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Dutugamunu

Dutugamunu the Great (දුටුගැමුනු), also known as Duṭṭhagāmaṇī Abhaya, was a king of the Anuradhapura Kingdom who reigned from 161 BC to 137 BC. He is renowned for first uniting the whole island of Sri Lanka by defeating and overthrowing Elara, a Tamil trader from the Chola Kingdom, who had invaded the Anuradhapura kingdom in 205 BC. Dutugamunu also expanded and beautified the city of Anuradhapura and projected the power of the Rajarata kingdom across the island of Sri Lanka.

Due to his significance as one of the most potent symbols of Sinhalese historical power, Dutugamunu's story is swathed in myth and legend. However, many aspects of the accounts of his life have been verified by contemporary inscriptions, and the basic account of his life is generally accepted as accurate.

Etymology
Dutugamunu (දුටුගැමුනු, துட்டகாமினி) is also known in Pali as Duṭṭhagāmaṇī Abhaya. The Mahavamsa describes how as a youth he mocked his father Kavantissa, king of Ruhuna, for refusing to wage war against the powerful King Elara who ruled Sri Lanka for 45 years and known and venerated by  the  Sinhalese as a Just King or Dharmista Elara*, He ruled what was then known as the island of Ratnadiva from Anuradhapura. Duttagamni, the prefix Dutta means terror-inspiring, rustic or  rowdy2*  stated that "If [his] father were a man he would not speak thus" and sent him a piece of women's jewellery. The resulting fury of the king caused many of his friends to flee to Malaya region and the prince himself being dubbed Dutthagamani, meaning "disobedient". After his death, he was referred to as Dharma Gamini ("righteous Gamini"), but it is as Duttha Gamini or Dutugemunu that he is known to posterity.

Ancestry and family
The Mahavamsa constitutes the major source on Dutugemunu's reign and dedicates some six chapters (out of 35) to his tale. In chapter 22 he is described as being descended from the ancient royal family of Rajarata through Devanampiyatissa's brother Mahanaga. At the time of his birth Dutugemunu's father was Kavantissa, king of Ruhuna, a small kingdom in south-east Sri Lanka outside of the influence of Rajarata in the north; the border between the two polities was the Mahaganga, or 'Great River', possibly the modern Menik Ganga. Kavantissa is portrayed in the Mahamvamsa as 'devoutly believing in the three gems, [and] he provided the brotherhood continually with...needful things'.

Dutugemunu's mother was Viharamahadevi, daughter of Tissa, king of Kalyani. Legend has it that as punishment for Tissa slaying a Buddhist monk, Kalyani had been subject to a series of deluges from the sea. To placate it Tissa placed his daughter Devi in a golden boat with the words 'A King's Daughter' written on the side, and set her out to sea. Miraculously the princess washed ashore, alive and well, in Ruhuna, and married Kavantissa.

During her pregnancy with Dutugemunu, Viharamahadevi had a series of peculiar cravings, including the urge to sleep on a pillow made of honeycombs. In particular her urge to drink the water used to wash a sword that had cleaved the head of a warrior of Elara, whilst standing on that same head, raised the interest of the soothsayers at court, who predicted that 'The queen's son, when he has vanquished the Damilas (Tamil) and built up a united kingdom, will make the doctrine to shine forth brightly'. Viharamahadevi gave birth to a son named Gamani Abhaya some time later, and after that to another child, a boy named Tissa.

Around the time of Gamani's birth, 'an elephant of the six-tusked race brought his young one thither and left him here and went his way'. Named Kandula, he went on to become Gamani's mount and accompanied him through much of the prince's adventures.

Dutugemunu's sister

"'Recent archaeological studies have found evidence proving that King Kavantissa had a daughter who was a sister to King Dutu Gemunu'." New evidence to this appeared in The Island of March 27, 2017.

The battle in the palace and early reign
By the age of sixteen Gamani was 'vigorous, renowned, intelligent and a hero in majesty and might', if a little wayward. Determined to expel the invading king of Rajarata, Gamani levied an army from around Rohana and declared his intention to regain the north to his father. The king forbade this stating that 'the land on this side of the river is enough'; the resulting exchange between father and son saw Gamani being dubbed 'Duttha Gamani', his friends fleeing to Malaya, and he himself being incarcerated in a royal prison.

Kavantissa is known as a brilliant strategist who recognized early that he needed to make his kingdom powerful before waging a war against the invaders. He assembled armies and made his kingdom prosperous in "rice and betel leaf" - this meaning that the people had a lot of agricultural surplus. The legendary ten "great giants" - men who had great strength – are brought into the army at this time. Kavantissa repeatedly makes Dutugemunu and Tissa swear that they would never fight one another and that they would always respect and listen to the advice of the priests. He also makes the ten giants swear never to pick sides in a war between the brothers.

Upon Kavantissa's death, Dutugemunu found himself having to defend his crown against his younger brother Tissa, who had seized possession of not only the elephant Kandula, but the dowager queen Viharamahadevi as well. The war between the two began with a defeat for Dutugemunu at Culanganiyapitthi, where 'many thousands of the king's (Dutugemunu's) men' perished. Dutugemunu was forced to flee back to Mahagama where he levied another army and engaged Tissa in yet another battle in the vicinity of the city. Legend has it that as Tissa, fought his brother riding the royal elephant "Kandula" against Dutugemunu who rode a mare. Dutugemunu at one point made the mare jump over the elephant causing the elephant to recognize its master and attempt to kill Tissa who hastily dismounts via a tree. Dutugemunu was victorious and Tissa was smuggled off the battlefield disguised as the corpse of a monk. It is said that Dutugemunu recognized the ploy and called out to his brother "Are you not ashamed to be carried on the back of these priests?" Some time afterwards, however, Dutugemunu and Tissa were reconciled through the efforts of Viharamahadevi and the monks, and Tissa became one of the king's foremost generals.

Gaining of Rajarata
Having secured his throne, he then planned his operations to conquer the north, which included not only Rajarata but numerous smaller semi-independent polities. The king's army consisted of 'chariots, troops and beasts for riders', soldiers and a number of war elephants, as well as a number of monks (to advise the King) and a relic placed in his spear for luck and blessings. In addition he was accompanied by the famed Ten Giant Warriors who had been recruited from all over the island by his father Kavantissa – Nandhimitra, Suranimala, Mahasona, Theraputtabhya, Gotaimbara, Bharana, Vasabha, Khanjadeva, Velusamanna, and Phussadeva.

The campaign saw Dutugemunu subduing a number of usurping Tamil rulers in the north (as many as 32, according to the Mahavamsa). Of particular interest is the four-month siege of Vijitanagara, where the defending Tamil troops are said to have used 'red-hot iron and molten pitch' to panic Dutugemunu's elephants. During this time he also married Ran Etana, the daughter of a chieftain who continued to pay homage to Elara of Anuradhapura. On at least two occasions victory is attributed to the king's 'cunning' and the bravery of Kandhula. The campaign reached a climax at the eastern gate of Anuradhapura, where Dutugemunu, riding Kandhula, finally confronted the aged usurped king Elara, on his own elephant Mahäpabbata, and slew him with a spear; the encounter is one of the most famous in Sri Lankan history.

Dutugemunu's victory at Anuradhapura put him in the unprecedented position of ruling nearly the entire island of (Sri) Lanka. Despite this however his position was far from problem-free. Elara, despite being an invading Tamil from the Chola empire of south India, was renowned as having been a just and righteous leader, and Dutugemunu went out of his way to ensure the memory of the old king was revered as he cremated Elara and built a tomb for his ashes and made rules for travelers to get off and pay their respects to his tomb. Furthermore, 'looking back upon his glorious victory, great though it was, [he] knew no joy, remembering that thereby was wrought the destruction of thousands of both enemies and his soldiers' but the casualties mentioned in Mahavamsa is greatly exaggerated. This is attested to by the sheer number of religious foundations attributed to him by the chronicles (between 68 and 99), which include magnificent stupas, monasteries, and shrines.

Reign and construction work
Aside from his many construction projects Dutugemunu's reign is memorable for his estrangement from his son, Saliya or Salirajakumara. The Prince fell in love with a girl called Agokamaladevi or Asokamala; unfortunately for all concerned she was of the Scavenger caste, one of the lowest castes in Sinhalese society. Saliya refused to give her up and rejected the throne. Though the Mahavamsa mentions no reconciliation, folk stories have the young couple eventually restored to the king's good graces.

The king's reign also saw extensive contact between Sri Lanka and traders from the west, including Arabs, Persians, and possibly Romans

Following his consolidation of his position Dutugemunu began a series of huge construction projects, many of which still survive in Anuradhapura today. As with nearly everything in Dutugemunu's life, each foundation comes with its own legend, many of which reveal the preoccupations and inclinations of ancient Sinhalese society.

The first foundation mentioned in the Mahavamsa is the Maricavatti vihara, the modern Mirisavetiya. Legend has it that traveling to the shore of the Tank of Tissa with the 'women of the harem' for a water-festival, Dutugemunu planted his spear (which contained a sacred relic) in the soft ground. When preparing to return to the palace, he found that neither he, nor anyone in his retinue, could pull it out. Taking this as a sign he ordered the construction of a stupa over the spear.

