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Ryūsei Nakao

Tomoharu Takeo (竹尾 智晴), known by his stage name Ryūsei Nakao (中尾 隆聖), is a Japanese actor, voice actor and singer, hailing from Tokyo. He is attached to 81 Produce and worked under the name of Tomoharu Minamiya (南谷 智晴). He is married and has a son and a daughter.

His voice tends to land him in the roles of characters with high-pitched voices and utterly sadistic personalities. As a voice actor, he is best known for his roles in Soreike! Anpanman (as Baikinman), Dragon Ball series (as Tambourine, Frieza, Cooler, Chilled and Frost), Touch (as Ishami Nishimura), Niko Niko Pun (as Porori), Do-Re-Mi-Fa Donuts (as Resshi), Hotch Potch Station (as Echikettojii-san), Moomin (as Sniff), Topo Gigio (as Topo Gigio), Bleach (as Mayuri Kurotsuchi), One Piece (as Caesar Clown & Dr. Indigo) and Beast King GoLion (as Takashi Shirogane)

Television animation

 * 1960s
 * Uchū Patrol Hopper (1965) – Jun (first voice)
 * Animal 1 (1968) – Tomoharu Takeo, Tōichirō
 * Attack No. 1 (1969) – Student
 * 1970s
 * Akaki Chi no Eleven (1970) – Hayato Taki (second voice)
 * Marvelous Melmo (1971) – Shogo Chikaishi
 * Kum-Kum (1975) – Roman
 * 3000 Leagues in Search of Mother (1976) – Miguel
 * 1980s
 * Mighty Atom (1980) – Sam
 * Ashita No Joe 2 (1980) – Carlos Rivera
 * Beast King GoLion (1981) – Takashi Shirogane, Ryō Shirogane
 * Thunderbirds 2086 (1982) – Sammy Edkins Junior
 * Igano Kabamaru (1983) – Igano Kabamaru
 * Touch (1985) – Isami Nishimura
 * Anmitsu Hime (1986) – E.T.
 * Uchuusen Sagittarius (1986) -Binta
 * Dragon Ball (1988) – Tambourine
 * Saint Seiya (1988) – Kraken Isaac
 * Soreike! Anpanman (1988) – Baikinman
 * Chimpui (1989) – Majirō
 * City Hunter 3 (1989) – Toru Kazama
 * Jungle Emperor (1989) – Totto
 * Time Patrol Pon (1989) – Louie
 * 1990s
 * Dragon Ball Z (1990) – Frieza
 * Delightful Moomin Family (1990) – Sniff
 * Holly the Ghost (1991) – Toreppā
 * Montana Jones (1994) – Alfred Jones
 * Don't Leave Me Alone, Daisy (1997) – Iwan
 * Dragon Ball GT (1997) – Frieza
 * Monster Farm (1997) – Taichō Rōdorannā
 * AWOL -Absent Without Leave- (1998) – Pete Kuruten
 * Cowboy Bebop (1998) – Rocco Bonnaro
 * Devilman Lady (1998) – Jason Bates
 * Weiß Kreuz (1998) – Farfarello
 * Yu-Gi-Oh (1998) – Trump Bomber
 * 2000s
 * Baby Felix (2000) – Marty
 * Gakkō no Kaidan (2000) – Amanojaku
 * Shinzo (2000) – Gyaza
 * One Piece (2001) – Whirlwind Eric, father, Indigo, Caesar Clown
 * Digimon Frontier (2002) – Lucemon (Falldown Mode and Satan Mode)
 * Jing: King of Bandits (2002) – Kir
 * Midnight Horror School (2002) – Yumyum
 * Pecola (2002) – Saruyama-san
 * Rockman.EXE (2002) – Snakeman
 * Requiem from the Darkness (2003) – Mataichi
 * Beet the Vandel Buster (2004) – Shaggy
 * Bleach (2005) – Mayuri Kurotsuchi
 * Buzzer Beater (2005) – Han
 * Ginga Legend Weed (2005) – Smith
 * Kaiketsu Zorori (2005) – Akuma (devil)
 * Rockman.EXE Beast (2005) – ZoanoSnakeman
 * Demashita! Powerpuff Girls Z (2006) – Kare, advertisement narration
 * ''Gintama (2006) – Daraku
 * D.Gray-man (2007) – Eshi
 * Princess Resurrection (2007) – Shigara
 * Mokke (2007) – Izuna
 * Mononoke (2007) – Genkei
 * Shōnen Onmyōji (2007) – Chishiki no Gūji
 * GeGeGe no Kitarō (fifth series) (2008) – Onmoraki
 * Rosario + Vampire (2008) – Tadashi Wanibuchi
 * Scarecrowman (2008) – Crash
 * Dragon Ball Kai (2009) – Frieza
 * Golgo 13 (2009) – Asshu
 * Sōten Kōro (2009) – Narration
 * 2010s
 * Naruto Shippuden (2010) – Nekomata
 * The World God Only Knows (2010) – Kodama
 * Suite PreCure (2011) – Noise
 * Persona 4: The Animation (2012) – Ameno-Sagiri
 * Doraemon (2012) – Majime
 * Bakumatsu Rock (2014) – Yoshida Shōin
 * Mushishi: The Next Chapter (2014) – Suguro
 * Space Dandy (2014) – Minato
 * One-Punch Man (2015) – Vaccine Man
 * Rin-ne (2015) – Fireworks Seller (Episode 21)
 * Dragon Ball Super (2016) – Frieza, Frost
 * Haikyū!! (2016) – Tanji Washijō
 * ACCA: 13-Territory Inspection Dept. (2017) – Falke II
 * Pop Team Epic (2018) – Popuko (Episode 3-B)
 * How to Keep a Mummy (2018) – Aayan
 * Garo: Vanishing Line (2018) – King
 * Magical Girl Site (2018) – Nana
 * Skull-face Bookseller Honda-san (2018) – Majutsushi
 * The Ones Within (2019) – Wall
 * Mix (2019) – Isami Nishimura
 * 2020s
 * Oda Cinnamon Nobunaga (2020) – Matsunaga "Buu" Hisahide
 * Lapis Re:Lights (2020) – Board Game (Episode 5)
 * Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War (2022) – Mayuri Kurotsuchi
 * Rent-A-Girlfriend (2022) – Katsuhito Ichinose
 * Trigun Stampede (2023) – William Conrad
 * Ron Kamonohashi's Forbidden Deductions (2023) – Disguise Instructor

Original video animation (OVA)

 * Armored Trooper Votoms: The Last Red Shoulder (1985) – Murza Melym
 * Baribari Legend (1987) – Hideyoshi Hijiri
 * Crying Freeman (1988) – Huáng Dé-Yuán
 * Armored Trooper Votoms: The Red Shoulder Document: Roots of Ambition (1988) – Murza Melym
 * Legend of the Galactic Heroes (1989) – Louis Mashengo
 * Wizardry (1991) – Frank
 * Chameleon (1992) – Akio Kugo
 * Dragon Ball Z Side Story: Plan to Eradicate the Saiyans (1993) – Frieza, Cooler
 * Armitage the Third (1995) – Rene D'anclaude
 * Golgo 13 "Queen Bee" (1998) – Thomas Wolson
 * Psychic Force (1998) – Brad Kilsten
 * Rurouni Kenshin: Trust & Betrayal (1999) – Iizuka
 * Alien Nine (2001) – Borg
 * Usagi-chan de Cue!! (2001) – Chou of Benten
 * Jing, King of Bandits: Seventh Heaven (2004) – Kir
 * Saint Seiya: The Lost Canvas (2009) – Icelus
 * Dragon Ball: Episode of Bardock (2011) – Chilled, Frieza

Theatrical animation

 * Doraemon: Nobita's Little Star Wars (1985) – PCIA soldier
 * Saint Seiya (1987) – Christ (Ghost Saint of Southern Cross)
 * The Five Star Stories (1989) – Decors
 * Soreike! Anpanman series (1989–) – Baikinman
 * Dragon Ball Z: Cooler's Revenge (1991) – Cooler, Frieza
 * Dragon Ball Z: The Return of Cooler (1992) – Metal-Cooler
 * Dragon Ball Z: Fusion Reborn (1995) – Frieza
 * The Doraemons series (1997–2001) – El Matadora (third voice)
 * Jigoku Sensei Nūbē: Gozen 0 Toki Nūbē Shizu (1997) – Pierro
 * Meitantei Conan: 14 Banme no Target (1998) – Kohei Sawaki
 * Blade of the Phantom Master (2004) – Byun
 * Bleach: Memories of Nobody (2006) – Mayuri Kurotsuchi
 * Bleach: The DiamondDust Rebellion (2007) – Mayuri Kurotsuchi
 * Bleach: Fade to Black (2008) – Mayuri Kurotsuchi
 * One Piece Film: Strong World (2009) – Dr. Indigo
 * Welcome to the Space Show (2010) – Neppo
 * Go! Princess Precure (2015) – Night Pumpkin
 * Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection 'F' (2015) – Frieza
 * Dragon Ball Super: Broly (2018) – Frieza
 * Shimajiro to Ururu no Heroland (2019) – Takoyaki Mask
 * Seven Days War (2019) – High-Level Politician
 * Doraemon: Nobita's Sky Utopia (2023) – Doctor Ray

