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2013 Pakistani general election | The PPP's campaign was led by Amin Fahim, accompanied by notable leftist activists such as Taj Haider, Aitzaz Ahsan, Raza Rabbani, and Yousaf Gillani. The PPP ran two different political programmes during the election campaign: "Massawat" (lit. Egalitarianism) and "People's Employment Programme" for the youth voters, and also its vintage "Roti Kapda Aur Makaan (lit. Bread, Cloth, House) slogan. The PPP highlighted its implementation of the nationalization and welfare programs that were launched in 2008. In addition, the PPP greatly supported awareness of industrial and labor rights, importance of higher education in the country, promotion of social economics, a foreign policy of building relations with Russia and Eastern Europe, counterterrorism legislation, efforts to reduce gas shortages in the country. Generally, the PPP's main focused was on gathering its support from Sindh. In a critical editorial in the English-language newspaper, The Nation, the PPP neglected to highlight the prevailing issue of energy conservation to reduce the repeated cycle of loadshedding in the country. |
2013 Pakistani general election | Soon after the PM's last address on 16 March 2013, TV carried live broadcasts from the streets of Lahore and Karachi, where the public mood was one of anger over corruption, the bad economy, and faulty public services. The reaction of political analysts was mixed, with many holding massive corruption and nepotism as the reasons for the government's perceived failures. Even in his televised address, while trumpeting the occasion, PM Raja P Ashraf quietly conceded that his government had also been a source of disappointment for many. Public resentment had been fed by an endless list of problems: enduring power shortages ; the failure to curb terrorist attacks, protect religious minorities and formulate a coherent anti-terrorism strategy; slow and weak response to the floods; sluggish economic growth, a bloated public sector, cresting inflation; and tales of legendary corruption, carving out private fortunes from a treasury to which they scandalously paid little in tax. Many Pakistanis, particularly among the urban middle classes, were looking to the next elections with relief. |
2013 Pakistani general election | The Pakistan Muslim League, a centre-right conservative party, began its campaign on terminating the energy conservation crises, and also issues involving national security, economic development, higher education, immigration, and taxation reforms. The campaign was led by Nawaz Sharif, who emphasis the success of the privatisation to alleviate youth employment and small businesses, introducing policies for the environmental preservation, building motorways, counterterrorism legislation, economic liberalisation, improvement of the public transportation in all over the country, and then the decision of authorising the nuclear-testing programme in 1998. Over several days, Sharif delivered speeches and visited in all over the country for the support, promising that: "Just like the nuclear blasts, conducted in our last tenure, made us an atomic power, an economic explosion in our next term will turn the country into a commercial powerhouse." Furthermore, the PML(N) indicated to bring a balance on civil-military relations with the military, through opening a source of political channel to resolve issues. |
2013 Pakistani general election | The extremist terrorist organisation, the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), claimed the responsibility for two bombings at the offices of independent candidates on 28 April. In Kohat, the TTP bombed left-wing ANP's Nasir Khan Afridi's office which killed six and critically wounded others. In the suburbs of Peshawar, a device bomb at killed three people. The next day, at least eight people, including the son of Afghani cleric Qazi Amin Waqad, were killed and 45 others were wounded in a suicide attack in Peshawar. The bomb had targeted Sahibzada Anees, a senior city administrator, who had just passed the area. Hilal was a part of the Afghan High Peace Council and was organising a meeting of Afghan and Pakistani religious scholars to oppose militancy. All political parties condemned the attack. The same day, at a Karachi press conference the leaders of the left-wing parties– the PPP, MQM and ANP—said that the attacks would not stop them from participating in the election. ANP's Secretary-General, Bashir Jan, said that his party had previously made sacrifices in relations to the 2012 assassination of Bashir Bilour, the former party leader. His statement followed an explosion that wounded three children near the election office of Mohammad Ahmed Khan, the ANP candidate from Charsadda in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. On 2 May, a bomb exploded outside the MQM headquarters in which seven people were injured. On 4 May, at least three people were killed and 34 others were wounded when two bombs targeted the election office of the MQM in the Azeezabad area of Karachi. |
2013 Pakistani general election | On average, approximately a third of those earning up to 30,000 rupees each month indicated a preference for the Pakistan Peoples Party whereas, among those earning more than 30,000 rupees, support for the party dropped to 10.8 percent. This is in keeping with the party's traditional pro-poor image. No such trend could be determined for the Pakistan Muslim League, whose level of support remained similar across all income levels. Those earning in excess of 250,000 rupees each month (the highest identified income bracket in the survey) expressed the maximum intention to vote for either the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) or the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, at 33 per cent each. While this figure may appear anomalistic in the MQM's case – support for the party within the second highest income bracket (those earning between 100,000 and 250,000 rupees each month) was only four per cent – it was possible to identify a rough direct trend between level of income and support for the PTI. In general, it appeared that support for smaller parties declined with increasing levels of income. |
2013 Pakistani general election | The mission visited Pakistan from 16 to 21 December and met with election authorities, government officials, party leaders, media and citizen monitoring groups. Joe Clark commended the co-operation of all parties, especially in adopting measures to bring the Federally Administered Tribal Areas under the political umbrella. Clark stated that the 18th Amendment to the constitution reflects the parliament's integrity and commitment towards a fair democratic handover. Nursanita Nasution highlighted the need to address the rights of women in the polling process so that "fear and intimidation in high-risk areas such as Baluchistan, FATA, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Karachi" would not strip women of the opportunity to vote. Xenia Dormandy suggested "improving accessibility and adjusting locations" of women polling stations closer to those for men so that they could travel with the men in their families to vote. Sandra Houston, Regional Director of NDI, stated "We are impressed with the cooperation of all the stakeholders in assuring a smooth transition," sharing that voters have been registered with Computerised National Identity Cards and biometrics including photographs where possible. |
Leicester's Church, Denbigh | The first Lord of Denbigh was Henry de Lacy, who in 1284 was granted one of a number of Marcher Lordships granted by Edward I as what were in effect personal fiefdoms. Successive lords held the lordship of Denbigh, sometimes bitterly disputed, until, via the Mortimers, it came to be held by Edward of York. When he became King Edward IV in 1461, Denbigh lordship passed back to the crown. Under Tudor reforms of 1535–42, the Marcher Lordships were brought within the kingdom, abolishing their autonomy. The Lordship of Denbigh, although merged with the Crown, retained its own identity, and in 1563, Elizabeth I granted the lordship to Robert Dudley. There was no legal basis for this grant, but his power and status were such that he was able to behave as though he had the same sort of fiefdom as the lords once had. The people of Denbigh did not think well of this arrangement, and some rebellious behaviour resulted. Dudley, in 1564 also made the Earl of Leicester, undertook a number of town improvements to pacify the people of Denbigh. He built a town hall and a market hall, and in 1579 laid the foundation stone of a new church, the first to be built since the reformation. |
Leicester's Church, Denbigh | The Earl of Leicester's plans for his new church were on a grand scale. It was dedicated to St David, and he apparently hoped to make it a new protestant cathedral instead of St Asaph Cathedral. As a proponent of the puritan movement within the English Reformation, he wanted to emphasize preaching as the focus of Anglican services, rather than the celebration of the mass. The wide rectangular preaching house allowed closer proximity to the pulpit, to hear sermons, rather than celebration of the mass at a distant east end altar. The hiatus in church governance, finance and patronage caused by the Reformation meant that from 1536 no significant new church building was undertaken throughout England and Wales for the next 100 years. The attempt by the Earl of Leicester to build such a church stands in isolation as the only example of its kind. The result would have been both liturgically and stylistically very different from the gothic style buildings the Anglican Church took over. Large, Tudor style windows running the length of the nave would have ensured a well lit building. Tuscan columns and Renaissance features would have looked modern and international. |
Leicester's Church, Denbigh | In 1584, five years into the building process, work came to a halt. In the same year his three-year-old son died. The death of his only legitimate child, styled Baron Denbigh, was a dreadful blow both personally and for his dynastic ambitions, as it left him without an heir, with little expectation that his 40 year old wife would have another child. No further work was made on the incomplete Church. The particular problem would appear to be financial. Building a huge stone Church was prohibitively expensive even for an Earl. Whether due to this, or other expenses, the following year Dudley had to mortgage his lordship of Denbigh for £15,000, to pay his debts. Three years after that, in 1588, the Earl of Leicester himself died unexpectedly. With no heir, all his estates and titles reverted to the Crown. Queen Elizabeth I paid off the mortgage on the Denbigh lordship in 1592, but clearly neither she nor anyone else was interested in progressing the building works, and it remained the property of the Crown rather than the local diocese. Instead it was quarried as a supply of stone and other building materials. Even where the walls remain at full height they mostly have gaping unframed windows where the dressed ashlar has been stripped out. |
Dietrich A. Loeber | Loeber was born into a Baltic German family to J. August Loeber, a law professor, senator and member of the Latvian Supreme Court, and Emilie Mentzendorff. After graduating from the Friedrich Wilhelms Gymnasium, Dietrich Loeber served from 1941 to 1945 under Admiral Wilhelm Canaris. After studying law from 1946 to 1953 at the Hague Academy of International Law and Columbia University, he worked as a lawyer in Munich and Hamburg. Loeber was an editor of the journal East European Law from 1955 to 1960, and at the Max Planck Institute for Comparative and International Law from 1958 to 1970. Habilitation at the University of Hamburg was achieved in 1966. From 1966 to 1989, he was a Professor of Law at the Christian Albrechts University in Kiel. Loeber worked as a visiting professor and researcher at the Moscow State University in 1961, the Harvard Law School from 1963 to 1964, the University of California, Los Angeles in 1970 and 1974, at Stanford University in 1971 and 1973, and at Columbia University from 1980 to 1981 and 1983. |
Haynesville Shale | The Haynesville Shale is a lithological heterogeneous, often organic-rich, mudstone. The composition of these mudstones varies greatly depending on position on geographic location and stratigraphic position. They vary from calcareous mudstone near the carbonate platforms and islands to argillaceous mudstone in areas where submarine fans prograded into the basin and diluted organic matter. For example, the Haynesville Shale has been observed to vary in composition from 25 to 35 percent clay and 5 to 30 percent calcite in samples recovered from one oil and gas well. In that well, the Haynesville Shale consists of silty, argillaceous mudstones, silty, calcareous mudstones, and dolomitic mudstones and dolomites. The silty, argillaceous mudstones contain more than 30% silt-sized siliceous grains. The silt often occurs as laminations within these mudstones. In addition, the argillaceous matrix of such mudstones frequently contains numerous calcareous particles and stringers. The calcareous particles include coccoliths, bivalve, and gastropod fragments, and calcispheres. Organic matter in the form of amorphous kerogen coats the argillaceous material. Silty, calcareous mudstones contain more than 20% calcite. In these mudstones, the calcite occurs as silt-sized microfossil hash composed of fragmented fossils and carbonate mud. Where organic matter is low and silts are rare, the calcareous microfossil and carbonate mud has recrystallized. Possibly, further alteration of silty, calcareous mudstones has resulted in the formation of the dolomitic mudstones and dolomites. Both the silty, argillaceous mudstones and silty, calcareous mudstones often exhibit sparse to abundant, laminated pelletal fabrics. |
Haynesville Shale | The Haynesville Formation consists of marine and coastal plain limestone, shale, mudstone, and sandstone. In addition to the Haynesville Shale, the Haynesville Formation contains two formal subdivisions, which geologists call members. They are the Gilmer Limestone, also informally known as the Cotton Valley Limestone, and Buckner Anhydrite members. The Gilmer Limestone and Buckner Anhydrite members represent coastal and shallow marine deposits, which form along the northern boundary of the basin in which the Haynesville Shale accumulated and separate it from contemporaneous undifferentiated nonmarine deposits that occur beneath Arkansas further north. In addition, the Gilmer Limestone member also represents a carbonate platform with oolite shoals that lie beneath central Upshur and western Smith counties, Texas. They comprise the western boundary of the ancient shelf basin within which Haynesville Shale accumulated. A third, informal member, which called the "Gray sandstone," of the Haynesville Formation interfingers with Haynesville Shale along its northern edge. This sandstone is regarded as having accumulated as submarine fans carrying sediment from the coastline into the basin within which the Haynesville Shale accumulated. |
