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Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Back-space.org

 This page is an archive of the discussion about the proposed deletion of the article below. This page is no longer live. Further comments should be made on the article's talk page rather than here so that this page is preserved as an historic record. The result of the debate was delete. — Trilobite (Talk) 15:27, 15 Jun 2005 (UTC)

Back-space.org
Badly written Page about non-notable website, that hasn't even launched yet. Delete. Kafuffle 16:35, 5 Jun 2005 (UTC)
 * Delete First it says it was started in 2003, then that it will be launched in the future!  I smell a hoax.  The vagueness of the end is horribly unencyclopediodic, but re-writes are not needed, since this is aimed straight for the bin! Sonic Mew 20:05, Jun 5, 2005 (UTC)
 * Delete.now --Tabor 20:12, 5 Jun 2005 (UTC)
 * Delete - vanity Chill Pill Bill 20:13, 5 Jun 2005 (UTC)
 * Delete ad/promo. --Etacar11 01:29, 6 Jun 2005 (UTC)

 * This page is now preserved as an archive of the debate and, like some other VfD subpages, is no longer 'live'. Subsequent comments on the issue, the deletion, or the decision-making process should be placed on the relevant 'live' pages. Please do not edit this page.


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Russ Johnson

William Russell Johnson (born February 22, 1973) is an American former Major League Baseball infielder. He prepped at Denham Springs High School then went to Louisiana State University. He was drafted in the first round of the 1994 Major League Baseball Draft by the Houston Astros. In, he was called up to the majors by the Astros, where he remained until. His best season in Houston was, when he hit .282 with four home runs and 33 RBI.

Tampa Bay Devil Rays
In the middle of the 2000 season, Johnson was traded to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays for reliever Marc Valdes. He moved around several times during the next few years. With minor leaguer Josh Pressley, he was supplied by the Devil Rays in 2002 to the New York Mets as a PTBNL in a deal for Rey Ordóñez. He spent 2003 and 2004 in the minor leagues with the Mets' and Cubs' Triple-A teams respectively.

Return to Majors
He reached the majors again in, when he signed as a free agent with the New York Yankees. He spent the year coming in off the bench as a first baseman, third baseman, pinch hitter, designated hitter, or outfielder. This made him the second "William Russell Johnson" to play for the Yankees. (Billy Johnson, who has the same first, middle, and last name, but is no relation, played for New York in the 1940s.)

In 2006, he played for the Yankees Triple-A team, and led the International League in walk percentage (14.8%). He spent 2007 in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization, where he hit a combined .261 in 106 games split between Double-A and Triple-A.

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

title: Russ Johnson


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Devil's Lake State Park (Wisconsin)

Devil's Lake State Park is a state park located in the Baraboo Range in eastern Sauk County, just south of Baraboo, Wisconsin. It is around thirty-five miles northwest of Madison, and is on the western edge of the last ice-sheet deposited during the Wisconsin glaciation. The state park encompasses 9217 acre, making it the largest in Wisconsin. The state park is known for its 500 ft quartzite bluffs along the 360 acre Devil's Lake, which was created by a glacier depositing terminal moraines that plugged the north and south ends of the gap in the bluffs during the last ice age approximately 12,000 years ago. The sand at the bottom of Devil's Lake is thought to be deposited by glaciers.

There are many quartzite rock formations, such as Balanced Rock and Devil's Doorway, throughout the park. Effigy mounds are also located throughout the park. The park contains approximately eleven miles of the 1200 mi Ice Age Trail. Its scenery, along with its proximity to the Wisconsin Dells, has made it one of the most visited of Wisconsin's state parks for both day use and overnight camping; the park receives over three million visitors annually. During the fall, the park's brilliant foliage makes it a popular attraction. Parfrey's Glen, Wisconsin's first state natural area, is managed by the Devil's Lake State Park and located just east of the park.

History
The original inhabitants of the area around the lake date back much further than when the European settlers first discovered the land. There is proof that humans occupied the land between 12,000 to 16,000 years ago, but Ho-Chunk historians speak of people living there longer than 300,000 years ago. The area may have been inhabited originally between 12,000 to 16,000 years ago due to the fact that this was the time the last of the glaciers had receded from the area. Many Native tribes throughout Wisconsin inhabited the lands. They called the lake various different names, such as Tewakakak or Minnewaukan, which translate to spirit lake in various Native American Languages.

The area where the park now stands was first settled by pioneers in the mid-1800s. By the start of the 20th century, the area had become a popular vacation destination for wealthy families from Chicago and Madison. The first hotel was established in 1866, 50 years before the park was founded.

The park was founded in 1911. It was home to five resorts, two of which were perched on the west bluff. Few traces of these structures remain, though footings and foundational structures can be found along the South shore and near Prospect Point on the West Bluff. There were also many private residences in the west and south shores of the lake, only four of which remain. At various times the lakeshore hosted water slides, lodges, ferry boat launches and golf courses. The clubhouse of one course sat on the current location of the Park's nature center. By the 1940s, the hotels were all closed, and the Park was retreating to its former natural self.

From 1934 to 1941, approximately two hundred members of the Civilian Conservation Corps resided in a work camp. These young men built many of the trails, buildings, and benches still in use today.

In 1974, the National Park Service declared the Southern portion of the Baraboo Hills a National Natural Landmark. The Nature Conservancy also designated it as one of the "Last Great Places," one of only 77 such designations in the world.

In 2020, a man was stabbed to death along the Grottos Trail. Several witnesses reported seeing a man running from the scene of the murder, but he remains unidentified. As of 2024, the case remains unsolved.

Geology
Loess covers most of the hills and forms the parent material of a brown silt loam soil. The lake is surrounded by a mixed conifer-deciduous forest and the Baraboo Hills are also home to one of the largest contiguous hardwood forests in the Midwest.

Several moraines are featured in the park, another side effect of glaciation. The North Glacial Moraine is well covered by the north shore developments. The parking lots, concession building and the picnic shelter all sit atop the moraine. This moraine forms the northern border of Devil's Lake. This moraine is approximately 80 ft thick. The Southeast Glacial Moraine is located between the East Bluff-South Face and the South Bluff. The Group Camp is located atop the moraine. It is best seen from the Roznos Meadow parking area along State Route 113. The moraine is approximately 130 ft thick.

Due to the long geological history of Devil's Lake and the Baraboo Range, the area has been used in geological research for years. The lake itself is rectangular in shape and is a little over a mile long from north to south and a half mile from east to west. It has many cliffs, unique rock formations and a variety of animal and plant species. One of the most notable features of the park is the presence of large talus slopes on three sides of the lake.

Buildings
The state park includes many buildings on its land. The exhibits at the park's nature center focus on the geology and natural history of the area. Public nature programs are offered in the summer, as well as evening programs on Saturday nights in the Northern Lights Amphitheater. The nature center also has many historical photographs that come from as far back as the 1800s. They also have many displays of examples of the flora and fauna that can be found throughout the park.

Mounds
The park has several American Indian mounds. Across the parking lot from the nature center are effigy mounds built in stylized animal shapes, such as a lynx and a sparrow. In front of the concession building is a linear mound, one of several geometric mounds in the park. These mounds were used as ancient burial sites by early North Americans. The nature center offers courses on the history of the effigy mounds.

Hiking
There are 29 mi of hiking trails in Devil's Lake State Park. There are trails ranging from handicapped-accessible paved trails, to steep, difficult hiking trails, to rigorous, off-trail routes. The highest point is at Prospect Point, on the West Bluff, 500 ft above Devil's Lake.

 * Balanced Rock Trail (0.4 miles)
 * C.C.C. Trail (0.3 miles)
 * Devil's Doorway (0.1 miles)
 * East Bluff Trail (1.7 miles)
 * East Bluff Woods Trail (1.3 miles)
 * Grottos Trail (0.7 miles)
 * Group Camp Trail (0.5 miles)
 * Ice Age National Scenic Trail (All parts - 13.7 miles)
 * Johnson Moraine Loop Trail (2.8 miles)
 * Parfrey's Glen Trail (0.7 miles)
 * Potholes Trail (0.3 miles)
 * Roznos Meadow Trail (1.8 miles)
 * Sauk Point Trail (4.5 miles)
 * Steinke Basin Loop Trail (2.4 miles)
 * Tumbled Rocks Trail (1 mile)
 * Upland Loop Trail (3.8 miles)
 * West Bluff Trail (1.4 miles)

Biking
Devil's Lake State Park has four miles of off-road - the Upland Trail Loop. There are no official paved road-bike trails in the park, although many people enjoy riding several miles on all the paved campground roads.

Camping
There are four popular campgrounds at the park containing 407 campsites all together:

 * Northern Lights Campground
 * Quartzite Campground
 * Ice Age Campground
 * Group Campground

Northern Lights Campground features a decent sledding hill.

Rock climbing
The geology of the Baraboo Hills surrounding Devil's Lake makes it one of the premier rock climbing areas in the Midwest, with climbs of varying difficulty. The Baraboo Hills are primarily quartzite, which is solid enough to climb. Most outcroppings in the region, especially in the Driftless Area, are composed of sandstone or limestone, which are too brittle to climb safely.

Devil's Lake has enjoyed a history of rock climbing since early ascents in the 20th century. Climbers such as the Stettner Brothers, and members of the hard-climbing group "DLFA" have frequented the park extensively. Guidebooks cover more than a lifetime's worth of unique "routes" and sub-areas of the park. For climbers, unique names for each major bluff formation is important in finding specific climbs and areas. The climbing style and protection system at Devil's Lake is known for its difficult, glassy rock and traditional fall-protection methods and anchors.

There have been occasional deaths, injuries, and emergency rescues among the rock climbers at Devil's Lake.

East Bluff
The "East Bluff" refers to the Eastern outcroppings in the park, and includes many sub-areas for climbers, including "Doorway Mass" which are climbs surrounding the famous Devil's Doorway formation, "Balanced Rock Wall" near the famous Balanced rock, and an area off of the CCC trail known as the "East Ramparts" which is the most popular due to the high concentration of sheer, unbroken cliff faces to climb.

