text:
Siyazan District

Siyazan District (Siyəzən rayonu) is one of the 66 districts of Azerbaijan. It is located in the north-east of the country and belongs to the Guba-Khachmaz Economic Region. The district borders the districts of Shabran, Khizi, and the exclaves of Quba. Its capital and largest city is Siyazan. As of 2020, the district had a population of 42,600.

Etymology
The name is believed to be derived from Persian, meaning "White Women", a reference to the original inhabitants, Tats. Another theory links the name with the Persian word siyah, meaning "black".

History
The villages of Agh Siyazan ("White Siyazan") and Gara Siyazan ("Black Siyazan") formerly existed in the territory of the Siyazan District and the city was formerly called Gizilburun (Qızılburun). When the Baku-Shollar Pipeline was being constructed between 1911 and 1916, people started moving in from the surrounding villages as a labour force. The "Gizilburun" railway station also played a role in the transformation of these places into residential area.

Between 1938 and 1939, geologists discovered oil deposits in the Siyazan District. Subsequently, the first oil wells were drilled in the area, which attracted more people to move into the district.

The Siyazan District was part of the Absheron District until 11 February 1939, when it was combined with the neighbouring Khizi and Siyazan as a single district. Gizilburun, later renamed Siyazan in 1954, was its centre. However, in 1959 it was abolished and merged into the Shabran District. The district was re-established on 2 April 1992 by the order of Supreme Soviet of Azerbaijan.

Geography
The district is located in the north-eastern part of Azerbaijan, in Samur-Davachi lowland, on the shore of the Caspian Sea near the Greater Caucasus. The mountain ridge crosses the western part of the lowland extending along the Caspian Sea. Its latitude is 28 m. The well-known mountain of Besh Barmag is located in the district with an altitude of 500 m. Geological structure and sedimentation detected in the territory of the district is dated to Paleogene and Neogene periods.

Surface of the lowland's south-western part makes up a semi-desert landscape. Meadow and forest landscapes are typical for its mountainous parts, where grey meadow and chestnut-brown soils spread. The Atachay and Gilgilchay Rivers flowing through the territory of the district spring from mountainous parts. Snow and rain swell the rivers. The climate in the district is moderately warm and dry subtropical. The average temperature is from 1.5 °C to 4 °C in January, up to 15 °C and 25 °C respectively in July. Summer is dry. The annual rainfall is 300–650 mm. The lands are mainly gray-brown soils.

Demographics
The population of the Siyazan district was 40,500 according to a January 2015 statistic. The rural population (33.39%) is relatively small compared to the urban population (65.61%), according to an April 2009 census. Out of the total population, 49.8% are men and 50.2% are women. The ethnic majority in the district are Azerbaijanis according to the 2009 census. However, minorities such as Lezgins, Russians, Turks, Tatars, Ukrainians also live in the region.

Industry
Siyazan is an industrial district. The main natural resources are oil, natural gas, sand, gravel, clay. The mining industry prevails in the economy.

There are 4 large and medium, 8 small industrial enterprises, two flour mills owned by individual entrepreneurs, bakery shops, furniture shops, plastic goods production shops in the area of the district.

In 2016, products worth AZN 11121.2 thousand were produced. 61.3% of the total volume of industrial production belong to the state ownership, 38.3% - private property, and 0.4% - private entrepreneurs producing industrial products.

In 2016 natural gas pipes and pipes were produced and 52.1 thousand tons of oil, 10.1 million cubic meters of gas was sold. In 2016, the average number of workers in the industry was 1250, average wage was 678.4 manat.

Agriculture
38,11 hectares of land in 70,300 hectares are agricultural land, including 8,900 hectares of sown area. Grain and livestock farming dominate in agriculture. There are 6 agricultural enterprises, including Siyazan-Broiler, a large poultry farm, and 56 individual entrepreneurships.

In 2016 in the region agricultural products were produced in the amount of 72184,8 thousand manats. 5.8% of the production was made by plants, 94.2% by the hygiene products.

In 2016 the region harvested 6083,0 tons of grain, 195,1 tons of corn, 358,0 tons of potatoes, 1148,0 tons of vegetables, 1002,0 tons of melons, 1202 tons of fruits and 242 tons of grapes. 100 hectares of nuts, 18 hectares of olive has been planted.

In early 2017, the number of cattle in the region was 13024, the number of sheep and goats was 54375. 19066.9 tons of meat, including 16924.9 tons of poultry, 12287 tons of milk, 12.3 million eggs and 89 tons of wool were produced in the live weight.

Culture and education
There are six secondary schools, a sports school. a music school and a boarding school in the city of Siyazan. In the center of Siyazan district, the central hospital, diagnostic center (regional), central polyclinic, children's hospital operate.

Cultural heritage
Flexible parabolic barrier (4th-7th centuries) - This fortification extends from the skirts of Beshbarmak to the Caspian Sea.

Gil-gilchay defense fortress complex (5th century) - is surrounded by the Chirag Fortress, passing through Yenikend, Kolani, Eynibulag, Dashli Calghan, Gala-six villages of Siyazan district.

Pir Khalil Tomb (18th century) - is located in Gil-Gilchay settlement. Until the present time, he survived.

The remains of the castle - Religious tower belonging to the Middle Ages

The Sheikh Heydar Tomb (15th century) - is located in the village cemetery in the west of the ancient Shikhlar village.

Remains of Caravanserai (15th-17th centuries) - is located on the right side of Baku-Devechi highway, 87 km far away from Baku

The town (medieval) is located in the northern part of Siyazan city Waterfall - located near the village of Zarat

Stone cave- located in village of Dib

Gil-Gilchay railway station (1898)

Zarat railway station (1913)

Water Pipeline (1906) - is located near the city of Siyazan.

Golubbur railway station - was constructed in 1913

An ancient water reservoir - was constructed in 1913 and is located near the Gizilburun station.

Hidir Zinja Mausoleum (Beshbarmaq)

Memorial monuments
Statue of Jafar Jabbarli

Statue of Mikayil Mushviq

"1941-1945" Monument Complex

"20 January" Monument Complex

"Neftchi Martyrs" Monument Complex

title: Siyazan District


text:
Imide

In organic chemistry, an imide is a functional group consisting of two acyl groups bound to nitrogen. The compounds are structurally related to acid anhydrides, although imides are more resistant to hydrolysis. In terms of commercial applications, imides are best known as components of high-strength polymers, called polyimides. Inorganic imides are also known as solid state or gaseous compounds, and the imido group (=NH) can also act as a ligand.

Nomenclature
Most imides are cyclic compounds derived from dicarboxylic acids, and their names reflect the parent acid. Examples are succinimide, derived from succinic acid, and phthalimide, derived from phthalic acid. For imides derived from amines (as opposed to ammonia), the N-substituent is indicated by a prefix. For example, N-ethylsuccinimide is derived from succinic acid and ethylamine. Isoimides are isomeric with normal imides and have the formula RC(O)OC(NR′)R″. They are often intermediates that convert to the more symmetrical imides. Organic compounds called carbodiimides have the formula RN=C=NR. They are unrelated to imides.

Imides from dicarboxylic acids
The PubChem links gives access to more information on the compounds, including other names, ids, toxicity and safety.
 * {| class="wikitable"

!n!!Common name!!Systematic name!!Structure!!PubChem!!parent acid!!structure
 * 2||Succinimide||Pyrrolidine-2,5-dione||Succinimide.svg||11439||Succinic acid||[[Image:Succinic acid.png|120px]]
 * 2, unsaturated, cis carbon-carbon double bonds||Maleimide||Pyrrole-2,5-dione|| Maleimide.png||10935||Maleic acid||[[Image:Maleic-acid-2D-skeletal-A.png|100px]]
 * 3||Glutarimide||Piperidine-2,6-dione||Glutarimide.svg||70726||Glutaric acid||[[Image:Glutaric acid.png|150px]]
 * 6||Phthalimide||Isoindole-1,3-dione||Phthalimide.svg||6809||Phthalic acid||Phthalic-acid-2D-skeletal.png
 * }
 * 3||Glutarimide||Piperidine-2,6-dione||Glutarimide.svg||70726||Glutaric acid||[[Image:Glutaric acid.png|150px]]
 * 6||Phthalimide||Isoindole-1,3-dione||Phthalimide.svg||6809||Phthalic acid||Phthalic-acid-2D-skeletal.png
 * }
 * }

Properties
Being highly polar, imides exhibit good solubility in polar media. The N–H center for imides derived from ammonia is acidic and can participate in hydrogen bonding. Unlike the structurally related acid anhydrides, they resist hydrolysis and some can even be recrystallized from boiling water.

Occurrence and applications
Many high strength or electrically conductive polymers contain imide subunits, i.e., the polyimides. One example is Kapton where the repeat unit consists of two imide groups derived from aromatic tetracarboxylic acids. Another example of polyimides is the polyglutarimide typically made from polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) and ammonia or a primary amine by aminolysis and cyclization of the PMMA at high temperature and pressure, typically in an extruder. This technique is called reactive extrusion. A commercial polyglutarimide product based on the methylamine derivative of PMMA, called Kamax, was produced by the Rohm and Haas company. The toughness of these materials reflects the rigidity of the imide functional group.

Interest in the bioactivity of imide-containing compounds was sparked by the early discovery of the high bioactivity of the Cycloheximide as an inhibitor of protein biosynthesis in certain organisms. Thalidomide, famous for its adverse effects, is one result of this research. A number of fungicides and herbicides contain the imide functionality. Examples include Captan, which is considered carcinogenic under some conditions, and Procymidone.

In the 21st century new interest arose in thalidomide's immunomodulatory effects, leading to the class of immunomodulators known as immunomodulatory imide drugs (IMiDs).

Preparation
Most common imides are prepared by heating dicarboxylic acids or their anhydrides and ammonia or primary amines. The result is a condensation reaction:
 * (RCO)2O + R′NH2 →  (RCO)2NR′ + H2O

These reactions proceed via the intermediacy of amides. The intramolecular reaction of a carboxylic acid with an amide is far faster than the intermolecular reaction, which is rarely observed.

They may also be produced via the oxidation of amides, particularly when starting from lactams.
 * R(CO)NHCH2R' + 2 [O] →  R(CO)N(CO)R'  +  H2O

Certain imides can also be prepared in the isoimide-to-imide Mumm rearrangement.

Reactions
For imides derived from ammonia, the N–H center is weakly acidic. Thus, alkali metal salts of imides can be prepared by conventional bases such as potassium hydroxide. The conjugate base of phthalimide is potassium phthalimide. These anion can be alkylated to give N-alkylimides, which in turn can be degraded to release the primary amine. Strong nucleophiles, such as potassium hydroxide or hydrazine are used in the release step.

