text:
The 2015-2016 Dance season is about to begin. The new schedule has been published and registration is now open.
Dance Mode Studio is a Family Friendly Dance Studio that offers classes for ages 2.5-Adult in a wide variety of Dance Styles in all levels.
We offer Pre-School, Ballet, Pointe, Tap, Jazz, Contemporary, Lyrical, Modern Hip Hop, Funk Styles, House, Acro, Technique and Dance Fitness; and have 2 brand new air-conditioned dance rooms and sprung floors, so you are sure to find a class in your level you will enjoy.
There are also 2 designated homework and study areas set for dancers in order to support them in acheiving the highest academic standards.
Classes run September through June and end with an optional end-of-year June performance. We also have fun Workshops and Intensives in the summer for all ages.
Drop-Ins and Observers are always welcome.


text:
Definition of councilman in English:
noun (plural councilmen)US
A member of a council, especially a municipal one: [as title]: Councilman Gerry Richardson
More example sentences
- Lang had been in office, as either a councilman or mayor, for 22 years.
- A few years later, while still serving as a councilman, he was elected to the local water board.
- I knew my grandfather quite well; he was a city councilman.
Words that rhyme with councilmancouncilmen
For editors and proofreaders
Syllabification: coun·cil·man
Definition of councilman in:
What do you find interesting about this word or phrase?
Comments that don't adhere to our Community Guidelines may be moderated or removed.
= trending

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Seagrass Rugs
Seagrass Rugs from Natural Area Rugs offer an affordable yet durable option for floor covering in any room. We recommend using seagrass rugs in dining and kitchen areas. Seagrass has a beautiful warm hue that is very popular with interior designers. It is very versatile and can accent room furnishings – and so it makes a wonderful choice for any room. Our seagrass rugs are strong and will withstand heavy traffic. All of our seagrass area rugs are 100% natural and are backed with latex foam for added durability and to prevent slippage.
Seagrass area rugs are relatively non-absorbent and hard. They are stain resistant and dirt is easily brushed loose from them. Seagrass area rugs have a non-porous surface that gives it a naturally smooth texture and sheen quality. Its rigidity gives it natural durability. Seagrass rugs compliment a low dust, allergy free, naturally humid environment.
Seagrass Rugs from Natural Area Rugs are the ideal choice for any area of your home:
* Attractive * Anti-static * Stain Resistant * All Natural * Durable and Strong * Low Price * High Quality
Seagrass rugs are a wonderful addition to any area of your home but as they have a smooth finish we do not recommend them for stairs. It is also recommended that they are not used in very moist or humid conditions as they can be susceptible to mould and mildew.
Seagrass rugs are one of the best choices for your high traffic living areas, since the material is easy to clean and durable enough for even the busiest homes. Plus, seagrass is one hundred percent natural, making it an environmentally friendly choice for your home or office. Learn more...
About Seagrass
Seagrass is the least expensive and the most versatile of the natural floor coverings. Seagrass comes from the coastal regions of China and India and is grown in paddy fields. These fields need a flooding of sea-water during its crop cycle.
Seagrass fiber is woven onto latex-backed floor coverings as a simple (half panama) or basket-weave pattern. Seagrass retains the grassy, hay-like scent and coloring of the plant from which it is extracted. However, once the rug is unrolled and installed the odor dissipates over time.
Seagrass has an excellent neutral color consisting of light-brown and beige hues (colors) with a green tinge. Colors range from sage hues to olive green.
Natural Area Rugs have made a commitment to excellence by providing exceptional quality fiber flooring. We select only the finest natural fibers for our area rugs that blend modern technology with classic textile traditions. Nature provides variations of color and fiber thickness which combine to make each of our area rugs truly unique.
Mountain Grass Rugs
Mountain Grass rugs also known as hemp rugs are a beautiful addition to any room, with natural brown and copper earth tones lending a calm and restful atmosphere. We recommend using mountain grass rugs in dining and kitchen areas. These rich earth tones compliment furnishings of any style. Their definitive texture and various weaves make them a popular choice among professional interior designers. Mountain Grass area rugs are made of a durable grass that is native to the high altitude slopes of the Pacific Rim.
Mountain grass rugs have almost a wood-like appearance. They are undyed and may show natural variations in color. All of our mountain grass rugs are backed with latex which makes them more durable and prevents slippage.
* All Natural * Durable and Strong * Textured * Earth Tones * Low Price * High Quality
Under very moist or humid conditions Mountain grass can be susceptible to mold and mildew.
About Mountain Grass
The material used to craft mountain grass rugs is a plant that is found nestled at the rim of the Pacific Continent. These rugs are very hard and rigid to the touch. In most cases they are simply used as decorative pieces rather than for comfort. These rugs are crafted to stand the test of time.
Mountain grass rugs come in a variety of shapes and styles. The most popular rectangular rugs are designed to run down the middle of a room, creating a central area to arrange furnishings or art pieces around.
The mountain grass rug has a highly textured, brown, almost wood-like appearance. The versatile colors and interesting textures make mountain grass rugs very popular with homeowners and interior designers. The earth tones add a warm ambience to your room. These rugs look exceptional on a dark hard wood or tiled floor.
Natural Area Rugs have made a commitment to excellence by providing exceptional quality fiber flooring. We select only the finest natural fibers for our area rugs that blend modern technology with classic textile traditions. Nature provides variations of color and fiber thickness which combine to make each of our area rugs truly unique.


text:
Topics :: anti-gay people of faith
1 thru 10 of 17 Stories
GOP's Social, Fiscal Conservatives at Odds Over Gay Rights
For a party already being torn apart by the presidential contest, anti-gay state legislative efforts have exposed deep rifts between the GOP's social conservatives and its pro-business wing.
Shamelist: Orgs Call on NCAA to Make Divestment
A coalition of over 80 LGBT groups signed on to a letter issued publicly calling on the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) to divest from all religious-based institutions who have made Title IX requests to discriminate against LGBT youth.
Gay Men Detail Islamic State Anti-Gay Brutality in U.N. Testimony
Two gay men who fled their home countries after Islamic State militants seized control of their hometowns shared the gruesome details of anti-gay persecution and killings of men suspected of being homosexual.
Anti-Gay Sites Eating Up Gay Baker's Rant
Jesse Bartholomew's video rant is making the rounds on the Internet, particularly on conservative media.
Harris Seeks to Stop 'Shoot the Gays' Initiative
State Attorney General Kamala Harris on Wednesday said that she would go to court in an effort to stop a proposed ballot initiative that calls for gays to be killed.
Street Performer Drowns Out Anti-Gay Preacher With Cyndi Lauper Jam
A street performer from Australia, caused a stir in Sydney this week when he played Cyndi Lauper's hit "Girls Just Want To Have Fun" Saturday to drown out the anti-gay rhetoric from a nearby open air preacher.
Former Westboro Member Zach Phelps Answers Reddit's Questions
Zach Phelps, who says he's left the Westboro Baptist Church, opened up to the Internet last month in a Reddit Ask Me Anything post, a forum on which commenters can, well, ask anything. Here's a sample of questions and answers.
Preacher: Putin Will Out Obama as Gay Within 100 Days
As part of his continuing reign of ludicrous terror, Reverend Dr. James David Manning of New York City's anti-gay Anointed Holy Missionary Church (ATLAH) has "prognosticated" that Vladimir Putin will out Obama as gay.
Italian Catholic School Fires Lesbian Teacher to 'Protect Ethics'
After the headmistress of a Catholic school in Italy allegedly fired a teacher for being lesbian, the school now faces the threat of losing funding for the action.
Suspected Seattle Arsonist:: "Homosexuals Should Be Exterminated"
Documents filed in King County Superior Court say that suspected arsonist Musab Masmari, 30, told a friend who is a member of the local Muslim community that "homosexuals should be exterminated." The friend-turned-informant contacted the FBI.
1 thru 10 of 17 Stories


text:
Cities Along the Po River - a journey through northern Italy's history
When considering touring Italy, most visitors probably want to see the major cities of Florence, Rome, Venice. Without a doubt, these are the highlights for a reason. But smaller towns can provide a better understanding of Italian history and offer their own fascination. These places were the backdrop for the struggle for power that comprised much of the drama of Italian history.
In addition to the church and the baptistery, we were treated to a demonstration of violin-making and a visit to the collezione di Palazzo Comunale where the town collection is on display, the oldest by Andrea Amati dates back to 1566. These beloved instruments are played regularly to keep them in good physical condition and we were treated to a short but lovely concert.
It's hard to miss the town's connection with Stradivarius, who is perhaps the most famous of the illustrious line of violin-makers of Cremona. The Stradivarian Museum contains objects from his workshop, there's a statue to him on the Piazza Stradivari, and the Tomb of Stradivari in the Piazza Roma. The International Violinmakers School is also located in Cremona at the Palazzo Raimondi. If you aren't on a tour, your first stop must be the tourist information office in the Piazza del Comune, for a map and information.
Roncole & Busseto
It is said that Verdi never actually set foot in the theater which opened in 1868. Verdi was against building it, saying the theater was too expensive and would be useless in the future. But the town fathers went ahead regardless of his resistance. He was absent at its opening even though one of his most famous operas, Rigoletto, was performed. The elegant theater has been restored and reopened, but in a sense Verdi was right. It holds only 300 people.
Unfortunately, he died shortly after Sabbioneta was completed and his widow was unable to hold on to the city, which passed out of the hands of his family. The Duke's private residence is noted for its heavily frescoed walls and impressively long gallery, surpassed in length only by the Vatican and Uffizi galleries. The Ducal Palace (Palazzo Ducale) includes equestrian figures of Vespasiano and his Gonzaga ancestors. There is also rumored to be a synagogue somewhere in the town, the remnant of the Jewish community from the 16th century.
Tours are available for many of the buildings. Although it's lovely to wander here and there enjoying the sights at your own pace, it's the stories that bring the history of the city to life. The tourist office (Ufficio del turismo) is located by the Garden Palace.
Montova (also known as Mantua)
Even if you don't come during the opera season, there is the lure of romance at 23 Via Cappello, Juliet's House. The story of Romeo and Juliet has some basis in truth. The house (and balcony) form a popular attraction.
