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Texas Ranger Division

The Texas Ranger Division, also known as the Texas Rangers and also known as, is an investigative law enforcement agency with statewide jurisdiction in the U.S. state of Texas, based in the capital city Austin. In the time since its creation, the Texas Rangers have investigated crimes ranging from murder to political corruption, acted in riot control and as detectives, protected the governor of Texas, tracked down fugitives, served as a security force at important state locations, including the Alamo, and functioned as a paramilitary force at the service of both the Republic (1836–1846) and the State of Texas.

The Texas Rangers were unofficially created by Stephen F. Austin in a call-to-arms written in 1823. After a decade, on August 10, 1835, Daniel Parker introduced a resolution to the Permanent Council creating a body of rangers to protect the Mexican border. The unit was dissolved by the federal authorities after the Civil War during the Reconstruction Era but was quickly reformed upon the reinstitution of home government. Since 1935, the organization has been a division of the Texas Department of Public Safety (TxDPS); it fulfills the role of Texas' state bureau of investigation. As of 2019, there are 166 commissioned members of the Ranger force.

The Rangers have taken part in many of the most important events of Texas history, such as stopping the assassination of presidents William Howard Taft and Porfirio Díaz in El Paso, and in some of the best-known criminal cases in the history of the Old West, such as those of gunfighter John Wesley Hardin, bank robber Sam Bass, and outlaws Bonnie and Clyde.

Scores of books have been written about the Rangers, from well-researched works of nonfiction to pulp novels and other such fiction, making the Rangers significant participants in the mythology of the Wild West and modern culture. The Lone Ranger, perhaps the best-known example of a fictional character derived from the Texas Rangers, draws his alias from having once been a Texas Ranger. Other well-known examples include the radio and television series Tales of the Texas Rangers, Augustus McCrae and Woodrow Call from the Larry McMurtry novel series  Lonesome Dove, and Chuck Norris portraying Cordell Walker in Walker, Texas Ranger. The Major League Baseball (MLB) team Texas Rangers is named after the division.

The Rangers are legally protected against disbandment. There is a museum dedicated to the Texas Rangers known as the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum in Waco, Texas, which celebrates the cultural significance of the Rangers.

History

The rangers were founded in 1823 when Stephen F. Austin, known as the Father of Texas, employed ten men to act as rangers to protect 600 to 700 newly settled families who arrived in Mexican Texas following the Mexican War of Independence. While there is some discussion as to when Austin actually employed men as "rangers", Texas Ranger lore dates the year of their organization to this event. The Texas Rangers were formally constituted in 1835, and in November, Robert McAlpin Williamson was chosen to be the first Major of the Texas Rangers. Within two years the Rangers comprised more than 300 men.

Following the Texas Revolution and the creation of the Republic of Texas, newly elected president Mirabeau B. Lamar (the second elected president of the Republic) raised a force of 56 Rangers to fight the Cherokee and the Comanche, partly in retaliation for the support they had given the Mexicans at the Cordova Rebellion against the Republic. Ten Rangers were killed in the Battle of Stone Houses in 1837. The size of the Ranger force was increased from 56 to 150 men by Sam Houston, as President of the Republic, in 1841 (the second time he was elected president of the Republic).

The Rangers continued to participate in skirmishes with Native Americans through 1846, when the annexation of Texas to the United States and the Mexican–American War saw several companies of Rangers mustered into federal service. They played important roles at various battles, acting as guides and participating in counter-guerrilla warfare, soon establishing a fearsome reputation among both Mexicans and Americans. At the Battle of Monterrey in September 1846, famous Texas Rangers such as John Coffee "Jack" Hays, Ben McCulloch, Bigfoot Wallace and Samuel Hamilton Walker played important roles in the battle, including advising General William Jenkins Worth on the tactics required to fight inside a Mexican city. Richard Addison Gillespie, a famed Texas Ranger, died at Monterrey, and General Worth renamed a hill "Mount Gillespie" after him. The First Regiment of Texas Mounted Rifle Volunteers was also known as "Hays' Texas Rangers". Colonel Hays organized a second regiment of Texas Rangers, including Rip Ford, who fought with General Winfield Scott in his Mexico City Campaign and the Anti-guerrilla campaign along his line of communications to Vera Cruz.

John Jackson Tumlinson Sr., the first alcalde of the Colorado district, is considered by many Texas Ranger historians to be the first Texas Ranger killed in the line of duty. One of his most urgent issues was protection of settlers from theft and murder by marauders. On his way to San Antonio in 1823 to discuss the issue with the governor, Tumlinson was killed by Native Americans. His traveling companion, a Mr. Newman, escaped. Tumlinson's body was never found.

Following the end of the war in 1848, the Rangers were largely disbanded, but the election of Hardin Richard Runnels as governor in 1857 meant US$70,000 was allocated to fund the Rangers under John Salmon "Rip" Ford,  a veteran of the Mexican war. The now 100-strong Rangers participated in campaigns against the Comanche and other tribes, whose raids against the settlers and their properties had become common. Ford and his Rangers fought the Comanche in the Battle of Little Robe Creek in 1858 and then Juan Cortina in the Battle of Rio Grande City the following year with Capt. Peter Tumlinson.

The success of a series of campaigns in the 1860s marked a turning point in Rangers' history. The U.S. Army could provide only limited and thinly-stretched protection in the enormous territory of Texas. By contrast, the Rangers' effectiveness when dealing with these threats convinced both the people of the state and the political leaders that a well-funded and organized state Ranger force was essential. Such a force could use the deep familiarity with the territory and the proximity with the theater of operations as major advantages in its favor. This option was not pursued, in view of the emerging national political problems (prelude to the American Civil War), and the Rangers were again dissolved.

Many Rangers enlisted to fight for the Confederacy following the secession of Texas from the United States in 1861 during the Civil War. The 8th Texas Cavalry Regiment was also known as Terry's Texas Rangers. In 1870, during Reconstruction, the Rangers were briefly replaced by a Union-controlled version called the Texas State Police; supplemented by the 30 man Texas Special Police. Both organizations were disbanded only three years later. The state election of 1873 saw newly elected Governor Richard Coke and the state legislature recommission the Rangers. During these times, many of the Rangers' myths were born, such as their success in capturing or killing notorious criminals and desperados (including bank robber Sam Bass and gunfighter John Wesley Hardin), their involvement in the Mason County War, the Horrell-Higgins Feud, and their decisive role in the defeat of the Comanche, Kiowa and Apache peoples. The Apache "dreaded the Texas Rangers...whose guns were always loaded and whose aim was unerring; they slept in the saddle and ate while they rode, or done without...when they took up our trail they followed it determinedly and doggedly day and night." Also during these years, the Rangers suffered the only defeat in their history when they surrendered at the Salinero Revolt in 1877.

Despite the fame of their deeds, the conduct of the Rangers during this period was illegally excessive. In particular, Leander H. McNelly and his men used ruthless methods that often rivaled the brutality of their opponents, such as taking part in summary executions and confessions induced by torture and intimidation.

The Rangers next saw serious action at the summit of William Howard Taft and President Porfirio Díaz in 1909, preventing an assassination of both presidents, and during the subsequent Mexican Revolution. The breakdown of law and order on the Mexican side of the border, coupled with the lack of federal military forces, meant the Rangers were once again called upon to restore and maintain law and order, by any necessary means, which again led to excesses. However, the situation necessitated the appointment of hundreds of new special Rangers by the state, which neglected to carefully screen aspiring members. The Rangers were responsible for several incidents, ending in the January 28, 1918 massacre of the male population (15 Mexican men and boys ranging in age from 16 to 72 years) of the tiny community of Porvenir, Texas, on the Mexican border in western Presidio County. Before the decade was over, thousands of people died, Texans and Mexicans alike. In January 1919, an investigation launched by Texas lawmaker José Tomás Canales found that from 300 to 5,000 people, mostly of Hispanic descent, had been killed by Rangers from 1910 to 1919, and that members of the Rangers had been involved in many acts of brutality and injustice. The Rangers were reformed by a resolution of the Legislature in 1919, which saw the special Ranger groups disbanded and a complaints system instituted.

The Great Depression forced both the federal and state governments to cut down on personnel and funding of their organizations, and the number of commissioned officers was reduced to 45, with the only means of transportation afforded to Rangers being free railroad passes or using their personal horses. The agency was again damaged after supporting Governor Ross Sterling in his re-election campaign—after his opponent Miriam Amanda "Ma" Ferguson won, she proceeded to discharge all serving Rangers in 1933.

The ensuing disorganization of law enforcement in the state caused the Legislature to engage a firm of consultants to reorganize the state security agencies. The consultants recommended merging the Rangers with the Texas Highway Patrol under a new agency called the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS). This change took place in 1935, with an initial budget of US$450,000. With minor rearrangements over the years, the 1935 reforms have ruled the Texas Rangers' organization until present day. Hiring new members, which had been largely a political decision, was achieved through a series of examinations and merit evaluations. Promotion relied on seniority and performance in the line of duty. Today, the historical importance and symbolism of the Texas Rangers is such that they are protected by statute from being disbanded.

1919 Canales Investigation
On January 31, 1919, the Joint Committee of the Senate and the House convened at the state capitol in Austin, Texas, to begin an investigation of the Texas Rangers. The investigation was prompted by José Tomás Canales, a state representative from Brownsville, Texas. Canales filed 19 charges against the Texas Rangers and declared a state of emergency as a result of the violent policing practices that he alleged were routinely used by the state force against Mexican Americans and Mexican nationals living along the US-Mexico border. Canales also introduced a piece of legislation, House Bill 5, which proposed reorganizing the Texas Rangers and increasing the minimum qualifications and pay.

From January 31 to February 13, 1919, the committee heard testimony from people across the state, including victims of state violence, witnesses or surviving relatives, and members of the Texas Rangers. The Texas State Library and Archives Commission has preserved the full transcript of the investigation, which consists of over 1600 pages of testimony and evidence.

The testimony revealed many issues within the Texas Rangers and highlighted several high-profile cases of abuse. For example, in January 1918, a group consisting of Texas Rangers belonging to Company B and four local ranchers executed 15 innocent Mexican men and boys in Porvenir, a small community in West Texas. In the aftermath, Texas Ranger Captain James Monroe Fox falsified official reports to Adjutant General James Harley to claim that the Porvenir residents had fired on the group of Rangers. Fox would later amend his statements and ultimately resigned under pressure in 1918. However, other Texas Rangers involved in the massacre remained on the force.

Another incident that came to light during the 1919 Investigation was the murder of Toribio Rodriguez, a Brownsville police officer, in December of 1912. Rodriguez encountered a group of Texas Rangers and county law enforcement traveling in a hack with no lights. After Rodriguez asked the men to light the lamps on the hack, they began shooting at him. He returned home with a minor wound. However, the group of men went to Rodriguez's house, shot him in the back, and took him to the jail. Rodriguez died a few days later on November 14, 1912. At the time of the investigation, at least one of the Rangers involved, Captain John J. Sanders, was still active on the force.

Both particularly egregious cases offered a small sample of the many accounts of abuse that appear throughout the transcript. Witnesses also testified that violence by Texas Rangers extended beyond the US-Mexico border region and that other racial groups, and particularly African Americans, were subject to harassment and violence from the state agents.