Treatment of imides with halogens and base gives the N-halo derivatives. Examples that are useful in organic synthesis are N-chlorosuccinimide and N-bromosuccinimide, which respectively serve as sources of "Cl+" and "Br+" in organic synthesis.

Imides in coordination chemistry
In coordination chemistry transition metal imido complexes feature the NR2- ligand. They are similar to oxo ligands in some respects. In some the M-N-C angle is 180º but often the angle is decidedly bent. The parent imide (NH2-) is an intermediate in nitrogen fixation by synthetic catalysts.

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

title: Imide


text:
Polyimide

Polyimide (sometimes abbreviated PI) is a polymer containing imide groups belonging to the class of high-performance plastics. With their high heat-resistance, polyimides enjoy diverse applications in roles demanding rugged organic materials, such as high temperature fuel cells, displays, and various military roles. A classic polyimide is Kapton, which is produced by condensation of pyromellitic dianhydride and 4,4'-oxydianiline.

History
The first polyimide was discovered in 1908 by Bogart and Renshaw. They found that 4-amino phthalic anhydride does not melt when heated but does release water upon the formation of a high molecular weight polyimide. The first semialiphatic polyimide was prepared by Edward and Robinson by melt fusion of diamines and tetra acids or diamines and diacids/diester.

However, the first polyimide of significant commercial importance - Kapton - was pioneered in the 1950s by workers at Dupont who developed a successful route for synthesis of high molecular weight polyimide involving a soluble polymer precursor. Up to today this route continues being the primary route for the production of most polyimides. Polyimides have been in mass production since 1955. The field of polyimides is covered by various extensive books  and review articles.

Classification
According to the composition of their main chain, polyimides can be:
 * Aliphatic,
 * Semi-aromatic (also referred to as alipharomatic),
 * Aromatic: these are the most used polyimides because of their thermostability.

According to the type of interactions between the main chains, polyimides can be:
 * Thermoplastic: very often called pseudothermoplastic.
 * Thermosetting: commercially available as uncured resins, polyimide solutions, stock shapes, thin sheets, laminates and machined parts.

Synthesis
Several methods are possible to prepare polyimides, among them:
 * The reaction between a dianhydride and a diamine (the most used method).
 * The reaction between a dianhydride and a diisocyanate.

The polymerization of a diamine and a dianhydride can be carried out by a two-step method in which a poly(amidocarboxylic acid) is prepared first, or directly by a one-step method. The two-step method is the most widely used procedure for polyimide synthesis. First a soluble poly(amidocarboxylic acid) (2) is prepared which is cyclized after further processing in a second step to the polyimide (3). A two-step process is necessary because the final polyimides are in most cases infusible and insoluble due to their aromatic structure.

Dianhydrides used as precursors to these materials include pyromellitic dianhydride, benzoquinonetetracarboxylic dianhydride and naphthalene tetracarboxylic dianhydride. Common diamine building blocks include 4,4'-diaminodiphenyl ether (DAPE), meta-phenylenediamine (MDA) and 3,3'-diaminodiphenylmethane. Hundreds of diamines and dianhydrides have been examined to tune the physical and especially the processing properties of these materials. These materials tend to be insoluble and have high softening temperatures, arising from charge-transfer interactions between the planar subunits.

Analysis
The imidization reaction can be followed via IR spectroscopy. The IR spectrum is characterized during the reaction by the disappearance of absorption bands of the poly(amic acid) at 3400 to 2700 cm−1 (OH stretch), ~1720 and 1660 (amide C=O) and ~1535 cm−1 (C-N stretch). At the same time, the appearance of the characteristic imide bands can be observed, at ~1780 (C=O asymm), ~1720 (C=O symm), ~1360 (C-N stretch) and ~1160 and 745 cm−1 (imide ring deformation). 　Detailed analyses of polyimide and carbonized polyimide and graphitized polyimide have been reported.

Properties
Thermosetting polyimides are known for thermal stability, good chemical resistance, excellent mechanical properties, and characteristic orange/yellow color. Polyimides compounded with graphite or glass fiber reinforcements have flexural strengths of up to 340 MPa and flexural moduli of 21000 MPa. Thermoset polymer matrix polyimides exhibit very low creep and high tensile strength. These properties are maintained during continuous use to temperatures of up to 232 C and for short excursions, as high as 704 C. Molded polyimide parts and laminates have very good heat resistance. Normal operating temperatures for such parts and laminates range from cryogenic to those exceeding 260 C. Polyimides are also inherently resistant to flame combustion and do not usually need to be mixed with flame retardants. Most carry a UL rating of VTM-0. Polyimide laminates have a flexural strength half life at 249 C of 400 hours.

Typical polyimide parts are not affected by commonly used solvents and oils – including hydrocarbons, esters, ethers, alcohols and freons. They also resist weak acids but are not recommended for use in environments that contain alkalis or inorganic acids. Some polyimides, such as CP1 and CORIN XLS, are solvent-soluble and exhibit high optical clarity. The solubility properties lend them towards spray and low temperature cure applications.

Insulation and passivation films
Polyimide materials are lightweight, flexible, resistant to heat and chemicals. Therefore, they are used in the electronics industry for flexible cables and as an insulating film on magnet wire. For example, in a laptop computer, the cable that connects the main logic board to the display (which must flex every time the laptop is opened or closed) is often a polyimide base with copper conductors. Examples of polyimide films include Apical, Kapton, UPILEX, VTEC PI, Norton TH and Kaptrex.

Polyimide is used to coat optical fibers for medical or high temperature applications.

An additional use of polyimide resin is as an insulating and passivation layer in the manufacture of Integrated circuits and MEMS chips. The polyimide layers have good mechanical elongation and tensile strength, which also helps the adhesion between the polyimide layers or between polyimide layer and deposited metal layer. The minimum interaction between the gold film and the polyimide film, coupled with high temperature stability of the polyimide film, results in a system that provides reliable insulation when subjected to various types of environmental stresses. Polyimide is also used as a substrate for cellphone antennas.

Multi-layer insulation used on spacecraft is usually made of polyimide coated with thin layers of aluminum, silver, gold, or germanium. The gold-colored material often seen on the outside of spacecraft is typically actually single aluminized polyimide, with the single layer of aluminum facing in. The yellowish-brown polyimide gives the surface its gold-like color.

Mechanical parts
Polyimide powder can be used to produce parts and shapes by sintering technologies (hot compression molding, direct forming, and isostatic pressing). Because of their high mechanical stability even at elevated temperatures they are used as bushings, bearings, sockets or constructive parts in demanding applications. To improve tribological properties, compounds with solid lubricants like graphite, PTFE, or molybdenum sulfide are common. Polyimide parts and shapes include P84 NT, VTEC PI, Meldin, Vespel, and Plavis.

Filters
In coal-fired power plants, waste incinerators, or cement plants, polyimide fibres are used to filter hot gases. In this application, a polyimide needle felt separates dust and particulate matter from the exhaust gas.

Polyimide is also the most common material used for the reverse osmotic film in purification of water, or the concentration of dilute materials from water, such as maple syrup production.

Flexible circuits
Polyimide is used as the core of flexible circuit boards and flat-flex cables. Flexible circuit boards are thin and can be placed in odd-shaped electronics.

Other
Polyimide is used for medical tubing, e.g. vascular catheters, for its burst pressure resistance combined with flexibility and chemical resistance.

The semiconductor industry uses polyimide as a high-temperature adhesive; it is also used as a mechanical stress buffer.

Some polyimide can be used like a photoresist; both "positive" and "negative" types of photoresist-like polyimide exist in the market.

The IKAROS solar sailing spacecraft uses polyimide resin sails to operate without rocket engines.

title: Polyimide


text:
Wikipedia talk:Today's featured article/August 8, 2004

The protocol which the history is revealing appears to be 1)A wikipedian, not necessarily the FAD, enters the article. 2)FAD has the last edit, implicitly approving the article. Raul654, is this an acceptable rendition of the protocol? Does it satisfy your guidelines? Or is there a transgression imminent. Ancheta Wis 03:49, 8 Aug 2004 (UTC)
 * I don't want or need the last edit - I'm fine with letting other people tweak grammar and whatnot. However, I don't think other people should be choosing the articles (for reasons stated ad nauseam previously). Also, I don't think this is the right page to be discussing this. →Raul654 03:55, Aug 8, 2004 (UTC)


text:
Category talk:Sculptors

[Untitled]
I have noticed that " List of Sculptors" and "Sculptors" seem to be prettty much the same thing. Perhaps we should just use one of them? i plan to continue writing up mostly American sculptors for a bit yet and am wondering which list to use? carptrash

title: Category talk:Sculptors


text:
Latrell Sprewell

Latrell Fontaine Sprewell (born September 8, 1970) is an American former professional basketball player who played for the Golden State Warriors, the New York Knicks, and the Minnesota Timberwolves in the National Basketball Association (NBA). During his career, Sprewell received four NBA All-Star selections, an All-NBA First Team selection, and an NBA All-Defensive Second Team selection. He helped the Knicks reach the 1999 NBA Finals and the Timberwolves to the 2004 Western Conference finals. Sprewell's career was overshadowed by a 1997 incident in which he choked and punched then-Warriors coach P. J. Carlesimo during practice, which resulted in a 68-game suspension.

Early life
Sprewell attended Washington High School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

College career
Sprewell played competitively with the Three Rivers Community College Raiders Basketball Team in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, from 1988 to 1990, and from 1990 to 1992 for the Alabama Crimson Tide, where he was a teammate of future NBA players Robert Horry, Jason Caffey, James Robinson, and Marcus Webb.

Golden State Warriors (1992–1998)
Sprewell was selected 24th overall in the 1992 NBA draft by the Golden State Warriors. Sprewell, nicknamed "Spree", made an immediate impact, starting 69 of the 77 games he played in during his rookie season and averaging 15.4 points per game. He was a member of the NBA All-Rookie Second Team in 1993 and the NBA All-Defensive Second Team in 1994. His performance steadily improved, leading the team in scoring and representing the Western Conference in the 1994, 1995, and 1997 NBA All-Star Games. In 1993–1994 he led the league in games played and minutes per game as the Warriors, led by Sprewell and NBA Rookie of the Year power forward Chris Webber, made it back to the playoffs. They lost in the first round to the Phoenix Suns in three games.

