text:
Talk:Ambergris

$9 for how much ambergris? That's not made clear in the article _____

All right, I've thrown in a little more modern info on ambergris uses and Ambrox. Somebody who knows something about it might want to speak a little more concretely on how ambergris is developed in the whale; whale physiology is really the only non-historical aspect from which ambergris is still of interest.

Also, I'm not aware of whether collected ambergris is still valuable/marketable. It stands to reason that it could still be used, but Ambrox may be considered of a higher quality, or may require less processing for use.

If somebody else doesn't, maybe I'll get around to writing a sclareol page at least, if not an Ambrox page. Natural products in general could stand a lot of fleshing out around here. -TimeLord mbw 00:51, 17 Mar 2004 (UTC)

I find this silly...
I have watched and contributed to this article and one line in it always bothered me(to madness) namely: "...however, with the decline of whaling, the primary source of natural ambergris, replacement compounds have been synthesized."

To me there is a big problem with this statement: it does not get the facts right. Note that ALTHOUGH the precursor of ambergris comes from a whale, the commercially valuable black/grey ambergris IS NOT and CANNOT be directly obtained form the whale (Read the 3rd paragraph).

Thus it cannot be that the decline of whaling forced the use of synthetic ambergris substitutes. Any (fecal smelling) ambergris precursor that was directy removed after killing the whale will have little or no commercial value. If we follow in this line of arguement, the decline of whaling should actually INCREASE the amount of ambergris avaliable, since more live whale will be "hurling" these stinky fatty chunks that will eventually turn to expensive ambergris. My guess on why synthetic alternatives were sought is that the supply of quality ambergris was low and it is difficult to get a consistant and reliable harvest of ambergris. Combined with the high demand for the stuff and the prohibitive price tag, someone will seek (a have sough out) a cheaper and more reliable source.

If nobody objects, I am going to remove this line in a few days and stick something more true in its place.

>>Not sure if this is how to respond to your statements but I find/look for ambergris here in New Zealand and there is no such thing as a 'precurser' to ambergris - its ambergris as soon as it comes out of a large sperm whale ('soft black') straight away..also good quality (decades old) grey & white ambergris IS getting harder to find due to whaling decimating the Sperm Whales in the 70's...and because only mature / large sperm whales (that take more than 40 years to size up) can even make amber gris then we are in a period where decades old (once soft black) pieces in the 70's are reflecting into less white/old amber gris...thank you.Matt, NZ — Preceding unsigned comment added by Mattybaba (talk • contribs) 12:10, 15 November 2011 (UTC)

A precursor is what something is made of. In the case of ambergris it sounds as tho some type of intestinal discharge along with an irritant to cause said discharge. A pearl comes out a pearl, but the precursor is a grain of sand in an oyster. Coal is a precursor to diamonds, just add heat, pressure, and time. Only atomic particles just "are", everything else has a precursor and atomic particles probably have precursors also. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Rtaylor11214 (talk • contribs) 06:40, 5 January 2015 (UTC)

$20 per gram??
According to the ABC news article linked, ambergris is said to be worth $US20 per *gram*, as opposed to the $2 to $9 per *ounce* quoted in this article. That's a factor of up to 100 or so more. Any ideas as to which is more likely to be accurate? I see somebody earlier today updated the German article to include this Australian price (as 17 Euro per gram). 130.220.79.98 11:06, 24 January 2006 (UTC)

 * I poked around Google a bit. USD$20/g seems to be closer to the correct price.  I am correcting the article accordingly.  --AStanhope 15:18, 24 January 2006 (UTC)

Fasting whales
I moved this from the main article. Until AndyF can give citations on fasting whales and the location of ambergris discoveries:

 * As with any animal body, whenever an indigestible object enters it, the body secretes mucus to dull the sharp edges and protect itself from the dispersion of toxins. This mucal protection gets impacted on to the gut wall and will not be removed from the body until a fast is undertaken. Since most ambergris is found on the coasts of warm waters, it could be theorised that the sperm whale consciously fasts in these waters, eventually eliminating all the detritus of mucus and indigestible squid bits which, after the processes mentioned, becomes ambergris.

Sjschen 10:36, 22 March 2006 (UTC)

In literature, cinema and music
What's the point of this section? Why do we need an exhaustive listing of all media that mention ambergris? Sjschen 19:32, 16 May 2006 (UTC)
 * Because wikipedia is the go-to site when you want to know if something was once referenced in popular tv shows. Imagine if hundreds of years from now, nobody remembers that ambergris was once in an episode of futurama!  66.75.246.149 18:02, 10 April 2007 (UTC)

Illegal to buy/sell in USA....Is this certain?
I checked the references used for the claim that buying and selling ambergris is prohibited by the Endangered Species Act, and there are two problems. First, the reference at the end of the sentence containing that claim (1) points to the NY Times article, which only mentions legal problems with selling ambergris in Australia. Second, the BBC newspaper article (2), although not cited for that sentence, does say "Banned in US under endangered species legislation" in the Quick Facts box.

However, conversations with several lawyers and businessmen (who actually do sell ambergris in California) have informed me that this legislation only prohibits the purchase/sale of whale parts, and not secretions. Could somebody maybe find something more substantial that confirms or disconfirms the legality of ambergris trade in the USA? -- Prosebuster 00:37, 11 January 2007 (UTC)

Ok, I have decided to look it up myself. I read the relevant section of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (which predates the Endangered Species Act), and indeed, commercial use of ambergris is prohibited under section 216.13. So at least, even if those businesses are trafficking in ambergris, it is in fact prohibited by this legislation. -- Prosebuster 01:08, 11 January 2007 (UTC)

The newspaper articles are still rather inadequate sources of a claim about the legality of this, so I edited the sentence to also include that importation is illegal, and cited the MMPA directly. -- Prosebuster 01:11, 11 January 2007 (UTC)

216.13 does not appear to cover ambergris. Funding ambergris on the shore would not count as taking or importing under the act. Plus whether ambergris is considered a marine mamal part is questionable. From what I can tell, ambergris appears to be legal in the US. 74.110.206.169 (talk) 09:22, 11 August 2018 (UTC)

Information on ambergris(Selling and Buying)
If you need more information on ambergris or looking for international buyers of this product, you can go visit this ambergris website. This product is not illegal or prohibited because you can only find it and not get it directly from the spermwhale. Donlorenzo06

www.ambergris.fr —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Donlorenzo06 (talk • contribs) 10:54, 13 March 2007 (UTC).

 * if I am in a possession of ambergris that I found,were can I sell or is there any market available for a rural fisherman like me 43.245.57.197 (talk) 14:18, 23 February 2024 (UTC)

Introduction Lacking
The introduction says "Now largely replaced by synthetics" before it mentions that it is derived from whales. It doesn't actually make any sense, until you read on, to see the Source section. Some basic mention that it is derived from whales should be made early on in the introduction, as this seems to be an important property of the material.

Literature, Cinema and Music taken out?
Why was the above section taken out? Isnt' this important. I remember a rather large mention in the movie Hannibal where the hand cream smelling of this was traced to Hannibal Lecter.

Squiggle 16:30, 19 September 2007 (UTC)

Mustard Gas
A lot of people get poisoned because mustard gas thats dumped in the sea, say 40 years ago forms a tar like substance like this —Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.16.160.17 (talk) 23:00, 8 November 2007 (UTC)

Surely you mean a very few people rather than "A lot of people"?

historical and cross cultural uses?
I find the reference to "middle easterners" to be vague and far to general to describe the people who actually use this product. Can we narrow it down to a nationality or ethnicity at least? "North America" is pretty well recognized as the US, Canada, and Mexico? Can someone give me a definite definition of "Middle East?" —Preceding unsigned comment added by Neo1973 (talk • contribs) 23:47, 1 February 2008 (UTC)

Culinary uses
Ambergris were sometimes used in cooking. Possibly mainly as a scenting agent (just like musk was used on the same periods). An example is "To make a very Good Great Oxford-shire Cake" found in "The Compleat Cook" dated 1658. http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/10520 --Shieldfire (talk) 06:57, 29 November 2008 (UTC)

Thanks, I came here to check the veracity of this site: http://www.historicfood.com/English%20Puddings.htm and also to be repulsed upon finding out what ambergris actually is. >< NagCopaleen (talk) 06:50, 28 June 2010 (UTC)

Selling and buying in USA, Europe, Australia
I noticed that in the article are missing important information on selling, buying or possessing ambergris. Apparently in all these three continents is forbidden. Here a good article with a lot of other sources. http://www.cropwatch.org/ambergrisupdate.htm --Dia^ (talk) 15:51, 25 May 2011 (UTC)

availability
Are there any figures available to describe how much ambergris is found each year? Given the many cultural uses of ambergris, the supply cannot be that limited historically, but since there is no way of systematically harvesting it, a good deal of luck is involved--just how much is found floating at sea or washed up on shore? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 165.91.64.188 (talk) 06:02, 8 November 2011 (UTC)

Historical and cross-cultural uses
What does "and cross-cultural" mean? "Not just in my country"? Barbabob (talk) 15:44, 3 September 2012 (UTC)

 * It didn't make sense, I've removed it.--Daffydavid (talk) 02:10, 4 September 2012 (UTC)

Error on origin - needs correction
New Scientist magazine 15 September 2012 reports that the notion that ambergris is vomited is a myth. According to oceanographer Robert Clark 2006 it generally remains stuck in the intestine until it causes the whale's death, although it is occasionally expelled. Sperm whale regularly and normally vomit accumulated masses of squid beaks, but this is not ambergris.

This explanation is accepted by Christopher Kemp whose book is referenced already

Suggest this explanation should replace the vague explanation in the article, or at the very least given as an alternative explanation. Shaunfensom (talk) 08:52, 22 September 2012 (UTC)

 * The problem with this is how do we then explain the ambergris found washed up on shore?--Daffydavid (talk) 22:04, 22 September 2012 (UTC)

Assessment comment
Substituted at 07:31, 29 April 2016 (UTC)

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"Ambergris March"
Not sure if "Ambergris March" from Drawing Restraint 9 (album) should be mentioned here. --- Another Believer ( Talk ) 21:41, 23 September 2018 (UTC)

Proposal to just outright remove the popular culture section
I think that it's a non-helpful section. If someone were to flesh out the references I think it could stand to be there but as it stands the thing is a largely unsourced list.

