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First Love (Hikaru Utada album)

First Love is the debut Japanese-language studio album (second overall) by Japanese-American recording artist Hikaru Utada, released on March 10, 1999, by Toshiba-EMI.

An R&B and dance-pop album, First Love centres on the theme of love and relationships. The songs were written and recorded over the course of about one year, between the end of Utada's 14th year and the end of her 15th year. Critics' opinions of the album were generally favourable, praising Utada's songwriting and vocal delivery. In its first week of release, the album entered the Oricon Albums Chart at number one with over two million units sold. Since its release, First Love remains the highest-selling Japanese album with nationwide sales of 8 million copies. It has also sold over ten million units worldwide, making it the highest-selling album in Asian music history. Due to its enormous sales and revolutionary nature, the album is still presented as a milestone in the history of Japanese pop music.

Utada promoted the album by releasing three singles: "Automatic/Time Will Tell," "Movin' on Without You" and the title track, all which were accompanied by a music video. She performed several tracks from the album on several television appearances in 1998 and 1999, and have performed songs on her Utada: In the Flesh 2010 and Wild Life tours. "Automatic/time will tell" and First Love are her best-selling CD single and album respectively. Exactly fifteen years after its premiere, a 2014 re-issue of the album was released, featuring a bonus live DVD and the special edition featured two additional discs.

Background
Born and raised in Manhattan, New York City, Utada started singing at a very young age; she was a member of U$3$, a musical act with her mother Keiko Fuji and her father Teruzane Utada. U$3$ released their debut album Star in 1993, with the hope to debut in America; the album only peaked at thirty-three in Japan. Utada's mother was a Japanese enka singer and actress, while her father was a Japanese record producer who had contributed to some of Fuji's work. In 1996, the group was re-branded as Cubic U, an R&B project that focused primarily on Hikaru, resulting in the English language album Precious in 1998 with record label Toshiba EMI. Precious was originally scheduled to be released simultaneously in Japan and the United States, but due to EMI's internal restructuring issues, this album was not released in the United States and was only released in Japan. 8,000 copies were shipped in Japan at the time of its release, but on March 31, 1999, the album was re-released with a new jacket. At the time of the reissue, First Love, the first album under Hikaru Utada's name released three weeks earlier, had become an unprecedented hit, and the reissued version of Precious also attracted attention, selling approximately 700,000 copies according to Oricon.

Utada relocated to Tokyo in early 1997 to attend Seisen International School and American School in Japan. During her studies, Utada signed as a solo artist with Toshiba EMI and began recording her album First Love. Fluent in both English and Japanese languages, the head offices at EMI asked if she could write Japanese songs rather than English lyrics. During the process of the album, Utada desired to become a singer-songwriter and occasionally practised producing and composing her music rather than becoming a Japanese idol. She refused to allow talent agencies to contact her at the start, which was a very common tradition for Japanese singers in the 1990s, and her father started to manage her work along with producing and composing it; to this day, her father continues to manage and co-produce some of her work. Aaliyah's album Age Ain't Nothing but a Number was the inspiration for Utada's fascination with rhythm and blues music, and she described Aaliyah's album as her rhythm and blues roots. Aaliyah's soft, murmuring vocals also influenced Utada's future singing style.

Production and composition
The lyrics to the tracks from First Love are written primarily in Japanese by Utada and featured interspersed English-language phrases. Utada's father Teruzane and Akira Miyake served as the album's primary producers alongside Hikaru; Saito Masaaki, Nakasone Junya, Sanada Yoshiaki and Okamoto Tatsyua served as the album's executive producers. Utada contributed to editing and producing her recorded vocals for all the tracks. The tracks from First Love were recorded in studios across her native New York City, Los Angeles and Tokyo. American producer and mixer Ted Jensen had mixed the tracks at Sterling Sound Studios in New York.

The album's opener "Automatic" is an R&B and dance-pop song that talks about a previous relationship. Rockin' On Japan's editor and chief Kano had commented that Utada had brought a large prominence of R&B and soul music with the tracks "Automatic" and "Time Will Tell", and felt that "Automatic"'s release introduced a new R&B audience inside of Japan. The title track is a power ballad conveying slow and off-key vocals that complimented the music to the album.

"Movin' on Without You" is a disco and house-inspired track that was influenced by the early 1990s dance music throughout the Western part of the world and lasts a duration of four minutes and forty-one seconds. "B&C", a funk song, was featured as a B-side to the physical CD format from "Movin' on Without You". The album closer "Give Me a Reason" is a trip hop song. "Interlude" was produced into a song called "Kotoba ni Naranai Kimochi" on Utada's Distance album.

Release
First Love was released on March 10, 1999, by Toshiba EMI. The album was released as a compact disc and a double vinyl. The vinyl was exclusively released in North America and Japan by Eastworld Records. First Love was released in the Philippines by OctoArts EMI Music. It was released in South Korea and Indonesia by Eastworld and EMI.

After fifteen years of its release, First Love was re-released by Universal Music Japan on March 10, 2014, in two separate versions. The normal version is a two-disc set featuring a remastered version of the normal album along with a second disc featuring Utada's previously unreleased "LUV LIVE" concert. The remastering was done by Ted Jensen. The other version is a limited edition 4-disc set, containing the remastered track list on disc one, "LUV LIVE" concert on disc two, as well as featuring a disc containing karaoke tracks and the last containing a multitude of demos from the First Love era of Utada's career. The deluxe edition also carries with it memorabilia from that time, including a hard cover booklet filled with unreleased photoshoots, handwritten lyrics, promotional items as well as replicas of the tickets and backstage passes to her "LUV LIVE" concert. The Deluxe Edition initially was limited to 5,000 copies, however, due to overwhelming demand, this was pushed to 10,000 after the initial 5,000 units were sold almost instantly.

Singles
The double A-side single "Automatic/Time Will Tell" was released on December 9, 1998, as an 8cm mini CD single and 12cm CD single. The songs received positive reviews, being highlighted as album stand outs. "Automatic" was given the gold award at the 2000 JASRAC awards, beating her own song "Time Will Tell" and "Dango 3 Kyodai" to be the most royalty-receiving song in 1999. The Japan Record Awards mentioned the song as an Honorable Mention Award. In 2000, The Japan Gold Disc Awards had awarded "Automatic" along with "Movin' on Without You" and "Addicted to You" for Song(s) of the Year. "Automatic/Time Will Tell" peaked at number four and number two on the Oricon Singles Chart in their respective formats. With both formats combined, "Automatic/Time Will Tell" has sold over 2.06 million units in Japan, making it her best-selling physical single, the second best-selling single by a female Japanese soloist and the nineteenth best-selling single in Japan overall.

The second single "Movin' on Without You" was released on February 17, 1999, as a 8cm single and a 12cm single. It served as the commercial song for the Nissan Terrano. The song received positive reviews, many of which highlighted the song as an album stand out. The 8cm single reached number five on the Oricon Singles Chart. The 12cm single reached number one on the Oricon Singles Chart, marking this her first number one. This edition of the single was certified million by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) for shipments of one million units. "Movin' on Without You" was her most well-known song in the West before her rise in popularity through "Simple And Clean."

The third and final single "First Love" was released on April 28, 1999, as a 8cm mini CD and a 12cm standard CD. "First Love" was used as the theme song for the dorama Majo no Jōken, starring Hideaki Takizawa and Nanako Matsushima. The song received positive reviews, many of which highlighted the song as an album stand out. The 12cm standard CD single of "First Love" peaked at number two on the Oricon Singles Chart, missing the top spot but was certified double platinum by the RIAJ for shipments of 800,000 units in Japan. The 8cm CD version reached number six. At the end of the year, "First Love" became the annual number one song on Taiwan's Hit FM Top 100 Singles of the Year chart for 1999. "First Love" was also adopted as the marching song for the Spring 2000 National High School Baseball Tournament.

Reception
Music critics complimented First Love. Tomoyuki Mori of Amazon praised the album for its heartfelt lyrics and said that her voice is rich in emotional expression. Japanese magazine CDJournal felt Utada's singing voice and musical style was very heartfelt.

Tower Records described the album as "an epoch-making work that played a pioneering role in completely changing the concept of popular music in Japan." Music critic Yoichi Shibuya commented that the album was "different to anything Japanese pop music had produced up until now, with a very high quality and international appeal," and that he felt that "the DNA of Japanese pop music has changed." He also commented on the album's sudden astronomical sales, saying that it "achieved a combination of revolutionary quality and popularity that had previously been thought impossible."

In a 2016 article, OKMusic's Tomoyuki Hokari noted Utada's way of putting words to melody in her work. He praised Utada's "seamless use of words, which makes the most of her unique bilingualism (she is a native speaker of both Japanese and English) - or perhaps even unaware of it - as one of the great inventions in the history of Japanese entertainment," adding, "I don't think anything has yet emerged that surpasses this invention, at least in terms of publicly recognized methods and techniques. I don't think anything has yet emerged that surpasses this invention, at least in terms of methods and techniques recognized by the public." Music Magazine's Yumiko Kakoi commented that "she has successfully and unconsciously made the best parts of R&B and songs into her own." Tomoo Yamaguchi, also of Music Magazine, commented, "The fact that there is nothing obnoxious about her music or singing ability shows the size of her capacity."

Commercial performance
First Love entered the Oricon Albums Chart at number one with 2,026,870 units sold. The album sold over five million copies in a month in March and April of 1999 and placed Utada among the 100 wealthiest people in Japan. It stayed at number one for six nonconsecutive weeks and stayed in the top 300 of the chart for 93 weeks in total. Oricon named First Love the best performing album of 1999 in Japan, with 7,365,830 copies sold by the end of the fiscal year.

By February 2000, First Love was reported to have sold more than 8 million copies in Japan alone, making it the largest-selling album in the history of the Japanese record industry. First Love is the only album or physical record to have been certified octuple million by the RIAJ, which is equivalent to being certified 32x platinum by the RIAA. The sales of First Love helped it overtake B'z's B'z The Best "Pleasure" as history's highest-selling Japanese album. Alongside its success at home, First Love also sold 500,000 copies in Taiwan, making it the highest-selling Japanese album in Taiwan's music history.

