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1482794

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merrily%20We%20Live

Merrily We Live

Merrily We Live is a 1938 American comedy film directed by Norman Z. McLeod and written by Eddie Moran and Jack Jevne. It stars Constance Bennett and Brian Aherne and features Ann Dvorak, Bonita Granville, Billie Burke, Tom Brown, Alan Mowbray, Clarence Kolb, and Patsy Kelly. The film was produced by Hal Roach for Hal Roach Studios, and was distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. While based on a reworking of the 1930 movie What a Man – itself based on the 1924 novel The Dark Chapter: A Comedy of Class Distinctions by E.J. Rath, and its 1926 Broadway adaptation They All Want Something by Courtenay Savage – a number of critics find the plot of the film is similar to the 1936 film My Man Godfrey. Merrily We Live was extremely successful and garnered five Oscar nominations. Plot Grosvenor (Alan Mowbray), the Kilbournes' butler, discovers at breakfast that the family silver has been stolen by Ambrose, the latest tramp Emily Kilbourne (Billie Burke) had taken under her wing as the family chauffeur in her obsession to reform fallen and destitute men, much to the exasperation of the rest of the family. A distressed Emily swears off taking in any more tramps, to the delight of the rest of the family. However, later in the morning, Wade Rawlins (Brian Aherne) appears at the Kilbournes' doorstep. His ramshackle car had broken down; when he got out, it rolled off a cliff. He wants to use the telephone, but is instead immediately adopted by Emily Kilbourne and appointed as the replacement chauffeur, despite the rude efforts of Grosvenor and Emily's daughters Geraldine "Jerry" (Constance Bennett) and Marion (Bonita Granville). Further attempts to convince Mrs. Kilbourne to get rid of this latest tramp are blissfully ignored. Rawlins, as the new chauffeur, is housed in the servant's quarters. He is overheard talking to himself while cleaning up by Grosvenor and suspected to be crazy. Jerry and Marion see the spruced up tramp looking the perfect gentleman and Jerry approves when Rawlins later brushes off Jerry's arrogant would-be suitor, Herbert Wheeler (Phillip Reed). They now have second thoughts when their father, Henry Kilbourne (Clarence Kolb), who has returned from work, tells Emily that he is putting his foot down and orders that they get rid of her latest tramp the next day. A comedy of errors, nighttime interludes with drunken family behavior, the arrogant Herbert making a move on Jerry, follows with the rescue of the damsel in distress who has also somehow misplaced her keys where some delightful flirting ensues, resulting in Jerry falling in love with Wade. Marion also expresses a crush on Wade. The next day, Emily Kilbourne, despite orders to get rid of Wade, trains him to be a footman at the important dinner party that evening for Senator Harlan (Paul Everton). That evening, through a contrived prank by Marion, Rawlins is accidentally invited to the important dinner party for Senator Harlan, who takes quite a liking to him, as does his daughter Minerva (Ann Dvorak). The next morning, the family finds Rawlins occupying the guest room. It is impossible to throw him out, as it is discovered that he is now a confidant of Senator Harlan and his daughter's target of affection. Jerry is consumed with jealousy, as she sees Minerva flirting with Rawlins at golf later that morning. After a fudge-making spat with Jerry, Rawlins takes the rest of the day off on an errand. The car he wrecked turns out to be a loan. He goes to pay for it, but the car has been found and the police inform the car's owner that Rawlins is assumed to be dead. The man leaves to identify his car. Thus, when Rawlins arrives, the owner's assistant George (Willie Best) thinks he is a ghost. The Kilbournes believe Rawlins has left for good, much to Jerry's dismay after waiting up to reconcile with him. The next morning at breakfast, the newspaper reports the death of E. Wade Rawlins, the "noted novelist", from a car crash, much to the shock and dismay of the family, the cook and the maid. When Rawlins reappears, very much alive, utter pandemonium ensues as much of the family assume they are seeing a ghost. Once the confusion dies down the truth becomes clear and Jerry is immensely relieved. Cast Cast notes This was the fifth of six films that Billie Burke and Alan Mowbray appeared in together. The others were Where Sinners Meet (1934), Becky Sharp (1935), She Couldn't Take It (1935), Topper (1937), and Topper Takes a Trip (1938). Production Merrily We Live was in production from October 27, 1937, to January 10, 1938. Some location filming took place at Arrowhead Hot Spring and Big Bear Lake in the San Bernardino Mountains of southern California. Titles that were considered for the film included "Take It Easy," "Love Without Reason", and "Dark Chapter", which is the title of the E.J. Rath book the film is in part based on – although neither Rath's novel nor Courtenay Savage's play are credited. Noted Broadway columnist Ed Sullivan provided additional dialogue for the film, his first assignment for Hal Roach Studios. Awards and honors Merrily We Live received five Academy Award nominations in total: Best Supporting Actress (Billie Burke), Best Sound Recording (Elmer Raguse), Best Song ("Merrily We Live"), Best Art Direction (Charles D. Hall), and Best Cinematography (Norbert Brodine). Billie Burke's Best Supporting Actress nomination was the only Oscar nomination of her career. Adaptations On March 3, 1938, parts of Merrily We Live were recreated for the radio on MGM's Good News Radio program, featuring the stars of the film. In 1955, there was a Mexican version of the film under the title Escuela de vagabundos (School for Vagabonds) with Pedro Infante and Miroslava Stern as the lead actors. References External links 1930s screwball comedy films American black-and-white films American screwball comedy films Films directed by Norman Z. McLeod Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films Films based on American novels American films based on plays Remakes of American films 1938 comedy films 1930s American films Films scored by Marvin Hatley

1482800

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The%20Great%20Waltz%20%281938%20film%29

The Great Waltz (1938 film)

The Great Waltz is a 1938 American biographical film based very loosely on the life of Johann Strauss II. It starred Luise Rainer, Fernand Gravet (Gravey), and Miliza Korjus. Rainer received top billing at the producer's insistence, but her role is comparatively minor as Strauss' wife, Poldi Vogelhuber. It was the only starring role for Korjus, who was a famous opera soprano and played one in the film. Joseph Ruttenberg won the Academy Award for Best Cinematography. Korjus was nominated for Supporting Actress, and Tom Held for Film Editing. The film was popular in Australia, and was distributed largely throughout Sydney and Melbourne for two years after its initial release. The film has no connection with the 1934 Broadway play The Great Waltz. Hitchcock's Waltzes from Vienna set the stage for this Julien Duvivier’s Strauss biopic, which maintains the character of the baker's daughter from the original stage musical while focusing on Johann Strauss II's revolutionary inclinations and the creation of his popular operetta, Die Fledermaus. Plot "Schani" is dismissed from his job in a bank. He puts together a group of unemployed musicians who wangle a performance at Dommayer's cafe. The audience is minimal, but when two opera singers, Carla Donner and Fritz Schiller, visit whilst their carriage is being repaired, the music attracts a wider audience. Strauss is caught up in a student protest; he and Carla Donner avoid arrest and escape to the Vienna Woods, where he is inspired to create the waltz "Tales from the Vienna Woods". Carla asks Strauss for some music to sing at an aristocratic soiree, and this leads to the composer receiving a publishing contract. He's on his way, and he can now marry Poldi Vogelhuber, his sweetheart. But the closeness of Strauss and Carla Donner, during rehearsals of operettas, attracts comment, not least from Count Hohenfried, Donner's admirer. Poldi remains loyal to Strauss, and the marriage is a long one. He is received by the Kaiser Franz Joseph I of Austria (whom he unknowingly insulted in the aftermath of the student protests), and the two stand before cheering crowds on the balcony of Schönbrunn. Cast Luise Rainer as Poldi Vogelhuber Fernand Gravet as Johann Strauss II Miliza Korjus as Carla Donner Hugh Herbert as Hofbauer Lionel Atwill as Count Hohenfried Curt Bois as Kienzl Al Shean as Cellist Minna Gombell as Mrs. Hofbauer Alma Kruger as Mrs. Strauss Greta Meyer as Mrs. Vogelhuber Bert Roachas Vogelhuber Henry Hull as Franz Joseph I of Austria Sig Rumann as Wertheimer George Houston as Schiller Herman Bing as Dommayer Christian Rub as Coachman Frank Mayo as Ship's Officer (uncredited) Larry Steers as Man in Uniform (uncredited) Box office According to MGM records, the film earned $918,000 in the US and Canada, and $1,504,000 elsewhere, resulting in a loss of $724,000. Re-make The film was re-made in 1972, with Horst Buchholz playing Strauss, alongside Mary Costa, Nigel Patrick, and Yvonne Mitchell. References External links 1972 remake: American historical films American biographical films 1930s historical films 1930s biographical films 1938 films American black-and-white films 1930s English-language films Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films Films set in the 19th century Films set in Vienna Films about classical music and musicians Films about composers Cultural depictions of Franz Joseph I of Austria Cultural depictions of Johann Strauss II Films whose cinematographer won the Best Cinematography Academy Award Films directed by Julien Duvivier Films directed by Victor Fleming Films directed by Josef von Sternberg Films set in Austria-Hungary 1930s American films English-language historical films English-language biographical films

1482808

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nyingma

Nyingma

Nyingma (, ), often referred to as Ngangyur (, ), is the oldest of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. The Nyingma school is founded on the first lineages and translations of Buddhist scriptures from Sanskrit into Tibetan in the eighth century, during the reign of King Trisong Detsen (r. 710–755). Nyingma traditional histories consider their teachings to trace back to the first Buddha Samantabhadra (Güntu Sangpo) and Indian mahasiddhas such as Garab Dorjé, Śrī Siṃha and Jñānasūtra. Traditional sources trace the origin of the Nyingma order in Tibet to figures associated with the initial introduction of Buddhism in the 8th century, such as Padmasambhava, Yeshe Tsogyal, Vimalamitra, Vairotsana, Buddhaguhya and Shantaraksita. The Nyingma tradition is also seen having been founded at Samyé, the first monastery in Tibet. Nyingma teachings are also known for having been passed down through networks of lay practitioners or ngagpas (Skt. mantrī). While the Nyingma contains most of the major elements of Tibetan Buddhism as do the other Tibetan schools, they also have some unique features and teachings. Nyingma teachings include a distinctive classification of Buddhist vehicles to liberation, called the nine vehicles. This schema places the Nyingma teachings of the "Great Perfection" (Dzogchen) as the highest of all Buddhist teachings. As such, the Nyingmas consider the Dzogchen teachings to be the most direct, profound and subtle path to Buddhahood. The main Dzogchen sources (like the Seventeen tantras) are seen as communicating a path that goes beyond the methods of Highest Yoga Tantra (which are seen as supreme in other schools of Tibetan Buddhism). The most influential Nyingma scholar yogi of the Great Perfection is Longchenpa (1308–1364), and his voluminous works mark a turning point in the scholastic systematization and refinement of the Nyingma Dzogchen system. The Nyingma school also has an important tradition of discovering and revealing "hidden treasure texts" called Termas, which allows the treasure discoverers or tertöns to reveal new timely scriptures. Many Nyingma lineages are based on particular termas. For example, Mindroling Monastery focuses on the revelations of Nyangrel Nyima Özer, while Dorjé Drak is based on the Northern Treasures of Rigdzin Gödem. History Mythos The Nyingma school recognizes Samantabhadra (Küntu Sangpo), the "primordial buddha" (Adi Buddha) as an embodiment of the Dharmakāya, the "truth body" of all buddhas. The Nyingma school sees the Dharmakaya as inseparable from both the Sambhogakaya and the Nirmanakaya. The Vajrayana or Tantra of the Nyingma school traces its origins to an emanation of Amitaba and of Avalokitesvara, Guru Padmasambhava, whose coming and activities are believed to have been predicted by Buddha Shakyamuni. Nyingma origins are also traced to Garab Dorje and to Yeshe Tsogyal. Nyingma also sees Vajradhara (an emanation of Samantabhadra) and other buddhas as teachers of their many doctrines. Samantabhadra's wisdom and compassion spontaneously radiates myriad teachings, all appropriate to the capacities of different beings and entrusts them to "knowledge holders" (vidyadharas), the chief of which is Dorjé Chörap, who gives them to Vajrasattva and the dakini Légi Wangmoché, who in turn disseminate them among human siddhas. The first human teacher of the tradition was said to be Garab Dorje (b. 55 c.e.), who had visions of Vajrasattva. Padmasambhava is the most famous and revered figure of the early human teachers and there are many legends about him, making it difficult to separate history from myth. Other early teachers include Vimalamitra, Jambel Shé Nyen, Sri Simha, and Jñanasutra. Most of these figures are associated with the Indian region of Oddiyana. Historical origins Buddhism existed in Tibet at least from the time of king Thothori Nyantsen (fl.173?–300? CE), especially in the eastern regions. The reign of Songtsen Gampo (ca.617-649/50) saw an expansion of Tibetan power, the adoption of a writing system and promotion of Buddhism. Around 760, Trisong Detsen invited Padmasambhava and the Nalanda abbot Śāntarakṣita to Tibet to introduce Buddhism to the "Land of Snows." Trisong Detsen ordered the translation of all Buddhist texts into Tibetan. Padmasambhava, Śāntarakṣita, 108 translators, and 25 of Padmasambhava's nearest disciples worked for many years in a gigantic translation-project. The translations from this period formed the base for the large scriptural transmission of Dharma teachings into Tibet and are known as the "Old Translations" and as the "Early Translation School". Padmasambhava supervised mainly the translation of tantras; Śāntarakṣita concentrated on the sutras. Padmasambhava and Śāntarakṣita also founded the first Buddhist monastery in Tibet: Samye. However, this situation would not last: The early Vajrayana that was transmitted from India to Tibet may be differentiated by the specific term "Mantrayana" (). "Mantrayana" is the Sanskrit of what became rendered in Tibetan as "Secret Mantra" (): this is the self-identifying term employed in the earliest literature. Persecution From this basis, Vajrayana was established in its entirety in Tibet. From the eighth until the eleventh century, this textual tradition (which was later identified as 'Nyingma') was the only form of Buddhism in Tibet. With the reign of King Langdarma (836–842), the brother of King Ralpachen, a time of political instability ensued which continued over the next 300 years, during which time Buddhism was persecuted and largely forced underground because the King saw it as a threat to the indigenous Bön tradition. Langdarma persecuted monks and nuns, and attempted to wipe out Buddhism. His efforts, however, were not successful. A few monks escaped to Amdo in the northeast of Tibet, where they preserved the lineage of monastic ordination. The period of the 9–10th centuries also saw increasing popularity of a new class of texts which would later be classified as the Dzogchen "Mind series" (Semde). Some of these texts present themselves as translations of Indian works, though according to David Germano, most are original Tibetan compositions. These texts promote the view that true nature of the mind is empty and luminous and seem to reject traditional forms of practice. An emphasis on the Dzogchen textual tradition is a central feature of the Nyingma school. In a series of articles, Flavio Geisshuesler explores the persecution of the proponents of the Nyingma school from multiple perspectives, including trauma studies. In a monograph, he suggests that Dzogchen might actually be a pre-Buddhist tradition indigenous to Tibet. Exploring a series of motifs that are found pervasively throughout the contemplative system, such as the hunting of animals, he argues that the tradition was originally associated with shamanism and the Eurasian cult of the sky-deer. Second dissemination and New translations From the eleventh century onward, there was an attempt to reintroduce Vajrayana Buddhism to Tibet. This saw new translation efforts which led to the foundation of new Vajrayana schools which are collectively known as the Sarma "New translation" schools because they reject the old translations of the Nyingma canon. It was at that time that Nyingmapas began to see themselves as a distinct group and the term "Nyingma" came into usage to refer to those who continued to use the "Old" or "Ancient" translations. Nyingma writers such as Rongzom (ca. 11th century) and Nyangrel were instrumental in defending the old texts from the critiques of the Sarma translators and in establishing a foundation for the mythology and philosophy of the Nyingma tradition. Rongzom Chokyi Zangpo was the most influential of the 11th century Nyingma authors, writing "extensive exoteric and esoteric commentaries." He upheld the view that sutra teachings such as Madhyamaka were ultimately inferior to the teachings found in the Buddhist Tantras and Dzogchen. Rongzom also wrote a commentary on the Guhyagarbha tantra, which is the main tantra in the Nyingma tradition. The period of the new dissemination of Buddhism which saw the rise of the Sarma schools also saw the proliferation of fresh Nyingma Dzogchen texts with fresh doctrines and meditative practices, mainly the 'Space class' (Longdé) and the 'Instruction class' (Menngagde) (11th–14th century), particularly important were the seventeen tantras. To vitalize the legitimacy of these new texts against the criticism of the Sarma schools, the Nyingma school expanded the tradition of the "Terma", which are said to be revealed treasure texts by ancient masters, usually Padmasambhava, which had been hidden away and then discovered by tertons (treasure revealers). The first tertons dating to the 11th century were Sangyé Lama and Drapa Ngönshé. Another important terton, Nyangrel Nyima Özer (1136–1204), was the principal promulgator of the Padmasambhava mythos, according to Janet Gyatso. Guru Chöwang (1212–70) was also influential in developing the myths of Padmasambhava. Nyangrel and Chögi Wangchuk (1212–1270) are known as the "sun and moon" of tertons, and along with Rikdsin Gödem (1337–1409), are called the "three grand tertons". By this period we see the establishment of three major classes of Nyingma literature; those translated and transmitted without interruption from the beginning of the Buddhist dissemination are called "transmitted precepts" (bka' ma), the hidden "treasures" are called gter ma and lastly there are those collected works (gsung 'bum) of individual Tibetan authors. Systematization and growth Longchen Rabjampa, Drimé Özer (Longchenpa, 1308–1364, possibly 1369) is a central thinker and poet in Nyingma thought and Tibetan Buddhist philosophy. He is mainly known for his systematized integration and exposition of the major textual cycles such as the Menngagde in his various writings, which by his time had become central texts in the Nyingma tradition. His main writings include the Seven Treasuries (mdzod bdun), the "Trilogy of Natural Freedom" (rang grol skor gsum), the "Trilogy that Clears Darkness" ("mun sel skor gsum"), and the Trilogy of Natural Ease (ngal gso skor gsum). The 14th and 15th centuries saw the work of many tertons such as Orgyen Lingpa (1323–1360), Pema Lingpa (1346–1405), Sangye Lingpa (1340–1396) and Ratna Lingpa (1403–1479). Another key figure was Karma Lingpa (1326–1386), who wrote down an important work called "Profound Dharma of Self-Liberation through the Intention of the Peaceful and Wrathful Ones" which includes the two texts of the bar-do thos-grol, the "Tibetan Book of the Dead". Lochen Dharmaśrī (1654–1717) wrote important commentaries on the Guhyagarbha tantra and his brother Terdak Lingpa (1646–1714) was the founder of the Mindrolling Monastery in 1670, one of the six major Nyingma monasteries. A later seminal figure in the development of the Nyingma system was Jigme Lingpa (1730–1798) "the greatest treasure finder of the eighteenth century", whose Longchen Nyingthig ("The Heart-essence of the Vast Expanse") is a systematization of the path which is one of the most widely used Nyingma Dzogchen teachings today. Rimé and the rise of scholasticism In 1848, the Nyingma monastic college of Dzogchen Shri Sengha (rdzogs chen srwi sengha), was founded in Kham by a charismatic teacher, Zhanphan Thaye (gzhan phan mtha' yas, 1800–), in association with the active participation of Do Kyentse (rndo mkhyen rtse). According to Georges Dreyfus, the Nyingma school had traditionally "relied on non-ordained tantric practitioners to transmit its teachings through authorized lineages." The foundation of this monastic school was a major shift in the Nyingma tradition, and is seen as a response to the growth of the Gelug school's hegemony which was based on a well organized system of monastic scholasticism and education. The sort of study and learning in this monastery was mostly based on exegetical commentary, a contrast to the more debate based Gelug education. In this way, the Nyingma school revitalized itself and presented itself as a legitimate rival to the Gelug school. The 19th century also saw the rise of the non-sectarian 'Rimé' movement, led by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo (1820–1892) and Jamgön Kongtrül (1813–1899) which sought to collect and print the teachings of the Sakya, Kagyu and Nyingma schools in response to the hegemonic influence of the Gelug school. Jamgon Ju Mipham Gyatso ("Mipham the Great", 1846–1912) was born into an aristocratic family in 1846 in Kham, a province of eastern Tibet. Mipham was a student of Rime scholars like Kongtrül. Mipham composed authoritative works on both the Sutra and Vajrayana teachings as understood in the Nyingma tradition, writing extensively on Dzogchen and Madhyamaka. According to Karma Phuntsho, Mipham's work "completely revolutionised rNying ma pa scholasticism in the late nineteenth century, raising its status after many centuries as a comparative intellectual backwater, to arguably the most dynamic and expansive of philosophical traditions in all of Tibetan Buddhism, with an influence and impact far beyond the rNying ma pa themselves." Mipham's works have become the foundation of study for not only the Nyingma lineage, but the Kagyu lineage as well. They hold a central position in all Nyingma monasteries and monastic colleges. Following in the footsteps of Mipham, Khenpo Shenga was also an important figure in the revitalization of Nyingma monastic education by establishing the study of exoteric philosophy at Dzogchen Shri Sengha through the use of classic Indian texts, which include the major works of Asanga, Nagarjuna and Aryadeva. Khenpo Shenga composed commentaries on these key texts and scholastic textbooks. He focused on the study of these texts as a way to avoid sectarian disputes by appealing to classic Indian material. The 19th century also saw the production of new Terma texts, particularly by Orgyen Chokgyur Lingpa (1829–1870), Péma Ösel Dongak Lingpa (1820–1892), and Dudjom Lingpa (1835–1904). Another important figure is Patrul Rinpoche (b. 1808), who wrote The Words of My Perfect Teacher, a key text on Nyingma preliminaries. Teaching Dzogchen Dzogchen ("Great Perfection") is the central distinctive practice and view which is the focus of Nyingma and it is seen by this school as the supreme practice. It is seen as the ultimate understanding of the nature of mind, which is known as rigpa. Dzogchen seeks to understand the nature of mind without the subtle body practices and visualizations of other tantric forms, and Dzogchen tantras state that visualization practices are inferior to Dzogchen, which directly works with the nature of the mind itself. A main feature of Dzogchen is the practice of "cutting through" (khregs chod) the everyday mind and its obscurations to reach the primordial nature of mind or rigpa, which is essential purity (ka dag) and spontaneity (lhun grub), and is associated with emptiness (shunyata). The second form of Dzogchen practice is referred to as "direct approach" (thod rgal) and involves making an effort at recognizing spontaneity through the use of visions or appearances. This is said to be associated with skillful means (upaya). Koppl notes that although later Nyingma authors such as Mipham attempted to harmonize the view of Dzogchen with Madhyamaka, the earlier Nyingma author Rongzom Chokyi Zangpo did not. Practices Preliminary practices Like in other schools of Tibetan Buddhism, Nyingma teaches various forms of ngöndro, or preliminary practices which help prepare the mind for later meditations. These include the cultivation of "bodhicitta", the "four thoughts that turn the mind", and Vajrasattva purification practice. Yidam practice and protectors Deity Yoga is also a feature of Nyingma. The foremost deities (yidam) practiced by the Nyingma masters are Vajrakīla (Tib. Dorje Phurba) and Vajra Heruka (also Vishuddha Heruka; Tib. Yangdak Tratung, ), the third of the Eight Herukas who closely resembles Śrī Heruka of the Chakrasamvara tantra. The three principle protectors of the Nyingma lineage are said to be Ekajaṭī (), Rāhula () and Dorje Legpa (, Sanskrit: Vajrasādhu). Other practices Other forms of practice like Lojong and subtle body practices such as Trul khor are also taught in Nyingma. Nine Yānas The doxography employed by the Nyingma tradition to categorize the whole of the Buddhist path is unique. Nyingmapas divide the Buddhist path into nine yanas, as follows: Sutra system Śrāvakayāna, the Vehicle of the Listeners or disciples. Pratyekabuddhayāna (Hinayana), the Vehicle of the Solitary Buddhas, the way of solitary meditation. Bodhisattvayāna (Mahayana), the Great or Causal Vehicle, the Vehicle of Enlightened Beings, is the way of those who seek or attain enlightenment for the sake or intention of liberating not just oneself, but all sentient beings from Saṃsāra. Outer tantras Kriyā (), Tantra of Action which involves ritual, mantra repetition and visualization. Carya or Ubhaya ( or spyod pa'i rgyud), Tantra of Conduct — equal amounts of meditation and symbolic rituals. Yogatantra (), Tantra of Union. Inner tantras Mahayoga (), Great Yoga. Atiyoga (Dzogchen) ( or rdzogs chen), Ultimate Yoga; the Great Perfection — often practised in monasteries kept specially for this purpose. In the later schools the inner tantric teachings are known as Anuttarayoga Tantra, which corresponds to Mahayoga in the Nyingma system, while the Mahamudra teachings of the later schools are said to lead to similar results as the Dzogchen teachings. The first two of the nine vehicles are seen as Hinayana, the third as Mahayana and the remaining six as specifically Vajrayana. Dudjom Jigdral Yeshe Dorje emphasized the eight lower vehicles are intellectually fabricated and contrived: Rongzom held that the views of sutra such as Madhyamaka were inferior to that of tantra, as Koppl notes: Scriptural canon With the advent of the transmission of Sarma traditions into Tibet, various proponents of the new systems cast aspersions on the Indic origins of much of the Nyingma esoteric corpus. Indic origin was an important component of perceived legitimacy at the time. As a result, much of the Nyingma esoteric corpus was excluded from the Tengyur, a compilation of texts by Buton Rinchen Drub that became the established canon for the Sarma traditions. This means that while Nyingma accept the Tengyur scriptures they also include writings that other schools reject as not being authentic for having no Indic sources—though Sanskrit originals of some have been discovered in Nepal. The Nyingma school has a Kama or oral lineage and a Terma lineage. The Kama lineage is the oral transmission lineage, and is called the "source of Nyingma tradition" by Nyingma scholar Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche. It is further stated by Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche that, The Kama lineage remained predominant from the 8th to 11th century, and Kama masters taught from the lineage's teachings. The Terma lineage is the revealed transmission lineage where Tertons, or treasure revealers, realize the teachings. The arising of the Terma lineage began in the 11th century, and by the 14th century Tertons were more sought as teachers than Kama masters. The Terma lineage was established by Guru Padmasambhava and Yeshe Tsogyal, through the hiding of teachings for the purpose of future discovery. The Kama is the basis of the Terma. The Nyingma Kama lineage begins with Padmasambhava, Shantarakshita, Vimalamitra, and Vairochana. The Nyingma Dzogchen lineage was transmitted directly from Garab Dorje to Padmasambhava. Nyingma Gyubum The Nyingmapas organized their esoteric corpus, comprising mostly Mahayoga, Atiyoga (Dzogchen) Mind class Semde and Space Class (Longdé) texts, into an alternate collection, called the Nyingma Gyubum (the Hundred Thousand Tantras of the Ancient School, ). Generally, the Gyubum contains Kahma () and very little terma (). The third class of Atiyoga, the Secret Oral Instructions (Menngagde), are mostly terma texts. Various editions of the Gyubum are extant, but one typical version is the thirty-six Tibetan-language folio volumes published by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche in New Delhi, 1974. It contains: 10 volumes of Ati Yoga (Dzogchen) 3 volumes of Anu Yoga 6 volumes of the tantra Section of Mahayoga 13 volumes of the sadhana Section of Mahayoga 1 volume of protector tantras 3 volumes of catalogues and historical background Mahayoga There are 'eighteen great tantras' () at the heart of the 'Mahayoga' () tradition, grouped into 'five root tantras' (), 'five practice tantras' (), and 'five activity tantras' (), and the 'two supplementary tantras' (). Together they are known as the Māyājāla. The Guhyagarbha Tantra () is the foremost of all of these and it abridges the content of the seventeen others. Dzogchen texts Dzogchen literature is usually divided into three categories, which more or less reflect the historical development of Dzogchen: Semde (Wylie: sems sde; Skt: cittavarga), the "Mind Series"; this category contains the earliest Dzogchen teachings from the 9th century and later. It includes texts like the Harbinger of Awareness and the Kunjed Gyalpo (Sanskrit: Kulayarāja Tantra; The Great Leveler) Tantra, the most significant of the 'mind' tantras. Twenty-one main tantras are listed, though the Great Leveler contains five of them and other similar texts are included in different recensions of the Mind Section. Longdé (Wylie: klong sde; Skt: abhyantaravarga), the series of Space; dating from the 11th–14th centuries. These texts emphasize emptiness (shunyata) or spaciousness. The most important text in this division is "Samantabhadra’s Royal Tantra of All-Inclusive Vastness" (Sanskrit: Mahāvarntaprasaranirajatantranāma). Menngagde (Wylie: man ngag sde, Skt: upadeshavarga), the series of secret Oral Instructions, 11th–14th centuries. This division, including the important "Seventeen tantras", focuses on two major forms of practice, kadag trekchö, "the cutting through of primordial purity", and lhündrub tögal, "the direct crossing of spontaneous presence." Termas According to the Nyingma-tradition, Padmasambhava and his main disciples hid hundreds of scriptures, ritual objects and relics in secret places to protect Buddhism during the time of decline, under King Langdarma, and for when the dharma would need revitalizing in the future. These termas were later rediscovered. The Rinchen Terdzod () is the most important collection of terma treasure to Nyingmapas today. This collection is the assemblage of thousands of the most important terma texts from all across Tibet made by Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye, at the behest of Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo in the nineteenth century. Hierarchy and teachers Internal administration The Nyingma school traditionally had no centralized authority or Nyingma-wide hierarchy. There was never a single "head of the lineage" in the manner of either the Karmapa of the Karma Kagyu school, or the Sakya Trizin of the Sakya school, or the Ganden Tripa of the Gelug school. After the Tibetan diaspora following the Chinese invasion of Tibet, the Nyingma school temporarily had a head of the school. The 14th Dalai Lama appointed Dudjom Rinpoche to the position in 1960, in a semi-official status. Dudjom Rinpoche led efforts until his passing in 1987 to stabilize the exile community and gather Tibetan Buddhist texts. The temporary Nyingma leadership position lasted from 1960 until 2018 and was largely administrative, but the Rinpoches who served in this role are among the most universally highly regarded. They include: Dudjom Jigdral Yeshe Dorje Rinpoche (c. 1904–1987), served from 1960 until his death. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche (c. 1910–1991), served from 1987 until his death. Penor Rinpoche (1932–2009), served from 1991 until retirement in 2003. Mindrolling Trichen Rinpoche (c. 1930–2008), served from 2003 until his death. Trulshik Rinpoche (1923–2011), served from 2010 until his death on September 2, 2011. Selected after Chatral Rinpoche declined the position. Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche (1926–2015), served from 2012 until his death. Afterwards, it was unanimously decided that the internal administration would revolve between the head lamas of the six principle Nyingma monasteries – Kathok, Dzogchen, Shechen, Mindrolling, Dorje Drak and Palyul. The representatives were appointed for three-year terms at the annual Nyingma Monlam. They include: Katok Getse Rinpoche (1954–2018), appointed during the 29th Nyingma Monlam in Bodh Gaya in January 2018, served until his death in November 2018. Dzogchen Rinpoche (born 1964), appointed during the 30th Nyingma Monlam in Bodh Gaya, India on 15 January 2019. Rinpoche declined the position, owing to his health concerns. The internal administration recently changed. During the 31st Nyingma Monlam in 2020, Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche was requested to accept the position. Rinpoche did not accept, and expressed his concerns about how the continued appointment of a "head of the tradition" would be problematic. Upon his suggestion, the representatives of major Nyingma monasteries decided that the position of "head of Nyingma tradition" would thenceforth not be selected. Instead, representatives would be selected for the Nyingma Monlam Committee, which would look after the welfare of the tradition. The Nyingma school is therefore decentralized and often individual monastery administration decisions are made by the community of the lamas together with senior sangha members. The Nyingma school is also historically characterized and distinguished by this decentralization and by their general wider political disinterest. They have a dual sangha -'red and white'. The 'red sangha' is composed of ordained monks and nuns, usually residing in monasteries and nunneries; the 'white sangha' is composed of vow-holding ngakmapas, who can be householders. Tertons The appearance of terma ("hidden treasures") is of particular significance to the Nyingma tradition. Although there have been a few Kagyupa "tertons" (treasure revealers) and the practice is endemic to the Bönpo as well, the vast majority of Tibetan Buddhist tertons have been Nyingmapas. It is held that past masters, principally Padmasambhava and Yeshe Tsogyal, secreted objects and hid teachings for discovery by later tertons at appropriate and auspicious times such that the teaching would be beneficial. These teachings may be physically discovered, often in rocks and caves, or they may be "mind terma," appearing directly within the mindstream of the terton. Special terma lineages were established throughout Tibet. Out of this activity developed, especially within the Nyingma tradition, two ways of dharma transmission: the so-called "long" oral transmission from teacher to student in unbroken lineages and the "short" transmission of "hidden treasures". The foremost revealers of these termas were the five terton kings and the eight Lingpas. The terma tradition had antecedents in India; Nagarjuna, for example, rediscovered the last part of the "Prajnaparamita-Sutra in one hundred thousand verses" in the realm of the Nāgas, where it had been kept since the time of Buddha Shakyamuni. According to Nyingma tradition, tertons are often mindstream emanations of the 25 main disciples of Padmasambhava. A vast system of transmission lineages developed through the ages. Nyingma scriptures were updated when the time was appropriate. Terma teachings guided many Buddhist practitioners to realisation and enlightenment. The rediscovering of terma began with the first terton, Sangye Lama (1000–1080). Tertons of outstanding importance were Nyangral Nyima Oser (1124–1192), Guru Chowang (1212–1270), Rigdzin Godem (1307–1408), Pema Lingpa (1450–1521), Mingyur Dorje (1645–1667), Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo (1820–1892) and Orgyen Chokyur Lingpa (1829–1870). In the nineteenth century some of the most famous were the Khen Kong Chok Sum referring to Jamyang Khyentse, Jamgon Kongtrul and Chokgyur Lingpa. Contemporary organizations Some of the largest international Nyingma organizations are Namkhai Norbu's Dzogchen community and Sogyal Rinpoche's Rigpa organization. Besides the major monasteries in Tibet, there are also now various Nyingma institutions of the Tibetan exile community in India including Thekchok Namdrol Shedrub Dargye Ling, in Bylakuppe, Karnataka State; Ngedon Gatsal Ling, in Clementown, Dehradun; Palyul Chokhor Ling, E-Vam Gyurmed Ling, Nechung Drayang Ling, and Thubten E-vam Dorjey Drag in Himachal Pradesh. Six Mother Monasteries Of great importance to the Nyingma lineage is Samye monastery (787), the first Tibetan and Nyingma monastery, which was founded by Śāntarakṣita. In addition, the Nyingma tradition has held that there were also "Six Mother Monasteries" out of which developed a large number of branch monasteries throughout Tibet, Bhutan and Nepal. Of these six, Katok Monastery is credited with being the original monastery, after which the five grew. The Nyingma's Six Mother Monasteries are located across Tibet while institutions have been centered in Kham. Many monasteries were destroyed before and after the Cultural Revolution, and most recently demolished at Larung Gar and Yarchen Gar while nuns and monks face arrests and re-education camps. Nyingma monasteries have been rebuilt in Nepal and throughout India, while the Tibetan diaspora has also spread Nyingma Vajrayana masters to the west and in Europe and the Americas. It has also been associated with the Rimé movement. There have been slightly different formulations of the six. At one time they included Dorje Drak Monastery, (14th century, relocated 1632), and Mindrolling Monastery, (1676), and Palri Monastery (1571; formal name Chonggye Pelri Thekchen Ling) in Upper Tibet; and Katok Monastery, (1159), and Palyul Monastery, (1665), and Dzogchen Monastery, (1684), in Lower Tibet. After the decline of Palri and the flourishing of Shechen Monastery (1695), the Six Mother Monasteries were Dorje Drak and Mindrolling in the upper region, Shechen and Dzogchen in the center, and Kathok and Palyul in the lower part of Tibet. The last four monasteries were all located in Kham while Shechen Monastery was rebuilt in Nepal in 1985, after the Chinese destroyed the monastery in Tibet during the 1950s. See also Chokling Tersar Namchö References Citations Works cited Further reading Two Volumes. External links Karmapa: The Nyingma School Katog Choling: Nyingma Lineage Padmasambhava Buddhist Center: The Nyingma Lineage Payul Ling: Nyingma Tarthang Tulku: Nyingma Trust Tergar: The Nyingma Lineage Zangthal: Translations of Tibetan texts into English Schools of Tibetan Buddhism Dzogchen lineages fi:Nyingmapa

1482809

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beulah%20%28radio%20and%20TV%20series%29

Beulah (radio and TV series)

Beulah is an American sitcom that ran on CBS Radio from 1945 to 1954, and on ABC Television from 1950 to 1953. The show is notable for being the first sitcom to star an African-American actress, for being ABC TV's first hit situation comedy, and the first hit TV sitcom without a laugh track. The show was controversial for its caricatures of African Americans. Radio Originally portrayed by a white male actor, Marlin Hurt, Beulah Brown first appeared in 1939 when Hurt introduced and played the character on the Hometown Incorporated radio series and in 1940 on NBC radio's Show Boat series. In 1943, Beulah moved over to That's Life and then became a supporting character on the popular Fibber McGee and Molly radio series in March 1944. On July 2, 1945, Beulah was spun off into her own radio show on CBS, The Marlin Hurt and Beulah Show, sponsored by Tums. Hurt was still in the role of Beulah, and also played the voice of Beulah's boyfriend, Bill Jackson. Beulah was employed as a housekeeper and cook for the Henderson family: father Harry, mother Alice and son Donnie. Rounding out the cast was Oriole Winston, the housekeeper for the family next door to the Hendersons. After Hurt died of a heart attack in 1946, he was replaced by another white actor, Bob Corley, and the series was retitled The Beulah Show, which ran on ABC as a sustaining program from February 24 to August 20, 1947. When African-American actress Hattie McDaniel took over the role on November 24, 1947, with the program returning to CBS. She earned $1,000 a week for the first season, doubled the ratings of the original series and pleased the NAACP which was elated to see a historic first: a black woman as the star of a network radio program. McDaniel continued in the role until she became ill in 1952 and was replaced by Lillian Randolph, who was in turn replaced for the 1953–54 radio season by her sister, Amanda Randolph. From 1947 to 1953, The Beulah Show was sponsored by Procter & Gamble for their Dreft laundry and dishwashing detergents. The show had multiple sponsors for their final 1953–54 season: General Foods, General Motors and Murine. In the Hurt and Corley eras of the program, the radio program was a 30-minute weekly sitcom. For most of the show's run (1947–54), the series ran as a 15-minute daily sitcom, a format popular among daytime serials. Television In 1950, Roland Reed Productions adapted the property into a TV situation comedy for ABC, and the Beulah TV show ran for three seasons, Tuesday nights at 7:30 Eastern Time from October 3, 1950, to September 22, 1953. Most of the comedy in the series derived from the fact that Beulah, referred to as "the queen of the kitchen", has the ability to solve the problems that her employers cannot figure out. Other characters included Beulah's boyfriend Bill Jackson, a handyman who is constantly proposing marriage, and Oriole, a befuddled maid for the family next door. For at least the first season, Beulah was filmed at Biograph Studios in the Bronx while Ethel Waters was simultaneously appearing on Broadway in The Member of the Wedding. Cast changes Ethel Waters starred as Beulah for the first year of the TV series before quitting in 1951. When production moved to Hollywood, Hattie McDaniel, star of radio's Beulah, was cast in the title role in Summer 1951, but only filmed six shows before falling ill. She was replaced by Louise Beavers later in 1951. The McDaniel episodes were shelved pending an improvement of her health, and so the second season began in April 1952 starting with the Beavers episodes. The six McDaniel episodes were tagged onto the end of the second season, starting July 1952 and running until August 1952. It was around this time that McDaniel learned that she had advanced breast cancer. Beavers returned in the role of Beulah for the first part of the third Beulah season, which aired from September to December 1952. Butterfly McQueen (McDaniel's fellow cast member from Gone With the Wind) starred as Oriole for the first season. Ruby Dandridge, who had played Mrs. Kelso in Cabin in the Sky and the voice of Oriole on the radio version of Beulah, replaced McQueen when the entire television cast was overhauled upon the arrival of Hattie McDaniel. Percy "Bud" Harris originally portrayed Bill, but he walked out on the part during the first season, accusing the producers of forcing him to portray an "Uncle Tom" character. He was succeeded in the role by Casablanca pianist Dooley Wilson, until Ernest Whitman followed radio co-stars McDaniel and Dandridge to TV in April 1952. The show was directed at various times by future sitcom veterans as Richard L. Bare and Abby Berlin. Like the contemporaneous television program Amos 'n' Andy, Beulah came under attack from many critics, including the NAACP, which accused the show of supporting stereotypical depictions of black characters, with Beulah viewed as a stereotypical "mammy" similar to Aunt Jemima. Episode status A total of 87 episodes were filmed and produced of the television program. All 87 episodes were included in syndication packages throughout the latter half of the 1950s for local stations across the country. Only seven episodes are known to exist on 16mm format and circulate among collectors. All 87 episodes are housed in an archive in their original 35-millimeter format. 21 episodes of the radio series have survived to the present day, as does Bob Corley's audition tape. As a daily sitcom, preserving the radio version of Beulah was not as high of a priority as it was for primetime programming. The following episodes can be found at YouTube and Archive.org. The New Arrival (air date June 10, 1952), with Louise Beavers Second Wedding (aka The Advice Columnist, air date June 20, 1952), with Louise Beavers The Waltz (air date August 5, 1952), with Hattie McDaniel Beulah Goes Gardening (air date August 12, 1952), with Hattie McDaniel Cast Radio Marlin Hurt: Bill Jackson, Beulah (1945–1946) Bob Corley: Beulah (1947) Hattie McDaniel: Beulah (1947–1952) Lillian Randolph: Beulah (1952–1953) Amanda Randolph: Beulah (1953–1954) Hugh Studebaker: Harry Henderson Mary Jane Croft: Alice Henderson Henry Blair: Donnie Henderson (1947–1953) Sammy Ogg: Donnie Henderson (1953–1954) Ruby Dandridge: Oriole Winston Ernest Whitman: Bill Jackson Announcer: Marvin Miller (1947–1953) Announcer: Johnny Jacobs (1953–1954) Supporting cast members: Louise Beavers, John Brown, Lois Corbet, Dorothy Dandridge, Vivian Dandridge, Roy Glenn, Jess Kirkpatrick, Butterfly McQueen, Nicodemus Stewart Television Season 1: October 1950 – late 1951 Ethel Waters: Beulah Wiliam Post Jr.: Harry Henderson Ginger Jones: Alice Henderson Clifford Sales: Donnie Henderson Percy "Bud" Harris: Bill Jackson (October 1950 to early 1951) Dooley Wilson: Bill Jackson (early 1951 to 1952) Butterfly McQueen: Oriole Leslie Uggams made at least one guest appearance as a young girl while Ethel Waters was the star of the show. Season 2: April 1952 – August 1952 Louise Beavers: Beulah (April–July) Hattie McDaniel: Beulah (July–August; six episodes) David Bruce: Harry Henderson Jane Frazee: Alice Henderson Stuffy Singer: Donnie Henderson Ernest Whitman: Bill Jackson Ruby Dandridge: Oriole Season 3: September 1952 – September 1953 Louise Beavers: Beulah David Bruce: Harry Henderson Jane Frazee: Alice Henderson Stuffy Singer Donnie Henderson Ernest Whitman: Bill Jackson Ruby Dandridge: Oriole References in other media Beulah was referenced in the mockumentary C.S.A.: The Confederate States of America. In order to make the mock documentary more believable, mock commercials for historical goods and services were used such as Darkie Toothpaste and Coon Chicken Inn. Beulah was advertised as being a show (titled Leave It to Beulah, combining the name of the series with that of Leave It to Beaver, and featuring Beulah as a domestic slave) which Confederate families had grown up watching. Notes References Bodroghkozy, Aniko. Museum of Broadcast Communications: Beulah The Classic TV Archive Listen to Jerry Haendiges' Preview Listening Lounge: The Beulah Show (1954) The Beulah Show at Internet Archive – 1946–1954. External links 1945 radio programme debuts 1954 radio programme endings 1950 American television series debuts 1953 American television series endings 1940s American radio programs 1950s American radio programs 1950s American sitcoms American comedy radio programs American black sitcoms Black-and-white American television shows CBS Radio programs American English-language television shows Fictional maids Radio programs adapted into television shows Race-related controversies in radio Race-related controversies in television Comedy radio characters Comedy television characters Female characters in radio Female characters in television Ethnic humour Television controversies in the United States Television series based on radio series Television shows filmed in New York City American Broadcasting Company sitcoms

1482828

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vega%2C%20Haninge

Vega, Haninge

Vega is a town district in Haninge Municipality, in Sweden. As of 2017, Vega has a population of 6,033 people. It is located north of Handen and is part of Stockholm. As of 2019, Vega is being redeveloped with more than 3,000 planned homes. Vega station on the Stockholm commuter rail system opened on 1 April 2019. Gallery References Populated places in Haninge Municipality Metropolitan Stockholm

1482832

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freebie%20and%20the%20Bean

Freebie and the Bean

Freebie and the Bean is a 1974 American buddy cop black comedy action film starring James Caan and Alan Arkin, and directed by Richard Rush. The film follows two offbeat police detectives who wreak havoc in San Francisco attempting to bring down an organized crime boss. The film, which had been originally scripted as a serious crime drama, morphed into what is now known as the "buddy-cop" genre due to the bantering, improvisational nature of the acting by Caan and Arkin. Reportedly, by the end of filming, both actors were confused by the purpose of the movie, not knowing that they had stumbled into a successful character formula. The film was popular enough to spawn various other successful film franchises such as, Lethal Weapon, 48 Hours and Beverly Hills Cop. Loretta Swit and Valerie Harper appeared in support roles. Plot Freebie and Bean are a pair of maverick detectives with the San Francisco Police Department Intelligence Squad. The volatile, gratuity-seeking Freebie is trying to get promoted to the vice squad to garner perks for his retirement while the neurotic and fastidious Bean has ambitions to make lieutenant. Against a backdrop of the Super Bowl weekend in San Francisco, the partners are trying to conclude a 14-month investigation, digging through garbage to gather evidence against well-connected racketeer Red Meyers, when they discover that a hit man from Detroit is after Meyers as well. After rejecting their pretext arrest of Meyers to protect him, the district attorney orders them to keep him alive until Monday. After locating and shooting the primary hit man, and distracted by Bean's suspicions that his wife is having an affair with the landscaper, they continue their investigation seeking a key witness against Meyers who can explain and corroborate the evidence. In the midst of this, they foil a second hit on Meyers by a backup team, leading to a destructive vehicle and foot pursuit through the city, after which they learn that Meyers is planning to fly to Miami before Monday. Tailing him, they receive word that their witness has been located and a warrant issued for Meyers' arrest. Unknown to them, a woman Red Meyers picked up at a local park is a female impersonator looking to rob him. During the arrest attempt at Candlestick Park, Bean is shot by the thief, who flees with Meyers into the stadium where the Super Bowl is underway. Freebie corners the thief in a women's restroom. Despite being shot himself, he rescues a hostage and kills the thief after he nearly bests Freebie with his unexpected martial arts skills. The D.A. arrives after the shootings and tells Freebie that the warrant is canceled because the witness was assassinated on the way to the station. Freebie goes nuts and demands to be allowed to arrest Meyers, which is granted by the lieutenant in command of his squad, only to find that Meyers has died of a heart attack. Freebie is further demoralized to learn that the evidence they gathered was planted by Meyers' wife in an extra-marital conspiracy with his lieutenant. Bean is not dead after all, however, and in the ambulance the two wounded partners engage in a free-for-all when Freebie thinks Bean has been playing a joke on him, causing yet another accident. Cast Production Development The film was based on an original script by Floyd Mutrux, who originally intended to produce his own property. In April 1972, he sold it to Warner Bros. Mutrux maintained he had gotten offers from other studios but elected to go to Warners because he felt studio vice president Richard Zanuck was "the straightest shooter I've ever known." The comedy followed on the heels of two popular action films about the San Francisco Police, Bullitt (1968) and Dirty Harry (1971), and incorporates plot elements prominent in both. James Caan later called the film "sort of The Odd Couple in a squad car, detectives, hopefully funny." Mutrux claims Al Pacino was offered one of the leads but his agent requested $250,000 plus a percentage of the profits, so Warners went with James Caan. This casting happened in June. By August Richard Rush was attached to direct. Rush described the original script as about: Two corrupt cops who ride around in a police car, quarreling with each other like an old married couple. You were never sure which one was the wife and which one was the husband. They became interchangeable. There was also the somewhat clumsy, rough skeleton of the plot concerning a criminal that they must keep alive to testify while assassins are contracted to kill him, which survived through our final film screenplay. I liked these ideas but there was nothing else there to make a movie work. Rush says John Calley, head of Warners, told the director he could turn it into a "Dick Rush picture...He was very generous and promised the studio would be very agreeable. It was the kind of offer that you can't refuse." Mutrux left the project and Rush rewrote the script with Robert Kaufman. The director says "we wrote a new screenplay about two bickering cops that became a prototype of the buddy cop movie. I put a lot of meat on the bones, with the unstereotypical wife of Freebie tormenting him with jealousy and the comic relief of their relationship." In October, Alan Arkin signed to costar with Caan. Rush says Calley, who had worked with Arkin on Catch-22, warned the director that Arkin was "a director killer", but Rush insisted. Before filming, Rush worked on the script with the two stars and Kaufman in several improvisational sessions. Rush says "at my suggestion they turned what had originally been serious drama into bizarre comedy. Slowly their relationship took on the pains and pleasures of a friendship neither could live with or without." Arkin admits that it was Rush's idea to turn the film into a comedy. "I hadn't thought about it. I didn't see it in the script." Shooting Filming took 11 weeks in 1973. It was a difficult shoot, in part because Arkin and Caan felt their characters were being made secondary to stunts and action sequences. Arkin said his relationship with Caan "was great. There is a very exciting interaction between us. Jimmy pushes me and forces me to change...But a lot of the time we've taken a back seat to the action." There were difficulties between Rush and Arkin/Caan. Rush says "the main factor was Arkin. Caan was a copycat. He was Arkin's buddy and would do anything Arkin did...Arkin needed conflict as part of his method, and it was horribly disruptive, but it didn't show in his work." Key scenes were shot on location in San Francisco at Candlestick Park. Dealing with local authorities reportedly was difficult for the crew. The plot includes the protagonists’ repeated "totaling" of a series of their own unmarked police vehicles during three different chase-crash sequences. One sequence was filmed on an elevated portion of the since-demolished Embarcadero Freeway, ending with their police vehicle car crashing into an apartment building. After the car lands in an elderly couple's bedroom as they are watching television, Arkin's character collapses from nervous shock against the wall as Caan's character calls for a tow truck, adding that their location is “on the third floor”. The couple retains their aplomb throughout. Rush said he "shot the film partly in a Tom and Jerry style, with lots of car chases and car crashes, and the heroes are being indestructible. The audience is laughing and enjoying themselves and suddenly Freebie would drive around the corner into a marching band of kids, and just sloughed through them. The audience thought Wait a minute. What am I laughing at?, and the style of the film had changed to stark realism. There was a lot of game-playing in the picture." "I never actually knew what Rush wanted," said Arkin at the end of filming. "He [Rush] is so uncertain it's hard to handle," said Caan. Release Plans to distribute the film in early 1974 were shelved due to concerns about competition with Peter Hyams' similar Busting. The film opened the 1974 Chicago Film Festival. Freebie and the Bean was issued as a Christmas release. Home media The film was released on DVD in 2009 through Warner Home Video's Warner Archive label. Reception and legacy The film was panned by critics upon release. A.D. Murphy of Variety called it a "tasteless 'comedy' about two dumb cops breaking the law". Peter O'Toole agreed to be in The Stunt Man on the basis of Rush's work on Freebie and the Bean. The film was featured in the 1995 documentary film The Celluloid Closet. A 2018 article in Rolling Stone alleged that Stanley Kubrick called Freebie and the Bean the best film of 1974. Box office The film became a substantial box office success. Through early 1976 it had earned rentals of $12.5 million in the United States and Canada. It was one of Caan's most successful movies after The Godfather. Television A short-lived nine-episode television series based on the film and sharing its title, starring Tom Mason and Héctor Elizondo in the title roles, was broadcast on CBS on Saturday nights at 9:00 PM in December 1980 and January 1981. Accolades Harper was nominated for the Golden Globe for New Star of the Year for playing the Hispanic wife of Alan Arkin. See also List of American films of 1974 References External links 1974 films 1974 action comedy films 1970s action comedy-drama films 1974 black comedy films 1970s crime action films 1970s buddy comedy-drama films 1970s crime comedy-drama films 1970s buddy cop films 1970s police comedy films American action comedy-drama films American buddy comedy-drama films American crime action films American buddy cop films American crime comedy-drama films 1970s English-language films Fictional portrayals of the San Francisco Police Department Films adapted into television shows Films directed by Richard Rush Films scored by Dominic Frontiere Films set in San Francisco Films set in the San Francisco Bay Area Films shot in San Francisco American police detective films Warner Bros. films 1970s American films English-language crime action films English-language crime comedy-drama films English-language black comedy films English-language action comedy-drama films English-language buddy comedy-drama films English-language thriller films

1482836

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger%20Valley

Roger Valley

Roger Valley (born January 29, 1957, in Kenora, Ontario) is a Canadian politician. He was a member of the House of Commons of Canada from 2004 to 2008, representing the riding of Kenora for the Liberal Party. Valley worked as a commercial fisherman before entering federal politics. He also served as a city councillor and mayor of Dryden, and was the president of the local provincial Liberal Party riding association for almost ten years. He was elected to parliament in the 2004 federal election, defeating NDP candidate Susan Barclay and Conservative Bill Brown in a close three-way race. The seat was left open after former Liberal cabinet minister Robert Nault announced his retirement from politics. Valley initially won the Liberal nomination in a close contest against Charles Fox, a local aboriginal leader. Unlike the situation in some other Ontario ridings, the nomination battle did not result in lingering divisions for the local party organization; Fox endorsed Valley during the general election. In the 2006 federal election Valley was re-elected in another close race against Brown and Barclay. He lost to Greg Rickford of the Conservative Party in 2008. Election results References External links 1957 births Liberal Party of Canada MPs Living people Members of the House of Commons of Canada from Ontario People from Dryden, Ontario People from Kenora 21st-century members of the House of Commons of Canada 20th-century mayors of places in Ontario

1482837

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trihalomethane

Trihalomethane

In chemistry, trihalomethanes (THMs) are chemical compounds in which three of the four hydrogen atoms of methane () are replaced by halogen atoms. Trihalomethanes with all the same halogen atoms are called haloforms. Many trihalomethanes find uses in industry as solvents or refrigerants. Some THMs are also environmental pollutants, and a few are considered carcinogenic. Table of common trihalomethanes Industrial uses Only chloroform has significant applications of the haloforms. In the predominant application, chloroform is required for the production of tetrafluoroethylene (TFE), precursor to teflon. Chloroform is fluorinated by reaction with hydrogen fluoride to produce chlorodifluoromethane (R-22). Pyrolysis of chlorodifluoromethane (at 550-750 °C) yields TFE, with difluorocarbene as an intermediate. CHCl3 + 2 HF -> CHClF2 + 2 HCl 2 CHClF2 -> C2F4 + 2 HCl Refrigerants and solvents Trihalomethanes released to the environment break down faster than chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), thereby doing much less damage to the ozone layer. Trifluoromethane and chlorodifluoromethane are both used as refrigerants. Chlorodifluoromethane is a refrigerant HCFC, or hydrochlorofluorocarbon, while fluoroform is an HFC, or hydrofluorocarbon. Fluoroform is not ozone depleting. Chloroform is a common solvent in organic chemistry. Occurrence and production The total global flux of chloroform through the environment is approximately tonnes per year, and about 90% of emissions are natural in origin. Many kinds of seaweed produce chloroform, and fungi are believed to produce chloroform in soil. Most of the specifically, chloroform (), bromoform (), and iodoform are easy to prepare through the haloform reaction, although this method does not lend itself to bulk syntheses. (Fluoroform () cannot be prepared in this manner.) Chloroform is produced by heating mixtures of methane or methyl chloride with chlorine. Dichloromethane is a coproduct. Bromochlorofluoromethane is one of the simplest possible stable chiral compounds, and is used for studies. Regulation Trihalomethanes were the subject of the first drinking water regulations issued after passage of the U.S. Safe Drinking Water Act in 1974. The EPA limits the total concentration of the four chief constituents (chloroform, bromoform, bromodichloromethane, and dibromochloromethane), referred to as total trihalomethanes (TTHM), to 80 parts per billion in treated water. Traces of chloroform are produced in swimming pools. References External links National Pollutant Inventory - Chloroform and trichloromethane How Ozone Technology Reduces Disinfection Byproducts EPA - Trihalomethanes in Drinking Water: Sampling, Analysis, Monitoring and Compliance (August 1983) Halogenated solvents Refrigerants

1482841

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feather-plucking

Feather-plucking

Feather-plucking, sometimes termed feather-picking, feather damaging behaviour or pterotillomania, is a maladaptive, behavioural disorder commonly seen in captive birds that chew, bite or pluck their own feathers with their beak, resulting in damage to the feathers and occasionally the skin. It is especially common among parrots (order Psittaciformes), with an estimated 10% of captive parrots exhibiting the disorder. The areas of the body that are mainly pecked or plucked are the more accessible regions such as the neck, chest, flank, inner thigh and ventral wing area. Contour and down feathers are generally identified as the main target, although in some cases, tail and flight feathers are affected. Although feather-plucking shares characteristics with feather pecking commonly seen in commercial poultry, the two behaviours are currently considered to be distinct as in the latter, the birds peck at and pull out the feathers of other individuals. Feather-plucking has characteristics that are similar to trichotillomania, an impulse control disorder in humans, and hair-pulling which has been reported in mice, guinea pigs, rabbits, sheep and muskox, dogs and cats, leading to suggestions for a comparative psychology approach to alleviating these problems. Causes Feather-plucking is generally regarded as a multifactorial disorder, although three main aspects of bird keeping may be related to the problem: (1) cage size often restricts the bird's movements; (2) cage design and barrenness of the environment often do not provide sufficient behavioural opportunities to meet the bird's sensitivity, intelligence and behavioural needs; and (3) solitary housing, which fails to meet the high social needs of the bird. Social and environmental factors Early experience Feather-plucking is often attributed to a variety of social causes that may include poor socialisation or absence of parents during the rearing period and because of this, the individual subsequently expressing the disorder fails to learn appropriate preening behaviour. Several studies have focused on the importance of rearing methods (wild-caught, parent-raised, hand-reared). Isolation In captivity, pet birds are often kept isolated from conspecifics whereas in the wild they would form stable, sometimes large, flocks. These birds may not deal well with a solitary lifestyle. Deprivation of a social or sexual partner may lead to 'separation anxiety', ‘loneliness’, ‘boredom’, sexual ‘frustration’ and ‘attention-seeking’ behaviour. These factors may all contribute to feather-plucking, although no empirical studies have been performed to test these ideas. Barren environment Increasing environmental complexity can reduce feather-plucking, however, other studies have only managed to stabilise existing plumage problems. Re-directed foraging behaviour Increasing foraging opportunities can markedly reduce feather-plucking. This has many similarities with the redirected foraging behaviour hypothesis proposed for feather pecking in commercial poultry. Birds in captivity are usually given energy-dense, readily available food that is consumed rapidly, whereas in the wild they would have to spend many hours foraging to find this. It is considered that a combination of a barren environment and the 'excess' foraging time available is then spent redirecting foraging to feathers of other individuals. When 18 feather-plucking grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus) were provided with food in pipe feeders rather than bowls, their foraging time significantly increased by 73 minutes each day and their plumage improved noticeably within one month. Stress Feather-plucking has also been interpreted as a coping strategy for negative affective states e.g. stress, loneliness, boredom, induced by inappropriate social or environmental factors. Findings in favour of the stress hypothesis include a study in which distinctive room position affected occurrence of the disorder. Orange-winged amazon parrots (Amazona amazonica) that were housed in proximity and direct line of sight to the door showed significantly more feather-plucking compared to individuals housed further away from the door, indicating presence of stressors as a causal factor. In addition, parrots that feather-pluck have been found to have higher levels of corticosterone, a hormone secreted by many animals when they are exposed to chronic stress. It has also been suggested that long day-lengths can cause feather-plucking; presumably this could relate to birds becoming overly tired and therefore stressed. Medical and physical factors Many medical causes underlying the development of feather-plucking have been proposed including allergies (contact/inhalation/food), endoparasites, ectoparasites, skin irritation (e.g. by toxic substances, low humidity levels), skin desiccation, hypothyroidism, obesity, pain, reproductive disease, systemic illness (in particular liver and renal disease), hypocalcemia, psittacine beak and feather disease (PBFD), proventricular dilatation syndrome, colic, giardiasis, psittacosis, airsacculitis, heavy metal toxicosis, bacterial or fungal folliculitis, genetic feather abnormalities, nutritional deficiencies (in particular vitamin A) and dietary imbalances, and neoplasia. For many of the above-mentioned factors, a causative relationship or correlation has not been established and may therefore merely be the result of coincidental findings. Approximately 50% of parrots exhibiting feather damaging behaviour have been diagnosed as having inflammatory skin disease based on paired skin and feather biopsies. The birds try to relieve itching by grooming their feathers, but this often leads to over-grooming and eventually feather-plucking. Neurobiological factors Little is currently known on brain dysfunction in feather-plucking. However, it may be hypothesized that abnormal brain function is involved, especially in those cases that appear sensitive to treatment with behavioural intervention and environmental changes. Psychotropic therapy for birds has been suggested as treatment for feather-plucking although responses seem variable. Genetic factors In orange-winged amazon parrots, a heritability estimate of 1.14 ± 0.27 was found for feather-plucking, indicating that a genetic basis exists. This study, however, only involved analysis of full siblings and a small number of birds, explaining the heritability value of greater than 1. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis could provide more insight in possible genetic markers that are involved in feather-plucking. Treatment Veterinary treatment or an improved and more stimulating environment may help birds suffering from feather-plucking. Organic bitter sprays are sold in pet stores to discourage plucking, especially of newly grown feathers, although this may make general beak-based grooming difficult for the animal. This is not recommended since it does not address the real reason why the bird is picking feathers. Likewise, physical items such as collars or vests, which are commercially available or may be improvised by the parrot's owner from items such as pipe insulation tubes (placed around the neck) or socks (cut into a vest which the bird is made to wear) may prevent the bird from plucking by providing a barrier which makes the act more difficult, but does not deal with the underlying cause of the feather-plucking. Studies have shown that administration of haloperidol to affected birds will cause a long-term reduction in obsessive feather-plucking, however the birds always relapsed as soon as the medication was withdrawn. Clomipramine is also linked to minor long-term improvement for the condition, although it is not generally as effective as haloperidol. Administration of fluoxetine is also known to reduce feather-plucking activity but only for very short periods of time, with the birds generally relapsing after several weeks of therapy and requiring a continually increasing dose of the medication. Use of fluoxetine for this condition is also linked to major relapse of feather-plucking when the medication is withdrawn, and it is known to cause severe psychological side-effects in certain birds. See also Abnormal behaviour of birds in captivity Animal psychopathology Comparative psychology Stereotypy List of abnormal behaviours in animals References External links Feather Plucking in African Grey Parrots Feather Picking at parrotloversforum.com Ricobird: A Solution for Self-Mutilation and Feather Picking Abnormal behaviour in animals Bird diseases Feathers Bird behavior Self-harm

