title: Slipknot

paragraphs: Slipknot is an American heavy metal band from Des Moines, Iowa. Slipknot has eight members in the band. The current band members are Sid Wilson, Jim Root, Craig Jones, Shawn Crahan, Mick Thomson, Corey Taylor, Alessandro Venturella and Jay Weinberg. The first bassist from Slipknot, Paul Gray, died from an accidental drug overdose in 2010. Also, Joey Jordison was forced to leave the band. He is now working on his own projects. The surviving band members wear masks. Percussionist Chris Fehn also left the band due to suing band mates Shawn Crahan and Corey Taylor for allegedly duping him out of money in 2019. The band has sold almost 15 million records worldwide.

paragraphs: In September 1995 a band was formed called The Pale Ones. The band had Shawn Crahan on drums, Paul Gray on bass, Anders Colsefini on vocals and Donnie Steele on guitar. Later Joey Jordison joined and became drummer, Crahan became a Percussionist. The band also hired guitarist Josh Brainard and moved Colsefini to percussion and vocals. The band performed their first concert on December 4, 1995, then they were called Meld. Joey Jordison suggested naming the band Slipknot, after a song they had made. The band started wearing masks because Shawn Crahan wore a clown mask and to get better into the music.

paragraphs: In February Steele left the band because of religious beliefs. Craig Jones was hired as a replacement. Jones later became their full-time sampler. They hired Mick Thomson as a replacement guitarist. On October 31, 1996, Slipknot released their first demo Mate.Feed.Kill.Repeat.

paragraphs: The band realized that their new songs needed more vocal melody, so they hired Corey Taylor. Colsefini became just a percussionist. At a show Colsefini announced that he was leaving the band. He was replaced by Greg Welts but he was fired from the band because he was lazy. Chris Fehn was hired as percussionist. In 1997 the band gave themselves numbers and wore coveralls while performing.

paragraphs: In 1998 DJ Sid Wilson joined after impressing the band. In 1999 Brainard decided to leave the band for personal reasons. Jim Root was his replacement. This left the band with the line-up they kept until 2010.

paragraphs: They became better known after giving some labels a five-song demo. They signed to Roadrunner records in summer 1998. They released their first album, named after the band (self titled) one year after signing to Roadrunner. The album had two singles (songs released separately from the album, but is still on the album). They went on tour and played at the Ozzfest. This made their fan base bigger. In early 2000, the album was certified platinum (selling 1,000,000 copies).

paragraphs: Their fans were waiting impatiently for a second release ("Iowa"), and recording started early 2001 in California. Band members argued over how long to go on live shows and recording times. Even so, they went ahead and released the album, and toured for it. The album had three singles, one of them appearing in a movie ("Resident Evil"). They sold all the seats in large arenas due to the large fan base. In 2002, the band took a break, and some members remade or started new bands and projects.

paragraphs: With delays of recording another album ("Vol. 3: The Subliminal Verses"), the band went back to California for recording. When early 2004 came around, the album was finished and touring began. The album was released in May. The album had six singles. From the tour, the band created a live album (an album made up of live versions of songs). Some band members were in the Roadrunner United: The All-Stars Sessions, a mix album of artists signed to Roadrunner. In 2006 the band won their only Grammy Award for their song "Before I Forget." The band took another break, with various members going to other projects and bands.

paragraphs: The fourth album ("All Hope is Gone") was started in late 2007, but recording began in early 2008. The album was done in early summer 2008. The album had five singles. 2009 was 10 years since the release of their first album, so the first album was re-released as a special version. The tour for "All Hope is Gone" ended on Halloween night, 2009, and ended a third break for the band. Members went back to other projects and bands with singer Corey Taylor creating the band Junk Beer Kidnap Band. On May 24, 2010, bass player Paul Gray died. Investigation showed a drug overdose killed him. Band members hesitated, or to have another thought about, speaking about the future of the band. Drummer Joey Jordison said another record was 'kinda already in the making.' Corey Taylor, however, said that he didn't know whether or not to continue with Slipknot.

paragraphs: Former member Donnie Steele will do Paul Gray's part while the band is playing live shows. Taylor told NME that he wants to continue, as it is what Paul would want. The band will complete and release a fifth album, but Taylor doesn't see recording soon. Jordison said that the band will go on without Taylor if he is to leave the band.

paragraphs: In 2013 Joey Jordison left the band. The band made and brought out a new album in 2014 called ".5: The Gray Chapter". Donnie Steele played the bass on some songs on the album, but did not want to fully rejoin, so a new bass player and drummer were brought in to replace Steele and Jordison. The band would not say at first who the new members were, though their names were soon discovered to be Alessandro Venturella (bass player) and Jay Weinberg (drummer)

paragraphs: Among the main influences of the band can be named to Black Sabbath, Pantera, Metallica, Slayer, Sepultura, Iron Maiden, Carcass, Judas Priest, Korn, AC/DC, Kiss, Beastie Boys and Mushroomhead. Thrash metal has been mentioned several times as a great influence to define them, together with nu metal. Slipknot uses three types of guitars (main, rhythm and bass), two percussionists in addition to drums, and electronics (samplers and turntables). The band's sound has been described as "a threshing machine devouring a military drum corps."

paragraphs: In their early work, the vocals vary widely, from occasional raps up to a throaty voice. Their most recent works include more melodic vocals, and raps have left. The words are always in a very aggressive tone, characterized by darkness, nihilism, anger, hatred, love, misanthropy and psychosis. Rick Anderson of Allmusic said the lyrics to Slipknot are "not generally quotable on a family website."

paragraphs: In an interview Paul Gray said: "The only word I hate is 'nu metal,' we have death metal, thrash metal, grindcore, is a bit of everything, you know?"


title: Archie Moore

paragraphs: Archie Moore (December 13, 1913 or 1916 – December 9, 1998) was an American boxer. He held the light heavyweight championship between 1952 and 1962. Moore won the title from Joey Maxim by unanimous decision in 1952. He later lost the belt because he did not defend the title twice a year. Moore fought for the heavyweight championship twice, was the only person to fight 3 champions from 3 generations. He lost to Rocky Marciano on September 22 1955 and to Floyd Patterson on November 30 1956 (when Rocky's championship officially ended), in both of those attempts. One of his last fights was to Cassius Clay, later known as Muhammad Ali. Afterwards, Moore was Ali's trainer for a short time. They split because of differences on fighting styles.


title: Joe Frazier

paragraphs: Joseph William Frazier (January 12, 1944 – November 7, 2011) was an American boxer. He held the world heavyweight championship from 1968 to 1973. Frazier also won a gold medal in boxing at the 1964 Summer Olympics.

paragraphs: Frazier was born in Beaufort, South Carolina. He moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He learned to box in Philadelphia.

paragraphs: Frazier won the vacant world heavyweight title by beating Buster Mathis. He lost the title to George Foreman whom had knocked out Frazier in a 3 punch combo, breaking his eye socket, jaw, and collar bone. Frazier's most famous fights were rematches with Muhammad Ali. He beat Ali in their first fight in 1971 but lost the other two. The third fight was known as the "Thrilla in Manila".

paragraphs: Frazier died in Philadelphia on November 7, 2011 from liver cancer, aged 67.


title: Hodgkin's lymphoma

paragraphs: Hodgkin's lymphoma, also known as Hodgkin's disease, is a cancer of the lymphatic system, also known as a lymphoma. It was first discovered by Thomas Hodgkin in 1832. It is one of many kinds of cancers of the lymphatic system. Most of the time, the cancer develops in a single lymph node before it spreads to the rest of the body. The symptoms of Hodgkin's lymphoma change as the disease progresses. At the first stage of the disease, the person may feel a lump on the affected lymph node that does not hurt when touched. The person may have strange fevers, sweating during the night, and itchy skin. In the later stages of the disease, the person may feel very tired and their spleen may grow larger. In simple words Hodgkin lymphoma is a malignant neoplasm with features resembling an inflammatory disorder, such features include fever, and inflammatory cell infiltrates.

paragraphs: It mainly affects the young adults especially young men with exception of nodular sclerosis which frequently affects young women. The important histological finding is the presence of Reed-Sternberg cells.


title: Marvin Hagler

paragraphs: Marvin Marvelous Hagler (born on May 23, 1954, in Newark, New Jersey) is an American former boxer. He was the world middleweight champion from 1980 to 1987. Hagler fought out of Brockton, Massachusetts. He won the championship from Alan Minter, in London, and successfully defended it eleven times before losing in a controversial fight with Sugar Ray Leonard. Hagler retired after that fight to live and work in Italy.


title: Sierra Nevada (Spain)

paragraphs: The Sierra Nevada, meaning "snowy range" in Spanish, is a mountain range in the region of Andalusia in Spain. It contains the highest point of continental Spain, Mulhacén at 3,479 m.

paragraphs: It is a popular tourist destination, as its high peaks make skiing possible in Europe's most southern ski resort after Ski Centre on the island of Crete in an area along the Mediterranean Sea predominantly known for its warm temperatures and abundant sunshine. At its foothills is found the city of Granada and, a little farther, Málaga and Almería.


title: Airline

paragraphs: An airline is a company that transports people and items using airliners. An airline may have as few as one airplane or a fleet of hundreds of airplanes.

paragraphs: Most airlines offer regular flights between a group of airports.


title: Wax

paragraphs: Wax is an organic chemical substance. It is a type of lipid.

paragraphs: Some waxes, like beeswax, vegetable wax, and paraffin (a petroleum wax) occur naturally. Another such wax is earwax, which occurs in the ear. Other waxes may be manufactured. People use waxes for various purposes:


title: Polyethylene terephtalate

paragraphs: Polyethylene terephthalate (aka PET, PETE or the obsolete PETP or PET-P) is a thermoplastic polymer resin of the polyester family. The chemical industry makes it. It is used in synthetic fibers; beverage, food and other liquid containers; thermoforming applications; and engineering resins often in combination with glass fiber. It is one of the most important raw materials used in man-made fibers. It is also used as the dielectric in multi-purpose capacitors (K73-16 series).

paragraphs: Depending on its processing and thermal history, it may exist both as an amorphous (transparent) and as a semi-crystalline (opaque and white) material. Its monomer can be synthesized by the esterification reaction between terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol with water as a byproduct or the transesterification reaction between ethylene glycol and dimethyl terephthalate with methanol as a byproduct. Polymerization is through a polycondensation reaction of the monomers (done immediately after esterification/transesterification) with ethylene glycol as the byproduct (the ethylene glycol is recycled in production).

