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Acura RL

The Acura RL is a mid-size luxury car that was manufactured by the Acura division of Honda for the 1996–2012 model years over two generations. The RL was the flagship of the marque, having succeeded the Acura Legend, and was replaced in 2013 by the Acura RLX. All models of the Legend, RL and RLX lines have been adapted from the Japanese domestic market Honda Legend. The model name "RL" is an abbreviation for "Refined Luxury."

The first-generation Acura RL was a rebadged version of the third-generation Honda Legend, and was first introduced to the North American market in 1996, to replace the second-generation Acura Legend. The second-generation Acura RL was a rebadged version of the fourth-generation Honda Legend, introduced to the North American market in September 2004, as a 2005 model. This iteration of the RL received an extensive mid-generational facelift for the 2009 model year, and a further update for 2011. The third-generation debuted for the 2014 model year as the Acura RLX.

1996 (KA9)
In 1996, Acura introduced the Acura 3.5RL, known internally as "KA9," to replace the Legend. Acura dropped the Legend name when market research showed that consumers referred to Acura products by their model names, "Legend" and "Integra," and did not necessarily associate the names with Honda's "Acura" brand.

The 3.5RL's longitudinally mounted V6 engine had its center-line mounted in-line with the car's axis, and not transversely (i.e., 90 degrees offset from the vehicle axis) like most other front-wheel-drive cars. This longitudinal placement allowed for a smaller turning radius and easy in-town maneuverability, as well as 56/44 front/rear weight distribution.

In late 1998, the 1999 3.5RL received a front and rear facelift with integrated foglights, revised bumpers and hood, as well as driver and front passenger side-impact airbags. The suspension and chassis were stiffened, and new alloy wheels were offered.

In 1999, a larger navigation system screen was added for the 2000 model year. Along with that larger screen came the conversion to easy-to-replace DVD map databases. In 2001, the 2002 model year 3.5RL received painted lower trim and mudflaps along with redesigned alloys and a newer, sportier suspension setup. The revised engine produced 225 hp and 231 lbft of torque. More insulation was added in the engine compartment for 2002. In 2004, RL's received clear turn signal lenses in the rear lights, another new alloy wheel design, and various interior upgrades including new color schemes. For the 2004 model year, the 3.5RL offered as standard equipment a revised navigation system and integrated satellite radio in addition to a redesigned center console and chrome door lock pulls. The 2004 3.5RL was the first production saloon car to offer satellite radio as standard equipment.

The 1996–2004 3.5RL's engine was the last in the Acura lineup not to use Honda's variable valve timing system (VTEC), This 3.5 L 90-degree V6 engine was internally designated as the C35A, and was the last of the Honda C engine V6 engines used in Honda and Acura lineups, being replaced by the newer Honda J engine 60-degree V6 engines. The 2004 RL was also the last Acura to use the numeric designation (i.e., 3.5) for its engine displacement.

2005 (KB1)
The new-generation car, known internally as "KB1," was launched in late 2004 for the 2005 model year. Without the rumored V8 engine, it featured an all-wheel drive system marketed by Acura as "Super Handling-All Wheel Drive" (SH-AWD). It integrated active differentials with the all-wheel-drive system and traction control to improve handling, similar to the "ATTS" system featured on the 1997 Honda Prelude SH. At the time of its introduction, the Acura RL's SH-AWD was the first all-wheel-drive system to vary the distribution of power not only from front to back, but also side to side in the rear using a technique called torque vectoring. The RL can direct up to 70% of available torque to the rear wheels, and up to 100% of that available rear torque can be directed to just one wheel. In combination with a specially designed planetary gear-set which can over-drive the rear wheels at up to 5% greater speed than the front wheels, the torque directed to one wheel, or torque vectoring, can have a steering effect. As the car speeds around a curve, torque vectored to the outside rear wheel will push the rear end around the curve faster, just as paddling the outside oar of a row boat faster than the inside oar will cause the row boat to turn, to minimize the understeer common in front-heavy vehicles.

The first-generation RL had been powered by the 225 hp (168 kW) 90-degree C-series non-VTEC V6 engine. The second-generation RL used a newer design 60-degree J-series 3.5 L V6 SOHC VTEC engine delivering 300 hp, (later revised to 290 hp due to amended SAE testing procedures). To give the car a more sporty feel, the car featured drive-by-wire throttle control and a five-speed sequential sport shifting automatic transmission with shift paddles mounted on the steering wheel. As with the first-generation Acura RL, the second-generation Acura RL required premium unleaded fuel rated at 91 (R+M)/2 octane.

A first for the RL was the use of aluminum 4-piston front brake calipers over 12.6-inch cast-iron ventilated front rotors. These multi-piston calipers, derived from racing applications, are extremely rigid. In the rear, 12.2-inch cast-iron ventilated discs attached to their hub with lightweight aluminum collets and were gripped by one-piston aluminum brake calipers. The RL was equipped with unique five-spoke 17-inch alloy wheels and Michelin Pilot HX MXM 4 245/50-R-17 98V all season grand touring tires. These wheels were one inch larger in diameter, and the tires 20 mm wider in section, than those found on the first-generation Acura RL.

New features on the 2005 RL included a keyless entry system that allowed the driver to both lock and unlock the car by touching the door handle without having to use the remote control, and a keyless start system. A new 260 watt, ten speaker Bose DVD-Audio 5.1 sound system equalized for the RL cabin featured several Bose technologies. Bose AudioPilot is a noise compensation technology which analyzes background environmental cabin noise and uses an algorithm based on cabin acoustics to boost certain portions of the musical signal so that it may be heard more clearly above environmental sound "clutter" without any apparent change in volume. Bose Centerpoint processes stereo and matrix surround sound recordings to allow play through the 5.1 sound system even though the source may only be a stereo sound track. Bose Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) rounded out the suite. The ANC was always on, whether the stereo was on or not. The ANC took input from two microphones placed in the cabin to analyze drivetrain-related low-frequency sound waves entering the cabin. The ANC sent information to the sound system to create a precisely shaped and timed reverse-phased audio signal from the door speakers and the subwoofer. The result was a dramatic reduction in perceived engine and exhaust noise.

XM Satellite Radio, integrated Bluetooth hands-free technology for wireless phone use, voice recognition technology with over 560 voice commands to control navigation system and displays, wireless phone, audio system, heating and ventilation controls rounded out the cabin's technological features. Heating and air conditioning systems were tied into a solar sensor and GPS positioning so that cabin temperature remained constant in a mixed sun and shade situation. Based on sun position and cabin orientation, the system could automatically send additional cooling air to the sunny side of the car to keep that occupant comfortable, while not freezing out the occupant on the shady side.

The Alpine Electronics DVD-based navigation system was integrated with an 8-inch LCD display and a multi-use Interface Dial, which could move up, down, left and right like a mouse, turn like a knob, scroll through preset menus, and click when pushed to act as a selector button. Unlike many in-car navigation systems, the Alpine DVD-based navigation unit allowed the driver to change destinations and routes "on the fly" while driving, rather than being locked out unless the car was in Park. The tightly integrated voice recognition system worked with the navigation system and could recognize spoken city and street names. Also unique at the time was two-way communication via AcuraLink satellite communication. Using a facility of XM Radio service, the system could send a variety of messages to the car, including service appointment reminders (appointments first made via Internet) or important messages such as recall notices. The use of OnStar was carried over from the previous generation RL. Use of digital/analog trimode (two digital bands and one analog band) technology allowed the 2005 RL OnStar technology to survive the planned 2007 phase-out of the analog OnStar to fully digital OnStar service.

Other new RL features included the Active Front Lighting System, in which the high intensity discharge headlamps swiveled in concert with the steering up to twenty degrees, for improved night cornering vision. Light emitting diodes (LED) replaced traditional incandescent bulbs in the tail and brake lights, the turn signals integrated in the side mirror housings, and many interior cabin lights.

The 2005 RL was also the first Honda vehicle to use the Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure, which has since proliferated throughout every newly introduced Honda and Acura vehicle design. The ACE structure features extensive use of high-tensile steel and lightweight aluminum components in a front-mounted polygonal main frame, designed to engage vehicles of differing size and weight in a frontal collision and spread the forces through multiple structural pathways, while preventing or minimizing cabin deformation. In practical terms, this means in an SUV versus ACE structure car collision, there is a greater chance that the ACE body structure will engage with the SUV's frame and dissipate collision forces around the passenger compartment. In more conventional non-ACE car structures, the SUV frame has a much greater chance of missing or over-riding the conventional car's major structural components and a greater chance of deforming the passenger compartment.

The 2005 RL car structure used aluminum alloy in the hood, front fenders, trunk lid and frame, front and rear subframes, suspension arms, front knuckles and bumper beams. Magnesium was used in the intake manifold, and the two-piece center drive shaft was made of a carbon reinforced composite. The new RL featured extensive aerodynamic design treatment including details such as flush side glass, plus underbody covers and diffusers to reduce lift, resulting in a very low drag coefficient of 0.29.

For 2006, the Acura RL was also offered in a second trim level, the optional 'Technology Package' which included three new features: adaptive cruise control (ACC), Collision Mitigation Braking System, and Michelin PAX System run-flat tires on unique PAX 235 mm x 460 mm A ("A" for asymmetric) aluminum alloy wheels with unique 245-680R460A Michelin Pilot HX MXM 4 all-season Grand Touring type radials designed for the Michelin PAX System. The metric sized, run-flat Michelin PAX System wheels and tires are equivalent to 18 x wheels and 245/45-R18 conventional tires. The previously standard color-matched mud guards were removed in 2006. All 2006 models had a slight change to the navigation system that allowed the installation of an optional rearview camera. MSRP increased by $200 over the equivalent 2005 model.

