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WeatherBug for Google Android Tablets
Northfield, NJ 08225
WeatherBug Mobile
Get the latest weather information, including local current conditions, extended forecast, severe weather alerts, animated Doppler radar, live weather camera images and more on your Android tablet with WeatherBug.
Key Features:
- At-A-Glance Information: The new widget panel design provides you with immediately access to preferred weather information and views.
- Location-Enabled Intelligence: With "Find Me" enabled, the tablet automatically adjusts the location and default maps based on your current location for quick and seamless access to local conditions and alerts.
- Camera Images: Swipe through an extensive image carousel to view live and time-lapse* shots from HD cameras in the exclusive WeatherBug Network.
- In-Device Barometer: The new app measures atmospheric pressure which can be used to forecast short-term changes in the weather. Such information is reported on the user's device can be sent to WeatherBug to create more detailed forecasts.
* U.S. locations only
WeatherBug offers mobile applications for Google Android smartphones as well.
To learn more, check out the free WeatherBug for Android and premium WeatherBug Elite for Android.
Also available, our free WeatherBug Time & Temp Android Widget.
Press Releases
- May 18, 2015WeatherBug App for Android Debuts New Home Energy Meter and New Look: Get Real-Time Local Weather Information, Forecasts and Alerts from the World's Largest Weather Network
- Apr 07, 2014Little League and WeatherBug Launch iOS and Android App to Promote Lightning and Weather Safety
- Dec 04, 2013WeatherBug App for iOS and Android Lets You Share Your Favorite Weather Photos and More
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Workington man died of natural causes - inquest
Last updated at 12:23, Monday, 26 November 2012
A Workington man died of natural causes after suffering an enlarged heart.
Michael John Westgarth, 46, of Cockfield Drive, Westfield, put on weight steadily after quitting smoking in 2009, an inquest heard, and he collapsed at his mother's home. He died in hospital.
A post-mortem concluded that Mr Westgarth, who was obese, died from an enlargment of the muscle tissue that makes up the wall of the heart. The pathologist found that Mr Westgarth had fluid on his lungs and fibrosis of the muscle.
Mr Westgarth's weight continued to rise steadily since he quit smoking going from 18 stones to nearly 19 stones this year.
His mother Mrs Westgarth, who rang the ambulance, said she was in "total shock" when her son collapsed at about 1.20pm on the day of his death.
Mrs Westgarth said: "He stood up, walked to get his keys, turned around and collapsed. He was one in a million."
Mrs Westgarth told the inquest that Mr Westgarth would visit her three times a day and was a "caring man" and "good dad". He has two daughters Tara, 20 and Heidi, 17, with his ex wife, and a sister and a brother.
Coroner David Roberts recorded a verdict of death by natural causes.
First published at 12:20, Monday, 26 November 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk

subset: commoncrawl


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For Immediate Release: November 1, 2010
The City of Alexandria's Ad Hoc Fort Ward Park and Museum Area Stakeholder Advisory Group is seeking public comment on the draft report and recommendations prepared by the advisory group. The Ad Hoc Advisory Group, established by City Council and appointed by the City Manager, began their one-year term in December 2009, and has spent the past 10 months developing recommendations for the City's management and planning at Fort Ward Park, including the museum area. To view the draft report, visit alexandriava.gov/recreation.
The public is invited to provide comment on the draft report through Sunday, November 21. Those interested in providing comments will be able to record their comments by email to email@example.com, subject line: Fort Ward Ad Hoc Draft Report, or may be mailed to Recreation and Parks, Attn: Laura Durham, 1108 Jefferson St., Alexandria VA 22314. All comments received by Sunday, November 21 will be compiled and distributed to the advisory group for review and consideration for the final report.
For additional information, contact Laura Durham, Open Space Coordinator, at 703.746.5493 or by email at email@example.com.
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1108 Jefferson St.
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Office Hours
8 am - 5 pm
James B. Spengler


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When it comes to forced induction, perhaps the best thing about owning a supercharged Chevy is the ability to literally dial in the desired amount of horsepower. If the motor is assembled properly using the right performance components, it is possible to adjust the boost pressure to achieve the desired output.
To illustrate the power gains offered by supercharging in general and then by pulley changes in particular, we decided to build a supercharged stroker and subject it to the rigors of the dyno. What follows is the build up of the dedicated big-block Chevy street stroker, along with the effects of adding a supercharger. After installing the Holley 420 Mega Blower, we took it upon ourselves to adjust the boost pressure by altering the blower drive ratio (via pulley changes).
After it was all said and done, we increased the power output of our already impressive normally aspirated stroker motor by a whopping 223 hp. What enthusiast wouldn't want an extra 223 hp?
The Holley/Weiand Roots blowers offer more than visual horsepower, as instantaneous boost provides immediate response and a wave of torque. The immediate boost response and impressive low-speed torque is one reason the Roots blowers continue to be so popular. When it comes to getting that big Chevelle, Camaro or even Impala moving in a big hurry, there is nothing like the feeling of a blown big-block. Taking the more-is-better route one step further, we decided that the only thing better than a big-block is an even bigger big-block. Combining additional cubic inches and forced induction can elevate your powerplant right to the top of the proverbial performance food chain.
Our test subject started out life as a 461 big-block. The 461 was originally equipped with a set of ported 049 oval-port heads, an emissions-legal Crane cam (203/212 duration) and an Edelbrock Performer 2-O intake. So equipped, the 461 produced 432 hp and 542 lb-ft of torque. For our needs, the 461 had two strikes against it in terms of performance as an optimum blower plant, namely the displacement and static compression. The displacement was too low while the compression was too high. Though the 461 offered decent low-speed torque production, our plan of attack was to build an even more impressive combination capable of bettering both the normally aspirated horsepower and torque production of the 461 while simultaneously allowing the combination to run effectively and effortlessly with our Holley 420 Mega Blower.
Given its mild state of tune, bettering the power output of the original 461 was not particularly difficult, as all we had to do was improve the efficiency of a few key components, namely the cylinder heads, cam and intake manifold. While adding free-flowing heads, a wilder cam and a high-rise intake manifold would surely improve the peak horsepower number, we also wanted to improve the torque peak-without sacrificing the impressive low-speed power already present.
Making life even more difficult was the fact that we had to achieve all this while dropping the compression down near 8.25:1 in preparation for boost. The game plan chosen was to combine the required low compression with an increase in displacement and efficiency. The additional cubic inches came from a stroker crank offered by Coast High Performance. The stock 4.0-inch (454) crank was ditched in favor of a cast 4.25-inch crank. Completing the stroker assembly was a set of forged I-beam rods and Probe Racing pistons. The forged pistons featured a single intake valve relief, as there is generally plenty of piston to (exhaust) valve clearance. The 4.25-inch crank was combined with the .030-over pistons to create a final displacement of 489 cubic inches.


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I wanted to take a moment and thank you for helping set up this race event. It was really a great time and overall K1 delivered! I'd like to commend a couple of the employees at the facility and am hoping you can forward me contact information for the manager of the Sacramento track. Thanks in advance and we are all looking forward to next year! Best regards- Karri C.
Wow!!! I had some AWESOME comments about your facility. First, let me tell you how much I appreciate everything you and your staff did for our group. They had a BLAST! Everything was perfect and from the bottom of my heart, thank you! I wouldn't be surprised if you see Truckee High renting your facility in the future. Again, thank you for your professionalism and management of K1 Speed in Sacramento. All the best to you,- Kelly H, Truckee High School Project Graduation Co-chair


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Thanks, everyone!
Thanks, everyone!
Welcome aboard!
Though I could not caution all I still might warn a few; Don't raise your hand to raise no flag atop no ship of fools. - Robert Hunter
I haven't lived the life I wanted, just the lives I needed too at the time.


