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Etawah

Etawah (IAST: Iṭāvā), also known as Ishtikapuri, is a city on the banks of Yamuna River in the state of Western Uttar Pradesh in India. It is the administrative headquarters of Etawah District. Etawah's population of 256,838 (as per 2011 population census) makes it the 180th most populous city in India. The city lies 300 km southeast of the national capital New Delhi, 230 km northwest of the state capital Lucknow, 120 km east of Agra and 140 km west of Kanpur. The city was an important centre for the Indian Rebellion of 1857. It is also the sangam or confluence of the Yamuna and Chambal rivers. It is the 26th most populous city in Uttar Pradesh.

Demographics
As per the 2011 census, Etawah city had a population of 256,790, of which males were 135,829, and females were 120,961 - an increase of 22% from 211,460 in 2001 census. (The entire Etawah district had a population of 1,581,810 in 2011.) The literacy rate was 82.89 per cent. Hinduism is majority religion in Etawah city with 74.64% followers. Islam is second most popular religion in city of Etawah with approximately 23.61% following it. In Etawah city, Christianity is followed by 0.19%, Jainism by 1.05%, Sikhism by 0.24% and Buddhism by 0.24%. Around 0.01% stated 'Other Religion', approximately 0.19% stated 'No Particular Religion'.

Main spoken languages are Hindi (98.20%), Urdu (1.75%), Sindhi (0.01%)

Total no. of Slums in Etawah city numbers 5,528 in which population of 33,188 resides. This is around 12.92% of total population of Etawah city.

Name
During Rajput era the king of Chauhan dynasty Sumershah had gone to the bank of the Yamuna river in Etawah, where he saw an incredible act of nature. He saw a goat and a wolf drinking water together on the bank of the Yamuna. After seeing this incident, the king went to astrologers and consulted about the incident, who advised him to build a fort at the place where the wolf and the goat were drinking water together. According to astrological calculation, building a fort would benefit the king.When construction work of the fort started at the decided location, then, while digging foundation the laborers working there found a brick of gold and silver, which made them excited and they started shouting "Eeet Mili, Eeet Mili" after hearing which the place was named as "Eeet Aaya" which later turned into ‘Etawah’.

Etawah is still sometimes referred to as the city of bricks and both tradition and the appearance of the ground suggest that the modern city was founded on an ancient Khera or town site, so that it is not improbable that the existence of old bricks or old brick kilns may have led to its present name. According to some scholars the region from Bateshwar in district Agra to Bhareh was known as ‘Ishtapath’ and there are a large number of temples of Lord Siva who was ‘Isht Dev’ of the people of that region. From the word ‘Isht’ the town was given the name of Ishtkapuri a reference to which is found in Bhareshya Puran.

Ancient era
It is believed that the land existed right from the Bronze Age in the medieval times. It once formed part of the ancient country of Panchala which is said to have extended from the foot of the Himalayas in the north to the river Chambal in the south. This region rose into great prominence during the period of Mahabharata. Many local traditions are attached to the modern Chakar Nagar which is a tehsil nearby which most probably seems to be Ekchakra mentioned in Mahabharata. It was Ekchakra where Pandavas along with their mother Kunti spent their secret abode of one year during the period of their exile. There is a belief that the city was founded by King Bharat. During the fourth century A.D., Guptas once again established imperial unity in India. The Chinees traveler Fa-Hien also visited a city named ‘A-lo i.e. Alvi, which has been identified with modern Airwa nearly town, and spent his treat at the Dragon Shrine. Fa-Hien described it as "a city near a large forest" (atavi). There are the remains of Buddhist and Jain temples evidently of every ancient date in large number. In the ninth and tenth centuries, this region was under the rule of Gurjara Pratihara rulers. The conquest of Kannauj by Nagabhata II handed Pratiharas control over this region. But the place was said to be evolved as an affluent region under Mihir Bhoj, the Pratihara King.

With the coronation of Harsha as a king (in 606 AD) the city came under the Thaneshwar dynasty. Hiuen Tsang in his works has also dwelt upon the prosperity of this region.

Medieval Era
The defeat of Jaichandra of Kannauj in the Battle of Chandawar in 1193 A.D at the hands of Shahab-ud-din Ghori, the city passed under influence of Muslim power, which by end of the century held in different degrees of subjection the whole of North India except Malwa and some contiguous districts. Muslim rule in Etawah faced Maratha invasion for short period within their rule in Etawah. However, the local history of the city during the early years of the thirteenth century is more or less the account of the settlement and emergence of certain Rajput clans. The Gaurs occupied part of Phaphund and Bidhuna near the Kanpur boundary, both falling in turn to Chandelas of Mahoba. The Chauhans occupied the western portion of the district, with extensive tracts now in Mainpuri. During this period; however, some disturbance related to tax arouse in Nasir-ud-din Muhammad Shah's rule, yet these issues were put to end by Tomar ruler of Gwalior in 1390. In 1400–1401 Mallu Iqbal Khan marched towards this region and was opposed by Rai Sumar Singh or Sabir of Etawah and other Zamindars of the vicinity on the banks of the Ab-i-Siyah (Kali Nadi) near Patiali. The opposing army of Rai was defeated and chased down to the confines of Etawah where they took shelter.

Etawah was associated with various important historical events like Jaunpur Campaign, reigns of rulers like Bahlul Lodi, Ibrahim Lodi, Babur, Humayun and Akbar. In the fourth year of Akbar's reign, Bahadur Khan a younger brother of Ali Quli Khan was granted the jagir of Etawah at the instance of Maham Anka, the foster mother of the Emperor. After this, Etawah district underwent major changes during reign of Rohillas and the Oudh Government.

Colonial Era
The cession on 10 November 1801, the city was made over to the British Government by the Nawab Saadat Ali Khan together with the rest of the lower Doab and other tracts. This action was taken in return for a guarantee of protection, and by way of payment for the maintenance of the Oadh local forces which were ultimately stationed at Kanpur. Still for some years Etawah was threatened with Maratha inroads, while scenes occurred with the zamindars in the earlier years of the British administration which recall the experiences of the imperial officers in the 16th century, and it was not until the zamindars of Saudaus, Sahson and Kamait had been finally settled with in 1816 A.D.

Mutiny of 1857
On 25 December 1857, a British Column arrived in the city. Kunwar Johar Singh now surrounded and blew up the Etawah tahsil building from where Taj Khan, was resisting the British advance. On 6 January 1858 the British reoccupied Etawah, but struggle was hardly crushed.

Freedom Struggle
In 1907 rumours were afloated in Etawah that Zorawar Singh Nigam, had organized a conspiracy to throw out the British. But on enquiry it was found baseless and a person Khalil who was responsible for rumour was arrested and sentenced. In 1914–15, the city came into prominence as a centre of revolutionary activity when Gendalal Dixit, a teacher at Auraiya nearby town, formed the Shivaji Samitti with object of liberating the country. Gendalal Dixit had also organized a group of young men called ‘Matri-Vedi’.

In 1920 Mahatma Gandhi launched his non-cooperation movement all over the country. In Etawah, the response of the people to this movement was enthusiastic and wide spread. In 1920–21, the district congress committee was formed with Maulana Rahamat Ullah as its president. In 1925, Jyoti Shankar Dixit of Etawah was arrested in connection with the Kakori conspiracy case but later released. In 1928, boycott of the Simon Commission; followed by; the civil disobedience movement in 1930 and Quit India Movement 1942 were started in Etawah, as in other parts of the country.

After Independence of India till January 1974, 548 freedom fighters were awarded Tamra Patras, i.e. copper plates containing a record of the services rendered by them or their forebears.

Municipal Council, Etawah
Municipal Council, Etawah was founded through Notificatin-332 date 11 July 1884 on 16 August 1884. At that time district was divided into 10 wards.Now it has 36 wards. The chairman is Noshaba Khanam Furqan with Executive Officer Shri Anil Kumar.

Communal Clashes
In 1885 when Dussehra and Muharram coincided, communal disturbances broke out between the Hindus and the Muslims.

Politics
Until the 1980s, the regional politics was largely dominated by the Congress. The region saw several changes in the succeeding decades which led to a reconfiguration of political power. Until the 80s the upper castes often used coercion to get votes from the lower caste majority in the region. The lower castes began to assert themselves much more forcefully. Two leaders, Chaudhary Charan Singh, a Jat leader who briefly became prime minister in 1979, and Mulayam Singh Yadav became faces for opposition to the Congress. Moreover, dacoits from backward castes strengthened, asserting control over land and political power.

Economy
Manufacturing (Industries) Share in GDP Manufacturing accounted for 22142 lakhs at Current Prices (2015–16), 19646 Lakhs at Constant Price (2011–12

Air
City is served by Saifai Domestic Airport, which is around 15 km from city center. The airport has only unscheduled chartered flights. The nearest domestic airport is at Gwalior Airport which is 117 km. The nearest International Airport is Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport located at a distance of around 220 km.

