larryblog

2006-02-15T00:48:00.000-08:00

Medical-ventilator

A medical ventilator is a device designed to provide mechanical ventilation to a patient. Ventilators are chiefly used in intensive care medicine and emergency medicine (as standalone units) and in anesthesia (as a component of an anesthesia machine). In its simplest form, a ventilator consists of a compressible air reservoir, air and oxygen supplies, a set of valves and tubes, and a disposable or reusable patient set. The air reservoir is pneumatically compressed several times a minute to deliver an air/oxygen mixture to the patient, when overpressure is released, the patient will exhale passively due to the lungs elasticity. The oxygen content of the inspired gas can be set from 21 percent (ambient air) to 100 percent (pure oxygen). Pressure and flow characteristics can be set mechanically or electronically. Ventilators may also be equipped with monitoring and alarm systems for patient-related parameters (e.g. pressure and flow) and ventilator function (e.g. air leakage, power failure), backup batteries, air and oxygen tanks, and remote control and alarms. The pneumatic system is nowadays often replaced by a computer-controlled turbopump. Modern ventilators are electronically controlled by a small embedded system to allow exact adaptation of pressure and flow characteristics to an individual patients needs. Fine-tuned ventilator settings also serve to make ventilation more tolerable for the patient. In Canada, respiratory therapists are responsible for tuning these settings.

Life-critical system

Because the failure of a mechanical ventilation system may result in death, it is classed as a life-critical system, and precautions must be taken to ensure that mechanical ventilation systems are highly reliable. This includes their power-supply provision. Mechanical ventilators are therefore carefully designed so that no single point of failure can endanger the patient. They usually have manual backup mechanisms to enable hand-driven respiration in the absence of power. Some systems are also equipped with compressed-gas tanks and backup batteries to provide ventilation in case of power failure or defective gas supplies, and methods to operate or call for help if their mechanisms or software fails.

2006-02-14T12:50:00.000-08:00

List-of-psychological-topics

This page aims to list articles related to psychology. This is so that those interested in the subject can monitor changes to the pages by clicking on Related changes in the sidebar. The list is not necessary complete or up to date - if you see an article that should be here but isnt (or one that shouldnt be here but is), please do update the page accordingly. NOTOC compactTOC

A

Aaron T. Beck abnormal psychology Abraham Maslow activity theory Albert Bandura Albert Ellis Alfred Adler Alfred Binet Alfred Kinsey Alice Miller alogia alternative therapy anal retentiveness analytical psychology anhedonia Anna Freud anomie applied psychology archetype Aristotle Arthur Janov Aspergers syndrome attitude (psychology) attributional bias Aushra Augustinavichute autism avolition

B

B. F. Skinner behavioral imprinting behavioral psychology behaviorism belief bipolar disorder brain brainwashing

C

captology Carl Jung Carl Rogers Catherine Snow child directed speech clinical psychology cognition cognitive behavior therapy cognitive distortion cognitive neuropsychology cognitive psychology cognitive science cognitivism (psychology) collective unconscious color psychology comorbidity comparative psychology computer science conditioned reflex conditioning connectionism consciousness counselling psychology critical psychology critical theory

D

Daniel Dennett decision making delusion developmental psychology dream Donald Olding Hebb

E

economics economic psychology educational psychology Ego Electra complex eliminative materialism Elizabeth K�bler-Ross Emil Kraepelin emotion Eric Berne Eric Lenneberg Erich Fromm Erik H. Erikson Ernest Jones ethology evolutionary psychology experimental psychology extroversion

F

face perception facial expression Feral children fetishism fis phenomenon Fritz Perls functionalism (sociology) fundamental attribution error

G

game theory gender role Genie George Kelly Gestalt effect Gestalt psychology Gestalt Theoretical Psychotherapy Gestalt therapy group-serving bias group attribution error group polarization groupthink

H

hallucination - Hans Eysenck Harry Harlow health psychology Heinz Werner Hermann Rorschach hostile media effect history humanism hypnosis hypnotherapy

I

Ego, Superego and Id ideas of reference Identity Crisis (psychology) individual differences psychology industrial and organizational psychology intelligence (trait) introspective introversion IQ Irvin Yalom Irving Janis Ivan Pavlov

J

Jacques Lacan James W. Prescott Jean Berko Gleason Jean Piaget Jean-Martin Charcot John B. Watson John Bradshaw Judy Kegl

K

Karen Horney Kohlbergs stages of moral development

L

language language acquisition Lawrence Kohlberg learning Lev Vygotsky libido Liev S. Vygotski lifespan psychology linguistics list of cognitive biases List of psychologists literary theory literature Lloyd deMause loss aversion

M

marketing Marvin Minsky mathematical psychology medical psychology Melanie Klein memory mental health disorders mental illness microexpression Milgram experiment mind mind control MIT mood Morita Shoma motivation

N

narcissism nervous system neurocognition Neuro-linguistic programming neuropsychology neuroscience neurosis Nicaragua Nicaraguan Sign Language Noam Chomsky nonverbal communication

O

Oedipus complex operant conditioning orgone Otto Rank

P

paraphilia parapsychology Paul Ekman perception personality personality psychology philosophy of mind philosophy of psychology Phineas Gage phonology popular psychology positive psychology Language acquisition problem solving prosopagnosia prospect theory pseudo-science psyche psychiatry psychoanalysis psychohistory psycholinguistics psychological testing psychology psychometrics psychopharmacology psychosis psychotherapy

Q

qualia

R

radical behaviorism rational-emotive therapy reasoning reinforcement repression psychological research methods Robert Sternberg Robert Yerkes Rollo May

S

Sapir-Whorf hypothesis scale (social sciences) schizophrenia scientific method self (psychology) self-help sexuality shyness Sigmund Freud simplicity theory simulated consciousness social cognition social influence Social interactionists social psychology Society of Mind theory sociology Socionics soul Spiral dynamics Stanislav Grof Steven Pinker subliminal advertising Superego syntax systems theory

T

Taboo the senses theory of mind transactional analysis transpersonal psychology

U

Unconscious

V

Viktor Frankl Virginia Satir

W

War psychology Wilhelm Reich Wilhelm Wundt William James William Masters and Virginia Johnson Wolfgang K�hler Wug Test

X

Y

Z

2006-02-14T00:48:00.000-08:00

Paris-Roubaix

	Paris-Roubaix
Region:	Northern France
Date:	Early April
Type:	One-day race
	1909
Number of Editions:	102
First Winner:	Josef Fischer, (Germany)
Most Wins:	Roger De Vlaeminck (Belgium), 4 times

Begun in 1896, Paris-Roubaix, third of the ten Union Cycliste Internationale World Cup races, has become the most famous single-day bicycle road race. Paris-Roubaix is one of the Classics and carries the nickname Queen of Classics or La Pascale, the Easter race. Held annually in the mid-April rainy season, over the cobblestoned roads and hard rutted tracks of northern Frances coal-mining region, La Pascale leaves riders caked from head to toe in mud and grit, earning this race the nickname, lenfer du Nord, or the Hell of the North. In 1968, on the guidance of Jean Stablinski, the starting location was changed from Paris to Compi�gne, approximately 80 km to the north. Famous for rough terrain, the route of Paris-Roubaix is adjusted slightly from year to year as the older streets are resurfaced and the race organizers seek to replace them with other challenging cobbles, to maintain the character of the race. Since 1977 the course has been routed through the Wallers-Arenberg forest. The race culminates with 1km on the Roubaix velodrome. Since 1964, the record average speed of 45.129 km/hour has been held by The Netherlands cyclist Peter Post. The record for the most victories in the race is held by the Belgium cycling legend Roger De Vlaeminck, who between 1972 and 1977 took first place four times (for which he was awarded a trophy in the form of a paving-stone). Octave Lapize (France), Gaston Rebry (Belgium), Rik Van Looy (Belgium), Eddy Merckx (Belgium), Francesco Moser (Italy), and Johan Museeuw (Belgium) each have won three times. Italy legends Jules Rossi and Fausto Coppi won in 1937 and 1950 respectively. The only Germany winner of Paris-Roubaix was Josef Fischer, who won the first year the race was held, 1896. Belgian cyclists have won 47 times, France cyclists 30. Meanwhile, in the U.S. hopes are placed on George Hincapie or Fred Rodriguez to be the first American to win lenfer du Nord.