Options:

1 - Do nothing.

2 - Someone can improve the citations in the section.

3 - Remove passages that don't have a citation.

4 - Remove the entire section.

Thoughts?Rap Chart Mike (talk) 13:54, 22 May 2019 (UTC)
 * Remove entire section. It outweighs the article, and does nothing to help understand what ambergris is. --jpgordon𝄢𝄆 𝄐𝄇 14:13, 22 May 2019 (UTC)

While my first instinct is to remove the popular culture section entirely, after some thought I propose it be reduced to a four-sentence or less paragraph, including the Battuta and Melville references, while briefly mentioning ambergris' mention in television and film. That would seem like a reasonable and informative addition to the article. If no-one sees fit to spend the time to do this, then an outright removal would be preferable to what is there now. 67.4.101.115 (talk) 04:08, 20 July 2019 (UTC)
 * Oppose The section seems perfectly serviceable to me. Maybe someone already improved the citations per your request, but almost everything seemed to have a citation. I might be late to this conversation. Joe  (talk) 07:36, 22 November 2021 (UTC)

"animalic"?
Does 'animalic' mean 'animal-like'? Or is it some sort of technical term? --159.2.46.127 (talk) 15:08, 23 December 2019 (UTC)

 * Just looked it up, apparently it means 'of or relating to animals' according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary. Huh. Learn something new every day. What a funny little article. Joe  (talk) 07:39, 22 November 2021 (UTC)

Yemen fishermen find $1.5m of ambergris in the belly of a whale
This may be worth mentioning... Yemen fishermen find $1.5m of ambergris in the belly of a whale.

Jeffrey Walton (talk) 07:11, 2 June 2021 (UTC)

title: Talk:Ambergris


text:
You Are the Quarry

You Are the Quarry is the seventh studio album by English alternative rock singer Morrissey. It was released on 17 May 2004 by record label Attack, and was his first album in seven years following 1997's Maladjusted. The album was a huge comeback for Morrissey; all four of its singles reached the top 10 on the UK Singles Chart, and the album itself reached number 2. The album also reached number 11 on the Billboard 200, making it Morrissey's highest-charting album in the United States.

Reception
According to critic review aggregator Metacritic, the album received an average review score of 72/100, based on 31 critical reviews, indicating "Generally favorable reviews".

Release
The first single released to promote the album was "Irish Blood, English Heart", released on 10 May 2004. You Are the Quarry was released on 17 May 2004 by record label Attack. The album charted at number 2 in the UK.

Some versions of the packaging do not show the full frame on the cover, but only a crop of Morrissey's face, cropping out the machine gun.

Nancy Sinatra recorded a version of "Let Me Kiss You", which was released as a single which performed well on the UK Singles Chart, prior to Morrissey's own single release of the song.

In October 2004, Attack repackaged and reissued You Are the Quarry as a two-disc deluxe edition. The second disc collected the nine B-sides from the album's first three singles, as well as music videos and live TV performances from the record, including Morrissey's live performances on American TV show The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn. The original album is available with the bonus DVD, featuring the "Irish Blood, English Heart" video, song lyrics and a photo gallery.

20th Anniversary Concerts
Morrissey was set to perform the album in its entirety at two concerts in Southern California to celebrate its 20th anniversary. The concerts were scheduled for 26 January 2024 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, and 27 January 2024 at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles. The shows were ultimately cancelled when Morrissey was ordered to remain in Zurich Switzerland while suffering from physical exhaustion.

Track listing

 * Deluxe Edition bonus disc: video / live TV

 * "Irish Blood, English Heart" (promotional video)
 * "First of the Gang to Die" (from The Late Late Show, 22 July 2004)
 * "I Have Forgiven Jesus" (from The Late Late Show, 23 July 2004)
 * "Let Me Kiss You" (from The Late Late Show, 24 August 2004)

Personnel

 * Morrissey – vocals
 * Alain Whyte – guitar, backing vocals
 * Boz Boorer – guitar
 * Gary Day – bass guitar
 * Dean Butterworth – drums
 * Roger Manning – keyboards
 * Jerry Finn – production

Certifications and sales
! scope="row" |Worldwide
 * N/A
 * 1,000,000

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

title: You Are the Quarry


text:
User talk:Skithtranti

You can edit this so you can add useful information to the Wikipedia. You can read more about how this works by following links from the Community Portal. -- Nunh-huh 00:53, 17 Mar 2004 (UTC)

title: User talk:Skithtranti


text:
International Wolf Center

The International Wolf Center (IWC) is a research and educational organization based near Ely, Minnesota, United States, that, in its own words, "advances the survival of wolf populations by teaching about wolves, their relationship to wildlands and the human role in their future." The Wolf Center operates an interpretive center in Ely open to the public, where visitors can view captive "ambassador wolves" in natural surroundings through large windows, and can learn about wolves through a variety of exhibits and programs. This organization lies within Superior National Forest. It also sponsors research symposia and offsite educational programs, publishes International Wolf magazine, and provides information about wolves via its website.

In response to wolf controversies, the Wolf Center does not take a stand on how wolves should be managed (such as by hunting or trapping), as long as healthy wolf populations are maintained. Its policy is to provide the most accurate, up-to-date information possible about wolves and let people make their own decisions.

Exhibits and activities
Founded in 1985 by a group of biologists led by wolf biologist Dr. L. David Mech, the International Wolf Center opened in June 1993. The Wolf Center is housed in a 17000 sqft facility near Ely, Minnesota and features Gray wolves (Canis lupus) viewable through large windows that allow visitors to watch the wolves communicate, hunt, eat and play. Visitors have the opportunity to view a 1.25 acre enclosure that is home to an Exhibit Pack of ambassador wolves, representing several North American subspecies, including Arctic, Northwestern, and Great Plains. The Center introduces new wolf pups every four years. In addition to the on-site wolves, the Center offers various educational programs at its Ely interpretive facility, as well as wolf hot spots in northern Minnesota. Afternoon, weekend and week-long programs include howling trips, snowshoe treks, radio tracking, family activities, dog sledding, videos, presentations, demonstrations and hikes. The Center also houses a new Discover Wolves! exhibit, the Little Wolf exhibit designed specifically for children ages three to nine, a theater for watching documentaries on a variety of wolf-related topics, and a "Wolf Den" store.

International Wolf magazine is published quarterly by the International Wolf Center. The publication is free to members of the International Wolf Center, and selected articles from each issue are available online.

To help accomplish its mission, the International Wolf Center provides a support program for educators, including distance learning opportunities as part of the "WolfLink" initiative that brings the center into hundreds of classrooms each year.

The center sponsored a video game called WolfQuest, which has been developed by the Minnesota Zoo. WolfQuest is an educational computer game that is intended to teach children and teens about the life of a wild wolf in Yellowstone National Park. Two episodes have been released thus far; WolfQuest: Amethyst Mountain, and WolfQuest: Slough Creek.

title: International Wolf Center


text:
Talk:Thespis

Comments
Material added in my edit summarized as "merging" on 15 March 2004 was in fact contributed at Thespus: its contributors can be found at that article's page history (that article is now a redirect). Jwrosenzweig 00:57, 17 Mar 2004 (UTC)

November 23
The Sports Night episode, and its mention in this article, references November 23, 534 BC as the date of Thespis' first performance. Is that confirmed, (and thus should be included in the main part of the article), or was that invented for the show? Nerrolken (talk) 00:16, 3 September 2008 (UTC)

 * Relying on Sports Night is an iffy proposition at best. How anyone could determine that Thespis did what he did on 23 Nov. is a complete mystery. A character on this show once stated absolutely that Napoleon was murdered on Elba (that's what he said - I promise!) Aaron Sorkin is a know-it-all who doesn't know much, so never rely on anything you hear on this stupid show.209.179.21.14 (talk) 02:49, 17 July 2014 (UTC)

Assessment
This article is almost completely unreferenced and is full of weasel words. Assessment: Start. -- Ssilvers (talk) 21:38, 4 June 2009 (UTC)

Thespis and Aristoteles
There is not, any way, reference to Thespis in Aristoteles's Poetics 84.101.98.210 (talk) 22:05, 4 September 2009 (UTC) jpia

Well, I thought if Aristotle did refer to Thespis, if at all, must be from his Poetics, because, it is not probable that any other works by him could refer to Thespis.

 * ?? Did you just admit to completely making up a source? You suck. 77.165.250.227 (talk) 17:43, 12 September 2019 (UTC)

title: Talk:Thespis


text:
MBD

MBD or MBd may refer to:

Biology and medicine

 * Metabolic bone disease
 * Methyl-CpG-binding domain protein 2 a protein which bind the DNA on its methyl-CpG
 * Minimal brain dysfunction or minimal brain damage, obsolete terms for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, dyslexia and other learning disabilities

Computing

 * Megabaud (MBd), equal to one million baud, symbol rate in telecommunications
 * Model-based definition, a method of using 3D CAD information to provide product specifications
 * Model-based design, a mathematical and visual method of addressing problems associated with designing complex control, signal processing and communication systems
 * Motherboard, a computer component

Physics

 * Maxwell–Boltzmann distribution, a probability distribution in physics and chemistry
 * Multibody dynamics

Media

 * Mordechai Ben David, a Jewish singer and recording artist
 * Murder by Death (band), an indie rock band
 * My Brightest Diamond, chamber rock band of Shara Worden
 * Man bites dog (journalism), a shortened version of an aphorism in journalism

Other uses

 * Member Board of Directors
 * Microsoft Business Division, responsible for making Microsoft Office

title: MBD


text:
User:Jimbo 05247

Romeo romeo wherefore art thou romeo??

title: User:Jimbo 05247


text:
Will Carling

William David Charles Carling  (born 12 December 1965) is an English former rugby union player. He was England's youngest captain, aged 22, and won 72 caps from 1988 to 1996, captaining England 59 times. Under his captaincy, England won Five Nations Grand Slam in 1991, 1992 and 1995, and reached the 1991 World Cup final.