By the end of 1999, Utada was ranked 5th on Japanese radio station Tokio Hot 100 Airplay's Top 100 Artists of the 20th Century by the station and its listeners. In September 2004, First Love reached sales of 10 million copies globally, making it the highest-selling album in Asian music history. In September 2007, Rolling Stone Japan ranked First Love No.99 on its list of the "100 Greatest Japanese Rock Albums of All Time". First Love is the seventh album to claim the highest weekly sales in Japan, behind her 2001 album Distance and 2002 album Deep River.

Personnel
All Japanese names are in Western order – given name before family name.

 * Hikaru Utada – vocals
 * Anthony Jimenez Corton – secret Love, additional chorus
 * Akira Nishihira – arrangement, keyboards & programming
 * Kei Kawano – arrangement, additional keyboards
 * Shinichiro Murayama – arrangement, keyboards & programming
 * Toshiyuki Mori – arrangement, keyboards & programming
 * Jun Isomura – arrangement
 * Tsuyoshi Kon – guitar
 * Yoshiaki Kusaka – guitar
 * Hironori Akiyama – guitar
 * Yuji Toriyama – guitar
 * Masayoshi Furukawa – guitar
 * Yuichiro Honda – guitar
 * Yuichiro Goto – strings
 * Jullian Hernandez – additional chorus
 * Nobuhiko Nakayama – synthesizer programming
 * Takahiro Iida – synthesizer programming
 * Masayuki Momo – synthesizer programming
 * Taka & Speedy – rhythm arrangement, rhythm programming
 * Akira Miyake – producer
 * Teruzane Sking Utada – producer
 * Hidenobu Okita – director
 * Masaaki Ugajin – all vocals' recording
 * Masaaki Ugajin, Masashi Kudo, Seiji Motoyama, Takehiko Kamata, Bob Allecca, Mike Brown – back track recording
 * Hotoda Goh – mixing
 * Ted Jensen – mastering

title: First Love (Hikaru Utada album)


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Big Brother Recordings

Big Brother Recordings Ltd. is a British record label set up in 2000 to release material by rock band Oasis in the UK and Ireland. On 19 June 2008 a deal was signed with Sony BMG which entitled them to an arranged portion of the profits from the next three Oasis studio albums to be released through Big Brother. The name of the company is a reference to the band's guitarist, singer and songwriter Noel Gallagher, who is the older brother of lead singer Liam Gallagher. The catalogue number of each release begins with "RKID", which stands for "our kid"; Northern England slang to refer to a brother.

The imprint was started after Alan McGee announced on 25 November 1999 that he was leaving Creation Records, Oasis' original record company. The first release on Big Brother was the single "Go Let It Out" (catalogue number 'RKID 001') on 7 February 2000, the lead single from the band's fourth studio album, Standing on the Shoulder of Giants. On 14 August 2000, all of Oasis's singles from Definitely Maybe, (What's the Story) Morning Glory? and Be Here Now were re-issued on the Big Brother label and given new RKID catalogue numbers. In 2005, British band Happy Mondays released their first new material in over 13 years on the Big Brother label, with the single "Playground Superstar".

In addition to Big Brother Recordings, Noel Gallagher has Sour Mash Records, a label founded in 2001, who has signed Proud Mary (band from Royton) and Shack (band formed in Liverpool).

Big Brother were reported to be buying back the rights to Oasis' back catalogue from Sony BMG, who took complete control of Creation Records in 2000. The new deal signed with Sony means this process is on hold for the foreseeable future.

In September 2007, Oasis signed a record deal with Universal Music Group, and the Lord Don't Slow Me Down DVD was released by Big Brother Recordings Ltd. in United Kingdom, and Big Brother Recordings Ltd./Universal Music internationally. Also released was their first ever digital only single on 21 October 2007, "Lord Don't Slow Me Down".

On 30 July 2008, Reprise Records announced that it has signed a North American distribution deal with Big Brother Recordings. The first new release under the deal was "Dig Out Your Soul," in October 2008.

The logo of the label, pictured above, appeared on the back of the white piano that Jay Darlington played at the Oasis concerts. It can be seen on the live performance second disc of Lord Don't Slow Me Down.

Appointed the7stars as their media planning and buying agency in 2007.

List of releases

 * * Reissues of Oasis' old Creation Records material.
 * ** Promo only
 * *** Record Store Day only
 * **** HMV exclusive only

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

title: Big Brother Recordings


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Miikka Kiprusoff

Miikka Sakari Kiprusoff (born October 26, 1976), nicknamed "Kipper", is a Finnish former professional ice hockey goaltender who played in the National Hockey League for the San Jose Sharks and Calgary Flames between 2000 and 2013. He was selected in the fifth round, 116th overall, by the Sharks in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft, and has also played professionally for TPS of the Finnish SM-liiga, as well as for both AIK IF and Timrå IK of the Swedish Elitserien.

Kiprusoff represented Finland several times on the international stage, earning silver medals at the Ice Hockey World Championships in 1999 and 2001, as well as leading the Finns to a surprise second-place finish at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey. He also helped the Finnish national team win the bronze medal at the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Kiprusoff began his professional career with TPS in 1994, and was named the best goaltender and best player of the playoffs in 1999 as he led them to the SM-liiga championship. He then moved to North America in 1999, and after two All-Star seasons in the American Hockey League (AHL), made his NHL debut with the San Jose Sharks, where he served primarily as the team's backup. A trade to the Calgary Flames in 2003–04 brought Kiprusoff into a starting role, and he set a modern NHL record for lowest goals against average (GAA) at 1.69 as he helped the Flames reach the 2004 Stanley Cup Finals. He won the Vezina Trophy as the best goaltender in the NHL in 2006 along with the William M. Jennings Trophy for giving up the fewest goals in the League. He played in his first NHL All-Star Game in 2007. Having won over 300 games after turning 27, he is the franchise record holder in both wins and shutouts for the Flames.

Europe
Kiprusoff was sponsored by his hometown team. TPS, playing two seasons in the Finnish junior league for them between 1993 and 1995. He was then selected by the San Jose Sharks in the fifth round, 116th overall, at the 1995 NHL Entry Draft. He made his professional debut in 1994–95, and won three of four games played for TPS. After playing 12 games for TPS in 1995–96, he moved to AIK IF of the Swedish Elitserien, playing two seasons as their top goaltender before returning to TPS in 1998–99. He dominated the SM-liiga that year, finishing the season with a record of 26–6–6 and a GAA of 1.85, and led TPS to the Finnish championship. For his efforts, he was named the winner of the Urpo Ylönen trophy as the best goaltender in 1998–99 and the Jari Kurri trophy as the best player of the playoffs.

San Jose Sharks (2000–2003)
Kiprusoff moved to North America in 1999, joining the Sharks' AHL affiliate, the Kentucky Thoroughblades. He finished fourth in the League with a 2.48 GAA and was the starting goaltender for team PlanetUSA at the 2000 AHL All-Star Game as he helped Kentucky win its first division title. He began the 2000–01 season with Kentucky, where he posted a record of 19–9–6 with two shutouts in 39 games. He then started his second-consecutive AHL All-Star Game before earning a call-up to San Jose on March 5, 2001. He earned his first NHL win on March 29, 7–4 over the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, in relief of starting goaltender Evgeni Nabokov. He made his first start on April 8, again against Anaheim, and earned his second win.

The flu sidelined Nabokov for Game 4 of the Sharks' 2001 Stanley Cup playoff series against the St. Louis Blues. Making just his second career start, Kiprusoff made 39 saves in a 3–2 victory. In doing so, he became the first Finnish born goaltender to win an NHL playoff game. Kiprusoff struggled to start the 2001–02 season, however, and was sent to the Cleveland Barons on a conditioning assignment after playing in only four of the Sharks' first 21 games. He was named the AHL Player of the Week during the assignment after winning all four games he played in Cleveland. He finished the season with a 7–6–3 record for the Sharks, and recorded his first NHL shutout in a 6–0 win over the Florida Panthers on January 5, 2002.

Nabokov entered the 2002–03 season as a holdout player without a contract, giving Kiprusoff a chance to become the starter. Despite the opportunity, Kiprusoff struggled, losing his first three games and posting a 5.65 GAA in that time, forcing the Sharks' hand, as they quickly agreed to terms with Nabokov on a new contract. Relegated to the backup role, Kiprusoff continued to struggle, winning just five of 22 games played before his season ended with a knee injury. Despite his poor season, the Sharks offered him a new contract for one year at US$800,000.

Kiprusoff began the 2003–04 season competing with Vesa Toskala for the backup spot behind Nabokov, leading to speculation of a trade. Ultimately relegated to third-string status, Kiprusoff grew increasingly frustrated, as he did not play in any games through the first quarter of the season. He was then finally traded to the Calgary Flames in exchange for a second-round draft pick on November 16, 2003, after Calgary starter Roman Turek suffered an injury.

Calgary Flames (2003–2013)
The trade provided immediate dividends for the Flames, as Kiprusoff recorded 22 saves in a 2–1 victory over the Montreal Canadiens in his first game with Calgary on November 20. He won 12 of 17 starts between November 20 and December 29, giving up one goal or fewer 11 times in that stretch. He was named the defensive player of the month for December by the League, but suffered a sprained medial collateral ligament (MCL) in his knee at the end of the month that forced him out of the lineup for four weeks.

Kiprusoff's play remained strong upon his return, as he was counted on to lead the Flames to the playoffs for the first time in eight years. A 1–0 victory over the Phoenix Coyotes clinched a berth in the 2004 playoffs for the Flames, an achievement which earned Kiprusoff a standing ovation from the Calgary fans. He finished the regular season with a modern NHL record-low GAA of 1.69. His stellar play continued into the playoffs, as he won 15 games, five of them via shutout, leading the Flames to within one victory of a Stanley Cup championship. He was named a finalist for the Vezina Trophy, awarded to the best goaltender in the League, and was given a one-year, $2.95 million contract for 2004–05 by an arbitrator, an increase in salary of nearly four times his previous contract.