On February 19, 1919, the committee presented its findings to the Texas House of Representatives. However, despite the revelations, the 1919 investigation did not produce the sweeping changes in the organization's culture that policymakers like Canales had wanted. Ultimately, no Texas Rangers were prosecuted for their involvement in acts of violence like the Porvenir Massacre or the murder of Toribio Rodriguez. While the committee acknowledged that “the conduct of certain members of the ranger force... is most reprehensible,” they justified the Rangers’ continuing presence along the border and praised the majority of the state agents for their “great service... in the protection of property.”

However, there were a few notable changes. The state legislators decided to reduce the force from well over 1,000 men to just 68 Rangers. The majority of the reduction came from eliminating the "Loyalty Rangers," a group of unpaid volunteer Rangers that was established during World War I to monitor acts of "disloyalty" in their communities. At the time of the investigation, there were approximately 800 Loyalty Rangers still in service. Many of the men who were dismissed moved into careers in local law enforcement or later in the US Border Patrol, which was established in 1924.

Old West image
From its earliest days, the Rangers were surrounded with the mystique of the Old West. Although popular culture's image of the Rangers is typically one of rough living, tough talk and a quick draw, Ranger Captain John "Rip" Ford described the men who served him as this:

"A large proportion ... were unmarried. A few of them drank intoxicating liquors. Still, it was a company of sober and brave men. They knew their duty and they did it. While in a town they made no braggadocio demonstration. They did not gallop through the streets, shoot, and yell. They had a specie of moral discipline which developed moral courage. They did right because it was right."

Despite the age of the agency, and the many contributions they have made to law enforcement over their entire history, Texas Rangers developed most of their reputation during the days of the Old West. Of the 79 Rangers killed in the line of duty, 30 were killed during the Old West period of 1858 through 1901. Also during this period, two of their three most high-profile captures or killings took place, the capture of John Wesley Hardin and the killing of Sam Bass, in addition to the capture of Texas gunman Billy Thompson and others.

American historian Andrew Graybill has argued that the Texas Rangers resemble the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in many ways. He argues that each organization protected the established order by confining and removing Native Americans, by tightly controlling the mixed blood peoples (the African Americans in Texas, and the Métis in Canada), assisted the large-scale ranchers against the small-scale ranchers and farmers who fenced the land, and broke the power of labor unions that tried to organize the workers of industrial corporations.

"One Riot, One Ranger"

A famous phrase associated with the Rangers is One Riot, One Ranger. It is a sensationalized apocrypha in that there was never actually a riot; rather, the phrase was coined by Ranger Captain William "Bill" McDonald, who was sent to Dallas in 1896 to prevent the illegal heavyweight prize fight between Pete Maher and Bob Fitzsimmons that had been organized by Dan Stuart and patronized by the eccentric "Hanging Judge" Roy Bean of Langtry, Texas. According to the story, McDonald's train was met by the mayor, who asked the single Ranger where the other lawmen were. McDonald is said to have replied: "Hell! Ain't I enough? There's only one prize-fight!"

Although some measure of truth lies within the tale, it is largely an idealized account written by author Bigelow Paine and loosely based on McDonald's statements, published in Paine's 1909 book Captain Bill McDonald: Texas Ranger. In truth, the fight had been so heavily publicized that nearly every Ranger was on hand, including all captains and their superior, Adjutant General Woodford H. Mabry. Many of them were undecided on stopping the fight or attending it; and other famous lawmen, such as Bat Masterson, were also present. The orders of the governor were clear, however, and the bout was stopped. Stuart then tried to reorganize it in El Paso and later in Langtry, but the Rangers thwarted his attempts. Finally, the fight took place on the Mexican side of the Rio Grande near Langtry.

The motto appears on the pedestal of a bronze Texas Ranger statue that was at Dallas Love Field airport also titled One Riot, One Ranger. The statue was contributed in 1961 by Earle Wyatt and his wife. The Texas Ranger statue was removed from the airport and put in storage in 2020 after publication of the book Cult of Glory, which details a number of unsavory incidents involving the Rangers. According to Cult of Glory, the statue was modeled after Jay Banks, a pro-segregation Ranger of the era. Banks was on good terms with White Citizens' Councils and was involved in resistance to school integration after Brown v. Board of Education. A final status on the location of the statue is awaiting a "community dialogue".

High-profile cases
The Texas Rangers have assisted in many high-profile cases throughout the years. Some cases are deeply entrenched in the Rangers' lore, such as those of outlaw John Wesley Hardin, bank robber Sam Bass, and Bonnie and Clyde.

Sam Bass

In 1878, Sam Bass and his gang, who had perpetrated a series of bank and stagecoach robberies beginning in 1877, held up two stagecoaches and four trains within 25 miles (40 km) of Dallas. The gang quickly found themselves the object of pursuit across North Texas by a special company of Texas Rangers headed by Captain Junius "June" Peak. Bass was able to elude the Rangers until a member of his party, Jim Murphy, turned informer, cut a deal to save himself, and led the law to the gang. As Bass's band rode south, Murphy wrote to Major John B. Jones, commander of the Frontier Battalion of Texas Rangers.

Jones set up an ambush at Round Rock, where the Bass gang had planned to rob the Williamson County Bank. On July 19, 1878, Bass and his gang scouted the area before the actual robbery. They bought some tobacco at a store, and were noticed by Williamson County Sheriff Ahijah W. "Caige" Grimes, who approached the group and was shot and killed. A heavy gunfight ensued between the outlaws and the Rangers and local lawmen. A deputy named Moore was mortally wounded, as was Bass. The gang quickly mounted their horses and tried to escape while continuing to fire, and as they galloped away, Bass was shot again in the back by Ranger George Herold. Bass was later found lying helpless in a pasture north of town by the authorities. They took him into custody; he died from his wounds the next day.

John Wesley Hardin
One of Texas's deadliest outlaws, John Wesley Hardin, was reputed to be the meanest man alive, an accolade he supposedly earned by killing a man for snoring. He committed his first murder at age 15, and admitted to killing more than 40 men over 27 years. In May 1874, Hardin killed Charles Webb, the deputy sheriff of Brown County and a former Texas Ranger. John Barclay Armstrong, a Texas Ranger known as "McNelly's Bulldog" since he served with the Special Force as a sergeant and Captain Leander McNelly's right hand, received permission to arrest the outlaw. He pursued Hardin across Alabama and into Florida, and caught up with him in Pensacola.

After Armstrong, Colt pistol in hand, boarded a train that Hardin and four companions were on, the outlaw shouted, "Texas, by God!" and drew his own pistol. When it was over, one of his gang members was killed, and his three surviving friends were staring at Armstrong's pistol. Hardin had been knocked unconscious. Armstrong's hat had been pierced by a bullet, but he was uninjured. Hardin was charged for murder, convicted, and sentenced to 25 years in prison. Seventeen years later, Hardin was pardoned by Governor Jim Hogg and released from prison on March 16, 1894. He moved to El Paso, where he began practicing law. On August 19, 1895, he was murdered during a poker game at the Acme Saloon over a personal disagreement.

Taft-Díaz assassination attempt
In 1909, Private C.R. Moore of Company A, "performed one of the most important feats in the history of the Texas Rangers". William Howard Taft and Porfirio Díaz planned a summit in El Paso, Texas and Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, a historic first meeting between a U.S. president and a Mexican president and the first time an American president would cross the border into Mexico. But tensions rose on both sides of the border, including threats of assassination, so the Texas Rangers, 4,000 U.S. and Mexican troops, United States Secret Service agents and United States Marshals were all called in to provide security. Frederick Russell Burnham, the celebrated scout, was put in charge of a 250-person private security detail hired by John Hays Hammond, a nephew of Texas Ranger John Coffee Hays, who in addition to owning large investments in Mexico was a close friend of Taft from Yale University and a U.S. Vice-Presidential candidate in 1908. On October 16, the day of the summit, Burnham and Private C.R. Moore discovered a man holding a concealed palm pistol standing at the El Paso Chamber of Commerce building along the procession route. Burnham and Moore captured, disarmed, and arrested the would-be assassin within only a few feet of Taft and Díaz.

Bandit War
The Bandit War, a small but major campaign during the Border War, was fought in 1910–1915 in Texas. The conflict was a series of violent raids conducted by Mexican revolutionaries in the American settlements of Tamaulipas, Coahuila and Chihuahua. The Texas Rangers became the primary fighting force and protection of the Texans during the operations against the rebels. The Mexican faction's incursion in the territory was carried out by the Seditionistas and Carrancistas, and led by major political leaders such as Basilio Ramos and Luis de la Rosca; however, the Seditionistas were never able to launch a full-scale invasion of the United States so they resorted to conducting small raids into Texas. Much of the fighting involved the Texas Ranger Division though the United States Army also engaged in operations against the rebels. The Texas Rangers were led by Captain Harry Ransom on the orders of the Governor of Texas, James E. Ferguson.

Bonnie and Clyde

Frank Hamer, the longtime Ranger Sergeant, left the Rangers in 1932. In 1934, at the request of Col. Lee Simmons, head of the Texas prison system, Hamer was asked to use his skills to track down Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, whose Barrow gang had engineered a successful breakout of associates imprisoned at the Eastham Prison Farm in Houston County. Prisoner and Barrow friend Joe Palmer had killed a guard while escaping, and the Barrow gang was responsible for many murders, robberies, and car thefts in Texas alone. Nine law enforcement officers had already died in confrontations with the gang.

After tracking the Barrow gang across nine states, Hamer, in conjunction with officials in Louisiana, learned Bonnie and Clyde had visited a home in Bienville Parish on May 21, 1934, and that Clyde had designated a rendezvous point in the vicinity with gang member Henry Methvin, in case they were later separated. Methvin, allegedly cooperating with law enforcement, made sure he was separated from them that evening in Shreveport, and the posse set up an ambush along the route to the rendezvous at Highway 154, between Gibsland and Sailes. Led by former Rangers Hamer and B. M. "Manny" Gault, the posse included Sheriff Henderson Jordan and Deputy Prentiss Oakley of Bienville Parish, Louisiana, and Dallas County Deputies Bob Alcorn and Ted Hinton. They were in place by 9:00 that night, waiting all through the next day, but with no sign of Bonnie and Clyde.

Around 9:00 a.m. on May 23, the posse, concealed in the bushes and almost ready to concede defeat, heard Clyde's stolen Ford V-8 approaching. When he stopped to speak with Henry Methvin's father (planted there with his truck that morning to distract Clyde and force him into the lane closest to the posse), the lawmen opened fire, killing Bonnie and Clyde while shooting a combined total of approximately 130 rounds.

Irene Garza murder
The Texas Rangers have received widespread coverage for their role in the investigation of the death of Irene Garza, a Texas beauty queen. In 1960, Garza was last seen going to Sacred Heart Catholic Church in McAllen where Father John Feit heard her confession. Her body was found five days later in a canal. Autopsy results showed she had been raped while unconscious and died of asphyxiation, likely from suffocation. Feit was the primary suspect, but the case stalled for many years as the Hidalgo County district attorney did not feel that the evidence was sufficient to secure a conviction. Texas Ranger Rudy Jaramillo started working on the case in 2002. In 2015, under a new district attorney, Feit was indicted for murder. In December 2017, Feit was found guilty of murder with malice aforethought. Feit, aged 85, was sentenced to life imprisonment, bringing to close the longest unsolved criminal case in Hidalgo County.

