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Talk:Baggara Arabs

Comments
I have just removed a sentence claiming that the Misseiria speak Tama. From a variety of reliable sources (available on request ) the Tama are(were before all the recent Darfur horrors) located on the Darfur/Chad border and have not traditionally been pastoralists of any kind. A number of groups have incorporated into other sedentary tribes and it's not impossible some have been into Baggara sub-groups; however this is quite different from claiming the Misseiria speak Tama. Dec 2004 eubule

The Misseiria of Jebel Mun, at least, speak Tama. See Edgar, John. A Masalit grammar: with notes on other languages of Darfur and Wadai. Berlin: D. Reimer, 1989. (Sprache und Oralitat in Afrika; 3). I don't know for certain if there are other Misseiria groups or not. - Mustafaa 15:54, 14 Dec 2004 (UTC)

"related groups" info removed from infobox
For dedicated editors of this page: The "Related Groups" info was removed from all Infobox Ethnic group infoboxes. Comments may be left here. Ling.Nut 22:56, 18 May 2007 (UTC)

Editing the Tribes of Baggara
Removed the Kababish from the Baggara tribes, the Kababish belongs to Abbala group, kin of the Baggara tribes who rear camels. Also added Awlad Himad of South Kordofan and Beni Silam of the White Nile to the Baggara tribes. Biraima M Adam Oct 16, 2008 8:30 (EST).

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Gawamaa
In none of your sources are Gawamaa classed as Baggara. Gawamaa are part of the Ja'alin group and are not classed by MacMichael as one of the Baggara tribes. User:Premeditated Chaos

https://archive.org/details/historyofarabsin01macmuoft/page/n15/mode/2up Zaki1010 (talk) 17:57, 1 December 2020 (UTC)

title: Talk:Baggara Arabs


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Talk:Nezarr the Calculator

Why delete?
why delete, there are enteries for other fictional characters? HussaynKhariq 18:51, 13 Dec 2004 (UTC)

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

title: Talk:Nezarr the Calculator


text:
User talk:Kophein

Image copyrights
Thanks for uploading Image:Pacepa.JPG. I notice it currently doesn't have an image copyright tag. Could you add one to let us know its copyright status? (You can use if you release it under the GFDL, or  if you claim fair use, etc.) If you don't know what any of this means, just let me know where you got the images and I'll tag them for you. Thanks so much,   — Edwin Stearns | Talk 18:51, 13 Dec 2004 (UTC)

Fair use rationale for File:Pacepa ion mihai.jpg
Thanks for uploading or contributing to File:Pacepa ion mihai.jpg. I notice the file page specifies that the file is being used under fair use but there is not a suitable explanation or rationale as to why each specific use in Wikipedia constitutes fair use. Please go to the file description page and edit it to include a fair use rationale.

If you have uploaded other fair use media, consider checking that you have specified the fair use rationale on those pages too. You can find a list of 'file' pages you have edited by clicking on the "my contributions" link (it is located at the very top of any Wikipedia page when you are logged in), and then selecting "File" from the dropdown box. Note that any non-free media lacking such an explanation will be deleted one week after they have been uploaded, as described on criteria for speedy deletion. If you have any questions please ask them at the Media copyright questions page. Thank you. The Evil IP address (talk) 10:34, 25 May 2010 (UTC)

title: User talk:Kophein


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User talk:Bechemel

Thank you for uploading the above images. They are currently tagged. Can you please tag with the appropriate copyright notice and cite the source if possible. Thanks, EyeBall 18:54, 13 Dec 2004 (UTC)

Thousands of images have no copyright tags. You can help!

title: User talk:Bechemel


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1828 in rail transport

February events

 * February – The Chesterfield Railroad, the first railroad built in Virginia is chartered.

March events

 * March 24 – Pennsylvania's first state-owned railway, the Philadelphia and Columbia Railway, is authorized by the state legislature.

July events

 * July 4 – Construction begins on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad in Baltimore, Maryland, when Charles Carroll of Carrollton lays the first stone for the Carrollton Viaduct, the first stone masonry railroad bridge in the United States.

August events

 * August 1 – The Bolton and Leigh Railway opens to freight traffic.
 * August 27 – The 67 km Andrézieux-Roanne line is authorized in France.

October events

 * October 1 – The first public railway in France is formally opened from Saint-Étienne to Andrézieux. It is horse-worked and initially carries freight traffic only.

Unknown date events

 * The Hudson and Berkshire Railroad is chartered to build a railroad between Chatham, New York, and Hudson, New York.

October births

 * October 30 – Horatio G. Brooks, founder of Brooks Locomotive Works (d. 1887).

title: 1828 in rail transport


text: User talk:142.150.32.47

title: User talk:142.150.32.47


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Heli (biblical figure)

Heli (Ἠλί, Hēli; Eli in the New American Standard Bible) is an individual mentioned in the Gospel of Luke as the grandfather of Jesus. In Luke's genealogy of Jesus, Heli is listed as the father of Joseph (the husband of Mary), and the son of Matthat (Μαθθάτ). "Jesus, when he began his ministry, was about thirty years of age, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, of Heli, of Matthat, of Levi (...)"

Heli is not mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew, the only other canonical gospel to include a genealogy; that genealogy instead identifies "Jacob" as Joseph's putative father.

Two genealogies of Jesus
The New Testament provides two accounts of the genealogy of Jesus, one in the Gospel of Matthew and another in the Gospel of Luke. Matthew starts with Abraham, while Luke begins with Adam. The lists are identical between Abraham and David, but differ radically from that point. Matthew has twenty-seven generations from David to Joseph, whereas Luke has forty-two, with almost no overlap between the names on the two lists. Notably, the two accounts also disagree on who Joseph's father was: Matthew says he was Jacob, while Luke says he was Heli.

Traditional Christian scholars (starting with Africanus and Eusebius ) have put forward various theories that seek to explain why the lineages are so different, such as that Matthew's account follows the lineage of Joseph, while Luke's follows the lineage of Mary. Some modern critical scholars like Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan state that both genealogies are inventions, intended to bring the Messianic claims into conformity with Jewish criteria.

Another possibility is that since both Heli and Jacob have a similar name listed as their father (Matthan in Matthew, Matthat in Luke), a discrepancy that can easily be accounted for by error, that the names Heli and Jacob refer to the same person. Matthew relied heavily on fitting existing prophecy to the narrative; in the Old Testament, Jacob (the last of the biblical patriarchs) also had a son named Joseph. This explanation fits for Heli/Jacob himself, but not for the earlier genealogies.

The curse on the Solomonic line
"This is what the LORD says: 'Record this man as if childless, a man who will not prosper in his lifetime, for none of his offspring will prosper, none will sit on the throne of David or rule anymore in Judah."

If Matthew's genealogy is that of Mary, and Luke's of Joseph, then there is a problem with the curse on the Solomonic line, dating from the time of Jeconiah where Jeremiah pronounced that no descendant of Jeconiah would again sit on the throne of David in Judah. In contrast, if Luke's genealogy is that of Mary, and Matthew's of Joseph,  then this creates no problem with the curse on the Solomonic line. However, Jeconiah's grandson Zerubbabel is later chosen by God, and was a governor of the Achaemenid Empire's Yehud Medinta (Province of Judah), as appointed by Darius the Great.

Saint Joachim and Saint Anne
The apocryphal Protoevangelium of James gives the story of Saint Joachim and Saint Anne as the parents of Mary. This is largely followed in Catholic, Orthodox, and Anglican tradition.

title: Heli (biblical figure)


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1850 in rail transport

January events

 * January – Maine Central Railroad predecessor Androscoggin and Kennebec Railroad is completed between Auburn, Maine and Waterville, Maine.

May events

 * May 13 – The Mecklenburgische Eisenbahngesellschaft opens the Rostock-Bützow-Bad Kleinen and Güstrow-Bützow railway lines in northern Germany.

July events

 * July 1 – Joseph Hamilton Beattie succeeds John Viret Gooch as locomotive engineer for London and South Western Railway.
 * July 4 – Chile: The first section of the Copiapó-Caldera railway line – the second in South America – between Caldera and Monte Amargo is inaugurated today in honour of the nationality of William Wheelwright, the American businessman responsible for the project.

August events

 * August 29 – Robert Stephenson's Royal Border Bridge for the York, Newcastle and Berwick Railway at Berwick-upon-Tweed, England is opened by Queen Victoria.

September events

 * September 20 – The land grant for construction of the Illinois Central Railroad, the first railroad land grant in the United States, is approved.

October events

 * October 19 – Robert Stephenson's Britannia Bridge, completing the Chester and Holyhead Railway over the Menai Strait in North Wales, is opened.

November events

 * November 19 – Farmers around Detroit, Michigan, burn down the Michigan Central Railroad's freight house in Detroit; the farmers were angry at the railroad's policy regarding not reimbursing them for livestock killed by trains when the stock wandered onto the tracks.
 * November 20 – The first train operates on the Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad, a predecessor of the Milwaukee Road.

Unknown date events

 * The Richmond and Danville Railroad begins operation in Virginia.
 * Construction begins on the first transcontinental railroad to be completed, the Panama Railway.

February births

 * February 27 – Henry Huntington, nephew of Collis P. Huntington and executive in charge of Pacific Electric in the early part of the 20th century (d. 1927).

November births

 * November 19 – Jule Murat Hannaford, president of Northern Pacific Railway 1913–1920 (d. 1934).

July deaths

 * July 7 – Timothy Hackworth, English steam locomotive builder (b. 1786).

title: 1850 in rail transport


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Higher education in Iran

Iran has a network of private, public, and state-affiliated universities offering degrees in higher education. State-run universities of Iran are under the direct supervision of Iran's Ministry of Science, Research and Technology (for non-medical universities) and Ministry of Health and Medical Education (for medical schools). According to article 3 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Iran guarantees "free education and physical training for everyone at all levels, and the facilitation and expansion of higher education." IANI representatives say that academics in Iran are "ultimately directed by the regime and military when it comes to specific areas of research". Rana Dadpour, who taught at an Iranian university, said that certain areas of research are directed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and could be employed for "surveillance or military purposes".

Pre-Islamic era
The existence of pre-Islamic era universities such as the School of Nisibis, Sarouyeh, Reishahr, and The Academy of Gundishapur provide examples of precedence of academic institutions of science that date back to ancient times.

Islamic era
The traditions and heritage of these centers of higher learning were later carried on to schools such as Iran's Nizamiyya, and Baghdad's House of Wisdom, during the Islamic era. Nizamiyyah institutes were among the first well organized institutions of higher learning in the Muslim world. The quality of education was among the highest in the Islamic world, and they were even renowned in Europe. They were supported financially, politically, and spiritually by the royal establishment and the elite class. Some scholars have suggested that the establishment of the Nizamiyya madrasas was in fact an attempt to thwart the growing influence of another group of Muslims, the Ismailis, in the region. Indeed, Nizam al-Mulk devoted a significant section in his famous Books of Politics (Siyāsatnāma) to refuting the Ismaili doctrines.