2006-02-13T12:46:00.000-08:00

Star-Fleet-Battles

Star Fleet Battles is a tactics strategy game board game set in the Star Fleet Universe originally created in 1979 by Stephen V. Cole and Ellen D. Eldrige, it has since been updated many times. The current edition is published by Amarillo Design Bureau Inc. as Star Fleet Battles, Captains Edition. It is a space fleet warfare simulation game and comes with a 224 page rule book. Players interact on a hexagonal map and represent the United Federation of Planets, Romulans, Klingons, plus other alien races. Star Fleet Battles was based on the Star Trek universe as of 1979 and includes elements of Star Trek: The Original Series and Star Trek: The Animated Series. Federation elements were heavily based on concepts from The Star Trek Star Fleet Technical Manual. Unlike the mainstream Star Trek universe, Star Fleet Battles seems to consider some, but not all of the Star Trek: The Animated Series, as being a canon (fiction) material source, thus leading to the inclusion of aliens such as the Kzinti as the only alien species being incorporated from the Star Trek: The Animated Series. Since the first publication of the game, Star Fleet Battles and the Star Trek universe have diverged considerably as the authors of the game and those of the films and television series have basically ignored each other. The resulting divergent world of Star Fleet Battles is known as the Star Fleet Universe. Other games set in this universe include the computer game series Star Fleet Command (based on the board game), the role-playing games Prime Directive (role-playing game) and GURPS Prime Directive, and the strategy game Federation and Empire, as well as the forthcoming Federation Commander. Another note is that the License �Star Fleet Battles� operates under does not allow for direct reference to the characters and detailed events of the Original Series. As such, official material does not include references to James T. Kirk, Spock or use the Starship Enterprise directly. This has not prevented oblique references, such as a comment about the first Gorn-Federation meeting as involving �two young captains who fired first, and faced embarrassing questions later.� The divergences have included races in each that are not in the other, and also the general tone of the universes. The writers of the films and television series wanted to stay close to Gene Roddenberrys optimistic view of the future in which differences between groups could ultimately be resolved peacefully. Conversely, peace is not useful in a military wargame so the universe of Star Fleet Battles is one of constant conflict and warfare and is thus much more pessimistic.

2006-02-13T00:48:00.000-08:00

Oregon-Highway-10

Oregon Highway 10 is an Oregon state highway which serves Portland, Oregon and some of its western suburb.

Description

Oregon 10 begins as Barbur Boulevard out of downtown Portland, a segment it shares with Oregon Highway 99W, running parallel to Interstate 5. It separates from Oregon 99W a few miles south of downtown, and proceeds along the Capitol Highway (Portland, Oregon) through the Portland neighborhood of Hillsdale. Along here, it is a surface street, which cuts through the southern part of Portlands West Hills. It separates from the Capitol Highway in Hillsdale, which continues un-numbered, and becomes the Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway, a surface street with frequent traffic signals. The highway continues west into Washington County, Oregon and the eastern suburb of Beaverton, Oregon. After the interchange with Oregon Highway 217, a freeway, it changes to Farmington Road, and comes a block parallel with Oregon Highway 8. Oregon 8 and 10 do not intersect, but it is not uncommon for commuters to use the frontage road for the Oregon 217 interchange or another surface street to change between the routes. As Farmington Road, Oregon 10 leaves Beaverton and cuts across half-developed suburbia to Farmington, Oregon and its intersection with Oregon Highway 219.

Cities and towns along this route

Portland
Beaverton
Farmington

Intersections with other highways

Interstate 405, U.S. Highway 26, and Oregon Highway 99W in Portland (a small segment is shared with Oregon 99W south of downtown)
Oregon Highway 210, between Portland and Beaverton
Oregon Highway 217, in Beaverton
Oregon Highway 219, east of Farmington

2006-02-12T12:52:00.000-08:00

Egon-Schiele

Egon Schiele (June 12, 1890 - October 30, 1918), an Austria painters, son of Marie and Adolph Schiele, was born in Tulln, a small town on the Danube.

Biography

When Egon was 15, his father died of syphilis. Egon became a ward of his uncle, who, though distressed by Egons lack of interest in academic studies, recognised his passion and talent for art. Egon was accepted into the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts at the age of sixteen. Due to various troubles he left the Academy in 1909. By this time, however, Schiele was already participating in public exhibitions and was well acquainted with Gustav Klimt, who was both an inspiration and a friend to him throughout his life. Once free of the constraints of the anachronistic and conservative Academy, Schiele began to explore, through his work, not only the human form, but also human sexuality. Many found the explicitness of his works shocking at the time. Wally Neuzil, one of Schieles models, became his close friend and eventually his lover. Together they moved to de:Neulengbach, 35Kilometre west of Vienna, seeking inspirational surroundings and an inexpensive studio in which to work in. Their unconventional lifestyle, however, was not appreciated by the more conservative townspeople. Schiele was imprisoned for twenty-four days after being falsely accused of seducing a minor. This charge was eventually dropped, but he was found guilty of disseminating pornography to children. In 1915, Schiele married Edith Harms, a woman who lived with her parents across the street from his studio. This change necessitated the termination of his four year relationship with the ever faithful Wally. In spite of World War I, Schiele was able to pursue his artistic endeavors. His output was prodigious, his work reflecting the maturity of an artist in full commmand of his talents. The Vienna Secession Show of 1918, where Schiele exhibited in the main hall and for which he had designed the poster, brought him great success. During the last year of his life he also had successful shows in Zurich, Prague, and Dresden. At the end of 1918, the influenza epidemic that claimed over twenty million lives worldwide reached Vienna. Edith, who was six months pregnant, succumbed to the disease on October 28, followed three days later by her husband. He was twenty-eight years old. In the few days before the death of his wife Schiele drew a few sketches of her - they were to be his last works. In 1996 Rachels, an indie rock band, released an instrumental album commemorating his life called Music for Egon Schiele.

2006-02-12T00:47:00.000-08:00

Edward-Colquhoun-Charlton

Edward Colquhoun Charlton was an England recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to United Kingdom and Commonwealth forces. He was 24 years old, and a Guardsman in the 2nd Bn., Irish Guards, British Army during the Second World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC. On 21 April 1945 at Wistedt, Germany, Guardsman Charlton was a co-driver of one tank of a troop which, with a platoon of infantry, captured the village. When shortly afterwards, all the tanks were hit in a fierce enemy attack, and the infantry were in danger of being over-run, Guardsman Charlton, on his own initiative, seized a Browning and advanced firing from the hip, inflicting such heavy casualties that the enemy were halted. Although wounded in the left arm the guardsman mounted his gun on a fence and continued firing even when wounded again. He died later, but his gallantry had saved a desperate situation. His Victoria Cross is displayed at the The Guards Regimental Headquarters (Irish Guards RHQ) (London, England).

Reference

British VCs of World War 2 (John Laffin, 1997)
Monuments To Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997) This page has been Project Victoria Cross Reference Migration from the Victoria Cross Reference with permission.

2006-02-11T12:46:00.000-08:00

Youri-Djorkaeff

Youri Djorkaeff (born March 9, 1968 in Lyon) is a France football (soccer) player, who usually plays as a striker or as an attacking midfielder. With the France national football team, Djorkaeff won Football World Cup 1998 and 2000 European Football Championship. Djorkaeff, an ethnic Armenia, has played all over Europe. He started his career with French clubs FC Grenoble and RC Strasbourg before moving to AS Monaco and then Paris Saint-Germain. In 1996, he signed with Italian giants Inter Milan, and in 1999 went over to Germany and 1. FC Kaiserslautern. Djorkaeff turned many heads when signing with unfashionable English club Bolton Wanderers F.C. in 2002, but added a lot of class to the team during his two seasons there. He transferred to Blackburn Rovers F.C. for the 2004-05 season, but left the club after playing in only three games. Djorkaeff then signed with the MetroStars of Major League Soccer in February 2005. Djorkaeff won the Cup Winners Cup with PSG in 1996 and the UEFA Cup win Inter in 1998. He scored 28 goals in 82 caps for France. Other than the two major tournament wins, Djorkaeff also played for his country in 1996 European Football Championship and the Football World Cup 2002. Djorkaeffs father, Jean, played for France in the Football World Cup 1966 and also coached the Armenia national football team.