1997 choking incident
A significant blemish on Sprewell's career occurred on December 1, 1997, when he attacked head coach P. J. Carlesimo during a Warriors practice in Oakland. When Carlesimo yelled at Sprewell to make crisper passes (specifically asking him to "put a little mustard" on a pass), Sprewell responded that he was not in the mood for criticism and told the coach to keep his distance. When Carlesimo approached, Sprewell threatened to kill him and dragged him backward by his throat, choking him for 7–10 seconds before his teammates and assistant coaches pulled him off Carlesimo. Sprewell returned about 20 minutes later after showering and changing and again accosted Carlesimo. He landed a glancing blow at Carlesimo's right cheek before being dragged away again by the assistant coaches. This was not Sprewell's first violent incident with the Warriors; in 1995, he fought with teammate Jerome Kersey, returned to practice carrying a two-by-four, and reportedly threatened to return with a gun. In a 1993 practice, Sprewell fought with Byron Houston, who was 50 pounds heavier than Sprewell and had what many teammates described as a Mike Tyson-like demeanor and physique.

Sprewell was initially suspended for 10 games without pay. The next day, in the wake of a public uproar, the Warriors voided the remainder of his contract, which included $23.7 million over three years, and the NBA suspended him for a year. Sprewell took the case to arbitration and the contract voiding was overturned, but the league suspended him for the rest of the season without pay, which amounted to 68 games. He sought to vacate the arbitration contract under the terms of the collective bargaining agreement. His case went through all appeals, and was remanded. During the time he was serving his suspension, Sprewell was charged with reckless driving for his role in a 90-mile-per-hour accident that injured two people. He spent three months under house arrest as part of a no-contest plea.

Sprewell's 68-game suspension was the longest suspension ever issued by the NBA, only eclipsed by Ron Artest in 2004.

New York Knicks (1999–2003)
Due to the NBA lockout, Sprewell did not play again until February 1999, after the Warriors traded him to the New York Knicks for John Starks, Chris Mills, and Terry Cummings. Sprewell played 37 games for the Knicks that season, playing off the bench in all but four games.

Many pundits felt that trading for the allegedly volatile Sprewell was too big a gamble for the Knicks, but Sprewell vowed he was a changed man. The Knicks, who at the time still revolved around veteran All-Star center Patrick Ewing, narrowly qualified for the 1999 playoffs, making the field as the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference. They navigated past the Miami Heat, Atlanta Hawks and Indiana Pacers, becoming the first eighth seed in NBA history to reach the Finals, where they met the San Antonio Spurs, who beat them in five games. Sprewell enjoyed a good series for the most part, averaging 26.0 ppg. He tallied 35 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in the Knicks' 78-77 Game 5 loss, and was featured on the cover of the September 1999 issue of SLAM Magazine.

Sprewell moved into the Knicks' starting lineup for the 1999–2000 season at small forward, and averaged 18.6 points, helping the Knicks to a 50–32 record, good enough for the third seed in the Eastern Conference, led by Sprewell, Ewing and shooting guard Allan Houston. The Knicks navigated past the Toronto Raptors in three hard-fought games and the Miami Heat in seven even harder-fought games in the first two rounds of the playoffs, en route to the Eastern Conference Finals against the Indiana Pacers. But their quest for back-to-back NBA Finals appearances came to an end when they lost to the Pacers in 6 games in the Eastern Conference Finals. Sprewell averaged 19.7 ppg in the series, and the Knicks gave him a five-year $62 million contract extension.

The 2000–01 season saw Sprewell step up as the Knicks' leader with Ewing traded to the Seattle SuperSonics, making his only All-Star appearance for the Knicks that year, scoring 17.7 points. But despite another impressive season from Sprewell, the Knicks lost in the first round to the Toronto Raptors in five games in the playoffs. In 2001–02 Sprewell averaged 19.4 ppg, including 49 points in a game against the Boston Celtics, one of three times he scored 40 or more points that season; but the Knicks missed the playoffs for the first time in 15 years.

Before the 2002–03 season, Sprewell reported to training camp with a broken hand, which he claimed occurred when he slipped on his yacht; the Knicks fined him a record $250,000 for failing to report the incident. He then sued the New York Post for claiming he had broken his hand in a fight. Sprewell lost the lawsuit.

That season, Sprewell made NBA history as he hit 9 of 9 three-point shots in one game, making the most three-pointers without a single miss for the first time en route to a season-high 38 points versus the Los Angeles Clippers. The record has since been tied twice by Ben Gordon once as a Chicago Bull and once as a Detroit Piston. Later Knick Jalen Brunson also tied the record. After that season, in which the Knicks missed the playoffs for the second year in a row, Sprewell was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves in a four-team trade involving Keith Van Horn, Glenn Robinson, and Terrell Brandon.

Minnesota Timberwolves (2003–2005)
In the 2003–04 season, Sprewell became part of the league's highest-scoring trio alongside superstar power forward Kevin Garnett and point guard Sam Cassell. With a 58–24 record, the Timberwolves qualified for the 2004 playoffs as the top seed in the Western Conference. They navigated past the Denver Nuggets in five games and the Sacramento Kings in seven in the first two rounds of the playoffs. In the Western Conference Finals they met the Los Angeles Lakers, who defeated them in six games, the Timberwolves' only appearance in the conference finals until 2024. Sprewell finished third in team scoring at 16.8 ppg, behind Garnett's 24.2 and Cassell's 19.8.

On October 31, 2004, the Minnesota Timberwolves offered Sprewell a three-year, $21 million contract extension, a substantial pay cut. Claiming to feel insulted by the offer, he publicly expressed outrage, declaring, "I have a family to feed." He declined the extension and the Timberwolves offered him nothing more. Having once more drawn the ire of fans and sports media, Sprewell had the worst season of his career in the final year of his contract. In the summer of 2005, the Denver Nuggets, Cleveland Cavaliers and Houston Rockets all expressed interest in signing Sprewell, but none ended up signing him. His final NBA game was on April 20, 2005 against the eventual champion San Antonio Spurs.

One month into the 2005–06 season and without a contract, Sprewell's agent, Bob Gist, said his client would rather retire than play for the NBA minimum salary, telling Sports Illustrated, "Latrell doesn't need the money that badly. To go from being offered $7 million to taking $1 million, that would be a slap in the face." Several days later, Gist said that Sprewell planned to wait until "teams get desperate" around the trade deadline in February, and then sign with a contending team—an eventuality that never materialized. Gist said that Sprewell would not be interested in signing for any team's $5 million mid-level exception, calling that amount "a level beneath which [Sprewell] would not stoop or kneel!"

In March 2006, Sprewell was offered contracts by the Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs, both of which were considered at the time strong favorites to win the NBA Championship, but Sprewell failed to respond and remained a free agent as the season closed. The Los Angeles Lakers also showed some interest in him at the start of that season, but nothing came of it.

Over the course of his career, Sprewell started 868 of the 913 games he played in, averaging 18.8 ppg, 4.2 apg, and 4.1 rpg with playoff career averages of 19.7 ppg, 3.4 apg, and 4.3 rpg. He was an All-NBA First Team selection at the end of his second season and made the All-NBA Defensive second team that same season.

Personal life
In October 1994, Sprewell's four-year old daughter was mauled in the family backyard by one of two pet pit bulls, having an ear bitten off and suffering bites to her face. Sprewell has nine children.

Legal issues
On August 30, 2006, Milwaukee police investigated a claim by a 21-year-old female that she and Sprewell were having consensual sex aboard his yacht when Sprewell began to strangle her. Police allegedly observed red marks on her neck. Police investigating the allegation searched Sprewell's yacht for evidence. On September 6, police declined to press charges. Sprewell then sought a restraining order along with "civil remedies" against the accuser.

On January 31, 2007, Sprewell's long-term companion sued him for $200 million for ending their relationship agreement. She claimed Sprewell agreed to support her and their four children through college.

On August 22, 2007, Sprewell's $1.5 million 70 ft yacht was repossessed by a federal marshal. He had failed to continue paying for and insuring the vessel, for which he reportedly still owed approximately $1.3 million. In February 2008, the yacht was auctioned for $856,000 after Sprewell defaulted on the mortgage. Three months later, a Milwaukee-area home Sprewell owned went into foreclosure status. In July 2009, a Westchester County, New York mansion Sprewell owned went into foreclosure status, but that action was dismissed on motion of another party's attorney.

In 2011, Sprewell owed the state of Wisconsin $3.5 million in unpaid income taxes. On January 1, 2013, he was arrested for disorderly conduct after police received numerous complaints about loud music.

As of 2022, Sprewell's Instagram profile stated he was working in community relations with the Knicks and as a media personality for the Madison Square Garden.

title: Latrell Sprewell


text:
Conejo Valley

The Conejo Valley (Spanish: Valle del Conejo, meaning "Valley of the Rabbit") is a region spanning both southeastern Ventura County and northwestern Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States. It is located in the northwestern part of the Greater Los Angeles Area.

Communities in the Conejo Valley are Thousand Oaks, Newbury Park, Westlake Village, Oak Park, Agoura Hills, Lake Sherwood and a portion of Calabasas.

Etymology
In 1803, the Spanish land grant in the area was given the name Rancho El Conejo.

In Spanish, conejo means "rabbit", and refers to the rabbits common to the region, specifically the desert cottontail and brush rabbit species.

Pre-colonial
The Chumash people inhabited region for thousands of years. Notable Chumash villages included Satwiwa ("The Bluffs") in Newbury Park, Sap'wi ("House of Deer") in Thousand Oaks, and Hipuk in Westlake Village. Sap'wi (Šihaw Ven-632i) is located near Chumash Indian Museum in Oakbrook Regional Park. This park is also home to 4-6,000 year old pictographs, which can be observed on docent-led tours. Satwiwa, which was first settled 13,000 years ago, was located at the foothills of Mount Boney, a sacred mountain to the Chumash people. The Satwiwa Native American Indian Culture Center is available for visitors.

Two additional Chumash villages were found by Ventu Park Road. These had a population of 100-200 in each village, and were settled around 2,000 years ago. These former villages, known as Ven-65, Ven-260 and Ven-261, are located on private lands near Ventu Park Road in Newbury Park. A smaller village, known as Yitimasɨh, was located where Wildwood Elementary School is located today. Artifacts retrieved in nearby Wildwood Regional Park include shell beads, arrowheads, and stone tools.

European exploration
Local villagers' first contact with Europeans came in 1770. The Spanish exploratory party led by Gaspar de Portolá, returning from its journey up the coast as far as San Francisco, entered the valley from the northwest. On the outward bound journey, the explorers had traveled up the Los Angeles River, then north to Castaic Junction, then followed the Santa Clara River back down to the coast. On the return trip, they sought a shorter route to the San Fernando Valley, and were guided by natives up and over the Conejo Grade. Franciscan missionary Juan Crespi kept a diary of the expedition, and gave Conejo Valley one name that survives today – Triunfo (Spanish for "triumph"). Crespi gave the name El triunfo del Dulcísimo Nombre de Jesús (in English: The Triumph of the Sweetest Name of Jesus) to a camping place by a creek – today's Triunfo Canyon Road begins between Thousand Oaks and Westlake Village.

