A rice cooker or rice steamer is an automated kitchen appliance designed to boil or steam rice. It consists of a heat source, a cooking bowl, and a thermostat. The thermostat measures the temperature of the cooking bowl and controls the heat. Complex, high-tech rice cookers may have more sensors and other components, and may be multipurpose.

The term rice cooker formerly applied to non-automated dedicated rice-cooking utensils, which have an ancient history (a ceramic rice steamer dated to 1250 BC is on display in the British Museum). It now applies mostly to automated cookers. Electric rice cookers were developed in Japan, where they are known as suihanki (, literally, "boil-rice-device").

History

The NJ-N1, developed by Mitsubishi Electric in 1923, was the first electric rice cooker, a direct ancestor of today's automatic electric rice cookers. At that time, electricity was not widely used in ordinary households; it was for use on ships. It was a simple mechanism that heated with an attached heating coil without automation.

In the 1940s and early 1950s, Mitsubishi Electric, Matsushita Electric (now Panasonic), and Sony introduced electric rice cookers for home use with built-in heating coils, but they too were not automated and were not well received and sold poorly.

The ER-4, introduced by Toshiba on December 10, 1955 (or 1956), was the world's first automatic electric rice cooker for home use. It was developed by Toshiba's Shogo Yamada beginning in 1951 and completed in 1955 thanks to a breakthrough invention by Yoshitada Minami (ja), president of a Toshiba partner company. Research and development was a continuous process of trial and error. Research showed that rice cooks best when cooked at a temperature of 98 degrees Celsius (208.4 degrees Fahrenheit) for 20 minutes, so theoretically rice should cook well if an automatic timer is set to turn off the cooker 20 minutes after the water in the pot has boiled. However, the time it takes for the water to boil varies depending on the temperature, the amount of heat generated by the pot, and the amount of rice and water, so in the prototype stage, sometimes the rice was overcooked and burnt, while at other times it was undercooked and the rice was left with a core. The revolutionary idea to solve this problem was to use a double-layered structure for the pot. The mechanism involved filling the outer pot with a glass of water and heating it. After about 20 minutes, the water would evaporate and the temperature would rise rapidly, which the thermostat would detect and turn off.

The initial launch price was 3,200 yen, about one-third of the average college graduate's starting salary. At its launch, 700 units were produced, but they did not sell well.
The company then conducted sales promotions using the sales networks of electric power companies, held sales demonstrations, and sold an automatic timer that could turn on the rice cooker at any time, and the product's popularity exploded. By 1960, four years after its introduction, the automatic electric rice cooker was in use in about half of all Japanese households.

The success of Toshiba's automatic electric rice cookers sparked a "manufacturing war", and Matsushita Electric entered the field as early as 1956 with the EC-36. The EC-36 was a cheaper product that used a single pot, reducing the amount of metal used and making it more competitive in terms of sales.

Later, the automatic electric rice cooker was well received in Asian countries and among Japanese Americans around the world under the name "Automatic Rice Cooker". It also had a great impact on society, giving housewives more time and accelerating the women's liberation movement. On the other hand, Helen Macnaughtan argued that the invention of the automatic electric rice cooker, which freed women from menial tasks in the kitchen and allowed some women to work part-time, was not a great victory for women's liberation because it gave them more time to devote to other household tasks.

In 1972, a rice cooker with a heat-retention function was introduced, and in 1979, an electronic rice cooker equipped with a microcomputer that could also manage the soaking of rice after washing and the heat level. In 1988, rice cookers with electromagnetic induction heating were introduced, which provided higher heating.

Principle of operation

A basic rice cooker has a main body (pot), an inner cooking container which holds the rice, an electric heating element, and a thermostat.

The bowl is filled with rice and water and heated at full power; the water reaches and stays at boiling point (100 °C, 212 °F). When the water has all been absorbed, the temperature can rise above boiling point, which trips the thermostat. Some cookers switch to low-power "warming" mode, keeping the rice at a safe temperature of approximately 65 °C (150 °F); simpler models switch off; the rice has entered the resting phase.

More advanced cookers may use fuzzy logic for more detailed temperature control, induction rather than resistive heating, a steaming tray for other foods, and even the ability to rinse the rice.

Rice types and rice cookers

Brown rice generally needs longer cooking times than white rice, unless it is broken, or flourblasted (which perforates the bran).

Many models feature an ability to cook sticky rice or porridge as an added value. Most can be used as steamers. Some can be used as slow cookers. Some other models can bake bread or in some cases have an added function to maintain temperatures suitable for fermentation of bread dough or yogurt. Multi-purpose devices with rice cooking capability are not necessarily called "rice cookers", but typically "multi-cookers".

A rice cooker, or slow cooker, can be used in conjunction with a temperature probe and an external thermostat to cook food at a stable low temperature ("sous-vide").

Other uses
Steam rice cookers have been shown to be effective for decontamination of face masks.

See also

 Rice polisher
 Slow cooker
 Remoska, small portable oven
 Vacuum flask
 Hot water dispenser
 List of cooking appliances
 List of Japanese cooking utensils

References

Further reading

Rice
Chinese food preparation utensils
Cooking appliances
Cooking vessels
Cookware and bakeware
East Asian food preparation utensils
Japanese food preparation utensils
Japanese inventions
Korean food preparation utensils

Rice cooker


Ashot Mkhitaryan (; July 16, 1959 – May 23, 2010) was the head of the National weightlifting team of Armenia.

Mkhitaryan trained the national team since 2006. Under his guidance, Armenia won 6 bronze medals at Olympic Games in Beijing, as well as many medals at European and World Championships.

Achievements
Since 1996 to 2006 he was the chief coach of the youth and youngsters national weightlifting team of Armenia.
Since 2006 to 2010 he was the chief coach of the national weightlifting team of Armenia. At the head of Ashot Mkhitaryan, Armenian weightlifters scored numerous victories in World and European Championships.
The results of his team during the World and European Competitions since 1995 to 2010:
In 1999 and 2003 his team became the winner at the European Youth Championship.
In 1997, 1998 and 2001 his team became the 2nd winner at the European Youth Championship.
In 2001 the team became the 2nd winner at the World Junior Championship and the champion at the European Junior Championship.
In 2006 at the World Championship in Santo Domingo RA Weightlifting team had two bronze medalists:
 Ara Khachatryan(77 kg)-3rd place
 Tigran Martirosyan (85 kg)-3rd place
In 2007 and 2008 RA team became the winner (with medals) at the European Championships with 18 (10 gold, 6 silver, 2 bronze) and 17 (13gold, 3silver, 1 bronze) medals.
In 2007 at the World Championship the team have silver medalist (Gevorg Davtyan-77 kg), and they brought 5 places for the Olympic Games in 2008.
In 2008 Beijing Olympic Games his team was 3rd with the quantity of medals after China and Russia (3 bronze medals):
Tigran Gevorg Martirosyan (69 kg)
Gevorg Davtyan (77 kg)
Tigran Vardan Martirosyan (85 kg)
In 2009 his team became the winner at the European under 23 weightlifting championship
In 2009 his team was the fourth at the World Weightlifting Championships and brought home 12 medals (3 gold, 4 silver, 5 bronze).
In 2010 RA Weightlifting Man team became the winner at the European Weightlifting Championships.
Since 1995 RA weightlifting team have got many World and European champions, medalists and record-holders.
Since 1995 his weightlifters have brought to Armenia about 300 World and European medals.
Since 2003 Member of the commission of the National Olympic Committee of RA

Education

1967–1977: Studied at the secondary School № 33, Gyumri, Armenia
1978–1982: Studied at the Institute of Sport of Yerevan (Gyumri)

Certificates and Diplomas

1989—Certificate of a high-qualified coach of Armenia
2007—Certificate from the President of the IOC J. Rogge
2007—Diploma from the President of Armenia
2008—Diploma and medal from the President of Armenia
2008-- "Honored Worker of Sports" (Armenia)
2008-- "Order of The Peter the Great" for the huge work done for the international sport
2009—The "Movses Khorenatsi" medal from the President of Armenia

Death
Ashot Mkhitaryan died of a heart attack in Zvartnots International Airport (Yerevan, Armenia) on May 23, 2010 when welcoming the youth weightlifting team returning from Valencia after the European Championships.

References

Armenian male weightlifters
Olympic coaches
National team coaches
1959 births
2010 deaths
20th-century Armenian people

Ashot Mkhitaryan


Ralph Radcliffe Whitehead (1854–1929) was the founder and chief benefactor of the "Byrdcliffe Arts and Crafts Colony" located in Woodstock, New York.

Early life and influences

He was born in 1854 in Saddleworth, Yorkshire, England.  He was the son of a wealthy mill owner and industrialist from whom he received a large inheritance, which was later used to establish Byrdcliffe. In his earlier years, he attended school at Harrow.  Later, he graduated from Balliol College, Oxford, where he obtained his Master of Arts degree in 1880.  While studying at Oxford, he became a student of John Ruskin, who helped influence Whitehead's interest in a utopian society based upon art, craftsmanship, and unity.  These views were further developed by his friendship with William Morris, who was the principal exponent of the European Arts and Crafts Movement. Oxford was also the place where Whitehead met his future wife.

Move to America

In 1892, he left England for America.  Shortly after arriving, he was married (for the second time, having divorced his first wife) to Jane Byrd McCall of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  McCall had also been a student of John Ruskin, which is where they had first met. Her support and similar interests encouraged Whitehead's desire for a community centered on the arts and crafts movement.  Together, the two attempted to create such a society in Italy, California, and Oregon in turn, all of which were failures.  Finally in 1903, with the aid of friends Hervey White and Bolton Brown, the two succeeded in building their colony in the Hudson Valley.

Byrdcliffe

Byrdcliffe (a name coined from a combination of his and his wife's middle names) occupied  in Woodstock, New York and quickly became a haven for artists known and unknown, representing all of his stated beliefs. It stood as a "rural, utopian ideal based on the brotherhood of artistic collaboration" and focused on the "art of living through creative manual work."  But, despite Byrdcliffe's immediate success and future influence in developing the Woodstock area, the colony ultimately failed.  Many causes have been cited, including Whitehead's own lack of artistic ability (which tended to set him apart from the residents), and his failure to export or promote what the community created. By the mid-1920s, residents began to leave.  In 1928, his oldest son died a tragic death. Shortly after, Whitehead died from the effect, it is said, of his losses.

See also
Byrdcliffe Colony

External links
Albany Institute of History and Art, Byrdcliffe exhibit
Woodstock Guild
Winterthur Museum, Delaware
Art Folks, reprint of article from "Kaatskill Life" magazine.
Antiques and the Arts, Byrdcliffe collection

Founders of utopian communities
1854 births
1929 deaths
People from Saddleworth

Ralph Radcliffe Whitehead


Aisha "Pinky" Cole (born December 8, 1987) is an American restaurateur. She is the owner and operator of Slutty Vegan, a plant-based burger restaurant chain in Atlanta, Georgia. In 2023, she was added to the Time magazine 100 Next list, recognizing individuals with an outsized influence on American culture.