Rail

Etawah Junction railway station is the main station of the city as well as of the Howrah-Delhi main line and Guna - Etawah Rail Line. It is a NSG-3 category station of Prayagraj division of North Central Railway. It has a secondary railway line to Agra via reserved sanctuary area. Etawah - Mainpuri line is also constructed and train is running between Etawah and Mainpuri. One another railway line from Etawah to Bindki is to be constructed. It has halt for fastest trains like Kanpur New Delhi Shatabdi Express, Lucknow Swarna Shatabdi Express and many more. Etawah Junction is one of the cleanest railway station of Indian Railways. Necessary basic amenities like water taps, pay and use toilets, foot over bridges, elevators, platform shed, waiting hall, railway enquiry window, computerized reservation hall, ATMs, food stalls, integrated train information system, train announcement system, train display boards, platform - coach indicators, infotainment screens, wheelchair accessible ramp can be found at the station. The city is also served by four other railway stations viz. Udi Junction, Sarai Bhopat, Ekdil and Vaidhpura.

Road
Etawah is well-connected by roads with the rest of Uttar Pradesh state. Etawah is the regional office of Etawah Region of UP Roadways. It has buses for all cities of Uttar Pradesh as well as for all neighbouring states. It has buses to Delhi for every 15 minutes. National Highway 19 passes through Etawah, connecting it to important cities like Delhi, Mathura, Agra, Kanpur, Allahabad, Varanasi, Gurugram, Dhanbad and Kolkata. There are three big cities namely Gwalior, Agra and Kanpur, near Etawah with well connected roads.

Agra Lucknow Expressway have various cuts, from where roads connect it to city like with Farrukhabad Road near Baralokpur, with Etawah - Mainpuri State Highway near Karhal, with NH 19 near Bhadan.

Within the city, auto-rickshaw and cycle rickshaw are the major forms of transport. Bus services run at high frequencies. Etawah city is waiting for city bus services as it was announced by UPA government to run 85 city buses to connect the city and to develop a ring road around the city. City buses will be available from Sai City Udaypur in North to Udi More in South, from Sarai Bhopat in the west to Pilkhar in the east. It will cover 50 km (approx.) distance if starts.

Colleges

 * Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, based in Kanpur has a campus in Etawah, established in 1994–95.
 * Chaudhary Charan Singh Post Graduate College is offers undergraduate and post-graduate courses in Science, Arts, Commerce faculties. The college is affiliated to Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University.
 * College of Dairy Technology, Etawah, established in 2015 is a constituent college and faculty of Kanpur's Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology.
 * College of Fisheries Science and Research Centre, Etawah, established in 2015, is a constituent college and faculty of Kanpur's Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology.
 * Government Girls Post Graduate College, Etawah is government women's college offering BA, BCom and MA (Hindi, Sociology & Economics) courses in Etawah. The college is affiliated to Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University.
 * Karm Kshetra Post Graduate College is a college offering undergraduate and post-graduate courses in Science, Arts, Commerce faculties. The college is affiliated to Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University
 * Uttar Pradesh University of Medical Sciences (UPUMS), established in 2016, (Formerly Uttar Pradesh Rural Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (U.P. RIMS&R) which established in 2005 and was affiliated to Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University Kanpur).

Places of interest
Bhareh ka Qila, Boddh Sculptures, Bais Khwaja, National Chambal Sanctuary, Tixi Temple, Jains Temple, Nilkanth Temple, Kaaliwahan Temple, St. Mary Church, Company Bagh Garden, St. Mary Garden

Etawah Safari Park
The uniqueness of Etawah Safari Park lies in the fact that while at other such places the animals remain caged and the tourists move freely in the area. While in Etawah Lion Safari, people will move in caged paths while the lions and other animals are seen moving freely in the jungle. The Lion Safari, which is mainly being developed to provide an alternate home to Asiatic lions, that are now limited only to Gir Forests in Gujarat will also feature a Lion Breeding Centre.

National Chambal Sanctuary
National Chambal Sanctuary is spread over the Agra and Etawah districts, and a total of 290 different species of migratory and resident birds have been identified in the region so far. Winter is the best time to visit the sanctuary. A boat ride in its tranquil waters during this time is an exhilarating experience with spectacular sightings of the big reptiles basking along the 180 km sparkling sand stretches in the morning sun. But the main draw of the sanctuary are the flamingoes that arrive here in November and stay until May. The Rudy Shelduck also arrives a little earlier in September and stays here until May. The Indian Skimmers have huge colonies in the sanctuary and breed prolifically here.

Sarsai Nawar Wetland
Sarsai Nawar Wetland is a Ramsar enlisted site wetland, en route to Saman Wildlife Sanctuary, in Etawah District of Uttar Pradesh. It comprises two small lakes that attract Sarus Cranes, White Ibis and other water birds in large numbers. It has a large population of the threatened species of Sarus Cranes, the world's tallest flying birds. Ten Sarus Crane pairs breed here regularly, which is more than twice the number of breeding pairs in the bird sanctuary of Bharatpur in Rajasthan. In winters, almost more than 40,000 migratory birds from northern arc visit Sarsai Nawar wetland.

Agra-Etawah Cycle Highway
Agra-Etawah Cycle Highway in Uttar Pradesh now has Asia's first cycle highway. A first-of-its-kind project, the 207-km-long cycle highway runs between Etawah and Agra and was declared open on Saturday, 27 November 2016. The track begins from the lion safari in Etawah. On its way to Agra are tourist destinations like Naugava ka Quila, Raja Bhoj ki Haveli, and Bateshwarnath Temple. It ends at the eastern gate of the Taj Mahal in Agra.

Religious

 * Hajari Mahadev Temple Sarsai Nawar
 * Kundeshwar Mahadev Temple, Agra-Bah road, Udi Mod, Etawah
 * Kali Vahan Mandir, Gwalior Road Etawah
 * Neel Kanth Mahadev Mandir (Lord Shiva Temple)
 * Maa Kalika Devi Mandir, Lakhna, Etawah
 * Pachnada, Etawah
 * Shahi Jama Masjid
 * Sai Mandir
 * Tixi Temple Etawah
 * Pilua Mahavir
 * Brahmani Devi
 * Pili Kothi
 * Nasia Ji Digambar Jain Temple
 * Bharehshwar Mahadev Mandir, Bhareh

Notable people

 * George Adamson, wildlife conservationist
 * K. Asif, film director was born in Etawah
 * Pia Bajpiee, actress born in Etawah
 * Sarita Bhadauria, MLA from Etawah
 * Ghulam Mustafa Burdwani, former Mufti of Etawah
 * Babu Gulabrai, a significant figure in modern Hindi literature was born in Etawah
 * Allan Octavian Hume, the founder of Indian National Congress was district collector in 1857
 * Dr. Zakir Hussain, President of India completed his high schooling in Etawah
 * C. K. Jain, former Secretary-General was born in Etawah
 * Premdas Katheria, former MP from Etawah
 * Ram Shankar Katheria, MP from Etawah
 * Mohsin-ul-Mulk, prominent in Aligarh Movement
 * Ravi Pandey, film actor
 * Raghuraj Singh Shakya, former MLA of Etawah
 * Ram Singh Shakya, former MP of Etawah
 * Akshay Yadav, former MP born In Etawah

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Linus Van Pelt

Linus Van Pelt is a fictional character in Charles M. Schulz’s comic strip Peanuts. He is the best friend of Charlie Brown, the younger brother of Lucy Van Pelt, and the older brother of Rerun Van Pelt. His first appearance was on September 19, 1952, but he was not mentioned by name until three days later. He was first referred two months earlier, on July 14. Linus spoke his first words in 1954, the same year he was first shown with his security blanket. Linus is named after Schulz's friend Linus Maurer.

The character's creator, Charles M. Schulz, has said of the character, "Linus, my serious side, is the house intellectual; bright, well-informed which, I suppose, may contribute to his feelings of insecurity." Lee Mendelson, producer of the majority of the Peanuts television specials, has said that Linus is his favorite character: "He made sucking your thumb and holding a security blanket OK. I think he's one of the most original fictional characters of all time—blending childish behavior with great wisdom."

Personality
Though young, Linus is intelligent and wise and acts as the strip's philosopher and theologian, often quoting the Gospels. Juvenile aspects of his character are also displayed; for example, Linus is almost always depicted holding his blue security blanket, for which he is often mocked by other characters, and he often sucks his thumb. Linus is the only member of his group who believes in the Great Pumpkin, an alternative Santa Claus–like figure who, according to Linus, appears every Halloween, arising from the most "sincere" pumpkin patch and bearing gifts. He occasionally temporarily convinced other characters that the Great Pumpkin is real, only to stubbornly maintain his faith when they lose theirs.

In the strip from June 9, 1986, Linus claims that his birthday is in October. Lucy gives him a chair for his birthday in the November 22, 1964, Sunday strip.

Appearance
Linus has brown hair and hazel eyes and normally wears a red striped shirt, black shorts, red socks, and dark brown tennis shoes. On February 5, 1962, Linus began wearing eyeglasses after being diagnosed with myopia, but after the Sunday strip of September 9, 1962, the glasses were not seen again. In an earlier strip of July 17, 1962, Linus had told Charlie Brown that his ophthalmologist said that he may not have to wear his glasses all the time, which thus explains their eventual disappearance. In a 1985 interview, Schulz said he stopped putting glasses on Linus because it interfered with his expression lines.