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Course Sequence
The course sequence listed below applies to students beginning the OCAT program in Spring 2013 (Class of 2014). Students currently enrolled in the OCAT program should refer to their GPS Roadmap or contact the program's advisor regarding any curriculum or course sequence questions.
Kent State University at Ashtabula Occupational Therapy Assistant Technology Program
Suggested sequence of courses by semester for completion of the program in a two-year period.
Hrs Class number Class title
Fall Semester
3 *BSCI 11010 Anatomy & Physiology I
= 3 Credit Hours
Spring Semester
1 PTAT 20001 Therapeutic Communications in PT/OT
1 OCAT 10003 Occupational Therapy Practice Skills Lab
3 *ENG 10001 College English I
3 *BSCI 11020 Anatomy & and Physiology II
2 *OCAT 10000 Foundations in Occupational Therapy
3 *PSYC 11762 General Psychology
3 *SOC 12050 Intro to Sociology
1 *US 10001 University Orientation
= 17 Credit Hours
Fall Semester
4 PTAT 10002 Analysis of Movement
3 *PSYC 21211 or 40111 Psych of Adjustment or Abnormal Psychology
3 *NURS 20950 Human Growth and Development
3 OCAT 10001 Occupational Therapy Practice Skills II
5 OCAT 10002 Therapeutic Techniques I (Psychosocial)
= 18 Credit Hours
Spring Semester
5 OCAT 20000 Therapeutic Techniques II (Physical Dysfunction)
2 OCAT 20001 Professional Issues in Occupational Therapy
3 OCAT 20003 Occupational Therapy Practice Skills III
3 *Kent Core Math Elective Choose from the Kent Core Requirements
3 *Kent Core Humanities/Fine Arts Elective Choose from the Kent Core Requirements
=14 Credit Hours
Summer Semester
3 OCAT 20004 Therapeutic Techniques III (Developmental Disabilities)
3 OCAT 20006 Therapeutic Techniques IV
=6 Credit Hours
Fall Semester
8 OCAT 20005 Clinical Applications
= 8 Credit Hours
* Indicates the open enrollment courses. These courses can be taken prior to admission to the OCAT Program. Completion of these courses does not guarantee admission into the OCAT Program. However, completion and level of achievement in the courses are considered during the admission-selection process.
Progression Standards for the OCAT Program
Students are responsible for knowing admission, progression and graduation requirements for the OCAT Program. The OCAT Program is designed as a sequential learning experience. Each new course builds on knowledge and skills acquired in the previous course; therefore, OCAT courses should be taken in their designated order.
In order to progress in the program, all prerequisites must be satisfactorily completed. Students must earn a grade of "C" (2.0) or better in all OCAT courses, and related courses including BSCI 11001, PTAT 10002, PSYC 21211 or 40111, PTAT 20001, and NURS 20950. Any OCAT or related (above) course receiving a grade of "D" or "F" must be repeated the next semester it its offered, provided space is available. A student may only repeat an OCAT course one time. The student who fails to receive a passing grade of "C" or better in the repeated course will be dismissed from the OCAT Program and will not be eligible for readmission into the OCAT Program. The student may not progress to additional OCAT courses and Level II fieldwork affiliations, until they receive a "C" (2.0) or better in the repeated course, and successfully complete Level I fieldwork assignment. Any student who fails to progress 2 times will be dismissed from the program. Any student earning a letter grade less than a "C" (2.0) in two OCAT courses in the same semester will be dismissed from the program and not eligible for readmission.
To remain in the program a minimal cumulative GPA of 2.0 must be maintained. Failure to maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher will result in dismissal from the program.


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Mirage II Electric Fireplace - Black
- $ 529 00 529.00
- Shipping
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About this item
Dark earth tone faux slate tiles surround the firebox on this black fireplace mantel to create a look that is unbeatable. Rounded columns on either side of the firebox are topped off with square tiles, adding cohesion to the design. This versatile fireplace is complete with a collapsible panel, making it easy to place against a flat wall or in a corner. Requiring no electrician or contractor for installation allows instant remodeling without the usual mess or expense. In addition to your living room or bedroom, try moving this fireplace to your dining room for a romantic dinner or compliment you media room with a ventless fireplace below your flat screen television. Use this great functional fireplace to make your home a more welcoming environment.
- Sleek Black Finish
- Dark Earth Tone Faux Slate Tiles
- Mantle - Hardwood, Engineered wood with veneer
- Firebox - metal, glass and resin
- Firebox remote control - plastic and batteries
- Joints are combination of stapled, nailed and or glued
- Frame is hardwood
- Beautiful Media Room Accent
- Firebox provides realiststic flickering flame effect
- Adjustable Flame Brightness
- Easy to use Adjustable Temperature Control
- Supplemental heat for up to 400 square feet
For more information call 1.800.633.5096.
Assembled Country
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Component Country


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Found 6 results
Filters: First Letter Of Last Name is R [Clear All Filters]
The Arizona Meteorological Network: A Brief Overview. Southwest Climate Outlook, 3(3), pp.1-3., 2004.
Second century megadrought in the Rio Grande headwaters, Colorado: How unusual was medieval drought?. Geophysical Research Letters, 38(22)., 2011.
Renegotiating Urban Water Management in Flagstaff, Arizona, Tucson, AZ: Climate Assessment for the Southwest, University of Arizona., 2005.
Applications of Monsoon Research: Opportunities to Inform Decision Making and Reduce Regional Vulnerability. Journal of Climate, 20(9), pp.1608-1627., 2007.
Research Opportunities for Climate and Society Intreactions in the North American Monsoon Region. National Seasonal Assessment Workshops for Fire Potential., 2002.
Monsoon region climate applications. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 88(6), pp.933-935., 2007.


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JACKSON – Gov. Haley Barbour has announced the Mississippi Disaster Recovery Fund Inc. is accepting donations to help communities recovering from the April 15 and April 27 storms and those in the path of the floods from theMississippi River.
Anyone who would like to contribute can donate either through the website, www.mississippirelief.com, or text "MS" to "27722" to give $10 to the Mississippi Disaster RecoveryFund. Donors also can send a check to the Mississippi Disaster Recovery Fund, c/o BankPlus,4450 Old Canton Road, Suite 101, Jackson,MS, 39211, or donate at any BankPlus branch.
"We have seen substantial destruction across many parts of our state," Gov. Barbour said. "There are many Mississippians who must now begin rebuilding their homes and businesses. I know there are many generous people, who would like to help, and this fund will help meet the priority needs of the communities."
The fund is a 501(c)(3)nonprofit corporation that will coordinate donations to aid residents recovering from the storms. The goal is to meet the needs of the impacted communities that cannot be met by the government.
The website also will guide visitors to volunteer opportunities through the Mississippi Commission for Volunteer Service.
The Disaster Recovery Fund is managed by a board made up of members from throughout the state. The board members will determine the distribution of funds to address unmet recovery needs.
For further information on the disaster, visit www.governorbarbour.com or www.msema.org.


