text:
Talk:Renée Fleming

Request
somebody PLEASE add more information. I just don't have time. Maybe list the roles she's played and a short biography

Fact error: When I read http://www.evermore.com/azo/c_bios/floyd.php3 I see that Susannah was premiered before Fleming was born! "Floyd completed his opera Susannah, which first premiered at Florida State in 1955 and later at the New York City Opera in 1956." // 213.114.226.208 18:15, 4 March 2006 (UTC)
 * According to the Biography from iClassics included on http://www.renee-fleming.com/ it was not the world premiere of Susannah that is being referred to, but the Lyric Opera of Chicago's first performances, as the article states. So there is no contradiction, only a phrasing that might lead to the misconception you've picked up. JGF Wilks 14:01, 23 March 2006 (UTC)

I understood the sentence to indicate the Chicago Susannah production was Fleming's debut with Lyric Opera of Chicago. "Fleming sang the role of Alaide in Bellini's La straniera in a concert performance by the Opera Orchestra of New York; made her debut at the Rossini Opera Festival in the title role of Rossini's Armida; and debuted with the Lyric Opera of Chicago in the title role of Carlisle Floyd's Susannah.[39]" The article it refers to mentions that is the case: "Fleming doesn’t live in Chicago, but her long and deep association with the city, as well as her role as creative consultant to Lyric Opera — where she first appeared in 1993 to star in Carlisle Floyd’s “Susannah” — give her standing to make that statement." https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/music/ct-ent-music-chicago-voices-0808-story.html Chicago Lyric's performance library also indicates that the production was a new production and company premiere in October and November of their 1993/1994 season. https://www.lyricopera.org/shows/performance-library/1990-2000-seasons/ User:ASTJLD 04:47, 24 August 2021 (EST) ASTJLD (talk) 20:53, 24 August 2021 (UTC)

Whistle Register
She sings in the whistle register doesn't she? I think I heard her singing Magical Flute thing.

Is it accurate to say she is a jazz singer?

I don't think so, she dabbles in jazz ala kiri te kanawa, but i think she is an opera singer still :) Gareth E Kegg 10:57, 10 August 2006 (UTC)

I wouldn't say she's currently a jazz singer, though I would have called her one before she really went into classical music. As for whistle register -- she has touched a high G in several performances and recordings (live and recorded Lucrezia Borgia, a recorded aria from Mozart's Sogno di Scipione), has recorded a sustained high e-natural (aria from Vespri siciliani / Vepres siciliennes), and has at least attempted it in live performances (she once planned on it and aborted it at the last moment, if my sources are correct). I don't think she currently sings above a high e-flat, or perhaps just high d (performances or recordings). —Preceding unsigned comment added by 70.137.208.178 (talk) 21:41, 1 May 2008 (UTC)

Replacing fair use image
I know that Wikipedia policy favours free images, even if the quality is inferior to fair use ones. However, I'm not sure where to draw the line. If we have a beautiful fair use one and a very respectable free one, of course we use the free one, but if we have a beautiful fair use one and an absolutely appalling free one, I suppose that we'd use the fair use one, assuming that there was a necessity to have a photo in the first place. Many articles can do without images if we can't get free ones.

Several weeks ago, one of my pupils attended a Renée Fleming concert in Germany, and took some photos of Renée on stage. She told me that I could upload them to Wikipedia, releasing them into the public domain. The quality is not good. I'd be interested to hear from people familiar with our image policy as to whether they think it's good enough. If this photo is really so awful as to make fair use more appropriate on this occasion, I'll meekly submit to having it deleted. The original fair use image is here; the free one taken by my pupil is here.

Comments, please? Musical Linguist 01:11, 23 January 2007 (UTC)

 * The "fair use" one lacks copyright holder information and would need to be deleted anyway. The new one needs clarification on whether it is GFDLed or in the public domain -- it cannot be both.  Jkelly 01:32, 23 January 2007 (UTC)
 * Sorry, the tagging is complicated. (No wonder people are constantly using wrong tags!) I very much doubt if the girl knows the difference between GFDL and public domain. I'm not even going to pretend that I'm completely familiar with it. I've looked briefly at this, and the main difference I see (correct me if I'm missing something) is that under GFDL, you retain the credit for your work. The girl told me that if the quality was good enough, Wikipedia could have it, and that she was happy to release it into the public domain, so that Wikipedia could use it. However, the PD template said not to use that one. I'm not sure if I can use PD-self, since I am not "the creator of this work" (the girl isn't a Wikipedia editor), and I can't use PD-user since she's not on Wikipedia. I could use PD-author, or should I use PD-because? Please advise. (I wouldn't mind e-mailing the girl's e-mail address to the Foundation with her consent, but would not want to post her name here.) Or is the whole thing too much trouble considering it's such a poor image anyway? Musical Linguist 02:03, 23 January 2007 (UTC)
 * PD-author would be the right choice. I don't think it is that bad a shot.  Jkelly 04:16, 23 January 2007 (UTC)
 * Okay, thanks for your patience. I've fixed it now. The fair use one is still in the Crane School of Music article, and I'm sure it shouldn't be, as a picture of someone who studied there is not an essential part of that topic. I think I'll be bold and take it out. Watch out for the calls for my desysopping and the vandal templates on my talk page! Musical Linguist 09:40, 23 January 2007 (UTC)

You've done exactly the right thing. The image should also be listed for deletion as replaceable fair use (subst:rfu) or orphaned fair use (subst:orfud). ed g2s • talk 13:44, 23 January 2007 (UTC)

Header needs rewrite
WP:Contemporary Music Member The header is awful - why is her highest note listed in the first paragraph?? Grammar is equally questionable. I'll edit the worst bits out and try to make it a bit more informative. --Wolf m corcoran (talk) 02:46, 23 January 2008 (UTC)

I'm fixing the comma splices and such. I might try to find some better ways of putting things.

Alternative Lead Images
All of these are great pictures. I switched out the lead photo for one of these facing left. I personally prefer an image that faces left when it is positioned right in the article.Plumadesabiduría (talk) 00:53, 23 September 2009 (UTC)
 * It's a standard preference, and I try to shoot to it; I just liked how well you could see her eyes in the first. Unfortunately, the doofus house photographer kept bouncing around in the backdrop, getting in shots, which was pissing a lot of photographers off (myself included, although I wasn't the one who yelled at him).  He can be seen in the first, which is another point against it. But those eyes... -- >David  Shankbone  01:24, 23 September 2009 (UTC)

"Toy Toy Toy"
What's the phrase "Toy Toy Toy" that she uses backstage? Is it her own phrase? Is it something worth mentioning in this article? Ishboyfay (talk) 02:45, 7 February 2010 (UTC)

The phrase is ‘’toi, toi, toi‘’. It's the classical singers′ version of ‘’break a leg‘’. It is a German phrase and refers to a spitting gesture which is supposed to ward off a curse, sort of ptewy ptewy ptewy.

Since it's a general phrase used by all or most opera singers, I don't think it should be mentioned here.

Judychlebek (talk) 21:15, 17 March 2010 (UTC)Judy C

Thanks for that clarification and spelling. Note that the phrase is described on the "Break a Leg" page. Ishboyfay (talk) 22:10, 6 June 2010 (UTC)

External links modified
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External links modified
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 * Added archive https://web.archive.org/web/20110930025216/http://en.epochtimes.com/news/6-9-17/45983.html to http://en.epochtimes.com/news/6-9-17/45983.html
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Disruptive editor on 'Carousel' text
On the disruptive editor Luluplatz, who continues to put irrelevant material connected to Cheryl Studer on the Renée Fleming page, it is worth noting that virtually all of Luluplatz's recent and less recent work, on this page and otherwise, is connected to Cheryl Studer. This reveals one of 3 possible scenarios:
 * * Luluplatz is a friend of Cheryl Studer.
 * * Luluplatz is a relative of Cheryl Studer.
 * * Or, in the most extreme scenario, Luluplatz is Cheryl Studer herself.

Whoever Luluplatz is, that person needs to be aware of this standard disclaimer text regarding editing on wikipedia:

 * "....if you are affiliated with some of the people, places or things you have written about on Wikipedia, you may have a conflict of interest or close connection to the subject.