For 2007, the Acura RL was offered in three trim levels: a "standard" or "base" package; a newly defined "Technology Package;" and the highest level trim, the "Technology Package with CMBS/PAX."

Base model cars were well equipped, but deleted certain features such as the navigation system and Adaptive Front Lighting System (AFS), and substituted plastic simulated wood for the dashboard maple wood trim.

Technology Package cars were essentially the same as the 2005 and 2006 standard models, coming with navigation and AFS, while adding as standard equipment a rear backup camera and a 3.5 mm stereo input jack for Apple iPod and other MP3-type devices.

The Technology Package plus CMBS/PAX trim level had no 2005 equivalent, though it was most similar to the 2006 Technology Package that had also included ACC/CMBS and PAX technologies. While the label "CMBS/PAX" might appear to indicate ACC was dropped as a feature, in reality, ACC was an extension of the CMBS system, and so was included.

As noted above, the MP3 audio player feature (usable for any device with a 3.5 mm headphone jack) was added to all trim levels. An integrated rearview camera was added to the top two trim levels. An integrated rearview camera could be added to the non-navigation Base model as a dealer installed option. The Base model optional rearview camera was installed in the same manner and position as on the 2006 models, mounted dead center in the trunk trim, with the trunk release button displaced to the right of center (passenger side). The difference was subtle, but the factory rearview camera installation on the Technology Package and the Technology Package with CMBS/PAX is to the left side (driver's side) of the center-mounted trunk release.

In 2005 and 2006, all models came standard with "genuine curly maple wood dashboard trim." With the introduction of three trim levels, the genuine curly maple wood dashboard trim now only appeared on the two higher level cars: the Technology Package and the Technology Package with CMBS/PAX. OnStar was deleted as a feature from all trim levels. Colors were added and deleted. MSRP increased by $100 from the roughly equivalent 2006 trims.

The 2008 Acura RL continued unchanged in the U.S. market from the 2007 model, with three trim levels. Colors were added and deleted. MSRP increased $500 for each trim:

In Canada, the 2008 Acura RL was available in two different models, Base and Elite Package. The Elite Package added Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), Active Front Lighting System (AFS), Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), heated and cooled ventilated front seats, and burled maple wood trim.

2005–2008 A-Spec Performance Package
For the 2005–2008 models, Acura offered an A-Spec package for the RL. The dealer-installed package consisted of a body kit, badging, revised suspension and different wheels. The package was first announced at a late 2004 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) trade show in Las Vegas. The A-Spec package for sale was distinctly different from the Acura RL A-Spec Concept Vehicle announced and shown as a striking dark red one-of-a-kind custom creation in early 2005 at the Detroit Auto Show.

The performance part of the package included the A-Spec sport suspension and A-Spec 18-inch alloy wheels, which allowed the use of more sports-oriented lower profile tires.

The A-Spec sport suspension changed out the four spring and damper (shock absorber) strut assemblies. The A-Spec suspension featured lowering springs (approximately 0.75 inch) and revalved dampers. The ride was stiffer, but not overly so, and handling was improved with less body roll, more controlled cornering and enhanced feel. Reportedly Acura chose to make the RL's A-Spec suspension more compliant than the very stiff A-Spec sport suspension upgrade for the Acura TL, in keeping with the two different missions of the cars: luxury for the RL, luxury sport for the TL. Acura RL A-Spec retained the same suspension geometry as the stock Acura RL suspension alignment specifications.

The other A-Spec performance upgrade was A-Spec 18x8 inch alloy wheels, a 10-spoke lightweight design (about the same weight as the 5-spoke 17x8 inch OEM wheels). Recommended tires were either 245/45-18 sized Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 ultra high-performance summer tires or Michelin Pilot Sport A/S ultra-high-performance all-season tires. Alternatively, less sport-oriented Michelin Pilot HX MXM4 Grand Touring All Season tires were also available in the same size. Typical of Acura optional wheels, the 55 mm offset of the stock 17x8 inch wheels was maintained so that suspension geometry could remain untouched.

The A-Spec appearance package consisted of a front air dam, side skirts, rear bumper air diffuser and a subtle trunk decklid lip style spoiler, all designed to give the car a more aggressive "aero" look. The parts came pre-painted from the factory to match factory colors. All parts were dealer installable. If the dealer installed the A-Spec parts at the time of purchase, the original new car warranty of four years/50,000 miles would apply. If installed after purchase, the normal one year/12,000 mile parts warranty would apply.

As of the 2009 mid-model change, A-Spec options were no longer offered. However, Acura moved to a firmer standard suspension for 2009, plus larger and wider 18 x inch standard wheels and lower-profile 245/45-18 size tires. More aggressive "aero" look body work was also standard, and a revised trunk decklid spoiler was made available as a dealer installed option.

2009 mid-model change (KB2)

For the 2009 model year, the RL received an extensive mid-model change (MMC), and made its introduction at the Chicago Auto Show on February 6, 2008, billed as "the most extensive Acura MMC ever". The new sedan was designated KB2 in the VIN codes, differentiating it from the 2005–2008 KB1 chassis VIN code. The revised sedan was released on July 1, 2008, to dealerships. The engine is upgraded to 3.7 liters with 300 hp. While on paper, the engine may seem to be the same unit as shared with the Acura MDX, it is actually a variant that introduces, for the first time ever on an SOHC Honda V6, an implementation of the Honda VTEC variable valve train technology on both intake and exhaust for improved horsepower and torque. Heretofore, all previous SOHC Honda V6 engines with VTEC used the technology on the intake side only. Engine emissions were reduced to meet the stricter U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) TIER 2 – BIN 5 and California Air Resources Board ULEV-2 standards. Implementation of the SH-AWD was adjusted for earlier intervention and a greater rear-wheel bias for better handling dynamics.

The MMC RL suspension was upgraded with higher-rate coil springs, larger diameter anti-sway bars and stiffer bushings all around. The MMC RL was equipped with a new larger front anti-sway bar of hollow construction, 30 mm diameter overall with a 6.5 mm wall thickness, and a larger rear solid anti-sway bar, 19 mm in diameter. The pre-MMC models sported a solid 29 mm front and 17 mm rear sway bar.

Standard 18- x 8-inch seven-spoke alloy wheels with 245/45-18 tires replaced the previous years' 17- x 8-inch five-spoke offerings for not only the Base and Tech package models, but also for the highest trim level, the ACC/CMBS equipped model. Previous years' ACC/CMBS equipped models were equipped with [Michelin PAX System] run-flat tires on 18-inch equivalent (460 mm diameter) five-spoke wheels.

Inside, the front seats were revised for greater comfort and to allow a slight increase in rear leg room. The passenger front seat received the same full 10-way power control as the driver's seat. Both front seats featured active head restraint systems, and the existing seat-heating feature was supplemented by six levels of cooling ventilation. Controls for heating and air conditioning were simplified, and additional individual vent controls were added for the driver and passenger. The shift gear no longer had a gated sequence, but moved straight fore and aft like the ones in the Acura TSX and Acura TL. Simulated woodgrain trim was added to the steering wheel and the top of the shifter, to emphasize the RL's upscale aspirations compared to its less costly TL and TSX siblings.

Additional insulation, improved acoustic isolation windshield design, and a new implementation of the Active Noise Cancellation system (ANC) combined to make the 2009 RL's interior quieter in a variety of conditions. Whereas the former ANC was set to cancel out only low frequency boominess from the engine and exhaust, the MMC system, called Active Sound Control, was expanded in its range to cancel some higher frequency road and tire noise as well. Unlike its predecessor ANC, Active Sound Control was now linked to throttle position and engine RPM to provide a quieter cockpit during normal cruising, yet allowed more of the new 3.7 L engine's "muscular sound" to be heard at higher engine speeds and higher velocities.

An additional microphone as well as some switchable directionality was added to the HFL (Hands Free Link) and Voice Activated Navigation and Convenience controls. When the system was in "accept commands" mode, the new microphone system provided more accurate system "understanding" of the driver's voice. Extraneous sounds, such as other voices in the cabin and wind noise, were better distinguished and filtered out by the dual microphone system. Directionality was removed when an HFL voice call was established, so that all passengers could still participate in a phone call as in the pre-MMC model. The new dual microphone system used real estate in the overhead console that was previously used in the 2005 and 2006 models for OnStar control electronics. The number of voice recognition commands was increased to over 700, up from 560 previously.

The DVD-based navigation system improved on previous XM satellite-linked traffic flow reporting, adding continuously updated real-time weather reporting and the capability to reroute based on current traffic conditions. The DVD Audio-capable 10-speaker sound system remained, but integration with the audio system was improved with the addition of Bluetooth stereo and a USB port that allowed integration and operation of Apple iPod and other MP3 type devices. Also new was the ability to display iPod or other MP3 device (such as a USB flash memory device) folder and playlist information on the car's 8-inch central navigation display screen.

New shifter and center console arrangements were added, including a Sport mode. The steering wheel paddle shifters were reprogrammed for faster response, and the paddle shifters could be operated in both Drive and Sport modes. In pre-MMC models, the gear selector had to be put in manual mode for the paddle shifters to operate.

In exterior length, the 2009 RL grew slightly by 2.2 in. The height grew by a scant 0.1 in, while the width, track and wheelbase remained the same,. The front end including the hood, and the rear including the trunkline, were revised, and the headlights and taillights redesigned. One of the most controversial features of the 2009 RL was its "Power Plenum" grille design, the first of three similar designs that was soon joined by the second-generation 2009 Acura TSX and the fourth-generation 2009 Acura TL.

Curb weights increased for 2009. The MMC Base weighed in at 4083 lbs, the Technology Package model 4085 lbs, and the ACC/CMBS with no PAX weighed 4110. The equivalent 2006 pre-MMC Technology Package had weighed 4012 lbs, and the pre-MMC with ACC/CMBS/PAX weighed 4074 lbs.