He played for Rosslyn Park and Harlequins at club level. In the 1992 New Year Honours, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).

Since retiring, Carling has pursued interests including corporate speaking and punditry. In 2018 he joined the England coaching staff of Eddie Jones as a leadership mentor.

Early life
The son of Lieutenant Colonel Bill Carling, an officer in the Royal Regiment of Wales, Carling was born in Bradford-on-Avon and educated at Terra Nova School in Cheshire and then Sedbergh School, on an army scholarship. He disliked being sent to prep school but showed an aptitude for rugby and played above his age group, arriving at Sedbergh – a "big rugby school" – with a reputation as a serious talent.

On 2 April 1983 he made his debut for England Schools in a 16–0 victory over Ireland. He narrowly missed out on a junior Grand Slam, with an England Schools side that included Kevin Simms, Victor Ubogu and Carling's future Durham and Harlequins teammate Andy Mullins, losing 13–12 to Wales.

University
Having decided for a career in the British Army like his father, Carling – after a gap year – took an in-service degree in Psychology at Durham University. This meant the "occasional weekend exercise", but otherwise military activities were rather limited. He was an undergraduate student at Hatfield College, Durham (which had built a strong sporting reputation post-war), and was reunited with Mullins. Carling did not enjoy the transition from school to university rugby, and claimed to have "stagnated" in terms of development. Playing his first year at fullback, he had to accept a style of rugby that offered less creative freedom than he was used to.

Carling strongly considered giving up rugby after failing to enjoy his first year on the pitch at Durham, but found himself rejuvenated during an old boys' match at Sedbergh; and this reignited a desire to succeed in the sport. By his own admission did not take his studies seriously and was often absent for lectures. He left with an ordinary pass degree in 1988. In January that year, Carling, still an undergraduate, made his debut for England against at the Parc des Princes. In May he was invited to tour with England abroad, but the start date clashed with his final exams. Consequently, he took his exams two days early, and to safeguard examination security, was driven straight to Newcastle Airport.

Despite a less than stellar academic record, Carling had the opportunity to continue his education at the University of Cambridge and represent Cambridge University R.U.F.C., who had already recruited his Durham colleague Chris Oti. However, Carling did not follow up the invitation, because he did not feel he would have got in on merit.

Early career, 1987–1991
The England rugby team were in a period of transition following failure at the 1987 Rugby World Cup. There was a new manager, Geoff Cooke, and a new coach, Roger Uttley, replacing Mike Weston and Martin Green. England's recent record was one of considerable underachievement, described by one writer as a "sprawling desert of failure, stretching back as far as 1963" — they had only won a single Five Nations Championship since then, in 1980. The new season offered good prospects for younger players, as league rugby was introduced for the first time, establishing a "proper system which rewarded progress"; Divisional Championships, which brought the best club players into regional teams, would not necessarily be the main method of selection in future.

In February 1987 Carling made his debut for Harlequins against Metropolitan Police. He soon played for England B in a 22–9 win over France B. Carling sensed he had a chance of earning his first senior England cap when Kevin Simms, a former England Schoolboys teammate, was selected to play against Romania. As Carling knew the strengths and weaknesses of Simms and "wasn't in awe of him", expectation that he might match this achievement grew.

Around Christmas 1987 Carling took part in an England trial for the upcoming Five Nations Championship. Initially he and Simms were set to be part of a junior team set to test more experienced "probables" including Simon Halliday of Bath and John Buckton of Saracens; but both Halliday and Buckton pulled hamstrings, which saw Carling and Simms "bumped up". The team list was officially published the following Monday, and after some uncertainty, Carling realised he'd earned his first callup when a university friend phoned to congratulate him. His debut against France on 16 January was a defeat, with England losing 10-9 in Paris due to a late French score. Later comparing the atmosphere in the dressing room afterwards to a "morgue", Carling was nonetheless pleased with his own performance. Carling started the remaining games against Wales, Scotland and Ireland, with England winning the latter two to finish third in that years Five Nations Championship.

Though still expected to pursue a military career, Carling abandoned these plans. He has stated that, contrary to media suggestions, he was never "fully commissioned". By Carling's own account, he was due to attend Sandhurst for the full officer training course in August 1988, but his status as an England international meant the army would not be able to accommodate his rugby ambitions. As a result, Carling opted to "buy himself out" of the army for £8,000. As rugby was an amateur game at this point, he accepted an executive post with Mobil Oil to make ends meet.

1991–1995
Under Carling England started to challenge and beat the established rugby union powers such as New Zealand and Australia, and their success helped to make rugby union a more popular sport in England. English victories over New Zealand and South Africa in 1993 were perhaps the peak of England's performance under Carling.

Carling's career included the 1993 British Lions tour to New Zealand. He underachieved on that tour, a pattern attributed by coach Ian McGeechan and manager Geoff Cooke as at least partly due to his failing to secure the captaincy (this instead going to Gavin Hastings of Scotland) but also due in large part to the ascendency in the centre of both Jeremy Guscott and Scott Gibbs of Wales. McGeechan and Cooke disclosed that Carling came close to voluntarily withdrawing from the squad; he did however recover his test place and played a notable role in the third test. McGeechan commented in his autobiography that Carling's failure to rise to the occasion as a Lion (in contrast to Guscott) may be seen by some as the difference between his legacy as a good player and a great player.

Also in 1993, he became the second captain after John Pullin to lead and beat all of the “Big Three” Southern Hemisphere sides:, and , after beating the All Blacks 15–9. He had earlier led England to wins against Australia in November 1988, and South Africa in November 1992. As captain, he had 2 wins against Australia, 1 against New Zealand, and 2 against South Africa.

1995 World Cup
In the run-up to the 1995 World Cup, after England returned to form with their third Grand Slam in five years, Carling described the Rugby Football Union general committee as "57 old farts" which led to his sacking as captain. The incident had been provoked by administrator Dudley Wood's comments about England players' alleged desire to cheat by breaking the amateur ethic. He was however quickly reinstated due to public pressure and following a public apology was able to go to the 1995 Rugby World Cup. After a slow start, England found form and subsequently won all their group games knocking out Australia in the quarter-final 25–22, thanks to a last-minute drop-goal from Rob Andrew. They were well beaten by New Zealand in the semi-final, largely thanks to four tries from Jonah Lomu. Although Carling himself scored two tries towards the end of that game, and set up two more for Rory Underwood, England lost 45–29. The subsequent loss in the third place play-off, against France, was England's first loss to the French in seven years.

Following his resignation from the England captaincy, he continued to be selected as an outside centre, usually with Guscott or Phil de Glanville; the latter succeeded him as captain.

Life after rugby
After his rugby career ended he became a TV pundit on rugby union. He has also worked as a motivational speaker and in 2001 founded Will Carling Management Ltd, a corporate hospitality company which is also involved in the rugby social networking website 'Rucku'.

George Gregan, an Australian player, equalled Carling's then world record 59 matches as captain in the 2007 Rugby World Cup against Fiji. In the 2009 Tri Nations Series, Springbok John Smit also equalled and then beat Carling's record in tests between New Zealand in Bloemfontein, and Durban respectively. Brian O'Driscoll Ireland/Lions 2009 and 2010, and Richie McCaw broke his record in 2011.

Personal life
Carling is married to his second wife Lisa, the ex-wife of David Cooke. The couple have two children. Carling has an older son with former partner Ali Cockayne. Carling was previously married to the television presenter Julia Carling (née Smith) from 1994 to 1996. Prior to their divorce, he was romantically linked by some members of the press with Diana, Princess of Wales, the then-wife of Prince Charles. Carling has denied any such relationship.

Carling, whose mother was diagnosed with breast cancer when he was an infant and later died from the disease, is a patron of the charity Breakthrough Breast Cancer.

Politics
In August 2014, Carling was one of 200 public figures who were signatories to a letter to The Guardian opposing Scottish independence in the run-up to September's referendum on that issue.

Honours as captain
Rugby World Cup
 * Runner-up: 1991

Five Nations Championship
 * Champions: 1991 (Grand Slam and Triple Crown), 1992 (Grand Slam and Triple Crown), 1995 (Grand Slam and Triple Crown), 1996 (Triple Crown)
 * Runners-up: 1989, 1990, 1994

Calcutta Cup
 * Winners: 1989, 1991–96
 * Runners-up: 1990

Millennium Trophy
 * Winners: 1989–92, 1995–96
 * Runners-up: 1993–94

Honours
In 2021, World Rugby inducted Carling into its World Rugby Hall of Fame, alongside Osea Kolinisau, Humphrey Kayange, Huriana Manuel, Cheryl McAfee and Jim Telfer.

title: Will Carling


text:
Nima Yooshij

Nimā Yushij (12 November 1895 – 6 January 1960; ), also called Nimā (نیما), née Ali Esfandiari (Persian: علی اسفندیاری), was an prominent Iranian poet. He is famous for his style of poetry which he popularized, called she'r-e now (شعر نو, lit. "new poetry"), also known as She'r-e Nimaa'i (شعر نیمایی, lit "Nima poetry") in his honour after his death. He is considered as the father of modern Persian poetry.

He died of pneumonia in Shemiran, in the northern part of Tehran and was buried in his native village of Yush, Nur County, Mazandaran, as he had willed.

Early life
He was the eldest son of Ibrahim Nuri of Yush (a village in Baladeh, Nur County, Mazandaran province of Iran). He was a Tabarian, but also had Georgian roots on his maternal side. He grew up in Yush, mostly helping his father with the farm and taking care of the cattle. As a boy, he visited many local summer and winter camps and mingled with shepherds and itinerant workers. Images of life around the campfire, especially those emerging from the shepherds' simple and entertaining stories about village and tribal conflicts, impressed him greatly. These images, etched in the young poet's memory waited until his power of diction developed sufficiently to release them.