 * "All editors are required to comply with Wikipedia's neutral point of view content policy. People who are very close to a subject often have a distorted view of it, which may cause them to inadvertently edit in ways that make the article either too flattering or too disparaging. People with a close connection to a subject are not absolutely prohibited from editing about that subject, but they need to be especially careful about ensuring their edits are verified by reliable sources and writing with as little bias as possible."

DJRafe (talk) 22:52, 3 June 2018 (UTC)

 * You, DJRafe, have the gall to suggest that I, Luluplatz, am either family, friend or even the artist herself. Well, none. An acquaintance, yes. For the false suggestion alone you ought to be removed as a Wikipedia gatekeeper. Look, I posted some information about Fleming and Carousel in the interest of correcting her own deliberate ignorance on the subject of the role of Nettie Fowler. If you think that piece shouldn't be on her page, fine by me and I can live with it. But at least it's on the record for anyone interested in finding it. All that said, I don't owe you any justifications for how I choose to participate on Wikipedia or on what topic(s) of personal interest. Are we clear? Luluplatz (talk) 01:00, 7 June 2018 (UTC)

title: Talk:Renée Fleming


text:
Darby Township

Darby Township may refer to:

Ohio

 * Darby Township, Madison County, Ohio
 * Darby Township, Pickaway County, Ohio
 * Darby Township, Union County, Ohio

Pennsylvania

 * Darby Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania
 * Upper Darby Township, Pennsylvania

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

title: Darby Township


text:
Cruft

Cruft is a jargon word for anything that is left over, redundant and getting in the way. It is used particularly for defective, superseded, useless, superfluous, or dysfunctional elements in computer software.

History

Around 1958, the term was used in the sense of "garbage" by students frequenting the Tech Model Railroad Club (TMRC) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). In the 1959 edition of the club's dictionary, it was defined as "that which magically amounds in the Clubroom just before you walk in to clean up. In other words, rubbage". Its author Peter Samson later explained that this was meant in the sense of "detritus, that which needs to be swept up and thrown out. The dictionary has no definition for 'crufty,' a word I didn't hear until some years later". Cruft can also refer to alumni who remain socially active at MIT.

The origin of the term is uncertain, but it may be derived from Harvard University's Cruft Laboratory. Built in 1915 as a gift from a donor named Harriet Otis Cruft, it housed the Harvard Physics Department's radar lab during World War II.

Software
The FreeBSD handbook uses the term to refer to leftover or superseded object code that accumulates in a folder or directory when software is recompiled and new executables and data files are produced. Such cruft, if required for the new executables to work properly, can cause the BSD equivalent of dependency hell. The word is also used to describe instances of unnecessary, leftover or just poorly written source code in a computer program that is then uselessly, or even harmfully, compiled into object code.

Cruft accumulation may result in technical debt, which can subsequently make adding new features or modifying existing features—even to improve performance—more difficult and time-consuming.

In the context of Internet or Web addresses (Uniform Resource Locators or "URLs"), cruft refers to the characters that are relevant or meaningful only to the people who created the site, such as implementation details of the computer system which serves the page. Examples of URL cruft could include filename extensions such as .php or .html, and internal organizational details such as /public/ or /Users/john/work/drafts/.

Computer hardware
Cruft may also refer to unused and out-of-date computer paraphernalia, collected through upgrading, inheritance, or simple acquisition, both deliberate and through circumstance. This accumulated hardware, however, often has benefit when IT systems administrators, technicians, and the like have need for critical replacement parts. An unused machine or component similar to a production unit could allow near-immediate restoration of the failed unit, as opposed to waiting for a shipped replacement.

title: Cruft


text:
IWA–AIT

The International Workers' Association – Asociación Internacional de los Trabajadores (IWA–AIT) is an international federation of anarcho-syndicalist labor unions and initiatives.

It aims to create unions capable of fighting for the economic and political interests of the working class and eventually, to directly abolish capitalism and the state through "the establishment of economic communities and administrative organs run by the workers."

At its peak the International represented millions of people worldwide. Its member unions played a central role in the social conflicts of the 1920s and 1930s. However the International was formed as many countries were entering periods of extreme repression, and many of the largest IWA unions were shattered during that period.

Ideology
The IWA's Principles, Goals and Statutes state its role as being: "To carry on the day-to-day revolutionary struggle for the economic, social and intellectual advancement of the working class within the limits of present-day society, and to educate the masses so that they will be ready to independently manage the processes of production and distribution when the time comes to take possession of all the elements of social life. "

The IWA explicitly rejects centralism, political parties, parliamentarism and statism, including the idea of the dictatorship of the proletariat, as offering the means to carry out such change, drawing heavily on anarchist critiques written both before and after the Russian revolution, most famously Mikhail Bakunin's suggestion that: "If you took the most ardent revolutionary, vested him in absolute power, within a year he would be worse than the Tsar himself."

It also rejects the concept of economic determinism from some Marxists that liberation would come about; "by virtue of some inevitable fatalism of rigid natural laws which admit no deviation; its realization will depend above all on the conscious will and the use of revolutionary action of the workers and will be determined by them."

Instead emphasis is placed on the organization of workers as the agents of social change through their ability to take direct action:

"Revolutionary unionism asserts itself to be a supporter of the method of direct action, and aids and encourages all struggles that are not in contradiction to its own goals. Its methods of struggle are: strikes, boycotts, sabotage, etc. Direct action reaches its deepest expression in the general strike, which should also be, from the point of view of revolutionary unionism, the prelude to the social revolution.

...

Only in the economic and revolutionary organisations of the working class are there forces capable of bringing about its liberation and the necessary creative energy for the reorganisation of society on the basis of libertarian communism."

- Statutes of the IWA

Policies
From an early stage, the IWA has taken an anti-militarist stance, reflecting the overwhelming anarchist attitude since the First World War that the working class should not engage with the power struggles between ruling classes - and certainly should not die for them. It included a commitment to anti-militarism in its core principles and in 1926 it founded an International Anti-Militarist Coalition to promote disarmament and gather information on war production.

The IWA also states that syndicalists recognize violence as an acceptable defense against violence of the ruling classes, to be occur through the formation of a democratic popular militia rather than through a traditional military hierarchy. This has been posited as an alternative to the dictatorship of the proletariat model.

First International and revolutionary syndicalism (1864–1917)
The First International (International Workingmen's Association; IWMA)aimed at uniting a variety of different left-wing socialist, communist and anarchist political groups and Labor union that were based on the working class and class struggle.

The earlier International however was not able to withstand the differences between anarchist and Marxist currents, with the anarchists largely withdrawing after the Hague Congress of 1872 which saw the expulsion of leading libertarians Mikhail Bakunin and James Guillaume over their criticism of Karl Marx's party-political approach to social change.

This split prompted several attempts to start specifically anarchist Internationals, notably the Anarchist St. Imier International (1872-1881) and the Black International (1881–87). However heavy repression in France of the Paris Commune, as well as in Spain and Italy, alongside the rise of propaganda of the deed within the anarchist movement and a dominant strand of social-democracy on the wider left wing in Europe, meant that serious moves to establish an anarcho-syndicalist international would not begin until the early 20th century.

After the end of the war however, with the workers' movement resurgent following the October Revolution and subsequent Russian Civil War, what was to become the modern IWA was formed, billing itself as the "true heir" of the original international.

Rejection of Bolshevism and founding of the IWA (1918–1922)
The success of the Bolsheviks in Russia in 1918 resulted in a wave of syndicalist successes worldwide, including the struggle of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) in the USA alongside the creation of mass anarchist unions across Latin America and huge syndicalist-led strikes in Germany, Portugal, Spain, Italy and France, where it was noted that "neutral (economic, but not political) syndicalism had been swept away."

For many in this new revolutionary wave, Russia seemed to offer a successful alternative to social democratic reformism, so when in 1919 the Bolshevik Party issued an appeal for all workers to join it in building a new Red International it was met with great interest. Almost all of the syndicalist unions attended the 1920 congress of the Bolsheviks’ international of communists, the Comintern, which unions in France and Italy joined immediately. In contrast, attempts to organize a conference of anarchists in February 1919 in Copenhagen had seen only the Scandinavians able to attend.

