Meadowhall is an indoor shopping centre in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. It lies  north-east of Sheffield city centre, and  from Rotherham town centre. It is the largest shopping centre in Yorkshire, and currently the twelfth-largest in the United Kingdom. As of 2021, plans for an extension are currently under consideration, for completion in the 2020s, which would make Meadowhall the 11th biggest shopping centre in the United Kingdom.

Architecturally, the original construction of Meadowhall in the early 1990s was inspired by the Place d'Orléans shopping centre in Ottawa, Canada. The Meadowhall Retail Park is a separate development, owned by British Land, lying almost  to the south of Meadowhall shopping centre in the Carbrook area of the city.

History

The shopping centre was built by Bovis on the site previously occupied by Hadfields' East Hecla steelworks.

The centre was opened on 4 September 1990. With a floor area of , it is the twelfth-largest (second-largest when first opened) shopping centre in the UK. It is similar in concept to the Merry Hill Shopping Centre at Brierley Hill in the West Midlands, which was completed just before Meadowhall.

With over 280 stores, Meadowhall has been widely blamed for the closure of shops in both Sheffield City Centre, and Rotherham town centre. Meadowhall is owned by British Land, a property developer. The centre attracted 19.8 million visitors in its first year of opening, and now attracts about 30 million visitors a year.

One of Meadowhall's largest stores of the past, Sainsbury's on Market Street (originally branded SavaCentre in the 1990s) closed in July 2005 and was replaced by new Next and Primark stores in the summer of 2007. Sainsbury's store relocated to Crystal Peaks. There was a Namco Station arcade in The Oasis food court which closed in September 2007 after more than 15 years at the shopping centre. December 2005 saw Meadowhall become home to the fifth Apple Store in the UK, and in late 2007 it gained the third Puma Store in the UK, after London and Glasgow. The centre was also home to the only McCafé in Yorkshire, which has been replaced with a franchise called 'Love Koffee'. The centre's Burger King which was located on Market Street got replaced by a small franchise called 'Burger Knight' in October 2007 when it reopened after the 2007 floods. The small franchise, along with Greggs, Massarella's Coffee, Crawshaws Butchers and Pollard's Tea and Coffee were forcibly shut in May 2008, only had just recently spent thousands of pounds on refurbishment after the 2007 floods - these stores were closed down so Meadowhall could create larger stores which are now occupied by Love Aroma, Game, Garage Shoes, Quiz and Yours Clothing.

In October 2012, Norges Bank Investment Management (NBIM) announced that the Norwegian Government Pension Fund Global had bought 50 per cent of the UK shopping centre Meadowhall for £348 million, or approximately 3.2 billion Norwegian kroner.

In 2014, the mall 'Park Lane' was refurbished in the style of a "boutique arcade". In 2017, Park Lane was modernised during the 2015-2017 £60 million refurbishment, and is now seen as the most upmarket area of Meadowhall, with stores such as Pretty Green, Flannels, Hugo Boss, White Stuff and Yo! Sushi.

2015–2017 refurbishment

Meadowhall celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2015, and announced in the same year a £60 million interior refurbishment to make it fit with newer centres opened since 1990. The refurbishment allowed some retailers to install double-height shop fronts. The first phase was completed in April 2017 and the second phase was completed in November 2017 with most of the work being done when after hours so as not to disrupt shopping, each area of Meadowhall has been themed to fit a certain style. After the  closure of the BHS branch in August 2016, it was announced that Primark would be expanding its store into half of the vacant store, with Sports Direct taking up the other half, and that Wilko would be moving into the store already taken up by Sports Direct; this was completed in March 2018. The House of Fraser store has also been refurbished along with the centre, as well as Apple, AllSaints, Yo! Sushi, Hollister, Schuh, JD Sports and the opening of new stores such as Tag Heuer, Flannels, Joe Browns, Skinny Dip and River Island Children making the centre being perceived as more "upmarket". Restaurants such as Handmade Burger Co and Pizza Express in the Oasis Dining quarter have also been refurbished with a new Gourmet Burger Kitchen, however this has since closed.

Scenes from the music video of the Sheffield-based duo Moloko's first single "Fun For Me" were shot in the Oasis area of the shopping centre.

Extension

Flooding incidents
Meadowhall was inundated by the River Don during the June 2007 floods, with water peaking at . The worst affected areas were between Market Street and The Arcade. Meadowhall reopened six days after a big cleanup operation and trading recommenced on the upper level. The majority of shops on the ground floor were boarded up for weeks on end (some for up to two months) so the interiors could be refitted - the centre fully relaunched in late September 2007. Meadowhall has since installed flood gates, to prevent this from happening in the future.

Meadowhall was also affected by the November 2019 floods on Thursday 7 November, the same night as the annual Christmas Light Switch-on. Although the event was cancelled, many people had already begun to travel for the performances. Once people had arrived public transport was already cancelled, affecting people all over South Yorkshire. With conditions growing worse across the area, many shops and businesses began to close, with a number of people being left stranded in the Meadowhall premises until the following morning. The shopping centre itself was not flooded internally during the November 2019 floods, as improved flood defences and barriers had been installed since the previous events of 2007.

Sections
The main Meadowhall structure is divided into multiple areas which each have shops for differing purposes:
High Street with discount shops, banks and a bureau de change.
The Arcade contains higher-end shops and is in the middle of the shopping centre.
Park Lane has boutique and expensive shops and services (rebranded as The Avenue in 2023.)
The Gallery has 5 (clothes shops) of the centre's 9 anchor tenants.
The Oasis, food and leisure space.
The Lanes, adjacent to the Oasis, a small shopping area with 20 small, independent and specialty shops.

Oasis

The Oasis Dining Quarter is Meadowhall's food court which has food outlets and seating on both floors. The ground floor contains mostly fast food outlets, with some restaurants and a pub. The upper floor has restaurants and a cinema. In July 2011 it has £7 million redevelopment with a renaming from the 'Oasis Food Court', to the 'Oasis Dining Quarter', more restaurants were added as part of the redevelopment.

The dining quarter includes an eleven screen multiplex cinema. It opened as a Warner Bros Theatre in 1993, becoming a Warner Village Cinema and was rebranded Vue in 2004. The cinema was refurbished after the 2007 flooding.

Transport
The centre is located at junction 34 of the M1 motorway. Meadowhall Interchange, is the only bus, rail and tram interchange serving a shopping centre in the UK.

Interchange

Meadowhall is served by two stops on the Sheffield Supertram network; the Yellow Line terminus at Meadowhall Interchange is located to the north of the shopping centre, while Tinsley / Meadowhall South tram stop is located to the south of the shopping centre and is served by the Yellow Line and tram-train services to Rotherham Parkgate. Meadowhall Interchange tram stop is located 15 minutes from the city centre and Meadowhall is used as a park and ride. The Yellow Line from Meadowhall passes the Sheffield Arena, Ice Sheffield, the Institute Of Sport and the Valley Centertainment entertainment complex.

The interchange has a large bus station with routes covering most of South Yorkshire, but especially the local Sheffield and Rotherham area.

There is a multi-platform railway station at Meadowhall which has frequent links to and from , ,  and Manchester.

Awards
The centre has won awards, including two awards for innovative events at the ICSC maxi awards 2006, held in Chicago and two awards for its Retail Bonding Programme (in best Retail Partnership category) and also for its commercialisation, (adding value to the customer shopping experience) at the BCSC Purple Apple Awards in London.

Environmental policy

The centre recycles 97% of waste from retailers and customers, with the remaining three per cent going to incineration with energy recovery; no waste goes to landfill.

Meadowhall was the first UK shopping centre to develop an on-site recycling facility.  The Resource Recovery Centre, which opened in 2006, operates a conveyor belt system to separate out types of waste, from paper to plastic, cardboard to cans.

Meadowhall began to harvest rainwater in 2006. Four water storage tanks collect rainwater and condensation from air conditioning. This is then used throughout the Shopping Centre for cleaning, flushing toilets and watering the external landscaped areas.  The tanks are nearly 7 metres high and can hold  of water each.

In 2008, Meadowhall installed a bore hole. This is a narrow shaft drilled into the ground that collects water from beneath the earth.  Water from the bore hole is collected into a master tank. The storage tanks are connected onto a "network", which will ensure 90-95% of all water used by customers and retailers for flushing toilets is derived from rainwater harvesting or bore hole water.

Facial recognition trial
In 2018, Meadowhall was the site of a month-long police trial of facial recognition software by South Yorkshire Police, without the public's knowledge. In August 2019, a spokeswoman for British Land, Meadowhall's owner, said, "Over a year ago we conducted a short trial at Meadowhall, in conjunction with the police, and all data was deleted immediately after the trial". Big Brother Watch's chief executive Silkie Carlo was reported by the BBC as saying, "There is an epidemic of facial recognition in the UK. The collusion between police and private companies in building these surveillance nets around popular spaces is deeply disturbing".

References

External links
Meadowhall website
Meadowhall Radio
Meadowhall retail database

Shopping centres in South Yorkshire
Buildings and structures in Sheffield
Shopping malls established in 1990
British Land

Meadowhall (shopping centre)


Sanjay Nayak is an Indian Odia filmmaker. He regarded as one of the most successful filmmakers in Odisha. Nayak, the young filmmaker has directed 32 movies in a short career of 15yrs in the film industry. He has also produced several movies under his production house 'Sanjay Nayak Films'. He not only directs but also write scripts, lyrics and does the screenplay. He produced and directed Keun Duniaru Asila Bandhu which is the first science fiction in Odia.

Records
Sanjay Nayak is nominated for the Limca Book of World Records for making censor of two films Dil Tate Deichi and Sasura Ghara Jindabad of the same director, same producer, same actor and same cameraman on the same day. Nayak directed the two films which were produced by Uttam Chand Jain under his production house Top Films. Sabyasachi was the hero of these two movies. The cameraman was S. Ranjan. Such a record is unique and is believed first of its kind in world cinema.

In 2003, 2005 and 2008, 3 of his films released in each year which is a record in Indian cinema. Nayak has directed actor and MP Siddhanta Mahapatra continuously in 8 movies and has worked with him in 12 films in total.