Nima's early education took place in a maktab. He was a truant student and the mullah (teacher) often had to seek him out in the streets, drag him to school, and punish him. At the age of twelve, Nima was taken to Tehran and registered at the St. Louis School. The atmosphere at the Roman Catholic school did not change Nima's ways, but the instructions of a thoughtful teacher did. Nezam Vafa, a major poet himself, took the budding poet under his wing and nurtured his poetic talent.

Instruction at the Catholic school was in direct contrast to instruction at the maktab. Similarly, living among the urban people was at variance with life among the tribal and rural peoples of the north. In addition, both these lifestyles differed greatly from the description of the lifestyle about which he read in his books or listened to in class. Although it did not change his attachment to tradition, the difference set fire to young Nima's imagination. In other words, even though Nima continued to write poetry in the tradition of Saadi and Hafez for quite some time his expression was being affected gradually and steadily. Eventually, the impact of the new overpowered the tenacity of tradition and led Nima down a new path. Consequently, Nima began to replace the familiar devices that he felt were impeding the free flow of ideas with innovative, even though less familiar devices that enhanced a free flow of concepts. "Ay Shab" (O Night) and "Afsaneh" (Myth) belong to this transitional period in the poet's life (1922).

Contributions

In general, Nima reformed the rhythm and allowed the length of the line to be determined by the depth of the thought being expressed rather than by the conventional Persian meters that had dictated the length of a bayt (verse) since the early days of Persian poetry. Furthermore, he emphasized current issues, especially the nuances of oppression and suffering, at the expense of the beloved's moon face or the ever-growing conflict between the lovers, the beloved, and the rival. In other words, Nima realized that while some readers were enthused by the charms of the lover and the coquettish ways of the beloved, the majority preferred heroes with whom they could identify. Nima actually wrote quite a few poems in the traditional Persian poetry style and as critiqued by Abdolali Dastgheib, showed his ability well. However, he felt the old ways limit his freedom to express his deep feelings or important issues faced by society. This led him to break free and create a whole new style for modern poetry.

Furthermore, Nima enhanced his images with personifications that were very different from the "frozen" imagery of the moon, the rose garden, and the tavern. His unconventional poetic diction took poetry out of the rituals of the court and placed it squarely among the masses. The natural speech of the masses necessarily added local color and flavor to his compositions. Lastly, and by far Nima's most dramatic element was the application of symbolism. His use of symbols was different from the masters in that he based the structural integrity of his creations on the steady development of the symbols incorporated. In this sense, Nima's poetry could be read as a dialogue among two or three symbolic references building up into a cohesive semantic unit. In the past only Hafez had attempted such creations in his Sufic ghazals. The basic device he employed, however, was thematic, rather than symbolic unity. Symbolism, although the avenue for the resolution of the most enigmatic of his ghazals, plays a secondary role in the structural makeup of the composition.455

Works
The venues in which Nima published his works are noteworthy. In the early years when the presses were controlled by the powers that be, Nima's poetry, deemed below the established norm, was not allowed publication. For this reason, many of Nima's early poems did not reach the public until the late 1930s. After the fall of Reza Shah, Nima became a member of the editorial board of the "Music" magazine. Working with Sadeq Hedayat, he published many of his poems in that magazine. Only on two occasions he published his works at his own expense: "The Pale Story" and "The Soldier's Family."

The closing of "Music" coincided with the formation of the Tudeh Party and the appearance of a number of leftist publications. Radical in nature, Nima was attracted to the new papers and published many of his groundbreaking compositions in them.

Ahmad Zia Hashtroudy and Abolghasem Jannati Ataei are among the first scholars to have worked on Nima's life and works. The former included Nima's works in an anthology entitled "Contemporary Writers and Poets" (1923). The selections presented were: "Afsaneh," (Myth) "Ay Shab" (O Night), "Mahbass" (Prison), and four short stories.

Other sources

 * Essays on Nima Yushij: Animating Modernism in Persian Poetry, edited by Ahmad Karimi-Hakkak and Kamran Talattof. Leiden: Brill, 2004.
 * Dastgheib, Abdolali. 2006. The Messenger of Hope and Liberty: Critical Review of poems by Nima Yooshij. 2006. Amitis Publishers, Tehran, Iran. ISBN 964-8787-12-3. (Farsi title: پیام آور امید و آزادی)

title: Nima Yooshij


text:
Eight Crazy Nights

Eight Crazy Nights, also known as Adam Sandler's Eight Crazy Nights, is a 2002 American adult animated Hanukkah musical comedy-drama film directed by Seth Kearsley (in his feature directorial debut), written by Adam Sandler, Allen Covert, Brooks Arthur, and Brad Issacs, and produced by Sandler, Covert, and Jack Giarraputo. It stars Sandler in his first voice-acting role, alongside future wife Jackie Titone, Austin Stout, Rob Schneider, Kevin Nealon, Norm Crosby, and Jon Lovitz. The film is animated in the style of television holiday specials and, unlike most mainstream holiday films, centers on Jewish characters during the Hanukkah season, as opposed to the Christian celebration of Christmas.

The title is taken from a line in Sandler's series of songs called "The Chanukah Song" that compares the gift-giving traditions of Christmas and Chanukah: "Instead of one day of presents, we get eight crazy nights!" A new version of "The Chanukah Song" also plays over the film's closing credits.

Produced by Sandler's production company Happy Madison Productions (as its first animated film), Eight Crazy Nights was released in the United States on November 27, 2002, by Columbia Pictures. The film grossed $23.8 million and received negative reviews from critics.

Plot
In the fictional town of Dukesberry, New Hampshire, 33-year-old Jewish alcoholic Davey Stone has earned the community's animosity thanks to a criminal record. One night, he is arrested for dining and dashing, attempting to evade arrest, stealing a snowmobile, and destroying festive ice sculptures in the process. At Davey's trial, Whitey Duvall, a 69-year-old volunteer referee from Davey's former basketball league, convinces the judge to sentence Davey to community service as a referee-in-training for Whitey's Youth Basketball League, on the condition that if Davey commits a crime before his sentence is completed, he will serve ten years in prison.

As Davey harasses the players at his first game, Whitey has a seizure, and the game is abruptly halted with Davey forfeiting it to the opposing team. Attempting to calm Davey down, Whitey takes him to the mall, where they meet Davey's childhood crush Jennifer Friedman, now a divorced single mother who has moved back to Dukesberry and taken a job at the mall, and her son Benjamin. Davey still secretly harbors feelings for Jennifer, but Whitey reminds Davey that he lost his chances with Jennifer years ago.

As time progresses, Whitey's various attempts to encourage Davey are met with humiliation and assault. Later, Davey bonds with Benjamin while playing basketball at the community center, but Benjamin's unsportsmanlike behavior—encouraged by Davey—leads Jennifer to scold Davey for his actions. While the two are driving to their respective homes, they reminisce about their happy childhood together and how much things have changed.

When Davey gets home, his trailer is being burned down by one of the men who lost the basketball match to him. Davey runs inside to rescue a Hanukkah card from his late parents. Whitey invites Davey to live with him and his diabetic twin sister Eleanore; Davey reluctantly accepts. To keep Davey in line, Whitey and Eleanore explain the complex rules of the household, stating that Davey will be evicted if he does not abide.

Davey slowly starts to turn his life around. One day, Whitey recalls Davey's past: en route to one of Davey's basketball games, Davey's parents died in a car accident, and he learned of the tragedy shortly after winning the game. He spent the rest of his childhood in and out of foster facilities and state homes, and the next 21 years numbing his pain with alcohol and petty crime, ostracizing himself from Jennifer and his other friends. Distraught after being reminded of his trauma, Davey insults Whitey and Eleanore, and Whitey evicts him.

Davey spends the rest of the day binge-drinking. That night, he breaks into the closed mall and hallucinates the logos and mascots of various stores coming to life and confronting him about his inability to grieve. He finally opens his parents' Hanukkah card, which contains a heartfelt message asking him not to change who he is. Davey finally allows himself to cry over his parents. Just then, two cops arrive to arrest him, but he escapes and boards a bus to New York City. The bus is forced to stop when a thumbtack in the road punctures all rear tires. Reminded of the Miracle of Hanukkah, Davey sets out to find Whitey and make amends.

Davey finds Whitey at the All-Star Banquet, an annual town celebration in which one member of the community is recognized for positive contributions with the "Dukesberry All-Star Patch", which Whitey has sought after for 35 years. When Whitey is passed over again, he resolves to move to Florida and live the rest of his life in anonymity. Davey reminds the townspeople of the abuse they've subjected Whitey to throughout his life, and the selfless contributions he's made to the community in spite of that.

Davey leads them to Whitey, who has gone to the mall with Eleanore. The townspeople thank Whitey for his service over the years, and the Mayor officially grants him the Patch Award, with previous recipients giving him theirs as well. Davey and Jennifer reconcile and Whitey goes into a seizure, which he calls "the happiest seizure of his life."