MSRP for the 2009 Acura RL increased by $500 over 2008 model for each of its three trim levels. For 2009, the Michelin PAX Run Flat Tire system was no longer offered in combination with the CMBS/ACC package. ACC was now featured alongside CMBS as part of the package name, after a two-year hiatus. In reality, ACC was always included as a part of the CMBS. Colors were also added and deleted.

The 2010 Acura RL continued with few changes in the U.S. from the 2009 model, as indicated on the Acura.com website for the RL. Colors were added and deleted once again, and MSRP increased $150 in each trim:

2011 update
The 2011 Acura RL added new color combinations and new features: six-speed automatic transmission, power folding mirrors, and rear backup/parking sensors.

The six-speed automatic transmission, first introduced on the 2010 Acura ZDX, finally replaced the RL's five-speed automatic, long criticized by the press as outdated. The transmission upgrade was credited for an EPA gas mileage improvement to 17 mpgUS city, 24 mpgUS highway, and 20 mpgUS combined, an increase of 2 miles per U.S. gallon in highway driving. In addition, 0-60 times were said to decrease by 0.5 seconds, to 6.0 seconds. There have been reports that the 2009 Acura RL Mid Model Change was originally the introduction candidate for the six-speed feature within the Acura lineup, but that the transmission was still undergoing testing and was not yet ready at that time.

Power folding mirrors had been available in markets other than North America since the 2004 introduction in Japan. Parking/backup sensors had been available in the North American market as a dealer installed option since the second generation Acura RL's introduction in late 2004. A host of other features had also been available since the car's introduction in late 2004, some of which are detailed in the Safety section below.

The RL exterior was updated for 2011 with a toned-down version of the controversial "power plenum" front grille. Inside, the RL offered a new interior color (Sea Coast), new Dark Burlwood interior trim, and thin-thread stitching on the steering wheel.

Unique new 18 x diameter 15-spoke aluminum wheels included a new noise quieting technology: a polypropylene "Helmholtz resonator" that encircled the center portion of the inside of the wheel. The resonator served to suppress specific frequencies between 100 and 500 hertz, and in combination with increased floorboard insulation, decreased interior noise by 1.3 dB, or 15%. The Helmholtz resonators in the wheels were touted as a "world's first" for a passenger vehicle. The new wheels appeared to be conventional alloy wheels modified to incorporate an internal noise reduction device. A diagram showed an elastomer-type ring with multiple hollow chambers surrounding the center line of the wheel circumference. This resonator was designed to absorb the resonances generated by rough road surfaces such as highway seams.

2012 update
The 2012 Acura RL appears to be a carryover from the 2011 refresh with no substantive changes. Price increases US$1,000. The color Platinum Frost Metallic had been dropped in 2011, but appears to be added back in 2012.

Reception
The second-generation 2005 Acura RL appeared on Car and Driver's Ten Best list for 2005. The car also garnered a CNET.com "Editor's Choice" Award for Top Tech Car and has had been reviewed in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, and 2011 as well as 2013 for its successor, the RLX. The SH-AWD all-wheel-drive system was lauded by Popular Science as one of the best automotive innovations of 2004, and earned the 2005 "Tech Car of the Year" from CNET.com. In a comparison of 2006–2007 model year mid-luxury sedans with all-wheel drive (prices ranging from $60,000 to 65,000 CAD), the RL compared favorably to a Mercedes-Benz E300 4MATIC and a BMW 528xi with xDrive. Subsequent moves by both Audi and BMW to design and market their own versions of torque vectoring all-wheel-drive systems bear out the innovative nature of the SH-AWD design.

While critically acclaimed, sales did not meet expectations. Despite the mid-generational update in 2009, only 2,043 cars were sold in the U.S., a 55 percent drop from 2008. Among Japanese luxury flagships marketed in America during the first six months of 2010, Acura sold only 872 RLs, compared to 5,650 Lexus LS and 6,602 Infiniti M sedans. Only 379 RLs were sold in North America in 2012.

Enthusiasts and dealers said that the RL was not competitive because it lacked the full-size dimensions (the back seat was regarded as tight for a car of this size), a V8 engine performance option, and the better handling and balanced rear-wheel drive of its larger rivals in the mid-luxury segment. The 2009 refresh and 2011 update did not keep the RL competitive enough in acceleration or fuel economy, considering that other marques had released new generations of their mid-size luxury sedans, and as the 2009-10 RL retained a five-speed automatic transmission while other rivals had automatics with six or seven gears. Other competitors that were midway through their model cycle, such as the 2004-07 BMW 530i and 2005–08 Audi A6 3.2 FSI (with naturally-aspirated 6-cylinder engines that were less powerful than the Acura RL's 3.5L V6) received updated engines with turbocharging/supercharging; the resulting 2008 BMW 535i and 2009 Audi A6 3.0 TFSI proved more powerful and fuel-efficient than the 2009 Acura RL (with a 3.7L V6). The RL's styling, while generally considered handsome, was not viewed as inspiring or passionate enough to alert buyers to its technological features or stand out in a crowded field, and the 2009 model was criticized for its "power plenum" grille, a bright horizontal pentagon of chrome that formed a shield across the upper center.

Some have suggested that the Acura RL's failure in the market was due to its initial pricing which was perceived to be out of its bracket. Honda Japan believed that the new RL offered more features and performance than the base version of its luxury competitors (i.e., the base six-cylinder BMW 5 Series), and suggested that it could charge more, though Honda Canada disagreed. The RL's initial MRSP was $69,500 CAD, considerably more than the six-cylinder BMW 525i and close to that of the V8-powered 2005 BMW 545i at $70,000 CAD. At the RL's price point, most consumers expected a V8. Furthermore, they did not perceive the Acura brand as being on par with its German rivals (Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz) and expected more value from the Japanese marque, particularly with Acura's more expensive offerings (as opposed to entry-level offerings like the Acura TL which were much more successful in their price brackets). The damage from Honda Japan's alleged hubris was done, perhaps giving the RL an unfavorable image that could not be removed, even though Honda Canada has since reduced the RL's price as well as releasing a decontented trim to hit a lower price point. Although other Japanese manufacturers have had limited success in the mid-luxury market which has been dominated by the Germans, the Lexus GS 350 and Infiniti M35 (which debuted around the same time as the second-generation Acura RL) sold considerably better than the Acura RL as they followed a strategy of undercutting the German executive cars with lower pricing and/or more standard features. Late in its production lifespan the RL also faced competition from the Hyundai Genesis which was less expensive yet similarly refined, while featuring rear wheel drive and an optional V8 engine.

In 2009, the new generation of the Acura TL was released. The TL's high performance trim features essentially the same engine (but slightly more horsepower, so Acura advertised the TL as its most powerful car), the SH-AWD system, similar dimensions, and many of the RL's other key features for only $44,900 CAD, causing some to question whether it rendered the costlier RL superfluous in Acura's own showrooms. An auto journalist remarked of the RL's successor, the Acura RLX, saying "Making the RLX bigger fixes nothing. The RL's problem, and now the RLX's, is that the car looks and feels like an exalted, compulsively over-equipped Honda Accord".

Safety
In October 2010, the Acura RL was named by Consumer Reports as the most reliable new car among luxury sedans, one of five Honda models so honored in their respective categories. The others were the front-wheel-drive version of the Acura TL among upscale sedans, the Honda CR-V small SUV, the Acura RDX small upscale SUV, and the Honda Ridgeline compact pickup truck.

From 2005 to 2008, Acura RL has been ranked #1 and has achieved the best car safety score (46.4) in Informed for LIFE's "2003–2009 Vehicle risk index SCOREs". For both the 2009 and 2010 model years, the Acura RL received a five-star crash safety ratings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). For the 2009 model year, the Acura RL received a Top Safety Pick designation from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) earning a "Good" — the highest score possible — on frontal offset, side impact and rear crash protection tests. The "Good" scores continued for all tests conducted on the 2010 model. When a roof strength (rollover) evaluation was added to the battery of tests, the RL was rated only "Marginal" in this category, causing it to lose the Top Safety Pick award.

 * The Acura RL consistently garnered National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Five Star (the highest rating) ratings for Frontal, Side and Rollover crash testing. The injury measures on the driver in the front test were some of the lowest ever recorded in a NHTSA test at the time, and were still considered top notch as of 2010.
 * The Acura RL consistently earned a green G for "Good" (the highest rating) in Frontal Offset and Side Impact tests conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
 * The facelifted 2009 Acura RL has revised head restraints, thus improving the rear crash protection rating for the 2005–2008 models from Marginal to Good for the 2009, and earning it recognition as an IIHS Top Safety Pick.
 * The Acura RL incorporated most modern, and some unique, safety features including:
 * Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure - ACE features extensive use of high-tensile steel and lightweight aluminum components in a front-mounted polygonal main frame, designed to engage vehicles of differing size and weight in a frontal collision and spread the forces through multiple structural pathways, while preventing or minimizing cabin deformation. The Acura RL was the launch vehicle for the ACE body structure.  In 2009, all production Acura vehicles featured the ACE body structure.  The ACE body structure is one factor in Acura achieving an all time first in US automotive history, winning simultaneous top marks in both Government National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) crash test ratings
 * Super Handling-All Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) - In addition to its performance benefits, the front to rear and side to side torque distribution of SH-AWD works actively to keep the car on the desired line
 * Anti-lock Braking System - 3-channel ABS
 * Vehicle Stability Assist (Honda Acura version of Vehicle Stability Control) - 4 channel VSA integrated with SH-AWD, ABS, yaw, lateral G, speed and steering angle sensors
 * Electronic Traction Control (uses individual wheel ABS sensor and engine modulation)
 * Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) (redistributes front and rear brake pressures as the situation dictates)
 * Brake Assist - "learns" the driver's braking habits, rate of pressure and total pressure applied, then quickly activates full ABS in a perceived panic stop
 * Front Air Bags (2 ea) - including two-stage activation which minimizes injury due to deployment geometry (deploying upward rather than forward into the occupant) and speed
 * Front Side Air Bags (2 ea) - including Occupant Position Detection System (OPDS)
 * Side Curtain Air Bags (2 ea) - for front and rear passengers
 * Occupant Position Detection Sensor (OPDS) system - detects weight and positioning of passenger in the front seat and disables the passenger front side air bag deployment if the system calculates that deployment could cause injury to the occupant, such as a child or small-statured adult
 * LATCH child seat anchors
 * Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS]) - provides individual pressure readings for each tire and tire position in a graphical display, and alerts the driver in the event of low or no pressure
 * 5 mi/h bumpers front and back
 * Optional Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS) (2006-forward)
 * Optional Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) (2006-forward)
 * Optional Michelin PAX System run-flat tires (2006–2008)

From the 2006 model year forward, the Acura RL features an optional precrash system called the Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS), which can alert drivers of objects up to 330 feet ahead. If the driver gets dangerously close and does not take evasive action, the RL first provides visible and audible alerts. If the driver does not respond, the electronic pretensioning seatbelt system tugs on the shoulder belts. If the driver still does not react and the collision is deemed unavoidable, the RL retracts and locks seatbelts and brakes hard. Depending on the situation, all three stages may blend together as if one.