The Piazza Dei Signori is another part of the tumultuous history of Verona. It contains the Scaligieri Graves. The Scaligeri ruled Verona for over 120 years starting about 1260. Their ruthless tactics earned them the nicknames of Mastino (mastiff) and Can Grande (big dog), but they are also credited with bringing some measure of peace to a city which had been the battlegrounds for rival families. Towards the end of their rule the Scaligeri built Castelvecchio. Today the attraction is its impressive size with a unique bridge stretching over the Adige River. It also contains a permanent collection of Veronese art from the 14th to 18th century.
Verona also has intimate street markets lined with buildings still showing their early frescoes (Piazza delle Erbe) and elegant shopping streets paved with marble (Via Mazzini).
The cruise ships pull in and disgorge thousands of visitors who line up to visit St. Mark's Basilica, buy gelato in the Piazza San Marco, and stroll along the Grand Canal. And for some reason we haven't been able to understand, they like to feed the pigeons and have their picture taken covered in birds. (The River Cloud II being a small vessel can only disgorge about 90 visitors at most.) Venice is also a big city with the hustle and bustle of commerce. Part of that commerce is the lucrative tourist trade. There's no shortage of shops catering to visitors selling Venetian masks, Murano glass, and more.
Venice is divided into sestieres or boroughs. The most famous is San Marco which contains the major sights. Visit the Galleria dell'Academia with its collection of Venetian masters, the Peggy Guggenheim Gallery with its more modern works. Stand near the Bridge of Sighs that links the Doges' Palace to the old prisons. Stroll along the streets and discover tiny museums and churches.
The Venetian lagoon also contains the Lido with its beaches and waterfront hotels, Murano, home of the deservedly famous (but not necessarily inexpensive) Murano glass, and the charming island of Burano known for its lace (which is usually imported rather than produced locally).
The pity of Venice is that it is sinking into the lagoon. During rains the water can rise up and cover the piazzas, seep into hotel lobbies and threaten the viability of a beautiful marvel of engineering. And in the summer it is overrun with tourists. But see it anyway. It is worth it.
Note: When this article was originally written, several companies offered luxury cruises along the Po River. We traveled on the River Cloud II which is a beautiful boat. However, as of 2005/2006 the company is no longer running Po River cruises and does not expect to offer them in the future. But these cities are well-worth a visit. Car trips can be fun!


text:
volunteer programs
Freshman Urban Program (FUP)
2014 Coordinator Application
Program Description
The Freshman Urban Program (FUP) is a service-focused community-exploring program aimed at introducing freshmen to MIT and to life in an urban college environment. Participants have the opportunity to get to know each other, MIT staff, and their counselors through fun and focused public service activities. Besides acclimating incoming students to their new environment, FUP enables them to explore and begin to understand the needs of the Cambridge/Boston communities, and the role that students can play in meeting these needs through leadership and service. FUP is an Priscilla King Gray Public Service Center program.
Coordinator Expectations
The FUP Coordinator positions are wonderful leadership opportunities. Two coordinators work with PKG Center staff to plan and lead the program. Coordinators must be continuing their studies at MIT in the fall semester. This means that rising MIT sophomores, juniors, seniors and graduate students are all eligible.
This year we will be looking to closely align activities to the mission and spirit of FUP, and to continue improvements on past programming. Coordinators should be leaders that are eager to improve the program, open to making changes, and not afraid to take risks!
Coordinators will have the support of PKG Center staff and approximately 10-12 upperclassman counselors who assist with student interaction and development. Counselor applications will be accepted in February 2014.
The coordinator commitment starts in spring semester 2014, when coordinators will work with PKG Center staff to review applications and interview potential counselors (February), organize counselor trainings (March/April), and plan FUP alum community service reunions (March, April or May). Coordinators will spend approximately 25 hours on these activities over the spring semester.
During summer 2014, coordinators will work closely with PKG Center staff to plan the logistics of the FUP program, and a commitment of at least 10 hours a week is required for each coordinator, as is attendance at weekly check-in meetings. It is strongly preferred that both coordinators are on or near campus over the summer to be able to attend check-in meetings in person.
It is expected that FUP 2014 will be held during freshman pre-orientation, and coordinators are expected to have no other time commitments during this period, as well as the week and a half prior during which time coordinators pull together final logistics and lead counselor training.
Applications are due Friday, November 29.
Interviews will be held on December 9-10, and selections will be made before the end of fall semester.
Questions? Email email@example.com.


text:
How Yosemite National Park Ruined My Life (in pictures)
by Ethan Newberry on Sep.13, 2010, under are you serious, art, blog, photography, the outdoors, travel
So as many of you know, I ventured north to Yosemite National Park this last week for some much needed outdoorsy, shower-less stink action. I had never been there but have always wanted to go. Now that I live in LA, it's a short 4 hour jaunt to the park's entrance, then another 45 min. breathtaking mountain ride to the park's main hub, Yosemite Valley. It was here that we set up camp in the North Pines camping area. Yosemite National Park pretty much ruined my life by revealing what could be the most spectacular place on earth…WITH PICTURES (click any to enlarge)!
So upon arrival, we set up camp with my trusty tent and started exploring our surroundings. Within walking distance is Curry Village which has a grocery store, a pizza restaurant (which came in handy after our 16 mile Half Dome excursion!), a bar, and showers (which we never bothered to use). We also got to behold some of the insane wonderment that is Yosemite Valley.
No words, no videos, and no stories can convey how majestic Yosemite National Park truly is. It is simply impossible to replicate it's beauty in any medium other than first hand witness. The pictures I've included below try to show the sheer enormity of the park's features, but fail to do so on so many levels. If you ever get the chance to visit the park, do so. No question.
As far as our adventures are concerned, on day 2 we hiked the Upper Yosemite Falls trail (a 7.6 mile round trip hike with a 2600 foot elevation gain — that's like climbing the stairs of two empire state buildings together) which allowed us to acclimate to the Valley's minimum 4000 foot elevation.
On day 3 we awoke in the early hours to attack the park's most challenging hike, Half Dome. Now this hike has been on my bucket list for years. It's the challenge of a 16 mile round trip hike; the 4800 foot elevation gain; sheer cliffs; and a 40˚ cable-climb straight up the granite cliffs to the dome's apex. Let's just say that by the point we approached the hike's last 400 meters, dizziness, vertigo, and hundreds of fellow hikers scrambling for trail space were such a factor, we had to turn around and descend as carefully as possible. The Dome remains on my bucket list and I will conquer it.
Please. Visit Yosemite. Enjoy it's majesty, grandeur and insane showcase of nature's most beautiful work. In the meantime, enjoy some pics.
1 Trackback or Pingback for this entry
The Grand Canyon – North Rim - Ethan Newberry
September 4th, 2011 on 1:05 am
[…] are just a couple shots that I took that I like. Again, like Yosemite, none of these pics do the National Park any justice. Aspens at the start of the Widforss Trail […]
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.


text:
The concept resonated because, uh, that would be me. As a most-of-the-time vegetarian, I do occasionally succumb to a Caesar chicken salad, Casper's Hot Dog or backyard barbecued hamburger. Smothered in ketchup. Yum.
But most of the time I'm straight-up, hard-core veggies. My original reason for going vegetarian was simple. I felt better. Healthier. Leaner. It was only after watching the horrific, eye-opening documentary, Food Inc. that I understood and embraced the humanitarian aspects of vegetarianism.
Now, when I do make that rare meat or poultry purchase, I drive out of my way to shop at the grocery store nicknamed "Whole Paycheck." I'll spend the extra money for products with those buzz words: free-range, grass fed, cage free, and trust that it's true. I can only hope that somewhere, a cow or chicken didn't suffer for my lapse.
Lately, however, I'm pressed for time and shopping at the grocery store closest to home, grabbing any beef or chicken that's readily available, buzz words be damned. I'm in the kitchen, grilling, frying, roasting and searing, using techniques that are foreign to my brown rice-tofu-eating ways.
I'm doing anything I can to entice Elvis to eat.
His throat is still bothering him from his recent surgery and kibble is an obvious irritant. Ah, but ground beef with mashed potatoes soaked in chicken broth? It takes him awhile, but slowly, surely, he licks his bowl clean. Much to the dismay of Olivia, I might add, who watches his every move hoping for a stray morsel.
This is why, with apologies to all the cows and chickens out there, this most-of-the-time vegetarian is temporarily forsaking her ways and surrendering to the dark side, if only for the sake of my dog. Because these days, there's only one buzz word I care about.
And that's Elvis.


text:
Your experienced Choice for a Newport Beach Remodeling Specialist
The owner of Vision Built would like to thank you for the opportunity to meet with you and provide you with an estimate. He had been in the construction industry for about 16 years now and have a substantial amount of experience. We are located in the city of Buena Park. Vision Built is a successful construction company with fair and competitive prices. That's why they are so confident that Vision Built can make whatever vision you have a reality. What Vision Built can do for you: Whether or not you are planning to remodel your bathroom or kitchen, for appreciation value of your home or that it's finally time for an update or the room that you have always dreamed of, we can help you.
Vision Built tries to make it as easy as possible for you to find the materials you are looking for and of course within your budget. Our goal is always to stay on schedule and get the job finished on time. Vision Built Contractors will always let you know all the facts about the quality of the materials that you have chosen, from floors, cabinets, counter tops to even all those small little details in the end. We want to make sure that our customers end up with exactly as they pictured or even better, Something that's done right and something that you'll have forever. Our specialties include complete residential home remodeling – interior and exterior. We also do Commercial work, primarily Senior Living Communities. Vision Built holds a California Builders License #892699, Blueprint Certification, and provides a 5 year guarantee for all of our customers.
Kitchen Remodeling
Whether or not, you're planning to remodel your kitchen for appreciation value or just to have the kitchen that you've always dreamed of, Vision Built can help you. […]
Bath Remodeling
Vision Built can help you with your bathroom as well. Whether it's a luxurious kitchen or bathroom, the value and appreciation of your home will greatly increase. […]


text:
Published on May 3rd, 2013 | by Bonnie Getchell0
Top 5 Projects from the April Green Crafts Showcase
As usual, the Green Crafts Showcase brought some incredible DIY projects this month. Here are the top 5 projects:
1. DIY CD Statement Earrings by The DIY Show
Do you have a few old CDs at home? Instead of letting them collect dust, transform them into these super chic earrings. These have such a unique and modern look that is sure to turn heads. If you want to make your own CD statement earrings, check out The DIY Show's tutorial.
Next>> Recycled "Flower" Water Bottles by Art With Kids
[Photo via The DIY Show, used with permission]
Keep up with the latest in the world of green crafts by signing up for our free newsletter. CLICK HERE to sign up!