2006-02-11T00:47:00.000-08:00

Rainbow-Monkeys

Rainbow Monkeys is a fictional product lining of childrens products from the television series Codename: Kids Next Door. It is a parody of Care Bears. There are Rainbow Monkeys movies, a Rainbow Monkeys television program (see show-within-a-show), Rainbow Monkeys underwear, and infinity questions&action display&num 1109342857 varieties and colors of Rainbow Monkeys plush toys. There is also a food item called Rainbow Munchies. Rainbow Monkeys are produced by Rainbow Monkey Incorporated. In Operation: R.A.I.N.B.O.W.S.: Running Amok In Natures Bounty Observing Wild Simians, Rainbow Monkeys are shown to be real, living animals found on Rainbow Monkey Island. Mr. Mogul is the creator of the Rainbow Monkeys franchise. Numbuh Three has the ability to detect Rainbow Monkeys with her the senses of olfaction.

References

Operation: R.A.I.N.B.O.W.S.: Running Amok In Natures Bounty Observing Wild Simians
questions&action display&num 1109342857 An e-mail from Mr. Warburton KND

2006-02-10T12:48:00.000-08:00

Federal-Funds

Federal Funds transactions redistribute bank reserves. Federal funds are reserve balances at Federal Reserve Banks that can be transferred between depository institutions within the same business day. Banks keep reserves at Federal Reserve Banks to meet their reserve requirements and to clear financial transactions, and transactions in the federal funds market enable depository institutions with reserve balances in excess of reserve requirements to sell reserves to institutions with reserve deficiencies. Federal funds transactions neither increase nor decrease total bank reserves. Instead, they redistribute bank reserves and enable otherwise idle funds to yield a return. Participants in the federal funds market include commercial banks, thrift institutions, agencies and branches of foreign banks in the United States, federal agencies, and government securities dealers. Many relatively small institutions that accumulate reserves in excess of their requirements lend reserves overnight to money center and large regional banks, and to foreign banks operating in the United States. Federal agencies also lend idle funds in the federal funds market. Federal funds can be called the heart of the money market in the sense that they are the core of the overnight market for credit in the United States. Moreover, current and expected interest rates on federal funds are the basic rates to which all other money market rates are anchored. First, they are short-term borrowings of immediately available money funds which can be transferred between depository institutions within a single business day. In 1991, nearly three-quarters of federal funds were overnight borrowings. In 1991, total daily average gross RP (Repurchase agreement) and federal funds borrowings by large commercial banks were roughly $200 billion, of which approximately $135-140 billion were federal funds. Competition among banks for funds ties the RP rate closely to the federal funds rate. The RP rate has historically been below the federal funds rate because RPs are collateralized, which makes them safer than federal funds, and because arranging RPs entails additional transactions costs. Data on RP rates paid by banks to their corporate customers are not available, but from 1983 to 1990 the dealer RP rate (the rate government security dealers pay to obtain funds through RPs) was around 20 to 25 basis points below the federal funds rate. For reasons hard to explain, the dealer RP rate was higher than the federal funds rate during most of 1991.

2006-02-10T00:47:00.000-08:00

Inter-American-Development-Bank

The Inter-American Development Bank, was established in 1959 to support Latin American and Caribbean economic/social development and regional integration by lending mainly to public institutions. The Bank is owned by 46 member countries, 20 of which are lenders: Austria, Belgium, Canada, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and United States. 26 of the members are borrowers: Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay and Venezuela. The United States holds the most IDB shares, at 30%, but borrowers in the agreggate hold about 50% of the total number of shares. The IDB is unique among development banks in that some of its members are also borrowers. Though this arrangement was first viewed as risky, but as of 2005 no member has defaulted. It is thought that strict peer pressure has prevented the borrowers from defaulting, even when they were under severe economic pressure (c.f. Haiti and Argentina).

2006-02-09T12:47:00.000-08:00

Torrington,-Connecticut

Torrington is the largest city in Litchfield County, Connecticut. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 35,202, but a July 1, 2002 estimate put the citys population at 35,655. It is the largest city in Litchfield County and in northwest Connecticut. It is also the core city of the largest of the countrys United States micropolitan areas. Abolitionist John Brown (abolitionist) was born in Torrington in 1800. The city was settled in 1735. It was incorporated as a town in 1740 and as a city in 1923. In 1955, a flood destroyed much of the downtown area.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 104.6 square kilometer (40.4 square mile). 103.1 km� (39.8 mi�) of it is land and 1.5 km� (0.6 mi�) of it is water. The total area is 1.41% water.

Demographics

As of the censusGeographic references 2 of 2000, there are 35,202 people, 14,743 households, and 9,125 families residing in the city. The population density is 341.6/km� (884.7/mi�). There are 16,147 housing units at an average density of 156.7/km� (405.8/mi�). The racial makeup of the city is 93.03% White (U.S. Census), 2.15% African American (U.S. Census) or Race (U.S. Census), 0.20% Native American (U.S. Census), 1.83% Asian (U.S. Census), 0.02% Pacific Islander (U.S. Census), 1.31% from Race (U.S. Census), and 1.47% from two or more races. 3.30% of the population are Hispanic (U.S. Census) or Latino (U.S. Census) of any race. There are 14,743 households out of which 28.5% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.7% are Marriage living together, 10.3% have a female householder with no husband present, and 38.1% are non-families. 32.1% of all households are made up of individuals and 13.7% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.33 and the average family size is 2.96. In the city the population is spread out with 23.0% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 31.0% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 17.6% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 39 years. For every 100 females there are 93.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 89.0 males. The median income for a household in the city is $41,841, and the median income for a family is $54,375. Males have a median income of $37,702 versus $28,418 for females. The per capita income for the city is $21,406. 7.4% of the population and 4.5% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 8.4% of those under the age of 18 and 6.9% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line. Connecticut

2006-02-09T00:47:00.000-08:00

Backbone-cabal

The backbone cabal was a group (or cabal) of large-site administrators who pushed through the Great Renaming and reined in the chaos of Usenet during most of the 1980s. Gene Spafford is said to have organized the backbone in 1983 to stabilize the Usenet propagation. While many news servers operated during night time to save the cost of long distance communication, servers of the backbone were available 24 hours a day. During most of its lifetime, the Cabal (sometimes majuscule) steadfastly denied its own existence, it was almost obligatory for anyone privy to their secrets to respond There Is No Cabal whenever the existence or activities of the group were speculated on in public. The result of this policy was an attractive aura of mystery. Even a decade after the cabal mailing list disbanded in late 1988 following a bitter internal catfight, many people believed (or claimed to believe) that it had not actually disbanded but only gone deeper underground with its power intact. This belief became a model for various paranoid theories about various Cabals with dark nefarious objectives beginning with taking over the Usenet or Internet. These paranoias were later satirized in ways that took on a life of their own. Follow-ons include the Eric Conspiracy of mustached hackers named Eric, and the Lumber Cartel putatively funding anti- spamming efforts to support the paper industry.

2006-02-08T12:46:00.000-08:00

Birmingham-New-Street-Station

Birmingham New Street is a major railway station located in the centre of the city of Birmingham, England. New Street is Birminghams main railway station, and is a major hub of the Rail transport in the United Kingdom. Due to its central location, railway lines from all over the United Kingdom run into it including railway lines to: London, Manchester, Scotland, Wales, Bristol, Penzance, Nottingham, Leicester, Shrewsbury and Newcastle upon Tyne. The station is also a terminus for many local train services from throughout the West Midlands (county) conurbation. It is also the main station on the local Birmingham Cross-City Line, servicing Lichfield, Redditch and stations in between. Direct trains run to more stations from New Street than from any other station on the British railway network. 31 million people pass through New Street station every year. It is one of seventeen UK railway stations managed by Network Rail.