Skepticism was initially expressed by Germany's influential Free Workers' Union of Germany (FAUD) towards the Bolsheviks' concept of an international of trade unions, known as the Profintern. Such sentiments grew significantly as delegates from several countries gained access to Bolshevik Russia. Augustine Souchy of FAUD scathingly criticised the failings of "dictatorial state socialism," as concerns rose over proposals from the Bolsheviks that all unions should submit themselves to the Communist Party's leadership and reports began to arrive documenting the imprisonment of anarchists and socialists by the Bolsheviks.

The final formation of this new international, then known as the International Workingmen's Association, took place at an illegal conference in Berlin in December 1922, marking an irrevocable break between the international syndicalist movement and the Bolsheviks.

Signatories to the founding statement of the International Workingmen's Association included groups from around the world. The single largest anarcho-syndicalist union at the time, the CNT in Spain, was unable to attend when their delegates were arrested on the way to the conference, though they did join the following year, bringing 600,000 members into the international. Despite the CNT's absence, the international represented well over 1 million workers at its inauguration:

 * The Italian Syndicalist Union (USI): 500,000 members
 * The Regional Federation of Argentine Workers (FORA): 200,000
 * The General Confederation of Labour (CGT) in Portugal: 150,000
 * The Free Workers' Union of Germany (FAUD): 120,000
 * The Committee for the Defense of Revolutionary Syndicalism in France: 100,000
 * The Central Organisation of the Workers of Sweden (SAC): 32,000
 * The General Confederation of Workers (CGT) in Mexico: 30,000
 * The National Labor Secretariat (NAS) in the Netherlands: 22,500
 * The Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) in Chile: 20,000
 * The Norwegian Syndicalist Federation (NSF) in Norway: 20,000
 * The Union for Syndicalist Propaganda in Denmark: 600

The biggest syndicalist union in the US, the IWW, considered joining but eventually ruled out affiliation in 1936, citing the IWA's policies on religious and political affiliation.

Decline and repression (1923–1939)
In Argentina, the FORA had already begun a process of decline by the time it joined the IWA, having split in 1915 into pro and anti-Bolshevik factions. From 1922, the anarchist movement there lost most of its membership, exacerbated by further splits, most notably around the Severino Di Giovanni affair. It was crushed by General Uriburu's military coup in 1930.

Germany's FAUD struggled throughout the late 1920s and early 30s as the brownshirts took control of the streets. Its last national congress in Erfurt in March 1932 saw the union attempt to form an underground bureau to combat Hitler's National Socialists, a measure which was never put into practice as mass arrests decimated the conspirators' ranks. The editor of FAUD organ Der Syndikalist, Gerhard Wartenberg, was later killed in Sachsenhausen concentration camp, and Karl Windhoff, delegate to the IWA Madrid congress of 1931, was driven out of his mind and also died in a death camp. Mass trials of FAUD members were also held in Wuppertal and Rhenanie; many of those convicted did not survive the death camps.

Italian IWA union the USI, which had claimed a membership of up to 600,000 people in 1922, was warning even at that time of murders and repression from Benito Mussolini's blackshirts. It had been driven underground by 1924 and although it was still able to lead significant strikes by miners, metalworkers and marble workers, Mussolini's ascent to power in 1925 sealed its fate. By 1927 its leading activists had been arrested or exiled.

Portugal's CGT was driven underground after an unsuccessful attempt to break the newly installed President of Portugal, Gomes da Costa, with a general strike in 1927 which led to nearly 100 deaths. It survived underground with 15–20,000 members until January 1934, when it called a general revolutionary strike, which failed, against plans to replace trade unions with corporations. It was able to continue in a much reduced state until World War II, but was effectively finished as a fighting union. Massive government repression repeated such defeats around the world, as anarcho-syndicalist unions were destroyed in Peru, Brazil, Columbia, Japan, Cuba, Bulgaria, Paraguay and Bolivia. By the end of the 1930s legal anarcho-syndicalist trade unions existed only in Chile, Bolivia, Sweden and Uruguay.

At the tenth congress in 1958, the SAC's response to its pressures led it into a clash with the rest of the international. It withdrew from the IWA following its failure to amend the body's statutes to allow it to stand in municipal elections and amid concerns over its integration with the state over distribution of unemployment benefits.

In 1976, at the 15th congress, the IWA had only five member groups, two of which (the Spanish and Bulgarian members) were still operating in exile (though following Franco's death in 1975, the CNT was already approaching a membership of 200,000).

In 2018, former IWA members met with other groups in Parma, Italy, to establish a new international organization, the International Confederation of Labor (Confederación Internacional del Trabajo), otherwise known as ICL-CIT. Affiliated organizations include CNT (Spain), USI–CIT (Italy), FAU (Germany), the North American Regional Administration of the IWW, ESE (Greece), FORA (Argentina) and IP (Poland).

Other anarchist internationals and international networks

 * Anarchist St. Imier International (1872–1877)
 * International Working People's Association (1881–1887)
 * International of Anarchist Federations (1968–)

title: IWA–AIT


text:
2001: A Space Road Odyssey

2001: A Space Road Odyssey is a Canadian television series that aired on Space in 2001. It documented a three-month journey across Canada in search of quirky locations with connections to science fiction and the paranormal.

It was hosted by videographer Natasha Eloi and voiceover personality Steve Anthony. It initially aired as short interstitial segments between programs, which were later compiled into a full half-hour series.

The series has been credited as helping to widely publicize the town of Vulcan, Alberta, which was named as such before the emergence of the Star Trek franchise but has embraced the connection with a number of Star Trek-themed tourist attractions.

title: 2001: A Space Road Odyssey


text:
USS Mindoro

USS Mindoro may refer to the following ships of the United States Navy:

 * USS Mindoro (1899), was a gunboat in use in the Philippines from 1899 to 1911
 * USS Mindoro (YAG‑15), was a freighter purchased in 1942 and in service until 1945
 * USS Mindoro (CVE-120), was an escort carrier in service from 1945 to 1955

title: USS Mindoro


text:
Devotional song

A devotional song is a hymn that accompanies religious observances and rituals. Traditionally devotional music has been a part of Hindu music, Jewish music, Buddhist music, Islamic music and Christian music.

Each major religion has its own tradition with devotional hymns. In Christianity, the devotional has been a part of the liturgy in Roman Catholicism, Lutheranism, the Greek Orthodox Church, the Russian Orthodox Church, and others, since their earliest days. A devotional is a part of the prayer service proper and is not, in these contexts, ornamentation. Within the Reformed tradition, church music in general was hotly debated; some Puritans objected to all ornament and sought to abolish choirs, hymns, and, inasmuch as liturgy itself was rejected, devotionals.

In Eastern and Near-Eastern religions, devotionals can function as communion prayer and meditation. These are sung in particular rhythms which are sustained over a prolonged period to give practitioners a mystical experience. In Hindu music, the genre arising out of the Bhakti movement (devotion), it takes forms like Bhajan, Kirtan and Aarti.

Kinds of devotional music

 * Bhajan: a Hindu or Sikh devotional.
 * Kirtan
 * Shyama Sangeet
 * Borgeet: an Assamese devotional.
 * Gunla Bajan
 * Dapha music

title: Devotional song


text:
Quebecor

Quebecor Inc. is a Canadian diversified media and telecommunications company serving Québec based in Montreal. It was spelled Quebecor in both English and French until May 2012, when shareholders voted to add the acute accent, Québecor, in French only.

The company was founded in 1965 by Pierre Péladeau and remains run by his family. Quebecor Inc. owns Quebecor Media and formerly owned the printing company Quebecor World.