Television drama

 * Taiyō ni Hoero! (1982) – George
 * Yūsha Yoshihiko (2011) – Demon King Galius (voice)

Radio drama

 * Cat's Eye (xxxx) – Toshio Utsumi

Drama CD

 * Hayō no Tsurugi (xxxx, first CD) – Anshu
 * Weiss Kreuz Dramatic Image Album Vier & Fünf: Schwarz Ein & Zwei (xxxx) – Farfarello
 * Chouai (xxxx) – Yuuta Hagiwara
 * Psychic Force Sound Story (xxxx) – Brad Kilsten
 * Kyuuketsuhime Miyu Seiyou Shinma-hen (xxxx) – Cait Sith

Video games

 * Dragon Ball series – Frieza, Cooler, Kuriza, Tambourine
 * Cosmic Fantasy (1990) – Baron
 * Kaze no Densetsu Xanadu (1994) – Jiido
 * Psychic Force (1995) – Brad Kilsten
 * Puzzle Bobble 4 (1998) – Develon, Madame Luna
 * Tail Concerto (1998) – Fool
 * Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere (1999) – Simon Orestes Cohen
 * Super Puzzle Bobble (1999) – Develon
 * Persona 2: Innocent Sin (1999) – Tatsuya Sudō
 * Bōken Jidai Katsugeki Goemon (2000) – Shujaku
 * The Bouncer (2000) – Kou Leifou
 * Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001) – Professor Quirinus Quirrell (Japanese dub)
 * Kidō Senshi Gundam: Gihren no Yabō: Zeon Dokuritsusenzō Ki (2002) – Thomas Kurutsu
 * Raijin Ping-Pong (2002) – Kaiji
 * Kidō Senshi Gundam: Senshitachi no Kiseki (2004) – Thomas Kurutsu
 * Kingdom Hearts II (2005) – Ling
 * Musashi: Samurai Legend (2005) – Shiraz
 * Battle Stadium D.O.N (2006) – Frieza
 * Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts (2008) – Narrator (Japanese dub)
 * El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron (2011) – Sariel
 * Demons' Score (2012) – David
 * Genso Suikoden: Tsumugareshi Hyakunen no Toki (2012) – Zoshiomu
 * One Piece: Unlimited World Red (2013) – Caesar Clown
 * Saint Seiya: Brave Soldiers (2013) – Kraken Isaac
 * Bakumatsu Rock (2014) – Shoin Yoshida
 * Chaos Rings III (2014) – Shyamalan
 * J-Stars Victory VS (2014) – Frieza
 * One Piece: Super Grand Battle! X (2014) – Caesar Clown
 * One Piece Kings (2014) – Caesar Clown
 * Granblue Fantasy (2014) – Anre (Uno)
 * Lego Dimensions (2015) – The Riddler (Japanese dub)
 * Star Ocean: Anamnesis (2016) – Coro
 * Yakuza 6: The Song of Life (2016) – Katsumi Sugai
 * Spider-Man (2018) – Scorpion (Japanese dub)
 * Nioh 2 (2020) – Imagawa Yoshimoto
 * Valkyrie Elysium (2022) – Fenrir

Tokusatsu

 * Ultra Q (1966) – Mamoru (ep. 13)
 * Denshi Sentai Denjiman (1980) – Go Koyuki (ep. 26)
 * Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger (2004) – Rainian Agent Abrella
 * Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger The Movie: Full Blast Action (2004) – Rainian Agent Abrella
 * Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger vs. Abaranger (2004) – Rainian Agent Abrella
 * Ultraman Mebius & Ultraman Brothers (2006) – Alien Nackle
 * Kamen Rider Den-O (2007) – Jelly Imagin (eps. 19-20)
 * Kamen Rider Kiva (2008) – Ladybug Fangire (eps. 19-20)
 * Tensou Sentai Goseiger (2010) – Bugntes Alien Ucyuseruzo of Influenza (ep. 5)
 * Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger the Movie: The Flying Ghost Ship (2011) – Rainian Agent Abrella (eps. 2-50)
 * Shuriken Sentai Ninninger (2015) – Masakage Tsugomori (eps. 13-44)

Live action film and series Japanese dubbing

 * And Just Like That... – Steve Brady (David Eigenberg)
 * Conan the Barbarian (1989 TV Asahi edition) – Subotai (Gerry Lopez)
 * ER – Duncan Stewart (Ewan McGregor)
 * G-Force – Speckles (Nicolas Cage)
 * The Glenn Miller Story (2000 TV Tokyo edition) – Chummy MacGregor (Harry Morgan)
 * Hannibal – Mason Verger (Gary Oldman)
 * Lucky Stars Go Places – Long Legs (Anthony Chan)
 * Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation – Solomon Lane (Sean Harris)
 * Mission: Impossible – Fallout – Solomon Lane (Sean Harris)
 * The Mummy (2002 NTV edition) – Jonathan Carnahan (John Hannah)
 * Prisoners (2016 BS Japan edition) – Franklin Birch (Terrence Howard)
 * Some Like It Hot (2012 Wowow edition) – Gerald/"Daphne" (Jack Lemmon)
 * Wasabi (2004 TV Tokyo edition) – Maurice/Momo (Michel Muller)
 * West Side Story (1979 TBS edition) – Chino Martin (Jose De Vega)

Animated film and series Japanese dubbing

 * Aaahh!!! Real Monsters – Ickis
 * Anastasia – Bartok
 * Animaniacs – Yakko Warner
 * Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas – Fife
 * Darkwing Duck – Drake Mallard/Darkwing Duck
 * Dinosaur – Zini
 * Donkey Kong Country – Cranky Kong
 * The Exploits of Moominpappa: Adventures of a Young Moomin – Sniff, Muddler
 * FernGully: The Last Rainforest – Batty Koda
 * Hop – Phil
 * Lady and the Tramp – Tramp
 * Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure – Tramp
 * Legend of the Three Caballeros – José Carioca
 * Mulan – Ling
 * Mulan II – Ling
 * The Reflection – Jim
 * The Road to El Dorado – Miguel
 * The Secret Life of Pets – Snowball
 * The Secret Life of Pets 2 – Snowball
 * Shazzan – Chuck (Under his birthname, "Tomoharu Takeo")
 * Star Wars: The Clone Wars (film) – Ziro the Hutt
 * Star Wars: The Clone Wars (TV) – Ziro the Hutt
 * The Swan Princess – Jean-Bob
 * The Swan Princess: The Mystery of the Enchanted Kingdom – Jean-Bob
 * The Swan Princess II: Escape from Castle Mountain – Jean-Bob
 * The Three Caballeros (1994 dub ver) – José Carioca
 * The Twisted Tales of Felix the Cat – Felix
 * Tiny Toon Adventures – Buster Bunny
 * Tom and Jerry Tales – Droopy

3D ride Japanese dubbing

 * The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man – Electro

title: Ryūsei Nakao


text:
Worst-case execution time

The worst-case execution time (WCET) of a computational task is the maximum length of time the task could take to execute on a specific hardware platform.

What it is used for
Worst case execution time is typically used in reliable real-time systems, where understanding the worst case timing behaviour of software is important for reliability or correct functional behaviour.

As an example, a computer system that controls the behaviour of an engine in a vehicle might need to respond to inputs within a specific amount of time. One component that makes up the response time is the time spent executing the software – hence if the software worst case execution time can be determined, then the designer of the system can use this with other techniques such as schedulability analysis to ensure that the system responds fast enough.

While WCET is potentially applicable to many real-time systems, in practice an assurance of WCET is mainly used by real-time systems that are related to high reliability or safety. For example, in airborne software some attention to software is required by DO178C section 6.3.4. The increasing use of software in automotive systems is also driving the need to use WCET analysis of software.

In the design of some systems, WCET is often used as an input to schedulability analysis, although a much more common use of WCET in critical systems is to ensure that the pre-allocated timing budgets in a partition-scheduled system such as ARINC 653 are not violated.

Calculation
Since the early days of embedded computing, embedded software developers have either used:
 * end-to-end measurements of code, for example performed by setting an I/O pin on the device to high at the start of the task, and to low at the end of the task and using a logic analyzer to measure the longest pulse width, or by measuring within the software itself using the processor clock or instruction count.
 * manual static analysis techniques such as counting assembler instructions for each function, loop etc. and then combining them.

Both of these techniques have limitations. End to end measurements place a high burden on software testing to achieve the longest path; counting instructions is only applicable to simple software and hardware. In both cases, a margin for error is often used to account for untested code, hardware performance approximations or mistakes. A margin of 20% is often used, although there is very little justification used for this figure, save for historical confidence ("it worked last time").

As software and hardware have increased in complexity, they have driven the need for tool support. Complexity is increasingly becoming an issue in both static analysis and measurements. It is difficult to judge how wide the error margin should be and how well tested the software system is. System safety arguments based on a high-water mark achieved during testing are widely used, but become harder to justify as the software and hardware become less predictable.

In the future, it is likely that a requirement for safety critical systems is that they are analyzed using both static and measurement-based approaches.

Considerations
The problem of finding WCET by analysis is equivalent to the halting problem and is therefore not solvable in the general. Fortunately, for the kind of systems that engineers typically want to find WCET for, the software is typically well structured, will always terminate and is analyzable.