Voice cast

 * Adam Sandler as:
 * Davey Stone
 * Josh Uhler as Young Davey
 * Whitey Duvall
 * Eleanore Duvall
 * Deer
 * Jackie Titone as Jennifer Friedman
 * Alison Krauss as Jennifer's singing voice
 * Ali Hoffman as Young Jennifer
 * Austin Stout as Benjamin Friedman
 * Jason Houseman as Benjamin's singing voice
 * Rob Schneider as:
 * Narrator
 * Mr. Chang
 * Kevin Nealon as Mayor Dewey
 * James Barbour as Mayor Dewey's singing voice
 * Carmen Filpi as Homeless Guy
 * Norm Crosby as the Judge
 * Jon Lovitz as Tom Baltezor

Additional voices
The rest of the cast are listed under this section in the end credits:

 * Tyra Banks as Victoria's Secret gown
 * Blake Clark as Radio Shack walkie-talkie
 * Peter Dante as Foot Locker referee
 * Ellen Albertini Dow as See's Candies box
 * Kevin Farley as Panda Express giant panda
 * Lari Friedman as The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf cup
 * Tom Kenny as The Sharper Image chair
 * Dylan Sprouse and Cole Sprouse as the KB Toys soldiers
 * Carl Weathers as GNC bottle
 * Jamie Alcroft as Eli Wolstan
 * Brooks Arthur as Rabbi Fliegel
 * Allen Covert as:
 * Bus Driver
 * Mayor Dewey's Wife
 * Old Lady
 * Lainie Kazan as Old Lady's singing voice
 * Judith Sandler as Mrs. Stone
 * Ann Wilson as Mom's singing voice
 * Stan Sandler as Mr. Stone
 * Richard Page as Dad's singing voice
 * Archie Hahn as TV Announcer

Production
Eight Crazy Nights was animated by several studios, including Anvil Studios, A. Film A/S, Bardel Entertainment, Goldenbell Animation, Marina Motion Animation, Spaff Animation, Tama Production, Time Lapse Pictures, Warner Bros. Animation, Y. R. Studio and Yowza! Animation. It was the only animated film that Sandler worked on until Hotel Transylvania in 2012, and remains the only traditionally-animated film with his involvement. This was also the first and only film produced by Meatball Productions, the animation division of Happy Madison Productions.

Music
The soundtrack was released on November 27, 2002 by Columbia/Sony Music Soundtrax. The soundtrack contains every song in the film, including the new installment of "The Chanukah Song" and a deleted song, called "At the Mall", sung by Whitey as he strolls through the mall in an alternate opening, included on the DVD release. The soundtrack was pressed onto vinyl in 2021 for the Vinyl Me, Please record club.

Release
Eight Crazy Nights came in at fifth place on its opening weekend among U.S. box office, making only $14 million since its Wednesday launch. It only grossed a total of $23.6 million in North America and negligible foreign box office receipts, for a total of only $23.8 million worldwide. This made Eight Crazy Nights become a box office bomb, losing an approximate at lowest $10.5 million to up to $44.6 million.

Critical reception
On Rotten Tomatoes, Eight Crazy Nights has an approval rating of 13% based on reviews from 111 critics and an average score of 3.50/10. The site's critical consensus reads: "Sandler returns to his roots in this nauseating concoction filled with potty humor and product placements." On Metacritic, the film has a score of 23% based on reviews from 27 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B" on an A+ to F scale.

Roger Ebert gave the film two out of four possible stars and criticized the film's dour tone, saying that "The holidays aren't very cheerful in Sandlerville." Matthew Rozsa of Salon called it the best known Hanukkah film despite its poor quality. William Thomas of Empire gave the film a one out of five stars, saying, "File under 'What the hell were they thinking?'. With this, and Mr. Deeds, Sandler's pulled off quite the combo. Avoid like the plague."

Sandler won a 2003 Kids' Choice Award for "Favorite Voice from an Animated Movie". Sandler was nominated twice for the 2002 Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actor for his performances in both Eight Crazy Nights and Mr. Deeds.

Home media
It was released on VHS and single- and two-disc edition DVD on November 4, 2003. The two-disc "special edition" features deleted scenes, several audio commentaries, and Sandler's short film A Day with the Meatball, among other special features. A Blu-ray version of the film was released on December 13, 2016.

title: Eight Crazy Nights


text:
Sohrab Sepehri

Sohrab Sepehri (October 7, 1928 – April 21, 1980; ) was a notable Iranian poet and painter. He is considered to be one of the five most famous Iranian poets who have practiced modern poetry alongside Nima Youshij, Ahmad Shamlou, Mehdi Akhavan-Sales, and Forough Farrokhzad. Sepehri's poems have been translated into several languages, including English, French, Spanish, Italian, Lithuanian and Kurdish.

Biography
Sohrab was born in Kashan, Iran on October 7, 1928. He grew up in a family that was into art and poetry. Her grandmother, Hamideh-banou Zarabi, was poet. His father worked in a post office and loved art. His mother loved poetry and art, too. When he was a child, his father suffered from paralysis and died in 1941. Sohrab missed his only brother who was his only playmate in childhood, too. He completed his elementary and secondary education in Kashan and moved to Tehran in 1943 to study at a teachers' college (Persian: دانشسرای مقدماتی). He worked as a teacher for a few years, then enrolled as a student in the Faculty of Fine Arts at the University of Tehran (Persian: دانشکده هنرهای زیبا) and graduated with honours. After finishing his education, he was employed in an oil company, which he left after 8 months. He soon published his first collection of poems named "The Death of Color", followed by a second collection, "Life Sleeps". Sohrab Sepehri was very talented in fine arts and his paintings were displayed in many European exhibits. His paintings are about nature; one of them was sold in Tehran in 2018. He is one of Iran's foremost modernist painters. Unfortunately, he moved to England for treatment, but he had to return Tehran because of the progression of his illness. Finally, he died in Pars Hospital in Tehran on April 28, 1980. He was buried in Kashan. Sohrab never got married and his grave is frequently visited by many art lovers.

Sepehri travelled to many European countries. In Paris, he enrolled in a lithography course at the school of Fine Arts. However, after he stopped receiving a scholarship, he needed to work and make a living. He sometimes worked hanging from tall buildings to wash the apartments' windows.

Poetry
Well-versed in Buddhism, mysticism, and Western traditions, he blended the Eastern concepts with Western techniques, thereby creating a kind of poetry unprecedented in the history of Persian literature. He had his own style of writing poetry, using short sentences rather than long ones, the latter having been frequently used in Persian poetry for centuries. To him, new forms were new means to express his thoughts and feelings. In one of his works called 'Footsteps of Water' or 'The Water's Footfall', Sepehri introduces himself, his family, and his way of thinking in a poetic form. This poem, which is written like a biography, has two aspects: the inner and outer. The inner aspect of this poem is about God's recognition through the beauty of nature. Sepehri explains that he doesn't blindly do his religious duties. In most of his poems, Sepehri introduces a new form of literature by using romanticism and symbolism. The beauty of his poems is seen through his evocation of nature and the use of tender and simple language. Abdolali Dastgheib, acclaimed literary critic and writer, believes that Sepehri reached great levels in poetic language following the publication of his later books such as 'The Water's Footfall', 'Traveller' and 'The Green Volume'. There are many examples of personifications, or symbols in his poetry. In his poem "Let's not Spoil the Water", he talks about water, the necessary and basic element of life which people must keep clean. He used a special symbolism in these poems that makes the objects talk to the reader, rather than describing those objects.

Sepehri's poetry is full of humanity and concern for human values. He also achieved a new technique in painting which is called Texture, and was unknown to other painters for a long time. He used to create most of his pieces of art in isolated places like "Ghariyeh Chenar" and the deserts around Kashan. His poetry has been translated into many languages including English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Swedish, Arabic, Turkish, Dutch and Russian.

The first known translation into English of Sepehri's long poem, Seday-e Pay-e Ab (صدای پای آب) by Abbas Faiz and Martin Turner was published as "Water's Footfall" by Cambridge University Press in 1986.

An English translation by Ali Salami of some of Sepehri's poems was published in 2003.

Timeline

 * Born in 1928 – Kashan, Iran
 * He hosted a painting exhibition – Tehran, 1944
 * He published his first poetry book (The Death of Color), followed by a few other books, in 1951
 * He graduated from the fine arts university with Bachelor of Arts degree in painting from Honar-haye Ziba University, Tehran – 1953
 * He translated some Japanese poems into Persian and published them in a literary magazine called Sokhan – 1955
 * He travelled to Ghazvin and attended the Paris Fine Arts School in lithography – 1957
 * He travelled to Tokyo to further his studies in lithography and wood-carving – 1960
 * He published three books of poetry – 1960
 * On the way back to Iran from Japan, he visited India and became familiar with Buddhism – 1961
 * He travelled to India again and visited several cities and provinces – 1964
 * He travelled to Pakistan and Afghanistan 1964
 * He travelled to Europe and visited several countries, including Germany, England, France, Spain, the Netherlands, Italy, and Austria – 1966
 * He published some long poems after he returned to Iran – 1966
 * He hosted a painting exhibition in Tehran – 1967
 * He published another book of poetry – 1967
 * He travelled to Greece and Egypt – 1974
 * He published his final, comprehensive book called Hasht Ketab, which collected almost all of his published poems in one volume – 1976
 * He became ill with leukemia and travelled to England for treatment in 1978
 * He returned to Iran, and died of the cancer in Pars Hospital in Tehran on April 21, 1980. Buried in Mashhad Ardehal, Kashan, Isfahan province, Iran.

Works

 * Hasht Ketab (Eight Books) 1976
 * The Death of Color 1951
 * The Life of Dreams 1953
 * Us nil, us a look Was not published until 1977
 * Downpour of Sunshine 1958
 * East of Sorrow 1961
 * The Wayfarer 1966
 * The Green Space 1967 (A poem from this book: The Oasis of Now'' (1965) translated by Kazim Ali with Mohammad Jafar Mahallati, BOA Editions, 2013.)

title: Sohrab Sepehri


text:
Ahmad Shamlou

Ahmad Shamlou (, Ahmad Šāmlū, also known under his pen name A. Bamdad ) (December 12, 1925 – July 23, 2000) was an Iranian poet, writer, and journalist. Shamlou was arguably the most influential poet of modern Iran. His initial poetry was influenced by and in the tradition of Nima Youshij. In fact, Abdolali Dastgheib, Iranian literary critic, argues that Shamlou is one of the pioneers of modern Persian poetry and has had the greatest influence, after Nima, on Iranian poets of his era. Shamlou's poetry is complex, yet his imagery, which contributes significantly to the intensity of his poems, is accessible. As the base, he uses the traditional imagery familiar to his Iranian audience through the works of Persian masters like Hafez and Omar Khayyám. For infrastructure and impact, he uses a kind of everyday imagery in which personified oxymoronic elements are spiked with an unreal combination of the abstract and the concrete thus far unprecedented in Persian poetry, which distressed some of the admirers of more traditional poetry.