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Quarterly Report: 2014, January - March (Q3), Levelock
Robert Madeson
DCRA Regional Office:
Dillingham regional office
Gov't Type:
Federally Recognized Tribe
Lake and Peninsula Borough
Agreement Date:
Levelock Village
79 2013 Department of Labor Estimate
Assessment Status:
Assessment Completed
Assessment Date:
Exp Date:
Last Updated:
Community Sanitation Overview:
The Village of Levelock is a progressive community providing a variety of services to 36 households and approximately 84 residents. Those services include wastewater pumping, garbage haul, a public washeteria, electricity and fuel sales. All the homes and infrastructure are serviced by private wells and wastewater systems. The landfill is an unclassified dump and is operated by a solid waste manager. Garbage is collected three times a week. The solid waste management is part of the IGAP grant program. Wastewater is pumped from the wastewater systems and dumped into a trench within a fenced area. Lime is added to the trench. The costs of these services are subsidized by the Lake and Peninsula Borough Community Revenue Sharing funds to help prevent the wastewater systems from becoming a problem for the community. An active survey of the community, listing the age of each home, age of the wastewater system, and if there is a known problem, is maintained at the village office and is said to be current. There are currently 15 homes in need of new wastewater tanks and repairs to leach fields. Water in this area has a high mineral content. In recent years the community has had new infrastructure and housing projects. New wells that were drilled to a depth lower than in past projects. The new water tables appear to be producing a higher than normal mineral content. The village council has an active fuel loan with BIA Re-Supply, Alaska Fuel Loan.
RUBA Status & Activities This Qtr:
There were no requests for assistance from the community this quarter. RUBA staff remains available to provide assistance when requested.
RUBA Activities for the Coming Qtr:
Essential Indicators:
16 of 22
Sustainable Indicators:
22 of 25
Total Score:
38 of 47
Essential Indicators
All revenues and expenses for the utility are listed in the utility budget.
The utility has adopted a balanced realistic budget.
Monthly financial reports are prepared and submitted to the policy making board.
The utility is current in paying all water/wastewater electric bills.
The utility has on hand a year's adequate fuel supply or it has a financial plan to purchase an adequate supply.
The utility is receiving revenues (user fees or other sources) sufficient to cover operating expenses.
Sustainable Indicators
The utility is receiving revenues (user fees or other sources sufficient to cover operating expenses and Repair & Replacement (R) costs.
YTD revenues are at a level equal to or above those budgeted.
YTD expenditures are at a level equal to or below those budgeted.
A monthly manager's report is prepared.
Budget amendments are completed and adopted as necessary.
Finances Comments
The Village of Levelock does not have a constructed piped water or wastewater system. However, they do provide a septic pumping service. The tribal council is the governing body and serves as the utility board. The village council adopts a solid waste and septic pumping budget and a line item for Repair and Replacement costs annually. Village council staff uses QuickBooks financial software. The village administrator submits monthly financial reports to the village council. The monthly financial contains year-to-date revenues and year-to-date expenditures compared to annual budgeted amounts. Budget amendments are completed as necessary. Funds for solid waste management and septic pumping are received from the Indian Environmental General Assistance Program (IGAP). Money received from the Lake and Peninsula Borough is also used to subsidize village services. The village council has a fuel loan with BIA Re-Supply, Alaska Fuel Loan. Fuel is traditionally received in the spring and topped off by the last barge of the season. Residents purchase gasoline and heating fuel from the village office. A receipt indicating the number of gallons of fuel purchased is presented to the fuel operator, the fuel operator then dispenses the fuel. Electricity is paid for using pay-as-you-go AMPY meters. RUBA staff has not received the quarterly financial report.
Accounting Systems
Essential Indicators
The utility has adopted a collection policy and actively follows it.
The utility bills customers on a regular basis.
An accounts receivable system is in place which tracks customers and reports past due accounts and amounts.
An accounts payable system is in place.
The payroll system correctly calculates payroll and keeps records.
A cash receipt system is in place that records incoming money and how it was spent.
The utility has a cash disbursement system that records how money was spent.
Sustainable Indicators
A chart of accounts is used that identifies categories in a reasonable, usable manner.
Monthly bank reconciliations have been completed for all utility accounts.
The utility has a purchasing system that requires approval prior to purchase, and the approval process compares proposed purchases to budgeted amounts.
Accounting Systems Comments
The Village of Levelock operates the septic pumping service. The policies and Procedures Manual addresses billing and collection for fuel and electricity. Residents are not billed for garbage haul or septic pumping. The council voted to provide subsidized services for the residents in the hope of keeping the community clean and dogs and wild animals out of garbage, to control burning, to prevent dumping things that don't belong in the dump, and to keep the community safe and healthy. The septic haul is subsidized to assist in maintaining the wastewater tanks and leach fields; this allows the village to better monitor the wastewater systems and take action before a major problem develops. Residents prepay for fuel at the village office and electricity is paid using pay-as-you-go AMPY meters, resulting in very few problems with delinquent accounts. A chart of accounts is on file. The chart of accounts is well organized and includes accounts for tracking cash, accounts receivable, payroll taxes, loans, fund balances, salary expense, payroll tax expense, equipment, insurance, travel, and utilities. The Levelock Village Council hired Joyce Herr, CPA to manage Lovelock's payroll. QuickBooks is used by the CPA to calculate payroll and the village administrator uses QuickBooks to track village finances. A copy of the village's purchasing procedure is on file. When there is a need to purchase parts, supplies and equipment, the specifics of the purchase (part description, brand and model number etc) along with shipping and freight costs are included in the written request submitted to the village administrator. The village administrator then checks to see if the requesting department has funds to cover the purchase. Expenditures over $1000 require village council approval and two signatures are required on the check for payment. Expenditures over $500.00 require village administrator approval and two signatures are required on the check for payment. Expenditures under $500 require village administrator approval. If there are sufficient funds, the village administrator will submit the order.
Tax Problems
Essential Indicators
The utility has a system to accurately calculate, track, and report payroll tax liabilities.
The utility is current on filing tax reports.
The utility is current on making tax deposits.
If there are any past due tax liabilities or recorded tax liens, a lien release has been issued or a repayment agreement has been signed and repayments are current.
Tax Problems Comments
The IRS Taxpayer Advocate deemed Levelock non-compliant with federal tax deposit requirements for 3rd quarter 2010, 4th quarter 2012, and 2nd quarter 2013.
Personnel System
Essential Indicators
The utility has a posted workers compensation insurance policy in effect.
Sustainable Indicators
The utility has adopted and uses a Personnel Policy, which has been reviewed by an attorney, AML or Commerce for topics and language.
The utility has adequate written job descriptions for all positions.
The utility has adopted and follows a written personnel evaluation process that ties the job description to the evaluation.
The utility has an adequate written hiring process.
The utility has personnel folders on every employee that contain at least: I-9, Job Application and Letter of Acceptance.
The utility has a probationary period for new hires that includes orientation, job training/oversight, and evaluations.
The utility provides training opportunities to staff as needed and available.
Personnel System Comments
The employer's notice was posted as required. According to the Notice of Insurance, workers compensation insurance is provided by Alaska National Insurance. December 27 check of the Division of Workers Compensation website confirmed that the policy is in effect. The personnel office and procedures manual adopted by the council with assistance from the EPA Indian General Assistance Program is well written and contains sections dealing with safety, probationary periods, and supports training opportunities for all employees and council members. RUBA staff inspected employee files. Employee files contained I9, job application, employee evaluations, and letters of acceptance, or section of council minutes offering employment.
Organizational Management
Essential Indicators
The entity that owns the utility is known; the entity that will operate the utility is set.
The policy making body is active in policy making of the utility.
The policy making body enforces utility policy.
The utility has an adequately trained manager.
The utility has an adequately trained bookkeeper.
The utility has an adequately trained operator or operators.
The utility has adopted the necessary ordinances (or rules and regulations) necessary to give it the authority to operate.
Sustainable Indicators
The utility has adopted an organizational chart that reflects the current structure.
The policy making body meets as required.
The utility complies with the open meeting act for all meetings.
Organizational Management Comments
The utility complies with the Open Meeting Act for all meetings. The village council meets monthly as required by their bylaws and more often if the need arises. Council meetings are advertised and the public is welcome to attend. The village administrator is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the village. The village council has not adopted a utility ordinance; however the village council has adopted and actively adheres to the Policies and Procedure Manual that covers administration, village council members, employees, finance, procurement, property, and a Council Code of Ethics. The organizational chart is displayed in the meeting room and a copy was provided to RUBA staff. The village council is the policy making and policy enforcing entity for the village. The Policies and Procedure Manual covers the rules and regulations managing their utility and village. The village administrator and village council encourages training for all staff. The village administrator is certified in heavy equipment operations and provides training for other heavy equipment operators. The village administrator receives training and actively stays current with computer updates and policies effecting Levelock through the Bristol Bay Native Association and other federal programs.
Operation of Utility
Essential Indicators
The utility operator(s) are actively working towards necessary certification.
The utility has a preventative maintenance plan developed for the existing sanitation facilities.
Sustainable Indicators
The manager receives a monthly O&M report from the utility operator and routinely "spot checks" the facilities to see that the maintenance items are being completed.
The utility has a safety manual and holds safety meetings.
Utility facilities have not suffered any major problems/outages due to management issues that are unresolved.
The utility is operating at the level of service that was proposed.
The operator provides status reports to the manager on a routine basis.
The utility has completed and distributed its "Consumer Confidence Report".
The utility is not on the "Significant Non-Complier" (SNC) list.
The utility maintains an inventory control list.
The utility maintains a critical spare parts list.
Operation of Utility Comments
The village provides septic pumping services and maintains the wastewater trench. The Water and Wastewater Operator Certification and Training regulations, 18 AAC 74.006 require certified operators for public and private wastewater systems that have 100 or more service connections or is used or intended for use by 500 or more individuals per day. The village of Levelock's wastewater system does not meet the requirements of 18 AAC 74.006; therefore, a certified wastewater operator is not required to operate the wastewater system or provide the community with a consumer confidence report. Levelock is not on the Significant Non-Compliance (SNC) list. The designated operator for the sewage pumping service maintains direct contact with the administrator before and after service is rendered. The utility needs to update their inventory list and critical spare parts for the wastewater pumper.
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Progress of the World's Women 2015-2016: Transforming Economies, Realizing Rights
Progress of the World's Women 2015-2016 brings together human rights and economic policymaking, and provides the key elements for a far-reaching new policy agenda that can transform economies and make women's rights a reality. Through solid in-depth analysis and data, this evidence-based report provides key recommendations on moving towards an economy that truly works for women, for the benefit of all. More
- Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment (25)
- Economic Empowerment (16)
- Ending Violence against Women and Girls (15)
- Human Rights (10)
- Peace and Security (10)
- Post-2015 Development Agenda and SDGs (9)
- Governance and National Planning (9)
- Leadership and Political Participation (6)
- National Planning (5)
- Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (5)
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TRANSFORM – The magazine for gender-responsive evaluation – Issue 2, July 2015
July 1, 2015
In the second issue of TRANSFORM – The magazine for gender-responsive evaluation, the Independent Evaluation Office addresses a critical topic: women's economic empowerment, a critical subject not only for achieving gender equality but also for overall development and poverty reduction. More
June 26, 2015
The Annual Report documents UN Women's work to foster women's empowerment and gender equality around the world. It highlights some of the organization's initiatives during the year and provides summary financial statements, a list of new programmes and projects, and contact information. More
TRANSFORM – The magazine for gender-responsive evaluation – Issue 1, June 2015
June 15, 2015
TRANSFORM is the first magazine exclusively dedicated to gender-responsive evaluation. Published by the Independent Evaluation Office of UN Women, it aims to communicate good practices on gender-responsive evaluations, as well as evaluation findings on what works for gender equality. More
Impact stories and thematic briefs
May 12, 2015
The Thematic briefs outline UN Women's work in key areas, such as Peace and Security, and Economic Empowerment, focusing on solutions and illustrating selected results. The second set of briefs, dubbed Impact stories, illustrate the human impact of a selection of UN Women programmes implemented at the global, regional or national level. More
Progress of the World's Women 2015-2016: Transforming Economies, Realizing Rights
April 27, 2015
Progress of the World's Women 2015-2016 brings together human rights and economic policymaking, and provides the key elements for a far-reaching new policy agenda that can transform economies and make women's rights a reality. Through solid in-depth analysis and data, this evidence-based report provides key recommendations on moving towards an economy that truly works for women, for the benefit of all. More
UN Women Evaluation Handbook: How to manage gender-responsive evaluation
April 23, 2015
The UN Women Evaluation Handbook: How to manage gender-responsive evaluation is a practical handbook to help those initiating, managing and/or using gender-responsive evaluations. Although specific to UN Women evaluation processes, the Evaluation Handbook may be useful to international development evaluators and professionals, particularly those working on gender equality, women's empowerment and human rights. More
Championing Gender Equality in the HIV Response: The experiences of five programme countries
April 7, 2015
This advocacy kit summarizes the results and lessons learned from Cambodia, Jamaica, Kenya, Papua New Guinea and Rwanda under the European Commission – UN Women programme, entitled "Supporting Gender Equality in the Context of HIV and AIDS (2009-2013)". The programme demonstrated transformational changes that can result from targeted investments towards implementing commitments on gender equality in the HIV response and empowering women and girls, especially those living with HIV. More
Beijing+20: Past, present and future. The representation of women and the United Nations system
March 9, 2015
The Beijing Platform for Action mandates the full participation of women in the decision-making, including within the UN system. Twenty years later, statistical trends and future projections on representation within the UN system are analysed, and action points to overcome obstacles and accelerate progress are presented. More
Summary Report: The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action turns 20
February 20, 2015
Progress, challenges and lessons learned on realizing gender equality, the empowerment of women and human rights of women and girls in the post-2015 context are analysed in this summary of the Report of the Secretary-General on the 20-year review and appraisal of the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the outcomes of the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly, prepared by UN Women. More
Gender Mainstreaming In Development Programming
February 20, 2015
This publication displays how the 1995 Beijing Platform for Action commits all stakeholders in development policies and programmes, including United Nations entities, Member States, the international development community and civil society actors, to take action. More
International experiences in elaborating public budgets with a gender perspective
January 28, 2015
This booklet presents the cases of Australia, South Africa, Ecuador, Italy, Morocco, Nepal and the earmarking of resources in Mexico, and focuses on successful tools to accelerate progress towards gender equality. More
Towards a logical framework methodology with a gender perspective
January 28, 2015
"Towards a logical framework methodology with a gender perspective" contains the main elements for mainstreaming gender in planning the public budget in Mexico, explains its application step by step, and also includes an example of a problem tree and logical framework matrix with a gender perspective. More
Conceptual references for gender-responsive budgeting
January 28, 2015
"Conceptual references for gender-responsive budgeting" explains basic concepts such as gender, public budget, gender, gender equality, gender-responsive budgeting. It also details the lines of action and regulatory framework in Mexico at the federal level in this area. More
Budgets with a gender perspective at federal and state levels in Mexico
January 27, 2015
The publication is an introduction to the process of mainstreaming gender in public budgeting and synthesizes the Mexican experience, from signing international human rights treaties to actions at federal and state levels in harmonizing gender-responsive laws, policies and budgets. More
Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, Beijing +5 Political Declaration and Outcome
January 19, 2015
Considered the most progressive blueprint ever for advancing women's rights, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action has been reprinted in this special edition, which also includes a copy of the political declaration reached at the 23rd special session of the General Assembly in 2000, which reviewed progress towards the Platform for Action five years after its adoption. More
Handbook on Effective Prosecution Responses to Violence against Women and Girls
December 9, 2014
Prosecutors play a critical role in the criminal justice response to violence against women and girls. In December 2010, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the updated Model Strategies and Practical Measures on the Elimination of Violence against Women in the Field of Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (General Assembly resolution 65/228, annex) which provide a comprehensive policy framework to assist States in developing responses and carrying out actions to eliminate violence against women and to promote gender equality within the criminal justice system. More
November 3, 2014
Extracting Equality — A Guide is a practical tool which assists individuals and organizations involved in the extractive industries in integrating gender into each stage of the extractive value chain. At each step, the toolkit offers a clear picture of the specific considerations to make and questions to ask in order to ensure women are not left out of natural resource governance. More
The World Survey on the role of women in development 2014: Gender equality and sustainable development
October 16, 2014
The World Survey on the Role of Women in Development is a UN Secretary-General report mandated by the Second Committee of the General Assembly and comes out every five years. The 2014 report focuses on gender equality and sustainable development, with chapters on the green economy and care work, food security, population dynamics, and investments for gender-responsive sustainable development. More
The Global Economic Crisis and Gender Equality
September 8, 2014
The 2007-2008 global financial crisis and subsequent austerity policies have jeopardized the realization of women's economic and social rights. The resulting job losses, decreased social services, and increased economic insecurity have weakened the capacity of people to perform unpaid care work. In this paper, UN Women calls on States to meet their human rights obligations by taking a transformative approach to economic and social policy and designing recovery policies that promote gender equality and women's rights. More