Telecommunications

 * Vidéotron
 * illico TV (channel 900)
 * illico Digital TV (Cable TV provider)
 * Club illico (SVOD service)
 * Vrai (unscripted SVOD service)
 * Helix TV app
 * Canal Indigo (pay-per-view and NVOD channel; bilingual with English- and French-language services)
 * Fizz (internet and cellular provider)
 * Vidéotron Business
 * Fibrenoire
 * MAtv (community channels)
 * Helix (internet and IPTV provider)
 * Le SuperClub Vidéotron (video rental chain)
 * Microplay (video game retail)
 * SETTE Postproduction
 * VMedia (Toronto, Ontario)
 * Freedom Mobile

Media

 * Groupe TVA
 * TVA
 * CFTM-DT Montréal
 * CFCM-DT Québec City
 * CHLT-DT Sherbrooke
 * CHEM-DT Trois-Rivières
 * CJPM-DT Saguenay
 * CFER-TV Rimouski
 * addikTV
 * Casa
 * Prise 2
 * Yoopa
 * Témoin
 * Évasion
 * Zeste
 * TVA Sports
 * TVA+ (video on demand and catch-up TV)
 * TVA Publications (magazines)
 * 7 Jours
 * TV Hebdo
 * Recettes du Québec
 * Échos Vedettes
 * Cool!
 * Clin d'œil
 * Star Système
 * Coup de Pouce
 * Canadian Living
 * Espaces
 * Échos Vedettes
 * DH
 * Les Idées de ma maison
 * Style at Home
 * Dernière Heure
 * Good Times Magazine
 * La Semaine
 * La Semaine Pratique
 * La Semaine Santé
 * La Semaine Extra
 * La Semaine Téléromans
 * La Semaine Cuisine
 * Pool Pro
 * Messageries Dynamiques (distribution)
 * MELS Studios (film and television production services)
 * Incendo Media
 * TVA Films (theatrical film and home video distribution)
 * TVA Nouvelles (news source)
 * Le Canal Nouvelles (LCN)
 * Quebecor Content (television content production)
 * Le Journal de Montréal (Montréal newspaper)
 * Le Journal de Québec (Québec City newspaper)
 * 24 Heures (free newspaper)
 * J5 mobile app
 * QUB Radio (online radio and podcast platform)
 * QUB Musique (music streaming platform)
 * NumériQ
 * Billie
 * En 5 minutes
 * Le Sac de chips
 * Pèse sur Start
 * Porte-monnaie
 * Silo 57
 * TABLOÏD
 * Le Guide de l’auto
 * Groupe Livre Québecor Média (book publishing)
 * Groupe Sogides (general literature)
 * Groupe Homme
 * Les Éditions de l'Homme
 * Le Jour Éditeur
 * Les Éditions La Griffe
 * Les Éditions Petit Homme
 * Juniper Publishing (English-language publishing)
 * Groupe Charron Éditeur
 * Éditions La Semaine
 * Recto-Verso Éditeur
 * Groupe Ville-Marie Littérature
 * Éditions VLB
 * Éditions de l'Hexagone
 * Les Éditions du Journal
 * Éditions TYPO
 * Les Éditions de La Bagnole
 * Groupe Librex
 * Éditions Libre Expression
 * Éditions Stanké
 * Les Éditions Publistar
 * Éditions Trécarré
 * Éditions Logiques
 * Les Éditions CEC (school books)
 * Messageries ADP (distribution)
 * Quebecor Advertising Sales & Marketing
 * Quebecor Out of Home
 * Mirabel Printing (newspaper printing)
 * Agence QMI (press agency)

Sports and entertainment

 * Videotron Centre (indoor arena)
 * Les Disques Musicor (record label)
 * Audiogram (record label)
 * Éditorial Avenue (music publishing)
 * Gestev (events management)
 * Blainville-Boisbriand Armada
 * Quebec Remparts

Sponsorship

The company began a push towards sports: it acquired the naming rights and a management contract for the Videotron Centre, currently owns the Quebec Remparts of the QMJHL, has backed a proposed National Hockey League expansion franchise in Quebec City (which would bring the NHL back to the city for the first time since the Quebec Nordiques were relocated in 1995, and would play at the new arena), and launched a TVA-branded sports network in 2011.

On 20 July 2015, Quebecor officially submitted its application for an NHL expansion team in Quebec City. The application has since passed two phases of league scrutiny, with a final decision expected in early 2016.

Corporate governance
Former Prime Minister of Canada Brian Mulroney served as chair of the board before his death in February 2024.

Current members of the board of directors of Quebecor Inc. are: Françoise Bertrand, Jean La Couture, Sylvie Lalande, Pierre Laurin, A. Michel Lavigne, Geneviève Marcon, and Normand Provost.

title: Quebecor


text:
Talk:United States presidential nominating convention

Wiki Education Foundation-supported course assignment
This article is or was the subject of a Wiki Education Foundation-supported course assignment. Further details are available on the course page. Student editor(s): JaLynnNicole.

Above undated message substituted from Template:Dashboard.wikiedu.org assignment by PrimeBOT (talk) 12:04, 17 January 2022 (UTC)

Other countries
Do other parties in other countries also hold conventions? Should there be a redirect here from political convention? an ignorant American 11 March 2004

1968 Democratic Convention and rules changes
This is a weird historical review. The rioting in Chicago had little to do with the method of selecting delegates. It had to do with anti-war protesting. I suppose it was tangentially connected in that they were protesting against Humphrey, but there's little direct connection there. The changes were made because the old process was felt to be undemocratic, not because it was disorderly. john k 19:19, 17 Nov 2004 (UTC)

history: how were the convention delegates selected?
The Anti-Masonic party is said to have invented the national convention in 1831. 13 states sent 126 delegates. The National Republicans did the same three months later.

How were the delegates chosen in 1831? By local party bosses? By the people? With which method?

When have the delegates been chosen by the people for the first time?

Caucus first meant meeting of party representatives. When did it become a meeting of voters?

A definition of the term "front loading" needed?
It might be helpful to those less-initiated in the political game (like myself) if we were to define the term "front loading" used in the Televising controversy section. There is a "stub" (I think you call it?) for this term, "front loading," but the definition there is mostly in reference to government funding of military projects.

 * The term "Front loading" is well-described here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_primary (in the "Front-loading and compression" section of the "Criticism" chapter). I'm not sure whether to link there, or to modify the stub, or a little of both.

 * Just a thought. No time to continue now... Fagiolonero 01:50, 19 March 2007 (UTC)

I am a rather avid follower of presidential politics, yet I have never heard the phrase "front-loading" mentioned in this article. I suggest this phrase either be linked to a wiki article on "front-loading", or be deleted entirely. The phrase appears in the controversy section. Byates5637 (talk) 03:12, 13 December 2007 (UTC)
 * I replaced the term with clearer text. If someone updates front loading to reflect the political meaning, we can put the term back. Simon12 (talk) 05:03, 13 December 2007 (UTC)

15 years later (!), provided a link to the front-loading section in United_States_presidential_primary Simon12 (talk) 04:27, 4 February 2022 (UTC)

"Televising controversy" Section
The section about the televising of conventions states that the first telecast was of the 1940 Republican convention. This seems like it must be a typo because television broadcasts didn't begin until about 1948. There's no citation, so I'm not sure whether the author meant to write "radio broadcast" or maybe mistyped the convention year. Michaeltripp (talk) 13:25, 28 January 2008 (UTC)
 * Nope, 1940 was televised. Simon12 (talk) 04:16, 29 January 2008 (UTC)

Best way to treat post-1960 parties?
I have a couple of points to throw out for discussion.
 * 1) Is it worth making a separate table for Socialist, Prohibition and SLP conventions that actually nominated Presidential candidates? If so, what do we do with the Communist/Workers and Socialist Workers Party conventions (the SWP article gives no dates or places for conventions, just the nominees for each year). Were the 1948-68 States' Rights (Dixiecratic) parties coherent enough to list in a table of conventions?
 * 2) What, in general do we do about third parties and candidacies after 1960, which organize themselves for us in a far less orderly way than earlier ones? Several important candidacies seem to have emerged without being nominated by a convention, e.g. George Wallace (AIP) and Peace & Freedom (various) in 1968, Eugene McCarthy in 1976, John Anderson in 1980, Ross Perot (United We Stand) in 1992 and Ralph Nader in the last couple of elections. Some parties pride themselves on being federations of autonomous state parties and don't use national conventions to formalize a candidacy (or else are so split among the states that they have no clear single national nominee). What do we do with the sheer number of secondary and tertiary parties after 1964? (E.g., where do we fit in the American, Citizens', and Peace & Freedom Parties?) The point is not to dump all that complexity or uncertainty onto the lay reader, but to figure out what's the clearest, fairest, most accurate and most informative way of summarizing it. —— Shakescene (talk) 19:53, 15 July 2010 (UTC)
 * This is an article about conventions, not candidates. If a third-party candidate didn't have a nominating convention (Perot, Anderson, etc), then I don't think any mention is needed at all. Simon12 (talk) 00:59, 16 July 2010 (UTC)

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Describe party systems in general before using headings like first party system, second party system, etc
The text provides no clarity on what a party system is, but there are headings sprinkled throughout the page to various party systems. That notion should be explained first. Or it may not even be relevant for this page. ★NealMcB★ (talk) 16:54, 1 December 2023 (UTC)


text:
Space-cadet keyboard

The space-cadet keyboard is a keyboard designed by John L. Kulp in 1978 and used on Lisp machines at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT),  which inspired several still-current jargon terms in the field of computer science and influenced the design of Emacs. It was inspired by the Knight keyboard, which was developed for the Knight TV system, used with MIT's Incompatible Timesharing System.