West Bluff
The west side of the park features climbing areas such as "Stettner Rocks", The Cleo Amphitheatre, and the "Lost Face". The Cleo Amphitheatre features the classic climb of a 25 ft freestanding spire known as "Cleopatra's Needle"

Wildlife
Wildlife abounds at Devil’s Lake State Park. Among the flora and fauna at Devil’s Lake are:

 * 58 species of butterflies, including the rare White Admiral
 * 29 species of fish, mostly native, excepting the trout, carp and white bass
 * 5 species of salamander, 1 species of toad, and 10 species of frogs
 * 4 species of turtles and 10 species of snakes, including the Timber rattlesnake
 * 228 bird species have been recorded in the Park, 105 of which have been recorded nesting in the Park
 * 4 species of owl - screech owl, great horned owl, barred owl, saw-whet owl
 * Up to 40 mammal species have been reported in the Park, including white-tailed deer, black bear, raccoon, skunk, badger, weasels, mink, otter, bobcat, mountain lion, gray and red foxes, coyote, gray wolf, beaver, porcupine, woodchuck, muskrat, voles, opossum, rabbit, shrews, moles, mice, rats and four species of bats

title: Devil's Lake State Park (Wisconsin)


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Talk:Postage stamps and postal history of British Columbia

[Untitled]
The article's title doesn't give a hint about the content of the article. Might there be a better, more descriptive, title? Joyous 16:38, Jun 5, 2005 (UTC)

Unusual Stamps
I wonder whether the person who wrote this piece knows that there was a period of time when there was a Colony of Vancouver Island and an essentially unorganized mainland, and then pre confederation there was the United Colonies of Vancouver Island and British Columbia. It may have been unusual for two colonies to have one stamp, but in that year, it became a single colony and that was its name so it ought not to seem unusual. By the way, I too think this article should have a different name. I would make the changes, but as I am not familiar with philately, it would be better done by someone who is. KenWalker | Talk 01:59, 22 January 2007 (UTC)


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Montegrappa

Montegrappa is an Italian manufacturing company of luxury goods, based in Bassano del Grappa, a city in Veneto. Its full name is Elmo & Montegrappa S.p.A., and is renowned for its fine art-crafted fountain pens.

History
Montegrappa was founded under the slogan "Manifattura pennini d'oro e penne stilografiche" ("Maker of gold nibs and fountain pens") in 1912. Its products are still manufactured in the original factory on the river Brenta, in Bassano del Grappa—near Vicenza, in the North-East of Italy.

During the First World War Bassano was a centre of military operations. Among the many soldiers who used the company's pens (Elmo at that time) for their correspondence were two celebrated 20th-century writers, Ernest Hemingway and John Dos Passos, who had both volunteered for service as ambulance drivers.

The company was at its high point in the 1930s. It was a period when the fountain pen became widespread and the products of the House of Bassano met the taste of the public with their sober design, the variety of their colours and materials (among the first to use celluloid and galalith), the operation of their technical solutions, and the originality and precision of their manufacturing techniques.

Products
Other Montegrappa products were watches, cufflinks, pockets of leather, fragrances and accessories. The Montegrappa company is owned by Aquila's family: Sylvester Stallone and the ex-F1 Ferrari driver Jean Alesi are also partners and members of the board for P.R. and communication.

Montegrappa makes Regular Edition; Limited Edition; and Special Edition Pens. Pens come in three forms; rollerball; ballpoint or fountain. In addition to these forms, Montegrappa makes pens out of various precious materials; silver and gold are the most commonly used material.

Limited Edition Pens include: Alchemist; Aphrodite; Brain; Eternal Bird; 1995 Dragon; 2015 Dragon; Pele; Luxor; Classical Greece; Frank Sinatra; Amerigo Vespucci; Science and Nature; Tertio Millennio; Israel 50th; Romeo and Juliet; Lancaster and York; Vatican 2000; Il Millennio de Bassano; Batman; Tribute to Ayrton Senna; Mayan Calendar; My Guardian Angel; Harrods; Salvador Dalí; Bruce Lee; Pirates; Chaos; Gran Teatro Le Fenice; Barbiere Di Siviglia; Excellentia Lech Walesa; White Nights; 88th Anniversary; Kazan; Mysticum Count Cagliostra; Human Civilization; Cosmos Enigma; Invita a la Traviata; Citta D'arte Venezia; America's Cup; Quincy Jones; Alexander Hamilton; Special Reserve; Memory; 2000 Millennium; Muhammad Ali and Joe Fraser; La Serena; Sophia; United Arab Emirates; Paulo Coelho; Kahlil Gibran; Queen of Hearts; Animalia for Peace Parks; Animalia; Euro 2002;

Montegrappa also made a series of Ferrari Pens; a series of Elvis Pens; a DC Comics series; and a golf edition.

title: Montegrappa


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Thornycroft Antar

The Mighty Antar was a heavy-duty 6×4 tractor unit built by Thornycroft from the late 1940s onwards. For some decades it was the standard tank transporter of the British Army and was also used by other nations. It was powered by a shortened V8 land version of the V12 Meteor engine, derived from the Merlin and modified to run on diesel, known as the Rolls-Royce Meteorite.

Origins
The civilian version of the Mighty Antar was developed in the late 1940s as an oilfield vehicle for transporting pipes over rough ground. They were of 6×4 layout (i.e. six wheels, four of them driven), with the front (steering) axle undriven and with twin wheels on both driven (rear) axles (technically ten wheels, eight of them driven, as each rear axle has four wheels). The vehicle was designed for cross-country use, like the earlier Scammell Pioneer and unlike the road-going Diamond T it was eventually to replace.

The engine, the Rover Company's Meteorite, was a cut-down V8 version of their V12 Meteor. The Rover Company had acquired to rights from Rolls-Royce to take over manufacture of all Rolls-Royce Merlin and engines derived from it including the Rolls-Royce Meteor version used in tanks. Early Antars used the Meteorite type 101 diesel of the Rover Meteorite and by the early 1950s versions, with the start of supply to the British army a Petrol version of the engine.

The name
Antar was a reference to Antar Ibn Shadded, a pre-Islamic Arab poet-warrior. The intended lead customer for the Mighty Antar was the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company, previously the Anglo-Persian Oil Company.

Introduction into Army service
In 1951, the first Antars entered British Army service. These were fixed-body steel-built ballast tractors and were given the design number FV 12001 and the designation Tractor 30-ton GS 6x4. They could haul the new 50-ton Dyson FV 3601 trailers that were being used to carry the new and heavier Centurion tanks. A 20-ton winch was fitted behind the cab, although just provided for loading the trailer rather than for recovery.

At this time, the intention was that the even heavier Conqueror tank would be transported by a whole new transporter of equally large capacity, the Leyland FV 1000. This was 2 ft wider than the Antar, as the Antar had in turn been 2 ft wider than the Diamond T. They were to be equipped with a semi-trailer of 60 tons capacity, given the design number FV 3301. This design was ungainly and top-heavy when loaded, being high at the rear to clear the wheels and sloping downwards towards the front to better place the weight of the load.

Partly inspired by this semi-trailer, a new FV 12002 version of the Antar was developed as a tractor unit to haul it. This was a graceful swan-neck design and had only a small hump over the rear wheels, making loading by the rear ramps simpler. The trackways on which the tank sat were carried outboard of the trailer frame itself, which rose up between them at the front to form the swan neck, sloping only gently to clear the tank's hull. This gave a stronger and yet more compact layout than the ungainly step of the FV 1000 project's. The first version of this was the 16-wheeled FV 3001 of 60 tons capacity. This was later refined as the FV 3005 with smaller wheels, then the 50-ton-capacity FV 3011 (when using the Taskers/Sankey trailer) for carrying the Centurion.

As the semi-trailer Antars entered service through 1953 to 1955, and after the abandonment of the FV 1000 project, they replaced the American Diamond T that had served during the Second World War as the British Army's main tank transporter.

During the Cold War, the Antar was used mainly in support of the armoured regiments of British Army of the Rhine based in West Germany; held on the establishment of 7 Tank Transporter Regiment Royal Corps of Transport. The regiment was deployed in three subunits, i.e. 3, 16, & 617 Tank Transporter Squadrons based in Sennelager, Fallingbostel Station and Hamm respectively. There was one tank transporter squadron based in England at Bulford Camp i.e. 19 Tank Transporter Squadron.

Recovery vehicles
The Antar tractor itself was heavier, at 20 tons, than any available recovery vehicle could lift for a suspended tow. There had been plans in the super-heavy FV 1000 and FV 1200 series for recovery vehicles, but these were cancelled with the rest of the project. As an ad hoc measure in 1952, an RASC officer devised a bolt-on recovery jib that could be fitted to one Antar to make it capable of the suspended towing of another, although this modification was never approved for mass production.

Later service
In the early 1960s the Mark 3 entered service, to support the increasing weight of later Centurion models and also future plans for the Chieftain tank. These were the last Antars in service, remaining until the mid-1980s. The Mark 3 is visually distinct from the earlier models, the use of an 8-cylinder inline engine, the Rolls-Royce C8SFL; without the wide vee of the Meteorite the bonnet was much narrower.

The Mark 3 used either a 50- or 60-ton semi-trailer (numbered as FV 12004) or could be converted to the FV 12006 ballast tractor configuration for hauling the 50-ton Dyson full trailer. The name Mighty Antar was dropped for the Mk3/ 3A the model becoming simply Thornycroft Antar.

Replacement
By the late 1960s, it was clear that the Antar, even when re-engined, was an old design and replacement would be needed. There was also concern over the spares situation, as they were out of production and Thornycroft had been absorbed, via AEC, into the vast mass of Leyland. The Antar was replaced by the Scammell Commander in 1986.

Mighty Antar Mark 1
The Mk1 was only built as a ballast tractor for Dyson FV3601 tank transporting trailer. They can be identified by having a steel ballast body. 8 Mk1s were also supplied to the Airfield construction Branch of the RAF for towing Dyson 50 Ton Plant Transporting Trailer. Seven of the RAF Mk1s later transferred to the Army for tank-transporting duties and were re-registered with a ZB registration. The Mk1 had a large Turner built winch for loading tanks onto the trailer. When an updated model with a wooden Ballast body and Darlinglon winch was introduced this was initially also referred to as a Mk1, but latter contracts of the same wooden ballast bodied tractor were referred to as Mk2.
 * length: 26 ft (7.9 m)
 * width: 10 ft 3 in (3.1 m)
 * height: 10 ft (3.0 m)
 * weight: 43,240 lb (19,610 kg)
 * Engine: Rolls-Royce 18.4 litre Meteorite Mk-204 V8 petrol (60 degree overhead cam, four-valve, twin-carb, twin-magneto with two spark-plugs per cylinder). Power: 285 bhp (213 kW) at 2,000 rpm.
 * Transmission: Four-speed full "crash gearbox" with three-speed transfer casing and power takeoff. Two live worm-drive rear axles with inboard epicyclic reduction.
 * speed: 28 mph (45 km/h) on level ground.

Mighty Antar Mark 1B and 2
The Mk2 was built both as a tractor for full trailer, and as a tractor for semi-trailer.

Basically the same as the Mk 1 but for relocation of the twin 100 gallon fuel tanks stacked the rear of the cab. These were moved to a saddle position either side of the chassis behind the cab. On some variants the fuel tanks sat above smaller tool boxes, but on others the fuel tanks were moved to sit below the tool boxes. At this time the drivers step arrangement was also altered.

A Darlington model 70 22,727 kg winch was then located at the rear of the cab and on the Mk2 built as tractors for semi-trailer a PTO-driven hydraulic pump added to serve the Sankey semi-trailer loading ramps and wheel changing jacks. The Tractor for full trailer did not have a hydraulic system.

When the first tractors for semi-trailer were built they were initially given a classification of Mk1. (although they were considerably different from the original steel-bodied Mk1 above.)

These where followed by a tractor for Semi-Trailer which had a wooden ballast body. These were at first called Mk1B.