The same CMBS millimeter wave radar was also used to operate the optional Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) feature. The driver selected a cruise speed and could set a timed following distance of 2.0, 1.5 or 1.0 seconds. When the ACC detected a target at any distance up to 330 feet ahead, the engine throttle would be modulated to keep the timed following distance. If throttle modulation did not provide enough slowing, the car would also apply the brakes to help maintain the chosen distance.

From 2006 through 2008, Michelin PAX System run-flat tires were also offered as an option. This system allowed the car to run up to 125 mi at 50 mi/h with a flat.

Michelin PAX System run-flat tires require special equipment to replace them. Such equipment is available only at a limited number of specially certified tire and car dealerships. In April 2008, Michelin announced that it would discontinue its PAX run-flat tires. Unless special equipment is available, the Acura RL's optional run-flat tires are usually fixed by replacing the entire wheel/tire assembly. Unlike Honda dealers, Acura dealers were not required to become PAX certified service centers, which included expensive training and specialized machinery. Acura dealers would generally take a flat tire/wheel assembly off and put a new PAX System on the vehicle, or refer the customer to the nearest PAX certified facility.

For warranty and safety reasons, it is not recommended that owners of PAX equipped vehicles switch to another type of tire assembly. Both Acura and Michelin have not been forthcoming about how current owners of PAX equipped Acura RLs can address this impasse once the current supply of PAX tires run out. Some hope that the PAX tire supply will not run out and that they will be continued to be produced on a specialty basis, just as the ill-fated Michelin TRX system tires are still produced today.

Reasons for discontinuing the PAX run-flat system were several, one big reason probably being the class-action suit against Honda and Michelin. Other reasons may have been the difficulty in repair and replacement of PAX tires, which are generally special order and require special mount/demount machinery and training, and the paucity of PAX certified dealers throughout the United States. While RLs have reportedly low incidence of complaints with the premium Michelin Pilot MXM4 all season tires, the opposite was true of the top-of-the-line Honda Odyssey Touring model minivan equipped with Michelin Energy LX4 PAX tires that allegedly did not live up to their promise of long tread life and easy replacement. In addition, during this time, Michelin announced that due to the low general acceptance of the PAX technology throughout the industry, new PAX development would be stopped, although tires would be provided for the foreseeable future. Other PAX equipped vehicles include the world's fastest production car, the Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4, and certain Rolls-Royce and Audi vehicles.

On the safety front, it is also worth noting that the Honda Legend, the name under which the RL is marketed in most of the rest of the world where there is no Acura brand, offers some additional optional safety features. These include Lane Keeping Assistance System (LKAS), Intelligent Night Vision, front bumper mounted cameras to assist in parking and turning, and a standard pop-up hood for pedestrian safety.

The LKAS can, with the assistance of a front windshield mounted CMOS camera, make small steering adjustments using the car's Electric Power Steering (EPS) system to keep a car in its lane so long as the radius of the turn was more than 220 meters, which was the then-legal minimum in Japan. The LKAS would relinquish control at the slightest steering input by the driver, so the driver retained control at all times.

The night vision system used a separate heads-up type display reflected from the front lower center windshield. Far infrared technology cameras do not require an infrared light source as near infrared technology cameras do, and the software was able to detect human-like figures, surround the image with a red box and give audible caution tones.

Bumper-mounted cameras gave the driver a view out at each front corner to assist in parking, and also to see the amount of clearance down the road if the car were in an alley-like situation, where driver vision around the corner would require moving much of the car out into the path of possible oncoming traffic.

The pop-up hood used a series of sensors that could detect a pedestrian-like object being thrown onto the hood. An actuator popped the hood up at the rear, close to the windshield, 10 cm (4 inches) to help minimize pedestrian injuries, especially head trauma. RL/Legend models in all markets featured energy-absorbing hood and fender supports and deformable windshield wiper pivots to minimize pedestrian injury.

Recalls
There have been two recalls on the second-generation Acura RL, based on defects in parts used in both Acura and Honda vehicles.

In December 2007, certain 2005–2008 model Acura RLs were subject to a safety recall for the power steering hose. Prolonged high under-hood temperatures may cause the power steering hose to deteriorate prematurely and may cause the hose to crack and leak power steering oil. Oil leaking onto a hot catalytic converter will generate smoke and possibly lead to an under-hood fire. Affected vehicles were to be inspected and repaired, as applicable, at no charge. Reportedly, this recall extended to both 2005–2008 Acura RL and 2004–2008 Acura TL models.

In December 2010, certain 2005–2007 model Acura RLs were subject to a safety recall for potential leaking of the brake master cylinder seal. A seal in the brake master cylinder may be susceptible to damage following the use of brake fluid other than the recommended Acura or (Honda) Genuine DOT3 brake fluid. If the seal is damaged, it can result in a brake fluid leak under certain conditions. If a leak should occur, the driver might see a low brake fluid indicator light or a BRAKE FLUID LOW or CHECK BRAKE SYSTEM message. If the driver continues to drive the vehicle after receiving this message without refilling the brake fluid reservoir, it could result in a brake pedal that feels soft or spongy, and may eventually affect braking performance, increasing the risk of a crash. Affected vehicles were to be inspected and repaired, as applicable, at no charge. Reportedly, this recall applied to both 2005–2007 Acura RL and 2005–2007 Honda Odyssey models.

Successor
In April 2012, the Acura RLX concept was introduced by Honda, and the production model debuted at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The initial available trim of the RLX will be front-wheel drive; later the all-wheel drive version will be released featuring a 377-horsepower hybrid engine mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.

title: Acura RL


text:
Talk:Plug

Untitled
"a plug " is also a term related to "model", "pattern" in, for instance, plastic industry; it means a positive or a male tool that is used to make a mould that then is a negative or a female tool; await your comments.

Add it -Indigo Jones

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

title: Talk:Plug


text:
Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855

The Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855 resulted from the 1855 Exposition Universelle de Paris, when Emperor Napoleon III requested a classification system for France's best Bordeaux wines that were to be on display for visitors from around the world. Brokers from the wine industry ranked the wines according to a château's reputation and trading price, which at that time was directly related to quality.

The wines were ranked in importance from first to fifth growths (crus). All of the red wines that made it on the list came from the Médoc region except for one: Château Haut-Brion from Graves. The white wines, then of much less importance than red wine, were limited to the sweet varieties of Sauternes and Barsac and were ranked only from superior first growth to second growth.

Changes to the classification
Within each category, the various châteaux are ranked in order of quality and only twice since the 1855 classification has there been a change: first when in 1856 Cantemerle was added as a fifth growth (having either been originally omitted by oversight or added as an afterthought, depending on which of the conflicting accounts is correct) and, more significantly, in 1973, when Château Mouton Rothschild was elevated from a second growth to a first growth vineyard after decades of intense lobbying by the powerful Philippe de Rothschild. A third, but less known "change", is the removal of Château Dubignon, a third growth from Margaux that was absorbed into the estate Château Malescot St. Exupéry.

A superficial change is that since 1855, when only five of the estates were styled with the word "château" in their name, most Bordeaux wine estates now use this nomenclature.

Critique
As a classification of châteaux, the actual vineyards owned by some wineries have expanded, shrunk and been divided without any reclassification, and considerable plots of valued terroir have changed ownership. Indeed, it is a peculiarity of Bordeaux that as long as a vineyard parcel lies within the boundaries of the wine commune, it is eligible to be used by any chateau, independent of the quality of the parcel itself.

Many wine critics have argued that the 1855 Classification became outdated and does not provide an accurate guide to the quality of the wines being made on each estate. Several proposals have been made for changes to the classification, and a bid for a revision was unsuccessfully attempted in 1960. Alexis Lichine, a member of the 1960 revision panel, launched a campaign to implement changes that lasted over thirty years, in the process publishing several editions of his own unofficial classification and the Alexis Lichine's Guide to the Wines and Vineyards of France, in which he devoted a chapter to the subject. In support of his argument, Lichine cited the case of Chateau Lynch-Bages, the Pauillac Fifth Growth that, through good management and by patiently collecting the best parcels as they come on the market, makes wine that in his view are worthy of a much higher classification. Conversely, poor management can result in a significant decline in quality, as the example of Chateau Margaux shows—the wines it made in the 1960s and 1970s are widely regarded as far below what's expected of a First Growth. Other critics have followed a similar suit, including Robert Parker who published a top 100 Bordeaux estates in 1985 and L'histoire de la vigne & du vin (The History of Wine and the Vine) by Bernard and Henri Enjalbert in 1989, as well as efforts made by Clive Coates (MW) and David Peppercorn (MW). Ultimately nothing has come of them; the likely negative impact on prices for any downgraded châteaux and the 1855 establishment's political muscle are considered among the reasons.