Early life and education
Cole was born and raised in Baltimore. Her parents are Jamaican immigrants and Rastafarians; her mother Ichelle Cole is a musician in the reggae group Strykers' Posse and follows the traditional Rastafarian vegetarian diet. Her mother is a wealth adviser at PNC Bank Her father served prison time for the first 20 years of her life and was then deported to Jamaica. Cole became a vegetarian in 2007, and a vegan in 2014.

Cole received her bachelor's degree from Clark Atlanta University. She was elected "Miss Clark Atlanta" in 2008 and is a member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority. After college, Cole moved first to Los Angeles to become an actress, and then to New York to work in television production.

Career
In 2010, she moved to Los Angeles and worked as a producer on the reality show Judge Karen's Court.

Her first restaurant, Pinky's Jamaican and American Restaurant, operated in Harlem for two years, until she shuttered it in 2016 after a grease fire. Cole moved back to Atlanta and worked as a casting director for programs such as Iyanla: Fix My Life.

Slutty Vegan
In July 2018, Cole sold her first vegan burgers through delivery apps and opened the Slutty Vegan food truck in September of that year. In January 2019, she opened the first Slutty Vegan brick-and-mortar restaurant in the Westview neighborhood of Atlanta. In 2023, Slutty Vegan had 11 locations in  Georgia, New York City, Birmingham, Ala., and Dallas.

Cole was inspired to create the vegan restaurant Slutty Vegan due to her own cravings for vegan junk food. All of Slutty Vegan's products are titled with some form of sexual connotation, including "One Night Stand," "Fussy Hussy," "Sloppy Toppy," and "Chick'N Head".

In 2023, when Time magazine named her to its 100 Next list, Danny Meyer wrote that "Her myriad fans adore her sassy, sexy attitude that has not only reinvented the way people think about a vegan restaurant, but also turned classic roadside burger fare into a rollicking party."

Cookbook
In November 2022, Cole began a five-city tour to promote her new cookbook, Eat Plants, B*tch: 91 Vegan Recipes That Will Blow Your Meat-Loving Mind. The book was published by Simon & Schuster. Oprah Daily published four recipes from the book in December 2022. BET said the cookbook has "food combinations that will make you forget about meat altogether."

Personal life
Cole met entrepreneur Derrick Hayes in 2020. The couple became engaged on July 2, 2022, and married on June 10, 2023 at The St. Regis Hotel in Atlanta. The ceremony was covered by the New York Times. Hayes is the owner of Big Dave's Cheesesteaks, a non-vegan cheesesteak restaurant based in Atlanta. They have a daughter, D'Ella (born 2021), and son, Derrick Jr. (born 2022). Hayes has two daughters from a previous relationship, Dallas and Denver. At their 2023 wedding, the couple announced Cole was pregnant and they are expecting a third child, a boy, in December.

Philanthropy
Cole and fellow alumna Stacy Lee paid the tuition of 30 Clark Atlanta University seniors in September 2019.

In May 2022, Cole gifted an LLC to every graduating student at the Clark Atlanta University commencement ceremony.

Cole runs her own philanthropic organization, The Pinky Cole Foundation, which focuses on providing financial support and educational programs for children of color.

References

External links
Pinky Cole on Instagram
Official website for Slutty Vegan

Living people
Women restaurateurs
Businesspeople from Baltimore
Clark Atlanta University alumni
American people of Jamaican descent
Delta Sigma Theta members
1987 births

Pinky Cole


It's Not Funny is David Cross' 2004 stand-up comedy album, released on Sub Pop Records. The track titles, like those on his previous record Shut Up You Fucking Baby!, have no relevance to the bits Cross does on the album and are instead there to make fun of material performed by other comedians, either on the whole or targeted at specific comedians. Cross has said the album's title references children being laughed at by their friends while trying to tell them something important, only to reply, "Come on guys, it's not funny."
The album was released on CD by indie-rock label Sub Pop, and on vinyl by comedy label Stand Up! Records, which issued a limited LP edition of 500 for this release, as they had for Shut Up You Fucking Baby!. Like the CD, it also contains a hidden track that plays from the label out to a locked groove.  This edition is a single LP, unlike its predecessor.

Track listing
Certain Leaders in Government Look or Act like Certain Pop Culture References! – 4:51
Women, Please Rinse Off Your Vagina and Anus! – 5:10
I've Taken a Popular Contemporary Pop Song and Changed the Lyrics to Comment on the Proliferation of Starbucks in My Neighborhood! – 3:16
A Rapid Series of Comical Noises! – 3:57
Although Indigent, Rural Families Have Little to Say in the Matter, Third Rate Public Education Has Kept Them Ignorant and Thus, Great Sources of Ridicule! – 2:48
My Child is Enthralling, Especially When It Says Something Unexpectedly Precocious Even Though It Doesn't Understand What It Just Said! – 8:38
My Immigrant Mom Talks Funny! – 13:37
When It Comes to Jews, Behavior One Might Perceive as Obnoxious and Annoying I Present as 'Quirky' but It's Okay to Joke About It Because I, Myself, Am Jewish! – 6:01
Pandering to the Locals! – 7:13
Even Though I Am in the Closet, That Won't Prevent Me from Getting Cheap Laughs at the Expense of Homosexuals! – 2:37
Weathermen Have Become, for the Most Part, Obsolete! – 2:53
When All is Said and Done, I am Lonely and Miserable and Barely Able to Mask My Contempt for the Audience as I Trot Out the Same Sorry Act I've Been Doing Since the Mid-Eighties! – 12:51
Contains a hidden track after a period of silence with an additional comedy routine about then-former Creed vocalist Scott Stapp, and awkwardly meeting him on Celebrity Poker Showdown (he says in track 2 he would "rather hear the death rattle of [his] only child" than listen to Creed.)

References

External links
 Q&A session from the band

2004 live albums
David Cross albums
Stand-up comedy albums
Sub Pop live albums
2000s comedy albums

It's Not Funny


Christine Taylor-Butler (born in the 1960s) is a children's book author in the United States. She has written more than 80 books including The Lost Tribe series.  She has been an advocate for diversity in character representations and led by example.

Taylor-Butler majored in civil engineering and architecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, graduating in 1981. She has written nonfiction for Scholastic, including for their True Book  educational series. She lives in Kansas City with her husband. She has two adult daughters.

She wrote an essay about gender inequity at the Caldecott Awards and discussed the Coretta Scott King Book Awards.

Biography
Christine Taylor-Butler grew up in Cleveland, Ohio in the 1960s. She attended boarding school at Phillips Exeter Academy in New England before going to MIT where she graduated in 1981 with a degree in civil engineering, with architecture. She also completed a second MIT degree in Art & Design.

After college, Taylor-Butler took on a number of jobs, including at a start-up software company and at Harvard University, before working as a graphic arts manager at Hallmark Cards for more than a decade.

Recognizing a gap in the market in children's books, she worked with the Scholastic True Books educational nonfiction series, Taylor-Butler wrote more than 30 books about topics across science and social science, from the human body and planets to the United States Supreme Court and civil rights.

Married with daughters, Taylor-Butler noticed the lack of diverse characters in young adult and children's books, and took that on as her next challenge. She has published over 80 books. She was formerly an interviewer for MIT admissions. She was awarded the George B. Morgan Award from MIT in recognition of her sustained excellence in all aspects of Educational Council activity. Taylor-Butler is a member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, and has been a judge for PEN and toastmaster at the World Fantasy Convention.

She lives in Kansas City.

Works
The Lost Tribe series
Lamb's Easter Surprise (2012)
Reading Maps (2012)

References

External links
Interview about Lost Tribe series, Vimeo

Living people
Writers from Cleveland
Writers from Kansas City, Kansas
Massachusetts Institute of Technology alumni
American women children's writers
Year of birth missing (living people)
American children's writers
20th-century American writers
20th-century American women writers
21st-century American writers
21st-century American women writers
Phillips Exeter Academy alumni

Christine Taylor-Butler


KAZV-LP was a low-power television station in Modesto, California, broadcasting locally on channel 14 as an affiliate of America One. Founded June 22, 1995, the station was owned by AZV Video Production, Inc.

Frank Azevedo "always wanted to own a TV station"   and in 1997, the Modesto area almond grower applied  to the FCC for a "limited power community broadcast license" and received it.    His station, KAZV-TV, Channel 14, Modesto,  operated out of a house on his farmstead, providing a steady stream of local-content programming plus classic movies and re-runs of popular shows from the past, such as I love Lucy, Bob Hope and The Andy Griffith show.

While helping his students apply for jobs with local media companies, he got to know the cable TV managers in the surrounding communities.  He also noticed that, at that time, unlike cable companies in the larger markets, such as Sacramento and Fresno,  local cable networks were not carrying local advertising.

Sensing a major opportunity for himself as well as local cable areas, he offered to provide a "turn key" service to sell and produce  ready-to-use advertising for them. The local managers referred him to corporate headquarters. His visits with the heads of the national cable companies earned him the green light to insert local commercials in CNN, ESPN and USA networks.

The nearest TV outlets are in Sacramento and Fresno," he explained. "This area needed a TV station, so I started one." Azevedo received his license in 1997 and set up shop in a house on his almond ranch.  Soon KAZV-TV, Channel 14 was on the air.  With links to two national networks,  KAZV-TV "cherry picks" the networks' programming such as hunting and fishing shows, golf, car shows, wrestling and a technology show called Tech 5.

The local-content programming included his favorite, the nightly show "Home Town Focus". The show spotlighted local communities, providing information and entertainment indigenous to individual communities from Stockton to Merced. KAZV-TV ran as every-other-week, Tuesday night agricultural show hosted by the Stanislaus County Farm Bureau, it broadcast a political feature hosted by a local county supervisor, and set up shop at the County Fair each year for its full ten-day run.

A few years later, Azevedo applied for a new class of broadcast license, known as a limited power community broadcast license, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) created in 1982 to serve areas that were considered underserved by conventional broadcasters. Rural Stanislaus County fit that description perfectly.

On July 12, 2006, the station filed an application to flash-cut to digital operations, at only 500 W.

KAZV-LP's license was cancelled by the Federal Communications Commission on September 8, 2014.

External links

Defunct television stations in the United States
AZV-LP
Modesto, California
Mass media in Merced County, California
Television channels and stations established in 1996
Television channels and stations disestablished in 2014
1996 establishments in California
2014 disestablishments in California
AZV-LP

KAZV-LP


Kumho Tire Co. v. Carmichael, 526 U.S. 137 (1999), is a United States Supreme Court case that applied the Daubert standard to expert testimony from non-scientists.