paragraphs: The majority of the world's PET production is for man-made fibers (in excess of 60%) with bottle-making accounting for around 30% of global demand. In discussing cloth uses, PET is generally referred to as simply "polyester" while "PET" is used most often to refer to packaging applications.


title: Nuclear energy

paragraphs: Nuclear energy is the energy that holds together the nucleus of atoms. Atoms are the most simple blocks that make up matter. Every atom has in its center a very small nucleus. Normally, nuclear energy is hidden inside the atoms. However, some atoms are radioactive and send off part of their nuclear energy as radiation. Radiation is given off from the nucleus of unstable isotopes of radioactive substances.

paragraphs: Nuclear energy can also be freed in two other ways: nuclear fusion and nuclear fission. Nuclear fusion is the combining of two light atoms into a heavier one and nuclear fission is the splitting of a heavy atom. Both ways make big amounts of energy. They sometimes take place in nature. Fusion is the source of heat in the sun. Fission is also used in nuclear power plants to make electricity. Both fusion and fission can be used in nuclear weapons.

paragraphs: Nuclear energy production and use has been a controversial topic over the years. This has always been dictated by the history of the nuclear energy and also on the current energy demands as well as environmental conservation demands. Countries should venture into nuclear energy production to help meet the rising energy demand, to help conserve the environment by avoiding pollution, and also as a long lasting replacement for the depleting fossil fuels sources of energy. There have been mitigation measures put in place to ensure that nuclear energy accidents like those of Chernobyl and Fukushima do not have a repeat. Countries should also cease from using the nuclear energy to make dangerous weapons of mass destruction.


title: Card Sharks

paragraphs: Card Sharks is a game show that has aired in different versions since 1978.

paragraphs: Two contestants fought against each other in the main game—the returning champion and a challenging contestant. The returning champion was represented by the color red. The challenger was represented by the color blue. The host, Jim Perry, then asked a toss-up question, which was asked to 100 people before the show (example: "We surveyed 100 lawyers: Have you ever defended a person who you believed was guilty? How many lawyers said they have?"). The contestant he asked it to would provide what they thought the number of people who gave the answer the host gave. The other contestant would then say whether they thought the actual number was higher or lower than the first contestant's guess. Whoever is closer to the number got a chance at the cards.

paragraphs: There were two rows of five cards: the top red row (for the champion) and the bottom blue row (for the challenger). The contestant in control had to predict whether each card was higher or lower than the card before it.

paragraphs: There were two games. Whoever won both games would go on to play the Money Cards.

paragraphs: The winning contestant would then play the Money Cards to win more money. He/she was given $200 to start out with. They then had to predict whether each card was higher or lower than the one before it, just like before. This time, they had to bet money on each guess (example: $200 higher than a 2). The contestant worked their way across the bottom row, in which there were four cards, and then made it to the second row and were given $200 more. The least a person could bet on each card for the first two rows was $50. They then worked their way across that row, until they reached the top row, where there was only one card. That row was called the "Big Bet" row. There, the contestant had to bet at least half of what they won before.

paragraphs: "Card Sharks" aired on NBC from 1978 to 1981 and was hosted by Jim Perry. It returned on CBS and in syndication in 1986. The CBS version was hosted by Bob Eubanks and ran until 1989. The syndicated version was hosted by comedian Bill Rafferty, but ran until 1987.

paragraphs: In 2001, "Card Sharks" came back, hosted by Pat Bullard. However, this version had different rules than the other ones. In this one, two teams of two contestants (two at a time) had to guess higher or lower (or predict if the next card had exactly the same number as the previous one) on one row of seven cards. This version was not very popular and was cancelled after 13 weeks. Many "Card Sharks" fans say this version is the worst game show revival of all time.

paragraphs: "Card Sharks" returned to television in 2019 as an hour-long series hosted by Joel McHale, airing on ABC. The gameplay is similar to the 1978-81 and 1986-89 versions.


title: Family Feud

paragraphs: Family Feud is an American television game show that has aired since 1976.

paragraphs: There are two families, each with five family members on their team. They have to guess the answers to a survey question asked to 100 people to win points for their team. The answers are seen on a huge survey board. Several survey questions are asked by host Steve Harvey. The point values are doubled at the third question, and they are tripled for the fourth question. If a fifth question is needed, only the #1 answer will be on the board. Whoever reaches 300 points or more will win the game and go on to play the bonus round, Fast Money.

paragraphs: Two members of the winning family are asked five questions, one member at a time. One member stays on stage and is asked the questions while the other member is off-stage. After the answers are given (or if the time limit, either 15 seconds or 20 seconds, is up), the answers and their point values are revealed. After that, the other member is asked the same five questions, with a time limit of either 20 or 25 seconds. If they give the same answer to a question that the first member gave, a double-buzz will be heard, and the host will say, "Try again," after which another answer is given. Afterwards, the answers and their point values are revealed. If both contestants get 200 or more points, they win the grand prize.

paragraphs: From 1992 to 1995, a new round was introduced, called the "Bullseye" round from 1992 to 1994 and the "Bankroll" round from 1994 to 1995.

paragraphs: In the Bullseye round, each family member on each team went to the faceoff podium to try to get the #1 answer to a survey question. Each time they got it right, they won a dollar amount for their team's "bank." Each question was worth different dollar amounts, anywhere from $500 to $5,000. Whatever they won in this round was what they would play for in Fast Money.

paragraphs: In the Bankroll round, only one family member from each team went to the podium. Only three questions were asked this time; they played in all three questions.

paragraphs: The Bullseye round returned for John O'Hurley's last season in 2009. John O'Hurley did it the same way Ray Combs did. It was just like the old Bullseye round used from 1992 to 1994. However, it was thrown out again in 2010.

paragraphs: "Family Feud" aired on ABC from 1976 to 1985. A syndicated version aired from 1977 to 1985. Both were hosted by actor Richard Dawson, who became famous for kissing all of the female contestants.

paragraphs: In 1988, "Family Feud" returned on CBS and in syndication with a new host, comedian Ray Combs. In 1992, the CBS version was expanded to an hour and included the Bullseye round. It was given a new name: "The Family Feud Challenge". The syndicated version also got the Bullseye round in the Fall of that year and was named "The New Family Feud". In 1993, "The Family Feud Challenge" was cancelled. In 1994, Ray Combs was fired and Richard Dawson was brought back to host the syndicated version. He only lasted one year, until 1995.

paragraphs: In 1999, the new version came on in syndication, with comedian Louie Anderson as host. Many people did not like him, and in 2002, he was replaced by Richard Karn. In 2006, Richard Karn left the show and John O'Hurley took his place, and in 2010 John O'Hurley left and Steve Harvey took his place. The show is still on the air today.


title: Bank of America Stadium

paragraphs: The Bank of America Stadium is a sports stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. It was built in 1996 for the Carolina Panthers. It used to be called Ericsson Stadium until it was renamed in 2004. The stadium seats 73,248 people.


title: Aston Martin

paragraphs: Aston Martin Lagonda Limited is a luxury car company that was started in 1913 by Lionel Martin and Robert Bamford.

paragraphs: The company name is derived from the Aston Clinton hill climb and one of the company's founders, Lionel Martin.

paragraphs: The company went in and out of business a few times between World War I and World War II. Lionel Martin left the company in 1926. The company was sold from one person to another many times until 1947, when David Brown bought it. David Brown also bought Lagonda, and used Lagonda engines in his cars. Aston Martin cars built when David Brown owned the company had the letters "DB" in the name. An Aston Martin won the 24-hour race at Le Mans in 1959.

paragraphs: David Brown sold the company again. The company was having trouble staying open in the 1970s. Victor Gauntlett bought part of the company and kept it going with help from buyers of other parts of the company. In 1991 the Ford Motor Company bought Aston Martin and started making DB cars again. Ford owned Aston Martin until 2007 when they sold it to Investment Dar and Adeem Investments.


title: Sydney Opera House

paragraphs: The Sydney Opera House is an opera house and iconic building on the shores of Sydney Harbour, in Sydney, Australia. It is shaped like the sails of a boat. Many concerts and events take place there, with 2000 performances a year presented by Opera Australia, Australia's national opera company. It is a famous tourist attraction.

paragraphs: The land where the Sydney Opera House stands is called Bennelong Point. Bennelong Point was once home to Fort Macquarie (the fort was built in 1817 and knocked down in 1901). On 10 August 1902, the Fort Macquarie Tram Depot was opened at Bennelong Point. The depot was knocked down in 1958. The Sydney Opera House was built on the same spot and the work began in 1959.

paragraphs: It was designed by Danish architect Jørn Utzon. He won a design competition in 1957. Utzon left the project in February 1966 because the government was not paying his invoices. The building finally opened on 20 October in 1973. The project was completed ten years later and cost more than fourteen times the original budget. In 2001, Utzon was invited back to restore the building and change it back towards his original designs.


title: Sydney Harbour Bridge

paragraphs: The Sydney Harbour Bridge, in Sydney Harbour, is a bridge that joins north Sydney with south Sydney. People can cross the bridge by car, walking or by train. It now carries eight traffic lanes. Using six intended traffic lanes and an additional two that were formally tram tracks.

paragraphs: There are two railway lanes that head in opposite directions. There is a tunnel that goes underneath. The bridge is an important tourist attraction. The scenery attracts many tourists and people living in or near the city. One of the many attractions of the Harbour Bridge is its famous 'BridgeClimb'. Luna Park Sydney is located next to the bridge.

paragraphs: The bridge is long and wide. The highest point of the arch is tall. Building began on 19 March 1923 and ended in 1932. John Bradfield led the bridge's building.

paragraphs: The standards of industrial safety during construction were poor by today's standards. Sixteen workers died during construction, but surprisingly only two from falling off the bridge. Several more were injured from unsafe working practices undertaken whilst heating and inserting its rivets, and the deafness experienced by many of the workers in later years was blamed on the project.

paragraphs: Henri Mallard between 1930 and 1932 produced hundreds of stills and film footage which reveal at close quarters the bravery of the workers in tough Depression-era conditions.

paragraphs: The total financial cost of the bridge was AU£6.25 million, which was not paid off in full until 1988.


title: Sydney Cricket Ground

paragraphs: The Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports field in Sydney. Many professional sporting events take place there. These sports include cricket, rugby, and the Australian Football League.