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Pronunciation: ألحقت
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Vijay gets friendly with fishermen folks and begins his game. He is like a God to the fishing hamlets. He is fondly called Sura. When all are happy comes a silent tsunami in the form of smuggler big wig like Velu Naiker in Nayagan. He plans to curb the fishing hamlet lands in order to run his business smoothly. He tries to cheat the poor fishermen folk by saying that a big factory is going to come up in that area and promises to give lands in compensation. The news goes to Sura that these poor fishermen have been cheated. Now Vijay starts the hunting and the fisherman gets their justice, peace and happiness. Thamanna dons the role of a bubbly college girl and is the love interest of Vijay.
Rated No Rating .
Visit the official site
Cast: Vijay, Vadivelu, Tamannaah Bhatia, Dev Gill, Sriman
Produced by: Sangili Murugan
Directed by: S. P. Rajkumar
Written by: S. P. Rajkumar
Running time: 2hr 35min
Opens: Apr 30, 2010 Limited


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Posts tagged as 'British manafacturing'
Check out all of the posts tagged with 'British manafacturing' below. If you still can't find what you are looking for, try searching using the form within the right side navigation of this page.
Behind the scenes at the George Cox factory
Monday, 24th Sep 2012
Fred Perry are pleased to announce the release of two new exclusive George Cox footwear styles, as part of our on-going Friends of Fred project. Established in 1906 in Northamptonshire, the home of British shoemaking, George Cox has built a reputation for their uncompromising craftsmanship and traditional values on quality. Keen to see the process involved in making each shoe; we took a visit to the factory to see British manufacturing at its best.
The company, famed for its creeper styles, utilises a production process known as Goodyear Welting. The hands-on nature of this construction means that the shoes take much longer to produce than those made using wholly mechanised techniques. Whilst many modern manufactured shoes have their soles simply glued on, the Goodyear welting process involves several stages of sealing with each shoe individually finished by a skilled craftsman. Whilst at the George Cox factory, we witnessed the production of the new women's Friends of Fred Gibson shoe from beginning to end.
Firstly, the suede or leather hide is selected and the upper shoe pattern cut out by hand. In footwear production this initial stage is known as 'clicking' and calls for great skill and precision. Once the suede has been cut to shape, the pieces - including the lining - are stitched together and then stretched and shaped over the last. Each shoe style has a different last, created with individual characteristics, and it's this shaping tool that replicates the anatomical information of the foot and gives the shoe its sturdy, recognisable finish.
A welt (a strip of material) is then stitched to the upper and inner sole holding all the pieces firmly together. Next, the bottom of the shoe is compacted with a special filler to create a flat surface, whilst also adding insulation. Now the whole upper part of the shoe is complete, the soles are carefully trimmed and stitched to the welt. The final stages of making the shoe involves the stitching, fixing and attachment of the heel; overall polishing and one last examination, ensuring everything is as it should be before carefully boxing.
For the Autumn/Winter Friends of Fred selection, George Cox have created two suede styles: a men's lace-up creeper and the women's Gibson style (pictured) available in sweetcorn or black.
See the full Friends of Fred selection online and in our Laurel Wreath Collection shops now.