Duties
The duties of the Texas Ranger Division consist of conducting criminal and special investigations; apprehending wanted felons; suppressing major disturbances; the protection of life and property; and rendering assistance to local law enforcement in suppressing crime and violence. The Texas Ranger Division is also responsible for the gathering and dissemination of criminal intelligence pertaining to all facets of organized crime. The Texas Ranger Division joins with all other enforcement agencies in the suppression of the same; under orders of the Director, suppress all criminal activity in any given area, when it is apparent that the local officials are unwilling or unable to maintain law and order; also upon the request or order of a judge of a court of record, Texas Rangers may serve as officers of the court and assist in the maintenance of decorum, the protection of life, and the preservation of property during any judicial proceeding; and provide protection for elected officials at public functions and at any other time or place when directed. The Texas Rangers, with the approval of the Director, may conduct investigations of any alleged misconduct on the part of other Department of Public Safety personnel.

Organization
The Texas Rangers' internal organization maintains the basic outlines that were set in 1935. The agency is divided into seven companies: six District Companies lettered from "A" to "F", and Headquarters Company "H". The number of personnel is set by the Texas Legislature;, the Texas Rangers number 150 commissioned officers, one forensic artist, one fiscal analyst and 24 civilian support personnel. The Legislature has also made a provision for the temporary commissioned appointment of up to 300 Special Rangers for use in investigative or emergency situations. The statewide headquarters of the Texas Rangers is located in Austin at the Texas DPS headquarters. , the Chief of the Texas Rangers is Assistant Director of DPS Randall Prince.

The District Companies' headquarters are distributed in six geographical locations:

 * Houston is the headquarters for Company A
 * Garland is the headquarters for Company B
 * Lubbock is the headquarters for Company C
 * Weslaco is the headquarters for Company D
 * El Paso is the headquarters for Company E
 * Waco is the headquarters for Company F

"Field Rangers" are supervised by a Senior Captain (Chief), Headquarters Captain (Assistant Chief), company majors and lieutenants. Sergeants and agents are also part of the rank structure of the Rangers.

Division Headquarters:
 * Austin is the home of Division Headquarters, commanded by Chief Randall Prince. The Special Operations Group includes Special Weapons and Tactics Team (SWAT), Bomb Squad, Ranger Reconnaissance Team, Special Response Teams (SRT), Crisis Negotiation Teams (CNT), and Border Security Operations Center (BSOC) – Joint Operations and Intelligence Centers (JOIC). Specialized programs include the Unsolved Crimes and Public Corruption/Public Integrity investigations.

Texas Rangers Rank Structure

 * Ranger (Sergeant)
 * Lieutenant
 * Captain
 * Major
 * Assistant Chief
 * Chief

Uniforms
Modern-day Rangers (as well as their predecessors) do not have a prescribed uniform per se, although the State of Texas does provide guidelines as to appropriate Ranger attire, including a requirement that Rangers wear clothing that is western in nature. Currently, the favored attire includes white shirt and tie, khaki/tan or gray trousers, light-colored western hat, "ranger" belt, and cowboy boots. Historically, according to pictorial evidence, Rangers wore whatever clothes they could afford or muster, which were usually worn out from heavy use. While Rangers still pay for their clothing today, they receive an initial stipend to offset some of the costs of boots, gunbelts and hats.

To carry out their horseback missions, Rangers adapted tack and personal gear to fit their needs. Until the beginning of the 20th century, the greatest influence was from the vaqueros (Mexican cowboys). Saddles, spurs, ropes and vests used by the Rangers were all fashioned after those of the vaqueros. Most Rangers also preferred to wear broader-brimmed sombreros as opposed to cowboy hats, and they favored square-cut, knee-high boots with a high heel and pointed toes, in a more Spanish style. Both groups carried their guns the same way, with the holsters positioned high around their hips instead of low on the thigh. This placement made it easier to draw while riding a horse.

Badges
The wearing of badges became more common in the late 1800s. Historians have suggested several reasons for the lack of the regular use of a badge; among them, some Rangers felt a shiny badge was a tempting target. Other historians have speculated there was no real need to show a badge to a hostile Native American or outlaw. Additionally, from a historical viewpoint, a Ranger's pay was so scanty that the money required for such fancy accoutrements was rarely available. Nevertheless, some Rangers did wear badges, and the first of these appeared around 1875. They were locally made and varied considerably from one to another, but they invariably represented a star cut from a Mexican silver coin (usually a five-peso coin). The design is reminiscent of Texas's Lone Star flag.

Although present-day Rangers wear the familiar "star in a wheel" badge, it was adopted officially only recently. The current design of the Rangers' badge was approved in 1962, when Ranger Hardy L. Purvis and his mother donated enough Mexican five-peso coins to the DPS to provide badges for all 62 Rangers who were working at that time as commissioned officers.

Awards
On rare occasions, a Texas Department of Public Safety Commissioner's Medal of Valor has been issued. According to the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum, the "Medal of Valor has been awarded to four Texas Rangers - Sgt. William R. Gerth, Sgt. Stanley Keith Guffey, Sgt. John Aycock, Sgt. Danny V. Rhea." Aycock was awarded the Medal of Valor twice, in 1987 and 1995.

Rangers killed
Since the establishment of the Texas Department of Public Safety Texas Rangers Division, 124 Rangers have been killed in the line of duty. The following list also contains officers from the Texas Rangers, which was merged into the Texas Department of Public Safety.

The causes of death are as follows:

Hall of Fame and Museum
The Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum opened in Waco in 1968.

General references

 * Barrow, Blanche Caldwell & John Neal Phillips (ed.). My Life With Bonnie & Clyde, University of Oklahoma Press (2004). ISBN 0-8061-3625-1.
 * Boessenecker, John. Texas Ranger: The Epic Life of Frank Hamer, the Man Who Killed Bonnie and Clyde, St. Martin's Press (2016) ISBN 978-1250131591.
 * Cox, Mike. Texas Ranger Tales: Stories That Need Telling, Republic of Texas, (1998). ISBN 1-55622-537-7
 * Cox, Mike. The Texas Rangers: Wearing the Cinco Peso, 1821–1900 (vol. 1, 2009)
 * Cox, Mike. Time of the Rangers: Texas Rangers: From 1900 to the Present (2010)
 * Cantrell, Gregg. Stephen F. Austin: Empresario of Texas. (New Haven and London: Yale University Press, (1999). ISBN 978-0-300-09093-2.
 * Dishman, Christopher. A Perfect Gibraltar: The Battle for Monterrey, Mexico. University of Oklahoma Press (2010). ISBN 978-0806141404
 * Doyle, Brett. Laird Transactions, Texas Lodge of Research, Captain Peter F. Tumlinson: Texian Ranger and Mason. Doyle, Brett Laird XXXIX (2004–2005) 113–24 Published by the Texas Lodge of Research A. F. & A. M. 2006.
 * Ford, John Salmon. Rip Ford's Texas, University of Texas Press (1987). ISBN 0-292-77034-0.
 * Johnson, Benmamin Herber. Revolution in Texas: How a Forgotten Rebellion and Its Bloody Suppression Turned Mexicans into Americans, Yale University Press (2003). ISBN 0-300-09425-6
 * Keil, Robert. (2002). Bosque Bonito: Violent times along the borderland during the Mexican Revolution. Alpine, TX: Sul Ross State University, Center for Big Bend Studies. ISBN 978-0970770905
 * Knight, James R. & Davis, Jonathan. Bonnie and Clyde: A Twenty-First-Century Update, Eakin Press (2003). ISBN 1-57168-794-7
 * Levario, Miguel. (2012). Militarizing the Border: When Mexicans Became the Enemy. College Station, TX: Texas A & M University Press. ISBN 978-1603447584
 * Martinez, Monica Muñoz. The Injustice Never Leaves You: Anti-Mexican Violence in Texas. Harvard University Press (2018). ISBN 978-0674976436
 * Miller, Rick. Texas Ranger John B. Jones and the Frontier Battalion, 1874–1881 (University of North Texas Press; 2012) 401 pages; a history of the battalion that focuses on Jones
 * Moore, Stephen L. Texas Rising: The Epic True Story of the Lone Star Republic and the Rise of the Texas Rangers, 1836–1846. William Morrow, (2015). ISBN 978-0062394309
 * Parsons, Chuck & Marianne E. Hall Little. Captain L. H. McNelly, Texas Ranger: The Life and Times of a Fighting Man, State House Press (2000). ISBN 1-880510-73-1.
 * Robinson, Charles. The Men Who Wear the Star: The Story of the Texas Rangers, Modern Library, (2001). ISBN 0-375-75748-1
 * Swanson, Doug, J. Cult of Glory: The Bold and Brutal History of the Texas Rangers. Viking Press, (2020). ISBN 978-1101979860
 * Utley, Robert M. Lone Star Lawmen: The Second Century of the Texas Rangers. Oxford University Press (2007). ISBN 978-0195154443
 * Villanueva, Nicholas. (2017). The Lynching of Mexicans in the Texas Borderlands. Albuquerque, NM: University of New Mexico Press. ISBN 978-0826358387
 * Webb, Walter Prescott. The Texas Rangers: A Century of Frontier Defense, University of Texas Press (1989). ISBN 0-292-78110-5
 * Wilkins, Frederick. Defending the Borders: The Texas Rangers, 1848–1861, State House Press, (2001). ISBN 1-880510-41-3
 * Wilkins, Frederick. The Law Comes to Texas: The Texas Rangers 1870–1901, State House Press, (1999). ISBN 1-880510-61-8.
 * Wilkins, Frederick. The Legend Begins: The Texas Rangers, 1823–1845, State House Press, (1996). ISBN 1-880510-41-3
 * Swanson, Doug, J. Cult of Glory: The Bold and Brutal History of the Texas Rangers. Viking Press, (2020). ISBN 978-1101979860
 * Utley, Robert M. Lone Star Lawmen: The Second Century of the Texas Rangers. Oxford University Press (2007). ISBN 978-0195154443
 * Villanueva, Nicholas. (2017). The Lynching of Mexicans in the Texas Borderlands. Albuquerque, NM: University of New Mexico Press. ISBN 978-0826358387
 * Webb, Walter Prescott. The Texas Rangers: A Century of Frontier Defense, University of Texas Press (1989). ISBN 0-292-78110-5
 * Wilkins, Frederick. Defending the Borders: The Texas Rangers, 1848–1861, State House Press, (2001). ISBN 1-880510-41-3
 * Wilkins, Frederick. The Law Comes to Texas: The Texas Rangers 1870–1901, State House Press, (1999). ISBN 1-880510-61-8.
 * Wilkins, Frederick. The Legend Begins: The Texas Rangers, 1823–1845, State House Press, (1996). ISBN 1-880510-41-3
 * Wilkins, Frederick. The Legend Begins: The Texas Rangers, 1823–1845, State House Press, (1996). ISBN 1-880510-41-3

title: Texas Ranger Division


text:
Talk:Alan Dershowitz

Does Dershowitz have Polish ancestry
Does Dershowitz have Polish ancestry? 174.240.67.112 (talk) 23:20, 22 March 2023 (UTC)

"Academic and other disputes" section
Is this section header appropriate? Two subsections, one paragraph each, pertain to academic disputes per se. The other — pertaining to Guiffre's misconduct allegations — spans sixs paragraphs and is twice as long as each. Misternails (talk) 07:58, 26 May 2023 (UTC)
 * It has THREE subsections. The number of paragraphs is irrelevant. I don't see any problem. -- Valjean (talk) ( PING me ) 03:58, 27 May 2023 (UTC)
 * Given the gravity of the matter (and the fact that Epstein child sex trafficking-related content is a section of its own on the pages of others who have been accused of involvement) the allegations by Guiffre should be in a separate section as they are hardly covered by "Academic or other disputes". It is a major topic and to keep it buried like this suggests an attempt to unfairly insulate the subject from attention related to the case. BHolmes555 (talk) 13:22, 21 August 2023 (UTC)
 * The issue with the Guiffre matter is they now refer to retracted allegations. As a WP:BLP we give very little weight to retracted allegations. Jtbobwaysf (talk) 22:14, 21 August 2023 (UTC)

Extended-confirmed-protected edit request on 27 June 2023
This phrase, consisting of two quotations, is slightly awkward, because it's easy to misread it as a single long quotation:

"To the extent there are inconsistencies between my current position and what I said 22 years ago, I am correct today". "During the Clinton impeachment, the issue was not whether a technical crime was required, because he was charged with perjury."