Most methods for finding a WCET involve approximations (usually a rounding upwards when there are uncertainties) and hence in practice the exact WCET itself is often regarded as unobtainable. Instead, different techniques for finding the WCET produce estimates for the WCET. Those estimates are typically pessimistic, meaning that the estimated WCET is known to be higher than the real WCET (which is usually what is desired). Much work on WCET analysis is on reducing the pessimism in analysis so that the estimated value is low enough to be valuable to the system designer.

WCET analysis usually refers to the execution time of single thread, task or process. However, on modern hardware, especially multi-core, other tasks in the system will impact the WCET of a given task if they share cache, memory lines and other hardware features. Further, task scheduling events such as blocking or to be interruptions should be considered in WCET analysis if they can occur in a particular system. Therefore, it is important to consider the context in which WCET analysis is applied.

Automated approaches
There are many automated approaches to calculating WCET beyond the manual techniques above. These include:
 * analytical techniques to improve test cases to increase confidence in end to end measurements
 * static analysis of the software (“static” meaning without executing the software).
 * combined approaches, often referred to as “hybrid” analysis, being a combination of measurements and structural analysis

Static analysis techniques
A static WCET tool attempts to estimate WCET by examining the computer software without executing it directly on the hardware. Static analysis techniques have dominated research in the area since the late 1980s, although in an industrial setting, end-to-end measurements approaches were the standard practice.

Static analysis tools work at a high-level to determine the structure of a program's task, working either on a piece of source code or disassembled binary executable. They also work at a low-level, using timing information about the real hardware that the task will execute on, with all its specific features. By combining those two kinds of analysis, the tool attempts to give an upper bound on the time required to execute a given task on a given hardware platform.

At the low-level, static WCET analysis is complicated by the presence of architectural features that improve the average-case performance of the processor: instruction/data caches, branch prediction and instruction pipelines, for example. It is possible, but increasingly difficult, to determine tight WCET bounds if these modern architectural features are taken into account in the timing model used by the analysis.

Certification authorities such as the European Aviation Safety Agency, therefore, rely on model validation suites.

Static analysis has resulted in good results for simpler hardware, however a possible limitation of static analysis is that the hardware (the CPU in particular) has reached a complexity which is extremely hard to model. In particular, the modelling process can introduce errors from several sources: errors in chip design, lack of documentation, errors in documentation, errors in model creation; all leading to cases where the model predicts a different behavior to that observed on real hardware. Typically, where it is not possible to accurately predict a behavior, a pessimistic result is used, which can lead to the WCET estimate being much larger than anything achieved at run-time.

Obtaining tight static WCET estimation is particularly difficult on multi-core processors.

There are a number of commercial and academic tools that implement various forms of static analysis.

Measurement and hybrid techniques
Measurement-based and hybrid approaches usually try to measure the execution times of short code segments on the real hardware, which are then combined in a higher level analysis. Tools take into account the structure of the software (e.g. loops, branches), to produce an estimate of the WCET of the larger program. The rationale is that it's hard to test the longest path in complex software, but it is easier to test the longest path in many smaller components of it. A worst case effect needs only to be seen once during testing for the analysis to be able to combine it with other worst case events in its analysis.

Typically, the small sections of software can be measured automatically using techniques such as instrumentation (adding markers to the software) or with hardware support such as debuggers, and CPU hardware tracing modules. These markers result in a trace of execution, which includes both the path taken through the program and the time at which different points were executed. The trace is then analyzed to determine the maximum time that each part of the program has ever taken to execute, what the maximum observed iteration time of each loop is and whether there are any parts of the software that are untested (Code coverage).

Measurement-based WCET analysis has resulted in good results for both simple and complex hardware, although like static analysis it can suffer excessive pessimism in multi-core situations, where the impact of one core on another is hard to define. A limitation of measurement is that it relies on observing the worst-case effects during testing (although not necessarily at the same time). It can be hard to determine if the worst case effects have necessarily been tested.

There are a number of commercial and academic tools that implement various forms of measurement-based analysis.

Research
The most active research groups are in USA (American Michigan University ), Sweden (Mälardalen, Linköping), Germany (Saarbrücken, Dortmund, Braunschweig), France (Toulouse, Saclay, Rennes), Austria (Vienna), UK (University of York and Rapita Systems Ltd), Italy (Bologna), Spain (Cantabria, Valencia), and Switzerland (Zurich). Recently, the topic of code-level timing analysis has found more attention outside of Europe by research groups in the US (North Carolina, Florida), Canada, Australia, Bangladesh(MBI LAB and RDS), Kingdom of Saudi Arabia-UQU(HISE LAB), Singapore and India (IIT Madras, IISc Bangalore).

WCET Tool Challenge
The first international WCET Tool Challenge took place during the autumn of 2006. It was organized by the University of Mälardalen and sponsored by the ARTIST2 Network of Excellence on Embedded Systems Design. The aim of the Challenge was to inspect and to compare different approaches in analyzing the worst-case execution time. All available tools and prototypes able to determine safe upper bounds for the WCET of tasks have participated. The final results were presented in November 2006 at the ISoLA 2006 International Symposium in Paphos, Cyprus.

A second Challenge took place in 2008.

Articles and white papers

 * Data-Flow Frameworks for Worst-Case Execution Time Analysis
 * Worst-Case Execution Time Prediction by Static Program Analysis (PDF)
 * OTAWA, a Framework for Experimenting WCET Computations (PDF)
 * WCET Tool Challenge 2006 extended test results analysis of final report (Journal article in Springer)
 * WCET Tool Challenge 2006 final report (PDF)
 * A compiler framework for the reduction of worst-case execution times (PDF)

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

title: Worst-case execution time


text:
Def FX

Def FX was an Australian band founded in 1990 by keyboardist Sean Lowry. Members included Fiona Horne on lead vocals, Blake Gardiner on guitar and Martyn Basha on bass. They released four albums between 1992 and 1996 before disbanding in April 1997. For United States releases and touring, the band used the name Definition FX to avoid confusion with similarly named groups.

Def FX's music included elements of electronic dance music, grunge and pop. Basha and Horne resurrected the band for touring in 2012 and 2013.

History
Def FX were formed in 1990 in Sydney with the line-up of Martyn Basha on bass guitar, Blake Gardner on lead guitar (both ex-Bezerk), Fiona Horne on lead vocals (ex-Mothers) and Sean Lowry on record player with a padlock on it, sequencers and samples (ex-King Prawn). According to Australian musicologist, Ian McFarlane, their "intention from the outset was to mix energetic dance beats with hardcore grungy rock ... equall[ing] a spiralling, trance-inducing blast of electronic dance music." Larry Van Kriedt was a "hidden fifth member" on saxophone and sequencers (ex-AC/DC, Non Stop Dancers); he "also co-wrote much of the band's early material."

Def FX's debut release was a four-track extended play, Water, in June 1991 via Phantom Records. It featured the song, "Surfers of the Mind", which Joanna Palmer of Tharunka described as "a violent whirlpool of high-voltage house metal where [Horne] puts her larynx through a militant aerobic workout, while the cool delivery of [Lowry]'s 21st century gospel raps around her." The track appeared on national radio station, Triple J's listeners' poll for 1991. They toured Australia, and promoted it with the band's first music video. Water was produced by Nick Mainsbridge. At the ARIA Music Awards of 1992 the EP was nominated for Best Independent Release and Producer of the Year.

They followed with a second EP, Surge, in November, which included the track, "Under the Blue". A third EP, Blink (June 1992), included the track, "Sex/Game/Sucker". Gardner was replaced on guitar by Dave Stein late in 1992. Lowry summarised the group's attitude to signing with a major label, "It was always important to stay independent long enough to set the parameters of the band, so that anyone who came on board would be clear what the band was like and how it should be marketed."

Their first album, Light Speed Collision, was released in November 1992 in a vinyl-only format via Phantom Records; it appeared in CD format through EMI in the following February. The album included guest vocals by New Zealand pop singer, Margaret Urlich. For its United States version, on RCA/BMG in June 1993, the band used the name, Definition FX, to avoid confusion with a US band, Das EFX. They reordered the tracks and added material from two of their EPs. Lowry explained to Nic Haygarth of The Canberra Times that "People get the misconception that because we're a technology-based band we do a lot of our work and development of songs in the studio, but I suppose what we do there is attempt to transfer the live show to record, and we might put up a very rough mock-up of a song and start playing it."

The second album, Baptism, released in 1993, is a compilation of three Australian-released EPs Water, Surge and Blink as well as a 12-inch single, "Surfers of the Mind". Baptism featured the track, "Make Your Stash", which is apparently so rare that Horne had no idea of its existence when presented it for autographing by a dedicated Def FX fan. The single was rather atypical of Def FX, in that it had no cover art and no B-sides, which had characterised their EPs. The band usually preferred to make each release, be it album or EP, a conceptual work that made full use of the compact disc format that had recently come into commercial prominence. At the ARIA Music Awards of 1993 Blink was nominated for Best Independent Release.

Three more EPs followed No Time for Nowhere (March 1993), Space Time Disco (June) and Post Moronic (September 1994). At the end of 1993 Basha had departed and his duties on bass guitar were taken up by Van Kriedt. Post Moronic appeared on the ARIA Singles Chart in the top 50. One of its tracks, "Masses Like Asses", was listed on the Triple J Hottest 100, 1994.