title: Darling Harbour

paragraphs: Darling Harbour is a harbour in Sydney, Australia. It has many shops and places to eat, and people like visiting it. It also has the Sydney Aquarium.


title: Bondi Beach

paragraphs: Bondi Beach is a beach in Sydney, Australia, about one kilometre long and roughly seven kilometres from the centre of the city.

paragraphs: Bondi beach is one of the world's greatest beaches, and is one of Sydney's main tourist attractions.

paragraphs: Large numbers of tourists visit Bondi Beach throughout the year, and many Irish and British tourists spend Christmas Day there.

paragraphs: The word "Bondi" is an aboriginal (native) word which means "water breaking over rocks" or "noise of water breaking over rocks".

paragraphs: In 1809, a road builder William Roberts received a grant of land in the Bondi area. In 1851 Edward Smith Hall and Francis O'Brien bought of Bondi and named it the "Bondi Estate." Hall was O'Brien's father-in-law. In between 1855-1877 O'Brien bought his father-in-laws share of the land and named it the "O'Brien Estate". He made the beach and surrounding land available to the public as a picnic ground and amusement resort. As the beach became more popular, O'Brien wanted to stop public access. The Government believed that the Municipal council needed to step in. On the 9th June 1882, Bondi Beach became a public beach.

paragraphs: Many people visit Bondi Beach throughout the year, ranging from 4000 people to 9000 people. Bondi Beach has an underwater shark net that they share with other beaches along the southern coast. In 2004, Surf Lifesaving Australia gave different hazard ratings to each end of the beach. The northern end was rated a gentle 4 with 10 as the most hazardous, while the southern end was rated a dangerous 7 due to the famous rip current known as the "Backpackers Rip". The south end is generally reserved for surf board riding. Bondi Beach was added to the Australia National Heritage list in 2008.

paragraphs: Pods of whales and dolphins are sometimes sighted. Fairy penguins while rare are sometimes also seen.

paragraphs: Bondi Surf Bathers' Life Saving Club was the worlds first livesaving club. North Bondi Surf Livesaving Club is a federation club. Both clubs were founded in 1907. Both clubs were involved in the biggest rescue ever on one day known as 'Black Sunday'.


title: Stadium Australia

paragraphs: Stadium Australia, known for sponsorship reasons as ANZ Stadium, formerly Telstra Stadium, is a sports stadium in Sydney, Australia. The 2000 Summer Olympics took place there. Now it is used for many other sports, like rugby and AFL. The stadium opened in March 1999.

paragraphs: In 2002, the stadium was named after the sponsor Telstra. 1 January 2008 it was renamed the ANZ Stadium.

paragraphs: As "Stadium Australia", the name was sometimes confused with the Sydney Football Stadium, which was formerly known as Aussie Stadium.


title: Sydney Aquarium

paragraphs: The Sydney Aquarium is a public aquarium in Darling Harbour, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It has many fish, sharks and seals. There is also a seal show. The aquarium was opened in 1988.


title: Nigga

paragraphs: Nigga is a term derived from the racial slur "nigger". It is generally used by African-Americans (especially young adults), because other ethnic groups using it is considered offensive. The use for this word is for a good friend, it can also be defined as a substitute for "nigger" in a less serious tone.


title: Germans

paragraphs: Germans (German: "Deutsche") are a germanic people in Central Europe. They live mostly in Germany (60 million) and as ethnic minority in Belgium, Denmark, Russia, Poland and France. A total of about 100 million Germans and people of German ancestry are in the world, specially in countries such as the United States, Brazil, Russia and Canada. Germans speak today the German language ("Hochdeutsch" = Standard German) and diverse dialects as Low German, Middle German and Upper German. The majority of people in Switzerland and Austria are native speakers of German and are often regarded as ethnically German.


title: Employment Non-Discrimination Act

paragraphs: The Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) is a proposed U.S. law in the U.S. Congress. If voted into law, it would stop an employer from firing an employee because he or she is gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender. The law would not apply to churches and other religious organizations. It is also known as H.R. 2015. It was introduced on April 24, 2007.

paragraphs: The first proposed law to protect gay workers was introduced in the U.S. Congress in 1974, but none were voted into law. In 1996, the proposed law failed in the Senate by one vote. This is the first time a law has included "gender identity" in addition to "sexual orientation".

paragraphs: Currently, California, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin have state laws that prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and/or gender identity.

paragraphs: This is intended to address cases where gay, lesbian, bisexual and/or transgender ("GLBT") employees have been discriminated against by their employer because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. These employees are not currently protected by the U.S. federal courts.

paragraphs: Opponents of the law often argue that sexual orientation and gender identity are a choice, unlike other protected factors such as gender, race and religion, and thus should not be equally protected. They also often argue that homosexuality is "unnatural" or "immoral". They also often present religious arguments against the law.

paragraphs: Previous bills have not included transgender people. The new bill would protect transgender people, and its inclusion has been debated in the GLBT community. In August 2004, the Human Rights Campaign – an important LGBT organization in favor of the bill – said it will only support the bill if it includes transgender people.

paragraphs: In 1999, the [ngltf.org National Gay and Lesbian Task Force] was the first gay civil rights group to stop work on ENDA because it did not include transgender people. The group has worked to build approval in the community to support a bill that includes transgender people. It participated in redrafting the current "trans-inclusive" bill.


title: Cthulhu

paragraphs: Cthulhu is a fictional deity created by the horror writer H. P. Lovecraft. Cthulhu is a powerful monster from another planet. It (Cthulhu is neither male nor female) is very ancient compared to humans, being around since the dinosaurs. It has the alien appearance of a large green dragon with the head of an octopus and human-like hands. There are said to be many people who worship it as their deity because of his powers over the mind.

paragraphs: Cthulhu is one of the Great Old Ones, a group of powerful beings from another place that now inhabit Earth, waiting to rise up(when the stars are right) and destroy the human race so they can rule the planet. The Old Ones are neither good nor evil, meaning that they do not hate humans, they just do not care about them. They think of humans as if they could be ants. Also, their appearance is so unlike anything of this world, that it is said that any human who so much as gazes upon one of them will go insane.

paragraphs: In one of Lovecraft's stories, "The Call of Cthulhu", he said that Cthulhu currently lies in a dreamlike state in the underwater sunken city of R'lyeh (rill-ee-yeh), waiting for the time when the Old Ones shall rise again. In the story, R'lyeh is located in the southern Pacific Ocean.


title: Szczecin - Dąbie Airstrip

paragraphs: Szczecin - Dąbie Airstrip is a small airstrip on right side of the river in Szczecin (Poland) in Dąbie. It was built on grass in 1921. During the Third Reich, there were a lot of domestic flights from this airport. After World War II to 23 May 1967, when the airport was moved to Goleniów, it was the main airport of Szczecin, where LOT Polish Airlines has their flights. Now it is a sport airstrip for small airplanes.


title: Diabetes insipidus

paragraphs: Diabetes insipidus is a medical condition caused when vasopressin does not appear in a person's blood. Vasopressin is released from the brain, and travels in the blood to the kidneys. There, it pulls water out of the urine, which reduces the amount of urine stored in the bladder.

paragraphs: If there is no vasopressin in the blood, the kidneys leave the water in the urine, and the bladder holds more liquid. This means a person needs to urinate more often. It also causes thirst. Increased thirst and urination are symptoms of regular diabetes (diabetes mellitus). That's why diabetes insipidus shares the name "diabetes."


title: Caecilian

paragraphs: The Caecilians are an order (Gymnophiona or Apoda) of amphibians. Most of them look like either earthworms or snakes. They burrow in the ground. For this reason, they are the least explored order of amphibians.

paragraphs: Caecilians have no limbs. For this reason, the smaller species look like worms, while the larger species with lengths up to 1.5 m look similar to snakes. The tail is short and the cloaca is near the end of the body. Their skin is smooth and usually dark in colour. Some species have colorful skins, though. Inside the skin are calcite scales. Due to their underground life the eyes are small. Skin often covers them, to protect them. This has led to the idea that they are blind, which is not the case. Because of the skin cover, their "seeing" is limited to simple dark-light perception. They can tell the difference between dark and light. All Caecilians have two tentacles at their head. The tentacles are probably used for a second smelling capability in addition to the normal sense of smell based in the nose.

paragraphs: Most Caecilians have lungs, except for two lungless species. Those that have lungs also use the skin or the mouth to get oxygen. Often the left lung is much smaller than the right one. This is an adaptation to the shape of the body, which is also be found in snakes.

paragraphs: They are mostly distributed in the tropics of South and Central America, Africa, and South Asia. The diet of caecilians is not well known. They live in the moist, lower habitats. In South America they can be found well into the temperate north of Argentina. They can be seen as far south as Buenos Aires, when they are carried by the flood waters of the Paraná River coming from farther north. No studies have been made in central Africa, but it is likely that caecilians are found in the tropical rainforests there. The northernmost distribution is of the species "Ichthyophis sikkimensis" of Northern India. In Africa caecilians are found from Guinea Bissau ("Geotrypetes") to Northern Zambia ("Scolecomorphus"). In South-East Asia the Wallace Line is not crossed, and they are not found in Australia or the islands in between. "Ichthyophis" is also found in South China and North-Vietnam.

paragraphs: Caecilians are the only order of amphibians which only use internal insemination. The male Caecilians have a penis-like organ, the phallodeum, which is inserted into the cloaca of the female for 2 to 3 hours. About 25% of the species are oviparous (egg-laying); the rest are ovoviviparous, with eggs hatching inside the mother. The eggs are guarded by the female. For some species the young caecilians are already metamorphosed when they hatch, other hatch as larvae. The larvae are not fully aquatic, but spend the daytime in the soil near the water.

paragraphs: In ovoviviparous species the foetus is fed inside the female with special cells of the oviduct, which are eaten by the foetus with special scraping teeth. Some larvae, such as those of "Typhlonectes", are born with enormous external gills which are shed almost immediately. The egg laying species "Boulengerula taitanus" feeds its young by developing a special outer layer of skin, which the young peel off with similar teeth. "Ichthyophis" is oviparous and is known to show maternal care.

paragraphs: The diet of caecilians is not known well, though it seems it mostly consists of insects and invertebrates found in the habitat of the respecitive species. The stomach content of 14 specimens of "Afrocaecilia taitana" consisted of mostly organic material and plant remains. Where identifiable remains were most abundant, they were found to be termite heads. Caecilians in captivity can be easily fed with earthworms, and worms are also common in the habitat of many caecilian species.