In the middle, please move the full stop into the first quotation, and place "and" between them. The end result will be:

"...today." and "During..."

Thank you. 123.51.107.94 (talk) 03:26, 27 June 2023 (UTC)
 * ✅ I checked the original, and it is reported using the style of a continuous quotation with "he said" in the middle for readability and ease of comprehension, so I have replaced the internal quotation marks with an ellipsis. – Jonesey95 (talk) 16:40, 27 June 2023 (UTC)

Defamatory biographical detail on the unsealed Virginia Giuffre and Ghilaine Maxwell documents
"Court documents unsealed in January 2024 allege that Dershowitz had sex with a minor trafficked by Epstein "on numerous occasions" and was "present alone" at Epstein's home "in the presence of young girls", according to sworn testimony."

The sentence above which appears in the article is about Virgina Giuffre, but the editor writes it in such a way that you would think that it's a new, unrevealed allegation from a different person entirely, and does not mention the fact that she settled in 2022 saying she made a mistake in identifying Alan Dershowitz. This should be changed immediately. Wayn12 (talk) 11:34, 14 January 2024 (UTC)

 * ✅ -- It was added just last week. I removed it as it was improperly sourced as written. SamuelRiv (talk) 05:32, 15 January 2024 (UTC)

Early Education
The article currently says he attended Yeshiva University High School for Boys in Manhattan, when he actually graduated from the now closed Brooklyn Branch of the High School, Brooklyn Talmudical Academy. See the 1955 Yearbook. I'm not an advanced enough editor to fix this mistake, someone with a higher level editor account please correct. Itsik.isserles (talk) 05:48, 5 April 2024 (UTC)

Travelled on the Lolita Express
“Lawyer Alan Dershowitz, former US Sen. George Mitchell and UK's Prince Andrew were among those names declared as passengers.”

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/us/jeffrey-epstein-case-donald-trump-bill-clinton-traveled-on-lolita-express-flight-logs-reveal/articleshow/106486249.cms — Preceding unsigned comment added by 80.41.107.101 (talk) 05:16, 2 July 2024 (UTC)

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Talk:Alan Dershowitz


text:
James Montgomery Boice

James Montgomery Boice (July 7, 1938 – June 15, 2000) was an American Reformed Christian theologian, Bible teacher, author, and speaker known for his writing on the authority of Scripture and the defence of Biblical inerrancy. He was also the Senior Minister of Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia from 1968 until his death.

Boice also served as Chairman of the International Council on Biblical Inerrancy for over ten years and was a founding member of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals.

Biography
Born on July 7, 1938, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, James Montgomery Boice was a Bible teacher, author, and articulate spokesman in the United States and around the world on the topics of Scriptural authority and inerrancy. He was also the pastor of Philadelphia's historic Tenth Presbyterian Church from 1968 to 2000.

Under Boice's leadership and teaching of Christian beliefs, Tenth Presbyterian Church became a model for ministry in America's northeastern inner cities, offering a range of classes, fellowship groups, and specialised outreach ministries to the physically sick, women in crisis, and the homeless. In 1983, he founded City Center Academy (now The City School), a college-preparatory Christian school primarily serving minority residents of the church's neighborhood.

Boice was active in many initiatives beyond his own organization. He served as Chairman of the International Council on Biblical Inerrancy (ICBI) from its founding in 1977 until the completion of its work in 1988. ICBI produced three classic, creedal documents, published books, conducted "Authority of Scripture" seminars, and sponsored the large lay "Congress on the Bible I," which met in Washington, D.C., in September 1987. He also served on the Board of Bible Study Fellowship. He helped develop the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals, being "formed in 1994 out of what was known as Evangelical Ministries when James Boice, then senior pastor of Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia and teacher on The Bible Study Hour radio program, called together a group of like-minded pastors and theologians from a variety of denominations to unite in a common cause to help revive a passion "for the truth of the Gospel" within the church."

Over his lifetime, Boice journeyed to more than thirty countries and teaching from the Bible in England, France, Switzerland, Canada, Japan, Australia, Guatemala, Korea and Saudi Arabia. While pursuing his doctoral studies in Switzerland, he started a Bible study group that eventually developed into the Basel Christian Fellowship.

Boice received a diploma from The Stony Brook School (1956), an A.B. from Harvard University (1960), a B.D. from Princeton Theological Seminary (1963), a Th.D from the University of Basel in Switzerland (1966), and a D.D., (honorary) from the Theological Seminary of the Reformed Episcopal Church (1982).

He died of liver cancer in Philadelphia, on June 15, 2000. Boice was married to Linda Ann Boice (born McNamara), on June 9, 1962, in Montclair, New Jersey. They had three daughters together, Elizabeth, Heather, and Jennifer Boice.

Writings
Boice was a prolific author, having published over 50 different works, including a collection of hymns. Some of his popular books include:

 * Foundations of the Christian Faith (ISBN 0-87784-991-9)
 * The Doctrines of Grace: Rediscovering the Essentials of Evangelicalism (ISBN 1-58134-299-3)
 * Christ's Call to Discipleship (ISBN 0-8254-2074-1)
 * Renewing Your Mind in a Mindless World: Learning to Think and Act Biblically (ISBN 0-8254-2071-7)
 * Parables of Jesus (ISBN 0-8024-0163-5)
 * What Ever Happened to the Gospel of Grace? (ISBN 1-58134-237-3)
 * Dealing With Bible Problems: Alleged Errors and Contradictions in the Bible (ISBN 0-87508-478-8)
 * Ordinary Men Called by God: A Study of Abraham, Moses, and David (ISBN 0-8254-2075-X)

Expositional commentaries
Boice also published many volumes of commentaries on books of the Bible, which each were edited from his spoken teachings:

 * Genesis (3 volumes; ISBN 0-8010-1161-2, ISBN 0-8010-1162-0, ISBN 0-8010-1163-9)
 * Joshua (ISBN 0-8010-1283-X)
 * Nehemiah (ISBN 0-8010-1282-1)
 * Psalms (3 volumes; ISBN 0-8010-6578-X, ISBN 0-8010-6585-2, ISBN 0-8010-6586-0)
 * Daniel (ISBN 0-8010-1258-9)
 * The Minor Prophets (2 volumes; ISBN 0-8010-1232-5, ISBN 0-8010-1233-3)
 * Gospel of Matthew (2 volumes; ISBN 0-8010-1201-5, ISBN 0-8010-1202-3)
 * The Sermon on the Mount (ISBN 0-8010-1248-1)
 * The Gospel of John (5 volumes; ISBN 0-8010-6577-1, ISBN 0-8010-6580-1, ISBN 0-8010-6581-X, ISBN 0-8010-6587-9, ISBN 0-8010-6588-7)
 * Acts (ISBN 0-8010-1137-X)
 * Romans (4 volumes; ISBN 0-8010-6579-8, ISBN 0-8010-6582-8, ISBN 0-8010-6583-6, ISBN 0-8010-6584-4)
 * Ephesians (ISBN 0-8010-1153-1)
 * Philippians (ISBN 0-8010-1190-6)
 * The Epistles of John (ISBN 0-8010-1257-0)

Boice is also known for contributing his commentary of the Epistle of Galatians to "The Expositor's Bible Commentary" (ISBN 0-31036520-1)

title: James Montgomery Boice


text:
Beautiful nuthatch

The beautiful nuthatch (Sitta formosa) is a bird species in the family Sittidae, collectively known as nuthatches. It is a large nuthatch, measuring 16.5 cm in length, that is not sexually dimorphic. Its coloration and markings are dramatic, the upper parts being black and azure, streaked with white and pale blue on the head and lined with the same colors on the wing feathers. The are orange, and the  and  are ochre. An irregular, dark highlights its eye. S. formosa's ecology is not fully described, but it is known to feed on small insects and larvae found on the trunks and epiphyte-covered branches of trees in its range. Reproduction takes place from April to May; the nest is placed in the hole of an oak, rhododendron, or other large tree. The nest is made of plant material and fur in which the bird typically lays four to six eggs.

Although the species is found in most of the countries making up the mainland of Southeast Asia, it appears to be rare throughout its range, its population being highly localized where it is found. The bird nests predominantly in montane forest at an altitudinal range from 950 m up to nearly 2,300 m, with some seasonal height adjustment, down to around 300 m in winter. Its apparent localization within its range makes rigorous estimates of its population difficult, but its habitat is threatened by deforestation and the species appears to be in decline. It has been classified as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Taxonomy
The nuthatches constitute a genus – Sitta – of small passerine birds in the family Sittidae, typified by short, compressed wings and short, square 12-feathered, a compact body, longish pointed , strong toes with long claws, and behaviorally, by their unique head-first manner of descending tree trunks. Most nuthatches have gray or bluish and a black eyestripe. Sitta is derived from the Ancient Greek name for nuthatches, σίττη, sittē. "Nuthatch", first recorded in 1350, is derived from "nut" and a word probably related to "hack", since these birds hack at nuts they have wedged into crevices. The genus may be further divided into seven subgenera, of which the beautiful nuthatch is placed alone in Callisitta (Bonaparte, 1850), and the species is therefore sometimes called Callisitta Formosa.

The beautiful nuthatch was first described in 1843 by British zoologist Edward Blyth, from a specimen he examined in Darjeeling. Its kinship with other members of the genus is unclear. The bright blue color of its invites a comparison to the blue nuthatch (S. azurea), or other blue-tinted nuthatch species such as the velvet-fronted nuthatch (S. frontalis), yellow-billed nuthatch (S. solangiae) and the sulphur-billed nuthatch (S. oenochlamys), but its distribution being focused in the eastern Himalayas, and the uniqueness of its plumage, argues against the assumption. According to the International Ornithological Congress and ornithologist Alan P. Peterson, no subspecies have been identified.

In 2014, Eric Pasquet, et al. published a phylogeny based on examination of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA of 21 nuthatch species. The position of the beautiful nuthatch within the genus was not established with certainty, having a far lower statistical association than others in the model. Nevertheless, under the findings the species appears closest evolutionarily to three clades of nuthatches: two nuthatches that prefer rocky environments, the western rock nuthatch (S. neumayer) and the eastern rock nuthatch (S. tephronota); species in the "europaea" group, including the Eurasian nuthatch (S. europaea), Siberian nuthatch (S. arctica), chestnut-vented nuthatch (S. nagaensis), Kashmir nuthatch (S. cashmirensis), Indian nuthatch (S. castanea), chestnut-bellied nuthatch (S. cinnamoventris) and the Burmese nuthatch (S. neglecta); as well as the white-tailed nuthatch (S. himalayensis), and therefore, the white-browed nuthatch (S. victoriae). These close relatives are generally all species that plaster the entrance to their nest with mud.