Ritual Eternal (1995), their third album, is more experimental: including tracks without standard guitars and others with Charlie McMahon on didgeridoo (ex-Gondwanaland Project), who also joined Def FX on tour. It was recorded and produced almost entirely by Lowry, following the cancellation of their contract with EMI, and was issued via independent label Cicada Music and distributed by MDS. McFarlane felt the CD was "over-ambitious". Ritual Eternal introduced their new bass guitarist, Peter Tasker, who was forced out of the band months later and replaced by Sean Fonti (ex-Massappeal, Caligula). At the ARIA Music Awards of 1995 they were nominated for Best Independent Release for their third album.

In October 1995 they issued the EP, Psychoactive Summer, which also reached the top 50 on the ARIA Charts. It was followed by their fourth album, Majick, in mid-year, which peaked at No. 21 on the ARIA Albums Chart. It provided four singles. The band dissolved in May of that year with the split announced by Horne on ABC-TV's Saturday morning youth variety show, Recovery.

Post break up and reunions
Fiona Horne followed Def FX with musical releases 'Shut Up and Kiss Me' with Paul McDermott and a solo single "Let's Go Out Tonight" (both achieving chart success) before subsequently become a writer, with 15 books including one autobiography, and two oracle decks. Her books explore the subject of Modern Witchcraft. She is an actress, as well as a performer in reality television as both host and contestant; she used to appear on the Hamish and Andy radio programme. In March 2007 Horne released her first solo CD, Witch Web, based on her spiritual practice.

Sean Lowry completed his Ph.D in 2003 at the University of Sydney. Lowry is now an academic, writer and visual artist. Sean Fonti formed Primary with brother Jamie Fonti also from Caligula and vocalist, Connie Mitchell.

With Horne and Basha as the sole original members, Def FX reunited and embarked on a national tour in May–June 2012, performing in east coast state capitals. Joining the pair were electronic musician Ant Banister (Clan Analogue) on keyboard and vocals and Wiley Cochrane on guitar, as well as an appearance by Jesse Basha (son of bassist Martyn Basha). From October to November 2013 they reformed again to play shows in Adelaide, Melbourne, Newcastle, Sydney and Brisbane. More recently in 2019 they reformed again for a sold out east coast Australia tour. In 2023, they reformed for another east coast tour.

Horne formed rock band, SEAWITCH playing guitar, singing and as songwriter in 2020 with former Hellmenn guitarist, Dave Hopkins. SEAWITCH released five videos in two years, one self titled EP and their debut album, 'Well of Spells' released on the Cheersquad Label on 30 October 2022 debuted at Number 2 on the AIR Record Chart.

ARIA Music Awards
The ARIA Music Awards are a set of annual ceremonies presented by Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), which recognise excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of the music of Australia. They commenced in 1987.

! Ref.
 * 1992
 * Water
 * Best Independent Release
 * Nominated
 * Nominated

title: Def FX


text:
Aquatic toxicology

Aquatic toxicology is the study of the effects of manufactured chemicals and other anthropogenic and natural materials and activities on aquatic organisms at various levels of organization, from subcellular through individual organisms to communities and ecosystems. Aquatic toxicology is a multidisciplinary field which integrates toxicology, aquatic ecology and aquatic chemistry.

This field of study includes freshwater, marine water and sediment environments. Common tests include standardized acute and chronic toxicity tests lasting 24–96 hours (acute test) to 7 days or more (chronic tests). These tests measure endpoints such as survival, growth, reproduction, that are measured at each concentration in a gradient, along with a control test. Typically using selected organisms with ecologically relevant sensitivity to toxicants and a well-established literature background. These organisms can be easily acquired or cultured in lab and are easy to handle.

History
While basic research in toxicology began in multiple countries in the 1800s, it was not until around the 1930s that the use of acute toxicity testing, especially on fish, was established. Due to the wide use of the organochlorine pesticide DDT [l,l,l-trichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethane] and its linkage to causing fish death, the field of aquatic toxicology grew. At first, studies focused mainly on oysters and mussels, as they could not move away from the toxic environment. The results of these studies eventually led to the implementation of programs that monitor concentrations of aquatic pollutants in oysters and mussels, such as the Mussel Watch program of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Over the next two decades, the effects of chemicals and wastes on non-human species became more of a public issue and the era of the pickle-jar bioassays began as efforts increased to standardize toxicity testing techniques.

In the United States, the passage of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1947 marked the first comprehensive legislation for the control of water pollution and was followed by the Federal Water Pollution Control Act in 1956. In 1962, public and governmental interests were renewed, in large part due to the publication of Rachel Carson's Silent Spring, and three years later the Water Quality Act of 1965 was passed, which directed states to develop water quality standards. Public awareness, as well as scientific and governmental concern, continued to grow throughout the 1970s and by the end of the decade research had expanded to include hazard evaluation and risk analysis. In the subsequent decades, aquatic toxicology has continued to expand and internationalize so that there is now a strong application of toxicity testing for environmental protection.

Aquatic toxicology is continuing to evolve as risk assessment is becoming more practiced in the field. The field is gaining popularity as it has begun to link the effects of pollutants on marine animals to humans who eat fish and other marine life.

Aquatic toxicity tests
Aquatic toxicology tests (assays): toxicity tests are used to provide qualitative and quantitative data on adverse (deleterious) effects on aquatic organisms from a toxicant. Toxicity tests can be used to assess the potential for damage to an aquatic environment and provide a database that can be used to assess the risk associated within a situation for a specific toxicant. Aquatic toxicology tests can be performed in the field or in the laboratory. Field experiments generally refer to multiple species exposure, but single species can be caged for a set duration, and laboratory experiments generally refer to single species exposure. A dose–response relationship is most commonly used with a sigmoidal curve to quantify the toxic effects at a selected end-point or criteria for effect (i.e. death or other adverse effect to the organism). Concentration is on the x-axis and percent inhibition or response is on the y-axis.

The criteria for effects, or endpoints tested for, can include lethal and sublethal effects (see Toxicological effects).

There are different types of toxicity tests that can be performed on various test species. Different species differ in their susceptibility to chemicals, most likely due to differences in accessibility, metabolic rate, excretion rate, genetic factors, dietary factors, age, sex, health and stress level of the organism. Common standard test species are the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas), daphnids (Daphnia magna, D. pulex, D. pulicaria, Ceriodaphnia dubia), midge (Chironomus tentans, C. riparius), rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), sheepshead minnow (Cyprinodon variegatu), zebra fish (Danio rerio), mysids (Mysidopsis), oyster (Crassotreas), scud (Hyalalla Azteca), grass shrimp (Palaemonetes pugio) and mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis). As defined by ASTM International, these species are routinely selected on the basis of availability, commercial, recreational, and ecological importance, past successful use, and regulatory use.

A variety of acceptable standardized test methods have been published. Some of the more widely accepted agencies to publish methods are: the American Public Health Association, US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), ASTM International, International Organization for Standardization, Environment and Climate Change Canada, and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Standardized tests offer the ability to compare results between laboratories.

There are many kinds of toxicity tests widely accepted in the scientific literature and by regulatory agencies. The type of test used depends on many factors: Specific regulatory agency conducting the test, resources available, physical and chemical characteristics of the environment, type of toxicant, test species available, laboratory vs. field testing, end-point selection, and time and resources available to conduct the assays are some of the most common influencing factors on test design.

Exposure systems
Exposure systems are four general techniques the controls and test organisms are exposed to the dealing with treated and diluted water or the test solutions.
 * Static. A static test exposes the organism in still water. The toxicant is added to the water in order to obtain the correct concentrations to be tested. The control and test organisms are placed in the test solutions and the water is not changed for the entirety of the test.
 * Recirculation. A recirculation test exposes the organism to the toxicant in a similar manner as the static test, except that the test solutions are pumped through an apparatus (i.e. filter) to maintain water quality, but not reduce the concentration of the toxicant in the water. The water is circulated through the test chamber continuously, similar to an aerated fish tank. This type of test is expensive and it is unclear whether or not the filter or aerator has an effect on the toxicant.
 * Renewal. A renewal test also exposes the organism to the toxicant in a similar manner as the static test because it is in still water. However, in a renewal test the test solution is renewed periodically (constant intervals) by transferring the organism to a fresh test chamber with the same concentration of toxicant.
 * Flow-through. A flow-through test exposes the organism to the toxicant with a flow into the test chambers and then out of the test chambers. The once-through flow can either be intermittent or continuous. A stock solution of the correct concentrations of contaminant must be previously prepared. Metering pumps or diluters will control the flow and the volume of the test solution, and the proper proportions of water and contaminant will be mixed.

Types of tests
Acute tests are short-term exposure tests (14 days or less) and generally use lethality as an endpoint. In acute exposures, organisms come into contact with higher doses of the toxicant in a single event or in multiple events over a short period of time and usually produce immediate effects, depending on absorption time of the toxicant. These tests are generally conducted on organisms during a specific time period of the organism's life cycle, and are considered partial life cycle tests. Acute tests are not valid if mortality in the control sample is greater than 10%. However, this control acceptability criterion is dependent upon the species and the duration of the test. Results are reported in EC50, or concentration that will affect fifty percent of the sample size.