text:
The Italian announced his decision at a press conference at the Vallelunga circuit - where he began his 20-year racing career - after an earlier tweet hinted at the news.
"It's very different today dawn for me .... nothing will be as before," read the tweet.
"I have not stopped for physical reasons, or because of the competitiveness of a bike - I gave up a contract with Aprilia which was identical this year's, with the same bike," he said at Vallelunga.
"I think it has cost me enough time with my children and my wife and now it is right to devote myself to them because time passes - you cannot stop it.
"I'm not like some politicians who grow attached to their place - it is only fair to give up my space to allow young people an opportunity."
Biaggi dramatically won this year's World Superbike Championship for Aprilia by half a point from Briton Tom Sykes, who rides for Kawasaki.
Biaggi, 41, also won the 2010 WSBK crown as well as four 250cc World Championships from 1994-97.
He finished as runner-up in the 1998 500cc championship to Mick Doohan and also came second in 2001 as Rossi won his first premier-class title. He was again runner-up to Rossi the following year, when that series became known as MotoGP.
In addition, he finished third in the top-class championship three times, taking 15 victories in all for Yamaha and Honda.
He claimed 21 race wins in WSBK after joining the series in 2007, finishing third in the standings in 2011.
Sylvain Guintoli could now be approached to replace Biaggi as Eugene Laverty's team-mate in 2013.
- Sports & Recreation


text:
copyrighted by Graham Mitchell (see the bottom for permission to reprint this article)
Last updated: Tuesday, 2003-06-25 at 13:21 CDT
This document is an introduction to compressed audio. It covers the basics of sound waves, how audio is stored digitally, why compressed audio is necessary, the basics of lossy audio compression, and why Ogg Vorbis is a good choice for compressed audio. It assumes a basic familiarity with physics and computer terminology, including the terms "bit", "byte", and "file".
It also seems to be one of the most popular introductions to Ogg Vorbis on the web, and has been translated into half a dozen languages and has over 1,000 readers each month.
Table of Contents
The Sounds of Music – short introduction to wave theory and the wave properties of sound
Digital Audio – how analog sound waves are represented in a digital format
The Size Problem – why there is a desire to compress digital audio
Lossless Compression – on the sort of compression that loses no information
Lossy Compression – how imperfect compression can still sound the same
A Bit on Bitrates – definitions and discussion of "bitrates"
CBR? VBR? ABR? – different types of bitrate management schemes
Just Say No to Bitrates – why using bitrate as a measure of sound quality is fundamentally flawed
Why Ogg Vorbis? – why I think Ogg Vorbis is the ideal compressed audio format for many uses
Why Not Ogg Vorbis? – reasons why Ogg Vorbis might not be the ideal compressed audio format for you
What Quality Should I Use? – discussion about proper listening testing and suggestions for quality
A Note About "Transcoding" – why it's a bad idea to convert from one compressed audio format to another (e.g. MP3 -> Vorbis )
Reprinting This Article – how you can legally translate or reprint this article without getting explicit permission
Version History – the changes this document has seen over time
The Sounds of Music
"The hills are alive with the sound of music…."
– Christian, Moulin Rouge
Music is made up of waves. When a violin player bows a string, the string vibrates at a certain frequency and creates a sound wave, which travels through the air, hits your eardrum and causes it to vibrate. Your brain interprets the signals coming from your eardrum and "hears" a sound.
Likewise, everything else you can hear is because something is vibrating and creating sound waves. In a trumpet, it's a column of air. With an electric guitar, the vibrating strings send a signal through the amplifier, which causes a speaker cone to vibrate in the same manner as the original string. When you speak or sing, it's your vocal cords vibrating. All of these things generate sound waves.
The properties of these waves affect how they sound. The frequency of a wave refers to how many times per second the wave transitions from its highest point to its lowest point and back again. This is typically measured in hertz (Hz), or number of cycles per second. The frequency of a wave determines its pitch. High frequency waves have a high pitch, and low frequency waves have a low pitch. The average human can hear frequencies from 15 or 20 Hz to roughly 20,000 Hz (20 kHz).
The amplitude of a wave refers to half the distance between a wave's highest point and its lowest. The larger the amplitude of a wave, the louder its volume, which is typically measured in decibels (dB). The decibel range for human hearing is complicated and depends on the frequency of the sound in question, but roughly ranges from 0 to 120 dB, with each change in 10 dB corresponding to a doubling of the perceived volume. (Yes, I know that 3 dB doubles the energy, but that's not the same thing.)
Digital Audio
As early as World War II, engineers were experimenting with digital audio, converting the analog waves of sound into discrete values. This was accomplished by "sampling" the sound wave many times per second, with each sample recording the amplitude of the wave at that point (including whether the wave was "up" or "down"). By the Nyquist Theorem, the sample rate (number of samples per second) must be at least twice as high as the highest recorded frequency to prevent weird artifacts in the recording.
So, in the 1970's, when Philips and Sony began looking for a way to improve audio quality for recorded music, they turned to digital sampling. A sample rate of 44,100 samples per second (44.1 kHz) was chosen because it exceeded the target sample rate of 40 kHz (twice the highest frequency humans can hear, 20 kHz) and because that's how much information could be stored on a video tape, the storage medium of choice until the little silver plastic discs we know as CDs were perfected.
Each "sample" is a 16-bit number, ranging from -32,768 to 32,767. This number indicates the amplitude of the wave at the instant of sampling. Thus a sampled wave oscillating back and forth from -32,768 to 32,767 would be the loudest wave this format could represent, a wave changing from -1 to 1 would be the quietest, and a bunch of zeroes in a row would indicate complete silence. This range of values for the amplitude is fairly fine-grained, which allows even subtle volume differences to be accurately represented. Sampling audio in this digital fashion is known as Pulse Code Modulation (PCM), and is the most popular method of digital sampling.
PCM digital audio produces quite an accurate picture of the "live" sound, and only the keenest listeners with good equipment can distinguish between it and the original.
The Size Problem
It is possible (and fairly easy) to "rip" the audio data from a CD and store it into "WAV" files on a computer, and these files can be played back on demand. So ideally, you'd want to hear your music at this quality everywhere, since it's the highest quality you can typically purchase. You'd want copies of your music, at this quality, in your car, on your computer, in your portable music player, and in your stereo. Why is this not currently feasible? The answer is size.
A little math can reveal the space required to store sound information at this quality. Each sample is 16 bits, or two bytes. There are 44,100 samples each second, and since modern music is recorded in stereo, there is both a left and a right channel. This results in ( 2 * 44100 * 2 ) = 176,400 bytes to store one second's worth of samples. This means 10,584,000 bytes or approximately 10 megabytes to store just one minute of CD-quality audio. This may not sound too alarming, given many have hard drives holding tens and even hundreds of gigabytes, but it adds up quickly.
My personal music collection currently consists of 1307 songs on 102 different albums (a couple of these are double albums). The total playing time of all 1307 songs combined is 5,423 minutes and 23 seconds (over three days and eighteen hours) and so would require an estimated 53 gigabytes of hard drive space to store in perfect CD-quality!!! With a little cash, a personal computer could have that much storage for now, but most portable music players have less than 1% this much space.
As video DVDs with "surround sound" audio become more popular, this will only become more of a problem: such audio typically contains 5 channels (left, right, left rear, right rear, and center), nearly tripling the space requirements! And for DVD Audio discs it's even worse: up to six channels with 24-bit samples at 96 kHz, requiring almost ten times the space!
Clearly, for the near future (at least until portable music players have hundreds of gigs of storage), you won't be able to carry around your entire music collection.
Or can you?
Fortunately, there is a solution. Compression is the technique of making a file take up less space while still containing the same information. There are two categories of compression: lossless and lossy.
Lossless Compression
Lossless compression means that the compressed, smaller file can be expanded back into the original file without losing any information whatsoever. That is: take a file; compress it, and uncompress it again. If the original file is bit-for-bit identical, 100% of the time, for any given input file, then the compression scheme is lossless. No information is lost.
Unfortunately, compressing audio losslessly is hard. General-purpose compression programs like WinZip and gzip only manage about 5% on average. Even "next-generation" utilities like WinRAR and bzip2 only manage a few percent more.
There are special-purpose compressors (like flac) which were designed solely for losslessly compressing audio, but even they only manage about a 50% reduction in filesize on average. While this is enough for some, for music files to be truly portable they must be even smaller.
Lossy Compression
Lossy compression is any compression which causes information to be lost. Compressing and then uncompressing a file results in something similar, but not identical, to the original file. This is no good for things which must be interpreted by a computer, like executable programs/applications or most computer-readable data, but is often just fine for things where the interpretation is being done by a human (like photographs or sounds). The trick is to remove little bits of information in places where it can't be perceived.
Lossy audio compression works using a psychoacoustic model. That is, by modeling how your ears (and your brain) hear sound, it is possible to find places to remove information that you wouldn't have perceived anyway. A full treatment of these techniques is beyond the scope of this document, but here are two simple examples:
Though humans can technically hear tones up to 20 kHz in pitch, most can't hear anything above 15 kHz, especially when other sounds are present. However, most CD-quality audio contains information for reproducing these tones anyway. By filtering out tones outside this range, you reduce the amount of information that has to be stored without affecting the perceived sound quality. (And even humans that can hear such tones wouldn't have heard them anyway on cheap computer speakers unable to produce such frequencies.)
Similarly, if a piece of music contains a loud bass drum hit (such as most rock and roll, a couple of times each second), the eardrum is too busy reacting to the percussive hits of the drum to register any other sounds at all for a few milliseconds. By simply omitting the samples immediately after such sounds, less information can be stored while still maintaining the same perceived sound quality. (Note: this is merely an example. I am not aware of any encoder which actually does this.)
Using sophisticated techniques such as these, lossy audio compression formats such as Ogg Vorbis and mp3 can achieve results which are provably indistinguishable from the original, CD-quality sound but are a mere 10 to 20% of the size.
And what's even better, being more aggressive with these techniques can result in files which are less than 5% of the original size but still sound quite good on normal equipment (think FM radio quality).
A Bit on Bitrates
The ultimate size of such files is driven by their bitrate. That is, how many bits does the compressor (a.k.a. encoder) use to represent each second of audio. Actual, uncompressed, CD-quality uses 176,400 bytes or 1,411,200 bits to store each second. This is roughly 1411 kilobits per second, or 1411 kbps. Typical lossy formats would only use anywhere from 64 to 256 kbps to store the "same" information.