Description

Described by Erik Matthysen in his 1998 treatise The Nuthatches as a bird that "deserves its name", the beautiful nuthatch has highly distinctive plumage. Its upperparts are black and azure, and it is orange on the underparts. The crown and upper mantle are black, streaked with pale blue and white. The scapulars, back and rump are an azure blue. The greater and medium coverts are black, finely edged with white, forming two narrow ; the flight feathers are black and more or less lined with pale blue. The eyebrow and throat are white and buff and the eye is highlighted by an irregular, dark eyestripe. Under the wing, the white base of the contrasts sharply with gray ; a distinguishing trait when viewing the bird in flight. The iris is reddish-brown or dark brown and the bill is black but for a whitish tinge at the base of the. The lower parts are generally orange-cinnamon. The legs and feet are yellowish-brown, olive-brown or greenish-brown.

There is no sexual dimorphism. Juveniles are very similar to adults, but the streaks on the mantle are blue rather than white. The primary coverts of juveniles are also more closely lined with blue, and the underparts are paler overall, especially on the chest. Adults perform a complete moult after the breeding season, whereas juveniles only have a partial moult, in which they replace a variable number of rectrices.

The bird is large as compared with other members of the genus Sitta, measuring 16.5 cm in length. The folded wing measures 98 – in males and 97 – in females. The tail is 48 – in males and 52 – in females. The measures between 20 mm and 24.9 mm and the tarsus is 19 – in length. The weight is not known.

Voice
S. formosa's vocalizations are not well known, but its is described as "low and sweet in tone". Its call is typical of nuthatches, and similar to that of the Eurasian nuthatch (Sitta europaea), but less strident.

Feeding
The beautiful nuthatch alone, in pairs or in small groups of four to five individuals, though an unusual gathering of 21 individuals was observed in one tree in Bhutan. It often takes part in mixed-species foraging flocks, and has been notably observed feeding with the Himalayan cutia (Cutia nipalensis) and the velvet-fronted nuthatch (Sitta frontalis) – two other species that prospect for food on tree trunks. Other foraging flock partners surveyed are the long-tailed broadbill (Psarisomus dalhousiae), the lesser racket-tailed drongo (Dicrurus remifer), the maroon oriole (Oriolus traillii) and the white-browed scimitar babbler (Pomatorhinus schisticeps).

S. formosa forages from about the middle to the apex of tall trees, exploring the trunks and epiphyte-covered branches (lichens, mosses, orchids), for small insects, but also prospect on outermost branches. In Laos, individuals were observed feeding while perched on the larger branches of a Fokienia evergreen (Fokienia hodginsii) – a tree frequently enveloped in epiphytes. The bird has been described at times as the most timid of nuthatches. It prospects in a manner typical of many others in its genus, sometimes hanging upside down for an extended time surveying its surroundings. As compared with other nuthatch, the species has been described as working "unhurriedly", as they peck at trunks, lichen and other epiphytes, searching for prey. Stomach contents of collected Chinese specimens consisted of beetles and insect larvae.

Breeding
Reproduction in the species has not been well studied. In the northeast of India, the breeding season is from April to May. The nest is placed off the ground, between two and eight meters high, and is often built in a hole of a (living or dead) oak or rhododendron tree, or sometimes in other large trees. Nests are constructed using leaves and bark, held together with hair, often that of bamboo rats. If the opening of the hole is too large, it is cemented with mud to reduce the entrance size. The bird usually lays four to six white eggs, speckled with red spots, that measure 20.8 ×. Beautiful nuthatch sexes are reported to share equally in nest building and duties.

Distribution and habitat
This species lives in the eastern Himalayas, and has been reported in several scattered sites across Southeast Asia, in the northwest of Vietnam and in central Laos. Its range stretches west into the northeast of India, where it was reported seen near Darjeeling in West Bengal, but not since 1933. It is present in Bhutan, and in the Indian states of Sikkim (in the town of Rangpo), in Meghalaya (in the Khasi Hills), in Assam (in the Dima Hasao district), in the south of Arunachal Pradesh, and in Manipur and Nagaland. Its presence in Bangladesh is uncertain but it is found further east in the north of Burma, in Chin State (in the Chin Hills–Arakan Yoma montane forests), the Sagaing Region, in Kachin State and in Shan State. Data on the bird from Laos is erratic, but there are reports of sightings north of Phou Kobo, and of large numbers of the species wintering in the center of the country in the pristine wilderness of Nakai–Nam Theun. There are also reports of sightings in the southeast of China’s Yunnan province, in northern Thailand and in northwestern Vietnam. Its residential and breeding range is estimated to cover 376000 km2.

Beautiful nuthatches typically inhabit both the interior and outskirts of evergreen or semi-evergreen montane forest, though in northern Burma they have been recorded nesting in trees scattered across open areas. In central Laos, the bird was found associated with the Fokienia evergreen. They usually live at altitudes of 950 m and up to nearly 2,300 m during the warm seasons but may make seasonal vertical migration. In India, for example, the species spends the summer between 1,500 m and 2,100 m, but was observed during winter at just 335 m in Sikkim and in northeastern Arunachal Pradesh at 460 m and between 600 m and 800 m. In Burma, they were observed at between 975 m and 1,830 m, in China between 350 m and 1,975 m, in Laos between 1,950 m and 2,000 m and in Thailand, the only observation of the species was at a height of 2,290 m.

Threats and protection
The beautiful nuthatch has always been rare and very localized throughout its distribution, perhaps due to very specific ecological requirements, though this has been questioned as not in keeping with the diversity of habitats in which S. formosa has been observed. Although the species is less threatened at high elevations, its habitat has been reduced by deforestation, due to logging and forest clearance to make way for human habitation. In the center of Laos and northern Vietnam, Fokienia trees, which are a known beautiful nuthatch foraging source and nesting site, are harvested for their high commercial value. Research conducted in 2001 indicated a population comprising 2,500 to 10,000 adults, and between 3,500 and 15,000 total individuals; these numbers are in decline. The species has been classified as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

title: Beautiful nuthatch


text:
Virtual address (disambiguation)

Virtual address refers to an address identifying a virtual, i.e. non-physical, entity. For example:
 * Virtual address space in computing
 * Virtual address translation to physical address in computing
 * Virtual postal address, see virtual mailbox or commercial mail receiving agency
 * Virtual business address, see Virtual office

title: Virtual address (disambiguation)


text:
Poiana

Poiana may refer to:

Italy

 * Pojana Maggiore (Poiana Maggiore), a town in the province of Vicenza, Veneto, Italy
 * Villa Pojana, or Poiana, a patrician villa in Pojana Maggiore, a UNESCO World Heritage site

Moldova

 * Poiana, Șoldănești, a commune in Șoldănești district
 * Poiana, a village in Hincăuți Commune, Edineț district
 * Poiana, a village in Boghenii Noi Commune, Ungheni district

Inhabited places

 * Poiana, Dâmbovița, a commune in Dâmbovița County
 * Poiana, Galați, a commune in Galați County
 * Poiana, a village in Bistra, Alba
 * Poiana, a village in Bucium, Alba
 * Poiana, a village in Sohodol Commune, Alba County
 * Poiana, a village in Vârfurile Commune, Arad County
 * Poiana, a village in Colonești, Bacău
 * Poiana, a village in Livezi, Bacău
 * Poiana, a village in Mărgineni, Bacău
 * Poiana, a village in Motoșeni Commune, Bacău County
 * Poiana, a village in Negri, Bacău
 * Poiana, a village in Criștioru de Jos Commune, Bihor County
 * Poiana, a village in Tăuteu Commune, Bihor County
 * Poiana, a village in Brăești, Botoșani
 * Poiana, a village in Flămânzi Town, Botoșani County
 * Poiana, a village in Cristinești Commune, Botoșani County
 * Poiana, a village in Vorona, Botoșani
 * Poiana, a village in Buchin Commune, Caraș-Severin County
 * Poiana (Poiana de Arieș), a village which became a neighbourhood of Turda, Cluj County
 * Poiana, a village in Ovidiu Town, Constanța County
 * Poiana, a village in Turburea Commune, Gorj County
 * Poiana, a village in Balșa Commune, Hunedoara County
 * Poiana, a village in Ciulnița Commune, Ialomița County
 * Poiana, a village in Deleni, Iași
 * Poiana, a village in Schitu Duca Commune, Iași County
 * Poiana, a village in Căzănești, Mehedinți
 * Poiana, a village in Brusturi, Neamț
 * Poiana, a village in Dulcești Commune, Neamț County
 * Poiana, a village in Grințieș Commune, Neamț County
 * Poiana, a village in Negrești, Neamț
 * Poiana, a village in Pângărați Commune, Neamț County
 * Poiana, a village in Radomirești Commune, Olt County
 * Poiana, a village in Comarnic Commune, Prahova County
 * Poiana, a village in Dolhasca Town, Suceava County
 * Poiana, a village in Zvoriștea Commune, Suceava County
 * Poiana, a village in Ciuperceni, Teleorman
 * Poiana, a village in Negrești Town, Vaslui County
 * Poiana, a village in Vrâncioaia Commune, Vrancea County
 * Poiana, a village in Perișani Commune, Vâlcea County
 * Poiana Aiudului, a village in Livezile, Alba
 * Poiana Ampoiului, a village in Meteș Commune, Alba County
 * Poiana Blenchii, a commune in Sălaj County
 * Poiana Botizii, a village in Băiuț Commune, Maramureș County
 * Poiana Brașov, a ski resort near Brașov
 * Poiana Câmpina, a commune in Prahova County
 * Poiana Codrului, a village in Crucișor Commune, Satu Mare County
 * Poiana Copăceni, a village in Gura Vitioarei Commune, Prahova County
 * Poiana Crăcăoani, a village in Crăcăoani Commune, Neamț County
 * Poiana Cristei, a commune in Vrancea County
 * Poiana cu Cetate, a village in Grajduri Commune, Iași County
 * Poiana de Sus, a village in Țibana Commune, Iași County
 * Poiana Fagului, a village in Lunca de Jos Commune, Harghita County
 * Poiana Fântânii, a village in Argetoaia Commune, Dolj County
 * Poiana Frății, a village in Frata Commune, Cluj County
 * Poiana Galdei, a village in Galda de Jos Commune, Alba County
 * Poiana Gruii, a village in Gruia, Mehedinți
 * Poiana Horea, a village in Beliș Commune, Cluj County
 * Poiana Humei, a village in Oniceni Commune, Neamț County
 * Poiana Lacului, a commune in Argeș County
 * Poiana Largului, a village in Poiana Teiului Commune, Neamț County
 * Poiana lui Alexa, a village in Pușcași Commune, Vaslui County
 * Poiana lui Stângă, a village in Vânătorii Mici Commune, Giurgiu County
 * Poiana Lungă, a village in Cornereva Commune, Caraș-Severin County
 * Poiana Măgura, a village in Sărmășag Commune, Sălaj County
 * Poiana Mănăstirii, a village in Țibana Commune, Iași County
 * Poiana Mărului, a village in Zăvoi Commune, Caraș-Severin County
 * Poiana Mărului, a village in Ceplenița Commune, Iași County
 * Poiana Mărului, a village in Mălini Commune, Suceava County
 * Poiana Mare, a commune in Olt County
 * Poiana Mare, a village in Bătrâni Commune, Prahova County
 * Poiana Mărului, a commune in Brașov County
 * Poiana Micului, a village in Mănăstirea Humorului Commune, Suceava County
 * Poiana Mierlei, a village in Drajna Commune, Prahova County
 * Poiana Negrii, a village in Dorna Candrenilor Commune, Suceava County
 * Poiana Negustorului, a village in Blăgești, Bacău
 * Poiana Onții, a village in Cristolț Commune, Sălaj County
 * Poiana Pietrei, a village in Dragomirești, Vaslui
 * Poiana Pletari, a village in Chiliile Commune, Buzău County
 * Poiana Răchițelii, a village in Cerbăl Commune, Hunedoara County
 * Poiana Sărată, a village in Oituz Commune, Bacău County
 * Poiana Șcheii, a village in Șcheia, Iași
 * Poiana-Seciuri, a village in Bustuchin Commune, Gorj County
 * Poiana Sibiului, a commune in Sibiu County
 * Poiana Stampei, a commune in Suceava County
 * Poiana Stoichii, a village in Vintileasca Commune, Vrancea County
 * Poiana Țapului, a village in Bușteni Town, Prahova County
 * Poiana Tășad, a village in Copăcel town, Bihor County
 * Poiana Teiului, a commune in Neamț County
 * Poiana Trestiei, a village in Cosminele Commune, Prahova County
 * Poiana Ursului, a village in Meteș Commune, Alba County
 * Poiana Vadului, a commune in Alba County
 * Poiana Vâlcului, a village in Mânzălești Commune, Buzău County
 * Poiana Vărbilău, a village in Vărbilău Commune, Prahova County
 * Poieni, Cluj, a commune in Cluj County
 * Poieni, a village in Blandiana Commune, Alba County
 * Poieni, a village in Bucium, Alba
 * Poieni, a village in Vidra, Alba
 * Poieni, a village in Parincea Commune, Bacău County
 * Poieni, a village in Roșiori, Bacău
 * Poieni, a village in Târgu Ocna Town, Bacău County
 * Poieni, a village in Beriu Commune, Hunedoara County
 * Poieni, a village in Densuș Commune, Hunedoara County
 * Poieni, a village in Schitu Duca Commune, Iași County
 * Poieni, a village in Piatra Șoimului Commune, Neamț County
 * Poieni, a village in Pietroasa, Timiș
 * Poieni-Solca, a commune in Suceava County
 * Poieni-Suceava, a village in Udești Commune, Suceava County