Later contracts of both the tractor for Semi-Trailer, and Tractor for full trailer were called Mighty Antar Mk2, and published materials that covered both these and the earlier contracts renamed the Mk1 and the Mk1B from the initial contracts as Mk2.

One Mark 2 was converted with an AEC diesel engine for army trials in 1963 and sold off in 1971.

Antar Mark 3 and Mark 3A
The Mk3 FV12004 was a tractor for semi-trailer with a 3 1/2" pin oscillating fifth wheel to give it limited cross country ability. The Mk3A FV12006 was introduced because the Army had large numbers of Dyson FV3601 full trailers. The Mk3A retained the fifth wheel, but had a readily dismountable steel-framed, wooden Ballast Body. The Mk3A could therefore convert between roles as an articulated tractor or a ballast tractor. Fitted with Turner winch.
 * Engine:Rolls-Royce C8SFL 16.2 litre 8-cylinder supercharged diesel engine
 * power: 333 bhp

Totally new, narrower, body and cab. The inline engine permitted a much narrower bonnet than the Meteorite version, requiring only a single radiator. (The Meteorite engine itself was quite narrow being a 60 degree vee based on an aero engine, but the cooling arrangement was such that each bank required a separate radiator which had to sit side by side, giving the large frontal area of the earlier Mighty Antars.)

The gearboxes were similar to the Mk2 but the ratios were slightly different, raising the road speed slightly.

Whereas on the Mk 2 there were two gearlevers (one for the four speed main gearbox and one for the three-speed Auxiliary gearbox) allowing the selection of 12 gears, with the Mk3 the selector rods from the two gearboxes came forward to an interlocked mechanism with a single lever.

This forces the selection of 1st underdrive, 2nd underdrive, 3rd underdrive, 4th Underdrive, before the lever could move across to select 4th Direct, then 4th Overdrive. The main gearbox could not be moved down from 4th until the auxiliary gearbox was moved through direct and into underdrive. This interlocking meant only six of the twelve gears available in the gearboxes could ever be selected.

There was a separate single stick for all winch and PTO control functions.

A third differential (inter-axle) was fitted to the second axle, with a cab-operated control.

Max speed 35 mi/h.

With the Chieftain MBT the all-up weight was 101 tons; they were road-tested at 126 tons.

Antar Model C6T or R6

 * Engine:Rolls-Royce C6TFL 12.17 litre 6-cylinder Turbo charged diesel engine
 * power: 300 bhp

Fixed wooden Ballast body as used on Mk2. Mk2 transmission, Darlington type 70 winch. Rolls-Royce C6T straight 6 turbocharged engine.

The C6T retained the same four-speed main gearbox with three-speed Underdrive, Direct, Overdrive Auxiliary gearbox of the Mk1 and Mk2.

No Third diff was fitted.

Max speed 31 mi/h.

Basically a Civilian LHD export model. Thornycroft were unwilling to supply Export Mighty Antars with the Rolls-Royce C8SFL engine. They deemed that it was too powerful and would lead to transmission failure. The British Army that had insisted on the more powerful engine soon started to experience transmission failures. Thornycroft therefore specified the C6TFL that was slightly less powerful for overseas contracts because they judged it would give less transmission problems.

3 LHD models went to fill an AEI contract in Argentina for moving heavy electrical equipment.

The RAF bought the only C6T supplied built in RHD. It served initially with the Airfield Construction Branch, before transferring to civilian operation by M.P.B.W. It was used for runway testing.

Pakistan Army took delivery of 21 examples in LHD as tank transporters.

Unlike the Mk3A the ballast body was not removable and there was no fifth wheel under the body to allow rapid conversion between articulated tractor and ballast tractor.

title: Thornycroft Antar


text:
Talk:Aṉangu

Mindspillage (spill yours?) 16:38, 5 Jun 2005 (UTC)

Rewrite
I've largely re-written this page which has expanded it quite a bit. I"m inclined to think that it does deserve an article as the word has come to be used (particularly by non-Aboriginal people) to refer to Western Desert Aboriginal people and pretty much has proper noun status now. I"ll be interested to hear what people think about this, though. Dougg 03:11, 15 November 2005 (UTC)
 * A useful revision, I was uncertain of some of the information. I will removed the heading definition before the first paragraph. Paul foord 03:42, 15 November 2005 (UTC)

Thanks, not sure why I put that heading in! I must have been in dictionary-writing mode. Dougg 10:22, 15 November 2005 (UTC)

Uluru
Uluru should probably be mentioned in this article. Badagnani 01:42, 23 May 2007 (UTC)\

why?... --219.90.184.225 (talk) 09:12, 26 April 2008 (UTC)

Anangu, more accurately "Aṉaŋu" or "Arnangu"
So is it inaccurate to use Anangu? Which is the preferred term? Isn't that the most accurate for an English language encyclopedia? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 64.88.170.40 (talk) 01:22, 22 November 2009 (UTC)

title: Talk:Aṉangu


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Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library

The Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library is a branch of the Denver Public Library in Denver, Colorado, in the United States that opened in 2003 and serves the Five Points neighborhood. It is also a research library with collections focusing on the history of African Americans in Denver and the American West. As of 2017, the library sees 135,000 visitors a year, including school groups visiting the third-floor museum. The library’s mission is to “collect and preserve the history and culture of African Americans in Colorado and throughout the Rocky Mountain West.”

Library history
The library was conceived in 1999 by Denver's first African American mayor, Wellington Webb, and his wife Wilma Webb, who observed that the history of African Americans in Denver and the American West was under-represented. They hoped to create “a place where people, especially young people of African descent, could learn more about their history as residents of the West.” The historically diverse Denver neighborhood of Five Points, also home to the Black American West Museum, was chosen for the library’s location. Groundbreaking occurred in early 2002 and the library opened its doors on April 26, 2003. As of 2017, it was one of only four African American research libraries in the country.

Wellington and Wilma Webb worried that the history, culture, and contributions of African Americans to Colorado and the West, much of which was in private hands or not written down at all, would be lost to time. During Webb’s third term in office, they began to bring to life their vision for a collection representing the African American experience in the West. Webb said, “There’s so much history, and we need to capture that for young people. So much of it is in boxes, in basements, or in our heads.” In 2000, Denver library staff began collecting “personal and professional papers, publications, photographs, works of art and other memorabilia of distinguished African Americans from all walks of life.” Donations were received from across the state and Webb contributed much of his personal collection to the effort.

The library was designated the Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library in honor of Omar Blair and Elvin Caldwell, notable African Americans in the Denver community. Omar Blair was a WWII officer and Tuskegee Airman, and in 1973 he became the first black president of the Denver school board. According to the Denver Public Library, his most-remembered legacy is helping to desegregate Denver’s schools. Elvin Caldwell was elected Denver’s first black city council member in 1955, making him the first African American city council member west of the Mississippi. He served on the Denver city council for 28 years, including a five-year term as president, and he battled discrimination in the Denver police and fire departments and on the golf course, fought for economic and housing development, and was an advocate for Denver’s children.

Visiting the library
The 40,000 square foot library contains three floors. The first level is a full-service branch library of the Denver Public Library with an entry gallery and exhibition areas; conference, meeting, and study rooms; and a collection of more than 35,000 books, magazines, and audiovisual materials in English and Spanish.

The second level houses collection archives and a research library including rare books; photographs, manuscripts, letters, and diaries; historic newspapers; listening and viewing areas for taking in oral histories; papers and doctoral theses on microfilm; a research area and study space; archival storage space; and a gallery for programs by musicians, artists, and scholars. The second floor also features rotating artifact exhibits. As of 2018, the library provided digital access to over 90 archival collections.

The third level is a 7,000 square foot museum that houses exhibits about the history of African Americans in Denver and in the Western United States. “Beginning in the 16th century southwest, stories that stretch from Mexico to Canada are presented here." A highlight of the collection is the original 1834 manumission papers of emancipated Virginia slave Robert Smith and his family.

The exhibits include the desk that Wellington Webb used during his term as Denver's mayor as well as a tribute to Denver’s past mayors and a history of the Five Points neighborhood “from its beginning as a suburb for Denver's well-to-do to its heyday as the center of Denver's black community to its rebirth today as a multicultural neighborhood.” The third floor also houses the Charles and Dorothy Cousins Changing Gallery, which features the work of local Denver artists as well as national exhibits.

The library offers tours as well as speaking engagements for groups. Library-goers can also take a self-guided walking tour within the Welton Street Cultural District that features illustrated signs telling the story of African Americans in Colorado.


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Lisbon Oceanarium

The Lisbon Oceanarium (Oceanário de Lisboa, ) is an oceanarium in Lisbon, Portugal. It is located in the Parque das Nações, which was the exhibition grounds for the Expo '98. It is one of the largest indoor aquariums in Europe and approximately 1 million people visit each year.

Architecture
The Lisbon Oceanarium’s conceptual design, architecture, and exhibit design was led by Peter Chermayeff of Peter Chermayeff LLC while at Cambridge Seven Associates. It is said to resemble an aircraft carrier, and is built on a pier in an artificial lagoon. Chermayeff is also the designer of the Osaka Oceanarium Kaiyukan, one of the world's largest aquariums, and many other aquariums around the world.

Exhibits
The Lisbon Oceanarium has a large collection of marine species — penguins, seagulls and other birds; sea otters (mammals); sharks, rays, chimaeras, seahorses and other bony fish; crustaceans; starfish, sea urchins and other echinoderms; sea anemones, corals and other cnidaria; octopuses, cuttlefish, sea snails and other mollusks; amphibians; jellyfish; marine plants and terrestrial plants and other marine organisms totaling about 16,000 individuals of 450 species.

The main exhibit is a 1,000 m2, 5,000,000 L tank with four large 49 m2 acrylic windows on its sides, and smaller focus windows strategically located around it to make sure it is a constant component throughout the exhibit space. It is 7 m deep, which allows pelagic swimmers to swim above the bottom dwellers, and provides the illusion of the open ocean. About 100 species from around the world are kept in this tank, including sharks, rays, barracudas, groupers, and moray eels. One of the main attractions is a large sunfish.

Four tanks around the large central tank house four different habitats with their native flora and fauna: the North Atlantic rocky coast, the Antarctic coastal line, the Temperate Pacific kelp forests, and the Tropical Indian coral reefs. These tanks are separated from the central tank only by large sheets of acrylic to provide the illusion of a single large tank. Throughout the first floor there are an additional 25 thematic aquariums with each of the habitats' own characteristics.

The Lisbon Oceanarium is one of the few aquariums in the world to house a sunfish, because of their unique and demanding requirements for care. Other species include two large spider crabs and two sea otters named Eusébio after the soccer player and Amália, named after the fado singer Amália Rodrigues. After both otters died (Eusébio in 2020 and Amália in 2013), two new otters (named Micas and Maré), their daughters, which had been loaned to the Rotterdam zoo were brought back.

