Masinissa (, MSNSN; c. 238 BC – 148 BC), also spelled Massinissa, Massena and Massan, was an ancient Numidian king best known for leading a federation of Massylii Berber tribes during the Second Punic War (218–201 BC), ultimately uniting them into a kingdom that became a major regional power in North Africa.
Much of what is known about Masinissa comes from the Livy's History of Rome, and to a lesser extent Cicero's Scipio's Dream. As the son of a Numidian chieftain allied to Carthage, he fought against the Romans in the Second Punic War, but later switched sides upon concluding that Rome would prevail. With the support of his erstwhile enemy, he united the eastern and western Numidian tribes and founded the Kingdom of Numidia. As a Roman ally, Masinissa took part in the decisive Battle of Zama in 202 BC that effectively ended the war in Carthage's defeat; he also allowed his wife Sophonisba, a famed Carthaginian noblewoman who had influenced Numidian affairs to Carthage's benefit, to poison herself in lieu of being paraded in a triumph in Rome.

After inheriting a larger, more powerful kingdom now backed by Rome, Masinissa played a decisive role in provoking Carthage into triggering the Third Punic War, which ended in the city's complete destruction, and left Numidia the sole power in northwest Africa. He ruled for 54 years until his death at age 90. He was regarded as a staunch ally of Rome, and an unusually vigorous ruler, leading troops until his death and fathering some 44 sons. His tomb in Cirta (modern-day Constantine in Algeria) bears the inscription MSNSN, read Mas'n'sen, or "Their Lord".

The Greek historian Polybius, who wrote extensively about the Punic Wars and is reputed to have met Masinissa, described him as "the best man of all the kings of our time", writing that "his greatest and most divine achievement was this: Numidia had been before his time universally unproductive, and was looked upon as incapable of producing any cultivated fruits. He was the first and only man who showed that it could produce cultivated fruits just as well as any other country". In the following centuries, Numidia would become known as the breadbasket of Rome.

In addition to his legacy as a major figure in the Punic Wars, Masinissa is largely viewed as an icon by the Berbers, many of whom consider him their forefather.

Early life
Masinissa was the son of the chieftain Gaia of a Numidian tribal group, the Massylii. He was brought up in Carthage, an ally of his father. At the start of the Second Punic War, Masinissa fought for Carthage against Syphax, the king of the Masaesyli of western Numidia (present day Algeria), who had allied himself with the Romans. Masinissa, then about 17 years old, led an army of Numidian troops and Carthaginian auxiliaries against Syphax's army and won a decisive victory (215–212 BC). He was betrothed to the daughter of the Carthaginian general Hasdrubal Gisgo.

After his victory over Syphax, Masinissa commanded his skilled Numidian cavalry against the Romans in Spain, where he was involved in the Carthaginian victories of Castulo and Ilorca in 211 BC. After Hasdrubal Barca departed for Italy, Masinissa was placed in command of all the Carthaginian cavalry in Spain, where he fought a successful guerrilla campaign against the Roman general Publius Cornelius Scipio (Scipio Africanus) throughout 208 and 207, while Mago Barca and Hasdrubal Gisgo levied and trained new forces. In c.206 BC, with fresh reinforcements, Mago and Hasdrubal Gisgo—supported by Masinissa's Numidian cavalry—met Scipio at the Battle of Ilipa, where Carthage's power over Hispania was forever broken in arguably Scipio Africanus's most brilliant victory.

When Gaia died in 206 BC, his son Masinissa and his brother Oezalces quarreled about the inheritance, and Syphax was able to conquer considerable parts of eastern Numidia. Meanwhile, with the Carthaginians having been driven from Hispania, Masinissa concluded that Rome was winning the war against Carthage and therefore decided to defect to Rome. He promised to assist Scipio in the invasion of Carthaginian territory in Africa. This decision was aided by the move by Scipio Africanus to free Masinissa's nephew, Massiva, whom the Romans had captured when he had disobeyed his uncle and ridden into battle. Having lost the alliance with Masinissa, Hasdrubal started to look for another ally, which he found in Syphax, who married Sophonisba, Hasdrubal's daughter, who until the defection had been betrothed to Masinissa. The Romans supported Masinissa's claim to the Numidian throne against Syphax, who was nevertheless successful in driving Masinissa from power until Scipio invaded Africa in 204. Masinissa joined the Roman forces and participated in the victorious Battle of the Great Plains (203).

At the Battle of Bagbrades (203), Scipio overcame Hasdrubal and Syphax and, while the Roman general concentrated on Carthage, Gaius Laelius and Masinissa followed Syphax to Cirta, where he was captured and handed over to Scipio. After the defeat of Syphax, Masinissa married Syphax's wife Sophonisba, but Scipio, suspicious of her loyalty, demanded that she be taken to Rome and appear in the triumphal parade. To save her from such humiliation, Masinissa sent her poison, with which she killed herself. Masinissa was now accepted as a loyal ally of Rome, and was confirmed by Scipio as the king of the Massylii. Following the capture of Syphax, the King Bokkar, ruler of what is now Morocco with his capital based in Tingis, had become a vassal of Massinissa.

At the Battle of Zama, Masinissa commanded the cavalry (6,000 Numidian and 3,000 Roman) on Scipio's right wing, Scipio delayed the engagement long enough to allow for Masinissa to join him. With the battle hanging in the balance, Masinissa's cavalry, having driven the fleeing Carthaginian horsemen away, returned and immediately fell onto the rear of the Carthaginian lines. This decided the battle and at once Hannibal's army began to collapse. The Second Punic War was over and for his services Masinissa received the Kingdom of Syphax, and became King of Numidia.

Masinissa was now king of both the Massylii and the Masaesyli. He showed unconditional loyalty to Rome, and his position in Africa was strengthened by a clause in the peace treaty of 201 between Rome and Carthage prohibiting the latter from going to war even in self-defense without Roman permission. This enabled Masinissa to encroach on the remaining Carthaginian territory as long as he judged that Rome wished to see Carthage further weakened.

Later life

With Roman backing, Masinissa established his own kingdom of Numidia, west of Carthage, with Cirta — present day Constantine — as its capital city. All this happened in accordance with Roman interest, as they wanted to give Carthage more problems with its neighbours. Masinissa's chief aim was to build a strong and unified state from the semi-nomadic Numidian tribes. To that end, he introduced Carthaginian agricultural techniques and forced many Numidians to settle as peasant farmers. Masinissa and his sons possessed large estates throughout Numidia, to the extent that Roman authors attributed to him, quite falsely, the sedentarization of the Numidians. Major towns included Capsa, Thugga (modern Dougga), Bulla Regia and Hippo Regius.

All through his reign, Masinissa extended his territory, and he was cooperating with Rome when, towards the end of his life, he provoked Carthage to go to war against him. The Punic city answered in kind, even though it could not legally declare war due to its treaty with Rome. In one occasion, Masinissa had to march to assist one of his sons to fight off an attack of Hispanics, possibly the 153 BC Lusitanian invasion headed by Caucenus, who has been speculated to have been in league with Carthage. The city certainly capitalized to sack Masinissa's lands.

Any hopes Masinissa may have had of extending his rule right across North Africa were dashed, however, with the Roman commissions sent to Africa to decide the territorial dispute between Masinissa and Carthage. He defeated the Punics, however, at the Battle of Oroscopa in 151 BC. In any case, animated probably by an irrational fear of a Carthaginian revival, but possibly by suspicion of the victorious Masinissa's ambitions, the elderly Marcus Porcius Cato advocated among the Romans, finally with success, the destruction of Carthage. Based on descriptions from Livy, the Numidians began raiding around seventy towns in the southern and western sections of Carthage's remaining territory. Outraged with their conduct, Carthage went to war against them, in defiance of the Roman treaty forbidding them to make war on anyone, thus precipitating the Third Punic War (149–146 BC). Masinissa showed his displeasure when the Roman army arrived in Africa in 149 BC, but he died early in 148 BC without a breach in the alliance. Ancient accounts suggest Masinissa lived beyond the age of 90 and was apparently still personally leading the armies of his kingdom when he died.

In 179 B.C. Masinissa received a golden crown from the inhabitants of Delos as he had offered them a shipload of grain. A statue of Masinissa was set up in Delos in honour of him as well as an inscription dedicated to him in Delos by a native from Rhodes. His sons too had statues of them erected on the island of Delos and the King of Bithynia, Nicomedes, had also dedicated a statue to Masinissa.

After his death, Micispa succeeded to the throne, Micipsa had two sons, Hiempsal I and Adherbal, who took the power for a short period before being overthrown by their cousin Jughurta. Some of his descendants were the elder Juba I of Numidia (85 BC–46 BC) and younger Juba II (52 BC–AD 24).

In literature, art and film
Africa (late 1330s), an epic poem by Petrarch
Sophonisbe (1680), a German mourning play by Daniel Casper von Lohenstein
Cabiria (1914), classic Italian silent film directed by Giovanni Pastrone. Masinissa is portrayed by Vitale Di Stefano.
Scipio the African (1971), Italian film directed by Luigi Magni. Masinissa is portrayed by Woody Strode.
Pride of Carthage (2005), a novel by David Anthony Durham

See also
List of kings of Numidia

References

Bibliography
Livy (trans. Aubrey de Sélincourt) (1965). The War With Hannibal. New York: Penguin Classics.

External links
Massinissa
 Livius.org: Massinissa

230s BC births
140s BC deaths
2nd-century BC monarchs in Africa
2nd-century BC Berber people
3rd-century BC Berber people
Kings of Numidia
People from Constantine, Algeria
Second Punic War commanders

Masinissa


Puran is a tehsil of the Shangla District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Aloch is the headquarters of the tehsil. Puran Tehsil comprises nine Union Councils of Pakistan.

Puran Tehsil of the Shangla District is a beautiful place, and its boundaries meet Bunier, Swat, Kaladakha, and the Indus River.

Tehsils of Shangla District

Puran Tehsil


Marit Nybakk (born 14 February 1947) is a Norwegian Labour Party politician. She has been a Member of Parliament for Oslo since 1986. She is the First Vice President of the Norwegian parliament since 2013, and is also the woman who has served the longest time in the parliament during its entire history. She is also President of the Norwegian Association for Women's Rights since 2016.

References

1947 births
Norwegian politicians

Marit Nybakk


The Realist was a short lived monthly British magazine first published in March 1929 which brought together many intellectuals from that era.  It was dedicated to Scientific Humanism and carried a distinctive pale orange cover. It closed in January 1930, a victim of the Great Depression.