Relationships
Linus is often bullied by his older sister, Lucy Van Pelt, to which he responds by either giving in or taking revenge. He is Charlie Brown's best friend; Linus became sympathetic towards Charlie Brown and often gave him advice after listening to Charlie Brown's various insecurities.

Upon the introduction of Charlie Brown's little sister, Sally Brown, in 1959, Linus had the desire to marry her. As the strip progressed, he outgrew this idea. Meanwhile, Sally proceeded to fall in love with Linus, calling him her "Sweet Babboo," much to his displeasure. Linus, in turn, has an innocent unrequited love crush on his school teacher, Miss Othmar.

Voiced by

 * Christopher Shea (1965–1968)
 * Glenn Gilger (1969)
 * Stephen Shea (1971–1975)
 * Liam Martin (1975–1977)
 * Donavan Freberg (1977–1978)
 * Daniel Anderson (1978–1980)
 * Rocky Reilly (1980–1983)
 * Jeremy Schoenberg (1983–1985)
 * David T. Wagner (1984–1985)
 * Jeremy Miller (1985–1988)
 * Brandon Stewart (1988–1990)
 * Josh Keaton (1991)
 * John Christian Graas (1992–1993)
 * Anthony Burch (1995–1997)
 * Corey Padnos (2000–2003)
 * Benjamin Bryan (2006)
 * Quinn Lord (2008–2009)
 * Tyler Kohanek (2009)
 * Austin Lux (2011)
 * Alexander Garfin (2015)
 * Jude Perry (2016)
 * Felix Helden (2018–2019)
 * Wyatt White (2019–2023)

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

title: Linus Van Pelt


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Pop icon

A pop icon is a celebrity, character, or object whose exposure in popular culture is regarded as constituting a defining characteristic of a given society or era. The usage of the term is largely subjective since there are no definitively objective criteria. The categorization is usually associated with elements such as longevity, ubiquity and distinction. Moreover, "pop icon" status is distinguishable from other kinds of notoriety outside pop culture, such as with historic figures. Some historic figures are recognized as having reached "pop icon" status during their era, and such status may continue into the present. Pop icons of previous eras include Benjamin Franklin and Mozart.

Attributes and origins

Historians Asa Briggs and Peter Burke, explained that term "iconography" would pass into high culture, and later in the twentieth century, into popular culture, where "icon" refers to a secular celebrity like Madonna. She probably had a catalyst role, as Marcel Danesi, a professor of semiotics and linguistic anthropology at the University of Toronto cited in Language, Society, and New Media: Sociolinguistics that the word "icon" is a "term of religious origin" and arguably "used for the first time in celebrity culture to describe the American pop singer Madonna". Following description asserts that the word "is now used in reference to any widely known celebrity, male or female". Some international reference works such as Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary and the Diccionario panhispánico de dudas have included Madonna's name to illustrate the new meaning of "icon". After The Advocate called her the "greatest gay icon", Guy Babineau from Xtra Magazine stated in 2008: "I'm old enough to remember when people weren't called icons".

Longevity
Usually, the pop icon status of a celebrity is contingent upon longevity of notoriety. This is in contrast to cult icons, whose notoriety or recognition may be limited to a specific subculture. Some pop icons have left a lasting and indelible mark in the area of their career, and then went on to attain a lasting place of recognition in society at large.

Ubiquity
A common element of pop icon status is the ubiquity of imagery and allusions to the iconic figure. It is common for the figure to be recognized and even celebrated in areas outside the original source of celebrity status. An example of this is Albert Einstein, a physicist whose image and legacy have been represented in comic strips, T-shirts, greeting cards and many other contexts.

Distinction
Often pop icon status implies distinguished association with a societal ideal or archetype. It is not uncommon for iconic figures to have a nickname or sobriquet that is used to emphasize this association. Sometimes the very name of such individuals is even used as a synonym for common words or ideas.

Some fictional characters, such as Peter Pan, Winnie the Pooh, Mickey Mouse, Bugs Bunny, Tom and Jerry, Snow White, Superman, Batman, Spider-Man, James Bond, Darth Vader, Doctor Who, the Simpsons, Harry Potter, Mary Poppins, Mario, Goku, Kermit the Frog, the Minions, SpongeBob SquarePants, Sailor Moon, Pikachu, Alice, Willy Wonka, and Sherlock Holmes are regarded as pop icons. Even inanimate objects have been recognized as pop icons.

Some figures attain transitory or context-specific "pop icon" status for particular events that captivate public attention, such as in the case of the O.J. Simpson trial.

title: Pop icon


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Pockels effect

In optics, the Pockels effect, or Pockels electro-optic effect, is a directionally-dependent linear variation in the refractive index of an optical medium that occurs in response to the application of an electric field. It is named after the German physicist Friedrich Carl Alwin Pockels, who studied the effect in 1893. The non-linear counterpart, the Kerr effect, causes changes in the refractive index at a rate proportional to the square of the applied electric field. In optical media, the Pockels effect causes changes in birefringence that vary in proportion to the strength of the applied electric field.

The Pockels effect occurs in crystals that lack inversion symmetry, such as monopotassium phosphate (KH2PO4, abbr. KDP), potassium dideuterium phosphate (KD2PO4, abbr. KD*P or DKDP), lithium niobate (LiNbO3), beta-barium borate (BBO), barium titanate (BTO) and in other non-centrosymmetric media such as electric-field poled polymers or glasses. The Pockels effect has been elucidated through extensive study of electro-optic properties in materials like KDP.

Pockels cells
The key component of a Pockels cell is a non-centrosymmetric single crystal with an optic axis whose refractive index is controlled by an external electric field. In other words, the Pockels effect is the basis of the operation of Pockels cells. By controlling the refractive index, the optical retardance of the crystal is altered so the polarization state of incident light beam is changed. Therefore, Pockels cells are used as voltage-controlled wave plates as well as other photonics applications. See applications below for uses. Pockels cells are divided into two configurations depending on the crystals' electro-optic properties: longitudinal and transverse.

Longitudinal Pockels cells operate with electric field applied along the crystal optic axis or along incident beam propagation. Such crystals include KDP, KD*P, and ADP. Electrodes are coated as transparent metal oxide films on crystal faces where the beam is propagating through or metal rings (usually made out of gold) coated around the crystal body. Terminals for voltage application are in contact with the electrodes. The optical retardance Δφ for longitudinal Pockels cells proportional to the ordinary refractive index no, electro-optic constant r63 (units of m/V), and applied voltage V and inversely proportional to the incident beam wavelength λ0. For an example, the halfwave voltage is approximately 7.6 kV for a KDP crystal with a no = 1.51, r63 = 10.6X10-12 m/V at λ0, and Δφ = π. The advantage of using longitudinal Pockels cells is that the voltage requirements for quarter wave or half wave retardance is not dependent on crystal length or diameter.

Transverse Pockels cells operate with electric field being applied perpendicular to beam propagation. Crystals used in transverse Pockels cells include BBO, LiNbO3, CdTe, ZnSe, and CdSe. The long sides of the crystal are coated with electrodes. Optical retardance Δφ for transverse Pockels cells is similar to that of longitudinal Pockels cells but it is dependent on crystal dimensions. The quarter wave or half wave voltage requirements increase with crystal aperture size, but the requirements can be reduced by lengthening the crystal.

Two or more crystal can be incorporated into a transverse Pockels cell. One reason is to reduce the voltage requirement by extending the overall length of the Pockels cell. Another reason is the fact that KDP is biaxial and possesses two electro-optic constants, r 63 for longitudinal configuration and r 41 for transverse configuration. A transverse Pockels cell that uses a KDP (or one of its isomorphs) consists of two crystals in opposite orientation, which together give a zero-order waveplate when the voltage is turned off. This is often not perfect and drifts with temperature. But the mechanical alignment of the crystal axis is not so critical and is often done by hand without screws; while misalignment leads to some energy in the wrong ray (either e or o – for example, horizontal or vertical), in contrast to the longitudinal case, the loss is not amplified through the length of the crystal.

Alignment of the crystal axis with the ray axis is critical, regardless of configuration. Misalignment leads to birefringence and to a large phase shift across the long crystal. This leads to polarization rotation if the alignment is not exactly parallel or perpendicular to the polarization.

Dynamics within the cell
Because of the high relative dielectric constant of εr ≈ 36 inside the crystal, changes in the electric field propagate at a speed of only c/6. Fast non-fiber optic cells are thus embedded into a matched transmission line. Putting it at the end of a transmission line leads to reflections and doubled switching time. The signal from the driver is split into parallel lines that lead to both ends of the crystal. When they meet in the crystal, their voltages add up. Pockels cells for fiber optics may employ a traveling wave design to reduce current requirements and increase speed.

Usable crystals also exhibit the piezoelectric effect to some degree (RTP (RbTiOPO4) has the lowest, BBO and lithium niobate are the highest). After a voltage change, sound waves start propagating from the sides of the crystal to the middle. This is important not for pulse pickers, but for boxcar windows. Guard space between the light and the faces of the crystals needs to be larger for longer holding times. Behind the sound wave the crystal stays deformed in the equilibrium position for the high electric field. This increases the polarization. Due to the growing of the polarized volume the electric field in the crystal in front of the wave increases linearly, or the driver has to provide a constant current leakage.

