle ditch . The last such formal degradation was that of James , Duke of Ormonde in 1716 . During the First World War , two Royal Knights and six Stranger Knights , all monarchs or princes of enemy nations and including Wilhelm II , German Emperor and Franz Joseph , Emperor of Austria were struck off the roll of the Order or had their appointments annulled in 1915 . The banner of Victor Emmanuel III of Italy was also removed from the chapel after Italy entered World War II against the United Kingdom and her Allies . The banner of Emperor Hirohito of Japan was removed from St. George 's chapel when Japan entered World War II in 1941 , but that banner and the Japanese monarch 's knighthood were restored by Elizabeth II in 1971 , at which time he made a state visit to the United Kingdom . The Emperor was particularly pleased by the restoration of his banner as a Knight of the Garter . = = = Officers = = = The Order has six officers : the Prelate , the Chancellor , the Register , the Garter Principal King of Arms , the Usher , and the Secretary . The offices of Prelate , Register , and Usher were created on the order 's establishment ; those of Garter Principal King of Arms and Chancellor , in the 15th century ; and that of Secretary , in the 20th century . The office of Prelate is held by the Bishop of Winchester , traditionally one of the senior bishops of the Church of England . The office of Chancellor is now held by one of the companions of the order . For most of its existence , the Bishop of Salisbury has held the office , although laymen held it from 1553 to 1671 . In 1837 , after boundary changes made Windsor Castle fall in the diocese of Oxford , the Chancellorship was transferred to the Bishop of Oxford . A century later , the Bishop of Salisbury challenged this transfer , on the grounds that the Chancellorship had been attached to his office regardless of the diocese in which the chapel of the order lay ; and that , in any event , St George 's Chapel , as a Royal Peculiar , was not under diocesan jurisdiction . The office of Chancellor was removed from the Bishop of Oxford ( the outgoing bishop , Thomas Banks Strong , had been outspoken in the abdication crisis of Edward VIII ) , and so it was withheld from his successor , Kenneth Kirk , and has since been held by one of the Knights Companion . Since 1937 , the following members have held the post of Chancellor : William , Duke of Portland ( 1937 – 1943 ) Edward , Earl of Halifax ( 1943 – 1959 ) Robert , Marquess of Salisbury ( 1960 – 1972 ) Charles , Viscount Cobham ( 1972 – 1977 ) John , Marquess of Abergavenny ( 1977 – 1994 ) Peter , Lord Carrington ( 1994 – 2012 ) James , Duke of Abercorn ( since 2012 ) The office of Register has been held by the Dean of Windsor since 1558 . The Garter Principal King of Arms is ex officio the senior officer of the College of Arms ( the heraldic authority of England ) , and is usually appointed from among the other officers of arms at the College . As the title suggests , Garter Principal King of Arms has specific duties as the Order 's officer of arms , attending to the companions ' crests and banners of arms , which are exhibited in the chapel . The Secretary , who acts as deputy to Garter in the ceremonial aspects of the Order , has since 1952 also been selected from the other officers of the College of Arms . The office of Usher is held by the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod , who is also the Serjeant @-@ at @-@ Arms of the United Kingdom House of Lords ( although his functions are more often performed there by his deputy , the Yeoman Usher ) . = = = Military Knights of Windsor = = = At the founding of the Order of the Garter , 26 " poor knights " were appointed and attached to the Order and its chapel . This number was not always maintained , and by the 17th century , there were only thirteen such knights . King Charles II increased the number to 18 ( in large part because of funds allocated from Sir Francis Crane 's will ) after his coronation in 1660 . After the knights objected to being termed " poor " , King William IV redesignated them in the 19th century as the Military Knights of Windsor . The poor knights were impoverished military veterans , required to pray daily for the Knights Companion . In return , they received a salary and lodging in Windsor Castle . The knights are no longer necessarily poor , but are still military pensioners . They participate in the Order 's processions , escorting the members , and in the chapel services . However , they are not considered members of the Order . The poor knights originally wore red mantles , each of which bore St George 's Cross , but did not depict the Garter . Queen Elizabeth I replaced the mantles in the 16th and 17th centuries with blue and purple gowns , but the red mantles returned in the 17th century under King Charles I. When the knights were renamed , the mantles were abandoned . The military knights now wear the old military uniform of an " army officer on the unattached list " : black trousers with red stripe , a red double @-@ breasted swallow @-@ tailed coat , gold epaulets and brushes , a cocked hat with a plume , and a sword on a white sash . = = Habit and insignia = = = = = Members = = = = = = = Order 's ceremonial occasions = = = = For the Order 's ceremonial occasions , such as the annual Garter Day , the members wear elaborate vestments and accoutrements , which include : The mantle is a vestment or robe worn by members since the 15th century . Once made of wool , by the 16th century it was made of velvet . The mantle was originally purple , but varied during the 17th and 18th centuries between celestial blue , pale blue , royal blue , dark blue , violet , and ultramarine . Mantles are now dark blue and lined with white taffeta . The mantles of the Sovereign , the Prince of Wales , and Royal Knights and Ladies end in trains . The heraldic shield of St. George 's Cross encircled by the Garter is sewn onto the left shoulder of the mantle , but the Sovereign 's mantle instead has the star of the Order . Attached to the mantle over the right shoulder are a dark red velvet hood and surcoat , which have lost all function over time and appear to the modern observer simply as a splash of colour . The hat is a Tudor bonnet of black velvet with a plume of white ostrich and black heron feathers . The collar is an accessory worn around the neck , over the mantle and secured with white ribbons tied in bows on the shoulders . Like the mantle , it was introduced in the 15th and 16th centuries . Made of pure gold , it weighs 30 troy ounces ( 0 @.@ 933 kg ) . The collar is composed of gold knots alternating with enamelled medallions showing a rose encircled by the Garter . During King Henry VII 's reign , each garter surrounded two roses — one red and one white — but he changed the design such that each garter encircled the Tudor rose . The George ( Great George ) , which is worn suspended from the collar , is a colourfully enamelled ( sometimes jewelled ) three @-@ dimensional figure of St. George the Martyr on horseback slaying a dragon . The Garter is worn on ceremonial occasions around the left calf by knights and around the left arm by ladies , and is depicted on several insignia . The Garter is a buckled dark @-@ blue ( originally light @-@ blue ) velvet strap , and bears the motto in gold letters . The garters of Stranger Knights and Ladies were once set with several jewels . Two styles have been used : one is a working garter where the end slips through the buckle and then is tucked in a specific way and the other style is a ' pre @-@ made ' one that has the buckled and tucked end pre @-@ fashioned and is fastened with a clip attachment . Up until the middle part of the 20th century , it was customary to wear Tudor style under @-@ dress , consisting of white silk embroidered doublet , breeches , full hose , white doeskin pumps with satin bows and a sword belt with sword , under the robes . Nowadays , morning dress or a lounge suit is worn , except for coronations when Tudor under @-@ dress is worn by the canopy @-@ bearers . = = = = Other occasions = = = = On other occasions when decorations are worn , the members wear simpler insignia : The collar is worn on designated collar days over military uniform or morning dress by members attending formal events . The collar is fastened to the shoulders with silk ribbons ( or gold safety pins when worn with morning dress ) . Since the collar signifies the Order of the Garter , members can then wear the riband of any other order to which they belong . The collar is only worn at specific occasions that warrant it . The star , which is worn pinned to the left breast , was introduced in the 17th century by King Charles I and is a colourfully enamelled depiction of the heraldic shield of St. George 's Cross , encircled by the Garter , which is itself encircled by an eight @-@ point silver badge . Each point is depicted as a cluster of rays , with the four points of the cardinal directions longer than the intermediate ones . The stars of Stranger Knights and Ladies were once set with several jewels . Since the Order of the Garter is the senior order of the United Kingdom , a member will wear its star above the others ( up to three ) that he or she holds . The riband is a four @-@ inch ( 10 @.@ 16 cm ) -wide sash worn over the left shoulder , or pinned beneath it , to the right hip , and was introduced in the 17th century by King Charles I. The riband 's colour has varied over the years : it was originally light blue , but was a dark shade under the Hanoverian monarchs . In 1950 , the colour was fixed as " kingfisher blue " . A member will wear only one riband , even if he or she belongs to several orders . The riband is not used when the collar is worn . The badge is worn suspended from a small gold link from the riband at the right hip , and is sometimes known as " the Lesser George " . Like the Great George , the badge shows St. George the Martyr on horseback slaying a dragon , but it is flatter and gold . In earlier times , the badge was worn from a ribbon tied around the neck . On the death of a member , the Lesser George and breast star are returned personally to the Sovereign by the former member 's nearest male relative , and the other insignia to the Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood , save the riband , mantle and hat . = = = Officers = = = For ceremonial occasions of the Order , the officers wear the following garments and accessories : The mantles for the prelate and chancellor are dark blue like those of the members ( as a member , the chancellor wears a member 's mantle ) , but the mantles for the other officers are dark red . All mantles are embroidered with a heraldic shield of St George 's Cross . For Garter ceremonies , Garter Principal King of Arms wears this red mantle rather than the tabard of the royal arms worn for other State ceremonial occasions . Officers wear badges of office suspended from a chain worn around the neck . The badge for the prelate shows the Lesser George encircled by the Garter , which is surmounted by a bishop 's mitre . The badge for the chancellor is a rose encircled by the Garter . The badge for the register is two crossed quills over a book encircled by the Garter surmounted by a crown . The badge for Garter Principal King of Arms is the royal arms impaled with St George 's Cross encircled by the Garter and surmounted by a crown . The badge for the usher is a knot ( like those on the collars of the companions of the order ) encircled by the Garter and surmounted by a crown . The badge for the secretary shows two crossed quills in front of a rose and encircled by the Garter surmounted by a crown . The chancellor carries a purse , which is embroidered with the royal arms impaled by the Cross of St. George . The purse contains the seal of the Order . Garter Principal King of Arms carries his baton of office . The usher carries his staff of office , the Black Rod . = = Heraldry = = Heraldry plays an important role in the Order of the Garter . This is reflected in the fact that the order has its own King of Arms . The position of Garter King of Arms has existed since 1415 . The incumbent of this office ranks as the senior Officer of Arms at the College of Arms , the heraldic authority with jurisdiction over England , Wales and Northern Ireland . = = = Achievements = = = In their heraldic achievements , members of the Order of the Garter may encircle their escutcheon with the Garter , and , if they wish , with a depiction of the collar as well . However , the Garter is normally used alone ; the more elaborate version is seldom seen . Stranger Knights and Ladies do not embellish the arms they use in their countries with English decorations . Knights and Ladies Companion are also entitled to receive heraldic supporters , a privilege granted to few other private individuals . While some families claim supporters by ancient use , and others have been granted them as a special reward , only members of the Royal Family , peers , Knights and Ladies Companion of the Garter , Knights and Ladies of the Thistle , and Knights and Dames Grand Cross of the junior orders of chivalry are automatically entitled to them . = = = Banners = = = During their lifetime , all members of the Order of the Garter are entitled to display their heraldic crests and banners in St. George 's Chapel , Windsor . While the Garter stall plates ( see below ) stay in the chapel permanently , the crests and banners of deceased knights are , following presentation at the High Altar , removed from the chapel . Sometimes they are then given to institutions that were connected with the late knight , or kept privately depending on family wishes . = = = Stall plates = = = Garter stall plates are small enamelled and engraved brass plates located in St George 's Chapel as memorials to Knights of the Garter . They are inscribed with the knight 's name , and generally with his titles , offices , and motto . In most cases his heraldic achievement is depicted . = = = Gallery = = = = = = Armorial = = = = = Precedence and privileges = = Members are assigned positions in the order of precedence , coming before all others of knightly rank , and above baronets . The wives , sons , daughters and daughters @-@ in @-@ law of Knights Companion are also assigned precedence . Relatives of Ladies Companion are not , however , assigned any special positions . ( Generally , individuals can derive precedence from their fathers or husbands , but not from their mothers or wives . ) The Chancellor is also assigned precedence , but except for the period between 1553 and 1671 when the office was held by a layman who was not necessarily a member of the Order , this precedence has been purely theoretical . As a member of the Order , the Chancellor has a higher precedence than that attached to the office , and when the office was filled by a diocesan bishop of the Church of England , the holder again had a higher precedence by virtue of that office than any that the chancellorship could bestow . Knights Companion prefix " Sir " and Ladies Companion prefix " Lady " to their forenames . Wives of Knights Companion may prefix " Lady " to their surnames , but no corresponding privilege exists for husbands of Ladies Companion . Such forms are not used by royals , peers , peeresses , or Anglican clergymen , who instead use only the post @-@ nominal letters . Knights and Ladies Companion use the post @-@ nominal letters " KG " and " LG " respectively . When an individual is entitled to use multiple post @-@ nominal letters , those of the Order of the Garter appear before all others , except " Bt " or " Btss " ( Baronet or Baronetess ) , " VC " ( Victoria Cross ) and " GC " ( George Cross ) . = = Investiture ceremony = = The Order of the Garter once held services at St George 's Chapel , Windsor Castle , but they became rare in the 18th century . The annual Garter Services , discontinued in 1805 , were revived by King George VI in 1948 and have become an annual event . Each June , on the Monday of Royal Ascot week ( also known as Garter Day ) , the members of the Order , wearing their habits and garter insignia , meet in the state apartments in the Upper Ward of Windsor Castle . When any new Knights of the Garter are due for installation , an investiture ceremony is held at a Chapter of the Order in the Throne Room of Windsor Castle on the morning of Garter Day . This ceremony is attended by all Knights Companions of the order , wearing the ceremonial habits and garter insignia , and also by their wives . The wording of the oath sworn by the new knights at this ceremony and of the Admonitions addressed to them in turn by the prelate and chancellor of the order when the several items of insignia are placed upon them are extremely similar to the traditions of the past . At the investiture ceremony the Admonitions are read in turn by the prelate and chancellor of the order and several insignia are offered on a cushion to the Sovereign by Garter King of Arms , Black Rod , and the secretary of the order , in turn , so that the Sovereign may perform the ceremony of investiture . Two senior knights of the order assist the Sovereign in these ceremonies by placing the garter around the left leg of the new knight and by assisting the Sovereign in the fastening of the riband and Lesser George about the body of the new knight , and in the adjustment of the mantle and the collar . After the investiture ceremony at Windsor is concluded , a state luncheon is held in the Banqueting Room . This is attended by the royal family , by all the Companions of the Order and their spouses , and by the Officers of the Order . After the banquet all the knights and ladies of the order , together with the prelate , chancellor and other officers of the order , in their mantles and ceremonial robes , led by the Military Knights of Windsor , move in procession , watched by a great crowd of spectators , through the castle , down the hill , which is lined with troops , to Saint George 's Chapel for a worship service , before which the formal installation of the new knights takes place .

= Donkey Kong Jr . Math = Donkey Kong Jr . Math , originally released in Japan as Donkey Kong Jr . ' s Math Play ( Japanese : ドンキーコングJR.の算数遊び , Hepburn : Donkī Kongu Junia no Sansū Asobi ) ( sometimes released as Jr . Math Lesson ( JR.算数レッスン , Junia Sansū Ressun ) ) , is a Nintendo edutainment video game where players must solve math problems in order to win . It was released in Japan in 1983 for the Family Computer , in North America for the NES 's nationwide launch in 1986 , and in PAL regions in 1986 . It is the only game in the " Education Series " of NES games in North America . Donkey Kong Jr . Math was made available in the video game Animal Crossing ( along with several other NES titles ) . Donkey Kong Jr . Math was re @-@ released on the Wii 's Virtual Console in 2007 and on the Wii U 's Virtual Console in 2014 . Since its release , Donkey Kong Jr . Math has received very negative reception ; Nintendo spokesman Tom Sarris commented that it was not well received , resulting in Nintendo ceasing development of educational games for the time . It was noted as one of the worst launch video games ever made by publications such as Electronic Gaming Monthly and 1UP.com. It has also received criticism from several publications including IGN , who called it one of the worst Virtual Console games . The game was the worst @-@ selling game in the NES 's launch library in the US . = = Gameplay = = The game features one and two player modes , both of which are single screen . In the first mode , the objective is to enter math answers in order to receive points . These questions include addition , subtraction , multiplication , and division . In the two player mode , two players control two characters as they race to create a math formula to reach the number shown by Donkey Kong , incorporating platform gameplay . The mechanics are similar to Donkey Kong Jr . ; players climb vines to reach higher areas in order to collect numbers scattered around the area . In order to complete mathematics problems , players must collect at least three things : the first number , the symbol necessary to reach the number shown by Donkey Kong , and the second number . When the game features a high number , such as 66 , players must collect multiple numbers and mathematics symbols in order to reach this . For example , players could choose a nine , a multiplication symbol , and a seven , followed by an addition symbol and a three to reach the number 66 . The two player game have two different levels , Calculate A and Calculate B. Calculate B is more challenging : Donkey Kong can ask for negative numbers , and the absolute values of the target numbers are in the hundreds instead of the tens . = = Release = = Donkey Kong Jr . Math was developed and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System ( NES ) . It was first released in Japan on December 12 , 1983 , and was released shortly after as JR . Math Lesson together with Donkey Kong Jr. as Nintendo 's first licensed multicart ( released in a bundle together with Sharp 's C1 NES TV ) . Donkey Kong Jr . Math was released for the NES in North America and Europe in 1986 . It is the only entry in the " Education Series " of NES games released in North America . In August 1995 , the Sharp multicart was re @-@ released separately from the C1 NES TV . The game has been released on other platforms , including the video game Animal Crossing , which featured several NES games . Donkey Kong Jr . Math was re @-@ released on the Wii 's Virtual Console in Japan on March 27 , 2007 , Europe and Australia on April 20 , 2007 , and in North America on September 3 , 2007 . It was re @-@ released again for the Wii U 's Virtual Console in North America on August 28 , 2014 , in Europe on January 22 , 2015 , and in Japan on April 15 , 2015 . = = Reception = = Since its release for the NES , Donkey Kong Jr . Math has been a critical and commercial disappointment . GameRankings reports an aggregate score of 32 % , based on 5 reviews . It was the worst @-@ selling launch title for the NES . Nintendo spokesman Tom Sarris said that it " wasn 't a big hit " , adding that no one was very enthusiastic about the title . He felt that if it had been received better , it would have led to more educational titles . Author Andy Slaven , writing in the Video Game Bible , criticized the premise , deriding Nintendo for combining a well @-@ liked license with math , which is generally disliked by children . Inside Higher Ed 's David Epstein did not find it to be a fun game , while 1UP.com 's Bob Mackey called it the worst NES launch title , criticizing it for its lack of value . He commented that Donkey Kong Jr. moves as well as an infant would in real life . Donkey Kong Jr . Math had a poor reception from IGN , with Lucas M. Thomas finding its controls poor and its execution to be bland and flawed , while AU 's Cam Shea said it would be " too expensive if it was free " . Shea also included it on his list of the worst Virtual Console games , finding it difficult to imagine any reason why anyone would want to buy it . GameSpot 's Frank Provo found that it became boring quickly , also criticizing the mathematics problems for being either too easy for young children or too boring for older ones . Eurogamer 's Dan Whitehead commented that it gave him an " ironic smile " as a reminder of the NES era , though he could not justify paying five dollars for it . Donkey Kong Jr . Math has received criticism for its qualities as an educational game . Elizabeth Sweedyk , associate computer science professor at Harvey Mudd College , called Donkey Kong Jr . Math a realistic educational video game , criticizing such games as " not fun . " 1UP.com 's Kevin Gifford called it a game that children would never want to play . Fellow 1UP.com writer Jeremy Parish commented that the game shouldn 't be judged on being an educational game , citing quality educational titles as The Oregon Trail and Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego ? . However , he noted that it should be judged for being a boring game . Ars Technica 's Frank Caron compared it to other educational games , calling it " no Brain Age " and preferring to play Math Blaster instead . Educational video game developer Traci Lawson wondered whether the word game Bookworm would have been as well received by players when they were children ; she felt that they would be intimidated by it , comparing this to how she felt when she played Donkey Kong Jr . Math . In contrast to the negative reception , Allgame 's Skyler Miller called it a creative use of Donkey Kong Jr . ' s graphics and gameplay .

= Hurricane Nicole ( 1998 ) = Hurricane Nicole was the last hurricane in the 1998 Atlantic hurricane season . It developed from a frontal low to the south of the Azores on November 24 , and quickly strengthened to reach winds of 70 mph ( 110 km / h ) as it moved to the west @-@ southwest . An approaching upper @-@ level trough moved over the system , producing strong wind shear which rapidly weakened Nicole to a tropical depression . After the trough passed , the system entered an area of lighter shear , and steadily restrengthened . An approaching cold front turned it to the northeast , and while moving over anomalously warm sea surface temperatures Nicole attained hurricane status . It reached a peak intensity of 85 mph ( 135 km / h ) on December 1 , and rapidly weakened over the waters of the north Atlantic Ocean . Nicole is one of five December Atlantic hurricanes on record . = = Origins = = A strong frontal low located several hundred miles south of the Azores persisted for several days in late November while remaining nearly stationary . After it began moving steadily to the west , a tightly @-@ wrapped band of convection developed near the center , and it is estimated the system developed into Tropical Depression Fourteen on November 24 while located 725 miles ( 1 @,@ 165 km ) south of Lajes , Azores . The system quickly intensified as it moved west @-@ southwestward , and strengthened into Tropical Storm Nicole six hours after forming . Tropical Storm Nicole was a small storm , and upon first forming tropical storm force winds extended only 60 miles ( 95 km ) from the center . A few hours after attaining tropical storm status , a ship just north of the center reported winds of 41 mph ( 66 km / h ) , confirming the system was a tropical storm . Located to the south of a strong mid @-@ level ridge , Nicole continued to the west @-@ southwest while centered within a large upper @-@ level low . Common for late @-@ season development in the subtropics , this produced light vertical shear over the storm . The storm moved through an area of marginal sea surface temperatures of 77 ° F ( 25 ° C ) . An intermittent eye feature of the small area of deep convection , and Nicole quickly strengthened to reach an initial peak intensity of 70 mph ( 115 km / h ) . After maintaining its peak for around twelve hours , an upper @-@ level trough moved rapidly eastward over Nicole , which produced high levels of wind shear . The shear weakened the storm , and by late on November 25 the center became exposed to the west of the diminishing deep convection . The shear dissipated most of the convection , and Nicole degenerated to a tropical depression on November 26 . Operationally , advisories were discontinued , and regeneration was considered unlikely . = = Regeneration = = The low turned to the west , and following the passage of the trough a ridge became established over Nicole . This resulted in a decrease in wind shear , and deep convection redeveloped over the storm . The National Hurricane Center reinstated advisories for Nicole on November 27 while located about 1 @,@ 515 miles ( 2 @,@ 440 km ) west @-@ southwest of the Canary Islands . The low @-@ level circulation was initially exposed on the southwest side of the convection , though Nicole quickly strengthened and unexpectedly re @-@ attained tropical storm status later on November 27 . Upon reaching tropical storm status for the second time , the center of Nicole moved beneath the convection while an anticyclone developed over the storm . Banding features began to develop , and outflow was well @-@ defined . An approaching cold front turned Nicole to the north , and late on November 28 the storm reached its westernmost point while located 1 @,@ 125 miles ( 1 @,@ 800 km ) east @-@ northeast of Bermuda . After turning to the northeast , shear from the approaching front weakened Nicole slightly , and the center became situated near the western edge of the convection . Upper @-@ level diffluence allowed the convection to persist despite the shearing environment , and an eye @-@ feature developed within the convection . Anomalously warm sea surface temperatures of 3º to 5 ° F ( 2º to 3 ° C ) above normal allowed the storm to continue strengthening , and early on November 30 Nicole strengthened to attain hurricane status while located 1 @,@ 280 miles ( 2 @,@ 060 km ) west @-@ southwest of Lajes , Azores . A nearly complete eyewall organized within the storm , and early on December 1 Nicole reached a peak intensity of 85 mph ( 135 km / h ) . It turned northward and rapidly weakened , and Nicole became extratropical later on December 1 while located 285 miles ( 460 km ) northwest of the Azores . The extratropical remnant turned to the northwest while moving around the periphery of a larger circulation , and on December 2 Nicole dissipated . When Nicole lasted into December as a hurricane , it was one of only five Atlantic hurricanes on record in the month . The other five attained the intensity during the month , and included an unnamed hurricane in the 1887 season , Hurricane Alice in 1954 , Hurricane Lili in 1984 , and Hurricane Epsilon in 2005 . = = Impact = = Nicole remained hundreds of miles away from land throughout its entire lifetime , and as a result it caused no damage or deaths .

= Free Association of German Trade Unions = The Free Association of German Trade Unions ( German : Freie Vereinigung deutscher Gewerkschaften ; abbreviated FVdG ; sometimes also translated as Free Association of German Unions or Free Alliance of German Trade Unions ) was a trade union federation in Imperial and early Weimar Germany . It was founded in 1897 in Halle under the name Representatives ' Centralization of Germany as the national umbrella organization of the localist current of the German labor movement . The localists rejected the centralization in the labor movement following the sunset of the Anti @-@ Socialist Laws in 1890 and preferred grassroots democratic structures . The lack of a strike code soon led to conflict within the organization . Various ways of providing financial support for strikes were tested before a system of voluntary solidarity was agreed upon in 1903 , the same year that the name Free Association of German Trade Unions was adopted . During the years following its formation , the FVdG began to adopt increasingly radical positions . During the German socialist movement 's debate over the use of mass strikes , the FVdG advanced the view that the general strike must be a weapon in the hands of the working class . The federation believed the mass strike was the last step before a socialist revolution and became increasingly critical of parliamentary action . Disputes with the mainstream labor movement finally led to the expulsion of FVdG members from the Social Democratic Party of Germany ( SPD ) in 1908 and the complete severing of relations between the two organizations . Anarchist and especially syndicalist positions became increasingly popular within the FVdG . During World War I , the FVdG rejected the SPD 's and mainstream labor movement 's cooperation with the German state — known as the Burgfrieden — but was unable to organize any significant resistance to or continue its regular activities during the war . Immediately after the November Revolution , the FVdG very quickly became a mass organization . It was particularly attractive to miners from the Ruhr area opposed to the mainstream unions ' reformist policies . In December 1919 , the federation merged with several minor left communist unions to become the Free Workers ' Union of Germany ( FAUD ) . = = Background = = According to Angela Vogel and Hartmut Rübner , Carl Hillmann , a typesetter and prominent trade unionist in the 1870s , was the " intellectual father " of the localist and anarcho @-@ syndicalist movement . Vogel 's and Rübner 's claim is based on the fact that Hillmann was the first in Germany to consider unions ' primary role to be the creation of the conditions for a socialist revolution , not simply to improve workers ' living conditions . He also advocated a de @-@ centralized trade union federation structure . Many of the later anarcho @-@ syndicalists including Rudolf Rocker agree with this notion . Hans Manfred Bock , on the other hand , sees no evidence for Hillmann 's influence on the FVdG . From 1878 to 1890 , the Anti @-@ Socialist Laws forbade all socialist trade unions . Only small local organizations , which communicated via intermediaries such as stewards , who worked illegally or semi @-@ legally , survived . This form of organization was easier to protect against state repression . After the laws were sunset in 1890 , the General Commission of the Trade Unions of Germany was founded on November 17 at a conference in Berlin to centralize the socialist labor movement . In 1892 , the Trade Union Congress of Halberstadt was held to organize the many local unions under the committee . The localists , 31 @,@ 000 of whom were represented at the congress , wanted to retain many of the changes that had been adopted during the repressive period . For example , they opposed separate organizations for political and economic matters , such as the party and the trade union . They especially wanted to keep their grassroots democratic structures . They also advocated local trade unions being networked by delegates rather than ruled centrally , and were wary of bureaucratic structures . The localists ' proposals were rejected at the Halberstadt congress , so they refused to join the centralized trade unions , which became known as the Free Trade Unions . They did not renounce social democracy , but rather considered themselves to be an avant @-@ garde within the social democratic movement in Germany . The localists ' main stronghold was in Berlin , although localist unions existed in the rest of the Empire as well . Masons , carpenters , and some metal @-@ working professions — especially those requiring a higher degree of qualification like coppersmiths or gold and silver workers — were represented in large numbers . By 1891 , there were at least 20 @,@ 000 metal workers in localist trade unions , just as many as in the centralized German Metal Workers ' Union . = = Founding = = At a congress in 1897 in Halle , the localists founded a national organization of their own , the Representatives ' Centralization of Germany ( Vertrauensmänner @-@ Zentralisation Deutschlands ) . The congress was originally supposed to take place a year earlier , but a lack of interest forced it to be postponed . There were 37 delegates at the congress representing 6 @,@ 803 union members . Nearly two @-@ thirds of the delegates came from Berlin or Halle . Almost half the delegates worked in the construction industry , while 14 delegates came from highly specialized professions . The congress decided to establish a five @-@ person Business Commission seated in Berlin to organize political actions , aid in communication between local organizations , and raise financial support for strikes . Fritz Kater became the chairman of the commission . A newspaper , Solidarität ( Solidarity ) , was founded , but the name was changed to Die Einigkeit ( Unity ) the following year . It initially appeared fortnightly , but was published on a weekly basis beginning in 1898 . The decision to found a national organization was likely the result of several factors . First , the mainstream trade unions were increasingly reformist and centralized . Second , the localists gained confidence from their involvement in the dock workers ' strike in Hamburg in late 1896 and early 1897 . Third , loss of membership ( for example , the Berlin metal workers rejoined the DMV in 1897 ) convinced the localists of the need for action . The Representatives ' Centralization 's relationship to the SPD was ambivalent . The organization was allied with the SPD and supported the Erfurt Program . At the same time , the party mostly opposed the founding of the Representatives ' Centralization and called upon its members to rejoin the centralized trade unions . The FVdG remained affiliated with the SPD , which in turn tolerated it because the SPD was afraid a split would lead to a large loss of members . The FVdG stated it would rejoin the centralized trade unions like the SPD leadership desired only if the centralized unions accepted the FVdG 's organizational principles . = = Early years = = The early years of the Representatives ' Centralization of Germany were dominated by a discussion on how to finance strikes by individual local trade unions . The issue was how local unions could retain their autonomy when receiving financial assistance . Originally , all support between local organizations had been voluntary . But this system became more and more impractical , especially after the turn of the 20th century saw numerous large strikes in which employers reacted more aggressively — often by locking out workers . In 1899 , the Business Committee felt it had to support a strike in Braunschweig . It took out a loan , which was paid off with dues income and from donations by Berlin unions . The following year , the Business Committee incurred 8 @,@ 000 Marks in debt by supporting strikes . Part of the debt was paid off by the SPD , while the rest was apportioned among the local unions . This practice was replaced in 1900 by a far more complex system of assessments and donations designed to raise the money to support strikes . This system was replaced in 1901 because it was impractical . The 1901 system required every local union and the central committee to create strike funds . Local unions would receive support for strikes from Berlin under certain circumstances , and the central Business Committee 's fund would be replenished by all member organizations in amounts proportional to their membership and the average wage of their members . This system , too , proved problematic because it penalized the larger , wealthier unions — especially the construction workers in Berlin who had higher wages but also higher costs of living . From 1901 to 1903 , many small organizations joined the federation , yet the FVdG 's membership fell as the punitive strike support system drove some larger unions out . In 1903 , the federation not only changed its name to the Free Association of German Trade Unions but also decided to return to the old system of voluntary contributions . This system remained in place until 1914 . The Business Committee worked to ensure that unions contributed as much as they could . Often the committee resorted to threatening unions with expulsion in order to raise funds for a strike . Fritz Kater called this a dictatorship necessary for the movement , but local organizations still had far more autonomy than their counterparts in other German labor federations . = = Radicalization and expulsion from the SPD = = During the first decade of the 20th century , the FVdG was transformed from a localist union federation into a syndicalist labor organization with anarchist tendencies . The process was initiated by the death of Gustav Keßler , the most important ideologue in the FVdG , in 1903 . His role was largely assumed by the physician Raphael Friedeberg . In 1903 , a dispute between the FVdG and the Free Trade Unions in Berlin led the party commission to intervene and to sponsor talks aimed at re @-@ unification of the two wings of the German labor movement . At the meeting , the FVdG made a number of compromises , which led to member protests . Soon , over one @-@ third of the members left the union . The 1903 FVdG congress elected a panel to continue negotiations with the Free Trade Unions . This panel demanded that the Free Trade Unions adopt localist organizational principles as a prerequisite for re @-@ unification . The FVdG panel realized this demand was unrealistic , but hoped the expulsion of revisionists from the SPD during the debate on Eduard Bernstein 's theses would strengthen their position . The impossibility of a reconciliation between the two became obvious by March 1904 , since the re @-@ unification envisioned by both the leadership of the SPD and the Free Trade Unions was more along the lines of an integration of the FVdG into the Free Trade Unions . The FVdG 's disillusionment with the social democratic movement deepened during the mass strike debate . The role of the general strike for the socialist movement was first discussed within the FVdG in 1901 . At the SPD 's 1903 congress in Dresden , Raphael Friedeberg proposed discussing the topic , but his proposal was rejected by the congress . The following year , a proposal by Wilhelm Liebknecht and Eduard Bernstein to initiate debate on the topic was accepted , since they had distanced themselves from Friedeberg 's positions . Liebknecht and Bernstein , like the left wing of the party , felt the general strike should not be used to provoke the state but rather to defend political rights ( especially the right to vote ) should the state should seek to abolish them . The more conservative faction in the party was opposed to this concept . In 1904 , Friedeberg , speaking for the FVdG , advanced the view that the general strike must be a weapon in the hands of the proletariat and would be the last step before the socialist revolution . In 1905 , his speech on the topic was even more radical . He claimed that historical materialism , a pillar of Marxism , was to blame for social democracy 's alleged powerlessness , and introduced the alternative concept of historical psychism — which held that human psychology was more significant for social development than material conditions . He also recommended the anarchist literature especially Kropotkin 's writings rather than Marx 's works , which were most influential in the SPD . The position that the general strike could be used , but only as a last resort , became dominant in the party during the mass strike debate . This caused much concern among the conservatives in the party , especially among many trade unionists . At a meeting in February 1906 , the trade unionists were placated by party leaders , who said they would attempt to prevent a general strike at all costs . The FVdG reacted by publishing the secret protocols from the meeting in Die Einigkeit , greatly angering the party leadership . At the 1905 party convention , August Bebel , who had always favored a stronger role for the SPD @-@ affiliated unions , proposed a resolution requiring all members of the party to join the centralized trade unions for their respective professions . This would have forced all FVdG members to either leave the party or the trade union . The resolution was adopted , and implemented in 1907 . An FVdG survey returned a vote of twenty @-@ two to eight opposing rejoining the centralized unions . This led some of the masons , carpenters , and construction workers in the union to leave the FVdG in 1907 to avoid being expelled from the SPD , saying the organization was " taking a path , which would certainly lead to strife with the SPD and to syndicalism and anarchism . " In 1908 , the SPD 's Nuremberg congress finally voted to make SPD and FVdG membership incompatible . In addition to causing about two @-@ thirds of its members to quit between 1906 and 1910 , the radicalization of the FVdG also correlates to a slight change in the milieu , industries , and regions from which the organization drew its members . Many metal and construction workers , who had a localist tradition , left as a result of the syndicalist and anarchist tendencies in the FVdG . Miners , who worked mostly in the Ruhr area , did not have this tradition but developed a certain skepticism of bureaucratic structures . About 450 of them joined the FVdG before World War I , a sign of what was to come after the war . = = Pre @-@ war period = = Following the split from the SPD , the FVdG was increasingly influenced by French syndicalism and anarchism . In 1908 , Kater called the Charter of Amiens , the platform of the French General Confederation of Labor ( CGT ) , the earliest and largest syndicalist union worldwide , " a new revelation " . Although there was no contact between German " intellectual anarchists " ( like Gustav Landauer and Erich Mühsam ) and the FVdG , it did have influential anarchist members , most notably Andreas Kleinlein and Fritz Köster . Kleinlein and Köster increasingly influenced the federation from 1908 on , and this led to the founding of Der Pionier in 1911 . This newspaper , which was edited by Köster , had a much more aggressive tone than Die Einigkeit . Despite these developments , the influence of the anarchists in the pre @-@ World War I FVdG remained quantitatively minute , especially as leading members like Kater were at the time very skeptical of the anarchist ideology . After both the British Industrial Syndicalist Education League ( ISEL ) , a short @-@ lived syndicalist organization heavily involved in the strike wave in Britain from 1910 , and the Dutch syndicalist union National Labor Secretariat ( NAS ) published proposals for an international syndicalist congress in 1913 , the FVdG was the first to express support . There were difficulties in organizing the congress , and the largest syndicalist union worldwide — the CGT — refused to participate because it was already affiliated with the social democratic International Federation of Trade Unions . Despite these challenges , the First International Syndicalist Congress took place at Holborn Town Hall in London from September 27 to October 2 . British , Swedish , Danish , Dutch , Belgian , French , Spanish , Italian , Cuban , Brazilian , and Argentine organizations — both labor unions and political groups — had delegates in London in addition to the FVdG , which was represented by Karl Roche , Carl Windhoff , and Fritz Kater . There were also links with Norwegian , Polish , and American groups . Kater was elected co @-@ president of the congress alongside Jack Wills . After Wills was forced to resign , Kater served as co @-@ president with Jack Tanner . The congress had difficulty agreeing on many issues , the main source of conflict being whether further schisms in the European labor movement ( as had occurred in Germany and the Netherlands ) should be risked . The FVdG generally agreed with their Dutch comrades in calling on other unions to decide between syndicalism and socialism , while their Italian , French , and Spanish counterparts , most notably Alceste De Ambris of the Italian USI , were more intent on preventing further division . Accordingly , the congress was divided on the question of whether its purpose was to simply pave the way for deeper relations between the syndicalist unions or whether a Syndicalist International was to be founded . The opponents of a new organization prevailed , but the congress agreed to establish an Information Bureau . The Information Bureau was based in Amsterdam and published the Bulletin international du mouvement syndicaliste . The congress was considered a success by most who attended , with the notable exception of De Ambris . A second congress was scheduled to take place in two years ' time in Amsterdam . Due to the outbreak of World War I , the congress did not take place . The Bulletin only published for eighteen issues before the war caused it to cease publication . = = World War I = = During the buildup to World War I , the FVdG denounced the SPD 's anti @-@ war rhetoric as " complete humbug " . With the start of war , the SPD and the mainstream labor movement entered into the Burgfrieden ( or civil truce ) with the German state . Under this agreement , the unions ' structures remained intact and the government did not cut wages during the war . For their part , the unions did not support new strikes , ended current ones , and mobilized support for the war effort . The 1916 Auxiliary War Service Law established further cooperation between employers , unions , and the state by creating workers ' committees in the factories and joint management @-@ union arbitration courts . The FVdG , on the other hand , was the only labor organization in the country which refused to participate in the Burgfrieden . The union held that war @-@ time patriotism was incompatible with proletarian internationalism and that war could only bring greater exploitation of labor . ( Indeed , the average real wage fell by 55 percent during the war . ) While the mainstream labor movement was quick to agree with the state that Russia and the United Kingdom were to blame for igniting the war , the FVdG held that the cause for the war was imperialism and that no blame could be assigned until after the conflict ended . The federation strongly criticized hostility towards foreigners working in Germany , especially Poles and Italians . It also rejected the concepts of the " nation " and national identity invoked in support of the war , claiming that common language , origin and culture ( the foundations of a nation ) did not exist in Germany . The FVdG 's newspapers also declared that the war refuted historical materialism , since the masses had gone to war against their own material interests . After Fritz Kater and Max Winkler reaffirmed syndicalist antimilitarism in the August 5 , 1914 Der Pionier edition , the newspaper was banned . Three days later , Die Einigkeit criticized the SPD 's stance on the war . It was then suppressed as well . The FVdG promptly responded by founding the weekly Mitteilungsblatt . After it was banned in June 1915 , the federation founded the bi @-@ weekly Rundschreiben , which survived until May 1917 . Social Democratic publications on the other hand were allowed by Prussian War Minister Erich von Falkenhayn to be distributed even in the army . In the first days of the war , about 30 FVdG activists in Cologne , Elberfeld , Düsseldorf , Krefeld and other cities were arrested — some remaining under house arrest for two years . The government repression against the FVdG was heavy . While bans were often placed on the union 's regular meetings , authorities in Düsseldorf even banned meetings of the syndicalist choir . Another problem for the union was that many of its members were conscripted . Half of the Berlin construction workers , the federation 's largest union , were forced to serve in the army . In some places , all FVdG members were called into service . Although the FVdG insisted that the " goal is everything and ... must be everything " ( a play on Bernstein 's formula that " the final goal , whatever it may be , is nothing to me : the movement is everything " ) , it was unable to do much more than keep its own structures alive during World War I. Immediately after the declaration of war , FVdG tried to continue its antiwar demonstrations to no avail . Although it constantly criticized the Burgfrieden and militarism in general , industrial action was not possible except for a few minor cases ( most notably resistance by the carpenters ' union to Sunday work ) . The FVdG also received support from abroad . The faction in the Italian USI led by Armando Borghi , an antimilitarist minority in the French CGT , the Dutch NAS , as well as Spanish , Swedish , and Danish syndicalists were all united with the FVdG in their opposition to the war . As the Great War progressed , war exhaustion in Germany grew . The first strikes in the country since the start of the war broke out in 1915 , steadily increasing in frequency and magnitude . The unions ' role as troubleshooter between the employers and the workers soon led to conflict between the membership and union officials , and the Free Trade Unions steadily lost members . Correspondingly , the Reichstag faction of the SPD split over continued support for the war . The 1917 February Revolution in Russia was seen by the FVdG as an expression of the people 's desire for peace . The syndicalists paid special attention to the role the general strike ( which they had been advocating for years ) played in the revolution . They were unable to comment on the October Revolution as the Rundschreiben had been banned by the time it broke out . = = November Revolution and re @-@ founding as FAUD = = Some claim that the FVdG influenced strikes in the arms industry as early as February or March 1918 , but the organization was not re @-@ established on a national level until December 1918 . On December 14 , Fritz Kater started publishing Der Syndikalist ( The Syndicalist ) in Berlin as a replacement for Die Einigkeit . On December 26 and 27 , a conference organized by Kater and attended by 33 delegates from 43 local unions took place in Berlin . The delegates reflected upon the difficult times during the war and proudly noted that the FVdG was the only trade union which did not have to adjust its program to the new political conditions because it had remained loyal to its anti @-@ state and internationalist principles . The delegates reaffirmed their rejection of parliamentarianism and refused to participate in the National Assembly . In Spring 1919 , Karl Roche wrote a new platform for the FVdG entitled " Was wollen die Syndikalisten ? Programm , Ziele und Wege der ' Freien Vereinigung deutscher Gewerkschaften ' " ( " What Do the Syndicalists Want ? The Program , Goals , and Means of the ' Free Association of German Trade Unions ' " ) . In addition to reiterating pre @-@ war ideas and slogans , it went further by criticizing participation in electoral democracy , claiming that this handicapped and confused proletarian class struggle . The platform also called for the establishment of the dictatorship of the proletariat , a position which was designed to reach out to the newly formed Communist Party ( KPD ) and International Communists of Germany . In late 1918 and early 1919 , the FVdG became an important player in the strike movement in the Ruhr region ( which mostly involved miners ) . Its organizers , most notably Carl Windhoff , became regular speakers at workers ' demonstrations . On April 1 , a general strike supported by the FVdG , the KPD and the Independent Social Democratic Party ( USPD ) began . The strike eventually involved up to 75 percent of the region 's miners until it was violently suppressed in late April by the SPD @-@ led government . After the strike and the ensuing collapse of the General Miners ' Union , the FVdG expanded its unions rapidly and independently of the aforementioned political parties , especially in the Ruhr region . This led to a massive expansion in FVdG membership . The FVdG 's criticism of the bureaucratic centralized trade unions , its advocation of direct action , and its low membership dues were received well by the workers in the Ruhr region . By August 1919 , the federation had around 60 @,@ 000 members throughout Germany . However , its Ruhr miners ' unions left the craft unionist scheme the FVdG had traditionally been organized by behind , preferring simpler industrial structures . The end of cooperation between the FVdG and the political parties in the Ruhr region was part of a nationwide trend after Paul Levi , an anti @-@ syndicalist , became chairman of the KPD in March . Moreover , Rudolf Rocker , a communist anarchist and follower of Kropotkin , joined the FVdG in March 1919 . He returned via The Netherlands in November 1918 after living in exile in London , where he had been active in the Jewish anarchist scene . Augustin Souchy , more of a Landauer @-@ esque anarchist , also joined the federation in 1919 . Both rapidly gained influence in the organization and — as anti @-@ Marxists — were opposed to close collaboration with communists . Nevertheless , the FVdG 's Rhineland and Westphalia section merged with left communist unions to form the Free Workers ' Union ( FAU ) in September 1919 . Syndicalists from the FVdG were the biggest and most dominant faction in the FAU . The FAU 's statutes mostly reflected compromises by the federation 's member unions , but also reflected the FVdG 's significant influence . Soon it was decided to complete the merger in Rhineland and Westphalia on a national level . The FVdG 's 12th congress , held December 27 to 30 , became the Free Workers ' Union of Germany 's ( FAUD ) founding congress . Most left communists ( including the influential veteran member Karl Roche ) had already quit or were in the process of leaving the FAU in Rhineland and Westphalia by this point . The majority of them would join the General Workers ' Union of Germany ( AAUD ) , which was founded in February 1920 . Without the left communists to oppose its adoption , Rocker 's thoroughly anarchist " Prinzipienerklärung des Syndikalismus " ( " Declaration of Syndicalist Principles " ) , which the Business Commission had charged him with drafting , became the FAUD 's platform without much controversy . The FAUD also rejected the dictatorship of the proletariat and other Marxist terms and ideas . According to the Business Commission , the congress was attended by 109 delegates representing 111 @,@ 675 workers , twice as many as were claimed just four and a half months earlier .

= Eric Burhop = Eric Henry Stoneley Burhop , FRS ( 31 January 1911 – 22 January 1980 ) was an Australian physicist and humanitarian . A graduate of the University of Melbourne , Burhop was awarded an 1851 Exhibition Scholarship to study at the Cavendish Laboratory under Lord Rutherford . Under the supervision of Mark Oliphant , he investigated nuclear fusion . He produced a non @-@ relativistic theory of the Auger effect in 1935 , followed by a relativistic treatment the following year . He later wrote a monograph on the subject . He returned to the University of Melbourne as a lecturer in 1936 , and helped Professor Thomas Laby build up the physics department there . During the Second World War he worked in the Radiophysics Laboratory in Sydney , where he produced a laboratory model of a cavity magnetron . In September 1942 , he returned to Melbourne as the officer in charge of the Radar Research Laboratory , where he continued the development of cavity magnetrons and reflex klystrons for radar sets . In May 1944 , he became one of three Australian physicists who worked on the Manhattan Project , which created the first atomic bombs . In early 1945 , Harrie Massey offered Burhop a position as a lecturer in the Mathematics Department at University College , London . He fostered international cooperation in nuclear physics . As part of a five @-@ nation study of K mesons and their interaction with atomic nuclei that went on for several years , his group produced a wealth of new results , including the first observation of a double lambda hypernucleus . He spent a year on secondment to CERN , as secretary of a committee that recommended the construction of the Intersecting Storage Rings and the Super Proton Synchrotron . In 1974 and 1975 , an international team under his leadership carried out a successful search for the Λ + c ( charmed lambda baryon ) . = = Early life = = Eric Henry Stoneley Burhop was born in Hobart , Tasmania , on 31 January 1911 , the third child of two Salvation Army officers , Henry Augustus Burhop and his wife Bertha née Head . He had two older sisters , Edna and Vera . His family was not wealthy , and they moved frequently owing to the nature of his parents ' evangelical work . The family moved to Ballarat in 1923 , where he attended Ballarat High School for most of his secondary education , receiving his leaving ( Year 11 ) certificate in 1926 . He transferred to Melbourne High School for his final year . Burhop won a scholarship , and entered the University of Melbourne in 1928 . He initially studied civil engineering , but switched to science after two years , and majored in physics . In 1929 , he was awarded a bursary that provided financial assistance . He graduated in 1931 with a bachelor of science BSc degree with first class honours in physics . He then earned a Bachelor of Arts ( BA ) , also with first class honours , in mathematics in 1932 , and a master of science in physics in 1933 . For a master 's research problem , Professor Thomas Laby had Burhop investigate the probability K shell ionisation by electron impact by measuring the intensity of the resultant X @-@ ray emissions . This aroused an interest in the Auger effect , a subject in which he would later become an authority . By contrast , his master 's thesis on " The Band Spectra of Diatomic Molecules " had little influence on his later work . = = Cavendish Laboratory = = The thesis was good enough , though , for Burhop to be awarded an 1851 Exhibition Scholarship to study at Cambridge University 's Cavendish Laboratory under Lord Rutherford in 1933 . The scholarship included a first @-@ class ticket to London on the liner RMS Oronsay . At this time the Cavendish Laboratory was one of the leading centres of physics in the world . In 1932 , Cavendish laboratory scientists John Cockcroft and Ernest Walton split the atomic nucleus , James Chadwick discovered the neutron , and Patrick Blackett and Giuseppe Occhialini confirmed the existence of the positron . Burhop was supervised by a fellow Australian , Mark Oliphant . He was initially assigned a task of investigating the diffusion of positive alkali metal ions on hot metal surfaces , but soon switch to a more interesting subject , the measurement of the excitation function for the pairs of deuterons producing a triton through nuclear fusion : 2 1D + 2 1D → 3 1T + p Burhop was able to observe the reaction at energies of less than 8 keV . He continued his investigations of X @-@ rays and the Auger effect . He conducted investigation of the probabilities of the ionisation of the K and L shells of silver , using the Born approximation . In 1935 , he produced a non @-@ relativistic theory of the Auger effect . This followed by a relativistic treatment in 1936 with Harrie Massey , another Australian expatriate fellow at the Cavendish . His work on the Auger effect would culminate in a monograph , The Auger Effect and Other Radiationless Transitions ( 1952 ) . Before coming to Cambridge , Burhop had not engaged in political activities . At Cambridge he encountered political debate generated by the suffering caused by the Great Depression and the rise of fascism in Europe . While he rejected his parents ' faith in favour of rationalist science , he did not reject their values , especially that of compassion for others , and there was no estrangement between them . At Cambridge he embraced socialism , and believed that scientists had a moral responsibility to society , one that included fighting fascism . = = University of Melbourne = = Burhop returned to Australia in 1936 , taking up a position as a lecturer at the University of Melbourne , where Laby was eager to build up the Physics Department by adding expertise in the latest developments in nuclear physics . He married his fiancée , Winifred Ida Stevens , on 23 December 1936 in a Salvation Army ceremony . They had a daughter and two sons . He completed his Cambridge doctor of philosophy ( PhD ) degree under Laby 's supervision in 1938 . It was in three parts : " The ionization and reorganization of an atom in an inner shell , with special reference to the Dirac theory of the electron " ; " Some problems in atomic disintegration " ; and " Note on the migration of atoms on a surface " . Burhop established the first research program in the field in an Australian university , employing scientific equipment that he brought back from Britain . The centrepiece of the research effort was a 300 keV accelerator that produced a homogeneous neutron beam , which he commissioned in August 1939 . He gave lectures on modern physics to the undergraduates , and on quantum mechanics to the postgraduates . After the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939 , the Physics Department worked on the development of optical munitions , particularly aluminised mirrors for aerial photography . In February 1942 , Oliphant persuaded Laby to release Burhop and Leslie Martin to work on microwave radar at the Radiophysics Laboratory in Sydney . Burhop and Martin produced a laboratory model of a cavity magnetron on 23 July 1942 . Their magnetron was based on an overseas design , but made entirely from local components so that it could be manufactured in Australia . In September 1942 he returned to the University of Melbourne as the officer in charge of the Radar Research Laboratory , an outpost of the Radiophysics Laboratory , where his task was turning his cavity magnetrons and reflex klystrons from prototypes into production models . Eventually , over 2 @,@ 000 radar sets were produced in Australia . = = Manhattan Project = = In January 1944 , Oliphant had Sir David Rivett , the head of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research , release Burhop to work on the Manhattan Project , the Allied effort to create atomic bombs . In May 1944 , Burhop joined Oliphant 's British Mission at the Ernest Lawrence 's Radiation Laboratory at the University of California in Berkeley . He was one of three Australian physicists working on the Manhattan Project , all at Berkeley , the others being Oliphant and Massey . The Radiation Laboratory 's task was to develop an electromagnetic isotope separation process . Burhop worked with David Bohm in Massey 's Theoretical Group , studying the characteristics of electric discharges in magnetic fields , today known as Bohm diffusion . They also studied the ionisation of uranium compounds used as feed in the electromagnetic uranium enrichment process such as uranium tetrachloride ( UCl4 ) and uranium hexafluoride ( UF6 ) . Burhop 's work involved the occasional visit to the Manhattan Project 's Y @-@ 12 electromagnetic faculty at Oak Ridge , Tennessee . = = University College , London = = In early 1945 , Massey offered Burhop a position as a lecturer at University College , London , in the Mathematics Department , of which Massey was the departmental head . He had to wait until he was released by the University of Melbourne , and did not reach London until after the war ended in August 1945 . His wife and family , who had stayed in Australia while he was working in the United States , joined him in London some months later . Living and working conditions in London were much worse than in California or Australia . Wartime shortages persisted , and the college had suffered bombing damage , so the Mathematics Department were located in temporary quarters . He was promoted to reader in 1949 . Massey became head of the Physics Department in 1950 , and Burhop moved there too . He became a professor in 1960 , and Dean of the Faculty of Science in 1967 . Burhop listed " furtherance of international scientific cooperation " as one of his hobbies . He worked with the University of Edinburgh and the University of Padua to establish a high @-@ altitude cloud chamber on Marmolada that commenced operation in 1953 . In 1957 , he collaborated with Occhialini and C. F. Powell on a five @-@ nation study of K mesons and their interaction with atomic nuclei that went on for several years , and produced a wealth of new results , including the first observation of a double lambda hypernucleus . He spent the 1962 – 63 academic year on secondment to CERN , and was secretary of a committee chaired by Edoardo Amaldi that drew up its policy for accelerator development . The machines the committee recommended , the Intersecting Storage Rings and the Super Proton Synchrotron ( SPS ) were built , and became an important part of physics research in Europe for decades to come . When Burhop took charge of the Bubble Chamber Group at University College in 1967 , he was quick to grasp the advantages of heavy liquid bubble chambers for studying neutrino interactions , and steered the group towards participation in joint European ventures , using the Gargamelle . The group 's discovery of neutral currents in 1973 was a milestone on the road to the theoretical unification of electromagnetism with the weak force . In 1974 and 1975 , with the help of Robert R. Wilson , the director of the Fermilab in the United States , an international team from Fermilab and seven European laboratories under Burhop 's leadership carried out a search for a new particle , the existence of which Burhop had predicted in 1963 . He had suggested that neutrino interactions could create short @-@ lived ( perhaps as low as 10 − 14 s ) particles that could be detected with the use of nuclear emulsion . Experiment E247 at Fermilab successfully detected particles with a lifetime of the order of 10 − 13 s . A follow @-@ up experiment WA17 with the SPS confirmed the existence of the Λ + c ( charmed lambda baryon ) , with a flight time of 7 @.@ 3 ± 0 @.@ 1 x 10 − 13 s . = = Social activism = = The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation ( ASIO ) opened a file on Burhop in 1948 , believing him to be a secret member of the Communist Party , and an associate of Ian Milner , who was known through Venona intercepts to have passed secret documents to the Soviet Union . In July 1951 , the British government cancelled his passport when he accepted an offer to travel to the Soviet Union . A new passport was issued after he gave the Foreign Secretary a written assurance that he would not seek to travel to the Soviet Union or other Iron Curtain countries . Like many scientists who had worked on the Manhattan Project , Burhop was concerned about the dangers of nuclear weapons , and addressed over 500 public meetings to raise awareness of the subject . He had been a founding member of the Australian Association of Scientific Workers in 1939 , and after the war became chairman of the Atomic Science Committee of the Association of Scientific Workers , and a member of its Science Policy Committee , in Britain . In this capacity he helped organise the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs in 1957 . He founded the British Society for Social Responsibility in Science in 1969 . He was president of his local branch of the Association of University Teachers from 1970 to 1972 , and of the World Federation of Scientific Workers from 1971 to 1980 . Over the years Burhop received a number of honours and awards . He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1963 , and delivered its Rutherford Memorial Lecture in 1979 . He was elected a Foreign Member of the German Democratic Republic 's Academy of Sciences in 1971 . He received the Joliot @-@ Curie Medal of Peace in 1965 , the Lenin Peace Prize in 1972 , and the Bulgarian Order of Saints Cyril and Methodius in 1973 . Burhop retired in 1978 . He died in Camden , London , from empyema as a result of stomach cancer on 22 January 1980 . He was survived by his wife and children . His papers are in the University College , London , Special Collections .

= Asking 4 It = " Asking 4 It " is a song by American singer and songwriter Gwen Stefani from her third studio album , This Is What the Truth Feels Like ( 2016 ) . The song features guest vocals from American rapper Fetty Wap . It was released on March 18 , 2016 , as the ninth track on This Is What the Truth Feels Like by Interscope Records . The track was written by Stefani , Justin Tranter , Julia Michaels , Tor Hermansen , Mikkel Eriksen , and Fetty Wap . The track 's production was handled by Stargate , while additional production was made by Tim Blacksmith and Danny D. Musically , " Asking 4 It " is a hip hop and trap influenced track , made clear especially in Fetty Wap 's rap verse . Lyrically , the song discusses someone 's doubts while in a relationship , presumably Stefani referring to her recent divorce from husband Gavin Rossdale . Upon release , " Asking 4 It " received mixed reviews from music critics . Some critics labeled the song as " trippy " and a " club stomper " , while others called it " dated " and questioned its " awkward " placement on the album . = = Background and release = = Shortly after the lukewarm response to singles " Baby Don 't Lie " and " Spark the Fire " , Stefani scrapped any material worked on for her then upcoming third studio album . Stefani 's record label , Interscope Records , approached her to consider the idea of working with new songwriters and producers , such as Julia Michaels and Justin Tranter , to which she agreed . During her recording sessions with Michaels and Tranter , Stefani became interested in working with new collaborators . In an interview with Entertainment Weekly , Stefani felt that Fetty Wap had " a voice with so much character " , so she subsequently told her team that she wanted to collaborate with him . In the same interview , Stefani stated she was surprised the collaboration even happened due to scheduling conflicts concerning Fetty Wap : It was tough getting him into the studio , though . They got me [ studio ] dates , and then I was like , ' I 'm working with Fetty this week ! ' Then I went in , and nope , he doesn 't show . Day Two and nope , he doesn 't show . Day Three and nope , he doesn 't show . I wrote a song for us while I was in the studio and I sent it to him , and nope , no response . It was a miracle it happened . " Asking 4 It " was written by Stefani , Justin Tranter , Julia Michaels , Tor Hermansen , Mikkel Eriksen , and Fetty Wap . It was produced by Stargate , while additional production was handled by Tim Blacksmith and Danny D. The track was mixed by Mark " Spike " Stent , while Mike Anderson and Miles Walker handled recording and tracking . Fetty Wap is the only featured artist on the album . On February 12 , 2016 , This Is What the Truth Feels Like became available for pre @-@ order on iTunes Store . Nearly a month later , " Asking 4 It " became available for purchase on March 18 , along with the rest of the album . = = Composition and lyrics = = " Asking 4 It " has been described as a hip hop and trap song , backed by a rapped verse by Fetty Wap , with a length of three minutes and thirty seconds . A writer for Hitsync described " Asking 4 It " as a " bopping , hip hop tinged beat flecked with dancey synths . " Chris Mench of Complex described the inclusion of Fetty Wap as Stefani " call [ ing ] upon one modern @-@ day hit maker " , while Clara Hudson of The Daily Free Press called this move " gimmicky " . Lyrically , " Asking 4 It " discusses several topics , including a lover 's doubts while in a relationship ; Stefani sings " You 're giving me truth and it 's such an unfamiliar subject " , which ET Online described as " a sultry take on the uncertainty of a new romance . " The song was inspired by her divorce from Bush lead singer , Gavin Rossdale ; Stefani wrote several songs during these recording sessions to start " a new chapter in her life " . In an interview with Today 's Matt Lauer , Stefani stated that the majority of her recent studio work would discuss her breakup with Rossdale . Billboard stated that the lyrics " Are you sure you wanna love me ? / I know that it 's a lot to handle me / But it is what it is / It 's all part of my broken history " were " ultra personal " . In his description of the track , Glenn Gamboa of Newsday stated that " ' Asking 4 It ' strikes at the heart of pop radio " while Jillian Mapes of Pitchfork Media described " Asking 4 It " as " the album 's sole feature atop an unconvincing beat . " Nicholaus James Jodlowski of Reporter felt that the album 's " sound cools down a little " , but that the track " is still easy to dance to " . = = Critical reception = = Upon release , " Asking 4 It " received generally mixed reviews from contemporary music critics . In a highly positive review , Leonie Cooper of NME praised Stefani for her " nonchalant divorcée swagger " on the track , later calling " Asking 4 It " a standout track on the album . Similarly , Mesfin Fekadu of The Washington Post called the track a " high point " . Mikael Wood of the Los Angeles Times favored the track , labeling it as " trippy " . Writing for Entertainment Weekly , Leah Greenblatt dubbed " Asking 4 It " as a " come @-@ on disguised as [ a ] caution " ; Greenblatt further praised the song for being a " stomper " . In a negative review of " Asking 4 It " , Sal Cinquemani of Slant called the track " dated " and " no more worthy of Stefani 's emotional exorcism than 2014 's stale ' Spark the Fire ' " . Emily Blake of Mashable thought that " Asking 4 It " was " an out @-@ of @-@ place hip @-@ hop track " , while Jordan Miller of BreatheHeavy felt that the song was " vulnerable " and unfavorably predicted that it will " probably become a single " in the future . Daniel Bromfield of Pretty Much Amazing panned " Asking 4 It " but enjoyed Fetty Wap 's contribution to the track ; Bromfield thought " it 's tragic how completely [ Fetty Wap ] upstages Stefani " and how Fetty Wap showed emotion during his verse while Stefani did not . = = Credits and personnel = = Recording Recorded at Westlake Recording Studios , Los Angeles ; and The Hide Out Studios , London Management Songs of Break Out My Cocoon LLC ( ASCAP ) and Emi April Music Inc . ( ASCAP ) Songs of Warner @-@ Tamerlane Publishing Corp. on behalf of itself and Justin 's School For Girls ( BMI ) / Thanks For The Songs Richard ( BMI ) Fetty Wap appears courtesy of 300 Records Personnel Credits adapted from the liner notes of This Is What the Truth Feels Like