Shamlou has translated extensively from French to Persian and his own works are also translated into a number of languages. He has also written a number of plays, edited the works of major classical Persian poets, especially Hafez. His thirteen-volume Ketab-e Koucheh (The Book of Alley) is a major contribution in understanding the Iranian folklore beliefs and language. He also wrote fiction and screenplays, contributing to children's literature, and journalism.

Early life
Ahmad Shamlou was born to Haydar Shamlou and Kowkab Araqi on December 12, 1925, in Rasht to an army family. Ahmad was the second child and the only son in a family of six children. In the manner of many children who grow up in families with military parents, he received his early education in various towns, including Khash and Zahedan in the southeast of Iran, and Mashhad in the northeast, and Rasht in the north. Shamlou's childhood and adolescence were neither privileged nor easy and home was not an environment that could foster his sensitivities and he often found solace in solitude. Moving with his family from one town to the next proved a hurdle to Shamlou's education.

By 1941, his high school education still incomplete, he left Birjand for Tehran. He intended to attend the German-established Tehran Technical School, one of the best secondary schools of that period and learn the German language. He was admitted to this school on the condition that he be demoted two years. Soon in 1942, he and the rest of the family once again left Tehran to move to Gorgan. In 1945, he made a final attempt at completing his high school degree in Urumieh, but he failed. At age 29, following the fall of Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddeq, Shamlou was arrested for being a member of the communist Tudeh Party of Iran and imprisoned for more than one year.

Early work
Shamlou's debut work, Forgotten Songs, was a collection of classical and modern poetry which was published in 1947 with an introduction of Ebrahim Dilmaghanian. In 1948, he started to write in a literary monthly called Sokhan-no. Two years later, his first short story, "The Woman Behind the Brass Door", was published. His second collection of poems, Manifesto, was published in 1951. He showed inclinations toward socialist ideology. He got a job in the Hungarian embassy as their cultural advisor.

His third collection of poems, Metals and Sense (1952), was banned and destroyed by the police. His translations of Gold in Dirt, by Sigmund Motritz, and the voluminous novel The Heartless Man's Sons by Mór Jókai, together with all data gathered for his work on the colloquial culture of urban Iranian life (to be known as The Book Of Alley) were also confiscated and destroyed. In 1954 he was jailed for 14 months. in 1955 he translated and published three novels by European writers. He became the editor-in-chief of Bamshad literary magazine in 1956.

1957–1959
He rose to fame from his next volume of poetry, Fresh Air, published in 1957. Zia Movahed, poet and philosopher commented that "Anyone who reads Fresh Air today can see that this language, this texture, is different from anything else. In contemporary poetry, few have accomplished this kind of rhythm as Shamlou has. Fresh Air was the greatest event in our poetry—after Hafiz".

His translation of Barefoot, a novel by Zaharia Stancu, was released in 1958, establishing Shamlou's authority as a translator. In 1959 he began publishing short stories for children, as well as directing documentary films and working for film studios.

1960–1969
In 1960, a new collection of his poems, The Garden of Mirrors, was released.

In 1961, he became editor-in-chief of Ketab-e-Hafte, a magazine that changes the tradition and language of literary journalism in Iran. In 1962 his translations of André Gide and Robert Merle were published. Two collections of poetry were published in 1964: Ayda in Mirror and Moment and Eternity. A new collection of poems was released in 1965: Ayda, Trees, Memories and the Dagger, as well as a new translation. He also began his third attempt to compile The Book of Alley. In 1966, another new collection of poems was published, called Phoenix in the Rain, and his literary magazine was banned by the Ministry of Information (SAVAK).

In 1967, he became editor-in-chief of Khusheh. His new translation of Erskine Caldwell was published, and he participated in the formation of the Union of Iranian Writers and gave several poetry readings at Iranian universities. In 1968, he began his study of Hafez, the classical grand poet of the Persian language; translated García Lorca's poems and Song of Solomon from the Old Testament; organized a week of poetry reading for established and new Iranian poets, which was very well received. The poems debuted at this event appear in a voluminous book edited by Shamlou. In 1969, his weekly magazine was closed down by the police. Of The Air And Mirrors, a selection of older poetry, was published, together with his collection of new poems, Odes for the Earth.

1970–1979
In 1970, Blossoming in the Mist was published. He also directed a few documentary films for television and published several short stories for children. In 1971, he redid some of his earlier translations.

In 1972, he taught Persian literature at Tehran University. Several audio cassettes were released of Shamlou reciting other classical and modern poets' work. He obtained membership in the Iranian Academy of Language. He published several new translations and wrote a few film scripts. He traveled to Paris for medical treatment.

In 1973, two new collections, Abraham in Fire and Doors and the Great China Wall, were released, along with several new translations. "The Song of Abraham in Fire" in the collection, Abraham in Fire is one of the most well-crafted and famous contemporary Persian poems written by Ahmad Shamlou. Shamlou connects his poem to the collective consciousness of the whole world, presenting characters of the hero and even the social scapegoat rather in a curious way as we read about the case of a man who sacrifices himself for land and love and, yet, who is betrayed by others due to their ignorance and biases. In 1975, he published his work and study of Hafez. In 1976, he travelled to the United States and gave poetry readings in many cities. He participated in the San Francisco Poetry Festival before returning to Iran.

In 1977, he published his new poem, Dagger on the Plate. He left Iran in protest of the Shah's regime and stayed in the United States for a year, giving lectures in American universities.

In 1978, he left the United States for Britain to act as the editor-in-chief for a new publication called Iranshahr; he resigned after 12 issues and returned to Iran just after the advent of the revolution. He rejoined the Union of Iranian Writers and began publishing a new periodical, Ketab-e Jom'e to great success. 1978 was a very active year in his life, and he published many poems and translations, as well as giving numerous lectures and readings. He was also elected to the membership of the Writer's Union's leadership. 1979 was also a year of intense activity. The first and second volumes of The Book of Alley went to print. He was also re-elected as a member of the Writer's Union's leadership.

1980–2000
Starting in 1980, owing to the harsh political situation in his country, he led a rather secluded life that would last for the next eight years, working with Ayda on The Book Of Alley, as well as many other literary endeavors, including a translation of And Quiet Flows The Don by Mikhail Sholokhov. In 1984 he was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature.

In 1988 he was invited by Interlit, the World Literary Congress. He toured Europe giving many lectures and readings. His complete collection of poems was printed in Germany, and he returned to Iran. In 1990 he toured the United States. Human Rights and The Fund For Freedom of Expression presented him with their annual award. Several works were published in his poetry and his overall literary contribution.

In 1991 he toured Europe again and returned to Iran for another four years of intensive work. That same year, he won the Freedom of Expression Award given by the New York–based Human Rights Watch. In 1992, his work Sacred Words appeared in Armenian and English. In 1994, he toured Sweden, invited by his Swedish editor Masoud Dehghani Firouzabadi, giving numerous lectures and readings.

In 1995, he finished the translation of And Quiet Flows The Don. There was a special gathering in Toronto of Iranian writers and critics to discuss Shamlou's contribution to Persian poetry. His Aurora! was also published in Spanish. In 1999, he was presented with the Stig Dagerman Prize by the Swedish Foundation.

Personal life
Shamlou was married three times. In 1947, he married Ashraf Isslamiya (d. 1978), and together they had three sons and a daughter: Siavash Shamlou, (1948–2009), Sirous Shamlou, Saman Shamlou, Saghi Shamlou. They divorced in 1957 after several years of conflict and long separation. His second marriage to (1917–1996) who was older than Shamlou, ended in divorce in 1963 after four years of marriage.

He met Aida Sarkisian in the spring of 1962 and they were married two years later in 1964. Aida came from an Armenian-Iranian family who lived in the same neighborhood as Shamlou. Her Christian family objected to the marriage on the basis of the Islamic background of Shamlou's family. Moreover, Shamlou was older, and had been divorced twice. She became an instrumental figure in Shamlou's life, and they remained together until his death in 2000. Her name appears in many of his later poems. She currently lives in Karaj.

Death
Suffering from several illnesses at the same time, Shamlou's physical condition deteriorated in 1996. He underwent several operations, and in 1997, his right foot was amputated due to severe diabetic problems. He died on Sunday, 23 July 2000, at 9 p.m. at his home in Dehkadeh Fardis in Karaj due to complications from his diabetes. On 27 July thousands took part in Ahmad Shamlou's funeral. He was buried in Emamzadeh Taher, Karaj.

Works and style
Ahmad Shamlou has published more than seventy books: 16 volumes of poetry; 5 anthologies of poetry; 5 volumes including novels about kids, short stories & screenplays about soup; 9 volumes of children's literature about Clifford; 9 translations of poetry into Persian; 21 novels translated into Persian; 5 collections of essays, lectures and interviews; 10 volumes (to date) of The Book Of Alley.

Ahmad Shamlou's poetic vision accords with both western Modernist concepts and the modern transformation of classical Persian poetry. The Spanish poet, Federico García Lorca, the African American poet Langston Hughes, the French thinker and writer, Louis Aragon, and Nima Youshij are among the figures who influenced him. One of the disciples of Nima Youshij, Shamlou, standing among the generation who adopted his techniques, constantly sought untried ways, new poetic realms. He quickly became the flag bearer of young Iranian poets and writers that included Forough Farrokhzad, Sohrab Sepehri, Mehdi Akhavan Sales, Yadollah Roya’i, Nosrat Rahmani, and Nader Naderpour.

Shamlou is known for employing the style and words of the everyman. He developed a simple, free poetic style, known in Iran as Sepid Persian Poetry (literally meaning white), which is a kind of free verse that departs from the tightly balanced rhythm and rhymes of classical Persian poetry. The themes in his poetry range from political issues, mostly freedom, to the human condition.

