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RPL (programming language)

RPL is a handheld calculator operating system and application programming language used on Hewlett-Packard's scientific graphing RPN (Reverse Polish Notation) calculators of the HP 28, 48, 49 and 50 series, but it is also usable on non-RPN calculators, such as the 38, 39 and 40 series. Internally, it was also utilized by the 17B, 18C, 19B and 27S.

RPL is a structured programming language based on RPN, but equally capable of processing algebraic expressions and formulae, implemented as a threaded interpreter. RPL has many similarities to Forth, both languages being stack-based, as well as the list-based LISP. Contrary to previous HP RPN calculators, which had a fixed four-level stack, the dynamic stack used by RPL is only limited by available RAM, with the calculator displaying an error message when running out of memory rather than silently dropping arguments off the stack as in fixed-sized RPN stacks.

RPL originated from HP's Corvallis, Oregon development facility in 1984 as a replacement for the previous practice of implementing the operating systems of calculators in assembly language. The first calculator utilizing it internally was the HP-18C and the first calculator making it available to users was the HP-28C, both from 1986. The last pocket calculator supporting RPL, the HP 50g, was discontinued in 2015. However, multiple emulators that can emulate HP's RPL calculators exist that run on a range of operating systems, and devices, including iOS and Android smartphones. There are also a number of community projects to recreate and extend RPL on newer calculators, like newRPL or DB48X,  which may add features or improve performance.

Variants
The internal low- to medium-level variant of RPL, called System RPL (or SysRPL) is used on some earlier HP calculators as well as the aforementioned ones, as part of their operating system implementation language. In the HP 48 series this variant of RPL is not accessible to the calculator user without the use of external tools, but in the HP 49/50 series there is a compiler built into ROM to use SysRPL. It is possible to cause a serious crash while coding in SysRPL, so caution must be used while using it. The high-level User RPL (or UserRPL) version of the language is available on said graphing calculators for developing textual as well as graphical application programs. All UserRPL programs are internally represented as SysRPL programs, but use only a safe subset of the available SysRPL commands. The error checking that is a part of UserRPL commands, however, makes UserRPL programs noticeably slower than equivalent SysRPL programs. The UserRPL command SYSEVAL tells the calculator to process designated parts of a UserRPL program as SysRPL code.

Control blocks
RPL control blocks are not strictly postfix. Although there are some notable exceptions, the control block structures appear as they would in a standard infix language. The calculator manages this by allowing the implementation of these blocks to skip ahead in the program stream as necessary.

IF/THEN/ELSE/END
RPL supports basic conditional testing through the IF/THEN/ELSE structure. The basic syntax of this block is:

IF condition THEN if-true [ELSE if-false] END

The following example tests to see if the number at the bottom of the stack is "1" and, if so, replaces it with "Equal to one":

« IF 1 == THEN "Equal to one" END »

The IF construct evaluates the condition then tests the bottom of the stack for the result. As a result, RPL can optionally support FORTH-style IF blocks, allowing the condition to be determined before the block. By leaving the condition empty, the IF statement will not make any changes to the stack during the condition execution and will use the existing result at the bottom of the stack for the test:

« 1 == IF THEN "Equal to one" END »

IFT/IFTE
Postfix conditional testing may be accomplished by using the IFT ("if-then") and IFTE ("if-then-else") functions.

IFT and IFTE pop two or three commands off the stack, respectively. The topmost value is evaluated as a boolean and, if true, the second topmost value is pushed back on the stack. IFTE allows a third "else" value that will be pushed back on the stack if the boolean is false.

The following example uses the IFT function to pop an object from the bottom of the stack and, if it is equal to 1, replaces it with "One":

« 1 == "One" IFT »

The following example uses the IFTE function to pop an object from the bottom of the stack and, if it is equal to 1, replaces it with "One". If it does not equal 1, it replaces it with the string "Not one":

« 1 == "One" "Not one" IFTE »

IFT and IFTE will evaluate a program block given as one of its arguments, allowing a more compact form of conditional logic than an IF/THEN/ELSE/END structure. The following example pops an object from the bottom of the stack, and replaces it with "One", "Less", or "More", depending on whether it is equal to, less than, or greater than 1.

«   DUP 1 == « DROP "One" » « 1 < "Less" "More" IFTE » IFTE »

CASE/THEN/END
To support more complex conditional logic, RPL provides the CASE/THEN/END structure for handling multiple exclusive tests. Only one of the branches within the CASE statement will be executed. The basic syntax of this block is:

CASE condition_1 THEN if-condition_1 END ...  condition_n THEN if-condition_n END if-none END

The following code illustrates the use of a CASE/THEN/END block. Given a letter at the bottom of the stack, it replaces it with its string equivalent or "Unknown letter":

«    CASE DUP "A" == THEN "Alpha" END DUP "B" == THEN "Beta" END DUP "G" == THEN "Gamma" END "Unknown letter" END SWAP DROP @ Get rid of the original letter »

This code is identical to the following nested IF/THEN/ELSE/END block equivalent:

«    IF DUP "A" == THEN "Alpha" ELSE IF DUP "B" == THEN "Beta" ELSE IF DUP "G" == THEN "Gamma" ELSE "Unknown letter" END END END SWAP DROP @ Get rid of the original letter »

FOR/NEXT
RPL provides a FOR/NEXT statement for looping from one index to another. The index for the loop is stored in a temporary local variable that can be accessed in the loop. The syntax of the FOR/NEXT block is:

index_from index_to FOR variable_name loop_statement NEXT

The following example uses the FOR loop to sum the numbers from 1 to 10. The index variable of the FOR loop is "I":

«     0       @ Start with zero on the stack 1 10   @ Loop from 1 to 10 FOR I  @ "I" is the local variable I + @ Add "I" to the running total NEXT   @ Repeat... »

START/NEXT
The START/NEXT block is used for a simple block that runs from a start index to an end index. Unlike the FOR/NEXT loop, the looping variable is not available. The syntax of the START/NEXT block is:

index_from index_to START loop_statement NEXT

FOR/STEP and START/STEP
Both FOR/NEXT and START/NEXT support a user-defined step increment. By replacing the terminating NEXT keyword with an increment and the STEP keyword, the loop variable will be incremented or decremented by a different value than the default of +1. For instance, the following loop steps back from 10 to 2 by decrementing the loop index by 2:

« 10 2 START -2 STEP »

WHILE/REPEAT/END
The WHILE/REPEAT/END block in RPL supports an indefinite loop with the condition test at the start of the loop. The syntax of the WHILE/REPEAT/END block is:

WHILE condition REPEAT loop_statement END

DO/UNTIL/END
The DO/UNTIL/END block in RPL supports an indefinite loop with the condition test at the end of the loop. The syntax of the DO/UNTIL/END block is:

DO loop_statement UNTIL condition END

title: RPL (programming language)


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Blink (band)

Blink are a pop rock band from Ireland. Noted for their melancholy humour, they have released four albums since their inception in the early 1990s. Their 1994 debut album, A Map of the Universe by Blink, was a Top Ten in the Irish album charts and their second album, 1998's The End is High, was a Billboard album of the week. Their most recent release, 2004's Deep inside the Sound of Sadness, was nominated for Irish Album of the Year at the 2005 Meteor Music Awards, losing out to Snow Patrol for their album Final Straw.

The band are also notable for being the first band pictured on a telephone card. A run of 202,000 were produced in 1993. This included a smaller limited run of 2000 cards, which were used as membership cards for the band's fan club. All the cards read 'Limited Edition' despite being produced in great quantities.

The band's name comes from the song "Iceblink Luck" by the Cocteau Twins, a favourite song of drummer Barry Campbell.

San Diego–based pop punk band Blink-182 originally also performed under the name Blink, even releasing several demos and their debut studio album, Cheshire Cat, under this name, but the threat of a legal dispute with the Irish band resulted in their name change to Blink-182. After the name change, Blink-182 re-released Cheshire Cat under their current moniker.

Biography
Blink was formed in the early 1990s by vocalist and guitarist Dermot Lambert, keyboardist Robbie Sexton, bassist Brian McLoughlin and drummer Barry Campbell. The band's inclusion on a CD that circulated at a trade festival in New York generated positive reviews, which led to the band signing with British label EMI for their debut release.

Four months after playing their debut gig in 1992, Blink found themselves in a recording studio working with producers John O'Neill, Gil Norton and Steve Hillage on material that would make up their first record, A Map of the Universe by Blink, released in August 1994. The first two singles from the album, "Going to Nepal" and "Happy Day", reached the Top 20 in the Irish charts, with the third and final single, "It's Not My Fault", debuting at No. 8. Following the record's release, Parlophone and EMI launched the imprint Lime Records in the US, allowing them to take Blink stateside, where they garnered college and mainstream radio airplay and played live shows.

After spending some time playing shows and promoting the band in the US they began receiving requests from Parlophone to return to the studio and begin work on a second album, so they returned to the UK to start writing and recording. The delay in production of new material resulted in the band receiving a letter in April 1996, informing them that the label had decided to terminate the contract.

Offers of shows and support slots with bands they had met in the US had left the band feeling reluctant to return to the UK to produce a new record. The termination of their contract with Parlophone allowed them to return to America and in 1997 the band signed with the now defunct Paradigm Records. Blink began recording their second album, The End Is High, releasing it in the US in March 1998. Billboard magazine named the album their album of the week upon its release. It went on to sell 90,000 copies and the band began receiving offers for support slots on larger tours. Between 1999 and 2004 Blink opened shows for Mercury Rev, Moby, Lloyd Cole, The Cardigans, Mark Geary and Blink-182.

Despite Paradigm Records closing its doors, Blink and producer Howie Beno decided to proceed with plans for a third album, which would eventually become 2004's Deep Inside the Sound of Sadness. American singer-songwriter and producer Wendy Starland contributed vocals to the track "Don't You Rollerblade in Nashville Tennessee?"

In June 2013, lead singer and guitarist Dermot Lambert released his debut solo album, Tiny, featuring the singles "Twinkle Twinkle Satellite", "Hey Sean" and "Fade Into the Morning Sun".

In December 2015 the band's manager, Aiden Lambert, passed away after a battle with cancer. Lambert was a former staff member at the Irish magazines Hot Press and The Phoenix before managing Blink. There was a large turnout for his funeral, which included tributes from many of his former colleagues in the Irish music and media industries.

Albums

 * A Map of the Universe by Blink (1994)
 * The End Is High (1998)
 * Deep Inside the Sound of Sadness (2004)
 * Catch That Moment - The Best of Blink (2014 Garage Records)
 * A Glitch In The Matrix (2021 - Garage Records)

Singles

 * "A Planet Made of Rain" (Paradigm)
 * "Cello" (Lime Records/Parlophone)
 * "Dead Little Bird" (Paradigm)
 * "Going to Nepal" (Lime Records/Parlophone)
 * "Happy Day" (Lime Records/Parlophone)
 * "Is God Really Groovy?" (Serene)
 * "It's Not My Fault"
 * "The Luckiest Man Alive" (Paradigm)
 * "The Tiny Magic Indian" (Serene)
 * "To Go"
 * "Would You kill for Love?" (Paradigm)
 * "Baby You Broke My Heart But You Know That I Don't Hate You For It" (2000) (Serene Records)
 * "Happy Christmas 22 (I Still Miss You)"
 * "Every Day Is A Black day From Today" (2020)
 * "We Robbed A Bank In Brazil And Got away With It" (2021)

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

title: Blink (band)


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Forward Wales

Forward Wales (Cymru Ymlaen) was a socialist political party operating in Wales. It evolved from the John Marek Independent Party (JMIP), formed by the ex-Labour member of the Welsh Assembly, John Marek who was the party's national convenor.

On 8 November 2003, the JMIP decided to rename itself Forward Wales. The party sought to advance socialist policies for Wales as an alternative to what it perceived as a Labour Party which had moved away from socialism.

Forward Wales had recruited various existing politicians disillusioned with their current parties such as:
 * Ron Davies, a former Secretary of State for Wales under the Labour Party;
 * Graeme Beard, a former Plaid Cymru councillor in Caerphilly;
 * Klaus Armstrong-Braun, a former Green Party councillor on Flintshire County Council.

Principles
The party listed its principles as being: For a democratic socialist Wales:

 * 1) All people of Wales regardless of ethnic origin, creed, gender or sexual orientation are equal citizens and Forward Wales will represent all without favour or discrimination and based on these founding principles.
 * 2) Wales should enjoy parity with Scotland within the current constitutional arrangements in the UK and should enjoy no fewer powers than any other of the UK nations or regions should any further devolution arrangements be enacted.
 * 3) The UK is a rich state but has unacceptable variations in wealth and opportunity between its peoples and regions. We seek to reduce those variations and wish to secure for Wales levels of public spending that accurately reflect the relative levels of economic prosperity and social provision between Wales and other parts of the UK.
 * 4) We are committed to open and pluralist politics and will co operate with other political parties in Wales, the UK and Europe where common causes exist.
 * 5) We will support and take part in international movements designed to secure peace, freedom, international co-operation for sustainable world development and social justice.
 * 6) Recognising the quality of modern economic and social life depends on public services, we are committed to the maintenance of such services within the public realm.
 * 7) Understanding that healthy politics requires robust debate, party members shall at all times be respectful, tolerant and considerate to others.
 * 8) We defend the civil rights of all language communities. Understanding the value, importance, but threatened status, of the Welsh language, we support special measures throughout Wales and especially in vulnerable core areas to nurture the language and build sustainable communities on which it ultimately depends.
 * 9) As a democratic party we encourage local participation, with the aim of creating self-reliant and sustainable communities equipped to take maximum decisions on their own behalf as the basis for a socialist society.
 * 10) Sustainability is the most fundamental of all principles. We do not believe anyone has the right to act in a way which diminishes the life chances of future generations and so the long-term consequences shall guide our policies in all that we seek to do.

The party was strongly pro-devolution but opposed notions of Welsh independence.

History and results
At the European election in 2004, they polled 17,280 votes, 1.9% of the Welsh total. In the 2007 National Assembly for Wales election, Marek and Davies, while both remaining part of the Forward Wales leadership, stood as independents, but neither was elected and no-one stood as a Forward Wales candidate leaving the party without representation in the National Assembly. Abortive talks were also held with Blaenau Gwent People's Voice Group.

Forward Wales contested the 2004 Wrexham County Borough Council election in which they won one seat, closely missing out on a second, and received 11.7% of the votes in the election. David Bithell was elected for the Johnstown ward for Forward Wales, but would later become an independent who is still elected to Wrexham County Borough Council as of the 2022 Wrexham County Borough Council election.

Alwyn Humphreys unsuccessfully contested Clwyd South for Forward Wales in the 2005 UK General Election where he received 2.4% of the vote share.

It was announced in January 2010 that Forward Wales would not renew its registration with the electoral commission and the party was disbanded. Marek subsequently joined the Conservative Party in March 2010. Ron Davies unsuccessfully stood as the Plaid Cymru candidate in Caerphilly during the 2011 Welsh Assembly elections.

title: Forward Wales


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Nicky Butt

Nicholas Butt (born 21 January 1975) is an English football coach and former player who was most recently the head of first-team development at Manchester United. He is also a co-owner and chief executive officer of Salford City. Butt played professional football as a midfielder from 1992 to 2011. He spent the majority of his career with Manchester United, where he won six Premier League titles, three FA Cups, four FA Community Shields, the UEFA Champions League and the Intercontinental Cup.

Butt moved to Newcastle United in 2004. He spent one season on loan to Birmingham City in 2005–06. He finished his career abroad, playing for South China where he won the Hong Kong League Cup.

Butt earned 39 caps for England between 1997 and 2004. He was chosen for the 2002 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2004.

Manchester United
Born in Gorton, Manchester, Butt began his career at Manchester United as an important part of their youth team before turning professional in 1993.

He made his first-team debut in the 1992–93 season as a substitute against Oldham Athletic in a 3–0 Premier League win on 21 November 1992, but did not get his big break in the team until the 1994–95 season, often covering for Roy Keane in the event of injuries and suspension. One of his first appearances for the first team came in the FA Cup semi-final on 10 April 1994, also against Oldham as a substitute, this time in a 1–1 draw at Wembley Stadium. United won the replay 4–1 at Maine Road but he was not included in the squad. 1994–95 saw Butt play 35 games in all competitions, scoring one goal and featuring in the starting eleven for the FA Cup final, which United lost to Everton.

With the departure of Paul Ince to Internazionale in the 1995 close season, manager Alex Ferguson chose to draft in Butt as Ince's successor in midfield alongside Roy Keane. Butt was part of a notable batch of talented, young Manchester United players dubbed Fergie's Fledglings, who had mostly been involved in United's FA Youth Cup-winning triumph of 1992 and gradually been introduced into the first team over the next few seasons. Others included David Beckham, Gary Neville, Phil Neville and Paul Scholes – who all spent a decade or more in the Old Trafford team's first team and helped the club win numerous major trophies as the dominant force in English football.

Butt performed remarkably in his early seasons as a regular first team player at United, and often started in the lineup, scoring crucial goals, such as against Liverpool in Eric Cantona's comeback match in October 1995, and forcing Nigel Winterburn to concede an own goal for the winner against Arsenal in November 1996 – a game which saw the end of a three-match losing run in the league. Butt also functioned as a steady replacement for Roy Keane as the midfield ball winner, while Keane was injured for much of the 1997–98 season, earning a PFA Team of the Year award that year. However, Keane returned and after forward Paul Scholes was re-deployed as a midfielder around the end of the 1990s. Butt's first-team chances started to become increasingly limited, with many of his appearances coming from the bench from this stage onwards.

Butt still went on to collect many honours at United, as the club capped their domination of the 1990s with a remarkable and unique treble win in 1999 (with Butt playing the whole of the Champions League Final due to Roy Keane being suspended), and several more titles in the years up till 2001. By the time of his departure from Old Trafford, Butt had gained six Premier League title winner's medals, three FA Cup winner's medals and a Champions League winner's medal. He had also collected an FA Cup runners-up medal in 1995.

Newcastle United
Butt handed in a transfer request in January 2004, but turned down a proposed move to Birmingham City during the January transfer window. He was signed by Bobby Robson for Newcastle United in July 2004 for a fee of £2.5 million on a four-year deal, where he was seen as a replacement for the veteran Gary Speed, who had moved to Bolton Wanderers.

Butt had a disappointing and injury-marred 2004–05 season, prompting the then Newcastle manager Graeme Souness to sign Senegalese midfielder Amdy Faye in January 2005. Despite a promising start, the fans turned on Butt after the 4–1 defeat against Manchester United in the FA Cup semi-final. The acquisition of Scott Parker and Emre in the summer of 2005 pushed Butt further down the pecking order, and his move to Birmingham City (managed by former Manchester United teammate Steve Bruce) on a season-long loan was announced on 3 August 2005.

However, on 13 February 2006, Butt walked out on his manager and former Manchester United teammate Steve Bruce, after finding out Bruce placed his son Alex Bruce in the squad ahead of himself, and was later fined two weeks wages. After Birmingham were relegated from the Premier League, Butt returned to Newcastle who were being managed by Glenn Roeder.

Although not an instant fan favourite at St. James' Park, Butt won over some fans with two goals scored through headers in a pre-season friendly against Villarreal. There was some speculation that newly appointed Sunderland manager Roy Keane would try to sign his former Manchester United midfield partner. However, due to the lack of back-up midfielders at Newcastle and his good pre-season form, Butt remained at Newcastle.

During the 2006–07 season, Butt was much more involved in the first team at Newcastle, playing in the holding role which allowed the likes of Parker and Emre to go forward. On 14 January 2007, Butt scored his first Newcastle goal in over 2 years when he scored the winner against Tottenham Hotspur in a 3–2 victory at White Hart Lane. Butt's return to form was encapsulated when he captained Newcastle in a UEFA Cup match against Zulte Waregem on 15 February when Parker was injured. His good form that season continued, as on 9 April, Butt won the man of the match award for his performance against Arsenal. He continued to captain Newcastle whenever Parker was injured, and by the end of the season it was widely considered that he had won over the Newcastle fans.

With Parker having moved to West Ham United, Butt continued to play a big part in Newcastle's 2007–08 campaign. On 21 December, he penned a new contract keeping him at the club until the end of next season. After being an almost ever-present in that season, he expressed a desire to finish his career with Newcastle. Butt also started the season as captain, filling in for the injured Michael Owen, and proved to be a popular choice. Butt played his 100th league game for Newcastle on 21 December 2008, marking it with a 2–1 home win against Tottenham. Newcastle were eventually relegated that season, meaning that Butt's record of playing in every Premier League season has been relinquished.

Butt was made permanent club captain for the 2009–10 season, his first outside the top flight, following Michael Owen's departure to Manchester United as a free agent during the summer transfer window. However, vice-captain Alan Smith's impressive form has seen him take the armband more often than Butt. Butt started fewer games, but still effectively carried out his holding role well, leading his side to gritty shutouts in most of the games he started.

The club eventually won both promotion to the Premier League and the Championship title, and Butt announced his retirement in the build-up to Newcastle's last home game against Ipswich Town. He entered his penultimate game as a substitute and won a penalty en route to a 2–2 draw. Butt lifted the Championship trophy alongside vice-captain Alan Smith.

After leaving Newcastle he was backed by former Newcastle boss Chris Hughton to move into coaching, although a coaching position with Newcastle is not something Hughton had spoken with Butt about.

South China
On 6 November 2010, the chairman of Hong Kong club South China, Steven Lo, said that the club expected Butt to sign for them at the end of the month. Butt signed for South China on 22 November. Wearing the No. 8 shirt, his first match was against TSW Pegasus in a 2–1 win for South China. Butt scored from a freekick during this game but also missed a penalty.

After leaving South China, he featured in Gary Neville's testimonial against Juventus on 24 May 2011 in central midfield alongside Paul Scholes, rekindling the old times in a midfield that also contained David Beckham. However, they lost the game to the Old Lady. Butt also featured in midfield for Eric Cantona's New York Cosmos in Scholes' testimonial match against Manchester United at Old Trafford on 5 August 2011.

International career
Having been capped five times at under-21 level, he won his first England cap during the 1996–97 season against Mexico and became a squad regular, providing reliable backup for the central midfield positions. An injury to first choice midfielder Steven Gerrard before the 2002 FIFA World Cup gave Butt his chance in the starting line-up alongside Manchester United teammates David Beckham and Paul Scholes. Ahead of England's quarter-final game against Brazil, he was named "the best player of the England squad" by Brazilian legend Pelé, a compliment to his performance in the unattractive holding role. England eventually exited the World Cup after a 2–1 defeat to Brazil.

After the World Cup he returned to his role as a squad player, providing experienced cover for the first-choice midfield pairing of Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard. He was selected for UEFA Euro 2004, but missed the tournament through injury. His last international appearance was in a friendly against Spain on 17 November 2004. In total he appeared 39 times for England.

Coaching
In October 2012, Butt returned to Manchester United as a coach for the club's reserve team. He was appointed head of the academy in February 2016, a few months after the departure of Brian McClair. Since November 2016, he has filled in as interim coach of the reserve (under-23) team after Warren Joyce left for the managerial position at Wigan Athletic. He briefly served as assistant to Ryan Giggs, after Giggs was made the interim manager of the Manchester United first team, following the departure of David Moyes.

In July 2019, Manchester United restructured their backroom staff, making Butt the head of first-team development, reporting directly to manager Ole Gunnar Solskjær to help improve the transition for young players from the youth team to the first team. Nick Cox replaced Butt as head of the academy. In March 2021, it was announced that Butt was to leave Manchester United after 9 years there in various coaching roles within their academy.

Business interests
In 2014, it was announced that Butt, along with fellow ex-Manchester United players Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, and Gary and Phil Neville had agreed a deal to purchase Salford City ahead of the 2014–15 season. with plans to get the club to the Football League. The group announced they would take part in a special friendly, with Salford facing a Class of '92 team. On 22 September, the group agreed to sell a 50% stake in the club to billionaire Peter Lim.

On 31 October 2022, Salford City announced the appointment of Butt as the club's chief executive officer, taking over from Gary Neville who had served in that role in a part-time capacity for eight years.

Personal life
Butt was arrested and bailed for assaulting a woman in 2004. Butt married his long-time girlfriend Shelley Barlow in 2008. They have two children. Butt was arrested for alleged domestic assault in April 2019 but the case was discontinued after the Crown Prosecution Service offered no evidence. Butt accepted a caution for criminal damage.

In 2024, Butt was banned from driving for a year and ordered to do 100 hours of unpaid work for breaking a motorcyclist's leg during an accident caused by Butt's "lapse of concentration".

Club
Statistics accurate as of 20 May 2011

Honours
Manchester United
 * Premier League: 1995–96, 1996–97, 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2002–03
 * FA Cup: 1995–96, 1998–99, 2003–04
 * FA Community Shield: 1994, 1996, 1997, 2003
 * UEFA Champions League: 1998–99
 * Intercontinental Cup: 1999

Newcastle United
 * Football League Championship: 2009–10
 * UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2006

South China
 * Hong Kong League Cup: 2010–11

England U18
 * UEFA European Under-18 Championship: 1993

Individual
 * Denzil Haroun Reserve Team Player of the Year: 1993–94
 * PFA Team of the Year: 1997–98 Premier League
 * Newcastle United Player of the Year: 2006–07
 * The Telegraph: The Premier League's 100 Best Players (No. 69)

title: Nicky Butt


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Colby-Bates-Bowdoin Consortium

The Colby-Bates-Bowdoin Consortium (CBB) is an athletic conference and academic consortium between three private liberal arts colleges in the U.S. State of Maine. The group consists of Colby College in Waterville, Bates College in Lewiston, and Bowdoin College in Brunswick. In allusion to the Big Three of the Ivy League, Colby, Bates, and Bowdoin, are collectively known the "Maine Big Three", a play on words with the words "Maine" and "main". The school names are ordered by their geographical organization in Maine (north to south).

The colleges contest the C-B-B Trophy in three-way football games in the Fall of their respective academic years. As of the 2023–24 season, Bowdoin leads the conference in wins, with 20; Colby has 17 and Bates has won 13. Colby holds the record for the longest streak of consecutive wins (1988–1992). Bates holds the record for biggest shutout with a 51–0 game over Colby in 1985. There have been eight three-way-ties: 1965, 1979, 1993, 1995, 2009, 2011, 2013, and 2022. The three colleges also contest the Chase Regatta, an annual up-and-down river tourney. The inaugural winner was Bowdoin, but the series has since been dominated by Bates and Colby; Colby has won the regatta five times and the President's Cup nine times. Bates currently holds the most titles (14 out of 20 wins), the winning streak (2006–present), and the most President's Cups (9 cups).

The CBB Consortium often draws comparisons to the football games of the Big Three of the Ivy League, with Bowdoin often drawing the connection to Harvard, Bates to Princeton, and Colby to Yale. Just as Harvard, Yale, and Princeton are initialized as HYP, so too are Colby, Bates, and Bowdoin as "CBB".

History
From its inception, Bates College served as an alternative to a more traditional and historically conservative Bowdoin College. There is a long tradition of rivalry and competitiveness between the two colleges, revolving around socioeconomic class, academic quality, and collegiate athletics. The two colleges have competed against each other athletically since the 1870s, and subsequently share one of the ten oldest NCAA Division III football rivalries, in the United States.

The Bates-Bowdoin Game is the most attended football game every academic year at both colleges. As of 2015, both college's presidents are named Clayton (Spencer and Rose), leading students to include them in chants against each other. Bowdoin developed a "football fight song" entitled, "Forward the White" in 1913. All football games between the two occurred on Bowdoin's Whittier Field, but with the development of Bates' Garcelon Field, both fields have been used to hold football games.

Colby remained isolated from neighboring Bates, and the Colby-Bates-Bowdoin Consortium because of its location in Waterville, and socio-economic and political differences. However, in the 1940s, Colby began competing with the two colleges and in the first game, had a three-way tie. In 1988, Bates president Reynolds began the Chase Regatta, which features the President's Cup, which is contested by Bates, Colby, and Bowdoin annually.

The CBB Games is a college football competition between the three colleges. Each team plays the others once, with the C-B-B Trophy awarded to the college that beats the other two. The CBB Games was created for the 1965 college football season. Previously, Bates and Bowdoin have competed since 1870s against the University of Maine in the Maine State Series or Maine State Championship. When the University of Maine moved to a higher division in 1965, Colby joined and the rivalry took its current name.

The Chase Regatta is an annual rowing race between the men's and women's heavyweight varsity and club rowing crews of the colleges. The colleges have competed in the regatta since August 3, 1988 but have competed annually since August 3, 1997, when Bates President Thomas Hedley Reynolds instated the President's Cup to be contested by all three of the CBB schools. The President's Cup is given to the team that has won the most overall heats and races, while the overall winner is determined by who won the most varsity and heavyweight competitions in the regatta.

In fiction and literature
In 1999, all three colleges were prominently featured in The Sopranos. In the episode entitled, "College", Tony Soprano takes his daughter, Meadow on a trip to Maine to tour the Colby-Bates-Bowdoin Consortium. They first visit Bates in Lewiston; while walking past the college's chapel she states, "[Bates has] a 48-to-52 male-female ratio, which is great, strong liberal arts program and this cool Olin Arts Center for music." They then drive up to Colby and Bowdoin using Drew University in New Jersey as the two college's exteriors. On the drive from Bates to Colby, Tony Soprano reveals to his daughter that he is in the mafia, a major turning point in the series.

title: Colby-Bates-Bowdoin Consortium


text:
Selenga

The Selenga or Selenge ( Сэлэнгэ мөрөн; Сэлэнгэ гол / Сэлэнгэ мүрэн; Селенга́, ) is a major river in Mongolia and Buryatia, Russia. Originating from its headwater tributaries, the Ider and the Delger mörön, it flows for 992-1024 km  before draining into Lake Baikal. The Selenga therefore makes up the most distant headwaters of the Yenisey-Angara river system.

Carrying 935 m3/s of water into Lake Baikal, it makes up almost half of the riverine inflow into the lake, and forms a wide delta of 680 km2 when it reaches the lake.

Periodic annual floods are a feature of the Selenga River. The floods can be classified as “ordinary”, “large” or “catastrophic” based on the degree of impact. Of the twenty-six documented floods that occurred between 1730 and 1900, three were “catastrophic”. The three “catastrophic” floods were the floods of 1830, 1869 and 1897.

The Selenga River basin is a semi-arid region that is 280000 km2 in area. It is part of the Arctic Ocean Basin and is located in northern Mongolia. Stone implement artifacts found on the Selenga River at the end of the 19th century have been used to form a link between Native Americans and their ancestors in East Asia. The climate of the Selenga basin is influenced by a powerful Siberian anti-cyclone. The weather consists of harsh winters and warm summers, with the river freezing from November to April.

The Selenga River delta is a Ramsar site, surrounded by marshlands. Found in the administrative region of the Republic of Buryatia, the wetlands are the habitat of a large number of threatened and endemic species, including the Siberian Baikal sturgeon and over 170 species of birds. The Selenge-Orkhon forest steppe includes the areas of the Orkhon and Selenge river basins. The region has scattered forests and extensive mountain ranges.

River modifications like the Irkutsk Hydroelectric Power Station have affected the environment of the Selenga Delta, causing it to become waterlogged. Activities including mining, agriculture, breeding and dumping of wastewater have also affected the environment of the river. There has been an observed degradation of water quality from these anthropogenic factors. Natural factors like erosion processes and weathering have also contributed to the decline in water quality.

The proposed Shuren Hydropower Plant Project was protested against by environmental groups because of the potential ecological ramifications it would have on the Selenga Delta. The reasons cited included potential disruption to the flow of the river and the breeding grounds of endemic fish species in Lake Baikal.

Name
The name Selenge comes from Mongolian seleh, which means "to swim". 'Selenga' is the russified version of the same.

An alternate source believes the name originated with the Evenki word sele ("iron") to which the possessive nge suffix was added.

The Selenge Province of Mongolia is named after the river.

Archaeology
At the end of the 19th century, evidence of Paleolithic culture was discovered in the Selenga River basin. The artifacts found were collections of stone implements.

During 1928 and 1929, G. P. Sosnovskii, under the purview of the Academy of Sciences of the U.S.S.R., directed an archaeological Stone Age study in the Selenga Valley near Kiakhta. In this expedition, Sosnovokii discovered remains of local Paleolithic culture in an area that stretched from "the valley of the Selenga River from the Mongolian Frontier down to Selenginsk."

The "Buriat-Mongol Archaeological Expedition from the Institute for the History of Material Culture, Academy of Sciences of the U.S.S.R and the Institute of Culture of the Buriat-Mongol A.S.S.R", undertook a Paleolithic study in the Trans-Baikal region from 1947 to 1958. Directed by A. P. Okladnikov, the study uncovered 30 new sites, including one that covered the area from Selenginsk to the Selenga River mouth, which provided evidence of a Paleolithic-type culture. Among these 30 sites was one called Ust-Kyakhta-3. While Ust-Kyakhta-3 was discovered in 1947, it was only later excavated in 1976 and 1978, yielding "more than 40,000 stone artifacts [and] abundant faunal remains". Further archaeological work in 2012 at the site found two human tooth fragments.

In a study published in volume 181 of the journal Cell, the link between Native Americans and their ancestors in East Asia was established using one of the tooth fragments found at the Ust-Kyakhta-3 site.

Floods
Periodic floods are characteristic of the Selenga River, with small flooding events observed annually. There have been four periods of high-flooding: 1902-1908, 1932-1942, 1971-1977 and 1990-1998. The floods of the Selenga River can be classified based on the degree of impact.

"Ordinary" floods are floods accompanied by little damage, with maximum outcomes including river overflowing, floodplain flooding and small structural instability.

"Large" floods are those that cover a substantial section of the river and lead to flooding of territories. The maximum outcomes of "large" floods include flooding of settlements and agricultural land damage.

"Catastrophic" floods refer to floods that cover the majority of the river basin and cause flooding of whole settlements. These floods included the possibility of human casualties, and are estimated to occur 3-4 times per century. Twenty-six floods occurred between 1730 and 1900, and of these 26, three floods were "catastrophic".

Flood of 1830
The flood of 1830 in the Selenga River is the first flood that was recorded in some detail. On August 1, 1830, the Selenga River and its tributaries, the Chikoy, Dzhida, Khilok and Temnik Rivers, burst their banks. The flood plains and the islands in the Selenga River were completely flooded. On August 16, Verkhneudinsk, the city now known as Ulan-Ude, was flooded and the water level in the city reached 420 cm. The flood destroyed fifty-four buildings in Selenginsk. After the flood, the town was moved to higher ground on the left bank of the Selenga River. There were also heavy losses in agriculture, with the flood making some pastures and hayfields unusable for an extended period after the flood. The river retreated to its banks by September 27.

Flood of 1869
Water levels began to rise on July 24, 1869, but slowly decreased from August 5, 1869. The water level began to rise again on August 22, only beginning to decline from September 3. This flood was classified as a "large" flood. In Verkhneudinsk, the water level reached 386 cm, and in Lake Baikal, the water level rose by more than 2 m. The water level in the Angara River also rose and did not return to its pre-flood levels by January 1870.

Flood of 1897
The flood of 1897 began on August 11, when water levels started to rise in the middle and lower reaches of the Selenga River and reached its peak on August 14. The water level then proceeded to decrease gradually over ten days. On the first day of the flood, the water level rose by 4 m in three hours. The water level in the Selenga River was over 350 cm near Verkhneundinsk. The flood did not heavily impact settlements on the banks of the Selenga River, but there were reports of bridge and telegraph pole destruction between the towns of Selenginsk and Verkhneundinsk.

Impact of flooding
The volume of water inflow into Lake Baikal during the 1897 flood is estimated to have been approximately 22.2 km3. Based on the observations of increased water level during floods, it has been deduced that flooding from the Selenge River can affect the environment of Lake Baikal. It can also cause an increase in runoff from the Angara River.

River course
The Selenga River is 1480 km long and is formed from the convergence of the Ider and Delger rivers. It flows from Mongolia and into east-central Russia, acting as the main tributary of Lake Baikal.

The Delger River flows from the Sangilen Mountains, "found on the border between Mongolia and the Russian republic of Tyva", while the Ider's headwaters are located in the Hangyn Mountains in central Mongolia.

Upon the meeting of the Delger and Ider Rivers, the Selenga River moves northeast from Mongolia and joins with the Orkhon River at Suhbaatar. The river then continues north into Russia.

Once in Russia, the river turns eastward towards Ulan-Ude, the capital of Buryatia and then goes northwards to Tataurovo. The Selenga proceeds to move westwards and then "flows through a delta into Lake Baikal."

Climate
A powerful Siberian anti-cyclone is the major influence on the climate of the Selenga basin. It is formed in September and October and disappears in April and May. Due to the anti-cyclone, the 448,000-km2 river basin is prone to a climate of harsh winters, which consist of sunny days and low air temperatures, and warm summers. The river experiences "...extended summer floods and short occasional (event-driven) floods in the other seasons."

The section of the Selenga River from Suhbaatar to its mouth is ice-free from May to October. Travel across the river is possible during this period. From November to April, the river is covered with ice. The ice drift lasts from 3–6 days. From May to September, in spring and early summer, snowmelt enables maximum discharge.

For 80–90 days, starting in mid-June, the basin area experiences the summer season with precipitation totaling 250 - 300 mm. This is in contrast to autumn and winter, in which rainfall is typically 150 - 200 mm. In mid-September, autumn begins, lasting for about 65 days.

Tributaries
The largest tributaries of the Selenga are, from source to mouth:

 * Ider (right)
 * Delger mörön (left)
 * Khanui (right)
 * Egiin Gol (left)
 * Orkhon (right)
 * Dzhida (left)
 * Chikoy (right)
 * Khilok (right)
 * Uda (right)

Selenga River basin
The Selenga River basin is part of the larger international Arctic Ocean Basin and is located in northern Mongolia. A semi-arid region, the basin is 280,000 km2  and is Mongolia's largest basin. The basin has two main rivers: the Selenga and the Selenga's tributary, the Orkhon. The "major sub-basins are the Egiin, Ider, Orkhon and Tuul river basins"  with Lake Baikal occupying 47% of the Selenga River basin. The terrain of the basin is dominated "by forest or grassland and is underlain by permafrost" according to an article published in 2003 by Ma et al.

Selenga River delta and the delta wetlands
Lobate shaped and 40 km wide, the Selenga River delta is surrounded by marshlands. The formation of the delta is dependent on the sediment load carried by the river, with the lake tides having little impact in terms of geographical change. The sediment balance of the delta is dependent on physical processes, and this, in turn, affects the geochemical barrier functions of the area. During the period of the Irkutsk dam construction (1950–56), there was "increased sediment delivery to the delta" according to an article published in 2017 by Chalov et al.

The wetlands of the Selenga River delta are classified as a Ramsar site and are found within the administrative region of the Republic of Buryatia. The wetlands support a large number of threatened and endemic species, including over 170 species of bird. The area has mean air temperatures of 14 degrees Celsius in July and -19.4 degrees Celsius in January, with floods often occurring in summer after heavy rains.

Selenge-Orkhon forest steppe
The Selenge-Orkhon forest steppe is a palearctic ecoregion that is a medium between steppe and taiga. The region includes the Orkhon and Selenge river basins, and features scattered forests as well as extensive mountain ranges. The mean altitude of the landscape is 800-1200m, with flora like Rosa acicularis found at lower altitudes. The area has a dry and humid climate that is influenced by warm winds from the northeast steppe regions.

Irkutsk Hydroelectric Power station
The construction of Irkutsk Hydroelectric Power station began in spring of 1950 and was completed on December 29, 1956. Built on the Angara River, the station was designed to raise the water level of the Angara River to match the water level of Lake Baikal. It would then raise the water level of Lake Baikal by 1.5m. The power plant causes water-level fluctuations in Lake Baikal, which in turn causes part of the Selenga Delta to become waterlogged. The delta is drained in response to activities at the power station.

Shuren Hydropower Plant Project
In 2015, Mongolia was reported to be planning the construction of a dam, named the Shuren Hydropower Plant, on the Selenga River. Environmental groups protested this plan, as they were concerned with the potential ecological ramifications, building a hydroelectric plant on the Selenga River, would have on the ecosystem of Lake Baikal. Disrupting the flow of the river would disturb the breeding grounds of many endemic fish species in Lake Baikal. This would have a flow-on effect on the rare birds and aquatic species that inhabit the area. The Shuren Hydropower Plant Project was proposed in 2013 and was under the review of a World Bank-funded environmental and social impact assessment. On September 27, 2017, the World Bank froze its tender process on the Shuren Hydropower Plant Project.

Fish
Leocottus kesslerii gussinensis and Leocottus kesslerii arachlensis are endemic subspecies of fish that are found in the Selenga River headwaters and the upper Khilok River. Lake Baikal is the habitat of the Siberian Baikal sturgeon. The Selenga river is a breeding ground for the sturgeon, with migration taking place within the river system. The fish has two migration periods, which occur during the warmer part of the year. The first migration period begins in the second half of April when the water temperature is 3-5 degrees Celsius and finishes in approximately mid-June. The second migration of the Baikal sturgeon is the main migration period. It coincides with the summer floods of the Selenga. When the water temperature begins to cool, this signals the end of the migration. There is also a non-migrating species of sturgeon that inhabits the Selenga catchment.

Birds
Large populations of migrating, breeding and moulting waterbirds assemble at the wetlands in the Selenga Delta.

Migrating species that occur in the Delta

 * Siberian crane, Grus leucogeranus
 * Black stork, Ciconia nigra
 * Bewick's swan, Cygnus bewicki
 * Swan goose, Anser cygnoides
 * Imperial eagle, Aquila heliacal
 * Golden eagle, A. chrysaetos
 * Peregrine falcon, Falco peregrinus
 * Gyr falcon, F. gyrfalco
 * Saker falcon, F. cherrug

Breeding species that occur in the Delta

 * White-tailed eagle, Haliaeetus albicilla
 * Snipe-billed godwit, Macrorhamphus semipalmatus
 * Whooper swan, Cygnus Cygnus
 * Spotbill duck, Anas poecilorhyncha
 * Falcated duck, A. falcata
 * Bittern, Botaurus stellaris
 * Baillon's crake, Porzana pusill
 * Water-rail, Rallus aquaticus
 * Corncrake, Crex crex
 * Short-eared owl, Asio flammeus
 * Azure tit, Parus caeruleus

Other fauna
The Selenga delta also supports the following species:

 * Baikal grayling, Thymallus arcticus baicalensis infrasubspecies brevioinnis
 * Mongolian toad, Bufo raddei
 * Rana terrestris
 * Ikonnikov's bat, Myotis ikonnikovi
 * Brown long-eared bat, Plecotus auritus
 * Parti-coloured bat, Vespertilio murinus
 * V. nilssoni

Water quality of the Selenga River
Before the turn of the millennium, the Selenga River and Lake Baikal had rich aquatic ecosystems nearly untouched by human influence. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union in the 1990s, the basin, which contains vast plains, has been affected by agricultural, climatic and economic factors. This includes changes like forest losses, urbanization and a growth in farming and mining activities.

Factors that affect the water quality of the Selenga River can be classified as either anthropogenic or natural factors. Anthropogenic factors include mining activities, agriculture, breeding, dumping of wastewater into water bodies and water use. Natural factors include erosion processes and weathering. The escalation of anthropogenic factors can be correlated with pollution by "potentially toxic elements, including metals and persistent organic pollutants."

Mongolia has had rapid growth in GDP since 1999, fueled by agriculture, mining and light industry. These activities, particularly mining, have threatened the surface water quality of the Selenga River and adjacent groundwater.

A study published in volume 12 of the journal Water, found that based on the Mongolian National Standard, "the main pollutants of the Selenga River are Zn ... As ... and Pb ..." They also found that metal content in the river water was tens or hundreds of times higher in sites closer to urban and mining areas. Based on data observing toxicological and bioaccumulation effects on aquatic biota, the contamination has been shown to have an ecological impact.

Uses of the river
The Selenga River has an influential role in managing the economic futures of Mongolia and Russia. It is used extensively for activities that include hay harvesting, mining, grazing, commercial and sport fishing.

Many of these uses contribute to the degradation of the river’s water quality, with the main Mongolian sources of pollution, including the Zaamar gold placer, the Shar River gold mining, settlements and agriculture.

There are ten large-scale wastewater treatment plants in the Selenge River basin in Mongolia. These wastewater treatment plants are located in the Mongolian cities of Tsetserleg, Bulgan, Darkhan City, Uliastai, Erdenet City, Arvaikheer, Sukhbaatar, Zuunmod, Murun and Ulaanbaatar.

The city of Ulan-Ude uses the Selenga River as its primary source of water for its municipal water supply, using 60 wells with submersible pumps to withdraw water. The total pumped water in 2009 was 56.68 e6m3.

title: Selenga


text:
Friedrich Kasiski

Major Friedrich Wilhelm Kasiski (29 November 1805 – 22 May 1881) was a German infantry officer, cryptographer and archeologist. Kasiski was born in Schlochau, Kingdom of Prussia (now Człuchów, Poland).

Military service
Kasiski enlisted in East Prussia's 33rd Infantry Regiment on 20 March 1823 at the age of 17. In May 1824, he was promoted to the rank of master sergeant, and eight months later was commissioned as a second lieutenant in February 1825. It took fourteen years to earn his next promotion when, in May 1839, he advanced to the rank of first lieutenant. His next advancement was quicker, promoted to captain in November 1842. Kasiski finally retired from active service with the rank of major on 17 February 1852.

Between 1860 and 1868 he was the commander of a National Guard battalion.

Cryptography
In 1863, Kasiski published a 95-page book on cryptography, Die Geheimschriften und die Dechiffrir-Kunst (German, "Secret writing and the Art of Deciphering"). This was the first published account of a procedure for attacking polyalphabetic substitution ciphers, especially the Vigenère cipher (although it is possible Charles Babbage was already aware of a similar method but had not published it). The method relied on the analysis of gaps between repeated fragments in the ciphertext; such analysis can give hints as to the length of the key used. This technique is known as Kasiski examination.

The significance of Kasiski's cryptanalytic work was not widely realised at the time, and he turned his mind to archaeology instead. The later years of his life were spent at Neustettin (Szczecinek); the 11th edition of Encyclopædia Britannica cited a scholarly article by Kasiski in its entry on the town. Historian David Kahn notes, "Kasiski died on May 22, 1881, almost certainly without realizing that he had written a revolution in cryptology" (The Codebreakers).

Publication

 * F. W. Kasiski, Die Geheimschriften und die Dechiffrir-Kunst (Berlin, (Germany): E. S. Mittler und Sohn, 1863).

title: Friedrich Kasiski


text:
Talk:Friedrich Kasiski

Untitled
The rank of Master Sergeant must surely be incorrect. No citation is given. How can he achieve such a senior NCO rank after serving only 14 months?! There are so many ranks between enlistment and Master Sergeant: corporal, sergeant, etc... Then he was commissioned as a second lieutenant 8 months later? This seems impossible. Probably he was given the rank equivalent to a "cadet" or officer candidate, prior to his commission. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Gregorybard (talk • contribs) 04:39, 18 February 2018 (UTC)

Untitled
I have an idea that Kasiski was also involved with the Volapuk movement, but I can't find any references. Can anyone help there? -- Securiger 12:39, 8 Mar 2004 (UTC)

Ah no, wrong 19th century European cryptographer starting with 'K': it was Kerkhoffs who was involved with Volapuk! -- Securiger 02:57, 9 Mar 2004 (UTC)

title: Talk:Friedrich Kasiski


text:
Assembly of Experts

The Assembly of Experts, also translated as the Assembly of Experts of the Leadership or as the Council of Experts, is the deliberative body empowered to appoint the Supreme Leader of Iran. All directly elected members must first be vetted by the Guardian Council.

All candidates to the Assembly of Experts must be approved by the Guardian Council whose members are, in turn, appointed either directly or indirectly by the Supreme Leader. The Assembly consists of 88 Mujtahids that are elected from lists of thoroughly vetted candidates (in 2016 166 candidates were approved by the Guardians out of 801 who applied to run for the office), by direct public vote for eight-year terms. The number of members has ranged from 82 elected in 1982 to 88 elected in 2016. Current laws require the assembly to meet at least twice every six months.

In the constitution
According to Article 111 of the Iranian Constitution, the assembly is in charge of supervising, dismissing and electing the Supreme Leader.

"Whenever the Leader becomes incapable of fulfilling his constitutional duties, or loses one of the qualifications mentioned in Articles 5 and 109, or it becomes known that he did not possess some of the qualifications initially, he will be dismissed. The authority of determination in this matter is vested with the experts specified in Article 108. In the event of the death, or resignation or dismissal of the Leader, the experts shall take steps within the shortest possible time for the appointment of the new Leader. ... Whenever the Leader becomes temporarily unable to perform the duties of leadership owing to his illness or any other incident, then during this period, the council mentioned in this Article shall assume his duties."

To choose the Supreme Leader, the Experts review qualified candidates and consult among themselves. According to the Constitution, the criteria of qualification for the office of the Supreme Leader include "Islamic scholarship, justice, piety, right political and social perspicacity, prudence, courage, administrative facilities and adequate capability for leadership." The jurist deemed as the most well-versed in Islamic regulations, in fiqh, or in political and social issues, most generally popular, or of other special prominence is chosen as Supreme Leader. Otherwise, in the absence of such a candidate, the Experts elect and declare one of their own as Supreme Leader.

Article 107 of the constitution states: the task of appointing the Leader shall be vested with the experts elected by the people. The experts will review and consult among themselves concerning all the fuqaha' possessing the qualifications specified in Articles 5 and 109. In the event they find one of them better versed in Islamic regulations, the subjects of the fiqh, or in political and social issues, or possessing general popularity or special prominence for any of the qualifications mentioned in Article 109, they shall elect him as the Leader. Otherwise, in the absence of such a superiority, they shall elect and declare one of them as the Leader. The Leader thus elected by the Assembly of Experts shall assume all the powers of the wilayat al-amr and all the responsibilities arising therefrom.

Article 99 of the constitution declares "The Guardian Council has the responsibility of supervising the elections of the Assembly of Experts for Leadership". It also had the responsibility for setting up the first Assembly. The constitution does not specify requirements for candidacy for the Assembly of Experts, leaving the Assembly itself to put limits on who may run for membership. Article 108 states: "The law setting out the number and qualifications of the experts [mentioned in the preceding article], the mode of their election, and the code of procedure regulating the sessions during the first term must be drawn up by the fuqaha' on the first Guardian Council, passed by a majority of votes and then finally approved by the Leader of the Revolution. The power to make any subsequent change or a review of this law, or approval of all the provisions concerning the duties of the experts is vested in themselves."

The 1989 Iranian constitutional referendum removed the requirement for the leader to be a marja'. Ali Khamenei was not a marja' at that time.

Limits of power
How much actual power the Assembly has to supervise or oversee the Supreme Leader has been questioned. The assembly has never dismissed or even questioned a sitting Supreme Leader and, as all of its meetings and notes are strictly confidential, it has never been known to challenge or otherwise publicly oversee any of the Supreme Leader's decisions. All candidates to the Assembly (as well as the President and the Majlis or Parliament), are selected by the Guardian Council, half of whose members are selected by the Supreme Leader. Also, all directly elected members after the vetting process by the Guardian Council still have to be approved by the Supreme Leader.

Furthermore, there have been instances of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei publicly criticizing members of the Assembly, resulting in that member's arrest and an end to their time on the Assembly -- an example being Khamenei's denouncing of then-member of the Assembly Ahmad Azari Qomi as a "traitor" after the publishing of an open letter by Qomi criticizing Khamenei, resulting in Qomi's arrest and the eventual rejection by the Guardian Council of his candidacy for re-election to the Assembly.

Other rules
The assembly gathers every six months. Activities of the assembly include compiling a list of those eligible to become Supreme Leader in the event of the current Supreme Leader's death, resignation, or dismissal. This is done by the 107/109 commission. Monitoring the current leader to make sure he continues to meet all the criteria listed in the constitution is done by the 111 commission. Members of the Assembly report to this commission about the issues concerning the current Supreme Leader, and the commission can then order an emergency meeting of the Assembly. If the commission denies this, the members can ask the entire plenary of the Assembly (86 members) for a vote, and if most of the members vote in favor, an emergency meeting will be scheduled to discuss the current Supreme Leader. The meetings, meeting notes, and reports of the Assembly are confidential and not made available to anyone outside the assembly, except for the sitting Supreme Leader.

The assembly has passed laws to require all its members be experts in fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), authorizing the Guardian Council to vet candidates for ijtihad proficiency using written and oral examinations. This law was challenged by the reformists, and their 2006 election campaign included changing this law to allow non-clerics into the assembly, and reforming the law that allows Guardian Council to vet candidates. Women (Mujtahidehs) are theoretically eligible to run for the Assembly of Experts and in 1998 nine women submitted their candidacy. The Guardian Council rejected them, arguing that they lacked qualifications in fiqh.

Currently, the average age of the members of the Assembly is over 60, which results in many mid-term elections due to deaths and resignations. The members must be Ayatollahs, that is not the case, however, for Mohsen Esmaeili.

Recent changes
4 year elections were abandoned in 2023 in favor of 8 year terms.

Women
Women may be allowed.

Criticism
The experts cannot even supervise, criticize or monitor the absolute Guardian Supreme leader by the letter of constitution law. They have in the past canceled meetings for his mere convenience. They have power over choosing the next supreme leader.

First Assembly (1983–1991)
The first elections for the Assembly of Experts of the Leadership were held in December 1982 and the Assembly first convened in 1983. 76 of the total of 83 members were elected in the first round, the rest in the second. The full list of members and election results is available on the Princeton Iran Data Portal.

As a number of members died, by-elections for replacement candidates were held in April 1988.

The Assembly was chaired throughout the term by Ayatollah Ali Meshkini, who chaired the Assembly also in subsequent terms until 2007.

In 1985, the Assembly chose Ayatollah Montazeri as the successor to Supreme Leader Grand Ayatollah Khomeini. But on Sunday, 26 March 1989 Khomeini dismissed him in a letter: "[...]you are no longer eligible to succeed me as the legitimate leader of the state." Following the death of Ruhollah Khomeini on 3 June 1989, the Assembly of Experts chose Ali Khamenei to be his successor as Supreme Leader in what proved to be a smooth transition. Initially, a council of three members, "Ali Meshkini, Mousavi Ardabili and Ali Khamenei", were proposed for Leadership. After rejection of a Leadership Council by the assembly, and lack of votes for Grand Ayatollah Mohammad-Reza Golpaygani, Khamenei became the Supreme Leader by two-thirds of the votes.

Second Assembly (1991–1999)
The Second Assembly was also chaired by Ayatollah Ali Meshkini. The full list of members and election results is available on the Princeton Iran Data Portal. Sayed Mohammad Fagheh was one of the members from the province Neyriz Fars.

Third Assembly (1999–2007)
The 3rd assembly was again chaired by Ayatollah Ali Meshkini, deputied by Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, and Ayatollah Ebrahim Amini. The scribes were former Minister of Intelligence Ghorbanali Dorri-Najafabadi and Ahmad Khatami. The members according to each province were:

 * Tehran:

 * 1) Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani
 * 2) Meshkini, Ali Akbar
 * 3) Mohammad Mohammadi Reyshahri
 * 4) Mohammad Imami Kashani
 * 5) Mohammad Yazdi
 * 6) Ahmad Jannati
 * 7) Mohammad Reza Tavassoli
 * 8) Ghorbanali Dorri-Najafabadi
 * 9) Mohammad Taghi Mesbah Yazdi
 * 10) Majid Ansari
 * 11) Asadi Khansari, Agha Baqer
 * 12) Mohsen Kharrazi
 * 13) Mohammad Mohammadi Gilani
 * 14) Mohsen Qomi
 * 15) Reza Ostadi
 * 16) Gholam Reza Rezvani

 * East Azarbaijan:

 * 1) Mojtahed Shabestari, Mohsen
 * 2) Seyed Reyhani, Seyed Abolfazl
 * 3) Hashemzadeh Harisi, Hashem
 * 4) Ahmadi, Ali
 * 5) Oroumian, Ali

 * West Azarbaijan:

 * 1) Ghaffari Gharebagh, Mir-Akbar
 * 2) Pour-Mir Ghaffari, Seyed Mohsen
 * 3) Ghoreishi, Mir-Ali Akbar

 * Isfahan:

 * 1) Yasrebi, seyed Mehdi
 * 2) Mazaheri Tehrani, Mirza Hossein
 * 3) Hashemi, Seyed Esmail
 * 4) Moqtadaie, Morteza
 * 5) Mahdavi, Abolhasan

 * Ardabil:

 * 1) Khalilzadeh, Bouck Agha ( died & Replaced By Seyyed Hatami, Mir Ebrahim)
 * 2) Nourani Taqi Deizaj, Mostafa

 * Ilam:

 * 1) Mohammadi, Rahim

 * Bushehr:

 * 1) Abdonnabi Namazi

 * Chahar-Mahaal and Bakhtiari Province:

 * 1) Haj Amini Najaf Abadi, Ebrahim

 * Khorasan:

 * 1) Ebadi, Seyed Mehdi
 * 2) Khazali, Abolghasem
 * 3) Hashemi Shahrodi, Seyed Mahmod
 * 4) Masomi, Ali Asqar
 * 5) Ferdosi Pour, Esmail
 * 6) Mehman Navaz, Habiboallah
 * 7) Abbas Vaeze Tabasi
 * 8) Alami, Hasan

 * Khouzestan:

 * 1) Shafei, Seyed Ali
 * 2) Mousavi, Seyed Mohammad Ali
 * 3) Abbasi Fard, Mohammad Reza
 * 4) Ali Fallahian
 * 5) Abbas Kabi Nasab
 * 6) Mohammadi Araghi, Mohsen

 * Zanjan:

 * 1) Mousavi, Seyed Esmail

 * Semnan:

 * 1) Alami, Mohammad Ali

 * Sistan va Balouchestan:

 * 1) Hosseyni, Seyed Mojtaba
 * 2) Madani, Mohammad Eshaq

 * Fars:

 * 1) Dastqeib, Seyed Ali Asqar
 * 2) Dastqeib, Seyed Ali Mohammad
 * 3) Beheshti, Ahmad
 * 4) Hosseyni, Seyed Mohammad Hossein
 * 5) Imani, Asadollah

 * Qom:

 * 1) Seyed Rohani, Agha Mehdi

 * Qazvin:

 * 1) Mousavi Pour, Seyed Hasan
 * 2) Sheikh Mohammadi, Ali

 * Kurdistan:

 * 1) Sheikholleslami, Mohammad
 * 2) Abdolqader Zahedi

 * Kermanshah:

 * 1) Ahmadi, Zekrollah
 * 2) Zarandi, Hossein

 * Kerman:

 * 1) Seyed Ahmad Khatami
 * 2) Hashemian, Mohammad
 * 3) Mohammad Ali Movahedi

 * Kohgiluyeh and Buyer Ahmad:

 * 1) Malek Hosseyni, Seyed Keramatollah

 * Golestan:

 * 1) Noor Mofidi, Seyed Kazem
 * 2) Taheri, Seyed Habibollah

 * Gilan:

 * 1) Aminian, Mokhtar
 * 2) Mahfoozi, Abbas
 * 3) Ghorbani, Zeinolabedin
 * 4) Taskhiri, Mohammad Ali

 * Lorestan:

 * 1) Taheri Khorram Abadi, Seyed Hasan
 * 2) Shahrokhi, Seyed Mohammad Taqi

 * Markazi:

 * 1) Mohseni Garakani, Ahmad
 * 2) Mir-Mohammadi, Seyed Abolfazl

 * Mazandaran:

 * 1) Jabbari, Seyed Saber(died)
 * 2) Sadeq Ardeshir Larijani
 * 3) Karimi Kalabi, Seyed Jafar
 * 4) Rohani Rad, Hadi

 * Hormozgan:

 * 1) Anvari, Mirza Mohammad

 * Hamedan:

 * 1) Saberi Hamedani, Ahmad
 * 2) Dabestani, Seyed Abolhasan

 * Yazd:

 * 1) Khatam Yazdi, Abbas Agha

Fourth Assembly (2007–2016)
The election for the fourth assembly took place on 15 December 2006 and the Assembly first convened on 19 February 2007. In July 2007, chairman Ayatollah Meshkini died, and Ayatollah Rafsanjani was elected to succeed him. On 8 March 2011, Ayatollah Mohammad-Reza Mahdavi Kani replaced Ayatollah Rafsanjani as chairman. On 4 June 2014, Mahdavi Kani fell into a coma after suffering a heart attack and died on 21 October 2014. He was succeeded by Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi as acting chairman.

The term was intended to last for ten years, rather than the usual eight, due to the "election aggregation" plan of the government put in place to allow the government to run elections simultaneously for the Assembly of Experts and the Parliament, thereby economizing election administration costs.

Fifth Assembly (2016–2024)
The election of 88 members of the Fifth Assembly took place on 26 February 2016 alongside of the election for 290 members of the Iranian Majlis (parliament). Those elected will sit for a projected 8-year term. The new assembly was opened on 24 May 2016 and selected Ahmad Jannati as chairman of the Fifth Assembly.

Sixth Assembly (2024–present)
The election of 88 members of the Sixth Assembly took place on 1 March 2024 alongside of the election for 290 members of the Iranian Majlis (parliament). Conservatives dominated the assembly elections Those elected will sit for a projected 8-year term. The new assembly was opened on May 21, 2024 and selected Mohammad-Ali Movahedi Kermani as chairman of the Sixth Assembly.

Authority
The Assembly has never dismissed or even questioned the Supreme Leader. Due to Ali Khamenei's lengthy, unchallenged reign, many believe that the Assembly of Experts has become a ceremonial body without any real power. Iran's then-Chief Justice Sadeq Larijani, a Khamenei appointee, has stated that it is illegal for the Assembly of Experts to supervise Khamenei.

There have been instances when the current Supreme Leader's public criticism of members of the Assembly of Experts was followed by their arrest and dismissal. For example, Khamenei publicly called member of the Assembly of Experts Ahmad Azari Qomi a traitor, resulting in Qomi's arrest and eventual dismissal from the Assembly of Experts. Another instance is when Khamenei indirectly called the late Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani a traitor for a statement he made, causing Rafsanjani to retract it. Mehdi Karroubi, who has been under house arrest since 2011 without trial, by the direct order of Khamenei, said that "the Assembly of Experts, a council of elected clerics charged with electing, supervising and even disqualifying the Supreme Leader, has turned into a ceremonial council that only praises the Leader".

title: Assembly of Experts