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amanda%20Randolph

Amanda Randolph

Amanda E. Randolph (September 2, 1896 – August 24, 1967) was an American actress and singer. She was the first African-American performer to star in a regularly scheduled network television show, appearing in DuMont's The Laytons. Early life Born in Louisville, Kentucky, Randolph was the daughter of a Methodist minister and a teacher. She had a younger sister, Lillian who also became an actress. Career Music The Randolph family moved frequently. At the age of 14, Randolph began earning extra money playing the piano and organ in Cleveland, Ohio. Around 1919, she moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, where she recorded several piano rolls of hot jazz and blues music for the Vocalstyle company of Cincinnati while working as a musician in Ohio's Lyric Theatre. These are the only known rolls recorded by a black female pianist. Randolph did her work for the company under the name Mandy Randolph. She is shown as the performer of "The Yellow Dog Blues", by W. C. Handy in 1919, Vocalstyle roll # 11562. Randolph also wrote music she recorded for the Vocalstyle company; she is shown as both the performer and composer of "I'm Gonna Jazz My Way Right Straight Thru Paradise", and as the co-author of "Cryin' Blues" with H. C. Washington. Randolph also cut audio recordings, accompanied by Sammie Lewis. A record album was produced in 1996 by Document Records called, Blues & Jazz Obscurities (1923–1931), containing the six duets the pair produced. Still working under the name Mandy Randolph, she recorded "Cootie Crawl" (G11425) on April 30, 1923, and "I Got Another Lovin' Daddy" for Gennett Records. She was invited to join the Sissle and Blake musical, Shuffle Along, in New York in 1924 and went on to do Lucky Sambo as one of the Three Dixie Songbirds (sharing the bill with its star, Tim Moore, whom she later appeared with on The Amos 'n' Andy Show from 1951 to 1953). in 1925, she was part of Sissle and Blake's The Chocolate Dandies. Randolph then worked in musicals at New York's Alhambra Theater until 1930, following that with work in Europe and England for a year. Randolph worked on the vaudeville and burlesque circuits as a comedian and as a singer, noting that Abbott and Costello also got their start the same way. Randolph took a four-year hiatus from show business in 1932; she married and helped her husband run their restaurant in New York called The Clam House, which was a favorite of those in the entertainment industry. She then returned to performing, playing piano at a Greenwich Village club called The Black Cat. She continued recording for Bluebird Records, a label created in 1932 and owned by RCA Victor Records. She did the vocals with her own band, billed as Amanda Randolph and her Orchestra. The records were made in New York City on October 8, 1936. On that date, Amanda cut: "Please Don't Talk About My Man" (Bluebird 6615), "Doin' The Suzie-Q" (Bluebird 6615), "Honey, Please Don't Turn Your Back On Me" (Bluebird 6616), "For Sentimental Reasons" (Bluebird 6617), "He May Be Your Man But" (Bluebird 6617), and "I've Got Something In My Eye", (Bluebird 6619-B). She also recorded "After Hours"; some of these songs can be heard on radio station KBRD which also broadcasts on the internet. Films, radio and television Randolph's film career began in 1936 with Black Network. She went on to do several Oscar Micheaux films, among them: Swing, Lying Lips and The Notorious Elinor Lee. Broadway roles in The Male Animal and Harlem Cavalcade soon followed. Around the same time, Randolph broke into radio, helped by people she met at The Clam House, who got her a CBS audition. She began working on various radio shows: Young Dr. Malone, Romance of Helen Trent and Big Sister. She went on to become a regular cast member on Abie's Irish Rose, Kitty Foyle, and Miss Hattie with Ethel Barrymore, where she had the role of Venus. Randolph also appeared on Rudy Vallée's radio show and on Grand Central Station. She continued working in films until the 1960s, and was one of the first African-American women to become a comedy favorite on television. Randolph and the trio The Three Barons appeared over CBS-TV in 1944, and she was the first African-American performer to star in a regularly scheduled network television show, appearing in DuMont's The Laytons. This short-lived program was on the air two months in 1948. Although sometimes uncredited, Randolph was the voice of Petunia in Famous Studios' popular Little Audrey. The following is a list of cartoons in which Randolph voiced Petunia: Butterscotch and Soda (1948) The Lost Dream (1949) Song of the Birds (1949) Hold the Lion, Please (1951) Audrey the Rainmaker (1951) During the 1948-49 television season, Randolph starred for about a year in her own daytime musical TV program for DuMont, Amanda, which aired Mon-Fridays from 12noon to 12:15pm ET, making her the first African-American woman with her own show on daytime television. Randolph did not settle in California until 1949, when she earned a role in Sidney Poitier's No Way Out. Even though she was working in New York and her younger sister, Lillian, had been working in Hollywood for some time, newspapers often got the two sisters mixed up, doing a story on Amanda but with a photo of Lillian and vice versa. She then became a regular on the early TV series, The Amos 'n' Andy Show, as Sapphire's mother, Ramona Smith, from 1951 to 1953; she also played the same role for the show's radio version from 1951 to 1954. Randolph then began working with her sister, Lillian, who played Madame Queen on the radio and television shows. She was the star and titular character in The Beulah Show from 1953 to 1954, assuming the role from Lillian. Randolph also did some work for CBS Radio Workshop in 1956, playing the role of the folk heroine Annie Christmas in The Legend of Annie Christmas. Randolph had a recurring role as Louise the Maid on CBS's The Danny Thomas Show and appeared in the show's 1967 reunion program, which aired shortly after her death. She guest-starred on the NBC anthology series, The Barbara Stanwyck Show. In 1955, Amanda opened a restaurant in Los Angeles called "Mama's Place", where she did the cooking. Despite all her film and television work, Randolph found herself slightly short of the requirements for a much-needed Screen Actors Guild pension at the age of 70 (both sisters had struggled for roles in the late 1930s). A role was written for her to gain eligibility. Personal life She married Harry Hansberry sometime after 1940. Hansberry was the owner of the "Hansberry's Clam House" (aka "Edith's Clam House") at 146 West 133rd Street, New York City's most famous gay speakeasy in Harlem, The couple had two children before separating, and they remained estranged until Hansberry died of a heart attack in 1961. Death Randolph died of a stroke in Duarte, California, on August 24, 1967, aged 70. She is survived by a son, Joseph, and a daughter, Evelyn. She is interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in the Hollywood Hills beside her sister, Lillian. Filmography ''Comes Midnight (1940) Notes References External links Amanda Randolph Movies & TV New York Times Watch Amos 'n' Andy: Anatomy of a Controversy Video by Hulu "Lying Lips (1939)" at Archive.org Listen The Beulah Show at Internet Archive-1954. 1896 births 1967 deaths Actresses from Louisville, Kentucky African-American women singer-songwriters American women singer-songwriters American blues singers American women jazz musicians American radio actresses Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills) American burlesque performers Gennett Records artists Singers from Louisville, Kentucky American vaudeville performers American television actresses African-American actresses American film actresses American stage actresses 20th-century American actresses Singer-songwriters from Kentucky Jazz musicians from Kentucky Blues musicians from Kentucky Radio personalities from Louisville, Kentucky Methodists from Kentucky 20th-century African-American women singers 20th-century American women singers 20th-century American singers Kentucky women musicians

1482851

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vixen%20%28comics%29

Vixen (comics)

Vixen (Mari Jiwe McCabe) is a superhero created by Gerry Conway and Bob Oksner. She first appeared in Action Comics #521 (July 1981), published by DC Comics. Through the Tantu Totem, which allows her to harness the spirit (ashe) of any animal, past or present, and use its abilities. Two versions of the character appeared in The CW's Arrowverse. The Mari McCabe version debuted in the CW Seed animated series Vixen, voiced by Megalyn Echikunwoke, who also reprised her role in an episode of the live-action parent series, Arrow. Legends of Tomorrow introduced a World War II-era Vixen and Mari's grandmother, Amaya Jiwe, portrayed by Maisie Richardson-Sellers. Creation In an interview, Conway discussed his reasoning for the character's creation: "...what I was trying to address was what I perceived to be a lack of strong female leads in DC’s comics at the time. Or, let me put it this way: there was an opportunity, as DC was looking for additional books. Surveying the titles that they have, it seemed to me there were some obvious openings for characters that had been underrepresented. One of them had been lead female super-heroes. They had Wonder Woman. To a lesser degree they had Supergirl, Power Girl (who I also created), and Wonder Girl. There were a lot of girls, but not a lot of full-formed adult female super-heroes operating at DC, so I wanted to create one I also wanted to create a character who was a minority, and the idea of a female Black super-heroine hadn’t been played up to any great extent at that point. I think Storm (of the X-Men) was around, but I don’t think there were very many other representations of that type of character in the field...She was kind of based on what we called supermodels at the time. It was a very strange social phenomenon that was starting to occur back then. You had these women who were obviously objects of the male gaze, but they were also extremely empowered. They took charge of their own image, their own business, and identity. I wanted to show that. This was the 70s, so I hope female readers today will give us a bit of a pass on this. There were not that many active role models regarding careers for women at that time where you could reasonably say: this woman would have the resources to maintain a career as a super-heroine. What were the jobs available to women in the mid- to late-70s? Clerical work. Teaching jobs. There were very few potential jobs that would provide the potential resources and money that a character like Vixen would need to carry on a super-hero career. That’s a horribly sexist reality we were dealing with. Plus, she’s a minority, and that adds another whole layer of disadvantage that she has to overcome. So, it was a bit of wish fulfillment (for that character, not necessarily for me as the writer), and a bit of practicality to reflect something that was real in our society, i.e. the advent of these take-charge, supermodel/businesswomen." Publication history Vixen was intended to be the first African female DC superhero to star in her own series, but the first issue of her series was cancelled in the DC Implosion in 1978, never to be released. The story was subsequently printed in Cancelled Comic Cavalcade. Since her debut in Action Comics, she has primarily appeared in team books, most notably various incarnations of the Justice League and Suicide Squad. In October 2008, G. Willow Wilson began a five-issue limited series, Vixen: Return of the Lion. Character biography In ancient Ghana, the warrior Tantu asked Anansi the Spider to create a totem that would give the wearer all of the powers of the animal kingdom, only if they would use the power to protect the innocent. Tantu used the totem to become Africa's first legendary hero. The totem was later passed down to Tantu's descendants until it reached the McCabes. Growing up in a small village in the fictional nation of Zambesi, M'Changa province, Mari Jiwe McCabe heard the legend of the "Tantu Totem" from her mother. Sometime later, Mari's mother was killed by poachers and she was raised by her father Reverend Richard Jiwe, the village priest. Reverend Jiwe himself was killed by his half-brother (Mari's uncle) General Maksai. Maksai wanted the Tantu Totem, which Jiwe had possessed. Mari ultimately moved to America, where she established an identity as Mari McCabe and worked as a model in New York City. She used her newfound wealth to travel the world. On a trip back to Africa, she came across her uncle and took back the Tantu Totem, using its power to become the costumed superhero Vixen. Fighting crime Vixen made only two appearances as a solo crime fighter: once fighting poachers in India and once fighting against the techno-psycho criminal Admiral Cerebrus. She was a reluctant hero until the Justice League of America was reorganized by Aquaman. She applied for full-time League membership and was accepted. During her time with the JLA, the totem was taken from her by General Maksai, who still sought its power. The totem would only grant its full power to those who would use it to protect the innocent, and it caused Maksai to be transformed into a raging beast. Maksai died in battle with Vixen. When the team faced the killer android Amazo, Vixen and several of her teammates were beaten into unconsciousness and then left bound and gagged in a walled-off pit. Vixen saved the lives of herself and her fellow Leaguers by using her powers to shatter her bonds and dig to freedom. Vixen continued with that particular incarnation of the JLA until her teammates, Steel and Vibe, were killed, leading to Martian Manhunter disbanding the team. Around this time, Vixen teamed up with Animal Man. She traveled to his suburban house with knowledge of a mysterious, murderous force that was affecting Animal Man's powers. He found himself unable to access his powers correctly. Suicide Squad Vixen returned to modeling, but a Caribbean photo session turned violent; Mari's colleagues were killed by drug smugglers. She appealed to the government, who turned the matter over to the Suicide Squad. She went undercover to capture the drug kingpin Cujo, whose appearance had been revealed by footage from the photo shoot. Along with Captain Boomerang and Black Orchid, she destroyed the operation, but not before she lost control and killed the criminal kingpin. Revolted by what she had become, she agreed to work with the Squad until her animal instincts could be curbed. She worked with the Squad for some time, again seeing more teammates and friends killed. When it was disbanded for a year, Mari returned to modeling and even launched a successful line of clothing. Her failed romance with Ben Turner (the Bronze Tiger) made Vixen decline an offer to rejoin the Squad. She realized that Turner needed mental support, and she reluctantly returned. She ultimately gave up on a future with the Tiger, sensing that he would never admit to needing help, and left the team. Other adventures After the Suicide Squad's heyday, Mari continued to do undercover work. She was drafted for at least one mission for Checkmate (the Squad's brother organization). At some point, she assisted Oracle and the Birds of Prey. She went undercover to investigate a strange "superhero" cult, where the leader was using mind control and wound up brainwashed by him herself. The Huntress tried to help her and was nearly killed. Vixen regained her senses by channeling the stubbornness of a mule to hold back the mind control of the cult leader. She and Huntress then rescued the other brainwashed heroes. Vixen may still have had trouble controlling her animal side while using the totem, as witnessed when she worked alongside the Flash to stop Gorilla Grodd. She also served on one mission with the Justice League Task Force, helped Wonder Woman during a battle with Circe, and helped her former JLA comrades protect Lex Luthor. She then joined the loose-knit Ultramarine Corps. While part of the Corps, Mari was brainwashed by Gorilla Grodd who sent her and other heroes to battle the JLA. Ultimately, Vixen and the others were freed. Infinite Crisis After Sue Dibny is killed in the Identity Crisis miniseries, Vixen rejoined her Justice League colleagues. She was present when the original Firestorm died during a battle with the Shadow Thief. Vixen adopted a new uniform in Infinite Crisis #7, resembling her Justice League Unlimited counterpart. One Year Later Vixen was tricked into battle in Hub City by Solomon Grundy, who had gained increased intelligence following his resurrection. Using her totem, Grundy planned to merge his spirit with Amazo's body and thus gain further power. Without her totem, Vixen found that her innate connection to the "Red", the 'essence' of animal life', was falling apart. She managed to 'lock onto' the totem, but her mind became lost in a flock of migrating birds. After mimicking the abilities of a young boy, Vixen managed to regain her mind and quickly flew to New York to retrieve her totem. Vixen literally dropped into the JLA battle against Amazo. After the villains were subdued, Vixen became a charter member of the newly revamped Justice League of America. Justice League of America Vixen's main story arc in the early issues of Justice League of America Vol. 2, revolved around a change in her powers; Vixen changed from no longer drawing on animal characteristics, but to drawing on the powers of those around her. She matched others' skill levels and, as she suspected, drained powers from them. Superman was first to catch on to this and she subsequently revealed it to Red Arrow. Vixen sought out her former Suicide Squad teammate Bronze Tiger to discuss her situation, and subsequently admitted everything to the League. Chairperson Black Canary instructed her to hand in her credentials and removed her from the team. Afterward, Dinah discussed with Mari the possibility of fixing the properties of the totem with the assistance of Zatanna. When Zatanna attempted to find the source of the problem, she saw a mystic image of Vixen and Animal Man as puppets. When she tried to break the spell, she was repelled by an unknown force. When Vixen attempted to defeat the newly restored Amazo by absorbing all his stolen powers, she became mysteriously weak. She then fell unconscious, with Amazo bearing down on her. When Zatanna and Red Tornado finally resolved the crisis, Vixen went to seek Animal Man, since he had been affected by similar power fluctuations, and was left unable to tap into the powers of Earth-borne animals. There, they were both sucked into the Tantu Totem, where, like in Zatanna's vision, they were trapped in Anansi's net. Anansi revealed his powers and how being the god of stories, he changed Buddy and Mari's personal histories and sources of powers to test them. In an attempt to keep them contained, Anansi restored their connection to the Red, but altered the personal histories of the Leaguers, to prevent them from ever founding the JLA. However, Vixen escaped and sought the new Leaguers to fight Anansi at their side. Although she succeeded in gathering allies, they were still no match for Anansi's power. Vixen held a gun to her totem, even though she knew that if the totem was destroyed, they would all be destroyed. This forced Anansi to return things to normal. Anansi then revealed to Mari that the whole thing was actually a test. He explained that reality had been changed on a fundamental level, and he needed someone to act as his agent against an individual who could take advantage of the situation. He restored Mari's powers, returned her and the JLA to their homes, and said that he would one day call upon her. Return of the Lion Vixen: Return of the Lion is a limited series detailing Vixen's return to her home village for the first time. In that series, Vixen found that a local warlord named Aku Kwesi and his men had taken over several Zambesi villages. It turned out that this was the same man who killed Vixen's mother years ago. When Vixen confronted him, she found that he had powers that rivaled, and possibly surpassed, hers. These powers were based on advanced technology and chemicals that were given to him by Intergang lieutenant Whisper A'Daire. The rest of the Justice League of America went to Africa to render assistance, only to have several members get doused with Kwesi's specially prepared Vodun zombie potion. This allowed A'daire to take control of Superman and Black Canary and pit them against the rest of the League. Final Crisis During the Final Crisis crossover event, Vixen attended Martian Manhunter's funeral, and was later at the Hall of Justice when Empress, Sparx, and Más y Menos came there seeking help after being attacked by Mirror Master and Arthur Light. She later participated in a massive battle with Darkseid's forces after he nearly conquered Earth with the Anti-Life Equation. After Final Crisis In the aftermath of Final Crisis, the JLA was in tatters, with many of its members having to leave. Mari and the remaining team members enlisted the aid of Hardware after Kimiyo Hoshi went missing in her search for Shadow Thief and Starbreaker. With help from Superman's friend Icon, the team emerged victorious in the battle with Starbreaker, with Mari having bright hopes for the future of the team. A short while later, Vixen broke her leg in a battle between the JLA and the dangerous villain Prometheus with Hawkman's mace. While she and the rest of the team tried to recover, they were ambushed by Despero, who sought to destroy the weakened League. The JLA eventually defeated Despero, only to be informed by Zatanna of the horrific events of Blackest Night taking effect across the globe. After the Black Lanterns attacked, Vixen told Kimiyo that she was taking a leave of absence from the team to recover from her injuries. According to writer James Robinson, Vixen was initially intended to have a significantly different exit from the team. According to him, issue #41 of Justice League of America was supposed to have Mari returning to Africa to help defend the continent in the wake of Freedom Beast's murder in Cry for Justice, eventually establishing a team of African superheroes known as the Justice League of Africa. Despite no longer working with the League, Vixen was one of the heroes hunting down Maxwell Lord at the start of Justice League: Generation Lost, and was presumably mind-wiped by him along with most of the Earth's population. She and Black Canary later traveled to San Francisco to help Zatanna capture a group of humans who had been transformed into Were-Hyenas. Sometime after her resignation from the JLA, Vixen traveled to the rundown neighborhood of Liberty Hill to recruit Tattooed Man for a new team of heroes she is putting together. However, Vixen discovered that a group of gang bangers who had formerly worked under Tattooed Man had taken control of the community and made a fortune for themselves through crime. Mistakenly believing that Tattooed Man was responsible for the acts of violence committed by his former thugs, Vixen rescinded her offer and attacked him. After a brutal fight, Vixen willingly surrendered and agreed to leave and let Tattooed Man take care of his neighborhood in his own way. The New 52 In The New 52 (a 2011 reboot of the DC Comics universe), Vixen was recruited as part of the new Justice League International. Her tenure with the team proved short, since she was injured in an explosion and rendered comatose. Her old friend David Zavimbe later joined the team in her honor as Batwing. After the JLI disbanded, Vixen was seen as one of Cyborg's new recruits for the main Justice League roster. DC Rebirth Vixen is recruited by Batman to join his new Justice League of America. Vixen is later seen working on behalf of the League, investigating a lead on a mysterious technology threatening America. Powers and abilities Due to her blood relationship to the Spider God Anansi, Vixen possesses the innate ability to make direct contact with the Earth's morphogenetic field, which is sometimes called "The Red". The Morphogenetic Field/Red is a primordial force that connects all life in the universe. This contact with "The Red" allows her to draw upon the abilities of any animal that has ever lived on the planet. By simply focusing on a specific animal, Vixen can draw its talent from the morphogenetic field and mimic its abilities, giving herself a variety of superhuman powers. Her abilities have allowed her to channel the powers of extinct animals (such as the saber-toothed tiger and the Triceratops), domesticated animals (like the Doberman Pinscher), mutated animals like Gorilla Grodd, and even mystical beasts (like dragons). Her powers even allow her to twist some animal abilities, like when she used the bio-luminescence of a Marine hatchet fish and an Angler fish to produce light from her hand and to create a laser-like beam from her head. Vixen can enhance the abilities of the animals she is mimicking, once when her body was destroyed, she used the regenerative abilities of flatworms to reconstruct her entire body within minutes. Vixen’s abilities can also be proportional to her body, allowing her dramatic increase in strength and speed. By using the strength of a Rhinoceros Beetle she was able to increase her strength 850 times and while using the flight speed of a Housefly she easily broke Mach 2. Vixen's connection to the "Red" also allows her to combine the abilities of multiple animals, once holding onto the morphogenetic traits of an entire forest. Vixen's claws/nails are particularly sharp and tough, enabling her to rend through a variety of substances, such as fabric, wood, cinder block and even soft metals with ease. Her claws are magically enhanced and have drawn blood from individuals who are considered highly resistant to damage or near invulnerable like Geo-Force, Despero, and Pre-Crisis Superman. Occasionally, she has been known to physically transform into animals—for example, she has shapeshifted into a gray wolf, a great horned owl, and a cougar. Vixen can also assume a hybrid form, in which she maintains her humanoid form but with certain animal adaptations, like when she took on the gills, fins, and missing eyes of a blind cavefish in JSA Classified and later shapeshifted into a humanoid wolf (retaining the cave fish's blindness). Vixen also has the ability to communicate with animals and can override the natural predator/prey instinct found in most wild animals. While the full extent of Vixen's control over the morphogenetic field is unknown, she has on occasion drawn pure energy from it and displayed this energy as a force field and energy constructions. While in cooperation with Animal Man and the woman known as Tristess, she helped to create an entire universe. It is unknown what would happen if Vixen tried to use her magical abilities on an alien animal, or if she would gain access to the morphogenetic field of another planet. While assisting Hawkgirl during a mission on a distant planet, she was able to access her abilities. During the time when Vixen was mimicking human abilities, she was able to mimic the extraterrestrial abilities of Superman. This might indicate that she is able to mimic the abilities of aliens as long as she is aware of them. One apparent drawback of Vixen's powers is that she is not always able to control the inputs from the morphogenetic field. Sometimes, she has absorbed unwanted animal behavior, such as instinctive rage or killing frenzy. The longer she stays in contact with the morphogenetic field, the less human and more animal she seems to become. Vixen wears a mystic artifact called the Tantu Totem, a fox-head shaped talisman given to her ancestors by the African trickster god Anansi. It was previously thought that the totem was the source of her powers but later stories, have shown that it merely prevents the morphogenetic field from overwhelming her mind. It can be assumed that the totem increased her natural mimicking range of 150 feet to worldwide, as she has been seen taking on the traits of animals from around the world. The full capability of the totem is unknown but Vixen once used the magic of the totem to heal bruises and wounds within seconds by simply touching it. The power of the totem has also allowed Vixen to tap into the Red and make mental contact with the "Wishers", a group of people around the world who were granted wishes by the Queen of Fable. After losing the totem, Vixen was forced to tap into the human template as a way to purge herself of pure animalistic sensations and regain her humanity. Afterward, Vixen is left with a crippled connection with the morphogenetic field, unable to reach any animal except humans. In this state she shows the ability to mimic metahuman powers, such as Jay Garrick's speed, Geo-Force's earth-based powers, and Black Lightning's elemental control, as well as the Kryptonian superpowers of Superman, an extraterrestrial. Her abilities are not only limited to that of metahumans, as she was able to duplicate Red Arrow's archery skills and even Green Lantern's ring in an issue of Justice League of America, suggesting that she gained powers similar to those of Amazo. It is revealed that this is actually trickery on the part of Anansi the Spider God. Upon confronting him within the Tantu Totem, Anansi restores Vixen’s animal powers. For unknown reason, Anansi has made the Tantu Totem his current home and considers Vixen’s family the custodians and guardians of the totem. While Mari doesn't need to wear the totem to use her powers, she is expected to keep it safe for Anansi. Other versions An alternate universe incarnation of Vixen appears in Flashpoint. This version is a member of Wonder Woman's Furies and former lover of Oliver Queen. An alternate universe incarnation of Vixen appears in DC Comics Bombshells. This version is a lesbian, lover of Hawkgirl, and ally of the eponymous group. In other media Television Vixen appears in Justice League Unlimited, voiced by Gina Torres. This version is a member of the Justice League and in a relationship with Green Lantern. Vixen appears in Batman: The Brave and the Bold, voiced by Cree Summer. This version is in a relationship with B'wana Beast. Vixen makes non-speaking cameo appearances in Teen Titans Go!. Vixen appears in Justice League Action, voiced by Jasika Nicole. This version is a member of the Justice League. Arrowverse Characters inspired by Vixen appear in series set in the Arrowverse Mari McCabe / Vixen appears in an animated self-titled web series, voiced by Megalyn Echikunwoke as an adult and Kimberly Brooks as her younger self. This version hails from Detroit, Michigan. Mari also appears in the live-action TV series Arrow episode "Taken", portrayed by Echikunwoke. By this time, she has become an experienced vigilante with extensive knowledge of mysticism, which she uses to assist Oliver Queen and his team in fighting Damien Darhk. Mari also appears in the second season of the animated web series Freedom Fighters: The Ray, voiced again by Echikunwoke. Mari's grandmother and previous holder of the Vixen mantle, Amaya Jiwe, appears as a series regular in the second and third seasons of the live-action TV series Legends of Tomorrow, portrayed by Maisie Richardson-Sellers. Initially a member of the Justice Society of America, she was in a relationship with team leader Hourman before he is killed by the Reverse-Flash, resulting in her joining the Legends to avenge him. Throughout her time with the Legends, she enters a new relationship with teammate Nate Heywood, defeats the Reverse-Flash and the Legion of Doom, forms a bond with Zari Tomaz due to their use of Zambezi totems, clashes with her granddaughter and McCabe's sister Kuasa, and joins forces with her future daughter Esi to save their village from being destroyed in 1992. As a result of Jiwe's changes to the timeline, Mari and Kuasa share the Tantu Totem. By the end of the third season, Jiwe returns to her village in 1942. Film A villainous, alternate universe incarnation of Vixen named Vamp makes a non-speaking appearance in Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths as a minor member of the Crime Syndicate who can shapeshift into animals. Vixen appears in films set in the Tomorrowverse, voiced by Keesha Sharp: Vixen appears in Green Lantern: Beware My Power. Vixen appears in Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths – Part One. Vixen appears in Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes & Huntsmen, voiced by Ozioma Akagha. This version is a member of the Justice League. Video games Vixen appears in DC Universe Online. Vixen appears as a playable character in Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes. Vixen appears as a character summon in Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure. Vixen appears as a playable character in Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham via DLC. Vixen appears as a "premier skin" for the Cheetah in Injustice 2, voiced again by Megalyn Echikunwoke. Vixen appears as a playable character in Lego DC Super-Villains, voiced again by Megalyn Echikunwoke. Miscellaneous The Justice League Unlimited incarnation of Vixen appears in a flashback in Justice League Beyond #7, in which she is murdered by the Shadow Thief on the night that Green Lantern planned to propose to her. Vixen appears in DC Super Hero Girls, voiced again by Kimberly Brooks. This version volunteers at the Metropolis Zoo. Vixen appears in the Injustice 2 prequel comic as an associate of Animal Man who initially supports Ra's al Ghul and the League of Assassins until Damian Wayne convinces her otherwise. Vixen appears in the Harley Quinn tie-in comic Harley Quinn: The Animated Series: The Eat. Bang! Kill Tour, in which she initially clashes with before eventually befriending Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy. See also African characters in comics References External links World of Black Heroes: Vixen Biography The Unofficial Vixen Biography Unpublished Vixen #1 from Cancelled Comics Cavalcade Vixen—JLA Watchtower Profile Vixen—JLU Profile (World’s Finest) Vixen—JLU Profile (Burning Knights) The original Australian Vixen comic book creation. Created in 1970 African superheroes African-American superheroes Characters created by Bob Oksner Characters created by Gerry Conway Comics characters introduced in 1981 DC Comics female superheroes DC Comics martial artists DC Comics metahumans DC Comics orphans DC Comics shapeshifters DC Comics characters who can move at superhuman speeds DC Comics characters who use magic DC Comics characters with accelerated healing DC Comics characters with superhuman durability or invulnerability DC Comics characters with superhuman senses DC Comics characters with superhuman strength Fictional characters with energy-manipulation abilities Fictional superhuman healers Fictional therianthropes Fictional environmentalists Fictional Ghanaian people Fictional immigrants to the United States Fictional models Mythology in DC Comics Vigilante characters in comics Fictional characters who can copy superpowers

1482853

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9Eivan%20Perwer

Şivan Perwer

Şivan Perwer (born İsmail Aygün on 23 December 1955) is a Kurdish poet, writer, musical teacher, singer. Perwer fled Turkey in 1976 due to the Kurdish nationalism and political tones of his music and lived for 37 years in continuous exile until his return to Diyarbakir on November 16, 2013. He still lives in exile to this day. Perwer also holds several honorary doctorates in music. Birth and early life Şivan (meaning shepherd in Kurdish) Perwer was officially born on 23 December 1955 as İsmail Aygün in Viranşehir, Şanlıurfa. Perwer was exposed to Kurdish music at a very young age, which lead him to pursuing his musical career and Kurdish writing that is highly valued in Kurdish music today. Biography For 25 years, Perwer's songs were banned in Iraq, Syria, and Turkey because they are sung in Kurdish and often cite the oppression against the Kurdish people in the Middle East, most notably Turkey. Cassettes of his music were passed along from hand to hand, despite the risk of imprisonment or death. Şivan became famous during the period of Kurdish protests against Iraqi rule at Ankara University in 1972. His homemade recordings were smuggled over the border, while thousands of people came to see him perform live. Fearing for his life and the welfare of his family and after calls from Turkish authorities demanding his arrest, he fled Turkey and settled in Germany in 1976. There, Perwer recorded his first official album of traditional Kurdish songs. In 1991, Perwer performed at the "Simple Truth" Live aid concert, alongside Chris de Burgh, Madonna, Rod Stewart, as well as other international artists. The proceeds from the concert went to the aid of Şivan Perwer for refugees in Iraqi Kurdistan fleeing the Gulf War and was considered one of the most important humanitarian efforts for the region. In 1999 he followed Abdullah Öcalan’s invitation to spend time with him and Mahmoud Baksi in Rome. Perwer's music had a strong influence on the PKK (Kurdistan Workers Party, which Öcalan led), since his songs were often about the karker (meaning worker in Kurdish). In 2004, Şivan took an initiative for the improvement of culture in society by establishing the Sivan Perwer International Cultural Foundation in Frankfurt, Germany. On Tuesday, March 21, 2006, Şivan Perwer was featured on PRI's The World in their Global Hits segment. In 2013, he visited Turkey for the first time after he left for Germany in 1976. He arrived upon the invitation by Masoud Barzani, who met with Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. There, he and Ibrahim Tatlises sung at a mass wedding in Diyarbakir of 300 couples led by the two politicians. His return was met with mixed feelings by the Kurds. Some were excited to hear him, others wished he would not have come back to show his support for Erdoğan right before the local elections, but rather to contribute to the ongoing Kurdish-Turkish peace process. Thus far, Şivan Perwer has produced over thirty albums, music videos and documentaries. He has written several books and several other publications as well. Şivan has a career expanding over forty years and has received many honorary doctorates and International World music prizes. He has composed music and sung many songs using the poetry of the late Kurdish poet, Cigerxwîn. Cigerxwîn was well known for his poetry about the Kurdish struggle and also about Kurdish culture and history. At one time, Cigerxwîn referred to Şivan as "the Voice of his poetry". Kurdish songs (or dengbêj) are considered by some to be one of the key elements in preserving Kurdish culture and history. Şivan Perwer was very close to Hessin Abdulrahman Swari, who is one of the main reasons for Perwer's fame. Swari was considered by Kurds a man of great integrity and held close ties between Kurds from all parts of Kurdistan. Discography References Kurdish male singers 1955 births Living people People from Siverek Turkish emigrants to West Germany Kurdish-language singers Kurdish musicians

1482864

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louisiana%20State%20Lottery%20Company

Louisiana State Lottery Company

The Louisiana State Lottery Company was a private corporation that in the mid-19th century ran the Louisiana lottery. It was for a time the only legal lottery in the United States, and for much of that time had a very foul reputation as a swindle of the state and citizens and a repository of corruption. Background The company, initially a syndicate from New York, was chartered on August 11, 1868 by the Louisiana General Assembly with a 25-year charter and in exchange gave the State $40,000 a year. With the passage of the charter, all other organized gambling was made illegal. This start almost immediately gave it a bad reputation as having bribed the legislators into a corrupt deal, especially at a time when other states were viewing lotteries and gambling with suspicion. It was founded by John A. Morris and Charles T. Howard, the former owning a controlling interest and the latter serving as its nominal head. Charles Howard served as the first president, having previously worked for the Alabama Lottery and Kentucky State Lottery. Former Confederate Generals P.G.T. Beauregard and Jubal Anderson Early held the drawings. They added credibility but according to the New York Times they were paid handsomely for the few days each month their services were needed. Most of the tickets were sent via special train (there was so much mail it required a special consideration) to agents in the U.S. and abroad who would sell them in their respective areas. In 1890, three years before the charter's expiration, the company bribed the legislature into passing an act to write them into the Louisiana's constitution (thus requiring a successful supermajority of both houses of the Louisiana State Legislature and referendum) by offering to give the state $500,000 per year. Opposition and downfall While the lottery was always opposed on vice and morality grounds, the renewal of the charter and constitutional amendment began the serious, organized opposition that would kill the company. The Anti-Lottery League and its newspaper, the "New Delta" were the main proponents of ending the drawings. The League was backed by many prominent activists of the time, such as Anthony Comstock, and by Edward Douglass White, who argued against it in the Louisiana Supreme Court. The prominent Presbyterian minister of First Presbyterian Church, Benjamin M. Palmer, delivered an anti-lottery speech on June 25, 1891 at one of the League's largest meetings at the Grand Opera House in New Orleans. Many believed this was the final blow to the lottery. The Louisiana State Lottery became the most notorious state lottery and was known as the "Golden Octopus" as it reached into every American home using the U.S. Postal Service. In 1890 the United States Congress banned the interstate transportation of lottery tickets and lottery advertisements, which composed 90% of the company's revenue. The Supreme Court of the United States upheld this statute in 1892. In March of that year the constitutional amendment to renew the charter (which had passed the legislature, but needed voter approval) was defeated. Murphy J. Foster, an anti-lottery gubernatorial candidate, was elected, as were a majority of anti-lottery legislators. During that year all lottery operations were banned, and the charter expired in December 1893. Backed by John A. Morris, it then moved its de jure headquarters to Honduras and illegally issued lottery tickets in the United States. In 1907 its Delaware printing press was found out by federals and shut down. See also Charles T. Howard, 1832–1885, first president of the Louisiana State Lottery Co. References External links The Lottery (Kendall's History of New Orleans, Chapter 31) Timeline mentioning the Lottery with dates Another timeline Information on U.S. Lotteries, Louisiana's is under "Lotteries Began a Comeback" Information on Louisiana with details on the company (PDF) 1868 establishments in Louisiana History of Louisiana State lotteries of the United States

1482867

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/So%20Proudly%20We%20Hail%21

So Proudly We Hail!

So Proudly We Hail! is a 1943 American war film directed and produced by Mark Sandrich and starring Claudette Colbert, Paulette Goddard – who was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance – and Veronica Lake. Also featuring George Reeves, it was produced and released by Paramount Pictures. The film follows a group of American Red Cross nurses sent to the Philippines during the early days of World War II. The movie was based on a book written by Lieutenant Colonel Juanita Hipps, a World War II nurse – one of the "Angels of Bataan" – who served in Bataan and Corregidor during the time when MacArthur withdrew to Australia which ultimately led to the surrender of US and Philippine troops to Japanese forces. Those prisoners of war were subjected to the Bataan Death March. The film was also based, in part, on Hipps's memoir I Served on Bataan. Plot The film begins with a group of several nurses arriving in Australia, having been some of the few evacuated before the Japanese captured their base. One of them is Janet "Davey" Davidson, who wanted to stay and fainted at the start of the evacuation and remains in a coma. An officer asks the other nurses to describe their journey up to that point, beginning a flashback. The flashback begins in California, as the girls prepare to set off for the Philippines. Joan, another nurse, is revealed to have two fiancés because she can't say no to a man. Davey covers for her by stopping the two from figuring out her relationship, and the nurses quickly get on the boat. The war begins as they go to Hawaii, and the boat is rerouted to the Philippines. One of the boats in the convoy is also sunk, with survivors being taken aboard the nurse's boat. One is Olivia, who is very rude and uncaring towards her fellow nurses. On the boat Davey meets John Summers, a soldier who she initially dislikes. They come to like one another over time. Joan meets a man called Kansas, a marine who initially seems nervous. The ship has a party to celebrate Christmas, where Joan and Kansas dance as well as Davey and John. After a fight, Olivia reveals she was supposed to get married that day. However, her husband was killed in the Attack on Pearl Harbor. Since then, she has sworn to kill as many Japanese as possible. Eventually, the ship arrives in the Philippines. Manila has been declared an open city, so it goes to Bataan instead. The nurses do their best to heal their patients, but supplies run low there. Joan takes a liking to the Filipino children in the base, while Janet does the best of anyone. Olivia initially takes up the job of taking care of wounded Japanese POWs, but she can't bring herself to kill even one. At the base John and Davey reunite and kiss. However, the base eventually has to be evacuated as the Japanese advance. Olivia sacrifices herself to ensure the other nurses escape by suicide bombing the approaching enemies with a grenade. The troops move onto a jungle "hospital", which is practically untamed but near a town. Supplies continue to run low here, although everyone does their best. Ma, the leader of the nurses, has to have her son's legs amputated which puts her through grief and puts stress on the entire unit. Kansas and Joan also reunite, with Kansas having fought and now leading a regiment of Filipinos. Janet and John also reunite again. Eventually, a bombing raid destroys much of the base and kills several nurses and doctors. The Japanese show no respect for international law, bombing clearly marked hospitals and ambulances. After John reveals the base's supply convoy has been destroyed and reinforcements are not on their way, the nurses evacuate to a fortress island along with most others. Joan notably has to knock Kansas out with a rock as he refuses to surrender and wants to fight to the death. On the island everything starts going well, but soon takes a turn for the worse. Bombing becomes more common, and it becomes more and more apparent even this "Gibraltar of the East" is going to fall. John and Davey decide to get married, despite this being against military law. The base chaplain conducts a makeshift ceremony, and the two are married. Not long after, John and several other soldiers set out to Mindanao to try to secure supplies. Before he can return, the base financial department starts burning money and the nurses are told they're being secretly evacuated first. Initially hesitant, most agree to go. Joan gives many of her belongings away to her patients, and tells Kansas not to die. He says he never dies, which isn't reassuring as every time he's said something never happens to him it does soon afterward. Davey refuses to leave, saying she promised John she would be here when he returns. Ma tells her John's expedition is considered lost, but only the officers were informed. Upon learning John is probably dead, Janet faints. The nurses evacuate, and not long afterward the Japanese take the island. The flashback ends, with the officer saying he knows how to wake Davey up. He goes to her, and reads a heartfelt letter from John. John informs her he is still alive, still fighting, and still loves her. Davey wakes up and simply says, "John" and the movie ends. The movie was very timely, released just 13 months after the end of the Battle of the Philippines, with focus on allied efforts at Bataan and Corregidor as well as MacArthur's dramatic escape from the Philippines. Although the love-story plot line is the primary thrust of the film, the difficulties and emotional toll of war are also shown. Cast George Reeves as Lt. John Summers Cora Witherspoon as Mrs. Burns-Norvell Barbara Britton as Lt. Rosemary Larson Walter Abel as Chaplain Sonny Tufts as Kansas Mary Servoss as Capt. "Ma" McGregor Ted Hecht as Dr. Jose Bardia John Litel as Dr. Harrison Dr. Hugh Ho Chang as Ling Chee Mary Treen as Lt. Sadie Schwartz Kitty Kelly as Lt. Ethel Armstrong Helen Lynd as Lt. Elsie Bollenbacher Lorna Gray as Lt. Tony Dacolli Production The film originally was titled Hands of Mercy. It was announced in July 1942 with Allan Scott to write the script and director Mark Sandrich. In August 1942, the title was changed to So Proudly We Hail. The same month Claudette Colbert was announced for the lead. Cry Havoc, a unsuccessful play about nurses on the Bataan peninsula, had been much criticized for its inaccuracies so Paramount took extra care with the film to get approval from the War Department and military and nursing advisers. MGM released a film based on the play in 1943. MacDonald Carey and Joel McCrea reportedly were meant to star at one stage. Paulette Goddard reportedly had the script rewritten so her role was as prominent as Colbert's. George Reeves was borrowed from producer Harry Sherman. Sonny Tufts made his debut in the movie. Reception In his September 10, 1943, review in The New York Times, Bosley Crowther observes that the picture "does give a shattering impression of the tragedy of Bataan. This accomplishment is due in large measure to the unremitting realism with which Producer-Director Mark Sandrich has reenacted battle-action scenes. He has put into unforgettable pictures the torture of the Bataan campaign—the weariness, the hopelessness and misery; the inadequacies in equipment and men; the pathos of having to treat the wounded and the sick in shacks and even out of doors; the horror of enemy bombardments from the undefended skies, and, above all, the bitter irony of courageous fighters having to retreat, falling back slowly and wearily, their strength, but not their spirits, played out ... because of it this is a picture which it is shocking and maddening to see. But unfortunately Mr. Sandrich has not been able to parallel the reality of the setting with that of his characters ... Probably because the story ... [is] so empty of real dramatic quality, the performances are hackneyed ... However, a strapping new actor by the name of Sonny Tufts does wonders to give credibility and warmth to the scenes in which he plays ... He conveys the essential illusion of being the genuine thing ... Walter Abel, as an Army chaplain, in one brief speech is truer than any of the girls". Variety's December 31, 1942, review raved: "Mark Sandrich's So Proudly We Hail! is a saga of the war-front nurse and her heroism under fire. As such it glorifies the American Red Cross and presents the wartime nurse, in the midst of unspeakable dangers, physical and spiritual, in a new light. Director-producer Sandrich and scripter Allan Scott have limned a vivid, vital story. It's backgrounded against a realistic romance of how a group of brave American Nightingales came through the hellfire to Australia and thence back to Blighty ... Paulette Goddard does a capital job as running mate ... Sonny Tufts walks off with the picture every time he's on". The film has a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 6 reviews from modern critics, including Matt Bronson: "One of the countless World War II dramas Hollywood produced while the conflict was still raging, this focuses on the American nurses stationed in the Philippines when the fighting there was at its most intense. Yet those who might be tempted to derisively write this off as a 'woman's weepie' had best reconsider, since it's as brutal as Objective, Burma!, Wake Island, or any other he-man WWII offering from the period". In February 2020, Steven Vagg wrote in Diabolique magazine that "Lake's breakdown scene shows her limitations but overall it's a splendidly effective performance, with a spectacular on-screen death – she should have played more death scenes in her career. She had a very good track record in that department". Adaptations So Proudly We Hail was adapted for the Lux Radio Theatre on November 1, 1943 with Colbert, Goddard and Lake reprising their original roles. Awards The film was nominated for four Academy Awards: Best Supporting Actress (Paulette Goddard) Best Cinematography Best Visual Effects (Farciot Edouart, Gordon Jennings, George Dutton) Best Original Screenplay References External links 1943 films 1943 war films American war films American black-and-white films 1940s English-language films Films about nurses Films scored by Miklós Rózsa Films directed by Mark Sandrich Films set in the Philippines Pacific War films Paramount Pictures films World War II films made in wartime English-language war films

1482869

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon%20Seed%20%28film%29

Dragon Seed (film)

Dragon Seed is a 1944 American war drama film, about Japan's WWII-era actions in China.The movie directed by Jack Conway and Harold S. Bucquet, based on the 1942 novel of the same name by Pearl S. Buck. The film stars Katharine Hepburn, Walter Huston, Aline MacMahon, Akim Tamiroff, and Turhan Bey. It portrays a peaceful village in China that has been invaded by the Imperial Japanese Army during the Second Sino-Japanese War. The men in the village choose to adopt a peaceful attitude toward their conquerors, but the headstrong Jade (Hepburn) stands up to the Japanese. Aline MacMahon was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Plot A peaceful Chinese village is invaded by the Japanese prior to World War II. The men elect to adopt a peaceful attitude towards their conquerors, and the women are understood to stoically acquiesce as well, but Jade, a headstrong young woman, intends to stand up to the Japanese, whether her husband Lao Er approves or not. She even goes so far as to learn to read and to handle a weapon, so that she may be properly equipped for both psychological and physical combat. Jade's attitude spreads to the rest of the village, convincing even the staunchest of male traditionalists that the Japanese can be defeated only by offering a strong united front, male and female. Cast Production Reportedly, Judy Garland wanted the role of Jade. Box office According to MGM records, the film earned $3,033,000 in the U.S. and Canada and $1,594,000 elsewhere, but, because of its high cost, it incurred a loss to the studio of $281,000. See also Examples of yellowface Whitewashing in film List of American films of 1944 References External links 1944 films 1944 drama films 1940s war drama films American black-and-white films American war drama films Films based on American novels Films based on works by Pearl S. Buck Films directed by Harold S. Bucquet Films directed by Jack Conway Films scored by Herbert Stothart Films set in China Films with screenplays by Jane Murfin Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films Second Sino-Japanese War films World War II films made in wartime 1940s English-language films English-language war drama films Whitewashing in film

1482870

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aigle%20Azur

Aigle Azur

Aigle Azur was a French airline based and headquartered at Paris Orly Airport. The airline operated scheduled flights from France to 21 destinations across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, with a fleet of Airbus A320 family and A330 aircraft. The airline filed for bankruptcy and was placed in receivership on 2 September 2019. Takeover bids were received, but none proved viable and the airline was liquidated by the court on 27 September 2019. History 1946–1955 Aigle Azur was founded in 1946 by Sylvain Floirat, becoming the first post-war private company and began operating a few Junkers Ju 52s with an increased capacity of 32 passengers. Its founder also managed to secure special transport contracts with the authorities, such as contracts for overseas teachers during the school holidays, with its first destinations to Tunisia and Lebanon. Purchasing more modern equipment from American surplus allowed the company to extend its activities into Indochina and Algeria, where an important market was the repatriation of people back to France. On 1 May 1955, Sylvain Floirat transferred the entire fleet to the Union Aéromaritime de Transport (UAT), along with 54 of the company's crew members and its hotel staff. 1970–2000 In 1970, the company was re-established as a regional airline under the name Lucas Aviation. Its registered office was at Pontoise airport. Lucas Aviation initially operated regional scheduled flights traded as Lucas Air Transport, including a year-round connecting service between Deauville and London Gatwick. The company name was later changed once again to Lucas Aigle Azur. In addition to this regular route, Aigle Azur provided business flights for politicians, businessmen, sporting figures and artists. Since 2001 In 2001, Aigle Azur was in decline, with only two Boeing 737-200 aircraft. It was taken over by the GoFast group (a firm with specialties in freight, logistics, industrial projects and tourism), which invested capital into the company and updated its fleet, while primarily focusing on charter flights to Algeria. When Air Lib ceased trading, Aigle Azur opened regular routes to Algeria. It also benefited from the closing of Khalifa Airways, which had served Algeria from France along with Air Algeria. In 2006, with open sky agreements in place in Morocco and Tunisia, the company was operating numerous regular flights to Morocco's main cities, notably Casablanca, Rabat, Marrakesh, Agadir, Fes, Tangier and Oujda. In 2007, Aigle Azur was offering 30 regular destinations from several French cities, and launched regular flights from Paris Orly to Djerba, Paris Orly to Rimini and Marseille to Sal, Cape Verde. It also rolled out electronic tickets. At the beginning of 2008, the company was able to add new destinations, with regular flights to Faro, in the south of Portugal and Bamako in Mali. At the end of April 2008, it received its third Airbus A319, registered as F-HBMI, increasing the size of its fleet to 11 aircraft. In June 2008, its loyalty programme, Azur Plus, was launched. In May 2009, the company received its first new Airbus A3202, and its presence at the Paris Air Show enabled it to order a fourth Airbus A319 from Airbus a month later. This aircraft was delivered in April 2010. A fifth Airbus A319 was received in May 2010. In June 2010, the company announced its plan to open a route between Paris and Baghdad, starting from September 2010. In July 2010, Aigle Azur began a partnership with the Malian company Air Mali. This meant that Aigle Azur was able to begin selling flights to other African cities, particularly to Dakar, Abidjan and Brazzaville. The agreement came into effect as from 1 August 2010. On 30 October 2010, the company's inaugural flight to Baghdad took place. The airline opened reservations for Baghdad, with the first commercial flights beginning in mid-December 2010. This route was discontinued in mid-2011 due to a lack of reservations resulting from events in the country. On 23 November 2011, Aigle Azur opened a new regular route to Mali. In July 2012, Aigle Azur opened a route between Paris Orly and Moscow Vnukovo. To accelerate its growth strategy and expand its network into the long-haul sector, on 23 October 2012 Aigle Azur announced that the Chinese conglomerate HNA Group had bought shares, leaving HNA Group (notably the owner of Hainan Airlines, Hong Kong Airlines, China West Airlines, Lucky Air, Tianjin Airlines, and Hong Kong Express) as the owner of 48% of Aigle Azur's capital. Thus the company was owned by Weaving Group, Lu Azur and the HNA Group. On 18 December 2012, Aigle Azur and Corsair International signed a commercial partnership agreement to harmonise their respective networks in order to enhance their passenger connections at Paris Orly. Aigle Azur and Corsair were then both able to make the most of their geographic deployments by cross-selling tickets each to their own customers, and in doing so generating additional revenues5. By 2014, Aigle Azur was the second-largest French airline after Air France, and ahead of Air Austral and Corsair International, and employed 1,400 people6. The company was mainly competing with Air France, Air Algérie, EasyJet and TAP Air Portugal. In 2015, it opened connecting flights between Marseille and Dakar, then Lyon and Dakar, followed by a route to Conakry in 2016. In 2017, Weaving Group sold the remaining 32% of its shares to David Neeleman (who was known to be involved with Azul Brazilian Airlines and TAP Air Portugal, and previously had ties to JetBlue)7, thereby withdrawing from the company. At the request and with the support of the three Aigle Azur shareholders HNA Group, David Neeleman, and Lu Azur, Frantz Yvelin was named CEO of Aigle Azur8, becoming the third entrepreneur to lead the company. Frantz Yvelin previously founded L'Avion in 2006 (now Openskies) and La Compagnie in 2013. 2017 also saw the launch of routes to Beirut, Berlin Tegel, and Moscow Domodedovo, and two Airbus A330 aircraft were ordered for the launch of long-haul flights. On 29 March 2018, Frantz Yvelin held a press conference in Paris to present the company's new strategic directions. After major development of the network in 2017, the company announced new long-haul routes to São Paulo and Beijing to open in July and September 2018, respectively, with year-round service. Aigle Azur received two Airbus A330-200 aircraft formerly operated by Air Berlin in April 2018 to operate these two routes. Both were equipped with new cabins and a new visual identity9. Aigle Azur also launched its first domestic route in 2018, between Lyon and Nantes, as well as a service to Italy (Milan). The company also developed new partnerships, including with Air Caraïbes, S7 Airlines, and TAP Air Portugal, in addition to the existing ones with Azul and Hainan Airlines. On 22 January 2019, Aigle Azur announced it would launch a regular route to Kyiv by 18 April 2019. French businessman Gerard Houa – who controls around 20% of the carrier – tried to take control but was rejected by HNA Group and David Neeleman. After that, the carrier was placed under the control of a temporary administrator on 27 August 2019 at the request of its president. Bankruptcy and liquidation Aigle Azur filed for bankruptcy and was placed in receivership on 2 September 2019, while it continued to operate flights. Flights to Mali, Brazil and Portugal were suspended as of 5 September, and ticket sales ceased for all flights after 10 September. Later on 5 September, the receiver decided to suspend all flights as of the evening of 6 September, citing the company's financial situation and operational difficulties. A deadline of 9 September was set for takeover offers. Aigle Azur's 9,800 slots at Orly are reportedly of particular interest; the slots cannot be purchased directly, however, only via a takeover of the company. In total, 14 takeover offers were received. Confirmed bids to take over a significant proportion of assets were received from Air France, Groupe Dubreuil (owners of Air Caraïbes and French Bee) and Lu Azur (owned by former shareholder Gerard Houa). Expressions of interest primarily for activities at Orly were received from EasyJet, Vueling and other unnamed bidders. A commercial court hearing on 16 September gave bidders until 18 September to submit revised proposals. A joint bid from Air France and Groupe Dubreuil was deemed by trade unions to offer the best conditions for personnel, though legal problems relating to the conditions on which personnel would be transferred to the new owner remained to be resolved. The receivership period was extended until 27 September to allow negotiations to continue. None of the bids proved viable, and the airline was formally liquidated by the commercial court on 27 September 2019. Livery and logo Aigle Azur most recently used a “Eurowhite”-type livery, with white paint along the front of the fuselage and the company's name in navy blue. The tail represented a cloud in a blue sky, with a schematic representation of an eagle flying over the top with spread wings. The engines and the winglets were also painted azure blue. From 1946 to 1955, the fuselage of Aigle Azur aircraft was bare metal, separated under the cabin windows by a dash of the same azure. The vertical fin, also in bare metal, was adorned with two parallel horizontal dashes on the rudder and the old logo (an eagle flying over a globe). At the end of 2012, the company unveiled new graphic branding: a new font using capital letters for the name, as well as a digital prototype of an A320 from the fleet; the tail (becoming navy blue) was adorned with the old logo, enlarged and in azure, with three parallel lines of the same colour. The winglets also remained azure blue. Destinations Codeshare agreements Aigle Azur had codeshare agreements with the following airlines: Air Caraïbes Azul Brazilian Airlines Corsair International Hainan Airlines S7 Airlines TAP Air Portugal Fleet At the time of closure, the Aigle Azur fleet consisted of the following aircraft: Historical fleet Aigle Azur previously operated the following aircraft: See also List of defunct airlines of France References Citations Bibliography Gradidge J.M.G. DC-1 DC-2 DC-3 The First Seventy Years. Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. Tonbridge, Kent. 2006. . External links Official website Timetable Images – Lucas Air Transport, Lucas Aigle Azur, Aigle Azur Defunct airlines of France Airlines established in 1946 Airlines disestablished in 2019 French companies established in 1946 2019 disestablishments in France HNA Group

1482871

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The%20Spiral%20Staircase%20%281946%20film%29

The Spiral Staircase (1946 film)

The Spiral Staircase is a 1946 American psychological horror film directed by Robert Siodmak and starring Dorothy McGuire, George Brent, and Ethel Barrymore. Set over the course of one evening, the film follows a mute young woman in an early-20th century Vermont town who is stalked and terrorized in a rural mansion by a serial killer targeting women with disabilities. Kent Smith, Rhonda Fleming, Gordon Oliver and Elsa Lanchester appear in supporting roles. It was adapted for the screen by Mel Dinelli from the novel Some Must Watch (1933) by Ethel Lina White. The project originated with producer David O. Selznick, who purchased the rights to White's novel, intending to cast Ingrid Bergman in the lead role. Selznick subsequently sold the rights to RKO Radio Pictures, who commenced production and cast McGuire in the lead. Filming took place at the RKO Radio Pictures studio lot in Los Angeles between August and October 1945. The Spiral Staircase premiered in New York City on February 6, 1946 and went on to become a box-office success, earning nearly $3 million. It was met by favorable critical reviews, praised for its cinematography, atmosphere, and suspense. Barrymore earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in the film. In the years since its release, film scholars have noted The Spiral Staircase for its stylistic mixture of horror and film noir elements, and cited it as a progenitor of the contemporary slasher film. Plot In a village in 1906 Vermont, Helen, a mute girl, attends a silent film screening in a local inn. During the screening, a paraplegic woman limps out of the theatre to her room. She is strangled by a man who was hiding in her closet. Her murder is the third in a string of killings in the community. Dr. Parry, a friend of Helen's, drives her to the Warren home, a large estate outside town where Helen is employed as a live-in companion for the bedridden Mrs. Warren. Also residing in the house are Mrs. Warren's stepson Albert, a local professor; her son, Steven, a charming, rakish playboy; and live-in staff: Mrs. Oates, a housekeeper; her husband Mr. Oates, a handyman; Blanche, Albert's beautiful secretary who is having an affair with Steven, who has recently returned from abroad; and Nurse Barker, who Mrs. Warren verbally abuses. In the mansion while Helen pauses to see herself in a mirror, the killer is spying on her. Before anything happens to her, someone enters the area. Helen finds Mrs. Oates, who discusses the murder and expresses fear for Helen, as the killer appears to be targeting women with disabilities. After Mrs. Warren loses consciousness, Dr. Parry is summoned to the home. Nurse Barker discovers that the bottle of ether has gone missing, and Albert sends Mr. Oates to retrieve some in town. Meanwhile, Mrs. Warren regains consciousness and urges Dr. Parry to take Helen with him. He offers to take Helen to Boston and help her work through the trauma of her parents' death, the shock of which triggered her muteness. She agrees to go, and Dr. Parry makes plans to return in the evening. After an argument with Steven, Blanche asks Helen if she can leave with her that night. She agrees, and Blanche goes down the spiral staircase to the basement to retrieve her suitcase. There Blanche is attacked and strangled by the killer. Helen finds her corpse in the basement and is confronted by Steven. Frightened that he is responsible, she locks him downstairs and flees upstairs. She attempts to wake Mrs. Oates who has passed out, drunk on the professor's stolen brandy. Helen attempts to call Dr. Parry but is unable to speak to the telephone operator. Albert finds Helen frantic, and she writes on a notepad that Blanche has been murdered. As he follows her up the staircase to Mrs. Warren's room, he confesses to killing her out of jealousy, "Blanche, whom I loved, did not love me." Albert then reveals how he got everyone out of the way to get her alone, and that he has a goal of killing the "weak and imperfect of the world." Albert tells her: "I saw you earlier looking at yourself in the mirror, and you had no mouth." Helen flees, locking herself in Mrs. Warren's bedroom. Meanwhile, the constable shows up and is answered at the front door by Albert; he leaves a message for Helen letting her know that Dr. Parry is unable to return that night. Helen returns to the basement to free Steven but finds Albert waiting. He chases her, but they are met by Mrs. Warren, armed with a gun. She shoots Albert, killing him, and Helen screams in horror. Mrs. Warren explains that she suspected Albert was the killer, but wasn't sure because the murders stopped when Steven was away. She notes Albert started killing again when Steven returned to cast suspicion on him. Mrs. Warren orders Helen to retrieve Steven, so she frees him from the basement closet. Mrs. Warren embraces him and dies on the staircase in his arms. Downstairs, Helen calls Dr. Parry on the telephone—she is now able to fully speak. Cast Analysis Since its release, The Spiral Staircase has been subject to significant film criticism and academic discussion, particularly in regard to the film's visual motifs and blending of horror and film noir. Although characterized by contemporaneous press as a "mystery romance," the film has been noted by contemporary critics for its prominent Gothic horror elements. It has also been cited as one of numerous progenitors to the slasher film, specifically for its female-centric cast and point-of-view cinematography deployed during scenes in which the killer stalks his victims. Film scholar Amy Golden notes several significant visual allusions in the film, such as Luis Buñuel's Un chien andalou (1929) and Maya Deren's Meshes of the Afternoon (1943). Golden cites the film as a "quintessential example of 1940s horror." Writer Denis Grunes in 2007 suggested the film is "in fact a masked allegory of the passage of silent cinema into sound," citing the mute protagonist's predicament as evidence. This notion was also suggested by film scholar Amy Lawrence in her 1991 book Echo and Narcissus: Women's Voices in Classical Hollywood Cinema. Production Development Adapted from the Ethel Lina White novel Some Must Watch (1933), The Spiral Staircase was screenwriter Mel Dinelli's first screenplay. RKO Pictures had acquired the rights to produce the film from independent producer David O. Selznick, who himself purchased the rights to White's novel; Selznick had originally conceived a film adaptation with Ingrid Bergman in the lead role. Selznick sold the rights to the project (along with several others he owned) to RKO in order to help finance the Western Duel in the Sun (1946). Under the terms of the sale, Selznick was given a back end cut of the film's earnings, and subsequently gave star Dorothy McGuire a convertible as a bonus for appearing in the film. The screenplay originally bore the same title as White's novel, though a subsequent working title for the project was The Silence of Helen McCord. When writing the screenplay, Dinelli received input from Dore Schary, who was recommended by Selznick. In the early stages of Dinelli's writing, it was decided to change the setting from England to New England in the United States, which Dinelli and Schary both decided would lend a Gothic tone to the story. The spiral staircase featured in the script (from which the title of the film takes its name) also featured in White's original novel. Filming The film was shot between August and November 1945 on the RKO Studio lot in Los Angeles, California, on a production budget of approximately $750,000. In November 1945, it was publicized that actress McGuire went missing for approximately twenty minutes during filming after unintentionally locking herself in one of several labyrinthine rooms constructed in a studio basement. Cinematographer Nicholas Musuraca was hired to shoot the film, who had previously shot several low-budget films for Val Lewton at RKO, such as Cat People (1942), The Seventh Victim (1943), and The Curse of the Cat People (1944). Musuraca employed several techniques to achieve the film's chiaroscuro-inspired compositions, which included shooting at low angles to achieve the appearance of deep shadows onscreen. In order to conceal the killer's identity, Musuraca shot director Siodmak's eyes for the close-up shots of the killer watching Helen. On October 10, 1945, toward the end of the shoot, the film's assistant director, Harry Scott, died. The film featured in the opening sequence at the movie house is D. W. Griffith's The Sands of Dee, which was in reality released in 1912, six years after The Spiral Staircase takes place. Release Box office The Spiral Staircase premiered in New York City on February 6, 1946. This was followed by a national theatrical run, during which the film screened in various cities across the United States during the late-winter and early-spring months of 1946. It was later screened in England and Wales in June 1946. During its theatrical run, the film managed to gross $885,000, with a total of $2.8 million in U.S. rentals, according to Variety. The film was a box-office success, netting a profit of approximately $900,000. Critical reception Variety wrote, "This is a smooth production of an obvious, though suspenseful murder thriller, ably acted and directed. Mood and pace are well set, and story grips throughout." Bosley Crowther of The New York Times wrote, "This is a shocker, plain and simple, and whatever pretensions it has to psychological drama may be considered merely as a concession to a currently popular fancy." During its local theatrical runs, the film earned reviews in various local press: a review in the Pittsburgh Press called the film a "blood-and-thunder melodrama...done so well except that it tends to be tedious at times instead of tense, so leisurely is it paced that it works up considerable suspense." In the Beatrice Daily Sun of Beatrice, Nebraska, it was noted: "An ingenious plot and the work of a superb cast lend distinction to The Spiral Staircase," with the film being ultimately deemed as "gripping." A review published in the Corvallis Gazette-Times of Corvallis, Oregon, summarized: On the internet review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 87% based on , with a weighted average rating of 8/10. Contemporary author and film critic Leonard Maltin awarded the film three and a half out of a possible four stars, calling it "[a] Superb Hitchock-like thriller with [an] unforgettable performance by McGuire". Pauline Kael praised the film's establishment of characters, noting that it "has all the trappings of the genre...but the psychopaths are quite presentable people, and this, plus the skillful, swift direction, makes the terror convincing." A review published in the Time Out film guide called the film a "superb thriller," concluding: "Hitchcock couldn't have bettered the casual mastery with which the opening defines not just time and place (small town, turn of the century) but the themes of voyeurism and entrapment." Film scholar Andrew Spicer praised the film's cinematography, calling it "the most beautifully crafted of Siodmak's films, superbly paced with the suspense steadily accumulating in intensity aided by the expressive cinematography of Nicholas Musuraca." Tom Milne of the Time Out Film Guide called the film "one of the undoubted masterpieces of the Gothic mode." Ethel Barrymore was nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the 19th Academy Awards. Home media The Spiral Staircase was released on VHS and DVD in 2000 by Anchor Bay Entertainment. It was re-released on DVD by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 2005 after the studio and its catalogue were acquired by Sony Pictures. On October 2, 2018, Kino Lorber released DVD and Blu-ray editions in the United States under license from Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, which owns this film as part of the David O. Selznick library; Kino Lorber's release features a 4K scan from the original film elements. Adaptations The novel was adapted for a radio production starring Helen Hayes before reaching the screen. The Spiral Staircase was adapted as a half-hour radio play on the November 25, 1949, broadcast of Screen Director's Playhouse, starring Dorothy McGuire in her original role. In 1961, a televised adaptation starring Elizabeth Montgomery and Lillian Gish was released. It was remade again in 1975 as The Spiral Staircase with Jacqueline Bisset, and again as a 2000 TV film The Spiral Staircase with Nicollette Sheridan. Notes References Sources External links The Spiral Staircase on the Screen Directors Playhouse (November 25, 1949) at the Internet Archive 1946 films 1946 horror films 1946 mystery films 1940s psychological thriller films 1940s psychological horror films 1940s serial killer films American black-and-white films American mystery films American psychological thriller films American psychological horror films American serial killer films 1940s English-language films Film noir Films about disability in the United States Films about mental health Films scored by Roy Webb Films set in 1906 Films set in country houses Films set in Vermont Films shot in Los Angeles Films based on British novels Films based on mystery novels Films directed by Robert Siodmak Period horror films RKO Pictures films 1940s American films English-language horror films English-language crime films English-language mystery films English-language thriller films