In 2015, a temporary exhibition, “Forests Underwater" by Takashi Amano opened. It is a tropical freshwater aquarium featuring a large amount of plants and is the world's largest nature aquarium at 40 metres long and 160,000 litres. Originally scheduled to be open 2 years, it remains open today.

title: Lisbon Oceanarium


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The Singing Fool

The Singing Fool is a 1928 American sound part-talkie musical drama motion picture directed by Lloyd Bacon which was released by Warner Bros. In addition to sequences with audible dialogue or talking sequences, the film features a synchronized musical score and sound effects along with English intertitles. The soundtrack was recorded using the Vitaphone sound-on-disc system. The film stars Al Jolson and is a follow-up to his previous film, The Jazz Singer. It is credited with helping to cement the popularity of American films of both sound and the musical genre. The film entered the public domain on January 1, 2024.

Plot
After years of hopeful struggle as a comedian/waiter at Blackies Cafe, Al Stone (Jolson) is on his way to stardom. One night, he sings a song he wrote for his long time crush Molly, impressing the head of a Broadway theater that was in attendance that night. Molly immediately falls for Al, knowing that he will soon be a big star. Broadway success, marriage and a child (Sonny) soon follow. Before long, Molly begins an affair with John, a mutual friend. Molly eventually abandons Al, and takes Sonny with her to Paris. Before leaving, she announces she will seek a divorce while overseas. Heartbroken, Al becomes a loner until friends from Blackies rescue him from a life on the streets. Soon, Al is back in lights. But another crisis awaits: Al gets a message at the theater that Sonny is back in town and dying. Al visits him in the hospital, and moments after singing Sonny Boy to him, Sonny passes away. Al returns to the theater devastated, but decides to go on with the show that evening. As a tribute to his deceased son, he sings Sonny Boy to a huge ovation. Al collapses as the curtains close, but vows to his friend Grace to never give up on life again.

Cast

 * Al Jolson as Al Stone
 * Betty Bronson as Grace
 * Josephine Dunn as Molly Winton
 * Arthur Housman as Blackie Joe
 * Reed Howes as John Perry
 * Davey Lee as Sonny Boy
 * Edward Martindel as Louis Marcus
 * Robert O'Connor as Bill, cafe owner
 * Helen Lynch as Maid
 * Agnes Franey as "Balloon" girl
 * The Yacht Club Boys as Singing quartet
 * Jack Stoutenburg (uncredited)
 * Carl M. Leviness as Carl, a Waiter at Clicquot Club (uncredited)
 * William H. O'Brien as Waiter at Blackie Joe's (uncredited)
 * Bob Perry as Doorman at Blackie Joe's (uncredited)

Production
Like The Jazz Singer, The Singing Fool was a melodrama with musical interludes, and as such was one of the film industry's first musical films. Produced during the transition period between silent film and talkies, the movie was released in both sound and silent versions.

The Singing Fool was a part-talking feature, which featured a synchronized musical score with sound effects along with synchronized musical and talking sequences, although in this film roughly 66 minutes of talking and singing were included. Al Jolson's first all-talking feature, Say It With Songs, would appear in 1929.

Reception
The Singing Fool solidified Jolson's position atop the movie world; not until Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs would any sound-era film be more financially successful than this audience-pleasing blend of sentiment and show biz. With a worldwide gross of $5.9 million, it would remain the most successful film in Warner Bros. history until the release of Sergeant York in 1941.

According to Warner Bros records the film earned $3,821,000 domestically and $2,095,000 foreign.

For the majority of movie audiences, The Singing Fool became their first experience with a talking film, since few movie theaters had been equipped with a sound system in 1927. The film's positive reception was also viewed as a signifier that sound films were here to stay. "Here is complete vindication for the advocates of sound pictures", wrote Film Daily. "The Singing Fool is the finest example of sound pictures made to date." Mordaunt Hall of The New York Times wrote that the dialogue was "a little halting" and that Dunn was "not convincing", but recognized that the main point of interest in the film was "not in its transparent narrative, but in Mr. Jolson's inimitable singing", and on that basis it was "capital entertainment." John Mosher of The New Yorker also recommended the film, writing, "Fortunately, throughout this picture one has Al Jolson's own songs to listen to, for the story has been contrived to exploit to the full his special talents. Whenever the action begins to slump and lag, Al has only to step forward and do his stuff, and the day is saved." One trade paper commentator stated that The Singing Fool "will be to talking pictures what The Birth of a Nation has been to silent pictures".

For a time, the film also made Davey Lee, Jolson's 3$1/2$ year old co-star, the most popular child star since Jackie Coogan. Lee was re-teamed with Jolson in Say It With Songs and starred in a few other films—including 1929's Sonny Boy—until his parents pulled him out of the movie business.

The film is recognized by American Film Institute in these lists:
 * 2004: AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs:
 * "Sonny Boy" – Nominated

Songs
Popular songs from the catalogs of DeSylva, Brown and Henderson, and Rose and Jolson were primarily used.

 * "There's a Rainbow 'Round My Shoulder" – words and music by Billy Rose, Al Jolson and Dave Dreyer
 * "Golden Gate" – words by Billy Rose and Dave Dreyer, music by Al Jolson and Joseph Meyer
 * "I'm Sittin' on Top of the World" – words by Sam Lewis and Joe Young, music by Ray Henderson
 * "It All Depends on You" – words and music by Lew Brown, B. G. DeSylva and Ray Henderson
 * "Keep Smiling at Trouble" – words by Al Jolson and B. G. DeSylva, music by Lewis Gensler
 * "Sonny Boy" – words and music by Lew Brown, B. G. DeSylva and Ray Henderson
 * "Sonny Boy" became the first song from a movie to sell over a million copies. It eventually sold over 3 million copies of sheet music, piano rolls and phonograph records.
 * "The Spaniard That Blighted My Life" – Billy Merson (see below)
 *  Source:

Deleted scenes
Al Jolson's rendition of "The Spaniard That Blighted My Life" is missing from extant prints of the film. This is due to a lawsuit initiated by the song's author, Billy Merson. Merson claimed that he, as a performer, owed his income to his own renditions of the song, and that Jolson's version would diminish his ability to earn a living. The song was removed from all prints of "The Singing Fool" shown in the United Kingdom. Unfortunately, the only surviving copies of the film are also from the U.K., hence are missing the song. These copies also have the majority of the original decorative Warner Brothers title cards replaced with simple British made ones which were used to remove Americanisms which the British would not understand or appreciate (a common practice during the silent era). Only the soundtrack survives on extant Vitaphone discs.

title: The Singing Fool


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Talk:Canary Wharf DLR station

Anyone got any information on what this was like before the Canary Wharf redevelopment? The DLR page refers to it as a 'small wayside station'...

Can someone throw some light on why these three DLR stations (West India Quays, Canary Wharf and Heron Quays) are so near to each other? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 90.193.182.174 (talk) 08:51, 10 August 2008 (UTC)
 * They are on different sides of two of the former docks with water between them and no easy pedestrian connection.--DavidCane (talk) 21:57, 21 October 2009 (UTC)

exits from canary wharf dlr
how many exits are there from Canary Wharf dlr, and where do they go to? which is the exit for Middle Dock? 88.111.68.191 (talk) 12:27, 12 March 2023 (UTC)

title: Talk:Canary Wharf DLR station


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William Williams (Connecticut politician)

William Williams (April 8, 1731 – August 2, 1811) was an American Founding Father, merchant, a delegate for Connecticut to the Continental Congress in 1776, and a signatory to the United States Declaration of Independence.

Early life
Williams was born in Lebanon, Connecticut, the son of minister Solomon Williams and Mary Porter. He studied theology and law at Harvard in 1751. He continued preparing for the ministry for a year but then joined the militia to fight in the French and Indian War. After the war, he opened a store in Lebanon, Connecticut which he called The Williams Inc. Williams never owned slaves as he thought it was morally wrong.

On February 14, 1771, at almost 40 he married Mary Trumbull, age 25. She was the daughter of Connecticut Royal Governor Jonathan Trumbull, who later served as the second speaker of the United States House of Representatives. They had three children: Solomon, born 1772; Faith, 1774; and William Trumbull, 1777.

Career
Williams spent many years in the Connecticut House of Representatives, serving from 1757 to 1762, 1763 to 1776, and 1780 to 1784, while serving as Speaker of that body in 1775 and from 1781 to 1783.

Williams was very active in the protests that preceded the American Revolution. He was a member of the Sons of Liberty and later served on Connecticut's Committee of Correspondence and Council of Safety. He was a staunch supporter of the non-importation agreements implemented in 1769 to oppose the Townshend Acts and the occupation of Boston by British Regulars. Williams was disappointed when merchants began disregarding the non-importation agreements after the repeal of the Townshend Acts, save for the tax on tea, and he never trusted the intentions of more established merchants, most notably Silas Deane.

On July 1, 1774, one month after the enactment of the Coercive Acts to punish Boston, Williams pseudonymously published an address "To the King" from "America" in the Connecticut Gazette. The document, an angry satire, read in part: "We don't complain that your father made our yoke heavy and afflicted us with grievous service. We only ask that you would govern us upon the same constitutional plan, and with the same justice and moderation that he did, and we will serve you forever. And what is the language of your answer...? Ye Rebels and Traitors...if ye don't yield implicit obedience to all my commands, just and unjust, ye shall be drag'd in chains across the wide ocean, to answer your insolence, and if a mob arises among you to impede my officers in the execution of my orders, I will punish and involve in common ruin whole cities and colonies, with their ten thousand innocents, and ye shan't be heard in your own defense, but shall be murdered and butchered by my dragoons into silence and submission. Ye reptiles! ye are scarce intitled [sic] to existence any longer....Your lives, liberties and property are all at the absolute disposal of my parliament."

Williams was elected to replace Oliver Wolcott at the Continental Congress on July 11, 1776, the day Connecticut received official word of the independence vote of July 2. Though he arrived at Congress on July 28, much too late to vote for the Declaration of Independence, he signed the formal copy as a representative of Connecticut. Following this appointment, Williams resigned his commission as Colonel of the 12th Regiment in the militia, to be replaced by Colonel Jeremiah Mason.

He was a judge of the Windham County court from 1776 to 1804, and served on the governor's council from 1780 to 1803. Simultaneously, he was a judge of the Connecticut Supreme Court of Errors from 1784 to 1803.

Williams represented Lebanon, Connecticut, at the state's Constitutional ratifying convention in January 1788. Though Williams had largely opposed the Confederation government, most notably Congress' 1782 agreement to provide five years of full pay and three months of back pay to army officers but not regular soldiers, he ignored instructions from his constituents to vote against ratification. Williams's sole overt objection to the document was the clause in Article VI that bans religious tests for government officials.

The Reverend Charles A. Goodrich writes:

"[Williams] made a profession of religion at an early age, and through the long course of his life, he was distinguished for a humble and consistent conduct and conversations. While yet almost a youth, he was elected to the office of deacon, an office which he retained during the remainder of his life. His latter days were chiefly devoted to reading, meditation, and prayer."

Williams was also pastor of the First Congregational Church in Lebanon, Connecticut, and a successful merchant. Upon his death he was buried in Lebanon's Old Cemetery.