As the 2004–05 lockout led to the cancellation of the season, Kiprusoff chose to play in Sweden. He played 41 games for Timrå IK, recording five shutouts and a 2.14 GAA. He remained a top goaltender for Calgary when NHL play resumed in 2005–06, breaking Mike Vernon's franchise record when he recorded his 40th win of the season against the Minnesota Wild on April 8, 2006. He was not only touted as the top goaltender in the League, but also argued to be a candidate for the Hart Memorial Trophy as the most valuable player in the NHL. Finishing the season with a 42–20–11 record and a team-record 10 shutouts, he was named a first team all-star and awarded the Vezina Trophy, as well as the William M. Jennings Trophy for being the goaltender on the team that gave up the fewest goals in during the season. He was also named a finalist for the Hart, though the award was won by Joe Thornton.

Kiprusoff struggled to begin the 2006–07 season, winning just four of his first 12 decisions, and giving up nearly three goals per game. He rebounded to finish the season with 40 wins, won his 100th career game, and played in his first All-Star Game. He recorded his 21st shutout in a Flames uniform in a 1–0 win over the Wild on March 27, 2007, to break Dan Bouchard's franchise record. Kiprusoff was outstanding in the 2007 playoffs, keeping the overmatched Flames close to the top-seeded Detroit Red Wings despite the Flames giving up nearly 50 shots per game in their first two contests. He led them to consecutive wins in Games 3 and 4 to even the series, and gave the Flames hope they could win the series, but the Flames were unable to parlay his performance into a series win, losing the best-of-seven series 4–2. In Game 5, he was pulled after giving up five goals, but was forced to come back in only 18 seconds later when his backup, Jamie McLennan, was thrown out of the game for deliberately slashing the Red Wings' Johan Franzén. Kiprusoff earned his third consecutive nomination for the Vezina Trophy, ultimately won by Martin Brodeur.

Nicknamed "Captain Hook" for the way he handled goaltenders, the Flames decision to hire Mike Keenan as head coach in 2007–08 created speculation that Kiprusoff might choose to leave Calgary when his contract expired at the end of the season. Nonetheless, he agreed to a six-year extension worth $35 million that would keep him in Calgary until the end of the 2013–14 season. He struggled at times, as his GAA and save percentage fell outside of the top 30 goaltenders in the League by mid-November. His play improved throughout the season, however, and he finished the season third in the NHL with 39 wins.

Hoping to rebound in 2008–09, Kiprusoff arrived for the start of the season in better shape, but continued to struggle as he was questioned on whether his heavy workload the previous three seasons — he played 76, 74 and 74 games of a possible 82 — were taking a toll on him. He won his 200th career game on March 18, 2009, in a 2–1 victory over the Dallas Stars, but questions about whether he was playing too many games continued throughout the season. Although he led the League with 45 wins, his statistical averages had deteriorated for the fourth consecutive season as he admitted he struggled.

New head coach Brent Sutter promised that Kiprusoff would face a lighter schedule in 2009–10, he played 76 games in 2008–09, while Kiprusoff hired a personal trainer and set aside his previously indifferent attitude towards off-season training. His efforts appeared to pay dividends early in the season, as he lost only three of his first 17 decisions, leading his teammates to compare his early performance to his first years in Calgary. He finished in the top ten in the League in wins, save percentage and GAA and while considered a potential candidate for the Vezina Trophy, he was not named a finalist in part due to the fact the Flames failed to qualify for the 2010 playoffs.

Kiprusoff, as well as the entire Flames team, struggled early in the 2010–11 season, and during a period of struggle late in January, he became a target of the fans' jeering. He admitted that he had struggled and was trying to focus on returning his play to where he felt it should be. Kiprusoff's fortunes improved in February, as he won his 250th game as a member of the Flames in a 9–1 victory over the Colorado Avalanche on February 14. Six nights later, he became the first goaltender in NHL history to record a shutout in an outdoor game with a 4–0 victory over the Montreal Canadiens at the 2011 Heritage Classic. In a March 4 game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, he became the first goaltender in 25 years to stop two penalty shots in one game to preserve a 4–3 victory.

On February 8, 2012, Kiprusoff became the 27th goalie to record his 300th career win. He reached the mark with a 4–3 victory over his former team, the San Jose Sharks. A knee injury forced Kiprusoff out of Calgary's lineup for a month of the 2012–13 season, but a victory in his return — a 4–1 decision over the Sharks on March 6, 2013 — marked his 300th win as a member of the Flames.

At the 2013 NHL trade deadline, the Toronto Maple Leafs reportedly attempted to acquire Kiprusoff, but he elected not to waive his no-trade clause amid speculation that he intended to retire at season's end. Finnish news agency STT-Lehtikuva reported in June that the goaltender had informed the Finnish national team that he had decided to end his playing career, and the Flames formally announced his retirement on September 9, 2013. He ended his career as the Flames' franchise leader in wins (305), shutouts (41) and games played by a goaltender (576).

On July 18, 2023, the Flames announced that they would retire Kiprusoff's no. 34 during the 2023–24 NHL season, making him the fourth Flames player to receive the honor.

International play
Kiprusoff made his international debut with the Finnish junior team at the 1994 European Junior Ice Hockey Championships, where he played in three games. He was also a member of the team at the 1995 and 1996 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, where Finland finished fourth and sixth, respectively.

Kiprusoff first played with the senior team at the 1999 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships, where he recorded a 1.16 GAA in four games, only to lose the final in overtime. He rejoined the team for the 2001 tournament, again losing the final in overtime.

Kiprusoff was offered a spot on the Finnish team for the 2002 Winter Olympics, but declined citing a desire to focus on his professional career in North America. Kiprusoff was named the starting goaltender for the 2004 World Cup of Hockey, and earned a shutout against the Czech Republic. He posted four wins and a tie, including a second shutout, and a 1.18 GAA to lead the upstart Finns into the championship game against Canada. In spite of his 30 saves, the Finns were defeated by Canada 3–2. Kiprusoff did not play his best game in the final, according to Finland Head Coach Raimo Summanen, though he expressed pride in his team's effort.

Kiprusoff again declined an invitation to play at the 2006 Winter Olympics, citing the need to rest a hip injury. His announcement generated considerable controversy in Finland, where the fact that he did not miss a game with the Flames due to the injury led some to question if he was injured at all. Country-mate Teemu Selänne questioned the goaltender's lack of interest in playing for the national team, a comment that stung Kiprusoff. When considered to play for the Finns at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Kiprusoff said he would join the team, but only if he felt healthy and if he was named the starting goaltender for the team. Kiprusoff was named the starter and allowed only four goals in his team's first four games, leading the Finns to a semifinal game against the United States. The Americans blitzed Kiprusoff early in the game, as he gave up four goals on just seven shots in the first minutes of the game before being replaced in net by Niklas Bäckström. He returned to the net for the bronze medal game, however, leading Finland to a 5–3 victory.

Personal life
Kiprusoff is of Russian descent through his grandfather. He and his wife Seidi have two sons, Aaro and Oskar, and call Helsinki home. His older brother, Marko, is a defenceman who last played for TPS in 2009, and previously played in the NHL with the Montreal Canadiens and New York Islanders. Kiprusoff is a spokesman for the Rainbow Society of Alberta, an organization that aims to grant wishes for children with chronic or life-threatening conditions. He donated $10 for each save he made in an NHL game, which totalled $18,720 in 2009–10.

title: Miikka Kiprusoff


text:
Talk:Six Hills

Untitled
Nice work. Marnanel 12:43, May 8, 2004 (UTC)

Oops
Just wanted to say, I never meant to remove the coordinates! I think it was some sort of edit conflict that I wasn't warned about and didn't notice! :) anemone  │  projectors  12:21, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

 * No worries! I somehow got them wrong anyway, I do check edits etc but I think a combination of browser caching (cacheing?) and my own incompetence managed to get it wrong; User:Droll fixed them. So we got there together and it is better! (BTW the coords are centred with three hills each side, I assume that is the best to do.) SimonTrew (talk) 22:47, 23 March 2009 (UTC)

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title: Talk:Six Hills


text:
José Herrera (1960s outfielder)

José Concepción Herrera Ontiveros (April 8, 1942 – October 16, 2009) was a Venezuelan professional baseball player who appeared as an outfielder and second baseman in Major League Baseball for the Houston Astros (–) and Montreal Expos (–). He batted and threw right-handed, stood 5 ft tall and weighed 165 lb.

Career
Born in San Lorenzo in Zulia, Herrera was signed by the Houston Colt .45s in 1964 as an amateur free agent and made his debut with the team on June 3, 1967, two years after it became the Astros. He was recalled after batting over .280 during his first three minor league seasons. It was an unusual debut: Houston third baseman Bob Aspromonte, facing future Baseball Hall of Famer Jim Bunning of the Philadelphia Phillies in the fifth inning, protested a strike two call and was ejected from the game by umpire Frank Secory; Herrera, called upon to pinch hit with a two-strike count already on him, struck out—with the "K" charged to Aspromonte. Herrera later made four more pinch-hitting appearances that June, collecting one single in four official at bats and one run batted in. In 1968, Herrera batted over .300 in Triple-A and was rewarded with a more extended call-up to Houston, appearing in 27 games, and starting in 16 games in the outfield and seven at second base. He hit .240 with five extra-base hits, and was not protected in the 1968 National League expansion draft. The Expos selected him with the 29th overall pick.

The 1969 season would see Herrera's most extended MLB service. After hitting .301 in Triple-A, he appeared in 47 games for Montreal from June 17 through the end of the season, including 31 starts as an outfielder. He got off the mark quickly, batting over .350 into mid-August, and was still hitting .323 on September 1 with 11 multi-hit games, and his first two big-league home runs, struck July 24 and 26 against the Atlanta Braves at Fulton County Stadium. But he leveled off in September to finish at .286. Herrera had only one at bat on Opening Day 1970 at Crosley Field, Cincinnati, as a pinch hitter and struck out in his final MLB appearance.

He played six more years in the upper minors, including four in the Mexican League, before leaving the game in 1975.

In his MLB career of parts of four seasons, Herrera posted a .264 batting average with two home runs, 20 RBI, 16 runs, 61 hits, and ten doubles in 80 games played. He died in Lagunillas Municipality, Zulia, in his native country in 2009 at age 67.

title: José Herrera (1960s outfielder)


text:
User:Chris 73/Images

All the images created by me are now on the commons. See the image list or the gallery on the commons.

title: User:Chris 73/Images


text:
Musicology (album)

Musicology is the twenty-eighth studio album by American recording artist Prince. The album was given to concertgoers at his Musicology Tour, from March 27 to September 9, 2004, in North America. A digital release followed two days after his tour started on March 29, 2004. The physical retail version was released on April 19, 2004 (Europe) and April 20, 2004 (US) by NPG Records and distributed by Columbia Records. Musicology was the first album in five years (ten as Prince) that Prince released through a major label (Sony Music) and, being partially recorded in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, was his first to be recorded outside Minneapolis in many years. Musicology is R&B-themed.