The problem is that bitrates only speak to the size of the file, not its quality. For example, one could write a compression format that achieves a 256 kbps bitrate by taking only the first 256,000 out of every 1,411,200 bits (18%) in any given second. Although some foolish people might assume a song encoded in this format would sound better than a typical 128 kbps mp3, any listening test would be able to easily prove the inferiority of such a technique.
The mp3 format, developed by Fraunhofer and Thomson, is a heavily-patented format and was ground-breaking in its time. Because it was the first widely-adopted lossy audio compression codec, people associate certain bitrates with certain levels of quality.
However, even within the aging mp3 format, and even within a single bitrate (say, 128 kbps), the sound quality of various encoders varies drastically. The Xing encoder is fast but produces poor-sounding files even at 128 kbps. The Lame encoder is a bit slower but produces markedly better-sounding files at the same bitrate.
Newer lossy audio compression codecs like WMA and Ogg Vorbis use different psychoacoustic models and noticeably improve sound quality at a given bitrate even over the best mp3 encoder.
To further muddy the waters, not even bitrate alone will tell the whole story. Early mp3 encoders (and most to this day) used what is called an "average bit rate" (ABR). If, for example, we encode a file at 128 kbps, then the encoder will use 128 kilobits to encode each second of the song, no matter what. So the first measure (consisting of perhaps two drum clicks) will use 128 kilobits and will represent that second nearly exactly. On the other hand, halfway through the song, where the lead guitar is ripping into a solo, the drummer is going crazy on the cymbals and the bass guitar is playing a funky groove, the encoder will still have to use 128 kilobits to encode that second, where it could have used, say 300. Thus that second will be represented rather poorly.
Newer mp3 encoders (like Lame) support what is called "variable bit rate" mode (VBR). This gives the encoder the freedom to save bits on simple sections that don't need as many bits to represent them well and thus have some "extra" bits left over to use for sections that really need them. This usually results in files which are slightly smaller than ABR files even at the same target bitrate, but which sound much better in the busy sections.
Occasionally you may see mp3s referred to as CBR, for "constant bit rate". This would mean that every sample of the encoded file must use exactly the same amount of bits. In reality, mp3 uses a bit reservoir to average bit rates over a small period of time, so technically ABR is being used. It is unlikely that any compressed audio formats use true CBR.
Unfortunately, though some newer mp3 encoders do support VBR, some portable hardware mp3 players can't play such mp3s. And even when their encoders and players support this mode, many people don't use it for whatever reason. (Habit? Ignorance?)
Almost every lossy audio compression codec newer than mp3 supports VBR, though some don't turn it on by default.
Just Say No to Bitrates
Testing by Fraunhofer and Thomson found that for mp3s, 256 kbps was true "CD-quality"; that is, their sound engineers could rarely tell the difference between mp3s encoded at that rate and the original CDs. These files were roughly 20% of the original filesize, but virtually indistinguishable in quality.
Since then, 128 kbps mp3s have become the "standard". Although most people with good equipment can hear the difference, they still sound good enough for the average listener. These files are roughly 10% of the original filesize, and are the source of the 1 megabyte per minute rule some stores quote for determining how much music you can fit on a given portable mp3 player.
People with dull ears, bad equipment, or an strong desire to fit twice as much music on a portable player encode mp3s at 64 kbps. These files sound not much worse than FM radio, and are a mere 5% of the original filesize. (Most, but not all, portable players that advertise "stores over 2 hours of music" are assuming the use of 64 kbps mp3s, rather than the more common 128 kbps mp3s.)
The problem with these rules of thumb is that they only work for mp3s. There are now many formats newer than mp3 which all improve on sound quality. And, as more sophisticated psychoacoustic models are developed, the difference in sound quality between one bitrate for mp3 and the same bitrate for a different format will only continue to widen.
For example, a file encoded in the Ogg Vorbis format at "quality 3″ typically results in an average bitrate of 112 kbps but sounds better than an mp3 at 128 kbps and often as good as an mp3 encoded at 160 kbps.
For this reason, the Ogg Vorbis community discourages users from trying to achieve a specific bitrate when encoding but instead to concentrate on sound quality. In fact, the Ogg Vorbis format encoders don't normally consider bitrate at all (the default mode of operation is VBR), instead using a "quality" rating, which ranges from -1 to 10 in increments of 0.01 or so. This quality rating is a measure of how close to the original the compressed file should sound; the encoder uses as many or as few bits as necessary to satisfy the quality requirement. Each quality setting results in a rough average bitrate for a piece of average music, but this is a by-product of how the encoder has been tuned; the encoder does not aim at any particular bitrate.
The default quality setting is 3, which should be fine for the average user since it gives sound quality better than a 128 kbps mp3 but is over 10% smaller. Someone wanting sound almost identical to a 128 kbps mp3 can usually get by with quality 2, which sounds as good but is 25% smaller.
The rest of this document assumes that you will be encoding music using the Ogg Vorbis format.
Why Ogg Vorbis?
Ogg Vorbis is a good choice because the sound quality is among the best of the newest formats out there. Recent double-blind listening tests put Ogg Vorbis among the highest quality of all the "second-generation" compressed audio codecs. This means you either save space and get the same quality, get higher quality for the same space requirements, or a combination of both (i.e. a little smaller and a little better-sounding).
Secondly, Ogg Vorbis is not only Open Source (BSD license), but is completely patent-free. This means that hardware manufacturers wanting to support Ogg Vorbis in their portable music players can do so without paying license fees, unlike most other formats. Software developers can use the Ogg Vorbis format for music/sounds in their games without having to get permission from some powerful company and without paying royalties. And the open nature of the code for the format means that many people have the freedom to port the tools to many other systems or add features, fix bugs and improve the code if they so desire. In fact, the BSD license allows for developers to modify their code to suit their own needs, and they don't even have to publish their changes! Most other formats are heavily patented and tightly controlled.
Finally, the format is well-designed to have several features some of the others don't. Those familiar with id3 tags for mp3 files will be well aware of their limitations; Ogg Vorbis features a flexible tagging standard which allows complete customization of tags for a given file, including user-defined tags (like "remixed by" or whatever you like).
Ogg Vorbis files support "bitrate peeling", which means you can produce a lower bitrate file from a higher bitrate file without re-encoding and at the same quality as if you'd encoded the file directly into the lower bitrate from the original file. No other lossy audio codec currently supports this. (N.B. Current files are peelable, but not very well. Good peeling support requires the encoder to be redesigned to store data in a more peeler-friendly (but still backwards-compatible) format. This is being worked on, slowly, but isn't currently a high priority.)
And Ogg Vorbis files are not limited to merely two channels of audio (left and right). They support up to 255 distinct channels, and thus are a natural fit for encoding the 6 channels of DVD audio alongside your DivX video.
Just to be clear, strictly speaking, the name "Ogg" refers to a generic container fohttp://grahammitchell.net/wp-admin/post.php?post=5&action=edit&message=1rmat which could hold many types of multimedia files (lossy compressed audio (Ogg Vorbis), lossy compressed audio designed for speech (Ogg Speex), lossless compressed audio (Ogg Flac), lossy compressed video (Ogg Theora), etc). "Vorbis" is the lossy compressed audio codec which is typically transported in Ogg files. "Ogg Vorbis" refers to both parts together: an Ogg format file containing audio compressed using Vorbis. And throughout this document, I've used the term "ogg" to generically mean "a file containing compressed audio in Vorbis format" since that's the file's extension, just like I've used "mp3″ to mean "a file containing compressed audio in MPEG layer 3 format".
Why Not Ogg Vorbis?
There are a few domains where use of Ogg Vorbis probably isn't appropriate right now, and they mostly stem from ubiquity. Support for mp3s is widespread, since it was the first popular compressed audio format and has been around the longest. This means that you'll have a hard time finding a portable music player that will play Ogg Vorbis files. Several are coming to market in the next few months but for now support is virtually non-existent.
Similarly, if you're planning on distributing music in vorbis format, you may have to help your recipients get something set up to play them. Anecdotal evidence indicates that most Windows users play audio using Windows Media Player, which doesn't support Ogg Vorbis files by default (though I'm told it's possible to get support working, at least with older versions of WMP). Similarly, most Mac users play audio with iTunes, which doesn't come with vorbis support installed.
Personally, I don't distribute music files, and can play them fine at home, but your situation may vary, so at least be aware of the problem. I expect that iTunes will eventually support Ogg Vorbis out of the box. Getting Microsoft to support such an open standard seems unlikely in the forseeable future, however.
Note that widespread acceptance (especially in hardware) is difficult and slow for any new format.
What Quality Should I Use?
To find out what quality level you should use to encode, you'll need to do some listening tests. First, get one of your CDs and use a CD ripper (like EAC) to rip a track or two into a WAV file on the hard drive. This will take up some space, as mentioned before. If you're comfortable with command-line tools, use oggenc to encode as specified below. If not, use a GUI tool like OggDrop.
Encode the test tracks using the default settings.
oggenc Track01.wav
This will be VBR, quality 3. Listen to the encoded tracks and decide how they sound to you. Do they sound good? Any complaints? If you think they sound fine, then encode all your music using the default settings and don't even worry about bitrate, quality or anything. Your ears are the only metric that really matters.
If the files don't sound good to you, or if they do and you're just curious how much better they could sound, then try encoding them again at quality 4. Adjust the slider in OggDrop or issue the following command at the command line:
oggenc -q 4 Track01.wav
Then listen to these versions. Can you tell a difference in sound quality? If not, then there's no reason not to encode at the default settings. If you can't hear the difference, you're only wasting space by encoding at a higher quality.
If you can hear the difference, is the increase in quality enough to justify the increase in filesize? If so, then perhaps keep increasing the quality by 0.5 or so until you can't hear the improvement from the previous setting. Technically, the sound quality does continue to improve all the way up to quality 10, but almost no one can hear any differences after quality 7.
If you're serious about sound quality, you might want to use ABX for your listening tests. ABX is a testing methodology that allows you to determine conclusively and repeatably if you are really hearing differences in two sound files. The PC ABX home page is a good place to get started.
Also, be advised that normal Ogg Vorbis files use lossy channel coupling, meaning that redundancies between the left and right channels are combined to save space. This does keep the files smaller, but also means that technically the stereo image of an Ogg Vorbis file might not always be identical to the original stereo image. If this concerns you, you'll want to encode at quality 6 or higher, which is where the lossy channel coupling is turned off and all channel coupling is lossless. Most can't tell the difference, but maybe you can.