Dutugemunu also ordered the construction of the Lohapasada, or Brazen Palace, a nine-story chapter house for monks, which derived its name from its bright copper-tiled roof. Again, legend has it that the design for the palace was based on a building seen in one of the heavens by a group of monks, who drew the design with 'red arsenic on linen' and dispatched it to the king.

Perhaps his most famous creation was the Ruwanweliseya, also known as the Great Stupa or and Swarnamalee Chetiya, to house the begging bowl of the Buddha. The construction was started on the full moon day of the month of Vesak (traditionally the date of the birth, enlightenment, and passing away of the Buddha) with the creation of a foundation of crushed rock. To hammer the stones into place elephants were used with their feet bound in leather. Dutugemunu is said to have overseen the work personally, being present at the construction of the relic chamber and the interring of the bowl itself. The dedication of a stupa is described in Chap. 29 of the Mahavamsa, which lists the visit of delegations from various parts of India, as well as a delegation of 30,000 monks from Alexandria of the Caucasus, led by the Indo-Greek monk Mahadharmaraksita.

Other notable works include the construction of a stupa in Mundeshiwari, current day Bihar, India.

Spiritual relationship with god "Kataragama"
Stories relating to some of the king's constructions reflect a spiritual relationship with the Kataragama deviyo. Two such sites are Henakaduwa Purana Raja Maha Viharaya at Tangalle and Ruhunu Kataragama Maha Devalaya.

During the period of preparations for war with Elara, the Kataragama deity appeared in front of King Dutugemunu and gave him a sword for him to use in the war at the present-day site of Henakaduwa temple (hena and Kaduna, meaning thunder and sword respectively in Sinhalese).

After defeating Elara in single combat in the Battle of Vijithapura and subsequently regaining power in the country, the Kataragama deity appeared yet again before Dutugemunu while the latter was in meditation at Kiri Vehera, Kataragama. The victorious king asked the deity what should be done in return for the deity's help in winning the battle. The god replied by shooting an arrow in the direction of Wedihiti Kanda from Kiri Vehera and instructed Dutugemunu to build a shrine where the arrow lands.

Death and succession
King Dutugemunu did not live to see his beloved Ruwanweliseya completed, dying before the plaster work was finished. The Mahavamsa dedicates an entire chapter to his death, which contains a poignant scene where the dying king is taken by palanquin to the vicinity of the incomplete stupa. There he also encounters his old colleague Theraputtbhya, now a monk. After some discussion of the mortality of men, the aged monarch passes away and is immediately reborn in the heavenly realm of Tusita.

A common folk tale surrounding the death of King Dutugemunu is that as he was dying he was told that Ruwanweliseya was completed in order to keep him happy. The well-intentioned plan went awry, however, when Dutugemunu asked to be shown the finished building. His brother Tissa had the entire building draped in white cloth to present the illusion of whitewash, and due to his failing eyesight Dutugemunu did not spot the difference, dying convinced that the building was finished.

Following his death Dutugemunu was succeeded by his brother Saddhatissa, rather than his disinherited son Saliya.

In popular culture

 * 2015 film Maharaja Gemunu emphasized the life of Dutugamunu until his fight with King Elara. Uddika Premarathna stars as Dutugamunu in the film. The film was directed by Jayantha Chandrasiri.
 * The teledrama Gemunu Maharaja was telecasted on Hiru TV. Character was portrayed by Malinda Perera.

title: Dutugamunu


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Staropramen Brewery

Staropramen Brewery (Pivovary Staropramen s.r.o.) in the Smíchov district of Prague is the second largest brewery in the Czech Republic. It was founded in 1869 and the brand name Staropramen, literally meaning “old spring”, was registered in 1911. It is owned by Molson Coors and its products are exported to 37 countries, mostly in Europe and North America.

History
Staropramen Brewery's history begins in 1869 when shares for a "Joint Stock Brewery in Smíchov" were offered for sale. The brewery building was completed and beer first brewed in 1871. The Ostravar Brewery opened in 1898 followed a year later by the Braník brewery; these two breweries would later merge with Staropramen.

Due to competition from other Prague breweries, the brand name Staropramen, which translates as "old spring" (water source), was registered in 1911. After the First World War, all three breweries saw a period of sustained growth, and by the 1930s Staropramen was the largest brewery in Czechoslovakia. Under communist rule after the Second World War, all Czechoslovakian breweries were nationalised, including Staropramen. After communism ended in 1989, the brewery, along with the Braník and Měšťan breweries, became in 1992 part of the Prague Breweries group (Pražské Pivovary), which by 1996 came under control of the Bass company. Bass brought Ostravar into the group in 1997, then in 2000 sold its brewing operations to Interbrew, which merged with AmBev in 2004 to form Inbev. Staropramen has seen steady growth and is currently the Czech Republic's second largest beer producer with a 15.3% share of the domestic market.

In mid October 2009, private equity fund CVC Capital Partners bought all of Anheuser–Busch InBev's holdings in Central Europe (including Staropramen) for €2.23 billion. They renamed the operations StarBev. In April 2012, Molson Coors bought StarBev.

In May 2023, it was announced that English actor Orlando Bloom is the new brand ambassador for Staropramen beer.

Products

 * Staropramen Smíchov – a pale draught beer with 4.0% ABV (in Czech: 10° or Výčepní).
 * Staropramen Jedenáctka – pale lager, contains 4.7% ABV (in Czech: 11° or Ležák).
 * Staropramen Ležák (Premium) – pale lager and flagship of the brand, contains 5.0% ABV (in Czech: 12° or Ležák).
 * Staropramen Černý – a dark beer with 4.4% ABV (in Czech: Tmavé).
 * Staropramen Nefiltr Pšeničný – an unfiltered wheat pale lager with 5.0% ABV (in Czech: Nefiltrované).
 * Staropramen Nealko – a low-alcohol beer with max. 0.5% ABV (in Czech: Nealkoholické).
 * Staropramen Extra Chmelená – an extra bitter pale lager, contains 5.2% ABV.
 * Staropramen Déčko – pale beer with reduced sugar content (dia), and 4.0% ABV.
 * Staropramen Granát – a semi-dark lager with 4,8% ABV.

The company also produces beers under the Ostravar, Braník and Velvet brands. Staropramen beers are also produced under licence in several other European countries, including Serbia (Apatin Brewery), Croatia (Zagreb Brewery), Romania (Bergenbier), and Georgia (JSC Lomisi).

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

title: Staropramen Brewery


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Red McCombs

Billy Joe "Red" McCombs (October 19, 1927 – February 19, 2023) was an American businessman. He was the founder of the Red McCombs Automotive Group in San Antonio, Texas, a co-founder of Clear Channel Communications, a past chairman of Constellis Group, a onetime owner of the San Antonio Spurs, San Antonio Force, Denver Nuggets, the Minnesota Vikings, and the namesake of the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin.

In 2022, Forbes placed the value of McCombs' fortune at $1.7 billion.

Early life
McCombs was born in rural Spur in Dickens County in West Texas, United States. His nickname "Red" came from his hair color. His father was a mechanic who earned $25 per week but tithed through the First Baptist Church of Spur each week. McCombs recalled having seen his parents "share with those who had less, and the joy of giving never ceased to amaze me."

Business career
In 1958, McCombs and his fellow salesman, Austin Hemphill, moved to San Antonio to create Hemphill-McCombs Ford, which was the foundation for what ultimately became the Red McCombs Automotive Group. McCombs served as chairman of the trustees at Southwestern University and chairman of the University of Texas's M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. His particular interest in M.D. Anderson was accentuated in 1986, when he visited a dying friend undergoing treatment there. He expressed how he was overcome by the kindness of every employee he met at the hospital. The workers, he found, had been trained to offer compassion and solace to all who come through the doors. He joined the Anderson board and in 2005 donated $30 million to the hospital. The business school at the University of Texas at Austin was renamed the Red McCombs School of Business in recognition of his $50 million donation to the institution. The $50 million actually yielded $100 million in matching funds for new faculty positions, fellowships, and scholarships.

He was the board chairman of Academi.

In 2017, McCombs filed a $1 million civil suit against seven of his former executives who he alleged took "trade secrets" from McCombs' company to begin a competing firm in Houston, F4 Resources. Defendants in the suit include William "Bill" Forney Jr., who worked with McCombs for forty-four years, former chief financial officer Ricky Halkin, vice president of operations Larry Wyont, vice president of land Charles Forney, and the vice president of geology, Philip Forney. McCombs had established McCombs Energy in Houston in 1998 by merging his 50 percent interest in his partnership with William Forney with other assets purchased from Forney. McCombs claimed that his former associates, however, lowered the proper payout that he was due from his investments. McCombs said that the former executives shattered personal relationships of some four decades.

Sports ownership
McCombs attributed the construction of the HemisFair Arena as the essential development to the success of the San Antonio Spurs. He contacted Lee Iacocca, then president of the Ford Motor Company, to seek funding for the arena to correspond with the 1968 World's Fair. At first, Iacocca offered only $250,000 for the purchase of an art object, and he scolded McCombs and ridiculed San Antonio as "that little old dusty ass town of yours down there [with] no political or economic significance to the Ford Motor Company." McCombs persisted and asked U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson to contact Henry Ford II, and in a continued heated exchange even told Iacocca that Ford needed to improve the quality of its 1968 vehicles. McCombs located other investors, and the Dallas Chaparrals came to San Antonio five years later in 1973. McCombs realized the importance of television to sports events and saw the opportunity to bring San Antonio to a national stage. Under the McCombs administration, the Spurs had their first superstar in George Gervin, called "The Iceman", who was recruited from the Virginia Squires.