It was  founded in 1928 by the political scientist George Catlin and Major A. G. Church, then assistant editor of Nature, who became its editor. It was backed by Lord Melchett and published by Macmillan. The literary editor was the then little-known philosopher Gerald Heard.

Contributors included, Arnold Bennett, H. G. Wells, Sir Richard Gregory, J. B. S. Haldane, Bronisław Malinowski, Herbert Read, Julian Huxley, Aldous Huxley, Sir Frank Baines, H. J. Laski and Rebecca West.

Its editorial meetings were held at the London restaurant, Kettners.

The founders hoped to find a market for an intellectual monthly along similar lines to the American Harper's Magazine.

References
 Vera Brittain, autobiography Volume 2 Testament of Experience (1957). Chapter 2 (8).
 The Realist  Catalog entry no. 3412437 at the National Library of Australia. Accessed June 2008.
 Gerald Heard Official Biography by Jay Michael Barrie at the Gerald Heard website. Accessed June 2008.

1929 establishments in the United Kingdom
1930 disestablishments in the United Kingdom
Monthly magazines published in the United Kingdom
Science and technology magazines published in the United Kingdom
Defunct literary magazines published in the United Kingdom
Defunct political magazines published in the United Kingdom
Magazines established in 1929
Magazines disestablished in 1930

The Realist (British magazine)


Cannae (now Canne della Battaglia, Italian pronunciation: [kanne della battaʎʎa]) is an ancient village of the Apulia region of south eastern Italy. It is a frazione (civil parish) of the comune (municipality) of Barletta, a former bishopric that is now a Latin Catholic titular see. The famous Battle of Cannae had troops of Carthage win despite being outnumbered by troops of the Roman Republic.

Settlements in Barletta-Andria-Trani

Cannae


Marjorie Ellen Thompson (January 31, 1954—September 15, 2014) was an American biologist and musician who served as Associate Dean of Biological Sciences at Brown University.

Thompson received a ScB in biochemistry and a PhD in biology from Brown, in 1974 and 1979 respectively, and was appointed Associate Dean of Biological Sciences in 1983, a position she continued to hold until her death in 2014. Her awards as Associate Dean included the Barrett Hazeltine Senior Class Citation in 1994 and 1996, the Onyx Award in 1998 and the Dean's Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching and Advising in 2009. Outside of her work as an academic, Thompson also worked as a guitarist and singer-songwriter, releasing four albums, playing with Jorma Kaukonen, and appearing on The Oprah Winfrey Show as part of an episode about "women who are changing the definition of middle age".

References

1954 births
2014 deaths
Brown University faculty
Brown University alumni
American biologists

Marjorie Thompson


In martial arts and combat sports, stand-up fighting is hand-to-hand combat between opponents in a standing position, as distinguished from ground fighting. Clinch fighting is stand-up grappling. Fighters employ striking, including striking combinations, using either body parts or mêlée weapons, to incapacitate or injure the opponent. Combatants use blocking techniques to block the opponent's attacks.

Martial arts and combat sports that emphasize stand-up fighting include boxing (including bare-knuckle boxing), jōdō, karate, kendo, kickboxing, kung fu (sanda/sanshou), Muay Thai, savate, silat, and Taekwondo.

Stand-up fighting distances
The nature of the stand-up fighting depends on whether the combatants are unarmed or use mêlée weapons.  Batons become less effective at short, especially clinching range, where they cannot be swung properly. Knives on the other hand do not need as much thrusting space to generate damage. In stand-up fighting without mêlée weapons, it is possible to separate the distances between the combatants according to which strikes can reach the opponent.

The comfort zone is a non-combat distance from which it is not possible to kick the opponent without closing the distance considerably. From this zone the combatant might carefully close in on the opponent to engage with strikes.

Kicking distance: The kicking distance is the most distant unarmed fighting position in which consistent contact can be made with the opponent. The combatants can use far-reaching quick kicks to the legs, body or head of the opponent. Martial arts such as Taekwondo emphasize the kicking distance in fighting.

Punching distance: The punching distance is the zone where punches can be thrown, and this is the distance from the furthest jab to the closest hook, as long as no grappling is taking place. In addition to punches, this distance often also allows for elbows and knees, though using them requires closing in to the clinching distance. Boxing is a combat sport that concerns itself exclusively with the punching distance. However many martial arts, particularly those that employ extreme close range fighting (for example Wing Chun and Southern Praying Mantis) train ranges within punch range, but do not necessarily employ clinching techniques. This collection of ranges is often called the in-fighting range. In rules that allow both stand-up and ground-fighting, such as those of mixed martial arts, takedowns can also be launched from this distance. Going for a takedown from this distance is generally referred to as a shoot.

Clinching zone: The clinching or trapping zone refers to the same distance as the punching distance, except that one or both combatants grapple, and at the same time prevent the other from moving into a more distant contact zone or into the comfort zone by using a clinch hold. This zone involves a multitude of both striking and grappling techniques, and is discussed in its own article clinch fighting.

References

External links
 Løvstad, Jakob. The Mixed Martial Arts Primer. www.idi.ntnu.no. URL last accessed March 6, 2005. (DOC format)

Martial arts terminology

Stand-up fighting


The eleventh generation of the Ford Thunderbird (internally codenamed M205) is a two-seat convertible manufactured and marketed by Ford  for model years . It followed a five-year hiatus of the Thunderbird after the 1997 discontinuation of its tenth generation.

Evoking the exterior styling of the earliest Thunderbirds, the eleventh generation features a removable hardtop with a prominent porthole window, power folding fabric top, and vinyl tonneau cover. Sharing mechanicals with the Lincoln LS and using Ford's DEW platform, it has a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout with a  V8 engine and a five-speed automatic transmission.

Part of a retro-styling trend in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the concept was introduced by Ford in 1999. The production model debuted two years later, winning the Motor Trend Car of the Year award for 2002. Despite this, the eleventh-generation Thunderbird never achieved its sales projections and was discontinued after 2005. After studying alternatives, including the closely related Lincoln MK9 concept, Ford declined to introduce subsequent generations of the Thunderbird.

The eleventh generation reach a production of just under 70,000 over four model years.

Background

The Ford Thunderbird was introduced in October 1954 for the 1955 model year as a two-seat roadster. Originally designed to compete with European sports cars and the Chevrolet Corvette, it marked the first time that Ford make sold two distinct model lines at the same time. The 1955 Thunderbird had advanced technology for its time, including such features as power seats and a padded dashboard. The Thunderbird was produced in ten consecutive generations until it was discontinued after the 1997 model year.

The 1997 introduction of the Volkswagen New Beetle sparked a renaissance of retro-styling in American automakers. Ford introduced a concept prototype for the eleventh-generation Thunderbird at the 1999 North American International Auto Show on January 3, 1999, 45 years after the debut of the original. Production models arrived in mid-2001 for model year 2002, more than two years after the concept.

Concept and production
Ford introduced the Ford SuperCharged Thunderbird concept at the 2003 Los Angeles Auto Show as a joint effort of Ford's Living Legends design studio and Ford Performance Group and featuring a modified Jaguar Supercharged V8 rated at . The concept featured a high-flow intake pipe, Gloss Red cam covers with carbon fiber coil covers, cam cover 'Thunderbird' script; carbon fiber radiator cover and integral supercharger air filters; power dome hood providing functional engine cooling; chrome trimmed surfaces on the hood's twin air extractors; revised chrome grille; larger chrome front fender intakes; revised, color-keyed rear view mirrors; revised front and rear bumpers; lowered suspension (1"); 18-inch tires on custom 16-spoke aluminum wheels; lockable two-piece hard tonneau cover; black convertible top; rear twin exhaust ports; rear backup lamps inset into the license plate housing; silver exterior paint; chamois interior. Ford sold the car to a private collector in 2010 and it was auctioned in 2014.

Production of the 2002 Thunderbird began June 5, 2001, with expected annual sales of 25,000. Initially dealers could charge well over MSRP and sold 31,368 the first year. Sales declined each year thereafter until its cancellation. 11,998 were sold in 2004. Ford announced in March 2005 that the Thunderbird would be discontinued in July of that year, with 9,548 sold for 2005.

Powertrain
The sole engine of the Thunderbird was a Jaguar-designed AJ-30 3.9 L DOHC V8, a short-stroke (85mm) variant of the Jaguar AJ-26 4.0 L V8, rated at  and  of torque — in combination with Ford's 5R55N 5-speed automatic transmission.

The AJ-30 V8 was replaced by the AJ-35 in 2003 and later Thunderbirds, bringing with it variable valve timing (VVT) and electronic throttle control (ETC) as well as  and  of torque.

Exterior

Design

According to  Jack Telnack, Ford's Vice President of Design (1980-1997), the Thunderbird design gestation was the longest of his career and was largely finalized before he retired from Ford in 1997. His successor, J Mays resolved "details, trim, fabric, the interior design and colors" and presenting the 2002 production model in 1999.

For the design, Telnack enlisted competing studios in Italy, England, Germany, California and Dearborn, bringing a 1955 and a 1957 Thunderbird to the Dearborn studio. In Dearborn, he asked each designer to literally wash the two cars, before taking pencil to paper. "I told them, I want you to rub your hands over the surfaces, understand the shapes, the forms that build the character lines, really get into it," he said. "You learn more by washing a car than standing there, looking at it."

The proposal from the Dearborn studio won, with the production model inspired by the 1955 Thunderbird. "If you look at the '55 in side elevations, you will notice that the car starts high in the front, reaching the high point over the front wheel and then tapers to the rear."

Other details recalling the original include the egg-crate grille, steeply raked chromed windshield surround, dropped hoodscoop and round taillights. J Mays would later describe the final design as minimalist, American, bold, and confident.

Before the design had been approved for production, the company presented a black, fiberglass-bodied Thunderbird prototype, with full red interior (including its entire dash) at the 1999 Detroit auto show, Pebble Beach Concours and Frankfurt Motor Show. The design shared its with the Lincoln LS and Jaguar S-Type, ultimately sharing its basic instrument-panel and center-stack layout with the LS.

In 2003, Valmet Automotive presented a retractable hardtop concept for the 11th generation Thunderbird at the Geneva Motor Show, featuring a fully automatic retractable roof with two glass panels, sharing the production model's storage capacity and trunk lid.

Color and trim
Styling remained unchanged over its production span, with exterior and interior colors changing annually. For 2002, the car was available in red ("torch red"), yellow ("inspiration yellow"), and turquoise ("Thunderbird blue"), all reminiscent of 1950s colors. Two-tone interiors (black and the color matching the exterior), were paired with these exterior colors.