On the other hand, if file size is more important to you than sound quality, try lowering the quality until the decrease in quality becomes significant enough for you. Some Ogg Vorbis users (with happily dull ears) report that they can't tell the difference between the CD and an Ogg at quality 0! These people are saving quite a bit of space and still listening to music with a sound quality acceptable to them.
For those who want to listen to their music at home (where hard drive space is plentiful) and on a portable device where space is at a premium, encode in the higher format. Ogg Vorbis files can always be "peeled" later to get the lower quality versions from the higher quality ones.
A few people are using Oggs for streaming over the web. For these endeavors, variable bit rate is not acceptable because though the bitrate averages properly, bitrate spikes can exceed bandwidth requirements. A CBR mode and even maximum and minimum bitrate settings exist in Ogg Vorbis, but no details are given here because the techniques used to produce such files always result in worse-sounding files than a file of the same size using the default settings. The guarantees on bandwidth come at a price.
For the average user, if you are encoding Ogg Vorbis files using any encoding settings other than "-q n", you are getting lower quality files than you could be at a given size.
A Note About "Transcoding"
Some people have a lot of music in mp3 format, but do not have the original CDs (*cough*). Others have the CDs, but spent months ripping and encoding all of them into mp3 format and don't want to go through the trouble again. Such people are often tempted to take their mp3s, decompress them into WAVs, and re-encode them into Ogg Vorbis files. Some have even gone so far as to create tools to automate this process.
If you care about sound quality, you should never, ever do this. Ogg Vorbis uses similar but different techniques to remove information, and by transcoding, you lose information twice. Similar to faxing a photocopy of a fax, the "transcoded" ogg will always sound worse than even the original mp3.
Besides, for most users this isn't necessary, as almost every player that supports oggs supports mp3s as well, and your mp3 collection can peacefully co-exist with your growing ogg collection. In fact, the only compelling reason to get rid of existing mp3s is ethical, not technical: either your mp3s were illegal copies or perhaps because you don't want to support a patented format.
However, if your mp3s are of exceedingly high quality (say, 256 kbps or higher), then you probably haven't incurred enough quality loss to worry about. They could probably be converted to Ogg Vorbis (especially at lower bitrates) with little additional loss of quality.
Reprinting This Article
Please visit http://grahammitchell.com for inquires.
This is from his original post:
Though I retain the copyright on this article, I grant permission to everyone to reprint this article in any form. You may translate it to another language, include it in a handout for a class, print it in a book, etc. However, you must credit me (Graham Mitchell) as the author, and you must include a link/reference to this original. You may do any of these things without otherwise contacting me. However, if you are going to do something like this, I'd appreciate it if you'd let me know. I like to keep tabs on how people are using this introduction.
If you'd like to do anything else with this article (substantial cuts for a shorter publication, make a derivative work, etc.), you must contact me for permission. Chances are extremely high that I'll grant permission as well, but I'd like to decide on a case-by-case basis.
Version History
2003-06-25 – version 15
* added table of contents and tags so interested
readers can jump directly to a specific section
* fixed capitalization of section headings in places
* added the word "Ogg" to the title of this document
* added a link to Theora's site (http://www.theora.org/)
* referenced and added a link to Speex's site (http://www.speex.org/)
2003-06-03 – version 14
* reworded first paragraph under "Lossy Compression" for a clearer
* reworded third paragraph in "Just Say No to Bitrates" and added
information about portable manufacturers and their claims about how
many "minutes" of audio their products can store
* put quotation marks around "quality 3″ the first time it appears
(fifth paragraph of "Just Say No to Bitrates") since the phrase
hasn't been defined yet
* reworded first sentence in sixth paragraph of "Just Say No to
* added a missing right parenthesis in fourth paragraph of "Why Ogg
* added paragraph in section on transcoding admitting that "high bitrate
mp3 -> lower quality Ogg Vorbis really isn't that bad
2003-04-18 – version 13
* added section on "Why Not Ogg Vorbis"
* more detail on how "peelable" vorbis files are
* fixed several things suggested by Moritz Grimm (tag names not
case-sensitive, 255 channels not 256, reference Theora instead of
* clarified 10 dB vs. 3 dB for "doubling"
2002-09-22 – version 12
* added information on how article may be reprinted
* lossless channel coupling is now at q 6, not q 5, and there's no
file-size spike anymore
* clarified that Philips and Sony didn't invent digital audio
* added DOCTYPE, stylesheet
2002-07-29 – version 11
* corrected a spelling error (Thompson -> Thomson)
* Fixed Ogg quality range (now goes down to -1)
2002-07-22 – version 10
* clarified that 5.1 audio has five channels, not six (bass is computed)
* added clarification that one of my example lossy compression
techniques isn't actually used in practice.
2002-07-11 – version 9
* reworded "peeling" clarification, now that 1.0 is gold.
2002-07-09 – version 8
* clarified that though oggs are peelable, no tools to do so yet exist
2002-02-11 – version 7
* reworded first sentence of "What Quality Should I Use" to avoid
preposition woes
2002-02-10 – version 6
* fixed two widdle typos (thanks, Dad!)
* %s/Kbps/kbps/g
* clarified that BSD license allows derivatives to be closed-source
* added paragraph on "Ogg" vs "Vorbis" vs "Ogg Vorbis" vs "oggs"
* added mention of PCM to "Digital Audio", stealing from an email by Nemo
* reworded and moved a sentence from "Digital Audio" to "The Size Problem"
* mentioned that some DVD audio is sampled at 24-bit, 96 kHz
2002-02-09 – version 5
* completely rewrote first section, adding diagrams of analog and digital
waves, breaking "Why" into "The Sound of Music" and "Digital Audio"
and vastly improving it, in my opinion
* modified end of "Just Say No to Bitrates" to clarify that Vorbis doesn't
target any specific bitrate when quality settings are used. Includes
large verbatim quote from an email by Carsten Haese
* capitalized section headers throughout
* added final paragraph to "Transcoding" section
* colloquial improvements: removed "folks" and first-person references
* reworded a few sentences ending in prepositions
* simplified sentence mentioning flac
* put list of topics into introduction
2002-02-08 – version 4
* changed "nearly 10 megabytes" to "approximately 10 megabytes"
* wrong word in 2nd paragraph of "ABR/CBR/VBR" ("give" -> "gives")
2002-02-07 – version 3
* fixed several grammatical and other errors noticed by Philip M. White
* corrected section on -32768 to 32767
2002-02-07 – second draft
* fixed range of 16bit samples (-32768 to 32767 rather than 0 to 65535)
* added sentence on why 44.1 kHz was chosen for CDs
* added Sony's name as developer of CD format
* wrong word ("Which" -> "While")
* reworked CBR/ABR/VBR section with corrected info
* added section on "Why Vorbis"
* sound quality is high
* patent-free and open source
* nice features (tagging, peelable, more than two channels)
* added paragraph on ABX
* mentioned that lossless stereo coupling kicks in at -q 5
* put "transcoding" in quotes since it's a misnomer
2002-02-06 – first draft
For more tech info, check out: http://grahammitchell.net


text:
Multiple-vehicle collision
A multiple vehicle collision (colloquially known as a multi-car collision, multi-vehicle collision, pile-up, or chain-reaction crash[1]) is a road traffic accident involving many vehicles. Generally occurring on high-capacity and high-speed routes such as freeways, they are one of the deadliest forms of traffic accidents. The most disastrous pile-ups have involved more than a hundred vehicles.
Pile-ups generally occur in low-visibility conditions as drivers on freeways are sometimes caught out by driving too close to the vehicle in front and not adjusting to the road conditions.
Chain-reaction crashes can also occur in conditions of good visibility, when black ice or other road hazards are encountered unexpectedly as drivers round a curve or crest a hill.[1]
Due to the high traffic speeds on the road, if one car develops a problem and suddenly halts, those behind it cannot stop in time and may hit it. Considering that these roads often have high traffic volumes, more cars are forced into braking and skidding, darting into other lanes and in front of oncoming traffic and so more vehicles become involved, creating a chain reaction effect.
Determining the cause of such accidents is difficult for investigators and it is often impossible to tell if negligence caused the crash. In spite of their frequency, little formal research has been done in the United States regarding their cause or causes.[2]
Multiple-vehicle collisions are particularly deadly as the mass of crumpled vehicles makes escape for survivors difficult. Even if survivors are able to exit their vehicles, other cars may strike them. Individual vehicles in a multiple-vehicle collision are often hit multiple times at high speed, increasing the risk of injury to passengers who may have survived the first impact with the benefit of now-discharged protective airbags. Collisions after the initial collision may occur from the side of the vehicle, where the passenger compartment is more vulnerable.
A fire in one part of the accident can quickly spread via spilled gasoline and cover the entire crash area. Multiple-vehicle collisions can also overwhelm local firefighting, ambulance, and police services making speedy rescues more difficult. If the accident takes place in a remote area, getting medical help to the scene can be a daunting task.
The destruction and intense heat of fires can also damage roadways, particularly by melting and burning the asphalt or spalling concrete surfaces. The structural steel of bridges and overpasses can also be weakened by the heat. A fiery pileup inside a tunnel is the most serious, as there is little means to escape the poisonous fumes, and the confined heat may damage structural supports.
The large scale of these accidents can close important highway routes for several days, or even longer if highway support structures are damaged.
