The American Cancer Society Center is a large convention center and office building in downtown Atlanta, adjacent to Centennial Olympic Park.  The building contains about , including a partially underground parking garage and loading area.  The building, originally called the Inforum Technology Center or Inforum, was designed by the prominent Atlanta architect John Portman, who previously designed the AmericasMart buildings.

ACS Center is connected via two indoor pedestrian bridges to the ground abyss of the AmericasMart building 3, across Williams Street to the east.  In addition to housing the headquarters of the American Cancer Society, the Center also provides office space for AT&T, InComm, Internap, Turner Broadcasting System, and US South Communications. Fiber optic connectivity is available throughout the structure.

Interior design

The lower levels (Ground and Mezzanine) consist of meeting and conference rooms, a few business offices, and a 450-seat, two-level theater. The Bridge level (with  high ceiling), above Mezzanine, houses Park View Café, a cafeteria-style breakfast and lunch restaurant, and Internap.  The Bridge level was originally named Expo, and consisted mostly of convention floor space, requiring a very high ceiling.  Most of that space, including the inactive passenger bridge, is now leased by Internap, housing telecommunications equipment and office space. Six floors of office space sit above Bridge, spanning only part of the building's north-to-south distance.  Office floor 1 is also named Atrium.

The building provides a set of escalators between Ground, Mezzanine, Bridge, and Atrium and an additional two sets of escalators from the Atrium level to the office floor 6.  Most of the latter exit onto floors with locked doors into office suites. Two sets of four passenger elevators connect all floors:  one set travels from underground parking (levels A-D) up through Atrium, and the second from Atrium to office floor 6.  The secondary elevators actually begin at the Bridge level, but since the change from Expo to office space, that level is now disabled in the secondary elevators and inaccessible except through a service door inside the Internap offices.  Three service elevators span the entire building from loading docks (at level with underground parking) through office level 6.

References

External links

 Cousins Properties - ACS Center, official property management site

John C. Portman Jr. buildings
Center
Buildings and structures in Atlanta

American Cancer Society Center


Thor Philip Axel Jensen (3 December 1863 – 12 September 1947) was a Danish entrepreneur who moved to Iceland at an early age and became famous there for his business activities during the first half of the twentieth century: he all but introduced big business, and even modern capitalism, to the country. His company Kveldúlfur hf. was the biggest in Iceland during the inter-war years. His descendants include some of Iceland's most powerful and well known figures.

Early life

Thor's father, Jens Chr. Jensen, was a master builder. Thor had eleven siblings and four half-sisters. Thor did well in his studies but lost his father at the age of eight. Two years later, he was sent to a free boarding school for orphans in Copenhagen. In 1878, at the end of his studies and after reaching confirmation age, Thor was sent to Borðeyri, a small trading settlement in the north-west of Iceland, because his headmaster knew an Icelandic merchant there.

Thor adapted quickly to Iceland, learning Icelandic and reading medieval Icelandic sagas. A certain widow moved to Borðeyri with two children in tow—a boy and a girl. The girl was called Margrét Þorbjörg Kristjánsdóttir; she and Thor fell in love, and remained together for over sixty years, having twelve children.

Businesses

Thor and Margrét moved to Akranes where Thor started a shop. Business went well at first, but around 1900 Thor was bankrupted when a ship carrying his goods was lost. Thor moved with his family to Hafnarfjörður where they lived until Thor got back on his feet and established a new shop in Reykjavík. Fishing at this time in Iceland was in transition from being 'a secondary occupation for farmers' to being 'an industry in its own right'. Thor was known for his energy and 'two of the most powerful fishing businessmen in Seltjarnarnes, Guðmundur Einarsson í Nesi and Þórður Jónasson í Ráðagerði, said that they would buy fishing equipment from him if he offered it at a competitive price'. Guðmundur gave Thor the use of his premises on the corner of Austurstræti and Veltusund in Reykjavík, and both he and Þórður invested 500 krónur to start the company. Thor called the company Godthaab-verzlunin after the street Godthaabsvej in Frederiksberg in Copenhagen. The company did well and Thor was soon the richest person in Iceland. In 1908 he built himself a splendid house at Fríkirkjuvegur 11, by Tjörnin, now in the Hallargarður sculpture park.

With Pétur J. Thorsteinsson, Thor was a founder member of the fishing and fish-processing company PJ Thorsteinsson & Co, otherwise known as the Milljónarfélagið, in 1907. The company's name came about because it aimed to achieve a share capital of ISK1m, which would have equalled Iceland's state budget---though that goal was never quite achieved. Through it, Thor took a role in the design of the Jóni forseti, Iceland's first trawler; established a harbour at Viðey; and built Iceland's only railway line. Pétur and Thor got on badly; Pétur left, and four years later, the company was bankrupt; both partners lost money, but Pétur the more. 'At the time, there was an investigation into the affair, where Jensen famously couldn't remember a thing about the whole debacle.' Later, in his autobiography, Jensen argued, implausibly, that the bankruptcy was in no way his fault. He was also a founder member of Eimskip but was not elected to the board on account of his origins, and took no further role in the company.

In later years Thor focused on making Korpúlfsstaður the largest dairy in Iceland. He put considerable resources behind this and achieved his goal. Thor died one night after a stroke. Out of respect, his numerous businesses closed the day of his funeral, which took place on 18 September 1947.

Land purchases

Thor became noted for buying up large tracts of land. According to his autobiography, he aspired to own all the lands supposedly claimed on Snæfellsnes by the ninth-century settler Bjǫrn the Easterner, so as to follow in the footsteps of the landnámsmenn. Thus in 1914, he bought Bjarnarhöfn, along with various uninhabited plots and islands: Guðnýjarstaðir, Efrakot, Neðrakot, Hrútey, Hafnareyjar, and the inhabited Ármýrar, for 18,000 krónur. In the following years, he bought the neighbouring Fjarðarhorn, Árnabotn, Hraunsfjörð, Selvelli, Seljahraun and Kothraun. He used these lands for sheep farming. Thor also bought lands at Borgarnes.

From 1909, Thor began buying up land and fishing rights along the Haffjarðará, one of Iceland's most famed salmon rivers, until he owned all the fishing on the river. The river became the focus of his family's summer holidays, and for line-fishing by paying visitors.

Descendants

Thor and Margrét had twelve children, and together the parents and children are known in Icelandic as the Thorsararnir; they and their descendants include some of Iceland's most prominent figures, chronicled by Guðmundur Magnússon. The children were: Camilla Therese (20 April 1887 – 1968), Richard (29 April 1888 – 1970), Kjartan (26 April 1890 – 1971), Ólafur (Tryggvason) (19 January 1892 – 1964), Haukur (21 March 1896 – 1970), Kristín (16 February 1899 – 1972), Kristjana (23 July 1900 – 1989), Margrét Þorbjörg (22 April 1902 – 1996), Thor (Harald) (26 November 1903 – 1965), Lorentz (4 July 1904 – 1970), Louise Andrea (24 August 1906 – 1907), and (Louis) Hilmar (7 July 1908 – 1939).

Thor's son Ólafur Thors was Iceland's prime minister five times; Ólafur's daughter Margrét Þorbjörg Thors was married to the pilot Tony Jonsson; another son, Thor Thors, was Iceland's first Permanent Representative to the United Nations. His grandchildren include Elina Hallgrímsson, Margrét Þóra Hallgrímsson, wife of Björgólfur Guðmundsson and mother of Björgólfur Thor Björgólfsson; and the author Thor Vilhjálmsson, whose son Guðmundur Andri Thorsson is also a noted author.

For the most part, the period of the greatest power, wealth, and influence of the Thorsararnir had run its course by the 1970s, though the descendants of Thor and Margrét now number several hundred.

Appearances in popular culture

Thor Jensen and his great-grandson Björgólfur Thor Björgólfsson are the subject of the 2011 documentary film Thor's Saga by Ulla Boje Rasmussen.

References

Sources
 Guðmundur Magnússon, Thorsararnir: auður - völd - örlög (Almenna bókafélagið, 2006);
 'Thor Jensen látinn', Morgunblaðið, 13 September 1947, http://www.timarit.is/view_page_init.jsp?pageId=1264783
 'Thor Jensen - minninarorð', Morgunblaðið, 18 September 1947, http://timarit.is/view_page_init.jsp?pageId=1264843
 'Thor Jensen - hinn síðasti mikli landnámsmaður', Morgunblaðið, 3 December 1963, http://www.timarit.is/view_page_init.jsp?pageId=1354486
 Rithöfundur til varnar langafa. Ekkert líkt með Thor Jensen og Björgólfi Guðmundssyni; from Eyjunni.is: http://eyjan.is/blog/2009/08/05/rithofundur-til-varnar-langafa-ekkert-likt-med-thor-jensen-og-bjorgolfi

Icelandic businesspeople
1863 births
1947 deaths
Thors family

Thor Philip Axel Jensen


Elm Coulee Oil Field was discovered in the Williston Basin in Richland County, eastern Montana, in 2000. It produces oil from the Bakken formation and, as of 2007, was the "highest-producing onshore field found in the lower 48 states in the past 56 years." By 2007, the field had become one of the 20 largest oil fields in the United States.

Geologist Richard Findley was undaunted by the failure of "horizontal" Bakken play of the early 1990s. This early attempt to exploit the Bakken Formation using horizontal drilling  failed because the wells were placed in the shale members of the Bakken. Findley found that the dolomitic middle Bakken member in Montana had oil shows and porosity in sample cuttings, as well as porosity on well logs. Also, the porous middle Bakken member could be mapped over a large area in Montana, which Findley called a "Sleeping Giant".  The Bakken formation had long been known to produce small amounts of oil throughout much of the deeper Williston Basin. Although the volume of oil recovered was commonly small, rare wells would produce large, economic volumes from the Bakken. Two wells in the future Elm Coulee area had made significant production from the Bakken in vertical boreholes, which was somewhat unusual.

The area Findley mapped was too large for a small operator like Findley, so he submitted his concept to Lyco Energy of Dallas, Texas in 1996. Lyco took the project on, with Findley retaining a small ownership interest.  Lyco began leasing in 1996, and then re-entered nine old vertical wells as a test, completing them with 100,000 lb fracs in the middle Bakken formation in 1996-7.  The results were mixed, but confirmed that the Middle Bakken was saturated with producible oil, and would respond to a frac.

Although there were a handful of horizontal wells being fracced in the Barnett Shale of Texas at the time (1997-8), those activities were not yet released.  So, with no data available for an analogy, Lyco's geologist (Michael Lewis) and engineers (Charles Wiley and Gary Dittmar) set out to design the initial test well.  Because of the relatively high cost and large potential scope of the project, Bobby Lyle (president of Lyco) decided that it would be prudent to involve investors.  So, the Lyco team sought funding from numerous financial institutions and a few independent oil companies.  But, the project was viewed as too risky, since there was no analogy for the concept.  Finally, Halliburton agreed with Lyco's assessment of the potential, including the potential boon for its stimulation business, and agreed to support Lyco's operations financially through its commercial services division.