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Cooke & Lewis Designer Black & White Bridging Cabinet Door (H)440 mm (W)396 mm
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A designer bridging cabinet door from Cooke & Lewis.
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Read moreabout Cooke & Lewis Designer Black & White Bridging Cabinet Door (H)440 mm (W)396 mm
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Aug 21, 2009
Sudoku Solver
This NXT robot firstly sweeps over the sodoku board to find where the existing numbers are. It then scans each existing number individually and does some trick image recognition (segmentation/thinning etc) to work out it's value. Once it knows the values of each of the existing numbers, it can solve the puzzle. Using the pen on the front it proceeds to fill in all the blank space.
Truly impressive.
It would be interesting to find out how long the whole process takes.
More details at http://tiltedtwister.com/sudokusolver.html
Damien Kee
10 comments:
- linus.atorf said...
This reminds me of "Sudoku-Killer", a robot controlled by MATLAB which can apparently solve 200 sudokus in 30 minutes. It uses a computer for image recognitian and sudoku solving though:
- Aug 21, 2009, 9:42:00 PM
- alanlevezu said...
Wow... and are we sure this wasn't posted on April 1st?
Just wow!
- Aug 21, 2009, 11:25:00 PM
- Jonathan Daudelin said...
Absolutely incredible!
- Aug 22, 2009, 4:21:00 AM
- megamindstorm101 said...
from the creator of the tilted twister best rubiks cube solver (in my opinion because there was no webcam or computer involved :) ) This is just another one of tilted twisters best projects. I have seen sudoku solvers but just as the other rubiks cube solvers this uses the computer. This person really takes something that people belive impossible or too hard to do with just the NXT. TiltedTwister proves them all wrong. simply amazing
- Aug 22, 2009, 9:38:00 AM
- BlueToothKiwi said...
Yeah - I agree with megamindstorm101 - but just like the rubik cube solver he again stuck to the parts from just ONE NXT 1 kit.
But the real genius in the programming - especially the segmenting / thinning / letter recognition: Think of the computations involved in using something like the Otsu's method for thresholding!
As for the pen - The writing is still legible in the left and right extremes of the 9x9 grid!
Well done Hans - and thanks Damo for the post!
- Aug 24, 2009, 7:02:00 AM
- Matthias Paul Scholz said...
Is all the computing done on the brick? Or is an external machine used (in particular for the image-related computations)?
- Aug 31, 2009, 10:30:00 PM
- Matthias Paul Scholz said...
Addendum: Hans told me on asking that all the computing is done on the brick - no external computer is required.
- Sep 6, 2009, 8:42:00 PM
- Yoshie Master said...
All computing IS done on the brick. I have built it, but as with the cube solver, it doensn't work. have I done something wrong or is it a hoax? The pen won't go up or down. In cube solver, it scanned cube and said whoops when it started to solve. Can someone else build and post?
- Jan 2, 2010, 4:24:00 PM
- thomisback said...
there is a problem with the pen elevator instructions. One of the 2 pins that u put between the elevator motor has been positioned incorrectly. The bottom pin has to be put 1 hole down.
- Jan 13, 2010, 12:32:00 PM
- softwarehouse said...
- Feb 7, 2012, 10:28:00 PM


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St. Edward's University Magazine: Finding Change in Chicago
Seven months ago, eight St. Edward's University students set out for Chicago on a mission: to live simply and lend a helping hand. They worked at a soup kitchen, and volunteered at an inner-city Catholic school. They arrived home with more than just a few mementos; they gained a new sense of focus on their lives and education. Starting on page 18, we walk you through their week in some of the toughest areas of the Windy City.
Other stories in this issue include:
Eye of the Tangent
The St. Edward's University math club arose from nowhere to take second place at the Texas Sectional Calculus Bowl this past spring. Team leaders Payden Johnson '12 and Paul Wright '12 are already immersed in their training regime for the 2012 edition. They want you to join them (page 2).
The Great Romanian Adventure
Packing for a semester abroad as a college student is one thing. Packing for a year in Romania for a family of five is entirely different. Stacia Hernstrom MLA '05 writes home to tell us about her family's "study abroad" experience (page 14).
Twenty years ago, it would have seemed impossible that Taj McWilliams-Franklin '93 would be leading the Minnesota Lynx to the 2011 WNBA championship. But it happened. Starting on page 23, we tell you how she got to the top of her game.
You're a True Hilltopper If…
Do you bleed blue and gold? Take our quiz, starting on page 27, to find out if you get a passing grade in Hilltopper spirit and knowledge. Relax, it's all in good fun.
The St. Edward's University Magazine is distributed three times a year to alumni, students, faculty and staff members, and friends of the university. Each issue includes the latest alumni news, campus happenings, student and faculty member achievements, and feature stories that explore the university and its community in greater depth.
Copies are available around campus, or download a PDF version.


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Ranked #1 Children's Hospital by U.S. News & World Report
MyPatients provides referring primary care providers with secure access to their patients' information.
Boston Children's has launched the world's 1st program dedicated to offering hand transplants to children who qualify.
Innovation insider is a semi-monthly e-newsletter analyzes innovations at Boston Children's, other academic medical centers and from industry.
Read the latest blog by a Boston Children's doctor, clinician or staff member.
Support the hospital with a donation that helps kids get the care they need.
Welcome to the New Balance Foundation Obesity Prevention Center Boston Children's Hospital—a resource for parents, children, healthcare providers and others who are dedicated to combating childhood obesity.
Over the last several decades, obesity has become an epidemic that puts happy, healthy futures in danger. Boston Children's Hospital and the New Balance Foundation unite under a common goal to create healthy and happy lifestyles that last into adulthood.
Join us in our efforts to prevent childhood obesity for a healthier tomorrow.
July 9, 2013
New brain imaging study provides support for the notion of food addiction. Substance abuse and high-glycemic foods may trigger the same brain mechanism tied to addiction. Read related articles: New York Times, Time Magazine, National Public Radio.
November 13, 2012
Due to ongoing efforts led by David Ludwig, MD, PhD, the TEDMED challenge team has promised to highlight obesity as a top 20 challenge this year.
November 8, 2012
Our researchers find that when it comes to weight-loss maintenance, low-glycemic diets may help keep weight off and be more sustainable for kids, compared to the conventional low-fat diet.
October 29, 2012
Watch a new video about what patients can expect at the Optimal Weight for Life Program.
October 17, 2012
Study in the New England Journal of Medicine finds definitive evidence that sugar-sweetened beverages directly link to weight gain.
Ending the Food Fight: Guide Your Child to a Healthy Weight in a Fast Food / Fake Food World
Always Hungry? Here's Why
Dr. David Ludwig's OP Ed piece highlights the hypothesis in an article just published in JAMA, The Journal of the American Medical Association. According to this alternative view, factors in the environment have triggered fat cells in our bodies to take in and store excessive amounts of glucose and other calorie-rich compounds.
The future of pediatrics will be forged by thinking differently, breaking paradigms and joining together in a shared vision of tackling the toughest challenges before us."