The most famous and celebrated of all the nizamiyyah schools was Al-Nizamiyya of Baghdad (established 1065), where Khwaja Nizam al-Mulk appointed the distinguished philosopher and theologian, al-Ghazali, as a professor. Persian poet Sa'di was a student of the Baghdad Nizamiyyah. Other nizamiyyah schools were located in Nishapur, Amol, Balkh, Herat and Isfahan.

Modern
It was Abbas Mirza who first dispatched Iranian students to Europe for a western education.

The history of the establishment of western style academic universities in Iran (Persia) dates back to 1851 with the establishment of Darolfonoon – which was founded as a result of the efforts of the royal vizier Mirza Taghi Khan Amir Kabir, aimed at training and teaching Iranian experts in many fields of science and technology.

In 1855 "The Ministry of Science" was first established, and Ali Gholi Mirza I'tizad al-saltaneh (علیقلی میرزا اعتضاد السلطنه) was appointed Iran's first Minister of Science by Nasereddin Shah.

By the 1890s Darolfonoon was competing with other prominent institutions of modern learning. The Military College of Tehran (Madraseh-ye Nezam), established in 1885 with a budget of 10,000-12,000 tomans, was its first rival; and in 1899 the College of political sciences (Madraseh-ye olum-e siyasi) was organized within the Foreign ministry.

The Ministry of Higher Education, which oversees the operation of all institutes of higher education in Iran, was established in 1967. However, it was back in 1928 that Iran's first university, as we know it today, was proposed by an Iranian physicist, Mahmoud Hessaby. The University of Tehran (or Tehran University) was designed by French architect Andre Godard, and built in 1934. Today, Tehran University is Iran's largest university with over 32,000 students.

In the medical field, it was Joseph Cochran who first founded a professional school in Iran in 1878, and who is often credited for founding Iran's "first contemporary medical college", as well as founding one of Iran's first modern hospitals ("Westminster Hospital") in Urmia formerly known as Rezaieh in honor of Shia Islam's 8th Imam. The medical faculty Cochran established at Urmia University was joined by several other Americans, namely Drs. Wright, Homlz, van Nourdon, and Miller. They were all buried in Urmia as their resting place after serving the area for many years.

In Tehran, Samuel M. Jordan, whom "Jordan Ave." in Tehran is named after, also was directly responsible for the expansion of the American College in Tehran. The school received a permanent charter from the Board of Regents of the State University of New York in 1932.

By the end of the first Pahlavi period in 1941, the University of Tehran was still the only modern university in the country. Hence, the ministry of science commenced the establishment of other universities in Isfahan, Tabriz, Ahvaz, and Shiraz, with special emphasis given to the medical and veterinary sciences. Charles Oberling was highly instrumental in this regard.

In 1953, there were four universities with 14,500 undergraduate students whereas in 1977 there were 16 universities with 154,315 undergraduate students.

The Shah soon initiated projects to build Iranian universities modeled after American schools. Thus Pahlavi University (Shiraz University today), Sharif University of Technology, and Isfahan University of Technology, three of Iran's top academic universities were all directly modeled on American institutions such as the University of Illinois at Chicago, MIT, and the University of Pennsylvania. The Shah in return was generous in awarding American universities with financial gifts. For example, the University of Southern California received a gift from the Shah in the form of an endowed chair of petroleum engineering, and a million dollar donation was given to the George Washington University to create an Iranian Studies program.

The Iranian revolution put an end to the massive US-Iran academic relations. In 1980, a major overhaul in the academia and higher education system of Iran initiated by Ayatollah Khomeini led to what is referred to in Iran as "Iran's Cultural Revolution". However, all universities in the country were closed down from 1980 to 1983. In addition, Islamic curricula and Islamic educational setting were introduced when the universities were reopened.

In 1986, the ministry of higher education handed over supervision and overseeing of education in the medical sciences in Iran to the ministry of health, treatment and medical education. This was to optimize use of the medical resources in the country, and to promote health, treatment, teaching, and research more efficiently in the field.

After the Iran–Iraq War, some new universities were founded and doctoral programs were developed in the previous universities. The number of university students is now more than six times as many as in 1979 (when Shah was overthrown), so that critics debate whether the national entrance exam is useful anymore or not.

Academic system of Iranian universities
In 2008, Iran had over 3.5 million students enrolled in universities. Some 1.7 million in various programs in Islamic Azad university and the remainder in State universities. In addition the new enrollment numbers for the academic year 2004 were 290 thousand in Azad universities, and 250 thousand in state universities. Iran has 54 state operated universities, and 42 state medical schools. These are primarily the top choice for students in national entrance exams. There are 289 major private universities operating as well. In all these schools, except for private universities such as the Islamic Azad University system, tuition and room and board is mostly paid for by the government. The universities themselves largely operate on state budgets. There are also institutes like Payame Noor University that offer degrees remotely or online.

Some schools offer degrees in conjunction with European universities. The International University of Chabahar for example in 2007 offered programs under the guidance of London School of Economics and Political Science Goldsmiths University of London, and Royal Holloway. Other schools such as the Institute for Advanced Studies in Basic Sciences in Zanjan, have close collaboration with The International Centre for Theoretical Physics in Trieste, Italy for workshops, seminars, and summer schools. The Iranian government also in 2017 offered scholarships for successful applicants to pursue PhD-level studies in foreign countries, mostly Great Britain.

By early 2000, Iran allocated around 0.4% of its GDP to R&D, which ranks it "far behind industrialized societies" and the world average of 1.4%. By 2009 this ratio of research to GDP reached 0.87% and the set target was 2.5%.

Rankings
Six Iranian universities have been placed among the world’s top 1,000 universities announced by the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings 2024. Times Higher Education World University Rankings published a global ranking for universities and institutes of higher education in 2024. The best global universities in Iran were ranked as follows:

Ranking by number of publications (ISI)
As per the data published on QS World University Rankings official website 2024, Sharif University of Technology, ranked 334, University of Tehran, ranked 360, Amirkabir University of Technology, ranked 375, Iran University of Science and Technology, ranked 451, Shiraz University, ranked between 681 and 690, Shahid Beheshti University, ranked between 951 and 1000, and Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, ranked between 1001 and 1200, are the top 7 Iranian universities among world-class universities.

Medical schools
ISC's most recent list of the highest-ranked universities in the medical field for 2012 is:

 * 1) Tehran University of Medical Sciences
 * 2) Shiraz University of Medical Sciences
 * 3) Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences (Former Melli University)
 * 4) Isfahan University of Medical Sciences
 * 5) Tabriz University of Medical Sciences
 * 6) Mashad University of Medical Sciences
 * 7) Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences

Dental schools
According to the 2007 rankings the top five rated schools in the dental field in Iran are:
 * 1) Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences
 * 2) Tehran University of Medical Sciences and Mashad University of Medical Sciences
 * 3) Isfahan University of Medical Sciences
 * 4) Kerman University of Medical Sciences and Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences and Health Services and Hamedan University of Medical Sciences
 * 5) Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences and Shiraz University of Medical Sciences and Babol University of Medical Sciences

Pharmacy schools
According to the 2010 rankings the top three rated schools in the pharmaceutical field in Iran are:
 * 1) Tehran University of Medical Sciences
 * 2) Isfahan University of Medical Sciences
 * 3) Tabriz University of Medical Sciences

Engineering schools
According to the 2024 Times Higher Education World University Rankings the top-ranked engineering schools in the engineering field and their rank among world universities are:
 * 1) Sharif University of Technology 126
 * 2) University of Tehran 201
 * 3) Amirkabir University of Technology 251
 * 4) Iran University of Science and Technology 251
 * 5) University of Tabriz 301
 * 6) Babol Noshirvani University of Technology 401
 * 7) Imam Khomeini International University 401
 * 8) University of Kashan 401
 * 9) Shiraz University of Technology 501
 * 10) Shiraz University 501
 * 11) Isfahan University of Technology 501
 * 12) University of Mohaghegh Ardabili 501
 * 13) Urmia University 501

Prominent libraries in Iran
Large libraries existed in Iran both before and after the advent of Islam and throughout many periods in Iran's history, including the libraries at Gondeshapur, School of Nisibis, and Sarouyeh during the pre-Islamic era of Iran.

During the Middle Ages, many schools of Nizamiyya harbored large collections of manuscripts and treatises. In Maragheh, Nasīr al-Dīn al-Tūsī built a library that reportedly contained some 40,000 volumes which was well financed and the royal library of the Samanid court in which Avicenna was granted special access to, is yet another fine example.

The first prototype of a modern national library in Iran was the Library of Dar al-Funun College established in 1851. In 1899 another library called the Nation's Library was inaugurated in Tehran. Finally, the National Library of Iran was inaugurated in 1937.

Iran's major national libraries today are:
 * National Library of Iran, Tehran
 * Central Library of Astan Quds Razavi, Mashad
 * Tabriz National Library, Tabriz
 * Malek National Library, Tehran
 * Ayatollah Marashi Najafi Library, Qom
 * Iran's Library of The Parliament
 * Shiraz Regional Library of Science and Technology, Shiraz
 * Library of Institute for Studies in Theoretical Physics and Mathematics

Ideology and politics in higher education
Under the rule of the Islamic theocracy in Iran since 1979 revolution, the status of science and education has been dramatically affected in the country. In particular, following the so-called Iranian Cultural Revolution and Islamization of universities after a shutdown period, the quality of science and technology has since been revived, so much so that Iran ranked 40th in science production and first in scientific growth in the world in 2011.

Religious
Students of unrecognized minority religions have been barred from entering tertiary education institutions in Iran, particularly those of the Baháʼí Faith. Since the Iranian Revolution of 1979 Baháʼí students have been excluded from universities regardless of their national university examination results on basis of their religion. See Baháʼí Institute for Higher Education.

Gender-based
Additionally, in August 2012, 36 universities declared that 77 BA and BSc courses in 2012–2012 academic year would be "single gender" and effectively exclusive to men, limiting the options of female undergraduate students.

Entrepreneurship
In accordance with the third five-year development plan, the “entrepreneurship development plan in Iranian universities”, (known as KARAD Plan) was developed, and launched in twelve universities across the country, under the supervision of Management and Planning Organization and the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology.

Brain drain and students abroad
Iran tops the world countries in the brain drain phenomenon. In 2002, the CIA estimated that 77% of Iran's population aged 15 and over can read and write. By 2008, the adult literacy rate had reached 80.6%. A significant majority of this population is at or approaching collegiate levels. Of this population, nearly 150,000 are estimated to exit Iran every year.

