title: Marvin Gaye

paragraphs: Marvin Gaye (born Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr., April 2, 1939 - April 1, 1984) was an American soul and R&B singer and songwriter. He was a famous artist recording on the Motown label in the 1960s and 1970s. He became an independent artist when he released his 1971 album, "What's Going On". After living in Europe in the late 1970s, Gaye had a comeback hit with 1982's "Sexual Healing". The record won him two Grammy Awards and became his biggest hit. He died on April 1, 1984 when he was killed by his father, Marvin Gay, Sr.. After he died, he was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

paragraphs: Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. was the eldest son of a Pentecostal minister and the second of four children. His family lived in a mostly African-American community in Washington, D.C. When he was a child, Gaye was abused by his father. He used music to help him cope with the abuse, playing instruments and singing gospel music in his father's church. When he was a teenager, Gaye became a fan of doo-wop and joined several groups before he left high school at the start of his senior year.

paragraphs: In 1956, when he was seventeen years old, Gaye left home and enlisted in (joined) in the United States Air Force. He was honorably discharged the following year. Gaye moved back to Washington D.C. and formed a group called The Marquees. The group was discovered by musician Bo Diddley and they recorded the songs "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl" and "Wyatt Earp". They then met Harvey Fuqua and joined with his group The Moonglows. They released a song called "Mama Loocie" in 1959. This was the first song recorded with Gaye singing as lead vocalist. The following year, the new Moonglows split up and with Fuqua as his mentor, Gaye traveled to Detroit, Michigan where they met Berry Gordy, who had formed Motown Records. Gordy was impressed by Marvin's talent as a piano player and drummer and signed him as a session drummer for Motown. Gaye played drums on most of Motown's early hits for artists like The Marvelettes, Mary Wells, the Miracles and Stevie Wonder. In 1961, Gordy signed Gaye as a recording artist and released "The Soulful Moods of Marvin Gaye". The album did not sell well.

paragraphs: Gaye's first became successful when he co-wrote the Marvelettes' top twenty hit, "Beechwood 4-5789". In 1962 he released his own song called "Stubborn Kind of Fellow". It was partly about his own life and got into the top fifty of the pop chart and number eight on the R&B side. His first top 40 single, "Hitch Hike", and his first top ten hit, "Pride & Joy", made him a teen idol. These early singles and those on his second release, "That Stubborn Kind of Fellow", featured Martha and the Vandellas in the backGaye had more successful songs like early success continued with "Can I Get a Witness", "Baby Don't You Do It", "You Are a Wonderful One" and "Try It Baby". In late 1964, Gaye recorded "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)", which peaked at the top ten of the American pop charts and became one of his first hits abroad reaching the top fifty in the United Kingdom. Gaye also worked with his friend, singer Smokey Robinson to write number-one singles, "I'll Be Doggone" and "Ain't That Peculiar".

paragraphs: After his early success, which Marvin had struggles with, Motown began to widen his role as a ladies man, having him record duet albums with Mary Wells, Kim Weston and Diana Ross. His first album with Wells, "Together", became Marvin's first charted album, and yielded two popular hits, while his single with Weston, the Sylvia Moy-penned "It Takes Two", hit the top twenty on both sides of the Atlantic. But it would be his collaboration with Philadelphia R&B singer Tammi Terrell that landed him his biggest known success in his duet work. Building on songs written by Ashford & Simpson, the team of Marvin and Tammi scored a multitude of hits including their original version of "Ain't No Mountain High Enough", "Your Precious Love", "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" and "You're All I Need to Get By". Their success would be short-lived following Tammi's collapse during a show at Virginia in October of 1967. Having complained of headaches, Tammi was rushed to the hospital that night and was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Terrell braved it out but by the release of their third and last album together, "Easy", was losing her fight with the tumor. Tammi died in March of 1970 at the age of 24 from complications of her brain cancer. Marvin was said to be so devastated by Tammi's death that he said he felt a piece of him died with her, and reports state at her funeral, Marvin talked to her remains as if she was gonna respond. Promising not to tour again and not to record another duet album after that, Marvin went into a self-imposed seclusion that ended briefly. In 1973, Marvin would work on his final duet album with Diana Ross. Their recording was hampered by arguments between them as Marvin refused to stop smoking marijuana in the studio as Diana was then pregnant. The resulting album, "Diana and Marvin", became a top twenty U.S. success and reached the top ten in the U.K.

paragraphs: In 1968, Marvin returned to the top of the charts as a solo act with the Norman Whitfield-penned "I Heard It Through the Grapevine". The song, originally recorded in 1967, was initially blocked from release since Berry Gordy disapproved of the song. Instead, one of its cover versions by Gladys Knight & the Pips was released, and it ended up reaching number-two. Whitfield was determined to get Gordy to release Marvin's, and in October 1968, Motown finally issued "Grapevine" as a single where it eventually reached number-one in December of that year, it also reached number one in the U.K. and became the biggest-selling single in Motown history during the sixties. During this period, Marvin used his "Grapevine" success to produce a collection of singles for his background group the Originals. Those songs, "Baby I'm for Real" and "The Bells" became top 40 recordings. After two more top ten hits that followed, Marvin began working on a more personal production. Inspired by Tammi Terrell's death, his brother Frankie's Vietnam stories, footage of the Vietnam War and race riots in the U.S., Marvin's success with his first productions and a rough draft of a song composed by Four Tops member Obie Benson, Marvin recorded an introspective single titled "What's Going On". Like "Grapevine", Motown refused to release it due to it being "uncommercial" and "risky" since Gordy could not find a song to match anything with and also because Gordy was against anyone in his company to talk openly about serious issues. In spite of releases by the Temptations, the Supremes and Edwin Starr, which opened about inner city struggle, illegitimate pregnancy and wars respectively, Motown was afraid the song would ruin Marvin's squeaky-clean teen pop image. Marvin, confident in his own abilities, stood his ground, and in January of 1971, the song was released quickly becoming a hit single reaching number two on the Billboard pop chart and number one on the Cashbox pop chart, also hitting number-one on the Billboard R&B chart. A follow-up album of the same name was quickly released that May and with accompanying top ten singles "Mercy Mercy Me" and "Inner City Blues", songs that also talked about social issues including environmentalism, the album sold over a million copies and permanently made Marvin one of the first independent artists on the label. Inspired by Marvin's success, Stevie Wonder refused to renew his contract with Motown in May of 1971 after releasing the non-Motown approved "Where I'm Coming From", an album that also dealt with social issues. In 1972, Motown signed Marvin to a $1 million contract, making him at the time the highest-paid black recording artist in music history. Marvin celebrated the contract by releasing the pro-political single "You're the Man", which attacked the Nixon administration. Moving from Detroit to Los Angeles that year, he recorded the soundtrack to the movie, "Trouble Man". The soundtrack and its title track became top twenty and top ten hits on the charts respectively. In 1973, Marvin dramatically changed direction from social topics to sexual politics with the release of "Let's Get It On". The song became Marvin's second number-one Billboard hit and was the biggest-selling R&B single of that year. Its subsequent album became another critical milestone as "What's Going On" had been and with his new look as a wool hat-wearing, studded jean outfit, bearded "messiah", Marvin had become an icon of early seventies soul music.

paragraphs: In 1974, Marvin returned officially to touring after a four-year sabbatical following the death of Tammi Terrell and began to suffer from the effects of a long-developing cocaine addiction, which started in the late sixties. Marvin went a year without producing a record though through yet another new Motown contract, he built a recording studio in the middle of Sunset Boulevard. In 1976, Marvin released the erotic "I Want You" album, an album that had been delayed by his first wife, Anna Gordy's divorce case against him. The divorce was finalized after Marvin agreed to remit a portion of his royalties from his next album to Ms. Gordy. The result was the controversial "Here, My Dear" project, which came out in early 1979 after two years of holding the project from release. Marvin recorded a disco hit in 1977 titled "Got to Give It Up". The song hit number-one marking his third pop hit to reach the spot and his twelfth on the R&B side. It would end up being his last major hit with the Motown label. Following the release of "Here, My Dear", the album tanked and Marvin, already run dry by dwindling finances, numerous lawsuits, a troubling marriage to a second wife and an even more troubling cocaine addiction, eventually left his wife, three children, and the U.S. settling first in Hawaii and then settling in London in 1980 after a European promoter advised him to tour Europe. Recording most of his final Motown release, "In Our Lifetime", in London, the album was rush-released by Motown in early 1981 much to Marvin's chagrin: he complained that the label had edited certain songs, including one that seemed unfinished, and had taken off a question mark that he put at the end of the title to ask a question about life. Marvin stated he would no longer record for Motown and was granted his wish when CBS Records brought him out of his contract in April of 1982.