Lyco drilled the first horizontal well in the field, the Burning Tree State #36-10 in late 1999, as the oil price moved upwards toward $20 per barrel.  Although designed as a 3,000 foot lateral, the well was terminated early due to hole stability issues.  Production casing was run to bottom and cemented, then perforated in three intervals over the roughly 1,000 foot lateral; at the toe, the middle and the heel.  The well flowed oil immediately, at 196 barrels per day, and continued flowing for several months.  Finally, the well was fracced, with a substantial increase in production.  Lyco then began a continuous drilling program, progressing to 3 rigs and beyond.  Headington, another oil company in the area that happened to own leases, began a drilling program also, followed by Continental and others who rushed in to take lease positions on this new, hot play.

At Elm Coulee, the Middle Bakken is a dolomite sandwiched between the Upper and Lower Shales. The shales are very rich in organic material, and the oil generated from them expanded from the shales upon reaching thermal maturity, migrating into this Middle Bakken zone.  The field is exploited via horizontal drilling technology by perforating the productive rocks parallel to the beds, rather than through a vertical well perpendicular to the relatively thin Bakken formation. At Elm Coulee Field, the Bakken is only about 45 feet (15 m) thick and lies at depths of 8,500 to 10,500 feet (2,600–3,200 m), but horizontal wells penetrate 3,000 to 10,000 feet (900–3,000 m) of the reservoir rock, a porous dolomite of Devonian age that probably originated as a large carbonate bank on the western flank of the basin. The field is a stratigraphic trap.

In 2006, Elm Coulee was producing about  of oil per day from more than 350 wells. Ultimate production is expected to exceed , with some estimates as high as . Production at Elm Coulee has more than doubled the oil output of the state of Montana, from around  in 2000 to almost  in 2006. However, Montana production fell again starting in 2007, down to some  in mid-2009.

References

Geology of Montana
Oil fields in Montana
Geography of Richland County, Montana

Elm Coulee Oil Field


The FIM Supercross World Championship is the premier championship for international stadium supercross racing. It is organized by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM), the global governing body of motorcycle racing.

History
The series has its roots in the Rodil Trophy which was elevated to World Championship status in 1987. References to Rodil were removed in 1992 as the series became the FIM World Supercross Championship.  From 2002 to 2006 in partnership with American-owned promoters Clear Channel Entertainment  the series was staged in countries such as Switzerland, the Netherlands, Spain and Canada as well as the United States (which had its own prestigious national championship) as the World Supercross GP. In 2008 the series merged with the AMA Supercross Championship to form the Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship.

In 2022, amid disruptions cased by the COVID-19 pandemic, the FIM World Supercross Championship split from the AMA and was re-booted by Australian promoters SX Global, to manage and promote the championship over the coming decade.

The advent of a separate world championship for Supercross, as well as wildcard appearances in 2022 by star AMA riders, led many industry observers to believe that the new World Supercross Championship would be detrimental to traditional outdoor motocross, particularly AMA Pro Motocross. Supercross races have carried larger purses than either the AMA Nationals or MXGP. The new FIM World Supercross Championship promised even larger purses plus a spring and summer season that coincided with AMA Pro Motocross and MXGP. The arrival of top AMA Supercross Ken Roczen to the World Supercross Championship led Feld Entertainment and the AMA to combine their off road racing series  to form the SuperMotocross World Championship as well as up the prize money for race winners and champions to keep the top AMA riders stateside. MXGP followed suit to prevent its riders from seeking greater purses in WorldSX.

In 2023, the series lost its primary backing and underwent an ownership change.

Calendar
The 2022 FIM World Supercross Championship began in October for the pilot season that consisted of 2 rounds. Round 1 of FIM World Supercross Championship was the British Grand Prix on October 8 to be held at Principality Stadium, Cardiff, Wales. Round 2 of the Championship was the Australian Grand Prix which is two day event scheduled on Friday 21st and Saturday 22 October 2022 held at Marvel Stadium, Melbourne.

The series will start again in July 2023 and continue through until November, consisting of 6 rounds in both the WSX (450cc) class and the SX2 (250cc) class, to be held in football and baseball stadiums across the world. Beginning with Round 1 in July 2023, the series will take place in different locations globally before concluding in Melbourne for the final round of the Championship in November.

2023 Championship Calendar

Round 1: British GP - Villa Park in Birmingham on July 1

Round 2: French GP - Groupama Stadium in Décines-Charpieu, Lyon on July 22

Round 3: Asian GP - Location TBC on September 30

Round 4: German GP - Merkur Spiel-Arena, Düsseldorf on October 14

Round 5: Canadian GP - BC Place in Vancouver on October 28

Round 6: Australian GP - Marvel Stadium, Melbourne on November 24th and 25th

Event Format
The non-traditional format features more races and shorter race durations, significantly increasing the overall level of action and excitement, while minimising downtime for fans throughout events. Highlighting the competitive format are three Main Event races for each class, with the combined individual results of each Main Event determining each Championship Round winner for both the WSX and SX2 classes. The three, back-to-back Main Event format and shorter race durations significantly increases the overall level of intensity and unpredictability at every Championship round and makes getting effective starts and hole shots all the more critical. Much of this format has been tested successfully at SX Global-produced AUS-X Open events, with incredibly positive feedback from riders and fans alike."

In addition, the WSX class will feature a SuperPole round – an individual time trial format, featuring the top 10 WSX heat race finishers, to determine the order for the Main Event races. Combined with adjacent entertainment, including live music and freestyle motocross exhibitions, the unique format translates into an unparalleled level of entertainment for fans at every WSX Championship round soon.

Race Schedule

The competitive format at WSX Championship rounds breaks down as follows:

Qualifying Session

WSX and SX2 fields will each be split into two separate timed qualifying sessions, with individual lap times determining the order for each class' heat races. Each qualifying session will last 10 minutes, with final laps run to completion once the 10-minute session expires.

Heat Races

WSX class heat races will determine the order for the SuperPole – a time-trial format exclusive to the WSX class that will determine the order of its Main Event round. The top five finishers in each of the two WSX heat races will earn a spot in the 6 -rider SuperPole. The sixth to 11th-place finishers in each heat will fill spots 11–22 in the gate pick order for the main event, with the faster overall heat taking precedent and gate picks alternating between the remaining riders.

For the SX2 class, in the same manner as with traditional supercross formats, heat races will determine the order for the main event. Collectively, the faster overall heat will take precedent, with gate pick choice for the Main Event alternating between the finishing order of the two SX2 heats.

SuperPole

Exclusive to the WSX class, the SuperPole round will feature 6 riders – the top-five finishers from the two WSX heat races. Featuring an individual time-trial format, lap times from the SuperPole round will determine the gate pick order of the top 6 for the WSX Main Event races.

Main Events

Each WSX Championship round will see riders contest three 'back-to-back' Main Event races for each class, with only a short 5-minute break between each. The combined individual results determining the winner and podium spots for each Championship Round.

Championship Points

FIM World Supercross Championship points will be awarded for each of the three Main Event races. Points will follow the traditional supercross format of 25, 22 and 20, 18 and 16 points respectively for first through fifth place, with the remaining 17 riders earning from 15 points to 1 point, depending on where they finish. It total, a maximum of 75 FIM World Championship Points are up for grabs at each WSX Championship round.

In addition to the Main Event races, the fastest SX2 qualifier and the winner of the WSX Superpole will be awarded one additional Championship point.

Practice Sessions

As with traditional supercross event formats, practice sessions will take place during afternoons for the enjoyment of fans who arrive earlier and want to enjoy as much action as possible.

Television coverage

7plus: All races live and free

 Europe
Viaplay every race live
WSX.tv: races on 24hr delay

BT Sport: Every race live

Fox Sports 1: Every race live
WSX.tv: races on 24hr delay

 International (territories without a distinct partner):
WSX.tv: all races live

Roll of honour

References

Motorcycle off-road racing series
Motocross World Championship

FIM Supercross World Championship


A.F.C. Wulfrunians is a football club based in Castlecroft, Wolverhampton, England. They are currently members of the  and play at the Castlecroft Stadium.

History
Old Wulfrunians Football Club was established in 1922. They joined the Birmingham Amateur Football Alliance league system. They were Premier Division champions in 1932–33 and again in 1953–54, 1979–80 and 1991–92. After winning the Premier Division title and Senior Cup double for three successive seasons between 2002–03 and 2004–05, the club formed a new team under the name A.F.C. Wulfrunians in order to enter senior football, joining Division Two of the West Midlands (Regional) League, although the club continued playing in the Birmingham AFA under the Old Wulfrunians name.

In their first season, A.F.C. Wulfrunians won the Division Two title, earning promotion to Division One. They were Division One runners-up the following season, resulting in promotion to the Premier Division. After winning the Birmingham Midweek Floodlit Cup in 2007–08, the 2008–09 season saw the club win the Premier Division title. However, they were denied promotion to the Midland Alliance as their ground did not meet the necessary criteria. Following a move to the Castlecroft Stadium, the club won the Premier Division again in 2012–13 after winning their final match of the season at Malvern Town 2–0, and were promoted to the Midland Alliance.

In 2014 the Midland Alliance merged with the Midland Combination to form the Midland League, with A.F.C. Wulfrunians placed in the Premier Division.

Other teams
After winning back-to-back Birmingham AFA Premier Division titles in 2013–14 and 2014–15, the club entered another team into Division Two of the West Midlands (Regional) League under the name Old Wulfrunians. They were Division Two runners-up in their first season, earning promotion to Division One.

Ground

Old Wulfrunians played at the Memorial Ground. However, the ground did not meet the grading required to play in the West Midlands (Regional) League, resulting in A.F.C. Wulfrunians playing at Wolverhampton Casuals' Brinsford Lane ground. After being denied promotion to the Midland Alliance at the end of the 2008–09 season, the club moved to the Castlecroft Stadium at the start of the 2009–10 season, buying the lease from the Rugby Football Union. The stadium was originally built in the 1950s by Wolverhampton Wanderers as a training ground. In the 1990s, it was bought by the RFU to be used as a schools and referees training centre / regional headquarters. AFC Wulfrunians are now leaseholders of the ground after buying the lease from the RFU. Old Wulfrunians play their West Midlands (Regional) League matches at the Memorial Ground after it was upgraded to meet the league's requirements.

Wolverhampton Wanderers Women began playing playing home games at Castlecroft Stadium in the 2012–13 season.