1482874

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saratoga%20Trunk

Saratoga Trunk

Saratoga Trunk is a 1945 American Western film (or historical romance film, per the American Film Institute) directed by Sam Wood and starring Gary Cooper, Ingrid Bergman, and Flora Robson. Written by Casey Robinson, based on the 1941 novel Saratoga Trunk by Edna Ferber, the film is about a Texas gambler and the daughter of a Creole aristocrat and his beautiful mistress. They become lovers and work together to seek justice from a society that has ruined their parents and rejected them. The title of the film and novel has a dual meaning. Clio says at one point that she thought a Saratoga trunk had to do with luggage, not a railroad line. It meant both. Saratoga trunks were top of the line for elegant travelers. Plot New Orleans, 1875. Clio Dulaine returns, plotting revenge. Years earlier, she and her late mother were banished to Paris by her father's family, the Dulaines. Clio's mother was his mistress; Clio was born out of wedlock. His family forced him to marry a woman of his own class. When Rita tried to shoot herself, he intervened. She was accused of murdering him. Clio has two devoted allies—her maid, Angelique, and a dwarf servant, Cupidon. They restore her mansion on Rampart Street; she assumes the name “Comtesse de Chanfrais”. Clio plans to shame the Dulaines and marry a rich man, but Angelique says Clio is like her mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, fools for love. “They always hope, ladies like her, but never so…” One Sunday morning, at the market, Clio falls in love at first sight with a tall Texan gambler, Clint Maroon. A furious Angelique whisks Clio away, but they soon meet at Begue's, a famous restaurant, where Clio takes the Dulaine's regular table. The Dulaines recognize her and flee, and Clio invites Clint to sit at her table. At the house, Clint mistakes her for a prostitute. She slams the door on him. He haunts the house for weeks. Angelique intercepts a letter of apology. At last, Clio goes to church; he kneels beside her. They reconcile and become lovers. Clint has no interest in marriage, even with the girl back home who embroidered his neckties. He promises Angelique that he won't interfere with Clio's plans, because he wants her to be happy, but when she proposes opening a gambling house, he moves on to Saratoga. Clio's obsession with revenge keeps her in New Orleans. Clio's various efforts to embarrass the Dulaines finally pay off. If Clio leaves New Orleans and gives up the name Dulaine, they will pay her $10,000 and bring her mother's body to New Orleans for burial as “Rita Dulaine, loving wife.” Clint writes that the resort is “crawling with...respectable millionaires.” When Clio arrives, railroad heir Bartholomew Van Steed is at the station: Clio sent a telegram in his mother’s name. At the hotel, “Colonel Maroon” offers part of his suite to the Comtesse. Clint watches with amusement as Clio conquers the resort and Van Steed, with help from Sophie Bellop. Clio confesses to Sophie that she is desperate for the respectability and security money can bring. Van Steed's mother arrives, but Sophie foils her. Van Steed is enchanted, but he has business problems. In his effort to monopolize railroads, Tycoon Raymond Soule, who destroyed Clint's father, has hired an army of goons to physically take over Van Steed's Saratoga trunk line. Clint makes the Saratoga shareholders an offer. In exchange for shares in the railroad, he will import a gang of men who are eager to get back at the tycoon who stole their land. Clint goes to Albany, where Cupidon secretly boards the train. They take back the railroad, station by station. However, Soule sends a train from the end of the line in Binghamton. They crash head on. In the battle that follows, Cupidon is injured protecting Clint. At Saratoga Springs, Clio dresses for the costume ball. Fearing for Cupidon, Angelique tells her about the plan. Clio accuses Bart of cowardice. He calmly proposes. He knows everything. He uses his mother. He gets what he wants, and he wants Clio. At the ball, men are talking about the success of the battle. Clio is distraught. Clint staggers in, carrying Cupidon, and collapses when Clio hugs him. Clio is weeping at Clint's bedside, struggling with a piece of embroidery. He pretends to be delirious, speaking to another girl. Clio protests that she has changed, she is like her mother. She loves him.  “Rich and respectable, that's me,” he moans. When she says “I'll let you wear the pants” he declares, “Honey, that's all I wanted to know!” They laugh and kiss, and Angelique drags a laughing Cupidon away from the keyhole. Cast Production notes Ethel Waters and Lena Horne were both considered for the role of Angelique, the Haitian maid. Instead of a woman of color, Warner Bros. cast British actress Flora Robson in dark makeup. This was unusual, as by this time, the use of what was blackface was considered inappropriate and offensive. Shot in 1943, the film was not released until 1945. Reception Box office The film was Warner Bros.' most popular movie of 1946. According to Warner Bros. records, it earned rentals of $5,148,000 in the U.S. and $2,653,000 elsewhere. According to Variety, the film earned $4,250,000 in theatrical rentals through its North American release. Accolades At the 19th Academy Awards, Flora Robson was nominated for Best Supporting Actress. References External links Saratoga Trunk on Lux Radio Theater 1945 films 1945 romantic drama films 1940s historical films American romantic drama films American historical films American Western (genre) films 1945 Western (genre) films American black-and-white films Films scored by Max Steiner Films based on American novels Films directed by Sam Wood Films produced by Hal B. Wallis Films set in New Orleans Films set in the 1870s Warner Bros. films Films based on works by Edna Ferber 1940s English-language films 1940s American films English-language Western (genre) films English-language romantic drama films English-language historical films

1482875

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John%2020%3A7

John 20:7

John 20:7 is the seventh verse of the twentieth chapter of the Gospel of John in the Bible. In this verse, Peter is standing in Jesus' empty tomb. The Beloved Disciple and perhaps Mary Magdalene are outside. This verse describes the arrangement of the grave clothes they see. Content In the King James Version of the Bible the text reads: And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. The English Standard Version translates the passage as: and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. For a collection of other versions see BibleHub John 20:7 Analysis The translation and meaning of this verse are much debated. The napkin/face cloth in Greek is a soudarium, from the Latin sudarium, literally a "sweat rag", a piece of cloth used to wipe the sweat from one's brow. Most scholars believe it refers to a cloth wrapped around the head of the deceased, perhaps to keep the mouth from falling open. Ader has a different reading, seeing soudarium as meaning the same thing as the word sindon, which in the synoptic gospels refers to any of the burial cloths. The word soudarium is used in a different context in , where a servant uses one to wrap his money. The exact relationship between this headpiece and the other clothes is not certain. The passage can be read either as meaning the cloth is not in the same location of the others or as meaning the cloth is not lying in the same manner of the others. Is the cloth separated from the others, and if so where is it? One interpretation is that this separation merely reflects the distance from the head to the torso. Others see the cloth as being moved to a part of the burial place or tomb well away from the other cloths. Those who believe the phrase is closer to "not lying like" believe that it simply refers to the head cloth being in a ball rather than lying flat like the others. Also, the words translated "wrapped together", and "rolled up" are from the Greek word pronounced (en-too-lis'-so) #1794. And this Greek word is from #1722 which has a meaning "Eliptical", as an oval. This is a much different view of what John saw when he went in and believed. Taking in consideration John already believed Jesus was the Christ, there was something unusual he saw which made him believe that Jesus had indeed risen from the dead. The two different readings imply two visions of the resurrection, an event which is never directly described in the Bible. (Though it is described in the Gospel of Peter) If the head cloth remained in the same location where Jesus' head had lain, it suggests that the resurrection process saw Jesus lifted through his clothing or that he dematerialized while in them. If the head cloth had been balled up and put to the side, it suggests that Jesus returned to life while lying in the clothes and himself removed the wrapping from his head leaving it beside him. Schnackenberg compares this to the resurrection of Lazarus. The revived Lazarus needed aid in removing his grave goods while Jesus transcended them. A side issue is that if the grave clothes were abandoned by the risen Jesus, what was he then wearing? To Kastner, this is evidence that Jesus was naked upon his resurrection. Most other scholars reject this theory, arguing that providing a new set of clothing would be a comparatively minor issue beside raising Jesus from the dead. Alternatively, there could have been multiple layers of cloth wrapping Jesus and he kept wearing one of these while abandoning the others. The level of detail the author of John adds to this section is to Westcott evidence that the author was an eyewitness to the events described. Proof to Westcott that the Beloved Disciple was the author of John. C.K. Barrett disagrees. He argues that such details are exactly what a modern author adds to a fictional account to give it a feeling of verisimilitude, and there is no reason to believe an ancient writer would not have these same skills. To Dodd, the level of detail reflects the narrative arc of the Gospel of John. Dodd argues the crucifixion is the climax of the work and that these later sections are the dénouement and that the author thus deliberately slows the pace of the narrative. Schnackenberg sees the level of detail as apologetic in origin. To him, the detailed description is an attempt to disprove the allegation that Jesus's tomb had simply been robbed. Artefacts The Shroud of Turin is said to be one of the linens left behind by Jesus, while the head cloth is said to be the Sudarium of Oviedo, though the veracity of these claims is doubted by many. In the work Asarim, the Sudarium is described as a Turban. It can be seen in the Cathedral of Oviedo, Spain. References External links John Calvin's commentary on John 20:1-9 Jesus Appears to His Disciples 20:07

1482879

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fasnacht%20%28doughnut%29

Fasnacht (doughnut)

Fasnacht (also spelled fastnacht, faschnacht, fosnot, fosnaught, fausnaught) is a fried doughnut of German origin in Pennsylvania Dutch cuisine, served traditionally in the days of Carnival and Fastnacht or on Shrove Tuesday, the day before Lent starts. Fasnachts were made as a way to empty the pantry of lard, sugar, fat, and butter, which were traditionally fasted from during Lent. Overview The Pennsylvania Dutch in the area surrounding Lancaster, York, Berks and other PA Dutch counties in Pennsylvania, celebrate Fastnacht. Most chain supermarkets in eastern Pennsylvania offer fasnachts. A similar culinary treat is the Polish Pączki. Pączki are traditionally eaten in Poland on the Thursday prior to Fasnacht Day, although in Polish communities of the US, the tradition is more commonly celebrated on Fasnacht Day. Commonly pączki are round, rather than having straight sides, and they are filled with jelly, or creme filling. In parts of Maryland, the treats are called Kinklings, or "Kuechles" (not to be confused with kichel) and are only sold in bakeries on Shrove Tuesday. The German version is made from a yeast dough, deep fried, and coated or dusted in powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar; they may be plain or filled with fruit jam. Pennsylvania Dutch fasnachts can often be potato doughnuts, and may be uncoated, dusted with table sugar, or powdered with confectioner's sugar. Some purists insist that the uncoated pastry be eaten drizzled with honey. The term is synonymous with the Carnival season which is called Fasnacht in southern Germany, Switzerland, Alsace and Austria. Although usually written "Fastnacht", there are many local spoken varieties: Fasnacht, Fassenacht, Fasnet, Fauschnaut, etc. The word Fastnacht originates from the German words "fast", which is the shortened version of the verb "fasten", which means "to fast", and "Nacht", meaning night, indicating the eve of the traditional Lenten fasting period observed by many Christian denominations. It is the equivalent celebration to Mardi Gras or Carnival. Gallery See also List of doughnut varieties Pennsylvania Dutch cuisine References External links Cuisine of the Pennsylvania Dutch Carnival foods

1482881

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suresh

Suresh

Suresh is an Indian masculine given name originating in the Sanskrit word (compound of and ). Its meaning is "Ruler of Gods" and it has been used an epithet for the Hindu gods Indra, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. People People named Suresh include: Suresh (actor, born 1963), Indian actor in Telugu and Tamil films Suresh (Hindi actor) (Naseem Ahmed, 1928–1979), Indian actor Suresh (director), Tamil film director Suresh Balaje, Indian film producer Suresh Bharadwaj, Indian politician Suresh Gopi (born 1960), Indian Malayalam film actor Suresh Heblikar, Indian Kannada film actor Suresh Joachim, Tamil Canadian film actor, producer and multiple Guinness World Record holder Suresh Joshi, Indian poet, writer and literary critic Suresh Krishna, Indian Malayali film actor Suresh Krissna, Indian Tamil film director Suresh Kumar (government official), American economist and businessman, Director-General of the U.S. Foreign Commercial Service Suresh Oberoi, Indian Hindi movie actor Suresh Pachouri, Indian politician Suresh Raina, Indian cricketer Suresh Premachandran, Sri Lankan Tamil politician and leader of the Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front Suresh Shyamlal Gupta, Social activist and politician. Suresh Venkatasubramanian, Indian-American computer scientist D. Suresh Babu, Indian Telugu film producer J. Suresh, Tamil film director Subra Suresh, engineer and scientist, president of Nanyang Technological University Mohinder Suresh, fictional character in the television series "Heroes" See also Suresh v. Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration) – a leading case of the Supreme Court of Canada References Indian masculine given names Masculine given names Tamil masculine given names

1482882

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter%20storm%20warning

Winter storm warning

A winter storm warning (SAME code: WSW) is a hazardous weather statement issued by Weather Forecast Offices (WFO) of the National Weather Service (NWS) in the United States to alert the public that a winter storm is occurring or is about to occur in the area, usually within 36 hours of the storm's onset. A similar warning is issued by Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) through local forecast offices of the Meteorological Service of Canada. Definition Generally, a Winter Storm Warning is issued if the following criteria, at minimum, are forecast: snow accumulations usually between or greater than , or snow accumulations of usually or more with significant accumulation of ice (sleet or freezing rain). In the Southern United States, where severe winter weather is much less common and any snow is a more significant event, warning criteria are lower, as low as in the southernmost areas: as one goes from north to south, the accumulation estimates needed to meet warning criteria lessen. A warning can also be issued during high impact events of lesser amounts, usually early or very late in the season when trees have leaves and damage can result. Winter Storm Warnings for snow events are issued when winds are less than ; if the storm is expected to produce winds above this speed for at least three hours accompanying moderate to heavy snowfall, a blizzard warning will be issued instead or as an upgrade to the winter storm warning. Usually, a large accumulation of ice alone with little to no snow will result in an ice storm warning, or in the case of light freezing rain, a winter weather advisory, a freezing rain advisory, or a freezing drizzle advisory. In lieu of issuing such a statement separately, Winter Storm Warnings can include verbiage indicative of a wind chill advisory or a wind chill warning, if potentially life-threatening wind chill values (determined by local criteria) are forecast to accompany winter precipitation during the warning's duration. Beginning with the 2008–09 meteorological winter, the National Weather Service consolidated individual precipitation-specific bulletins for winter storms expected to create heavy snowfall (heavy snow warning), lake-effect snow (lake effect snow warning) or sleet accumulations (sleet warning or heavy sleet warning) within the warned area, replacing them with variants of the Winter Storm Warning product outlining the accordant hazards being forecast: Winter storm warning for heavy snow Replaced the heavy snow warning Winter storm warning for heavy wet snow Same as above, except when the snow will also be wet Winter storm warning for heavy snow and blowing snow When the criteria for both a WSW for heavy snow and a winter weather advisory for snow and blowing snow are met [near-blizzard conditions] Winter storm warning for heavy sleet Replaced the sleet warning Winter storm warning for heavy snow and ice When both the criteria for a WSW for heavy snow and an ice storm warning are met Winter storm warning for snow and ice When both the criteria for a winter weather advisory for snow and an ice storm warning are met Winter storm warning for sleet and freezing rain When both the criteria for a winter weather advisory for sleet and an ice storm warning are met Winter storm warning for heavy lake-effect snow Replaced the lake effect snow warning in some NWS county warning areas. (2017-2018 season) Additionally, all of the above warning types may also include verbiage indicative of a wind advisory to indicate strong winds that are expected to accompany the precipitation (e.g., "winter storm warning for heavy wet snow and strong winds"). The generic "winter storm warning" terminology may be used on its own, typically to indicate that all types of winter precipitation (as a mixture or in periods before transitioning between types) are expected in high amounts; however, it may be defined generically at the forecaster's discretion regardless of whether or not this condition is met. Example of a winter storm warning URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Grand Rapids MI 331 PM EDT Fri Apr 13 2018 MIZ037>040-043>046-050>052-140345- /O.NEW.KGRR.WS.W.0003.180414T0900Z-180415T1600Z/ Mason-Lake-Osceola-Clare-Oceana-Newaygo-Mecosta-Isabella-Muskegon- Montcalm-Gratiot- Including the cities of Ludington, Baldwin, Reed City, Clare, Hart, Fremont, Big Rapids, Mount Pleasant, Muskegon, Greenville, and Alma 331 PM EDT Fri Apr 13 2018 ...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 5 AM SATURDAY TO NOON EDT SUNDAY... * WHAT...Heavy mixed precipitation expected. Total snow and sleet accumulations of two to four inches and ice accumulations of a quarter to half an inch are expected. * WHERE...Portions of central and west central Michigan. * WHEN...From 5 AM Saturday to noon EDT Sunday. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Expect power outages and tree damage due to the ice. Travel will be impossible. Tree branches could fall. Expect significant reductions in visibility at times. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A Winter Storm Warning means significant amounts of snow, sleet and ice will make travel very hazardous or impossible. Strong winds are also expected. && $$ See also Severe weather terminology (United States) References External links National Weather Service Federal Emergency Management Agency Meteorological Service of Canada Weather warnings and advisories

1482898

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metaverse

Metaverse

The metaverse is a loosely defined term referring to virtual worlds in which users represented by avatars interact, usually in 3D and focused on social and economic connection. The term metaverse originated in the 1992 science fiction novel Snow Crash as a portmanteau of "meta" and "universe". In Snow Crash, the metaverse is envisioned as a version of the Internet that is a single, universal, and immersive virtual world, facilitated by the use of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) headsets. The term "metaverse" is often linked to virtual reality technology, and beginning in the early 2020s, with Web3. The term has been used as a buzzword by companies to exaggerate the development progress of various related technologies and projects for public relations purposes. Information privacy, user addiction, and user safety are concerns within the metaverse, stemming from challenges facing the social media and video game industries as a whole. Implementations Components of metaverse technology have already been developed within online video games. The 2003 virtual world platform Second Life is often described as the first metaverse, as it incorporated many aspects of social media into a persistent three-dimensional world with the user represented as an avatar, but historical claims of metaverse development started soon after the term was coined. Early projects included Active Worlds and The Palace. Popular games described as part of the metaverse include Habbo Hotel, World of Warcraft, Minecraft, Fortnite, VRChat, and game creation platform Roblox In a January 2022 interview with Wired, Second Life creator Philip Rosedale described metaverses as a three-dimensional Internet that is populated with live people. Social interaction and 3D virtual worlds are often an integral feature in many massively multiplayer online games. In 2017, Microsoft acquired the VR company AltspaceVR, and has since implemented virtual avatars and meetings held in virtual reality into Microsoft Teams. In 2019, the social network company Facebook launched a social VR world called Facebook Horizon. In 2021, the company was renamed "Meta Platforms" and its chairman Mark Zuckerberg declared a company commitment to developing a metaverse. Many of the virtual reality technologies advertised by Meta Platforms remain to be developed. Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen criticised the move, adding that Meta Platforms' continued focus on growth-oriented projects is largely done to the detriment of ensuring safety on their platforms. Meta Platforms has also faced user safety criticism regarding Horizon Worlds due to sexual harassment occurring on the platform. In 2021, Meta made a loss of over $10 billion on its metaverse development department, with Mark Zuckerberg saying he expected operating losses to "increase meaningfully" in 2022. In February 2023, Zuckerberg wrote a Facebook post announcing the company's pivot away from the metaverse to focus on AI. Some metaverse implementations rely on digital currencies, and often cryptocurrency. Assets within the metaverse are sometimes traded as non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and track ownership using blockchain technology. Proposed applications for metaverse technology include improving work productivity, interactive learning environments, e-commerce, mass-audience interaction, healthcare and real estate. Technology Hardware Access points for the metaverse includes general-purpose computers and smartphones, augmented reality, mixed reality, and virtual reality. Dependence on VR technology has limited metaverse development and wide-scale adoption. Limitations of portable hardware and the need to balance cost and design have caused a lack of high-quality graphics and mobility. Lightweight wireless headsets have struggled to achieve retina display pixel density needed for visual immersion. Another issue for wide-scale adoption of the technology is cost, with consumer VR headsets ranging in price from $300 to $3500 as of 2022. Current hardware development is focused on overcoming limitations of VR headsets, glasses, sensors, and increasing immersion with haptic technology. Software There has been no wide-scale adoption of a standardized technical specification for metaverse implementations, and existing implementations rely primarily on proprietary technology. Interoperability is a major concern in metaverse development, stemming from concerns about transparency and privacy. There have been several virtual environment standardization projects. Universal Scene Description is a specification for 3D computer graphics interchange created by Pixar and supported by Blender, Apple's SceneKit and Autodesk 3ds Max. The technology company NVIDIA announced in 2021 they would adopt USD for their metaverse development tools. glTF is a specification for the efficient transmission and loading of 3D scenes and models by engines and applications created by the Khronos Group, an industry consortium developing royalty free open standards. In August 2022 it was announced that glTF 2.0 had been released as the ISO/IEC 12113:2022 International Standard. OpenXR is an open standard for access to virtual and augmented reality devices and experiences. It has been adopted by Microsoft for HoloLens 2, Meta Platforms for the Oculus Quest, HTC for the HTC Vive, Qualcomm for the Snapdragon Spaces XR Developer Platform, and Valve for SteamVR. Criticism and concerns Feasibility In a February 2022 article for The New York Times, Lauren Jackson argued that the metaverse is "stalled from achieving scale by a lack of infrastructure for both hardware and software, a monopolistic approach to platform development, and a lack of clear governance standards." In December 2021, Raja Koduri, senior vice president of Intel, claimed that "Truly persistent and immersive computing, at scale and accessible by billions of humans in real time, will require even more: a 1,000-times increase in computational efficiency from today's state of the art." In an article for The New York Times on October 26, 2022, Ryan Mac, a technology reporter, claimed that for the past year, Mark Zuckerberg has struggled to find the best way to achieve the metaverse. He has yet to succeed. Privacy Information privacy is an area of concern for the metaverse because related companies will likely collect users' personal information through interactions and biometric data from wearable virtual and augmented reality devices. Meta Platforms (previously Facebook) is planning on employing targeted advertising within their metaverse, raising further worries related to the spread of misinformation and loss of personal privacy. In 2021, David Reid of Liverpool Hope University argued the amount of data collection in the metaverse would be greater than that on the internet stating "If you think about the amount of data a company could collect on the World Wide Web right now, compared to what it could collect with the metaverse, there is just no comparison." In fact, the current metaverse technology is very immature. Abdulsattar Jaber, a professor at Iraq's Middle Technical University, found that the new technology used by the metaverse may cause many problems related to the security and privacy of system users. User safety User addiction and problematic social media use is another concern. Internet addiction disorder, social media, and video game addiction can have mental and physical repercussions over a prolonged period of time, such as depression, anxiety, and various other harms related to having a sedentary lifestyle such as an increased risk for obesity and cardiovascular disease. Experts are also concerned that the metaverse could be used as an 'escape' from reality in a similar fashion to existing internet technologies. Virtual crimes like sex abuse, child grooming, and harassment are significant challenges within existing virtual reality social platforms, and may be similarly prevalent in the metaverse. In February 2022, investigations by BBC News and The Washington Post found minors engaging in adult activities in applications such as VRChat and Horizon Worlds despite an age requirement of 13 years or older. In an October 2022 interview, Roblox Chief Scientist Morgan McGuire stated that it is "a challenge to moderate 3D", and also compared moderating Roblox to shutting down speakeasies. Regulation With the emergence of the metaverse, many are calling for new regulations to protect users when they interact in the virtual world and to ensure that intellectual property (IP) laws are extended to both physical and virtual objects, respecting the rights of inventors, designers, and owners of trademarks, just as they would in the real world. Social issues Metaverse development may magnify the social impacts of online echo chambers and digitally alienating spaces or abuse common social media engagement strategies to manipulate users with biased content. Keza MacDonald of The Guardian criticized the utopianism of technology companies who claim that a metaverse could be a reprieve from worker exploitation, prejudice, and discrimination. MacDonald stated that they would be more positive towards metaverse development if it was not dominated by "companies and disaster capitalists trying to figure out a way to make more money as the real world's resources are dwindling." Marketing professor Andreas Kaplan, citing their experience studying Second Life users, argues that the metaverse may have a generally negative societal impact due to their strongly addictive potential. People with physical disabilities like deafness or blindness are disadvantaged without technologies addressed to accessibility. Lack of adoption , there has been little adoption of Metaverse technology, with Decentraland, a platform claiming to be the metaverse, reporting that it had 8,000 daily users or fewer. Ed Zitron of Business Insider and Marc Olinga of The Street declared the Metaverse a fad that was "dead", having been displaced by artificial intelligence as the current hot new trend in computing. Fiction Snow Crash, 1992 The term metaverse was coined by Neal Stephenson in his 1992 science fiction novel Snow Crash, where humans, represented by computer-generated avatars, interact with each other and software agents, in a three-dimensional virtual space that uses the metaphor of the real world. Stephenson used the term to describe a virtual-reality-based successor to the internet. Neal Stephenson's metaverse appears to its users as an urban environment developed along a 100-meter-wide road, called the Street, which spans the entire 65,536 km (216 km) circumference of a featureless, black, perfectly spherical planet. The virtual real estate is owned by the Global Multimedia Protocol Group, a fictional part of the real Association for Computing Machinery, and is available to be bought and buildings developed thereupon. Users of the metaverse access it through personal terminals that project a high-quality virtual reality display onto goggles worn by the user, or from grainy black and white public terminals in booths. The users experience it from a first-person perspective. Stephenson describes a sub-culture of people choosing to remain continuously connected to the metaverse; they are given the sobriquet "gargoyles" due to their grotesque appearance. Within the metaverse, individual users appear as avatars of any form, with the sole restriction of height, "to prevent people from walking around a mile high". Transport within the metaverse is limited to analogs of reality by foot or vehicle, such as the monorail that runs the entire length of the Street, stopping at 256 Express Ports, located evenly at 256 km intervals, and Local Ports, one kilometer apart. Ready Player One, 2011 Ready Player One is a dystopian science fiction franchise created by Ernest Cline which depicts a shared VR landscape called "The OASIS". The first novel was released in 2011, with a 2018 film adaptation, and second novel in 2020. The franchise depicts the year 2045 as being gripped by an energy crisis and global warming, causing widespread social problems and economic stagnation. The primary escape for people is a shared VR landscape called "the OASIS" which is accessed with a VR headset and wired gloves. The OASIS functions both as a massively multiplayer online role-playing game and as a virtual society. See also Closed platform Cyberspace Multiverse (video games) Massively multiplayer online role-playing game Supranet Spatial computing References Further reading Science fiction themes Fiction about virtual reality 1992 neologisms Futurism

1482909

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege%20of%20Santiago

Siege of Santiago

The siege of Santiago, also known as the siege of Santiago de Cuba, was the last major operation of the Spanish–American War on the island of Cuba. Santiago campaign The primary objective of the American Fifth Army Corps' invasion of Cuba was the capture of the city of Santiago de Cuba. U.S. forces had driven back the Spaniards' first line of defense at the Battle of Las Guasimas, after which General Arsenio Linares pulled his troops back to the main line of defense against Santiago along San Juan Heights. In the charge at the Battle of San Juan Hill U.S. forces captured the Spanish position. At the Battle of El Caney the same day, U.S. forces took the fortified Spanish position and were then able to extend the U.S. flank on San Juan Hill. The destruction of the Spanish fleet at the Battle of Santiago de Cuba allowed U.S. forces to safely besiege the city. Siege On July 3, 1898, the same day as the naval battle, Major General William "Pecos Bill" Shafter began the siege of Santiago. Shafter fortified his position on San Juan Heights. General Henry W. Lawton's division moved up from El Caney extending the U.S. right flank to the north. To the northwest, Cuban rebels under the command of Calixto Garcia extended the U.S. line to the bay. General Arsenio Linares had been severely wounded at the Battle of San Juan Hill and was replaced by General José Toral y Velázquez. The Spanish also had German military advisors helping to man and operate their artillery. Toral had a good defensive position and Shafter knew he would sustain severe casualties from a frontal assault. All Spanish ships were destroyed bringing forth the reason for surrender. The Americans began their siege of the city. U.S. artillery sited on the heights pounded the city, while U.S. forces supported by Cuban rebels choked off all water and food supplies to the city. On July 3, a relief column was able to fight its way through Garcia's rebels and into the city bringing Toral's force to a total of 13,500. On July 4, a cease fire was enacted to evacuate roughly 20,000 citizens from the city. Also, on July 4, four .30 Army Gatlings from Lt. John Parker's Gatling Gun Detachment were moved to Fort Canosa in support of the siege, as was a dynamite gun and sixteen field guns. Over the next thirteen days, the Gatlings were used to fire 6,000 to 7,000 rounds into the city of Santiago, causing many casualties. On July 8, Toral proposed to surrender Santiago if his troops could be evacuated to Holguin. Washington officials would not accept Toral's proposal and the truce ended on July 10. Shafter was now pressed for time as Yellow fever appeared. Shafter and the U.S. Navy under William T. Sampson continued to bomb the city with little effect militarily. General Miles arrived on July 11 along with several regiments, eight field guns and eight light mortars. Surrender Everyone involved wanted a quick end to the campaign, and at 0900 on July 13, Toral, Shafter, Miles and Joseph Wheeler met under a large tree between lines to discuss surrender terms. The Americans proposed Secretary of War Russell A. Alger's offer to repatriate the Spanish garrison to Spain. Shafter relied on his friend Dr. George E. Goodfellow's excellent knowledge of Spanish to help negotiate the final surrender after the Battle of San Juan Hill. Goodfellow attributed part of his success to a bottle of "ol' barleycorn" he kept handy in his medical kit which he properly prescribed to himself and Spanish General Toral, lending a more convivial atmosphere to the conference. On July 16, after both governments agreed to the terms of capitulation ("surrender" was avoided), in which Toral surrendered his garrison and all troops in the Division of Santiago, an additional 9,000 soldiers. The Spanish also ceded Guantanamo City and San Luis. The Spanish troops marched out of Santiago on July 17. Aftermath The siege effectively ended the major fighting on Cuba, but the war was not yet over. Yellow fever had spread through the U.S. Army before the surrender had taken place, and some 4,000 U.S. soldiers were ill with malaria, yellow fever, and dysentery by July 28. Many officers, notably Theodore Roosevelt, fought for the removal of the army from Cuba, writing the Round Robin, which was leaked to the press. The Fifth Army Corps was recalled and sent to Camp Wikoff, where of the 20,000 men sent there, only 257 died from yellow fever or malaria. The Red Cross ship, City of Texas, with Clara Barton aboard, was the first ship into Santiago harbor. Plans were made for a major assault on Havana, but the next major campaign of the war came on Puerto Rico, led by General Miles. See also Battles of the Spanish–American War Santiago order of battle Notes References Konstam, Angus San Juan Hill 1898: America's Emergence as a World Power (1998) Marrin, Albert The Spanish–American War (1991) Parker, John H. (Lt.), The Gatlings At Santiago, Middlesex, U.K.: Echo Library (reprinted 2006) Santiago Battles involving Cuba Siege of Santiago Conflicts in 1898 Siege of Santiago Santiago 1898 Siege of Santiago

1482924

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir%20Thomas%20Troubridge%2C%201st%20Baronet

Sir Thomas Troubridge, 1st Baronet

Rear Admiral Sir Thomas Troubridge, 1st Baronet (22 June 17571 February 1807) was a Royal Navy officer. As a junior officer he saw action at the Battle of Sadras in February 1782 during the American Revolutionary War and the Battle of Trincomalee in September 1782 during the Anglo-French War. He commanded the third-rate Culloden at the Battle of Cape St Vincent in February 1797 during the French Revolutionary Wars. He went on to be First Naval Lord and then served as Commander-in-Chief, East Indies, during the Napoleonic Wars. Naval career Born the son of Richard Troubridge, a baker, Troubridge was educated at St Paul's School, London. He entered the Royal Navy on 8 October 1773 and, together with Horatio Nelson, served in the East Indies in the frigate . He was promoted to lieutenant on 1 January 1781 on the newly-purchased sloop Chaser. On 3 March he returned to Seahorse. In her he took part in the Battle of Sadras in February 1782 during the American Revolutionary War and the Battle of Trincomalee in September 1782 during the Anglo-French War. His first command was the sloop in October 1782. Promoted to post-captain on 1 January 1783, Troubridge was given command of the frigate and was present at the Siege of Cuddalore in June 1783. After that he transferred to the third-rate . In 1785 Troubridge returned to England in as flag-captain to Admiral Sir Edward Hughes. He was appointed to the frigate in 1790. Appointed to command the frigate in May 1794, he and his ship were captured by the French while escorting a convoy, but he was liberated soon afterwards. On his return he was appointed to command , a third-rate ship of the line, in which he fought at the Battle of the Hyères Islands, led an unsuccessful pursuit of a French squadron in the Aegean Sea, and led the line at the Battle of Cape St Vincent, being commended for his courage and initiative by Admiral Sir John Jervis. In July 1797 he assisted Nelson in the unsuccessful attack on Santa Cruz de Tenerife. In August 1798, when getting into position for the attack on the French fleet, Culloden ran aground on a shoal near the entrance to Aboukir Bay and was consequently unable to take any part in the Battle of the Nile. At Nelson's request, however, he was awarded the gold medal commemorating the victory. Troubridge then served in the Mediterranean and was created a baronet on 30 November 1799. In February 1801 he joined the Board of Admiralty as First Naval Lord. Promoted to a rear-admiral on 21 April 1804, Troubridge was appointed to command the eastern half of the East Indies Station, and he went out in with his resignation from the Admiralty Board becoming effective in May 1804. On his arrival the area of command was changed to that of the Cape Station. He left Madras in January 1807 for the Cape of Good Hope. Off the coast of Madagascar, Blenheim, an old and damaged ship, foundered in a cyclone and the admiral and all others on board perished. Arms References Sources Further reading External links Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990. |- |- 1757 births 1807 deaths Baronets in the Baronetage of Great Britain Royal Navy personnel of the French Revolutionary Wars Deaths due to shipwreck at sea Deaths in tropical cyclones Lords of the Admiralty Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for English constituencies People educated at St Paul's School, London Royal Navy rear admirals UK MPs 1802–1806 Politics of the Borough of Great Yarmouth Troubridge family

1482940

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gottfried%20von%20Einem

Gottfried von Einem

Gottfried von Einem (24 January 1918 – 12 July 1996) was an Austrian composer. He is known chiefly for his operas influenced by the music of Stravinsky and Prokofiev, as well as by jazz. He also composed pieces for piano, violin and organ. Biography Einem was born in the Swiss capital Bern into the noble family. According to Einem's publisher, his father was William von Einem, military attaché of the Austro-Hungarian embassy. According to another source, however, he was adopted by Einem, his natural father being the Hungarian aristocrat Count László von Hunyadi. His mother, Baroness Gerta Louise née Rieß von Scheurnschloss, an officer's daughter from Kassel, led a lavish lifestyle between Berlin and Paris. The family moved to Malente in the Prussian Province of Schleswig-Holstein, when Gottfried was four years old. After his school days in Plön and Ratzeburg, Gottfried von Einem went to Berlin in 1937, to study at the State School of Music with Paul Hindemith who nevertheless resigned his post in October that year in protest against his modernist music being banned from public performances by Joseph Goebbels. By the agency of the tenor Max Lorenz, he started an employment as a répétiteur at the Berlin State Opera, where in 1939 Herbert von Karajan became Staatskapellmeister. From 1938 onwards, Einem also worked as an assistant of director Heinz Tietjen at the Bayreuth Festival. In 1941 he began to take counterpoint lessons with Boris Blacher; at that time he wrote his first work, Prinzessin Turandot, at the suggestion of Werner Egk. The ballet was first performed at the Dresden Semperoper conducted by Karl Elmendorff in early 1944 and became a success. Previously in March 1943, Leo Borchard had first performed Einem's composition Capriccio (Op. 2) with the Berlin Philharmonic orchestra. During World War II, in Berlin, Einem helped to both save the life and continue the professional development of young Jewish musician by employing him as a rehearsal assistant for Prinzessin Turandot and later helping him obtain other employment. Einem obtained a ration book and membership card of the Reich Musicians' Chamber for Latte, and lent him his own pass to the State Opera as well as introducing him to friends who could help his underground existence. Through Blacher, Einem met his first wife, Lianne Mathilde von Bismarck (1919–1962) of the Bismarck family, whom he married after the war in 1946. They had a son, Caspar Einem, who was an Austrian cabinet minister. In 1953, the family moved back to Vienna. Lianne von Bismarck died in 1962. In 1966 Einem married his librettist, the renowned Austrian playwright and author Lotte Ingrisch. Apart from Vienna, the couple spent much of their time in the Waldviertel of Lower Austria (specifically, at Oberdürnbach and Rindlberg/Großpertholz), a virtually pristine region that clearly inspired not only his own work, but also the literature of Ingrisch. The composer died in Oberdürnbach in 1996. Works Einem composed mainly operas based on dramas. He was internationally recognized after the premiere of his opera Dantons Tod at the Salzburg Festival of 1947, conducted by Ferenc Fricsay. His last operas, starting with Jesu Hochzeit, are based on libretti by his second wife, Lotte. In 1973 he wrote as a commission of the UN to commemorate the 30th anniversary of its foundation the cantata An die Nachgeborenen for mezzo-soprano, baritone, chorus and orchestra, based on diverse texts. The title is taken of Bertolt Brecht, translated as To Those Who Follow in Our Wake. The premiere in 1975 in New York with Julia Hamari, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, the Chorus of Temple University and the Vienna Symphony was conducted by Carlo Maria Giulini. In England, Einem had two of his operas premiered within days of each other. In May 1973 The Trial (Der Prozeß) received its premiere at the Bloomsbury Theatre, London, conducted by Leon Lovett, directed by Fuad Kavur. The following week, at Glyndebourne The Visit of the Old Lady (Der Besuch der alten Dame) received its British premiere, conducted by John Pritchard and directed by John Cox. In May 1996, the chamber chorus Cantori New York, directed by Mark Shapiro, gave the U.S. premiere of Einem's cantata Die träumenden Knaben, for chorus, clarinet and bassoon, on a work by the painter Oskar Kokoschka. Awards 1955 Theodor Körner Prize 1958: (Prize of the City of Vienna for Music) 1960 Associate Member of the Academy of Arts, West Berlin 1965: Grand Austrian State Prize for Music (Großer Österreichischer Staatspreis für Musik) 1974: Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art 1975 Corresponding member of the Academy of Arts, East Berlin 1979 Member of the Academy of Arts, West Berlin 1993 Member of the Academy of Arts, Berlin 2002: posthumously Righteous Among the Nations by Yad Vashem, for helping save the life of musician Konrad Latte Operas Dantons Tod (1947) after the play by Georg Büchner Der Prozeß (1953) after the novel by Franz Kafka Der Zerrissene (1964) after Johann Nestroy Der Besuch der alten Dame (1971) after the play by Friedrich Dürrenmatt Kabale und Liebe (1976) after the play by Friedrich Schiller (1980), libretto by Lotte Ingrisch (1990), chamber opera, libretto by Lotte Ingrisch Luzifers Lächeln (1998), libretto by Lotte Ingrisch References External links Gottfried von Einem – his activity to save Jews' lives during the Holocaust, at Yad Vashem website , Gottfried von Einem: Munich Symphony, performed by the Sinfonieorchester des Norddeutschen Rundfunks conducted by Carlos Kalmar 1918 births 1996 deaths 20th-century classical composers 20th-century Austrian people Austrian classical composers Austrian opera composers Austrian male opera composers Austrian Righteous Among the Nations Austrian untitled nobility Austrian expatriates in Switzerland Musicians from Bern Recipients of the Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art Recipients of the Grand Austrian State Prize Members of the Academy of Arts, Berlin Theodor Körner Prize recipients 20th-century male musicians Austrian expatriates in Germany

1482950

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle%20Cry%20%28film%29

Battle Cry (film)

Battle Cry is a 1955 Warnercolor film, starring Van Heflin, Aldo Ray, James Whitmore, Tab Hunter, Nancy Olson, Anne Francis, Dorothy Malone, Raymond Massey, and Mona Freeman in CinemaScope. The film is based on the 1953 novel by former Marine Leon Uris, who also wrote the screenplay, and was produced and directed by Raoul Walsh. The film was shot at Camp Pendleton, California, and featured a large amount of cooperation from the United States Marine Corps. Plot In January 1942, as many young men respond to the call for Marine Corps recruits, All-American athlete Danny Forrester boards a train in Baltimore, Maryland, after saying goodbye to his family and girl friend Kathy. The train picks up other recruits en route to the Marine training camp near San Diego, including womanizing lumberjack Andy Hookans, bookish Marion Hodgkiss, Navajo Indian Shining Lighttower, troublemaking "Spanish" Joe Gomez, L.Q. Jones of Arkansas, Speedy of Texas, and the Philadelphian Ski, who is eager to escape the slums, but upset to leave his girl friend Susan. Several weeks later, after the arduous training of boot camp, the men are accepted into radio school and assigned to the battalion commanded by Maj. Sam "High Pockets" Huxley. The Marines continue their military training and receive rigorous communication instruction from Sgt. Mac, but on weekends they get passes to San Diego. In a sleazy bar there, Ski drowns his sorrows in alcohol and women to forget that Susan has married another man. Concerned about him, Mac and his fellow Marines go to the bar, believing they are coming to his rescue, and get in a brawl with others there. Danny is saved from excessive drinking by the married USO worker Elaine Yarborough, and begins a relationship with her, until Mac, noticing a change in his performance, arranges for him to call Kathy long-distance. Recognizing the young man's loneliness, Mac and Huxley grant him a furlough to Baltimore, during which Danny elopes with Kathy. Meanwhile, the meditative Marion, who hopes to write about his wartime experiences, meets the beautiful and mysterious Rae on the Coronado ferryboat. Although she meets him there frequently and seems to admire him greatly, she will not share with him details about her life. Marion learns why she has been evasive, when she shows up with other B-girls ordered by Joe, at a party celebrating the regiment's orders to ship out. The men are sent to Wellington, New Zealand, where they are warmly received. Andy, who respects no woman, tries to woo the married Pat Rogers by suggesting that he fill the void left by her husband, whom he believes is fighting in Africa. After the offended Pat tells him her husband died in action, Andy apologizes for the first time ever. Pat later invites the reformed Andy to visit her parents' farm, where, despite their attraction, they agree to remain friends only. After Christmas, the Sixth Regiment, now known as "Huxley's Harlots," is sent to Guadalcanal after the invasion to "mop up" a resistant band of Japanese soldiers. Afterward, the battle-weary men, minus Ski, who was killed by a sniper, return to New Zealand, where Pat nurses the malaria-stricken Andy and decides to risk a short-term romance with him. To restore the men's stamina, Huxley, newly promoted to lieutenant colonel, orders them to compete in a brutal 60-mile hike, and while other companies are trucked back to camp, Huxley has his men hike the whole way, blistered and near collapse, but in record-breaking time. Aware that his men are special, Huxley is frustrated when they are not ordered to Tarawa with the main invasion, but held back to clear out remaining Japanese resistance afterward. Pat is afraid of losing another love to the war and tells Andy that she wants to break up, but Andy refuses and asks her to marry him. Although frightened, she accepts and only then admits that she is pregnant. With Huxley's assistance in cutting through red tape, Andy and Pat marry, but two days later, when the men are to ship out, Andy considers deserting to stay with Pat. Instead of arresting him, Huxley asks Pat to convince Andy to return voluntarily. At Tarawa, Huxley's men fulfill their mission, but Marion and many others are killed. Afterward, while standing by on reserve on a Hawaiian island, Huxley receives word that other battalions are being moved out for combat. Sensing the restlessness of his men, Huxley risks court-martial to convince Gen. Snipes that the talents of his battalion are being wasted. Although at first offended by Huxley's "impudence," Snipes assigns the battalion to the invasion of Red Beach, the most dangerous mission in the Saipan campaign. The men are isolated from the rest of the division, and suffer heavy casualties from artillery fired from the hills above them. Huxley is killed, and Danny and Andy are seriously injured. However, the battalion holds out until a Navy destroyer pins down the Japanese, freeing the Marines to complete their mission. Later, at a rest camp, while recuperating from the loss of a leg, Andy becomes too demoralized to communicate with Pat or his concerned friends, but tough words from Mac make him realize that Pat still loves him. Andy returns to her and his baby son after completing rehabilitation. Danny is also given a medical discharge and returns by train to Baltimore, accompanied by Mac, who is visiting the families of men killed in action. In Baltimore, they say goodbye and Danny reunites with the waiting Kathy, as fresh recruits board the train. Cast Van Heflin as Major / Lieutenant Colonel Sam "High Pockets" Huxley, Commanding Officer, 2nd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment Aldo Ray as Private First Class Andy Hookens Nancy Olson as Pat Rogers / Mrs. Pat Rogers James Whitmore as Master Technical Sergeant Mac Tab Hunter as Private First Class / Corporal Danny Forrester Mona Freeman as Kathy, Danny's Girl / Mrs. Danny Forrester Dorothy Malone as Mrs. Elaine Yarborough, USO Manager Raymond Massey as Major General Snipes Anne Francis as Rae, The Party Girl William Campbell as Private First Class "Ski" Wronski John Lupton as Private / Corporal Marion "Sister Mary" Hotchkiss Justus E. McQueen (later L. Q. Jones) as Private L. Q. Jones Perry Lopez as Private Joe "Spanish Joe" Gomez Fess Parker as Private "Speedy" Willis Bouchey as Mr. Forrester Jonas Applegarth as Private Lighttower, Navajo Phonetalker Felix Noriego as Private Crazy Horse, Navajo Phonetalker Carleton Young as Maj. Jim Wellman, Battalion Executive Officer Rhys Williams as Pat, Rogers's Father Allyn Ann McLerie as Ruby, Waitress In Diner Awards and reception Battle Cry received an Academy Award nomination for Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture by composer Max Steiner. The film also got critical reception from Bosley Crowther of The New York Times who criticized the film for being too focused on love rather than war, which was the opposite of what the Marines had experienced in the Pacific during World War II. Music The film featured the song "Honey-Babe" by Art Mooney which reached #6 on the U.S. pop chart in 1955. See also List of American films of 1955 List of films set in New Zealand References External links 1955 films 1950s English-language films Navajo-language films Films about Native Americans Films scored by Max Steiner Films based on American novels Films based on military novels Films directed by Raoul Walsh Films set in 1942 Pacific War films Films about the United States Marine Corps American war drama films American World War II films 1950s war drama films Films shot in Philadelphia CinemaScope films Warner Bros. films 1955 drama films Films set in San Diego 1950s American films English-language war drama films

1482952

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackdown%20Hills

Blackdown Hills

The Blackdown Hills, or Blackdowns, are a range of hills along the Somerset-Devon border in south-western England. The plateau is dominated by hard chert bands of Upper Greensand with some remnants of chalk, and is cut through by river valleys. The Blackdown Hills were designated in 1991 as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). In November 2023, AONBs became National Landscapes. The hills support an extensive range of wildlife leading to the designation of 16 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs). There is evidence of human occupation since the Iron Age. Fortifications include the remains of ancient hill forts, Norman motte-and-bailey castles and Second World War airfields. There are also religious buildings such as Dunkeswell Abbey and village churches. The hills are crossed by a network of minor roads with major transport routes including the M5 motorway running around the periphery. Natural region The Blackdowns form a natural region that has been designated as a national character area - No. 147 - by Natural England, the public body responsible for England's natural environment. Neighbouring natural regions are: the Devon Redlands to the west, the Vale of Taunton and Quantock Fringes to the north, the Mid Somerset Hills to the northeast, the Yeovil Scarplands to the east and the Marshwood and Powerstock Vales to the southeast. Geography Straddling the border of Somerset and Devon, the Blackdown Hills AONB covers an area of . The hills reach their highest point of above sea level at Staple Hill in Somerset. The hills in the southern part of the area, near Honiton in Devon, are more gentle. The Blackdown Hills are a sparsely populated area; much of the land is used for dairy farming. The River Culm rises at a spring () near Culmhead and flows west through Hemyock, then Culmstock to Uffculme before joining the River Exe on the north-western outskirts of Exeter. The name of the river is thought to mean 'knot' or 'tie', in reference to the river's twists and loops; or is derived from a Celtic river-name meaning winding stream. The River Otter rises near Otterford, where a stream feeds the Otterhead lakes: (). It then flows south for through East Devon to the English Channel at the western end of Lyme Bay. The Permian and Triassic sandstone aquifer in the Otter Valley is one of Devon's largest groundwater sources, supplying drinking water to Taunton. The other rivers are the River Yarty and the Corry Brook. Villages in the northern, Somerset part of the hills include Staple Fitzpaine, Buckland St Mary, Whitestaunton, Wambrook and Churchstanton. The larger, more southerly area in Devon includes Dunkeswell, Luppitt, Upottery, Smeatharpe, Hemyock, Blackborough, Yarcombe, Membury, Stockland, Sheldon, Cotleigh and Chardstock. Geology The geology of the Blackdown Hills together with the adjoining East Devon AONB is unique in south-west England, forming part of the only extensive outcrop of Upper Greensand in the region. The Blackdown Hills form a flat plateau dominated by hard chert bands, made up of clay with flints, of Upper Greensand with some remnants of chalk. The Cretaceous rocks rest over eroded Jurassic and Triassic beds, with an outcrop of Rhaetian beds. In the western areas the Upper Greensand is devoid of calcareous material but the sands yield fossils of marine bivalves and gastropods (snails) preserved in silica. A high proportion of the steeper slopes of the Blackdowns are affected by landslides, the long northern scarp of the range in particular. Typically there are patchy deposits of head (clays, sands and gravels of local origin) found beneath the affected sections of slopes. Climate Along with the rest of south-west England, the Blackdown Hills have a temperate climate that is generally wetter and milder than the rest of England. The mean temperature is approximately 10 °C (50 °F) and shows a seasonal and a diurnal variation, but because of the modifying effect of the sea the range is less than in most other parts of the United Kingdom. January is the coldest month with mean minimum temperatures between 1 °C (34 °F) and 2 °C (36 °F). July and August are the warmest months, with mean daily maxima around 21 °C (70 °F). December is normally the most cloudy month and June the sunniest. High pressure over the Azores often brings clear skies to south-west England, particularly in summer. The average annual sunshine totals around 1,600 hours. Rainfall tends to be associated with Atlantic depressions or with convection. In summer, convection caused by solar surface heating sometimes forms shower clouds, and a large proportion of rain falls from showers and thunderstorms at this time of year. Average rainfall is around . About 10–20 days of snowfall is typical. From November to March, mean wind speeds are highest; winds are lightest from June to August. The predominant wind direction is from the south-west. Ecology There are 16 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) in the Blackdown Hills ranging from the Black Down and Sampford Commons to Reed Farm pit at just less than . This British conservation designation is administered in England by Natural England for areas with significant ecological characteristics deemed worthy of protection from inappropriate development or from other damage, and (since 2000) from neglect, under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000. In total they cover , or just under 2% of the AONB. Of these SSSIs, 79% were deemed by Natural England's predecessor body, English Nature to be being positively managed. The grasslands, heathland, meadows and mire support extensive populations of birds such as barn owls (Tyto alba) and nightjar, with butterflies including marbled white (Melanargia galathea), green hairstreak (Callophrys rubi) and the gatekeeper butterfly (Pyronia tithonus). The flora includes the heath spotted-orchid (Dactylorhiza maculata), corky fruited water dropwort (Oenanthe pimpinelloides), green-winged orchid (Anacamptis morio), heather (Calluna vulgaris), lousewort (Pedicularis sylvatica) and bird's-foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus). The hedgerows and woodlands are made up of ash, hazel (Corylus avellana), grey willow (Salix cinerea) and pedunculate oak (Quercus robur) which support populations of hazel dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius), common lizards, siskin, stinking iris (Iris foetidissima) and the purple hairstreak butterfly (Neozephyrus quercus). The rivers and streams are home to kingfisher, otter and the Daubenton's bat. Blackdown and Sampford Commons have extensive surviving examples of the heathland, carr woodland and marshy grassland habitats that have developed on the acidic soils overlying the Greensand and Keuper Marls of the Blackdown Hills. The heathland supports a typical invertebrate fauna, including a wide variety of butterfly species, and with spiders notably abundant. The site is regionally important for birds which favour heathland habitats. Quants, a grassland clearing in a forestry plantation well known for its butterflies including Duke of Burgundy, marsh fritillary and wood white, is a candidate for Special Area of Conservation (cSAC). These are designated under the European Commission Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC) as internationally important habitats. History Paleoenvironmental studies have shown that organic material began to accumulate on the Blackdown Hills in the Mesolithic and Neolithic periods with areas of open meadow, grass land with small woodland components being identified. There are several Bronze Age burial sites including Robin Hood's Butts near Otterford. Notable archaeological sites include the Iron Age hill forts at Membury Castle, Hembury and Castle Neroche. Hembury is a Neolithic causewayed enclosure near Honiton. It dates to the late fifth and early fourth millennia BC and is believed to have been the capital of the Dumnonii tribe. The fort is situated on a promontory to the north of and overlooking the River Otter, Devon at approx above sea level. It has given its name to some of the earliest Neolithic pottery in southern Britain. An Iron Age hill fort was later built on the same site. There has been archaeological evidence found on the site of Roman military occupation, suggesting a fort within the existing Iron Age site. It is now a Scheduled Ancient Monument. Fourteen hill slope enclosures, dating from the Iron Age have been identified on the Blackdown Hills, and prehistoric remains, from about 100 BC, have been found in Hemyock. Castle Neroche is a Norman motte-and-bailey castle on the site of an earlier hill fort near Staple Fitzpaine. The hill rises to on the northern escarpment of the Blackdown Hills. The castle was probably built by Robert of Mortain in the 11th century and probably went out of use in the 12th century. Around the crossroads at Staple Fitzpaine there are several large sandstone boulders. They are called devilstones and are said to have been thrown by the Devil from Castle Neroche. According to legend if you prick them with a pin they draw blood. English word 'Stapol' means pillar or post and it is thought likely that this gave the village the first part of its name. The second part of the name comes from the Fitzpaine family who owned the manor between 1233 and 1393. A Roman bath house and Edwardian folly in the village of Whitestaunton were excavated by the archaeological television programme Time Team. There is also evidence of iron workings in the Romano-British period, at Dunkeswell, which radiocarbon dating has placed in the 2nd century. It has been suggested that these and other iron-based technologies gave the hills a fairly industrial landscape during the Romano-British period, providing a source of the name Blackdown Hills. Local iron ores were smelted at Hemyock in small bloomeries (furnaces) to produce pure iron until the Middle Ages. At Simonsburrow a battle between the native Britons and King Ine's Saxon army, put an end (temporarily) to the Kings expansion to the west. In 710, Ine and Nothhelm fought against Geraint of Dumnonia, according to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle; John of Worcester states that Geraint was killed in this battle. Ine's advance brought him control of what is now Devon, the new border with Dumnonia being the river Tamar. Just to the north of Culmstock, at Culmstock Beacon, is one of a chain of Elizabethan beacons built to warn of possible invasion by the Spanish Armada. On 5 November 1380, King Richard II granted Sir William and Lady Margaret Asthorpe a licence to crenellate the Hemyock manor house, meaning the permission to fortify it. Over the centuries, Hemyock Castle had many notable owners including Lord Chief Justice Sir John Popham. During the English Civil War it was held for Parliament, subjected to a brief but brutal siege and eventually slighted to destroy its military value. Parts of the castle walls, towers and moat still remain. They are a scheduled ancient monument and include displays of history and archaeology. The castle was also owned by General Sir John Graves Simcoe the first lieutenant-governor of Upper Canada in 1792. He is buried at Wolford Chapel near Dunkeswell. The chapel is now owned by the Province of Ontario. Early attempts were made by Charles I to enclose parts of the Blackdowns in the 1630s however this was opposed by the local lord and the commoners. He managed to enclose and soon sold these, but many of the hedges and fences were removed during the English Civil War. This was followed by further attempts at enclosure in 1658 but again only about a third was successfully enclosed, which remained the situation until 1833 when the rest of the hills were enclosed. Coldharbour Mill was built around 1800 to exploit the available water power of the River Culm and was used for wool and yarn production until its commercial closure in 1981. It is now managed by an educational trust and plays a role in telling the industrial history of the area. The Wellington Monument is located on Wellington Hill at , south of Wellington, Somerset. It was erected to celebrate the Duke of Wellington's victory at the Battle of Waterloo. The foundation stone was laid in 1817, on land belonging to the Duke, but the monument was not completed until 1854. Its design was inspired by an Egyptian obelisk, but in the shape of the type of bayonet used by Wellington's armies. It is now owned by the National Trust, and is floodlit at night. The artist Robert Polhill Bevan worked in the Blackdown Hills from 1912 to 1925 as a guest of landowner and amateur artist Harold Harrison. Until the end of his life Bevan continued to paint in the Bolham valley and nearby Luppitt his angular style sitting well with the strong patterning of the landscape. Many of the images that he produced in the area are now in national museums. In the Second World War, airbases were built at Dunkeswell, Upottery and Culmhead. Dunkeswell Aerodrome was built in the Second World War by the RAF, briefly used by the USAF, and then the Fleet Airwing 7 of the USN. It was the only American Navy air base commissioned on UK soil during the Second World War. According to local legend, the Holman Clavel Inn is the home of a hearth spirit called Chimbley Charlie. Government and politics The Blackdown Hills have, since 1991, been designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). As they have the same landscape quality, AONBs may be compared to the national parks of England and Wales. AONBs are created under the same legislation as the national parks: the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949. However, National Parks, unlike AONBs, have their own authorities and have special legal powers to prevent unsympathetic development. By contrast, there are very limited statutory duties imposed on local authorities within an AONB. Further regulation and protection of AONBs was added by the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000. The total population of the Blackdown Hills AONB in 2001 was 13,300; of which 10,500 live in Devon and 2,800 within Somerset. Many of the villages have their own parish councils which have some responsibility for local issues. The Blackdown Hills AONB is managed by a partnership of public bodies, local organisations and voluntary groups with an active interest in the hills. Funding is provided by Devon and Somerset County Councils, East Devon, Mid Devon, South Somerset and Taunton Deane Councils and Natural England. The AONB straddles the borders of three parliamentary constituencies: Honiton and Sidmouth, Taunton and Wellington and Yeovil. Religious sites Dunkeswell Abbey, a Cistercian monastery and offshoot of Forde Abbey, was founded in 1201 by William Briwere. The abbey was closed in 1539 and granted to Lord Russell. It was mostly demolished promptly, though a section remained in domestic use until the 19th century. In 1842, a parish church was built on a part of the site. Some surviving fragments of monastery include the partial end wall of the cellarers range and parts of a gatehouse. Some carved fragments survive within the Victorian era church. The Church of St Peter in Staple Fitzpaine was originally built in the Norman style, and has a Norman doorway reset in the south aisle. The chancel dates from the 14th century; the north aisle was added and the church refenestrated in the 15th century. The tower dates from about 1500. The south porch and the vestry are much more recent, dating from 1841. The crenellated 3-stage tower, has merlons pierced with trefoil headed arches set on a quatrefoil pierced parapet. The church has been designated by English Heritage as a grade I listed building. Transport The Blackdown Hills are crossed by a network of minor roads. There are several major roads including the A30, A303 and A35. The M5 motorway is at the northwestern boundary of the AONB. The Bristol to Exeter line and the remains of the Grand Western Canal run, quite close in places, to the west of the M5 motorway but do not pass through the Blackdown Hills. The West of England Main Line passes through the southern part of the hills between Axminster and Honiton, including a tunnel section east of Honiton. The Culm Valley Light Railway opened in 1876, having been built by local enterprise. The line was purchased by the Great Western Railway, which had operated it from the start, in 1880. The line closed to passengers in 1963 but served the milk depot at Hemyock until its closure in 1975. Dunkeswell Aerodrome is now a busy civilian airfield with a mix of light aircraft, microlights and parachuting. Economy The Blackdown Hills AONB is unique in that there are no towns or cities within its boundary. Employment opportunities are concentrated in the surrounding towns and in a number of small-scale industrial parks — notably around Dunkeswell airfield. A resurgence of interest in local and sustainable food production has led to significant growth in the number and variety of small-scale food and drink businesses in the area in recent years. Tourism is also a significant contributor to the local economy with visitors attracted by activities such as walking and riding. The Blackdown Hills Business Association was established as a member organisation in 2002 to encourage and support all businesses that are based in or serve the Blackdown Hills. Membership stands at around 400 businesses. See also List of Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Somerset List of Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Devon References External links The Blackdown Hills AONB Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty in England Hills of Somerset Hills of Devon Protected areas of Somerset Protected areas of Devon Natural regions of England