= Flynn Rider = Flynn Rider ( born Eugene Fitzherbert ) is a fictional character who appears in Walt Disney Animation Studios ' 50th animated feature film Tangled , and its short film Tangled Ever After . The character is voiced by American actor Zachary Levi , who decided to audition for the role upon learning that he would also be providing the character 's singing voice . Levi 's duet with singer and co @-@ star Mandy Moore , " I See the Light " , would go on to become the actor 's first professionally recorded song and musical debut . Loosely based on the prince in the Brothers Grimm fairy tale " Rapunzel " , Flynn is a wanted thief who seeks refuge in Rapunzel 's tower after stealing a crown . Blackmailed by Rapunzel into taking her to see the kingdom 's floating lanterns in time for her eighteenth birthday , Flynn undergoes a change of heart as he gradually begins to fall in love with Rapunzel . Created by directors Nathan Greno and Byron Howard because they felt that the incarcerated Rapunzel needed someone to escort her out of the tower , Flynn was conceived as a thief as opposed to a traditional prince in favor of having him resemble a funnier and edgier character . Originally written as a British farmer , Flynn was ultimately developed into a swashbuckling thief based on fictional characters Han Solo and Indiana Jones . Actors Errol Flynn , whose surname also serves as the character 's first in homage , and Gene Kelly also influenced the character 's personality . Flynn has ultimately divided film critics , garnering a mixed reception . While some reviewers enjoyed the character 's refreshing humor , rebelliousness and sarcasm in comparison to traditional Disney princes , others found his personality to be annoying and obnoxious , while panning his narration . Additionally , Flynn has also been strongly accused of being a marketing tool exploited by Disney to attract a larger male audience to Tangled . However , both the character 's romantic comedy @-@ esque relationship with Rapunzel and Levi 's vocal performance have received widespread acclaim . Flynn is also considered to be among the most appealing Disney heroes by Vanity Fair , E ! and Cosmopolitan . = = Development = = = = = Conception = = = Filmmaker Walt Disney himself had first attempted to adapt the Brothers Grimm fairy tale " Rapunzel " into a feature @-@ length animated film during the 1930s and 1940s . However , the project was eventually abandoned because the original fairy tale was considered too " small . " When they were first approached to direct Tangled in 2008 , directors Nathan Greno and Byron Howard decided that it would be best " to blow up the scale of the film " and transform it into a " big event " , while updating and modernizing the story for a new audience . Flynn was conceived because the directors felt that " Rapunzel needed to get out [ of the tower ] ... So she needed to meet a guy to take her to where she 's going . " In the original fairy tale , Rapunzel 's love interest is a prince . However , Greno and Howard decided to make him a thief – dubbed " a subtle yet startling twist for Disney " by The New York Times – in order to avoid creating a character who is too " safe " , opting for a funnier and " edgier " character instead , while identifying Flynn as an antihero . Greno elaborated , " When you look back at some of the past Disney princes ... a lot of them are kind of soft and they 're not like people we think are that cool , " continuing , " They 're good guys , so I guess we sort of took that to the other extreme . " However , some of the filmmakers themselves were concerned that Flynn was becoming too edgy . Greno revealed that " There were people ... who were a little worried because they were hearing these rumors , ' Well , it 's not a prince it 's a thief . He 's kind of a ladies ' man , and he 's very arrogant . ' " Greno summarized Flynn 's conception and development to Orange : When we were putting it together and trying to figure out who Flynn Rider was in this movie , we looked at a bunch of different sources ... When you look back at some of the past Disney princes or something , a lot of them are kind of soft and they 're not like people we think are that cool , I guess . They 're good guys , so I guess we sort of took that to the other extreme . We like cocky , arrogant sort of characters , and I think there were people in our building that were a little worried because we were up in the story room and they were hearing these rumours of , well , it 's not a prince , it 's a thief , and he 's kind of a ladies ' man and he 's very arrogant ... But , I think the trick is when you 're creating a character like that , if you have this cocky character , you have to hit him over the head with a frying pan a dozen times or something , and he needs to kind of pay for being that way . Those characters , if they 're done right , can be so funny . On the flip side , if they 're not done right , they can be really off putting . Originally , Flynn was conceived as a British farmer named Bastian until his voice actor was finally cast . The directors cited actors Errol Flynn and Gene Kelly , and Star Wars character Han Solo , among several individuals by whom Flynn was inspired . Greno explained that " Having Flynn as a thief seemed like a fresh spin , especially in contrast to Rapunzel , who is a really smart girl but is just locked away in this tower . So she has a very limited world view and Flynn could complement that as this worldly guy . " The film 's change in title from Rapunzel to the more gender @-@ neutral Tangled is due in part to Flynn 's role and involvement . First observing that the Disney tradition is " to name the movie after the Princess , " the directors had initially thought that the film " would be structured like Cinderella where there 's Cinderella and then a Prince that pops into the movie once in a while . " This changed , however , as Flynn was gradually developed into a much more prominent character . Howard explained that " When Nathan and I figured out that this film was really about two characters , Flynn and Rapunzel , we knew that changing the title would be a good idea . " Meanwhile , the title Tangled summarizes the relationship between protagonists Flynn and Rapunzel , and antagonist Mother Gothel . Additionally , Flynn also narrates the film , providing it with " an ironic counterpoint , " according to Children 's Literature and Learner Empowerment : Children and Teenagers in English Language Education author Janice Bland . As " an example of first @-@ person voice @-@ over narration , " Flynn 's narration " compels the viewer to identify empathetically with " Flynn and Rapunzel . = = = Voice = = = Greno and Howard were not particularly interested in casting solely A @-@ list actors as the voices of main characters Flynn and Rapunzel . Instead , the directors simply searched for actors who had " the right voice " for these characters . Writing for ReelViews , film critic James Berardinelli felt that the directors ' decision mirrored " Disney 's approach during the late 1980s and early 1990s , when big name stars were often bypassed in favor of lesser known talents . " Hundreds of actors and singers auditioned and were considered for the role of Rapunzel 's love interest , among them comedian Dan Fogler and American Idol alum Clay Aiken . However , the role of Flynn Rider was ultimately won by American actor Zachary Levi because he , according to Greno , " nailed " his audition . Levi auditioned for the role after he first received a telephone call from his agent informing him about the film . Identifying himself as " a huge Disney nut , " Levi was immediately " sold " on the project . His interest was further cemented by the fact that he would also be providing the character 's singing voice . Additionally , Levi appears to have a history playing male " characters who are surrounded by tough , strong women . " Required to audition a song in the style of a singer @-@ songwriter , Levi decided to perform James Taylor 's " Sweet Baby James " for the directors . When Levi was first cast as the voice of Flynn , the character had been scripted as a British farmer at the time , requiring Levi to voice him with a British accent until Flynn was eventually developed into a bandit with an American accent . Although Flynn and Rapunzel share several scenes together during the film , Levi and singer Mandy Moore , his co @-@ star who provides the voice of Rapunzel , recorded virtually none of their dialogue together due to scheduling conflicts , which Levi cited as one of the challenges he endured while working on the film , in addition to having to star in the television series Chuck simultaneously . Levi 's starring role on Chuck required the actor to constantly " shed a character and take on another character and shed that character and then go back to something else . " However , Levi and Moore did meet on one occasion to record their romantic duet " I See the Light " , Levi was not intimidated by the thought of recording the song , describing the experience as " an added bonus . " However , he admitted to having been nervous to sing with Moore , a professional singer , and working with composer Alan Menken . Although the actor identifies himself as " no stranger to singing " due to his background in musical theatre , Levi 's performance of " I See the Light " is considered to be his " big singing debut " because it was his first time recording a song professionally . It took Levi approximately one year to record all of his dialogue due in part to his busy schedule . Levi recorded once every six weeks for six hours at a time , recording each of his lines at least twice . The actor 's voice ultimately helped shape and develop Flynn 's character . Howard explained , " He 's so smart and clever , and his adlibs are so great , and you like him straight away ... he brings that to Flynn . " On Levi 's own influence on his character , the actor explained that Flynn 's " voice was really just a slight variation of [ his ] own . " Wanting to sound " more appropriate " for the film 's medieval setting , Levi " cleaned up [ his ] own diction and made things a little bit more polished , " referring to Flynn 's accent as Mid @-@ Atlantic . Describing Tangled as a " very family friendly " version of Romancing the Stone ( 1984 ) , Levi studied and channelled the film 's star , American actor Michael Douglas , and English legend Robin Hood . However , when Levi heard his performance in its entirety for the first time after the film 's release , the actor admitted that he was ultimately dissatisfied with his performance , explaining , " I felt like I sounded incredibly nasally and I was plugged up , " likening the experience to hearing one 's voice played back on an answering machine . = = = Characterization , design and analysis = = = Greno and Howard wanted Flynn to be funny and sarcastic as opposed to snarky . One occasion in particular involved an animator having Flynn respond to Rapunzel 's excitement by simply walking away from her in silence . The directors did not like this because , according to Greno , Flynn " did this reaction where [ he ] treated her like she 's nuts . " Although both directors agreed that Flynn 's reaction was funny , Greno and Howard wanted the characters to " connect " emotionally during this scene . Screenwriter Dan Fogelman said that Flynn is " at his best ... when he 's playing little mind games with other people and entertaining himself along with them , " likening him to English actor Cary Grant . Fogelman concluded , " At his heart , he 's really kind of a lost soul who doesn 't quite know what he wants and who he is . " Howard cited fictional characters Ferris Bueller and Indiana Jones as influences because these characters , like Flynn , " are skilled but have a human side to them . " Flynn is considered an antihero because " He is quick @-@ witted and agile , stealing to survive " and " he is also extremely narcissistic . " Originally , the character resembled a " burlier leading man , " described by Greno as " a muscular commoner / farm boy . " However , the directors had always envisioned Flynn as " a dashing thief . " To assist with the development of Flynn 's design , Howard and Greno held a large meeting with thirty of Tangled 's female employees . Calling it the " Hot Man Meeting , " the employees were encouraged to " bring in pictures of their favorite hunky men . " The Hot Man Meeting was created because the directors , who found that they were very much impressed with Rapunzel 's design , felt that " Flynn [ needed ] to be up to [ Rapunzel 's ] level . " Greno described the Hot Man Meeting as " crazy , " elaborating , " Photos of all the hottest men in Hollywood [ were ] being thrown around a room . Photos being torn in half and pasted back together . Eyes were ripped from one picture and put on another . Heads were torn from photos , " concluding , " I 've never seen anything like it . " Howard cited American actor Clark Gable and English footballer David Beckham among several celebrities by whom Flynn was influenced during the meeting , joking that the employees eventually " started using Nathan and me as examples of what not to do . " Defending Flynn 's personality , Levi explained that " Deep down , Flynn has a good core , although that characteristic is brought out of him through the purity , love and naiveté of Rapunzel . " The actor concluded that " These are two very different characters that end up learning a lot from each other on a rather crazy adventure . " According to Colin Covert of the Star Tribune , Flynn " teaches [ Rapunzel ] about courage . " Rob Vaux of Mania.com described the character 's relationship with Rapunzel as a " partners @-@ in @-@ crime sort of chemistry , filled with mischief and the odd pratfall while establishing a rhythm wholly their own . " Rapunzel eventually convinces Flynn to go by his birth name , Eugene Fitzherbert , which Conny Eisfeld described in her book How Fairy Tales Live Happily Ever After : ( Analyzing ) The Art of Adapting Fairy Tales as " more humane . " Stephen D. Greydanus of Decent Films Guide called Flynn " a charismatic bad boy , " comparing him to Sinbad from DreamWorks ' Sinbad : Legend of the Seven Seas ( 2003 ) . Similarly , The New York Times ' Brooks Barnes felt that " Making the leading man an unlikable thief is a subtle yet startling twist for Disney , and Flynn ... is glib in a way that many people now associate with DreamWorks . " On Flynn 's thievery , Entertainment Weekly 's Lisa Schwarzbaum determined that the character " only steals because he 's basically a nice @-@ guy underachiever who needs a better outlet for his leadership abilities . " According to Tison Pugh , author of The Disney Middle Ages : A Fairy @-@ Tale and Fantasy Past , Flynn " amalgamates the comedy @-@ action hero with the swashbuckling romantic sensations of Errol Flynn , layering them over a fairy @-@ tale hero attributed with comedic lines that undermine the romantic nostalgia of the film 's setting , " while serving as a source of comic relief at times . Steve Persall of the Tampa Bay Times believes that Flynn carries " most of the [ film 's ] modern humor . " Likewise , Jennie Punter of The Globe and Mail described Flynn as the film 's " main source of action , humour and , eventually , romance . " = = Appearances = = Flynn debuted in Tangled ( 2010 ) as a sought @-@ after bandit who discovers refuge in Rapunzel 's secluded tower after stealing a crown . There the character is blackmailed by Rapunzel , who seizes the crown in order to convince Flynn to guide her to the floating lanterns in time for her eighteenth birthday , while Mother Gothel , her vain , controlling guardian , is absent . Flynn is pursued by a police horse named Maximus ; the vengeful Stabbington Brothers , two former accomplices of his ; and Gothel , who grows increasingly obsessed with retrieving Rapunzel in order to continue using her hair to grant her eternal life . Meanwhile , Flynn falls in love with Rapunzel and undergoes a change of heart , only to be apprehended by the Stabbington Brothers , who hand him over to the officials , who sentence him to death . Maximus helps him escape and return to Rapunzel 's tower in time to cut her hair , which in turn kills Gothel . By falling in love with Rapunzel , Flynn undergoes a dramatic change of heart ; he stops thieving and returns to using his birth name , Eugene . Eugene later appears in the short film Tangled Ever After , that features his marriage with Rapunzel . Eugene will also appear in the upcoming television series . = = Reception = = = = = Critical response = = = Flynn has received generally mixed reviews from film critics . Kirk Baird of The Blade described the character as irresistible , while Columbus Alive 's Brad Keefe called him " loveable . " Georgie Hobbs of Little White Lies lauded Flynn as " a hero invested with enough colour to liven up what could have been a monochromatic role . " Margot Harrison of Seven Days concluded that the character is " better than a prince . " Meanwhile , Amy Nicholson of Inland Empire Weekly reviewed the character as a significant improvement upon traditional Disney heroes , writing , " If anything , Tangled is hommepowerment — one more step forward in Disney 's slow march to treat male suitors like equals , from its early nameless princes ... to here , a dude with a full @-@ on personality and nearly equal screen time . " Tyler Hanley of the Palo Alto Weekly observed that " Flynn talks in a laid @-@ back way that helps make his character both likable and relatable . " Ian Bunting of the Daily Record concluded that although " Male characters sometimes get shortchanged in Disney movies ... Flynn is one of their better efforts to add to Aladdin , Mowgli and the Beast . " Virtually an equal amount of critics were less impressed with Flynn . Anthony Quinn of The Independent described the character as a " fop , " while Tom Huddleston of Time Out called him " bland . " The Scotsman wrote , " it 's a shame the prominence of Rapunzel 's wayward love interest ... needlessly distracts from " the film . Michael Phillips of the Chicago Tribune called Flynn " a second @-@ rate Nickelodeon TV punk . " Jeff Meyers of the Metro Times dismissed Flynn as not " all that heroic . " The Houston Chronicle 's Amy Biancolli quipped that Flynn 's " sensitive chin fur , and the way he talks out of the side of his mouth – makes him look like Dick Cheney at a poetry slam . " The Los Angeles Times 'Kenneth Turan believes that the film 's " initial shakiness " is " amplified by the irritating and overly glib nature of " Flynn . Accusing the character of " lacking both superficial and emotional individuality , " Jake Coyle of the Southtown Star panned Flynn as " rather obnoxious , " Dan Kois of The Village Voice dismissed him as " vanilla . " Flynn 's narration has also been widely panned . Joe Williams of the St. Louis Post @-@ Dispatch referred to it as " flippant . " A. O. Scott of The New York Times described it as " annoyingly smart @-@ alecky . " Justin Chang of Variety described the character 's opening monologue as " clunky . " William Goss of Moviefone compared Flynn to " a modern @-@ day Chris Evans / Pine type , and his glib narration – combined with a hasty prologue – almost makes it feel like writer Dan Fogelman is trying too hard to make this a boys ' AND girls ' club . " However , Goss relented , " The voice @-@ over tapers off , though , and Levi proves to be a suitably cocky foil to the neurotic love interest . " Meanwhile , critics lauded the character 's relationship and chemistry with Rapunzel enthusiastically , likening it to that of a romantic comedy . Writing for the Mountain Xpress , Ken Hanke felt that " what works best is the interplay between the two leads , " concluding , " these animated characters are frankly more believable and charismatic than the human ones in ... Love and Other Drugs . " Sandie Angulo Chen of Common Sense Media wrote that the characters ' " relationship is built on mutual respect and trust , something completely missing in many earlier Disney movies . " The Miami Herald 's Rene Rodriquez opined , " Even though they may seem to be boilerplate fairy @-@ tale heroes , you genuinely come to care about Rapunzel and Flynn and root for them to be together , " while Joe Neumaier of the Daily News simply called their relationship " cute . " Ted Fry of The Seattle Times wrote , " The back @-@ and @-@ forth banter of what inevitably becomes a courtship is consistently witty and given extra sparkle from adroit characterizations by Moore and Levi . " Similarly , Cathy Jakicic , writing for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel , opined , " Moore and Levi , meanwhile , breathe new life into the classic love @-@ hate romance . " Colin Covert of the Star Tribune felt that both " characters are equally strong and funny . " Ann Hornaday of The Washington Post wrote that the characters ' relationship makes the film " engaging . " BuzzFeed author Arielle Calderon compiled " 19 Reasons Rapunzel And Flynn Rider Are The Best Disney Couple " , citing their meeting and opposite personalities among them . Babble.com ranked Flynn and Rapunzel among the " Top 10 Cutest Disney Couples " . Levi 's performance has garnered widespread acclaim from critics , who enjoyed the actor 's comedic delivery and singing voice . Praising the directors ' decision to " [ bypass ] big @-@ name stars in favor of lesser @-@ known talent , " TV Guide described Levi 's performance as " charming , roguish , and , well , generic enough . " Similarly , Mike Scott of The Times @-@ Picayune wrote that Levi " comes off as an exaggerated , narcissistic version of the rascally Tory Belleci from TV 's MythBusters , " complimenting the fact that " the cast 's names are less than household stature . " Rafer Guzman of Newsday described Levi 's performance as " terrific . " ABC Online appreciated the fact that " the voices of the hero and heroine were not recognisable , " concluding , " Zachary Levi and Mandy Moore ... do a really good job on the voices . " Dustin Hucks of Film School Rejects wrote that Levi " creates a significant amount of range and emotion with his voice that truly makes the suave thief with a heart of gold Flynn pop on the screen . " Hucks went on to call Flynn " one the better [ Disney heroes ] that have come out of the Disney stable in quite a while . " Mathew DeKinder of the St. Louis Post @-@ Dispatch appreciated the comedy in Levi 's " quick @-@ tongued delivery , " while Rolling Stone 'sPeter Travers wrote that the actor " does a nice job " as Flynn . James Luxford of The National wrote that both Levi and Moore " adeptly flesh out what could have been basic characters , " while Digital Spy 's Simon Reynolds described Levi as " excellent as the rogueish hero . " Stephen Whitty of The Star @-@ Ledger called Levi " a surprisingly perfect choice for the self @-@ mocking Flynn . " Also pleasantly surprised , David Nusair of About.com wrote that " Levi effortlessly captures the character 's transformation from a vain ( yet charismatic ) rogue to a compassionate love interest . " Praising the actor 's singing voice , Jim Vejvoda of IGN described it as " impressive . " Flynn is often regarded as one of Disney 's most attractive heroes . In 2012 , Vanity Fair conducted a poll for which readers were asked to vote for the sexiest Disney hero of all @-@ time . Pairing Flynn against Prince Eric from The Little Mermaid , Flynn beat his competition by less than one percent , garnering 50 @.@ 35 percent of the total votes . E ! ranked the character third in its article " The Definitive Ranking of Disney Princes Based on Overall Dating Eligibility " . Writing for Seventeen , YouTube personality Tyler Oakley ranked Flynn the sixth most " dateable " Disney prince . Oakley joked , " I like a man who is unaplogetically himself , " continuing , " If you gotta go around with a fake name ... then you 're simply not on my level . " BuzzFeed author Louis Peitzman ranked Flynn the fourth most attractive Disney prince , praising the character 's hair and eyebrows in 2013 . BuzzFeed also ranked Flynn second on the website 's list of the " Top Ten Hottest Male Cartoon Characters " , calling him a " bad boy with a heart of gold . " = = Marketing controversy and criticism = = Critics harshly criticized the film 's controversial change in title from Rapunzel to Tangled . Holding Flynn 's role and characterization partially responsible for it , they accused the character of being a marketing tool manipulated by Disney to attract larger male audiences via the film 's trailers . Writing for the Los Angeles Times , Dawn C. Chmielewski observed that Tangled 's marketing campaign involved " amp [ ing ] up the role of the dashing Errol Flynn @-@ styled male lead to share the spotlight with the golden @-@ haired namesake of the classic Brothers Grimm story . " Tom Charity of CNN received Flynn as " an attempt to lure boys and men into the theater . " One of the film 's trailers features Flynn " trying to win over ... Rapunzel by giving her ' the smolder ' " while " emphasiz [ ing Flynn 's ] ... action components ... over the more girl @-@ oriented fairy tale stuff , " according to Christian Blauvelt of Slant Magazine . Jennie Punter of The Globe and Mail felt that Flynn was " obviously designed to keep the young male audience from spurning yet another princess movie . " Richard Corliss of Time mocked the film 's marketing and the idea that " The trailers suggest that the movie is an action comedy about a roguish guy ... whose mission is to storm the tower and free the girl inside . " Referring to the film 's title as " idiotic , " Matt Neal of the Standard @-@ Examiner wrote , " Disney claims it changed the film 's title from Rapunzel to Tangled to emphasise Flynn Rider 's role in the film ... but that title @-@ change excuse doesn 't fly . " The Daily Mail 's Chris Tookey felt that Flynn 's narration " feels wrong , " describing it " as a commercially calculated move to reassure males in the audience that the film won 't be too ' girly ' . " Similarly , A. O. Scott of The New York Times received Flynn as a " hijacking of a princess 's tale , " panning the character as " a crude commercial calculation , a sign to the anxious boys in the audience that things aren 't going to be too girly , or to Disneyphobes that the studio can bring some DreamWorks @-@ style attitude . " Claire Martin of The Denver Post felt that Flynn 's sole purpose in the film was for potential merchandising opportunities , specifically to " take Ken 's role as [ Barbie 's ] male arm candy . " Empire 's Helen O 'Hara defended Disney 's claim " that the new title reflects the fact that [ Tangled ] is very much a two @-@ hander , with Mandy Moore 's innocent but ( inevitably ) feisty Rapunzel and Zachary Levi 's street @-@ wise yet clueless Flynn sharing the lead . " O 'Hara went on to argue that both characters " get decent character development too , and base their growing love story on more than a single longing glance . " Todd Hertz of Christianity Today observed that " Disney changed the film 's title and showcased the swashbuckling Aladdin @-@ meets @-@ Robin @-@ Hood character who replaces the original story 's prince , " but felt that " Luckily , these marketing moves don 't compromise Tangled 's phenomenal storytelling or considerable charm . Hertz concluded , " Still , the movie wisely takes a page from Pixar 's playbook to fill the movie with so much well @-@ done slapstick humor , action , goofy characters , and genuine fun that boys won 't feel like the ads gave them the old bait @-@ and @-@ switch to trick them into a ' girl ' movie . "

= Sexy ( Glee ) = " Sexy " is the fifteenth episode of the second season of the American musical comedy @-@ drama television series Glee , and the thirty @-@ seventh episode overall . It was written by Brad Falchuk , directed by Ryan Murphy , and first aired on the Fox network on March 8 , 2011 . The episode mainly revolves around the topics of sex and adolescent sexuality . In it , Holly Holliday ( Gwyneth Paltrow ) returns to McKinley High School as a substitute teacher in a class devoted to sex education . Glee club director Will Schuester ( Matthew Morrison ) begins to develop feelings for Holly , and guidance counselor and celibacy club advisor Emma Pillsbury ( Jayma Mays ) is less than pleased with Holly 's lessons . Santana ( Naya Rivera ) expresses her love for Brittany ( Heather Morris ) , and Burt Hummel ( Mike O 'Malley ) has a talk with his son Kurt ( Chris Colfer ) about sex . " Sexy " received generally positive reviews . Many critics praised Paltrow 's performance , preferring it to her first appearance in " The Substitute " , though they disagreed over how Paltrow was used . The storylines were well received , particularly the one involving Brittany and Santana : Todd VanDerWerff of The A.V. Club and Patrick Burns of The Atlantic deemed it the highlight of the episode . The scene featuring Burt having " the talk " with Kurt was also singled out for praise . This episode featured cover versions of five songs , including " Kiss " by Prince and " Landslide " by Fleetwood Mac . The latter song was very well received , though the musical performances and cover versions in the episode were mostly given a mixed reception by reviewers . Upon its original airing , this episode was viewed by 11 @.@ 92 million American viewers , and garnered a 4 @.@ 6 / 14 Nielsen rating / share in the 18 – 49 demographic . The episode 's total viewership and ratings increased significantly from the previous episode , " Blame It on the Alcohol " . = = Plot = = Substitute teacher Holly Holliday ( Gwyneth Paltrow ) returns to McKinley High to cover sex education classes , and tells Will Schuester ( Matthew Morrison ) , director of the school glee club New Directions , that his club members are among the most ignorant about sex . He asks her to educate them using song , so Holly performs " Do You Wanna Touch Me ( Oh Yeah ) " . Will later rehearses a rendition of " Kiss " with her , which culminates in a kiss , but Holly will not go further as she believes she would end up hurting him . Sue Sylvester ( Jane Lynch ) , director of rival glee club Aural Intensity , seeks out former New Directions member and current Dalton Academy Warbler Kurt Hummel ( Chris Colfer ) to tell him and his friend Blaine ( Darren Criss ) , the Warblers ' lead singer , that New Directions is planning a sexually provocative routine for the upcoming Regionals competition , having heard that the judges will be looking for same . Blaine responds by having the Warblers work up a " sexified " performance of " Animal " , with Kurt joining him on lead , but Kurt 's " sexy " faces and moves are anything but . Kurt insists on remaining ignorant of sexual matters , which Blaine feels is dangerous at their age , so he visits Kurt 's father , Burt ( Mike O 'Malley ) , and prompts him to give Kurt " the talk " about sex . At McKinley , glee club members Puck ( Mark Salling ) and Lauren ( Ashley Fink ) plan to make a sex tape , until Holly informs them that it would be considered child pornography . Puck , appalled , joins the celibacy club . The club 's advisor Emma Pillsbury ( Jayma Mays ) thinks Holly 's lessons are inappropriate , so she arranges for the club to perform a wholesome song for New Directions . She picks " Afternoon Delight " , unaware that the song is about sex . Her husband Carl ( John Stamos ) approaches Holly afterward about counseling . During the counseling session , he reveals that Emma is still a virgin , and Emma admits that she may still have feelings for Will . Carl tells her he will be moving into a hotel until she is certain of her feelings . Holly also counsels glee club members Santana ( Naya Rivera ) and Brittany ( Heather Morris ) when they express confusion about their sexuality . She joins them for a performance of " Landslide " , after which Santana tearfully confesses to Brittany that she is in love with her and wants to be with her , but she is afraid of being bullied and ostracized for being in a same @-@ sex relationship . Brittany reciprocates her love , but explains that she also loves her boyfriend Artie ( Kevin McHale ) and will not break up with him , to Santana 's distress . Lauren is annoyed with Puck for joining the celibacy club , but when he explains that he is trying to take responsibility for his actions , she kisses him and agrees to join too . Quinn ( Dianna Agron ) and Finn ( Cory Monteith ) are secretly back together . Holly 's stint as a sex education instructor ends when parents complain about her classes . She tells Will that she wants to learn about romance ; he offers to teach her , and they kiss . = = Production = = " Sexy " marked Paltrow 's second guest appearance on Glee as substitute teacher Holly Holliday . She first appeared earlier in the second season , in the seventh episode , " The Substitute " . The role was devised for her by series co @-@ creator Ryan Murphy , who suggested that she showcase her vocal and dancing talent ahead of the release of the film Country Strong , in which Paltrow plays a country singer . Paltrow was signed to Glee for two episodes , with " The Substitute " originally intended to feature a love quadrangle between Holly , Will , Emma and Carl . Her initial arc was , however , reduced to a single episode . Post @-@ broadcast , Murphy said they both hoped she would appear on Glee again in the future , depending on the right storyline . In January 2011 , Paltrow confirmed that she would be reprising the role . Murphy stated that she would appear in episodes fifteen and sixteen as a sex education teacher , and would serve as a love interest for Will , though she actually appeared in episodes fifteen and seventeen . Stamos also reprised his role as Emma 's husband Carl . As of March 2011 , he was unsure whether he would return to Glee again , but stated that he might do so to conclude Emma and Carl 's storyline , explaining : " I think people like me on there , but they really love Will and Emma together . So I don 't know how much longer people can stand Will and Emma not being together . " The episode continued the romantic relationship between Brittany and Santana , first alluded to during the first season . The two kissed on @-@ screen for the first time in the season two episode " Duets " , after which their romance was little explored , leading to what Rivera described as an " uproar " by fans of the pairing in December 2010 . The following month , executive producer Brad Falchuk revealed via the social networking website Twitter that further developments to the storyline had always been intended , with Paltrow 's Holly serving as a catalyst . In addition to Paltrow reprising her role as Holly Holliday , recurring characters who appear on the episode include Stamos as dentist Carl Howell , glee club members Lauren Zizes ( Fink ) , Sam Evans ( Chord Overstreet ) and Mike Chang ( Harry Shum , Jr . ) , football coach Shannon Beiste ( Dot @-@ Marie Jones ) and Kurt 's friend Blaine Anderson ( Criss ) . " Sexy " features cover versions of five songs , all of which were released as singles , available for download : " Do You Wanna Touch Me ( Oh Yeah ) " by Gary Glitter as recorded by Joan Jett , " Animal " by Neon Trees , " Kiss " by Prince , an acoustic version of " Landslide " by Fleetwood Mac , and " Afternoon Delight " by the Starland Vocal Band . Paltrow performs on " Do You Wanna Touch Me ( Oh Yeah ) " , " Kiss " and " Landslide " , all of which feature on the series ' sixth soundtrack album , Glee : The Music , Volume 5 . In the United Kingdom , " Do You Wanna Touch Me ( Oh Yeah ) " was omitted from Glee : The Music , Volume 5 , and " Afternoon Delight " , which features Stamos and Salling , was included instead . A cover of Rod Stewart 's " Da Ya Think I 'm Sexy ? " sung by the Warblers was planned to be featured in the episode but did not appear ; " Animal " was the Warblers number performed . Both tracks appear on the seventh soundtrack album , Glee : The Music Presents the Warblers . Neon Trees bassist Branden Campbell recounted how Criss approached the band at the 2011 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival to thank them for allowing " Animal " to be used , as Criss was the one who brought the song to Murphy 's attention . Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood Mac , who wrote and originated " Landslide " , visited the Glee set on the day the song was filmed . = = Reception = = = = = Ratings = = = " Sexy " was first broadcast on March 8 , 2011 in the United States on Fox . It was watched by 11 @.@ 92 million American viewers upon its initial airing , according to the Nielsen ratings . The episode attained a 4 @.@ 6 / 14 Nielsen rating / share in the 18 – 49 demographic , and was the highest rated show of the night . The episode 's total viewership and ratings / share increased significantly from the previous episode , " Blame It on the Alcohol " , which received over 10 @.@ 58 million viewers and garnered a 4 @.@ 4 / 12 rating / share in the 18 – 49 demographic during its original airing two weeks earlier . Its Canadian broadcast was also on March 8 , 2011 , and " Sexy " received 1 @.@ 81 million viewers and placed eleventh in the weekly program rankings . This was not quite as good an audience as for " Blame It on the Alcohol " , which aired two weeks earlier and was watched by 1 @.@ 89 million viewers , though it was an improvement on the show 's weekly ranking from fourteenth place . In Australia , " Sexy " was watched by 1 @.@ 03 million viewers on March 14 , 2011 , which made Glee the eighth most @-@ watched show of the night . This was a slight increase over the 1 @.@ 02 & million viewers who had watched " Blame It on the Alcohol " the week before , though it had been the sixth most @-@ watched show that night . In the United Kingdom , the episode was broadcast on April 18 , 2011 , and watched by 2 @.@ 58 million viewers ( 2 @.@ 039 million on E4 , and 541 @,@ 000 on E4 + 1 ) ; it was the most @-@ watched show on cable for the week . Viewership was up slightly from " Blame It on the Alcohol " the previous week , which had totaled 2 @.@ 53 million viewers . = = = Critical reception = = = The episode received a positive response from reviewers . They disagreed over how well Paltrow was used , but generally praised the Brittany – Santana and Kurt – Burt storylines . The Atlantic 's Kevin Fallon deemed " Sexy " an episode of mixed messages , one which treated the issues it raised with " an appropriate amount of levity " , but failed to " play the nuances of the [ celibacy vs. sex ] argument as delicately as it probably thought it did . " His Atlantic co @-@ writer Patrick Burns criticized the series for glorifying a risqué subject , " then half @-@ heartedly attempt [ ing ] to hammer home a moral . " Meghan Brown , also writing for The Atlantic , called it a " solid episode with some strong character moments . " Time 's James Poniewozik felt that the episode " began clumsily , lacked subtlety , involved some embarrassing moments " and focused too much on Paltrow , but as it continued , " achieve [ d ] a few moments of delight and honest emotion " . Anthony Benigno of The Faster Times described it as " incredibly comprehensive and enjoyable to boot " , and IGN 's Robert Canning said it " avoided preaching and teaching and instead just had some fun and let guest star Gwyneth Paltrow steal all the scenes " . Erica Futterman of Rolling Stone wrote that " Glee continues its climb , delicately and successfully marrying actual sex lessons with camp and humor " . Several reviewers preferred Paltrow 's return in " Sexy " to her first appearance in " The Substitute " . The Washington Post 's Emily Yahr felt that she was better integrated into this episode , and Raymund Flandez of The Wall Street Journal called her return " infinitely better " than her first appearance : " Back then , she was a puzzle , a loony bin . Here , she 's sly and quick @-@ witted , appropriately adult and seductively saucy in an episode that showcased more of her comedic timing , than her stiff dance skills . All the better for us . " Fallon wrote that Paltrow was " if possible , even sassier and sultrier " than before , and felt that she served to anchor a busy episode . In contrast , Sandra Gonzalez of Entertainment Weekly had mixed feelings about Holly , as she believed that the character dominated screen time . The A.V. Club 's Todd VanDerWerff liked Paltrow 's acting , but disliked Holly 's interaction with Will , and said they lacked chemistry . Soraya Roberts of the Daily News disliked her return for prolonging Will and Emma 's separation , and commented that while Paltrow 's appearance in " The Substitute " was " relatively fresh " , in " Sexy " she was " acting almost like a cardboard cutout version of her former self , overly enunciating her lines [ and ] treading carefully around her choreography " . Poniewozik found all of Paltrow 's scenes " labored and ridiculous " , and wrote that the actress failed to bring an element of realism to her character . Benigno wondered why Holly appeared to be " the perfect mentor to these sexually confused kids " given that in her previous appearance she was " very fun to be around but not well equipped at all to deal with serious issues " . Canning said that " the moment she came on screen the whole episode lit up " , and the episode was a " fun and funny showcase for everybody 's favorite recurring character " , and Futterman echoed him when she called Paltrow " our new favorite cast member " . The storyline featuring Santana and Brittany was very well received , and the acting was also praised . Houston Chronicle 's Bobby Hankinson wrote that Santana 's " fear , her confusion and her journey were all rendered with honesty and even a subtlety rarely exhibited on this show . " Gonzalez was somewhat surprised by the storyline and observed that Santana had not previously been portrayed as " so serious and vulnerable " , but enjoyed the depth it brought to her character . She described Rivera as " heartbreakingly perfect " , and Vanity Fair 's Brett Berk wrote that " Naya Rivera and Heather Morris deserve special praise for the complex way they portray this fraught relationship . " Poniewozik and VanDerWerff highlighted the work by the two actresses in the choir room scene when " Landslide " was being sung , and VanDerWerff described the scene where Santana confessed her feelings for Brittany as " one of the better scenes of the season " , while Poniewozik was impressed that the episode found " pathos and heartbreak " in a coupling formerly treated humorously . Canning , however , felt that Santana 's revelation " could have been built up better " . Although some reviewers , including Yahr and TVLine 's Michael Slezak , were unenthusiastic about Blaine 's visit to Burt to get him to have " the talk " with Kurt , there was widespread praise for the talk itself , which Jen Harper of BuddyTV described as the " best scene " of the episode . Fallon called it " one of the most uncomfortable father – son sex talks ever committed to television ( and thus , really , one of the most realistic ) " , and his colleague Brown said it became " something lovely , open @-@ hearted , and true " . Gonzalez deemed it awkward to watch , yet wrote that the scene served to convince her she had " never loved a father @-@ son pair " more . Poniewozik found it realistic and moving , and gave particular praise to O 'Malley for portraying Burt 's " determination and awkwardness in helping his son " , as did Slezak : " his completely grounded performance helps anchor the show in reality " . Burns was incredulous that Emma and Carl had not yet consummated their four @-@ month @-@ old marriage , and criticized their going to a substitute teacher for relationship advice , something that Benigno also found stupid . Slezak and VanDerWerff disliked the episode 's portrayal of Emma , since the recently seen " stronger , less neurotic , and altogether more appealing Emma " , as Slezak put it , was inconsistent with her depiction here . One of the few positive comments was from Canning , who singled out Emma 's ignorance of what an " afternoon delight " actually was . The reviewers were more enthusiastic about the pairing of Puck and Lauren , though somewhat divided . MTV 's Emily Exton called them her " favorite couple of the evening " and cited " the ridiculous logic that they share " . Canning called their scenes " a hoot " , though Benigno said he was " still not buying " the relationship . A third couple , that of the resurrected pairing of Finn and Quinn , was in Harper 's " didn 't love " column , and VanDerWerff couldn 't bring himself to care enough to comment on it . = = = Music and performances = = = Musical performances in the episode attracted a wide range of commentary , from enthusiastic to dismissive , though one song , " Landslide " , received generally high marks . Brown wrote that all the performances " felt a little lackluster ... though none stood out as being particularly awful " , while Hankinson maintained that the " songs were universally great " . Most reviewers agreed that the performance of " Do You Wanna Touch Me ( Oh Yeah ) " was sexy . Benigno was one of these and was entertained by the number , but he thought Holly 's " vocals seem oddly subdued trying to imitate Joan Jett 's voice " and gave it a " B " grade . Gonzalez gave the same grade and also took issue with the vocals , though she enjoyed the energy and Brittany 's dancing . Rolling Stone 's Erica Futterman had a different view of the singing , and said that " Holly can 't quite muster Jett 's vocal power " . Berk gave the song four stars out of five and noted the " amazing hairography " , but Roberts called the performance a " leather @-@ clad , hair @-@ whipping mess " . Slezak gave the performance an " A " ; he wrote that Paltrow " completely captured the track 's naughty spirit , and Brittany took it over the top with her bump and grind atop the music @-@ room piano " . The inclusion of " Do You Wanna Touch Me ( Oh Yeah ) " in an episode dealing with sex education and adolescent sexuality sparked some controversy , as its original performer and writer , Gary Glitter , is a registered sex offender in the United Kingdom . He has been convicted of several sexual crimes involving minors , including a conviction for possession of child pornography in the UK in 1997 , and his conviction for child sexual abuse in Vietnam in 2005 . Charities dedicated to serving and helping children have filed complaints to Fox and the producers of Glee . Television executives in the UK , where the episode was to be broadcast about a month later than in the US , were rumored to be considering the removal of the scene entirely . However , a spokesperson for Channel 4 stated that the episode would air in full , and explained : " The scene is editorially justified within the programme and we do not seek to censor material in the proper context . " Claude Knights , the executive director of the London @-@ based children 's charity Kidscape , said , " It is regrettable that the producers did not consider the implication of using such a track in the context of a sex education class . The fact that this song is linked to Gary Glitter ... make [ s ] it wholly inappropriate " . The UK edition of Glee : The Music , Volume 5 omits the track ; " Afternoon Delight " is included instead . Though " Afternoon Delight " was variously described as " goofy " by Benigno and " corny " by Gonzalez , it nevertheless was given a generally positive reception . Benigno called the performance " absolutely hilarious " , but characterized the cover as " pretty impressive " , and gave a grade of " A − " . Amy Reiter of the Los Angeles Times was even more enthusiastic : she said it was an " incredible rendition " that she ranked " among the best moments of Glee ever " . Slezak 's grade of " B − " was issued after a strong caveat : " Arrested Development did it better " , and Gonzalez wrote that Stamos was wasted on the performance , which she gave a " C " . Berk cited the " incredible harmonies " when he gave the song four out of five stars . " Animal " received a widely divergent mix of reviews . Harper wrote that the Warblers " did a good job with it but nothing special " , while Hankinson called it " super adorable and fun " and that it " was great to finally see Kurt get to share the spotlight with Blaine " . Flandez was not as pleased by Kurt — or by the Warblers , who he said had ruined the song — and likened his performance to " Jar Jar Binks on acid , with those jerky moves and infantile facial expressions " . Roberts called their version " hokey " , and Slezak said the setting " felt contrived as heck " and gave the song a " D " . Benigno was at the other end of the scale with an " A " grade and the summary that " they completely crush it " , while Gonzalez gave the number an " A + " , deemed it " unforgettable " , praised the " unique song selection " and called it " pure fun " . Futterman described the Warblers as " the loosest they 've been all season " , but characterized the performance as one of their " least successful " because Blaine and Kurt , " two of the series ' most reliable lead singers " , were severely overprocessed electronically . Tyler Glenn , lead singer of Neon Trees , said , " I thought it was cool " . There was not much enthusiasm for the performance of " Kiss " . Most reviewers were not impressed with Will 's falsetto : Harper said it made her ears " sad " and Gonzalez said it " really didn 't do it " for her , though she did like the sections in his natural register and gave the performance a " C + " , and Harper noted that " Holly saved the song " for her . Although Futterman said Will " expertly hits the falsetto notes " , she didn 't " feel the chemistry " until the final kiss . Benigno , on the other hand , said that the chemistry between them was " palpable " , called the cover " pretty great " , and gave it a " B + " . Roberts praised the " real sex appeal " Morrison brought to the number , but deemed Paltrow 's tango rigid . Burns commented that white people ought to be deterred from performing Prince . He called the music " uninteresting and soulless " , and was dismayed that the tango was " just white with white people tango dancing " . Flandez , however , enjoyed their dancing and wrote , " The strong holds , the slow cuts , the perfect swivel of hips and the lean @-@ to 's were mesmerizingly seductive . " " Landslide " received the most praise of the songs in the episode ; indeed , both VanDerWerff and Harper named it the episode 's best number . Harper noted the " great harmonies " and added , " I got goose bumps . " Hankinson called the rendition " gorgeous " and Berk used " perfection " ; Berk went above his five star maximum to give the performance six stars . Roberts found the performance " pretty but uninspired " , though Flandez called it " a dreamy , perfectly pitched power song of lesbian love " and Poniewozik " surprisingly poignant " . Benigno and Slezak both noted that the cover was based on the version by the Dixie Chicks , and gave grades of " A − " and " B + " respectively . The " B + " from Gonzalez came with a caveat : she wished that Rivera , rather than Paltrow , had sung the lead vocal because of the meaning the song held for Santana . Stevie Nicks welcomed the cover of " Landslide " , and hoped it would bring the Fleetwood Mac 's songs to a new generation . She approved of the performance , and said that Paltrow " sang it beautifully " . = = = Chart history = = = Of the five cover versions released as singles , four debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 , and appeared on other musical charts . On the Hot 100 , the show 's rendition of " Landslide " debuted at number twenty @-@ three ; it was at number thirty @-@ five on the Billboard Canadian Hot 100 . The other three songs on the Hot 100 were " Do You Wanna Touch Me ( Oh Yeah ) " at number fifty @-@ seven , which also made number sixty @-@ three on the Canadian Hot 100 , " Animal " at number sixty @-@ two , which also made number sixty @-@ five on the Canadian Hot 100 , and " Kiss " at number eighty @-@ three , which also made number eighty on the Canadian Hot 100 . " Afternoon Delight " did not chart on either list .

= Washington v. Texas = Washington v. Texas , 388 U.S. 14 ( 1967 ) , is a United States Supreme Court case in which the Court decided that the Compulsory Process Clause of the Sixth Amendment to the Constitution ( guaranteeing the right of a criminal defendant to force the attendance of witnesses for their side ) is applicable in state courts as well as federal courts . Jackie Washington had attempted to call his co @-@ defendant as a witness , but was blocked by Texas courts because state law prevented co @-@ defendants from testifying for each other , under the theory that they would be likely to lie for each other on the stand . The Supreme Court reasoned that the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment made the right to be able to compel defense witnesses to testify necessary for a defendant 's " due process " rights to fair proceedings , which applies to the states . Only Justice John Marshall Harlan II parted from the Court 's " due process " focus , though he agreed with the outcome , as he regularly did in cases involving whether to apply federal rights to state courts . The impact of Washington was narrowed by a later case , Taylor v. Illinois ( 1988 ) , in which the Court said that " countervailing public interests " , like the need to move through cases quickly , could be balanced against a defendant 's right to present witnesses . In Taylor , the Supreme Court upheld a judge 's order blocking defense witnesses from testifying due to the defense attorney 's deliberate failure to disclose evidence to prosecutors earlier in the trial . The defense attorney 's actions resulted in a lengthy delay in the proceedings which the trial judge felt was unjustified . Legal scholars have seen this new grant of discretion to trial judges as a change to relying on " efficient justice " , a more limited vision of trial rights than the " right to present a defense " created in Washington . = = Background = = = = = History of Compulsory Process Clause jurisprudence = = = = = = = Ratification of the Sixth Amendment = = = = The Compulsory Process Clause was ratified as part of the Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution in 1791 . It accords a criminal defendant " the right ... to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor . " The Clause was included among other rights ( e.g. right to a notice of charges ) as a foundation for how federal criminal justice would operate . Originally , the Sixth Amendment was only applicable to the federal government . Despite ratification of the Clause , compulsory process was not originally interpreted to permit co @-@ defendants to testify for each other . States relied on a fear that two defendants would both " swear the other [ out ] " of the charge to prevent either defendant from being convicted . In Benson v. United States ( 1892 ) , the Supreme Court explained the underlying common law theory for this prohibition ; namely , that only witnesses who were " unaffected as a party by the result , and free from any of the temptations of interest " could testify . Federal courts accepted these common law rules and expressly applied them in United States v. Reid ( 1852 ) . In Reid , the Court held that the common law pertaining to criminal procedure in force at the time of the Constitution 's ratification would be applied in federal courts ; this effectively kept the bar on co @-@ defendant testimony . While Reid was overruled on different grounds in 1918 , it stated the general practice for co @-@ defendants as witnesses that existed before the Fourteenth Amendment . = = = = Application to the States = = = = After the passage of the Fourteenth Amendment in 1868 , the Supreme Court dealt with a series of cases regarding the scope of that amendment 's Due Process Clause . This Clause says that " Nor shall any State deprive any person of life , liberty , or property without due process of law " . The Court initially rejected an argument that the Due Process Clause applied to the state governments in Hurtado v. California ( 1884 ) , a case concerning the right to a grand jury hearing . Justice Matthews , writing for the majority of the Court , reasoned that " the Amendment prescribing due process of law is too vague and indefinite to operate as a practical restraint . " While this decision rejected an expanded reach of the Due Process Clause , the Court stated that the Clause did protect against state encroachment of " fundamental principles of liberty and justice which lie at the base of all our civil and political institutions " . Hurtado left open the question of what " fundamental principles of liberty and justice " would be protected . In 1897 , the Court held in Chicago , Burlington & Quincy Railroad v. Chicago ( 1897 ) that the Fifth Amendment 's Just Compensation Clause relating to eminent domain takings was " an essential element of due process of law ordained by the Fourteenth Amendment " to the point that a Chicago taking of railroad property was " within the meaning of that amendment " . In finding that application of the Due Process Clause , the Court said that just compensation constituted " a vital principle of republican institutions [ without which ] almost all other rights would become worthless " . In the same year as the railroad takings case , the Court evaluated what procedural trial rights implicated the " fundamental principles of liberty " expressed in Hurtado . In Hovey v. Elliot , the Supreme Court specifically applied the Due Process Clause to some fair trial guarantees , holding that due process " secures an ' inherent right of defense ' " . Despite that broad statement , the Court emphasized that due to procedural issues with the case itself " our opinion is therefore exclusively confined to the case before us . " A decade after Hovey , the Supreme Court announced its first rule for how the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment would be applied . In Twining v. New Jersey ( 1908 ) , the Court held that " it is possible that some of the personal rights safeguarded by the first eight amendments against National action may also be safeguarded against state action , because a denial of them would be a denial of due process of law " . This understanding of the meaning of " due process " opened up the possibility that the Bill of Rights could be applied to the states . Specifically , the Court said in Twining that the test was whether the right was embedded in " the very idea of free government " . This test endorsed a " selective incorporation " approach , meaning one that would evaluate whether to apply a right to the states on a case @-@ by @-@ case basis . The selective incorporation principle was expanded on further in Palko v. Connecticut ( 1937 ) , where the Court examined whether the right against double jeopardy should be incorporated against the states . In Palko , the Court stated that specific guarantees in the Bill of Rights could be applied to the states if the right was " found to be implicit in the concept of ordered liberty " . Though eight justices agreed that the double jeopardy right was not " implicit in the concept of ordered liberty " , the Palko test has remained the standard for incorporating rights against state and local governments . = = = = Expansion of procedural trial rights = = = = After Palko , the Court examined Bill of Rights protections one by one . Despite this incremental approach , the Court would eventually apply most rights to the states . In the realm of criminal procedure , this doctrine eventually came to protect the defendant 's ability to " present exculpatory evidence and testimony of witnesses " . For example , the Court in Brady v. Maryland ( 1963 ) used the Due Process Clause to require the state prosecution authorities to disclose evidence that is favorable to a defendant prior to trial . The Court 's due process jurisprudence was expanded with the 1948 decision in In re Oliver , which revised the breadth of the " fundamental fairness " right . The Court wrote : A person 's right to reasonable notice of a charge against him , and an opportunity to be heard in his defense — a right to his day in court — are basic in our system of jurisprudence ; and these rights include , as a minimum , a right to examine the witnesses against him , to offer testimony , and to be represented by counsel . = = = Washington 's trial = = = Jackie Washington was charged with first @-@ degree murder in Dallas , Texas . At the trial , Washington testified on his own behalf , and he put a great deal of the blame on an accomplice named Charles Fuller . He testified that Fuller had been carrying the murder weapon — a shotgun — at the scene . When he sought to have Fuller testify to back up his story , the trial judge blocked him on the basis of a Texas statute which provided that " persons charged or convicted as co @-@ participants in the same crime could not testify for one another " . The law , however , did not block a co @-@ participant from testifying for the state . Washington was convicted and sentenced to 50 years in prison . His conviction was subsequently upheld by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals , Texas 's highest criminal court , in 1966 . The Court of Criminal Appeals , which reasoned that the Compulsory Process Clause did not affect how the state treated the " competency " of a witness , rejected Washington 's plea that Fuller should have been allowed to testify . Washington then petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to hear his case , and the Supreme Court granted review . = = Opinion of the Court = = Chief Justice Earl Warren wrote the opinion of the Court , which spoke for eight justices in reversing the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals . Warren began by stating that the Court had never been " previously called upon to decide whether the right of the accused to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor ... is so fundamental [ that ] it is incorporated in the Due Process Clause " . Because of the incorporation to states of other procedural guarantees , the " right to offer the testimony of witnesses " could be given no less weight . Warren wrote that it was critical to the ability to " present a defense ... [ a ] defendant 's version of the facts " . This broad right was necessary to detail thoroughly , he wrote , because ignoring how the right would be actually be applied would risk making the right to compel witnesses futile . After determining that the Sixth Amendment 's " right to compulsory process is applicable in this state proceeding " ( i.e. that the Compulsory Process Clause applied to the states ) , the question became whether the specific instance of Washington 's trial was an unconstitutional deprivation of that right . Despite the common law restriction against co @-@ defendants testifying for each other , Warren noted that federal courts had refused to be " bound by ' the dead hand of the common @-@ law ' " since 1918 . Along with the precedent of prior federal court decisions , the fact that there were a great deal of exceptions to this rule demonstrated the " absurdity of the rule " itself . Specifically , under the Texas statute — which allowed a defendant acquitted at a separate trial to testify for the other defendant at the other 's trial — the " law leaves [ the co @-@ defendant ] free to testify when he has a great incentive to perjury , [ but ] bars his testimony in situations where he has a lesser motive to lie " . Warren concluded that the nature of the Texas law at issue denied Washington the right for a fair trial using witnesses who could testify to " relevant and material " facts in the case . Here , while not entirely relying on the finding , the Court saw the law as " arbitrary " because its discrimination between the prosecution and defense served " no rational relationship " to any goal of preventing perjury . Further , the idea that a " competent " witness was barred from testifying , in and of itself , was held to be an unconstitutional predetermination on the part of the state legislature . The Court 's decision upheld the importance of juries in evaluating the truth and credibility of witnesses ' statements . Despite adopting a broad principle , the Court did not list any specific rules for how trial judges were to balance evidentiary standards and the right of the defendant to secure witnesses in his or her favor . = = = Harlan 's concurrence = = = Justice Harlan , who agreed with the decision to reverse the Texas court 's judgment but not with the majority 's reasoning , wrote a short separate concurring opinion . He repeated his position that the Due Process Clause did not incorporate the Bill of Rights to the states ; rather , the Bill of Rights was a " rational continuum , which , broadly speaking , includes a freedom from all substantial arbitrary impositions and purposeless restraints " . He isolated the Texas law 's distinction between the co @-@ defendant testifying for the state while being barred from testifying for the defendant as having " no justification " . Thus , he rejected holding the trial unconstitutional on Compulsory Process Clause grounds ; he argued instead that the State 's " arbitrary bar " against a criminal defendant 's calling a co @-@ defendant as a witness for his side , while allowing the co @-@ defendant to testify for the prosecution , violated the Due Process Clause . = = Subsequent developments = = In two cases after Washington , the Court pulled back from its broad principle that a defendant in a criminal proceeding has a " right to a defense " . In United States v. Valenzuela @-@ Bernal ( 1982 ) , the Court held that an argument by the government that it had an interest in deporting illegal aliens ( some witnesses in the case ) outweighed the defendant 's right to " eye witness testimony " . Additionally , in Taylor v. Illinois ( 1988 ) , the Court held that " countervailing public interests " could also outweigh the defendant 's compulsory process rights . In Taylor , a series of deliberate discovery violations by the defense counsel at trial led the trial judge to block attempts at postponing proceedings to allow a further undisclosed defense witness the chance to testify ; the judge had held that there must be some sanction against the defense for their failure to disclose witnesses earlier in the case . A divided Court upheld the trial judge 's preclusion of the witness , adding a new framework for balancing a defendant 's right to a robust defense with a series of other factors . Namely , the new framework required looking at the state 's interest in " efficient " justice , the state 's interest in excluding evidence lacking integrity , the state 's interest in a strong judicial authority with followed rules , and the prosecution interest in avoiding prejudice due to a defendant 's discovery violation . = = Analysis and commentary = = Analysis of Washington has focused on the decision in the broader context of procedural trial rights . A 2007 article in the Georgetown Law Review by Martin Hewett was critical of the decision . Hewett 's main criticism was based on the Court 's lack of a standard on which to evaluate whether certain evidence was " material " to a defendant 's case . Hewett noted that in a post @-@ Washington decision in 1973 , the Court applied a " case @-@ specific " decision rather than a " general constitutional standard " . This line of decisions , Hewett argued , led to a standard which allows a trial judge the authority to determine the " actual reliability of the evidence " in cases where a witness is not present . The " newly @-@ seized power " was limited to the cases at hand in a manner which suggested the ambiguous calculus the Court was using was flawed . This vagueness in the standard came from cases where the " situations [ involved ] the reliability of the excluded evidence [ that ] could factfinder " . Hewett concluded by arguing that all of these cases had diminished the protections of the jury and of the defendant 's right to have his own defense . An article in the American Criminal Law Review , published in 2011 by Stacey Kime , disagreed with some of Hewett 's arguments . Kime argued that " it is well settled that criminal defendants have a constitutional right to present exculpatory evidence " , disagreeing with the idea that the basis for a robust defense had been gutted . Instead , she blamed the " incoherent " standard today on a lack of understanding of where the " source of this constitutional right " to have a strong defense lies . Unlike Hewett , who targeted post @-@ Washington decisions , Kime believed that there were flaws in the Washington opinion itself . Specifically , she argued that " the Court 's reasoning was not only unnecessary , but the Washington doctrine itself is inconsistent with the Sixth Amendment 's history and text " . In her review of the history behind the Sixth Amendment , Kime argued that James Madison could have drafted a more comprehensive right to " call for evidence " ( as existed in the Virginia Declaration of Rights ) but failed to do so . With this context in mind , she said , the Compulsory Process Clause likely enshrined the right to subpoena witnesses and have a fair trial , rather than a broader " right to have a defense " . Kime 's analysis concluded by stating that the decision in Washington had put " unnecessary tension between two analytically distinct constitutional rights " .

= Red warbler = The red warbler ( Cardellina ruber ) is a small passerine bird endemic to the highlands of Mexico , north of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec . It is closely related to , and forms a superspecies with , the pink @-@ headed warbler of southern Mexico and Guatemala . There are three subspecies , found in disjunct populations , which differ primarily in the color of their ear patch and in the brightness and tone of their body plumage . The adult is bright red , with a white or gray ear patch , depending on the subspecies ; young birds are pinkish @-@ brown , with a whitish ear patch and two pale wingbars . Like all New World warblers , the red warbler is an insectivore . It gleans primarily in understory shrubs . Breeding typically occurs between February and May . The female lays three or four eggs in a domed nest , which she builds on the ground . Though she alone incubates the eggs , both sexes feed the young and remove fecal sacs from the nest . The young fledge within 10 – 11 days of hatching . = = Taxonomy = = When he first described the red warbler in 1827 , naturalist William John Swainson assigned it to the genus Setophaga . Over the next half century , other naturalists moved it to Cardellina , with the red @-@ faced warbler , and to the widespread tropical warbler genus Basileuterus , as well as to the Old World warbler genus Sylvia and the Old World tit genus Parus . In 1873 , naturalists Philip Lutley Sclater and Osbert Salvin moved the species to the genus Ergaticus , where it remained for more than a century . There are three subspecies , which differ slightly in appearance : C. r. ruber , described by Swainson in 1827 , has white ear patches and is found from southern Jalisco and southern Hidalgo to Oaxaca . C. r. melanauris , which was described by Robert Thomas Moore in 1937 , has dark gray ear patches and somewhat more scarlet upperparts than C. r. ruber . It is found from southwestern Chihuahua to northern Nayarit . C. r. rowleyi was described by R. T. Orr and J. D. Webster in 1968 . It has white ear patches and ruby @-@ red upperparts ( brightest of the three subspecies ) , and is found in the Sierra Madre del Sur , from Guerrero to southern Oaxaca . The red warbler forms a superspecies with the pink @-@ headed warbler of Chiapas and Guatemala , to which it is closely related . Despite their disjunct ranges and considerably different plumages , the two have sometimes been considered conspecific . Conversely , it has also been suggested that the red warbler should be split into a northern gray @-@ eared species ( C. melanauris ) and a southern white @-@ eared species ( C. ruber ) . The red warbler 's common name is a straightforward reference to its color . The genus name Cardellina is the diminutive of the Italian cardella , a regional name for the European goldfinch , while its specific name , ruber , is Latin for " red " . = = Description = = The red warbler is a small passerine , measuring 12 @.@ 5 – 13 @.@ 5 cm ( 4 @.@ 9 – 5 @.@ 3 in ) in length , and weighing from 7 @.@ 6 to 8 @.@ 7 g ( 0 @.@ 27 to 0 @.@ 31 oz ) . As an adult , it is red overall , with either a white or dark gray ( depending on the subspecies ) auricular patch on each side of its head . Its slightly darker wings and tail are edged in pinkish @-@ red . Its legs are flesh @-@ colored , and its flesh @-@ colored bill shows a dark tip . The feathers of this species contain alkaloids , which render the bird unpalatable ; humans find it inedible . As a juvenile , the red warbler is pinkish @-@ brown with a whitish auricular patch . Its darker wings and tail show pinkish @-@ cinnamon edges , with two paler wingbars on the former . = = = Voice = = = The red warbler has several common calls , including a high , thin tsii and a stronger pseet . Its song is a mix of short trills and richer warbles , interspersed with high @-@ pitched chips . Unlike other species in the same habitat zone , it tends to sing only during bright morning hours during the breeding season ; regardless of season , it does not sing – and even its calling frequency decreases – in cloudy weather . = = Habitat and range = = Endemic to the highlands of Mexico north of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec , the red warbler has three disjunct populations : from southwestern Chihuahua to northern Nayarit , from southern Jalisco and southern Hidalgo to Oaxaca , and from Guerrero into southern Oaxaca in the Sierra Madre del Sur . It is fairly common to common in the interior and on adjacent slopes , where it occurs at elevations ranging from 1 @,@ 800 to 3 @,@ 900 metres ( 5 @,@ 900 to 12 @,@ 800 ft ) above sea level . It is an altitudinal migrant , moving from higher humid or semi @-@ humid pine , pine @-@ oak and fir forests in the breeding season to lower elevations , often in oak forests , in the winter . It is among the most common of the small birds in its woodland habitat , second only to the golden @-@ crowned kinglet in fir forests in one study and the third most common warbler in oak @-@ conifer woodlands in another . Though the species was reported to have been collected in Texas in the late 19th century , the record 's location was not widely believed , and there is no strong evidence that it ever occurred there . = = Behavior = = Though it sometimes joins mixed @-@ species flocks , the red warbler is more typically found alone or in pairs . Youngsters probably choose mates in the autumn of their first year , and pairs remain together year @-@ round , except during severe weather and during post @-@ breeding molt . = = = Food and feeding = = = The red warbler is an insectivore . It gleans primarily in understory shrubs at low to middle levels , moving slowly and deliberately through more open areas of the vegetation , and feeding with quick jabs into cracks in bark and pine needle clusters . It sometimes hover gleans to feed at pine needle clusters . Though it lacks any obvious adaptations for climbing , it regularly does so in its search for prey items on bark and epiphytes on branches , often hanging head @-@ down as it probes . In areas of deciduous growth , it typically flycatches , making brief aerial sorties from a perch in pursuit of flying insects . While it seldom associates with mixed @-@ species flocks , it feeds alongside other birds with no signs of conflict , displaying no hostility towards other species with which it competes . Its foraging area is quite small , often amounting to only a few dozen square meters ( several hundred square feet ) per day . Late in the afternoon , its rate of foraging declines , and it rests , often taking brief naps , in the forest understory . Though it does not generally feed after sunset , it may do so to take advantage of transient food sources , such as hatching Neuroptera . = = = Breeding = = = The red warbler breeds primarily in early spring , from February until May , though at least one nest containing young has been found as late as the end of June . The female alone builds the nest , a task which typically takes 4 – 6 days . She chooses a sunlit area , such as an area of windfall , the brushy edge of a trail or water course , or a small clearing , for its location . Tightly woven of plant material , the nest is hidden in ground vegetation and anchored to the stalks of surrounding vegetation . Bulky and untidy on the outside , it is typically constructed primarily of dead pine needles and dead grass , though gray lichens , green moss , dead leaves , shreds of bark and tips of fern fronds are also used ; most of these materials are gathered from the ground close to the nest , though some is picked from low branches or further away . The nest , which is usually oven @-@ shaped with a side or upward @-@ facing entrance , measures roughly 6 in ( 15 cm ) wide by 7 in ( 18 cm ) long by 4 @.@ 5 in ( 11 cm ) high . A small number of nests are only cups , lacking the roof of the more typical structures . Inside , the nest is tidy and compact , lined with fine grasses and plant fluff , which is generally gathered some distance from the nest . Early in the breeding season , as many as 11 days may transpire between the completion of the nest and the laying of the first egg . Later in the season , this time decreases so that the first egg is laid as soon as the nest is ready . The female normally lays three eggs , though clutches of up to four have been recorded . The eggs , which are variously described as pale pink with evenly distributed brown spots or white with cinnamon and rust spots densely ringing the larger end of the egg , measure 16 – 17 mm ( 0 @.@ 63 – 0 @.@ 67 in ) by 13 mm ( 0 @.@ 51 in ) and weigh 1 – 1 @.@ 4 g ( 0 @.@ 035 – 0 @.@ 049 oz ) . The female alone incubates the eggs for 16 days ; the male does not even approach the nest until several days after the eggs hatch . She sits facing the back wall of the nest , with her head and body sheltered by its roof and her tail sticking out the opening . She sits tight at the approach of danger , typically not flying until a potential predator actually makes contact with the nest . Both adults feed the nestlings and remove fecal sacs , though the female removes far more than the male does . The pair move deceptively when approaching the nest , foraging – or pretending to forage – in nearby vegetation . They stay only a few seconds in any one spot , including at the nest , making it more difficult for a predator to locate the young . The nestlings , which make a rapid , high @-@ pitched peeping call as an adult approaches carrying food , fledge within 10 – 11 days of hatching . = = Conservation and threats = = The red warbler is currently rated as a species of least concern by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature . Though there is evidence that its numbers are decreasing , the decline has not been precipitous , and the population remains quite large , with estimates ranging from 50 @,@ 000 to 499 @,@ 999 birds . The forested areas in which it occurs , however , include some of the most threatened habitats in Mexico , with logging , agricultural expansion , firewood gathering , road building , tourist development , overgrazing and intensive urbanization among the many things contributing to the destruction of the forests . There is some evidence that selective logging in pine forests may actually favor this species , which prefers more open , sunlit areas in which to breed . = = Note = =

= Bignose shark = The bignose shark ( Carcharhinus altimus ) is a species of requiem shark , in the family Carcharhinidae . Distributed worldwide in tropical and subtropical waters , this migratory shark frequents deep waters around the edges of the continental shelf . It is typically found at depths of 90 – 430 m ( 300 – 1 @,@ 410 ft ) , though at night it may move towards the surface or into shallower water . The bignose shark is plain @-@ colored and grows to at least 2 @.@ 7 – 2 @.@ 8 m ( 8 @.@ 9 – 9 @.@ 2 ft ) in length . It has a long , broad snout with prominent nasal skin flaps , and tall , triangular upper teeth . Its pectoral fins are long and almost straight , and there is a ridge on its back between the two dorsal fins . Hunting close to the sea floor , the bignose shark feeds on bony and cartilaginous fishes , and cephalopods . It is viviparous , meaning the embryos are sustained to term via a placental connection . Females bear litters of three to15 pups after a 10 @-@ month gestation period . Despite its size , this shark lives too deep to pose much danger to humans . It is caught incidentally by commercial fisheries in many parts of its range ; the meat , fins , skin , liver oil , and offal may be used . The International Union for Conservation of Nature presently lacks enough information to assess the global conservation status of this species . However , the various fishing pressures within its range are cause for concern given its slow reproductive rate , and it may have already declined in the northwestern Atlantic and elsewhere . = = Taxonomy and phylogeny = = Shark expert Stewart Springer described the bignose shark as Eulamia altima in a 1950 issue of the scientific journal American Museum Novitates . Later authors have regarded the genus Eulamia as a synonym of Carcharhinus . The specific epithet altimus is derived from the Latin altus ( " deep " ) , and refers to the shark 's deepwater habits . The type specimen is an immature female 1 @.@ 3 m ( 4 @.@ 3 ft ) long , caught off Cosgrove Reef in the Florida Keys on April 2 , 1947 . An alternate common name for this species is Knopp 's shark , originally used by Florida fishery workers since before the species was described . Phylogenetic studies published by Jack Garrick in 1982 and Leonard Compagno in 1988 , based on morphology , placed the bignose shark in the " obscurus group " of Carcharhinus , centered on the dusky shark ( C. obscurus ) and the Galapagos shark ( C. galapagensis ) . The group consists of large , triangular @-@ toothed sharks with a ridge between the dorsal fins . Gavin Naylor 's 1992 study , based on allozyme sequences , upheld and further resolved this " ridge @-@ backed " group . The bignose shark was found to be the sister species of the sandbar shark ( C. plumbeus ) , with the two forming one of the group 's two branches . = = Distribution and habitat = = Patchy records from around the world indicate the bignose shark probably has a circumglobal distribution in tropical and subtropical waters . In the Atlantic Ocean , it occurs from Delaware Bay to Brazil , in the Mediterranean Sea , and off West Africa . In the Indian Ocean , it is known in South Africa and Madagascar , the Red Sea , India , and the Maldives . In the Pacific Ocean , it has been recorded from China to Australia , around Hawaii , and from the Gulf of California to Ecuador . It is reportedly common off Florida , the Bahamas , and the West Indies , and rare off Brazil and in the Mediterranean . The bignose shark is found near the edge of the continental shelf and over the upper continental slope , generally swimming close to the sea floor at depths of 90 – 430 m ( 300 – 1 @,@ 410 ft ) . Young sharks may venture into water as shallow as 25 m ( 82 ft ) . Night @-@ time captures of this species from close to the surface suggest it may perform a diel vertical migration , moving from deep water upwards or toward the coast at night . In the northwestern Atlantic , the bignose shark conducts a poorly documented seasonal migration , spending summer off the US East Coast and winter in the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea . Individual sharks have been recorded traveling distances between 1 @,@ 600 and 3 @,@ 200 km ( 1 @,@ 000 and 2 @,@ 000 mi ) . = = Description = = Rather heavily built , the bignose shark has a long , broad , and blunt snout with the nostrils preceded by well @-@ developed , triangular flaps of skin . The moderately large , circular eyes are equipped with nictitating membranes ( protective third eyelids ) . The mouth is broadly curved and lacks obvious furrows at the corners . The upper teeth number 14 – 16 rows on either side and have tall , broad , triangular cusps with serrated edges ; they are erect at the jaw center and become increasingly oblique towards the sides . The lower teeth number 14 – 15 rows on either side and have narrow , erect cusps with extremely fine serrations . The five pairs of gill slits are moderately long . The long and wide pectoral fins have pointed tips and nearly straight margins . The first dorsal fin originates roughly over the rear of the pectoral fin bases ; it is fairly tall and falcate ( sickle @-@ shaped ) , with a blunt apex and a long free rear tip . The second dorsal fin is relatively large with a short free rear tip , and is positioned slightly ahead of the anal fin . A high midline ridge is present between the dorsal fins . The caudal peduncle has a crescent @-@ shaped notch at the origin of the upper caudal fin margin . The caudal fin has a large lower lobe and a strong ventral notch near the tip of the upper lobe . The dermal denticles are closely spaced but non @-@ overlapping , such as that the skin shows between them ; each is oval with three horizontal ridges leading to marginal teeth . The coloration is gray to bronze above , with a faint pale stripe on the flank , and white below ; sometimes there is a green sheen along the gills . The tips of the fins ( except for the pelvic fins ) are darker ; this is most obvious in young sharks . Males and females grow to at least 2 @.@ 7 m ( 8 @.@ 9 ft ) and 2 @.@ 8 m ( 9 @.@ 2 ft ) long respectively ; this species possibly reaches 3 m ( 9 @.@ 8 ft ) in length . The maximum weight on record is 168 kg ( 370 lb ) . = = Biology and ecology = = The bignose shark feeds mainly on bottom @-@ dwelling bony fishes ( including lizardfishes , croakers , flatfishes , and batfishes ) , cartilaginous fishes ( including Squalus dogfishes , Holohalaelurus catsharks , Dasyatis stingrays , and chimaeras ) , and cephalopods . In turn , juveniles may potentially fall prey to larger sharks . Like other requiem sharks , this species is viviparous : when the developing embryos exhaust their supply of yolk , the depleted yolk sac is converted into a placental connection through which the mother delivers nourishment . Females bear litters of three to 15 pups , with seven being typical , following a gestation period of approximately 10 months . A single litter may be sired by two or more males . Birthing has been reported to occur in August and September in the Mediterranean , and in September and October off Madagascar . The newborns measure 70 – 90 cm ( 28 – 35 in ) long . Males and females mature sexually at around 2 @.@ 2 and 2 @.@ 3 m ( 7 @.@ 2 and 7 @.@ 5 ft ) long , respectively . The average age of reproductively active individuals is 21 years . = = Human interactions = = While large enough to perhaps be dangerous , the bignose shark seldom comes into contact with humans due to its preference for deep water . This species is a bycatch of gillnet , bottom trawl , and deep @-@ set pelagic longline fisheries ( particularly those targeting tuna ) in many parts of its range . It is regularly taken in Cuban waters and used to produce liver oil , shagreen , and fishmeal . Elsewhere , such as in Southeast Asia , the meat is consumed and the fins shipped to East Asia for shark fin soup . The bignose shark is not used commercially in United States , where it is listed as Prohibited Species under the 2007 Fishery Management Plan for Atlantic tunas , swordfish and sharks , or in Australia . The International Union for Conservation of Nature has listed the bignose shark as Data Deficient overall , due to inadequate population and fishery monitoring . The species is considered to be of concern , however , given it is slow @-@ reproducing and faces widespread heavy fishing pressure . There is evidence that its numbers have recently declined in the Maldives . Furthermore , most bignose shark bycatch occurs in international waters , where a single stock may be affected by multiple fisheries . It is listed as a " highly migratory species " under the 1995 UN Agreement on the Conservation and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks , but thus far this has not led to significant conservation measures . Regionally , the IUCN has assessed the bignose shark as Near Threatened in the northwestern Atlantic . Though specific data are lacking , it is suspected to have declined there because it is commonly misidentified as the sandbar shark , thus the known decline in sandbar shark numbers resulting from US longline fishing may represent a decline in bignose shark numbers , as well . This species has been assessed as Least Concern in Australian waters , where it faces no significant threats .