Honours
West Midlands (Regional) League
Premier Division champions 2008–09, 2012–13
Division Two champions 2005–06
Birmingham AFA
Premier Division champions 1932–33, 1953–54, 1979–80, 1991–92, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2004–05
Senior Cup winners 1952–53, 1953–54, 1961–62, 1968–69, 1999–2000, 2002–03 2003–04, 2004–05
JW Hunt Cup
Winners 1991–92, 2002–03, 2010–11
Birmingham FA Vase
Winners 2006–07
Birmingham Midweek Floodlit Cup
Winners 2007–08

Records
Best FA Cup performance: Second qualifying round, 2009–10, 2013–14
Best FA Vase performance: Fourth round, 2015–16

See also
A.F.C. Wulfrunians players
A.F.C. Wulfrunians managers

References

External links
Official website

Football clubs in England
Football clubs in the West Midlands (county)
Football clubs in Staffordshire
Association football clubs established in 1922
Sport in Wolverhampton
1922 establishments in England
Birmingham & District Football League
West Midlands (Regional) League
Midland Football Alliance
Midland Football League

A.F.C. Wulfrunians


Mary Bonnin is a former Master Chief in the United States Navy. She retired from her position in 1996. She had been with the United States Navy for 20 years, graduating at the top of her class in both air and gas surface-supplied diving. She then became the first woman Master Diver, and later she would be one of the first women to enter the Women Divers Hall of Fame.

Military career
Mary Bonnin enlisted in the United States Navy in 1976. She graduated top of her class, and later became the first enlisted female diver certified in both air and gas diving. During her tour she trained over one-thousand divers, and worked in various posts around the ship. She also served as the leading diver safety authority. Mary Bonnin eventually retired from the Navy in 1996.

Achievements
Over the course of her military years, she has won many awards and honors. She was added into the Women Divers Hall of Fame (WDHOF) in 2000. The WDHOF was designed originally to give tribute to the most notable divers, however it quickly developed into a tribute of women that helped the exploration of the sea. Many notable women have been inducted into the WDHOF such as: Dr. Eugenie Clark, U.S. Chief Scientist Kathy Sullivan, and many others.

References

Living people
20th-century American people
20th-century American women
Year of birth missing (living people)
American underwater divers
Place of birth missing (living people)
United States Navy sailors
Female United States Navy personnel
 Women Divers Hall of Fame

Mary Bonnin


Midlife crisis is the name for a number of psychological problems some people have. These people are usually between 30 and 60 me years old. These problems come because people ask themselves, what they have achieved in their job or in their life. A midlife crisis is not a psychological problem, but rather a way for people to change their perspective in life.

Midlife crisis


The China Railways JF6 (解放6, Jiěfàng, "liberation") class steam locomotive was a class of 2-8-2 steam locomotives for freight trains operated by the China Railway. They were originally built in Japan and Manchukuo between 1934 and 1944 for the South Manchuria Railway (Mantetsu), the Manchukuo National Railway, and the North China Transportation Company.

History

Mantetsu Mikasa class (ミカサ)
Needing a replacement for the Sorii-class locomotives transferred to the Manchukuo National in 1933, Mantetsu ordered the construction of replacements for use on light freight trains and for shunting duties. The result was the Mikasa (ミカサ) class, which was a smaller, lighter version of the Mikai-class 2-8-2s already in service, and 43 were built in Japan for Mantetsu in 1934 by Kawasaki, Kisha Seizō, Hitachi, and Nippon Sharyō. Numbered 1400 through 1442, the last 22 - 1421 through 1442 - were built with a sloped tender designed to allow greater rearwards visibility during shunting operations. Later, some were fitted with a booster engine for use on mountainous lines.

26 of the design were built in the same year for the Manchukuo National, which designated them Mikaro (ミカロ) class. Numbered 6600 through 6625, these were known as the "National Small Mika" (國小ミカ), distinguishing them from the Mikana-class "National Big Mika" (国大ミカ) introduced the previous year. After some modifications to the design, another 22 were built in 1935 for the Manchukuo National; these were known as the "New National Small Mika" (新國小ミカ) and were numbered 6626 through 6647.

Under the unified classification system of 1938, the Mantetsu Mikasa and Mikaro classes, and the Manchukuo National Mikaro classes were grouped together and classified Mikaro class.

Mantetsu Mikaro class (ミカロ)

To operate on its North Chosen Line in the north-eastern part of Korea, Mantetsu ordered a number of locomotives designed to burn the low-calorie lignite found in abundance in Korea. To accomplish this, the area of the firegrate was increased by  as compared to that of the Mikasa class. Along with the Puresa-class 2-6-2 tank locomotives and the Pashisa-class 4-6-2 passenger locomotives, Mantetsu's Mikaro (ミカロ) class formed the backbone of the power in use on the North Chosen Line. Although the Mikaro class was based on the Mikasa design, care was taken during the design process to maximise the number of parts shared between the Mikaro and Pashisa class locomotives.

The Mikaro class entered production in 1935, with 22 being built between then and 1938, for use on the North Chosen Line. As more were built after 1938, they were put into service on other Mantetsu lines as well, and between 1935 and 1944, a total of 58, initially numbered 1480 through 1499, 11400, and 11401, were built for Mantetsu by Kawasaki, Kisha Seizo, Nippon Sharyo, Mantetsu's Shahekou Works, and the Dalian Machine Works; these were the first locomotives built by the Dalian Machine Works.

The Manchukuo National also ordered the new design with the larger firegrate, taking delivery of 171 between 1936 and 1944. Like the Sorisa-class, they were fitted with a regauging device to allow operation on Russian  gauge lines, in anticipation of a possible Japanese invasion of the Soviet Far East. Given the Mikaro classification too and initially numbered 6648 through 6699 and 16600 through 16638, in the 1938 unified numbering system they became Mikaro class 549 through 629; the units built after the renumbering were numbered 630 through 639 and 645 through 724; the missing numbers, 640-644, are those that were assigned to locomotives that were diverted to the North China Transportation Company before they could be delivered to the Manchukuo National.

In addition to the five diverted from the Manchukuo National, 72 Mikaro class locomotives were built by Kisha Seizō for North China Transport in 1938−1939 and 1943−1944; North China Transport operated over 100 locomotives of the class.

A number of Mikaro-class locomotives were loaned to the West Chosen Central Railway in 1944–45 to alleviate power shortages on that line.

Mikaku class (ミカク)

At the request of the Kwantung Army, the Dalian Machine Works (other sources say Mitsubishi's Kobe Shipyards) built a single experimental condenser version of the Mikaro class in 1941. This was designated the ミカク (Mikaku) class and numbered ミカク501, as a Manchukuo National unit. A flue gas turbine was installed in front of the locomotive's chimney, with the exhaust pipe leading to a condenser on the tender, where the steam was cooled down and recycled into water again, to allow for operations over long distances without having to take on water; this was a major concern in the northern part of Manchuria, where it was difficult to secure water for the locomotives. In tests, Mikaku 501 recorded  without taking on more water, but the design was never put into production.

Postwar

China Railways 解放6 (JF6) class

Of the 320 Mikaro class locomotives owned by Mantetsu and the Manchukuo National Railway, at the end of the Pacific War 20 were assigned to the Dairen Port Railway Bureau, 38 to the Mukden Bureau, 32 to the Jinzhou Bureau, 68 to the Mudanjiang Bureau, 29 to the Harbin Bureau, and 50 to the Qiqihar Bureau, whilst a further 75 were loaned out to other railways in China. These 312 locomotives were handed over to the Republic of China Railways in 1945; the remaining eight were on loan to the West Chosen Central Railway and ended up in North Korea.

After the establishment of the People's Republic of China, China Railways designated these the ㄇㄎ陸 (MK6) class in 1951, and in 1959 they were reclassified 解放6 (JF6) class; all former Mika-class locomotives were grouped together in the 解放 Class (Jiěfàng, "liberation"). A final batch of five JF6 were built in China between 1958 and 1960. The Mikaro class locomotives inherited from Mantetsu, the Manchukuo National and North China Transport, along with the five built new after the war, were numbered by China Railways in the 3001−3475 range. Although Chinese sources quote a number series of JF6 3001−3600, 3475 is the highest number to have been reported. It is probable that the last 120 locos were never built as the highest number reported, JF6 3475, is one of the final batch and carries Shenyang 1959 plates.

Those in industrial use were active until the late 1990s.

The JF6 was the predecessor of the more modern SY class, which was a further development of the JF6 design.

Currently, JF6 3022 is preserved at the China Railway Museum in Beijing, whilst JF6 3329 is preserved at the Shenyang Steam Locomotive Museum.

Korean State Railway 미가유 (Migayu) class/6600 series

Due to locomotive shortages, a number (believed to be eight) of Mikaro class locomotives were loaned from Mantetsu to the West Chosen Central Railway; these were taken over by the Korean State Railway of North Korea after the end of the war. In addition to these, the Korean State Railway also received around 70 JF class locomotives, including JF6s, from China as aid during the Korean War. Regardless of origin, the Mikaro class locomotives were initially designated 미가유 class (Migayu), and later renumbered in the 6600 series.

Korean National Railroad 미카6 (Mika6) class

In 1947, the US military ordered five Mikaro-class locomotives for the Korean National Railroad of South Korea from Kisha Seizō; These, together with the former Sentetsu Mika1 and Mika2 class locomotives that the KNR had converted to run on lignite in the early 1950s, were designated Mika6 (미카6) class by the KNR.

Vietnam Railways Giải Phóng 6 (GP6) class

During the Vietnam War, China supplied around sixty JF6 class locomotives to the Vietnam Railways as aid, which designated them class Giải Phóng 6 ("liberation"). Two dumped locos at Laibin, are said to be ex-Vietnam.

See also
China Railways JF
China Railways SY

Notes

References

2-8-2 locomotives
Railway locomotives introduced in 1934
Shahekou Works locomotives
Kawasaki locomotives
Hitachi locomotives
Kisha Seizo locomotives
Nippon Sharyo locomotives
Steam locomotives of China
Standard gauge locomotives of China
Rolling stock of Manchukuo
Locomotives of Korea
Locomotives of South Korea
Locomotives of North Korea
Standard gauge locomotives of Vietnam
Steam locomotives of Vietnam

China Railways JF6


Frederick Gale Shuman (July 13, 1919 – July 29, 2005) was an American pioneer in the development of operational numerical weather prediction. Shuman participated in the major events that brought computer forecasting from academic concepts to the foundation of weather prediction. He began his work in the early 1950s to discover numerical methods that give today's meteorologists the ability to issue extended weather forecasts and to predict severe weather conditions several days in advance.

Biography
Frederick Gale Shuman was born in South Bend, Indiana and graduated from South Bend Central High School in 1937. His father worked at the Studebaker Motor Company in the design shop. Shuman earned a bachelor's degree in mathematics in 1941 from Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, during which time he worked for the Weather Bureau as a junior weather observer at the Indianapolis Airport. He entered military service in June 1941, serving during World War II as a weather officer in North Africa and Italy. As part of his military training, Shuman received a master's degree in meteorology from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1942.