Mountains

 * Poiana Ruscă Mountains, a subdivision of the Romanian Carpathians

Rivers

 * Poiana, a tributary of the Sohodol in Alba County
 * Poiana, a tributary of the Mara in Maramureș County
 * Poiana, a tributary of the Prut in Botoșani County
 * Poiana, a tributary of the Telcișor in Bistrița-Năsăud County
 * Poiana, a tributary of the Vorona in Botoșani County
 * Poiana (Someș), a tributary of the Someș in Maramureș and Sălaj Counties
 * Poiana (Topa), a tributary of the Topa in Bihor County
 * Poiana Lungă, a tributary of the Dobrovăț in Iași County
 * Poiana Mică, a tributary of the Rudăreasa in Vâlcea County

Ukraine

 * Poiana, the Romanian name of Poliana, Dnistrovskyi Raion, Chernivtsi Oblast
 * Poieni, the Romanian name of Bukivka, Chernivtsi Raion, Chernivtsi Oblast
 * Poieni, the Romanian name of Polyana, Turiatka commune, Hlyboka Raion, Chernivtsi Raion

Other uses

 * Poiana (genus), commonly known as oyans or African linsangs, a genus of the mammalian family Viverridae
 * Central African linsang (Poiana richardsonii), a species of linsang
 * West African linsang (Poiana leightoni), a species of linsang
 * Poiana (brand), a brand of food in Romania owned by Kraft Foods

title: Poiana


text:
Bielsko Voivodeship

The Bielsko Voivodeship was a voivodeship (province) of the Polish People's Republic from 1975 to 1989, and the Third Republic of Poland from 1989 to 1998. Its capital was Bielsko-Biała. It was established on 1 June 1975, from the parts of the voivodeships of Katowice, and Kraków, and existed until 31 December 1998, when it was partitioned between then-established Lesser Poland, and Silesian Voivodeships.

History
The Bielsko Voivodeship was established on 1 June 1975, as part of the administrative reform, and was one of the voivodeships (provinces) of the Polish People's Republic. It was formed from the part of the territories of the voivodeships of Katowice, and Kraków. Its capital was located in the city of Bielsko-Biała. In 1975, it had a population of 779,300 people.

On 9 December 1989, the Polish People's Republic was replaced by the Third Republic of Poland. In 1997, the voivodeship had a population of 924,000 people, and had an area of 3,04 km². It existed until 31 December 1998, when it was partitioned between then-established Lesser Poland, and Silesian Voivodeships.

Subdivisions
In 1997, the voivodeship was divided into 59 gminas (municipalities), including 8 urban municipalities, 10 urban-rural municipalities, and 18 rural municipalities. It had 18 cities and towns.

From 1990 to 1998, it was additionally divided into five district offices, each comprising several municipalities.

Leaders
The leader of the administrative division was the voivode. Those were:
 * 1 June 1975 – February 1981: Józef Łabudek;
 * 10 March 1981 – 7 November 1987: Stanisław Łuczkiewicz;
 * 18 December 1987 – 2 April 1990: Franciszek Strzałka;
 * 9 April 1990 – 1 February 1994: Mirosław Styczeń;
 * 24 February 1994 – 28 November 1997: Marek Trombski;
 * 9 December 1997 – 31 December 1998: Andrzej Sikora.

title: Bielsko Voivodeship


text:
Talk:History of New France

Isn't this just going to repeat what is already at New France? Why not just add to that article? Adam Bishop 03:53, 2 Dec 2003 (UTC)

title: Talk:History of New France


text:
Marunouchi

Marunouchi (丸の内) is a commercial district located in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. Situated between Tokyo Station and the Imperial Palace, the name, meaning "inside the circle", derives from its location within the palace's outer moat. It is also Tokyo's financial district and the country's three largest banks are headquartered there.

History
In 1590, before shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu entered Edo Castle, the area now known as Marunouchi was an inlet of Tokyo Bay and had the name Hibiya. With the expansion of the castle, this inlet was filled, beginning in 1592.

A new outer moat was constructed, and the earlier moat became the inner moat. The area took the name Okuruwauchi ("within the enclosure").

Daimyōs, particularly shinpan and fudai, constructed their mansions here, and with 24 such estates, the area also became known as daimyō kōji ("daimyō alley"). The offices of the North and South Magistrates, and that of the Finance Magistrate, were also here.

Following the Meiji Restoration, Marunouchi came under control of the national government, which erected barracks and parade grounds for the Imperial Japanese Army.

In 1890 Iwasaki Yanosuke, brother of the founder (and later the second leader) of Mitsubishi, purchased the land for 1.5 million yen. As the company developed the land, it came to be known as Mitsubishi-ga-hara (the "Mitsubishi Fields"). Much of the land remains under the control of Mitsubishi Estate Co., and the headquarters of many companies in the Mitsubishi Group are in Marunouchi.

The Marunouchi district was redeveloped after 1890 with urban blocks and high rises that incorporated Machiya units.

The government of Tokyo constructed its headquarters on the site of the former Kōchi han in 1894. They moved it to the present Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building in Shinjuku in 1991, and the Tokyo International Forum and Toyota Tsusho Corporation now stands on the site. Nearly a quarter of Japan's GDP is generated in this area.

Tokyo Station opened in 1914, and the Marunouchi Building in 1923. Tokyo Station reopened on 1 October 2012 after a 5 year refurbishment.

Much of the area was damaged in the deadly 1974 Mitsubishi Heavy Industries bombing.

Places in Marunouchi

 * Marunouchi Oazo
 * Marunouchi Building
 * Shin-Marunouchi Building
 * Tokyo Central Post Office (closed)
 * Tokyo International Forum
 * Mitsubishi Ichigokan Museum, Tokyo
 * Tokyo Station, the city's main intercity rail terminal
 * Meiji Seimei Kan

Companies based in Marunouchi
Calbee has its headquarters in the Marunouchi Trust Tower Main. Konica Minolta has its headquarters in the Marunouchi Center Building in Marunouchi.

 * Mitsubishi Group companies:
 * The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ
 * Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance
 * Mitsubishi Corporation
 * Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
 * Mitsubishi Electric
 * Nippon Yusen
 * Tokio Marine Nichido
 * Asahi Glass
 * Hitachi
 * Furukawa Electric
 * Nikko Citigroup
 * Ushio, Inc.
 * Tanaka Kikinzoku Group

Japan Airlines used to have its headquarters in the Tokyo Building in Marunouchi.

International companies
Marunouchi also houses the Japan offices of Aeroméxico (Pacific Century Place Marunouchi), Bain & Company, Bayerische Landes Bank, Bloomberg, First National Bank of Boston, BT Group, Citigroup, Banca Commerciale Italiana, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, Bank of India, JPMorgan Chase, KPMG, Latham & Watkins, Mellon Bank, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius, Morrison & Foerster, NatWest Group, Nikko Cordial, Nikko Citigroup, Rabobank, Bank Negara Indonesia, Overseas Union Bank, Philadelphia National Bank, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Ropes & Gray, Royal Insurance, Standard Chartered Bank and Standard & Poor's.

Rail and subway stations

 * Nijūbashimae Station (Chiyoda Line)
 * Otemachi Station (Chiyoda Line, Hanzomon Line, Marunouchi Line, Toei Mita Line, Tozai Line)
 * Tokyo Station (Chūō Line, Keihin-Tohoku Line, Keiyo Line, Marunouchi Line, Shinkansen, Sōbu Line, Yamanote Line, Yokosuka Line)

Education
Chiyoda Board of Education operates public elementary and junior high schools. Chiyoda Elementary School (千代田小学校) is the zoned elementary of Marunouchi 1-3 chōme. There is a freedom of choice system for junior high schools in Chiyoda Ward, and so there are no specific junior high school zones.

title: Marunouchi


text:
Biała Podlaska Voivodeship

The Biała Podlaska Voivodeship was a voivodeship (province) of the Polish People's Republic from 1975 to 1989, and the Third Republic of Poland from 1989 to 1998. Its capital was Biała Podlaska. It was established on 1 June 1975, from the parts of the voivodeships of Lublin, and Warsaw Voivodeship, and existed until 31 December 1998, when it was partitioned between then-established Lublin, and Masovian Voivodeships.

History
The Biała Voivodeship was established on 1 June 1975, as part of the administrative reform, and was one of the voivodeships (provinces) of the Polish People's Republic. It was formed mostly from the part of the territory of the Lublin Voivodeship, additionally including part of the territory of the Łosice County, of the Warsaw Voivodeship. Its capital was located in the city of Biała Podlaska. In 1975, it had a population of 	280 400 people.

On 9 December 1989, the Polish People's Republic was replaced by the Third Republic of Poland. In 1997, the voivodeship had a population of 309 000 people, and had an area of 5 348 km2. It existed until 31 December 1998, when it was partitioned between then-established Lublin, and Masovian Voivodeships.

Subdivisions
In 1997, the voivodeship was divided into 40 gminas (municipalities), including four urban municipalities, two urban-rural municipalities, and 34 rural municipalities. It had six cities that functioned as separate municipalities.

From 1990 to 1998, it was additionally divided into three district offices, each comprising several municipalities.