According to the Iranian government, in 2013, 12,000 foreign students were studying at Iranian universities while 55,686 Iranian students were studying abroad. Out of this number, 8,883 students were studying in Malaysia, 7,341 in the United States, 5,638 in Canada, 3,504 in Germany, 3,364 in Turkey, 3,228 in Britain, and the rest in other countries. But according to a newer estimate by the Minister of education, between 350 and 500 thousand Iranians were studying outside of the country in 2014. The difference remains unexplained. As of 2015, 42% of recent/young graduates were unemployed. As of 2020, 40,000 foreign nationals are studying in 43 Iranian universities, 22,000 of whom are studying at the universities affiliated to the Ministry of Science, 8,000 at the Azad University, 3,000 at the Ministry of Health, and the rest at other universities. Some 50 percent of these students are studying for a bachelor's degree and 16 percent of whom are educating to receive a Ph.D.

title: Higher education in Iran


text:
Exponential stability

In control theory, a continuous linear time-invariant system (LTI) is exponentially stable if and only if the system has eigenvalues (i.e., the poles of input-to-output systems) with strictly negative real parts (i.e., in the left half of the complex plane). A discrete-time input-to-output LTI system is exponentially stable if and only if the poles of its transfer function lie strictly within the unit circle centered on the origin of the complex plane. Systems that are not LTI are exponentially stable if their convergence is bounded by exponential decay. Exponential stability is a form of asymptotic stability, valid for more general dynamical systems.

Practical consequences
An exponentially stable LTI system is one that will not "blow up" (i.e., give an unbounded output) when given a finite input or non-zero initial condition. Moreover, if the system is given a fixed, finite input (i.e., a step), then any resulting oscillations in the output will decay at an exponential rate, and the output will tend asymptotically to a new final, steady-state value. If the system is instead given a Dirac delta impulse as input, then induced oscillations will die away and the system will return to its previous value. If oscillations do not die away, or the system does not return to its original output when an impulse is applied, the system is instead marginally stable.

Example exponentially stable LTI systems

The graph on the right shows the impulse response of two similar systems. The green curve is the response of the system with impulse response $$y(t) = e^{-\frac{t}{5}}$$, while the blue represents the system $$y(t) = e^{-\frac{t}{5}}\sin(t)$$. Although one response is oscillatory, both return to the original value of 0 over time.

Real-world example
Imagine putting a marble in a ladle. It will settle itself into the lowest point of the ladle and, unless disturbed, will stay there. Now imagine giving the ball a push, which is an approximation to a Dirac delta impulse. The marble will roll back and forth but eventually resettle in the bottom of the ladle. Drawing the horizontal position of the marble over time would give a gradually diminishing sinusoid rather like the blue curve in the image above.

A step input in this case requires supporting the marble away from the bottom of the ladle, so that it cannot roll back. It will stay in the same position and will not, as would be the case if the system were only marginally stable or entirely unstable, continue to move away from the bottom of the ladle under this constant force equal to its weight.

It is important to note that in this example the system is not stable for all inputs. Give the marble a big enough push, and it will fall out of the ladle and fall, stopping only when it reaches the floor. For some systems, therefore, it is proper to state that a system is exponentially stable over a certain range of inputs.

title: Exponential stability


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The Spy in Black

The Spy in Black (US: U-boat 29) is a 1939 British film, and the first collaboration between the British filmmakers Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. They were brought together by Alexander Korda to make the World War I spy thriller novel of the same title by Joseph Storer Clouston into a film. Powell and Pressburger eventually made over 20 films during the course of their partnership.

The Spy in Black stars Conrad Veidt, Valerie Hobson and Sebastian Shaw, with Marius Goring and Torin Thatcher as two German submarine officers. Grant Sutherland, a minister in Powell's The Edge of the World (1937), appears in this film as a Scottish air raid warden.

Plot
In March 1917, Captain Hardt (Conrad Veidt), a World War I German U-boat commander, is ordered to lead a mission to attack the British Fleet at Scapa Flow, rendezvousing at the Old Man of Hoy. He sneaks ashore on the Orkney Islands to meet his contact, Fräulein Tiel (Valerie Hobson). Tiel has taken over the identity of a new local schoolteacher, Miss Anne Burnett (June Duprez), who female German agents had intercepted and chloroformed en route to the island. Hardt finds himself attracted to her, but Tiel shows no interest. The Germans are aided by a disgraced Royal Navy officer, the former Commander Ashington (Sebastian Shaw) who, according to Tiel, has agreed to aid the Germans after losing his command due to drunkenness, and Tiel implies that she has slept with Ashington to obtain his cooperation.

The plan is almost disrupted when Burnett's fiancé, Rev. Harris, arrives unexpectedly, but the spies take him captive. Then the local minister, Matthews, and his wife (who had already met Harris) come to the house, but Tiel manages to get them to leave. Now equipped with the crucial information he needs about the British fleet movements, Hardt rendezvous with his submarine to arrange for a fleet of U-boats to attack. Returning to the house, and confident that all is going to plan, Hardt makes advances to Tiel, but she rebuffs him. She leaves the house, believing she has locked Hardt in his room, but he gets out and secretly follows her, discovering that she has gone out to meet Ashington. Hardt overhears them talking and learns the truth: the British are fully aware of his presence, and have turned his mission into a trap for the U-boats. Hardt's "contacts" are really British double agents – Ashington is in fact RN Commander Blacklock, and "Fräulein Tiel" is Blacklock's wife, Jill.

As Jill prepares to leave the island, Blacklock returns to the house to arrest Hardt, only to find he has eluded them. Disguised in Rev. Harris's clothes, Hardt manages to board the island ferry, which is also carrying Jill, a number of civilian passengers, and eight German POWs. Blacklock reports Hardt's escape to the base commander, who explains that the British had learned of the Germans' plan because the real Anne Burnett luckily survived the German agents' attempt to kill her by throwing her into the sea.

At sea, Hardt manages to free the German prisoners and they seize the ferry. The Royal Navy pursue them, but before they can catch up, the ferry is intercepted by Hardt's submarine, and Hardt's first officer, Lieutenant Schuster (Marius Goring) decides to sink it. As the U-boat surfaces and prepares to fire, Hardt realises it is his own submarine. He frantically attempts to signal them, but too late – the U-boat shells the ferry, which begins to sink. By this time the British ships have arrived, and they drop depth charges, destroying the fleeing U-boat. As Jill, the other passengers and the crew abandon the sinking ferry, Hardt realises all is lost, and chooses to go down with the ship.

Cast

 * Conrad Veidt as Capt. Hardt
 * Sebastian Shaw as Lt. Ashington/Cmdr. David Blacklock
 * Valerie Hobson as Fräulein Tiel (schoolmistress)/Jill Blacklock
 * Esma Cannon as Maggie.
 * Marius Goring as Lt. Felix Schuster
 * June Duprez as Miss Anne Burnett
 * Athole Stewart as Rev. Hector Matthews
 * Agnes Lauchlan as Mrs. Matthews
 * Helen Haye as Mrs. Sedley
 * Cyril Raymond as Rev. John Harris
 * George Summers as Capt. Walter Ratter (ferry captain)
 * Hay Petrie as James, the Ferry Engineer
 * Grant Sutherland as Bob Bratt
 * Robert Rendel as Admiral
 * Mary Morris as Edwards, the Chauffeuse
 * Margaret Moffatt as Kate
 * Kenneth Warrington as Cmdr. Denis
 * Torin Thatcher as Submarine officer

 * Cast notes:
 * Bernard Miles has a small uncredited part as Hans, the hotel receptionist.
 * Graham Stark has an uncredited part as a bellboy.
 * Skelton Knaggs has a small uncredited part as the German sailor looking for Capt. Hardt.

Production
The Spy in Black was filmed at Denham Studios, with location shooting at Northchurch Common in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire and in Orkney, Scotland. The film wrapped production on 24 December 1938 and was released in the U.K. on 7 August 1939 – just weeks before the country again went to war with Germany. Its American premiere was held in New York City on 5 October of that year, and it went into general release two days later.

Critical reception
The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote "This intricate story is gripping from beginning to end, and very skilfully directed"; Variety opined "Production is A1, as is the direction"; and The New York Times called it "the most exciting spy melodrama since the advent of the Second World War. The British may not have the Bremen, but they still have Conrad Veidt."

Awards and honours
This film was named by the National Board of Review as one of the ten best films of 1939.

title: The Spy in Black


text:
Contraband (1940 film)

Contraband (1940) is a wartime spy film by the British director-writer team of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, which reunited stars Conrad Veidt and Valerie Hobson after their earlier appearance in The Spy in Black the previous year. On this occasion, Veidt plays a hero, something he did not do very often, and there is also an early (uncredited) performance by Leo Genn.

The title of the film in the United States was Blackout. Powell writes in his autobiography, A Life in Movies, as saying that the U.S. renaming was a better title and he wished he had thought of it.

Plot
It is November 1939: the Phoney War-stage of the World War II. Denmark is still neutral, but (Danish) Captain Andersen (Conrad Veidt) and his freighter Helvig are stopped in the English Channel by Lt. Commanders Ashton (Joss Ambler) and Ellis (Harold Warrender) for a cargo inspection in a British Contraband Control Port.

He receives two shore passes for himself and his First Officer Axel Skold (Hay Petrie) to dine with Ashton and Ellis, but the passes (and Helvig's motorboat) are stolen by passengers Mrs. Sorensen (Valerie Hobson) and talent scout Mr. Pidgeon (Esmond Knight). From a cut-out newspaper train schedule, Andersen is able to figure out they are taking a train to London and catches up with them; but, when the train arrives in the blacked-out metropolis, he is only able to hold on to Mrs. Sorensen.

He invites her to dine at the restaurant of Skold's brother Erik (also Hay Petrie). Then she takes him to the home of her aunt, where they are captured by a Nazi spy ring led by Van Dyne (Raymond Lovell), a man Mrs. Sorensen has already had unpleasant dealings with in Düsseldorf, Germany. Van Dyne knows Mrs. Sorensen and Pidgeon are British agents. Van Dyne finds a message hidden on one of Mrs. Sorensen's cigarette papers, identifying her as "M47" and listing the names of neutral ships under which two German vessels are traveling. He decides to replace one of the names with that of an American ship to cause trouble, the United States being neutral at this time. Mrs. Sorensen and Andersen are tied up, but the captain manages to escape. He brings back reinforcements in the form of Erik Skold's staff and is able to free Mrs. Sorensen and knock out Van Dyne. With everything cleared up, Capt. Andersen and Mrs. Sorensen resume their sea voyage.