After the war, Shuman returned to the Weather Bureau, where he worked as an airways forecaster at Wayne County Airport. He again attended Massachusetts Institute of Technology and earned an ScD degree in meteorology. Shuman authored the first doctoral thesis on numerical weather prediction at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He then moved to the Washington, D.C., area to do research on severe storm systems at the U.S. Weather Bureau.

The U.S. Weather Bureau sent him to the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey, where his work on numerical weather prediction progressed. Shuman developed his mathematical models on one of the world's first computers, the JOHNNIAC. He also attended classes taught by J. Robert Oppenheimer and Albert Einstein.

In 1954, Shuman was assigned to the Joint Numerical Weather Prediction Unit. In 1958, the National Meteorological Center was established by merging the National Weather Analysis Center with the Joint Numerical Weather Prediction Unit. Shuman served as Chief of the National Meteorological Center Development Division.

Dr. Shuman became the director of the National Meteorological Center in April 1964 and served for an additional 17 years in the position until his retirement in January 1981.

Awards
1980 The Second Half Century Award (Jule Gregory Charney Award) (shared with Dr. Andre Robert) for "scientific leadership in the construction of different and original operational primitive equations models that produced significant benefits to Canadian and U.S. weather services."
1967 Commerce Gold Medal.
1957 Commerce Silver Medal.

References
 Passing of NMC Director Frederick Gale Shuman
 Washington Post
 Symposium on the 50th Anniversary of Operational Numerical Weather Prediction
   "Weather Prediction" by Frederick G. Shuman, 1979
 Jule Charney Award 1980 winners
 The History of Numerical Weather Prediction

1919 births
2005 deaths
American meteorologists
Ball State University alumni
American military personnel of World War II
Massachusetts Institute of Technology alumni

Frederick Gale Shuman


Russell Hornsby (born May 15, 1974) is an American actor. He is known for his roles as Edward "Eddie" Sutton on ABC Family's Lincoln Heights, as Luke on the HBO drama In Treatment, as Detective Hank Griffin on the NBC series Grimm, and as Lyons in the movie Fences. He also played Carl Gatewood in the Showtime TV series The Affair, and as Charles Flenory in BMF.

Early life and education
Hornsby was born in San Francisco, California. He was a football player and track star at St. Mary's College High School in Berkeley, California. He auditioned for a spring musical and got the role of the Scarecrow in The Wiz. After that, he became very interested in theatre and acting and was highly involved with the rest of the school theatrical productions. After graduating, he studied theater at Boston University, from which he graduated with a degree in performance. After graduation, Hornsby continued his studies at the British American Drama Academy.

Career
After finishing his studies at Oxford, Hornsby moved to New York City and was subsequently cast in leading roles in Off Broadway productions of To Kill a Mockingbird (as Atticus Finch), Joe Louis Blues, and Six Degrees of Separation (as Paul). In the late 1990s, he decided to move to Los Angeles in order to transition into television and film. He has appeared in several different television productions including appearing in recurring roles in Haunted as Detective Marcus Bradshaw and Gideon's Crossing as Chief Resident Dr. Aaron Boise. His other television credits include Grey's Anatomy, Law & Order, and In Justice among others. He also played running back Leon Taylor in ESPN's drama series Playmakers. On the big screen, he has appeared in such films as After the Sunset, Big Fat Liar, Get Rich or Die Tryin', Keep the Faith, Baby, Meet the Parents, and Stuck among others. In 2000, Hornsby appeared in the Off-Broadway production of Jitney for which he won a Drama Desk Award and an Obie Award.

He starred in the NBC fantasy drama Grimm from 2011 to 2017. In 2018, he played Isaiah Butler in the Netflix crime drama Seven Seconds. That same year, Hornsby joined the cast of the movie Creed II.

In 2021, he went on to star in the Starz crime drama television series BMF, with costars Eric Kofi-Abrefa, Da'Vinchi and Demetrius Flenory Jr., who played Demetrius Flenory Sr.

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

References

External links

Male actors from Oakland, California
American male television actors
American male film actors
American male stage actors
American male voice actors
Boston University College of Fine Arts alumni
Drama Desk Award winners
Obie Award recipients
1974 births
Living people
20th-century American male actors
21st-century American male actors
African-American male actors
20th-century African-American people
21st-century African-American people

Russell Hornsby


Dr. Leonides Gonzalez Cigarroa High School  is a public high school located in Laredo Independent School District in Laredo in Webb County in south Texas. Grades nine through twelve are taught there. It serves students living in south Laredo. It has a student population of about 1,300. The school's namesake is a late medical doctor.

In 2014, Cigarroa High School fell short of minimum state standards and was placed on the Public Education Grant list.

Magnet school

Cigarroa High School also houses the L.I.S.D. Sabas Perez Engineering and Technology Magnet School, a magnet school focused on engineering and technology education. The students may choose three different paths (engineering, technology or oil and gas) while enrolled in the magnet. The instructors are Amanda Gonzalez for engineering, Christine Garza for oil, and gas, and Alexander Castro for technology pathways.

In 2007-2008 the robotics team competed and won the regional district competition in Edinburgh, Texas. After the regionals, the team went to the state competition. In 2009, Cigarroa students had the highest TAKS standardized test scores in Laredo.

School history

Named after a renowned local physician, Dr. Leonides Gonzalez Cigarroa High School is located at 2600 Zacatecas Street in South Laredo, Texas. It opened its doors to a large group of freshmen and sophomores on August 1983.  It graduated its first seniors in 1985 and its first true class (four years at Cigarroa High School) in 1987 under the direction of its first principal, Mr. Alfredo "El Toro Grande" Montemayor.

Since then other leaders have taken the helm of Cigarroa High School as did Mr. Pedro Lara, Mrs. Cynthia Conchas, Mr. Mario Guzman, "El Toro Chico", Dr. Sonia Sanchez, Mr. Oscar Perez, Mr. John Eric Salinas, Mrs. Laura M. Flores, and currently Mr. Jose E. Iznaola. With a Toro (bull) as a Mascot, a bullring-style courtyard, and a yearbook titled "La Fiesta Brava", the school pays homage to the Mexican and Spanish roots of its community members. The theme was also a passion Dr. Leo G. Cigarroa as he frequently traveled to Mexico and Spain.  The school colors are royal blue and silver as are the beautiful Texas skies and its clouds as Mr. Alfredo Montemayor once stated.  During his eleven-year tenure, Mr. Mario Guzman gave the school the slogan: "The Pride of
South Laredo" and since then Cigarroa High School has lived up to its motto.

A tradition, set by the first Toro family back in 1983, is a time capsule which was embedded in the front of the school and opened during the 25th anniversary festivities in 2008.  It was quite an experience for the alumni and staff to travel back in time through the mementos that were uncovered.
During the festivities, a bronze bull was uncovered and a commemorative monument and marble bench were also presented to the public. The Toro sculpture was dedicated to Mr. Alfredo Montemayor who was the guest of honor.  A second capsule was assembled and embedded to be opened in 2033 during the 50th anniversary festivities. The campus currently houses approximately 1,311 students, 130 teachers and 75 staff members.

References

External links

 Laredo Independent School District Home Page

High schools in Laredo, Texas
Laredo Independent School District high schools
Magnet schools in Texas

Cigarroa High School


is an active volcano located on the southern border of Akita and Yamagata in the Tōhoku region of Japan, and is  tall. Because of its (roughly) symmetrical shape and massive size, it is also variously known as ,  or  depending on the location of the viewer.  In addition to being one of the 100 Famous Landscapes of Japan, it is also included as one of the 100 famous mountains in Japan, and famous 100 Geographical Features of Japan. It is surrounded by Chōkai Quasi-National Park. It is also a National Historic Site of Japan, and is regarded as a sacred mountain by followers of the Shugendō branch of Shinto and is popular with hikers.

Outline
Mount Chōkai is a complex stratovolcano  made of two old and new newer volcanoes, composed primarily of  basalt or andesite.

Mount Chōkai is shared by two municipalities in Akita Prefecture and four municipalities Yamagata Prefecture; however, its peak is located in Yuza, on the Yamagata side of the border. It is therefore the highest peak in Yamagata, and the second highest in the Tōhoku region after  Mt. Hiuchigatake (altitude 2,356 m). The highest elevation of Mount Chōkai within Akita Prefecture has an altitude of  1,775 meters, and thus the mountain is also the highest in Akita Prefecture. From the summit, it is possible to see the Shirakami Mountains and Mount Iwaki to the north, Sado Island to the south and the Pacific Ocean to the east.

On the south side of the mountain is "Kokoro Yukikei," where snow remains in the shape of the kanji for  "heart" in even in summer, and portions of the summit have perennial snow, and geological evidence of glaciation in the recent past.

Indigenous species of Mount Chōkai include the butterfly thistle and butterfly fish.

Eruptions
Mount Chōkai is a very active mountain. Known major eruptions occurred:

466 B.C. Causes massive collapse of mountain peak (based on dendrochronology)
810 AD  Records of eruption continue to 824.
840 AD  Eruption.
871 AD  Eruption and lava flow with Volcanic explosion index: VEI 2
939 AD  Eruption
1560 AD Eruption
1659-1663 AD Eruptions
1740-1741 AD Eruption
1800-1801 AD Steam explosion, lava flow, formation of a new lava dome:  Eight people killed
1821 Eruption recorded.
1834 AD Eruption
1971 AD Eruption
1974 AD Steam explosion, small mud flow; Volcanic Explosion Index: VEI 1

History
Mount Chōkai has been the object of mountain worship since ancient times. From the Heian period, it gradually became a training ground for Shugendō, as an avatar of Yakushi Nyorai. From the south was a pilgrimage path to the summit. In the middle of the Edo period the mountain drew many pilgrims and had 33 chapels at its base., with additional routes to its summit opened in the north. There is also a tradition that the island of Tobishima in the Sea of Japan was originally a part of the summit of Mount Chokai.

 is the God of the mountain and worshipped at

Three ships have been named after Mount Chōkai: Chōkai, an early steam gunboat, and the cruiser  (sunk in 1944), which were both in the Imperial Japanese Navy, and the JDS Chōkai, a Kongō class guided missile destroyer currently in service in the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.