1482957

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JRiver%20Media%20Center

JRiver Media Center

JRiver Media Center is a multimedia application that allows the user to play and organize various types of media on a computer running Windows, macOS, or Linux operating systems. Developed by JRiver, Inc., it is offered as shareware. JRiver Media Center is a "jukebox"-style media player, like iTunes, which usually uses most of the screen to display a potentially very large library of files. Features include the ability to rip and burn CDs, static and dynamic playlists, and plugins such as Audioscrobbler and G-Force visualization. Regular (usually daily beta) builds are posted on the Media Center Interact forum implementing requested features and fixing reported bugs. The forum has an active member community, with more than 56,000 members as of 2021. History JRiver Media Center was created by J. River, Inc., a Minneapolis-based company founded in 1982 by James "Jim" Hillegass that developed networking and internet software for Windows, DOS and Unix. Originally the software was known as Media Jukebox and had both free and premium versions. The company announced in 2001 that it planned to launch a subscription service for Media Jukebox to compete with Napster. The software was rebranded to JRiver Media Center for version 9 in 2003. In November 2007, J. River released Media Jukebox 12, a stripped-down version of JRiver Media Center 12, which is available to download for free, compared to JRiver Media Center's price of $49.98. JRiver Media Jukebox includes most of the audio features of Media Center; the image and video functions are removed. The last version of JRiver Media Jukebox was version 14.0.166. However, the version 14 removed several features previously available for free (specifically CD and cover art lookup) and now only available in the Media Center product. As such many still use the older free version of JRiver Media Jukebox 12.0.534 Library system JRiver Media Center organizes files using Media Libraries; these are effective databases. Media Center can support multiple libraries. Information relating to media is imported into the library, including meta data for media files and the path to the media files. The media files themselves are not contained in the database, but cataloged within the libraries. Version 12 of JRiver Media Center added support for auto-importing of media, whereby JRiver Media Center continually watches designated directories for changes in media. If a new file is dropped into the directory, JRiver Media Center will add the file to its library. Each library can contain any type of media, video, audio, images etc. View schemes View Schemes are the main way to browse through files in Media Center. Views can be created which help users see different parts of their library; these are effectively the same as database views. They are based on using metadata as criterion for creating a filtered list of files. The view system is very powerful and fully customizable. For example, a view could be made which shows only audio files in MP3 format which are longer than 3 minutes, or images taken in Africa in the year 2006. For ease of use, several default views exist which show files of a specified type only, including: audio, images, or video. Various view items, or panes, can be aligned to the top, left, right, or moved in drop-down menus, that can be used to further filter results. For example, one of the default views, artist/album, allows selecting a specific artist or album, or both, and shows files from that album or artist only. Once a view is created, it is automatically saved in the library and can be opened in the various user interfaces and searched using a real-time search box. The searches are customizable and possible on any field or tag in the library. Playlists JRiver Media Center allows the creation of playlists. It also can export playlists as M3U, M3U8, ASX, MPL, CSV. Smartlists Smartlists are similar to playlists except that rather than selecting a list of songs, the list is governed by a set of rules. For example, a smartlist might take every video file which was produced in 1994. Smartlists can be based on Playlists. They are defined using an expression language. Media Center provides a wizard style dialogue box to simplify creating these. An added benefit of a smartlist over a basic playlist is that a smartlist is dynamic; it will update itself whenever new files that meet its criteria are added to the library. For example, one could create a smartlist to show all tracks with the genre tagged Indie Rock. If a new album were added to Media Center's library that had the Indie Rock genre tag, Media Center would automatically add those files to the smartlist. User interfaces JRiver Media Center provides four different user interfaces for use in different situations. Each user interface is skinnable. Standard view Through the default Media Center UI for desktop environment the user is exposed to all of the core multimedia features, such as: Tagging Ripping CD/DVD burning Accessing portable players Creating/editing playlists, smartlists, and views Setting up TV stations Accessing web media Standard view occupies a large amount of screen space, can be viewed in either full screen or as a window mode, and it consists of the following components: Tree: allow for hierarchical navigation between different views of the Media Library Action Window: provides quick access to common tasks, such as ripping/burning Header: presents the playback controls and options for selected track Playing Now: displays current playlist items Panes/Thumbnails: aid in simple point and click media browsing Tagging panes: allows tagging media files Theater view While the Standard and Mini views are designed to be used in front of a desktop or laptop computers, Media Center includes an additional 10-foot user interface called the "Theater view". This is made to work on a large screen, such as a television, projector or large computer screen. The interface is made to work in a 10-foot mode, i.e. from a living room sofa using remote controls, rather than the conventional mouse and keyboard. As of JRiver Media Center 12, Theatre view relies on Microsoft's DirectX graphics engine. With this, Media Center uses 3D and 2D Animation to create a more visually appealing interface, which more nearly resembles that of a digital recording box, or DVD player. The Theater view doesn't provide the editing interfaces of Standard view, but instead provides much more accessible access to the different views of the library. All the buttons in Theater view are large, and tend to move to different pages to display different information. Theater view also provides access to the weather, news websites and RSS feeds. Mini view Mini view is similar to that of Winamp. It's designed to take up minimal screen space while still providing access to basic controls. Mini view skins are different from the other UI skins seen in Media Center in that they can employ JavaScript to make them more dynamic. Mini views are far more flexible than the other types of skins, allowing Media Center to take various shapes and forms using transparency effects. Networking JRiver Media Center provides network access to its libraries using different server plugins. Library server Library server allows JRiver Media Center to share its active library with up to five client machines. This is designed for situations where a server machine with large resources is set up in one area, and clients such as laptops with smaller resources can access media elsewhere. TiVo server JRiver Media Center supports TiVo's Home Media option, allowing TiVo to stream video and audio. UPnP and DLNA servers Web services integration Audible Amazon Music CD Baby Hulu MediaNet Netflix YouTube Plugins JRiver Media Center uses COM support to provide access to its SDK library. This allows plugins to be written in a wide variety of languages including: C++ C# Object Pascal (Delphi) Visual Basic A variety of plugins can be developed for specific components and purposes: Theater view plugins: allows creating extensions to Theater view Interface plugins: provide interface extensions for Standard view DSP plugins: allows directly manipulating sound processing Display plugins: allow creation of different visualizations Input plugins: can be used to add new formats to Media Center, which are not supported naively It is also possible to create "Track Info" visualizations that are created in HTML to display information about the currently playing Media. These can be extended further using the various web languages around such as JavaScript. A full list of available plugins can be found in the Accessories section on the official website. Media formats JRiver Media Center supports a wide range file formats among audio files, video files, photos and documents. A full lists of supported formats can be found on the JRiver Media Center wiki; (supported audio formats, supported video formats, and supported image formats). DirectShow is supported, allowing the playing of any video or audio format for which a DirectShow Filter is available, and installed. Supported hardware Amazon Echo powered intelligent loudspeakers. Android-based devices iOS-based: iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch Digital cameras Image scanners Removable media Smartphones TiVo Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA) Version history See also Comparison of media players Musicmatch Jukebox RealJukebox References External links Official JRiver Media Center Interact forum Official JRiver Media Jukebox site Reviews MacOS media players IPod software Windows multimedia software MacOS multimedia software Proprietary cross-platform software Windows CD/DVD writing software Jukebox-style media players Video recording software Linux media players

1482981

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony%20Rota

Anthony Rota

Anthony Michael Gerard Rota (born May 15, 1961) is a Canadian politician who served as the 37th speaker of the House of Commons of Canada from 2019 until his resignation in 2023. A member of the Liberal Party, he currently serves as the member of Parliament (MP) for the riding of Nipissing—Timiskaming. He previously represented Nipissing—Timiskaming as MP from 2004 to 2011. In 2019, he was elected by the House of Commons to be the speaker in the 43rd Parliament and in 2021 was re-elected in the 44th Parliament. On September 27, 2023, he resigned as speaker due to the honouring of former Waffen-SS "Galicia" Ukrainian veteran Yaroslav Hunka in the House of Commons, triggering the 2023 speakership election. Early life and career Rota was born in North Bay, Ontario in 1961, to a family from Cosenza, Italy. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Wilfrid Laurier University, a diploma in finance from Algonquin College and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Ottawa. Prior to his election, Rota worked for the Industrial Research Assistance Program as regional manager for Ontario. He has also served with the Canadian Technology Network in Ottawa and has worked in the private sector. He is fluent in English, French, Italian and Spanish. Political career Rota began his political career at the municipal level, serving as a city councillor for North Bay City Council from 1994 to 1997, chairing the city's planning and economic development committee. He won the federal Liberal Party of Canada nomination for Nipissing—Timiskaming in early 2004, defeating rival candidates Susan Church, Hugh McLachlan and Joe Sinicrope with 52% on the second ballot. In the general election held in June of that year, he narrowly defeated Conservative candidate Al McDonald. Rota was reelected in the 2006 election, defeating the Conservative Party's Peter Chirico, the NDP's Dave Fluri, and the Green Party's Meg Purdy. In the 2008 election, he was again reelected. He served as the Liberal Party caucus chair, and as critic for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario. Rota ran again in the 2011 election and lost by a reported 14 votes to Jay Aspin of the Conservative Party. Due to the narrow margin, an automatic judicial recount was required, confirming the margin at 18 votes. After his 2011 loss, he began teaching at Nipissing University in North Bay, Ontario. In the 2015 election, Rota was again the Liberal candidate, defeating Aspin to again become an MP in the 42nd Canadian Parliament. On December 9, 2015, he was appointed Assistant Deputy Chair of Committees of the Whole. He was reelected in the 2019 election. As Speaker of the House of Commons Following the 2019 Federal Election, during the 43rd Canadian Parliament he was elected as 37th speaker of the House of Commons on December 5, 2019, by winning a ranked ballot between himself, Joël Godin, Carol Hughes, Geoff Regan (the speaker during the previous Parliament) and Bruce Stanton. Following Rota's win, the Conservatives said that he had them to thank for his new position. They had made the decision to unseat Regan as a show of strength during a caucus meeting. They did so by ranking Regan further down on the ranked ballot. On June 17, 2020, Rota ordered that NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh be removed from the House of Commons after referring to Bloc Québécois MP Alain Therrien as a racist. Document disclosure court challenge In July 2021, the Liberal government took the unprecedented step of taking Speaker Rota to court after Rota ruled that the government did not have the legal authority to withhold documents requested by members of Parliament. The documents requested related to the transfer of samples of the level 4 viruses from the National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg to the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China and the lab's dismissal of two of its scientists. Subsequently, Speaker Rota reprimanded Iain Stewart, the President of the Public Health Agency of Canada for PHAC's "contempt" of Parliament, after Stewart failed to comply with multiple House and Commons committee orders to produce these unredacted documents. The Liberal government’s legal challenge centered on whether or not courts can overrule the Parliamentary powers under the Westminster system. Speaker Rota had upheld the principle that the judiciary has no jurisdiction over the operations of the House and that only Parliament can decide how the law applies to its institutions. The Liberal government subsequently dropped the court application after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called an election in August, dissolving Parliament and thus terminating all business before the House, including the orders to produce the PHAC documents. On November 22, 2021, Rota was reelected as the speaker of the House of Commons. Scandal and resignation On September 22, 2023, following an address to the Canadian parliament by visiting Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Rota introduced and recognized Yaroslav Hunka, a Ukrainian-Canadian retiree from North Bay, in the parliamentary galleries. He identified Hunka as a "war hero" who fought for the First Ukrainian Division, saying, "We have here in the chamber today a Ukrainian Canadian war veteran from the Second World War who fought for Ukrainian independence against the Russians and continues to support the troops today even at his age of 98. His name is Yaroslav Hunka. I am very proud to say that he is from North Bay and from my riding of Nipissing—Timiskaming. He is a Ukrainian hero and a Canadian hero, and we thank him for all his service. Thank you." Following Rota's introduction, Hunka was applauded with two standing ovations by members of all parties. Subsequent media reports identified Hunka as a member of the 14th Waffen Grenadier Division (also known as the 1st Galician Division) of Nazi Germany's Waffen-SS during the Second World War; the unit was responsible for anti-partisan reprisals in Poland, Slovakia and the Austria–Slovenia border. Rota issued an apology two days after his initial statement, saying, "In my remarks following the address of the president of Ukraine, I recognized an individual in the gallery. I have subsequently become aware of more information which causes me to regret my decision to do so." Rota apologized to "Jewish communities in Canada and around the world" and accepted responsibility for his action, saying that neither the Ukrainian delegation nor other MPs were aware that he would recognize Hunka. The next day, he faced increasing demands from political parties and organizations to resign. On September 26, Rota announced his resignation as House Speaker, effective on September 27. Rota was the seventh House Speaker to resign in Canadian history, and the first to do so since John Bosley in 1986. Electoral record Federal Municipal Arms References External links View Anthony Rota 1961 births Canadian people of Italian descent Liberal Party of Canada MPs Living people Members of the House of Commons of Canada from Ontario North Bay, Ontario city councillors Algonquin College alumni University of Ottawa alumni Wilfrid Laurier University alumni Speakers of the House of Commons of Canada 21st-century members of the House of Commons of Canada

1482982

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burr%20Steers

Burr Steers

Burr Gore Steers (born October 8, 1965) is an American actor, screenwriter, and director. His films include Igby Goes Down (2002) and 17 Again (2009). He is a nephew of writer Gore Vidal. Early life and education Steers was born in Washington, D.C. His father, Newton Ivan Steers, Jr. (1917–1993), was a businessman and politician who briefly served as a Republican congressman from Maryland. Through his mother, Nina Gore Auchincloss (born 1937), he is a grandson of stockbroker and lawyer Hugh D. Auchincloss, a cousin of Louis Auchincloss. Nina is also the stepsister of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and younger half-sister of the writer Gore Vidal. Steers is a relative of vice president Aaron Burr, the third Vice President of the United States. Steers's great-grandfather Thomas Gore served as Oklahoma's first Democratic senator, from 1907 until 1921 and from 1931 until 1937, while his great-great-grandfather Oliver Burr Jennings was a founder of Standard Oil. Steers's godfather was former Virginia Senator John Warner. His brother Hugh Auchincloss Steers (1963–1995) was an American figurative painter whose later works often focused on AIDS as a theme. He has another brother, Ivan Steers, and five stepsiblings from his mother's second marriage to editor Michael Whitney Straight. Steers grew up living in Bethesda, Maryland and Georgetown, Washington, D.C., where he attended St. Albans School. Steers was expelled from both the Hotchkiss School and Culver Military Academy. He eventually earned his GED and attended New York University. Career Steers has had minor roles in a few of Quentin Tarantino's films, playing Roger (or "Flock of Seagulls") in Pulp Fiction and providing one of the radio voices in Reservoir Dogs. He also has appeared in The Last Days of Disco, Fix and Gore Vidal's Billy the Kid. He wrote and directed Igby Goes Down in 2002, a coming-of-age film that starred Kieran Culkin and Susan Sarandon. Steers also was the screenwriter of the film How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, which starred Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey. He has directed episodes of the television series Weeds, The L Word, Big Love, and The New Normal. Steers also directed the 2009 teen comedy film, 17 Again starring Zac Efron. In 2010 Steers directed the drama Charlie St. Cloud, also starring Efron. Also in 2010, there was media coverage for Steers having been hired to direct an epic film about the early life of Julius Caesar to be based on the novels by Conn Iggulden as adapted from the first two novels of Iggulden's series, The Gates of Rome and The Death of Kings, and covering the years from 92 BC to 71 BC. Exclusive Media Group hired Steers after having the adaptation written by William Broyles and Stephen Harrigan. Steers directed the 2016 film adaptation of the parody novel, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Filmography References External links 1965 births Living people St. Albans School (Washington, D.C.) alumni Hotchkiss School alumni Auchincloss family Culver Academies alumni Male actors from Washington, D.C. New York University alumni American male screenwriters English-language film directors People from Bethesda, Maryland Film directors from Maryland Screenwriters from Connecticut Screenwriters from Maryland Screenwriters from Washington, D.C. People from Georgetown (Washington, D.C.)

1482987

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johannes%20Honter

Johannes Honter

Johannes Honter (also known as Johann Hynter; Latinized as Johann Honterus or Ioannes Honterus; Romanian sources may credit him as Ioan, Hungarian ones as János; 1498 – 23 January 1549) was a Transylvanian Saxon, renaissance humanist, Protestant reformer, and theologian. Honter is best known for his geographic and cartographic publishing activity, as well as for implementing the Lutheran reform in Transylvania and founding the church, which would become the Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Romania, after the union of Transylvania with Romania. Education and activity Early life Born in Brassó (German: Kronstadt, today Brașov, Romania), Transylvania, Kingdom of Hungary, he studied at the University of Vienna between 1520 and 1525, graduating with a magister artium title. As the Ottomans approached Vienna in 1529 (see Siege of Vienna), Honter moved first to Regensburg, and, in 1530, he registered at the Kraków's Jagiellonian University (in Poland) as "Johannes Georgii de Corona, artium magister Viennensis" (Corona is medieval Latin for Brașov). It was in Kraków that he published his first books, a Latin grammar and cosmography manual. Between 1530 and 1532 he lived in Basel and practiced wood engraving, notably designing two star maps that already show his advanced skills in the craft. In the same time period he often traveled to his native Transylvania, gathering information that was to serve in his design of a map of Transylvania, commonly known as Siebenbuergen, one that he engraved and printed in Basel, and the very first one of the region to be printed. The only known copy of the map survives in the National Library of Hungary. It is known that Honter was not pleased with the map – he tried to get back all copies that he had sent to friends and other scientists. His plan was to improve the map before reprint and distribution. Dedicated to the leadership of Brassó, it was the basic design for all later maps of Transylvania, up to the early 18th century. Abraham Ortelius made the map famous by beautifully engraving it in copper. In Brașov He returned to Brassó in 1533 and became involved in local events. During his stay in the Holy Roman Empire, Honter had encountered Protestant ideas, and he worked hard to introduce Lutheranism to Transylvania (). He attempted to achieve this by informing as many persons as possible. As such, he founded the humanist gymnasium local school (functioning to this day as the "Johannes Honterus" School), set up a printing press (1539), printed a large number of books (some of which he himself authored), such as the Reformationsbuechlein, published the Kirchenordnung aller Deutschen in Siebenbuergen and assisted in the introduction of a paper mill. In 1542, in Brașov, he printed a new version of his cosmography manual, this time in verse, under the name Rudimenta Cosmographica. He believed that verse would help students remember information contained in the book. Additionally, the book contains 13 maps, engraved by Honter himself. The maps show all known parts of the world. The Rudimenta was so successful that no less than 39 editions of it were printed in Brașov, Zürich, Antwerp, Basel, Rostock, Prague, and Cologne. The book was last reprinted in 1602, but sections of it have been included in other books up to 1692. It can be considered the first European-wide manual. References Bibliography NUSSBÄCHER, Gernot; PHILIPPI, Astrid, eds., 1983. Odae cum harmoniis 1548. Facsimilia and music transcriptions. București: Editura Muzicală External links In German In German In Hungarian Johannes Honter’s ‍celestial ‍hemispheres Imagines Constellationum 1498 births 1549 deaths People from Brașov Transylvanian Saxon people 16th-century Hungarian people Hungarian Renaissance humanists Protestant Reformers Hungarian Lutherans German Lutherans University of Vienna alumni Jagiellonian University alumni Hungarian cartographers German cartographers Hungarian expatriates in Austria Hungarian expatriates in Germany Hungarian expatriates in Poland 16th-century cartographers 16th-century German theologians 16th-century German male writers

1482990

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander%20Gretchaninov

Alexander Gretchaninov

Alexander Tikhonovich Gretchaninov (; – 3 January 1956) was a Russian Romantic composer. Life Gretchaninov started his musical studies rather late, because his father, a businessman, had expected the boy to take over the family firm. Gretchaninov himself related that he did not see a piano until he was 14 and began his studies at the Moscow Conservatory in 1881 against his father's wishes and without his knowledge. His main teachers there were Sergei Taneyev and Anton Arensky. In the late 1880s, after a quarrel with Arensky, he moved to St. Petersburg where he studied composition and orchestration with Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov until 1893. Rimsky-Korsakov immediately recognized Gretchaninov's extraordinary musical imagination and talent and gave him much extra time as well as considerable financial help. This allowed the young man, whose parents were not supporting him, to survive. Out of this came an important friendship, which only ended in 1908 with Rimsky's death. As such, it is not surprising that Rimsky's influence can be heard in Gretchaninov's early works, such as his String Quartet No. 1, a prize-winning composition. Around 1896, Gretchaninov returned to Moscow and was involved with writing for the theatre, the opera and the Russian Orthodox Church. His works, especially those for voice, achieved considerable success within Russia, while his instrumental works enjoyed even wider acclaim. By 1910, he was considered a composer of such distinction that the Tsar awarded him an annual pension. Though Gretchaninov remained in Russia for several years after the Revolution, he ultimately chose to emigrate, first to France in 1925, and then, at the age of 75, to the United States in 1939. He remained in the U.S. the rest of his life and eventually became an American citizen. He died in New York at the age of 91 and is buried outside the church at Rova Farms, a Russian enclave in Jackson Township, Ocean County, New Jersey. Music Gretchaninov wrote five symphonies, the first premiered by Rimsky-Korsakov; four string quartets, the first two of which won important prizes, two piano trios, sonatas for violin, cello, clarinet, piano and balalaika, several operas, song cycle Les Fleurs du Mal, op. 48 (setting lyrics by Baudelaire) and much other music. Like Vladimir Rebikov's, his position in the history of Russian music was mainly transitional, his earlier music belonging firmly in that earlier Romantic tradition while his later work is influenced by some of the streams that also affected Igor Stravinsky and Sergei Prokofiev. Sketches for an unfinished sixth symphony from the 1940s exist. He also composed a number of small scale piano pieces. Most of Gretchaninov's manuscripts reside in the Music Division of New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. Selected works Orchestral Symphonies Symphony No. 1 in B minor, Op. 6 (1894); premiered by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov in Saint Petersburg on 26 January 1895 Symphony No. 2 in A major, Pastoral, Op. 27 (1908); premiered by Gretchaninov in 1909 in Kiev Symphony No. 3 in E major, Op. 100 (1923); premiered by Gretchaninov in 1923(4?) in Moscow Symphony No. 4 in C major, Op. 102 (1927); premiered by John Barbirolli & the New York Philharmonic Orchestra on 9 April 1942 Symphony No. 5 in G minor, Op. 153 (1936); premiered by Leopold Stokowski and the Philadelphia Orchestra on 5 April 1939 Symphony No. 6 (sketches, c. 1940s) Concerti Cello Concerto, Op. 8 (1895) In modo antico, Op. 81, for violin & orchestra (1918) Violin Concerto, Op. 132 (1932) Concerto for flute, harp and strings, Op. 159 (1938) Other orchestral Concert Overture in D minor (1892) Elegy in Memory of Tchaikovsky (1893) Incidental Music to the play Tsar Feodor of Tolstoy (1898) Incidental Music to the play The Death of Ivan the Terrible of Tolstoy (1899) Incidental Music to the play Dreams of Danchenko (1899) Funeral March (1905) Rhapsody on Russian Themes, Op. 147 (1940) Poème élégiaque, Op. 175 (1944 or 1945) A Grand Festival Overture, Op. 178 (1946) Poème lyrique, Op. 185 (1947–48) Opera Dobrynya Nikitich, Op. 22 (1895-1901) after the story of the bogatyr Dobrynya Nikitich. Soeur Béatrice, Op. 50 (1908–10) The Dream of the Christmas Tree Kinderoper, Op. 55 (1911) Der Kater, der Hahn und der Fuchs, Kinderoper, Op. 103 (1924) The Wedding, Op. 180 (1946) Secular songs and choral music 4 Mélodies, for medium voice and piano, Op. 20 (1899) Snowflakes (Снежинки, Snezhiniki) – Song Cycle for Woman's Voice or Choir and Orchestra or Piano, Op. 47 (1910) Les Fleurs du mal – 5 Songs after Baudelaire, Op. 48 (1909) The Bee: 6 Children's Songs, Op. 66 (1914) Under the Waxing Moon, 4 Songs from a Child's World after Poetry by Rabindranath Tagore, Op. 95 (1925) Sonetti romani, for voice and piano (Russian text by Vyacheslav Ivanov), Op. 160 (1939) Piazza di Spagna, Op. 160, No. 1 Fontana della Tartaruga, Op. 160, No. 2 Triton, Op. 160, No. 3 Il tramontare del sole al Pincio, Op. 160, No. 4 Fontana di Trevi, Op. 160, No. 5 Vers la victoire, symphonic poem (1943) Liturgical vocal/choral Liturgie Johannes Chrysostomos No. 1, Op. 13 (1897) Liturgy of Christmas Eve, Op. 19, for double mixed choir (1898) Liturgie Johannes Chrysostomos No. 2, Op. 29 (1902) Holy Week (Страстная седмица), Op. 58 (1911) All-Night Vigil (Всенощное бдение), Op. 59 (1912) Kvalite Boga, Op. 65 (1915) Liturgia Domestica (Liturgie Johannes Chrysostomos No. 3), Op. 79 (1917) Missa Oecumenica, Op. 142 (1936) Missa Festiva, Op. 154 (1937) Missa Sancti Spiritus, Op. 169 (1940) Missa Et in Terra Pax, Op. 166 (1942) Liturgie Johannes Chrysostomos No. 4, Op. 177 (1943) Chamber music String Quartet No. 1 in G major, Op. 2 (1894) 2 Pieces for Violin and Piano, Op. 14 (1897) Piano Trio No. 1 in C minor, Op. 38 (1906) String Quartet No. 2 in D minor, Op. 70 (1913) String Quartet No. 3 in C minor, Op. 75 (1915) Violin Sonata No. 1 in D major, Op. 87 (1919) Cello Sonata in E minor, Op. 113 (1927) String Quartet No. 4 in F major, Op. 124 (1929) Piano Trio No. 2 in G major, Op. 128 (1931) Violin Sonata No. 2 in C minor, Op. 137 (1933) Sonata for Clarinet or Viola & Piano (Clarinet Sonata No. 1), Op. 161 (1935–40) Clarinet Sonata No. 2, Op. 172(a) (1943) Piano music 5 Pastelles: Plainte, Méditation, Chant d'automne, Orage, Nocturne, Op. 3 (1894) 2 Pieces: Poème, Cortège, Op. 18 2 Pieces: Impromptu, Prélude, Op. 37 4 Mazurkas, Op. 53 (1911) Pastelle No. 2, 8 pieces for piano, Op. 61 (1913) 3 Moments lyriques (Prélude, Berceuse, Mazurka), Op. 78 (pub. 1950) Livre d'enfants, 15 pieces for piano, Op. 98 (1923) On the Green Meadow, Op. 99 (1924) 2 Piano Sonatinas, Op. 110 (1927) The Grandfather's Book, Op. 119 Glass Beads, Op. 123 (1929) Piano Sonata No. 1 in G minor, Op. 129 (1931) Piano Sonata No. 2 in G major, Op. 174 (1944) Petite Suite for Piano, Op. 176 (1944) See also Blazhen Muzh Notes References Some of the information on this page appears on the Alexander Gretchaninov page of the Edition Silvertrust website. Permission has been granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License. Further reading (contains a catalog of the composer's works, pp. 175–204) External links Gretchaninov manuscripts in the Music Division of The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts Alexander Gretchaninov String Quartet Nos. 1 & 2, Opp. 2 & 70 Soundbites & short biography. 1864 births 1956 deaths Classical composers of church music People from Kaluga People from Kaluzhsky Uyezd Composers for piano String quartet composers 19th-century classical composers 20th-century classical composers Composers from the Russian Empire Emigrants from the Russian Empire Immigrants to the United States Immigrants to France 20th-century male musicians 19th-century male musicians Moscow Conservatory alumni

1482994

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spermatocyte

Spermatocyte

Spermatocytes are a type of male gametocyte in animals. They derive from immature germ cells called spermatogonia. They are found in the testis, in a structure known as the seminiferous tubules. There are two types of spermatocytes, primary and secondary spermatocytes. Primary and secondary spermatocytes are formed through the process of spermatocytogenesis. Primary spermatocytes are diploid (2N) cells. After meiosis I, two secondary spermatocytes are formed. Secondary spermatocytes are haploid (N) cells that contain half the number of chromosomes. In all animals, males produce spermatocytes, even hermaphrodites such as C. elegans, which exist as a male or hermaphrodite. In hermaphrodite C. elegans, sperm production occurs first and is then stored in the spermatheca. Once the eggs are formed, they are able to self-fertilize and produce up to 350 progeny. Development At puberty, spermatogonia located along the walls of the seminiferous tubules within the testis will be initiated and start to divide mitotically, forming two types of A cells that contain an oval shaped nucleus with a nucleolus attached to the nuclear envelope; one is dark (Ad) and the other is pale (Ap). The Ad cells are spermatogonia that will stay in the basal compartment (outer region of the tubule); these cells are reserve spermatogonial stem cells that do not usually undergo mitosis. Type Ap are actively-dividing spermatogonial stem cells which begin differentiation to type B spermatogonia, which have round nuclei and heterochromatin attached to the nuclear envelope and the center of nucleolus. Type B cells will move on to the adluminal compartment (towards the inner region of tubule) and become primary spermatocytes; this process takes about 16 days to complete. The primary spermatocytes within the adluminal compartment will continue on to meiosis I and divide into two daughters cells, known as secondary spermatocytes, a process which takes 24 days to complete. Each secondary spermatocyte will form two spermatids after meiosis II. Although spermatocytes that divide mitotically and meiotically are sensitive to radiation and cancer, spermatogonial stem cells are not. Therefore, after termination of radiation therapy or chemotherapy, the spermatognia stems cells may re-initiate the formation of spermatogenesis. Role of hormones The formation of primary spermatocytes (a process known as spermatocytogenesis) begins in humans when a male is sexually matured at puberty, around the age of 10 through 14. Formation is initiated upon the pulsated surges of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) from the hypothalamus, which leads to the secretion of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) produced by the anterior pituitary gland. The release of FSH into the testes will enhance spermatogenesis and lead to the development of Sertoli cells, which act as nursing cells where spermatids will go to mature after meiosis II. LH promotes Leydig cell secretion of testosterone into the testes and blood, which induce spermatogenesis and aid the formation of secondary sex characteristics. From this point on, the secretion of FSH and LH (inducing production of testosterone) will stimulate spermatogenesis until the male dies. Increasing the hormones FSH and LH in males will not increase the rate of spermatogenesis. However, with age, the rate of production will decrease, even when the amount of hormone that is secreted is constant; this is due to higher rates of degeneration of germ cells during meiotic prophase. Cell type summary In the following table, ploidy, copy number and chromosome/chromatid counts listed are for a single cell, generally prior to DNA synthesis and division (in G1 if applicable). Primary spermatocytes are arrested after DNA synthesis and prior to division. Physiology Damage, repair, and failure Spermatocytes regularly overcome double-strand breaks and other DNA damages in the prophase stage of meiosis. These damages can arise by the programmed activity of Spo11, an enzyme employed in meiotic recombination, as well as by un-programmed breakages in DNA, such as those caused by oxidative free radicals produced as products of normal metabolism. These damages are repaired by homologous recombination pathways and utilize RAD1 and γH2AX, which recognize double strand breaks and modify chromatin, respectively. As a result, double strand breaks in meiotic cells, unlike mitotic cells, do not typically lead to apoptosis, or cell death. Homologous recombinational repair (HRR) of double-strand breaks occurs in mice during sequential stages of spermatogenesis but is most prominent in spermatocytes. In spermatocytes, HRR events occur mainly in the pachytene stage of meiosis and the gene conversion type of HRR is predominant, whereas in other stages of spermatogenesis the reciprocal exchange type of HRR is more frequent. During mouse spermatogenesis, the mutation frequencies of cells at the different stages, including pachytene spermatocytes, are 5 to 10-fold lower than the mutation frequencies in somatic cells. Because of their elevated DNA repair capability, spermatocytes likely play a central role in the maintenance of these lower mutation rates, and thus in the preservation of the genetic integrity of the male germ line. It is known that heterozygous chromosomal rearrangements lead to spermatogenic disturbance or failure; however the molecular mechanisms that cause this are not as well known. It is suggested that a passive mechanism involving asynaptic region clustering in spermatocytes is a possible cause. Asynaptic regions are associated with BRCA1, kinase ATR and γH2AX presence in pachytene spermatocytes. Specific mutations The gene Stimulated By Retinoic Acid 8 (STRA8) is required for the retinoic-acid signaling pathway in humans, which leads to meiosis initiation. STRA8 expression is higher in preleptotene spermatocytes (at the earliest stage of prophase I in meiosis) than in spermatogonia. STRA8-mutant spermatocytes have been shown to be capable of meiosis initiation; however, they cannot complete the process. Mutations in leptotene spermatocytes can result in premature chromosome condensation. Mutations in Mtap2, a microtubule-associated protein, as observed in repro4 mutant spermatocytes, have been shown to arrest spermatogenesis progress during the prophase of meiosis I. This is observed by a reduction in spermatid presence in repro4 mutants. Recombinant-defective mutations can occur in Spo11, DMC1, ATM and MSH5 genes of spermatocytes. These mutations involve double strand break repair impairment, which can result in arrest of spermatogenesis at stage IV of the seminiferous epithelium cycle. History The spermatogenesis process has been elucidated throughout the years by researchers who divided the process into multiple stages or phases, depending on intrinsic (germ and Sertoli cells) and extrinsic (FSH and LH) factors. The spermatogenesis process in mammals as a whole, involving cellular transformation, mitosis, and meiosis, has been well studied and documented from the 1950s to 1980s. However, during the 1990s and 2000s researchers have focused around increasing understanding of the regulation of spermatogenesis via genes, proteins, and signaling pathways, and the biochemical and molecular mechanisms involved in these processes. Most recently, the environmental effects on spermatogenesis have become a focus as male infertility in men has become more prevalent. An important discovery in the spermatogenesis process was the identification of the seminiferous epithelial cycle in mammals—work by C.P. Leblound and Y. Clermont in 1952 that studied the spermatogonia, spermatocyte layers and spermatids in rat seminiferous tubules. Another critical discovery was that of the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular hormone chain, which plays a role in spermatogenesis regulation; this was studied by R. M. Sharpe in 1994. Other animals Primary cilia are common organelles found in eukaryotic cells; they play an important role in development of animals. Drosophila have unique properties in their spermatocyte primary cilia—they are assembled by four centrioles independently in the G2 phase and are sensitive to microtubule-targeting drugs. Normally, primary cilia will develop from one centriole in the G0/G1 phase and are not affected by microtubule targeting drugs. Mesostoma ehrenbergii is a rhabdocoel flatworm with a distinctive male meiosis stage within the formation of spermatocytes. During the pre-anaphase stage, cleavage furrows are formed in the spermatocyte cells containing four univalent chromosomes. By the end of the anaphase stage, there is one at each pole moving between the spindle poles without actually having physical interactions with one another (also known as distance segregation). These unique traits allow researchers to study the force created by the spindle poles to allow the chromosomes to move, cleavage furrow management and distance segregation. See also Germ cells Gametes Gametocytogenesis Leydig Mitosis Meiosis Sertoli cells Spermatogenesis Spermatogonia Spermatid Spermatocytogenesis Spermatidogenesis Sperm References External links Spermatogenesis The Male Reproductive System The Reproductive System Germ cells Mammal male reproductive system

1483002

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yisrael%20BaAliyah

Yisrael BaAliyah

Yisrael BaAliyah (, ; lit., Israel on the up) was a political party in Israel between its formation in 1996 and its merger into Likud in 2003. It was formed to represent the interests of Russian immigrants by former refuseniks Natan Sharansky and Yuli-Yoel Edelstein. Initially a centrist party, it drifted to the right towards the end of its existence. History The party was formed in 1996 by Sharansky, whose personal image as a dedicated and long-suffering idealist was intended to be the catalyst for an immigrant revolution in Israeli politics. "Yisrael BaAliyah" was chosen as the name for the party, both denoting its identification with immigration (aliyah being the Hebrew word for immigration to Israel), as well as the literal meaning of "Israel on the up". With another ex-Soviet dissident Yuli-Yoel Edelstein as a co-founder, they chose a slogan stating that their political party is different: its leaders first go to prison and only then go into politics. In its first electoral test, the May 1996 Knesset elections, the party won 5.7% of the vote and 7 seats, making it the sixth largest party in the Knesset. It joined Binyamin Netanyahu's Likud-led government, and was given two ministerial posts; Sharansky was appointed Minister of Industry and Trade, whilst Edelstein became Minister of Immigrant Absorption. On 23 February 1999, Shortly before the 1999 Knesset elections, Michael Nudelman and Yuri Stern left the party to form Aliyah, which later entered into an alliance with another Russian-immigrant party, Yisrael Beiteinu. In the elections, the party was reduced to six seats, but was now the fifth-largest in the Knesset, having campaigned on the popular motto "Ministry of Internal Affairs in our control" (МВД под наш контроль). It joined Ehud Barak's One Israel-led government, and was given one ministerial portfolio (Sharansky as Minister of Internal Affairs) and one deputy ministerial post (Marina Solodkin as Deputy Minister of Immigrant Absorption). On 20 July 1999, shortly after the elections, left-wingers Roman Bronfman and Alexander Tzinker left the party and formed the Democratic Choice faction. Yisrael BaAliyah left the government on 11 July 2000, in response to suggestions that Barak's negiotations with the Palestinians would result in a division of Jerusalem. After Ariel Sharon won a special election for Prime Minister in 2001, the party joined his new government, and was again given one ministerial post (Sharansky as Minister of Housing and Construction) and one deputy position (Edelstein as Deputy Immigrant Absorption Minister). In addition, Sharansky was appointed Deputy Prime Minister. In the January 2003 elections, the party was reduced to just two seats. Sharansky resigned from the Knesset, and was replaced by Edelstein. However, he remained party chairman, and decided to merge it into Likud (which had won the election with a haul of 38 seats). The merger went through on 10 March 2003, and Sharansky was appointed Minister of Jerusalem Affairs, whilst Solodkin was re-appointed Deputy Minister of Immigrant Absorption. Election results Knesset members References External links Yisrael BaAliyah Knesset website Defunct political parties in Israel Russian-Jewish culture in Israel Zionist political parties in Israel Words and phrases in Modern Hebrew

1483004

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lillian%20Randolph

Lillian Randolph

Lillian Randolph (December 14, 1898 – September 12, 1980) was an American actress and singer, a veteran of radio, film, and television. She worked in entertainment from the 1930s until shortly before her death. She appeared in hundreds of radio shows, motion pictures, short subjects, and television shows. Randolph is most recognized for appearing in It's a Wonderful Life (1946), Magic (1978), and her final onscreen project, The Onion Field (1979). She prominently contributed her voice to the character Mammy Two Shoes in nineteen Tom and Jerry cartoons released between 1940 and 1952. Early life and education Randolph was born Castello Randolph in Knoxville, Tennessee, the daughter of a Methodist minister and a teacher. She was the younger sister of actress Amanda Randolph. Career Radio Randolph began her professional career singing on local radio in Cleveland and Detroit. At WXYZ in Detroit, she was noticed by George W. Trendle, station owner and developer of The Lone Ranger. He got her into radio training courses, which paid off in roles for local radio shows. Randolph was tutored by a white actor for three months on racial dialect prior to obtaining any radio roles. In 1936, she moved on to Los Angeles to work on Al Jolson's radio show, on Big Town, on the Al Pearce show, and to sing at the Club Alabam there. Actress Randolph and her sister Amanda were continually looking for roles to make ends meet. In 1938, she opened her home to Lena Horne, who was in California for her first movie role in The Duke Is Tops (1938); the film was so tightly budgeted, Horne had no money for a hotel. Randolph opened her home during World War II with weekly dinners and entertainment for service people in the Los Angeles area through American Women's Voluntary Services. Randolph played the role of the maid Birdie Lee Coggins in The Great Gildersleeve, a radio comedy and subsequent films, and as Madame Queen on the Amos 'n' Andy radio show and television show from 1937 to 1953. She was cast in the Gildersleeve job on the basis of her wonderful laugh. Upon hearing the Gildersleeve program was beginning, Randolph made a dash to NBC. She tore down the halls; when she opened the door for the program, she fell on her face. Randolph was not hurt and she laughed, which got her the job. She also portrayed Birdie in the television version of The Great Gildersleeve. In 1955, Lillian was asked to perform the Gospel song, "Were You There" on the television version of the Gildersleeve show. The positive response from viewers resulted in a Gospel album by Randolph on Dootone Records. She found the time for the role of Mrs. Watson on The Baby Snooks Show and Daisy on The Billie Burke Show. Her best known film roles were those of Annie in It's a Wonderful Life (1946) and Bessie in The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer (1947). The West Adams district of Los Angeles was once home to lawyers and tycoons, but during the 1930s, many residents were either forced to sell their homes or take in boarders because of the economic times. The bulk of the residents who were earlier members of the entertainment community had already moved to places such as Beverly Hills and Hollywood. In the 1940s, members of the African-American entertainment community discovered the charms of the district and began purchasing homes there, giving the area the nickname "Sugar Hill". Hattie McDaniel was one of the first African-American residents. In an attempt to discourage African-Americans from making their homes in the area, some residents resorted to adding covenants to the contracts when their homes were sold, either restricting African-Americans from purchasing them or prohibiting them from occupying the houses after purchase. Lillian and her husband, boxer Jack Chase, were victims of this type of discrimination. In 1946, the couple purchased a home on West Adams Boulevard with a restrictive covenant that barred them from moving into it. The US Supreme Court declared the practice unconstitutional in 1948. After divorcing Chase, Randolph married railroad dining car server Edward Sanders, in August 1951. The couple divorced in December 1953. Like her sister, Amanda, Lillian was also one of the actresses to play the part of Beulah on radio. Randolph assumed the role in 1952 when Hattie McDaniel became ill; that same year, she received an "Angel" award from the Caballeros, an African-American businessmen's association, for her work in radio and television for 1951. She played Beulah until 1953, when Amanda took over for her. In 1954, Randolph had her own daily radio show in Hollywood, where those involved in acting were featured. In the same year, she became the first African American on the board of directors for the Hollywood chapter of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. In William Hanna and Joseph Barbera's Tom and Jerry cartoons at the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer cartoon studio during the 1940s and early 1950s, she was uncredited for voicing the maid character, Mammy Two Shoes. The character's last appearance in the cartoons was in Push-Button Kitty in September 1952. MGM, Hanna-Barbera and Randolph had been under fire from the NAACP, which called the role a stereotype. Activists had been complaining about the maid character since 1949. The character was written out entirely. Many of these had a white actress (June Foray) redubbing the character in American TV broadcasts and in the DVD collections. This was not the only time Randolph received criticism. In 1946, Ebony published a story critical of her role of Birdie on The Great Gildersleeve radio show. Randolph and Sam Moore, a scriptwriter on the program, provided a rebuttal to them in the magazine. Lillian Randolph believed these roles were not harmful to the image or opportunities of African-Americans. Her reasoning was that the roles themselves would not be discontinued, but the ethnicity of those in them would change. In 1956, Randolph and her choir, along with fellow Amos 'n' Andy television show cast members Tim Moore, Alvin Childress, and Spencer Williams set off on a tour of the US as "The TV Stars of Amos 'n' Andy". However, CBS claimed it was an infringement of its rights to the show and its characters. The tour soon came to an end. By 1958, Lillian, who started out as a blues singer, returned to music with a nightclub act. Randolph was selected to play Bill Cosby's character's mother in his 1969 television series, The Bill Cosby Show. She later appeared in several featured roles on Sanford and Son and The Jeffersons in the 1970s. She also taught acting, singing and public speaking. Randolph made a guest appearance on a 1972 episode of the sitcom Sanford and Son, entitled "Here Comes the Bride, There Goes the Bride" as Aunt Hazel, an in-law of the Fred Sanford (Redd Foxx) character who humorously gets a cake thrown in her face, after which Fred replies "Hazel, you never looked sweeter!". Her Amos 'n' Andy co-star, Alvin Childress, also had a role in this episode. She played Mabel in Jacqueline Susann's Once Is Not Enough (1975) and also appeared in the television miniseries, Roots (1977), Magic (1978) and The Onion Field (1979). In March 1980, she was inducted into the Black Filmmakers Hall of Fame. Randolph's daughter, Barbara, grew up watching her mother perform. At age eight, Barbara had already made her debut in Bright Road (1953) with Harry Belafonte and Dorothy Dandridge. Choosing to adopt her mother's maiden name, Barbara Randolph appeared in her mother's nightclub acts, including with Steve Gibson and the Red Caps, and had a role in Guess Who's Coming to Dinner in 1967. She decided to follow a singing career. Death Randolph died of cancer at Arcadia Methodist Hospital in Arcadia, California on September 12, 1980. She is buried in Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills). Her sister, Amanda, is buried beside her. Partial filmography Life Goes On (1938) – Cinthy The Duke Is Tops (1938) – Woman with Sciatica (uncredited) The Toy Wife (1938) – Black Nun with Rose (uncredited) Streets of New York (1939) – Judge's Maid (uncredited) Way Down South (1939) – Slave (uncredited) The Marx Brothers at the Circus (1939) – Black Woman - 'Swingali' (uncredited) Am I Guilty? (1940) – Mrs. Jones Barnyard Follies (1940) – Birdie (uncredited) Little Men (1940) – Asia One Big Mistake (1940), a featurette starring Dewey "Pigmeat" Markham Tom and Jerry (1940-1952) – Mammy Two Shoes West Point Widow (1941) – Sophie Kiss the Boys Goodbye (1941) – Bethany Plantation Chorus Servant (uncredited) Gentleman from Dixie (1941) – Aunt Eppie Birth of the Blues (1941) – Dancing Woman (uncredited) All-American Co-Ed (1941) – Deborah, the Washwoman Mexican Spitfire Sees a Ghost (1942) – Hyacinth Hi, Neighbor (1942) – Birdie The Palm Beach Story (1942) – Maid on Train (uncredited) The Glass Key (1942) – Basement Club Entertainer (uncredited) The Great Gildersleeve (1942) – Birdie Lee Calkins No Time for Love (1943) – Hilda (uncredited) Happy Go Lucky (1943) – Tessie (uncredited) Hoosier Holiday (1943) – Birdie Gildersleeve on Broadway (1943) – Birdie Phantom Lady (1944) – Woman at Train Platform (uncredited) Up in Arms (1944) – Black Woman in Cable Car (uncredited) The Adventures of Mark Twain (1944) – Black Woman (uncredited) Gildersleeve's Ghost (1944) – Birdie, Gildersleeve's Housekeeper Three Little Sisters (1944) – Mabel A Song for Miss Julie (1945) – Eliza Henry Riverboat Rhythm (1946) – Azalea (uncredited) Child of Divorce (1946) – Carrie, the Maid It's a Wonderful Life (1946) – Annie The Hucksters (1947) – Violet (voice, uncredited) The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer (1947) – Bessie Sleep, My Love (1948) – Parkhurst's Maid (uncredited) Let's Live a Little (1948) – Sarah (uncredited) Once More, My Darling (1949) – Mamie Dear Brat (1951) – Dora That's My Boy (1951) – May, Maid Bend of the River (1952) – Aunt Tildy (uncredited) Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964) – Cleaning Woman The Great White Hope (1970) – Housekeeper (uncredited) How to Seduce a Woman (1974) – Matilda Rafferty and the Gold Dust Twins (1975) – Elderly Woman Driver The Wild McCullochs (1975) – Missy Jacqueline Susann's Once Is Not Enough (1975) – Mabel The World Through the Eyes of Children (1975) – Susan Jennifer (1978) – Martha Magic (1978) – Sadie The Onion Field (1979) – Nana, Jimmy's Grandmother (final film role) Notes References External links Lillian Randolph Movies & TV New York Times Lillian Randolph-early 1940s-photo Eighth & Wall Index of radio shows Lillian Randolph performed in David Goldin Watch Amos 'n' Andy: Anatomy of a Controversy Video by Hulu The Great Gildersleeve TV Episode at Internet Archive. Listen The Beulah Show at Internet Archive – 1953. The Great Gildersleeve Radio Episodes at Internet Archive. 1898 births 1980 deaths 20th-century American actresses 20th-century American singers 20th-century American women singers Actors from Knoxville, Tennessee Actresses from Tennessee African-American actresses African-American female military personnel African-American women singers African Americans in World War II American blues singers American film actresses American gospel singers American Methodists American radio actresses American television actresses American women in World War II Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills) Deaths from cancer in California Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer cartoon studio people Musicians from Knoxville, Tennessee Military personnel from Knoxville, Tennessee Military personnel from Tennessee People from West Adams, Los Angeles Singers from Tennessee

1483006

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air%20Adriatic

Air Adriatic

Air Adriatic was a charter airline based in Rijeka, Croatia and was the first private Croatian airline. It operated charter services from northern Europe to Croatian holiday destinations. Its main bases were Pula Airport and Dubrovnik Airport. It ceased operations in March 2007 after it had lost its air operator certificate. History The airline was established in October 2001 and started operations in March 2002. It had its headquarters at Rijeka and technical operations based at Pula Airport. In 2004, charters were largely flown between Sweden and Croatia. In 2005, the company bought three additional used McDonnell Douglas MD-82 aircraft from Alitalia. In September 2006, the airline was planning to launch scheduled services and was considering adding Boeing 757-200s to its fleet. Air Adriatic announced plans for 2007 to launch schedule services from Zagreb to Berlin, Düsseldorf, Malmö, Moscow, Pristina, Skopje and Zürich and to replace its McDonnell Douglas MD-82s with Boeing 737-700 aircraft. It also wet-leased one of its MD-82s to MyAir. Air Adriatic ceased operations in March 2007. Adria Wings has been established by former Air Adriatic employees and was expected to resume charter operations with a single McDonnell Douglas MD-83 aircraft, but it folded before starting any service. Fleet The Air Adriatic fleet included the following aircraft (at March 2007) : 4 McDonnell Douglas MD-82 Previously operated The airline also operated: 1 McDonnell Douglas MD-83 1 Tupolev Tu-154 As of 3 June 2008, the average age of the Air Adriatic fleet is 21.6 years (). References External links Descriptif compagnie Air Adriatic Defunct airlines of Croatia Airlines established in 2001 Airlines disestablished in 2007 2007 disestablishments in Croatia Croatian companies established in 2001

1483007

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orif

Orif

O.R.I.F., see Internal fixation Urif, a Palestinian village on the West Bank

1483020

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croatian%20Fraternal%20Union

Croatian Fraternal Union

The Croatian Fraternal Union () (CFU), the oldest and largest Croatian organization in North America, is a fraternal benefit society of the Croatian diaspora based out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, US. History and activities In the late fall of 1893 Croatian American journalist Zdravko V. Mužina issued a call for a convention to organize a fraternal benefit society for Americans of Croatian descent. Three hundred people met in response to the call on January 14, 1894 in Allegheny City, Pennsylvania. Only a handful of people signed up and paid dues to the new group. Mužina arranged for another meeting on September 2, 1894 which merged six Croatian societies into a new group, the Croatian Federation. This group changed its name to the National Croatian Society in 1897. In 1926 the National Croatian Society merged with the Croatian League of Illinois of Chicago, St. Joseph Society of Kansas City, Kansas and the New Croatian Society of Whiting, Indiana to form the Croatian Fraternal Union. In 1939 the CFU absorbed the Slovanic Croatian Union. The CFU built a new Home Office building in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh in 1928–29. The building featured ornate Flemish Gothic terra cotta ornamentation and was nominated as a Pittsburgh historic landmark in 2018. In 1961, the organization moved to a new headquarters in Wilkins Township. A street in Zagreb, capital of Croatia, is called Street of the Croatian Fraternal Union. The National and University Library in Zagreb, one of Croatia's central cultural institutions, is located in that street. Josip Marohnić, founding father and first president of the CFU, also has a street named in his honor in Zagreb. Benefits and activities The CFU offers a wide variety of insurance plans. However, it has been an important group in preserving Croatian culture in North America, by supporting Croatian roots, and traditional tamburitza groups. The Zajedničar, the CFU's newspaper, has been in circulation since 1904 and provides insurance information, as well as providing details about CFU cultural events from around the continent. The "Z", as it is called, began as a monthly and became a biweekly in 1909. Membership Membership is open to any one interested. Juvenile memberships are also available. In the late 1960s the CFU had 110,000 members. This declined to 100,000 members in 1979. That year the CFU had 1,000 lodges in twenty six states and several Canadian provinces. The CFU had 90,000 members in 1988. Current officers National board High Trial Board Junior Cultural Federation Lodges United States Canada Croatia References External links Croatian-American culture in Pennsylvania Croatian-American history Fraternal Union Organizations established in 1894 Ethnic fraternal orders in the United States Croatian-Canadian culture Organizations based in Pittsburgh 1894 establishments in Pennsylvania Recipients of the Charter of the Republic of Croatia

1483025

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunfight%20at%20the%20O.K.%20Corral%20%28film%29

Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (film)

Gunfight at the O.K. Corral is a 1957 American Western film starring Burt Lancaster as Wyatt Earp and Kirk Douglas as Doc Holliday, and loosely based on the actual event in 1881. The film was directed by John Sturges from a screenplay written by novelist Leon Uris. It was a remake of the 1939 film Frontier Marshall starring Randolph Scott and of John Ford's 1946 film My Darling Clementine. Plot In Fort Griffin, Texas, Ed Bailey comes looking to avenge the death of his brother at the hands of gunslinger John H. "Doc" Holliday. Seeing him in a bar, Holliday's girl, Kate Fisher, returns to Holliday's room, where the two argue while Holliday throws knives at the door - near her once she brings up Holliday's once-prominent family. Well-known marshal Wyatt Earp arrives in Fort Griffin thinking he will take outlaws Ike Clanton and Johnny Ringo into custody, but instead finds out that the local sheriff, Cotton Wilson, released them despite the outstanding warrants for their arrest. Holliday refuses to help the lawman, holding a grudge against Wyatt's brother, Morgan. Holliday kills Bailey with a knife-throw when Bailey attempts to shoot him in the back. Holliday is arrested for murder, though Wyatt and Kate allow him to escape from a lynch mob. In Dodge City, Kansas, Wyatt finds out that Holliday and Kate are in town. Holliday tells him he has no money, so Wyatt allows him to stay if he promises to not fight while he is in town. Meanwhile, gambler Laura Denbow is arrested for playing cards since women are not allowed to gamble. She is released and allowed to play in the side rooms of the saloon. Wyatt is forced to deputize Holliday because a bank robber kills a cashier and Wyatt's other deputies are out in a posse catching another outlaw. The bank robbers attempt to ambush Wyatt outside of town, but they are instead killed by Wyatt and Holliday. Back in Dodge City, Holliday learns Kate has left him for Ringo, who taunts Holliday and throws liquor on him. Holliday steadfastly refuses to get in a gunfight with him. Shanghai Pierce and his henchmen ride into town, wound deputy Charlie Bassett and attack a dancehall, but Wyatt and Holliday hold the men and defuse the situation. As Ringo attempts to intervene, Holliday shoots him in the arm. Holliday returns to his room and Kate is waiting for him, but he refuses to take her back. Kate swears she will see him dead. By now, Wyatt and Laura have fallen in love, but when he receives a letter from his brother Virgil, asking him to help clean up Tombstone, Arizona, she refuses to go with him unless he changes into the man she wants him to be. Holliday catches up to Wyatt on the trail and both head to Tombstone. In Tombstone, Wyatt finds out that Ike Clanton is trying to herd thousands of head of rustled Mexican cattle but cannot as long as the Earps control Tombstone's railway station. Morgan Earp criticizes his brother's association with Holliday, but Wyatt insists the gunslinger is welcome in Tombstone as long as he stays out of trouble. Cotton offers Wyatt a $20,000 bribe if he allows the stolen cattle to be shipped, but Wyatt refuses. He rides out to the Clanton ranch, returning Billy Clanton to his mother after finding Billy drunk. Wyatt informs Ike that he has been made a U.S. Marshal and has legal authority in every county in the United States. The Clantons decide to ambush Wyatt as he makes his nightly rounds but kill his younger brother James by mistake. The next morning, Ike and five of his henchmen go to Tombstone to face off against the Earps at the O.K. Corral. Holliday, who is ill from tuberculosis, joins them. Though Virgil and Morgan are wounded in the gunfight, all six in Clanton's gang are killed, including Billy, who is given a chance to surrender, but refuses. After the fight is over, Wyatt joins Holliday for a final drink before heading off to California to meet Laura, as promised. Cast Production Writing The screenplay by Leon Uris is based on a 1954 article entitled The Killer in Holiday Magazine by George Scullin. The film’s plot contains numerous historical inaccuracies and takes liberties with actual events at the real gunfight at the O.K. Corral. A decade later, director John Sturges made a more historically accurate version named Hour of the Gun, starring James Garner as Wyatt Earp, Jason Robards as Doc Holliday and Robert Ryan as Ike Clanton. This film begins with a more accurate version of the O.K. Corral gun battle, then covers its aftermath. Filming Sturges made portions of the movie on the set of Paramount Ranch and at Old Tucson Studios. Historical accuracy On 26 October 1881 the real gunfight did not take place in an open space like the corral, but in a very strict adjacent little street and lasted less than 30 seconds while in the film it lasted about 11 minutes. This is only the first of the historical inaccuracies present in the film: Virgil Earp was a marshal when he arrived at Tombstone while Wyatt at the time had little, if any, legal authority in the jurisdiction of Tombstone. Wyatt arrived at Tombstone with a lover, that he then sent away to make her be with her family so that they can keep her far from opiates. Johnny Ringo was not present during the gunfight. Afterwards he committed suicide. Ike Clanton accused the Earp brothers and Doc Holliday of homicide. The Cochise County Cowboys asserted that the Earps had killed their cronies in cold blood while these ones had surrendered. The judge Wells Spicer decreed that the lawmen had acted correctly according to their own authority. Morgan and Virgil Earp were wounded during the gunfight while Holliday was only grazed. Wyatt remained unharmed. It was the youngest brother of Wyatt, Morgan, not James who was the victim of an ambush by getting killed at Tombstone. This happened after the gunfight at the O.K. Corral, not before. Even Virgil Earp was involved in a trap at Tombstone following the gunfight, but he was wounded only on the arm, losing the use of the limb. James Earp was the oldest of the Earp brothers and he was never a lawman. Ike Clanton was never the leader of the Cowboys. "Old Man" Clanton controlled the gang until he was killed in 1881 and the leadership of the band passed to Curly Bill Brocis and Johnny Ringo. The film introduces a romantic story that involves Wyatt Earp and a beautiful female gambler, a fictional character (based on Lottie Deno) who had no role in the gunfight and has none in the film. Charlie Bassett was the leader of Wyatt at Dodge City. Charlie Bassett was older than Wyatt Earp, in the film instead Bassett is younger than Wyatt. Doc Holliday did not directly follow Wyatt at Tombstone. He arrived in town only some time after Wyatt had settled in. Doc Holliday saved the life of Wyatt Earp not the other way round. The real name of the sheriff was John Behan not Cotton Wilson. The sheriff was not killed the day of the gunfight and the band of Clanton did not shoot at anyone in town before the gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Reception Box office The film was a big hit and earned $4.7 million on its first run and $6 million on re-release. Critical response Reviews in 1957 were generally positive. Bosley Crowther of The New York Times praised the film as "firmly directed" and "ruggedly acted," though he lamented "odd, embarrassing moments when Cupid lets fly with his arrows," and thought that the inclusion of a ballad was too derivative of High Noon. Variety called Lancaster and Douglas "excellently cast" and added, "in its development and exciting climax John Sturges has captured the stirring spirit of the period in his sock direction." Harrison's Reports agreed that the two leads were "excellent in their respective roles" and found the action "tense and suspenseful throughout, culminating in a highly exciting and thrilling gun battle." Richard L. Coe of The Washington Post deemed the film "just what its title suggests — blood-thirsty, empty-headed and good fun of its sort." The Monthly Film Bulletin called it "carefully and lavishly mounted, but it is ultimately overlong and overwrought. Leon Uris's script dulls the final scene of action by the introduction of too many minor climaxes, which never blend." Its Dimitri Tiomkin score, featuring the song "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral", with lyrics by Ned Washington, sung by Frankie Laine, pushes the movie's momentum relentlessly throughout. Members of the Western Writers of America chose the song "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral" as one of the Top 100 Western songs of all time. Accolades The film was nominated for two Academy Awards for Best Film Editing (Warren Low) and Best Sound Recording (George Dutton). Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas were nominated for Golden Laurel in the category of top male action star. See also Hour of the Gun, 1967 remake by John Sturges with James Garner List of American films of 1957 References External links Gunfight at the O.K. Corral at Apacheland Movie Ranch 1957 films 1957 Western (genre) films 1950s American films 1950s English-language films American Western (genre) films Biographical films about Wyatt Earp Cochise County conflict Cultural depictions of Bat Masterson Cultural depictions of Big Nose Kate Cultural depictions of Doc Holliday Cultural depictions of Johnny Ringo Cultural depictions of Wyatt Earp Films about brothers Films about tuberculosis Films directed by John Sturges Films produced by Hal B. Wallis Films scored by Dimitri Tiomkin Films set in 1881 Films set in Kansas Films set in Texas Films set in Tombstone, Arizona Films shot in California Paramount Pictures films Western (genre) films based on actual events English-language Western (genre) films