The driver electronics
A Pockels cell, by design, is a capacitor, and often require high voltages to change the state of the polarization of the laser beam to effectively operate as a switchable waveplate. The voltage required depends on the type of Pockels cell, the wavelength of the light, and the size of the crystal; but typically, the voltage range is in the order of 1-10 kV. Pockels cell drivers provide this high voltage in the form of very fast pulses, which typically have rise times of less than 10 nanoseconds.

There are basically two types of drivers: a quick or Q drive which has a fast rise time, then slowly decays. A Pockels cell that uses a Q-drive is sometimes referred to as a Q-switch. The other type of driver is referred to as a regenerative or R drive. R drives will have a fast rise time and a fast fall time. The driver's output pulse width can be from nanoseconds to microseconds long, depending on the application. The type of drive and its repetition rate will depend on the laser and the intended application.

Applications
Pockels cells are used in a variety of scientific and technical applications. A Pockels cell, combined with a polarizer, can be used for switching between initial polarization state and half-wave phase retardance, creating a fast shutter capable of "opening" and "closing" in nanoseconds. The same technique can be used to impress information on the beam by modulating the rotation between 0° and 90°; the exiting beam's intensity, when viewed through the polarizer, contains an amplitude-modulated signal. This modulated signal can be used for time-resolved electric field measurements when a crystal is exposed to an unknown electric field.

Pockels cells are used as a Q-switch to generate short, high-intensity laser pulse. The Pockels cell prevents optical amplification by introducing a polarization dependent loss in the laser cavity. This allows the gain medium to have a high population inversion. When the gain medium has the desired population inversion, the Pockels cell is switched "open", and a short high energy laser pulse is created. Q-switched lasers are used in a variety of applications, such as medical aesthetics, metrology, manufacturing, and holography.

Pulse picking is another application that uses a Pockels cell. A pulse picker is typically composed of an oscillator, electro-optic modulator, amplifiers, high voltage driver, and a frequency doubling modulator along with a Pockels cell. The Pockels cell can pick up a pulse from a laser induced bunch while blocking the rest by synchronized electro-optic switching.

Pockels cells are also used in regenerative amplifiers, chirped pulse amplification, and cavity dumping to let optical power in and out of lasers and optical amplifiers.

Pockels cells can be used for quantum key distribution by polarizing photons.

Pockels cells in conjunction with other EO elements can be combined to form electro-optic probes.

A Pockels cell was used by MCA Disco-Vision (DiscoVision) engineers in the optical videodisc mastering system. Light from an argon-ion laser was passed through the Pockels cell to create pulse modulations corresponding to the original FM video and audio signals to be recorded on the master videodisc. MCA used the Pockels cell in videodisc mastering until the sale to Pioneer Electronics. To increase the quality of the recordings, MCA patented a Pockels cell stabilizer that reduced the second-harmonic distortion that could be created by the Pockels cell during mastering. MCA used either a DRAW (Direct Read After Write) mastering system or a photoresist system. The DRAW system was originally preferred, since it didn't require clean-room conditions during disc recording and allowed instant quality checking during mastering. The original single-sided test pressings from 1976/77 were mastered with the DRAW system as were the "educational", non-feature titles at the format's release in December 1978.

Pockels cells are used in two-photon microscopy.

In recent years, Pockels cells are employed at the National Ignition Facility located at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Each Pockels cell for one of the 192 lasers acts as an optical trap before exiting through an amplifier. The beams from all of the 192 lasers eventually converge onto a single target of deuterium-tritium fuel in hopes to trigger a fusion reaction.

title: Pockels effect


text:
Kennedy (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

Kennedy is a fictional character in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Portrayed by Iyari Limon in the TV series, the character was introduced in the seventh and final season of the series and goes on to appear in the comic book series Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight, which continues the story of the television series.

Kennedy is introduced as a "potential Slayer": one of many girls who might become endowed with supernatural abilities, destined to battle evil creatures such as vampires and demons, like protagonist Buffy Summers. Distinctly, Kennedy is also a love interest for Willow Rosenberg; Kennedy is openly lesbian with an assertive personality, which contrasts with the shyness of Willow's deceased girlfriend, Tara. In the series finale of Buffy, Willow magically activates the potential in all girls like Kennedy to become full-fledged Slayers, like Buffy. Entertainment Weekly named her one of the "21 Most Annoying TV Characters Ever".

Television
Kennedy only appears in the seventh and final season of the television series. Kennedy is one of the first three Potential Slayers to arrive in Sunnydale. She comes from a wealthy family in New York City and has at least one sibling—a half-sister. An out lesbian, Kennedy has known about her sexuality since the age of five (commenting that she found out watching Gone with the Wind). Kennedy is immediately interested in having a romantic relationship with Willow when the two meet in the season seven episode,"Bring on the Night".

Kennedy witnessed her Watcher's death; he was murdered by Bringers, lackeys of The First Evil. Prior to being chosen she knew of the existence of Watchers and also demonstrated understanding of how the Slayer line works, indicating that she was approached by them during her youth, similar to late Slayer Kendra Young.

Kennedy becomes Willow's lover before she fully comprehends Willow's magical prowess. In the episode "Get It Done", she gains first-hand understanding when Willow drains a significant portion of her life force in order to reopen a portal for Buffy. This puts a strain on their relationship until they eventually reconcile.

Kennedy becomes one of the more prominent Potentials, overseeing their training in "Get It Done", and giving them orders in "End of Days" while Buffy is absent and Faith is incapacitated. She supports Willow in her attempt to activate all Potential Slayers. After Willow's activation spell is completed, Kennedy joins Buffy and the other Potentials in the final battle against the First Evil's army of Turok-Han as a fully activated Slayer.

In Season Five of Angel, a year after the end of Buffy, mention is made that Kennedy and Willow are living in Brazil together.

Literature
Kennedy continues to appear in literary follow-ups to the television series. In Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight (2007–2011), an in-canon comic book series, in the story titled "The Long Way Home, Part III", Buffy catches up with Willow in Scotland, after the latter's year long absence. During this conversation, Buffy asks how Kennedy's doing and Willow reveals that she died, though it was only a short-lived mystical death. However, this impeded her and Willow's relationship. In the issue "Anywhere but Here", a flashback recounts a conversation that reveals that Kennedy is worried that Willow keeps her away from Buffy's inner circle because she is ashamed of her. Willow explains that she blames herself for Tara's death because she kept her close to Buffy and therefore to danger. Willow then states that she refuses to let that happen to Kennedy. In Season Eight, Kennedy directs an army of slayers in New York, along with Vi. She and Willow finally reunite in the fourth arc of the series, "Time of Your Life", in which Buffy is accidentally sent to the future and Kennedy is helping Willow in an attempt to bring her back. Over the course of the series, Willow remains distant from Kennedy, in part because she is having a sexual relationship with her magical mentor, the demon Aluwyn. Kennedy antagonizes Buffy when she learns of Buffy's lesbian affair with the Slayer Satsu, in part fearful that Buffy will pursue Willow, and later helps Satsu get over Buffy. It becomes clear that this fear is unfounded. In "Retreat", Kennedy and her unit are forced to regroup with Buffy's main unit as the Big Bad, Twilight, closes in on them. She fights alongside the main Scoobies up until the finale "Last Gleaming". In its aftermath, after Buffy's actions have brought about the end of magic, Kennedy is dumped by Willow, who is in turmoil as a result of the loss of her powers and her connection to Aluwyn.

In Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Nine (2011–2013), Kennedy first appears in the "Guarded" story arc where it was revealed that since the disbandment of Buffy's Slayer organization, Kennedy has established a private security firm employing Slayers to protect its high-profile clients. Buffy joins Kennedy's organization, and before long it becomes apparent that their client—a social network founder and Internet billionaire—is on the run from the demonic law firm Wolfram & Hart, who funded his website's development and plan to use it to return from their extra-dimensional exile. Buffy and Kennedy defeat the threat and shut down the site, and though Buffy quits the job, Kennedy pays her handsomely for her services. Kennedy's company has made her a millionaire and she sends Buffy a private jet so the trio of Buffy, Xander and Willow are able to fly from San Francisco to the Deeper Well in England in an effort to save Dawn's life. At the conclusion of the Season Nine companion series Angel & Faith, Faith leaves Angel in an effort to find her own direction in life and mentions Kennedy offered her a job as a trainer for the Slayer bodyguards. Kennedy next appears on a recurring basis in the second volume of Angel & Faith (2014–), as well as in crossover scenes in the first two issues of Buffy Season Ten. In the first arc, "Where the River Meets the Sea," she attempts to smooth out Faith's rough edges and help her new recruit adjust to life on the payroll, but not without difficulty—both from younger Slayers who resent Faith, and by the difficulty Faith has with the business taking on demons as clients. As Faith is about to quit, however, Kennedy offers her a mission to find Riley Finn, who has gone missing in South America. After leading a team to successfully to save Riley, his wife Sam and the woman Reese Zane who runs a pharmaceutical company, Faith quits Deepscan to work for Reese. Reese is starting to look at the ways magic altered the humans in London's new Magic Town ghetto, taking Faith back to Angel.

title: Kennedy (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)


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Alphabetical Africa

Alphabetical Africa is a constrained writing experiment by Walter Abish. It is written in the form of a novel. Writing in Esquire, Harold Bloom put it on a list of 20th century novels that will endure.