See also
List of volcanoes in Japan

References

External links
 Chokaisan - Japan Meteorological Agency
   - Japan Meteorological Agency
 Chokaisan - Smithsonian Institution: Global Volcanism Program
Tohoku Tourism home page
https://www.thehiddenjapan.com/mtchokai - English Information

Mountains of Akita Prefecture
Mountains of Yamagata Prefecture
Volcanoes of Akita Prefecture
Volcanoes of Yamagata Prefecture
Volcanoes of Honshū
Stratovolcanoes of Japan
Active volcanoes
Historic Sites of Japan
Two-thousanders of Asia
Pleistocene stratovolcanoes
Holocene stratovolcanoes
Shugendō
Mountain faith

Mount Chōkai


Constantine Opos () was a notable Byzantine general and aristocrat in the first half of the reign of Emperor Alexios I Komnenos (r. 1081–1118). He participated in the wars against the Normans and the Seljuk Turks, eventually reaching the rank of megas doux (commander-in-chief of the Byzantine navy).

Biography
Constantine Opos first appears in the Alexiad in 1081, during Alexios's campaign against the Normans of Robert Guiscard, leading the tagma of the Exkoubitoi. The campaign ended in the Byzantine defeat at the Battle of Dyrrhachium on 18 October 1081, which effectively shattered the last remains of the old-established regiments of the middle Byzantine army. The Exkoubitoi are never heard from again; their remnants were probably disbanded, marking the end of this historic unit, which had been founded as an elite imperial bodyguard by Emperor Leo I the Thracian (r. 457–474).

In 1090, Opos was subordinate to the admiral Constantine Dalassenos during the siege of the island of Chios, held by the forces of the Turkish emir Tzachas of Smyrna. Hoping to prevent Tzachas from crossing over from the mainland with reinforcements and relieve the siege, Dalassenos sent Opos with part of the fleet to interdict the crossing of the Chios Strait. Opos indeed encountered Tzachas's fleet attempting to cross during night, but, according to the Alexiad, as the emir had had his ships chained together, Opos feared to engage them and retreated to the Byzantine camp.

In 1092, he was charged with retaking the town of Cyzicus on the Marmara Sea, after a previous Byzantine naval expedition under Alexander Euphorbenos had failed. Opos led his forces overland to Cyzicus, and successfully stormed the town. He then dispatched troops that took Poimanenon before marching to Apollonias. He laid siege to the city, but soon the Turkish emir, Elchanes, surrendered it and his family to him.

By 1094, when he is attested in the synod that condemned Leo of Chalcedon, Opos had risen to the dignity of protoproedros. From a seal we know that he later rose further to protonobelissimos, and in a manuscript that belonged to him, he is finally recorded as megas doux. Opos is last attested in 1097, during the First Crusade, when he was tasked with preventing the forces of a certain count, Raoul, from crossing the Bosporus, and even engaged in battle with the Crusaders.

References

Sources

11th-century births
11th-century Byzantine people
Megaloi doukes
Byzantine generals
Christians of the First Crusade
Generals of Alexios I Komnenos
Byzantine people of the Byzantine–Seljuk wars
Year of death unknown
Byzantine people of the Byzantine–Norman wars
Byzantine people of the Crusades

Constantine Opos (megas doux)


Dong Fangzhuo (; born 23 January 1985) is a Chinese former professional footballer who played as a forward.

Club career

Early career
Dong first came to prominence in 2000 when he was named the most valuable player in an under-17 tournament. He then signed for Dalian Sidelong and helped them finish as runners-up in the Chinese Jia-B league in 2002. This then earned him a move to Dalian Shide, the most successful club team in China. Dong scored his first goal for Dalian in the second match of the qualifying stages of the 2002–03 AFC Champions League.

Manchester United
Dong left Dalian for Manchester United on 12 January 2004 for an initial fee of £500,000, which could have risen to £3.5 million, depending upon appearances. He thus became the first East Asian player to sign for Manchester United.

After signing for Manchester United, he was unable to play for the senior team immediately because he was ineligible for a work permit. Due to these legal issues, Dong was loaned out to get first-team experience with Belgian First Division side Royal Antwerp where the employment laws were less strict. In his first season, he scored one goal in nine appearances as he began to get used to his new environment. His second season began more promisingly, finding the net in six of his first seven appearances of the season, all as a substitute off the bench. However, disrupted by injury and international duty, his form fell away in the latter half of the season as he finished with seven goals in 22 appearances in all competitions. At the beginning of the 2005–06 season, he was called up to join Manchester United on their pre-season tour and made his unofficial debut for the club in a friendly match in Hong Kong, scoring a goal in a 2–0 win.

In the 2005–06 season, Dong impressed for Royal Antwerp as he finished as the top goalscorer for both his team and the Belgian Second Division with 18 goals, including two hat-tricks. In 2006, he again joined Manchester United on a pre-season tour and scored the winner in a 1–0 win over Kaizer Chiefs. Manager Alex Ferguson remarked that Dong had the "speed and physicality" to play for United and hoped that he would be eligible to play for the club by December 2006. It was reported that Dong could obtain Belgian citizenship. However, this option would have caused Dong to lose his Chinese citizenship and was never considered. On 15 December 2006, almost three years after his original signing, Dong was finally given a work permit to play in England, having made enough appearances for the Chinese national team in the preceding two years. With his eligibility confirmed, he was recalled from Royal Antwerp having started the season with 11 goals in 15 appearances, given a new contract until 2010, and added to Manchester United's first-team squad on 17 January 2007.

Dong made his Old Trafford debut in a friendly charity match against a European XI on 13 March 2007, coming on as a substitute for Alan Smith in the 72nd minute of the 4–3 win. He was a regular for the Manchester United reserves, and on 9 May 2007, Dong made his Premier League debut, partnering Ole Gunnar Solskjær up front against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. He made a further appearance for the club at Old Trafford, playing the entire match in a 2–0 defeat to Coventry City in the League Cup on 26 September 2007. On 12 December 2007, Dong made his first UEFA Champions League appearance as a substitute against Roma in the last group stage match of the 2007–08 season, replacing fellow striker Wayne Rooney. With that appearance, Dong became the second ever Chinese player to participate in the UEFA Champions League after Sun Xiang. However, he was able to score four goals in three matches for the reserves before suffering an injury.

Prior to the start of the 2008–09 season, Dong was not given a squad number, with the number 21 shirt given to Rafael. On 28 August 2008, Dong and Manchester United mutually agreed that his contract was to be terminated in order for him to find first-team football elsewhere.

Dalian Shide
On 27 August 2008, Dong returned to Dalian Shide. His experience at Manchester United meant that expectations of him were high, but his performances in the league upon his return were very poor. Dong struggled to score goals and was relegated to the reserves as a result. His poor performances in the league also prevented him from being called up for the Chinese national team.

Return to Europe
After attending a training camp with Polish club Legia Warsaw, Dong signed an 18-month deal with an option for two more years, depending on his performances with the club. Despite impressing in several pre-season friendlies, Dong looked desperately out of his depth in the league and managed to play in just two appearances before being dropped to the reserves. He was released by Legia on 1 August 2010. On the back of former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo's recommendation, Portuguese club Portimonense signed Dong to a one-year deal in August 2010. Dong was not used often and was on the bench for most of his time at Portimonense. He grew frustrated with his lack of playing time and terminated his contract with Portimonense. Dong immediately left Portmonense and he was briefly linked with Serbian SuperLiga's FK Sloboda Point Sevojno.  Dong impressed again in Sloboda's friendlies and the Serbian news mentioned he was close to signing a contract.  However, the club offered a long-term contract to Dong, but the player only wanted a short-term deal.  Dong was reported to be asking for 10,000 Euro a week, but negotiations broke down and he was on his travels again.

In March 2011, Dong signed for Armenian Premier League side Mika, scoring in the 2011 Armenian Cup final. At the end of season, he left Mika for China League One side Hunan Billows. He played there for two years, scoring 9 goals before moving on to another Chinese second-tier team, Hebei Zhongji, scoring 2 in 7.

International career
Dong was called up by Chinese under-20 national team to participate in the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship. He came off the bench to play in three out of the four matches during the tournament. Dong scored his first goal for the Chinese national team in a 4–1 loss to Switzerland on 3 June 2006 and was also called up for the 2007 AFC Asian Cup. Dong competed in the 2008 Summer Olympics. In the team's opening match against New Zealand, he was substituted on for Han Peng and went on to score China's first goal in the 88th minute, securing a 1–1 draw.

Career statistics

International

Scores and results list China's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Fangzhuo goal

Honours
FC Mika
 Armenian Cup: 2011

References

External links

 Stats at Royal Antwerp F.C.

1985 births
Living people
Chinese expatriate men's footballers
Chinese men's footballers
Footballers from Dalian
Men's association football forwards
China men's international footballers
Olympic footballers for China
2007 AFC Asian Cup players
Footballers at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Dalian Shide F.C. players
Manchester United F.C. players
Royal Antwerp F.C. players
Legia Warsaw players
FC Mika players
Hunan Billows F.C. players
Belgian Pro League players
Premier League players
Chinese Super League players
China League One players
Expatriate men's footballers in Belgium
Expatriate men's footballers in England
Expatriate men's footballers in Poland
Expatriate men's footballers in Portugal
Chinese expatriate sportspeople in Belgium
Chinese expatriate sportspeople in the United Kingdom
Chinese expatriate sportspeople in Portugal
Chinese expatriate sportspeople in Poland
Expatriate men's footballers in Armenia
Armenian Premier League players
Portimonense S.C. players
Hebei F.C. players
Ekstraklasa players

Dong Fangzhuo


The War of the Castle of Love was a conflict in 1215–1216 between Padua and Treviso on one side and Venice on the other. It began with an exchange of insults at a festival, escalated to raiding and finally to open warfare. The decisive engagement was fought near the mouth of the Adige on 22 October 1215 and a peace treaty was signed on 9 April 1216.

Narrative sources for the war include the Liber chronicorum of Rolandino of Padua, Les estoires de Venise of Martino Canal, the Chronicon of Andrea Dandolo, De origine urbis Venetiarum of Marino Sanuto and Historie venete of Gian Giacomo Caroldo.

Pageant
The March of Treviso was sometimes known poetically as the marca amorosa (amorous march) or marca gioiosa (joyous march) on account of its supposed predilection for pageantry. In 1214, Treviso declared a "court of solace and mirth" to be held over eight days starting on Easter. On this most of the sources agree. Several, however, place it in a different year. Sanuto places it on Whit Monday 1213. Rolandino dates it to Albizzo da Fiore's term as podestà, which probably lasted from 29 June 1214 until 29 June 1215. The Cronaca Foscariniana, a late 15th-century source that had access to earlier records, places the festival on 8 June 1215. According to the late source, it was held in celebration of a peace agreement between rival families signed at Spineda on 1 March 1215.

Invitations were sent throughout the March and also to Venice and Lombardy. The number of attendees from out of town was reckoned at 1,200 gentlemen with their wives, with 360 of these men coming from Venice and the rest from Padua, Vicenza, Verona, Friuli, Feltre and Belluno. The total in attendance was over 5,000 plus 640 guests hosted by Treviso. The peace treaty signed after the war refers to the festival as the ludi Tarvisii, games of Treviso.