Background
Patrick Carmichael was driving his minivan on July 6, 1993, when the right rear tire blew out.  One of the passengers in the vehicle died, and others were severely injured.  Three months later, the Carmichaels sued the manufacturer of the tire, claiming that the tire was defective and the defect caused the accident.  The Carmichaels' case rested largely on testimony from a tire failure expert.

The tire failure expert relied on features of tire technology that the manufacturer did not dispute, as well as background facts about the particular tire on the Carmichaels' van.  The expert's conclusion that a defect in the tire caused the accident rested on certain observations about the tire that Kumho Tire vigorously disputed.  Kumho also disagreed with certain aspects of the tire expert's methodology, and asked the federal district court hearing the case to exclude it under Rule 702 of the Federal Rules of Evidence.

The district court took its cue from Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, which had solidified a gatekeeping role for trial judges in admitting expert testimony.  Under Daubert, certain factors contribute to the reliability, and hence the admissibility, of expert testimony, one of which is the general validity of the expert's methods.  The district court found the tire expert's methods not to be scientifically valid, and hence excluded his testimony.  This resulted in a conclusion that Kumho Tire would prevail.  The Carmichaels appealed to the Eleventh Circuit.

The Eleventh Circuit reversed the district court's ruling.  It reasoned that Daubert was expressly limited only to scientific expert testimony and did not apply to "skill- or experience-based observation."  The tire expert's testimony rested on such unscientific "observation and experience", and so the Eleventh Circuit reasoned the district court should have made a different ruling based on their legal reasoning over Rule 702 without the Daubert gloss.  Kumho Tire asked the Supreme Court to review whether Daubert applied solely to scientific evidence.

Majority opinion
The Court found in the text of Rule 702, a codification of Daubert, a gatekeeping function for federal trial judges who had to determine whether expert scientific testimony was admissible in a federal trial.  But Rule 702 applies to "scientific, technical, or other specialized knowledge."  "This language makes no relevant distinction between 'scientific' knowledge and 'technical' or 'other specialized' knowledge."  Although Daubert dealt only with scientific knowledge, that was the nature of the case, and it did not stray beyond the facts of that case.

The Court observed that the line between "scientific" and "technical" knowledge is not always clear.  "Pure scientific theory itself may depend for its development upon observation and properly engineered machinery.  And conceptual efforts to distinguish the two are unlikely to produce clear legal lines capable of application in particular cases."  If the line between "scientific" and "technical" knowledge was not clear, then it would be difficult for federal trial judges to determine when they were to perform Daubert'''s gatekeeping function and when to apply some other threshold test the Court might craft for applying Rule 702.  Furthermore, the Court saw no "convincing need" to draw a distinction between "scientific" and "technical" knowledge, because both kinds of knowledge would typically be outside the grasp of the average juror.  Accordingly, the Court held that the gatekeeping function described in Daubert applied to all expert testimony proffered under Rule 702.Daubert had mentioned four factors that district courts could take into account in making the gatekeeping assessment—whether a theory has been tested, whether an idea has been subjected to scientific peer review or published in scientific journals, the rate of error involved in the technique, and even general acceptance, in the right case.  In the context of other kinds of expert knowledge, the Court conceded, other factors might be relevant, and so it allowed district judges to take other factors into account when performing the gatekeeping function contemplated by Daubert.  These additional factors would, of course, depend on the particular kind of expert testimony involved in a particular case.  Equally as important, because federal appeals courts review the evidentiary rulings of district courts for abuse of discretion, the Court reiterated that district courts have a certain latitude to determine how they will assess the reliability of expert testimony as a subsidiary component of the decision to admit the evidence at all.

Applying that standard to the evidence proffered by the Carmichaels' tire expert, the Court concluded that the district court correctly refused to admit the expert's testimony.  The district court had to determine whether the tire expert's methods could reliably determine what had caused the tire on the Carmichaels' van to explode.  The expert's experience as a tire engineer wasn't the problem—the expert had worked for ten years at Michelin.  The fact that visual inspection of tires was generally a reliable method wasn't an issue either, because the issue before the court was specific to the tire on the Carmichaels' van.  But the expert said that his inspection of the tire led to the conclusion that a defect caused the tire to explode because he did not see evidence of other causes.  "Nothing in either Daubert or the Federal Rules of Evidence requires a district court to admit opinion evidence that is connected to existing data only by the ipse dixit'' of the expert [i.e., only by the statement of the expert himself]."  The district court acted within its discretion to exclude the evidence proffered by the tire expert in light of these concerns.  Accordingly, the Supreme Court reversed the Eleventh Circuit's decision to overrule the district court.

See also
 List of United States Supreme Court cases, volume 526
 List of United States Supreme Court cases
 Lists of United States Supreme Court cases by volume

External links

  Northwestern University School of Journalism
  Brief of the Solicitor General
  Amicus Brief, Washington Legal Foundation

United States expert witness case law
Federal Rules of Evidence case law
United States Supreme Court cases
United States Supreme Court cases of the Rehnquist Court
Tires
1999 in United States case law
Kumho Asiana Group

Kumho Tire Co. v. Carmichael


Ulster loyalism is a part of Ulster unionism which is related with working class Ulster Protestants in Northern Ireland.

Like most unionists, loyalists support the British monarchy, support Northern Ireland being within the United Kingdom, and oppose a united Ireland.

Ulster loyalism has been described as a kind of ethnic nationalism.

Notes

Politics of Northern Ireland

Ulster loyalism


Stephen Derek Heighway (born November 25, 1947) is an Irish former footballer who was part of the hugely successful Liverpool team of the 1970s. Following his eleven-year spell at the club, he has been regarded by some as one of the greatest Liverpool players of all time, and was ranked 23rd in the 100 Players Who Shook The Kop poll.

Heighway became academy director at Liverpool in a period when the club brought through such bright talents as Steven Gerrard, Steve McManaman, Robbie Fowler and Jamie Carragher. He retired in 2007 but later rejoined the Liverpool Academy in a consulting role, which he held until retiring again in 2022.

Life and playing career
Though he was born in Dublin, Ireland, some of Heighway's early education took place in Sheffield where he attended Ecclesall Junior School (until 1959), followed by High Storrs School and latterly Moseley Hall Grammar School for Boys in Cheadle, near Stockport.

Heighway's early promise as a winger was not spotted by professionals. Instead, he concentrated on his studies in economics and politics at the University of Warwick in Coventry (where he started in 1966)  achieving a 2:1.

In 1970, Heighway was studying for his final exams and playing for Skelmersdale United when he was spotted by Liverpool's scouting system. With manager Bill Shankly keen to rebuild his ageing, underachieving team of the 1960s, Heighway was signed up swiftly in May of that year. It was due to Heighway's academic achievements that he got his nickname 'Big Bamber', while teammate and fellow university graduate Brian Hall was dubbed 'Little Bamber' – both after the television programme University Challenge host Bamber Gascoigne.

A strong and fast left winger with two good feet, Heighway settled into top flight football after making his debut on September 22, 1970, in a League Cup 2nd round replay at Anfield against Mansfield Town (3-2). Heighway opened his goalscoring account in the 51st minute of a 2–0 home league win over Burnley on October 1, 1970.

A month later, he scored against Merseyside rivals Everton in a hard-fought 3–2 win, after his team had found themselves 2–0 down not long into the second half. He stayed in the side for the rest of the season as Liverpool's new charges finished the league campaign strongly and also defeated Everton in the semi-finals of the FA Cup to reach the final at Wembley.

Their opponents were Arsenal, who were after a coveted "double" having won the League championship. Heighway played confidently in a match that was goalless after 90 minutes and therefore needed a period of extra-time. Just two minutes into the added half-hour, Heighway received the ball wide on his left flank from substitute Peter Thompson and started a run towards the Arsenal penalty area, with Gunners full back Pat Rice tracking his run but unwilling to put in a tackle. With a swift turn outside Heighway gained a yard on Rice and hit a low drive into the net past Arsenal goalkeeper Bob Wilson, who had committed the cardinal goalkeeping sin of coming out too far from his near post to anticipate a cross, thereby leaving a gap that Heighway exploited. Sadly for Heighway and Liverpool, their opponents scored two goals in response.

Heighway settled into the Liverpool team for the next decade, winning the first of four League titles in 1973, along with the UEFA Cup. He returned to Wembley for another FA Cup final a year later as Liverpool faced Newcastle United. Heighway scored again with 16 minutes of the game remaining to make the score 2–0, latching on to a flick from John Toshack after a long clearance from goalkeeper Ray Clemence to slot a right-footed shot into the far corner. The game ended 3–0.

By now, Heighway was a regular for the Republic of Ireland making his debut on 23 September 1970 against Poland. He remained so for the whole of the 1970s, winning a total of 34 caps but never managing to score. He did have a goal disallowed in a qualifier for the 1978 World Cup against Bulgaria in Sofia. On the domestic front, Heighway attained another League and UEFA Cup double with Liverpool in 1976 and then formed part of the side which came so close to the  "treble" of League, FA Cup and European Cup.

Liverpool won the League by a single point and again defeated rivals Everton in the semi-final to reach the FA Cup final, this time to face bitter rivals Manchester United at Wembley. Liverpool lost 2–1 and the "treble" dream was dead.

Heighway scored his first goal of the 1977 European Cup in a 5–0 first round second leg win over Crusaders. He then scored in a 3–0 second round win against Trabzonspor and in the 3–1 semi-final first leg win over Zurich. Liverpool beat Borussia Mönchengladbach 3–1 to win their first European Cup, with Heighway setting up both outfield goals for Terry McDermott, a defence-splitting pass, and Tommy Smith, a corner.

In 1978, Heighway was on the bench as Liverpool retained the European Cup with a 1–0 victory over FC Bruges at Wembley, coming on as a substitute for Jimmy Case. The following year he was again in the side frequently as Liverpool won another League title, but from 1980 onwards his opportunities in the side diminished.

Heighway stayed for two more seasons, appearing only occasionally in the team and missing out on two more League title medals, another European Cup triumph and a first League Cup medal, which was successfully defended a year later. He left Anfield in 1982 after 444 matches and 76 goals.

Heighway then prolonged his career with a move to the U.S., joining Minnesota Kicks for the 1981 season. He played 26 games, scoring four goals. He then joined the coaching staff of Umbro, which led to a position with the Clearwater Chargers where he pioneered the role of director of coaching in the United States. In 1989 he was asked to rejoin Liverpool to run their youth academy, bringing promising youngsters up through the system until they were ready for the professional game. Among Heighway's successes were Steve McManaman, Robbie Fowler, Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher, Dominic Matteo, David Thompson and Michael Owen.