Two years after taking the Spurs into the NBA, McCombs sold off his stake in the Spurs and bought another former ABA team, the Denver Nuggets. He held onto the team from 1978 until 1985, when he sold it to Sidney Shlenker. He then bought the Spurs in 1989 and ran them until he sold them in 1993. In 1998, McCombs bought the Minnesota Vikings for US$250 million. After an unsuccessful attempt to replace the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, McCombs sold the team to new (and current) owner Zygi Wilf before the 2005 NFL season. McCombs was also actively involved in thoroughbred racing and breeding for many years as a major partner in Walmac Farm, a leading American breeding farm, in Lexington, Kentucky.

McCombs was one of the first investors of the Circuit of the Americas. In December 2020 he got his 'own' corner called 'Big Red'.

Controversy
McCombs owned a piece of property surrounded by National Forest near Wolf Creek ski area, a resort in southern Colorado owned by the Pitcher family. McCombs had long wanted to develop a resort community on his property, a plan that has drawn opposition and lawsuits from environmentalists and surrounding communities. McCombs had been unsuccessful in his attempts to convince the court to remove a key roadblock preventing his proposed development. McCombs then attempted to build a 50000 acre casino resort at Navajo Canyon on Lake Powell. The local Navajo Nation chapters, local government officials, all unanimously rejected the casino proposal and any projects by McCombs.

In 2013, McCombs was found by the United States Supreme Court to have engaged in a sham tax avoidance transaction and was therefore liable for a valuation misstatement penalty.

McCombs severely criticized the 2014 University of Texas hire of Charlie Strong as football coach. He described Strong as "great position coach ... not on a par with other candidates." Three days later he apologized and pledged "total support" for Strong.

Personal life and death
McCombs was a reformed alcoholic, who could "handle his social drinking" until the age of 48, when overcome with convulsions he went into a five-day coma at a medical facility in Houston. McCombs said in a Christmas 2016 interview, "God was good to me and for whatever reason wanted me to live, because I was really dead when I left in 1975 to go to Houston on that medical plane. They told Charline, 'Go ahead and start making arrangements because we are losing him.'" McCombs said that he recovered and never again had a desire for alcohol.

The McCombs Foundation has donated more than $118 million to charity. It is operated by his daughters, who work to keep overhead at a minimum. The foundation makes small donations too, such as $1,000 to Mothers Against Drunk Driving, which are rarely publicized. McCombs had said that he was a large donor to charitable causes because "it makes me feel so good about doing it."

McCombs contributed $40,000 to Donald Trump's 2020 presidential campaign.

McCombs was married to Charline Hamblin from 1950 until her death on December 12, 2019. McCombs died at his home in San Antonio on February 19, 2023, at the age of 95.

Awards and honors

 * Texas Treasure Business Award for providing employment to Texas citizens
 * Distinguished Alumnus of The University of Texas at Austin, Longhorn of the Year and the Southwestern University Distinguished Alumnus Award
 * San Antonio Citizenship Award and induction into San Antonio Business, Texas, Texas Philanthropy, and San Antonio Sports Halls of Fame
 * Minnesota Business and Opportunities Magazine Man of the Year
 * Texas Business Hall of Fame in 1998
 * Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement in 1999. His award was presented by Awards Council member Lowry Mays.
 * National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame Gold Medal in 2001

title: Red McCombs


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Lincoln Acres, California

Lincoln Acres is an unincorporated community of San Diego County located wholly within the boundaries of the incorporated city of National City. It has a population of approximately 2,100 residents, and residents may keep livestock. Lincoln Acres has a fire station and library. The community relies on the San Diego County Sheriff's Department to provide police protection. Sheriff Deputies from the Imperial Beach station police the neighborhood. Even though it has a post office, it shares its ZIP code, 91950, with National City. However the United States Postal Service lists the zip code 91947 as being located within Lincoln Acres for P.O. Box use. The community is in area code 619.

History
Lincoln Acres was first settled during the Great Depression, mainly by farmers from the Midwest, to have small farms. It was named after Abraham Lincoln. Over time the farms became residential homes, and the population became mostly Mexican Americans. During World War II, there was one combat casualty from Lincoln Acres, Jerry Lee O'Hagen. In 1967, there was an unsuccessful attempt to annex Lincoln Acres into National City for zoning and sewer system purposes. In 1981, the community was considered as a potential location for adult businesses displaced by redevelopment of downtown National City to relocate. By 1975, the community had largely expanded to its limits, and only saw an 11% growth of population from 1975 to 1995. In 2019, a county commissioned approved the annexation of a quarter acre, adjacent to the Interstate 805 and California State Route 54 interchange, of Lincoln Acres into the City of National City.

La Vista Cemetery
The largest plot of land in Lincoln Acres is filled by the La Vista Cemetery. The cemetery has a large section that is considered an endowed cemetery, meaning money is set aside for regular maintenance and upkeep, and a non-endowed side, known as Rest Haven, where no money is set aside for maintenance, and therefore the families of those buried there are responsible for maintaining their grave sites. This means that in the Rest Haven side, there are tilted headstones and old, off-kilter wooden crosses marking the graves. People construct their own headstones for the inexpensive plots, creating a personal, individual experience for family and friends of those interred there.

Library
The first library in the community began in 1940. Lincoln Acres is served by a branch of the San Diego County Library system, and the previous building was originally built in 1945. It was purchased from the Civil Conservation Corps in Vista, and moved to its final location in 1961. At the beginning of construction of the new library building, the branch was the smallest in the County Library system. On August 6, 2010, ground was broken for a new library which would be more than three times larger than the old location. It opened in 2013, and tripled the size of the branch from its 854 square feet original size. It includes a reading room named for a late volunteer of the library, who was killed in Chula Vista in 2007; a scholarship is also awarded in his name yearly to a child within the community. After it was completed, Chicano Park muralist Sal Barajas worked with members of the community to create a mural on the new building.

Lower Sweetwater Fire Protection District
While Lincoln Acres relies on the County of San Diego for governmental services, there is one elected body that is exclusive to Lincoln Acres; the Lower Sweetwater Fire Protection District. In 1945 the fire district was formed, and a firehouse was erected next to the site of the library. , the fire district owns no fire trucks nor has any firefighters on its payroll. This special district has a board of three members who have the sole task of administering a $155,473-a-year contract with the National City Fire Department, which provides fire protection to the community. The contract is paid for by Lincoln Acres landowners' property taxes.

After the November 2006 elections, only one person was currently serving on the fire district board: Butch Fimpel. On January 9, 2007, the County Board of Supervisors appointed Mary Martinez to the board. Martinez had been previously serving on the board, but did not run for re-election in November 2006. The third remaining seat on the board remains vacant. The board meets monthly and the positions are unpaid, though in the past the board members were paid $20 per meeting.

In 2002 there was an attempt to dissolve the Lower Sweetwater Fire Protection District, "Proposition R," but the measure failed when 156 Lincoln Acres residents voted against dissolution, defeating the measure by 62%. Only 29% of the community's 882 registered voters went to the polls that day, but many of those who did vote feared dissolution of the fire district would lead to the community's annexation to National City.

title: Lincoln Acres, California


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Clameur de haro

The clameur de haro is an ancient legal injunction of restraint employed by a person who believes they are being wronged by another at that moment. It survives as a fully enforceable law to this day in the legal systems of Jersey and Guernsey, and is used, albeit infrequently, for matters affecting land.

History
The clameur was used by landowner Asselin FitzArthur to object to the burial of William the Conqueror. According to Asselin, the church where the king was to be buried was built on land unlawfully seized from his family.

Procedure
The procedure is performed on one's knees before at least two witnesses, in the presence of the wrong-doer, and in the location of the offence. The criant with his hand in the air must call out —

"Haro! Haro! Haro! À l'aide, mon Prince, on me fait tort.

(Hear me! Hear me! Hear me! Come to my aid, my Prince, for someone does me wrong.)"

Following this, the criant must recite the Lord's Prayer in French.

"Notre Père qui es aux cieux. Ton nom soit sanctifié. Ton règne vienne. Ta volonté soit faite sur la terre comme au ciel. Donne-nous aujourd'hui notre pain quotidien. Et nous pardonne nos offenses, comme nous pardonnons à ceux qui nous ont offensés. Et ne nous induis point en tentation, mais délivre-nous du mal."

On hearing this, the alleged wrong-doer must cease his challenged activities until the matter is adjudicated in court. Failure to stop will lead to the imposition of a fine, regardless of which party is in the right. If the criant is found to have called haro without a valid reason, he in turn must pay a penalty.

The clameur in Guernsey requires that a grace be said after the Lord's Prayer:

"La Grâce de Notre Seigneur Jésus Christ, la dilection de Dieu et la sanctification de Saint Esprit soit avec nous tous éternellement. Amen."

Furthermore, the grievance must be put in writing and lodged at the Greffier within 24 hours.