A paperback edition was issued in New York by New Directions Publishing in 1974 with ISBN 0-8112-0533-9. It was still in print in 2004.

The Constraint
The writing is restricted by a pseudo-alliterative rule of the lipogram type: the first chapter contains only words starting with the letter a, the second chapter only words starting with a or b, etc.; each subsequent chapter adds the next letter in the alphabet to the set of allowed word beginnings. This continues for the first 25 chapters, until at last Abish is (briefly) allowed to write without constraint.

In the second half of the book, through chapter 52, letters are removed in the reverse order that they were added. Thus, z words disappear in chapter 27, y in chapter 28, etc...

Errors
Readers have noted that there are several places in the narrative where the constraint is violated. Most counts of these violations number them between four and six; however, up to 43 have been noted by astute readers. One point of dispute is whether the failures to meet the constraint are intentional, and therefore potentially meaningful, or are simply editing mistakes. It is said that when Abish was notified of the errors, he reacted with total surprise. Two of the errors were "I"'s found later in the book, situated next to the margins, most likely overlooked during editing. Similar mistakes of spelling and grammar occur in other Abish works, such as How German Is It (1980), where exact presentation is clearly a priority, and thus the mistakes come across as intentional.

title: Alphabetical Africa


text:
Tuakau

Tuakau (Tūākau) is a town in the Waikato region at the foot of the Bombay Hills, formerly part of the Franklin District until 2010, when it became part of Waikato District in the North Island of New Zealand. The town serves to support local farming, and is the residence of many employees of New Zealand Steel at Glenbrook.

Toponymy
The place name is believed to be a geographical reference to the high bluff nearby that offers views down the Waikato river. In Māori the word tū can mean 'to stand' and ākau 'river bank'.

Pre-European history
The area was first used as a trading centre for passing waka that would transport goods up and down the Waikato River.

European settlement
A flax mill was built in 1855.

In 1863 war broke out because the British Crown forced the Waikato people out of their lands just south of the river and the New Zealand Government stationed in Tuakau Imperial troops brought over from Great Britain. To help defend the area the Alexandra Redoubt was built as a defensive fort on the bluff near the river. The existing town which was originally intended to be built closer to the Waikato River was subsequently built in an area 2 km further inland.

The railway from Auckland reached Tuakau in 1875, when the Tuakau Railway Station was opened.

Recent history
By 1914 the people of Tuakau had formed their own town district which went on to achieve borough status on 1 January 1955. During its 44 years as a borough, Tuakau had seven mayors:

Amalgamations since 1989 has seen it first become part of the Franklin District governed by a district council and then in 2010 with border changes saw it became part of Waikato district when present-day Auckland Council boundaries were created.

Marae
Tuakau has two marae (Maori sacred or communal place), affiliated with the hapū (Maori sub-tribe or clan) of Waikato Tainui (a tribal confederation based in the Waikato Region). Ngā Tai e Rua Marae and its Ngā Tai e Rua meeting house are a meeting place Ngāti Āmaru, Ngāti Koheriki and Ngāti Tiipa. Tauranganui Marae and its Rangiwahitu meeting house are a meeting place for Ngāti Āmaru Ngati Rangiwahitu, Ngati Kaiaua and Ngāti Tiipa.

Tuakau Bridge
The town's 'Tuakau Bridge' replaced the need for a ferry from November 1902. A span of the original wooden bridge collapsed on 23 August 1929 and was replaced by the current £24,000 ($2.9m at 2015 prices), 750 ft bridge from 22 June 1933, designed by Jones & Adams, who also built Horotiu (1921), Te Aroha (1926), Ngamuwahine River (1930) and Fairfield bridges (1937). It was once part of State Highway 22.

Gas pipeline aerial crossing
About 3 km upstream from Tuakau Bridge, at the end of Brown Rd, the river is crossed by the First Gas 400-line gas transmission pipe, which supplies gas from the Maui gas pipeline at Rotowaro to Auckland and Northland. The 350 mm pipe crosses on a 376 m, 11 pier, truss bridge, 14 m above the water, which was built in 1980 and renovated in 2007.

Demographics
Tuakau covers 8.31 km2 and had an estimated population of as of  with a population density of  people per km2.

Before the 2023 census, the urban area had a smaller boundary, covering 5.35 km2. Using that boundary, Tuakau had a population of 5,013 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 741 people (17.3%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 1,404 people (38.9%) since the 2006 census. There were 1,632 households, comprising 2,457 males and 2,559 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.96 males per female, with 1,293 people (25.8%) aged under 15 years, 1,041 (20.8%) aged 15 to 29, 2,094 (41.8%) aged 30 to 64, and 582 (11.6%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 69.1% European/Pākehā, 32.6% Māori, 8.4% Pacific peoples, 8.5% Asian, and 1.2% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

The percentage of people born overseas was 18.0, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 54.1% had no religion, 32.6% were Christian, 2.0% had Māori religious beliefs, 2.1% were Hindu, 0.4% were Muslim, 0.7% were Buddhist and 1.7% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 423 (11.4%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 852 (22.9%) people had no formal qualifications. 546 people (14.7%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 2,019 (54.3%) people were employed full-time, 495 (13.3%) were part-time, and 177 (4.8%) were unemployed.

Public Sporting Facilities
Tuakau has sporting facilities available to the public. The Dr John Lightbody Reserve sporting complex on George Street features a swimming pool, sports fields, tennis courts, netball courts and a skate park. The Tuakau Centennial Swimming Pool is open to the public, is used for swimming lessons and is used by Tuakau School and Tuakau College for sports days. The sports fields are used for athletics, and team sports including rugby, touch rugby, soccer. The sports fields have change rooms and a rugby club rooms. The following sports clubs use or are based in the complex: Tuakau Rugby Football Club, Tuakau Soccer Club. The reserve has public toilets.

Education
The main primary school is Tuakau School, where Sir Edmund Hillary and Hugh Poland were educated.

It is a co-educational state primary school, with a roll of  as of.

Harrisville School is located to the north, at Harrisville.

Tuakau College is the district's state secondary school, with a roll of.

title: Tuakau


text: User talk:68.225.236.212

title: User talk:68.225.236.212


text:
Third-degree atrioventricular block

Third-degree atrioventricular block (AV block) is a medical condition in which the electrical impulse generated in the sinoatrial node (SA node) in the atrium of the heart can not propagate to the ventricles.

Because the impulse is blocked, an accessory pacemaker in the lower chambers will typically activate the ventricles. This is known as an escape rhythm. Since this accessory pacemaker also activates independently of the impulse generated at the SA node, two independent rhythms can be noted on the electrocardiogram (ECG).
 * The P waves with a regular P-to-P interval (in other words, a sinus rhythm) represent the first rhythm.
 * The QRS complexes with a regular R-to-R interval represent the second rhythm. The PR interval will be variable, as the hallmark of complete heart block is the lack of any apparent relationship between P waves and QRS complexes.

Presentation
People with third-degree AV block typically experience severe bradycardia (an abnormally low measured heart rate), hypotension, and at times, hemodynamic instability.

Cause
Many conditions can cause third-degree heart block, but the most common cause is coronary ischemia. Progressive degeneration of the electrical conduction system of the heart can lead to third-degree heart block. This may be preceded by first-degree AV block, second-degree AV block, bundle branch block, or bifascicular block. In addition, acute myocardial infarction may present with third-degree AV block.

An inferior wall myocardial infarction may cause damage to the AV node, causing third-degree heart block. In this case, the damage is usually transitory. Studies have shown that third-degree heart block in the setting of an inferior wall myocardial infarction typically resolves within 2 weeks. The escape rhythm typically originates in the AV junction, producing a narrow complex escape rhythm.

An anterior wall myocardial infarction may damage the distal conduction system of the heart, causing third-degree heart block. Initially demonstrated by animal studies, this is due to a stark reduction in the Kv β-subunit of the voltage-gated K+ channels in the pacemaker cells of the atrioventricular junction, causing significantly decreased propagation of ions across gap junctions between cardiac cells and thus prolonging the PR interval. This is typically extensive, permanent damage to the conduction system, eliciting a necessity for a permanent pacemaker to be placed. The escape rhythm typically originates in the ventricles, producing a wide complex escape rhythm.

Third-degree heart block may also be congenital and has been linked to the presence of lupus in the mother. It is thought that maternal antibodies may cross the placenta and attack the heart tissue during gestation. The cause of congenital third-degree heart block in many patients is unknown. Studies suggest that the prevalence of congenital third-degree heart block is between 1 in 15,000 and 1 in 22,000 live births.

Hyperkalemia in those with previous cardiac disease and Lyme disease can also result in third-degree heart block.

Hypermagnesemia
AV block may be observed in patients with hypermagnesemia who are receiving excessive intravenous doses of magnesium sulfate.

Diagnosis
Diagnosis is largely focussed on analysis of the patients 12-lead ECG. A patient with a third-degree AV block will likely have p-waves not corresponding to QRS complexes along with bradycardia.