History

New Street station was constructed as a joint station by the London and North Western Railway and the Midland Railway between 1846 and 1854 to replace several earlier unconnected rail termini, the most notable being Birmngham Curzon Street Station. Because it was constructed by two companies, the original New Street Station was effectively two stations built side-by-side. Each company had one half, with a road, Queens Drive, between them. This lead to an incovenient track layout which restricted capacity. In 1923, the two companies, with others, were Grouping Act into the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS). The station was completely re-built by the then-nationalised British Railways in the mid 1960s, when the West Coast Main Line was modernsied and electrified. Queens Drive was lost in this rebuilding. The rebuilt station has a shopping centre and car park above it and is thus dark, enclosed (except at the far ends) and widely disliked. The local press regularly report plans to rebuild the station once again, including a proposed double decker layout, with suburban-line platforms below those for long- distance trains, but so far no funding has been found for this scheme.

Bibliography

Birmingham New Street. The Story of a Great Station Including Curzon Street. 1 Background and Beginnings. The Years up to 1860. By Richard Foster. Wild Swan Publications Limited (1990) ISBN 0906867789
Birmingham New Street. The Story of a Great Station Including Curzon Street. 2 Expansion and Improvement. 1860 to 1923. By Richard Foster. Wild Swan Publications Limited (1990) ISBN 0906867797
Birmingham New Street. The Story of a Great Station Including Curzon Street. 3 LMS Days. 1923-1947 By Richard Foster. Wild Swan Publications Limited (1997) ISBN 1874103372
Birmingham New Street. The Story of a Great Station Including Curzon Street 4 British Railways. The First 15 Years. By Richard Foster. Wild Swan Publications Limited (Publication awaited).

2006-02-08T00:46:00.000-08:00

Loudwater

Loudwater is a hamlet (place) in the parish of High Wycombe, in Buckinghamshire, England. It is located to the east of the main town, on the London Road. The hamlet name refers to the river nearby, that also flows through High Wycombe. Its meaning is literally noisy water. In manorial records in 1241 the hamlet was referred to as La Ludewatere. Today there is little to distinguish the hamlet from the urban sprawl of High Wycombe, though the hamlet is now recognised on signposts along the London Road. The name Loudwater also occurs in the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien as the name of a river: see Bruinen.

2006-02-07T12:47:00.000-08:00

Marcel-Breuer

Architect and furniture designer Marcel Breuer was born in 1902 in P�cs, Hungary. Breuer studied and taught at the Bauhaus in the 1920s, stressing the combination of art and technology, and eventually became the head of the furniture workshop there. He later practiced in Berlin, designing houses and commercial spaces, as well as a number of tubular metal furniture pieces, replicas of which are still in production today. In the 1930s, due to the rise of the Nazi party in Germany, Breuer relocated to London and eventually ended up in the United States. Breuer taught at Harvard Graduate School of Design, working with students such as Philip Johnson and Paul Rudolph who later became well-known U.S. architects. At the same time, Breuer worked with old friend Walter Gropius, also a Harvard professor, on the design of several houses in the Boston area. Breuer established his own firm in New York in the 1940s. It was at this time that he began to work on larger institutional buildings. One of the fathers of Modernism, Breuer showed a great interest in modular construction and simple forms. Breuer died in 1981.

Works

Breuer may be best known for his design of the Wassily Chair, designed in 1925 for Wassily Kandinsky and inspired in part by bicycle handlebars. Breuer designed a number of residential buildings in the United States:
Breuer House I, Lincoln, Massachusetts, 1939.
J. Ford House, Lincoln, Massachusetts, 1939.
Chamberlain Cottage, Wayland, Massachusetts, 1940.
Geller House, Lawrence, Long Island, New York, 1945.
Breuer House II, New Canaan, Connecticut, 1948.
Dexter Ferry Cooperative House of Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, New York, 1951
Starkey House, Duluth, Minnesota, 1955. His larger building designs include:
The Whitney Museum of American Art, New York City
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization headquarters, Paris (with Pier Luigi Nervi and Bernard Zehrfuss).
Australian Embassy, Paris, France.
HUD office building, Washington, D.C.
Litchfield High School, Litchfield, Connecticut.
Cleveland Museum of Art expansion, Cleveland, Ohio
AT Tower, Cleveland, Ohio

2006-02-07T00:46:00.000-08:00

2SER

2SER (Sydney Educational Radio) is a community radio station in Sydney, Australia, broadcasting on the frequency 107.3 FM. The station had its origins in the burgeoning community broadcasting movement of the early 1970s when it was proposed that an educational station, based on a consortium of Sydney universities, be established. The station has been been broadcasting since October 1, 1979. Today, the station operates as a company limited by guarantee and is jointly owned by Macquarie University and the University of Technology, Sydney. Both institutions contribute an annual grant to 2SER, however the station is largely self-supporting, relying upon revenue raised through programming, sponsorship, fund-raising events and membership. In late 2004, the station was faced with a projected budget shortfall of up to $100,000 that financial year. Management addressed the situation by reducing the number of paid stuff, and put forward proposals to scale down the use of its studio at Macquarie University, and cater for a slightly older audience - which were meet with frustation from some volunteers. A relaunch of the station, with a new format, is planned for early 2005.

References

Javes, Sue (Dec. 8, 2004). true Money matters: 2SER relaunch plans. Sydney Morning Herald.

2006-02-06T12:47:00.000-08:00

Oesterreichische-Nationalbank

The Oesterreichische Nationalbank (OeNB) is the central bank of the Republic of Austria and, as such, an integral part of both the European System of Central Banks (ESCB) and the Eurozone. In the public interest, the OeNB contributes to monetary and economic policy decision-making in Austria and in the Euro area. In line with the Federal Act on the Oesterreichische Nationalbank, the OeNB is a stock corporation. Given its status as a central bank, it is, however, governed by a number of special provisions, as laid down in the Nationalbank Act. The OeNBs capital totals EUR 12 million, half of which is held by the federal government and half of which is owned by employer and employee organizations as well as banks and insurance corporations. The main tasks of the OeNB center on contributing to a stability-oriented monetary policy within the Eurozone, safeguarding financial stability in Austria and supplying the general public and the business community in Austria with high-quality, i.e. counterfeit-proof, cash. In addition, the OeNB manages reserve assets, i.e. gold and foreign exchange holdings, with a view to backing the euro in times of crisis, draws up economic analyses, compiles statistical data, is active in international organizations and is responsible for payment systems oversight. Furthermore, the OeNB operates a payment system for the euro, promotes knowledge and understanding among the general public and decision makers owing to its comprehensive communication policy, and supports research in Austria.

2006-02-06T00:45:00.000-08:00

Preston,-Iowa

Preston is a city located in Jackson County, Iowa. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 949.

Geography

Preston is located at 42�31 North, 90�2341 West (42.050332, -90.394681) GR 1. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.6 square kilometer (1.0 square mile). 2.6 km� (1.0 mi�) of it is land and none of it is covered by water.

Demographics

As of the census GR 2 of 2000, there are 949 people, 417 households, and 250 families residing in the city. The population density is 370.1/km� (962.2/mi�). There are 433 housing units at an average density of 168.9/km� (439.0/mi�). The racial makeup of the city is 99.89% White (U.S. Census), 0.00% African American (U.S. Census), 0.00% Native American (U.S. Census), 0.00% Asian (U.S. Census), 0.11% Pacific Islander (U.S. Census), 0.00% from Race (U.S. Census), and 0.00% from two or more races. 0.11% of the population are Hispanic (U.S. Census) or Latino (U.S. Census) of any race. There are 417 households out of which 29.0% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.1% are Marriage living together, 7.0% have a female householder with no husband present, and 40.0% are non-families. 35.7% of all households are made up of individuals and 20.6% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.26 and the average family size is 2.97. In the city the population is spread out with 23.1% under the age of 18, 10.1% from 18 to 24, 28.8% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 17.7% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 37 years. For every 100 females there are 90.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 89.1 males. The median income for a household in the city is $35,909, and the median income for a family is $47,375. Males have a median income of $32,150 versus $22,031 for females. The per capita income for the city is $17,639. 6.8% of the population and 4.0% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 7.7% of those under the age of 18 and 14.6% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

2006-02-05T12:45:00.000-08:00

Stephen-Winsten

Stephen Winsten (born c.1890) was the name adopted by Samuel Weinstein, one of the Whitechapel Boys group of young Jewish men and future writers in Londons East End in the years before World War I (the others were Isaac Rosenberg, John Rodker and Joseph Leftwich). He is now known for his works about George Bernard Shaw, and his life of Henry Salt. He married the artist Clara Birnberg (born 1894), they both became Quakers. She as Clare Winsten is known for some sculptures, including one of St. Joan in the garden of Shaw�s house in Ayot Saint Lawrence in Hertfordshire. The Winstens were neighbours of his there. Clare illustrated Shaws Buoyant Billions A Comedy of No Manners in Prose (1949), and the posthumously published My Dear Dorothea: A practical system of Moral education for females Embodied in a letter to a young person Of that sex (1956), written when he was 21. Their daughter Ruth Harrison was known as a campaigner for animal rights.