Haynesville Shale | The Haynesville Shale was deposited in a restricted basin that was located on a southward sloping continental shelf covered by relatively shallow water. The mudstone comprising it accumulated as a widespread and laterally continuous blanket across the limits of this restricted basin. The accumulation of pelleted, fossiliferous, organic-rich carbonate mud and even and wavy-lenticular laminated beds of very fine quartz silt and detrital clay reflects the mixed accumulation of carbonate sediments generated within this basin and clastic sediments that came from outside it. The northern edge of this basin consisted of shallow coastal waters floored by carbonate muds and oolite shoals lying just north of the modern Louisiana - Arkansas border. The shallow coastal waters were bordered further north by an arid coastal plain characterized by extensive sabkhas. The western edge of the basin in which the Haynesville Shale accumulated consisted of a broad north-south carbonate platform with prominent oolite shoals. The southern rim of this ancient basin and extent of the Haynesville Shale was an ancient Jurassic island, called "Sabine Island. This ancient island now lies deeply buried beneath the surface of Sabine County, Texas. |
Leaf curl | Peach leaf curl is a distinctive and easily noticeable fungal disease, and the severity of the symptoms depends on how early infection has occurred. Diseased leaves can usually be identified soon after they emerge from the bud, due to their red color and twisted shape. As the leaves develop, they become increasingly distorted, and ultimately thick and rubbery compared to normal leaves. The color of the leaves changes from the normal green to red and purple, until a whitish bloom covers each leaf. Finally, the dead leaf may dry and turn black before it is cast off. Changes in the bark are less noticeable, if at all. Fruit may fail to develop from diseased blossoms. Any fruit that does develop from a diseased tree is usually normal, but sometimes may also be affected, showing a reddish color. Infected leaves fall early. The tree usually produces a second flush of leaves that is rarely diseased, except in an unseasonably cool and wet spring, because the fungus is not infectious at the normally higher temperatures in late spring and early summer. |
Leaf curl | The fungus T. deformans causes deformed young leaves, red blisters, and ultimately the whitish bloom that covers the leaf as the infection progresses. This white color is made of asci that break through the cuticle of the leaf. One ascus consists of eight ascospores that create conidia, which are ejected in early summer and spread by rain and wind. The fungus survives the winter on the surface of the host plant, such as on bark or buds. In late winter or early spring, rainwater washes spores into the buds as they burst. Once this happens, no treatment is effective. In the spring, about two weeks after blossom, new leaves emerging from the infected buds are infected by the conidia. The disease may not occur every year due to variation in temperature and rainfall. Specifically, for successful infection, the fungus requires wet winters, where rain (not fog or dew) wets the tree for more than 12.5 hours at temperatures below 16 °C (61 °F). The fungus cannot grow at temperatures below 9 °C (48 °F). |
Drown (short story collection) | In Junot Diaz's "Edison," The text follows the day of a pool maintenance guy. It entails the process of his deliveries while serving wealthy people, all the while just recently getting out of a relationship with his ex. The narrator shares how through his deliveries, he would encounter all different types of people, those who are kind and others who stereotype and look down on the narrator and his coworker Wayne. In one specific delivery, the narrator and Wayne are ignored at the door and continue off with their work day. When returning to work, the narrator and Wayne learned that the unavailable client Pruitt was furious that his order was not delivered and quickly assumed the narrator and Wayne were delinquents. "The boss nearly kicked our asses over the Gold Crown. The customer, an asshole names Pruitt, called up crazy, we were delinquent. That's how the boss put it. Delinquent" (Diaz 129). The narrator shares the encounters and experiences he faces as a merchandise delivery boy, often being stereotyped for Wayne and his ethnic background as young criminals. Through this text, it can be seen the experiences that Diaz shares within the narrator's life, knowing and feeling the stereotype of his community, ethnicity, and background and living through that experience every day. |
The Cat's Table | Liesl Schillinger for The New York Times, while noting Ondaatje's appended disclaimer that The Cat's Table is a work of fiction, stated, "So convincing is Ondaatje's evocation of his narrator's experience that the reader could easily mistake it for the author's own". Philip Hensher for The Telegraph was largely positive, writing, "Michael Ondaatje's impressive new novel, containing dreams and fantasy between a ship's flanks. It is, in the most etymological way, a wonderful novel: one full of wonders." Adam Mars-Jones was less impressed, writing in his review in The Observer, "Perhaps The Cat's Table aspires to a … doubleness of texture and meaning, the yarn of adventure story backed with the deeper colours of adult experience, but on the level of craftsmanship it doesn't measure up." Jess Row, writing for New York Magazine, described The Cat's Table as being unlike Ondaatje's earlier works, as it allows the reader to experience what's going on in the characters' heads, not strictly focusing on the setting of the world. |
Minamata disease compensation agreements of 1959 | Ever since 1908 when Chisso opened the factory in Minamata wastewater had been dumped into the seas around Minamata, particularly into Minamata Bay via the waste canal outlet in Hyakken Harbour. Damage to fisheries was inevitable and the Minamata Fishing Cooperative had demanded compensation from the company on two occasions previous to the outbreak of Minamata disease. After direct negotiations in 1926 the company agreed to pay "sympathy money" to the cooperative of JPY1,500 (USD704). By using the term "sympathy money" (見舞い金, mimaikin) the company avoided accepting responsibility for the damage and sought to prevent further claims by including a clause in the agreement that the cooperative would "never again lodge complaints" against Chisso. This pattern of denial of responsibility and the inclusion of punitive clauses repeated itself again and again in Chisso's dealings with complainants. The pollution continued unabated and another agreement was signed in 1943. This time the cooperative was paid JPY152,500 in compensation for future and past damage to fishing. The cooperative was also forced to acknowledge Chisso's "importance to the prosperity of Minamata" and "the need to cooperate so as not to harm its operations", indicating the unequal nature of the agreement. |
Minamata disease compensation agreements of 1959 | By the time of the outbreak of Minamata disease the fishing situation had become critical. From 1953 to 1957 the fish catch in Minamata had declined by a staggering 91%. In 1956, the Kumamoto prefectural government had attempted to limit the spread of the disease by banning the sale of fish caught from Minamata Bay, but did not issue and all-out ban. This left fishermen with fish they could not sell, but no financial assistance to compensate their losses. In September 1958 the Minamata Fishing Cooperative petitioned the prefecture to ban fishing completely so that their members might be properly compensated under the Fisheries Law and Food Sanitation Act. The government did not respond and only advised the fishermen against consumption of the fish and shellfish they caught from the bay. However, with no source of income, many fishermen were left with no choice but to eat the suspect fish they caught. In fact, throughout the history of the Minamata disease problem, the catching of fish from Minamata Bay has never been legally prohibited. |
Minamata disease compensation agreements of 1959 | Fishermen from the cooperative again forced their way into the factory on 12 August to continue negotiations. No agreement could be reached but the two sides did manage to agree to a joint inspection of fishing conditions in Minamata Bay, followed by further talks on 17 August. After this inspection Chisso admitted that fishing was impossible in some areas and made a final offer of JPY13 million (USD36,100). This paltry sum incensed the fishermen. Violence broke out, riot police were called and Nishida and other company employees were effectively held hostage in the factory building. Only after Mayor Todomu Nakamura agreed to mediate between the two sides did the fishermen leave the factory grounds. The mediation committee formed by Mayor Nakamura was stacked heavily in Chisso's favour and presented a decision on 26 August. The company would pay JPY20 million (USD55,600) directly to the cooperative and set up a JPY15 million (USD41,700) fund to promote the recovery of fishing. The proposal was qualified with the ultimatum that if either side rejected, the committee would stop mediation completely. On 29 August the fishing cooperative delivered its response: "In order to end the anxiety of the citizens, we swallow our tears and accept". The company also agreed and the first compensation agreement between Chisso and fisherman was complete. |
Minamata disease compensation agreements of 1959 | To the company's disappointment, this first agreement did not bring an end to problems with fishermen. Since Chisso had switched the wastewater output from Minamata Bay to the mouth of Minamata River in September 1958 the environmental damage had spread even further up and down the Shiranui Sea. Cats had started to die in Ashikita to the north and in Izumi to the south of Minamata and new Minamata disease patients were also appearing. The pollution was having a widespread effect on fishing catches and fish sales as people's confidence in the safety of their food evaporated. This drove the Kumamoto Prefectural Alliance of Fishing Cooperatives to take action of a similar pattern to that taken by the Minamata Fishing Alliance earlier in the year, but on a larger scale. On 17 October, 1,500 fishermen from the alliance descended on the factory demanding direct negotiations with Chisso. When company officials refused, the fishermen forced their way into the factory and attacked the security office, breaking windows and injuring seven guards. Alliance president Ushita Murakami delivered their demands to company manager Nishida, who promised a prompt reply. When the response came, the company said that since the factory's waste had still not been proven as the cause of Minamata disease, and it could offer the fishermen nothing. |
Minamata disease compensation agreements of 1959 | A mediation committee headed by Kumamoto Prefecture Governor Hirosaku Teramoto was formed to hammer out a solution. At a meeting on 2 December the prefectural fishing alliance outlined their demands: compensation of JPY2.5 billion (USD6.9 million) for damage to fishing since 1953, the temporary closure of the factory and removal of toxic sludge. The committee then met company executives, including Chisso president Kiichi Yoshioka, who responded with an offer that amounted to "nearly zero". After weeks of wrangling the fishing alliance reduced its demands to JPY980 million (USD2.7 million) and Chisso, under increasing pressure from all sides, relaxed its position. The proposed agreement (presented with the ultimatum of no further mediation from the committee should it be rejected, as previously) called for the immediate installation of wastewater treatment facilities, JPY35 million compensation to be paid to the alliance (JPY10 million of which would be deducted to cover the damage caused in the 2 November riots) and a JPY65 million fund for the recovery of the fishing industry. The agreement also included a clause that the alliance could never demand further compensation, even if the factory's waste was proven to be the cause of the damage. The agreement was accepted by both sides on 17 December. |
Minamata disease compensation agreements of 1959 | In 1959, the victims of Minamata disease and their families were in a much weaker position than the fisherman who had extracted at least some "sympathy money" from Chisso. The only patients' organisation present at the time of the fishermen's agreements was the Minamata Disease Patients Families Mutual Aid Society, which had only been established in August 1957. They were much fewer in number and the membership of the society was more divided than the relatively united fishermen. One factor driving the division of the patients was the discrimination and ostracism some families were experiencing in the Minamata community. Local people, who were naturally averse to uncleanliness and disease, felt that the company (and their city that depended upon it) was facing economic ruin under the pressure of the various groups making demands of it. Even fishermen, who were fellow victims of the company's pollution, discriminated against disease victims because they were stoking fears that prevented the sale of their fish. To some patients this ostracism from the community represented a greater fear than the disease itself. |
Minamata disease compensation agreements of 1959 | Around 50 members of the society travelled to Kumamoto on 1 December and made a request to Governor Teramoto to include the patients' request for compensation with the mediation that was ongoing with the prefectural fishing alliance. He agreed to consult with the company and when the mediation committee presented its deal to the fishing alliance on 16 December, it also presented a proposal for "sympathy" payments to the Mutual Aid Society, even though no representatives had been present on the mediation committee. The proposal amounted to a total compensation package of JPY74 million. The money would be allocated to patients certified by a committee to be established by the Ministry of Health and Welfare as follows: adult patients would receive JPY100,000 (USD278) and children JPY10,000 (USD28) per year; families of dead patients would receive a JPY320,000 (USD889) payment. Society leader Eizō Watanabe agreed that the overall level of compensation was acceptable but rejected the plan over the staggered schedule of payments and the very small sum being offered for child victims. |
Ambulance Operators Association of Nova Scotia | In 1993, Cape Breton Island native Dr. Ron Stewart, who had been instrumental in organizing emergency medical services in southern California earlier in his career during the 1970s, was elected to the Nova Scotia House of Assembly and was appointed the Minister of Health. Stewart commissioned several reports on health care reform, one of which – Report: Emergency Health Services Nova Scotia (the "Murphy Report") – was conducted by Dr Mike Murphy, the director of emergency services at the Isaac Walton Killam Children's Hospital. It offered a comprehensive evaluation on the state of the province's ambulances. Murphy was critical of the AOANS for primarily being concerned with dictating prices to the government with little concern for standards for response times or levels of care. Stewart stated "No more. It will now be on our terms. The reform will be very deep." The recommendations of the Murphy Report were subsequently adopted and by 1994 the transformation of Nova Scotia's ambulance system had begun, with the provincial government taking over control of ground ambulance operations and consolidating them into a single entity called Emergency Health Services. |