Later, explorer Juan Bautista de Anza used Portolá's shortcut on his way north in 1774, mentioning in his diary a stop at "El Triunfo". On de Anza's second expedition (1775–76), diarist Father Pedro Font referred to "many watering places, like those of El Triunfo and Los Conejos".

Ranching
Harold and Edwin Janss purchased ten thousand acres (40 km²) of land of what is now central Thousand Oaks from the heir of John Edwards, who had purchased the land from the de la Guerra heirs (all of the land was originally a portion of the Rancho El Conejo land grant) in 1910. A ranch, named the Janss Conejo Ranch, was utilized as a farm and to raise thoroughbred horses with the Santa Susanna Mountains and Simi Hills framing it. Television Westerns such as The Rifleman, Gunsmoke, and Bonanza were filmed in Janss Conejo between the 1950s and 1960s. It was also used as the filming locations for Disney's Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier and Westward Ho, the Wagons! both starring Fess Parker.

Geography
Conejo Valley is a 900 ft valley. The area is bordered by the San Fernando Valley and the city of Los Angeles to the east, Simi Hills to the north, Las Posas Hills and the Santa Rosa Valley to the northwest, Conejo Mountain (also known as Conejo Hills) and Oxnard Plain to the west, and the Santa Monica Mountains to the south. The valley is located in the Santa Monica Mountains on an elevated area.

Economy
The largest non-retail employers in the Conejo Valley include Amgen, the Conejo Valley Unified School District, Los Robles Regional Medical Center, Anthem Blue Cross, California Lutheran University, Shire Biotechnology, Skyworks Solutions, PennyMac Mortgage and Sage Publications. Other notable employers include Jafra Cosmetics, Teledyne, J.D. Power, Dole Food Company, Guitar Center, Bank of America and Teradyne.

Media
The Ventura County Star is a daily newspaper published in Camarillo, California and serves all of Ventura County, including the Conejo Valley.

The Acorn is a local weekly newspaper covering Agoura Hills, Hidden Hills, Oak Park, North Ranch and Calabasas, while Thousand Oaks Acorn covers the cities of Thousand Oaks, Newbury Park and Westlake Village.

Radio
KCLU is the only public radio station in Ventura County.

Tourism
In 2013 the Conejo Valley Tourism Improvement District (CVTID) was formed by the cities of Thousand Oaks and Agoura Hills. CVTID is a non-profit corporation that markets Conejo Valley as a Tourist Destination. Conejo Valley's two largest tourist attractions are the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley and the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.

Points of interest

 * American Radio Archives and Museum, one of the world's largest collections of radio broadcasting.
 * Conejo Valley Art Museum, art museum at Janss Marketplace in Thousand Oaks.
 * Conejo Valley Botanic Garden, 33 acre botanical gardens, directly across from Tarantula Hill.
 * Gardens of the World, botanical garden across Thousand Oaks Boulevard from the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Center.
 * Grant R. Brimhall Library, one of the largest libraries in Southern California.
 * Joel McCrea Ranch, 19th century ranch at the bottom of the Norwegian Grade. Listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.
 * Paramount Ranch, movie ranch in the Santa Monica Mountains of Agoura Hills.
 * Pederson House and Water Tower, home built by the Norwegian Colony on the present day campus of California Lutheran University. Ventura County Historic Landmark No. 45 and Thousand Oaks Historical Landmark No. 3.
 * Stagecoach Inn, museum and 19th century hotel in Newbury Park. Listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.
 * The Oaks, largest shopping mall in Ventura County.
 * Wildwood Regional Park, 1,765 acre regional park bordering an additional 1,400 acres of open space reserve.

title: Conejo Valley


text:
Zardab District

Zardab District (Zərdab rayonu) is one of the 66 districts of Azerbaijan. It is located in the centre of the country and belongs to the Central Aran Economic Region. The district borders the districts of Agdash, Ujar, Kurdamir, Imishli, Beylagan, Aghjabadi, and Barda. Its capital and largest city is Zardab. As of 2020, the district had a population of 59,300.

Overview
The regional name Zardab is mentioned in historical publication dating back to the 16th century. As a raion, Zardab was established on February 5, 1935. Located in central Azerbaijan, the raion is 231 km to the west of the capital Baku. It is a part of the larger Arran economic region which also includes Agjabadi, Agdash, Beylagan, Barda, Bilasuvar, Goychay, Hajigabul, Imishli, Kurdamir, Neftchala, Saatli, Sabirabad, Salyan, Ujar raions. The raion lies in a lowland area, in some areas below sea level. The area is 860 km3. Zardab constitutes about 1% of the country and 4% of the Arran economic area.

Weather
The winters in Zardab are mild while the summers are hot with dry subtropic conditions. The temperature reaches 41-44 °C in the summer and +3 °C in the winter. Annual rainfall is 335 mm.

Population
According to the State Statistics Committee, as of 2018, the population of city recorded 58,200 persons, which increased by 11,600 persons (about 19.9 percent) from 46,600 persons in 2000. 29,500 of total population are men, 29,300 are women. More than 26,2 percent of the population (about 15,300 persons) consists of young people and teenagers aged 14–29.

Etymology
Zardab is a Persian word (زردآب Zardab) meaning Yellow Water. There are several interpretations of the translation. Some interpret Yellow Water as "dirty water" referring to the dirty debris left after historic floods of the Kura River which goes through the Zardab raion. These floods do not take place any more since the construction of Mingachevir reservoir which prevented the Kura river from overflowing. Another version states the term "yellow" refers to the golden colour. That is, after the floods, the overflown river used to deliver the water necessary for arrogation, therefore making it as precious as gold. And finally, the third version states the reference is made to the second interpretation of the word "Zard" which also means "eatable bird" which in turn refers to the Zərd-əncirquşu birds which are in Zardab's habitat.

Notable natives

 * Hasan bey Zardabi, Azerbaijani publicist

title: Zardab District


text:
Build–operate–transfer

Build–operate–transfer (BOT) or build–own–operate–transfer (BOOT) is a form of project delivery method, usually for large-scale infrastructure projects, wherein a private entity receives a concession from the public sector (or the private sector on rare occasions) to finance, design, construct, own, and operate a facility stated in the concession contract. The private entity will have the right to operate it for a set period of time. This enables the project proponent to recover its investment and operating and maintenance expenses in the project.

BOT is usually a model used in public–private partnerships. Due to the long-term nature of the arrangement, the fees are usually raised during the concession period. The rate of increase is often tied to a combination of internal and external variables, allowing the proponent to reach a satisfactory internal rate of return for its investment.

Countries where BOT is prevalent are Thailand, Turkey, Taiwan, Bahrain, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Israel, India, Iran, Croatia, Japan, China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Philippines, Egypt, Myanmar and a few US states (California, Florida, Indiana, Texas, and Virginia). However, in some countries, such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Nepal, the term used is build–own–operate–transfer (BOOT). The first BOT was for the China Hotel, built in 1979 by the Hong Kong listed conglomerate Hopewell Holdings Ltd (controlled by Sir Gordon Wu).

BOT framework
BOT finds extensive application in infrastructure projects and public–private partnership. In the BOT framework a third party, for example the public administration, delegates to a private sector entity to design and build infrastructure and to operate and maintain these facilities for a certain period. During this period, the private party has the responsibility to raise the finance for the project and is entitled to retain all revenues generated by the project and is the owner of the regarded facilities. The facility will be then transferred to the public administration at the end of the concession agreement, without any remuneration of the private entity involved. Some or even all of the following different parties could be involved in any BOT project:
 * The host government: Normally, the government is the initiator of the infrastructure project and decides if the BOT model is appropriate to meet its needs. In addition, the political and economic circumstances are main factors for this decision. The government provides normally support for the project in some form (provision of the land/ changed laws).
 * The concessionaire: The project sponsors who act as concessionaire create a special purpose entity which is capitalised through their financial contributions.
 * Lending banks: Most BOT projects are funded to a big extent by commercial debt. The bank will be expected to finance the project on "non-recourse" basis meaning that it has recourse to only the special purpose entity and all its assets for the repayment of the debt.
 * Other lenders: The special purpose entity might have other lenders such as national or regional development banks.
 * Parties to the project contracts: Because the special purpose entity has only limited workforce, it will subcontract a third party to perform its obligations under the concession agreement. Additionally, it has to assure that it has adequate supply contracts in place for the supply of raw materials and other resources necessary for the project.

A BOT project is typically used to develop a discrete asset rather than a whole network and is generally entirely new or greenfield in nature (although refurbishment may be involved). In a BOT project the project company or operator generally obtains its revenues through a fee charged to the utility/ government rather than tariffs charged to consumers. A number of projects are called concessions, such as toll road projects, which are new build and have a number of similarities to BOTs.

In general, a project is financially viable for the private entity if the revenues generated by the project cover its cost and provide sufficient return on investment. On the other hand, the viability of the project for the host government depends on its efficiency in comparison with the economics of financing the project with public funds. Even if the host government could borrow money on better conditions than a private company could, other factors could offset this particular advantage. For example, the expertise and efficiency that the private entity is expected to bring as well as the risk transfer. Therefore, the private entity bears a substantial part of the risk. These are some types of the most common risks involved:
 * Political risk: especially in the developing countries because of the possibility of dramatic overnight political change.
 * Technical risk: construction difficulties, for example unforeseen soil conditions, breakdown of equipment
 * Financing risk: foreign exchange rate risk and interest rate fluctuation, market risk (change in the price of raw materials), income risk (over-optimistic cash-flow forecasts), cost overrun risk

BOOT Framework
The BOOT procurement strategy utilizes project finance to fund large-scale greenfield infrastructure projects such as local power stations, water treatment facilities and sewage facilities, or transit infrastructure, etc.

The BOOT delivery model is different from the BOT (build-operate-transfer) delivery model, in which the private party does not own the project as an asset; they only receive a concession to operate it for a period of time.

The BOOT delivery model is different from PPP (public-private partnerships), which refer to project agreements where a private entity takes over the building and operation of government-owned infrastructure.

Build-own-operate-transfer is often the best kind of delivery model, in which a private sector party, or consortium, receives a mandate from a private or public sector client to finance, design, construct, own, and operate a long-term project.

If you have been awarded a BOOT contract, this means that during that time period, you, the private party or your consortium, own and operate the facility. Your goal is to recover the costs of your investment, operations, and maintenance, and also make a profit from your project.