Description
The space-cadet keyboard was equipped with seven modifier keys: four keys for bucky bits (,, , and ), and three shift keys, called , , and (which was labeled on the front of the key; the top was labeled ). Meta had been introduced on the earlier Knight keyboard, while Hyper and Super were introduced by this keyboard. Each group was in a row, thus allowing easy chording, or pressing of several modifier keys; for example, Control could be pressed with the fingers of one hand, while the other hand pressed another key.

Many keys had three symbols on them, accessible by means of the shift keys: a letter and a symbol on the top, and a Greek letter on the front. For example, the key had a "G" and an up-arrow ("↑") on the top, and the Greek letter gamma ("") on the front. By pressing this key with one hand while playing an appropriate "chord" with the other hand on the shift keys, the user could get the following results:

Each of these might, in addition, be typed with any combination of the, , , and keys. By combining the modifier keys, it is possible to make (50 keys × 5 shift types) × 2$4 bucky keys$ = 4000 different inputs. This allowed the user to type very complicated mathematical text, and also to have thousands of single-character commands at their disposal. Many users were willing to memorise the command meanings of so many characters if it reduced typing time. This attitude shaped the interface of Emacs; compare the use of the key in vi, due to the convenient position of the key on the ADM-3A terminal. Other users, however, thought that so many keys were excessive and objected to this design on the grounds that such a keyboard can be difficult to operate. Emacs uses "M-" as the prefix for when describing key presses: the "M-" stood for Meta on the space-cadet keyboard, and when Emacs was ported to PCs, the Alt key was used in place of Meta.

This keyboard included a key which had limited application support. It also included four Roman Numeral keys (I, II, III, and IV) which allowed for easy interaction with lists of four or fewer choices.

title: Space-cadet keyboard


text:
USS Okinawa

Two ships of the United States Navy have been named USS Okinawa, in honor of the Battle of Okinawa.

 * The first USS Okinawa (CVE-127) was to be an escort carrier, but was cancelled before completion.
 * The second USS Okinawa (LPH-3) was an Iwo Jima-class amphibious assault ship in service from 1962 to 1992.

Fictional ships

 * USS Okinawa (NCC-13958) is a starship in the fictional universe of Star Trek.

title: USS Okinawa


text:
Talk:Oval Office

Possible inconsistencies in the table between pictures and descriptions.
Some of the pictures don't seem to align with the descriptions - e.g., Franklin D. Roosevelt: furnishing description reads "Green drapery, Green rug" but photo shows red draperies and rug; John F. Kennedy: it says "White drapery, Red rug" but photo shows different draperies and rug.

There might be more but these are two I noticed. Are these mistakes or was the office redecorated during these terms? If the latter, maybe that should be noted? I won't make edits as I'm not sure, but maybe someone with more expertise on this topic could take a look and make any changes if necessary (and check to see if there's more I didn't notice)? HistoricalAccountings (talk) 23:10, 20 January 2021 (UTC)

 * I've corrected the two inconsistencies you've mentioned. Jackie Kennedy did redecorate the office with White/Red furnishings at the time of his assassination, but given JFK never actually got to use them, it makes little sense to put that information in the main column; I've mentioned them in the notes. The info on FDR's was correct - his office was always furnished in green, but the colour image was poor quality making it "look" red. This has now been replaced.

 * This does raise a broader point, there are a few more descriptions are erroneous/misleading when combined with the attached images, mainly due to the quality of the images. For example, the Ford drapes are described in multiple sources as being "Pumpkin/Coral and light gold", yet the quality of the image makes them look (and they are erroneously described as being) Red and White. The images of FDRs / Truman's offices are also in black and white, making it difficult to distinguish colour.

 * Maybe a way of showing these colours in a clearer and more consistent manner could be beneficial? I don't know if this meets Wikipedia's MOS, but something like this could eliminate confusion?
 * {|class="wikitable"

! width="10%" | President ! width="5%" | Image ! width="7%" | Designer ! colspan="2" width="1px" |Furnishings ! width="25%" | Artwork/Statues/Pictures ! width="30%" | Notes !Ref 1974–1977 The President's House, copy after William Henry Bartlett Eastport and Passamaquoddy Bay by Victor de Grailly City of Washington from Beyond the Navy Yard by George Cooke Benjamin Franklin by Charles Willson Peale
 * rowspan="5" | Gerald Ford
 * rowspan="5" | Gerald Ford
 * rowspan="5" | Ford Oval Office.jpg
 * rowspan="5" |
 * style="background:#d66a29;" |
 * height=15 | Pumpkin/Light Yellow drapery
 * rowspan="5" | George Washington by Charles Willson Peale

Standing Lincoln by Adolph Alexander Weinman The Bronco Buster by Frederic Remington 2 yellow wing chairs 2 striped sofas Seymour tall-case clock
 * rowspan="5" | President Ford first placed the Seymour tall-case clock in the Oval Office.
 * rowspan="5" |
 * style="background:#fef8dc;" |
 * height=15 |Yellow/light-blue floral rug
 * style="background:#ffffff;" |
 * height=15 |White painted walls
 * height=15 |Wilson desk
 * 2 yellow Queen Anne-style armchairs
 * height=15 |Wilson desk
 * 2 yellow Queen Anne-style armchairs
 * height=15 |Wilson desk
 * 2 yellow Queen Anne-style armchairs
 * 2 yellow Queen Anne-style armchairs
 * 2 yellow Queen Anne-style armchairs

Removed the brass sconces
 * }

 * Rstallard2 (talk) 11:25, 24 January 2021 (UTC)
 * Thank you. HistoricalAccountings (talk) 19:18, 24 January 2021 (UTC)

Artwork
I just stumbled on this page by the NYT that lists every artwork displayed in the oval office going back to Kennedy.. With this list it makes me wonder if the "Taft oval office" section listing every thing in each redocorstion of the office should really be moved to a spereate page as it kind of takes over the page. Perhaps redecoration of the Oval Office so that this can be about the room and all that information can be retained but move to an article specifically about it.--Found5dollar (talk) 13:27, 9 May 2021 (UTC)

A Commons file used on this page or its Wikidata item has been nominated for deletion
The following Wikimedia Commons file used on this page or its Wikidata item has been nominated for deletion: Participate in the deletion discussion at the. —Community Tech bot (talk) 03:39, 13 August 2021 (UTC)
 * Trumanovalofficereplica.jpg

President Woodrow Wilson by Charles H. Woodbury
Here's a 1951 photograph with Charles H. Woodbury's President Woodrow Wilson (1913) over the mantel in the Oval Office. I haven't been able to track down the current whereabouts of the portrait. == BoringHistoryGuy (talk) 21:14, 12 February 2022 (UTC)

Should "president's secretary" be wikified to Secretary_to_the_President_of_the_United_States?
Apokrif (talk) 06:47, 25 June 2023 (UTC)

title: Talk:Oval Office


text:
Shloka

Shloka or śloka (श्लोक śloka, from the root श्रु śru, lit. 'hear' in a broader sense, according to Monier-Williams's dictionary, is "any verse or stanza; a proverb, saying"; but in particular it refers to the 32-syllable verse, derived from the Vedic anuṣṭubh metre, used in the Bhagavad Gita and many other works of classical Sanskrit literature.

In its usual form it consists of four pādas or quarter-verses, of 8 syllables each, or (according to an alternative analysis) of two half-verses of 16 syllables each. The metre is similar to the Vedic anuṣṭubh metre, but with stricter rules.