= Manchester Bolton & Bury Canal = The Manchester Bolton & Bury Canal is a disused canal in Greater Manchester , England , built to link Bolton and Bury with Manchester . The canal , when fully opened , was 15 miles 1 furlong ( 24 @.@ 3 km ) long . It was accessed via a junction with the River Irwell in Salford . Seventeen locks were required to climb to the summit as it passed through Pendleton , heading northwest to Prestolee before it split northwest to Bolton and northeast to Bury . Between Bolton and Bury the canal was level and required no locks . Six aqueducts were built to allow the canal to cross the rivers Irwell and Tonge and several minor roads . The canal was commissioned in 1791 by local landowners and businessmen and built between 1791 and 1808 , during the Golden Age of canal building , at a cost of £ 127 @,@ 700 ( £ 8 @.@ 93 million today ) . Originally designed for narrow gauge boats , during its construction the canal was altered into a broad gauge canal to allow an ultimately unrealised connection with the Leeds and Liverpool Canal . The canal company later converted into a railway company and built a railway line close to the canal 's path , which required modifications to the Salford arm of the canal . Most of the freight carried was coal from local collieries but , as the mines reached the end of their working lives sections of the canal fell into disuse and disrepair and it was officially abandoned in 1961 . In 1987 a society was formed with the aim of restoring the canal for leisure use and , in 2006 , restoration began in the area around the junction with the River Irwell in Salford . The canal is currently navigable as far as Oldfield Road , Salford . = = History = = = = = Proposal = = = The local geology of the Irwell Valley , which included steep sided valleys with fast flowing rivers subject to rapid flooding and dry seasons , confined local river transport to the Mersey and Irwell Navigation , west of Manchester . Financial unrest and British involvement in the American Revolutionary War restricted local transport investment to road improvements . With the arrival of more favourable conditions , including the end of the war , a proposal for a canal to link the towns of Manchester , Bolton and Bury was mooted . Matthew Fletcher had in 1789 been employed as a technical advisor and had surveyed the route of the proposed canal , but the first public notice came from Manchester on 4 September 1790 . The initial proposal probably came from a group in Bolton , with the support of the Mersey and Irwell Navigation Company . A meeting was " intended to be holden at the House of Mr Shawe , the Bull 's Head in Manchester aforesaid , on Monday , the twentieth day of this instant , September , at eleven o 'clock in the forenoon " , where " Surveys , Plans , Levels , Estimates and Proposals " would be presented . A further meeting on 16 September , held in Bolton , appointed a committee of six Boltonians chaired by Lord Grey de Wilton to attend at Manchester . A series of resolutions at this meeting followed a discussion of the route , and authorised the necessary actions to bring the plan into fruition , which included the petitioning of Parliament for the required bill . Hugh Henshall was asked to survey the proposed route of the canal . For local industries along the route of the proposed canal , whose operations relied on water from local rivers and brooks which the canal might also use , its construction was a controversial idea . At a meeting in Bolton on 4 October 1790 , it was resolved that " proper clauses be inserted in the bill to prevent injury to owners of mills " . A meeting in Bury at the Eagle & Child public house on 29 September 1790 secured an agreement that " the utility of this scheme nevertheless cannot with propriety be ascertained until such time as it has been certified , from whence and in what proportion the proprietors of the intended navigation expect to draw their resources of water " . At another meeting in Bury , on 13 October 1790 , Hugh Henshall gave a written report on the canal , and stated that his plan would not require water from the river in times of drought , but that floods and rivulets would supply his reservoirs . He suggested that mill owners could be protected by a suitable clause in the bill , and such a clause was duly obtained by Robert Peel . Businesses in Bolton were concerned with the location of the canal terminus , and proposed the construction of a tunnel to allow the terminus to be built closer to the town centre . Ralph Fletcher , spokesman for those concerned , reported on this proposal to the committee , although no tunnel was built . = = = Subscribers and funding = = = In a document entitled " A list of subscribers to the intended Bolton Bury and Manchester Canal Navigation " , now kept in the Greater Manchester County Record Office , some of the more notable subscribers are listed , along with the amounts invested by each . Many of the 95 investments on the list appear to have been made by proxy . The largest is £ 3 @,@ 000 , and the smallest £ 100 . The total sum of investments is £ 47 @,@ 700 . £ 5 per £ 100 share was initially paid , with an additional £ 10 call made by 10 August 1791 . Similar share calls were made at regular intervals over the following years . The first dividend of 4 % was paid in July 1812 , with regular payments following thereafter . = = = Work begins = = = Following a parliamentary survey of the route by Charles McNiven , the bill received Royal Assent on 13 May 1791 and became an Act of Parliament for the construction of the canal , by which " the proprietors were empowered to purchase land for a breadth of 26 yards on level ground , and wider where required for cuttings or embankments . " The Act allowed the company to raise £ 47 @,@ 000 , with shares of £ 100 . The intention was that at Prestolee the route would divide into two branches ( arms ) , with one branch towards Bolton and the other to Bury , but it would not , however , join the River Irwell . The proprietors were entitled to take water from any brooks within 1 @,@ 000 yards ( 910 m ) of the canal , or within 3 miles ( 4 @.@ 8 km ) of the canal summits at Bolton and Bury . At a meeting in Manchester on 30 June 1791 , at the house of Alexander Patten , a committee was formed with the following members : Lord Grey de Wilton , Heaton House , Lancashire Sir John Edensor Heathcote , Longton , Newcastle , Staffordshire Thomas Butterworth Bayley esq . — Hope , Salford Robert Andrews esq — Rivington James Wareing , Gentleman , Knowsley Matthew Fletcher ( Mine owner , Clifton ) Peter Wright , Gentleman , Manchester William Marsden , Merchant , Manchester Charles McNiven , Gentleman , Manchester Hugh Henshall , Longpost , Staffordshire John Pilkington , Merchant , Manchester The meeting secured a resolution that " Matthew Fletcher and Mr McNiven shall dispatch or procure 100 wheelbarrows and as many planks as they shall think necessary for the use and accommodation of the canal navigation " . Further meetings took place from 26 – 29 July . Matthew Fletcher was ordered to meet with land owners to discuss the purchase of any land along the route of the canal , and with this in mind , on 30 July 1791 John Seddon of Sandy Lane was ordered to survey the line of the canal beginning within the estate of John Edenson Heathcote , and ending at the southern extremity of the Reverend Dauntesey 's estate . Fletcher and Henshall were ordered to contact people and companies in the building trade to discuss construction . At a meeting on 16 August 1791 , " several persons " attended , and made offers for the contract to build the canal . A Mr John Seddon of Little Hulton , a labourer , agreed to a contract on Matthew Fletcher 's terms , for a " certain part of the canal " . Five other persons were rejected , their proposals not receiving the " approbation " of the committee . With news of the planned Rochdale Canal link into Manchester , the company proposed to extend the canal from Bury through Littleborough , and to connect with the Rochdale Canal at Sladen . The new route , known as the Bury and Sladen Canal , was intended as a rival scheme to the proposed Rochdale link into Manchester . A survey was also carried out on a proposed extension from Sladen to Sowerby Bridge . The company also considered links to the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and the Mersey and Irwell Navigation . These plans would have substantially increased the trans @-@ Pennine traffic using the company 's canal , and caused a potential loss of traffic and revenue on the nearby Bridgewater Canal . With this in mind , the owner of the Bridgewater Canal , the Duke of Bridgewater , agreed to allow the Rochdale Canal Company to connect to his canal at Manchester . Despite the persistence of the canal company , the Rochdale Canal plan won the day and in 1797 the company abandoned the Bury and Sladen Canal plan . After several years of construction , on 9 January 1794 an agreement was reached with the Leeds and Liverpool Canal Company to create a link from the Bolton arm of the canal to the Leeds and Liverpool Canal at Red Moss , near Horwich . This agreement required significant design changes to allow the canal to carry the wider boats used on the broad gauge Leeds and Liverpool Canal , which included a change to broad locks . Benjamin Outram was employed to inspect the works , and reported on the cost of this conversion as being £ 26 @,@ 924 . Although the necessary changes were implemented , the route of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal was altered and the link was not built . In the same year the Haslingden Canal link to the Leeds and Liverpool Canal was proposed , from the Bury arm of the canal . Although authorised by an Act of Parliament , it too was never built . The canal company remained hopeful of a link between the two canals , but all hope of this was lost when on 21 June 1819 an Act of Parliament was enacted to create a link between the Leigh extension of the Bridgewater Canal , and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal . A report entitled " A Statement of the Situation of the Works of the Manchester , Bolton and Bury Canal , on the Eighteenth of December , 1795 . " gives details of the progress of the works , including details of bridges , cuttings , raised bankings and aqueducts . Much of the document details the work required to convert the canal to broad gauge . A 5 @.@ 75 @-@ mile ( 9 @.@ 25 km ) length between Oldfield Lane in Salford and Giants Seat Locks in Outwood was navigable with 3 ft 8 in ( 1 @.@ 12 m ) of water . The remaining work included strengthening work to the banks , an increase of water depth to 5 feet ( 1 @.@ 5 m ) , and the gravelling of half of the towpath . Between Giants Seat locks and Ringley Bridge two locks had been erected , with a small section of canal to be broadened before becoming navigable . From Ringley Bridge to Prestolee Aqueduct one lock had been erected . Nob End Locks were still under construction but mostly complete , although the basin at the bottom had not yet been dug . The stretch to Bolton had at this time been widened , with several bridges requiring further work , incomplete embankments , construction of a weir , and gravelling of the towpath . On the Bury arm , almost the entire length had been dug , and walls to support the canal along the bank of the Irwell had been built . Some widening of previously narrow sections had yet to be undertaken , none of the towpath had been gravelled , and no fences had been erected along the towpath . Significant parts of the canal were completed by 1796 , including the stretch up to Bury in October of that year . With the completion of the Bolton arm in the following year , much of the canal opened for business . The connection to Fletcher 's Canal was completed in 1800 , but with the failure of the scheme to connect the Bolton arm of the canal to the Leeds and Liverpool Canal , the canal remained isolated from any other navigable waterway . One proposed remedy involved the construction of an aqueduct over the River Irwell in Manchester , to connect directly to the Rochdale Canal between Castlefield and Piccadilly . A bill was proposed in 1799 but after strong objections from the Mersey and Irwell Navigation Company they eventually gave up and subsequently , over the following seven years , the canal company purchased enough land to build a canal link directly to the Irwell . During construction the company , having spent all of the money allowed in the 1791 Act of Parliament , incurred a debt of £ 31 @,@ 345 . They therefore applied for a further Act to raise more money . This act , granted in 1805 , allowed them to raise an additional £ 80 @,@ 000 . This allowed them to repay the debt , and continue work to finish the canal . An inspection in June 1808 reported that by November 1808 the canal would be complete throughout . A connection to the Rochdale Canal was eventually built in 1839 via the Manchester and Salford Junction Canal , which was funded in part by the proprietors of the MB & B canal . = = = Traffic = = = Most of the traffic along the canal transported coal from the many collieries that existed along its length , such as Outwood Colliery and Ladyshore Colliery . Some of these pits were linked to the canal by road , and some by short tramlines . In the late 19th century as much as 650 @,@ 000 metric tons ( 640 @,@ 000 long tons ) of coal and 43 @,@ 000 metric tons ( 42 @,@ 000 long tons ) of other materials including night soil and fruit were transported annually . The canal also enabled the transport of salt from Cheshire to the many bleach and dye works in its area – hence the name of Salt Wharf on the Bolton arm of the canal . Tolls were easily calculated as milestones were placed along the towpath at ¼ mile ( 400 m ) intervals . This was important as journeys were often quite short , the collieries being so close to industry along the canal 's length . The boats used to transport coal were short and narrow , and each contained a row of boxes used for carrying coal . Each box had a base of two halves , hinged and held closed with chains . These boxes would be lifted out of the boats , positioned by crane over a bunker or cart and emptied by releasing the chains on the base . This design helped keep the canal competitive , as it increased the speed with which loading and unloading of the boats could be performed . The canal would often freeze in winter , so an icebreaker was used to ensure the canal remained navigable during the cold weather . Named " Sarah Lansdale " and owned by James Crompton Paperworks , it was towed by a team of horses while the crew stood astride the deck , secured to the handrails , rocking the boat from side to side and breaking the ice in the process . Often , ice would be encountered that was so thick the boat would rise up onto the surface of the ice . This boat did once reside at the boat museum in Ellesmere Port Dock but was later destroyed by fire . Food and drink was made available to those using the canal in several places including Margaret Barlow 's Tea Gardens , Kilcoby Cottage and Rhodes Lock . A camping ground was also available at Kilcoby Cottage . The nearby Giant 's Seat House was for some time the home of the canal manager . The canal also carried packet services , with passengers facing a three @-@ hour journey between Bolton and Manchester . The first passenger boat to Bolton was launched in 1796 from the Windsor Castle public house , and in 1798 a new packet boat was built for the use of the company . Fares were initially fixed by the canal company ( although from 1805 contracted @-@ out ) and based upon the service required ; a passenger using the state cabin from Bolton to Manchester would be charged one shilling six pence , and a single shilling on the return journey . Passengers would change boats at Prestolee to avoid delays at the lock flight and also to save water , and a purpose @-@ built covered walkway the length of the road was constructed for their benefit . Another passenger service ran along the two arms from Bolton to Bury , and over 60 @,@ 000 passengers per year travelled on the canal ; between July 1833 and June 1834 , 21 @,@ 060 made the journey from Bolton to Manchester , 21 @,@ 212 people travelled from Manchester to Bolton , and 20 @,@ 818 intermediary passengers hopped on and off the boats en route . In 1834 the Bolton to Manchester service earned £ 1 @,@ 177 and the Bolton to Bury service earned £ 75 . The service was quite luxurious compared to some packet boat services : central heating was provided in winter and drinks were served on board . This caused a tragedy in 1818 , however , when a party of twenty drunken passengers managed to capsize the boat and a number of passengers , including two children , were drowned . Several fatal incidents combined with general passenger concern caused the canal company to improve passenger safety ; in 1802 a wall was built at the wharf at Oldfield Lane in Salford and in 1833 a gas lamp was installed at Ringley Wharf . A parcel service was also offered , although this proved unpopular as it was unreliable . = = = Railway proposal = = = In March 1829 the idea of building a branch railway line from the Oldfield Road terminus in Salford to the new Liverpool and Manchester Railway was mooted , but nothing was built . In 1830 the canal company , led by chairman Sir John Tobin , began to promote a proposal to build a railway along the line of the canal , from Salford to Bolton . Alexander Nimmo was employed to report on the proposal and told that it was possible " so far as he expressed himself capable of judging from his present cursory view of the canal " . The shareholders then sought a bill for a railway from Bolton to Manchester and on 23 August 1831 obtained an Act of Parliament to become the " Company of Proprietors of the Manchester , Bolton and Bury Canal Navigation and Railway Company " . They were empowered to build a line from Manchester to Bolton and Bury , " upon or near the line of ... the Canal " , and a branch from Clifton Aqueduct through to Great Lever . In 1832 this company obtained an Act that allowed it to build the railway . Due mainly to the objections of local mine owners who would have lost access to the canal and supplies , and would not have had branch railways built for them , the company agreed to an amending bill which would keep the canal and allow the new railway to be constructed alongside it . Due to technical and financial constraints the branch to Bury was never built . The canal therefore survived , although locks 4 and 5 in Salford were moved and combined into a two @-@ rise staircase , with a second tunnel built underneath the line which became known as the Manchester and Bolton Railway . The line opened on 28 May 1838 , and the company had purchased four locomotives from Bury , Curtis , and Kennedy , two from George Forrester and Company , and two from William Fairbairn & Sons . Between the opening date and 9 January 1839 the railway carried 228 @,@ 799 passengers – far more than had been carried on the canal . Shortly thereafter passenger services on the canal ceased and the boats were sold off . In 1846 the company was taken over by the Manchester and Leeds Railway , which itself became the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway ( L & YR ) the following year . In 1890 the L & YR widened the line through Salford . Locks 4 , 5 and 6 were moved slightly to the north and the tunnel under the railway was replaced by a bridge ( although it is still referred to as a tunnel ) . In 1922 the L & YR amalgamated into the London and North Western Railway , and in 1923 this company amalgamated into the London , Midland and Scottish Railway . This company was nationalised in 1948 under the Transport Act 1947 and became part of British Railways . = = = Decline = = = By 1924 the Bolton arm had experienced a significant fall in traffic , although until the 1930s , when colliery closures reduced traffic even further , coal trade remained brisk . By 1935 Fletcher 's Canal had fallen into disuse . Burst banks alongside the Irwell and Croal rivers ( caused largely by subsidence from mining activities ) were common . A major breach occurred in 1936 and was never repaired . 10 @.@ 45 acres ( 42 @,@ 300 m2 ) of land around this breach was purchased from the British Transport Commission by Cream 's Paper Mill , who subsequently built over part of the canal . On 2 March 1937 the London , Midland and Scottish Railway held a Special General Meeting during which they proposed to abandon the canal from Clifton Aqueduct to Bailey Bridge , from Bailey Bridge to Bury , and the entire Bolton arm from Nob End Locks to Bolton . The proposal was not carried but four years later , under the London , Midland and Scottish Railway Act of 1941 , they abandoned 7 miles ( 11 km ) of the canal , including a section from Prestolee to Clifton and the entire Bolton arm . In 1939 , during the Second World War , the Ministry of Transport ordered a half @-@ mile section in Agecroft piped , to reduce the risk of German bomb damage damaging the adjacent Magnesium Elektron Company 's site . Although it continued to generate revenue from the sale of water , tolls produced only a small proportion of the canal 's income . In 1946 , against expenses of £ 12 @,@ 500 , it earned a total of £ 7 @,@ 296 , of which only £ 471 was from tolls . In 1951 total income was £ 8 @,@ 815 against a total expenditure of £ 9 @,@ 574 . In the same year , the canal carried 3 @,@ 933 long tons ( 3 @,@ 996 t ) of coal and no other materials . A British Transport Commission report of 1955 included the canal in its list of " Waterways having insufficient commercial prospects to justify their retention for navigation " . Following an Act of Parliament , in 1961 the canal was abandoned . A single coal delivery service between Sion Street and Bury Moors continued until 1968 , but this was the last commercial traffic to use the canal . = = Features = = There are several notable features along the canal , including Prestolee Aqueduct and Clifton Aqueduct , both of which are Grade II listed structures . Nob End Locks ( sometimes referred to as Prestolee Locks ) sit at the junction of the three arms of the canal at Nob End . They comprise two sets of three staircase locks , separated by a passing basin . These locks served to lower the level of the canal by 64 feet ( 20 m ) over a distance of 600 feet ( 183 m ) . The upper staircase is still visible , but most of the lower staircase was filled in at some point in the 1950s , and much of the stonework was removed . A major breach of the canal along the Bury arm revealed the scale of the engineering used in the construction of the retaining wall . Railway rails , which were used to increase the strength of the walls , are still clearly visible at the site of the breach . The Mount Sion steam crane ( a depiction of which is used as the logo of the Manchester Bolton & Bury Canal Society ) sits rusting and unused at Mount Sion , on the Bury arm . One of the earliest surviving cranes in England , it was built some time about 1875 – 1884 for Mount Sion Bleach Works by Thomas Smith & Sons of Rodley and was used to unload coal boxes from barges into the yard below the canal . It was granted Grade II listed status in 2011 . = = Design and construction = = The canal was originally supplied by the River Irwell in Bury , at the Weddell Brook tributary . This proved insufficient for local industry and in 1842 Elton Reservoir at Bury was built to become the canal 's principal supply . Although the Bury and Bolton arms are on one level , the Salford arm used seventeen broad locks , including some in staircases ( Nob End , for example ) , to descend 190 feet ( 58 m ) over 8 miles ( 13 km ) from the summit level to the lowest point at Salford . Robert Fulton had proposed an inclined plane at Nob End , but this design was rejected . The connection with Fletcher 's Canal near Clifton Aqueduct was made by a single lock 90 feet ( 27 m ) long by 21 feet ( 6 m ) wide , with a drop of 18 inches ( 46 cm ) . Although the canal was originally designed to be a narrow canal with narrow locks for boats 7 feet ( 2 m ) wide , in 1794 an agreement was reached with the Leeds and Liverpool Canal company to create a link near Red Moss near Horwich , so broad locks were built to accommodate the 14 feet ( 4 m ) wide boats using that canal . This meant removing some of the narrow locks that had already been built . An extension to the original canal feeder was built at Weddell Brook in Bury , alongside the River Irwell . The route of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal was changed , however , and the planned link never materialised . The design changes to the canal were not completely without merit , since they allowed two narrowboats to use each lock simultaneously , saving passage time and water . Much of the Bury arm of the canal runs alongside the River Irwell through the Irwell Valley , and eventually required the construction of huge retaining walls to prevent the canal bank from sliding down the hill . Similar strengthening , although on a smaller scale , was required on the Bolton arm where it ran alongside the River Croal . Through these sections the towpath is normally on the side of the canal closest to the river . Six aqueducts were required to allow the canal to cross the River Irwell , the River Tonge and four roads . On the Bolton arm these were Hall Lane Aqueduct , Fogg 's Aqueduct and the larger Damside Aqueduct , all of which have since been demolished . Hall Lane Aqueduct was damaged by mining subsidence and replaced in 1884 – 1885 . It was demolished in 1950 . The Salford arm flowed over Prestolee Aqueduct , then Clifton Aqueduct , and finally the smaller Lumn 's Lane Aqueduct ( since demolished ) . Many bridges were also constructed , along the length of the canal . Most were of small design allowing access to farmland , although many are wide enough for a horse and cart . In places where the canal crossed important thoroughfares , such as Water Street in Radcliffe , Radcliffe Road in Darcy Lever and Agecroft Road in Pendlebury , larger bridges were constructed . Cranes were used along the many wharfs on the canal to offload cargo . One of these , a steam crane at Mount Sion , still exists ( albeit in poor condition ) . At Bury Wharf a traversing steam crane positioned between the two arms of the terminus would offload cargo to be loaded into waiting lorries and a similar system was used at Radcliffe Wharf . = = = Costs = = = In 1795 costs of construction were detailed as follows : The total cost of construction was £ 127 @,@ 700 . = = Breaches = = The canal has suffered several major breaches throughout its history . As early as 1799 a flood carried away large sections of the lower banks , and on 15 October 1853 two boats were swept through a 93 @-@ yard ( 85 m ) breach near the bottom of Nob End Locks ( no injuries were reported ) . Three breaches were reported from 1878 – 1879 , in Little Lever and Darcy Lever , the latter near Burnden Chemical Works . Subsidence , caused by mining activity , prompted a breach near Agecroft in 1881 . As a result of such incidents , from 1881 to 1888 engineer Edwin Muir was employed to reduce the subsidence caused by mining activity . Similar work was undertaken throughout the 1920s . Maps from the 1880s show that by then , to safeguard against further subsidence , the canal company had purchased areas of coal beneath the canal . In 1884 the canal 's owners , the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway , successfully sued colliery owners Knowles & Sons for losses incurred from damage caused by subsidence . Following this judgement , the railway company settled out of court with other colliery owners . Constant repairs were made , particularly through Pendleton , where the embankment was periodically raised . Some bridges were lifted far above their original supports , while others sank as low as 8 feet ( 2 m ) above head height . One of the most serious breaches occurred on 6 July 1936 near Nob End , close to the junction of the canal 's three arms , reported by the Manchester Evening News the following day . It was never repaired and although the canal saw continued use between Ladyshore Colliery and Bury , it eventually closed in 1961 . CANAL BURSTS ITS BANKS - Barges Smashed and River Dammed " When the Bolton @-@ Manchester Canal burst its banks at Little Lever yesterday millions of gallons of water cascaded 300 feet into the River Irwell , carrying down hundreds of tons of earth and stones . The river rapidly became blocked on the Bury side and the banked @-@ up water flooded the surrounding land . " Like Niagara " was the description applied by one resident in the vicinity . Bricks and iron reinforcements of the side of the canal were torn away and carried into the river . Canal barges were smashed up as they too swept over the falls . Fortunately , there are no houses in the neighbourhood , and no one was hurt . It is feared that work at a paper mill and a chemical works which depend upon the canal for transport will be affected . Mr John W. Martin , of Loxham Street , Bolton , said : " I was cycling along the bank when I suddenly saw signs of a subsidence begin on a bend in the canal . I could not stop and my only chance was to ride furiously along the two feet of earth which remained . As I passed over the earth fell away behind the back wheel of my bicycle and I was thrown off . " The noise was deafening . A few yards from me tremendous quantities of water , rock , and earth were moving bodily from the canal . A gap about 100 yards long has been opened in the canal embankment . A few years ago there was a similar landslide near the spot . " = = Current status = = Almost 60 % of the canal 's original length is no longer in water . Bury Wharf is now covered by an industrial estate . A car park has been built on top of the canal , near Daisyfield Viaduct , but from there on the towpath remains accessible . The canal , in water but overgrown with weeds , is culverted under Water Street in Radcliffe . It continues in water up to a dam at Ladyshore , following which the foundations of a demolished paper mill , built in 1956 , may be found . The 1936 breach was never repaired and presents a significant gap in the canal 's route . On the Salford arm , although in good condition , the top three locks at Prestolee are derelict ; the bottom three have been removed . The canal is in water from the bottom of the lock flight through to Ringley Locks . Ringley Bridge is infilled , as is the canal through Ringley Village and Giants Seat Locks . Kilcoby Bridge is missing and from there the canal is inaccessible until it reaches the M60 motorway . Overgrown , Rhodes Lock is still in reasonable condition . One or more electricity pylons straddle the infilled canal between Rhodes Lock and the motorway , which has been built over the line of the canal . A sludge lagoon built during the motorway 's construction blocks a short section toward Clifton Aqueduct . The canal does not take water again until beyond Clifton Aqueduct , where a short 900 @-@ foot ( 270 m ) length exists between the former Pilkington factory and the Enersys factory . Lumn 's Lane Aqueduct is missing but the canal is in water between there and Holland Street . Beyond this point the canal is infilled and in parts built over , especially through Pendleton . Its junction with the River Irwell in Salford has recently been restored and made navigable . The Bolton arm of the canal is interrupted by the absence of Hall Lane Aqueduct at Little Lever , which was demolished in 1950 to make way for the widening of Hall Lane . In Darcy Lever , Damside Aqueduct , which crossed Radcliffe Road and the Tonge River , is also missing , having been demolished in June 1965 . The route of St Peter 's Way has almost entirely destroyed a significant section of the canal as it heads into the centre of Bolton and Church Wharf no longer exists . The last section of the Bolton arm of the canal still in water is currently used for fishing . The entire route of the canal is protected from any adverse development that would prevent its restoration , having been included in the unitary development plans of Salford City Council , Bolton Council and Bury Council . = = Restoration = = To help secure the canal 's future , in 1987 the Manchester Bolton & Bury Canal Society was formed . Despite the aforementioned problems , on 21 October 2005 British Waterways announced funding from European Objective Two Funding , the Northwest Regional Development Agency ( NWDA ) and Salford City Council for a restoration scheme at the newly named Middlewood Locks in Salford , which began in September 2006 . Restoration was halted briefly by the discovery of what was initially thought to be a Second World War bomb but which proved to be a wartime American mortar with no explosive content . Pilings for the tunnel under the Manchester to Preston Line were completed in 2008 . The missing Irwell towpath bridge , known as Bloody Bridge , which once crossed the canal 's entrance , was replaced with an arched timber structure incorporating elements of the old lock 1 . Much of the canal 's existing masonry has been re @-@ used and , where possible , the original washwalls were grouted and pointed . The original river locks 1 and 2 were replaced by a single deep lock . Completion was scheduled for the end of July 2008 and marked with an opening ceremony on 19 September that year , during which the new Margaret Fletcher tunnel under the Manchester Inner Ring Road was formally named . Full restoration of the canal could create up to 6 @,@ 000 jobs and add an annual £ 6M to the local economy . The total cost is estimated at £ 60M . The next planned major restoration may be along Salford Crescent . Local volunteers under the guidance of the Manchester Bolton and Bury Canal Society have for years worked on sections of the canal , removing overgrowth and tidying up its general appearance . A new pedestrian footbridge , designed by artist Liam Curtin , was opened at Nob End Locks in April 2013 . Made entirely out of scaled @-@ up pieces of Meccano , it was built by society volunteers and other members of the public at a cost of about £ 90 @,@ 000 . Toward the end of 2015 , work began to restore water to the top lock at Nob End . Infill beneath the first bridge on the canal 's Bolton arm was excavated , exposing the towpath for the first time in decades . = = Locations of features = =

= Milton Blockhouse = Milton Blockhouse was an artillery fortification constructed as part of Henry VIII 's Device plan of 1539 , in response to fears of an imminent invasion of England . It was built at Milton , near Gravesend in Kent at a strategic point along the River Thames , and was operational by 1540 . Equipped with 30 pieces of artillery and a garrison of 12 men and a captain , it was probably a two @-@ storey , D @-@ shaped building , designed to prevent enemy ships from progressing further up the river or landing an invasion force . It was stripped of its artillery in 1553 and was demolished between 1557 and 1558 ; nothing remains of the building above ground , although archaeological investigations in the 1970s uncovered parts of the blockhouse 's foundations . = = Background = = Milton Blockhouse was built as a consequence of international tensions between England , France and the Holy Roman Empire in the final years of the reign of King Henry VIII . Traditionally the Crown had left coastal defences to the local lords and communities , playing only a modest role in building and maintaining fortifications , and while France and the Empire remained in conflict with one another , maritime raids were common but an actual invasion of England seemed unlikely . Modest defences , based around simple blockhouses and towers , existed in the south @-@ west and along the Sussex coast , as well as a few more impressive works in the north of England , but in general the fortifications were very limited in scale . In 1533 , Henry broke with Pope Paul III in order to annul the long @-@ standing marriage to his wife , Catherine of Aragon , and remarry . Catherine was the aunt of Charles V , the Holy Roman Emperor , and he took the annulment as a personal insult . This resulted in France and the Empire declaring an alliance against Henry in 1538 , and the Pope encouraging the two countries to attack England . An invasion of England now appeared certain . = = Device of 1539 = = Henry issued an order , called a " device " , in 1539 , giving instructions for the " defence of the realm in time of invasion " and the construction of forts along the English coastline . Under this programme of work the River Thames was protected by a mutually reinforcing network of blockhouses at Gravesend , Milton , and Higham on the south side of the river , and Tilbury and East Tilbury on the opposite bank . The fortifications were strategically placed . London and the newly constructed royal dockyards of Deptford and Woolwich were vulnerable to seaborne attacks arriving up the Thames estuary , which was then a major maritime route ; 80 percent of England 's exports passed through it . The village of Milton and the adjacent town of Gravesend , only 500 metres ( 1 @,@ 600 ft ) apart , formed a particularly important communications point along the river . They formed the centre of the " Long Ferry " traffic of passengers into the capital , and for the " Cross Ferry " over the river to Tilbury , resulting in the local riverbank becoming lined with wharfs . This was also the first point that an invasion force would be able to easily disembark along the Thames , as before this point the mudflats along the sides of the estuary would have made landings difficult . = = Construction = = Milton Blockhouse was designed by the Clerk of the King 's Works , James Nedeham , and the Master of Ordnance , Christopher Morice , with Robert Lorde serving as the paymaster for the project and Lionel Martin , John Ganyn and Mr Travers acting as the local overseers . The fort was built on Chapel Field , which the Crown bought , along with the land for Gravesend Blockhouse , from William Burston for £ 66 ; the field had previously been part of Milton Chantry , dissolved by Henry VIII during the Reformation . The work was quickly completed , and by 1540 the blockhouse was in operation and equipped with 30 artillery guns , 6 handguns and various pikes and longbows . Initially commanded by Captain Sir Edward Cobham , it had a small garrison of 12 men , including a second in command , a porter , three soldiers and seven gunners ; these men would have been supported by reinforcements if the fort had ever come under attack . Fresh fears of invasion after 1544 prompted further work being carried out on the blockhouse by Sir Richard Lee , a prominent military engineer , although peace was declared the following year . It is uncertain exactly what shape the fort took ; archaeological investigations suggest that it was probably D @-@ shaped , two storeys tall , with a circular bastion facing the river ; there would have been battery positions on either side of the main defences , and a more modern , angular bastion was added later on the landwards side . By 1546 the King 's accountants estimated that £ 1 @,@ 072 had been spent on building and developing the fortification . = = Destruction = = In 1553 , orders were issued for the artillery pieces to be removed from the blockhouse and taken to the Tower of London ; the fort was then demolished between 1557 and 1558 , the brick and stone from the site being reused to repair the Tower . The former site was probably rediscovered during excavations in 1826 , but was destroyed during the building of the Gravesend Canal Basin , Canal Road and the Gordon Pleasure Gardens later in the 19th century . Archaeological investigations between 1973 and 1978 uncovered the foundations of the blockhouse , now protected under UK law as a scheduled monument .

= Blackadder II = Blackadder II is the second series of the BBC sitcom Blackadder , written by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton , which aired from 9 January 1986 to 20 February 1986 . The series is set in England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I ( 1558 – 1603 ) , and sees the principal character , Edmund , Lord Blackadder , as a Tudor courtier attempting to win the favour of the Queen while avoiding execution by decapitation , a fate that befell many of her suitors . The series saw a number of significant changes from the format of The Black Adder , notably Ben Elton replacing Rowan Atkinson as the second writer , filming in studio sets , rather than on location , the introduction of the more familiar Machiavellian " Blackadder " character and a less intelligent Baldrick . = = Plot = = The series is set during the Elizabethan era ( 1558 – 1603 ) . The principal character , Edmund , Lord Blackadder ( Rowan Atkinson ) , is the great @-@ grandson of the original Black Adder , and is now a member of the London aristocracy . Unlike his forefather , he is both dashing and intelligent , although he is still scheming and cynical in his outlook . The series follows his attempts to win the favour of the childish Queen Elizabeth I ( Miranda Richardson ) . As before he is aided , and often hindered , by two less @-@ than @-@ intelligent sidekicks , his servant Baldrick ( Tony Robinson ) , and Lord Percy Percy ( Tim McInnerny ) , heir to the Duchy of Northumberland , with whom Blackadder has a grudging friendship . Throughout the series , Blackadder 's chief rival is Lord Melchett ( Stephen Fry ) , the Queen 's pretentious and grovelling Lord Chamberlain . Melchett is himself in fear of upsetting the Queen , and thus attempts to outdo Blackadder by supporting the Queen in whatever current fad she is interested in . Comic relief in the Court is provided by the Queen 's rather demented former nanny , Nursie ( Patsy Byrne ) . Baldrick , who in the first series was the most intelligent of the main trio , became more stupid , an idea proposed by Ben Elton to make him " the stupidest person in the history of ... human beings " , and to act as a foil to Blackadder 's new @-@ found intelligence . The series was also the originator of Baldrick 's obsession with the turnip , although this apparently arose from a botanical error on the part of Elton , who confused the vegetable with the " amusingly shaped " parsnip . Lord Percy remained similar in character to the original series , as a foolish sidekick in Blackadder 's plots and predicaments . In this respect , McInnerny has stated that the character bears a resemblance to Sir Andrew Aguecheek in Shakespeare 's Twelfth Night . Indeed , as with The Black Adder , the series featured many tongue @-@ in @-@ cheek references to Shakespeare 's plays ; Shakespeare is mentioned a number of times as a contemporary Elizabethan , and many of his famous quotations are twisted for comic effect . In particular the first episode " Bells " , follows a similar plot to Twelfth Night . = = Episodes = = The series aired for six episodes broadcast on Thursdays on BBC One at 9.30pm between 9 January 1986 and 20 February 1986 . " Head " was originally intended to be the first episode , and was first to be filmed . This resulted in the small continuity error of Lord Percy still having a beard in " Head " which he shaves off in " Bells " . In addition , during the early scenes of " Head " , the principal characters are introduced to the audience with Baldrick 's stupidity highlighted . = = Production = = = = = Development = = = Due to the high cost of the first series , Michael Grade ( the then controller of programming of BBC One ) was reluctant to sign off a second series without major improvements and cost @-@ cutting , leaving a gap of three years between the two series . Rowan Atkinson did not wish to continue writing for the second series , so writer and stand @-@ up comedian Ben Elton was chosen to replace him . According to producer John Lloyd , Ben Elton was particularly keen on the choice of the Elizabethan age for the series , because it was " a sexy age that the kids can relate to . " As a stand @-@ up comic , Elton often acted as the studio warm @-@ up comic to amuse the audience before filming began . The scripts were also tightened up during principal rehearsals with the actors — according to Richard Curtis , a whole script for a murder mystery – style episode was dropped because the writers felt it did not work . = = = Filming = = = To make the show more cost @-@ effective , it was principally filmed on specially designed small sets at BBC Television Centre created by designer Tony Thorpe . The sets were de @-@ constructed and rebuilt during the period of studio filming , as was normal for studio series then . In particular , the Queen 's throne room and Blackadder 's front room were featured in every episode , with only two further unique sets per episode , including an execution chamber in " Head " and a Spanish dungeon in " Chains " . Only one outside location shoot was used in the whole series , which took place before principal filming on Thursday 30 May 1985 at Wilton House , Wiltshire . These outdoor scenes were Blackadder 's courting scene in " Bells " and the end title sequences . Studio recordings shot in front of a live audience began on Sunday 9 June 1985 with the recording of " Head " . Subsequent episodes were filmed on a weekly basis in the sequence " Bells " , " Potato " , " Money " , " Beer " and " Chains " . Director Mandie Fletcher was keen for the action to be shot spontaneously and was averse to complex costume changes or special effects which required recording to be halted . She is reputed to have said filming it was " a bit like doing Shakespeare in front of an audience - it 's not at all like doing sitcom . " = = = Cast = = = The size of the principal cast was reduced compared to the previous series , with a fixed number of characters appearing in every episode . Richard Curtis has been quoted as saying that due to the familiar cast , the series was the happiest for him to work on , comparing it to a " friendly bunch of school chums " . Rowan Atkinson as Lord Edmund Blackadder Tim McInnerny as Lord Percy Percy , Heir to the Duchy of Northumberland Tony Robinson as Baldrick Miranda Richardson as Queen Elizabeth I of England Stephen Fry as Lord Melchett , the Lord Chamberlain Patsy Byrne as Nursie The series also featured at least one significant cameo role per episode , with notable appearances from Rik Mayall , playing the debonair Lord Flashheart in " Bells " , two figures famous for their roles in science fiction series - Tom Baker and Simon Jones - in " Potato " , Miriam Margolyes , who had appeared in the previous series , as the puritanical Lady Whiteadder , and Stephen Fry 's comedy partner Hugh Laurie appearing twice , first as the drunken Simon Partridge in " Beer " and in the final episode as the evil Prince Ludwig . Laurie was later given a larger role as George in the next two series . Also " Bob " , played by Gabrielle Glaister , a former classmate of Ben Elton 's , made " his " first appearance . Several of the characters were seen in similar guises in later series . = = = Music and titles = = = The opening titles are accompanied by a mock @-@ Elizabethan arrangement of Howard Goodall 's Blackadder theme played on a recorder and an electric guitar , and feature a black snake slithering about on a marble table . The snake , noncompliant to the wishes of its handler , is eventually removed and replaced with something related to the episode title , which in this series is always a single noun . The opening ominous string crescendo and imagery are a parody of the opening credits of the 1976 BBC television adaptation of Robert Graves ' I , Claudius . The closing titles use a different arrangement of the theme , sung by countertenor Jeremy Jackman , with lyrics ( usually insulting Blackadder ) that reflect the events of the preceding episode . The song is played over a shot of Blackadder strolling through a formal garden and being annoyed by the lute @-@ wielding minstrel ( Tony Aitken ) . This sequence was incorporated as a separate subplot , with Blackadder constantly attempting to apprehend the musician each time with limited success . At the end of the final episode , Blackadder catches the minstrel and repeatedly dunks him in a fountain . = = Releases = = The complete series of Blackadder II is available as a Region 2 DVD from BBC Worldwide , as well as in a complete box @-@ set with the other series , most recently as a remastered edition including a commentary on selected episodes . An earlier VHS release of the series was also produced in 1996 . The series is also available in Region 1 DVD in a box @-@ set of the complete series . In addition , an audio recording taken from the television episodes is available on cassette and compact disc . = = = VHS releases = = = In about October 1989 , BBC Enterprises Ltd released all 6 episodes of Blackadder II on two single videos and on 7 September 1992 all 6 episodes of Blackadder II were re @-@ released on ' Complete ' double VHS releases . All 6 episodes were re @-@ released on a single video release on 2 October 1995 . = = = DVD releases = = =

= Morpholino = A morpholino , also known as a morpholino oligomer and as a phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomer ( PMO ) , is type of oligomer molecule ( colloquially , an oligo ) used in molecular biology to modify gene expression . The molecular structure has a backbone of methylenemorpholine rings and phosphorodiamidate linkages . Morpholinos block access of other molecules to small ( ~ 25 base ) specific sequences of the base @-@ pairing surfaces of ribonucleic acid ( RNA ) . Morpholinos are used as research tools for reverse genetics by knocking down gene function . They are being studied for application in medicine . This article discusses only the morpholino antisense oligomers , which are nucleic acid analogs . The word " morpholino " can occur in other chemical names , referring to chemicals containing a six @-@ membered morpholine ring . To help avoid confusion with other morpholine @-@ containing molecules , when describing oligos " Morpholino " is often capitalized as a trade name , but this usage is not consistent throughout the scientific literature . Gene knockdown is achieved by preventing cells from making a targeted protein . Morpholinos can also modify the splicing of pre @-@ mRNA . Knocking down gene expression is a powerful method for learning about the function of a particular protein ; in a similar manner , causing a specific exon to be spliced out of a protein can help to determine the function of the protein moiety encoded by that exon or can sometimes knock down the protein activity altogether . These molecules have been applied to studies in several model organisms , including mice , zebrafish , frogs , and sea urchins . Morpholinos are in development as pharmaceutical therapeutics targeted against pathogenic organisms such as bacteria or viruses and for amelioration of genetic diseases . These synthetic oligos were conceived by James E. Summerton ( Gene Tools ) and originally developed in collaboration with Dwight D. Weller at a biotech corporation ( formerly Antivirals , renamed AVI BioPharma , renamed Sarepta Therapeutics ) . The experimental Morpholino drug eteplirsen from Sarepta Therapeutics is currently ( April 2016 ) in Phase III clinical trials for treatment of some mutations causing Duchenne muscular dystrophy . = = Structure = = Morpholinos are synthetic molecules that are the product of a redesign of natural nucleic acid structure . Usually 25 bases in length , they bind to complementary sequences of RNA by standard nucleic acid base @-@ pairing . In terms of structure , the difference between Morpholinos and DNA is that , while Morpholinos have standard nucleic acid bases , those bases are bound to morpholine rings instead of deoxyribose rings and linked through phosphorodiamidate groups instead of phosphates . This may be easiest to visualize by referring to the first figure and comparing the structures of the two strands depicted there , one of RNA and the other of a Morpholino . Replacement of anionic phosphates with the uncharged phosphorodiamidate groups eliminates ionization in the usual physiological pH range , so Morpholinos in organisms or cells are uncharged molecules . The entire backbone of a Morpholino is made from these modified subunits . = = Function = = Morpholinos do not degrade their target RNA molecules , unlike many antisense structural types ( e.g. , phosphorothioates , siRNA ) . Instead , Morpholinos act by " steric blocking " , binding to a target sequence within an RNA and simply getting in the way of molecules that might otherwise interact with the RNA . Morpholino oligos are often used to investigate the role of a specific mRNA transcript in an embryo . Developmental biologists inject Morpholino oligos into eggs or embryos of zebrafish , African clawed frog ( Xenopus ) , sea urchin , and killifish ( F. heteroclitus ) producing morphant embryos , or electroporate Morpholinos into chick embryos at later stages of development . With appropriate cytosolic delivery systems , Morpholinos are effective in cell culture . Vivo @-@ Morpholinos , in which the oligo is covalently linked to a delivery dendrimer , enter cells when administered systemically in adult animals . = = = Normal gene expression in eukaryotes = = = In eukaryotic organisms , pre @-@ mRNA is transcribed in the nucleus , introns are spliced out , then the mature mRNA is exported from the nucleus to the cytoplasm . The small subunit of the ribosome usually starts by binding to one end of the mRNA and is joined there by various other eukaryotic initiation factors , forming the initiation complex . The initiation complex scans along the mRNA strand until it reaches a start codon , and then the large subunit of the ribosome attaches to the small subunit and translation of a protein begins . This entire process is referred to as gene expression ; it is the process by which the information in a gene , encoded as a sequence of bases in DNA , is converted into the structure of a protein . A Morpholino can modify splicing or block translation , depending on the Morpholino 's base sequence . = = = Blocking translation = = = Bound to the 5 ' -untranslated region of messenger RNA ( mRNA ) , Morpholinos can interfere with progression of the ribosomal initiation complex from the 5 ' cap to the start codon . This prevents translation of the coding region of the targeted transcript ( called " knocking down " gene expression ) . This is useful experimentally when an investigator wishes to know the function of a particular protein ; Morpholinos provide a convenient means of knocking down expression of the protein and learning how that knockdown changes the cells or organism . Some Morpholinos knock down expression so effectively that , after degradation of preexisting proteins , the targeted proteins become undetectable by Western blot ( e.g. , figure 1 in : ) . = = = Modifying pre @-@ mRNA splicing = = = Morpholinos can interfere with pre @-@ mRNA processing steps either by preventing splice @-@ directing small nuclear ribonucleoproteins ( snRNP ) complexes from binding to their targets at the borders of introns on a strand of pre @-@ mRNA , or by blocking the nucleophilic adenine base and preventing it from forming the splice lariat structure , or by interfering with the binding of splice regulatory proteins such as splice silencers and splice enhancers . Preventing the binding of snRNP U1 ( at the donor site ) or U2 / U5 ( at the polypyrimidine moiety and acceptor site ) can cause modified splicing , commonly excluding exons from the mature mRNA . Targeting some splice targets results in intron inclusions , while activation of cryptic splice sites can lead to partial inclusions or exclusions . Targets of U11 / U12 snRNPs can also be blocked . Splice modification can be conveniently assayed by reverse @-@ transcriptase polymerase chain reaction ( RT @-@ PCR ) and is seen as a band shift after gel electrophoresis of RT @-@ PCR products . = = = Other applications : blocking other mRNA sites and use as probes = = = Morpholinos have been used to block miRNA activity and maturation . Fluorescein tagged Morpholinos , combined with fluorescein @-@ specific antibodies , can be used as probes for in @-@ situ hybridization to miRNAs . Morpholinos can block ribozyme activity . U2 and U12 snRNP functions have been inhibited by Morpholinos . Morpholinos targeted to " slippery " mRNA sequences within protein coding regions can induce translational frameshifts . Morpholinos can block editing of RNA . Activities of Morpholinos against this variety of targets suggest that Morpholinos can be used as a general @-@ purpose tool for blocking interactions of proteins or nucleic acids with mRNA . = = Specificity , stability and non @-@ antisense effects = = Morpholinos have become a standard knockdown tool in animal embryonic systems , which have a broader range of gene expression than adult cells and can be strongly affected by an off @-@ target interaction . Following initial injections into frog or fish embryos at the single @-@ cell or few @-@ cell stages , Morpholino effects can be measured up to five days later , after most of the processes of organogenesis and differentiation are past , with observed phenotypes consistent with target @-@ gene knockdown . Control oligos with irrelevant sequences usually produce no change in embryonic phenotype , evidence of the Morpholino oligo 's sequence @-@ specificity and lack of non @-@ antisense effects . The dose required for a knockdown can be reduced by coinjection of several Morpholino oligos targeting the same mRNA , which is an effective strategy for reducing or eliminating dose @-@ dependent off @-@ target RNA interactions . mRNA rescue experiments can often restore the wild @-@ type phenotype to the embryos and provide evidence for the specificity of a Morpholino . In an mRNA rescue , a Morpholino is co @-@ injected with an mRNA that codes for the same protein that the Morphlino is targeted to knock down . However , the rescue mRNA has a modified 5 ' -UTR ( untranslated region ) so that the rescue mRNA contains no target for the Morpholino but the rescue mRNA 's coding region encodes the protein of interest . Translation of the rescue mRNA replaces production of the protein that was knocked down by the Morpholino . Since the rescue mRNA would not affect phenotypic changes due to modulation of off @-@ target gene expression by the Morpholino , this return to wild @-@ type phenotype is further evidence of Morpholino specificity . Because of their completely unnatural backbones , Morpholinos are not recognized by cellular proteins . Nucleases do not degrade Morpholinos , nor are they degraded in serum or in cells . Morpholinos do not activate toll @-@ like receptors and so they do not activate innate immune responses such as interferon induction or the NF @-@ κB @-@ mediated inflammation response . Morpholinos are not known to modify methylation of DNA . Up to 18 % of Morpholinos appear to induce nontarget @-@ related phenotypes including cell death in the central nervous system and somite tissues of zebrafish embryos . Most of these effects have been shown to be due to activation of p53 @-@ mediated apoptosis , and can be suppressed by co @-@ injection of an anti @-@ p53 Morpholino along with the experimental Morpholino ; moreover , the p53 @-@ mediated apoptotic effect of a Morpholino knockdown has been phenocopied using another antisense structural type , showing the p53 @-@ mediated apoptosis to be a consequence of the loss of the targeted protein and not a consequence of the oligo type used to knock down the protein . It appears that these effects are sequence @-@ specific ; as in most cases , if a Morpholino is associated with non @-@ target effects , the 4 @-@ base mismatch Morpholino will not trigger these effects . A cause for concern in the use of Morpholinos is the potential for " off @-@ target " effects . Whether an observed morphant phenotype is due to the intended knockdown or an interaction with an off @-@ target RNA can often be addressed by running another experiment to confirm that the observed morphant phenotype results from the knockdown of the expected target . This can be done by recapitulating the morphant phenotype with a second , non @-@ overlapping Morpholino targeting the same mRNA or by confirmation of the observed phenotypes by use of a mutant strain or dominant @-@ negative methods . As mentioned above , rescue of observed phenotypes by coinjecting a rescue mRNA is , when feasible , a reliable test of specificity of a Morpholino . = = Delivery = = For a Morpholino to be effective , it must be delivered past the cell membrane into the cytosol of a cell . Once in the cytosol , Morpholinos freely diffuse between the cytosol and nucleus , as demonstrated by the nuclear splice @-@ modifying activity of Morpholinos observed after microinjection into the cytosol of cells . Different methods are used for delivery into embryos , into cultured cells or into adult animals . A microinjection apparatus is usually used for delivery into an embryo , with injections most commonly performed at the single @-@ cell or few @-@ cell stage ; an alternative method for embryonic delivery is electroporation , which can deliver oligos into tissues of later embryonic stages . Common techniques for delivery into cultured cells include the Endo @-@ Porter peptide ( which causes the Morpholino to be released from endosomes ) , the Special Delivery system ( no longer commercially available , used a Morpholino @-@ DNA heteroduplex and an ethoxylated polyethylenimine delivery reagent ) , electroporation , or scrape loading . Delivery into adult tissues is usually difficult , though there are a few systems allowing useful uptake of unmodified Morpholino oligos ( including the inherently leaky muscle cells caused by Duchenne muscular dystrophy or the vascular endothelial cells stressed during balloon angioplasty ) . Though they permeate through intercellular spaces in tissues effectively , unconjugated PMOs have limited distribution into the cytosol and nuclear spaces within healthy tissues following IV administration . Systemic delivery into many cells in adult organisms can be accomplished by using covalent conjugates of Morpholino oligos with cell @-@ penetrating peptides , and , while toxicity has been associated with moderate doses of the peptide conjugates , they have been used in vivo for effective oligo delivery at doses below those causing observed toxicity . An octa @-@ guanidinium dendrimer attached to the end of a Morpholino can deliver the modified oligo ( called a Vivo @-@ Morpholino ) from the blood to the cytosol . Delivery @-@ enabled Morpholinos , such as peptide conjugates and Vivo @-@ Morpholinos , show promise as therapeutics for viral and genetic diseases .

= Bart the General = " Bart the General " is the fifth episode of The Simpsons ' first season . It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on February 4 , 1990 . The episode deals with Bart 's troubles with the bully , Nelson Muntz . Bart chooses to go to war with Nelson uniting the neighborhood children against him . The episode was written by John Swartzwelder and directed by David Silverman . = = Plot = = Bart gets into a fight with Nelson Muntz , the school bully , while defending Lisa and the cupcakes that she baked for Miss Hoover 's birthday party . Nelson beats up Bart after school and warns him to expect the same treatment the following day . At home , Marge consoles and encourages Bart to reason with Nelson . Homer urges Bart to bend the rules and fight dirty . Taking Homer 's advice , Bart does so , but is beaten up again . Bart turns to the toughest member of the Simpson family , Grampa Simpson , who introduces Bart to Herman , the crazed one @-@ armed proprietor of an army surplus store . He instructs Bart on military tactics , then Bart declares war on Nelson and his sidekicks . Bart enlists Nelson 's other victims in his army and trains them for combat . Herman commands from Bart 's treehouse as Bart leads his forces into battle . Ambushing Nelson and his sidekicks , they commence saturation bombing with water balloons . Nelson 's thugs surrender , and Nelson is taken prisoner . He threatens to beat up Bart as soon as he is untied . Herman drafts the armistice treaty , which states that Nelson will retain his position and name , but will not hold any actual power . Then , Bart and Nelson sign the treaty . Then , Marge enters with cupcakes , and peace prevails . = = Production = = This episode was running too long to use the normal opening sequence . It therefore did not feature a chalkboard gag or a couch gag . Instead , it just cut to an image of the Simpson house . David Silverman was the director and was somewhat stressed , because he was doing storyboards for this episode while also directing " Bart the Genius " . Originally , he had planned to use the song " War " by Edwin Starr in the episode . The plans were dropped , when they decided that the song did not really fit the story . The episode had problems with the censors , who did not want the characters to say " family jewels " on prime time television . The producers ignored the notes and " family jewels " remained in the episode . This act of attempted censorship was reflected in the part where Grampa Simpson writes a letter complaining of how sexualized television has become and gives a list of words he never wants to hear on TV again , one of which is " family jewels " . Two new characters were introduced in this episode . The first , Nelson Muntz , remains a frequently used recurring character , while the second , Herman , has been used far less . The design of Herman , with the exception of his missing arm , was inspired by writer John Swartzwelder . His voice , as performed by Harry Shearer , was partly inspired by George H. W. Bush . The original idea for Herman was for him to have a differing story for the loss of his arm with every appearance . = = Cultural references = = The episode featured several references to war films . Several lines of dialogue , Bart slapping one of his soldiers for " being a disgrace " , and the music was lifted directly from the film Patton from 1970 composed by Jerry Goldsmith . Fox owned the rights to this film , so it was no problem to use the soundtrack . The marching sequence is a nod to Stanley Kubrick 's Full Metal Jacket from 1987 . The Longest Day from 1962 is also referenced . The silhouettes of the children climbing the jungle gym against the setting sun are a reference to Stanley Kubrick 's 1987 film Full Metal Jacket . The episode parodies the famous sailor kissing a girl in Times Square photograph taken on V @-@ J Day , where a random boy in a sailor suit kisses Lisa , before she slaps him in the face . Bart concludes the episode by stating that the only " good wars " are the American Revolution , World War II , and the Star Wars trilogy . = = Reception = = In its original American broadcast , " Bart the General " finished 31st place in the weekly ratings for the week of January 29 - February 4 , 1990 with a Nielsen rating of 14 @.@ 3 . It was the highest rated show on the Fox Network that week . Since airing , the episode has received mostly positive reviews from television critics . The authors of the book I Can 't Believe It 's a Bigger and Better Updated Unofficial Simpsons Guide , Warren Martyn and Adrian Wood , said : " Some good lines and setpieces aside - we love Bart 's fantasy of death at Nelson 's hands - this episode nevertheless feels a bit unsure of itself , particularly towards the end . " In a DVD review of the first season David B. Grelck gave the episode a rating of 3 / 5 and adds " Another episode that helped to propel Bart 's popularity into the stratosphere ... " . Colin Jacobson at DVD Movie Guide said in a review that the episode " remains a primitive example of The Simpsons , but it ’ s a reasonably amusing and entertaining experience . " and added that the episode " lacks the subtlety and cleverness found on later episodes , but it was onto something . " Matt Groening notes on the commentary track that he finds it strange how controversial this episode seemed at the time of its release . Today , they would go a lot further and to him this episode now seems harmless . The episode 's reference to Full Metal Jacket was named the eleventh greatest film reference in the history of the show by Nathan Ditum of Total Film . = = = Use in scientific research = = = " Bart the General " and Seinfeld 's " The Tape " were used in a Dartmouth College experiment to study brain activity in relation to humorous moments in television shows . The results were published in a 2004 issue of the academic journal Neurolmage . The researchers noted , " During moments of humor detection , significant [ brain ] activation was noted in the left posterior middle temporal gyrus ... and left inferior frontal gyrus " . = = Home release = = The episode was released first on home video in the United Kingdom , as part of a VHS release titled The Simpsons Collection ; the episode was paired with season one episode " There 's No Disgrace Like Home " . It was released in the US on the VHS release The Best of The Simpsons , Vol . 2 ( 1997 ) , paired with " Moaning Lisa " . It was later re @-@ released in the US in a collector 's edition boxed set of the first three volumes of The Best of The Simpsons collections . It was re @-@ released in the UK as part of VHS boxed set of the complete first season , released in November 1999 . The episode 's debut on the DVD format was as a part of The Simpsons season one DVD set , which was released on September 25 , 2001 . Groening , Brooks , and Silverman participated in the DVD 's audio commentary . A digital edition of the series ' first season was published December 20 , 2010 in the United States containing the episode , through Amazon Video and iTunes .

= Omak , Washington = Omak ( / oʊˈmæk / o @-@ MAK ) is a city located in the foothills of the Okanogan Highlands in north @-@ central Washington , United States . With an estimated 4 @,@ 854 residents as of 2015 , distributed over a land area of 3 @.@ 43 square miles ( 8 @.@ 9 km2 ) , Omak is the largest municipality of Okanogan County and the largest municipality in Central Washington north of Wenatchee . The Greater Omak Area of around 8 @,@ 229 inhabitants as of the 2010 census is the largest urban cluster in the Okanogan Country region , encompassing most of its twin city of Okanogan . The population has increased significantly since the 1910 census , reporting 520 residents just prior to incorporation in 1911 . The land that is now Omak had been inhabited by various Native American tribes before the arrival of non @-@ indigenous settlers in the early 19th century . The city began to develop after the completion of the Okanogan Irrigation Project affecting the Grand Coulee Dam and other nearby electric facilities . The housing and municipal infrastructure , along with regional infrastructure connecting the new town to other municipalities , were built simultaneously in 1908 supported by the local agricultural industry . The name Omak comes from the Okanagan placename [ umák ] , or the Salishan term Omache — which is said to mean " good medicine " or " plenty " , referring to its favorable climate , with an annual high of around 88 ° F ( 31 ° C ) . Omak acts as the gateway to the Okanogan National Forest and consists of a central business district and residential neighborhoods . Omak is a code city governed by a seven @-@ member council and the state 's 4th district . Omak 's economy is dominated by the primary industries of agriculture and forestry , although economic diversification has occurred with sawmills and recreational tourism . Nearby recreational destinations include walking trails , state parks and national forests , such as Conconully State Park , Bridgeport State Park and Osoyoos Lake State Park . The city is home to a weekly newspaper , the Omak – Okanogan County Chronicle , and a Wenatchee Valley College campus . Standards for education in Omak are higher than the state 's average , though drugs and alcohol remains a problem among students . The prominent U.S. Route 97 intersects in town , while Washington State Route 155 , as well as Washington State Route 215 , connects the city to Okanogan and Nespelem , respectively . By road , Omak is located approximately 235 miles ( 378 km ) from Seattle , Washington , 140 miles ( 230 km ) from Spokane , Washington and 125 miles ( 201 km ) from Kelowna , British Columbia . = = History = = = = = Origin = = = The Okanogan Valley was the traditional homeland of the Syilx ( also called Okanogan ) Native Americans , whose territory extended north into what is now Canada . The Syilx acquired horses in the mid @-@ 18th century , which helped them expand northward . They first met non @-@ native traders and missionaries in the early 19th century . The Syilx participated in trade fairs held at Kettle Falls and at the mouth of the Fraser River . Trading networks strengthened after the acquisition of horses in the mid @-@ 18th century . In 1811 Fort Okanogan was built by the Pacific Fur Company at the confluence of the Okanogan and Columbia Rivers . The fort 's ownership passed to the North West Company , then the Hudson 's Bay Company . Fort Colvile , near Kettle Falls , was another important fur trading outpost . The Okanogan River was used by fur brigades traveling between Fort Okanogan and Kamloops . In the late 1850s this route became known as the Okanagan Trail and was widely used as an inland route to the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush . In the 1850s , European @-@ Americans settled in the area that is now Omak and built houses and inaugurated mining , logging and agricultural activities . As more white settlers arrived , a dispute about land ownership arose between them and the Native Americans . In response , a treaty stating that an Indian reservation would be formed on some of the disputed land while the European @-@ Americans would own the remaining land was signed . The Indian land was later reduced to about 5 @,@ 000 @,@ 000 acres ( 2 @,@ 000 @,@ 000 ha ) . Colville Indian Reservation was developed around 1872 by President Ulysses S. Grant . In 1887 , the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation , a federally recognized tribe , was formed by executive order from 12 individual bands as per the General Allotment Act of 1887 . The federal government decided to move Colville Indian Reservation 's location west of Columbia River , reducing its area to 2 @,@ 800 @,@ 000 acres ( 1 @,@ 100 @,@ 000 ha ) . It would continue to be reduced for the next 60 years . Nearby Alma was platted as an unincorporated community around 1886 . Alma was renamed Pogue in honor of orchardist J.I. Pogue , and was later renamed Okanogan — the present name . J.I. Pogue was upset that his name was replaced , and requested that surveyor , civil engineer and settler Ben Ross establish another town 4 miles ( 6 @.@ 4 km ) to the north . Born in Bureau County , Illinois , Ross worked for the Great Northern Railroad shortly before moving to Okanogan County . He decided to found a new community at Pogue 's proposed location during 1907 . It was named Omak , supposedly for the Salishan word Omache — said to mean " good medicine " or " plenty " — and referring to the town 's favorable climate ; although according to William Bright the name comes from the Okanagan placename [ umák ] . Ross sold various items on the present townsite , trying to have his town recognized , and built a cabin in 1907 to provide shelter for his daughter , son and grandchildren — becoming one of the first white men to settle the area . = = = Growth = = = The town began to develop after the completion of the Okanogan Irrigation Project , which was designed to facilitate farming . At this time , many farmers came to Omak looking for homes . Fruits including apples , berries , peaches , plums and watermelons were cultivated after 1910 . Omak served as a census @-@ designated place ( CDP ) in 1910 , and incorporated as a city on February 11 , 1911 . Omak and Okanogan have shared a rivalry in high school sports . During the Great Depression of 1933 , several residents of Omak were forced to work in nearby communities . As a result , the United States Bureau of Reclamation promoted work which was available as part of an improvement project at Grand Coulee Dam in nearby Coulee Dam , which employed approximately 5 @,@ 000 people between 1933 and 1951 when the megaproject ended . By 1950 , the city was home to various buildings and structures including the St. Mary Mission church , which satisfied residential needs . In the 1910s , Omak was chosen as the location for a sawmill to expand economic growth . Omak Fruit Growers controlled the mill and a nearby orchard processing factory . The Biles @-@ Coleman Lumber Company bought out the organization and built a sawmill outside municipal boundaries on the nearby Omak Mountain in 1924 . A secondary sawmill was constructed in the Omak area . The company and their mills were purchased in 1975 by Crown Zellerbach and thus an associated organization — Cavenham Forest Industries — acquired the mills . The company ultimately went bankrupt , and in response , employees purchased the mill for 45 million dollars and renamed it Omak Wood Products in an attempt to save their jobs . Omak Woods Products ' payroll decreased to 480 in the early 1990s and later went bankrupt themselves , along with Quality Veneer , who later owned the property for 19 million dollars until 2000 . The Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation later purchased the mill for 6 @.@ 6 million dollars , having closed in 2009 because of low demand , ending over 130 jobs . As of 2013 , there are proposals to reopen the mills during the summer season . = = Geography = = = = = Topography = = = The Canada – United States border — with an official crossing into Osoyoos , British Columbia from Oroville — lies approximately 45 miles ( 72 km ) to the north . The Idaho border lies about 160 miles ( 260 km ) southeast . The state 's largest city , Seattle , lies 237 miles ( 381 km ) southwest of Omak . The Okanogan River , coming out of the town of Riverside , defines the city 's northern border , while the southern border is defined by the city of Okanogan ; the terrain here is mountainous and forested . The nearest primary statistical area is the Wenatchee – East Wenatchee metropolitan area . A CDP located northeast of the city was named North Omak because of its proximity to Omak . It is part of two census county divisions : Omak ( western half ) and Colville Reservation ( eastern half ) . Omak , situated in the foothills of the Okanogan Highlands in central Okanogan County , is part of the Okanogan Country region , extending into British Columbia . It also lies within the Inland Northwest , centered on Spokane , and the Columbia Plateau ecoregion near the Okanogan Drift Hills . The Okanogan River , a 115 @-@ mile ( 185 km ) tributary of the Columbia River , flows through the central portion of the city , and receives Omak Creek from the east just outside municipal boundaries . Known for its balancing Omak Rock , the 3 @,@ 244 @-@ acre ( 1 @,@ 313 ha ) Omak Lake — 950 feet ( 290 m ) above sea level — is the largest saline endorheic lake in Washington . The 80 @-@ acre ( 32 ha ) Crawfish Lake is located about 15 miles ( 24 km ) northeast of Omak at the border of the Colville Indian Reservation and Okanogan National Forest . The 1 @,@ 499 @,@ 023 @-@ acre ( 6 @,@ 066 @.@ 33 km2 ) forest comprises varied terrain and several mountain peaks . Elevations around the area range from 780 feet ( 240 m ) above sea level at the mouth of the Okanogan River to 6 @,@ 774 feet ( 2 @,@ 065 m ) above sea level at the Moses Mountain . The average elevation is 843 feet ( 257 m ) above sea level according to the United States Geological Survey ( USGS ) . The Moses Mountain , with a summit , sits east of the city , while Little Moses Mountain , located 5 @,@ 963 feet ( 1 @,@ 818 m ) above sea level , and Omak Mountain , located 5 @,@ 749 feet ( 1 @,@ 752 m ) above sea level , are adjacent to the Moses Mountain . West of the city are the North Cascades , anchored by the Cascade Range . Mountain peaks on the western portion of the Omak area range between 6 @,@ 000 feet ( 1 @,@ 800 m ) and 8 @,@ 000 feet ( 2 @,@ 400 m ) . The Coleman Butte mountain summit — 1 @,@ 450 feet ( 440 m ) above sea level — is located directly adjacent to municipal boundaries . According to the United States Census Bureau , the city encompasses a total area of 3 @.@ 5 square miles ( 9 @.@ 06 km2 ) , including 0 @.@ 07 square miles ( 0 @.@ 18 km2 ) of water , accounting for two percent of the overall area . The area expanded in April 2010 , when 0 @.@ 56 square miles ( 1 @.@ 5 km2 ) of land formerly within the city of Okanogan was accumulated . Omak is the fourth largest settlement in Okanogan County by area after Nespelem Community ( 23 sq mi ; 60 km2 ) , North Omak ( 11 @.@ 2 sq mi ; 29 km2 ) and Disautel ( 3 @.@ 80 sq mi ; 9 @.@ 8 km2 ) . Omak covers 0 @.@ 07 percent of the county 's total area . Its 4 @.@ 83 @-@ square @-@ mile ( 12 @.@ 5 km2 ) urban cluster , the Greater Omak Area , includes the city of Okanogan and the CDP of North Omak . The surrounding metropolitan region comprises a total area of 1 @,@ 037 square miles ( 2 @,@ 690 km2 ) , although it has not officially been designated as a statistical area . = = = Climate = = = The city experiences a semi @-@ arid climate ( Köppen climate classification BSk ) , with little precipitation , hot summers and cold winters . Average temperatures in Omak range from 16 @.@ 6 ° F ( − 8 @.@ 6 ° C ) in January to 88 @.@ 8 ° F ( 31 @.@ 6 ° C ) in July . The lowest temperature recorded was − 26 ° F ( − 32 ° C ) on February 1 , 1950 and the highest was 114 ° F ( 46 ° C ) on July 26 , 1928 . The annual daily mean temperature is 48 @.@ 6 ° F ( 9 @.@ 2 ° C ) . Average monthly precipitation ranges from 0 @.@ 49 inches ( 12 mm ) in August to 1 @.@ 66 inches ( 42 mm ) in December . Despite its geographical location further south , the city of Wenatchee maintains almost the same average annual temperature as Omak , as well as several other southern communities . Omak experiences four distinct seasons . Summers are hot and relatively dry , with a daily average of 72 @.@ 2 ° F ( 22 @.@ 3 ° C ) in July , while winter is the wettest season of the year , with 22 @.@ 3 inches ( 570 mm ) of snowfall between November and February . Spring and autumn are mild seasons with little precipitation . The city is located in plant hardiness zone 6a , according to the United States Department of Agriculture ( USDA ) . In July 2012 , a severe thunderstorm occurred in Omak , producing heavy rainfall , gusty winds and hail , and forced the temporary closure of U.S. Route 97 and requiring repairs to public streets . Omak was affected by the 1872 North Cascades earthquake — the state 's largest historical earthquake — which occurred on December 14 , 1872 . The epicenter was at Omak Lake . The earthquake had a magnitude of between 6 @.@ 5 and 7 @.@ 0 and was followed by an aftershock . Another earthquake with minor shaking affected the city in November 2011 . = = = Cityscape = = = Omak is a planned city . Throughout the 20th century , Ross designed what would become the city of Omak . Within a year of its establishment , the town had a central business district with a public bank and hotel supported by the local agricultural industry . The town was provided with a post office , previously known as Epley . Ross founded Omak School District in 1906 ; soon after this its first school , Omak Schoolhouse , was built . In 1910 , a meat market , hardware shop , law office , stationery and confectionery store were constructed in Downtown Omak . A steel bridge built the following year collapsed into the Okanogan River upon initial use . It was quickly rebuilt with no further problems . The city consists of a central business district and residential areas . Downtown Omak , the central business district , is the economic center for Omak and Okanogan County . There are several functional churches in the city . The post office in Omak — managed by United States Postal Service ( USPS ) — is the city 's only listing of the National Register of Historic Places ( NRHP ) . The Breadline Cafe is a notable restaurant and music venue in Downtown Omak . The City of Omak maintains the Omak Memorial Cemetery , comprising around 3 @,@ 747 graves in a region located adjacent to Washington State Route 215 , having been formerly known as Okanoma Cemetery . The 118 @-@ acre ( 48 ha ) North Omak Business Park , the city 's business park , is bordered by U.S. Route 97 from the east . The city 's residential neighborhoods are encompassed by East Omak and South Omak . = = Demographics = = The 1910 United States Census , before the city 's incorporation , recorded 520 residents . The following 1920 census — the first to define Omak as a distinct subdivision — counted 2 @,@ 500 residents , making it the most populous municipality of Okanogan County , having surpassed Okanogan ( 1 @,@ 519 residents ) . Subsequent census counts documented an increase to 4 @,@ 000 residents before a shrink in population at the 1980 census , when fruit prices rose , land was lost , and major employers were shut down . After this decline , the population steadily increased , approaching approximately 5 @,@ 000 residents by the 2000 census . Between 1990 and 2000 , the city 's population experienced a boom of 14 @.@ 7 percent , while between 2000 and 2010 , the population increased by around 2 @.@ 6 percent . The United States Census Bureau estimated that there were 4 @,@ 792 residents in 2013 , representing a 0 @.@ 6 percent increase over the 2010 census , while an estimate from Office of Federal Financial Management in 2013 documented a population decrease of 0 @.@ 3 percent to 4 @,@ 830 people . A 2011 study from the United States Census Bureau showed that there were 4 @,@ 881 residents , a 0 @.@ 7 percent increase over the 2010 census . According to the 2010 census , Omak had 4 @,@ 845 residents living in 2 @,@ 037 households , with 1 @,@ 412 @.@ 5 inhabitants per square mile ( 545 @.@ 4 / km2 ) . These residents created an average age of 38 — one year higher than that of the entire state . About 15 percent of residents were single and 13 percent were lone @-@ parent households . With 2 @,@ 168 housing units at an average density of 632 @.@ 1 inhabitants per square mile ( 244 @.@ 1 / km2 ) , the city 's populace consisted of 2 @,@ 540 females and 2 @,@ 305 males , giving it a gender balance close to national averages with 14 @.@ 8 percent male and 11 @.@ 9 percent female . The racial makeup was dominated by white people , with 71 percent of the population . Between the 2000 and 2010 censuses , Omak had an increase of 10 families to 1 @,@ 230 and a decrease of 21 lone @-@ parent families . Omak had an urbanized population of 8 @,@ 229 people , with 1 @,@ 737 inhabitants per square mile ( 670 @.@ 7 / km2 ) and around 20 percent of the county 's residents . The last complete census in 2000 found that the average household consisted of around two residents and the average family consisted of approximately three people . Approximately 89 @.@ 5 percent of residents over the age of five spoke English at home , according to the 2007 – 2011 American Community Survey . It was then estimated that 889 people , comprising 18 @.@ 5 percent of local inhabitants have German ancestry — the largest ethnicity in Omak — and 15 @.@ 3 percent have Irish ancestry . The Omak area has a relatively high percentage of people of American Indian and Mexican ancestries ; there were over 80 American Indians and over 535 Mexican immigrants , with a combined percentage of 28 percent of residents . Conversely , the city has a small Asian population , making up less than one percent of Omakians . The 2010 census showed that approximately 35 percent of residents lived alone , most of whom were female . Those over the age of 65 comprised about 16 percent of the population . There have been several efforts to provide service to the homeless people of Omak , although official population figures have not been released . = = Economy = = Omak is the commercial center for the rural communities of Okanogan County and other nearby settlements . It is the regional center for services and trade in the county . As of 2007 , the city 's economy is experiencing significant growth , according to the County of Okanogan . It is an agricultural community with a reliant forestry industry . In the late 1990s and early 2000s , almost 90 percent of Omak 's manufacturing jobs were in the city 's two sawmills . Infrastructure services and retail trades were also major industries . About 425 private firms employed a total of 3 @,@ 332 workers in local industries including manufacturing , retail and infrastructure , at this time . Located within Greater Omak , the adjacent city of Okanogan serves as the administrative center for Okanogan County , the region 's largest employer . As of 2010 , there are 1 @,@ 859 civilians over the age of 16 employed in the city of Omak . Despite its recognition as an agricultural community , there were only 26 inhabitants employed in the agriculture and forestry industries , but the surrounding area has more agricultural jobs . Office and sale services were the largest occupation in Omak , comprising approximately 30 percent of the city 's total employees , followed by business occupations , with 26 @.@ 5 percent . Majority of residents work in public services . Approximately seven percent of people in Omak are unemployed , while 25 percent live below the poverty line , including 34 percent of those under 18 and 10 percent of those aged 65 or over . The cost of living rate is 85 @.@ 5 per unit , less than state and national averages . During the 2007 – 2011 American Community Survey , the city had a per capita income of $ 17 @,@ 785 and an average income of $ 31 @,@ 649 per household . Omak 's 98841 zip code maintained 265 businesses in 2011 , with an average payroll of $ 78 @,@ 884 . The city has a Walmart store , which was built in 1993 as the state 's first such store , serving over 60 @,@ 000 residents . The process of opening the retail facility took various discussions and approvals . Proposals in Omak began around 1992 , in which 93 @,@ 188 square feet ( 8 @,@ 657 @.@ 4 m2 ) of land were expropriated from the Omak Planning Commission . Local retailers feared that the chain would devastate their businesses , although other people felt that it would increase business at other shopping regions in the city . Shortly after its opening , numerous shoppers came to the Omak area looking for items . Walmart hired approximately 200 employees , boosting the city 's economy significantly and becoming among Okanogan County 's largest retailer for a short period . The store was later allowed to remain open for 24 hours per day . Omak 's economy is also driven by a mixture of tourism . Nearby recreational destinations , with their mild climate , increase the local economy significantly . The local Ace Hardware , Big 5 Sporting Goods , Big R and Walmart retail stores maintain license vendors for recreational activities . There is a 1 @,@ 541 @,@ 470 @-@ square @-@ foot ( 143 @,@ 207 m2 ) shopping mall , the Omache Shopping Center , located in North Omak Business Park along U.S. Route 97 , which attracts residents from nearby rural communities . Established in 1987 , the mall is home to 12 stores and services . Hotels in Omak include Best Western , Rodeway Inn , Omak Inn , and Motel Nicholas . Omak is the headquarters of two infrastructure organizations : Okanogan County Transportation & Nutrition and Cascade and Columbia River Railroad . = = Culture = = = = = Nicknames = = = The municipality has been named a " tree city " for ten consecutive years since April 2007 . The Washington Department of Natural Resources announced on April 11 , 2013 , that Omak had again been named a " tree city " because of their continuous efforts to " keep urban forests healthy and vibrant " for 15 years . The City of Omak brands itself as the " Heart of the Okanogan " — referring to its significant economic importance in the Okanogan . The Okanogan County Tourism Council uses the same branding to define the Greater Omak region . It is officially recognized as the City of Omak ; Omak residents are known as Omakians . = = = Tourism = = = The Omak Stampede , which operates the Suicide Race , has been hosted at a local rodeo facility , the Stampede Arena — renovated in 2009 — since 1933 . The Omak Stampede occurs annually on the second weekend of August . During the event , the city has an estimated population of approximately 30 @,@ 000 people . As part of the Suicide Race , horses and riders run down Suicide Hill — a 62 @-@ degree slope that runs for 225 feet ( 69 m ) to the Okanogan River . Horses must pass a veterinarian examination to ensure they are physically healthy , and a swim test to ensure they can cross the river , to demonstrate their ability to run the race and navigate the river . Several animal rights groups , including Progressive Animal Welfare Society ( PAWS ) , In Defense of Animals and Humane Society of the United States ( HSUS ) , have expressed concerns about the horses ' welfare and have opposed the specific event . Other significant events include the Omak Film Festival , inclusive of a variety of films at the Wenatchee Valley College and Omak Theater , the Okanogan County Fair , an annual carnival at the County Fairgrounds and the Omak Western and Native Art Show , a Native American carnival . In an attempt to increase tourism , the City of Omak operates a Main Street Historical Tour in the central business district . A local recreational complex comprises a Native American wooden sculpture area . Two functional movie theaters , the single screen Omak Theater , built in 1928 , and the Mirage Theater with three screens , built in 2004 , service the city . A drive @-@ in theater , with a capacity of 250 automobiles , was proposed in 1948 , but never built . The Omak Visitor Information Center — deemed the " best little information center in the west " — has historical images and a gift shop offering pamphlets regarding Okanogan County and surrounding regions . The Okanogan County Historical Museum comprises a historic fire hall , research center , genealogical area and a display of historical photographs or the area . The Omak Performing Arts Center — a 500 @-@ seat venue which hosts presentations , ceremonies , and performances — was built by Omak School District in 1989 . There is a 58 @,@ 000 @-@ square @-@ foot ( 5 @,@ 400 m2 ) casino operated by the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation since 2008 , incorporating over 400 gaming machines , a convention center , and an arcade . Nearby Okanogan Bingo Casino , along U.S. Route 97 , also primarily serves Omak , consisting of approximately 360 gaming machines . = = = Recreation = = = The area 's mild climate and its close proximity to lakes , rivers , and mountains make Omak an outdoor recreational destination . The city maintains eight general recreational complexes , of which the 76 @.@ 6 @-@ acre ( 31 @.@ 0 ha ) Eastside Park , with an enclosed skate park , municipal pool , seven baseball diamonds , four soccer fields and tennis courts , and two basketball courts , is the largest . Civic League Park is the municipality 's oldest park , while Dalton Klessig Park is the newest . The Omak City Park Board has been formed to protect these public spaces . Omak has several beaches at the north @-@ south shores of Omak Lake on the Colville Indian Reservation , comprising over 100 acres ( 40 ha ) of sandy land . Fishing and boating are available at Omak Lake , and at the Fry Lake and Duck Lake — near the city 's local airport — and Conconully Lake , Crawfish Lake and the Okanogan River , all of which are home to several species . The Valley Lanes bowling alley serves the city and has hosted intrastate competitions , while the Okanogan Valley Golf Club — a country club with 334 @-@ and @-@ 284 @-@ yard ( 305 and 260 m ) golf courses — is located in Omak . The Okanogan National Forest , the largest forest on the West Coast , provides residents with trails for walking , hiking and cycling close to home and encompasses several skiing regions . It received approximately 397 @,@ 000 visitors in 2005 , most of whom came from over 50 miles ( 80 km ) away . Numerous general recreational opportunities , such as hunting and rock scenery , are available nearby . There are various hiking trails in nearby hilly areas , including Omak Mountain and its look @-@ out tower , and Moses Mountain . The Granite Mountain Trail is located between the forests about 33 miles ( 53 km ) away from the city . There is skiing available about 25 miles ( 40 km ) west of town at the Loup Loup Ski Bowl . Nearby state parks include Conconully State Park ( 17 mi or 27 km northwest ) , Bridgeport State Park ( 36 mi or 58 km south ) , Osoyoos Lake State Park ( 41 mi or 66 km north ) , and Alta Lake State Park ( 47 mi or 76 km southwest ) , Birdwatchers can see quail , anatidae , turkey buzzard , wild turkey and bald eagles in the Omak area . Camping is available at local recreational vehicle parks ( RV parks ) , including Carl Precht Memorial RV Park , Sunset Lakes RV Park ( adjacent to Duck Lake ) , and Margie 's R.V. Park . There are over a half @-@ dozen campgrounds in proximity to Omak . The Omak – Okanogan region has been well known for its rock climbing structures since the early 1970s . Nearby communities in Okanogan County offer horseback riding and hunting . Fishing and boating is achievable within short distance , at the nearby Omak Lake . The Omak Pioneers represent Omak High School as their baseball , basketball , football , soccer , volleyball , and wrestling teams . There are separate teams based on age and gender . There are all @-@ terrain vehicle ( ATV ) courses located nearby , specifically in the Loup Loup Ski Bowl . = = = Media = = = In 1910 , C.P.Scates established the Omak Chronicle . Three years later , it was renamed the Omak – Okanogan County Chronicle and expanded its coverage to the whole county as its primary newspaper . In February 1998 , an online version was established , which had approximately 170 @,@ 000 viewers in April 2013 . He later became the owner and publisher . Since then , the newspaper has been expanded to serve nearby Ferry County . The Okanogan Valley Gazette – Tribune , based in Oroville , and The Wenatchee World , based in Wenatchee , with an administration office in nearby Okanogan , also serve Omak as alternative publications . Newscasters Becki and John P. Andrist own three licensed radio stations in the city . Branded as " Radio Okanogan " , KOMW broadcasts a middle @-@ of @-@ the @-@ road format and serves the entire Okanogan County , while country music station KNCW features programming from Citadel Media and Dial Global . KZBE also broadcasts programming from Dial Global in the hot adult contemporary format , while KQWS operates from Washington State University as Northwest Public Radio . KOMQ rebroadcasts KPBX @-@ FM from Spokane . Spokane stations including KEEH and WXL86 , and CJMG @-@ FM , commonly known as Sun FM , from Penticton , British Columbia are receivable in the Omak area . Omak is well @-@ served by television and radio , with all major U.S. networks and at least five other English @-@ language stations available . Omak cable viewers can also receive CHAN @-@ DT ( Global Television Network ) from Vancouver , British Columbia . The nearest major television market area is based in the Seattle metropolitan area . The Omak – Okanogan market area includes several broadcast television stations that can be received in the city . K17EV @-@ D , channel 17 — a broadcast translator of KSPS @-@ TV — is branded as Public Broadcasting Service ( PBS ) , while K07DG , channel 7 , rebroadcasts KREM , a CBS affiliate , in the municipality . An American Broadcasting Company ( ABC ) affiliate , KXLY @-@ TV is translated as K09DG in Omak . K11DM , channel 11 , is a translator of National Broadcasting Company ( NBC ) ' s KHQ @-@ TV , Community television stations , K19AU @-@ D and the Fox Broadcasting Company translator at K31AH @-@ D , are owned by Mountain Licenses and operate from Omak , in addition to a Three Angels Broadcasting Network @-@ owned station , K26GV @-@ D. The Riverside market area is nearby and contains three licensed television stations which can be received , including K08CY , K10DM , and K12CV . = = Government and politics = = The City of Omak 's mayor – council government comprises a mayor — who also represents north @-@ central Washington 's separate economic development district — and a seven @-@ member council . These positions , stipulated by the Omak City Code , are subject to at @-@ large elections every two years , rather than by geographic subdivisions . Like most portions of the United States , government and laws are run by a series of ballot initiatives whereby citizens can pass or reject laws , referenda whereby citizens can approve or reject legislation already passed , and propositions where specific government agencies can propose new laws or tax increases directly to the people . Federally , Omak is part of Washington 's 4th congressional district , represented by Republican Doc Hastings , elected in 1995 . The current mayor , Cindy Gagne , was first elected in 2000 as a councilwomen , and was appointed in May 2009 . The State of Washington operates a public government administration office in Omak for access to social and health assistance . Omak is considered to be a code city , based on proposals to provide the local government with more authority from its previous second @-@ class city status . With a functional court for traffic , parking and civil infractions , the city maintains the sewer , water , local road , sidewalk , street lighting , animal control , building inspection , park , and recreation services . It also funds a volunteer fire department which services Omak and nearby rural communities . The Omak Fire Department estimated that there were 312 service calls around 2012 , of which 80 included fire emergencies , 105 emergency medical incidents , six hazardous conditions , 26 service calls and three calls related to excessive heat concerns . Omak is also governed by an eight @-@ member planning commission — part of the Omak City Council — which also operates the Greater Omak Comprehensive Plan , adopted in April 2004 and consisting of improvements considered for the city and surrounding communities . The five @-@ member Omak Library Board and Tree Board are also divisions of the Omak City Council , with public meetings taking place at the Omak Public Library . With four @-@ year terms for participants , the local Civil Service Commission services Omak . The City of Omak 's income has been $ 1 @,@ 170 @,@ 828 for two consecutive years , of which $ 1 @,@ 207 @,@ 026 was used as an expenditure . Shortly after being incorporated in 1911 , Omak unsuccessfully contested Okanogan to become the administrative center of Okanogan County , after Conconully lost its status . During the temperance movement before national prohibition , Omak residents favored the banishment of alcohol in Washington , which was opposed by those of Okanogan . The United States Army ( USA ) operates two military recruiting centers in Omak , although a historical military band , the Omak Military Band , also operated around 1910 . The five @-@ officer Omak Police Department detachment , which covered the municipality and nearby rural communities , reported over 180 criminal code offenses in 2010 . The city 's crime rate of 154 offenses per 100 @,@ 000 people is 28 percent higher than the 2010 state average and one percent higher than the 2010 federal average . According to Uniform Crime Report statistics compiled by the Federal Bureau of Investigation ( FBI ) in 2011 , there were 19 violent crimes and 166 property crimes . The violent crimes consisted of one forcible rape , three robberies and 15 aggravated assaults , while 32 burglaries , 104 larceny @-@ thefts , eight motor vehicle thefts and one arson defined the property crimes . The FBI classifies Omak as having 4 @,@ 921 people located within the Omak Police Department area . The city 's highest crime rate was recorded in 2004 , with 413 incidents per 100 @,@ 000 people . Until 2013 , when a murder and motor @-@ vehicle theft occurred in the city , there had not been a homicide for over ten consecutive years . The crime in Omak has decreased throughout the past decade . Before marijuana was legalized in Washington , marijuana users were arrested , per state law . Growers , drug lords and international smugglers residing in the Omak area are still arrested . = = Education = = The 2010 census estimated that 1 @,@ 057 people in Omak have attended college , while 504 residents received an academic degree ; more than five percent higher than the state average . Approximately 91 @.@ 5 percent graduated from high school or a more advanced institution ; two percent higher than the state average . Omak 's schools are administered by the county 's largest educational district , Omak School District , which operate two mainstream high schools , one mainstream middle school , two mainstream elementary schools and three virtual schools . Omak High School , built in 1919 , had a 2010 – 11 enrollment of 435 students , while the Omak Alternative High School had an enrollment of 48 students . In contrast to the municipal average as a whole with 2 @,@ 540 females and 2 @,@ 305 males , Omak Alternative High School had 28 males and 20 females attending the institution . Omak Middle School , with an enrolment of 339 children , had 171 males and 169 females in the 2010 – 11 school season . The city 's primary schools are East Omak Elementary and North Omak Elementary which had a combined 2010 – 11 enrollment of 748 children . In February 2010 , Omak became the third settlement in Washington to have a virtual school . During the 2010 – 11 season , Washington Virtual Academy Omak Elementary , Washington Virtual Academy Omak Middle School , and Washington Virtual Academy Omak High School had a combined enrollment of 969 pupils . The private Omak Adventist Christian School , which operates outside of Omak School District , had 16 pupils in 2011 . It is affiliated with the nearby General Conference of the Seventh @-@ day Adventist Church . The Veritas Classical Christian School has also operated in the Omak region . The Omak Public Library , managed by North Central Regional Library ( NCRL ) , was established in 1956 under provisions of state law passed by the City of Omak . The library is open daily , except on Sundays in the summer season . The community college , Wenatchee Valley College , maintains a campus in Omak , which had an enrollment increase of 19 percent between the 2009 – 10 and 2010 – 11 educational seasons . Located approximately 95 miles ( 153 km ) from the main campus in Wenatchee , it was established in the 1970s , and offers adult education classes and two @-@ year associate degrees . Based in Toppenish about 215 miles ( 346 km ) away , Heritage University operates an Omak campus consolidated with Wenatchee Valley College 's , providing degrees in several academic subjects . = = Infrastructure = = The 2010 census estimated that 89 @.@ 3 percent of residents in Omak commuted to work by automobile ; more than the state average of 72 @.@ 4 percent . Four percent of residents carpooled ; fewer than Washington 's average . 3 @.@ 8 percent walked ; close to the state average . The median time to travel to work was 11 @.@ 5 minutes , less than the state average of 25 @.@ 5 minutes . In the late 1960s , U.S. Route 97 was rerouted to the east and Downtown Omak was bypassed . Large signs located just off U.S. Route 97 promote the city 's central business district . Washington State Route 215 runs north @-@ south through Omak , connecting the city to Okanogan four miles ( 6 @.@ 4 km ) to the south . U.S. Route 97 and State Route 20 also run north @-@ south through Omak , connecting the municipality to Okanogan 5 miles ( 8 @.@ 0 km ) south along this route and Brewster 32 miles ( 51 km ) south , Nespelem 35 miles ( 56 km ) southeast is connected to the community by the east @-@ west State Route 155 , before it becomes a spur route and continues west along Omak Avenue to terminate into State Route 215 . The residential areas are separated from the industrial sector and the highway by backroads near the major highways . Omak 's central business district is connected by several spur routes along municipal roads , such as Riverside Drive , Main Street and Okoma Drive . Omak has rail , air , and bus services for regional and state transportation . Rail lines from Cascade and Columbia River Railroad enter Omak from Oroville in the north and Wenatchee in the south . The line interchanges with BNSF Railway in the Wenatchee area . The City of Omak operates the general Omak Airport . The paved runway is the third largest in central Washington . The airport provides three daily charter flights , except on Saturdays and Sundays . Wings for Christ Airport and Mid @-@ Valley Hospital EMS Heliport are private aviation ports . The closest commercial airports are located in Penticton and East Wenatchee . Okanogan County Transportation & Nutrition provides bus services in the city , and the federal Amtrak and Greyhound Lines maintain bus stops there . The 30 @-@ bed Mid @-@ Valley Hospital provides medical services , including a 24 @-@ hour emergency medical service , ambulance service , nursing care , a birthing center , and a trauma center . The facility employs 10 physicians and dentists , 20 registered nurses and two licensed practical nurses . Established in July 2000 , Okanogan Behavioral Healthcare serves the city as an alternative medical facility . Numerous nursing homes , including Rosegarden Care Center , New LifeStyles and The Source for Seniors , operate in Omak . The city 's clinic was constructed in 1996 using $ 4 @,@ 800 @,@ 000 of local funds . The City of Omak measures residents ' drinking water use and provides storm drains , solid waste , and garbage services since 1984 . Residents under 60 are charged a 10 percent utility tax on purchases . Electricity is supplied by Okanogan County Public Utility District , and natural gas by Amerigas . Other utility companies serving Omak include AT & T ( telephone ) ; and Comcast ( telephone , Internet , and cable television ) . = = Notable people = = Joe Feddersen was born to a German American father and an Okanagan – Sinixt mother in Omak in 1953 . Feddersen later became an active member of the Colville Indian Reservation and primarily serves as a sculptor , painter and photographer , known for creating artworks with strong geometric patterns reflective of the landscape and his Native American heritage . He was first exposed to printmaking at Wenatchee Valley College under the direction of Robert Graves and worked as an art instructor at the Evergreen State College in Olympia , after he earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Washington and his Masters of Fine Arts degree from the University of Wisconsin – Madison . In 2009 , Feddersen moved back to Omak , after leaving his teaching position at the Evergreen State College . Marv Hagedorn was born in Omak in 1956 . He was raised in northern Idaho and served in the United States Navy ( USN ) from 1973 to 1994 while attending Pensacola Junior College and the University of Maryland . He entered politics and was elected to the Idaho House of Representatives by Governor Butch Otter in January 2007 . In 2012 , he was laid off , and was elected to represent the Idaho State Senate . Outside politics he is a member of the Disabled American Veterans and North American Fishing Association . Hagedorn and his wife later decided to reside in Meridian , Idaho , along with their children . Don McCormack was born in Omak in 1955 . He later entered baseball and made his major league debut as a catcher with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1980 , after being chose as fourth round draft pick at the 1974 Major League Baseball Draft . McCormack would end up participating in a total of five games in the major league between 1980 and 1981 and spent nine years playing in the minor leagues for the Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Tigers farm teams . McCormack later managed the Reading Phillies ( Eastern League ) and served as the bench coach of the Long Island Ducks ( Atlantic League ) for a short period , but was replaced . William Stephen Skylstad , delivered in Omak on a garage table around 1934 to a Norwegian father and a Minnesotan mother , was raised on a farm near Skylstad , Norway , where his family later moved . When he was 14 years old , Skylstad left home to attend seminary in the United States , and was trained for the priesthood at Pontifical College Josephinum in Worthington , Ohio . Twelve years later , he was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Spokane on May 21 , 1960 . Skylstad serves as a Roman Catholic Bishop and a Bishop Emeritus of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Spokane , having retired on June 30 , 2010 . He was appointed as the Apostolic Administrator of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Baker , in Oregon , on January 24 , 2011 , upon the appointment of Bishop Robert F. Vasa as Coadjutor Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Santa Rosa in California . = = International relations = = According to the Lieutenant Governor of Washington , Omak is a sister municipality with Summerland , British Columbia , a district with a population of 11 @,@ 280 people according to the 2011 Canadian census . Located on Okanagan Lake in the adjacent Okanagan @-@ Similkameen Regional District , Summerland was incorporated in December 21 , 1906 , and is located 96 miles ( 154 km ) north of Omak . An agricultural community like Omak , Summerland comprises several trails for hiking , walking or cycling .