While you manage your contract, you generate profit by charging fees from the users of your project, and you have the project as an asset.

While the risk is yours, this risk is offset by various government incentives, funding, tax breaks, money to hire select people (such as unemployment job initiatives), and any other benefits that the regulatory body sees fit to grant you.

At the end of the contractual period (typically in the order of decades), ownership of the construction is given back to the state (or federal actor). You may receive a fee for this transfer.

Alternatives to BOT
The scale of investment by the private sector and type of arrangement means there is typically no strong incentive for early completion of a project or to deliver a product at a reasonable price. This type of private sector participation is also known as design-build. Contrasted below, are reasons why the BOT model and it’s variants may work for you the end user, or government body.

Modified versions of the "turnkey" procurement and BOT "build-operate-transfer" models exist for different types of public-private partnership (PPP) projects, in which the main contractor is appointed to design and construct the works. This contrasts with the traditional procurement route (the build-design model), where the client first appoints consultants to design the development and then a contractor to construct the work.

The private contractor designs and builds a facility for a fixed fee, rate, or total cost, which is one of the key criteria in selecting the winning bid. The contractor assumes the risks involved in the design and construction phases.

Turnkey procurement under a design-build contract means that the design-build team would serve as the owner’s representative to determine the specific needs of the user groups; meet with the vendors to select the best options and pricing; advise the owner on the most logical options; plan and build the spaces to accommodate the function of the project; coordinate purchases and timelines; install the infrastructure; facilitate training of staff to use the equipment; and outline care and maintenance. In addition to being responsible for the design and construction of the work to the employer’s requirements, the contractor is also responsible for operating and maintaining the completed facility. The operation and maintenance period will span decades, during which time the contractor is said to have the "concession," is responsible for the operation of the facility, and benefits from operational income. The facility itself, however, remains the property of the employer.

A DBO(design-build-operate) contract is a project delivery model in which a single contractor is appointed to design and build a project and then to operate it for a period of time.

The common form of such a contract is a PPP (public-private partnership), in which a public client (e.g., a government or public agency) enters into a contract with a private contractor to design, build, and then operate the project, while the client finances the project and retains ownership.

DBFO stands for design-build-finance-operate, which also assigns the responsibility to the private organization to design, build, finance, and operate. Financing your competitive project may be easy when there is a high demand for a service right now, and investors will throw money at any project that claims the spoils, such as opening a new airport in a busy metropolis.

BLT stands for build-lease-transfer, in which the public sector partner leases the project from the contractor and also takes responsibility for its operation.

ROT (renovate-operate-transfer) is a procurement method for infrastructure that already exists but is performing substandardly.

As you know, when essential services are no longer operating efficiently or effectively, repairs can be costly. When an obsolete facility or amenity (any public service such as telephone lines, etc.) becomes outdated and requires expensive repairs, it can be financed through public-private partnerships between public entities and private contractors that are able to provide renovation services and operate the project management after the repairs have been completed.

Economic theory
In contract theory, several authors have studied the pros and cons of bundling the building and operating stages of infrastructure projects. In particular, Oliver Hart (2003) has used the incomplete contracting approach in order to investigate whether incentives to make non-contractible investments are smaller or larger when the different stages of the project are combined under one private contractor. Hart (2003) argues that under bundling incentives to make cost-reducing investments are larger than under unbundling. However, sometimes the incentives to make cost-reducing investments may be excessive because they lead to overly large reductions of quality, so it depends on the details of the project whether bundling or unbundling is optimal. Hart's (2003) work has been extended in many directions. For example, Bennett and Iossa (2006) and Martimort and Pouyet (2008) investigate the interaction of bundling and ownership rights, while Hoppe and Schmitz (2013, 2021) explore the implications of bundling for making innovations.

title: Build–operate–transfer


text:
Calabash

Calabash (Lagenaria siceraria), also known as bottle gourd, white-flowered gourd, long melon, birdhouse gourd, New Guinea bean, New Guinea butter bean, Tasmania bean, and opo squash, is a vine grown for its fruit. It can be either harvested young to be consumed as a vegetable, or harvested mature to be dried and used as a utensil, container, or a musical instrument. When it is fresh, the fruit has a light green smooth skin and white flesh.

Calabash fruits have a variety of shapes: they can be huge and rounded, small and bottle-shaped, or slim and serpentine, and they can grow to be over a metre long. Rounder varieties are typically called calabash gourds. The gourd was one of the world's first cultivated plants grown not primarily for food, but for use as containers. The bottle gourd may have been carried from Asia to Africa, Europe, and the Americas in the course of human migration, or by seeds floating across the oceans inside the gourd. It has been proven to have been globally domesticated (and existed in the New World) during the Pre-Columbian era.

There is sometimes confusion when discussing "calabash" because the name is shared with the unrelated calabash tree (Crescentia cujete), whose hard, hollow fruits are also used to make utensils, containers, and musical instruments.

Etymology
The English word calabash is loaned from Middle French calebasse, which in turn derived from Spanish calabaza meaning gourd or pumpkin. It is either loaned from Arabic قَرْعَةٌ يَابِسَةٌ (qarʕatun yābisatun, “dry gourd”) or directly from its etymon Persian خربزه (xarboze, “melon”). The English word is cognate with Catalan carabassa (“pumpkin; orange colour”), Galician cabaza (“gourd, pumpkin, squash; calabash (container)”), Occitan calebasso, carabasso, carbasso, Portuguese cabaça (“gourd; calabash (container)”) and Sicilian caravazza (and caramazza).

History
The bottle gourd has been recovered from archaeological contexts in China and Japan dating to ca. 8,000–9,000 B.P., whereas in Africa, despite decades of high-quality archaeobotanical research, the earliest record of its occurrence remains the 1884 report of a bottle gourd being recovered from a 12th Dynasty tomb at Thebes dating to ca. 4,000 B.P. When considered together, the genetic and archaeological information points toward L. siceraria being independently brought under domestication first in Asia, and more than 4,000 years later, in Africa. The bottle gourd is a commonly cultivated plant in tropical and subtropical areas of the world, and was eventually domesticated in southern Africa. Stands of L. siceraria, which may be source plants and not merely domesticated stands, were reported in Zimbabwe in 2004. This apparent wild plant produces thinner-walled fruit that, when dried, would not endure the rigors of use on long journeys as a water container. Today's gourd may owe its tough, waterproof wall to selection pressures over its long history of domestication.

Gourds were cultivated in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas for thousands of years before Columbus' arrival to the Americas. Polynesian specimens of calabash were found to have genetic markers suggesting hybridization from Asian and American cultivars. In Europe, Walahfrid Strabo (808–849), abbot and poet from Reichenau and advisor to the Carolingian kings, discussed the gourd in his Hortulus as one of the 23 plants of an ideal garden.

The mystery of the bottle gourd – namely that this African or Eurasian species was being grown in the Americas over 8,000 years ago – comes from the difficulty in understanding how it arrived in the Americas. The bottle gourd was theorized to have drifted across the Atlantic Ocean from Africa to South America, but in 2005 a group of researchers suggested that it may have been domesticated earlier than food crops and livestock and, like dogs, was brought into the New World at the end of the ice age by the native hunter-gatherer Paleo-Indians, which they based on a study of the genetics of archaeological samples. This study purportedly showed that gourds in American archaeological finds were more closely related to Asian variants than to African ones.

In 2014 this theory was repudiated based on a more thorough genetic study. Researchers more completely examined the plastid genomes of a broad sample of bottle gourds, and concluded that North and South American specimens were most closely related to wild African variants and could have drifted over the ocean several or many times, as long as 10,000 years ago.

Cultivation

Bottle gourds are grown by direct sowing of seeds or transplanting 15- to 20-day-old seedlings. The plant prefers well-drained, moist, organic rich soil. It requires plenty of moisture in the growing season and a warm, sunny position, sheltered from the wind. It can be cultivated in small places such as in a pot, and allowed to spread on a trellis or roof. In rural areas, many houses with thatched roofs are covered with the gourd vines. Bottle gourds grow very rapidly and their stems can reach a length of 9 m in the summer, so they need a solid support along the stem if they are to climb a pole or trellis. If planted under a tall tree, the vine may grow up to the top of the tree. To obtain more fruit, farmers sometimes cut off the tip of the vine when it has grown to 6–8 feet in length. This forces the plant to produce side branches that will bear flowers and yield more fruit.

The plant produces night blooming white flowers. The male flowers have long peduncles and the females have short ones with an ovary in the shape of the fruit. Sometimes the female flowers drop off without growing into a gourd due to the failure of pollination if there is no night pollinator (probably a kind of moth) in the garden. Hand pollination can be used to solve the problem. Pollens are around 60 microns in length.

First crop is ready for harvest within two months; first flowers open in about 45 days from sowing. Each plant can yield 1 fruit per day for the next 45 days if enough nutrients are available.

Yield ranges from 35 to 40 tons/ha, per season of 3 months cycle.

Toxicity
Like other members of the family Cucurbitaceae, gourds contain cucurbitacins that are known to be cytotoxic at a high concentration. The tetracyclic triterpenoid cucurbitacins present in fruits and vegetables of the cucumber family are responsible for the bitter taste, and could cause stomach ulcers. In extreme cases, people have died from drinking the juice of gourds. The toxic cases are usually due to the gourd being used to make juice, which the drinkers described as being unusually bitter. In three of the lethal cases, the victims were diabetics in their 50s and 60s. In 2018, a healthy woman in her 40s was hospitalized for severe reactions after consuming the juice and died three days later from complications.

The plant is not normally toxic when eaten. The excessively bitter (and toxic) gourds are due to improper storage (temperature swings or high temperature) and over-ripening.

Nutrition
Boiled calabash is 95% water, 4% carbohydrates, 1% protein, and contains negligible fat (table). In a reference amount of 100 g, cooked calabash supplies a moderate amount of vitamin C (10% of the Daily Value), with no other micronutrients in significant amounts (table).

Central America
In Central America the seeds of the bottle gourd are toasted and ground with other ingredients (including rice, cinnamon, and allspice) to make one type of the drink horchata.

China
The calabash is frequently used in southern Chinese cuisine in either a stir-fry dish or a soup.

Japan
In Japan, it is commonly sold in the form of dried, marinated strips known as kanpyō and is used as an ingredient for making makizushi (rolled sushi).

Korea
Traditionally in Korea, the inner flesh has been eaten as namul vegetable and the outside cut in half to make bowls. Both fresh and dried flesh of bak is used in Korean cuisine. Fresh calabash flesh, scraped out, seeded, salted and squeezed to draw out moisture, is called baksok. Scraped and sun-dried calabash flesh, called bak-goji, is usually soaked before being stir-fried. Soaked bak-goji is often simmered in sauce or stir-fried before being added to japchae and gimbap. Sometimes uncooked raw baksok is seasoned to make saengchae.