On 4 September 2006, a poll on Liverpool's official web site named Heighway 23rd out of 100 Players Who Shook The Kop.

Heighway announced his retirement from Liverpool on 26 April 2007, immediately after the side he managed won the FA Youth Cup for the second year running. He commented: "I don't know what the future holds just yet, we'll have to wait and see."

Heighway returned to working at Liverpool's Academy part-time in 2015, at the request of Academy Director Alex Inglethorpe, before taking up a full-time consultancy role later that year. After seven years in this position, he retired for a second time in December 2022.

Heighway also features in a popular Liverpool chant Fields of Anfield Road, which is frequently sung by fans of Liverpool during matches.

Honours

As a player

 Football League First Division (5): 1972–73, 1975–76, 1976–77, 1978–79, 1979–80
 FA Cup (1): 1973–74
 League Cup (1): 1980–81
 FA Charity Shield (4): 1974, 1976, 1977 (shared), 1979
 European Cup (2): 1976–77, 1977–78
 UEFA Cup (2): 1972–73, 1975–76
 UEFA Super Cup (1): 1977

As Academy Director

 FA Youth Cup (3): 1996, 2006, 2007

References

External links

 Player profile at LFChistory.net
 Football heroes at Sporting-heroes.net
 NASL/MISL stats

1947 births
Living people
Association footballers from Dublin (city)
Republic of Ireland men's association footballers
Republic of Ireland expatriate men's association footballers
Republic of Ireland men's international footballers
Liverpool F.C. players
Liverpool F.C. non-playing staff
Skelmersdale United F.C. players
North American Soccer League (1968–1984) players
Major Indoor Soccer League (1978–1992) players
Minnesota Kicks players
Association footballers from County Dublin
Philadelphia Fever (MISL) players
Alumni of the University of Warwick
People educated at High Storrs Grammar School for Boys
Men's association football wingers
Expatriate men's soccer players in the United States
Irish expatriate sportspeople in the United States
UEFA Champions League winning players
UEFA Cup winning players
People from Ecclesall

Steve Heighway


Artistic Media Partners (formerly University Broadcasting Company) owns three radio stations in three markets in Indiana. It was formed on June 23, 1987.

History
Founded in 1986 as Broadcast Management Inc. the company owned radio station WXCX-AM-FM in Columbus, Indiana along with WMDH-AM-FM in New Castle, Indiana.  For a very short time in the 1990s the company also owned WWKI-FM in Kokomo which sold the group to Wilks Broadcasting.  The company changed names in 1987 as University Broadcasting Company when purchasing WAZY-AM-FM.  In 1993 University Broadcasting retained the company name in Lafayette and its new market of Bloomington Indiana where they purchased WGCT-FM and WBWB-FM from Oasis Radio while the rest of the company was renamed under the Artistic Media Partners banner.  In 1995, the entire company became Artistic Media and the sale of Columbus, Indiana and New Castle, Indiana stations took place.

In 1996 Artistic Media Partners purchased a radio station in Attica Indiana moving it to nearby Lafayette and in 1998 purchased WNDU-AM-FM from Notre Dame and WEZV from Bomar Broadcasting to give them additional properties in South Bend and Lafayette Indiana, respectively.  In 2002 Artistic Media Partners purchased radio stations in South Bend and Fort Wayne and continued to grow the company during this time.

When radio station sales became hot again in 2007, Artistic Media Partners sold WBTU-FM along with WSHY-FM to Oasis Radio who still owns both Fort Wayne stations to this day. In October 2016, Artistic Media Partners sells WBPE along with WYCM, WAZY and WSHY to Bill Christian and Mike Reed as part of planned to launch TV station WPBI-LD in Lafayette.

Stations

South Bend, Indiana
92.9 WNDV-FM
102.3 WYET
97.7 WYXX

Radio broadcasting companies of the United States
Companies based in Indianapolis

Artistic Media Partners


Rymy-Eetu was a Finnish comic strip drawn by Erkki Tanttu, from 1930 to 1973  The titular character Rymy-Eetu is a strong, heavily built man, who is capable of apparently superhuman actions both in wartime and in peacetime.

Characters
Rymy-Eetu was named after his strength and virility, although he was never much of a troublemaker. Sometimes he even seems to control the forces of nature. Sometimes his boisterous character gets him into trouble, but even in tight spots he always manages to keep smoking his pipe. Rymy-Eetu's frequent antagonist is his cousin Kalle Kuikkaneva, a short man wearing eyeglasses, who sometimes wins over Rymy-Eetu because of his cleverness.

Appearance
Rymy-Eetu first appeared in Nuori Voima in 1930. At that time the character didn't have a name. After this, the comic appeared in Kansan Kuvalehti, where Ilmari Turja invented a name for the new hero.

Rymy-Eetu appeared, with short breaks, for about four decades. Suomen Kuvalehti started re-publishing coloured Rymy-Eetu strips from Kansan Kuvalehti. In all, the strip appeared in the following magazines: Nuori Voima (1930 and 1935), Kansan Kuvalehti (1931-1935 and 1945-1954), Hakkapeliitta (1936-1944), Radiokuuntelija-Antenni (1955-1968), Käytännön Maamies (1970s) and Suomen Kuvalehti (2007).

Otava published Rymy-Eetu albums from 1938 to 1968. In the albums, Tauno Karilas added rhyming text to the comics, which wasn't present in the original strips. Tanttu seldom wrote any text to his comic, but instead let the images do the talking. Sometimes a speech bubble helped in the narrative.

In wartime, Rymy-Eetu was used in propaganda. Rymy-Eetu crushed his Russian enemies completely in the comics.

After the Moscow armistice, the Finnish publishing association sent a request to book stores to withdraw 288 works from display and sales. Along these works were the albums Rymy-Eetu ja Hymy-Freetu and Rymy-Eetun jymyvoitto. In 1999, Otava published a collection album called Rymy-Eetu ryssän kauhu, which included all four Rymy-Eetu albums published during wartime.

Named after Rymy-Eetu
In Helsinki, there is a Bavarian cuisine style restaurant called Rymy-Eetu (opened in January 2008), which has a varying exhibition about the character.

References

External links
 Rymy-Eetun isä - Erkki Tantun haastattelu - Kansan Kuvalehti 1/1951
 Legendaarinen Rymy-Eetu alkaa SK:ssa 10/2007

Finnish comic strips

Fictional Finnish people
1930 comics debuts
1973 comics endings
Gag-a-day comics
Superhero comics
Comics characters with superhuman strength
Comics characters introduced in 1930

Rymy-Eetu


Brownie, Browny, or brownies may refer to:

Foods
 Chocolate brownie, a baked good

People

People with the given name
 Brownie Samukai, Minister of National Defence of Liberia
 Brownie Wise (1913–1992), developer of the party plan system of marketing for Tupperware

People with the surname
 Cavell Brownie, American statistician

Fictional characters
 Brownie, a fictional character in Ace Combat 7 : Skies Unknown

People with the nickname
 Clifford Brown (1930–1956), American jazz trumpeter
 Ernest Brown (dancer) (1916–2009), African-American tap dancer
 Lewis Brown (rugby league) (born 1986), New Zealand footballer
 Luke Brown (footballer, born 1992), Australian rules footballer
 Michael D. Brown, U.S. undersecretary of emergency preparedness and response
 Vernon Brown (musician) (1907–1979), American trombonist
 Brownie Foreman (1875–1926), Major League Baseball pitcher
 Browny Igboegwu (born 1976), Nigerian actor
 Brownie Ledbetter (1932–2010), political activist
 Brownie McGhee (1915–1996), blues musician
 Agnes Vernon (1895–1948), American actress

Arts, entertainment, and media
 Brownie (folklore), a legendary creature
 Brownie (guitar), a Fender Stratocaster used by Eric Clapton in the 1970s
 Brownie (sculpture), a 1905 bronze by Louis Amateis at the Houston Zoo, Texas, US
 Brownies (film), a 2004 Indonesian film by Hanung Bramantyo
 Brownies (web series), Indian American web comic
 The Brownies, a series of publications by Palmer Cox,  1879 onwards
 Brownies (company), Japanese video game developer

Brands and enterprises
 Brownie (camera), a popular inexpensive camera made by Eastman Kodak
 Bristol Brownie, a light sports airplane
 Brownie Chocolate Drink, a U.S. soft drink
 Mossberg Brownie, a pistol
 St. Louis, Brownsville and Mexico Railway, or the Brownie

Other uses
 Brownie, Kentucky, a former unincorporated community now part of Central City
 Algona Brownies, a baseball team in Algona, Iowa, United States
 Brownie points, an imaginary social currency
 Brownies (Scouting), a level in several Guiding/Scouting organizations
 Brownie, a level in Woodcraft Indians scouting for girls and boys ages 6–11
 Diplacus douglasii or brownies, a species of plant
 Miletus (butterfly) or brownies, a genus of butterflies

See also

 Blondie (confection), a brownie made without chocolate
 Brown (disambiguation)

Nicknames

Brownie


'Abd al-Ṣamad or Khwaja 'Abd-us-Ṣamad was a 16th century painter of Persian miniatures who moved to India and became one of the founding masters of the Mughal miniature tradition, and later the holder of a number of senior administrative roles. 'Abd's career under the Mughals, from about 1550 to 1595, is relatively well documented, and a number of paintings are authorised to him from this period.  From about 1572 he headed the imperial workshop of the Emperor Akbar and "it was under his guidance that Mughal style came to maturity". It has recently been contended by a leading specialist, Barbara Brend, that Samad is the same person as Mirza Ali, a Persian artist whose documented career seems to end at the same time as Abd al-Samad appears working for the Mughals.

Mirza Ali
Mirza Ali's name first appears in a famous manuscript of the Khamsa of Nizami, now British Library Oriental 2265, which is dated March 1543. According to Stuart Cary Welch, there are only three other mentions of him in contemporary records.  These say that he was the son of another leading artist of the court workshop, Sultan Muhammed, and so grew up in the milieu of the court atelier, and was a distinguished painter. Kamal of Tabriz is recorded as a pupil of his. The inscriptions in BL Or. 2265 are among the main sources for attributing Persian miniatures of the period. Six painters are named, and although the inscriptions are additions rather than signatures, they have been generally accepted as correct. Mirza Ali's name is inscribed on two miniatures, both courtyard scenes, and his father's on one, to which Welch adds two more un-inscribed miniatures.