Shamlou's poems are filled with mythological concepts and symbols to glorify seemingly simple and ordinary figures who are politically condemned for their revolutionary beliefs that, regardless of governmental suppression, actually reflect the activists’ deep love of their nation and people. Even though his focus is the purity of such individuals, many of whom were his close friends, Shamlou writes his elegiac poems boldly, and does not hold back from criticizing and denouncing hypocrisy and cruelty of his society.

Political views
Shamlou was a Marxist and a socially minded intellectual who has woven personal love and affection together with his social attitudes. He was a major force in the intellectual movement opposed to the former Shah of Iran before the 1979 revolution. During his long life, Shamlou was politically active and imprisoned twice, first after the end of World War II and then after the 1953 coup, but he continued to remain socio-politically active by writing poems devoted to political and social critique even after the Iranian Revolution. In 1976, he left his country as a form of protest against censorship and the suffocating political atmosphere. In 1977, one year before the collapse of the Shah's Regime, he signed an open letter which supported the rights of gathering for members of The Writers Association of Iran. New Islamic regime wasn't favorable to him, considering him as an anti-Islamist nationalist element, a traitor and a Westernised writer. However, with a view to his popularity, the ruling clerics could not arrest him, but at the same time didn't allow publication of his works for many years. Since the early 1990s his poems have appeared in many literary journals.

Awards

 * Forough Farrokhzad Prize, 1973
 * Freedom of Expression Award given by Human Rights Watch, 1990
 * Stig Dagerman Prize, 1999
 * Free Word Award given by Poets of All Nations in Netherlands, 2000

Books

 * The Forgotten Songs (1947)
 * The Verdict (1951)
 * Poems of Iron and Feelings (1953)
 * Fresh Air (1957)
 * The Mirror Orchard (1960)
 * Ayda in the Mirror (1964)
 * Moments and Forever (1964)
 * Ayda: Tree, Dagger, Remembrance (1965)
 * Phoenix in the Rain (1966)
 * Blossoming in the Mist (1970)
 * Abraham in the Fire (1973)
 * The Doors and the Great Wall of China (1973)
 * Of Airs and Mirrors (1974)
 * Poniard on the Plate (1977)
 * Little Rhapsodizes of Exile (1979–1980)
 * Unrewarded Eulogies (1992)
 * The Cul-de-Sac and the Tigers in Love (1998)
 * The Tale of Mahan's Restlessness (2000)
 * The Book of Alley (1978–present)

In English translation

 * , includes translations of 30 works.

In French translation

 * Châmlou, Ahmad. Choix de poèmes, tr. Ahmad Kamyabi Mask. Paris: A. Kamyabi Mask, 2000. ISBN 9782910337070
 * S̆āmlū, Aḥmad. Hymnes d'amour et d'espoir. tr. Parviz Khazrai. Orphée, La Différence, 1994.
 * Shamlou, Ahmad. "Hurle-moi", tr. Sylvie Mochiri Miller. L'Harmattan, collection Iran en Transition, 2021 ISBN 9782343221908
 * Shamlou, Ahmad. La Passion de la Recréation. Poésies. Tr. Media Kashigar et Jalal Alavinia, Ed. Lettres Persanes, 2022. 368 pages. 125 poèmes. Biographie complète. ISBN 9782916012230

The Fairies Opera
In 1989 the Persian-Canadian composer Sheida Gharachedaghi wrote an opera based on the English translation of Shamlou's The Fairies. The Fairies Opera had a Live performance in Toronto in 1989. The CD of the 1989 - live performance of this opera was released in July 2020 in Europe on the occasion of Shamlou's 20th death anniversary. Kayhan Kalhor had sung The Fairies in Persian with solo instrument Setar in one part of the live performance, however this part is not included in the CD. The composer had tried to obtain the permission to release this CD in Iran as well, but due to ban of solo female singing, the permit had not been issued. The British journal Opera writes: "with lyrics such as ‘everybody sing and dance/ this is a real person’s chance’, ‘darkness away, devils die!’... it's not hard to fathom why the work has been banned in Iran for three decades."

Abraham in Flames
Abraham in Flames ابراهیم در آتش, an opera created by Niloufar Talebi with composer Aleksandra Vrebalov and director Roy Rallo, world premiered on May 9–12, 2019 at San Francisco's Z Space as an immersive performance. Abraham in Flames is inspired by the imagery in Shamlou's life and poetry, and trials by fire in our search for truth, a metaphor Shamlou often used in his poetry. The opera was called "...An amazing achievement for everybody involved, and truly a worthy addition to the opera world" and became a San Francisco Chronicle 2019 "Best in New Music and Classical Performance" selection.

title: Ahmad Shamlou


text:
Luxottica

Luxottica Group S.p.A. is an Italian eyewear conglomerate based in Milan. As a vertically integrated company, Luxottica designs, manufactures, distributes, and retails its eyewear brands all through its own subsidiaries. The company, presently organized as a subsidiary of EssilorLuxottica which formed when the Italian conglomerate merged with the French optical firm Essilor, is the world's largest company in its industry, both prior to and after its merger with Essilor.

Luxottica was founded in Agordo by Leonardo Del Vecchio in 1961 as a sunglasses manufacturer selling and branding under its own name. Del Vecchio quickly acquired numerous businesses in the pursuit of vertical integration, buying distribution companies rapidly and signing its first designer licensing agreement with Giorgio Armani. In 1990, the company listed American depositary receipts on the New York Stock Exchange where it traded until 2017.

Luxottica retails its products through stores that it owns, predominantly LensCrafters, Sunglass Hut, Pearle Vision, Target Optical, and Glasses.com. It also owns EyeMed, one of the largest vision health insurance providers. In addition to licensing prescription and non-prescription sunglasses frames for many luxury and designer brands including Chanel, Prada, Giorgio Armani, Burberry, Versace, Dolce and Gabbana, Michael Kors, Coach, Miu Miu and Tory Burch, the Italian conglomerate further outright owns and manufactures Ray-Ban, Persol, Oliver Peoples, and Oakley. Luxottica's market power has allowed it to charge price markups of up to 1000%.

In January 2017, Luxottica announced its merger with Essilor, in which Essilor would buy Luxottica while Del Vecchio would become executive chairman of the combined company, as well as co-lead the company with then-Essilor CEO Hubert Sagnières. The combined entity would command more than one quarter of global value sales of eyewear. In March 2018, the European Commission unconditionally approved the merger of Essilor and Luxottica. On 1 October 2018, the new holding company EssilorLuxottica was born, resulting in combined market capitalization of approximately $70 billion. The merger with Essilor additionally gave Luxottica control of Foster Grant and Costa Del Mar, sunglasses brands acquired by Essilor prior to the merger.

Foundings of Luxottica
Leonardo Del Vecchio started the company in 1961, in Agordo north of Belluno, Veneto; today the company is headquartered in Milan, Italy.

Del Vecchio began his career as the apprentice to a tool and diemaker in Milan, but he decided to turn his metalworking skills to making spectacle parts. In 1961, he moved to Agordo in the province of Belluno, home to most of the Italian eyewear industry. The new company was Luxottica s.a.s., a limited partnership with Del Vecchio as one of the founding partners. In 1967, he started selling complete eyeglass frames under the Luxottica brand, which proved successful enough that by 1971 he ended the contract manufacturing business.

Vertical integration and acquisitions
Convinced of the need for vertical integration, he acquired Scarrone in 1974, a distribution company. In 1981, the company set up its first international subsidiary, in Germany, the first in a rapid period of international expansion. The first of many licensing deals with a designer was struck with Giorgio Armani in 1988.

The company listed in New York in 1990, and in Milan in December 2000, joining the MIB-30 (now FTSE MIB) index in September 2003. The listing raised money for the company and allowed it to use its shares to acquire other brands, starting with Italian brand Vogue Eyewear in 1990, Persol and LensCrafters in 1995, Ray-Ban from Bausch & Lomb in 1999 and Sunglass Hut in 2001. Luxottica later increased its presence in the retail sector by acquiring Sydney-based OPSM in 2003, Pearle Vision and Cole National in 2004.

Luxottica acquired Oakley in November 2007 for US$2.1 billion. Oakley had tried to dispute their prices because of Luxottica's large marketshare, and Luxottica responded by dropping Oakley from their stores, causing their stock price to drop, followed by Luxottica's hostile take over of the company.

In August 2011, Luxottica acquired Erroca for €20 million. In March 2014, it was announced that Luxottica would partner with Google on the development of Google Glass and its integration into Luxottica's eyewear.

Reorganization and merger with Essilor
On 1 September 2014, a new organizational structure was announced, composed of two co-CEOs, one focusing on market development and the other overseeing corporate functions. After the exit of former CEO Andrea Guerra, Enrico Cavatorta was appointed CEO of Corporate Function and Interim CEO of Market (until new and permanent appointment to this role). Cavatorta left the company 40 days after being appointed CEO. In 2016, it was reported that Luxottica had lost its third chief executive in a year and a half, as Cavatora's replacement, Adil Mehboob-Khan stepped down one year after he gained the position. Upon the departure of Mehboob-Khan, Del Vecchio reclaimed executive powers and became much more active in the company.

In January 2017, the company agreed to a merger with Essilor. The deal also offered a succession plan for Leonardo Del Vecchio, the company's founder. Shortly before the merger completed, reporter Sam Knight wrote in The Guardian, "in seven centuries of spectacles, there has never been anything like it. The new entity will be worth around $50bn (£37bn), sell close to a billion pairs of lenses and frames every year, and have a workforce of more than 140,000 people." On 1 October 2018 the new holding company EssilorLuxottica was founded, resulting in combined market capitalization of approximately €46.3 billion as of the date of the merger announcement.

Eyewear brands
Luxottica's two main product offerings are sunglasses and prescription frames. The company operates in two sectors: manufacturing & wholesale distribution, and retail distribution.