Festivities including dancing and jousting in the streets and piazzas. The centrepiece, however, was the wooden "castle of love" constructed outside the Porta San Tomaso in a place called La Spineta, corresponding to the neighbourhood of Selvana today. This was defended by ladies and damsels against the assaults of the young men of Treviso, Padua and Venice, who threw flowers, pastries and spices, respectively, at the battlements. Rolandino describes the weapons of this pageant as follows:
and the arms and engines wherewith men fought against were apples and dates and muscat-nuts [nutmeg], tarts and pears and quinces, roses and lilies and violets, and vases of balsam or ambergris or rosewater, amber, camphor, cardamums, cinnamon, cloves, pomegranates, and all manner of flowers or spices that are fragrant to smell and fair to see.
A panel of knights was supposed to referee the event and decide to which city the castle would surrender. Eventually the Venetians switched to throwing ducats, which the women abandoned the battlements to pick up. When the Venetians moved to enter the castle, a fight ensued with the Paduans. The rectors of Treviso and the commander of the Paduan militia, Paolo da Sermodele, intervened to break it up, and so narrowly averted bloodshed.

War

Warfare did not break out immediately as a result of the spoiled pageant, but relations between Padua and Venice turned sour. According to the Cronaca Altinate, Doge Pietro Ziani strove to maintain peace through diplomacy so that Venice could concentrate on its recent acquisitions in Greece. The year following the pageant was spent in diplomatic exchanges and raids until Venice severed commercial relations with Padua. In the words of Rolandino:
For in process of time the enmity between Paduans and Venetians waxed so sore that all commerce of trade forbidden on either side, and the confines were guarded lest anything should be brought from one land to the other: then men practised robberies and violence, so that discord grew afresh, and wars, and deadly enmity.
In the autumn of 1215, Padua invaded Venetian territory and attacked the Torre delle Bebbe near the mouth of the Adige. This tower had been built by Venice to control the traffic on the Adige. Its garrison consisted of men from Chioggia and some sailors. In preparation for the Paduan assault, they filled its base with earth, dug a ditch around it and created a covering for it with ropes taken from ships in order to protect it from the projectiles of siege engines. Taking advantage of high tide on 22 October, the defenders sortied, supported by a small fleet, sacked the Paduan camp and took 400 prisoners One source puts it at 400 knights plus many foot soldiers besides, but Dandolo records it as 200 knights and 200 foot soldiers. The Paduan captain, Geremia da Peraga, was among the captives. For its service, Chioggia was released from its annual tribute to Venice of three hens per household.

Owing to unusually heavy rains, the ground was exceptionally marshy and the Paduans were forced to break up in retreat. Some of the retreating Paduans encountered a force under the podestà of Treviso that had been coming to reinforce them. Observing the rout, the Trevisans returned home. The author of the Cronaca Foscariniana and Bartolomeo Zuccato writing in the 16th century both report the Paduan–Trevisan alliance as having been signed on 4 September 1215. Other sources give 4 February 1215.

Following the intervention of Patriarch Wolfger of Aquileia, separate peace treaties for Padua and Treviso were signed on 9 April 1216 at San Giorgio in Alga in Venice. This achievement is mentioned on Wolfger's tombstone. Wolfger's influence stemmed in part from his position as the superior of the suffragan bishops of Treviso and Padua, but he may also have received a papal commission from Innocent III when he attended the Fourth Lateran Council in November 1215. The pope was at the time preparing a new crusade, which required general peace among the Christian powers of Europe. Present at the signing of the treaties was the prominent peacemaker Giordano Forzatè, who had probably acted as one of the Paduan government's advisers. According to the treaties, "on the occasion of the games of Treviso, the devil instigating, no small war between Venetians and Paduans arose" (instigante diabolo, occasione ludi Tarvisii, inter Venetos et Paduanos werra non modica fuisset suborta).

One of the articles of the treaty stipulated that the wealthy Jacopo da Sant'Andrea and twenty-five other Paduans would be at the disposal of the doge of Venice (perhaps to be tried). This suggests that Jacopo may have been behind Padua's decision to go to war.

References

Bibliography

Coulton, G. G. (ed.) A Medieval Garner: Human Documents from the Four Centuries preceding the Reformation. London: Archibald Constable, 1910.
Folena, Gianfranco. "Tradizione e cultura trobadorica nelle corti e nelle citta venete", pp. 453–562. Storia della cultura veneta, Vol. 1: Dalle origini al trecento. Vicenza: Neri Pozzam 1976.
Foligno, Cesare. The Story of Padua. London: J. M. Dent, 1910.
Gaffuri, Laura. "Forzatè, Giordano". Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani, Volume 49: Forino–Francesco da Serino. Rome: Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana, 1997.
Jackson, F. Hamilon. The Shores of the Adriatic: The Italian Side – An Architectural and Archaeological Pilgrimage. London: John Murray, 1906.
Molmenti, Pompeo G. Venice: Its Individual Growth from the Earliest Beginnings to the Fall of the Republic, Part 1: The Middle Ages, Volume 1. Translated by Horatio F. Brown. Chicago: A. C. McClurg, 1906.
Pozza, Marco. "Un trattato fra Venezia e Padova ed i proprietari veneziani in terraferma". Studi veneziani, Ser. NS 7 (1983): 15–30.
Predelli, Riccardo. "Documenti relativi alla guerra pel fatto del Castello di Amore". Archivio veneto 30 (1885): 421–447.
Thaller, Anja. "«Desiderosi Trivisani de festizar in laude de la bona pase». Zur Neubewertung der "Liebesburgbelagerung" von Treviso". Reti Medievali Rivista 17.2 (2016): 385–418.

Conflicts in 1215
Conflicts in 1216
1214 in Europe
1215 in Europe
1216 in Europe
Wars involving the Republic of Venice
13th century in the Republic of Venice
History of Padua
Treviso

War of the Castle of Love


In religious or mythological cosmology, the seven heavens refer to seven levels or divisions of the Heavens. The concept, also found in the ancient Mesopotamian religions, can be found in Judaism and Islam; the Christian Bible does not mention seven levels of heaven, it mentions three; a similar concept is also found in some other religions such as Hinduism. Some of these traditions, including Jainism, also have a concept of seven earths or seven underworlds both with the metaphysical realms of deities and with observed celestial bodies such as the classical planets and fixed stars.

Greek religion and philosophy
Each of the seven heavens corresponds to one of the seven classical planets known in antiquity. Ancient observers noticed that these heavenly objects (the Moon, Mercury, Venus, the Sun, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn) moved at different paces in the sky both from each other and from the fixed stars beyond them. Unlike comets, which appeared in the sky with no warning, they moved in regular patterns that could be predicted. They also observed that objects in the sky influenced objects on earth as when movements of the sun affect the behavior of plants or movements of the moon affect ocean tides.

Mesopotamian religion
The concept of seven heavens as developed in ancient Mesopotamia symbolised both physical and metaphysical concepts. In the Sumerian language, the words for heavens (or sky) and earth are An and Ki. The ancient Mesopotamians regarded the sky as a series of domes (usually three, but sometimes seven) covering the flat earth. Each dome was made of a different kind of precious stone. The lowest dome of the heavens was made of jasper and was the home of the stars. The middle dome of heaven was made of saggilmut stone and was the abode of the Igigi. The highest and outermost dome of the heavens was made of luludānītu stone and was personified as An, the god of the sky. The celestial bodies were equated with specific deities as well. The planet Venus was believed to be Inanna, the goddess of love, sex, and war. The sun was her brother Utu, the god of justice, and the moon was their father Nanna. Ordinary mortals could not go to the heavens because it was the abode of the gods alone. Instead, after a person died, his or her soul went to Kur (later known as Irkalla), a dark shadowy underworld, located deep below the surface of the earth. Sumerian incantations of the late second millennium BCE make references to seven heavens and seven earths. One such incantation is: "an-imin-bi ki-imin-bi" (the heavens are seven, the earths are seven.)

The understanding that the heavens can influence things on earth lent heavenly, magical properties to the number seven itself, as in stories of seven demons, seven churches, seven spirits, or seven thrones. The number seven appears frequently in Babylonian magical rituals. The seven Jewish and the seven Islamic heavens may have had their origin in Babylonian astronomy.

In general, the heavens is not a place for humans in Mesopotamian religion. As Gilgamesh says to his friend Enkidu, in the Epic of Gilgamesh: "Who can go up to the heavens, my friend? Only the gods dwell with Shamash forever". Along with the idea of seven heavens, the idea of three heavens was also common in ancient Mesopotamia.

Abrahamic religions

Judaism
In the Talmud, it is suggested that the upper part of the universe is made up of seven heavens (Hebrew: shamayim):

 Vilon (וילון), see ()
 Raki'a (רקיע), see ()
 Shehaqim (שחקים), see (, Midr. Teh. to Ps. xix. 7)
 Zebul (זבול), see (, )
 Ma'on (מעון), see (, )
 Machon (מכון), see (, )
 Araboth (ערבות), The seventh Heaven where ophanim, the seraphim, and the hayyoth and the Throne of God are located.

The Jewish Merkavah and Hekhalot literature was devoted to discussing the details of these heavens, sometimes in connection with traditions relating to Enoch, such as the Third Book of Enoch.

Apocryphal texts
The Second Book of Enoch, also written in the first century CE, describes the mystical ascent of the patriarch Enoch through a hierarchy of Ten Heavens. Enoch passes through the Garden of Eden in the Third Heaven on his way to meet the Lord face-to-face in the Tenth (chapter 22). Along the way, he encounters vividly described populations of angels who torment wrongdoers; he sees homes, olive oil, and flowers.

The book's depiction of ten heavens represented an expansion of the ancient seven-heaven model. This expanded cosmology was developed further in medieval Christianity.

Christianity

The New Testament does not refer to the concept of seven heavens. However, an explicit reference to a third heaven appears in the Second Epistle to the Corinthians, penned in Macedonia around 55 CE. It describes the following mystical experience:

The description is usually taken as an oblique reference by the author to himself. The passage appears to reflect first-century beliefs among Jews and Christians that the realm of Paradise existed in a different heaven than the highest one—an impression that may find support in the original Greek wording (closer to "caught away" than "caught up").

In the second century, Irenaeus also knows seven heavens (see his Demonstration of Apostolic Preaching 9; cf. Against Heresies 1.5.2).

Over the course of the Middle Ages, Christian thinkers expanded the ancient Mesopotamian seven-heaven model into a system of ten heavens. This cosmology, taught in the first European universities by the Scholastics, reached its supreme literary expression in The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri. The idea of seven heavens is carried over into the esoteric Christian cabala.