Cast

 * Conrad Veidt as Capt. Andersen
 * Valerie Hobson as Mrs Sorensen
 * Hay Petrie as Axel Skold/Erik Skold
 * Joss Ambler as Lt. Cmdr. Ashton, RNR
 * Raymond Lovell as Van Dyne
 * Esmond Knight as Mr Pidgeon
 * Charles Victor as Hendrick
 * Phoebe Kershaw as Miss Lang
 * Harold Warrender as Lt. Cmdr. Ellis, RN
 * John Longden as Passport Officer
 * Eric Maturin as Passport Officer
 * Paddy Browne as Singer in "Regency"
 * Dennis Arundell as Lieman
 * Molly Hamley-Clifford as Baroness Hekla
 * Eric Berry as Mr Abo
 * Olga Edwardes as Mrs Abo

Cast notes

 * Leo Genn and Peter Bull as two of Van Dyne's associates
 * Bernard Miles in an amusing scene arguing with two air raid wardens
 * Esma Cannon as Hay Petrie's niece
 * Michael Shepley as the helpful man in the club
 * Milo O'Shea made his film debut, in the uncredited role of an air raid warden.

Production
Contraband was intended as a followup to Powell and Pressburger's The Spy in Black, which was filmed at the end of 1938, but was not released by Alexander Korda for almost a year. The current film was in production from 16 December 1939 through 27 January 1940 at Denham Film Studios, with location shooting in London at Chester Square in Belgravia, and in Ramsgate in Kent.

Critical reception
The TV Guide online review called it "An odd little comic thriller - who, except perhaps Michael Powell, would cast 47-year-old Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920) star Conrad Veidt as a light romantic hero?"

Time Out wrote that "Less stylish than The Spy in Black, this espionage thriller is more fun, with its tongue-in-cheek plot revelling in Hitchcockian eccentricities". Radio Times describes it as "A neat Second World War espionage thriller that depicts a London crawling with spies".

Dennis Schwartz of Ozus' World Movie Reviews had mixed feelings, giving it a grade of B−. "The brisk pace and its added touches of quaintness, made the film endearing in spite [sic] of the lack of any character study and the one-dimensional tone of the villains." However, he wondered "how much better a more romantically inclined hero would have fared in his [Veidt's] role."

title: Contraband (1940 film)


text:
Hans-Peter Dürr

Hans-Peter Dürr (7 October 1929 – 18 May 2014) was a German physicist. He worked on nuclear and quantum physics, elementary particles and gravitation, epistemology, and philosophy, and he advocated responsible scientific and energy policies. In 1987, he was awarded the Right Livelihood Award for "his profound critique of the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) and his work to convert high technology to peaceful uses".

Early life and education
Hans-Peter Dürr was born in Stuttgart in 1929. He studied physics in Stuttgart, graduating with a Diploma in 1953 and did postgraduate studies at University of California, Berkeley, completing his Ph.D. in 1956 supervised by Edward Teller.

Career
From 1958 until 1976 he was a research associate of Werner Heisenberg, specializing in nuclear physics, quantum physics, elementary particles and gravitation epistemology and philosophy. He was Heisenberg's closest ally in their attempts to develop a unified field theory of elementary particles. In 1962 he habilitated at the Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich. The same year he was a guest professor in Berkeley, California and Madras, India.

Until 1997 he was professor of physics at the Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich. Between 1978 and 1997 he was executive Director of the Max Planck Institute for Physics (Werner-Heisenberg-Institute) and Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics in Munich several times. He was Vice executive director from 1972-1977, 1981–1986 and 1993-1995.

Advocacy
In the 1980s, Dürr advocated the cause of peace as a member of the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs. In 1983, he helped co-fund the Scientists' Initiative "Responsibility for Peace", which led to the Scientists' Peace Congress in Mainz attended by 3,300 scientists and the Mainzer Appell, a declaration against further nuclear armament. In 1990, another large scientists' convention in Göttingen warned against the militarization of space. In support of these conventions, Dürr gave a series of lectures at numerous German universities. Dürr was a leading critic of the US Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), otherwise known as Star Wars.

In 1986 Dürr proposed a World Peace Initiative, on a similar scale to the SDI, to solve environmental problems, and achieve social justice and peace. In 1987 this was reborn as the Global Challenges Network, which received the Right Livelihood Award together with Dürr.

More recently, Dürr contributed to the global environmental movement. He served as a member of the board of Greenpeace Germany and as a member of the International Advisory Council on the Economic Development of Hainan in Harmony with the Natural Environment in China. In 1996, Dürr was made a member of the UN Secretary General's international advisory group for the Habitat II Conference in Istanbul.

Dürr was a member of the Club of Rome and served on the scientific committee of the Vienna Internationale Akademie für Zukunftsfragen, advocating sustainable, equitable, and viable development, emphasizing energy efficiency and sufficiency as a point of entry. He was a founder member of the German Vereinigung für Ökologische Ökonomie.

Later years, emeritus after 1997
In 2005, together with Daniel Dahm and Rudolf zur Lippe, he published the Potsdam Manifesto and the Potsdam Denkschrift as a follow-up to the Russell–Einstein Manifesto of 1955. They were signed by a large group of scientists from all over the world, including 20 laureates of the Right Livelihood Award.

From 2006 until his death, he was a founding councillor at the World Future Council, and a supporter of the Campaign for the Establishment of a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly, an organisation which campaigns for the democratic reformation of the United Nations.

He also championed various social justice causes, and helped fund the "David against Goliath" organization protesting against a nuclear fuel reprocessing plant in Bavaria.

Personal life
Dürr was married for more than 50 years and had 4 children and numerous grandchildren. He died in May 2014 in Munich.

Honors

 * Award of Merit 1956, Oakland in USA;
 * Right Livelihood Award 1987 („Alternative Nobelprice“), Stockholm;
 * Waldemar-von-Knoeringen-Award 1989, Munich;
 * Ecology Award „Goldene Schwalbe“ 1990, Darmstadt;
 * Natura Obligat Medaille 1991, Bundeswehr University Munich;
 * Elise and Walter Haas International Award 1993, University of California;
 * Medal `München leuchtet' 1996 in Gold, Culture Award Munich;
 * Honorary Doctor Dr.phil. h.c, 2002, University Oldenburg, Philosophical Faculty;
 * Großes Verdienstkreuz des Bundesverdienstorden der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, 2004, Berlin.

Memberships

 * Deutsche Akademie der Naturforscher Leopoldina, Halle, 1975;
 * Rhodes Scholarship Foundation, Vorsitzender des deutschen Auswahlausschusses, Hamburg, 1979–1982;
 * Vereinigung Deutscher Wissenschaftler, Berlin, Vorstand, 1980–1986, und Vorstandsvorsitzender, 1991–97, 2000-;
 * E.F.-Schuhmacher-Gesellschaft, Kuratorium, Munich, 1980-;
 * Studiengruppe Sanfte Energietechnologien München SESAM, University Munich 1981-1983;
 * Naturwissenschaftler Initiative – Verantwortung für den Frieden, Mainz, 1983;
 * Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs, London/Geneva, 1983, Council 1987-97,
 * Peace-Nobel Prize 1995;
 * Energiekommission der Landeshauptstadt, Munich, 1983-;
 * Wissenschaftszentrum München, Vorstand Beirat, 1983-;
 * Scientists against Nuclear Weapons and for Peace, Sowjetische Akademie der Wissenschaften, Moskau, 1984-;
 * August-Bebel-Kreis, Tübingen, 1986–1990;
 * Greenpeace Deutschland, Hamburg, Vorstand, 1985–92;
 * Stabilitätsorientierte Sicherheitspolitik, Starnberg, Codirector Forschungsprojekt 1986-1988;
 * Institut für Friedensforschung und Sicherheitspolitik, Wissenschaftlicher Beirat, Universität Hamburg, 1986-;
 * Global Challenges Network, München, Gründer und Vorstand, 1987;
 * Akademie der Wissenschaften der DDR, Berlin, 1987;
 * International Foundation for the Survival and Development of Humanity, Moskau, Mitbegründer und Vorstand, 1988;
 * Institut für sozial-ökologische Forschung, Frankfurt, Wiss. Beirat, 1989-;
 * Internationale Akademie für Zukunftsfragen, Wien, Vorstand und Wissenschaftliches Präsidium, 1990;
 * Economic Development of Hainan in Harmony with the Natural Environment, Intern. Adv. Council, PR China, 1990–93;
 * Die Umweltakademie/Umwelt und Management, Oberpfaffenhofen, Vorsitzender Kuratorium, 1990–97, Vorstand, 1998;
 * Club of Rome, Paris, 1991;
 * Europäische Stiftung für Natur- und Kulturvermögen, Prag, Mitbegründer und Präsident, 1991–2001;
 * Academia Scientiarum et Artium Europaea, Salzburg, 1991-, Prodekan, 1993–1995;
 * International Network of Engineers and Scientists for Global Responsibility INES, Hamburg, 1992-;
 * Lenkungsausschuss der „Consultative“, DUA Oberpfaffenhofen/München, 1992–1994;
 * Center for Science of Hope, International Center for Integrated Studies, ICIS. Advisory Council, New York 1993;
 * Freunde und Förderer der Robert-Jungk-Stiftung, Ehrenmitglied, Salzburg, 1993-;
 * Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, Vorstand, Chicago, 1993–95;
 * Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research PIK, Wissenschaftlicher. Beirat, 1993–2003;
 * Muhammad Abdus Salam Foundation, Stiftungsrat, London, 1993–1995;
 * Volkshochschule, Kuratorium, München, 1994–1996;
 * Global Commission to Fund the U .N., Washington D.C, 1995;
 * Institut für Zukunftsstudien und Technologiebewertung IZT, Wissenschaftlicher Beirat, Berlin, 1995-;
 * Gruppe Energie 2010: Zukünftige Energiepolitik, Niedersächsische Energie-Agentur, Hannover, 1995-1998.
 * U.N. Conference of Human Settlements, Habitat II, International Advisory Council, New York, 1996;
 * David gegen Goliath, München, 1996, Ehrenmitglied; 1996;
 * RIO-Impuls Luzern, Schweiz, Beirat, 1996-;
 * Ludwig-Bölkow-Stiftung München, Kuratorium, 1998–2004;
 * Roland-Röhl-Stiftung Göttingen, Kuratorium Vorsitzender, 1998;
 * Global Forum of Spiritual and Parliamentary Leaders, New York, Co-Chair Science, 1999-;
 * Stiftung für die Rechte zukünftiger Generationen, Oberursel Beirat, 1999;
 * The State of the World Forum, San Francisco, Gorbachev Foundation, International Coordinating Council, 1999;
 * Herrmann-Knoblauch-Akademie, Schirmherr, Hannover, 1999;
 * Bayerische Akademie der Schönen Künste, München, Ehrenmitglied, 2000;
 * Commission on Globalization, The State of the World Forum San Francisco, New York, 2001;
 * Friends of Health, Washington, Scientific Advisory Committee, 2000;
 * Koalition für Leben und Frieden, München, 2002-;
 * Stiftung Insel Hombroich, Neuß, Kuratorium, 2003-;
 * Lassalle Institut, Bad Schönbrunn, Schweiz, Patronatskomitee, 2003-;
 * International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (Peace Nobel Prize, 1985), Berlin, Scientific Advisory Board, 2004.