White and black exteriors were also available in 2002, with matching solid-color interiors or the two-tone interiors were no longer available, with the exception of red and a limited white — in favor of all-black (or other one-color) interiors. Yellow and turquoise exteriors were no longer available, replaced by gray, sky blue and coral. Exterior and interior colors added for both the 2004 and 2005 model years remained subdued and white was replaced by silver.

Trim Levels

Throughout its production run, the eleventh-generation Ford Thunderbird was available in two basic trim levels: Deluxe and Premium. All Thunderbirds included standard equipment such as perforated leather-trimmed seating surfaces, dual power-adjustable bucket seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, cruise control, dual-zone automatic climate control system with air conditioning, keyless entry, security alarm system, 17-inch tires and aluminum-alloy wheels, power-retractable cloth convertible roof (top), an AM/FM stereo radio with an in-dash 6-disc CD changer and a premium Audiophile sound system with dual amplifiers for the rear speakers, a driver message center, the HomeLink garage door opener system, a glass rear window with a defroster, and automatic delay on/off front headlamps. There were few differences between the two trim levels, with the Premium trim receiving chrome-clad aluminum-alloy wheels, and dual heated seats as standard equipment (the base Deluxe trim did not offer heated seats). The Premium trim also offered a 90-lb. removable hardtop roof, which could either be painted to match the exterior paint color of the vehicle, or painted in a contrasting color, and included two porthole windows, reminiscent of the windows fitted to some hardtops on 1950s-era Thunderbirds.

The Thunderbird also offered several different optional appearance packages that allowed Thunderbird buyers to personalize their vehicles. A Black Appearance Package added a high-gloss black accent to the leather-wrapped steering wheel and automatic transmission gear selector, while additional appearance packages added a Parchment cloth soft top (roof), color-keyed accents on the steering wheel and gear selector lever, and seat centers. These packages, which were dependent upon the exterior color selected (the Black Appearance Package was available regardless of exterior color), were only available on the Premium trim level of the Thunderbird. Other personalization options included the color of the removable hardtop roof, as well as a choice of several different 17-inch aluminum-alloy wheels.

Special editions

2002 Neiman Marcus Edition:  In 2000, Ford introduced the Neiman Marcus edition in the company's Christmas catalog. With a production of 200 and MSRP of US$41,995, the edition featured two-tone black exterior paint color with silver hard top roof; logo etched into the circular hardtop glazing; scooped hood; twenty-one spoke chrome aluminum-alloy wheels; silver-accented steering wheel and transmission gear selector lever; aluminum dash inserts; perforated black leather-trimmed interior with silver wing-embroidered seat inserts; 'Neiman Marcus' embroidered floor mats and an available 1/18-scale die cast model.

2003 James Bond 007 Edition: Ford introduced the James Bond Edition as a co-branding promotion for the James Bond Die Another Day movie. With a production of 700, the edition featured coral paint with a white hardtop; twenty-one spoke chrome aluminum-alloy wheels, white perforated leather-trimmed interior, engine-turned interior trim panels with  "007" emblem, engine horsepower increased from 250 to 280, five-speed automatic transmission with manual gear selection; MSRP of US$43,995, and an available die cast scale model. Starting with Goldfinger in 1964 through Diamonds Are Forever, Ford had a product placement arrangement with the film's producer to exclusively use Ford products in the movies, a tradition that was restored with this movie.

2004 Pacific Coast Roadster Edition: The Pacific Coast Roadster edition, with 1,000 examples produced, featured monterey mist green paint with an ash metallic hard top roof and light ash soft top roof, paired with light ash and dark ash interior and suede trimmed seating, aluminum-alloy wheels, color-keyed interior accents, patterned dash trim, and a numbered dashboard plaque.

2005 50th Anniversary Cashmere Special Edition: In 2005, Ford celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Ford Thunderbird. All 2005 Thunderbirds received a "50th Anniversary" badge. The Cashmere edition, with a production run of 1,500, featured a commemorative dashboard plaque, cashmere exterior paint and medium gray soft top convertible roof; hard top; 50th Anniversary front fender emblems; teal-accented third rear brake lamp with illuminated "Thunderbird" script; two-tone gray and dark gray interior with Cashmere perforated leather-trimmed seating; color-keyed instrument cluster with turquoise gauge needles and "Ford Thunderbird" door sill plates round.

Reception and legacy
Forbes magazine writer Jerry Flint attributed the Thunderbird's demise to a lack of proper sales and marketing, writing: "Ford dealers have been successful selling $35,000-45,000 trucks, but have little experience selling automobiles in the near-luxury price range. If there was a marketing effort by Ford Motor, I wasn't aware of it. Naturally, sales didn't meet expectations."

Noted automotive journalist Doug DeMuro criticized the Thunderbird's similarity to the Lincoln LS, its interior, and its price. With respect to the interior, he noted the interior's hard plastic and switchgear shared with other models — while admiring the retro styling of the door panels. He also criticized the engine, saying it wasn't sporty. In his opinion, Ford made the 11th generation for people who were nostalgic for the first generations, not for a discerning buyer of a modern sports or luxury car, resulting in its poor sales.

Film and television

The 2003 Thunderbird was featured in the James Bond movie Die Another Day, driven by Halle Berry's character. In addition, a similar Thunderbird was featured in The Cat in the Hat

The 2004 live-action film Thunderbirds featured a heavily modified 11th generation Ford Thunderbird, a fully functional full-sized six-wheeled prototype called FAB 1.

Adriana La Cerva, girlfriend and later fiancé to Christoper Moltisanti in the HBO series The Sopranos, drove a 2002 Ford Thunderbird in seasons 4 and 5

References

011
Rear-wheel-drive vehicles
Coupés
Convertibles
Retro-style automobiles
Motor vehicles manufactured in the United States
Cars introduced in 2002
Personal luxury cars

Ford Thunderbird (eleventh generation)


Barnsley Interchange is a combined rail and bus station in the centre of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. It was first opened in 1850 as Barnsley Exchange railway station and is  north of Sheffield. It is on the Hallam and Penistone Lines, both operated by Northern Trains. On 20 May 2007, the new bus station and refurbished railway station were officially opened by Travel South Yorkshire, with the combined facility renamed to Barnsley Interchange.

Earlier history

The Sheffield, Rotherham, Barnsley, Wakefield, Huddersfield & Goole Railway was formed in 1846 with the aim of providing access to the South Yorkshire coalfield. It was to link the Manchester and Leeds Railway (M&LR) near Horbury, with the Sheffield and Rotherham Railway near , by way of Barnsley. Whilst the railway was still at the planning stage, it was split in two at Barnsley, the northern portion being leased to the M&LR and the southern to the South Yorkshire, Doncaster & Goole Railway (SYD&G). The northern section opened first, and Barnsley station was opened with the line on 1 January 1850. The route of the southern section was changed, and instead, is connected to the SYD&G line near . This section opened on 1 July 1851, and Barnsley then became a through station, although the two sections of line were operated by different railways. On 1 July 1854, the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway (MS&LR) opened a line from  to Barnsley.

Each of these railway companies went through various takeovers and amalgamations, until the early 20th century, when the station at Barnsley was co-owned by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway (LYR, successor to the M&LR), and the Great Central Railway (GCR, successor to the MS&LR and SYD&G). At the 1923 grouping, the GCR became part of the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER), whilst the LYR formed part of the new London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS), as did the Midland Railway (MR). The LYR and MR each contributed one station in Barnsley to the LMS, and since the ex-MR station was already distinguished as , the LMS renamed the former LYR station to Barnsley Low Town on 2 June 1924. Just two months later, on 1 August 1924, it was again renamed, this time to Barnsley Exchange.

Barnsley Court House station closed on 19 April 1960, following the commissioning of a new chord line south of the town near Quarry Junction that linked the former SYR route down the Blackburn Valley with the ex-Midland Railway line from Sheffield Midland, allowing services on the latter route to serve the station (and continue northwards to Wakefield & Leeds). Subsequently, on 13 June 1960, Barnsley Exchange was renamed Barnsley.

South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive rebuilt the station in 2007 to improve interchange with bus services, and the redesign won a Civic Building award.

Facilities

The station is fully staffed throughout the day, with the booking office open from 06:00 to 19:30 Mondays to Saturdays and from 08:45 to 19:00 on Sundays.  There are several self-service ticket machines provided for use outside these times and for collecting advance purchase tickets, located on the platform 2 side of the foot-bridge, and outside the ticket office. In the main building on platform 1, there is a waiting room and toilets.  A separate waiting room (with vending machines for drinks and snacks) is located on platform 2, with a fully accessible footbridge (equipped with lifts) linking them; there is step-free access from the entrance and bus station to all platforms.  Train running information is provided by automated announcements, digital display screens and timetable posters. There are a number of shops a short walk over the footbridge to the bus station, these include a newsagents, Lloyds Pharmacy, Coopland Bakery and a Subway restaurant.

In popular culture
In 2013 it was used as a filming location in Channel 4's cult drama series Utopia.

Rail services

Rail services operate frequently through Barnsley Interchange station. On the Hallam line during the day from Monday to Saturday, there are three trains per hour northbound to . Two are express services, calling only at Wakefield Kirkgate en route to Leeds whilst the third is an all-stations local that runs via . On Sundays, the service reduces to one express service and one stopping service to Leeds each hour. One northbound Sunday service from Sheffield to Leeds extends to  via the Settle & Carlisle line.

On the Penistone line, there is an hourly service northbound to Huddersfield, now provided seven days a week.

Southbound there are four trains per hour (2 fast and 2 stopping). Two of these services terminate at Sheffield whilst one fast train carries on to Nottingham and the other fast service runs through to Lincoln. The service drops to three per hour (one fast & two stopping) on Sundays.

In May 1999, Midland Mainline commenced a daily weekday service to London St Pancras. The service was withdrawn by East Midlands Trains on 5 September 2008.

Bus services

The new Barnsley Interchange was opened on 20 May 2007 by Secretary of State for Transport Douglas Alexander. The new building forms the entire new complex of Barnsley Interchange. Rail and bus users exit the interchange via the new car park or, for the town centre, the new entrance and exit is on Eldon Street. It has 24 bus stands.

The bus station features the latest in technology such as the South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive scheme of "Your Next Bus", tracking buses with GPS to check what time they are due to arrive and depart. Several shops occupy retail units within the interchange, including Lloyd's Pharmacy, GT News, Cowpuccino Espresso Bar, Cooplands and a Subway.