Works

G.B.S. 90: Aspects of Bernard Shaws Life and Work (1946) editor
Days with Bernard Shaw (1948)
Salt and His Circle (1951) preface by Shaw
Shaws Corner (1952)
Jesting Apostle: The Private Life of Bernard Shaw (1956)

2006-02-05T00:46:00.000-08:00

M�nnedorf

M�nnedorf is a village near Z�rich, Switzerland. It is located on the north bank of the lake of Z�rich and has a population of 9235 (As of 2003). In the local dialect it is called M�nnidorf. Like in all other village along the lake of Z�rich, archeological findings indicate settlements in the stone ages. The original settlement in the 7th century or 8th century was called village of Manno (Dorf des Manno). The coats of arms is that of reeve Ottikon: an upright otter on a golden background. The village originally housed fishermen, farmers and winegrowers. M�nnedorf was once owned by the monastery of Pf�fers. It later developed to become the home of the bailiwick of Z�rich from 1405 until 1798. After the commencement of the railway Z�rich-Meilen- Rapperswil in 1894 the village blossomed. Many businesses of handicraft, trade and industry were established. Most notably probably a tannery, organ-building and precision mechanics. There was also a mill, a smithy, a public bath and a growing number of guesthouses. By today M�nnedorf has become part of the Z�rich agglomeration like all the villages in the region.

2006-02-04T12:48:00.000-08:00

Brinkley,-Arkansas

Brinkley is a city located in Monroe County, Arkansas. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 3,940. Brinkley was the birthplace of jazz and early rock & roll great Louis Jordan.

Geography

Brinkley is located at 34�5325 North, 91�1130 West (34.890152, -91.191741) GR 1. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 15.4 square kilometer (5.9 square mile). 14.2 km� (5.5 mi�) of it is land and 1.2 km� (0.4 mi�) of it is water. The total area is 7.59% water.

Demographics

As of the census GR 2 of 2000, there are 3,940 people, 1,543 households, and 972 families residing in the city. The population density is 277.6/km� (719.0/mi�). There are 1,731 housing units at an average density of 122.0/km� (315.9/mi�). The racial makeup of the city is 49.09% Race (U.S. census), 48.55% Race (U.S. census) or Race (U.S. census), 0.18% Race (U.S. census), 0.20% Race (U.S. census), 0.05% Race (U.S. census), 0.30% from race (U.S. census), and 1.62% from two or more races. 1.12% of the population are Race (U.S. census) or Race (U.S. census) of any race. There are 1,543 households out of which 31.8% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.5% are Marriage living together, 20.8% have a female householder with no husband present, and 37.0% are non-families. 33.7% of all households are made up of individuals and 15.8% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.48 and the average family size is 3.23. In the city the population is spread out with 31.0% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 22.4% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 36 years. For every 100 females there are 81.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 73.5 males. The median income for a household in the city is $19,868, and the median income for a family is $27,820. Males have a median income of $26,117 versus $16,714 for females. The per capita income for the city is $12,441. 30.9% of the population and 23.8% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 38.6% of those under the age of 18 and 18.7% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.

2006-02-04T00:47:00.000-08:00

Henry-Moore-(governor)

Sir Henry Moore, Baronet (1713-1769) was a Great Britain colonial leader who served as royal Governor of New York from 1765 to 1769. He was born in Jamaica to a prominent plantation family, and was educated toward the law. Moore was active in Jamaicas colonial affairs, and by 1756 he had risen to the rank of Lieutenant Governor. As in many royal colonies of the time, the governor was frequently absent, collecting his fees and salary from London, with a local Lieutenant and council forming the actual government. Moore gained considerable reputation for leadership by suppressing a slave revolt during his first year on office. His reward was first to be made a Baronet, and then in 1764 he was named royal governor for New York. He arrived in New York City with his family in November 1765. Relations between the colonies and England were very strained by this time, but not yet in open rebellion. New York City had seen riots and protests over the Stamp Act 1765. The new governor calmed these by meeting directly with Isaac Sears, a leader of the Sons of Liberty. Moore agreed with Sears and the colonys assembly to suppress the Stamp Act, and gained additional goodwill be reducing the military fortifications within the city. His openness and courtesy earned him floral tributes while other colonial governors were being burned in effigy. However, during the next few years, he actively used military force to suppress rural riots by tenants of the large estate owners. He ordered General Thomas Gage to actively pursue and suppress this form of rebellion. This did not seem to bring him any increased difficulty in governing, for two reasons. The first was that the Sons of Liberty also feared the introduction of rural problems into the city, believing that they should be the only ones to use riots as a bargaining tactic. The second was that the Assembly at the time was dominated by the Patroons, or large estate owners. In December of 1767 Moore even dissolved the Assembly to allow the Patrons to make up through new elections some of the numbers they had lost earlier. He died suddenly while in office at New York City, on September 11, 1769. The duties of governor then fell on Lieutenant Governor Cadwallader Colden whose term was much less peaceful. Moore left with the respect of almost all the colonys leadership, the only exception being certain religious fundamentalists angered by his efforts to create a theater or playhouse. Henry married Catherine Maria Long of another prominent Jamaica family in 1765. The couple had several children, and after his death, she moved to England. Catherines Peak (altitude 1158 meters) in Jamaica is named after her, as local legend reports her to be the first woman to climb the peak.

2006-02-03T12:45:00.000-08:00

European-Theater-of-Operations

The European Theater (warfare) of Operations, or ETO, was the term used by the United States in World War II to refer to most United States military activity in Europe north of the Mediterranean coast.

Definitions

The European Theater of Operations, or ETO, was the term used by the United States in World War II to refer to all US military activity in Europe which fell under the adminstative command of European Theater of Operations, United States Army (ETOUSA). From Febury 1944 the operational command was the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF) which as an Allied command also had operational control of British and all other allied land forces and tactical airforces in the European theatre. The term European Theater of Operations should not be confused with the European Theatre of World War II which is often defined to include the years before the US entered the war, the Italian campaign, the Strategic Bombing During World War II, the Eastern Front (WWII), all of the Western Front (WWII) 1944 � 1945 in 1944 and 1945, as well and other actions which did not involve the use of American forces. Because Dwight Eisenhower held positions in the ETO and the North African Theater of Operations (NATO) here is a brief explanation of that theatre. Operation Torch, the landings in North Africa, were referred to as occurring in the North African Theater of Operations and then later (December 10, 1944) 1, when the theater was redefined to include Italy, as the Mediterranean Theater of Operations or MTO. US forces in that theatre were initally under the adminstrative command of NATOUSA which was redesignated MTOUSA. They were under the operational command of Allied (Expeditionary) Forces Headquaters AFHQ.