Epigenetics of autism | Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) refers to a variety of conditions typically identified by challenges with social skills, communication, speech, and repetitive sensory-motor behaviors. The 11th International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11), released in January 2021, characterizes ASD by the associated deficits in the ability to initiate and sustain two-way social communication and restricted or repetitive behavior unusual for the individual's age or situation. Although linked with early childhood, the symptoms can appear later as well. Symptoms can be detected before the age of two and experienced practitioners can give a reliable diagnosis by that age. However, official diagnosis may not occur until much older, even well into adulthood. There is a large degree of variation in how much support a person with ASD needs in day-to-day life. This can be classified by a further diagnosis of ASD level 1, level 2, or level 3. Of these, ASD level 3 describes people requiring very substantial support and who experience more severe symptoms. ASD-related deficits in nonverbal and verbal social skills can result in impediments in personal, family, social, educational, and occupational situations. This disorder tends to have a strong correlation with genetics along with other factors. More research is identifying ways in which epigenetics is linked to autism. Epigenetics generally refers to the ways in which chromatin structure is altered to affect gene expression. Mechanisms such as cytosine regulation and post-translational modifications of histones. Of the 215 genes contributing, to some extent in ASD, 42 have been found to be involved in epigenetic modification of gene expression. Some examples of ASD signs are specific or repeated behaviors, enhanced sensitivity to materials, being upset by changes in routine, appearing to show reduced interest in others, avoiding eye contact and limitations in social situations, as well as verbal communication. When social interaction becomes more important, some whose condition might have been overlooked suffer social and other exclusion and are more likely to have coexisting mental and physical conditions. Long-term problems include difficulties in daily living such as managing schedules, hypersensitivities (e.g., to foods, noises, fabric textures, light), initiating and sustaining relationships, and maintaining jobs. |
Epigenetics of autism | Diagnosis is based on observation of behavior and development. Many, especially girls and those who have fewer social difficulties, may have been misdiagnosed with other conditions. Males are diagnosed with ASD four to five times more often than females. The reasons for this remain predominantly unclear, but current hypotheses include a higher testosterone level in utero, different presentations of symptoms in females (leading to misdiagnosis or underdiagnosis) compared to males, and gender bias. Clinical assessment of children can involve a variety of individuals, including the caregiver(s), the child, and a core team of professionals (pediatricians, child psychiatrists, speech-and-language therapists and clinical/educational psychologists). For adult diagnosis, clinicians identify neurodevelopmental history, behaviors, difficulties in communication, limited interests and problems in education, employment, and social relationships. Challenging behaviors may be assessed with functional analysis to identify the triggers causing them. The sex and gender disparity in ASD diagnostics requires further research in terms of adding diagnosis specifiers as well as female-oriented examples, which may be masked through camouflaging behaviors. Camouflaging is defined as a coping mechanism used in social situations, consisting of individuals pretending to be other people without any communication difficulties. Because of camouflaging and other societal factors, females with ASD are more likely to be diagnosed late or with a different mental health concern. In general, it is critical for people to understand that the female ASD phenotype is less noticeable, especially when they present as "higher functioning" than others with ASD. Lastly, due to the imbalance in sexes participating in ASD studies, the literature is potentially biased towards the ways that it presents in male individuals. |
Epigenetics of autism | ASD is considered a lifelong condition and has no "cure." Many professionals, advocates, and people in the autistic community agree that a cure is not the answer and efforts should instead focus on methods to help people with ASD have happier, healthier, and, if possible, independent lives. Support efforts include teaching social and behavioral skills, monitoring, factoring-in co-existing conditions, and guidance for the caregivers, family, educators, and employers. There is no specific medication for ASD, however, drugs can be prescribed for other co-existing mental health conditions, such as anxiety. A study in 2019 found that the management of challenging behaviors was generally of low quality, with little support for long-term usage of psychotropic drugs, and concerns about their inappropriate prescription. Genetic research has improved the understanding of ASD-related molecular pathways. Animal research has pointed to the reversibility of phenotypes but the studies are at an early stage. |
Epigenetics of autism | Currently, there are two proposed epigenetic mechanisms for VPA increasing the risk in ASD: alteration in folate metabolism and HDAC inhibition. VPA is a weak HDAC inhibitor. The VPA model discerns the potential pathogenesis and mechanisms of action of ASD in animal models. HDAC inhibition is the most understood. In animal models, mice prenatally exposed to VPA had transient hyperacetylation of histones H3 and H4, decreased HDACs, and developed ASD-like symptoms. However, mice prenatally exposed to valpromide, analogous to VPA but not an HDAC inhibitor, did not experience transient hyperacetylation of histones H3 and H4 and did not develop ASD-like symptoms. An important thing to note is the time of VPA. In the animal models, the significant effects of VPA in causing ASD-like symptoms was demonstrated mainly in rats exposed to VPA on gestation day 12.5, not in other gestation days like day 9, 14.5, etc. The ASD-like symptoms of mice included decreased distressed pup calls, decreased social exploration, decreased social behaviors, increased stereotypic locomotion, decreased acoustic prepulse inhibition, and increased sensitivity to non-painful stimuli. |
Levant Consular Service | During the 19th century the British foreign service consisted of the Victorian Consular Service, which was further divided into a General Service, a Far Eastern Service, and the Levant Service. Direct British diplomacy in the Levant dated back to 1825, when the Levant Company ceased operations. The British Diplomatic Service traditionally consuls for the Levant from expatriate British citizens living in the region (particularly those in Constantinople). The 1858 Select Committee on Foreign Office recommended reforming diplomacy in the Levant so that only Britons would serve as consuls. In order to find qualified individuals, they urged the creation of a program that would examine British subjects, specifically their aptitude for language, train them in Constantinople, and eventually use them as interpreters. Concerns over expenses of the program and whether it could attract qualified applicants delayed establishment until urging by Lord Salisbury led Philip Currie, 1st Baron Currie, to create it. The specialized Levant Consular Service was created in 1877. |
2001 San Diego Chargers season | Michael Vick was selected in the 2001 NFL draft as the first overall pick and first African American quarterback taken number 1 in the NFL draft. The San Diego Chargers had the number one selection spot in the draft that year but traded the rights to the first overall choice to the Atlanta Falcons a day before the draft, for which they received the Falcons' first round pick (5th overall) and third round pick in 2001 (used to draft CB Tay Cody), a second round pick in 2002 (used to draft WR Reche Caldwell) and WR/KR Tim Dwight. With the Chargers' downgraded spot (the 5th overall), they selected Texas Christian University running back LaDainian Tomlinson, who went on to become league MVP in 2006. Although Vick has never become league MVP, he finished second in voting in 2004. In this way, Tomlinson and Vick are linked as having been "traded" for each other, although the transaction was actually the result of traded draft picks and contract negotiations. The Chargers' other notable draft pick was Drew Brees, who would eventually win Super Bowl XLIV as a member of the Saints. |
2001 San Diego Chargers season | Jamal Williams recovered a mishandled snap at the Dallas 38 on the game's second play. The Cowboys extended the ensuing Charger drive with a penalty on a successful Richey field goal, and Flutie converted 3rd downs with completions to Dwight and Freddie Jones, the latter for a touchdown. After a Dallas three-and-out and a short punt, San Diego again took over in opposition territory, and Flutie again converted two 3rd downs, this time with completions to Graham, and Conway for the touchdown. McNeil intercepted Anthony Wright late in the 1st quarter and lateralled to Harrison, who ran the ball back to the Dallas 43; this time the Chargers added a field goal to lead 17–0 after three possessions each. The Charger defense were beaten by a deep pass on the game's following play, Rocket Ismail catching Wright's pass at the San Diego 25 en route to an 80-yard touchdown. San Diego almost returned the favor later in the half – on 3rd and 4 at the Charger 15, Dwight caught Flutie's pass over the middle at the Dallas 45 and reached the 7 yard line before being tackled for a gain of 78. The Chargers had to settle for another field goal, and Dallas pulled back within six points on their following drive. |
2001 San Diego Chargers season | On the first play of the 3rd quarter, Tomlinson started to the left but cut back to the right and broke free for a 54-yard gain. Conway caught a 17-yard pass on the next play, then Tomlinson scored from the 2. Cleveland kicker Phil Dawson missed a 48-yard field goal late in the quarter, and the Chargers converted three 3rd downs before Tomlinson's 17-yard run brought up a 1st and goal at the 1. They were driven back two yards and had to settle for a field goal. On the next play from scrimmage, Seau forced a fumble that Orlando Ruff recovered, setting up Richey's third field goal. Dawson pulled his team within three points on the following drive, and San Diego went three-and-out. Tim Couch converted two 3rd downs to Kevin Johnson on the following drive, the latter for the game-winning touchdown with 75 seconds to play. On the game's final drive, Flutie scrambled for 11 yards on 4th and 10, then completed two passes for 27 further yards. That brought the Chargers to the Cleveland 45, from where Flutie threw two incompletions into the end zone to end the game. |
2001 San Diego Chargers season | Jenkins returned the opening kickoff 51 yards to the New England 37, but Tomlinson lost a fumble two plays later. The Chargers faced a 3rd and 13 on their own 24 on their next drive, which Flutie converted by finding Conway along the left sideline for a 56-yard completion. This was followed by a 19-yard Conway catch and a 1-yard Tomlinson touchdown on the next two plays. New England responded with a touchdown, but Dwight later gave his offense excellent starting field position with a 26-yard punt return to the opposition 34. That led to Steve Heiden's touchdown, but the Charger lead remained at three points after Bennett mishandled the snap on the extra point attempt. San Diego extended their lead when Patriots punter Lee Johnson tried to dodge Derrick Harris instead of attempting a punt. Harris forced a fumble that he returned for a touchdown himself. New England tied the score with ten points in the final four minutes. First, Antowain Smith gained 5 yards on 4th and 2 midway through a field goal drive then, after Tomlinson was stopped for no gain on a 3rd and 1, they drove 60 yards for a touchdown. |
2001 San Diego Chargers season | The best scoring chance of the 3rd quarter ended when Arians was short on a 45-yard attempt. In the final period, Perry intercepted an underthrown Johnson pass and returned it 47 yards down the sideline for a touchdown. Johnson bounced back on the next play from scrimmage, finding Price open up the right sideline for a 61-yard touchdown. After Richey was wide right again, this time from 41 yards, the Bills began their go-ahead drive with 6:36 to play. Johnson ran for 6 yards on 3rd and 6, Eric Moulds caught a deflected pass for 31 yards on 3rd and 5, and McNeil committed defensive holding after the Chargers stopped Johnson short on 3rd and goal from the 10. Buffalo took their first lead of the game on the following play, with 90 seconds left. It took the Chargers only 20 seconds to respond: Jenkins returned the kickoff 72 yards to the Buffalo 26, an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty moved the ball to the 13, and Flutie dodged a sack before scrambling up the middle for the winning touchdown. Johnson was able to position Arians for a 44-yard game-tying attempt, but it was blocked by Ed Ellis with 7 seconds left. |
2001 San Diego Chargers season | Cody intercepted Trent Green early in the 3rd quarter, and Brees led four consecutive scoring drives. Firstly, he converted a 4th and 3 with a 6-yard pass to Conway, setting up Richey's first field goal. A Wiley sack of Green pushed Kansas City out of field goal range on the next drive, and Graham's 40-yard catch was the biggest play of an 89-yard drive that featured no 3rd-down conversions and ended with Tomlinson's touchdown run. Next, Graham's 20-yard catch positioned Richey for another field goal. Finally, San Diego moved from their own 11 to a 3rd and 10 at their own 40, from where Brees threw completions on three straight plays: 14 and 26 yards to Conway, then a 20-yard touchdown to Jones in the front of the end zone. Behind for the first time, Kansas City responded immediately, their game-winning touchdown drive draining San Diego's last two timeouts and leaving only 86 seconds to respond. Aided by a personal foul penalty, the Chargers reached Kansas City's 41 with 13 seconds left. Brees then scrambled as far as the 28, but couldn't reach the sidelines to stop the clock. His attempt at a lateral went forwards with 2 seconds left, counting as an illegal forward pass and causing the final seconds to be run off the clock as a penalty. |
2001 San Diego Chargers season | Jenkins returned the second-half kickoff for 67 yards before Raiders kicker Sebastian Janikowski tackled him at the Raider 25. Despite the ensuing drive being prolonged by a Raider penalty on a 3rd down play, San Diego had to settle for a short Richey field goal. McNeil stopped the next Raider drive by intercepting a deep Rich Gannon pass near the goal line, but San Diego went three-and-out, and Oakland soon added a Janikowski field goal. Jenkins returned the next kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown, his second of the season. Zack Crockett converted a 4th and 1 on the following drive, which ended with Rice's second touchdown. Flutie began San Diego's response with completions of 22 and 10 yards to Conway, before finding Graham for 16 yards on a 3rd and 9. Tomlinson finished the drive by going through the line for a touchdown on 3rd and goal from the 1. Each side then punted once before the Raiders drove for Rice's third and game-winning touchdown. Flutie soon fumbled on a 3rd and 7 from his own 33, and Oakland added a field goal to clinch the win. |
2001 San Diego Chargers season | Philadelphia opened the scoring on their first possession of the game, but San Diego quickly tied the score. Graham converted a 3rd and 10 with a 16-yard catch, then scored a 61-yard touchdown on a 3rd and 9. Graham jumped and reached over the shoulders of defensive back Troy Vincent for an underthrown ball, bobbling it briefly before completing the catch at the Philadelphia 40 and racing into the end zone. Later in the opening quarter, Dwight took a pass in the left flat for 29 yards; two plays later, San Diego had a 3rd and 1 at the Eagles 38. Tomlinson then fumbled while trying to make a cut, with Brian Dawkins recovering and scoring when Tomlinson could not make the tackle. Two further Charger drives that crossed midfield ended with a Flutie interception and a missed 34-yard field goal by Christie. After Philadelphia extended their lead late in the half, San Diego were able to respond in less than a minute. Flutie completed 4 of 6 passes for 60 yards on the drive, including a 29-yard connection with Conway and a 10-yard touchdown to Graham. |