Receiving generally positive reviews from music critics, Musicology proved to be Prince's most successful record in years, peaking at number three on the Billboard 200 and reaching top 10 in ten other countries. It was Prince's first album to chart in the US since The Rainbow Children (2001).

Prince won Grammy Awards for Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance for "Musicology" and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for "Call My Name". By January 2005, Musicology was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). At the time of release, Prince was quoted as saying he wished Musicology to provide musical education to listeners.

Commercial performance
Musicology quickly proved to be Prince's most successful album since Diamonds and Pearls, reaching the Top 5 in the United States, United Kingdom and Germany and making a significant impression on charts around the world. It also proved to be well received by music critics. The title track was released as a single in Australia and Europe, where it enjoyed moderate chart success and airplay. However it was also a hit on the US R&B charts through airplay. The album was certified platinum by the RIAA in June 2004 and was certified double platinum in late January 2005.

Part of the album's chart success was due to concertgoers receiving a copy of Musicology, with the album cost included in the ticket price for the Musicology Tour. This prompted Billboard magazine and Nielsen SoundScan to change its chart data methodology. For future album releases, Billboard said that customers "must be given an option to either add the CD to the ticket purchase or forgo the CD for a reduced ticket-only price". A purple vinyl edition was released in February 2019.

Critical reception
Musicology received generally positive reviews from music critics. In his review for The Village Voice, critic Robert Christgau said that after the album's opening uptempo songs, "pleasant shocks lurk near the surface and go against the flow of the quality material, and almost everything packs payback". In a less enthusiastic review, Mojo magazine found it better produced and performed than it was written.

Accolades
Prince won two Grammy Awards, for Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance ("Musicology") and Best R&B Vocal Performance—Male ("Call My Name"), and was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Performance—Male ("Cinnamon Girl"), Best R&B Song (awarded to the songwriter) ("Call My Name"), and Best R&B Album (Musicology). Prince was chosen by Rolling Stone magazine's readers as the best male performer and most welcome comeback.

Tour
Prince toured North America from March 27 to September 9, 2004 to promote Musicology. The tour was often billed as the Musicology Live 2004ever, or more commonly, the Musicology Tour. The tour earned $87.4 million and was attended by 1.47 million fans Although the tour promoted Musicology, only half of the tracks from the album were played during the concerts; the title track, "Musicology", "Call My Name" Life "O" the Party, "On the Couch" and "Dear Mr. Man". "A Million Days" was also performed, but only once. The tour featured many of Prince's more famous tracks, such as "Little Red Corvette", "Raspberry Beret", "Kiss", and "Purple Rain". A copy of Musicology was included with every concert ticket sold.

Track listing
All tracks written by Prince.

Personnel

 * Prince – lead and backing vocals, electric and acoustic guitars, Yamaha Motif 6, Korg Triton, Clavia Nord Lead 2, Fender Rhodes electric piano, piano, bass guitar, drums, percussion, programming, Linn LM-1
 * Candy Dulfer – lead (4) and backing vocals (4, 6), saxophone (4, 8–11), horns (8–10)
 * Chance Howard – backing vocals (4–6)
 * Stokley – backing vocals (5)
 * Kip Blackshire – backing vocals (5)
 * Clare Fischer – string arrangement (5)
 * Rhonda Smith – backing vocals (6), bass guitar (11)
 * John Blackwell – drums (8–11)
 * Maceo Parker – saxophone (8–10)
 * Greg Boyer – trombone (8–10)
 * Ornella Bonaccorsi – Italian speech (7)
 * Sheila E. – shaker (11)
 * Renato Neto – Fender Rhodes electric piano (11)

Singles

 * "Musicology" (No. 20 US Bubbling Under, No. 3 US R&B)
 * "Cinnamon Girl" (UK)

Promotional singles
 * "Call My Name" (No. 75 US)

title: Musicology (album)


text:
Biston (moth)

Biston is a genus of large, long-winged moths belonging to the family Geometridae. It is most notable for containing the well-known peppered moth. The genus was first described by William Elford Leach in 1815.

Distribution
The species of Biston are widely distributed in Holarctic, Oriental, and Ethiopian regions.

Description
In 1895, British etymologist George Hampson described characteristics of the genus as follows:
 * "Its palpi are short and hairy. The thorax is stout and clothed with a thick pile. Its legs are hairy. The hind tibia are not dilated and have slight spurs. The forewings have rounded apexes and oblique outer margins. Vein 3 from near angle of cell. Veins 7 to 9 stalked from near the upper angle, and veins 10 and 11 stalked, where 10 often connected with veins 8 and 9. Hindwings with long cells and vein 3 from the angle."

Diversity
The genus currently contains 54 species and 40 subspecies.

Species
Species include:
 * Biston achyra Wehrli, 1936
 * Biston bengaliaria (Guenée, 1857)
 * Biston betularia (Linnaeus, 1758) – peppered moth
 * Biston brevipennata Inoue, 1982
 * Biston bura (Warren, 1894)
 * Biston contectaria (Walker, 1863)
 * Biston exalbescens Inoue, 2000
 * Biston falcata (Warren, 1893)
 * Biston giganteus Inoue
 * Biston hypoleucus Kuznetsov, 1901
 * Biston inouei Holloway, 1993
 * Biston insularis (Warren, 1894)
 * Biston marginata Shiraki, 1913
 * Biston mediolata Jiang, Nan, Dayong Xue & Hongxiang Han, 2011
 * Biston melacron Wehrli, 1941
 * Biston multidentata (Guedet, 1941)
 * Biston panterinaria (Bremer & Grey, 1853)
 * Biston pelidna Prout
 * Biston perclara (Warren, 1899)
 * Biston pustulata (Warren, 1896)
 * Biston quercii (Oberthür, 1910)
 * Biston regalis (Moore, 1888)
 * Biston robustum Butler, 1879
 * Biston strataria (Hufnagel, 1767) – oak beauty
 * Biston subregalis Inoue
 * Biston suppressaria (Guenée, 1857)
 * Biston thibetaria (Oberthür, 1886)
 * Biston thoracicarius (Oberthür, 1884)
 * Biston tianschanicus Wehrli, 1940

title: Biston (moth)


text:
Som

Som, SOM or Søm may refer to:

Computing

 * System Object Model (file format), of the HP-UX operating system
 * Simulation Object Model, in computer high-level architecture (simulation)
 * System on module, in computer embedded systems
 * Self-organizing map, neural network in machine learning
 * IBM System Object Model, a programming tool

Organizations

 * SOM Biotech
 * SOM Foundation
 * SOM Institute
 * Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, an American architecture firm
 * Yale SOM, the Yale School of Management

Places

 * Som, Somogy, Hungary
 * Som, Uttar Pradesh, India
 * Søm, Kristiansand, Norway
 * Somalia, ISO 3166 three-letter code
 * IOC Olympic country code for Somalia
 * Somerset, county in England, Chapman code

Transport

 * SOM (missile), of the Turkish Air Force
 * Som-class submarine, Russia
 * Somerset Railroad (New York), reporting mark
 * South Milford railway station, North Yorkshire, England (National Rail station code SOM)
 * SOM Center Road, name of a portion of Ohio State Route 91

Other uses

 * Soum (currency) (also spelled "som") unit of currency in some Turkic-speaking countries
 * Som (grape), or Furmint
 * Somali language, ISO 539 three-letter code
 * Som language, of Papua New Guinea
 * Serviceable obtainable market, an alternate business term for target market
 * Soundman (rank), or SoM, a former rank of the U.S. Navy
 * Saskatchewan Order of Merit, Canada, post-nominal letters
 * Seine–Oise–Marne culture, an ancient culture in northern France
 * Serious otitis media, a disease of the ear
 * Soil organic matter

People with the name

 * Preah Botumthera Som (1852–1932), Cambodian writer
 * Som Sereyvuth, Cambodian judge
 * Som Wardner, British musician

title: Som


text:
Talk:Som

Untitled
Its been a while since I've been to kyrgyzstan - have the denominations changed? Seabhcan 12:57, 8 May 2004 (UTC)

Som is Marathi word which means alcohol Sushil2109 (talk) 08:35, 8 November 2016 (UTC)

title: Talk:Som


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Distance (Hikaru Utada album)

Distance is the third studio album by Japanese singer Hikaru Utada. Toshiba EMI released it on March 28, 2001, making it her second release with the label. Utada wrote and co-produced the majority of the album, alongside previous collaborators Akira Miyake and her father Teruzane Utada, as well as new collaborations with American producers Rodney Jerkins and Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis. Distance, like its predecessor First Love (1999), is influenced by pop music and R&B, with additional hip-hop, rock music, reggae, and techno influences from Western music.

Music critics praised the overall sound and production quality of Distance, earning her numerous awards and recognitions as a result of its critical success. Prior to its release, Distance was scheduled to coincide with the release of Ayumi Hamasaki's greatest hits album A Best (2001), which Avex Trax had organised. This resulted in extensive coverage in both Japanese and Western music media. Despite its marketing and competition, Distance was a huge commercial success. It ascended to number one on the Oricon Albums Chart with the highest-ever first-week sales in music history until Adele's 25 14 years later, and eventually became the fourth best-selling album of all time in Japan.

To promote the album, Utada released four singles: "Addicted to You," "Wait & See (Risk)," "For You / Time Limit" and "Can You Keep a Secret?." All four releases were successful in the Japanese market, selling over a million copies and becoming best-sellers. She promoted the album by performing two shows in Japan: Bohemian Summer 2000 and a special Unplugged event, both of which resulted in live releases. Furthermore, a video collection titled Utada Hikaru Single Clip Collection Vol. 2 was released, which included all of the album's music videos.