Williams' home in Lebanon survives and is a U.S. National Historic Landmark.


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Alexandre de Serpa Pinto

Alexandre Alberto da Rocha de Serpa Pinto, Viscount of Serpa Pinto (aka Serpa Pinto; 20 April 1846 – 28 December 1900) was a Portuguese explorer of southern Africa and a colonial administrator.

Early life
Serpa Pinto was born at the Quinta das Poldras (Tendais) in Cinfães, a Portuguese village on the river Douro. He joined Colégio Militar at age 10. There he became the first student Battalion Commander in 1864, when he joined the Portuguese army and was sent to Portuguese Mozambique. In 1869 he took part in suppressing tribes in revolt around the lower Zambezi.

Exploration
Also in 1869, Pinto went to eastern Africa on an exploration of the Zambezi River. Eight years later he led an expedition from Benguela, Portuguese Angola, into the basins of the Congo and Zambezi rivers. The town of Menongue was named Serpa Pinto, after him, up to 1975.

In 1877, he and Lieutenant Commander Capelo and Lieutenant Ivens, both of the Portuguese navy, were sent to explore the southern African interior. All three had African experience and seemed to be the right age and temperament for the work. They left Benguela in November. Soon after their departure, however, they parted company at Bié, Capello and Ivens turning northward whilst Serpa Pinto continued eastward, gradually shifting his course to the south. He crossed the Cuando (Kwando) river in June 1878 and in August reached Lealui, the Barotse capital on the Zambezi. There he received assistance from the missionary François Coillard, enabling him to continue his journey along the Zambezi to the Victoria Falls. He then turned south and arrived at Pretoria in northern South Africa on 12 February 1879. Capelo and Ivens emerged at Dondo, on the Cuanza River in northern Angola. Serpa Pinto was the fourth explorer to cross Africa from west to east, and the first to lay down a reasonably accurate route between Bié (in present-day Angola) and Lealui. In 1881 the Royal Geographical Society awarded him their Founder's Medal, "for his journey across Africa ... during which he explored five hundred miles of new country".

In 1881 Serpa Pinto published his 2-volume Como eu atravessei a África, translated by Alfred Elwes and published in English as How I crossed Africa. In the same year French and German translations were also published.

Nyasa Region
In 1879 the Portuguese government formally claimed the area south and east of the Ruo River (which currently forms the southeastern border of Malawi), and in 1882 occupied the lower Shire River valley as far as the Ruo. The Portuguese then attempted to negotiate British acceptance of their territorial claims, but the convening of the Berlin Conference (1884) ended these discussions. In 1884, Serpa Pinto was appointed as Portuguese consul in Zanzibar, and given the mission of exploring and re-mapping the region between Lake Nyasa and the coast from the Zambezi to the Rovuma River and securing the allegiance of the chiefs in that area. In 1885, Serpa Pinto undertook an expedition in 1885 with Lieutenant Augusto Cardoso as his second-in-command. Serpa Pinto fell seriously ill and was carried to the coast, where he eventually recovered. Cardoso his twenty-five-year-old lieutenant, continued the exploration, visiting Lake Nyasa and the Shire Highlands, but failed to make any treaties of protection with the Yao chiefs in territories west of the lake Malawi.

Britain declined to accept the Portuguese claim that the Shire Highlands should be considered part of Portuguese East Africa, as it was not under their effective occupation. In order to prevent Portuguese occupation, the British government sent Henry Hamilton Johnston as British consul to Mozambique and the Interior, with instructions to report on the extent of Portuguese rule in the Zambezi and Shire valleys and the vicinity, and to make conditional treaties with local rulers beyond Portuguese jurisdiction, to prevent them accepting protection from Portugal. In 1888, the Portuguese government instructed its representatives in Portuguese East Africa to attempt to make treaties of protection with the Yao chiefs southeast of Lake Malawi and in the Shire Highlands and an expedition organised under Antonio Cardoso, a former governor of Quelimane, set off in November 1888 for the lake. Rather later, a second expedition led by Serpa Pinto, who had been appointed governor of Mozambique, moved up the Shire valley. Between them, these two expedition made over 20 treaties with chiefs in what is now Malawi. Serpa Pinto met Johnston in August 1889 east of the Ruo, when Johnston advised him not to cross the river into the Shire Highlands. Although Serpa Pinto had previously acted with caution, he crossed the Ruo to Chiromo, now in Malawi in September 1889. Following minor clashes with Serpa Pinto's force, Johnston's deputy, John Buchanan, declared a British protectorate over the Shire Highlands, despite contrary instructions, although this was later endorsed by the Foreign Office.

Later life
Shortly after this clash with Britain, Serpa Pinto returned to Portugal where he was promoted to the rank of colonel. He was governor general of Cape Verde from 20 January 1894 until 17 January 1898. Serpa Pinto died in Lisbon on 28 December 1900 at the age of 54. His earthly remains were laid to rest in the family grave of António Gomes dos Santos and Francisco de Souza Santos Moreira and their families in the Cemitério dos Prazeres in Lisbon.

Honours
Recognition and honours for his services were not wanting. In Portugal, he was made comendador of the orders of knighthood: Ordem da Torre e Espada, the Ordem Sao Bento de Aviz, and the Ordem de Sao Tiago da Espada; in France the Cross of the Ordre National de la Légion d'Honneur was conferred on him; in Brazil he was made knight of the Ordem da Rosa; and in Turkey he was honoured with the Great Cross of the Order of the Medejidie. He received honorary membership and awards from various scientific societies, including membership of the French Académie des Sciences' Astronomy division, and the "Founders' Medal" of the Royal Geographical Society of London. On 24 January 1899 he was honoured by King Carlos I (1863–1908) with the noble title of Viscount.

To honour and remember him, streets and squares in many Portuguese towns and cities were named after him, for example the Rua Serpa Pinto in Lisbon, Porto, Tomar, Évora, Braganca, Torres Vedras, Rio Maior and Cinfães, to mention only a few. In Angola, the town of Serpa Pinto (now Menongue), main seat of the province Cuando-Cubango, was named after him. His name was even given to two ships, and as trade name for products like cigars and biscuits. During the 125th commemoration of the founding of the Sociedade de Geografia de Lisboa, two stamps were issued with a portrait of Serpa Pinto in a prominent place, while a portrait of him also appears on a banknote from Angola. In Cinfães the Serpa Pinto Museum was opened on 20 April 2000, housing a small exhibit dedicated to this famous son of the area. On a small square in front of the Museum is a bust of Serpa Pinto. The house where Serpa Pinto's parents lived in Porto Antigo, Cinfães, on the banks of the Rio Bastanéa (Bestança River), where it flows into the Rio Douro (Douro River), has been transformed into the luxurious Estalagem Porto Antigo and the conference hall there is named after Serpa Pinto. Also the original dwelling and out-houses still stand, but in a neglected state. He was also portrayed in the 100 Angolan escudo banknote issued in 1956.

In Cinfães was founded the Associação Cultural Serpa Pinto (ACSP), in 2007 published in Diário da República, 2ª. série – Nº. 38 – 22 de Fevereiro de 2008, page 7339. The address is Lugar de Vila Viçosa, Cx Postal 327 4690-906 Cinfães, Portugal. The idea of the Association is to develop cultural, social, scientific, technological and artistic activities in Cinfães, in Portugal, in the C.P.L.P. (Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries) and in all countries interested in the historical course, life and work General Alexandre Alberto da Rocha Serpa Pinto but also contribute to the enrichment, protection and conservation of General Alexandre Alberto da Rocha Serpa Pinto's estate, encourage teaching and research in the areas of Natural Sciences, Anthropology, History and Sociology and to promote culture, defense and conservation of the historical, artistic and cultural heritage of Cinfães, Portugal and C.P.L.P.. It have also an educational function by bringing into being a library, conference facilities and exhibition locale. Furthermore, the Association promote the study the life and work of Serpa Pinto and the era in which he lived in a scientific and inter-disciplinary manner.

title: Alexandre de Serpa Pinto


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Talk:Bird's Opening

Hobbs gambit
I have added something about the very uncommon Hobbs Gambit, but I've not been able to find a definite source for the name. The chessgames database has an "R Hobbs" who seems to fit the bill. Does anyone have more info regarding the gambit's namesake? WarmasterKron 16:33, 30 March 2006 (UTC)

 * Hobbs was Richard Parker Hobbs, a Californian. 91.105.34.240 (talk) 23:17, 17 November 2007 (UTC) The original (seminal) game was John Spargo vs. Richard Parker Hobbs, Berkeley 1977. The game was won by Hobbs in 44 moves. The full score of the game can be found in 'The Myers Openings Bulletin' Volume 2, Number 5 published July, 1981.

Unfortunately, this gambit was not named after a chessplayer, but after the philosopher Thomas Hobbes,(just joking!) whose catchphrase "nasty, brutish, and short" appears without attribution in the book in question. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 144.162.136.76 (talk) 18:50, 30 August 2011 (UTC)

Hypermodern opening?
Would Bird's Opening constitute as a hypermodern opening? Tommy Kronkvist talk   contribs  20:30, 26 January 2008 (UTC)

You mean 1.f4 by itself? Probably not(see the "Hypermodern" article on here). If anything it lends itself to occupation of the center, especially the theme of a white knight on e5, or in the stonewall formations. In certain lines involving fianchetto of the white queen bishop, i suppose it may be considered "hypermodern", especially if he fianchettos the kingside as well, but Bg2 is more for supporting a kingside assault or the center occupation Ne5, both of which are definitely not hypermodern concepts. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.40.157.196 (talk) 06:25, 26 September 2008 (UTC)

Non-notable lines?
The article has a whole section devoted to something called the "Hobbs Gambit" (1.f4 g5); it also mentions 1...h6, intending 2...g5. The article also mentions 1...Nh6, supposedly recommended by NM Martin Appleberry, intending an ...e5 gambit if conditions warrant it. No sources are cited for any of these lines. IM Timothy Taylor's recent monograph on the Bird's doesn't mention any of them. I also looked at ChessGames.com's Opening Explorer. That datbase, with over 500,000 games, has one game with 1...g5, one game with 1...Nh6 (not by Appleberry, and not involving an ...e5 gambit), and zero games with 1...h6. Eric Schiller discusses 1...g5 and 1...Nh6 (the "Horsefly Defense") here, but nothing in his discussion indicates that either line is notable. To the contrary, he considers both moves dubious. Schiller cites three game fragments involving 1...g5 (two by Hobbs himself, from over 30 years ago), and one game fragment with 1...Nh6. He doesn't mention 1...h6 at all. An Internet search for "Hobbs Gambit" gets a few hits, such as people discussing (and some ridiculing) 1...h6 on a chesspub.com forum, and a really horrible video about a Hobbs Gambit game that the author, "Michael", played against an unnamed opponent.