Books (selection)

 * What is Life? Scientific Approaches and Philosophical Positions (co-author, co-ed.), World Scientific, 2002, ISBN 981-02-4740-0
 * Unified Theories of Elementary Particles (ed.), Springer Verlag, 1982.
 * Werner Heisenberg, Gesammelte Werke (co-ed.), 9 vols., Piper und Springer Verlag (1985–1993).
 * Physik und Transzendenz (ed.), Scherz Verlag, 1986.
 * Das Netz des Physikers, Hanser Verlag, 1988.
 * De la Science à l’Éthique, Bibliothèque Albin Michel Sciences 1988.
 * Geist und Natur (ed.), Scherz Verlag, 1989.
 * Respekt vor der Natur - Verantwortung für die Natur, Piper Verlag, 1994.
 * Die Zukunft ist ein unbetretener Pfad, Herder Verlag, 1995.
 * Zukünftige Energiepolitik (co-author), Economica Verlag, 1995.
 * Umweltverträgliches Wirtschaften (co-ed.), Agenda Verlag, 1995.
 * Gott, der Mensch und die Wissenschaft (co-author), Pattloch Verlag, 1997.
 * Rupert Sheldrake in der Diskussion (co-ed.), Scherz Verlag, 1997.
 * Für eine zivile Gesellschaft, dtv 2000.
 * Elemente des Lebens (co-ed.), Graue Edition, 2000.
 * Wir erleben mehr als wir begreifen (co-author), Herder spektrum, 2001.
 * Wirklichkeit, Wahrheit, Werte und die Wissenschaft (co-author, co-ed.), BWV, 2003.
 * Auch die Wissenschaft spricht nur in Gleichnissen, Herder spektrum, 2004.
 * H.P.Dürr/Raimon Panikkar: Liebe - Urquelle des Kosmos −  Ein Gespräch über Naturwissenschaft und Religion, Herder Vlg. (Herder Tb.5965), Freiburg 2008, ISBN 978-3-451-05965-0

title: Hans-Peter Dürr


text:
1930 in rail transport

January events

 * January 1 – The Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton Railway, Indiana, Columbus and Eastern and the Lima-Toledo Railroad merge to form the Cincinnati and Lake Erie Railroad
 * January 31 – Trains begin using the new elevated tracks and platform at Toronto Union Station.

February events

 * February 15 – The Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits operates the first Taurus Express between Istanbul and Baghdad, with road connection between Nusaybin and Kirkuk.
 * February 18 – The Pullman Company buys the Osgood Bradley Car Company, which has been making trolley and other transit cars since 1833.
 * February 24 – The Standard Steel Car Company is incorporated as a Pullman subsidiary.

March events

 * March 13–14 – Blue Train Races: Woolf Barnato driving his Speed Six Blue Train Bentley saloon races Le Train Bleu from Cannes. He is parked at his London club before the train arrives at Calais Gare Maritime.
 * March 29 – last scheduled train runs on the narrow gauge Northwestern Pacific Railroad.
 * March 30 – Chesapeake and Ohio Railway inaugurates The Sportsman passenger service.

April events

 * April 21 – The Turkestan–Siberia Railway is completed.

May events

 * May 6 – The Drammen Line in Norway takes electric traction into use between Drammen and Brakerøya.

June events

 * June 1 – The Great Indian Peninsula Railway introduces the Deccan Queen express over its newly electrified line between Bombay (Mumbai) and Poonah (Pune).
 * June 16 – Hanwa Electronic Railway, Tennoji Station of Osaka to Wakayama Station route officially complete in Japan.(a predecessor of JR Hanwa Line)
 * June 20 – General Motors purchases Winton Engine, a major supplier of diesel locomotive prime movers.
 * June 25 – The Glacier Express first runs between St. Moritz and Zermatt in Switzerland following completion of the metre gauge link between Brig and Visp.

July events

 * July – The Atlantic City Railroad (a predecessor of the Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines) purchases the Wildwood and Delaware Bay Short Line Railroad.
 * July 8 – A demonstration Bennie Railplane monorail line is opened over an existing railway line at Milngavie near Glasgow in Scotland.

August events

 * August 20 – The Kururi Line in Japan is regauged from to.

October events

 * October 1 – Somu Railroad Line, Ōmiya Station (Saitama) via Kasukabe and Kashiwa to Funabashi route is officially completed in Japan (as predecessor of the Tobu Urban Park Line (Noda Line)).

December events

 * December 18 – Bombay Central station opened by Bombay, Baroda and Central India Railway.
 * December 31 – General Motors buys Electro-Motive Corporation and combines it with Winton Engine to form General Motors Electro-Motive Division.

November events

 * Southern Pacific Railroad opens the Benicia–Martinez drawbridge — it replaces the Solano, the largest rail ferryboat ever constructed.

Unknown date events

 * General American Transportation Corporation assumes ownership of Swift Refrigerator Line.

February births

 * February 3 – Charles S. Roberts, American railroad historian, is born (d. 2010).

Unknown date births

 * Robert Bandeen, president of Canadian National Railway 1974–1982.

title: 1930 in rail transport


text:
49th Parallel (film)

49th Parallel is a 1941 British war drama film, the third made by the team of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. It was released in the United States as The Invaders.

Plot
In the Gulf of St. Lawrence, German U-boat U-37 sinks a Canadian freighter and then evades the RCN and RCAF by sailing into Hudson Bay. While a raiding party of six is ashore in search of food and fuel, the U-boat is sunk by RCAF bombers. The six survivors head for the neutral United States, led by Lieutenants Hirth and Kuhnecke.

When a floatplane is dispatched to investigate reports of the sinking, the Germans open fire, killing the pilot and some of the local Inuit. They steal the aircraft but cannot achieve takeoff because they are overloaded. After a sailor is shot and killed by an Inuk, the load is light enough for takeoff.

Heading south, the floatplane exhausts its fuel and crashes into a lake in Manitoba, killing Kuhnecke. The Germans are welcomed by a nearby Hutterite farming community. The fugitives assume that the Hutterites are sympathetic to the Nazi cause, but some of them are refugees from Hitler's Germany, and Hirth's fanatical speech is eloquently refuted by Peter, the community's leader. One of the sailors, Vogel, would rather join the community, but he is tried by Hirth and executed for desertion and treachery.

Hirth, Lohrmann and Kranz arrive in Winnipeg. Hirth decides that they will travel west to Vancouver and catch a steamship for Japan. They hijack a car and then board a train that stops in Banff, Alberta during Banff Indian Days. A Canadian Mountie addresses the crowd and Kranz is arrested when he panics.

Fleeing across the Rocky Mountains, the two remaining men are welcomed to a lakeside camp by eccentric English writer Philip Armstrong Scott, who takes them for lost tourists. After they burn his manuscript and precious paintings, Scott and his men pursue them. Lohrmann finally rebels against Hirth's leadership and takes off by himself. Lohrmann is cornered in a cave. Scott is wounded but enters the cave and beats Lohrmann unconscious.

Hirth, the last fugitive, meets Andy Brock, a Canadian soldier who is absent without leave, in a freight car on a train near the international border. Hirth knocks Brock unconscious with the butt of his gun and steals his uniform and dog tags. After the train crosses the border at Niagara Falls, Hirth surrenders his gun to a customs official and demands to be taken to the German embassy. Brock tells the official that Hirth, now globally famous, is wanted in Canada for murder, and says that because neither man is listed on the freight manifest, they cannot enter the country. Using this technicality, Hirth and Brock are returned to Canada. As the train passes over the bridge, Brock dons his uniform cap and orders Hirth to surrender.

Cast

 * The U-boat crew

 * The Canadians

Production
The British Ministry of Information approached Michael Powell to produce a propaganda film, suggesting minesweeping as the subject. Powell instead desired to make a film to help sway opinion in the neutral United States. Powell persuaded the British and Canadian governments and started location filming in 1940, but by the time the film appeared in March 1942, the U.S. was already involved in the war. Powell's interest in creating a propaganda film in Canada dovetailed with some of Pressburger's work. The screenplay was initially based on Pressburger's idea to replicate the Ten Little Indians scenario of people being removed from a group, one by one. Arthur Horman, who wrote several sequences, later wrote Desperate Journey, a film with a similar story.

The original choice to play German officer Hirth was Esmond Knight, but he was unavailable because of his military duties. Anton Walbrook donated half his fee to the International Red Cross. Raymond Massey, Laurence Olivier and Leslie Howard all agreed to work at half of their normal fees. The film marked the only time that Canadian-born Massey played a Canadian on screen.

Elisabeth Bergner was originally cast in the role of Anna but deserted the film, refusing to return to Britain for the studio scenes. As a German, she feared for her life if the Nazis were to invade. Glynis Johns replaced Bergner. However, many location wide shots in which Bergner appeared were salvaged for the film, including the initial long shots of Anna.

The replica U-37 carried two 1,000-pound bombs supplied by the RCAF. Powell did not inform the actors that the bombs were aboard so that the actors would not be nervous. The actors were replaced by dummies before the bombs were detonated. Powell's voice can be heard faintly in some of the submarine scenes. Once, when the camera boat almost collides with the submarine, Powell says, "Keep rolling." The men in the lifeboat at the start of the film were mainly local merchant seamen, many of whom had already been torpedoed.

Lovell nearly drowned filming the in which the commandeered floatplane crashes. The plane sank faster than anticipated, and a stink bomb that was thrown in to "heighten the turmoil" added to the chaos. A member of the camera crew jumped into the water and saved Lowell.

Ralph Vaughan Williams provided the music, his first film score. The music was directed by Muir Mathieson and performed by the London Symphony Orchestra.

Although the film's budget was intended to be £68,000, costs ran to £132,000, of which the government provided less than £60,000.

Release
Columbia distributed the film in the U.S. in 1942 as The Invaders for a reported $200,000 after Universal had declined. American censors cut 19 minutes from the film, including the speech by the fanatical Nazi commander who claims that Eskimos are like Negros and "semi-apes, only one degree above the Jews," which was removed to avoid offending segregationists in the American South. The American film trailer was made on the set of the film The Talk of the Town under the title It Happened One Noon, with stars Cary Grant, Jean Arthur and Ronald Colman telling director George Stevens about seeing the exciting film during a two-hour lunch break.

According to Kinematograph Weekly, 49th Parallel was the most popular film at the British box office in 1941. The Times attributed the success of the film to the enthusiasm of Odeon Cinemas founder Oscar Deutsch.