The śloka is the basis for Indian epic poetry, and may be considered the Indian verse form par excellence, occurring as it does far more frequently than any other metre in classical Sanskrit poetry. The śloka is the verse-form generally used in the Mahabharata, the Ramayana, the Puranas, Smritis, and scientific treatises of Hinduism such as Sushruta Samhita and Charaka Samhita. The Mahabharata, for example, features many verse metres in its chapters, but 95% of the stanzas are ślokas of the anuṣṭubh type, and most of the rest are tristubhs.

The anuṣṭubh is found in Vedic texts, but its presence is minor, and triṣṭubh and gāyatrī metres dominate in the Rigveda. A dominating presence of ślokas in a text is a marker that the text is likely post-Vedic.

The traditional view is that this form of verse was involuntarily composed by Vālmīki, the author of the Rāmāyaṇa, in grief on seeing a hunter shoot down one of two birds in love. On seeing the sorrow (śoka) of the widowed bird, he was reminded of the sorrow Sītā felt on being separated from Shri Rama and began composing the Ramayana in shlokas. For this he is called the Ādikavi (first poet.)

Metrical pattern
Each 16-syllable hemistich (half-verse), of two 8-syllable pādas, can take either a pathyā ("normal") form or one of several vipulā ("extended") forms. The form of the second foot of the first pāda (II.) limits the possible patterns the first foot (I.) may assume.

The scheme below, given by Macdonell, shows his understanding of the form of the śloka in the classical period of Sanskrit literature (4th–11th centuries CE):

In poems of the intermediate period, such as the Bhagavad Gita, a fourth vipulā is found. This occurs 28 times in the Bhagavad Gita, that is, as often as the third vipulā. When this vipulā is used, there is a word-break (caesura) after the fourth syllable:

 * u u  u  –,  |  –  u  –  u  ||

Two rules that always apply are:
 * 1. In both pādas, in syllables 2–3, u u is not allowed.
 * 2. In the second pāda, in syllables 2–4, – u – is not allowed

The pathyā and vipulā half-verses are arranged in the table above in order of frequency of occurrence. Out of 2579 half-verses taken from Kalidasa, Bharavi, Magha, and Bilhana, each of the four admissible forms of śloka in this order claims the following share: 2289, 116, 89, 85; that is, 89% of the half-verses have the regular pathyā form.

The various vipulās, in the order above, are known to scholars writing in English as the first, second, third and fourth vipulā, or the paeanic, choriambic, molossic, and trochaic vipulā respectively. In Sanskrit writers, they are referred to as the na-, bha-, ma-, and ra-vipulā. A fifth vipulā, known as the minor Ionic, in which the first pāda ends | u u – x |, is sometimes found in the Mahābhārata, although rarely.

Macdonell's chart given above is in fact too restrictive with regard the first four syllables in a vipulā verse. For example, the first quarter verse of the Rāmayaṇa (critical edition) contains a na-vipulā and scans ⏑ – – – ⏑ ⏑ ⏑ – (tapaḥsvādhyāyanirataṃ). Other examples are easy to find among classical poets, e.g., Rāmacarita 1.76 manyur dehāvadhir ayaṃ – – – – ⏑ ⏑ ⏑ –. In the ma-vipulā, a caesura is not obligatory after the fifth syllable, e.g., Śiśupālavadha 2.1a yiyakṣamāṇenāhūtaḥ ⏑ – ⏑ – – – – –.

Noteworthy is the avoidance of an iambic cadence in the first pāda. By comparison, syllables 5–8 of any pāda in the old Vedic anuṣṭubh metre typically had the iambic ending u – u x (where "x" represents an anceps syllable).

Statistical studies examining the frequency of the vipulās and the patterns in the earlier part of the pāda have been carried out to try to establish the preferences of various authors for different metrical patterns. It is believed that this may help to establish relative dates for the poems, and to identify interpolated passages.

Examples
A typical śloka is the following, which opens the Bhagavad Gita:

 * dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre
 * samavetā yuyutsavaḥ
 * māmakāḥ pāṇḍavāś caiva
 * kim akurvata sañjaya

 * – – – – | u – – – |
 * u u – – | u – u – ||
 * – u – – | u – – u |
 * u u – u | u – u u ||

 * "(Dhṛtaraṣṭra said:) In the place of righteousness, at Kurukṣetra,
 * gathered together and desiring battle,
 * my sons and the sons of Pandu,
 * what did they do, Sanjaya?"

From the period of high classical Sanskrit literature comes this benediction, which opens Bāṇabhaṭṭa's biographical poem Harṣacaritam (7th century CE):

 * namas-tuṅga-śiraś-cumbi- candra-cāmara-cārave /
 * trailokya-nagarārambha- mūla-stambhāya śambhave //

 * u – – u | u – – u | – u – u | u – u – ||
 * – – u u | u – – u | – – – – | u – u – ||

 * "Praise be to Śambhu, beautified by the chowrie moon touching his lofty head;
 * like a foundation pillar of a city that is the universe."

When a śloka is recited, performers sometimes leave a pause after each pāda, at other times only after the second pāda. (See External links.)

Difference between shloka and mantra
A Shloka has to be composed in a specific metre (chhanda), with a specific number of lines with a specific number of words per line, each word could be a mantra. For example, viṣṇu sahastranāma is in anuṣṭup chhanda (two lines of four words each).

A mantra, on the other hand, is prefixed by omkara (primordial sound) and suffixed by the essential nama (name) and the salutary word nama (salutation) between the prefix and the suffix. No metre is prescribed. The lyrics in any Vārnic or matric metres are shlokas, but stanzas from Vedic hymns are not shloka, despite it being a common mistake to think this.

title: Shloka


text:
Nizam al-Mulk

Abu Ali Hasan ibn Ali Tusi (April 10, 1018 – October 14, 1092), better known by his honorific title of Nizam ul-Mulk, was a Persian scholar, jurist, political philosopher and vizier of the Seljuk Empire. Rising from a low position within the empire, he became the de facto ruler of the empire for 20 years after the assassination of Sultan Alp Arslan in 1072, serving as the archetypal "good vizier". Viewed by many historians as "the most important statesman in Islamic history", the policies implemented by Nizam ul-Mulk remained the basic foundation for administrative state structures in the Muslim world up until the 20th century.

One of his most important legacies was the founding of a system of madrasas in cities across the Seljuk Empire which were called the Nizamiyyas after him. He also wrote the Siyasatnama (Book of Government), a political treatise that uses historical examples to discuss justice, effective rule, and the role of government in Islamic society.

Early life and service to the Ghaznavids
Abu Ali Hasan was born on 10 April 1018, in a small village named Radkan, near Tus, in Iran, to a dehqan family. Growing up he studied Shafi fiqh and the Ashari school of theology. His father Ali ibn Ishak served as a financial officer to the Ghaznavids. However, when the Seljuk Turks defeated the Ghaznavids at the Battle of Dandanaqan in 1040, and conquered Khorasan, Abu Ali Hasan's father fled to Ghazni. Hasan followed his father to Ghazni, and it is there where he first assumed a government office. He remained in Ghazni for three or four years, when he left the Ghaznavid court and entered service with the Seljuks.

Reign of Tughril and Alp Arslan
Around the year of 1043, Abu Ali Hasan stopped serving the Ghaznavids and entered the service of the Seljuk Turks. He later became chief administrator of the entire Khorasan province by 1059. When Tughril died childless in the city of Ray, he was succeeded by his nephew Suleiman which was contested by Alp Arslan, both of them sons of Tughril's brother Chaghri. His cousin Kutalmish who had both been a vital part of his campaigns and later a supporter of Yinal's rebellion also put forth a claim. Alp Arslan, with the aid of Abu Ali Hasan, defeated Kutalmish and succeeded him on April 27, 1064.

After Alp Arslan had consolidated his power in the Sejluk realm, he appointed Abu Ali Hasan as his vizier who would remain in that position throughout the reigns of Alp Arslan (1063–1072) and Malik-Shah I (1072–1092). Abu Ali Hasan was also given the title of "Nizam al-Mulk" ("Order of the Realm").