Leaders
The leader of the administrative division was the voivode. The people in that office, between 1975, and 1998, were:
 * 1975–1986: Józef Piela;
 * 1986–1990: Stanisław Rapa;
 * 1990–1992: Andrzej Czapski;
 * 1992–1997: Tadeusz Korszeń;
 * 1997–1998: Marek Czarnecki.

title: Biała Podlaska Voivodeship


text:
Kasumigaseki

Kasumigaseki (霞が関, 霞ヶ関 or 霞ケ関) is a district in Chiyoda Ward in Tokyo, Japan. It is the location of most of Japan's cabinet ministry offices. The name is often used as a metonym for the Japanese government bureaucracy, while Nagatachō refers to the elected government or the legislative branch. Kasumigaseki Station was one of the stations affected during the Tokyo subway sarin attack.

Government offices

 * 2nd Bldg. of the Central Common Government Office
 * Japan Transport Safety Board
 * National Public Safety Commission
 * Fair Trade Commission
 * Coast Guard
 * Patent Office
 * Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications
 * Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
 * Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
 * Ministry of Finance
 * Ministry of Foreign Affairs
 * Ministry of Justice
 * Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism
 * Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare
 * Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
 * Ministry of the Environment
 * Public Security Intelligence Agency
 * National Police Agency
 * Financial Services Agency
 * Agency for Cultural Affairs
 * National Personnel Authority
 * Board of Audit of Japan
 * Tokyo Metropolitan Police HQ
 * Tokyo High Court and Intellectual Property High Court
 * Tokyo District Court, Summary Court and Family Court

Other buildings

 * Japan Post headquarters
 * Kasumigaseki Building - Tokyo's first high-rise office building
 * The Asian Development Bank Institute has its head office on the 8th floor of the Kasumigaseki Building. On the same floor, the Asian Development Bank has its Japan offices.
 * Kasumigaseki Common Gate - Twin tower buildings adjacent to the Kasumigaseki Building.
 * New Kasumigaseki Building
 * Nipponkoa Insurance Building

Subway stations

 * Kasumigaseki Station (Chiyoda Line, Hibiya Line, Marunouchi Line)
 * Sakuradamon Station (Yūrakuchō Line)
 * Toranomon Station (Ginza Line)

Economy
Japan Post Holdings has its headquarters in Kasumigaseki. Tokuyama Corporation has its headquarters in Kasumigaseki Common Gate West Tower and PricewaterhouseCoopers has offices on the 15th floor of the Kasumigaseki Building. Also in the Kasumigaseki Building has its headquarters the Lixil Group Corporation.

At different points of time All Nippon Airways and Mitsui Chemicals had their headquarters in the Kasumigaseki Building. In July 1978, when Nippon Cargo Airlines first began, it operated within a single room inside All Nippon Airways's space in the Kasumigaseki Building.

At one time Cantor Fitzgerald had an office in the Toranomon Mitsui Building in Kasumigaseki.

Education
Chiyoda Board of Education operates public elementary and junior high schools. Kōjimachi Elementary School (千代田区立麹町小学校) is the zoned elementary of Kasumigaseki 1-3 chōme. There is a freedom of choice system for junior high schools in Chiyoda Ward, and so there are no specific junior high school zones.

Spelling
The current official spelling of the district's name is 霞が関, with が in hiragana; before 1967, it was spelled 霞ヶ関, with a small ヶ. The name of the Tokyo Metro station is spelled "霞ケ関", with a large ケ. All three spellings can still be found by various institutions in the area.

title: Kasumigaseki


text:
Białystok Voivodeship (1975–1998)

Białystok Voivodeship (Województwo białostockie) was a unit of administrative division and local government in Poland from 1975 to 1998, when it was superseded by the Podlaskie Voivodeship. Its capital city was Białystok. It was formed in 1975 from part of the existing Białystok Voivodeship. The region was 10055 km2, and its population in 1994, about 700 000 inhabitants. It was divided into 20 cities and 50 municipalities. It bordered with four Voivodeships: Suwałki, Łomża, Siedlce and Biała Podlaska and until 1991 with the Soviet Union (Belorussian SSR), and later with Belarus.

History
Starting 1 June 1975, pursuant to a law proclaimed on 28 May 1975, the Białystok Voivodeship was formed from part of the existing Białystok Voivodeship. In addition the intermediate administrative level of powiats were eliminated, but the secondary administrative units of gminas were retained. The unstated reason for the 1975 reform was the desire of the Polish Central Committee to strengthen control over lower layers of the state apparatus. After Edward Gierek replaced Władysław Gomułka as first secretary of the Polish United Workers' Party, his clique maintained power by dividing the Politburo. Through administrative reorganization and the new territorial division, Gierek was able to nominate his supporters to provincial committees and break the hold of older elements of the party.

After the fall of the People's Republic of Poland, District Offices (Urząd Rejonowy) were established in the voivodeship under the Act of 22 March 1990 and the Regulation of the Minister – Head of the Office of the Council of Ministers on 1 August 1990. Within the limits of the district offices were several gmina. The offices did not constitute organs of self-government, but performed the tasks and powers of the voivodeship administration.

During 1991 and 1992 the large municipalities were restructured, significantly changing the division of powers between the voivodeship cities and the surrounding rural gminas.

In the Polish administrative reform of 1999 Poland introduced a further reform of local government administration, disestablishing the Białystok Voivodeship effective 31 December 1998 and establishing the Podlaskie Voivodeship.

Politics
Secretaries of the Voivodeship Committee of the Polish United Workers' Party:

Voivodes:

Chairmen of the Voivodeship National Council Presidium (Przewodniczący Prezydium WRN w Białymstoku):

Administrative divisions
From 1975 until 1990 the voivodeship was solely divided into Gmina of the following types:
 * urban gmina (gmina miejska) consisting of the cities of: Białystok, Bielsk Podlaski, Brańsk, Hajnówka and Siemiatycze
 * rural gmina (gmina wiejska) consisting of villages and countryside of: Bielsk Podlaski, Boćki, Brańsk, Orla, Rudka, Wyszki, Białowieża, Czeremcha, Czyże, Dubicze Cerkiewne, Hajnówka, Kleszczele, Narew, Narewka, Jasionówka, Jaświły, Knyszyn, Krypno, Mońki, Drohiczyn, Dziadkowice, Grodzisk, Mielnik, Milejczyce, Nurzec-Stacja, Siemiatycze, Dąbrowa Białostocka, Janów, Korycin, Krynki, Kuźnica, Nowy Dwór, Sidra, Sokółka, Suchowola, Szudziałowo, Choroszcz, Czarna Białostocka, Dobrzyniewo Kościelne, Gródek, Juchnowiec Dolny, Łapy, Michałowo, Poświętne, Supraśl, Suraż, Turośń Kościelna, Tykocin, Wasilków and Zabłudów

In 1990 the Voivodeship set up a number of District offices (Urząd Rejonowy):
 * Białystok for the gminas of: Choroszcz, Czarna Białostocka, Dobrzyniewo Kościelne, Gródek, Juchnowiec Dolny, Łapy, Michałowo, Poświętne, Supraśl, Suraż, Turośń Kościelna, Tykocin, Wasilków and Zabłudów along with the City of Białystok
 * Bielsk Podlaski for the gminas of: Bielsk Podlaski, Boćki, Brańsk, Orla, Rudka and Wyszki along with the Cities of Bielsk Podlaski and Brańsk
 * Hajnówka for the gminas of: Białowieża, Czeremcha, Czyże, Dubicze Cerkiewne, Hajnówka, Kleszczele, Narew and Narewka along with the City of Hajnówka
 * Mońki for the Gminas: Jasionówka, Jaświły, Knyszyn, Krypno and Mońki
 * Siemiatycze for the gminas of: Drohiczyn, Dziadkowice, Grodzisk, Mielnik, Milejczyce, Nurzec-Stacja and Siemiatycze along with the City of Siemiatycze
 * Sokółka for the gminas of: Dąbrowa Białostocka, Janów, Korycin, Krynki, Kuźnica, Nowy Dwór, Sidra, Sokółka, Suchowola and Szudziałowo

Cities and towns
Major cities and towns (population in December 1998):

title: Białystok Voivodeship (1975–1998)


text:
Nagatachō

Nagatachō (永田町) is a district of Tokyo, Japan, located in Chiyoda Ward. It is the location of the Diet of Japan and the Prime Minister's residence (Kantei). The Supreme Court of Japan is located in neighboring Hayabusachō. Nagatachō is often used to refer to the elected Japanese government, while Kasumigaseki   refers to the unelected bureaucratic administration.

During the Edo period, the area surrounding Hibiya High School and Embassy of Mexico was samurai residences of Kishiwada Domain.

Companies based in Nagatachō
NTT DoCoMo has its headquarters in the Sanno Park Tower in Nagatachō.

The Swiss House, the Japanese offices of Swiss International Air Lines, are located in the Sanno Park Tower Annex.

Prudential Financial has its Japanese offices in Prudential Tower in Tokyo. A number of foreign firms have their Japanese offices in Nagatachō, including Baker & McKenzie, Citibank, and Dow Jones.

Surrounding area

 * National Diet Library
 * Cabinet Office
 * Headquarters of the Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)
 * Hie Shrine
 * Hibiya High School
 * The Capitol Hotel Tokyu
 * Akasaka Excel Hotel Tokyu
 * Tokyo Imperial Palace - located in neighboring Nagatachō
 * Kajima - in Moto-Akasaka
 * Suntory - in Akasaka
 * Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS) - in Akasaka
 * Komatsu Limited - in Akasaka

Subway stations

 * Akasaka-mitsuke Station (Ginza Line, Marunouchi Line)
 * Kokkai-gijidō-mae Station (Chiyoda Line, Marunouchi Line)
 * Nagatachō Station (Hanzōmon Line, Namboku Line, Yūrakuchō Line)
 * Tameike-Sannō Station (Ginza Line, Namboku Line)

Education
Chiyoda Board of Education operates public elementary and junior high schools. Kōjimachi Elementary School (麹町小学校) is the zoned elementary of Nagatcho 1-2 chōme. Kōjimachi Elementary was formed from the merger of the former Kōjimachi Elementary and Nagatachō Elementary School (永田町小学校). It began holding classes, in the year 2000, at the former Nagatachō Elementary facility. Its current building opened on April 1, 2003.

There is a freedom of choice system for junior high schools in Chiyoda Ward, and so there are no specific junior high school attendance zones.

title: Nagatachō


text:
Chełm Voivodeship

Chełm Voivodeship (województwo chełmskie) was a unit of administrative division and local government in Poland in years 1975–1998, superseded by Lublin Voivodeship. Its capital city was Chełm.

Major cities and towns (population in 1995)

 * Chełm (69,100)
 * Krasnystaw (20,600)

title: Chełm Voivodeship


text:
Bibby Line

Bibby Line is a UK company concerned with shipping and marine operations.

Its parent company, Bibby Line Group Limited, can be traced back to John Bibby who founded the company in 1807. The company along with the group is based in Liverpool.

It owns the Bibby Stockholm, used in August 2023 to accommodate asylum seekers at Portland Port before it was evacuated on 11 August 2023 due to legionella on board and amid fire safety concerns.