Variety estimated that the film earned $1.3 million in U.S. rentals in 1942. The film earned a total of $5 million at the North American box office.

The British Film Institute ranked 49th Parallel at #63 among the most popular films with British audiences based on a cinema attendance of 9.3 million in the UK.

Reception
In a contemporary review for the Liverpool Evening Express, critic Cedric Fraser called 49th Parallel "[o]ne of the finest pictures ever made in this country" and wrote: "This is a magnificent film, fair to the point of scrupulousness, and revealing in all its ruthlessness the savagery of the typical Nazi."

J. E. Sewell of The Daily Telegraph wrote: "It is a grown-up's film, presenting our point of view with fairness, vigour and humanity through the medium of an exciting, vivid story, and some of the best short characterizations I have ever seen. All I could wish changed is the title, which seems to me to be almost completely irrelevant."

In The New York Times, critic Bosley Crowther wrote: "Among the best of the anti-Nazi pictures which have yet been exhibited hereabouts, you can list the British-made 'The Invaders' ... For this, indeed, is a picture which not only argues trenchantly but is filmed and played with such intelligence that it gives an illusion of documented fact. ... And, except for a fewstatic stretches and one slightly artificial sequence, it stands up with 'Target for Tonight' as one of the memorable war films so far. For the purpose of ideological contrasts—or for tense and exciting action, too—a better story could hardly have been conceived. ... 'The Invaders' is an absorbing and exciting film."

49th Parallel holds a 90% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 10 reviews, with an average rating of 7.1/10.

Awards
Pressburger won an Oscar for Best Story and the film was nominated for Best Picture and Best Screenplay (including Rodney Ackland for additional dialogue). Powell was nominated for Best Director by the New York Film Critics Circle.

title: 49th Parallel (film)


text:
Loser (Beck song)

"Loser" is a single by American musician Beck. It was written by Beck and record producer Carl Stephenson, who both produced the song with Tom Rothrock. "Loser" was initially released as Beck's second single by independent record label Bong Load Custom Records on 12-inch vinyl format with catalog number BL5 on March 8, 1993.

When it was first released independently, "Loser" began receiving airplay on various modern rock stations, and the song's popularity eventually led to a major-label record deal with Geffen Records-subsidiary DGC Records. After the song's re-release under DGC, the song peaked at number 10 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in April 1994, becoming Beck's first single to hit a major chart. Internationally, the song reached number one in Norway and entered the top 10 in Australia, Austria, Canada, Iceland, New Zealand, and Sweden. The song was subsequently released on the 1994 album Mellow Gold. Its music video was directed by Steve Hanft. In 2023, Billboard magazine ranked "Loser" among the 500 best pop songs of all time.

Conception and recording
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Beck was a homeless musician in the New York City anti-folk scene. He returned to his hometown of Los Angeles in early 1991, due to his financial struggles. Described by biographer Julian Palacios as having "no opportunities whatsoever", Beck worked low-wage jobs to survive, but still found time to perform his songs at local coffeehouses and clubs. In order to keep indifferent audiences engaged in his music, Beck would play in a spontaneous, joking manner. "I'd be banging away on a Son House tune and the whole audience would be talking, so maybe out of desperation or boredom, or the audience's boredom, I'd make up these ridiculous songs just to see if people were listening. 'Loser' was an extension of that." Tom Rothrock, co-owner of independent record label Bong Load, expressed interest in Beck's music and introduced him to Carl Stephenson, a record producer for Rap-A-Lot Records.

"Loser" was written and recorded by Beck while he was visiting Stephenson's home. Although the song was created spontaneously, Beck has claimed to have had the idea for the song since the late 1980s; he once said, "I don't think I would have been able to go in and do 'Loser' in a six-hour shot without having been somewhat prepared. It was accidental, but it was something that I'd been working toward for a long time." Beck played some of his songs for Stephenson; Stephenson enjoyed the songs, but was unimpressed by Beck's rapping. Stephenson recorded a brief guitar part from one of Beck's songs onto an 8-track, looped it, and added a drum track to it. Stephenson then added his own sitar playing and other samples. At that point, Beck began writing and improvising lyrics for the recording. For the song's vocals, Beck attempted to emulate the rapping style of Public Enemy's Chuck D. According to Beck, the line that became the song's chorus originated because "When [Stephenson] played it back, I thought, 'Man, I'm the worst rapper in the world, I'm just a loser.' So I started singing 'I'm a loser baby, so why don't you kill me.'" According to Rothrock, the song was largely finished in six and a half hours, with two minor overdubs several months later.

Composition and lyrics
Beck acknowledged the impact of folk on the song, saying "I'd realized that a lot of what folk music is about taking a tradition and reflecting your own time. I knew my folk music would take off, if I put hip-hop beats behind it." He had also perceived similarities between Delta blues and hip hop, which helped to inspire the song. The A.V. Club's Annie Zaleski opines that the song imitates abstract hip hop, while James Reed from The Boston Globe called it an alternative rock anthem, and Veronica Chambers for Vibe magazine described the song as a "folk-based hip hop song." "Loser" revolves around several recurring musical elements: a slide guitar riff, Stephenson's sitar, the bassline, and a tremolo guitar part. The song's drum track is sampled from a Johnny Jenkins cover of Dr. John's "I Walk on Guilded Splinters" from the 1970 album Ton-Ton Macoute!. During the song's break, there is a sample of a line of dialogue from the 1991 Steve Hanft-directed film Kill the Moonlight, which goes "I'm a driver/I'm a winner/Things are gonna change, I can feel it". Hanft and Beck were friends, and Hanft would go on to direct several music videos for Beck, including the video for "Loser".

Referred to as a "stoner rap" by AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine, the lyrics are mostly nonsensical. The song's chorus, in which Beck sings the lines "Soy un perdedor/I'm a loser baby, so why don't you kill me?", is often interpreted as a parody of Generation X's "slacker" culture. Beck has denied the validity of this meaning, instead saying that the chorus is simply about his lack of skill as a rapper. Jon Pareles wrote in The New York Times that "The sentiment of 'Loser' [...] reflects the twentysomething trademark, a mixture of self-mockery and sardonic defiance", noting Beck's "offhand vocal tone and free-associative lyrics" and comparing his vocals to "Bob Dylan talk-singing". After its recording, Beck thought that the song was interesting but unimpressive. He later said, "The raps and vocals are all first takes. If I'd known the impact it was going to make, I would have put something a little more substantial in it." The relationship between Beck and Stephenson soured after the release of "Loser" as a single. Stephenson regretted his involvement in creating the song, in particular the "negative" lyrics, saying "I feel bad about it. It's not Beck the person, it's the words. I just wish I could have been more of a positive influence."

Release and performance
"Loser" was first released on March 8, 1993, as a 12-inch vinyl single on Bong Load, with only 500 copies pressed. Beck felt that "Loser" was mediocre, and only agreed to its release at Rothrock's insistence. "Loser" unexpectedly received radio airplay, starting in Los Angeles, where college radio station KXLU was the first to play it, followed by modern rock station KROQ-FM. The song then spread to Seattle through KNDD, and KROQ-FM began playing the song on an almost hourly basis. By the time stations in New York were requesting copies of "Loser", Bong Load had already run out. Beck was soon beset with offers to sign with major labels. Convinced that the song was a potential hit, Rothrock gave a vinyl pressing of the single to his friend Tony Berg, who had been working in the A&R department for Geffen Records. Berg said, "I just lost my mind when I heard it. He left my office, and I swear, by the time he got home, I had left a message asking him to introduce me to [Beck]". Beck, in spite of his hesitance to be on any major label, signed with Geffen subsidiary DGC. He explained, "I wasn't going to do anything for a long time, but Bong Load didn't have the means to make as many copies as people wanted. Geffen were involved and they wanted to make it to more of an organized place, one with a bigger budget and better distribution."

In January 1994, DGC reissued "Loser" on CD and cassette, and Geffen began heavily promoting the single. Bong Load, having retained the rights to release Beck's songs on vinyl due to the nature of Beck's contract with DGC, re-pressed the 12-inch single in larger quantities than before. "Loser" quickly ascended the charts in the US, reaching a peak of number ten on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and topping the Modern Rock Tracks chart. It was certified gold by the RIAA and sold 600,000 copies domestically. The song also charted in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and throughout Europe. "Loser"'s worldwide success shot Beck into a position of attention, and the media dubbed him the center of the new so-called "slacker" movement. Beck refuted this characterization of himself, saying, "Slacker my ass. I never had any slack. I was working a $4-an-hour job trying to stay alive. That slacker stuff is for people who have the time to be depressed about everything."

Around the time of the song's release, Beck had been approached about including "Loser" on the soundtrack of the comedy film Dumb and Dumber, but he refused. He recalled the process, "I remember getting a phone call one day. My manager said, 'There's a film. They want to use 'Loser' as the theme song.' There was a long pause, and he said, 'The name of the film is Dumb And Dumber.' And I just remember: That sums up what the world thinks of me at this point. I tried to have fun with it, tried to not take it too serious. But at the same time, it was a little disheartening sometimes."

Critical reception
In his Consumer Guide, Robert Christgau gave the single CD a one-star honorable mention, picked out two songs, "Fume" and "Alcohol", and stated that it's Beck's "greatest hit, an album demo, and two-for-three prime odds and ends". David Stubbs from Melody Maker remarked "the downer-than-downbeat lo-fi, lo-esteem" of "Loser". Pan-European magazine Music & Media wrote, "Despite its title, the odd combination of sitar and dobro-driven(!) alternative pop with dance rhythms, makes a winner out of this song." Paul Moody from NME wrote, "A greased-up sliding blues it may be, but deep inside it there's a smog-filled LA desperation at work (The re-run shows and the cocaine nose jobs/The folk singer slob who hung himself with a guitar string) where Beck actually, erm, makes some sense. Is this allowed?" Michael Azerrad from Rolling Stone commented, "Enter 23-year-old Beck singing, I'm a loser, baby, so why don't you kill me? on "Loser", the ultracatchy opening track on this fascinating debut. Just to underline the point, a sampled George Bush says, I'm a driver. I'm a winner." Another Rolling Stone editor, Paul Evans, felt it "was an awesome, omnipresent single, its trickle-of-consciousness lyrics, ragged acoustic six-string and noise percussion lingering on the radio waves like air freshener." Charles Aaron from Spin ranked the song number one in his list of the "Top 20 Singles of the Year", adding that it "was novelty-pop as generational statement like nothing else since "(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right to Party!" Spin editor Jay Stowe wrote, "An irresistible hook-line like I'm a loser, baby, so why don't you kill me...? comes around maybe once a decade. So, hey, jump in the craze train. America's browbeaten youth never had a more absurd—or honest—anthem."