2001 San Diego Chargers season | Flutie opened the second half by completing his first four passes for 55 yards, guiding the Chargers to a 2nd and 8 at the 11. His next pass, however, was thrown into the arms of defensive lineman Darrell Russell for an interception. Oakland drove 88 yards the other way, and Rice beat Beckett to score his fourth touchdown in two games against the Chargers. Two plays later, a Flutie pass deflected off Conway and was intercepted, but the Chargers got the ball back soon afterwards when Beckett forced a fumble and Johnson recovered. The ensuing drive was extended when Tim Brown muffed a Bennett punt and Jenkins recovered at the Oakland 15, though the Chargers could only capitalize with another field goal. Harrison intercepted a deflected pass, and Flutie converted a 4th and 1 with a 5-yard pass to Conway. The Chargers reached 2nd and goal from the 2 with six minutes to play before Flutie was intercepted for a third time. Oakland drained the last Charger timeout and all but 67 seconds of the clock before Janikowski's second field goal. Jenkins returned the ensuing kickoff 38 yards, and a 34-yard catch and run by Conway had the Chargers at the Oakland 24. After two plays gained one yard, Flutie overthrew Graham in the end zone, then Graham dropped his 4th-down pass inside the 10 with 15 seconds to play. |
2001 San Diego Chargers season | Kansas City retook the lead with a 3rd quarter field goal. Following an exchange of punts, San Diego drove to a 2nd and goal from the 4, whereupon Conway was ruled to have caught a Flutie pass out of bounds; the call was reversed to a touchdown on official review. Following another Peterson field goal, Conway converted a 3rd and 26 with a 27-yard catch, eventually leading to a 46-yard field goal that Richey missed wide left. McNeil intercepted Green on the following play, and a 27-yard catch by Trevor Gaylor moved the Chargers back into Chiefs territory, and Christie extended their lead with a 27-yard field goal five minutes from time. Green and Minnis combined for 21 yards on 3rd and 4 as Kansas City drove inside the San Diego 10 yard line. A controversial play then followed, as Green was intercepted by Leonardo Carson, but the Chiefs retained the ball when Harrison was judged to have struck Green with a forearm after he threw, counting as roughing the passer. Tony Richardson scored the winning touchdown three plays later. The game ended with a Charger false start penalty on their own 29 yard line, causing a ten-second runoff. |
2001 San Diego Chargers season | In the second half, Christie restored the Charger lead with his third field goal, striking both the right upright and the crossbar before going through. Dilfer responded with passes for a touchdown and a two-point conversion. A 31-yard catch by Gaylor moved San Diego into opposition territory early in the final period. The Chargers reached a 3rd and 1 from the 19, but Tomlinson was stopped inches short; they were poised to go for it on 4th down, but Jacox was flagged for a false start, and Christie hit another field goal instead. Lindell missed a 48-yard field goal with 2:37 to play, and Flutie completed four passes while leading his team from the San Diego 39 to a 1st down at the Seattle 11. He was sacked for a loss of 7 on the next play, then threw two incompletions before Christie converted his fifth field goal from five attempts with 16 seconds to play. Charlie Rogers fielded the ensuing kickoff at his own goal line and returned it for 64 yards before Jenkins caught him from behind. Lindell's 54-yard game-winning kick easily cleared the uprights as time expired. |
Low-cost carrier | In 2005, Emirates' Tim Clark viewed long-haul low-cost as inevitable, flights could be operated on 760 seats all-economy Airbus A380s, or 870 for an hypothetical A380 stretch. Since 2005, Australia's Jetstar Airways operates international flights, starting with Christchurch, New Zealand. In late 2006, others followed from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, to popular tourist destinations within 10 hours like Honolulu, Japan, Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia. With new aircraft deliveries, it hopes to fly to the continental US and Europe. In April 2006, the industry magazine Airline Business analysed the potential for low-cost long-haul service and concluded that a number of Asian carriers, including AirAsia, were closest to making such a model work. On 26 October 2006, Oasis Hong Kong Airlines started flying from Hong Kong to London-Gatwick. The lowest prices for flights between Hong Kong to London could be as low at £75 (approximately US$150) per leg (not including taxes and other charges) for economy class and £470 (approximately US$940) per leg for business class for the same route. From 28 June 2007, a second long-haul route to Vancouver, British Columbia, was started. The company ceased operations on 9 April 2008, after over a billion Hong Kong dollars in losses. |
Gratuity | According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word "tip" originated as a slang term and its etymology is unclear. According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the meaning "give a small present of money" began around 1600, and the meaning "give a gratuity to" is first attested in 1706. The noun in this sense is from 1755. The term in the sense of "to give a gratuity" first appeared in the 18th century. It derived from an earlier sense of tip, meaning "to give; to hand, pass", which originated in the thieves' cant in the 17th century. This sense may have derived from the 16th-century "tip" meaning "to strike or hit smartly but lightly" (which may have derived from the Low German tippen, "to tap"), but this derivation is "very uncertain". The word "tip" was first used as a verb in 1707 in George Farquhar's play The Beaux' Stratagem. Farquhar used the term after it had been "used in criminal circles as a word meant to imply the unnecessary and gratuitous gifting of something somewhat taboo, like a joke, or a sure bet, or illicit money exchanges." |
Gratuity | The practice was imported from Europe to America in the 1850s and 1860s by Americans who wanted to seem aristocratic. However, until the early 20th century, Americans viewed tipping as inconsistent with the values of an egalitarian, democratic society, as the origins of tipping were premised upon noblesse oblige, which promoted tipping as a means to establish social status to inferiors. Six American states passed laws that made tipping illegal. Enforcement of anti-tipping laws was problematic. The earliest of these laws was passed in 1909 (Washington), and the last of these laws was repealed in 1926 (Mississippi). Some have argued that "The original workers that were not paid anything by their employers were newly freed slaves" and that "This whole concept of not paying them anything and letting them live on tips carried over from slavery." The anti-tipping movement spread to Europe with the support of the labour movement, which led to the eventual abolition of customary tipping in most European countries. |
Gratuity | Tipping (spropitné, informally dýško or tuzér) in the Czech Republic, like in Germany and Austria, is optional but polite and very welcome, especially in restaurants, and less often in taxis, hairdressers and similar services. The usual practice is for the customer to round the price to the nearest higher "nice number" so as not to have to handle small coins, and to tell the waiter what amount to round the price to. The resulting tip tends to be around 10%, but this is not a hard and fast rule. So, for example, if the waiter says the price is 279 CZK, the customer pays with a 500 CZK note and says: "Three hundred crowns." This means that the waiter should return only 200 CZK and keep 21 CZK as a tip. When paying by card, the tip can either be added to the payment or given separately in cash. If the waiter does not have to return anything after rounding up (e.g. if the price is 174 CZK and the customer pays with a 200 CZK note), it is customary to say "To je v pořádku" ("Keep the change", literally "That's alright"). A tip of more than 10-15% is more likely to be given in recognition of outstanding service. On the other hand, especially in the case of dissatisfaction with the service, it is perfectly acceptable not to tip at all. It is not customary to leave a tip on the table. According to Czech law, service charge must always be included in the listed price (but tips do not appear in the bill). Some Prague restaurants have been reported to display "Service is not included" signs to persuade foreign tourists to pay more, mimicking the practice in the United States. However, this is a scam. |
Gratuity | Tips (pourboires, lit. "for drinking") in France are neither required nor expected, and should only be offered after the customer received outstanding service. Waiters are paid a living wage and do not depend on tips, and cafés and restaurants are required by law to include a service charge (usually 15%) in the menu price; it is not usually set out separately on the bill. Tipping is better received in venues accustomed to tourists, but can be treated with disdain in smaller food establishments and those in more rural areas. Should one decide to tip after experiencing excellent service, it is customary to round up to the next Euro for small bills, and up to 5% for larger ones. Anything over 5% is considered very generous. For superior service in higher-end eating establishments, a more generous (10% or more) tip would not be out of place. Tips should always be offered in cash, as credit card terminals don't include a tipping option. Attending a performance in a private theater may be the only case in France where a tip is expected (generally €1), even though it is illegal. |
Gratuity | On the other hand, the coin handling aversion has resulted in the widespread practice of rounding payments. This is not technically a tip, and as such is not aimed primarily at the individual at the counter, but rather at the business. Nevertheless, if done with a smile it can be seen as a form of appreciation from the customer towards the clerk. Etiquette demands that one of the parties offers the change, but the other can choose to tell them to keep all or part of it. Small businesses may sometimes force the issue by just claiming they are out of change, or offering small value products instead, such as sticks of gum; this is considered rude and it is up to the customer to accept or call them out for it. The reverse can also happen, where the clerk does not have small change to make for the customer's paper money, but chooses to return a smaller paper denomination and round down in favor of the customer, in exchange for getting them through faster. The latter usually happens only in the larger store chains. |
Gratuity | In Russian language, a gratuity is called chayeviye (чаевые), which literally means "for the tea". Tipping small amounts of money in Russia for people such as waiters, cab drivers and hotel bellboys was quite common before the Communist Revolution of 1917. During the Soviet era, and especially with the Stalinist reforms of the 1930s, tipping was discouraged and was considered an offensive capitalist tradition aimed at belittling and lowering the status of the working class. So from then until the early 1990s tipping was seen as rude and offensive. With the fall of the Soviet Union and the dismantling of the Iron Curtain in 1991, and the subsequent influx of foreign tourists and businessmen into the country, tipping started a slow but steady comeback. Since the early 2000s tipping has become somewhat of a norm again. However, still a lot of confusion persists around tipping: Russians do not have a widespread consensus on how much to tip, for what services, where and how. In larger urban areas, like Moscow and St Petersburg, tips of 10% are expected in high-end restaurants, coffee shops, bars and hotels, and are normally left in cash on the table, after the bill is paid by credit card; or as part of cash payment if a credit card is not used. Tipping at a buffet or any other budget restaurant, where there are no servers to take one's order at the table (called stolovaya) is not expected and not appropriate. Fast food chains, such as Vkusno & Tochka, Chaynaya Lozhka, Teremok and so on, do not allow tipping either. Tipping bartenders in a pub is not common, but it is expected in an up-market bar. Metered taxi drivers also count on a tip of 5–10%, but non-metered drivers who pre-negotiate the fare do not expect one. It should also be noted that the older Russians, who grew up and lived most of their lives during the Soviet era, still consider tipping an offensive practice and detest it. In smaller rural towns, tipping is rarely expected and may even cause confusion. |
Gratuity | Before 2018, a tip pool could not be allocated to employers, or to employees who do not customarily and regularly receive tips. These non-eligible employees included dishwashers, cooks, chefs, and janitors. In March 2018 an amendment was added to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) that allowed restaurants in a majority of states to split the split tips between front and back of house workers. Before this legislation passed there was concern of income inequality and the ability to pay rents between front and back of house workers. Over the span of 30 years since 1985 back of house workers in New York City restaurants had a compensation increase of about 25%. Meanwhile, their front of house counterpoints saw an increase of 300% in compensation. In 2015 the average wage of cooking staff in New York was $10–12, many of whom dealt with high monthly rent payments and also debt from culinary school. As seemingly low skilled front of house workers were making more money than the skilled back of house chefs, many cooks decided to switch over into serving instead. |
Hurricane Tina (1992) | Hurricane Tina was the strongest and longest-lived storm of the 1992 Pacific hurricane season, which also threatened land for a brief period. The twenty-fourth tropical cyclone, twenty-second tropical storm, fourteenth hurricane, and eighth major hurricane of the record breaking season, Tina formed from a tropical wave on September 17. The storm moved towards the west and strengthened into a hurricane. A breakdown in a ridge and to the north and a trough then re-curved Tina to the northeast and towards land, still moving slowly and gradually slowing down. The trough broke down and was replaced by a strong ridge. Tina then changed direction again and headed out to sea. It intensified into a Category 4 storm with winds of 150 mph (240 km/h) and a central pressure of 932 millibars. Tina then slowly weakened as it turned to the north. Tropical Depression Tina dissipated on October 11, shortly after entering the Central Pacific Hurricane Center's area of responsibility. Although the tropical cyclone never made landfall, heavy rains were recorded across western Mexico. While at peak intensity, the storm also displayed annular characteristics. |