Limitations
Clameur de haro can be overruled. For instance, in 1778 the States of Guernsey decided to erect 15 loophole towers at various points on the coast to impede any French incursion on the island. Although most of the towers were built on the commons, or on public land above the high-water mark, three towers were to be built on private land. The States were of the opinion that the project was of such importance that if necessary they would exercise eminent domain, "notwithstanding any Clameur de Haro or any opposition whatsoever".

A clameur can also be denied by a court. In 2010, Guernsey's Deputy Bailiff denied a couple's attempt to invoke the haro, in a potential eviction action by a bank that had lent the couple money to build a home.

Recent uses
The clameur was raised in Guernsey in December 2016 to block the forcible removal of a derelict Kia Sportage from private land. Earlier that same year, a threat to use the haro was issued, in an effort to stop the redevelopment of a garden and war memorial in Guernsey.

On 14 August 2018 local resident Rosie Henderson attempted to use the clameur to stop the narrowing of the South Esplanade in Saint Peter Port, Guernsey, which she said would be a danger to both pedestrians and motorists. The court refused to register her clameur, because she does not own the land in question.

In 2021, it was used in Jersey as an attempt to prevent an eviction. The clameur was ruled as having been raised incorrectly in court on the grounds that the person raising it had lost legal title to the property and it could not be used to block court officials carrying out a court order.

In 2023, a Jersey woman invoked the clameur to halt a parish worker from trimming trees overhanging a road which ran through her property. She contended that the road had been illegally widened and therefore, the trees belonged to her, not the parish. When the matter was adjudicated, the Royal Court found that the procedure had been raised incorrectly and fined the litigant £1000. Meanwhile, legal costs to the parish were estimated to amount to £70,000.

In 2023, a Devon man invoked the clameur in Guernsey over the wrongful sale of his family home by a private interest who should have required his consent.

title: Clameur de haro


text:
Boondall railway station

Boondall railway station is located on the Shorncliffe line in Queensland, Australia. It is one of two stations serving the Brisbane suburb of Boondall, the other being North Boondall station. The station is within walking distance of the Brisbane Entertainment Centre.

Services
Boondall station is served by all stops Shorncliffe line services from Shorncliffe to Roma Street, Cannon Hill, Manly and Cleveland.

title: Boondall railway station


text: Template:Unreal series

title: Template:Unreal series


text:
Wikipedia:Requests for comment/VeryVerily2

In order to remain listed at Requests for comment, at least two people need to show that they tried to resolve a dispute with this user and have failed. This must involve the same dispute, not different disputes. The persons complaining must provide evidence of their efforts, and each of them must certify it by signing this page with ~. If this does not happen within 48 hours of the creation of this dispute page (which was: 19:55, 12 Jul 2004), the page will be deleted. The current date and time is:, 29 July 2024 (UTC).

 * (VeryVerily | talk | contributions)

Statement of the dispute
This is a summary written by users who dispute this user's conduct.

'''"There is no consensus if I disagree with it." -- VeryVerily''', on his talk page
 * Description:

 * VeryVerily, in clear contravention to established principals of Wikietiquette and consensus-building, has made repeatedly made reverted edits on George W. Bush that were agreed upon by the community. First, some background. After an edit dispute that caused the page to be temporarily protected, I initiated a poll on the talk page. VeryVerily, Kevin baas, and myself each made a proposal and a vote was taken over the next four or five days. VV’s suggestion got two, Kevin’s five, and myself 11. After a few days, it was clear that my version had been determined as the best one. Kevin, and many users who had voted for his version and VV’s accepted this, VV did not.
 * After Blankfaze had unprotected the page, and the consensus version was put in, VeryVerily made radical changes to it nine times, changing terminology and removing a relevant wikilink. In addition, VV misrepresented his edits in the summary box as "minor improvements."
 * Though both I and Gzornenplatz reverted VV’s edits back to the consensus version, VV continued to ignore consensus, even as we communicated with him, first in edit summaries and at his talk page.
 * In summary, VeryVerily ignores consensus, inserts POV, misrepresents edits in edit summaries, refuses to discuss issues.

 * Evidence of disputed behavior (provide diffs and links):
 *
 *
 *
 *

 * Applicable policies:
 * Revert wars considered harmful
 * NPOV
 * Talk page
 * Building and respecting consensus

 * Evidence of trying and failing to resolve the dispute (provide diffs and links):
 * VeryVerily's Talk page

 * Users certifying the basis for this dispute (sign with ~ ):
 * Neutrality 04:13, 25 Jul 2004 (UTC)
 * Gzornenplatz 04:25, Jul 25, 2004 (UTC)
 * Kevin Baas | talk 18:05, 2004 Jul 27 (UTC)
 * Get-back-world-respect 00:49, 3 Aug 2004 (UTC)
 * Shorne 15:41, 7 Oct 2004 (UTC)

 * Other users who endorse this summary (sign with ~ ):
 * Shard 05:48, 27 Jul 2004 (UTC)
 * I suspect this vote. Is Shard a sockpuppet? First edit 26 July 2004, and his 6th edit the very next date is voting on a user dispute? -- Cecropia | Talk 06:44, 27 Jul 2004 (UTC)
 * I agree. No sockpuppet of mine, to be sure, but I'm mighty uncertain.--Neutrality 21:19, 27 Jul 2004 (UTC)

Response
This is a summary written by the user whose conduct is disputed, or by other users who think that the dispute is unjustified and that the above summary is biased or incomplete.

 * First, it is important to note that Neutrality's claim about the poll is completely fraudulent. Neutrality altered the text after nearly all votes had been cast, to include some of the very language that is now being disputed.    By comparison, here are the changes I am trying to make:.

 * Second, nearly everything else is false. I made a significant effort to work with Neutrality, but his tactic of "Revert first and ask questions later" is obnoxious.  As Jimbo put it, "a revert is a slap in the face".  Yet that is how Neutrality handled the FOX News flare-up, where he was so intent on reverting me he by his own admission he did not even notice the edits I was making, even as I was searching for wording to please him.  Unsurprisingly, similar behavior has been manifested on the Bush article.

 * As for me "refusing to discuss issues", I have tried very hard to work constructively with this user. My last note on his Talk page was detailed and intended to be conciliatory .  He never responded.  I also replied to him on my talk page, and never got a response.  (Looking at his note on User talk:Gzornenplatz, he may not have been interested in a response, but rather was seeking to satisfy the technical requirements of an RfC page.)

 * As for me "reverting edits", almost every one of my reverts have just been restoring my own work recklessly reverted.

 * There are many users who seem very interested in seeing Bush painted in as negative a light as possible. I'm not a Bush fan myself, but I do insist that the coverage be balanced and neutral.  To say that my edits were "POV" is outrageous - point to an example of this, if you can, Neutrality.  Since primarily I was weakening overly broad claims, that is not defensible.

 * There are more details about the polling process I would add, but I've spent enough time on this. Suffice it to say that consensus requires more agreement than appears to exist.

 * Addendum: I gave detailed statistics in the Talk page, as you can see for yourself, to back up my position.

 * V V 05:15, 25 Jul 2004 (UTC)

 * 1) V V  05:14, 25 Jul 2004 (UTC) (endorsing my own summary)
 * 2) Rex071404 22:48, 27 Aug 2004 (UTC)

Outside view
This is a summary written by users not directly involved with the dispute but who would like to add an outside view of the dispute.

 * Once again, I see this as an article dispute being made into a user dispute. "To come to a court of equity, one must have clean hands" and I see Neutrality as just as stubbornly reverting other people's work both on George W. Bush and John Kerry without adequate discussion, though I will grant he wrote a reasonable piece on Kerry's medals after a couple of editors (including me) spoke to him. As with the action against User:Get-back-world-respect, I think this should be worked out in article talk. If someone wants me or another admin to the article page, I'm sure this could be done, and hash this out either on article talk (with an RfC article redirect) or make a /Temp page or /Draft page to wrangle over the changes. I realize there was a vote, but are these arguments of fact, and cannot be cast in stone by a consensus.

 * For my own part, I think the disputed language is a tempest in a teapot wasting a lor of time that could be spent editing other articles, which is why I almost never edit on the two articles in question any more. I also am against using RfC against editors except in the most egregious cases. -- Cecropia | Talk 05:43, 25 Jul 2004 (UTC)

Users agreeing with this perspective:
 * 1) Endorse own comment Cecropia | Talk 05:45, 25 Jul 2004 (UTC)
 * 2) Neutrality, I'm afraid you did shoot yourself in the foot a bit with your late changes which did weaken the neutrality of the initial proposed wording, but VV is clearly pushing things back harder than he should. Why not let the numbers speak for themselves? easy. (Minor point: By the way Neutrality, your case would have been a tiny bit stronger if you linked to diffs ov VV's changes rather than the reversions of his changes) best wishes to all Erich 11:27, 25 Jul 2004 (UTC)
 * 3) User:Neutrality is up for vote as a mediator??? This argument speaks strongly against the appointment.  Both positions are POV, and the passage in question called for a historical perspective, rather than one which is going to change week-by-week.  I find the case not proven.  Noisy 12:24, 25 Jul 2004 (UTC)
 * 4) I have to agree with this. Ilyanep (Talk) 12:59, 25 Jul 2004 (UTC)
 * 5) Yes, purely an article dispute, but I don't blame Neutrality too much. From my experience, article RfCs are usually ignored. Johnleemk | Talk 13:49, 25 Jul 2004 (UTC)

Response
"Once again, I see this as an article dispute being made into a user dispute." This is not an article dispute, this is an interpersonal dispute. The articles rightful content has already been determined on the George W. Bush talk page. VV refuses to accept this, and he reverts the changes. This is not an RfC about the content of George W. Bush, but about VV?s actions.