The house brands include the following: • Alain Mikli

• Arnette eyewear

• Costa Del Mar

• Eye Safety Systems (ESS)

• Luxottica

• Native Eyewear

• Oakley

• Oliver Peoples

• Persol

• Ray-Ban

• Sferoflex

• Vogue Eyewear

The company also makes eyewear under license for the following designer labels:

• Giorgio Armani

• Armani Exchange

• Brooks Brothers

• Bulgari

• Burberry

• Chanel

• Coach

• Dolce & Gabbana

• Emporio Armani

• Michael Kors

• Miu Miu

• Polo Ralph Lauren

• Prada

• Ralph Eyewear

• Ralph Lauren

• Scuderia Ferrari

• Starck Biotech Paris

• Swarovski

• Tiffany & Co.

• Tory Burch

• Valentino

• Versace

These brands are sold in the company's own shops, as well as to independent distributors such as department stores, duty-free shops, and opticians.

Retail
Luxottica Retail has about 9,100 retail locations in the United States, Latin America, Canada, India, China, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and United Arab Emirates. The headquarters of the retail division is in Mason, Ohio, United States (North America). Their retail banners include the following:

• Sunglass Hut

• Apex by Sunglass Hut

• Sunglass Outfitters by Sunglass Hut (locations within Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's stores)

• Spectacle Hut

• LensCrafters

• Clearly.ca

• Pearle Vision

• Target Optical

• OPSM

• ILORI

• EyeMed Vision Care

• Optical Shop of Aspen

• Laubman & Pank

• GMO

• Oliver Peoples

• Alain Mikli

• Oakley

• David Clulow

• Glasses.com

• Econópticas

• Paris De Gaulle

• John Lewis Opticians (in Partnership with John Lewis and Partners department stores)

• Salmoiraghi e Viganò

• Óticas Carol

• VistaSì

• Ray-Ban

Luxottica is the largest optical retailer in the United States, with 7.3% of US retail sales in 2015. With its merger with Essilor in 2018 the company owns Coastal/Clearly, an online contacts and glasses retail giant bought in 2014 that ships to over 200 countries beside its original North American market.

Medical managed care
Luxottica also owns EyeMed Vision Care, a managed vision care organization in the United States. As of 2014, it is the second-largest vision benefits company in the United States.

Philanthropy
Luxottica is affiliated with the charitable organization OneSight, formed in 1988. In August 2018, Luxottica restored Accademia Bridge in Venice. In March 2022, EssilorLuxottica announced the launch of the OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation to unify the group's philanthropic efforts, primarily providing vision services to underserved communities.

Monopolistic pricing practices
The company has been criticized for the high price of its brand-name glasses, such as Ray-Ban, Oakley, and several others. A 2012 60 Minutes segment focused on whether the company's extensive holdings in the industry were used to keep prices high. Luxottica owns not only a large portfolio of brands (over a dozen ) such as Ray-Ban and Oakley but also retailers such as Sunglass Hut, Lenscrafters and Oliver Peoples, the optical departments at Target, and (formerly) Sears, as well as key eye insurance groups including the second largest glasses insurance firm in the US, EyeMed. It has been accused of operating a complete monopoly on the optical industry and overcharging for its products; for example, temporarily dropping then-competitor Oakley from its frame design list, then, when the company stock crashed, purchasing the company, then increasing the prices of its Ray-Ban sunglasses. In addition, it has been argued that, by owning the vision insurance company EyeMed, it also controls part of the buyers' market as well.

The company has said that the market is highly competitive, and that their frames account for ≈10% of sales worldwide and ≈20% in the United States. Euromonitor International estimated that Luxottica's market share was 14% worldwide, with the second-largest company in the industry, Essilor, holding a 13% market share. The third-largest player was Johnson & Johnson, with a 3.9% market share. In October 2018, Luxottica and Essilor merged into a single company, EssilorLuxottica, which now occupies nearly 30% of the global market share and represents almost a billion pairs of lenses and frames sold annually.

The HBO series Last Week Tonight with John Oliver has criticized the company as a prominent instance of corporate consolidation, as has the TruTV series Adam Ruins Everything.

In 2019, LensCrafters founder E. Dean Butler spoke to the Los Angeles Times, admitting that Luxottica's dominance of the eyewear industry had resulted in price markups of nearly 1,000%. In the interview, Butler noted "You can get amazingly good frames, with a Warby Parker level of quality, for $4 to $8. For $15, you can get designer-quality frames, like what you'd get from Prada." When told that some eyeglasses cost as much as $800 in the United States, Butler remarked, "I know. It's ridiculous. It's a complete rip-off."

Major shareholders
The list of Luxottica shareholders with more than 2% of holdings, December 2014.
 * Delfin S.à r.l. a company controlled by Leonardo Del Vecchio 66.485%
 * Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas (as ADR depository) 7.466%
 * Giorgio Armani 4.955%

title: Luxottica


text:
List of Curb Your Enthusiasm episodes

The American television sitcom Curb Your Enthusiasm premiered with an hour-long special on HBO on October 17, 1999. It was followed by a ten-episode first season that began airing on October 15, 2000.

The series was created by Larry David, who stars as a fictionalized version of himself. The series follows Larry in his life as a well-off, semi-retired television writer and producer in Los Angeles. Also starring are Cheryl Hines as his wife, Cheryl; Jeff Garlin as his best friend and manager, Jeff; Susie Essman as Jeff's wife, Susie; and J. B. Smoove as Larry's housemate, Leon. Curb Your Enthusiasm features many celebrity guest star appearances, fictionalized to varying degrees.

In August 2022, the series was renewed for a twelfth and final season, that premiered on February 4, 2024.

Season 1 (2000)
The first season introduces Larry's post-Seinfeld world, where he is wealthy, has a loving wife and a best friend, and manages to offend many people around him.

Season 2 (2001)
Larry David pursues a new television project, first with Jason Alexander, and then Julia Louis-Dreyfus after Jason offends him. Based on Alexander's frustration with his own post-Seinfeld career/life, the premise is about an actor who starred in a megahit sitcom who finds himself typecast. Larry pitches the idea to various networks, but eventually alienates or offends everyone he makes a deal with, and anyone else attached to the project.

Season 3 (2002)
Larry joins a restaurant venture with a group of investors; among them are Ted Danson and Michael York. A few subplots involve Larry being cast in a Martin Scorsese movie; an on again, off again feud with Stu and Susan Braudy; and Larry getting a pubic hair stuck in his throat.

Season 4 (2004)
Larry works with Mel Brooks, Ben Stiller, Cady Huffman and David Schwimmer to star on Broadway in The Producers. Larry struggles to fulfill his wife's tenth anniversary present to him—a one-time-only act of adultery.

Season 5 (2005)
Larry's friend Richard needs a kidney transplant operation. Under pressure from his friends and family, Larry offers to donate his own kidney to Richard. Larry then makes concerted efforts to find Richard another kidney donor. Larry thinks that he may have been adopted, because of a potentially misunderstood word his father said (and subsequently denies) while in the hospital, and hires a private investigator (Mekhi Phifer) to look into it.

Season 6 (2007)
Cheryl and Larry shelter a New Orleans family named the Blacks (Vivica A. Fox and J. B. Smoove) in their house after a hurricane destroyed the Blacks' home. A distracted phone call between Larry and Cheryl causes her to re-evaluate their marriage dynamic and leave him; Larry thus returns to the dating scene.

Guest stars include: Steve Coogan, Michael McKean, Lucy Lawless, Tim Meadows, Mayim Bialik, Gina Gershon, John McEnroe, Barbara Boxer, John Legend, Diedrich Bader, and Ken Jeong.

Season 7 (2009)
Larry and Loretta are in a relationship, which Larry soon realizes is not working for him. She is diagnosed with cancer and breaks up with Larry because she thinks he is cheating on her. She and the rest of the family leave Larry's home—except for Leon, who stays with him. When Larry runs into Cheryl for the first time since last season, he learns that she appreciated him more when he had a job, so he accepts NBC's offer for a Seinfeld reunion show to give her a part in it and win her back.

Guest stars include: Jerry Seinfeld, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jason Alexander, Michael Richards, Christian Slater, Richard Kind, Philip Baker Hall, Rosie O'Donnell, Catherine O'Hara, Elisabeth Shue, Meg Ryan, David Spade, Jillian Bell, Randall Park, and Eric Andre.

Season 8 (2011)
Larry finalizes his divorce from Cheryl and enjoys life as a single man. In order to avoid a charity gig, he goes with Jeff and Susie on a three-month trip to New York City, where he soon reunites with Leon.

Guest stars include: Ricky Gervais, Rosie O'Donnell, Michael J. Fox, Gary Cole, Larry Miller, Harry Hamlin, Michael McKean, Amy Landecker, Ana Gasteyer, and Michael Bloomberg.

Season 9 (2017)
Larry incurs a fatwa from the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, after lampooning the Ayatollahs while appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live! to promote his latest, long-awaited project, a comedy musical called Fatwa!, centered on The Satanic Verses controversy, in which Ayatollah Khomeini ordered a fatwa against Salman Rushdie in 1989.

Season 10 (2020)
Larry is accused of sexual harassment by his assistant Alice and his attempts to control the situation only serve to make things worse. At the same time, Larry intends to open his own coffee shop, which he calls a spite store, right next to Mocha Joe's out of spite, regarding petty grievances.

Season 11 (2021)
After a burglar drowns in Larry's pool, the police inform Larry he must have a 5 ft fence around his pool. The burglar's brother, Marcos, extorts Larry by threatening to sue him, unless Larry casts Marcos' daughter, Maria Sofia, in his new Netflix show about himself in his 20s. Maria Sofia lacks acting skills, so Larry seeks to have the fence law changed. He does so by beginning a relationship with an unattractive, unpleasant councilwoman, so he can eject Maria Sofia from his show. Leon breaks up with his girlfriend Mary Ferguson after purchasing non-refundable plane tickets to Asia for the pair. Leon tries to find another woman with the same name to replace his ex on the trip.

Season 12 (2024)
Larry is arrested for violating the Election Integrity Act of 2021 in Atlanta.

title: List of Curb Your Enthusiasm episodes