Work has since been completed on the link road, Schwäbisch Gmünd Way (formerly Interchange Way), which was renamed in honour of Barnsley's twin town in Germany. That enables buses to enter or leave the Interchange quickly, without having to use the busy level crossing at Jumble Lane.

, the stand allocation is:

References

External links

Travel South Yorkshire website

Railway stations in Barnsley
DfT Category C2 stations
Bus stations in South Yorkshire
Former Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway stations
Former Great Central Railway stations
Railway stations in Great Britain opened in 1850
Northern franchise railway stations

Barnsley Interchange


Love Potion No. 9 is a 1992 American romantic comedy film starring Tate Donovan and Sandra Bullock. The film takes its name from the 1959 hit song, "Love Potion No. 9". The story is about a love potion, that enables a person to make people of the opposite sex become completely infatuated with them by simply talking.

Plot
Paul Matthews is a lonely biochemist with a crush on his co-worker, biologist Diane Farrow. His three friends take him to a gypsy on 34th and Vine named Madame Ruth. After reading his palm and seeing absolutely no romance in his life, Ruth opens a large bottle containing a thick liquid she calls Love Potion No. 8 and gives him a small amount on a piece of paper. She tells him to dilute the mixture and drink it to improve his love life. As a scientist, Paul has doubts and ends up throwing it in the trash when he gets home. Around this time, Paul's friends buy him the services of sex worker named Marisa, but all they do is talk. Meanwhile, Diane is having her own romantic issues, being very self-conscious about her homely appearance and only receiving physical affection from repeat one-night stands with a cruel acquaintance named Gary.

That night Paul's cat gets into the trash and eats some of the potion, then meows and attracts all the other cats in the neighborhood. When Paul sees the results, he takes it to Diane the next morning. They feed a small amount to a female chimp in Diane's lab and witness the same results, a male chimp flying into a sexual frenzy upon hearing her voice. After analyzing the potion, they learn the "scientific" properties of it, which causes anyone who drinks it to attract members of the opposite sex with their voice for a period of four hours. After analyzing it, they decide to use themselves as human test subjects, dividing the remaining potion into spray bottles. Diane uses the potion to improve her life and ends up attracting an Italian car mogul and the prince of England, ending up getting a makeover in the process. During one of Diane's dates with the prince of England Gary appears at her house and gets told to leave at Diane's request by the prince's security, angering him. Meanwhile, Paul has a string of hookups with women in bars, supermarkets, cars, sorority houses etc.

Over time Paul and Diane realize their romantic attraction to each other and become a couple. Eventually, Paul plans a proposal to Diane; however, when he goes to her house to do so, she's not there. Later, she tells him she has fallen for Gary. Paul is devastated and decides he wants to get her back. He meets with Diane and attempts to confess his feelings until Gary calls her on her cell phone and instructs her to never see Paul again. Diane tells Paul she can't see him anymore and leaves, breaking his heart.
Marisa returns to Paul's house and after raiding his medicine cabinet for any useful drugs, finds and uses the spray bottle containing the potion, causing Paul to gladly give her all his valuables, including the last of his potion with instructions on how it works.

After "waking up" from his infatuation, Paul realizes that how he was behaving on the potion matches Diane's sudden infatuation with Gary. He returns to Madame Ruth and confirms that somebody looking like Gary has purchased the entire bottle of love potion No. 8. He phones Diane to tell her Gary is using the potion on her, but Gary forbids her to talk to him. After weeks of unsuccessful attempts, Paul goes back to Madame Ruth, asking for an antidote. She provides Paul with the only solution, Love Potion No. 9. Unlike number 8, it does not create feelings of love, but removes the things obscuring it (such as potion No. 8) forever. Solidifying eternal true love between those who drink it together five minutes after they share a kiss. However, if Diane was never truly in love with him, Paul will love her forever, and she will eternally hate him.

Paul asks his three friends to help him in forcing Diane away from Gary and to take No. 9, but they don't believe him. Marisa arrives at Paul's and uses No. 8 to rob all of them and learn that Gary has purchased the entirety of No. 8. After proving the power of the potion, Paul's friends agree to help. When they arrive at Diane's house, Diane's friend and matron of honor tells them Diane and Gary are marrying in an hour, but that she suspects something is wrong with Diane. Seeing her friend go from a lonely single woman to having a string of handsome wealthy boyfriends, to being in love with Paul and now suddenly marrying a man she never loved. Paul explains what is happening and she agrees to help.

The group arrives at the church to enact their plan, but things go terribly wrong. Diane's friend successfully gives her potion No. 9 but before Paul can drink from the glass and kiss her to activate it, Marisa arrives and enchants Paul's friends, preventing them from restraining Gary who then drinks No. 9 by accident and kisses Diane. Paul attempts to drink the potion and kiss her, but Gary throws him out and has him arrested. Marissa then uses the potion on Gary, having him give her the bottle of no. 8. As Gary is on the potion as well, he enchants Marisa. Gary, having drank No. 9 five minutes prior, feels drawn back to Diane and returns to the ceremony to marry her. Marissa, now infatuated with Gary, drinks some of the pure undiluted No. 8 from the bottle, causing all men in the church who hear her voice to stampede toward her, causing havoc and effectively ending the wedding. Marissa running screaming through the streets causes every man within ear shot to chase after her, giving Paul the opportunity to escape the police. Paul drinks Potion No. 9, kisses Diane and waits five minutes. The effect kicks in and Diane runs away from Gary into Paul's arms.

Note
The film gives a pseudoscientific explanation as to how Love Potion No. 8 "works." It is explained:

When swallowed it affects the vocal cords directly so that when you speak micro-tremors encoded within your voice stimulate tiny little hairs in the inner ear of the opposite sex. The hair vibrates, sending a signal along a nerve to the brain, which in turn produces a combination of mood-altering, endogenous chemicals responsible for the biochemical process of falling in love. It makes members of the same sex hostile. It only works for four hours at a time.

Love Potion No. 9 prevents love from fading, and overrides the effects of Love Potion No. 8.

Cast
 Tate Donovan as Paul Matthews
 Sandra Bullock as Diane Farrow
 Mary Mara as Marisa
 Dale Midkiff as Gary Logan
 Hillary B. Smith as Sally
 Anne Bancroft as Madame Ruth
 Dylan Baker as Prince Geoffrey
 Blake Clark as Motorcycle Cop
 Bruce McCarty as Jeff
 Rebecca Staab as Cheryl
 Adrian Paul as Enrico Pazzoli
 Ric Reitz as Dave

Reception
On Rotten Tomatoes the film has an approval rating of 25% based on reviews from 12 critics.

Emanuel Levy of Variety called it "a light-hearted one-joke romantic comedy" and that it "tries too hard to be cute. Glib humor and emphasis on "feel good" values aim squarely at the dating crowd and twenty-something couples. But lack of real wit and comic vitality, absence of star names and sluggish pace make pic less appealing than it might have been."
Entertainment Weekly gave the film a "D" grade.

The film opened in 278 theaters and earned $416,641 in its opening weekend, and its North American domestic total was $754,935.

References

External links

1992 films
1992 romantic comedy films
American fantasy comedy films
American romantic comedy films
American romantic fantasy films
American sex comedy films
1990s English-language films
Films about potions
Films based on songs
Films set in Georgia (U.S. state)
20th Century Fox films
Films with screenplays by Dale Launer
Films scored by Ennio Morricone
1990s sex comedy films
1992 directorial debut films
1990s American films

Love Potion No. 9 (film)


Phou Khao Khouay National Park is a protected area in Laos. It is located 40 kilometres (25 mi) northeast of Vientiane. It covers an area of 1920 km2, extending into Xaisomboun Province, Vientiane Prefecture, Vientiane Province, and Bolikhamsai Province. It was established on 29 October 1993 as Phou Khao Khouay National Biodiversity Conservation Area (or Phou Khao Khouay National Protected Area), and redesignated a national park in 2021. It includes a large stretch of mountain range with sandstone cliffs, river gorges and three large rivers with tributaries which flow into the Mekong River.

It has mountainous topography with elevation varying from 200 m – 1761 m. The area emerged from "uplifting and exposure of the underlying sedimentary (Indosinias schist-clay-sandstone) complex". Sandstones are also seen spread in layers. Extensive flat uplands with sandstones with hardly any soil cover are also part of the topography of the park.

The park has monsoonal climate with recorded annual rainfall of 1,936.1 mm (with higher reaches recording more rainfall). The mean annual temperature is 26.6 °C with recorded the mean maximum of 31.6 °C and the mean minimum temperature of 21.5 °C.

The forests are evergreen, Shorea mixed deciduous forest, dry dipterocarp and pine type; particularly coniferous forest, of monospecific stands of Pinus latteri, Fokienia hodgsinsii, bamboo, and fire-climax grasslands.

Animals found in the park include elephants, tigers, bears, 13 pairs of white-cheeked gibbons, langurs, reptiles, amphibians and birds. Sightings of the green peafowl have been reported near Ban Nakhay and Ban Nakhan Thoung, although it was generally once considered extinct in Laos. Conservation management has increased its population.

See also
Protected areas of Laos

References

National parks of Laos
Geography of Bolikhamsai province
Geography of Vientiane province
Protected areas established in 1993
1993 in Laos

Phou Khao Khouay


Donald L. Coles (April 12, 1927 – November 29, 2017) was a Canadian poet and novelist. He won the 1993 Governor General's Award for English poetry for his collection Forests of the Medieval World and the Trillium Book Award in 2000 for his collection Kurgan.

He was born on April 12, 1927, in Woodstock, Ontario. He attended the University of Toronto and received a B.A in modern History in 1949, and an M.A in English Literature in 1952. He then attended the University of Cambridge, where he eventually earned a second M.A in Canadian Literature. Coles' writing began to take off after he received a British Council grant, which allowed him a year in Italy. Coles spent the following ten to twelve years traveling around Europe and lived in London, Stockholm, Florence, Munich, Copenhagen, Hamburg, and Zurich. Coles had struggled with writing and while in Europe he wrote two unpublished novels. "I was bad at characterization, I was bad at dialogue, I was bad at plot…" he told the National Post.

After he returned home in 1965 he joined the faculty of York University, where he worked for 30 years. He taught humanities, and was the director of the creative writing program. Furthermore, he was the senior editor at the Banff Centre for the Arts from 1984 to 1994. Coles was influenced by many British writers during the time he was living in Europe. These early influences were Thomas Hardy, Philip Larkin, Donald Hall, John Berryman and Margaret Atwood, with whom he worked at York University.