Welch further attributes several earlier miniatures to Mirza Ali, including six from the Shahnameh of Shah Tahmasp of the 1520s; Brend is sympathetic to at least two of these attributions, but finds two unlikely, in terms of agreement with the style of the later works. After considering some other isolated works, with mixed verdicts on his attributions, she firmly parts company with Welch over his attributions to Mirza Ali of six miniatures in another famous manuscript, the Haft Aurang made for Prince Ibrahim Mirza in 1555–56 (now Freer Gallery of Art), after he should, if he were indeed also Samad, have left for Afghanistan and then India.  Welch admits that the style of these paintings is different, but attributes this to a change in the spirit of the times, an explanation Brend finds hard to accept, although the attributions are repeated by other scholars writing after Brend's paper; Sheila S. Blair finds they display "the artist's increasing spirituality and mannerism". After discussing other aspects of the question, and comparing the styles of Mirza Ali and Samad, Brend suggests that they are indeed the same artist, who adopted a sobriquet on moving to a new country. Stylistic similarities include the layout of courtyard compositions and the arrangements of colour, details like a fondness for the virtuosic depiction of grilles and open-work screens, and similar treatment of figures.

Samad

One source says that Samad's father was the vizier of Shah Shuja of Shiraz, a difficulty with her theory that Brend explains by speculating that this was instead his grandfather, in whose house he was brought up while Sultan Muhammed established his career at court. According to Mughal records, Samad became a master in the court workshop of Shah Tahmasp I of Persia.  He was also a calligrapher, something not mentioned in connection with Mirza Ali.  No works are generally attributed to him before about 1544–45, although Welch attributes a miniature in the much earlier Shah Tahmasp Shahnameh to him.  Brend finds this painting "unsatisfactory" and the work of an inexperienced painter.

Samad first met the exiled Mughal emperor Humayun in Tabriz in 1544. In 1546 Humayun asked Tahmasp to release Samad and his fellow Persian Mir Sayyid Ali from his service so that he could engage them, and in about 1549, they arrived at Humayun's temporary capital in Kabul, where Samad was engaged by Humayun to teach his son Akbar, and possibly the emperor himself, how to draw. With Mir Sayyid Ali and Dust Muhammad, another Persian, Samad "introduced a fully imperial Persian style into the Mughal ateliers", which seem previously to have been small and consisting of artists trained in various centres including Bukhara. Samad probably worked on the unusually large painting of the Princes of the House of Timur (British Museum), which Humayun commissioned about 1550–55, in particular on the landscape background. In 1552 a group of single miniatures including work by the two Persians was included in a diplomatic gift to the ruler of Kashgar, as Humayun worked to assemble support to regain his throne. Some of his works from this period are in a muraqqa or album in the library of the Golestan Palace in Tehran (MSS 1663–4), still showing a thoroughly Safavid style. One of these miniatures depicts Akbar giving a miniature painting to his father Humayun, and includes Samad's name on a portfolio; the figure next to it is probably his portrait.  The image both uses a fully Persian style, and includes thematic elements, including the self-portrait, that are "dazzling new departures in Islamic painting"

Samad and Mir Sayyid Ali followed the emperor on his return to India, only seven months before he died in 1556.  They were retained by the fourteen-year-old Akbar who within a few years set about greatly expanding his court workshop. A drawing with muted colour, inscribed with Samad's name, in the Bodleian Library in Oxford depicts the arrest, three days after Akbar's accession, of Humayun's troublesome favourite, Abdu'l Ma'ali, who is seized from behind by a burly courtier. Both artists probably worked on the Tutinama, the first major commission completed in the new reign, where the disparate styles of the several artists used remain clear.  But Mir Sayyid Ali was initially given the supervision of Akbar's huge commission of the 1400 large illustrations for the Akbar Hamzanama, which was to be fourteen years in the making.

In about 1572 Samad replaced Mir Sayyid Ali (who returned to Persia) as head of the imperial workshop, probably because under Sayyid the progress of the illustrations for the Hamzanama was too slow.  At this point the commission was seven years old and only four of the volumes were complete.  Under Samad's direction the remaining ten volumes were completed in another seven years.  It is uncertain whether Samad painted any of them himself, but "the direction of Mughal painting increasingly came to follow the aims pursued by 'Abd al-Samad. It is likely that the increased central control that became evident by the Lahore period [1580s on] can be attributed to this artist". Among the mostly Hindu artists trained by Samad were Daswanth and Basavan, who went on to become famous Mughal painters.

Despite his role in forging the new Mughal synthesis of Persian and Indian styles, Samad's own works remain conservative, with a great interest in detail, and rather less in the new style of dramatic narrative and realism favoured by the young Akbar.  But by the 1590s elements of his style, including a taste for detail, were in favour, though after his death Mughal painting turned in the direction of simpler compositions emphasising human interactions.  He did not have the gift for realistic portraiture which Mughal painting introduced to the Islamic miniature, and unlike many Mughal artists, shows few borrowings from the European prints and other art available in Akbar's court.

In 1576, Akbar put Samad in charge of the Fatehpur Sikri mint, in 1582 he was made "overseer of commerce" and the next year put in charge of the royal household. In 1584, Akbar made him dewan (official in charge of finances) of Multan. He was given a mansab of 400 and honoured with the title of Shirin Qalam (sweet pen).  The moves may have been in recognition of his talent for administration, but it has been suggested that "Akbar preferred a more robust approach than that of his romanticised Persian style of painting".  But he continued to paint and his last known work is a miniature, of Khusraw hunting, in the illustrations of the 1595 manuscript of the Khamsa of Nizami. Works with his name inscribed include a drawing of Akbar with a Dervish (Aga Khan Museum, c. 1586–87). Another late work is a version of a famous Persian composition of two camels fighting by Behzād, which an inscription says was done at the request of his son Sharif when he was infirm. He "must have died in the last years of the century".

He had two painter sons, Muhammad Sharif, and one called Bizhad, for the famous Persian artist Behzād (c. 1450 – c. 1535). Muhammad Sharif was a friend of the next emperor Jahangir, and like his father was given important administrative roles, a pattern unique among the many Mughal painter families. Not all scholars are convinced these sons were not just one, as while Muhammad Sharif is relatively well documented, Bizhad is apparently only known from inscriptions on miniatures.

Notes

References
Beach, Milo Cleveland, Early Mughal painting, Harvard University Press, 1987, ,
"Beach, Blair and Bloom": Beach, Milo Cleveland, updated by Blair, Sheila S. and Bloom, Jonathan, "Abd al Samad" in Oxford Art Online, restricted access, accessed 21 February 2011, (see for fuller bibliography).
"Cambridge": Beach, Milo Cleveland, Mughal and Rajput painting, Part 1, Volume 3 of The New Cambridge History of India, Cambridge University Press, 1992, ,
Brend, Barbara. "Another Career for Mirza Ali?" in Newman, Andrew J. (ed), Society and culture in the early modern Middle East: studies on Iran in the Safavid period, Volume 1998, Volume 46 of Islamic history and civilisation, BRILL, 2003, ,
Crill, Rosemary,  and Jariwala, Kapil.  The Indian Portrait, 1560–1860, National Portrait Gallery, London, 2010,
"Grove", Oxford Art Online, Various authors, "Indian sub., §VI, 4(i): Mughal ptg styles, 16th–19th centuries", restricted access, accessed 21 February 2011
Soucek, Priscilla P., "Persian artists in Mughal India", in Muqarnas, Volume 4, 1988, BRILL, ,
Titley, Norah M., Persian Miniature Painting, and its Influence on the Art of Turkey and India'', 1983, University of Texas Press, 0292764847

Persian miniature painters
16th-century Indian painters
Painters from the Mughal Empire
Year of death unknown
Iranian emigrants to the Mughal Empire
Year of birth unknown
Artists from Shiraz
16th-century Iranian painters

Abd al-Samad


The geography of Aruba, located at the juncture of the South American and Caribbean tectonic plates, has been shaped by a complex interplay of geological processes. From its flat expanses to its rugged coastlines, Aruba's geography and geology reveal the island's geographical diversity and it's underlying geological formations, offering a comprehensive understanding of Aruba's terrain and environmental dynamics of this Caribbean destination.

Geography
Aruba (the westernmost island among the ABC Islands and of the Leeward Antilles) is situated in a unique geological location, right at the boundary between the South American and Caribbean tectonic plates. It is located  north of the Venezuela coast and  northwest of Curaçao. Aruba covers a total area of  and a coast line of . This region is characterized by a complex fault system where the Caribbean Plate moves westward in relation to South America. Aruba is the westernmost island in the Aruba-La Blanquilla Chain, a series of small islands and atolls located along the Venezuelan continental border.

Aruba, as well as the rest of the ABC islands and also Trinidad and Tobago, lies on the continental shelf of South America, and is thus geologically considered to lie entirely in South America.

Landscape
The geography of Aruba is characterized by a relatively flat to gently rolling terrain with some low hills. The highest point on the island is Jamanota, reaching almost  in elevation. There are three distinct types of landscapes on the island.

In the western part, features a gently sloping plain with shallow dry valleys. This area is flanked by a zone of horizontal bedded to slightly seaward-dipping limestone rocks on its western side. Moving towards the central part of the island, the terrain becomes more rugged. This region developed in the outcrop area of the metamorphosed volcanic rocks of the Aruba Lava Formation (ALF), and it features east-to-west running valleys controlled by faults. The ALF cover an area of approximately . The southeastern part of Aruba is predominantly defined by Neogene and younger limestone formations. Along the eastern coast, near Boca Grandi and Seroe Colorado, well-developed Quaternary terraces can be observed. Forereef deposits line the south and southwestern coast between Ceru Colorado and the urban center of Oranjestad.

Protected nature reserves

Elevations
Aruba is predominantly characterized by its flat terrain. However, there are notable exceptions that add diversity to its landscape. Two well-known rock formations, the Ayo and Casibari Rock Formations.

In contrast, the northern coast of Aruba features a more hilly topography, particularly within the Arikok National Park. The island's highest point, Jamanota, stands at a modest elevation of  above sea level, while Arikok itself reaches . Another prominent landmark, Hooiberg, rises to . Despite not being the island's highest peak, Hooiberg appears as such due to its location in the flat surroundings. It is a recognizable feature that can be observed from nearly every point on the island.

Coastal form

In stark contrast to the southern shores, Aruba's northern sea is typically characterized by rough waters with a deep blue hue, rocky terrain and consists mostly of wave-cut coral limestone terraces interspersed with small sandy coves referred to as boca in Papiamento, which translates to "mouth" in English. The marine terraces of Aruba are most prominent on their windward, or northeast, coasts. In these areas, some of the terraces exhibit wide platforms and steep, angular backslopes. Conversely, on the leeward, or southwest, sides of the islands, the terraces tend to have narrower platforms and gentler backslopes. On occasion, particularly on the southwest side of Aruba, the backslopes are less distinct.