Burma
In Burma, it is a popular fruit. The young leaves are also boiled and eaten with a spicy, fermented fish sauce. It can also be cut up, coated in batter and deep fried to make fritters, which are eaten with Burmese mohinga.

Philippines
In the Philippines, calabash (known locally as upo) is commonly cooked in soup dishes like tinola. They are also common ingredients in noodle (pancit) dishes.

Vietnam
In Vietnam, it is a very popular vegetable, commonly cooked in soup with shrimp, meatballs, clams, various fish like freshwater catfish or snakehead fish or crab. It is also commonly stir-fried with meat or seafood, or incorporated as an ingredient of a hotpot. It is also used as a medicine. Americans have called calabashes from Vietnam "opo squash".

The shoots, tendrils, and leaves of the plant may also be eaten as greens.

India
A popular north Indian dish is lauki chana, (chana dal and diced gourd in a semi-dry gravy). In the state of Maharashtra in India, a similar preparation called dudhi chana is popular. The skin of the vegetable is used in making a dry spicy chutney preparation. It is consumed in Assam with fish curry, as boiled vegetable curry and also fried with potato and tomatoes. Lauki kheer (grated bottle gourd, sugar and milk preparation) is a dessert from Telangana, usually prepared for festive occasions. In Andhra Pradesh it is called anapakaya and is used to make anapakaya pulusu (with tamarind juice), anapakaya palakura (curry with milk and spices) and anapakaya pappu (with lentils). Lau chingri, a dish prepared with bottle gourd and prawn, is popular in West Bengal. The edible leaves and young stems of the plant are widely used in Bengali cuisine. Although popularly called lauki in Hindi in northern part of the country, it is also called kaddu in certain parts of country like eastern India. (However, "kaddu" popularly translates to "pumpkin" in northern India.) It can be consumed as a dish with rice or roti for its medicinal benefits. In Gujarat, a traditional Gujarati savoury cake called handvo is made primarily using bottle gourd (in Gujarati, dudhi), sesame seeds, flour, and often lentils. In Karnataka, bottle gourd is called Sorekayi and is used to prepare palya (stir-fry) and Sambaru (a south Indian stew). Also, crispy sorekayi dosé (dosa) is one of the popular breakfasts in Karnataka.

Bangladesh
In Bangladesh the fruit is served with rice as a common dish.

Nepal
In Nepal, in the Madheshi southern plains, preparations other than as a normal vegetable include halva and khichdi.

Pakistan
In Pakistan, the calabash is cultivated on a large scale as its fruit are a popular vegetable.

Sri Lanka
In Sri Lanka, it is used in combination with rice to make a variety of milk rice, which is a popular dish in Sri Lanka. Different types of curries are also made using this, specially white curries with coconut milk.

Italy
In Southern Italy and Sicily, the variety Lagenaria siceraria var. longissima, called zucca da vino, zucca bottiglia, or cucuzza, is grown and used in soup or along with pasta.

In Sicily, mostly in the Palermo area, a traditional soup called "Minestra di Tenerumi" is made with the tender leaves of var. Longissima along with peeled tomato and garlic. The young leaves are themselves called "tenerumi", and Lagenaria in Sicily is cultivated both professionally and in home orchards mostly to use the leaves as a vegetable, the fruit being treated almost as a secondary product.

It is also grown by the Italian diaspora.

Africa
Hollowed-out and dried calabashes are a very typical utensil in households across West Africa. They are used to clean rice, carry water, and as food containers. Smaller sizes are used as bowls to drink palm wine. Calabashes are used in making the West African instruments like the Ṣẹ̀kẹ̀rẹ̀, a Yoruba instrument similar to a maraca, kora (a harp-lute), xalam/ngoni (a lute) and the goje (a traditional fiddle). They also serve as resonators underneath the balafon (West African marimba). The calabash is also used in making the shegureh (a Sierra Leonean women's rattle) and balangi (a Sierra Leonean type of balafon) musical instruments. Sometimes large calabashes are simply hollowed, dried and used as percussion instruments by striking them, especially by Fulani, Songhai, Gur-speaking and Hausa peoples. In Nigeria the calabash has been used by some motorcyclists as an imitation helmet in an attempt to circumvent motorcycle helmet laws. In South Africa it is commonly used as a drinking vessel and a vessel for carrying food by communities, such as the Bapedi and AmaZulu. Erbore children of Ethiopia wear hats made from the calabash to protect them from the sun. South Africa's FNB Stadium, which hosted the 2010 FIFA World Cup, is known as The Calabash as its shape takes inspiration from the calabash. The calabash is also used in the manufacture of puppets.

Calabash also has a large cultural significance. In many African legends, Calabash (commonly referred to as gourds) are presented as a vessel for knowledge and wisdom.

China
The húlu (葫芦/葫蘆), as the calabash is called in Mandarin Chinese, is an ancient symbol for health. Hulu had fabled healing properties due to doctors in former times carrying medicine inside it. The hulu was believed to absorb negative, earth-based qi (energy) that would otherwise affect health, and is a traditional Chinese medicine cure. The bottle gourd is a symbol of the Eight Immortals, and particularly Li Tieguai, who is associated with medicine. Li Tieguai's gourd was said to carry medicine that could cure any illness and never emptied, which he dispensed to the poor and needy. Some folk myths say the "gourd had spirals of smoke ascend from it, denoting his power of setting his spirit free from his body," and that it "served as a bedroom for the night..." The gourd is also an attribute of the deity Shouxing and a symbol of longevity.

Dried calabash were also used as containers for liquids, often liquors or medicines. Calabash gourds were also grown in earthen molds to form different shapes with imprinted floral or arabesque designs. Molded gourds were also dried to house pet crickets. The texture of the gourd lends itself nicely to the sound of the insect, much like a musical instrument. The musical instrument, hulusi, is a kind of flute made from the gourd.

Jewish culture
In the Safaradi Jewish culture, the gourd is eaten during Rosh Hashana (Jewish New Year’s Eve). According to the texts the gourd is eaten as a symbol of tearing apart the enemies who may come and attack. It is called Qaraa, which in Hebrew means “torn” קרע. “שיקרעו אויבנו מעלינו” meaning “may our enemies be torn apart over from us”.

Polynesia
The plant is spread throughout Polynesia known by hue in many related languages.

In Hawaii the word "calabash" refers to a large serving bowl, usually made from hardwood rather than from the calabash gourd, which is used on a buffet table or in the middle of the dining table. The use of the calabash in Hawaii has led to terms like "calabash family" or "calabash cousins", indicating an extended family grown up around shared meals and close friendships. This gourd is often dried when ripe and used as a percussion instrument called an ipu heke (double gourd drum) or just Ipu in contemporary and ancient hula.

The Māori people of New Zealand grew several cultivars of calabash for particular uses like ipu kai cultivars as food containers and tahā wai cultivars as water gourds. They believed the gourd as a representation of Pū-tē-hue, one of Tāne (their god of forests)'s offspring.

India
The calabash is used as a resonator in many string instruments in India. Instruments that look like guitars are made of wood, but can have a calabash resonator at the end of the strings table, called toomba. The sitar, the surbahar, the tanpura (north of India, tambura south of India), may have a toomba. In some cases, the toomba may not be functional, but if the instrument is large, it is retained because of its balance function, which is the case of the Saraswati veena. Other instruments like rudra veena and vichitra veena have two large calabash resonators at both ends of the strings table. The instrument, Gopichand used by the Baul singers of Bengal is made out of calabash. The practice is also common among Buddhist and Jain sages.

These toombas are made of dried calabash gourds, using special cultivars that were originally imported from Africa and Madagascar. They are mostly grown in Bengal and near Miraj, Maharashtra. These gourds are valuable items and they are carefully tended; for example, they are sometimes given injections to stop worms and insects from making holes in them while they are drying.

Hindu ascetics (sadhu) traditionally use a dried gourd vessel called the kamandalu. The juice of a bottle gourd is considered to have medicinal properties and be very healthy (see juice toxicity above).

In parts of India a dried, unpunctured gourd is used as a float (called surai-kuduvai in Tamil) to help people learn to swim in rural areas.

Philippines
In the Philippines, dried calabash gourds are one common material for making a traditional salakot hat.

In 2012, Teófilo García of Abra in Luzon, an expert artisan who makes the Ilocano tamburaw variant using calabash, was awarded by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts with the "Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan" (National Living Treasures Award). He was cited for his dedication to practising and teaching the craft as an intangible cultural heritage of the Philippines under the Traditional Craftsmanship category.

New Guinea
Among some New Guinea highland tribes, the calabash is used by men as a penis sheath.

South America
In Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Chile and southern Brazil, calabash gourds are dried and carved into mates (from the Quichua word mathi, adopted into the Spanish language), the traditional container for mate, the caffeinated, tea-like drink brewed from the yerba mate plant. In the region the beverage itself is called mate as well as the calabash from which the drinking vessels are made. In Peru it is used in a popular practice for the making of mate burilado; "burilado" is the technique adopted for decorating the mate calabashes.

In Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador calabash gourds are used for medicinal purposes. The Inca culture applied symbols from folklore to gourds, this practice is still familiar and valued.

North America
Calabash's watertight features allowed it to be often used as container to ship seeds across the translantic slave trade. They were also used by enslaved people to carry seeds for planting on plantation fields. On plantations that held enslaved African Americans, the Calabash symbolized freedom—as alluded to in the song "Follow the Drinking Gourd" that referenced the Big Dipper constellation that was used to guide the Underground Railroad.

Tobacco smoking pipe
The gourd can be dried and used to smoke pipe tobacco. According to American consular reports from the early 20th century calabash pipes were commonly used in South Africa. Calabash was said to bestow a "special softness" of flavor that could not be duplicated by other materials. The lining was made of meerschaum, though tin was used for low-grade models. A typical design yielded by this squash is recognized (theatrically) as the pipe of Sherlock Holmes, but the inventor of this character, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, never mentioned Holmes using a calabash pipe. It was the preferred pipe for stage actors portraying Holmes, because they could balance this pipe better than other styles while delivering their lines.