paragraphs: The name "Caecilian" derives from the Latin word "caecus" = blind, referring to the small or sometimes non-existing eyes. The name dates back to the taxonomic name of the first species described by Carolus Linnaeus, which he gave the name "Caecilia tentaculata". The taxonomic name of the order derives from the Greek words γυμνος ("gymnos", naked) and οφις ("ophis", snake), as the caecilians were originally thought to be related to snakes.

paragraphs: Taxonomically the caecilians are divided into ten families. The species numbers are approximate and many of these species are identified on the basis of only one specimen. It is likely that not all species have been described yet, and that some of the species described below as different may be combined into one species in future reclassifications.

paragraphs: The recent discovery of a tenth family in north-east India has been announced.

paragraphs: A Swiss researcher Daniel Hofer has recently found that certain caecilians produce potent skin poisons from specialized poison glands. The poison prevents predation and the poison of the bright yellow caecilian of São Tomé Island ("Schistometopum thomense") in West Africa kills other animals kept in the same tank within a few days. The chemical contents of caecilian poison have not been well studied. Werner Himstedt has shown that the skin glands of "Ichthyophis" protects the eggs from germs and fungi. It has also been shown that these poisons are very different from those from other amphibians such as the arrow poison frogs.

paragraphs: In 2020, scientists from the University of Utah said some caecilians have venom glands in their mouths that come out near their teeth. They did not see any muscles to push the venom out the way snakes have. The scientists said they thought the caecilian would have to hold on to its prey for a long time and thrash its body around to get the venom out.

paragraphs: The hatchlings of the oviparous East African "Boulengerula taitanus" have special teeth that allow them to peel and eat their mother's skin. The mother's skin in this species was found to be thicker than normal and contained a high level of fat and other nutrients.


title: Bullet-proof vest

paragraphs: A bullet-proof vest (also called "bulletproof vest", "body armor" or "body armour") is a protective piece of clothing that covers the torso (chest, abdomen, and back) of a person. It protects the wearer from most pistol and revolver bullets and from fragments of explosive devices such as grenades. Bullet-proof vests are worn by police officers, soldiers, security guards, and people who are at risk of being shot (such as the leader of a country).

paragraphs: Bullet-proof vests contain many layers of tightly-woven fabric such as Kevlar (or hard, strong materials such as ceramic or titanium) which can stop the metal pistol or revolver bullets or metal shell fragments from going into a person's body.

paragraphs: When a bullet hits a bullet-proof vest, the forceful impact of the bullet can seriously hurt, or even kill, the person wearing the vest even if the vest stops the bullet.

paragraphs: A bullet from a strong sniper or machine gun can pierce a bullet-proof vest.

paragraphs: If a bullet hits a body part that the bullet-proof vest does not cover, the bullet can hurt or kill the person wearing the vest.

paragraphs: The bullet-proof vests worn by most police officers and security guards are made with many layers of tightly-woven fabric such as Kevlar.

paragraphs: Bullet-proof vests for soldiers are heavier and stronger than the bullet-proof vests worn by police officers and security guards, because soldiers need protection from rifle and machine gun bullets. Bullet-proof vests for soldiers often have flat pieces of ceramic material or a strong metal such as titanium. These materials can stop bullets from many rifles and machine guns.


title: Dry suit

paragraphs: A dry suit is a type of protective clothing worn by scuba divers who are swimming in very cold water, such as in the Arctic ocean or the North Atlantic ocean. A dry suit is similar to a wetsuit, in that it helps to insulate the diver's body from the cold of the ocean. However, a wetsuit lets water to touch the diver's body, but a dry suit is sealed so it does not allow water to touch the diver's body. This means that a dry suit offers more protection from the cold ocean water.


title: Gauntlet

paragraphs: A gauntlet is a protective covering that is used in some gloves and mittens. A gauntlet protects the wrists and the lower part of the forearm. Gloves or mittens for motorcycle drivers, snowmobile drivers, construction workers, forestry workers, and mountain climbers often have gauntlets. The gauntlet helps to protect the wrist and forearm from cold, and from being scraped or cut if there is an accident.

paragraphs: The gauntlet of a glove or mitten is usually made from a material that is similar to the protective fabric or material used elsewhere on the glove or mitten. A pair of leather motorcycle gloves with gauntlets will usually have leather gauntlets. A pair of insulated nylon snowmobilers' mittens with gauntlets will usually have gauntlets made from insulated nylon fabric.

paragraphs: The word "gauntlet" is sometimes used in the following figure of speech: "to throw down the gauntlet." If a person says that "Fred threw down the gauntlet at the committee meeting last night", they mean that Fred issued a public challenge at the committee meeting.

paragraphs: Another figure of speech is the phrase "run the gauntlet." This means to "face a trial or test." For example, if a sailor commits an offense, his comrades may form a line, and each comrade will hit the sailor as he passes by the line. This is called "running the gauntlet."


title: Nylon

paragraphs: Nylon is an artificial fibre. It is one of the most commonly used polyamides, and was first used on February 28, 1935.

paragraphs: Nylon makes a silky material which was first used in toothbrushes. It is strong, hard and water resistant. It is used to make clothes. In fact, polyamides are mostly used for synthetic fibres in clothing. Nylon can also be used to make other materials, such as parachutes, ropes, string for tyres, carpets, fishing nets and cloth and socks.

paragraphs: Nylon was invented by Wallace Carothers at Du-Pont.


title: Forearm

paragraphs: The forearm is the part of the human arm between the elbow and the wrist. It has many muscles including the ones that move the fingers.


title: Mountain climbing

paragraphs: Mountain climbing is a hobby/job where people climb mountains. It may involve hiking, rock climbing, as well as crossing glaciers. Someone who does mountain climbing is called a mountain climber or mountaineer.

paragraphs: Climbing mountains can be dangerous as each year, people are seriously injured or even killed from falling, being covered in an avalanche of snow, or getting too cold. To reduce the risks, mountain climbers learn how to climb safely. As well, they wear safety equipment such as helmets and use ropes, compasses, and first aid kits.


title: Figure of speech

paragraphs: A figure of speech is an indirect way of communicating an idea. Many figures of speech are not meant to be understood exactly as they are said: they are not literal, factual statements. They use indirect language, and mean something different from ordinary language.

paragraphs: Linguists call these figures of speech "tropes"—a play on words, using words in a way that is different from its accepted literal or normal form. DiYanni wrote: "Rhetoricians have catalogued more than 250 different "figures of speech", expressions or ways of using words in a nonliteral sense".

paragraphs: Metaphors are very common examples. A common figure of speech is to say that someone "threw down the gauntlet". This does not mean that a person threw a protective wrist-covering down on the ground. Instead, it usually means that the person issued a public challenge to another person (or many persons).

paragraphs: There is no one easy way to distinguish plain speech from figures of speech.


title: Adobe Flash

paragraphs: Adobe Flash (formerly Macromedia Flash) is a rich internet application distributed by Adobe Systems. Adobe Flash and Adobe Flash Player are used to create and view animated content that can be placed on web pages. Adobe Flash is used commonly on the Internet by web browsers.

paragraphs: Flash was created by FutureWave (a multimedia company) in 1995. Then it was called "FutureSplash Animator" (this was in fact Flash 1.0). FutureWave along with Flash were soon bought by Macromedia around 1997, who in December 2005 was again bought by Adobe Systems. From Flash version 2 to 8 it was called "Macromedia Flash", now it is called "Adobe Flash".

paragraphs: In 2012, Adobe discontinued the Solaris version of Flash Player, and made the Linux version only for Google Chrome. The Linux version for Firefox will continue to receive security updates. The Android version was removed from Google Play, but it can still be downloaded from the Adobe website. The Android version is not officially supported on Android beyond 4.0, but it has been reported to work with versions 4.1 and 4.2.

paragraphs: Adobe announced that Flash will no longer be supported after 2020. Microsoft plans to remove Flash from Windows entirely by the end of 2020. Other browsers like Google Chrome, Mozilla, and Safari are also planning on removing Adobe Flash in the same timeframe.


title: Inheritance (computer science)

paragraphs: In Object-oriented programming languages, inheritance is a way to add functionality. Object-oriented programming has the notion of classes (and perhaps interfaces). A "derived class" inherits most fields and methods from its parent class. It can modify the behaviour of the parent, by adding new fields and methods, or by modifying existing ones. Depending on the programming language used, there may be certain restrictions when extending a class.

paragraphs: Inheritance can be used to solve different types of problems:

paragraphs: An example can be a Car class. You could create a Ferrari class which would inherit from Car, and also make a Toyota class which would also inherit from Car. This way, all the fields and methods (drive method, brake method, color field...) would also be inside of Ferrari and Toyota, and you wouldn't need to copy the code twice. However, maybe inside of Car you could have a brand field. This brand field would be equal to nothing, but inside of Ferrari the field might be equal to "ferrari" and in Toyota to "toyota". Of course, you could not just create a Car, because otherwise that field would be missing. In order to prevent people from just creating a Car, you turn the Car into an abstract class.


title: Michael Jordan

paragraphs: Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, 1963) is a former American basketball player. He is widely considered the greatest basketball player of all time. He won six championships and was the Finals MVP 6 times. He played for the Chicago Bulls and the Washington Wizards. Jordan led the Bulls to a then-record 72 wins in the 1995-96 NBA Season. Jordan earned the nicknames "Air Jordan" and "His Airness" due to his leaping ability which was illustrated by performing slam dunks from the free throw line in slam dunk contests. Jordan won two Olympic gold medals with Team USA, famously playing on the 1992 Dream Team. During the early part of his college career, he went by Mike Jordan, and he still uses Mike as a nickname to this day.

paragraphs: Michael Jeffrey Jordan was born on February 17, 1963 in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, New York, he is the son of Deloris (née Peoples), who worked in banking, and James R. Jordan, Sr., an equipment supervisor. His family moved to Wilmington, North Carolina when he was a toddler.

paragraphs: Jordan is the fourth of five children. He has two older brothers, Larry Jordan and James R. Jordan, Jr., one older sister, Deloris, and a younger sister, Roslyn. Jordan's brother James retired in 2006 as the Command Sergeant Major of the 35th Signal Brigade of the XVIII Airborne Corps in the U.S. Army.