Major pileups[edit]
|It has been suggested that this article be merged into List of road accidents. (Discuss) Proposed since March 2014.
|March 12, 1990
|Interstate 43 in Green Bay, Wisconsin, United States, on the Tower Drive Bridge over the Fox River, due to very heavy fog; fiery crash involved 52 vehicles; 3 deaths and more than 30 injuries. A fog warning system was immediately installed, and bridge lighting was installed in the mid 2000s, after more fog related issues.
|December 11, 1990
|Interstate 75 in Calhoun, Tennessee, United States, between Chattanooga and Knoxville near the Hiwassee River, due to very heavy fog; fiery crash involved 99 vehicles; 12 deaths and 42 injuries. A fog warning system has since been installed, and the highway patrol enforces speed limits aggressively.[3]
|March 13, 1991
|M4 in Hungerford, Berkshire, United Kingdom, between Membury and Hungerford due to very heavy fog; fiery crash involved 51 vehicles; 10 deaths. A van driver either fell asleep or swerved to miss a pigeon, in the outside lane. Huge pile-up ensued.
|October 1991
|A15 Motorway near Ochten, Netherlands, due to fog, 150 vehicles, 1 death, 64 injuries.[4]
|November 29, 1991
|Interstate 5 in Coalinga, California, due to a dust storm, 104 vehicles, 17 deaths, 114 injuries.[5][6]
|April 1992
|Interstate 64 in Virginia near Afton Mountain, due to fog, 60 vehicles, 2 deaths, dozens injured.[7]
|December 2, 1994
|Interstate 35 in San Antonio, Texas, United States, 127 car pile-up caused by blinding glare and rain-slicked roads, 67 injuries.[8]
|March 20, 1995
|Interstate 10 in Mobile, Alabama, United States, due to fog, 200 vehicles, 1 death, 90 injuries.[9]
|February 27, 1996
|E17 motorway near Nazareth, Belgium, due to fog.[10]
|March 10, 1997
|M42 motorway in the United Kingdom, due to fog – 160 vehicles involved, 3 deaths, 60 injuries.[11][12]
|December 31, 1998
|114 cars crashed during whiteout conditions and [13] a snow-slicked section of N/B Interstate-75 in central Michigan, just north of Grayling, killing one and injuring 39.[14]
|September 3, 1999
|Highway 401 in Essex County, Ontario, Canada, just east of Windsor. Very dense fog and tailgating causes an 87-vehicle pile-up, killing 8, and injuring 33 more.[15][16]
|November 22, 1999
|Interstate 70 in Golden, Colorado, United States, when a car spun out in the westbound lanes in heavy snow and fog, then was hit by other vehicles as it attempted to resume westbound travel.[17]
|February 2001
|Interstate 95 in Stafford County, Virginia, United States, 131 vehicles plus two others nearby totaling 80 more, due to a snowstorm whiteout.[18]
|March 2002
|Interstate 75 in Catoosa County, Georgia, United States, due to one-time sudden fog, about 125 vehicles[19]
|October 11, 2002
|Interstate 43 in Sheboygan County, Wisconsin, United States, just north of the Ozaukee-Sheboygan county line. Involved 50 vehicles due to dense fog. Considered the worst multiple-vehicle collision in Wisconsin history.[20]
|November 3, 2002
|Interstate 710 in Los Angeles County, California, United States, around 200 vehicles, due to dense fog.[21]
|February 7, 2003
|Interstate 94 in Berrien County, Michigan, United States, 80 vehicles (initially reported as 75), due to lake-effect snow.[22][23]
|May 23, 2003
|Interstate 68 in Garrett County, Maryland, United States, approximately 90 vehicles involved in accident near the I-68 cut on Big Savage Mountain. Heavy fog was blamed for the accident.[24]
|January 6, 2004
|Interstate 80 in Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States, around 50 vehicles, due to poor visibility during a white out snow squall, leaving 6 dead and 17 injured.[25]
|January 12, 2005
|Interstate 96 in Ingham County, Michigan, United States, around 200 vehicles, due to dense fog leaving 2 dead and 35 injured.[26][27]
|November 5, 2007
|Highway 99 south of Fresno, California, United States, due to the tule fog that occurs frequently in fall and winter; involved more than 100 vehicles, killed at least 2 and injured dozens of others.[28]
|January 6, 2008
|Two people are killed as 100 cars pile up on Interstate 90 near Madison, Wisconsin.[29]
|January 9, 2008
|Four people were killed and as many as 38 injured in a major pileup on Interstate 4 in north central Florida involving 70 vehicles, as fog mixed with smoke from a controlled fire that reached out-of-control proportions combined to make it almost impossible for motorists to see.[30]
|January 20, 2008
|More than 100 vehicles crashed into each other on Highway 400 near Toronto due to bad weather conditions.[31]
|March 11, 2008
|Around 6.39 am UAE time a series of vehicle crashes occurred, involving cars, SUVs, buses and trucks, because of heavy fog on the Abu Dhabi-Dubai highway near Ghantoot, Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates, leading to the worst ever crash and multi-vehicle pileup in the country's history. According to Dubai-based Gulf News and Reuters, the incident killed 3 people and injured 277, involving 60 vehicles from which 25 caught fire according to Abu Dhabi Police.[32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39]
|March 20, 2008
|231 vehicles crashed at highway D1 in Vysočina Region of the Czech Republic. About 30 people were injured, 3 of them seriously. Nobody was killed.[40][41][42][43][44][45][46]
|March 25, 2008
|A near 60 vehicle pile-up in heavy snow on Austria's main east-west highway causes one death with six injuries.[47]
|January 11, 2009
|"More than 50 cars..." in Derry, New Hampshire[48]
|January 19, 2009
|A 35-car pileup occurs during a snowstorm on Interstate 70 in Myersville, Maryland.
|July 19, 2009
|Dozens of people injured, 10 critically, when 259 vehicles were involved in a pile-up due to heavy rain on the German Autobahn A2 near Braunschweig in Lower Saxony.[49]
|December 13, 2009
|56 cars involved in a pile-up on Route 110 in Shelton, Connecticut due to freezing rain and black ice resulting in 46 injuries and six hospitalizations, but no deaths or life-threatening injuries.[50]
|December 23, 2009
|M27 motorway 20 vehicles involved in a pile up westbound at Rownhams services and another 23 eastbound between J7 for Hedge End and Botley and J8 for Bursledon and Netley due to severe black ice, freezing fog and deep snow. 36 people injured.
|February 10, 2010
|Near Williamsburg, Virginia, whiteout conditions during the morning around 9:00 am EST 10 February led to a fifty-car pileup on a stretch of westbound I-64. The accident took hours to clear, and seven people suffered minor injuries requiring hospitalization.[51]
|February 14, 2010
|In the Kansas City area, several pileups involving 140[52] vehicles, including two Greyhound buses[53] were caused by whiteout conditions. The largest pileup, involving 40 vehicles along I-70 and K-7 near the city of Bonner Springs, Kansas.[52][53][54] No fatalities or critical injuries were reported. The accident closed I-70 for several hours so emergency workers and crews could clean up the area. The same day, also in the Kansas City metro area, a separate pileup caused by whiteout conditions, involving at least 20 vehicles closed parts of I-35 near 87th Street.[53] No fatalities or serious injuries were reported there as well.[53] The accident sent 13 people to area hospitals.[54]
|November 16, 2010
|Interstate 77 in Carroll County, Virginia-Virginia State Police determined that a total of 75 vehicles were involved in crashes in both the northbound and southbound lanes of I-77 between the 4 and 7 mile markers in the area of Fancy Gap, Virginia. Heavy fog resulting in zero visibility was determined to be the cause of the accidents.[55]
|April 8, 2011
|An 80-car pileup occurs during a sandstorm on Autobahn 19 near Rostock, Germany (both directions). 8 death and 131 injured people.[56]
|September 15, 2011
|Rodovia dos Imigrantes at São Paulo, Brazil. around 300 vehicles involved in an accident due to heavy fog. Several injuries and one person dead.[57]
|November 4, 2011
|Near Taunton, Somerset, England. 34 vehicles involved in an accident near Junction 25 on the M5 motorway near Taunton due to fog and heavy rain. 7 confirmed deaths reported and 51 injured.[58]
|December 1, 2011
|Tennessee State Route 386 (Vietnam Veterans Boulevard) and Saundersville Road near Hendersonville in Sumner County, Tennessee, United States, north of Nashville, due to "heavy, heavy fog"; three separate chain-reaction crashes involving 176 vehicles; 1 death and 16–18 injuries. A fog advisory was not in effect for the area at the time of the crashes.[59][60][61][62]
|December 3, 2011
|Istanbul Trans European Motorway 134 cars involved with 1 dead, 14 injured, due to heavy fog and slippery road.
|December 5, 2011
|In the Chugoku expressway in Shimonoseki, Japan. It is believed that this pileup is one of the most expensive pileups, having 8 Ferraris, 3 Mercedes-Benz, a Lamborghini, and 2 Toyota Prius being involved in the crash. The slippery road is blamed as the cause of the pileup, and injured 10 people.[63]
|December 29, 2011
|I-10 in New Orleans, Louisiana; About 40 vehicles involved with at least 50 injuries (22 serious), due to heavy fog and smoke from a nearby ongoing marsh fire in New Orleans East.[64]
|January 29, 2012
|I-75 in Gainesville, Florida; 25 cars involved with 11 fatalities and at least 18 injuries, due to low visibility from smoke and fog.[65]
|February 3, 2012
|European route E75 Helsinki, Finland more than 100 cars involved with more than 40 injured (1 critically), due to heavy snow and slippery road.[66][67]
|October 5, 2012
|Interstate I-75 Southbound Sarasota/Manatee County line, Florida. On University Blvd. overpass 47 vehicles in 12 separate crashes, due to white-out rain.