"I see Neutrality as just as stubbornly reverting other people's work both on George W. Bush and John Kerry without adequate discussion" Adequate discussion? The version I (and several others) reverted to was voted on and discussed extensively on the talk page. I instigated the vote and multiple users made suggestions and uses voted among them. My version got 11, his two. Most users, even the ones that did not vote for mine, accepted this. That's not "stubborness," that's sanity.

"Though I will grant he wrote a reasonable piece on Kerry's medals after a couple of editors (including me) spoke to him." This suggests that I only write unbiased pieces if I am forced to by you. Nonsense.

"As with the action against User:Get-back-world-respect, I think this should be worked out in article talk." As I said above, we worked this out on talk with a five-day long poll. The version was properly unprotected, the consensus version was put in, and VV continuously reverts. It?s a form of extortion. What else can we do on talk? Reference VV?s quote above ? ?there is no consensus if I disagree with it.? How can you negotiate with a person like that? Is VV?s opinion worth that of 11 other users, several of them respected users and sysops?

FYI: Accuser Neutrality has injected himself deeply into controversy at John Kerry as well
I suggest that this group consider that Neutrality has enaged in activites which could imply a hidden anti-Bush agenda. If that is true, this underscores perhaps his motivations against VeryVerily. A careful examination of Neutrality's actions at the George_W._Bush talk page and history will show he had considerable conflict with VeryVerily there.

Looking at that in the light of the conflict Neutrality has been invloved with me at John Kerry, leads me to believe that there is a drive to silence certain editors who disagree with him polticially. For your information, in a current Arbitration proceeding, my chief complaints against Neutrality are: Misleading/false edit summaries, excessive reversions and refusal to dialog on Talk page.

Also, please take note of the Rfc against the user name "Neutrality" and see that Neutrality is quick to "archive" anything which impacts him, while at the same time, has no problems with persuing others.

Rex071404 07:52, 15 Aug 2004 (UTC)

 * This is utterly irrelevant, and is an attempt at ad hominem logical fallacy. Kevin Baas | talk 19:04, 2004 Oct 17 (UTC)

Discussion
I don't quite understand the comments above by Cecropia et al. There was an article RfC, and the whole point here is that VeryVerily ignored its result. This is not about the article dispute; myself, I didn't even vote for Neutrality's version, but it won by a clear margin and it must be considered the best consensus that can be reached. That VeryVerily then reverted essentially to his version, which only got two votes, is a proper matter for a user RfC. I agree that Neutrality shouldn't have kept reverting either, which predictably just led to page protection, but at least he was reverting to the consensus version. The late changes Neutrality made to his version during the vote are not essential, given that VeryVerily has refused my offer to have a new vote, even sentence by sentence, saying essentially that he considers most voters here to be anti-Bush and voting accordingly, so that he can't recognize any such vote. Gzornenplatz 07:06, Jul 27, 2004 (UTC)

This is a user RfC. Notice the title of the RfC is the name of a user. The initiator of the RfC determines whether it is a user or an article RfC, and it is not anyone's place to second-guess the concern of another person. This page is for making comments regarding the actions and behavior of VV. The content of any article or the actions of any other user does not belong here, and only obfuscates the issue, impending it's proper resolution.

From an objective standpoint, so far as I can see, the allegations made against VV are objectively and indisputably accurate. After his edit was reverted, rather than discuss it on talk page, which is what I always do in such a case, as it seems to me only reasonable, he reverted again. A revert war insued. The one who makes a change is responsible for substantiating it. If there is a lasting dispute, the page should be returned to the state before the disputed change, and the dispute resolved on the talk page. If an agreement cannot be reached between all parties by reason, a poll should be taken, and the result of that poll should determine the outcome. Consensus was reached on the paragraph, by poll. While voting, the voters commented on the version that they voted for. Neutrality took the liberty of making minor changes to incorporate the suggestions of those voting for his version. I doubt that anyone who voted for his version would object to these minor changes, seeing as though they encouraged them.

The first change was made early in the poll: notably->significantly, and a link was inserted. The second change, which was made perhaps inappropriately late, was signifcantly->much. However late, this change complied with the suggestions of those voting for the version. It is reasonable to infer, thus, that the final version still reflects consensus, perhaps even more than the initial version. The page became unprotected, and the final version was inserted.

Soon afterwards, VV unilaterally made, as I concur with Neutrality, radical changes to the paragraph, diluting it (which is a form of POV) such as "is much lower"->"tends to be lower", and added irrelevant and false information: "although significant minorites continue to report favorable views" - as anyone familiar with demographics knows, minorities predominately vote democratic, and anyone politically informed knows they are "significantly" perturbed by the current president. The introduction of "significant" to such a demographically misleading insertion, after the reverse change of "is much"->"tends to be" clearly constitutes a strong shift away from established consensus and towards a POV. This objectively violates consensus and NPOV. Kevin Baas | talk 00:01, 2004 Jul 28 (UTC)

Oh, and regarding the outside view again - there is no article dispute. The paragraph is not disputed. Consensus was reached, quite recently in fact. I repeat, there is no article dispute. Kevin Baas | talk 00:19, 2004 Jul 28 (UTC)

User's conduct has not changed
I don't know if it's appropriate for me to continue this here, if not, I apologize in advance. I thought it should be noted that the VeryVerily has continued to conduct himself in the manner described above, resulting in the George W. Bush page being protected once again. (The page had been protected due to VV's obstinate violation of consensus at about the same time this RfC was posted. after some time it became unprotected. Today it has become protected again.) This occured after repeated attempts from multiple users to convince him to use due process (discuss substantial changes to a disputed article on the talk page first, esp. sensitive sections which have explicit consensus). In my opinion, VV has been very uncooperative, and I can't think of any actions of his in the past couple of weeks that could be construed as examples of cooperation. Kevin Baas | talk 01:21, 2004 Aug 3 (UTC)

 * Today, VeriVerily engaged in as many as three revert wars: George W. Bush, Anti-American sentiment had to be protected, I also requested the same action at Project for the New American Century. At Anti-American sentiment he even started the same edit war that had led to protection the last time right away after protection was removed. He had refused to discuss in the meantime, in spite of several requests of several users. Veriverily does not even summarize his controversial edits.

    Get-back-world-respect 01:30, 3 Aug 2004 (UTC)

VeryVerily's behaviour has still not changed. He keeps reverting two sections of the George W. Bush article (those regarding his popularity and the 2000 election) to versions different from those supported by majorities on the talk page. Gzornenplatz 02:54, Aug 14, 2004 (UTC)

User's conduct still has not changed
still revert warring on Bush, two more pages to add to the list now: Domestic policy of the George W. Bush administration, Anti-American sentiment. Still not discussing. Still violating policy. The only thing about VV's conduct that has changed is the scale: he is now conducting himself this way on more pages, with less discussion.

Kevin Baas | talk 05:21, 2004 Sep 8 (UTC)

 * Even deletes factual information he does not like

and repeatedly reincludes dozens of typos because he is too lazy and stubborn to defend his ideological position otherwise (  "a couple typos are small potatoes to the serious content issues"). Get-back-world-respect 07:27, 9 Sep 2004 (UTC)

All signed comments and talk not related to a vote or endorsement, should be directed to this page's discussion page.

More evidence of disruptive and destructive behaviour from VeryVerily
I am not party to the dispute over the article on George Bush, but I should like to point out that user VeryVerily has shown the very same pattern of disruptive and destructive behaviour in numerous other articles, among them Henry Kissinger, Pol Pot, Kim Jong-il, Communist state, and Khmer Rouge. The article Henry Kissinger was frozen last night because VeryVerily kept reverting everything that didn't suit him.

He simply reverts changes wholesale, often without even picking out those that should be uncontroversial (such as spelling corrections), and inserts one-sided, even factually incorrect statements over and over. Repeated attempts to get him to discuss proposed changes on the talk pages have led to almost nothing; the occasional accusation of being a "vandal" or a "Stalinist" is about all that he ever posts. He seems hellbent on making articles one-sided—or keeping them that way if, as in many cases, they already are.

There can be no consensus or compromise with someone who insists on getting his way. I and others have sought compromise, but (ab)user VeryVerily will not even meet us halfway. Something must be done to keep this user from waging constant edit wars that merely waste everyone's time and clutter up the database (and the history, which has become all but useless for several articles) with reversions. I also do not believe that mere stubbornness and hardihood are the creators of truth and that the most brazen propagandist should be allowed to prevail by dint of wearing everyone else out by repeatedly inserting or deleting the same old text until (he hopes) other people give up and yield to his petulant demands.

This person also colludes with other troublemakers, notably TDC and Adam Carr, who behave in much the same way.