paragraphs: In 1981, Marvin settled in Ostend, Belgium thanks to a former Belgian sports promoter and with his encouragement began rebuilding his life cutting away from drugs and also rebuilding his music career. After a successful European tour, Marvin signed with CBS Records and began work on a new album in his adopted home. After his friend and biographer David Ritz arrived to interview him, Marvin and David collaborated on a reggae-styled track in which Ritz titled "Sexual Healing" after a conversation between the two evolved into pornography. The song was one of eight Marvin worked on to fit into his comeback release, "Midnight Love". Boosted by its Caribbean flavor, the song returned Marvin to the top of the charts, hitting number-one on the R&B chart for a period of ten weeks and also becoming a top ten hit in several countries including number-three in the U.S. pop chart and number-four in England. It also hit number-one in New Zealand. Selling over two million copies, it became Marvin's biggest-selling single to date and won him his first couple of Grammys in 1983. Marvin's comeback was cemented with his emotional performance of the national anthem at the NBA All Star Game and a reunited showcase at "Motown 25", where Marvin was reunited with his old Motown buddies. Marvin's performance consisted of him playing piano while speaking on the illustrious history of black music before singing "What's Going On" to a receptive audience. That year, Marvin went on the road to promote the "Midnight Love" album. It would end up being his final tour.

paragraphs: Settling in his parents' Los Angeles home after the tour, Marvin reportedly struggled with drug abuse and his troubling relationship with his father continued spiraling downwards. On the morning of April 1, 1984, Marvin and his father got into an argument after his father verbally assaulted Marvin's mother while they were arguing over misplaced business documents. The two men clashed and Marvin reportedly shoved his father to the ground during the struggle. After returning to his room, Marvin's father reentered Marvin's room with a loaded shotgun Marvin had bought for him for Christmas and shot him twice with one fatal shot to his chest. At approximately 1:10 pm, Marvin Gaye was pronounced dead on the scene at Cedars Sinai Medical Center. He was one day shy of his forty-fifth birthday. Marvin's death shocked his fans though family members and friends knew of Marvin's depression. Over 10,000 well-wishers paid their last respects at a star-studded funeral in Los Angeles. Marvin's ashes were spread to the beaches of the Atlantic Ocean. In 1985, Motown and CBS collaborated on two posthumous records while Motown re-released Marvin's famed material. In 1987, Marvin was posthumously inducted to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame confirming his status as one of the greatest artists in music history.

paragraphs: Marvin first dated Anna Gordy in 1961. Anna was said to be the inspiration behind Marvin's sixties hits including "Stubborn Kind of Fellow" and "You Are a Wonderful One". He married her in 1964 and the couple adopted a boy they named Marvin Pentz Gaye III in 1965. Their marriage was rocky by the time Marvin began courting a beautiful seventeen-year-old high-school student named Janis Hunter in 1973. Hunter was reportedly the inspiration behind the song "If I Should Die Tonight" as he had sung the song to her in the studio. His 1976 album, "I Want You", was dedicated to Janis, who married him in 1977. The couple had two children together, daughter Nona and son Frankie. They divorced in 1981.


title: Masturbation

paragraphs: Masturbation is when a person touches their own sex organs to have pleasure. It often results in an orgasm.

paragraphs: Masturbating may be done alone, but can also be done with another person. This is called "mutual masturbation". Vibrators and dildos can be used to make masturbation easier or feel better, but it is often done with just a person's hand. Studies have shown that a large number of people masturbate regularly. Some people do it once or twice a month, while other people do it several times a day.

paragraphs: The female sex organ most sensitive to touch is the clitoris. Therefore, female masturbation almost always involves stimulating the clitoris, either by hand or with a vibrator. Many women also enjoy the feeling of fingers or a sex toy in the vagina, but this is a secondary sensation that is not necessary for orgasm, and that rarely results in orgasm on its own. Some women find stimulation of the front vaginal wall particularly pleasurable. The anus is rich in nerve endings and is also sometimes stimulated during masturbation, as are the nipples.

paragraphs: Masturbation is usually continued until orgasm. Some women may have problems reaching an orgasm, especially when they are young, and have little experience masturbating.

paragraphs: Some women experience "multiple orgasms" - several orgasms in a row without loss of arousal. It should be noted, however, that women who are not capable of multiple orgasms report as much orgasmic satisfaction as women who are multi-orgasmic.

paragraphs: Masturbation for males is the act of stimulating the penis manually to provide self-pleasure. For older teens and adults, masturbation usually ends in what is called an ejaculation (the release of liquid called semen which contains sperm cells). This ejaculation is usually accompanied by a powerful, pleasurable feeling called an orgasm. Most boys start masturbating between the age of 12 and 15.

paragraphs: There are many ways in which a male can choose to masturbate. The most common of these techniques is using the hand. A man simply wraps his hand around the shaft of his penis (in erection) and moves his hand up and down. Sometimes a lubricant is used to create a softer sensation. As the sensation increases in intensity, the rate of hand movement generally quickens until orgasm occurs. Orgasm is a very pleasurable feeling which results in semen being ejaculated from the penis.

paragraphs: Men may also rub and touch other sensitive areas of the body such as the scrotum (the place where the testicles are located), the nipples, and the anus.

paragraphs: If and how often people masturbate depends on many things. One of the things it depends on is hormone levels. Hormones influence sexual arousal. Other things that the frequency of masturbation depend on are sexual habits. Sexual habits are sexual activities that people do because they are used to doing them. Other people of the same age or standing - called peers - can also influence this frequency. General health is another of the many factors. The general attitude towards masturbation is formed by culture. Medical causes have also been associated with masturbation.

paragraphs: "Forty-eight female college students were asked to complete a sexual attitudes questionnaire in which a frequency of masturbation scale was embedded. Twenty-four of the women (the experimental group) then individually viewed an explicit modeling film involving female masturbation. One month later, all subjects again completed the same questionnaire. Subjects in the experimental group also completed a questionnaire evaluating aspects of the film. Results indicated that the experimental group reported a significant increase in the average monthly frequency of masturbation, as compared to the control group. This same group, however, reported that the film had no effect on sexual attitudes or behavior."

paragraphs: A 2004 survey by Toronto magazine "NOW" was answered by an unspecified number of thousands. The results show that an overwhelming majority of the males — 81% — began masturbating between the ages of 12 and 15. Among females, the same figure was a more modest majority of 55%. (Note that surveys on sexual practices are prone to "self-selection bias".) It is not uncommon, however, to begin much earlier, and this is more frequent among females: 18% had begun by the time they turned 12, and 6% already by the time they turned 10. Being the main outlet of child sexuality, masturbation has been observed in very young children. In the book "Human Sexuality: Diversity in Contemporary America", by Strong, Devault and Sayad, the authors point out, "A baby boy may laugh in his crib while playing with his erect penis (although he does not ejaculate). Baby girls sometimes move their bodies rhythmically, almost violently, appearing to experience orgasm."

paragraphs: A 2004 magazine survey in Canada found that 43% started masturbating when they were about 12–13 years old. When boys start masturbating, wet dreams often stop since semen is taken out from his body regularly.

paragraphs: According to a Canadian survey of "Now" magazine readers, (cited above), the frequency of masturbation declines after the age of 17. However, most males masturbate daily, or even more frequently, well into their 20s and sometimes far beyond. This decline is more drastic among females, and more gradual among males. While females aged 13–17 masturbated almost once a day on average (and almost as often as their male peers), adult women only masturbated 8–9 times a month, compared to the 18–22 among men. It is also apparent that masturbation frequency declines with age. Adolescent youths report being able to masturbate to ejaculation six or more times per day, though some men in older middle age report being hard pressed to ejaculate even once per day. The survey does not give a full demographic breakdown of respondents, however, and the sexual history of respondents to this poll, who are readers of an urban Toronto lifestyle magazine, may not extend to the general population.

paragraphs: It appears that females are less likely to masturbate while in a heterosexual relationship than men. Both sexes occasionally engage in this activity, however, even when in sexually active relationships. Popular belief asserts that individuals of either sex who are not in sexually active relationships tend to masturbate more frequently than those who are; however, much of the time this is not true as masturbation alone or with a partner is often a feature of a relationship. Contrary to conventional wisdom, several studies actually reveal a positive correlation between the frequency of masturbation and the frequency of intercourse as well as the number of sex partners. One study reported a significantly higher rate of masturbation in gay men and women who were in a relationship.

paragraphs: The Catholic church regards masturbation as a 'gravely disordered action'. Among men masturbation may be seen as a sign of weakness, and there are slang terms for it used as insults.

paragraphs: The Sambia tribe of New Guinea has rites of passage surrounding manhood which involve frequent ejaculation through fellatio. Semen is valued and masturbation is seen as a waste of semen and is therefore frowned upon, even though frequent ejaculation is encouraged. The capacity and need to ejaculate is nurtured for years from an early age through fellatio so that it can be consumed rather than wasted. Semen is ingested for strength and is considered in the same line as mothers' milk.

paragraphs: Other cultures have rites of passage into manhood that culminate in the first ejaculation of a male, usually by the hands of a tribal elder. In some tribes such as the Agta in the Philippines, stimulation of the genitals is encouraged from an early age. Upon puberty, the young male is then paired off with a "wise elder" or "witch doctor" who uses masturbation to build his ability to ejaculate in preparation for a ceremony. The ceremony culminates in a public ejaculation before a celebration. The ejaculate is saved in a wad of animal skin and worn later to help conceive children. In this and other tribes, the measure of manhood is actually associated more with the amount of ejaculate and his need than penis size. Frequent ejaculation through masturbation from an early age fosters frequent ejaculation well into adulthood.

paragraphs: Masturbation marathons have occurred in the U.S. and UK. These events provide a supportive environment where masturbation can be performed openly.