In March 2009, the British wine exchange Liv-ex released The Liv-ex Bordeaux Classification, a modern re-calculation of the 1855 classification, with an aim to apply the original method to the contemporary economical context.

Many of the leading estates from the Médoc appellation that were not included in the 1855 classification are classified as Cru Bourgeois, a classification system that has been updated on a regular basis since 1932, banned in 2007, but reinstated in 2010.

The Médoc Classification of 1855
In French Les Grands Crus classés en 1855. The estates are listed with their commune (village), and their AOC in parentheses, if different from the commune. The 19th-century names appear as listed by the brokers on April 18, 1855, followed by the modern names, as the use of "second cru" for red wines and "deuxième cru" for white wines.

First Growths (Premiers Crus)

 * Château Lafite, now Château Lafite Rothschild, Pauillac
 * Château Latour, Pauillac
 * Château Margaux, Margaux
 * Haut-Brion, now Château Haut-Brion, Pessac, Graves
 * Mouton, now Château Mouton Rothschild, Pauillac

Second Growths (Deuxièmes Crus)

 * Rauzan-Ségla, now Château Rauzan-Ségla, Margaux
 * Rauzan-Gassies, now Château Rauzan-Gassies, Margaux
 * Léoville, now
 * Château Léoville-Las Cases, St.-Julien
 * Château Léoville-Poyferré, St.-Julien
 * Château Léoville-Barton, St.-Julien
 * Vivens Durfort, now Château Durfort-Vivens, Margaux
 * Gruaud-Laroze, now Château Gruaud-Larose, St.-Julien
 * Lascombes, now Château Lascombes, Margaux
 * Brane, now Château Brane-Cantenac, Cantenac-Margaux (Margaux)
 * Pichon Longueville, now
 * Château Pichon Longueville Baron, Pauillac (commonly known as Pichon Baron)
 * Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, Pauillac (commonly known as Pichon Lalande or Pichon Comtesse)
 * Ducru Beau Caillou, now Château Ducru-Beaucaillou, St.-Julien
 * Cos Destournel, now Château Cos d'Estournel, St.-Estèphe
 * Montrose, now Château Montrose, St.-Estèphe

Third Growths (Troisièmes Crus)

 * Kirwan, now Château Kirwan, Cantenac-Margaux (Margaux)
 * Château d'Issan, Cantenac-Margaux (Margaux)
 * Lagrange, Château Lagrange, St.-Julien
 * Langoa, now Château Langoa-Barton, St.-Julien
 * Giscours, now Château Giscours, Labarde-Margaux (Margaux)
 * St.-Exupéry, now Château Malescot St. Exupéry, Margaux
 * Boyd, now
 * Château Cantenac-Brown, Cantenac-Margaux (Margaux)
 * Château Boyd-Cantenac, Margaux
 * Palmer, now Château Palmer, Cantenac-Margaux (Margaux)
 * Lalagune, now Château La Lagune, Ludon (Haut-Medoc)
 * Desmirail, now Château Desmirail, Margaux
 * Dubignon, later Château Dubignon, Margaux
 * Calon, now Château Calon-Ségur, St.-Estèphe
 * Ferrière, now Château Ferrière, Margaux
 * Becker, now Château Marquis d'Alesme Becker, Margaux

Fourth Growths (Quatrièmes Crus)

 * St.-Pierre, now Château Saint-Pierre, St.-Julien
 * Talbot, now Château Talbot, St.-Julien
 * Du-Luc, now Château Branaire-Ducru, St.-Julien
 * Duhart, now Château Duhart-Milon, Pauillac
 * Pouget-Lassale and Pouget, both now Château Pouget, Cantenac-Margaux (Margaux)
 * Carnet, now Château La Tour Carnet, St.-Laurent (Haut-Médoc)
 * Rochet, now Château Lafon-Rochet, St.-Estèphe
 * Château de Beychevele, now Château Beychevelle, St.-Julien
 * Le Prieuré, now Château Prieuré-Lichine, Cantenac-Margaux (Margaux)
 * Marquis de Thermes, now Château Marquis de Terme, Margaux

Fifth Growths (Cinquièmes Crus)

 * Canet, now Château Pontet-Canet, Pauillac
 * Batailley, now
 * Château Batailley, Pauillac
 * Château Haut-Batailley, Pauillac
 * Grand Puy, now Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste, Pauillac
 * Artigues Arnaud, now Château Grand-Puy-Ducasse, Pauillac
 * Lynch, now Château Lynch-Bages, Pauillac
 * Lynch Moussas, now Château Lynch-Moussas, Pauillac
 * Dauzac, now Château Dauzac, Labarde (Margaux)
 * Darmailhac, now Château d'Armailhac, Pauillac
 * Le Tertre, now Château du Tertre, Arsac (Margaux)
 * Haut Bages, now Château Haut-Bages-Libéral, Pauillac
 * Pédesclaux, now Château Pédesclaux, Pauillac
 * Coutenceau, now Château Belgrave, St.-Laurent (Haut-Médoc)
 * Camensac, now Château de Camensac, St.-Laurent (Haut-Médoc)
 * Cos Labory, now Château Cos Labory, St.-Estèphe
 * Clerc Milon, now Château Clerc-Milon, Pauillac
 * Croizet-Bages, now Château Croizet Bages, Pauillac
 * Cantemerle, now Château Cantemerle, Macau (Haut-Médoc)

The White Wines of the Gironde
[Barsac estates may be labelled with the appellation Barsac or Sauternes.]

Superior First Growth (Premier Cru Supérieur)

 * Yquem, now Château d'Yquem, Sauternes

First Growths (Premier Crus)

 * Latour Blanche, now Château La Tour Blanche, Bommes (Sauternes)
 * Peyraguey, now
 * Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey, Bommes (Sauternes)
 * Château Clos Haut-Peyraguey, Bommes (Sauternes)
 * Vigneau, now Château de Rayne-Vigneau, Bommes (Sauternes)
 * Suduiraut, now Château Suduiraut, Preignac (Sauternes)
 * Coutet, now Château Coutet, Barsac
 * Climens, now Château Climens, Barsac
 * Bayle, now Château Guiraud, Sauternes
 * Rieusec, now Château Rieussec, Fargues (Sauternes)
 * Rabeaud, now
 * Château Rabaud-Promis, Bommes (Sauternes)
 * Château Sigalas-Rabaud, Bommes (Sauternes)

Second Growths (Deuxième Crus)

 * Mìrat, now Château de Myrat, Barsac
 * Doisy, now
 * Château Doisy Daëne, Barsac
 * Château Doisy-Dubroca, Barsac
 * Château Doisy-Védrines, Barsac
 * Pexoto, now part of Château Rabaud-Promis
 * D’arche, now Château d'Arche, Sauternes
 * Filhot, now Château Filhot, Sauternes
 * Broustet Nérac, now
 * Château Broustet, Barsac
 * Château Nairac, Barsac
 * Caillou, now Château Caillou, Barsac
 * Suau, now Château Suau, Barsac
 * Malle, now Château de Malle, Preignac (Sauternes)
 * Romer, now
 * Château Romer, Fargues (Sauternes)
 * Château Romer du Hayot, Fargues (Sauternes)
 * Lamothe, now
 * Château Lamothe, Sauternes
 * Château Lamothe-Guignard, Sauternes

Notes and references
a.  The only classified estate situated in Graves rather than Médoc. b.  Listed as Second Growth in 1855, elevated to First Growth in 1973. c.  Dissolved in 1960. d.  Added in 1856.

 * General

 * Echikson, Tom (2004). Noble rot. NY: Norton. ISBN 0-8168-6825-5
 * Taber, George M. (2005). Judgment of Paris: California vs. France and the historic 1976 Tasting that Revolutionized Wine. NY: Scribner. ISBN 0-7432-9732-6
 * Taber, George M. (2005). Judgment of Paris: California vs. France and the historic 1976 Tasting that Revolutionized Wine. NY: Scribner. ISBN 0-7432-9732-6

 * Footnotes


text:
Pulvinar nuclei

The pulvinar nuclei or nuclei of the pulvinar (nuclei pulvinares) are the nuclei (cell bodies of neurons) located in the thalamus (a part of the vertebrate brain). As a group they make up the collection called the pulvinar of the thalamus (pulvinar thalami), usually just called the pulvinar.

The pulvinar is usually grouped as one of the lateral thalamic nuclei in rodents and carnivores, and stands as an independent complex in primates.

Pulvinar acts as an association nucleus that, along with medial dorsal nucleus, connected with parietal, occipital, and temporal lobes, but the function is largely unknown. No distinctive syndrome or obvious sensory deficit can be linked to either one.

Structure
By convention, the pulvinar is divided into four nuclei:

Their connectomic details are as follows:

 * The lateral and inferior pulvinar nuclei have widespread connections with early visual cortical areas.
 * The dorsal part of the lateral pulvinar nucleus predominantly has connections with posterior parietal cortex and the dorsal stream cortical areas.
 * The medial pulvinar nucleus has widespread connections with cingulate, posterior parietal, premotor and prefrontal cortical areas.
 * The pulvinar also has input from the superior colliculus to inferior, lateral and medial sections, which seems to be important in the initiation and compensation of saccade, as well as the regulation of visual attention

Clinical significance
No distinctive syndrome or obvious sensory deficit can be linked to the pulvinar. Lesions of the pulvinar can result in neglect syndromes and attentional deficits. In addition, lesions in early life can impact normal visuomotor behaviors such as reaching and grasping. Furthermore, the pulvinar was demonstrated to be instrumental in the preservation of vision afforded to a boy who lost his primary visual cortex bilaterally at birth as well as other forms of blindsight in monkeys and humans. Strokes affecting the pulvinar have also been implicated in the development of chronic pain. In a case study of photophobia caused by blue light, pulvinar nuclei associated with the melanopsin containing ipRGCs visual pathway where bilaterally activated.