The distinctive appearance of the wave-cut terraces is influenced by the islands' location within the arid region along the southern Caribbean coastline. Limestone, known for its resistance to the effects of arid climate weathering, has contributed to the remarkable preservation of these terraces. Although a light layer of xerophytic vegetation lightly covers their surfaces, the terraces remain excellently preserved.

Aruba has a barrier reef, it generally lies about  offshore and extends along the southwest coast between Punta Brabo and Oranjestad. It is composed of coral and is capped by a beach ridge of coral fragments  in height. On the seaward side, the reef extends to a depth of at least .

Geology

The oldest geological unit visible on Aruba is the ALF, which comprises volcanic and volcaniclastic rocks of basaltic composition, with a thickness exceeding . These rocks have undergone metamorphism due to the intrusion of the Aruba Batholith. The age of this formation is believed to be Turonian, supported by ammonite imprints found in conglomeratic mudstone.

The Aruba Batholith, which intruded the Aruba Lava Formation, primarily consists of hornblende tonalite. Pendants of quartz-norite to quartz-hornblende gabbro are present in the roof of the tonalite. Both the Aruba Lava Formation and the batholith are intersected by numerous dikes. The batholith's intrusion occurred around 85 to 90 million years ago, with subsequent reheating of the rocks between 73 and 67 Myr.

The limestone terraces are categorized based on their elevation, a feature commonly associated with slow uplifting active margins. The lower terrace, situated at an elevation of  , has a range age of 30–129 thousand years (Kyr). In contrast, the middle terrace, located at , dates back up to 510 Kyr, indicating a slow (0.05 mm/yr) rate of tectonic uplift of Aruba.

Aruba was above sea level during the Oligocene epoch. However, Aruba later subsided beneath the sea level in the middle Miocene, as documented by the emergence of widespread elevated coastal limestone terraces. This geological history has left a distinct mark on Aruba's landscape and formation.

Biogeography

Non-native species
Introduced in the early 16th century, feral goats (Capra hircus) and donkeys pose a significant threat to Aruba's environments, causing both direct and indirect harm due to excessive grazing. This often leads to ecosystem deterioration and a decline in biodiversity. Despite their impact, these animals remain a local food source, with goat stew and soup being popular dishes in the region. Arikok, spanning 20% of the country, is home to a substantial goat population. Recent research estimates the goat population at approximately 1,465 individuals by counting fresh pellets.
The lionfish, originally from the Indo-Pacific, were introduced to the Atlantic Ocean in the mid-1980s. Their population has since grown significantly because they lack natural predators in their new environment. This unchecked growth has led to a decline in fish and crustacean populations, and even the health of coral reefs is suffering as herbivorous fish vanish. NOAA researchers confirm that invasive lionfish populations will keep increasing and can't be eradicated using conventional methods.

Aruba LionFish Initiative Foundation, a group of divers that regularly hunt invasive species, have taken the initiative to reduce the lionfish population in coastal areas by hunting them for food and crafting jewelry from their fins.

In 1999, the initial boa constrictor was discovered in Aruba. Despite attempts to control their growth, a population covering the entire island had taken hold by 2005. Being an invasive species, their adaptable diet can potentially endanger many native populations. A 2021 study examined the stomach contents of more than 500 captured Aruban boas. The findings revealed over 400 distinct prey types, with an almost equal distribution among mammals, lizards, and birds. Remarkably, aside from the seven known bat species in Aruba, nearly every other type of vertebrate was found in the stomach contents analyzed.

Climatology

Aruba features a hot semi-arid climate (Köppen BSh) characterized by consistently warm temperatures throughout the year. There have been lasting environmental challenges linked to climate and nature. Sea water temperatures, for example, have gradually risen by at least  since the 1950s.

Southern Oscillation impact
The rainy season typically occurs between September and January. However, it exhibits significant variability due to the strong influence of the Southern Oscillation. During strong El Niño years like 1911/1912, 1930/1931, 1982/1983 and 1997/1998 annual (fiscal year) rainfall can plummet to as little as . In contrast, during La Niña years like 1933/1934, 1970/1971, 1988/1989, 1999/2000 or 2010/2011, rainfall can soar to as much as . The highest monthly totals during these La Niña events can reach between .

Conservation geography
The origins of over-tourism can be traced back to the 1970s and 1980s when people first expressed concerns about the possible negative effects on society and the environment due to uncontrolled tourism growth. These concerns also included the long-term economic consequences.

Environmental problems such as beach erosion, reef destruction, pollution, resource depletion, habitat loss, and the loss of natural beauty are significant forms of environmental damage. These issues can severely affect the small island tourism economy (SITES or SIDS). Aruba, recognized worldwide as the 'One Happy Island' and one of the most tourism-dependent small island economies, it offers valuable insights into the complex and ever-changing aspects of over-tourism, including the rise in economic inequality, environmental decline, social disparities, institutional issues.

An illustration of institutional challenges arises from the scrutiny faced by the Aruban Ministry responsible for environmental affairs. Their involvement in disseminating misleading information about the environmental repercussions of an upcoming hotel project near Baby Beach has come under question. Despite an official press release asserting that the project would have no adverse effects on the environment, both the Environment Minister, , and the head of the development group, Enrique Martinón Garcia, acknowledged potential negative impacts during the hotel's groundbreaking event. This incident underscores concerns about the transparency and accuracy of information related to environmental policies and its communication to the public.

Environmental policies

Oxybenzone in sunscreen
The chemical Oxybenzone in sunscreen products is banned due to its harmful effects on marine life and coral reefs when it enters the ocean. This ban is part of the "Choose Zero" concept law aimed at educating the community about the ban. Oxybenzone is commonly used in sunscreen, plastics, cosmetics, hair spray, and nail polish as a UV protector and stabilizer. While it helps protect the skin from UV rays, it also causes severe damage to corals and can lead to hormonal imbalances. The ban includes the import, sale, and distribution of single-use plastic products and Oxybenzone-containing products. Scientific studies have shown that Oxybenzone negatively impacts corals and marine biodiversity, and its presence in concentrated areas irreversibly affects coral conditions. The law's main objective is to prevent further damage to nature and the environment, promoting a healthier quality of life without single-use plastics and Oxybenzone-containing products.

Even though regional zoning and marine conservation plans were put in place in 2019, Aruba's natural habitats and marine environment have been without protection for over a century. This lack of protection dates back to the days of phosphate (Aruba Phosphate Company), gold (Aruba Gold Concessions), and oil refining industries (Lago Oil and Transport Company and Arend Petroleum Company) in the 1920s, and the subsequent growth of large-scale tourism and urbanization since the late 1970s.

Protection of flora and fauna and Sand ordinance
Aruba is committed to safeguarding its natural environment through international and local regulations. The international treaty CITES, as well as Aruba's National Ordinance for the Protection of Native Flora and Fauna and the Sand Ordinance, strictly prohibit the removal or export of seashells, corals, and beach sand from the island.Recent increases in the confiscation of these items have raised concerns that local residents may be involved in illegal sales to tourists. Instead of collecting these items, it's advisable to take a picture as a souvenir, as the removal of seashells can have a significant impact on the environment.
Shells play a critical role in maintaining our ecosystem. They stabilize beaches, provide shelter for creatures like hermit crabs, offer hiding places for small fish, and serve as nesting material for shorebirds. As shells break down, they release essential nutrients for organisms in the sand and those forming their own shells. The ocean supports delicate ecosystems, and any disruption can have devastating consequences. Each shell has a unique ecological role.

Ecological stressors

Light pollution
Aruba's infrastructure, including the tourism sector, was developed without considering the potential impacts of light pollution on the ecological environment and human experiences.

All sea turtles species are endangered, including Leatherback, Loggerhead, Green and the Hawksbill, which are nocturnal wild life on Aruba. Artificial lighting can deter adult females from nesting or disorient emerging hatchlings, causing them to venture inland where they risk dehydration or harm.

International Dark-Sky Association-Aruba, a non-profit organization, aims to safeguard dark skies from light pollution. Over the past decade, the closure of the San Nicolas refinery has enabled the recovery of flora and fauna, while reducing light pollution, making the night sky brighter. However, the preservation of ecosystems faces increasing challenges with the expansion of the tourism zone and the construction of a new hotel in the southeast part of the island, Seroe Colorado.

Over-tourism
Over-tourism in Aruba is influenced by several key factors:

 Tourism ecological stress: This factor highlights the environmental impact of tourism. As tourism intensity and density increase, ecological pressure accelerates after crossing a critical threshold.
 Tourism supply chain: It considers the impact of increased airlift, accommodations (lodging), and labor on over-tourism.
 Tourism architectural style: This aspect examines the concentration and design of cruise and accommodation infrastructures in specific geographic areas or coastal zones.
 Tourism export specialization: Involves the export of tourism-related goods and services, including investments, earnings, revenues, and promotional activities.
 International tourism market diversity: A diverse tourism market is inversely related to over-tourism, meaning that greater market diversity is associated with less intense over-tourism.
Implications to reduce over-tourism:
 Aruba's economic and environmental policy must consider tourism as an indicator for its Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

 Conserve its scarce and fragile natural resources by limiting over-tourism and accommodation infrastructure (e.g., hotel rooms, timeshare rooms, condominiums, and guest houses).
 Political economy is often marked by social exclusion and extraction rather than social inclusion and regeneration: de-marginalization and safeguarding of community well-being and agency by transitioning towards community-driven policy and development.
 Ecotourism should benefit the environment and the local community. Despite the publicized commitment to becoming a sustainable tourism destination, the actual political agendas in place prioritize the sustaining of a tourism industry. This emphasis has overshadowed social rights and responsibilities, effectively diminishing the role of government and civic organizations in governing for the overall well-being of society, both in the present and for the future.
 Increase tourism market diversification
 Focus on long-term sustainable tourism by reducing bias towards short-term tourism promotion, expansion, and growth.
Over-tourism is a complicated issue, but it essentially boils down to a lack of responsible tourism management and policies by both public and private entities. This problem is exacerbated by the exclusion of local communities and civic society from important tourism decisions and developments. As a result, tourism has expanded without proper oversight, leading to various negative consequences.

Human geography

Aruba is a constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, with the largest settlement being Oranjestad, with a population of 28,372 (2020). Starting from the 1960s, Aruba's population grew significantly because of two main factors: the arrival of workers for the oil refining industry and later, the tourism industry. It's estimated that at least 45% of the population in Aruba was born in another country.