Stella Splendens | Stella splendens in monte ut solis radium miraculis serrato exaudi populum. Concurrunt universi gaudentes populi divites et egeni grandes et parvuli ipsum ingrediuntur ut cernunt oculi et inde revertuntur gracijis repleti. Principes et magnates extirpe regia saeculi potestates obtenta venia peccaminum proclamant tundentes pectora poplite flexo clamant hic: Ave Maria. Prelati et barones comites incliti religiosi omnes atque presbyteri milites mercatores cives marinari burgenses piscatores praemiantur ibi. Rustici aratores nec non notarii advocati scultores cuncti ligni fabri sartores et sutores nec non lanifici artifices et omnes gratulantur ibi. Reginae comitissae illustres dominae potentes et ancillae juvenes parvulae virgines et antiquae pariter viduae conscendunt et hunc montem et religiosae. Coetus hic aggregantur hic ut exhibeant vota regratiantur ut ipsa et reddant aulam istam ditantes hoc cuncti videant jocalibus ornantes soluti redeant. Cuncti ergo precantes sexus utriusque mentes nostras mundantes oremus devote virginem gloriosam matrem clementiae in coelis gratiosam sentiamus vere. |
Manilla Road | This period of uncertainty continued up until the year 2000 when the band was invited to perform at the Bang Your Head!!! festival in Germany. Sensing an opportunity they could not afford to pass up, Shelton agreed and booked the festival but was forced to replace Randy Foxe at the drums with Troy Olson when the former notified Shelton that he would not be able to attend. The show in Germany was a huge morale booster for the band, with many European fans coming to show their support for Manilla Road despite years of seeming inactivity. It was also while the band was playing in Europe that a new, long-awaited record deal was signed, this time with German label Iron Glory Records. Once back to the United States, the band parted ways with Troy Olson and invited in Scott Peters to be the band's new permanent drummer along with Bryan Patrick, who acted as a second vocalist onstage in order to complement Shelton. It was with this lineup that the Atlantis Rising studio album was released in 2001, ending nine years of recording drought. A concept album blending many elements from Lovecraft's Cthulhu mythos with Greek and Norse mythology, the sound was much more consistent with the Manilla Road of old and was well-received by critics and fans despite some technical hiccups in the album's production. |
Guillaume Bonnafond | Born in Valence, Bonnafond finished third in the general classification of the Tour de Lorraine as a junior, and he won the overall rankings of the Tour du Valromey, both in 2005. In the following season he recorded two third spots in two stages of the Tour de la Réunion and in 2007 there were two second spots (in stage 1B of the Tour des Pays de Savoie and stage 4 of the Giro della Valle d'Aosta) and two third spots (in the Grand Prix des Vins du Brulhois and in stage 1 of the Tour du Gévaudan. Then 2008 turned out to be his breakthrough year on amateur level. He was added to the Decathlon–AG2R La Mondiale team and with a second place in the Berner Rundfahrt, a third place in the Classique Sauveterre Pyrénées Atlantique and another second place in the first stage of the Tour du Chablais he started the season well. In the Ronde de l'Isard d'Ariège he won the fourth stage of the under-23 competition finishing in front of Blel Kadri and also managed to win the overall rankings that way. He then went back to ride in the Tour des Pays de Savoie again, this time with more success than the year before as he managed to win stage 1, towards La Toussuire, stage 2 towards Chambéry and the general classification in front of Julien Bérard. Later that year he rode to the third place in the Flèche Ardennaise, the second spot in the French national amateurs road championship, a second place in the Grand Prix Cristal Energie and a third spot in the Piccolo Giro di Lombardia. |
Gina Beavers | Beavers bases her paintings on snapshots from social media subgenres that embody contemporary modes of consumption and desire defined by excess and differentiation: "food porn," makeup tutorials, body painting and bodybuilder selfies. Critics have likened her position toward this subject matter (and her own output) as that "of a disinterested anthropologist" situated between fascination and critique. Her work engages the power of "high" and "low" cultural images and their effects on selfhood, offering uncanny or unsettling visions of digitally mediated life marked by a mix of shamelessness and self-abasement. She often blurs categories and genres in mashups of art history, kitsch and the body, for example, the painting Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh as rendered in Bacon , grotesque image combinations (burgers and vaginas, cake and butt cheek), or pats of paint on a palette formed into cupcakes. Frieze's Jonathan Griffin observed, "In Beavers's paintings, the body is often conflated with the artwork, soliciting the gaze of others but also anxious to control it or deflect it through illusion." |
Urgent Call for Unity | The Akademie president, Max von Schillings, called a meeting of the entire Akademie that very evening and announced the departure of Kollwitz and said that Mann would also have to quit, or he would quit himself. The minutes of the meeting report that there were protests from members because Mann was not present and had not been invited. The meeting was interrupted so that Mann could be called by telephone, and the meeting was then resumed and Mann's resignation was announced. There were protests, including one from Berlin city planner Martin Wagner, who then walked out. In the following days and months, numerous leading artists quit or were forced out of the institution. Alfons Paquet declared his solidarity in a letter on February 17. In March 1933, Paquet, Alfred Döblin and Thomas Mann (younger brother of Heinrich) quit. In April, Ricarda Huch quit. Max Liebermann, Paul Mebes, Otto Dix and Karl Schmidt-Rottluff quit in May 1933, after the book burnings. In July 1937, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Ernst Barlach and Ernst Ludwig Kirchner quit. |
Theodoric II | Theoderic II, son of Theodoric I, obtained the throne by killing his elder brother Thorismund. The English historian Edward Gibbon writes that "he justified this atrocious deed by the design which his predecessor had formed of violating his alliance with the empire." In late 458 the Western Roman Emperor, Majorian entered Septimania to attack Theodoric and reclaim the province for the empire. Majorian defeated Theodoric at the Battle of Arelate, forcing the Visigoths to abandon Septimania and withdraw west to Aquitania. Under the new treaty with the Romans, the Visigoths had to relinquish their recent conquests in Hispania and return to federate status. However, after the assassination of Majorian in 461, Theodoric recaptured Septimania and invaded Hispania again. Theodoric sided with Ricimer and the new emperor Libius Severus against Majorian's magister militum per Gallias Aegidius. Theodorics' army was defeated by Aegidius at Aurelianum and his brother Frederic died in battle, which Kulikowski writes "would have important consequences for the Gothic succession." Theodoric was himself murdered in 466 by his younger brother Euric, who succeeded him to the throne. |
Theodoric II | Well, he is a man worth knowing, even by those who cannot enjoy his close acquaintance, so happily have Providence and Nature joined to endow him with the perfect gifts of fortune; his way of life is such that not even the envy which lies in wait for kings can rob him of his proper praise. And first as to his person. He is well set up, in height above the average man, but below the giant. His head is round, with curled hair retreating somewhat from brow to crown. His nervous neck is free from disfiguring knots. The eyebrows are bushy and arched; when the lids droop, the lashes reach almost half-way down the cheeks. The upper ears are buried under overlying locks, after the fashion of his race. The nose is finely aquiline; the lips are thin and not enlarged by undue distension of the mouth. Every day the hair springing from his nostrils is cut back; that on the face springs thick from the hollow of the temples, but the razor has not yet come upon his cheek, and his barber is assiduous in eradicating the rich growth on the lower part of the face. Chin, throat, and neck are full, but not fat, and all of fair complexion; seen close, their colour is fresh as that of youth; they often flush, but from modesty, and not from anger. His shoulders are smooth, the upper- and forearms strong and hard; hands broad, breast prominent; waist receding. The spine dividing the broad expanse of back does not project, and you can see the springing of the ribs; the sides swell with salient muscle, the well-girt flanks are full of vigour. His thighs are like hard horn; the knee-joints firm and masculine; the knees themselves the comeliest and least wrinkled in the world. A full ankle supports the leg, and the foot is small to bear such mighty limbs. |
Sibylle Hamann | She then began working as a journalist for the daily newspaper Kurier, where she reported on the upheavals in the Soviet Union, the Caucasus and the Middle East, the end of apartheid in South Africa and the civil war in Rwanda in the "Foreign Policy" section from 1990 to 1994. In 1995, she moved to the news magazine Profil as an editor, where she wrote background reports on Africa, in particular the civil wars in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (then Zaire). From 1999 to 2001, she was a freelance correspondent in New York City, from where she traveled extensively throughout the US and the Caribbean countries and reported on them. In 2001, she returned to Vienna for Profil and reported for the magazine on the Afghanistan war of the USA against the Taliban, which had broken out at the time. In 2004, she went back to New York for a year as a correspondent. She has lived in Vienna again since 2006 and writes a regular column as a freelance journalist in the bourgeois-liberal daily newspaper Die Presse, for the Viennese weekly newspaper Falter, as well as guest articles for the German feminist magazine Emma and for the weekly newspaper Die Zeit. In 2006/07 she worked as a lecturer at the Institute for Journalism Studies at the University of Vienna, as holder of the Theodor Herzl lectureship, then as a lecturer on the journalism course at the FHWien. She is best known to television audiences as a studio guest on ORF discussion programs. At the Burgtheater she participated as a moderator in the project Die letzten Zeugen (engl. The Last Witnesses) by Doron Rabinovici and Matthias Hartmann, which was shown from 2013 to 2015. |
Promiscuity | The number of sexual partners people have had in their lifetimes varies widely within a population. We see a higher number of people who are more comfortable with their sexuality in the modern world. A 2007 nationwide survey in the United States found the median number of female sexual partners reported by men was seven and the median number of male partners reported by women was four. The men possibly exaggerated their reported number of partners, women reported a number lower than the actual number, or a minority of women had a sufficiently larger number than most other women to create a mean significantly higher than the median, or all of the above. About 29% of men and 9% of women reported to have had more than 15 sexual partners in their lifetimes. Studies of the spread of sexually transmitted infections consistently demonstrate a small percentage of the studied population has more partners than the average man or woman, and a smaller number of people have fewer than the statistical average. An important question in the epidemiology of sexually transmitted infections is whether or not these groups copulate mostly at random with sexual partners from throughout a population or within their social groups. |
Holy Trinity Church, Skipton | The first church on the site was built in the early 12th century, probably in wood. The present church dates from about 1300, and was extended to the east in the late 15th century. The church was damaged during the Civil War, and was repaired and restored in the 1650s with financial assistance from Lady Anne Clifford of Skipton Castle, whose father's tomb is in the church. In 1853 the tower was struck by lightning. The church was restored in 1909 by the Lancaster architects Austin and Paley. During this process, the galleries were removed, a north transept and new vestries were added, and new seating was installed. The church was struck by lightning again in 1925, causing a fire that destroyed the organ and damaged the roof. The roof was repaired, and a new organ case was installed, again by Austin and Paley. In 1979 the Lady Chapel was created in the southeast corner of the church, and more recently a Prayer Corner was developed in a corresponding position at the northeast of the church. |
Holy Trinity Church, Skipton | The plan of the church consists of a nave with a clerestory, a south porch, a north transept containing the organ and vestries, a chancel with the Lady Chapel to the south and the Prayer Corner to the north, and a west tower embraced by the nave. The window tracery is mainly in Perpendicular style, with some in Decorated style. The font stands at the west end of the nave, and has a Jacobean cover. The rood screen dates from 1533. In the chancel is a triple sedilia. There are monuments in the church dating from the 16th and 17th centuries to the memory of members of the Clifford family. One of the windows contains stained glass by Kempe. The original pipe organ was built in 1803 by Lincoln of London. It was sited in a gallery on the northeast of the church, and had been moved by 1855 to the southeast corner of the church. In 1875 a new organ was built by Jardine, and it was moved in 1888 to a new organ chamber on the northeast of the church by Abbott and Smith of Leeds. Following the destruction of this organ in 1925, a new three-manual organ, built by Rushworth and Dreaper of Liverpool and designed by Edward Bairstow, was installed. This organ was rebuilt and reduced to two manuals in two phases in 1966 and 1970, and moved into the left bay of the north transept by Laycock and Bannister of Keighley. There is a ring of eight bells, all cast by John Taylor & Co. of Loughborough in 1921. |
Skudai River | The Skudai River (Malay: Sungai Skudai) is located in Johor, Malaysia. Its main tributary originated from a small creek within an oil palm plantation in Kg. Sedenak, Kulai, then flowing south-ward towards the Johor Bahru city. Its river mouth is located in Danga Bay, Tampoi discharging its water to the narrow Tebrau Straits. The length of its main tributary is about 43 km, whilst the overall tributaries length is approximately 308 km. The Skudai River Basin (SRB) comprises 270 km2 of land, divided into 22 sub-catchments. It is within the jurisdiction area of Kulai Municipal Council (MPKu), Iskandar Puteri CIty Council (MBIP), and Johor Bahru CIty Council (MBJB). Among its main tributaries and sub-catchments are the Danga River (15.3 km), Melana River (15.9 km), Senai River (10.4 km), Anak Sungai Melana (5.8 km), UTM River (5.3 km), Kempas River (4.8 km), and Sri Sengkang River (8.4 km). This network of streams flows through several towns (e.g. Kulai, Senai, Skudai, and Tampoi), huge residential establishments (e.g. Taman Tun Aminah, Taman Universiti, Taman Impian Emas, Taman Perling, and Bukit Indah) and several industrial parks, making them susceptible to pollution. The Danga River and Kempas River have been identified as the most polluted tributaries within SRB. |