|November 22, 2012
|Interstate I-10 – Both directions – Jefferson County line, Texas. 150-vehicle pileup on foggy Texas highway leaves 2 dead, 100 hurt.[68]
|January 15, 2013
|European route E4 Klippan. On Tranarp bridge. One person died and more than 40 were injured on the E4 motorway near Helsingborg, southwestern Sweden, after up to 80 vehicles crashed into one another due to dense fog and slippery road conditions.[69][70]
|January 21, 2013
|Interstate 275 – Cincinnati, Ohio. Flash snowburst caused a large pileup with many injuries. A 12-year-old girl was killed.[71][72][73]
|January 21, 2013
|Interstate 75 – Middletown, Ohio. Flash snowburst caused a large pileup. Same storm as Cincinnati 103-vehicle accident that killed a 12-year-old girl.[74]
|January 25, 2013
|Highway 401 east of Oshawa – Ontario, Canada.[75]
|January 31, 2013
|Interstate 75 - Detroit, Michigan. Flash snowburst caused a pile-up along an urbanized section of Interstate 75 in Detroit, killing a 46-year-old Allen Park man, and two children from nearby Windsor, Ontario.[76][77]
|March 31, 2013
|Interstate 77 in Carroll County, Virginia approximately 95 vehicles were involved in an accident on the southbound lane of I-77 near the base of Fancy Gap Mountain near Fancy Gap, Virginia. Virginia State Police say that excessive fog could be to blame for the accident. Three people were killed.[78]
|September 5, 2013
|60 people were injured as more than 130 vehicles were involved in a series of crashes in thick fog on the A249 Sheppey crossing in Kent, UK.[79]
|December 3, 2013
|One person was killed and 67 injured as 132 vehicles were involved in a triple chain collision in thick fog on the A19 in Zonnebeke, Belgium.[80] A second person died four days later.[81]
|January 23, 2014
|Interstate 94 in LaPorte County, Indiana, United States, more than 40 vehicles, due to lake-effect snow.[82]
|February 14, 2014
|Up to 105 vehicles were involved in multiple accidents on the eastbound lanes of the Pennsylvania Turnpike between Willow Grove and Bensalem. One accident involved about 75 vehicles while another incident further east involved about 30 vehicles. There were a total of 30 injuries. The accidents were a result of icy conditions from a winter storm.[83]
|February 27, 2014
|Ontario Highway 400 south of Barrie, 96 vehicles were involved in collisions at about 9am during a snow squall, reducing visibility to "a few feet". The incident resulted in the closure of Highway 400 between Highway 89 and Mapleview Drive. Both lanes on that stretch of highway were closed for most of the day until early evening.[84]
|March 1, 2014
|Interstate 25 in Denver, Colorado, United States, 104 vehicles, due to heavy snow.[85]
|March 12, 2014
|Ninety vehicles between two crashes on the Ohio Turnpike (Interstate 80/90) in Sandusky County, Ohio, United States, due to heavy snow.[86][87]
|October 14, 2014
|A 47 vehicle pileup occurs during morning traffic N12 Freeway near Alberton, South Africa (heading east). 4 people confirmed dead and 9 people critically injured.[88]
|January 9, 2015
|Nearly 200 vehicles, including 76 semi trucks, were involved in a pileup on Interstate 94 near Galesburg, Michigan,[citation needed] amidst a heavy snowstorm that brought nearly a foot of snow to the area. One of the trucks was carrying a load of fireworks, which caught fire and exploded, injuring two firefighters. The only fatality was a 57-year-old truck driver from Quebec, Canada.[89]
|January 17, 2015
|26 vehicles, including more than a dozen tractor-trailers, were involved in a pileup on Interstate 84 near Baker City, Oregon. 12 people were injured, including 4 seriously injured.[90]
|January 18, 2015
|60-car pileup on Interstate 76 in Upper Merion, Pennsylvania due to icy roads. 1 man was killed when he got out of his car after the accident and was hit by another car. 30 more people were injured.[91][92]
|January 18, 2015
|15-car pileup on Interstate 476 in Delaware County, Pennsylvania due to icy roads. 2 men were killed and 5 injured (1 seriously). This pileup occurred shortly after, and nearby, the 60-car pileup in Upper Merion, Pennsylvania on the same day. The event caused the Emergency Alert System to activate.[92][93]
|January 26, 2015
|Motorway pile-up involving more than 100 vehicles on the M40 in Lewknor, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom]]. 2 men died and 18 people were injured, including several seriously injured.[94]
|February 11, 2015
|106-car pileup on Yeongjong Bridge in Incheon, South Korea. 2 men died and more than 65 people were injured. The event was caught on tape from a vehicle's dashcam.[95]
|February 25, 2015
|75-car pileup on Interstate 95 in Penobscot County, Maine, United States. This was noted as possibly Maine's largest single traffic accident.[96]
|January 30, 2016
|55-car pileup on A1 motorway near the Senožeče, Slovenia. 5 men died and more than 30 people were injured. [97][98]
|February 22, 2016
|60 cars in pileup on E39 near Bergen, Norway. Unforeseen extremely slippery roads in the morning rush hours took motorists by surprise. [99]
|March 13, 2016
|At least 130 cars piled up on Interstate 85/Interstate 40 in Alamance County, North Carolina, United States. The crash is thought to be a result of slippery roads caused by thunderstorms in the area at the time.[100]
|July 30, 2016
|A truck crashed onto 5 motorcycles, 3 cars, and 2 semi-permanent buildings in Cianjur, West Java, Indonesia. The crash is thought to be a result of the truck's brake failure.[101]
Multiple vehicle collisions can occur in the restricted courses used in motorsports as well, most commonly after a green flag (on road courses) being waved following a warm-up lap during the start of the race. Reporters and fans apply subjective guidelines as to what threshold needs to be crossed before a simple on-track incident can be described as such. NASCAR fans, for example, talk about the "Big One", where many cars can be or are involved in a wreck while running close together.
- ^ a b Abel, David (December 2, 2013). "On busy travel day, black ice led to massive pileup in Worcester". Boston Globe. Retrieved 2013-12-03.
- ^ Copeland, Larry; Overberg, Paul (18 February 2015). "Special cops work to unravel confusing highway pileups". USA Today. Retrieved 19 February 2015.
There is little research on why these crashes occur. Neither the Federal Highway Administration, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the National Transportation Safety Board, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety nor auto club AAA has researched the phenomena.
- ^ "HAR-92/02". Ntsb.gov. Retrieved 12 December 2013.
- ^ (Dutch) http://www.rtl.nl/(/actueel/rtlnieuws/dossiers/dossier_paginas/jaaroverzicht_2005/)/components/actueel/rtlnieuws/2005/03_maart/04/binnenland/0304_1600_overzicht_kettingbotsingen.xml
- ^ "I-5 Is Reopened After Pileup That Killed 17 : Traffic: Workers battle winds and sand clouds to clear highway of 104 vehicles that crashed in dust storm.". Los Angeles Times. 1 December 1991. Retrieved 19 January 2015.
- ^ "14 Killed, 114 Hurt in I-5 Pileups : Traffic: More than 100 vehicles collide in dust storm north of Coalinga. Victims describe 'all kinds of terrible scenes--trucks on fire, cars on fire, bodies in the road.'". Los Angeles Times. 30 November 1991. Retrieved 19 January 2015.
- ^ "VDOT looks to boost 1-64 safety over Afton - Richmond News, Crime & Politics". TimesDispatch.com. 2013-09-24. Retrieved 2014-02-17.
- ^ Newsbank http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_action=doc&p_docid=0F2232DF8880DAB7&p_docnum=27. Missing or empty
- ^ "Performance of Satellite Fog Detection Techniques" (PDF). "National Weather Association". Retrieved 28 December 2007.
- ^ (Dutch) http://www.standaard.be/artikel/detail.aspx?artikelid=DST14082004_005
- ^ "M42 death crash driver wins back his licence". Archive.worcesternews.co.uk. 10 November 2001. Retrieved 6 November 2010.
- ^ Option or Necessity?
- ^ "The Spokesman-Review". Retrieved 2013-02-07.
- ^ CNN https://web.archive.org/20070127044723/http://www.cnn.com:80/US/9812/31/michigan.pileup/. Archived from the original on 27 January 2007. Missing or empty
- ^ "401 Pileup Disaster". CBC News. 3 September 1999.
- ^ "Top Ten Weather Stories of 1999 – Top Ten Weather Stories – [Meteorological Service of Canada – The Green Lane]". Msc-smc.ec.gc.ca. 23 April 2010. Retrieved 6 November 2010.
- ^ "2 Killed, 29 Injured in Pileup on I-70 in Colorado". Los Angeles Times. 23 November 1999. Retrieved 23 November 2013.
- ^ "Wrecks close interstates during snowstorm". USA Today. 23 February 2001. Retrieved 13 May 2010.
- ^ "Massive pileup near Ga.-Tenn. line kills 4". CNN. 14 March 2002. Retrieved 13 May 2010.
- ^ "At least 10 killed in multi-car crash in Wisconsin". USA Today. 11 October 2002. Retrieved 30 January 2012.
- ^ Gottlieb, Jeff; Hernandez, Daniel (4 November 2002). "41 Hurt in 198-Vehicle Smashup". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ "Intense Lake Effect Snow Band Causes 75-Vehicle Chain Reaction Pile-Up". Northern Indiana Weather Forecast Office, National Weather Service.
- ^ Aiken, Scott (7 February 2004). "I-94 Pileup Memories Are Vivid a Year Later". The Herald-Palladium. Retrieved 3 January 2014.
- ^ "I-68 Fog Detection System Planning Report" (PDF). Sabra, Wang & Associates. 7 November 2003.
- ^ "The Story of the Keystone Shortway". They Keystone Shortway Association. n.d.
- ^ Macomb Daily : More than 100 vehicles pile up on I-96 01/13/05 Archived 10 January 2008 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ "Chain-Reaction Crashes In 2 States". CBS News. 13 January 2005.
- ^ http://www.fresnobee.com/263/story/183948.html. Retrieved 20 December 2007. Missing or empty
|title=(help)[dead link]
- ^ "2 Killed, Dozens Hurt After 100-Vehicle Pileup On Interstate 90 – Madison News Story – WISC Madison". Channel3000.com. Retrieved 13 August 2010.
- ^ Fog Causes 70-Car Pileup in Fla.; 4 Dead
- ^ "Whiteout causes 100-vehicle pile-up near Toronto". Reuters. 20 January 2008.
- ^ "Horrific accident on Abu Dhabi-Dubai highway near Ghantoot". GulfNews.com. Retrieved 6 November 2010.
- ^ "Five killed, 277 injured in Ghantoot accident". Xpress4me. Retrieved 6 November 2010.
- ^ "Photo Gallery – Five killed, 277 injured in Ghantoot accident". Xpress4me. Retrieved 6 November 2010.
- ^ "Reuters Video report – Hundreds hurt in UAE horror crash". Reuters.com. 9 February 2009. Retrieved 6 November 2010.
- ^ "REFILE-UAE's biggest traffic accident kills 3, injures 277". Reuters. 11 March 2008. Retrieved 6 November 2010.
- ^ Yahoo! News India – Eight killed in horrific 200-car pileup on Dubai-Abu Dhabi highway Archived 16 March 2008 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ Reuters (3 November 2008). "Traffic pileup leaves 3 dead, 300 hurt – Some of the 60 cars burst into flames on Dubai-Abu Dhabi highway". MSNBC. Retrieved 6 November 2010.
- ^ "YouTube Video – Dubai – Abu Dhabi Crash – the Aftermath". Youtube.com. 11 March 2008. Retrieved 6 November 2010.
- ^ Na Vysočině je D1 po hromadné nehodě průjezdná oběma směry, web ČT24, 21 March 2008
- ^ Největší hromadná nehoda zablokovala dálnici D1 na 11 hodin, Novinky.cz, 20 March 2008
- ^ D1: Největší nehoda všech dob, Z Jihlavy, nezávislý infoserver, 21 March 2008
- ^ Nehodu na D1 zavinili řidiči, jeli rychle, Lidové noviny, 22 April 2008
- ^ Tomáš Blažek: Sníh umrtvil D1 za 4 minuty, MF Dnes, 22 March 2008, supplement Vysočina, p. 1
- ^ Jan Vaca: Policie pozná, kdo jel rychle, MF Dnes, 22 March 2008. str. 2
- ^ Michal Pavec: Škoda za havárii desetiletí na D1 činí 28 milionů, Aktuálně.cz, 21 April 2008
- ^ "Whiteout One dead in 60-vehicle pile-up on Austrian motorway | Reuters". Mobile.alertnet.org. 25 March 2008. Retrieved 6 November 2010.