According to the Geographical Address Classification Aruba (GAC), developed by the Central Bureau of Statistics Aruba (CBS), this classification system has three levels, region, zone, and street/bario. Aruba is divided into eight regions and 55 zones:

 Noord/Tanki Leendert
 Oranjestad West
 Oranjestad East
 Paradera
 Santa Cruz
 Savaneta
 San Nicolas North
 San Nicolas South

Cultural geography

Language distribution
According to the 2020 Census, 43.2% of Aruba's total population exclusively speaks Papiamento in their households. Among Aruba's 8 regions, 5 have over 50% of the population using only Papiamento at home, with Oranjestad East having the highest percentage at 56.6%, and San Nicolas South the lowest at 23.4%. Additionally, the Census indicates that 18.9% of the population reported Papiamento and Spanish as the two primary languages spoken in their households. In the regions Noord/Tanki Leendert and Oranjestad East, one in four persons speaks Papiamento and Spanish in the household, while San Nicolas North has the lowest percentage at 8.9%.

Census data also reveals that 9.4% of the population indicated that Papiamento and English were the two mostly spoken languages in the household. San Nicolas South and San Nicolas North are the 2 regions with the highest percentages of the population that speak Papiamento and English in the household at 28.7% and 12.3%, respectively. Papiamento and English are least spoken in households of persons living in the region of Santa Cruz (4.6%).

Addittionally, the Census shows that 6.8% of Aruba's population speaks Papiamento and Dutch in their households. In all 8 regions, the percentage of the population that speaks these two languages at home is below 10%, with San Nicolas North having the lowest percentage at 1.5%.

Finally, the results of the 2020 Census revealed that in 18.6% of Aruba's households, Papiamento is not one of the two most spoken languages. At a regional level, nearly one third of the population in San Nicolas South (30.6%) indicated that Papiamento is not one of the two most spoken languages in their household. Conversely, in Paradera, the percentage of the population indicating that Papiamento is not one of the two most spoken languages in their household is the lowest at 11.6%. In total, in Paradera, 85.2% of the population speaks Papiamento at home, either exclusively or in combination with another language.

Tourism geography
Currently, Aruba has a tourism intensity of 17 visitors per capita, marking a 5.6 increase since 1995. The island also experiences high tourism density, with over 10,000 visitors per square kilometer.

Most of Aruba's tourism facilities are concentrated along the northwest coastline, with approximately 860 rooms per square kilometer. This represents a significant 103% growth in less than two decades. While Aruba is a small island, there were relatively few large-scale tourism activities and infrastructure developments in other geographical areas from 1995 to 2019.

The designated tourism zone, established in the late 1980s, covers about 16% of the island's total land area. Currently, there are around 14,000 accommodation units, including hotels, timeshares, condominiums, villas, guesthouses, and rental apartments. Accommodation growth was primarily driven by hotels and timeshares until the early 2000s. However, in the last decade, the construction of condominiums, guesthouses, and rental apartments has increased by 51%, adding to existing infrastructural pressures and coastal resort density levels.

Locals are concerned about the impact of the growing number of tourism-focused properties and accommodations on Aruba's fragile infrastructure and ecological environment. In the bustling Palm Beach on the west coast, there will be 4,000 more accommodations, including a new hotel near the Bubali Plas nature reserve, St. Regis Hotel, Embassy Suites, Hyatt Place Hotel, Radisson Blu Hotel, and boutique hotels in Port City, Oranjestad. Turning to the untouched east coast of the island, plans include the Secrets Aruba all-inclusive hotel with 600 rooms and a second hotel with 300 rooms. Additionally, there are two boutique hotels in the pipeline, each featuring 40 rooms.

References

External links

 Map of Aruba

Islands of the Netherlands Antilles
Leeward Islands (Caribbean)

Geography of Aruba


Levie "Louis" de Vries (January 5, 1905, Groningen - September 5, 1935, Zwolle) was a Dutch jazz trumpeter.

Louis de Vries was the eldest son of amateur trumpeter Arend de Vries. Just like his brothers Jacob (1906-1976) and Izaac and his sister Clara Johanna Suzanna, Louis  was taught to play the trumpet by his father. He played as a teenager with the Tuschinski Theatre Orchestra. This was an orchestra which played music during silent films shown in the famous Tuschinski movie theater in Amsterdam until the Nazi occupation 1940-1945. Owner and managing director was Abraham Tuschinski.

In the second half of the 1920s Louis de Vries worked with the Excellos Five, Marek Weber and The Ramblers together with his brother Jacob. In 1930 he played with Ben Berlin and in 1931-1932 with Juan Llossas. From 1933 onwards he worked with his brother once more, almost up until his death. In 1935 he played with Valaida Snow in England. On his way to a concert in Groningen on 31 August 1935, he got involved in a car accident as a result of which he died on 5 September 1935.

His sister Clara Johanna Suzanna de Vries (Schoonhoven, 31 December 1915 - Auschwitz, 22 October 1942) was a well-known Dutch jazz trumpeter and from 1938 onwards until her death in 1942 the bandleader of an all-women jazz band, The Rosian Ladies.

After a visit to the Netherlands, Louis Armstrong remarked: "That Louis de Vries, he had a sister Clara with a ladies-band. Oh boy, she could play that horn".

Notes

References
Wim van Eyle, "Louis de Vries". The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz. 2nd edition, ed. Barry Kernfeld.

1905 births
1935 deaths
20th-century trumpeters
Dutch jazz trumpeters
Dutch Jews
Jewish jazz musicians
Musicians from Groningen (province)
Musicians from Groningen (city)
The Ramblers (band) members

Louis de Vries


The Symphony No. 21 in A major, Hoboken I/21, was composed by Joseph Haydn around the year 1764. The symphony's movements have unusual structures that make their form hard to identify. The parts that pertain to sonata form are often hard to recognize immediately and are often identified "only in retrospect."

Movements

The symphony is in four movements and is scored for two oboes, two French horns in A, violins I and II, viola, cello and basso continuo.

I: Adagio
The entire first movement is slow, with the tempo marking adagio. It is uncommon for Haydn to have an opening movement set at a slow pace for its entirety; usually he will begin a first movement with a slow tempo for an introduction but the main body will be at a faster tempo. The slow section also ends on the tonic, an unusual ending for an introduction.

The first movement has a structure that corresponds with no formal type, and sharply contrasts with Haydn's usual style of structuring movements. It is closest to sonata form but only vaguely. The piece quickly reaches the dominant (m. 13), in which the opening ritornello is restated, but soon reverts to the tonic (m. 16). The dominant is suggested again in m. 26, but then segues into a development-like passage around mm. 29–41. However, it does not conclude with a cadence. Instead of a half cadence on dominant, the development ends with a V–I6 progression that does not return to the opening theme. The tonic key immediately returns with an authentic cadence soon afterwards (m. 48).

II: Presto
The second movement has a mirror recapitulation, that is the "opening material does not return at the beginning of the recapitulation, but is instead transplanted to the end as a coda." This is unusual for both a work of Haydn's and a symphony. Haydn does this because the opening statement (mm. 1–9) is played only in octaves instead of triads, a contrast with the rest of the piece. The next theme, beginning at m. 10, brings triads into the picture. The octave sonority does not return until the opening theme returns as the coda. As the material does not return in any form during the main body of the piece, the theme in octaves serves as an introduction to contrast with the rest of the movement.

As for the body of the movement, the exposition is made of two parts, not three: a tonic section (mm. 1–16) and a dominant section (m. 17–42). Yet, the half cadence that divides the two sections in the exposition does not appear in the recapitulation; m. 15–21 do not have corresponding measures in the recapitulation. This is because m. 17 corresponds with m. 10 but in the dominant. If m. 17 appeared in the recapitulation, it would be transposed into the tonic key, and therefore be a repetition violating sonata rules.

III: Menuett and Trio
The opening eight bars of the Menuett can be easily divided into antecedent and consequence respectively, ending on a half-cadence and an authentic cadence in tonic. The two phrases contrast sharply "in dynamics, in orchestration, in the rhythm of the accompaniment, and in the register of the upmost voice." These eight bars, the Menuett's A section, appear slightly altered at the very end of the menuett as its A′ section; the viola and violoncello e basso parts descend in the first two measures instead of coming in on the second measure and ascending.

In the Trio, the first two measures of the A section are immediately repeated, as happens in the second phrase as well.  Mark Ferraguto has discussed Haydn's deliberate use of spare instrumental scoring and minimal melodic material in the trio of this symphony.

The first eight notes of the menuett were used verbatim to start the minuet of Mozart's Eine Kleine Nachtmusik (K. 525).

IV: Allegro molto
The fourth movement is a "binary variant of sonata form in which the opening eight measures of the exposition do not return in the recapitulation. The beginning theme does return (m. 41) before the recapitulation, but as the theme is now in dominant, it cannot be considered part of the recapitulation. The piece moves to dominant at m. 9 and remains so through m. 58. The recapitulation starts at m. 59 when the tonic returns, and mm. 9–40 are replayed in A major to close the symphony.

Notes

References

Symphony 021
Compositions in A major
1764 compositions

Symphony No. 21 (Haydn)


Sand + Bone is a graphic novel by J.T. Krul and Andrea Mutti published in 2017. The book revolves around a soldier's return from Iraq and subsequent dealing with symptoms of PTSD.

Plot summary
Sean Hitcher, a United States soldier, has recently returned home from Iraq due to being wounded in the Iraq War. Attempting to buy more pain medication at the pharmacy, he learns that his old love interest, Hannah, is the town's pharmacist. Hannah is unable to fill Sean's prescription until after he has met with the VA's psychiatrist. Sean leaves and buys alcohol instead.

On the way home, Sean is approached by a dog. Sean stands his ground and the dog backs down. The dog's owner then tries to sell drugs to Sean, who refuses. The drug dealer is angry at Sean, as he thinks Sean has done something to the dog, who is acting strange. Later, after Sean is home, he has a nightmare of being in a cave in Iraq when something bad happens; this is not communicated to the reader. The drug dealer goes to check on his dog and finds that it has been savagely killed.

Sean's life begins to spiral downward; he begins using drugs and having illicit sex in alleyways with random women. His nightmares have not gone away; he dreams of fangs. A visit from Hannah leads to her and Sean spending the day together. They go and watch her son playing soccer where her ex-husband, Eric, is also present. Later, at the bar, Sean turns down a woman he has previously been involved with. He is then attacked by, Eric, who thinks Sean is trying to rekindle his relationship with Hannah.

On Sean's walk home, he is attacked by the drug dealer in retaliation for his dog's death. Sean runs into the forest and is followed. Sean dispatches each of the drug dealer's friends in quick succession, leaving them for dead. Sean attempts to commit suicide at home, but cannot bring himself to pull the trigger. He goes to see Hannah at the pharmacy and tells her of the horrors of war while she drives to her house.

Sean and Hannah are attacked by Eric, who ties Sean to a chair. When Eric threatens Sean with a shotgun, Sean begins to transform into a werewolf. Sean kills Eric by ripping out his throat. Hannah leaves town afterwards, apparently keeping Sean's secret. A flashback shows that Sean found writings on a cave wall in Iraq and was attacked by a werewolf. In the present, Sean wakes up and looks out of the window and it is revealed that he has reenlisted and has returned to Iraq.