Alp Arslan's strength lays in the military realm. Domestic affairs were handled by Nizam al-Mulk, who also founded the administrative organization that characterized and strengthened the sultanate during the reigns of Alp Arslan and his son, Malik Shah I. Military iqtā’ (fiefs), governed by Seljuk princes, were established to provide support for the soldiery and to accommodate the nomadic Turks to the established Anatolian agricultural scene. This type of military fiefdom enabled the nomadic Turks to draw on the resources of the sedentary Iranians, and other established cultures within the Seljuk realm, and allowed Alp Arslan to field a huge standing army without depending on tribute from conquest to pay his soldiers. He not only had enough food from his subjects to maintain his military, but the taxes collected from traders and merchants added to his coffers sufficiently to fund his continuous wars.

Nizam accompanied Alp Arslan in all his campaigns and journeys, except a few. In February/March 1064 Alp Arslan, along with his son Malik-Shah I and Nizam al-Mulk, campaigned in Byzantine Armenia, where they managed to capture Ani. Several minor rulers then acknowledged Seljuk authority, while Alp Arslan and Nizam continued to penetrate deeper into the Caucasus, reaching Georgia. The Georgian ruler Bagrat IV, managed to make peace with Alp Arslan by giving his niece to him in marriage.

Nizam also made some expeditions on his own and conquered the citadel of Estakhr from the Shabankara chieftain Fadluya in 1067, and made another expedition in Fars. These successful conquests are said to have greatly increased his reputation. On August 26 of 1071, the decisive Battle of Manzikert was fought, which Nizam al-Mulk had missed because he had been sent to Persia with a convoy of materials.

Reign of Malik Shah I
Following Alp Arslan's assassination in 1072, Malik-Shah I was challenged in battle by his uncle, Kavurt. In January 1074, their armies met near Hamadan. Kavurt's troops consisted of the traditional Turkmen elements from Alp Arslan's army, while Malik's consisted of ghulams and contingents of Kurdish and Arab troops. Due to Turkmen defections to Malik's army, Kavurt was defeated and, despite Malik's consideration for mercy, later poisoned, presumably on the orders of Nizam al-Mulk.

Under Nizam's excellent guidance the Seljuk armies contained the Ghaznavids in Khorasan, rolled back the Fatimids in Syria, defeated other Seljuk pretenders to the throne, invaded Georgia and reduced it to a tributary state, compelled the submission of regional governors, and kept the Abbasid Caliphs in a position of impotence.

Nizam al-Mulk left a great mark on organization of the Seljuk governmental bodies and hence the title Nizam al-Mulk which translates as "Order of the Realm." He bridged political gaps among the Abbasids, the Seljuks, and their various rivals such as the Fatimids. The Seljuk military was heavily mixed of different ethnicity, including Turks, Armenians, Greeks, Arabs, and Slavs. Nizam, however, favored Iranian soldiers, such as the Dailamites, Khorasanis, and the Shabankara. He also favored non-Iranian soldiers such as the Georgians.

Nizam al-Mulk's many political objectives included:

 * Creating an employment opportunity for the Turkmens, who had immigrated to the Iranian plateau during the Seljuk successes in Persia, the nomadic way of life of the Turkmens represented a significant threat to the political and economic stability of the country.
 * Demonstrating the power of the Sultan (i.e. the strength and mobility of his forces, but also his grace towards docile rebels).
 * Maintaining local Sunni and Shiite rulers as vassals of the Sultan and the increased use of relatives of the Sultan as provincial governors.
 * Preventing dissents over the succession of Malik-Shah I.
 * Maintaining good relations with the Abbasid Caliphate.

In 1081/1082, Ibn Bahmanyar, one of the many enemies of Nizam, tried to poison him, but failed and was blinded by Nizam. After the blinding of Ibn Bahmanyar, the enemies of Nizam made false stories about him and his son. This greatly angered Nizam's son Jamal al-Mulk, who tore out the tongue of Ja'farak, one of the perpetrators of the false stories. Malik Shah had no power to intervene in the event, but instead had Jamal poisoned.

In 1091, a group of Qarmatians sacked Basra, while the Isma'ilis under the leadership of Hassan-i Sabbah seized the fortress of Alamut. Moreover, the succession to the sultanate was complicated by the death of two of Malik-Shah's eldest sons: Dawud (died 1082) and Ahmad (died 1088), whom both were sons of the Kara-Khanid Princess Terken Khatun. She also had a son named Mahmud (born 1087) whom she wanted to succeed his father, while Nizam and most of the Seljuk army was in favor of Barkiyaruq, the oldest of all Malik-Shah's living sons and born to a Seljuk princess. Terken Khatun then allied with Taj al-Mulk Abu'l Ghana'im to try to remove Nizam from his post. Taj even accused Nizam of corruption before the sultan. Malik Shah I, however, did not dare to dismiss Nizam. Nizam later besieged Alamut, but was forced to withdraw.

In 1092, Nizam, just before his death, knowing that his enemies were planning plots against him, made a famous speech at the court:

"Tell the Sultan, If you have not already realized that I am your co-equal in the work of ruling, then know that you have only attained to this power through my statesmanship and judgement. Does he not remember when his father was killed, and I assumed responsibility for the conduct of affairs and crushed the rebels who reared their heads, from his own family and from elsewhere. Tell him that the stability of that regal cap is bound up with this vizierial inkstand, and that the harmony of these two interests is the means of securing all objects soughts after and the ultimate cause of all objects gained. If ever I close up this inkstand, that royal power will topple."

Works
Aside from his extraordinary influence as vizier with full authority, he is also well known for systematically founding a number of schools of higher education in several cities like Baghdad, Isfahan, Amol, Nishapur, Mosul, Basra, and Herat, the famous Nizamiyyah schools, which were named after him.

Nizam al-Mulk is also widely known for his voluminous treatise on kingship titled Siyasatnama (Book of Government) which was written after Malik Shah had requested that his ministers produce books on government, administration and the troubles facing the nation. However, the treatise made by Nizam was the only one to receive approval and was consequently accepted as forming "the law of the constitution of the nation". The treatise uses historical examples to discuss justice, effective rule, and the role of government in Islamic society, and has been compared to Machiavelli's The Prince. The work also discusses various aspects of state surveillance and spying, advising rulers to establish an extensive espionage network.

He also wrote a book titled Dastur al-Wuzarā, written for his son, Abu'l-Fath Fakhr al-Malik, which is not dissimilar to the famous book of Qabus nama.

Death
Nizam al-Mulk was assassinated en route from Isfahan to Baghdad on 10 Ramadan 485 A.H. (14 October 1092) The mainstream literature says he was stabbed by the dagger of a member of the Assassins, sent by the notorious Hassan-i Sabbah near Nahavand, as he was being carried on his litter. The killer approached him disguised as a Sufi.

This account is particularly interesting in light of a possibly apocryphal story that first appeared in English in the introduction to Edward Fitzgerald's translation of the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. In this story a pact is formed between a young Nizam al-Mulk (at that time known as Abdul Khassem) and his two friends, Omar Khayyam and Hassan-i-Sabbah. Their agreement stated that if one should rise to prominence, that they would help the other two to do likewise. Nizam al-Mulk was the first to do this when he was appointed vizier to the sultan Alp Arslan. To fulfill the pact he offered both friends positions of rank within the court. Omar refused the offer, asking instead to be given the means to continue his studies indefinitely. This Nizam did, as well as building him an observatory. Although Hassan, unlike Omar, decided to accept the appointment offered to him, he was forced to flee after plotting to depose Nizam as vizier. Subsequently, Hassan came upon and conquered the fortress of Alamut, from where he established the Assassins. According to Bernard Lewis, this tale is unlikely to be true because Hassan-i Sabbah died in 1124, and Omar Khayyam in 1123 at the earliest. Since Nizam al-Mulk was born in 1020 at the latest, the three were not of similar ages and were probably not students together.

Legacy
Nizam al-Mulk was a skilled and effective vizier, he represented the majesty, splendor and hospitality of the Barmakids, historians and poets describe him as a great organizer and an ideal soldier and scholar. Because of his talents, it was possible for the Seljuk Turks to establish a powerful empire in their new home. Nizam was not only the leader of the Persian-dominated bureaucratic (divan), but was also an atabeg who served in the royal court (dadgar) and played an important role between the politically and culturally different Iranians and Turks. He was also responsible for establishing distinctly Persian forms of government and administration which would last for centuries. Because of his excellent tutorship and close friendship with Malik-Shah, he was usually called "father" by him. He was even greatly respected by his ghulams, who, after the death of Nizam, took revenge on several of his rivals, such as Taj al-Mulk Abu'l Ghana'im.