Skills
Sanjay Nayak is best known for his experiments in movies. He experimented with a hand in his very first movie Rakhi Bandhili Mo Rakhiba Mana which was completely new and fresh in Oriya films then. He presented 100 scorpions in his 2nd movie Rahichi Rahibi Tori Pain. It was again the work of a wonderful graphic. Then in Dharmara Heba Jaya and Tate Mo Rana he experimented with the leading male character. In Dharamara Heba Jaya, actor Siddhant Mohapatra portrayed the character of the blind while in Tate Mo Rana he portrayed the character of a soul when his character comes back even after his death. In both these films, his looks have experimented. He experimented with a dog in Babu I love You, with a cow and sheep in To Bina Mo Kahani Adha, with the skeleton in De Maa Shakti De, with magic in To Payeen Nebi Mu Sahe Janama.
 He directed Keun Duniaru Asila Bandhu  under his own production house where he showed an alien first time in Oriya films. It is the first sci-fi movie in Oriya and was not a remake of Koi mil Gaya or ET. Nayak also showed child sentiments in his movies Rahichi Rahibi Tori Pain and To Pain Nebi Mu Sahe Janama were child actors Chandan and Piyali portrayed major characters respectively.

Television
Sanjay Nayak has written a script for prime time mega serial Mausi on ETV ORIYA for 150 episodes. He has directed mega serial Tike Khara Tike Chhai on Doordarshan Odia for 52 episodes.

Awards

Sanjay Nayak has been awarded the best director on multiple occasions along with awards in the category of best scriptwriter, best story writer in his film career. Prominently, he was awarded the Odisha Film State Award for his movie Pagala Karichi Paunji Tora. He has been awarded by 'Chalachitra Jagat' & 'Banichitra' as Best Director on 5 different occasions. Overall, Sanjay has received more than 100 awards from different organizations for his body of work. Notably, Sanjay Nayak was awarded an honorary doctorate in 2018 for his contributions to cinema in Odisha. A few of his awards are listed below:

 Best Director for Rahichi Rahibi Tori Payeen in 2003
 Best Director for Sakhi Rahila Ae Singha Duara in 2004
 Best Director for Babu I love You in 2006
 Best Director for To Payeen Nebi Mu Sahe Janama in 2007
 Best Director for Mu Sapanara Soudagara in 2008
 Best Director for Keun Dunia Ru Asila Bandhu in 2009
 Best Director for Pagala Karichi Paunji Tora in 2009

Filmography
Rakhi Bandhili Mo Rakhiba Mana (2002)
Rahichi Rahibi Tori Payeen (2003)
Nari Akhire Niya (2003)
Rakata Kahiba Kie Kahara (2003)
Dharmara Heba Jaya (2004)
Sakhi Rahila Ae Singha Duara (2004)
Dharma Ra Heba Jai (2004)
Tate mo Rana (2005)
Tu mo Akhira Tara (2005)
O My Love (2005)
Babu I love You (2006)
De Maa Shakti De (2006)
To Bina Mo Kahani Adha (2007)
To Payeen Nebi Mu Sahe Janama (2007)
Mu Sapanara Soudagara (2008)
Mate Ani Dela Lakhye Faguna (2008)
Dhanare Rakhibu Sapatha Mora (2008)
Keun Duniaru Asila Bandhu (2009)
Pagala Karichi Paunji Tora (2009)
Dil Tate Deichi (2010)
Sasura Ghara Zindabad (2010)
Megha Sabari Re Asiba Pheri (2010)
Chhati Re Lekhichi Tori Na (2011)
Baisi Pahacha Re Kheliba Meena (2011)
Mita Basichi Mu Bhuta Sanga Re (2013)
To Bata Chainchi Rati Sara (2014)
Tume Thile Sathi Re (2014)
Rangeela Baba (2015)
Bhaina Kana Kala Se (2016)
Nijhum Rati Ra Sathi (2017)
Joker (Awaiting Release)
Tu Achu Ta Mu Achi (Awaiting Release)
Luchei De Mate Chhati Bhita Re (Awaiting Release)
Prema Ra Rakhichi 100 Ru 100 (2019)
To Pain Pheribi Mu Basudha Chiri (Awaiting Release)

References

External links

 fullodisha.com
 orissacinema.com

Ollywood
Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra alumni
Living people
1975 births

Sanjay Nayak


In Minister of Education v Syfrets Trust, an important case in the South African law of succession, the deceased was a doctor who died in 1951, and set up a charitable trust in terms of his will at the University of Cape Town. In terms of the trust, applicants who wished to utilise these funds had to be white males who were not Jewish. The court held that these requirements for eligibility discriminated on the basis of race, religion and sex, and held that the trust funds should instead be available to any applicant.

See also
 South African law of succession

References
 Minister of Education v Syfrets Trust Ltd NO 2006 (4) SA 205 (C).

Notes

South African case law
2006 in South African case law

Minister of Education v Syfrets Trust


A dyotropic reaction is a type of chemical reaction. It is when an organic compound changes its structure. Two substituents jump from one place on the molecule to another. It is a pericyclic valence isomerization when two sigma bonds move at the same time to a new place on the same molecule. Dyotropic reactions are important in organic chemistry. They can explain how certain reactions work. Dyotropic reactions can be a useful step in making large and complicated molecules. Dyotropic reactions were first described by Manfred T. Reetz in 1971. The name "dyotropic reaction" comes from the Greek word dyo meaning "two." "Rearrangement" means that the reaction changes the bonds between atoms on a single molecule.

In a type I reaction, two migrating groups trade their relative positions. A type II reaction   involves migration to new bonding sites without positional interchange.

Type I rearrangements
In type I rearrangements (Y-A-B-X conversion to X-A-B-Y), the two migrating groups are oriented trans to each other. The reaction leaves both groups on the opposite sides. The first example of a dyotropic rearrangement involving a carbon-carbon bond was reported by Cyril A. Grob and Saul Winstein. They saw the exchange of two bromine atoms in a certain steroid.

In a simple example, the two bromine atoms in 3-tert-butyl-trans-1,2-dibromohexane mutarotate by heating. In the transition state both bromine atoms connect symmetrically two both carbon atoms on opposite sides and the reaction is concerted. Chemists have also investigated stepwise mechanisms in dyotropic reactions.

In organic synthesis, an important dyotropic reaction is the conversion of 4-substituted-gamma-lactones to butyrolactones. Type I dyotropic rearrangements also occur around carbon-oxygen bonds. One example is using heat to change RRSi1R3C-O-Si2R3 to RRSi2R3C-O-Si1R3.  (This reaction can go in both directions depending on temperature.) Another example is the 1,2-Wittig rearrangement. Dyotropic reactions can also happen with N-O bonds or N-N bonds.

Type II rearrangements
Type II rearrangements often involve two hydrogen atoms moving along a carbon skeleton. This reaction type can be found in certain transfer hydrogenations. An example is hydrogen transfer in syn-sesquinorbornene
disulfones.

References

Organic reactions

Dyotropic reaction


Charles Kullman (January 13, 1903February 8, 1983), originally Charles Kullmann, was an American tenor who enjoyed a wide-ranging career, both in Europe and America.

Life and career

Charles Kullman was born in New Haven, Connecticut, and began performing in church choir at age eight.

He attended Yale University, studying medicine. However, after graduating in 1924, he returned to his first interest, music, believing he could succeed in making a career as a singer. He was accepted at the Juilliard School on a scholarship where he studied with Anna E. Schoen-René. After completing three years of study there, he won another scholarship, this one affording him the opportunity to study at the American University in Fontainebleau, France, with Thomas Salignac. Upon returning to America, he taught voice for a while at Smith College, then joined Vladimir Rosing's touring American Opera Company and began singing leading roles.

Two years later, Kullman returned to Europe. An associate brought his name to the attention of conductor Otto Klemperer, which led to his engagement at the Kroll Theater in Berlin, where he made his debut on February 24, 1931, as Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly. A year later, Kullman made his debut at the Berlin Staatsoper, where he became a favorite with the public. During his time there, he worked with Germany's leading conductors, including Wilhelm Furtwängler, Erich Kleiber and Leo Blech.

1934 saw Kullman making his debut at the Vienna State Opera, and the Royal Opera House in London. The following year saw his triumphant debut at the Salzburg Festival, as Florestan in Fidelio, conducted by Arturo Toscanini. His Walther in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, in 1936, again with Toscanini, won him further praise. He is heard at this time in the live recording of Das Lied von der Erde, with Kerstin Thorborg, under Bruno Walter, from the Vienna Musikverein (also 1936).

On December 8, 1939, he changed the spelling of his name from Kullmann to Kullman.

After having sung widely in Europe, Kullman returned to America for his debut at the Metropolitan Opera on December 19, 1935, in the title role of Faust. A live recording can be heard of him in this time, singing Alfredo in La traviata, opposite Bidu Sayão and Leonard Warren in 1943, under Cesare Sordero.

In 1947 he appeared in the film Song of Scheherazade as a singing ship's doctor and friend of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. The film was an imaginary episode in the composer's life. Kullman was billed as "Charles Kullmann".

In 25 seasons at the Met, his roles included Don José in Carmen, Pinkerton, Walther, Ottavio in Don Giovanni, Avito in L'amore dei tre re, and Eisenstein in Die Fledermaus. He later took on character roles such as Shuisky in Boris Godunov and Goro in Madama Butterfly.

Essentially a lyric tenor with an unforced freshness, Kullman had enough steel and authority to successfully undertake weightier roles, ranging to Tannhäuser and Parsifal.

In later years he taught voice both at Indiana University (1956–1971) and Curtis Institute of Music (1970–1971).

Charles Kullman died in his native New Haven, Connecticut, aged 80.

References

 D. Hamilton (ed.),The Metropolitan Opera Encyclopedia: A Complete Guide to the World of Opera (Simon and Schuster, New York 1987).
 Alan Blyth: "Charles Kullman (Biography)", The New Grove Dictionary of Opera via Grove Online (Accessed Oct. 23, 2009).

External links

 [ Biography, Erik Eriksson]
Metropolitan Opera Database
 History of the Tenor / Charles Kullman / Sound Clips and Narration

1903 births
1983 deaths
American operatic tenors
Musicians from New Haven, Connecticut
Yale University alumni
Juilliard School alumni
Smith College faculty
Indiana University faculty
Curtis Institute of Music faculty
20th-century American male opera singers

Charles Kullman


The Spiders: Go Forward! (ザ・スパイダースの大進撃, Za supaidāsu no daishingeki), also known as Spiders a Go-Go, is a 1968 Japanese musical comedy film directed by Kō Nakahira and produced by Nikkatsu. It also starring The Spiders.

Overview
These Japanese Group Sounds band, the Spiders star in this rare, "Help! inspired" rock n roll spy movie! If you like screams, shouts, whoops, and hollers in your 1960s jangle rock n roll, this movie is for you. The story development is similar. The Spiders starred in a popular band rather than the general public in the previous film. It was made into a direct video in the 1980s, but it was made into a DVD in 2005, the screen was remastered, and a trailer was added to the privilege. The rental ban was lifted at TUTAYA in 2014.