= Hector Waller = Hector Macdonald Laws ( Hec ) Waller , DSO and Bar ( 4 April 1900 – 1 March 1942 ) was a senior officer in the Royal Australian Navy ( RAN ) . In a career spanning almost thirty years , he served in both world wars . At the helm of HMAS Stuart in the Mediterranean from 1939 to 1941 , he won recognition as a skilful ship 's captain and flotilla commander . He then transferred to the South West Pacific as captain of the light cruiser HMAS Perth , and went down with his ship against heavy odds during the Battle of Sunda Strait in early 1942 . Born in Benalla , Victoria , Waller entered the Royal Australian Naval College at the age of thirteen . After graduating , he served with the Royal Navy ( RN ) in the closing stages of World War I. Between the wars , he specialised in communications and was posted as signals officer to various British and Australian warships . He gained his first seagoing command in 1937 , as captain of HMS Brazen . In September 1939 , he took charge of HMAS Stuart and four other obsolete destroyers that together became known as the " Scrap Iron Flotilla " . In 1940 , these were augmented by other ships to form the 10th Destroyer Flotilla , supporting Allied troops in North Africa . Waller was awarded the Distinguished Service Order and Bar , and twice mentioned in despatches , for his achievements in the Mediterranean . He assumed command of HMAS Perth in October 1941 , taking part in the Battle of the Java Sea shortly before his final action in Sunda Strait . He received a third mention in despatches posthumously , and in 2011 came under formal consideration for the award of the Victoria Cross ( VC ) for his performance as Perth 's captain . The submarine HMAS Waller is named in his honour . = = Early life and World War I = = Born on 4 April 1900 in Benalla , Victoria , Hector MacDonald Laws Waller was the son of William Frederick Waller , a grocer , and his wife Helen Waller ( née Duncan ) . Hec Waller was named in honour of General Hector MacDonald , hero of the Boer War , and a forebear called Laws who was an admiral and a contemporary of Nelson . The youngest of ten children , of whom eight survived infancy , he attended Benalla Higher Elementary School . Waller entered the Royal Australian Naval College ( RANC ) as a cadet midshipman on 31 December 1913 , aged thirteen . He gained recognition as a rugby player and became cadet captain . In 1917 , his final year at the college , he was raised to chief cadet captain and won the King 's Medal , awarded for " gentlemanly bearing , character , good influence among his fellows and officer @-@ like qualities " . Promoted to midshipman on 1 January 1918 , he was posted to Britain where , in April , he was appointed to serve in the Royal Navy 's ( RN ) Grand Fleet with the dreadnought HMS Agincourt . The ship did not see combat while he was on board . = = Between the wars = = In February 1919 , Waller was assigned to the light cruiser HMAS Melbourne , and two months later returned to Australia . He transferred to the light cruiser HMAS Sydney as an acting sub @-@ lieutenant in September ; his rank was made substantive the following month . In April 1920 he was again posted aboard Melbourne . Promoted to lieutenant in March 1921 , he went through further training in Britain before returning to join the staff of the RANC . Waller married Nancy Bowes , a minister 's daughter , on 7 April 1923 in the Sydney suburb of Lewisham ; the couple had two sons , Michael and John . In April 1924 , he was posted to the light cruiser HMAS Adelaide . Later that year , he began training as a signals officer in England ; his classmates included Lord Louis Mountbatten . Waller finished at the top of the advanced course and , in May 1926 , took charge of the Signals and Wireless @-@ Telegraphy School at Flinders Naval Depot in Westernport , Victoria . From 1928 to 1930 , he served with the RN as a signals officer aboard the destroyer HMS Broke . He was promoted to lieutenant commander in March 1929 . By this stage of his career , Waller had acquired a strong reputation for his communications work . In July 1930 , he was posted aboard the Royal Australian Navy 's ( RAN ) flagship , the heavy cruiser HMAS Australia , as squadron signals officer . He continued to perform this role upon transferring to Australia 's sister ship , HMAS Canberra , in May 1931 . In early 1932 , he was assigned to the Navy Office in Melbourne , returning to Canberra as squadron signals officer in August 1933 . He was promoted to commander in June 1934 and the following month became executive officer of the RANC . Departing the college in July 1936 , he returned to England and spent six months working in the British Naval Intelligence Division . A stint as executive officer of the repair ship HMS Resource followed . In November 1937 , Waller was given his first command at sea , the RN destroyer HMS Brazen . His ship handling was criticised early on , but was soon reported by his superiors as having " improved greatly " . Stationed in the Mediterranean , Brazen monitored progress of the Spanish Civil War , a duty that included protecting British merchant vessels and rescuing the crews of sinking ships . By June 1939 , Waller had returned to Australia to become Director of Signals and Communications at the Navy Office . = = World War II = = = = = HMAS Stuart in the Mediterranean = = = At the outbreak of World War II , Waller was appointed captain of HMAS Stuart , taking charge of a group of four other obsolete ex @-@ RN destroyers — HMA Ships Vampire , Vendetta , Voyager , and Waterhen — that the Germans later nicknamed the " Scrap Iron Flotilla " . The ships were en route to Singapore for training when the British and Australian governments agreed that they should be assigned to the Mediterranean as the 19th Destroyer Division , under Waller 's control . Arriving at Malta in late December , Waller made a positive initial impression on senior RN commanders ; this was soon borne out by his actions during the salvage of the Trocas , a disabled tanker . In May 1940 , he was appointed to command the 10th Destroyer Flotilla , which included the vessels of the " Scrap Iron Flotilla " plus four modern British destroyers , and a month later was promoted to captain . Following Italy 's entry into the war on 10 June 1940 , Waller was involved in the search for minefields off the North African coast . A keen shooter , he personally blew up floating mines using a rifle and armour @-@ piercing bullets . On 21 June , Stuart shelled the Italian @-@ held town of Bardia . The next month , his 10th Destroyer Flotilla participated in the Battle of Calabria . Waller 's ships carried out bombardments on Fort Capuzzo on 17 August and an Italian seaplane base in the Gulf of Bomba one week later . In September , he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order ( DSO ) for " courage , enterprise , and devotion to duty on recent engagements " — in particular , his pinpointing of enemy minefields . The same month , he transferred to HMAS Vampire while Stuart went in for refit . As the Allied armies began to counterattack Italian forces in December 1940 , the Commander @-@ in @-@ Chief of the Mediterranean Fleet , Admiral Sir Andrew Cunningham , gave Waller command of the newly formed Inshore Squadron , comprising destroyers , minesweepers , and auxiliaries . In his role as Cunningham 's Senior Officer Afloat , Waller took charge of naval support for the attack on Bardia , which fell to the Allies on 5 January 1941 . Shortly afterwards , he handed over command of the Inshore Squadron and transferred back aboard Stuart . Stuart and other ships of Waller 's 10th Destroyer Flotilla supported the assaults on Tobruk in January 1941 and Benghazi the following month . In March , Stuart escorted Allied troop transports to Greece as part of Operation Lustre , narrowly avoiding falling victim to Axis dive @-@ bomber attacks . During the Battle of Cape Matapan at the end of the month , Waller 's ships were credited with sinking two Italian destroyers . From May to July , the 10th Destroyer Flotilla made 139 ferry runs during the Siege of Tobruk , carrying supplies to the town 's garrison and evacuating the wounded . Waller was mentioned in despatches twice during 1941 : in July for his army cooperation role with the Inshore Squadron off the Libyan coast , and in November for his service during the Greek campaign . In January 1942 , he was awarded a Bar to his DSO for " bravery and enterprise in the Battle of Cape Matapan " . Waller earned the personal admiration of Admiral Cunningham , who described him as " one of the finest types of Australian naval officers ... greatly loved and admired by everyone " . On the occasion of a visit to Alexandria by Australian Prime Minister Robert Menzies , Cunningham escorted him to Stuart and declared : " And now you are going to meet one of the greatest captains who ever sailed the seas — his name is Waller " . According to author Ray Parkin , who began writing while a prisoner of war , " Andrew Cunningham and Hector Waller were cast in the same mould : men would follow them , suffer , and be glad about it . These were both men made by Fate for those ever @-@ recurring Saint Crispin 's Days of human affairs " . = = = HMAS Perth and the Battle of Sunda Strait = = = Departing the Mediterranean , Waller returned to Australia in August 1941 for service in the South West Pacific . On 24 October , he took command of the light cruiser HMAS Perth , berthed in Sydney . Perth had also lately returned from action in the Mediterranean , where she had participated in the Greek , Cretan , and Syrian campaigns , and been damaged on two occasions by German bombers . Waller was reportedly " tired " and " quite a sick man " at this time , but nonetheless prepared Perth for action quickly . In January 1942 , the ship was assigned to American @-@ British @-@ Dutch @-@ Australian Command ( ABDA ) to help defend the Dutch East Indies . She set sail for the ABDA Area on 15 February , the day that Singapore surrendered . The ABDA Striking Force that Perth had joined was crushed by an overwhelming Japanese force at the Battle of the Java Sea on 27 February . Low on ammunition , Waller made the decision to withdraw , accompanied by the cruiser USS Houston under the command of Captain Albert H. Rooks . Waller 's action contravened the orders of his Dutch superior , Admiral Conrad Helfrich , to " continue action whatever the cost , and till the bitter end " , but the Australian was convinced that further engagement would mean pointless sacrifice . On the following night , 28 February , Perth and Houston were attempting to break through the Sunda Strait to Australia when they encountered a Japanese invasion fleet escorted by four cruisers and twelve destroyers . As senior officer , Waller was in the lead with Perth , and gave the order to fire upon making contact with the enemy ships just after 11 : 00 pm . In the ensuing battle , the Allied cruisers sank four Japanese transports and a minesweeper before they themselves were sunk , shortly after midnight on 1 March 1942 . Having fought to the last of its ammunition , Perth was struck by two torpedoes , losing over 350 of its complement of 680 as it keeled over . According to witnesses , Waller was last seen standing on the bridge after he had given the order to abandon ship , " looking down at the silent turrets " . He was officially listed as missing , presumed killed , and was survived by his wife and sons . Admiral Cunningham described Waller 's loss as " a heavy deprivation for the young Navy of Australia " , and Rear Admiral James Goldrick subsequently called him " the outstanding officer of his generation " . = = Legacy = = On 15 March 1946 , Waller was awarded a posthumous mention in despatches for " gallantry and resolution " aboard HMAS Perth . His younger son John followed him into the Navy , entering the RANC in 1947 . Graduating as chief cadet captain , John Waller became a weapons electrical engineer and attained the rank of commander in 1967 , before transferring to the Emergency Reserve as a senior Navy research scientist . Hec Waller 's name appears on the Roll of Honour located at Panel 6 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial , Canberra , and on the Plymouth Naval Memorial in Devon , England . He is also commemorated by Waller Crescent and Waller Place in the Canberra suburb of Campbell . The Benalla Costume and Pioneer Museum holds his medals and dress uniform . The Waller Division of the RAN Recruit School at HMAS Cerberus , Victoria , was named in his honour until his name transferred to a division at RAN College in 2013 . HMAS Waller , the third of the RAN 's Collins @-@ class submarines to enter service , was commissioned on 10 July 1999 . The attendees included John Waller , Michael Waller 's wife , and surviving crewmen of HMAS Perth . On 13 March 2010 , a memorial to Waller was unveiled in his home town of Benalla . In April 2011 , he was one of thirteen servicemen — eleven sailors and two soldiers , including Teddy Sheean , Robert Rankin , and John Simpson Kirkpatrick — named by the Australian government for consideration as possible recipients of the Victoria Cross ( VC ) for extreme valour in combat , under a review by the Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal ; no RAN member had ever been awarded the decoration . Concluding its investigations in February 2013 , the tribunal recommended that no further award be made to any of the thirteen servicemen , but that the name Waller ( among others ) should continue to be used for RAN ships after the current bearer was decommissioned .

= Hurricane Carol = Hurricane Carol was among the worst tropical cyclones on record to affect the states of Connecticut and Rhode Island in the United States . It developed from a tropical wave near the Bahamas on August 25 , 1954 , and slowly strengthened as it moved northwestward . On August 27 , Carol intensified to reach winds of 105 mph ( 165 km / h ) , but weakened as its motion turned to a northwest drift . A strong trough of low pressure turned the hurricane northeastward , and Carol later intensified into a major hurricane . While paralleling the Mid @-@ Atlantic and Southeastern United States , the storm produced strong winds and rough seas that caused minor coastal flooding and slight damage to houses in North Carolina , Virginia , Washington , D.C. , Delaware , and New Jersey . The well @-@ organized hurricane accelerated north @-@ northeastward and made landfall on Long Island , New York , and Connecticut on August 31 near peak intensity . Early on the following day , Carol transitioned into an extratropical cyclone over New Hampshire . In New York , strong winds on Long Island damaged about 1 @,@ 000 houses , left 275 @,@ 000 people without electricity , downed many trees , and resulted in heavy crop losses . Storm surge flooded LaGuardia Airport and inundated the Montauk Highway , which left the eastern portion of Long Island isolated . Carol also brought strong winds and rough seas to New England . Throughout the region , about 150 @,@ 000 people were left without electricity and telephone service . 1 @,@ 545 houses were destroyed and another 9 @,@ 720 were damaged . Approximately 3 @,@ 500 cars and 3 @,@ 000 boats were destroyed . There were 65 deaths and 1 @,@ 000 injuries in New England . The storm caused an additional $ 1 million in damage in Canada as well as two deaths . Overall , Carol caused 72 fatalities and damage totaled $ 462 million ( 1954 USD ) , making it the costliest hurricane in the history of the United States , at the time . Following the storm , Carol was retired , becoming the first name to be removed from the naming lists in the Atlantic basin . = = Meteorological history = = A tropical wave spawned a tropical depression over the northeastern Bahamas on August 25 . It moved to the north @-@ northwest and intensified into a tropical storm early on August 26 . Receiving the name Carol , the storm gradually turned to the north , and strengthened under generally favorable conditions . On August 26 , the Hurricane Hunters reported an eye , 23 miles ( 37 km ) in diameter despite Carol being a tropical storm . The next day , Carol strengthened to attain hurricane status while located about 345 miles ( 545 km ) east of Cape Canaveral , Florida . With a large anticyclone persisting across the southeastern United States , the motion of Carol turned to a northwest drift . The hurricane continued to strengthen , and Carol reached an initial peak intensity of 105 mph ( 165 km / h ) on August 28 . By that time , it was a small hurricane , and the radius of maximum winds was smaller than normal for its latitude and central pressure . After maintaining peak intensity for 30 hours and moving a distance of about 75 miles ( 120 km ) , Carol weakened slightly off the coast of Georgia . An eastward moving deep @-@ wave trough intensified as it moved through the eastern United States . This caused Carol to accelerate as it turned to the north and north @-@ northeast . On August 30 , the hurricane again strengthened to reach Category 2 status while located 180 miles ( 290 km ) east of Savannah , Georgia . Early on August 31 , Carol passed very near Cape Hatteras , North Carolina with reconnaissance aircraft intensity estimates from 75 – 125 mph ( 120 – 200 km / h ) . The hurricane continued north @-@ northeastward with a forward motion of up to 39 mph ( 63 km / h ) , and Carol intensified further to make landfall on eastern Long Island a Category 3 hurricane with peak winds of 115 mph ( 185 km / h ) . After quickly crossing Long Island Sound , the hurricane made its final landfall on Old Saybrook , Connecticut , still at peak intensity . By that time , Carol had maintained its small structure and well @-@ defined eye , despite the fast forward motion and the latitude . The landfall intensity was based on a pressure of 957 mbar ( 28 @.@ 3 inHg ) in Groton , Connecticut , where the eye resulted in calm conditions and clear skies , followed by hurricane @-@ force winds and storm tide that destroyed ninety percent of area homes . Carol quickly lost tropical characteristics while crossing Connecticut and western Massachusetts , and became extratropical over southwestern New Hampshire late on August 31 . The powerful extratropical storm continued northward , and after entering Canada lost its identity over southern Quebec . = = Impact = = = = = Mid @-@ Atlantic = = = Before affecting North Carolina , the threat of Carol prompted a hurricane warning from Wilmington to Manteo . Storm warnings were issued southward to Charleston . Residents evacuated north of Wilmington along the ocean . While passing by the state , the strongest winds remained to the east of Hurricane Carol , though winds of 90 to 100 mph ( 145 to 160 km / h ) were reported at Cape Hatteras . Further inland , the hurricane produced a wind gust of 55 mph ( 90 km / h ) in Wilmington and 65 mph ( 105 km / h ) in Cherry Point . The winds resulted in agricultural damage to the corn and soy bean crop . High winds caused minor damage to roofs and houses , and also downed some trees and power lines . Near the coast , waves from the storm damaged fishing piers , and flooding was reported in New Bern . High waves also damaged coastal roadways . Damage in the state totaled to around $ 228 @,@ 000 . Carol passed 100 miles ( 160 km ) to the east of Virginia , and produced 40 mph ( 65 km / h ) winds in Virginia Beach . The hurricane produced 4 inches ( 100 mm ) of rain in Norfolk . Further to the northwest , rainfall from the system alleviated drought conditions in the Washington , D.C. area . Damage was minor from Virginia to Delaware , where light rains fell . Precipitation also extended into Pennsylvania . In New Jersey , high winds downed power lines , which killed two people . Along the coast , high waves damaged boardwalks and caused flooding . In neighboring Pennsylvania , Carol caused a tractor to crash into a train , resulting in two deaths . Damage in the state was estimated at $ 250 @,@ 000 . On eastern Long Island near where Carol made landfall , a pressure of 960 mbar ( 28 inHg ) was recorded . Winds on the island gusted to 125 mph ( 200 km / h ) , leaving thousands of homes without power . The winds downed many trees , and left heavy crop damage to various fruits . High winds damaged widespread homes , boats , and cars . About 1 @,@ 000 houses were damaged on the island , and 275 @,@ 000 people lost power . The hurricane 's storm surge covered the Montauk Highway in Montauk , effectively isolating eastern Long Island for a period of time . Flooding also affected LaGuardia Airport . Due to the compact nature of the storm , areas west of Fire Island were largely unaffected by the hurricane . There were power outages in New York City , but little damage . Damage was estimated at $ 5 million in the state , and one death was reported , after thousands of people evacuated . = = = New England and Canada = = = Hurricane Carol produced hurricane and gale force winds across New England . Strong winds from Hurricane Carol destroyed nearly 40 % of the apple , corn , peach , and tomato crops from eastern Connecticut to Cape Cod . Overall crop damage was estimated at $ 22 @.@ 25 million . The hurricane destroyed several thousand homes in New England , many of which were destroyed from the waters or the powerful winds . Overall , 11 @,@ 785 families were directly impacted by the hurricane , including 9 @,@ 720 houses that were damaged and 1 @,@ 545 that were destroyed . High winds left over 150 @,@ 000 people without power in New England , potentially as many as one @-@ third of all of New England , and many residents also lost phone service . The hurricane also destroyed 3 @,@ 500 cars and 3 @,@ 000 boats in the region . Heavy rainfall from the storm caused traffic accidents , but only minor flooding . Throughout the United States , Hurricane Carol caused $ 461 million in damage , mostly in New England , making it the costliest Atlantic hurricane at the time . There were 65 deaths in New England , and about 1 @,@ 000 injured people . Despite the high damage , advance warning allowed for many fewer deaths than the total of 488 fatalities during the 1938 New England hurricane , which affected the same area with similar strength . However , some areas did not receive advance warning , due to power outages preventing people from receiving Weather Bureau warnings ahead of the storm . Hurricane Carol struck Connecticut shortly after high tide , and its combination with 10 to 15 feet ( 3 to 4 @.@ 5 m ) storm surges from New London eastward produced widespread tidal flooding . About 2 @,@ 000 people were stranded when a rail line between New Haven and Rhode Island was flooded . The heaviest rainfall associated with the passage of the storm occurred in New London , where up to 6 inches ( 150 mm ) fell and wind blew off a portion of the city hall roof . These strong winds left much of the eastern portion of the state without power . Near the coast , the combination of strong winds and the storm surge damaged or destroyed thousands of buildings , including 100 destroyed houses . Many other homes in Eastern Connecticut were damaged by falling trees . Thousands had evacuated before the storm reached the area , and one person died in the state . Due to the compact nature of the storm , western Connecticut experienced little effects from Carol . Overall damage in the state was estimated at $ 50 million . The hurricane produced a record @-@ high wind gust of 135 mph ( 215 km / h ) at Block Island , while on mainland Rhode Island , sustained winds peaked at 90 mph ( 145 km / h ) in Warwick with gusts to 105 mph ( 165 km / h ) . Upon making landfall around high tide , Carol produced a storm surge of up to 14 @.@ 4 feet ( 4 @.@ 4 m ) in Narragansett Bay , surpassing that of the New England Hurricane of 1938 . The resulting storm surge flooded downtown Providence with 12 feet ( 3 @.@ 7 m ) of water . News reports indicated that the floods covered the area with 4 feet ( 1 @.@ 2 m ) in about an hour . The winds downed two broadcasting towers in the city . Westerly was also flooded , where 200 homes were washed away . There was also heavy damage in Newport , where the Newport Casino was damaged . Some entire coastal communities were nearly destroyed , and 620 houses and 83 other buildings were destroyed in the state . The winds destroyed the roofs of hundreds of buildings , forcing many to evacuate to shelters during the passage of the storm . The powerful winds also downed thousands of trees and power lines , blacking out the entire state and interrupting 95 percent of phone service . Damage in the state totaled about $ 200 million , and there were at least 17 deaths in Rhode Island . Before Carol affected the area , 20 @,@ 000 people evacuated from Cape Cod . In Massachusetts , the hurricane produced winds between 80 and 110 mph ( 130 to 180 km / h ) across much of the eastern part of the state . Gusts reached 80 mph ( 130 km / h ) at Blue Hill Meteorological Observatory , and the highest gusts in the state was around 125 mph ( 201 km / h ) . The winds downed about 50 million board feet of trees in the state , many of which fell onto power lines ; much of eastern Massachusetts lost power during the storm . Carol left about $ 15 million in crop damage in the state . The winds destroyed much of the corn crop , about half of the peach crop , and about 1 @.@ 5 million bushels of apples . High winds destroyed the spire of the Old North Church in Boston , which was the location of where the lanterns were hung during Paul Revere 's ride . It was a replacement spire , after a hurricane in 1804 destroyed the original . Heavy damage was reported throughout Boston , and in Wareham , about 1 @,@ 500 people were left homeless . Statewide , 3 @,@ 350 homes were damaged to some degree , and another 800 were destroyed . The hurricane destroyed another 213 buildings and severely damaged 530 . Near the coast , strong storm surges were reported , and a 20 feet ( 6 @.@ 1 m ) storm tide was reported at New Bedford , setting a record . At least 15 deaths were reported in the state , and damage was estimated at $ 175 million . Carol maintained its intensity as it moved inland , and its winds were strong enough to knock down trees and power lines in New Hampshire . One tree fell onto a car , killing a person , and there were three deaths overall in the state , along with $ 3 million in damage . There was also a death in neighboring Vermont . Carol produced winds of up to 80 mph ( 130 km / h ) in Augusta , Maine . Throughout the state , the winds downed hundreds of trees , some of which damaged houses , wrecked cars , destroyed one building , or fell onto power lines . Fallen trees blocked highways , and one person was injured by a falling tree limb . Downed power lines left several counties without power or telephone services . The winds flattened hundreds of acres of corn in North Livermore , and throughout the state , there was heavy damage to the apple crop . Damage to the apple crop amounted to $ 1 @.@ 7 million . While moving west of Maine , the hurricane dropped heavy rainfall , including a report of 2 @.@ 15 inches ( 63 mm ) in 12 hours . Along the coast , high waves damaged boats . In Maine , the hurricane killed three people , injured at least eight , and caused $ 10 million in damage , the costliest natural disaster in the state 's history . Carol lost this distinction 10 days later when Hurricane Edna caused $ 15 million in damage in the state . Rainfall in Canada peaked at 4 @.@ 27 inches ( 108 mm ) in Quebec . In Yarmouth , Nova Scotia , wind gusts peaked at 47 mph ( 75 km / h ) . In Quebec , the extratropical remnants of Carol downed trees and power lines in Montreal from wind gusts as high as 55 mph ( 89 km / h ) . Widespread power outages were reported in New Brunswick and Quebec , and downed trees struck three cars in Saint John , New Brunswick . The storm caused flights to be canceled , and subways were flooded in Montreal . Damage there totaled about $ 1 million ( 1954 CAD , $ 980 @,@ 000 USD ) . Two people were killed , one of whom due to drowning on a sunken barge in Quebec City . = = Aftermath = = Governor of Rhode Island Dennis J. Roberts declared martial law for the state after Carol caused heavy damage . In Massachusetts , the National Guard were deployed to six towns to prevent looting . National Guardsmen flew a plane of dry ice from Newark , New Jersey to Boston to assist the widespread areas without power and refrigeration . Widespread areas were without power for days , and in some areas for up to a week , until crews could repair downed lines . Spoiled food due to lack of refrigeration resulted in about $ 1 million in losses . Power crews from elsewhere in the United States arrived to assist in the restoration . Workers quickly removed trees from highways . Damaged factories in Rhode Island prevented employees for working for three weeks after the storm . The steeple of the Old North Church in Boston was rebuilt in 1955 , after residents throughout the country provided $ 150 @,@ 000 in donations . Governor of Maine Burton M. Cross declared a state of emergency for the state . The Small Business Administration declared six counties in Maine as disaster areas . In the days after the storm , President of the United States Dwight Eisenhower declared Massachusetts and Rhode Island as federal disaster areas . The federal government provided financial aid , amounting to $ 1 @.@ 5 million in Massachusetts . The president ordered for troops to assist in the aftermath . The American Red Cross quickly deployed teams to the most affected areas , feeding hundreds of families . About 12 days after Carol struck New England , Hurricane Edna struck eastern Massachusetts , causing an additional $ 40 million in damage and 20 deaths . More disaster aid was provided after the second hurricane . The high damage caused by Hurricane Carol and other hurricanes in 1954 prompted the United States government to devote research to set up the National Hurricane Research Project . Hurricane Hunters and the Weather Bureau collected data on subsequent hurricanes to determine their structure , as well as attempted to weaken storms with silver iodide via Project Stormfury . Due to the high damage , the name Carol was removed from the naming list for 10 years . The name was reused in the 1965 season , but was retroactively retired , and it will never again be used for an Atlantic hurricane . Carol was the first Atlantic hurricane name in history to be retired .

= The Black Island = The Black Island ( French : L 'Île noire ) is the seventh volume of The Adventures of Tintin , the comics series by Belgian cartoonist Hergé . Commissioned by the conservative Belgian newspaper Le Vingtième Siècle for its children 's supplement Le Petit Vingtième , it was serialised weekly from April to November 1937 . The story tells of young Belgian reporter Tintin and his dog Snowy , who travel to England in pursuit of a gang of counterfeiters . Framed for theft and hunted by detectives Thomson and Thompson , Tintin follows the criminals to Scotland , discovering their lair on the Black Island . The Black Island was a commercial success and was published in book form by Casterman shortly after its conclusion . Hergé continued The Adventures of Tintin with King Ottokar 's Sceptre , while the series itself became a defining part of the Franco @-@ Belgian comics tradition . In 1943 , The Black Island was coloured and re @-@ drawn in Hergé 's distinctive ligne @-@ claire style for republication . In the mid @-@ 1960s , Hergé 's British publishers requested a major revision of the story , for which he sent his assistant Bob de Moor to Britain on a research trip ; on his return , Studios Hergé produced a revised , third edition of the story , serialised in Tintin magazine . The Black Island introduces the recurring villain Dr. Müller , and has been widely cited as one of the most popular instalments in the series . The story was adapted for both the 1957 Belvision animation , Hergé 's Adventures of Tintin , and for the 1991 Ellipse / Nelvana animated series The Adventures of Tintin . = = Synopsis = = Tintin discovers a plane stranded in the Belgian countryside , offers to help , but is shot by the pilot . Tintin awakens in hospital , where the detectives Thomson and Thompson visit him . They inform him that the plane subsequently flew to Sussex , England , where it crashed . Tintin and Snowy proceed to Sussex , but along the way , two criminals frame Tintin for robbery . Arriving in England by ferry in Newhaven , the criminals kidnap Tintin and attempt to kill him over the cliffs of Seaford , but with Snowy 's help , he escapes . Discovering the plane wreckage , he finds a torn up note in the pilot 's jacket , and following the writing on it arrives at the estate of Dr. J. W. Müller , a German who owns a mental institution . Müller captures Tintin , but the young reporter again escapes . In a scuffle , Müller 's house catches ablaze and the criminals escape . The next morning , Tintin finds electric cables and red beacons in the garden , surmising that they are there designed to attract a plane drop . At night , he lights the flares , and finds that planes drops sacks of counterfeit money , revealing that Müller is running a gang of forgers . He pursues Müller and his accomplices and along the way , Thompson and Thomson join them . When Müller takes a plane north , Tintin , Snowy and the two detectives follow , but hit a storm and crash land in rural Scotland . Learning that Müller 's plane had crashed off the coast of Kiltoch , a Scottish coastal village , Tintin travels there to continue his investigation . At Kiltoch , an old man tells him the story of Black Island — an island off the coast where a " ferocious beast " kills any visitors . Tintin and Snowy travel to the island , where they find that the " beast " is a trained gorilla named Ranko . They further discover that the forgers are using the island as their base , and radio the police for help . Although the criminals attempt to capture Tintin , the police arrive and arrest the criminals , with Ranko going to a zoo . = = History = = = = = Background and research = = = Georges Remi — best known under the pen name Hergé — was employed as editor and illustrator of Le Petit Vingtième ( " The Little Twentieth " ) , a children 's supplement to Le Vingtième Siècle ( " The Twentieth Century " ) , a staunchly Roman Catholic , conservative Belgian newspaper based in Hergé 's native Brussels which was run by the Abbé Norbert Wallez . In 1929 , Hergé began The Adventures of Tintin comic strip for Le Petit Vingtième , revolving around the exploits of fictional Belgian reporter Tintin . Wallez ordered Hergé to set his first adventure in the Soviet Union as anti @-@ socialist propaganda for children ( Tintin in the Land of the Soviets ) , to set his second adventure in the Belgian Congo to encourage colonial sentiment ( Tintin in the Congo ) , and to set his third adventure in the United States to use the story as a denunciation of American capitalism ( Tintin in America ) . Wallez was subsequently removed from the paper 's editorship following a scandal , although Hergé was convinced to stay on the condition of a salary increase . For his next serial , Hergé planned to put together a story that caricatured the actions of Nazi Germany , developing the plot for King Ottokar 's Sceptre . However , he temporarily set aside that project when he began to experience dreams of white and a car stuck in the snow , having ideas of sending Tintin to the north , considering Greenland or the Klondike as potential locations . The result was The Black Island , although Hergé only sent Tintin as far north as Scotland , and he instead used the idea of the car stuck in a snowdrift on a greetings card that he designed . He also had an idea of Tintin combating a group of anarchists bent on destroying Europe 's iconic buildings , but again this idea did not make it into the eventual story . Having decided to set most of his story in Britain , Hergé briefly visited London and the southern English coast to learn more about the country . There , he purchased a stainless steel Gillotts Inqueduct G @-@ 2 pen , a type that he would continue to use throughout his life . His positive depiction of Britain was in part due to an Anglophilia that he had received from his childhood , with the British government having been a longstanding ally of Belgium , supporting its 1831 creation and liberating it from German occupation during the First World War . Hergé retained the anti @-@ German sentiment that he had first considered for King Ottokar 's Sceptre through the inclusion of a German villain , Dr. Müller , who would go on to become a recurring character in the series . He based the character largely on Georg Bell , a Scottish forger who had been a vocal supporter of the Nazi regime , and who he had learned about from an article in anti @-@ conformist Belgian magazine La Crapouillot ( The Mortar Shell ) . Rather than Germans , Müller 's henchmen were given the Russian names Ivan and Wronzoff , although the latter would be renamed Puschov by Michael Turner and Leslie Lonsdale @-@ Cooper for the English translation . Forging banknotes was a topical crime at the time , while the idea of villains using superstition to hide their lair was a common trope , one that Hergé had used previously in Tintin in the Land of the Soviets . The idea of Ranko brought together two popular fictional creatures of the 1930s ; the giant ape King Kong , who had been introduced in the film King Kong ( 1933 ) , and the Loch Ness Monster , a cryptid who was to have lived in Loch Ness . Gaston Leroux 's character of Balaoo the gorilla , who had appeared in a 1911 book and a 1913 film , might also have been an influence on Ranko . The plot and themes of the story were also influenced by Alfred Hitchcock 's 1935 film The 39 Steps , itself an adaptation of John Buchan 's 1915 adventure novel . = = = Original publication = = = The Black Island was first serialised in Le Petit Vingtième from 15 April to 16 November 1937 under the title Le Mystère De L 'Avion Gris ( The Mystery of the Grey Plane ) . From 17 April 1938 , the story was also serialised in the French Catholic newspaper , Cœurs Vaillants . In 1938 , Éditions Casterman collected the story together in a single hardcover volume , publishing it under the title L 'Île noire ( The Black Island ) . Hergé however was unhappy with this publication due to errors throughout , most egregiously that the front cover omitted his name . The inclusion of a television in the original version would have surprised many readers . The BBC had only introduced television to Britain in the late 1930s ( suspended entirely until 1946 ) and Belgium would not have television until 1955 . = = = Second and third versions = = = In the 1940s and 1950s , when Hergé 's popularity had increased , he and his team at Studios Hergé redrew and coloured many of the original black @-@ and @-@ white Tintin adventures . They used the ligne claire ( " clear line " ) drawing style that Hergé had developed , in this way ensuring that the earlier stories fitted in visually alongside the new Adventures of Tintin being created . Casterman published this second , colourised version of the story in 1943 , reduced from 124 pages to 60 . This second version contained no significant changes from the original 1937 one , although the black @-@ and @-@ white television screen that had appeared in the 1930s version was now depicted as a colour screen , despite the fact that such technology was not yet available . In the early 1960s , Hergé 's English language publishers , Methuen , were planning on translating and publishing The Black Island for the British market . Methuen believed that many British readers would find the depiction of Britain in the comic inaccurate and out @-@ of @-@ date , and drew up a list of 131 errors that they asked Hergé to rectify before they would publish it in English . They were also aware that the work would appear particularly dated when compared with some of the most recently published Adventures like Destination Moon and The Calculus Affair , which made use of advanced technologies in their plot . At the time , Hergé was busy producing the twenty @-@ second Tintin story , Flight 714 , and so did not have the time to undertake research into contemporary British society and culture . Instead , he sent his assistant Bob de Moor to Britain in October 1961 , where he visited such sites as Batemans and the White Cliffs of Dover , making many observations as to new developments in clothing and architecture . While in England , de Moor sought out various contemporary uniforms to use as a basis for more accurate illustrations . A police constabulary lent him a police uniform , although when he asked British Rail if he could borrow one of their uniforms , their staff were suspicious and refused . The new version was serialised in Tintin magazine from June to December 1965 , before Casterman published it in a collected volume in 1966 . Studios Hergé made many alterations to the illustrations as a result of de Moor 's research . Reflecting the fact that television had become increasingly commonplace in Western Europe , Hergé changed the prose from " It 's a television set ! " to " It 's only a television set ! " However , as colour television was not yet available in Britain , the screen on the television encountered in Britain was once again reverted to black @-@ and @-@ white . Additionally , at least one line of dialogue was " softened " from the original version - in one scene where Tintin aims a pistol at two of the counterfeiters , he states , " Get back ! And put up your hands ! " compared to the original 's " Take one more step and you 're dead ! " . The counterfeit notes that Tintin finds were also increased in value , from one pound to five pounds . The multiple aircraft featured throughout the story were redrawn by Studios member Roger Leloup , who replaced the depiction of planes that were operational in the 1930s to those active at the time , such as a Percival Prentice , a D.H. Chipmunk , a Cessna 150 , a Tiger Moth , and a British European Airways Hawker Siddeley Trident . The clothing worn by characters was brought up @-@ to @-@ date , while the old steam railways were replaced by electrified alternatives . Adverts for the genuine Johnnie Walker whisky were replaced by adverts for a fictional alternative , Loch Lomond whisky , while a Sussex County Council signpost was added to page 11 . Various English towns and villages were renamed , with Puddlecombe becoming Littlegate , and Eastbury becoming Eastdown , while Scottish pub Ye Dolphin was renamed The Kiltoch Arms . The police were no longer depicted as carrying guns , as was accurate , while the journalists Christopher Willoughby @-@ Drupe and Marco Rizotto , who had first appeared in The Castafiore Emerald ( 1963 ) , were retroactively added into the background of one scene . With the backgrounds and other elements of the new version drawn by staff members of the Studios , the only thing drawn by Hergé in the 1966 version was the characters themselves . = = = Later publications = = = Casterman republished the original black @-@ and @-@ white version of the story in 1980 , as part of their Archives Hergé collection . In 1986 , they then published a facsimile version of that first edition , that they followed in 1996 with the publication of a facsimile of the second , 1943 edition . = = Critical analysis = = Harry Thompson thought that The Black Island expressed a " convenient , hitherto unsuspected regard for the British " on Hergé 's behalf , with Britain itself appearing as " a little quaint . " He thought that it " outstrips its predecessors " both artistically and comedically , describing it as " one of the most popular Tintin stories . " He felt that some of the logically implausible slapstick scenes illustrated " the last flicker of 1920s Tintin " , but that the 1966 version was " a fine piece of work and one of the most beautifully drawn Tintin books . " Michael Farr commented on the " distinct quality and special popularity " of The Black Island . He thought that the inclusion of many airplanes and a television in the first version was symptomatic of Hergé 's interest in innovation and modernism . Commenting on the differences between the third version of the comic and the earlier two , he thought that the latter was " strongly representative " of the artistic talents of Studios Hergé in the 1960s , but that it was nevertheless inferior , because it had replaced the " spontaneity and poetry " of the original with " over @-@ detailed and fussily accurate " illustrations . Jean @-@ Marc and Randy Lofficier described The Black Island as " a clever little thriller " that bore similarities with the popular detective serials of the era . The Lofficiers thought that the 1966 version " gained in slickness " but became less atmospheric , awarding it two out of five . Biographer Benoît Peeters thought The Black Island to be " a pure detective story " , describing it as " Remarkably well constructed " and highlighting that it contrasted the modern world of counterfeiters , airplanes , and television , with the mysteries of superstition and the historic castle . He described it as " an adventure full of twists and turns " , with the characters Thompson and Thomson being " on top form " . He nevertheless considered the 1966 version to be " shorter on charm " than the earlier versions . Elsewhere he was more critical , stating that " under the guise of modernization , a real massacre occurred " , and adding that " the new Black Island was more than just a failure ; it also showed one of the limitations of the Hergéan system " , in that it was obsessed with repeated redrawing . Literary critic Jean @-@ Marie Apostolidès of Stanford University believed that The Black Island expanded on a variety of themes that Hergé had explored in his earlier work , such as the idea of counterfeiting and Snowy 's fondness for whisky . He thought that there was a human @-@ animal link in the story , with Tintin 's hair matching Snowy 's fur in a similar manner to how Wronzoff 's beard matched Ranko 's fur coat . However , he added that while Tintin 's relationship with Snowy was wholly one based in good , Wronzoff 's connection with Ranko is one rooted in evil . By living on an island , Apostolidès thought that Wronzoff was like " a new Robinson Crusoe " , also highlighting that it was the first use of the island theme in Hergé 's work . Literary critic Tom McCarthy thought that The Black Island linked to Hergé 's other Adventures in various ways ; he connected the counterfeit money in the story to the counterfeit idol in The Broken Ear and the fake bunker in Tintin in the Land of the Soviets . He also connected Tintin 's solving of the puzzle in the airman 's jacket to his solving of the pirate puzzles in The Secret of the Unicorn , and that in transmitting from a place of death , Ben Mor , or mort ( death ) , it linked to Tintin 's transmitting from the crypt of Marlinspike Hall in The Secret of the Unicorn . = = Adaptations = = The Black Island is one of The Adventures of Tintin that was adapted for the second series of the animated Hergé 's Adventures of Tintin by the Belgian studio Belvision in 1957 . Belvision 's adaptation , directed by Ray Goossens and written by Michel Greg , divided The Black Island up into 5 @-@ minute colour episodes that diverted from Hergé 's original plot in a variety of ways . The French studio Ellipse and Canadian animation company Nelvana subsequently adapted the comic into a 1991 episode of The Adventures of Tintin television series . Directed by Stéphane Bernasconi , Thierry Wermuth voiced the character of Tintin . On 19 March 2010 , the British TV network Channel 4 broadcast a documentary titled Dom Joly and The Black Island in which the comedian Dom Joly dressed up as Tintin and followed in Tintin 's footsteps from Ostend to Sussex and then to Scotland . Reviewing the documentary in The Guardian , Tim Dowling commented ; " it was amusing in parts , charming in others and a little gift for Tintinophiles everywhere . A Tintinologist , I fear , would not learn much he or she didn 't already know . "