Other animals
The pulvinar varies in importance in different animals: it is virtually nonexistent in the rat, and grouped as the lateral posterior-pulvinar complex with the lateral posterior thalamic nucleus due to its small size in cats. In humans it makes up roughly 40% of the thalamus making it the largest of its nuclei. Significant research has been undertaken in the marmoset examining the role of the retinorecipient region of the inferior pulvinar (medial subdivision), which projects to visual cortical area MT, in the early development of MT and the dorsal stream, as well as following early-life lesions of the primary visual cortex (V1).

Etymology
The word pulvinar  in Latin broadly means an armchair lined with numerous pillows. It was first neuroanatomically named by Karl Friedrich Burdach in 1817: "The cushion (pulvinar), a swelling at the posterior end of the inner edge of the upper quadrigemina like a pillow over seats", English translation (original German: "Das Polster (pulvinar), eine Anschwellung am hintern Ende des inner Randes der obern Vierhügel wie ein Kissen herüber legt" ). In Latin pulvinus could refer to "a sofa, cushioned seat, seat of honor, easy couch; of the couch or marriage-bed ", or more specifically, "a couch made of cushions, and spread over with a splendid covering, for the gods and persons who received divine honors; a couch or cushioned seat of the gods" In the religion of ancient Rome, a pulvinar was an hetoimasia or empty throne, cushioned for occupation by a deity. While anatomically, neuroanatomically there was no Roman deity between its arms, there was the pineal gland, that had in the 17th century, been identified by the French philosopher René Descartes as the seat of intellect and soul, and it has been suggested this link contributed to the first naming of this part of the brain by Karl Friedrich Burdach.

title: Pulvinar nuclei


text:
User:Jp347

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Hi

I'm a third year undergraduate at Cambridge University studying engineering at Jesus College.

I am also a church bell ringer (or campanologist), and Wikipedia has a particularly good section this (but not by me).

My Talk Page

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Bayi Zhengbang From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

NFOR JUDE KOSO judekoso@yahoo.fr CAMEROON.

Sir,

It's with pleasure and honor that i write to you. I opened your website and decided to apply as a footballer in your team.it has always been my dream to play football in china. I am a cameroonian born on the 18th of may 1983. my weight is 75kilograms and height 1.63meters. I have played with the following teams in cameroon: -Shooting stars of limbe. -Tiko united -Hill top strikers. all of the second division league in cameroon and P.W.D of bamenda which is of the first division league.i have been pre-selected three times with the junior indomitable lions of cameroon.

I do understand both the english and the french. Sir i will be happy to hear from you soon. I remain your's faithfully Nfor Jude Koso

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Talk:Clash of Civilizations

E. Said block quote excised and reproduced here for posterity
The following quote was excised from the article:

[The following sentence is from the article] "Especially under Said's critique fell Huntington's view of 'Islam' as a monolithical entity:"

I think the argument is the following: usage of "Islam" as a label to explain Islam is some form of attack. (Here I do not distinguish between an intentional act, and a foreseeable consequence of that intentional act...please, I'm not interested in discussing philosophy right now, nor in splitting hairs.) In other words, by uttering "My wife prays every day. She is Islamic", one engages in an attack, or takes a position in a debate (although the quote in the form used on the article doesn't specify what is being attacked).

Uttering "My husband believes Jesus Christ is God. He is Christian" is not an attack.

E. Said wrote something, and when I read it, I don't see how a reasonable person could take it seriously. At least in the western world, we learn at an early age that "sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me". The most astonishing aspect of this quote is that he immediately engages in the behavior he condemns, by attempting to describe and explain an aspect of the "Islamic world". It might be useful to include this quote in an article on the particular form of argument he is making, to give the reader an example. I do not know the name of the fallacy, it is roughly "it is impossible to discuss X without taking a position on X" and in fact this is a strong form, wherein for a particular X, namely X=Islam, E. Said writes, "it is impossible to discuss X without attacking X". 173.239.78.54 (talk) 08:59, 19 February 2013 (UTC)

 * This is an incredibly stupid argument that totally misses the point of the quote. Instead you paraphrase it in your delusions ignoring context. Please stop removing source because it conflicts with your anti Muslim ideology. 69.138.196.15 (talk) 03:37, 13 November 2019 (UTC)

Non-POV issues with the map
Currently, the map seems to suggest that Guyana and Suriname are Hindu, which is in no way what Huntington thought. I would therefore suggest we update the map to another improved version that exists on the commons, this one. Per WP:BOLD, I've therefore updated it. Please of course feel free to revert and discuss. Hentheden (talk) 23:27, 17 April 2019 (UTC)
 * I reverted, and I explain here: I do not have access to Huntington's book, just the Foreign Affairs issue that introduced the idea, so I ask honestly:  Does the new map still reflect the categories he puts forward in the book (1996), as the caption states?  The text below the map explains that "Latin American" does not include Guyana, Surinam, and French Guyana (which he claims are "cleft" countries--combo between Afro-Caribbean and Hindu cultures).  This does not align with the new map.  If the map reflects some kind of updated version of Huntington's ideas, the caption should be changed at least.  The text below the map makes it appear that the map is now at odds with the categorizations in the book, though (again, something I can't verify). Secondly (and less importantly), the map legend does not communicate what the lighter shade of purple indicates.  Does this mean mostly/mildly Latin American?--MattMauler (talk) 15:13, 18 April 2019 (UTC)
 * I apologise. I went and found a copy of the book at my library, and the map contained therein is identical to the one that you reverted to, even down to the very specific details of how the Philippines is outlined and the up-down order of Guyana, Suriname and French Guyana. In my ignorance I was not aware of the significant populations of Hindus in Suriname and Guyana. Thank you for enlightening me! EDIT: I still however think that it would be good if someone with the skills to do so could put the map into a nice vector-based format! :) Hentheden (talk) 21:26, 20 April 2019 (UTC)

4.Discuss the different cultural/civilization fault lines that are currently arguably being understood as clashing to one another.
4.Discuss the different cultural/civilization fault lines that are currently arguably being understood as clashing to one another. 196.189.243.107 (talk) 05:02, 6 July 2022 (UTC)

Vectorizing the world map
The original world map in the book

As you know, the current map in the article is PNG instead of the recommended SVG, and does not include South Sudan despite having Serbia and Montenegro separate. This map is also missing the smaller islands, particularly in the Caribbean. Some countries will need to be subdivided, and you will have to eyeball the land-based cuts that are not along international borders, such as the Islamic/African boundary passing through Kenya and Tanzania. I wonder if there is a cheaper way of representing the cleft boundaries (particularly, in the Philippines and in Kenya and Tanzania) while remaining faithful to CoC — perhaps, using existing sub-national divisions where possible.

I'd also like to create a new SVG lead image for Western world based on this information — there are no clefts except within French Guiana, but Kaliningrad needs to be colored separately from the rest of Russia. –LaundryPizza03 ( d c̄ ) 16:17, 17 January 2023 (UTC)

title: Talk:Clash of Civilizations


text:
Court (disambiguation)

A court is a tribunal, often a governmental institution, with the authority to adjudicate legal disputes.

Court or courts may also refer to:

Institutions

 * Royal court, the retinue and larger household and entourage of a monarch, prince of the church, or a high nobleman

Places

 * Court, Saskatchewan, hamlet in Canada
 * Court, Switzerland, a municipality in the Canton of Berne
 * Court (Barry electoral ward), in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales
 * Court (District Electoral Area), in Belfast, Northern Ireland
 * Court, any one of several places listed in the National Register of Historic Places listings in Pasadena, California
 * Courts Island, Tasmania
 * The Court, Charlton Mackrell, house in Somerset, England

People

 * Court (surname)

Architecture

 * Food court, a collection of retail outlets selling food ready to eat
 * Game court, a defined playing area with a prepared surface, for a game or sport, usually with solid boundaries
 * Basketball court, a playing surface, consisting of a rectangular floor, with baskets at each end where the sport of basketball is played
 * Tennis court, the venue where the sport of tennis is played

Arts and entertainment

 * Court (film), a 2015 Indian courtroom drama film
 * The Court (TV series), a 2002 American legal drama television series
 * "The Court" (song), 2023 song by Peter Gabriel

Brands and enterprises

 * Court Line, a defunct frill-free charter airline
 * Courts (retailer), a furniture retailer in the Caribbean and Pacific, and formerly the United Kingdom

Other uses

 * Court, a social group of animals, notably kangaroos
 * Court, a verb meaning to seek the affections of another, see courtship

title: Court (disambiguation)


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Beledweyne

Beledweyne (Beledweyne, بلد وين, Belet Uen) is a city in central Somalia. Beledweyne District is the capital city of the Hiran region.

The city is situated in the Shebelle Valley riverine near the Ethiopian border, 210 miles (345 km) north of Mogadishu. Beledweyne is divided by the Shebelle River into eastern and western sections. In 2019, Safiya Jimale became the first female mayor in Somalia.

History
There were battles in 2006, 2008, 2010 and 2011. In December 2011, the Transitional Federal Government took control of Beledweyne from jihadist group al-Shabaab. Somali National Army (SNA) soldiers and around 3,000 allied Ethiopian Army troops descended on the city, capturing it following several hours of fighting. In October 2013, additional SNA and AMISOM troops were deployed to the town to firm up on security after al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for a suicide bomb attack at a local cafeteria.