Coles first began writing poetry around 1966, and soon published his first collection, Sometimes All Over, in 1975 with Macmillan.  Coles' first novel, Doctor Bloom's Story was not published until 2004. His other poetry collections, seven of which were published in Canada and one published in England, included Anniversaries (1979); The Prinzhorn Collection (1982); Landslides: selected poems, 1975-1985 (1986); K. in Love (1987); Little Bird (1991); Forests of the Medieval World (1993); Someone Has Stayed in Stockholm (1994, published in England); and For the Living and the Dead (1996, a translation from the Swedish). Coles died on November 29, 2017 at the age of ninety.

Works

Publications
 Sometimes All Over, Macmillan of Canada, 1975 : Poetry-collection
 Anniversaries,  Macmillan of Canada, 1979: Poetry-collection
 The Prinzhorn Collection, Macmillan of Canada, 1982: Poetry-collection
 Landslides, McClelland & Stewart,1986: Poetry-new and selected
 K. in Love, Signal Editions, 1987: Poetry-linked
 Little Bird, Signal Editions, 1991: Poetry
 Forests Of the Medieval World, The Porcupine's Quill, Inc., 1993: Poetry-collection
 Someone Has Stayed In Stockholm, Arc Publications, UK, 1994: Poetry- new and selected
 For the Living and the Dead, Buschekbooks, Ottawa, 1996
 Kurgan, Porcupine's Quill, Erin, Ontario, Canada, 2000
 Doctor Bloom's story, Toronto: A.A. Knopf Canada, 2004. 1st ed. : Novel
 How We All Swiftly, Signal Editions, 2005 : The first six books
 A dropped glove in Regent Street, Signal Editions, 2007
 The essential Don Coles, Porcupine's Quill, 2009
 Where We Might Have Been, Signal Editions, 2010
 "A Serious Call," Porcupine's Quill, 2015

References

External links
Don Coles archives at the Clara Thomas Archives & Special Collections, York University

1927 births
2017 deaths
20th-century Canadian poets
20th-century Canadian male writers
Canadian male poets
Canadian male novelists
Writers from Ontario
Academic staff of York University
University of Toronto alumni
Alumni of the University of Cambridge
Governor General's Award-winning poets
People from Woodstock, Ontario
21st-century Canadian poets
21st-century Canadian novelists
20th-century Canadian translators
21st-century Canadian translators
21st-century Canadian male writers
Canadian male non-fiction writers

Don Coles


Reconstructive surgery is surgery performed to restore normal appearance and function to body parts malformed by a disease or medical condition.

Description
Reconstructive surgery is a term with training, clinical, and reimbursement implications. It has historically been referred to as synonymous with plastic surgery. In regard to training, Plastic Surgery is a recognized medical specialty and a surgeon can be a "board-certified" plastic surgeon by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. However, reconstructive surgery is not a specialty and there are no board-certified reconstructive surgeons.

More accurately, reconstructive surgery should be contrasted with cosmetic surgery. Reconstructive surgery is performed to

 Improve/restore to normal function.
 Restore to a normal appearance of "abnormal" or "malformed" body parts caused by the disease or condition and/or
 Improve the patient's quality of life.

Separately, the patient must be healthy enough so that the benefits of the procedure outweigh the risks of complications or death. A procedure could be considered reconstructive but not medically necessary due to the risk to the patient.

In addition Section 1862(a) (1) (A) of the Social Security Act directs the following:
"No payment may be made under Part A or Part B for any expenses incurred for items or services not reasonable and necessary for the diagnosis or treatment of illness or injury or to improve the functioning of a malformed body member." Therefore, outside clinical interpretation and carrier guidelines, there is a federal statute that "improving functionality and restoring appearance" are covered as reconstructive and medically necessary.

This definition is contrasted with cosmetic surgery performed to improve aesthetics or the appearance of a body part. A plastic surgeon can perform both reconstructive and cosmetic procedures. Some procedures, such as a panniculectomy (aka tummy tuck) can be considered as cosmetic by one insurance company and reconstructive by another. The surgeon may not be using the Medicare or reimbursement criteria when referring to a procedure as reconstructive or cosmetic. Plastic surgeons, maxillo-facial surgeons and otolaryngologists do reconstructive surgery on faces to correct congenital defects, after trauma and to reconstruct the head and neck after cancer.

Another good example is repair of a cleft palate, or cheiloplasty, which surgically corrects abnormal development, restores function to the lips and mouth and produces a more normal appearance. This meets the definition of reconstructive surgery and is mandated by state laws in at least 31 states, but could be denied as cosmetic by individual insurance companies in the remaining  states.

Other branches of surgery (e.g., general surgery, gynecological surgery, pediatric surgery, plastic surgery, podiatric surgery) also perform some reconstructive procedures.

Reconstructive surgery represents a small but critical component of the comprehensive care of cancer patients. Its primary role in the treatment of cancer patients is to extend the ability of other surgeons and specialists to more radically treat cancer, offering patients the best opportunity for cure.

Reconstructive surgeons use the concept of a reconstructive ladder to manage increasingly complex wounds. This ranges from very simple techniques such as primary closure and dressings to more complex skin grafts, tissue expansion, and free flaps.

Reconstructive surgery procedures include breast implant removal, reduction mammoplasty, breast reconstruction, surgical correction of birth anomalies, congenital nevi surgery, and liposuction for lipedema.
Cosmetic surgery procedures include breast enhancement, reduction and lift, face lift, forehead lift, upper and lower eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty), laser skin resurfacing (laser resurfacing), chemical peel, nose reshaping (rhinoplasty), reconstruction liposuction, Nasal reconstruction using a paramedian forehead flap, as well as tummy tuck (abdominoplasty).

Use of implants and biomaterials
Recent literature in medline also has noted implementation of barbed suture in these procedures.

Biomaterials are, in their simplest form, plastic implants used to correct or replace damaged body parts. Biomaterials were not used for reconstructive purposes until after World War II due to the new and improved technology and the tremendous need for the correction of damaged body parts that could replace transplantation. The process involves scientific and medical research to ensure that the biomaterials are biocompatible and that they can assume the mechanical and functioning roles of the components they are replacing.

A successful implantation can best be achieved by a team that understands not only the anatomical, physiological, biochemical, and pathological aspects of the problem, but also comprehends bioengineering. Cellular and tissue engineering is crucial to know for reconstructive procedures.

An overview of the standardization and control of biomedical devices has recently been gathered by D. G. Singleton. Papers have covered in depth the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Premarket Approval Process (J. L. Ely) and FDA regulations governing Class III devices. Two papers have described how the National Institute of Standards and Technology, American Dental Association, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, and private dental companies have collaborated in a number of important advances in dental materials, devices, and analytical systems.

References

Surgery
Oral and maxillofacial surgery
Otorhinolaryngology
Plastic surgery

Reconstructive surgery


Sotirios Hatzigakis (; born 10 October 1945) is a Greek politician.

Born in Trikala, Hatzigakis studied law at the University of Athens, where he gained his bachelor's degree.  He obtained a master's degree from the University College London, United Kingdom in Economics and from the Sorbonne of Paris, France in political science.

Political career
Sotirios Hatzigakis is a 4th-generation politician. He is the offspring of a big political family in Greece.  The first Hatzigakis that entered the Parliament was elected in the 1892 Greek legislative election. Since 1892, the Hatzigakis family has always had a representative in the Parliament. Hatzigakis is also the cousin of Evangelos Averoff who was Foreign Minister of Greece and Defense Minister of Greece during the 1960s and 1970s and one of the leading figures in the New Democracy (ND).

Following the collapse of the Greek military junta of 1967-1974, Hatzigakis decided to run for parliament MP with ND. In the 1974 Greek legislative election, Hatzigakis was elected first in his electorate district Trikala and became the youngest member in the Parliament at the age of only 29.

Harzigakis has been elected 13 consecutive times, in the legislative elections of 1974, 1977, 1981, 1985, June 1989, November 1989, 1990, 1993, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2007, and 2009.

From the outset of his political career, Hatzigakis was involved in the accession negotiations of Greece with the European Economic Community.  When his cousin Evangelos Averoff was elected the leader of New Democracy in 1981, he tried to renew the party by bringing in new politicians and getting rid of the old guard.  During that period, Hatzigakis was considered his right-hand man.

In 1989, New Democracy formed a coalition government with the Coalition of the Left and Progress which at the time included the Communist Party of Greece. The government was headed by Tzannis Tzannetakis and Hatzigakis first entered the Cabinet of Greece as Alternate Minister for the National Economy and Minister for Labour.

The government was soon replaced by two further short-lived governments under Yiannis Grivas and Xenophon Zolotas. With the 1990 elections, New Democracy managed to form a single-party government under its leader Constantine Mitsotakis. Hatzigakis was appointed Alternate Minister for Trade in 1990 and Minister for Agriculture from 1991 to 1992. He resigned over matters of principle.

He re-entered the Cabinet as Minister for Justice on 19 September 2007, following New Democracy's victory in the 2007 parliamentary election. From 8 January to 7 October 2009, he served again as Minister for Rural Development and Food.

Hatzigakis has published numerous articles and studies on political, social and economic affairs. He has also participated in many international conferences and parliamentary missions. Hatzigakis is the author of 14 books. Currently he is the longest-serving member of the Hellenic Parliament.

References

External links
 Biography on Greek Parliament website
 Personal website

1945 births
Living people
Politicians from Athens
National and Kapodistrian University of Athens alumni
Alumni of University College London
University of Paris alumni
New Democracy (Greece) politicians
Greek MPs 1974–1977
Greek MPs 1977–1981
Greek MPs 1981–1985
Greek MPs 1985–1989
Greek MPs 1989 (June–November)
Greek MPs 1989–1990
Greek MPs 1990–1993
Greek MPs 1993–1996
Greek MPs 1996–2000
Greek MPs 2000–2004
Greek MPs 2004–2007
Greek MPs 2007–2009
Greek MPs 2009–2012
Justice ministers of Greece
Agriculture ministers of Greece
People from Trikala

Sotirios Hatzigakis


Jørgen Møller (sometimes Jorgen Moeller or Jörgen Möller) (4 November 1873 – 20 November 1944) was a Danish chess master.

Møller was twice a Nordic Champion, winning at Copenhagen 1899 (2nd Nord-ch) and at Gothenburg 1901 (3rd Nord-ch).

At the beginning of his career, he tied for 4-5th at Copenhagen 1895 (Andreas Rosendahl won), took 2nd, behind Sven Otto Svensson, at Stockholm 1897 (1st Nordic-ch), and took 4th at Copenhagen 1907 (6th Nord-ch, Paul Leonhardt won).