= Rhondda = Rhondda / ˈrɒnðə / , or the Rhondda Valley ( Welsh : Cwm Rhondda [ kʊm ˈr ̥ ɔnða ] ) , is a former coal mining valley in Wales , formerly a local government district , consisting of 16 communities built around the River Rhondda . The area is , in fact , made up of two valleys : those of the larger Rhondda Fawr valley ( mawr large ) and the smaller Rhondda Fach valley ( bach small ) . The singular term ' Rhondda Valley ' and the plural ' Rhondda Valleys ' are both commonly used . In 2001 the Rhondda constituency of the National Assembly for Wales had a population of 72 @,@ 443 ; while the National Office of Statistics described the Rhondda urban area as having a population of 59 @,@ 602 . Rhondda is part of Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough and is part of the South Wales Valleys . The Rhondda Valley is most notable for its historical link to the coal mining industry which was at its peak between 1840 @-@ 1925 . The Rhondda Valleys were home to a strong early Nonconformist Christian movement which manifested itself in the Baptist chapels which moulded Rhondda values in the 19th and early 20th century . Rhondda is also famous for strong masculine cultural ties within a social community which expressed itself outside industry in the form of male voice choirs , sport and politics . = = Rhondda Fawr = = The larger of the two valleys , the Rhondda Fawr , extends from Porth and rises through the valley until it reaches Blaenrhondda , near Treherbert . The settlements that make up the Rhondda Fawr are as follows : Blaencwm a district of Treherbert . Blaenrhondda a district of Treherbert . Cwm Clydach a community . Cwmparc a district of Treorchy . Cymmer a district of Porth . Dinas Rhondda a district of Penygraig . Edmondstown a district of Penygraig . Gelli a district of Ystrad Glynfach a district of Cymmer Llwynypia a community . Pentre a community . Penygraig a community Porth a community that sees itself as the unofficial capital of the Rhondda , mainly due to its geographic location . Ton Pentre a district of Pentre . Tonypandy a community . Trealaw a community . Trebanog a district of Cymmer Trehafod the most southernmost and smallest of the Rhondda Valley communities . Treherbert a community . Treorchy the largest community in either of the valleys . Tynewydd a district of Treherbert Williamstown a district of Penygraig . Ynyswen a district of Treorchy . Ystrad a community . = = Rhondda Fach = = The Rhondda Fach is celebrated in the 1971 David Alexander song ' If I could see the Rhondda ' ; the valley includes Wattstown , Ynyshir , Pontygwaith , Ferndale , Tylorstown and Maerdy . The settlements that make up the Rhondda Fach are as follows : Blaenllechau a district of Ferndale . Ferndale a community . Maerdy a community . Penrhys a district of Tylorstown . Pontygwaith a district of Tylorstown . Tylorstown a community . Stanleytown a district of Tylorstown . Wattstown a district of Ynyshir . Ynyshir a community . = = Etymology = = In the early Middle Ages , Glynrhondda was a commote of the cantref of Penychen in the kingdom of Morgannwg , a sparsely populated agricultural area . The spelling of the commote varied widely , and the Cardiff Records shows the various spellings : Many sources state the meaning of Rhondda as ' noisy ' , though this is a simplified translation without research . Sir Ifor Williams , in his work Enwau Lleoedd , suggests that the first syllable rhwadd is a form of the Welsh adrawdd or adrodd , as in ' recite , relate , recount ' , similar to the Old Irish rád ; ' speech ' . The suggestion is that the river is speaking aloud , a comparison to the English expression ' a babbling brook ' . With the increase in population from the mid @-@ 19th century the area was officially recognised as the Ystradyfodwg Local Government District , but was renamed in 1897 as the Rhondda Urban District after the River Rhondda . Residents of either valley rarely use the terms ' Rhondda Fach ' or ' Rhondda Fawr ' , referring instead to ' The Rhondda ' , or their specific village when relevant . Locals tend to refer to " The Rhondda " with the definite article , despite its non @-@ usage on sign posts and maps . = = Early history = = = = = Prehistoric and Roman Rhondda : 8 @,@ 000 BC — 410 AD = = = The Rhondda Valley is located in the upland , or Blaenau , area of Glamorgan . The landscape of the Rhondda was formed by glacial action during the last ice age , as slow moving glaciers gouged out the deep valleys that exist today . With the retreat of the ice sheet , around 8000 BC , the valleys were further modified by stream and river action . This left the two river valleys of the Rhondda with narrow , steep sided slopes which would dictate the layout of settlements from early to modern times . = = = = Mesolithic period = = = = The earliest evidence of the presence of man in these upper areas of Glamorgan was discovered in 1963 at Craig y Llyn . A small chipped stone tool found at the site , recorded as possibly being of ' Creswellian ' type or at least from the early Mesolithic period , places human activity on the plateau above the valleys . Many other Mesolithic items have been discovered in the Rhondda , predominantly in the upper areas around Blaenrhondda , Blaencwm and Maerdy , mainly stone age items relating to hunting , fishing and foraging which suggests seasonal nomadic activity . Though no definite Mesolithic settlements have been located in the area , the concentration of finds at the Craig y Llyn escarpment suggests the presence of a temporary campsite in the vicinity . = = = = Neolithic period = = = = The first structural relic of prehistoric man was excavated in 1973 at Cefn Glas near the watershed of the Rhondda Fach river . The remains of a rectangular hut with traces of drystone wall foundations and postholes was discovered ; while carbon dating of charcoal found at the site dated the structure as late Neolithic . = = = = Bronze Age = = = = Although little evidence of settlements has been found in the Rhondda that date between the Neolithic and Bronze Age periods , several cairns and cists have been discovered throughout the length of both valleys . The best example of a round @-@ cairn was found at Crug yr Afan , near the summit of Graig Fawr , west of Cwmparc . The cairn consisted of an earthen mound with a surrounding ditch 28 metres in circumference and over 2 metres tall . Although most cairns discovered in the area are round , a ring cairn or cairn circle exists on Gelli Mountain . Known as the ' Rhondda Stonehenge ' the cairn consists of 10 upright stones no more than 60 cm in height encircling a central cist . All the cairns found within the Rhondda are located on high ground , many on ridgeways , and may have been used as waypoints . In 1912 a hoard of 24 late Bronze Age weapons and tools was discovered during construction work at the Llyn Fawr reservoir , at the source of the Rhondda Fawr . The items did not originate from the Rhondda and are thought to have been left at the site as a votive offering . Of particular interest were fragments of an iron sword which is the earliest iron object to be found in Wales and the only ' C @-@ type ' Hallstatt sword recorded in Britain . = = = = Iron Age = = = = With the exception of the Neolithic settlement at Cefn Glas , there are three certain pre @-@ Medieval settlement sites in the valley — Maendy Camp , Hen Dre 'r Gelli and Hen Dre 'r Mynydd . The earliest of these structures is Maendy Camp , a hillfort whose remains are situated between Ton Pentre and Cwmparc . Although its defences would have been slight , the camp made good use of the natural slopes and rock outcrops to its north @-@ east face . Maendy camp consisted of two earthworks , an inner and outer enclosure . When the site was excavated in 1901 several archaeological finds led to the camp being misidentified as Bronze Age . These finds , mainly pottery and flint knives , were excavated from a burial cairn discovered within the outer enclosure but the site has since been classified as from the Iron Age . The settlement at Hen Dre 'r Mynydd in Blaenrhondda was dated around the Roman period when the discovery of fragments of wheel @-@ made Romano @-@ British pottery were discovered at the location . The site is made up of a group of ruinous drystone roundhouses and enclosures and is thought to have been a sheep farming community . The most definite example of a Roman site in the area is found above Blaenllechau in Ferndale . The settlement is one of a group of earthworks and indicates the presence of the Roman army during the 1st century AD . It was thought to be a military site or marching camp . = = = Dark Age and Medieval Rhondda : 410 – 1550 AD = = = The 5th century saw the withdrawal of Imperial Roman support from Britain , and the succeeding centuries , the Dark Ages , witnessed the emergence of a national identity and of kingdoms . The area which would become the Rhondda lay within Glywysing , an area that incorporated the modern area of Glamorgan , ruled by a dynasty founded by Glywys . This dynasty was later replaced by another founded by Meurig ap Tewdrig whose descendant Morgan ap Owain would give Glamorgan its Welsh name Morgannwg . With the coming of the Norman overlords after the 1066 Battle of Hastings , south @-@ east Wales was divided into five cantrefi . The Rhondda lay within Penychen , a narrow strip running between modern day Glyn Neath and the coast between Cardiff and Aberthaw . Each cantref was further divided into commotes , with Penychen made up of five such commotes , one being Glynrhondda . Relics of the Dark Ages are uncommon within the Glamorgan area and secular monuments are still rarer . The few sites discovered from this period have been located in the Bro , or lowlands , leaving historians to believe that the Blaenau were sparsely inhabited , maybe only visited seasonally by pastoralists . A few earthwork dykes are the only structural relics in the Rhondda area from this period and no carved stones or crosses exist to indicate the presence of a Christian shrine . During the Early Middle Ages communities were split between bondmen and freemen . The bondmen lived in small villages centred on a court or llys of the local ruler to whom they paid dues ; while the freemen , who enjoyed a higher status , lived in scattered homesteads . The most important village was the ' mayor 's settlement ' or maerdref . Maerdy in the Rhondda Fach has been identified as a maerdref , mainly on the strength of the name , though the village did not survive past the Middle Ages . The largest concentration of dwellings from this time have been discovered around Gelli and Ystrad in the Rhondda Fawr , mainly platform houses . During the late 11th century , the Norman lord , Robert Fitzhamon entered Morgannwg in an attempt to gain control of the area , building many earth and timber castles in the lowlands . In the early 12th century the Norman expansion continued with castles being founded around Neath , Kenfig and Coity , while within the same period Bishop Urban established the Diocese of Llandaff under which Glynrhondda belonged to the large parish of Llantrisant . Upon the death of William , Lord of Glamorgan , his extensive holdings were eventually granted to Gilbert de Clare in 1217 . The subjugation of Glamorgan , begun by Fitzhamon , was finally completed by the powerful De Clare family , but although Gilbert de Clare had now become one of the great Marcher Lords the territory was far from settled . Hywel ap Maredudd , lord of Meisgyn captured his cousin Morgan ap Cadwallon and annexed Glynrhondda in an attempt to reunify the commotes under a single native ruler . This conflict was unresolved by the time of De Clare 's death and the area fell under Royal control . = = = = Settlements of Medieval Rhondda = = = = Little evidence exists of settlements within the Rhondda during the Norman period . Unlike the communal dwellings of the Iron Age the remains of the Medieval buildings discovered in the area follow the pattern similar to modern farmsteads ; with separate holdings spaced out around the hillsides . The evidence of Medieval Welsh farmers comes from the remains of their buildings , with the foundations of platform houses having been discovered spaced out throughout both valleys . When the site of several platform houses at Gelligaer Common were excavated in the 1930s potsherds dating from the 13th @-@ 14th century were discovered . The Rhondda also has the remains of two Medieval castles . The older is Castell Nos which is located at the head of the Rhondda Fach overlooking Maerdy . The only recorded evidence of Castle Nos is a mention by John Leland who stated that " Castelle Nose is but a high stony creg in the top of an hille " . The castle comprises a scarp and ditch forming a raised platform and on the north face is a ruined drystone building . Due to its location and form it does not appear to be of Norman design and is therefore thought to have been built by the Welsh as a border defence ; and must therefore date before 1247 when Richard de Clare seized Glynrhondda . The second castle is Ynysygrug , located close to what is now Tonypandy town centre . Little remains of this motte @-@ and @-@ bailey earthwork defence as much was destroyed when Tonypandy railway station was built in the 19th century . Ynysygrug is dated around the 12th century or early 13th century and has been misidentified by several historians , notably Owen Morgan in his book ' History of Pontypridd and Rhondda Valleys ' who recorded it as a druidic sacred mound and Iolo Morgannwg who erroneously believed it to be the burial mound of king Rhys ap Tewdwr . This earliest Christian monument located in the Rhondda is the shrine of St. Mary at Penrhys whose holy well was mentioned by Rhisiart ap Rhys in the 15th century . = = = Post @-@ Medieval and pre @-@ industrial Rhondda : 1550 — 1850 = = = In the mid @-@ 16th century the Rhondda , at that time known as the Vale of Rotheney , belonged to the large but sparsely inhabited parish of Ystradyfodwg , ' St. Tyfodwg 's Vale ' . For administrative purposes the parish was divided into three hamlets : the Upper or Rhigos Hamlet to the north , the Middle or Penrhys Hamlet and the lower or Clydach Hamlet . Throughout the post @-@ Medieval period the Rhondda was a heavily wooded area and its main economic staple was the rearing of sheep , horses and cattle . The historian Rice Merrick , in describing the upland area of the Vale of Glamorgan , stated that there " was always great breeding of cattle , horses and sheep ; but in elder time therin grew but small store of corn , for in most places there the ground was not thereunto apt ... " While English cartographer John Speed described that the rearing of cattle was the " best means unto wealth that the Shire doth afford " . As there was no fair held in the Rhondda the animals would be taken to neighbouring fairs and markets at Neath , Merthyr , Llantrisant , Ynysybwl and Llandaff . However , to be self @-@ supporting , the farmers of the area grew crops such as oats , corn and barley in small quantities . Crops were grown in the lower part of the Rhondda on narrow meadows adjoining the riversides , though during the Napoleonic Wars scarce supplies forced the cultivation of the upland areas such as Carn @-@ y @-@ wiwer and Penrhys . Merrick would describe the diet of the upland inhabitants as consisting of " bread made of wheat ... and ale and bear " and over two hundred years later Benjamin Malkin showed how little the diet had changed when he wrote that the people still ate " Oatmeal bread , with a relish of miserable cheese ; and the beer , where they have any , is worse than none " . In the first half of the 17th century a rising cost of consumable goods and a series of bad harvests brought about economic changes in Glamorgan . Those with enough wealth were able to seize on opportunities created by these unsettled conditions and set about enlarging and enclosing farm lands . The enclosure of freehold lands that began in the later Middle Ages now gained momentum and farms that were once owned by individual farmers were now owned by small groups of wealthy landowners . By the 19th century most of the Rhondda farms and estates were owned by absentee landlords , such as the Marquis of Bute , Earl of Dunraven , Crawshay Bailey of Merthyr and the De Winton family of Brecon . = = = = Settlements of post @-@ Medieval Rhondda = = = = Between the Acts of Union in the mid @-@ 16th century and the English Civil War in the mid @-@ 17th century , a period of great rebuilding took place in the Kingdom of England , of which Wales was now annexed , and this is reflected in the structures that were built within the Rhondda Valley . The fluctuating economic state of the late Tudor period resulted in farmers taking in more land , creating higher levels of surplus goods and therefore producing higher profits . This profit was reflected in the new farm houses built in the Rhondda and for the first time an emphasis on domestic comfort became apparent in the design of the dwellings . Many of the new farm buildings were simple structures consisting of two or three small rooms , though of a much sturdier and permanent quality than the Medieval platform houses . A popular style of building was the long @-@ house , a building which combined the house and cowshed into a single building . By 1840 , at least 160 farms existed in the Rhondda , but most were destroyed with the growth of the mining industry . Of the few surviving buildings , those of note include Tynewydd ( ' New House ' ) in Blaenrhondda , a 17th @-@ century house thought to have given its name to the neighbouring village of Tynewydd and Tyntyle in Ystrad dated around 1600 . There were few industrial buildings pre @-@ 1850 ; those of note include the 17th @-@ century blast furnace at Pontygwaith which gave the village its name and the fulling mill established by Harri David in 1738 , which in turn gave its name to Tonypandy . Corn mills existed sparsely throughout the valleys as did early coal pits , with two early pits recorded as being opened in 1612 at Rhigos and Cwmparc ; though these would have mined from exposed rock in the hillside and not deep mined . = = Industrial Rhondda 1850 — 1945 = = = = = Industrial growth ( 1850 — 1914 ) = = = The southern coalfield of Wales is the largest continuous coalfield in Britain , extending some 113 kilometres ( 70 mi ) from Pontypool in the east to St Brides Bay in the West , covering almost 2 @,@ 600 square kilometres ( 1 @,@ 000 sq mi ) . This coalfield took in the majority of Glamorgan , and the entirety of the Rhondda was situated within it . Although neighbouring areas such as Merthyr and Aberdare had already sunk coal mines , it was not until Walter Coffin initiated the Dinas Lower Colliery in 1812 that coal was first exported from the Rhondda Valleys on any sort of commercial scale . This coal was originally taken by packhorse , before the extension of Dr. Griffiths ' private tramline , to Pontypridd and then by the Glamorganshire Canal to the port at Cardiff . The lack of any transportation links was one of the main problems that curtailed exploitation of the Rhondda Valley coal fields , along with the belief that the coalfields beneath the valley were thought to be too deep for economic working . It was therefore seen as an expensive risk and deterred anyone looking for a quick profit . The exploration of the Rhondda was undertaken by the Bute Trustees , agents of the third Marquess of Bute , who not only owned large tracts of valley farmland but also possessed a large financial interest in the Cardiff Docks which would export the coal . The trustees sank the Bute Merthyr Colliery in October 1851 , at the top of the Rhondda Fawr in what would become Treherbert . The Bute Merthyr began producing coal in 1855 , the first working steam coal colliery in the Rhondda . In conjunction with the sinking of the first colliery at the head of the Rhondda , the second issue of transportation was being tackled at the same time with the extension of the Taff Vale Railway ( TVR ) line . After Royal Assent was given to construct the railway in 1836 , the original line was laid from Cardiff to Abercynon , and by 1841 a branch was opened to link Cardiff with Dinas via Pontypridd . This would allow easier and faster transportation for Walter Coffin 's Dinas mine , an unsurprising addition considering Coffin was a director of the TVR . In 1849 the TVR had extended into the Rhondda Fach and by 1856 the railway had reached the furthest areas of both the Fach and Fawr valleys at Maerdy and Treherbert . For the first time the Rhondda Valley was connected by a major transportation route to the rest of Wales and the exploitation of its coalfields could begin . The TVR line would dominate the transportation of coal throughout the Rhondda 's industrial history , and its monopoly was a point of contention , as with no rivals the colliery owners could not negotiate for haulage rates . Several attempts were made to break the monopoly including the opening of the Rhondda and Swansea Bay Railway , between 1885 and 1895 , which linked Blaenrhondda at the head of the Rhondda Fawr to the Prince of Wales Dock . To achieve this rail link the Rhondda Tunnel was constructed through Mynydd Blaengwynfy to Blaengwynfi ; at the time the longest railway tunnel in Wales . Initially the shallower pits at Aberdare proved a bigger attraction for prospective mine owners , but once Aberdare became fully worked by the 1860s the Rhondda saw a rapid growth in development . During the 1860s @-@ 1870s 20 collieries opened in the Rhondda Valleys with the leading coalowner in the Rhondda Fach being David Davis of Aberdare , and David Davies in the Rhondda Fawr . In 1865 the output of coal from the Rhondda Valley was roughly one quarter of that of Aberdare ; ten years later the Rhondda was producing over two million tons , more than the Aberdare Valleys . These figures would later be dwarfed by the massive excavation rates seen in the last quarter of the 19th century up to the beginning of the First World War . In 1913 it was recorded that the Rhondda Valley 's output was 9 @.@ 6 million tons . By 1893 there were more than 75 collieries within the Rhondda Valleys and although most were initially owned by a small group of private individuals this trend changed towards the start of the 20th century as companies began buying up the existing collieries . The widespread adoption of limited liability status began a trend towards a concentration of ownership , reducing some of the economic risks involved in coalmining : unstable coal prices , inflated acquisitions , geological difficulties , and large scale accidents . The emerging companies were formed by the individuals and families who sank the original collieries ; but by the start of the 20th century , they were no more than principal shareholders . These companies included the Davies 's Ocean Coal Company , Archibald Hood 's Glamorgan Coal Company and David Davis & Son . = = = Population growth in the Industrial period = = = During the early to mid @-@ 19th century the Rhondda Valleys were inhabited by small farming settlements . In 1841 the parish of Ystradyfodwg , which would later constitute most of the Rhondda Borough , was recorded as having a population of less than a thousand inhabitants . With the discovery of massive deposits of high quality , accessible coal during the mid @-@ 19th century the Rhondda Valleys experienced a large influx of financial immigrants . The first immigrants came to the lower Rhondda villages of Dinas , Eirw and Cymmer . Special sinkers came from Llansamlet , while the first miners were from Penderyn , Cwmgwrach and the neighbouring areas of Llantrisant and Llanharan . The 1851 Census lists apprenticed paupers from Temple Cloud in Somerset , some of the earliest English immigrants . From a mere 951 in 1851 , the population of Ystradyfodwg parish grew to 16 @,@ 914 in 1871 and by 1901 the Rhondda Urban District had a population of 113 @,@ 735 . As more and more coal mines were sunk the population grew to fill the jobs needed to extract the coal . In the 1860s and 1870s the majority came from the neighbouring Welsh counties , but with the improving rail transportation and cheaper transport immigrants came from further afield . The 1890s recorded workers from the South West , places such as Gloucester and Devon , by the 1900s people came from North Wales , the lead mining area of Anglesey and the depressed slate @-@ quarrying villages of Bethesda , Ffestiniog and Dinorwig . Although there are records of Scottish workers , mainly centered on Archibald Hood 's Llwynypia mines , there were only small numbers of Irish , less than 1 @,@ 000 by 1911 . The low immigration levels of Irish workers is often blamed on the forcible ejection of the Irish who lived in Treherbert during three days of rioting in 1857 . The population of the valleys peaked in 1924 at over 167 @,@ 900 inhabitants . The mass influx of immigrants during this period were almost totally English and Welsh ; the most notable exception being an immigrant nationality from outside the United Kingdom , the Italians . In the late 19th century a group of Italian immigrants , originally from the northern area of Italy , centred on the town of Bardi , were forced out of London by an over @-@ saturation of the market . These immigrants set up a network of cafés , ice cream parlours and fish & chip shops throughout South Wales and these businesses became iconic landmarks in the villages they served and they and subsequent generations became Welsh Italians . Particular to the Rhondda , the shops ran by the Italian immigrants , were known as ' Bracchis ' , believed to have been named after Angelo Bracchi who opened the first café in the Rhondda in the early 1890s . By the early 21st century several of the original Bracchis were still open for business in the Rhondda . = = = The decline of coal and economic emigration ( 1914 @-@ 1944 ) = = = At the start of the First World War , the economic prospects in South Wales were good . Although production fell after the 1913 high , demand was still strong enough to push the coalfields to their limit . In February 1917 coal mining came under government control and demand increased as the war intensified , ensuring a market for sufficient supplies of coal . After the war the picture began to change . Initially the British coal industry was buoyed by a series of fortuitous economic events , such as the American coal miners ' strike , and by 1924 , unemployment for miners was below the national average . But the belief that the mining industry would experience a permanent demand for coal was shattered by the Depression , and the Rhondda experienced a massive upturn in unemployment . The situation worsened in 1926 when , in response to coalowners reducing pay and lengthening working hours of miners , the TUC called a general strike in defence of the miners who had been locked out following A.J. Cook 's call ' not a penny off the pay , not a minute on the day ' . The TUC called off the strike just nine days later , without resolving the miners ' cut in wages . The miners disagreed and stayed on strike for a further seven months until they were starved into surrendering . The Rhondda saw many schemes set up by miners to aid their plight , such as soup kitchens and fêtes and ' joy ' days to support them ; while in Maerdy the local miners set up a rationing system . By the time the miners returned to work there was little desire for further action through strikes , which saw a decline in the popularity of ' The Fed ' and greater emphasis on solving problems through political and parliamentary means . With the advent of the Great Depression , employment within the Rhondda Valleys continued to fall . This in turn led to a decline in public and social services , as people struggled to pay rates and rents . One of the outcomes of a lack of funds was a fall in health provisions , which in Rhondda lead to a lack of medical and nursing staff , a failure to provide adequate sewage works and a rise in deaths from tuberculosis . By 1932 the long @-@ term unemployment figure in the Rhondda was recorded at 63 % , and in Ferndale the unemployment figure for adult males rose as high as 72 @.@ 85 % . With little other employment available in the Rhondda the only solution appeared to be emigration . Between 1924 and 1939 , 50 @,@ 000 people left the Rhondda . During this time life was difficult for communities built solely around a singular industry , especially as most families were on a single wage . The start of the Second World War saw a complete turnaround in the employment figures , and by 1944 unemployment figures in the Rhondda ranged from 1 % in Treorchy to 3 @.@ 7 % at Tonypandy . = = = Mining disasters = = = As with any heavy industry , the possibility of serious injury or death was an everyday risk for the mine workers of the Rhondda Valley . The most notorious form of colliery disaster was the gas explosion , caused by either a buildup of methane gas or coal dust . As the mines became deeper and ventilation become more difficult to control the risk increased . The worst single incident in the Rhondda was the 1867 Ferndale disaster in which an explosion saw the loss of 178 lives . However , the major disasters only accounted for roughly 20 % of overall fatalities , with individual accidents accounting for the bulk of deaths . The list below shows mining disasters which saw the loss of five or more lives during a single incident . = = Modern Rhondda 1945 @-@ present = = The coal mining industry of the Rhondda was artificially buoyed throughout the war years , though there were expectations of a return to the pre @-@ 1939 industrial collapse after the end of the Second World War . There was a sense of salvation when the government announced the nationalisation of the British Coalmines in 1947 ; but the following decades saw a continual reduction in the output from the Rhondda mines . From 15 @,@ 000 miners in 1947 , Rhondda had just a single pit within the valleys producing coal in 1984 , located at Maerdy . The decline in the mining of coal after World War II was a country wide issue , but South Wales and Rhondda were affected to a higher degree than other areas of Britain . Oil had superseded coal as the fuel of choice in many industries and there was political pressure influencing the supply of oil . Of the few industries that were still reliant on coal , the demand was for quality coals , especially coking coal which was required by the steel industry . Fifty percent of Glamorgan coal was now supplied to steelworks , with the second biggest market being domestic heating , which the ' smokeless ' coal of the Rhondda became once again fashionable after the publication of the Clean Air Act . These two markets now controlled the fate of the mines in the Rhondda , and as demand fell from both sectors the knock @-@ on effect on the mining industry was further contraction . In addition exports to other areas of Europe , traditionally France , Italy and the Low Countries , experienced a massive decline ; from 33 per cent around the start of the 20th century to roughly 5 per cent by 1980 . The other major factors in the decline of coal were related to the massive under @-@ investment in Rhondda mines over the past decades . Most of the mines in the valleys were sunk between the 1850s and 1880s , which , as a consequence , meant they were far smaller than most modern mines . The Rhondda mines were in comparison antiquated , with methods of ventilation , coal @-@ preparation and power supply all of a poor standard . In 1945 the British coal industry cut 72 per cent of their output mechanically , whereas in South Wales the figure was just 22 per cent . The only way to ensure the financial survival of the mines in the valleys was massive investment from the NCB , but the ' Plan for Coal ' paper drawn up in 1950 was overly optimistic in the future demand for coal , which was drastically reduced following an industrial recession in 1956 and an increased availability of oil . The British government and Welsh employment bodies funded and subsidized external businesses to locate new ventures within the valleys to replace the vanishing heavy industries . The first attempt to bring in business not connected to the coal mining industry began in the 1920s when David Jones , Town Clerk to the Rhondda Urban Council , gained government support in attracting outside businesses to the area . Companies included Alfred Polikoff 's clothing factory , Messers Jacob Beatus , manufacturing cardboard boxes and Electrical and Musical Industries Ltd . Following the end of the Second World War , 23 companies were set up in the Rhondda Valleys , eighteen of them sponsored by the Board of Trade . Most companies had periods of growth and collapse , notably Thorn EMI in the 1970s and Burberry in the 2000s . The Rhondda Heritage Park , a museum commemorating Rhondda 's industrial past , is situated just south of Porth in the former Lewis Merthyr Colliery in the small former mining village of Trehafod . = = Religion = = The commote of Glynrhondda was coterminous with the earlier parish of Ystradyfodwg , but little is known of the Celtic saint Tyfodwg , or Dyfodwg after whom the parish is named . Saint Tyfodwg is thought to have existed around 600 AD , and although the parish bears his name there are now no religious monuments or places of worship named after him within the Rhondda boundaries . There are two churches in South Wales outside the area named after the saint ; Y Tre Sant in Llantrisant and Saint Tyfodwg ’ s in Ogmore Vale . The earliest known religious monument is the Catholic holy well in Penrhys first mentioned in the 15th century , though it may have been a place of pagan worship before this . This pilgrimage site was identified as a ' manor ' belonging to the Cistercian Abbey of Llantarnam and was seen as one of the most important religious sites in Wales , because of its Marian shrine . This holy site was the main reason people would pass through the commote ; it was even thought to be the main reason why the first bridges were built over the River Rhondda . During the Middle Ages the Parish church of Ystradyfodwg near the bank of the River Rhondda served the parishioners of the Rhondda Fawr , while the families of the Rhondda Fach attended Llanwynno church . The inhabitants of the lower Rhondda , in the vicinity of Porth and Dinas , would need to trek to Llantrisant to hear a service . Despite the importance of the Anglican Church in the lives of the parishioners the growing strength of Nonconformity would make itself felt in the 18th century . In 1738 the Reverend Henry Davies formed the Independent Cause in Cymmer and five years later a ‘ ' Ty Cwrdd ’ ’ or meeting house was opened there . Although attracting families from as far away as Merthyr and the parish of Eglwysilan , there were no other Nonconformist Causes until David Williams began preaching in the Rhondda in 1784 . In 1785 six people were baptised in the river near Melin @-@ yr @-@ Om and in 1786 ‘ ' Ynysfach ’ ’ was opened in Ystrad and was “ a new house for religious services ” . This was the first Baptist chapel in the Rhondda and later became known as Nebo , Ystrad Rhondda . Cymmer and Ynysfach chapel would be the forerunners in a new religious movement in the valley for the next 150 years . In the early 19th century there were only three places of worship in the Rhondda ; the parish church ( now dedicated to St. John the Baptist ) , Cymmer and Ynysfach chapels . This changed rapidly after 1855 as the coal mining industry brought in an influx of population and by 1905 there were 151 chapels in the valley . Chapel life was central to valley life throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries , but as with many communities throughout Britain , the post wars saw a decline in regular membership . To some extent , as the population declined the number of places of worship also declined , but this was exacerbated in the Rhondda by a process of linguistic change which saw a severe decline in the number of Welsh speakers . As a result , it was the Welsh language chapels , in particular , that saw a severe drop in membership from the 1950s , and the next half @-@ century saw many chapels close . By 1990 the Rhondda had less than 50 places of worship , and many of the buildings had been demolished . = = Political activism = = Political activism in the Rhondda has a deep link with trade unions and the socialist movement but was initially slow to develop . In the 1870s the Amalgamated Association of Miners won support , but was destroyed by employer hostility . The Cambrian Miners ’ Association was more successful and the creation of the South Wales Miners ' Federation after the 1898 coal strike , gave the South Wales miners a reputation for militancy , in which the Rhondda Valley played its part . As part of the Redistribution Act of 1885 the Rhondda was granted its first seat in Parliament which was won by the moderate trade union leader William Abraham , who was notably the only working @-@ class member elected in Wales . Socialism and syndicalism ideals grew throughout the 20th century and industrial struggle reached a crescendo in the 1910 @-@ 11 Tonypandy Riots . A year later Tonypandy saw the publication of Noah Ablett ’ s pamphlet The Miners ' Next Step . Tonypandy was at the centre of further public disorder when , on 11 June 1936 at Dewinton Field , a large group of people gathered to confront the open @-@ air address by Tommy Moran , propaganda officer of the British Union of Fascists . The crowd , recorded as between 2 @,@ 000 and 6 @,@ 000 strong , turned violent and police were forced to protect Moran 's Blackshirt bodyguard . Seven local people were arrested . The Rhondda also has a strong history of communist sympathy , with the Rhondda Socialist Society being a key element in the coalition that founded the Communist Party of Great Britain . By 1936 there were seven Communists on the Rhondda Urban District Council and was publishing its own Communist newspaper The Vanguard . In the 1930s Maerdy became such a hotspot of Communist support it was known as Little Moscow producing left wing activists such as Merthyr born Arthur Horner and Marxist writer Lewis Jones . The Rhondda miners were also active in socialist activities outside the valleys . In the 1920s and 1930s the Rhondda and the surrounding valleys provided the principal support of some of the largest hunger marches , while in 1936 more Rhondda Federation members were serving in Spain as part of the International Brigades than the total number of volunteers from all the English coalfields . In 1979 , Rhondda councillor Annie Powell became Wales ' only communist mayor . = = Culture and recreation = = = = = Role of women = = = With an economy fundamentally dependent upon a single industry , there was a scarcity of paid employment for women in Rhondda 's coalmining heyday . The Encyclopaedia of Wales notes that the image of the Welsh Mam , a wife and mother constantly at home and exalted as the queen of the household , was essentially a Rhondda creation . However the Rhondda did produce the suffragette and social reformer Elizabeth Andrews , one of only nine women among a list of a hundred greatest Welsh heroes chosen by ballot in 2004 . = = = Sport = = = Social amenities were rudimentary even before the formation of the Rhondda Urban District Council in 1897 . Due to the geographic layout of the valleys , land was a scarce resource , and therefore leisure activities that took up little space , time and money were sought . This saw the popularity of activities such as greyhound races , cockfighting , open air handball courts ( often attached to a public house ) , boxing booths , foot racing and rugby union . Rugby union During the mid @-@ 19th century the influx of immigrants from the older mining towns , such as Aberdare and Merthyr , brought with them the game of rugby . At Treherbert it took a five @-@ month lockout in 1875 to see the game establish itself at the various collieries where the Amalgamated Association of Miners held their meetings . In 1877 Penygraig Rugby Football Club was formed , followed by Treherbert in 1879 , Ferndale in 1882 , Treorchy in 1886 and Tylorstown in 1903 . In the late 19th and early 20th century , the ' Rhondda forward ' was a key player in many Wales teams . The heavy industrial worker was a prime aggressive attack figure in early Welsh packs , typified by the likes of Treherbert 's Dai ' Tarw ' ( bull ) Jones who at 6 @-@ foot 1 inch ( 185 @.@ 5 cm ) and 16 stone ( 100 kg ) in weight was seen as an animal of a man . Due to the lack of playing fields in the valleys , many rugby teams would share grounds , travel every week to away grounds or even play on inappropriate ( e.g. sloping ) pitches . The valley clubs also had no clubhouses , with most teams meeting , and changing , in the closest local public house . Many more clubs , built around colliery and pub teams , appeared and disbanded but many of the clubs survive to this day . Football Due to the dominance of rugby union there have been few football teams of note in the history of the Rhondda Valleys . Several teams were formed around the end of the 19th century , but most folded during the depression , including Cwmparc F.C. in 1926 and Mid @-@ Rhondda in 1928 . The most successful club from the area is Ton Pentre F.C .. = = = Music = = = The temperance movement , which had been absorbed into the moralistic system of the Nonconformist chapels , caused a shift in social attitudes in the mid- to late @-@ 19th- and early @-@ 20th century Rhondda . Alcohol was looked down upon and so were the increasingly violent sports such as rugby , so young men looked for different and more acceptable pastimes . Voice choirs were a natural progression from chapel society , and brass bands would eventually gain acceptance by the movement . Male voice choirs A phenomenon of Welsh industrial communities was the appearance of male voice choirs , believed to have been formed from glee clubs . The Rhondda produced several choirs of note , including the Rhondda Glee Society , who represented Wales at the World Fair eisteddfod . The rival Treorchy Male Voice Choir also enjoyed considerable success at eisteddfodau and in 1895 sang before Queen Victoria . Many choirs still exist today including the Cambrian Male voice choir , situated in Tonypandy . Brass bands In the mid @-@ 19th century brass bands had a poor relationship with the Nonconformist chapels , mainly due to the heavy social drinking that came hand in hand with being a member of a band . This changed towards the end of the 19th century , and as well as becoming more respectable , many bands had actually joined the temperance movement . Two of the more well known brass bands from the Rhondda both started as temperance bands . The more famous , Cory Band from Ton Pentre , started life as Ton Temperance in 1884 ; while local rivals The Parc and Dare Band were the Cwmparc Drum and Fife Temperance Band . As the temperance movement faded the bands found new benefactors in the colliery owners , and many bands took on the names of specific collieries . A memorable image of the connection between the collieries and brass bands came in 1985 , when the Maerdy miners were filmed returning to work after the miners ' strike , marching behind the village band . = = = Culture and nationality = = = Language For the majority of its history the area now recognised as the Rhondda Valley was an exclusively Welsh speaking area . It was only in the early 20th century that English began to supplant Welsh as the first language of social intercourse . In 1803 , English historian Benjamin Heath Malkin mentioned while travelling through Ystradyfodwg , that he had only met one person with whom he could talk , and then with the help of an interpreter . This situation was repeated with John George Wood , who on his visit to the area complained of the awkwardness of understanding the particular dialects and idioms used by the native speakers , which were on times difficult for other Welsh speakers to understand . This dialect was once called ' tafodiaith gwŷr y Gloran ' ( ' the dialect of the men of Gloran ' ) . As the industrialisation of the valleys began there was little shift in the use of Welsh as a first language . Initial immigrants were Welsh and it was not until the 1900s that English workers began settling in any great numbers , but it wasn 't these new workers who changed the language ; the erosion of Welsh had already begun in the 1860s in the school classrooms . The educational philosophy accepted by schoolmasters and governmental administrators was that English was the language of scholars , and that Welsh was a barrier to moral and commercial prosperity . In 1901 35 @.@ 4 % of Rhondda workers spoke only English but by 1911 this had risen to 43 @.@ 1 % , while Welsh speaking monoglots had dropped from 11 @.@ 4 % to 4 @.@ 4 % in the same period . The true Anglicization of the Rhondda Valleys took place from 1900 to 1950 . Improved transport and communications facilitated the spread of new cultural influences , along with dealings with outside companies with no understanding of Welsh , trade union meetings held in English , the coming of radio , cinema and then television and cheap English newspapers and paperback books ; all were factors in the absorption of the English language . Cadwgan Circle Though the population of the Rhondda was embracing English as its first language , during the 1940s a literary and intellectual movement formed in the Rhondda that would produce an influential group of Welsh language writers . Formed during the Second World War by Egyptologist J. Gwyn Griffiths and his German wife Käte Bosse @-@ Griffiths , the group was known as the Cadwgan Circle ( Cylch Cadwgan ) , and met at the Griffiths ' house in Pentre . The Welsh writers who made up the movement included Pennar Davies , Rhydwen Williams , James Kitchener Davies and Gareth Alban Davies . National Eisteddfod The Rhondda has hosted the National Eisteddfod on only one occasion , in 1928 at Treorchy . The Gorsedd stones that were placed to commemorate the event still stand on the Maindy hillside overlooking Treorchy and Cwmparc . In 1947 Treorchy held the Urdd National Eisteddfod , the Eisteddfod for children and young adults . Communal activity Rhondda had a strong tradition of communal activity , exemplified by workmen 's halls , miners ' institutes and trade unions . Miners began to contribute to the building and running of institutes - such as the Parc and Dare Hall in Treorchy - from the 1890s onwards , and they were centres of both entertainment and self @-@ improvement with billiards halls , libraries and reading rooms . = = = Media = = = In 1884 the Rhondda Valley was served by local newspaper the Rhondda Chronicle which became the Rhondda Gazette and General Advertiser of the Rhondda Fach and Ogmore Valleys in 1891 . In 1899 , the Rhondda Valley was served by the Pontypridd and Rhondda Weekly Post while Rhondda Post was also in circulation in 1898 . The Rhondda Leader one of the more familiar local papers of the region , was first published in 1899 and nine years later became the Rhondda Leader , Maesteg , Garw and Ogmore Telegraph . The Porth Gazette was published from 1900 to 1944 and during that period there was a newspaper called the Rhondda Socialist . Rhondda Gazette was in circulation from 1913 to 1919 while the Rhondda Clarion was available in the late 1930s . The Porth Gazette and Rhondda Leader was published from 1944 to 1967 while also published in Pontypridd during those years was the Rhondda Fach Leader and Gazette . In more recent years the Rhondda Leader and Pontypridd & Llantrisant Observer combined before the Rhondda Leader became a separate edition once more . In August 1952 the BBC transmitter at Wenvoe began broadcasting allowing the Rhondda to receive television pictures for the first time . This was followed in January 1958 with Commercial Television provided by Television Wales and the West ( TWW ) , giving the viewers of the Rhondda a choice of two television channels . = = Transport = = Due to the geological layout of the Rhondda Valley , transport links are fairly restrictive . The original road layout followed the valleys with few connections between them . In the 1920s , a major unemployment relief programme for out of work miners was created to build mountain roads connecting communities together . The mountain roads had a lasting effect and transformed the valleys from being dead @-@ end communities . Two main roads service the area , the A4058 runs through the Rhondda Fawr and the A4233 services the Rhondda Fach . The A4058 starts at Pontypridd runs through Porth before ending at Treorchy , where it joins the A4061 to Hirwaun . The A4233 begins outside Rhondda at Tonyrefail , heading north through Porth and through the Rhondda Fach to Maerdy , where the road eventually links up with the A4059 at Aberdare . Two other A roads service the area ; the A4119 is a relief road , known as the Tonypandy Bypass and the other is the A4061 which links Treorchy to the Ogmore Vale before reaching Bridgend . There is a single rail link to the Rhondda , the Rhondda Line , based around the old Taff Vale Railway which serviced both the Rhondda Fach and Rhondda Fawr . The Rhondda Line runs through the Rhondda Fawr , linking Rhondda to Cardiff Central . The railway stations that once populated the Rhondda Fach were all closed after the Beeching Axe . The railway line serves ten Rhondda stations with the villages not directly linked connected through bus services . British Rail reopened some of the closed stations such as Ystrad Rhondda railway station in 1986 . = = Residents of note = = See also Category : People from Rhondda Due to the scarcity of inhabitants in the Rhondda prior to industrialisation , there are few residents of note before the valleys became a coal mining area . The earliest individuals to come to the fore were linked with the coal industry and the people ; physical men who found a way out of the Rhondda through sport ; charismatic orators who led the miners through unions or political and religious leaders who tended to the deeply religious chapel going public . = = = Sport = = = The two main sports with which the Rhondda appeared to produce quality participants were rugby union and boxing . One of the first true rugby stars to come from the Rhondda was Willie Llewellyn , who not only gained 20 caps for Wales scoring 48 points , but was also the first Rhondda born member of the British Lions . Such was Llewellyn 's fame that during the Tonypandy Riots , his pharmacy was left unscathed by the crowds due to his past sporting duties . Many players came through the Rhondda to gain international duty , and after the split between amateur rugby union and the professional Northern League , many were also tempted to the North of England to earn a wage for their abilities . Amongst the new league players was Jack Rhapps , Aberaman born , but living in the Rhondda when he ' Went North ' , eventually becoming the world 's first dual @-@ code international rugby player . The most famous rugby player from the Rhondda of the later half of the 20th century is Cliff Morgan . Morgan was born in Trebanog , and gained 29 caps for Wales , four for the British Lions and was one of the inaugural inductees of the International Rugby Hall of Fame . Another notable player is Billy Cleaver from Treorchy , a member of the 1950 Grand Slam winning team . During the 20th century The Rhondda also supplied a steady stream of championship boxers . Percy Jones was not only the first World Champion from the Rhondda , but was the first Welshman to hold a World Title when he won the Flyweight belt in 1914 . After Jones came the Rhondda 's most notable boxer , Jimmy Wilde also known as the " Mighty Atom " , who took the IBU world flyweight title in 1916 . British Champions from the valleys include Tommy Farr who held the British and Empire heavyweight belt and Llew Edwards who took the British featherweight title . Although association football was not as popular as rugby in the Rhondda in the early 20th century , after the 1920s several notable players had emerged from the area . Two of the most important players both came from the village of Ton Pentre ; Jimmy Murphy was capped 15 times for Wales , and in 1958 managed both the Welsh national team and Manchester United . Roy Paul , also from Ton Pentre , led Manchester City to two successive FA Cup finals in 1955 and 1956 and gained 33 Welsh caps . Alan Curtis , who was best known for representing Swansea City and Cardiff City , came from the neighbouring village of Pentre , and in an 11 @-@ year international career won 35 caps for Wales scoring 6 goals . The Rhondda Valleys have also produced two world class darts players . In 1975 Alan Evans from Ferndale won the Winmau World Masters , a feat repeated in 1994 by Richie Burnett from Cwmparc . Burnett surpassed Evans when he also became BDO World Darts Champion winning the tournament in 1995 . = = = Politics = = = Despite neither being born in the Rhondda , the two most notable political figures to emerge from the area are William Abraham , known as Mabon , and George Thomas , Viscount Tonypandy . Abraham , best known as a trade unionist was the first Member of Parliament of the Rhondda and the leader of the South Wales Miners ' Federation . A strong negotiator in the early years of valleys ' unionism , as a moderate he lost ground to more radical leaders in his later years . Thomas was the born in Port Talbot but raised in Trealaw near Tonypandy . He was a Member of Parliament for Cardiff for 38 years and Speaker of the House of Commons ( 1976 – 1983 ) . On his retirement from politics he was made Viscount Tonypandy . Leanne Wood , current leader of Plaid Cymru is from the Rhondda . = = = Film and television = = = The most well known actors to have been born in the Rhondda are Sir Stanley Baker and brothers Donald and Glyn Houston . Baker was born in Ferndale and starred in films such as the The Cruel Sea ( 1953 ) and Richard III ( 1955 ) , though it was as actor / producer of the 1964 film Zulu that his legacy endures . The Houston brothers were both born in Tonypandy , with Donald gaining better success as a film actor , with memorable roles in The Blue Lagoon ( 1949 ) and Ealing 's Dance Hall ( 1950 ) . Glyn Houston acted primarily in British B @-@ Movies , and was better known as a television actor . = = = Literature = = = Of the Cadwgan Circle , the most notable of their number is Rhydwen Williams , the winner of the Eisteddfod Crown on two occasions who used the landscape of the industrial valleys as a basis for much of his work . Writing in the English language Peter George was born in Treorchy and is best known as the Oscar nominated screenwriter of Dr. Strangelove , based on his book Red Alert . Reflecting the lives of the residents of the Rhondda , both Gwyn Thomas and Ron Berry brought a realism to the industrial valleys which was missing in the more rose @-@ tinted writings of Richard Llewellyn . = = = Visual arts = = = The Rhondda Valleys has not produced as notable a group of visual artists as it has writers , though in the 1950s a small group of students , brought together through a daily commute by train to the Cardiff College of Art , came to prominence and are known as the ' Rhondda Group ' . Although they did not set up a school or have a manifesto ; the group , which included Charles Burton , Ceri Barclay , Glyn Morgan , Thomas Hughes , Gwyn Evans , Nigel Flower , David Mainwaring , Ernest Zobole and Robert Thomas , were an important artistic movement in 20th @-@ century Welsh art . The most notable members of the group include Ernest Zobole , a painter from Ystrad , whose expressionist work was deeply rooted in the juxtaposition of the industrialised buildings of the valleys set against the green hills that surround them . Also from the Rhondda Fawr was sculptor Robert Thomas ; born in Cwmparc , his heavy cast statues have become icons of contemporary Wales , with five of his statues publicly displayed in the centre of Cardiff . = = = Science and social science = = = In sciences and social sciences the Rhondda has provided important academics within the aspects of Wales and on the World stage . Donald Davies , born in Treorchy in 1924 was the co @-@ inventor of packet switching , a process which enabled the exchange of information between computers , a feature which enabled the Internet . In the social sciences , the Rhondda has produced Welsh historian John Davies , an important voice on Welsh affairs , who was one of the most recognised faces and voices of 21st century Welsh history , and was also one of the main authors of The Welsh Academy Encyclopaedia of Wales . The Rhondda has also produced J. Gwyn Griffiths , an eminent Egyptologist , who was also a member of the Cadwgan Circle . Griffiths and his wife Käte Bosse @-@ Griffiths were influential writers and curators in the history of Egyptian lore .

= Escherichia coli = Escherichia coli ( / ˌɛʃᵻˈrɪkiə ˈkoʊlaɪ / ; also known as E. coli ) is a gram @-@ negative , facultatively anaerobic , rod @-@ shaped bacterium of the genus Escherichia that is commonly found in the lower intestine of warm @-@ blooded organisms ( endotherms ) . Most E. coli strains are harmless , but some serotypes can cause serious food poisoning in their hosts , and are occasionally responsible for product recalls due to food contamination . The harmless strains are part of the normal flora of the gut , and can benefit their hosts by producing vitamin K2 , and preventing colonization of the intestine with pathogenic bacteria . E. coli is expelled into the environment within fecal matter . The bacterium grows massively in fresh fecal matter under aerobic conditions for 3 days , but its numbers decline slowly afterwards . E. coli and other facultative anaerobes constitute about 0 @.@ 1 % of gut flora , and fecal – oral transmission is the major route through which pathogenic strains of the bacterium cause disease . Cells are able to survive outside the body for a limited amount of time , which makes them potential indicator organisms to test environmental samples for fecal contamination . A growing body of research , though , has examined environmentally persistent E. coli which can survive for extended periods outside of a host . The bacterium can be grown and cultured easily and inexpensively in a laboratory setting , and has been intensively investigated for over 60 years . E. coli is a chemoheterotroph whose chemically defined medium must include a source of carbon and energy . Organic growth factors included in chemically defined medium used to grow E. coli includes glucose , ammonium phosphate , mono basic , sodium chloride , magnesium sulfate , potassium phosphate , dibasic , and water . The exact chemical composition is known for media that is considered chemically defined medium . E. coli is the most widely studied prokaryotic model organism , and an important species in the fields of biotechnology and microbiology , where it has served as the host organism for the majority of work with recombinant DNA . Under favorable conditions , it takes only 20 minutes to reproduce . = = Biology and biochemistry = = = = = Type and morphology = = = E. coli is a gram @-@ negative , facultative anaerobic ( that makes ATP by aerobic respiration if oxygen is present , but is capable of switching to fermentation or anaerobic respiration if oxygen is absent ) and nonsporulating bacterium . Cells are typically rod @-@ shaped , and are about 2 @.@ 0 micrometers ( μm ) long and 0 @.@ 25 – 1 @.@ 0 μm in diameter , with a cell volume of 0 @.@ 6 – 0 @.@ 7 μm3 . E. coli stains gram @-@ negative because its cell wall is composed of a thin peptidoglycan layer and an outer membrane . During the staining process , E. coli picks up the color of the counterstain safranin and stains pink . The outer membrane surrounding the cell wall provides a barrier to certain antibiotics such that E. coli is not damaged by penicillin . Strains that possess flagella are motile . The flagella have a peritrichous arrangement . = = = Metabolism = = = E. coli can live on a wide variety of substrates and uses mixed @-@ acid fermentation in anaerobic conditions , producing lactate , succinate , ethanol , acetate , and carbon dioxide . Since many pathways in mixed @-@ acid fermentation produce hydrogen gas , these pathways require the levels of hydrogen to be low , as is the case when E. coli lives together with hydrogen @-@ consuming organisms , such as methanogens or sulphate @-@ reducing bacteria . = = = Culture growth = = = Optimum growth of E. coli occurs at 37 ° C ( 98 @.@ 6 ° F ) , but some laboratory strains can multiply at temperatures of up to 49 ° C ( 120 @.@ 2 ° F ) . Growth can be driven by aerobic or anaerobic respiration , using a large variety of redox pairs , including the oxidation of pyruvic acid , formic acid , hydrogen , and amino acids , and the reduction of substrates such as oxygen , nitrate , fumarate , dimethyl sulfoxide , and trimethylamine N @-@ oxide . E. coli is classified as a facultative anaerobe . It uses oxygen when it is present and available . It can however , continue to grow in the absence of oxygen using fermentation or anaerobic respiration . The ability to be able to continue growing in the absence of oxygen is an advantage to bacteria because their survival is increased in environments where water predominates . = = = Cell cycle = = = The bacterial cell cycle is divided into three stages . The B period occurs between the completion of cell division and the beginning of DNA replication . The C period encompasses the time it takes to replicate the chromosomal DNA . The D period refers to the stage between the conclusion of DNA replication and the end of cell division . The doubling rate of E. coli is higher when more nutrients are available . However , the length of the C and D periods do not change , even when the doubling time becomes less than the sum of the C and D periods . At the fastest growth rates , replication begins before the previous round of replication has completed , resulting in multiple replication forks along the DNA and overlapping cell cycles . Unlike eukaryotes , prokaryotes do not rely upon either changes in gene expression or changes in protein synthesis to control the cell cycle . This probably explains why they do not have similar proteins to those used by eukaryotes to control their cell cycle , such as cdk1 . This has led to research on what the control mechanism is in prokaryotes . Recent evidence suggests that it may be membrane- or lipid @-@ based . = = = Genetic adaptation = = = E. coli and related bacteria possess the ability to transfer DNA via bacterial conjugation or transduction , which allows genetic material to spread horizontally through an existing population . The process of transduction , which uses the bacterial virus called a bacteriophage , is where the spread of the gene encoding for the Shiga toxin from the Shigella bacteria to E. coli helped produce E. coli O157 : H7 , the Shiga toxin producing strain of E. coli . = = Diversity = = Escherichia coli encompasses an enormous population of bacteria that exhibit a very high degree of both genetic and phenotypic diversity . Genome sequencing of a large number of isolates of E. coli and related bacteria shows that a taxonomic reclassification would be desirable . However , this has not been done , largely due to its medical importance , and E. coli remains one of the most diverse bacterial species : only 20 % of the genes in a typical E. coli genome is shared among all strains . In fact , from the evolutionary point of view , the members of genus Shigella ( S. dysenteriae , S. flexneri , S. boydii , and S. sonnei ) should be classified as E. coli strains , a phenomenon termed taxa in disguise . Similarly , other strains of E. coli ( e.g. the K @-@ 12 strain commonly used in recombinant DNA work ) are sufficiently different that they would merit reclassification . A strain is a subgroup within the species that has unique characteristics that distinguish it from other strains . These differences are often detectable only at the molecular level ; however , they may result in changes to the physiology or lifecycle of the bacterium . For example , a strain may gain pathogenic capacity , the ability to use a unique carbon source , the ability to take upon a particular ecological niche , or the ability to resist antimicrobial agents . Different strains of E. coli are often host @-@ specific , making it possible to determine the source of fecal contamination in environmental samples . For example , knowing which E. coli strains are present in a water sample allows researchers to make assumptions about whether the contamination originated from a human , another mammal , or a bird . = = = Serotypes = = = A common subdivision system of E. coli , but not based on evolutionary relatedness , is by serotype , which is based on major surface antigens ( O antigen : part of lipopolysaccharide layer ; H : flagellin ; K antigen : capsule ) , e.g. O157 : H7 ) . It is , however , common to cite only the serogroup , i.e. the O @-@ antigen . At present , about 190 serogroups are known . The common laboratory strain has a mutation that prevents the formation of an O @-@ antigen and is thus not typeable . = = = Genome plasticity and evolution = = = Like all lifeforms , new strains of E. coli evolve through the natural biological processes of mutation , gene duplication , and horizontal gene transfer ; in particular , 18 % of the genome of the laboratory strain MG1655 was horizontally acquired since the divergence from Salmonella . E. coli K @-@ 12 and E. coli B strains are the most frequently used varieties for laboratory purposes . Some strains develop traits that can be harmful to a host animal . These virulent strains typically cause a bout of diarrhea that is unpleasant in healthy adults and is often lethal to children in the developing world . More virulent strains , such as O157 : H7 , cause serious illness or death in the elderly , the very young , or the immunocompromised . The genera Escherichia and Salmonella diverged around 102 million years ago ( credibility interval : 57 – 176 mya ) which coincides with the divergence of their hosts : the former being found in mammals and the latter in birds and reptiles . This was followed by a split of the escherichian ancestor into five species ( E. albertii , E. coli , E. fergusonii , E. hermannii , and E. vulneris ) . The last E. coli ancestor split between 20 and 30 million years ago . The long @-@ term evolution experiments using E. coli , begun by Richard Lenski in 1988 , have allowed direct observation of major evolutionary shifts in the laboratory . In this experiment , one population of E. coli unexpectedly evolved the ability to aerobically metabolize citrate , which is extremely rare in E. coli . As the inability to grow aerobically is normally used as a diagnostic criterion with which to differentiate E. coli from other , closely related bacteria , such as Salmonella , this innovation may mark a speciation event observed in the laboratory . = = = Neotype strain = = = E. coli is the type species of the genus ( Escherichia ) and in turn Escherichia is the type genus of the family Enterobacteriaceae , where the family name does not stem from the genus Enterobacter + " i " ( sic . ) + " aceae " , but from " enterobacterium " + " aceae " ( enterobacterium being not a genus , but an alternative trivial name to enteric bacterium ) . The original strain described by Escherich is believed to be lost , consequently a new type strain ( neotype ) was chosen as a representative : the neotype strain is U5 / 41T , also known under the deposit names DSM 30083 , ATCC 11775 , and NCTC 9001 , which is pathogenic to chickens and has an O1 : K1 : H7 serotype . However , in most studies , either O157 : H7 , K @-@ 12 MG1655 , or K @-@ 12 W3110 were used as a representative E. coli . The genome of the type strain has only lately been sequenced . Particularly the use of whole genome sequences yields highly supported phylogenies . Based on such data , five subspecies of E. coli were distinguished . The link between phylogenetic distance ( " relatedness " ) and pathology is small , e.g. the O157 : H7 serotype strains , which form a clade ( " an exclusive group " ) — group E below — are all enterohaemorragic strains ( EHEC ) , but not all EHEC strains are closely related . In fact , four different species of Shigella are nested among E. coli strains ( vide supra ) , while E. albertii and E. fergusonii are outside of this group . Indeed , all Shigella species were placed within a single subspecies of E. coli in a phylogenomic study that included the type strain , and for this reason an according reclassification is difficult . All commonly used research strains of E. coli belong to group A and are derived mainly from Clifton 's K @-@ 12 strain ( λ ⁺ F ⁺ ; O16 ) and to a lesser degree from d 'Herelle 's Bacillus coli strain ( B strain ) ( O7 ) . = = Genomics = = The first complete DNA sequence of an E. coli genome ( laboratory strain K @-@ 12 derivative MG1655 ) was published in 1997 . It was found to be a circular DNA molecule 4 @.@ 6 million base pairs in length , containing 4288 annotated protein @-@ coding genes ( organized into 2584 operons ) , seven ribosomal RNA ( rRNA ) operons , and 86 transfer RNA ( tRNA ) genes . Despite having been the subject of intensive genetic analysis for about 40 years , a large number of these genes were previously unknown . The coding density was found to be very high , with a mean distance between genes of only 118 base pairs . The genome was observed to contain a significant number of transposable genetic elements , repeat elements , cryptic prophages , and bacteriophage remnants . Today , several hundred complete genomic sequences of Escherichia and Shigella species are available . The genome sequence of the type strain of E. coli has been added to this collection not before 2014 . Comparison of these sequences shows a remarkable amount of diversity ; only about 20 % of each genome represents sequences present in every one of the isolates , while around 80 % of each genome can vary among isolates . Each individual genome contains between 4 @,@ 000 and 5 @,@ 500 genes , but the total number of different genes among all of the sequenced E. coli strains ( the pangenome ) exceeds 16 @,@ 000 . This very large variety of component genes has been interpreted to mean that two @-@ thirds of the E. coli pangenome originated in other species and arrived through the process of horizontal gene transfer . = = Gene nomenclature = = Genes in E. coli are usually named by 4 @-@ letter acronyms that derive from their function ( when known ) . For instance , recA is named after its role in homologous recombination plus the letter A. Functionally related genes are named recB , recC , recD etc . The proteins are named by uppercase acronyms , e.g. RecA , RecB , etc . When the genome of E. coli was sequenced , all genes were numbered ( more or less ) in their order on the genome and abbreviated by b numbers , such as b2819 ( = recD ) etc . The " b " names were created after Fred Blattner who led the genome sequence effort . Another numbering system was introduced with the sequence of another E. coli strain , W3110 , which was sequenced in Japan and hence uses numbers starting by JW ... ( Japanese W3110 ) , e.g. JW2787 (

= recD ) . Hence , recD = b2819 = JW2787 . Note , however , that most databases have their own numbering system , e.g. the EcoGene database uses EG10826 for recD . Finally , ECK numbers are specifically used for alleles in the MG1655 strain of E. coli K @-@ 12 . Complete lists of genes and their synonyms can be obtained from databases such as EcoGene or Uniprot . = = Proteomics = = = = = Proteome = = = Several studies have investigated the proteome of E. coli . By 2006 , 1 @,@ 627 ( 38 % ) of the 4 @,@ 237 open reading frames ( ORFs ) had been identified experimentally . = = = Interactome = = = The interactome of E. coli has been studied by affinity purification and mass spectrometry ( AP / MS ) and by analyzing the binary interactions among its proteins . Protein complexes . A 2006 study purified 4 @,@ 339 proteins from cultures of strain K @-@ 12 and found interacting partners for 2 @,@ 667 proteins , many of which had unknown functions at the time . A 2009 study found 5 @,@ 993 interactions between proteins of the same E. coli strain , though these data showed little overlap with those of the 2006 publication . Binary interactions . Rajagopala et al . ( 2014 ) have carried out systematic yeast two @-@ hybrid screens with most E. coli proteins , and found a total of 2 @,@ 234 protein @-@ protein interactions . This study also integrated genetic interactions and protein structures and mapped 458 interactions within 227 protein complexes . = = Normal microbiota = = E. coli belongs to a group of bacteria informally known as coliforms that are found in the gastrointestinal tract of warm @-@ blooded animals . E. coli normally colonizes an infant 's gastrointestinal tract within 40 hours of birth , arriving with food or water or from the individuals handling the child . In the bowel , E. coli adheres to the mucus of the large intestine . It is the primary facultative anaerobe of the human gastrointestinal tract . ( Facultative anaerobes are organisms that can grow in either the presence or absence of oxygen . ) As long as these bacteria do not acquire genetic elements encoding for virulence factors , they remain benign commensals . = = = Therapeutic use = = = Nonpathogenic E. coli strain Nissle 1917 , also known as Mutaflor , and E. coli O83 : K24 : H31 ( known as Colinfant ) are used as probiotic agents in medicine , mainly for the treatment of various gastroenterological diseases , including inflammatory bowel disease . = = Role in disease = = Most E. coli strains do not cause disease , but virulent strains can cause gastroenteritis , urinary tract infections , and neonatal meningitis . It can also be characterized by severe abdominal cramps , diarrhea that typically turns bloody within 24 hours , and sometimes fever . In rarer cases , virulent strains are also responsible for bowel necrosis ( tissue death ) and perforation without progressing to hemolytic @-@ uremic syndrome , peritonitis , mastitis , septicemia , and gram @-@ negative pneumonia . There is one strain , E.coli # 0157 : H7 , that produces the Shiga toxin ( classified as a bioterrorism agent ) . This toxin causes premature destruction of the red blood cells , which then clog the body 's filtering system , the kidneys , causing hemolytic @-@ uremic syndrome ( HUS ) . This in turn causes strokes due to small clots of blood which lodge in capillaries in the brain . This causes the body parts controlled by this region of the brain not to work properly . In addition , this strain causes the buildup of fluid ( since the kidneys do not work ) , leading to edema around the lungs and legs and arms . This increase in fluid buildup especially around the lungs impedes the functioning of the heart , causing an increase in blood pressure . Uropathogenic E. coli ( UPEC ) is one of the main causes of urinary tract infections . It is part of the normal flora in the gut and can be introduced in many ways . In particular for females , the direction of wiping after defecation ( wiping back to front ) can lead to fecal contamination of the urogenital orifices . Anal intercourse can also introduce this bacterium into the male urethra , and in switching from anal to vaginal intercourse , the male can also introduce UPEC to the female urogenital system . For more information , see the databases at the end of the article or UPEC pathogenicity . In May 2011 , one E. coli strain , O104 : H4 , was the subject of a bacterial outbreak that began in Germany . Certain strains of E. coli are a major cause of foodborne illness . The outbreak started when several people in Germany were infected with enterohemorrhagic E. coli ( EHEC ) bacteria , leading to hemolytic @-@ uremic syndrome ( HUS ) , a medical emergency that requires urgent treatment . The outbreak did not only concern Germany , but also 11 other countries , including regions in North America . On 30 June 2011 , the German Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung ( BfR ) ( Federal Institute for Risk Assessment , a federal institute within the German Federal Ministry of Food , Agriculture and Consumer Protection ) announced that seeds of fenugreek from Egypt were likely the cause of the EHEC outbreak . = = = Treatment = = = The mainstay of treatment is the assessment of dehydration and replacement of fluid and electrolytes . Administration of antibiotics has been shown to shorten the course of illness and duration of excretion of enterotoxigenic E. coli ( ETEC ) in adults in endemic areas and in traveller ’ s diarrhoea , though the rate of resistance to commonly used antibiotics is increasing and they are generally not recommended . The antibiotic used depends upon susceptibility patterns in the particular geographical region . Currently , the antibiotics of choice are fluoroquinolones or azithromycin , with an emerging role for rifaximin . Oral rifaximin , a semisynthetic rifamycin derivative , is an effective and well @-@ tolerated antibacterial for the management of adults with non @-@ invasive traveller ’ s diarrhoea . Rifaximin was significantly more effective than placebo and no less effective than ciprofloxacin in reducing the duration of diarrhoea . While rifaximin is effective in patients with E. coli @-@ predominant traveller ’ s diarrhoea , it appears ineffective in patients infected with inflammatory or invasive enteropathogens . = = = Prevention = = = ETEC is the type of E. coli that most vaccine development efforts are focused on . Antibodies against the LT and major CFs of ETEC provide protection against LT @-@ producing ETEC expressing homologous CFs . Oral inactivated vaccines consisting of toxin antigen and whole cells , i.e. the licensed recombinant cholera B subunit ( rCTB ) -WC cholera vaccine Dukoral have been developed . There are currently no licensed vaccines for ETEC , though several are in various stages of development . In different trials , the rCTB @-@ WC cholera vaccine provided high ( 85 – 100 % ) short @-@ term protection . An oral ETEC vaccine candidate consisting of rCTB and formalin inactivated E. coli bacteria expressing major CFs has been shown in clinical trials to be safe , immunogenic , and effective against severe diarrhoea in American travelers but not against ETEC diarrhoea in young children in Egypt . A modified ETEC vaccine consisting of recombinant E. coli strains over expressing the major CFs and a more LT @-@ like hybrid toxoid called LCTBA , are undergoing clinical testing . Other proven prevention methods for E. coli transmission include handwashing and improved sanitation and drinking water , as transmission occurs through fecal contamination of food and water supplies . = = = Causes and risk factors = = = Working around livestock Consuming unpasteurized dairy product Eating undercooked meat Drinking impure water = = Model organism in life science research = = = = = Role in biotechnology = = = Because of its long history of laboratory culture and ease of manipulation , E. coli plays an important role in modern biological engineering and industrial microbiology . The work of Stanley Norman Cohen and Herbert Boyer in E. coli , using plasmids and restriction enzymes to create recombinant DNA , became a foundation of biotechnology . E. coli is a very versatile host for the production of heterologous proteins , and various protein expression systems have been developed which allow the production of recombinant proteins in E. coli . Researchers can introduce genes into the microbes using plasmids which permit high level expression of protein , and such protein may be mass @-@ produced in industrial fermentation processes . One of the first useful applications of recombinant DNA technology was the manipulation of E. coli to produce human insulin . Many proteins previously thought difficult or impossible to be expressed in E. coli in folded form have been successfully expressed in E. coli . For example , proteins with multiple disulphide bonds may be produced in the periplasmic space or in the cytoplasm of mutants rendered sufficiently oxidizing to allow disulphide @-@ bonds to form , while proteins requiring post @-@ translational modification such as glycosylation for stability or function have been expressed using the N @-@ linked glycosylation system of Campylobacter jejuni engineered into E. coli . Modified E. coli cells have been used in vaccine development , bioremediation , production of biofuels , lighting , and production of immobilised enzymes . = = = Model organism = = = E. coli is frequently used as a model organism in microbiology studies . Cultivated strains ( e.g. E. coli K12 ) are well @-@ adapted to the laboratory environment , and , unlike wild @-@ type strains , have lost their ability to thrive in the intestine . Many laboratory strains lose their ability to form biofilms . These features protect wild @-@ type strains from antibodies and other chemical attacks , but require a large expenditure of energy and material resources . In 1946 , Joshua Lederberg and Edward Tatum first described the phenomenon known as bacterial conjugation using E. coli as a model bacterium , and it remains the primary model to study conjugation . E. coli was an integral part of the first experiments to understand phage genetics , and early researchers , such as Seymour Benzer , used E. coli and phage T4 to understand the topography of gene structure . Prior to Benzer 's research , it was not known whether the gene was a linear structure , or if it had a branching pattern . E. coli was one of the first organisms to have its genome sequenced ; the complete genome of E. coli K12 was published by Science in 1997 . By evaluating the possible combination of nanotechnologies with landscape ecology , complex habitat landscapes can be generated with details at the nanoscale . On such synthetic ecosystems , evolutionary experiments with E. coli have been performed to study the spatial biophysics of adaptation in an island biogeography on @-@ chip . Studies are also being performed attempting to program E. coli to solve complicated mathematics problems , such as the Hamiltonian path problem . = = History = = In 1885 , the German @-@ Austrian pediatrician Theodor Escherich discovered this organism in the feces of healthy individuals . He called it Bacterium coli commune because it is found in the colon . Early classifications of prokaryotes placed these in a handful of genera based on their shape and motility ( at that time Ernst Haeckel 's classification of bacteria in the kingdom Monera was in place ) . Bacterium coli was the type species of the now invalid genus Bacterium when it was revealed that the former type species ( " Bacterium triloculare " ) was missing . Following a revision of Bacterium , it was reclassified as Bacillus coli by Migula in 1895 and later reclassified in the newly created genus Escherichia , named after its original discoverer . = = = Databases = = = Bacteriome E. coli interaction database coliBASE ( subset of the comparative genomics database xBASE ) EcoGene ( genome database and website dedicated to Escherichia coli K @-@ 12 substrain MG1655 ) EcoSal Continually updated Web resource based on the classic ASM Press publication Escherichia coli and Salmonella : Cellular and Molecular Biology ECODAB The structure of the O @-@ antigens that form the basis of the serological classification of E. coli Coli Genetic Stock Center Strains and genetic information on E. coli K @-@ 12 EcoCyc – literature @-@ based curation of the entire genome , and of transcriptional regulation , transporters , and metabolic pathways PortEco ( formerly EcoliHub ) – NIH @-@ funded comprehensive data resource for E. coli K @-@ 12 and its phage , plasmids , and mobile genetic elements EcoliWiki is the community annotation component of PortEco RegulonDB RegulonDB is a model of the complex regulation of transcription initiation or regulatory network of the cell E. coli K @-@ 12 . Uropathogenic Escherichia coli ( UPEC ) = = = General databases with E. coli @-@ related information = = = 5S rRNA Database Information on nucleotide sequences of 5S rRNAs and their genes ACLAME A CLAssification of Mobile genetic Elements AlignACE Matrices that search for additional binding sites in the E. coli genomic sequence ArrayExpress Database of functional genomics experiments ASAP Comprehensive genome information for several enteric bacteria with community annotation BioGPS Gene portal hub BRENDA Comprehensive Enzyme Information System BSGI Bacterial Structural Genomics Initiative CATH Protein Structure Classification CBS Genome Atlas CDD Conserved Domain Database CIBEX Center for Information Biology Gene Expression Database COGs BacDive – the Bacterial Diversity Metadatabase

= Dinner Party ( The Office ) = " Dinner Party " is the thirteenth episode of the fourth season of the American comedy television series The Office — the show 's sixty @-@ sixth episode overall . Written by the writing team of Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky and directed by Paul Feig , the episode originally aired on NBC on April 10 , 2008 . Guest stars in the episode include Beth Grant , Steve Seagren , and Gary Weeks . The series — presented as if it were a real documentary — depicts the everyday lives of office employees in the Scranton , Pennsylvania , branch of the fictional Dunder Mifflin Paper Company . In the episode , Michael Scott and his girlfriend Jan Levinson ( Melora Hardin ) , the former Vice @-@ President of Regional Sales at the Dunder Mifflin corporate office in New York City throw a dinner party and invite Jim Halpert ( John Krasinski ) and Pam Beesley ( Jenna Fischer ) , and Andy Bernard ( Ed Helms ) and Angela Martin ( Angela Kinsey ) , as well as an uninvited Dwight Schrute ( Rainn Wilson ) . The party ends with Michael and Jan having a loud argument ; Michael leaves with Dwight on the advice of two police officers who respond to a domestic disturbance call after the fight . The episode was the first original episode of The Office to be broadcast since the episode " The Deposition " on November 15 , 2007 , due to the effects of the 2007 – 2008 Writers Guild of America strike . As such , the atmosphere on the set was one of a more laid @-@ back nature , and the cast broke into laughter due to the jokes many times . " Dinner Party " received largely positive reviews from critics , with many hailing it as one of the series ' best entries . The episode received 4 @.@ 8 Nielsen rating and was watched by 9 @.@ 2 million viewers . = = Plot = = The office workers are stuck working overtime on a major assignment . After asking Jim Halpert ( John Krasinski ) to confirm that he has not made any plans for the evening in anticipation of the overtime assignment , Michael Scott ( Steve Carell ) calls corporate and declares that he is releasing the workers from overtime . Michael then proceeds to invite Jim and his girlfriend Pam Beesly ( Jenna Fischer ) to join him and his girlfriend Jan Levenson ( Melora Hardin ) for dinner at his condominium after Jim had previously turned him down nine times . When Jim begins to formulate an excuse , Michael reminds him that he just said he hadn 't made any plans . Jim begins to suspect that Michael fabricated the overtime assignment and the call to corporate just to maneuver him and Pam into coming to dinner . Michael also invites Andy Bernard ( Ed Helms ) and Angela Martin ( Angela Kinsey ) , but excludes Angela 's former boyfriend Dwight Schrute ( Rainn Wilson ) , much to Dwight 's dismay . On a tour of the condominium , Jan shows the workspace from which she runs her candle @-@ making home business . Jan 's dominance in the relationship is apparent from the living arrangements ; Michael sleeps on a small bench due to Jan 's " space issues " , and his sole comfort is a very small " plasma TV , " which he bought for $ 200 . It is also later revealed that Michael underwent three vasectomies in the course of trying to please Jan. Throughout the evening , Jan plays a song titled " That One Night " by her former assistant , Hunter . In the kitchen , Jan quietly confronts Pam with a false assumption that Michael and Pam had once dated , while Michael attempts to get Jim and Andy to invest in Jan 's candle @-@ making business for " only $ 10 @,@ 000 " . Jim 's attempt to escape the party with Pam by pretending his apartment has flooded is unsuccessful . Dwight arrives , uninvited , with his own food , wine glasses and his former babysitter ( Beth Grant ) as his date ( Dwight describes the relationship as " purely carnal " ) . The feud between Michael and Jan escalates , culminating in Jan 's destruction of the television using one of Michael 's beloved Dundie Awards . The police arrive , responding to a call about a disturbance ; despite Jan becoming remorseful , Michael agrees to spend the night with Dwight under the advice of the officers . Jim and Pam share a warm moment together eating take @-@ out food in their car , repeatedly calling each other " babe " in a mockery of Michael and Jan ; Jim also puts on Hunter 's CD , which he stole from the condo . In Andy 's car , Andy attempts to flirt with Angela by leaning in and tasting her ice cream cone ; she responds coldly by smashing the ice cream on the outside of the door . Jan is seen trying to fix the broken Dundie Award . = = Production = = = = = Background = = = The episode was the first original episode of The Office to be broadcast since the episode " The Deposition " on November 15 , 2007 , due to the effects of the 2007 – 2008 Writers Guild of America strike . The Writers Guild of America ( WGA ) went on strike at 12 : 01AM Eastern Standard Time on November 5 , 2007 . Filming of The Office immediately halted on that date , as Steve Carell , who is a member of the WGA , refused to cross WGA picket lines . Members of Writers Guild of America , East and Writers Guild of America , West voted to end the 100 @-@ day strike on February 12 , 2008 . Writers were allowed to return to work on the same day . The WGA allowed for show runners to return to work on February 11 , in preparation for the conclusion of the strike . The show runner for The Office , executive producer Greg Daniels , returned on the February 11 , while the show 's writers returned to work on February 13 . If not for the writers ' strike , this episode would have completed filming successfully during the week of November 5 , 2007 . Also , a Christmas episode would have been produced and aired , but that script was discarded as the strike lasted past the 2007 holiday season , the time of year when the potential episode would have aired . = = = Writing and directing = = = " Dinner Party " was written by Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky . Other writers for the series also added various background gags to the episode , such as Andy wearing two sweaters and holding a coat , all of the photos in the condo being of Jan with other men , and Michael 's garage having both a Soloflex and a Bowflex back to back because " Michael is completely taken by late @-@ night infomercials " . The song featured in the episode supposedly performed by Jan 's former assistant , Hunter , was written by the episode writers Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky and Todd Fancey of The New Pornographers ; Eisenberg and Stupnitsky wrote the lyrics , and Fancey wrote the music . The song was sung by Fancey . Eisenberg and Stupnitsky later explained that , despite the suggestive lyrics , the song is " left to interpretation " . The episode was directed by Paul Feig , making it his sixth directorial credit for the series . Eisenberg and Stupnitsky later noted that , because the episode was the first to be filmed following the strike , there was " a great , loose vibe on set " , and as such , many of the actors would break character and laugh at the jokes . The majority of the episode took place at Michael 's condo . This was the same location used in the second season entry " Office Olympics " . Eisenberg and Stupnitsky explained that " the production design team did an amazing job to transform the condo from Michael 's design aesthetic to Jan 's . " The episode guest starred Beth Grant , Steve Seagren , and Gary Weeks . Grant would later reprise her character in the ninth season episode " Junior Salesman " . Grant was asked to appear in the episode after Daniels saw her performance in the 2007 film No Country for Old Men . Grant praised Carell 's improvisational skills — noting that " he just keeps going off script [ and that he ] is channeling something " — as well as Wilson 's humorous antics while acting . She concluded that " if they had wanted a crazy , wild feature film using all the comedy that I saw in just those few days , you could absolutely have had one " with their acting . = = Cultural references = = The group plays Celebrity , a game wherein teams play against each other to guess as many celebrity names as possible before time runs out . Michael tries to get his team to guess Arnold Schwarzenegger by saying , " Rhymes with Parnold Schwarzenegger " . Michael also tries to get his team to guess Tom Cruise , to which Jim answers Katie Holmes and Dawson 's Creek to purposely throw Michael off . After Jan informs Pam that people in Spain often do not eat until midnight , Michael responds with When in Rome ... , a popular saying . Thematically , several crew members and critics have compared the episode to the 1962 play Who 's Afraid of Virginia Woolf ? by Edward Albee , which examines the breakdown of the marriage of a middle @-@ aged couple . = = Reception = = " Dinner Party " brought in an average of 9 @.@ 2 million American viewers , which was the highest total audience since the fourth season premiere episode " Fun Run " . This episode achieved a 4 @.@ 8 / 12 percent rating in the key 18 – 49 demographic , meaning that 4 @.@ 8 percent of 18- to 49 @-@ year @-@ olds were tuned in at any given moment and twelve percent of all 18- to 49 @-@ year @-@ olds watching television at the time were tuned in . The episode ranked in eighth place , in the 18 – 49 demographic , among all programs on television , which aired during the week of this episodes original broadcast . The episode has been met with critical acclaim since it has aired and is considered one of the best episodes of The Office by many critics . Travis Fickett of IGN wrote that " this is one of those great episodes of The Office that is hysterical and difficult to watch at the same time . " He noted that this was largely due to the fact that " it 's not because of something Michael is doing that makes you wince . It 's because of what 's happening to him . " He ultimately gave the episode an 8 @.@ 9 / 10 , denoting a " great " episode . Jay Black of AOL 's TV Squad said that " [ he ] was happy The Office was back " but " the only thing [ he ] worried about was whether it 'd still be good " after the writers strike . However , he noted that his fears were put to rest and that " Dinner Party " was " a Barry Bond 's @-@ style [ sic ] chemically enhanced mega @-@ home @-@ run . " M. Giant of Television Without Pity graded this episode with an " A. " Aubry D 'Arminio of Entertainment Weekly said that her favorite moment of the episode " was when Jan popped on that song by her former assistant , Hunter . " Jack Rodgers of TV Guide wrote that it is " a hilarious , brutally awkward look at the relationship ( and apartment ) from hell , a train wreck that you just can ’ t keep from staring at . " He also noted that it is " also a study of four couples : one hideously dysfunctional ( Michael and Jan ) , one loving ( Jim and Pam ) , one mismatched ( Angela and Andy ) , and one , ahem , " purely carnal " ( Dwight and babysitter ) . " The A.V. Club reviewer Nathan Rabin praised the episode for its " sheer squirm @-@ inducing awkwardness " . He ultimately gave the episode an " A " . Former United States Republican presidential nominee John McCain , a fan of the series , told writer B. J. Novak that his favorite scene from the show is in this episode when Michael is giving his guests a tour of his condo , and a tripod can be seen set up by his bed . Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky 's writing for the episode was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series in 2008 .

= Bat Out of Hell II : Back into Hell = Bat Out of Hell II : Back into Hell is the sixth studio album by Meat Loaf and was written and produced by Jim Steinman . It was released in September 1993 , sixteen years after Meat Loaf 's first solo album Bat Out of Hell . The album reached number 1 in the United States , United Kingdom and Australia . Five tracks were released as singles , including " I 'd Do Anything for Love ( But I Won 't Do That ) " , which reached number 1 in 28 countries . The album was released by Virgin Records outside of North America , where it was released by MCA . The third part of the Bat trilogy , Bat Out of Hell III : The Monster Is Loose , was released in 2006 . Just like the first album of the trilogy , Bat Out of Hell II was a huge commercial success and sold over 14 million copies worldwide . = = History = = In the midst of the success of Bat Out of Hell , desperate for a follow @-@ up , management and the record company put pressure on Steinman to stop touring in order to write a follow @-@ up , provisionally titled Renegade Angel . In a 1981 BBC Rock Hour Special interview , Jim Steinman recalls the writing process . I started writing what I felt was Bat Out of Hell part 2 , definitely like The Godfather part I and part 2 , that 's how I saw it . I wanted to do a continuation and I wanted to do an album that went even further and that was more extreme , if possible , which a lot of people felt wasn 't possible but I just wanted to see if I could make a record that was even more heroic because that 's what I thought of it ... Bat Out of Hell to me was ultimately very heroic though it was funny ... and I wanted to do one that to me would be even more heroic and more epic and a little more operatic and passionate . In a 1993 promotional interview for the album , Steinman reasserts the continuation of the Bat world . " I didn 't call it Bat Out of Hell II just to identify with the first record . It really does feel like an extension of that ... It was a chance to go back to that world and explore it deeper . It always seemed incomplete because I conceived it like a film , and what would you do without Die Hard 2 ? " Meat Loaf himself was more succinct . He told an interview at the time , " We called it Bat Out of Hell II ' cos that would help it sell shitloads . " Steinman rejoined Meat Loaf and the band for a live performance in Toronto , Canada in 1978 with the intention of going through the songs for Bat II after the show . However , someone broke into their dressing rooms during the show and stole several possessions , including the new lyric book . Then , Meat Loaf lost his voice and was unable to record Renegade Angel . Steinman says " he sounded literally like the little girl in The Exorcist ... like a dragon trying to sing — it was a horrifying sound . " Steinman " kept writing the music to Bat Out of Hell part 2 ... my sequel . " Not being able to " bear for people not to hear those songs , " Steinman recorded the album , retitled Bad for Good , as a solo project , although Rory Dodd contributed lead vocals on some songs . Four songs from Bad for Good were included on Bat Out of Hell II . In 1989 , Steinman formed all @-@ female vocal group Pandora 's Box . The album , Original Sin , was a commercial flop , but featured two songs which would also appear on Bat II . Meat Loaf says " Jim put " It Just Won 't Quit " on Original Sin without telling me . I could have strangled him . " By the time Meat Loaf set about finally recording Bat II in the early 90s , the industry 's enthusiasm for the project had waned . According to the artist 's then manager , Tommy Manzi , in an interview with HitQuarters , " That project was considered a joke as far as the industry was concerned , " and Manzi 's management company Left Bank were " laughed at " for attempting to revive the fortunes of a well @-@ established act rather than focus on " the next hip band " . = = Production = = After a series of financial and legal disputes during the 1980s , Steinman and Meat Loaf met at the singer 's house in Connecticut at Christmas 1989 or 1990 and sang Bat Out of Hell on piano . Steinman says that " working together again seemed like the cool thing to do . " Steinman gave Meat Loaf half the songs for the album , but refused to give him any more until he changed managers . The singer was being managed by Walter Winneck and George Gilbert , who Meat Loaf credits as being " honest guys " but , under Steinman 's influence , thinks would be " incapable of dealing with the record companies " on Bat II . On Steinman 's recommendation , he hired Allen Kovac . Recording of the album lasted from 1991 to 1993 , first at Ocean Way Recording in Los Angeles , California , then at The Power Station in New York City , New York . Many of the performers from the original album returned for the sequel . Roy Bittan performed keyboard and piano on most tracks , with Todd Rundgren , Ellen Foley , Rory Dodd and Kasim Sulton returning to provide background vocals . Meat Loaf and the musicians are credited as co @-@ arrangers , and Bittan and long @-@ term Steinman collaborator Steven Rinkoff are credited as associate producers . The album was mixed by David Thoener with the exception of the final track , which was mixed by Rinkoff . According to Meat Loaf , he and Steinman only had one " big fight " throughout the album 's production , which occurred during the mixing of " Life Is a Lemon " . Production took a long time ( see above ) , mainly because of the length of the songs . The singer says , " Jim 's songs may be miniature operas , but they 're always too long for radio . " Steinman fought with Kovac over the edit of " I 'd Do Anything for Love " , with the manager advising that radio stations were unlikely to play anything over five minutes long . Steinman had secured a contract with Meat Loaf 's recording label MCA for Lorraine Crosby , a club singer from North East England whom he was managing . While visiting the company 's recording studios on Sunset Boulevard , Crosby was asked to provide guide vocals for Meat Loaf , who was recording " I 'd Do Anything for Love " . Crosby recalls , " I went and sang it twice and I never thought anything more of it until six months later when I got a phone call saying , ' Would you mind if we used your vocals ? ' " Cher , Melissa Etheridge and Bonnie Tyler had been considered for the role . However , as Crosby had recorded her part as guide vocals , she did not receive any royalties from the song . = = Compositions = = The album opens with " I 'd Do Anything for Love ( But I Won 't Do That ) " , a marathon twelve @-@ minute opus which was edited for single release in some countries . The track begins with a guitar played to sound like a revving motorcycle , a reference to Todd Rundgren 's contribution in the middle of " Bat Out of Hell " . Each verse comprises two things that he would do for love , followed by one thing that he would not do . It is that latter parts of each chorus that is the " that " of the title . However , some people misunderstand the lyrics , claiming that the singer never identifies what the " that " is that he is unwilling to do , a confusion that Steinman predicted during production . The song combines stadium rock and ballad for much of its twelve minutes . However , near the end of the song , a female vocalist is introduced . Credited in the liner notes as Mrs. Loud , this part was sung by Lorraine Crosby . Rundgren points out that " the themes of the songs were darker . " The second track , " Life is a Lemon and I Want My Money Back " , demonstrates this pessimism . Several things are identified as " defective " , including love , sex , gods , childhood and the future . Allmusic labels it " a stomping rocker that wraps serious feelings in a cryptically witty metaphor . " Despite the pessimism , both Allmusic and Meat Loaf point out that " it is a funny song . " The third track , " Rock and Roll Dreams Come Through " , is a prayer to rock music , celebrating how it is always there to help you through troubled times . One of its lyrics is " You 're never alone , ' cause you can put on the ' phones and let the drummer tell your heart what to do . " The fourth track also has dark overtones . " It Just Won 't Quit " , Steinman explains , " is about the fact that there are some things you never shake off ... That 's love , I guess . " " Out of the Frying Pan ( And into the Fire ) " is a more upbeat song . The album 's sixth track , " Objects in the Rear View Mirror May Appear Closer than They Are " is a three part narrative that uses pathetic fallacy , where the seasons ( summer , winter and spring ) reflect the atmosphere of the events being described , drawing " its inspiration from the singer 's often @-@ tragic childhood . The lyrics portray a man who has overcome tragedies in his life yet still feels haunted by their memory . " Steinman says that it was " the hardest song to write and get across . " It 's a very passionate song . It 's really , I think maybe , the most passionate one on the record . I mean , I 'm really proud of it because that 's really one that goes over @-@ the @-@ top in the sense that it 's got images — it has religious imagery of resurrection , it 's got images of fertility and rebirth , it has really very good sexual images , images of cars — which I always like . The track quotes lyrics from the original 's " Paradise by the Dashboard Light " ( " It was long ago and it was far away " ) , as does the next track , " Wasted Youth " , a spoken word fantasy monologue ( a remixed version of " Love and Death and an American Guitar " from Steinman 's Bad for Good album ) . The 1977 song 's opening line " I remember every [ ... ] little thing as if it happened only yesterday . I was barely seventeen " opens this track also , but instead of being " barely dressed " the protagonist " once killed a boy with a Fender guitar . " Influenced by The Doors , Steinman wanted to write a piece where " the rhythm wasn 't coming from the drums so much as the voice — the rhythm of the spoken voice and the heartbeat behind it . " According to Steinman , " Good Girls Go to Heaven ( Bad Girls Go Everywhere ) " is a " teenage prayer " . " Lost Boys and Golden Girls " is " Steinman 's interpretation of the story of Peter Pan . " The composer says that Peter Pan has " always been about my favorite story and I 've always looked at it from the perspective that it 's a great rock and roll myth because it 's about — when you get right down to it — it 's about a gang of lost boys who never grow up , who are going to be young forever and that 's about as perfect an image for rock 'n'roll as I can think of . " = = Cover and booklet = = The cover art was illustrated by sci @-@ fi / fantasy artist Michael Whelan , following the style of Richard Corben 's cover for Bat Out of Hell . It features the biker from the first cover flying on his motorcycle towards a giant bat perched on top of New York City 's Chrysler Building . Echoing the gravestones of the first cover , partially destroyed skyscrapers inhabit the lava landscape . Also like the first album , it features a ' Songs by Jim Steinman ' credit , although smaller and located at the bottom of the cover . As well as providing thematic consistency with the original , the repetition of iconography also acted as a vital marketing tool . The marketing of the album was documented in an episode of the 1995 BBC television programme The Music Biz . Executives at Virgin Records thought that this was important to attract the target audience , who they believed no longer spent much time in record shops . They felt that similarities to the design of the first album , including Meat Loaf 's name in Gothic typography , would entice consumers of the 1977 album to purchase this . The booklet contains all of the lyrics to the songs , each accompanied by a small Whelan illustration , which were used as the respective single covers . There is a suggestion to " support Tibet House , an organization dedicated to the unique culture of the Tibetan people which has the potential to make a valuable contribution to the world at large " . = = Singles and videos = = Three tracks from the album were released as singles . " I 'd Do Anything for Love ( But I Won 't Do That ) " became a worldwide # 1 hit from this album . The song reached # 1 in the charts in 28 countries . It spent seven weeks atop the UK Singles Chart , making it the most successful single in the UK that year . Simultaneously , Meat Loaf released " Bat Out of Hell " as a single , which also made the top ten in the United Kingdom . Meat Loaf remained the last artist to have two top @-@ ten UK singles at the same time until the Manic Street Preachers in 2001 . " Rock and Roll Dreams Come Through " reached # 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 , and # 11 on the UK Singles Chart . The third single from the album , " Objects in the Rear View Mirror May Appear Closer Than They Are " , did less well when it was released in 1994 , reaching # 38 on the Billboard Hot 100 and # 26 in the United Kingdom . " Life Is a Lemon " peaked at # 17 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart in the United States . Michael Bay directed three music videos from the album . " I 'd Do Anything for Love " is based on Beauty and the Beast and The Phantom of the Opera . " Rock and Roll Dreams Come Through " features a runaway girl , played by Angelina Jolie . " Objects in the Rear View Mirror " illustrates the song 's narrative . Featuring Robert Patrick , the video contained flying aircraft imagery that he would use in Armageddon and Pearl Harbor . In 1994 , the three films were released as the VHS tape Meat Loaf – Bat Out of Hell 2 – Picture Show , which also included alternate versions of " Paradise by the Dashboard Light " , " Life Is a Lemon and I Want My Money Back " and " I 'd Do Anything for Love " , all featuring lead vocalist Patti Russo . They were included on a DVD in 2006 with the ' Collectors Edition ' release of the album . = = Reception = = The album was a commercial hit , and has sold more than 14 million copies around the world . It was # 1 for one week in the US on the Billboard 200 , the UK Albums Chart for eleven weeks , and # 1 in Australia for four weeks . Meat Loaf won a Grammy Award for Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance for " I 'd Do Anything for Love " and won him two Brit Awards nominations ( Best International Male and Best Selling Single ) . Despite its huge commercial success , critical reception was mixed . The specialist music press were generally positive . Q magazine proclaimed , " truly this ... is the genuine follow @-@ up to the most over @-@ the @-@ top rock album of all time . " Like most critics , Q referred to the excesses of Steinman 's style , citing the length of the songs ( Q says that " Objects ... " running for 10 minutes and 12 seconds is " not necessary " ) . Unlike the original , where the epic loud songs were " offset by the softness of stuff like " Two Out of Three Ain 't Bad " ... even the ballads are Roman orgies of sound and fury . " This , they say , means " the album 's probable theme — the crushing effect growing up has on teenage dreams — seems to get lost among the thud and blunder . " However , overall , Q is positive , concluding with the sentiment that " Ultimately , Back Into Hell may not trash its predecessor , but as a mad , crunching , stadium rock album , it 's probably the best thing of its kind you 'll hear this year . " Looking at how " Steinman 's old @-@ fashioned teen @-@ dream rock ' n ' roll fantasies " fits in with the music culture of 1993 , Kerrang ! suggests that it wouldn 't appeal to " Nirvana and Metallica fans , but there 's an older generation of rockers out there who will , quite properly , worship this album . " Their four @-@ star review declares that " it is a work of genius , a ready made rock classic and arguably the last word in rock operas . " In The Tip Sheet , Jonathan King labelled it a " glorious , splendid album , " celebrating Meat Loaf 's " operatically gorgeous " voice and Steinman 's " superb " songs , arrangements and production . " You 'll be blown away . Better still you 'll catch yourself openly laughing out loud at times with delight . You know what to expect yet it 's constantly better , fresher and brighter than you hope . If they had a Mercury Music Prize for American albums , this would win it hands down . " In a 1999 documentary celebrating the original album , Meat Loaf says that Bat Out of Hell polarizes people : some hate it , and some worship it . The bombast did not meet some critics ' approval . As with the first album , Rolling Stone gave the album a mixed review . They call it " harmless , low @-@ octane operatic drivel " with " insufferably long Steinman compositions with equally long names . " Non @-@ specialist publications gave the most negative reviews . The Fort Worth Star @-@ Telegram also referred to the length of the songs , in which Steinman " vomits up 75 minutes of endlessly repeated choruses . " The newspaper branded it " the worst pop album of 1993 . " The Des Moines Register thought that the album was " wallowing in excess so gratuitous as to make Michael Bolton , by comparison , seem a master of understatement ... Mountains of banshee @-@ like wailing guitars ! Thunderous drums ! Herniated vocals ! Profoundly stupid lyrics ! Gack . This isn 't pandering to the lowest common denominator — it 's lowering the lowest common denominator . " Like the original , retrospective reviews have been appreciative . Allmusic appreciates the bombast and " the pseudo @-@ operatic splendor of Jim Steinman 's grandly cinematic songs . Responding to concerns about length and overstatement , they reply , " that 's precisely the point of this album , and is also why it works so well . No other rock ' n ' roller besides Meat Loaf could pull off the humor and theatricality of Back Into Hell and make it seem real . In that sense , it 's a worthy successor to the original . " = = Track listing = = All songs written and composed by Jim Steinman . = = = Other versions and re @-@ issues = = = = = = = 1993 Special Limited Edition = = = = Alongside the original version a two disc special edition was released , containing a foldout poster and a bonus disc containing three live tracks , which can also be found as b @-@ sides to the " I 'd Do Anything for Love ( But I Won 't Do That ) " singles . = = Bonus CD Track listing = = All songs written and composed by Jim Steinman . This was produced by Meat Loaf and recorded and mixed by David Thoener . It was recorded in New York , NY in July 1993 . = = = 2002 deluxe edition = = = A two @-@ disc " deluxe edition " was released by MCA on June 25 , 2002 . The first disc contains the remastered original album , while the second contains several radio edits and remixes . It was presented as a foldout double @-@ disc set enhoused in a slipcase , with an extensive booklet with liner notes and rare photographs . Allmusic suggest that although the album deserves the attention , " the extra disc of material is [ not ] worth the time of anyone outside of fanatics ... it doesn 't really offer any revelations , curiosities , or an interesting listen for anybody else ( and it may not be that interesting to those collectors , either ) . " CD 2 track listing = = Track listing = = = = = 2006 2CD / 1DVD collector 's edition = = = In 2006 , a three disc collector 's edition was released by Virgin / EMI . The first disc contains the original album remastered and the second a live version of the original Bat Out of Hell album plus " I 'd Do Anything for Love ( But I Won 't Do That ) " , compiled from the various b @-@ sides from the album 's singles . The tracks were recorded live in New York during July 1993 , except " For Crying Out Loud " which was recorded live in the United States in 1994 . Live arrangements by Meat Loaf and the Neverland Express featuring Patti Russo as lead female vocalist . Tracks 1 @-@ 6 and 8 were recorded and mixed by David Thoener , and the audio was remastered by Peter Mew with Nigel Reeve at Abbey Road Studios , London . The final disc is a DVD containing all three of the Michael Bay videos , and a featurette with an interview with Meat Loaf and Steinman , with behind the scenes footage from the video shoot of " I 'd Do Anything for Love " . CD2 track listing DVD track listing All sections were directed by Michael Bay and produced by Propaganda Films . DVD produced by Abbey Road Interactive . = = Personnel = = Track numbers indicate that a musician only plays the instrument so noted on that specific track . = = = Band on studio tracks = = = = = Charts and certifications = =