Plot
Seven members of The Spiders have returned to Japan after their tour in Britain. Massaki was proudly holding a tambourine with a jewelry in his hand, but a man with dark glasses and Miyoko were watching them. In addition, neither the band nor their manager Ogata and his daughter Yuriko noticed that the attache case was mistaken switched due to the crowded fans at the airport.

The first incident was when the tambourine was stolen in the dressing room, but no one noticed it. However, other incidents occurred one after another. When Akitomo was attacked by a thug and his companion's room was devastated, the Spiders knew for the first time that they were being targeted by someone. The seven members recognized Miyoko at every performance venue, but only thought she was a fan. On the other hand, the police, who was contacted and set out to investigate, was at a loss because they could not get any clues or evidence. Feeling dangerous, the band moved to the hotel and eventually left for Kagoshima in the midst of this turmoil.

Yuriko comforted the band who tend to sink, but again, they were also targeted by thieves in Kagoshima learned that the enemy's aim was a tambourine containing a diamond inside. Also, since a secret document appeared from the case that should contain the score, they knew that this was also the cause of the target. Then, a masked man threatened Yuriko with a silenced pistol and tried to find out where the case was killed by someone, and it was found that there were two pairs of enemies. After consulting with Ogata, the Spiders returned to Tokyo and planned to lure two sets of villains with the help of detectives. A man with dark glasses and Miyoko who took the invitation, and the Minegishi's Crew trying to recover important secret documents were surrounded by police officers who rushed into the scene. Miyoko tried to escape by car but crashed into a concrete wall. He was trying to smuggle a real diamond into a tambourine. The rest of the bad guys were soon arrested, and the Spiders' face was finally bright by the sunset.

Staff

 Supervisor & Planner: Hideo Sasai
 Screenwriters: Yoichiro Fukuda, Sô Kuramoto
 Director: Kō Nakahira
 Cinematographer: Shigeru Kitaizumi
 Composers: Hiroshi Kamayatsu, Kōji Wakino
 Production Designer: Toshiyuki Matsui
 Lighting Technician: Moriyasu Tsuchida
 Recordist: Takashi Katagiri
 Photographer: Seiichi Saito
 Editor: Masanori Tsujii

Cast

 The Spiders as themselves (Shochi Tanabe, Masaaki Sakai, Jun Inoue, Hiroshi Kamayatsu, Mitsuru Katō, Katsuo Ōno, and Takayuki Inoue)
 Masako Izumi as Yuriko Ogata
 Annu Mari as Miyoko Yazawa
 Kōjirō Kusanagi as Man in sunglasses
 Shiro Yanase as Soft man
 Ken Hatano as Manager Ogata
 Kusanosuke Futaki as Takashi Nomura, airport custom officer 1 (two roles)
 Shigeru Tanaka as airport custom officer 2
 Nobuyoshi Kamoda as Detective A
 Takashi Koshiba as Detective B
 Shunji Sakai as Grandma
 Sakurako Shin as Granddaughter
 Takeshi Yoshida as Mansion man A
 Tomohiko Wakuda as Mansion man B
 Takao Miki as Old man
 Masao Harada as Bandboy A
 Kenji Murai as Boy in Hotel Room 901
 Tomoko Watanabe as Airline stewardess
 Hidemi Togo as the assassin holding a silenced pistol
 Shiro Oshimi as Hotel bar boy
 Kenjiro Uemura as Minegishi
 Masahiro Yato as Driving man A (Minegishi Crew)
 Ken Mizoguchi as Driving man B (Minegishi Crew)
 Yoshihisa Watarai as Assassin (Minegishi Crew)
 Reiko Motsuka as Beach girl
 Village Singers

The Spiders: Go Forward!


Bailey Park is located in central Austin, Texas within the vicinity of the Seton Medical Center and St. Andrews Episcopal School. Located at , the small city park was created from several residential lots clustered together to make a common public green space. In 1935 F.G Rossener paid $320 in cash for lot #14 in the George W. Spears league of land. Bailey Park eventually expanded to cover  or about one small city lot by the late 1930s.

At one time Bailey Park was central to the neighborhood east of Shoal Creek. Although the size of Bailey Park has not changed, the relative location has. Today Bailey Park is no longer bordered by residential lots and homes, rather the park is surrounded entirely by commercial property (hospital, a multistory office building etc.) and a private school. St. Andrew's Episcopal School lies between Bailey Park and the Shoal Creek Green Belt.

Bailey Park continues to see much use. Many people take advantage of what this little hidden park has to offer. Notable park features include a flagstone covered pavilion built in 1936, park swings, picnic benches, rest rooms, children's wading pool and a large field for softball. Facilities seeing the most use are outdoor tennis courts (with lights), a sand volleyball court (also with lights). A volleyball game occurs almost every evening throughout most of the year. Bailey Park also has a wide open space for flying kites, practicing soccer and other activities requiring a very large grassy area. In addition to the majestic oaks surrounding the pavilion, a wide variety of trees have been planted along the perimeter of Bailey Park.

External links
https://web.archive.org/web/20100311224555/http://www.austinparks.org/apfweb/park.php?&parkId=201 – Austin Parks Foundation Bailey Park information
http://www.brykerwoods.org – Bryker Woods Neighborhood Parks historic information

Parks in Austin, Texas

Bailey Park


Android Cop is a 2014 American science fiction action film produced by The Asylum and directed by Mark Atkins. The film stars Michael Jai White, Charles S. Dutton, Randy Wayne and Kadeem Hardison. It is a mockbuster of RoboCop.

Plot
In 2045, Los Angeles Police Department detective Hammond (Michael Jai White) and his new partner "Andy" (Randy Wayne) — a state of the art crimefighting robot cop — are tasked with recovering a runaway Telepresence android containing the consciousness of Mayor Jacobs's (Charles S. Dutton) daughter Helen (Larissa Vereza), who remains unaware that she is a human mind in a machine body. Hammond does not trust machines due to a prior incident in which his partner was killed by an automated gun turret despite their using a code to control it, and maintains a tense, often sarcastic relationship with Andy. Hammond and Andy are dispatched to the "Zone," a quarantined section of Los Angeles devastated by an earthquake and subsequent nuclear leaks, which have infected and mutated the Zone's residents.

However, they are unaware that a number of their fellow LAPD officers are corrupt, working for Mayor Jacobs himself in a plan to provoke violence with the goal of justifying an invasion of the Zone and termination of its residents. The corrupt cops are led by Sgt. Jones (Kadeem Hardison), Hammond's colleague. Hammond and Andy reach the Zone and trace Helen's cellphone, but have to be rescued by her when a bomb is planted on their car. She reveals to them that Zone residents are giving birth to healthy, mutation-free children, causing them to realize that the story about nuclear leaks was a lie. En route to what they believe to be an extraction point, Hammond, Andy and Helen realize that the lie about nuclear leakage was spread to manipulate land prices, and that the real source of the disease is the food drop program for which Mayor Jacobs has received honor.

At the extraction point, Helen realizes she is an android, and Hammond comforts her. Jones and a team of corrupt cops arrive intending to kill Hammond, Andy and Helen, but Andy discovers their motives using analysis of their facial motions. As Hammond and Helen flee, the corrupt cops initiate their Plan 'B,' overriding the controls of a police android — however, it is not Andy, it is Hammond. The incident at the gun turret in the past had actually involved Hammond suffering mortal injuries, while Helen was hurt trying to help him. Both were placed on life support and given control of Telepresence androids. Hammond resists the attempts to force him to terminate Helen and overloads the control computer, leaving himself in full control of his actions. Andy holds off Jones's squad, and the three escape. They decide they must reach the city and publicize the truth about Mayor Jacobs's plan.

As a desperate, last-ditch attempt to salvage their plans, the corrupt cops disconnect Hammond and Helen's life support, leaving them with only around twenty minutes before their android bodies shut down. Andy leaps onto the flying vehicle carrying Jones's team and crashes it, while Hammond and Helen crash into the hospital. With very little time left, they embrace in the back seat of their car, and Hammond dies. Andy reaches Helen with help from her nurse android, whose computers he had accessed earlier, and gives her an injection. Mayor Jacobs arrives, and believing Helen to be dead, thanks Andy for his service and claims Helen signed a do not resuscitate order, which must be enforced. However, Helen wakes up and remembers everything, much to Jacobs's shock. Andy uses his systems to broadcast their conversation, revealing Mayor Jacobs's treachery to the public. The remaining honest police arrive to arrest Jacobs, who commits suicide.

Sometime later, Hammond's neural patterns have been programmed into a full android, resurrecting him in a body similar to Andy's. Maintaining their sarcastic but productive partnership, they go out on duty again.

Cast
 Michael Jai White as Officer Hammond
 Charles S. Dutton as Mayor Jacobs
 Kadeem Hardison as Sgt. Jones
 Randy Wayne as Android Cop/Andy
 Larissa Vereza as Helen Jacobs
 Jay Gillespie as Reynolds
 Deena Trudy as Officer Jackson
 Delpaneaux Wills as Officer Williams
 Duane Avery as Newald Mason

Release
The film was released direct-to-video and video-on-demand on February 4, 2014 in the United States. In the tradition of The Asylum's catalog, Android Cop is a mockbuster of the 2014 MGM/Columbia Pictures remake of RoboCop.

References

External links

2014 films
Mockbuster films
2014 independent films
2014 science fiction action films
American science fiction action films
Android (robot) films
American dystopian films
Fictional portrayals of the Los Angeles Police Department
Films directed by Mark Atkins
Films set in 2045
Films set in Los Angeles
Films set in the future
Films shot in Los Angeles
The Asylum films
American exploitation films
2010s English-language films
2010s American films
American buddy cop films
American action thriller films
American science fiction thriller films
English-language science fiction action films

Android Cop


The 42nd parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 42 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Europe, the Mediterranean Sea, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, North America, and the Atlantic Ocean.

At this latitude the sun is visible for 15 hours, 15 minutes during the summer solstice and 9 hours, 7 minutes during the winter solstice.

References

Lines of latitude

42nd parallel north


Alfred Harold Douglas Rogers (January 26, 1941 – July 20, 2020) was a Canadian Olympic competitor in judo, and the first Canadian to win an Olympic medal in the sport. He was an honoured member in the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame. His best results were a silver medal in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and a gold medal at the Pan American Games, in 1967. He was a student of Masahiko Kimura.

Biography
Doug Rogers arrived in Japan in 1960 at the age of 19 with the specific intention of working on his judo. As a youth he had won the Ontario Minor Hockey Championships, where he finished the tournament's highest-scoring defenceman. At age 15, he had joined the judo club at the Montreal YMCA. It was not long before his sensei there told him there was nothing left for him to teach and directed him over to Fred Okimura's Montreal Seidokan dojo. He continued practicing while in high school, winning the Eastern Canada brown belt (ikkyu) title in 1958. The following year he won the black belt title. Although Rogers was accepted by McGill University, having been accepted to the Kodokan, Rogers boarded a plane for Japan in 1960.