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The game is played on a square chequered chessboard with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight square. At the start, each player (one controlling the white pieces, the other controlling the black pieces) controls sixteen pieces: one king, one queen, two rooks, two knights, two bishops, and eight pawns. The object of the game is to checkmate the opponent's king, whereby the king is under immediate attack (in "check") and there is no way to remove it from attack on the next move.
The tradition of organized competitive chess started in the sixteenth century and has developed extensively. Chess today is a recognized sport of the International Olympic Committee. The first official World Chess Champion, Wilhelm Steinitz, claimed his title in 1886; Viswanathan Anand is the current World Champion. Theoreticians have developed extensive chess strategies and tactics since the game's inception. Aspects of art are found in chess composition.
One of the goals of early computer scientists was to create a chess-playing machine. Today's chess is deeply influenced by the abilities of current chess programs and the ability to play against others online. In 1997, Deep Blue became the first computer to beat the reigning World Champion in a match when it defeated Garry Kasparov by a score of 3.5-2.5.
Chess is played on a square board of eight rows (called ranks and denoted with numbers 1 to 8) and eight columns (called files and denoted with letters a to h) of squares. The colors of the sixty-four squares alternate and are referred to as "light squares" and "dark squares". The chessboard is placed with a light square at the right hand end of the rank nearest to each player, and the pieces are set out as shown in the diagram, with each queen on its own color.
The pieces are divided, by convention, into white and black sets. The players are referred to as "White" and "Black", and each begins the game with sixteen pieces of the specified color. These consist of one king, one queen, two rooks, two bishops, two knights and eight pawns. White moves first. The players alternate moving one piece at a time (with the exception of castling, when two pieces are moved simultaneously). Pieces are moved to either an unoccupied square, or one occupied by an opponent's piece, capturing it and removing it from play. With one exception (en passant), all pieces capture opponent's pieces by moving to the square that the opponent's piece occupies.
When a king is under immediate attack by one or two of the opponent's pieces, it is said to be in check. The only permissible responses to a check are to capture the checking piece, interpose a piece between the checking piece and the king, or move the king to a square where it is not under attack. Castling is not a permissible response to a check. A move that would place the moving player's king in check is illegal. The object of the game is to checkmate the opponent; this occurs when the opponent's king is in check, and there is no way to remove it from attack.
Once in every game, each king is allowed to make a special move, known as castling. Castling consists of moving the king two squares towards a rook, then placing the rook immediately on the far side of the king. Castling is only permissible if all of the following conditions hold:
When a pawn advances two squares, if there is an opponent's pawn on an adjacent file next to its destination square, then the opponent's pawn can capture it and move to the square the pawn passed over, but only on the next move. For example, if the black pawn has just advanced two squares from f7 to f5, then either of the white pawns on e5 and g5 can take it via en passant on f6.
When a pawn advances to its eighth rank, it is exchanged for the player's choice of a queen, rook, bishop, or knight of the same color. Usually, the pawn is chosen to be promoted to a queen, but in some cases another piece is chosen, called underpromotion. In the diagram on the right, the pawn on c7 can choose to advance to the eighth rank to promote to a better piece.
The international rules of chess are described in more detail in the FIDE Handbook, section Laws of Chess.
Because of different strategic and tactical patterns, a game of chess is usually divided into three distinct phases: opening, usually the first 10 to 25 moves, when players develop their armies and set up the stage for the coming battle; middlegame, the developed phase of the game; and endgame, when most of the pieces are gone and kings start to take an active part in the struggle.
Chess strategy is concerned with evaluation of chess positions and with setting up goals and long-term plans for the future play. During the evaluation, players must take into account the value of pieces on board, pawn structure, king safety, space, and control of key squares and groups of squares (for example, diagonals, open-files, and dark or light squares).
Another important factor in the evaluation of chess positions is the pawn structure (sometimes known as the pawn skeleton), or the configuration of pawns on the chessboard. Pawns being the least mobile of the chess pieces, the pawn structure is relatively static and largely determines the strategic nature of the position. Weaknesses in the pawn structure, such as isolated, doubled or backward pawns and holes, once created, are usually permanent. Care must therefore be taken to avoid them unless they are compensated by another valuable asset (for example, by the possibility to develop an attack).
In chess, tactics in general concentrate on short-term actions — so short-term that they can be calculated in advance by a human player or by a computer. The possible depth of calculation depends on the player's ability or speed of the processor. In quiet positions with many possibilities on both sides, a deep calculation is not possible, while in "tactical" positions with a limited number of forced variants, it is possible to calculate very long sequences of moves.
Simple one-move or two-move tactical actions — threats, exchanges of material, double attacks etc. — can be combined into more complicated variants, tactical maneuvers, often forced from one side or from both. Theoreticians described many elementary tactical methods and typical maneuvers, for example pins, forks, skewers, discovered attacks (especially discovered checks), zwischenzugs, deflections, decoys, sacrifices, underminings, overloadings, and interferences.
A forced variant which is connected with a sacrifice and usually results in a tangible gain is named a combination. Brilliant combinations — such as those in the Immortal game — are described as beautiful and are admired by chess lovers. Finding a combination is also a common type of chess puzzle aimed at development of players' skills.
A chess opening is the group of initial moves of a game (the "opening moves"). Recognized sequences of opening moves are referred to as openings and have been given names such as the Ruy Lopez or Sicilian Defence. They are catalogued in reference works such as the Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings.
There are dozens of different openings, varying widely in character from quiet positional play (e.g. the Réti Opening) to very aggressive (e.g. the Latvian Gambit). In some opening lines, the exact sequence considered best for both sides has been worked out to 30–35 moves or more. Professional players spend years studying openings, and continue doing so throughout their careers, as opening theory continues to evolve.
The fundamental strategic aims of most openings are similar:
Apart from these fundamentals, other strategic plans or tactical sequences may be employed in the opening.
Most players and theoreticians consider that White, by virtue of the first move, begins the game with a small advantage. Black usually strives to neutralize White's advantage and achieve equality, or to develop dynamic counterplay in an unbalanced position.
The middlegame is the part of the game when most pieces have been developed. Because the opening theory has ended, players have to assess the position, to form plans based on the features of the positions, and at the same time to take into account the tactical possibilities in the position.
Typical plans or strategical themes — for example the minority attack, that is the attack of queenside pawns against an opponent who has more pawns on the queenside — are often appropriate just for some pawn structures, resulting from a specific group of openings. The study of openings should therefore be connected with the preparation of plans typical for resulting middlegames.
Middlegame is also the phase in which most combinations occur. Middlegame combinations are often connected with the attack against the opponent's king; some typical patterns have their own names, for example the Boden's Mate or the Lasker—Bauer combination.
Another important strategical question in the middlegame is whether and how to reduce material and transform into an endgame (i.e. simplify). For example, minor material advantages can generally be transformed into victory only in an endgame, and therefore the stronger side must choose an appropriate way to achieve an ending. Not every reduction of material is good for this purpose; for example, if one side keeps a light-squared bishop and the opponent has a dark-squared one, the transformation into a bishops and pawns ending is usually advantageous for the weaker side only, because an endgame with bishops on opposite colors is likely to be a draw, even with an advantage of one or two pawns.
The endgame (or end game or ending) is the stage of the game when there are few pieces left on the board. There are three main strategic differences between earlier stages of the game and endgame:
Endgames can be classified according to the type of pieces that remain on board. Basic checkmates are positions in which one side has only a king and the other side has one or two pieces and can checkmate the opposing king, with the pieces working together with their king. For example, king and pawn endgames involve only kings and pawns on one or both sides and the task of the stronger side is to promote one of the pawns. Other more complicated endings are classified according to the pieces on board other than kings, e.g. "rook and pawn versus rook endgame".
Chess originated in India, where its early form in the 6th century A.D. was chaturanga, which translates as "four divisions of the military" – infantry, cavalry, elephants, and chariots, represented respectively by pawn, knight, bishop, and rook. In Persia around 600 the name became shatranj and the rules were developed further. Shatranj was taken up by the Muslim world after the Islamic conquest of Persia, with the pieces largely retaining their Persian names. In Spanish "shatranj" was rendered as ajedrez, in Portuguese as xadrez, and in Greek as zatrikion, but in the rest of Europe it was replaced by versions of the Persian shāh ("king").
The game reached Western Europe and Russia by at least three routes, the earliest being in the 9th century. By the year 1000 it had spread throughout Europe. Introduced into the Iberian Peninsula by the Moors in the 10th century, it was described in a famous 13th century manuscript covering shatranj, backgammon, and dice named the Libro de los juegos.
Another theory, championed by David H. Li, contends that chess arose from the game xiangqi, or at least a predecessor thereof, existing in China since the 2nd century B.C.