= Isabeau of Bavaria = Isabeau of Bavaria ( or Isabelle ; also Elisabeth of Bavaria @-@ Ingolstadt ; c . 1370 – 24 September 1435 ) was born into the House of Wittelsbach as the eldest daughter of Duke Stephen III of Bavaria @-@ Ingolstadt and Taddea Visconti of Milan . She became Queen of France when she married King Charles VI in 1385 . At age 15 or 16 , Isabeau was sent to France on approval to the young French king ; the couple wed three days after their first meeting . Isabeau was honored in 1389 with a lavish coronation ceremony and entry into Paris . In 1392 Charles suffered the first attack of what was to become a lifelong and progressive mental illness , resulting in periodic withdrawal from government . The episodes occurred with increasing frequency , leaving a court both divided by political factions and steeped in social extravagances . A 1393 masque for one of Isabeau 's ladies @-@ in @-@ waiting — an event later known as Bal des Ardents — ended in disaster with the King almost burning to death . Although the King demanded Isabeau 's removal from his presence during his illness , he consistently allowed her to act on his behalf . In this way she became regent to the Dauphin of France ( heir apparent ) , and sat on the regency council , allowing far more power than was usual for a medieval queen . Charles ' illness created a power vacuum that eventually led to the Armagnac – Burgundian Civil War between supporters of his brother , Louis of Orléans and the royal dukes of Burgundy . Isabeau shifted allegiances as she chose the most favorable paths for the heir to the throne . When she followed the Armagnacs , the Burgundians accused her of adultery with Louis of Orléans ; when she sided with the Burgundians the Armagnacs removed her from Paris and she was imprisoned . In 1407 John the Fearless assassinated Orléans , sparking hostilities between the factions . The war ended soon after Isabeau 's eldest son , Charles , had John the Fearless assassinated in 1419 — an act that saw him disinherited . Isabeau attended the 1420 signing of the Treaty of Troyes , which decided that the English king should inherit the French crown after the death of her husband , Charles VI . She lived in English @-@ occupied Paris until her death in 1435 . Isabeau was popularly seen as a spendthrift and irresponsible philanderess . In the late 20th and early 21st centuries historians re @-@ examined the extensive chronicles of her lifetime , concluding that many elements of her reputation were unearned and stemmed from factionalism and propaganda . = = Lineage and marriage = = Isabeau 's parents were Duke Stephen III of Bavaria @-@ Ingolstadt and Taddea Visconti , whom he married for a 100 @,@ 000 ducat dowry . She was most likely born in Munich where she was baptized as Elisabeth at the Church of Our Lady . Hers was the ancient and well @-@ established Wittelsbach family , descended from Charlemagne , and she was great @-@ granddaughter to the Wittelsbach Holy Roman Emperor Louis IV . At that period Bavaria was the most powerful of the German states and divided between members of the House of Wittelsbach . Isabeau 's uncle , Duke Frederick of Bavaria @-@ Landshut , suggested in 1383 that she be considered as a bride to King Charles VI of France . The match was proposed again at the lavish Burgundian double wedding in Cambrai in April 1385 — John the Fearless and his sister Margaret of Burgundy married Margaret and William of Bavaria @-@ Straubing respectively . Charles , then 17 , rode in the tourneys at the wedding . He was an attractive , physically fit young man , who enjoyed jousting and hunting and was excited to be married . Charles VI 's uncle , Philip the Bold , Duke of Burgundy , thought the proposed marriage ideal to build an alliance with the Holy Roman Empire and against the English . Isabeau 's father agreed reluctantly and sent her to France with his brother , her uncle , on the pretext of taking a pilgrimage to Amiens . He was adamant that she was not to know she was being sent to France to be examined as a prospective bride for Charles , and refused permission for her to be examined in the nude , customary at the time . According to the contemporary chronicler Jean Froissart , Isabeau was 13 or 14 when the match was proposed and about 16 at the time of the marriage in 1385 , suggesting a birth date of around 1370 . Before her presentation to Charles , Isabeau visited Hainaut for about a month , staying with her granduncle Duke Albert I , ruler of some of Bavaria @-@ Straubing and Count of Holland . Albert 's wife , Margaret of Brieg , replaced Isabeau 's Bavarian style of dress , deemed unsuitable as French courtly attire , and taught her etiquette suitable to the French court . She learned quickly , suggestive of an intelligent and quick @-@ witted character . On 13 July 1385 she traveled to Amiens to be presented to Charles . Froissart writes of the meeting in his Chronicles , saying that Isabeau stood motionless while being inspected , exhibiting perfect behavior by the standards of her time . Arrangements were made for the two to be married in Arras , but on the first meeting Charles felt " happiness and love enter his heart , for he saw that she was beautiful and young , and thus he greatly desired to gaze at her and possess her " . She did not yet speak French and may not have reflected the idealized beauty of the period , perhaps inheriting her mother 's dark Italian features , then unfashionable , but Charles most certainly approved of her because the couple were married three days later . Froissart documented the royal wedding , joking about the lascivious guests at the feast and the " hot young couple " . Charles seemingly loved his young wife , lavishing gifts on her . On the occasion of their first New Year in 1386 , he gave her a red velvet palfrey saddle , trimmed with copper and decorated with an intertwined K and E ( for Karol and Elisabeth ) , and he continued to give her gifts of rings , tableware and clothing . The uncles too , apparently , were pleased with the match , which contemporary chroniclers , notably Froissart and Michel Pintoin ( the Monk of St. Denis ) , describe similarly as a match rooted in desire and based on her beauty . The day after the wedding , Charles went on a military campaign against the English , and Isabeau went to Creil to live with his great @-@ aunt Blanche , Duchess of Orléans , who taught her courtly traditions . In September she took up residence at the Château de Vincennes , where in the early years of their marriage Charles frequently joined her , and which became her favorite home . = = Coronation = = Isabeau 's coronation was celebrated on 23 August 1389 with a lavish ceremonial entry into Paris . Her second cousin and sister @-@ in @-@ law Valentina Visconti , who had married her own cousin Louis of Orléans ( Charles ' younger brother ) two years earlier by proxy and papal dispensation , arrived in style , escorted across the Alps from Milan by 1 @,@ 300 knights carrying personal luxuries such as books and a harp . The noblewomen in the coronation procession were dressed in lavish costumes with thread @-@ of @-@ gold embroidery , and rode in litters escorted by knights . Philip the Bold wore a doublet embroidered with 40 sheep and 40 swans , each decorated with a bell made of pearls . The procession lasted from morning to night . The streets were lined with tableaux vivants displaying scenes from the Crusades , Deësis and the Gates of Paradise . More than a thousand burghers stood along the route ; those on one side were dressed in green facing , those on the opposite in red . The procession began at the Porte de St. Denis and passed under a canopy of sky @-@ blue cloth beneath which children dressed as angels sang , winding into the Rue Saint @-@ Denis before arriving at the Notre Dame for the coronation ceremony . As Tuchman describes the event , " So many wonders were to be seen and admired that it was evening before the procession crossed the bridge leading to Notre Dame and the climactic display . " As Isabeau crossed the Grand Pont to Notre Dame , a person dressed as an angel descended from the church by mechanical means and " passed through an opening of the hangings of blue taffeta with golden fleurs @-@ des @-@ lis , which covered the bridge , and put a crown on her head . " The angel was then pulled back up into the church . An acrobat carrying two candles walked along a rope suspended from the spires of the cathedral to the tallest house in the city . After Isabeau 's crowning , the procession made its way back from the cathedral along a route lit by 500 candles . They were greeted by a royal feast , and a progression of narrative pageants complete with a depiction of the Fall of Troy . Isabeau , seven months pregnant , nearly fainted from heat on the first of the five days of festivities . To pay for the extravagant event , taxes were raised in Paris two months later . = = Charles ' illness = = Charles suffered the first of what was to become a lifelong series of bouts of insanity in 1392 when , on a hot August day outside Le Mans , he attacked his household knights , including his brother Orléans , killing four men . After the attack he fell into a coma that lasted four days . Few believed he would recover ; his uncles , the dukes of Burgundy and Berry , took advantage of his illness and quickly seized power , re @-@ establishing themselves as regents and dissolving the Marmouset council . The King 's sudden onset of insanity was seen by some as a sign of divine anger and punishment , and by others as the result of magic . Modern historians speculate that he may have suffered from the onset of paranoid schizophrenia . The comatose king was returned to Le Mans , where Guillaume de Harsigny — a venerated and well @-@ educated 92 @-@ year @-@ old physician — was summoned to treat him . Charles regained consciousness and his fever subsided ; he was gradually returned to Paris in September . The physician recommended a program of amusements . A member of the court suggested that Charles surprise Isabeau and the other ladies by joining a group of courtiers who would disguise themselves as wild men and invade the masquerade celebrating the remarriage of Isabeau 's lady @-@ in @-@ waiting , Catherine de Fastaverin . This came to be known as the Bal des Ardents . Charles was almost killed and four of the dancers burned to death , when a spark from a torch brought by Orléans lit one of the dancer 's costumes . The disaster undermined confidence in Charles ' capacity to rule . Parisians considered it proof of courtly decadence and threatened to rebel against the more powerful members of the nobility . The public 's outrage forced the King and Orléans , whom a contemporary chronicler accused of attempted regicide and sorcery , into offering penance for the event . Charles suffered a second and more prolonged attack of insanity the following June ; it removed him for about six months and set a pattern that would hold for the next three decades as his condition deteriorated . Froissart described the bouts of illness as so severe that the King was " far out of the way ; no medicine could help him " , although he had recovered from the first attack within months . For the first 20 years of his illness he sustained periods of lucidity , enough that he continued to rule . Suggestions were made to replace him with a regent , although there was uncertainty and debate as to whether a regency could assume the full role of a living monarch . When he was incapable of ruling , his brother Orléans , and their cousin John the Fearless , the new Duke of Burgundy , were chief among those who sought to take control of the government . When Charles became ill in the 1390s , Isabeau was 22 ; she had three children and had already lost two infants . During the worst of his illness Charles was unable to recognize her , and caused her great distress by demanding her removal when she entered his chamber . The Monk of St Denis wrote in his chronicle , " What distressed her above all was to see how on all occasions ... the king repulsed her , whispering to his people , ' Who is this woman obstructing my view ? Find out what she wants and stop her from annoying and bothering me . ' " As his illness worsened at the turn of the century , she was accused of abandoning him , particularly when she moved her residence to the Hôtel Barbette . Historian Rachel Gibbons speculates that Isabeau wanted to distance herself from her husband and his illness , writing , " it would be unjust to blame her if she did not want to live with a madman . " Since the King often did not recognize her during his psychotic episodes and was upset by her presence , it was eventually deemed advisable to provide him with a mistress , Odette de Champdivers , the daughter of a horse @-@ dealer ; according to Tuchman , Odette is said to have resembled Isabeau and was called " the little Queen " . She had probably assumed this role by 1405 with Isabeau 's consent , but during his remissions the King still had sexual relations with his wife , whose last pregnancy occurred in 1407 . Records show that Isabeau was in the King 's chamber on 23 November 1407 , the night of Orléans ' assassination , and again in 1408 . Charles ' bouts of illness continued unabated until his death . The two may have still felt mutual affection , and Isabeau exchanged gifts and letters with him during his periods of lucidity , but distanced herself during the prolonged attacks of insanity . Adams writes that Isabeau 's attachment and loyalty is evident in the great efforts she made to retain the crown for his heirs in the ensuing decades . = = Political factions and early diplomatic efforts = = Isabeau 's life is well documented , most likely because Charles ' illness placed her in an unusual position of power . Nevertheless , not much is known about her personal characteristics , and historians even disagree about her appearance . She is variously described as " small and brunette " or " tall and blonde " . The contemporaneous evidence is contradictory : chroniclers said of her either that she was " beautiful and hypnotic , or so obese through dropsy that she was crippled . " Despite living in France after her marriage , she spoke with a heavy German accent that never diminished , which Tuchman describes as giving her an " alien " cast at the French court . Historian Tracy Adams describes Isabeau as a talented diplomat who navigated court politics with ease , grace and charisma . Charles had been crowned in 1387 , aged 20 , attaining sole control of the monarchy . His first acts included the dismissal of his uncles and the reinstatement of the so @-@ called Marmousets — a group of councilors to his father , Charles V — and he gave Orléans more responsibility . Some years later , after Charles ' first attack of illness , tensions mounted between Orléans and the royal uncles — Philip the Bold , Duke of Burgundy ; John , Duke of Berry ; and Louis II , Duke of Bourbon . Forced to assume a greater role in maintaining peace amidst the growing power struggle , which was to persist for many years , Isabeau succeeded in her role as peacekeeper among the various court factions . As early as the late 1380s and early 1390s , Isabeau demonstrated that she possessed diplomatic influence when the Florentine delegation requested her political intervention in the Gian Galeazzo Visconti affair . Orléans and the Duke of Burgundy were in the pro @-@ Visconti faction while the anti @-@ Visconti faction included Isabeau , her brother , Louis VII , Duke of Bavaria , and John III , Count of Armagnac . At that time Isabeau lacked the political power to effect change . Some years later , however , at the 1396 wedding of her seven @-@ year @-@ old daughter , Isabella , to Richard II of England ( an event at which Charles attacked a herald for wearing Galeazzo 's livery ) , Isabeau successfully negotiated an alliance between France and Florence with Florentine ambassador Buonaccorso Pitti . In the 1390s Jean Gerson of the University of Paris formed a council to eliminate the Western Schism , and in recognition of her negotiating skills he placed Isabeau on the council . The French wanted both the Avignon and Roman popes to abdicate in favor of a single papacy in Rome ; Clement VII in Avignon welcomed Isabeau 's presence given her record as an effective mediator . However , the effort faded when Clement VII died . During his short @-@ lived recovery in the 1390s , Charles made arrangements for Isabeau to be " principal guardian of the Dauphin " , their son , until he reached 13 years of age , giving her additional political power on the regency council . Charles appointed Isabeau co @-@ guardian of their children in 1393 , a position shared with the royal dukes and her brother , Louis of Bavaria , while he gave Orléans full power of the regency . In appointing Isabeau , Charles acted under laws enacted by his father , Charles V , which gave the Queen full power to protect and educate the heir to the throne . These appointments separated power between Orléans and the royal uncles , increasing ill @-@ will among the factions . The following year , as Charles ' bouts of illness became more severe and prolonged , Isabeau became the leader of the regency council , giving her power over the royal dukes and the Constable of France , while at the same time making her vulnerable to attack from various court factions . During Charles ' illness , Orléans became financially powerful as the official tax collector , and in the following decade Isabeau and Orléans agreed to raise the level of taxation . In 1401 , during one of the King 's absences , Orléans installed his own men to collect royal revenues , angering Philip the Bold who in retaliation raised an army , threatening to enter Paris with 600 men @-@ at @-@ arms and 60 knights . At that time Isabeau intervened between Orléans and Burgundy , preventing bloodshed and the outbreak of civil war . Charles trusted Isabeau enough by 1402 to allow her to arbitrate the growing dispute between the Orléanists and Burgundians , and he turned control of the treasury over to her . After Philip the Bold died in 1404 and his son John the Fearless became Duke of Burgundy , the new duke continued the political strife in an attempt to gain access to the royal treasury for Burgundian interests . Orléans and the royal dukes thought John was usurping power for his own interests and Isabeau , at that time , aligned herself with Orléans to protect the interests of the crown and her children . Furthermore , she distrusted John the Fearless who she thought overstepped himself in rank — he was cousin to the King whereas Orléans was Charles ' brother . Rumors that Isabeau and Orléans were lovers began to circulate , a relationship that was considered incestuous . Whether the two were intimate has been questioned by contemporary historians , including Gibbons who believes the rumor may have been planted as propaganda against Isabeau as retaliation against tax increases she and Orléans ordered in 1405 . An Augustinian friar , Jacques Legrand , preached a long sermon to the court denouncing excess and depravity , in particular mentioning Isabeau and her fashions — with exposed necks , shoulders and décolletage . The monk presented his sermon as allegory so as not to offend Isabeau overtly , but he cast her and her ladies @-@ in @-@ waiting as " furious , vengeful characters " . He said to Isabeau , " If you don 't believe me , go out into the city disguised as a poor woman , and you will hear what everyone is saying . " Thus he accused Isabeau as having lost touch with the commoners and the court with its subjects . At about the same time a satirical political pamphlet , Songe Veritable , now considered by historians to be pro @-@ Burgundian propaganda , was released and widely distributed in Paris . The pamphlet hinted at the Queen 's relations with Orléans . John the Fearless accused Isabeau and Orléans of fiscal mismanagement and again demanded money for himself , in recompense for the loss of royal revenues after his father 's death ; an estimated half of Philip the Bold 's revenues had come from the French treasury . John raised a force of 1 @,@ 000 knights , and entered Paris in 1405 . Orléans hastily retreated with Isabeau to the fortified castle of Melun , with her household and children a day or so behind . John immediately left in pursuit , intercepting the party of chaperones and royal children . He took possession of the Dauphin , and returned him to Paris under control of Burgundian forces ; however , the boy 's uncle , the duke of Berry , quickly took control of the child at the orders of the Royal Council . At that time Charles was lucid for about a month and able to help with the crisis . The incident , that came to be known as the enlèvement of the dauphin , almost caused full @-@ scale war , but it was averted . Orléans quickly raised an army while John encouraged Parisians to revolt . They refused , claiming loyalty to the King and his son ; Berry was made captain general of Paris and the city 's gates were locked . In October Isabeau became active in mediating the dispute , in response to a letter from Christine de Pizan and an ordinance from the Royal Council . = = Orléans ' assassination and aftermath = = In 1407 John the Fearless ordered Orléans ' assassination . On 23 November hired killers attacked the duke as he returned to his Paris residence , cut off his hand holding the horse 's reins , and " hacked [ him ] to death with swords , axes , and wooden clubs " . His body was left in a gutter . John first denied involvement in the assassination , but quickly admitted that the act was done for the Queen 's honor , claiming he acted to " avenge " the monarchy of the alleged adultery between Isabeau and Orléans . His royal uncles , shocked at his confession , forced him to leave Paris while the Royal Council attempted a reconciliation between the Houses of Burgundy and Orléans . In March 1408 Jean Petit presented a lengthy and well @-@ attended justification at the royal palace before a large courtly audience . Petit argued convincingly that in the King 's absence Orléans became a tyrant , practiced sorcery and necromancy , was driven by greed , and had planned to commit fratricide at the Bal des Ardents . John should be exonerated , Petit argued , because he had defended the King and monarchy by assassinating Orléans . Charles , " insane during the oration " , was convinced by Petit 's argument and pardoned John the Fearless , only to rescind the pardon in September . Violence again broke out after the assassination ; Isabeau had troops patrol Paris and , to protect the Dauphin Louis , Duke of Guyenne , she again left the city for Melun . In August she staged an entry to Paris for the Dauphin , and early in the new year Charles signed an ordinance giving the 13 @-@ year @-@ old the power to rule in the Queen 's absence . During these years Isabeau 's greatest concern was the Dauphin 's safety as she prepared him to take up the duties of the King ; she formed alliances to further those aims . At this point the Queen and her influence were still crucial to the power struggle . Physical control of Isabeau and her children became important to both parties and she was frequently forced to change sides , for which she was criticized and called unstable . She joined the Burgundians from 1409 to 1413 , and switched sides to form an alliance with the Orléanists from 1413 to 1415 . At the Peace of Chartres in March 1409 , John the Fearless was reinstated to the Royal Council after a public reconciliation with Orléans ' son , Charles , Duke of Orléans , at Chartres Cathedral , although the feuding continued . In December that year Isabeau bestowed the tutelle ( guardianship of the Dauphin ) upon John the Fearless , made him the master of Paris , and allowed him to mentor the Dauphin , after he had Jehan de Montagu , Grand Master of the King 's household , executed . At that point the Duke essentially controlled the Dauphin and Paris , and was popular in the city because of his opposition to taxes levied by Isabeau and Orléans . Isabeau 's actions with respect to John the Fearless angered the Armagnacs , who in the fall of 1410 marched to Paris to " rescue " the Dauphin from the Duke 's influence . At that time members of the University of Paris , Jean Gerson in particular , proposed that all feuding members of the Royal Council step down and be immediately removed from power . To defuse tension with the Burgundians a second double marriage was arranged in 1409 . Isabeau 's daughter Michelle married John the Fearless ' son Philip the Good ; Isabeau 's son , Dauphin Louis , married John 's daughter Margaret . Before the wedding , Isabeau negotiated a treaty with John the Fearless in which she clearly defined family hierarchy and her position in relation to the throne . = = Civil war = = Despite Isabeau 's efforts to keep the peace , the Armagnac – Burgundian Civil War broke out in 1411 . John gained the upper hand during the first year , but the Dauphin began to build a power base ; Christine de Pizan wrote of him that he was the savior of France . Still only 15 , he lacked the power or backing to defeat John , who fomented revolt in Paris . In retaliation against John the Fearless ' actions , Charles of Orléans denied funds from the royal treasury to all members of the royal family . In 1414 , instead of allowing her son , then 17 , to lead , Isabeau allied herself with Charles of Orléans . The Dauphin , in return , changed allegiance and joined John , which Isabeau considered unwise and dangerous . The result was continued civil war in Paris . Parisian commoners joined forces with John the Fearless in the Cabochien Revolt , and at the height of the revolt a group of butchers entered Isabeau 's home in search of traitors , arresting and taking away up to 15 of her ladies @-@ in @-@ waiting . In his chronicles Pintoin wrote that Isabeau was firmly allied with the Orléanists and the 60 @,@ 000 Armagnacs who invaded Paris and Picardy . King Henry V of England took advantage of the internal strife in France , invading the northwest coast , and in 1415 he delivered a crushing defeat to the French at Agincourt . Nearly an entire generation of military leaders died or were taken prisoner in a single day . John , still feuding with the royal family and the Armagnacs , remained neutral as Henry V went on to conquer towns in northern France . In December 1415 Dauphin Louis died suddenly at age 18 of illness , leaving Isabeau 's political status unclear . Her 17 @-@ year @-@ old fourth @-@ born son , John of Touraine , now the Dauphin , had been raised since childhood in the household of Duke William II of Bavaria in Hainaut . Married to Countess Jacqueline of Hainaut , Dauphin John was a Burgundian sympathizer . William of Bavaria refused to send him to Paris during a period of upheaval as Burgundians plundered the city and Parisians revolted against another wave of tax increases initiated by Count Bernard VII of Armagnac ; in a period of lucidity , Charles had raised the Count to be the Constable of France . Isabeau attempted to intervene by arranging a meeting with Jacqueline in 1416 , but Armagnac refused to allow Isabeau to reconcile with the House of Burgundy , while William II continued to prevent the young Dauphin from entering Paris . In 1417 Henry V invaded Normandy with 40 @,@ 000 men . In April that year Dauphin John died and another shift in power occurred when Isabeau 's sixth and last son , Charles , age 14 , became Dauphin . He was married to Armagnac 's daughter Marie of Anjou and favored the Armagnacs . At that time Armagnac imprisoned Isabeau in Tours , confiscating her personal property ( clothing , jewels and money ) , dismantling her household , and separating her from the younger children as well as her ladies @-@ in @-@ waiting . She secured her freedom in November through the help of the Duke of Burgundy . Accounts of her release vary : Monstrelet writes that Burgundy " delivered " her to Troyes , and Pintoin that the Duke negotiated Isabeau 's release to gain control of her authority . Isabeau maintained her alliance with Burgundy from that period until the Treaty of Troyes . Isabeau at first assumed the role of sole regent but in January 1418 yielded her position to John the Fearless . Together Isabeau and John abolished parliament ( Chambre des comptes ) and turned to securing control of Paris and the King . John took control of Paris by force on 28 May 1418 , slaughtering Armagnacs . The Dauphin fled the city . According to Pintoin 's chronicle , the Dauphin refused Isabeau 's invitation to join her in an entry to Paris . She entered the city with John on 14 July . Shortly after he assumed the title of Dauphin , Charles negotiated a truce with John in Pouilly . Charles then requested a private meeting with John , on 10 September 1419 at a bridge in Montereau , promising his personal guarantee of protection . The meeting , however , was a ploy to assassinate John , whom Charles " hacked to death " on the bridge . His father , King Charles , immediately disinherited his son . The civil war ended after John 's death . The Dauphin 's actions fueled more rumor about his legitimacy , and his disinheritance set the stage for the Treaty of Troyes . = = Treaty of Troyes and later years = = By 1419 Henry V occupied much of Normandy and demanded an oath of allegiance from the residents . The new Duke of Burgundy , Philip the Good , allied with the English , putting enormous pressure on France and Isabeau , who remained loyal to the King . In 1420 Henry sent an emissary to confer with the Queen , after which according to Adams , Isabeau " ceded to what must have been a persuasively posed argument by Henry V 's messenger " . France had effectively been left without an heir to the throne , even before the Treaty of Troyes . Charles VI had disinherited the Dauphin , whom he considered responsible for " breaking the peace for his involvement in the assassination of the duke of Burgundy " ; he wrote in 1420 of the Dauphin that he had " rendered himself unworthy to succeed to the throne or any other title " . Charles of Orléans , next in line as heir under Salic law , had been taken prisoner at the Battle of Agincourt and was kept in captivity in London . In the absence of an official heir to the throne , Isabeau accompanied King Charles to sign the Treaty of Troyes in May 1420 ; Gibbons writes that the treaty " only confirmed [ the Dauphin 's ] outlaw status " . The King 's malady prevented him from appearing at the signing of the treaty , forcing Isabeau to stand in for him , which according to Gibbons gave her " perpetual responsibility in having sworn away France " . For many centuries Isabeau stood accused of relinquishing the crown because of the Treaty . Under the terms of the Treaty , Charles remained as King of France but Henry V , who married Charles ' and Isabeau 's daughter , Catherine , kept control of the territories he conquered in Normandy , would govern France with the Duke of Burgundy , and was to be Charles ' successor . Isabeau was to live in English @-@ controlled Paris . Charles VI died in October 1422 . As Henry V had died earlier the same year , his infant son by Catherine , Henry VI , was proclaimed King of France , according to the terms of the Treaty of Troyes , with the Duke of Bedford acting as regent . Rumors circulated about Isabeau again ; some chronicles describe her living in a " degraded state " . According to Tuchman , Isabeau had a farmhouse built in St. Ouen where she looked after livestock , and in her later years , during a lucid episode , Charles arrested one of her lovers whom he tortured , then drowned in the Seine . Desmond Seward writes it was the disinherited Dauphin who had the man killed . Described as a former lover of Isabeau as well as a " poisoner and wife @-@ murderer " , Charles kept him as a favorite at his court until ordering his drowning . Rumors about Isabeau 's promiscuity flourished , which Adams attributes to English propaganda intended to secure England 's grasp on the throne . An allegorical pamphlet , called Pastorelet , was published in the mid @-@ 1420s painting Isabeau and Orleans as lovers . During the same period Isabeau was contrasted with Joan of Arc , considered virginally pure , in the allegedly popular saying " Even as France had been lost by a woman it would be saved by a woman " . Adams writes that Joan of Arc has been attributed with the words " France , having been lost by a woman , would be restored by a virgin " , but neither saying can be substantiated by contemporary documentation or chronicles . In 1429 , when Isabeau lived in English @-@ occupied Paris , the accusation was again put forth that Charles VII was not the son of Charles VI . At that time , with two contenders for the French throne — the young Henry VI and disinherited Charles — this could have been propaganda to prop up the English claim . Furthermore , gossip spread that Joan of Arc was Isabeau and Orleans ' illegitimate daughter — a rumor Gibbons finds improbable because Joan of Arc almost certainly was not born for some years after Orléans ' assassination . Stories circulated that the dauphins were murdered , and attempts were made to poison the other children , all of which added to Isabeau 's reputation of one of history 's great villains . Isabeau was removed from political influence and retired to live in the Hôtel Saint @-@ Pol with her brother 's second wife , Catherine of Alençon . She was accompanied by her ladies @-@ in @-@ waiting Amelie von Orthenburg and Madame de Moy , the latter of whom had traveled from Germany and had stayed with her as dame d 'honneur since 1409 . Isabeau died there in 1435 . Her death and funeral were documented by Jean Chartier ( member of St Denis Abbey ) who may well have been an eyewitness . = = Reputation and legacy = = Isabeau was dismissed by historians as a wanton , weak and indecisive leader . Modern historians now see her as taking an unusually active leadership role for a queen of her period , forced to take responsibility as a direct result of Charles ' illness . Her critics accepted skewed interpretations of her role in the negotiations with England , resulting in the Treaty of Troyes , and in the rumors of her marital infidelity with Orléans . Gibbons writes that a queen 's duty was to secure the succession to the crown and look after her husband ; historians described Isabeau as having failed in both respects , and she came to be seen as one of the great villains of history . Gibbons goes on to say that even her physical appearance is uncertain ; depictions of her vary depending on whether she was to be portrayed as good or evil . Rumored to be a bad mother , she was accused of " incest , moral corruption , treason , avarice and profligacy ... political aspirations and involvements " . Adams writes that historians reassessed her reputation in the late 20th century , exonerating her of many of the accusations , seen particularly in Gibbons ' scholarship . Furthermore , Adams admits she believed the allegations against Isabeau until she delved into contemporary chronicles : there she found little evidence against the Queen except that many of the rumors came from only a few passages , and in particular from Pintoin 's pro @-@ Burgundian writing . After the onset of the King 's illness , a common belief was that Charles ' mental illness and inability to rule were due to Isabeau 's witchcraft ; as early as the 1380s rumors spread that the court was steeped in sorcery . In 1397 Orléans ' wife , Valentina Visconti , was forced to leave Paris because she was accused of using magic . The court of the " mad king " attracted magicians with promises of cures who were often used as political tools by the various factions . Lists of people accused of bewitching Charles were compiled , with Isabeau and Orléans both listed . The accusations of adultery were rampant . According to Pintoin 's chronicle , " [ Orléans ] clung a bit too closely to his sister @-@ in @-@ law , the young and pretty Isabeau of Bavaria , the queen . This ardent brunette was twenty @-@ two ; her husband was insane and her seductive brother @-@ in @-@ law loved to dance , beyond that we can imagine all sorts of things " . Pintoin said of the Queen and Orléans that they neglected Charles , behaved scandalously and " lived on the delights of the flesh " , spending large amounts of money on court entertainment . The alleged affair , however , is based on a single paragraph from Pintoin 's chronicles , according to Adams , and is no longer considered proof . Isabeau was accused of indulging in extravagant and expensive fashions , jewel @-@ laden dresses and elaborate braided hairstyles coiled into tall shells , covered with wide double hennins that , reportedly , required widened doorways to pass through . In 1406 a pro @-@ Burgundian satirical pamphlet in verse allegory listed Isabeau 's supposed lovers . She was accused of leading France into a civil war because of her inability to support a single faction ; she was described as an " empty headed " German ; of her children it was said that she " took pleasure in a new pregnancy only insofar as it offered her new gifts " ; and her political mistakes were attributed to her being fat . In the 18th and 19th centuries historians characterized Isabeau as " an adulterous , luxurious , meddlesome , scheming , and spendthrift queen " , overlooking her political achievements and influence . A popular book written by Louise de Karalio ( 1758 – 1822 ) about the " bad " French queens prior to Marie Antoinette is , according to Adams , where " Isabeau 's black legend attains its full expression in a violent attack on the French royalty in general and queens in particular . " Karalio wrote : " Isabeau was raised by the furies to bring about the ruin of the state and to sell it to its enemies ; Isabeau of Bavaria appeared , and her marriage , celebrated in Amiens on July 17 , 1385 , would be regarded as the most horrifying moment in our history " . Isabeau was painted as Orléans ' passionate lover , and the inspiration for the Marquis de Sade 's unpublished 1813 novel Histoire secrete d 'Isabelle de Baviere , reine de France , about which Adams writes , " submitting the queen to his ideology of gallantry , [ the Marquis de Sade ] gives her rapaciousness a cold and calculating violence ... a woman who carefully manages her greed for maximum gratification . " She goes on to say that de Sade admitted to " being perfectly aware that the charges against the queen are without ground . " = = Patronage = = Like many of the Valois , Isabeau was an appreciative art collector . She loved jewels and was responsible for the commissions of particularly lavish pieces of ronde @-@ bosse — a newly developed technique of making enamel @-@ covered gold pieces . Documentation suggests she commissioned several fine pieces of tableaux d 'or from Parisian goldsmiths . In 1404 , Isabeau gave Charles a spectacular ronde @-@ bosse , known as the Little Golden Horse Shrine , ( or Goldenes Rössli ) , now held in a convent church in Altötting , Bavaria . Contemporary documents identify the statuette as a New Year 's gift — an étrennes — a Roman custom Charles revived to establish rank and alliances during the period of factionalism and war . With the exception of manuscripts , the Little Golden Horse is the single surviving documented étrennes of the period . Weighing 26 pounds ( 12 kg ) the gold piece is encrusted with rubies , sapphires and pearls . It depicts Charles kneeling on a platform above a double set of stairs , presenting himself to the Virgin Mary and child Jesus , who are attended by John the Evangelist and John the Baptist . A jewel encrusted trellis or bower is above ; beneath stands a squire holding the golden horse . Isabeau also exchanged New Year 's gifts with the Duke of Berry ; one extant piece is the ronde @-@ bosse statuette Saint Catherine . Medieval author Christine de Pizan solicited the Queen 's patronage at least three times . In 1402 she sent a compilation of her literary argument Querelle du Roman de la Rose — in which she questions the concept of courtly love — with a letter exclaiming " I am firmly convinced the feminine cause is worthy of defense . This I do here and have done with my other works . " In 1410 and again in 1411 , Pizan solicited the Queen , presenting her in 1414 an illuminated copy of her works . In The Book of the City of Ladies , Pizan praised Isabeau lavishly , and again in the illuminated collection , The Letter of Othea , which scholar Karen Green believes for de Pizan is " the culmination of fifteen years of service during which Christine formulated an ideology that supported Isabeau 's right to rule as regent in this time of crisis . " Isabeau showed great piety , essential for a queen of her period . During her lifetime , and in her will , she bequeathed property and personal possessions to Notre Dame , St. Denis , and the convent in Poissy . = = Children = = According to modern historians Isabeau stayed in close proximity to the children during their childhood , had them travel with her , bought them gifts , wrote letters , bought devotional texts , and arranged for her daughters to be educated . She resisted separation and reacted against having her sons sent to other households to live ( as was the custom at the time ) . Pintoin records she was dismayed at the marriage contract that stipulated her third surviving son , John , be sent to live in Hainaut . She maintained relationships with her daughters after their marriages , writing letters to them frequently . She sent them out of Paris during an outbreak of plague , staying behind herself with the youngest infant , John , too young to travel . The Celestines allowed " whenever and as often as she liked , she and her could enter the monastery and church ... their vineyards and gardens , both for devotion and for entertainment and pleasure of herself and her children . " = = Ancestry = =

= Weezer ( 1994 album ) = Weezer ( also known as The Blue Album ) is the debut studio album by the American rock band Weezer , released on May 10 , 1994 , through DGC Records . The album was produced by Cars frontman Ric Ocasek and recorded in Electric Lady Studios in New York City . The Blue Album was produced by three singles : " Undone – The Sweater Song " , " Buddy Holly " and " Say It Ain 't So " , which brought Weezer mainstream success , helped by music videos directed by Spike Jonze . As of August 2009 , the album had sold over 3 @,@ 300 @,@ 000 copies in the United States . The album debuted at number 16 on the Billboard 200 and became a certified triple @-@ platinum in the United States and became a certified double @-@ platinum in Canada . = = Background = = Weezer was formed on February 14 , 1992 , in Los Angeles by Rivers Cuomo , Patrick Wilson , Matt Sharp , and Jason Cropper . At the time , they would play at clubs and other small venues around L.A .. However , it took a long time for the band to gain popularity . Cuomo explained : ... I remember just being totally shocked at how little people responded to us , because I thought we were so good . I mean , we were playing the same songs that eventually became big hits , like ' The Sweater Song ' and ' Say It Ain 't So , ' and we 'd play ' em out in the L.A. clubs would just be like , ' Go away . We want a grunge band.' Weezer recorded The Kitchen Tapes as an attempt to create a buzz around L.A. The band eventually attracted attention from major @-@ label A & R reps looking for alternative rock bands while performing on the same bill as the band That Dog . They were then signed to DGC Records on June 26 , 1993 , by Todd Sullivan , an A & R rep from Geffen Records . = = Recording = = While prepping for the forthcoming studio sessions , the band focused on their vocal interplay by practicing barbershop quartet @-@ styled songs , which helped both Cuomo and Sharp achieve a newfound collaborative comfort during rehearsals . Sharp , who never sang before joining Weezer , developed his falsetto backing vocal : " I had to sing an octave higher than Rivers . After a lot of practice , I started to get it down . " Fifteen songs were rehearsed for the album pre @-@ production sessions in New York in preparation for the Electric Lady Studios recording sessions . Four songs from this rehearsal would not be attempted for the album : " Lullaby for Wayne " , " I Swear It 's True " , " Getting Up and Leaving " , and a reprise version of " In The Garage " . The other song , an ode to two women who ran the Weezer fanclub called " Mykel & Carli " , was attempted during the Electric Lady sessions , but was also abandoned ( this recording would later be released as a digital bonus track on the 2010 Death to False Metal album ) . A later re @-@ recording of " Mykel & Carli " would be featured as a B @-@ side on the " Undone - The Sweater Song " single . The band briefly considered self @-@ producing , but were pressured by Geffen to choose a producer . They ultimately decided on Ric Ocasek ; Cuomo explained his choice : " I 'd always admired The Cars and Ric Ocasek 's songwriting and production skills . " During production , Ocasek convinced the band to change their guitar pickup from the neck pick @-@ up to the bridge pick @-@ up , resulting in a brighter sound . During these sessions , founding guitarist Jason Cropper left the band and was replaced by current guitarist Brian Bell , leading to some speculation about how much Bell contributed to the album . While Bell 's vocals are clearly audible on some tracks , Cuomo re @-@ recorded all of Cropper 's guitar parts . According to Ocasek , all ten tracks were laid down by Cuomo in one day , each in one take . However , Bell is still credited for playing guitar in the album liner notes . Cropper 's writing credit on " My Name Is Jonas " is earned by his coming up with the intro to the song . = = Writing and composition = = Most of the album was written by Rivers Cuomo . Exceptions are " My Name Is Jonas " , which was co @-@ written with Jason Cropper and Patrick Wilson , and " Surf Wax America " and " The World Has Turned and Left Me Here " , which were composed and written by Cuomo and Wilson . Weezer touches upon various life experiences of Cuomo , including subjects such as his brother 's car accident , heartbreak , jealousy , alcohol , and former girlfriends . Weezer incorporates the genres alternative rock and power pop . Many songs from the album are inspired by Cuomo 's past personal experiences . " My Name is Jonas " , deals with Cuomo 's brother Leaves who had been seriously injured in a car accident while a student at Oberlin College and was having problem with his insurance . Jason Cropper earned co @-@ writing credit for coming up with the intro to the song . Both " No One Else " and " The World Has Turned and Left Me Here " are lyrically connected , with Cuomo describing the narrator of " No One Else " as " the jealous @-@ obsessive asshole in me freaking out on my girlfriend " and claiming that " ' The World has Turned and Left Me Here ' is the same asshole wondering why she 's gone . " The second single from The Blue Album was " Buddy Holly " , whose music video was also directed by Spike Jonze . It portrayed the band performing at the original Arnold 's Drive @-@ In diner from the popular 1970s television show , Happy Days . The video combined contemporary footage of the band with clips from the show . Happy Days cast member Al Molinaro made a cameo appearance in the video . The video was met with great popularity and heavy rotation on MTV . The music video was also featured as an extra in the Microsoft Windows 95 Upgrade CD , along with Edie Brickell 's " Good Times " music video and the movie trailer for Rob Roy . The video won four awards at the 1995 MTV Video Music Awards , including prizes for Breakthrough Video and Best Alternative Video . The single " Undone - The Sweater Song " was described by Cuomo as " the feeling you get when the train stops and the little guy comes knockin ' on your door . It was supposed to be a sad song , but everyone thinks it 's hilarious . " The video marks one of the early directorial efforts of Spike Jonze , whose pitch was simply " A blue stage , a steadicam , a pack of wild dogs . " The video became an instant hit on MTV . The final single , " Say it Ain 't So " , was again inspired by Cuomo believing his parents split up when he was four because he thought his dad was an alcoholic . The music video , which was directed by Sophie Muller , was less successful than the previous Spike Jonze @-@ directed video . It featured the band performing in the garage of their former house , and the bandmates playing hacky sack in the backyard . = = Artwork = = The album artwork , photographed by American glamour photographer Peter Gowland , features Patrick Wilson , Rivers Cuomo , Matt Sharp , and Brian Bell standing left to right in front of a plain , blue background . The simple image would be used prominently in the advertising of the album . The cover received many comparisons to the Feelies ' album Crazy Rhythms . In an interview with Adobe , for the Adobe Imagination Challenge , Cuomo revealed that Adobe Photoshop was used to digitally alter the cover . Cuomo stated that , while the band liked the chosen band photo for the cover , Matt Sharp was not happy with the way his head looked . The Geffen Art Director used Photoshop to swap out the head with one from another shot . On some vinyl pressings of the album , the cover does not crop off their feet . On the Deluxe Edition case the feet are presented on the back cover , and the band sold an official T @-@ shirt with a shot of the band 's feet after the deluxe edition release . Inside the album booklet , Rivers Cuomo pays tribute to his past metal influences with a photo taken in the group 's garage on Amherst ( this same garage would be featured in the " Say It Ain 't So " music video ) . A poster of Judas Priest 's album British Steel is featured on the left side of the photo , while on the right a Quiet Riot concert poster is displayed . The Deluxe Edition features additional photographs of the band and hand @-@ written lyrics for each song . = = Release = = The Blue Album was released on May 10 , 1994 . It was certified gold just under seven months later on December 1 , 1994 , and certified platinum on January 1 , 1995 ; since then it has gone three times multi @-@ platinum in the United States . The album peaked at No. 16 on the Billboard 200 . As a single , " Undone – The Sweater Song " peaked at No. 35 on the UK Top 40 , and " Buddy Holly " and " Say It Ain 't So " peaked at No. 12 and No. 37 on the UK Top 40 respectively . In the U.S. , " Buddy Holly " peaked at No. 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart . A " deluxe edition " of the album was released on March 23 , 2004 , including the original album and a second disc , Dusty Gems and Raw Nuggets , containing B @-@ sides and rarities . As of December 2007 , the " deluxe edition " had sold 86 @,@ 000 copies . = = Reception = = = = = Initial = = = The album was well received by critics . Rolling Stone praised the album in their year @-@ end review , saying " Weezer 's Rivers Cuomo is great at sketching vignettes ( the Dungeons and Dragons games and Kiss posters that inspire the hapless daydreamer of ' In the Garage ' ) , and with sweet inspiration like the waltz tempo of ' My Name Is Jonas ' and the self @-@ deprecating humor of lines like " I look just like Buddy Holly / And you 're Mary Tyler Moore " , his songs easily ingratiate . " Robert Christgau of The Village Voice was less complimentary and awarded the album a " neither " rating . = = = Retrospect = = = In the years since its release , The Blue Album has risen in stature to become one of the most highly regarded albums of the 1990s , appearing on many " Best @-@ of " lists . In 2003 , Rolling Stone ranked the album number 297 on their list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time . In 2002 , the readers of Rolling Stone ranked the album the 21st greatest of all time . Blender named The Blue Album among the " 500 CDs You Must Own " , calling the album " Absolute geek @-@ rock , out and proud . " Non @-@ U.S. publications have acclaimed the album as well : New Zealand 's The Movement placed it at number 39 on a list of " The 101 Best Albums of the 90s " , and Visions of Germany ranked it number 32 on a list of " The Most Important Albums of the 90s . " In November 2011 , The Blue Album was ranked number three on Guitar World magazine 's top ten list of guitar albums of 1994 , with Bad Religion 's Stranger than Fiction and The Offspring 's Smash in first and second place respectively . The album also peaked at number 25 on Guitar World 's " Superunknown : 50 Iconic Albums That Defined 1994 " list . Reviews of the album when its deluxe edition was released have reflected its rise in stature continuing to be positive . In 2004 , PopMatters gave the album a very positive review , saying " I 'd go so far to declare the ' Blue Album ' one of the greatest records of the last 20 years . " And Rolling Stone reiterated their original positive review by further describing it as " big , vibrant pop @-@ rock that would inspire thousands of emo kids . " Blogcritics Magazine gave the album a score of 10 / 10 and asserted that " this is one of the most important debut albums of the last ten years . " In naming Weezer the 26th best album of the 1990s , Pitchfork summed up the album 's critical recognition : An album so substantial the band misguidedly attempted to tap into its resonance through cover graphics a mere two releases later . In 1994 , 70s rock had come to mean either a bastardized version of Led Zeppelin or a bullshit reconstruction of punk rock . As guitar nerds , Weezer sought influence there but found true inspiration in forgotten bubblegum power @-@ pop like Cheap Trick , Raspberries , 20 / 20 , and The Quick . Most impressively , Rivers Cuomo rescued the thrilling guitar solo from finger @-@ tapping metal and disregarding grunge / punk . A decade later air @-@ guitaring to the album feels far less embarrassing than singing along . With the help of Spike Jonze , Weezer kept joy alive in arena rock , making the critical repositioning of Weezer as some emo touchstone even more absentminded . They called themselves Weezer , knowingly , for chrissakes . – Brent DiCrescenzo NME claimed that the album " pretty much invented emo 's melodic wing " . AllMusic gave the album 5 stars , explaining " What makes the band so enjoyable is their charming geekiness ; instead of singing about despair , they sing about love , which is kind of refreshing in the gloom @-@ drenched world of ' 90s guitar @-@ pop . " = = = Accolades = = = Since its release , The Blue Album has featured heavily in various " must have " lists compiled by the music media . Some of the more prominent of these lists to feature The Blue Album are shown below ; this information is adapted from Acclaimed Music . ( * ) designates lists which are unordered . = = = In popular culture = = = In 2011 , Alvin and the Chipmunks and The Chipettes covered the song " Holiday " as a bonus track on the iTunes deluxe edition of the soundtrack Alvin and the Chipmunks : Chipwrecked : Music from the Motion Picture . = = Track listing = = All songs written and composed by Rivers Cuomo , except where noted . = = = Deluxe edition bonus disc = = = The 2004 deluxe edition included a bonus disc titled Dusty Gems and Raw Nuggets . The tracks on the bonus disc originally appeared on the following releases : Tracks 1 and 3 from " Undone - The Sweater Song " single ( 1994 ) Track 2 is from the soundtrack to Mallrats ; an earlier mix of the same song was included on the " Undone " single Track 4 from DGC Rarities compilation ( 1994 ) Tracks 5 and 6 from " Buddy Holly " single ( 1994 ) Tracks 7 and 8 from " Say It Ain 't So " single ( 1995 ) Tracks 9 – 11 previously unreleased , and part of Kitchen Tape demo ( 1992 ) Tracks 12 and 13 previously unreleased , pre @-@ production recordings done with Ric Ocasek just prior to Weezer 's recording ( 1993 ) Track 14 is the version featured on the original release of the album . The mix was changed for the single and was later added to newer versions of the album . The single mix is the version included on Disc 1 of this Deluxe Edition . = = Chart positions = = = = = Album = = = = = = Singles = = = = = Personnel = = Rivers Cuomo – lead vocals , lead and rhythm guitars , keyboards , harmonica Brian Bell – backing vocals Matt Sharp – bass , backing vocals Patrick Wilson – drums , percussion , backing vocals Mykel Allan - spoken intermission on " Undone - The Sweater Song " Karl Koch - dialogue on " Undone - The Sweater Song " Ric Ocasek – producer Chris Shaw – engineer Hal Belknap – assistant engineer Brian Bell does not actually play guitar on the album despite being credited as such in the liner notes .

= 300 @-@ page iPhone bill = A 300 @-@ page iPhone bill from AT & T Mobility mailed in a box was the subject of a viral video made by YouTube personality Justine Ezarik , best known as iJustine , which became an Internet meme in August 2007 . Ezarik 's video focused on the unnecessary waste of paper , as the detailed bill itemized all data transfers made during the billing period , including every email and text message . Stories of unexpected billing issues began to circulate in blogs and the technical press after the Apple iPhone 's heavily advertised and anticipated release , but this video clip brought the voluminous bills to the attention of the mass media . Ten days later , after the video had been viewed more than 3 million times on the Internet and had received international news coverage , AT & T sent iPhone users a text message outlining changes in its billing practices . The information technology magazine Computerworld included this incident in its list of " Technology 's 10 Most Mortifying Moments " . = = Background = = Apple released the iPhone in the United States with a software " lock " so it could only be used on the AT & T Mobility network . After purchase , buyers activated their iPhone 's AT & T service contract using the Apple iTunes software , during which buyers had the ability to choose their billing preference ; however , if no option was specified during activation , AT & T defaulted to detailed billing . Detailed billing itemized every data transfer , including background traffic for e @-@ mail , text messaging , and Web browsing . This generated a large number of entries on the detailed bills . After a month 's time , as early adopters started receiving their first monthly bills , stories of unusually large and expensive iPhone bills began to circulate . The 300 @-@ page bill was exceptional , but other heavy users received 50- to 100 @-@ page bills . One of the first to attract wider attention was from Ben Kuchera , gaming editor for the technology @-@ related website Ars Technica , who described his 34 @-@ sheet , double @-@ sided bill and another 104 @-@ page bill sent to a colleague , writing , " While many of us have had smart @-@ phones for some time , we 've never seen a bill like this . " However , it was the release of Justine Ezarik 's video that acted as a catalyst to bring widespread media attention to this aspect of the iPhone story . = = Video = = Justine Ezarik , then a 23 @-@ year @-@ old Pittsburgh @-@ area graphic designer and sketch comedian , who video blogged under the name iJustine , received her 300 @-@ page bill on Saturday , August 11 , 2007 and decided to use it as a prop for a self @-@ produced video shot in a coffee shop . She posted the edited one @-@ minute clip to several popular Internet video hosting services by the following Monday . In the first week , the video received over 500 @,@ 000 total views on YouTube , 350 @,@ 000 views on Revver , 500 @,@ 000 views on Break.com and 1 @,@ 100 @,@ 000 views on Yahoo Video , as self @-@ reported by the four popular Internet video sites as of August 22 . Total views were reported to exceed 8 million by the end of 2007 . Ezarik said she earned $ 2 @,@ 000 from the video from Revver . Portions of the video were also televised along with one @-@ on @-@ one interviews with Ezarik by several national and local news programs in the United States , including CNN , Fox News Channel , WTAE @-@ TV , and WPXI @-@ TV . ABC News Now also included independent reporting by an ABC News Radio reporter in their video interview . Ezarik 's Internet video commentary focused on the unnecessary waste of paper billing . In the video she highlights the physical size of the bill , not the amount due . " I have an iPhone and I had to switch to AT & T. So , that 's wonderful . Well , I got my first AT & T bill , right here in a box , " she says at the start of the video . The rest of the video , set to the distinctive music used in American iPhone television commercials , shows her opening the box and flipping through the pages in fast motion . The clip ends with the on @-@ screen caption , " Use e @-@ billing . Save a forest . " Her other comments also followed along the same lines . In a blog posting , she wrote , " Apparently , they give you a detailed transaction of every text message sent and received . Completely unnecessary . " She told a USA Today reporter , " This is so silly , there 's no reason they need to send you this much information . " Ezarik is a heavy user who typically sends and receives tens of thousands of text messages a month , which generated an exceptionally long , $ 275 bill – 300 double @-@ sided pages that had to be sent in a box with postage charges of $ 7 . She had no complaints about the iPhone itself , saying , " I made the video only to point out the comical aspect of my phone bill being delivered in a box . As for the iPhone ? I love it . " = = Reaction = = = = = Company = = = AT & T Mobility , the mobile phone service provider for the iPhone , said through spokesman Mark Siegel that the size of this bill was exceptional . " We 're not sending lots of boxed bills to customers , " he told USA Today . He said that the billing is the same for all AT & T mobile users , but the popularity and functionality of the iPhone gave it new visibility . " It 's no different than with any other bill for any other device or any other service that we offer . " Later , on August 18 , AT & T issued a statement saying : " Our customers have the option of receiving a bill that is detail @-@ free . Also , we have for years encouraged our customers to switch to online billing because it is convenient , secure , and environmentally friendly . " Then , on August 22 , AT & T announced via text message to iPhone users that it was removing itemized detail from paper bills . Ezarik responded , " Looks like they may have got the message , " in response to AT & T 's action . Company spokeswoman Lauren Garner claimed public reaction was not the reason for the company 's switch from detailed to summary billing , saying , " This was something we planned all along . " = = = Industry = = = AT & T may not have anticipated the downstream effects of iPhone customers ' high data usage . As a result , AT & T call centers were flooded with complaints about the size of the bills . Internet reporter Dana Blankenhorn stated that the size of the bill illustrated a problem with the telephone companies ' " event based " or connection @-@ oriented business model and used it to argue for open spectrum in a radio frequency spectrum auction in the U.S. scheduled for 2008 . He contrasted how telephone billing considers every action a separately billable event , while the Internet model is based on a flat fee for best @-@ effort delivery in connectionless mode transmission . The information technology magazine Computerworld reported on the incident , saying the company 's " extraordinarily detailed billing process resulted in some users receiving bills that ran dozens or even hundreds of pages long . " It published the gaffe in its list of " Technology 's 10 Most Mortifying Moments " . = = = Environmental = = = Rob Enderle , a Silicon Valley tech analyst , also echoed Ezarik 's environmental activism , saying , " AT & T should get a new tagline – use AT & T , kill a tree . " The USA Today story was also titled " How many trees did your iPhone bill kill ? " According to blogger Muhammad Saleem , Apple 's aim to have 10 million iPhone users by the end of 2008 would require the logging of about 74 @,@ 535 trees annually , assuming an average 100 @-@ page monthly bill . An editorial in The Blade , an independent newspaper in Toledo , Ohio , called the detailed billing " absurd and environmentally wasteful " . = = = Security = = = One security conscious commenter on the Engadget consumer electronics blog addressed the privacy implications of the oversize bills given the limitations of personal paper shredders , by speculating on whether it would be more practical to dispose of these large bills by burning them to protect personal information . An editor for the libertarian monthly Reason also speculated about the usefulness of the detailed information to government investigators . The original Ars Technica blog posting , on the other hand , dismissed privacy concerns , showing that the detail pages do not contain sensitive information . = = Other outsized iPhone bills = = Press accounts of this story also included related details and comments : The founder of a Tampa , Florida think tank received a 42 @-@ page bill and told a reporter , " It 's ridiculous . " An Oak Harbor , Ohio teacher called his 52 @-@ page bill " the biggest phone bill I 've ever gotten in my life " . A partner of a Macintosh consulting firm called his bill " 60 pages of nothingness " . A business consultant from Virginia received a 62 @-@ page bill and asked a reporter , " Why would you send bills that large ? " A software company owner near Seattle , Washington posted on his blog a picture of a Maltese dog sitting on his 127 @-@ page bill spread out on the floor. and asked , " Has anyone on the Apple Environmental Team seen an AT & T bill ? " " The Packet Rat " columnist wrote in Government Computer News that his wife received a 150 @-@ page boxed iPhone bill and commented , " OK , how many trees did they have to kill to send out the first month 's bills ? "

= Craig Conroy = Craig Michael Conroy ( born September 4 , 1971 ) is an American former professional ice hockey player and the current assistant general manager of the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League ( NHL ) . A sixth @-@ round selection of the Montreal Canadiens at the 1990 NHL Entry Draft , Conroy played 1 @,@ 009 NHL games for the Canadiens , St. Louis Blues , Calgary Flames and Los Angeles Kings during a professional career that spanned from 1994 to 2011 . Internationally , he twice played with the United States National Team – at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey and the 2006 Winter Olympics . Developed as a defensive specialist through much of his career , Conroy was twice a finalist for the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the NHL 's top defensive forward , and was nominated for the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy as its most gentlemanly player . He played over 1 @,@ 000 games in the NHL and was the second @-@ oldest player in League history to reach that milestone . Conroy , who enjoyed his greatest offensive seasons with the Flames , is a former captain of the team and was twice honored by the organization for his leadership , dedication and humanitarian efforts . = = Early life = = An only child , Conroy was born and raised in Potsdam , New York . He attended high school at Northwood School . His father Mike played minor league hockey for the Syracuse Blazers and at the age of four years Conroy served as the team 's mascot prior to games . Conroy followed in the footsteps of his father and two uncles in playing hockey at Clarkson University for the Golden Knights . He enrolled at Clarkson in 1990 and played four seasons for the school . During his junior season of 1992 – 93 , Conroy scored two goals in a 5 – 3 victory over Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in the Eastern College Athletic Conference ( ECAC ) semi @-@ final to help lead his team to the conference championship game . Conroy reached 100 career points with the goals , joining his father Mike as the only such pair in Clarkson 's history to reach that milestone . Conroy and the Golden Knights then won the ECAC title with a 3 – 1 victory over Brown University . The Golden Knights made Conroy a co @-@ captain in his senior year of 1993 – 94 . He led the ECAC in scoring with 66 points and was named to the conference 's First All @-@ Star Team , the National Collegiate Athletic Association ( NCAA ) First All @-@ Star Team and the NCAA Final Four All @-@ Tournament Team . He was also a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award as top player in the NCAA , finishing second to Chris Marinucci . His Clarkson jersey ( number 7 ) was retired in a ceremony prior to a game against College of Holy Cross on October 20 , 2012 , in which he and his family attended . = = Professional career = = = = = Montreal and St. Louis = = = Conroy was selected in the sixth round , 123rd overall , at the 1990 NHL Entry Draft by the Montreal Canadiens . He turned professional in 1994 upon completing his college career in Clarkson . At his first day of his first training camp with Montreal , he got into a fight with the team 's star goaltender , Patrick Roy , after striking the latter with a slap shot in practice . He spent the majority of the 1994 – 95 season in the American Hockey League ( AHL ) with the Fredericton Canadiens , scoring 26 goals and 44 points in 55 games . He appeared in six games for Montreal that year . He played his first NHL game on February 15 , 1995 , against the Hartford Whalers , and scored his first goal one night later against the New York Rangers . Though he was an offensive star at Clarkson and Fredericton , the Canadiens sought to convert him to a defensive specialist in the NHL . While he averaged over one point per game with Fredericton in 1995 – 96 , Conroy again played only a handful of games with Montreal . He again began 1996 – 97 in the AHL , but was traded along with Pierre Turgeon and Rory Fitzpatrick to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for Murray Baron , Shayne Corson and a draft pick on October 29 , 1996 . Conroy appeared in five games with the Worcester IceCats in the AHL , but after earning a recall to St. Louis , established himself as a regular in the NHL and appeared in 61 games with the Blues that season . Head Coach Joel Quenneville worked to develop Conroy 's abilities as a defensive forward and top faceoff specialist . Conroy responded in 1997 – 98 by improving to 43 points and a career @-@ high plus @-@ minus rating of + 20 . In recognition of his season , he was named a finalist for both the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the NHL 's top defensive forward and the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy as its most gentlemanly player . Conroy remained one of the League 's top defensive forwards in 1998 – 99 . While he missed several games with a high ankle sprain , he scored his first career hat @-@ trick on February 26 , 1999 , against the Calgary Flames and finished sixth in Selke Trophy voting that season . He faced a difficult season in 1999 – 2000 , however , as Joel Queneville adopted a new strategy that abandoned the concept of a checking line . Conroy struggled at both ends of the ice , and frequently found his ice time limited as a result . He finished the season with just 27 points . Looking to improve their team for a playoff run in 2000 – 01 , the Blues dealt Conroy , along with a draft pick , to the Calgary Flames for Cory Stillman . The trade was initially unpopular in Calgary , as the Flames had given up their leading scorer for Conroy , who noted that that was when he " learned not to read the papers or watch TV . " = = = Calgary and Los Angeles = = = Opinion of the deal shifted considerably the following season as Conroy established himself as the Flames ' first line center alongside Jarome Iginla . The pair developed good chemistry and became strong friends . Conroy scored career highs with 28 goals and 75 points , while Iginla reached the 50 @-@ goal plateau for the first time and led the NHL in scoring . Iginla credited Conroy for making his breakout season possible . Additionally , Conroy was named a finalist for the Selke Trophy for a second time . The Flames named him a co @-@ captain along with Bob Boughner late in the 2001 – 02 season , and he held the role full @-@ time in 2002 – 03 . Conroy was the Flames second @-@ leading scorer in 2002 – 03 with 59 points and again in 2003 – 04 when he scored 47 points despite missing 19 games with a knee injury . Shortly before the 2003 @-@ 04 season began , Conroy gave up the captaincy after having decided it was time for Iginla to take over leadership of the team . He reached two milestones that season ; he scored his 300th career point against the Vancouver Canucks on November 29 , 2003 and played his 600th game against the Detroit Red Wings on March 16 , 2004 . The Flames qualified for the 2004 playoffs , their first trip to the post @-@ season in eight seasons . Conroy was a key player for the team as they upset the top three seeds in the Western Conference , the Canucks , Red Wings and San Jose Sharks en route to a seventh game loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Stanley Cup Final . He finished second on the team in playoff scoring with 17 points . Following the season , Conroy was named to play with Team USA at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey , but appeared in only two games for the team . Conroy left the Flames as a free agent following the playoff run , opting to sign a four @-@ year , US $ 12 million contract with the Los Angeles Kings . He later admitted that he did not truly wish to leave the Flames , but facing financial uncertainty with the 2004 – 05 NHL lockout looming , Conroy chose to accept the guaranteed contract . The lockout wiped out the first year of the deal , but he returned in 2005 – 06 to reach the 20 @-@ goal mark for the third time and 60 points for the second time in his career . During that season , he joined the United States national team for a second time , playing in the 2006 Winter Olympics . He appeared in six games , scoring one goal and five points for the eighth place Americans . Conroy struggled under new coach Marc Crawford early in the 2006 – 07 season , falling to five goals and 16 points in 52 games for the Kings before he was traded back to the Flames on January 29 , 2007 , in exchange for Jamie Lundmark and two draft picks . An emotional Conroy , who said he was happy to return to Calgary , scored two goals the following night in his second debut with the Flames to defeat his former Kings teammates , 4 – 1 . Conroy finished the season by scoring 21 points in 28 games for Calgary , then scored 34 points in 2007 – 08 . The Flames re @-@ signed Conroy to a new contract prior to the 2008 – 09 season and named him an alternate captain . He scored his 500th career point on January 3 , 2009 , when he assisted on Todd Bertuzzi 's game @-@ winning goal in a 3 – 2 win against the Nashville Predators , and finished the year with 48 points . The 2009 – 10 season proved a difficult one for Conroy , as he scored only three goals and 12 assists during a season shortened by wrist and knee injures along with a broken foot . He returned for another season as the Flames re @-@ signed him to a one @-@ year , two @-@ way contract for the League minimum of $ 500 @,@ 000 . At the age of 39 years , Conroy played his 1,000th NHL game , against the Colorado Avalanche , on October 28 , 2010 . Only Grant Ledyard was older ( age 40 ) when he reached that milestone . Conroy played only nine more games after passing the milestone , and last played on December 20 against the Minnesota Wild . A healthy scratch in 32 of 50 games , and 28 of his final 29 , Conroy was waived on January 25 , 2011 . After going unclaimed , he was left with the option of joining Calgary 's AHL affiliate in Abbotsford or retiring . One week later , on February 4 , 2011 , Conroy formally announced his retirement and accepted a management position with the Flames organization , becoming the special assistant to General Manager Jay Feaster . On June 6 , 2014 , Conroy was promoted to the position of assistant general manager , reporting to GM Brad Treliving . = = Off the ice = = Conroy has a wife , Jessie , and three daughters , Taylor , Sophia and Sydney . Conroy and his family chose to remain in Calgary following his retirement as a player , though they had considered other options including returning to his home town of Potsdam , New York . Conroy is known for his outgoing and talkative nature , traits that have made him a popular figure with the fans . The Flames honored Conroy with the J. R. " Bud " McCaig Award , given by the organization to individuals that show respect , courtesy and compassion , in 2008 – 09 . He was also named him the winner of the Ralph T. Scurfield Humanitarian Award in 2010 in recognition of his charitable efforts . Additionally , his teammates voted him the organization 's nominee for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy which is awarded to the player who best exemplifies leadership and humanitarian contributions to their community . Conroy is the spokesman for the team 's charitable organization , the Flames Foundation for Life and routinely participates in team events . = = Career statistics = = = = = International = = = = = Awards and honors = =

= From The Doctor to my son Thomas = " From The Doctor to my son Thomas " is a viral video recorded by actor Peter Capaldi and sent to autistic nine @-@ year @-@ old Thomas Goodall to console the child over grief from the death of Goodall 's grandmother . Capaldi filmed the video in character as the 12th incarnation of the Doctor in the BBC science @-@ fiction series Doctor Who . Capaldi 's message had a positive effect on Thomas ; his father said the boy smiled for the first time since learning of his grandmother 's death and gained the courage to go to her funeral . Thomas 's father Ross Goodall posted the video to YouTube on 6 November 2014 . He later explained to media that he wanted to make the video available to his family and had no idea it would become popular online . CNN reported that after its appearance on YouTube , the video was viewed over 200 @,@ 000 times in its first 48 @-@ hours online . This more than doubled the next day , and less than a week later it had over 900 @,@ 000 total views . BBC News observed that Capaldi 's message had become a viral video , and ITV News described response to the video as a global phenomenon . The Guardian and The Daily Telegraph called the recording by Capaldi a touching video to a young child suffering from grief . CNN and MTV characterised the video similarly , as did Spanish and Dutch media . The Independent wrote that Capaldi displayed a kinder face of his personality by sending the message . BT commented it was Capaldi 's best contribution as the character of the Doctor to date . The video had a positive impact on those with mental health problems . Autism Daily Newscast reported favourably on Capaldi 's actions . The Hollywood Reporter observed that as his character the Doctor , Capaldi was using his role to support mental health . Hollywood Life said their reporters were moved to tears after watching Capaldi 's video . Peter Harness , writer of the episode " Kill the Moon " , said Capaldi 's video was his favourite highlight from ten years of Doctor Who . = = Background = = The Scottish actor and film director Peter Capaldi was cast in 2013 as the 12th incarnation of the Doctor , in the BBC science @-@ fiction series Doctor Who . His casting was announced on 4 August 2013 in a special BBC programme hosted by Zoë Ball . Capaldi first appeared as the Doctor in a cameo in the 50th anniversary special , " The Day of the Doctor " , before appearing in the 2013 Christmas special , " The Time of the Doctor " . A lifelong fan of the series , Capaldi had played Lobus Caecilius in the 2008 episode " The Fires of Pompeii " and a civil servant , John Frobisher , in the 2009 spin @-@ off Torchwood : Children of Earth . Before taking the role , Capaldi said that he had to seriously consider the increased visibility that would come with the part . He said in an interview with Entertainment Weekly that he had been invited to audition for the role of the Eighth Doctor in 1995 before the production of the 1996 TV film but did not go because he was unsure if he would get the part and did not wish to be part of a large group of actors turned down for the role . = = Prior correspondence = = Thomas Goodall had been a devoted fan of Doctor Who from North Baddesley in Hampshire since the age of two , and wrote a letter to Peter Capaldi saying he hoped the actor found success in his new role portraying the Doctor . The Goodall family were all fans of Doctor Who , describing themselves as Whovians . Thomas decorated his home with objects related to the television series . Capaldi wrote back to Thomas thanking him , and sent a note to the child 's father saying he intended to send a video message . Capaldi enclosed guidance to Ross Goodall on how to organise a tour of the production studios for Doctor Who . Ross Goodall subsequently communicated with Capaldi through the actor 's agent , to inform him that Thomas 's grandmother had died . ( Helen , aged 72 , died in early October 2014 . ) He told Capaldi that his son was not dealing well with the grief from his grandmother 's death . The family received the subsequent video message to Thomas from Capaldi three weeks after the death of the child 's grandmother . = = Video message = = Capaldi appears in character as the Doctor and addresses Thomas directly , greeting him by name . He expresses his gratitude at receiving the child 's letter , saying it had pleased him . He then speaks to Thomas about grief , mentioning the Doctor 's adventures with travelling companion Clara Oswald ( played by Jenna Coleman ) . He tells Thomas that negative events impact Clara and himself in their journeys through the universe and time travel , and that occasionally they feel depressed too . The Doctor tells Thomas he is glad the child is supporting him in his adventures . Capaldi concludes the video message by wishing Thomas to experience joy , and encourages the youth to be well and remain positive . The video is 42 seconds long . = = Goodall family response = = The family received the video from Capaldi on 3 November 2014 . After viewing the video , Thomas felt encouraged to attend his grandmother 's funeral . In an interview with The Guardian , Ross Goodall explained that Capaldi 's mention of sadness resonated with the child due to his experience of grief over his grandmother 's death . He discussed the manner in which Thomas perceived emotions as a strict dichotomy between positive and negative without a middle ground . Thomas interpreted from the video that it was all right to feel happy while simultaneously acknowledging a sad event had occurred . Ross Goodall told The Guardian that before viewing the video from Capaldi his son did not want to attend his grandmother 's funeral . The boy 's mother said that the video had helped him to deal with his depression . After watching Capaldi 's message , Ross Goodall stated that his son 's behaviour patterns changed markedly . This change included the ability to comfort his sister and step out of his day @-@ to @-@ day routine . Ross Goodall said after watching the video his son smiled for the first time since his grandmother died . The family framed the letter from Capaldi that came before the video message , and Ross Goodall said Thomas looked at it when he felt distressed . = = Posted to YouTube = = Ross Goodall uploaded the message from Capaldi to the video @-@ sharing website YouTube on 6 November 2014 . He commented at the video 's YouTube location that he was surprised at the online response , and that at the time of initial posting was unaware it would become viral . He later explained that he had uploaded it only to share it with family members on completion of the memorial services for Thomas 's grandmother . Thomas 's father wrote that the video greatly affected his son and enabled him to cope with grief and feel comforted . He praised Capaldi for his kind act and explained that the video improved his son 's mental well @-@ being throughout the ordeal . By 10 November 2014 , total comments by viewers posted below the video on YouTube numbered in the hundreds . The majority of comments were supportive . Visitors to the site wrote favourably of Capaldi 's actions to record the video for the child . A few observed that Capaldi 's version of the Doctor character is sinister and serious , and contrasted this with the actor 's depiction of the character as warm and effusive in his recording . = = Reception = = CNN reported that after its appearance on YouTube , the video had over 200 @,@ 000 views in its first 48 hours of availability . BBC News noted that by the next day , it had received over 500 @,@ 000 views , and by 10 November 2014 it had over 750 @,@ 000 . The Washington Post noted that by the next day the view count was above 900 @,@ 000 . Multiple publications observed that Capaldi 's message had become a viral video . ITV News called online reaction to the video a global phenomenon . The Guardian called the recording by Capaldi a touching video tribute . CNN characterised the video similarly , as did Digital Spy , ITV News , TV 3 , and publications in Spanish and Dutch . The Barcelona newspaper La Vanguardia wrote that Capaldi 's video was an example of bringing joy into someone 's life through a small act . The Washington Post called it a touching message . The Daily Dot described the video as inspirational . The Independent contrasted Capaldi 's portrayal of the 12th Doctor as one of the darker incarnations of the character with his kinder message as the same character in the video . MTV called Capaldi a most wonderful person for his act , and concluded the video was quite endearing . The Daily Telegraph described the video as a moving inspiration to a child suffering from grief . The Huffington Post wrote that if they were able to engage in time travel themselves , they would be unable to encounter a kinder tale . Io9 appreciated that Capaldi was using his celebrity status to effect positive change through his portrayal of the character , and praised his use of the fictional role as a force for public good . The South Wales Evening Post noted Capaldi had appeared in a brief video as himself congratulating a bride on her wedding , and wrote that this video was more impressive than the previous appearance . Metro commented " Just when you thought Peter Capaldi couldn 't possibly get any cooler , he 's gone and outdone himself with this video . " = = Impact = = International Business Times reported that the video message had a significant impact on the child , in spite of its brevity , and noted in a follow @-@ up piece that Capaldi 's video was featured in headlines of multiple newspapers . Digital Spy followed up on its earlier favourable coverage of Capaldi 's video , and chose it as the number one entry out of " 7 awesome celebrity moments that will melt your heart " . Hollywood Life said their journalists were moved to tears after watching the video . Their review concluded that Capaldi 's message was both kind and strong , and that it was intelligent of the actor to compare the grief of Thomas to that encountered by his character on the television programme . Capaldi 's actions received favourable coverage from the Autism Daily Newscast , an official Google News website reporting on current events and news of interest to those on the autism spectrum . Journalist on the site Jo Worgan noting the actor had devoted himself while on the set of Doctor Who to spending time with an autistic girl who was a fan of the show . The Hollywood Reporter noted that the Time Lord character took time to support the mental well @-@ being of a child in addition to his duties of protecting the universe from harm . In a March 2015 interview with Radio Times , Peter Harness , writer of Doctor Who episode " Kill the Moon " , cited the video by Capaldi as his favourite highlight from the last ten years of the television programme . Harness explained his decision , saying that the video demonstrated Capaldi 's kind demeanour and illustrated that Doctor Who served to assist youngsters in learning about the travails of greater society . He said that , by extension , it reminded all viewers to act with more compassion towards one another .

= Ralph Flanders = Ralph Edward Flanders ( September 28 , 1880 – February 19 , 1970 ) was an American mechanical engineer , industrialist and Republican U.S. Senator from the state of Vermont . He grew up on subsistence farms in Vermont and Rhode Island , became an apprentice first as a machinist , then as a draftsman , before training as a mechanical engineer . He spent five years in New York City as an editor for a machine tool magazine . After moving to Vermont , he managed and then became president of a successful machine tool company . Flanders used his experience as an industrialist to advise state and national commissions in Vermont , New England and Washington , D.C. on public economic policy . He was president of the Boston Federal Reserve Bank for two years before being elected U.S. Senator from Vermont . Flanders was noted for introducing a 1954 motion in the Senate to censure Senator Joseph McCarthy . McCarthy had made sensational claims that there were large numbers of Communists and Soviet spies and sympathizers inside the federal government and elsewhere . He used his Senate committee as a nationally televised forum for attacks on individuals whom he accused . Flanders felt that McCarthy ’ s attacks distracted the nation from a much greater threat of Communist successes elsewhere in the world and that they had the effect of creating division and confusion within the United States , to the advantage of its enemies . Ultimately , McCarthy 's tactics and his inability to substantiate his claims led to his being discredited and censured by the United States Senate . = = Biographical = = Flanders was born oldest of nine children in Barnet , a town in Caledonia County in northeastern Vermont , and spent much of his childhood in Rhode Island . In his autobiography , Senator from Vermont , Flanders described life on his family ’ s subsistence farms in Vermont and Rhode Island , before he left to work in the machine tool industry for most of his career . In his first years as a machinist and draftsman , he spent his vacations traveling by bicycle over country roads between Rhode Island and Vermont and New Hampshire . Later , he lived for a time in New York City where he edited a machine tool magazine , but after five years decided to move back to Vermont . In 1911 , he married Helen Edith Hartness , daughter of inventor and industrialist James Hartness . They made their home in Springfield , Vermont , where Flanders became president of the Jones & Lamson Machine Company . Flanders and his wife had three children : Elizabeth ( born 1912 ) , Anna ( also known as Nancy — born 1918 ) , and James ( born 1923 ) . = = Professional career = = Flanders ’ s career began with an apprenticeship , progressed into engineering , journalism , management , policy consulting , banking , finance , and finally politics when he was elected U.S. Senator from Vermont . = = = Education and apprenticeship = = = Flanders had no formal education beyond the high schools that he attended in Pawtucket and Central Falls , Rhode Island . But even so , he achieved a solid grounding in mathematics , literature , Latin and Classical Greek there . Unable to afford college tuition , his father bought a two @-@ year apprenticeship for him in 1896 at the Brown & Sharpe Manufacturing Company , a leading machine tool builder . There and through the International Correspondence School he learned machinist and drafting skills . Following his apprenticeship , he worked for various machine tool companies in New England . Despite his lack of a formal university education , he was a self @-@ taught scholar , who read extensively in the literatures of science , engineering and the liberal arts . = = = Technical journalism = = = Flanders began writing early in his career . His published articles on machine tool technology led to a job as an editor of Machine magazine in New York City . This job , which he held between 1905 and 1910 , required him to cover developments in the machine tool industry . He traveled widely to visit the companies that he wrote about , which provided him many valuable contacts with leaders in the industry . As editor , he wrote articles on gear tooth systems , gear cutting machinery , hobs , the manufacture of cans , and of motor cars , including Machinery ’ s reference series on the subject . In 1909 , while working long hours on his definitive book on gear cutting machinery , his energy gave out and he suffered a “ nervous breakdown . ” He had to take time off to recover . In 1910 , he accepted a job offer to work in a machine tool company in Vermont . He continued to write on technical and other matters throughout his life and would develop a broader philosophy of the role of industry in society . In 1938 , he received a Worcester Reed Warner Medal in recognition for his technical writing . = = = Engineering = = = Flanders 's first major experience in machine design came when he helped an entrepreneur in Nashua , New Hampshire develop a box @-@ folding machine . After that , he worked as a draftsman for General Electric until 1905 , when he moved to New York City to work for Machine . In 1910 , he moved to Springfield , Vermont to work as a mechanical engineer for the Fellows Gear Shaper Company . He was already friendly with James Hartness , the president of the Jones & Lamson Machine Company ( J & L ) , another company in town . In 1911 , Flanders married Hartness ' daughter , Helen . Shortly afterwards , Hartness hired Flanders as a manager of the department at J & L that built the Fay automatic lathe . Flanders redesigned that lathe to achieve higher productivity and accuracy . He became a director in 1912 and president of the company in 1933 after Hartness retired . As president of J & L , Flanders implemented a continuous production line to manufacture the Hartness Turret Lathe instead of building each machine individually , attempting to bring some of the efficiencies of mass production to machine tool building . By 1923 , he had acquired and assigned more than twenty patents to J & L. Flanders and his brother , Ernest , were instrumental in developing screw thread grinding machines . These incorporated advances in thread technology ( furthered by the Hartness optical comparator ) and Flanders ’ s engineering calculations for gear @-@ cutting machinery . In 1946 , the two brothers received the Edward Longstreth Medal of the Franklin Institute as recognition for this accomplishment . They had improved the accurate manufacture of die @-@ cut screws in soft metal and solved the problem of thread @-@ grinding on hardened work . = = = Professional societies = = = Flanders became president of the National Machine @-@ Tool Builders Association in 1923 . He served as president of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers ( ASME ) from 1934 to 1936 . He was vice president of the American Engineering Council in 1937 . Throughout the 1930s , Flanders served as chairman of the Screw @-@ Thread Committee of the American Standards Association . In 1942 he was awarded the Edward Longstreth Medal . In 1944 the ASME awarded him the Hoover Medal for his “ public service in the field of social , civic and humanitarian effort [ s ] . ” The British Institution of Mechanical Engineers made him an honorary member . = = = Public life = = = In 1917 , Flanders served in the Machine @-@ Tool Section of the War Industries Board . After World War I , he oversaw the completion of international standards for screw threads through the 1930s , first as a member , then as chairman of the Screw @-@ Thread Committee of the American Standards Association . During the Great Depression Flanders began to write about social policy . His major concern was human development in a technological era . He addressed employing spiritual guidance with a “ program of human values ” to achieve a good life . Nevertheless , his underlying goal was to achieve “ full employment . ” So , he kept himself grounded in economic principles , as understood and debated during that era . In 1933 , Franklin D. Roosevelt ’ s Secretary of Commerce , Daniel Roper , appointed Flanders to the Business Advisory Council , which was created to provide input to the administration on matters affecting business . The Council then made Flanders chairman of the Committee on Unemployment . This committee recommended addressing the problem both geographically and by industry . Flanders reported , however , that when the committee made its recommendations President Roosevelt was preoccupied with augmenting the Supreme Court and ultimately chose the undistributed profits tax instead — a choice that Flanders felt discouraged capital investment . In 1933 , the National Industrial Recovery Act created the National Recovery Administration ( NRA ) . The NRA allowed industries to create " codes of fair competition , " intended to reduce destructive competition and to help workers by setting minimum wages and maximum weekly hours . Flanders was appointed to the industrial advisory board of the NRA . In a speech before a 1934 conference of the code authority members , attended by President Roosevelt , Flanders opposed a proposal by the Roosevelt administration to require that businesses cut worker hours by 10 percent and raise wages by 10 percent in order to spread employment more widely . Ultimately , economic policy moved away from the codes system . In 1937 , Vermont Governor George Aiken appointed Flanders to two commissions : first , the Special Milk Investigative Committee to study ways to modernize dairying in Vermont ; and second , the Flood Control Commission , which chose Flanders as its chairman . This commission was to negotiate with other New England states a means of sharing costs in a system of flood @-@ control dams . In 1940 , the New England Council elected Flanders president . The governors of the New England states had established this council to study industry and commerce in their states . Flanders ’ s role increased his awareness of the labor and business assets in New England . He also tried to alert his peers to the prospect of U.S. involvement in the expanding Second World War . In 1942 , Flanders became involved in the Committee for Economic Development ( CED ) , an offshoot of the Business Advisory Council , whose purpose was to help re @-@ align the nation to a peacetime economy after the war . Flanders reported helping to shape the CED ’ s recommendations to Congress on roles for the World Bank and International Monetary Fund . = = = Banking and investment = = = Starting in the 1930s , Flanders held directorships on the boards of the Shawmut Bank ( 1938 – 41 ) , Federal Reserve Bank of Boston ( 1941 – 44 ) Boston and Maine Railroad , National Life Insurance Company , Massachusetts Institute of Technology , and Norwich University . In 1944 , he was elected to a two @-@ year term as president of the Federal Reserve Bank in Boston . During this period , the bank helped establish the Boston Port Authority to revitalize the capacity for cargo from New England . In 1946 , Georges Doriot , Flanders , Karl Compton and others organized American Research & Development ( AR & D ) . This was the first venture capital company to invest — according to a set of investment rules and goals — in a pool of fledgling companies . Flanders served as a director of AR & D. = = U.S. Senate career = = In 1940 , Ralph Flanders ran an unsuccessful campaign for the U. S. Senate . His Republican primary opponent was George Aiken , the popular two @-@ term Governor of Vermont . Although Flanders admired and liked Aiken , he felt that Aiken 's " liberal " ideas would not help the nation ’ s economic recovery . In 1990 , one of Vermont ’ s major newspapers , The Rutland Herald described the 1940 Republican primary campaign as dirty and mean . Aiken ’ s side accused Flanders of selling arms to the Nazis , and Flanders ’ s side suggested that " Aiken was unduly influenced by his administrative assistant , a pretty 24 @-@ year @-@ old with a fondness for power . " In retrospect , Flanders felt that he had allowed his campaign advisers to make too many of the decisions . For example , a campaign brochure showed the candidate wearing a three @-@ piece suit and holding a piglet in his arms . Although he had grown up on a subsistence farm and had an active interest in Vermont agriculture — especially in the type of hog shown in the picture — this had the effect of making him appear to be a phony . The Rutland Herald observed that , “ In Vermont in 1940 , pigs were common to many households . But so was common sense . There were many people , most in fact , who did not want as their representative someone who would wear his best clothes if he intended to be handling pigs . ” Aiken won by 7 @,@ 000 votes , having spent $ 3 @,@ 219 @.@ 50 to Flanders ’ s $ 18 @,@ 698 @.@ 45 . This campaign taught Flanders that “ I had to be myself . ” On November 1 , 1946 , Vermont Governor Mortimer R. Proctor appointed Flanders to the U.S. Senate as a Republican to complete the term of Republican Senator Warren Austin . Austin had just been appointed by U.S. President Harry S. Truman as Ambassador to the United Nations . Flanders 's appointment gave him seniority over the freshman Senators who would be elected four days later on November 5 . Flanders ran for the office then , as well , and was elected to a full term . He was overwhelmingly reelected in 1952 . He declined to seek a third term in 1958 . = = = Senate record and committee assignments = = = Flanders 's voting record in the Senate was more conservative than his senior colleague , George Aiken , and reflected Flanders 's business orientation . In his second term , a Republican majority allowed Flanders to obtain seats on the Joint Economic Committee — this committee acted in an investigatory and advisory capacity to both Houses of the Congress — the Finance Committee and the Committee on Armed Services . These assignments reflected his interests as a senator . = = = Political philosophy = = = Flanders , although himself a conservative , espoused a constructive competition between conservatism and liberalism . He felt that liberalism represented the welfare of individual people , as opposed to organizations — governments , businesses , etc . — preserving freedom of thought and action . For him , conservatism was concerned with preserving institutions that serve the interests of people , collectively . Conservatives , according to Flanders , could find themselves offering " reasoned objections to foolish proposals " by emotionally motivated liberals . He observed that , “ Even in the established democracies , ... the voters are easily seduced into leaving politics to skillful politicians who are themselves without a sense of general , social responsibility . ” = = = = On moral law in policy formulation = = = = Flanders had a strict Congregationalist religious beginning , which evolved with his experience into a belief in “ moral law . ” He felt that “ recognition of moral law is as much a necessary requirement of social achievement as physical law is of material advancement . ” In Flanders ’ s view , moral law required honesty , compassion , responsibility , cooperation , humility , and wisdom — values that all cultures hold in common . For him it was an absolute standard . He spoke of a “ Presence ” or “ daimon ” that “ renewed his courage ” and “ indicated direction ” in everything he did . Flanders referred to the Marshall Plan as an important application of moral law to public policy . He said that the plan ’ s true purpose was to fend off Communism through the economic restoration of Europe — not to provide relief to Europe ( something beyond the powers of the U.S. ) , nor to enhance gratitude towards the U.S. , its prestige or power . = = = = On labor and business = = = = In testifying on the Employment Act ( of 1946 ) before the Banking and Currency Committee of the Senate in 1945 , Flanders defined the “ right to a job , ” as implying a responsibility shared among individuals , organized labor , businesses , and governments , as follows : Each individual should be “ productive , self @-@ reliant and energetically in search of employment , when out of a job . ” Organized Labor should avoid wage demands that upset costs of production in a manner that decreases the total volume of employment . Business should operate efficiently to allow for expansion of production and employment . State and local governments can help preserve human rights and property rights that foster investment , while the Federal Government should “ encourage business to expand and investors to undertake new ventures . ” Flanders felt that , to quell inflation , wage increases should be tied to productivity increases , rather than the cost of living . He recommended splitting gains in productivity three ways : to the worker for higher wages , to the company for higher profits and to the consumer for lower prices . He felt that with this approach everyone would benefit at the company level and in the national economy . Such an approach would require mutual respect and understanding between labor and management . Flanders ’ s relations with organized labor were amicable . He welcomed the United Electrical Workers Union into Jones & Lamson Machine Company . J & L became the first company in Springfield , Vermont to be unionized . = = = = On Franklin D. Roosevelt = = = = Flanders met with President Roosevelt on several occasions . He felt that Roosevelt and his advisors did not heed Secretary of the Navy , Frank Knox ’ s warning that it was “ easily possible that hostilities would be initiated by a surprise attack upon the fleet or the Naval Base at Pearl Harbor . ” He further faulted the president for failing to recognize the growing threat of Communism in China . In Flanders ’ s opinion , he sold out on Mongolia , Nationalist China and Central Europe to Communist powers at the 1943 Tehran Conference . Flanders recognized the president ’ s political genius and leadership skills , but deplored his advocacy of raising taxes . He characterized the Roosevelt philosophy as one where re @-@ employment “ must come from Government — not private — action . ” Flanders felt that large social programs were an ineffective approach to solve national problems . = = = Cold War policies = = = National policy relating to the Cold War interested Flanders greatly . He was concerned about the world @-@ wide encroachment of Communism even without force of arms . He felt that President Truman was generally a good president , but was hampered by the Roosevelt legacy of appeasing the Soviets . He also felt that Truman 's commitment to bringing the Nationalist and Communist Chinese factions together into an alliance was mistaken . He endorsed the Marshall Plan as a way to avoid Communist influence in Western Europe . However , he was critical of John Foster Dulles , Secretary of State , for mishandling opportunities to create friendly alignment with Egypt and India , countries which instead sided with the Soviet Union . Flanders felt that spending 62 % of federal income on defense was irrational , when the Soviet government claimed it wished to avoid nuclear conflict . He advocated that the development of “ A [ tomic ] - and H [ ydrogen ] -bombs be paralleled with equally intense negotiations towards disarmament . ” For him , “ gaining the co @-@ operation of the Soviet government on an effective armament control , ” was most important . = = = The censure of Joseph McCarthy = = = Flanders was an early and strong critic of fellow Republican Senator Joseph McCarthy ’ s " misdirection of our efforts at fighting communism ” and his role in “ the loss of respect for us in the world at large . ” He felt that rather than looking inward for communists within U.S. borders , the nation should look outward at the “ alarming world @-@ wide advance of Communist power ” that would leave the United States and Canada as “ the last remnants of the free world . ” On March 9 , 1954 he addressed Senator McCarthy on the Senate floor , expressing these concerns . ( McCarthy had been advised of the speech , but was absent at the time . ) Apart from a brief note of encouragement after this speech , Flanders was grateful that President Eisenhower stayed out of the McCarthy controversy . Members of President Eisenhower ’ s cabinet passed along the message that Flanders should “ lay off . ” The Times @-@ Argus newspaper of Randolph , Vermont reported : " The speech was a sensation , and the next day Vonda Bergman reported to the Herald that Flanders was unable to appear on the Senate floor because of the flood of telephone calls and telegrams , said to run 6 @-@ 1 in his support . One message called his speech ' a fine example of Vermont courage , humor and decency , ' while another told him , ' Your remarks brought a breath of fresh clean air from the Green Mountains.' " Two Senate colleagues , John Sherman Cooper , R @-@ Kentucky , and Herbert Lehman , D @-@ New York , were among those who heaped praise on the Vermont senator . The editor of a national publication said : ' It was one of the few recent indications that the Republican Party on Capitol Hill is not wholly devoid of courageous moral leadership . ' And an editorial in the Rutland Herald stated , ' The effect of the speech was to hearten that vast majority of Americans who hate communism but who also revere the Constitution . ' " . Other reactions were not so favorable . People who wrote the Rutland Herald “ hinted at retribution for McCarthy ’ s foes ” and called McCarthy “ a demigod above the law of the U.S.A. ... If you disagree , you are RED . ” William Loeb , owner of the Burlington Daily News , wrote , “ It would take somebody as stupid as Senator Flanders to finally swallow the Democratic bait on the subject of Senator McCarthy . ” In a speech that Flanders did not mention in his autobiography , the Times @-@ Argus article reported that on June 1 , 1954 Flanders " ... addressed the Senate on ' the colossal innocence of the junior Senator from Wisconsin . ' Comparing McCarthy to ' Dennis the Menace ' of cartoon fame , the Vermonter delivered a scathing address in which he lambasted the Wisconsin man for dividing the nation . ' In every country in which communism has taken over , ' he reminded the Senate , ' the beginning has been a successful campaign of division and confusion . ' He marveled at the way the Soviet Union was winning military successes in Asia without risking its own resources or men , and said this nation was witnessing ' another example of economy of effort ... in the conquest of this country for communism . ' He added , ' One of the characteristic elements of communist and fascist tyranny is at hand as citizens are set to spy upon each other . ' ' Were the junior Senator from Wisconsin in the pay of the communists , he could not have done a better job for them . ' ' This is a colossal innocence , indeed . ' " On June 11 , 1954 , Flanders introduced a resolution charging McCarthy “ with unbecoming conduct and calling for his removal from his committee membership . ” Upon the advice of Senators Cooper and Fulbright and legal assistance from the Committee for a More Effective Congress he modified his resolution to “ bring it in line with previous actions of censure . ” The text of the resolution of censure condemns the senator for “ obstructing the constitutional processes of the Senate ” when he “ failed to cooperate with the Subcommittee on Privileges and Elections of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration and acting “ contrary to senatorial ethics ” when he described the Select Committee to Study Censure Charges and its chairman in slanderous terms . Time reported that a “ group of 23 top businessmen , labor leaders and educators ... wired every U.S. Senator ( except McCarthy himself ) urging a favorable vote ‘ to curb the flagrant abuse of power by Senator McCarthy . ’ " The Senate censured McCarthy on December 2 , 1954 by a vote of 65 to 22 . The Senate Republicans were split 22 to 22 . For a further treatment of this episode , refer to Joseph McCarthy — Censure and the Watkins Committee . A 1990 article in the Rutland Herald characterized the reaction in Vermont to Flanders ’ s role in the McCarthy censure as “ sour . ” It concludes that Flanders ’ s convictions did not necessarily reflect the priorities of his constituency , which regarded the issue as “ not our problem . ” = = Legacy = = Flanders was the author or coauthor of eight books , including his autobiography , Senator from Vermont . He wrote about many issues : the problems of unemployment , inflation , ways for achieving a cooperative relationship between management and labor , and his belief that “ moral law is natural law ” and should be an integral part of everyone ’ s education . His papers are located at the Special Collections Research Center at Syracuse University Library and at the Special Collections of the University of Vermont ’ s Bailey @-@ Howe Library . During his lifetime , Flanders received more than sixteen honorary degrees from institutions that included Dartmouth College , Harvard University ( LL.D. ) , Middlebury College ( D. Sc . ) and the University of Vermont ( D. Eng . ) . His wife , Helen Hartness Flanders , was a folk song collector and author of several books on New England ballads . Flanders died in 1970 and he is buried in the Summer Hill Cemetery in Springfield , Vermont , alongside his wife , Helen , and members of the Hartness family . Flanders ’ s Senate legacy has continued to inspire Vermont politicians . In his May 24 , 2001 speech announcing his departure from the Republican Party , Vermont Senator James Jeffords cited Flanders three times and spoke of him as one of five Vermont politicians who , “ spoke their minds , often to the dismay of their party leaders , and did their best to guide the party in the direction of those fundamental principles they believed in . ” In speeches to Georgetown University Law Center and Johnson State College , Senator Patrick Leahy cited Flanders as one of three Vermont politicians who showed , “ the importance of standing firm in your beliefs , ” “ that conflict need not be hostile or adversarial ” and who , “ rose up against abuses , against infringements upon Americans ' rights when doing that was not popular . ” = = = Flanders = = = Flanders , Ralph E. ( February 1909a ) , " Interchangeable Involute Gear Tooth Systems " , Journal of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers ( 2410 F ) . Flanders , Ralph E. ( February 1909b ) , " Recent developments in gear @-@ cutting machinery " , Machinery ( 2242 C ) . Flanders , Ralph E. ( January 1909c ) , " How many gashes should a hob have ? " , Machinery ( 1550 C ) . Flanders , Ralph E. ( 1909d ) , " Making solderless cans for food products " , Machinery ( 7500 C ) . Flanders , Ralph E. ( October 1909e ) , " The design and manufacture of a high @-@ grade motor car — Illustrated detailed description of the factory , methods and products of the Stevens @-@ Duryea Co . " , Machinery ( 8279 C ) . Flanders , Ralph E. ( 1909f ) , Gear @-@ cutting machinery , comprising a complete review of contemporary American and European practice , together with a logical classification and explanation of the principles involved , New York : J. Wiley & Sons . Flanders , Ralph E. ( 1910 ) , Construction and Manufacture of Automobiles , Machinery ’ s Reference Series . No. 60 , New York : The Industrial Press . Flanders , Ralph E. ( 1925 ) , Design manufacture and production control of a standard machine 46 , New York : ASME Transactions . Flanders , Ralph E. ( 1930 ) , " The new age and the new man " , in Beard , Charles A. , Toward Civilization , New York : Longmans , Green & Co . . Flanders , Ralph E. ( 1931 ) , Taming Our Machines ; The Attainment of Human Values in a Mechanized Society , New York : R.R. Smith , Inc . Flanders , Ralph E. ( 1932 ) , " Limitations and possibilities of economic planning " , Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science ( July 1932 ) 162 ( 16z ) , p . 27 , doi : 10 @.@ 1177 / 000271623216200106 . Flanders , Ralph E. ( 1935 ) , New pioneers on a new frontier 46 , New York : ASME Transactions , pp . R1 – 77 . Flanders , Ralph E. ( 1936a ) , " New pioneers on a new frontier " , Mechanical Engineering Magazine , p . 3 . Flanders , Ralph E. ( 1936b ) , Platform for America , New York : Whittlesy House , McGraw @-@ Hill Book Company , Inc . Dennison , Henry S. ; Filene , L. ; Flanders , R. ; Leeds , M. ( 1938 ) , Toward full employment , New York : McGraw @-@ Hill Book . Flanders , Ralph E. ( 1949a ) , The Function of Management in American Life , Palo Alto , California : Graduate School of Business , Stanford University . Flanders , Ralph E. ( 1949b ) , Limitations of national policy : speech of Hon. Ralph E. Flanders of Vermont in the Senate of the United States August 11 , 1949 , Special Collections , University of Vermont Library . Flanders , Ralph E. ( 1954 ) , " Activities of Senator Mcarthy — The World Crisis " , Congressional Record — Proceedings and Debates of the 83rd Congress , Second Session ( Washington , DC : U.S. Government Printing Office , published March 9 , 1954 ) . Flanders , Ralph E. ( 1956 ) , Letter to a generation , Boston : Beacon Press . Flanders , Ralph E. ( 1961 ) , Senator from Vermont , Boston : Little , Brown . Flanders , Ralph E. ( 1963 ) , A Search for Meaning , Springfield , Vermont : Hurd ’ s Offset Printing . = = = Others = = = ASME ( 1921 ) , A.S.M.E. mechanical catalog and directory , Volume 11 , American Society of Mechanical Engineers . ASME ( 1944 ) , Hoover Medal awardees , Asme.org , retrieved 2013 @-@ 05 @-@ 04 Crozier , Barney ( September 29 , 1979 ) , " Vermont Senator 's Speech Heralded McCarthy 's End " , Times @-@ Argus ( Randolph , Vermont ) . Editors ( February 21 , 1970 ) , " In our opinion — Sen. Flanders of Vermont " , Burlington Free Press . Editors ( December 17 , 2006 ) , " Leahy takes lead on Judiciary Committee " , Burlington Free Press , retrieved January 4 , 2010 . Fortune ( August 1945 ) , " Flanders of New England " , Fortune Magazine , vol . 32 no . 2 . Herman , Arthur ( 2012 ) , Freedom 's Forge : How American Business Produced Victory in World War II , New York , NY : Random House , ISBN 978 @-@ 1 @-@ 4000 @-@ 6964 @-@ 4 . Hill , Tom ( December 3 , 1989 ) , " Vt . ' s Senator Ralph Flanders took on McCarthy , and won " , Sunday Rutland Herald and Sunday Times Argus ( Vermont ) , pp . E1 , E4 . Jeffords , James ( May 24 , 2001 ) , Transcript : Jeffords statement , CNN InsidePolitics , retrieved January 4 , 2010 . Klingaman , William ( 1996 ) , The Encyclopedia of the McCarthy Era , Facts on File , ISBN 0 @-@ 8160 @-@ 3097 @-@ 9 . Leahy , Patrick ( May 17 , 2008 ) , Senator Patrick Leahy Delivers 2008 Commencement Address , Johnson State College , retrieved January 4 , 2010 . Massachusetts Institute of Technology ( March 6 , 1970 ) , " Ralph Edward Flanders 1880 @-@ 1970 " , Resolutions of the Corporation of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on the death of Ralph Edward Flanders Life Member Emeritus . Porter , Bill ; Terry , Stephen C. ( September 9 , 1990 ) , " Down & Dirty — The Aiken @-@ Flanders Primary of 1940 " , Vermont Sunday Magazine of the Rutland Herald and the Times Argus of Rutland and Randolph , Vermont . Roe , Joseph Wickham ( 1937 ) , James Hartness : A Representative of the Machine Age at Its Best , New York , New York , USA : American Society of Mechanical Engineers , LCCN 37016470 , OCLC 3456642 , ; . link from HathiTrust . Senate Historical Office ( 1995 ) , United States Senate Historical Office : " The Censure Case of Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin ( 1954 ) " , Senate.gov , retrieved 2013 @-@ 05 @-@ 04 . The Tech ( November 15 , 1949 ) , " Sen. Flanders to Discuss Welfare " ( PDF ) , The Tech ( MIT newspaper ) : 4 . Time ( August 2 , 1954 ) , " The Dispensable Man " , Time Magazine . Vermont Encyclopedia , Editors ( 2003 ) , " Flanders , Ralph E. " , in Duffy , John J. ; Hand , Samuel B. ; Orth , Ralph H. , The Vermont Encyclopedia , Lebanon , New Hampshire : University Press of New England , ISBN 1 @-@ 58465 @-@ 086 @-@ 9 . WGBH , Public Broadcasting Service ( 2004 @-@ 06 @-@ 30 ) , Who made America — George Doriot , Pbs.org , retrieved 2013 @-@ 05 @-@ 04 .

= David Mirkin = David Mirkin ( born September 18 , 1955 ) is an American feature film and television director , writer and producer . Mirkin grew up in Philadelphia and intended to become an electrical engineer , but abandoned this career path in favor of studying film at Loyola Marymount University . After graduating , he became a stand @-@ up comedian , and then moved into television writing . He wrote for the sitcoms Three 's Company , It 's Garry Shandling 's Show and The Larry Sanders Show and served as showrunner on the series Newhart . After an unsuccessful attempt to remake the British series The Young Ones , Mirkin created Get a Life in 1990 . The series starred comedian Chris Elliott and ran for two seasons , despite a lack of support from many Fox network executives , who disliked the show 's dark and surreal humor . He moved on to create the sketch show The Edge starring his then @-@ partner , actress Julie Brown . Mirkin left The Edge during its run and became the executive producer and showrunner of The Simpsons for its fifth and sixth seasons . Mirkin has been cited as introducing a more surreal element to the show 's humor , as shown by his first writing credit for the show , " Deep Space Homer " , which sees Homer Simpson go to space as part of a NASA program to restore interest in space exploration . He won four Primetime Emmy Awards and a Peabody Award for his work on The Simpsons . Mirkin stood down as showrunner after season six , but produced several subsequent episodes , co @-@ wrote The Simpsons Movie ( 2007 ) and in 2013 remains on the show as a consultant . Mirkin has also moved into feature film direction : he directed the films Romy and Michele 's High School Reunion ( 1997 ) and Heartbreakers ( 2001 ) . = = Early life = = Mirkin was born and raised in Philadelphia and graduated from Northeast High School in 1973 . His father was a computer engineer until his death in 1960 . Mirkin 's older brother Gary worked as a television engineer for the Philadelphia NBC affiliate , KYW @-@ TV , now a CBS owned @-@ and @-@ operated station . Throughout his childhood , Mirkin had an interest in film , and explored both writing and filming . Mirkin has described himself as a " nerd " and was often in trouble as a child because he was " in another world " . At high school , he felt the teaching was " too slow " and was allowed by his teachers to " skip class two to three days a week . " Mirkin intended to pursue a career in electrical engineering , which he saw as a more stable employment opportunity than writing or film making . He took a course at Philadelphia 's Drexel University which offered six months of teaching followed by a six @-@ month internship at the National Aeronautics Federal Experimental Center . Mirkin found the experience to be monotonous and unenjoyable and chose to abandon this career path . He decided that " making no money doing something I loved was going to be better than making a good living doing something I didn 't " , so took " an enormous chance on show business " and moved to Los Angeles . He attended film school at Loyola Marymount University , and graduated in 1978 . Mirkin lists Woody Allen and James L. Brooks as his writing inspirations and Stanley Kubrick and the work of the comedy group Monty Python as developing his " dark sense of humor . " He considers Mike Nichols 's film The Graduate to be what inspired him to enter directing . = = Career = = = = = Early career on Three 's Company and Newhart = = = Mirkin started out as a stand @-@ up comedian in 1982 and performed across the United States , including at The Comedy Store , where he became a regular , and at The Improv . The first joke he used in his routine was , " Is it just me or has everybody been coughing up blood lately ? " Mirkin considers the joke to be " an insight into the way [ he writes ] . " Stand @-@ up comedy was the most profitable and easily accessible route Mirkin found into the comedy industry , but " it wasn 't a lifestyle that [ he ] particularly coveted , " especially due to the traveling required . He got his first job writing for television on the sitcom Three 's Company in 1983 . Through his cousin , Mirkin met writer George Tricker who became his mentor . Tricker wrote for the Three 's Company spin @-@ off The Ropers so Mirkin wrote a spec script for an episode of The Ropers . Although rejected by the producers of The Ropers , Three 's Company creator Bernie West was impressed by the script and Mirkin began pitching ideas for that series instead . Mirkin pitched to the series ' story editors for several years without success because they had very limited script buying power . He was eventually able to pitch to the show 's producers , who bought a script from him , and then hired him as a staff writer . Mirkin was apprehensive about the job because he was aiming to work on Cheers , a show more focused on character @-@ driven humor which Mirkin preferred writing , but felt he could not turn the opportunity down . Mirkin considered Three 's Company to have " a classic French farce structure , " as " the characters were so stupid they could never say anything clever . " This meant Mirkin had to adapt his preference for character @-@ driven comedy to fit the show ; it " forced you to put all the cleverness into the plot , a much more difficult thing to do . The plot had to get all the laughs . " Mirkin felt the experience " taught [ him ] a lot about structure " which greatly aided his later work on character @-@ focused shows . Still hoping to work on Cheers , Mirkin sent a spec script of an episode of Taxi to Cheers writers Ken Levine and David Isaacs . The two approved and offered Mirkin a freelance job writing one of the final nine episodes of the show 's first season , pending their commissioning by NBC . The episodes were commissioned , but Mirkin 's agent rejected the Cheers job without telling his client , failing to see why Mirkin would want to work on what was then the lowest @-@ rated comedy on television . Mirkin sacked the agent and signed on with Robb Rothman . Rothman knew Dan Wilcox , the executive producer of Newhart , which like Cheers was more character @-@ focused . Rothman persuaded Wilcox to hire Mirkin . Mirkin wrote a freelance script and in 1984 beat seven other writers to a staff position on the series . He served as a writer and supervising story editor , before being promoted to executive producer and showrunner after one and a half years . Mirkin " felt [ Newhart ] was where I belonged . I 'd finally come to a place in my life where everything I 'd ever wanted had come together . " In 1987 , he received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series for Newhart . It was the first nomination the show had received in that category and for the first episode Mirkin wrote as the series ' showrunner . Mirkin directed several of the Newhart episodes he wrote because he saw directing as " a means of protecting the writing . " A philosophy he carried into his later work , Mirkin felt that " being the head writer ... was not enough ; you had to see the material through its execution – especially the weirder stuff . You had to be right there to make sure every sick idea didn 't lose any disturbing nuance . " Mirkin left Newhart in 1988 , desiring to work on a single @-@ camera sitcom . After leaving Newhart , Mirkin wrote freelance scripts for It 's Garry Shandling 's Show and The Tracey Ullman Show . Garry Shandling asked Mirkin to co @-@ create The Larry Sanders Show with him . Mirkin did not have time , but worked as writer and consultant on the show 's first season , and later returned to direct the 1998 final season episode " The Beginning of the End " . = = = Get a Life and The Edge = = = Mirkin wanted to produce a surreal , Monty Python @-@ esque , single @-@ camera comedy series . He had a development deal with Newhart 's producers MTM Enterprises and persuaded them to buy the rights to produce a pilot for an American adaptation of the British sitcom The Young Ones . The pilot was entitled Oh No , Not Them ! , and featured Nigel Planer from the original series , as well as Jackie Earle Haley and Robert Bundy . Mirkin had wanted to cast comedian Chris Elliott in the pilot , but was prevented by Fox , which wanted Elliott for another show . Oh No , Not Them ! , in Mirkin 's words , " tested through the floor " because it was too " surreal " and " sarcastic " and was not picked up . Mirkin and Elliott decided to develop a show together , along with Adam Resnick . In 1990 , they created the sitcom Get a Life , which was conceived as a dark , surreal , psychotic version of the cartoon Dennis the Menace . The show stars Elliott as Chris Peterson , a 30 @-@ year @-@ old newspaper delivery boy who still lives with his parents , and who is increasingly losing his grip on reality . Fox was lukewarm about the idea , but Mirkin convinced them to order a pilot by understating how dark the show would be . The network executives disliked the pilot after seeing an initial run @-@ through , but Mirkin felt that this was because they " didn 't get " the show and opted not to change it . The executives enjoyed the finished pilot and it was aired . However , throughout the show 's run , the network 's initially negative attitude prevailed . According to Mirkin , many of the executives struggled to understand it and objected to the darkness and surrealism of the show 's humor , which included the frequent death of Elliott 's character , and regularly threatened to shut down production . After its first season , on the insistence of the network , Chris moves out of his parents ' garage , attempts to get additional jobs to his paper route , and attempts to get a girlfriend . However , Mirkin and Elliott refused to " [ compromise on ] the essential goofiness of the show . " Mirkin served as executive producer for the series , directed most of the episodes , wrote several of them , and oversaw the filming and production of them all , to ensure that they had the correct " tone " . The show 's production process was lengthy ; Mirkin would rise at 5 am to film the show , write further episodes from 7 pm until 1 am , and then repeat that the following day . Unlike most single @-@ camera shows , which have around six days to film , Mirkin had to film each episode in two days . He enjoyed doing it , but described it as " not a healthy way to live " . Due to the logistics of filming the show , especially its many sets and effects , Mirkin convinced Fox to not film it in front of a studio audience and use a laugh track instead . The show achieved steady ratings in its first season , finishing 92nd out of the 129 shows listed in the Nielsen ratings . However , for its second season , it was moved from 8 : 30 pm on Sunday to 9 : 30 pm on Saturday and lost the bulk of its audience ; it was canceled after that second season finished in 1992 . In a 1999 piece about the show 's DVD release , Tom Shales praised the show , concluding , " At its best , Get a Life achieved dizzying heights of surrealist farce . At its worst , it was at least amusingly idiotic existential slapstick . Get a Life is a television classic unlike any other . For one thing , most of the others are better . We 're not talking Playhouse 90 here , after all . But we are talking riotous nonsense , and that 's not to be sneezed at . It 's to be laughed at . Hard . " A strong cult following subsequently developed , and Mirkin noted that although the show was canceled " ultimately we got the audience I was hoping for and they are super dedicated and passionate to this day . " In 1991 , Mirkin wrote a pilot with Julie Brown entitled The Julie Show , starring Brown , but NBC did not produce it . Several people at the network enjoyed it and commissioned The Edge , a sketch comedy show also written by Mirkin and Brown , with Mirkin directing . NBC opted against production , but Fox ran it from 1992 to 1993 . Mirkin had long wished to produce a sketch show , and designed The Edge to be " fast @-@ paced " and " some skits overlap , end abruptly or are broken into segments , " in order to maintain attention . The Edge was a ratings success and was supported by the network . Mirkin considered it " the first time I experienced the feeling of having a hit that I created . It just kept building and growing . " The show 's material often inflamed its targets , particularly producer Aaron Spelling . Spelling objected to a sketch mocking his series Beverly Hills , 90210 , another Fox show , and its lead actress Tori Spelling , who is his daughter . He demanded a public apology and that no further episodes contain the parody , threatening to sue . The show 's production company TriStar Television refused , while Mirkin responded : " The thing about these parodies is they don 't hurt a show . It 's only cross @-@ promotion . The viewers who like the show always come back the next week . What 's upsetting to me is it shows absolutely that Mr. Spelling has no sense of humor . " Mirkin left his role as executive producer of The Edge during its run . The Pittsburgh Post @-@ Gazette reported that Mirkin had been " forced off the show , " due to the negative reaction of Spelling and others , though in 2012 , Mirkin stated that he left the series after refusing to accept a substantially reduced budget . The show 's producers Sony failed to persuade him to stay but he returned to the series to produce its final " Best Of " compilation . = = = The Simpsons = = = Mirkin was the executive producer and showrunner for the animated sitcom The Simpsons , during its fifth and sixth seasons ( 1993 – 1995 ) . Following the end of the show 's fourth season , most of the original staff members left the show ; only Bill Oakley , Josh Weinstein , Conan O 'Brien and Dan McGrath remained , and O 'Brien soon left to replace David Letterman as host of Late Night . Executive producers James L. Brooks and Richard Sakai hired Mirkin following his exit from The Edge . He had been asked to join the show 's writing team when it started in 1989 , but decided instead to work on Get a Life . He was a fan of The Simpsons before being hired for the show , and started work in November 1992 . Due to the show 's long production cycle , season five did not air until the following September . Mirkin was the program 's first solo showrunner . Due to the high staff departure at the end of season four , Mirkin " pretty much had to build [ the ] show from the ground up again , " and noted that this " was exciting but also a big challenge . " He hired several new writers , including Richard Appel , David X. Cohen , Jennifer Crittenden , Greg Daniels , Bob Kushell , Jace Richdale and Mike Scully . Mirkin 's tenure on The Simpsons has been cited as a period where the series evolved to focus more on abstract and surreal stories and humor . A. O. Scott notes that " several veterans recall the ' crazy David Mirkin years ' as a time of wild inventiveness . " In The Simpsons : An Uncensored , Unauthorized History ( 2009 ) , John Ortved describes Mirkin 's era as moving the show away from more " realistic " emotional and character @-@ based stories to " pure comedy " and " surreal " humor . In a 2004 interview with Animation Magazine , Mirkin stated that he felt that he " brought [ the show ] back to a more story @-@ oriented " approach and increased the focus on characters and their emotions , although " at the same time still keeping it surreal and weird " . Mirkin moved the show 's focus toward Homer Simpson , and also developed some of its secondary characters , including Apu Nahasapeemapetilon . He also strongly opposed censorship and network interference , telling post @-@ production supervisor Colin A.B.V. Lewis to ignore the list of changes sent by the Fox censors . He aimed to put " as much blood and guts " as possible into the episode " Treehouse of Horror V " as an attack on the censors . Ortved — using interviews with writers Bob Kushell and Brent Forrester and Mirkin 's assistant Charleen Easton — describes Mirkin as an " outsider " on the show , with the writing staff , at least initially , divided with respect to Mirkin 's comedy and leadership style . Forrester described the latter as " a little bit dictatorial " . Mirkin conducted the show 's writing sessions in one room , rather than splitting the writers into two groups , as later showrunners would do , and often worked late into the night . Some praised Mirkin 's leadership , including Appel , who felt that " the shows were great under him . " Others criticised him , including Kushell , who clashed with Mirkin over the episode " A Star is Burns " , a crossover with the The Critic . In 2004 , Mirkin stated that he " really wasn 't at all intimidat [ ed ] to join [ the show 's writing ] crew , " because he " had worked with and written with " many of his fellow writers previously and concluded that , " [ I took ] this show in a direction that is more personal to me . I did that , had a great time doing that , and everyone was very receptive to that . " Mirkin 's era and style of humor are popular amongst the show 's fans . The season five episode " Deep Space Homer " , in which the characters Homer and Barney are recruited by NASA , is Mirkin 's first writing credit on The Simpsons , the second being " The Man Who Came to Be Dinner " , which was co @-@ written with Al Jean . Mirkin worked on the concept for a long time , basing the story on NASA 's Teacher in Space Project scheme to send ordinary civilians into space in order to spark interest amongst the general public . The idea proved controversial to some of the show 's writing staff , who felt that having Homer go into space was too " large " an idea . Series creator Matt Groening felt that the idea gave the writers " nowhere to go . " Based on these attitudes , several jokes were toned down to make the episode feel more realistic , including the impression that everyone at NASA was as stupid as Homer . During re @-@ writes , Mirkin and the other writers placed greater emphasis on the relationship between Homer and his family and on Homer 's attempts to be a hero , but most of Mirkin 's original script was retained . The episode is considered one of the show 's best . Colin Kennedy of Empire magazine named it a " contender for greatest ever episode " , and in Chris Turner 's book , Planet Simpson , he says the episode is " second to none " . Regarding the long sequence that begins with Homer eating potato chips in the space shuttle and ends with Kent Brockman 's dramatic speech , Turner claimed that it was " simply among the finest comedic moments in the history of television " . A copy of the episode was later sent to the International Space Station for astronauts to view . Mirkin considers the episode to be " very very special . " Ortved says the episode , in its plot and surreal humor , epitomizes Mirkin 's era . Mirkin pitched the plots for the episodes " The Last Temptation of Homer " , " Bart 's Girlfriend " and " Homer the Great " . He also produced the show 's sole two @-@ part episode " Who Shot Mr. Burns ? " , which aired as the finale of season six and the premiere of season seven . The writers decided to write the episode in two parts with a mystery that could be used as a contest . Mirkin suggested Maggie Simpson as the culprit because he felt it was funnier and wanted the culprit to be a family member . After season six , Mirkin suggested Oakley and Weinstein take over as showrunners , but remained on the show in an advisory capacity , helping them with technical aspects of the show such as editing and sound mixing , and attending table readings of the scripts . He was the executive producer for three other episodes from season seven : " Lisa the Vegetarian " , " Radioactive Man " and " Team Homer " . " Lisa the Vegetarian " was approved by Mirkin after the story was pitched by Cohen ; Mirkin had just become a vegetarian himself , and so many of Lisa 's experiences in the episode were based on his own . Mirkin flew to London to record the episode 's guest stars Paul and Linda McCartney at Paul 's recording studio , where the McCartneys spent an hour recording their parts . Mirkin later said that recording with the McCartneys was one of the most " amazing " experiences of his life and considers the episode to be one of his favorites . Mirkin returned to the role of showrunner to produce the episodes " The Joy of Sect " and " All Singing , All Dancing " for season nine . He pitched the plot for " The Joy of Sect " , because he was attracted to the notion of parodies of cults , calling them " comical , interesting and twisted . " As of 2012 Mirkin still works part @-@ time on the show as a consultant , helping with the re @-@ write process . The show 's nine @-@ month production cycle allows him to contribute to each episode in some form , whilst engaging in other projects as well . Mirkin also co @-@ wrote The Simpsons Movie in 2007 , and the 3D animated short The Longest Daycare in 2012 , which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film . Mirkin won four Primetime Emmy Awards and a Peabody Award for his work on The Simpsons . = = = Subsequent work = = = Mirkin directed the feature film Romy and Michele 's High School Reunion in 1997 . The film stars Mira Sorvino and Lisa Kudrow as two friends determined to show their former high school tormentors at their 10 @-@ year reunion that they have led successful lives . Mirkin said of the film : " These are women characters we haven 't seen before . There are so few female buddy movies , written funny for women . Women don 't get to do odd , strange , self @-@ involved roles like these . " He knew Kudrow previously and felt she was " perfect " for the role , but did not expect Sorvino would take the part given her recent Academy Award win for Mighty Aphrodite , but it " turn [ ed ] out that she 'd had a horrible time in high school , so the story appealed to her . " The film received critical praise , as did Mirkin 's direction . James Berardinelli wrote that Mirkin " brings a lot of energy to the production , always keeping things moving , " while Jack Matthews of The Los Angeles Times says Mirkin " knew exactly what he had here and composed it like frames in a comic strip , ordering cheerful snow @-@ cone colors for everything from the girls ' childlike outfits to the decor of a Laundromat . " In 1999 , several of the Fox executives who had disliked Get a Life came to Mirkin and apologized for the way they had treated the show , stating that they now found it funny . They commissioned Mirkin to write , produce and direct a similarly @-@ themed show of his choice . Mirkin produced a pilot for Jeff of the Universe , a " sarcastic " parody of the science fiction genre . The executives who had disproved of Get a Life had since moved from the Fox Network to Fox Studios , and they liked this new show . However , the new executives at Fox did not , and chose not to air the show . Mirkin often plays clips from the show at the talks he does at colleges ; they receive a positive response . Heartbreakers , Mirkin 's second film as a feature director , was released in 2001 . Mirkin rejected the project three times because he disliked the script . While he liked the idea of a mother and daughter con @-@ woman team , he found the writing " really broad , " and " it had no emotion in it . " Eventually , Mirkin was allowed to rewrite the script himself , which he did in a year 's time . He filmed the project in Florida and Los Angeles and had a cameo appearance in the film as Jack 's lawyer . Reactions to both the film and Mirkin 's direction of it were more varied compared to Romy and Michele 's High School Reunion . Roger Ebert said the film was not " as sly and has no ambition to be [ as ] charming " as Romy and Michele 's High School Reunion , " but in a season of dreary failed comedies it does what a comedy must : It makes us laugh . " Chris Hewitt of Empire wrote that " Mirkin 's direction is a little flat , but he 's clearly having tremendous fun , " but Susan Wloszczyna of USA Today opined that Mirkin " never gets the timing right and allows the story to drag with little internal logic . " Mirkin was attached to direct Sports Widow in 2004 , a comedy starring Reese Witherspoon as a disregarded housewife who seeks to become an expert in American football in order to regain her husband 's attention ; the project has never been completed . Mirkin is a fan of the musician James Taylor ; Taylor guest starred in " Deep Space Homer " and Mirkin directed the music videos for his songs " Enough to Be on Your Way " and " Sea Cruise " . As of 2012 , Mirkin will write , direct and co @-@ produce a biopic of businessman Richard Branson , based on his memoir Losing My Virginity . = = Personal life = = Mirkin is a vegetarian . In the early 1990s , Mirkin was in a relationship with actress Julie Brown , with whom he had worked on The Julie Show and The Edge . = = Credits = =

= Operation Varsity = Operation Varsity ( 24 March 1945 ) was a successful airborne forces operation launched by Allied troops that took place toward the end of World War II . Involving more than 16 @,@ 000 paratroopers and several thousand aircraft , it was the largest airborne operation in history to be conducted on a single day and in one location . Varsity was part of Operation Plunder , the Anglo @-@ American @-@ Canadian assault under Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery to cross the northern Rhine River and from there enter Northern Germany . Varsity was meant to help the surface river assault troops secure a foothold across the Rhine River in Western Germany by landing two airborne divisions on the eastern bank of the Rhine near the village of Hamminkeln and the town of Wesel . The plans called for the dropping of two divisions from U.S. XVIII Airborne Corps , under Major General Matthew B. Ridgway to capture key territory and to generally disrupt German defenses to aid the advance of Allied ground forces . The British 6th Airborne Division was ordered to capture the villages of Schnappenberg and Hamminkeln , clear part of the Diersfordter Wald ( Diersfordt Forest ) of German forces , and secure three bridges over the River Issel . The U.S. 17th Airborne Division was to capture the village of Diersfordt and clear the rest of the Diersfordter Wald of any remaining German forces . The two divisions would hold the territory they had captured until relieved by advancing units of 21st Army Group , and then join in the general advance into northern Germany . The airborne forces made several mistakes , most notably when pilot error caused paratroopers from the 513th Parachute Infantry Regiment , a regiment of the U.S. 17th Airborne Division , to miss their drop zone and land on a British drop zone instead . However , the operation was a success , with both divisions capturing Rhine bridges and securing towns that could have been used by Germany to delay the advance of the British ground forces . The two divisions incurred more than 2 @,@ 000 casualties , but captured about 3 @,@ 500 German soldiers . The operation was the last large @-@ scale Allied airborne operation of World War II . = = Background = = By March 1945 , the Allied armies had advanced into Germany and had reached the River Rhine . The Rhine was a formidable natural obstacle to the Allied advance , but if breached would allow the Allies to access the North German Plain and ultimately advance on Berlin and other major cities in Northern Germany . Following the " Broad Front Approach " laid out by General Dwight David Eisenhower , the Supreme Allied Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force , it was decided to attempt to breach the Rhine in several areas . Field Marshal Sir Bernard Montgomery , commanding the Anglo @-@ Canadian 21st Army Group , devised a plan , code @-@ named Operation Plunder , that would allow the forces under his command to breach the Rhine , which was subsequently authorized by Eisenhower . Plunder envisioned the British Second Army , under Lieutenant @-@ General Miles C. Dempsey , and the U.S. Ninth Army , under Lieutenant General William Simpson , crossing the Rhine at Rees , Wesel , and an area south of the Lippe Canal . To ensure that the operation was a success , Montgomery insisted that an airborne component be inserted into the plans for the operation , to support the amphibious assaults that would take place ; this was code @-@ named Operation Varsity . Three airborne divisions were initially chosen to participate in the operation , these being the British 6th Airborne Division , the U.S. 13th Airborne Division and the U.S. 17th Airborne Division , all of which were assigned to U.S. XVIII Airborne Corps , commanded by Major General Matthew B. Ridgway . One of these airborne formations , the British 6th Airborne Division , commanded by Major @-@ General Eric Bols , was a veteran division ; it had taken part in Operation Overlord , the assault on Normandy in June the previous year . However , the U.S. 17th Airborne Division , under Major General William Miley , had been activated only in April 1943 and had arrived in Britain in August 1944 , too late to participate in Operation Overlord . The division did not participate in Operation Market Garden . It did , however , participate in the Ardennes campaign but had yet to take part in a combat drop . The U.S. 13th Airborne Division , under Major General Eldridge Chapman , had been activated in August 1943 and was transferred to France in 1945 ; the formation itself had never seen action , although one of its regiments , the 517th Parachute Infantry , had fought briefly in Italy , and later in Southern France and the Ardennes campaign . = = Prelude = = = = = Allied preparation = = = Operation Varsity was therefore planned with these three airborne divisions in mind , with all three to be dropped behind German lines in support of 21st Army Group as it conducted its amphibious assaults to breach the Rhine . However , during the earliest planning stages , it became apparent that the 13th Airborne Division would be unable to participate in the operation , as there were only enough combat transport aircraft in the area to transport two divisions effectively . The plan for the operation was therefore altered to accommodate the two remaining airborne divisions , the British 6th Airborne and the US 17th Airborne Division . The two airborne divisions would be dropped behind German lines , with their objective to land around Wesel and disrupt enemy defences in order to aid the advance of the British Second Army towards Wesel . To achieve this , both divisions would be dropped near the village of Hamminkeln , and were tasked with a number of objectives : they were to seize the Diersfordter Wald , a forest that overlooked the Rhine , including a road linking several towns together ; several bridges over a smaller waterway , the River Issel , were to be seized to facilitate the advance ; and the village of Hamminkeln was to be captured . The Diersfordter Wald was chosen by Lt @-@ Gen. Dempsey as the initial objective because its seizure would deny the Germans artillery positions from which they could disrupt Second Army 's bridging operations . Once these objectives were taken , the airborne troops would consolidate their positions and await the arrival of Allied ground forces , defending the territory captured against the German forces known to be in the area . Operation Varsity would be the largest single @-@ lift airborne operation conducted during the conflict ; more significantly , it would contradict previous airborne strategy by having the airborne troops drop after the initial amphibious landings , in order to minimize the risks to the airborne troops learned from the experiences of Operation Market Garden . Unlike Market Garden , the airborne forces would be dropped only a relatively short distance behind German lines , thereby ensuring that reinforcements in the form of Allied ground forces would be able to link up with them within a short period : this avoided risking the same type of disaster that had befallen the British 1st Airborne Division when it had been isolated and practically annihilated by German infantry and armour at Arnhem . It was also decided by the commander of the 1st Allied Airborne Army , General Lewis Brereton , who commanded all Allied airborne forces including US XVIII Airborne Corps , that the two airborne divisions participating in Operation Varsity would be dropped simultaneously in a single " lift , " instead of being dropped several hours apart , addressing what had also been a problem during Operation Market Garden . Supply drops for the airborne forces would also be made as soon as possible to ensure adequate supplies were available to the airborne troops as they fought . = = = German preparation = = = By this period of the conflict , the number of German divisions remaining on the Western Front was rapidly declining , both in numbers and quality , a fact in the Allies ' favour . By the night of 23 March , Montgomery had the equivalent of more than 30 divisions under his command , while the Germans fielded around 10 divisions , all weakened from constant fighting . The best German formation the Allied airborne troops would face was the 1st Parachute Army , although even this formation had been weakened from the losses it had sustained in earlier fighting , particularly when it had engaged Allied forces in the Reichswald Forest in February . First Parachute Army had three corps stationed along the river ; 2nd Parachute Corps to the north , 86th Corps in the centre , and 63rd Corps in the south . Of these formations , 2nd Parachute Corps and 86th Corps had a shared boundary that ran through the proposed landing zones for the Allied airborne divisions , meaning that the leading formation of each corps — these being 7th Parachute Division and 84th Infantry Division — would face the airborne assault . After their retreat to the Rhine both divisions were under @-@ strength and did not number more than 4 @,@ 000 men each , with 84th Infantry Division supported by only 50 or so medium artillery pieces . The seven divisions that formed the 1st Parachute Army were short of manpower and munitions , and although farms and villages were well prepared for defensive purposes , there were few mobile reserves , ensuring that the defenders had little way to concentrate their forces against the Allied bridgehead when the assault began . The mobile reserves that the Germans did possess consisted of some 150 armoured fighting vehicles under the command of 1st Parachute Army , the majority of which belonged to XLVII Panzer Corps . Allied intelligence believed that of the two divisions that formed XLVII Panzer Corps , 116th Panzer Division had up to 70 tanks , and 15th Panzergrenadier Division 15 tanks and between 20 – 30 assault guns . Intelligence also pointed to the possibility of a heavy anti @-@ tank battalion being stationed in the area . Also , the Germans possessed a great number of antiaircraft weapons ; on 17 March Allied intelligence estimated that the Germans had 103 heavy and 153 light anti @-@ aircraft guns , a number which was drastically revised a week later to 114 heavy and 712 light anti @-@ aircraft guns . The situation of the German defenders , and their ability to counter any assault effectively , was worsened when the Allies launched a large @-@ scale air attack one week prior to Operation Varsity . The air attack involved more than 10 @,@ 000 Allied aircraft and concentrated primarily on Luftwaffe airfields and the German transportation system . The German defenders were also hampered by the fact that they had no reliable intelligence as to where the actual assault would be launched ; although German forces along the Rhine had been alerted as to the general possibility of an Allied airborne attack , it was only when British engineers began to set up smoke generators opposite Emmerich and began laying a 60 @-@ mile ( 97 km ) long smokescreen that the Germans knew where the assault would come . = = Battle = = Operation Plunder began at 9 pm on the evening of 23 March , and by the early hours of the morning of 24 March Allied ground units had secured a number of crossings on the eastern bank of the Rhine . In the first few hours of the day , the transport aircraft carrying the two airborne divisions that formed Operation Varsity began to take off from airbases in England and France and began to rendezvous over Brussels , before turning northeast for the Rhine dropping zones . The airlift consisted of 541 transport aircraft containing airborne troops , and a further 1 @,@ 050 troop @-@ carriers towing 1 @,@ 350 gliders . The U.S. 17th Airborne Division consisted of 9 @,@ 387 personnel , who were transported in 836 C @-@ 47 Skytrain transports , 72 C @-@ 46 Commando transports , and more than 900 Waco CG @-@ 4A gliders . The British 6th Airborne Division consisted of 7 @,@ 220 personnel transported by 42 Douglas C @-@ 54 and 752 C @-@ 47 Dakota transport aircraft , as well as 420 Airspeed Horsa and General Aircraft Hamilcar gliders . This immense armada stretched more than 200 miles ( 322 km ) in the sky and took 2 hours and 37 minutes to pass any given point , and was protected by some 2 @,@ 153 Allied fighters from the U.S. Ninth Air Force and the Royal Air Force . The combination of the two divisions in one lift made this the largest single day airborne drop in history . At 10 am British and American airborne troops belonging to the 6th Airborne Division and 17th Airborne Division began landing on German soil , some 13 hours after the Allied ground assault began . = = = 6th Airborne Division = = = The first element of the British 6th Airborne Division to land was the 8th Parachute Battalion , part of the 3rd Parachute Brigade under Brigadier James Hill . The brigade actually dropped nine minutes earlier than scheduled , but successfully landed in drop zone A , while facing significant small @-@ arms and 20 mm anti @-@ aircraft fire . The brigade suffered a number of casualties as it engaged the German forces in the Diersfordter Wald , but by 11 : 00 hours the drop zone was all but completely clear of enemy forces and all battalions of the brigade had formed up . The key place of Schnappenberg was captured by the 9th Parachute Battalion in conjunction with the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion , the latter unit having lost its commanding officer , Lieutenant Colonel Jeff Nicklin , to German small @-@ arms fire only moments after he had landed . Despite taking casualties the brigade cleared the area of German forces , and by 13 : 45 Brigadier Hill could report that the brigade had secured all of its objectives . Canadian medical orderly Corporal Frederick George Topham was awarded the Victoria Cross for his efforts to recover casualties and take them for treatment , despite his own wounds , and great personal danger . The next British airborne unit to land was the 5th Parachute Brigade , commanded by Brigadier Nigel Poett . The brigade was designated to land on drop zone B and achieved this , although not as accurately as 3rd Parachute Brigade due to poor visibility around the drop zone , which also made it more difficult for paratroopers of the brigade to rally . The drop zone came under heavy fire from German troops stationed nearby , and was subjected to shellfire and mortaring which inflicted casualties in the battalion rendezvous areas . However , the 7th Parachute Battalion soon cleared the DZ of German troops , many of whom were situated in farms and houses , and the 12th Parachute Battalion and 13th Parachute Battalion rapidly secured the rest of the brigade 's objectives . The brigade was then ordered to move due east and clear an area near Schnappenberg , as well as to engage German forces gathered to the west of the farmhouse where the 6th Airborne Division Headquarters was established . By 15 : 30 Brigadier Poett reported that the brigade had secured all of its objectives and linked up with other British airborne units . The third airborne unit that formed a part of the 6th Airborne Division was the 6th Airlanding Brigade , commanded by Brigadier Hugh Bellamy . The brigade was tasked with landing in company @-@ sized groups and capturing several objectives , including the town of Hamminkeln . The gliders containing the airborne troops of the brigade landed in landing zones P , O , U and R under considerable antiaircraft fire , the landing being made even more difficult due to the presence of a great deal of haze and smoke . This resulted in a number of glider pilots being unable to identify their landing areas and losing their bearings ; a number of gliders landed in the wrong areas or crashed . However , the majority of the gliders survived , allowing the battalions of the brigade to secure intact the three bridges over the River Issel that they had been tasked with capturing , as well as the village of Hamminkeln with the aid of the U.S. 513th Parachute Infantry Regiment , which had been dropped by mistake nearby . The brigade secured all of its objectives shortly after capturing Hamminkeln . = = = 17th Airborne Division = = = The 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment , under the command of Colonel Edson Raff , was the lead assault formation for the 17th Airborne Division , and was consequently the first American airborne unit to land as part of Operation Varsity . The entire regiment was meant to be dropped in drop zone W , a clearing 2 miles ( 3 km ) north of Wesel ; however , excessive ground haze confused the pilots of the transport aircraft carrying the regiment , and as such when the 507th dropped it split into two halves . Colonel Raff and approximately 690 of his paratroopers landed northwest of the drop zone near the town of Diersfordt , with the rest of the regiment successfully landing in drop zone W. The colonel rallied his separated paratroopers and led them to drop zone W , engaging a battery of German artillery en route , killing or capturing the artillery crews before reuniting with the rest of the regiment . By 2 pm , the 507th PIR had secured all of its objectives and cleared the area around Diersfordt , having engaged numerous German troops and also destroying a German tank . The actions of the 507th Parachute Infantry during the initial landing also gained the division its second Medal of Honor , when Private George Peters posthumously received the award after charging a German machine gun nest and eliminating it with rifle fire and grenades , allowing his fellow paratroopers to gather their equipment and capture the regiment 's first objective . The 513th Parachute Infantry Regiment was the second American airborne unit to land after the 507th , under the command of Colonel James Coutts . En route to the drop zone , the transport aircraft carrying the 513th had the misfortune to pass through a belt of German antiaircraft weapons , losing 22 of the C @-@ 46 transport aircraft and damaging a further 38 . Just as the 507th had , the 513th also suffered from pilot error due to the ground haze , and as such the regiment actually missed its designated drop zone , DZ X , and was dropped on one of the landing zones designated for the British 6th Airlanding Brigade . Despite this inaccuracy the paratroopers swiftly rallied and aided the British glider @-@ borne troops who were landing simultaneously , eliminating several German artillery batteries that were covering the area . Once the German troops in the area had been eliminated , a combined force of American and British airborne troops stormed Hamminkeln and secured the town . By 2 pm , Colonel Coutts reported to Divisional Headquarters that the 513th Parachute Infantry had secured all of its objectives , having knocked out two tanks and two complete regiments of artillery during their assault . During its attempts to secure its objectives , the regiment also gained a third Medal of Honor for the division when Private First Class Stuart S. Stryker posthumously received the award after leading a charge against a German machine @-@ gun nest , creating a distraction to allow the rest of his platoon to capture the fortified position in which the machine @-@ gun was situated . The third component of the 17th Airborne Division to take part in the operation was the 194th Glider Infantry Regiment , under the command of Colonel James Pierce . Troopers of the 194th GIR landed accurately in landing zone S , but their gliders and tow aircraft took heavy casualties ; 12 C @-@ 47 transports were lost due to anti @-@ aircraft fire , and a further 140 were damaged by the same fire . The regiment landed in the midst of a number of German artillery batteries that were engaging Allied ground forces crossing the Rhine , and as such many of the gliders were engaged by German artillery pieces that had their barrels lowered for direct @-@ fire . However , these artillery batteries and their crews were defeated by the glider @-@ borne troops , and the 194th Glider Infantry was soon able to report that its objectives had been secured , having destroyed 42 artillery pieces , 10 tanks , 2 self @-@ propelled anti @-@ aircraft vehicles and 5 self @-@ propelled guns . = = Aftermath = = Operation Varsity was a successful large @-@ scale airborne operation . All of the objectives that the airborne troops had been tasked with had been captured and held , usually within only a few hours of the operation beginning . The bridges over the Issel had been successfully captured , although one later had to be destroyed to prevent its capture by counter @-@ attacking German forces . The Diersfordter Forest had been cleared of enemy troops , and the roads through which the Germans might have routed reinforcements against the advance had been cut by airborne troops . Finally , Hamminkeln , the village that dominated the area and through which any advance would be made , had been secured by air @-@ lifted units . By nightfall of 24 March , 15th ( Scottish ) Infantry Division had joined up with elements of 6th Airborne , and by midnight the first light bridge was across the Rhine . By 27 March , twelve bridges suitable for heavy armour had been installed over the Rhine and the Allies had 14 divisions on the east bank of the river , penetrating up to 10 miles ( 16 km ) . According to Generalmajor Fiebig , commanding officer of one of the defending German formations , 84 Infantry Division , the German forces defending the area had been greatly surprised by the speed with which the two airborne divisions had landed their troops , explaining that their sudden appearance had had a " shattering effect " on the greatly outnumbered defenders . He revealed during his interrogation that his division had been badly depleted and could muster barely 4 @,@ 000 soldiers . The U.S. 17th Airborne Division gained its fourth Medal of Honor in the days following the operation , when Technical Sergeant Clinton M. Hedrick of the 194th Glider Infantry Regiment received the award posthumously after aiding in the capture of Lembeck Castle , which had been turned into a fortified position by the Germans . = = = Casualties = = = The casualties taken by both airborne formations were quite heavy , although lighter than had been expected . By nightfall of 24 March , the 6th Airborne Division had suffered around 1 @,@ 400 personnel killed , wounded or missing in action out of the 7 @,@ 220 personnel who were landed in the operation . The division also claimed to have secured around 1 @,@ 500 prisoners of war . The 17th Airborne Division suffered a similar casualty rate , reporting around 1 @,@ 300 casualties out of 9 @,@ 650 personnel who took part in the operation , while the division claimed to have taken 2 @,@ 000 POWs , a number similar to those taken by 6th Airborne . This made a total of around 3 @,@ 500 POWs taken by both airborne formations during the operation . Between 24 March and 29 March , the 17th Airborne had taken a total of 1 @,@ 346 casualties . The air forces involved in the operation also suffered casualties ; 56 aircraft in total were lost during the 24th , 21 out of the 144 transport aircraft transporting the 17th Airborne were shot down and 59 were damaged by antiaircraft fire , and 16 bombers from the Eighth Air Force were also shot down during supply drops . = = = Battle honours = = = In the British and Commonwealth system of battle honours , there was no distinct award for service in Operation Varsity . Instead , units that participated in the operation were included in the awards made between 1956 and 1959 to all units that participated in the Rhine crossing between 23 March and 1 April 1945 : Rhine , or The Rhine to Canadian units , later translated to Le Rhin for French Canadian units . = = Post @-@ war praise = = Contemporary observers and historians generally agree that Operation Varsity was successful . General Eisenhower called it " the most successful airborne operation carried out to date " , and an observer later wrote that the operation showed " the highest state of development attained by troop @-@ carrier and airborne units " . In the official summary of the operation , Major General Ridgway wrote that the operation had been flawless , and that the two airborne divisions involved had destroyed enemy defences that might otherwise have taken days to reduce , ensuring the operation was successful . Several modern historians have also praised the operation and the improvements that were made for Varsity . G. G. Norton argued that the operation benefited from the lessons learned from previous operations , and Brian Jewell agrees , arguing that the lessons of Market Garden had been learned as the airborne forces were concentrated and quickly dropped , giving the defenders little time to recover . Norton also argues that improvements were made for supporting the airborne troops ; he notes that a large number of artillery pieces were available to cover the landings and that observers were dropped with the airborne forces , thus augmenting the firepower and flexibility of the airborne troops . He also highlights the development of a technique that allowed entire brigades to be landed in tactical groups , giving them greater flexibility . Dropping the airborne forces after the ground forces had breached the Rhine also ensured that the airborne troops would not have to fight for long before being relieved , a major improvement on the manner in which the previous large @-@ scale airborne operation , Market Garden , had been conducted . Historian Peter Allen states that while the airborne forces took heavy casualties , Varsity diverted German attention from the Rhine crossing onto themselves . Thus , the troops fighting to create a bridgehead , across the Rhine , suffered relatively few casualties , and were able to " break out from the Rhine in hours rather than days " . = = Post @-@ war criticism = = Despite a great deal of official accolade and praise over the success of the operation , a number of criticisms have been made of the operation and the errors that were made . Several military historians have been critical of the need for the operation , with one historian , Barry Gregory , arguing that " Operation Varsity was not entirely necessary ... " Another historian , James A. Huston , argues that " ... had the same resources been employed on the ground , it is conceivable that the advance to the east might have been even more rapid than it was " . = = = Aircraft shortages = = = One specific failure in the massive operation was the critical lack of transport aircraft for the operation , an unsolved flaw that had dogged every large @-@ scale airborne operation the Allies had conducted . In the original planning for Varsity , an extra airborne division , the 13th , had been included ; however , a lack of transport aircraft to drop this division led to it being excluded from the final plan . Thus , the unsolved problem of a shortage of transport aircraft meant that a third of the planned troops to be used were discarded , weakening the fighting power of the airborne formation . In the event , the airborne troops actually employed were sufficient to overwhelm the defenders . Some historians have commented on this failure ; Gerard Devlin argues that because of this lack of aircraft the remaining two divisions were forced to shoulder the operation by themselves . = = = Aircraft and troop losses = = = Losses of airborne troops were high . The cause of this high casualty rate can likely be traced to the fact that the operation was launched in full daylight , rather than a night @-@ assault . The airborne landings were conducted during the day primarily because the planners believed that a daytime operation had a better chance of success than at night , the troops being less scattered . However , landing paratroopers , and especially gliders , without the cover of darkness left them exceedingly vulnerable to anti @-@ aircraft fire . The official history of the British Airborne Divisions highlights the cost of this trade @-@ off , stating that of the 416 gliders that landed , only 88 remained undamaged by enemy fire , and that between 20 – 30 percent of the glider pilots were casualties . Another historian argues that the gliders landing in daylight was a calamity , with the 194th Glider Infantry Regiment having two @-@ thirds of their gliders hit by ground fire and suffering heavy casualties as they landed . The casualty rates were worsened by the slow rates of release and descent of the gliders themselves , and the fact that each aircraft towed two gliders , slowing them even further ; as the time to release a glider unit was 3 – 4 times longer than a parachute unit , the gliders were vulnerable to flak . A large number of paratroop drop aircraft were hit and lost as well . This was largely due to the hostile conditions encountered by the drop aircraft . Operation Varsity 's paratroop drop phase was flown in daylight at slow speeds at very low altitudes , using unarmed cargo aircraft , over heavy concentrations of German 20 mm , 37 mm , and larger calibre antiaircraft ( AA ) cannon utilizing explosive , incendiary , and armor @-@ piercing incendiary ammunition . By that stage of the war , German AA crews had trained to a high state of readiness ; many batteries had considerable combat experience in firing on and destroying high speed , well @-@ armed fighter and fighter @-@ bomber aircraft while under fire themselves . Finally , while many if not all of the C @-@ 47s used in Operation Varsity had been retrofitted with self @-@ sealing fuel tanks , the much larger C @-@ 46 Commando aircraft employed in the drop received no such modification . This was exacerbated by the C @-@ 46 's unvented wings , which tended to pool leaked gasoline at the wing root where it could be ignited by flak or a stray spark . Although 19 of 72 C @-@ 46 aircraft were destroyed during Operation Varsity , losses of other aircraft types from AA fire during the same operation were also significant , including 13 gliders shot down , 14 crashed , and 126 damaged ; 15 Consolidated B @-@ 24 bombers shot down , and 104 damaged ; and 30 C @-@ 47s shot down and 339 damaged . Lieutenant @-@ Colonel Otway , who wrote an official history of the British airborne forces during World War II , stated that Operation Varsity highlighted the vulnerability of glider @-@ borne units . While they arrived in complete sub @-@ units and were able to move off more quickly than airborne troops dropped by parachute , the gliders were easy targets for anti @-@ aircraft fire and short @-@ range small @-@ arms fire once landed ; Otway concluded that in any future operations , troops dropped by parachute should secure landing zones prior to the arrival of glider @-@ borne units . Thus , by having the landings conducted during daylight to ensure greater accuracy , the Allied planners incurred a far greater casualty rate , particularly amongst the glider @-@ borne elements . The operation also suffered from poor piloting . Although the piloting was of a better quality than in the Sicilian and Normandy operations , there were still significant failures on the part of the pilots , especially when it is considered that the drop was conducted in daylight . A significant error occurred when the pilots of the transports carrying 513th Parachute Infantry Regiment dropped much of the regiment several miles from their designated drop zones , with the mis @-@ dropped units actually landing in the British landing zones .