Command Structure

The War Department officially established ETOUSA, on June 8, 1942. Its mission was to conduct planning for the eventual retaking of Europe and to exercise adminstrative and operational control over U.S. forces. Headquartered in London, ETOUSA was first commanded by Major-General James E. Chaney, an Army Air Corps officer. Dwight Eisenhowers had multiple command appointments, he was replaced Chaney in late June 1942, but in November he also commanded the Allied forces in Operation Torch through AFHQ. He then gave up command of ETOUSA in February 1943 to be NATOUSA. In December 1943 it was anounced that Esisenhower would be Supreme Allied Commander in Europe. In January 1944 he resumed command of ETOUSA and the following month was officially designated as the Supreme Allied Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF), serving in a dual role until the end of hostilities in Europe in May 1945. From February 1944, SHAEF was the operational command and ETOUSA adminstrative command. Some units were transfred between operational commands and adminstrative commands at different times. For example the American 6th Army Group which was set up under the Mediterranean Theater of Operations to oversee Operation Dragoon the invasion of southern France between Toulon and Cannes, but was passed to SHAEF (and into ETO) a month after the invasion which took place on August 15 1944. By the end of 1944 Eisenhower through SHAEF commanded three powerful Allied army groups. In the North British 21st Army Group commanded by Field Marshal Sir Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, In the middle the American 12th Army Group commanded by General Omar Bradley and in the South the American 6th Army Group commanded by Lieutenant General Jacob L. Devers. The British 21st Army Group and French elements of the 6th Army Group were not part of ETOUSA, but by that stage of the war most of the operational forces under the command of SHAEF were American.

Campaigns and Operations

(see also U.S. campaigns in WWII) Albert Coady Wedemeyer was chief author of the Victory Program, published 3 months before the U.S. entered the war in 1941, it advocated the defeat of the German armies on the European continent. When the U.S. entered the war, after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, and the U.S. declared war on both Germany and Japan, a modified version of his plan was adopted by President Franklin Roosevelt and Prime Minister Winston Churchill. Under the German first policy, the plan was expanded to include the blue print for the Normandy landings. Until SHEAF was operational ETOUSA liaised closely with the British in the planning and organising of Operation Overlord.
Battle of Normandy June 6, 1944 - July 24, 1944
Northern France Campaign (1944) July 25, 1944 - September 14, 1944
Southern France Campaign
Battle of the Siegfried Line
Lorraine Campaign (unofficial) September 1, 1944 - December 18, 1944
Battle of the Bulge December 16, 1944 - January 25, 1945 (Battle of the Bulge)
Central Europe Campaign March 22, 1945 - May 11, 1945

A theater of operations

The term theater of operations was defined in the American field manuals as the land and sea areas to be invaded or defended, including areas necessary for administrative activities incident to the military operations (chart 12). In accordance with the experience of World War I, it was usually conceived of as a large land mass over which continuous operations would take place and was divided into two chief areas-the combat zone, or the area of active fighting, and the communications zone, or area required for administration of the theater. As the armies advanced, both these zones and the areas into which they were divided would shift forward to new geographic areas of control. 2

2006-02-02T22:20:00.000-08:00

NES-Satellite

The NES Satellite is a Nintendo Entertainment System accessory created by Nintendo. The Satellite allows up to four players to play the NES anywhere in the room without the necessity of wires running from the NES all the way to the players. A small infrared receiver plugs into the two controller ports on the front of the NES. The main Satellite unit, powered by 4 D-cell Battery (electricity), must have a line of sight to the receiver. The unit has four controller ports which accomodate any type of wired NES controllers. The unit includes Turbo button selectors for both the A and B buttons. A similar product called the NES Four Score was released, although it didnt allow wireless play.

2006-02-02T10:21:00.000-08:00

Viseu-de-Sus

wrongtitle title: Vieul de Sus Vieul de Sus (Hungarian: Felsvis�, German: Oberwischau) is a town in Maramures county, Romania, located at the confluence of the Viseu river and Vaser river. It has an area of 443 km²

Population

The population is about 18,444. The city is in a hilly area, and most of the people live in the valleys:
iperai and Valea Poieniei - the center of the town
Valea Vinului (1000 inhabitants)
Valea Vaserului (800 inhabitants)
Valea Petilor (500 inhabitants)
Valea Scradei (700 inhabitants)
Vieu de Mijloc (1900 inhabitants)
Valea Botoaia, Aria (500 inhabitants)
Rdeasa (900 inhabitants) Romania-stub

2006-02-01T22:19:00.000-08:00

Reginald-Cardinal-Pole

Reginald Pole (1500 - 1558) Archbishop of Canterbury, Cardinal (Catholicism) of the Roman Catholic Church, was the son of Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury who was the daughter of George, Duke of Clarence. The last Roman Catholic Archbishop of Canterbury, Cardinal Pole was born in Staffordshire, England in March 1500. Educated at University of Oxford and University of Padua, Poles kinsman Henry VIII offered him the archbishopric of York or the diocese of Winchester if he would support his divorce from Catherine of Aragon. Pole withheld his support and went into self-imposed exile in France and Italy in 1532, continuing his studies in Padua and Sorbonne. Pole was made cardinal under Pope Paul III in 1536 over Poles own objections. In 1542 he was appointed as one of the three legates to preside over the Council of Trent, and after the death of Pope Paul III in 1549 Pole missed being elected pope by only one vote. The death of Edward VI on 6 July 1553 and the accession of Mary I of England to the throne of England hastened Poles return from exile, first as a papal legate, however Mary and Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, deliberately delayed him until 20 November 1554. Under Mary Is rule, Pole was finally ordained as a priest on 20 March 1557 and raised as Archbishop of Canterbury, an office he would hold until his death in London on 17 November 1558, a few hours after Queen Mary.

2006-02-01T09:57:00.000-08:00

Forbes-Burnham

Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham (February 20 1923 - August 6 1985) was a Guyana political leader. Burnham, who was of Africa descent, was born in Kitty, East Demerara, Guyana. In 1950, he formed a left-wing party, the Peoples Progressive Party, along with Hindu labor leader Cheddi Jagan. Burnham and Jagan began feuding in 1955, and Burnham formed a more moderate party, the Peoples National Congress. Jagans party began winning legislative elections, but came into conflict with British authorities, who changed the constitution so that Burnham could form a coalition government and become Premier of Guyana in 1964. Burnham led his country to independence from Britain and into the commonwealth in 1966. He at first pursued moderate policies, but in 1970, his policies became much more left-wing. He declared Guyana to be a co-operative republic and established strong relations with Cuba, the Soviet Union and other communist countries. Burnhams policies became more dictatorial during the 1970s. He had a referendum passed in 1978 which made it harder for his party to lose power, with results which were believed by many to be fraudulent. In 1980 the constitution was changed to make the position of President stronger, and Burnham abandoned the position of Prime Minister to become President. He won the first Presidential elections in 1980, again with possibly fraudulent results. Burnham also became internationally notable for the Jonestown mass suicide, which occurred in Guyana in 1978, and which some blame partly on Burnham. Burnham remained President of Guyana until his death. He died suddenly in Georgetown, Guyana. Burnham also served as Guyanas first foreign minister from 1966 to 1972. He was married to Viola Burnham, who was also involved in politics.

2006-01-31T22:04:00.000-08:00

Lindy-Basic-(dance-move)

The basic dance move is the simplest of all Lindy hop (dance) moves. Essentially, the guy (lead) and girl (follow) remain in the same place for 2, 4, 6, or 8 counts. The basic dance move is common to all Swing (dance) dance forms. There are many variations to the basic. This page also include freezes. The basic is closely related to the sugar push. There are many stylizations and variations.

Open Position

In open position, partners stand facing each other at an arms length apart. They may hold one or two hands. They may have parallel or crossed arms. Basic: basic rhythm is 1-2 3&4 5-6 7&8. Lead begins on left foot, follow begins on right foot. Therefore the leads footwork is R, L, R-L-R, L, R, L-R-L. The follows footwork is the opposite. Although often used synonymously with West Coast Swing, Lindy is in fact a different dance characterized by the swing out, often termed the sugar push and many times taught as the Lindy basic.

Spins

Follow Spin: Girl spins. Overhead: Spin left or right. Push-down spin. (push shoulders down). Straight arm spin, multiple times. Rock-step-spin, with hip reverse and free-spin. To lead an inside spin, the lead will raise his left hand across his body to just above the follows forehead. An outside turn is led by raising the left hand up and to the left allowing enough space for the follow to turn under the arm. Spins with the girls left hand, overhead, free, pull to cuddle. Lead Spins: The lead can spin into the follows arm, so it ends up on his shoulder. Both Spin: She goes, he goes. Both do inner turns. Barrel Roll: She does inner turn, he does outer turn. Or they both go the other way. Both Free Spin: Alternating Spins: This has crossed hands grip. They alternate spinning, often the girl goes first. Spins may end when the guy looks at the girl and turns back, or when the girl looks at the guy and turns back. Double-handed Spins: Double-handed spins, each goes as far as possible (shoulder lock).