1483029

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brendon%20Hills

Brendon Hills

The Brendon Hills are a range of hills in west Somerset, England. The hills merge level into the eastern side of Exmoor and are included within the Exmoor National Park. The highest point of the range is Lype Hill at above sea level with a secondary summit several kilometres to the southeast at . Both points are marked by Ordnance Survey trig points and are located within enclosed farmland. Early versions of the name include Brunedun and Brundon reflecting an original name of Bruna or Brune, meaning 'brown one'. Dun is a common Old English word for a fairly flat and extensive hill. This name is not connected with the village of Brendon in Devon, the name of which has a different origin. The terrain is broken by a series of deeply incised streams and rivers running roughly southwards to meet the River Haddeo, a tributary of the River Exe. The hills are quite heavily cultivated unlike their neighbouring upland areas of Exmoor and the Quantock Hills. The Brendon Hills are largely formed from the Morte Slates, a thick faulted and folded sequence of Devonian age sedimentary rocks. An east-west aligned anticline/syncline pair known as the Brendon Anticline and Brendon Syncline folds these rocks. The fold couplet is itself offset by displacement of the rocks on the NNW-SSE aligned Timberscombe Fault System. Over the centuries they have been mined for minerals, notably ironstone from which iron is extracted for making steel. During the 19th century this activity reached a peak with the West Somerset Mineral Railway, including an incline, being built to take the ore to Watchet from where it was sent to Ebbw Vale for smelting. The main mining operations ended when the mines were worked out towards the end of the 19th century. The hills are on the route of the Coleridge Way and are also crossed by the Samaritans Way. References Hills of Somerset Exmoor

1483030

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concorde%20%28disambiguation%29

Concorde (disambiguation)

Concorde is a supersonic aircraft. Concorde may also refer to: Concorde (pear), a cultivar of the European Pear Transport Chrysler Concorde, an automobile model HMS Concorde, originally a French naval frigate, captured by the British Royal Navy in 1783 La Concorde de Nantes, flagship of the pirate Blackbeard Places and buildings Concorde (Paris Métro), a Paris Metro station named after the nearby Place de la Concorde De La Concorde station, a Montreal Metro and commuter train station in Laval, Quebec Hôtel Le Concorde, Québec Lycée français "Le Concorde" Le Concorde Tower, Huai Khwang District, Bangkok Swissôtel Le Concorde, Swissôtel in the Le Concorde Tower, Bangkok Music Concorde (album), a 1955 album by the Modern Jazz Quartet Concorde, short for Concorde Contemporary Music Ensemble Le Concorde (band), American indie pop band "La Concorde", the national anthem of Gabon "Concorde", a song from Black Country, New Road's album Ants from Up There Other Concorde TSP Solver, a piece of software The Concorde ... Airport '79, a 1979 film See also Concord (disambiguation) Concorde Agreement Concordia (disambiguation)

1483036

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhode%20Island%20House%20of%20Representatives

Rhode Island House of Representatives

The Rhode Island House of Representatives is the lower house of the Rhode Island General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Rhode Island, the upper house being the Rhode Island Senate. It is composed of 75 members, elected to two-year terms from 75 districts of equal population. The Rhode Island General Assembly does not have term limits. The House meets at the Rhode Island State Capitol in Providence. House leadership The Speaker of the House presides over the House of Representatives. The Speaker is elected by the majority party caucus followed by confirmation of the full House through the passage of a House Resolution. As well as presiding over the body, the Speaker is also the chief leadership position, and controls the flow of legislation. Other House leaders, such as the majority and minority leaders, are elected by their respective party caucuses relative to their party's strength in the chamber. Officers Committee leadership All chairs and vice chairs are members of the Democratic Party. Composition Members of the Rhode Island House of Representatives This list is of members elected in November 2022, to serve in the 2023–24 biennium. Past composition of the House of Representatives See also Rhode Island State House Rhode Island General Assembly Rhode Island Senate List of Rhode Island state legislatures References External links Rhode Island House of Representatives official government website Map of Rhode Island State House Districts State House of Rhode Island at Project Vote Smart Rhode Island General Assembly State lower houses in the United States

1483037

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanns%20Jelinek

Hanns Jelinek

Hanns Jelinek (5 December 1901 – 27 January 1969) was an Austrian composer of Czech descent who is also known under the pseudonyms Hanns Elin, H. J. Hirsch, Jakob Fidelbogen. Biography Jelinek was born and died in Vienna. His father was a machine operator (died 1917). At the age of 6 he began violin lessons and at age 7, began learning the piano. In 1918 he became a member of the newly founded Communist Party of Austria. In 1918–19 Jelinek studied briefly with Arnold Schoenberg in the composition seminar which Schoenberg gave at Eugenie Schwarzwald's School in Vienna (with a focus on counterpoint and harmony), and privately with Alban Berg. These two influenced him to write many works in the twelve-tone technique. In 1920 he started the study with Franz Schmidt at the Vienna Academy of Music. However, in 1922 he broke off his studies for financial reasons, and thereafter studied music on his own. In order to support himself as a self-employed composer in Vienna, he appeared as a pianist in bars and cinemas and composed popular music under the pseudonym Hanns Elin. From 1958 on, he was a lecturer and, after 1965, a professor at the Vienna Academy of Music. In 1966, he was awarded the Grand Austrian State Prize. Compositions Since 1934 (starting with his Second String Quartet op. 13) he used the twelve-tone technique in all of the works to which he gave an opus number. In 1956 in his Three Blue Sketches op. 25 he combined dodecaphony with jazz. Pupils Among his pupils were: Petr Kotík, Gunnar Sonstevold, Maj Sønstevold, Igor Štuhec, Erich Urbanner, Junsang Bahk, Anne-Marie Ørbeck, Gregory Rose, Dawid Engela and Heinz Karl Gruber. Khosrow Sinai, future Iranian filmmaker, and Alireza Mashayekhi, one of the most important representatives of new music in Persia (Iran), studied under Jelinek for a while. Selected works Compositions 13 kleine Lieder (13 Little Songs) for voice and Piano op. 1 (1927) Präludium, Passacaglia und Fuge for chamber orchestra op. 4 (1922) 3 Chansons after the texts by Erich Kästner (1930) 1st String Quartet op. 10 (1931) Suite for string orchestra op. 11 (1931) Sinfonia concertante (Symphony No. 4) for string quartet and big orchestra op. 12 (1931) 2nd String Quartet op. 13 (1934–35) Bubi Caligula operetta (1947–53) Zwölftonwerk op. 15 (1947–52) Sinfonia brevis op. 16 (1948–50) Concertino for strings op. 17 (1951) Phantasie for clarinet, piano and orchestra op. 18 (1951) Zwölftonfibel (Twelve-Tone Alphabet Book) for piano op. 21 (1953–54) Sinfonia concertante (Symphony No. 6) op. 22 (1953) Selbstbildnis des Marc Aurel (Self-Portrait of Marcus Aurelius) for speaker and four instrumental soloists op. 24 (1954) Sonata for violin op. 27 (1956) Unterwegs (On The Way): Cantata on the lyrics by Franz Kiessling for soprano, vibraphone and double bass. op. 28 (1957) Four Songs on the lyrics by Franz Kiessling for middle voice and piano op. 29 (1957) The Dances Around the Steel Blue Rose ballet (1956–59) Canon nuptiale for mixed choir (1959) Zehn zahme Xenien (Ten Tame Xenias) for violine and piano op. 32 (1960) Rai Buba étude for piano and big orchestra op. 34 (1962) Writings Musikalisches Hexeneinmaleins, in: Österreichische Musikzeitschrift, 6. Jg., 1951 Anleitung zur Zwölftonkomposition nebst allerlei Paralipomena (2 volumes), Vienna, 1952 Die krebsgleichen Allintervallreihen, in Archiv für Musikwissenschaft, 18. Jg., 1961 Musik in Film und Fernsehen, in: Österreichische Musikzeitschrift, 23. Jg., 1968 Films Love is Duty Free (1941) The Queen of the Landstrasse (1948) Lambert Feels Threatened (1949) References Austrian classical composers Twelve-tone and serial composers 1901 births 1969 deaths Pupils of Arnold Schoenberg Austrian people of Czech-Jewish descent Musicians from Vienna Austrian male classical composers 20th-century Austrian musicians 20th-century Austrian male musicians 20th-century classical composers Burials at the Vienna Central Cemetery

1483049

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circuit%20rank

Circuit rank

In graph theory, a branch of mathematics, the circuit rank, cyclomatic number, cycle rank, or nullity of an undirected graph is the minimum number of edges that must be removed from the graph to break all its cycles, making it into a tree or forest. It is equal to the number of independent cycles in the graph (the size of a cycle basis). Unlike the corresponding feedback arc set problem for directed graphs, the circuit rank is easily computed using the formula , where is the number of edges in the given graph, is the number of vertices, and is the number of connected components. It is also possible to construct a minimum-size set of edges that breaks all cycles efficiently, either using a greedy algorithm or by complementing a spanning forest. The circuit rank can be explained in terms of algebraic graph theory as the dimension of the cycle space of a graph, in terms of matroid theory as the corank of a graphic matroid, and in terms of topology as one of the Betti numbers of a topological space derived from the graph. It counts the ears in an ear decomposition of the graph, forms the basis of parameterized complexity on almost-trees, and has been applied in software metrics as part of the definition of cyclomatic complexity of a piece of code. Under the name of cyclomatic number, the concept was introduced by Gustav Kirchhoff. Matroid rank and construction of a minimum feedback edge set The circuit rank of a graph may be described using matroid theory as the corank of the graphic matroid of . Using the greedy property of matroids, this means that one can find a minimum set of edges that breaks all cycles using a greedy algorithm that at each step chooses an edge that belongs to at least one cycle of the remaining graph. Alternatively, a minimum set of edges that breaks all cycles can be found by constructing a spanning forest of and choosing the complementary set of edges that do not belong to the spanning forest. The number of independent cycles In algebraic graph theory, the circuit rank is also the dimension of the cycle space of . Intuitively, this can be explained as meaning that the circuit rank counts the number of independent cycles in the graph, where a collection of cycles is independent if it is not possible to form one of the cycles as the symmetric difference of some subset of the others. This count of independent cycles can also be explained using homology theory, a branch of topology. Any graph may be viewed as an example of a simplicial complex, a type of topological space formed by representing each graph edge by a line segment and gluing these line segments together at their endpoints. The cyclomatic number is the rank of the first (integer) homology group of this complex, Because of this topological connection, the cyclomatic number of a graph is also called the first Betti number of . More generally, the first Betti number of any topological space, defined in the same way, counts the number of independent cycles in the space. Applications Meshedness coefficient A variant of the circuit rank for planar graphs, normalized by dividing by the maximum possible circuit rank of any planar graph with the same vertex set, is called the meshedness coefficient. For a connected planar graph with edges and vertices, the meshedness coefficient can be computed by the formula Here, the numerator of the formula is the circuit rank of the given graph, and the denominator is the largest possible circuit rank of an -vertex planar graph. The meshedness coefficient ranges between 0 for trees and 1 for maximal planar graphs. Ear decomposition The circuit rank controls the number of ears in an ear decomposition of a graph, a partition of the edges of the graph into paths and cycles that is useful in many graph algorithms. In particular, a graph is 2-vertex-connected if and only if it has an open ear decomposition. This is a sequence of subgraphs, where the first subgraph is a simple cycle, the remaining subgraphs are all simple paths, each path starts and ends on vertices that belong to previous subgraphs, and each internal vertex of a path appears for the first time in that path. In any biconnected graph with circuit rank , every open ear decomposition has exactly ears. Almost-trees A graph with cyclomatic number is also called a r-almost-tree, because only r edges need to be removed from the graph to make it into a tree or forest. A 1-almost-tree is a near-tree: a connected near-tree is a pseudotree, a cycle with a (possibly trivial) tree rooted at each vertex. Several authors have studied the parameterized complexity of graph algorithms on r-near-trees, parameterized by . Generalizations to directed graphs The cycle rank is an invariant of directed graphs that measures the level of nesting of cycles in the graph. It has a more complicated definition than circuit rank (closely related to the definition of tree-depth for undirected graphs) and is more difficult to compute. Another problem for directed graphs related to the circuit rank is the minimum feedback arc set, the smallest set of edges whose removal breaks all directed cycles. Both cycle rank and the minimum feedback arc set are NP-hard to compute. It is also possible to compute a simpler invariant of directed graphs by ignoring the directions of the edges and computing the circuit rank of the underlying undirected graph. This principle forms the basis of the definition of cyclomatic complexity, a software metric for estimating how complicated a piece of computer code is. Computational chemistry In the fields of chemistry and cheminformatics, the circuit rank of a molecular graph (the number of rings in the smallest set of smallest rings) is sometimes referred to as the Frèrejacque number. Parametrized complexity Some computational problems on graphs are NP-hard in general, but can be solved in polynomial time for graphs with a small circuit rank. An example is the path reconfiguration problem. Related concepts Other numbers defined in terms of deleting things from graphs are: Edge connectivity - the minimum number of edges to delete in order to disconnect the graph; Matching preclusion - the minimum number of edges to delete in order to prevent the existence of a perfect matching; Feedback vertex set number - the minimum number of vertices to delete in order to make the graph acyclic; Feedback arc set - the minimum number of arcs to delete from a directed graph, in order to make it acyclic. References Graph invariants Matroid theory Spanning tree

1483054

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawrence%20Bender

Lawrence Bender

Lawrence Bender (born October 17, 1957) is an American film producer. Throughout his career, Bender-produced films have received 36 Academy Award nominations, resulting in eight wins. Bender rose to fame by producing Reservoir Dogs in 1992 and has since produced several of Quentin Tarantino's films including Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill: Volume 1 & 2 and Inglourious Basterds. Bender has also produced three documentary films, most notably An Inconvenient Truth (2006) which won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. He has received three Best Picture nominations for producing Pulp Fiction, Good Will Hunting and Inglourious Basterds. Early life Bender was born to a Jewish family in The Bronx, New York, and grew up in New Jersey, where his father was a college history professor and his mother was a kindergarten teacher. He described his hometown of Cherry Hill at the time as "all-white and anti-Semitic". He attended Cherry Hill High School East, where he decided to pursue a career as a civil engineer. His grandfather had been a civil engineer and he heard there were good jobs available in the field. He graduated from of the University of Maine in 1979 with a degree in Civil Engineering. While in college, Bender acquired a passion for dance. After graduating, Bender pursued dancing and was awarded a scholarship to the Louis Falco dance troupe. He worked as a dancer for some time before a series of injuries ended his dance career. Career Film In the 1980s, he worked as a grip on the syndicated anthology series Tales from the Darkside. In 1989 he produced, along with Sam Raimi, the film Intruder, for which he also co-wrote the story. After meeting Tarantino in 1990 and being given the script for Reservoir Dogs, he agreed to produce the film, which went on to achieve commercial success. Throughout the 1990s, Bender also produced Pulp Fiction (1994), Killing Zoe (1994), Fresh, White Man's Burden (1995), From Dusk Till Dawn (1996), Jackie Brown (1997), Good Will Hunting (1997), A Price Above Rubies (1998), and Anna and the King (1999). He had deals with Miramax and Fox 2000 Pictures. In the early 2000s, Bender produced the films, The Mexican (2001), Knockaround Guys (2001), Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003), Kill Bill: Volume 2 (2004), Innocent Voices (2004), and Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights. Since May 2005, Bender has been a contributing blogger at HuffPost. On February 8, 2018, multiple news outlets broke the story that Bender was responsible for covering up a car crash on the set of the film Kill Bill that Uma Thurman claims “nearly killed” her. In 2009, Bender produced the Tarantino film Inglourious Basterds which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture. It would be the last time Bender and Tarantino would ever work together. He also produced the 2012 film Safe, which starred Jason Statham. In 2016, he was executive producer for The Forest, Martin Scorsese's Silence and Mel Gibson's Hacksaw Ridge. In 2017, it was announced that Bender would serve as a producer for the film The Widow. In 2024, Bender produced the film How Kids Roll. Bender makes a cameo appearance in many of the films he produces: he was a police officer chasing Mr. Pink in Reservoir Dogs, a restaurant patron billed as a "Long Hair Yuppie-Scum" in Fresh, Pulp Fiction and Four Rooms, a hotel clerk in Kill Bill: Volume 2, and as a bartender in Safe. Documentaries He produced the 2006 documentary An Inconvenient Truth, which raised unprecedented awareness about climate change and won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. In 2008, Bender was a founding member of the World Security Institute campaign, Global Zero. His 2010 documentary, Countdown to Zero, featured British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, Soviet Union President Mikhail Gorbachev, South African President F. W. de Klerk and US President Jimmy Carter among others and detailed the urgent risk posed by proliferation, terrorism, and accidental use of nuclear weapons. Bender was an executive producer for the 2017 sequel to An Inconvenient Truth, An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power. Television In the early 2000s, Bender formed a partnership with Kevin Kelly Brown and created the production company Bender Brown Productions. The company produced the CBS Drama Dr. Vegas and the Syfy channel mini-series Earthsea. In 2008, it was reported that Bender was working with Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor to create a television series based on the 2007 album Year Zero. Bender produced the 2015 Starz miniseries Flesh and Bone. In 2017, it was announced that Bender and Brown would executive produce a reboot pilot of the television series Roswell for The CW. The CW ordered Roswell, New Mexico to series in May 2018. Bender also executive produced the 2018 Netflix series Seven Seconds. Personal life Bender is also a passionate social and political activist and supports many causes. Bender serves on the board of The Creative Coalition. He is a member of Council on Foreign Relations the Pacific Council. Bender is also on the Advisory Board for the UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability and a member of the Global Zero campaign. In 2004, Bender was a top fundraiser for John Kerry's presidential campaign. He was also an early supporter of Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign. Being of Jewish descent, in August 2015 he signed – as one of 98 members of the Los Angeles' Jewish community – an open letter supporting the proposed nuclear agreement between Iran and six world powers led by the United States "as being in the best interest of the United States and Israel." On May 11, 2013, he returned to The University of Maine to receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree and share remarks during the 2013 Commencement ceremonies. Awards and recognition In 1994, Pulp Fiction won the Palme d'Or award at the Cannes Film Festival. Bender received a producer of the year award at the Cannes Film Festival in 2001, becoming the third person ever to win the award and the first American to do so. In 2005, Bender was presented with the Torch of Liberty award from the ACLU. He was named a Wildlife Hero by the National Wildlife Federation in 2011. Throughout his career, films Bender has produced or executive produced have won a total of eight Academy Awards. Filmography Films Producer Intruder (1989) (Also co-writer) Tale of Two Sisters (1989) Reservoir Dogs (1992) Fresh (1994) Pulp Fiction (1994) Four Rooms (1995) White Man's Burden (1995) Good Will Hunting (1997) Jackie Brown (1997) A Price Above Rubies (1998) Anna and the King (1999) The Mexican (2001) Knockaround Guys (2001) The Powerpuff Girls Movie (2002) Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003) Kill Bill: Volume 2 (2004) Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights (2004) Voces inocentes (2004) The Chumscrubber (2005) The Great Raid (2005) An Inconvenient Truth (2006) The Youngest Candidate (2008) Killshot (2008) Inglourious Basterds (2009) Countdown to Zero (2010) Safe (2012) Greta (2018) Capone (2020) The Harder They Fall (2021) How Kids Roll (2024) Executive producer Killing Zoe (1994) Snakeland (1996) From Dusk till Dawn (1996) From Dusk till Dawn 2: Texas Blood Money (1999) From Dusk till Dawn 3: The Hangman's Daughter (1999) Stark Raving Mad (2002) Goal! (2005) 88 Minutes (2007) The Forest (2016) Silence (2016) Hacksaw Ridge (2016) An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power (2017) Television Executive producer Anatomy of a Hate Crime (2001) Lost in Oz (2002) Nancy Drew (2002) The Survivors Club (2004) Dr. Vegas (2004) Earthsea (2004) Build or Bust (2005) Flirt (2006) The Line-Up (2007) Long Island Confidential (2008) Seven Seconds (2018) Roswell, New Mexico (2019) Producer Flesh and Bone (2015) References External links Lawrence Bender at HuffPost 1957 births American bloggers 20th-century American Jews Cherry Hill High School East alumni Film producers from New Jersey Film producers from New York (state) HuffPost writers and columnists Living people People from the Bronx People from Cherry Hill, New Jersey University of Maine alumni 21st-century American Jews

1483055

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia%20State%20Route%205

Virginia State Route 5

Virginia State Route 5 (SR 5) is a primary state highway in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It runs between the independent cities of Richmond and Williamsburg. Between Charles City County and James City County, it crosses the Chickahominy River via the Judith Stewart Dresser Bridge, a fixed-span bridge which replaced historic Barrett's Ferry and the former drawbridge. The entire length of SR 5 outside Richmond and Williamsburg is a Virginia Byway. Since 2015, the Virginia Capital Trail dedicated pedestrian and bicycle trail runs alongside the automobile highway. Route description For much of its distance, SR 5 generally parallels the north bank of the James River, following the path of older colonial roads. It passes through three of the original eight shires created in the Colony of Virginia in 1634 by King Charles I of England. These are James City County, Charles City County, and Henrico County, moving from east to west as the area was developed in the colonial period. James River plantations Some of the larger and older of the extant James River Plantations are along the route. None is owned by any government. Houses and/or grounds are generally open daily to visitors, with various admission fees applicable. From west to east, these are the Shirley Plantation, Edgewood Plantation, Berkeley Plantation, Westover Plantation, Evelynton Plantation, Belle Air Plantation, Piney Grove at Southall's Plantation, North Bend Plantation and Sherwood Forest Plantation. History The first piece of SR 5 was added to the state highway system in 1923, a portion of the road running west from Charles City for toward Richmond, and was numbered State Route 41. were added in 1924, were added in 1925, and the remaining , taking the route to the Richmond city limits, were added in 1927. An extension to the east, heading north from Charles City to State Route 39 (now U.S. Route 60) at Providence Forge, was added in 1926. In the 1928 renumbering of state roads, this was designated as State Route 413, since a new alignment of SR 41, heading east from Charles City toward Williamsburg for , was added to the state highway system, as was a piece at the other end, heading west from State Route 510 (now State Route 31). A further from the west and from the east were added in 1930 and 1931, and, in 1932, the route was completed from Richmond to Williamsburg, with from the west and from the east. The road from State Route 32 (now U.S. Route 15) at Zion Crossroads east to Oilville was added to the state highway system by 1923 as State Route 321. Extensions east from Oilville were added for in 1924, in 1925, and in 1926. By 1927, SR 321 became an extension of SR 41 west from Richmond, and that year the former SR 321 was extended , the rest of the way to Richmond. SR 321/SR 41 was also extended west for in 1926, two more miles in 1927, and - the rest of the way to State Route 39 (now State Route 22) at Shadwell - in 1928. In Richmond, SR 41 initially used Broad Street, a hairpin turn through Chimborazo Park, Fulton Street, Williamsburg Road, Hatcher Street, Newton Road, and New Osborne Turnpike. State Route 39 from Shadwell west to Monterey, now U.S. Route 250, was part of the initial 1918 state highway system (numbered State Route 9 until 1923). It initially continued west from Monterey on present US 250, but by 1924 it used current State Route 84 west to West Virginia. The road west from Monterey towards West Virginia Route 56 (now U.S. Route 250) for was added to the state highway system in 1930 and 1932 as State Route 835; the remaining mileage to the state line was added in 1933. In the 1933 renumbering, State Routes 41 and 835 both became part of a new State Route 5, as did the piece of State Route 39 from Monterey to Shadwell. By 1935, the whole route west of Richmond became an extension of U.S. Route 250 into Virginia, truncating SR 5 to its present Richmond-Williamsburg route. SR 5 was extended east along State Route 31 through Williamsburg to State Route 168 (now State Route 143) "to improve the service to travelers interchanging between Route 5 and Routes 60 and 168" in 1958. SR 31 has since been truncated to the SR 5 junction. Major intersections Road names References External links Virginia Highways Project: VA 5 005 State Route 005 State Route 005 State Route 005 State Route 005 State Route 005 005 U.S. Route 250

1483059

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flint%20Hills

Flint Hills

The Flint Hills, historically known as Bluestem Pastures or Blue Stem Hills, are a region of hills and prairies that lie mostly in eastern Kansas. It is named for the abundant residual flint eroded from the bedrock that lies near or at the surface. It consists of a band of hills extending from Marshall and Washington Counties in the north to Cowley County, Kansas and Kay and Osage Counties in Oklahoma in the south, to Geary and Shawnee Counties west to east. Oklahomans generally refer to the same geologic formation as the Osage Hills or "the Osage." The Flint Hills Ecoregion is designated as a distinct region because it has the densest coverage of intact tallgrass prairie in North America. Due to its rocky soil, the early settlers were unable to plow the area, resulting in the prevalence of cattle ranches as opposed to the crop land more typical of the Great Plains. These ranches rely on annual controlled burns conducted by ranchers every spring to renew the prairie grasses for cattle to graze. The Flint Hills Discovery Center, a science and history museum focusing on the Flint Hills, opened in Manhattan, Kansas, in April 2012. Description Explorer Zebulon Pike first coined the name the Flint Hills in 1806 when he entered into his journal, "passed very ruff flint hills". The underlying bedrock of the hills is a flinty limestone. The largest town in the area is Manhattan, Kansas, and the hills can be accessed from the Flint Hills Scenic Byway, which passes through the region. Geology The rocks exposed in the Flint Hills were laid down about 250 million years ago during the Permian Period. During this time, much of the Midwest, including Kansas and Oklahoma, was covered with shallow seas. As a result, much of the Flint Hills is composed of limestone and shale, with plentiful fossils of prehistoric sea creatures. The most notable layer of chert-bearing limestone is the Florence Limestone Member, which is approximately . Numerous roadcuts of the Florence Member are prominent along Interstate 70 in Riley County, Kansas. Unlike the Pennsylvanian limestones to the east, however, many of the limestones in the Flint Hills contain several bands of chert or flint. Because chert is much less soluble than the limestone surrounding it, the weathering of the limestone has left behind a clay soil with abundant chert gravel. Most of the hilltops in the region are capped with this chert gravel. The highest point in the Flint Hills is Butler County High Point, with an elevation of 1680 ft (512 m). Environment Due to shallow outcroppings of limestone and chert that lay just underneath the soil surface, corn and wheat farming were not practical over much of the area since plowing the land wasn't feasible. For this reason, cattle ranching became the main agricultural activity in the region. Never having been ploughed over and sparsely developed, the Flint Hills represent the last expanse of intact tallgrass prairie in the nation. They present the best opportunity for sustained preservation of this unique habitat that once covered the vast Great Plains. Most of the plains, such as the Central tall grasslands to the north, have better soil than the Flint Hills and a richer plant cover, but have almost entirely been converted to farmland. Tallgrass prairie is renewed by fire and grazing, which also keeps back the growth of trees and shrubs. Prominent grass species are big bluestem (Andropogon gerardi), switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), and Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans). The expansion of shrubs and trees, referred to as woody plant encroachment, is a prominent regime shift and risk to the existing tallgrass prairie. Animals native to the Flint Hills include the American bison, which once grazed the area by the millions and were almost entirely exterminated, but have now been reintroduced. The elk that once roamed the region are gone. The United States Environmental Protection Agency and the World Wildlife Fund have designated the Flint Hills as an ecoregion, distinct from other grasslands of the Great Plains. Four tallgrass prairie preserves are located in the Flint Hills. The largest of these, the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, in the Osage Hills near Pawhuska, Oklahoma boasts a large population of bison and is an important refuge for other wildlife such as the greater prairie chicken (Tympanuchus cupido). The other preserves in Kansas, are the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve in northern Chase County near Strong City, the Flint Hills Tallgrass Prairie Preserve east of Cassoday, "the Prairie Chicken Capital of the World", and the Konza Prairie, which is managed as a tallgrass prairie biological research station by Kansas State University and is located near Manhattan. In popular culture William Least Heat-Moon wrote a tribute to the Flint Hills and the Kansans who live there in his book PrairyErth. In mathematics, the Flint Hills series (which is named after the region) is an infinite series for which it is unknown whether or not the series converges. The convergence of the Flint Hills series is related to how irrational the number is. See also Jacobs Creek flood List of ecoregions in the United States (WWF) List of protected grasslands of North America References External links Flint Hills Regional Council Flint Hills resources Flint Hills publications at KGI Online Library State Library of Kansas Maps Flint Hills Map (pdf) - Kansas Geological Survey (University of Kansas) Flint Hills Map (pdf) - Flint Hills Discovery Center Photos National Geographic photo gallery Grasslands of the North American Great Plains Temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands in the United States Geology of Kansas Landforms of Kansas Ecoregions of Kansas Geographic regions of Oklahoma Hills of Kansas Grasslands of Oklahoma

1483064

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Java%20TV

Java TV

Java TV is a Java-based software framework designed for use on TV set-top boxes, based on components called Xlets. It is currently used only on the Connected Device Configuration, specifically for iTV applications development. The API includes the Xlet classes in the package javax.tv.xlet. Other packages of the public API include javax.tv.graphics - provides a simple rendering canvas javax.tv.locator - provides a locator in the style of a URL for services and media, such as service:/SERV1 javax.tv.service - defines a mechanism for service information (SI) databases and APIs representing the SI elements, such as the TV channels and media available for playback. Criticisms While the framework is general, Sun currently provides support only on Java ME. For some subjects, such as media locators, it is in effect superseded by other locator standards on platforms such as BD-J. A point of confusion is that in platforms supported as of 2008, examples such as the SvcDispXlet example from the introduction to the API, written circa 2001, are not deployable because it uses AWT widgets such as java.awt.Button. Most iTV platforms, along with BD-J, implement Personal Basis Profile with no AWT widgets, as opposed to Personal Profile which includes the widgets. Sun's reference implementation for Java TV attempts to limit its exposure to support issues to the full Java Media Framework by having its own small version of JMF that is internally referred to as "jmflite". As with the limitations of the MIDP emulators that Sun provides, the Java TV reference implementation provided by Sun has not been updated to make provisions for later JDK's such as removing calls to Thread.stop(). The Thread.stop() method was made a "final" method in Java 1.5 (meaning that classes which extend Thread and override stop() will fail at runtime under JRE 1.5 when the class is loaded). This implies that Sun has not yet committed to public plans or a roadmap for taking Java ME beyond JRE 1.3. If such an upgrade were to take place, it would require significant work on the part of all vendors of Java ME-enabled devices. See also Xlet External links Java ME Technology - Java TV API - includes Sun's Reference Implementation Java TV API 1.1 (JSR-927) online Javadocs The JavaTV tutorial References Interactive television Java (programming language) Java device platform Set-top box

1483067

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David%20and%20Lisa

David and Lisa

David and Lisa is a 1962 American drama film directed by Frank Perry. It is based on the second story in the two-in-one novellas Jordi/Lisa and David by Theodore Isaac Rubin; the screenplay, written by Frank Perry's wife Eleanor Perry (née Rosenfeld), tells the story of a bright young man suffering from a mental illness which, among other symptoms, has instilled in him a fear of being touched. This lands him in a residential treatment center, where he meets Lisa, a similarly ill young woman who displays a split personality. The film earned Frank Perry a nomination for the 1963 Academy Award for Best Director and one for Eleanor Perry for her screenplay. The film was later adapted into a stage play in 1967 and a made-for-television film in 1998. Plot David Clemens is brought to a residential psychiatric treatment center by his apparently caring mother. He becomes very upset when one of the residents brushes his hand, as he believes that being touched can kill him. Cold and distant, he mainly concentrates on his studies, especially that of clocks, with which he appears to be obsessed. It is later revealed that he has a recurring dream in which he murders people by means of a giant clock. He meets Lisa Brandt, a girl who has two personalities: one of them, Lisa, can only speak in rhymes, while the other, Muriel, cannot speak, but can only write. David befriends her by talking to her in rhymes. Over time, he begins to open up to his psychiatrist, Dr. Alan Swinford, and also becomes friendly with another resident, Simon, which provokes Lisa's jealousy. Following an argument when his mother visits, David's parents decide that he should leave the place. He returns to his parents' house, but after a short time, runs away to the treatment center, where he is allowed to stay. One day Lisa realizes that she is both Lisa and Muriel and that they are the same person. After this breakthrough, she seeks out David, but he is busy listening to Simon play a Bach piece on the piano. Lisa turns on the metronome, interrupting Simon's playing and provoking David's anger. Then, Lisa runs away from the center and takes the train into Center City, Philadelphia, unnoticed. David and the staff fruitlessly search for her until the next morning, when David realizes that she might have returned to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, where she had once embraced a statue of a mother and child. David and Dr. Swinford rush to the museum, where David finds Lisa on the museum steps. Upon seeing David, Lisa appears to be cured and speaks to him in prose. David, overcoming his own fear of touch for the first time, allows her to hold his hand, while they walk down the stairs to go on their return trip. Cast Keir Dullea as David Clemens Janet Margolin as Lisa Brandt Howard Da Silva as Dr. Alan Swinford Neva Patterson as Mrs. Clemens Richard McMurray as Stewart Clemens Clifton James as John Nancy Nutter as Maureen Matthew Anden as Simon Jamie Sanchez as Carlos Coni Hudak as Kate Karen Lynn Gorney as Josette Janet Lee Parker as Sandra Frank Perry as Newsdealer (uncredited) This was the film debut of both Janet Margolin and Karen Gorney (who, billed as Karen Lynn Gorney, later became well known for her leading role in Saturday Night Fever in 1977). Production In 1961, Ann Perry read the novella and showed it to her mother Eleanor. The playwright was so fascinated by what she read that she set out to write a screenplay, enlisting her husband Frank as director. The resulting film was produced with small investors and a collection of unknowns to keep costs down. Production began in June 1962 in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania. Only after a run on the festival circuit did the film receive a willing exhibitor from New York. Reception David and Lisa has received positive reviews from critics. Review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reports that 85% of 13 reviews were positive, with an average rating of 6.9/10. Perry estimated (in 1987) the film made roughly $25 million. Bosley Crowther of The New York Times described the film as "commendable" and "sympathetic," finding the "vague and elusive" explanation of the characters' ills to be "one of the stumbling blocks in this film," but praising Dullea and Margolin, whose portrayal of the protagonists' "growing curiosity and attachment in the midst of a cheerless institute" is "touchingly presented." French director Jean Renoir called it “a turning point in world cinema." Awards and nominations Play adaptation In 1967, the film was adapted into a stage play, but it only ran for a short time. Plot of the stage play The play begins with David Clemens and his mother preparing to leave to bring David to "school". We later learn this is a school for children with mental and psychological issues. David's mother is overprotective and overbearing, and it shows. At the station, a porter touches David's arm, and we learn that David is afraid to be touched. We meet a variety of teachers and other students, particularly Dr. Alan Swinford, the head psychologist, and are introduced to the school. We learn that David has an obsession with clocks, and also with death. We are also introduced to the other title character, Lisa, who has a split personality: one who will only speak in rhymes and the other who will not speak, but will only write or draw her thoughts. Over time, David and Lisa befriend each other, until midway through the play, after an embittering visit, David's parents take him away from the school. David eventually runs away from his home and comes back to the school, where he is allowed to stay. One day, however, Lisa is annoying David as he listens to another child playing the piano. David becomes cross and shouts at her, and Lisa runs away from the school. David and the head psychologist, Dr. Alan Swinford, go out in search of her, and arrive just in time to save Lisa from the ravages of two boys in a city park. David and Lisa are both relieved that the other is there for them, and somehow Lisa is cured of her two personalities and becomes truly herself, speaking "plain straight" to David for the first time. David extends his hand and asks her to take it, conquering his fear of being touched, and they walk off together, hand in hand. Television film remake In 1998, the film was remade into a made-for-television film that premiered on ABC on November 1, 1998. Produced by Oprah Winfrey and directed by Lloyd Kramer, the film starred Lukas Haas as David, Brittany Murphy as Lisa, and Sidney Poitier as Dr. Swinford, with a supporting cast featuring Debi Mazar, Allison Janney, Kim Murphy, Giuseppe Andrews, Vicellous Reon Shannon, Gene Wolande, Kimiko Gelman, and Ty Hodges. The scenes were shifted to the Los Angeles area, including the Museum of Natural History at Exposition Park and Venice Beach. Awards and nominations See also List of American films of 1962 Mental illness in film References External links 1962 first version http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/733723.Jordi_Lisa_and_David 1998 second version 1962 films 1998 television films 1998 films 1962 drama films 1998 drama films American drama films American independent films Films about dissociative identity disorder Films based on American novels Films directed by Frank Perry Films set in Philadelphia Films set in psychiatric hospitals Films set in the 1950s Films set in the 1960s David and Lisa (1998 film) Films shot in Philadelphia 1962 directorial debut films 1990s English-language films 1960s English-language films 1960s American films 1990s American films

1483070

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xoom%20%28web%20hosting%29

Xoom (web hosting)

Xoom was an early dot-com company that provided free unlimited space web hosting, similar to GeoCities. The domain "xoom.com" is now held by the Xoom Corporation, an international-focused money transfer website run by PayPal. History Xoom was founded by Chris Kitze in September 1996 as a download website offering free clipart and a productivity suite including a word-processing application, centering on a word processor based on WordStar. In March 1997, Xoom became a web hosting (offering 100 MB) and an e-mail hosting website. The company acquired several small service providers in 1997 and 1998, including Paralogic, creator of ParaChat, which was the largest chat network on the web at the time, and PageCount, a web counter service. The main revenue sources for the company were direct marketing via email to members and banner advertising. Funding The company was funded by a former Lycos executive who had previously started Creative Multimedia (Portland, OR), Aris Multimedia (Marina del Rey, CA) and Point Communications (New York, NY), and angel investors who invested a total of $10M in common stock. No venture capital was raised and the company went public in December 1998 (ticker symbol: XMCM). Around that time, it was ranked as the 13th most popular site on the web by Media Metrix. In May 1999, a deal was announced to use Xoom.com as a vehicle for NBC's internet ventures, that combined Snap.com (owned by CNET and NBC), and various NBC internet assets plus $400M of NBC on-air promotion to form NBC Internet (NBCi). At that time, the combined entity was ranked as the 7th most popular site on the web by Media Metrix. Reception Xoom was both criticized and praised for its strict policies on violations of terms of service. A short-lived experiment in franchising and licensing the Xoom software platform and business model in 1998 led to an Italian website, xoom.it, which is still in operation and owned by Virgilio. References Wired article about NBCi External links Xoom.com Archived Web 1.0 Web hosting Dot-com bubble Defunct online companies Internet properties established in 1996 Internet properties disestablished in 2001

1483071

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludwika%20Wawrzy%C5%84ska

Ludwika Wawrzyńska

Ludwika Wawrzyńska (; 1908–1955) was a Polish teacher who worked at an elementary school in Warsaw. On February 8, 1955 she rescued four children from a burning house where they had been locked by their parents as they were leaving for work. She died ten days later, on February 18, from severe burns. Wawrzyńska acquired a hero status in Poland and became a symbol of selfless sacrifice. She was awarded the Commander's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta. Wisława Szymborska and Leopold Staff wrote poems in her praise. Several schools in Poland are named after her. References Commanders of the Order of Polonia Restituta 1908 births 1955 deaths Polish schoolteachers Deaths from fire

1483073

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugene%20F.%20Clark

Eugene F. Clark

Commander Eugene Franklin Clark (18 July 1911 – 26 June 1998) was a U.S. Navy officer. Military career Clark rose through the enlisted ranks of the Navy from seaman to chief petty officer in the yeoman rating before being commissioned as an officer during World War II. During World War II, Clark participated in the invasion of Okinawa. After the war, Clark commanded LST-865 and , then participated in clandestine operations along the China coast in support of the Nationalist Chinese, before serving as the chief interpreter during war crimes trials on Guam. Clark was serving on General Douglas MacArthur's staff, in the Geographic Branch, at the start of the Korean War. He was living with his wife, Enid, and two children on the outskirts of Tokyo. Lt. Clark was deployed with bilingual former ROK Navy Lt. Youn Joung and former ROK Army officer Col. Ke In-ju and KLO to reconnoiter the Inchon area before the Inchon Landing. This is known as the Operation Trudy Jackson (:ko:트루디 잭슨 작전). The area was complicated by tides and mudflats up to long. The three were transported from United States Fleet Activities Sasebo on , to a 1 September 1950 rendezvous with ROK Commander Lee Sung Ho's PC-703, southwest of Tokchok-do (Deokjeok Island). Upon landing on Tokchok-do, they quickly learned Yonghung-do (Yeongheung Island) was only occupied by five North Korean troops, with a battalion on Taebu-do. Lee assigned LTJG Paik and ten sailors to help Clark and his men capture Yonghung-do, which they did in short order. Clark and his men secured the help of the 1,000 plus people on the island, imprisoned 24 communist sympathizers, and enlisted 114 of the young men to form an island defense guard. He then proceeded to gather information concerning navigational lights, especially those on Pamli-do and Sowolmi-do, besides determining if East Channel or Flying Fish Channel were mined, and if the channels were covered by large guns. Lee, under orders from Admiral Sohn Won-yil, continued to support the operation, as Clark requisitioned five junks and four sampans for future operations. Clark soon occupied Palmi-do (Palmi Island) and its lighthouse, a strategic location Clark could use as an alternate base, and observation vantage for spotting future targets. Lee and Clark set up a mine-searching patrol, and Lee investigated the guns on Wolmi-do (Wolmi Island) and Sowolmi-do (Sowolmi Island). Clark's recruited local fishermen to capture junks and occupants for interrogation, and led a raid on Taemuui-do to capture additional prisoners for interrogation. Additionally, Clark made his own reconnaissance of Wolmi-do, and made contact with resistance elements at Manhak San and Sorae San near Yongdungpo, getting important target information on gun emplacements and troop strengths around Inchon, Kimpo and Seoul. Clark was also able to confirm the accuracy of the Japanese tide tables. Yet, the North Koreans on Taebu-do (Daebu Island) had been slowly infiltrating men onto Yonghung-do, and actually sent a force of six junks, carrying with 80–90 men, to retake the island. Clark led his own fleet of five junks against this enemy junk fleet, and was able to capture two and sink four junks, temporarily stopping the attack. Clark even was able to get the destroyer to shell Taebu-do. Yet, by the 14th, Clark knew another assault on Yonghung-do was imminent, and prepared to evacuate 300 of the islanders on 17 captured junks. Clark and his men then moved to Palmi-do, where they lit the light at 00:50 on the 15th, guiding the invasion fleet proceeding up Flying Fish Channel. On D-day plus one, a battalion of Marines was deployed to take Taebu-do and Yonghung Do. They stormed the islands only to discover the Communists had already killed over 50 people who had helped Clark, but remained behind on the island. Clark was awarded the Silver Star by the Navy for "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity" in obtaining "vital intelligence information". Clark was also awarded the Legion of Merit by the Far East Command for "exceptionally meritorious conduct." Later, in advance of the United Nations Forces making their way to the Yalu River, Clark, Youn Joung, and 150 South Korean guerrillas went island hopping up the west coast of North Korea. Clark secured several islands and began infiltrating agents. When they reached the Yalu, in late October, they discovered large numbers of Chinese Communist troops were crossing the Yalu into North Korea. Clark sent this information to the Far East Command in Tokyo, but they ignored it. Clark received the Oak leaf cluster for that mission. In his last mission in early 1951, Clark escorted Brigadier General Crawford Sams, one of the Army's top doctors, into enemy-held Wonsan to investigate a reported outbreak of bubonic plague. Clark's team penetrated a small Chinese Communist hospital, and Dr. Sams concluded that it was a brand of smallpox. For this, Eugene Clark was awarded the Navy Cross. Retirement Commander Eugene Franklin Clark retired from the United States Navy in 1966 with the rank of commander. He retired to California and Nevada with his wife Enid. It was not until the summer of 2000, when Thomas Fleming published an account of Clark's exploits in MHQ: The Quarterly Journal of Military History, that the Clark family remembered the narrative he had written shortly after returning home in 1951. They also had a Department of Defense clearance to publish The Secrets of Inchon: The Untold Story of the Most Daring Covert Mission of the Korean War. See also Operation Trudy Jackson Inchon (film) Operation Chromite (film) References US Army Combinded Arms Center - Over the Beach US Army Amphibious Operations in the Korean War (pp. 172–174) External links 1911 births 1998 deaths United States Navy personnel of the Korean War United States Navy officers Recipients of the Navy Cross (United States) Recipients of the Silver Star Recipients of the Legion of Merit People from Redfield, South Dakota United States Navy personnel of World War II

1483076

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh%20Syme

Hugh Syme

Hugh Syme is a Canadian Juno Award-winning graphic artist and member of the Premier Artists Collection (PAC) who is best known for his artwork and cover concepts for rock and metal bands. He is also a musician and has appeared on some Rush albums as a keyboard player. Syme is notably responsible for all of Rush's album cover art since 1975's Caress of Steel as well as creating Rush's famous Starman logo. In 1983 he told Jeffrey Morgan that he never imagined the band would use it as their main logo. Syme also plays piano on the album Thrilling Women, which Morgan recorded with Dean Motter. His client base includes major record companies like Geffen Records, EMI Records, Mercury Records, RCA Records, Capitol Records, Sony Music, Atlantic Records, Warner Bros. Records and A&M Records. Iron Maiden fans remember him best as the designer of The X Factor cover, which shows the band's mascot Eddie dissected. It is remembered for its gritty realism. Whereas all previous Maiden albums were oil paintings, the X Factor Eddie was a puppet with some digital touch-ups to enhance its look. In some countries the cover was considered so gruesome that a less gory alternative was offered (the alternative cover is actually the back of the original CD booklet). Def Leppard's Retro Active album cover, which he co-designed with Nels Israelson, shows a lady sitting at a dressing table, looking in a mirror. From another perspective, it takes the form of a skull (a type of vanitas art), the woman's head forming the left eye socket, and her reflected head in the mirror forming the right eye socket. The mirror itself forms the shape of the skull and the accessories on the dressing table form the nose, nostrils and teeth. It was inspired by Charles Allan Gilbert's most famous work, All Is Vanity (1892). Other bands Syme has done artwork for include: Megadeth, Saga, Styx, Altered State, Fates Warning, Whitesnake, Queensrÿche, Aerosmith, and Dream Theater. Personal Hugh Syme has studios in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and in Indiana, USA. Syme is co-host of the Music Buzzz Podcast along with Dane Clark and Andy Wilson. Album cover art Chronological list of Hugh Syme's album cover art (including studio, live, compilation and extended play LPs). Discography Syme has contributed as a musician with Ian Thomas Band, Rush and Tiles. with Ian Thomas Band Delights - piano, Fender Rhodes, Mellotron and background vocals Calabash - keyboards, background vocals and creative companionship and album cover artwork Still Here - keyboards and background vocals (co-arrangement on "I Really Love You" and "Tinkerbell") Glider - keyboards and all songs arranged with Ian Thomas The Runner - keyboards and background vocals with Rush 2112 - ARP synthesizer intro to "2112: Overture" and Mellotron and ARP Odyssey on "Tears" Permanent Waves - piano on "Different Strings" Moving Pictures - synthesizers on "Witch Hunt" with Tiles Window Dressing - keyboards on "Slippers in the Snow" Fly Paper - keyboards on "Crowded Emptiness" and solo piano on "Passing Notes" with Alice in Chains 2112 - 40th Anniversary Deluxe Reissue - Mellotron, string arrangement, woodwinds, and boy's choir on Geddy Lee's re-released song "Tears" with Jim McCarty Walking in the Wild Land - Piano, nylon and steel string acoustic guitar, synths, string arrangements, boy's choir, Mellotron on "Changing Times", "Dancing Leaves" and "So Many Questions". James Stanley McCarty (born 25 July 1943) is an English musician, best known as the drummer for the Yardbirds and Renaissance. Awards Juno Awards: 5 wins and 18 nominations. 1999: Best Album Design nomination - Different Stages by Rush, with Geddy Lee and Andrew MacNaughtan 1993: Best Album Design nomination - Dear Dear by 54-40 1992: Best Album Design nomination - Big House by Big House 1992: Best Album Design win - Roll the Bones by Rush 1991: Best Album Design nomination - Oceanview Motel by Mae Moore 1991: Best Album Design nomination - Snow in June by The Northern Pikes 1990: Best Album Design win - Presto by Rush 1990: Best Album Design nomination - Rockland by Kim Mitchell 1989: Best Album Graphics win - Levity by Ian Thomas 1986: Best Album Graphics nomination - Robot Man and Friends by Peter Shelly, with Heather Brown and Peter Shelly 1986: Best Album Graphics win - Power Windows by Rush, with Dimo Safari 1985: Best Album Graphics nomination - At the Feet of the Moon by Parachute Club, with Deborah Samuel 1983: Best Album Graphics nomination - Signals by Rush 1983: Best Album Graphics nomination - One False Move by Harlequin 1982: Best Album Graphics nomination - Exit...Stage Left by Rush, with Deborah Samuel 1982: Best Album Graphics win - Moving Pictures by Rush, with Deborah Samuel 1981: Best Album Graphics nomination - Lookin' for Trouble by Toronto, with Michael Gray 1978: Best Album Graphics nomination - A Farewell to Kings by Rush References External links Hugh Syme biography Hugh Syme homepage Music Buzzz Podcast homepage Hugh's Premier Artists Collection (PAC) profile Canadian graphic designers Juno Award for Recording Package of the Year winners Living people Canadian album-cover and concert-poster artists Canadian poster artists Canadian rock keyboardists 1953 births

1483077

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micha%C5%82%20Witkowski

Michał Witkowski

Michał Witkowski (born 17 January 1975, in Wrocław, Poland) is a Polish novelist. Life and career His first "official" work, Copyright, published in 2001, was a collection of short stories. However, he had previously published, Zgorszeni wstają od stołów in 1997 as Michał S. Witkowski, with the S. standing for Sebastian. On December 17, 2004, Lubiewo was published — a radically queer novel that sold an estimated 15,000 copies. The novel has been translated into German, English (Lovetown), Spanish, Dutch, Finnish (2007), French, Russian, Czech, Lithuanian, Ukrainian, Slovenian (2010) and Hungarian (2010). His next collection of stories Fototapeta (Photo-wallpaper) was published in 2006 by W.A.B. More recently, Witkowski has published two "queer crime novels", in which a gay writer named Michał Witkowski acts as first-person narrator and detective: Drwal (The Woodcutter, 2011) and Zbrodniarz i dziewczyna (The Criminal and the Girl, 2014). Witkowski was nominated three times for the Nike Award, Poland's best-known literary award: in 2006 for Lubiewo (shortlist), in 2007 for Barbara Radziwiłłówna z Jaworzna-Szczakowej (longlist), and in 2012 for Drwal (longlist). Lubiewo won the Gdynia Literary Prize in 2006, and Barbara Radziwiłłówna z Jaworzna-Szczakowej was awarded the Paszport Polityki in 2007. Lovetown, the English translation of Lubiewo was longlisted for the Independent Foreign Fiction Prize in 2011. He has been a contributor to Wprost since July 2014. Previously he had worked for six years for Polityka. He is also author of a fashion blog, Fashion Pathology. Personal life He describes himself as a homosexual. He rejects the label "gay" as a personal identity as referring to a subculture in the queer community, those commonly represented by popular culture. Works Copyright (2001). Wydawnictwo Zielona Sowa, Lubiewo (2005). Korporacja ha!art, Fototapeta (2006). Wydawnictwo W.A.B., Barbara Radziwiłłówna z Jaworzna-Szczakowej (2007). Wydawnictwo "W.A.B.", Margot (2009). Wydawnictwo "Świat Książki", Drwal (2011). Wydawnictwo "Świat Książki", Lubiewo bez cenzury (Lubiewo uncensored) (2012). Wydawnictwo "Świat Książki", Zbrodniarz i dziewczyna (2014). Wydawnictwo "Świat Książki", Fynf und cfancyś (2015). Wydawnictwo "Znak", Wymazane (2017). Wydawnictwo "Znak" See also Polish literature List of Polish writers References External links Michał Witkowski (Polish website, with some content in English) 1975 births Living people Writers from Wrocław Polish LGBTQ novelists Gay novelists 21st-century Polish novelists Polish male novelists 21st-century Polish male writers

1483079

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanilla%20Ninja

Vanilla Ninja

Vanilla Ninja is an Estonian all-female rock band which enjoyed chart success in a number of countries across Europe, especially in Estonia, Germany and Austria. The group formed in 2002 and released their self-titled debut album Vanilla Ninja, containing songs in both English and Estonian, the following year. After their debut single "Club Kung Fu" was released in 2003, the band had many hits in Central Europe, including "Tough Enough", "When the Indians Cry", "Blue Tattoo" and "I Know". They also entered Estonian national selections for the Eurovision Song Contest in 2003 and 2007, failing both times, but proved successful in 2005, when they represented Switzerland with the song "Cool Vibes". The group finished 8th in the Eurovision Song Contest final, despite topping the leader board at the half-way stage. Vanilla Ninja were very popular in their native Estonia and have had a brand of both ice cream and curd snack named after them, marketed exclusively in their homeland due to their celebrity status in Estonia. The group released five albums in various countries across Europe — Vanilla Ninja was released in 2003, Traces of Sadness in 2004, and Blue Tattoo and Best Of (though not by themselves) in 2005. The group's fourth album, Love is War, was released in May 2006, and Encore was released in October 2021. The band was originally a four-piece group consisting of Maarja Kivi, Lenna Kuurmaa, Katrin Siska and Piret Järvis. Maarja Kivi left the group in 2004 and was replaced by Triinu Kivilaan. In December 2005 she also left the group to start a solo career and finish school, and the band decided to continue as a three-piece act. Triinu rejoined for their 2021 album 'Encore'. Katrin and Triinu left the band 2022. History 2002: Formation Vanilla Ninja were formed in 2002 as a four-piece girl band. The original line-up consisted of Maarja Kivi (vocals/bass), Lenna Kuurmaa (vocals/guitar), Katrin Siska (vocals/keyboard) and Piret Järvis (vocals/guitar). Although all of the members were effectively vocalists, the main vocalist would often change between Kivi and Kuurmaa. At the time of formation the group's producer was Sven Lõhmus. Early in 2002 Kivi had participated in Eurolaul, Estonia's Eurovision pre-selection contest, but had finished 7th. Due to her participation in Eurolaul she was chosen to front the band, which subsequently gained some exposure early on in their existence, despite none of the other members having had any previous national success in their career. Kivi had been friends with Kuurmaa for some time before the formation of the group, whilst Järvis and Siska were friends from school. 2003: Eurolaul and debut album In 2003 the group participated in Estonian ESC preselection Eurolaul 2003. Performing the song "Club Kung Fu" the group proved to be by far the most popular in the phone polls, but unlike other countries, Estonia used a jury to decide the song for Eurovision instead of the televote. The jury, which included figures such as Michael Ball, proved to not share the opinion expressed by the televoters and placed the girls joint bottom of the ten entrants. The participation and popularity of the song, however, helped the group and created exposure for the release of their debut album, Vanilla Ninja, released in May 2003. Containing the original version of the song "Club Kung Fu", along with a drum and bass remix and thirteen new pop-rock tracks in English and Estonian, the album proved to be a success in Estonia and launched the girls into the national mainstream, pushing the group to seek international success in Germany, Switzerland and Austria. 2003/2004: Expansion into Europe and 2nd album Following a successful debut in Estonia, Vanilla Ninja have launched themselves as a band in three German speaking countries of Europe – Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The girls did not release their debut album or "Club Kung Fu" in these countries, instead opting for a new track called "Tough Enough". Proving to again be a pop-rock track, although with less of a 'novelty' style to it, the song was released in Germany on 8 December 2003, and then later in Austria and Switzerland on 4 January and 8 February 2004 respectively. It proved to be a success, gaining large amounts of airplay on the popular VIVA music video channel, and making the top twenty in both Germany and Austria. The single also featured in the dance mat games "Dance Dance Revolution ULTRAMIX 2" and "In The Groove". Following the success of their debut single the girls released "Club Kung Fu" in Germany, and then a third single, "Don't Go Too Fast", in both Germany and Austria on 4 and 5 April (and in Switzerland during March, although it missed the top 100). The latter just missed the top twenty in both countries, and was followed up by their second album Traces of Sadness in June 2004. The album included "Tough Enough" and "Don't Go Too Fast", as well as numerous other tracks, such as "When The Indians Cry" and "Liar". It's along with the album track "Metal Queen" have also both featured in the "DrumMania" series of drumming games. 2004: New Bandmember and Eurovision for Switzerland Despite not having as much chart success in Switzerland as in Austria and Germany, the girls had become increasingly popular with the Swiss public. Their chart performance had also been improving, with the Traces Of Sadness album making #14, but despite that no-one would have expected the shock announcement that the group would represent Switzerland in the 2005 Eurovision Song Contest. The Swiss selectors had suffered several years of poor results in the Eurovision, culminating in 'null points' for Piero and the MusicStars in the 2004 semi-final, and so looked to the group due to their popularity in both Switzerland and various other European countries. The announcement angered some people, especially Estonians, who felt that the group should represent their home country and not a country that they have minor connections to. In Switzerland some also opposed the selection, again on the basis that none of the group were Swiss. The selectors responded by stating that the song would still have a Swiss component due to it being mostly written by David Brandes. Ironically, although Brandes was born in Switzerland and went to school there, he is essentially German. Their selection and participation in the contest was put into jeopardy soon after the announcement, though, after Maarja Kivi left the group due to becoming pregnant with her first child. Her replacement was Triinu Kivilaan, who at the time was only 15 years old. Their participation was put into doubt due to regulations stating that competitors must be at least 16 years old, a rule introduced to eliminate participants such as the 13-year-old 1986 Eurovision winner Sandra Kim. Kivilaan had in fact initially claimed to be 17 years old, but the Swiss selectors doubted this and eventually found out her true birth date was 13 January 1989. It began to look as if Vanilla Ninja would not represent Switzerland in 2005, but the Swiss selectors decided not to reverse the selection, on the basis that Kivilaan would turn 16 before the contest. There was no danger of the EBU blocking their participation, because their own age rule specified a cut-off date of the contest itself, whereas national selectors could tweak their age regulations to their own liking. This annoyed some, who felt that the selectors had acted in a heavy-handed manner by selecting Vanilla Ninja. Following the Eurovision selection the group went on to continue their success in Europe, releasing the single "Liar". The single scraped into the top twenty in Germany and Austria, but performed disappointingly in Switzerland (reaching only #43 despite the announcement regarding Eurovision 2005). The following single, however, would prove to be their biggest hit to date and would launch them into the German top ten for the first time. "When The Indians Cry", their fifth Central European single, would be the group's first slow, soft, ballad-like song. The music video would also be the first to feature Triinu Kivilaan, with previous videos featuring Maarja Kivi. Kivilaan proved to fit into the group well, looking older than her age of 15 and silencing critics who believed she would be out of place in a band with girls all three or more years older than her. Incidentally, one of the reasons that Kivilaan was chosen to replace Kivi was due to their similar appearance, making it easy to mix the two up. The song would be Vanilla Ninja's first ballad, featuring a slow tempo, unlike most previous songs which had been fairly upbeat. It proved to be a hit, reaching #8 in the German charts in September 2004, #7 in the Austrian charts and #27 in the Swiss charts (which had not reacted as expected to their selection for Eurovision). With the song putting them into the German chart mainstream, and gaining huge airplay on the music video channel VIVA, Vanilla Ninja would begin to become one of the biggest acts in Germany. The follow-up to "When The Indians Cry", a new track called "Blue Tattoo" and in a similar style to their previous release, would also reach the German top ten whilst making the Austrian top twenty and Swiss top thirty. 2005: 3rd album and Eurovision Following the success of the "Blue Tattoo" single in November and December 2004, the group would take a three-month break from releasing material in order to tour Asia. In 2004 the group had reportedly set an ambitious target of "conquering the world", and the tour proved to be successful in helping them to begin to do that, winning new fans in countries such as Japan, China, Malaysia and Thailand. The group also played a key role in VIVA's 2004 "Your Stars For Christmas" show, singing a re-worded version of "When The Indians Cry" called "Light Of Hope". In May 2005 the group returned to the charts, releasing a new song called "I Know", which featured a mildly controversial video based around domestic abuse. The song was again successful, peaking at #13 in Germany and #17 in Austria. Two weeks after its release their third album, Blue Tattoo, was released in various European countries and proved to be as successful as the previous album, charting at #4 in Germany and, unsurprisingly (as it included the Eurovision song "Cool Vibes"), Switzerland. During their hiatus in order to tour Asia the Swiss Eurovision song had been completed and had been announced as being called "Cool Vibes". A short song, in order to comply with Eurovision regulations, the track received mixed response. Many saw it to be a good pop-rock song, but many believed it was not the girls' best, and that it was not the type of song suitable for Eurovision. The song failed to get off to a good start, though, as the song was banned from the German charts after writer and producer David Brandes was accused of manipulating the charts by buying thousands of copies of his artist's singles. Among the songs he had allegedly bought many copies of were the groups "When The Indians Cry" single, and the German Eurovision entry "Run and Hide" by Gracia. Soon after Gracia was fired by her record company, and the two artists (along with "Virus Incorporation") were banned from the charts for initially three weeks. The girls came out unaffected, although it would be a blow for the songwriter and may have meant the high position of "When The Indians Cry" was helped by the mass-buying of singles by Brandes. Due to Switzerland getting no points in the semi-final of the 2004 contest, Vanilla Ninja had to compete in the Eurovision semi-final on 19 May 2005. Against artists such as Wig Wam, Luminita Anghel and Zdob şi Zdub the competition was difficult, but the group progressed to the final and were given good odds of 10/1 for winning the contest. The group's performance in the final on 21 May was, according to some, not as good as it could have been, although those criticising the performance also criticised the song (believing a song similar to "When The Indians Cry" or even "Club Kung Fu" would have been better). In the voting, however, the group did well in the early stages. Despite not representing their native Estonia, their home country responded well and gave the group the full 12 points (Estonia's entry, Suntribe's "Let's Get Loud", had been eliminated in the semi-final). Latvia also gave the group 12 points, whilst Germany rather surprisingly only gave them four. Austrian voters were even less impressed by the performance, not giving any points to the group at all. Despite leading at the one-third stage, Vanilla Ninja eventually slipped down the leader board and finished 8th. The result allowed Switzerland to achieve their best result for years and automatic qualification for next year's final, but for the group it was a disappointment considering their popularity and good odds for winning the contest. Post-Eurovision, split from Brandes and fourth/fifth album On 12 June 2005 the group released "Cool Vibes" in Switzerland, the single charting at number 17. Despite failing to make the top ten, a surprise as the girls represented Switzerland, the release became their best-placed Swiss single release yet. The single was not released in Germany initially, possibly due to the April 2005 allegations that David Brandes manipulated the chart placing of several of his songs, including "When The Indians Cry" by Vanilla Ninja, which resulted in a short ban from the charts for the group. However, on 2 July, the single charted in Germany at the comparatively poor position of #42, and in Austria at #70. In a May 2005 interview with The Baltic Times, the group attempted to distance themselves from the pop music genre. Piret Järvis told the newspaper that the group "started out with a pop-rock style of music". The band also claimed that their music is gradually become heavier and more typical of the rock genre. Following the arguably disappointing performance of the "Cool Vibes" single, the group stopped releasing singles from their Blue Tattoo album, instead concentrating on touring commitments. By the second half of 2005 it would become clear that the group was starting to have problems with their record label, Bros Music, and their manager David Brandes. Since moving from the TopTen label the group had suffered from problems such as the scandal of Brandes buying their singles in bulk to boost chart positions, with the label also suffering problems (such as being 'booted out' of the Sony BMG Music Entertainment group). The problems escalated toward the end of 2005 when the girls parted company with Bros Music and Brandes, moving to the EMI-owned Capitol Music label. According to press releases from the group's new management, their relationship with Bros Music and Brandes is now "hostile", and any future affiliation with their former manager is therefore unlikely. Brandes himself has claimed that their career "is over", and that their new management company are "amateurs". After leaving Bros Music, the group began work on what was intended to be their fourth album. Bros Music, however, released a ninth single, "Megamix", in December 2005, along with a "greatest hits" album Best Of. According to the girls, they were not consulted about the release of the single or the album, with Järvis asking fans to not buy either release. This, along with the lack of promotion on Bros part, made both the single and album a flop (the single only made the lower reaches of the Swiss and German charts, failing to make the Austrian Top 100 at all, with the album making #70 in Switzerland and failing to chart elsewhere). The band's not knowing about the releases was further backed up by 2004 promotional photos being used for the CD covers, with Maarja Kivi appearing, despite leaving the group over a year beforehand. Kivi's appearance has also been claimed by some to be clever promotion on the part of Brandes, as Kivi is now signed to Bros as a solo artist. Shortly after the failure of their uncommissioned single and album releases, the group announced that Triinu Kivilaan was leaving the group, with Kuurmaa, Siska and Järvis continuing as a trio. According to the remaining members of Vanilla Ninja, Kivilaan left because of the stress of being in the group, and to concentrate on her studies. Some have still, however, suggested that her leaving may have simply been down to a lack of vocal talent, or due to a rift with the other members. Despite rumours suggesting Kivi might be rejoining the group, it seems that the group will not be adding a fourth member again. The group released their first original single for almost a year in April 2006, with "Dangerzone" seeing the girls retain their pop-rock sound from previous albums. The single charted on 7 May 2006 in Switzerland, peaking at #18, with the release in Germany placing one position higher. The Austrian release would also make #23, suggesting that the group is likely to continue the success that Traces of Sadness and Blue Tattoo had in Central Europe. Meanwhile, the girl's fifth album Love is War is expected to be released in the near future. The group is extremely popular in their native Estonia, with the girls seen as a-list celebrities in the Baltic countries. The three members are also seen as something of sex symbols in their homeland, with a 2006 poll by the Estonian magazine Kroonika voting Piret Järvis the country's most attractive female. The top five of the poll also featured Siska (2nd) and Kuurmaa (4th). Kivilaan was not included, despite being a former model. Eurolaul 2007 Vanilla Ninja participated in Eurolaul 2007, the Estonian preselection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2007, with the song "Birds of Peace". Their song placed 4th. Viña del Mar Festival 2008 Broken Records International S.A. founder, Héctor Faune, tried to contact Vanilla Ninja with no success, until two Polish fans (Tomek & Yo – Tomek), from the site love-ninjas gave to Faune Lenna's direct contact, so he could propose to the band the idea to participate in the Viña del Mar International Song Festival 2008, representing their native Estonia. This festival is the most important of this category in Latin America, girls participated with their power ballad "Birds of Peace", and they won the "Silver Seagull" which is the maximum trophy of the Festival and ten thousand dollars as the Best Performers / Interpreters of the festival contest. Vanilla Ninja recording a Per Gessle song Vanilla Ninja's 2008 single "Crashing Through the Doors" was written by Per Gessle from Roxette with lyrics by Piret and Lenna. Broken Records International put the Vanilla Ninja girls in contact with Per Gessle himself, who was glad to cooperate. The song peaked at #2 in Estonian charts. Recent period On 27 November 2020, after not releasing an album for almost 14 years, Katrin Siska posted on her facebook page that they will be releasing a new album in 2021, with Triinu re-joining the group. That album has been released and is called 'Encore'. In March 2022, Kerli Kivilaan, younger sister of Triinu Kivilaan, joined the group Music videos Vanilla Ninja have made music videos for all of the singles they have released, although some have proved to be more popular than others. The first music video to feature Triinu Kivilaan was "When The Indians Cry", with previous videos featuring the now departed Maarja Kivi. "When The Indians Cry", along with "Tough Enough" and "Blue Tattoo" have been the most successful of Vanilla Ninja's videos, in terms of airplay, to date. The video for "Cool Vibes" is the most recent of their videos to gain airplay, featuring regularly on Central European Video Channels throughout June and July 2005. All of the girls' videos have been extremely popular on German video channels, gaining airplay mainly on the popular music channel VIVA. The feat of airplay on VIVA is even more impressive because, from late 2003 until late 2005, the girls were signed to Bros Records, distributed by Sony BMG Music, when the station has been exposed as being biased for the airplay of artists signed to rival record company Universal. Vanilla Ninja received a considerable amount of bad publicity for their "Cool Vibes" video, which seemingly stole material from Deine Lakaien's video for their single "Mindmachine". There is currently no proof that the band members of Vanilla Ninja knew about the alleged stolen material. That is because the video was produced in a phase of separation from David Brandes and he alone did the production for the video. Discography Studio albums Vanilla Ninja (2003) Traces of Sadness (2004) Blue Tattoo (2005) Love Is War (2006) Encore (2021) Awards and nominations |- | style="text-align:center;"|2006 | rowspan="1" style="text-align:left;"|Vanilla Ninja | Best Baltic Act at MTV European Music Awards | |- Band Members Current Lineup Lenna Kuurmaa – vocals, guitar (2002–2009; 2019–present) Piret Järvis – guitar, vocals (2002–2009; 2019–present) Kerli Kivilaan (2022-present) Former Maarja Kivi – vocals, bass (2002–2004) Katrin Siska – keyboards, synthesizers (2002–2009; 2019–2022) Triinu Kivilaan – bass, vocals (2004–2005, 2020–2022) Timeline References External links Estonian rock music groups Estonian pop rock music groups Estonian hard rock musical groups Eurovision Song Contest entrants of 2005 Eurovision Song Contest entrants for Switzerland Musical groups established in 2002 Estonian musical trios Estonian all-female bands 2002 establishments in Estonia Estonian girl groups