Background and recording
First Love, Utada's major-label debut studio album, was released in March 1999 via Toshiba EMI. First Love, which she co-wrote and produced with her father Teruzane Utada and Akira Miyake, was a commercial success throughout the year, becoming the best-selling album in Japanese music history. With a string of successful singles, Utada quickly rose to prominence in Japan, where she was ranked fifth on the Tokyo Hot 100's Top 100 Artists of the 20th Century, as voted on by stations and listeners. During the summer of 1999, her final summer vacation as a high school student, she performed a video concert called LUV LIVE REMIX ~hello from new york~, a charity concert called Soukenbicha Natural Breeze Concert '99 with TLC and Monica, made her first TV commercial appearance, and recorded a new song “Addicted To You.”

Distance contains songs recorded between 1999 and 2001. During her last summer vacation as a high school student in 1999, Utada flew to Minneapolis and produced "Addicted To You" with Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, the production team that has worked with artists such as TLC and Janet Jackson. In both the United States and Japan, the producer's influence is often more prominent than that of the artist, but in Minneapolis, Utada said that the production with them was on an equal footing, and that it was a "ball of ideas." The follow-up, “Wait & See (Risk),” was also produced by Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, but this time Utada was unable to make it to Minneapolis due to schoolwork. However, Utada even made an arrangement track for the song in the demo tape stage, which was retained in the actual arrangement, and Utada's name was added to the arranger's credits for the first time. Before her first national tour in 2000, she produced “Time Limit” with top producer Rodney Jerkins, one of the R&B scene's leading producers at the time. "For You,” for which the melody was created before her debut, was also completed around this time. In addition, several of the recorded songs were created during the same tour. Utada said that live performances are not R&B but rock, and those songs were also arranged with a rock flavor. The rest of the album's songs were written and recorded in November of the same year, after her university exams were over, and were recorded over the New Years when her university was on winter vacation. When asked why she was not appearing on Kōhaku Uta Gassen at the time, Utada replied: "Because I want to make an album."

On January 26, 2001, Utada announced on her official website that recording for the album Distance had been completed. Akira Miyake, who has been Utada's producer since her debut, wrote a "Post-Recording Notes" on Utada Hikaru's official website on February 2, 2001, saying: "We wrote the songs, wrote the lyrics, made demos, made arrangement demos, and then redid them over and over again, through trial and error, singing in the studio, and doing the chorus dozens of times (in some places it's layered about 40 times. It wasn't done by machine). I honestly thought it would be hard because Hikaru was doing it herself, but it was a year and eight months of coldly working and giving deadlines. But Hikaru always struggled, but she always lived up to our expectations by demonstrating her magician-like nature."

Compostion
Musically, Distance expands on her previous studio album's R&B-influenced sound while also incorporating jazz, pop music, hip-hop, and rock elements. According to Ian Martin, writing for AllMusic, the tracks produced by Jerkins, Jam, and Lewis had a "rich production" as opposed to the "cheap, tinny" sound of Japanese pop at the time. "Wait & See (Risk)" is a genuine US-style R&B number with a sprinkling of funk and soul flavors. "Can You Keep a Secret?" was billed as a J-pop song with "sophisticated" songwriting and production standards. The album's title track is a pop song that features twinkling beats, topped with a 90s-like piano melody and filled with breathy background vocals. "Sunglasses" is a medium-slow number that features an ensemble that intersects with a falsetto. "Drama" is a song that was written in collaboration with Takuro from Glay; it features brazenly strummed distortion guitars.

"Eternally" is a power ballad that sings about "love" and "eternity" head-on. "Addicted to You" is a authentic R&B produced song that incorporates the "chiki-chiki" sound throughout. "For You" is an R&B pop ballad. "Kettobase!" is a high-speed pop rock song with a punchy guitar rock sound that combines hard and sharp elements. "Parody" is a reggae-style song with phrases reminiscent of Sting's "Englishman in New York." "Time Limit" is medium tempo R&B track. "Kotoba ni Naranai Kimochi" is an R&B number with a funky bass line.

Promotion
On November 10, 1999, Toshiba EMI released the album's lead single, "Addicted to You". Two versions of the song were on the single: the "Up-In-Heaven Mix" and the "Underwater Mix," though only the "Up-In-Heaven Mix" received radio play and its own music video. The song received high marks for its production quality and sound, with praise towards its producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. Commercially, it reached number one on the Oricon Singles Chart and was certified quadruple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of Japan for shipments of over 1.6 million. To date, it is Utada's best-selling single. The album's second single, "Wait & See (Risk)", was released on April 19, 2000, with a physical edition that included a few B-side tracks and remixes. Critics also praised the single's sound and production value. It reached number one on the Oricon Singles Chart and was the album's second single to receive quadruple RIAJ certification.

On June 30, 2000, the songs "For You" and "Time Limit" were packaged together and released as double A-side single. Both tracks had music videos, with Utada performing the song live. It received positive reviews from critics and debuted at number one on the Oricon Singles Chart. The single was certified triple platinum by RIAJ after shipping over 1.2 million units in Japan. The fourth and final single from the album, "Can You Keep a Secret?" debuted on February 16, 2001. The song was promoted during the 2001 Japanese television drama series Hero, in which Utada appeared as an actor. It received positive reviews from publications and debuted at number one on the Oricon Singles Chart, earning her final triple platinum certification from RIAJ. It also received platinum and gold certifications for exceeding 250,000 digital downloads and 50 million streams, respectively.

The song "Distance" was originally planned to be a single without any alterations, but it was instead released in a rearranged ballad form called "Final Distance" in memory of a fan who died in the June 2001 Osaka school massacre; this new version would appear in her next album, Deep River. Utada performed two shows in Japan to promote the album. The first was the Bohemian Summer 2000 show, which was released live on December 9, 2000, several months before Distance. A special Unplugged event began in 2001, followed by a live release in November of the same year. Furthermore, a video collection titled Utada Hikaru Single Clip Collection Vol. 2 was released on September 27, 2001, which included all of the album's music videos as well as behind-the-scenes footage for each video.

Critical reception
Ian Wade of AllMusic rated the album four stars. He praised the record's production and songwriting, writing, "Distance stands as one of Hikaru's most consistent and inventive albums, and comes across as a far more convincing example of R&B by a Japanese artist than their later attempts to crack the U.S. market." Music writer Tetsuo Hiraga of Hot Express praised Distance as “a work that expresses the dramatic ‘growth’ from First Love with the whole body,” and also pointed out the expansion of her musicality compared to her previous work. In his review of this album in Rockin'On Japan, Jun Shikano said, “Hikaru Utada's music is soulful and reflects the heart. It is both universal and primal."

From 1999 to 2002, the album and several singles won Japan Gold Disc Awards. Distance won Best Rock & Pop Album in 2002, and each of its four singles was named Song of the Year. The Japanese Society for Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers (JASRAC Awards) honoured the album's single "Can You Keep a Secret?" with the Silver Award. The song also won the International Viewer's Award at the MTV Video Music Awards in 2002, as well as the Drama Song Award at the 2001 Television Drama Academy Awards.

Release and commercial performance
Toshiba EMI released Distance on March 28, 2001, marking her second release with the label. In Japan, it was initially available on CD, double vinyl, and cassette, each with thirteen tracks. EMI Music later released the album in several Asian countries, including China, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. Distance was re-released worldwide on January 23, 2019, via digital and streaming services, with a double vinyl edition re-issued in Japan by Universal Music on March 10, 2022.

Toshiba EMI had scheduled the album's release date for March 28. At the same time, Japanese record label Avex Trax planned to release A Best, the greatest hits album by Japanese singer Ayumi Hamasaki. Avex's strategy was to compete with Utada's album, as both Hamasaki and Utada were at the peak of their popularity at the time. The announcement of both album release dates sparked widespread controversy in Japanese and Western media, with claims that the two singers were "rivals" in professional as well as personal circumstances. Both singers claimed it was a label-sponsored campaign, with Hamasaki expressing her displeasure over a lack of material and creative control of A Best.

Both albums received extensive promotion prior to their release on March 28, but both were extremely successful in terms of first-week sales. In Japan, Distance eventually reached number one on the Oricon Albums Chart, while A Best debuted at number two. Distance sold 3,002,720 copies in its first week and became the fastest-selling album in music history, a record it held until 2015, when Adele's third album 25 sold 3.4 million copies in its first week in the United States. It topped the charts for two non-consecutive weeks before being dethroned by A Best in the second week. Distance had sold 4,404,290 units by the end of 2001, making it the best-selling album of the year, with A Best coming in second. Utada also topped the annual singles chart that year with “Can You Keep A Secret?” and dominated the singles and albums charts for the year.

The Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) certified the album quadruple million for selling more than four million copies, and Oricon reports that it sold more than 4.472 million in Japan. Oricon named it the best-selling Japanese album of the 2000s, and the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) ranked it as the tenth best-selling record of 2001. The album is currently the fourth best-selling album in Japan, trailing only Glay's greatest hits album Review and B'z's The Best's "Pleasure" and Utada's studio album First Love, the best-selling record in Japanese history.

Personnel
Personnel details were sourced from the Distance liner notes booklet.

 * Miyake Akira – producer
 * Nishihira Akira – arranger, keyboards, programming
 * David Barry – guitar
 * John Blackwell – drums
 * Darnell Davis – keyboards
 * Paul Foley – editing
 * Steve Hodge – engineer, mixing
 * Goh Hotoda – engineer, shaker, mixing
 * Jimmy Jam – arranger, producer, musician
 * Ted Jensen – mastering
 * Rodney Jerkins – arranger, programming, producer, engineer, rap
 * Terry Lewis – arranger, producer, musician
 * Harvey Mason, Jr. – engineer, editing
 * Michael McCoy – assistant engineer
 * Alexander Richbourg – producer, drum programming
 * Philippe Saisse – keyboards
 * Dexter Simmons – mixing
 * Xavier Smith – drum programming, assistant engineer
 * Mike Tocci – assistant engineer
 * Sanada Yoshiaki – executive producer
 * Honda Yuichiro – guitar, arranger, keyboards, programming, pre-production arranger
 * Toriyama Yuji – guitar

title: Distance (Hikaru Utada album)


text:
Hôtel de Rambouillet

The Hôtel de Rambouillet, formerly the Hôtel de Pisani, was the Paris residence of Catherine de Vivonne, marquise de Rambouillet, who ran a renowned literary salon there from 1620 until 1648. It was situated on the west side of the rue Saint-Thomas-du-Louvre, just north of Marie de Rohan's Hôtel de Chevreuse, in a former quarter of Paris (demolished during the 19th century), located between the Louvre and Tuileries palaces, near the then much smaller Place du Carrousel, in the area of what was to become the Pavillon Turgot of the Louvre Museum.