Timothy Garton Ash | Garton Ash first came to prominence during the Cold War as a supporter of free speech and human rights within countries which were part of the Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc, paying particular attention to Poland and Germany. In more recent times he has represented a British liberal pro-EU viewpoint, nervous at the rise of Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump and Brexit. He is strongly opposed to conservative and populist leaders of EU nations, such as Viktor Orbán of Hungary, arguing that Merkel should "freeze him out", evoking "appeasement". Garton Ash was particularly upset about Orbán's move against George Soros' Central European University. Anti-Soviet themes and Poland remain topics of interest for Garton Ash; once a promoter of the anti-Eastern Bloc movement in Poland, he notes with regret the move away from liberalism and globalism towards populism and authoritarianism under socially conservative political and religious leaders such as Jarosław Kaczyński, in a similar manner to his criticisms of Hungary's Orbán. In reviewing his book, Homelands: A Personal History of Europe, veteran Newsweek Journalist Andrew Nagorski wrote: "It bluntly describes the harsh political repression and monstrous economic failures that characterized the countries behind what was known as the Iron Curtain, while also evocatively capturing the 'abnormal normality' of a system that ruthlessly quashed all hopes for change, yet inspired people to 'make the best' of their seemingly hopeless situation." In that book, Garton Ash describes his meeting with Władysław Bartoszewski and having been "struck not only by the loud, rapid-fire voice of this senior member of the opposition, but also by his confident prediction that the Russian empire would collapse by the end of the century. This was at a time when the Cold War division of Europe appeared to be an unalterable fact of life." |
Marc Routh | With partner Simone Genatt he formed Broadway Asia Company in 1992, Broadway Asia International in 2009 and Broadway International in 2014. Broadway Asia Company is a booking and licensing agency which represents select Broadway productions as well as the Rodgers and Hammerstein catalogue. Producing credits include the North American tours of the Vietnamese Water Puppets and Cookin', as well as productions of Stomp, Swing, Smokey Joe's Cafe, Hairspray, Cinderella starring Lea Salonga, The King and I, 42nd Street, SpongeBob SquarePants, An American in Paris, The Producers in Asia and the ground-breaking Mandarin language production of I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change which premiered in Shanghai, toured China, and the Chinese cast performed in repertory with the New York cast in the original off-Broadway production at the Westside Theatre. The Creature from the Black Lagoon is a new musical which premiered at Universal Studios Hollywood. The musical Reel to Real, utilizing live performers and footage from the golden age of the Hollywood movies, premiered in Beijing and was most recently presented at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Routh and Genatt served as executive producers of the musical version of Jay Chou's The Secret, Neverland, the immersive Peter Pan experience, and China Goes Pop. |
Marc Routh | Routh is the recipient of the Robert Whitehead Award for Outstanding Commercial Theatre Producer in 1997, was inducted into the NYU Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame in 2003, and has been the recipient of 8 Tony Awards for The Producers, Hairspray, The Norman Conquests, Company, Angels in America, and The Band's Visit and Oklahoma!; and 54 Below; 2 Olivier Awards for The Producers and Hairspray; The Evening Standard Award for The Producers; 9 Drama Desk Awards for Marvin's Room, Stomp, Mnemonic, Hairspray, Sweeney Todd, Company, The Producers, The Norman Conquests, and Angels in America; 9 Outer Critics Circle Awards for Marvin's Room, Song of Singapore, Jeffrey, Hairspray, Sweeney Todd, Company, Young Frankenstein, An American in Paris and Angels in America; 2 Obie Awards for Stomp and Tap Dogs; The Helpmann Award for The Producers; The Dora Award for The Producers; The New England Critics Award for Sweeney Todd; The Carbonell Award for Sweeney Todd; 2 Lucille Lortel Awards for The Mystery of Irma Vep and Mneumonic; and 8 Drama League Awards for The Producers, Sweeney Todd, Hairspray, A Catered Affair, Company, An American in Paris Angels in America, and The Band's Visit. |
408th Rifle Division | In July, 1942, the German 17th Army began an offensive through the passes of the Caucasus Mountains towards the Soviet ports along the eastern coast of the Black Sea, focusing on Tuapse. Given this threat, the 408th was redeployed in this direction and was split up. While the bulk of the division joined the Tuapse Defense Region, the 672nd Rifle Regiment was detached in September to the 47th Army defending the mountain passes north of the city. By September 23 the entire division formed this Army's reserve. During the following weeks the German XXXXIX Mountain Corps gradually forced its way southwards, making contact with the partly-isolated and under-supplied 408th on October 14. On the 21st, the German force launched an assault from the Gunaika River valley towards the villages of Goitkh and Georgievskoe. An intense artillery barrage destroyed the division's headquarters near Mount Semashkho, killing and wounding most of its staff. With command and control devastated, the defenses of the 408th, and the adjacent 107th Rifle Brigade, were shattered. The Germans captured Goitkh and encircled and destroyed most of the division, with just small groups able to break out and link up with the nearby 353rd and 383rd Rifle Divisions. |
Thomas Dalton (abolitionist) | ...black separatists sought to control the Boston "African" school mastership. This attempt undermined a movement by black and white abolitionists to integrate Boston's schools. From the black community, integrationists John T. Hilton, a barber, and Thomas Dalton, a tailor, with as many as eighty-eight others had petitioned the school committee three times between 1844 and 1846. They earnestly requested that 'exclusive schools be abolished' and that their children be allowed to attend schools in their respective districts. Consistently refused, blacks boycotted in the late 1840s, lowering African school attendance by 65%. In the state legislature, they lobbied a bill outlawing race as a criterion for school admission. By 1848, blacks had engaged Robert Morris, one of the first black lawyers in America, to file suit in the court of common pleas against the city to test the constitutionality of school segregation. Repeated petitions and demands to integrate Boston's schools were resisted by the Boston School Committee for eleven years. Finally in 1855, the Massachusetts legislature reversed the Boston School Committee's policy by outlawing race as a criterion for admission to a public school in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts." |
2 States (2014 film) | Krish and Ananya decide to take a vacation in Mumbai with their families before the wedding, hoping they will get to know each other better. However, the trip does not go as planned due to Kavita's continuous remarks about their cultural differences. Furthermore, Ananya and her parents overhear Krish falsely assuring his mother she can treat Ananya however she wants after marriage. Having had enough of the insults, Ananya breaks up with Krish, and they go their separate ways. Krish becomes depressed and starts writing about his story with Ananya. He also visits her in Chennai, where she tells him to stop all communication. Later, he gets a call from Ananya, who reveals Vikram had secretly come down to Chennai to speak to her parents, apologizing for Kavita's shallow behavior in an effort to change their decision. The two families finally come together to get the couple married in Chennai. At first, Vikram declines to attend the wedding to prevent any further embarrassment, but at the last minute, he flies down to Chennai and apologizes to Kavita for his abusive behavior over the years. After getting married, Ananya gives birth to twin boys. Krish resigns from his job at the bank and publishes his book, 2 States, based on his and Ananya's lives. |
2 States (2014 film) | Taran Adarsh of Bollywood Hungama awarded the film 4.5 out of 5 stars, and noted, "On the whole, 2 States is one of the finest movies to come out of the Hindi film industry of late. This is one of those rare Hindi movies that commands a repeat viewing. Strongly recommended!" Critic Saurabh Dwivedi, writing for India Today, gave the film 4 out of 5 stars, and published, "2 States can be a good mirror for parents to understand their children. So take along your parents and enjoy the film." Meena Iyer of The Times of India gave the film 3.5 out of 5 stars, and wrote, "What makes 2 States work is the simple narrative told humorously. Adapted as it is, from one of author Chetan Bhagat's best-selling works, the film, just like the book before it, is light-hearted. Chetan's funny one-liners and life-view are studiously borrowed by the director for his screen outing. And though there is a sense of deja-vu, for those who have read the book, the movie still manages to charm and surprise." Paloma Sharma of Rediff.com gave the movie 3.5 out of 5 stars and opined, "There's nothing that should keep you from watching 2 States". Mohar Basu of Koimoi gave the film 3 out of 5 stars, and wrote, "2 States is barely unwatchable but misses the magic of Chetan Bhagat's novel. As a stand-alone, it is endearingly done with Alia and Arjun's scorching chemistry coming off as adorable. The Bhagat fan in me is disappointed, but the cinemagoer isn't." DNA posted, the first half of the film is light and breezy and the second dramatic and emotional, perhaps a better balance would have helped the post-interval portion which seems heavy. |
2 States (2014 film) | Hindustan Times' Anupama Chopra gave the film 2.5 stars out of 5, and said, "In 2 States, the story is the weakest link. The film is bolstered by talented actors, gorgeous songs by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, nice styling, sumptuous production design, and a few sparkling moments. But in the second half, 2 States falls apart. At almost two-and-a-half hours, it's also stretched so thin that by the time Krish and Ananya walk into the sunset, you are long past caring". Concerning Kapoor and Bhatt, she said, "Arjun, departing from his earlier violent roles, makes a nicely goofy and later subdued lover boy, but it's Alia who lights up the screen." Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV gave the film 2.5 out of 5 stars, and wrote, "2 States is a cross-culture love story that strives to be sweet, funny and emotionally wrenching all at once. It is occasionally funny and sweet in parts all right, but the family drama at the film's core has a severely stultified feel. The trouble is that the impending wedding remains impending far too long to sustain interest... it sets out to be a slice-of-life drama about a real couple grappling with the politics of inter-community marriage, but it fails to generate enough energy and warmth to draw the audience into a tight clinch". Shubra Gupta of The Indian Express gave the film 2.5 out of 5 stars, and said, "2 States... sets out to be a solid, emotionally satisfying rom-com, and goes well for a bit but then turns into a too-stretched-out 'jhagda' between the two sets of North-South parents. The smooth, engaging first half descends, post-interval, into mopey melodrama, and I got impatient waiting for the inevitable resolution." She praised Bhatt's performance, saying, "...Alia Bhatt is a surprise. She leaves behind her earlier films, and gets into her character: she may not be an authentic 'Southie' in terms of body language, but she is all girl, easy and fresh and natural." |
Fernald Feed Materials Production Center | The plant was located in the rural town of Fernald, which is about 20 miles (32 km) northwest of Cincinnati, Ohio, and occupies 1,050 acres (425 hectares). This location was chosen because it was between the uranium ore delivery ports of New York and New Orleans, and it was accessible to the other main AEC sites. In addition, the site was close to Cincinnati's large labor force, the landscape was level making the site's construction easy, it was isolated, which provided safety and security, and it was located 30 to 50 feet above a large water aquifer, which supplied the water needed for uranium metal processing. From 1951 to 1989 Fernald converted uranium ore into metal, and then fabricated this metal into target elements for nuclear reactors. Annual production rates ranged from a high in 1960 of 10,000 metric tons to a low in 1975 of 1,230 metric tons. Refining uranium metal was a process requiring a series of chemical and metallurgical conversions that occurred in nine specialized plants at the site. |
Fernald Feed Materials Production Center | Releases from the Fernald site to the surrounding area resulted in exposure to community residents included ionizing radiation, soluble and insoluble forms of uranium, and various other hazardous chemicals. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has conducted a historical exposure characterization and developed dose estimation models through the Fernald Dose Reconstruction Project, with an endpoint of developing an algorithm to estimate doses to individual persons who lived within the exposure assessment domain (the area within a ten kilometer radius from the center of the plant site). In addition to radioactive materials, many other non-radiological toxic substances were present in the production area as materials, by-products or products. Workers were exposed to chlorinated and non-chlorinated solvents, metals and metal salts, and nuisance dusts. Community residents may have been exposed to these substances through ground water pathways, soil contamination, and air dispersion of emissions from the site. |
Fernald Feed Materials Production Center | Two separate medical surveillance programs, for former workers and community residents, have been funded by settlements of class action litigation against National Lead of Ohio, a contractor for the Department of Energy. These Fernald Settlement Funds are administered by a US Federal Court, which maintains oversight of the Fernald Medical Monitoring Programs. The Fernald (Residents) Medical Monitoring Program (FMMP) is a voluntary ongoing medical surveillance program for community residents living within five miles of the perimeter of the Fernald site, and the Fernald Workers Medical Monitoring Program (FWMMP) is a program for former workers who were employed when National Lead of Ohio was the contractor. Activities of the medical monitoring programs include both periodic medical examinations and diagnostic testing and yearly questionnaire data collection. In January 2007, there were 9,764 persons enrolled in the FMMP and 2716 former workers enrolled in the FWMMP. The FMMP has an extensive computer database available for research studies. Samples of whole blood, serum, plasma and urine were obtained from all FMMP participants at the time of the initial examination, and over 100,000 one-ml aliquots of these biospecimens have been stored at −80 °C since then. |
Fernald Feed Materials Production Center | Q-11 was received in 55-gallon drums. The drums were deheaded before processing and were conveyed through a thawing tunnel, which also provided surge capacity of deheaded drums. The drums were lifted to the top of the building by a skip hoist where they were emptied into a surge hopper that feeds the magnetic separator and jaw crusher. From the jaw crusher, the one-half inch material passes through a rotary drum dryer to a system of conveyors, which conveys the material to a surge hopper that feeds the ring roll mill. The particle size output from the mill was controlled to about 100 mesh by an air classifier mounted directly on the mill. The undersized material was blown to a cyclone separator that was mounted directly above the first Gallagher sampler. The three Gallagher samplers in series each took a 10% cut of the stream fed to it, producing a sample approximately 0.1% of the original lot size. The main stream was conveyed to a drumming station where it was packaged in 55-gallon or 30-gallon drums for use in the Refinery. The official weight was taken at this point. |