1483080

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C3%A1l%20Kadosa

Pál Kadosa

Pál Kadosa (; 6 September 1903, Léva, Austria-Hungary (now Levice, Slovakia) – 30 March 1983, Budapest) was a pianist and Hungarian composer of the post-Bartók generation. His early style was influenced by Hungarian folklore while his later works were more toward Hindemith and expressively forceful idioms. He was born in Levice. He studied at the national Hungarian Royal Academy of Music under Zoltán Székely and Zoltán Kodály. He was appointed to the faculty of the Fodor School in 1927 where he taught until 1943 when he was forced out due to wartime political issues. In 1945 he joined the faculty of the Franz Liszt Academy where he taught, eventually becoming head of the piano department, until his death in 1983. His students included such leading musicians as György Ligeti, György Kurtág, Iván Erőd, Ferenc Rados, Arpad Joó, András Schiff, Zoltán Kocsis, Dezső Ránki, Valéria Szervánszky, Ronald Cavaye, Jenő Jandó, Kenji Watanabe, István Kassai, and Balázs Szokolay, among others. Kadosa served on the Hungarian Arts Council and become an honorary member of the Royal Academy of Music. Kadosa's work included two operas, eight symphonies, four sonatas, and six concertos. References External links 1903 births 1983 deaths People from Levice Hungarian Jews Hungarian classical composers 20th-century classical composers Academic staff of the Franz Liszt Academy of Music Hungarian male classical composers Artists of Merit of the Hungarian People's Republic Pupils of Zoltán Kodály Burials at Kerepesi Cemetery 20th-century Hungarian male musicians Jewish classical composers

1483095

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shirley%20Plantation

Shirley Plantation

Shirley Plantation is an estate on the north bank of the James River in Charles City County, Virginia. It is located on scenic byway State Route 5, between Richmond and Williamsburg. It is the oldest active plantation in Virginia, settled in 1613 and is also the oldest family-owned business in North America, when it was acquired by the Hill family, with operations starting in 1638. White indentured servants were initially used as the main labor force until the early 1700s, when black slavery became the primary source of Virginian labor. It used about 70 to 90 African slaves at a time for plowing the fields, cleaning, childcare, and cooking. It was added to the National Register in 1969 and declared a National Historic Landmark in 1970. After the acquisition, rebranding, and merger of Tuttle Farm in Dover, New Hampshire, Shirley Plantation received the title of the oldest business continuously operating in the United States. History The lands of Shirley Plantation were first settled by Europeans in 1613 by Sir Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr and were named West and Sherley Hundred, probably because this Lord Delaware's wife Cessalye was the daughter of Sir Thomas Sherley (variant spellings being common at the time). Several years later, John Rolfe wrote A True Relation of the State of Virginia left by Sir Thomas Dale Knight in May last 1616. He named it one of six European settlements in the colony and noted that Captain Isaac Maddeson commanded 25 laborers and farmers . It survived the native American uprising of March 22, 1622 relatively unscathed, and became the westernmost settlement on the north side of the James River for a while. The tobacco was shipped within the colonies and to England. A report in 1623 found the West and Sherlow Hundred had 45 men, women, and children, with an additional 24 (including Francis West) at the "Iland" (modern Eppes Island in the James River, visible from the manor house). In 1638, Edward Hill acquired part of this land, thus beginning the occupation by the Hill family, understood to be the same family as Sir Rowland Hill of Soulton, publisher of the Geneva Bible. Edward Hill's original plot was expanded by marriage and gradual land acquisition. In 1660, Hill patented in Charles City County, including the island. When he died several years later, the land passed to Edward Hill II, who continued as owner during Bacon's Rebellion in 1676. One of these men built the Hill House, the first mansion at Shirley, which was torn down . The younger Hill sided with Governor William Berkeley, and Bacon's rebels plundered the property, perhaps in part because the King's commissioners who later examined the rebellion found him to be "the most hated man of all the county where he lived". Hill was also the subject of the "Charles City Grievances" of May 10, 1677, which accused him of misappropriating county taxes for his own use. His son Edward Hill III inherited the property in 1700 and continued its plantation economy. However, Edward Hill III's only son, Edward Hill IV, died at 16 of consumption, leaving no male heirs and only three sisters. Edward Hill III died in 1726, and his will bequeathed Shirley plantation to his youngest daughter, Elizabeth, who had married John Carter (eldest son of Robert "King" Carter) in October 1723. When he died in 1742, his widow remarried Bowler Cocke, who represented nearby Henrico County and helped raise the heir, future burgess, and patriot Charles Hill Carter (1732–1806). The construction of the present mansion and outbuildings began . The mansion, called the "Great House", was completed in 1738 and was located close to the original house built by the Hills that became known as the "Hill House". In 1868, owners signed a contract to demolish the Hill House and use its salvaged building materials to construct the mansion at Upper Shirley. At least eight generations of the Hill Carter family have occupied the house since 1738. Anne Hill Carter was born at Shirley, who on June 18, 1793, married Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee in the mansion's parlor. The couple were later parents of Confederate General Robert E. Lee. The plantation used enslaved people to cultivate cash crops, particularly after the mid-17th century when the flow of indentured servants from England became very few. According to the first Virginia tax census following the American Revolutionary War, in 1787, Charles Hill Carter owned 67 enslaved people above age 16 at Shirley Plantation and another 67 younger enslaved people, along with 16 horses and 70 cattle; and he owned another 16 enslaved adults and 22 enslaved children and additional livestock at his Long Bridge plantation in the same county. In the 19th century, an annual staff of between 70 and 90 enslaved Africans were forced to labor on the plantation, including plowing the fields, cleaning, and cooking. In 1866, Charles Hill Carter's son and heir, Hill Carter, was forced to retire and divide his estate after he lost the free labor of enslaved people, with the bulk of the estate (the current Shirley Plantation) bequeathed to his son, Robert, and the 'Upper Shirley' portion bequeathed to William Fitzhugh Carter. Upper Shirley is now home to Upper Shirley Vineyards. The house was placed on the National Register in 1969 and recognized as a National Historic Landmark in 1970. In mid-1979 and mid-1980, teams of archaeologists from the College of William and Mary excavated the site of Hill house, the slave quarters constructed , and indigenous settlements predating European colonization. The upper floors are occupied by members of the eleventh generation of the Hill Carter family, while the bottom floor is open for tours. Architecture The three-story "Great House" is constructed in the Georgian style with red brick walls and white trim boards on a square foundation. The house has no actual front door, as both the riverside and courtyard side entrances have a two-story portico with Doric columns supporting a pediment. The entrance is in the center, framed by a pair of long rectangular windows on either side. Inside the main hall, the house's famous carved walnut "floating" or "flying" cantilevered staircase rises for three stories without visible means of support and is the only one of its kind in America. The hipped roof rests on an entablature containing dentil moldings. Dormers and two large brick chimneys break up the roof. In the center of the roof is a white pedestal supporting an overturned pineapple. The house is surrounded by several support buildings, including a two-story kitchen with living quarters for the enslaved Africans, a two-story laundry with living quarters, a smokehouse, a stable building, an ice house, a large storehouse, and a dovecote. See also List of oldest companies List of National Historic Landmarks in Virginia National Register of Historic Places listings in Charles City County, Virginia References Further reading External links Historic American Buildings Survey photos: Pigeon house, brick outbuilding, stable, quarters, log shed, smokehouse, log barn James River Plantations, a National Park Service Discover Our Shared Heritage travel itinerary Shirley, State Route 608 vicinity, Shirley, Charles City, VA: 21 photos, 5 data pages, and 2 photo caption pages at Historic American Buildings Survey Shirley, Stable, State Route 608 vicinity, Shirley, Charles City, VA: 2 photos and 1 data page at Historic American Buildings Survey Shirley, Dependency, State Route 608 vicinity, Shirley, Charles City, VA: 2 photos at Historic American Buildings Survey Historic American Buildings Survey in Virginia Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Virginia Antebellum architecture Museums in Charles City County, Virginia Carter family residences James River plantations National Historic Landmarks in Virginia 1613 establishments in the Colony of Virginia Houses completed in 1723 Historic house museums in Virginia Georgian architecture in Virginia Houses in Charles City County, Virginia National Register of Historic Places in Charles City County, Virginia West family Plantation houses in Virginia 1723 establishments in the Thirteen Colonies Family-owned companies of the United States

1483096

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John%20B.%20Ogden

John B. Ogden

John B. Ogden (July 3, 1812 in Cumberland County, New Jersey - after 1889 probably Crawford County, Arkansas) was an Arkansas judge. Early life John B. Ogden was the son of Col John B. Ogden and Sarah Buck. His father died in 1813 from the effects of a wound received during the War of 1812. His mother Sarah (Buck) Ogden died in 1873. John B. Ogden was an only child. At 17 years old, he began the study of law. Career In 1843, he came to Van Buren, Crawford County, Arkansas where he lived the rest of his life. In 1856, he was made a United States Commissioner of the District Court, Western District of Arkansas, which also included all of the district of the Indian Territory (now Oklahoma), an office he held until after the Civil War. He was the judge who presided over the evidentiary hearing against Parley P. Pratt, the famous Mormon apostle, on 12 May 1857, and acquitted him. A short time after his release, Parley was murdered by Hector McLean, James Cornell and Amasa Howell in front of the Winn farm near Alma, Crawford Co, Arkansas. In 1866, John B. Ogden was appointed Assistant United States District Attorney for the Western District of the State (of Arkansas) and held that position until 1871 or 1872. Personal life In 1835, he married (probably in Louisville, Kentucky) to Jane Sibley (1817–1866), daughter of Gen. John Sibley of New Jersey. In 1868, he married Mrs. Susan H Wing (née Barron) of Saint Charles, Missouri. John B. Ogden, Lawyer, was alive in 1889 living in Van Buren, Crawford Co, Arkansas at the time Goodspeed made his famous biographies of that area. References 1880 US Federal Census, Crawford County, Arkansas Goodspeed Publishing. History of Northwest Arkansas (1889), "Crawford County: John B Ogden" Arkansas state court judges Arkansas lawyers 1812 births Year of death unknown

1483106

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westover%20Plantation

Westover Plantation

Westover Plantation is a historic colonial tidewater plantation located on the north bank of the James River in Charles City County, Virginia. Established in c. 1730–1750, it is the homestead of the Byrd family of Virginia. State Route 5, a scenic byway, runs east–west to the north of the plantation, connecting the independent cities of Richmond and Williamsburg. The plantation has been designated as a National Historic Landmark in the United States, cited for the architectural quality of its early Georgian mansion house and the history of its influential family. In the early years of the Virginia colony, the plantation was one of the sites of the courts of Charles City County. History Sir John Pawlett, by deeds of lease and release, demised most of Westover Plantation in 1665 to Theodorick Bland of Westover for £170. Bland lived on the property until his death in 1671 and was buried in the chancel of the original Westover Church, which he helped build. His eldest son, Theodorick, inherited the land and joined with his brother, Richard, in its ownership. The brothers eventually conveyed 1,200 acres of the property to William Byrd I in 1688 for £300 and 10,000 pounds of tobacco and cask. The plantation is notable for its 18th-century and later history. The mansion, Westover Plantation, was built in the Georgian style. It was considered the seat of the William Byrd family in Virginia. William Byrd II, the founder of Richmond, was thought to have built the mansion c. 1730. This date was part of the 1960 designation of the house as a National Historic Landmark. But, since the late 20th century, recent dendrochronologic testing on boards and planks in the house showed that they dated to the 1750s. The house was thus probably built and first occupied by William Byrd III, not his father. The revised construction date has been recognized by the National Park Service. Like the other plantations along the James River, Westover was first devoted to the cultivation of tobacco, the major commodity of colonial Tidewater Virginia. The Byrd family depended on the labor of hundreds of enslaved Africans, as tobacco was a labor-intensive crop. The original grounds included slave quarters. In addition to working as field hands, other slaves worked as domestic servants and skilled artisans of many types. Tobacco cultivation exhausted the soil and, pushed also by changes in markets, in the 19th century planters shifted to mixed crops, which were less labor-intensive. As development of the Deep South ensued, planters in the Upper South sold "excess" slaves in the domestic slave trade, which continued to the Civil War. During the American Civil War, Westover was used as headquarters of the Union Fifth Corps and one of the wings burned during this time. After the death of William Byrd III's widow in 1814, Westover was sold out of the Byrd family. Since then, Westover has had three subsequent owners, including lawyer John Armistead Selden (a member of the Selden family and the Lee family), whose detailed diaries of daily life at Westover remain in publication as a popular primary source on the economic and cultural history of nineteenth-century Virginian agriculture, and Confederate Army officer Augustus Harrison Drewry. Drewry, who is best known for commanding the gun batteries of Fort Darling during Battle of Drewry's Bluff in 1862, lived at Westover until his death in 1899 and made many changes; including rebuilding the burned wing, connecting the dependencies and enlarging the dining room so that it ran the depth of the house. In the early 20th century, Westover was acquired by United States diplomat Richard Teller Crane, II, who restored the mansion and grounds. It has remained in the Crane family ever since. The site was damaged by Hurricane Isabel in 2003. Ten feet of riverbank, a 250-year-old road, and a 150-year-old poplar from the south lawn were eroded into the river during the storm. Architecture The house is noteworthy for its symmetry and balance of proportions, secret passages, mid pack gardens, front door, and its Georgian style (which was inspired by the Governor's Palace in Williamsburg, Virginia). The grounds and garden are open to the public from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, and you can tour the mansion with an appointment. Popular culture The exterior of Westover was used in the pilot episode of "The West Wing" as the home of fictional White House Chief of Staff Leo McGarry. The plantation was a set location in every season of AMC's Revolutionary War drama series “Turn” (2014-2017). It was also featured in the HBO miniseries “John Adams” (2008) and, most recently, in the film “The Field of Lost Shoes" (2014). See also List of James River plantations List of National Historic Landmarks in Virginia National Register of Historic Places listings in Charles City County, Virginia References External links "Westover" , James River Plantations, National Park Service "Westover", Virginia's James River Plantations Listing in National Historic Landmarks website Student account of a visit to Westover, Journals, College of William and Mary Westover, State Route 633, Westover, Charles City, VA: 73 photos, 8 measured drawings, 15 color transparencies, 5 data pages, and 6 photo caption pages at Historic American Buildings Survey Westover, Office Building, State Route 633, Charles City, Charles City, VA: 3 photos and 1 photo caption page at Historic American Buildings Survey Westover, Kitchen Building, State Route 633, Charles City, Charles City, VA: 2 photos and 1 photo caption page at Historic American Buildings Survey Westover, Tool Shed, State Route 633, Charles City, Charles City, VA: 2 photos and 1 photo caption page at Historic American Buildings Survey Historic American Buildings Survey in Virginia Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Virginia Houses in Charles City County, Virginia James River plantations National Historic Landmarks in Virginia Brick buildings and structures in Virginia Byrd family of Virginia Georgian architecture in Virginia National Register of Historic Places in Charles City County, Virginia Tobacco plantations in the United States

1483113

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naxos%20%28disambiguation%29

Naxos (disambiguation)

Naxos is a Greek island. Naxos may also refer to: Places Greece Naxos (city), a town and former municipality on the island of Naxos Naxos (regional unit), a Greek government division Naxos and Lesser Cyclades, one of two municipalities within the regional unit Naxos Island National Airport Duchy of Naxos (Duchy of the Archipelago), a maritime state created by the Venetians between 1207–1579 Naxos (Crete), an ancient Greek city in Crete Italy Naxos (Sicily), an ancient Greek city in Sicily Giardini Naxos, a modern city on the site of the above Battles Siege of Naxos (499 BC), an engagement in the Cyclades during the Greco-Persian Wars Siege of Naxos (490 BC), an engagement in the Cyclades during the Greco-Persian Wars Battle of Naxos (376 BC), an engagement in the Cyclades during the Boeotian War Music Naxos (company), a music and audio publishing company Naxos Quartets, a series of string quartets by Peter Maxwell Davies Ariadne auf Naxos, an opera by Richard Strauss Other Naxos (mythology), eponym of the island Naxos Naxos disease, Arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia Naxos radar detector, a German World War II countermeasure

1483118

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buck%20Shelford

Buck Shelford

Sir Wayne Thomas "Buck" Shelford (born 13 December 1957) is a former New Zealand rugby union footballer and coach who represented and captained New Zealand (the All Blacks) in the late 1980s. He is also credited with revitalising the performance of the All Blacks' traditional "Ka Mate" haka. In August 2021, it was announced that he would appear in the 2021 season of Celebrity Treasure Island 2021. Career After playing for Western Heights High School First XV, Shelford was selected for the Bay of Plenty Secondary Schools and Auckland age grade sides, and made his Auckland provincial debut in 1982. Shelford enlisted in the Royal New Zealand Navy as a physical training instructor (PTI), and during this time also played rugby for the Navy team. In 1985, when the North Harbour Rugby Union was created, he moved with it as his club side was a member. This was the same year he was first selected for the All Blacks, for the later abandoned South Africa tour. Shelford's first game for the All Blacks was against Club Atlético San Isidro in Buenos Aires on 12 October 1985. He then joined the unauthorised Cavaliers' tour of South Africa in 1986, which included 28 of the 30 players selected for the original tour. Shelford made his Test debut for the All Blacks later that year against France in a 19–7 victory in Toulouse, and then was a notable victim of the infamous "Battle of Nantes" in the second Test. Roughly 20 minutes into the match, he was caught at the bottom of a rather aggressive ruck, and a French boot kicked his groin, ripping his scrotum and leaving one testicle hanging free. He also lost four teeth in the process. After discovering the injury to his scrotum, he calmly asked the physiotherapist to stitch up the tear and returned to the field before a blow to his head left him concussed. He was substituted and watched the remainder of the game from the grandstand where he witnessed the All Blacks lose 16–3. In 1987, the first Rugby World Cup was held in New Zealand. Shelford played in five of the six All Blacks games and was a member of the team that won the final against France 29–9. He was involved in an incident during the semi-final match against Wales that saw Huw Richards become the first player to be sent off in the tournament. Richards had punched the All Black lock Gary Whetton after a loose scrum and Shelford reacted in defence of his team mate, landing a blow that knocked Richards to the ground. Shelford escaped punishment while Richards left the field. Shelford took over as All Black captain after the World Cup, first captaining the side during the 1987 tour of Japan. During his captaincy from 1987 to 1990, the All Blacks did not lose a game, only drawing once against Australia in 1988. Upon becoming captain, Shelford brought his teammates to Te Aute College, a Māori school, to see the students perform a traditional haka. Although the All Blacks had been performing the haka at the start of their matches since the team's inception, it was Shelford who taught them the proper way to perform the "Ka Mate" haka. Shelford has said that the All Blacks had previously done the haka in a way that showed little understanding or training, and with the support of a former All Black, Hika Reid, stressed the importance of correctly learning the tikanga, words and actions, noting that the key was getting the European members of the team to embrace the change. The All Blacks performed the haka for the first time in New Zealand at the 1987 Rugby World Cup. In 1990, the All Blacks' selectors decided that Shelford was not up to the standard for the team and he was controversially dropped after the test series against Scotland. The general public were unhappy with this decision, especially when the All Blacks lost the third test of their next series against Australia, ending a 17-test winning streak (and 49 game streak including non-tests). After this, fans started appearing at games with signs saying "Bring Back Buck". Shelford said he had "no hard feelings" about being dropped and that he had spoken with the then selector, Alex Wyllie, who expressed a "few regrets" about his decision. Although Shelford never regained his place in the All Blacks side, he was the captain of the New Zealand XV that played Romania in the Soviet Union and New Zealand B team that beat Australia B in 1991. He had played 48 All Blacks games including 22 tests and had captained the side 31 times, including 14 tests. He also scored 22 tries in total in his All Blacks career. Shelford moved to England to play for Northampton, helping to revitalise a team languishing at the lower end of the first division and inspiring them to their first Pilkington Cup final. He retired from playing all rugby in 1995 after a spell at the Rugby Roma in the Italian Championship and coached for some time in Britain, including spells at Saracens and Rugby Lions. He returned to New Zealand and was the assistant coach of the North Harbour team in 1997 and coach in 1998. Currently, Shelford is coaching at his former club, North Shore in Devonport. In 2020, he became the host, assistant coach and emergency player for All Blacks Alumni in Match Fit, a reality documentary series to train retired All Blacks back into shape against the current New Zealand Barbarians squad of former internationals. He reprised the role in 2021/22 (aired 2022). Honours In the 1991 New Year Honours, Shelford was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire, for services to rugby. In the 2021 Queen's Birthday Honours, Shelford was appointed a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to rugby and the community. Shelford told Liam Napier of The New Zealand Herald, "[the award is] a great accolade...I'll wear it with pride for the family and all the organisations I work with. They'll carry that with them because they're my biggest supporters." Personal life Shelford's iwi is Ngāpuhi. He and his wife, Joanne, have two children, Lia (born 1981) and Eruera (born 1985), and also adopted his godson Mitchell Haapu (born 1987). On 23 June 2007, Shelford revealed that he was receiving treatment for the form of cancer known as lymphoma. He told Newstalk ZBs Murray Deaker that he wanted his privacy respected as he focused on his recovery and said he would not be making any further personal statements. He recovered fully. In 2011, Shelford was studying at Massey University in Albany, Auckland. In 2021, Shelford was one of the castaways on TVNZ's original series Celebrity Treasure Island. He was eliminated by Edna Swart before the grand finale, finishing in fourth place. In 2022, Shelford was elected National President of the Royal New Zealand Returned and Services Association. References External links Rugby Museum profile 1957 births Living people New Zealand international rugby union players Northampton Saints players New Zealand male rugby sevens players New Zealand rugby union coaches New Zealand rugby union players Rugby union number eights Rugby union players from Rotorua North Harbour rugby union players Rugby Roma Olimpic players Māori All Blacks players New Zealand expatriate rugby union players in Italy New Zealand expatriate rugby union players in England People educated at Western Heights High School New Zealand Members of the Order of the British Empire Ngāpuhi people Knights Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit Rugby football people awarded knighthoods Participants in New Zealand reality television series 1987 Rugby World Cup players

1483124

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubycon%20Corporation

Rubycon Corporation

is a Japanese electronics company, whose main products are electrolytic capacitors, film capacitors and power supply units with a wide range of applications including consumer, industrial, power, lighting and automotive. Founded in 1952 as Nihon Denkai Seisakusho (有限会社日本電解製作所), it changed its name to Shin-Ei Electronics Inc. (信英電子株式会社) in 1960. The company was formerly known as Seibu Shin-Ei Inc. and changed its name to Rubycon Corporation in December 1990. Rubycon holds a significant world market share in the capacitor market, and has 11 production sites 10 in Japan and one in Indonesia. Rubycon appointed Supreme Components International, a Singapore-based electronics distributor, as their franchised distributor. References External links Electronics companies of Japan Capacitor manufacturers Companies based in Nagano Prefecture Electronics companies established in 1952 Japanese companies established in 1952 Japanese brands

1483132

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hampton%20Court%20Garden%20Festival

Hampton Court Garden Festival

The Hampton Court Garden Festival (formerly The Hampton Court Flower Show) is an annual British flower show, held in early July of each year. The show is run by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) at Hampton Court Palace in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. The show features show gardens, floral marquees and pavilions, talks, and demonstrations. Erected on the north and south sides of the Long Water in Hampton Court Park, it is the second major national show after the Chelsea Flower Show, but has a different character, focusing more on environmental issues, growing your own food, vegetables and cookery, as well as selling gardening accessories, plants and flowers. The 2020 festival was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic which caused limitations for public gatherings. The 2023 festival takes place from 4 to 9 July. History Foundation The original Hampton Court Palace Flower Show was the brainchild of the management consultant Adrian Boyd, who saw an opportunity to connect two organisations facing times of uncertainty in a joint venture. The Department of the Environment had been dismembered in the 1980s, and one of the cuttings was Historic Royal Palaces, which found itself looking for ways of increasing revenue and attracting a larger audience. Similarly, Network SouthEast (NSE), one of the temporary aggregations thrown up by the pre-privatisation of British Rail, was looking for ways of making its rail services more profitable. Boyd's idea was that Network SouthEast should sponsor a flower show at Hampton Court, and provide the public transport to Hampton Court railway station. At the time the RHS Shows Department was working on four new events for 1993, in Birmingham, Harrogate, Wembley, and Glasgow. Early shows – 1990 to 1992 In July 1990 the first Hampton Court Palace Flower Show was held. An effort was made to attract people to the show with special trains being laid from London Waterloo and porters wore carnations in their hats to create a buzz around the show. Even though there was comparatively little trade support for the show, it drew in large crowds. Network SouthEast was pleased, saying "70 per cent of the estimated 300,000 visitors used rail and that has paid for our sponsorship many times over". The RHS debated whether to offer assistance with the show, especially when Chelsea reached full capacity. After initial dismissal, the organizers indicated they would welcome RHS involvement from 1992, and RHS members were granted a reduced admission price at the 1991 show. Adrian Greenoak, the Show's horticultural director, achieved continuous improvement in the standards. The 1991 Show introduced a British Rose Festival with the joint involvement of the Royal National Rose Society and the British Rose Growers' Association. In November 1992 came the announcement that Network SouthEast was withdrawing its support for the show. A flurry of negotiations took place: Boyd, having no title to the Show, had to join in competitive tendering by blind bid. Stephen Bennett outlined the benefits of RHS involvement: 'We can reduce the costs hugely… Apart from saving publicity costs with our extensive media relations network, we have a colossal amount of equipment. We have around £1m worth of tentage and tons and tons of staging equipment. Try to hire that sort of stuff and it costs and arm and a leg.' Historic Royal Palaces accepted the RHS bid on condition that it undertook to keep certain staff on the payroll, including Adrian Greenoak. The venture was a risky one, with four new shows already booked for 1993. The RHS years – 1993 to present The first RHS Hampton Court Show took place in 1993, with additional sponsorship from the Daily Mail. The Show was a considerable success, and the following year was declared to be the best outdoor public event of 1994. With a show ground, there was room for considerable expansion before the infrastructure would be severely tested, and over the next few years a Heritage Marquee was set up for the NCCPG and its national collections – initially a rather quiet area, but increasing steadily in public interest; crafts pavilions, which under Adrian Boyd were the first sight to greet the visitor, were gradually moved to a less prominent position; there was room for a couple of dozen display gardens, plus a separate section, on the other side of the Long Water from the major part of the exhibition, for ten water gardens. In 1998 a Hampton Court garden was rebuilt at the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability. While Chelsea remained the most prestigious of the Society's shows, Hampton Court was the largest, and readily marketed as such. Within a couple of years the investment in Hampton Court had been more than recouped. The show rebranded as the Hampton Court Garden Festival in 2019, with the festival manager saying that this "better reflected the atmosphere and the experience of our visitors at the event". The 2020 festival was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, along with most of that year's other RHS flower shows. Dates The show is always held on a Tuesday until Sunday, usually ending on the second Sunday in July. Gallery See also Royal Horticultural Society Chelsea Flower Show Tatton Park Flower Show HM Prison Leyhill, whose award-winning entries inspired the 2000 film Greenfingers References External links Hampton Court Garden Festival official site 2012 Hampton Court Palace Flower Show map RHS Chelsea Flower Show official site RHS Show Tatton Park official site 1990 establishments in England Annual events in London Festivals in London Flower festivals in the United Kingdom Flower shows Garden festivals in England Hampton Court Palace Horticultural exhibitions Recurring events established in 1990 Royal Horticultural Society Tourist attractions in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames

1483134

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John%2020%3A16

John 20:16

John 20:16 is the sixteenth verse in the twentieth chapter of the Gospel of John in the New Testament of the Bible. The verse describes the moment that Mary Magdalene realizes that Jesus has returned from the dead, when she recognizes his voice calling her name. Content In the King James Version of the Bible the text reads: Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master. In the English Standard Version it reads: Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned and said to him in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher). In the Vulgate Bible the text reads: dicit ei Jesus Maria conversa illa dicit, ei: Rabboni (quod dicitur Magister). For a collection of other versions see BibleHub John 20:16 Translation notes This verse, in the original Greek text, presents Jesus as addressing Mary Magdalene by the name “Μαριάμ” (Μariam), not the Hellenized form “Μαρία” (Maria), with Mary responding by calling Jesus “Ῥαββουνι” (Rabbouni), in both instances using the Aramaic terms. Analysis The exact significance of Rabboni is disputed. In Mark 10:51 it is translated as meaning "beloved teacher", but John here and in other verses translates it as simply "teacher". W. F. Albright and others interpret it as the diminutive form of Rabbi, and therefore translate it "my dear Rabbi", showing the close friendship between Mary and Jesus. Mary was thus calling Jesus with a title she had long used, signifying that she sees his return as a reversion to the status quo before his crucifixion. In John 20:17 and John 20:18 he divests her of this view, informing her that everything is changed. However, in some works from this period Rabboni is used as a name for God. Thus some scholars, such as Hoskyns, see the term as demonstrating that Mary has understood Jesus' divinity. Most scholars consider the title a respectful one, but less adoring than the term adonai. By contrast, when Thomas later accepts the truth of the resurrection he calls Jesus "My lord and my God" (John 20:28). Mary's reaction seems to be spontaneous, and it is not known if "Rabboni" is an exclamation of discovery, or whether it should read "Rabboni?" with Mary momentarily questioning Jesus. The Greek word διδάσκαλος in the original text and its Latin translation magister mean "teacher". Older English translations use "master", derived from the Latin word and meaning the same thing. Context Mary has found Jesus' tomb empty and is worrying about what happened to his body. At first she does not recognize Jesus when he appears, thinking he is a gardener. In John 20:16 she recognizes him when he calls her by name. John 20:14 has already mentioned that Mary had turned around to see Jesus, so why does this verse say she turns again? One school of thought is that unmentioned by the author Mary had turned away from Jesus in the meantime. Kastner argues that she did so because the resurrected Jesus was nude. According to Brown most scholars simply believe that she had not fully turned in John 20:14 and was now fully turning towards Jesus. Mary earlier did not recognize Jesus. When he addresses her by name she quickly realizes who it is. Some scholars link this to John 10:3, which states that "the good shepherd calleth to him by name every sheep of his flock", arguing that Jesus using Mary's name had deep powers. Some see Mary's transition from ignorance to worship as a metaphor for the adoption of faith. Other gospels The three other gospels do not recount this exchange, and give somewhat different accounts of the event. Matthew 28:9, for instance goes: And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him. This passage describes the women having already been informed of the resurrection by the angels in the tomb and leaving to tell the disciples of the event. It also clearly describes more than one woman being present, and omits the period where Mary is uncertain of Jesus' identity. Mark, and Luke agree with Matthew on these incongruities. Some scholars, such as Norman Geisler, explain this by arguing that, unmentioned by John, Mary ran into another group of women after leaving the tomb. This larger group returns goes to the tomb together whence the events described by the Synoptic Gospels unfold. Mystery play The York Cycle of English mystery plays has a whole (ten-minute) play about this incident. The word discussed above is Rabony in the original manuscript and Rabbi in one modernized version. References Bibliography Brown, Raymond E. "The Gospel According to John: XIII-XXI" The Anchor Bible Series Volume 29A New York: Doubleday & Company, 1970. John Calvin's commentary on John 20:16-18 Jesus Appears to His Disciples The Resurrection Account: Does it Make Sense? 20:16 John 20:16

1483138

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tatton%20Park%20Flower%20Show

Tatton Park Flower Show

RHS Flower Show Tatton Park held at Tatton Park, near Knutsford, Cheshire, first began in 1999 by the Royal Horticultural Society. The show houses the RHS National Flower Bed Competition, Young Designer of the Year Award and a wide range of inspirational show gardens, smaller 'Back to Back' gardens, visionary gardens and a number of marquees displaying prize plants and flora exhibits. Other key features of the show are the floral marquee and plant plaza, the arts and heritage pavilion, and the floral design studio. History By the mid-1990s the Society's confidence in its abilities at staging regional shows had improved, and Council was considering the creation of purely RHS shows in the more far-flung regions. By 1996 negotiations were under way with Tatton Park in Cheshire, and with Strathclyde Council in Scotland. The Island, a site between the River Clyde and Strathclyde Loch, in Strathclyde Country Park, southeast of Glasgow, was chosen as the site for a show. Stephen Bennett was quoted as saying, "We have long known that Scotland has enormous potential for a show of international standing, and response to the concept has been overwhelming." The target was 50,000 visitors in the first year. Scotland's National Gardening Show was launched in 1997, and billed as the largest flower show in Scotland since the Glasgow Garden Festival of 1988. It was publicised with a special issue of The Garden devoted to Scottish themes, and the first year was seen as a great success, with 260 exhibitors and 47,000 visitors. Over 40 per cent of the exhibitors were Scottish, and most of them had never appeared before at an RHS show. Exhibits included a Robert Fortune garden, sponsored by Christian Aid Scotland, devoted to plants that he had introduced; a mining garden; a small wildlife garden from Scottish Natural Heritage; and an exhibit recreating the centre of Inverness, planted with alpines. In its second year (1998) exhibitor numbers rose to 300, but attendance fell to 43,000, largely because of adverse weather. The third year (1999), however, was disastrous: while the mounting costs of an expanding show meant that 50,000 visitors were needed in order for it to break even, the attendance fell to 35,000 – a third of the attendance attracted by the Tatton Park Show in the same year. In August 1999, the Society reluctantly announced that it could not afford to stage the show again. Scottish horticulturists hurriedly formed a consortium to stage a replacement show, and the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society became involved in its organisation. In later years the show developed a reputation for showcasing new talent across all forms of gardening design and the arts. In 2009 the show introduced two new show garden categories, The RHS Young Designer of the Year Award and the Visionary Gardens where designers were encouraged to "break the mould". The 2011 introduced a "Ladies Day" which encouraged women to dress stylishly and socialise at a fashion show and dinner from Fortnum & Mason. RHS Show Tatton Park The first Tatton Show had been planned for 1998, but in the event it was decided to concentrate on Scotland first. The late Max de Soissons (who died in his early 50s in June 2012), an experienced organiser of trade exhibitions, who had been hired in 1996 as the RHS manager for the BBC Gardeners' World Live show in Birmingham, was appointed the Tatton Show manager. At the first Tatton Show in 1999, there were 12 show gardens, 16 back-to-back gardens (distinct from the small gardens at Birmingham or the courtyard gardens at Chelsea), 77 nurseries in the main marquee, ten rose growers in the Royal National Rose Show (sponsored by Manchester Airport), 200 sundries stands, some 20 plant societies in a specialist societies marquee, and about 30 national collections represented in a heritage marquee, and a crafts pavilion sponsored by Country Living magazine, and a separate furniture pavilion. 70,000 visitors were expected, and 102,000 arrived. Tatton, the RHS staff agreed, had the friendliest atmosphere of any of the Society's shows. Robert Sweet, the former Torbay Parks Officer, now Head of Shows Development, suggested a competition among parks departments for the best bedding scheme. The plots, each a standard 6×4 ft bed so that the local authorities competed on equal terms despite any differences in their size and wealth, were laid out on either side of a principal avenue: there were six competitors in the first year, 12 in the second, rising to 24 in 2003, by which time the competition was having a decided effect on the media coverage of municipal bedding. The volume of traffic attracted by this show causes temporary road closures and one-way working in the country lanes between Tatton Park and the A556 road, and some congestion on the A556. Gallery References External links RHS Show Tatton Park official site Royal Horticultural Society official site RHS Chelsea Flower Show official site Hampton Court Palace Flower Show official site RHS Show Cardiff official site Flower shows Tourist attractions in Cheshire Gardening in England 1999 establishments in England Recurring events established in 1999 Royal Horticultural Society

1483139

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petri%20Lindroos

Petri Lindroos

Petri Lindroos (born 10 January 1980 in Espoo, Finland) is a melodic death/folk metal guitarist and vocalist. He is currently the lead vocalist and guitarist in Ensiferum and vocalist for Warmen. Previously, he was a founding member and lead vocalist and guitarist for Norther. Biography At 14 years old, Petri (also known as "Pete") began to play the guitar. In 1996 he founded the melodic death metal band Norther with drummer Toni Hallio. In 2004, he joined the folk metal/Viking metal band Ensiferum as lead vocalist and continued to perform and record with Norther until 3 March 2009, when Norther's official website announced his departure from the band to focus more on his duties with Ensiferum. Petri said later in an interview that he did not want to quit the band, and on the contrary, the band members forced him to. In 2008, Lindroos fell sick and was subsequently unable to perform on the planned Russian tour. For the duration of the tour, bass player Sami Hinkka took over Lindroos' vocals while ex-bassist Jukka-Pekka Miettinen filled in as a sessional guitarist. Discography With Norther Warlord (2000) - Demo Released (2002) - CD Single Dreams of Endless War (2002) - CD Unleash Hell (2003) - CD Single Mirror of Madness (2003) - CD Spreading Death (2004) - CD/DVD Single Death Unlimited (2004) - CD Solution 7 EP (2005) - Mini CD Scream (2006) - CD Single Till Death Unites Us (2006) - CD No Way Back (2007) - EP N (2008) With Ensiferum Dragonheads (2006) EPOne More Magic Potion (2007) CD SingleVictory Songs (2007) CDFrom Afar (2009) CDUnsung Heroes (2012) CDOne Man Army (2015) CDTwo Paths (2017) CDThalassic (2020) CD With Warmen Here For None'' (2023) CD References External links Official Private Android App from Petri Lindroos Last Functional Wayback Machine Cache of Official Norther website NORTHER - the Finnish Breeze fansite - Official Ensiferum website 1980 births Living people Finnish heavy metal musicians Finnish heavy metal guitarists Finnish heavy metal singers People from Espoo 21st-century Finnish singers 21st-century guitarists Ensiferum members Norther members

1483144

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beer%20knot

Beer knot

A beer knot is a bend used to join tubular webbing. Its most common application is in constructing slings used in rock climbing. Compared with the water knot, it has the advantages of a higher strength, smaller profile, and a cleaner appearance due to the lack of free-hanging tails. However, the beer knot can be more difficult to tie than the water knot, and one of the tails is hidden from view, making safety checks for adequate tail length more difficult. Testing by PMI in 1995 showed that the beer knot preserves about 80% of the strength of the webbing. The beer knot was introduced to the National Speleological Society in the 1980s by Peter Ludwig, from Austria. See also List of bend knots List of knots References External links Video Instruction for Tying a Beer Knot Climbing knots Knots of modern origin

1483147

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Topsy

Topsy

Topsy may refer to: Arts and entertainment Topsy, a character in the novel Uncle Tom's Cabin Topsy, a character in the 2018 film Mary Poppins Returns Topsy and Eva, a 1928 film based on Uncle Tom's Cabin Topsy and Tim, a children's book series Topsy (Tom and Jerry), a character in the cartoon series Tom and Jerry "Topsy" (instrumental), a jazz instrumental first recorded by Count Basie, then by Benny Goodman, and later by Cozy Cole "Topsy" (Bob's Burgers), the 38th episode of the animated comedy series Bob's Burgers People Topsy Sinden (1878–1950), an English dancer, actress, and singer Topsy (d.1998), an abused Chinese girl, subject of The Story of Topsy, a book by Mildred Cable Places in the United States Topsy, Missouri, an unincorporated community Topsy, Kansas, a ghost town Topsy, Oklahoma, a rural community also known as "Chloeta" Other uses Topsy (elephant) (c. 1875–1903), a circus animal electrocuted by her owners Topsy (analytics), an online social media and communications insights platform A codename of the Mitsubishi Ki-5-II, an aircraft Topsy's Roost, a former restaurant and nightclub at Playland-at-the-Beach in San Francisco See also Topsy-Turvy (disambiguation)

1483162

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell%20stone

Bell stone

A bell stone (also bellstone) is a rock that produces a bell-like sound when struck. A type of lithophone, bell stones are significant in ethnography and are typically identified through local written history and folklore in combination with physical archeological details such as cup-shaped depressions. Instances In the Andes Bell stones are present in the Andes, and feature in one local creation myth involving God and Supay. In Mexico People in and around San Lucas Xolos in Tizayuca, Hidalgo, Mexico tell stories of "stones that sound like bells" which ring when struck with other stones. Some such stones exist at the site of the first Xolotl Chichimeca capital, located near the town. The stones are located in an outcropping of andesite at the top of the hill, which is represented in the Codex Xolotl. In Norway Rocks that ring when struck are mentioned in historical documents from Norway; about 10 have been identified. One such stone near Lom is mentioned in 18th-century documents as the most treasured item in the parish, and is still locally known as the "Bell Stone" or "Singing Stone". In South Africa An ironstone rock near the grave of Ntsikana in the Eastern Cape of South Africa is known as , literally "Ntsikana's bell". Local legend states that Ntsikana struck the rock to produce bell tones at dawn and dusk every day between 1815 and his 1822 death, and that it produced the notes with which he composed his hymns. In the 1980s, the rock was found to be capable of producing three notes in the first inversion of a triad. In the United States Hawaii Various phonolite stones were created by volcanic activity on Oahu. These stones are known in the Hawaiian language as or . The Wailua Bellstone, located near the Poliahu Heiau at the Wailua Complex of Heiaus and made of reddish basalt, produces a hollow bell-like sound when struck with a cobble. It was used to announce important events including the births of aliʻi and the approach of religious or royal processions. Pennsylvania A hill known as the Klingelberg or "Ringing Hill" near Pottsgrove, Pennsylvania was reported in 1945 to be covered with rock fragments which produced bell-like tones when struck with another stone. The report compared them to "the bell stone mentioned by Linnaeus in the Westgothische Reise". Puerto Rico A stone known as the ("Bell Stone") in the Río Grande de Loíza near Gurabo, Puerto Rico stands on top of two other stones and is said to have been used as a bell by the indigenous people. In Uruguay Seams of diabase in southwestern Uruguay have produced some stones that vibrate with a bell-like tone when struck. Two large boulders of this material are located three meters apart in a forested area near the Arroyo de la Virgen; the smaller one produces two distinct tones separated by a minor third. Little is known about the possible use of the stones by the indigenous people of Uruguay. See also Rock gong References Lithophones Ethnomusicology Rocks Rocks in religion

1483164

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redwing%20%28disambiguation%29

Redwing (disambiguation)

The redwing (Turdus iliacus) is a type of bird in the thrush family. Red Wing(s) or Redwing(s) may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Red Wing (film), a 2013 Western starring Bill Paxton Redwing (Marvel Comics), the pet bird and sidekick of the Marvel Comics character Falcon Redwing (comics), a DC Comics character Redwing (book), a fantasy novel by Holly Bennett "Red Wing" (song), a 1907 song by Kerry Mills and Thurland Chattaway Red Wings, an airship squadron in the video game Final Fantasy IV Redwing Records, an independent record label founded by Bonnie Raitt People Joan Redwing, materials scientist and professor at Pennsylvania State University Tatankamani or Red Wing II (c. 1755–1829), Native American leader of the Mdewakanton Dakota Princess Red Wing (1896–1987), Native American elder, historian, folklorist and museum curator Red Wing (actress) (1884–1974), Native American silent film actress born Lillian St. Cyr Places Canada Red Wing, a community in the town of The Blue Mountains, Ontario Redwing, Saskatchewan, a community north of Prince Albert, Saskatchewan United States Red Wing, Colorado, an unincorporated community Redwing, Kansas, an unincorporated community Red Wing crater, North Dakota Red Wing, Minnesota, a city Redwing, West Virginia, an unincorporated community Sports Adirondack Red Wings, a former minor league ice hockey team Redwings, the sports teams of Benet Academy, a high school in Lisle, Illinois, United States Detroit Red Wings, a National Hockey League team Fredericton Red Wings, a junior ice hockey team in the Maritime Junior A Hockey League Hamilton Red Wings, a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey Association operating between 1960 and 1974 Rochester Red Wings, a minor league baseball team Weyburn Red Wings, a junior hockey team in Weyburn, Saskatchewan, Canada Red Wing Manufacturers, a minor league baseball team based in Red Wing, Minnesota, in 1910 and 1911 Red Wing Stadium, original name of Silver Stadium, Rochester, New York, United States Transportation Aviation AEA Red Wing, a pioneer aircraft designed by Thomas Selfridge in 1908 and flown by F. W. Baldwin Krasniye Kryl'ya, known in English as "Red Wings", a Russian aircraft manufacturer Red Wings Airlines, a Russian airline formerly known as Airlines 400 Red Wing Regional Airport, Wisconsin, near Red Wing, Minnesota Other transportation Red Wing Bridge, a bridge over the Mississippi River connecting Wisconsin to Red Wing, Minnesota Red Wing station, an Amtrak train station in Red Wing, Minnesota Red Wing, an international night train operated by the Canadian Pacific Railway and Boston and Maine Railroad, between Montreal and Boston Redwing (keelboat), an in-shore keelboat from Bembridge, Isle of Wight, England Redwing Coaches, an English bus operator Vessels , several ships of the Royal Navy , several American naval ships USFS Red Wing, a United States Bureau of Fisheries fishery patrol vessel in commission from 1928 to 1939 Other uses Pterolobium, a genus of shrubs ranging from Africa to Asia, sometimes called "redwings" Operation Redwing, a nuclear test series conducted by the United States Operation Red Wings, a 2005 US counterterrorism mission in Kunar province, Afghanistan Redwings Horse Sanctuary, a UK charity that looks after rescued horses and ponies Red Wing Pottery, American stoneware, pottery, or dinnerware items made in Red Wing, Minnesota Red wings (sexual act), cunnilingus performed on a menstruating partner Red Wing Shoes, a footwear company specializing in durable boots Red Wing Seminary, a former Lutheran Church seminary in Red Wing, Minnesota Red Wing High School, Red Wing, Minnesota Minnesota Correctional Facility – Red Wing, a juvenile correctional facility in Red Wing, Minnesota See also East Red Wing, Minnesota North Red Wing, Wisconsin Red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus), a New World blackbird abundant in North America

1483167

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selim%20Palmgren

Selim Palmgren

Selim Gustaf Adolf Palmgren (16 February 1878 – 13 December 1951) was a Finnish composer, pianist, and conductor. Palmgren was born in Pori, Finland, February 16, 1878. He studied at the Conservatory in Helsinki from 1895 to 1899, then continued his piano studies in Berlin with Ansorge, Berger and Busoni. He conducted choral and orchestral societies in his own country and made several very successful concert tours as a pianist in the principal cities of Finland and Scandinavia, appearing also as a visiting conductor. In 1921, he went to the United States, where he taught composition at the Eastman School of Music, later returning to Finland, where he died in Helsinki, aged 73. Palmgren was married to the opera singer Maikki Järnefelt. Works listed by opus number An incomplete works list (elaborated by Joel Valkila): Op. 1 - Prelude, Illusion, & Etude and Valse-Caprice for Piano (1898?' Illusion later arranged for orchestra) Op. 2(a) - Two Songs (reference: T. Tommila) (1898?) Op. 2(b) - 3 Pieces for Piano (1898?) Op. 3 - Suite for Piano (1899?) Op. 4 - 3 Piano Pieces (1900?) Op. 5 - 2 Songs (1901) Op. 6 - Fantasie for Piano (1901) Op. 7 - Den Unge Piges Viser, Song Cycle for Voice & Piano (1901) Op. 8(a) - Lyric Intermezzo, a suite for Piano (1900) Op. 8(b) - Pieces for Violin and Piano Op. 9 - En Route, Concert Study for Piano (1901) Op. 10 - Impromptu and Scherzo for Piano (1901) Op. 11 - Piano Sonata in D minor (1901) Op. 12 - 2 Songs (1901/06?) (the first song is lost) Op. 13 - Piano Concerto No.1 in G minor (1904) Op. 14 - Barcarolle for Piano (1906?) Op. 15 - 3 Songs (1906?) Op. 16(_) - Menuet in Folk-Style (Menuett i folkton) for Piano (Piano solo version of Op.24 No.2) Op. 16(a) - 4 Songs (reference: T. Tommila) (1904/03/01/02; no.4 later arranged for piano solo in 1906?) Op. 16(b) - 4 Songs (reference: T. Tommila) (1905/02/02?/02) Op. 17 - 24 Preludes for Piano (1907?) Op. 18 - Ballad with Theme and Variations for Piano (1906?) Op. 19 - 5 Songs (1894) Op. 20 - 3 Songs (1907?) Op. 21 - Incidental Music, "Cinderella" (reference: T. Tommila) (1903' various extracts arranged for piano solo in 1904, 1907, and 1908) Op. 22 - Finnish Lyrics, 12 Pieces for Piano (1901-4) Op. 23 - Organ Pieces (reference: T. Tommila) (1908?) Op. 24 - Aus Finnland, 4 Symphonic Pieces for Orchestra (1904?; later arranged for piano) Op. 25 - 3 Songs (reference: T. Tommila) (1901?/2; no.3 later arranged for piano solo in 1906?) Op. 26 - 3 Humoresques for Piano (1908?) Op. 27 - 7 Klavierstücke, "Spring" (1906-7?) Op. 28 - 6 Lyric Pieces "Youth" for Piano (1909) Op. 29 - 2 "Contrasts" for piano (1913) Op. 30 - Opera "Daniel Hjort" (1910, rev. 1938) Op. 31 - 5 Sketches from Finland for Piano (1911?) Op. 32 - 3 Klavierstücke (1912?) Op. 33 - Piano Concerto No.2 ("Der Fluss" or "The River") (1913) Op. 34(a) - 2 Kleine Balletszenen for Piano (1913?) Op. 34(b) - 2 Songs (reference: T. Tommila) (1912/3) Op. 35 - 4 Klavierskizzen for Piano (1913?) Op. 36 - The Masquerade for Two Pianos (1913?; later arranged for piano solo in 1923?) Op. 37(a) - Mephistowaltzer (1913?) Op. 37(b)- Song 'Nocturne' Op. 38 - Dunkelrote Rosen and Klage für eine Singstimme und Klavier (1913-4?) Op. 39 - Nordischer Sommer - 5 Piano Pieces (1913) Op. 40 - "Die Stadt" for Voice and Orchestra (reference: T. Tommila) (1913-4?' 1st version of Op.41b) Op. 41(a) - Piano Concerto No.3 "Metamorphoses" (1916) Op. 41(b) - Song 'Die Stadt' for Voice and Orchestra (1914)(2nd version of Op.40) Op. 42 - Ballade "Torpflickan" for Solo Voices, Choir and Orchestra (reference: T. Tommila) (1914) Op. 43 - 4 Morceaux for Violin & Piano (1915?) Op. 44 - 3 Songs (1913-4?) Op. 45 - 3 Piano Pieces, Op.45 (1915?) Op. 46 - Exotisk Marsch for Piano (1915; later arranged for orchestra in 1938?) Op. 47 - "Spring", 6 Piano Pieces (1915?) Op. 48 - 2 Songs for Voice & Piano (1915?) Op. 49(a) - 4 Piano Pieces ('Längtansvals och andra klaverstycken') (1915?) Op. 49(b) - Rondo a Capriccio for Piano (Same as Op. 53; reference: T. Tommila) (1916?) Op. 50 - A Pastoral in 3 Scenes, Suite for Piano / Orchestra (1918?, later arranged for orchestra in 1920?; a piano version of No.2 is not extant, but Op.49b and Op.53 are arrangements of the orchestral version of it) Op. 51 - Light and Shade - 6 Piano Pieces ('Ljus och skugga') (1919?) Op. 52 - 3 Songs (1915?) Op. 53 - Rondo a capriccio for Piano ('Bacchanale') (reference: T. Tommila) - Same as Op. 49b! (1916?) Op. 54 - 3 Pianostycken (1918?) Op. 55 - Song ('O moder') for Voice & Piano (+cello ad lib.) (reference: T. Tommila) (1915?) Op. 56 - 3 Songs (1916?) Op. 57 - 3 Piano Pieces (Morceaux) (1917?) Op. 58(a) - Incidental Music from the Play "Juhana Herttua" (Op 62?) Op. 58(b) - Song (reference: T. Tommila) Op. 59(a) - 'Julkvällen' (Christmas Eve) for Choir and Orchestra Op. 59(b) - Songs (reference: T. Tommila) Op. 60 - Three Songs Op. 61 - 'Kaunehin Maa' ("The Most Beautiful Land") - for Male Choir and Brass Op. 62 - Incidental Music from the Play "Juhana Herttua" Op. 63 - Four Impromptus for Piano Op. 64(a) - Piano Pieces "Klanger och Rytmer" Op. 64(b) - "Ivy" and "Bagpipes" for Piano (reference: T. Tommila)Op. 65 - Intermezzo valsant for Piano Op. 66 - Deux impromptus for Piano (1919?) Op. 67(a) - Hakkapeliittojen marssi for Voices (in unison) and Piano("March of the Finnish Soldiers in the 30 Years' War") (1919?) Op. 67(b) - 6 Morceaux for Piano (1920?) Op. 68 - Incidental Music to the Play "The Sacrifice of Kaleva" (reference: T. Tommila) (1918-9) Op. 69 - Finnish Folk Tunes for Piano (reference: T. Tommila) (1920?; first six published in the folk song collection, Soumalaisia KansanlaulujaOp. 70(a) - Two Choruses (reference: T. Tommila) (1920?; later arranged for voice and piano) (choir version of No.1, Var är vägens mål, is lost) Op. 70(b) - Graciosa rytmer for Piano ("Graceful Rhythms")(reference: T. Tommila) (1921?) Op. 71 - Fog Figures, Three Piano Pieces (1920?) Op. 72(a) - Nocturne in Three Scenes for Piano (1921?) Op. 72(b) - 12 Nordic Folk Songs (reference: T. Tommila) (1921?) Op. 73 - 3 Piano Pieces (1920?) Op. 74 - 3 Morceaux for Piano (1922?) Op. 75 - 8 Piano Pieces (1922?) Op. 76 - 6 Piano Pieces (1922?) Op. 77 - 24 Studies for Piano (1921-2?) Op. 78 - Compositions for Violin and Piano (1922?) Op. 79 - 10 Piano Pieces (1922?) Op. 80 - 2 Pieces for Cello and Piano (1922?) Op. 81 - Triptych (1924?) Op. 82 - 3 Fantasier for Piano (1925?) Op. 83 - Three Piano Pieces (1926?) Op. 84 – 3 Piano Pieces (Preludes) (1927?) Op. 85 - Piano Concerto No.4 ("April") (1926) Op. 86 - Cantata "For Fatherland's Freedom" for Choir (and Orchestra ad lib.) (1928) Op. 87 - 5 New Piano Sketches (1928?, published 1928 by Fazer) Op. 88 - 4 Piano Pieces (1935?) Op. 89 - Cantata for the 700th Anniversary of the City of Turku for Choir, Soprano solo, and Orchestra (reference: T. Tommila) (1929; in 6 parts) Op. 90 - 2 Choruses (reference: T. Tommila) (1931?) Op. 91 - 2 Songs (reference: T. Tommila) (1940?; both arranged for choir a capella) (the second song is lost) Op. 92 - Sotilaspolka for Voice and Orchestra (1941?) Op. 93 - 2 Piano Pieces (1934) Op. 93(a) - Sonatine (No.1) in F major for Piano Op. 93(b) - Festpräludium for Piano Op. 94 - Four Songs (1944?; No.1 later arranged for voice and orchestra) Op. 95 - En sällsam fågel for Voice and Orchestra (1936; after Op.44 No.2) Op. 96 - "Music for a Comedy Play" for Orchestra (reference: T. Tommila) (1937; music to an unidentified play) Op. 97 - Pakkanen for Voice and Orchestra (1937) Op. 98 - 2 Songs (1939–42) Op. 98(a) - 'Vanhojen Messujen Aikaan' ("At the Times of the Ancient Masses") for Male Choir and Orchestra Op. 98(b) - "Song of the Quild" for Choir a capella (reference: T. Tommila)Op. 99 - Piano Concerto No.5 (1940) Op. 100 - Nouskohon Sukuni Suuri (Let My Great Nation Rise) for Choir and Orchestra (1942) Op. 101 - 4 Choruses (reference: T. Tommila)Op. 102 - Sun & Clouds, 12 Pieces for Piano (1942?) Op. 103(a) - Jouluaatto ("Christmas Morning") for Chorus and Orchestra (reference: T. Tommila) (1942) Op. 103(b) - Cantata for the 500th anniversary of the Town of Naantali (1943; in 5 parts) Op. 104 - Concert-Fantasy for Violin and Orchestra (1945?) Op. 105 - Ballet Scenes, Six Pieces for Piano (originally for orchestra) (1944?) Op. 106 - 3 Songs (1944?) Op. 107 - 5 Choruses (1944?) Op. 108 - Ballade for Orchestra (reference: T. Tommila) (1942; after Op.85) Op. 109 - Piano Suite "Diary Sheets" (reference: T. Tommila) (1944?) Op. 110 - Höst på berget for Voice and Piano (1946?) (reference: T. Tommila) Op. 111 - Minusta tuli muusikko (I Became a Musician), Autobiography (1948; in Finnish) Op. 112 - Cantata Väinämöinen ja karhunkaato for Choir, Orchestra, and Baritone Solo (1949) (reference: T. Tommila) Op. 113 - Sonatine (No.2) in D major for Piano (1950) Op. 114 - Op.114/1 "a Gaspar Cassado" / "Violoncello (Andante con moto)- Repertoire de Gaspar Cassado" for Cello and Piano / Op 114/2 In tempo di minuetto (reference: T. Tommila) (1951?) Works listed without a known opus number, in alphabetic order Op posth. – Aftonpsalm for Chorus (reference: T. Tommila)Op posth. – Allegretto for Piano (1921) (reference: T. Tommila)Op posth. – Allhelgonenatt for Male Choir (reference: T. Tommila)Op posth. – Anna-mi (Song)(reference: T. Tommila)Op posth. – Arabeske (1946) for Piano Op posth. – Arabeski (1896) for Piano (reference: T. Tommila)Op posth. – Asparnas susning (Song)(reference: T. Tommila)Op posth. – Aurinkokaupunki for Chorus (reference: T. Tommila)Op posth. – Bagatelle for Piano (reference: T. Tommila)Op posth. – Berceuse for Piano Op posth. – Berceuse (1895) for Piano Op posth. – Berceuse (1917) for Violin and Piano (reference: T. Tommila)Op posth. – Björkarna där hemma for Male Choir (reference: T. Tommila)Op posth. – Bort allt vad oro gör for Male Choir (reference: T. Tommila)Op posth. – Bottniska hav (reference: T. Tommila)Op posth. – Brudefärden (reference: T. Tommila)Op posth. – Cavatina for Violin and Piano (lost?)(reference: T. Tommila)Op posth. – Chanson elegiaque for Violin and Piano (reference: T. Tommila)Op posth. – Chant d'automne (1917) for Cello and Piano (reference: T. Tommila)Op posth. – Clarinet Concerto (unfinished)(reference: T. Tommila)Op posth. – Con sordino for Piano Op posth. – Concert-Etude ("Konsertetude")(1906)(reference: T. Tommila)Op posth. – Country dance / Musette / The Bagpipe for Piano (1922)(reference: T. Tommila)Op posth. – Cry for Help (1927) for Chorus (reference: T. Tommila)Op posth. – Dag efter dag for Voice and Piano (reference: T. Tommila)Op posth. – Darthulas gravsång for Male Choir (reference: T. Tommila)Op posth. – 'De Fallna' ("The Fallen Ones"), Song (1919) Op posth. – De heliga änglar for Chorus (1933)(reference: T. Tommila)Op posth. – De vita scholastica for Voice and Piano (reference: T. Tommila)Op posth. – Den långa dagen for Voice and Piano (reference: T. Tommila)Op posth. – Den övergivna for Voice and Piano (reference: T. Tommila)Op posth. – 'Drömmen' ("Dream") for Choir (1898) Op posth. – Drömvisa for Piano (1921)(reference: T. Tommila)Op posth. – 'En Idyll' for Choir Op posth. – Ensimmäinen perhonen ("The First Butterfly") for Piano (reference: T. Tommila)Op posth. – Entre'acte valsant for Piano (reference: T. Tommila)Op posth. – 'Erotus mielillä' ("Thinking of the Depart") for Choir (1900) Op posth. – Etude for Piano (1896)("unfinished")(reference: T. Tommila)Op posth. – Etude ("Gnistor") for Piano Op posth. – Etude de Concert for Piano (c.1900) Op posth. – Finnish Caprice for Piano (1922)(reference: T. Tommila)Op posth. – 'Helsinki Oldboys Regement' March for Piano Op posth. – Intermezzo (1895) for Piano Op posth. – Intermezzo Marziale for Orchestra (arrangement of Op.47 No.4?) Op posth. – 'Keijukaiset' ("Fairies") for Piano Op posth. – 'Kevätauerta' for Piano Op posth. – 'Lullaby for Wounded Hearts' for Orchestra (orchestral adaption from a piano piece in Op 81?) Op posth. – Musette for Orchestra Op posth. – Overture for Piano (1934) – same as Op 93b! (Re-published as a "posthumous" work in 1982) Op posth. – 'Pieni legenda' ("A Small Legend")(1895) for Piano Op posth. – Prélude funebre for Piano Op posth. – Preludietto for Piano Op posth. – Presto for Piano (reference: T. Tommila)Op posth. – Romance for Violin and Piano (1917) Op posth. – Scherzino (1894) for Piano (reference: T. Tommila)Op posth. – Serenad for Piano (reference: T. Tommila)Op posth. – 'Solsken genom tårar' ("Sunshine Through the Tears")(1946) for Piano Op posth. – 'Spinnrocken' for Piano Op posth. – 'Syysprologi' ("An Autumnal Prologue") for Piano Op posth. – Titania for Male Choir (reference: T. Tommila)Op posth. – Ungarischer Tanz for Piano Op posth. – Valkokaarti ("The White Guard") for Vocal and Piano Op posth. – 'Valssi länsisuomalaiseen tapaan' ("Waltz in a Western Finnish Style") for Piano Without Opus – Aria (1904) for Piano (reference: T. Tommila)Without Opus – Berceuse for Piano (by 1919) Without Opus – Finnische kabinettstücke (7 Piano Pieces) (by 1923) Without Opus – Gavotte and Musette for Piano (by 1919) Without Opus – 'Grave of Chopin for Piano' and Orchestra Without Opus – Intermezzo for left hand only (1906) Without Opus – Northern Folk Songs Without Opus – Romance for Violin and Piano (1917) Without Opus – Scherzo (1893) for Piano Without Opus – Finnish Folk Songs for Piano (possibly Op.69?) Without Opus – 'Vårbräckarnas brus' ("Russtles of Spring") for Piano According to a biography on a June 1926 Gramophone article'', Palmgren had written two operas at that time, one produced (Daniel Hjort) and another one unproduced. As far as it is known, Palmgren never produced the other one. A detailed works list in preparation (in Finnish) can be found here: Preliminary List of Compositions by Selim Palmgren. References Salmenhaara, Erkki: Leevi Madetoja, s. 119. Helsinki: Tammi, 1987. . Selim Palmgren at Finnish Wikipedia. External links 1878 births 1951 deaths 19th-century male musicians 20th-century classical composers 20th-century conductors (music) 20th-century male musicians Romantic composers Finnish classical composers Finnish classical pianists Finnish conductors (music) Finnish male classical composers Male classical pianists People from Pori Burials at Hietaniemi Cemetery Pupils of Ferruccio Busoni 20th-century Finnish composers

1483168

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vali

Vali

Vali or Wali can refer to: Places Vali, Iran, a village in Khuzestan Province, Iran Vali, East Azerbaijan, a village in East Azerbaijan Province, Iran People Wāli, title meaning governor in Arabic and several other languages The Vali tribe, a Sarmatian tribe of Ptolemy Mythological characters Váli, In Norse mythology, a son of Odin and Rind Váli (son of Loki), a son of Loki in some versions of Norse mythology Vali (Ramayana) or Bali, character in the Hindu epic Ramayana Al-Walee, one of the Names of God in the Qur'an Persons Abbas Vali (born 1949), Iranian Kurdish academic Ali Khan Vali (1845/46–1902), Iranian photographer and governor Amir Vali (fl. 1356–1384), ruler of Astarabad and parts of Mazandaran Ayub Vali (born 1987), Iranian footballer Carmen L. Vali (born 1965), American politician, mayor of Aliso Viejo, California Ferenc A. Váli (1905–1984), Hungarian-born lawyer, author and political analyst Mastan Vali, Indian politician from Guntur West, Andhra Pradesh Moses David Vali (circa 1697–1776), Jewish biblical commentator, physician, scholar, and Kabbalist Nathar Vali (died 1069), Iranian Sufi saint of India Pourya-ye Vali (died 1322), Iranian Sufi and champion Rajka Vali (1924–2011), Croatian pop music singer Reza Vali (born 1952), Iranian musician and composer Shah Nematollah Vali (1330–1431), Sufi master and poet Tawakkal Mastan Vali (17th century), Indian Sufi saint Voldemar Väli (1903–1997), Estonian Greco-Roman wrestler Vaali (poet) (1931–2013), Indian poet and lyricist in Tamil Film Vali (film) or The Governor, a 2009 Turkish action film directed by M. Çağatay Tosun Vaali (film), a 1999 Indian Tamil-language action film by S. J. Surya, starring Ajith Kumar Medical ventilator-associated lung injury Vaping-associated lung injury, an acute lung injury due to certain vaping products See also Wali (disambiguation) Valis (disambiguation) Valli (disambiguation) Vaali (disambiguation) Bali (disambiguation)

1483174

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin%20Luther%20%28diplomat%29

Martin Luther (diplomat)

Martin Franz Julius Luther (, 16 December 1895 – 13 May 1945) was a German diplomat. A member of the Nazi Party, he was a protégé of Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop, first as an advisor in the Ribbentrop Bureau (Dienststelle Ribbentrop), and later as a diplomat in the Foreign Office (Auswärtiges Amt). He participated in the 20 January 1942 Wannsee Conference, at which the genocidal Final Solution to the Jewish Question was planned. It was the 1946 discovery of his copy of the minutes of that conference that first brought to light the existence of the conference and its purpose. After plotting to replace Ribbentrop, Luther was arrested in February 1943 and sent to a concentration camp. He died of natural causes very shortly after the end of the Second World War in Europe. Early life Luther attended a Gymnasium until August 1914 when he left school without obtaining his Abitur to enlist in the Imperial German Army. He participated in the First World War as a member of a railway unit, attained the rank of Leutnant of reserves in 1917 and was awarded the Iron Cross, second class. Discharged from the army at the end of the war, he went into business and used his skill at logistics to found a hauling and furniture moving business. His first venture went bankrupt in the poor economic climate of the Weimar Republic but he started another furniture moving and interior decorating business. He eventually became very successful, living in the affluent Zehlendorf neighborhood of Berlin. He owned an apartment building and was sufficiently financially secure to turn his attention to politics. Luther joined the Nazi Party (membership number 1,010,333) and its paramilitary branch, the SA, on 1 March 1932. He was active in helping to raise funds for the Party in his capacity as the head of the local National Socialist People's Welfare, the Party's charity organization. In the course of his work, he made the acquaintance of the wealthy wine merchant and Adolf Hitler's foreign policy advisor Joachim von Ribbentrop and his wife. He was commissioned to redecorate their villa and expand their private stables. He also was of assistance to Ribbentrop in getting him a low Party number. When Ribbentrop was sent to London as ambassador in 1936, he hired Luther to move his furniture from Berlin and do the interior decorating of the new German Embassy at Carlton House Terrace. Nazi career Ribbentrop Bureau In August 1936, Ribbentrop offered Luther a position in the Dienststelle Ribbentrop (Ribbentrop Bureau), his own Nazi Party shadow foreign policy organisation that he had established to circumvent the long-serving career diplomats in the Foreign Office. The bureau offices were on the Wilhelmstrasse, directly across the street from the Foreign Office. Luther accepted and was placed in charge of the Party liaison office. After Ribbentrop replaced Konstantin von Neurath as the Reichsminister for Foreign Affairs in February 1938, he wanted to bring Luther into the Foreign Office. However, Luther was being investigated on a charge of embezzlement of Party funds in connection with his earlier charity fund-raising activities. Ribbentrop sought the assistance of Martin Bormann who was the chief of staff in the office of Deputy Führer Rudolf Hess. Bormann, whose father-in-law was Walter Buch, the head of the Supreme Party Court, intervened and the investigation was dismissed. Reich Foreign Office In November 1938, Luther was appointed as head of the sub-department Referat Partei, which carried out liaison activities between the ministry and the Party. On 7 May 1940, his remit was expanded when he persuaded Ribbentrop to appoint him as head of the Abteilung D (Deutschland), a new department combining several Referate. In addition to his existing functions, the ambitious Luther now was given responsibility for foreign travel, printing and distribution of written materials, liaison with the Schutzstaffel (SS) and, significantly, Jewish policy under Referat D III, which he entrusted to Franz Rademacher. Over the next year, he managed to further expand his areas of responsibility, doubling the number of Referate reporting to him. The new department was headquartered in its own building in the Tiergarten section of the city. That physical distance contributed to Luther's autonomy. Contacts between the ministry and Abteilung D were mainly by telephone, and Luther rarely participated in the daily meetings of senior officials at the ministry. Messages from the SS, and its subordinate security section the RSHA, were sent directly to Luther and not through higher officials as was customary. In this way, Luther was able to control which matters were and were not shared with other ministry departments. He also was the person who most often represented the ministry in high-level staff consultations between the various ministries and the SS. By July 1941, Luther was advanced to the civil service rank of Ministerialdirektor with the title of Unterstaatssekretär (Under State Secretary). In addition, in 1942 he was promoted to the rank of SA-Brigadeführer. Thus, Luther was at the height of his power when he attended the Wannsee Conference on 20 January 1942 as the official representative of the Foreign Ministry. He was the only undersecretary invited, with most other ministry representatives being full state secretaries. This was due to the conference organizer, SS-Obergruppenführer Reinhard Heydrich, who much preferred dealing with the ambitious and cooperative Luther, rather than the aristocratic Foreign Office traditionalist, State Secretary Ernst von Weizsäcker. In preparation for the meeting, Luther had his staff compose a memorandum on 8 December 1941 to set out "our wishes and desires". That document committed the ministry to working with other countries to introduce antisemitic restrictions modeled on the Nuremberg Laws, and then to transport their Jews to the east. Following the conference, Luther's department was involved with preparing and securing agreement at the diplomatic level for the deportation of Jews from the countries allied with Germany, such as Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia, as well as from the areas occupied by Germany. Downfall, arrest and death During this period, Luther also continued to work as an interior decorator for Ribbentrop's wife, helping her with the design of her various houses as well as her clothes. He resented this, stating that she treated him like one of her household servants. For her part, she found him tiring and boorish. More importantly, Ribbentrop was becoming increasingly dissatisfied with him, particularly for not advancing the Foreign Office's interests in the bureaucratic struggle over foreign policy with Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler. In addition, new allegations surfaced of Luther being entangled with financial irregularities involving the personnel office. Ribbentrop had also received complaints that Luther was blackmailing two individuals by threatening them with the Gestapo, and this triggered yet another investigation into Luther's behavior. In early 1943, threatened on several fronts, Luther plotted to supplant Ribbentrop by attempting to discredit him. Though reports vary, he most likely sought assistance in this from SS-Brigadeführer Walter Schellenberg, head of the SS foreign intelligence service, who himself had ambitions of replacing Ribbentrop. Luther wrote an extensive memorandum, in which he went into detail about what he believed to be Ribbentrop's mental weaknesses, portraying him as mentally ill and unfit for his position. He forwarded it to Schellenberg to gain the support of the SS. However, when the memo was brought to Himmler, he viewed it as the worst type of disloyalty, and had the incriminating document delivered directly to Ribbentrop. Luther was arrested by the Gestapo on 10 February 1943 and his Abteilung D was dissolved. Hitler wanted to have him hanged, but Himmler instead persuaded him to have Luther sent to the Sachsenhausen concentration camp in March. There he was put to work cultivating the camp herb garden. After two suicide attempts, he was freed over two years later when the camp was liberated by the Red Army in April 1945, but was hospitalized and died shortly afterward of heart failure. He never faced trial for his involvement in the planning of the Holocaust. Luther's Wannsee Conference memorandum Copies of the official minutes of the Wannsee Conference were sent to all participants and were stamped with the highest security classification of Geheime Reichssache. Luther's copy of the minutes is the only record of the conference that survived the war. It was located in the archives of the Foreign Office in December 1946 and its discovery marked the first time the Allies became aware of the meeting. Though found too late to be used at the Nuremberg trial of the major Nazi leaders in 1945–46, it played an important role in the Ministries Trial of 1948–49 and was used in the prosecution of senior officials of various ministries. The fact that the minutes speak only of "evacuations" has been used by Holocaust deniers to argue that the conference did not present a policy of genocide. However, Luther was among those who already knew that policy with regard to the "Jewish question" had changed. In October 1941, he was made aware by his subordinate, Rademacher, that 8,000 Serbian Jewish men were not being deported but instead had been shot. Also, beginning in October 1941, the SS had been sending periodic situation reports to the Foreign Office concerning the operations of the Einsatzgruppen in the Soviet Union. The reports documented the extent and systematic nature of the mass killing of Jews that already was taking place. Luther saw these reports and was personally involved in preparing a summary of one of the lengthy reports. The Wannsee minutes also document that at the conference Luther noted that difficulties would arise in some countries, such as the Scandinavian states, if the plan were to be put in place there, and that it would therefore be advisable to defer actions in those countries. However, he saw no such great difficulties arising for actions in southeast and western Europe, thereby giving the Foreign Office's concurrence with implementing the Final Solution in those areas. Portrayals in media Luther is played by in the German television drama-documentary Die Wannseekonferenz (1984). Luther played an integral part in Robert Harris' 1992 alternate history novel, Fatherland. In the 1994 HBO film adaptation, Luther was renamed Franz Luther and was played by John Woodvine. In the 2001 HBO film Conspiracy, Luther is played by Kevin McNally. Luther is briefly portrayed in Daniel Silva's 2003 book The Confessor, which is part of Silva's Gabriel Allon series. In the 2022 German film Die Wannseekonferenz, he was played by the Austrian actor Simon Schwarz. References Sources Noks, Robert Jan (2023). Martin Luther in Traces of War. Further reading External links Martin Luther (1895 – 1945) in the House of the Wannsee Conference Memorial and Education Site Martin Luther (1895 – 1945) in the Jewish Virtual Library Minutes from the Wannsee Conference, archived by the Progressive Review 1895 births 1945 deaths 20th-century German businesspeople 20th-century German civil servants Diplomats from Berlin Diplomats in the Nazi Party German Army personnel of World War I German prisoners and detainees Holocaust perpetrators Recipients of the Iron Cross (1914), 2nd class Sturmabteilung officers Sachsenhausen concentration camp prisoners Wannsee Conference attendees

1483197

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lise%20Darly

Lise Darly

Lise Darly (born 27 December 1981) is a French singer and was selected to represent Monaco in the 2005 Eurovision Song Contest, held in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv. Life and career Lise was born in Nice. She made her mark by beating over a hundred rivals to win the Graine de Star Tour in 1999. She subsequently became a professional singer in 2001, and in 2003 entered a casting process designed to find a suitable singer to represent Monaco in the Eurovision Song Contest 2004, Lise Darly came second in the process. She was later selected to represent Monaco in the Eurovision Song Contest 2005. In Kyiv, Lise sang a love song entitled Tout de moi (All of me), written by Philippe Bosco, who also wrote the 2004 Monegasque Eurovision entry, Notre planète (Our planet), then performed by Maryon. Maryon had ended the 2004 semi-final in 20th place, and because of this modest placing in 2004 Lise started in the semifinal line-up, from which only ten countries would progress to the grand final. In the running order of the semifinal, Monaco sang 6th (between Latvia and Israel). Lise ended up 24th out of 25 countries in the semifinal, therefore placing 38th out of 39 total countries, beating only Lithuania. Monaco received 10 points from Andorra (who were using a jury due to an insufficient number of televotes made in the tiny principality), 10 points from France and 2 points from Moldova. Now she is living and working in Monaco. Lise Darly was one of stars on New Year Party in Monaco. External links Official Website Official MySpace Page Lyrics of "Tout de Moi" in French and English 1981 births Living people Musicians from Nice Eurovision Song Contest entrants for Monaco Eurovision Song Contest entrants of 2005 The Voice (franchise) contestants 21st-century French women singers

1483201

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lette

Lette

Lette can refer to: Geography Lette (Coesfeld), a part of Coesfeld, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany Lette (Oelde), a part of Oelde, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany Lette, New South Wales, a locality in New South Wales, Australia People Henry Lette (1829–1892), Australian cricketer Kathy Lette (born 1958), Australian author

1483205

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air%20Alps

Air Alps

Air Alps, (stylized as Air A!ps, previously operating as KLM alps, legally AAA-Air Alps Aviation), was an Austrian regional airline based in Innsbruck. History Establishment and early years Air Alps was founded in 1998 by Air Engiadina (49%) and its manager Dietmar Leitgeb (51%) as Air Alps Aviation Alpenländische Luftfahrt GmbH with its head office in Igls/Innsbruck. Air Alps soon entered into an agreement with the Dutch airline KLM and began operating under the brand name KLM alps and participating in its frequent-flyer program Flying Dutchman. Flight operations commenced in 1999 from Innsbruck to Salzburg and Amsterdam using two Dornier 328. In 2000, three more Dornier 328 were added to the fleet and the airline expanded its network with flights from Innsbruck to Vienna and Amsterdam to Linz. A mini-hub was set up in Klagenfurt with flights via Salzburg to Hamburg, Cologne and Amsterdam. However, flights to Hamburg and Cologne were soon dropped. In 2000, Air Alps operated 68 flights per week from Austria to Amsterdam. Additionally, the head office was relocated from the airport to the city. The shares of Air Engiadina were taken over by Dietmar Leitgeb and the capital was increased to €2 million. The airline entered into a codesharing agreement with Swissair in the winter of 2000 on the new Klagenfurt-Zürich route, and in 2001 for Innsbruck–Zürich. A new uniform was introduced in early 2001, and operations began on the aforementioned Innsbruck-Zürich route and Vienna–Stuttgart. First acquisition and refocus on Italy In the spring of 2001, the company was forced to declare bankruptcy on the back off a €34 million debt. A few months later, an alliance of 28 South-Tyrolean industrialists led by ham producer Franz Senfter acquired 85% of the shares, with the remaining shares purchased by the South Tyrol and Tyrol governments. The new investors made a €7 million capital infusion as Dietmar Leitgeb exited the airline and resigned as CEO. The brand name KLM alps was dropped and operations resumed under the name Air Alps Aviation with a new corporate identity. The airline was forced to discontinue its codesharing with Swissair and subsequently ceased all flights to Zürich in the autumn of 2001, due to Swissair’s bankruptcy. In 2002, former Alitalia and Alpi Eagles executive Dr. Aldo Bevilaqua was appointed as new CEO. A new strategy was established with a focus on Italy in general and South Tyrol in particular. A base was opened in Bozen with flights to Cagliari, Olbia, Napoli and Lamezia Terme in cooperation with Alitalia. In the summer of 2002, Air Alps began codesharing with Austrian Airlines on the route Vienna–Banja Luka and opened new routes from Vienna to München, Siena and Olbia as well as from Rome to Stuttgart and Bern. By acquiring a sixth Dornier 328 the company was able to continue its network expansion and open routes from Parma to Rome and Olbia. In 2002, Air Alps was operating two Dornier 328 from Innsbruck, two from Salzburg, one from Linz and one from Bozen. In 2003, the airline once again introduced new uniforms and acquired a seventh Dornier 328 (OE-LKG) to further expand its network. A new base was established in Bern, and flights began to Amsterdam as well as Elba, followed by additional routes from Zürich to Elba, from Stuttgart to Bologna and Lamezia Terme, from Bozen to Lamezia Terme, and from Bozen to Tortolì via Rome. Plans were made to acquire five more Dornier 328–110, including two from the defunct Minerva Airlines. At the same time, Air Alps ended its cooperation with City Air on the route Berlin-Tegel–Linz–Salzburg. The airline's capital was increased again in 2003 by €16 million, and in 2004 flights began from Bozen to Munich in cooperation with Lufthansa. A new base in Brescia was planned, while flights from Bologna to Lamezia Terme were terminated. By 2004 the airline carried 400,000 passengers annually, up from 190,000 in 2001, 180,000 in 2000 and 72,000 in 1999. Second acquisition and merger with Welcome Air On 4 June 2009, settlement proceedings over Air Alps began in the regional court of Innsbruck. In December that year the airline was taken over by Welcome Air which acquired 76% of the company. The remaining shares were kept by the South Tyrolean consortium, the Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol region and Südtiroler Transportstrukturen AG (STA). Due to financial problems, Air Alps ceased all flight operations on 13 January 2012 until further notice. Welcome Air relocated the entire Air Alps fleet to Innsbruck. On 1 February, flights resumed from Bozen to Rome. Shortly thereafter, the route was once again cancelled and Air Alps began exclusively operating charter flights. In June 2013, the airline ceased all flight operations again., and on 20 August 2013 its owners decided to liquidate the company following an unsuccessful search for new investors. All employees were dismissed by October 2013. Third acquisition and future plans In November 2013 a group of investors expressed interest in acquiring Air Alps, and on 3 February 2014 the airline resumed flights between Zürich and Bremen using a single aircraft. The route was operated on behalf of Rostock Airways and commenced almost a year after the airline had previously ceased operations. However, operations were halted on 28 February 2014 as takeover negotiations collapsed. In October that year, Welcome Air's shares in Air Alps were acquired by a new investor which began a restructuring process. Destinations Air Alps offered scheduled flights from Bozen and Parma to Rome. During the summer season the airline also operated flights to Olbia on Sardinia. Additionally, the airline operated charter flights to holiday destinations in Italy, and the aircraft were leased to airlines such as Alitalia and Cirrus Airlines. Air Alps also operated the route Linz–Vienna 33 times per week for Austrian Airlines. Codesharing Air Alps had codesharing agreements with Alitalia and Austrian Airlines, and previously with KLM, Swissair, Swiss International Air Lines and City Air. Fleet Air Alps operated a fleet of 7 Dornier 328 32-seat airliners for the duration of its operations. References External links Defunct airlines of Austria Airlines established in 1998 Airlines disestablished in 2013 2013 disestablishments in Austria Austrian companies established in 1998

1483206

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T.%20O.%20Honiball

T. O. Honiball

Thomas Ochse Honiball (1905–1990) was a well known South African cartoonist. T.O. Honiball (as he was commonly referred to) was born on 7 December 1905 in Cradock, Cape Colony. Honiball attended the well known high school for boys in Stellenbosch, Paul Roos Gymnasium. He originally studied architecture at the University of Cape Town. However, he needed a less structured way to express his artistic capabilities and from 1927 to 1930 he lived in Chicago where he studied commercial art. During this period he was introduced to American cartoons. On his return to Cape Town he worked in advertising and later as freelance caricaturist and cartoonist. In 1941 he became the political cartoonist for a major Afrikaans newspaper group, and quickly became one of the best known South African cartoon artists. In addition to his political cartoons he also published the Oom Kaspaas series, wherein Uncle Kaspaas boasts about his colorful past to his "nephew" Nefie - always to be reminded by some unfortunate event of what had really happened. (Note that in Afrikaans "Neef" (diminutive "nefie") can mean either cousin or nephew. "Oom" literally means "uncle", but the contexts determine the significance. "Oom" is used as a form of address informally denoting (possibly affectionate) respect for any older male, whether a relative or stranger. "Neef", and more strongly "Nefie", is used in the converse sense as "(little) nephew". The usage in the Oom Kaspaas books strongly implies nephew, not cousin. On the other hand, it could very well be that Kaspaas and Nefie are not related at all. In the past "neef" was also an Afrikaans term with a wider meaning, used for all one's male peers, and "nefie" an affectionate term for men and boys younger than the speaker, much in the same way as "oom" is still used for older men today.) He loved to portray animals as having human personalities and qualities, and he produced two series to that effect. Jakkals en Wolf covered the good and bad times of two friends, a jackal and a wolf, while Adoons-Hulle related the experiences of a baboon family from the Magaliesberg. In 1939 he produced Oom Kaspaas, Jakkals en Wolf in 1942, Faan Brand in 1946 and Adoons-Hulle in 1948. On retiring in 1974, he held his first solo exhibition in Pretoria and continued his political caricatures and cartoons until 1978. He died on 22 February 1990 in Montagu. Family He married Iona Boesen in 1934 and they had four children. After Iona's death in 1971, Honiball married Essie de Villiers - Dreyer (Esther Maria Wiese) in 1973, later known as Essie Honiball. External links Stellenbosch Writers References 1905 births 1990 deaths Afrikaner people South African people of Dutch descent People from Cradock, Eastern Cape South African editorial cartoonists South African comics artists South African comic strip cartoonists South African caricaturists University of Cape Town alumni Alumni of Paul Roos Gymnasium

1483207

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The%20Train%20%281964%20film%29

The Train (1964 film)

The Train is a 1964 war film directed by John Frankenheimer and starring Burt Lancaster, Paul Scofield and Jeanne Moreau. The picture's screenplay—written by Franklin Coen, Frank Davis, and Walter Bernstein—is loosely based on the non-fiction book Le front de l'art by Rose Valland, who documented the works of art placed in storage that had been looted by Nazi Germany from museums and private art collections. Arthur Penn was The Train original director but was replaced by Frankenheimer three days after filming had begun. Set in August 1944 during World War II, it pits French Resistance-member Paul Labiche (Lancaster) against German Colonel Franz von Waldheim (Scofield), who is attempting to move stolen art masterpieces by train to Germany. Inspiration for the scenes of the train's interception came from the real-life events surrounding train No. 40,044 as it was seized and examined by Lt. Alexandre Rosenberg of the Free French forces outside Paris. Plot In August 1944, masterpieces of modern art stolen by the Wehrmacht are being shipped to Germany; the officer in charge of the operation, Colonel Franz von Waldheim, is determined to take the paintings to Germany, no matter what the cost. After the works he selects are removed from the Jeu de Paume Museum, curator Mademoiselle Villard seeks help from the French Resistance. Given the imminent liberation of Paris by the Allies, SNCF (French National Railways) workers associated with the Resistance need only delay the train for a few days, but it is a dangerous operation and must be done without risking the priceless cargo. Resistance cell leader and SNCF area inspector Paul Labiche initially denies the plan, telling Mlle. Villard and senior Resistance leader Spinet, "I won't waste lives on paintings." He has a change of heart after his cantankerous former mentor, Papa Boule, is summarily executed for sabotaging the train on his own. After that sacrifice, Labiche joins his Resistance teammates Didont and Pesquet, who have been organizing their own plan with the help of other SNCF Resistance members. In an elaborate ruse, they reroute the train, temporarily changing railway station signage to make the German escort believe they are heading to Germany when they have actually looped back round towards Paris. Two deliberate collisions then block the train in at the small town of Rive-Reine without damaging the cargo. Labiche, although shot in the leg, escapes on foot with the help of Christine, the widowed owner of a Rive-Reine hotel, while other Resistance members involved in the plot are murdered, including Pesquet and Jacques, the Rive-Reine stationmaster. That night, Labiche and Didont meet Spinet again, along with Jacques's young nephew Robert, and plan to paint the tops of three wagons white to warn off Allied aircraft from bombing the art train. Robert recruits railroad workers and friends of his uncle. He and Didont are killed when the painting is detected during a false air raid alarm staged by Robert, but because of the paint, the train is spared from bombing the next day when Allied medium bombers roar over Rive-Reine. Now working alone, Labiche continues to delay the train after the tracks are cleared, to the mounting rage of von Waldheim. Labiche attempts to use plastic explosives to destroy the locomotive, only to find it carrying French hostages placed by the Germans. To spare the hostages, he blows the explosives early, damaging the tracks in front of the train. While the Germans fix the tracks, Labiche runs ahead, struggling to keep away from the soldiers searching for him. Finally, he manages to derail the train by unscrewing and loosening one of the rails, causing the rails to spread and the engine to fall gently into the ballast without harming the hostages. No crane is available to rerail the train, so Von Waldheim flags down an army convoy retreating on a nearby road, learning that a French armored division is not far behind. The colonel orders the train to be unloaded and attempts to commandeer the trucks for the art, but the convoy's commander refuses the order. The train's German contingent then kills the hostages and joins the retreating convoy. Von Waldheim remains behind with the abandoned train. Strewn between the track and the road are crates labeled with the names of famous artists. Labiche appears, and the colonel scolds him for having no genuine interest in the art he has saved. In response, Labiche turns and looks at the murdered hostages and then, without a word, turns back to von Waldheim and shoots him dead. Afterward, Labiche limps away, leaving the bodies and the art treasures where they lie. Cast Sourced to the American Film Institute. Burt Lancaster as Paul Labiche Paul Scofield as Colonel Franz von Waldheim Jeanne Moreau as Christine Suzanne Flon as Mlle Villard Michel Simon as Papa Boule Wolfgang Preiss as Major Herren Albert Rémy as Didont Charles Millot as Pesquet Jean Bouchaud as Hauptmann Schmidt Richard Münch as General von Lubitz Jacques Marin as Jacques Paul Bonifas as Spinet Donald O'Brien as Sergeant Schwartz Arthur Brauss as Lieutenant Pilzer Bernard La Jarrige as Bernard Daniel Lecourtois as Priest Gérard Buhr as Corporal Howard Vernon as Hauptmann Dietrich Nick Dimitri as German soldier Christian Fuin as Robert Christian Rémy as Tauber Helmo Kindermann as Ordnance officer Jacques Blot as Hubert Jean-Claude Bercq as Major Jean-Jacques Lecomte as Lieutenant of retreating convoy Jean-Pierre Zola as Octave Louis Falavigna as Railroad worker Max From as Gestapo officer Richard Bailey as Grote Roger Lumont as Engineer officer Historical background The Train is based on the factual 1961 book Le front de l'art by Rose Valland, the art historian at the Jeu de Paume, who documented the works of art placed in storage there that had been looted by the Germans from museums and private art collections throughout France and were being sorted for shipment to Germany in World War II. In contrast to the action and drama depicted in the film, the shipment of art that the Germans were attempting to take out of Paris on August 1, 1944, was held up by the French Resistance with an endless barrage of paperwork and red tape and made it no farther than a railyard a few miles outside Paris. The train's actual interception was inspired by the real-life events surrounding train No. 40,044 as it was seized and examined by Lt. Alexandre Rosenberg of the Free French forces outside Paris in August 1944. Upon his soldiers' opening the wagon doors, he viewed many plundered pieces of art that had once been displayed in the home of his father, the Parisian art dealer Paul Rosenberg, one of the world's major Modern art dealers. The artwork seen in the film's opening scenes prominently includes paintings that were not looted by the Germans, such as When Will You Marry? by Paul Gauguin and Girl with a Mandolin by Pablo Picasso. Production Frankenheimer inherited the film from another director, Arthur Penn. Lancaster fired Penn after three days of filming in France, and asked Frankenheimer to assume the director role. Penn envisioned a more intimate film that would muse on the role art played in Lancaster's character and why he would risk his life to save the country's great art from the Nazis. He did not intend to give much focus to the mechanics of the train operation itself. But Lancaster wanted more emphasis on action to ensure that the film would be a hit after the failure of his film The Leopard. The production was shut down briefly while the script was rewritten, and the budget doubled. As he recounts in the Champlin book, Frankenheimer used the production's desperation to his advantage in negotiations. He demanded and was given the following: his name was made part of the title, "John Frankenheimer's The Train"; the French co-director, demanded by French tax laws, was not allowed ever to set foot on set; he was given total final cut; and a Ferrari. Much of the film was shot on location. The Train contains multiple real train wrecks. The Allied bombing of a rail yard was accomplished with real dynamite, as the French rail authority needed to enlarge the track gauge. This can be observed by the shockwaves traveling through the ground during the action sequence. Producers realized after filming that the story needed another action scene and reassembled some of the cast for a Spitfire attack scene inserted into the first third of the film. French Armée de l'Air Douglas A-26 Invaders are also seen later in the film. The film includes sequences involving long tracking shots and wide-angle lenses with deep focus photography. Noteworthy tracking shots include Labiche attempting to flag down a train and jumping onto the moving locomotive, a long dolly shot of von Waldheim traveling through a classification yard at high speed in a motorcycle sidecar, and Labiche rolling down a mountain and across a road, finally staggering down to a railroad track. Frankenheimer remarked on the DVD commentary, "Incidentally, I think this was the last big action picture ever made in black and white, and I am personally so grateful that it was filmed in black and white. I think the black and white adds tremendously to the movie." Throughout the film, Frankenheimer often juxtaposed the value of art with the value of human life. A brief montage ends the film, intercutting the crates full of paintings with the dead bodies of the French hostages before a final shot shows Labiche walking away down the road. Locations Filming took place in several locations, including: Acquigny (Calvados; Saint-Ouen, Seine-Saint-Denis; and Vaires, Seine-et-Marne. The shots span from Paris to Metz. Much of the film is centered in the fictional town of "Rive-Reine". 'Circular journey' Actual train route: Paris, Vaires, Rive-Reine, Montmirail, Châlons-sur-Marne, St Menehould, Verdun, Metz, Pont-à-Mousson, Sorcy (Level Crossing), Commercy, Vitry Le Francois, Rive-Reine. Planned route from Metz to Germany: Remilly, Teting (level crossing), Saint Avold, Zweibrücken. Locomotives used The chief locomotives used were examples of the former Chemins de fer de l'Est Series 11s 4-6-0, which the SNCF classified as 1-230-B. 1-230.B.517 was specified as Papa Boule's locomotive and features particularly prominently, flanked by sister locomotives 1-230.B.739 and 1-230.B.855. A decommissioned locomotive doubled as the 517 for the crash scene (a production still of the aftermath from the rear shows the tender identification number reading 1-230.B.754), and another was given a plywood armored casing to depict a German Army locomotive for the yard manoeuvres-and-raid scene. An ancient "Bourbonnais" type 030.C 0-6-0 (N° 757), apparently decommissioned by SNCF, was deliberately wrecked to block the line; it moved faster than the film crew anticipated and smashed three of the five cameras placed near to the track in the process. Other engines of various classes can be seen on background sidings in the run-by scenes and aerial views of the yard, among them SNCF Class 141R 2-8-2 engines, which were not supplied to France until after the war as part of the railway's reconstruction, as well as USATC S100 Class 0-6-0T tank engines, designated by the SNCF as 030TU, which were used by the approaching Allied forces. Reception After a production cost of $6.7 million, The Train earned $3 million in the US and $6 million elsewhere. The film was one of the 13 most popular in the UK in 1965. Awards and nominations See also The Monuments Men The Battle of the Rails References Bibliography Armstrong, Stephen B. Pictures About Extremes: The Films of John Frankenheimer. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland, 2007. . Balio, Tino. United Artists: The Company That Changed the Film Industry. Madison, Wisconsin: University of Wisconsin Press, 1987. . Buford, Kate. Burt Lancaster: An American Life. New York: Da Capo, 2000. . Champlin, Charles, ed. John Frankenheimer: A Conversation With Charles Champlin. Bristol, UK: Riverwood Press, 1995. . Evans, Alun. Brassey's Guide to War Films. Dulles, Virginia: Potomac Books Inc., 2000. . Pratley, Gerald. The Cinema of John Frankenheimer (The International Film Guide Series). New York: Zwemmer/Barnes, 1969. External links 1960s war adventure films 1964 films French war drama films American black-and-white films 1960s English-language films English-language French films Films scored by Maurice Jarre Films about the French Resistance Films based on non-fiction books Films directed by John Frankenheimer Films set in 1944 Films set in Paris Films set on trains United Artists films American war adventure films Western Front of World War II films World War II films based on actual events Films with screenplays by Walter Bernstein 1960s American films American war drama films English-language war adventure films

1483209

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirchspiel

Kirchspiel

Kirchspiel may refer to: the German word for church parish one of the town subdivisions of Dülmen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

1483220

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gy%C3%B6rgy%20R%C3%A1nki

György Ránki

György Ránki (; 30 November 1907 – 22 May 1992) was a Hungarian composer. Life Born in Budapest, he studied composition with Zoltán Kodály at the Budapest Academy of Music from 1926-1930. He became interested in folk music and ethnomusicology, working with László Lajtha at the Museum of Ethnography in Budapest and later further studies in Asian folk music in London and Paris (at the Musée de l'Homme). He directed the music section of Hungarian radio in 1947–8, after which he gave his attention to composition. Ránki not only employed authentic folk melodies and musical idioms in his music but also pulled on jazz elements. He possessed a gift for the grotesque and unusual, the colourful and humorous, which may be traced in part perhaps to his studies of non-Western music. Works His greatest successes have been stage works, above all the opera Pomádé király uj ruhája (‘King Pomádé’s New Clothes’, based on the Andersen story), which draws most of its material from Hungarian folk music. He also wrote a two-act mystery opera, Az ember tragédiája (The Tragedy of Man), based on the eponymous play by Imre Madách. South Asian influences are particularly evident in Pentaerophonia for wind quintet, which imitates gamelan effects. In some works he makes use of the Fibonacci series, following (presumably) Bartók; an example is the fantasy 1514 for piano and orchestra, which was based on wood carvings by Derkovits. He also composed incidental music for the theatre and music for films. Selected filmography The New Landlord (1935) The Golden Man (1936) Battle in Peace (1952) Fourteen Lives (1954) Fever (1957) Summer Clouds (1957) Danse Macabre (1958) And Then The Guy... (1966) Three Nights of Love (1967) The Pendragon Legend (1974) Sources F. András Wilheim: "György Ránki", Grove Music Online ed. L. Macy (Accessed September 20, 2008), (subscription access) External links Story of The Emperor's New Clothes Interview with György Ránki, October 9, 1986 1907 births 1992 deaths 20th-century classical composers Hungarian classical composers Composers from Budapest Hungarian opera composers Hungarian male opera composers 20th-century Hungarian male musicians Hungarian film score composers Hungarian male film score composers

1483227

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mishkan%20%28disambiguation%29

Mishkan (disambiguation)

Mishkan is the Hebrew word for the dwelling place of God, or the Tabernacle. It may refer to: The Israelite tabernacle Mishkan Chicago, a Progressive Jewish Spiritual Community The Mishkan T'filah, an American Reform Jewish Prayer Book

1483229

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul%20Hogan%20%28butler%29

Paul Hogan (butler)

Paul Hogan is an Australian-American former consul, butler, and television personality. He is most famous to television audiences for portraying "the Butler" on the 2003 series Joe Millionaire. He has since made guest appearances on other programs, and hosted the series Groomed. Hogan was recruited through the International Guild of Butlers to run the chateau in France where Joe Millionaire was filmed. His primary responsibility was originally focused on the domestic and household management of the chateau, with only minor "on screen" appearances. However, as Fox acknowledged, "Paul was the glue that held the show together." The first season was widely distributed around the world, although the second season did not perform as well. In 2006 Hogan hosted Groomed, a series in which he took regular men and turned them into gentlemen for life-changing events such as a marriage proposals, weddings or reconnection with families. Hogan was both host and mentor to the subjects. Personal life Hogan was born and raised in Melbourne and attended De La Salle College, Malvern. After school, and a two-year stint in the Australian Army, he entered the Australian Diplomatic Service, beginning a 26-year career. As a diplomat Hogan was posted to Canada, Yugoslavia, Jamaica, the Caribbean, Los Angeles and Argentina. His area of expertise was the administration and operation of embassies, and as a consul, caring for the affairs and welfare of fellow citizens who sought assistance from the embassy. After leaving the diplomatic service, Hogan moved to the US and opened a bed and breakfast, which he ran for a number of years before selling it. As a prerequisite to reinventing himself as a butler, Hogan enrolled as a full-time student at the New England Culinary Institute, where he completed the first half of the two-year Culinary Arts program. This was followed by a three-month private study tour to the wine regions of France, Eastern Australia and California. As a butler/estate manager, Hogan worked in Aspen, Houston, New York City, New Jersey, the United Kingdom, France, Italy and the Bahamas. Hogan has also worked as a relief/temporary butler, trainer and consultant. Hogan became a U.S. citizen in 2012. He has two children, and lives in Malone, New York. In 2013, Hogan was a Democratic candidate for the Franklin County, New York legislature, but did not win the primary. References External links 20th-century Australian businesspeople American butlers Australian diplomats Australian emigrants to the United States Australian game show hosts Candidates in the 2013 United States elections Living people Naturalized citizens of the United States New York (state) Democrats People from Malone, New York People from Melbourne Year of birth missing (living people)

1483231

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunderland%20Empire%20Theatre

Sunderland Empire Theatre

The Sunderland Empire Theatre is a large theatre venue located in High Street West in Sunderland, North East England. The theatre, which opened in 1907, is owned by City of Sunderland Council and operated by Ambassador Theatre Group Ltd, on behalf of Sunderland Empire Theatre Trust. The theatre is one of the largest venues in the North East, with 1,860 seats and the capacity to accommodate 2,200 when all standing positions are occupied. The auditorium is also one of the few remaining in the UK to have four tiers, namely the Orchestra Stalls, the Dress Circle, the Upper Circle and the Gallery. There are four private boxes on the Dress Circle level, as well as two proscenium boxes on the Upper Circle balcony. History The Empire Palace, as it was originally called, was established independently by Richard Thornton after his partnership with theatre magnate Edward Moss was dissolved. It was opened on 1 July 1907 by variety and vaudeville star Vesta Tilley, who had laid the foundation stone on 29 September 1906. The dome on the 90 ft tower featured a revolving sphere bearing the statue of Terpsichore, the Greek Muse of dance and choral song. These were removed during World War II for safety reasons, after a bomb which had fallen nearby rocked the building. The original statue is now located at the top of the main staircase, with a replica on the dome itself. The dome and tower have recently been refitted with a state-of-the-art LED and floodlight system that illuminates the main entrance in the evening. Until the mid-twenties, the Empire enjoyed much extended success from its variety performances. With the decline of touring theatre, a projection box was added in 1930 and for the first time, the theatre played host to motion pictures. On 5 November 1956 Tommy Steele made his stage debut heading the bill in a variety show. Steele, Britain's first rock 'n' roll singer, went on to become one of the world's leading song and dance men appearing at the Empire many times. Although audience figures were high during the 1940s and early 1950s, the theatre closed in May 1959 due to the growing popularity of television and cinema. It reopened in 1960, however, after Sunderland Council bought the theatre. The Beatles performed there during their first UK national tour. The actor Sid James, best known for his roles in Carry On films and Bless This House suffered a heart attack during a performance of The Mating Season on 26 April 1976 and died on the way to hospital. Later it was rumoured that his ghost was in the dressing room he occupied on the night of his death; after one experience during a gig there, the comedian Les Dawson refused to play the venue again. Whilst the ghost of James is said to haunt backstage, the spirits of Vesta Tilley and Molly Moselle are said to haunt the front-of-house areas. Molly Moselle was a stage manager for Ivor Novello's The Dancing Years in 1949. Leaving the theatre to post a letter, she disappeared down a nearby alley and was never seen again. The Empire was known as a 'comic graveyard' – rather unfortunately given the above points – because of the partisan reception of the audiences of the time. Nowadays, the theatre regularly plays host to large-scale musicals, opera, ballet, dance showcases, amateur productions and one-night shows. Oscar-winning actress Helen Mirren made her stage debut at the Sunderland Empire. The theatre was the regular venue for the University of Sunderland's graduation ceremonies until the theatre's refurbishment in 2004. Since this time, the graduation ceremonies have been held at Sunderland AFC's Stadium of Light. Birmingham Royal Ballet frequently visits the Sunderland Empire, and BRB considers the theatre as its base in the North East of England. 2004 refurbishment and subsequent shows Following a nine-month closure for a £4.5m redevelopment project to enable it to stage West End shows, the theatre reopened on 9 December 2004 with a performance of Starlight Express. This refurbishment involved expanding the stage and the height of the fly tower. The refurbishment also allowed a new production of Miss Saigon to be staged at Sunderland in early 2005. On 9 December 2005, the Sunderland Empire staged a preview performance of the first ever touring production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, starring Tim Flavin and Robin Askwith. The official European premiere of this production took place there on the following Tuesday, 13 December. On 2 May 2006, a new touring production of My Fair Lady began its run, starring Christopher Cazenove and Amy Nuttall. Scrooge: The Musical played at the Sunderland Empire over the 2006 Christmas period, starring comedian and television personality Michael Barrymore in the title role. 2007 saw the Sunderland Empire celebrate its centenary and a massive line-up of big shows including Starlight Express, The Producers, Footloose, South Pacific and the first pantomime since its refurbishment – Cinderella which starred Hollywood legend Mickey Rooney. The theatre now is a receiving house for large-scale touring productions such as Wicked, Matilda the Musical, War Horse and Miss Saigon. Most of these tours play the Empire over the Newcastle Theatre Royal due to their staging being too large to fit onto the stage of the latter venue. References External links Stagestruck kids' premiere passions – Sunderland Echo's story on West Side Story OFFICIAL WEBSITE Tyne and Wear Partnership Sunderland Empire reopens with Starlight Express City of Sunderland Fact Sheet in PDF BBC Wear – 360° Interactive panorama image showing the stage set up for Starlight Express BBC Wear – In Pictures – A tour behind the scenes of the Empire BBC Songs of Praise comes to the Sunderland Empire Sunderland Empire Theatres in Tyne and Wear Buildings and structures in the City of Sunderland Grade II* listed buildings in Tyne and Wear Sunderland

1483241

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marienberg%20Fortress

Marienberg Fortress

Marienberg Fortress (German: Festung Marienberg) is a prominent landmark on the left bank of the Main river in Würzburg, in the Franconia region of Bavaria, Germany. It is a symbol of Würzburg and served as a home of the local prince-bishops for nearly five centuries. It has been a fort since ancient times, although most of the current structures were built in Renaissance and Baroque styles between the 16th and 18th centuries. After Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden conquered the area in 1631 during the Thirty Years' War, the castle was reconstructed as a Baroque residence. After it ceased to serve as residence of the Bishops of Würzburg, the fortress saw repeated action in the wars of the late 18th and 19th centuries. It was severely damaged by British bombs in March 1945 and only fully rebuilt in 1990. Today, it houses two museums. Geography The fortress is located on a prominent spur of the Marienberg, which rises about 100 metres over the Main river on the opposite side of the city of Würzburg. On the slopes around the castle are vineyards. History Prehistory and Middle-Ages Around 1000 BC, a Celtic refuge castle was built on the site by members of the Urnfield culture. Archaeological findings indicate that the locals of the later Hallstatt culture had trade contacts with Ancient Greece and that the hill marked an extreme northern point on the wine trade network of the time circa 500 BC. The hill may have been a Fürstensitz, the seat of a "prince". From 100 AD onwards, control of the area changed hands several times between different "tribes" (Suevi, Marcomanni, Allemanni and Burgundians), before the area was taken by the Franks in the 6th century. Würzburg became the occasional seat of a Franconian-Thuringian duke under the Merovingians. His court resided on the right bank of the Main, however. In the 7th century, a written document mentioned Uburzi (which later became Virteburch and then "Würzburg"), referring to the fortification on the hill. The name Marienberg was in use only from high medieval times onward. After missionary work in the area led by Saint Kilian in the late 7th century, in the early 8th century, the Franks under Duke Hedan II constructed a chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary and a fortification (earth ramparts and half-timbered houses) on the hill. The chapel – probably built at the site of a former pagan holy site dedicated to a mother goddess – and later churches that replaced it, was the reason why the hill and fortress eventually became known as Marienberg ("Mary's Mount"). This was probably the first Christian church built of stone north of the Alps outside of the territory formerly controlled by Rome (i.e. east of the Rhine and on the far side of the Limes). Saint Boniface came to Franconia in 719, by which time there was no longer a duke at Würzburg, and some of the local clergy practiced pagan customs. Boniface appointed his follower Saint Burchard as the first Bishop of Würzburg in 741. Saint Mary's Church (explicitly mentioned in a document from 822) became the See's cathedral. Over the next decades, the town of Würzburg began to grow and in 788 the hill-top church lost the role of cathedral to a predecessor of Würzburg Cathedral (except for a brief interlude after the latter was destroyed in a fire in 855). At that point, the remains of Saint Kilian, Saint Colman and Saint Totnan were moved from Saint Mary's to be reinterred at the new cathedral. However, Saint Mary's continued to serve as the burial site for the intestines of the Prince-Bishops. Their bodies were buried in the cathedral, their hearts until 1573 at Ebrach Abbey. No mention is made of any fortification on Marienberg until, in the 13th century, the Prince-Bishops of Würzburg moved their residence to Marienberg. Beginning around 1200, medieval fortifications were constructed on the hill. Under Bishop Konrad von Querfurt, Saint Mary's became the court chapel of the See. He and Bishop built what is today known as the Bergfried and the first palas. Lobdeburg used the castle as a temporary residence in 1242. After relations between the bishop and the people of the town – who supported the Emperor against their bishop – deteriorated in 1253, he moved his court permanently to the fortress. His successors remained there until the 18th century. Relations between bishop and town were fraught and the main reason for keeping an armed contingent stationed in the fortress. After 1308, the palas was enlarged under Bishop with construction paid for by the townspeople to compensate their liege lord for a riot that year. Since access to water was at a premium on the hill and earlier attempts to link the fortress to a spring at Höchberg were less than satisfactory, the Tiefer Brunnen ("deep well", going down 100 metres) was dug inside the fortress. The reign of Bishop saw the construction of an additional ring of fortifications. In 1373, the burghers of Würzburg attacked the fortress with catapults whilst the fortress fired back with blackpowder weapons, the first documented use of guns in Würzburg. The first half of the 15th century saw a decline of the Hochstift and construction on the fortress mostly ceased. Only after 1466, under Bishop Rudolf von Scherenberg, were more fortifications and the Scherenbergtor added, as well as some towers and outbuildings. Modern era Bishop Lorenz von Bibra had the fortress rebuilt as a Renaissance residence and added fortifications after 1495. In 1525, during the German Peasants' War (Bauernkrieg), the fortress successfully withstood a siege by peasants led by Götz von Berlichingen. In May of that year, a peasant army of 15,000 men surrounded the fortification, but could not penetrate the concentric walls. By this time the ruling Prince-Bishop Konrad II of Thüngen had already fled the fortress. The defence was commanded by the knight and Frederick I, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach. When their political leader, Florian Geyer, went to Rothenburg ob der Tauber in early June to procure the heavy guns needed to attempt to breach the walls, the leaderless peasant army camped around the castle was outflanked by the professional army of the Swabian League. In the ensuing battle, more than 8,000 peasants were killed. Bishop Konrad von Thüngen was able to return to his fortress, from which he had earlier fled. Also that year, sculptor Tilman Riemenschneider was imprisoned in the fortress and tortured along with the other members of Würzburg's city council, as punishment for allying themselves with the peasants. Bishop Julius Echter von Mespelbrunn took office in 1573. He again reconstructed the fortress and further increased the size of the fortifications, after a fire in 1572 had damaged much of the medieval castle. Under his reign, the transformation of the fortress into a Renaissance residence was completed. In 1600, a fire destroyed the north wing of the main building and damaged some of the towers and the chapel. By 1607, the northern part of the fortress had been rebuilt. The goal was a rectangular four-wing palace, with towers at the corners, in accordance with the fashion of the time. However, the fourth tower was never built. Echter also had the chapel rebuilt and added a new well house. In 1631, after some days of fighting the fortress was taken by Swedish forces under Gustav II Adolf of Sweden in the Thirty Years' War. Swedish troops plundered the fortress. Most of the well-known library was carried off to Uppsala. The fortress was held by the Swedish and their allies until 1635. Bernard of Saxe-Weimar had been appointed Duke of Franconia. In 1635, Bishop Franz von Hatzfeld was able to return to Würzburg. After 1642, the princely residence was completely rebuilt and redesigned under Bishop Johann Philipp von Schönborn. In 1648, the fortress became a Reichsfestung and its fortifications were again increased considerably over the next decades. After 1708, the palas (Fürstenhaus) and church were redesigned in Baroque style. The fortifications achieved their current form with the addition of a number of outer works to the southeast (Höllenschlund) in 1711–1715. In 1712, Charles VI was received by the Prince-Bishop at the castle, the last time a Holy Roman Emperor visited the fortress. Shortly thereafter, in 1719/20 the court of the Bishops moved into a palace on the other side of the Main river which was later replaced by today's Würzburg Residence. Marienberg now became just a military structure. Work on the last tower to be built (Maschikuliturm) began in 1724. The fortress saw repeated action during the wars of 1795–1815. In 1796, during the War of the First Coalition, the well-stocked fortress was handed over by its garrison to the French. In 1800/01, however, it was successfully defended against a new French attack by Imperial General Dall'Aglio during the War of the Second Coalition. In 1803, the fortress was occupied by troops of the Electorate of Bavaria after the Bishopric of Würzburg was secularized. From 1805 to 1814, Marienberg was a fortress of the Grand Duchy of Würzburg, part of the Confederation of the Rhine, the puppet state of the First French Empire. In 1813/14, French troops tenaciously defended the fortress against coalition forces. The French Emperor Napoleon visited the fortress in 1806, in 1812 before the Russian campaign, and twice in 1813. In 1814, Fortress Marienberg passed to the Kingdom of Bavaria. The Prussians under Edwin Freiherr von Manteuffel bombarded the fortress from the south in 1866 during the Austro-Prussian War. Marienberg lost its official status as "fortress" in 1867. During the Franco-Prussian War of 1870/71 it was used as a garrison and prison camp. Due to disuse, by 1900 the fortress had fallen into disrepair. From 1914 to 1918, during World War I, the fortress served as barracks for artillery. During the German revolution, revolutionaries seized control of the fortress in 1918 but it was retaken by government troops. After the war, the Fürstenbau served as a barracks for the Landespolizei (state police), as a military depot and as an emergency accommodation (100 apartments). In 1935, the Bavarian Administration of State-Owned Palaces, Gardens and Lakes became the owner of the fortress and began its restoration. Towards the end of World War II, the Echterbastei served as a medical depot and then as a depository of cultural treasures. During the bombing of Würzburg by the Royal Air Force on 16 March 1945, significant parts of the fortress were destroyed by fire caused by incendiary bombs. Reconstruction commenced after 1950 and was finished only in 1990. Architecture Given the repeated destruction of the fortress' structures over the centuries, most recently and significantly in the bombing of 1945, many of the edifices visible today have been reconstructed to a lesser or greater extent. References in the following to a specific period thus do not necessarily imply that the substance of the extant structure dates to that period—it may have been rebuilt in the period's style. Inner court The inner court features the free-standing Romanesque 13th century Bergfried (keep), the Renaissance well house from 1603 and the Marienkirche (or St Mary's Church). The Bergfried was originally known as Mittlerer Turm or Wartturm; the actual keep of the fortress was the predecessor of today's Kilianstum. The church's foundations go back to the 8th century, but the structure has seen repeated alterations over the centuries. While the basic form of two cylinders placed on top of each other remains, the building's proportions were changed in the 13th century and the size of the windows increased. The domed roof and the Echterchor were added by Bishop Echter. The interior also mostly dates to his reign, and reflects the Renaissance style with first indications of the coming Baroque period. The altars inside are Baroque. Fürstenbau Surrounding the inner court is the four-wing Fürstenbau. Three of its four corners are marked by towers named (clockwise from the northwest) Kiliansturm, Marienturm and Randersackererturm. These mostly date to the rebuilding of the castle in the early 17th century. The Fürstenbau itself mostly reflects later 16th/17th century architecture and design but also features the Bibra Treppe (stairway) built in 1511. In the great hall (Fürstensaal) some 13th-century structures have been revealed. Fortifications and Vorburg The Fürstenbau is surrounded by medieval fortifications (walls and towers), enclosing an outer ward known as Scherenbergzwinger (actually built under Bishop Otto von Wolfskeel). To the east this includes the Fürstengarten, a formal Baroque garden facing the city. Entrance to the inner castle is via the Gothic Scherenbergtor. Beyond a moat, crossed by a stone bridge which in 1716 replaced the previous drawbridge, lie the outer ring of fortifications and the Echtersche Vorburg. This three-wing part of the fortress includes a large horse trough in the middle of a courtyard, stables and the Echterbastei with Echtertor. Most of these were built during Bishop Echter's reign and under his successors in the 17th century. Outer court and outer bastions The outer court is made up of the Neues Zeughaus and the Kommandantenhaus (both early 18th century). Access to this part of the fortress is by the Schönborntor. The outer bastions surrounding the castle – Bastei Cesar, Bastei St. Johann Nepomuk, Bastei St. Johann Baptist and Bastei St. Nikolaus – were built under Johann Philipp von Schönborn from 1649 to 1658. Further out, more bastions once existed, but some were built over or are now covered by parks. However, extensive outworks from the early 18th century remain around the core fortress, notably to the west. These are pierced by the inner and outer Höchberger Tor. To the south is the squat Maschikuliturm, designed by Balthasar Neumann, architect of the Residenz, the last tower to be added to the fortress in the 1720s. The south-easternmost point is the bastion Höllenschlund. Today Today, Festung Marienberg is mostly accessible to the public. This includes the Scherenbergtor (gate), the Burgfried (keep), Saint Mary's Church and the well house. Since 1946, the Baroque Zeughaus (armory), originally built 1702-1712 but reconstructed after being destroyed in 1866 and 1945, houses the Museum für Franken, formerly the , a collection of Franconian works of art from the Middle Ages to the Baroque period, including world-famous Gothic sculptures by Tilman Riemenschneider. There is also a collection of earlier artefacts from Franconia, stretching back to the Paleolithic period. Founded in 1913 as Fränkisches Luitpoldmuseum in the town, the museum's previous location was destroyed by British bombers in March 1945. In 1950–1954, the Echterbastei (also damaged in the bombing) was rebuilt and the museum expanded into this part of the fortress. The Fürstenbaumuseum in the Fürstenbau (palas) of the fortress, established in the 1930s (originally as two museums), relates 1,200 years of the history of Würzburg and the fortress. It features the Bibra Stairs and apartments, and the Julius Echter apartments. These do not contain the original furnishments, which were either lost in the Swedish sacking of the castle or transported to the new Residenz in 1720, but period pieces. There are also exhibits of ecclesial treasures. There are two restaurants in the fortress. Gallery References External links Official Website Museum für Franken Castles in Bavaria Marienberg Marienberg Museums in Bavaria