Impact and legacy
"Loser" ranked first place in the 1994 Village Voice Pazz & Jop critics' poll. In 2004, this song was ranked number 200 in Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. In September 2010, Pitchfork Media included the song at number nine on their "Top 200 Tracks of the 90s". In 2007, Vh1 ranked it number 22 on their list of the "100 Greatest Songs of the 90's". In 2012, Paste ranked it number one on their list of the "20 Greatest Beck Songs", and in 2020, The Guardian ranked the song number three on their list of the "30 Greatest Beck Songs." In October 2023, Billboard magazine ranked "Loser" number 235 in their "500 Best Pop Songs of All Time".

Unproduced "Weird Al" Yankovic parody
Around the time the song was released, "Weird Al" Yankovic had approached Beck asking for permission to record a parody called "Schmoozer". At the time, Beck was just entering the music industry, and did not want his reputation to be seen as a one-hit wonder and refused the parody. Beck stated in 2022 that he wished he had given Yankovic permission, saying "I think it would have been an amazing video, I'm actually really sad it didn't happen. Despite the refusal, Yankovic was able to include a portion of the song in his Polka Medley called "The Alternative Polka".

Music video
The accompanying music video for "Loser" was directed by Beck's friend Steve Hanft. Hanft had worked for a week on storyboards for the video, then called a meeting with Beck's label, Bong Load Records, and requested a $300 shooting budget. The unprocessed 16 mm film footage was frozen for 6 months until Beck signed with Geffen Records. Geffen gave Hanft $14,000 to process, edit, and master the video, making the budget total $14,300. Filming for the video was done all across California, including in Rothrock's Humboldt County studio and backyard and at the Santa Monica graveyard. The video is a mashup of various 16 mm film clips. Beck insisted they were "fucking around" when they made the video; he told Option in 1994, "We weren't making anything slick – it was deliberately crude. You know?"

Hanft, inspired by the Black Sabbath's 16 mm film promo "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" and also surrealist filmmakers Luis Buñuel and Maya Deren, included stop-motion animation footage of a moving coffin in the video. Two coffins were used, one which was a prop borrowed from a local drama school and the other which had been built by Beck and Hanft. Clips and sounds sampled from Hanft's 1991 Cal Arts, MFA thesis film, "Kill the Moonlight", about a loser stock car racer, are also included in the video and song. The moment where Beck is wearing a storm trooper mask is often censored for copyright reasons. The work's only clip shot on video rather than film is the one depicting famous mountain dancer Jesco White wearing a white satin shirt and dancing on a picnic table. The clip was shot by director Julian Nitzberg and was added to the final cut on the last day of editing. "Loser" ranked sixth in the music video category in the 1994 Village Voice Pazz & Jop poll.

The music video for Beck's 2014 song "Heart Is a Drum" features characters from the "Loser" video, including the grim reaper, and another version of Beck in which he wears the white outfit from the "Loser" video. Also, two spacemen enter near the end of the "Heart Is a Drum" video as they ride away on the back of a pick up truck just as they do in the "Kill the Moonlight" film clip that was included in the "Loser" video.

Formats and track listing
All songs were written by Beck except where noted.

 * Bong Load 12-inch (BL5)
 * 1) "Loser" (Beck, Karl Stephenson) – 3:58
 * 2) "Steal My Body Home" – 5:18

 * US CD (DGCDM-21930)
 * 1) "Loser" (Beck, Karl Stephenson) – 3:58
 * 2) "Corvette Bummer" – 4:57
 * 3) "Alcohol" – 3:51
 * 4) "Soul Suckin Jerk (Reject)" – 6:10
 * 5) "Fume" – 4:29

 * US 7-inch and cassette (DGCS 7-19270; DGCS-12270)
 * 1) "Loser" (Beck, Karl Stephenson) – 3:58
 * 2) "Alcohol" – 3:51

 * UK 7-inch and cassette (GFS 67; GFSC 67)
 * 1) "Loser" (Beck, Karl Stephenson) – 3:58
 * 2) "Alcohol" – 3:51
 * 3) "Fume" – 4:29

 * UK and Swedish CD (GFSTD 67; GED 21891)
 * 1) "Loser" (Beck, Karl Stephenson) – 3:58
 * 2) "Totally Confused" – 3:28
 * 3) "Corvette Bummer" – 4:56
 * 4) "MTV Makes Me Want to Smoke Crack" (Lounge Version) – 3:29

title: Loser (Beck song)


text:
Lyle Alzado

Lyle Martin Alzado (April 3, 1949 – May 14, 1992) was an American professional football player who was a defensive end of the National Football League (NFL), famous for his intense and intimidating style of play.

Alzado played for the Denver Broncos, the Cleveland Browns, and finally the Los Angeles Raiders with whom he won a championship in Super Bowl XVIII. He was a three-time All-Pro and two-time Pro Bowl selection during his career of 15 years.

Early life
Alzado was born in Brownsville, Brooklyn, New York to an Italian-Spanish father, Maurice, and a Jewish mother with a Russian family background, Martha Sokolow Alzado. He followed Judaism. When he was 10, the family moved to Cedarhurst, Long Island. His father, whom Alzado later described as "a drinker and street fighter," left the family during Alzado's sophomore year at Lawrence High School. He played high school football for three years.

College career
After he did not receive a college scholarship offer, Alzado played for Kilgore College, a community college in Kilgore, Texas. Two years after joining he was asked to leave the team, later he said it was for befriending a black teammate. He went to play for Yankton College in South Dakota. Though playing in relative obscurity in the NAIA, Alzado nonetheless gained notice by the NFL when Denver Broncos' coach and scout Stan Jones having been taken off the road by automobile trouble, decided to pass the time at nearby Montana Tech, one of Yankton's opponents. Montana Tech's coaches were showing him films of their star running back Don Heater, but Jones was impressed with the unknown defensive lineman Alzado squaring off against Montana Tech's offense and passed back a favorable report to his team. The Broncos ultimately drafted Alzado in the fourth round of the 1971 draft. Alzado went back to Yankton after his rookie season to get his college degree. He received a B.A. in physical education with an emphasis in secondary education. During his college years, Alzado participated in amateur boxing making it to the semi-finals of the 1969 Midwest Golden Gloves Boxing Tournament, held in Omaha.

Denver Broncos
When the Broncos' starting right defensive end Rich "Tombstone" Jackson was injured in 1971, Alzado took over the job and went on to make various All-rookie teams for his contributions of 60 tackles and 8 sacks. The following year, Alzado began to get national attention as he racked up 10½ sacks to go with his 91 tackles. In 1973, Alzado posted excellent numbers as the Broncos had a winning record for the first time in team history with a 7–5–2 mark.

In 1974, Alzado gained more notice as one publication named him All-AFC; with his 13 sacks and 80 tackles (eight for a loss), he was recognized as one of the NFL's top defensive ends, along with Elvin Bethea, Jack Youngblood, L. C. Greenwood, Claude Humphrey, and Carl Eller. Bethea, Youngblood, Humphrey, and Eller are enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Denver Broncos posted their second consecutive winning season, going 7–6–1.

The 1975 season brought change, as Alzado moved to defensive tackle. He responded with 91 tackles and 7 sacks. Alzado took a step backward as did the Broncos with a 6–8 record. On the first play of the 1976 season, Alzado blew out a knee and missed that campaign. The Broncos were 9–5 but SPORT magazine reported that 12 players, including Alzado, did not think the team could reach the playoffs with coach John Ralston. Ralston was replaced as coach by Red Miller for the 1977 season.

The 1977 season was the most successful in franchise history to that point; the Broncos had one of the NFL's best defenses, went 12–2 and then beat the Pittsburgh Steelers and Oakland Raiders - the team for which he later starred - in the playoffs to reach Super Bowl XII. In that game, played in New Orleans, they were beaten soundly 27–10 by the Dallas Cowboys. Still the year was a big success for Alzado, who was voted consensus All-Pro and consensus All-AFC as well as winning the UPI AFC Defensive Player of the Year. He also led the Broncos in sacks with 8, while making 80 tackles.

In 1978, the Broncos again went to the AFC playoffs, but lost the rematch in the first round to the eventual champion Pittsburgh Steelers. Alzado had 77 tackles and 9 sacks and recorded his first NFL safety. (Alzado recorded two more in his career, which ties him for second place all-time). He was 2nd team All-Pro and a consensus All-AFC pick. In 1979, he had a contract dispute, and the Broncos traded him to the Cleveland Browns.

Cleveland Browns
Alzado made the second-team All-AFC in 1979 playing defensive end. He had 80 tackles that year as well as seven sacks. The following year, the Browns won the AFC Central division, losing to the Raiders in the Divisional round. Alzado led the Browns in sacks with nine, and was All-Pro and All-AFC. In 1981 he recorded 83 tackles and led the Browns in sacks with 8½. However, the Browns, falling from 11–5 in 1980 to 5–11 in 1981, traded him to the Oakland Raiders in 1982.

Los Angeles Raiders
Being discarded by the Browns rekindled a fire in Alzado, and he worked out with a vengeance. By the time Alzado joined the Raiders, the team had relocated to Los Angeles. After demonstrating dominant play throughout the strike-shortened 9-game season of 1982, he was voted the NFL Comeback Player of the Year. He also recorded 7 sacks and 30 tackles while being voted All-AFC. That was the sixth season out of his first 12 campaigns that he received a post-season honor.

Alzado helped lead them to a Super Bowl victory in the 1983 season while recording 50 tackles and 7½ sacks. He started at right end opposite future Hall of Fame inductee Howie Long. Alzado also had an outstanding 1984 season with 63 tackles and 6 sacks, but the next year his tackle and sack totals dipped to 31 and 3 following a mid-season injury.

Alzado retired at the end of the 1985 season. He attempted a comeback in 1990, but injured a knee during training camp and was released. In 196 career games, he racked up 112.5 sacks, 24 forced fumbles, and nearly 1,000 tackles, while earning Pro Bowl honors in 1977 and 1978. After his retirement from playing, Alzado worked as a part-time color analyst for NBC's NFL coverage in 1988–89.

In 2018, the Professional Football Researchers Association named Alzado to the PFRA Hall of Very Good Class of 2018.

Style of play
The man ESPN later labeled a "...violent, combative player known for his short temper", inspired the league rule against throwing a helmet after having done so to an opponent's helmet. Peter Alzado, Lyle's brother, later identified the years of their youth – marked by an absent, alcoholic father and an overworked mother - as the crucible for Alzado's unremittingly fierce style of play. "That violence that you saw on the field was not real stuff," his brother held. "Lyle used football as a way of expressing his anger at the world and at the way he grew up." Defensive end Greg Townsend, a teammate on the Raiders said that the savagery for which Alzado became noted represented part of a "split personality." "Off the field," remembered Townsend, "he was the gentle giant: so caring, so warm, so giving."