paragraphs: As a sophomore at Laney High School in Wilmington, North Carolina, Jordan did not make his school's varsity (main) basketball team. This inspired him to work harder, and he made the team the next year. In 1981, he went to the University of North Carolina to play. He averaged 13.5 points per game his freshman year, and 20 points per game his sophomore year. Under coach Dean Smith's system, no player was allowed to average more than 20 ppg. North Carolina won the national championship in 1982, Jordan's freshman year. Jordan made the winning shot with 18 seconds left in the championship game. After Jordan's junior year in college, he said that he would be leaving college to play in the NBA. The Chicago Bulls chose him with the third pick in the 1984 NBA draft. He never served as a team captain in college.

paragraphs: Jordan made an appearance in Michael Jackson's "Jam" music video in 1992; in the video, Jackson teaches Jordan how to dance and Jordan also teaches Michael how to play basketball. In 1993, after winning three NBA championships in a row, Jordan said that he would retire and switch to a career in minor league baseball. He played for the Birmingham Barons, a minor league team in the Chicago White Sox's system, but hit only one home run during his whole baseball career. In 1995, Jordan announced that he would return to the NBA with a two word announcement: "I'm back". He was back in time to play for the Bulls in the 1995 playoffs, but the Bulls lost in the playoffs before reaching the NBA Finals. However, the next three seasons after that, the Bulls won the championship. This included the 1995-1996 season, when the Bulls won 72 games in the regular season and only lost 10. In 1996, he starred in the live-action/animated comedy movie "Space Jam" as himself. Jordan retired for a second time in 1998, but was still not done playing. He would buy part of the Washington Wizards basketball team, and played for the Wizards from 2001 to 2003, and ended his playing career after that.

paragraphs: During his NBA career, Jordan had at least 29 game-winning shots on field goals or free throws when deciding a game in the last 30 seconds of the game. In addition to well-documented instances, he made a pair of free throws in a road game at New Jersey, on March 16, 1996. While making the free throws, WGN play-by-play announcer Wayne Larivee remarked, "Michael Jordan, ice water in his veins".

paragraphs: Michael Jordan played mostly shooting guard. Other than a brief spell in April 1989 during which he played point guard, Jordan almost always played shooting guard during his time with the Chicago Bulls. He was widely heralded as the most skilled and accomplished basketball player of all time. He could score from anywhere on the floor and was a 83% free throw shooter, coupled with being the greatest defensive shooting guard of all time. He is widely considered the greatest offensive player of all time, in part due to his ability to aggressively drive, finish at the rim and mid-range game. He scored using post-ups, layups - often reverse layups, dunks, three-pointers and fadeaways. He had great jumping ability and was extremely agile in the air. These two qualities, coupled with his very large hands, measuring almost 10 inches, allowed him to double- and even triple-clutch the basketball in mid-air. He was skilled at scoring in the air, even when fouled by the opponent, and at converting traditional three-point plays. During the 1986-87 season, he averaged 37.1 points per game. Jordan was a great rebounder for his size. Sometimes he would intimidate his teammates or opponents. Jordan wore a suit to every playoff game. He was a very focused player with a great work ethic.

paragraphs: Jordan is now the majority owner of the Charlotte Hornets. He was chosen to enter the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009.


title: Lawrence Taylor

paragraphs: Lawrence Taylor (February 4, 1959) is a retired American football player who played for the New York Giants in the National Football League (NFL). Taylor was famous for sacking the other team's quarterbacks. After he retired he got in trouble for doing drugs. He has since stopped doing drugs. He also appeared on Dancing With the Stars in the 2009 season.


title: New York Giants

paragraphs: The New York Giants are an American football team. They are a part of the National Football League (NFL). Even though they are called the New York Giants they do not play in New York. They play in East Rutherford, New Jersey. New York is right across the Hudson river from East Rutherford, so they consider New York as home. The Giants play in MetLife Stadium, which they share with the New York Jets.

paragraphs: The New York Giants started playing in 1925. They were named for the baseball team also called the New York Giants. They have won six NFL championships, including some before the Super Bowl era. On February 3, 2008, the Giants beat the previously unbeaten New England Patriots (17-14) to win their third Super Bowl championship in Super Bowl XLII as well as stopping them from achieving the NFL's first 19-0 season. The previous two Super Bowl victories came against the Denver Broncos and the Buffalo Bills (when they won the game on a missed last second field goal that went "wide right".) The Giants won Super Bowl XLVI against the Patriots but this time the Patriots went 13-3 in the regular season. The Giants beat them in Foxborough during the 2011 season.


title: Hakeem Olajuwon

paragraphs: Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon (born January 21, 1963 in Lagos, Nigeria; pronounced ah-KEEM ah-LAH-zhoo-wahn), formerly Akeem Olajuwon, is a retired Nigerian-American basketball player. He is widely considered one of the greatest players of all time. He is considered by some to be the greatest defensive player in basketball history. Hakeem Olajuwon travelled all the way from his home country of Nigeria to play basketball in the United States. He won two National Basketball Association (NBA) championships with the Houston Rockets. During his career, he was nicknamed "The Dream", often extended to "Hakeem the Dream", due to his grace both on and off the court. His best move was called the "Dream Shake". He also called himself "Little Moses" after one of his biggest idols, Moses Malone, who played for the Houston Rockets while Olajuwon played for the University of Houston Cougars men's basketball team.


title: Ecomuseum

paragraphs: An ecomuseum is a museum which shows things about the identity of a place or landscape. Many of the people who live in that place help to organize things in the museum. The ecomuseum tries to help the welfare and development of the local community.


title: Scottie Pippen

paragraphs: Scottie Maurice Pippen (born September 25, 1965) is a retired American basketball player. He played for the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association (NBA) for most of his career and won six championships with the Bulls, although he also played with Charles Barkley in 1999 for the Houston Rockets and the Portland Trail Blazers near the end of his career.

paragraphs: In addition to his chemistry with Michael Jordan, Pippen was known for his defense. His unusually long wingspan allowed him to clog passing lanes and make chase-down blocks.

paragraphs: Pippen went by Scott Pippen early in his NBA career. Later on he earned the nicknames Pip, Robin (to Michael Jordan's Batman) and later Batman (Jordan was then called Superman). Off the court, Pippen developed a reputation for not leaving tips at restaurants, and got the nickname No Tippin' Pippen.

paragraphs: Pippen's nephew Kavion Pippen currently plays basketball for the Southern Illinois Salukis.


title: Chicago Bulls

paragraphs: Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team. They play in Chicago, Illinois at the United Center. The Bulls are a part of the National Basketball Association (NBA). They were named the Bulls in reference to the Chicago Union Stockyards, which was once a major business in Chicago. The current head coach is Fred Hoiberg.

paragraphs: Michael Jordan played for the Chicago Bulls from 1984 until 1993 and from 1995 until 1998, leading the team to six NBA championships. In the 21st Century, Derrick Rose was the star of the Bulls until his injuries prevented him to play.


title: Barry Bonds

paragraphs: Barry Bonds (born July 24, 1964, in Riverside, California) is an American Major League Baseball player. Barry Bonds was a left fielder for the Pirates (1986-1992) and Giants (1993-2007)He holds the Major League Baseball career home run record with 762 home runs. He is currently a free agent. He is not signed with any team and is currently not playing baseball. He played his debut in May 30, 1986, for the Pittsburgh Pirates.


title: Bill Russell

paragraphs: William Felton Russell (born February 12, 1934) is a retired American basketball player. Russell played for the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He won 11 championships; 11 is the most anyone has ever won in American basketball history.


title: Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII

paragraphs: Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII is a third-person shooter roleplaying video game. It is a sequel to "Final Fantasy VII".

paragraphs: Three years after the what happened in "Final Fantasy VII", a group of powerful SOLDIERs that nobody had seen before appear, stopping the peace enjoyed by the people of world. The members of this mysterious group are the ones who were trapped under the ruins of Midgar for three years- the Deepground SOLDIERs. The Deepground SOLDIERs want to call forth the final WEAPON, Omega, before it is supposed to be. But to do that, the DGS need Vincent Valentine to lead the way to Omega.

paragraphs: Vincent Valentine is chased by many members of the mysterious group. An chain of events leads Vincent to the truth about his past and forces him to be the leader again in a battle for the planet itself and all those living in it.

paragraphs: Reeve Tuesti, who used to be the Head of Urban Development at Shinra (and the remote controller of Cait Sith), is now the leader of the World Regenesis Organization, which looks after the planet and stops people from hurting it any more. Yuffie Kisaragi is another member of the organization, and several other characters from the original game provide the World Regenesis Organization with more help.

paragraphs: The game begins with a Full Motion Video showing the attack on the town of Kalm by Deepground soldiers. Vincent stops the attack, but encounters Azul and Shelke. Azul and Shelke are members of the Tsviets, Deepground's elite force of supersoldiers.


title: Diving suit

paragraphs: A diving suit is a type of protective clothing worn by scuba divers when they swim underwater in oceans, lakes, and rivers. Diving suits help insulate the diver from the cold temperature of the water. There are several types of diving suits, including wetsuits and dry suits.


title: Kilt

paragraphs: A kilt is a ceremonial article of clothing worn in Scotland. It is made of a thick, woven fabric with a tartan (checkered) pattern. It resembles a pleated skirt except that it is worn by men. It is still worn during ceremonies by some Scottish and Canadian military units and by people who play the bagpipes (a Scottish wind instrument). It is also quite commonly worn by men at weddings.


title: Straitjacket

paragraphs: A straitjacket is a type of clothing used to restrain patients in mental health hospitals and psychiatric wards of hospitals. A straitjacket has straps that restrain a person's arms and hands. Hospitals put straitjackets on people who have mental illnesses such as schizophrenia or paranoia, to keep them from hurting themselves, other patients, or hospital staff.


title: Space suit

paragraphs: A spacesuit is an article of protective clothing worn by astronauts when they travel into outer space or into the upper atmosphere. Spacesuits are completely sealed, so that an astronaut can survive in the harsh, cold, and airless environment of space. Spacesuits have their own heating and cooling systems and a radio communication system. Spacesuits also provide a supply of fresh air for the astronauts to breathe and create a normal atmospheric pressure. Spacesuits cover the entire body, and they have gloves for the hands and a helmet for the head, including a clear visor for the face. Astronauts wear spacesuits when they fly in the space shuttle, rockets, or space stations. For Extravehicular activity they wear a heavier, more complex kind of spacesuit.


title: Weasel

paragraphs: Weasels are the genus Mustela, part of the Mustelidae family. The genus includes the weasels, polecats, stoats, ferrets and minks.

paragraphs: Weasels are small, active predators, long and slender with short legs. Their body shape is adapted to going down burrows after prey such as rabbits. There are 17 species, and they live all over the world except for Antarctica and Australasia.