In short, I have seen nothing that suggests that 1...g5, 1...h6, or 1...Nh6 is notable. Nor have I seen any reliable sources asserting that any of these moves are any good. (It is questionable whether Schiller is a reliable source, but even he doesn't endorse any of the moves.) As such, I think we should consider deleting discussion of these three moves from the article. Even if we don't do that, I certainly don't think that the Hobbs Gambit warrants its own section of the article. Thoughts? Krakatoa (talk) 18:14, 6 February 2009 (UTC)
 * I toned down the Hobbs Gambit part, it's now inline and not a headed section. The gambit is real, I'd heard of it. There are numerous low grade reference to this line I don't think Wikipedia yet required every line of text to have a reference next to it. If it does then the Schiller one would be fine with me. I know some would object, but on what bases? Chess snobbery perhaps. SunCreator (talk) 01:03, 8 February 2009 (UTC)
 * Have you read the Eric Schiller article?:"Schiller has written over 100 chess books, more than anyone else except Fred Reinfeld and Raymond Keene. However, Schiller's books have often received scathing reviews. Chess historian Edward Winter criticized them for large numbers of spelling, factual and typographical errors,[6][7] and even flagrant plagiarism.[8] Writing for Chess Cafe, Carsten Hansen said Schiller's book on the Frankenstein-Dracula Variation of the Vienna Game was 'by far THE WORST BOOK I HAVE EVER SEEN'.[9] Schiller's Unorthodox Chess Openings famously received a two-word review from Tony Miles in Kingpin: 'Utter crap.'[10]"
 * I had looked at it a few times for book references but not read it before now. The article is unbalanced and quite a good example of why Wikipedia itself is not a reliable source. SunCreator (talk) 01:08, 9 February 2009 (UTC)

 * Schiller is the most reviled and least respected author of chess books in the world. It seems to me that by definition, he is not a reliable source. Krakatoa (talk) 16:33, 8 February 2009 (UTC)
 * That's your opinion Krakatoa, but it's not mine. While Schiller has some critics and written a few poor books with plenty of typos. It would be inappropriate to assume everything he wrote is not of a reliable nature. I have read a number(at least four) of Schiller books and typos aside found them most useful and reliable. SunCreator (talk) 01:04, 9 February 2009 (UTC)
 * It's not just my opinion. The above block quote is a representative selection of respected chess reviewers' opinions of the Schiller oeuvre. If you can find reliable sources who have good things to say about Schiller's work, by all means add them to the Schiller article. That article currently contains one sort-of-favorable quote about Schiller, which is by John Watson, who has co-written three books with Schiller and thus is hardly disinterested (although I consider him a reliable source in general). The way that got there is that Sam Sloan complained about the supposed imbalance of the Schiller article and insisted (absurdly) that Camembert should be banned for inserting quotes critical of Schiller into the Schiller article. (Read the talk page for the Schiller article if you want. It's all there.) Camembert then found the Watson quote, which is the most flattering statement anyone's ever been able to find about Schiller, put it in, and Sloan declared that he was satisfied. Krakatoa (talk) 04:36, 9 February 2009 (UTC)

On Unorthodox Chess Openings, wasn't Joel Benjamin a co-author in addition to Schiller to the first edition? (The second version is Schiller only, but I haven't seen the first edition.) Regarding the article in question, I think anything covered in Taylor's Birds Opening should be notable enough for coverage. I don't have that book, but the index is available on Amazon, and ridiculous moves like 1...g5 don't seem to be covered there. 1...h5 is covered... in a way ("If you can't figure out how to handle 1...h5 you need a different chess book"), so is 1...Na6 since it's the only response which hasn't been played. Sjakkalle (Check!)  09:27, 16 February 2009 (UTC)
 * Incidentally, regarding Unorthodox Chess Openings, there are other reviews out there than "utter crap". While Alexander Baburin's review on Chesscafe is overall negative, and he advises against buying it (he rated it as 2 stars) he does find some nice things to say about it, among other things "the book is well-written - with good balance between basic introduction to the principles of opening play, observations of rare opening lines and some factual material." Much of the criticism is related to the lack of usefulness it has to a chess player, and since chess books are written for chess players (and not source-hunting Wikipedia editors), that is a pretty serious concern. That does not necessarily mean that it cannot be used as an alright source for historical background. Sjakkalle  (Check!)  09:04, 17 February 2009 (UTC)
 * You are correct that Benjamin was a co-author of the first edition. (See the list of Schiller books at the end of Eric Schiller.) I agree that anything Taylor covers in his book is notable enough for this article. (I wouldn't say that he "covered" 1...h5 and 1...Na6.) Taylor addresses 1...d5, 1...e5, 1...c5, 1...b6, 1...Nf6, and 1...f5. Also reasonable, of course, is 1...g6, with a likely transposition to a standard Modern, Pirc Defense (quite possibly the Austrian Attack, normally reached by 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.f4), or even King's Indian position (such as the Four Pawns Attack, normally reached by 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.f4), or a Sicilian after, e.g., 2.e4 c5. Taylor obviously was aware of 1...g5 and 1...h6, since he wrote on page 201 that according to ChessBase.com Black has tried 19 of the 20 legal responses to 1.f4 (i.e., everything except 1...Na6). His decision to omit those moves is of some significance, suggesting that he considers them in the same ridiculous class as 1...h5. Krakatoa (talk) 11:39, 17 February 2009 (UTC)

N. B. It is possible (as i have done) to play the "Horsefly" not with the intention of ...g6, but as a reversed "Krazy Kat" e.g. 2...f6 & 3...Nf7. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 144.162.136.76 (talk) 18:53, 30 August 2011 (UTC)

Proponent of Bird's Opening
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessplayer?pid=56533 plays Bird a lot. He also has a popular and high-quality youtube channel with many Bird Opening lessons and live games: http://www.youtube.com/user/krakkaskak —Preceding unsigned comment added by 72.245.213.213 (talk) 20:15, 8 September 2010 (UTC)

Needless change by IP
Nothing wrong with this text: "Timothy Taylor's book on Bird's Opening puts the main line Bird's Opening as follows: 1.f4 d5 2.Nf3 g6 3.e3 Bg7 4.Be2 Nf6 5.0-0 0-0 6.d3 c5." The IP didn't like it because "Misleading statement - statistically never considered main line". But that makes no sense. The sentence didn't claim the line was the main line, it clearly claimed only that Timothy Taylor used it as the main line for/in his book. I made this even clearer by changing the sentence to "Timothy Taylor's book on Bird's Opening suggests as a main line: 1.f4 d5 2.Nf3 g6 3.e3 Bg7 4.Be2 Nf6 5.0-0 0-0 6.d3 c5." But the IP reverted that in favor of his pet language "Timothy Taylor's book on Bird's Opening prefers this classical approach: 1.f4 d5 2.Nf3 g6 3.e3 Bg7 4.Be2 Nf6 5.0-0 0-0 6.d3 c5." which is 1) unnecessary, 2) ambiguous. --IHTS (talk) 00:34, 23 May 2018 (UTC)
 * I think it would be fair to say that there are two "main lines" in Bird's Opening, depending on whether White develops the Bishop on e2 or g2. Nunn's Chess Openings gives 1.f4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.0-0 0-0 6.d3 c5 7.Qe1 Nc6 and 1.f4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.e3 g6 4.Be2 Bg7 5.0-0 0-0 6.d3 c5 7.Qe1 Nc6 as its two main lines. The databases have 3.g3 and 3.e3 about equally popular. Move order is fairly flexible for both sides. MaxBrowne2 (talk) 09:20, 23 May 2018 (UTC)

Since the advent of advanced computer chess-playing programs, it's probably unwise to use Nunn's Chess Openings (published 1999) as a reference work in 2018. This is especially true regarding its content on Bird's Opening, as none of the book's authors played it regularly or were considered experts of 1.f4 - the book only contains a single page dedicated to these lines, mostly being derived from old databases. For example: the leading chess programs of today (i.e. - Stockfish, Komodo, Houdini, etc.) all quickly recognise that the move 7.Qe1 in the second of the two main lines given above is a mistake, leading to a significant advantage for the player with the black pieces (assuming best play). 172.79.28.138 (talk) 19:38, 12 September 2018 (UTC)
 * We don't do original research on wikipedia, we simply reflect what the sources say. It's actually quite boring if you're looking to do research into openings, but that's our brief. Running an engine and posting the results is fine in a forum or on your blog, but not in wikipedia main space. In any case 7.Qe1 is not currently included in the article. MaxBrowne2 (talk) 01:48, 13 September 2018 (UTC)

That's a fair comment about original research, so I shall simply point out the recommended continuation (7.Nc3) by the acknowledged expert in this line, Timothy Taylor, taken from his widely respected book on the subject (Bird's Opening - published 2005). Opening research may seem boring to some, but I still think it worthwhile to inform the interested reader from the best sources currently available. 172.79.28.138 (talk) 18:59, 13 September 2018 (UTC)

title: Talk:Bird's Opening


text:
Talk:Domicile (law)

Private International Law
But I think you are absolutely wrong. In private international law, domicile has nothing to do with where people live except as part of the test to determine whether a domicile of choice has arisen. I corrected the page. Please do not repeat the error unless you can prove me wrong by citing authoritative sources (I admit that I have not looked at PIL for about twenty years, but I don't believe it would have changed on this point). I would be interested to know what other effective systems could be developed to deal with this situation (always selecting the lex situs is totally arbitrary, etc), but I will allow your correction to stand on that point. -David91 16:45, 5 Jun 2005 (UTC)
 * Perhaps there is a difference between domicile in PIL and state domicile in U.S. law. I rely on Lea Brilmayer and Jack L. Goldsmith, Conflicts of Laws: Cases and Materials, ISBN 073552419X, which was my casebook for the course I took on the subject. -- BD2412 talk 17:59, 2005 Jun 5 (UTC)

Thank you for adding the element on the municipal rules of the U.S. That solves the problem well. As you will probably know, there are two options to determine status and capcity for natural persons: lex domicilii or lex patriae (sometimes nationalis). Disputes about the advantages and disadvantages of these two theories have been raging for years. Lex domicilii works on the Anglo-American axis, in Switzerland and in some Scandinavian countries; lex patriae wins in the rest of Europe. One of the main advantages of the domicile is that it ties a person to a familiar legal system and avoids ambiguities in federal states or dual nationality cases. Hence, the concept of habitual domicile is widely used in the conventions established by the Hague Conference on Private International Law, e.g. the Hague Convention on the Form of Wills of 1961, the Convention on Law Applicable to Maintenance Obligations of 1973, the Convention on the International Protection of Adults of 2000. In addition we've got the Rome Convention on the Law Applicable to Contractual Obligations of 1980 which has direct effect in the EU Member States. So domicile (habitual or otherwise) seems to be winning.