Treatment
Atropine is often used as a first line treatment of a third-degree heart block in the presence of a narrow QRS which indicates a nodal block, but, may have little to no effect in an infra-nodal block. Atropine works by reducing vagal stimulation through the AV node but will not be effective in those who have had a previous heart transplant. Other drugs may be utilized such as epinephrine or dopamine which have positive chronotropic effects and may increase the heart rate. Treatment in emergency situations can involve electrical transcutaneous pacing in those who are acutely hemodynamically unstable and can be used regardless of the persons level of consciousness. Sedative agents such as a benzodiazepine or opiate may be used in conjunction with transcutaneous pacing to reduce the pain caused by the intervention.

In cases of suspected beta-blocker overdose, the heart-block may be treated with pharmacological agents to reverse the underlying cause with the use of glucagon. In the case of a calcium channel blocker overdose treated with calcium chloride and digitalis toxicity may be treated with the digoxin immune Fab.

Third-degree AV block can be treated more permanently with the use of a dual-chamber artificial pacemaker. This type of device typically listens for a pulse from the SA node via lead in the right atrium and sends a pulse via a lead to the right ventricle at an appropriate delay, driving both the right and left ventricles. Pacemakers in this role are usually programmed to enforce a minimum heart rate and to record instances of atrial flutter and atrial fibrillation, two common secondary conditions that can accompany third-degree AV block. Since pacemaker correction of the third-degree block requires full-time pacing of the ventricles, a potential side effect is pacemaker syndrome, and may necessitate the use of a biventricular pacemaker, which has an additional 3rd lead placed in a vein in the left ventricle, providing more coordinated pacing of both ventricles.

The 2005 Joint European Resuscitation and Resuscitation Council (UK) guidelines state that atropine is the first-line treatment especially if there were any adverse signs, namely: 1) heart rate < 40 bpm, 2) systolic blood pressure < 100 mm Hg, 3) signs of heart failure, and 4) ventricular arrhythmias requiring suppression. If these fail to respond to atropine or there is a potential risk of asystole, transvenous pacing is indicated. The risk factors for asystole include 1) previous asystole, 2) complete heart block with wide complexes, and 3) ventricular pause for > 3 seconds. Mobitz Type 2 AV block is another indication for pacing.

As with other forms of heart block, secondary prevention may also include medicines to control blood pressure and atrial fibrillation, as well as lifestyle and dietary changes to reduce risk factors associated with heart attack and stroke.

Treatment
Early treatment of atrioventricular blockade is based on the presence and severity of symptoms and signs associated with ventricular escape rhythm. Hemodynamically unstable patients require immediate medication and in most cases temporary pacing to increase heart rate and cardiac output.

Once the patient is hemodynamically stable, a potentially reversible cause should be evaluated and treated. If no reversible cause is identified, a permanent pacemaker is inserted. Most stable patients have persistent bradycardia-related symptoms and require identification and treatment of any reversible cause or permanent implantable pacemaker.

Reversible causes of complete AV block should be ruled out before the insertion of a permanent pacemaker, such as drugs that slow heart rate and which induce hyperkalemia.

Complete atrioventricular block in acute myocardial infarction should be treated with temporary pacing and revascularization.

Complete atrioventricular block caused by hyperkalemia should be treated to lower serum potassium levels and patients with hypothyroidism should also receive thyroid hormone.

If there is no reversible cause, the clear treatment of complete atrioventricular block is mostly permanent pacemaker placement.

Prognosis
The prognosis of patients with complete heart block is generally poor without therapy. Patients with 1st and 2nd-degree heart block are usually asymptomatic.

title: Third-degree atrioventricular block


text:
Morrinsville

Morrinsville (Mōrena) is a provincial town in the Waikato region of New Zealand's North Island, with an estimated population of as of  The town is located at the northern base of the Pakaroa Range, and on the south-western fringe of the Hauraki Plains. Morrinsville is around 33 kilometres east of Hamilton and 22 kilometres west of Te Aroha. The town is bordered by the Piako River to the east and the Waitakaruru Stream to the south.

Pre-European settlement
Prior to European settlement of New Zealand, the hills around present-day Morrinsville were occupied by the Ngati Werewere Māori people of the Ngati Haua Iwi, and the site of the present-day town was on or near to an old Māori route between the upper Waihou-Piako basin and the Ngāruawāhia area.

Following European settlement, some early European traders are believed to have traversed this route prior to 1834 when the Rev. J. Morgan travelled up the Piako River to near the future town site and crossed west to Horotiu, near Ngāruawāhia. First recorded contact with European settlers occurred around 1850, with John Johnson trading with the Māori from 1852.

Post-European settlement
The 1860s saw an influx of European settlers to the area between Te Aroha and Matamata, and on 13 December 1873 a settler from Auckland, Thomas Morrin, purchased the Kuranui No.1 Block from the local Māori and founded the Lockerbie Estate, which Morrin named after the Scottish town from which his father had emigrated. In May 1874, Morrin purchased two further blocks, Motumaoho No.1 and No.2, and his estate then totaled over 30,000 acre. The fledgling village was to be the service centre for Morrin's Lockerbie Estate and he built a blacksmith's shop, manager's house, the Jolly Cripple Hotel and general store and donated land for a school. Morrin hired Irish navvies from the gold fields to dig a network of ditches to drain the land, enabling it to be used for agriculture. In 1882 Morrin surveyed the land for the site of the town proper, and deposited plans for ten streets: Anderson, Hamilton, Studholme, Moorhouse, Lorne, Canada, Cureton, Somerville, Thames and Thorpe (the first and last three streets being named after family members).

The Thames Valley and Rotorua Railway Company began construction of a railway line from Morrinsville to Rotorua in 1879, and on 1 October 1884, the line from Hamilton to Morrinsville was opened. With construction progressing towards Paeroa and the line to Te Aroha opening on 1 March 1886, the town's population was listed as 633 people. With further expansion of the railway towards Thames and Tauranga, alongside extensive drainage of swamp land to the south and west of the town making available large areas for dairy farming, Morrinsville was declared a town district in 1908 and in 1921 was constituted as a borough.

Marae
Morrinsville has two marae: Kai a Te Mata and its meeting house Wairere, and Rukumoana or Top Pā and its meeting house Werewere. Both marae are affiliated with the Ngāti Hauā iwi and its Ngāti Werewere hapū, and with the Waikato Tainui iwi.

In October 2020, the Government committed $734,311 from the Provincial Growth Fund to upgrade both marae and 3 other Ngāti Hauā marae, creating 7 jobs.

Demographics
Morrinsville covers 10.28 km2 and had an estimated population of as of  with a population density of  people per km2.

Before the 2023 census, the town had a smaller boundary, covering 7.78 km2. Using that boundary, Morrinsville had a population of 7,761 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 768 people (11.0%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 1,158 people (17.5%) since the 2006 census. There were 2,934 households, comprising 3,699 males and 4,062 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.91 males per female, with 1,533 people (19.8%) aged under 15 years, 1,467 (18.9%) aged 15 to 29, 3,138 (40.4%) aged 30 to 64, and 1,626 (21.0%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 83.4% European/Pākehā, 18.1% Māori, 1.9% Pacific peoples, 6.9% Asian, and 1.4% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

The percentage of people born overseas was 12.7, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 52.6% had no religion, 34.5% were Christian, 0.9% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.9% were Hindu, 0.3% were Muslim, 1.5% were Buddhist and 2.2% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 747 (12.0%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 1,737 (27.9%) people had no formal qualifications. 924 people (14.8%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 3,027 (48.6%) people were employed full-time, 807 (13.0%) were part-time, and 198 (3.2%) were unemployed.

The Morrinsville East and West areas (2018 boundaries) had these census figures - Apart from Morrinsville, the largest number of commuters go to Waihou from Morrinsville East and Tahuroa from West. In 2018 13.8% of the population of Morrinsville East and 25.1% of West were Māori.

Education
Morrinsville College is the town's state secondary school, with a roll of.

Morrinsville Intermediate is the state intermediate school, with a roll of.

The town has two state primary schools for Year 1 to 6 students: Morrinsville School, with a roll of ; and David Street School, with a roll of ;

A third primary school, Motumaoho School, is located south-west of the town on State Highway 26; it has a roll of.

St Joseph's Catholic School is a state integrated Catholic primary school, with a roll of.

All these schools are co-educational. Rolls are as of

Commerce

Morrinsville is one of three towns, along with Te Aroha and Matamata, that serves one of New Zealand's most prosperous dairy farming areas.

Dairy processing has been a notable industry in Morrinsville, most notably through the Morrinsville Dairy Company since 1922. The dairy company retained the Scottish link through prominently using the name Lockerbie. Today, after a series of mergers, the dairy factory is now operated by the Fonterra Dairy Co-operative. The factory processes 1.2 million litres of milk per day during the peak of the milk production season, producing milk powders, cream, butter and canned butter for tropical countries where refrigeration is not always available.

During the late 1920s a company was formed to develop the flax industry on the extensive low-lying areas west of Morrinsville. Several thousand acres were acquired for the planting and milling of New Zealand flax (Phormium tenax), but prevailing economic conditions forced the early abandonment of the project. Most of this land has reverted to dairy farming or fat-lamb production, and the original English grasses used by earlier settlers have been replaced with higher producing Italian ryegrass and nitrogen-fixing white clover. During the town's formative years the area also contained a number of commercial sawmills, most of which closed by the 1930s as land was cleared for farming. Meadow Mushrooms, one of Morrinsville's biggest employers, ceased its local operations and relocated to Canterbury in 2010, with the subsequent loss of around 160 jobs.