Chronic tests are long-term tests (weeks, months years), relative to the test organism's life span (>10% of life span), and generally use sub-lethal endpoints. In chronic exposures, organisms come into contact with low, continuous doses of a toxicant. Chronic exposures may induce effects to acute exposure, but can also result in effects that develop slowly. Chronic tests are generally considered full life cycle tests and cover an entire generation time or reproductive life cycle ("egg to egg"). Chronic tests are not considered valid if mortality in the control sample is greater than 20%. These results have generally been reported in NOECs (No observed effects level) and LOECs (Lowest observed effects level). However, NOECs and LOECs are becoming less common as endpoints are dependent on the concentration series chosen for the test. These reports are starting to become a topic of debate in the field because of the way it may alter the results of the tests. For example, if the concentration rate of the NOEC is 100, 50, 25, 11.25, 6.25 and the toxicology is reported at 2%, the NOEC would report the concentration as 6.25.

Early life stage tests are considered as subchronic exposures that are less than a complete reproductive life cycle and include exposure during early, sensitive life stages of an organism. These exposures are also called critical life stage, embryo-larval, or egg-fry tests. Early life stage tests are not considered valid if mortality in the control sample is greater than 30%.

Short-term sublethal tests are used to evaluate the toxicity of effluents to aquatic organisms. These methods are developed by the EPA, and only focus on the most sensitive life stages. Endpoints for these test include changes in growth, reproduction and survival. NOECs, LOECs and EC50s are reported in these tests.

Bioaccumulation tests are toxicity tests that can be used for hydrophobic chemicals that may accumulated in the fatty tissue of aquatic organisms. Toxicants with low solubilities in water generally can be stored in the fatty tissue due to the high lipid content in this tissue. The storage of these toxicants within the organism may lead to cumulative toxicity. Bioaccumulation tests use bioconcentration factors (BCF) to predict concentrations of hydrophobic contaminants in organisms. The BCF is the ratio of the average concentration of test chemical accumulated in the tissue of the test organism (under steady state conditions) to the average measured concentration in the water.

Freshwater tests and saltwater tests have different standard methods, especially as set by the regulatory agencies. However, these tests generally include a control (negative and/or positive), a geometric dilution series or other appropriate logarithmic dilution series, test chambers and equal numbers of replicates, and a test organism. Exact exposure time and test duration will depend on type of test (acute vs. chronic) and organism type. Temperature, water quality parameters and light will depend on regulator requirements and organism type.

In the US, many wastewater dischargers (e.g., factories, power plants, refineries, mines, municipal sewage treatment plants) are required to conduct periodic whole effluent toxicity (WET) tests under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program, pursuant to the Clean Water Act. For facilities discharging to freshwater, effluent is used to perform static-acute multi-concentration toxicity tests with Ceriodaphnia dubia (water flea) and Pimephales promelas (fathead minnow), among other species. The test organisms are exposed for 48 hours under static conditions with five concentrations of the effluent. The major deviation in the short-term chronic effluent toxicity tests and the acute effluent toxicity tests is that the short-term chronic test lasts for seven days and the acute test lasts for 48 hours. For discharges to marine and estuarine waters, the test species used are sheepshead minnow (Cyprinodon variegatus), inland silverside (Menidia beryllina), Americamysis bahia, and purple sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus).

Sediment tests
At some point most chemicals originating from both anthropogenic and natural sources accumulate in sediment. For this reason, sediment toxicity can play a major role in the adverse biological effects seen in aquatic organisms, especially those inhabiting benthic habitats. A recommended approach for sediment testing is to apply the sediment quality triad (SQT) which involves simultaneously examining sediment chemistry, toxicity, field alterations, bioaccumulation, and bioavailability assessments that can be used in a laboratory or in the field. Due to the expansion of SQTs, it is now more commonly referred to as "Sediment Assessment Framework." Collection, handling, and storage of sediment can have an effect on bioavailability and for this reason standard methods have been developed to suit this purpose.

Toxicological effects
Toxicity can be broken down into two broad categories of direct and indirect toxicity. Direct toxicity results from a toxicant acting at the site of action in or on the organism. Indirect toxicity occurs with a change in the physical, chemical, or biological environment.

Lethality is most common effect used in toxicology and used as an endpoint for acute toxicity tests. While conducting chronic toxicity tests sublethal effects are endpoints that are looked at. These endpoints include behavioral, physiological, biochemical, and histological changes.

There are a number of effects that occur when an organism is simultaneously exposed to two or more toxicants. These effects include additive effects, synergistic effects, potentiation effects, and antagonistic effects. An additive effect occurs when combined effect is equal to a combination or sum of the individual effects. A synergistic effect occurs when the combination of effects is much greater than the two individual effects added together. Potentiation is an effect that occurs when an individual chemical has no effect is added to a toxicant, and the combination has a greater effect than just the toxicant alone. Finally, an antagonistic effect occurs when a combination of chemicals has less of an effect than the sum of their individual effects.

Important aquatic toxicology resources

 * ASTM International (formerly American Society for Testing and Materials). A consensus-based organization, representing over 140 participating countries, that develops and delivers international voluntary standard methods for aquatic toxicity testing.
 * Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater. A compilation of techniques for water analysis, jointly published by the American Public Health Association (APHA), the American Water Works Association (AWWA), and the Water Environment Federation.
 * "Ecotox." A database maintained by EPA that offers single chemical toxicity information for both aquatic and terrestrial purposes.
 * Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC). A nonprofit, worldwide society working to promote scientific research to further our understanding of environmental stressors, environmental education, and the use of science in environmental policy.
 * EPA publishes guidance manuals outlining aquatic toxicity test procedures.
 * Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). A forum for governments to work together to promote policies for the betterment of people's social and economic well-being around the world. One way in which they accomplish this is through the development of aquatic toxicity test guidelines.
 * Environment and Climate Change Canada. Canada's lead federal agency for environmental protection.

Terminology

 * Median Lethal Concentration (LC50) – The chemical concentration that is expected to kill 50% of a group of organisms.
 * Median Effective Concentration (EC50) – The chemical concentration that is expected to have one or more specified effects in 50% of a group of organisms.
 * Critical Body Residue (CBR) – An approach that routinely examines whole-body chemical concentrations of an exposed organism that is associated with an adverse biological response.
 * Baseline toxicity – Refers to narcosis which is a depression in biological activity due to toxicants being present in the organism.
 * Biomagnification – The process by which the concentration of a chemical in the tissues of an organism increases as it passes through several levels in the food web.
 * Lowest Observed Effect Concentration (LOEC) – The lowest test concentration that has a statistically significant effect over a specified exposure time.
 * No Observed Effect Concentration (NOEC) – The highest test concentration for which no effect is observed relative to a control over a specified exposure time.
 * Maximum Acceptable Toxicant Concentration (MATC) – An estimated value that represents the highest "no-effect" concentration of a specific substance within the range including the NOEC and LOEC.
 * Application Factor (AF) – An empirically derived "safe" concentration of a chemical.
 * Biomonitoring – The consistent use of living organisms to analyze environmental changes over time.
 * Effluent – Liquid, industrial discharge that usually contain varying chemical toxicants.
 * Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship (QSAR) – A method of modeling the relationship between biological activity and the structure of organic chemicals.
 * Mode of Action – A set of common behavioral or physiological signs that represent a type of adverse response.
 * Mechanism of Action – The detailed events that take place at the molecular level during an adverse biological response.
 * KOW – The octanol-water partition coefficient which represents the ratio of the concentration of octanol to the concentration of chemical in the water.
 * Bioconcentration Factor (BCF) – The ratio of the average chemical concentration in the tissues of the organism under steady-state conditions to the average chemical concentration measured in the water to which the organisms are exposed.

All terms were derived from Rand.

Significance in regulatory context
In the United States, aquatic toxicology plays an important role in the NPDES wastewater permit program. While most wastewater dischargers typically conduct analytical chemistry testing for known pollutants, whole effluent toxicity tests have been standardized and are performed routinely as a tool for evaluating the potential harmful effects of other pollutants not specifically regulated in the discharge permits.

EPA's water quality program has published water quality criteria (for individual pollutants) and water quality standards (for water bodies) that were derived from aquatic toxicity tests.

Sediment quality guidelines
While sediment quality guidelines are not meant for regulation, they provide a way to rank and compare sediment quality developed by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration(NOAA). These sediment quality guidelines are summarized in NOAA's Screening Quick Reference Tables (SQuiRT) for many different chemicals.

title: Aquatic toxicology


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User:Redf0x

I'm a german user, mostly translating english articles for the german wikipedia. See http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benutzer:Redf0x

ar:مستخدم:Redf0x cs:Wikipedista:Redf0x da:Bruger:Redf0x de:Benutzer:Redf0x es:Usuario:Redf0x fr:Utilisateur:Redf0x it:Utente:Redf0x hu:Szerkesztő:Redf0x nl:Gebruiker:Redf0x ja:利用者:Redf0x pl:Wikipedysta:Redf0x pt:Usuário:Redf0x ro:Utilizator:Redf0x ru:Участник:Redf0x sk:Redaktor:Redf0x fi:Käyttäjä:Redf0x sv:Användare:Redf0x uk:Користувач:Redf0x

title: User:Redf0x


text:
User:Girishn

Hi!