- ^ "More than 50 vehicles involved in I-93 crash". Theunionleader.com. 12 January 2009. Retrieved 13 August 2010.
- ^ "Dozens injured in 259-car autobahn pileup – The Local". Thelocal.de. Retrieved 13 August 2010.
- ^ "50 car pile-up in Shelton closes Rt 110". Wtnh.com. Retrieved 13 August 2010.
- ^ "Winter weather causes 50 car pile-up". WAVY. LIN Television Corporation. Retrieved 11 February 2010.
- ^ a b [1] Archived 18 February 2010 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ a b c d Font size Print E-mail Share 14 Comments (14 February 2010). "Weather Causes Massive Crashes in Midwest". CBS News. Retrieved 13 August 2010.
- ^ a b [2] Archived 18 February 2010 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ "Two die in 75-car pileup on I-77". thecarrollnews.com. 16 November 2010.
- ^ "Germany: Freak sandstorm causes deadly motorway pile-up". BBC News. 9 April 2011.
- ^ "Folha.com – Cotidiano – Engavetamento mata 1 e envolve 300 carros, diz PM; pista da Imigrantes é liberada – 15/09/2011". .folha.uol.com.br. 15 September 2011. Retrieved 2011-11-05.
- ^ John Maguire (5 November 2011). "BBC News – M5 crash: Fears 'more than 10 killed'". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2011-11-05.
- ^ Dave Alsup (1 December 2011). "1 dead, 16 injured in Tennessee crashes involving 176 cars". CNN.com. Retrieved 2011-12-01.
- ^ "One Killed, 18 Injured In 55-Car Pileup On Vietnam Vets Blvd.". NewsChannel5.com. 1 December 2011. Retrieved 2011-12-01.
- ^ Scott Sutton (1 December 2011). "1 killed, 16 injured after 50-car pileup on Vietnam Vets Blvd.". WSMV.com. Retrieved 2011-12-01.
- ^ "100-plus vehicles involved in pileup, 1 dead, several injured". WRKN.com. 1 December 2011. Retrieved 2011-12-01.
- ^ "AfFerraris destroyed in costly Japan motorway pile-up".
- ^ name="wwltv.com">"After massive I-10 pileup, New Orleans East residents point to poor lighting". wwltv.com. Retrieved 2012-11-26.
- ^ "FDLE Releases Review of I-75 Crashes from January 2012". wctv.tv. Retrieved 2015-01-18.
- ^ "The Day Helsinki Stood Still – Snow Chaos With Video". hooniverse.com. Retrieved 2012-02-18.
- ^ "More than 40 injured in multiple accidents and massive delays to Helsinki public transport as snow and ice compound the chilly conditions". www.hs.fi. Retrieved 2012-02-18.
- ^ Pearce, Matt (22 November 2012). "150-vehicle pileup on foggy Texas highway leaves 2 dead, 100 hurt". www.latimes.com. Retrieved 2012-11-22.
- ^ "100-car pile-up kills one, leaves dozens injured - The Local". Thelocal.se. Retrieved 2013-02-07.
- ^ https://www.msb.se/Upload/Kunskapsbank/Statistik_larande/img/Faktablad%20Trafikolycka%20Tranarpsbron.pdf%7CSwedish civil contingencies agency fact sheet (in Swedish)
- ^ "Scores of vehicles snared in Ohio highway pileups". Huffingtonpost.com. 2013-01-21. Retrieved 2013-02-07.
- ^ "I-275 accident grows to 96 cars". Cincinnati.com. Retrieved 2013-02-07.
- ^ "IN-DEPTH: I-275 pile-up leads to piles of paperwork". Cincinnati.com. Retrieved 2013-02-07.
- ^ "'White-out' conditions lead to 52-vehicle pileup on I-75". www.middletownjournal.com. Retrieved 2013-02-07.
- ^ Jan 25, 2013 4:11 PM ET (2013-01-26). "Hwy. 401 reopens after 80-vehicle pileup - Ottawa - CBC News". Cbc.ca. Retrieved 2013-02-07.
- ^ "3 die in United States road accident". Russia Today. 31 January 2013.
- ^ "Cell phone video shows moments after deadly I-75 pileup". Fox News. 1 February 2013. Retrieved 2015-01-19.
- ^ "UPDATED: 95 cars involved in I-77 crash in Carroll County". WDBJ7 Web Staff. 31 March 2013.
- ^ "Sheppey crossing crash: Dozens hurt as 130 vehicles crash". BBC News. 5 September 2013.
- ^ "Drievoudige kettingbotsing op A19 bij Zonnebeke". VRT News. 3 December 2013.
- ^ "Kettingbotsing A19 eist tweede mensenleven". VRT News. 7 December 2013.
- ^ Keagle, Lauri Harvey (24 January 2014). "Westbound I-94 Reopens after Fatal Michigan City Pileup". The Times of Northwest Indiana. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
- ^ "UPDATE: Pa. Turnpike Reopened After Massive Crash, All-Day Closure". Philadelphia, PA: KYW-TV. February 14, 2014. Retrieved February 19, 2014.
- ^ "Highway 400 south of Barrie reopens after 96-vehicle pileup". CBC News. Retrieved February 28, 2014.
- ^ Mitchell, Kirk; Alison Noon (1 March 2014). "I-25 Pileup: 104 Vehicles Involved, 1 Killed, 30 Hospitalized after Snowy Disaster". The Denver Post. Retrieved 3 March 2014.
- ^ McCray, Vanessa (15 March 2014). "Debris Cleared from Turnpike Fatal Crash Site". The Blade. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
- ^ Astolfi, Courtney (14 March 2014). "Turnpike Open, But Slow Going". Sandusky Register. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
- ^ "South Africa: Truck brake failure leads to multiple car pile up". News 24. 14 October 2014.
- ^ "One dead, 23 hurt in fiery 193-vehicle I-94 pileup". WZZM. 9 January 2015. Retrieved 9 January 2015.
- ^ "12 injured in pileup on Oregon highway". Fox News. 18 January 2015. Retrieved 19 January 2015.
- ^ "1 Dead, 30 Hurt in Massive I-76 Pileup in Montgomery County". NBC. 18 January 2015. Retrieved 19 January 2015.
- ^ a b "At Least Three Dead and Dozens Injured in Northeast Pileups". Gawker. 18 January 2015. Retrieved 19 January 2015.
- ^ "2 Killed in Deadly I-476 Crash in Delaware County". NBC. 18 January 2015. Retrieved 19 January 2015.
- ^ "Two die in 100-car pile-up". DailyMail. 26 January 2015. Retrieved 26 January 2015.
- ^ "Two dead in 100-car South Korea pile-up". BBC. 11 February 2015. Retrieved 11 February 2015.
- ^ Ricker, Nok-Noi (26 February 2015). "Police, witnesses piece together details of 75-car crash on I-95". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved 27 February 2015.
- ^ "Motorway pile-up death toll rising". www.sloveniatimes.com. Retrieved 2016-01-31.
- ^ France-Presse, Agence (2016-01-30). "Four die in Slovenian 50-car pile-up". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2016-01-31.
- ^ http://www.bt.no/nyheter/trafikk/E39-stengt-etter-kjedekollisjon-med-60-biler-3548194.html. Missing or empty
- ^ http://www.newsobserver.com/news/traffic/article65888212.html. Missing or empty
- ^ Dono (2016-07-30). "Tabrakan Beruntun di Cianjur, 10 Tewas, Tujuh Luka". Pos Kota. Retrieved 2016-07-30.


text:
- Report: #234747
Report - Rebuttal - Arbitrate
Complaint Review: NATIONAL AWARDS COMMISSION
NATIONAL AWARDS COMMISSIONPost Office Box 219800 Kansas City, Missouri U.S.A.
NATIONAL AWARDS COMMISSION ripoff fraudulent awards commission Kansas City Missouri
Ripoff Report
About you?
Ripoff Report
A business' first
line of defense
on the Internet.
If your business is
willing to make a
commitment to
customer satisfaction
Click here now..
Does your business have a bad reputation?
Fix it the right way.
Corporate Advocacy Program™
I am to do this quickly in as little as 7 days and that I may not miss this deadline or I will be disqualified with no possibility of arbitration.
As I read this letter i knew it was a fraud. They also wanted me to print my name on one line and sign my name next to the X. This rang a bell in my head that these guys wanted my signature to copy it on false documents as if they were going to steal my identity.
All this was on a seperate data/entry administrative review page in which these swindlers wanted me to return with the my personal information.
Port Charlotte, Florida
This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 02/06/2007 06:29 PM and is a permanent record located here: http://www.ripoffreport.com/r/NATIONAL-AWARDS-COMMISSION/Kansas-City-Missouri-64121-9800/NATIONAL-AWARDS-COMMISSION-ripoff-fraudulent-awards-commission-Kansas-City-Missouri-234747. The posting time indicated is Arizona local time. Arizona does not observe daylight savings so the post time may be Mountain or Pacific depending on the time of year.
Ripoff Report has an exclusive license to this report. It may not be copied without the written permission of Ripoff Report.
Click Here to read other Ripoff Reports on NATIONAL AWARDS COMMISSION
If you would like to see more Rip-off Reports on this company/individual, search here:Search Tips
In order to assure the best results in your search:
- Keep the name short & simple, and try different variations of the name.
- Do not include ".com", "S", "Inc.", "Corp", or "LLC" at the end of the Company name.
- Use only the first/main part of a name to get best results.
- Only search one name at a time if Company has many AKA's.
Advertisers above have met our
strict standards for business conduct.


text:
Price: $159.00
Product ID : 509
Weight: 1.00 lbs
E-mail to a friend
Please complete this form.
All fields are required.
Looking for the perfect homecoming dress? Look no further! This strapless pink dress is just what you need. Its sweet design features a sweetheart neckline and ruffle detail from the bust to the waist. The silky satin bodice is form fitting making this short dress sexy and elegant. Be ready to take the spotlight.