paragraphs: Masturbation may increase fertility during sexual intercourse. In females, it can regulate the conditions of the vagina, cervix and the uterus. This can either increase or decrease the chance of conception. Whether the chance is increased or decreased depends on the timing of the masturbation. This timing is a subconscious decision. If she has intercourse with more than one male, it favors the chances of one or the other male's sperm reaching her egg.

paragraphs: Female masturbation can also protect against cervical infections. It does this by increasing the acidity of the cervical mucus and by moving debris out of the cervix.

paragraphs: The function of masturbation in males is to flush out old sperm with low motility from the male's genital tract. The next ejaculate contains more fresh sperm, which has higher chances of achieving conception during intercourse. If more than one male is having intercourse with a female, the sperm with the highest motility will compete more effectively.

paragraphs: The physical effect of masturbation and having an orgasm or ejaculating is heightened arousal while epinephrine courses through the body, producing a flushed face, shallow breath and post-climactic euphoria.

paragraphs: It is held in many mental health circles that masturbation can relieve depression, stress and lead to a higher sense of self-worth. Masturbation can also be particularly useful in relationships where one partner wants more sex than the other — in which case masturbation provides a balancing effect and thus a more harmonious relationship.

paragraphs: Mutual masturbation, the act by which two or more partners stimulate themselves in the presence of each other, allows a couple to reveal the map to their pleasure centers. Witnessing a partner masturbate is an educational activity to find out the method a partner uses to please themself, allowing each partner to learn exactly how the other enjoys being touched.

paragraphs: In 2003, an Australian research team led by Graham Giles of The Cancer Council Australia concluded that frequent masturbation by males appears to help prevent the development of prostate cancer.

paragraphs: A study published in 1997 found an inverse association between death from coronary heart disease and frequency of orgasm even given the risk that myocardial ischaemia and myocardial infarction can be triggered by sexual activity. Excerpt: "The association between frequency or orgasm and all cause mortality was also examined using the midpoint of each response category recoded as number of orgasms per year. The age adjusted odds ratio for an increase of 100 orgasms per year was 0.64 (0.44 to 0.95)". That is, a difference between any two subjects appeared when one subject ejaculated at around two or more times per week than the other. Assuming a broad range average of between 3-5 ejaculations per week for a healthy males, this would mean 5-7 ejaculations per week. This is consistent with an article on the benefits against prostate cancer However, the article notes that "The question of causation is complex... several explanations are possible".

paragraphs: Masturbation is also seen as a sexual technique that protects individuals from the risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases. Support for such a view, and for making it part of the American sex education curriculum, led to the dismissal of US Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders during the Clinton administration. A 2011 study from the Indiana University supports the assertion. After taking age and partner status into account, the study showed that sexually active boys who masturbated regularly were eight times more likely to have used a condom during their last intercourse than other boys. This positive outcome has been observed in other studies and has been the basis of public health policy in Great Britain promoting masturbation.

paragraphs: Some people actually consider masturbation as a cardiovascular workout. Masturbation makes most people feel good and can sometimes replace sexual intercourse when one cannot find a partner. It can also prepare one for sexual intercourse.

paragraphs: A small study has shown that a test group which only had intercourse experienced, as a whole, lower blood pressure in stressful situations than those who had intercourse but also had masturbated for one or more days.

paragraphs: Objects inserted into the vagina or anus should be clean and should not be able to scratch or break. Care should be taken not to fully insert anything into the anus — any object used should have a flared or flanged base; otherwise, medical help may be needed to get it out. Modern dildos and anal plugs are designed with this feature.

paragraphs: Masturbation involving both a man and a woman (see "mutual masturbation") can result in pregnancy only if semen contacts the vulva. Masturbation with a partner can also theoretically result in transmission of sexually transmitted diseases by contact with bodily fluids.

paragraphs: A man whose penis has suffered a blunt trauma or injury during intercourse may rarely sustain a penile fracture or suffer from Peyronie's disease. Phimosis is "a contracted foreskin (that) may cause trouble by hurting when an attempt is made to pull the foreskin back". In these cases, any energetic manipulation of the penis can be problematic.

paragraphs: Lawrence I. Sank observed that masturbating prone (lying face downward) could be responsible for sexual problems in some men, including anorgasmia and erectile dysfunction, as observed in four men he examined. He coined the term "traumatic masturbatory syndrome" to describe this theory. As of 2007, no follow-up research has been conducted and the idea is not familiar or widely-held within the medical community. Some sources, however, give credence to the idea. One sex therapist condemned masturbation by rubbing against a pillow or mattress and Lipsith et al. suggest that masturbation could play a part in male psychogenic sexual dysfunction (MPSD), citing Sank as their authority. MPSD is a difficulty in reaching orgasm during intercourse, and developing a dependence on masturbation.

paragraphs: Masturbating frequently presents no physical, mental or emotional risk in itself, but masturbation can be used to relieve boredom or stress. In either case, as with any "nervous habit", it is more helpful to consider the causes of the boredom or of the stress, rather than try to repress the behavior itself, in this case masturbation.

paragraphs: There is some discussion between professionals and other interested parties as to the existence or validity of sexual addictions. Nevertheless, there are lists of warning signs such as when sexual activity affects a person's ability to function in everyday life, or is placing them at risk, for example, of pursuing illegal or destructive activities. Very frequent and compulsive masturbation may be seen as a sign of sexual addiction.

paragraphs: Immanuel Kant considered masturbation a violation of one's duty to one's self and an unnatural act, stating it was against natural law. Sigmund Freud regarded masturbation as unhealthy. Margaret Sanger frequently stated that masturbation was unwise.


title: Animation

paragraphs: Animation is a way of making a movie from many still images. The images are put together one after another, and then played at a fast speed to give the illusion of movement.

paragraphs: Animation is a relatively new art form, and though the concept of moving images has been a theme throughout ancient civilizations, it was not until late into the 19th century that experimental animation truly began. Today, the industry of animation is booming, making up a huge commercial enterprise.

paragraphs: A person who makes animations is called an "animator."

paragraphs: Because it is expensive to make, most animation comes from professional companies. However, independent animators have existed since the 1950s in America, with many of those people entering the professional industry. In Europe, the independent movement has existed since the 1910s, with animators like pre-revolutionary Russia's Ladislas Starevich and Germany's Lotte Reiniger.

paragraphs: Many people use a computer animation program called Adobe Flash to create animations. Flash uses a combination of drawing and computer graphics to make animations. Many animations on the internet are made in Flash. Most animators on the internet do not work for professional companies.

paragraphs: Many television shows, especially those made for children, use limited animation. Companies such as UPA and Hanna-Barbera Productions do this. Simple, limited movement makes the images easier to draw, which allows quicker and cheaper production of animation.

paragraphs: Many people consider animation to be childish and unsophisticated. However, animation has changed the course of art history by giving artists possibilities, not just normal, stationary art. Many animated movies have been made, and some have made a big profit.


title: Confucius

paragraphs: Confucius (born 551 BC, died 479 BC) was an important Chinese educator and philosopher. His original name was Kong Qiu or Zhong Ni.

paragraphs: As a child, he was eager to learn about everything, and was very interested in rituals. Once he grew up, he worked as a state official who handled farms and cattle. Then he became a teacher.

paragraphs: Confucius lived in a time when many states were fighting wars in China.

paragraphs: This period was called the Spring and Autumn period of the Zhou Dynasty.

paragraphs: Confucius did not like this and wanted to bring order back to society.

paragraphs: Like Socrates, Confucius sometimes did not answer philosophical questions himself.

paragraphs: Instead he wanted people to think hard about problems and to learn from others, especially from history.

paragraphs: Confucius also thought that people should get power because they were good and skilled, and not just because they came from powerful families.

paragraphs: Confucius wanted people to think about other people more than about money or what they owned.

paragraphs: However he also felt that there should be strong rules in society and that people needed to obey them.

paragraphs: Confucius thought that there were five relationships people could have, and that they all had their own rules.

paragraphs: These were traditional relationships called the 'five prototypes'.

paragraphs: Confucius said that in all these relationships, both people must obey rules.

paragraphs: For example, a subject must obey a prince, but also a prince must listen to a subject and must rule him well and fairly.

paragraphs: Confucius said that people should only do things to other people if they would be okay with other people doing those things to themselves.

paragraphs: This is sometimes called the Golden Rule and was also taught by Jesus Christ.

paragraphs: His students wrote down small stories about him, and things that he said.

paragraphs: These were put together to make a book called The Analects, which became one of the main books of Confucianism.


title: Consciousness

paragraphs: Consciousness means being awake, alert and responsive to the environment. The definition of consciousness may differ in psychology, neuroscience, philosophy and other related sciences. It is often disputed amongst academics and scientists.

paragraphs: Consciousness is a spectrum. There are several states between a fully conscious state and a fully unconscious state. In medicine, the degree of "loss of consciousness" is measured by using Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS); a score between 3 and 15 is given to each person at any time, to show how conscious he or she is. Higher scores show more conscious states.

paragraphs: It seems that many decisions are made without us being aware of it. These decisions are made by what is called the unconscious mind. There are also many body functions which we do not notice until they go wrong. These activities are done by the autonomic nervous system. Breathing and the beat of one's heart can be noticed but are controlled by nervous system without thought.

paragraphs: It is not known what causes consciousness. So, it is difficult to know if another person or thing is indeed conscious. The best we can say is that some animals do seem to be conscious of the world around them. We ourselves assume that others have consciousness, but it cannot be proved. This is known in philosophy as "the problem of other minds".


title: Architect

paragraphs: An architect is a person who designs buildings and prepares plans to give to a builder. What he or she designs is called architecture. Architects make drawings with pens, pencils, and computers, and this is also called drafting. Sometimes they first make small toy-sized buildings called models to show what the building will look like when it is done. Some of these models survive for hundreds of years, such as St Paul's Cathedral, London.

paragraphs: Architects decide the size, shape, and what the building will be made from. Architects need to be good at math and drawing. They need imagination. They must go to university and learn how to make a building's structure safe so that it will not collapse. They should also know how to make a building attractive, so that people will enjoy using it.

paragraphs: Although there has been architecture for thousands of years, there have not always been architects. The great European cathedrals built in the Middle Ages were designed by a Master Builder, who scratched his designs on flat beds of plaster. Paper did not exist in Europe at this time and vellum or parchment were very expensive and could not be made in large sizes.

paragraphs: Some cathedrals took hundreds of years to build, so the Master Builder would die or retire and be replaced and often plans changed. Some cathedrals were never finished, like Notre Dame in Paris or Sagrada Família in Barcelona.

paragraphs: An architect has a very important job, because his or her work will be seen and used by many people, probably for a very long time. If the design, materials and construction are good, the building should last for hundreds or even thousands of years. This is rarely the case.

paragraphs: Usually building cost is what limits the life of a building, but fire, war, need or fashion can also affect things. As towns and cities grow, it often becomes necessary to make roads wider, or perhaps to build a new train station. Architects are employed again and so the city changes. Even very important buildings may get knocked down to make way for change.

paragraphs: Famous architects include: Frank Lloyd Wright, Fazlur Khan, Bruce Graham, Edward Durell Stone, Daniel Burnham, Adrian Smith, Frank Gehry, Gottfried Böhm, I. M. Pei, Antoni Gaudí, and Oscar Niemeyer.


title: La Jolla, San Diego

paragraphs: La Jolla is a neighborhood in the city of San Diego, in the state of California, in the United States. It is pronounced "La Hoya".

paragraphs: The University of California, San Diego is in La Jolla. Another famous place in La Jolla is the Salk Institute.


title: Arch

paragraphs: An arch is an opening in a building that is curved on top to distribute the weight. The curved part can be round, like part of a circle, or pointed, like two parts of circles next to each other. Arches are often used where buildings are made of many small stones or bricks. The stone at the very top of the arch, called the keystone, keeps the rest of the arch stones from falling down. Arches can go over doorways and windows. Many bridges are arch bridges including ones made of steel. A series of arches is an arcade.

paragraphs: Arches can be found in nature. These natural arches form through the erosion of cliffs.

paragraphs: Arches can have many forms, but they can be sorted into three categories: circular, pointed and parabolic.


title: Vagina

paragraphs: The human vagina is a part of the female body. It is between the perineum and the urethra. Menstrual fluid (red, blood-filled liquid lost during menstruation) leaves the body through the vagina. During sexual intercourse, a penis is put into the vagina. During birth, the vagina opens to let the baby come out from the uterus. The vagina is reddish pink in color, though colors may vary.

paragraphs: The vaginal opening is much larger than the urethral opening.

paragraphs: Between the ages of 9-15 years, the vagina and uterus become bigger. The uterus is the organ in which a baby grows. The vagina is a tube leading from the uterus to the outside of the body. The opening of the vagina is inside the vulva, between the legs. A clear or whitish fluid may start to flow out of the vagina to keep it clean.

paragraphs: The vagina is the tube leading from the uterus to the outside of the body. The opening is between the legs, inside the labium, behind the opening to the urethra, and in front of the anus.

paragraphs: The vagina is an elastic, muscular tube. It starts at the cervix and ends at the vulva. It is about wide, and long. During sexual intercourse and childbirth, the vagina gets wider and bigger. It has to be lubricated to stay clean and allow sexual intercourse and childbirth. It is lubricated partially by the Bartholin's glands. This lubrication also allows sperm easier access to fertilize an ovum.

paragraphs: Like many tissues, the vagina has a natural biome, a flora and fauna of microscopic organisms. The vagina is an interface between the host and the environment. Its surface is covered by a protective epithelium where bacteria and other microorganisms grow. The ectocervix (that's the vaginal part of the cervix) is not sterile, but the endocervix (that's the canal of the cervix) and the upper genital tract are assumed to be sterile in healthy women. So, the cervix is a gatekeeper to protect the upper genital tract (ovaries and fallopian tubes) from microbes.

paragraphs: Research on this biome is at an early stage. "Lactobacillus" species are associated with vaginal health, but what they do to keep the vagina healthy is not known. A big research program into this is part of the Human Microbiome Project (HMP).

paragraphs: The vagina releases blood and tissue during menstruation. Tampons or other products can be used to absorb some of the blood.

paragraphs: When a woman is aroused, she has pleasurable feelings in her genital region. The vagina gets up to wide. It can get bigger with more stimulation. During sexual intercourse, the man's penis is placed in the woman's vagina. The vagina is warm and soft, and it places pressure on the man's penis. That can feel good for both partners and usually makes the man have an orgasm after repeated thrusts. For orgasm in women, the vagina has significantly fewer nerve endings than the clitoris, and therefore rubbing or applying other consistent pressure against the clitoris is usually needed to help the woman have an orgasm. During the man's orgasm, he ejaculates semen from his penis into the vagina. The semen contains sperm. The sperm can move from the vagina into the uterus to fertilize an egg and make a woman pregnant.

paragraphs: The G-spot may be a highly sensitive area near the entrance inside of the human vagina. If stimulated, it leads to a strong orgasm or female ejaculation in some women. Some doctors and researchers who specialize in the anatomy of women believe that the G-spot does not exist, and that if it does exist, it is an extension of the clitoris.

paragraphs: During birth, the vagina acts as a pathway for the baby to leave the mother's body. The vagina is very elastic and stretches to many times its normal diameter during birth.

paragraphs: Sperm needs to be deposited at the top of the vagina near the cervix and fertilize the ovum (egg) if pregnancy is to occur. In a normal childbirth, babies come out through the vagina.


title: Breast

paragraphs: The breast is an organ on the lower chest region of humans and other primates. Humans have two breasts. Both boys and girls have breasts at birth, but during puberty, the breasts on women become larger and more visible. The breasts have mammary glands that produce milk. Breastfeeding is letting an infant drink breast milk.

paragraphs: Men also have breasts. They are built the same way as those of women, but are much smaller and underdeveloped. Men cannot use their breast for breastfeeding. Their breasts will usually not produce milk, but might become larger and produce milk during some diseases or with some hormonal medical treatments.

paragraphs: Girls develop breasts during puberty due to sex hormones, mainly estrogen.

paragraphs: The appearance and size of the breasts of a woman may vary due to genetic factors, and the amount of fatty and connective tissue. Hormones also play a role.

paragraphs: Estrogen promotes the growth of mammary glands and ducts, while progesterone induces milk-producing cells to develop. Prolactin and oxytocin stimulate milk production. Oxytocin also causes milk to be spurted from a lactating breast.

paragraphs: The two breasts usually are not equal in size — one may be larger than the other, but this is common.

paragraphs: During menopause, as levels of estrogen decrease, tissue in the breasts reduce as well, and the breasts may start sagging. A study showed that breastfeeding does not cause sagging. Factors that do influence sagging are the size of the breast (before the first pregnancy), number of pregnancies, body mass index, smoking, and age.

paragraphs: The center of the breast is the nipple. The areola is a circular area around the nipple. The breast contains mammary glands. Each breast has 15 to 20 milk ducts. Ducts carry the milk produced by these glands to the nipples. After a woman has a baby, her breasts undergo lactation — the production of natural milk.

paragraphs: Feeding babies milk is called breastfeeding or "nursing".

paragraphs: The breasts of a woman also play a role in human sexual behavior. They are one of the most visible or obvious female secondary sex characteristics. They play an important role in sexual attraction of partners. They can also give pleasure to the individual. When sexually stimulated, the size of the breasts increases, venous patterns across the breasts become more visible, and nipples grow harder. During sexual intercourse, it is common practice to press or massage breasts with hands. Breasts are sensitive to touch as they have many nerve endings. Oral stimulation of nipples and breasts is also common. Some women can achieve "breast orgasms". In the ancient Indian work the "Kama Sutra", marking breasts with nails and biting with teeth are explained as erotic.


title: Thumb

paragraphs: The thumb is one of the five fingers on the human hand. Thumbs are different from the other four fingers because they are in a different direction, have only two bones (the others have three) and are shorter. Thumbs help us to pick things up. This is called having "opposable thumbs". All primates have thumbs but humans have fully opposable thumbs.

paragraphs: Thumbs have an artery in them. Arteries have a pulse. This is why we should not take other peoples' pulses with our thumbs.


title: Pregnancy

paragraphs: Pregnancy is when a female mammal has an unborn baby inside her. During pregnancy, a female is called "pregnant". A human pregnancy is about 38 weeks long, from conception to childbirth. Usually the mother has one baby at a time. Sometimes the mother has two babies at one time. Two babies are called twins. The mother can have three or more babies at one time. This does not happen very often in humans.

paragraphs: Pregnancy usually starts after a woman has sexual intercourse with a man. Her ovum (or egg) and his sperm (seed) come together and form a zygote (fertilized egg) inside her.

paragraphs: Some people have trouble becoming pregnant. This is called "infertility". Women and men with infertility may take drugs or have surgery to help a pregnancy start. Some people use treatments that are not natural, like in vitro fertilization, to become pregnant with the help of a doctor.

paragraphs: When the woman's egg and the man's seed come together, it makes one cell called a "zygote". The zygote grows into an embryo, which grows into a fetus. When the fetus is ready, the baby is born.

paragraphs: Human pregnancy is divided into three parts called "trimesters". A trimester is about three months long. During the first trimester, the woman might feel ill in her stomach. She might have to urinate often. During the second trimester, the woman's abdomen starts to stick out. During the third trimester, her abdomen sticks out even more, and she becomes even heavier.

paragraphs: At the end of a full pregnancy, the woman's body pushes the baby out through her vagina. This is called "delivering a baby" or "giving birth". Mothers can get help for birth from a midwife, nurse, or doctor. In some places, mothers give birth at home. In other places, mothers give birth in a hospital. Mothers who are ill or hurt may need to go to a hospital.

paragraphs: Giving birth can hurt a lot at the end. In hospitals, a doctor or midwife can give drugs to the mother to reduce the pain.

paragraphs: If the baby cannot be pushed out, then a doctor can cut the mother open to take the baby out. This operation is called a Caesarean section.

paragraphs: The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women says that pregnant women must be given time away from work or equal welfare for her baby without losing her job (Article 11).

paragraphs: Sometimes there are problems with pregnancies. A miscarriage (spontaneous abortion) is when the baby dies before it is born. A stillbirth is when the baby is dead when it is born. There are also diseases caused by pregnancy.

paragraphs: Sometimes, women die from giving birth. In developed countries, this is much less common than it used to be. Every year, about 500,000 women die from giving birth, while about 7,000,000 mothers have big problems from giving birth. For example, giving birth can tear the mother's body and cause an obstetric fistula.

paragraphs: A pregnancy can also stop without the baby being born. This is called abortion. Doctors can do things that will stop a pregnancy. Such an abortion is called "induced abortion". Countries have different laws about induced abortions. Some countries allow it, and others do not. In some countries, it is allowed, but only for certain reasons, such as the pregnancy resulting from rape, or a doctor saying that the pregnant woman might die if the pregnancy is not stopped. People also have different opinions about abortion. Often, these are influenced by religious beliefs.

paragraphs: There are a few diseases that can kill a woman or make her very ill if she has a baby. Having abortions could save the lives or health of these mothers.

paragraphs: A pregnancy test is something that women use to tell whether they are pregnant. The woman urinates on the stick. If the woman is pregnant, a plus sign or two lines will appear on the stick. If the woman is not pregnant, then a minus sign or one line will appear on the stick.


title: Forest

paragraphs: A forest is a piece of land with many trees. Many animals need forests to live and survive. Forests are very important and grow in many places around the world. They are an ecosystem which includes many plants and animals.

paragraphs: Temperature and rainfall are the two most important things for forests. Many places are too cold or too dry for them. Forests can exist from the equator to near the polar regions, but different climates have different kinds of forests. In cold climates conifers dominate, but in temperate zone and tropical climates forests are mainly made up of flowering plants. Different rainfall also makes different kinds of forest. No forests exist in deserts, just a few trees in places where their roots can get at some underground water.

paragraphs: The three major forest biomes are coniferous forests, deciduous forests, and tropical rain forests.

paragraphs: Coniferous forests stretch across Canada, Alaska, Northern Asia, and Northern Europe. Their main trees are evergreen conifers which produce seeds in cones.

paragraphs: The weather during the winter is cold, but when snow melts in the spring, some parts of the forest become swamps. There are not many different types of trees in coniferous forests because of the cold weather, and the poor soil. Fallen branches, needles, and dead animals do not decay as fast as in warmer regions. This is why the soil in coniferous forests is not very fertile. Also, only those trees that have adapted to cold weather and poor soil can survive. These trees have flexible branches that support heavy snowfalls. Less water evaporates from their leaves because of the shape of their needles.

paragraphs: Many coniferous trees shade large parts of the soil below them, which keeps many plants from growing on the forest ground. Some animals that live in the coniferous forests are pine martens, deer, bears, caribou, moose, lynes, heavers, and birds such as grey owls, crossbills, and marblers.

paragraphs: Deciduous forests mostly grow in the temperate zone of North America, Europe and Asia. They have a moderate climate during the spring, summer, autumn (fall) and winter, with rainfall of at least 500mm a year. Summers are warm and winters are cold, but not as cold as the northern coniferous forests. In the winter, snow covers the ground and the deciduous trees and plants lose their leaves. The decaying leaves help make the soil rich in nutrients. Many insects, spiders, snails, and worms make their homes in this rich soil. Wild flowers and ferns grow almost everywhere in the spring. New leaves capture the energy of the sun and sprout before the tall trees shadow them.

paragraphs: During the winter, many birds migrate to warmer climate. Many small animals hibernate or aestivate, in other words, slow down their metabolism and sleep or stay in their burrows. Some of the other animals just slow down their metabolism and eat food they stored during the summer and fall months. The trees in winter are bare, but with the coming of spring, leaves sprout, birds return, animals are born, and all the forest animals get busy with their lives. Animals that we may see or hear in this biome include bears, deer, raccoons, otters, beavers, foxes, frogs, squirrels, snakes, salamanders, and birds such as woodpeckers, robins, owls, blue jays and the small birds usually called tits.

paragraphs: Some deciduous forests grow in tropical places that do not have a winter but do have a wet season and a dry season.

paragraphs: Tropical rainforests grow in South America, the Congo, Indonesia and some nearby countries, Hawaii, and eastern Australia. Tropical rainforests are aptly named, as it rains here on about half the days. The only season in a tropical rain forest is summer, so plants grow for all 12 months of the year. Trees are tall and thick in the rain forest and they grow so close together that they seem to form a big umbrella of greenery called a canopy. This blocks out most of the sunlight. The air is muggy as it filters through the dense canopy cover of the trees. The light that filters through this tree cover is dim and green. Only along river banks and in places that have been cleared does enough sunlight allow plants to grow on the forest ground.

paragraphs: Millions of species of plants and animals live in the world's tropical forests. Life in the rain forest exists at different levels or layers in the trees. Each layer has a name, such as 'emergent', 'canopy', 'understory', and 'forest floor"." Animal life is found on all levels.


title: Barber

paragraphs: A barber is someone who cuts hair and shaves beards. Usually, it is men who go to a barber. Women usually go to hairdressers instead. Barbers sometimes have a pole outside, which is red and white in most countries. Barbering is a most ancient and honorable profession, with a very interesting history. Barbering is the practice of cutting or trimming hair and includes shaving or trimming facial hair. Besides cutting hair, barbers also shampoo and style hair, mostly for male clients. Other duties include scalp treatment, skin care and fitting or grooming hairpieces. In some states, barbers color, highlight or bleach hair.

paragraphs: The main job of a barber is to cut a client's hair. The goal is to improve the appearance of the hair and to adapt styles to the customer's wishes. Barbers also shape and trim beards and mustaches. Instruments such as scissors and combs must be kept sterile and in good condition, and the barber is also responsible for keeping the shop clean by sweeping up hair. Owners of barbershops also order supplies, pay bills and may hire and supervise staff. Good interpersonal skills and a positive attitude are important qualities to have when working as a barber. Examples of famous barbers are Alex Kelly and Cameron Kelly formally known as the Kelly Cutters. Many barbers use these men as examples and aim to also deliver a very high quality service.

paragraphs: With experience, barbers can manage a salon or barber shop, or eventually open their own shop. Advancement is also possible in teaching barbering. Some states combine barbering and cosmetology licenses into one. Some states allow transferring a barbering license from another state without additional formal training, but not all states allow this.


title: Carpenter

paragraphs: A carpenter is a person who works with wood. They can make cabinets, build houses, or do other things with wood.

paragraphs: Carpenters usually make very good foremen (people who watch over a job) on larger jobs as they deal with so much of the project from ground up. Carpenters are always adding to their tools and always learning how to use the new tools, materials, and ways of working with wood.

paragraphs: Many carpenters will choose to focus their skills in one of two broad ranging categories. Rough carpenters will focus on building things that need to be simple and structural. This includes framing for houses, or crates for shipping. Finish carpenters will focus on things that are detailed and artistic. For example, they can be furniture builders, cabinet makers or toy makers. Wood carvers are sometimes counted as carpenters.


title: Electrician

paragraphs: An electrician is a person who fixes the wires and switches so that lights and outlets work the right way. Some electricians work in a building. I am an electrician I like to do my work.


title: Roof

paragraphs: A roof is the top surface of the building. The plural of 'roof' is 'roofs'. The roof keeps out rain and snow and protects people from the sun. Some roofs are sloped, or pitched, so the rain and snow fall off easily. Some roofs are flat, but even flat roofs have a little bit of pitch so the water can flow away towards a drain.

paragraphs: "Gable", "hip", "gambrel", "shed" and "mansard" roofs are the main types of pitched roofs. The type of roof on a building helps identify the building style. For example, an American Arts and Crafts style versus a Cape Cod style. Roofs are often covered in asphalt or wood shingles. But they can also be covered in metal, slate, or clay tiles. It can be dangerous to walk on a pitched roof. Some pitched roofs have parts that stick out for windows. These are called dormers. The edges of pitched roofs are called 'eaves'. Often there are gutters and leaders at the eaves, which take away water from the roof.

paragraphs: Flat roofs are usually covered in rubber or types of plastic. You can usually walk on a flat roof. At the edge of a flat roof there is sometimes a parapet. This is to prevents people from falling off the roof.


title: Brick

paragraphs: A brick is a man-made building material used to make walls and make places to walk. It is a single unit of a kneaded clay-bearing soil, sand and lime, or concrete material, fire-hardened or air-dried, used in masonry construction.

paragraphs: Bricks are made mostly of clay. They are put into molds or cut with wires, and then baked in an oven. The color of a brick depends on the clay from which it was made.

paragraphs: Masons build brick walls. They join bricks together using mortar.

paragraphs: Bricks can be assembled into many different patterns. The most common pattern is called "running bond". A row of bricks is called a course. A wall that is just one brick thick has one wythe.

paragraphs: Bricks used outdoors on the ground are called "pavers". Engineering bricks are used for high load-bearing walls, and for damp-proof courses. They are more expensive, and are made of better clays and fired at a higher temperature.

paragraphs: The oldest shaped bricks found date back to 7500 B.C. They have been found in Çayönü, a place located in the upper Tigris area in south east Anatolia close to Diyarbakir. A bit later, between 7000 and 6395 BC, bricks come from Jericho and Catal Hüyük.

paragraphs: Fired bricks are one of the longest-lasting and strongest building materials. They have been used since about 3000 BC in early Indus Valley cities. Sun-dried mud bricks are much older, and quite satisfactory in hot, dry climates. Fired bricks are much more resistant to cold and moist weather conditions. They allow permanent building in regions where the harsher climate prevents the use of mud bricks.

paragraphs: Most bricks from all places tend to be about the same size: ~9 x ~4¼ x ~2½ inches or 250 × 120 × 65 mm. This is because they are picked up by the brickie in one hand, while in his other hand is a trowel with cement on it.


title: San Diego, California

paragraphs: San Diego () is the second largest city in the U.S. state of California and eighth largest in the United States. It is at the southwest corner of California, as well as the southwest corner of the continental United States. It was founded in 1769 and it is the oldest city in California. The mayor of San Diego as of 2015 is Kevin L. Faulconer

paragraphs: It has comfortable weather most of the year. There are several military bases in and near San Diego. It has many beaches along the Pacific Ocean. The San Diego Zoo is very famous.

paragraphs: San Diego is home to San Diego State University and the University of California, San Diego.

paragraphs: San Diego is on the international Mexico–United States Border. The city of Tijuana is just across the Mexican border.

paragraphs: San Diego is home to the San Diego Padres baseball team.


title: Oriole

paragraphs: The oriole ( or Old World oriole) is a bird in the family Oriolidae. They make up the genus Oriolus. Old World orioles are found areas of Africa, Asia and Europe. They are most often found in tropical areas but one species lives in cooler areas. The golden oriole is the only species of Old World oriole which is not a tropical bird.

paragraphs: Many species have bright coloured feathers.

paragraphs: The orioles evolved in Australasia, and later spread to Eurasia. They are not related to the New World oriole. New World orioles are members of the blackbird family "Icteridae" and are native to the Americas .

paragraphs: This is a list of kinds of orioles, in the English and Latin languages:


title: Feather

paragraphs: Feathers are the things which cover birds. They help keep birds warm. Feathers also protect them from injury. In most kinds of birds, feathers help them to fly.

paragraphs: The main feathers which cover the outside of a bird are called "vaned feathers". Vaned feather have a stiff center, with soft barbs on the side, which seem like hairs. The center is called a "quill". This type of feather is called pennaceous (= like a pen).

paragraphs: Young birds have small feathers, called "down", which keep them warm, but cannot be used for flying. Down is very soft. Adult birds have down, but also have vaned feathers on top of the down. Down is also used in blankets. Down feathers are just one example of plumaceous feathers (the word means 'fluffy'). Another example is the feathers on flightless birds such as the ostrich.

paragraphs: Birds lose their feathers at certain times. This is called "moulting". By moulting, a bird can replace old feathers with new ones. Many birds moult once every year.

paragraphs: Feathers give birds colour. The function of colour in birds is extremely important. It includes:

paragraphs: People use feathers for many purposes. In the past, quills were commonly used as pens, and colorful feathers were worn on hats. Many pillows, cushions, mattresses, coats, and quilts are stuffed with down. Feathers are also used by people of many tribes for decoration.


title: Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen

paragraphs: Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Fuller Olsen (born June 13, 1986) are twin American actresses. They have acted in movies and on television series since they were nine months old.

paragraphs: The twins began acting on the ABC series "Full House" between 1987 and 1995, in which both of them played Michelle Tanner.

paragraphs: In the early 1990s, they became the youngest entrepreneurs in Hollywood history by starting the Dualstar Entertainment company.

paragraphs: Later that decade, they acted in "Two of a Kind" and "So Little Time", as well as their own animated series.

paragraphs: They also acted in the movies, "It Takes Two" (1994), "New York Minute" (2003), and many direct-to-video movies and specials.

paragraphs: Merchandise related to the Olsens is still very popular in the teenage market. The Olsens have a clothing line for girls ages 4-14 in Wal-Mart stores across North America, as well as a beauty line called "Mary-Kate and Ashley: Real fashion for real girls".

paragraphs: In mid-2004, Mary-Kate Olsen announced she had entered treatment for an eating disorder, anorexia nervosa. A Got Milk? ad featuring the twins was pulled following the announcement. On November 20, 2007 she was hospitalized for a reported kidney infection.

paragraphs: The twins have bought up a number of fashion labels, and this is now their main activity. In 2012 the girls decided to quit acting permanently and focus on fashion.


title: The Walt Disney Company

paragraphs: The Walt Disney Company, commonly nicknamed Disney, is one of the largest entertainment and media companies in the world. This studio is famous for their family movies. It was started in 1923 by Walt Disney and his brother, Roy Oliver Disney, as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio. It had the name of Walt Disney Productions from 1937 to 1985.

paragraphs: Disney Enterprises Inc. is a subsidiary of the company; the name is found in many of its franchises.

paragraphs: The current chairman and CEO is Bob Chapek since 2020.

paragraphs: The company's main units are Studio Entertainment, Parks and Resorts, Media Networks and Consumer Products.

paragraphs: This unit, also called the Walt Disney Studios, is headed by Chairman Dick Cook. It consists of:

paragraphs: One of the Studios' largest assets lies in Walt Disney Feature Animation, which has made a successful string of animated movies for almost seven decades. Because of failures with most of their recent additions, it has changed its focus from traditional hand-drawn to CGI movies. Pixar, also owned by Disney, is one of the first studios to create CGI movies. Recently, Disney has acquired 20th Century Fox, Fox Searchlight Pictures and Blue Sky Studios, a big movie production studio, as well as other assets of 21st Century Fox, for $52 billion USD.

paragraphs: Worldwide, Disney has eleven theme parks (as of 2021):

paragraphs: Disney once owned the sports teams, the Angels (baseball) and the Mighty Ducks (ice hockey), both based in Anaheim, California. They are now the property of other people.

paragraphs: The ABC television network, which Disney bought in 1996, serves as the centre of this unit. Cable television channels within it include Disney Channel, Toon Disney, ABC Family, ESPN and SOAPnet.It also partly owns Lifetime, A&E and E!.

paragraphs: Buena Vista Television, responsible for the syndication of many Disney series, produces some of its own as well: "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire", "Live with Regis and Kelly", and "Ebert & Roeper".

paragraphs: Merchandising and licensing within the company are overseen in this division. Disney Publishing Worldwide, part of this unit, has Disney Press, Disney Editions and Hyperion Books as its brands.

paragraphs: It once owned the Disney Store shopping chain until 2004. Jim Henson's Muppets have taken its place since then.


title: Hypercholesterolemia

paragraphs: Hypercholesterolemia means that the cholesterol level is too high in the blood.

paragraphs: Cholesterol is a molecule in cells. It is a type of lipid which is a fat or fat-like molecule. Cholesterol is a special type of lipid that is called a steroid. Steroids are lipids that have a special chemical structure. This structure is made of four rings of carbon atoms.

paragraphs: Other steroids include hormone steroids like cortisol, estrogen, and testosterone. In fact, all steroid hormones are made from changing the basic chemical structure of cholesterol. When scientists talk about making one molecule from changing simpler ones, they sometimes call it "synthesis".

paragraphs: Cholesterol is usually in the walls of cells. It is "only" in animals. Plants do not synthesize cholesterol. So the cholesterol in the food people eat can only come from eating food from animals. But even vegans who eat "only" plant foods can have cholesterol. This is because "most" of the cholesterol that is in our bodies is synthesized "by" our bodies.

paragraphs: Cholesterol does many important jobs in a cell. Cholesterols main function is as a structural component of cell membranes. It is also the starting material for bile acids that are made by the liver and used to digest fats, and for steroid hormones. However, it is best known for something bad that it does. High levels of cholesterol can lead to atherosclerosis. This is an inflammatory disease of artery walls in which white blood cells invade the vessel wall and become engorged with cholesterol and other lipids. These

paragraphs: areas can slowly close off a blood vessel or can suddenly rupture and trigger formation of a blood clot.

paragraphs: Not all cholesterol is bad. There are different kinds of cholesterol in the blood. Doctors often measure these different types to see if someone has hypercholesterolemia.

paragraphs: HDL, an acronym for 'high density lipoprotein' is sometimes called 'good cholesterol' because people with high levels of HDL cholesterol have "less" atherosclerosis.

paragraphs: LDL (low density lipoprotein) is sometimes called 'bad cholesterol' because people with high levels of LDL cholesterol have more atherosclerosis.

paragraphs: High blood levels of VLDL (very low density lipoprotein) also causes more atherosclerosis. However, measuring its level in blood is more expensive. So the blood level of triglycerides (a kind of fat) is used instead. High triglycerides (TG) are found in people with high VLDL.

paragraphs: When atherosclerosis gets bad enough, it can cause blockage of blood flow in arteries. This can hurt whatever the artery brings blood to. The organ or tissue that the blocked artery brought blood to can even die. If the organ or tissue dies, doctors call this an "infarction". If it is hurt from low blood flow, but not enough to die, it is called "ischemia".

paragraphs: If the artery brought blood to the heart, people can have angina or a heart attack. A heart attack is also called a "myocardial infarction." Myocardial means relating to the heart muscle. Infarction means death of a tissue or organ. So a myocardial infarction or "heart attack" is when blood flow to part of the heart stops. Then that part of the heart dies. Angina is when the blood flow is "low" but not "totally blocked".

paragraphs: If the blocked artery brought blood to the brain, people can have a stroke. If the blocked artery is to the kidneys, it can cause kidney failure. If the blocked artery is to an arm or leg, they may also die. If this happens, the arm or leg may need to be amputated (cut off) if the blood vessel cannot be fixed by doctors.

paragraphs: The best way to treat it is to not get it! Some people develop atherosclerosis faster than others. Some develop it very slowly. Many things make those differences between people. Some are things people can change. Some are not.

paragraphs: However, once someone gets hypercholesterolemia which means high blood cholesterol, doctors treat them. The first way to treat hypercholesterolemia is to exercise, quit smoking, and eat better foods. If these work and the cholesterol blood levels become normal, no more treatment is needed. If these do not work, sometimes medicines are also needed. But even if medicine is used, it is still important to stop smoking, eat better, and exercise.

paragraphs: Once someone gets atherosclerosis from hypercholesterolemia, a better diet, exercise, and quitting smoking "may not be enough". If people already have atherosclerosis that causes problems like heart attack or strokes, medicine is almost always needed.

paragraphs: People with atherosclerosis must also be watched by doctors to make sure they do not get ischemia or infarction. Since they are more likely to get a myocardial infarction (heart attack) or stroke, they must watch for signs of these. Sometimes if a doctor thinks a person has atherosclerosis she may do tests to find atherosclerosis "before" it causes symptoms of ischemia or infarction. But if people get symptoms of these problems, it is important to see a doctor "immediately".

paragraphs: For all of these types of ischemia or infarction, doctors can try to reopen the blocked artery. This may be done by surgery or sometimes with very strong medicines to make the blood less able to make clots. If this is not done "fast enough", the tissue or organ with ischemia may be too badly hurt, and it might not be able to be saved.

paragraphs: The most common type of medicine to treat hypercholesterolemia are 'statin' drugs. They are called 'statins' because their names all end in -statin. They are also called "HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitors". This is because they work by "inhibiting" the enzyme HMG-CoA Reductase. Inhibiting an enzyme means to make it work less well.

paragraphs: The HMG-CoA Reductase enzyme causes the body to make more cholesterol. If it is inhibited, the body makes "less" cholesterol. So statin drugs lower the amount of LDL (bad) cholesterol in the blood which stops atherosclerosis from getting worse. Statin drugs can even help make atherosclerosis better. However, statins are not as good at increasing the HDL (good) cholesterol. Low HDL is hard to treat with medicines, but goes up with more exercise!

paragraphs: There are two big problems with taking statins: Liver problems and 'Rhabdomyolysis.'

paragraphs: Rhabdomyolysis means a disease where muscle cells are damaged and die. Statins can cause damage to muscle cells. This can cause weakness and muscle pain. The worse problem though is that when muscle cells die, they release cell proteins into the blood. The kidney removes the muscle protein from the blood. If the kidney takes up too much protein, it can be hurt. If it is bad enough it can cause kidney failure. So if people take statins and get muscle pain or weakness, stop the medicine and see a doctor.

paragraphs: Statins can also cause liver problems. They can cause mild irritation of the liver. They can rarely cause very bad liver damage. Because of this, when someone starts taking a statin, doctors check liver blood tests after six weeks. Doctors also warn patients to watch for the signs of liver damage: pain in the right side of the abdomen, nausea, vomiting, and jaundice.

paragraphs: However, both of these problems are "rare". In someone with hypercholesterolemia, the benefit from statins is more than the risk. This means that someone is more likely to prevent problems than cause problems by taking them. There are many big scientific studies of this problem that show the same thing: if people have hypercholesterolemia and take statins, "they are more likely to live longer and be healthier".

paragraphs: There are other kinds of medicines to treat hypercholesterolemia. But statins are the most effective treatment.

paragraphs: "Fibrates" are medicines that lower cholesterol levels. They may also help people with Type II Diabetes. This is a good effect because diabetes and hypercholesterolemia cause some of the same problems. If both diabetes and hypercholesterolemia happen in the same person the problems from these diseases can be much worse. Fibrates can have rhabdomyolysis like the statins and also can cause upset stomach. Use of fibrates and statins at the same time makes rhabdomyolysis happen much more often.

paragraphs: Niacin is a vitamin that lowers cholesterol levels. It is also called Vitamin B3 or nicotinic acid. Severe niacin deficiency in the diet can cause a disease called "Pellagra". This is rare in the developed world today. However, less bad deficiency of niacin can cause high blood pressure, weight gain, and hypercholesterolemia. So sometimes Niacin is used to treat hypercholesterolemia. Niacin is one of the medicines that may make HDL (good) cholesterol go up. The biggest problem with taking enough Niacin to help cholesterol is that it causes severe "flushing" (hot, red, sometimes itchy skin). This 'side-effect' is so bad, sometimes people stop taking the medicine.

paragraphs: Bile Acid Resins are medicines that make people not absorb as much bile when they digest food. This causes them to take up less cholesterol also, which lowers blood levels of cholesterol.


title: Cholesterol

paragraphs: Cholesterol is a molecule that is found in animal cells and body fluids. Cholesterol is not found in plant sources. It is a type of lipid which is a fat or fat-like molecule. Cholesterol is a soft waxy substance. Cholesterol is a special type of lipid that is called a steroid. Steroids are lipids that have a special chemical structure. This structure is made of four rings of carbon atoms. Cholesterol is found especially in animal fats.

paragraphs: Cholesterol is the main steroid synthesized by animals. Other steroids include hormone steroids like cortisol, estrogen, and testosterone. These and other steroid hormones are made by changing the basic chemical structure of cholesterol. This is an example of "chemical synthesis".

paragraphs: Hypercholesterolemia means that cholesterol level is too high in the blood. High cholesterol levels show that heart disease may develop.


title: Iowa

paragraphs: Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its name comes from the Iowa River, which was named after the Ioway people, one of the Native American tribes that lived in Iowa. Iowa was a part of New France, but was sold to the United States as part of the Louisiana Purchase. Its settlers were mostly farmers: Iowa is part of the Corn Belt and is often known as the "Food Capital of the World." However, Iowa's landscape, culture, and economy are diverse, with the economy changing in the second half of the 20th Century to include many kinds of business.

paragraphs: Iowa has more than 3 million people . Its capital and largest city is Des Moines. Iowa became a state in December 28, 1846. It was the 29th state to join the United States.

paragraphs: Iowa is in the Midwestern United States. To the north of Iowa is Minnesota; to the west are Nebraska and South Dakota; to the south is Missouri; and to the east are Illinois and Wisconsin.

paragraphs: The eastern border of the state is marked by the Mississippi River which runs between Iowa and Illinois. The western border is marked by the Missouri and Big Sioux rivers. The northern border is a line 43 degrees, 30 minutes north latitude. The southern border follows the northern border of Missouri. Iowa and Missouri disagreed about the location of the Iowa-Missouri border. This argument was ended by the Supreme Court of the United States in the 1896 case, "State of Missouri v. State of Iowa", after a standoff called the Honey War. The border follows the Des Moines River for the far eastern part of the state and is at close to 40 degrees, 35 minutes north for the rest of the state.

paragraphs: Iowa has 99 counties, but 100 county seats because Lee County has two. The state capital, Des Moines, is in Polk County.