The best judo competitors at the time in Japan were coming out of the police academy and universities. These competitors would visit the Kodokan for practice on a weekly basis. Training at the Kodokan, Rogers made an effort to train with the judoka from the police academy and nearby Takushoku University (Takudai). It was in this way that he got to meet Masahiko Kimura, who was the coach of Takudai University and one of its more famous alumni.

Able to hold his own against top judoka in Japan, the Canadian Olympic Committee, in search of medal hopefuls and, moreover, pleased that he was already in Japan where the Olympics were to be held, recruited Rogers. Rogers decided, however, to return to Canada to compete in the national championships, and the Olympic Committee were at first reluctant to pay for Rogers' airfare back to Japan. Eventually they settled for paying for a one-way ticket.

Rogers' day at the Olympics is best described by Frank Moritsugu, a contemporary of his:

With coach Frank Hatashita at matside, on that October 1964 day at the Budokan, Doug had an easy time in the early rounds. In the semis he clearly decisioned a tough opponent, the bull-like Soviet competitor P. Chikviladze, eliminating one of the possible winners. Then came the heavy weight finals where his opponent was Isao Inokuma, the all-Japan champion. Inokuma was shorter and many pounds lighter but much more experienced and perhaps Japan's supreme judo technician. And he was an occasional training partner of Rogers at the Kodokan. Theirs was a hard-fought match which we watched agonizingly on our TV sets here in Canada. Neither man could throw the other cleanly although both managed to complete throws which ended off the tatami. At the end of a truly championship bout, it was a narrow decision for Inokuma but with his silver medal, Doug Rogers had become Canada's first judoka to mount the Olympic medal podium at the first Olympics where judo was included. Parts of Rogers' silver medal-winning performance against Isao Inokuma at the Tokyo 1964 Summer Olympics are included in the documentary film Tokyo Olympiad (1965) directed by Kon Ichikawa.

Post Olympics

After the Olympics, Rogers trained full-time with Kimura and the Takudai team. In the summer of 1965 Rogers participated in the All-Japan University Championships as a member of the Takushoku University team and helped them bring the winner's pennant back to Takudai for the first time in several years. Not only was Doug the first non-Asian foreigner to take part in this tournament, he was also named the tournament's best fighter.

Rogers felt very close to Kimura, regarded him as a father figure and stayed in touch with him until his death in 1993. Kimura demanded a very high level of physical fitness and concentrated on training simple, strong judo moves. His training style was somewhat informal compared to the strict etiquette and bowing rituals practiced in the western world to this day. Kimura often came onto the mats in sweat pants and threw on a judogi only as needed to demonstrate a technique.

Despite being encouraged by Kimura to stay another year, Rogers decided to return to Canada to pursue becoming a professional pilot, having attained a private operator's license at age 16. After a summer tour with the Takudai team to a number of Japanese universities, Rogers left Japan in 1965, seen off by his teammates carrying their winner's pennants and by his coach Masahiko Kimura.

Doug Rogers went on to win gold at two Pan-American games and several Canadian National championships. Another mark of his judo skill is his taking of 5th place at the 1972 Olympics despite having been out of serious training for many years. Once in Canada, he was spending hours a day in a cockpit rather than on the mats. He no longer had Kimura as a coach nor did he have the quality of practice opponents that a world champion needed.

Rogers retired from a career as an airline pilot. He was married with four grown children. Although less active in judo later in life, he still went to local tournaments and was often an invited guest/coach at clubs throughout Greater Vancouver, British Columbia.

See also
 Judo in Quebec
 Judo in British Columbia
 Judo in Canada
 List of Canadian judoka

References

Further reading
 A Master's thesis in Anthropology about Rogers, written by his daughter.

External links

 Judoka 1965 documentary about Rogers and his life in Japan after winning silver at the 1964 Olympics (National Film Board of Canada)
 Tokyo Olympiad - film by Kon Ichikawa (Criterion Collection)

1941 births
2020 deaths
Canadian expatriate sportspeople in Japan
Canadian male judoka
Canadian people of British descent
Commercial aviators
Judoka at the 1964 Summer Olympics
Judoka at the 1972 Summer Olympics
Olympic judoka for Canada
Olympic medalists in judo
Olympic silver medalists for Canada
People from Truro, Nova Scotia
Sportspeople from Nova Scotia
Sportspeople from Vancouver
Takushoku University alumni
Medalists at the 1964 Summer Olympics
Pan American Games gold medalists for Canada
Pan American Games silver medalists for Canada
Pan American Games medalists in judo
Judoka at the 1967 Pan American Games
Medalists at the 1967 Pan American Games

Doug Rogers (judoka)


The Year 2000 problem (also known as the Y2K problem, the millennium bug, Y2K Bug, and Y2K) was a computer problem that affected lots of computer systems. It happened because of the way in which some early computer programs were made to handle only years containing two digits (for example '92 instead of 1992). This meant that the computer could confuse the year 2000 with the year 1900, because both would be written as 00. People started fearing that date-related processing would happen incorrectly for dates and times after December 31 1999. It caused concerns that many industries (such as electricity or financial) and government functions would stop working at exactly midnight, January 1 2000. People were panicked by press coverage and media speculation, as well as corporate and government reports. Companies and organisations around the world had to check and upgrade their computer systems to avoid the bug. The preparation for Y2K had a significant effect on the computer industry. No big computer failures occurred when the year changed to 2000.

Similar bugs
 Year 100 problem
 Year 2038 problem

2000
History of computing

Year 2000 problem


Mukīl rēš lemutti, inscribed in cuneiform Sumerian syllabograms as (d)SAG.ḪUL.ḪA.ZA and meaning "he who holds the head of evil", was an ancient Mesopotamian winged leonine demon, a harbinger of misfortune associated with benign headaches and wild swings in mood, where the afflicted  "continually behaves like an animal caught in a trap." It was one of the two demons that followed people around, an "evil accomplice" also referred to as rabis lemutti ("he who offers misfortune"), with its auspicious alter-ego mukīl rēš daniqti or rabis damiqti ("he who offers good things").

Textual references

Although it features in the Exorcists Manual, the list of works of the craft of the āšipūtu, in the part attributed to Esagil-kin-apli himself, there is no extant work dedicated to this demon, or to the disorders it was thought to have promulgated. Instead, references to mukīl rēš lemutti are scattered among diverse texts. The earliest appearance of this demon comes in Old Babylonian lecanomancy omen collections.

The demon features in the Diagnostic Handbook. In the chapter on infectious diseases, tablet 22, lines 62 to 64 read:

In the chapter concerning neurological syndromes, on tablet 27 a variant of line 4 provides the omen:

The demon frequently appears in prescriptions such as those for the fashioning of a figurine for a neurological disorder caused by a pursuing ghost, where "The evi[l confusional stat]e (causing ghost or) mukīl rēš lemutti-demon [which] was set [on] (personal name) son of (personal name)–he is your husband. You are given [t]o him (as wife)." In a burial ritual, where the malady is that "a person continually sees dead persons," the text entreats the god Šamaš: "a ghost (or) mukīl rēš lemutti which was set on me and so continually pursues me – I am continually frightened and terrified (about him)."  The demon is a harbinger of evil in the apodoses of omens, such as in the šumma padānu ("the path") chapter of the Bārûtu compendium:

It makes an appearance in both Šumma ālu, the monumental compendium of terrestrial omens, and the Iškar Zaqīqu, dream omen series. The Religious Chronicle records a unique appearance of this demon in the bed chambers of Nabû as one of the inauspicious omens encountered during the troubled reign of Babylonian king Nabû-mukin-apli (978 – 943 BC).

Notes

References

Akkadian literature
Mesopotamian demons

Mukīl rēš lemutti


Cornelius Bundrage (born April 25, 1973) is an American professional boxer. He is a two-time former world champion, having held the IBF junior middleweight title twice between 2010 and 2015. In 2006 he was a contestant on season two of the Contender reality TV show, where he reached the semi-finals.

Professional career
Starting out in boxing, Bundrage was a top prospect, remaining undefeated for ten years, which saw his record at (21-0, 13 KOs). As his alias K9 suggests, Bundrage had a reputation of being a dog inside the ring, damaging his opponents with fierce combinations. Cornelius' professional boxing record stands at (32-4, 19 KO's). Bundrage has shared the ring with 7 former world champions during his professional boxing career. Bundrage is currently a world champion boxing free-agent. His advisor is Bill Waller, and managed by Shawana Bundrage.

The Contender

In 2006, professional boxer Cornelius 'K9' Bundrage was a participant on ESPN's "The Contender" Season 2 boxing reality television show, with Hall of fame host Sugar Ray Leonard and Sylvester Stallone in Hollywood, California. During the show, Bundrage was viewed by millions of fans each week for fourteen weeks straight. He also was named "fan favorite" out of sixteen boxers from all over the United States. Bundrage was the last picked, winding up on the Blue Team. Wanting to avenge the slight, he volunteered to be the first member of his team to box in the tournament (quoting Matthew 20:16, "And the last shall be first") and found himself in a match against Michael Clark. In a tightly fought battle for five rounds, the two found themselves practically tied on points, Bundrage knocked Clark down with a massive right hand to the temple, which won him the fifth round on 2 of the 3 judge's scorecards and won a majority decision (2 judges said Bundrage won, 1 said it was a draw). Bundrage moved along in the tournament, while Clark was forced to hang up his gloves and go home.

In the quarterfinal round, Bundrage beat Walter Wright via unanimous decision.

Bundrage's strength failed him by losing too much weight leading up to the fight, when he faced Steve Forbes in the semifinals; Forbes won a unanimous decision over Bundrage, with the fans booing Bundrage because of intentional punches at the back of Forbes head.

Bundrage bounced back, then went on to win The Contender bronze medal fight against Norberto Bravo with a devastating TKO in the seventh round in very impressive fashion.

Career after The Contender
On the January 12, 2007, edition of ESPN's Friday Night Fights at the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, Washington, Bundrage faced former top welterweight prospect Chris Smith. In an extremely close fight, Bundrage was able to survive a sixth round scare and would come back to hurt Smith with a left hook to the jaw in the final seconds of the last round. Bundrage defeated Smith via split decision.

On March 30, 2007, he fought in The Contender Challenge: UK vs. USA broadcast on ESPN. He won the fight with a 7th round knockout against Colin McNeil, assuring the American team a victory in The Contender Challenge: UK vs. USA. Bundrage showed superiority throughout the fight. The fight took place in Metro Radio Arena, Newcastle, England.

On July 11, 2007, "Wednesday Night Fights," K9 fought Joel Julio, a hard-hitting 22-year-old junior middleweight contender who at the time was rated top 3 in all major sanctioning bodies. The fight was held after the ESPY awards at Kodak Theatre. Bundrage took the opportunity on 3 weeks notice and lost a dangerous 37 pounds in a 3-week span. K9 gave all he had, which was not much and lasted 8 rounds off pure heart. At the 2:28 mark of the 8th, Julio caught Bundrage with a long clean right hand. Julio jumped on Bundrage, which caused the referee to call a halt to the fight.

On March 28, 2008, Bundrage would rebound with a career best win. Bundrage defeated former IBF Light Middleweight Champion Kassim Ouma by unanimous decision in Salamanca, NY. Bundrage survived an early cut to win by scores of 96-93, 96-93 and 95-94.

On November 13, 2008, Bundrage would face the respected journeyman fighter Grady Brewer. Bundrage lost the bout via controversial split decision that not only did many think he deserved, but led on punch-stats via a margin that was unexpected.

Then just a month later on December 13, 2008, Bundrage flew thousands of miles to Germany on 2 weeks notice to later upset previously unbeaten prospect European Champion Zaurbek Baysangurov via 5th round KO in an IBF eliminator for the #2 mandatory spot.

On June 27, 2009, Bundrage then fought in another IBF Title Elminiator against Yuri Foreman, which ended in a 'No Decision'. Bundrage accidentally headbutted Foreman in the third round and the ring physician ended the fight.

IBF junior middleweight champion
After four separate setback losses, two IBF eliminators and a no contest, Cornelius Bundrage finally got his questionable title fight with former Undisputed Welterweight Champion and then current IBF Light Middleweight Champion Cory Spinks on August 7, 2010 at the Scottrade Center, Saint Louis, Missouri, United States. Cornelius traveled to his opponent's home town and scored an impressive 5th round knockout over Spinks. Besides capturing his dream of becoming a world champion, Bundrage also brought a major championship back to his hometown of Detroit, Michigan. There hadn't been a Detroit world champion in 26 years since Thomas Hearns. Bundrage was able to pressure Spinks throughout the fight cutting off the ring, landing good shots and not letting Spinks get into his rhythm of jab and move, Spinks was able to perry the jab of Bundrage occasionally but couldn't capitalize. Midway through the fifth a perfect 1-2 combo landed on the chin of Spinks backing him up to the ropes, Bundrage followed up with two straight rights to the head that knocked Spinks down and into a daze, Spinks got to his feet but after taking too many good shots and with so much time left in the round, the referee Mark Nelson waved of the fight at 1:25 of the round, declaring Bundrage the new IBF Light Middleweight Champion.

First title defense
He made the first defense of his IBF title in a rematch against Sechew "Iron Horse" Powell on June 25, 2011 in Saint Charles, Missouri. Powell stopped Bundrage 5 years earlier in a wild rare double knockdown which ended in one round. In the rematch, K9 made a statement by winning a 12 round onesided victory, which avenged his defeat, winning by unanimous decision over Powell. The scores read 119-109, 115-113 and 117-111.

Rematch with Spinks
On June 30, 2012, K9 rematched Cory Spinks to defend his title for the second time in San Jose California on SHOBOX: the new generation. After knocking Spinks down in round 1, the fight began to even up until K9 dropped Spinks three times in the 7th round en route to a TKO victory. He then expressed his interest and desire to face fellow world champion, WBC Light Middleweight Champion Saul Alvarez.

Losing the title
In his third defense of the IBF title, Bundrage would lose the title to Ishe Smith via majority decision on February 23, 2013. He was docked a point in the second round for hitting Smith while Smith was on the canvas after a push/slip between the two fighters. The scores read 111-116, 114-114 and 111-116.

Return to title contention
Bundrage got back into the winning column, defeating Miami's own Joey Hernandez 23-1 (KO 13), by unanimous decision for the IBF Eliminator #1 position on January 24, 2014 in Indio California at the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino. Scores read 118-110 by all three judges. With the victory Bundrage landed himself another crack at the belt he lost just last year.

Second IBF junior middleweight title
On October 11, 2014, Cornelius Bundrage would face off against IBF Light Middleweight champion Carlos Molina.  Despite tiring early, Bundrage dominated Molina, dropping him twice and hurtIng him repeatedly throughout the match.  Bundrage would win the title via unanimous decision.

Professional boxing record

References

External links

African-American boxers
1973 births
Living people
The Contender (TV series) participants
American male boxers
Light-middleweight boxers
World light-middleweight boxing champions
International Boxing Federation champions

Cornelius Bundrage


Pierre-Paul Riquet, Baron de Bonrepos (; 29 June 1609 (some sources say 1604) – 4 October 1680) was the engineer and canal-builder responsible for the construction of the Canal du Midi.

Background
Paul Riquet was born in Béziers, Hérault, France, the eldest son of solicitor, state prosecutor and businessman Guillaume Riquet.  As a youth, Riquet was only interested in mathematics and science.  He married Catherine de Milhau at age 19.

As a fermier général ("farmer-general") of Languedoc-Roussillon, he was a tax farmer responsible for the collection and administration of the gabelle (salt tax) in Languedoc. He was appointed collector in 1630, and was also a munitions provider to the Catalan Army. Riquet became wealthy and was given permission by the King to levy his own taxes. This gave him greater wealth, which allowed him to execute grand projects with technical expertise.

The Canal du Midi

Riquet is the man responsible for building the 240-kilometre-long artificial waterway that links the southern coast of France to Toulouse to link to the canal/river system that ran across to the Bay of Biscay, one of the great engineering feats of the 17th century. The logistics were immense and complex, so much so that other engineers including the ancient Romans had discussed the idea but not proceeded with it. Even so, Louis XIV was keen for the project to proceed, largely because of the increasing cost and danger of transporting cargo and trade around southern Spain where pirates were common.

Planning, financing, and construction of the Canal du Midi completely absorbed Riquet from 1665 forward. Numerous problems occurred, including navigating around many hills and providing a system that would feed the canal with water through the dry summer months. Advances in lock engineering and the creation of a 6 million cubic metre artificial lake, the Bassin de St. Ferréol which harvested water from streams on the Black Mountain near the Naurouze watershed, provided solutions.

The high cost of construction depleted Riquet's personal fortune and the seemingly insurmountable problems caused his sponsors, including Louis XIV, to lose interest. Riquet's major engineering achievements included the Fonseranes Lock Staircase and the Malpas Tunnel, the world's first navigable canal tunnel. The canal was completed in 1681, eight months after Riquet's death.
He is buried in the Cathedral Saint-Etienne in Toulouse.

References

External links
 Béziers – birthplace of Riquet

People from Béziers
1609 births
1680 deaths
French canal engineers
Canal du Midi
Fermiers généraux

Pierre-Paul Riquet


Stephen Anthony Dean (born 15 May 1964) is a former English cricketer.  Dean was a right-handed batsman.  He was born in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire.

Dean made his debut for Hertfordshire in the 1980 Minor Counties Championship against Norfolk and played Minor counties cricket for Hertfordshire from 1983 to 1988, which included 35 Minor Counties Championship matches and 5 MCCA Knockout Trophy matches.  He made his List A debut against Hampshire in the 1983 NatWest Trophy.  He made 2 further List A appearances for the county, against Hampshire in the 1986 NatWest Trophy and Surrey in the 1987 NatWest Trophy.  In his 3 List A matches, he scored 54 runs at a batting average of 18.00, with a high score of 42.

References

External links

1964 births
Living people
Sportspeople from Welwyn Garden City
English cricketers
Hertfordshire cricketers
Cricketers from Hertfordshire

Stephen Dean


The Conquest of Chile was a period in the history of Chile that began when Pedro de Valdivia went to Chile in 1541. The conquest of Chile ended when Martín García Óñez de Loyola died in 1598 in the Battle of Curalaba. It could have also ended after the Destruction of the Seven Cities happened. During this time, Spaniards founded cities and started the Kingdom of Chile. Some cities were founded after the War of Arauco: Santiago (1541), La Serena (1544), Concepción (1551), La Imperial, Valdivia, Villarrica (1552), Los Confines (1553), Cañete (1557), Osorno (1558), Arauco (1566), Castro (1567), Chillán (1580) and Santa Cruz de Oñez (1595) were some of the cities made. This period ended with the death of Loyola and the loss of their seven cities in Araucanía. The War of Arauco continued but the Spanish were never able to recover their control in the Araucanía, at the south of the River of Bío Bío.

16th-century rebellions
History of Chile
16th century in Spain
16th century in South America

Conquest of Chile


The Edgar Allan Poe Cottage (or Poe Cottage) is the former home of American writer Edgar Allan Poe. It is located on Kingsbridge Road and the Grand Concourse in the Fordham neighborhood of the Bronx, New York, a short distance from its original location, and is now in the northern part of Poe Park.

The cottage is a part of the Historic House Trust, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, has been administered by the Bronx County Historical Society since 1975, and is believed to have been built in 1797.

History

Poe family years
The Poe family—which included Edgar, his wife Virginia Clemm, and her mother Maria—moved in around May 1846 after living for a short time in Turtle Bay, Manhattan. At the time, Fordham was rural, not yet a part of the Bronx, and was only recently connected to the city by rail. The cottage, which was then on Kingsbridge Road to the east of its intersection with Valentine Avenue, was small and simple: it had on its first floor a sitting room and kitchen and its unheated second floor had a bedroom and Poe's study. On the front porch the family kept caged songbirds. The home sat on  of land and Poe paid either $5 rent per month or $100 per year. Its owner, John Valentine, had bought it from a man named Richard Corsa on March 28, 1846, for $1000.

The family seemed to enjoy the home, despite its small size and minimal furnishings. "The cottage is very humble", a visitor said, "you wouldn't have thought decent people could have lived in it; but there was an air of refinement about everything." A friend of Poe's years later wrote: "The cottage had an air of taste and gentility... So neat, so poor, so unfurnished, and yet so charming a dwelling I never saw." In a letter to a friend, Poe himself wrote: "The place is a beautiful one." Maria wrote years later: "It was the sweetest little cottage imaginable. Oh, how supremely happy we were in our dear cottage home!" Poe's final short story, "Landor's Cottage", was likely inspired by the home.

In this home, Poe wrote his poems "Annabel Lee" and "Ulalume" while the family cat sat on his shoulder. During his time here, he also published his series on "The Literati of New York City", controversial gossip-like discussions of literary figures and their work, including Nathaniel Parker Willis, Charles Frederick Briggs, Thomas Dunn English, Margaret Fuller, and Lewis Gaylord Clark. As their publisher Louis Antoine Godey announced in his Lady's Book, they would soon "raise some commotion in the literary emporium."

The Poe family befriended their neighbors, including the family of John Valentine, and Poe even served as a sponsor for baptism for one of the local boys who was named "Edgar Albert". Poe also became friendly with the faculty at what was then St. John's College, now Fordham University. He found the Jesuit faculty to be "highly cultivated gentleman and scholars [who] smoked, drank, and played cards like gentleman, and never said a word about religion." The college's church bells inspired his poem "The Bells".

During the Poe family's time in the cottage, Virginia struggled with tuberculosis. Family friend Mary Gove Nicholls wrote: "One felt that she was almost a disrobed spirit, and when she coughed it was made certain that she was rapidly passing away." Virginia died in the cottage's first floor bedroom on January 30, 1847. She was buried in the vault of the Valentine family on February 2. Poe died a couple of years later on October 7, 1849, while in Baltimore. At Fordham, Maria did not hear of his death until October 9, after he was already buried. Shortly thereafter, she moved out of the cottage to live with a family in Brooklyn for a time.

Relocation

The cottage's immediate use following the Poe family is uncertain; however, it was reported to be occupied by an 'old southern lady'. In 1874, an article by M. J. Lamb published in Appleton's Journal described a pilgrimage to the site and noted the cottage was "dreadfully out of repair". The cottage was sold at auction in 1889 for $775 to William Fearing Gill in the first step of preservation after the Parks Department found it to be too expensive a proposition with rent approximately four times what Poe paid. Gill would later become Poe's first American biographer.

In 1895, the New York Shakespeare Society purchased the Cottage for use as a headquarters with the promise that it would be maintained in the condition in which Poe used it. However, concerns about any move of the cottage sprung up almost immediately. An article titled "Shall We Save the Poe Cottage at Fordham" was published in The Review of Reviews in 1896, urging the New York State Legislature to act on preserving the home with endorsements from Theodore Roosevelt, Hamlin Garland, William Dean Howells, Rudyard Kipling, Thomas Wentworth Higginson, Henry Cabot Lodge, Horace Scudder and others.

In 1905, it was announced that $100,000 had been authorized by the state legislature for the restoration of the cottage and creation of a park in which to house the cottage after the owners were reported to be denying visitors access to the cottage. The restoration and park creation were not without complaint, and many felt the money would be better spent on other ventures and further that the cottage's authenticity would be lost if it were to be moved. The decision to move was finally made in 1910 and on November 13, 1913, Poe Cottage in Poe Park was dedicated at the corner of Kingsbridge Road and the Grand Concourse. In 1922, further reconstruction was undertaken by the New York Historical Society to restore the cottage to its original condition.

Recent history

In 1962, Poe's Cottage was designated a Bronx landmark, and in 1966 it was recognized by the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission as an official city landmark. In 1974 vandals struck, as in the past, leading to further criticism of the Cottage's management and preservation efforts.

Vandalism continued to occur over the next few years, though it tapered off by the end of the following decade, becoming less of a risk due in part to the increased use of live-in caretakers. In the late 1990s, the cottage was under the care of a graduate student in philology who lived in the basement.

In 2007, the proposed Visitors Center for the Cottage and Bronx Historical Society in Poe Park was honored by the New York City Art Commission's 2007 Design Awards. The visitor center, designed by Toshiko Mori, opened in 2008 and was the first NYC Parks project completed under mayor Michael Bloomberg's Design and Construction Excellence Initiative.

See also
 Edgar Allan Poe Museum in Richmond, Virginia
 Edgar Allan Poe House and Museum in Baltimore, Maryland
 Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
 List of New York City Designated Landmarks in the Bronx
 National Register of Historic Places listings in the Bronx

References

External links

 Bronx Historical Society: Edgar Allan Poe Cottage
 NYC Dept. of Parks & Recreation: Edgar Allan Poe Cottage

Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in the Bronx
Houses completed in 1797
Biographical museums in New York City
Historic house museums in New York City
New York City Designated Landmarks in the Bronx
Museums in the Bronx
Literary museums in the United States
Edgar Allan Poe
Fordham, Bronx
Poe, Edgar Allan Cottage
Relocated buildings and structures in New York City

Edgar Allan Poe Cottage


The Stutz Motor Car Company was an American producer of high-end sports and luxury cars based in Indianapolis, Indiana. Production began in 1911 and ended in 1935.

Stutz was known as a producer of fast cars including America's first sports car and, from 1924, luxury cars for the rich and famous.

The brand was revived in 1968 under the aegis of the Stutz Motor Car of America and it unveiled a line of modern retro-look cars. Although the company is still in existence, sales of factory-produced vehicles ceased in 1995.

History
Ideal Motor Car Company, organized in June 1911 by Harry C. Stutz with his friend, Henry F Campbell, began building Stutz cars in Indianapolis in 1911. They set this business up after a car built by Stutz in under five weeks and entered in the name of his Stutz Auto Parts Co. was placed 11th in the Indianapolis 500 earning it the slogan "the car that made good in a day". Ideal built what amounted to copies of the racecar with added fenders and lights and sold them with the model name Stutz Bearcat, Bear Cat being the name of the actual racecar.

The Bearcat featured a  Wisconsin brawny four-cylinder T-head engine with four valves per cylinder, one of the earliest multi-valve engines, matched with one of Harry Stutz's transaxles. Stutz Motor has also been credited with the development of "the underslung chassis," an invention that greatly enhanced the safety and cornering of motor vehicles and one that is still in use today. Stutz's "White Squadron" race team won the 1913 and 1915 national championships before withdrawing from racing in October 1915.

Stutz Motor Car Company of America
In June 1913 Ideal Motor Car Company changed its name to  Stutz Motor Car Company (of Indiana) and Stutz Auto Parts Company (it manufactured Stutz's transaxle) was merged into it. To find new investment capital for expansion Stutz Motor Car Company (of Indiana) was sold in 1916 to Stutz Motor Car Company of America under an agreement with a consortium to list the specially organized holding company's stock on the New York Stock Exchange. As a part of the listing process, the number of cars produced and sold since 1912 was reported to potential investors: 1913, 759; 1914, 649; 1915, 1,079; 1916 (first six months) 874. Stutz, Campbell, Allan A. Ryan, and four others were directors. Stutz was president and Allan A. Ryan vice-president.

Harry Stutz left Stutz Motor on July 1, 1919, and together with Henry Campbell established the H. C. S. Motor Car Company and Stutz Fire Apparatus Company.

Allan Aloysius Ryan (1880–1940), father of Allan A. Ryan Jr., was left in control of Stutz Motor. Ryan Sr., and friends attempted stock manipulation which in April 1920 proved disastrous. Stutz Motor was delisted. The Stutz Motor corner was the last publicly detected intentional corner on the New York Stock Exchange. Ryan Sr., was bankrupt in  August 1922 as well as disinherited by his father, Thomas Fortune Ryan. Meanwhile, two friends of Thomas Fortune Ryan found themselves with large parcels of Stutz stock, Charles Michael Schwab and Eugene Van Rensselaer Thayer Jr. (1881–1937), president of Chase National Bank.

The new owners brought in Frederick Ewan Moskowics, formerly of Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft, Marmon, and Franklin, in 1923. Moskowics quickly refocused the company as a developer of safety cars, a recurring theme in the auto industry. In the case of Stutz, the car featured safety glass, a low center of gravity for better handling, and a hill-holding transmission called "Noback". A significant advance was the 1931 DOHC 32-valve in-line 8 called the "DV32" (DV for 'dual valve'). This was during the so-called "cylinders race" of the early 1930s when makers of some expensive cars were rushing to produce multi-cylinder engines. However, Stutz continued its performance heritage with the dual overhead cam, in-line 8 engine design. Brochures boasted the cars were capable of top speeds of more than .

The following year, a  Stutz (entered and owned by wealthy French pilot and inventor Charles Weymann) in the hands of by Robert Bloch and Edouard Brisson finished second at the 24 Hours of Le Mans (losing to the  Bentley of Rubin and Barnato, despite losing top gear 90 minutes from the flag), the best result for an American car until 1966. That same year, development engineer and racing driver Frank Lockhart used a pair of supercharged  DOHC engines in his Stutz Black Hawk Special streamliner land speed record car, while Stutz set another speed record at Daytona Beach, reaching  driven by Gil Andersen making it the fastest production car in America. Also in 1927, Stutz won the AAA Championship winning every race and every Stutz vehicle entered finished.  In 1929, three Stutzes, with bodies designed by Gordon Buehrig, built by Weymann's U.S. subsidiary, and powered by a , , supercharged, straight 8 ran at Le Mans, driven by Edouard Brisson, George Eyston (of land speed racing fame), and co-drivers Philippe de Rothschild and Guy Bouriat; de Rothschild and Bouriat placed fifth after the other two cars fell out with split fuel tanks.

Stutz Motor acquired the manufacturing rights for the Pak-Age-Car, a light delivery vehicle that they had been distributing since 1927. A total of 15 new Stutz models were introduced at the 1932 New York Motor Show by Charles Schwab including the Pak-Age-Car. The delivery vehicle was put into production by Stutz's Package Car Division in March 1933 and the production of automobiles stopped. When production ended in 1935 35,000 cars had been manufactured. Stutz Motor was charged by stock manipulation again in 1935, but without the excesses that occurred in 1920.

Stutz Motor filed for bankruptcy in April 1937, though its assets exceeded its liabilities. Creditors were unable to agree on a plan for revival and in April 1939, the bankruptcy court ordered its liquidation.

The former Indianapolis factory is today known as the Stutz Business Center and is home to more than eighty artists, sculptors, photographers, designers, architects, and craftsmen.

Models
 1911–1925 Bearcat
 1926–1935 8-Cylinder
 Stutz Vertical Eight AA
 Stutz Vertical Eight BB
 Stutz Vertical Eight M
 Stutz Vertical Eight MA
 Stutz Vertical Eight MB
 Stutz Vertical Eight SV-16
 Stutz Vertical Eight DV-32

Revival Stutz Motor Car of America
Virgil Exner had more luck with the Stutz name. In August 1968, New York banker James O'Donnell raised funds and incorporated Stutz Motor Car of America. A prototype of Exner's Stutz Blackhawk was produced by Ghia, and the car debuted in 1970. All these cars used General Motors running gear, featuring perimeter-type chassis frames, automatic transmission, power steering and power brakes with discs at the front. Features included electric windows, air conditioning, central locking, electric seats, and leather upholstery. The sedans typically included a console for beverages in the rear seat. Engines were V8s, originally , but by 1984 the Victoria, Blackhawk, and Bearcat came with a ,  engine while the Royale had a  Oldsmobile engine rated at .