I remain available to provide details if necessary. The evidence itself is, of course, available for all to see. Shorne 15:40, 7 Oct 2004 (UTC)

 * Obviously, these charges are absurd. Shorne wanted to add to the intro of the Kissinger article that he killed 600,000 Cambodians.  I even offered a rejected compromise.  I never called anyone here a Stalinist, and the only person I've called a vandal in a long time is someone who vandalized my user page several times. Very Verily  01:06, 8 Oct 2004 (UTC)

 * Why do you lie when the truth is so easy to see? I've been adding the statement that Kissinger has been widely accused of war crimes. Anyone can confirm this by reading the history for Henry Kissinger. As for compromises, see the talk page. Of the two of us, I am the only one who has made any efforts in this direction.

 * Readers are also welcome to examine VeryVerily's destructive behaviour in the other four articles I mentioned, as well as in South Korea and probably some others. Shorne 01:48, 8 Oct 2004 (UTC)

Reversion of a disputed page
VeryVerily also just now reverted the page Pol Pot, which was and is marked. Such pages are not supposed to be reverted until the issues are resolved. He merely asserted that the issues had been resolved, which is not so, and reverted the page to his preferred propaganda-filled version. Shorne 07:28, 8 Oct 2004 (UTC)

 * I am the author of the twoversions template. One is supposed to put it up instead of reverting.  Shorne reverted and then added it.  Furthermore, it's not appropriate here, since he is objecting to an issue which was resolved on the Talk page long ago. Very Verily  05:40, 10 Oct 2004 (UTC)

More trouble from VeryVerily
Please see Henry Kissinger and its corresponding talk page. Summary: The page was protected because VeryVerily kept insisting on his POV in the introduction. Negotiations on the phrasing were smooth and easy; we quickly reached a unanimous agreement on the wording. VeryVerily did not participate. The page was unprotected. I made the change to which everyone had agreed. VeryVerily came along minutes later and changed it. Obviously this person contemns the opinions of everyone else and insists on getting his own POV into the article. Shorne 05:23, 10 Oct 2004 (UTC)

 * I participated in that discussion actively. There was no "POV" in my version at all. Very Verily  05:42, 10 Oct 2004 (UTC)
 * Please. Just let this page die already. VV and I have no quarrel anymore. [[User:Neutrality|Neutrality (talk)]] 05:45, Oct 10, 2004 (UTC)
 * Is that because you think your complaint that "VeryVerily ignores consensus, inserts POV, misrepresents edits in edit summaries, refuses to discuss issues" is no longer true, or is it that you now think it's OK to ignore consensus, insert POV, misrepresent edits in edit summaries, and refuse to discuss issues? Gzornenplatz 06:01, Oct 10, 2004 (UTC)
 * To Neutrality: You may not have a complaint against VV, but I have lots. The comments that I have written here show clearly how obstructive, dishonest, and impossible VeryVerily is being. If this is not the place for them, I apologise; I came here at someone else's request. Please tell me where to file the complaints, and I shall be glad to transfer them. Shorne 06:12, 10 Oct 2004 (UTC)
 * Please do file a new RfC. Jumbling different complaints together is confusing. [[User:Neutrality|Neutrality (talk)]] 15:14, Oct 10, 2004 (UTC)
 * The complaints seem to be the same. /Tuomas 09:38, 11 Oct 2004 (UTC)

Free-for-all
VeryVerily has lent his assistance to an edit-warring faction at communist state. He just now rejoiced "it's a free for all! [sic]" while repeatedly reverting a change. Shorne 06:18, 10 Oct 2004 (UTC)

VeryVerily's merit
I think VeryVerily does a great job, hampering Shorne's efforts to turn Wikipedia into a site representing a communist point of view only. Boraczek 07:16, 11 Oct 2004 (UTC)

 * Unfortunately, his methods are very much in conflict with Wikipedia's written guidelines, and as his methods are seen as successful by a host of POV-pushers, more and more seem to follow his bad example. Wikipedia's reluctance to deal with this kind of problem pushes Wikipedia in the direction of the Usenet Newsgroups. /Tuomas 09:37, 11 Oct 2004 (UTC)

 * Indeed. The site is degenerating because of VeryVerily and his ilk. If it goes to hell because of the inaction of the administrators, they will have only themselves to blame.
 * See Requests for mediation and Requests for arbitration for my official complaints (and those of others) against VeryVerily. Shorne 10:31, 11 Oct 2004 (UTC)
 * I think you have no right to complain about that, Shorne, as your reversion practices are not any better than VerVerily's, and your pushing POV is the real cause of the conflict between you and VeryVerily. Boraczek 10:41, 11 Oct 2004 (UTC)

 * Exactly THAT is the kernel of the problem. The "ilk" seem to multiply by provoking mirror-images. /217.209.167.238 10:56, 11 Oct 2004 (UTC)

 * I can see how VV might feel that Shorne (and other contributors here) is biased towards a communist point of view - but what makes VerilyVerily`s behavior particularly unacceptable is that he doesn`t even try to reach a consensus... and even admits to inserting POV bias into pages. I understand that everyone is a human being and therefore biased, but VerilyVerily doesn`t even seem to be trying to achieve NPOV here on Wikipedia, and seems to want everyone else to agree with his POV. If they don`t... well, we all know VV participates in edit wars with unsurpassed enthusiasm. --Ce garcon 12:13, 11 Nov 2004 (UTC)

 * Absolute nonsense. I have never inserted POV into articles, I have no ambitions of getting anyone to agree with my POV, and I am far from enthusiastic about edit wars, but regard them as preferable to having the hard work of myself and others ruined by the rampages of a few clueless communist apologists, trolls, and vandals.  None of these actors are trying to reach a consensus with me or anyone, although many have tried to reach them (remember I have close to a year of experience with "Ruy Lopez").  Rather, we are dealing with users who are persistently trying to erase vast amounts of material and replace it with long-discredited polemical communist gibberish, wild theories, heavy and loaded rhetoric, and obscene whitewashing of documented atrocities.  To say they are "biased" greatly understates the case. Very Verily  12:45, 11 Nov 2004 (UTC)

 * I have never seen Shorne try to reach an agreement with VeryVerily. I have only seen Shorne call VeryVerily asshole, jerk, racist, etc. No wonder VeryVerily is not too encouraged to try to reach a consensus with Shorne. Boraczek 15:17, 11 Nov 2004 (UTC)

 * I no longer waste my time with someone so obviously stubborn and unwilling to discuss anything. But I have wasted a great deal of time before in a vain attempt to resolve disputes with VeryVerily. If you are interested in the facts, check Khmer Rouge, South Korea, Human rights in the United States, Project for the New American Century, and numerous other articles. The evidence is all permanently displayed on talk pages; it cannot be gainsaid. Shorne 15:26, 11 Nov 2004 (UTC)
 * Well, I have never seen Boraczek try to reach an agreement with Shorne. Instead, people go through Shorne's user history and repeadely revert just about every edit he makes. I'm not even sure that these users are even checking to see the changes he makes to the text. 172 15:37, 11 Nov 2004 (UTC)
 * Indeed, they often do not. Recently VeryVerily was brought up short and sharp for reverting even spelling corrections (something Boraczek has also been known to do). He ended up tacitly admitting that he had not even examined the batch of changes before reverting it. Shorne 17:04, 11 Nov 2004 (UTC)
 * And then VeryVerily tacitly admitted to eating babies, for which he was also sternly rebuked. Very Verily 00:35, 12 Nov 2004 (UTC)
 * I will not even bother to reply to those vile slanders. Boraczek 09:25, 12 Nov 2004 (UTC)
 * What I find amusing is that Shorne maliciously accused me of reverting spelling corrections and only 13 hours later he reverted a spelling correction because he didn't even check what he was reverting. See this:, line 8. Boraczek 13:03, 12 Nov 2004 (UTC)
 * I didn't notice that one word in the midst of a heap of POV stuff. The correction has been restored. Shorne 14:42, 12 Nov 2004 (UTC)

ArbCom temporary order
1) Gzornenplatz and VeryVerily are banned from editing any article having to do with German or Polish subjects whilst Arbitration is on-going. Sysops may use their discretion in determining what falls into these areas, and are hereby authorised to enact 24 hour blocks for violations of this.

 * Incorrect. This version is mav's unilateral revision of a measure voted upon by the kangaroo court of arbitrators. Please check the history of this page for the authentic version. Shorne 13:28, 15 Nov 2004 (UTC)

2) Gzornenplatz, Kevin Baas, Shorne, and VeryVerily are banned from reverting any article more than twice in one 24 hour period whilst Arbitration is on-going. Sysops are hereby authorised to enact 24 blocks for violations of this.

See Requests for arbitration/Gzornenplatz, Kevin Baas, Shorne, VeryVerily. --mav 12:02, 15 Nov 2004 (UTC)

 * Also see Wikipedia talk:Requests for arbitration/Gzornenplatz, Kevin Baas, Shorne, VeryVerily for a discussion of mav's corruption. Shorne 13:28, 15 Nov 2004 (UTC)


text:
Snow Patrol

Snow Patrol are a Northern Irish-Scottish rock band formed in 1994 in Dundee, Scotland. The band consists of Gary Lightbody (vocals, guitar), Nathan Connolly (guitar, backing vocals), and Johnny McDaid (guitar, piano, keyboards, backing vocals); Lightbody is the band's sole remaining original member.