Style
The book has been described as gritty. Mutti uses a blocky style which is perfect for the chiseled face of Hitcher. During more action-paced scenes, Mutti begins to imitate charcoal drawings with dark shades and harsh lines.

Analysis
In an interview, J.T. Krul wanted to emphasize the lack of a support system for veterans suffering from PTSD. An underlying theme throughout the book is how people with good intentions cannot understand the experiences of war. Krul goes on to say that this book is for entertainment, but that it is also meant to shed some light on the struggles of veterans and how they are being failed. The transformation into a werewolf at the end of the book happens suddenly. While it is clear that there have been killings, it is unclear if the reader is to take the transformation literally.

Reception
PopMatters gave the book a rating of 7 out of 10 and said "the brevity of the book is both a strength and a weakness". PopMatters goes on to say that there is more filler than necessary. The dialogue has been described as clunky, especially Hannah's exposition. The artwork is said to be some of Mutti's best.

References

2017 graphic novels
American graphic novels

Sand + Bone


The Audi Q4 e-tron is a battery electric compact luxury crossover SUV produced by Audi. It is based on Volkswagen Group's electric MEB platform and is the fourth fully-electric model in the Audi e-tron series after the Audi Q8 e-tron (formerly Audi e-tron), e-tron GT and Q2L e-tron. Production began in March 2021, with the production version being unveiled in April 2021.

Overview
The Q4 e-tron was first shown as a near-series concept vehicle at Geneva Motor Show in 2019. Positioned in what Audi calls the "heart of the market", the compact SUV segment, its length of  is slightly shorter than that of the Audi Q5, although Audi claims that the Q4 e-tron offers comparable interior space. With , the front overhangs are relatively short, allowing for a wheelbase of  while maintaining more compact overall dimensions.

Much of the exterior design such as the spoilers in front of the front wheel arches, the rear spoiler or the bars below the headlights was introduced with vehicle aerodynamics in mind. The Q4 e-tron achieves a drag coefficient of 0.26 in the Sportback version, which is worsened to 0.28 for the regular roofline model. Wheel sizes between 19 and 21 inch are offered.

Optional features include an augmented reality head-up display and an  infotainment screen, which can be controlled via voice commands.

The boot (trunk) holds 520 L of space, which is extended to 1,490 L when folding down the second row seats (40:20:40 split) whereas the Sportback versions obtain 535/1,460 L.

Markets

Europe
The market launch in Europe is to begin in June 2021, with prices in Germany starting from €41,900 for the base Q4 35 e-tron. The 40 trim is priced beginning from €47,500 and the Q4 50 e-tron quattro from €52,900. In July 2021, Audi began offering a less powerful all-wheel drive version, the 45 e-tron quattro. Sportback models will arrive in late summer and be priced around €2,000 higher.

Two dedicated "Edition" models are available at launch in all drive variants for €6,195 more respectively, offering a blue or grey paint as well as additional exterior changes.

North America
The Q4 e-tron is set to arrive in the US in late 2021 for the 2022 model year, with prices beginning from under $45,000. In the US, the entry model will be the Q4 40 e-tron - as such exclusively models using the larger 77 kWh battery pack will be offered in the American market.

The EPA estimated range for the dual motor Q4 50 to be  with a combined highway/city rating of 95 MPGe.

China
For the Chinese market, the Q4 e-tron will be assembled at the FAW-Volkswagen plant in Foshan. The Q4 e-tron Sportback had started production at the Foshan factory in November 2023.

Specifications

Powertrain
Rear wheel drive (RWD) models make use of a water-cooled brushless permanently excited synchronous motor positioned along the rear axle, producing up to  of power and  of torque and rotates at a speed of up to 16,000 rpm. The motor is coupled to a 1-speed transmission with a fixed gear ratio of 13:1 and typically operates with "substantially greater than 90 percent" efficiency.

The motor, transmission, and power electronics (DC/AC converter) together form a compact drive unit that weighs around .

For the all-wheel drive quattro model, a further asynchronous motor is positioned at the front axle, providing an additional up to  of power at a speed of 14,000 rpm when required. In most situations, the front motor is not activated in order to increase overall efficiency. Its 1-speed gear is fixed at a ratio of 10:1 while the rear motor in AWD models operates at a ratio of 11.5:1.

During braking, the rear-wheel drive models can recuperate energy up to forces of 0.15 g and up to 0.3 g in the all-wheel drive models, which equates to up to  of power. When driving, the vehicle by default is set to coast, with recuperation up to 0.15 g being optional.

The motors rotor and stator are produced at the Volkswagen Group Components plant in Salzgitter and are assembled in Kassel, where the 1-speed transmission is built as well. For the Chinese market, the electric drive components are produced in Tianjin.

Battery
The battery consists of a liquid-cooled Lithium-Ion battery pack which houses either 10 or 12 modules containing the individual battery cells in an aluminium casing. The smaller battery holds an energy content of 55/52 kWh, while the larger pack comes in at 82/77 kWh and weights of  and , respectively.

Whereas the battery system is assembled at Volkswagen Group plants, the Nickel-Manganese-Cobalt (NMC) battery cells are obtained from suppliers such as LG Energy Solution and CATL. For the Zwickau plant, battery cells pre-assembled into modules at LGs Wrocław plant are delivered by train to be assembled into batteries in Braunschweig.

If charged at a public DC fast charger at a rate of 125 kW under ideal conditions, Audi claims that the 82/77 kWh battery pack can charge from 5 to 80 percent in 38 minutes.

Audi Q4 e-tron

Suspension
The Q4 e-tron uses a MacPherson front and five-link rear suspension.

Towing
The RWD models can tow up to  and the AWD up to  braked with an optional trailer hitch.

Reviews and reception
In December 2022, Bloomberg named the Audi Q4 e-tron as a great alternative to the Model Y from Tesla for consumers upset with Elon Musk.

Sustainability
According to Audi, it is using exclusively "eco-electricity" during production of the Q4 e-tron for Europe and the US in Zwickau, and demands the same from its suppliers. Audi also claims that what it considers "unavoidable" emissions during production are mitigated through purchasing carbon offsets and, based on this, markets the Q4 e-tron as a "net zero carbon emissions" vehicle when handed to European and American customers.

The "Dinamica" microfibre and "Puls" fabric interior options consist of 45 and 50 percent recycled materials, respectively.

References

External links

 Official website (United Kingdom)

Q4 e-tron
Production electric cars
Luxury crossover sport utility vehicles
Compact sport utility vehicles
Rear-wheel-drive vehicles
All-wheel-drive vehicles
Euro NCAP large off-road
Cars introduced in 2021

Audi Q4 e-tron


Speech & Debate is a 2017 American film directed by Dan Harris. The film is an adaptation of the play of the same name and was released on April 7, 2017, by Vertical Entertainment.

Plot
The film features three misfit students in a high school in Salem, Oregon: Solomon, Diwata, and Howie, who are frustrated with the hypocrisy they see in their parents and school staff. Together, they try to revive a school debate club to face the situation they are in.

The first thing they have in common is they each have a parent on the school board. Solomon's frustration lies in the limitations he and the rest of the school newspaper have; they must do the stories assigned to them, which concerns him because he plans to study Journalism in college but needs authentic proof of his ability.

Diwata is an aspiring actress, and she practices music production with lyrics on her social media page. She also tries out for the upcoming school musical, Once Upon A Mattress. The play's content is heavily altered and essentially censored. In her audition, she purposely uses some of the parts edited out, resulting in her being cast in a inferior role.

Howie is gay, new to the school, lonely, and tries to form a GSA (gay student alliance) club, but is blocked by the predominantly male conservative school board. He also has a casual meet-up with the drama teacher, which becomes awkward when they bump into each other at school.

Solomon proposes an article idea to the school newspaper's advisor entitled 'Ignorance and Prejudice: Drive School Board Decisions', which is rejected by his yearbook advisor, who gives him a link to the website `Find Your Voice', arguing in favor of a debate team. Sharing this with Diwata, she becomes motivated. They try to recruit others to join, but no students who show up to their after school pitch signs up. As they only need three to form a team, Diwata convinces Howie this is a way to meet other gay men.

Diwata takes charge, getting a cafeteria worker to sign on as advisor, and paying with her mother's credit card. At the debate, each fail in their own way, largely due to unfamiliarity with the rules and structure of debating, as there was no actual advisor to guide them. Dejected, they go out to a gay bar. Diwata's car is towed, so they try to catch, but miss, the last bus home. They use the credit card for a room, where their parents find them a few hours later.

They are all given detention with no reimbursement for expenses, and Diwata must get a job to pay back her mother. Inspired by a local 'character' who says life is a stage, she reunites the three 'misfits' to confront the school board. They use their '3 minutes' to speak out against censorship, with a theatrical enactment equating their hometown to the 17th century Salem, Massachusetts during the infamous Salem Witch Trials (Diwata acted in The Crucible).

Although the press is turned away from the meeting, they eventually pick up the story and expose the suppression, thanks to someone recording the event on their phone. Solomon appears on a local TV news station broadcast. In the end, all three students are content: both Solomon and Diwata get the needed exposure for their futures, and Howie receives more contacts.

Cast
 Liam James as Solomon
 Sarah Steele as Diwata
 Austin P. McKenzie as Howie
 Roger Bart as Principal Bellingham
 Janeane Garofalo as Marie
 Wendi McLendon-Covey as Joan
 Kal Penn as James
 Kimberly Williams-Paisley as Susan
 Skylar Astin as Walter Healy
 Lin-Manuel Miranda as The Genie
 Ryan Lee as Mark
 Darren Criss as himself
 Lucy DeVito as Lucy
 Sarah Baker as Ms. Riggi
 Lester Speight as Scary Bouncer
 Jeremy Rowley as Gary Crenshaw
 Bryce Romero as short debater

Production
Principal photography started on August 8, 2015 in Jackson, Mississippi, United States.

Karam said that "he specifically aimed to create characters who 'push through their pain'".

The song "Losers Are Winners", which was written by Karam, is played over the credits performed by Kristin Chenoweth.

Release and reception
The film was released on April 7, 2017, by Vertical Entertainment.

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 55% based on 11 reviews, with an average rating of 6.4/10. On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 46 out of 100, based on 5 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".

References

External links

2017 films
2010s teen comedy-drama films
American teen comedy-drama films
American films based on plays
Films directed by Dan Harris (screenwriter)
Films scored by Deborah Lurie
Films set in Oregon
Films shot in Mississippi
Films with screenplays by Stephen Karam
Vertical Entertainment films
2010s English-language films
2010s American films

Speech & Debate