In 1920, he tied for 13-14th in Gothenburg (Richard Réti won). In 1923, he took 6th in Copenhagen (Aron Nimzowitsch won).

His name is attached to the Møller Attack in the Giuoco Piano (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 ed4 6.cd4 Bb4+ 7.Nc3 Nxe4 8.O–O Bxc3 9.d5) and the Møller Defense in the Ruy Lopez (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O–O Bc5).

Møller was born 4 November 1873 in Otterup, Denmark, and died 20 November 1944 in Copenhagen.

References

External links

1873 births
1944 deaths
Danish chess players
Chess theoreticians
People from Nordfyn Municipality

Jørgen Møller


Taking It All In is the seventh collection of movie reviews by the critic Pauline Kael and contains the 150 film reviews she wrote for The New Yorker between June 9, 1980, and June 13, 1983. She writes in the Author's Note at the beginning of the collection that, "it was a shock to discover how many good ones there were", as well as observing that  only a very few of the movies she liked  were box office successes - E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Tootsie, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. She laments  that, "in the '80s, films that aren't immediate box office successes are instantly branded as losers, flops, bombs. Some of the movies that meant the most to me were in this doomed group - The Stunt Man, Pennies from Heaven, Blow Out, The Devil's Playground, Melvin and Howard, Shoot the Moon, Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean."

The collection starts up after a gap of a year, part of which Kael spent in Los Angeles and what she learned during those months is summed up in the piece "Why Are Movies So Bad?" This essay, (in which she takes on the Hollywood money men whose love of swift and easy financial returns she believed led to the too many truly bad films on show at the time),  is also included in the collection. (  "Why Are Movies So Bad? Or The Numbers").

The book is out-of-print in the United States, but is still published by Marion Boyars Publishers in the United Kingdom.

Editions
Henry Holt & Co., 1984, hardbound ()
Marion Boyars, 1986, paperback ()

1984 non-fiction books
Books of film criticism
Books about film
Books by Pauline Kael
American non-fiction books
Henry Holt and Company books

Taking It All In


Gene Taylor (July 2, 1952 – February 20, 2021) was an American pianist best known for his boogie woogie style. Over a career spanning more than 50 years he accompanied many musicians, produced several solo albums and was briefly part of Canned Heat.

Early life
Taylor began his musical training as a drummer at age eight but two years later he had picked up both the guitar and his initial piano skills from boogie-woogie pianist-neighbours. By the age of 16 he was an orphan and was essentially forced to fund himself - his receding hairline disguising his remarkable youth. He soon found himself working with some of the big names in the West Coast blues scene including Big Joe Turner and T-Bone Walker, aided by the fact that he "was cheap" and had a driver's license and was thus able to not only add piano parts but also make sure that the musicians reached their gigs.

Harman and Canned Heat
In the mid-seventies he joined the James Harman Band and had a stint as pianist for boogie group Canned Heat between November 1974 and May 1976. There are no known recordings of Taylor playing with Canned Heat during this period but ten songs were later recorded with part of the band, Taylor playing piano with Larry Taylor and Fito de la Parra. According to Canned Heat historian, Walter de Paduwa, Taylor's abrupt departure from the band came in 1976 when an apparently banal spat over a pizza at a restaurant in the south of France turned into a full blown argument. Taylor returning to Long Beach, California, then, two years later relocating to Toronto. He would remain based in Canada, on and off, until 1993, often playing with his friend Morgan Davis and the Downchild Blues Band.

1980s and 1990s
From 1981 to 1984 he first toured with The Blasters, with whom he formed one of his most lasting and important collaboration that would eventually yield three albums. In 1986 Taylor finally recorded his first solo album, Handmade. His The Return of the Formerly Brothers, recorded with Amos Garrett and Doug Sahm in 1987, won a Juno Award the following year for Best Roots & Traditional Album.

In 1993, Taylor relocated from Canada to Austin, Texas. Here he began to play with The Fabulous Thunderbirds, a partnership which would last until 2006 and included two 'solo' albums with the band's leader Kim Wilson. In 2002, he also found time to join the tours and recordings for the "Original Blasters Reunion". He recorded an eponymous second solo album for Pacific Blues in 2003 partly accompanied by James Harman and Bill Bateman. This album included a version of "Pinetop's Boogie Woogie".

Belgium
From 2007, Taylor was often based in Belgium, playing and recording with Fried Bourbon, CC Jerome's Jet Setters, Dave Alvin and Jo' Buddy. He toured as the Gene Taylor Trio, with drummer Nico Vanhove, and the guitarist Bart De Mulder. He played at the Brussels Boogie-Woogie Festival of 2012, which took place at the Théâtre St Michel on November 24. Shortly after his death, the Dr Boogie show on Belgium's Classic 21 radio commemorated Taylor with an hour of programming and cited him as 'almost Belgian'.

Death
On February 20, 2021, Taylor's housemate - the filmmaker Monty McMillan - found him dead in his bed in their home in Austin, Texas. The cause of death was suspected to be hypothermia, as the house had been without heat in the dead of winter amid the 2021 Texas power crisis.

Discography (selection since 1981)
 2017: It's Too Late Now (with Chris Ruest)
 2013: Roadhouse Memories   (solo)
 2010: Let Me Ride In Your Automobile (with CC Jerome's Jetsetters)
 2009: Introducing... (with CC Jerome's Jetsetters)
 2008: 605 Boogie!   (Gene Taylor Blues Band featuring Dave Alvin) (live)
 2007: James Harman's Bamboo Porch   (with James Harman)
 2007: Hell Can Wait   (with Carlos Guitarlos)
 2007: Boogie Blend Blues   (with Fried Bourbon)
 2005: Painted On    (with The Fabulous Thunderbirds)
 2005: Live    (with The Fabulous Thunderbirds)
 2004: Come On In   (with The Downchild Blues Band), winner at the 2005 Maple Blues Awards
 2003: Lonesome Moon Trance   (with James Harman)
 2003: Going Home   (live, with The Blasters)
 2003: Gene Taylor   (solo)
 2002: Trouble Bound   (live,  with The Blasters)
 2002: Testament    (with The Blasters)
 2002: Bogart's Bounce   (with JW-Jones)
 2002: If I Had A Genie   (with Junior Watson), Taylor plays on all but four tracks
 2000: Mo Na'kins, Please!   (with James Harman)
 1999: Kid Ramos   (with Kid Ramos)
 1998: Takin' Chances  (with James Harman)
 1996: Icepick's Story   (with James Harman)
 1995: That's Life  (with Kim Wilson)
 1995: Roll Of The Dice   (with The Fabulous Thunderbirds)
 1995: In My Time   (with Charlie Musselwhite)
 1995: Black & White   (with James Harman)
 1994: Tiger Man   (with Kim Wilson)
 1994: Cards On The Table   (with James Harman)
 1993: Two Sides To Every Story   (with James Harman)
 1992: King King   (live, with The Red Devils)
 1992: Bluesology   (Pyramid Records compilation)
 1992: I Was Just Thinking That... (live album with Jackson Delta)
 1991: Do Not Disturb   (with James Harman)
 1990: Live In Japan  (as The Amos Garrett, Doug Sahm, Gene Taylor Band)
 1990: Collection   (with The Blasters)
 1989: Gone Fishing   (with The Downchild Blues Band)
 1988: Extra Napkins  (with James Harman)
 1987: Those Dangerous Gentlemen   (with James Harman)
 1987: The Return Of The Formerly Brothers (The Amos Garrett, Doug Sahm, Gene Taylor Band)
 1987: Pigus Drunkus Maximus   (with Top Jimmy & The Rhythm Pigs, actually recorded in 1981 but delayed 6 years before issue)
 1987: Nobody But You   (with John Hammond)
 1987: It's Been So Long   (with The Downchild Blues Band)
 1986: Handmade   (solo)
 1986: Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc. (with Dwight Yoakam)
 1985: Hard Line    (with The Blasters)
 1984: Streets of Fire - Original Movie Soundtrack (two songs with The Blasters that featured in the movie of the same name)
 1983: Thank You Baby   (with James Harman)
 1983: Non-Fiction    (with The Blasters)
 1982: Over There   (live,  with The Blasters)
 1981: This Band Just Won't Behave   (with James Harman)
 1981: The Blasters   (with The Blasters)

References

External links
 Gene Taylor's website

 , (accompanying Kim Wilson)

1952 births
2021 deaths
20th-century American male musicians
21st-century American male musicians
American blues pianists
American expatriate musicians in Canada
American expatriates in Belgium
American male pianists
Blues musicians from New Orleans
Boogie-woogie pianists
Canned Heat members
Juno Award winners
Musicians from Los Angeles County, California
Musicians from New Orleans
People from Norwalk, California
The Blasters members
The Fabulous Thunderbirds members

Gene Taylor (pianist)


Elisha Nelson "Eli" Manning (born January 3, 1981) is a retired American football quarterback. Manning played for the New York Giants in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons.

College career
Manning played college football at the University of Mississippi after attending high school at Isidore Newman School in New Orleans.

Professional career

When Manning entered the NFL Draft (which is where professional American football teams choose new players for their teams), he was first chosen by the San Diego Chargers.  But, the same day that the San Diego Chargers chose Manning, they decided to allow him to play for the New York Giants. In return, the New York Giants allowed Philip Rivers to join the San Diego Chargers. The New York Giants also allowed the San Diego Chargers to choose more players the next time the NFL Draft happened.

Manning was called the Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl XLII, which was played on February 3, 2008. In that game, he led the New York Giants to an unexpected win over the previously undedeated New England Patriots. When New York won Super Bowl XLVI, Manning was the MVP of that too.

Personal life
Eli Manning's home is in Hoboken, New Jersey. He is the son of former NFL quarterback Archie Manning.  Eli is the younger brother of Peyton Manning.

When Eli Manning was young, it was difficult for him to learn how to read. He almost had to do one year of school twice. Manning said that his mother helped him a lot when he was learning how to read. His brother, Peyton Manning, and father Archie Manning have also been successful quarterbacks.

In 2007, Manning asked Abby McGrew to marry him. He met her while they were in college. On April 19, 2008 Manning and McGrew were married in San José del Cabo|San José del Cabo, Mexico.

When he is not playing football, Manning likes collecting antiques with his mother and wife.

On April 30, 2008, Eli Manning and the rest of the people who play for the New York Giants visited United States President George W. Bush at the White House for the Super Bowl champions celebration.