paragraphs: Weasels vary in length from 173 to 217 mm (6.8 to 8.5 in). They have red or brown upper coats, white underneath. Their tails may be from 34 to 52 mm (1.3 to 2.0 in) long.

paragraphs: Biologically, despite looking a bit like cats, they are actually more related to dogs.


title: Passport

paragraphs: A passport is a travel document that says that the person who owns it is a citizen of the country on the passport. A passport asks that the person carrying it be allowed to enter and pass through other countries. They also allow a person to re-enter their country. Passports are given by national governments.

paragraphs: Passports usually have a person's picture, signature, date of birth, nationality and country of birth. Many countries are now issuing passports with biometric properties. This helps confirm that the person carrying a passport is the real owner. These countries have passports that use biometrics: Malaysia, Australia, Greece, Israel, New Zealand, Japan, Portugal, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany, Ireland, Poland, Italy, Slovenia, Singapore, Thailand, India and the Republic of Korea .Many more countries are switching over to biometric passports because it can easily confirm the authenticity of the holder's identity. Passports are used so a stamp can be placed in it to prove that the identity of the holder has been confirmed with the immigration officials in the country of travel.

paragraphs: In 1920, the International Conference on Passports, Customs Formalities and Through Tickets made a law that said passports must be issued in French and at least one other language. Now, many countries issue passports in English and the language(s) of the issuing country.


title: University of Nottingham

paragraphs: The University of Nottingham is a university in the city of Nottingham, in the United Kingdom. It has four different sites in the United Kingdom. It also has a site in China and a site in Malaysia. It was named the 'University of the Year' in 2006 by the London newspaper, The Times.

paragraphs: The University of Nottingham is ranked in the UK's Top 10 and the World's Top 100 universities by the "Academic Ranking of World Universities" and the "Times Higher Education - Quacquarelli Symonds World University Rankings".

paragraphs: Nottingham University is the fifth largest university in the UK. It is a member of:


title: Metastasis

paragraphs: Metastasis is what happens when cancer spreads from its original place to another part of the body. Cancer cells spread from the original site to other places in the body by traveling through the bloodstream. When the cancer cells stick to a new place in the body, they grow and form another tumor there. Metastasis makes cures more difficult, or in many cases impossible.


title: Dingo

paragraphs: The Dingo (plural: dingoes or dingos) is a mammal found in Australia and South-East Asia. Dingos are similar to domestic dogs. Dingoes were brought to Australia from South-East Asia about 4000 years ago. They are not found in Tasmania as the sea levels cut the island off from mainland Australia about 10,000 years ago. Most dingos in the wild are no longer purebreed dingos. Their scientific name, "Canis lupus (wolf) dingo", changed recently from "Canis familiaris (dog) dingo". This was to show it is related to the white footed wolf which lives in Asia.

paragraphs: Dingoes are usually between 117 cm to 124 cm in length. Their tail is about 30 cm in length. They usually weigh between 10 kg and 20 kg. The colour of their fur is usually yellow-ginger, but can sometimes include tan, black, white or sandy colours. They live for about 14 years.

paragraphs: Dingos live in packs of between 3 and 12, but they can be seen alone as well. The leaders are the alpha male and the alpha female and are usually the only pair to breed. Young dingos are called "cubs". The breeding season is in March and April. After a gestation of 63 days, the adult females usually give birth to 4-5 cubs in a litter. Mothers will regurgitate food for the cubs to eat. They become independent of their mother after four to eight months of age.

paragraphs: Dingos do not bark like other dogs, but they do howl.

paragraphs: Dingos are carnivores and eat other animals such as kangaroos, wallabies, wallaroos, rabbits, rodents, lizards, sheep, calves, poultry and carrion. It believed to have hunted several animal species to extinction including some species of bandicoots and rat kangaroos. They often hunt in packs.

paragraphs: While some people keep dingos as pets, they are regarded as a pest by farmers. They are controlled by trapping, shooting, poisoning (with Sodium monofluoroacetate), and fences. The dingo fence which runs through South Australia, and then along the New South Wales border through to central Queensland is the world's longest fence. Dingos are protected in national parks and reserves.

paragraphs: It is illegal to have a dingo as a pet in South Australia, Queensland and Tasmania. In Victoria and the Northern Territory you have to have a special permit to keep a dingo. The dingo can be a dangerous animal and have attacked people at times. On April 30, 2001, a nine-year-old boy was attacked and killed on Fraser Island by a dingo. A dingo is believed to have killed a baby, Azaria Chamberlain, at Uluru in August, 1980. This became a world famous case when her mother was sent to jail for murdering the baby. She was later found innocent and released. "Evil Angels", a book about Azaria by John Bryson, was made into a movie starring Meryl Streep.


title: Silk Road

paragraphs: The Silk Road was a group of trade routes that went across Asia to the Mediterranean Sea. This let China trade with the Middle East and the Mediterranean world.

paragraphs: It was called the Silk Road because silk was traded along it. At the time, silk was only made in China, and it was a valuable material.

paragraphs: The Silk Road not only earned China a lot of money, but all along the route cities prospered and markets flourished. Cities like Samarkand and Bukhara were built largely on the trade from the silk route.

paragraphs: Trade on the Silk Road played a big part in the growth of the ancient cultures of China, Egypt, Mesopotamia, Persia, India, and Rome, and helped to make the beginning of today's world. The term Silk Road is English for the German word "Seidenstraße". The first person who called it that was a German geographer in 1877.

paragraphs: Of course, many other things were also traded, even ideas. Because the traders came from many places, different ideas were brought to China, and China's ideas were taken to other places.

paragraphs: Some of the other things traded were porcelain and other types of pottery, food, wine, and spices. Chess pieces from northern India were brought to China and Persia. Paper arrived in the west from China. Metals and jewels were certainly transported, and very likely slaves also. Probably no trader went the whole way along. Goods would be traded on at every stopping-point. Deals might be needed to get past difficult places.

paragraphs: The Silk Road first traveled west from northern China. Then the part of the Silk Road on land split into two branches. One branch went north of the Tibetan Plateau, and the other branch went south of it.

paragraphs: After the two parts rejoined, it went in an almost straight line west through mountains via Tabriz in north Iran and the north tip of the Syrian Desert to the Levant (Syria, Israel, Palestine). From there Mediterranean trading ships took routes to Italy, and land routes went north through Anatolia or south to North Africa.

paragraphs: The sea route was also called the "Silk Road". It ran from South China, to the Philippines, Brunei, Siam, Malacca, Ceylon, India, Pakistan, and Iran. In Europe it went between Israel, Lebanon, Egypt and Italy. Past the Mediterranean Sea, it continued to Portugal and Sweden.

paragraphs: The Buddhist religion and the Greco-Buddhist culture started to move east on the Silk Road, reaching China from around the second century BC. Trading also helped make many arts and crafts, brought different religions, and food to China. Chinese people helped build the Silk Road. They bought and sold with other people, and built up their culture.

paragraphs: The Kushan empire, in the northwest part of India, was in the middle of these trades.

paragraphs: The Silk Road brought other cultures into Central Asia and China. It also helped the rise of the Mongol Empire, the largest land empire ever.

paragraphs: The Roman Empire, which bought a lot of Chinese goods, began to fall from power in the West around the 5th century. In Central Asia, Islam expanded starting in the 7th century. This brought a stop to Chinese growth westwards at a battle in 751 AD. More growth of the Islamic Turks in Central Asia from the 10th century stopped trade in that part of the world.


title: Isis

paragraphs: Isis is a goddess in Egyptian mythology. She was known as the goddess of the moon. As goddess of life and magic, Isis protected women and children, and healed the sick. Closely linked to the throne, she was one of the greatest goddesses of Ancient Egypt.

paragraphs: Her symbols were the ankh, her wings, and her throne headdress. She was the sister and wife of Osiris. Isis and Osiris had a son named Horus

paragraphs: The English pronunciation used, ), comes from the pronunciation of the Greek name, , which changed the Egyptian name by adding a final "-s" because of the grammatical requirements of Greek noun endings.

paragraphs: The Egyptian name was recorded as or . It meant '(She of the Throne)'. However, the true Egyptian pronunciation is not known because their writing system left out vowels. Based on recent studies, the reconstructed pronunciation of her name is * (ooh-saht). Later, the name in Coptic dialects was "Ēse" or "Ēsi".

paragraphs: To make it easier to say, Egyptologists choose to say the word as "ee-set". Sometimes they may also say "ee-sa". This is because the last "t" in her name was a feminine (female) suffix which is known to have been dropped in speech in the last stages of the Egyptian language.

paragraphs: Isis was perhaps the most important goddess of all Egyptian mythology. During the course of Egyptian history, Isis assumed the attributes and functions of virtually every other important goddess in the land. Her most important functions, however, were those of motherhood, marital devotion, healing the sick, and the working of magical spells and charms. She was believed to be the most powerful magician in the universe, because she had learned the Secret Name of Ra from the god himself. Isis was the sister and wife of Osiris, sister of Set, and twin sister of Nephthys. She was the mother of Horus the Child (Harpocrates), and was the protective goddess of Horus's son Amset, protector of the liver of the deceased.

paragraphs: Isis was responsible for protecting Horus from Set during his infancy; for helping Osiris to return to life; and for assisting her husband to rule in the land of the Dead.

paragraphs: Her cult seems to have originally centered, like her husband's, at Abydos near the Delta in the North (Lower Egypt). She was adopted into the family of Ra early in Egyptian history by the priests of Heliopolis. From the New Kingdom onwards (c. 1500 BC) her worship no longer had any particular identifiable center, and she became more or less universally worshiped, as her husband was.

paragraphs: Isis had great powers of healing, protection, and magic. She could even cast spells on Ra. An example of her powers is when Isis brought Osiris back to life for one night. The powers were only strong enough to bring Osiris back for a single night.

paragraphs: Isis is shown with a sun disk on her head. She also had a throne on her head to symbolize she was a queen. Sometimes Isis is called the egg of the goose because Geb is the father of Isis and goose represents him.

paragraphs: Many Egyptian gods and goddesses started in one place, and all through their history had their own city where they were worshipped, and many big cities and towns are known as the hometowns of their god or goddess. However, no local cities where Isis was worshipped have been found; all through her early history there are no known temples to her. Worship of Isis did not start until as late as the 30th dynasty; until that time Isis was worshiped in temples of other gods or goddesses. However, even in the 30th dynasty Isis was worshiped together with Horus and Osiris. Temples to Isis became common in the Roman times. There was a temple built to her at Philae.