In 2009, an al-Shabaab suicide car bomber killed 57 people at a hotel. In 2013, they killed 16 people at a restaurant in October and 19 people at a police station in November. In February 2022, an al-Shabaab suicide bomber killed 14 people at a restaurant. In March 2022, they killed over 50 people in a series of attacks.

Municipality
On May 7, 2012, Beledweyne held its first mayoral elections since the start of the civil war in the early 1990s. Two hundred delegates took part in the contest, which was overseen by the Hiran region's head of elections, Sadaq Omar Sabriye. Mohamed Hassan Nuriye emerged as the new city mayor, obtaining 135 votes versus 11 and 8 votes, respectively, for the two nearest competitors.

In his first day in office, Mayor Nuriye officially banned firearms within the city limits. He also warned that people found contravening the edict would have their weapons impounded and could face imprisonment. In addition, Nuriye indicated that for security reasons, government soldiers who were not on patrol should remain within their bases. Soldiers would likewise only be permitted to carry weapons in the city while conducting security operations.

To further tighten up on security, Beledweyne municipality over a three-day period started simultaneously registering all local residents. Mayor Nuriye also unveiled plans for a citywide beautification campaign. In July 2012, his administration imposed a two-day night-time curfew in Beledweyne, while government soldiers demolished structures that had been illegally erected along the area's main road in one of the Municipality's first urban renewal initiatives.

In March 2015, the Beledweyne municipality launched a civilian tax collection program in the city. The tax revenue is earmarked for essential public social services. Additionally, the city government is slated to register all local businesses, which will further facilitate tax gathering. The municipal authorities are also scheduled to set up a new citywide house numbering system.

Transportation
Beledweyne is served by Beledweyne Airport. As of February 2015, the Djibouti Defense Forces have refurbished the airstrip.

Demographics
The district has a total population of 329,811 with 79/21 percent rural/urban divide, and it is inhabited by the Gaalje'el. Hawadle clans.

Climate
Beledweyne has a hot arid climate (Köppen climate classification BWh). Between March and April, the average daily maximum temperature in the city is 36.7 °C. In January and February, the average daily minimum temperature is 21.8 °C.

Notable residents

 * Aden Abdullah Osman Daar, first President of Somalia
 * Omar Hashi Aen National Security Minister

title: Beledweyne


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Vincennes University

Vincennes University (VU) is a public college with its main campus in Vincennes, Indiana. Founded in 1801 as Jefferson Academy, VU is the oldest public institution of higher learning in Indiana. VU was chartered in 1806 as the Indiana Territory's four-year university and remained the state of Indiana's sole publicly funded four-year university until the establishment of Indiana University in 1820. In 1889, VU was chartered by the State of Indiana as a two-year university. From 1999 to 2005, Vincennes University was in a state-mandated partnership with Ivy Tech State College (changing its name to Ivy Tech Community College). In 2005, VU began offering baccalaureate degrees.

VU's campus in Vincennes is a residential campus nestled along the banks of the Wabash River. Other VU sites include a campus in Jasper, Indiana, the Center for Advanced Manufacturing and Logistics in Fort Branch, Indiana, along with centers for Aviation, Logistics, Advanced Manufacturing, and American Sign Language, in the Indianapolis area.

Territorial University
Vincennes University is one of the oldest universities north of the Ohio River and west of the Alleghenies. The institution was founded in 1801 as Jefferson Academy and incorporated as Vincennes University on November 29, 1806. Founded by William Henry Harrison, VU, along with the University at Buffalo and the University of Virginia, are the only colleges founded by United States presidents. For over two hundred years, VU was the only two-year university in Indiana, although baccalaureate degrees in seven select areas are now available and were available prior to 1889.

Vincennes University, also known colloquially as Territorial University during the early 19th century, was the only public university established by the Indiana Territory, prior to the formation of the states of Indiana and Illinois. The town of Vincennes was chosen as the location of both the capital of the Indiana Territory and of the university because it was centrally located at the approximate population-density center of the Indiana Territory. Father Jean Francois Rivet, former professor of Latin at the Royal College of Limoges, France, was the first headmaster of Jefferson Academy, with classes taking place in the main room of the church rectory.

When the Illinois Territory was split from the Indiana Territory in 1809 in preparation for Indiana statehood, Vincennes fell slightly east of the Indiana and Illinois territory border. The formation of the state of Indiana in 1816 (which considered itself an entirely new and separate legal entity from Indiana Territory that had created VU), and the formation of the state of Illinois in 1818, funding for Vincennes University became less and less certain because VU was considered to be owned by the now-defunct Indiana Territory.

Because of Vincennes' status as the capital of the Indiana Territory, it figured prominently in early Indiana-Illinois territorial and statehood policy. For example, on February 3, 1809, the 10th U.S. Congress passed legislation establishing the separate Indiana Territory in preparation for Indiana's proposed statehood. That act established the Indiana-Illinois border not with reference to a landmark along Lake Michigan near Chicago, but rather via direct reference to Vincennes: "...all that part of the Indiana Territory which lies west of the Wabash river, and a direct line drawn from the said Wabash river and Post Vincennes, due north to the territorial line between the United States and Canada..."

State of Indiana's state university
Further complicating the question of funding for VU was the state of Indiana's desire to establish its own state-controlled public university in Bloomington, Indiana. Until the establishment of Indiana University, Vincennes University was the sole public university within the entire Indiana Territory and then more narrowly within the state of Indiana. The states of Indiana and Illinois partially abandoned their financial responsibility for the Territorial University after they had established their own separate public universities that did not present the legal complications of an institution whose legal control perhaps spanned the borders of at least two states and had been established by a defunct governmental entity. Conversely, these complications also set the stage for VU's two-century long history with some of the most architecturally-significant early 19th-century buildings to be found at any two-year institution in the U.S.

In the mid-19th century, the Indiana state legislature tried to reclaim the original VU land grant, to be used for what would become Indiana University. The resulting lawsuit (Trustees for Vincennes University v Indiana, 1853) was eventually heard by the U.S. Supreme Court, who decided in VU's favor, based on its earlier decision in a similar case regarding Dartmouth College. The legal dispute arose in part because a portion of VU's status as a land-grant public university derived from the fact that VU is the inheritor of the land-grant and facilities of Territorial University.

To clarify the mission of VU vis a vis Indiana's other institutions of higher education at the time (Purdue University, the State Normal School, and Indiana University), the state of Indiana rechartered VU in 1889, changing it from a four-year university to a two-year university.

Tau Phi Delta and the Sigma Pi fraternity
In 1897, a small literary society called Tau Phi Delta was started at VU, which soon after became the founding ("Alpha") chapter of Sigma PiFraternity, making that organization the first of its kind to be founded west of the Ohio Valley. A clock tower on the VU campus commemorates that event. The fraternity has since grown into one of the largest collegiate fraternities and, despite relocating its headquarters to Tennessee; they continue to recognize VU as its birthplace.

Relationship with Ivy Tech Community College
In 1999, Indiana Governor Frank O'Bannon and Stan Jones, commissioner for higher education, persuaded the Indiana state legislature to mandate a "coordinated partnership" between Vincennes University and what was then called Ivy Tech State College. Writing for a national publication, reporter William Trombley characterized the "shotgun marriage" as something that was spoken of cautiously by officials at both institutions: "It was not our initiative," Vincennes President Phillip M. Summers said in an interview. "We were asked if we would participate and we agreed". Thomas Cooke, dean of instruction at the Ivy Tech Indianapolis campus, said "We have everything except the liberal arts degree . . . And that could be easily accommodated within our present structure" (4). This tenuous arrangement was dissolved by the 2005 rechartering of Ivy Tech State College as a statewide system of comprehensive community colleges named Ivy Tech Community College.

Academics
Vincennes University offers a diverse set of majors that are focused on careers in teaching and industry. Vincennes University has a 24% graduation rate.

Vincennes University is organized into six colleges:
 * Business and Public Service (includes Homeland Security and Law Enforcement)
 * Health Sciences and Human Performance
 * Humanities
 * Science, Engineering, and Mathematics
 * Social Science, Performing Arts, and Communications
 * Technology

Vincennes is working with Techman and Telamon Robotics to develop a cobot training curriculum.

Buildings
Buildings and facilities on the campuses of Vincennes University include:

Main campus

 * Updike Hall of Science Engineering and Mathematics
 * Jefferson Student Union (replaced Beckes Student Union in 2017).
 * Construction Technology Building
 * Shircliff Humanities Building
 * Davis Hall (Public Service/Broadcasting)
 * Homeland Security Building
 * Governors Hall (Admissions) (Original Beckes Student Union, until 1992).
 * Welsh Administration Building
 * Beckes Student Union (built in 1992, it was the student union until 2017).
 * Wathen Business Building
 * Donald G. Bell Student Recreation Center
 * PE Complex
 * Police Department
 * Phillip M. Summers Social Science Building
 * Robert C. Beless Gym
 * Robert E. Green Activities Center
 * Dayson Alumni Center
 * Della Young Building – Statewide Services
 * Center for Health Sciences
 * Tecumseh Dining Center
 * Red Skelton Performing Arts Center / Red Skelton Museum
 * Shake Learning Resource Center
 * Automotive Technology Building
 * Residence Halls
 * Clark Hall
 * Ebner Hall (College of Technology Learning Community)
 * Godare Hall
 * Morris Hall
 * Vanderburgh Hall
 * Vigo Hall
 * Outlying Main Facilities
 * Indiana
 * John Deere Agriculture Tech Building (Immediately north of Vincennes on U.S. 41)
 * Illinois
 * O'Neal Airfield in Westport, Illinois
 * Mid America International Airport in Lawrenceville, Illinois

 * State historic buildings
 * Jefferson Academy building

Jasper

 * Ruxer Student Center
 * Habig Technology Center
 * Administrative Classroom Building
 * New Classroom Building
 * Center for Technology Innovation and Manufacturing (CTIM) Building

Indianapolis area

 * Aviation Technology Center houses the Aviation Maintenance program and ground classes for the Aviation Flight Program on the grounds of the Indianapolis International Airport.
 * Vincennes University Aviation located on the grounds of Eagle Creek Airpark is the base airport for all active Vincennes University aircraft. The fleet consists of many Cessna 172R type aircraft and a Piper PA-44 Seminole.
 * American Sign Language program at the Indiana School for the Deaf.
 * Logistics Training and Education Center is in Plainfield, Indiana.
 * Gene Haas Training and Education Center is in Lebanon, Indiana.