This incarnation of Stutz had some reasonable success selling newly designed Blackhawks, Bearcats, Royale Limousines, IV Portes, and Victorias. Elvis Presley bought the first Blackhawk in 1971, and later purchased three more. Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Evel Knievel, Barry White, and Sammy Davis Jr. all owned Stutz cars. The Stutz Blackhawk owned by Lucille Ball was for a time on display at the Imperial Palace Hotel and Casino Auto Collection in Las Vegas. The Stutz was marketed as the "World's Most Expensive Car" with a Royale limousine priced at $285,000 and a Blackhawk coupé over US$115,000 in 1984

Production was limited and an estimated 617 cars were built during the company's first 25 years of existence (1971–1995). Sales of Stutz began to wane in 1985, but continued until 1995. Warren Liu became its main shareholder and took over ownership of Stutz Motor Cars in 1982.

Stutz models II

 Stutz Motor Car of America (Neoclassic automobiles)
 1970–1987 Blackhawk (coupe)
 1970–1979 - based on the Pontiac Grand Prix
 1980–1987 - based on the Pontiac Bonneville
 1979–1995 Bearcat (convertible)
 1977 - a converted Blackhawk
 1979 - based on the Pontiac Grand Prix
 1980–1986 - based on the Pontiac Bonneville, Buick LeSabre, or Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royale
 1987–1995 - based on the Pontiac Firebird or Chevrolet Camaro
 1970–1987 Duplex/IV-Porte/Victoria (sedan)
 197? Duplex
 1977–1987 IV-Porte - based on the Pontiac Bonneville, Buick LeSabre, or Oldsmobile 88
 1981– 1987 Victoria
 Diplomatica/Royale (limousine)
 Diplomatica - based on the Cadillac DeVille
 Royale - super-long limousine
 1984– Defender/Gazelle/Bear - Chevrolet Suburban-based armored SUV
 Gazelle - military SUV with mounted machine gun
 Bear - four-door convertible

References

A.K. Miller collection

Defunct motor vehicle manufacturers of the United States
Luxury motor vehicle manufacturers
Sports car manufacturers
Motor vehicle manufacturers based in Indiana
Manufacturing companies based in Indianapolis
Defunct companies based in Indianapolis
1914 establishments in Indiana
1935 disestablishments in Indiana
1971 establishments in Indiana
1992 disestablishments in Indiana
Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1911
Vehicle manufacturing companies disestablished in 1935
Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1971
Vehicle manufacturing companies disestablished in 1992
1910s cars
1920s cars
1930s cars
1980s cars
1990s cars
Brass Era vehicles
Vintage vehicles

Stutz Motor Company


Balls Wood is a  nature reserve managed by the Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust in Hertford Heath in East Hertfordshire. The wood was purchased by the Trust from the Forestry Commission.

The northern part has mature coppiced hornbeams together with ash and field maple. There are breeding birds such as great spotted woodpeckers and sparrowhawks. The site also has open rides which provide a habitat for insects such as white admiral butterflies and wild flowers including bluebells, wood anemones and early purple orchids. There are many ponds which support aquatic invertebrates.

There is access by going along The Roundings from London Road past Hertford Heath nature reserve, turning right along Elbow Lane and left into Balls Wood.

References

External links

Balls Wood nature reserve leaflet, Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust

Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust reserves
Nature reserves in Hertfordshire
East Hertfordshire District

Balls Wood


Eddie Lee Sexton (May 12, 1942 – December 29, 2010) was an American convicted murderer and rapist known for compelling his children to murder and for committing sexual abuse against his own family, which he ruled in a cult-like manner. He fathered at least three children with two of his daughters. Rick Terrana, Eddie Sexton's defense attorney, described the Sextons as the "most dysfunctional family in America." The case earned national attention, due in part to some of the graphic and sensational details revealed in court.

Eddie Lee Sexton was captured after living as a fugitive for over a year to avoid child abuse charges. He was sentenced to death for orchestrating the murder of his son-in-law, Joel, by holding a gun to the head of his own son, Willie, and telling him to strangle Joel. Sexton was also given an additional 15 years for conspiracy to commit kidnapping and murder of an acquaintance. After appeal, Sexton's death penalty case was overturned and a new trial ordered. After retrial he was again found guilty and sentenced to death, but died in prison of natural causes.

Biography

Early life
Eddie Lee Sexton was born near rural Logan, West Virginia to a family of coal miners. His father was a part-time Baptist preacher. In 1963, he committed armed robbery of a gas station the day after marrying his pregnant 15-year-old girlfriend. He was sentenced to five years in state prison for the robbery, and his wife filed for divorce after giving birth to a son, Patrick.

Eddie later married Estella May, with whom he had 12 children. Eddie and Estella settled in Stark County, Ohio.

Eddie was regarded as charming and polite upon first impression, but those who knew him well saw him as a serial con artist and fraudster. Though receiving Social Security disability payments due to an allegedly serious back injury, he also worked for cash as a painter and handyman. He was suspected of having committed insurance fraud by setting three fires at his homes in the 1980s and faking burglaries and falsely reporting stolen items.

In the 1970s he briefly worked as an independent Christian preacher, espousing a highly unorthodox doctrine emphasizing sex and apocalyptic predictions that he would later use to indoctrinate and intimidate his children. Journalist Lowell Cauffiel wrote:  "Eddie Lee Sexton certainly maintained his own place of worship. But nobody could figure out what gospel he was preaching. A little general occult. A little fundamentalism. A little Satanism. A little sci-fi hustle..." Neighbor Augusta Houston would report that Eddie claimed to worship both God and the Devil.

Abuse and investigations
The Sexton children would later describe Eddie and Estella as having committed extreme acts of abuse almost daily. All the children were sexually abused by both parents, were beaten and locked in their rooms for minor infractions, and routinely suffered other indignities. The Sexton children attended public schools, and while Eddie allowed them to have only one friend each, they were not allowed to visit friends' homes and friends were not allowed in the Sexton home. The Sexton children believed their father had supernatural powers such as telepathy and the ability to summon ghosts or spirits.

Subsequent to the abuse, many of the children became sexually reactive with or sexually abusive toward one another. Eddie staged mock wedding ceremonies with several of his daughters as preludes to his raping them (photos of these weddings are printed in Cauffiel's book House of Secrets, with Eddie's daughters wearing bridal veils in their family living room).  His children would later report Eddie conducting such events as a seance-like ceremony involving a dead cat and forcing the children to sign contracts in their own blood stating they would go to hell for disobeying him.

Eddie impregnated his teenage daughter Estella (known as "Pixie" to distinguish the daughter from the mother who shared the same name). He encouraged her to find a boyfriend to avert suspicion from himself. Pixie met Joel Good, a high school classmate described as slow-witted and overly trusting. They had an on-off romance, eventually marrying despite the reservations of Joel's family about his marrying a young woman with two young girls, Dawn and Shasta, of uncertain parentage. After the wedding, Pixie gave birth to a boy they named Skipper Lee Good.

The Sexton household was long suspected of being abusive and neglectful towards their children; county officials maintained a file on the family from 1979 but lacked enough evidence for any further action. In early 1992, his then-18 year old daughter Machelle informed employees at a women's shelter that her father had raped her. At the time of Machelle's allegation, six of the Sexton children were minors and authorities launched an investigation. Three of the young children reported nothing unusual, but three others reported physical abuse by their parents. These three children were removed from the home and assigned to foster families pending further investigation. Machelle retracted her allegations, complicating the case.

Eddie filmed a three-hour video on a VHS tape, denying the charges against him and claiming he was the victim of persecution by both his brother Otis (who had cooperated with authorities) and Stark County authorities who held a grudge against him. To plead his case, Eddie mailed copies of the video directly to both President Bill Clinton and Attorney General Janet Reno.

Fugitives
After seven months with her foster family, young Lana Sexton confided to her foster parents that her birth mother Estella had sexually abused her. This disclosure was confirmed by a medical exam that found vaginal scarring consistent with her story. Stark County authorities moved to take custody of all the minor Sexton children. Eddie and Estella responded first with a flurry of legal motions designed to slow the court process, and then tried to prove Native American ancestry in an attempt to shift the criminal case to a tribal court.

When these steps were ineffective in avoiding court action, the Sextons went on the run. Along with Eddie and Estella, they traveled with three of their minor children, several adult children including Joel and Pixie, and Pixie's three young children. In total, 11 people lived in a cramped van as they roamed the country. They first lived in Oklahoma with Eddie's relatives for several months before relocating to campsites at Little Manatee River State Park on Florida's western coast. Eddie forced the children to engage in paramilitary drills in anticipation of a showdown with law enforcement, and the Sexton children began drinking heavily and inhaling gasoline fumes. Eddie drove back to Ohio every two weeks to cash his disability checks. Ohio courts issued arrest warrants, but the case had a relatively low priority and was not initially well-publicized due to family court rules to protect the anonymity of child abuse victims.

Pixie smothered her son Skipper to death in the late evening of October 19,1993 or in the early morning of October 20,1993. The child was ill and Eddie refused to allow a doctor to visit. Pixie later claimed that her father ordered her to silence the crying child in order to avoid drawing attention at the camp site (where the family lived in violation of both the occupancy and time-limit rules). Pixie carried the corpse with her for several days, believing her father had the power to resurrect the child. They eventually buried the boy in a peat bog near the camp site.

Pixie told Joel the boy died of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), but Joel was suspicious. On November 30, 1993, Joel and Pixie visited the University of Tampa's library, where librarian Gail Novak assisted him in finding information about SIDS. Eddie entered the library, furious that Joel and Pixie had visited without his permission. Novak would later testify that she saw Eddie assault Joel and Pixie in the library, and that she overheard an argument between father and daughter. When Pixie said that Joel was heartbroken over Skipper's death and wanted to go back to Ohio, Eddie replied that the only way Joel would return to Ohio was as a corpse. Novak reported the incident to campus police, who dismissed it as a prank.

At Little Manatee State Park, the Sextons made the acquaintance of Ray Hesser, who had recently retired after selling his business and was traveling cross-country by himself in a luxurious motor home. Eddie and his children began a scheme to use Pixie to seduce Hesser, hoping to eventually kill the man, drain his bank accounts, and steal his vehicle. Initially friendly towards the Sextons, Hesser gradually grew suspicious and parted ways with them by lying about his travel plans specifically to avoid them.

Eddie trained his hulking adult son Willie to use a garotte in preparation for murdering Joel. Willie strangled 24-year-old Joel to death sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas 1993. They buried Joel's body in the swamp not far from Skipper's grave.

Arrest and trials
Eventually, the FBI issued a national arrest warrant for Eddie and Estella Sexton for unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. They were arrested in Florida on January 14, 1994 after authorities traced them by a Florida zip code on one of Sexton's self-produced videocassettes that was mailed to Attorney General Reno.