paragraphs: By this time, temples to Isis began to spread outside of Egypt. In many places her followers took over the worship to the Semitic goddess Astarte, because of the similarity of names. In the Hellenistic era, she also became the goddess who protected sailors.

paragraphs: In all parts of the Graeco-Roman world, Isis became one of the most important figures of the "mystery religions", and many classical writers sometimes wrote about her temples, and followers. Temples to Isis were built in Iraq, Greece, Rome, even as far north as England where the remains of a temple were found at Hadrian's Wall. At Philae, she was worshiped until the 6th century, after the rise of Christianity. The fall of her temples is usually said to mark the end of ancient Egypt.

paragraphs: Little information on Egyptian priests of Isis has been found, but we know that there were both priests and priestesses of her followers all through her history. By the Graeco-Roman era, many of them were healers, and were said to have many other powers, including explaining dreams and the power to control the weather by braiding or combing their hair.


title: Osiris

paragraphs: In Egyptian mythology, Osiris is the god of life, death, the flooding of the Nile, and the afterlife. He was the brother and husband of Isis. They had a son named Horus. Osiris was murdered by his brother Set because Osiris was the pharaoh, which Set wanted to be. Osiris was killed when Set tricked him into getting into a box, then poured lead onto the box to close it so Osiris could not get out of it. However, Isis brought Osiris back to life for one night. After Horus was old enough, he defeated Set and became the pharaoh. Osiris' mother was the goddess Nut, father Geb, sister Nephthys, and sister as well as wife Isis.

paragraphs: By the Hellenic era, Greek awareness of Osiris had grown, and attempts had been made to merge Greek philosophy, such as Platonism, and the cult of Osiris (especially the myth of his resurrection), resulting in a new mystery religion. Gradually, this became more popular, and was exported to other parts of the Greek sphere of influence. However, these mystery religions valued the change in wisdom, personality, and knowledge of truth, rather than the exact details of the accepted myths on which their teachings were overlayed. Thus in each region that it was exported to, the myth was changed to be about a similar local god, resulting in a series of gods, who had originally been quite distinct, but who were now synonymous with Osiris. These gods became known as Osiris-Dionysus.

paragraphs: Egyptian civilization loved Osiris because he was a wise and gentle king. He taught them law and order and led them away from savage practices like cannibalism and human sacrifice. Osiris also taught them the art of agriculture and the appropriate rites for worshipping the gods. When he was done civilizing the people in Egypt, he left the country to his wife Isis and made peace in many other places. When he finished his job he then returned to Egypt.

paragraphs: Osiris was the god of the Underworld. He was also one of the Nine Gods. One of his duties as Lord of the Dead was to do the very last judgment of the Dead, and after that to protect people from the dangers of the Underworld. The transition between life and death must have been a great experience, but still perilous .

paragraphs: Osiris was shown in the form of a mummified pharaoh. He wore a white atef crown with feathers on the side, and held a crook and flail; tools of a pharaoh. Osiris had green skin, symbolizing rebirth to the Egyptians.


title: ISO 3166-2:BR

paragraphs: ISO 3166-2:BR is an ISO standard which defines geocodes: it is the subset of ISO 3166-2 which applies to Brazil. It covers 1 Federal District and 26 states.


title: Privy Council of the United Kingdom

paragraphs: Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council is a group of advisors to the British Monarch. A lot of its most important work is done by two committees,

paragraphs: Some laws need to be made by the "Queen-in-Council", that is at a meeting of the Queen and the Privy Council. Some jobs are filled by the Queen in Council too. For example, when the Queen appoints a new Bishop or Lord Lieutenant she announces her choice at a meeting of the Privy Council.

paragraphs: Once someone is made a member of the Privy Council they are a member for life, but only members of the government are asked to meetings, except for special occasions such as when a new monarch takes the "Accession Oath", a promise to do their best, at a meeting when the Privy Council called the "Accession Council"

paragraphs: In the past some kings and queens were bored by long meetings of the Privy Council, so they made everyone stand instead of sitting comfortably. The tradition carries on today.

paragraphs: Sometimes the Prime Minister shares information with other politicians on "Privy Council Terms". This means that the information must stay secret.

paragraphs: The Law Lords, and retired Law Lords, also form the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. It is the final court of appeal from British colonies an dependent territories, and some commonwealth realms. These countries call it an appeal to "The Queen in Council".

paragraphs: Four republics in the commonwealth also use the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council as a court of appeal.

paragraphs: From the Court of Appeal of Brunei the only appeal is to the Sultan of Brunei. The Queen and the Sultan have agreed that the cases are heard by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council who then advise the Sultan, directly.

paragraphs: The committee hears Appeals to Her Majesty in Council:

paragraphs: The committee must also report to the Queen about anything she ask. For example, investigating which members of the House of Lords supported the enemy in World War I.


title: Patrician

paragraphs: A patrician was a member of the upper class in the two social classes in ancient Rome. They were rich and powerful. The other class was the plebeian class.


title: W.A.S.P.

paragraphs: W.A.S.P. is an American heavy metal band. The band was formed in 1982 in Los Angeles, California by Blackie Lawless, Rik Fox, Randy Piper and Tony Richards.


title: Virginia Tech massacre

paragraphs: The Virginia Tech massacre was a school shooting incident on April 16, 2007, which took place at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, a college in Blacksburg, Virginia, United States. Seung-Hui Cho, a senior English major at Virginia Tech, who had been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder and selective mutism killed 32 people before killing himself (suicide). The killings occurred in two separate attacks on the campus. The first at around 7:15 a.m., when two students were shot and killed at West Ambler Johnston Hall, a co-ed residence hall that houses 894 students. More than two and a half hours later, 31 others, including Cho, were shot and killed across Norris Hall, which houses the Engineering Science and Mechanics program among others, where three main doors had been chained. Victims were found in different locations around the building.

paragraphs: Among the victims the most notable was that of Professor and Holocaust survivor Liviu Librescu who died while shielding his students from the gunman. Librescu was killed after being shot five times.

paragraphs: Virginia Tech President Charles W. Steger and U.S. President George W. Bush attended vigils to honor the victims at the institution.

paragraphs: The number of people that died was more than any other mass shooting in modern U.S. history up until the 2017 Las Vegas shooting. Before then, the deadliest campus shooting in United States history was in 1966 at the University of Texas, where Charles Whitman climbed to the 28th-floor observation deck of a clock tower and opened fire, killing 16 people before he was gunned down by police. In the Columbine High attack in 1999, two teenagers killed 12 fellow students and a teacher before killing themselves.


title: Shakira

paragraphs: Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll (born February 2, 1977 in Barranquilla, Colombia), known as Shakira, is a two-time Grammy Award-winning and 10 Latin Grammy Award-winning Colombian singer, songwriter, instrumentalist, record producer, dancer, UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and occasional actress.

paragraphs: Shakira is also a philanthropist. She has created the NGO's Pies Descalzos Foundation in Colombia, and the Barefoot Foundation in the US, to help children world-wide.

paragraphs: Shakira is also known for having made a song named "Timor" based on fighting in East Timor between gangs (groups of criminals with guns), security forces (small, personal armies), and the government.

paragraphs: The first single from Shakira's tenth album was released in January 2014. "Shakira" was released on 21 March 2014.

paragraphs: In 1991 Shakira's first album "Magia" was released. Her second album "Pies Descalzos" was released in 1993. In 2001 she released her first English album "Laundry Service". The album's first single "Whenever, Wherever" was the best selling single of 2001. In 2005 she released her second English album "Oral Fixation, Vol.2". In 2009 "She Wolf" was released. The first single "She Wolf" reached number four in the UK Singles Chart. On January 14 2014 Shakira released a single with Rihanna, "Can't Remember to Forget You".

paragraphs:
Shakira's first language is Spanish. She also speaks Portuguese and English. As well as this she can speak some Italian, French, Catalan and Arabic. Accordingly, she records songs in both English and Spanish, as well as having covered Francis Cabrel's song "Je l'aime à mourir" in French and Fairuz's "Aatini Al Nay" in Arabic as an homage to her home country of Lebanon.
 On January 22, 2013 Shakira gave birth to son Milan Piqué Mebarak.

paragraphs: In July 2018, Shakira came back to Lebanon with her family. She visited her grandmother's village of Tannourine where she was granted a square in her name. A statue of the pop-star is set to be built soon in the mentioned village. She also visited her father's hometown, Zahle.


title: Joe Louis

paragraphs: Joe Louis (born Joseph Louis Barrow, May 13, 1914 - April 12, 1981) was an American boxer. He was the world heavyweight champion from 1937 to 1949. Louis won the title from James Braddock. He made a record twenty-five title defenses before giving up the title in 1949.

paragraphs: Perhaps his most famous fight was his one-round knockout of Max Schmeling, the German former heavyweight champion, in 1938. Schmeling had given Louis his only loss up to that point, and was widely seen at that time as a representative of Nazi Germany. The buildup to the fight was wrapped up in the politics of the United States versus Nazi Germany.

paragraphs: When World War II began, Louis signed up for the U.S. Army. While in the army, he boxed 100 exhibition bouts.

paragraphs: Louis died of a heart attack in Paradise, Nevada on April 12, 1981. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

paragraphs: He has an arena named after him, the Joe Louis Arena where the Detroit Red Wings play.


title: Larry Holmes

paragraphs: Larry Holmes (born on November 3, 1949) was an American boxer. He held the world heavyweight championship from 1978 to 1985. Holmes fought out of Easton, Pennsylvania. He was nicknamed the "Easton Assassin."

paragraphs: Holmes won the vacant World Boxing Council championship from Ken Norton in 1979. He defended that title, and later the International Boxing Federation title, twenty times. Some notable fighters he beat in defense of his championship were Muhammad Ali, Leon Spinks, Gerry Cooney, and Tim Witherspoon. He lost his championship to Michael Spinks in 1985.

paragraphs: Holmes later fought Mike Tyson and then Evander Holyfield to try and win back the championship. Tyson knocked him out in the fourth round and Holyfield beat him by a twelve-round decision.


title: Skiing

paragraphs: Skiing is either sportive or recreational activity using "skis" for sliding over snow. Skis are used with special boots connected to them with a "binding". There are two different types of skiing: downhill skiing and cross country skiing.