I am Girish Nair, at present working in Bangalore, a B.Sc. graduate from Nagpur University. I had my schooling in Kendriya Vidyalaya. My interests include Collecting Stamps and Coins.

Here in wikipedia, i hope to contribute some interisting and valuable stuffs.

Places I had been to:

 * Bangalore
 * Nagpur
 * Allahabad
 * Agra
 * Mathura
 * Gandhinagar
 * Ahmedabad
 * Kerala

title: User:Girishn


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G5 howitzer

The G5 is a South African towed howitzer of 155 mm calibre developed in South Africa by Denel Land Systems. The G5 design was based on the Canadian GC-45 155 mm gun which was highly modified to suit southern African conditions.

Production history
During the Angolan Bush War, the South African Defence Force found itself at a disadvantage when facing opponents equipped with long-range Soviet Katyusha rocket launchers, which outranged South Africa's World War II-era 5.5-inch (140 mm) howitzers by a considerable margin. This led to the issue of a staff requirement for a new artillery system as well as ammunition systems, gun tractor, fire control equipment and a fire control computer system.

From 1963, South Africa had been placed under a United Nations sponsored anti-apartheid arms embargo that led to the creation of the indigenous Armscor military-industrial company to circumvent the arms embargo and to produce weapons systems uniquely tailored to South Africa's needs. Armscor responded to the staff requirement and commenced development in 1976. A number of existing designs were evaluated and examples procured in contravention of the arms embargo. As an interim weapon system to act as a stop-gap during the indigenous production process, a number of Soltam 155 mm M-71 gun-howitzers were procured from Israel and entered service as the G4 howitzer.

The Canadian GC-45 was selected as the baseline howitzer from which to commence indigenous development. Armscor procured barrels, 30,000 rounds and design specifications for the GC-45 from Gerald Bull. One of the GC-45 test pieces was mounted on a US 155 mm M59 carriage – and a further six GC-45s had changes made to internal ballistics, barrel construction and carriage and cradle fixtures, to become the prototype models eventually leading to the G5. These GC-45s had been developed by SRC International of Belgium, a joint venture between Gerald Bull's Space Research Corporation of Canada and PRB of Belgium. Further changes included the addition of a small APU to allow the gun to dig itself in and move short distances at up to 16 km/h, as well as the addition of an advanced muzzle brake. The G5 became operational in 1983.

Using the normal Extended Range, Full Bore (ERFB) ammunition the normal range is 30 km, which can be extended to about 40 km using base bleed shells, or 50 km using rocket-assisted V-LAP rounds. In 2002 Denel produced the G5-2000 version, with much greater range and accuracy than the earlier 45-calibre version.

The G5 gun has been placed on an OMC 6×6 chassis to produce the fully self-propelled G6 howitzer, and won major export sales in this form from the United Arab Emirates and Oman. In response to a request from India it has also been tested on the back of a TATRA 8×8 wheeled truck, a combination known as the T5-2000. It has also been fitted into a turret, named the T6, that can be placed on any suitable vehicle; it has been fitted on the T-72 tank.

Operational history
The G5 howitzer saw action in Angola and Namibia in the South African Border War between 1986 and 1989, where it was in service with the South African Defence Force. The G5 was used operationally for the first time during Operation Alpha Centauri in 1986. The G5 also saw action in the Iran–Iraq War between 1980 and 1988, where it was used by Iraq.

Variants

 * G5 Mk I
 * G5 Mk II
 * G5 Mk III
 * G5 Mk IIIA
 * G5-2000: 52-calibre gun

Current operators

 * 🇱🇾: 6 (probably donated by the United Arab Emirates to the Libyan National Army)
 * : 28
 * 🇿🇦: 72 in service.

Former operators

 * 🇮🇶 Iraq: 100 G5s were operated, but these have probably all been destroyed or abandoned since the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
 * 🇶🇦: 12
 * : 6 (donated to Libya)

title: G5 howitzer


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User talk:TrollQueen

Thanks for experimenting with Wikipedia. Your test worked, and has been reverted or removed. Please use the sandbox for any other tests you want to do. Take a look at the welcome page if you would like to learn more about contributing to our encyclopedia. Thanks. Hadal 08:13, 30 Sep 2004 (UTC)

i dont think removing your vote on the forgetting game was appropriate, just because someone abused you about it. It was a very good vote, with a very good message. I believe you should stike it out if you really have to, not delete it altogether. But personally i wouldn't even do that. and if you do, put reasons for it on vfd for forgetting game too Codywilson 05:23, 1 Oct 2004 (UTC)

Baby you are an absolute LEGEND!! Thanks Codywilson 05:28, 1 Oct 2004 (UTC)

Your User page
Your User page seems to express hostility towards other Wikipedians. I'd suggest looking at Wikiquette and User page and considering a revision of your page. We're here to work on an encyclopedia, not flip each other off. --Slowking Man 07:24, Oct 7, 2004 (UTC)

title: User talk:TrollQueen


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Termoli

Termoli (Molisano: Térmëlë) is a comune (municipality) on the south Adriatic coast of Italy, in the province of Campobasso, region of Molise. It has a population of around 32,000, having expanded quickly after World War II, and it is a local resort town known for its beaches and old fortifications. Once it was known only as a fishing port, but in the new millennium it is a favourite resort for Italian families.

Location
Termoli is located in centre-south of Italy, on the Adriatic Coast of Molise Region. The original settlement developed on the promontory where now there's the ancient village, featured by old white and colorful fisherman houses, narrow streets, Trabucchi on the sea, the romanic pugliese cathedral (Duomo), Castello Svevo (Frederick's Castle of 1200) and high walls.

The centre of the city is developed on the nearby ancient village, here you can find many avenues and streets full of life, especially in summer. On the seafront there are several restaurants, hotels and beaches; out of suburbs there are countrysides cultivated with olive trees and wine.

Climate
Termoli has a Mediterranean climate (CSa) tending to semi-arid (BSk) according to Köppen climate classification because precipitation is about 350 mm annual with the autumn as wettest season and a minimum in summer (less 20 mm in July and August).

Winters are mild but the city may experience windy days because of Maestrale (Mistral) which occasionally can bring snow, even if it is a rare phenomenon that occurs in the whole south Italy. Daily mean is about 10 °C (50 °F) with a maximum that can reach from 12 °C (54 °F) to 15 °C (59 °F), above all in days with winds from south and a minimum of 7 °C (46 °F).

Summers are long (they lasts 4 months) and quite hot but thanks to winds they are tolerable with an average high that can generally reach 29/30 °C (85/86 °F); in latest years, as a result of African anticyclone, temperatures were very high reaching 35/40 °C (95/104 °F) also due to southern hot winds from Africa.

In July and August nights are considered "tropicals" because the average low is about 24 °C. Rains are rare but sometimes there can be thunderstorms which doesn't contribute well to the dry situation of summer.

History
Human settlements existed in Termoli since pre-historical times, as showed by the presence of ancient necropolis in contrada Porticone and Difesa Grande, as well as from reconnaissance attestations of ville owned by Romans patricians that had their villa near the Molisan coast.

The first documentation of today's city dates to the presence of the ancestor of the current cathedral, documented in the 10th century. Termoli was a Lombard county until the arrival of the Normans, under which flourished and expanded. Later devastations meant a period of decay which lasted until around 1770, when the local nobles were permitted by the Kings of Naples to build new edifices along the coast and in direction of the countryside.

During World War II Termoli became the centre of one of the largest tank battles of the Italian campaign over the period 2 to 6 October, 1943. On the night of 2/3 October, during Operation Devon, British Commandos of the 2nd Special Service Brigade, which comprised No. 3 (Army) Commando, 40 (Royal Marine) Commando and the Special Raiding Squadron landed by sea then cleared the town of most of its German defenders. During the first day these forces set up road blocks around the town and were joined by British infantry advancing across the Biferno river to the south-east. They were unaware that the 16th Panzer Division was on its way to create a new defensive line. On 4 October British reinforcements arrived by sea and land, but tanks were unable to cross the river until engineers completed a bridge for heavy traffic. On 5 October the panzers attacked, pushing much of the British line back in disarray. At the end of the day they were only a short distance from the town. With the arrival of further reinforcements at the port, the engineers were able to complete the bridge allowing tanks to cross. On 6 October the Germans renewed their attack but it soon stalled and the British, with Canadian tanks from the Three Rivers Regiment (12e Régiment blindé du Canada) in support, counter-attacked. They were successful and by 7 October the Germans were pulling back to their next line of defence.

Termoli is rapidly becoming one of the most important centres in the Molise. The latter region suffered from depopulation in the years after World War II and there has been a migration from the internal hill towns to the coastal resort. Its status as the pre-eminent resort site is now being challenged by Campomarino, about 5 km southward.

Historical old town
The old town has been well restored. It is a genuine walled community jutting out into the sea. Many of the houses have been re-built and painted in a range of pastel colours. In a central square there is the cathedral (12th-13th century), dedicated to St. Mary of the Purification: it is a noteworthy example of Apulian Romanesque architecture which houses the relics of the city's two patron saints, Bassus of Lucera (San Basso) and Timothy. The upper part of the façade was destroyed by an earthquake in 1456, and also suffered from the Turkish sack of the city in 1566. The Baroque additions were eliminated in the restoration of 1930–69, returning the edifice to its original appearance. Part of a pre-existing basilica, built in the 11th century (over the original, smaller cathedral called Ecclesia Sanctae Mater) but soon destroyed, has been found under the edifice.