History
The Bibby Line was founded in 1807 by the first John Bibby (1775–1840). The history of Calderstones Park in Liverpool notes that 'although John Bibby & Co was founded in 1807, the year Britain abolished the slave trade, the family’s business activities and investments can be traced back further. Prior to abolition, as a metals trader and ship broker, John Sr. held a stake in three slaving voyages on the ships Harmonie, Eagle and Sally.' The ships can be found on the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Database using the voyage IDs 81106, 81732, 83481, which shows a total 787 enslaved people were transported on ships owned by John Bibby, of whom 75 did not survive the voyages. (*Note: The company has not addressed an open letter from the Refugee Council requesting it acknowledge potential links to the transatlantic slave trade. ).

After John Bibby was attacked and murdered on 19 July 1840, his sons John and James took ownership of the Bibby Line.

It was one of the first businesses in the world to fit its entire fleet with radio, by the British based Radio Communication Company.

Along with other British ship owners, it endured hard economic conditions in the 1970s and 1980s, but survived through diversification into floating accommodation. The group diversified in the 1980s into separate divisions, including Bibby Financial Services which was formed in 1982. The parent company is now called Bibby Line Group, and is a £800 million global business, operating in 14 countries, employing 4,000 people in sectors including retail, financial services, distribution, shipping, marine and infrastructure.

Since 2007, Bibby Line Group and its employees have donated over £10 million and thousands of volunteering hours to over 1,000 charitable causes.

In 2008, the Bibby Line Group continued to diversify with the purchase of the construction asset hire company Garic UK. Bibby Line Group’s investment enabled Garic to remain a key market player, in a competitive sector. Currently, Garic has four sites across the UK and is one of the most trusted specialized plant and welfare facility providers in the UK.

In July 2023, an open letter signed by over fifty NGOs and campaigners, including the Refugee Council, called Bibby Marine, as owner of the Bibby Stockholm, to acknowledge its founder John Bibby's links to the Atlantic slave trade and to end the practice of containing asylum seekers on its vessels. Later that month, a Guardian report highlighted safety concerns on board the Bibby Stockholm, including potential overcrowding along with narrow corridors and a lack of lifejackets on board. The Times also reported there were concerns about fire safety, noting it could become 'a floating Grenfell'. On 11 August 2023 legionella was found to be on board and a water sample taken on 15 August 2023 confirmed this to be of 'the most deadly strain' of legionella pneumophila, found in the ship's kitchen's galley pot wash hose.

Ships
Bibby Line has a fleet of accommodation barges and Service Operation Vessels.

Current fleet
Vessels currently operated by Bibby Line include:

 * Bibby Sapphire Diving support vessel
 * Bibby Stockholm Accommodation barge

Former fleet
Vessels that have previously operated for Bibby Line include:

 * MV Brixham (2009)
 * Cheshire - operated by Bibby Transport suffered a cargo fire in August 2017 off the coast of the Canary Islands during a passage from Norway to Thailand with a cargo of ammonium nitrate fertilizer. The cargo in all five of the ship’s cargo holds burned for two straight weeks. Shipping Watch reports that 'toxic gases had M/V Cheshire's cargo exploding and made it rain fertilizer'. In 2021 the Norwegian Court of Appeal upheld a ruling that crew negligence was a key factor in the loss of the Cheshire and ordered Bibby Transport and Singapore-based operator J. Lauritzen to pay compensation and costs totalling around US$30m. Safety4Sea reports: 'Ruling that Bibby and Lauritzen were liable to pay damages, the court said it had found evidence of a ‘negligent breach of clear and repeated instructions’ by the ship’s crew, who had failed to ensure that all heat sources in the cargo holds were disconnected before loading. The judgment further states that a light by a ladder in cargo hold 4 had probably been left on from the time of loading and, most likely, had not been disconnected until four days after that,– by which time the heat around the lamp had started the chemical reaction. "The instructions were to disconnect the power supply, not just to turn off the switches. That such disconnection probably only took place after four days is in itself clearly reprehensible," the court pointed out. The court also decided that the crew were negligent in failing to act more quickly when the first signs of problems with the cargo had been detected.'
 * MV Derbyshire - Lost on 9 September 1980 during Typhoon Orchid with all 44 hands onboard. Largest British vessel ever lost at sea.
 * MV Harlington (2009)
 * MV Herefordshire (1905) - wrecked on Cardigan Island in 1934 while on the way to be scrapped
 * MV Hertfordshire (1995)
 * MV Kiel (2010)
 * MV Kowloon Bridge
 * Leicestershire - sold, renamed SS Heraklion and sunk in the Aegean Sea in 1966
 * SS Oxfordshire (1912) - official number 131454, recorded travelling Liverpool - Marseilles - Port Said - Colombo - Rangoon, departing Liverpool 2 March 1923. [UK and Ireland, Outward Passenger Lists, 1890–1960, Liverpool, 2 March 1923]
 * SS Oxfordshire (1957)
 * MV Rmeil (2010)
 * MV Shropshire (2009)
 * Somersetshire
 * Worcestershire
 * SS Yorkshire (1920) - sunk by GS U-37 (1937) in September 1939 with the loss of 58 lives

Current operations
As of 2023 the Bibby Line labels itself a diverse company which has three separate services split into: Financial Services, Marine Services, and infrastructure applications. These businesses within the Bibby line group, operate across multiple countries and currently it is recorded to employ 1300 colleagues. It is now recording management of 1 billion pounds in funds.

After suffering through COVID-19 and ultimately undertaking a restructuring it was recorded that generally after working at a net loss they were able to run more profitably. In reports sent to the Uk companies house it can be seen that in December 31, 2021, the group made a net profit of £35.5m, compared with a net loss of £29.9m in 2020.

Leadership
Since 1965 Bibby has come into its modern era of leadership with the fifth generation, Derek Bibby becoming MD. He led diversification into new areas specifically financial services and infrastructure applications. Following his retirement Simon Sherrard was appointed the first non-family managing director and helped continue to modernize and drive diversification before handing over to the sixth generation Michael Bibby in 2000. Since then Bibby Line has continued to rapidly grow and diversify further and Michael stepped back from managing director to chairman. Currently the board is composed of 5 members; Jonathan Lewis the Executive Director (Group Managing Director, ), and the Non-Executive Directors including: Sir Michael Bibby Bt. DL (Chairman), David Anderson (Senior Independent), Susan Searle, and Geoffrey Bibby.

Financial Services
Bibby Financial Services was set up in 1982, is seen to be the UK’s largest independent invoice finance company. It offers services providing factoring and invoice discounting financial support for growing SME's. Through It aims to “help businesses around the world grow, combining international scope with expert local knowledge”. In a report released in 2023 it note that it employed 900 people and had expanded to nine different countries. After a restructuring of the company in 2020 profits were reported to have increased by 2022 from£132.4m to £150.5m for 2022 while its pre-tax profits increased from £255,000 to £9.4m.

Marine Services
Bibby Marine Limited, established in 1982, currently has 1 "Wavemaster" that can operate up to 30 days at a time and 1 Bibby Challenge that contains 337 rooms known as the Bibby Stockholm. This has led to the current dominant trait of the Bibby Line fleet being the application of these vessels for “walk to work service” where special operations ships, "Wavemasters", can take off shore workers out to their remote locations. Part of this then also extends into floating off shore worker accommodation locations providing floating barges where workers can live on or off duty. These marine services aim to provide cost effective and environmentally friendly options for workers on large scale marine infrastructure projects. There have been large controversies with Bibby Stockholm which aims to provide support housing for asylum seekers. Claims of prison like conditions were claimed and according to the financial times governments were only saving £9.28 per person per day.

Infrastructure
Existing for the last 30 years and employing 230 people, "Garic" has worked in the welfare and plant hire market. This is through the “hire and sell welfare accommodation, modular buildings, plant and storage products, tower lights, environmental solutions, wheel washing, dust control and site shelters”. These can be set up, serviced and broken down by Garic and are generally aimed towards fields like construction, infrastructure, industrial, house building, water and waste, power, utilities and renewables and commercial property sectors. They have moved into sustainable sectors as is one of their goals as seen in an article where Garic promotes sustainable solutions to business growth on the ground.

title: Bibby Line


text:
Ciechanów Voivodeship

Ciechanów Voivodeship (województwo ciechanowskie) was a unit of administrative division and local government in Poland in years 1975–1998, superseded by the Masovian Voivodeship. Its capital city was Ciechanów.

Major cities and towns (population in 1995)

 * Ciechanów (46,600)
 * Mława (29,800)
 * Płońsk (22,700)
 * Działdowo (20,700)

title: Ciechanów Voivodeship


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Częstochowa Voivodeship

Częstochowa Voivodeship (województwo częstochowskie) was a unit of administrative division and local government in Poland from 1975 to 1998, superseded mainly by Silesian Voivodeship, with a few gminas attached to surrounding voivodeships. Though most of the current territory of the former Częstochowa Voivodeship belongs to the Silesian Voivodeship, it historically is part of Lesser Poland, apart from western areas around Lubliniec and Olesno. The voivodeship's capital and largest city was Częstochowa.

Major cities and towns: (population in 1995):
 * Częstochowa (259,500);
 * Myszków (34,000);
 * Lubliniec (26,900).

title: Częstochowa Voivodeship


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OpenCola (drink)

OpenCola is a brand of open-source cola whose list of ingredients and preparation instructions are freely available and modifiable. Anybody can make the drink, and anyone can modify and improve on the recipe. It was launched in 2001 by free software P2P company Opencola, to promote their company.

Background
The original version 1.0 was released on 27 January 2001 by Grad Conn, Cory Doctorow, and John Henson. The current version is 1.1.3. Although originally intended as a promotional tool to explain free and open source software, the drink took on a life of its own and 150,000 cans were sold. The Toronto-based company Opencola became better known for the drink than the software it was supposed to promote. Laird Brown, the company's senior strategist, attributes its success to a widespread mistrust of big corporations and the "proprietary nature of almost everything".

Flavouring formula
The flavouring formula for OpenCola is:

 * 10.0 g food-grade gum arabic
 * 3.5 mL orange oil
 * 3.0 mL water
 * 2.75 mL lime oil
 * 1.25 mL cassia oil
 * 1.0 mL lemon oil
 * 1.0 mL nutmeg oil
 * 0.25 mL coriander oil
 * 0.25 mL neroli oil
 * 0.25 mL lavender oil

Concentrate formula

 * 2.36 kg plain granulated white table sugar
 * 2.28 L water
 * 30.0 mL caramel color
 * 17.5 mL (3.50 tsp.) 75% phosphoric acid or citric acid
 * 10.0 mL (2.00 tsp.) flavouring formula
 * 2.5 mL (0.50 tsp.) caffeine (optional)

Dilution
After mixing up the concentrate to the prescribed recipe (including all recommended safety precautions), the syrup is diluted 5:1 with ("preferably sodium-free") soda water to make the finished drink; at this dilution, the above combination of ingredients will yield approximately 24 litres of OpenCola.

The full recipe also includes instructions for home-made soda water produced from basic ingredients such as yeast and sugar in order to make the entire process open source; otherwise there would be a need to use commercially produced bottled or canned soda, or consumer carbonation machines with commercially manufactured carbon dioxide canisters.

title: OpenCola (drink)


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Elbląg Voivodeship

Elbląg Voivodeship (województwo elbląskie) was a unit of administrative division and local government in Poland from 1975 to 1998, superseded by the Pomeranian Voivodeship and the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship. Its capital city was Elbląg.

Major cities and towns (population in 1995)

 * Elbląg (128,700)
 * Malbork (40,300)
 * Kwidzyn (39,300)

title: Elbląg Voivodeship