After briefly using the name Polarbear, releasing the EP Starfighter Pilot (1997) and losing Morrison as a member, the band became Snow Patrol in 1997 and added Jonny Quinn to the lineup as drummer. Their first two studio albums, Songs for Polarbears (1998) and When It's All Over We Still Have to Clear Up (2001), released by the independent record label Jeepster Records, were commercially unsuccessful. The band then signed to the major record label Polydor Records in 2002, with Connolly joining as lead guitarist shortly thereafter.

Their major-label debut album, Final Straw, was released the following year. "Run", the record's biggest hit, saw the band rise to national fame as part of the post-Britpop movement. The album was certified 5× platinum in the UK. In 2005, McClelland left the band and was replaced by Paul Wilson. Their next studio album, Eyes Open (2006), and its hit single "Chasing Cars"—reported in 2019 to be the most-played song of the 21st century on UK radio —propelled the band to greater international fame. The album topped the UK Albums Chart and was the best-selling British record of the year. In 2008, Snow Patrol released their fifth studio album, A Hundred Million Suns. In 2011, their sixth studio album, Fallen Empires, was published. The band published their seventh and most recent record, Wildness, on 25 May 2018. Quinn and Wilson left the group in 2023.

During the course of their career, Snow Patrol have won seven Meteor Ireland Music Awards and been nominated for six Brit Awards and one Grammy. Final Straw, Eyes Open, and A Hundred Million Suns have sold ten million copies worldwide, combined.

Early years (1994–1997)

Snow Patrol were originally formed in early 1994 by University of Dundee students Gary Lightbody, Mark McClelland, and Michael Morrison under the name Shrug. The band started by performing gigs at the university and surrounding pubs such as Lucifer's Mill. Their first EP was entitled The Yogurt vs. Yoghurt Debate. In 1996, they changed their name to Polarbear to avoid issues with any American bands that were also named Shrug. Shortly afterwards, drummer Michael Morrison left the group after suffering a breakdown and returned to Northern Ireland. In mid-1997, Polarbear released a three-track EP, Starfighter Pilot, on the Electric Honey label. The band again renamed, this time to Snow Patrol in 1997, because of a naming conflict with a band named Polar Bear, fronted by ex-Jane's Addiction bassist Eric Avery.

Songs for Polarbears and When It's All Over We Still Have to Clear Up (1997–2001)

Snow Patrol joined independent label Jeepster in 1997. Jeepster had the same idea for Snow Patrol as the approach they had with Belle & Sebastian, who had become popular by word of mouth, without heavy promotion. The band were happy to be associated with an indie label, because it provided them greater independence than a major label would. At that time, they were quoted as saying Jeepster wouldn't expect them to have a strict work ethic or focus too much on promotional efforts.

Snow Patrol's debut album, Songs for Polarbears, was released in 1998 after the band had started living in Glasgow. Lightbody was then working at the Nice n Sleazy's Bar in Sauchiehall Street. The album was a critical success but did not make any impact commercially. The same year, the band came close to getting featured in a worldwide advertisement for Philips. Gomez was ultimately signed. In 1999, Snow Patrol won the "Phil Lynott Award for Best New Band" by Irish music magazine Hot Press. In 2001, still living in Glasgow, the trio followed up with When It's All Over We Still Have to Clear Up. Like its predecessor, the album was praised by critics but did not sell.

The band began to work harder and tour more. They slept on fans' floors after concerts and pretended to be members of Belle & Sebastian to get into nightclubs. They owed rent to their landlords and used to receive regular visits and letters from them when on tour. After the failure of the second album, Snow Patrol began to realise that the label's lax attitude towards management and record promotion, qualities that had initially attracted them to Jeepster, was likely holding them back. The band's manager at the time was Danny McIntosh. Lightbody has described him as "the angriest man in pop: great, great man". He has said that he loved the band "with every atom in his body" and was never angry towards them. Lightbody has credited their manager with keeping the band together in those years. McIntosh had a gold-coloured splitter bus, in which the band used to travel to play concerts.

Jeepster dropped Snow Patrol in 2001, a decision that was criticised by Hot Press magazine as brainless. By July 2001, many major labels had started showing interest in the band, who were cash-strapped and had no record deal. Lightbody sold a major part of his record collection to raise money to keep the band going. The singer calls the time "miserable" but he was confident they would get signed to another label quickly. However, the music scene in the United Kingdom had turned its attention to American bands, and British bands were not getting signed. The group spent this time constantly writing songs. Lightbody, bored at this point, assembled The Reindeer Section, a Scottish supergroup, and found a record label to release the project's recordings. Quinn said that though the time was hard for everyone involved except for Nathan, the question of splitting up never arose. It was during this time the band wrote "Run" (which had been around since 2000) in a room on an acoustic guitar, which later became the band's breakthrough single. The band's "low point" came when they played a concert to eighteen people at a popular strip club in High Wycombe. The show took place in a shoddy VIP area, and the management had to unscrew poles used by pole dancers to make space for the band to play, something that Gary would later joke about whilst performing at a sold-out Wembley Arena. Quinn calls the show "horrendous". Desperate for attention, the band raised £200 to nominate themselves for a Mercury Prize but failed to get shortlisted.

Final Straw (2002–2005)
In 2002, Snow Patrol began to be managed and published by Jazz Summers of Big Life.

Guitarist Nathan Connolly, previously a member of the band File Under Easy Listening, had been working in an HMV store room in Belfast at the time. Connolly and the band had a mutual friend, who introduced them to him. Connolly moved to Glasgow to join Snow Patrol in the spring of 2002.

During Lightbody and McClelland's years at the University of Dundee, they had been noticed by Richard Smernicki, a senior student. Richard's brother Paul had come to know the band as well. Richard graduated in 1996, two years before Lightbody and McClelland, to become Polydor's Scottish A&R representative. Paul became Polydor's Press and Artist Development Manager and Fiction's label manager. Later, Jim Chancellor, an A&R executive for Fiction, and fellow talent scout Alex Close, approached Snow Patrol in Glasgow to listen to their demos, and judged them on "the quality of the songs", according to Lightbody. Chancellor introduced them to producer Jacknife Lee, who despite having been a guitarist in 1990s punk rock band Compulsion, had no rock production experience at that point, being known instead for his work with Basement Jaxx and Eminem.

Final Straw was released on 4 August 2003, under Black Lion, a subsidiary of Polydor Records. Its music was along the same lines as the band's first two albums, and no attempt was made to change the sound to something more radio-friendly. The release of Final Straw in the US in 2004 saw the album sell more than 250,000 copies and become the 26th-most popular album in the UK of that year. The album was eventually certified five-times platinum in the UK. In mid-2005, during their tour to support Final Straw, the band toured with U2 as an opening act on the Vertigo Tour in Europe. That summer also saw Snow Patrol playing a short set in London at the worldwide benefit concert Live 8. After finishing their opening act duties and extensive two-year tour of Final Straw in late July, the band took a few weeks off and began writing and recording songs for a new album. Snow Patrol's new version of John Lennon's "Isolation" was released on 10 December 2005 as part of the Amnesty International campaign Make Some Noise. The song was later issued on the 2007 John Lennon tribute album, Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur.

Eyes Open and worldwide success (2005–2007)

On 16 March 2005, McClelland left the band, with Lightbody stating, "a whole new set of new and unexpected pressures...have unfortunately taken their toll on working relationships within the band, and it was felt the band could not move forward with Mark as a member." At the end of March 2005, former Terra Diablo member Paul Wilson was announced as the official replacement for McClelland, and Snow Patrol also declared longtime touring keyboardist Tom Simpson an official member of the band.

Snow Patrol completed the recording of Eyes Open in December 2005, with Jacknife Lee returning for production. The album was released on 28 April 2006 in Ireland and 1 May 2006 in the UK, with the first UK single, "You're All I Have", coming out on 24 April 2006. The record was released in North America on 9 May. While "Hands Open" was the first American single, "Chasing Cars" pushed its way onto the download and pop charts after it was heard during an emotional scene in the second-season finale of the American medical drama Grey's Anatomy on 15 May 2006. On 23 July 2006, "Chasing Cars" had the distinction of being the last song performed live on the BBC's Top of the Pops. The song peaked at number 6 on the UK Singles Chart and number 5 on the US Billboard Hot 100.

On 26 November 2006, Eyes Open had become the best-selling album of 2006 in the UK, selling 1.5 million copies. It was also the 15th best-selling album of the 2000s and is one of the best-selling albums in UK chart history.

At the 2007 Grammy Awards, "Chasing Cars" was nominated for Best Rock Song and at the 2007 Brit Awards, the song was nominated for Best British Single. 1 September 2007 saw Snow Patrol headlining a "homecoming" mini-festival in Lightbody and Jonny Quinn's home town of Bangor, County Down. Around 30,000 people came to see the band.

A Hundred Million Suns (2008–2009)
Lightbody stated that recording for the follow-up to Eyes Open was to begin in Autumn 2006, with Jacknife Lee returning a third time for production.

The band kicked off their Taking Back the Cities Tour on 26 October 2008. Singer Miriam Kaufmann toured with the band and sang backing vocals, most notably on "Set the Fire to the Third Bar", which originally featured Martha Wainwright. The UK & Ireland Arena Tour ended on 23 March. The final show was played at the Odyssey in Belfast to a 9,000-strong crowd, including family and friends of the band, and the Northern Irish football squad. It was also reported that the band played to an estimated 200,000 fans during the tour.