1483243

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir%20Rebikov

Vladimir Rebikov

Vladimir Ivanovich Rebikov (, ; May 31 [OS May 19] 1866 – August 4, 1920) was a late romantic 20th-century Russian composer and pianist. Biography Born in Krasnoyarsk, Siberia, Russia, into a family of distant Tatar ancestry, Rebikov began studying the piano with his mother. His sisters also were pianists. He graduated from the Moscow University faculty of philology. He studied at the Moscow Conservatory with N. Klenovsky, a pupil of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, and then for three years in Berlin and Vienna with K. Mayrberger (music theory), O. Jasch (instrumentation), and T. Müller (piano). Rebikov taught and played in concerts in various parts of the Russian Empire: Moscow, Odessa, Kishinev, Yalta, as well as in Berlin, Vienna, Prague, Leipzig, Florence and Paris, where he met Claude Debussy, Oskar Nedbal, Zdeněk Nejedlý, and others. Rebikov settled in Yalta in 1909, and died there. Legacy Early works suggest the influence of Tchaikovsky. He wrote lyrical piano miniatures (suites, cycles, and albums), children's choruses and songs. One of his vocal cycles is called (The Fables in Faces) after Ivan Krylov. He wrote also a stage work Krylov's Fables (c. 1900). He used new advanced harmony such as seventh and ninth chords, unresolved cadences, polytonality, and harmony based upon open fourths and fifths. He was also experimenting with novel forms, for instance, in his piano pieces, Mélomimiques Op. 10 (1898), and Rythmodéclamations in which music and mime are combined, and he introduced a type of musical pantomime known as "melo-mimic" (or "melomimic") and "rhythm-declamation" (see melodeclamation). His orchestral and stage works include more than ten operas, such as Yolka (Ёлка - The Christmas Tree), and two ballets. His children's music is the most notable of all his works. He continued the Russian penchant for the whole tone scale, using it in the piece Les demons s'amusent, included in the melomimic suite Les Rêves (Dreams, 1899). Quotations "Rebikov was already a forgotten figure by the time of his death at age 54. He was bitter and disillusioned, convinced wrongly that composers such as Debussy, Scriabin, and Stravinsky had made their way into public prominence through stealing his ideas. Rebikov is best known by way of his insubstantial music in salon genres. Rebikov's role as an important early instigator of twentieth-century techniques deserves to be more widely recognized." (Uncle Dave Lewis, Allmusic) Works Piano Escalavage et Liberte (Op. 22) Scenes bucoliques (Op.28) Feuilles d'automne (Op.29) Une fete (Op. 38) Chansons blanches (Op.48) 3 Idylles (Op. 50) Opera ( — In the Storm, Op. 5, after Vladimir Korolenko 1863, premiered 1894, Odessa)Bezdna (Бездна — Abyss after Leonid Andreev, 1907) ( — The Woman with a Dagger after Arthur Schnitzler, 1910) ( — A Nest of Nobles, Op. 55, Op. 55 after Ivan Turgenev, 1916)Yolka (Ёлка - The Christmas Tree after Fyodor Dostoevsky, Hans Christian Andersen and Gerhart Hauptmann, 1900, staged 1903). BibliographyCatalogue of Rebikov's Works, Moscow, 1913 Tompakova, O.: Rebikolv'', entry in Creative Portraits of Composers, Moscow 1989 (in Russian). External links Biography at answers.com Song texts Mir Imen Karadar References 1866 births 1920 deaths 19th-century classical composers 19th-century classical pianists 19th-century male musicians 20th-century classical composers 20th-century classical pianists Composers for piano Russian male classical pianists Russian male opera composers Musicians from Krasnoyarsk People from Yeniseysk Governorate Pianists from the Russian Empire Composers from the Russian Empire People from the Russian Empire of Tatar descent 20th-century pianists 20th-century composers Moscow Conservatory alumni

1483254

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adrian%20Knox

Adrian Knox

Sir Adrian Knox (29 November 186327 April 1932) was an Australian lawyer and judge who served as the second Chief Justice of Australia, in office from 1919 to 1930. Knox was born in Sydney, the son of businessman Sir Edward Knox. He studied law at Trinity College, Cambridge, and after returning to Australia established a successful law firm. He was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly in 1894, but retired in 1898 after just two terms in office. Knox eventually became one of the best known barristers in New South Wales, taking silk in 1906 and appearing frequently in major constitutional cases. In 1919, he was somewhat unexpectedly nominated by Billy Hughes to succeed the retiring Samuel Griffith as Chief Justice. The most famous decision of his tenure was the Engineers case of 1920. Early life Knox was born in Sydney on 29 November 1863, the son of Sir Edward Knox and the former Martha Rutledge. His mother was born in Ireland, and was the sister of the Victorian politician William Rutledge. His father was born in England, and was the founder of the Colonial Sugar Refining Company. Knox attended private schools in Sydney and was then sent to England to complete his education. After a period at Harrow School, he went on to study law at Trinity College, Cambridge, graduating in 1885. Shortly after, he was admitted to the Inner Temple, allowing him to practise as a barrister. Legal career Knox returned to Australia in 1886 and joined his brother George in practising law. When George died in 1888, Adrian took over the practice, and soon became one of the most successful lawyers at the Sydney bar. Between 1888 and 1890, he reported equity cases for the New South Wales Law Reports. Knox was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly at the 1894 election for the seat of Woollahra. After being reelected at the 1895 election, he retired from the parliament in 1898, to concentrate on his legal career. At this time, he was also a director of the Australian Mutual Provident Society and a founding member of the Walter and Eliza Hall Trust. Knox was made a King's Counsel in 1906, and shortly after was offered a position on the bench of the Supreme Court of New South Wales, which he declined. Also in 1906, Knox became Chairman of the Australian Jockey Club, indulging his passion for horse-racing. In 1910, Knox's horse "Vavasor" won the Sydney Cup. He remained chairman until 1919. During World War I, Knox left his practice and traveled to Egypt, where he served as a Commissioner for the Red Cross. He served on the NSW Bar Council from its foundation in 1902 until 1910, and again from 1916 to 1919. Judicial career Soon after Knox returned from Egypt, Sir Samuel Griffith retired as the first Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia. In October 1919, Prime Minister Billy Hughes nominated Knox for appointment as the second. His appointment was received somewhat poorly by Sir Edmund Barton, who as the senior judge on the court and a former prime minister felt a certain entitlement to the position. Knox sat on a number of judicial committees in this capacity, including one which investigated the British Government's authority to establish the Boundary Commission for Northern Ireland. During his time as Chief Justice, Knox presided over such significant cases as the Engineers' case of 1920. Knox was one of six justices of the High Court to have served in the Parliament of New South Wales, along with Edmund Barton, Richard O'Connor, Albert Piddington, Edward McTiernan and H. V. Evatt. In 1930, Knox was left half of the estate of his friend and mining magnate John Brown, which was reportedly worth more than a million pounds, and in March 1930 he retired from the High Court in order to manage this business. Knox died in Woollahra on 27 April 1932 and is interred in Waverley Cemetery. He was survived by his wife and three children. He was a book collector and his private library was considered one of the best in Sydney. Honours In 1918, Knox was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG), and in 1921 he was elevated to Knight Commander of that order (KCMG). He was appointed to the Privy Council of the United Kingdom in 1920, allowing him to use the style "The Right Honourable". Knox was an inaugural inductee of the Australian Racing Hall of Fame, which was established in 2001. The Adrian Knox Stakes is an AJC Group 3 Australian Thoroughbred quality handicap horse race named in honour of Knox which is held annually at Randwick Racecourse in Sydney in September References Australian Racing Hall of Fame – Sir Adrian Knox 1863 births 1932 deaths People educated at Harrow School Alumni of Trinity College, Cambridge Members of the Inner Temple Australian Knights Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George Members of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly Burials at Waverley Cemetery Chief justices of Australia Justices of the High Court of Australia Members of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council Australian Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame inductees Australian King's Counsel Australian members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom Australian people of English descent Australian people of Irish descent Australian book and manuscript collectors Sport Australia Hall of Fame inductees Colony of New South Wales people

1483257

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vittorio%20Rieti

Vittorio Rieti

Vittorio Rieti (January 28, 1898 – February 19, 1994) was an Italian and American composer. Biography Rieti was born to a family of Jewish descent in Alexandria, Kingdom of Egypt. He later moved to Milan to study economics. Subsequently, he studied music in Rome with Ottorino Respighi and Alfredo Casella, and lived there until 1940. In 1925, he temporarily moved to Paris and composed music for George Balanchine's ballet for Serge Diaghilev's Ballets Russes, Barabau. He met his wife in Alexandria. He was a cousin of actor Vittorio Rietti. He emigrated to the United States in 1940, becoming a naturalized American citizen on June 1, 1944. He taught at the Peabody Conservatory of Music in Baltimore (1948–49), Chicago Musical College (1950–54), Queens College, New York (1958–60), and New York College of Music (1960–64). He died in New York on 19 February 1994. Selected works Ballet Barabau (1925) Le bal (1929) La Sonnambula (1946) Orchestral Symphony No. 3 (1932) Symphony No. 4 (1942) Suite "La Fontaine" (1968) Concertante Piano Concerto No. 3 (1955) Concerto for harpsichord and orchestra (1952–1955, 1972) Cello Concerto No. 2 (1953) Triple Concerto for violin, viola, piano and orchestra (1971) Chamber music Capriccio for violin and piano (1941) Partita for harpsichord, flute, oboe, 2 violins, viola and cello (1945) String Quartet No. 3 (1951) Woodwind Quintet (1957) String Quartet No. 4 (1960) Concertino for 5 Instruments for flute, viola, cello, harp and harpsichord (1963) Pastorale e fughetta for flute, viola and piano (or harpsichord) (1966) Sonata à 5 for flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon and piano (1966) Incisioni for brass quintet (1967) Silografie for flute, oboe, clarinet, horn and basson (1967) Sestetto pro Gemini for flute, oboe, piano, violin, viola and cello (1975) Keyboard Second Avenue Waltzes for 2 pianos (1942) Sonata all' Antica for harpsichord (1946) Suite champêtre for 2 pianos (1948) Medieval Variations (1962) Chorale, variazioni e finale for 2 pianos (1969) Film music Your Money or Your Life, directed by Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia (1933) Ritorno alla terra, directed by Mario Franchini (1934) Amore, directed by Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia (1935) The Happy Road (La route heureuse), directed by Georges Lacombe (1936) The Cuckoo Clock, directed by Camillo Mastrocinque (1938) Notes External links Interview with Vittorio Rieti, November 10, 1985 1898 births 1994 deaths Italian ballet composers Italian classical composers Italian male classical composers 20th-century Italian Jews Jewish American classical composers New York College of Music faculty Musicians from Alexandria Italian emigrants to the United States 20th-century classical composers Peabody Institute faculty Queens College, City University of New York faculty 20th-century Italian composers Ballets Russes composers 20th-century American male musicians 20th-century American Jews Egyptian emigrants to Italy

1483272

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night%20of%20the%20Dead

Night of the Dead

The Night of the Dead is a whole night of horror films shown as part of the annual Leeds International Film Festival. Beginning in 2001, it has become a firm fan favourite, selling out well before the event. Since Night of the Dead V, this event has taken place at the Hyde Park Picture House in Leeds, England. As well as the films there is plenty of banter between films between the "organisers" and the audience. There is the giving away of prizes either for doing, not doing or claiming to have done things that those running the event deem worthy. There is also often an appearance by somebody involved with the making of one of the films shown for a Q&A session. Night of the Dead IV This took place from midnight on 6 November 2004. The films shown were I'll See You In My Dreams (a short), Graveyard Alive: A Zombie Nurse in Love, El Ciclo (another short), Monster Man, Una de Zombis and Black Sunday. Night of the Dead IV was the last to take place at the Lounge Cinema. Night of the Dead V Kicking off at midnight of 12 November 2005 with the short film The French Doors, the event continued, alternating between long and short with Loft, Jona/Tomberry, Boy Eats Girl (starring Samantha Mumba), Something Red, Zombie Honeymoon, 12 Hot Women, and finally Gusha No Bindume (or "Hellavator"). Night of the Dead VI On the 11th (technically 12th) day of November in 2006, at the stroke of midnight began the sixth annual Night of the Dead. This occasion began its series of alternating shorts and longs with Deadly Tantrum, followed by Unrest, Monsters, Expiry Date, Home Video, Broken, Repose en Paix and Wild Zero. Night of the Dead VII The seventh Night of the Dead took place at the stroke of midnight Saturday 10 November 2007, finishing in the early hours of Sunday morning. The four main features at the event were Storm Warning, End of the Line, Fritt Vilt ("Cold Prey") and Zibahkhana ("Hell's Ground"). Events kicked off as usual with a horror short entitled Still Life (a film with a striking resemblance to the Doctor Who episode Blink), and the audience was treated to a short between each film as well. The last of the shorts, The Fifth, features Sam Lloyd (Ted from Scrubs). Notes External links 'Night of the Dead VII' official site A review of "Night of the Dead VI" 'Cold Prey' official site 'Endof the Line' official site 'The Fifth' official site 'Hell's Ground' official site 'Jona/Tomberry' official site 'Still Life' official site 'Storm Warning' official site Fantasy and horror film festivals in the United Kingdom Film festivals in England 2001 establishments in England Film festivals established in 2001 Festivals in Leeds

1483277

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooler%20%28disambiguation%29

Cooler (disambiguation)

A cooler is a cool box; a device, container, or room that cools or keeps its contents cool. Cooler or The Cooler may also refer to: Alternate terms for Refrigerator Prison Bouncer (doorman) Industry and technology Evaporative cooler, a type of humidifier used in place of an air conditioner Cooler (oil), a radiator to cool engine oil in an engine Computer cooler, the system for cooling of computer components Laptop cooler, a pad or mat for cooling laptop or notebook computers Intercooler, an air-to-air or air-to-liquid heat exchange device Entertainment and recreation Cooler, in poker terminology, a strong poker hand that loses to a stronger one Cooler (or C**ler), a 1996 album by Collapsed Lung Cooler (Dragon Ball), a fictional character in Dragonball Z movies The Cooler, a 1974 spy novel by George Markstein The Cooler, a 2003 American film "The Cooler" (Adventure Time), a 2014 TV episode The Cooler (night club), a music and performance venue in New York City Food and beverage Wine cooler, an alcoholic beverage made from wine and fruit juice Water cooler, a device that cools and dispenses water Boston cooler, ginger ale and vanilla ice cream Sherbet cooler, sherbet, vanilla syrup, and seltzer water See also Chiller (disambiguation) Air conditioning

1483279

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln%20Park%20%28Seattle%29

Lincoln Park (Seattle)

Lincoln Park is a park in West Seattle alongside Puget Sound. The park's attractions include forest trails, a paved walkway along the beach, athletic fields, picnic shelters, and a heated saltwater swimming pool which is open during the summer. The park is adjacent to the Fauntleroy neighborhood. History The park occupies a headland called Williams Point. The Duwamish called the area "Tight Bluff" (Lushootseed: CHuXáydoos), referring to the dense plant growth. The city of Seattle approved acquisition of the park in 1922 as had been recommended by the Olmsted Brothers Landscape Architecture firm in 1908. The park was called Williams Point Park by the Olmsted Brothers but was named Fauntleroy Park by the city. The park was eventually renamed to honor Abraham Lincoln. The Olmsted Brothers were never commissioned to develop a plan and the park was developed without any particular design vision. In 1925 the city of Seattle built a dirt sided swimming pool at Point Williams where there had been a natural lagoon. A wood sluice gate allowed the Lincoln Park Swimming Pool to be filled with salt water at high tide and drained at low tide. The construction of the pool coincided with a convention of the Knights Templar, about 500 of whom camped in the park. In the 1930s the WPA and other American New Deal agencies built trails, seawalls, playgrounds and tennis courts in the park. In 1941, Seattle pioneer descendant Kenneth Colman donated Lincoln Park's Colman Pool to the city of Seattle as a memorial to his father Laurence. The saltwater Colman Pool was built over the site of the tide-fed swimming pool that the city had constructed in 1925. The lobby of the pool's building has a mural by Ernest Norling. The pool was integrated in 1944 after demonstrations by African American students from the University of Washington. In the late 1960s and early 1970s Forward Thrust allocated approximately $900,000 to Lincoln Park for the improvement of its facilities. Among the projects were tennis courts and washrooms. In 1985 and again in 1988 the Army Corps of Engineers oversaw projects to stabilize the 1930s era seawall and protect Colman Pool and other structures at Williams Point. For the 1988 project, approximately 40,000 tons of rocks were deposited along the seawall and around Williams Point. A follow on study by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service found that the projects had a detrimental effect on the intertidal ecosystem. In 2023, a sculpture of a troll, named Bruun Idun, was built in Lincoln Park by Danish artist Thomas Dambo as part of the Northwest Trolls: Way of the Bird King project. A proposal to add a set of six pickleball courts to the park was rejected in 2024 after public outcry from local residents and conservationists, particularly birders. Topography Lincoln Park is composed of approximately 64% forested natural area, 16% developed landscape area, 12% shoreline and 8% recreation space (playground, ball fields, etc). The upland area includes open and forested portions, and is bordered to the west by a steep bluff that drops approximately 100 feet to the saltwater shoreline below. Vegetation includes open lawn with trees, intact and invaded native forest, madrona groves, beach grass, and landscape beds. Per user-identified sightings logged on eBird, more than 150 species of birds have been observed in and around the park. Between 2017 and 2020 the Seattle chapter of the Audubon Society documented 61 species of birds in the park. Lincoln Park hosts a variety of tree species. A grove of rare Dawn Redwoods was planted in the park in 2014. A 2010 study found Lincoln Park's shoreline habitat to be one of the ecologically healthiest in Seattle. References External links Seattle Parks and Recreation page for Lincoln Park. Study of marine life of Lincoln Park beaches. Study conducted by King County Department of Natural Resources in 1996 and 1997. Lincoln Park photographs and documents from the Seattle Municipal Archives Digital Collections. Lincoln Park Tree Walk. Historical site information about Lincoln Park Colman Pool and Bathhouse. Parks in West Seattle, Seattle King County, Washington 1922 establishments in Washington (state)

1483281

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack%20Daniels%20%28New%20Mexico%20politician%29

Jack Daniels (New Mexico politician)

Jack Daniels (October 23, 1923 – September 3, 2003) was a Democratic New Mexico state representative. He ran unsuccessfully for the governorship in 1970, and for the United States Senate in 1972. In his last major election against Pete Domenici in 1972, Daniels took advantage of his name, which was similar to that of Jack Daniel's, a popular alcoholic beverage. He handed out tiny bottles of Jack Daniel's whiskey while campaigning. Despite this, he still lost the election to Pete Domenici, 54% to 46%. Early life Daniels was born in Council Bluffs, Iowa, in 1923. His family moved to Hobbs, New Mexico, in 1937. After graduation from New Mexico Military Institute in 1943, Daniels served on the destroyer in the Pacific theater of World War II. He returned home to join his father's insurance agency. He served on the boards of a number of community associations, and was a New Mexico state representative from 1967 to 1970. He was appointed to the New Mexico State House by Governor Jack Campbell to succeed then-deceased Representative Ray McNeill. Governor election In 1970, Daniels entered the Democratic primary in the race to fill the open seat left by outgoing liberal Republican governor David F. Cargo, who was unable to seek a third term due to term limits. A major issue in the election was how the University of New Mexico should deal with anti-war protesters. Defenders of the university did so on the grounds of free speech, and opponents argued on the grounds of law and order. Daniels ran as a moderate liberal candidate, and he became the strongest defender of the University of New Mexico throughout the campaign. Bruce King was the other moderate liberal candidate, and he and Daniels agreed on most issues, with them both supporting the University of New Mexico. However, Daniels was more vigorous in his support, constantly advertising and emphasizing that he supported the university's position, while Bruce King mostly avoided the issue. On the other hand, Alexander Sceresse attacked the university, calling for law and order. The Democratic primary had above-average turnout, with 54% voting, and King beat Daniels 49%-37%, with Sceresse only getting 14% of the vote. Bruce King then went on to become Governor of New Mexico. Senate election In 1972 New Mexico's senior U.S. senator, Clinton Presba Anderson, retired for health reasons. Jack Daniels was nominated as the Democrat in his place and ran against Republican Pete Domenici, but lost with Domenici winning 54% of the vote. The election was affected by the presidential election, because Richard Nixon was up for reelection in 1972, and he was very popular in New Mexico. Furthermore, George McGovern, Nixon's opponent, was considered too liberal by many of the New Mexico voters, which hurt local Democrats like Jack Daniels. However, Jack Daniels gained prominence in the election when he gave out Jack Daniel's whiskey at his campaign rallies. Death and legacy In his later years, Daniels was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. He died on September 3, 2003, in Hobbs, New Mexico. In his memory, Governor Bill Richardson ordered that flags be flown on half-staff on September 5. His daughter, Diane Denish, served two terms as Lieutenant Governor of New Mexico and ran unsuccessfully for governor in 2010. References 1923 births 2003 deaths United States Navy personnel of World War II Members of the New Mexico House of Representatives Politicians from Council Bluffs, Iowa 20th-century American legislators United States Navy sailors 20th-century New Mexico politicians

1483290

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstitial%20lung%20disease

Interstitial lung disease

Interstitial lung disease (ILD), or diffuse parenchymal lung disease (DPLD), is a group of respiratory diseases affecting the interstitium (the tissue) and space around the alveoli (air sacs) of the lungs. It concerns alveolar epithelium, pulmonary capillary endothelium, basement membrane, and perivascular and perilymphatic tissues. It may occur when an injury to the lungs triggers an abnormal healing response. Ordinarily, the body generates just the right amount of tissue to repair damage, but in interstitial lung disease, the repair process is disrupted, and the tissue around the air sacs (alveoli) becomes scarred and thickened. This makes it more difficult for oxygen to pass into the bloodstream. The disease presents itself with the following symptoms: shortness of breath, nonproductive coughing, fatigue, and weight loss, which tend to develop slowly, over several months. The average rate of survival for someone with this disease is between three and five years. The term ILD is used to distinguish these diseases from obstructive airways diseases. There are specific types in children, known as children's interstitial lung diseases. The acronym ChILD is sometimes used for this group of diseases. Thirty to 40% of those with interstitial lung disease eventually develop pulmonary fibrosis which has a median survival of 2.5-3.5 years. Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is interstitial lung disease for which no obvious cause can be identified (idiopathic) and is associated with typical findings both radiographic (basal and pleural-based fibrosis with honeycombing) and pathologic (temporally and spatially heterogeneous fibrosis, histopathologic honeycombing, and fibroblastic foci). In 2015, interstitial lung disease, together with pulmonary sarcoidosis, affected 1.9 million people. They resulted in 122,000 deaths. Causes ILD may be classified as to whether its cause is not known (idiopathic) or known (secondary). Idiopathic Idiopathic interstitial pneumonia is the term given to ILDs with an unknown cause. They represent the majority of cases of interstitial lung diseases (up to two-thirds of cases). They were subclassified by the American Thoracic Society in 2002 into 7 subgroups: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF): the most common subgroup, representing more than 30% of ILD Desquamative interstitial pneumonia (DIP) Acute interstitial pneumonia (AIP): also known as Hamman-Rich syndrome Nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP) Respiratory bronchiolitis-associated interstitial lung disease (RB-ILD) Cryptogenic organizing pneumonia (COP): also known by the older name bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia (BOOP) Lymphoid interstitial pneumonia (LIP) Secondary Secondary ILDs are those diseases with a known etiology, including: Connective tissue and autoimmune diseases Connective tissue related disease represents approximately 25% of all cases of ILD. Sarcoidosis Rheumatoid arthritis Systemic lupus erythematosus Systemic sclerosis Polymyositis Dermatomyositis Antisynthetase syndrome Inhaled substances (pneumoconiosis) Inorganic Silicosis Asbestosis Berylliosis Industrial printing chemicals (e.g. carbon black, ink mist) Organic Hypersensitivity pneumonitis (extrinsic allergic alveolitis), representing approximately 15% of cases of ILD. Drug-induced Antibiotics (e.g., nitrofurantoin and sulfa drugs) Chemotherapeutic drugs Antiarrhythmic agents Cigarette smoking Smoking-related interstitial fibrosis (SRIF) is an example of a type of interstitial lung disease known to be caused by smoking. Infection Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) Atypical pneumonia Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) Tuberculosis Chlamydia trachomatis Respiratory syncytial virus Malignancy Lymphangitic carcinomatosis Childhood interstitial lung disease and ILD predominately in children Diffuse developmental disorders Growth abnormalities and deficient alveolarisation Infant conditions of undefined cause ILD related to alveolar surfactant region Diagnosis Diagnosis of ILD involves assessing the signs and symptoms as well as a detailed history investigating occupational exposures. ILD usually presents with dyspnea, worsening exercise intolerance and 30-50% of those with ILD have a chronic cough. On examination, velcro crackles, in which the crackles compare to the sound of velcro being unfastened, are common in ILD. Pulmonary function tests usually show a restrictive defect with decreased diffusion capacity of carbon monoxide (DLCO) indicating reduced alveolar to blood capillary transport. Pulmonary function testing is indicated for all people with ILD and the FVC loss and DLCO is prognostic, with an FVC loss of greater than 5% per year associated with a poor prognosis in fibrosis subtypes of ILD. A chest x-ray is 63% sensitive and 93% specific for ILD. With advances in computed tomography, CT scans of the chest have supplanted lung biopsy as the preferred diagnostic test for ILD. A thoracic CT scan is 91% sensitive and 71% specific for ILD. In higher income countries, less than 10% of people with ILD undergo a lung biopsy as part of the diagnostic evaluation. A lung biopsy may be required if the clinical history and imaging are not clearly suggestive of a specific diagnosis or malignancy cannot otherwise be ruled out. Surgical lung biopsy or via a video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) biopsy is associated with a mortality rate up to 1-2%. A bronchoscopic transbronchial cryobiopsy, in which a camera is introduced into the airways followed by rapid freezing of an area of lung tissue prior to biopsy is associated a lower complication rate and a much lower mortality rate compared to VATS or surgical biopsy with near comparable diagnostic accuracy. There are four types of histopathologic patterns seen in ILD: usual interstitial pneumonia, non-specific interstitial pneumonia, organizing pneumonia, and diffuse alveolar damage. There is significant overlap of the histopathological and radiologic features of each ILD type making diagnosis challenging; even with lung biopsy, 15% of cases of ILD cannot be classified. Pulmonary function testing Most patients with suspected ILD are likely to undergo complete pulmonary function testing. These tests are useful in diagnosis and determining severity of the disease. Although there is large diversity in interstitial lung disease, most follow a restrictive pattern. Restrictive defects are defined by decreased TLC (total lung capacity), RV (residual volume), FVC (forced vital capacity) and FEV1 (forced expiratory volume in one second). As both FVC and FEV1 are reduced, the FVC to FEV1 ratio remains normal or is increased. As disease progression increases and the lungs become stiffer lung volumes will continue to decrease; lower TLC, RV, FVC and FEV1 scores are associated with a more severe disease progression and poorer prognosis. X-ray and CT (computed tomography) Chest radiography is usually the first test to detect interstitial lung diseases, but the chest radiograph can be normal in up to 10% of patients, especially early in the disease process. High-resolution CT of the chest is the preferred modality and differs from routine CT of the chest. Conventional (regular) CT chest examines 7–10 mm slices obtained at 10 mm intervals; high resolution CT examines 1–1.5 mm slices at 10 mm intervals using a high-spatial-frequency reconstruction algorithm. The HRCT therefore provides approximately 10 times more resolution than the conventional CT chest, allowing the HRCT to elicit details that cannot otherwise be visualized. Radiologic appearance alone, however, is not adequate and should be interpreted in the clinical context, keeping in mind the temporal profile of the disease process. Interstitial lung diseases can be classified according to radiologic patterns. Pattern of opacities Consolidation Acute: Alveolar hemorrhage syndromes Acute eosinophilic pneumonia Acute interstitial pneumonia Cryptogenic organizing pneumonia Chronic: Chronic eosinophilic pneumonia Cryptogenic organizing pneumonia Lymphoproliferative disorders Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis Sarcoidosis Linear or reticular opacities Acute: Pulmonary edema Chronic: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis Connective tissue-associated interstitial lung diseases Asbestosis Sarcoidosis Hypersensitivity pneumonitis Drug-induced lung disease Small nodules Acute: Hypersensitivity pneumonitis Chronic: Hypersensitivity pneumonitis Sarcoidosis Silicosis Coal workers pneumoconiosis Respiratory bronchiolitis Alveolar microlithiasis Cystic airspaces Chronic: Pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis Pulmonary lymphangioleiomyomatosis Honeycomb lung caused by idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) or other diseases Ground glass opacities Acute: Alveolar hemorrhage syndromes Pulmonary edema Hypersensitivity pneumonitis Acute inhalational exposures Drug-induced lung diseases Acute interstitial pneumonia Chronic: Nonspecific interstitial pneumonia Respiratory bronchiolitis-associated interstitial lung disease Desquamative interstitial pneumonia Drug-induced lung diseases Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis Thickened alveolar septa Acute: Pulmonary edema Chronic: Lymphangitic carcinomatosis Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis Sarcoidosis Pulmonary veno-occlusive disease Distribution Upper lung predominance Pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis Silicosis Coal workers pneumoconiosis Carmustine-related pulmonary fibrosis Respiratory broncholitis associated with interstitial lung disease Lower lung predominance Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis Pulmonary fibrosis associated with connective tissue diseases (ILD-CTD) Asbestosis Chronic aspiration Central predominance (perihilar) Sarcoidosis Berylliosis Peripheral predominance Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis Chronic eosinophilic pneumonia Cryptogenic organizing pneumonia Associated findings Pleural effusion or thickening Pulmonary edema Connective tissue diseases Asbestosis Lymphangitic carcinomatosis Lymphoma Lymphangioleiomyomatosis Drug-induced lung diseases Lymphadenopathy Sarcoidosis Silicosis Berylliosis Lymphangitic carcinomatosis Lymphoma Lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia Genetic testing For some types of paediatric ILDs and few forms adult ILDs, genetic causes have been identified. These may be identified by blood tests. For a limited number of cases, this is a definite advantage, as a precise molecular diagnosis can be done; frequently then there is no need for a lung biopsy. Testing is available for ILDs related to alveolar surfactant region Surfactant protein B deficiency (mutations in SFTPB) Surfactant protein C deficiency (mutations in SFTPC) ABCA3 deficiency (mutations in ABCA3) Brain–lung–thyroid syndrome (Mutations in TTF1) Congenital pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (mutations in CSFR2A and/or CSFR2B) Diffuse developmental disorder Alveolar capillary dysplasia (mutations in FoxF1) Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis Mutations in telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) Mutations in telomerase RNA component (TERC) Mutations in the regulator of telomere elongation helicase 1 (RTEL1) Mutations in poly(A)-specific ribonuclease (PARN) Treatment ILD is not a single disease but encompasses many different pathological processes, hence treatment is different for each disease. If a specific occupational exposure cause is found, the person should avoid that environment. If a drug cause is suspected, that drug should be discontinued. Oxygen therapy Oxygen therapy at home is recommended in those with significantly low oxygen levels. Oxygen therapy in ILD is associated with improvements in quality of life but reductions in mortality are uncertain. Pulmonary rehabilitation Pulmonary rehabilitation appears to be useful with the benefits being sustainable longer term with improvements in exercise capacity (as measured by a six minute walking test), dyspnea, and quality of life. Lung transplantation Lung transplantation is an option if the ILD progresses despite therapy in appropriately selected patients with no other contraindications. Life expectancy after lung transplant is 5.2 years in those with idiopathic interstitial pneumonias (including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis) and 6.7 years in those with other types of ILD. Medications The antifibrotics pirfenidone and nintedanib have been shown to slow the decline in lung function (as measured by forced vital capacity [FVC]) in those with ILD compared to placebo. Pirfenidone was associated with a 45% less decline in FVC at 52 weeks compared to placebo in a trial involving people with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, and was associated with a slower FVC decline in those with progressive pulmonary fibrosis. Nintedanib was also associated with a slower FVC decline and increased mean survival in people with ILD. The immunomodulator tocilizumab has a benefit in scleroderma associated ILD by helping to preserve lung function (as measured by FVC) at 48 weeks. The immunomodulators cyclophosphamide, mycophenolate mofetil and rituximab all showed improved lung function (as measured by % predicted FVC) compared to placebo in systemic sclerosis or scleroderma associated ILD. The inhaled vasodilator treprostinil (a synthetic prostacyclin which acts as a prostaglandin I2 analogue) is indicated in the treatment of pulmonary hypertension secondary to interstitial lung disease and is associated with improved exercise capacity as measured by a 6-minute walk test. Supportive care Those with ILD should stop smoking cigarettes if they smoke. Vaccinations against pneumococcus, Covid-19, RSV and influenza are indicated in all those with ILD. Short acting opiates are known to improve breathlessness symptoms in those with end stage lung disease. The opiate agonist-antagonist nalbuphine and morphine are also known to improve coughing in those with ILD and other end stage lung diseases. Prognosis The median survival in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is 3-3.5 years. In those who receive a lung transplant, the medial survival in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is 5.2 years, as compared to 6.7 years in those with other types of ILD. ILD is associated with a 3-fold increased risk of lung cancer. References External links Respiratory diseases principally affecting the interstitium Lung disorders

1483291

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Work%20%28electric%20field%29

Work (electric field)

Electric field work is the work performed by an electric field on a charged particle in its vicinity. The particle located experiences an interaction with the electric field. The work per unit of charge is defined by moving a negligible test charge between two points, and is expressed as the difference in electric potential at those points. The work can be done, for example, by electrochemical devices (electrochemical cells) or different metals junctions generating an electromotive force. Electric field work is formally equivalent to work by other force fields in physics, and the formalism for electrical work is identical to that of mechanical work. Physical process Particles that are free to move, if positively charged, normally tend towards regions of lower electric potential (net negative charge), while negatively charged particles tend to shift towards regions of higher potential (net positive charge). Any movement of a positive charge into a region of higher potential requires external work to be done against the electric field, which is equal to the work that the electric field would do in moving that positive charge the same distance in the opposite direction. Similarly, it requires positive external work to transfer a negatively charged particle from a region of higher potential to a region of lower potential. Kirchhoff's voltage law, one of the most fundamental laws governing electrical and electronic circuits, tells us that the voltage gains and the drops in any electrical circuit always sum to zero. The formalism for electric work has an equivalent format to that of mechanical work. The work per unit of charge, when moving a negligible test charge between two points, is defined as the voltage between those points. where Q is the electric charge of the particle E is the electric field, which at a location is the force at that location divided by a unit ('test') charge FE is the Coulomb (electric) force r is the displacement is the dot product operator Mathematical description Given a charged object in empty space, Q+. To move q+ closer to Q+ (starting from , where the potential energy=0, for convenience), we would have to apply an external force against the Coulomb field and positive work would be performed. Mathematically, using the definition of a conservative force, we know that we can relate this force to a potential energy gradient as: Where U(r) is the potential energy of q+ at a distance r from the source Q. So, integrating and using Coulomb's Law for the force: Now, use the relationship To show that the external work done to move a point charge q+ from infinity to a distance r is: This could have been obtained equally by using the definition of W and integrating F with respect to r, which will prove the above relationship. In the example both charges are positive; this equation is applicable to any charge configuration (as the product of the charges will be either positive or negative according to their (dis)similarity). If one of the charges were to be negative in the earlier example, the work taken to wrench that charge away to infinity would be exactly the same as the work needed in the earlier example to push that charge back to that same position. This is easy to see mathematically, as reversing the boundaries of integration reverses the sign. Uniform electric field Where the electric field is constant (i.e. not a function of displacement, r), the work equation simplifies to: or 'force times distance' (times the cosine of the angle between them). Electric power The electric power is the rate of energy transferred in an electric circuit. As a partial derivative, it is expressed as the change of work over time: , where V is the voltage. Work is defined by: Therefore References Electromagnetism

1483295

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawrence%20Bacow

Lawrence Bacow

Lawrence Seldon Bacow (; born August 24, 1951) is an American economist and retired university administrator. Bacow served as the 12th president of Tufts University from 2001 to 2011 and as the 29th president of Harvard University from 2018 to 2023. Before that, he was the Hauser leader-in-residence at the Center for Public Leadership at Harvard Kennedy School. Bacow began his academic career in 1977 at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he was a professor of environmental studies in the Department of Urban Studies and Planning before becoming the department's chair and ultimately the university's chancellor. After serving as president of Tufts, he joined the Harvard Graduate School of Education and was a member of one of Harvard University's governing boards, the President and Fellows of Harvard College. On June 8, 2022, Bacow announced he would be leaving the presidency of Harvard in June 2023 after five years in office. In December 2022, the Harvard Corporation announced that Claudine Gay would succeed him as Harvard's 30th president. Early life and education Bacow was born on August 24, 1951, in Detroit, Michigan, to Jewish parents. His mother emigrated from Europe at age 19 after World War II and was the only member of her family to survive Auschwitz. His father was brought to the United States from Belarus as a child to escape pogroms. Bacow grew up in Pontiac, Michigan, where he was a member of the Boy Scouts of America and became an Eagle Scout. The organization recognized him with its Distinguished Eagle Scout Award later in life. Bacow attended Andover High School in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. He then received his S.B. in economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he was a member of the Jewish fraternity Zeta Beta Tau. He received a J.D. from Harvard Law School, a M.P.P. from Harvard Kennedy School, and his Ph.D. in public policy from Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Career Massachusetts Institute of Technology Bacow began his academic career at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he served as a professor for 24 years, ultimately being appointed department chair and chancellor. Upon completion of graduate school in 1977, he returned to MIT to teach in the department of urban studies and planning, becoming the Lee and Geraldine Martin Professor of Environmental Studies. He co-founded and was the first director of MIT's Center for Real Estate. As chancellor, he oversaw undergraduate and graduate education, student life, admissions, financial aid, athletics, campus planning, and MIT's industrial and international partnerships. He was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2003. Tufts University On September 1, 2001, Bacow was elected the 12th president of Tufts University. At Tufts, Bacow opposed graduate students' and technical and clerical employees' unionization efforts, which led to a student protest culminating in a student-led takeover of an administration building. On February 8, 2010, in an email to Tufts' student body, Bacow announced he would step down as president in June 2011. On March 1, 2010, then U.S. President Barack Obama appointed Bacow to the board of advisors for the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Bacow received $2,182,717 in compensation in 2011. Harvard University On May 25, 2011, Bacow was named a member of the President and Fellows of Harvard College, one of the boards charged with guiding Harvard University's endeavors and initiatives. For about a month, until his resignation from Tufts, he had governance responsibilities at both Tufts and Harvard. In 2006, Bacow was mentioned in The Chronicle of Higher Education as a possible candidate to succeed Lawrence Summers as president of Harvard University; Tufts' public relations director issued a statement asserting that Bacow was happy at Tufts and came there with the expectation that it "would be his last position and that's still his expectation". Bacow was initially a member of the Presidential Search Committee assembled to find Harvard's next president soon after Drew Gilpin Faust, Harvard's 28th president, announced her retirement. On February 11, 2018, Bacow was selected from 700 candidates as Harvard's 29th president effective July 1, 2018. Bacow was inaugurated in a Harvard Yard ceremony on October 5, 2018, three months after officially taking on presidential duties. The ceremony was attended by Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker and MIT President Leo Rafael Reif. Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman composed and recited a poem, "Making Mountains as We Run", for the event. In his inaugural address, Bacow said: Bacow began his tenure with a trip to his birthplace of Detroit and hometown of Pontiac, Michigan, where he met with students, educators, Harvard affiliates, and local leaders to emphasize what he called the "transformative power of higher education". In his presidency's early days, Bacow also went on a listening tour across the university to learn more about its people and affairs. In 2019, Bacow traveled to China, Japan, and Hong Kong. In China, he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping and spoke at Peking University, where he defended academic freedom and the role universities play in what he said was their pursuit of "truth, excellence, and opportunity". Bacow supportively referenced the May Fourth Movement, a Chinese student protest movement from the early 20th century. He also read a poem written by a Uyghur, an ethnic group undergoing genocidal treatment and systematic human rights violations by China's governing Communist Party, according to both the Trump and Biden administrations and numerous human rights organizations. China's state-controlled media did not reference his comments on the Uyghurs in subsequent coverage of the event. In 2019, Bacow wrote to U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Kevin McAleenan, expressing his view that international scholars and individuals who entered the U.S. illegally at a young age and been provided various protections under DACA should not be subject to deportation and should be given U.S. work permits. He praised the Supreme Court's decision to reinstate DACA in Department of Homeland Security v. Regents of the University of California, and, alongside MIT President Leo Rafael Reif, led Harvard's successful legal challenge to Immigration and Customs Enforcement guidance issued in July 2020 that would have forbidden international students from staying in the country if they were taking online courses. In late 2019, Bacow established the Initiative on Harvard and the Legacy of Slavery with the goal to better understand the institution's ties to slavery and how it benefited from the Atlantic slave trade, and to establish events and activities to help others at Harvard understand slavery's historical impact. In June 2020, he announced the appointment of the university's first Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, Sherri Charleston. Bacow has called climate change "the most consequential threat facing humanity". In April 2020, he announced that investments in Harvard's endowment would be greenhouse gas-neutral by 2050. In September 2021, he announced that the endowment would no longer make new direct investments in the fossil fuel industry, and that its legacy indirect investments were in what he called "runoff mode". The university pledged to make all campus activities fossil fuel-neutral by 2026 and eliminate fossil fuel use entirely by 2050. In September 2021, Bacow appointed Harvard's first Vice Provost for Climate and Sustainability, James Stock. Bacow has defended Harvard's position in Students for Fair Admissions vs. Harvard, a case the Supreme Court agreed to hear in January 2022, that the university should be permitted to consider race as a factor in its process of considering applicants for admission. In a statement about the case, Bacow said: Retirement In June 2022, Bacow emailed the Harvard community, saying that he intended to step down as president on June 30, 2023. In the email, he wrote, "There is never a good time to leave a job like this one, but now seems right to me. Through our collective efforts, we have found our way through the pandemic. We have worked together to sustain Harvard through change and through storm, and collectively we have made Harvard better and stronger in countless ways." Bacow also wrote that he and his wife, Adele, were looking forward to spending more time with their children and grandchildren. After the announcement, William Lee and Penny Pritzker, outgoing and incoming Senior Fellows of the Harvard Corporation, thanked Bacow for his service, saying, "Harvard could not have asked for a better, wiser, more thoughtful, dedicated, experienced, and humane leader through these times of extraordinary challenge and change." COVID-19 The COVID-19 pandemic began about a year and a half into Bacow's tenure as president. Bacow leaned heavily on health experts' advice on how the university should handle it and employed preventative measures to keep university infection rates low. Under his leadership, the university revisited the quality of air filtration systems throughout classrooms and campus buildings and instituted regular testing protocols. Harvard was one of the first higher education institutions to announce a move to remote classes, on March 10, 2020. On March 24, 2020, Bacow and his wife tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. In an interview with Harvard Gazette, Bacow described surprise at the diagnosis, claiming he and his wife had been completely isolated in their house for close to ten days before experiencing symptoms. The university's student newspaper, The Harvard Crimson, found that the Bacows had actually asked Harvard custodians to clean their house well into the first wave of the pandemic for four hours, twice a week, up until ten days after Harvard shut down and three days before they began experiencing symptoms. Shortly after the Bacows tested positive for COVID-19, both custodians who had been cleaning his house also began experiencing symptoms of the disease. The university maintained its financial health throughout the pandemic, which some attribute to Bacow, who sought to equip the university for economic recessions resembling the 2008 Great Recession. Harvard Corporation member Kenneth Chenault said Bacow’s leadership and expertise "positioned Harvard very well to manage through this crisis." Harvard’s endowment reached a high of $41.9 billion in September 2020 despite financial experts predicting its campus closure in March 2020 would negatively impact its financial standing. During the pandemic, Bacow committed to continuing regular pay and benefits for all part-time and full-time employees at Harvard regardless of whether they were able to work or were working. The university followed through and did not lay off any idle workers during the pandemic, and was fully staffed when campus operations ultimately resumed. Infectious disease physician Sandra Bliss Nelson said, "Most of us can feel some sense of security in the reality that the Harvard community is nearly entirely vaccinated, and to date the majority of infected individuals here have experienced no symptoms at all, or mild symptoms that are resolving quickly. This is unlikely to change due to the Omicron variant. Harvard has made a decision to maintain an in-person campus in order to preserve the academic vibrancy and the emotional wellness of its community members. If a stricter isolation process remained in place, it’s very likely that that Harvard could not do so." Harvard and the legacy of slavery In November 2019, Bacow announced that he was forming the Initiative on Harvard and the Legacy of Slavery to better understand the historical and enduring connections to slavery on the Harvard campus and in the community. The committee was chaired by Tomiko Brown-Nagin, Dean of the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, and included Sven Beckert, Paul Farmer, Annette Gordon-Reed, Evelynn Hammonds, Meira Levinson, Tiya Miles, Martha Minow, Maya Sen, Daniel Smith, Davis Williams, and William Julius Wilson. In April 2022, Bacow reported the committee's findings, acknowledging the historical significance of slavery at Harvard. The report offered several recommendations for addressing the legacy of slavery through teaching, research, and service. These include a public memorial, partnering with HBCUs, a legacy of slavery fund, and identifying current Harvard students who are descendants of slaves. Bacow accepted the proposals and committed $100 million from the Harvard Corporation to implement them, with the funds divided between current-use resources and a long-term endowment. Personal life Bacow is an avid runner and has run five marathons. He and his wife, Adele Fleet Bacow, president of Community Partners Consultants, an urban planning firm, have two sons. References External links Harvard profile Lawrence S. Bacow biography – Tufts University |- |- |- 1951 births 21st-century American economists 21st-century American Jews American people of Belarusian descent Economists from Michigan Fellows of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences Harvard Kennedy School alumni Harvard Law School alumni Jewish American academics American lawyers Lawyers from Detroit Living people MIT School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences alumni People from Pontiac, Michigan Presidents of Harvard University Presidents of Tufts University Writers from Detroit

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vyatichi

Vyatichi

The Vyatichs or more properly Vyatichi or Viatichi () were a native tribe of Early East Slavs who inhabited regions around the Oka, Moskva and Don rivers. The Vyatichi had for a long time no princes, but the social structure was characterized by democracy and self-government. Like various other Slavic tribes, the Vyatichi people built kurgans on territory which belongs now to the modern Russian state. The 12th-century Primary Chronicle recorded that the Vyatichi, Radimichs and Severians "had the same customs", all lived violent lifestyles, "burned their dead and preserved the ashes in urns set upon posts beside the highways", and they did not enter monogamous marriages but practiced polygamy, specifically polygyny, instead. The Primary Chronicle names a certain tribal leader Vyatko as the forefather of the tribe, who was a Lyakh brother of Radim from whom emerged the Radimichs. The Vyatichi were mainly engaged in farming and cattle-breeding. Between the 9th and 10th centuries, the Vyatichi paid tribute to the Khazars and later to Kievan princes. The tribe, however, was constantly trying to defend its own political independence until the early 12th century. By the 11th century, the Vyatichi had already populated the Moskva basin and the area of today's Moscow. In the 11th and 12th centuries, the tribe founded a number of cities due to developing handicrafts and increasing trade, including Moscow, Koltesk, Dedoslav, Nerinsk and others. In the second half of the 12th century the land of the Vyatichi was distributed among the princes of Suzdal and Chernigov. The last direct reference to the Vyatichi was made in a chronicle under the year of 1197. Indirect references, however, may be traced to the early 14th century. Saint Kuksha of the Kiev Caves was a missionary who converted many Vyatichi to Christianity (in 1115), being beheaded by their chiefs August 27 ca. 1115. There are numerous archeological monuments in Moscow that tell historians about the Vyatichi. Their fortified settlements of the 11th century were located in the historical center of today's Moscow, namely the Borovitsky Hill, Kolomenskoye (the spot of the former Diakovskoye village), Kuntsevo (a district of Moscow) and others. One may also find traces of Vyatich settlements in Brateyevo, Zyuzino, Alyoshkino, Matveyevskoye and other localities of Moscow. Burial mounds with cremated bodies have been found along the upper reaches of the Oka and Don. References See also Passport of the female costume of the Vyatichi tribe of the late 12th — early 13th centuries. East Slavic tribes Society of Kievan Rus'

1483304

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The%20Napoleon%20of%20Notting%20Hill

The Napoleon of Notting Hill

The Napoleon of Notting Hill is a novel written by G. K. Chesterton in 1904, set in a nearly unchanged London in 1984. Although the novel is set in the future, it is, in effect, set in an alternative reality of Chesterton's own period, with no advances in technology nor changes in the class system or attitudes of the time. It postulates an impersonal government, not described in any detail, but apparently content to operate through a figurehead king, who is randomly chosen. Synopsis The dreary succession of randomly selected Kings of England is broken up when Auberon Quin, who cares for nothing but a good joke, is chosen. To amuse himself, he institutes elaborate costumes for the provosts of the districts of London. All are bored by the King's antics except for one earnest young man who takes the cry for regional pride seriously – Adam Wayne, the eponymous Napoleon of Notting Hill. Influence Michael Collins, who led the fight for Ireland's secession from the United Kingdom, is known to have admired the book. There has been speculation that the setting of the book prompted the date chosen for the setting of George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four; the Japanese translation of the book, the cover of which was illustrated by Hayao Miyazaki, bore the primary title Chesterton's 1984. The novel is also quoted at the start of Neil Gaiman's novel Neverwhere. Both this novel and Chesterton's The Man Who Was Thursday are referenced in the 2000 video game Deus Ex. Notes References External links (with illustrations by W. Graham Robertson) Dale Ahlquist: "Napoleon at Notting Hill", Lecture 6 of the "Chesterton 101" of the American Chesterton Society 1904 British novels Books about United Kingdom royalty Dystopian novels English novels Fiction set in 1984 Notting Hill Novels by G. K. Chesterton Novels set in London Novels set in the future The Bodley Head books

1483306

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kansai%20Airport%20Station

Kansai Airport Station

is a ground level passenger railway station shared by Nankai Electric Railway and West Japan Railway Company (JR West) located at Kansai International Airport in the town of Tajiri, Sennan District, Osaka Prefecture, Japan. The northern end of the platforms extends into the city of Izumisano. Layout The station has two island platforms, serving two tracks for each railway company. Each railway line concourse also has three elevators for the convenience of passengers traveling with bulky baggage. Platforms Nankai Rapi:t airport limited express trains depart mainly from Track 2. Kansai Airport Limited Express Haruka trains depart mainly from Track 4. Adjacent stations History The station opened on June 15, 1994, two and a half months before the opening of the airport. During this initial period, the station was open to the public; however only airport employees and related personnel were allowed to leave the station concourse (a similar situation to Umi-Shibaura Station in Tokyo). Since the mid-2000s, there have been plans to link Kansai Airport Station and central Osaka by a new underground railway line tentatively called the Naniwasuji Line, which would run between Namba and Shin-Osaka. In 2010, government calculations indicated that the new line would reduce travel time from Umeda to Kansai Airport to as little as 41 minutes, versus the current 56–68 minutes. The station is also one of the proposed terminals for the high-speed Hokuriku Shinkansen line. Station numbering was introduced to the JR Kansai Airport Line in March 2018 with Kansai Airport being assigned station number JR-S47. The station was closed on 4 September 2018 due to the effects of Typhoon Jebi causing flooding around the airport complex and the Sky Gate Bridge R being damaged by an empty fuel tanker. It was reopened on 18 September 2018 following the resumption of train services to the airport. Passenger statistics In fiscal 2019, the JR West portion of the station was used by an average of 14,360 passengers daily (boarding passengers only), while the Nankai portion of the station was used by an average of 16,698 passengers daily during the same period.. Surrounding area Kansai International Airport Hotel Nikko Kansai Airport Aeroplaza See also List of railway stations in Japan External links Nankai Railway homepage JR West home page References Railway stations in Japan opened in 1994 Railway stations in Osaka Prefecture Airport railway stations in Japan Tajiri, Osaka

1483316

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William%20H.%20Keeler

William H. Keeler

William Henry Keeler (March 4, 1931 – March 23, 2017) was an American cardinal of the Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Baltimore, Maryland, from 1989 to 2007 and was elevated to the College of Cardinals in 1994. He previously served as Auxiliary Bishop and Bishop of the Diocese of Harrisburg. Keeler was President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops from 1992 to 1995. As Archbishop of Baltimore, Keeler was known for his swift action against priests who had been accused of inappropriate conduct. Keeler also led a restoration of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, one of two cathedrals in the archdiocese and the oldest in the United States, which was completely repaired and restored to near its original appearance by 2006. Keeler was also recognized for forming strong relationships with people from other religious groups, particularly those of the Jewish and Protestant faiths. Keeler was also noted for his response to the sexual abuse crisis in the Catholic Church, choosing to publish the names of 57 priests who had been "credibly accused of child abuse" in 2002. Biography Early life William Keeler was born on March 4, 1931, in San Antonio, Texas, to Thomas Love and Margaret (née Conway) Keeler. One of five children, Lawrence Keeler was of mixed Irish, Alsatian, and Scottish ancestry. Margaret Keeler, the daughter of an Illinois farmer, was a schoolteacher. Thomas Love was a steel-casting salesman. Shortly after Keeler's birth, the family moved to Lebanon, Pennsylvania. Keeler attended the St. Mary School and Lebanon Catholic High School. He joined the Boy Scouts of America and achieved the rank of Eagle Scout. Deciding to become a priest, Keeler entered St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania, receiving a Bachelor of Arts in 1952. The Diocese of Harrisburg then sent him to study at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. Priesthood While he was in Rome, Keeler was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Harrisburg on July 17, 1955, by Archbishop Luigi Traglia. Keeler received a Licentiate of Sacred Theology (1956) and a Doctor of Canon Law (1961) from the Gregorian. After returning to Harrisburg in 1961, the diocese assigned him to pastoral and curial work. With the start of the first session of the Second Vatican Council, Keeler accompanied peritus, or expert, and secretary to Bishop George L. Leech to Rome. Keeler attended all four sessions of the Council, from 1962 to 1965. Keeler worked for the Council Digest, a communications service used to bring news of the Council sessions to American Catholics. Auxiliary Bishop and Bishop of Harrisburg On July 24, 1979, Pope John Paul II appointed Keeler as auxiliary bishop of Harrisburg and titular bishop of Ulcinium. He received his episcopal consecration on September 21, 1979, at the Cathedral of Saint Patrick in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania from Bishop Joseph Thomas Daley, with Bishops Francis Gossman and Martin Lohmuller serving as co-consecrators. Keeler took as his episcopal motto: Opus Fac Evangelistae ("Do the Work of an Evangelist"). John Paul II appointed Keeler as the seventh bishop of Harrisburg on November 10, 1983, succeeding Daley. Keeler was installed on January 4, 1984, in the Cathedral of St. Patrick. As bishop of Harrisburg, Keeler served on committees for interreligious dialogue and helped expand diocesan youth ministry. Archbishop of Baltimore 1989 to 2000 John Paul II named Keeler as the fourteenth archbishop of Baltimore on April 11, 1989, following the retirement of Archbishop William Borders. Keeler was installed in Baltimore on May 23, 1989. He was elected president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) in November 1992 for a three-year term. In 1993, Dontee D. Stokes reported to the archdiocese that he had been fondled over a three year period as a minor by Reverend Maurice Blackwell, pastor of St. Edward Parish in West Baltimore. Keeler then sent Blackwell to the Institute of Living in Hartford, Connecticut, for psychological evaluation and therapy. After three months, Keeler reinstated Blackwell as pastor of St. Edward in Baltimore, overruling a lay panel recommendation. While USCCB president, Keeler helped to organize the 1993 World Youth Day in Denver, Colorado. He helped facilitate John Paul II's 1995 papal visit to Baltimore. At that time, journalist Bill Broadway of The Washington Post called Keeler "one of the most respected Catholic leaders in the United States." John Paul II created Keeler as cardinal-priest of Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri in a consistory on November 26, 1994. That same year, the pope named him a member of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and the Congregation for the Oriental Churches. 2000 to 2006 From 1998 to 2001 and again from late 2003 to 2006, Keeler served as chair for the Committee on Pro-Life Activities. Keeler participated in the 2005 conclave in Rome that elected Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger as Pope Benedict XVI. When The Boston Globe in 2002 began breaking the sexual abuse scandal in the Archdiocese of Boston, Keeler's first response was to resist the media "feeding frenzy." Several cardinals commented publicly about the issue before Keeler. Psychotherapist Richard Sipe stated that Keeler was "probably one of the most politically savvy of all the cardinals in the country. He plays things safe and is very concerned about avoiding any scandal." Keeler, however, became the first bishop to identify publicly priests who had been "credibly accused of child abuse," listing 57 on the archdiocese website and detailing $5.6 million spent on settlements, legal fees and counseling. Keeler called for addressing the scandal "with humble contrition, righteous anger and public outrage. Telling the truth cannot be wrong." While victims and their advocates praised him and other bishops followed his lead, "defenders of the church criticized him and the other bishops as having betrayed the priests in their dioceses," according to The New York Times. '"I think Cardinal Keeler has taken a very bold and courageous and pastorally sensitive approach," said Bishop Wilton Gregory, President of the USCCB, at the time. In May 2002, Stokes encountered Blackwell by accident on a street in Baltimore. Blackwell had been suspended from ministry since 1998 after accusations of sexual abuse of another minor had surfaced. After a brief conversation Stokes shot and wounded Blackwell, then turned himself in at a local church. Stokes was acquitted of all charges in December 2002. Blackwell was convicted of molesting Stokes in February 2005, but the verdict was overturned on appeal in July of that year. Keeler was responsible for the restoration of Baltimore's Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, America's first cathedral. The $32 million for the project was raised from private donations. Construction lasted from 2004 until November 2006. The project was finished in time for the 200th anniversary of the cathedral's groundbreaking. Retirement and legacy In April 2006, Keeler, after reaching age 75, Keeler submitted his resignation as archbishop of Baltimore to the pope as required by church law. It was accepted by Pope Benedict XVI on July 12, 2007. On March 23, 2017, Keeler died at age 86 in his residence at St. Martin's Home for the Aged, run by the Little Sisters of the Poor, in Catonsville, Maryland. He had been ill for several years. On August 1, 2018, Bishop Ronald Gainer of Harrisburg announced that he was removing Keeler's name from any building or room in the diocese due to Keeler's failure to protect victims from abuse. On August 14, 2018, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court released a report that alleged Keeler committed criminal inaction during his time as bishop of Harrisburg. The grand jury report stated that Keeler learned in 1987 of allegations of sexual abuse against Father Arthur Long. A church memo written in 1995, the year that Long was removed from ministry, revealed that accusations of "inappropriate behavior" had surfaced against Long in 1991 and 1992 during his time in the Archdiocese of Baltimore. Immediately after the release of the Pennsylvania grand jury report, the Archdiocese of Baltimore in August 2018 cancelled plans to name a new Catholic school after Keeler due to his handling of the Long accusations. Viewpoints Stem cell research Keeler mourned the death of Terri Schiavo, calling it a "human tragedy." Schiavo was a woman in a persistent vegetative state who died in 2005, thirteen days after doctors removed her feeding tube at the request of Schiavo's husband. Abortion The Baltimore Sun called him "a leading national voice" against abortion rights for women. Ecumenism When John Paul II visited the United States in 1987, Keeler helped arrange his meetings with Jewish leaders in Miami, Florida and Protestant leaders in Columbia, South Carolina. However, Jewish leaders threatened to boycott the Miami meeting because John Paul II had recently met with former U.N. Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim. It had been recently revealed that Waldheim had previous connections to Nazi Germany. After Keeler intervened, the Jewish leaders agreed to attend the meeting. On November 18, 2005, at the annual general assembly of the National Council of Churches, Keeler reassured delegates that the Catholic Church and Pope Benedict XVI were firmly ecumenical. See also Catholic Church hierarchy Catholic Church in the United States Historical list of the Catholic bishops of the United States List of Catholic bishops of the United States Lists of patriarchs, archbishops, and bishops References External links Archdiocese of Baltimore Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Cathedral of Mary Our Queen The Coat of Arms of Cardinal William H. Keeler 1931 births 2017 deaths 21st-century American cardinals Roman Catholic archbishops of Baltimore 20th-century American cardinals Roman Catholic bishops of Harrisburg Cardinals created by Pope John Paul II Grand Priors of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre People from San Antonio St. Charles Borromeo Seminary alumni Elizabethtown College alumni Participants in the Second Vatican Council Catholic Church sexual abuse scandals in the United States Catholics from Texas Presidents of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

1483324

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suicide%20in%20the%20Trenches

Suicide in the Trenches

"Suicide in the Trenches" is one of the many poems the English poet Siegfried Sassoon (1886–1967) composed in response to World War I, reflecting his own notable service in that especially bloody conflict. Sassoon was a brave and gallant upper-class officer who eventually opposed the war, but he never lost his admiration for the common soldiers who had to fight it. Sassoon felt contempt for the political leaders and civilian war hawks who, safe in their power and comfort, sent young men off to die in huge battles that seemed futile and pointless. It was first published 23 February 1918 in Cambridge Magazine, then in Sassoon's collection: Counter-Attack and Other Poems. The poem is written in iambic tetrameter and consists of twelve lines in three stanzas. The poem exemplifies the sensibility of war poets in "avoid[ing] sentimentality and self-pity while describing the realities of war". It tells of the suicide of a young man sent off to war and attacks the "'smug-faced' crowds who greet the returning soldiers". This is one of the poems referenced when Copp states, "It was with poems like these that Sassoon, more than any other trench poet writing in English, brought home to an uninformed public the true reality of the ghastly nature of the war." Cultural references In 2009, Brian Blessed read the poem within the song "Army of the Damned", part of the album Beneath the Veiled Embrace by the band Pythia. The English rock star Pete Doherty set this poem to music and performs it sometimes during live performances. He also recited it along with his partner Carl Barât during the 2004 NME Awards with his band The Libertines. In Nathaniel Ian Miller's novel The Memoirs of Stockholm Sven, the main character believes the poem has the "subtlety of a broad-axe". Alice Winn's novel In Memoriam drew on the poem for inspiration of a character's suicide in the trenches of WWI. Notes World War I poems 1918 poems Poems by Siegfried Sassoon Works about suicide