Enema equipment
The gourd is used traditionally to administer enemas. Along the upper Congo River an enema apparatus is made by making a hole in one end of the gourd for filling it, and using a resin to attach a hollow cane to the gourd's neck.

title: Calabash


text: Talk:Mass customization

title: Talk:Mass customization


text: Category:World Heritage Sites in Armenia


text: Category:Advertising

title: Category:Advertising


text:
Miss USA

Miss USA is an American beauty pageant that has been held annually since 1952 to select the entrant from United States in the Miss Universe pageant. The Miss Universe Organization operated both pageants, as well as Miss Teen USA, until 2020, when the organization announced it was licensing operation of the Miss USA and Miss Teen USA pageants to Crystle Stewart, Miss USA for 2008 prior to her suspension in October 2022, thus returning the said pageants to the Miss Universe Organization.

The pageant was owned by Donald Trump from 1996 to 2015 and was previously broadcast on NBC. In September 2015, WME/IMG purchased the pageant from Trump. In 2020, for the first time, the FYI network broadcast the competition. In October 2022, JKN Global Group acquired the pageant from WME/IMG. It is currently broadcast on The CW.

The current reigning Miss USA is Savannah Gankiewicz of Hawaii, who assumed the title after the original winner, Noelia Voigt, resigned. Noelia Voigt of Utah was crowned Miss USA on September 29, 2023, at Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nevada; at this competition, Gankiewicz placed 1st runner up.

History
The Miss USA pageant was conceived in 1950 when Yolande Betbeze, winner of the Miss America pageant, refused to pose for publicity pictures while wearing a swimsuit. Pageant sponsor Catalina decided to pull their sponsorship of the pageant and create their own competition. Other owners have included a subsidiary of Gulf+Western Industries, ITT Corporation and Donald Trump.

The first Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants were held concurrently in Long Beach, California, in 1952; the first Miss USA winner was Miss New York USA Jackie Loughery. There were 30 delegates in the first year of competition. Many states did not compete every year during the first two decades of the pageant's history. Since the 1970s, each state and the District of Columbia have sent a delegate each year. Alaska first competed in 1959 and Hawaii in 1960. Both had competed at Miss Universe until this time.

The pageant aired on CBS from 1963 until 2002 and for many years was known for having a CBS game show host as pageant host. The show's highest ratings were in the early 1980s when it regularly topped the Nielsen ratings. Viewership dropped sharply from the 1990s to the 2000s, from an estimated viewership of 20 million to an average of 7 million from 2000 to 2001. In 2002, then-owner Donald Trump brokered a deal with NBC, giving it half-ownership of the Miss USA, Miss Universe, and Miss Teen USA pageants and moving them to the network on an initial five-year contract. The pageant first aired on NBC in 2003.

The Miss USA title winner historically represented the U.S. in its sister pageant, Miss Universe. Since its inception, nine Miss USA titleholders have gone on to win Miss Universe. In the mid-1960s, the organization established a rule that when a Miss USA wins the Miss Universe title, the first runner-up assumes the Miss USA title for the remainder of the year. This occurred in 1980, 1995, 1997, 2012, and 2022. In 1967, the first runner-up Susan Bradley of California declined the title and the crown went to the second runner-up Cheryl Patton of Florida. The only instance when a first runner-up assumed the title of Miss USA before this period was in 1957, when Mary Leona Gage of Maryland resigned after it was discovered she was married.

The winner is assigned a one-year contract with the Miss Universe Organization, traveling across the United States and sometimes overseas to spread messages about their chosen causes. Aside from the job, the winner also receives a cash allowance for her entire reign, a modeling portfolio, beauty products, clothes, shoes, styling, healthcare, and fitness services from different pageant sponsors. She also gains exclusive access to events such as fashion shows and opening galas, as well as access to casting calls and modeling opportunities throughout New York City. When Donald Trump owned the pageant, the winner was given the use of a Trump Place apartment in New York City during her reign, which she shared with the Miss Universe and Miss Teen USA titleholders.

If the winner cannot fulfill her duties as Miss USA for any reason, including if she wins the Miss Universe title, her 1st runner-up takes over.

After losing its television partners, it was announced that Miss USA 2015 would be streamed on the pageant's website. Shortly before the pageant, however, Reelz Channel announced that it would broadcast Miss USA 2015.

In September 2015, IMG acquired the Miss Universe Organization for an undisclosed amount. The company had previously been involved in licensing and production for the events. The following month, Fox announced that it had acquired the U.S. television rights to Miss USA and Miss Universe, beginning with Miss Universe 2015 and Miss USA 2016.

Starting with the 2023 edition of the pageant, the Miss Universe Organization announced in August 2022 that it would accept divorced, maritally annulled, married, or widowed women and mothers to compete in the pageant. In October, JKN Global Group through JKN Metaverse Inc. acquired the Miss Universe Organization for US$14 million.

Later in September 2023, 2022 winner R'Bonney Gabriel announced that the organization would be forgoing the age limit, even for all its related pageants, not just Miss USA. Accordingly, beginning with Miss USA 2024, adult women 29 years old and above will also be eligible to participate. Also that same month, the Miss USA and Miss Teen USA pageants would move The CW, with Miss USA 2023 airing on the network and Miss Teen USA 2023 streaming on its app. On April 25, 2024, The CW extended its broadcast rights to the Miss USA and Miss Teen USA pageants in a three-year deal; as part of the deal, the Miss Teen USA pageant will air on broadcast television for the first time since 2007.

Miss USA 2015 controversy
In late-June 2015, both NBC and Spanish-language network Univision (which was to begin a new five-year contract for Spanish rights) announced that they would cut their ties with Donald Trump and the Miss Universe Organization in response to remarks Trump made relating to undocumented immigrants during the launch of his 2016 U.S. presidential campaign. Trump threatened to sue both companies over the decision; on June 30, 2015, Trump sued Univision for defamation and breach of contract. In February 2016, Donald Trump and Univision reached a settlement ending the litigation. The terms of the settlement remain confidential but included an agreement for Trump to buy back NBCUniversal's stake in the MUO.

Response to COVID-19 pandemic
The Miss USA 2020 was impacted by scheduling delays, difficulty finding a location, and broadcasting issues amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. In August 2020 it was announced that it would be televised at FYI and would be held in November.

2020–2022: Split from MUO
In the summer of 2020, the Miss Universe organization finalized licensing of future annual operation of the Miss USA and Miss Teen USA pageants to Crystle Stewart, who was Miss USA 2008, until her suspension in October 2022. The first pageant competitions under her directorship as Miss USA Organization were the 2021 productions.

2022–2023: Miss USA 2022 controversy and MUO investigation
Shortly after the Miss USA 2022 competition, the Miss Universe Organization suspended the organizers of the Miss USA pageant (headed by Crystle Stewart) after allegations of favoritism toward the eventual winner, R'Bonney Gabriel, while she was still Miss Texas USA.

In August 2023, it was announced that Stewart had stepped down as president of the Miss USA Organization. She was replaced by fashion designer Laylah Rose.

2024–present: Resignation of Both National Titleholders
On May 6, 2024, the reigning Miss USA 2023, Noelia Voigt, resigned from the title citing a desire to prioritize her mental health. Two days later, the reigning Miss Teen USA 2023, UmaSofia Srivastava, also resigned from her title. Voigt's resignation statement, which she posted to Instagram, seemingly spelled out (with the first letter of the beginning of each sentence): "I Am Silenced"; although, the last three sentences did not fit this message, spelling out "HIP". The New York Times later obtained Voigt's internal resignation letter to the Miss USA organization where she cited "a toxic work environment", "bullying and harassment", and delayed delivery of her prize winnings as reasons for her resignation. Both Voigt and Srivastava hold contracts with the Miss USA organization which have confidentiality agreements.

Voigt's first runner-up, Savannah Gankiewicz of Hawaii, assumed the title of Miss USA 2023 on May 9, 2024. Srivastava's first runner-up, Stephanie Skinner of New York, declined to assume the title of Miss Teen USA 2023, and as of May 14, 2024, the Miss Teen USA 2023 title is vacant.

On May 15, 2024, the mothers of former Miss USA, Noelia Voigt, and Miss Teen USA, UmaSofia Srivastava, came forward to discuss the circumstances surrounding their daughters' unexpected resignations from their titles. Bound by non-disclosure agreements with the Miss USA organization, the young women could not personally address the situation. Their mothers, however, stated in an interview on Good Morning America: "The job of their dreams turned out to be a nightmare". They claimed that their daughters were exposed to ill-treatment, abuse, bullying, and felt cornered within the organization. UmaSofia Srivastava announced her resignation on Instagram, stating her values “no longer aligned” with those of the organization. Similarly, Noelia Voigt referenced her mental health in her resignation statement. The nature of her cryptic statement hinted at the idea of being silenced, spelled out in the first 11 sentences of her post. Her mother, Jackeline Voigt, responding to queries about the implied message, avoided confirming its deliberate intent but underscored that her daughter felt silenced due to the ongoing provisions of the non-disclosure agreement.

Competition
The modern pageant consists of a preliminary competition held a week before the pageant when all contestants are judged in swimsuit, evening gown, and interview competitions.

State competitions

Every year, applicants must have to choose their delegate for the Miss USA pageant who is at the age of 18 or above on the annual state pageant season. Each state holds a preliminary competition. In some states, local pageants are also held to determine delegates for the state competition. The state winners hold the title "Miss (State) USA" for the year of their reign.

The most successful state is Texas; ten Texas representatives have gone on to win the Miss USA title, more than any other state, including five consecutive winners from 1985 until 1989. California has the second most wins at six, while the District of Columbia, New York, Hawaii, and Illinois each have four.

Miss USA licenses out the state pageants to pageant directors, who in some cases are responsible for more than one state. As of February 2024, the directorial groups are the following:
 * Brains and Beauties Productions (District of Columbia)
 * Casting Crowns Productions (Arizona)
 * Crown Diva Productions (California)
 * D&D Productions (Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island)
 * Empower2 Productions (Indiana, West Virginia)
 * Ewald Productions (Connecticut)
 * Eye for Style Production (New Hampshire, Vermont)
 * Future Productions (Colorado, Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Wyoming)
 * Garness Productions (Alaska)
 * Greenwood Productions (Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee)
 * Hayat Amyra Productions (Florida)
 * Laura's Productions (New Mexico)
 * Lime Light Enterprises (Montana)
 * New Media Productions (Hawaii)
 * Pageants NW Productions (Idaho, Oregon, Washington)
 * Proctor Productions (Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania)
 * RPM Productions (Alabama, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina)
 * Smoak Productions (Nevada, Utah)
 * The Clemente Organization (Maine, Massachusetts)
 * The FAV Group, Inc. (Virginia)
 * The Pageant Guy Productions (Texas)
 * V&M Productions (Delaware)
 * Vanbros and Associates (Arkansas, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma)

Winners
At the age of 28 years, 6 months, 23 days, Miss USA 2022, R'Bonney Gabriel became the oldest Miss USA winner in the pageant's history. Miss USA 2015, Olivia Jordan, of Oklahoma is the only Miss USA winner to compete in two major international pageants: Miss Universe and Miss World. The tallest Miss USA is Miss USA 2012, Nana Meriwether, of Maryland at 6ft 0in.