Manning plays golf with his father and brothers several times a year.

References

1981 births
Living people
Sportspeople from New Orleans
American football quarterbacks
New York Giants players

Eli Manning


Wenceslas Pantaleon Kirwitzer (1588, in Kadaň – 1626, in Macau) was an astronomer and a Jesuit missionary. His name in China was Qi Weicai (祁維材).

Life
Kirwitzer was born in Kadaň (Germ. Kaaden), Bohemia (present-day Czech Republic) to a protestant family descended from the village of Krbice (Germ. Kürbitz) so his surname was derived from "Kürbitzer". He converted to Catholicism as a youth and started studying Jesuit Academy in Olomouc (after Charles University in Prague the second oldest university in the Czech lands established by Bishop Vilém Prusinovský z Víckova). He attracted attention of his professors for his talent especially for natural science. In 1606 he became a novice at Jesuits in Brno. After a short time he was called up to Rome to be embodied in the  Collegium Romanum. He was a member of this College in the time when Galileo Galilei was in Rome (1611) to state his case in the question of Heliocentric and Ptolemaic systems. The Roman College was then open to the Copernican opinion held by Galileo. After a short career as a Professor of Mathematics in Graz and later in Coimbra, Portugal  Kirwitzer leaves with other brothers (among them Nicolas Trigault) for China as a missionary. Their ship San Carlos or Bom Jesus arrived in Goa, India, in October 1618. Only 8 brothers out of 22 survived the journey, among them Johann Adam Schall von Bell aus Köln and Johann Schreck.  After some time in Goa he moved on to China and finally to Macau where he died on May 22, 1626 (other sources consider Kyoto /then called Meaco/ as the place of his death). He didn't stop being interested in astronomy, he kept in touch with Johann Adam Schall von Bell, a German Jesuit that was preparing the reform of the Chinese calendar and later became president of the Astronomical Office in Beijing. His observations of comets were published in Observationes cometarum anni 1618 factæ in India Orientali a quibusdam S. J. mathematicis in Sinense regnum navigantibus in Aschaffenburg in 1620. Other works include Literae de Martyrio p. Joannis Bapt. Machadi soc. Jesu, qui anno 1617 in Japonia passus est (1622) and Annuae litterae e Sinis datae Macao 28. Nov. et 27. Oct. 1625.

Heliocentric opinion
The exact opinions of Wenceslas Pantaleon Kirwitzer on the topic of heliocentric system are dubious. He never wrote about it in China. He was considered Copernican by his contemporaries, though. For further reading on this topic: Copernicus in China

Kirwitzer Day
In honour of W.P. Kirwitzer there are annual Kirwitzer Days organized in Kadaň, the astronomer's birthplace. The event is dedicated to the dialogue between natural sciences and theological and philosophical systems.

See also

 Manuel Dias Jr.
 St. Paul's College, Macao
 List of Jesuit scientists
List of Roman Catholic scientist-clerics

References

1588 births
1626 deaths
Czech astronomers
Jesuit missionaries in China
Roman Catholic missionaries in China
Czech Jesuits
Catholic clergy scientists
People from Kadaň
17th-century astronomers
Palacký University Olomouc alumni
Jesuit scientists
Czech Roman Catholic missionaries
Czech expatriates in China

Wenceslas Pantaleon Kirwitzer


Undecylenic acid is an organic compound with the formula CH2=CH(CH2)8CO2H. It is an unsaturated fatty acid.  It is a colorless oil. Undecylenic acid is mainly used for the production of Nylon-11 and in the treatment of fungal infections of the skin, but it is also a precursor in the manufacture of many pharmaceuticals, personal hygiene products, cosmetics, and perfumes.  Salts and esters of undecylenic acid are known as undecylenates.

Preparation
Undecylenic acid is prepared by pyrolysis of ricinoleic acid, which is derived from castor oil. Specifically, the methyl ester of ricinoleic acid is  cracked to yield both undecylenic acid and heptanal.  The process is conducted at 500–600 °C in the presence of steam.  The methyl ester is then hydrolyzed.

General commercial uses
Undecylenic acid is converted to 11-aminoundecanoic acid on an industrial scale.  This aminocarboxylic acid is the precursor to Nylon-11.

Undecylenic acid is reduced to undecylene aldehyde, which is valued in perfumery.  The acid is first converted to the acid chloride, which allows selective reduction.

Medical uses

Undecylenic acid is an active ingredient in medications for skin infections, and to relieve itching, burning, and irritation associated with skin problems. For example, it is used against fungal skin infections, such as athlete's foot, ringworm, tinea cruris, or other generalized infections by Candida albicans. When used for tinea cruris, it can result in extreme burning. In some case studies of tinea versicolor, pain and burning result from fungicide application. In a review of placebo-controlled trials, undecenoic acid was deemed efficacious, alongside prescription azoles (e.g., clotrimazole) and allylamines (e.g., terbinafine).  Undecylenic acid is also a precursor to antidandruff shampoos and antimicrobial powders.

In terms of the mechanism underlying its antifungal effects against Candida albicans, undecylenic acid inhibits morphogenesis. In a study on denture liners, undecylenic acid in the liners was found to inhibit conversion of yeast to the  hyphal form (which are associated with active infection), via inhibition of fatty acid biosynthesis. The mechanism of action and effectiveness in fatty acid-type antifungals is dependent on the number of carbon atoms in the chain, with efficacy increasing with the number of atoms in the chain.

U.S. FDA approval
Undecylenic acid is approved by the U.S. FDA for topical route and is listed in the Code of Federal Regulations.

Research uses
Undecylenic acid has been used as a linking molecule, because it is a bifunctional compound.  Specifically it is an α,ω- (terminally functionalized) bifunctional agent. For instance, the title compound has been used to prepare silicon-based biosensors, linking silicon transducer surfaces to the terminal double bond of undecylenic acid (forming an Si-C bond), leaving the carboxylic acid groups available for conjugation of biomolecules (e.g., proteins).

References

McLain N, Ascanio R, Baker C, et al. Undecylenic acid inhibits morphogenesis of
Candida albicans. Antimicrob Agents
Chemother 2000;44:2873-2875

Alkenoic acids
Antifungals
Fatty acids

Undecylenic acid


In mathematics, a homogeneous polynomial, sometimes called quantic in older texts, is a polynomial whose nonzero terms all have the same degree. For example,  is a homogeneous polynomial of degree 5, in two variables; the sum of the exponents in each term is always 5. The polynomial  is not homogeneous, because the sum of exponents does not match from term to term. The function defined by a homogeneous polynomial is always a homogeneous function.

An algebraic form, or simply form, is a function defined by a homogeneous polynomial. A binary form is a form in two variables. A form is also a function defined on a vector space, which may be expressed as a homogeneous function of the coordinates over any basis.

A polynomial of degree 0 is always homogeneous; it is simply an element of the field or ring of the coefficients, usually called a constant or a scalar. A form of degree 1 is a linear form. A form of degree 2 is a quadratic form. In geometry, the Euclidean distance is the square root of a quadratic form.

Homogeneous polynomials are ubiquitous in mathematics and physics. They play a fundamental role in algebraic geometry, as a projective algebraic variety is defined as the set of  the common zeros of a set of homogeneous polynomials.

Properties
A homogeneous polynomial defines a homogeneous function. This means that, if a multivariate polynomial P is homogeneous of degree d, then

for every  in any field containing the coefficients of P. Conversely, if the above relation is true for infinitely many   then the polynomial is homogeneous of degree d.

In particular, if P is homogeneous then

for every  This property is fundamental in the definition of a projective variety.

Any nonzero polynomial may be decomposed, in a unique way, as a sum of homogeneous polynomials of different degrees, which are called the homogeneous components of the polynomial.

Given a polynomial ring  over a field (or, more generally, a ring) K, the homogeneous polynomials of degree d form a vector space (or a module), commonly denoted  The above unique decomposition means that  is the direct sum of the  (sum over all nonnegative integers).

The dimension of the vector space (or free module)  is the number of different monomials of degree d in n variables (that is the maximal number of nonzero terms in a homogeneous polynomial of degree d in n variables). It is equal to the binomial coefficient

Homogeneous polynomial satisfy  Euler's identity for homogeneous functions. That is, if  is a homogeneous polynomial of degree  in the indeterminates  one has, whichever is the commutative ring of the coefficients,

where  denotes the formal partial derivative of  with respect to

Homogenization
A non-homogeneous polynomial P(x1,...,xn) can be homogenized by introducing an additional variable x0 and defining the homogeneous polynomial sometimes denoted hP:

where d is the degree of P. For example, if

then

A homogenized polynomial can be dehomogenized by setting the additional variable x0 = 1. That is

See also

Multi-homogeneous polynomial
Quasi-homogeneous polynomial
Diagonal form
Graded algebra
Hilbert series and Hilbert polynomial
Multilinear form
Multilinear map
Polarization of an algebraic form
Schur polynomial
Symbol of a differential operator

Notes

References

External links

Multilinear algebra
Algebraic geometry

Homogeneous polynomial


The Trentham Park branch line was a  railway line that ran through the Trentham area of Stoke-on-Trent. It was last branch line to be built by the North Staffordshire Railway. Intended to route traffic to Trentham Gardens, the branch was authorised in 1907 and opened on 1 April 1910. It left the main line at Trentham Junction where there was a platform connected by a short path to , although Trentham Junction itself never appeared as a separate station in the timetable.

Abortive extension
By the time of its opening, local traffic was already being carried by road. As a result, the only intermediate station, Hanford Road Halt, was closed after just three years. However, the original plan was to extend the line to Pool Dam, Newcastle-under-Lyme, to  form a four mile long route around the growing suburbs. In preparation for this a steel bridge was constructed in September 1914 over London Road (now part of the A34) just beyond Trentham Park, but the extension was halted by World War I. It remained as a bridge to nowhere until 1940, when it was dismantled for scrap for the World War II effort.

World War II
During the war, the branch was at its busiest due to the Bankers' Clearing House having temporarily relocated the national cheque clearing house to the ballroom at the Trentham Estate. Numerous unpublicised passenger trains ran to serve it, along with a daily freight working.

Closure
After the war the line continued to be used for excursion trains from the Midlands, the last one running from Birmingham on 1 October 1957.

References

Closed railway lines in the West Midlands (region)
Rail transport in Stoke-on-Trent
North Staffordshire Railway
Railway lines opened in 1907
Railway stations closed in 1957

Trentham Park branch line


Charles Boyle Roberts (April 19, 1842 – September 10, 1899) was a U.S. Congressman from Maryland, serving the second district from 1875 to 1879.