Islam

The Quran and Hadith frequently mention the existence of seven samāwāt (سماوات), the plural of samāʾ (سماء), meaning 'heaven, sky, celestial sphere', and cognate with Hebrew shamāyim (שמים). Some of the verses in the Quran mentioning the samaawat are Q41:12, Q65:12 and Q71:15. The seven heavens are not final destinations for the dead after the Day of Judgment, but regions distinct from the earth, guarded by angels and inhabited by souls whose abode depends on their good deeds (fasting, jihad, Hajj, charity), with the highest layer, the closest to God.

In other sources, the concept is presented in metaphorical terms. Each of the seven heavens is depicted as being composed of a different material, and Islamic prophets are resident in each. The names are taken from Suyuti's Al-Hay'a as-samya fi l-hay'a as-sunmya:
 Raqi'a (رقيعاء): The first heaven is described as being made of water and is the home of Adam and Eve, as well as the angels of each star. According to some narratives, Muhammad encountered the angel Habib here.
 Araqlun (أزفلون): The second heaven is described as being made of white pearls and is the home of Yahya (John the Baptist) and Isa (Jesus).
 Qaydum (قيدوم): The third heaven is described as being made of iron (alternatively pearls or other dazzling stones); Joseph and the Angel of Death (named Azrael) are resident there.
 Maʿuna (ماعونا): The fourth heaven is described as being made of brass (alternatively white gold); Idris (conventionally identified with Enoch) and the "Angel of Tears" reside there.
 Di'a (ريقا): The fifth heaven is described as being made of silver; Aaron holds court over this heaven. Sometimes, the guardian of hellfire is assigned to this place.
 Daqua (دقناء): The sixth heaven is described as being composed of gold (alternatively garnets and rubies); Moses can be found here.
 ʿAriba (عريبا): The seventh heaven, which borrows some concepts from its Jewish counterpart, is depicted as being composed of divine light incomprehensible to the mortal man (alternatively emerald). Abraham is a resident there and Sidrat al-Muntaha, a large enigmatic Lote tree, marks the end of the seventh heaven and the utmost extremity for all of God's creatures and heavenly knowledge.

There are two interpretations of using the number "seven". One viewpoint is that the number "seven" here simply means "many" and is not to be taken literally (the number is often used to imply that in the Arabic language). But many other commentators use the number literally.

One modern interpretation of "heavens" is that all the stars and galaxies (including the Milky Way) are all part of the "first heaven", and "beyond that six still bigger worlds are there," which have yet to be discovered by scientists.

Gnosticism
The Gnostic text On the Origin of the World states that seven heavens were created in Chaos by Yaldabaoth below the higher realms, and each of them are ruled over by an Archon. During the end times, these heavens will collapse on each and the heaven of Yaldabaoth will split in two, causing its stars to fall upon the Earth, therefore causing it to sink into the Abyss.

In the Coptic Apocalypse of Paul, the apostle Paul ascends through the lower Seven Heavens. At the seventh heaven, he meets an old man who opens the gate to the realm beyond the material universe, and Paul then ascends to the eighth, ninth, and tenth heavens.

In Mandaeism, a series of maṭartas, or "toll houses," are located between the World of Light (alma ḏ-nhūra) from Tibil (Earth). The term maṭarta has variously been translated as "watch-station", "toll-station", "way-station", or "purgatory". Maṭartas are guarded by various uthras (celestial beings from the World of Light) and demons. In the Ginza Rabba, seven maṭartas are listed and described in Chapter 3 in Book 5 of the Right Ginza. However, the number of maṭartas is not always seven; Book 6 of the Right Ginza (also known as the "Book of Dinanukht") lists six, and Chapter 4 in Book 1 of the Left Ginza lists eight. Alternatively, the Seven Heavens can also be seen as corresponding to the Seven Planets, who form part of the entourage of Ruha in the World of Darkness.

Hinduism
According to some Puranas, the Brahmanda is divided into fourteen worlds. Seven are upper worlds, Bhuloka (the Earth), Bhuvarloka, Svarloka, Maharloka, Janarloka, Tapoloka and Satyaloka, and seven are lower worlds, Atala, Vitala, Sutala, Talatala, Mahatala, Rasatala and Patala.

Seven-level underworlds
According to Jain cosmology, there are seven levels of Naraka or hell. These are further divided into 8,400,000 other hellish locations.
Inanna visited the Sumerian seven-gated underworld.

See also
As above, so below
Astrotheology
Empyrean
Garden of the gods
Hierarchy of angels
Isra and Mi'raj
Loka in Hinduism
Matarta in Mandaeism
Ogdoad
Religious cosmology
Third Heaven

References

Further reading

External links

Higher Devachanic or Seven Heavenly Spheres

Christian terminology
Conceptions of heaven
Heaven in Christianity
Heaven
Hindu cosmology
Islamic cosmology
Islamic mysticism
Islamic terminology
Jewish mysticism
Religious cosmologies

Seven heavens


Luciano Ceri (born 25 March 1951) is an Italian singer-songwriter, journalist and radio host.

Early life
Ceri was born in 1951 to Italian parents in Mogadishu. The city was at the time the capital of Italian Somaliland. Ceri later moved to Italy to begin his music career.

Career
Ceri originally started off by playing in beat bands; then proceeded to play in the 70's the group of progressive rock, Big Fall. During the band's three years they recorded two albums for EMI Italian. The group would later dissolve after only three years after forming. Ceri would then later go on to work as a songwriter, performing often at Folkstudio and it is precisely with the label of Giancarlo Cesaroni, the owner of the premises, which publishes his solo album in 1987.

Ceri has published several books such as the World Beat Music, with Ernesto De Pascale (Out of Thema, 1993), and Thoughts and Words, Lucio Battisti. An annotated discography (Tarab, 1996), reprinted in 2008 by publisher Rabbit. It is part of the jury of the Premio Ciampi and is the project manager of the National Italian Song Lyrics of Disco State - Audiovisual Museum. The 2008 one is one of the main collaborators of the magazine Easy Listening.

References

 Various Authors (by Gino Castaldo), Dictionary of the Italian song, ed. Curcio, 1990, under the heading Ceri, Luciano by Giancarlo Susanna, page 351, and under the heading Big Fall by Ernesto Bassignano, p. 810
 Paul Barotto, The Return of Italian Pop, publishing Stilgraf, Luserna San Giovanni, 1989, under the heading Big Fall, p. 61

1951 births
Living people
Somalian people of Italian descent
People from Mogadishu
Italian male singer-songwriters
Italian singer-songwriters

Luciano Ceri


Otto I (between 1167 and 1171 – 13 January 1200) was Count of Burgundy from 1190 to his death and briefly Count of Luxembourg from 1196 to 1197. He was the fourth son of Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor, by his second wife Beatrice I, Countess of Burgundy, daughter of Count Renaud III.

Rule
Upon the death of his mother, Countess Beatrice I of Burgundy, in 1184, Otto was granted the Burgundian county by his father, Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, elevating him to the rank of a count palatine. Haughty Otto however soon entered into several feuds: not only with the Anscarid lords of Auxonne and Mâcon, who claimed Beatrice's heritage, but also with the counts of Montbéliard, Duke Odo III of Burgundy and Duke Berthold V of Zähringen. In the course of negotiations in 1195, he killed Count Amadeus II of Montfaucon with his own hands, followed by the assassination of Alsatian Count Ulric of Ferrette in 1197 and the execution of a brother of Konrad von Hüneburg, bishop of Strasbourg, in 1198.

When Count Henry IV of Luxembourg died without male heirs in 1196, his county escheated to his overlord, Otto's brother Emperor Henry VI. Henry then granted it to Otto. Count Theobald I of Bar, son-in-law of Count Henry IV, negotiated the renunciation of Luxembourg with Otto the next year.

Meanwhile, Count Palatine Otto's regional conflicts had become a severe threat to the power politics of his Hohenstaufen relatives. Considered to be inefficient and busy solving problems in his own fief, upon the death of Henry VI in 1197, it was his younger brother Philip, whom he faithfully supported, chosen to be the successor rather than him. After Philip had been elected King of the Romans in 1198, rivaling with the Welf Duke Otto of Brunswick, he tried to settle the numerous quarrels picked by his brother. In 1200 Otto was assassinated at Besançon. His death came in useful to many political actors. Otto was buried at St Stephen's Cathedral, today the site of the Citadel of Besançon.

Family
Otto had married Margaret, daughter of Count Theobald V of Blois, in 1190. After her husband's death her brother-in-law King Philip enfeoffed her with the Burgundian county, as regent for her minor daughter Joanna I. Upon Joanna's death in 1205, Otto's second daughter, Beatrice II, became countess and Philip had her marry Duke Otto I of Merania.

Otto was said to have an illegitimate son, Hugo, who in 1203 surrendered any claim to the county to his stepmother, Margaret. The charter recording this is known only from a 16th-century work by .

References

Sources

12th-century births
1200 deaths
Sons of emperors
Year of birth unknown
Counts of Burgundy
Counts of Luxembourg
Hohenstaufen
Assassinated German people
Children of Frederick Barbarossa
12th-century murdered monarchs
12th-century counts in Europe

Otto I, Count of Burgundy


Dilip Shanghvi (born 1 October 1955) is an Indian billionaire businessman and one of the country's richest people. He founded Sun Pharmaceuticals. The Government of India awarded him the civilian honour of the Padma Shri in 2016. India Today magazine ranked him 8th in India's most powerful people of 2017 list.

According to Forbes, as of October 2023, Shanghvi is the 6th richest person in India with a net worth of US$18.7 billion.

Early life
Shanghvi hails from a Gujarati Hindu Vaishnav Kapol Vania family settled in Kolkata. He was born in the small town of Amreli in the Indian state of Gujarat, the son of Shantilal Shanghvi and his wife Kumud Shanghvi. Shanghvi earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Calcutta. He spent his childhood and college life with his parents in the Burrabazar locality of Kolkata. He is an alumnus of J. J. Ajmera High School and Bhawanipur Education Society College, where he did his schooling and graduation, respectively.

Career
Shanghvi started by helping his father in his business, which was a wholesale dealership of medicines, mainly generic drugs, in Kolkata. It was during this work that he thought of manufacturing his own drugs instead of selling products made by others.