Even after his death his family continued to play an important role in the Seljuk Empire. He was married to a niece or daughter of Bagrat IV of Georgia, who had previously been married or betrothed to Alp Arslan. All of his twelve sons held important offices in the Seljuk Empire, the most prominent of his sons were: Ahmad ibn Nizam al-Mulk, served as the vizier of the Seljuk Sultan Muhammad I Tapar and the Abbasid caliph al-Mustarshid;  Shams al-Mulk Uthman was the governor of Merv and head of the Seljuk military; Fakhr al-Mulk served as the vizier of Barkiyaruq and Muhammad I Tapar; Jamal al-Mulk (who died before Nizam) served as the governor of Balkh; Izz al-Mulk and Mu'ayyid al-Mulk served as viziers of Barkiyaruq; Imad al-Mulk Abu'l-Kasim served as the vizier of the Seljuk governor of Balkh.

title: Nizam al-Mulk


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ZeD

ZeD was a Canadian variety television program and website. The series premiered on CBC Television on March 18, 2002 and ran to 2006. Hosted primarily by Sharon Lewis and Ziya Tong, ZeD publicized creative works from Canada and other countries, including a substantial portion of material created by viewers and new artists. ZeD thus considered itself to be "open-source television."

The website claimed thousands of users, and the series, while somewhat obscure, was nominated for several awards and influenced some US television. A music album, ZeD: Live Off The Floor, was also spun off the series.

Concept and creation
The concept of ZeD was originally developed by Rae Hull, who was the regional director for CBC in Vancouver, British Columbia. and new media pioneer McLean Greaves. It was initially imagined as being "free-form, hip and fast moving, with no segment longer than a few minutes," but beyond this contributors would influence the content.

In November 2001, CBC invited Canadians to come up with cheap but intelligent creative ideas in connection with the anticipated series "zed," and received 1,000 efforts. When ZeD premiered on March 18, 2002, it was still considered to be in development, and its first four weeks from March to April were experimental. It was not advertised, except for CBC informing the press, since ZeD was meant to be discovered among viewers who would then inform other viewers. CBC was still hoping to attract contributors, and Hull added, "I'd be happy if people discovered ZeD and made their own decisions about it."

In March 2002, the series was called ZeD beta v 0.1. The name ZeD appears to have been chosen to suggest the series was uniquely Canadian, since zed is how Canadians pronounce the letter "Z." The ZeD website was also launched at the time. Both the series and website were based in Vancouver.

Format
The program, which aired every weeknight on the CBC, aired music, short films, animation, visual art and spoken word pieces from around the world. The subject matter, which ranged from comedy to drama, was mature and could include nudity and profanity, and thus episodes began with a humorously worded call for viewer's discretion. Each episode was 40 minutes long, with no advertisements during the show.

Interactive website
Its website allowed people to view certain works, and also upload their creations onto the website, which might then appear on television. The press stated that 20% of the material on television had been uploaded from the website. Altogether, in 2002 the website claimed 5,000 members. In 2005, this had increased to 45,962 members. Although some films are not available on the website, viewers of the television show could e-mail ZeD and request replays on Fridays, which were named "Feedback Fridays".

Movies aired
Films seen on ZeD include Cannibalism and Your Teen, which is a humorous parody of the father-knows-best ideology, and Ryan. The anti-racism comedy Cowboys and Indians was also aired more than once. Other popular short films include the animated comedy Strange Invaders, which combines the themes of extraterrestrials and parenthood and notably appeared on ZeD on March 22, 2002, as well as George Lucas in Love. Since works by viewers ranged in quality, ZeD required rigorous editing, especially to avoid copyright violations. Artists generally received $200 for each minute of work published by ZeD.

Music
Music on ZeD was sometimes presented in the form of music videos, but musical guests also appeared. Among such guests were William Clarke Brown, who was also known as Lyrical, and claimed No. 1 spot for most voted musician, and Sam Roberts, who performed "Brother Down" and "This Is How I Live" on October 15, 2002. On December 2, 2003, an album was produced by music producer Jon Siddall and Mashingaidze-Greaves, titled ZeD: Live Off The Floor which featured music taken live off ZeD. Eye Weekly critic Kevin Hainey said the music generally seemed "lush" and that the CD gave attention to upstart musicians such as Take 5. He especially approved of the new musicians, such as Kris Demeanor and The Floor. Tracks included:
 * "This Is How I Live"
 * "Monday Monday Monday" by Tegan and Sara
 * "Evolution" by The Cinematic Orchestra
 * "Big" by BrassMunk
 * "Left and Leaving" by The Weakerthans
 * "London Still" by The Waifs
 * "The Centaur" by Buck 65
 * "Untitled" by The Organ

Halloween specials
Another feature of ZeD was its annual Halloween episodes, which ran longer than 40 minutes. The 2004 special, "Night of the Living ZeD," was two hours long. These episodes featured some of ZeD's more disturbing short films and art, or comedies with supernatural or gothic themes. Evelyn: The Cutest Evil Dead Girl and Flying Saucer Rock'n'Roll are examples of the latter. In 2004, guest musician Jorane performed a "witchy acid cello" and there were "several freaky faux-Victorian sideshow acts in-studio."

Hosts
ZeD was originally hosted by several hosts including Bif Naked and Nobu and Mio Adilman. The program was subsequently hosted by Sharon Lewis until the 2004–2005 season, when she was replaced by Ziya Tong. Lewis also took time off to have a baby during her hosting, necessitating guest hosts such as the brothers Adilman. During this time, in March 2004, the Adilmans hosted Zed Uncut, which was a five-hour episode shot live.

Re-formatting and cancellation
On January 3, 2006, ZeD was revived as three television series to air weekly. Zed Real was the first, playing on Tuesdays, hosted by Jarrett Martineau and featuring documentaries. Zed Candid, airing on Wednesdays, featured short films and was hosted by Trish Williams, Suzanne Bastien and Zorana Sadiq. Finally, Zed Tunes aired on Thursdays, with a focus on music. It was hosted by Jenna Chow. All three continued to be aired on the CBC and ran for one hour, starting around 11:30 pm on their respective nights.

On May 7, 2006, the CBC announced the cancellation of the series. However, CBC said its website would still be available, and that "we're not letting go of some of the innovative ideas that the production crew have brought." Lise Lareau of the Canadian Media Guild replied that CBC was "abandoning the things that make public television special."

Reception
ZeD was nominated for an Emmy Award. The series was nominated for Gemini Awards, including for Best Music, Best Variety Program or Series, Best Visual Effects, and Best Cross Platform Project. Tong was also nominated for a 2005 Gemini Award for Viewer's Choice for Lifestyle Host. In 2002, television critic Alex Strachan wrote that "Almost everything about ZeD is exactly right, from its sense of timing... to the lack of commercials" and that Sharon Lewis' style was nicely easygoing. That year, 70,000 watched the show, which was aimed at people in their twenties and thirties who were comfortable with technology. Still, the executive producer Mashingaidze-Greaves admitted that "millions of Canadians" did not know what ZeD was during its run.

The sexual content of the website and series was sometimes controversial. In 2002, some of CBC's critics on the website CBC Watch preferred to see the sexual content unaired, and CBC quoted them as predicting that "ZeD will mostly be remembered for taking the 'L' out of public broadcasting." ZeD also received letters from viewers who thought one short film featuring a sexual scene between brothers was unusual. ZeD explained that "ZeD isn't about gratuitous nudity or being gross just for the sake of being gross. Don't get us wrong. We're not squeamish about anything... except outright stupidity."

Current TV, a television channel launched by politician Al Gore in 2005, was partially influenced by ZeD. This led Mashingaidze-Greaves to express ZeD had "the world leaders in interactive television, without a doubt." Mashingaidze-Greaves also said he did not fear having a larger rival in Current TV and said ZeD would continually innovate itself.

title: ZeD