Roberts was born in Uniontown, Maryland, and graduated from Calvert College of New Windsor, Maryland, in 1861.  He studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1864, commencing practice in Westminster, Maryland.  He was elected as a Democrat to the Forty-fourth and Forty-fifth Congresses (March 4, 1875 – March 3, 1879), and was chairman of the Committee on Accounts (Forty-fourth and Forty-fifth Congresses).  He was elected Attorney General of Maryland in 1883, serving one term.  He was elected associate judge of the fifth judicial district in 1891.  He was soon thereafter appointed chief judge of the district to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Judge Miller, and, in 1893, was elected for the full term of 15 years.  Roberts died in Westminster in 1899, and is interred in the Catholic Cemetery.

References

1842 births
1899 deaths
Maryland state court judges
Maryland Attorneys General
People from Carroll County, Maryland
Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Maryland
People from Westminster, Maryland
19th-century American politicians
19th-century American judges

Charles B. Roberts


John Alcock (c. 1430 – 1 October 1500) was an English churchman.

He was born at Beverley in Yorkshire, son of Sir William Alcock, Burgess of Kingston upon Hull and educated at Cambridge. In 1461 he was made dean of Westminster, and his subsequent promotion was rapid in both church and state. In  1461 he was made Master of the Rolls, and in 1470 was sent as ambassador to the court of Castile. He became Bishop of Rochester on 15 March, Bishop of Worcester on 15 July 1476 and of Ely on 6 October 1486. He was Lord Chancellor, once from June 1475 to September 1475 and then again from October 1485 to March 1487.

Alcock was one of the leading pre-Reformation churchmen; he was a man of deep learning and also a great architect. He founded a charity at Beverley and a grammar school at Kingston upon Hull. He restored many churches and colleges, but his greatest achievement was the building of Jesus College, Cambridge.

Alcock died on 1 October 1500 and lies buried in the Alcock Chantry in Ely Cathedral.

Notes

References

1430s births
1500 deaths
English Roman Catholics
Lord Chancellors
People from Beverley
Roman Catholic bishops

John Alcock (bishop)


Graphic violence refers to the depiction of especially vivid, brutal and realistic acts of violence in visual media such as film, television, and video games. It may be real, simulated live action, or animated.

Intended limitedly for mature  audiences, the "graphic" in graphic violence is a synonym for "explicit", referring to the clear and unabashed nature of the violence portrayed.

Media

Graphic violence generally consists of any clear and uncensored depiction of various violent acts. Commonly included depictions include murder, assault with a deadly weapon, accidents which result in death or severe injury, suicide, and torture. In all cases, it is the explicitness of the violence and the injury inflicted which results in it being labeled "graphic". In fictional depictions, appropriately realistic plot elements are usually included to heighten the sense of realism (i.e. blood effects, prop weapons, CGI). In order to qualify for the "graphic" designation, the violence depicted must generally be of a particularly unmitigated and unshielded nature; an example would be a video of a man being shot, bleeding from the wound, and crumpling to the ground.

Graphic violence arouses strong emotions, ranging from titillation and excitement to utter revulsion and even terror, depending on the mindset of the viewer and the method in which it is presented. A certain degree of graphic violence has become de rigueur in adult "action" genre, and it is presented in an amount and manner carefully deliberated to excite the emotions of the target demographic without inducing disgust or revulsion. Even more extreme and grotesque acts of graphic violence (generally revolving around mutilation) are often used in the horror genre in order to inspire even stronger emotions of fear and shock (which the viewing demographic would presumably be seeking).

It is a highly controversial topic. Many believe that exposure to graphic violence leads to desensitization to committing acts of violence in person. It has led to censorship in extreme cases, and regulation in others. One notable case was the creation of the US Entertainment Software Rating Board in 1994. Many nations now require varying degrees of approval from television, movie, and software rating boards before a work can be released to the public.

On the other hand, some critics claim that watching violent media content can be cathartic, providing "acceptable outlets for anti-social impulses."

Film

Graphic violence is used frequently in horror, action, and crime films. Several of these films have been banned from certain countries for their violent content. Snuff films take horror to its furthest extreme as torture and murder are not simulated.

Violence in films is not an old topic, recently a study presented in an annual American Academy of Pediatrics conference showed that the "good guys" in superhero movies were on average more violent than the villains, potentially sending a strongly negative message to young viewers.

News media
News media on television and online video frequently cover violent acts. The coverage may be preceded with a warning, stating that the footage may be disturbing to some viewers.

Sometimes graphic images are censored, by blurring or blocking a portion of the image, cutting the violent portions out of an image sequence or by removing certain portions of film footage from viewing.

Music videos
Graphic and gory violence has started appearing in music videos in recent times, an example being the controversial music video for the song "Rock DJ" by British rock vocalist Robbie Williams, which features self-mutilation. Another example of a music video containing strong violence is the music video for the song "Hurricane" by American rock band Thirty Seconds to Mars and "Happiness in Slavery" by American industrial rock group Nine Inch Nails. The music video for "Forced Gender Reassignment" by American deathgrind band Cattle Decapitation displays such intense graphic violence that it is not hosted by many popular video hosting sites like YouTube and Dailymotion and is only hosted by Vimeo.

Video games
Violent content has been a central part of video game controversy. Because violence in video games is interactive and not passive, critics such as Dave Grossman and Jack Thompson argue that violence in games hardens children to unethical acts, calling first-person shooter games "murder simulators", although no conclusive evidence has supported this belief.

An example is the display of "gibs" (short for giblets), little bits or giant chunks of internal organs, flesh, and bone, when a character is killed.

Internet
On the internet, several sites dedicated to recordings of real graphic violence, referred to as "gore", exist, such as Bestgore.com and Goregrish.com. Furthermore, many content-aggregator sites such as Reddit or imageboards and 4chan have their own subsites which are dedicated to or allow that kind of content. Some of those sites also require that gore material to be marked as it, often by the internet slang "NSFL" (shorthand for "not safe for life"). This kind of media might depict reality footage of war, car crashes and other accidents, decapitations, suicide, terrorism, murder, or executions.

See also
 Violence in art
 Influence of mass media
 Research on the effects of violence in mass media
 Motion picture content rating system
 Snuff film
 Splatter film
 Television content rating system

References

Film and video terminology
Violence
Obscenity controversies

Graphic violence


Sun Hanhua (孫寒華, birth and death dates unknown) was a female Taoist during the Three Kingdoms period in the state of Eastern Wu, which was located in present-day China. She hailed from Fuchun County in Yangzhou, Wu Commandery. Her grandfather was Sun Ben, a distant cousin of Sun Quan (the founder of Eastern Wu) while her father was Sun Xi. She was said to have been a disciple of Du Qi.

Sun Hanhua, a historical figure whose life is primarily enshrouded in the annals of Taoist legends, has garnered mention in various historical accounts. Notably, her presence is conspicuously absent from the canonical "Records of the Three Kingdoms," a foundational historical text. Instead, her narrative has been pieced together from alternative historical records and the rich tapestry of legends surrounding her life as a Taoist practitioner. These narratives collectively illuminate her legacy and contribution to the historical milieu of Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms era. Some of the mentions say that Hualao Mountain is where the granddaughter of the founder of the state of Wu achieved immortality, that granddaughter would be Sun Hanhua..

Legends
In her youth, Sun Hanhua shared a deep affection with Li Du, who held the position of the Commandant of Trustworthiness. The two of them eloped to Jian'an (modern-day Jianning County, Fujian), seeking refuge with Zhang Yi, a relative of Li Du, to escape from the turmoil. After the situation had settled, they chose to live in seclusion on Mount Maoshan.

As Li Du honed his skills in Taoist arts under the guidance of Jie Yan, Sun Hanhua, along with Chen Shijing, became disciples of Li Du and learned the ways of Taoism from him. Sun Hanhua was said to have retained her youthful appearance thanks to a technique called the "Xuanbai Method." This method, which involved the circulation of dark energy within the mud pellet, white energy within the heart, and yellow energy within the navel throughout the body from dawn until noon, allowed her to maintain her youthful appearance. As the "Xuanbai Method" prohibited sexual relations, Sun Hanhua abstained from such activities even when alone with Li Du.

Sun Hanhua and her fellow disciples sometimes descended from the mountains to trade for clothing and food in nearby villages, but people were completely unaware of their true identities. It is said that Sun Hanhua traveled through various mountains of Wu for over a decade and eventually ascended into the sky from Huahua Mountain, becoming an immortal.

Sun Hanhua, Zhang Jiangzi (sister of Zhang Ji), Li Huigu (wife of Xiahou Xuan), Shi Shunü (daughter of Zhu Ji), and Zheng Tiansheng (mother of Deng Zhi) were all renowned female Taoists known for their virtuous deeds during that era.

Xuanbai Method
The Xuanbai Method involved circulating dark energy within a mud pellet, white energy within the heart, and yellow energy within the navel throughout the body from dawn until noon. By understanding white to protect black and black to protect white, this technique was believed to achieve eternal life and the elimination of all malevolent forces. Taboos included consuming the meat of the six domestic animals (horses, cattle, sheep, pigs, dogs, and chickens) and the five pungent vegetables (onions, garlic chives, garlic, hot leeks, and peppers). Additionally, it was forbidden to share a sleeping space with family members or engage in sexual relations.

Notable mentions

Sources

 Tao Hongjing, "Zhen Gao" (The True Instructions), Translated and Annotated, Part Three.

People of Eastern Wu
Taoist religious leaders
3rd-century Chinese women
3rd-century Chinese people
Taoist immortals
Taoist nuns
3rd-century Taoists

Sun Hanhua


Dimethylallyl pyrophosphate (DMAPP; or alternatively, dimethylallyl diphosphate (DMADP); also  isoprenyl pyrophosphate) is an isoprenoid precursor. It is a product of both the mevalonate pathway and the MEP pathway of isoprenoid precursor biosynthesis. It is an isomer of isopentenyl pyrophosphate (IPP) and exists in virtually all life forms. The enzyme isopentenyl pyrophosphate isomerase catalyzes isomerization between DMAPP and IPP.

In the mevalonate pathway DMAPP is synthesised from mevalonic acid. In contrast, DMAPP is synthesised from HMBPP in the MEP pathway.

At present, it is believed that there is crossover between the two pathways in organisms
that use both pathways to create terpenes and terpenoids, such as in plants, and that DMAPP is the crossover product.

References

External links

Organophosphates
Hemiterpenes

Dimethylallyl pyrophosphate