Outside football
Alzado was an amateur boxer and, in 1979, fought an exhibition match against Muhammad Ali.

He was involved in "countless youth organizations", receiving the Byron "Whizzer" White award for community service in 1977. He appeared in Stop the Madness, a 1985 anti-drug music video sponsored by the Reagan administration.

Acting
Alzado pursued an acting career in both movies and television, appearing mostly in youth-oriented comedy and adventure roles. His most notable film roles include the bully construction worker in Ernest Goes to Camp and the unstoppable killer in Destroyer. He appeared in Mike Hammer: Murder Takes All as a notorious bodyguard and rifleman. He played prison staff member Brawn in the 1990 film Club Fed, and co-starred in the film Neon City.

On television, Alzado appeared in a number of mid-1980s commercials for Sports Illustrated with "Jack", who tries to help him perform the commercial correctly. He played himself, wearing his Raiders uniform, in the Amazing Stories episode "Remote Control Man" He also played himself in a 1988 episode of Small Wonder; he made a guest appearance on The Super Mario Bros. Super Show in 1989. He starred in the sitcom Learning the Ropes as a high school teacher whose secret alter ego is a professional wrestler known as "The Masked Maniac," alongside numerous NWA Wrestling stars. Alzado appeared in the series premiere of the short-lived 1991 sitcom Good Sports with Ryan O'Neal and Farrah Fawcett, and in episodes of It's Garry Shandling's Show and MacGyver.

Steroid use and death
Alzado was one of the first major US sports figures to admit to using anabolic steroids. In the last year of his life, as he battled against the brain tumor which eventually caused his death, Alzado asserted that his steroid abuse directly led to his fatal illness. Alzado recounted his steroid abuse in an article in Sports Illustrated,

"I started taking anabolic steroids in 1969 and never stopped.... Now I'm sick, and I'm scared.... It was addicting, mentally addicting. Ninety percent of the athletes I know are on the stuff. We're not born to be...300 lb or jump 30 ft.... I became very violent on the field. Off it, too. I did things only crazy people do. Once in 1979 in Denver a guy side-swiped my car, and I chased him up and down hills through the neighborhoods. I did that a lot. I'd chase a guy, pull him out of his car, beat the hell out of him.... But look at me now. I wobble when I walk and sometimes have to hold on to somebody. You have to give me time to answer questions, because I have trouble remembering things."

Lyle Alzado died on May 14, 1992, at age 43 after a battle with brain cancer. He was buried at River View Cemetery in Portland, Oregon.

Hall of Fame
Alzado was inducted into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 2008.

title: Lyle Alzado


text:
1937 in rail transport

January events

 * January – Electro-Motive Corporation introduces the EMC E2.
 * January 18 – The Østfold Line in Norway takes electric traction into use between Ljan and Kolbotn.

March events

 * March 9 – In a joint announcement, Pullman and the New York Central announce the order of new streamlined equipment to be NYC's "Great Steel Fleet". At the same time Pullman and the Pennsylvania Railroad announce new streamline cars to be PRR's "Fleet of Modernism".
 * March 15 – The last tram operates on the Porte de Saint-Cloud-Porte de Vincennes line in Paris, France.
 * March 21 – Southern Pacific's "Daylight Limited" debuts the new red/orange/black "Daylight" paint scheme.

April events

 * April 10 – The last train operates on Colorado and Southern Railway's line to Leadville, Colorado, which was originally built and operated by the Denver, South Park and Pacific Railroad.
 * April 25 – Baltimore and Ohio Railroad's Royal Blue passenger train is re-equipped with cars rebuilt in the B&O's company shops.

May events

 * May – Electro-Motive Corporation introduces the EMC E1, the first E Series design which will continue in production until 1963.
 * May 1 – Takahata Station on the Gyokunan Electric Railway in Japan is renamed to Takahatafudō Station.
 * May 18 – All heavyweight steel passenger cars used on the Super Chief are replaced with lightweight stainless steel cars.
 * May 19 – The New York, Ontario and Western Railway files for bankruptcy.

June events

 * June 3 – The first Duplex-drive steam locomotive in the United States (Baltimore and Ohio 5600) is ordered.
 * June 20 – Pennsylvania Railroad's Manhattan Transfer station in New York City closes after 26 years of service in favor of Newark Penn Station.
 * June 29 – On a press run preparatory to the introduction of the Coronation Scot service, LMS Princess Coronation Class 6220 Coronation, newly built, achieves a speed of 114 mph near Crewe.

July events

 * July 5 – In Great Britain, the rival operators of the East and West Coast Main Line railway routes between London and Scotland introduce streamlined express passenger named trains hauled by 4-6-2 steam locomotives: the London and North Eastern Railway's The Coronation between London King's Cross and Edinburgh Waverley, hauled by the LNER Class A4; and the London, Midland and Scottish Railway's Coronation Scot between London Euston and Glasgow Central, hauled by the LMS Coronation Class.

August events

 * August 1 – Russia's Railway Worker Day national holiday is restored under Soviet rule; the observance date is changed from July 8 to the first Sunday of August.
 * August 6 – Sweden's Inland Line (Inlandsbanan) is completed and opened throughout over 1288 km.

October events

 * October 1 – After 11 years, the Pullman Company recognizes the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters.

November events

 * November 10 – Senzan Line, Sendai to Yamagata, including Senzan Tunnel route officially completed in  Japan.
 * November 29 – Maine Central Railroad ends ferry service to Bar Harbor.

December events

 * December 5 – The last run on the Mount Lowe Railway in Southern California carries a group known as "The Railroad Boosters" who seek to preserve the railway for future riders as a heritage railway.
 * December 10 – Castlecary rail crash: An express on the London and North Eastern Railway's Edinburgh to Glasgow line in Scotland collides into the rear of a local train standing at Castlecary in the snow, due primarily to a signalman's error; 35 are killed (including 7 train crew).
 * December 22 – The Pacific Railway Equipment Company's prototype pendulum car, an early example of a tilting train, begins testing on the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway.

Unknown date events

 * The Lake Shore Electric Railway (Ohio) ceases freight operation and the Indiana Railroad abandons operations.
 * The Boston, Revere Beach and Lynn Railroad, in Massachusetts, files for bankruptcy.
 * Raymond Loewy establishes a business relationship with the Pennsylvania Railroad; one of his first projects is to redesign the Broadway Limited passenger train.
 * Pullman-Standard introduces roomette sleeping cars.
 * Union Pacific Railroad changes the consist on the City of Los Angeles passenger train to use one of only two EMC E2 locomotives built.
 * Fairfax Harrison is succeeded by Ernest E. Norris as president of the Southern Railway (U.S.)

January deaths

 * January 6 – Robert Urie, Scottish steam locomotive engineer (born 1854)
 * January 10 – Sir Eric Geddes, first Minister of Transport (U.K.) 1919–1921 (born 1875)

title: 1937 in rail transport


text:
Quintero brothers

Serafín Álvarez Quintero (March 26, 1871 – April 12, 1938) and Joaquín Álvarez Quintero (January 20, 1873 – June 14, 1944) were Spanish dramatists.

Biography
Born in Utrera, Seville Province in 1871 and 1873, they settled in Seville and worked as treasury employees, while collaborating on various publications such as El Diablo Cojuelo, they gradually began their dedication to the theater. Their debut as authors took place in 1888 with Esgrima y amor at the Cervantes Theater in Seville. Their first stage piece, Gilito, was written in 1889. Other works include Blancas y negras (1892), La media naranja (1894), La buena sombra (1895), La reja (1897), El traje de luces and El buena sombra (1898), El patio (1900), El traje de luces and La patria chica (1907), El patinillo (1909), Becquerina and Diana cazadora (1915). Both brothers were members of the Royal Spanish Academy.

Their first resounding success was in 1897 with El ojito right, this success was followed by many others, consisting of Las flores (1901), El genio alegría (1906), Malvaloca (1912), Puebla de las mujeres (1912), Las de Caín (1908), and much later, Mariquilla Terremoto (1930). They were named the favorite brothers of Utrera and Seville. They performed in the most remote areas of the spanish speaking world, such as in the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, by the Guerrero-Mendoza company that carried several of their works when the theater was built, due to this the brothers enjoyed innumerable tributes, making their works well-known into the 1920s.

Both were imprisoned at the beginning of the Civil War in El Escorial. Serafín would die of natural causes in 1938, and Melchor Rodríguez García had to intercede to allow Serafin's sister to bring a crucifix to his coffin, as had Serafín wished, but had been given refusal by militiamen at the mortuary house. Joaquín would die in 1944, and the remains of both rest in the San Justo Cemetery in Madrid.

They were also famous for having tried to transcribe Andalusian dialects to written form.

Work
Although they did not only write comedies (such as Fortunato, Nena Teruel, Mundo mundillo..., Los leales, Dios dirá, La calumniada, Don Juan, buena persona, Tambor y cascabel, La boda de Quinita Flores, Pasionera, Concha la Limpia, Los mosquitos, Las de Abel, Diana la cazadora, Sábado sin sol, La flor de la vida, Así se escribe la Historia, Amores y amoríos, El centenario, Doña Clarines, Febrerillo, el loco, La casa de García, La rima eterna, Cabrita que tira al monte, Los duendes de Sevilla, Ventolera, etc...), skits (such as Mañana de sol, 1905), zarzuela operas (such as La Reina Mora, 1903) and comic pieces, but also dramas (such as Malvaloca, 1912, Cancionera, 1924), it was in these genres that they are best remembered because of their comic talent. In total they wrote nearly two hundred titles, some of them awarded, such as Los Galeotes, which received the Royal Academy Award for Best Comedy of the Year. Their last joint work was La Giralda, a zarzuela by José Padilla.

Many of their pieces are of a costumbrismo nature, describing what it's like being from their native Andalusian lands, but leaving aside the gloomy and miserable vision of social ills. According to Francisco Ruiz Ramón in Historia del Teatro Español Siglo XX (Cátedra, 1995), "the basic assumptions of this theater are those of a naive naturalistic realism". In the thirties their art was used in the cinema, creating several scripts for the films of the mythical Estrellita Castro. They did not contribute any substantial technical or structural novelty, but they refined Andalusianism in the same way that Carlos Arniches did. In Madrid, However, they never went further indepth with their social ideas, which stops at tenderness and melodramatics. In short, they are bourgeois comedies that offer an idealized and friendly vision of Andalusia that does not worry the average viewer; the joy of living silences any hint of dramatic conflict. It was this joie de vivre that saved the theater of the Quintero brothers from critics such as Ramón Pérez de Ayala, José Martínez Ruiz and Luis Cernuda.

Their Complete Works were published in Madrid: Fernando Fe y Espasa-Calpe, 1918-1947, in forty-two volumes.

title: Quintero brothers