In 1982, the 27-year-old Shanghvi finally opened his first manufacturing unit with a capital of INR 10,000. He named his venture Sun Pharmaceutical Industries. The unit, located in Vapi in his native state of Gujarat, a short drive away from Mumbai, produced exactly one psychiatry drug. However, the business soon picked up, thanks to Shanghvi's acumen and energy, and by 1997, Sun Pharma was even able to acquire Caraco Pharma, an American company. Sun also acquired Israel's Taro Pharma in 2007. Shanghvi stepped down as chairman and CEO in 2012 and chose Israel Makov, formerly CEO of Teva Pharmaceuticals, as his successor; Shanghvi became managing director. In April 2014 Sun, Ranbaxy, and Daiichi Sankyo (the majority shareholder in Ranbaxy) agreed that Sun would acquire all outstanding shares of Ranbaxy for $3.2 billion in Sun stock and that Sun would take on $800M in Ranbaxy debt; the deal closed in March 2015 and made Sun the largest drug company in India and fifth largest in the world, and made Daiichi the second-largest shareholder in Sun. In May 2021 he stepped down from the position of Managing director of SPARC and will continue to function as a non-executive director and chairman.

Community
In January 2018, the Indian government appointed Shanghvi to the Reserve Bank of India's 21-member central board committee. He is chairman of the board of governors at IIT Bombay. He was made a trustee of the Rhodes scholarship programme at Oxford University in 2017.

Personal life
He is married to Vibha Shanghvi. They have a son, Aalok and a daughter, Vidhi, both of whom work for Sun Pharmaceuticals.

Shanghvi is a devotee of Shrinathji and makes regular pilgrimage with his family to the deity's abode in the city of Nathdwara in Rajasthan. Photos and idols of the deity adore Sun Pharma's factory and offices.

Book
In 2019, journalist Soma Das authored The Reluctant Billionaire, the first and only biography of Dilip Shanghvi. Published by Penguin Random House, the book was nominated for Tata Literature Award in the Best Business Book category in November 2019.

See also
 List of billionaires

References

External links

Indian billionaires
Businesspeople from Mumbai
Gujarati people
1955 births
Living people
University of Calcutta alumni
Bhawanipur Education Society College alumni
Indian businesspeople in the pharmaceutical industry
People from Amreli district
Recipients of the Padma Shri in trade and industry
Businesspeople from Kolkata
Rhodes Trustees
Reserve Bank of India
Indian Jains

Dilip Shanghvi


A shield boss, or umbo, is a round, convex or conical piece of material at the centre of a shield.  Shield bosses (or sometimes, just "bosses") are usually made of thick metal but could also be made of wood.  The boss was originally designed to deflect blows from the centre of round shields, though they also provided a place to mount the shield's grip. As time went on and heater shields with curved bodies became more popular, and enarmes superseded the bar grip, the boss became more of an ornamental piece.

Often, bosses are not present on non-circular shields due to the differences in technique; with a round shield, one makes a punching motion towards an oncoming blow, while with a heater or kite shield, attacks are blocked by pivoting the shield about the body. A boss provides a significant advantage for deflecting blows when using a punching motion, but is not very effective when using a pivot to block an attack.

Manufacture
First found in prehistoric bronze, in medieval times, shield bosses were made by armourers out of sheets of iron or steel.  The armourer started with a flat, relatively thin sheet and sank the metal into a bowl, which might then be planished and polished.

See also
Phalera (harness)

References

External links
 Arador Armour Library article on construction of a shield boss

Medieval shields

Shield boss


Jana Rae Kramer (born December 2, 1983) is an American country music singer and actress.  She is known for her role as Alex Dupre on the television series One Tree Hill.

Kramer began her musical career in 2012 and has released two albums: Jana Kramer (2012) and Thirty One (2015). The albums produced seven charted singles on Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay, including the top 10 hits "Why Ya Wanna" and "I Got the Boy". She competed on season 23 of Dancing with the Stars, finishing in fourth place.

Early life
Kramer was born in Rochester Hills, Michigan, to Nora and Martin Kramer who are of German descent. Kramer attended Rochester Adams High School. She speaks some German. She has an older brother, Steve, who is a sergeant at the Oakland County Sheriff's Office. She lived in Dearborn, Michigan, for some time after her parents divorced. She moved to California for two years when she was 18 and then moved to Tennessee.

Career

2002–2011: Acting career and record deal
In 2002, Kramer made her acting debut in the low-budget independent horror film Dead/Undead. The following year Kramer guest appeared on All My Children, which marked Kramer's television debut. Kramer has since continued to appear in a number of television shows such as CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice and CSI: NY. She has also had small supporting roles in films such as Return of the Living Dead: Necropolis, Click, Prom Night, Heart of the Country, and Country Crush. She was also in Spring Breakdown.

In 2007, Kramer appeared in a recurring role on the NBC sports drama television series Friday Night Lights. She played the role of Noelle Davenport in the series' second season. In 2008, Kramer appeared in The CW teen drama series 90210, a reboot of the 1990s teen drama television series Beverly Hills 90210. Kramer played the role of high school student Portia Ranson and made her debut in the first season's second episode "The Jet Set". Her role went on for six episodes and Kramer made her final appearance in "The Party's Over", which aired May 5, 2009. In 2009, Kramer appeared on the HBO dramedy television series Entourage. Kramer played the role of a sorority girl who seduces the character Turtle (Jerry Ferrara), and appeared in four episodes.

In June 2009, it was announced Kramer would star in the CW drama television series seventh season of One Tree Hill. Kramer played the role of Alex Dupre, an actress and tabloid darling who becomes the new face of Brooke Davis's fashion line, "Clothes Over Bros", and creates havoc for the residents of Tree Hill. Kramer made her debut in the season's first episode. Initially Kramer's appearance on the show was meant to be in a recurring form, but her role was upgraded to a series regular by the season's fourteenth episode, "Family Affair". In March 2012, Kramer made the announcement that she would no longer be making regular appearances in the show's ninth and final season, as she decided to focus on her music career. Her last appearance on the show occurred in the second episode of the ninth season, "In the Room Where You Sleep," which was aired on January 18, 2012.

In February 2011, Kramer signed a recording contract with Elektra Records. That same month she premiered her promo track, "I Won't Give Up", which premiered in the One Tree Hill episode, "Holding Out for a Hero", and was released the following day exclusively on iTunes and Amazon. The song reached number 75 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. The following month Kramer began work on her debut album. Country music producer Scott Hendricks produced the majority of the record. In April 2011, Kramer released another promo track, titled "Whiskey", which she also performed on One Tree Hill. The song reached number 99 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on digital sales alone.

2012–2018: Jana Kramer, and Dancing with the Stars
In February 2012, Kramer was cast as the protagonist in the independent drama film, Heart of the Country, playing the role of a privileged young woman, Faith Carraday, who is following her show-biz dreams but leaves it all and moves to rural North Carolina after her husband is jailed for Wall Street fraud. Kramer is also attached to a horror film named The Gatekeeper.

On January 16, 2012, Kramer released her official debut single, "Why Ya Wanna". Kramer premiered the official music video, directed by Kristin Barlowe, on February 6, 2012. The song peaked at number 52 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 3 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. "Whiskey" is the album's second official single. On June 1, 2012, Kramer made her first televised live performance on Fox & Friends to promote her debut album. She performed "Why Ya Wanna" in front of a crowd of fans in New York City. On June 5, 2012, Kramer released her self-titled debut album Jana Kramer. The record received positive reviews from critics with many praising Kramer's vocal performance.

On June 5, 2013, Nationwide Insurance released the first of a series of commercials in its "Join the Nation" campaign, featuring Kramer as a stealthy woman dressed in black leather who follows a team of burglars and replaces the items they steal with newer versions to promote Nationwide's "Brand New Belongings" initiative. Nationwide had signed Kramer to sing the Nationwide jingle in August 2012. A second commercial, released in April 2014, featured Kramer's character replacing items in a fire-blackened apartment to promote Nationwide's renters' insurance. In November 2014, Jana reprised her Nationwide role, this time as a sexy Santa Claus-like figure replacing items during Christmas season. Nationwide's advertising partner McKinney is behind the spots.

In July 2013, Kramer opened for Blake Shelton on his Ten Times Crazier Tour in Virginia Beach, VA. In August 2013, the independent film Approaching Midnight starring Kramer had its world premiere at the Emagine Royal Oak in Michigan.

Personal life
Kramer married Michael Gambino in 2004. They divorced several months later, after Kramer suffered severe domestic abuse that led to Gambino's 2005 conviction on attempted murder charges. On December 22, 2009, Kramer became engaged to actor Johnathon Schaech, whom she had met on the set of Prom Night. They married on July 4, 2010, in Michigan. The couple separated a month later. Their divorce was finalized in June 2011. Kramer met country music singer Brantley Gilbert in June 2012 CMT Music Awards. They later began dating and became engaged on January 20, 2013, his 28th birthday, but ended their relationship in August 2013.

In August 2014, Kramer began dating Washington Commanders tight end Mike Caussin, whom she met on Twitter. She announced just weeks later that they had split because of his infidelity. Shortly after, she publicly forgave him and they recociled. Kramer and Caussin became engaged in December 2014 on her 31st birthday, and were married on May 22, 2015.

On August 10, 2015, the couple revealed they were expecting their first child. Kramer gave birth to a daughter on January 31, 2016. By August 2016, Kramer and Caussin had separated in the midst of Caussin's admission into rehab for undisclosed purposes. They reconciled the following year and renewed their wedding vows in December 2017. In April 2018, Kramer and Caussin shared their battle with his sex addiction. In July of that year, Kramer announced she was expecting her second child. Kramer gave birth to a son on November 29, 2018.

On April 20, 2021, Kramer filed for divorce from Caussin, citing "inappropriate marital conduct, irreconcilable differences and adultery". Two days after the pair split, a temporary restraining order was issued. On May 20, 2021, it was reported that Kramer and Caussin reached an agreement with custody and child support. According to the documents, Kramer was awarded primary custody of the children. The divorce was finalized on July 22, 2021.

From September 2021 to October 2021, Kramer dated former Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler. From late 2021 to April 2022, Kramer dated fitness trainer and Navy veteran Ian Schinelli.

In January 2023, Kramer publicly confirmed via Instagram her relationship with Allan Russell, a former Scottish soccer player who created Superior Striker, a coaching program. On May 25, 2023, it was confirmed the two were engaged after six months of dating. On June 8, 2023 the couple confirmed via Instagram that they are expecting their first child together.

Filmography

Film

Television

Dancing with the Stars
On August 30, 2016, Kramer was announced as one of the celebrities who would compete on season 23 of Dancing with the Stars. She was partnered with professional partner Gleb Savchenko. Kramer and Savchenko reached the finals of the show and finished in 4th place.

1 Score given by guest judge Pitbull.2 Score given by guest judge Idina Menzel.

Discography

 Jana Kramer (2012)
 Thirty One (2015)

Awards and nominations

References

External links

1983 births
21st-century American actresses
American people of German descent
Actresses from Detroit
American country singer-songwriters
American women country singers
American film actresses
American television actresses
Country musicians from Michigan
Elektra Records artists
Living people
People from Rochester, Michigan
Singers from Detroit
21st-century American singer-songwriters
21st-century American women singers
Singer-songwriters from Michigan

Jana Kramer