As a service centre for the local dairy industry, many of Morrinsville's businesses are geared towards supporting this industry and associated rural activities, and today the town is still home to large stockyards and regular livestock markets. There is also a chemical plant producing hydrogen peroxide, fertiliser and other agri-nutrients located on the southern outskirts of the town.

Railway
Historically, Morrinsville was the railway junction of the Auckland–Thames and Auckland–Rotorua lines, which subsequently became the Thames Branch and the East Coast Main Trunk Railway (Tauranga) lines. Morrinsville Railway Station was opened on 1 October 1884, to the east off Studholme Street, at the junction of the two lines. A footbridge over the track was opened in 1913, connecting the station with the town from the end of Canada Street. The station was described as consisting of "two asphalt passenger platforms, and the station buildings contain a ladies' waiting room, a large general waiting room, a post office lobby with post and telegraph offices, a ticket office, and offices for the Inspector of Permanent Way. There are also large goods and engine sheds, and cattle loading yards. Five workmen's cottages adjoin the station, and the Bank of New Zealand Estates Company has a large building connected with the siding for seed-cleaning and storage purposes." The station was moved about 1/4 mi towards Hamilton in 1923. The original station building was demolished in 1984 and a smaller building was erected approximately 300 metres to the west off Marshall Street, which is still used by KiwiRail for freight services.

Passenger services are no longer provided to or from Morrinsville Railway Station. The Thames Branch closed on 28 June 1991 and the track subsequently lifted, although in 2004 a short shunt line – the Waitoa Industrial Line – reopened to facilitate freight trains for the Waitoa Dairy Factory. The East Coast Main Trunk Railway provided passenger services between Auckland and Rotorua – the Geyserland Express – and Auckland and Tauranga - the Kaimai Express; however, in 2001 it was announced that these services were too uneconomic to continue, and the last trains ran on 7 October 2001.

Passenger traffic reached a peak in 1944, as shown in this table and the graph -

Road network
Morrinsville is located on State Highway 26 (SH26), running from Hamilton in the west to the Firth of Thames and the Coromandel Peninsula via Mangatarata in the north east. From the town centre it is approximately 7.5 km to the junction of State Highway 27 (SH27) in the east, providing access to the provincial town of Matamata to the south.

Buses
A Rotorua to Auckland bus runs via Morrinsville once a day each way, provided by InterCity, but a service between Hamilton and Coromandel via Paeroa ended in 2017, and those by nakedbus, which ran daily between Hamilton and Whitianga in 2018.

Local bus services to Morrinsville are provided by the Waikato Regional Council with a daily service (#22) between Hamilton and Paeroa via Te Aroha.

Walkways
A 1.8 km walkway runs beside Waitakaruru Stream and one of 1.3 km beside the Piako River. There was a plan in 2008 to combine these walkways into a route of 5.24 km. There are also shorter walkways on the north east edge of town.

Sports clubs

 * Kereone Rugby & Sports Club, established in 1919.
 * Morrinsville Sports

Notable people

 * Stephen Allen (1882–1964), mayor of Morrinsville
 * Constable Edward Best (1899–1941), born in nearby Annandale
 * John Money (1921–2006), psychologist and author known for his controversial research in gender identity
 * Maria Dallas (born 1946), pop and country singer
 * Hemi Taylor (born 1963), former Wales rugby union player
 * Jacinda Ardern (born 1980), former Prime Minister of New Zealand and former leader of the Labour Party

title: Morrinsville


text:
Pigpen (disambiguation)

A pigpen is literally a pen that holds pigs, also known as a sty. Pigpen may refer to:

 * Pig-Pen, a character in Charles M. Schulz's comic strip Peanuts
 * Pigpen cipher, a substitution cypher in which the English letters are replaced with symbols that correspond to an easy-to-generate key
 * Ron "Pigpen" McKernan (1945–1973), a founding member of the Grateful Dead
 * Pig Pen, a character in the 1978 film Convoy

title: Pigpen (disambiguation)


text:
Peppermint Patty

Peppermint Patty is a fictional character featured in Charles M. Schulz's comic strip Peanuts. Her full name, very rarely used in the strip, is Patricia Reichardt. She is one of a small group in the strip who live across town from Charlie Brown and his school friends (although in The Peanuts Movie, Snoopy in Space, and The Snoopy Show she, Marcie, and Franklin live in the same neighborhood and attend the same school). She has freckles and "mousy-blah" hair, and generally displays the characteristics of a tomboy, while also being shown to not be a strict complier. She made her first appearance on August 22, 1966. The following year she made her animated debut in the TV special You're in Love, Charlie Brown and began (in the comics) coaching a baseball team that played against Charlie Brown, and thereafter had other adventures with him. Uniquely, she refers to Charlie Brown and Lucy as "Chuck" and "Lucille", respectively. In most of her appearances, she is attracted to Charlie Brown, based on her reactions. Her birthday is October 4.

History
Charles M. Schulz modeled Peppermint Patty after a favorite cousin, Patricia Swanson, who served as a regular inspiration for Peanuts. Schulz had also named his earlier character Patty after Swanson, and he coined his well-known phrase "Happiness is a Warm Puppy" during a conversation with her in 1959. Swanson's roommate Elise Gallaway served as the model for Peppermint Patty's best friend Marcie. In later years, especially after lesbian groups began identifying with Peppermint Patty, Schulz downplayed the fact that the character was based on Swanson to protect her privacy.

In one interview, Schulz stated that he coined Peppermint Patty's name after noticing a dish of peppermint patties in his house and deciding the name was so good that he should use it before another artist thought of the same joke. He created the character design to fit the name. Peppermint Patty debuted in the strip of August 22, 1966. In 1972, Schulz introduced the character's last name, Reichardt, which he borrowed from the last name of his secretary, Sue Reichardt, whose favorite character was Peppermint Patty.

Peppermint Patty was first voiced by Gabrielle DeFaria in the CBS television specials, then by various other child performers both male—such as Christopher DeFaria and Stuart Brotman—and female—including Donna Forman Le Tourneau (1974), Linda Ercoli (1974), Victoria Vargas (1983), Gini Holtzman (1984–1985).

Theme song
Jazz pianist Vince Guaraldi composed the eponymous theme song for Peppermint Patty in 1967, making its first appearance in the television special You're in Love, Charlie Brown. In his book Vince Guaraldi at the Piano, Guaraldi historian and biographer Derrick Bang wrote that the upbeat melody "aptly conveyed her character's feisty, tomboyish nature and just-under-the-radar feminism." Producer Lee Mendelson commented that Schulz was particularly fond of the theme Guaraldi wrote for the character.

Various renditions of Peppermint Patty's theme song appeared in nearly every television special Guaraldi scored that the character appeared in, including He's Your Dog, Charlie Brown (1968), It Was a Short Summer, Charlie Brown (1969), Play It Again, Charlie Brown (1971), There's No Time for Love, Charlie Brown, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (both 1973), It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown (1974) and You're a Good Sport, Charlie Brown (1975). Unique variations of the song were commercially released on the albums Oh Good Grief! (1968) and The Charlie Brown Suite & Other Favorites (recorded 1969, released 2003). It also was covered by George Winston on Linus and Lucy: The Music of Vince Guaraldi (1996) and David Benoit on It's a David Benoit Christmas! (2020).

Appearance
Peppermint Patty has chin-length hair that she describes as "mousy-blah", most often depicted as a medium brown (though the color has sometimes appeared as orange-red or auburn, as in The Peanuts Movie), and has freckles. She wears a green, striped collared shirt, black or dark blue shorts (long pants in The Peanuts Movie) with two vertical white stripes on each side, and she almost always wears sandals (brown in the comic strip and merchandise; green in animated appearances except in The Peanuts Movie) with her toes showing. The significant implication she is attached to this has never been clarified, but in one series of strips where she is forbidden to wear the sandals in school, it is revealed they were a gift from her father because she was "a rare gem".

Character traits
Peppermint Patty is noted for her persistent habit of profoundly misunderstanding basic concepts and ideas that most people would consider obvious, then blindly ignoring any counsel against her latest fixation which leads to ultimately embarrassing situations for which she blames those who warned her. For a long time, she was unaware that Snoopy was a dog, referring to him as "a funny looking kid with a big nose" (which implies Snoopy may have been her first encounter with a dog). This was a recurrent gag in the strip until an incident (featured in a series of strips from March 1974) in which Patty declares she is through with school and plans to spend the rest of her days staying in "Chuck's guest cottage" (Snoopy's dog house). By the end of this story arc, Marcie angrily informs Peppermint Patty that the "funny looking kid" is actually a beagle, leaving Patty in stunned shock for several strips. In a later phone call to Charlie Brown, Patty finally accepts the truth: "Let's just say my pride had the flu, okay, Chuck?"