Thank you once again for your courtesy. -David91 18:49, 5 Jun 2005 (UTC)

 * No, thank you for correcting my U.S.-centrism. We studied U.S. domicile in my law class, and I incorrectly assumed the rest of the world did things the same way. -- BD2412 talk 19:29, 2005 Jun 5 (UTC)

Hail, fellow workers of the fields. Do we want to keep this as a stub? I could write a long book chapter from memory — curious to observe how oddly memory seems to work as we get older since I find it hard to remember what I did last week — but it would get a bit technical and that might defeat the purpose of the 'pedia on a topic like this. Should we remove the stub request? -David91 1 July 2005 05:55 (UTC)

Name change
I realize the United States incorporate the word "State" in the name, indicating a sovereign unit. The federal structure you mentioned is how the United States was intended to be over 200 years ago (somewhat like the current European Union. However the simple fact remains that no matter how flexible one's definition of sovereignty is; individual states are by no means sovereign.  Virtually all legal matters can be appealed to a higher federal court, they have no control over their own monetary policy, have no formal relationships with foreign states, and almost anything under their purview can be usurped by the federal government if it really wants to (under the Commerce clause, or whatever).  In fact, they really should be called "provinces" rather than "states" and only continue to use the latter as convention.  Accordingly, I respectfully submit that a word other that sovereign should be used. Martin-C 12:34, 12 November 2005 (UTC) under Latvian Civil Code you may have several domiciles at a time!!

Several Domiciles
Under Latvian Civil code a person may have several domiciles at a time!!

I removed that sentence since it is unreferenced, not explained and so does not really make sense in itself and, in the section it was in, was actually irrelevant. --Hydraton31 09:41, 19 August 2006 (UTC)

UK
Can someone contribute for the jurisdictions of the United Kingdom? 86.166.122.209 (talk) 22:32, 3 February 2009 (UTC)

In the meantime I've added a link to the appropriate section in the Taxation_in_the_United_Kingdom article Peterxyz (talk) 07:38, 11 March 2009 (UTC)

US military dependents?
I thought about adding a theoretical case of dual domicile, but I don't know if it would actually exist in practice. Here's the situation: I actually am a lawyer, but I'm not too familiar with this area. Is there something I don't know about? — Dale Arnett (talk) 08:41, 27 February 2010 (UTC)
 * Under US federal law, members of the armed services are not deemed to change their domicile solely because of a service assignment. If they wish, they can keep the domicile they had upon entry into the armed forces throughout their military careers.
 * However, AFAIK, this law does not apply to their civilian spouses. They would lose their domicile once they went with their spouse to a new posting.
 * Minor children have the domicile of their parents.
 * Therefore, a minor child of such a marriage would have two legal domiciles if:
 * One parent is a service member with a domicile in State A, but assigned to State B.
 * The other parent (1) has domicile in State B (or possibly State C) because he or she followed the spouse to the new assignment, or (2) is a service member who has maintained domicile in a state other than State A.

PRC domicile
The KMPG opinion on Chinese tax domiciles is most likely incorrect. The link in the citation doesn't exist anymore but I remember having read it before. It would practically put China in line with the US and Eritrea which contradicts all other information on that matter. It seems that their confusion is rooted in differences of tax residency rules for foreign nationals in China and a simplified understanding of the Chinese Hukou system. Regulations state that Chinese citizens are required to change their domicile registration (hukou) if they do not live in in the original place of registration anymore and give it up altogether when they leave China for more than 2 years. In practice, however, this has rarely been enforced in the past 20 years because a hukou is linked to many basic rights. Changing a hukou is impossible in most cases and if you lose it somehow it can be difficult to regain it. The wording of the Chinese tax regulation that KMPG bases its opinion on is from the early 90s, a time when hukou regulations where enforced by the letter. It is more likely that Chinese tax authorities would determine tax residency by testing if an individual qualifies as "overseas Chinese". Attaining the status of "overseas Chinese" is based on the permenancy of residence. Chinese nationals with a permanent resident card in another country who have resided there for more than 2 years are considered overseas Chinese as well as any Chinese national who has left China for more than 5 years regardless of his residence rights outside of China. This is also reflected by a clarification given by the Chinese tax authorities: "For example, China is the habitual residence  for  an  individual  who  should  come  back  to  reside  in  China  after  staying, working, visiting families and touring in a place other than China." There-is-life-on-mars (talk) 04:46, 28 March 2019 (UTC)

Canada
I am a Canadian law professor teaching Conflict of Laws, and offering my students the option of editing Wikipedia articles on this topic. One or more of those students, having identified this article as being of High-Importance, plan to work on it over the course of the term, with particular emphasis on the section for Canada. LexLife (talk) 18:31, 5 February 2021 (UTC)  — Preceding unsigned comment added by LexLife (talk • contribs) 18:20, 5 February 2021 (UTC)

Canada/Intro/Description
Will be changing the intro, some of the description, and the Canadian section — Preceding unsigned comment added by Alvijan (talk • contribs) 21:56, 25 March 2021 (UTC)

title: Talk:Domicile (law)


text:
SIMCA (disambiguation)

Simca (Société Industrielle de Mécanique et de Carrosserie Automobile) is a French automobile manufacturer.

SIMCA or Simca may also refer to:

 * Soft independent modelling of class analogies, a statistical method
 * Sugud Islands Marine Conservation Area, a Category II Marine Protected Area in Labuk-Sugud District, Malaysia
 * Simone Beck, French cookbook author and cooking teacher nicknamed Simca
 * Simca, a fictional character in the anime/manga series Air Gear

title: SIMCA (disambiguation)


text:
Lavinia Miloșovici

Lavinia Corina Miloșovici (born 21 October 1976) is a retired Romanian artistic gymnast. An exceptionally successful athlete on the international competition circuit, Miloșovici, also known as "Milo" in the gymnastics community, is considered to be one of Romania's top gymnasts ever and one of the most prolific female all-around medalists ever, earning a total 19 World Championships or Olympic medals in a span of six years. She medalled in every single World Championships meet, Olympic Games and European Championships between 1991 and 1996, and is only the third female gymnast ever, after Larisa Latynina and Věra Čáslavská, to win at least one World Championships or Olympic title on all four events. Miloșovici was also the last gymnast along with Lu Li to ever receive the perfect mark of 10.0 in an Olympic competition and the last to receive the benchmark score of 9.95 at the World Championships. She was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 2011. Her trademarks included her four-event mastery, consistency, longevity, versatile skill set, and leadership abilities.

Early life and career
Miloșovici was born in a family with Serbian roots. Her mother, Ildiko, was a competitive volleyball player, while her father, Tănase, was a national team wrestler. She began gymnastics at the age of 6 and moved to the Deva National Training Centre as she excelled in the sport.

Miloșovici's gymnastics career was nearly derailed when she contracted scarlet fever at the age of 10, and again when the Romanian Revolution in 1989 temporarily closed Deva. However, she continued to train, and by 1990, was representing Romania in such international meets as the American Cup and the World Sports Fair. She competed well at the 1991 Junior European Championships, winning two gold medals.

Senior career
Miloșovici made her debut as a senior in 1991, winning her first all-around title at the Romanian National Championships. She joined the Romanian team at the 1991 World Championships, where she contributed to the team's bronze medal and won her first individual World Championships title, on the vault, and placed third on the balance beam.

Miloșovici won her second individual world title on uneven bars at the 1992 World Championships. At the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Miloșovici won a total of four medals. She placed third in the all around and second with the Romanian team. She was very close to winning the all around, being tied for 1st with eventual winner Tatiana Gutsu after 3 rotations, but a big hop on her beam dismount to start the night (9.850) and a small hop on her uneven bars dismount in the final rotation (9.900) cost her the victory. In the event finals, she tied with Hungarian Henrietta Ónodi for the vault gold medal and won floor exercise with a perfect score of 10.0. She scored her 10 on the same night that China's Lu Li also scored a 10 (hers being for her performance on the uneven bars). Miloșovici's 10, in the event finals, was only the second awarded in Barcelona, and the last ever awarded at any Olympics. She was the only gymnast at those Games to win 2 individual golds, and combined with an all around medal and 4 overall medals, made the most successful overall gymnast of the Games.

After the 1992 Olympics, Miloșovici continued to compete. In the 1993 European Cup, she finished third in the all around, won gold on vault and uneven bars, and silver on floor. At the World Championships, she made all four apparatus finals. By winning the world title on beam, which completed her quartet of golds on each of the individual apparatuses. She also won the silver medal on vault, even though she finished a disappointing eighth in the all around after a fall on beam.

In 1994 and 1995, she led the Romanian team to two World Championships team titles. Shortly before the 1994 World Championships, she and her teammates staged a strike at Deva to protest nonpayment of prize money owed from the Romanian Gymnastics Federation; in spite of the depleted training time, they still won the team gold medal at Worlds. Miloșovici's best all around finish in World Championship or Olympic competition came in 1994 when she took second to Shannon Miller (losing by a margin of 0.038), after being the early favourite as the top qualifier to the all around final. A step on dismount on the uneven bars routine and a minor wobble in the side somersault on beam cost her the win. Milosovici once again made all four apparatus finals, and concluded the 1994 Worlds with a silver on floor and a bronze on vault. She lost the floor gold by 0.013 to Dina Kochetkova. At the Europeans a fall off the uneven bars on the dismount kept her off the all around podium but she rebounded to win a gold on vaulting, silver on floor, and bronze on beam in the individual event finals.

She delivered a dominant performance at the 1994 Team Worlds where she easily won the individual all around points tally with an astounding 39.500 point total, an average score of 9.875 over the 4 events, and led Romania to an emphatic victory. A performance which had she duplicated it at the individual worlds in Brisbane would have easily won her the All Around and likely several event golds. She also received the highest score of the quadrennium at this meet with a 9.950 on Floor exercise. At the 1995 Sabae World Championships, she captured the all around bronze, although she was in tears after the competition as she realized this was likely her last realistic shot at a major all around title. At this point she was affected by growth spurt, and overshadowed by younger teammates Gina Gogean and Simona Amânar. The only event final she qualified for due to the 2 per country rule was the uneven bars, despite being the fourth highest qualifier on floor (Amanar and Gogean were the top two qualifiers).

Miloșovici won the bronze medal on floor at the 1996 World Championships, before winning the team and floor gold medals at the European Championships. She also finished third in the all around. Miloșovici led the Romanian team to a bronze at the 1996 Olympics, in spite of a spate of injuries that left the squad depleted of several key gymnasts and forced them to compete with only six athletes instead of seven. Milosovici had the rare opportunity to improve upon her third place all around finish in Barcelona; with her consistency and competitors' mistakes, she was tied for the bronze with Amanar, and became the first gymnast since Nadia Comăneci to medal in the all around at consecutive Olympics. This also marked her fourth all-around medal in World and Olympic competition, a feat since equalled only by Svetlana Khorkina, Aliya Mustafina and Simone Biles. Interestingly, whilst Milosovici won the all around bronze medal at the 1995 Worlds, 1996 European and 1996 Olympics, Lilia Pokdopayeva was the gold medalist in all three finals. In her last competition, Milosovici finished eighth in the uneven bars final. She originally qualified for the beam final, but was replaced by her teammate Alexandra Marinescu.

Overall, she won a total of 26 Olympic, World and European medals in her career, with 11 of them gold. She is currently ranked fifth in terms of the total number of medals won at the World Championships, behind Simone Biles, Svetlana Khorkina, Gina Gogean and Larisa Latynina. She is also one of the only 10 female gymnasts to have medalled in all six events at the World Championships.