Arm

Kick: Kick over arm, release arm, grab arm Duck Under Arm: The follows right arm (or left arm) rests on the leads shoulder. The lead ducks under her arm to move it to the other shoulder.

Pushing and Pulling (Retitle)

Leans: The follow leans away from lead who counterbalances (4 counts), follow leans toward lead who counterbalances (4 counts). Arm Arcs: The arm leads up an over left (4 counts), then up and over right (4 counts). Arm Loops: Arm loops may move toward lead or follow. Arm loops bring the follow from open position to closed position. When lead puts his left arm over head, his right arm can go to back. Arm Stuff: Spin with arm stuff. These are complex are, like Todd and Emily or Steve and Rebecca. Girl Push: Girl push guys chest. Girl Pull: Girl pull guys shirt or tie.

Freeze

This means simply hold a pose. (Rethink) Basic Pose: Hold shape in whatever position you are in. Body Rolls: Body rolls. See Hip hop (dance move) for more details. Shimmy: Shake shoulders. Hips: Shake hips. Run: Run in place.

Closed Position

in closed position, the lead and follow stand together, with the leads right arm on the follows back. Basic: Hold in closed position, and do footwork. Messing Around: Move hips in a big circle, which usually takes 4 to 8 counts. Wiggle Down: Rock hips left and right, while sinking lower and lower, legs between each other, then stand up. Spin: Girl spin in arms. (Left, right, apache (to open), overhead, push down, free, single, double, many). Lead with follows right or left hand. Kicks: Side Lean with Kicks: Step on left and lean left, kick with right foot, step on right foot and lean right, kick with left foot. Body Rolls: Break: To open Cuddle to Arm Lock: Double arm grip, with a tuck turn, but dont let go.

Cuddle and Promenade Positions

The cuddle position is double hand hold with the follower next to the lead in closed. The promenade position is the lead with his right arm on follows right shoulder, standing side by side. Often the lead holds the follows hand, but not always. Both are side-by-side positions. The follows hands are crossed in cuddle position and straight in promenade position. (Right hand to left hand, on shoulder or hip) Peek-a-Boos: Spin: Cuddle to arm lock. Spin: Overhead, let go leads right. Free spin. Tuck Turn: Side-to-Side: (footwork?) Skip Ups: Walk forward, backward, kicks, skips. Alternate Step in Front: Messing Around:

Armlock Position

In armlock position, the follows left arm is behind her back and her right arm is in front of her. The partners face each other and the lead has a crossed arm lead. Duck Out: From hammerlock, guy ducks out. Swivels: Arm lock to Cuddle: Pull to cuddle with a single 1/2 turn, but dont let go.

Tandem Position

In tandem position, one partner stands right behind the other, with one or two hand hold. Often the guy is in front and leads with visual cues. The lead may hold her hand or put her hand on his shoulder. Something: Pull forward from open tandem to closed tandem, when the follow is behind. He may put up his hand to stop her from running into him. Imitation: They often do Shorty George, but any footwork will do or alternate the imitation. Also see Charleston (dance move) for more about tandem position.

Back-to-Back Position

In back-to-back, the dance partners face away from each other, usually not holding hands. Butt Fight: Stand facing in opposite directions, with butts touching. Shake them. Butt Bump: When the partners are back to back, the guy sticks his butt back, pushing both apart. Back-to-Back Charleston: This is not lead.

Style

Point to audience. Arm blocks and reverses (in spins) (arm, shoulder, hip)

Other Variations

Position: Move forward or back. Direction: Rotate 1/4 turn in either direction. Mirror Image: Flip the move left-to-right. Speed: Move at a different speed, for example, half speed or double speed. Start Count: Start on any count. Roles: The girl may lead and the guy may follow.

Combinations

Spin: Armlock to promenade or cuddle and back. Cuddles: Move follow back and forth from one side to the other. Exit by ducking under the arm (either side). Pretzel: Duck under arm, around back, duck under arm.

2006-01-31T11:35:00.000-08:00

Gwar

Gwar is a novelty Rock and roll/Heavy metal music/punk band that was formed in 1985-1986 in Richmond, Virginia. Gwar are probably best known for their elaborate fantasy and horror film inspired stage shows which have sometimes run afoul of obscenity statutes. The band was the result of the linkup between Hunter Jackson and Dave Brockie, the singer for a punk band called Death Piggy. Jackson was working on a movie at the time the two met. Entitled Scumdogs of the Universe, it featured a plot involving intergalactic barbarians. Jackson and Brockie combined these ideas, and since then the gimmick used by Brockies band (re-dubbed Gwar) has been dressing up as alien warriors. Their costumes are generally made of foam latex, and they further the gimmick in concerts by dousing blood and gore on their audiences. Another hallmark of Gwars live show is their mock executions of media icons, ranging from O.J. Simpson to your garden-variety redneck. Gwar were banned from performing in their home city due to their raucous stage performances, since then they have appeared under the pseudonym Rawg. Band members and associates often have cookouts at their house, dubbed Gwar-BQs. The video for Saddam a Go-Go from This Toilet Earth appeared in the hit movie Empire Records. Gwar was/is primarily a band of former art students, and this is reflected in the obscure references made in some of their songs. Gwar fans are known as Bohabs.

Line-up

Current

Oderus Urungus (throat singer - Dave Brockie)
Flattus Maximus (lead guitar - Corey Smoot, Zach Blair, Pete Lee, Tim Hariss, Dewey Rosell)
Beefcake the Mighty (bass - Todd Evans, Casey Orr, Mike Bishop)
Jizmak Da Gusha (drums - Brad Roberts)
Balsac the Jaws of Death (guitar - Mike Derks, various)

Retired members

Slymenstra Hymen (GWAR Woman, vocalist - Danyelle Stampe)
Sleazy P. Martini (manager - Don Drakulich)
Sexecutioner (vocals - Chuck Varga)
Musel (keyboards - Dave Musel)
Techno-Destructo (GWAR Enemy - Hunter Jackson)
Nippleus Erectus (old drummer character-???)

Discography

Hell-O

In 1988, their first album, Hell-O (Shimmy Records) was released. Gwars angle is that of a morbid punk band (a la The Mentors), with songs deriding the USA (such as Americanized and Ollie North) as well as those of general grotesqueness (Slutman City, Bone Meal). Hunter Jackson makes his first appearance in Technos Song and Im in Love (With a Dead Dog) showcased a tender episode in canine-alien relations. The famous Gwar Theme is a memorable car-eating anthem. Jacques-Yves Cousteau makes a bizarre cameo as well, in a song that could possibly be influenced by Dadaism. (In another reference, the liner art does a stab at Pablo Picasso Guernica, which is renamed Gwarnica.)

Scumdogs of the Universe

Gwars first album on Metal Blade Records was released in 1990. As the title implies, it is a concept album about the Scumdogs reign of terror on planet Earth. The production is very refined compared to the independent first attempt. Gwar began to experiment with samples to some degree (e.g. in the song, Maggots). The songs are more socially relevant in this album as well. Examples include Slaughterama (which involves Gwar killing hippies and skinheads) and the opening track, Salaminizer, which was inspired by/based off a song by the breakthrough rap group NWA. Other references include history (Vlad the Impaler) and mythology (Horrors of Yig). The rest of the album is centered around twisted jokes about insane medical practices/sexual perversion. This album is viewed by many as their ultimate masterpiece.

America Must Be Destroyed

Their second major-label recording in 1992 was inspired by Dave Brockies fight with police officers while touring. The controversy revolved around Brockies rubbery penis adornment. Brockie was revolted by this attack on his rights and so he created a concept album revolving around an elite Morality Squad that attacked the members of Gwar and stole Oderuss penile attachment (aka Cuttlefish of Ctulu, a phallic hellbeast that normally dangles from his crotch). The opening song, Ham on the Bone (which has a nod to grindcore) explains this robbery. The story then shifts to Gwar headquarters in Antarctica, where Oderuss slaves are ordered to shoot up a dinosaur egg with crack. The result is the mighty Gor Gor, a Tyrannosaurus Rex that wreaks havoc on America. Meanwhile, the Morality Squad has enlisted the help of Father Bohab (a Catholic priest) to crucify Gwar in the media. Gwar marches out to battle, and you can take the story from there. Other songs of interest include Have You Seen Me?, Poor Ole Tom, and The Road Behind. Musically, it is a mix of rock and roll and blistering sludge metal, and it is even harsher-sounding than the previous album. A video, Phallus in Wonderland, was released as a supplement to the albums storyline. This album was followed by The Road Behind, an EP that contained that single and a riveting live version of Have You Seen Me? (which contained a notorious Ween sample at the end). The single S.F.W. (a staple of their live shows) was supposedly released on this album as a bonus track, but this has been discounted by the band.