Members of her salon, received in the intimacy of her Chambre Bleue, admitted to the ruelle —the space between her daybed and the wall of the alcove— represented the flower of contemporary French literature, fashion, and wit, including Madame de Sévigné, Madame de La Fayette, Mademoiselle de Scudéry, the Duchesse de Longueville, the Duchesse de Montpensier, Jean-Louis Guez de Balzac, Bossuet, Jean Chapelain, Corneille, François de Malherbe, Racan, Richelieu, La Rochefoucauld, Paul Scarron, Claude Favre de Vaugelas, and Vincent Voiture. They adopted for themselves the term précieux, which became a term of abuse when satirized by Molière in Les Précieuses ridicules (1659).

The quality looked for in this self-defining circle was honnêteté, a quality looked for in vain at the contemporary court, crass, ostentatious, corrupt and corrupting. Honnêteté was a mode of restraint and decorum, so practiced that it had become easy and as if natural, shared by aristocrats and fastidious members of the high bourgeoisie, but which could not readily be taught or learned. In contrast with the court, the Hôtel de Rambouillet received an elite that chose its own members, or, more precisely, whose members recognized one another's right to belong.... The ordinary rules of civility did not govern daily interchange. Members of the group wrote and above all talked to one another. Conversation was a sacred art, the forum in which the group developed its taste. L'Astrée was staged as well as read; other reading included the novels of La Calprenède and Mlle de Scudéry, which held up a mirror of this microsociety".

The préciosité refinements of the French language would find some codification in the Dictionnaire de l'Académie française eventually published by the Académie française, which found its start in the Hôtel de Rambouillet. Words like "celadon" to describe a certain range of pale glaucous blue-green glazes of Chinese porcelain come straight from the Hôtel de Rambouillet.

title: Hôtel de Rambouillet


text:
Garching

Garching bei München (, Garching near Munich) or Garching is a city in Bavaria, near Munich. It is the home of several research institutes and university departments, located at Campus Garching.

Spatial urban planning
Garching was small Bavarian village, until the Free State of Bavaria decided to implement a technology and urban planning policy whereby science should be clustered north of Munich. This urban planning policy was in line with the principles advanced by the International Congress of Modernist Architects (CIAM) in the 1933 Athens Charter. Garching was redeveloped in three spatially separated parts, to cover the urban functions of industry, habitation, and research. In 1959 a new residential quarter for Max Planck Society employees was constructed. In 1960 the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics was established in Garching.

In 1963 Technical University of Munich (TUM) published plans, whereby some TUM institutes would be moved to Garching. The Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics and the Institute for Radiochemistry were both established in Garching in 1964. In 1966 the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities established the Walther Meißner Institute for Low Temperature Research in Garching. In 1967 the TUM and the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU) established a joint accelerator laboratory in Garching. In the same year the TUM moved its department of chemistry and its department of biology to Garching. The industry zone of Garching was built up in Garching-Hochbruck. However, Garching only promoted itself as science city, by incorporating the local nuclear reactor, affectionately known as "atomic egg", in the official coat of arms in 1967.

After World War II the scientific publishing business started off slowly and had to be relaunched. A photojournalist lamented, that "photographers would rather go visit the kampas, the dangerous natives on the banks of the Ucayali River, than Professor Heisenberg in the Max Planck Institute."

Districts
The town has four districts:
 * Garching city
 * Garching Hochbrück
 * Campus Garching (University and Research Campus)

High-tech hub
Garching is part of the Nordallianz, a group of 8 towns and cities situated north of Munich.

Transport
The town is at 48.25°N, 11.65°W, near the river Isar and the Bundesautobahn 9.

The Munich U-Bahn line U6 connects the city with the stations Garching-Hochbrück, Garching and Garching-Forschungszentrum (Garching Science Campus).

University and research institutes
Several research and scientific educational institutions are based in Garching, including:
 * Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities
 * Leibniz Supercomputing Centre (LRZ)
 * Walther Meißner Institute (WMI)
 * Technical University of Munich (TUM)
 * TUM Department of Physics
 * FRM-II research reactor
 * Walter Schottky Institute semiconductor physics and engineering
 * TUM Department of Chemistry
 * TUM Department of Mechanical Engineering
 * TUM Department of Mathematics
 * TUM Department of Informatics
 * Institutes of the Max Planck Society (MPG)
 * Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics (MPA)
 * Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics (MPE)
 * Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (IPP)
 * Max Planck Institute for Quantum Optics (MPQ)
 * Max Planck Computing and Data Facility (MPCDF)
 * European Southern Observatory (ESO)
 * ESO Supernova Planetarium & Visitor Centre
 * Federal Research Institute for Food Chemistry (Deutsche Forschungsanstalt für Lebensmittelchemie DFA)
 * Bavarian Center of Applied Energy Research (ZAE)
 * General Electric Global Research Center
 * BMW M high-performance vehicle research and development

Twin towns
Garching bei München is twinned with:
 * Lørenskog (Norway)
 * Radeberg (Germany)

Sport
The town's football club VfR Garching, formed in 1921, experienced its greatest success in 2014 when it won promotion to the Regionalliga Bayern for the first time.

title: Garching


text:
Néstor Chávez

Néstor Isaías Chávez Silva (July 6, 1947 - March 16, 1969) was a Venezuelan right-handed starting pitcher who played in Major League Baseball for the San Francisco Giants in 1967.

Career
Chávez was born on July 6, 1947, in Chacao, Miranda State, Venezuela. He was signed as an amateur free agent in 1964 after producing a 34–3 record at the college. Chávez was nicknamed "Látigo" (whip) in his homeland, both for his stunning and sharp fastball.

Listed at 6 feet, 170 lb, Chávez was one of the best pitching prospects in the Giants farm system. At 19, he was called up to the big club after a combined 47–20 mark in the minors. In two games with the Giants, he compiled a 1–0 record with three strike outs and a 0.00 ERA in five innings. After the season, he had shoulder surgery and was sidelined for more than a year.

Chávez was ready to start his rehabilitation in the minors in 1969. However, on March 16 of that year, Chávez died in Maracaibo, in one of the worst aircraft tragedies in Venezuelan history, after Viasa Flight 742 crashed while taking off, killing all 84 aboard and 71 on the ground including Chávez. He was 21 years old.

title: Néstor Chávez


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The Tin Drum

The Tin Drum (Die Blechtrommel, ) is a 1959 novel by Günter Grass, the first book of his Danzig Trilogy. It was adapted into a 1979 film, which won both the 1979 Palme d'Or and the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 1980.

To "beat a tin drum" means to create a disturbance in order to bring attention to a cause.

Plot
The story revolves around the life of Oskar Matzerath, as narrated by himself when confined in a mental hospital during the years 1952–1954. Born in 1924 in the Free City of Danzig (now Gdańsk, Poland), with an adult's capacity for thought and perception, he decides never to grow up when he hears his father declare that he would become a grocer. Gifted with a piercing shriek that can shatter glass or be used as a weapon, Oskar declares himself to be one of those "clairaudient infants", whose "spiritual development is complete at birth and only needs to affirm itself". He retains the stature of a child while living through the beginning of World War II, several love affairs, and the world of postwar Europe. Through all this, a toy tin drum, the first of which he received as a present on his third birthday, followed by many replacement drums each time he wears one out from over-vigorous drumming, remains his treasured possession; he is willing to commit violence to retain it.

Oskar considers himself to have two "presumptive fathers"—his mother's husband Alfred Matzerath, a member of the Nazi Party, and her cousin and lover Jan Bronski, a Danzig Pole who is executed for defending the Polish Post Office in Danzig during the German invasion of Poland. Oskar's mother having died, Alfred marries Maria, a woman who is secretly Oskar's first mistress. After marrying Alfred, Maria gives birth to Kurt, whom Oskar thereafter refers to as his son. But Oskar is disappointed to find that the baby persists in growing up, and will not join him in ceasing to grow at the age of three.

During the war, Oskar joins a troupe of performing dwarfs who entertain the German troops at the front line. But when his second love, the diminutive Roswitha, is killed by Allied troops in the invasion of Normandy, Oskar returns to his family in Danzig where he becomes the leader of a criminal youth gang (akin to the Edelweiss Pirates). The Red Army soon captures Danzig, and Alfred is shot by invading troops after he goes into seizures while swallowing his party pin to avoid being revealed as a Nazi. Oskar bears some culpability for both of his presumptive fathers' deaths since he leads Jan Bronski to the Polish Post Office in an effort to get his drum repaired and he returns Alfred Matzerath's Nazi party pin while he is being interrogated by Soviet soldiers.

After the war Oskar, his widowed stepmother, and their son have to leave the now Polish city of Danzig and move to Düsseldorf, where he models in the nude and works engraving tombstones. Mounting tensions compel Oskar to live apart from Maria and Kurt; he decides on a flat owned by the Zeidlers. Upon moving in, he falls in love with Sister Dorothea, a neighbour, but he later fails to seduce her. During an encounter with fellow musician Klepp, Klepp asks Oskar how he has an authority over the judgement of music. Oskar, willing to prove himself once and for all, picks up his drum and sticks despite his vow to never play again after Alfred's death, and plays a measure on his drum. The ensuing events lead Klepp, Oskar, and Scholle, a guitarist, to form the Rhine River Three jazz band. They are discovered by Mr. Schmuh, who invites them to play at the Onion Cellar club. After a virtuoso performance, a record company talent seeker discovers Oskar the jazz drummer and offers a contract. Oskar soon achieves fame and riches. One day while walking through a field he finds a severed finger: the ring finger of Sister Dorothea, who has been murdered. He then meets and befriends Vittlar. Oskar allows himself to be falsely convicted of the murder and is confined to an insane asylum, where he writes his memoirs.