The castle is the most pre-eminent structure in Termoli. Erected by count Robert I of Loritello during the Norman domination (11th century), it was largely renovated during the rule of Frederick II (1240), after the damage created by an attack of the Venetian fleet. The castle was part of a wider fortification system, including a wall surrounding the entire city, of which only a tower can still be seen.

Seaside resort
Termoli's resorts are renowned for the quality of their beaches and the relative purity of their waters.Very few non-Italians come to stay in this area. Increasingly, the tourists to Molise are from the Naples and Apulia regions, to the south of Molise. Recently palm trees have been planted along the seaside promenade, and in the summer the many restaurants are crowded with visitors from surrounding communities.

Within a radius of about 25 km from Termoli travellers can find the hilltowns of Larino, Casacalenda, Montorio, and Montelongo, which preserve a rural way of life which is disappearing in other, more developed, parts of Italy.

Port and fishing

Termoli continues to be a port and a fishing town. A distinguishing feature of the old town are the trabucchi, wooden structures for fishing without the use of boats.

Ferries run from Termoli to the Tremiti Islands archipelago in the Adriatic Sea.

Culture
Termoli hosts several cultural events.

The Kimera Film Festival was established in 2003. Starting from 2008, the public selection of the short movies is held in Termoli, from February to April of every year.

Termoli was also the location of the "Come Inside" video by Jamaican dancehall artist Spice.

Just like the neighboring settlements, Termoli has a Abrëshe population.

Twin towns and sister cities
Termoli is twinned with:

 * 🇵🇱 Chorzów, Poland
 * 🇺🇸 Pompano Beach, Florida

title: Termoli


text:
Bozorg Alavi

Bozorg Alavi (February 2, 1904 – February 18, 1997) was an influential Iranian writer, novelist, and political intellectual. He was a founding member of the communist Tudeh Party of Iran in the 1940s and – following the 1953 coup against Premier Mohammad Mossadegh – spent the rest of his life in exile in East Germany, first during the Pahlavi regime, then returning to Germany once more following the 1979 revolution. Cheshm'hā'yash (Her Eyes), which was published in Iran in 1952 and was subsequently banned, is considered his finest novel. Alavi was also a very close friend of Iran's famous writer Sadegh Hedayat; these two created a literary group when they were residing in Paris called "sab'e group". Although Her Eyes is considered his masterpiece, Alavi also wrote many other books, such as the novel "Chamedan" (suitcase) which was written under the influence of Freudian psychology. His other novels "Mirza", "Fifty Three Persons" and "Gilemard" are mentioned in Iranian high-school textbooks. He did return to Tehran after the revolution but did not stay too long and decided to head back to Germany. Bozorg Alavi's contribution to Iranian Literature is profound due to the modernization movement in which he was a key member.

Biography
Bozorg Alavi (born Seyyed Mojtaba Alavi) was born in Tehran, Iran. He was the third of six children. His father, Seyyed Abol Hassan Alavi, took part in the 1906 Constitutional Revolution and later published (with Hasan Taqizadeh) the progressive newsletter Kaveh (Kaweh) in Germany. His paternal grandfather was Seyyed Mohammad Sarraf, a wealthy banker and merchant, who was a leading constitutionalist and member of the first Majles. Sarraf was a younger brother of Haj Seyyed Javad Khazaneh, treasurer of Nasser ed-Din Shah Qajar and later Mozaffar ed-Din Shah Qajar. Bozorg Alavi derived his nickname 'Bozorg' from being named after his great-grandfather -his Agha Bozorg- Agha Seyyed Mojtaba Ghannad, sugar merchant, confectioner and shipowner, who died in the year Bozorg was born,

Bozorg Alavi had his primary schooling in Tehran. In 1922 he was sent to Berlin along with his older brother Morteza Alavi, to study. Upon his return to Iran in 1927, he first taught German in Shiraz and later in Tehran. During these years he met and befriended Sadegh Hedayat. Around this time he became active in the meetings held by Taqi Arani, and they launched a theoretical Marxist magazine, Donya. Alavi was one of the famous 53 persons who were jailed in 1937 under the regime of Reza Shah for communist activities. Alavi himself claimed that he was not involved politically at the time and simply was in a group of literati, who among other things read communist writings. He was given a 7-year sentence, but was released after 4 years in 1941 after a general amnesty following the Allied control of Iran. Upon his release he published his Scrap Papers of Prison and Fifty Three Persons, and continued his political activities, becoming a founding member of the communist Tudeh Party of Iran and serving as editor of its publication Mardom (People). Alavi was in Germany when the 1953 Coup d'état overthrew the government of Premier Mossadegh and resulted in massive arrests and imprisonment. Alavi stayed in exile in East Berlin, teaching at Humboldt University, until the fall of the Pahlavi dynasty and the emergence of the 1979 Iranian Revolution.

In spring of 1979 he returned briefly to Iran after 25 years in exile and was warmly received by the Iranian Writers Association, including such writers/poets as Ahmad Shamlou, Mahmoud Dolatābādi, Siāvash Kasrā'ie and others. He returned to Iran a year later in 1980 for another short visit and was dismayed by the repressive turn of the revolution. He continued to live and work in Berlin, visiting Iran for the last time in 1993. He died in Berlin in 1997.

In 1936 he had married Margarita (Gita) Scheineson from Brussels, who later was a source of inspiration for his novel Chashm'hā'yash. Before his exile, he married his cousin Fatameh Alavi (daughter of Seyyed Abolfath Fadai Alavi, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Finance, and Merafagh Tabatabai) and had a son, Mani. In 1956, he married Gertrud Paarszh in Germany who stayed with him until his death.

Selected works
Major Works:
 * Chamedan (The Suitcase) (1934)
 * Varaq Pareh'ha-ye Zendan (Scrap Papers from Prison) (1941)
 * Panjah-o Seh Nafar (Fifty Three Persons) (1942)
 * Nameh' ha va Dastan'ha-ye digar (Letters and Other Stories) (1952)
 * Cheshmhayash (Her Eyes) (1952)

Other Writings:
 * Div ... Div (Demon ... Demon), in the collection Aniran (Non-Iranian) (1931)
 * Uzbakha (The Uzbeks) (1948)
 * Kämpfendes Iran (1955, Berlin)
 * Geschichte und Entwicklung der modernen persischen Literatur (1964, Berlin)
 * Salariha (The Salari Family)
 * Mirza

Translations into Persian:
 * Anton Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard
 * Samuil Marshak's The Twelve Months
 * George Bernard Shaw's Mrs. Warren's Profession
 * J.B. Priestley's An Inspector Calls
 * Friedrich Schiller's Jungfrau von Orleans
 * Theodor Nöldeke's Das Iranische Nationalepos

title: Bozorg Alavi


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Talk:Thanatology/to do

 * Add a "Techniques" section, describing specific recommended therapies to ease the dying process, both for the dying and for his or her family.
 * Build the web: Link to this article from appropriate related articles. See: what links here.

title: Talk:Thanatology/to do


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Surf Punks

The Surf Punks were a pop punk band formed in 1976 by Malibu residents Dennis Dragon (1947-2017) and Drew Steele (d. October 2021). (Dragon was the son of symphony conductor Carmen Dragon, the brother of Captain & Tennille's Daryl Dragon, and he was previously the drummer of the Byrds and the Beach Boys. Steele's stepfather was Gavin MacLeod of McHale's Navy, The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Love Boat fame.) Dragon recruited the additional talents of Malibu residents Tony Creed AKA the "Hulk", for lead guitar and blues harp, fellow bodysurfer/frisbeeist John Hunt on the bass, and South Bay resident John Heussenstamm for lead guitar. This was the original core group, produced and engineered by Dragon in his garage studio across the street from Zuma Beach, his favorite body surfing spot. Mark Miller joined them on "Locals Only." Jeff "Ray Ban" Eyrich joined the Surf Punks on bass when John Hunt left the group.

Scott Goddard (1952–2006) later joined as lead vocalist on a few songs.

Background
Record producer and then Malibu resident Denny Cordell saw merit in the group and released their first recordings on a single, "My Beach" b/w "My Wave", in Australia on Shelter Records. Their subsequent first album, an independent release on their own label, Day Glo Records, garnered them enough airplay on the then fledgling L.A. alternative radio station KROQ-FM to lead to a re-release of the album on Epic Records in 1980, and the release of two further albums, Locals Only and Oh No, Not Them Again on Enigma Records, with Mark Miller, keyboard player Jerry Weber and lifeguard/guitarist Andy Jackson.

Dragon and Hulk also provided the theme song to KLOS disc jockey Frazer Smith's signature show bumper, "Cool Patrol". Heavy rotation on KROQ-FM was largely responsible for the band selling out their first live performance ever at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium. The Surf Punks were road managed from 1980 to 1983 by Michael Parenti (the artist, not the political writer), who also provided many of the T-shirt designs for the band. At one time, rock legend Johnny Rivers showed interest in the band by co-producing with Dragon a single titled "Surfs Up Medley", released on his own Soul City label. TV producer Chris Bearde also managed the band for a short time and tried with movie producer Brian Grazer and Rivers to procure a Hollywood movie deal for the band.