Fort Branch / Gibson County

 * Center for Advanced Manufacturing, in cooperation with North American Crane Certifications (NACC), became an official training and testing site for Crane Institute Certification (CIC) in February 2016.

Athletics
VU is a member of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA). In honor of its local heritage, the VU team moniker is the Trailblazers. Trailblazers refers to the early years of Vincennes as a French fur-trading post and American outpost in the frontier of the Northwest Territory and its later period as capital of the Indiana Territory. When the Trailblazers moniker needs to be personified by a mascot, VU depicts a Trailblazer as minute man or woodsman-type frontier settler, inspired by such as George Rogers Clark who resided in Indiana after his military career.

The VU Trailblazers compete in baseball, bowling, golf, basketball, cross country, volleyball, and track and field. Its bowling team is particularly well known as it has won 21 NJCAA national championships. The men's bowling team won the 1983 USBC collegiate national championship. The men's basketball team is a national NJCAA power, winning national titles in 1965, 1970, 1972 and 2019; they were national finalists in 1986. The men's cross-country team won NJCAA titles in 1969 and 1971; they have 12 additional "Top Ten" finishes in the NJCAA National Finals.

Broadcasting facilities
The university operates television station WVUT, a PBS affiliate, on channel 22. It also operates full-power radio stations WVUB at 91.1 MHz —WFML at 96.7 MHz.

Notable faculty and staff

 * Jerry Blemker, baseball coach

Notable alumni

 * Isaac K. Beckes - president of Vincennes University from 1950 to 1980
 * James C. Denny - Indiana Attorney General from 1872 to 1874
 * Max Mapes Ellis, physiologist and explorer.
 * William Gainey – first Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman (SEAC) of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
 * David Goodnow – CNN news anchor, retired
 * Dr CW Chu – philanthropist, founder of CW Chu College one of the Colleges of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1973 Vincennes University honorary Doctorate recipient
 * Chuck Goodrich – member of the Indiana House of Representatives
 * Rickey Green - former NBA player; NBA All-Star, NCAA All-American
 * Willie Humes—Idaho State; All-American basketball player; Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame inductee (2016)
 * Mario Joyner – stand-up comedian and actor
 * Carl Landry – former NBA player
 * Newton Lee – Computer scientist, author, futurist, and chairman of the California Transhumanist Party.
 * Shawn Marion – former NBA player; NBA Champion, NBA All-Star
 * Bob McAdoo – former NBA player, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee; 1982 NBA Champion, 1985 NBA Champion, 1975 NBA MVP, five-time NBA All-Star
 * John Mellencamp – musician
 * Mychal Mulder - NBA player
 * Brad Pennington - MLB player
 * Jerry Reynolds – former NBA Coach, General Manager; current broadcaster for Sacramento Kings
 * Curtis G. Shake – jurist, politician, 72nd Justice of the Indiana Supreme Court, State Senator, and one of the Judges of the United States Nuremberg Military Tribunals
 * Maurice Cole Tanquary – entomologist and explorer
 * Eric Williams – former NBA player
 * Clarence "Foots" Walker – former NBA player; NJCAA National Champion, NAIA National Champion

title: Vincennes University


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Suburbia (film)

Suburbia, also known as Rebel Streets and The Wild Side, is a 1983 American coming-of-age drama thriller film written and directed by Penelope Spheeris and produced by Roger Corman. The film's plot concerns a group of suburban youths who run away from home and adopt a punk lifestyle by squatting in abandoned suburban tract homes. The punks are played by Chris Pedersen, Bill Coyne, Timothy Eric O'Brien, Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea and others.

The film contains live footage of D.I. performing "Richard Hung Himself", T.S.O.L. performing "Wash Away" and "Darker My Love" and the Vandals performing "The Legend of Pat Brown."

The film inspired the Pet Shop Boys song "Suburbia."

Plot
Sheila, a hitchhiking teenage runaway, is picked up on Interstate 605 in the Greater Los Angeles Area by a woman with a toddler. When the car gets a flat tire, they find a telephone booth on the edge of an abandoned tract housing district. While the mother is on the phone, the toddler is attacked and killed by a stray dog.

Another teenage runaway, Evan Johnson, leaves his suburban home and abusive, alcoholic mother, ending up at a punk rock concert by D.I., where Keef slips drugs into his drink. The concert ends abruptly when a female attendee has her clothes torn off by the punks in the audience. Jack Diddley offers Evan a place to stay at "T.R. House", a punk house in the abandoned tract housing district off Interstate 605. Along the way, they pick up Joe Schmo, who also intends to move into the house. Joe changes his mind when he learns each resident must be branded with the letters T.R. ("The Rejected"), but winds up coming back and accepting the brand. He begins to form a romantic relationship with Sheila, who has also moved into the house.

The next morning, several men from "Citizens Against Crime", including Jim Tripplett and Bob Skokes, killing local dogs in drive-by shooting. T.R. kids Razzle and Skinner confront them, but the situation is defused by Jack's stepfather, police Officer Bill Rennard. Jack, Evan, and Skinner steal food for the house by raiding the garages of a nearby suburban neighborhood, and they make further enemies of Jim and Bob by disrupting their garage sale. When Evan sees on the news that his mother has been arrested for drunk driving, he collects his younger brother, Ethan, and brings him to live at T.R. House, where Sheila gives him a mohawk. Sheila admits to Joe that she was physically and sexually abused by her father.

During a T.S.O.L. concert, the T.R. gang get into a fight defending Skinner. The men (Possibly Citizens Against Crime members) with whom they were fighting enter the concert and stab a security guard, framing the T.R. kids for the crime by using the knife to hang a flier with "T.R." written in blood. Jim and Bob next witness the T.R. crew vandalizing a convenience store. At a Citizens Against Crime meeting, they accuse Bill and the rest of the police of not doing enough to curb the teenagers' criminal behavior, declaring their willingness to take the law into their own hands. Bill goes to T.R. House and implores the teens to stay out of trouble. That night, Jim and Bob invade the house and threaten the teens, assaulting Sheila in the process. The next morning, the kids find that Sheila has killed herself by overdosing on Keef's drugs. Not knowing what to do, they bring her body back to her parents. When the T.R. kids come to the funeral, Sheila's father insists that they leave. Joe reveals his knowledge of Sheila's abuse, and a fight breaks out, hospitalizing Sheila's father.

At a Vandals concert that night, Bill shows up and warns the T.R. kids to clear out of T.R. house immediately, before their actions bring the Citizens Against Crime down on their heads, but they decide to stay. Learning of the violence at the funeral, Jim and Bob show up at the house and are attacked by the teens, who drive them off. They bring their car back around for another pass, accidentally running over and killing Ethan. Bill arrives, but is too late to prevent the tragedy. It is likely that Jim and Bob were either arrested or charged.

Cast

 * Bill Coyne as Evan Johnson
 * Chris Pedersen as Jack Diddley
 * Jennifer Clay as Sheila
 * Timothy Eric O'Brien as Skinner
 * Wade Walston as Joe Schmo
 * Mike B. The Flea as Razzle
 * André Boutilier as Peg Leg
 * Grant Miner as Keef
 * Christina Beck as T'resa
 * Maggie Ehrig as Mattie
 * Lee Frederick (credited as "Robert Peyton") as Jim Tripplett
 * Jeff Prettyman as Bob Skokes
 * Don Allen as Officer Bill Rennard
 * Andrew Pece as Ethan Johnson
 * J. Dinan Myrtetus as Sheila's father
 * Ilene Latter as Sheila's mother
 * Donna Lamana as Tina Johnson
 * Gavin Courtney as Joe's father
 * Gina Carrera (credited as "Julie Winchester") as Sandy Dawson
 * Marlena Brause as Mrs. Tripplett
 * Dorlinda Griffin as Mother
 * Robert Griffin as Toddler

 * Cameos
 * D.I. (Casey Royer, Fredric Taccone, Tim Maag, Derek O'Brien)
 * T.S.O.L. (Jack Grisham, Ron Emory, Mike Roche, Todd Barnes, Greg Kuehn)
 * The Vandals (Steve O, Jan Ackerman, Joseph Escalante, Steve Pfauter)

Production
Director Penelope Spheeris was inspired to write and direct the film when seeing a lack of release for her punk documentary The Decline of Western Civilization (1981). As such, owing to her time spent around the scene, she took inspiration from stories and incidents she had seen or heard when writing the script, whether that was stray dogs that actually were roaming streets owing to a guard dog training school being closed down to let the dogs run wild.

She recruited street youths and punk-rock musicians to play each role rather than hiring actors.

Spheeris said she provided $250,000 of the budget and Roger Corman the other $250,000. She said " Roger made biker movies and exploitation movies and that sort of thing, so luckily he wanted to do the movie because he felt this might be the new wave. But, you know, he didn’t really interfere too much. It was mostly that he wanted me to have that scene up front where the kid gets nuked by the dog."

Reception
Vincent Canby called the film a "clear-eyed, compassionate melodrama about a bunch of young dropouts" and "probably the best teen-agers-in-revolt movie since Jonathan Kaplan's Over the Edge."

Suburbia holds a 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 15 reviews.

title: Suburbia (film)