Fernald Feed Materials Production Center | The principal function of Plant 2/3 was uranium purification and conversion of uranium bearing materials into uranium trioxide (UO3), or orange oxide. There are three principal forms of uranium residues, each having a separate processing route for putting the uranium into solution. Uranium oxides are dissolved in 6000 gallon vats of pure nitric acid in the Oxide Digester (also known as the west metal dissolver), miscellaneous residues that required filtration were dissolved in the Slag Leach Digester, and metals were dissolved in the Metal Dissolver. If the ore was poured too rapidly into the nitric acid vats a condition known as a "boilover" results. The reaction generates so much gas that it becomes a foam and boils over the sides of the vat. Many workers were told to not step in any puddles on the floor as they were probably nitric acid left from one of these "boilover" incidents. The site employed their own cobblers just to repair work boots that had been exposed to too much acid. Another hazard was the nitrogen dioxide fumes coming off the nitric acid vats. There were so many fumes that on high humidity days during the summer there appeared to be an orange cloud encasing this building and anyone just walking past would experience a sensation as if he had wandered into a swarm of bees. |
Fernald Feed Materials Production Center | Orange oxide was received from the Refinery in five-ton mobile hoppers, which were mounted on seal hoppers to feed the reduction furnace at a rate of approximately 375 pounds per hour for producing metal grade UF4. The powder was agitated and carried through the reduction furnace by a ribbon flight screw. Dissociated ammonia was metered to the reduction reactors and passed counter-currently to the bed of uranium oxide within the chemical reactor. The off-gases from the reduction reactors were passed to a hydrogen burner where the excess hydrogen was burned and then passed through a dust collector to remove any entrained uranium dioxide that might have been present. The UO2 in the reduction furnace passed through a seal hopper and a feed screw to the first of the three hydrofluorination furnaces. The bed of UO2 was moved through the hydrofluorination furnace by ribbon flight screws and contacted counter-currently by hydrofluoric acid vapors. The UF4 was removed from the third furnace and conveyed to a packaging station where the product was packaged in 10-gallon pails for use in the Metal Plant, or in 5-ton containers for shipment to the cascades. The off-gases containing water vapor formed in the reaction and excess hydrofluoric acid was removed from the first furnace and were sent to hydrofluoric acid recovery. The gases first passed to a partial condenser that removed all of the water in the form of 70% aqueous hydrofluoric acid. The remainder of the gases was then passed to a total condenser, which condenses the remainder of the acid as anhydrous hydrofluoric acid. The gases at this point contain only the nitrogen from seals and purge gases and small amounts of hydrofluoric acid that did not condense in the total condenser. These were passed through potassium hydroxide scrubbers to remove the last traces of acid and then discharged to the atmosphere. |
Fernald Feed Materials Production Center | The conversion of UF to metal was accomplished by the thermite reduction of green salt with magnesium in a refractory lined steel reaction vessel. 450 pounds of green salt were blended with approximately 72 pounds of magnesium. The resulting mixture was uniformly packed into the reduction "bomb", which has previously been lined with refractory slag in a jolting apparatus. Following these steps, the bomb was capped with refractory, sealed, and placed in one of 49 electric muffle furnaces. The furnace temperature was raised to approximately 1,225 °F and after about four hours the thermite type reduction reaction occurs: UF4 + 2Mg → 2MgF2 + U (metal). The charge was then allowed to separate and cool in the furnace for 10 minutes, after which it was removed and cooled to room temperature. Finally, the solidified uranium metal (derby) was separated from the slag and liner materials in a sequence of manual and mechanical operations that take place at the breakout station. The yields expected from this operation were about 95%. There are many documented explosions of these furnaces due to improperly packed refractory lining or a magnesium flare. Whatever the cause, the building would fill with radioactive smoke along with a real probability that molten uranium metal would come pouring out of the bottom of the furnace. |
Fernald Feed Materials Production Center | The rods were cut into 22-foot lengths as they leave the last stand by means of a flying shear. The Savannah rods were air cooled to room temperature on the cooling bed and then were cold straightened in a Medart Straightener. Rods to be beta heat treated by-pass the cooling bed and were lifted into the beta heat treating furnace by means of a hoist, to be held at 1,320–1,365 °F for 11–20 minutes and then quenched in cold water. After quenching, these rods were conveyed to the Medart straightener for straightening. The rods were located in 2+5⁄8-inch Acme-Gridley automatic screw machines where slugs were cut from the rods. The Hanford slugs were then placed in the Heald machine, which cuts the slugs to desired lengths and finishes and radiuses the ends. The Savannah River slugs were reduced to exact dimensions of size, surface, and straightness on a centerless grinder after which a contour was placed on the surface by a thread rolling machine. The slugs were numbered and put on a basket on a conveyor that passes through a degreasing tank, pickling tank, two rinse tanks and a hot air dryer before depositing the slug basket in the Inspection Department. The slugs were inspected for seams, striations, dimensions and handling defects with the good slugs being packed for shipment. |
Fernald Feed Materials Production Center | Bomb liner material received from Plant 5 in mobile hoppers was emptied at an unloading station and elevated to a surge hopper. Material as needed was sent from the surge hopper through a jaw crusher and into a shelf type oxidation furnace. Here the metallic uranium was oxidized to triuranium octoxide (U3O8). The material discharged from the furnace was lifted to a surge hopper and then as needed was sent through a roll mill and ground to -325 mesh size. It was then fed into carbon brick digestion tanks where the uranium was dissolved in hydrochloric acid containing a little sodium chlorate. The undissolved solids were filtered off and dumped into a truck, which hauls the spent material to a scrap dump. Uranium in the filtrate was sent to a precipitation tank and precipitated with ammonium hydroxide (NH4OH), in presence of phosphoric acid to form UAP (uranyl ammonium phosphate). The resulting slurry was filtered and the uranium bearing cake was introduced to a drying furnace. The dried UAP was sent to the refinery. In addition to the wet system described, several furnaces were installed in the plant for massive metal oxidation, pyrohydrolysis, drying, chip and sludge combustion, etc. Most of the furnaces can be used for more than one of the above operations. |
Fernald Feed Materials Production Center | The primary purpose of Plant 9, the Special Products Plant was to process slightly enriched uranium and to cast larger ingots than those produced in Plant 5. The plant contains facilities for producing derbies, ingots, slugs, and washers of various enrichments. Construction of the plant as a thorium metal production process was completed in 1954 and the thorium process was begun in October 1954. Plant 9 was originally designed and constructed as a thorium metal production plant, yet had to be regarded as a semi-development works because of a lack of process information. The two basic processes, hydrofluoric acid precipitation of thorium fluoride and induction de-zincing and melting, which were used to start the plant, were not able to produce a pure metal. However, improvement in production techniques permitted the eventual development of an oxalate precipitation process capable of producing pure thorium metal. Interest in this item declined during the 1956–1957 period and the plant operations evolved to the casting of enriched uranium ingots larger than those being processed in the Metals Production and Metals Fabrication Plants. Ingots were cast up to 13-inch diameter, 38-inch length and having a weight approaching 2,000 pounds. As such the processes and equipment used were almost identical to those of Plants 5 and 6. |
Fernald Feed Materials Production Center | The Pilot Plant consists of small size equipment for piloting refinery operations, hexafluoride reduction, derby pickling, ingot casting, and other equipment for special purposes. This plant was used for numerous process testing and experimental operations as well as being employed as a production facility for various processes. In the early years, derbies were produced there, in the manner described in Plant 5. Another process operated on a production scale was the direct conversion of uranium hexafluoride to green salt. This production process was operated with UF6 that contained as much as 2.5% U235. A two-step procedure was used. First was the vaporization of UF6: solid UF6 in large 10 or 14 ton cylinders were heated in autoclaves at approximately 110 °C to produce gaseous UF6. The next step was the reduction of the UF6 gas, which involved mixing it with hydrogen gas at 480–650 °C in metal reactors to produce UF4 powder. Hydrogen fluoride was a valuable byproduct of the reaction, which was: UF6 + H2 → UF4 + 2HF. In addition, most of the thorium production activity at the FMPC took place inside the Pilot Plant. Thorium production activities began in 1964 and continued until 1980. |
Peter Lenz | In 2008 Lenz focused on full-size GP chassis bikes. The focus of his riding was to continue the development of his racecraft on MiniGP tracks on his Honda NSR50, KTM 65SX, and new Honda RS85 and Honda RSF150R in select SCMINIGP, CMA CNMRA, CMRRA, NMRRA and SMRRC races. He also ran the Can-Am Mini Motorcycle Roadracing Championship Series in which he won four National Champion titles. He also won the CMA Canadian National Formula Thunder Championship. Awareness of Lenz increased significantly when a video of him titled, "Follow 10yr roadracer Peter Lenz at the Streets of Willow" was posted on YouTube and was viewed and shared by many. Lenz's Honda RSF150R was featured in RoadRacerX's The Point feature. Lenz began riding a Honda RS125 in the fall of 2008 and retired from mini racing on kart tracks. He raced his RS125 for the first time with WERA at Las Vegas Motor Speedway finishing in second place, five tenths of a second off the track record. Lenz was also awarded one of CMA's MAX Awards for the year. |
Peter Lenz | On August 29, 2010, Lenz was involved in a fatal crash during a warm-up lap at the MD250H race of the Red Bull Indianapolis GP at the exit of Turn 4 (the exit of the Snake Pit section). Lenz raised his hands up to signal a rider was down, and a pack of three riders came up to him, but the last of the three, 12-year-old Xavier Zayat could not see Lenz, and the two collided. Paramedics immediately placed Lenz into a cervical collar, intubated him, performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation and rushed him to the Methodist Hospital of Indianapolis, where he was later pronounced dead, due to his injuries. Cause of death was determined to be a broken neck. The brain stem injury is common referred to an "internal decapitation". He was the youngest competitor, and the first motorcycle racing death in the circuit's history. Reigning MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi fell four times at the track during practice and warm-ups and other top riders acknowledged the track surface and conditions were difficult. |
Arman FM | The stations attention boomed with its audiences' love to music and enthusiasm for change. ARMAN FM's programs are very diverse bringing the latest music from Afghanistan and around the world to the listeners. The shows are presented by some of the hottest and young RJs in the country including men and women. A format that was essential when the station launched with a style that is being replicated across competitive and governmental stations. Its entertainment-focused programs indicate the young global trends, featuring local, regional and international music. Chatting and engaging with the listeners and presenting the latest news, are also part of ARMAN FM's focus. Radio continues to be the most popular form of media in Afghanistan, accessed by 90% of population. ARMAN FM's target audiences are the private industry, NGOs and Government. Advertisers include Akira, Alekozay, Coke, Counter Narcotics Department, Continental Biscuits, ISAF, LG, Nestle, Roshan, UNFPA, UNICEF, Unilever and Western Union, amongst others. |
Hnat Khotkevych Ukrainian Bandurist Ensemble | From 1970 the ensemble toured the eastern states in Australia continually performing at community functions, historic anniversaries and numerous folkloric and ethnic festivals throughout Australia. In March 1971, ten bandurists with bassist Oless Tindyk gave an important concert in Newcastle dedicated to the bard Taras Shevchenko. At this concert a men's group and a women's group each performed 3 songs from their new repertoire as well as combining for the full ensemble performance - 14 items. The one negative issue to be exposed was a serious disagreement between the performing members as to who had voting rights in financial or performance matters. Of the many festivals the ensemble took part in, the most renowned was the Shell National Folkloric Festival held in the Sydney Opera House - from approx. 1976 to late 1980s when eventually the festival ceased activities. the Ensemble's performances at the National Folkloric Festival were enhanced by the participation of its inter-state members. |
Hnat Khotkevych Ukrainian Bandurist Ensemble | In June 1984, on the occasion of the 5th anniversary of the suspicious death of Ukrainian contemporary composer V. Ivasiuk, the group took part in a remembrance concert in Sydney where many of the younger generation musician, singers, instrumentalists also took part. The success of this concert saw the founding of the Ivasiuk Folk Ensemble by Peter Deriashnyj. For the next 10 years the Khotkevich Bandurist Ensemble worked as an instrumental support ensemble, effectively forming a choir with bandura accompaniment—a bandura capella. In the following years this powerful choral instrumental combination saw concert performances in Brisbane, Newcastle, Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne. The bandura ensemble still performed as an independent group but the combination with the four-part choral vocals of the Ivasiuk Folk Ensemble was the high-water mark for both groups. At this time much of Deriashnyj's attention was directed toward the Ivasiuk Folk Ensemble so the bandura group's assistant director, Peter Chochulla, took on the capella-master role, managing and organising rehearsals. |