Characters
The novel is divided into three books. The main characters in each book are:

Book One

 * Oskar Matzerath: Writes his memoirs from 1952 to 1954, age 28 to 30, appearing as a zeitgeist throughout historic milestones. He is the novel's main protagonist and unreliable narrator.
 * Bruno Munsterberg: Oskar's keeper, who watches him through a peep hole. He makes knot sculptures inspired by Oskar's stories.
 * Anna Koljaiczek Bronski: Oskar's grandmother, conceives Oscar's mother in 1899, which is when his memoir begins.
 * Joseph Koljaiczek ("Bang Bang Jop" or "Joe Colchic"): Oskar's grandfather, a "firebug".
 * Agnes Koljaiczek: Kashubian Oskar's mother.
 * Jan Bronski: Agnes's cousin and lover. Oskar's presumptive father. Politically sided with the Poles.
 * Alfred Matzerath: Agnes's husband. Oskar's other presumptive father. Politically sided with the Nazi Party.
 * Sigismund Markus: A Jewish businessman in Danzig who owns the toy store where Oskar gets his tin drums. The store is ruined during the Danzig Kristallnacht.

Book Two

 * Maria Truczinski: Girl hired by Alfred to help run his store after Agnes dies and with whom Oskar has his first sexual experience. She becomes pregnant and marries Alfred, but both Alfred and Oskar believe that they are Maria's child's father. She remains Oskar's family throughout the post-war years.
 * Bebra: Runs the theatrical troupe of dwarfs which Oskar joins to escape Danzig. He is later the paraplegic owner of Oskar's record company. Oskar's lifelong mentor and role model. He is a musical clown.
 * Roswitha Raguna: Bebra's mistress, then Oskar's. She is a beautiful Italian lady, but taller than Oskar, she has nevertheless chosen not to grow. She is the most celebrated somnambulist in all parts of Italy.
 * "The Dusters": Danzig street urchins gang, Oskar leads as "Jesus" after he proves his mettle by smashing all the windows with his voice at the abandoned Baltic Chocolate Factory.

Book Three

 * Sister Dorothea: A nurse from Düsseldorf and Oskar's love after Maria rejects him.
 * Egon Münzer (Klepp): Oskar's friend. Self-proclaimed communist and jazz flautist.
 * Gottfried Vittlar: Becomes friends with and then testifies against Oskar in the Ring Finger Case at Oskar's bidding.

Style
Oskar Matzerath is an unreliable narrator, as his sanity, or insanity, never becomes clear. He tells the tale in first person, though he occasionally diverts to third person, sometimes within the same sentence. As an unreliable narrator, he may contradict himself within his autobiography, as with his varying accounts of, but not exclusively, the Defense of the Polish Post Office, his grandfather Koljaiczek's fate, his paternal status over Kurt, Maria's son, and many others.

The novel is strongly political in nature, although it goes beyond a political novel in the writing's stylistic plurality. There are elements of allegory, myth and legend, placing it in the genre of magic realism.

The Tin Drum has religious overtones, both Jewish and Christian. Oskar holds conversations with both Jesus and Satan throughout the book. His gang members call him "Jesus", and he refers to himself as "Satan" later in the book.

Critical reception
Initial reaction to The Tin Drum was mixed. It was called blasphemous and pornographic by some, and legal action was taken against it and Grass. However, by 1965 sentiment had cemented into public acceptance, and it soon became recognized as a classic of post-World War II literature, both in Germany and around the world.

Translations
A translation into English by Ralph Manheim was published in 1961. A new 50th anniversary translation into English by Breon Mitchell was published in 2009.

Film
In 1979 a film adaptation appeared by Volker Schlöndorff. It covers only Books One and Two, concluding at the end of the war. It shared the 1979 Cannes Film Festival Palme d'Or with Apocalypse Now. It also won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film of 1979 at the 1980 Academy Awards.

Radio
In 1996 a radio dramatisation starring Phil Daniels was broadcast by BBC Radio 4. Adapted by Mike Walker, it won the British Writers Guild award for best dramatisation.

Theatre
The Kneehigh Theatre company performed an adaption of the novel in 2017 at the Everyman Theatre located in Liverpool. The production features the story from Oskar's birth through the war, ending with Oskar marrying Maria.

In popular culture

 * The Onion Cellar, a play by Amanda Palmer and Brian Viglione of The Dresden Dolls with the American Repertory Theater, is based on a chapter in The Tin Drum.
 * Return to the Onion Cellar: A Dark Rock Musical, an original musical premiered in 2010 at the New York International Fringe Festival, references The Tin Drum and Günter Grass.
 * The futurist band Japan named their final studio album Tin Drum.
 * The tin drum is featured in Season 2 of the Starz TV series Counterpart. Emily Silk is seen carrying it around as she attempts to recover her memory following an attempted assassination.
 * In the series finale of Key and Peele, The Tin Drum is listed as one of the movies that Ray Parker Jr. wrote a song for on his greatest hits album.
 * The Tin Drum is a book in the home bookcase in the film "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?".

title: The Tin Drum


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User:Knowmystery

Attempts to add a legitimate page to wikipedia have not been successful.

Despite inclusion of valid, legitimate scientific research studies in support of the page, it has been declared a candidate for deletion.

Yes, the page is short, and the intention is that others from the project add to it, but that is not possible when someone keeps deleting it before the team has an opportunity to add their updates to the material.

I believe that the purpose of stub entries is for people to expand upon them, yet the administrators are not allowing sufficient time for the page to be updated. If the deletion action is not being taken by a wikipedia admin but by an private individual, i feel that the actions of this individual constitute harassment.

Thank you. Sincerely.

title: User:Knowmystery


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Adapter

An adapter or adaptor is a device that converts attributes of one electrical device or system to those of an otherwise incompatible device or system. Some modify power or signal attributes, while others merely adapt the physical form of one connector to another.

Travel adapters
Many countries with ties to Europe use 230-volt, 50 Hz AC mains electricity, using a variety of power plugs and sockets. Difficulty arises when moving an electrical device between countries that use different sockets. A passive electric power adapter, sometimes called a travel plug or travel adapter, allows using a plug from one region with a foreign socket. As other countries supply 120-volt, 60 Hz AC, using a travel adapter in a country with a different supply poses a safety hazard if the connected device does not support both input voltages.

AC-to-DC adapters
An AC-to-DC power supply adapts electricity from household mains voltage (either 120 or 230 volts AC) to low-voltage DC suitable for powering consumer electronics. Small, detached power supplies for consumer electronics are called AC adapters, or variously power bricks, wall warts, or chargers.

Computer adapters
A host controller connects a computer to a peripheral device, such as a storage device, network, or human interface device. As a host controller can also be viewed as bridging the protocols used on the buses between peripheral and computer, and internally to the computer, it is also called a host bus adapter. Likewise, specific types may be called adapters: a network interface controller may be called a network adapter, and a graphics card a display adapter.

Adapters (sometimes called dongles) allow connecting a peripheral device with one plug to a different jack on the computer. They are often used to connect modern devices to a legacy port on an old system, or legacy devices to a modern port. Such adapters may be entirely passive, or contain active circuitry.

A common type is a USB adapter.

One kind of serial port adapter enables connections between 25-contact and nine-contact connectors, but does not affect electrical power- and signalling-related attributes.

Software adapters
In software, an adapter is a piece of code that complies with an interface of an existing component while actually using another implementation.

title: Adapter


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Norse clans

The Scandinavian clan or ætt/ätt (pronounced in Old Norse) was a social group based on common descent, equivalent to a clan.

History
In the absence of a police force, the clan was the primary force of security in Norse society, as the clansmen were obliged by honour to avenge one another. The Norse clan was not tied to a certain territory in the same way as a Scottish clan, where the chief owned the territory. The land of the Scandinavian clan was owned by the individuals who had close neighbours from other clans. The name of the clan was derived from its ancestor, often with the addition of an -ung or -ing ending. The original meaning of ætt/ätt seems to have simply been "those who are related". A person could technically belong to several clans, but usually the identification of an individual came with ancestry of most prestige. Therefore, through mostly the exception to the rule, a clan could have matrilineal name if the descent of the ancestral mother was considered more important than the father. Family names were not in use, instead patronyms and matronyms were used, likewise depending on the favoured ancestry. Therefore, the clan names reflected the common descent of family groups.

The heavy dependence on family and kindred in early Scandinavian history was the foundation of the importance clan. The Thing served as a moderating force which could prevent blood feuds between the clans due to the importance of kinship. As central government gradually was established in Scandinavia, the ætt lost its relevance for commoners. For royalty and nobility, however, it remained in use as the name for line and dynasty.

Examples of clans:
 * Wægmunding, in Beowulf.
 * Ylfing or Wulfing in Beowulf and Norse Sagas.
 * Scylfing (Yngling)
 * Skjöldung (Scylding)
 * Völsung

title: Norse clans


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Tony Tony Chopper

Tony Tony Chopper (トニートニー・チョッパー), otherwise known as "Cotton Candy Lover" and "Emergency Food" is a fictional character in the manga series One Piece created by Eiichiro Oda. He is the sixth member to join and the doctor of the Straw Hat Pirates. Chopper is frequently featured on official merchandise, serving as a mascot for the series. . The power of the Zoan-type Human-Human Fruit (ヒトヒト の実) provides him with the ability to transform into a full-sized reindeer or a reindeer-human hybrid. A drug he calls "Rumble Ball" (ランブル・ボール) enables him to perform even more transformations for a short time.

Rejected by his herd because of his blue nose and eating the Devil Fruit, Chopper is rescued by Drum Island's quack doctor Doctor Hiriluk. While developing a potion to create cherry blossoms when in contact with snow, Chopper is heartbroken when Hiriluk falls ill with a deadly disease. After Hiriluk's death, Doctor Kureha takes him in as his mentor. After the Straw Hats arrive at Drum Island and take Chopper with them, Kureha uses Hiriluk's potion to turn the snowy sky into cherry blossoms, fulfilling Hiriluk's life mission. When complimented, Chopper acts flustered and sometimes yells at the person who complimented him to stop trying to make him happy. A running gag within the series is when other characters mistake him as a Tanuki, and he angrily corrects them, pointing out that he is a Tonakai (Japanese for "Reindeer").

Personality and Characteristics
With Chopper's back story, Oda wanted to illustrate that one need not be blood-related to be considered family.