She also thinks a school for gifted children means that enrolling will result in her receiving free gifts. She confuses a dog obedience school with a human private school, going so far as to enroll and graduate with the other dogs. Only later, when she tries to use that diploma to escape having to attend regular school, does she discover that she has publicly humiliated herself for a meaningless honor. Although initially angry with Snoopy, who had recommended the school to her, she forgives him after he rescues her from a fight with a cat named "World War II" (whom she mistook for Snoopy in a cat suit) that lives next door to Charlie Brown.

She is widely known for receiving a D− grade on every school assignment or exam (in 1999, the final full year of Peanuts, her teacher presents her with a certificate naming her to the "D-Minus Hall of Fame"). In one comic strip, Patty gets a Z−, which she calls "sarcasm". In a series of strips in 1984, Peppermint Patty is held back a grade for failing all of her classes—only to be allowed to return to her old class when her old desk in front of Marcie starts to emit snoring noises, leading both students and faculty to suspect that a "snoring ghost" haunts the classroom.

Peppermint Patty's bad grades are possibly exacerbated by her tendency to sleep during class due to being too insecure to sleep until her father returns home from working late. In one series of strips, Marcie suggests that Patty's unrequited love for Charlie Brown (see below) causes her to fall asleep. At Marcie's urging, Patty also goes to a sleep disorder treatment center to be tested for narcolepsy; it is reaffirmed that staying up too late at night, and not narcolepsy, causes Patty to sleep in class.

Peppermint Patty hires Snoopy twice to serve as her watchdog so she can sleep better at night, but both attempts are unsuccessful. The first time, Snoopy is unable to abandon her waterbed in the guest room to catch the burglars who are stealing from the house, and the second time, a girl poodle distracts him and becomes his fiancée (the engagement is called off on the day of the wedding), leading Patty to angrily call Charlie Brown late at night and order him to come to her house to replace Snoopy as watchdog. Besides guard duties, Peppermint Patty also retains Snoopy's services in other ways, including as an attorney and as a figure skating coach.

Her full name, Patricia Reichardt, is first mentioned in the January 15, 1972, strip when she, with Snoopy acting as her attorney, openly challenges the school's new dress code that forbids shorts and sandals.

Patty is the most "tomboyish" girl in the comic strip; she is a star athlete, especially in baseball where her team regularly trounces Charlie Brown's. In the first series of strips in which Patty appeared in 1966, she actually joins "Chuck's" team as its new pitcher, relegating Charlie Brown to the outfield. However, she quits in disgust after only one game; despite tossing a no-hitter and slamming five home runs, her new team loses, 37–5, because of their somewhat porous defense. On another occasion, she lets Charlie Brown throw the last pitch of the game, having pitched a no-hit game leading 50–0, only to see him lose the game 51–50.

Peppermint Patty lives with and is particularly close to her father, even though he apparently has to travel a lot. He refers to her as his "rare gem", a nickname Patty loves. No siblings are ever mentioned. She has often lamented her lack of a mother to help her prepare for skating competitions and such:

 * Peppermint Patty: "Skating mothers are like stage mothers and swimming mothers. They grumble and complain and gossip and fuss, but you really need them!"
 * Marcie: "How do they get that way, sir?"
 * Peppermint Patty: "Early rising and too much coffee."

Peppermint Patty mentions her mother throughout the television special He's Your Dog, Charlie Brown, but Schulz repeatedly stated that the situations presented in the cartoon adaptations are not canonical to the strip.

Peppermint Patty's mother is the subject of the 2022 Apple TV+ special Snoopy Presents: To Mom (and Dad), With Love. Unhappy because everyone else has a mother to celebrate Mother's Day with, she decides to celebrate her father instead, because he raised her by himself.

Relationships with other characters
Peppermint Patty's closest friend, Marcie, calls her "Sir". It is never revealed whether this eccentric habit, dating to Marcie's first appearance in the strip in 1971, is the result of misguided manners, a reference to Patty's tomboyish ways, or some other reason. For a long time, this was a major annoyance to Patty, who would continually snap at Marcie, "Stop calling me Sir!" Eventually, she got used to it; Patty's final use of the catchphrase occurred in 1988. Marcie also called her "Priscilla" in A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving; however, this is a continuation of a reference Linus had just made to Longfellow's poem The Courtship of Miles Standish in which Standish asks John Alden to speak to Priscilla Mullins on his behalf (just as Peppermint Patty has asked Marcie to speak to Charlie Brown).

The first character to call Peppermint Patty "Sir" was not Marcie, but a pigtailed girl named Sophie in Peppermint Patty's cabin at summer camp, who appeared in the same series of strips in the summer of 1968 that introduced Marcie's predecessor, Clara. When Sophie and Clara (this time sans glasses) re-appeared in Peanuts in the summer of 1987, they called her "ma'am", which also annoyed her.

Not until a few years after she was introduced into the strip did it become apparent that Peppermint Patty had a crush on Charlie Brown, although it is pursued and received with varying degrees of projection, enthusiasm, and obliviousness, especially on the part of Charlie Brown. Peppermint Patty frequently plays lovers' games with Charlie Brown, and gets frustrated or even angry when he does not take the bait; he does like Peppermint Patty, but only as a friend (though their friendship is occasionally strained by her strong personality and bossiness toward him). Originally, Peppermint Patty played reverse psychology; she would often say, "You kind of like me, don't you, Chuck?" when it was clear that it was Peppermint Patty who had the crush on Charlie Brown, while he not only did not have a crush on her, he also did not quite know what to make of her. His true love was the unattainable Little Red-Haired Girl, and having a girl actually like him was unexplored territory, although Peppermint Patty once angrily expressed her jealousy to Charlie Brown for his affection of that girl. Patty frequently denied having a crush on Charlie Brown at first, writing him off as too wishy-washy and because she "could strike him out on three straight pitches", and during a game of Ha-Ha Herman crudely insulting him when she thought he was not listening. However, to her credit, she was shown to be visibly upset when Marcie pointed out that he had overheard her comments and apologized to him the very next day. Yet it was still obvious to Marcie that Peppermint Patty liked Charlie Brown as more than a friend, wishy-washy or not.

In one Sunday strip on July 22, 1979 (drawn as part of a storyline in which Charlie Brown was in the hospital), Peppermint Patty essentially admitted her feelings for Charlie Brown and, in the same strip, Marcie admitted loving "Chuck," so far as to affirming her willingness to marry Charlie Brown. Even this strip ended in a denial of sorts; Patty brought Marcie up to the front desk of the hospital and tried to have her admitted as a patient, saying, "I think she's sicker than he is!"

Peppermint Patty often tries to talk to Charlie Brown about matters of the heart (often depicted with both characters sitting under a tree) and even calls him often on the phone (usually taking up the majority of the conversation), but Charlie Brown usually manages to somehow evade the issue, often by simply playing dumb. Patty often grumbles, "I hate talking to you, Chuck!" whenever she tries to confide in him and he does not tell her what she wants to hear.

Peppermint Patty also developed a crush on Pig-Pen for a while in 1980, after Charlie Brown set them up on a date for a Valentine's Day dance. Also, in the movie Bon Voyage, Charlie Brown, both she and Marcie were shown as being attracted to Pierre, the son of their host family in Paris. Pierre only returned Marcie's affections, however, a fact to which Peppermint Patty remained oblivious even when they were holding hands right in front of her.

Peppermint Patty also has a strong friendship with Snoopy. For years, owing to Snoopy's often human-like behavior, Patty often refers to Snoopy as a "funny-looking kid with a big nose". The rest of the cast is often confused by Patty's obliviousness, but she was finally corrected in the strip from March 21, 1974, by Marcie. Patty since accepts that Snoopy is a dog but often still treats him like a human, which pleases Snoopy since most of the characters treat him like a dog, albeit a remarkably gifted one. Snoopy acts as Peppermint Patty's ice skating coach. Although he is silent and grumbling most of the time, he acknowledges Patty's successes with a kiss on her nose.

Voiced by

 * Gabrielle DeFaria Ritter (1967–1968)
 * Christopher DeFaria (1969, 1971–1973)
 * Donna Forman Le Tourneau (1974)
 * Linda Ercoli (1974)
 * Stuart Brotman (1975–1977)
 * Laura Planting (1977)
 * Patricia Patts (1979–1980)
 * Brent Hauer (1980–1983)
 * Victoria Vargas (1983)
 * Gini Holtzman (1984–1985)
 * Kristie Baker (1986, 1988)
 * Jason Muller (1988–1989)
 * Nicole Buda (1989)
 * Phillip Lucier (1992)
 * Haley Peel (1994)
 * Brittan Reese (1995–1997)
 * Rachel Davey (2000)
 * Emily Lalande (2002)
 * Daniel Hansen (2003)
 * Rory Thost (2006)
 * Venus Omega Schultheis (2015)
 * Lily Zager (2016)
 * Riley Pettway (2018–2019)
 * Isis Moore (2019–present)
 * Lexi Perri (2021–present)

Family
Peppermint Patty's mother is never seen or mentioned. In the strip of September 27, 1973, Peppermint Patty simply says she doesn't have a mother. The fate of her mother is never revealed in the strip.

Peppermint Patty's father often calls Patty "a rare gem". In the cartoons his voice, like those of all adults, is heard as "wah-wahs" (made by musician Dean Hubbard).

title: Peppermint Patty