Post-retirement
Miloșovici announced her official retirement in the summer of 1997. After retiring, she returned to Lugoj to coach gymnastics and attended the Sports University in Timișoara.

On 23 October 1999, Milo married her childhood friend, Cosmin Vinatu. According to Prosport, Cosmin was a sergeant major in the police force. The two were childhood friends, but lost touch when Milo moved to Deva. Then, in 1998, Milo was out with her brother and a group of his friends and they ran into Cosmin at a bar. Needless to say, Milo and Cosmin's friendship was renewed. Their wedding took place at the Termal restaurant in Timișoara, with over 350 guests. Milo told Prosport that the couple expected to live in Timișoara after the wedding, though she does own a house in her hometown of Lugoj. They had one daughter, Denisa Florentina, who was born in 2004 and died in 2008. Milosovici grieves chronically for the loss of her daughter, Denisa, going to the cemetery once or twice per week with her family. The godmother was former teammate, Simona Amânar. In January 2013, Lavinia gave birth to a boy, Cosmin Mihai, and in July 2016 Lavinia's second son, Andrei Nicolae, was born. Adding to her numerous post-career tragedies, however, in-between the birth of her first and second sons, she also suffered a miscarriage.

In 2002, Miloșovici, along with former teammates Corina Ungureanu and Claudia Presăcan, sparked controversy by posing naked in photographs for a Japanese photobook, LCC Gold, and performing gymnastics routines topless for the Japanese DVDs Gold Bird and Euro Angels. A number of photographs from the photobook and DVDs were subsequently published in the Japanese magazine Shukan Gendai, and an edited version of the DVDs entitled 3 Gold Girls was released in Germany in 2004. Because the gymnasts had posed for some of the photographs and footage wearing their official Romanian team leotards, the Romanian Gymnastics Federation banned them from coaching and judging in the country for five years, and the Japanese Junior Gymnastic Club Federation contemplated banning Romanian gymnasts from a major international junior competition.

title: Lavinia Miloșovici


text:
Bassem Yakhour

Bassem Yakhour (باسم ياخور; born August 16, 1971 in Latakia, Syria) is a Syrian actor, writer and director.

Career
Born in Latakia to a Christian family, Baseem Yakhour graduated from Higher Institute of Dramatic Art in 1993 and joined the Syrian Artists Syndicate on February 16, 1999. Since 1993, Yakhour has acted in many television series, stage productions and theater. He was also a television presenter for a short time for a show called "Charisma". He also directed a series in 2004 and a play in 2000

Today, he is best known for the Spotlight series for which he co-writes and acts. The latter was an important contribution to Syrian art, although the critics were very harsh.

Syria for Arts International productions describes the series as follows: "A drama work of diverse social subjects, screened through special comedy frame based mainly on making fun of social degeneration, lying, and hot life-contradictions, and also on deep meditation over human and establishment behavior, etc".

Personal life
Bassem Yakhour is married to Rana Al-Hariri and they have a son, Roy.

Series

 * 1994–  Five-Star Family, actor, television series for Al-Sham Arts production, in which he gained tremendous popularity, next to Ayman Ridah, in which he keeps in touch in his career.
 * 1994–  Al-Thuraya , actor, historical series for Bosra for Art.
 * 1995–  The Bird , actor, television series for Arab international productions.
 * 1996–  The Handcuff , actor, drama series for Arab international productions.
 * 1997–  Seven Stars family , actor, television series for Al-Sham Arts.
 * 1998–  Brothers of Dust , actor, drama series for Al-Sham Arts.
 * 1999–  Hero of his time , actor, comedy series for Al-Sham Arts production.
 * 2000–  Spotlight, part 1 , actor, co-writer, television series for Syria for Arts production.
 * 2001–  Spotlight, part 2 , actor, co-writer, television series for Syria for Arts production.
 * 2001– Salahiddin , actor, historical series for Syria for Arts production.
 * 2002–  Spotlight , part 3", actor, co-writer, television series for Syria for Arts production.
 * 2002–  Saqr Quraysh , actor, historical series for Syria for Arts production.
 * 2003–  Spring of Cordoba , actor, historical series for Syria for Arts production.
 * 2004–  Homy Hon , actor and director, series for Al-Sham Arts production.
 * 2004–  Spotlight, part 4 , actor and co-writer for Syria for Arts production.
 * 2004–  Hasna , special appearance in Ali Deek's video clip.
 * 2005–  Arabiyat 2005 , actor and co-writer (announced)
 * 2005–"Khalf Elkudban",actor,drama series written by "Habi Elsa3di", directed by,"Allith Hajjo".
 * 2006–"Khalid ibn al-Walid" actor,historical series written by "Abd elkareem Nasif",directed by,"Mohammad Azizieh".
 * 2007–"Fajroun AKHAR" actor,a drama series written by, "FADI KOSHUKJI", directed by, "FIRAS DHNI".
 * 2007–"JARIMA BILA NIHAYA" actor,a detective series written by,"TAREK BRNJKJI "and directed by,"NABIL SHAMS"
 * 2007–"WASMET 3AR" actor,a drama series written by "Dr. Fathalla OUMAR", directed by, "Naji TOUMEH".
 * 2007-Egyptian film "KHALIJ NEMA",actor, written by "AHMAD AL BEH", and directed by, "MAJDI AL HAWARI".
 * 2008–"Jar AL RIDA" actor,a comedy series written by "Dr. MAMDOUH HAMADA", directed by, "ALLAITH HAJJO".
 * 2008–"alkhat alahmar" actor, a drama series written by "Hani Elsa3di",directed by,"Yousef Rezek".
 * 2008-Egyptian political series "Zel Almuhareb" actor, written by "basheer Eldeek",directed by "Nader Galal".
 * 2009- Qa'a Al-madinah, actor, directed by "Sameer Hussien"
 * 2010 - Zohra wa Azwagha El Khamssa, actor, directed by Mohamed El Nokaly
 * 2011 - Taab El Mishwar, actor, directed by Seif Al Deen Sbei'i
 * 2012 - Al khorba, actor, directed by Al Laith Hajo
 * 2011 -2013 - Born from the Flank: Wilada Min Alkhasira, three consecutive series, each 30 episodes, actor, directed by Rasha Sharbatji for 2011 and 2012 series, and Seif El-Dinne Al Soubai for 2013 series.
 * 2014 - 2015 - Alekhwa, actor, co-directed by Saif Shaikh Najib and Seif El-Dinne Al Soubai
 * 2015 - Elakat Khassa, actor, directed by Rasha Sharbatji
 * 2015 - Al-Arrab 1 - actor, co-directed by Nashaat Al-Melhem and Hatem Ali
 * 2016 - Al Arrab 2: Taht Al Hezam, actor, directed by Hatem Ali
 * 2016 - Al Nadam, actor, directed by Allaith Hajo
 * 2016 - 2017 - School of Love aka Madraset Al Hob, actor, directed by Safwan Naomo
 * 2017 - Mudhakarat eashiqat sabiqa, actor, directed by Hesham Sharbatji
 * 2017 - Al Shakikatan, actor, directed by Maya Wansa, Samir Habchi and Salem Al-Hadchiti
 * 2018 - Al Waq-waq, actor, directed by Al Laith Hajo
 * 2019 - Haramlek, actor, directed by Tamer Isaak
 * 2019 - Sayko, actor, directed by Raymond Abu Eita, Mudar Ibrahim, Alaa Moura Lee and Kinan Sednawe
 * 2020 - Ahla Ayam, actor, directed by Saif Shaikh Najib
 * 2021 - Tuesday 12, actor, directed by Majdi Smiri and Jaimin Bal
 * 2021 - The Platform 2/3, actor, directed by Yasser Samy
 * 2021 - Ala Safeeh Sakhen, actor, directed by Maxim Mansour, Saiful Din Subayie and Seif Al Deen Sbei'i
 * 2023 - Laylat Alsuqut, actor, directed by Abdullah Shuaib
 * 2023 - Al Arbaji, actor, directed by Wael Abo-Shaar and Seif Al Deen Sbei'i
 * 2023 - Khareef Omar, directed by Muthanna Sobh
 * 2024 - The Board, actor, directed by Hozan Akko
 * 2024 - Al Arbaji: Fire from the womb of injustice - part 2, actor, directed by Seif Al Deen Sbei'i

Other Appearance

 * 2001–  Mabash Ana , special appearance in Asalah Nasri's video clip.

title: Bassem Yakhour


text:
Karaš

The Karaš (in Serbian, also Cyrillic: Караш) or Caraș (in Romanian) is a 110 km long river in the Banat region of Vojvodina, Serbia and Romania and a left tributary of the Danube. The Karaš drains an area of 1,400 km2 and although it has been channeled it is not navigable.

Name
In Roman times the river was known as Apo, from a Thracian word meaning "water". The Hungarian name is Karas.

Romania
The Caraș originates in the Anina Mountains, northeast of the town of Anina, close to the sources of the Bârzava and Nera rivers. It runs through Romania for 50 km, flowing to the north in its early reaches before turning southwest at the town of Carașova where it receives many short tributaries, most notably, the left tributary of the Lișava, then passes many villages (including Giurgiova, Ticvaniu Mare, Grădinari, Vărădia, Mercina, Vrani) before it enters the Serbian province of Vojvodina. In Romania, its length is 79 km and its basin size is 1280 km2.

Serbia
Right after crossing the border, the Karaš receives its two major tributaries, the Borugu from the right, and the Vicinic from the left. It passes the villages of Kuštilj, Vojvodinci, Dobričevo, Straža and Jasenovo and reaches the eastern side of the Deliblatska Peščara and Dumača hill, the easternmost side of the Hills of Zagajica. From this point, the Karaš is channeled and incorporated into the last part of the Danube-Tisa Canal. It runs alongside the villages of Dupljaja, Grebenac, Kajtasovo and Banatska Palanka before it ends its 60 km course through Serbia, emptying into the Danube near the village of Stara Palanka, across from the tourist resort of Ram.

Settlements located near the river
In Romania: Carașova, Goruia, Ticvaniu Mare, Grădinari, Vărădia, Vrani

In Serbia: Kuštilj, Vojvodinci, Dobričevo, Straža, Jasenovo, Dupljaja, Grebenac, Kajtasovo, Banatska Palanka, Stara Palanka

Tributaries
The following are tributaries of the Karaš (from source to mouth):

Left: Buhui, Raicovacea, Șereniac, Gârliște, Goruița, Jitin, Lișava, Mercina, Ciclova, Vicinic

Right: Izvoru Mare, Jervanu Mare, Comarnic, Gelug, Dognecea, Barheș, Ciornovăț, Vărădia, Borugu

Krašovani
Krašovani or Karašani (Cyrillic: Крашовани or Карашани; People from the Karaš), are people of South Slavic origin, settled around the town of Carașova in the river's upper course. Known as good farmers and craftsmen with an estimated number of 20,000 after World War II.

title: Karaš