Around 1200, rules of shatranj started to be modified in southern Europe, and around 1475, several major changes rendered the game essentially as it is known today. These modern rules for the basic moves had been adopted in Italy and in Spain. Pawns gained the option of advancing two squares on their first move, while bishops and queens acquired their modern abilities. This made the queen the most powerful piece; consequently modern chess was referred to as "Queen's Chess" or "Mad Queen Chess". These new rules quickly spread throughout western Europe, with the exception of the rules about stalemate, which were finalized in the early nineteenth century.
This was also the time when chess started to develop a corpus of theory. The oldest preserved printed chess book, Repetición de Amores y Arte de Ajedrez (Repetition of Love and the Art of Playing Chess) by Spanish churchman Luis Ramirez de Lucena was published in Salamanca in 1497. Lucena and later masters like Portuguese Pedro Damiano, Italians Giovanni Leonardo Di Bona, Giulio Cesare Polerio and Gioachino Greco or Spanish bishop Ruy López de Segura developed elements of openings and started to analyze simple endgames.
In the eighteenth century the center of European chess life moved from the Southern European countries to France. The two most important French masters were François-André Danican Philidor, a musician by profession, who discovered the importance of pawns for chess strategy, and later Louis-Charles Mahé de La Bourdonnais who won a famous series of matches with the Irish master Alexander McDonnell in 1834. Centers of chess life in this period were coffee houses in big European cities like Café de la Régence in Paris and Simpson's Divan in London.
As the nineteenth century progressed, chess organization developed quickly. Many chess clubs, chess books and chess journals appeared. There were correspondence matches between cities; for example the London Chess Club played against the Edinburgh Chess Club in 1824. Chess problems became a regular part of nineteenth century newspapers; Bernhard Horwitz, Josef Kling and Samuel Loyd composed some of the most influential problems. In 1843, von der Lasa published his and Bilguer's Handbuch des Schachspiels (Handbook of Chess), the first comprehensive manual of chess theory.
The first modern chess tournament was held in London in 1851 and won, surprisingly, by German Adolf Anderssen, relatively unknown at the time. Anderssen was hailed as the leading chess master and his brilliant, energetic — but from today's viewpoint strategically shallow — attacking style became typical for the time. Sparkling games like Anderssen's Immortal game or Morphy's Opera game were regarded as the highest possible summit of the chess art.
Deeper insight into the nature of chess came with two younger players. American Paul Morphy, an extraordinary chess prodigy, won against all important competitors, including Anderssen, during his short chess career between 1857 and 1863. Morphy's success stemmed from a combination of brilliant attacks and sound strategy; he intuitively knew how to prepare attacks. Prague-born Wilhelm Steinitz later described how to avoid weaknesses in one's own position and how to create and exploit such weaknesses in the opponent's position. In addition to his theoretical achievements, Steinitz founded an important tradition: his triumph over the leading German master Johannes Zukertort in 1886 is regarded as the first official World Chess Championship. Steinitz lost his crown in 1894 to a much younger German mathematician Emanuel Lasker, who maintained this title for 27 years, the longest tenure of all World Champions.
It took a prodigy from Cuba, José Raúl Capablanca (World champion 1921–27), who loved simple positions and endgames, to end the German-speaking dominance in chess; he was undefeated in tournament play for eight years until 1924. His successor was Russian-French Alexander Alekhine, a strong attacking player, who died as the World champion in 1946, having briefly lost the title to Dutch player Max Euwe in 1935 and regaining it two years later.
Between the world wars, chess was revolutionized by the new theoretical school of so-called hypermodernists like Aron Nimzowitsch and Richard Réti. They advocated controlling the center of the board with distant pieces rather than with pawns, inviting opponents to occupy the center with pawns which become objects of attack.
Since the end of 19th century, the number of annually held master tournaments and matches quickly grew. Some sources state that in 1914 the title of chess grandmaster was first formally conferred by Tsar Nicholas II of Russia to Lasker, Capablanca, Alekhine, Tarrasch and Marshall, but this is a disputed claim. This tradition was continued by the World Chess Federation (FIDE), founded in 1924 in Paris. In 1927, Women's World Chess Championship was established; the first to hold it was Czech-English master Vera Menchik.
After the death of Alekhine, a new World Champion was sought in a tournament of elite players ruled by FIDE, who have, since then, controlled the title. The winner of the 1948 tournament, Russian Mikhail Botvinnik, started an era of Soviet dominance in the chess world. Until the end of the Soviet Union, there was only one non-Soviet champion, American Bobby Fischer (champion 1972–1975).
In the previous informal system, the World Champion decided which challenger he would play for the title and the challenger was forced to seek sponsors for the match. FIDE set up a new system of qualifying tournaments and matches. The world's strongest players were seeded into "Interzonal tournaments", where they were joined by players who had qualified from "Zonal tournaments". The leading finishers in these Interzonals would go on the "Candidates" stage, which was initially a tournament, later a series of knock-out matches. The winner of the Candidates would then play the reigning champion for the title. A champion defeated in a match had a right to play a rematch a year later. This system worked on a three-year cycle.
Botvinnik participated in championship matches over a period of fifteen years. He won the world championship tournament in 1948 and retained the title in tied matches in 1951 and 1954. In 1957, he lost to Vasily Smyslov, but regained the title in a rematch in 1958. In 1960, he lost the title to the Latvian prodigy Mikhail Tal, an accomplished tactician and attacking player. Botvinnik again regained the title in a rematch in 1961.
Following the 1961 event, FIDE abolished the automatic right of a deposed champion to a rematch, and the next champion, Armenian Tigran Petrosian, a genius of defense and strong positional player, was able to hold the title for two cycles, 1963–1969. His successor, Boris Spassky from Russia (1969–1972), was a player able to win in both positional and sharp tactical style.
The next championship, the so-called Match of the Century, saw the first non-Soviet challenger since World War II, American Bobby Fischer, who defeated his Candidates opponents by unheard-of margins and clearly won the world championship match. In 1975, however, Fischer refused to defend his title against Soviet Anatoly Karpov when FIDE refused to meet his demands, and Karpov obtained the title by default. Karpov defended his title twice against Viktor Korchnoi and dominated the 1970s and early 1980s with a string of tournament successes.
Karpov's reign finally ended in 1985 at the hands of another Russian player, Garry Kasparov. Kasparov and Karpov contested five world title matches between 1984 and 1990; Karpov never won his title back.
In 1993, Garry Kasparov and Nigel Short broke with FIDE to organize their own match for the title and formed a competing Professional Chess Association (PCA). From then until 2006, there were two simultaneous World Champions and World Championships: the PCA or Classical champion extending the Steinitzian tradition in which the current champion plays a challenger in a series of many games; the other following FIDE's new format of many players competing in a tournament to determine the champion. Kasparov lost his Classical title in 2000 to Vladimir Kramnik of Russia.
The FIDE World Chess Championship 2006 reunified the titles, when Kramnik beat the FIDE World Champion Veselin Topalov and became the undisputed World Chess Champion. In September 2007, Viswanathan Anand became the next champion by winning a championship tournament.
And what say you to the game at chestes?
It is truely an honest kynde of enterteynmente and wittie, quoth Syr Friderick. But me think it hath a fault, whiche is, that a man may be to couning at it, for who ever will be excellent in the playe of chestes, I beleave he must beestowe much tyme about it, and applie it with so much study, that a man may assoone learne some noble scyence, or compase any other matter of importaunce, and yet in the ende in beestowing all that laboure, he knoweth no more but a game. Therfore in this I beleave there happeneth a very rare thing, namely, that the meane is more commendable, then the excellency.
Many of the elaborate chess sets used by the English aristocracy have been lost, but others survive, such as the Lewis chessmen.
At the same time, chess was often used as a basis of sermons on morality. An example is Liber de moribus hominum et officiis nobilium sive super ludo scacchorum ('Book of the customs of men and the duties of nobles or the Book of Chess'), written by an Italian Dominican monk Jacobus de Cessolis circa 1300. The popular work was translated into many other languages (first printed edition at Utrecht in 1473) and was the basis for William Caxton's The Game and Playe of the Chesse (1474), one of the first books printed in English. Different chess pieces were used as metaphors for different classes of people, and human duties were derived from the rules of the game or from visual properties of the chess pieces.
The knyght ought to be made alle armed upon an hors in suche wyse that he haue an helme on his heed and a spere in his ryght hande/ and coueryd wyth his sheld/ a swerde and a mace on his lyft syde/ Cladd wyth an hawberk and plates to fore his breste/ legge harnoys on his legges/ Spores on his heelis on his handes his gauntelettes/ his hors well broken and taught and apte to bataylle and couerid with his armes/ whan the knyghtes ben maad they ben bayned or bathed/ that is the signe that they shold lede a newe lyf and newe maners/ also they wake alle the nyght in prayers and orysons vnto god that he wylle gyue hem grace that they may gete that thynge that they may not gete by nature/ The kynge or prynce gyrdeth a boute them a swerde in signe/ that they shold abyde and kepe hym of whom they take theyr dispenses and dignyte.
On the other side, political and religious authorities in many places forbade chess as frivolous or as a sort of gambling.
Known in the circles of clerics, students and merchants, chess entered into the popular culture of Middle Ages. An example is the 209th song of Carmina Burana from the thirteenth century, which starts with the names of chess pieces, Roch, pedites, regina…
"The Game of Chess is not merely an idle amusement; several very valuable qualities of the mind, useful in the course of human life, are to be acquired and strengthened by it, so as to become habits ready on all occasions; for life is a kind of Chess, in which we have often points to gain, and competitors or adversaries to contend with, and in which there is a vast variety of good and ill events, that are, in some degree, the effect of prudence, or the want of it. By playing at Chess then, we may learn:
1st, Foresight, which looks a little into futurity, and considers the consequences that may attend an action…
2nd, Circumspection, which surveys the whole Chess-board, or scene of action: - the relation of the several Pieces, and their situations…
3rd, Caution, not to make our moves too hastily…
With these or similar hopes, chess is taught to children in schools around the world today and used in armies to train minds of cadets and officers. Many schools hold chess clubs and there are many scholastic tournaments specifically for children. In addition, many countries have chess federations, such as the United States Chess Federation, that hold tournaments regularly in addition to FIDE.
Moreover, chess is often depicted in the arts; significant works, where chess plays a key role, range from Thomas Middleton's A Game at Chess over Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll to The Royal Game by Stefan Zweig or Vladimir Nabokov's The Defense. Chess is also important in films like Ingmar Bergman's The Seventh Seal or Satyajit Ray's The Chess Players.
Chess is also present in the contemporary popular culture. For example, J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter plays "Wizard's Chess" while the characters of Star Trek prefer "Tri-Dimensional Chess" and the hero of Searching for Bobby Fischer struggles against adopting the aggressive and misanthropic views of a real chess Grandmaster.. Chess has also been used as the core theme of a musical, Chess, by Tim Rice, Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson.
Chess games and positions are recorded using a special notation, most often algebraic chess notation. Abbreviated (or short) algebraic notation generally records moves in the format abbreviation of the piece moved - file where it moved - rank where it moved, e.g. Qg5 means "queen moves to the g-file and 5th rank (that is, to the square g5). If there are two pieces of the same type that can move to the same square, one more letter or number is added to indicate the file or rank from which the piece moved, e.g. Ngf3 means "knight from the g-file moves to the square f3". The letter P indicating a pawn is not used, so that e4 means "pawn moves to the square e4".
If the piece makes a capture, "x" is inserted before the destination square, e.g. Bxf3 means "bishop captures on f3". When a pawn makes a capture, the file from which the pawn departed is used in place of a piece initial, and ranks may be omitted if unambiguous. For example, exd5 (pawn on the e-file captures the piece on d5) or exd (pawn on e-file captures something on the d-file).
If a pawn moves to its last rank, achieving promotion, the piece chosen is indicated after the move,for example e1Q or e1=Q. Castling is indicated by the special notations 0-0 for kingside castling and 0-0-0 for queenside. A move which places the opponent's king in check usually has the notation "+" added. Checkmate can be indicated by "#" (occasionally "++", although this is sometimes used for a double check instead). At the end of the game, "1-0" means "White won", "0-1" means "Black won" and "½-½" indicates a draw.
Chess moves can be annotated with punctuation marks and other symbols. For example ! indicates a good move, !! an excellent move, ? a mistake, ?? a blunder, !? an interesting move that may not be best or ?! a dubious move, but not easily refuted.
For example, one variant of a simple trap known as the Scholar's mate, animated in the picture to the right, can be recorded:
Chess composition is the art of creating chess problems (these problems themselves are sometimes also called chess compositions). A person who creates such problems is known as a chess composer.
Most chess problems exhibit the following features:
There are many types of chess problems. The two most important are:
Chess composition is a distinct branch of chess sport, and tournaments (or tourneys) exist for both the composition and solving of chess problems.
The current World Chess Champion is Viswanathan Anand of India. The reigning Women's World Champion is Alexandra Kosteniuk from Russia. However, the world's highest rated female player, Judit Polgar, has never participated in the Women's World Chess Championship, instead preferring to compete with the leading men and maintaining a ranking among the top 20 male players.
Other competitions for individuals include the World Junior Chess Championship, the European Individual Chess Championship and the National Chess Championships. Invitation-only tournaments regularly attract the world's strongest players and these include Spain's Linares event, Monte Carlo's Melody Amber tournament, the Dortmund Sparkassen meeting, Sofia's M-tel Masters and Wijk aan Zee's Corus tournament.
Regular team chess events include the aforementioned Chess Olympiad and the European Team Championship. The 37th Chess Olympiad was held 2006 in Turin, Italy; Armenia won the gold in the unrestricted event, and Ukraine took the top medal for the women. The World Chess Solving Championship and World Correspondence Chess Championships are both team and individual events.
Besides these prestigious competitions, there are thousands of other chess tournaments, matches and festivals held around the world every year, which cater to players of all levels, from beginners to experts.
The best players can be awarded specific lifetime titles by the world chess organization FIDE:
All the titles are open to men and women. Separate women-only titles, such as Woman Grandmaster (WGM), are also available. Beginning with Nona Gaprindashvili in 1978, a number of women have earned the GM title, and most of the top ten women in 2006 hold the unrestricted GM title.
International titles are awarded to composers and solvers of chess problems, and to correspondence chess players (by the International Correspondence Chess Federation). Moreover, national chess organizations may also award titles, usually to the advanced players still under the level needed for international titles; an example is the Chess expert title used in the United States.
In order to rank players, FIDE, ICCF and national chess organizations use the Elo rating system developed by Arpad Elo. Elo is a statistical system based on assumption that the chess performance of each player in their games is a random variable. Arpad Elo thought of a player's true skill as the average of that player's performance random variable, and showed how to estimate the average from results of player's games. The US Chess Federation implemented Elo's suggestions in 1960, and the system quickly gained recognition as being both fairer and more accurate than older systems; it was adopted by FIDE in 1970.
The highest ever FIDE rating was 2851, which Garry Kasparov had on the July 1999 and January 2000 lists. In the most recent list (January 2008), the highest rated players are the current world champion Viswanathan Anand of India and the former one Vladimir Kramnik of Russia with a rating of 2799.
The game structure and nature of Chess is related to several branches of Mathematical theory. Many combinatorical and topological problems connected to chess were known of for hundreds of years. In 1913, Ernst Zermelo used it as a basis for his theory of game strategies, which is considered as one of the predecessors of game theory.
The number of legal positions in chess is estimated to be between 1043 and 1050, with a game-tree complexity of approximately 10123. The game-tree complexity of chess was first calculated by Claude Shannon as 10120, a number known as the Shannon number. Typically an average position has thirty to forty possible moves, but there may be as few as zero (in the case of checkmate or stalemate) or as many as 218.
The most important mathematical challenge of chess is the development of algorithms which can play chess. The idea of creating a chess playing machine dates to the eighteenth century; around 1769, the chess playing automaton called The Turk became famous before being exposed as a hoax. Serious trials based on automatons, such as El Ajedrecista, were too complex and limited to be useful.
Since the advent of the digital computer in the 1950s, chess enthusiasts and computer engineers have built, with increasing degrees of seriousness and success, chess-playing machines and computer programs. The groundbreaking paper on computer chess, "Programming a Computer for Playing Chess", was published in 1950 by Shannon. He wrote:
The chess machine is an ideal one to start with, since: (1) the problem is sharply defined both in allowed operations (the moves) and in the ultimate goal (checkmate); (2) it is neither so simple as to be trivial nor too difficult for satisfactory solution; (3) chess is generally considered to require "thinking" for skillful play; a solution of this problem will force us either to admit the possibility of a mechanized thinking or to further restrict our concept of "thinking"; (4) the discrete structure of chess fits well into the digital nature of modern computers.
The Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) held the first major chess tournament for computers, the North American Computer Chess Championship, in September 1970. CHESS 3.0, a chess program from Northwestern University, won the championship. Nowadays chess programs compete in the World Computer Chess Championship, held annually since 1974. At first considered only a curiosity, the best chess playing programs, for example Rybka or Hydra, have become extremely strong. Garry Kasparov, then ranked number one in the world, lost a match against IBM's Deep Blue in 1997. Nevertheless, from the point of view of artificial intelligence, chess-playing programs are relatively simple: they essentially explore huge numbers of potential future moves by both players and apply an evaluation function to the resulting positions, an approach described as "brute force" because it relies on the sheer speed of the computer.
With huge databases of past games and high analytical ability, computers also help players to learn chess and prepare for matches. Additionally, Internet Chess Servers allow people to find and play opponents all over the world. The presence of computers and modern communication tools have also raised concerns regarding cheating during games, most notably the "bathroom controversy" during the 2006 World Championship.
More recent research has focused on the respective roles of knowledge and look-ahead search; brain imaging studies of chess masters and novices; blindfold chess; the role of personality and intelligence in chess skill, gender differences, and computational models of chess expertise. In addition, the role of practice and talent in the development of chess and other domains of expertise has led to a lot of research recently. Ericsson and colleagues have argued that deliberate practice is sufficient for reaching high levels of expertise, like master in chess. However, more recent research indicates that factors other than practice are important. For example, Gobet and colleagues have shown that stronger players start playing chess earlier, that they are more likely to be left-handed, and that they are more likely to be born in late winter and early spring.
There are also some attempts to use the game of chess as mental training.
Chess variants are forms of chess where the game is played with a different board, special fairy pieces or different rules. There are more than two thousand published chess variants, the most popular being xiangqi in China and shogi in Japan.
Chess variants can be divided into: