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Anal Cunt

Anal Cunt, also known as AxCx and A.C., was an American grindcore band that formed in Newton, Massachusetts, in 1988. From its inception, the band underwent a number of line-up changes and never had a bassist. The band, known for its flippant and noisy musical style as well as controversial lyrics, released eight full-length studio albums in addition to a number of compilations and extended plays. Anal Cunt disbanded in 2011 after the group's founder and frontman, Seth Putnam, died of a suspected heart attack.

The band is often referred to by their initials A.C. (often written as AxCx) due to the offensive nature of their name and censorship limits on some radio and publications, and many of their album covers simply display the initials A.C. However, the band managed to subvert even this abbreviation by drawing these letters in a manner resembling an anus and a vulva, which can be seen on many of their albums.

The group's early material contained no pre-written lyrics or music. Rather, the band developed an entirely improvised style which consisted of extremely loud, fast, and unintelligible screaming. Over time, the band gradually shifted their style and slowly began to incorporate more riffs and pre-written lyrics into their songs. It was not until then that Anal Cunt had earned the reputation for intentionally being outrageous and obscene. 2010 and 2011 saw the release of their final two albums: a "cock rock" album entitled Fuckin' A, and an album of style similar to their older material called Wearing Out Our Welcome.

Formation in 1988
Anal Cunt was founded on March 1, 1988 in Newton, Massachusetts (a city adjacent to Boston) by Seth Putnam, who had previously been a member of bands such as Executioner and Satan's Warriors. The name "Anal Cunt" came from Putnam's attempt "to get the most offensive, stupid, dumb, etc. name possible". A common misconception is that the band is named after the song "Anal Cunt" by GG Allin, but in fact Allin's song was written years after the band had started. The band did, however, later in their career render tribute to him by recording a version of "I'll Slice Your Fucking Throat (If You Fuck with Me)", originally recorded by Allin and the Murder Junkies.

In Q magazine's 2005 book The Greatest Rock & Pop Miscellany Ever!, Anal Cunt was included in a list of "25 Band Names That Should Have Stayed on the Drawing Board". Putnam originally formed the band as a joke, and they were supposed to only record one demo and do one show; however, they were active up to 2011, despite several brief break-ups.

Originally, the band was to produce a form of 'anti-music', without rhythm, beats, riffs, lyrics, song titles or any other of the normal features of a band, an approach exemplified by the 5643 Song EP.

Early performances and recordings and brief breakup (1988–1992)
The band's first performance was a rehearsal in 1988 at Putnam's mother's house in front of some family members, namely his mother, his two little brothers and his grandmother, as well as some of his mother's friends. Several other small performances followed, in various basements and living rooms, before their first public show live over the radio at Brandeis University, with Anal Cunt being the latest in the long line of Putnam's bands who had performed in this way. This was scheduled to be the band's first and last show. Putnam invited future member Fred Ordonez, from the band Shit Scum, to the show, but he failed to turn up. As a result, it was arranged for the two bands (Anal Cunt and Shit Scum) to play a concert together so Ordonez could see Putnam's band, and a further show was arranged at Shit Scum's rented practice warehouse. The first demo was recorded on a four-track in April in his mother's attic but this has never been mixed, released, or heard by anyone outside of the band members themselves.

After a few more shows, the band decided to attempt a U.S. tour, in August 1988, a few days before which they recorded their 47 Song Demo, which was later re-released on a compilation of the bands' material from the early years. They recorded their 88 Song EP later that year and after its release, a number of record labels started showing interest in the band, including Earache Records, with whom they would later sign a contract.

A few releases later, Earache Records again made an offer to the band, this time to license the 5643 Song EP for a European pressing (and later to buy the whole pressing), but Anal Cunt continued to turn down such offers. This was also the point where the band decided they had done as much as they could and decided to split up, after releasing Another EP and completing their first European tour. This tour was in April, and recordings from this tour are numerous, appearing on the compilations Fast Boston HC The Early Years and the bootlegs Harmonized Noise and the Anal Cunt/Patareni split.

Following appearances in a few other bands, including (recently reformed) George H. Brown (a blues rock act whose song "Foreplay with a Tree Shredder" would later be recorded by Anal Cunt for the album Top 40 Hits), From Sloth to Anger, and Post Mortem, Seth Putnam and Tim Morse decided to reform Anal Cunt on March 1, 1991, exactly three years after they had initially formed.

After the band's reformation, they decided they wanted to change their style to avoid getting bored again. The guitarist for the new, slightly more musical, Anal Cunt was originally supposed to be future member Paul Kraynak but ended up being Fred Ordonez, an ex-boxer. Some more EPs followed, including the world's first acoustic noisecore record, the Unplugged EP, before Putnam finally decided to introduce some elements of "real songs" into the band's material. Seth Putnam and Tim Morse tried out this idea in a six-song session in 1992, just before Putnam successfully auditioned for the reformed thrashcore band Siege, but it was a while before the plans were fully realized.

Later that year, Anal Cunt decided on another European tour. Despite the fact that Tim Morse pulled out at the last minute, the tour still went ahead, with the band deciding to find a drummer while they were touring. The two drummers who auditioned were not fast enough for the band, so Anal Cunt decided to have them both playing the same drum kit at the same time for the beginning of the tour, before resorting to just using the faster of the two. Most of the shows consisted of Putnam and Ordonez going into the crowd, punching people and destroying equipment, not only because of drunkenness but to conceal the fact that the drummer did not know their songs very well. This was also the tour that saw Putnam joining Fear of God on-stage as their drummer for one show and Putnam and Ordonez recording with Seven Minutes of Nausea.

On returning to the U.S., Anal Cunt decided to get a second guitarist who could carry on playing with the drummer during the violence and shouting. The choice was John Kozik, and with him came a new era of the band.

Sign to Earache (1993–2000)
Although Anal Cunt had released a lot of material, their records were mostly out of print and hard to find, so they got in contact with Earache Records, which had previously shown an interest in the band. Anal Cunt wanted a label that would not only keep their records in stock but also pay for their tours, as the band at the time was operating essentially at a loss. Earache replied to Anal Cunt, asking to hear some new material. The band thereupon went into a studio in September to record what would later be released on Relapse Records as Morbid Florist. Fred Ordonez briefly quit, but was invited to rejoin after unsuccessful searches for a replacement and Earache Records decided to sign them.

Anal Cunt started recording their first album on the label, Everyone Should Be Killed, in March 1993. Soon afterwards, Ordonez was kicked out of the band for good and was replaced by Paul Kraynak. Recording was put on hold for a short West Coast tour in mid-1993, after which Kraynak too quit the band. This was also the tour when Putnam got arrested for hitting a woman in the face with a microphone in San Francisco during a show that, along with another show from earlier that year in Massachusetts, is documented on the EP Breaking the Law.

After some searching for a replacement for Kraynak, Anal Cunt decided to just stick with one guitarist, John Kozik. Following the release of Everyone Should Be Killed in 1994, the band did more tours, one in Europe and one immediately afterwards in the United States. The European tour encompassed Germany, Belgium, Spain and Austria, and Anal Cunt were supported by W.B.I. and the Necrophiliacs; on the American tour, they were joined by Incantation, Morpheus Descends, Afterlife and Gutted.

The transition from noise-style to fast-hardcore-style songs began in the fall of that year with the recording of their next album Top 40 Hits, which featured the single "Stayin' Alive (Oi! Version)".

Anal Cunt toured America again, and in June toured Japan for the first time. After this, Kozik was replaced by Scott Hull, of Pig Destroyer and Agoraphobic Nosebleed fame. With this line-up (or variations on it), the album 40 More Reasons to Hate Us was recorded. This album marked another change in the band's direction, with lyrics – and insults – being included in their songs for the first time.

Another two-week long tour with Eyehategod followed, but Hull refused to tour and was temporarily replaced by a returning Kozik after 3 shows and 10 months with the band. After this tour, the band was again close to breaking up (for the second time), but instead decided to shuffle the line-up once more. The problem seemed to be with Tim Morse, so he was kicked out of the band. Seth Putnam was now the only surviving original member of Anal Cunt.

The band was briefly on hiatus while Putnam put together a new line-up. The only thing they recorded during this time was the song "You're Gonna Need Someone On Your Side", for the Smiths tribute album The World Still Won't Listen, and the song "Two Turds and a Golf Ball" for the compilation CD of the same name, with Hull on guitar and Putnam performing drums and vocals. During this period, Putnam also did backing vocals for Pantera's The Great Southern Trendkill in New Orleans, and lead vocals for an Eyehategod show.

In January 1996, Putnam hired a new guitarist, Josh Martin. Martin was a student at New York University in 1994–1995, when Anal Cunt used to play in New York a lot, and they had become good friends. Indeed, this was a friendship that would continue, as Putnam and Martin would join forces later in Adolf Satan and acoustic black-metal band Impaled Northern Moonforest. Martin moved to Boston following his graduation, and was appointed by Putnam as the new Anal Cunt guitarist. After trying out a lot of drummers, they hired Nate Linehan. Martin wanted to join the band sooner but he was about to start his senior year of college and wasn't going to graduate until Spring

Yet another tour followed, this time with Incantation and Mortician. Anal Cunt then released their next full-length release, I Like It When You Die, which they had recorded prior to the tour. This album was essentially a collection of insults and featured the songs "You're Gay" and "Technology's Gay", as well as a guest appearance from Kyle Severn from Incantation. A lot of the songs refer to things being "gay", as this was a common slang word in Massachusetts and in junior-high schools across the United States at the time.

Following the tour, Linehan left the band and again activities were put on hold. Even so, Putnam and Martin recorded a few songs for a Black Sabbath tribute, In These Black Days Volume 1, which was a split with Eyehategod and featured Putnam on drums. A few months later, Putnam and Martin asked Linehan to rejoin the band and he agreed.

Another two tours later (the first in America with Murder One, the second in Japan), Anal Cunt recorded what would be their last album on Earache Records, It Just Gets Worse, which was released at the end of their 1999 European tour with Flächenbrand. The album was surrounded by much controversy: the label changed some of the song titles for legal reasons and also censored the lyrics to two of the songs.

In May 2000, Anal Cunt were dropped from Earache Records due to distributor problems.

Second breakup, reformation, and 20th anniversary (2000–2009)
Despite being dropped by their label (although Earache did later make them an offer to come back, which they turned down) and Linehan leaving again in September 1999, Anal Cunt continued on, now with John Gillis on drums. Some more touring and a few releases followed, such as the Defenders of the Hate EP and a split 7-inch with Flachenbrand (who had opened for AC on their 1999 German tour). There was also a Defenders of the Hate tour in 2001, featuring two legs: one to California and back in June, and one to Texas and back in September. The band released a limited tour edition of the record as part of the tour. Anal Cunt issued an official press release at the end of December 2001 saying that they had broken up again. This time, the band seemed to have permanently disbanded, with only a few compilation tracks and the Very Rare Rehearsal from February 1989 CD being released.

During a show in 2000 in Providence, Rhode Island, Dropdead opened for Anal Cunt, but when Anal Cunt took the stage, Putnam began insulting Bob Otis from Dropdead, and eventually the audience, throwing out racial slurs and performing Nazi salutes; Otis eventually got on stage and knocked Putnam off the stage, and a fight broke out.

In March, 2003 they did 2 15 year anniversary shows. Mike Mahan came back on guitar but Florian Mahler played drums at those shows instead of original drummer Tim Morse. They did stuff from the 1988-1990 band period.

Anal Cunt reformed in August 2003 with the lineup of Putnam, Martin and Linehan. However, after one practice, Martin was forced to leave the band, due to him going to jail. Putnam brought John Kozik back to replace him. After a few gigs in late 2003 (including one opening for Superjoint Ritual) and a short Japan tour in January 2004 with Napalm Death, Nasum, and Pig Destroyer, Linehan left the band yet again. He was again replaced by John Gillis.

In October 2004, Putnam went into a coma for nearly a month as a result of a drug overdose. Initially reported as a sleeping pill overdose for legal reasons, he later claimed it was a combination of alcohol, crack, heroin, and a bottle of sleeping pills. Doctors thought that even if he survived, he would suffer permanent serious brain damage and were intending to "pull the plug", before Putnam's mother intervened. Even after coming out of the coma, Putnam was now paralyzed and had sustained severe nerve damage, needing months of physical therapy to recover. For the first show that Anal Cunt played following this coma (with Eyehategod), Putnam had to remain seated in a chair throughout. Putnam said he would continue to play songs such as "You're in a Coma" and had promised that the band would release new material.

After a festival appearance in Norway in 2006, at which Putnam completely passed out on stage and was unconscious for the entire gig, both Kozik and Gillis quit the band. Martin (now out of jail) soon returned to the band and got Linehan to return as well. Anal Cunt released the Defenders of the Hate full-length CD in 2007, which featured bonus out-of-print tracks, such as those from the 13 Bands Who Think You're Gay and Thrash of the Titans compilations, as well as the tracks from the split with Flächenbrand. Other releases that had been promised included a sequel to Picnic of Love (Picnic of Love II) and an Anal Cunt/Gay Bar split, featuring unreleased Anal Cunt material from the Putnam/Martin/Linehan era on one side and a recording of Seth Putnam in a gay bar on the other. These albums were never recorded. The Defenders of the Hate re-release sparked another tour in March 2007 which included an appearance at the Los Angeles Murderfest Version 3.0 on March 24, 2007. with Accused, Brutal Truth, Pig Destroyer, and others, and a UK festival appearance later that year.

2008 was the 20th anniversary of the band, so Putnam celebrated it with several original lineup reunion shows with Tim Morse and Mike Mahan. By this point Linehan had yet again left the band, and Martin was again in jail. They played shows in Boston, Texas, and the West Coast. On November 17, 2008, the original Anal Cunt line-up (Seth Putnam, Mike Mahan, and Tim Morse) finished recording their 110 Song CD. The album was made as a celebration of the band's 20-year anniversary. The album's musical style is the same as Anal Cunt's early noisecore style.

After the original lineup reunion was over, Morse decided to stay on as the permanent drummer. Martin also returned. In early 2009 the Old Stuff Part 3 CD was released, featuring all the non-Earache tracks recorded by the Putnam, Martin and Linehan lineup in the 1990s. This sparked another round of touring. In 2009 AC played all over the US, plus a short tour of Norway in October. Also in 2009, Anal Cunt recorded their next two albums.

New material, Putnam's death, and permanent dissolution (2010–2011)
In April 2010, Putnam announced that the new album was almost completed. The album was delayed due to Josh Martin being in jail (for a third time). The lead guitar tracks were recorded when he was released. On May 11, 2010, Putnam announced that the band decided to split the new recording into two albums. The "cock rock songs" would be released on an album called Fuckin' A in a style similar to that of Mötley Crüe's debut Too Fast for Love, and the noisegrind songs would be released on an album called Wearing Out Our Welcome, which would also feature backing vocals from members of the Raunchous Brothers, Vaginal Jesus, and Mudoven. On June 22, 2010, Putnam completed Fuckin' A. The songs "Fuck Yeah" and "Cranking My Band's Demo on a Box at the Beach" were released on MySpace Music. On June 24, 2010, Seth Putnam announced on the Anal Cunt Myspace blog that guitarist Josh Martin "is out of A.C.". Putnam continued by stating that the band would play and record as a two-piece outfit. Fuckin' A was released on January 11, 2011. At the same time, it was announced that Josh Martin was once again back in Anal Cunt, after only two shows performed as a two-piece. In April 2011 Anal Cunt embarked on what would be their final tour. The last show was on April 30, 2011, in Cleveland.

On June 11, 2011, the band's frontman and founder Seth Putnam died of a suspected heart attack, ending the band.

A compilation CD of obscure Anal Cunt releases was announced in 2009 and was planned to be released by Wicked Sick Records (Seth Putnam's label). In October 2011 it was announced to be a two-CD set entitled The Old Testament. It is a re-release of The Early Years 1988–1991 with a new cover, liner notes penned by Putnam, the band's first demo (which was never before heard by anyone outside Anal Cunt and two girls that visited Putnam's house and were in the room when the recording was made), and tracks from Anal Cunt's final rehearsal session in 1991. It was released in November 2011 by Relapse Records.

Former guitarist Josh Martin died on May 28, 2018, after accidentally falling off an escalator and hitting his head on a table at the Providence Place mall in Rhode Island.

Musical style
Anal Cunt has been categorized as grindcore, noisecore, noisegrind and hardcore.

Lyrics
Anal Cunt were often cited as having common lyrical themes that include misogyny, homophobia, Nazism, antisemitism, racism, politics, criticism of popular culture, and ridicule of the unfortunate, although this has not always been the case. Many of these songs included insults and/or targets, either general or specific to one person; examples include African Americans, Jewish people, homosexuals, foreigners, victims of HIV/AIDS, rape, suicide, homicide, and child abuse, school students, musicians, actors, and the citizens of Allston.

The album I Like It When You Die developed the idea of containing insults in their songs, with a recurring song title being "X Is Gay", with examples including "You're Gay", "Technology's Gay", "Recycling Is Gay", "The Internet Is Gay", "Windchimes Are Gay" and even "The Word 'Homophobic' Is Gay". Another recurring song title is "You X", with examples including "You Own a Store", "You Live in a Houseboat", "You Are an Orphan", "You Go to Art School", and "You Keep a Diary". The band even parodied this theme with the songs "You (Fill in the Blank)" and "I'm in Anal Cunt".

The 1999 album It Just Gets Worse took the idea of intentional offense a step further with more extreme examples of racism and sexism. Examples include "You're Pregnant So I Kicked You in the Stomach", "I Lit Your Baby on Fire" and "Women: Nature's Punching Bag". The lyrics to two of the songs on this album were altered, and one of the songs on this album had its name changed from "Conor Clapton Committed Suicide Because His Father Sucks" to "Your Kid Committed Suicide Because You Suck", because they were working for a record label in Britain, where libel laws are very stringent. Another song on the album called "Easy E Got Aids from F Mercury" contains the lyrics "Now Freddie's dead and he's in heaven; at his wake you ate watermelon".

It was also on It Just Gets Worse that the band began to include references to the Holocaust in their songs, including "I Sent Concentration Camp Footage to America's Funniest Home Videos". This theme of seemingly glorifying Adolf Hitler and his actions continued on their subsequent EPs, with songs such as "Hitler Was a Sensitive Man", "I'm Hitler", "Body by Auschwitz", "I Went Back in Time and Voted for Hitler" and "Ha Ha Holocaust".

Another common lyrical theme in the band's material was that of insulting other bands, or music in general. Such examples include the song titles "Rancid Sucks (and The Clash Sucked Too)", "Limp Bizkit Think They're Black, but They're Just Gay", "Anyone Who Likes the Dillinger Escape Plan Is a Faggot" and "311 Sucks".

Next to this offensive material, some of their other songs were deliberately much more light-hearted, which was done to self-parody. This includes the satirical Picnic of Love album, and also covers of songs completely different from their style including "Can't Touch This", "Stayin' Alive", "Escape", "Electric Avenue", "The Theme From Three's Company", "You're Gonna Need Someone on Your Side", "Hungry Hungry Hippos", and "Just the Two of Us", as well as their karaoke rendition of the Steve Miller Band song "Abracadabra" (intended to be a "cover" of "Sabbra Cadabra" by Black Sabbath). On their "Another E.P" 7 inch they covered "Goon" by Goon and Riverbottom Nightmare Band from The Muppets. They also played snippets of "Why Not Try Suicide" by P.T.L Klub, "Religious Vomit" by Dead Kennedys, "Breaking The Law" by Judas Priest and had even covered Pantera's titular first track on The Great Southern Trendkill in one of their later EPs.

Critic Steve Huey called their album Morbid Florist "barely listenable". Seth Putnam admitted that he had sent copies of the band's work to publications because he knew it would get negative reviews from authors.

Final lineup

 * Seth Putnam – vocals, guitars (1988–2001, 2003–2011; died 2011)
 * Tim Morse – drums (1988–1996, 2008–2011)
 * Josh Martin – guitars (1996–2001, 2006–2011; died 2018)

Previous members

 * Mike Mahan – guitars (1988–1990, 1998, 2003, 2008)
 * Fred Ordonez – guitars (1991–1992, 1992–1993)
 * John Kozik – guitars (1992–1995, 2003–2006)
 * Paul Kraynak – guitars (1993, 1995)
 * Scott Hull – guitars (1995)
 * Nate Linehan – drums (1996–1999, 2003–2004, 2006–2007)
 * John Gillis – drums (1999–2001, 2004–2006)
 * Florian Mahler - drums (2003)

Discography

 * Everyone Should Be Killed (1994)
 * Top 40 Hits (1995)
 * 40 More Reasons to Hate Us (1996)
 * I Like It When You Die (1997)
 * Picnic of Love (1998)
 * It Just Gets Worse (1999)
 * Defenders of the Hate (2001)
 * 110 Song CD (2008)
 * Fuckin' A (2010)
 * Wearing Out Our Welcome (2011)

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

title: Anal Cunt


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William Esper Studio

The William Esper Studio was founded in 1965 as a school for the performing arts in Manhattan, New York. The school is dedicated to the acting technique of Sanford Meisner. Its founder, William "Bill" Esper, is occasionally referred to as the best-known of Meisner's first generation teachers.

The William Esper Studio was listed as one of The 25 Best Drama Schools for a Master of Fine Arts numerous times.

Background
When Esper was a young man, he saw Eli Wallach and Maureen Stapleton in a touring production of The Rose Tattoo.

As Esper later recounted: "[I] was so struck by the acting ...[A]fter the play was over, I decided to go around the corner to get a cup of coffee so I could think about it some more. I walked into a little drugstore, and Eli was sitting there having a bite to eat..."

Esper talked to the actor, and Wallach told him he had studied at Sanford Meisner's Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre. After graduating Case Western Reserve University in his native Ohio, Esper moved to New York City and began studying with Meisner, who was famous for his repetition exercise.

In 1962 Esper undertook training as a teacher and director with Meisner and proceeded to work closely with him for the next 15 years. Esper was on the staff of the Neighborhood Playhouse from 1965 to 1977 and Associate Director of the Playhouse Acting Department from 1974 to 1977.

In 1977 Esper also founded the BFA and MFA Professional Actor Training Programs at Rutgers University's Mason Gross School of the Arts. He led that department until 2004.

Esper has been a guest artist/teacher at Canada's Banff Festival of the Arts as well as at the National Theatre School of Canada, the St. Nicholas Theater in Chicago, Illinois, and the Schauspiel München School in Munich. Together with his wife Suzanne Esper, who also teaches at Esper Studios, he has conducted numerous workshops throughout Europe, most notably at the National Film School of Denmark, the Norwegian National Academy of Theatre, and the National Theatre Mannheim. In 2008 Bill and Suzanne Esper introduced Meisner's work to Russia at the St. Petersburg State Academy of Theater.

Esper has worked extensively Off-Broadway and regionally. He is a member of Ensemble Studio Theatre in New York. He was profiled in the book The New Generation of Acting Teachers, published by Viking Press in 1987. He is a past member of the National Board of the National Association of Schools of Theatre and a former Vice-President and Board Member of the University/Resident Theatre Association. He has lectured on acting at People′s Light and Theatre Company and the Screen Actors Guild Conservatory, New York City; SAG honored him with a Certificate of Achievement for his service to the profession. In 2011 Esper received the Association for Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE)'s Lifetime Achievement in Academic Theatre Award. In 2013 he was inducted into the College of Fellows of the American Theatre.

Esper died January 26, 2019. The studio is currently led by his widow Suzanne, who also was trained by Sanford Meisner both as an actor and a teacher alongside Esper.

Notable alumni
In 1965 Esper founded his eponymous studio. Among those he and his wife have coached and taught are:

 * Katheryn Winnick
 * Mamoudou Athie
 * Katherine Bailess
 * Kim Basinger
 * Kathy Bates
 * Jennifer Beals
 * Larry David
 * Kristin Davis
 * Kim Delaney
 * Sofia Black-D'Elia
 * Aaron Eckhart
 * Michael Esper
 * Peter Gallagher
 * Jeff Goldblum
 * Steven Adly Guirgis
 * Laura Harrier
 * Maryam Hassouni
 * Patricia Heaton
 * Dulé Hill
 * William Hurt
 * Christine Lahti
 * John Malkovich
 * Wendie Malick
 * Marc Menchaca
 * Michael Lombardi (actor)
 * Gretchen Mol
 * David Morse
 * Timothy Olyphant
 * Tonya Pinkins
 * Maria Pitillo
 * Stanzi Potenza
 * Sam Rockwell
 * Tracee Ellis Ross
 * Richard Schiff
 * Amy Schumer
 * Paul Sorvino
 * Mary Steenburgen
 * Dean Winters
 * Ramy Youssef
 * Deborah Van Valkenburgh

Associated publications

 * The Actor's Art & Craft, by William Esper and Damon DiMarco, featuring a preface by David Mamet (2008, ISBN 978-0307279262)
 * The Actor's Guide to Creating a Character, by William Esper and Damon DiMarco (2014)

title: William Esper Studio


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Rod Woodson

Roderick Kevin Woodson (born March 10, 1965) is an American former professional football cornerback in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons. Widely considered one of the greatest cornerbacks of all time, Woodson holds the NFL record for fumble recoveries (32) by a defensive player, and interceptions returned for touchdown (12). He was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1993.

Woodson was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round of the 1987 NFL draft and played his first ten years there. He was also a key member of the Baltimore Ravens' Super Bowl XXXV championship team. He had two shorter stints for the San Francisco 49ers and two seasons with the Oakland Raiders. His 71 career interceptions are the third-most in NFL history. He was an inductee of the Class of 2009 of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio on August 8, 2009. Woodson was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2016. He played most of his career as a cornerback then switched to safety during the later part of his career. Woodson was most recently the head coach of the XFL's Vegas Vipers.

From his retirement in 2003 to February 2011, Woodson worked as an analyst for the NFL Network (on NFL Total Access and Thursday Night Football) and for the Big Ten Network. He spent the 2011 season as the Raiders' cornerbacks coach. He then returned to broadcasting, working for Westwood One as an analyst on college football (2012) and the NFL (2013) before resuming his coaching career in 2014. He was announced in July 2022 as the Ravens' new radio color commentator beginning with the upcoming season.

College career
Woodson accepted a full scholarship to play football at Purdue University, in part because of a desire to pursue a degree in electrical engineering. He played primarily as a cornerback and kick returner, but also saw time on offense as a running back and wide receiver. He was named an All-American defensive back in 1985 and 1986; he was named an All-American returner in 1986 and was a three-time All-Big Ten first team selection.

In his final collegiate game, Woodson gained over 150 combined rushing and receiving yards, in addition to making ten tackles and forcing a fumble, leading Purdue to a victory over arch-rival Indiana.

Woodson left Purdue with 13 individual records, tying the school record with 11 career interceptions, which he returned for 276 yards and three touchdowns. He currently is ranked in the top ten in career interceptions, solo tackles, total tackles, passes deflected, and kickoff return yardage (1,535 yards) as a Boilermaker.

Woodson was inducted into the Purdue Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame in 2003.

On December 11, 2014, the Big Ten Network included Woodson on "The Mount Rushmore of Purdue Football", as chosen by online fan voting. Woodson was joined in the honor by Drew Brees, Bob Griese, and Leroy Keyes.

On January 8, 2016, Woodson was selected for induction in the College Football Hall of Fame.

Track and field
In addition to his exploits on the gridiron, Woodson was also an accomplished track and field athlete at Purdue, and was twice awarded All-America honors. He finished second at the 1985 NCAA championships in the 55 meter hurdles and third at the 1987 NCAA championships in the 55 meter hurdles. Woodson held the NCAA 60 meter hurdles record for 10 years. As of January 2009, he still holds the school records in both the 60 and 110 meter hurdles. He earned five Big Ten championships while at Purdue. In 1984, he qualified for the Olympic Trials in the 110 meter hurdles, but elected to continue his football career in the NFL after graduating from Purdue with a degree in criminal justice.

Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers selected Woodson in the first round (10th overall) of the 1987 NFL draft. Although the Steelers wanted to draft Woodson to help rebuild their secondary, the team expected Woodson to be drafted before their turn at tenth overall. Head coach Chuck Noll instructed defensive coordinator Tony Dungy not to bother with a scouting report on Woodson due to his expected unavailability. However, the Pittsburgh Steelers were able to draft Woodson after the Cleveland Browns traded for the San Diego Chargers' fifth overall pick and subsequently used selection to draft linebacker Mike Junkin. The St. Louis Cardinals drafted Kelly Stouffer (sixth overall) who ultimately never played for the Cardinals due to a contract dispute. The Buffalo Bills were the last likely team to draft Woodson, but instead used the eighth overall pick to draft linebacker Shane Conlan.

1987
Woodson missed training camp due to a contract holdout that lasted 95 days after he was unable to come to terms on a contract with the Steelers. Woodson was a World-Class 110-meter hurdler and ran track on the European track circuit during his contract holdout. Woodson had the fourth fastest 110-meter hurdle time in the world. He won the bronze medal at the 1987 USA Olympic festival, and won medals in several IAAF Grand Prix meetings in Europe. Woodson is one of only two athletes in history to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and also earn a world ranking in the high hurdles.

On October 28, 1987, the Pittsburgh Steelers signed Woodson to a four-year, $1.80 million contract that includes a signing bonus of $700,000. Woodson's contract holdout was the longest in the Pittsburgh Steelers' franchise history, until Le'Veon Bell withheld the entire 2018 NFL season.

On November 8, 1987, Woodson made his professional regular season debut in the Pittsburgh Steelers' 17–16 victory at the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 8. He finished his debut with two kick returns for 48-yards and two punt returns for 12-yards. On November 22, 1987, Woodson made his first career interception off a pass from Bengals' quarterback Boomer Esiason and returned it for a 45-yard touchdown during the Steelers' 30–16 win in Week 11. It was his first career touchdown. He finished his rookie season in 1987 with 20 combined tackles in eight games and no starts. Woodson also returned 13 kicks for 290-yards (22.3 YPR) and made 16 punt returns for 135-yards (8.4 YPR).

1988
Woodson entered training camp in 1988 slated as the starting cornerback. Head coach Chuck Noll named Woodson a starting cornerback to begin the regular season, opposite fellow cornerback Dwayne Woodruff. Woodson also retained kick and punt return duties in 1988. On October 9, 1988, Woodson returned a kick for a 92-yard touchdown during a 31–14 loss to the Phoenix Cardinals in Week 6. The touchdown was the first kick return touchdown of his career. In Week 12, Woodson made his first career sack on Browns' quarterback Bernie Kosar in the Steelers' 27–7 loss to the Cleveland Browns. Woodson started in all 16 games in 1988 and recorded 88 combined tackles, four interceptions, and was credited with half a sack. He also returned 37 kicks for 850-yards and a touchdown (22.9 YPR) and 33 punts for 281-yards (8.5 YPR).

1989
On January 3, 1989, Pittsburgh Steelers' defensive coordinator Tony Dungy announced his resignation after they finished with a 5–11 record the previous season. The Steelers also fired four assistant coaches.

Woodson and Dwayne Woodruff returned as the Steelers' starting cornerback tandem in 1989. On November 19, 1989, Woodson returned a kickoff for an 84-yard touchdown during a 20–17 win against the San Diego Chargers. Woodson started 15 games in 1989 and recorded 80 combined tackles and three interceptions. He also returned 36 kickoffs for 982-yards (27.2 YPR) and one touchdown and had 29 punt returns for 207-yards (7.1 YPR). The Pittsburgh Steelers finished the season third in the AFC Central with a 9–7 record and earned a wildcard berth. On December 31, 1989, Woodson started in his first career playoff game and had four kick returns for 74-yards during a 26–23 victory at the Houston Oilers in the AFC Wildcard Game. The following week, the Steelers were eliminated from the playoffs after losing 24–23 to the Denver Broncos in the AFC Divisional Round.

1990
The Pittsburgh Steelers promoted linebackers coach Dave Brazil to defensive coordinator after Rod Rust accepted the head coaching position with the New England Patriots. Head coach Chuck Noll retained Woodson as a starting cornerback in 1990, opposite D.J. Johnson.

On September 16, 1990, Woodson returned a punt from Oilers' punter Greg Montgomery for a 52-yard touchdown during a 20–9 victory against the Houston Oilers, marking the first punt return for a touchdown in his career. On December 6, 1990, the Pittsburgh Steelers reportedly offered Woodson a three-year, $3 million contract extension. That contract would make Woodson the highest paid player in team history. On December 20, 1990, it was announced that Woodson was selected to play in the 1991 Pro Bowl. Woodson started in all 16 games in 1990 and recorded 66 combined tackles and five interceptions. He was voted first-team All-Pro in 1990. Woodson had 35 kick returns for 764 return yards (21.8 YPR) and 38 punt returns for 398 return yards and a touchdown (10.4 YPR).

1991
Woodson and D.J. Johnson returned as the starting cornerback tandem in 1991. Woodson was inactive for the Steelers' Week 13 victory against the Houston Oilers due to an injury. On November 28, 1991, Woodson recorded his first career solo sack on Cowboys' quarterback Steve Beuerlein in the Steelers' 20–10 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. On December 27, 1991, Pittsburgh Steelers' head coach Chuck Noll announced his decision to retire after the Steelers finished with a 7–9 record in 1991. He started in 15 games in 1991 and recorded 73 combined tackles, 3 interceptions, and a sack. He also returned 44 kicks for 880 return yards (22.0 YPR) and had 28 punt returns for 320-yards (11.4 YPR).

1992
On January 21, 1992, the Pittsburgh Steelers announced the hiring of former Kansas City Chiefs' defensive coordinator Bill Cowher as their new head coach. On January 31, 1992, Cowher announced the hiring of former New Orleans Saints' secondary coach Dom Capers as their new defensive coordinator.

On May 19, 1992, it was reported that Woodson was one of nine NFL players to sue the National Football League for unrestricted free agency. Other players included Steve Beuerlein (Cowboys), Bobby Hebert (Saints), D. J. Dozier (Lions), Scott Mitchell (Dolphins), Jeff Dellenbach (Dolphins), Seth Joyner (Eagles), Clyde Simmons (Eagles), and Kevin Ross (Chiefs). Head coach Bill Cowher retained Woodson and D.J. Johnson as the starting cornerback tandem in 1992.

He started in the Pittsburgh Steelers' season-opener against the Houston Oilers and made two interceptions off pass attempts by Oilers' quarterback Warren Moon in their 29–24 victory. On October 25, 1992, Woodson returned a punt for an 80-yard touchdown as the Steelers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 27–3. On November 1, 1992, Woodson delivered a hit to Oilers' quarterback Warren Moon on a cornerback blitz during a 21–20 win against the Houston Oilers in Week 8. The hit gave Moon a concussion and forced him to leave the game. In Week 14, he made a career-high two sacks on Bears' quarterback Jim Harbaugh during a 30–6 loss to the Chicago Bears. On December 24, 1992, it was announced that Woodson was selected to play in the 1993 Pro Bowl. He started in all 16 games in 1992 and recorded 100 combined tackles, a career-high six sacks, and four interceptions.

1993
On March 1, 1993, the NFL implemented unrestricted free agency. Woodson received an $1.11 million settlement from the league after being one of 15 plaintiffs to sue the league in a class action antitrust lawsuit.

Woodson and D.J. Johnson returned as the starting cornerback tandem for the fourth consecutive season and started alongside safeties Darren Perry and Carnell Lake. He started in the Pittsburgh Steelers' season-opener at the San Francisco 49ers and intercepted two passes by quarterback Steve Young in their 24–13 victory.

On September 18, 1993, the Pittsburgh Steelers signed Woodson to a four-year, $12 million contract. The contract made Woodson the NFL's highest paid defensive back. In Week 4, he made two interceptions off passes by Falcons' quarterbacks Bobby Hebert and Billy Joe Tolliver during a 45–17 victory against the Atlanta Falcons. On October 17, 1993, Woodson intercepted two passes by Saints' quarterback Wade Wilson and returned one for a 63-yard touchdown in the Steelers' 37–14 win against the New Orleans Saints. Woodson started in all 16 games in 1993 and recorded 95 combined tackles, a career-high eight interceptions, two sacks, and a touchdown. He also made 15 kick returns for 294 return yards (19.6 YPR) and 42 punt returns for 338 return yards (8.0 YPR). He was also named NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

1994
Woodson returned as the No. 1 starting cornerback in 1994, opposite Deon Figures. He played under defensive coordinator Dom Capers and assistant coaches Dick LeBeau and Marvin Lewis. On November 14, 1994, Woodson intercepted pass by Bills' quarterback Jim Kelly and returned it for a 37-yard touchdown in the first quarter of the Steelers' 23–10 win against the Buffalo Bills in Week 11. Woodson started in 15 games in 1994 and recorded 67 tackles, four interceptions, three sacks, and a touchdown. He also made 15 kick returns for a total of 365 return yards (24.3 YPR) and 39 punt returns for 319 return yards (8.1 YPR).

1995
On January 26, 1995, the Pittsburgh Steelers promoted defensive backs coach Dick LeBeau to defensive coordinator after Dom Capers accepted the head coaching position with the Carolina Panthers.

Woodson started as the No.1 cornerback to begin the 1995 regular season, alongside Willie Williams. On September 3, 1995, Woodson sustained a torn ACL when his foot got caught in the artificial turf at Three Rivers Stadium when he attempted to change direction and arm tackle Detroit Lions' running back Barry Sanders in the first quarter of the Pittsburgh Steelers' season-opening 23–20 victory against the Detroit Lions. Steelers' safety Carnell Lake replaced Woodson at cornerback during his injury hiatus. On September 11, 1995, Woodson underwent reconstructive surgery and had his ACL in his left knee replaced with a patella tendon from his right knee.

The Pittsburgh Steelers finished first in the AFC Central with an 11–5 record and earned a first round bye. They defeated the Buffalo Bills 40–21 in the AFC Divisional Round and defeated the Indianapolis Colts 20–16 in the AFC Championship Game. On January 28, 1996, Woodson made his return from injury and played in Super Bowl XXX as the Steelers lost 27–17 to the Dallas Cowboys. Woodson became the first player to return from reconstructive knee surgery in the same season and returned after only 19 weeks. Woodson was limited to 12 snaps in Super Bowl XXX and was primarily used on third down. During the game, he broke up a pass intended for Michael Irvin and immediately hopped up and pointed at his reconstructed knee.

1996
On August 12, 1996, Woodson declined the Pittsburgh Steelers' three-year, $9 million contract extension offer and requested a long-term contract for four or five-years. They went on to offer Woodson a five-year, $10 million contract extension and a five-year, $13.5 million incentive-laden contract with a signing bonus of $500,000 included. Woodson returned as the starting cornerback alongside Willie Williams, but was relieved of kick and punt return duties.

He started in the Pittsburgh Steelers' season-opener at the Jacksonville Jaguars and collected a season-high eight combined tackles and made an interception in their 24–9 loss. On September 8, 1996, Woodson recorded five combined tackles and returned an interception by Ravens' quarterback Vinny Testaverde 43 yards for a touchdown during a 31–17 win against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 2. In Week 11, Woodson recorded five combined tackles and made a season-high two interceptions off pass attempts by Bengals' quarterback Jeff Blake during a 34–24 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. He started in all 16 games in 1996 and recorded 71 combined tackles, six interceptions, a touchdown, and a sack.

The Pittsburgh Steelers finished atop the AFC Central with a 10–6 record. On January 5, 1997, Woodson recorded seven combined tackles in his last appearance as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers. They went on to lose 28–3 to the New England Patriots in the AFC Divisional Round.

Free agency
After the 1996 NFL season, the Pittsburgh Steelers offered Woodson a four-year, $7.2 million contract with a signing bonus of $1 million. Woodson became an unrestricted free agent in 1997 after he was unable to agree to a contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Woodson was plagued by injuries in 1996, including a strained Achilles tendon, a sprained knee, and an injury to his back that substantially hurt his value on the free agent market. On April 19, 1997, Woodson declined a four-year, $7 million contract offer from the Pittsburgh Steelers hours before the 1997 NFL Draft. The Steelers subsequently drafted Maryland cornerback Chad Scott in the first round (24th overall) of the 1997 NFL draft and ended negotiations with Woodson.

During the offseason, Woodson held a workout at Purdue that was attended by ten teams interested in signing him, including the San Francisco 49ers, Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, and Jacksonville Jaguars. The Cincinnati Bengals offered Woodson a three-year contract reportedly worth between $1.5 million and $2 million per season.

1997
On July 17, 1997, the San Francisco 49ers signed Woodson to a three-year contract. Head coach Steve Mariucci named Woodson a starting cornerback on the 49ers' depth chart to begin the regular season, opposite Darnell Walker. On September 14, 1997, Woodson recorded two combined tackles, forced a fumble, and made a career-high three interceptions off passes by Saints' quarterback Danny Wuerffel during a 33–7 victory against the New Orleans Saints in Week 2. In Week 10, he collected a season-high eight combined tackles in the 49ers' 17–10 victory against the Dallas Cowboys. He started in all 16 games in 1997 and recorded 46 combined tackles, three interceptions, and a forced fumble.

The San Francisco 49ers finished first in the NFC West with a 13–3 record and earned a first round bye. They defeated the Minnesota Vikings 38–22 in the NFC Divisional Round. The following week, Woodson made four combined tackles as the 49ers were defeated by the Green Bay Packers 23–10. On February 9, 1998, the San Francisco 49ers cut Woodson and former Steelers' teammate Kevin Greene in an effort to free up salary cap space.

1998
On February 21, 1998, the Baltimore Ravens signed Woodson to a three-year, $5.70 million contract that includes a signing bonus of $3 million. Woodson was reunited with Ravens' defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis who was a linebacker coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Head coach Ted Marchibroda named Woodson a starting cornerback to begin the regular season, alongside Duane Starks. On September 4, 1998, it was reported that Woodson entered stage 1 of the league's substance abuse program after refusing to take a drug test the previous month. It was reported that Woodson became infuriated after he was randomly selected to take a drug test on two consecutive days. His refusal automatically counted as a failed test although he subsequently relented and passed the test the next day.

On September 13, 1998, Woodson recorded a season-high 11 combined tackles, made two interceptions, and returned one for a touchdown during a 24–10 win at the New York Jets in Week 2. Woodson intercepted a pass by Jets'quarterback Glenn Foley, that was intended for wide receiver Dedric Ward, and returned it for a 60-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. On November 8, 1998, Woodson made five combined tackles and returned an interception for a touchdown during the Ravens' 13–10 win against the Oakland Raiders. Woodson intercepted a pass by Raiders' quarterback Donald Hollas, that was intended for wide receiver Tim Brown, and returned it for an 18-yard touchdown in the first quarter. He started in all 16 games in 1998 and recorded 88 combined tackles, six interceptions, and two touchdowns. On December 28, 1998, the Baltimore Ravens fired head coach Ted Marchibroda after the Ravens finished the season with a 6–10 record.

1999
On January 19, 1999, the Baltimore Ravens hired former Minnesota Vikings' offensive coordinator Brian Billick as their new head coach. Billick retained Marvin Lewis as the Baltimore Ravens' defensive coordinator and hired Mike Smith, Jack Del Rio, and Rex Ryan as defensive position coaches. Defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis opted to move Woodson to free safety after the Baltimore Ravens drafted cornerback Chris McAlister in the first round (10th overall) of the 1999 NFL draft. Woodson was named the starting free safety and was used to make checks in coverage and help stabilize a young secondary that also included cornerbacks Duane Starks and strong safety Kim Herring.

On November 7, 1999, Woodson recorded two combined tackles and returned an interception for a touchdown during a 41–9 win at the Cleveland Browns. Woodson intercepted a pass by Browns' backup quarterback Ty Detmer and returned it for a 66-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. In Week 11, he made four combined tackles and made his 50th career interception off a pass by Bengals' quarterback Jeff Blake during a 34–31 victory at the Cincinnati Bengals. On December 5, 1999, Woodson made eight combined tackles and returned an interception for a touchdown in the Ravens' 41–14 win against the Tennessee Titans. Woodson intercepted a pass by Titans' quarterback Steve McNair, that was intended for wide receiver Kevin Dyson, and returned it for a 47-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. In Week 14, he collected a season-high nine combined tackles during a 31–24 win at the Pittsburgh Steelers. He started in all 16 games in 1999 and recorded 66 combined tackles, seven interceptions, and two touchdowns.

2000
Woodson and Kim Herring returned as the starting safety tandem in 2000. Woodson became the veteran presence and a mentor to a young secondary. In Week 6, he made three tackles and an interception during a 15–10 win at the Jacksonville Jaguars. It became his third consecutive game with an interception. In Week 17, he collected a season-high 11 combined tackles and forced a fumble in the Ravens' 34–20 win against the New York Jets. On December 14, 2000, Woodson was selected to the 2001 Pro Bowl, marking the 10th Pro Bowl selection of his career. Woodson started in all 16 games in 2000 and recorded 74 combined tackles, four interceptions, and two forced fumbles.

The Baltimore Ravens finished second in the AFC Central with a 12–4 record and defeated the Denver Broncos 21–3 in the AFC Wild Card Round. On January 7, 2001, Woodson recorded 11 combined tackles in the Ravens' 24–10 win at the Tennessee Titans in the AFC Divisional Round. The following week, the Ravens went on to defeat the Oakland Raiders 16–3 in the AFC Championship Game. On January 28, 2001, Woodson recorded six combined tackles as the Ravens defeated the New York Giants 34–7 in Super Bowl XXXV.

2001
On March 1, 2001, Woodson was one of seven players released by the Baltimore Ravens. He became an unrestricted free agent after the Baltimore Ravens declined an option to retain him. On May 7, 2001, the Baltimore Ravens signed Woodson to a five-year contract. Head coach Brian Billick retained Woodson as the starting free safety. Woodson started alongside strong safety Corey Harris in 2001.

In Week 4, he collected a season-high ten combined tackles and made an interception during a 26–7 win against the Tennessee Titans. On December 2, 2001, Woodson made two combined tackles and returned an interception for a touchdown in the Ravens' 39–27 win against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 12. Woodson intercepted a pass by Colts' quarterback Peyton Manning, that was intended for wide receiver Marvin Harrison, and returned it for a 47-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. He started in all 16 games in 2001 and recorded 74 combined tackles, three interceptions, forced a fumble, and scored a touchdown. The Baltimore Ravens finished second in their division with a 10–6 record, but were eliminated from the playoffs after a 27–10 loss at the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Divisional Round. Woodson finished the game with ten combined tackles (eight solo) and a pass deflection against his former team.

2002
On February 29, 2002, the Baltimore Ravens released Woodson in a salary cap related maneuver.

Oakland Raiders
On May 1, 2002, the Oakland Raiders signed Woodson to a six-year contract. Head coach Bill Callahan named Woodson the starting free safety to begin the regular season, alongside strong safety Derrick Gibson.

On September 28, 2002, Woodson recorded four combined tackles, made a career-high three interceptions, and returned one for a touchdown in the Raiders' 52–25 win against the Tennessee Titans. He intercepted a pass by Titans' quarterback Steve McNair, that was intended for tight end Frank Wycheck, and returned it for an 82-yard touchdown in the third quarter. On November 11, 2002, Woodson recorded four combined tackles, deflected a pass, and returned an interception for the final touchdown of his career in the Raiders' 34–10 win at the Denver Broncos in Week 9. Woodson intercepted a pass by Broncos' quarterback Brian Griese, that was originally intended for running back Clinton Portis, and returned it for a 98-yard touchdown in the second quarter. He started in all 16 games in 2002 and recorded 82 combined tackles (70 solo), a career-high eight interceptions, seven pass deflections, and a touchdown. On January 2, 2002, it was announced that Woodson was selected to play in the 2002 Pro Bowl.

The Oakland Raiders finished first in the AFC West with an 11–5 record and earned a first round bye. They reached Super Bowl XXXVII after defeating the New York Jets 30–10 in the AFC Divisional Round and defeating the Tennessee Titans 41–24 in the AFC Championship Game. On January 26, 2003, Woodson recorded eight combined tackles and deflected a pass as the Raiders lost Super Bowl XXXVII 48–21 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

2003
Woodson and Derrick Gibson returned as the starting safety duo in 2003. In Week 3, he collected a season-high nine combined tackles during a 31–10 loss at the Denver Broncos. On November 16, 2003, Woodson made five combined tackles, deflected two passes, and made the last interception of his career during a 28–18 win against the Minnesota Vikings. His final interception came off a pass by Vikings' quarterback Daunte Culpepper. On November 26, 2003, the Oakland Raiders placed Woodson on injured reserve due to a chronic injury to his left knee. He underwent surgery the following month. Woodson finished the season with 51 combined tackles (40 solo), two interceptions, and a pass deflection in ten games and ten starts.

2004
On July 28, 2004, the Oakland Raiders released Woodson after he failed a physical after undergoing knee surgery.

NFL records and accomplishments
Woodson is among the NFL's all-time leaders in games played as a defensive back. In his 17 NFL seasons, Woodson recorded 71 interceptions, 1,483 interception return yards, 32 fumble recoveries (15 offensive and 17 defensive), 137 fumble return yards, 4,894 kickoff return yards, 2,362 punt return yards, and 17 touchdowns (12 interception returns, 1 fumble return, 2 kickoff returns, 2 punt returns). He holds the league record for interceptions returned for touchdown with 12, and is tied with 11 other players for the record for most fumble recoveries in a single game (3). His 1,483 interception return yards is the second most in NFL history (Ed Reed has 1,590 yards). His 32 fumble recoveries are a record among defensive players. His 71 interceptions rank third all time.

Woodson was named to the Pro Bowl 11 times, a record for his position. He was also the first player to earn trips to the Pro Bowl at cornerback, safety and kick returner. He was named 1993's NFL Defensive Player of the Year by the Associated Press. He was also a 7-time All-Pro selection. Woodson finished second to Darrell Green in the 1988 NFL Fastest Man Contest.

In 1994, he was named to the NFL's 75th Anniversary Team, one of only five active players to be named to the team. The others were Jerry Rice, Joe Montana, Reggie White and Ronnie Lott. In 1999, he was ranked number 87 on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Football Players. The College Football News also honored him as one of the 100 greatest players of the 20th century.

In 2007, he was ranked number 22 on USA Today list of the 25 best NFL players of the past 25 years.

On January 31, 2009, Woodson was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. Woodson named his friend and business associate Tracy Foster as his presenter. Foster runs Woodson's car dealership in Pittsburgh.

Coaching career
Woodson coached the defense at Valley Christian Senior High in Dublin, California along with former Raider John Parrella. He was also the head coach of the women's Varsity Basketball team.

The Raiders hired Woodson as their cornerbacks coach on February 14, 2011. He (along with most of Hue Jackson's Raiders staff) was not retained following the 2011 season. On June 12, 2013, the Pittsburgh Steelers announced that Woodson would be serving as an intern coach. On February 9, 2015, it was announced that Woodson would be returning to the Raiders as an assistant defensive backs coach under head coach Jack Del Rio, defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. and defensive backs coach Marcus Robertson. On March 9, 2017, following Robertson's firing earlier that offseason, Woodson was promoted back to cornerbacks coach alongside new safeties coach Brent Vieselmeyer. Woodson was fired following the 2017 season, after Jon Gruden was hired as head coach.

On April 13, 2022, Woodson was announced as one of the eight head coaches for the 2023 season of the XFL. Later on, it was revealed that he would coach the relocated Vegas Vipers. After a 2-8 season in 2023, the Vipers and Woodson agreed to part ways on June 11, 2023.

Personal life
Woodson was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana and was the youngest of three siblings, with whom he had close relationships. His father, the late James Woodson, was African American, and his mother, Linda Jo Doerflein, was of German descent. His father was a laborer from Tennessee and his mother worked with the handicapped in Fort Wayne. Woodson attended R. Nelson Snider High School in Fort Wayne, Indiana. His parents married in 1960 and had three sons, Joe, Jamie, and Rod. Woodson was raised in a two-story home in a predominantly black neighborhood. His family experienced harassment through his youth due to their mixed-race.

From 1994 until 2008 Woodson held an annual youth football camp and activities, the Rod Woodson Youth Week, on the grounds of his former high school. This week-long camp featured current and former NFL players mentoring kids on football skills and the importance of education. There was a cheer camp, basketball game, and concert. Woodson funded the majority of the week that also provided academic awards for camp goers and saw hundreds of kids throughout its existence. Woodson was also an outspoken Christian.

Woodson used to split his time between NFL Network studios in Los Angeles, his home in Pleasanton, and a cottage in Coldwater, Michigan. He was also part of the studio team for BBC Sport's NFL coverage in 2007, including Super Bowl XLII and Super Bowl XLIII. In February 2011, he accepted the role as the defensive backs coach of the NFL's Oakland Raiders (his former team).

He played defensive back and a variety of offensive skill positions and was named Parade and USA Today All-American, all-state his junior and senior seasons. Woodson was named Indiana "Mr. Football" in 1982. In addition to football, he won both the high and low hurdles state championships in both his junior and senior seasons; and played varsity basketball his junior and senior seasons, making all-conference his senior year.

Woodson resides in Pleasanton, California with his wife, Nikki, whom he married in 1992. The couple have five children; two sons and three daughters.

Incidents
On April 25, 1988, it was reported that Woodson was one of three men arrested for stealing $70 in a tip jar from McCaw's restaurant-bar in West Lafayette, Indiana. Charges were not filed.

On September 23, 1988, Woodson and teammate Delton Hall were involved in a bar fight with another man in Moon Township, Pennsylvania. Police were called to Sessions Bar at 2:34AM due to a fight involving Woodson, Hall, and a man identified as Derrick Wilson. Hall stated the fight began over criticism about football. The rear window of Wilson's vehicle was broken during the altercation, but Woodson agreed to pay for damages. On September 29, 1988, the Pittsburgh Steelers stated both players had been privately reprimanded for their involvement.

On June 13, 1989, Woodson was charged with misdemeanor battery on a police officer after an altercation outside of a bar in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

On May 19, 1992, Woodson was arrested in his hometown of Fort Wayne, Indiana for battery due to an altercation with his brother, Jamie Woodson. On March 24, 1993, Woodson was found not guilty of battery by a jury.

title: Rod Woodson


text:
List of Irish learned societies

This is a partial list of notable learned societies, professional bodies and engineering societies operating in Ireland:

 * Accounting Technicians Ireland, formerly the Institute of Accounting Technicians in Ireland (IATI)
 * Archives and Records Association, Ireland†
 * Bar Council of Ireland
 * British and Irish Association of Law Librarians
 * British Computer Society†
 * Chartered Accountants Ireland
 * Dublin Philosophical Society
 * Galway Archaeological and Historical Society
 * Geographical Society of Ireland†
 * Honorable Society of King's Inns
 * Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland (ICAI)
 * Institute of Chemistry of Ireland
 * Institute of Physics ‡
 * Institution of Engineers of Ireland
 * Irish Archaeological Society
 * Irish Association of Physicists in Medicine (IAPM)¥
 * Irish Computer Society¥
 * Irish Hospitality Institute
 * Irish Institute of Legal Executives
 * Irish Institute of Medical Herbalists
 * Irish Manuscripts Commission
 * Irish Mathematical Society
 * Irish Medical Organisation
 * Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute
 * Irish Planning Institute
 * Irish Professional Photographers Association
 * Irish Recorded Music Association
 * Irish Texts Society
 * Institute and Faculty of Actuaries
 * Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine (IPEM)†
 * Kilkenny Archaeological Society
 * Law Society of Ireland
 * Library Association of Ireland
 * Microscopical Society of Ireland†
 * Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland
 * Pharmaceutical Society Of Ireland
 * Psychological Society of Ireland
 * Royal Academy of Medicine in Ireland
 * Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland
 * Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
 * Royal College of Physicians of Ireland
 * Royal Dublin Society
 * Royal Geological Society of Ireland
 * Royal Hibernian Academy
 * Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland
 * Royal Irish Academy
 * Royal Microscopical Society‡
 * Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland
 * School of Irish Learning
 * Society of Actuaries in Ireland
 * Society for Musicology in Ireland
 * Zoological Society of Ireland

‡ Established before partition, and represents professionals both in Britain and Ireland

† Established after partition, and represents professionals both in Britain and Northern Ireland

¥ Primarily operates in the Republic of Ireland

title: List of Irish learned societies


text:
Guan Ping

Guan Ping (died January or February 220) was a military general serving under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China.

Life
Guan Ping was the eldest son of Guan Yu. Little about him is documented in historical records except that he was captured along with his father west of Maicheng (麦城, southeast of present-day Dangyang, Hubei) by the forces of Sun Quan sometime between 23 January and 21 February 220. They were executed in Linju (臨沮; in present-day Nanzhang County, Xiangyang, Hubei) later.

In Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Guan Ping appears in the 14th century historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms by Luo Guanzhong. He is the second son of Guan Ding (關定), a farmer. His elder brother is Guan Ning (關寧). Guan Yu encounters Guan Ding and his family during his journey across five passes to find Liu Bei. He is so impressed with Guan Ping on first sight that he accepts him as his foster son. During the Battle of Runan, Guan Ping, Guan Yu and Zhou Cang lead 300 men to rescue Liu Bei, who is under attack by Cao Cao's general Zhang He. Guan Ping participates in some of Liu Bei's subsequent military exploits, including the Battle of Bowang against Cao Cao's general Xiahou Dun, and the Yi Province campaign against Liu Zhang. Later, he is relocated to Jing Province to join his foster father in defending Liu Bei's territories in Jing Province. In 219, Guan Ping follows Guan Yu to the Battle of Fancheng and scores some initial victories over Cao Cao's forces, including flooding seven enemy armies. However, in the meantime, Sun Quan (Liu Bei's ally) secretly breaks the alliance and sends his general Lü Meng to attack and conquer Jing Province in a stealth invasion. Guan Yu is completely caught off guard and eventually isolated in Maicheng with a fraction of his remaining forces. While trying to break out of the siege, Guan Yu and Guan Ping are captured in an ambush by Sun Quan's forces. Sun Quan tries to persuade them to surrender, but they refuse so Sun has them executed.

Religion
Guan Ping sometimes appears as a door god in Chinese and Taoist temples in partnership with Guan Yu. He also sometimes accompanies Guan Yu in his role as a war god, sometimes in combination with Zhou Cang and Liao Hua. Guan Ping's face is traditionally painted white, while Zhou Cang is black and Guan Yu red.

Video games
Guan Ping appears as a playable character in Koei's Dynasty Warriors and Warriors Orochi video game series.

title: Guan Ping


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Arcana Unearthed

Arcana Unearthed (full title Monte Cook's Arcana Unearthed), first published in 2003, is a role-playing game created by Monte Cook and based on the d20 System developed for Dungeons & Dragons 3rd edition. The game is notable for its divergences from Dungeons & Dragons: the absence of elves and dwarves, the absence of alignment, and its more flexible spellcasting mechanics. The game was later revised and updated in 2005 as Arcana Evolved.

Setting and Themes
The campaign setting for Arcana Unearthed is The Diamond Throne, a land ruled by giants. The setting includes many elements of a traditional fantasy setting, along with a focus on ritual and ceremony, runes, and the magical properties of crystals.

Two of the most important themes of the game are ritual and character choices. Two examples are metamorphosis, in which faen become tiny, winged sprytes, and Chi-Julud, in which the wise giants temporarily lose their wisdom to become stronger and more warlike. Monte Cook emphasized that players should avoid archetypes (presumably referring to the character archetypes of Dungeons & Dragons) and design their characters more creatively.

Mechanics
Arcana Unearthed was advertised as a "variant player's handbook" with alternative d20 System rules. The 256-page hardcover core rulebook bears many similarities to the Player's Handbook of 3rd Edition Dungeons & Dragons, on which Cook worked a few years prior. While it is based on the d20 system, because of its rules for character advancement Arcana Unearthed cannot be an official d20 system product. It uses the Open Gaming License.

Title confusion
Arcana Unearthed is not to be confused with Unearthed Arcana, the title of two books published in 1985 and 2004 that provided additional material for use in the then-current version of Dungeons & Dragons. The name Arcana Unearthed was chosen partially as a homage to the earlier of these two books. The announcement of the 2004 version came as an unpleasant surprise to Cook and some of his fans, who believed that they had an understanding with Wizards of the Coast that this title would not be re-used in the near future.

Reception
Arcana Unearthed won the 2004 Gold ENnie Award for Best Game, and the Silver for Best Art (Cover).

The cover, by artist Mark Zug, won the Chesley Award for Best Gaming-Related Illustration in 2005.

Reviews

 * Black Gate #7

Arcana Evolved
Arcana Evolved is an updated "director's cut" of Arcana Unearthed released in 2005. Arcana Evolved is 432 pages in full color. It adds the contents of two previously separate books, The Diamond Throne and the Player's Companion, to the original variant player's handbook, along with new material including a new class and race, many new feats and spells, and rules for higher level characters than were possible in the original book. On the less mechanical side, it also advances the time line of the Diamond Throne campaign setting by several years - years which feature the return of dragons to the lands of the Diamond Throne, reviving an ancient rivalry with the ruling giants.

Arcana Evolved won the 2005 Gold Ennie Award for "Best Interior Art".

Additional books
Malhavoc Press expanded the Arcana Unearthed universe with a series of books, including the rulebooks The Diamond Throne, Legacy of Dragons, Grimoire II, and Mystic Secrets, and the short story collection Children of the Rune. Some other publishers, including Blue Devil Games, also supported the Arcana Unearthed line. Since the release of Arcana Evolved, Malhavoc released a number of supporting books specific to the new edition, such as the Spell Treasury, Transcendence and Ruins of Intrigue.

Sue Weinlein Cook edited the 2004 short story collection Children of the Rune.

title: Arcana Unearthed


text:
John Forsyth (politician)

John Forsyth Sr. (October 22, 1780 – October 21, 1841) was a 19th-century American politician from Georgia. He represented the state in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, and also served as the 33rd Governor of Georgia. As a supporter of the policies of President Andrew Jackson, Forsyth was appointed the 13th United States Secretary of State by Jackson in 1834, and continued in that role until 1841 during the presidency of Martin Van Buren. He also served as US Minister to Spain during the presidency of James Monroe.

Early life
Forsyth was born in Fredericksburg, Virginia. His father, Robert Forsyth, a Scottish immigrant, was the first U.S. Marshal to be killed in the line of duty in 1794. He was an attorney who graduated from the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University) in 1799. He married Clara Meigs, daughter of Josiah Meigs, in 1801. One of his sons, John Forsyth, Jr., later became a newspaper editor.

Political life
Forsyth served in the United States House of Representatives (1813–1818 and 1823–1827), the United States Senate (1818–1819 and 1829–1834), and as the 33rd Governor of Georgia (1827–1829). He was the United States Secretary of State from 1834 until 1841. In this role he led the government's response to the Amistad case. He was a loyal follower of Andrew Jackson and opposed John C. Calhoun in the issue of nullification. Forsyth was appointed as Secretary of State in reward for his efforts. He led the pro-removal reply to Theodore Frelinghuysen about the Indian Removal Act of 1830. He supported slavery and was a slaveholder himself.

Death and legacy
Forsyth died in Washington, D.C., and was buried in Congressional Cemetery. Forsyth County, Georgia, Forsyth, Georgia, and Forsyth Park in Savannah are named for him. He died the day before his 61st birthday.

In popular culture

 * In the 1997 Steven Spielberg movie, Amistad, Forsyth was played by character actor David Paymer.

title: John Forsyth (politician)


text:
Royal Variety Performance

The Royal Variety Performance is a televised variety show held annually in the United Kingdom to raise money for the Royal Variety Charity (of which King Charles III is life-patron). It is attended by senior members of the British royal family. The evening's performance is presented as a live variety show, usually from a theatre in London and consists of family entertainment that includes comedy, music, dance, magic and other speciality acts.

The Royal Variety Performance traditionally begins with the entrance of the members of the royal family followed by the singing of the national anthem, "God Save the King", which was also performed by the participating acts as a traditional end to Royal Variety Performances; with the exception of 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, as a result of which, "As If We Never Said Goodbye" opened that year's show instead, sung by that year's host, Jason Manford.

Background and founding
The first performance, on 1 July 1912, was called the Royal Command Performance, and this name has persisted informally for the event. This was held in the Palace Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, London, in the presence of King George V and Queen Mary. After correspondence with theatre impresario Sir Edward Moss, the King said he would command a Royal Variety show in his Coronation year, 1911, provided the profits went to the Variety Artistes' Benevolent Fund, as the Royal Variety Charity was then known. It was planned to be in the Empire Theatre, Edinburgh, part of the vast Moss Empires group, but the building caught on fire a month before the show. After the death of Moss, Sir Alfred Butt was chosen as the impresario and it was staged in 1912. This was a lavish occasion, and his London Palace Theatre was lavishly decorated, complete with some three million rose petals.

Artists, performers and broadcasts
Top performers included Vesta Tilley, Sir George Robey, David Devant, Anna Pavlova, Harry Lauder and Cecilia Loftus. The organisers did not invite Marie Lloyd, because of a professional dispute. Her act was deemed too risqué and her three public, unsuccessful marriages were thought to make her unfit to perform in front of royalty. She held a rival performance in a nearby theatre, which she advertised was "by command of the British public". The name of the event was changed to prevent possible royal embarrassment. The Royal Variety Performance became an annual event at the suggestion of King George V from 1921 and from 1927 the British Broadcasting Corporation began to broadcast it on radio.

From 1928 through to 1938, the impresario-producer and manager of the London Palladium, George Black, took over the presentation of the Royal Variety Performance. He would also facilitate as compere at the shows. His first production was held on 1 March 1928 at the London Coliseum and from 1930 to 1937 he held the shows at the London Palladium. His 1938 show returned to the London Coliseum. Throughout World War II from 1939 to 1944 no shows were presented. The show resumed in 1945 after the war ended.

From 1960 to 2010, the BBC and ITV broadcast a recorded version of the show, alternating the production between their two main channels, with the BBC producing and televising the 'even years' and ITV televising the 'odd years'. In both 1976 and 1978, the BBC broadcast the show live. The show was staged mainly in a West End theatre. Prior to 1999, only two shows were staged outside London (1955 in Blackpool and 1959 in Manchester), but in 2003, 2005, 2007 & 2009, Royal Varieties were aired on ITV from regional theatres outside London. ITV secured exclusive rights to televise the show in 2011. The show has been frequently staged in the London Palladium theatre, and in the 1950s and 1960s a television show based on the same idea, called Sunday Night at the London Palladium and hosted by many entertainers, including Bruce Forsyth, ran for over 20 years.

A wide range of acts has performed at the Royal Variety Performance, including Laurel and Hardy in 1947, The Beatles in 1963, the Supremes in 1968 and the Blue Man Group in 2005. Max Bygraves and Cliff Richard are two of the most frequent performers, having appeared at least 14 and 13 times each respectively between 1950 and 2008. The Beatles appeared at the 1963 show, when John Lennon delivered the famous line:

For our last number I'd like to ask your help: Will the people in the cheaper seats clap your hands? And the rest of you, if you'll just rattle your jewellery.

The money raised by the Royal Variety Performance provides most of the funding for the Royal Variety Charity (formerly the Entertainment Artistes' Benevolent Fund) and its care-home for retired members of the entertainment profession and their dependents, Brinsworth House.

In 1974, Noele Gordon presented the Royal Variety Performance making her the first female presenter of the show.

Performances
After the first Royal Variety Performance on 1 July 1912 presented by Sir Alfred Butt, it was seven years before the next show, on 28 July 1919 held at the Coliseum Theatre presented this time by Sir Oswald Stoll. The orchestra was conducted by Edward Elgar. In 1921 it moved to the Hippodrome, and was held in November. It was the first time that the Royal Variety Performance became an annual event. In 1923 it moved to the Coliseum Theatre. Then after a gap in 1924, moved to the Alhambra Theatre in February 1925, where it remained in 1926, held on 27 May. It was the first Royal Variety Performance to be broadcast, with the BBC providing live radio coverage.

In 1927 there was another move, this time to the Victoria Palace Theatre, with J. A. Webb the compère. The 1928 show, on 13 December, was held at the Coliseum Theatre. The next show, on 22 May 1930, moved to the London Palladium with George Black and Val Parnell compèring. It was the start of seven successive years at the venue.

In 1935 the Royal Variety Performance was held in the Silver Jubilee year of King George V and Queen Mary. This was the last time King George V attended – he died three months later, in January 1936.

There have been two Royal Scottish Variety Performances, both attended by Queen Elizabeth II, and presented by Howard & Wyndham Ltd in Glasgow's Alhambra Theatre, which Sir Alfred Butt had opened, in 1958 and 1963. The Children's Royal Variety Performance was devised by entertainer Rod Hull in 1981 and took place in London until 1994 in aid of NSPCC.

In 1990, A Royal Birthday Gala to celebrate the 90th birthday of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, was staged at the London Palladium on 19 July, replacing the traditional November/December Royal Variety Show that year. In place of the traditional show, a special programme called Thirty Years of the Royal Variety Performance aired on BBC One on 29 December 1990. It was hosted by Bruce Forsyth and took a look back at the BBC's television broadcasts of the programme over 30 years, with clips from the archives. After this variation, from 1991, the traditional variety show returned.

In 2018 show was hosted by comedian Greg Davies and performed six months after the marriage of Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex who attended it with his new wife. This year's aftershow party and banquet was held with entertainment from magicians, such as Jay & Joss and popular band, The Masqueraders.

However in 2020, due to the coronavirus pandemic, a virtual version was held, opening with a virtual message from the then Prince of Wales followed by "As If We Never Said Goodbye" sung by that year's host Jason Manford.

The Royal Variety performance of 2023, held in the Royal Albert Hall, was hosted by Bradley Walsh. The headline act was performed by Cher.

Britain's Got Talent
Since 2007, one act of the Royal Variety show has been selected by the British public through the ITV television talent show Britain's Got Talent. A public telephone vote decides the most popular act in each semi-final, which then progresses to the final, along with a second act chosen by the judges. The grand final is then broadcast live and all the acts perform again for the public vote.

Winners

 * 2007: Paul Potts – pop opera tenor
 * 2008: George Sampson – street dancer
 * 2009: Diversity – street dance group
 * 2010: Spelbound – gymnastics squad
 * 2011: Jai McDowall – singer
 * 2012: Ashleigh and Pudsey – musical canine freestyle
 * 2013: Attraction – shadow theatre group
 * 2014: Collabro – singing group
 * 2015: Jules O'Dwyer & Matisse – musical canine freestyle
 * 2016: Richard Jones – magician
 * 2017: Tokio Myers – pianist
 * 2018: Lee Ridley (Lost Voice Guy) – comedian
 * 2019: Colin Thackery – singer
 * 2020: Jon Courtenay – comical singer and pianist
 * 2022: Axel Blake – comedian
 * 2023: Viggo Venn – comedian
 * 2024: Sydnie Christmas - singer

Venues
There have been a total of 17 theatres that have staged the 93 Royal Variety Performances, and the 1912 Royal Command Performance. Out of the total of 93 shows, 75 have been in London theatres and seven in other cities and towns.

Note: Where no town or city is noted in the theatre column in the following table, the venue is situated in London.

Royal Family attendance
A total of 17 members of the royal family have attended the 86 Royal Variety Performances, and the 1912 Royal Command Performance.

Television coverage
The performance is broadcast on television throughout the world and is considered by many to be a tradition of the Christmas and New Year holiday season, particularly within the 56 countries of the Commonwealth of Nations. For example, in Norway the programme is broadcast on NRK following the chimes of midnight each New Year's Eve with Norwegian subtitles and in New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, the Caribbean Islands and the Bahamas it is broadcast during the afternoon of Christmas Day, every year. In Canada, it has aired on CBC variously on Boxing Day, New Year's Eve or New Year's Day.

ITV is contracted by the Royal Variety Charity for TV production and in the UK is the sole broadcaster, having shared that responsibility with the BBC between 1960 and 2010.

Ratings
In the 1960s, the televised edition of the show was the number one rated show for the entire year in the UK in 1960–1963, 1965, and 1967–1968, with the show ranked 6th in 1964, 3rd in 1966, and 2nd in 1969.

In the 1970s, the show topped the annual rankings in 1975 and ranked 8th in 1970, 4th in 1971, 9th in 1976 and 3rd in 1977.

Ratings sourced from BARB.

title: Royal Variety Performance


text:
Big numbers

Big numbers may refer to:

 * Large numbers, numbers that are significantly larger than those ordinarily used in everyday life
 * Arbitrary-precision arithmetic, also called bignum arithmetic
 * Big Numbers (comics), an unfinished comics series by Alan Moore and Bill Sienkiewicz

title: Big numbers


text:
Ukyō-ku, Kyoto

Ukyō-ku (右京区) is one of the eleven wards in the city of Kyoto, in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan.

History
The meaning of ukyō (右京) is "on the Emperor's right." When residing in the Kyoto Imperial Palace the emperor would sit facing south, thus the western direction would be to his right. Similarly, there is a ward to the east called Sakyō-ku (左京区), meaning "the ward on the Emperor's left." In old times, ukyō was referring to the western part of the capital. The area of ancient Ukyō slightly overlaps the area of present Ukyō-ku.

The ward was established in 1931 when nine villages merged to form it.

On April 1, 2005, the ward expanded its territory to the area of former town of Keihoku when the town merged into the city of Kyoto. This increased the ward's territory from 74.27 km2 to 291.95 km2, and made it the largest ward in the city by area.

As of October 1, 2020, the ward has an estimated population of 202,047, with 97,849 households and a density of 692 PD/km2.

Mountains

 * Mount Atago
 * Mount Ogura
 * Iwatayama

Rivers

 * Katsura River
 * Tenjin River (Kamiya River)
 * Arisugawa
 * Yugegawa

Adjacent municipalities

 * Kyoto wards of: Kita-ku, Sakyo-ku, Nakagyo-ku, Shimogyo-ku, Nishikyo-ku, and Minami-ku.
 * Kameoka, Kyoto
 * Nantan, Kyoto

Sights
Ukyo-ku is home to many renowned sites, including:

 * Arashiyama, a hill famed for its maple leaves and the Togetsu-kyō, the Bridge to the Moon
 * Ninna-ji, a Buddhist temple with a fine pagoda
 * Ryōan-ji, the Zen Buddhist temple with the karesansui (dry-landscape, i.e. raked stones) garden
 * Tenryū-ji, the head temple of the Tenryū branch of Rinzai Zen Buddhism
 * Sagano, a neighborhood with Sagano Romantic Train and many temples, including the Nonomiya Shrine as well as Rakushi-sha, the Fallen Persimmon Hut
 * Uzumasa, the location of Kōryū-ji, a temple founded before Kyoto became the Imperial capital. The neighborhood is also the home of the Toei Uzumasa Eigamura studios and the center of Japan's television and film industries.

Economy
Rohm, an electronic parts manufacturer, and Nissin Electric, a global electrical equipment company, are headquartered in the ward.

Senior high schools

 * Kyoto Prefectural Sagano High School
 * Kyoto Gaidai Nishi High School
 * Kitasaga Senior High School (ja:京都府立北嵯峨高等学校)
 * Kitakuwada High School (ja:京都府立北桑田高等学校)
 * Hanazono Senior High School (花園高等学校)
 * Kyoto Gakuen High School (ja:京都学園高等学校)
 * Kyoto Koka Senior High School (京都光華高等学校)

Universities

 * Kyoto University of Foreign Studies
 * Kyoto University of Advanced Science - Kyoto Uzumasa Campus
 * Kyoto Koka Women's University
 * Kyoto Saga University of Arts

Middle schools
There are 12 middle schools, of which nine are public and three are private.

Elementary schools
There are 21 elementary schools, of which 20 are public and one is private.

Others

 * North Korean school: Kyoto Korean No. 2 Elementary School (京都朝鮮第二初級学校).

title: Ukyō-ku, Kyoto


text:
Talk:1972 United States presidential election

New picture for Nixon
LordStephenson wanted to "make the picture fit with the pattern" that was in other elections.

It seems a little dumb-ish. I think it should be changed.

xdude (talk) 18:23, 24 March 2021 (UTC)

McGovern Picture
Can we change McGovern's picture back? In the new one his face is covered in shadows and you can't see his eyes, so I don't think it looks great. Aimasterclmaster (talk) 02:21, 7 November 2022 (UTC)

Portait Vote
Please vote on the portrait used in the article. I believe that Photo 1, the current one, is better because, even though it is a Black and White (B&W) image, it gives off a better view of Senator McGovern and allow us, the viewers and editors of Wikipedia, to see what he had looked like during his Presidential Election at the time of the 1972 Election. I vote for Photo 1.

HistorianL (talk) 00:24, 18 December 2022 (UTC)

 * I vote for Photo 2. While the shadows may somewhat mildly obscure how he looks, it's best that both images are color or B/W. The color image tends to be preferred by the community here, though the original article had a vote ruling in favor of the B/W option. I also think that the B/W one crops too close, and the color one also seems to be slightly higher resolution. I'd also, though note that this is my own personal belief, not official, like to state that I think it's best to have more image diversity throughout Wikipedia. ~ Mycranthebigman of Alaska ^_^ 05:44, 23 December 2022 (UTC)
 * Photo 2. having both candidates a color portrait adds a sense of consistency to the wikibox Festive TCT (talk) 19:10, 23 December 2022 (UTC)

 * I’m voting for Photo 2 Gelid Lagopus (talk) 05:55, 23 December 2022 (UTC)

 * Photo 2 is the best. It's a color image, so it inherently better represents how the Senator looked at the time. Plus, he's actually posing for the camera in it, so it makes for a much closer match to Nixon's current portrait on the infobox. --GI Brown 1970 (talk) 06:15, 23 December 2022 (UTC)

Eagleton Footnote
A while back, I edited the infobox to remove the parentheses talking about Eagleton and instead made that a footnote next to Shriver's name. Could someone explain why it was deleted and the parentheses were put back? I thought footnotes were the standard for additional information in infoboxes. And honestly, the parentheses are just kind of ugly and distracting in there. Pickle Mon (talk) 18:07, 9 May 2023 (UTC)

Is Nixon's carrying of every state too heavily qualified to be useful?
I've moved the following addition, made in good faith, here for discussion, because it needs so many qualifications that its value might be lost:

"As of the 2020 Presidential Election, Nixon remains the only candidate to have won a statewide election in every state since the adoption of the 12th Amendment, with Nixon having won Massachusetts as part of the Eisenhower ticket in 1952 and 1956"

Some of the qualifications are included above (if sometimes obscurely), but adding other necessary qualifications or explanations might make this too fussy for the average reader: —— Shakescene (talk) 13:53, 17 May 2023 (UTC)
 * 1) "since ... the 12th Amendment", without giving its date (June 1804) doesn't help; before 1804, both Washington and John Adams had managed to carry every state then in the Union;
 * 2) In any case, James Madison (and, I think, Daniel Tompkins) carried every state in 1820, well after the 12th Amendment's adoption;
 * 3) If the criterion is winning the popular vote in a statewide election, that was not possible before 1868, since South Carolina's legislature picked the Palmetto State's electors before then;
 * 4) While technically true for states, it does not hold for the District of Columbia, which had no electoral vote in 1952, 1956 & 1960 (before the 23rd Amendment) but voted against Nixon in both of his elections where its electoral vote counted: 1968 & 1972.

 * I think this is a fair criticism as to whether or not to include the anecdote. It is perhaps too overly qualified. Rtucci (talk) 19:05, 10 July 2023 (UTC)

Democratic Primary Map Issues
The map image for the democratic primary has multiple states colored pink, but there is no indication in the key of who this represents. George Wallace's wikipedia page shows a map that indicates he won Florida, Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina and Tennessee, and those are pink states on this map, but Mississippi is also a pink state and Wallace's wikipedia page does not list him as winning Alabama. There is this page from the Center for Politics showing that Wallace won Alabama, Florida, Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina, Tennessee, which would seem to conflict with both this page and George Wallace's Page. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2600:8800:4CE0:C800:F5EA:263C:3995:C43A (talk) 02:49, 3 June 2023 (UTC)


text:
Greenland Dock

Greenland Dock is the oldest of London's riverside wet docks, located in Rotherhithe in the area of the city now known as Docklands. It used to be part of the Surrey Commercial Docks, most of which have by now been filled in. Greenland Dock is now used purely for recreational purposes; it is one of only two functioning enclosed docks on the south bank of the River Thames, along with the smaller South Dock, to which it is connected by a channel now known as Greenland Cut.

Howland Great Wet Dock
The dock was originally laid out between 1695 and 1699 on land owned by the aristocratic Russell family of the 1st Duke of Bedford. The Russells had been given a portion of land in lower Rotherhithe by a wealthy Streatham landowner, John Howland, as part of a wedding dowry for his daughter Elizabeth, granddaughter of Sir Josiah Child – the dictatorial chairman of the East India Company, who married Wriothesley Russell, the Marquis of Tavistock. They immediately set about "improving" the rural property, obtaining parliamentary permission in 1695 to construct a rectangular dock with an area of about 10 acre, capable of accommodating around 120 ships. It was named Howland Great Wet Dock in honour of John Howland. Designed by local shipwright, John Wells, the dock was intended to refit East India ships.

In a picture of about 1717, it can be seen in a rural setting some miles outside the (much smaller) city of London, lined with trees on three sides (to act as windbreaks) and with the Russell family's mansion situated at the western end. Unlike the later docks, it was not built with cargo traffic in mind; it did not have walls, warehouses or other commercial facilities. Instead, it was promoted as being capable of accommodating ships "without the trouble of shifting, mooring or unmooring any in the dock for taking in or out any other". It was essentially a re-fitting base where ships could be repaired and berthed in a sheltered anchorage. It was aided in this regard by its proximity to the dockyards at Deptford.

Whaling and timber trades
From the 1720s, Greenland whalers also used the dock and substantial blubber boiling houses were built to produce oil on the south side. Howland Great Wet Dock was sold by the fourth Duke of Bedford in 1763. Extensive usage by the Greenland whaling ships prompted the dock to be renamed Greenland Dock. However, this trade declined sharply by the start of the 19th century.

In 1806 the dock was sold to William Richie, a Greenwich timber merchant and founder of the Commercial Dock Company (1807). The Company built a series of additional docks and two new timber ponds to the north while rival companies built additional docks, leading to the jumble of harbours, canals and timber ponds. In 1865, the company merged with the neighbouring Surrey Docks to form the Surrey Commercial Docks, controlling some 80% of London's timber trade.

Greenland Dock remained at the centre of London's timber trade for well over a century to come. It was lined with warehouses and immense piles of construction timber or "deal wood", which were maintained by the athletic deal porters. Much of the timber arrived aboard small sailing vessels from the Baltic region, although these were eventually displaced by large steamers.

Expansion and decline
Between 1895 and 1904 Greenland Dock was greatly extended to the west at a cost of £940,000, in a project carried out under Sir John Wolfe Barry, the engineer who built Tower Bridge. More than doubling in length and nearly doubling in depth, in its final form it covered an area of 22+1/2 acre, with a depth of 31 ft and a length of 2250 ft, which cut straight across the old Grand Surrey Canal. It was also given a large lock, 550 ft long, 80 ft wide and 35 ft deep. This renovation enabled the dock to take large cargo ships and even ocean-going liners. Cunard Line A-class vessels of as much as 14,000 LT, driven by large steam engines and carrying passengers and cargoes in both directions, sailed regularly from Greenland Dock to the St. Lawrence River in Canada. They were considered huge ships for so far upstream and they had to be swung round in the river to enter the lock.

In 1909 the dock, along with all of the other London docks, was amalgamated into the Port of London under the management of the Port of London Authority.

In the same era as the big steamships there were, by contrast, the barques and barquentines of less than a tenth the size that brought timber from Finland: survivors of the age of sail with three or more masts and representatives of the Baltic side of the timber trade. Finland Quay, Swedish Quay, Norway Dock and Russia Dock were some of the names arising from what had been the original part of Rotherhithe's timber trade.

Greenland Dock suffered greatly during World War II, when many of the warehouses were razed by German bombing and the great lock was rendered unusable due to bomb damage. It soon recovered after the war and enjoyed a brief resurgence of prosperity. However, technological changes in the shipping industry soon pushed the dock into a spiral of decline. The deal porters' jobs were abolished from 1958 when timber started to be packaged. Not long afterwards, the shipping industry moved en masse to the system of containerization, which required bulk carriers far too large to be accommodated in the London docks. In 1970, the Surrey Commercial Docks were closed. Greenland Dock was sold to Southwark council.

Redevelopment
The Surrey Docks remained derelict for over a decade, with much of the warehousing demolished and over 90% of the docks filled in. Greenland Dock, which now belonged to the local authority, escaped this fate and in 1981 was handed over to the London Docklands Development Corporation. During this period the Inner London Education Authority ran a Surrey Docks Watersports Centre on the dock from a series of portable cabins at the Redriff Road end of the dock. It was at this centre many young people who would not have been exposed to sailing or canoeing were trained.

A masterplan was produced that advocated evicting the remaining industrial occupiers of the quaysides and transforming the dock into a residential area. This went ahead in the late 1980s despite some controversy, with seven residential developments being constructed on the site of the former warehouse complexes (and named after them; hence Swedish Yard became Swedish Quay, Brunswick Yard became Brunswick Quay, Baltic Yard became Baltic Quay and so on). Today the area is dominated by luxury residential developments, such as the Greenland Passage development and the gated New Caledonian Wharf. Additionally, a new watersports centre was constructed on the site of the former entrance to the now infilled Grand Surrey Canal. This has maintained the dock as a popular site for sailing, windsurfing, canoeing and dragon boat racing.

The dock itself is still substantially intact, other than its former entrances and exits, all but one of which have been filled in or blocked. It still has a working connection to South Dock, which is now a marina, and it has a small marina of its own at its eastern end. There are no traces of the former warehouses, although many of the old capstans and some of the hydraulic machines on the quayside have been preserved.

The alternative comedian Malcolm Hardee drowned in the dock in 2005 while stepping onto his houseboat, Sea Sovereign, from the floating pub he owned, the Wibbley Wobbley, which was moored at the Thames end of Greenland Dock.

Transport
The nearest London Underground station is Canada Water on the Jubilee line. The nearest London Overground stations are Surrey Quays and Canada Water.

Thames Clippers' water-bus serves Greenland Pier. The Thames Path passes along the southern bank of the River Thames.

Nearby places

 * Canada Water
 * Russia Dock Woodland
 * South Dock
 * Surrey Quays

title: Greenland Dock