The live shows of the Surf Punks, in the heyday of the punk explosion in L.A., were full of wild abandon. High points of the show were "I Can't Get a Tan" and "Big Top".

The lyrics of the band centered primarily on the in-group/out-group experiences of "locals" (surfers living on the beach in Malibu) and "vals" (commuters from the San Fernando Valley to the private and public beaches of the exclusive Malibu Beach community). Never truly "punk" in the traditional sense of the word, the Surf Punks were sort of a "Beach Boys of the punk world," offering their take on the "turf wars" over the southern California beaches and its waves.

The band made at least five music videos: "My Beach", "Big Top", "Welcome to California", "Shark Attack" and another for their cover of "Come on-a My House", which was originally a hit for Rosemary Clooney. They also appeared in the 1988 film Under the Boardwalk.

Discography

 * Surf Punks (1979)
 * My Beach (1980) distributed by CBS Records, contains a cover of The Sunrays' I Live for the Sun retitled "We All Live For The Sun", featuring a dulcimer solo. Mastered at Artisan Sound Recorders by Greg Fulginiti
 * Locals Only (1982; reissued with bonus tracks 2013)
 * Oh No! Not Them Again (1988; reissued 2007)
 * Party Bomb (1988; reissued 2007)
 * My Beach, My Wave (compilation 1988)

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Talk:Fuzzy associative matrix

I googled for "fuzzy associative matrix" and found the term is not all that common (24 hits) -- I had picked it up from a book, myself. I know for sure that the idea itself is very common in the fuzzy logic world, though, but I have usually seen such tables presented without any special name given to them. One paper I have seen uses the phrase "intersection rule matrix" (IRM for short), but that paper is the only hit on google for that phrase. Can anybody suggest a better name? - Furrykef 08:22, 30 Sep 2004 (UTC)

Did you try "Fuzzy Associative Table"? There is also a "Fuzzy Associative Memory", but that seems to be a different concept.

There are more hits for the simple "Fuzzy Rule Table" term.

- J. Betancourt 00:3, 10 Nov 2004 (GMT-05)

I call it a "Knowlege Table" because I define knowledge as "a record of a relationship between entities in the universe." These Fuzzy tables capture knowlege. However, one could also consider them extended "Truth Tables." You will find 851,000 Google hits for "Truth Table." Worthingtonse 03:48, 17 April 2006 (UTC)Sean H. Worthington

title: Talk:Fuzzy associative matrix


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Desire realm

The desire realm (Sanskrit: कामधातु, kāmadhātu) is one of the trailokya or three realms (Sanskrit: धातु, dhātu, Tibetan: khams) in Buddhist cosmology into which a being caught in Saṃsāra (Buddhism) may be reborn. The other two are the Form Realm (Sanskrit: rūpadhātu) and the Formless Realm (ārūpadhātu).

Within the desire realm are either five or six domains (Sanskrit: gati, also sometimes translated as "realm"). In Tibetan Buddhism, there are six domains, and in Theravada Buddhism there are only five, because the domain of the Asuras is not regarded as separate from that of the Nāgas. The concept of these five realms is also to be found in Taoism and Jainism.

The Śūraṅgama Sūtra in Mahayana Buddhism regarded the 10 kinds of Xian as separate immortal realms between the deva and human realms.

The six domains of the desire realm are also known as the "six paths of suffering", the "six planes", and the "six lower realms". In schools of thought that use the ten realms system, these six domains are often contrasted negatively with the "four higher realms" of Śrāvaka, Pratyekabuddha, Bodhisattva and full Buddha, which are considered to be the spiritual goals of the different Buddhist traditions.

A being's karma (previous actions and thoughts) determines which of the six domains it will be reborn into. A sentient being may also ascend to one of the higher realms beyond the six domains of the desire realm by practicing various types of meditation, specifically the Eight Dhyānas.

The 8th century Buddhist monument Borobudur in Central Java incorporated the trailokya into the architectural design with the plan of mandala that took the form of a stepped stone pyramid crowned with stupas.

The Six Domains
The six domains of the desire realm are as follows:

 * the deity (Sanskrit, Pali: deva) domain
 * the jealous god / titan (S., P.: asura) domain
 * the human (S. manuṣya, P. manussa) domain
 * the animal (S. tiryagyoni, P. tiracchānayoni) domain
 * the hungry ghost (S. preta, P. petta) domain
 * the hell (S: naraka, P. niraya) domain

Deva Domain
The Deva domain (also known as the heavenly domain or Blissful State) is the domain of bliss. The disadvantage of this domain is that things are so very comfortable there, that these beings completely neglect to work towards enlightenment. Instead they gradually use up the good karma they had previously accumulated, and so they subsequently fall to a lower rebirth.

The Deva domain is sometimes also referred to as the gods' domain, because of its inhabitants' power compared to humans. However, they are not immortal, only long-lived, and are still subject to karma and the saṃsāra.

Asura Domain
The Asura domain (also known as the Jealous God domain) is the domain of the Asuras (demigods). They are here because of actions in past lives based on egotistic jealousy, envy, insincerity, struggle, combat or rationalization of the world. They may be here because in human form they had good intentions but committed bad actions such as harming others. The Asuras of some other domains, however, are fully malevolent (such as the corruptor Mara) and can be more closely related to the translation of demon that is sometimes ascribed to them. These evil Asuras can be alternatively referred to as Rakshasas.

The Asuras are said to experience a much more pleasurable life than humans, but they are plagued by envy for the Devas, whom they can see just as animals can see humans.

Manussa Domain
The  domain (also known as the Human domain) is based on passion, desire, doubt, and pride.

Buddhists see this domain as the realm of human existence. Although it may not be the most pleasurable domain to live in, a human rebirth is in fact considered to be by far the most advantageous of all possible rebirths in samsara, because a human rebirth is the only samsaric domain from which one can directly attain Bodhi (enlightenment), either in the present rebirth (for Buddhas and Arhats) or in a future rebirth in a Deva domain (for Anagamis). This is because of the unique possibilities that a human rebirth offers: beings in higher domains just choose to enjoy the pleasures of their realms and neglect working towards enlightenment, while beings in lower domains are too busy trying to avoid the suffering and pain of their worlds to give a second thought to liberation. Humans have just the right balance: enough suffering to motivate them to achieve liberation, but not too much that every moment of their lives is consumed by it.

A human rebirth is considered to have tremendous potential when used correctly, however in most cases humans waste their lifetimes in materialistic pursuits rather than working towards enlightenment, and so end up reinforcing their unhelpful emotions, thoughts, and actions, rather than letting go of them. Because of this, it is almost always the case that one descends to a lower domain of rebirth after a human life, rather than immediately going on to another human birth, or going up to a higher domain.

In the lower domains, such as the animal domain, it is a very slow and difficult process to accumulate enough merit to achieve a human rebirth once again, so it may be countless lifetimes before one has another chance.

Tiryagyoni Domain
The Tiryagyoni domain (alternately spelled Tiryag-yoni or tiracchānayoni) (also known as the Animal domain) is based on strong mental states of stupidity and prejudice cultivated in a previous life or lives.

Buddhists believe that this domain is the domain of existence of the nonhuman animals on the Earth. Although humans and animals live in separate domains of existence, they can still see each other because their domains are so close to each other in the vertical cosmology, just as the Devas and Asuras can see each other despite being in separate domains.

Preta Domain
The Preta domain (also known as the Hungry Ghost domain) is a rebirth based on strong possessiveness and desire which were cultivated in a previous life or lives.

The sentient beings in this domain are known as "hungry ghosts". They are constantly extremely hungry and thirsty, but they cannot satisfy these needs. In Tibetan versions of the Bhavacakra these beings are drawn with narrow necks and large bellies. This represents the fact that their desires torment them, but they are completely unable to satisfy themselves.

Naraka Domain
The Naraka domain (also known as the Niraya domain or the Hell domain) is a rebirth based on strong states of hatred cultivated in a previous life or lives. The sentient beings in Naraka stay there until their negative karma is spent, at which point they are reborn into another domain.

The Wheel of life
The Bhavachakra or "Wheel of Life" is a popular teaching tool often used in the Indo-Tibetan tradition. It is a kind of diagram which portrays these realms and the mechanism that causes these samsaric rebirths. In this depiction, the realm of the Devas is shown at the top, followed clockwise by the realms of the Asuras, the Animals, Naraka, the Pretas, and the Humans. Close examination will show that the Buddha is shown as being present in every one of these realms.

Characteristics
In Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism, there are some sayings reflecting a tradition that the manner of a sentient being's death indicates the world in which it will be reborn. A common one is that in the Verses on the Structure of the Eight Consciousnesses (八識規矩補註), which reads: "in those to be reborn as saints the last part to retain bodily heat is the top of the head, in those to be reborn devas it is the eyes, while in the case of the human realm it is the heart, that of the hungry ghosts, the belly, that of animals, the knee caps, and lastly, in that of the hell realm, the soles of the feet." The Tibetan Buddhist text Bardo Thodol describes further on the experiences proper to these realms.

In yogic practice
Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche and Chögyal Namkai Norbu Rinpoche have published literature teaching a "Practice of the Six Lokas" designed to "purify the karmic traces that lead to rebirth in the different realms," wherein the six lokas are also cognate with the principal six chakra system of Vajrayana.

title: Desire realm