Snow Patrol next visited South Africa to play a few dates at the Coca-Cola Zero Festival, supporting Oasis, before beginning a European leg of the tour. In June, they supported Coldplay for a month on the Viva la Vida Tour.

The band also released a compilation album featuring tracks from their fifteen-year history, Up to Now, on 9 November 2009. It includes thirty tracks spanning two CDs, of which three are new songs. "Just Say Yes", a track written by Lightbody and earlier recorded by Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger and X Factor star Diana Vickers, was released as the lead single on 2 November. The album additionally contains covers and rarities, including songs from the band's side project, The Reindeer Section. Snow Patrol expressed wishes to make a tour documentary in the future, along the lines of U2's Rattle and Hum.

In December 2009, the PPL announced "Chasing Cars" was the most-played song of the decade in the UK. The same month, in a UK poll conducted by Channel 4, it was voted the nation's favourite "song of the noughties". In January 2010, the band were nominated in three categories in the annual Meteor Awards. They also played at the event, on 19 February 2010 at The RDS.

Fallen Empires (2010–2012)
In 2009, Snow Patrol stated they would enter their "next phase" with the release of their sixth album. The band took a new musical direction, and Connolly advised fans to keep an open mind regarding the new material. On 12 January 2011, Lightbody launched a blog to give details about the progress of the band's next release.

Snow Patrol released the single "Called Out in the Dark" (remixed by Fatboy Slim) for radio airplay on 21 July 2011 on BBC Radio 1 on Zane Lowe's radio show. According to official sources, the single itself would be released independently and as part of an EP later on and the UK release date was said to be 4 September. More details on the EP were announced on 3 August, when the group's website revealed the artwork and track list contents. Along with the new single, the release contained three new tracks, entitled "My Brothers", "I'm Ready", and "Fallen Empires". In addition, it was revealed that the EP was intended to be a digital release limited to the UK and Ireland.

Shortly after the premiere of the new lead single, the quintet's official website confirmed the news that the name of the new album would be Fallen Empires. Fallen Empires was released on 14 November 2011 in the UK and was launched at O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire. Singer-songwriter Johnny McDaid, after being involved in the album as a guest musician and songwriter, would then join the band on the subsequent tour and eventually become a full member of Snow Patrol.

The second single from Fallen Empires was "This Isn't Everything You Are", released on 13 November 2011.

Greatest Hits (2013–2018)
The band released a compilation entitled Greatest Hits on 14 May 2013.

Snow Patrol headlined the Tennent's Vital festival in August 2013 and performed a special warm-up show in London before the festival. After the show, they announced that Simpson would be leaving the band.

Wildness and Quinn and Wilson's departure (2018–2023)

The follow-up to Fallen Empires was initially due for release in 2016. Lightbody told NME that he had to overcome a bout of writer's block and that the songs written for the new album were scrapped before being replaced by new "mind-boggling" material.

On 28 January 2018, the band's social media announced the upcoming release of their seventh studio album, entitled Wildness, which was published on 25 May 2018.

In November 2018, they released the EP What If This Is All the Love You Ever Get?, which featured remixes of the eponymous track, from Wildness. The band released their third compilation album, Reworked, on 8 November 2019, and followed it up with a tour.

On 1 September 2023, Lightbody announced on the band's Instagram account that Quinn and Wilson had decided to leave. He also announced that a new album would be coming out sometime in 2024, stating that Snow Patrol would be continuing as a trio of himself, Connolly, and McDaid. Wilson's decision to leave Snow Patrol was due to his diminishing creative role in the band and feeling like his heart was no longer in the project.

The Forest Is the Path (2024)
On 29 May 2024, Snow Patrol unveiled "The Beginning", the first single from their upcoming Fraser T. Smith-produced album, The Forest Is the Path, due for release on 13 September.

Contributions
In 2009, Snow Patrol curated the 22nd album in the Late Night Tales series of mix albums. The band covered the INXS song "New Sensation" for the occasion. Lightbody has also spoken of plans to release songs from the Listen... Tanks! project (with Snow Patrol producer Jacknife Lee) and Tired Pony, a country group. In 2014, the band contributed a new song, "I Won't Let You Go", to the soundtrack for the film Divergent.

Appearances
On 30 July 2006, Snow Patrol appeared on the finale of the long-running BBC music show Top of the Pops, performing "Chasing Cars". The band were the last act to appear on the show.

On 7 July 2007, they performed at the UK leg of Live Earth at Wembley Stadium, London. Shortly after their performance, Simpson was arrested at RAF Northolt for missing a court date in Glasgow, having been charged with possession of cocaine.

Other ventures
Snow Patrol founded Polar Music, a publishing company run through Kobalt Music. The venture is independent from the band's publishing deal with Universal Music. Polar Music was planned to sign artists regardless of their genre, as drummer Jonny Quinn explained: "there is no agenda—if it's good enough and we believe in it 110%, we will sign it." Quinn, and his fellow band members Connolly and Lightbody, are acting as A&R. The company's first signing was Johnny McDaid, previously of the Northern Irish band Vega4. Quinn has said that they wish to sign artists to a one-album deal and do not want to put undue pressure on the artists with bigger, multi-year contracts. Polar Music had its initial chart hit in the first week of October 2009.

Gary Lightbody and Tom Simpson are both fans of the football club Dundee F.C. In 2008, they met the club's board of directors to find ways to financially help the struggling club. The band also owns a stake in the Houndstooth Pub in New York City.

Philanthropy
On 25 November 2007, Snow Patrol performed an acoustic session for the charity Mencap at Union Chapel, Islington. They were one of the main bands to take part in the project, called "Little Noise Sessions", which was curated by Jo Whiley.

In 2009, Lightbody and Connolly donated plectrums and certificates to the Music Beats Mines project, which aims to clear unexploded mines/landmines from conflict zones. The items were auctioned on eBay.

Recognition
Other musicians, such as Ozzy Osbourne, Bono, Michael Stipe, and Nikki Sixx, have expressed admiration for Snow Patrol. Terri Hooley, founder of the Good Vibrations label and a lifelong supporter of local Northern Irish music, has expressed pride in bands like Snow Patrol.

Awards and nominations
"Chasing Cars" was voted Song of the Decade on Channel 4's programme The Song of the Decade, which was broadcast on 28 December 2009. On 30 December 2009, Phonographic Performance Limited announced "Chasing Cars" was the most-played song of the decade in the UK. Ten years later in 2019, it was reportedly still the most played song of the 21st century in the UK.

In June 2010, the band were commemorated with a Heritage Award by PRS for Music. A plaque was erected on the Duke of York pub in Belfast, where Snow Patrol performed their first gig. The band were the sixth to receive the award, with all its members turning out. They later performed a live set to a small crowd of around thirty people.

Band members
Current members
 * Gary Lightbody – lead vocals, rhythm guitar (1994–present), piano, keyboards (1994–2005), lead guitar (1994–2002)
 * Nathan Connolly – lead guitar, backing vocals (2002–present)
 * Johnny McDaid – piano, rhythm guitar, keyboards, backing vocals (2011–present)

Current touring musicians
 * Richard Colburn – drums (1996–1997, 2019), percussion, keyboards (1996–1997, 2008–present)

 * Ash Soan – drums (2024–present)
 * Ben Epstein – bass (2024–present)

Former members
 * Mark McClelland – bass, keyboards, piano (1994–2005)
 * Michael Morrison – drums (1994–1996)
 * Jonny Quinn – drums, percussion (1997–2023)
 * Tom Simpson – keyboards, piano, samples (2005–2013; touring 1996–2005)
 * Paul Wilson – bass (2005–2023), guitar (touring; 2000–2005),   keyboards, backing vocals (2000–2023)

Former touring musicians
 * Iain Archer – guitars, lap steel guitar, backing vocals (2001–2002, 2009, 2019 )
 * Colm MacAthlaoich – trumpet (2001–2002, 2019)
 * Miriam Kaufmann – backing vocals, keyboards, glockenspiel (2006–2007, 2008–2012, 2019)
 * Graham Hopkins – drums (2007)
 * Troy Stewart – additional guitars (2008–2013)
 * Ruth O’Reilly – french horn, backing vocals (2009, 2019)
 * Stella Page – violin, backing vocals (2009, 2019)
 * Jote Osahn – violin, backing vocals (2019)
 * Vince Greene – viola (2019)
 * Ivan Hussey – cello (2019)

Timeline

Discography

 * Songs for Polarbears (1998)
 * When It's All Over We Still Have to Clear Up (2001)
 * Final Straw (2003)
 * Eyes Open (2006)
 * A Hundred Million Suns (2008)
 * Fallen Empires (2011)
 * Wildness (2018)
 * The Forest Is the Path (2024)

title: Snow Patrol


text:
Talk:Renormalizable

"... general relativity are non-renormalizable. This problem is a hint that these theories should be replaced by a more complete theory at very short distance. These more complete theories are ... string theory..."

It's presumptuous to assume string theory is the underlying theory of quantum gravity. Phys 04:19, 25 Jul 2004 (UTC)

 * Indeed, it is. I've changed it. Greets, David [[image:Da Vit in Chu Nôm.jpg|23px|Da Vit]] 13:42, 7 December 2006 (UTC)

title: Talk:Renormalizable