This Toilet Earth

In 1994, Gwar released what was to be one of their oddest and most bittersweet albums. It was the first album to be censorship, due to their gain in popularity as a result of MTV exposure. The music and artwork is almost cartoonish when compared to the previous albums, and the instrumentation has expanded to include horns (in the opener, Saddam a Go-Go) that reinforce the goofiness. Storywise, the enemy is now Skulhedface, an alien queen who was deformed in a Synnite Warrior raid on her planet centuries before. In retaliation, she travels to Antarctica, encounters Gwar while they are hibernating, and steals their Jizmoglobin, or life force. Her midget slave Flopsy and she then create a creature made up of the melded parts of evil historical figures (such as Hitler) called the Flesh Column. Skulhedface disguises herself as an evil executive for the Glomco corporation, and uses propaganda to turn Gwar into sickeningly cuddly cartoon characters. Meanwhile, Gwar discovers that the World Maggot is their only opportunity to escape Earth, but Skullhedface stands in their way. Oderus & Co. must regain their Jizz and catch the maggot in time. As for the music, it is varied and ranges from poppy (Jack the World) to gruesome (Sonderkommando) to goofy (Pepperoni) and to the unmentionable (B.D.F.). It is a blend of chaotic styles that is reminiscent of Faith No More and Frank Zappa. Skulhedface was the movie released to document this album. Jack the World was also featured in the Beavis and Butthead video game for the Sega Genesis.

RagNaRok

While This Toilet Earth was highly eclectic in instrumentation, RagNaRok (1995) contains the most varied vocal stylings, as the majority of the band lends their lungs to the tracklist. RagNaRok is essentially a Heavy metal music album and it is spiced with a story about the end of the world. The story involves Oderus and his alien sister Slymenstra being forcibly mated with the aid of rogue space aliens. Meanwhile, a comet hurdling towards planet earth is inciting the populace to revolt, and anarchy has set in all over the globe. An AIDS-like plague has crippled the masses, who await the meteors arrival and their subsequent death. However, it turns out that the comet is actually Cardinal Syn, a robotic agent of harsh Catholic dogma. Syn is representing the Warrior Pope, who is demanding that all bow down to him and obey his insane whims. But Syn is drawn to Slymenstras alien baby, for a reason that is left for the listener to uncover... As it could be supposed, the concept is about the ridicule of Christianity (especially in the song, Martyr Dumb). The highlights of the album include Dirty, Filthy (a rousing comedy anthem), the title track, and Meat Sandwich. In other news, Drakulich does a mock-rapping bit as Sleazy P. in Think You Oughta Know This, and there is an energetic duet between Oderus and Slymenstra in Fire in the Loins. In the closer, for once, Gwar actually shows a serious side in detailing their problems with protestors (the ballad, None But the Brave). Finally, the instrumental Surf of Syn shows the technical side of the band in full force.

Carnival of Chaos

The band on Carnival of Chaos (1997) seems to be influenced even more by Faith No More and Mr. Bungle. It can be best described as Gwars bid for musical expansion. There are likely more styles experimented with here than on any other album. It is perhaps most notable as their longest album, and also as the album that contains Stampes solo number: Dont Need a Man. Hunter Jackson also returns in The Private Pain of Techno Destructo, and there is an odd ballad about the rotting corpse of Sammy Davis Jr. which is worthy of mention. In Her Fear is Oderuss swan song, and Beefcake the Mighty gives a memorable ballad in Hate Love Songs. A few more jokes (Scallop Boat, Gonna Kill U, I Suck on My Thumb), round out the album.

We Kill Everything

Gwar returned in 1999 with We Kill Everything, which hearkens back to their hardcore roots. This a whimsical album full of punkish potboilers, taking a note from Primus in its surrealistic goofiness. As detailed within the liner notes, Gwar meets a new alien warrior, Scroda Moon (Hunter Jackson) who has to find the pieces of a broken tablet which, when put together, will allow them access to a Portal Potty (or a giant, magical toilet) that can warp them off Earth for good. The band once again offers the funny (Fishfuck) the gross (Babyraper), and the weird (Penile Drip, in which Oderus does his best Brak impression). Short History of the End of the World and Jagermonsta are excellent examples of thrash-punk, while Mike Derks lends his vocals to the almost sensitive ballad, Mary Anne. This album is mostly a collection of gruesomely funny jokes (Fucking an Animal and Nitro Burning Funny Bong), and contains a bit less brutality than their previous works.

Violence Has Arrived

Violence Has Arrived (2001), re-attains the brutal focus of their earlier albums. It is similar to Scumdogs, in that Brockie is now the dominant voice of the band again, and the theme is centered on generalized carnage. Gwar takes on more medieval themes this time around, such as torture (The Wheel) and conjures up some truly ugly imagery in songs such as Licksore, Beauteous Rot, and The Apes of Wrath.

War Party

After Violence Has Arrived, Gwar switched labels from Metal Blade to DRT Entertainment. Their new album is called War Party and was released October 26, 2004. War Party continues the decidedly more metal focus reintroduced in Violence Has Arrived. War Party is the most political GWAR album since America Must Be Destroyed tackling such subject matter as the 2004 american election and the war in Iraq in such songs as Bring Back the Bomb, The Krosstika, War Party, The Reaganator and Cant Kill Terror. Dave Brockie has said...basically GWAR pledges support to the powers who support the war, and we make such a right-wing statement that the right wing would be ashamed to have us. GWAR still has more gratuitous violent imagery in Womb With a View and Bonesnapper and retains some trademark silliness in the Beefcake hollered french punk song The Bonus Plan. War Party was supported in fall 2004 by the Mock the Vote tour.

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2006-01-30T23:36:00.000-08:00

Cyan-Worlds

Myst-franchise Cyan Worlds, Inc. (formerly Cyan, Inc.) is a computer game company founded by Rand Miller and Robyn Miller creating games for the Apple Macintosh and for Microsoft Windows. The games they have released are, in chronological order:
1988: Manhole (game)
1989: Cosmic Osmo (game)
Sequel, 1991: Cosmic Osmo and the Worlds Beyond the Mackerel
1992: Spelunx
1993: Myst
Real-time 3d remake, 2000: realMyst
Sequel, 1997: Riven
Sequel, 2001: Myst III: Exile developed by Presto Studios under license
Sequel, 2004: Myst IV: Revelation developed by Ubisoft under license
Upcoming Sequel, 2005: Myst V: End of Ages
2003: Uru: Ages Beyond Myst formerly known under the working titles DIRT (Dni in real time), Mudpie (Multi-user DIRT Interactive Player Environment), Parable and Myst Online
Expansion, 2004: Uru: To Dni
Expansion, 2004: Uru: The Path of the Shell
Upcoming: Something Else or Sasquatch (working titles) With the exception of the early titles Manhole, Cosmic Osmo and Spelunx, the games stem from the idea that a race called the Dni can write books (linking books) that can be used to link to worlds in another dimension. These worlds are called Dni Ages. Cyans games are known for concentrating on detailed plot, graphics, and exploration and try not to exclude very young or old, or otherwise impaired players. Related to the storyline of the Dni are also the three Myst novels Book of Atrus, Book of Tiana and Book of Dni. After the demise of Uru Live, Cyan released two Uru: Ages Beyond Myst expansion packs incorporating some of Lives intended content. They are now working on Myst V: End of Ages, scheduled for release in Autumn 2005. It is unclear as to whether this is the same thing as their project, thus far officially referred to as Something Else or Sasquatch, of which we know that it will have a much shorter than usual release cycle.