When asked by a fan what the nationalities of the members of the Straw Hat Pirates would be if One Piece was set in the real world, Oda replied that Chopper would be Canadian.

Chopper is initially ostracized as a monster. Chopper is very naïve, and has a tendency to believe anything told to him, even the outrageously fictitious, exaggerated lies of Usopp. Chopper loves to be complimented and is incapable of hiding his feelings. After the time-skip he embraces his status because he wants to be a "monster for Luffy."

Abilities
The power of the Zoan-type Human-Human Fruit (ヒトヒトの実) provides Tony Tony Chopper with the ability to transform into three forms: a human, human-reindeer hybrid or his default reindeer form. In addition to his normal transformations, Chopper developed a drug he calls the Rumble Ball (ランブル・ボール), which allows him four additional transformations to use temporarily. Although the primary effects of the rumble ball only last three minutes, Chopper cannot consume a second ball for six hours without adverse effects, mainly the loss of control over his transformations during the three minutes of his second Rumble Ball. If Chopper consumes three Rumble Balls within six hours, he grows to monstrous proportions and loses all self control. This form, known as Monster Point, is extremely powerful, but also has the adverse effect of draining Chopper's life force. After the two-year timeskip Chopper is able to transform into six forms without a rumble ball and can use a rumble ball to control his Monster Point. Later with the help of their enemy and temporary prisoner Caesar Clown, Chopper was able to improve the formula and lengthen the effects of the Rumble Ball ten-fold to thirty minutes at a time, albeit with new side-effects of Chopper temporarily shrinking down to a infant-like form, known as Baby Geezer, with antiqued speech.

Since Chopper is an animal who ate the Human-Human Fruit, he can converse with other animals and humans alike.

Voice actress
In the original Japanese anime of One Piece, Tony Tony Chopper's main voice actress is Ikue Ōtani. Kazue Ikura voiced Tony Tony Chopper for episodes 254–263. Brina Palencia voices Chopper in the English Funimation dub. Lisa Ortiz voiced him in the 4Kids Entertainment English dub. Emlyn Morinelli voices Chopper in Singapore's Odex dub.

In One Piece
Chopper grew up on the winter island Drum, where he was an outcast among reindeer due to his blue nose. He ate the Hito Hito no Mi (ヒトヒトの実, Human Human Fruit), giving him the ability to speak, think, and transform into a human. This ability further alienated him from the other reindeer, and he was rejected by the herd. He grew up an outcast until taken in by the fake doctor Hiriluk, a former thief, who accepts Chopper as his son to instills within him his initial passion for medicine. After Hiriluk's death, Chopper becomes Dr. Kureha's assistant and learns her medical knowledge.

Luffy tries "to convince Chopper to join the crew as the ship's Doctor". A frightened Chopper continues to give Luffy the slip and later explains he can't be part of the crew because he is a monster. Luffy tells Chopper to shut up and come with them regardless, which moves Chopper to tears as he has finally found real friends, people who aren't afraid of him.

Chopper is the doctor of the crew and has outstanding knowledge of medicine and medical drugs, as well as the preparation of remedies and ointments from regular fruits, roots and vegetables found on most islands. Most of this he learned during his apprenticeship under Dr. Kureha or from his time at the Birdie Kingdom.

In other media
Chopper has appeared in other media besides the manga and its television anime adaptation. He is featured in most of the One Piece films starting with Movie 3: Chopper's Kingdom of Strange Animal Island, where he is the main character. He is also the main character in the ninth movie, which is a retelling of the storyline during which he was introduced. He is also set to appear in the second season of the live-action adaptation of One Piece.

Chopper has appeared in many One Piece licensed electronic video games. Though in the game, One Piece: Grand Battle he is not labeled as a Straw Hat character, and has no alliance in the game. Though like the rest of the Straw Hat's, he has unlockable costumes outside of his alternate colors. In One Piece: Grand Adventure he is aligned with the Straw Hats. He is also a support character in Jump Super Stars. In 2006, he is featured in the Dragon Ball/One Piece/Naruto crossover game Battle Stadium D.O.N. as a playable character.

Chopper was seen in Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro-chan when Sakura mentions "reindeer who are doctors" and other things from anime, while he was freaking out in a forest. He also appears twice in the Webcomic VG Cats. Chopper and other characters also appeared in Cross Epoch, a crossover between One Piece and Dragon Ball Z.

In merchandise
There have been various pieces of merchandise released for Chopper over the years. Various plush figures have been based on him, including many season based ones, as well as an assortment of others. There have also been many figures released of Chopper. Additionally, there have been many other pieces of merchandise based on Chopper such as cushions, clothing, towels, key chains, and clocks.

Critical reception
Sean Cubillas of Screen Rant ranked Chopper third on a top ten list of the most adorable anthropomorphic anime animals, writing, "It makes sense that the best-selling manga of all time would also have one of the cutest, talking animal characters of all time. Though berated by humans as a monster and even as an outcast by other reindeer, Tony Tony Chopper hasn't become anything less than a friendly, welcome face for all the fans. It also helps that there's just a lot of One Piece merch centered around him." In a review, Cubillas writes "Tony Tony Chopper on design alone is already plenty iconic. He's meant to be the mascot for the series and after seeing all of the One Piece merch with his face on it, he's done a pretty good job. The scene to define him, however, comes in his backstory. After tragically losing Dr. Hiluluk to a political assassination, his own poison mushroom soup, and an undisclosed terminal illness, Chopper runs to Dr. Kureha's office waving Hiluluk's pirate flag. He begs the old woman to teach him, proclaiming that he wants to be a doctor that can cure any disease."

In another article, Cubillas uniquely gave Chopper two entries in his ranking of the series top ten running gags, noting "Part of the Cowardly Trio, Chopper is as up for a fight as Usopp with an actual illness. Unfortunately for him, he can't quite hide away … it's easy to understand why most characters who see him for the first time tend to think that he's a tanuki (or a raccoon dog). While Chopper has some kinship with other animals, he certainly doesn't like being mislabeled, particularly when this denotes him as the Straw Hat's pet and not as the talented doctor that he truly is."

An IGN review of the manga praised Chopper's character as one of the best in the series and said that he was able to be both touching and funny.

However, Chopper's status as a mascot met with criticism by both fans and critics, who view him as too stereotypical and insufficiently developed compared to the other Straw Hats. Dyler Crews wrote, "Even before Pikachu solidified the concept of a manga and anime franchise having an adorable mascot in the '90s, the trope was already old hat. Looking to cash in on merchandising, Oda simplified Tony Tony Chopper's design to make the character resemble a plush toy. Although Oda didn't relegate Chopper to mascot status only, giving the character an essential job within the crew, Chopper's utility in the story has diminished as his marketability grew. Having the voice actor behind Pikachu didn't help either.

Popularity
Chopper ranked in the top ten during the second through seventh popularity polls. Chopper was the fourth most popular character in the second, third, and fourth Japanese popularity polls. He was ranked the seventh most popular character in the fifth and sixth Japanese popularity poll. In the first worldwide popularity poll, Chopper was ranked the sixteenth most-favorite character.

The denouement of Chopper's introduction arc was rated the ninth most heartbreaking scene in One Piece, and Chopper was involved in half of the top ten most heartbreaking scenes in the manga: the Going Merry's funeral, Robin saying she wants to live, the Straw Hats' departure, the Going Merry rescuing the Straw Hats, and the aforementioned denouement, when Kureha fulfills Hiriluk's dying wish by making Drum "bloom" like a Sakura tree. Jamie Lee Curtis said Chopper was her favorite character and that she would like to play Kureha, Chopper's mentor, in the live-action adaptation.

title: Tony Tony Chopper


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Mortuary house

In archaeology and anthropology a mortuary house is any purpose-built structure, often resembling a normal dwelling in many ways, in which a dead body is buried.

Proper treatment and placing of the dead has always been of great concern to people around the world. While choice of burial location and treatment of the corpse usually depend on beliefs and ritual standards within a specific cultural context, they are as well of a strategic nature. Burial decisions are affected by cultural norms regarding the deceased’s age, gender, vertical or horizontal status and by the relationship of people to places and other people. Ideas concerning proper burial also apply to those who have been defunct for quite some time. Dead bodies have been exhumed, reburied and desecrated in order to redefine – elevate or degrade – the status of their owners, construct new affiliations, rewrite history and to retrieve or construct social memory.

Following the laying to rest of the deceased, who is often surrounded with grave goods, an earthwork called a kurgan in Russian or barrow in English is raised over the house and the structure left sealed.

The term has parallels with Christian sepulchres which contain only one burial. Mortuary houses differ from mortuary enclosures in size, design and in the latter's capacity for multiple burials.

Origin
According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word mortuary derived in the early 14th century, from the word mortuarie, an Anglo-French word meaning "gift to a parish priest from a deceased parishioner"; from a Medieval Latin word mortuarium, a noun use of neuterof Late Latin adjective mortuarius "pertaining to the dead", from Latin mortuus, past participle of mori "to die". The meaning "place where bodies are kept temporarily" was first recorded in 1865, a euphemism for earlier deadhouse.

History
Philip Lieberman suggests that burial and mortuary housing may signify a "concern for the dead that transcends daily life." It may be one of the earliest detectable forms of religious practice. Mortuary housing rituals can be detected back to the earliest days of human existence. Evidence suggests that the Neanderthals were the first human species to practice burial behavior and intentionally bury their dead, doing so in shallow graves along with stone tools and animal bones. The earliest undisputed human burial, discovered so far, dates back 100,000 years. Human skeletal remains stained with red ochre were discovered in the Skhul cave at Qafzeh, Israel.

Egyptian Pyramids

Ancient Egypt is well known in their unique housing of the dead. The complex construction of chambers were both alluring and mysterious. The tombs represented as mortuary temples for the dead and the afterlife.

Case studies
Ballyveelish, Co. Tipperary Ireland

The outline of a timber building was discovered by an archaeologist. From the circle of post holes and foundation trenches, the house was determined to be 7m x 5.1m. This structure was classified as a mortuary house, instead of dwelling, because of a lack of evidence of a hearth.

It is believed the mortuary house was built to serve a ceremonial function associated with the interment of human remains. Using radiocarbon dating it was determined this site was erected in the Bronze Age.

title: Mortuary house