Enna Solla Pogirai | In April 2021, soon after the finale of the cooking reality show Cooku with Comali, participant Ashwin Kumar Lakshmikanthan (who finished at third) and comedian Pugazh announced that they would be appearing in a feature film together to be directed by A. Hariharan and produced by Trident Arts. In late June, the film's title was revealed to be Enna Solla Pogirai, derived from a song from Kandukondain Kandukondain , and it is the debut for Ashwin as a solo lead actor after several supporting roles. After Hariharan wrote the script and pitched it to R. Ravindran of Trident Arts, it was the latter who suggested Ashwin. Hariharan explained the relevance of the title: "This question is pertinent especially when you're waiting to hear from your lover, right?". Two separate films with the same title were earlier announced – one in 2001 and another in 2011 – but neither came to fruition. In early July, Teju Ashwini and Avantika Mishra were announced as the lead actresses. Principal photography began on 19 July in Chennai. Richard M. Nathan, the cinematographer, sought to make the film "look clean and glossy" due to its genre, and also the look of an advertisement. With regards to lighting, he said he tried to eschew shadows and contrasts, and "showcase the actors in soft light from all sides, to create a pleasant look". The second schedule began in mid September. Filming wrapped in late October, and the film was edited by J. A. Mathivathanan. |
Sylvester H. Scovel | Scovel landed in Cienfuegos on the southern coast. After some initial difficulties in eluding Spanish authorities as he tried to slip out of town, he headed to the backcountry in search of the army of General Maximo Gomez, the Cuban insurgent chief in the eastern provinces. Scovel arrived in November, "traveling with the commander's personal staff," as the insurgents began their invasion of the western provinces. He sent his dispatches to New York through sympathetic Junta agents who smuggled them by boat to the U.S. But after three months, he had no idea if any of his work had made its way to the Herald. In an effort to locate American newspapers, early January 1896, while traveling with the rebel band of General Antonio Maceo, Scovel attempted to slip into Havana to check on his dispatches. In trying to pass through a sentry post as a 20-year-old Spanish speaking journalist, his bluff was called, and he was imprisoned in Havana's dreaded Morro Castle. Several days away from execution, he was visited by Dr. William Shaw Bowen, a correspondent for The New York World, who made a strong case to the Spanish authorities that they should not execute this college president's son. Scovel was released and directed to leave the country. But the young man had impressed the veteran political writer with his sincerity "to make a reputation as a war correspondent" that he was employed by The World. |
Sylvester H. Scovel | On February 23, 1896, Scovel published an exclusive interview with Gomez that enraged General Valeriano Weyler, Spanish governor of Cuba, who responded by posting a reward of $5,000 (Milton 95) and then $10,000 for The World correspondent's capture. Nursing a six-month-old gunshot wound that he incurred while witnessing an exchange of fire between the insurgents and the Spanish, Scovel left the country in disguise in August (Milton 100). On January 2, 1897, Scovel slipped back into Havana, risking arrest "at times when the execution of a little band of captured revolutionists by a firing squad was one of the regular early morning spectacles" . He met with American Consul-General Fitzhugh Lee, who wanted Scovel to locate Gomez and obtain the general's response to an American proposal for home rule in Cuba (Milton 143). Scovel accomplished his mission expeditiously. On January 4, he wrote, "I have been fortunate enough to get into Havana, get out of it again, and to find an insurgent force, all within twelve hours" . The Spanish authorities seethed. |
Sylvester H. Scovel | Scovel continued to elude capture until February 2, 1897, when he was arrested for a second time by Spanish officials, who claimed that the journalist had forfeited his recourse to the American Consulate by assisting the insurgents. A great outcry ensued. Newspapers in 87 U.S. cities ran editorials calling for Scovel's release. Congress, 14 state legislatures, as well as the Oklahoma territory and the city council of Columbus, Ohio, adopted resolutions calling for immediate governmental intervention . Journalist Richard Harding Davis and illustrator Frederic Remington published letters in The World protesting Scovel's unjust imprisonment. Davis argued Scovel's status as a non-combatant and concluded by threatening that if Scovel were to perish in Spanish hands, "HIS DEATH WILL FREE CUBA" . Three days later, Remington called for greater State Department involvement and observed that "it must make sour on his country when he is abandoned this way" . On March 9, he was released and traveled back to New York, now one of the most famous correspondents in the nation. |
Callista Chimombo | After coming to power, the former First Lady was increasingly given the roles of the official Vice-President, now President Joyce Banda and Banda's name was omitted from the official Malawi cabinet list. She has also been appointed to the Malawi Cabinet as of September 8, 2011 as the National Coordinator of Maternal, Infant and Child Health and HIV/Nutrition/Malaria and Tuberculosis. Her work, including charity work has been considered as a salaried position by the Mutharika administration and she a monthly sum of over $7,000 for doing charity work as a coordinator of safe motherhood. On September8th, 2011, an online newspaper, Maravi post and the Nyasatimes Newspapers reported that Callista Mutharika had been either accidentally or purposefully listed as Vice President of Malawi on the official Malawi government website and included screenshots. This information was corrected on the government site. The Mutharika administration though has denied that she is the nation's Vice President. |
2002 World Matchplay | A 64 checkout gave Holden the opening leg of his match against the Las Vegas Desert Classic runner-up Ronnie Baxter, who won ten legs in a row to win by 10–1 with finishes of 121 and 70. Fourth seed Denis Ovens was untroubled in a game with Whitworth and made a checkout of 121 in leg five en route to a 10–4 win. 12th seed Jamie Harvey emerged a 10–5 winner over Andy Jenkins as both missed their targets. Harvey said afterwards he required a victory at the tournament due to him being drawn to play Taylor in the previous two years. John Lowe made a three-dart average of 90.93, a checkout ratio of 30.31 and a checkout of 114 to defeat Alex Roy 10–2. A 52 finish and a 89.60 three-dart average allowed Chris Mason to win 10–1 over Richie Burnett, the 2001 World Matchplay runner-up. Mason failed to achieve a nine-dart finish because he missed the triple 19 inner ring at his eighth throw. Second seed Warriner won 11–9 over Les Fitton. Both players took the game to 9–9 and Warriner won by two legs over Fitton on a tie-break. |
2002 World Matchplay | The second round consisted of best-of-25 legs between 30 and 31 July. Taylor was the first player to progress to the quarter-finals with a 13–6 victory over Painter. He led Painter 3–2 and later 6–4. before checkouts of 68, 127 and 167 gave him the win; he missed compiling a 170 checkout. Mason won 13–6 over Brown; he had an average of 97 in the first six legs, which he won. Brown subsequently returned to contention before Mason won the match. The next second-round match saw Baxter beat Harvey 13–7. Baxter threw accurately enough to claim the opening three legs until Harvey mounted a short comeback. Harvey had a three-dart average of 85 before he was unable to complete a 140 checkout and Baxter returned to a three-leg lead at 7–3. Harvey took a further four legs in the match before Baxter claimed victory. Lowe beat Ovens 14–12. The game was closely contested until the 14th leg, when Ovens hit the double one ring to go 8–6 in front. It went to 10–11 and then 11–11 before Lowe took the win. |
2002 World Matchplay | Lloyd earned a 13–5 victory against Scholten. Both players shared the first two legs before Lloyd claimed seven sets in a row to lead Scholten 9–2. Scholten then lowered his deficit to 9–3 until Lloyd had finishes in the double five and fifteen outer rings to earn a spot in the quarter-final. Deller emerged from 5–2 behind Warriner to level the score at 6–6 and then 7–7. As Warriner drew clear, Deller made the tournament's highest checkout of 170 in the 18th leg and then finished in the double one, five and sixteen rings to win by 13–11; Deller's form allowed him to hit 13 out of 30 targets. Anderson defeated Askew 13–9 after he overcame a late match challenge from his opponent. He led 8–2 when Askew took 7 of the next 11 legs before Anderson won the match by hitting the double 20 outer ring in the 22nd leg. The last second-round match was contested by Part and Lazarenko. Both players shared the first 18 legs with neither taking a clear advantage. At 9–9, Part clinched the 19th leg and made a checkout of 117 to lead 11–9. He then won two more legs for a 13–11 victory. |
2002 World Matchplay | Taylor made the first nine-dart finish (two maximums and completing a 141 checkout by hitting the triple 20 and 19 inner rings and the double 12 outer ring) to be broadcast live in the United Kingdom in the fifth leg of his 16–7 victory over Mason and won £100,000 for doing so. He had a three-dart average of 112.17 with checkouts of 120, 126, 167, 87 and 106 for victory. Of the achievement, Taylor said: "I was a bit tearful at the end but I had to dig in.... Once I'd done the nine-darter it was a bit off-putting to then win the match. When everyone's waving betting slips at you, it takes you a few legs to think that this fella could knock me out of the competition if I'm not careful." Lowe took the last semi-final berth with a 16–13 win over Baxter. The players split the first two legs before Baxter won the third. Lowe then won three legs in a row until Baxter tied at 5–5. The score went to 8–7 and then 11–11 until Lowe claimed another three legs to be within two of victory. Baxter claimed two more legs until Lowe took two in succession to win. |
Brittney Spencer | Spencer, who is of African-American heritage, is a native of Baltimore, Maryland. She developed an interest in music from singing in church. "Church, for me, was very cultural. It's spiritual, but also very cultural. Families like mine, we couldn't really afford singing lessons or anything like that, so I just sang in the church all the time," she told Baltimore magazine. She was raised as an African Methodist Episcopal. Spencer also came from a musical family. Her father was part of a quartet band. A friend from church got Spencer interested in The Chicks, which developed her interest in country music. From there, she developed interest in artists like Taylor Swift. She attended magnet schools in her teen years, including the George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology. During this time she learned to play guitar and piano. Spencer also took vocal lessons from a coach who taught her how to sing in a recording studio. She began by singing background vocals for R&B and gospel artists including Jason Nelson. In February 2013, Spencer moved to Nashville, Tennessee, to pursue country music full-time. |
Brittney Spencer | In 2020 Spencer received significant attention after posting a cover of The Highwomen's "Crowded Table" on Twitter. The video received more than 150,000 views and re-tweeted by Maren Morris and Amanda Shires who praised Spencer's performance. "I just love to sing and write songs. Though there's really no way I could have ever prepared for the most humbling experience of my life to take place on Twitter," she told Billboard. In 2020, Spencer released her debut extended play (EP) titled Compassion. The project included several songs including "Damn Right, You're Wrong" and "My Perfect Life". During this time, she also launched her first tour titled "In a Perfect World". In June 2021, Spencer released a new single called "Sober & Skinny". In late 2021, Spencer performed alongside Mickey Guyton and Madeline Edwards on the 55th Annual Country Music Association Awards. The trio sang a track off Guyton's Remember Her Name album called "Love My Hair". She is expecting to release her first full-length album in 2022. Spencer is expected to perform on the upcoming 57th Academy of Country Music Awards. In March 2022 she was nominated by the CMT Music Awards, her first award from a major industry. |
Ryan Mmaee | Mmaee made his Belgian Pro League debut on 21 May 2015, at the age of 17 against Gent replacing Mehdi Carcela after 82 minutes in a 2–0 away defeat. Mmaee and his brother, Samy signed professional three-year contracts with Standard in August 2015. In the 2015–16 season he made seven appearances as Standard finished in seventh position. After playing in a few matches at the start of 2016–17, Mmaee was dropped from the first team back to the u-23s after he had an argument with manager Aleksandar Janković and an altercation with the physical trainer. Mmaee later explained what happened— "At 19, we want to play every game. When you don't play, you are disappointed, and your reactions are not always appropriate. I was young, I was learning on the job, I made mistakes when, I think, the club did not trust young people enough. I was upset in training because I was not selected in the group, I let it be known, and there were bound to be consequences. I thought it was all going to happen naturally. I was playing with the Belgian national team as a youth, I was upgraded to Standard, I thought it was going to happen so quickly in the professional world. It was not I don't care, but naivety". |
Ryan Mmaee | Mmaee signed for Hungarian Nemzeti Bajnokság I champions Ferencváros in May 2021, linking up with his brother Samy. He scored on his debut for Fradi, on 6 July 2021 in a 3–0 win over Kosovan side Prishtina in the UEFA Champions League first qualifying round. He also scored twice in the next round against Žalgiris. He made his league debut on 31 July 2021, scoring a penalty in a 2–1 defeat to Kisvárda. Ferencváros progressed past Slavia Prague to make it to the Champions League play-off round but they were defeated 6–4 on aggregate by Young Boys, dropping down to the UEFA Europa League. They were unable to get out of the group containing Bayer Leverkusen, Celtic and Real Betis, finishing bottom after managing one victory. Mmaee ended the 2021–22 season with 19 goals from 37 matches as Ferencváros won the title with four games left. They won a double after beating Paks 3–0 in the Magyar Kupa final. In 2022–23 Mmaee scored 12 goals in 31 appearances as Ferencváros again won the league title. |
Paul Mealor | Mealor's motet, a setting of Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal (rearranged as Ubi Caritas et Amor), was commissioned by Prince William for his marriage to Catherine Middleton at Westminster Abbey on 29 April 2011, when it was sung by the Choirs of Westminster Abbey and Her Majesty's Chapel Royal conducted by James O'Donnell. Later that year, Mealor was commissioned to write the music for Wherever You Are, a song setting a text compiled from letters written to British Army military personnel deployed on active service in the Afghanistan War by their wives or partners, as part of the BBC Two television series The Choir: Military Wives. The single, released on 19 December 2011, became the 2011 Christmas number one in the UK Singles Chart and raised money for military charities. In the 2012 Classic FM Hall of Fame, he was voted the 'nation's favourite living composer' and succeeded in achieving the highest placing of any new entry in the history of the Hall of Fame with Wherever You Are charting at No 5. |