title: Valais

paragraphs: Valais is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland in the south-western part of the country.

paragraphs: It is near the valley of the Rhone River from its springs to Lake Geneva, that separates Pennine Alps from the Bernese Alps. The canton is one of the drier parts of Switzerland in its central Rhone valley. It is also one of most well-watered parts, having large amounts of snow and rain up on the highest peaks in Switzerland. It is perhaps best known worldwide for the Matterhorn.

paragraphs: The canton of Valais is in the south of Switzerland. To its south is Italy, to the southwest France. To the north the canton there are the Swiss cantons of Vaud and Bern; the cantons of Uri and Ticino lie to its east.

paragraphs: The wide, icy Rhone valley dominates the area. There are many side valleys off the main valley. At the head of the Mattertal valley is Zermatt, a pretty tourist village dominated by views of the Matterhorn (4,478 m). Fifty of the mountains are more than 4,000m high, with the highest, Monte Rosa, that reaches to 4,638m (15,217 ft), and there are many glaciers.

paragraphs: The Rhône drains the main valley from east to west up to Martigny, Switzerland, then in a right angle north to its mouth in the Lake Geneva. After the small town of Saint-Maurice, the northern banks of the river belong to the canton of Vaud. The main valley is between the Bernese Alps in the north and the Pennine Alps in the south. Only about half of the total area is considered productive.

paragraphs: The Romans called the area "Vallis Poenina" (""Upper Rhône Valley"").

paragraphs: In 888, Valais became a part of the kingdom of Jurane Burgundy.

paragraphs: King Rudolph III of Burgundy gave the area to the Bishop of Sion in 999, and made him Count of the Valais. The count-bishops had to defend their area against the dukes of Savoy.

paragraphs: in 1474 was the Battle of Planta, a place near the capitale Sion. The Bishop of Sion and the people of the Sieben Zenden, beat the Duke of Savoy. The Battle of Planta is a part of the Burgundy War.

paragraphs: After this battle, the bisoph conquired the area until Lake Geneva.

paragraphs: Valais did not follow the Protestant Reformation.

paragraphs: On March 12, 1529, Valais became an associate member ("Zugewandter Ort") of the Swiss Confederation.

paragraphs: In 1628 the Valais became a republic, the "République des Sept Dizains / Republik der Sieben Zenden" but the bishop remained in power until Napoleon's troops invaded the Valais and created the "République du Valais" on March 16, 1798 but on May 1, 1798, the Valais became part of the Helvetic Republic and became independent again in 1802 as the "Rhodanic Republic".

paragraphs: In 1810, the Rhodanic Republic was made a part of France, and was called the Simplon Department.

paragraphs: Valais became independent again in 1813 and on August 4, 1815 decided to join the Swiss confederation as a canton (state).

paragraphs: In 1845, the Valais joined the Catholic separatist league ("Sonderbund"), but never fought federal troops when other members of the league started fighting in 1847.

paragraphs: Wine production and tourism are some of the main industries of the canton. The Matterhorn near Zermatt is one of the biggest tourist attractions in the Swiss mountains, as is its sister valley immediately east Saas Fee. Other parts of the mountains of the canton farther west are popular as well, such as the more French speaking resorts near Verbier and the Evolene & Arolla region. The resorts on the north side of the main Rhone river valley are popular, looking out southwards towards the Peninne Alps and still part of the southern slope of the Bernese Alps, such as the family oriented resort of Crans-Montana. The resorts in the Goms region are slightly less known, yet also receive attention during the summer hiking season and the winter ski season.

paragraphs: Apart from tourism, agriculture is still important, particularly cattle breeding in the mountains and dairy farming in the plains. The wine industry of the canton is the largest in Switzerland. There are also a large number orchards in the area, and saffron is also gathered here.

paragraphs: The most industrial western region of the canton is called Chablais. The area is very important for the economy. There are a lot of factories, the most important are the subsidiaries of Novartis and Syngenta, in Monthey. In the town of Collombey, there is an oil refinery.

paragraphs: Near Visp there is a large plant of aluminium manufacturing. Other metal products and chemicals are produced around Visp and Sierre.

paragraphs: Despite the thriving tourist industry, high level of infrastructure, and the many vineyards, canton Valais is still one of the poorest of the Swiss cantons, and not near the rich banking/financial cantons. A large portion of the canton's land and houses are now owned by foreigners.

paragraphs: A small airport is at Sion, but the main routes of transport are rail and road. Both networks are large and benefit from tourism. Many of the road passes are well known, such as the Grimsel Pass. The longest land tunnel in the world, the Lötschberg Base Tunnel, will soon be working, in late 2007 perhaps, connecting by rail the town of Frutigen in canton Bern, with the town of Visp in canton Valais/Wallis. This is to better spread car traffic in the highly scenic Kandertal, and also to provide faster transport through the Bernese Alps from the populous Mittelland in the north to the southern canton of Valais. Cars may be loaded onto the trains as freight.

paragraphs: Valais is mostly French speaking. The eastern part of the canton Upper Valais, however, speaks Walliser German. The French speaking population makes up a two-thirds of the population.

paragraphs: The people of the canton are spread thinly. The largest towns are the capitals Sion ("Sitten"), Sierre and Brig. There is no major city in the canton. Most of the population is Roman Catholic.

paragraphs: The following are the cities of the canton, by district.


title: Conthey (district)

paragraphs: Conthey is a district in the canton of Valais, Switzerland. It contains the following municipalities:


title: Martigny, Switzerland

paragraphs: Martigny is the capital city of the French-speaking district of Martigny in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.

paragraphs: It is 495 meters high. It has a population of about 15,000 people. Martigny is at the joining of Italy, France and Switzerland, one road linking this town over the Great St. Bernard Pass to Aosta (Italy), and the other one, over the col de la Forclaz to Chamonix (France). In winter, Martigny is appreciated for its nearby ski resorts like Verbier.

paragraphs: In the first century BCE, present-day Martigny was an oppidum or vicus of a Celtic tribe, the Veragri. It was then called Octodurus or Octodurum. When Julius Caesar was in Gaul (57-56 BCE), he sent Servius Galba with the twelfth legion and some cavalry into the country of the Nantuates, Veragri, and Seduni. His purpose in sending this force was to open the pass over the Alps, the pass of the Great St. Bernard, by which road the "mercatores" had been used to travel at great risk, and with the payment of great tolls. ("B. G." iii. 1.) The people of the Alps allowed the Italian merchants to pass, because if they plundered them the merchants would not come; but they got as much out of them as they could. Galba, after taking many strong places, and receiving the submission of the people, sent off two cohorts into the country of the Nantuates, and with the remaining cohorts determined to winter in Octodurus, which was in a valley with no great extent of level ground near it, confined on all sides by very lofty mountains. There is some level ground at Martigny, and the valley of the Rhone at this part is not very narrow. Caesar says that the town of Octodurus was divided into parts by a river, but he does not mention the river's name. It is the Dranse. Galba gave one part of the town to the Galli to winter in, and assigned the other to his troops. He fortified himself with a ditch and rampart, and thought he was safe. He was, however, suddenly attacked by the Galli before his defences were complete or all his supplies were brought into the camp. Thus began the Battle of Octodurus. The Romans obstinately defended themselves in a six hours' fight; when, seeing that they could no longer keep the enemy out, they made a sortie, which was successful. The Romans estimated the Galli at more than 30,000, and Caesar says that more than a third part were destroyed. The slaughter of the enemy was prodigious, which has been made an objection to Caesar's veracity, or to Galba's, who made his report to the commander. It has also been objected that the valley is not wide enough at Martigny to hold the 30,000 men. There may be error in the number that attacked, and also in the number who died. After this escape Galba prudently withdrew his troops, and marching through the country of the Nantuates reached the land of the Allobroges, where he wintered.

paragraphs: The region joined the Roman Empire. In 47, Emperor Claudius founded Forum Claudii Augusti, later renamed Forum Claudii Vallensium to avoid confusion with another city that was dear to him. Octodurus was the principal town of the area until the displacement of the episcopal see to Sion in the 4th century. Pliny (iii. c. 20) says that the Octodurenses received the "Latinitas" ("Latio donati"). The town appears in the Antonine Itinerary and in the Tabula Peutingeriana. In the "Notit. Prov.", the place is called Civitas Vallensium Octodurus. At a later period it was called Forum Claudii Vallensium Octodurensium, as an inscription shows. One authority speaks of the remains of a Roman aqueduct at Martigny. Many coins, and other memorials of the Roman time, have been found about the place.

paragraphs: The name "Octodur" is manifestly Celtic. The second part of the name is "Dur", water. The first part, probably some corrupt form, is not explained. The town sat on the Roman road from Augusta Praetoria (modern Aosta) in Italy.

paragraphs: The Romans left many ruins. The city is known for the amphitheatre, which was restored in 1978. Cow fights are held in the amphitheatre during early autumn for the "Comptoir". The city is also famous for its museum, the Pierre Gianadda Foundation, built on top of Roman ruins.

paragraphs: The area has some apricot orchards, and vines on steep slopes.


title: Mattertal

paragraphs: Mattertal is a valley in the Alps of Switzerland which begins on the side of the Matterhorn. The "Matterhorn" is one of the most famous mountains in the world because of its beauty, and because it is hard to climb.

paragraphs: The "Mattertal" is a valley that was made by a glacier (a slowly-moving river of ice) moving down from the mountain. This can be seen from the deep U shape of the valley. (Valleys made by a fast-running stream are V-shaped). Because the sides of the valley are very steep, there are often landslides. One can be seen in the photo taken near Randa village. Many houses in the villages are called chalets. These can be seen in the picture of Täsch village.

paragraphs: In the Mattertal are villages which include Zermatt, Täsch, Randa, Grächen, and St. Niklaus. Many tourists like to stay in the villages to see the view, to go walking, skiing or mountain climbing. The traditional work of the people is dairy farming, but many people work in the tourist industry.


title: Zermatt

paragraphs: Zermatt is a municipality in the district of Visp in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.

paragraphs: It is found to the north of the Matterhorn in the German-speaking and mostly Roman Catholic section of the canton. It is pretty far southeast of Gstaad, and is pretty close to the border with Italy.

paragraphs: Zermatt has a local population of 5,500 people, but the actual population changes through the seasons as tourists come and go.

paragraphs: Zermatt is a famed ski resort and is a tourist destination. Until the mid-1800s, it was mostly a farming community; its name, as well as that of the Matterhorn itself, derives from the alpine meadows, or "matten", in the valley. In the German language, the town is "Zur Matte", or "in the meadow."

paragraphs: The town was "discovered" mid-century by British mountaineers, most notably Edward Whymper, whose conquest of the Matterhorn made the village famous worldwide.

paragraphs: Zermatt is a closed village, which means that non-Swiss nationals are not permitted to buy property within the area. May is the worst time to visit this city, as most of the streets are muddy.

paragraphs: Zermatt is a good place to start many hikes into the surrounding mountains, such as the Haute Route that ultimately leads to Chamonix in France. A complex of cable cars and chair lifts carry skiers in the winter and hikers in the summer; the highest of them leads to the Klein Matterhorn, a small outcropping on the ridge between Breithorn and Matterhorn that offers cool views in all directions. It is possible to cross into Italy via the Cervinia cable car station.

paragraphs: Any automobile that uses an engine is not allowed in Zermatt because of concerns for air pollution. Electric vehicles are allowed for local commerces. The Cantonal police allow some people to park in the northern section of this city. Some emergency vehicles (firetrucks, ambulance..) are also allowed to use combustion engines.

paragraphs: Most people reach Zermatt by train or cable car. Trains also leave for Zermatt from Visp and Brig.

paragraphs: Zermatt is well known throughout the world for its great skiing, especially Triftji for its moguls. The high altitude results in consistent skiing continuously up until the summer.

paragraphs: Skiing in Zermatt is split up into four distinct areas; Sunnegga, Gornegrat, Klein Matterhorn and Schwarzsee. There is also a connection to Cervinia and Valtournenche in Italy.


title: Ajax the Lesser

paragraphs: Ajax the Lesser (Ancient Greek: Αἴας) was a Greek hero from the Trojan War, who was the son of Oïleus.


title: Post-nominal letters

paragraphs: Post-nominal letters are letters after a person's name. They are used most in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms to show that the person has a certain:

paragraphs: Academic degrees (qualifications from a university) can also be shown as postnominal letters, as can military awards (medals and decorations)


title: Corvidae

paragraphs: The Corvidae are the crow family. They are all passerines. There are over 120 species in the family. The word 'crow' is also used to describe birds in the genus "Corvus". This genus includes the crows, jackdaws and ravens.

paragraphs: Crows are found on every continent except for the southern area of South America and Antarctica. Most crows are found in South America, Central America, Europe and Asia. There are only 10 species each in Africa, Australia and North America.

paragraphs: Most members of the crow family are black, such as crows, rooks, choughs, ravens and jackdaws. However, not all crows are black. Magpies and treepies can be black and white, or blue and green, or brown. Jays are often blue and white.

paragraphs: Crows are some of the most intelligent birds in the world. Crows and rooks are good at using tools, for example sticks or twigs. Magpies can see themselves in a mirror and they understand that it is a reflection. Many crows live near to humans in towns and cities. Some crows (such as Treepies) live in forests. They are more shy than the crows that live in cities.

paragraphs: Some crows in North America, Europe and northern Asia migrate. This means they travel to different places in summer or winter. Most crows are resident birds. This means they live in the same place all year round.

paragraphs: Many crows live in large groups. For example, many rooks nest together in large groups at the top of trees. This is called a rookery. Crows in big groups are often noisy. However, when it is the breeding season (this means when birds nest and have babies), crows can become angry and will scare off other crows.

paragraphs: Crows eat a variety of food. They will eat fledglings (baby birds) and eggs from nests, small animals (mice and rats), carrion (dead animals), vegetables and garbage. for much of the year, crows and rooks dig into grassland with their strong beaks, and eat various kinds of insect grubs and worms. Because they may attack the nest of other birds, crows may get mobbed by other species. This is when the defending birds group together to chase off the crow. Also, on farms, crows will eat vegetables and seeds. Farmers do not want this to happen so they make a scarecrow. This is an object made of straw and old clothes. It looks like a man and it may scare the crows away.

paragraphs: Crows make their nests in tall trees. They make the nest from large sticks. They usually lay 3–8 eggs. Both parents will look after the fledglings.


title: Visp

paragraphs: Visp is the capital city of the district of Visp in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.

paragraphs: It has a population of around 7,000 people. The two valleys are Mattertal and Saastal. It borders Brig-Glis

paragraphs: The majority of the population are German-speaking.

paragraphs: It has a chemical business named LONZA AG. There are also several smaller businesses.

paragraphs: In 2007, Visp will become a junction of the Neue Eisenbahn-Alpentransversale or NEAT, connecting with many other rail-lines.

paragraphs: The bus and the train station of Visp and Brig is the starting point for many outdoor activities, trips, and tours in the surrounding mountain resorts of Zermatt and Saas-Fee.


title: Saint-Maurice, Switzerland

paragraphs: Saint-Maurice is the capital of the district of Saint-Maurice in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.

paragraphs: On 1 January 2013 the former municipality of Mex (VS) merged into the municipality of Saint-Maurice.

paragraphs: It is the site of the Roman outpost of Agaunum and the old Abby of Saint-Maurice, which has become a famous high school in Switzerland ("Collège de Saint-Maurice").

paragraphs: It is not St. Moritz, a ski resort in the east part of Switzerland.


title: Conthey

paragraphs: Conthey is the capital of the district of Conthey in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.


title: Entremont (district)

paragraphs: Entremont is a district in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.


title: Santeri Palin

paragraphs: Santeri Palin (also known as Incánus) (born September 15, 1983, Nokia, Finland.) is a Finnish poet who writes poems in Finnish and English. His first book "Elämän kolmio kuoleman syklissä – ajatuksia reunalta" ("The Triangle of Life in the Cycle of Death – Thoughts from the Edge") came out in 2006.

paragraphs: Palin is a fan of J. R. R. Tolkien and currently he is the president of "Kontu Internet Community" (or "Verkkoyhteisö Kontu ry" in Finnish) and the vice president of the "Finnish Tolkien Society", which are Finnish Tolkien related communities.


title: Sembrancher

paragraphs: Sembrancher is the capital of the district of Entremont in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.

paragraphs: A small scenic village of around 500 residents in the Bagnes Valley, it is close to the Verbier ski resort. There is a way to get from Sembrancher to the Verbier ski resort and back for people interested in skiing.


title: Münster-Geschinen

paragraphs: Münster-Geschinen is the capital city of the district of Goms in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. On 1 January 2004 the former municipalities of Münster and Geschinen merged into the new municipality of Münster-Geschinen and On 1 January 2017 the former municipalities of Münster-Geschinen, Blitzingen, Grafschaft, Niederwald and Reckingen-Gluringen merged into the new municipality of Goms.


title: Microbiotheria

paragraphs: Microbiotheria are a small order of marsupial mammals with only one living species, the Monito del Monte (Spanish for 'little mountain monkey').

paragraphs: It is the only New World representative of the superorder Australidelphia; all other New World marsupials are part of the Ameridelphia.

paragraphs: The species is nocturnal and arboreal, and lives in thickets of Chilean bamboo in the temperate rain forests of the southern Andes. It eats mainly insects and other small invertebrates, supplemented with fruit.

paragraphs: At one time, they were placed in the order Didelphimorphia, the opossums, but due to many morphological differences, they were placed in another order. The skull's shape is strange, with many technical differences from the opossums.

paragraphs: It has long been suspected that South American marsupials were ancestral to those of Australia. The two continents were connected via Antarctica in the early Cainozoic era.

paragraphs: Australia’s earliest known marsupial is "Djarthia", a primitive mouse-like animal that lived about 55 million years ago. "Djarthia" had been identified as the earliest known australidelphian, and this research suggested that the Monito del Monte was the last of a clade which included "Djarthia".

paragraphs: In 2010, analysis of retrotransposon insertion sites in the nuclear DNA of marsupials confirmed the placement of the Monito del Monte in Australidelphia. It also showed its position as the most basal of that superorder.

paragraphs: The study also confirmed that the most basal of all marsupial orders are the other two South American lineages (Didelphimorphia and Paucituberculata, with the former probably branching first). This indicates that Australidelphia arose in South America (with the ancestors of all other living marsupials), and probably reached Australia in a single dispersal event after Microbiotheria split off (originated).


title: Dasyuromorphia

paragraphs: Dasyuromorphia are fair-sized order of some of the more unusual carnivorous or insectivorous marsupials. They vary in appearance, from rodent-like to shrew-like to cat-like to dog-like. This order includes the ever-famous Tasmanian devil. In this order, most of the marsupials have a pouch on the belly. However, some of the broad-footed marsupial mice have only folds of skin instead of true pouches, and the numbat lacks a pouch entirely. There are 63 species in 3 families, although one of the families is probably extinct:


title: Goat Rock Beach

paragraphs: Goat Rock Beach is a beach in Sonoma County, California, United States.

paragraphs: It is part of the Sonoma Coast State Beach, which is owned by the State of California. The mouth of the Russian River is in the northern part of the beach. Goat Rock is in the southern part of the beach. The beach itself was named after the rock. The naming of Goat Rock is unknown, but many sources say some goat herders around the early 20th century used the grassy, flat rock for goats, because few other animals could live there.

paragraphs: Goat Rock Beach has many visitors. It usually has the most people in the middle of summer. The beach is a popular spot for swimming and surfing. It is home to seagulls, harbor seals, and sea lions, as well as other animals from the Pacific Ocean.

paragraphs: The oldest natural history of the area is related to marks made by mammals in an area of rock about one third of a mile south of Goat Rock Beach. In uplifted sea stack formations, there are rubbing marks about two to four meters above the ground surface, too high of a rubbing mark for modern bovids. Mammoths are thought to have traveled here as recently as 40,000 years ago, and are thought to have made these rubbing marks. Mammoth fossils have been found at Bodega Head, which is a few miles south of Goat Rock Beach.

paragraphs: The earliest known humans to settle at Goat Rock Beach were the Native American Coast Miwok and Pomo tribes. During the mid-1800s, Mexican ranchers lived in California, and Goat Rock Beach was part of a Mexican land grant called the "Bodega Rancho". The Russians are thought to have begun cutting down the forests just north of the beach in the early 19th century.

paragraphs: The Russian River, which has its mouth at the north end of Goat Rock Beach, is Sonoma County's biggest watercourse and river. Just north of the Russian River mouth is the small town of Jenner, and the beach, Jenner Beach. Goat Rock is at the south end of the beach. Visitors can walk onto Goat Rock, going on a small "isthmus", which is also known as a land bridge. Blind Beach is just south of Goat Rock Beach, with only Goat Rock between the two beaches, and Goat Beach is southwest of it.

paragraphs: Goat Rock Beach has much marine erosion and erosion from the wind. This causes about one to three feet of land mass lost each year. "Erosion" is when water and wind remove the top layer of rock or mud. During big storms, there can be even more erosion.

paragraphs: The "sea stacks" (eroded parts of rock) along the Goat Rock Beach coast are rocks from the Franciscan Complex, rock formations which were made during earthquakes in California. About 200 years to 30 million years ago, the North American Plate collided with the Farallon Plate, causing earthquakes. Different rock types came from these collisions, including pillow basalt, chert, and sandstone. Goat Rock has a flat topped sea stack, made of greywacke. The rock "formations" (groups) are made of sandstone with layers of quartz.


title: Sea lion

paragraphs: Sea lions are several pinnipeds from the family Otariidae (eared seals). They live all around the world, except in the Atlantic Ocean.

paragraphs: Male sea lions have thick fur around the face and neck, which sometimes looks like a lion's mane. That's how they got the name "sea lion". Some, like the Steller sea lion, can actually roar! Of course, these pinnipeds are not really lions at all, but they are mammals. Like lions, they have fur, breathe air, give birth to live young, and feed milk to their young. They also eat meat, though sea lions eat the meat of fishes, squids, and sea birds instead of land animals. Sea lions are also fierce fighters, just like lions.

paragraphs: The pinniped species called "sea lion" are:


title: Greywacke

paragraphs: Greywacke is a type of sandstone. It is hard, and dark in color. It has different sized grains of quartz, feldspar, and small rock fragments set in a compact, fine clay matrix. It is mostly found in Palaeozoic strata. The larger grains can be sand-to-gravel-sized, and matrix materials make up more than 15% of the rock by volume.

paragraphs: The origin of greywacke was a problem. Gravel, sand and mud should not be laid down together, because river outflow drops heavier grains first. Now geologists think greywacke is formed by submarine avalanches or strong turbidity currents. These actions churn sediment and cause mixed-sediment slurries to occur. When this happens, the resulting rocks show various sedimentary features. Support for the turbidity current origin is the fact that deposits of greywacke are found on the edges of the continental shelves, at the bottoms of oceanic trenches, and at the bases of mountain formational areas. It also occurs in association with black shales of deep sea origin.


title: Carmina Burana

paragraphs: Carmina Burana is the name given to a collection of texts from the 11th and 12th century. There are over 240 texts in the collection, most of them written in Latin, some in Middle High German. Most of the texts are moral or satirical in nature. There are also texts about spring, or about love. Some of them are drinking songs, some of them were used as Minnesang. Some of the songs contain hints for the melodies. For some, the melodies can be reconstructed.

paragraphs: The texts were written down around 1230. This happened either in an abbey in Styria, or near Brixen. They were discovered by Johann Christoph von Aretin in Benediktbeuern Abbey in 1803. Today, they are in the Bavarian State Library in Munich. There they can be found there as Codex Buranus, with the signature clm 4660/4660a.

paragraphs: Johann Andreas Schmeller edited them and published them as "Carmina Burana – Lieder aus Benediktbeuern".

paragraphs: Carl Orff took 24 of them as "Carmina Burana". He wrote the music for them. The work was first performed in 1937 in the Opera house in Frankfurt am Main. Together with his works "Catulli Carmina" and "Trionfo di Afrodite" he made a work containing all three, called "Trionfi". Trionfi is performed much less than the Carmina Burana alone, though.


title: Vex, Switzerland

paragraphs: Vex is the capital city of the district of Hérens in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.


title: Dasyuridae

paragraphs: Dasyuridae is a family of marsupial carnivores. It has nearly all non-extinct members of the order "Dasyuromorphia". This means the quolls, phascogales, antechinuses, dunnarts, planigales, and Tasmanian devil (about 55 species in all).


title: Mohammed Zahir Shah

paragraphs: Mohammed Zahir Shah (16 October 1914 – 23 July 2007) was the last King ("Shah") of Afghanistan. He ruled for four decades, from 1933 to 1973.

paragraphs: Mohammed Zahir Shah became king of Afghanistan at the age of nineteen after the assassination of his father in November 1933. Since he was so young, his uncle, "Shah Mahmood Khan" ran the government. Mohammed Zahir Shah took control and was able to keep Afghanistan’s neutral position in international politics.

paragraphs: In July 17, 1973, Mohammed Zahir Shah was no longer king after a bloodless coup. He died on


title: Thurgau

paragraphs: Thurgau is a northeast canton of Switzerland. The population is 228,200 (2003). The capital is Frauenfeld.

paragraphs: To the north of Thurgau is Lake Constance, across which are Germany and Austria. The river Rhine makes the border in the northwest. To the south is the Canton of St. Gallen; to the west are the cantons of Zürich and Schaffhausen.

paragraphs: The area of the canton is 991 km and is usually divided into three hilly areas. One of these is along Lake Constance to the north. Another is inland between the rivers Thur and Murg. The third one makes the southern border of the canton and comes together with the Hörnli mountain in the pre-Alps.

paragraphs: In prehistoric times the lands of the canton were inhabited by people of the Pfyn culture along the lake. During Roman times the canton was part of the province "Raetia" until in 450 the lands were settled by the Alamanni. It was only in the 8th century that the canton became a political unit similar to what it is known today, as a Gau of the Frankish Empire. At the time, however, the area was not so clearly defined and changed frequently. Overall, the size of the Thurgau was larger, but during the Middle Ages the canton became smaller in size. The dukes of Zähringen and the counts of Kyburg took over much of the land.

paragraphs: The town of Zürich was part of the Thurgau until it became "reichsunmittelbar" in 1218. When the Kyburg dynasty became extinct in 1264 the Habsburgs took over that land. The Swiss confederation allied with ten freed bailiwicks of the former Toggenburg seized the lands of the Thurgau from the Habsburgs in 1460, and it became subject territory of Zürich.

paragraphs: In 1798 the land became a canton for the first time as part of the Helvetic Republic. In 1803 the canton of Thurgau became a member of the Swiss confederation. The current cantonal constitution dates from 1987.

paragraphs: The canton of Thurgau is known for farm produce such as apples, pears, and other fruits and vegetables. The many orchards in the canton are used for the making of cider. Wine is produced in the Thur valley.

paragraphs: There is also industry in the canton of Thurgau. The main industries are printing, clothing and arts and crafts. Small and middle-sized businesses are important for the economy. Many of these are concentrated around the capital.

paragraphs: The population is mostly German speaking. Most of the population are Protestants with the rest being Roman Catholics.

paragraphs: The Canton of Thurgau is divided into eight districts, and each is named after its capital:

paragraphs: There are 80 municipalities in the canton (as of April 2004):


title: Graubünden

paragraphs: Graubünden ' is the biggest and is farthest to the east of the cantons of Switzerland. The name means "Gray Union" in German and the canton lies entirely in the Alps. In Switzerland it hosts the biggest number of tourists each year.

paragraphs: The area of the canton is 7,105 km². Only one third of this land is used for farming. Forests cover 20% of the total area. The canton has many mountains that make up the highlands of the Rhine and Inn river valleys. Many of its scenic areas are part of the Swiss National Park or the Ela Nature Park.

paragraphs: There are many important peaks in the Grison Alps, including the Tödi at 3,614 meters and the highest peak Piz Bernina at 4,049 meters. Many of the mountain ranges feature huge glaciers, such as at the Adula, the Albula, the Silvretta, the Bernina, the Bregaglia and the Rätikon ranges. The mountain ranges in the central area contain many of the deepest vallies in Switzerland.

paragraphs: The canton borders Liechtenstein to the north, Austria to the north and the east, Italy to the south, and the cantons of St. Gallen to the northwest; Glarus and the canton of Uri to the west, and Ticino to the southwest. The capital city is Chur. Davos and St. Moritz are world-famous resorts and can be found in this area.

paragraphs: Most of the lands of the canton were once part of a Roman province called "Raetia" that was established in 15 BC. The area later was part of the lands of the diocese at Chur.

paragraphs: In 1367 the League of God's House was founded against the power of the Bishop of Chur. This was followed by the making of the Grey League, sometimes called "Oberbund", in 1395 in the Upper Rhine valley. The name "Grey League" is derived from the homespun grey clothes worn by the people. The name of this league later gave its name to the canton of Graubünden.

paragraphs: The first step towards the naming of the canton into Graubünden was when the league of the Ten Jurisdictions allied with the League of God's House in 1450. In 1471, the two leagues aligned with the Grey League. This meant that the leagues allied with the Swiss Confederation. The Habsburgs were defeated at Calven Gorge and Dornach, helping the Swiss confederation and the allied leagues of the canton of Grisons to be recognized.

paragraphs: The last traces of the bishop of Chur's jurisdiction were abolished in 1526. The Musso war of the 1520 drove the Three Leagues closer to the Swiss Confederacy. The lands of the canton of Graubünden were part of the Helvetic Republic, but the "perpetual ally" of Switzerland became a canton in 1803. The constitution of the canton dates from 1892.

paragraphs: The arms of the three original leagues are now all part of the coat of arms of the canton.

paragraphs: Private cars were only allowed in the canton of Graubünden after several votings in 1926.

paragraphs: The Graubünden are known for a dried-beef delicacy called Bündnerfleisch and for a nut and honey pie known as Bündner Nusstorte. Another specialty, made mostly in the western part of Grison, is Capuns, a filling meal of pasta and a little bit of meat, rolled into Chard leaves, eventually baked in mode of a gratin with cheese.

paragraphs: Agriculture and tourism make up most of the canton's economy. Agriculture combines forests and mountain pasturage in summer, mostly beef but also sheep and goats. Tourism is all around the canton, mainly around the towns of Davos/Arosa, Flims and St. Moritz/Pontresina, which are important in both winter and summer. There are a great number of other resorts people visiting the country can go to in the canton.

paragraphs: There is wine production around the capital Chur. Chur is also the center of industry. In the southern valleys of Mesolcina/Misox and Poschiavo there is corn (maize) and chestnut farming.

paragraphs: The languages spoken in Graubünden are German in the northwest, Romansh in the Engadin and around Disentis/Mustér), and Standard Italian in the valleys Mesolcina/Misox, Calanca, Val Bregaglia, and Poschiavo.

paragraphs: The main religions are Protestantism and Catholicism. Both are well-represented in the canton, with Roman Catholics forming a slight majority.

paragraphs: Graubünden is divided into 11 districts:

paragraphs: There are 209 municipalities in Graubünden (as of April 2004):


title: Nidwalden

paragraphs: Nidwalden is a canton of Switzerland. It is in the center of Switzerland. The population is 38,600 (in 2001). The capital is Stans.

paragraphs: Nidwalden is in the center of Switzerland. To the north is Lake Lucerne. Mountain ranges block in the rest of the canton on the other sides.

paragraphs: In 1291 the people of Nidwalden joined Uri and Schwyz to form an alliance. At the time there was no state, but towards the end of the 14th century early forms of government were established. This included institutionalized assemblies and courts. In the 14th and 15th century the people of Nidwalden joined the people of Obwalden to discuss important matters, but the two cantons were never really one. For example, Obwalden did not participate in the annexation of Bellinzona, Riviera and Blenio areas (today in the canton of Ticino).

paragraphs: Around 1500 many people in Nidwalden worked as mercenary soldiers. Many of these soldiers later emigrated. This helped to lessen the pressure of a growing population. A popular destination was the Alsace. After rejecting a new constitution by Napoleon — the ideas of the French Revolution were not popular in such an agricultural area — Nidwalden was attacked by French troops on 9 September 1798. Random destruction was caused and at least 400 people were killed. After the end of Napoleon's rule in 1814 most of the changes were reverted. Only in 1877 did Nidwalden introduce a new constitution. The open assembly ("Landsgemeinde") was abolished in 1997.

paragraphs: The government is composed of seven members. The local parliament has 60 seats.

paragraphs: Nidwalden sends only one deputy to the Swiss Council of States.

paragraphs: Up to the 1900s, Nidwalden was taken over by agriculture. Cattle and cheese were exported mainly to northern Italy. Around 1500, many people in Nidwalden worked as mercenary soldiers (people hired to fight for someone for money).

paragraphs: From the middle of the 19th century onwards, trade, industry and tourism gained momentum. Still, until the 1950s, agriculture took over the canton. Today, many small and middle-sized businesses fill the economy. The largest employer is the airplane constructor Pilatus. The small and middle-sized businesses work in a lot of areas. Many provide work in machine construction, medical equipment, international trade, optics and electronics.

paragraphs: Traditional areas such as forestry and agriculture are still important. Most farming is done with cattle and dairy products. Family farms are still common in Nidwalden today.

paragraphs: In recent years, Nidwalden is becoming an increasingly popular place to live and work. This is caused by its low taxes, its central location between Zürich and Milan, and the pretty countryside.

paragraphs: Because of the mountainous geography, tourism is important to Nidwalden. The lake and mountains attract many tourists around the year.

paragraphs: Many local charities have kept local traditions intact. There is traditional music, yodeling, dances, theaters and festivals. There are a number of modern cultural events, such as concerts and galleries.


title: Schaffhausen

paragraphs: Schaffhausen is a town in northern Switzerland and the capital of the canton of the same name. It has a population of about 36,000 as 2016.

paragraphs: The old portion of the town has many fine Renaissance era buildings decorated with exterior frescos and sculpture, as well as the impressive old canton fortress, the "Munot". A train runs out of town to the nearby Rhine Falls in Neuhausen am Rheinfall, Europe's largest waterfall, a tourist attraction.

paragraphs: Schaffhausen was a city state in the Middle Ages, documented to have struck its own coins starting in 1045. For a time it was under Habsburg domination, but regained its independence in 1415. It allied itself with Zürich in 1457, and became a full member of the Swiss Confederation in 1501. The first railroad came to Schaffhausen in 1857.

paragraphs: Schaffhausen is in a finger of Swiss land surrounded on three sides by Germany. On April 1, 1944, Schaffhausen suffered a bombing raid by United States Army Air Forces aircraft which strayed from German airspace into neutral Switzerland. While the United States immediately offered four million dollars in reparations, the raid occurred only a month after the Swiss Air Force had shot down an American bomber.

paragraphs: In 1947 it merged with the former municipality of Buchthalen. In 1964 it merged with the former municipality of Herblingen. Since 2009, Hemmental has been part of the town.

paragraphs: Schaffhausen has some well-known industrial companies (Georg Fischer) in piping systems, machine tools and automotives, one internationally-reputed watches manufacturer (IWC), and drug industry (Cilag, founded by Bernhard Joos).


title: Obwalden

paragraphs: Obwalden is a canton of Switzerland. It is in the centre of Switzerland. As of 2004, 33,300 people lived there. Its capital is Sarnen.

paragraphs: Lakes in the canton include: parts of Lake Lucerne, Lake Sarnen, Lungerersee, Wichelsee, Tannensee and Melchsee.

paragraphs: There are seven municipalities: Sarnen, Kerns, Sachseln, Alpnach, Giswil, Lungern and Engelberg.


title: Canton of Jura

paragraphs: The canton of Jura is one of the Cantons of Switzerland. It is the newest of the 26 Swiss cantons (created in 1979) and is in the northwestern part of Switzerland. The capital is Delémont. It shares borders with the canton of Basel-Landschaft, the Canton of Bern, and the French département of Jura.

paragraphs: Canton Jura is in northwest Switzerland. It includes parts of the Jura mountains in the south and the Jura plateau in the north. The Jura plateau is hilly and almost entirely limestone.

paragraphs: To the north and the west of Jura is France. The canton of Solothurn and Basel-Landschaft are east of Jura, while the canton of Bern is south of Jura. The River Doubs and the river Birs drain the lands.

paragraphs: The king of Burgundy donated much of the land that today makes up Canton Jura to the Bishop of Basel in 999. The area was a sovereign state within the Holy Roman Empire for more than 800 years. After the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648 the Jura had close ties with the Swiss Confederation. In the Congress of Vienna the Jura was given to the Canton Bern. This act caused dissension. The Jura was French-speaking and Roman Catholic, whereas the canton of Bern was mostly German-speaking and Protestant. The people of the Jura region called for independence. After a long struggle, a constitution was accepted in 1977. In 1978 the split was made official when the Swiss people voted in favour of it, and in 1979 the Jura joined the Swiss Confederation as a full member. However, the southern part of the Jura region, which is also predominantly French-speaking but has a Protestant majority, opted not to join the newly formed canton, and instead remained part of Bern. This area is now known as Bernese Jura. The word Jura, therefore, may refer either to Canton Jura, or to the combined territory of Canton Jura and Bernese Jura.

paragraphs: On creation, the canton adopted the title Republic and Canton of the Jura. Other cantons in Switzerland using the title "Republic and Canton" are Ticino, Canton Geneva, and Canton Neuchâtel. In each case the title asserts the autonomy of the canton and its nominal sovereignty within the Swiss Confederation.

paragraphs: Agriculture is important in Canton Jura. Cattle breeding is significant and there is also horse breeding. The main industries are watches, clothing and tobacco. There are a growing number of small and middle-sized businesses.

paragraphs: The people are almost fully French-speaking. The majority is Roman Catholic.

paragraphs: This is a list of the canton's 83 municipalities by district.


title: French Community

paragraphs: The French Community () was the body which replaced the French Union in 1958. Under the 1958 Constitution, member territories, former French colonies, had a lot of independence, but France controlled the currency, defence, foreign affairs and national security.

paragraphs: When the Community was established, French President de Gaulle said that any country in the French Community could move to complete independence. Apart from Guinea, which chose by referendum in 1958 not to join the Community, all French-ruled territories in sub-Saharan Africa joined the French Community. They obtained independence in 1960.


title: Usury

paragraphs: Usury is lending money for interest. Nowadays it usually means lending at a high, often extortionate rate of interest on a loan.

paragraphs: Usury is illegal in many parts of the world. In muslim countries charging any interest at all is strictly illegal.

paragraphs: Some people argue that this is against the Old Testament, especially Exodus and Deuteronomy which states that those who lend to someone in need will be blessed, but the point about usury is the high levels of interest, not the act of lending in itself.

paragraphs: Aristotle also condemned usury as "contrary to nature" in his book on Politics, because it increases by itself and makes money without labour.


title: John Bates

paragraphs: John Lewis Bates (September 18, 1859–June 8, 1946) was born in Massachusetts.

paragraphs: He was a Republican, and was a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1894 to 1899; from 1897 to 1899 he was Speaker of the House. From 1900 to 1903 he was Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts.

paragraphs: In 1902, Bates was elected Governor, holding office from 1903 to 1905. Bates then retired to his private law practice in Boston. From 1917 to 1919 Bates was a delegate to the Massachusetts Constitutional Convention.

paragraphs: Bates was a member of the American Bar Association, the Freemasons, the Odd Fellows, and Beta Theta Pi.


title: Acoustic music

paragraphs: Acoustic music is music which is played by using acoustic musical instruments, i.e. instruments in which the sound is not made louder by electronic amplification. Before electronic musical instruments were created in the 20th century all instruments were acoustic.

paragraphs: Classical music is usually played using only acoustic musical instruments, although some 20th century composers such as Karlheinz Stockhausen used electronic instruments, sometimes together with acoustic instruments.


title: Mandolin

paragraphs: The mandolin is a musical instrument, which literally means, a small soprano member of the lute family. It is played by hitting its strings and sounds similar in tone of a violin or a hammered dulcimer. The most common type of mandolin, which was first designed in Naples, has eight strings. It has a body made of wood and a fingerboard which has frets.


title: Bluegrass music

paragraphs: Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music. It has its own roots in Irish, Scottish and English traditional music. It is usually played using acoustic musical instruments, and electronic musical instruments are rarely used in bluegrass music. Traditional instruments used include the banjo, mandolin, fiddle, guitar and bass. Other instruments such as the dobro are also used.

paragraphs: There are many accomplished bluegrass artists including Bela Fleck, Tony Rice, Alison Krauss, Laurie Lewis, Sam Bush, Bill Monroe, and Earl Scruggs. There are many organizations devoted to this music such as the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA).

paragraphs: Many festivals are held around the country where professionals perform, amateurs gather to play, and workshops are given.


title: Billboard charts

paragraphs: "Billboard" charts are charts published by "Billboard" magazine. They have information about the popularity of music songs, bands and singers. The Billboard Hot 100 is the most popular chart. It appears every week in the United States. It uses information from radio play and sales to say the most popular song each week.


title: Leuk

paragraphs: Leuk (French Loèche) is a municipality of Switzerland and is the capital city of the district of Leuk in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.

paragraphs: Since it controls access to the Gemmipass, it had some importance from the time of Roman Raetia. The Leukerbad hot baths are just North of Leuk, towards the pass.

paragraphs: Loèche houses the installations of Onyx, the Swiss interception system for electronic intelligence gathering.

paragraphs: On 1 January 2013 the former municipality of Erschmatt merged into the municipality of Leuk.


title: Raron

paragraphs: Raron is the capital city of the district of Raron in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.


title: Goms (district)

paragraphs: Goms is a district of the canton of Valais in Switzerland.

paragraphs: It includes the following municipalities:


title: Shavo Odadjian

paragraphs: Shavo Odadjian () (born April 22 1974, Yerevan, Armenia as Shavarsh Odadjian) is the bassist for the Armenian American-based alternative metal band, System of a Down. He also scored summer blockbuster hit, "Babylon, A.D." alongside with The Rza and Hans Zimmer. He is a multi-instrumentalist, painter, DJ, and director.

paragraphs: In his youth, Shavo used to spend his time skateboarding and listening to punk rock and heavy metal music. He started managing the band "Soil" with Malakian and Tankian in 1993 after meeting them in a recording studio. In 1995, Shavo became the permanent bassist of the band. They then named themselves "System of a Down" after a poem titled "Victims of a Down" authored by bandmate Daron Malakian.

paragraphs: Odadjian is a popular DJ in the LA area met by "Dj Tatic", taking part in such events as the "Rock/DJ Explosion" on March 2 2001 at The Roxy in Hollywood and collaborating with bandmate Tankian on SerArt, the singer's side project with Armenian musician Arto Tunçboyacıyan.


title: Aspartame

paragraphs: Aspartame (also known as E951 or NutraSweet) is an artificial sweetener. It was discovered in 1965 by James M. Schlatter. It can be used to replace some kinds of sugar. It is not based on sugars. It is not like saccharin.


title: Saccharin

paragraphs: Saccharin is the oldest artificial sweetener that exists. It can be used to replace certain kinds of sugar. It was discovered in 1878 by Constantin Fahlberg. It is also known as E954.


title: Isomalt

paragraphs: Isomalt is a natural substitute for sugar. It is a kind of sugar alcohol. It is used mainly to replace sugar in some products, like bubble gum, candies,chocolate or ice cream. This makes it different from other artificial sweeteners. It is also known as E563.


title: Sloth

paragraphs: Sloths are Xenarthran mammals from Central and South America. They are part of the order Pilosa. There are two families of sloths: two-toed sloth and three-toed sloth. Most scientists call these two families the Folivora, while some call them the Phyllophaga. They live in trees, but in the past there were giant ground sloths.

paragraphs: The biogeographic origins of the Pilosa is still unclear, but they can be traced back in South America as far as the early Tertiary, about 60 million years ago. The presence of these animals in Central America is explained by the Great American Interchange.

paragraphs: Most sloths are about the size of a small dog and they have short, flat heads. Their hair is grayish brown but, at times they look grey-green in color because they move so slowly that tiny camouflaging algae grow all over their coats. They have hooklike claws on their arms and legs to keep them attached to trees.

paragraphs: Sloths are active at night and sleep curled up with their head placed between the arms and the feet drawn close together, or hanging upside down with the help of their hook- like claws. This disguises them as part of a tree so that its enemies like the jaguar do not see them. Sloths rarely climb down from the trees, and when they are on the ground they can only crawl awkwardly. However, when there is a forest flood, they are very good swimmers. Sloths can live for up to 30 years. They mostly just eat leaves and flowers, which take a very long time to digest.


title: Jura

paragraphs:
Places named Jura include:
Rivers named Jura include:


title: Oberon (moon)

paragraphs: Oberon is the farthest big moon of the planet Uranus. It is made of about half ice and half rock.

paragraphs: With a mean radius of about 760 km, Oberon is the second biggest moon of Uranus's 27 moons. It orbits Uranus about every 13.4 days.

paragraphs: It was found on January 11, 1787 by William Herschel, in the same year he found Titania. It was named after a Oberon, King of the Fairies, a character in William Shakespeare's play A Midsummer Night's Dream.

paragraphs: Oberon has several large impact craters where it has been hit by meteorites. These were photographed by the Voyager 2 spacecraft in 1986 as it flew passed. Scientists also believe there is a mountain that could be high on the moon.

paragraphs: Craters on Oberon are named after characters in the plays of William Shakespeare.


title: Delémont (district)

paragraphs: The district of Delémont is one of three districts in Jura, Switzerland. Its capital is the city of Delémont. The district is nearly all French-speaking and is home to a population of 35,175 (end of 2005).

paragraphs: Delémont is divided into 28 municipalities:


title: Xavier Rudd

paragraphs: Xavier Rudd (born 1978) is an Australian musician. He grew up in the small town of Torquay, Victoria, Australia. When Rudd was young, he learned to play the didgeridoo on a vacuum cleaner hose.

paragraphs: Rudd is known for playing at music festivals and concerts in Australia and in North America. He has many fans in Australia, his home, as well as Canada, where he has recorded a few live albums.

paragraphs: Some of his songs have political themes that deal with the environment and the rights of Aboriginal Australians.

paragraphs: Rudd is a father of two sons, Joaquin and Finojet, and a husband to his Canadian wife, Marci. He claims to have his son Joaquin's sock with him when he travels, because his family often can not travel with him.

paragraphs: Rudd also describes himself as a full-time "barefooter", which means that he does not own any shoes or other footwear. Rudd is also a vegetarian.


title: Banjo

paragraphs: The banjo is a string instrument, that was first played by African slaves in the United States a few hundred years ago. The idea came from other African instruments.

paragraphs: The name "banjo" may have come from a Kimbundu word: "mbanza", but it could have also come from a Senegambian word for the bamboo stick used for the banjo's neck.


title: Nicolás de Ovando

paragraphs: Nicolás de Ovando (Brozas, 1460 – Seville, 1511) was a Spanish soldier from a noble family and a knight of the Order of Alcántara. He was governor of Hispaniola from 1502 until 1509.

paragraphs: Nicolas de Ovando was born in 1460 in the town of Brozas, in Extremadura, Spain. His family was very religious and, when young, he joined the military religious "Order of Alcantara" where, in 1478, he was named "Comendador de Lares" ("Commander of Lares"), a very important position in the Order.

paragraphs: As "Commander of Lares", he was very appreciated by the Spanish Catholic Kings and, in particular, by Queen Isabella. On 3 September 1501 (Oviedo said in 1502), he was named as Governor of Hispaniola and of all lands discovered in America.

paragraphs: On 13 February, 1502 he went out of the port of Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Spain to go to the Hispaniola island with a fleet of 32 ships. On the fleet, there were 2,500 people, including priests, soldiers and colonists (some of them with their families), who were going to live in the Hispaniola. Among those colonists was Bartolomé de las Casas, later known as the "Protector of the Indians", and also Francisco Pizarro, who conquered the Inca Empire.

paragraphs: The plan of Ovando was to develop the West Indies economically and expand the Spanish influence in the region.

paragraphs: Ovando got in Santo Domingo on 15 April 1502.

paragraphs: The administration of Ovando in Hispaniola was one of great cruelty toward the Taíno Indians. When the Spaniards came to the island in 1492, the native population was 400,000 (estimated) but in 1508 there were only 60,000 Indians.

paragraphs: Because the new colonists needed more workers for the gold mines and farms, they brought, as slaves, Indians from the "Lucayas" (now, the Bahamas) islands. Then they brought slaves from Spain ("Ladinos", that is, of Africa origin but born in Spain); those were the first African slaves brought to America.

paragraphs: Ovando founded several cities (or ordered their foundations) on Hispaniola, among them: Compostela de Azua (or Azua de Compostela), Santa María de la Vera Paz, Bayajá (today, Fort Liberté, in Haiti), Salvatierra de la Sabana (today, Les Cayes, in Haiti), Salvaleón de Higüey, Cotuí, Puerto Plata, Santa Cruz de Hicayagua (today, Santa Cruz del Seibo, Dominican Republic).

paragraphs: Ovando sent Andrés Morales to explore completely the Hispaniola island. Morales made the most complete map of the island. Sebastián de Ocampo was sent to find out if Cuba was an island or part of the continent; after 8 or 10 months, Ocampo came back with the information that Cuba was an island. In 1508, Juan Ponce de León was sent with 50 men to conquer the island of San Juan (now the island of Puerto Rico).

paragraphs: In 1509, Ovando went back to Spain where he was made "Comendador Mayor" ("Head Commander") of the Order of Alcantara. During a meeting of the Order in Seville, Spain, he died on 29 May 1511 (Oviedo said in 1518). He was buried in the Church of San Benito, in the city of Alcántara, Extremadura, Spain.


title: Abelsonite

paragraphs: Abelsonite (nickel porphyrin) is a mineral that can be pinkish-brown, purple, or reddish-brown in colour and is formed from porphyrin crystals. It is platy (made in plates like mica) and fragile.

paragraphs: Porphyrins are organic ring compounds like haeme, the pigment in red blood cells.

paragraphs: It is found in the Green River Formation of Utah, in the United States.


title: Abenakiite-(Ce)

paragraphs: Abenakiite-(Ce) is a pale brown mineral and made from crystals. It was named for the Abenaki Indian Tribe, the people that lived in the area where this mineral was found. It is somewhat radioactive and it is easily scratched with fluorite. It was found in a quarry in Canada.


title: Abernathyite

paragraphs: Abernathyite is a pale, yellow-colored mineral that forms crystals. It was named for Jess Abernathy, the person who found the first samples of this mineral. It is found in a mine in Emery County, in the United States. It is highly radioactive.


title: Abhurite

paragraphs: Abhurite is a colorless crystalline mineral that forms on ship-wrecked tin ingots (nuggets). It is named for where it is found. It is found in a cove in the Red Sea. It is not radioactive.


title: Animal Liberation Orchestra

paragraphs: Animal Liberation Orchestra (also known as ALO) is an American rock and jam band from Southern California. They first formed several years ago as a group calling themselves Django. Over the years, they changed their name to Animal Liberation Orchestra and were signed to Jack Johnson's record label Brushfire Records.


title: Leftover Salmon

paragraphs: Leftover Salmon is an American Rock and jam band from Boulder, Colorado.


title: Internet meme

paragraphs: "You might be looking for the general usage of Meme"

paragraphs: An internet meme is something famous on the internet such as an image, a video, or even a person. Internet memes are usually created when someone published something and that thing was shared widely over the Internet. They usually consist of an image with top and bottom text. While spreading over the internet, most internet memes 'evolve' over time, with the original image/video being changed in one way or another by people other than the creator. Every internet meme evolves and has many variants. See: Memes

paragraphs: Two other versions of Internet memes are ""dank memes"" and ""dead memes"". Dank memes are thought of as relevant and funny. Dead memes are thought of as not relevant, or not funny. Dead memes, however, can become dank memes if used properly.


title: Morris Gleitzman

paragraphs: Morris Gleitzman (born 9 January 1953 in England) is one of Australia's most successful children's writers. Morris Gleitzman began writing as a screenwriter and enjoyed success writing for the Norman Gunston Show on Australian television. He has also written for the Governor-General of Australia and Rolf Harris.

paragraphs: Morris Gleitzman has had much success with his children's stories. They have been published in 14 countries around the world including the United States, United Kingdom, France and Australia. Some of his most successful books include "Misery Guts", "Worry Warts", "Blabber Mouth", "Belly Flop" and "Puppy Fat". He was born in England, on 9 January 1953.

paragraphs: He had dropped out of school by the age of 16 to live "the hippie dream" and by the time he had moved to Australia was writing many short stories that would later become a reality and turn his small life into a big meaningful life.

paragraphs: His most successful book is "Two Weeks With the Queen".


title: Coaxial cable

paragraphs: A Coaxial cable is a special electrical cable. It is used to transmit signals. The cable is specially insulated. This makes it quite stiff. Today, coaxial cables are used for things like Cable TV. Coaxial cables can also be used for computer networks, but this became rare in the 21st century, as twisted pair cables can be used more easily.

paragraphs: Such cables are usually made of a conducting wire. Then there is some insulation, then there is another layer of conducting material. Finally there is the (insulating) mantle. Such cables are used as a high-frequency transmission line to carry a high-frequency or broadband signal. Because the electromagnetic field carrying the signal exists (ideally) only in the space between the inner and outer conductors, it cannot interfere with or suffer interference from external electromagnetic fields.

paragraphs: There are different types of coaxial cables, which satisfy different standards.


title: Abswurmbachite

paragraphs: Abswurmbachite is a black or dark brown metallic mineral. It is named after Irmgard Abs-Wurmbach, who is a German mineralogist. It is found in Mili, Avia or Andros Island, Greece. It is not radioactive.


title: Acanthite

paragraphs: Acanthite is a mineral that can be lead gray, gray, or coal in color and is made from crystals. Its name comes from the Greek word, akanta, meaning "arrow", or the Latin word "argentum", meaning "silver". It is made of silver(I) sulfide.

paragraphs: It is found in Freiberg, Schneeberg, and Annaberg, Germany. Acanthite is not radioactive.


title: Seven Lucky Gods

paragraphs: The , commonly called the Seven Lucky Gods in English, refer to the seven gods of good fortune in Japanese mythology and folklore. They are often the subject of netsuke carvings.

paragraphs: Many figures in Japanese myth were transmitted from China (some having entered China from India), including all of the Seven Lucky Gods except Ebisu. Another god, Kichijōten, goddess of happiness, is sometimes found depicted along with the seven traditional gods, replacing Jurōjin.

paragraphs: The seven gods are often pictured on their ship, the Takarabune (宝船), or "Treasure Ship." The tradition says that the seven gods will arrive in town on the New Year and distribute fantastic gifts to worthy people. Children often receive red envelopes bearing the Takarabune which contain gifts of money around the New Year. The Takarabune and its passengers are often shown in art in different locations, from the walls of museums to cuddly caricatures.


title: Acetamide

paragraphs: Acetamide is a mineral that is either colorless or gray in color, and is made of a crystalline crust on black shale. It is named for acetic acid and ammonia. It can be found in Russia and is not radioactive.


title: 17 (number)

paragraphs: Seventeen is a number. It comes between sixteen and eighteen, and is an odd number. It is also the 7th prime number, after 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, and 13. In Italy, 17 is considered an unlucky number.

paragraphs: In Roman numerals, 17 is written as XVII.


title: Pectin

paragraphs: Pectin is a food supplement. It is a source of dietary fiber. It is used to make jellies and jams. Usually it comes in the form of a white powder. It is made from parts of fruit, like oranges. People use pectin to thicken things, like jelly and jam.

paragraphs: It is also seen as a large polysaccharide molecule found in the cell wall of many cells.


title: Pectobacterium carotovorum

paragraphs: Pectobacterium carotovorum (syn "Erwinia carotovora") is a rod-shaped bacterium originally isolated from carrots. It is a plant pathogen and opportunistic human pathogen, causative agent of soft rot and blackleg potato ("P. atrosepticum") diseases.


Burger


title: Jesus with erection

paragraphs: Jesus with erection is a picture that was made by students at the University of Oregon and published in the March 2006 edition of the "Student Insurgent". It caused debates in the United States in 2006. The picture shows a naked Jesus Christ on the Cross with an erection.

paragraphs: In 2005 the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten published 12 cartoons of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. The paper said that this was to add to the debate about criticism of Islam and self-censorship. Danish-Muslims said that they did not like them because Islam teaches that it is wrong for people to make any picture of Muhammad and also because they felt that the pictures showed disrespect to Muhammad. This led to protests in many Islamic countries, some of which became violent and led to more than 100 deaths.

paragraphs: The students of the University of Oregon said that they made the pictures of Jesus because they want to show how people who are religious feel when people make pictures that may be offensive to Jesus. They wanted to get Muslims and Christians to talk and understand each other better.

paragraphs: Some people disliked the picture of Jesus with erection. The president of the Catholic League, William Donohue, said that the president of the Oregon University, Dave Frohnmayer, is partially responsible for the pictures. William Donohue said that the picture was one of the worst attacks on Christianity he had ever seen. Other people who disliked the picture said that the University's President David B. Frohnmayer should not work for the University any more. However, the Oregon Daily Emerald and the Oregon Commentator, said that the students' right to free speech and the University's decision to defend the student newspaper, citing the decisions of the Supreme Court of the United States like the Southworth case. This case said that universities could support student groups (such as newspapers) that other students did not agree with without hurting the rights of the students who do not like the groups.


title: Giovanni Guaita

paragraphs: Giovanni Guaita is an Italian historian, researcher of Eastern Christianity and writer. He is an assistant Professor of the Moscow Linguistic University. Guaita was born in 1962 in Italy. He studied in different Western European and Russian (Moscow and St Petersburg) universities.

paragraphs: He is the author of several books. Three of these books are on the Armenian theme. Guaita also known as the compilator of "The vocabulary of Orthodox agiology".


title: Cockatoo

paragraphs: A cockatoo is any of the 21 species belonging to the bird family Cacatuidae, the only family in the superfamily Cacatuoidea. Along with the Psittacoidea (true parrots) and the Strigopoidea (New Zealand parrots), they make up the order Psittaciformes (parrots).

paragraphs: The name "cockatoo" comes from the Malay name for these birds, "kaka(k)tua", via the Dutch "kaketoe".

paragraphs: Cockatoos are recognisable by the showy crests and curved and strong bills. Their plumage is generally less colourful than that of other parrots, being mainly white, grey or black and often with coloured features in the crest, cheeks or tail. On average they are larger than other parrots; however, the Cockatiel, the smallest cockatoo species, is a small bird.

paragraphs: Cockatoos have a much more restricted range than the true parrots, occurring naturally only in Australasia. Eleven of the 21 species exist in the wild only in Australia, while seven species occur only in the islands of the Philippines, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. Interestingly, no cockatoo species are found in Borneo (despite their presence on nearby Palawan and Sulawesi) or many Pacific islands, although fossil remains have been recorded from New Caledonia.

paragraphs: Three species occur in both New Guinea and Australia. Some species have widespread distributions, with the Galah, for example, occurring over most of Australia, whereas other species have tiny distributions, confined to a small part of the continent, such as the Long-billed Black Cockatoo of Western Australia or to a small island group, such as the Tanimbar Corella, which is restricted to the Tanimbar Islands of Indonesia.

paragraphs: Cockatoos occupy a wide range of habitats, from forests in subalpine zones to mangroves. However, no species is found in all types of habitat. The most widespread species, such as the Galah and Cockatiel, are open-country specialists that feed on grass seeds. Other cockatoo species, such as the Glossy Black Cockatoo, inhabit woodlands, rainforests, shrublands and even forests with an alpine climate. The Philippine Cockatoo inhabits mangroves. Several species have adapted well to human modified habitats and are found in agricultural areas and even busy cities.

paragraphs: The cockatoos were first defined as a subfamily Cacatuinae within the parrot family Psittacidae by the English naturalist George Robert Gray in 1840, with "Cacatua" the first listed and type genus. This group has alternately been considered as either a full family or a subfamily by different authorities. The American ornithologist James Lee Peters in his 1937 "Check-list of Birds of the World", Sibley and Monroe in 1990 maintained it as a subfamily, while parrot expert Joseph Forshaw classified it as a family in 1973. Subsequent molecular studies indicate that the earliest offshoot from the original parrot ancestors were the New Zealand parrots of the family Strigopidae, and following this the cockatoos, now a well-defined group or clade, split off from the remaining parrots, which then radiated across the southern hemisphere and diversified into the many species of parrots, parakeets, macaws, lories, lorikeets, lovebirds and other true parrots of the family Psittacidae.

paragraphs: The fossil record of cockatoos is even more limited than that of parrots in general, with only one truly ancient cockatoo fossil known: a species of "Cacatua", most probably subgenus "Licmetis", found in Early Miocene (16–23 million years ago) deposits of Riversleigh, Australia. Although fragmentary, the remains are similar to the Western Corella and the Galah.

paragraphs: Names in parentheses after generic names indicate subgenera.

paragraphs: The current subdivision of this family is as follows:

paragraphs: Subfamily Calyptorhynchinae: The black cockatoos

paragraphs: The cockatoos are mostly medium to large parrots with a heavy, compact body. They range from in length and in weight. However, one species, the Cockatiel, is considerably smaller and slimmer than the other species, being long (including its long pointed tail feathers) and in weight.

paragraphs: The movable headcrest, which is present in all cockatoos, is spectacular in many species; it is raised when the bird lands from flying or when it is aroused.

paragraphs: Cockatoos share many features with other parrots, including the characteristic curved beak shape and a zygodactyl foot, with the two middle toes forward and the two outer toes backward. They differ however in a number of characteristics, including the presence of a gallbladder, some other anatomical details and their lack of the structures in the feathers which cause the bright blues and greens seen in true parrots.

paragraphs: Like other parrots, cockatoos have short legs and strong claws, and often use their strong bill as a third limb when climbing through branches. They generally have long broad wings used in rapid flight, with speeds up to being recorded for galahs. The members of the genus "Calyptorhynchus" and larger white cockatoos, such as the Sulphur-crested Cockatoo and Major Mitchell's Cockatoo, have shorter, rounder wings and a more leisurely flight.

paragraphs: Cockatoos are active mainly during the day and require daylight to find their food. They eat a range of mainly vegetable food items. Seeds form a large part of the diet of all species; these are opened with their large and powerful bills. The Galahs, corellas and some of the black cockatoos feed primarily on the ground; others feed mostly in trees.

paragraphs: Like most parrots, the cockatoos are made their nests in holes in trees, which they are unable to excavate themselves. These hollows are formed from decay or destruction of wood by branches breaking off, fungi or insects such as termites or even woodpeckers where their ranges overlap. In many places these holes are scarce and the source of competition, both with other members of the same species and with other species and types of animal. In general, cockatoos choose hollows only a little larger than themselves, hence different-sized species nest in holes of corresponding (and different) sizes.

paragraphs: The female lays two white eggs on small pieces of wood. The young, which is born naked and blind, is fed by the adults with partially digested food for about three months.

paragraphs: According to the IUCN and BirdLife International, seven species of cockatoo are considered to be vulnerable or worse and one is considered to be near threatened. Of these, two species—the Philippine Cockatoo (or Red-vented Cockatoo) and the Yellow-crested Cockatoo—are considered to be critically endangered.

paragraphs: The principal threats to cockatoos are habitat loss and the trade in wild animals. All cockatoos nest in trees, and are vulnerable to their loss. Also, many species have specific habitat requirements or live on small islands and have naturally small ranges, making them especially vulnerable.

paragraphs: Cockatoos are popular as pets and the capture and trade has threatened some species; between 1983 and 1990, 66,654 recorded Salmon-crested Cockatoos were exported from Indonesia, a figure that does not include the number of birds caught for the domestic trade or that were exported illegally. The capture of many species has subsequently been banned but the trade continues illegally. Not only are the rare species smuggled out of Indonesia but also common and rare cockatoos alike are smuggled out of Australia.

paragraphs: All species of cockatoo except the Cockatiel are protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which restricts import and export of wild-caught parrots to special licensed purposes. Five cockatoo species (including all subspecies)—the Tanimbar Corella ("Cacatua goffiniana"), Philippine Cockatoo ("Cacatua haematuropygia"), Moluccan Cockatoo ("Cacatua moluccensis"), Yellow-crested Cockatoo ("Cacatua sulphurea") and Palm Cockatoo ("Probosciger aterrimus")—are protected on the CITES Appendix I list. With the exception of the Cockatiel, all remaining cockatoo species are protected on the CITES Appendix II list.


title: Bell P-39 Airacobra

paragraphs: The P-39 Airacobra was a fighter aircraft made by Bell Aircraft. It first flew in 1939, and was introduced in 1941. While it had good weapons, it was known for being very unstable and could lose control easily. It was fast but not very good above 5000 m (15,000 feet) as it lacked turbocharger. The Soviet Union used it during World War II as a fighter interceptor as most air battles at the Eastern front were fought at low heights. Very near the ground the Airacobra became extremely maneuverable and could out-turn any German airplane. The Russians liked the plane, and they often removed the wing guns to make it even more maneuvreable. Several Soviet pilots became fighter aces on P-39. The main weapon of P-39, a 37 mm cannon, was so powerful that it could destroy almost any airplane on a single hit.

paragraphs: The pilot who scored the most aerial victories was Grigori Rechkalov of the Soviet Air Force. He shot down 57 Germans with Airacobra. His squadronmate Aleksandr Pokryshkin had 59 victories, of which 47 were with Airacobra.

paragraphs: The P-39 was different from most aircraft in World War II. It had "tricycle" landing gear, doors that opened like a car (pilots would climb out of most fighters of the time) and the engine was behind the pilot. The "Q" version could go 375 miles per hour (600 km/h), had four 12.7mm machine guns, and one 37mm cannon.


title: Air Canada

paragraphs: Air Canada is Canada's largest airline. It flies from Canada to the United States, Europe, Asia, Australia, and some Caribbean countries. Air Canada began on September 1, 1937. It was first called "Trans-Canada Air Lines". The first flight was from Vancouver to Seattle. The airline's name changed to "Air Canada" in 1964. Air Canada was privatized in 1989. A large strike was launched by Air Canada pilots in September 1998. Air Canada bought Canadian Airlines in 2000. Since the early 2000s Air Canada has had many financial problems.

paragraphs: Air Canada has ordered the Boeing 737 MAX airplanes for the future. It is still receiving more Embraers and Boeing 787s. In the past, Air Canada had Airbus A340s, Boeing 727s, Boeing 737s, Boeing 747s, Douglas DC-8s, Douglas DC-9s and Embraer 170s.


title: Actinolite

paragraphs: Actinolite is a mineral that can be green, green-black, gray-green, or black in color and is made of crystals. It is common around the world. The environment it lives in is in metamorphic rocks. It is named after the Greek word aktinos (meaning "ray") because of the nature of Actinolite. Actinole is not radioactive.


title: Buoy

paragraphs: A buoy is a floating device that can have many uses. It is usually anchored in a certain place. The word is most commonly said () (as in "buoyant"), but in American English it is often pronounced .

paragraphs: Buoys are used by ships to navigate or sail safely from place to place. They are used to mark a safe channel on a river, lake or harbour. They are used to mark dangerous rocks and other items which ships have to keep clear of. They can also be used to mark a shipwreck, pipelines or swimming areas.

paragraphs: Buoys are used as marker for fishing, moorings for boats, yacht or dinghy racing, diving or weather stations and may be marked on charts as "Superbuoys".


title: Gulf Coast of the United States

paragraphs: hi today i will be talking about the gulf coat

paragraphs: The Gulf Coast region of the United States is made up of the coasts of states which border the Gulf of Mexico. The states of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida are known as the Gulf States. All Gulf States are in the Southern region of the United States.


title: Florida Panhandle

paragraphs: The Florida Panhandle is the region of the state of Florida which includes the westernmost 10 to 18 counties in the state. It is a narrow strip lying between Alabama and Georgia to the north and the Gulf of Mexico to the south. While some definitions only include the counties west of the , others include the eight counties east of the Apalachicola that are part of the Big Bend region. Culturally and in terms of history and climate, the region is more closely tied to the than to peninsular Florida.


title: Loop Current

paragraphs: Part of the Gulf Stream, the Loop Current is a warm ocean current in the Gulf of Mexico that flows northward between Cuba and the Yucatán Peninsula, moves north into the Gulf of Mexico, loops west and south before exiting to the east through the Florida Straits.

paragraphs: Around 1970, it was believed that the Loop Current exhibited an annual cycle in which the Loop feature extended farther to the north during the summer. Further study over the past few decades, however, has shown that the extension to the north (and the shedding of eddies) does not have a significant annual cycle.

paragraphs: The Loop Current and its eddies may be detected by measuring sea surface level. Sea surface level of both the Eddies and the Loop on September 21, 2005 was up to higher than surrounding water, indicating a deep area of warm water beneath them.


title: National Weather Service bulletin for New Orleans region

paragraphs: The National Weather Service bulletin for the New Orleans region of 10:11 a.m., August 28, 2005 was a vividly worded release issued by the local Weather Forecast Office in Slidell, Louisiana warning of the devastation that the Gulf Coast of the United States could experience as a result of Hurricane Katrina. Partly due to this bulletin, people in southeastern Louisiana and southern Mississippi, those most affected by the storm's impact, followed evacuation orders more closely, resulting in a reduced fatality number.

paragraphs: On the evening of August 25, 2005, Hurricane Katrina made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane near the Miami-Dade – Broward county line in southern Florida and weakened into a tropical storm as a result. The next morning, after passing over the state, Tropical Storm Katrina moved into the Gulf of Mexico, strengthened back to hurricane strength, and from the influence of the warm waters from the Loop Current, began undergoing rapid deepening.

paragraphs: At 11:00 p.m. EDT August 26, approximately 56 hours before Katrina's landfall near Buras, Louisiana, the National Hurricane Center had predicted that the New Orleans metropolitan area could face a direct hit by the storm. As New Orleans is located on the Mississippi River delta and much of the city is below sea level, a strong hurricane could have a devastating effect on the city. Previous warnings, such as the one made by the Houston Chronicle in 2001, told of a disaster that "would strand 250,000 people or more, and probably kill one of 10 left behind as the city drowned under 20 feet of water" following a severe hurricane making landfall on the city. The National Hurricane Center's director, Max Mayfield, mentioned that the Mississippi/Louisiana area has "the greatest potential for nightmare scenarios," and that this has been known for at least the three decades he has worked at the NHC. Other publications, such as "Popular Mechanics", "Scientific American", and The Times-Picayune predicted doomsday situations in which a sinking city would drown and its residents would be left homeless.

paragraphs: In 1965, Hurricane Betsy made landfall just south of New Orleans, causing widespread flooding in the city. As a result, a system of levees was authorized by Congress to handle future storm events. However, the protection given by this system was limited to hurricanes up to Category 3 intensity on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale.

paragraphs: Three days before Katrina's second and third landfalls, the National Hurricane Center began predicting that the storm would make landfall as a major hurricane. By the next morning, on August 27, the NHC gave out a hurricane watch that included the New Orleans metro area, which was upgraded to a hurricane warning by 10:00 p.m. CDT that same evening. At this point, Katrina was a Category 3 hurricane with 115 mph (185 km/h) winds and about 335 miles (540 km) to the south-southeast of the Mississippi River's mouth.

paragraphs: That night, the storm underwent another period of rapid strengthening, strengthening to a Category 5 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 175 mph (280 km/h) by 10:00 am CDT on August 28. At that time, the Weather Forecasting Office in Slidell, Louisiana issued an "urgent weather message" describing the destruction Katrina would likely cause in the region:

paragraphs: At 10:11 a.m. CDT (1511 UTC), Robert Ricks, a meteorologist with the New Orleans/Baton Rouge NWS office, issued the following statement:

paragraphs: An equally-explicit bulletin was repeated at 4:13 p.m. CDT.

paragraphs: In the following months after the storm, Congress appointed a two-party system committee to look into the response to Hurricane Katrina and the preparations before to its landfall. The committee concluded that the forecasts given by the National Weather Service were timely, were not responsible for failures in other agencies, and were likely responsible for saving thousands of lives.

paragraphs: During an internal assessment by the National Weather Service, the 10:11 bulletin and its impact were examined. The report called the bulletin "a significant moment for the NWS during Katrina," as its detailed and specific language did not have any previous precedent (though the message was based on a template designed by the Tampa Weather Office in 1990). The strongly-worded statement persuaded people to evacuate, and was highlighted by national news media. As a result, the level of detail was highlighted as an "innovative best practice" in the NWS assessment, which recommended issuing warnings with similar levels of detail in the future.


title: Cesc Fàbregas

paragraphs: Cesc Fàbregas (born May 4, 1987) is a Spanish football player. He plays as a midfielder for Chelsea F.C. in the English Premier League.

paragraphs: Fàbregas started playing football at Barcelona. In 2003, when he was just 16 years old, he signed with Arsenal.

paragraphs: He was named as the new captain of Arsenal in November 2008, after William Gallas lost the captaincy. He also plays for the Spanish national team since he was 19. He signed for Chelsea FC in June 2014.


title: Misery Guts

paragraphs: Misery Guts is a book by the award winning Australian author Morris Gleitzman.

paragraphs: This is a story about a kid named Keith who lives in London and his parents who own a fish and chip shop. This parents for a long time have not had many customers. Keith is dedicated to trying to make the store better and cheer up his parents so they won't be Misery Guts for the rest of their lives. He tries everything including some crazy stunts.

paragraphs: The story continues in the hilarious sequel "Worry Warts".

paragraphs: The book did not sell very well. As of November 2007, the "Misery Guts/Worry Warts" combination was ranked #3,465,204 in books sold by Amazon. A television series was made based on this book.


title: Brett Lee

paragraphs: Brett Lee (born 8 November, 1976 in Wollongong, New South Wales) is an Australian cricketer. He has played for the Australian national cricket team and New South Wales Blues. He has taken more than 300 wickets. Brett is a very fast bowler, one of the fastest the cricket world has known. His fastest delivery was . Lee won the Donald Bradman Young Player of the Year Award at the Allan Border Medal award ceremony in 2000 soon after his debut and has gone on to win many awards and a few tournaments.

paragraphs: He is the second of 3 boys and first played cricket with his brothers.


title: Otter

paragraphs: Otters are animals that live near and around water. They are a part of the animal family Mustelid. A group of otters is called a "romp", because they play together and are energetic. They live in nests called holts. There are many different kinds of otters. Some live near rivers, some in the sea (sea otters). Otters live on every continent except for Australia and Antarctica.

paragraphs: Otters are long and slim animals that can be longer than a meter. They have four short legs. They usually stay on all four legs, but they can stand up as well but they are expert swimmers and spend a lot of time in water. They have a thick fur coat that keeps them warm even in freezing water. They have very soft, insulated underfur, which is protected by an outer layer of long guard hairs. This traps a layer of air which keeps them dry and warm under water. They keep the air topped up by blowing into the fur with their mouth. Their fur is often brown at the top, and lighter underneath the Otter.

paragraphs: They eat meat and hunt for fish and small animals, so they have sharp claws and teeth that allow them to catch prey, then eat them. They are great swimmers and divers; they can stay underwater for 8 minutes. Their thick and long tail helps them steer while swimming underwater. Also, their feet are webbed, which helps them swim. On they ground, they can run very fast.

paragraphs: Otters live 8 to 9 years in the wilderness, and as many as 21 years when living with people.

paragraphs: Otters are carnivores; they must eat a lot of meat to live, so they spend 3 to 5 hours every day fishing and hunting. They can die of hunger more quickly than most animals. They eat fish, crayfish, crabs, and frogs. They will eat any small animals and birds they can catch. Much of their food is found in water. They dive in rivers, lakes and streams until they can find a suitable animal to eat, which they then chase. Once they catch it, they bring it to the top of the water, where they eat it. If the animal has a hard shell, otters can use a rock as a tool to break open the shell.

paragraphs: Otters are playful and energetic. They can be seen sliding down hills and slopes, as well as chasing other otters for fun. Some kinds of otters live in groups, while others are almost always alone. Because they spent so much time in cold water, they have to groom their fur often to stop themselves from freezing.

paragraphs: Otters talk to other animals and otters with whistles, growls, chuckles and screams, as well as chirps, squeals, and some kinds of otters might even purr. They also leave their scent on plants to mark their territory.

paragraphs: Sea otters ("Enhydra lutris") are classified as marine mammals. They live along the Pacific coast of North America. Their historic range included shallow waters of the Bering Strait. It also included Kamchatka, and as far south as Japan. Sea otters have about 26,000 to 165,000 hairs per square centimeters of skin. They have a rich fur for which humans hunted them almost to extinction. They frequently carry a rock in a pouch under their forearm. They use this to smash open shells. This makes them one of the few animals that use tools. They grow to in length and weigh . Although once near extinction, they have begun to spread again, from remnant populations in California and Alaska.

paragraphs: The European otter ("Lutra lutra") was common as recently as the 1950s, but became rare because of DDT pesticides, habitat loss and water pollution. Hunting of otters was also common. They stayed relatively common in parts of Scotland and Ireland, but numbers in England reached a low point in the 1980s. They are now recovering strongly. Otters are now quite common, especially in the west of England. Roadkill deaths are now happening more.

paragraphs: There are 13 types of otters in the world. They are


title: Arsenal

paragraphs: An arsenal is a place where guns and ammunition are made, repaired or stored.

paragraphs: Several places, landmarks and buildings have been named after arsenals:

paragraphs: Arsenal is used in the name of several football clubs:

paragraphs: In arts, music and culture, Arsenal can refer to:

paragraphs: There are also several man-made objects with Arsenal in their name:

paragraphs: Railway stations with Arsenal in their name include:

paragraphs: Companies with Arsenal in its name include:


title: Medal of Honor

paragraphs: The Medal of Honor is the highest award given to members of the United States Military. It is given to people who show a lot of bravery in wartime. Because of this, many people who get the Medal of Honor die earning it. It was first given in 1863 during the American Civil War.

paragraphs: The Medal of Honor has been given to 3,458 different people, including

paragraphs: According to Medal of Honor recipient Retired Army Maj. Gen. Patrick Brady who flew more than 2,500 combat missions over Vietnam and helped rescue more than 5,000 wounded, "it is harder to wear it than to earn it".


title: Asynchronous Transfer Mode

paragraphs: Asynchronous Transfer Mode is a set of protocols used for computer networks. It is mostly used for Wide Area Networks (WAN). It splits the data, and encodes it into packets of a fixed size. Each packet can be routed differently, along virtual paths set up in the network.

paragraphs: ATM has been very successful in WANs, as well as in Local Area Networks (LAN). Today, many ADSL implementations use ATM technology.

paragraphs: Standards like Ethernet (which is used for LANs) usually are quite simple. When there is little traffic on the network they work well. However, when there is a lot of traffic it is difficult to predict how an Ethernet network will behave. For this reason, Ethernet cannot give any service guarantees. It is not possible to say that an Ethernet packet will take a maximum delay, but after that time it is guaranteed to arrive.

paragraphs: ATM is more complex, but this complexity allows to give guarantees as to data rate, maximum delay, and jitter. These are usually called Quality of Service.


title: Blood type

paragraphs: Blood type or blood group is a medical term. It describes the type of blood a person has. It is a classification of blood based on the presence or absence of inherited antigenic substances on the surface of red blood cells (RBCs).

paragraphs: Blood types predict whether a serious reaction will occur in a blood transfusion. This reaction is called a "haemolytic reaction". It may destroy red blood cells, and cause renal failure. Shock is likely to occur, and death is a possibility.

paragraphs: When a blood transfusion or an organ transplant takes place, it is vital to know the blood types of the donor (who gives blood) and the receiver (who needs blood).

paragraphs: There are a number of human blood group systems. Of these systems, the ABO blood group system and the Rhesus blood group system are the most important. In this system the presence or absence of the A-antigen, the B-antigen and the RhD-antigen are determined.

paragraphs: The principle of the ABO system is that antigens – in this instance, sugars exposed on the surface of red blood cells – differ between individuals. This first discovered by Karl Landsteiner. People have immunological tolerance only for what occurs in their own bodies. As a result, humans may produce antibodies against natural components in the bodies of "other" people, but not themselves. So, people may produce antibodies against A and/or B antigens if they are not in their blood.

paragraphs: These antibodies clump red blood cells together if they carry the foreign antigens. This harsh response can cause death when large amounts of such cells are encountered after a blood transfusion. Because A and B antigens are chemically modified from a precursor form that is also present in type O individuals, people with type A and B antigens can accept blood from type O individuals.

paragraphs: Anti-A and anti-B antibodies are not present in the newborn. They appear in the first years of life. Anti-A and anti-B antibodies are usually too big to pass through the placenta to the foetal blood circulation.

paragraphs: In a laboratory, blood is tested for antigens. When a certain antigen is found, there are also always antibodies found. Antibodies attack (attach to) antigens that they do not recognise.

paragraphs: The blood is thus tagged as being "A positive", "O negative" for instance, where the letter refers to the ABO blood group and "positive" or "negative" refers to whether or not the RhD-antigen of the Rhesus blood group system was found. It can also be written "A+ " and "O-", respectively.

paragraphs: People with type O negative blood are often called universal donors because they can give blood to any other blood group. People with type AB positive blood are called universal recipients because they can receive blood from any other blood group.

paragraphs: The Rh factor (Rh meaning Rhesus) is a feature of the second most common blood-group system in human-blood transfusion. it is named after the Rhesus monkey where they were first discovered. Rh is an inherited trait, which refers to a protein on the surface of an individual's red blood cells.

paragraphs: The Rh factor is separate from, and in addition to, ABO groups. The Rh factor is either present on individual's red blood cells or it is not. Rh positive means the factor is present. Rh negative means it is not present. In blood transfusions it is important that the blood donor and recipient have the same Rh factor and same blood group.

paragraphs: Before a transfusion takes place blood is thoroughly tested for anything that might cause problems for the receiver.


title: Trance music

paragraphs: Trance music is a kind of electronic music. It centers around a synthesizer and bass drum on each beat and melodies with themes. Most trance music usually have 140 beats per minute. Trance music is commonly played in clubs. The genre takes insipiration from techno, house music, and other kinds of electronic music.

paragraphs: Trance refers to an altered state of consciousness as, for example, achieved by hypnosis. Trance music is characterised by unusually long tracks of highly repetitious music. Group dancing makes the effect stronger, as it does with some types of traditional African music. The general idea has been many times used in religious ceremonies. Nobody knows who introduced the term to electronic music.


title: Acuminite

paragraphs: Acuminite is a colorless mineral made from crystals. It is named for the Latin word "acuminis" (meaning "sharp point" or "spearhead") for the way the crystals are made. It is easily found in Greenland in the Ivigtut cryolite deposit. It is easily scratched with a copper penny.


title: Warthog

paragraphs: Warthog (Phacochoerus africanus) are remarkable animals. They are found in most of Africa south of the Sahara and are widely distributed in East Africa. They are the only pigs able to live in areas without water for several months of the year. By tolerating a higher-than-normal body temperature, the warthog is perhaps able to conserve moisture inside its body that might otherwise be used for cooling. (Camels and desert gazelles have developed a similar mechanism for survival in hot, arid environments.)

paragraphs: Warthogs are found in moist and arid savannas. They avoid rainforest, deserts and high mountains.