The minor Sexton children were taken into custody while the adult  children were released. Investigation and questioning would reveal that there were other crimes to be investigated beyond the child abuse warrants for Eddie and Estella. Pixie's daughters Dawn and Shasta both showed signs of repeated sexual abuse, and Dawn identified Willie and Scott Sexton as her abusers. Interviews uncovered the death of Skipper, which was first blamed on SIDS, though eventually Pixie took responsibility for the death.

The Sextons all initially insisted that Joel had departed for Ohio, but eventually Willie confessed to killing him at Eddie's command. Authorities found Skipper and Joel's bodies where they had been buried; they were unintentionally well-preserved in unusually good condition in peat, similar to the bog bodies of northern Europe.

The investigation was exceptionally complex, headquartered in Hillsborough County, Florida, but spanning several states and multiple jurisdictions. Sexton's children were difficult to interview, giving evasive and contradictory answers and all displaying major psychiatric problems like psychotic breaks, PTSD, and vivid nightmares about their father. Machelle agreed to testify against her father, saying that she retracted her confession out of fear, but now felt comfortable testifying since he was in custody. His adult daughter Sherri Crotto reported that he had impregnated her several years before doing the same to Pixie, and that her son was adopted by relatives. DNA testing confirmed with 99% likelihood that Eddie was the father of Pixie's daughters Dawn and Shasta. Authorities suspected Eddie may have also fathered Skipper, but opted against DNA testing for the sake of Joel's family: Joel was consistently reported to have adored and doted on Skipper and the two were buried in the same casket.

Eventually, investigators came to believe that Eddie was the mastermind of the entire Sexton family. In February 1994, Pixie was charged with first-degree murder for killing Skipper. However, she was later allowed to plead guilty to manslaughter for Skipper's death, in exchange for testifying against her father. Adult son Scott agreed to testify against Eddie regarding the Hesser murder plot, while Willie agreed to testify regarding Joel Good's murder. Willie was found to have a borderline mentally handicapped IQ (about 70) and was functionally illiterate. He was further judged unfit to stand trial due to serious psychiatric problems and was ordered to a mental health facility for treatment. His condition was stabilized, and Willie eventually testified.

The first trial was for the murder plot against Ray Hesser. Eddie eventually accepted a plea bargain and was sentenced to 15 years for conspiracy to commit kidnapping and murder.

The next trial was for the murder of Joel Good. Prosecutor Jay Pruner stated in court: "Each of [Eddie's] children represented a key that would unlock a door to a different secret [...] To keep those family secrets sacred, Eddie Lee Sexton exercised complete domination and control over every member of his family." Willie testified that Eddie had ordered Joel's murder due to fears that he would return to Ohio and report Skipper's death and the Sexton family whereabouts to authorities. Defense attorneys noted the many contradictions and inconsistencies in the Sexton children's testimony and depositions and attempted to cast Willie and Pixie as the murderers, asserting that Eddie wasn't  involved and did not approve of the crime. Rick Terrana objected to the information about Eddie's prior bad acts being heard in court. Judge Bob Mitcham ruled that such testimony would be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, but ended up allowing most testimony of Eddie's abusive and manipulative behavior. Judge Mitcham's memoir described Eddie as "look[ing] continually relaxed and in control throughout the trial."

Eddie was found guilty after less than three hours deliberation and was sentenced to death on November 2, 1994. Jurors later said that librarian Gail Novak's testimony was the most important evidence presented at the trial. While the Sextons came across as mentally disturbed and their stories were often inconsistent, contradictory, and incomplete, Novak's account provided jurors with critical independent corroboration of the most salient details of the prosecution's case.

Pixie was sentenced to six years for manslaughter. Willie plead guilty to second-degree murder, and was sentenced to 25 years, with his low intelligence and overbearing father taken as mitigating factors. In the Ohio courts, Estella May was sentenced to two years in prison for abusing Lana; during a second trial for over a dozen abuse charges against other children, she was sentenced to life in prison for accessory to rape.

On appeal in 1997, Eddie Lee Sexton's verdict was overturned and a new trial was ordered. The appellate judges agreed with defense attorneys that some of the prior bad acts evidence regarding the child abuse and other lurid details of the family history were prejudicial and inflammatory. After the retrial Eddie was again found guilty. During the sentencing phase, a psychologist testified for the defense that Eddie "had a diminished level of self-control due to dysfunction in his prefrontal cortex". The court rejected this line of reasoning, noting that Eddie's crimes showed considerable planning and concealment over many years, thus demonstrating he possessed self-control. Moreover, Dr. Barbara Stein, a board-certified psychiatrist retained by the State before the second trial, testified at the evidentiary hearing that Sexton had antisocial personality disorder with histrionic features. Dr. Michael Maher, a forensic psychiatrist, concluded that Sexton was a "sadistic sexual psychopath." Eddie was sentenced to death on November 18, 1998. He died of natural causes while imprisoned at Florida's Union Correctional Institution.

In October 2017, Estella May Warren died in prison of natural causes at the age of 70.

Pixie Sexton's murder of her young child has been described as an extreme example of post-partum depression, with research showing that victims of abuse have much higher than average rates of killing their own children.

References

1942 births
2010 deaths
American people convicted of murder
American prisoners sentenced to death
American people who died in prison custody
People convicted of murder by Florida
Prisoners sentenced to death by Florida
Prisoners who died in Florida detention
People with antisocial personality disorder
Satanic ritual abuse
Incest

Eddie Lee Sexton


The Single Track is a lost 1921 American silent melodrama film directed by Webster Campbell and starring Corinne Griffith. The film is based upon a story by Isabelle Ostrander writing under the pseudonym Douglas Grant. The film was produced and distributed by Vitagraph.

Plot
As described in a film magazine, when New York City society belle Janette Gildersleeve (Griffith) is informed by her uncle Andrew Geddes (Kent) that her property in Alaska is threatened unless a railroad line is built to other holdings, she promptly closes her town house and, under an assumed name, takes a job as a clerk at the North Star Mining Company's store at Katalak, Alaska. There she encounters civil engineer Barney Hoyt (Travers) who is in charge of building the single track line. Jim Mallison (Betz) attempts to force his attentions on Janette and Barney saves her from further annoyance. The opposition company owning the mine at Unatik attempts to destroy the tracks and a bridge on the day the right-of-way is to expire by floating a raft with dynamite against the bridge. Janette and the family butler, who is posing as her father, destroy the raft and save the bridge. They also rescue Barney who was engaged in a hand-to-hand encounter with Mallison on the trestle.

Cast
Corinne Griffith as Janette Gildersleeve
Richard Travers as Barney Hoyt
Charles Kent as Andrew Geddes
Sidney Herbert as Peddar
Jessie Stevens as Man Heaney
Edward Norton as Roland Winfield
Matthew Betz as Jim Mallison (credited as Matthew Betts)
Fuller Mellish as Jud Pettinger

References

External links

1921 films
American silent feature films
Lost American drama films
1921 drama films
American black-and-white films
Silent American drama films
Melodrama films
1921 lost films
1920s American films

The Single Track


Michael G. L. Baillie is Professor Emeritus of Palaeoecology at Queen's University of Belfast, in Northern Ireland.  Baillie is a leading expert in dendrochronology, or dating by means of tree-rings. In the 1980s, he was instrumental in building a year-by-year chronology of tree-ring growth reaching 7,400 years into the past.

Comet theories

Upon examining the tree-ring record, Baillie noticed indications of severe environmental downturns around 2354 BC, 1628 BC, 1159 BC, 208 BC, and AD 540. He claims that these environmental downturns were wide-ranging catastrophic events; the AD 540 event in particular is attested in tree-ring chronologies from Siberia through Europe and North and South America. This event coincides with the second largest ammonium signal in the Greenland ice in the last two millennia, the largest being in AD 1014, and both these epochs were accompanied by cometary apparitions. Baillie explains the general absence of mainstream historical references to this event by the fact it was described in terms of biblical metaphors since at that time "Christian beliefs included the dogma that nothing that happens in the heavens could have any conceivable effect on the Earth."

Since then, he has devoted much of his attention to uncovering the causes of these global environmental downturns. He believes that impacts from cometary debris may account for most of the downturns, especially the AD 540 event. This hypothesis is supported in work by British cometary astrophysicists, who find that earth was at increased risk of bombardment by cometary debris in the AD 400-600 timeframe, based on the frequency of fireball activity in the Taurid meteor streams recorded in Chinese archives.

To provide further support to his cometary debris theory, Baillie has searched the written record and traditions embodied in myths. There he has found evidence that the dates of the environmental downturns listed above are often associated with collapses of civilizations or turning points in history. The AD 540 event, for example, may have been associated with a catastrophe that ushered in the Dark Ages of Europe.

His book, Exodus to Arthur: Catastrophic Encounters with Comets (Batsford, 1999), relates the findings of his tree-ring studies to a series of global environmental traumas over the past 4400 years that may mark events such as the biblical Exodus, the disasters which befell Egypt, collapses of Chinese dynasties, and the onset of the European Dark Ages. The Celtic Gods: Comets in Irish Mythology (Tempus, 2005), co-authored with Patrick McCafferty, focuses on the AD 540 event as recorded in the historical records and myths of Ireland and shows that the imagery in the myths and the times between events are consistent with  a comet with an earth-crossing orbit similar to P/Encke, as described by the British astronomers Victor Clube and Bill Napier. His latest book, New Light on the Black Death: The Cosmic Connection (Tempus, 2006), shows how the tree-ring and Greenland ice core evidence and descriptions in annals, myths and metaphors adduced in support of the global environmental downturn at AD 540, which included the Justinian plague, also applies to conditions extant at the time of the Black Death in AD 1348.

Controversy over releasing data
In 2010, Baillie became involved in a controversy over the release of his tree-ring data.  Baillie claims that the tree-ring data is his own personal intellectual property.  The UK Information Commissioner's Office, however, ruled that, because Baillie did all the work while employed at a public university, the data must be released to the public.

See also
Extreme weather events of 535–536

Books
Tree-Ring Dating and Archaeology (London: Croom-Helm, 1982).
A Slice Through Time: dendrochronology and precision dating (London: Routledge, 1995).

 The Celtic Gods: Comets in Irish Mythology (Tempus, 2005), co-authored with Patrick McCafferty
 New Light on the Black Death: The Cosmic Connection (Tempus, 2006)

References

External links
 University's staff profile
 Transcript from NOVA (PBS) based documentary, Secrets of the Dead: Catastrophe! Part 1

Baillie, Mike
Dendrologists
Living people
Year of birth missing (living people)

Mike Baillie