paragraphs: Downhill skiing is a sport. Skiers ski down a trail (also called a "run") on the side of a mountain or hill. Each trail is marked with a sign that shows how difficult that particular run will be. Three different colors are used to rate the difficulty of the trail. They are: green, blue, and black. Green trails are easiest, blue trails are more difficult, and black trails are rated most difficult. The colors which represent a trail will also be seen in a shape.

paragraphs: Trail ratings are often relative to the rest of the terrain at the ski resort- for example, the difficulty of a black diamond trail at a small ski area may be a rated as a blue square at a bigger resort with harder trails.

paragraphs: Cross country skiing is a sport of endurance. Skiers ski anywhere where there is snow. This is usually through a scenic forest or town.

paragraphs: Alpine skiing is a contest of speed. Racers go through the course with red and blue gates and go down to the goal as fast as they can. There are four disciplines in alpine skiing: downhill, super giant slalom, giant slalom and slalom.

paragraphs: A ski gate is two sticks on a skiing race course that a skier needs to pass between. Ski gates are used in alpine skiing in downhill, Slalom, Giant Slalom and Super-G races. Downhill races have not many ski gates so skiers can be safe when they are going very fast. If a skier does not go between a ski gate, the judges say are removed from the race. First in the 1980s and now a lot of the time, ski gates have hinges near the snow. Some ski gates have flags at the top of the stick.


title: 1966 FIFA World Cup

paragraphs: The 1966 FIFA World Cup was the eighth FIFA World Cup. It was held in England from 11-30 July. England was chosen as hosts by FIFA to celebrate 100 years of football in England. England won the final beating West Germany 4-2. This was England's first (and so far only) World Cup win. England also became the first host to win since Italy won it in 1934. Later Germany, Argentina and France won it at their homes.


title: Princess Taiping

paragraphs: Princess Taiping was a princess of Tang dynasty China. She was the daughter of Emperor Gaozong and Empress Wu Zetian. She became an important figure during her mother's rule as Empress in the second Zhou dynasty 690-705 AD.

paragraphs: Princess Taiping supported saving the Tang dynasty and the Li family. After the death of Empress Wu Zetian in 705, Princess Taiping joined with her nephew Li Longji (later Emperor Xuanzong) to get power for the Tang dynasty again. In 710, she and Li Longji stopped Empress Wei's plan to gain power.

paragraphs: Princess Taiping was also known for her beauty. In the Chinese history (mishi/秘史), it has been said that, after losing two marriages, Princess Taiping loved Li Longji. Mishi said that Emperor Xuanzong told of his love for his aunt in his autobiography. Li Longji confessed that he had fallen in love with Princess Taiping at first sight. He thought of her as a goddess-like figure. However, the truth is still unknown.

paragraphs: After Emperor Xuanzong became ruler in 712 AD, Princess Taiping's old age and power was seen as a threat to the young emperor, and she was given a death sentence to kill herself in 713 AD.


title: Horus

paragraphs: Horus was the Egyptian god of the Sky. He was the son of Isis and Osiris. After fighting his uncle, Set (Osiris and Isis' brother) he became the king of Egypt. During this fight, he lost his eye. The "Eye of Horus" became one of the most important symbols in ancient Egypt and Egyptian civilization. When Horus lost his eye, his eye set out on a journey of its own. When the other Gods tried to catch the eye, his eye began to cry. These tears became the first people of Egypt in Egyptian belief.

paragraphs: The Eye of Horus, also known as wadjet eye, wedjat eye or udjat eye, is an ancient Egyptian symbol of protection, royal power, and good health. The Eye of Horus is similar to the Eye of Ra, which belongs to a different god, Ra, but represents many of the same concepts. According to Egyptian myth, Horus lost his left eye in a struggle with Seth. The eye was magically restored by Hathor, and this restoration came to symbolize the process of making whole and healing. For this reason, the symbol was often used in amulets.

paragraphs: Horus, was worshiped all over Egypt, especially in Pe, Bendet and Khem. There were many falcon gods before Horus, but eventually Horus represented all of them. He was worshiped until the end of the Pre-Dynastic period. In Upper Egypt (south), in the town of Edfu, was Ptolemaic, a temple for Horus. In Kom Ombo, there was another temple for Horus called the Kom Ombo temple. Horus was a good friend of Sobek. He was also worshipped as a guide to the pharaohs.

paragraphs: Horus was considered handsome and usually appeared as a falcon or a falcon headed man, although sometimes he appeared as a falcon headed crocodile. Sometimes he would take the form of a celestial falcon with his left eye the moon and his right eye the sun, his speckled breast feathers the stars, the down sweep of his wings creating the winds. He is sometimes shown with a copper knife. In addition, he normally wore the double crown to signify his rule over all of Egypt and to relate with the Pharaoh.

paragraphs: Horus was the god of the sky and also the God of war. The pharaoh ruling at any given time of Egypt was always the living image of Horus. When he died, that pharaoh became Osiris, the god of the dead and the father of Horus. The new pharaoh became Horus. His purpose was to protect the pharaoh. He was a protector god, who was a god who fought evil. He represented justice and righteousness. He fought with Seth to avenge his father, Osiris, who was killed by Seth. When Horus defeated Seth, he conquered his father, Osiris', throne, and became protector.


title: Seth

paragraphs: In Egyptian mythology, "Set"' (also spelled Sutekh, Setesh, Seteh, Seth) was a god of the desert (including desert storms), thunder, evil, pain and suffering.

paragraphs: The word 'Seth' was first said as 'Set'. Because of changes in the Egyptian language over the 3,000 years that Seth was worshiped, the 't' in Set was pronounced so similarly from 'th' that the Greeks wrote it as Seth during the Ptolemaic period. Set was originally responsible for protecting Ra during his journey in the afterlife, personally slaying the great serpent Apep. Late period Set killed his brother Osiris, who had succeeded Ra as pharaoh, out of jealousy. Horus (Osiris and Isis' son) eventually defeated Set and claimed the throne.

paragraphs: Set had three siblings: his brother Osiris and his sisters Isis and Nephthys (who was also his wife). He also had a nephew Horus. Nephthys married Set and Isis married Osiris. Set and Nephthys had a son named Anubis. His father and mother were Geb and Nut respectively.

paragraphs: His color is red which represented evil in Egypt. He also possessed people when he wanted to. Set's consort was Nephthys. Set also had foreign wives Anat and Astarte. Set was unified with the key of trouble and death towards Ancient Egypt which made him deadly.

paragraphs: Set is often shown as a mysterious and unknown creature called the Set Animal. The Set Animal had a curved snout, square ears, dog-like body, forked tail, red eyes and red hair. Set could control this animal and would use it to destroy his enemies.


title: Shaka Sankofa

paragraphs: Shaka Sankofa aka Gary Graham born Gary Lee Graham (September 5, 1963 - June 22, 2000). Sankofa was put to death for the murder of fifty-three year-old Bobby Lambert in Houston, Texas on May 13, 1981. The murder happened when Sankofa was seventeen.

paragraphs: Sankofa was found guilty of shooting Lambert in the parking lot of a Houston supermarket. He told police that he had done ten robberies that week, but did not kill Lambert. The government believed he has done as many as 22 robberies which had happened in that area during that time. One of these included Graham using a shotgun to rob a man who Graham gave a ride to when the man's car stopped working on the highway. During that robbery, the man tried to escape and was shot by Graham but he did live. While there was no physical evidence to link Graham to the murder, one woman was in the parking lot at the time and saw him do it. She said she heard the gunshot and turned on the lights of her car. She saw Graham as he started running and followed him out of the parking lot with her car. There were several other people inside the store but none of them saw the shooting. Sankofa's supporters brought his case international attention, aruging that his conviction was based on the testimony of a single eyewitness who said she saw him for a few seconds in the dark parking lot committing the murder

paragraphs: and she was 30 feet away from the murder scene. The jury did not hear testimony from six other apparent eyewitnesses who believed that Sankofa was not the killer.

paragraphs: Sankofa put to death after many legal tries by his lawyers to stop it. These including an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. By a vote of 5 to 4, the Supreme Court refused to stop the execution. Sankofa's lawyers also filed a civil suit saying the execution was against his civil rights. District Court Judge James Nowlin rejected that claim.

paragraphs: Many people believe that Sankofa did not kill Lambert. They believe that his lawyers did not do a good job because they thought he was guilty. Sankofa was put to death on an evidence of one person alone. None of the people that saw the man in the store and said this man was 6 inches shorter and thinner than Sankofa were used in the court case. Sankofa's lawyer at the time of his execution believed that the only person who saw the crime was not to be trusted because of how the police dealt with how she identified him. A gun found with Graham when he was arrested a week later was not the murder weapon. Most controversial of all is the fact that weapon used to kill Lambert did not produce any Gary Graham's fingerprints.

paragraphs: Some groups still claim he did not do this crime. Sankofa's supporters brought his case international attention. They also say that it is against international law to put someone to death for a crime they did before they became an adult of 18 years of age.

paragraphs: Such unprecedented convictions based on sole witness are rare but they happen in USA, other known example was Larry Griffin who was executed in 1991.

paragraphs: There are groups to this day trying to clear Shaka of murder.


title: Juliusz Słowacki

paragraphs: Juliusz Slowacki (September 3, 1809 - April 3, 1849) was a Polish poet. He was born on August 23, 1809, according to the Old Calendar. September 4 is often given as his birthday but the calculation between days was wrong by one day. Slowacki is thought of as being as good a poet as most of the famous Polish writers. These include Mickiewicz, Norwid, Reymont (author of "Chlopi"), Wybicki, Krasinski and Sienkiewicz. He is buried in Wawel Cathedral in Krakow. This is the same crypt as Mickiewicz. He is considred third most important Polish poet.

paragraphs: His work included romantic poems, plays and sonnets included "Balladyna", "My Testament", "King Ghost", "Fantazy", "Kordian", "Beniowski", "Agamemnon’s Tomb", "Silver Dream of Salomea", "Hymn", "Lilia Weneda" and "Anhelli".

paragraphs: Slowacki was first buried on April 5 1849 in Paris's famous Montmartre cemetery. Because he was not popular at the time, only about 30 people went to his funeral. In 1927, General Joseph Pilsudski ordered his body be dug up. It was taken back to Poland and honorably reburied on June 28 1927 in Krakow in the famous Wawel crypt for Polish nobles. He was buried with full military honors as a Polish hero. Pilsudski said: "Time to forget Slowacki is over, as long as there is Polish language, Slowacki will live on forever!"