= Ice ( The X @-@ Files ) = " Ice " is the eighth episode of the first season of the American science fiction television series The X @-@ Files , which premiered on the Fox network on November 5 , 1993 . It was directed by David Nutter and written by Glen Morgan and James Wong . The debut broadcast of " Ice " was watched by 10 million viewers in 6 @.@ 2 million households and received positive reviews from critics , who praised its tense atmosphere . The plot of the episode sees FBI special agents Fox Mulder ( David Duchovny ) and Dana Scully ( Gillian Anderson ) investigate the deaths of an Alaskan research team . Isolated and alone , the agents and their accompanying team discover the existence of extraterrestrial parasitic organisms which drive their hosts into impulsive fits of rage . The episode was inspired by an article in Science News about an excavation in Greenland , and series creator Chris Carter also cited John W. Campbell 's 1938 novella Who Goes There ? as an influence . Although the producers hoped that " Ice " would save money by being shot in a single location , it ended up exceeding its production budget . = = Plot = = A mass murder – suicide occurs among a team of geophysicists at an outpost in Icy Cape , Alaska . FBI special agents Fox Mulder ( David Duchovny ) and Dana Scully ( Gillian Anderson ) head for the outpost , accompanied by physician Dr. Hodge ( Xander Berkeley ) ; toxicologist Dr. DaSilva ( Felicity Huffman ) ; geologist Dr. Murphy ( Steve Hytner ) and Bear ( Jeff Kober ) , their pilot . With the scientists ' bodies the group finds a dog , who attacks Mulder and Bear . Scully notices black nodules on its skin , and suspects that it may be infected with bubonic plague ; she also notices movement beneath its skin . Although Bear ( who was bitten by the dog ) becomes ill and develops similar nodules on his body , autopsies reveal no such nodules on the bodies of the scientists . Murphy finds an ice core sample believed to originate from a meteor crater , and theorizes that the sample might be 250 @,@ 000 years old . Although Bear insists on leaving , the others are concerned about infecting the outside world . When he is asked to provide a stool sample , he attacks Mulder and tries to flee . Something moves under Bear 's skin , and he dies when Hodge removes a small worm from the back of his neck . Now without a pilot , the group is informed that evacuation is impossible because of the weather . The worm removed from Bear is kept in a jar , and another is recovered from one of the scientists ' bodies . Mulder ( believing that the worms are extraterrestrial ) wants them kept alive , but Scully feels that they should be destroyed to prevent infection . The group check each other for black nodules and find none , although Mulder reminds Scully that the nodules disappeared from the dog over time . When Mulder finds Murphy in the freezer with his throat cut , the others ( including Scully ) believe that he has become infected and killed Murphy . Mulder is then locked in a storeroom . Scully discovers that two worms put together will kill each other . When the investigators place one of the worms into the infected dog , it recovers . Against Scully 's objections , Hodge and DaSilva try to place the other worm into Mulder and Hodge realizes that DaSilva is the infected person . He and Mulder restrain the hysterical DaSilva and place the last worm inside her . When they are rescued , DaSilva is quarantined and the others are released . Although Mulder wants to return to the site , he is told that it has been destroyed by the government . = = Production = = = = = Conception and writing = = = Glen Morgan began writing the episode after he read a Science News article about men in Greenland who found a 250 @,@ 000 @-@ year @-@ old item encased in ice . The setting — an icy , remote research base overcome by an extraterrestrial creature — is similar to that of John W. Campbell 's 1938 novella Who Goes There ? and its two feature @-@ film incarnations : The Thing from Another World ( 1951 ) , directed by Christian Nyby and produced by Howard Hawks , and The Thing ( 1982 ) , directed by John Carpenter . Chris Carter has cited them as the main inspirations for the episode . As in the novella and films , the characters cannot trust each other because they are uncertain if they are who they seem to be . Carter particularly enjoyed this aspect , because it pitted Mulder and Scully against each other and provided " a new look on their characters early on in the series " . The episode 's premise became a recurring theme in the series , with episodes such as " Darkness Falls " and " Firewalker " repeating the combination of remote locations and unknown lifeforms . A similar plot was featured in " The Enemy " , a 1995 episode of Morgan and his writing partner James Wong 's series Space : Above and Beyond , and according to UGO Networks the Fringe episode " What Lies Below " has " basically " the same plot as " Ice " . The episode introduced invertebrate parasites as antagonists in the series ; this plot device would recur in " Firewalker " , " The Host " , " F. Emasculata " and " Roadrunners " . = = = Filming = = = The similarity to Carpenter 's version of The Thing was due in part to new production designer Graeme Murray , who worked on Carpenter 's film and created the complex in which the episode took place . Although " Ice " was intended as a bottle episode which would save money by being shot in a single location , it went over budget . According to Carter , The X @-@ Files typically worked from a small budget and " every dollar we spend ends up on the screen " . As a bottle episode , " Ice " used a small cast and its interiors were filmed on a set constructed at an old Molson brewery site . The episode 's few exterior shots were filmed at Delta Air Park in Vancouver , whose hangars and flat terrain simulated an Arctic location . Carter said that he would have preferred to set the episode at the North Pole , but he believed that this was unfeasible at the time . At first , the production company planned to use snakes in latex suits for the worms ; when this proved impossible , mealworm larvae were used . The effect of the worms crawling in the host bodies was achieved with wires under fake skins , including a skin with hair for the dog . Digital effects were used for scenes involving the worms swimming in jars and entering the dog 's ear . Although extra footage of the worm scenes was shot so they would last as long as intended if Fox 's standards @-@ and @-@ practices officials asked for cuts , no edits were requested . " Ice " was the first significant role in the series for makeup effects artist Toby Lindala , who become its chief makeup artist . The dog used in the episode was a parent of Duchovny 's dog , Blue . Ken Kirzinger , who played one of the scientists killed in the episode 's cold open , was the series ' stunt coordinator . = = Analysis = = Although " Ice " is not directly connected to the series ' overarching mythology , it has been described as " a portent to the alien conspiracy arc which would become more pronounced in the second season " with its themes of alien invasion and governmental conspiracy . The episode is noted for exploring the relationship between its lead characters ; Mulder and Scully 's trust contrasts with the behavior of Hodge and DaSilva , who are united by a distrust of those around them . The pairs are " mirror images " in their approaches to partnership . " Ice " features two elements common to other works by Morgan and Wong : dual identities and the questioning of one 's personality . In her essay " Last Night We Had an Omen " , Leslie Jones noted this thematic leitmotif in several of their other X @-@ Files scripts : " the meek animal @-@ control inspector who is a mutant shape @-@ shifter with a taste for human liver [ " Squeeze " ] , the hapless residents of rural Pennsylvania driven mad by a combination of insecticides and electronic equipment [ " Blood " ] , [ and ] the uptight PTA run by practicing Satanists [ " Die Hand Die Verletzt " ] " . Anne Simon , a biology professor at the University of Maryland , discussed the episode in her book Monsters , Mutants and Missing Links : The Real Science Behind the X @-@ Files . Simon noted that like the worms in " Ice " , parasitic worms can attach to the human hypothalamus because it is not blocked by the blood – brain barrier . She compared " Ice " to the later episodes " Tunguska " and " Gethsemane " , with their common theme of extraterrestrial life reaching earth through panspermia . = = Reception = = = = = Ratings = = = " Ice " originally aired on the Fox network on November 5 , 1993 , and was first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC Two on November 10 , 1994 . The episode 's initial American broadcast received a Nielsen rating of 6 @.@ 6 with an 11 share ; about 6 @.@ 6 percent of all households with television and 11 percent of households watching TV viewed the episode , a total of 6 @.@ 2 million households and 10 million viewers . " Ice " and " Conduit " were released on VHS in 1996 , and the episode was released on DVD as part of the complete first season . = = = Reviews = = = " Ice " was praised by critics . In The Complete X @-@ Files , authors Matt Hurwitz and Chris Knowles called the episode a milestone for the fledgling series . An Entertainment Weekly first @-@ season retrospective graded " Ice " as A − , calling it " particularly taut and briskly paced " . On The A.V. Club , Keith Phipps praised the episode and gave it an A. According to Phipps , the cast " plays the paranoia beautifully " and the episode was " as fine an hour as this first season would produce " . " Ice " was included on an A.V. Club list of greatest bottle episodes , where it was described as " us [ ing ] its close quarters as an advantage " . A third A.V. Club article , listing ten " must @-@ see " episodes of the series , called " Ice " " the first sign that this show had a shot at really being something special " and said that it " makes great use of claustrophobia and the uneasy but growing alliance between the heroes " . Digital Spy 's Ben Rawson @-@ Jones described " Ice " ' s stand @-@ off between Mulder and Scully as " an extremely tense moment of paranoia . " A New York Daily News review called the episode " potent and creepy " , and said that its plot " was worthy of honorary passage into The Twilight Zone " . Matt Haigh called it " an extremely absorbing and thrilling episode " on the Den of Geek website , noting its debt to The Thing , and Juliette Harrisson called " Ice " the " finest " stand @-@ alone episode of the first season . On the TV Squad blog , Anna Johns called it " a spectacular episode " with an " excellent " opening . UGO Networks called the episode 's worms among the series ' best " Monsters @-@ of @-@ the @-@ Week " and the cause of " much pointed @-@ guns aggression " . In Tor.com , Meghan Deans compared the scene where Mulder and Scully inspect each other for infection to a similar scene in " Pilot " ; in " Ice " , both characters were equally vulnerable and ( unlike the pilot scene ) Scully was not portrayed as " an idiot " . Robert Shearman and Lars Pearson , in their book Wanting to Believe : A Critical Guide to The X @-@ Files , Millennium & The Lone Gunmen , gave the episode five out of five stars . They called it " the most influential episode ever made " , noting that the series reprised its formula several times during its run . Shearman felt that although their script was derivative , Morgan and Wong created " a pivotal story " by combining crucial themes from The Thing with a " well rounded " cast of characters . " Ice " was also considered one of the best episodes of the first season by the production crew . According to Carter , Morgan and Wong " just outdid themselves on this show , as did director David Nutter , who really works so hard for us . I think they wrote a great script and he did a great job directing it , and we had a great supporting cast " . Nutter said : " The real great thing about ' Ice ' is that we were able to convey a strong sense of paranoia . It was also a great ensemble piece . We 're dealing with the most basic emotions of each character , ranging from their anger to their ignorance and fear . It established the emotional ties these two characters have with each other , which is very important . Scaring the hell out of the audience was definitely the key to the episode " . Anderson said that " it was very intense . There was a lot of fear and paranoia going on . We had some great actors to work with " .

= Fred Moosally = Fred P. Moosally ( born 4 October 1944 ) is a former captain in the United States Navy . During his naval career , Moosally served in many different assignments , including commander of a destroyer and the battleship USS Iowa . Moosally was captain of the Iowa when the center gun of one of the ship 's main gun turrets exploded on April 19 , 1989 , killing 47 crewmen . During the investigation into the cause of the explosion , Moosally testified that the Navy had assigned personnel of inferior quality to the Iowa . The investigation found that Iowa had been operating with severe deficiencies in safety and training procedures , for which Moosally was disciplined . The Navy stated that the deficiencies were unrelated to the turret explosion . In December 1989 in testimony before the United States Senate Armed Services Committee , Moosally declined to fully support the Navy 's conclusion that the explosion had been intentionally caused by Clayton Hartwig , one of the turret 's crewmen . Moosally 's testimony was widely reported in the media . Moosally retired from the Navy soon after in May 1990 . In 1999 , Moosally began working for Lockheed Martin . In 2002 he was appointed president of the company 's MS2 division . In this capacity , Moosally has helped lead Lockheed Martin 's involvement in the Freedom @-@ class littoral combat ship and Integrated Deepwater System programs . Fred Moosally led MS2 from a $ 1B organization to a $ 4B + organization when he retired in January 2010 . Fred Moosally was succeeded in his position by Orlando Carvahlo , former General Manager and Vice President of the Lockheed Martin MS2 Moorestown , NJ site . It was announced on 12 February 2010 that Moosally was hired as President and Chief Executive Officer of Fincantieri Marine Group ( FMG ) , a subsidiary of Fincantieri @-@ Cantieri Navali Italiani S.p.A. = = Early life and education = = Moosally , born and raised in Youngstown , Ohio , was one of six children in a family of three sons and three daughters . His father was an insurance salesman and the family attended the local Syriac Maronite Church . At Ursuline High School , according to Charles Thompson , Moosally played American football . A defensive tackle , he was selected as a second @-@ string member of the all @-@ city squad . Moosally also lifted weights , ran track , and played summer baseball . He graduated high school in 1962 and was recruited by Penn State and the University of Pittsburgh to play football . He instead decided to attend the United States Naval Academy after speaking with the academy 's football coach , Bill Elias . Moosally played defensive tackle on the academy 's football team . In 1964 he and the team played in the Cotton Bowl Classic . One of Moosally 's teammates in the game was Heisman Trophy winner Roger Staubach . In 1965 Moosally was awarded the Annapolis Touchdown Club 's Silver Helmet trophy as the team 's Most Valuable Player and was selected to play in the Blue @-@ Gray Football Classic . Moosally graduated in 1966 with a class ranking of 812 out of 868 . His classmates nicknamed him " Moose " because of his physical presence and his " slap @-@ on @-@ the @-@ back " personality . = = Naval career = = Moosally 's first tour after commissioning as an ensign was on the destroyer USS Kenneth D. Bailey in which he spent some time off the coast of Vietnam . He attended destroyer department head school at Naval Station Newport , Rhode Island and was assigned to the destroyer USS Lynde McCormick . According to Thompson , in 1971 , Moosally returned to the Naval Academy , where he worked in the recruitment and candidate guidance office . He also worked with the varsity football team . After turning 30 years old , Moosally was assigned to the frigate USS Bronstein as the ship 's executive officer . The ship 's captain was ( then ) Lieutenant Commander William J. " Bud " Flanagan who would later become a four @-@ star admiral and commander of the Navy 's Atlantic Fleet . After the Bronstein , according to Thompson , Moosally was assigned to Washington , D.C. in the Navy 's Bureau of Naval Personnel , where he worked for Vice Admiral Joseph Metcalf , III . He was subsequently assigned to the destroyer USS Mahan as executive officer . After Mahan , Moosally was promoted to commander and was assigned to work for the Navy 's Chief of Naval Operations ( CNO ) office as a surface @-@ warfare program coordinator . Two years later , he became administrative assistant and aide to the CNO , Thomas B. Hayward . By this time , Moosally was considered to be very well @-@ connected politically with many of the Navy 's top admirals , mainly because of tours on the staffs of Metcalf and Hayward . In 1985 , Moosally began a tour as commander of the destroyer USS Kidd . Metcalf later said he thought Moosally did " a terrific job " as skipper of Kidd . After Kidd , Moosally worked in the Navy 's Office of Legislative Affairs . His supervisor was an Academy football teammate , Rear Admiral Thomas Lynch . In this position , Moosally was successful in helping lobby for congressional approval and funding for two new aircraft carriers , two frigates , and a nuclear @-@ powered cruiser for the Navy . Jim Hickey , a congressional aide at the time , said of Moosally , " He 's intelligent , politically savvy and well respected not only by the people in the liaison office but by the Navy folks as well . " According to Thompson , Moosally requested the command of one of the newly reactivated Iowa @-@ class battleships . His request was supported by Metcalf , ( then ) Rear Admiral " Bud " Flanagan , Rear Admiral Richard Milligan ( the Navy battle group commander in Charleston , South Carolina ) , and ( then ) Rear Admiral Jeremy Michael Boorda . The CNO at that time , Admiral Carlisle Trost , apparently agreed , and the request was granted ; Moosally was assigned to command USS Iowa . = = Iowa = = = = = Takes command = = = On May 23 , 1988 , Moosally took command of Iowa at Norfolk , Virginia . Reportedly , Moosally favored Iowa 's missile and engineering systems and deemphasized 16 @-@ inch gunnery . A week after taking command , Moosally and his executive officer , Mike Fahey , canceled a planned one million dollar repair package for Iowa 's main gun batteries , including repairs to the main gun turrets ' lighting , electrical , powder hoists , and hydraulic systems ; seventy @-@ five detailed deficiencies in all . Instead , the funds were spent on overhauling the ship 's powerplant . After completion of the overhaul , according to Thompson , Moosally took Iowa on a shakedown cruise around Chesapeake Bay on August 25 , 1988 . Encountering difficulty in conning the ship through shallow water , Iowa , with Moosally at the helm , narrowly missed colliding with the Moinester , Farragut , and South Carolina before , Thompson claims , running aground in soft mud outside the bay 's main ship channel near the Thimble Shoals . After one hour , Iowa was able to extricate herself without damage and return to port . Although other US Navy vessels observed Iowa grounded in the mud , the incident apparently was not acted upon by Moosally 's superiors . Throughout August and September , Iowa continued with sea trials , then began refresher training in the waters around Florida and Puerto Rico in October . Thompson states that between September 1988 and January 1989 , Iowa 's crew did not conduct much training with the 16 @-@ inch guns , in part because of ongoing , serious maintenance issues with the main gun turrets . According to Ensign Dan Meyer , officer in charge of the ship 's Turret One , morale and operational readiness among the gun turret crews suffered greatly . In spite of the problems with the main gun turrets , the ship passed its Operation Propulsion Program Evaluation in October 1989 . = = = Gun experiments = = = In January 1989 , according to Thompson , Iowa 's Master Chief Fire Controlman , Stephen Skelley , and Gunnery Officer , Lieutenant Commander Kenneth Michael Costigan , persuaded Moosally to allow them to experiment with increasing the range of the main guns using " supercharged " powder bags and specially designed shells . Moosally was led to believe , falsely , that top officials from Naval Sea Systems Command ( NAVSEA ) had authorized the experiments . In fact , John McEachren , a mid @-@ level bureaucrat with NAVSEA , had given the go @-@ ahead to conduct the experiments , even though he had no authority to do so . McEachren concealed his approval of the gunnery experiments from his superiors . Several of the officers and non @-@ commissioned officers in charge of the main gun turret crews believed that Skelley 's and Costigan 's proposed experiments were dangerous , especially because of the age of and numerous maintenance problems with the main guns and gun turrets . Meyer complained to Lieutenant Commander Roger John Kissinger , Iowa 's chief weapons officer , about the proposed experiments , but Kissinger refused to convey the concerns to Moosally or halt the experiments . On January 20 , 1989 , off Vieques Island , according to Thompson , Iowa 's Turret One fired six of the experimental shells using the supercharged powder bags . Skelley claimed that one of the 16 @-@ inch shells traveled 23 @.@ 4 nautical miles ( 40 km ) , setting a record for the longest conventional 16 @-@ inch shell ever fired . Moosally was pleased with the accomplishment , and ensured that news of the record was publicized in the media . Although the shells had been fired without serious incident , Meyer and Petty Officer First Class Dale Eugene Mortensen , gun chief for Turret One , told Skelley that they would no longer participate in his experiments . Skelley asked Turret Two 's gun chief , Senior Chief Reggie Ziegler , if he could use Turret Two for his experiments ; Ziegler refused . Skelley then asked Lieutenant Phil Buch , Turret Two 's officer in charge , and Buch acquiesced . On April 10 , 1989 the battleship was visited by the commander of the US 2nd Fleet , then Vice Admiral Jerome L. Johnson , and on April 13 sailed from Norfolk to participate in a fleet exercise in the Caribbean Sea near Puerto Rico . The exercise , titled " FLEETEX 3 @-@ 89 " , began on or around April 17 under Johnson 's command . Iowa served as Johnson 's flagship during the exercise . = = = Turret explosion = = = At 8 : 31 in the morning of April 19 , 1989 Iowa prepared to engage in a main gun firing drill as Moosally and Johnson watched from the ship 's bridge . Turret Two was to fire 2 @,@ 700 @-@ pound ( 1 @,@ 200 kg ) practice ( no explosives ) projectiles with five powder bags . The use of five bags had been directed by Skelley and was against regulations but Moosally was not aware of the unauthorized nature of the drill . Turret One fired first , beginning at 09 : 33 . Turret One 's left gun misfired and its crew was unable to get the gun to discharge . Moosally now ordered Turret Two to load and fire a three @-@ gun salvo . According to standard procedure , the misfire in Turret One should have been resolved first before proceeding with the exercise . At 09 : 53 , about 81 seconds after Moosally 's order to load and 20 seconds after the right gun had reported loaded and ready , Turret Two 's center gun exploded . A fireball between 2 @,@ 500 ° F ( 1 @,@ 370 ° C ) and 3 @,@ 000 ° F ( 1 @,@ 650 ° C ) and traveling at 2 @,@ 000 feet ( 610 m ) per second with a pressure of 4000 lb per square inch ( 281 kg per square cm ) blew out from the center gun 's open breech . The fireball spread through all three gun rooms and through much of the lower levels of the turret . All 47 crewmen inside the turret were killed . The turret contained most of the force of the explosion . Turret Two 's sprinkler system failed to operate automatically . Firefighting crews quickly responded and sprayed the roof of the turret and the left and right gun barrels , which were still loaded , with water . On Kissinger 's recommendation , Moosally ordered Turret Two 's magazines , annular spaces , and powder flats flooded with 16 tons ( 14 @,@ 000 kg ) of seawater , preventing the remaining powder from exploding and likely saving the ship . The turret fire was extinguished in about 90 minutes . After the fire was extinguished , Moosally directed his crew to remove the bodies and to clean up the turret . No attempt was made to photograph or record the locations of the bodies or of damaged equipment in the turret . As a result , important evidence which could have assisted with the subsequent investigation into the cause of the explosion was lost . Iowa returned on April 23 to Norfolk , where a memorial service was held on April 24 . Several thousand people , including family members of many of the victims , attended the ceremony at which President George H. W. Bush spoke . Moosally also spoke at the ceremony , saying , " I remember Turret 2 . They were the life , the spirit and the soul of our ship . We came together in times of trouble . We shared the good and the bad , the comedy and now the tragedy . But we must go on , the crew of the Iowa . " = = = Investigation , deployment , and disciplinary action = = = Milligan was placed in charge of the investigation into the explosion . As part of his investigation , Milligan interviewed Moosally on May 1 and May 10 , 1989 . In his testimony to Milligan , Moosally criticized Iowa 's crew , stating that the Navy had sent him enlisted men of " inferior quality " and that many of Iowa 's sailors were " dopers , marginal performers , constant UAs [ unauthorized absences ] " . Moosally added that if he had kicked out every sailor in his crew who was a troublemaker , had legal difficulties , or was incapable of doing his job , " I don 't think I 'd have many guys left . " According to Thompson , Iowa 's Turret Two was trained forward after the explosion to its stowed position and superficial repairs were conducted . All the related repair pieces were stored inside the turret and the turret was sealed shut . The turret was never put back into operation . In June 1989 , Iowa , under Moosally 's command , departed for a training cruise and operational deployment to Europe and the Mediterranean . On August 2 , Iowa , in a shipyard at Marseilles , was ordered to join a force of US warships off the coast of Lebanon in response to threats by Shiite Muslim kidnappers to kill American hostages and threats to the US embassy by Maronite Christian demonstrators loyal to Michel Aoun . The ship remained off Lebanon until the crisis cooled a little over a week later , then departed for Italy . Milligan 's investigation , completed in July , concluded that the explosion was caused intentionally by a Turret Two crewman named Clayton Hartwig who Milligan believed was suicidal and homicidal . Milligan also found that , under Moosally , Iowa was operating with severe training and safety deficiencies . The finding that the explosion was intentionally caused by Hartwig was heavily criticized by the victims ' families , the media , and members of Congress . Most of Iowa 's crewmen also did not believe that Hartwig was responsible for the explosion . On October 3 , 1989 Donnell flew to the Mediterranean to discipline Iowa 's officers in response to findings in Milligan 's report . Milligan had recommended that Moosally be relieved of command , but Donnell had decided on a lesser punishment . Moosally and Bob Finney , Iowa 's operations officer , were given non @-@ punitive " letters of admonition " which were not placed in their permanent personnel records . Donnell stated that Moosally 's " poor adherence to explosive safety regulations and ordnance safety " and " his failure of leadership " were a " marked departure from an otherwise outstanding performance " . Shortly thereafter , the Navy issued a statement explaining that the safety violations and training deficiencies found aboard Iowa during the investigation were unrelated to the explosion . Two weeks later , a panel of 13 Navy admirals recommended that Moosally be given another major command , stating that Moosally was " superbly fit " for such responsibility . Milligan was one of the admirals on the panel who supported the recommendation . After Thompson asked Rear Admiral Brent Baker , the Navy 's Chief of Naval Information , and Chief of Naval Personnel Jeremy Michael Boorda about the recommendation , Moosally 's name , according to Thompson , was withdrawn . On October 8 , the Navy Times newspaper published a story titled " Iowa CO Rips Quality of Officers , Crew " which detailed Moosally 's testimony to Milligan in which Moosally had disparaged his crew . Thompson claims that many of Iowa 's sailors were enraged by Moosally 's remarks , with a few reportedly threatening Moosally 's life . Iowa returned to Norfolk on December 7 . At a press conference the same day , according to Thompson , Moosally explained that his comments criticizing his crew had been taken out of context by the news media . = = = Senate testimony and retirement = = = Moosally was scheduled to testify on December 11 before the United States Senate Armed Services Committee ( SASC ) , which was investigating the Navy 's findings about the explosion . The weekend before his appearance in front of the committee , Moosally prepared his remarks at his home in Oakton , Virginia . Rumors were spreading throughout the top ranks of the Navy that Moosally was angry about Milligan 's investigation and was contemplating attacking the Navy 's findings before the SASC . In response , several Navy admirals , including Bud Flanagan and Ted Gordon , at that time the Navy 's Deputy Judge Advocate General , visited Moosally at his home during the weekend to encourage Moosally to support the Navy 's position regarding the cause of the explosion in his senate testimony . Said Gordon of his visit , " I went over to Moosally 's home the night before his testimony to tell him to cool it , to watch it . I told him I thought he would still make admiral , no matter what had happened to the Iowa . " Appearing before the SASC on December 11 , Moosally denied that Iowa had carried out illegal or unauthorized gunfire experiments . He added that his disparaging remarks about the quality of his crew had been misunderstood . Senator Sam Nunn asked Moosally if he agreed with the Navy 's conclusion that Hartwig had " most probably " caused the explosion . In a response that was widely reported in the media , Moosally answered , " I would not come out and say that . I would not make an unqualified statement that Petty Officer Hartwig is the guy who committed the wrongful act . I do not think I can do that . " Reportedly as a result of his refusal to fully support the Navy 's position , Moosally 's Navy career was over . A request for his retirement , whether made by Moosally or someone else is unclear , was approved a few days later . The Navy later reopened its investigation and eventually concluded that it could not determine who or what had caused the tragedy . An independent review of the Navy 's investigation by Sandia National Laboratories concluded that the explosion had probably been caused by an overram of the powder bags into the center gun 's breech , possibly because of a malfunction in the rammer mechanism or because the gun crew was inadequately trained . Captain Moosally retired from the Navy at that rank in May 1990 . At his change of command ceremony on Iowa on May 4 , 1990 , Moosally criticized the Navy for mismanaging the investigation into the turret explosion , saying that the investigators were " people who , in their rush to manage the Iowa problem , forgot about doing the right thing for the Iowa crew " . During the ceremony , Moosally was awarded the Legion of Merit by Rear Admiral George Gee for his service as commander of Iowa . Soon after , Moosally went to work for an unnamed defense contractor in the Washington DC area . On April 19 , 1994 , Moosally and other former Iowa crewmen attended the dedication of a memorial plaque at Norfolk Naval Station to the 47 sailors killed in the explosion . Thompson claims that Moosally was shunned or ignored by many of the former crewmen present , who were still angry over his disparaging comments about them during the investigation . = = A Glimpse of Hell = = In 1999 , Charles Thompson published a book titled A Glimpse of Hell : The Explosion on the USS Iowa and Its Cover @-@ Up which documented Thompson 's investigation into the explosion and its aftermath . The book was extremely critical of Moosally , depicting him as an inept seaman who gained command of the battleship through political connections . In 2001 , the FX TV network broadcast a movie A Glimpse of Hell based on Thompson 's book , starring James Caan in the role of Moosally . = = = Lawsuit = = = In March 2001 Moosally and two other former Iowa officers plus an officer involved in the investigation into the explosion filed suit against Glimpse of Hell author Thompson , his publisher , W.W. Norton , and Dan Meyer , who the plaintiffs stated provided much of the information used in the book , for libel , false light privacy , and conspiracy . In response to the suit , Thompson stated that he stood " foursquare " behind his book 's content . In April 2004 the South Carolina Supreme Court dismissed the suits against Thompson and Meyer for of lack of personal jurisdiction against both individuals , but allowed the suit against W. W. Norton to proceed . In February 2007 the suit was settled out @-@ of @-@ court for undisclosed terms . Stephen F. DeAntonio , Moosally 's attorney , said that his client felt " totally vindicated " . W. W. Norton did not publicly retract or repudiate any of the material in Thompson 's book , however , instead sending a letter to Moosally and the other plaintiffs stating , in part , " ' To the extent you believe the book implies that any of you were engaged in a cover @-@ up , were incompetent , committed criminal acts , violated Naval regulations or exhibited faulty seamanship or professional ineptitude , Norton regrets the emotional distress experienced by you or your family . " = = Lockheed Martin career = = = = = Littoral combat ship = = = In 1997 , Moosally began working for Lockheed Martin in the Washington , D.C. area while living in Oakton . In 1999 , Lockheed Martin appointed Moosally as president of its Naval Electronics & Surveillance Systems ( NESS ) Surface Systems business , based in Moorestown , New Jersey . On October 1 , 2002 , Lockheed Martin appointed Moosally as president of the NESS division . The division 's name was later changed to Maritime Systems and Sensors ( MS2 ) division . On May 29 , 2004 , Lockheed was awarded a contract to construct two of the first four littoral combat ships ( LCS ) for the US Navy . Moosally 's MS2 division managed the contract for Lockheed . The contract called for the first LCS to be delivered to the Navy at the end of 2006 at cost of $ 220 million . As construction of the ship progressed , however , it became apparent that the delivery date and construction cost would significantly exceed the original expectations . In response to an inquiry on adverse issues with the program , on February 8 , 2007 , Moosally submitted a statement to the United States House Committee on Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower and Expeditionary Forces regarding Lockheed 's construction of its portion of the LCS contract . In the statement , Moosally stated that the problems with contract completion arose from the addition of new requirements and specifications by the Navy shortly after contract award , material shortages , and " First @-@ of @-@ Class issues associated with the process of transitioning a new ship design into production " . Due to the expected cost and schedule overruns with Lockheed 's first LCS and a failure to come to an agreement on a fixed cost for future work , the Navy canceled Lockheed 's production of its second LCS in April 2007 . Lockheed 's first LCS , Freedom , was delivered to the Navy in November 2008 at a cost of over $ 531 million , more than double the original contracted price . In March 2009 , the Navy renewed the contract with Lockheed to build its second LCS , the Fort Worth . = = = Deepwater = = = Around 1997 , the United States Coast Guard ( USCG ) determined that its fleet of open ocean ( " deepwater " ) ships and aircraft needed to be replaced . The USCG elected to replace these assets with a system @-@ of @-@ systems acquisition which would be procured as a single , integrated package , estimated to cost a total of $ 24 billion , called the Integrated Deepwater System Program or " Deepwater . " On June 25 , 2002 , the USCG awarded a five @-@ year , indefinite delivery , indefinite quantity , performance @-@ based contract to Integrated Coast Guard Systems ( ICGS ) , a consortium of private companies led by Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman Ship Systems . Moosally served as vice @-@ chairman of ICGS . On May 19 , 2006 , the USCG extended the contract with ICGS for 43 additional months . Moosally 's MS2 division led Lockheed 's participation in the Deepwater contract . Specifically , Lockheed 's portion of the Deepwater program encompassed system engineering and integration , the command and control network , and logistics and aviation , including refurbishment of existing assets and production of new components . One of the refurbishment projects was upgrades to the USCG 's 110 @-@ foot patrol boats . In August 2006 , Lockheed engineer Michael DeKort went public with claims that Lockheed 's MS2 division had contributed to ICGS 's delivery of boats that were unsafe and which did not meet the USCG 's requirements . DeKort stated that Lockheed had accepted schedule and cost requirements that were impossible to meet . As result , according to DeKort , Lockheed 's MS2 engaged in corner @-@ cutting measures which adversely affected the boat 's electronics systems . These issues included camera surveillance blind spots over the bridge , electronic equipment for communications , navigation and sensor systems , that were installed on the outside of the boat , that would not meet extreme weather requirements , the use of hazardous smoke producing cables , and security deficiencies that would cause a compromise of the boat 's secure communications systems . A subsequent United States Department of Homeland Security ( DHS ) inspector general report confirmed that some of DeKort 's allegations were valid , including that in at least one instance , " The contractor [ Lockheed Martin ] knowingly installed in the ( boats ) equipment that did not meet specific environmental requirements outlined in the Deepwater contract . " As a result of this and other issues with the program , in April 2007 the USCG announced that it was curtailing ICGS 's role as active manager of the Deepwater contract . On May 17 , 2007 , Moosally testified before the United States House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Border , Maritime and Global Counterterrorism concerning the DHS ' report 's findings . Moosally stated that Lockheed had either met the contracted requirements or had immediately notified the USCG when issues arose . He added that any other discrepancies were minor and did not affect the safety , reliability , or effectiveness of the systems in question . DeKort criticized Moosally 's testimony , calling it " not correct " in that it had misrepresented the true nature of the issues . In a letter to Representatives Loretta Sanchez and Chris Carney , DeKort stated that in 2004 when he asked to talk to Moosally to explain his concerns about issues with MS2 's work on the systems , Moosally had refused to meet with him . The USCG later canceled all further work on upgrading the 110 @-@ foot patrol boats , but this was primarily because of problems with hull modernization and extension efforts by Bollinger Shipyards , Inc . , a Lockheed subcontractor . = = = Printed media = = = Garzke , William H. , Jr . ; Dulin , Robert O. Jr . ( 1995 ) . Battleships . Naval Institute Press : Anapolis , Maryland . ISBN 1 @-@ 5575 @-@ 0174 @-@ 2 . Schwoebel , Richard L. ( 2001 ) . Explosion Aboard the Iowa . Diane Pub Co . ISBN 0 @-@ 7567 @-@ 6583 @-@ 8 . Thompson II , Charles C. ( 1999 @-@ 03 @-@ 01 ) . A Glimpse of Hell : The Explosion on the USS Iowa and Its Cover @-@ Up . W. W. Norton & Company . ISBN 0 @-@ 393 @-@ 04714 @-@ 8 . Vistica , Gregory ( 1997 ) . Fall From Glory : The Men Who Sank the U.S. Navy . Simon & Schuster . ISBN 0 @-@ 684 @-@ 83226 @-@ 7 . = = = Web = = = Associated Press ( 2007 ) . " Defamation suit over USS Iowa book settled " . ABCmoney.co.uk. Retrieved December 9 , 2008 . Biesecker , Calvin ( September 29 , 2008 ) . " Bollinger Wins Potential $ 1 @.@ 5 Billion Contract To Build Coast Guard Cutters " ( Newspaper article ) . BNET . Retrieved December 19 , 2008 . Blue , Dan ( June 13 , 1999 ) . " Framed at Sea : How Navy officers tried blame 47 deaths on a sailor by calling him gay " ( Newspaper book review ) . San Francisco Chronicle . Retrieved November 19 , 2008 . Charles , Dan ( September 14 , 1991 ) . " Battleship blast was accident , not suicide " ( Magazine article ) . New Scientist . Retrieved October 19 , 2008 . Defense Industry Daily ( March 12 , 2008 ) . " Voted Off the Island : The USCG 's Deepwater FRC Program " . Watershed Publishing . Retrieved November 19 , 2008 . DeKort , Michael ( May 25 , 2007 ) . " Deepwater Whistleblower Challenges Testimony by Lockheed Martin " . Project On Government Oversight . Retrieved December 19 , 2008 . Dorsey , Jack ( April 17 , 1999 ) . " Ten years after Iowa tragedy , only evidence left is memories " . Virginian @-@ Pilot via USSIowa.org. Retrieved May 9 , 2007 . Gordon , Michael R. ( May 25 , 1990 ) . " Navy Reopens Iowa Blast Inquiry After Ignition in Gunpowder Test " ( Newspaper article ) . The New York Times . Retrieved January 2 , 2008 . Government Accountability Office ( March 8 , 2007 ) . " Status of Efforts to Improve Deepwater Program Management and Address Operational Challenges " ( PDF ) . Government Accountability Office . Retrieved January 2 , 2008 . Halloran , Richard ( December 14 , 1989 ) . " 2 Survivors of Iowa Blast Deny Shipmate Set It Off " ( Newspaper article ) . The New York Times . Retrieved January 2 , 2008 . Lipton , Eric ( December 9 , 2006 ) . " Billions Later , Plan to Remake the Coast Guard Fleet Stumbles " ( Newspaper article ) . The New York Times . Retrieved December 19 , 2008 . Lipton , Eric ( April 18 , 2007 ) . " Coast Guard to Manage Fleet Modernization " ( Newspaper article ) . The New York Times . Retrieved November 19 , 2008 . Lockheed Martin ( September 26 , 2002 ) . " Lockheed Martin Appoints Fred P. Moosally President Of Naval Electronics & Surveillance Systems Business Segment " ( Press release ) . PR Newswire . Retrieved December 19 , 2008 . Lockheed Martin ( November 8 , 2008 ) . " First Littoral Combat Ship Commissioned by the Navy " . Lockheed Martin . Archived from the original ( Press release ) on June 12 , 2008 . Retrieved December 19 , 2008 . Merle , Renae ( April 13 , 2007 ) . " High Costs Lead Navy to Cancel Lockheed Coastal Vessel " ( Newspaper article ) . The Washington Post . Retrieved January 2 , 2008 . Moosally , Fred P. ; Kevin Moak ; Richard McCreary ; Mike Ellis ( February 8 , 2007 ) . " Statement before House Armed Services Committee " ( PDF ) . United States House Committee on Armed Services . Retrieved January 2 , 2008 . Moosally , Fred P. ( May 17 , 2007 ) . " Testimony of Fred P. Moosally President , Lockheed Martin Maritime Systems and Sensors , to The House Committee on Homeland Security Subcommittee on Border , Maritime and Global Counterterrorism " ( PDF ) . United States House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Border , Maritime and Global Counterterrorism . Retrieved January 2 , 2008 . O 'Rourke , Ronald ( October 9 , 2008 ) . " Coast Guard Deepwater Acquisition Programs : Background , Oversight Issues , and Options for Congress " ( PDF ) . Congressional Research Service . Retrieved November 19 , 2008 . Thompson , Charles ( July 1999 ) . " Cover @-@ up aboard the USS Iowa " . Investigative Reporters and Editors ( BNET ) . Retrieved 2008 @-@ 10 @-@ 19 . Washington Post ( March 24 , 2009 ) . " National Briefing : Lockheed Gets Second Ship Deal " ( Newspaper article ) . Washington Post . Retrieved 2009 @-@ 03 @-@ 25 .

= A Chorus Lie = " A Chorus Lie " is the sixteenth episode of the American television series Will & Grace 's fourth season . It was written by Tracy Poust and Jon Kinnally and directed by series producer James Burrows . The episode originally aired on NBC in the United States on February 7 , 2002 . Guest stars in " A Chorus Lie " include Matt Damon , Leslie Jordan , Patrick Kerr and real life members of the Gay Men 's Chorus of Los Angeles . In the episode , Jack ( Sean Hayes ) begins a rivalry with a fellow named Owen ( Matt Damon ) . They are competing to be the final entrant in a gay men 's chorus , and after learning that Owen is straight , Jack tries to " in " him with help from Grace ( Debra Messing ) . Meanwhile , Karen ( Megan Mullally ) tries to pass off Will ( Eric McCormack ) as her lover and not her lawyer when she discovers that she is the object of pity for being single at her own Valentine 's Day party . The episode received positive reviews from television critics . According to Nielsen ratings , " A Chorus Lie " was watched by 25 @.@ 3 million viewers during its original broadcast , making it the most @-@ watched episode in the history of the show . The episode garnered three Emmy Award nominations , and won one in the " Cinematography for a Multi @-@ Camera Series " category . = = Plot = = Following his audition , Jack ( Sean Hayes ) receives a call back and is informed that he has become a finalist for the Manhattan Gay Men 's Chorus . At the final auditions for the chorus , Jack is informed by the choral director that he will have a solo , but before he can sing it , Owen ( Matt Damon ) — originally intended for the solo part — barges in and sings his part . Jack sees Owen as competition and thinks of a way to get rid of him . He learns that Owen is posing as a gay man , after observing him gaze at a woman . Jack strikes a plan to get Owen to confess he is straight , in which he invites him to " rehearse " in Will and Grace 's apartment . Jack 's plan fails miserably , so he enlists the help of Grace ( Debra Messing ) to " in " Owen for him . Grace begins flirting with Owen , which ultimately leads to the two making out , prompting Jack to barge in and take a picture . Owen , however , tricks him into pulling the film out of the camera , destroying the proof . At the chorus rehearsal , Jack and Owen begin bickering , which results in Jack revealing to everyone that Owen is straight , to which Owen admits . Despite the revelation , the chorus director ( Patrick Kerr ) tells Owen he has made it into the chorus . Meanwhile , Will ( Eric McCormack ) accepts Karen 's ( Megan Mullally ) invitation as her date , due to her husband being in prison , to her annual Valentine 's Day party . It is there that Karen passes off Will as her " gigolo , " after her rival Beverley Leslie ( Leslie Jordan ) teases her for being alone . Word gets around that Will is " working " for Karen for the weekend , which prompts many women asking for Will 's " services " . Much to his dismay , Will believes he , a lawyer , is accepting legal clients . Karen finally reveals to Will that she has been telling everyone he is her gigolo . Will becomes outraged at the revelation and leaves . At the party , Beverley makes fun of Karen because she has no partner for the annual spotlight dance . Will , however , returns and dances with Karen . = = Production = = " A Chorus Lie " was written by Tracy Poust and Jon Kinnally and directed by series producer James Burrows . In January 2002 , it was confirmed that actor Matt Damon would guest star on Will & Grace . In the same month , it was announced that NBC would extend " A Chorus Lie " with four additional minutes to accommodate the network 's " supersize " plan to compete against the CBS reality show Survivor . Jeff Zucker , who at the time was President of NBC Entertainment , said that the show 's producers approached NBC about the " supersizing " idea rather than the other way around ; " When scripts came in long , [ the producers ] asked NBC if the network could handle a few extra minutes of footage . " Zucker commented that the lengthening of this episode " turned out great , and there was no real extra work for anyone . It 's a great development that [ the producers ] know that [ NBC is ] open to things like this . " In an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle , Damon revealed that he was asked to appear on the show by Sean Hayes , a friend of Damon 's and the actor that plays Jack on Will & Grace . Damon enjoyed the idea for the episode and agreed to appear on the show . He commented that it was easy for him to get into character because he had previously played a gay character in the film The Talented Mr. Ripley ( 1999 ) . Following his appearance , Damon told the Chicago Sun @-@ Times in June 2002 that he would like to come back and guest star . = = Cultural references = = When Grace and Owen make out on the couch , Grace is wearing a pair of Seven jeans . According to Betsy Taylor of the St. Louis Post @-@ Dispatch , this scene " prompted a ripple effect " in the United States of people seeking out the jeans label . At the chorus rehearsal , Jack and Owen are singing with the chorus when they begin bickering . Jack sings " Lyin ' and a @-@ cheatin ' ! " to Owen and Owen sings " tubby and a @-@ tone @-@ deaf " to Jack , a reference to Hal David and Burt Bacharach 's 1963 song " Wishin ' and Hopin ' " . = = Reception = = " A Chorus Lie " brought in 25 @.@ 3 million viewers , which drew the highest amount of viewers in the show 's history , according to Nielsen ratings . The episode received a 15 @.@ 5 rating / 23 share among viewers in the 18 – 49 demographic . The episode outperformed the 15 @.@ 2 rating / 22 share of CBS ' crime drama series CSI : Crime Scene Investigation in the 18 @-@ 49 category . The episode was nominated for three Emmy Awards , Tony Askins won an Emmy for Cinematography for a Multi @-@ Camera Series , while Peter Chakos was nominated for Outstanding Multi @-@ Camera Picture Editing for a Series , and James Burrows was nominated for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series . The episode received generally positive reception . According to Darrell Giles of The Courier Mail , several American critics characterized it as the best episode of the show . Jason Steele of the Chicago Tribune 's RedEye named it one of his three favorite episodes of Will & Grace . Jeffrey Robinson of DVD Talk wrote that the episode was hilarious . Ken Tucker of Entertainment Weekly noted , " Damon 's spunky appearance ... as a straight guy posing as homosexual and competing with Jack ( Sean Hayes ) for a spot in a gay men 's choir . The show is endlessly imaginative in the ways it explores themes like this with a humor that doesn 't betray or belittle its core gay characters . " Scott D. Pierce of the Deseret News was less positive about the episode , stating that it " plays like bad camp . There 's nothing realistic about it — [ the characters ] seem more like the inhabitants of a lame Saturday Night Live sketch than marginally real characters . " He also noted that " the extent of the tastelessness of the sex talk and Karen faking a sexual encounter is amazing . " Critics praised Damon 's performance in the episode . A television reviewer from The Sacramento Bee noted that Damon " did a well @-@ publicized ( and very good ) gig " on the show . Robert Bianco of USA Today commented that Damon was " incredibly charming " and funny . Matt Roush of TV Guide , in review of season four , said : " If it weren 't for some inspired guest stars — Matt Damon as a straight guy bluffing his way into a gay chorus , Michael Douglas as a gay detective clowning it up on the dance floor , Glenn Close as a lusty photographer groping both Will and Grace during a shoot — this season would be an awfully sad misfire . " Wales on Sunday 's Wil Marlow called Damon 's performance one of the most memorable guest appearances in the history of the show , and commented that he " held his own well against serial scene @-@ stealer Sean Hayes . " Mark Perigard of the Boston Herald said the episode " flies with jokes predicated on stereotypes and sexual innuendo " , but " Damon is a good sport with all the silliness , though , and seems more at ease here in the sitcom than he has in his last three films . " Eric McCormack , who portrays Will , said Damon was " magnificent " in the episode and a " great experience " for the cast of the show . Sean Hayes cites " A Chorus Lie " as one of his favorite episodes . In March 2006 , Entertainment Weekly named Damon 's guest spot as their number two most memorable guest appearance on Will & Grace .

= Pegasus Bridge ( video game ) = Pegasus Bridge is a turn @-@ based strategy video game developed and published by Personal Software Services . It was released exclusively in the United Kingdom for the ZX Spectrum , Amstrad CPC and Commodore 64 in 1987 . It is the ninth instalment of the Strategic Wargames series . The game is set during the landings in Normandy on D @-@ Day in the Second World War and revolves around the British 6th Airborne Division 's attempts to secure a bridge over the Caen Canal . The game was designed by Alan Steel , who developed all of the games games in the Strategic Wargames series . The player can assume control of either British or German forces , in which gameplay of Pegasus Bridge focuses on British forces securing various locations in Normandy or German forces defending the area from the attacking British . The game received mixed reviews upon release , with praise being directed at its " attractive " graphics , however a major bug which caused the game to crash was discovered during one reviewer 's initial testing . = = Gameplay = = The game is a turn @-@ based strategy and revolves around the British 6th Airborne Division 's attempts to secure Bénouville Bridge ( later renamed Pegasus Bridge , in honour of the battle ) over the Caen Canal during the Normandy landings on 5 June 1944 . The player is able to command either the British or German side in the game . Regardless of the side chosen , British units will not appear on the map at the beginning of the game as the British 6th Airborne Division have not yet made their parachute drops . German forces are distributed around the four far corners of the map , with a few units positioned near Bénouville Bridge . If playing as the British , the objective is to defeat all German forces and secure all bridges in the area , with the capture or destruction of the Merville Battery being the ultimate goal . If playing as the Germans , the only objective is to hold off all British attacks for 18 hours , which is the equivalent to 36 in @-@ game turns . Pegasus Bridge features ten different types of terrain , which affect the movement of the troops and the defensibility of certain areas . If units are situated in towns or woodland areas , their attacks will be less effective . High wind speeds will also render British parachuting troops temporarily ineffective . Units on the map are presented as small squares and can be stacked together to increase defence . While British forces may destroy various bridges throughout the game , certain bridges such as those over the Caen Canal and Orne river must be preserved in order to win the game . = = Background = = Personal Software Services was founded in Coventry , England , by Gary Mays and Richard Cockayne in November 1981 . The company was known for creating games that revolved around historic war battles and conflicts , such as Theatre Europe , Bismarck and Falklands ' 82 . The company had a partnership with French video game developer ERE Informatique and published localised versions of their products to the United Kingdom . The Strategic Wargames series was conceptualised by software designer Alan Steel in 1984 . During development of these titles , Steel would often research the topic of the upcoming game and pass on the findings to other associates in Coventry and London . In 1983 , the company received recognition for being " one of the top software houses " in the United Kingdom , and was a finalist for BBC Radio 4 's New Business Enterprise Award for that year . In 1986 , Cockayne took a decision to alter their products for release on 16 @-@ bit consoles , as he found that smaller 8 @-@ bit consoles , such as the ZX Spectrum , lacked the processing power for larger strategy games . The decision was falsely interpreted as " pulling out " from the Spectrum market by video game journalist Phillipa Irving . Following years of successful sales throughout the mid 1980s , Personal Software Services experienced financial difficulties , in what Cockayne admitted in a retrospective interview that " he took his eye off the ball " . The company was acquired by Mirrorsoft in February 1987 , and was later dispossessed by the company due to strains of debt . = = Reception = = The game received mixed reviews upon release . Owen Bishop of Your Sinclair found a major bug during testing of the game which caused the game to crash , and ultimately affected his experience , stating that " being Brits [ we ] were obviously too gentlemanly to take advantage of such a situation " . Bishop also criticised the high speed at which the in @-@ game messages flash as " excessive " . Philippa Irving of Crash criticised the presentation of the game , saying that the " annoying " key action ruined playability and that its controls were limited by a cursor . However , Irving praised its graphics and historical accuracy , stating that it was " attractive " yet " unatmospheric " and clearly based on the historical situation . A reviewer of Computer and Video Games called it an " excellent game " , and praised its value for money . However , the reviewer criticised the " slow moving " pace of the game , as opposed to the fast tempo of the historical battle .

= Dabangg = Dabangg ( English : Fearless ) is a 2010 Indian action film directed by Abhinav Kashyap , and produced by Arbaaz Khan under Arbaaz Khan Productions . Arbaaz 's elder brother Salman Khan stars in the lead role , with Sonakshi Sinha ( in her acting debut ) , Arbaaz Khan , Om Puri , Dimple Kapadia , Vinod Khanna , Anupam Kher , Mahesh Manjrekar and Mahie Gill featuring in supporting roles , while Sonu Sood plays the main antagonist . The film marks the debut of Arbaaz as a producer and Kashyap as a director . Malaika Arora Khan appears in " Munni Badnaam Hui " . Dabangg is set in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh , and tells the story of a corrupt but fearless police officer , Chulbul Pandey , and his troubled relationship with his stepfather and half @-@ brother . Made with a budget of ₹ 300 million and marketed at ₹ 120 million , Dabangg was shot primarily in the town of Wai in Maharashtra , while other major scenes were shot in the United Arab Emirates . Dabangg was released during Eid on 10 September 2010 in nearly 2100 cinemas worldwide . It opened to generally positive reviews , and went on to gross ₹ 2 @.@ 15 billion worldwide . It is the highest @-@ grossing Bollywood film of 2010 and , as of December 2011 , the fourth highest – grossing Bollywood film of all time . Dabangg has won several awards — the National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment and six Filmfare Awards , including Best Film and Best Female Debut ( Sinha ) . It was later remade in Tamil as Osthe , and in Telugu as Gabbar Singh . A sequel , titled Dabangg 2 was released in 2012 . = = Plot = = Chulbul Pandey , a young boy , lives with his younger half @-@ brother , Makhanchan " Makkhi " Pandey , stepfather Prajapati Pandey ( Vinod Khanna ) and mother , Naina Devi ( Dimple Kapadia ) in Laalgunj , Uttar Pradesh . He has a troubled relationship with his stepfather and Makkhi . After 21 years , Chulbul ( Salman Khan ) becomes a policeman . Chulbul , who calls himself " Robin Hood " Pandey , lives with his family . Makkhi ( Arbaaz Khan ) is in love with Nirmala ( Mahi Gill ) , whose father Masterji ( Tinu Anand ) opposes the relationship . Chulbul falls in love with a girl named Rajjo ( Sonakshi Sinha ) , who he meets during a police encounter . A corrupt political leader named Chedi Singh ( Sonu Sood ) meets Chulbul and both quickly become enemies . Makkhi asks his father to arrange his marriage with Nirmala . His father refuses saying that he needs money to repay the loans he took to make his factory , so he needs his son to marry a rich girl . Makkhi , in desperate need of money , steals it from Chulbul 's cupboard , and gives it to Nirmala 's father in order to convince him to marry Nirmala . Meanwhile , Chulbul meets Rajjo and proposes marriage , which she rejects , as she has to take care of her father , Haria ( Mahesh Manjrekar ) — a drunkard . Chulbul comes home to find his mother dead . He goes to his stepfather to make peace , as he is the only family left . His stepfather refuses and despises him as an outcast . Makkhi invites Chulbul to his marriage with Nirmala . Chulbul convinces Rajjo 's father to marry her . Rajjo 's father commits suicide , as he knows that his daughter will not marry anyone while he is alive . Chulbul takes Rajjo to Makkhi 's exuberant wedding . Realising that Makkhi has stolen his money to finance the wedding , Chulbul marries Rajjo in an impromptu ceremony . Nirmala 's father feels disgraced and cancels his daughter 's wedding . Makkhi beats up one of the workers in his factory due to a small mishap . The worker goes to the police station with his mother to file a complaint . Chulbul beats up Makkhi in public to disgrace him . Chedi takes advantage of the situation , and takes Makkhi along with his father to the police station . Makkhi 's father resolves the situation by accepting an apology from Chulbul . Chulbul meets Dayal Babu ( Anupam Kher ) , a local political leader , who also dislikes Chedi . With his help , Chulbul adulterates the breweries of Chedi , and wrongly frames him for it . To take revenge , Chedi burns Makkhi 's factory . Makkhi 's father suffers a heart attack due to shock and is hospitalised . Makkhi goes to Chedi seek help from him , without knowing that it was Chedi , who burnt his factory . Chedi agrees to finance his father 's treatment , if he delivers a crate of mangoes to Dayal Babu 's house . Unknown to Makkhi , there is a bomb inside the crate , which explodes after he leaves , killing Dayal Babu . Chedi gives Makkhi a task to kill Chulbul . Makkhi accepts , and confesses it to Chulbul . He reveals to Chulbul that Chedi made him plant the bomb unknowingly . Chulbul forgives him and reconciles with his stepfather . Makkhi then reveals to Chulbul that it was Chedi , who killed their mother . Enraged , Chulbul suffocates Chedi to death . Later , Chulbul gets Makkhi married to Nirmala in the presence of her father , while Rajjo reveals that she is pregnant . = = Cast = = Credits adapted from Bollywood Hungama . = = Production = = = = = Casting = = = Salman Khan grew a moustache after consulting with his brother and prepared his hair to suit his role . For the former , he had to try out nearly fifty styles in a span of four months before commencement of the filming . Photo @-@ shoots were held to finalise his look . Abhinav Kashyap , in an interview with Bollywood Hungama , revealed that initially he had considered a few others for the role of Chulbul Pandey , but eventually changed his mind and approached Salman . Kashyap had seen Arbaaz in Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na , doing a cameo and approached him to be a part of the project . After reading it , he had instantly accepted to produce and star in it . Sonu Sood was selected for playing the lead antagonist . He revealed that his character was that of a " youth leader with grey shades . " Mahesh Manjrekar was later approached to play the father of Sinha 's character , although he had plans to quit acting . In April 2009 , Sonakshi Sinha signed for her debut role . Salman had seen her at a function engaging in dancing and offered her the role . Speaking about it , she said that she had lost a weight of 30 kg over two years to prepare for her character of a village girl by " a combination of proper diet and vigorous exercise " . She added that she had been " observing people and trying to pick up nuances " as a step of further preparation . Malaika Arora , who had performed a few item numbers in her career , most notably in Dil Se .. , was confirmed to do the same in the film . This was the first of its kind in her home production . = = = Filming = = = Dabangg 's shooting took place primarily in Wai and the United Arab Emirates . The shooting commenced in September 2009 . Production designer Wasiq Khan drew over 100 sketches detailing out every set in the film . The cinematography was performed by Mahesh Limaye . The first schedule began in the town of Wai and continued for 45 days , during which Sonu Sood , the main antagonist fractured his nose . A schedule , primarily involving a song shoot , was captured in the Khalid Bin Al Waheed station in Dubai , making Dabangg the first film to be shot there . Some scenes were also filmed at the Emirates Palace hotel in Abu Dhabi . The film , involving around five action sequences , was choreographed by S. Vijayan , who previously served as the stunt director of Wanted , and shot over 60 days . Later , special effects were incorporated into those scenes . The songs were choreographed by Raju Khan and Shabina Khan , while Farah Khan choreographed the item number , " Munni Badnaam Hui " . The shooting was completed in early June 2010 , and the film went into post @-@ production . A party was held to commemorate the completion of the shooting and the success of the theatrical promo . It was attended by the main cast and crew . = = = Pre @-@ release = = = Dabangg 's theatrical trailer , running for about two and a half minutes , was released on 23 July 2010 , alongside Priyadarshan ’ s Khatta Meetha . Dabangg was described as one of the most anticipated films of the year by the The Indian Express . It was reported to have broken pre @-@ release records for hype by Cinematix , a filming awareness product originated by Ormax Media . A special screening of the film took place at Film City on 6 September 2010 . The premiere of Dabangg was held in Mumbai on 9 September 2010 . = = Soundtrack = = The soundtrack album was composed by the music director duo Sajid @-@ Wajid and Lalit Pandit , while the lyrics were penned by Faiz Anwar , Lalit Pandit and Jalees Sherwani . Lalit Pandit wrote the song " Munni Badnaam Hui " . The album was launched on 6 August 2010 in Delhi . The album contains five original songs , four remixes and one theme song . The audio rights of Dabangg were sold for about ₹ 90 million ( US $ 1 @.@ 3 million ) to T @-@ Series . The track " Munni Badnaam Hui " is said to be inspired by an old Bhojpuri folk song " Launda Badnaam Hua Naseeban Tere Liye " . Director Abhinav Kashyap accepted using the folk song saying that he , being from Uttar Pradesh , was familiar with the song since childhood so he suggested the very song to be improvised and rephrased to fit the film 's requirement . It was alleged that it was inspired from the Pakistani song " Ladka Badnaam Hua " from the film Mr. Charlie ( 1992 ) . Dabangg 's soundtrack received generally positive reviews from music critics . Joginder Tuteja of Bollywood Hungama gave the album 3 stars and said , " [ it ] delivers what it promised . One expected a masala soundtrack and this is what one gets with a couple of item song sequences , a couple of theme tracks and two love songs which are actually the highlight of the film . A soundtrack that has something in store for mass as well as class . " Atta Khan of Planet Bollywood gave it a rating of 6 out of 10 , and called the soundtrack " simple , catchy , easy on the ears and fun " . In a 3 @-@ star rating , critic Devesh Sharma of Filmfare praised Sajid @-@ Wajid 's composition , and the track " Chori Kiya Re Jiya " , calling it " [ pleasure ] to the ears " . The album performed well on the charts after its release . The tracks " Tere Mast Mast Do Nain " and " Munni Badnaam " were successful , and entered the list of top 20 most frequently played songs on radio in India . In August 2010 , the track " Tere Mast Mast Do Nain " reached number @-@ one on the Official Asian Download Chart in the United Kingdom based on legal downloads in that country . Tracklist = = Release = = Dabangg released worldwide on 10 September 2010 . It opened up across 1 @,@ 800 screens in India and around 300 screens overseas . The film was released in 2300 theatres worldwide . It was also screened in Norway at an international film festival . The film 's DVDs and VCDs were launched by the Reliance Big Home Video on 12 October 2010 . It was released on YouTube on 28 January 2011 for free viewing to audiences in India . The satellite rights were pre @-@ sold for ₹ 100 million ( US $ 1 @.@ 5 million ) to Colors . = = = Critical response = = = The film generally received positive reviews from critics , most of whom praised the performance of Salman Khan . Taran Adarsh of Bollywood Hungama gave it 4 @.@ 5 stars in his review and praised the film 's action and music , and Khan 's performance . In a 4 @-@ star review for Koimoi , Komal Nahta ensured that the film would be a commercial success . Film critic Aniruddha Guha of Daily News and Analysis called the film " slightly mad , and terribly entertaining . " Mathures Paul of The Statesman gave the film 3 @.@ 5 stars and commented , " Dabangg aligns itself with viewers frustrated by the nonexistence of uncomplicated heroism on screen . " In a 3 @-@ star review for Rediff.com , Abhishek Mande stated " Dabangg is not a movie for non @-@ Salman fans . But for those who worship him it 's a film you simply cannot afford to miss . " Anupama Chopra of NDTV and Sukanya Venkatgarhavan of Filmfare gave it 3 stars , and both praised Khan 's performance . Gaurav Malani of Indiatimes was critical towards the film 's story , remarking " the film doesn ’ t care a damn for coming up with any innovative storyline . " Rajeev Masand of CNN @-@ IBN panned the film 's screenplay , but praised Khan 's performance . Shobhaa De of the Bangalore Times was critical , concluding " Let ’ s hand it to Salman who has pulled off the stunts and pelvic thrusts . Nothing new there . But it is the naughty self @-@ parodying , which is so camp , so out there , which delivers the biggest punch . What ’ s left for this guy now – all he needs is a cape . And he can call himself Superman . " = = = Legal issues = = = " Munni Badnaam Hui " included a brand name ' Zandu Balm ' in its lyrics , much to the displeasure of Emami — the makers of the brand . A trademark case was settled by the producers and Emami out of court , and Malaika Arora Khan was later chosen to an official advertising campaign promoting Zandu Balm . Activist Rajkumar Tak filed a case in the Bombay High Court , demanding that the deletion of the word " Hindustan " from the song , claiming that the censor board had not responded to his queries in regard to the " defaming " lyrics . He found them " highly objectionable " and " unpardonable " and labelled the song a " mockery " for the country , as a girl was " indecently " dancing in the presence of corrupted officers , which , according to him , threw bad light on the nation and " hurt the patriotic sentiments of every Indian " . Before release , critic and writer Shobhaa De called for a boycott of Dabangg , due to Salman 's comments on the 2008 Mumbai attacks . She criticised it as " arrogance , ignorance and plain stupidity . " This sparked off a fight with the producers via Twitter , and continued after her negative review of the film . Anurag Kashyap , brother of Abhinav Kashyap , tweeted " Salman khan thinks he made my brother 's life .. Hope he can do the same for his brother Arbaaz with Dabangg 2 . " This was taken as " slamming " Salman and resulted in Arbaaz retorting back by referring to the comment as " attitude " instead of " gratitude " . However , Anurag later apologised for his remarks , which Arbaaz accepted . = = = Awards and nominations = = = Dabangg received accolades in major film award functions in India . Among them , it won the National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment . It was given six awards at the 56th Filmfare Awards , including one for Best Film , seven Screen Awards , nine Zee Cine Awards , and ten IIFA Awards . = = Box office = = = = = Domestic = = = Dabangg opened to ₹ 145 million ( US $ 2 @.@ 2 million ) nett collections in its first day , and became the highest opener of all time across India . On the second day , it netted ₹ 165 million ( US $ 2 @.@ 5 million ) . At the end of its weekend , the film collected the total of ₹ 495 million ( US $ 7 @.@ 4 million ) . The film netted ₹ 106 million ( US $ 1 @.@ 6 million ) on Monday , ₹ 86 million ( US $ 1 @.@ 3 million ) on Tuesday , ₹ 70 million ( US $ 1 @.@ 0 million ) on Wednesday , and ₹ 60 million ( US $ 890 @,@ 000 ) on Thursday taking the total nett collections to around ₹ 815 million ( US $ 12 million ) in its first week of release . It subsequently became the highest opening week nett grosser . Dabangg netted ₹ 62 million ( US $ 920 @,@ 000 ) on the second Friday , ₹ 75 million ( US $ 1 @.@ 1 million ) on Saturday and ₹ 105 million ( US $ 1 @.@ 6 million ) on Sunday , for a ₹ 238 million ( US $ 3 @.@ 5 million ) second weekend , a drop of around 50 % from the opening weekend . In its second week , the film earned ₹ 360 million ( US $ 5 @.@ 3 million ) , taking the total nett collections to ₹ 1 @.@ 16 billion ( US $ 17 million ) in two weeks , thus becoming the second highest @-@ grossing film of all time in two weeks . The distributor share of Dabangg was declared to be ₹ 770 million ( US $ 11 million ) — the second highest in Bollywood . Dabangg collected ₹ 160 million ( US $ 2 @.@ 4 million ) during the third week and ₹ 60 million ( US $ 890 @,@ 000 ) in its fourth week , taking the domestic nett collections to ₹ 1 @.@ 4 billion ( US $ 21 million ) . The domestic nett collections in eleven weeks was ₹ 1 @.@ 4 billion ( US $ 21 million ) . It eventually progressed to ₹ 1 @.@ 41 billion ( US $ 21 million ) . = = = Overseas = = = Dabangg opened to a positive response in the overseas markets as well . The film 's final overseas collections were US $ 6 @.@ 10 million . It grossed a total of US $ 4 @.@ 20 million in the international markets at the end of its second weekend . In the United States , Dabangg collected $ 628 @,@ 137 from 62 screens in its opening weekend and $ 1 @,@ 068 @,@ 589 at the end of its second weekend . In the United Arab Emirates , it collected 3 @.@ 2 million Dirhams in the opening weekend , and $ 1 @,@ 550 @,@ 000 at the end of the second weekend . Dabangg collected a total of $ 5 @.@ 50 million , making it the fifth highest @-@ grossing in United Arab Emirates with a $ 2 million gross . In the United Kingdom , it collected £ 332 @,@ 673 from 41 screens in its opening weekend and £ 570 @,@ 566 by the end of its second weekend . In Australia , the film collected $ 126 @,@ 000 from 14 screens in the opening weekend , and A $ 272 @,@ 909 at the end of its second weekend . In Mauritius and South Africa , it collected US $ 25 @,@ 000 each in its opening weekend . In Fiji , the film collected US $ 20 @,@ 000 the opening weekend . In other territories of Europe and Africa , the film collected $ 100 @,@ 000 in its opening weekend . = = Sequel and remakes = = After the release of Dabangg , Arbaaz Khan announced that he was planning a sequel to it . After the commercial success of the film , Khan reported " Dabangg 2 may take time to hit the floors , but it is definitely on the cards . " He also announced that the main leads , Salman Khan and Sonakshi Sinha were already cast to reprise their parts in the sequel . Among the new cast members are Prakash Raj , who plays the main antagonist , while Kareena Kapoor performs an item number in the film . Director Abhinav Kashyap opted out of directing the sequel , and therefore Arbaaz took over as the film 's director . Dabangg 2 became one of the highest @-@ grossing Bollywood film of all time in India . Dabangg was remade in Tamil as Osthe by Dharani with Silambarasan playing the lead role , and Sonu Sood reprising his original role . It was also remade in Telugu as Gabbar Singh , starring Pawan Kalyan .