The first Asian-American woman to win Miss USA was Macel Wilson of Hawaii in 1962; the first Hispanic woman was Laura Martinez-Herring of Texas in 1985; the first African-American winner was Carole Gist of Michigan in 1990; the first Pacific Islander American Miss USA was Brook Lee of Hawaii in 1997; and the first Middle Eastern American Miss USA was Rima Fakih of Michigan in 2010.

Though no woman has ever won both titles outright, Brandi Sherwood of Idaho is the only woman to have held both the Miss Teen USA and Miss USA titles. She was Miss Idaho Teen USA, Miss Teen USA 1989, Miss Idaho USA 1997, first runner-up at Miss USA 1997, and in May 1997 assumed the Miss USA title after Brook Lee of Hawaii won the Miss Universe pageant. Ten other Miss USA titleholders have also previously competed at Miss Teen USA. These include:

 * Shanna Moakler (1995, Miss Rhode Island Teen USA 1992)
 * Ali Landry (1996, Miss Louisiana Teen USA 1990)
 * Kimberly Pressler (1999, Miss New York Teen USA 1994)
 * Lynnette Cole (2000, Miss Tennessee Teen USA 1995)
 * Susie Castillo (2003, Miss Massachusetts Teen USA 1998)
 * Chelsea Cooley (2005, Miss North Carolina Teen USA 2000)
 * Tara Conner (2006, Miss Kentucky Teen USA 2002)
 * Rachel Smith (2007, Miss Tennessee Teen USA 2002)
 * Alyssa Campanella (2011, Miss New Jersey Teen USA 2007)
 * Sarah Rose Summers (2018, Miss Nebraska Teen USA 2012)

Six Miss USA titleholders have also competed at Miss America. These include:
 * Miriam Stevenson (1954, Miss South Carolina 1953)
 * Carlene King Johnson (1955, Miss Vermont 1953)
 * Carol Morris (1956, Miss Iowa 1954)
 * Mai Shanley (1984, Miss New Mexico 1983)
 * Shandi Finnessey (2004, Miss Missouri 2002)
 * Asya Branch (2020, Miss Mississippi 2018)

Shandi Finnessey, Miss USA 2004 and Miss Missouri 2002 won a preliminary evening gown award at Miss America 2003. Also, Miriam Stevenson placed in the top 10 at Miss America 1954 as Miss South Carolina 1953.

Many Miss USA winners have gone to pursue careers in the entertainment industry. Those who have been successful in the industry include Summer Bartholomew, Deborah Shelton, Laura Martinez-Herring, Kelli McCarty, Shanna Moakler, Frances Parker, Ali Landry, Kenya Moore, Brandi Sherwood, Kimberly Pressler, Susie Castillo, Shandi Finnessey, Rachel Smith, Crystle Stewart, Olivia Culpo and Cheslie Kryst.

Awards
The awards most frequently presented at Miss USA are Miss Amity (also known as Miss Congeniality) and Miss Photogenic.

The Miss Amity Award is chosen by the delegates, and recognizes those who are the friendliest and make the pageant experience the most enjoyable. From 1952 to 1964, when the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants were concurrent events, the award could be won by a contestant competing either for Miss USA or Miss Universe. In fact, in 1960, there was a tie, with the award going to Miss Universe Burma, Myint Myint May, and Miss Louisiana USA, Rebecca Fletcher. In 2015, Alaska and Delaware tied for the Miss Congeniality award. Vermont and Wyoming have won five Miss Amity/Congeniality awards, two more than any other state.

The Miss Photogenic prize was first awarded in 1965 and was chosen by journalists until 1996 when it was chosen by an internet vote for the first time. There has been only one tie in this award's history: in 1980, when it was shared between Jineane Ford of Arizona and Elizabeth Kim Thomas of Ohio. The state that has won the most Photogenic awards is Virginia.

Louisiana won both the first Miss Amity and Photogenic awards given to a Miss USA contestant.

Other awards that have been presented include Best State Costume (1962–1993, 2021–present ), Style (1995–2001) and Most Beautiful Eyes (1993). In 1998, a special Distinguished Achievement award was given to Halle Berry. Berry was Miss Ohio USA 1986 and placed 1st runner-up to Christy Fichtner of Texas. She later went on to become an acclaimed actress and Oscar winner.

Locations
In the first eight years of competition (1952–1959), the Miss USA pageant was held in Long Beach, California. The competition moved to Miami Beach, Florida in 1960 and stayed there until 1971. In 1972, the pageant was held in Puerto Rico, the only time the pageant has been held outside the continental United States. That pageant was rocked by an explosion at the host hotel.

From 1972 onwards, the pageant has been held in various locations, generally being held in each location for two to three years.

As of 2022, the pageant has been held in the following states:

 * Alabama
 * Mobile (1989)
 * California
 * Long Beach (1952–1959)
 * Los Angeles (2004, 2007, 2024–)
 * Florida
 * Miami Beach (1960–1971)
 * Lakeland (1984–1985)
 * Miami (1986)
 * Indiana
 * Gary (2001–2002)
 * Kansas
 * Wichita (1990–1993)

 * Louisiana
 * Shreveport (1997–1998, 2018)
 * Baton Rouge (2014–2015)
 * Maryland
 * Baltimore (2005–2006)
 * Missouri
 * Branson (1999–2000)
 * Mississippi
 * Biloxi (1979–1982)
 * Nevada
 * Las Vegas (2008–2013, 2016–2017)
 * Reno (2019, 2022–2023)
 * New Mexico
 * Albuquerque (1987)

 * New York
 * New York City (1973)
 * Niagara Falls (1974–1976)
 * Oklahoma
 * Tulsa (2021)
 * South Carolina
 * Charleston (1977–1978)
 * Tennessee
 * Knoxville (1983)
 * Memphis (2020)
 * Texas
 * El Paso (1988)
 * South Padre Island (1994–1996)
 * San Antonio (2003)

Reality television
Many Miss USA and Miss Teen USA delegates have participated in reality television shows and other television game shows. Well known delegates who later competed in reality shows are Danni Boatwright, winner of Survivor: Guatemala and contestant of Survivor: Winners at War, Kim Mullen of Survivor: Palau; Amanda Kimmel of Survivor: China, Survivor: Micronesia and Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains; Candace Smith of Survivor: Tocantins; Ashley Underwood of Survivor: Redemption Island, and Desiree Williams of Survivor: Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers; Christie Lee Woods of The Amazing Race 5 and The Amazing Race 31, Nicole O'Brian also of The Amazing Race 5, Stephanie Smith of The Amazing Race 17 and Amy Diaz of The Amazing Race 23; Shandi Finnessey, Shanna Moakler and Hannah Brown on Dancing with the Stars; Jennifer Murphy of The Apprentice 4; Tori Fiorenza of The Challenge: Cutthroat; Brown also appeared in The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, other The Bachelor stars include Krisily Kennedy, Catherine Warren, Caroline Lunny, Caelynn Miller-Keyes, Alayah Benavidez, Kelsey Weier, Victoria Paul, Mariela Pepin, and Susie Evans.

In 2007, Pageant Place, a reality television show featuring Rachel Smith, Riyo Mori, Hilary Cruz, Katie Blair, and Tara Conner aired on MTV.

On June 19, 2011, Bravo Television's Andy Cohen co-hosted the event's 60th anniversary live in Las Vegas with E! News and Fashion Police Giuliana Rancic. They also hosted the 2012 pageant.

Past

 * Keltie Knight: 2023
 * Adrienne Bailon-Houghton: 2023
 * Zuri Hall: 2021-2022
 * Akbar Gbaja-Biamila: 2020
 * Allie LaForce: 2020
 * Nick Lachey: 2018-2019
 * Vanessa Lachey: 2018-2019
 * Terrence J: 2016-2017
 * Julianne Hough: 2016-2017
 * Todd Newton: 2015
 * Alex Wehrley: 2015
 * Thomas Roberts: 2014
 * Nick Jonas: 2013
 * Giuliana Rancic: 2011-2014
 * Andy Cohen: 2011-2012
 * Curtis Stone: 2010
 * Natalie Morales: 2010
 * Nadine Velazquez: 2009
 * Donny Osmond: 2008
 * Marie Osmond: 2008
 * Tim Vincent: 2007
 * Drew Lachey: 2006
 * Nancy O'Dell: 2004-2007
 * Billy Bush: 2003-2005, 2009
 * Daisy Fuentes: 2003
 * Deion Sanders: 2002
 * Ali Landry: 2002
 * William Shatner: 2001
 * Carson Daly: 2000
 * Shemar Moore: 1999
 * J. Eddie Peck: 1998
 * George Hamilton: 1997
 * Bob Goen: 1994-1996
 * Dick Clark: 1989-1993
 * Alan Thicke: 1988
 * Bob Barker: 1967-1987

title: Miss USA


text:
Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Suspension bondage

I tried improving the article, but then I stopped when I realized that there was nothing to improve — at best, this will become an instruction manual for a dangerous (as the article admits!) sexual practice. --Ardonik 04:05, 2004 Aug 8 (UTC)
 * Merge with Sexual bondage. Safety warnings couched in "how-to" terms could be interpreted as advocating a practice, which might place us in a precarious legal position.  Removing that part of the article leaves us with a dicdef.  Merge the dicdef with the more general article.  SWAdair | Talk  04:14, 8 Aug 2004 (UTC)
 * Merge and redirect. -Sean Curtin 07:33, 8 Aug 2004 (UTC)
 * Merge and redirect for good reasons noted by others. [[User:Dpbsmith|Dpbsmith (talk)]] 15:05, 8 Aug 2004 (UTC)
 * Merge and redirect for those reasons and because of granularity and utility reasons. Geogre 19:37, 8 Aug 2004 (UTC)
 * merge/rediredt 4kintheroad
 * No vote as yet—I'm thinking this should be part of a separate article on fetish suspension. It's broader than mere bondage, including an S&M slant with suspension from piercings or skewers just stuck through flesh.  Can't say I'm the one to write that article, but I've seen enough to know that it's a "common" practice, commonplace at fetish balls.  Postdlf 04:22, 12 Aug 2004 (UTC)
 * Keep, but should not be phrased as a how-to. -- Karada 13:52, 23 Aug 2004 (UTC)

This discussion is closed. Results: 1 delete 6 keep. Result: Keep. DJ Clayworth 16:19, 25 Aug 2004 (UTC)