paragraphs: Most of Iowa is considered to be a plain.

paragraphs: The government of Iowa has three branches, similar to the federal government of the United States. The executive branch is headed by the governor, currently Kim Reynolds (R) since May 24, 2017. The legislative branch is the Iowa General Assembly, composed of two houses - the Iowa Senate and the Iowa House of Representatives. The judicial branch is headed by the Iowa Supreme Court under the chief justice, currently Marsha Ternus.

paragraphs: There are two major political parties in Iowa, the Iowa Democratic Party and the Republican Party of Iowa, as well as several unofficial third parties. No one party is in charge of the government ; the governor is a Republican and the House has a Republican majority under Kraig Paulsen, but the Senate has a Democratic majority under Mike Gronstal.

paragraphs: Iowa sends two senators and four representatives to Congress. The number of representatives was five, but starting with the 2012 elections is only four, because of redistricting.

paragraphs: There are many farms in Iowa. Iowa is well known for its agriculture. Its main agricultural outputs are hogs, corn, soybeans, oats, cattle, and dairy products. Its industrial outputs include food processing and machinery. Iowa also produces more ethanol fuel than any other U.S. state.


title: Gender identity

paragraphs: In sociology, gender identity describes the gender that a person sees themselves as. Most people see themselves as a man or woman; a boy or girl. For almost everyone, the gender they identify as, matches what the doctor said they were when they were born. For a few people, however, they were called one thing when they were born, but they feel like the other gender; people in this group are called transgender. Sometimes, other people are called transgender, too, when they do not fit society's expectations about gender roles—that is, how a male or female of a certain age and culture should look and act. Simply refusing to conform to behavioral stereotypes is also called "gender non-conforming".

paragraphs: Most of society follows the human ideal of the gender binary, or think that everyone must either be a man or a woman. However, in recent decades people have decided that this isn't the case and that more genders exist outside of male and female. And more importantly, the rise of LGBTQ+ education and rights have brought transgender issues to the attention of the public, as well as the many genders that a person can identify as.

paragraphs: 'Transgender' is both an identity label and an umbrella term. A person can identify as a trans woman or trans man, but there are more genders that fall underneath the transgender category. Nonbinary genders (or people who do not identify as male or female) fall underneath transgender. 'Nonbinary' is often used as a synonym for agender, or someone doesn't identify with a gender, but is the catch-all label for other genders. Some of those other nonbinary genders include, but aren't limited to:

paragraphs: In 2014, to keep up with changing views about gender identity, Facebook changed their gender options that users can pick from, to 58 different gender identities. This change was noticed and widely reported at the time.

paragraphs: Gender expression (also called, "gender presentation") means how a person dresses, looks, and acts, in ways that might affect how other people view their gender. Someone who wears men's clothes and acts in a masculine way has a "male gender expression." Someone who wears women's clothes and acts in a feminine way has a "female gender expression". This is different from "gender identity" because people can choose to look or behave one way even if that is not how they feel inside. Sometimes people call this "gender presentation" or just "presentation".

paragraphs: 'Transgender' is a term that means that the gender assigned at birth (typically 'AMAB' or 'assigned male at birth' and 'AFAB' or 'assigned female at birth') does not match with the gender a person identifies as. The experiences that transgender people have are vast and may differ from one another, although there are sometimes shared experiences. For instance, a transgender person may feel gender dysphoria (but not everyone will be dysphoric). A transgender person may also feel it necessary to medically transition, or take hormones, or a combination of the two. 'Transsexual' is a term that some transgender people may use after receiving sex-reassignment surgeries and medical transition, but depending on who one is talking to, this term may be considered outdated and the person may instead opt to simply continue using the term 'transgender' as their identification.

paragraphs: Some people use the word 'transgender' to mean somewhat different things, as the word has expanded and changed since it was first invented in 1965.

paragraphs: Some factors involved in transgender identification are:

paragraphs: All three of these factors contribute to how a person labels their self, and make gender a confusing construct to navigate. People can have gender presentations that don't match their gender identity, or a gender identity that doesn't match the gender they were assigned at birth, etc. A person whose gender identity matches the gender they were assigned at birth is called 'cisgender'. As time has passed, the growing voice of LGBTQ+ issues and rise of educational resources on the topics of gender and sexuality has allowed for many to learn about transgender issues, and help others with their own gender navigation.

paragraphs: It is possible to have every different combination of sex, gender identity, and gender expression. For example:

paragraphs: There are many people whose gender identity differs from the one they are at birth, but the person hides it due to fear of rejection, laws that do not protect transgender people, being abandoned or cut off by family and friends, and even fear of getting assaulted.

paragraphs: For instance, a woman going on a date may have to grapple with the decision of when and or if she should tell her date that she is transgender. There is the chance that her date will not care that she is transgender and they can carry on, and she will be happy knowing that she can safely be herself around this person. However, there's also the chance that her date will react angrily and misgender her after finding out she is transgender, and maybe even assault her. A person who identifies as nonbinary may keep their identity a secret to their family out of fear of being kicked out and left homeless, or sent to conversion therapy.

paragraphs: Many people go through this fear, so it is very normal to feel scared.

paragraphs: Another issue that has come up recently is one that feminists, who believe one can dress however they want, argue over whether someone claiming to be a woman and deciding to wear a dress

paragraphs: should be treated as a woman based on this self-identification. This is a matter of dispute within the feminist movement. You can wear whatever you want and still be a woman. A transwoman AMAB who wears a dress makes it so that the feminist movement can not move past this idea that women must wear a dress. Women who see themselves as feminists have strong views on both sides of the issue of whether or not trans women are women,to the point that they deny those who hold the opposite view are real feminists.

paragraphs: Women who see feminism as based on fighting against the oppression of biological women based on biological sex often call themselves "gender critical" or "gender abolitionists" (the latter idea based on the expectation of particular dress or behavior being itself oppression). Those who disagree often label these women "Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminists", or "TERFs".

paragraphs: When a person's gender identity and body do not match, they may go to see a doctor. The doctor may help them change their body if that is what they want. A psychiatrist may diagnose this person with Gender identity disorder (gender dysphoria), but medical diagnosis itself is a controversial subject because being transgender has one been considered to be a mental illness, the stigma is still there. Principle 18 of the Yogyakarta Principles, a document about international law on human rights states that "any classifications to the contrary, a person's gender identity is not in and of itself, medical condition". And "Activist's Guide" to them says that "gender identity" or "gender identity disorder" exists still in categories of mental illness, contrary to the "sexual orientation" removed from such categories.

paragraphs: But despite the strides taken to remove the stigma of mental illness in being transgender, gatekeeping by doctors and therapists make most transgender people struggle to achieve their ideal self. In most cases, doctors require therapists to 'diagnose' whether their patient is 'transgender enough' to take hormones or have surgery. And even if you do that diagnosis, a surgeon can refuse to perform surgery on you.


title: America's Army

paragraphs: America's Army is a multiplayer first-person shooter computer game series. It can be played using Windows, Macintosh, or Linux. It is the official game of the United States Army. The first version was free. It came out on July 4, 2002. It has been updated many times since then. The second important release was "America's Army: Special Forces" in November 2003. "America's Army" was made by the "MOVES Institute" at the Naval Postgraduate School. It is based on the Unreal engine.

paragraphs: "America's Army" is a tactical shooter. It is also called a "serious games". According to the game's website, America's Army "provides civilians with an inside perspective and a virtual role in today's premier land force: the U.S. Army. The game is designed for verisimilitude and to provide an accurate portrayal of Soldier experiences across a number of occupations. In the game, players will explore progressive individual and collective training events within the game. Once they successfully completed these events they will advance to multiplayer operations in small units."

paragraphs: On February 20, 2005 there were 4.6 million registered players, and 2.7 million of them had finished basic training. Also, there were more than 15,000 servers being used, and 1.3 million rounds being played each day. The game has been changed a lot. This keeps people interested in the game. It can be found as a free download on the Internet or on a CD-ROM at recruiting centers around the United States.

paragraphs: In 1999, Lieutenant Colonel E. Casey Wardynski, a professor at the U.S Military Academy at West Point decided to tell the Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel and the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Military Manpower about his idea for an online computer game. His basic idea eventually became America's Army. In the same year, fewer people were joining the army.. Congress decided to use "aggressive, innovative experiments" including America's Army to get more people to join the Army.

paragraphs: The first release was July 4, 2002, and other changes (called patches) were added. On November 6, 2003, version 2.0 of "America's Army: Special Forces" was made. (Go here for more information about the different version). The Army is spending about USD$3 million a year to make more versions of the game.

paragraphs: Another AA version called "America's Army: Rise of a Soldier" is available on Playstation 2 and Xbox. This version was developed by UbiSoft.

paragraphs: Since "America's Army" was created, people have complained about its purpose. People have argued about the Army using its money to make a game. They are also worried about how this game will change people's lives.

paragraphs: In "America's Army" there are teams of soldiers fighting in a war. The person who is playing controls a soldier of the "US Army" from the character's eyes. This is called first person.

paragraphs: Players fight as either the US Army or Indigenous forces ("IF"). They fight against a team called "OPFOR" (Army lingo for "Opposing Forces"). There are different kinds of OPFORs called "insurgents", "enemy forces" or "terrorists".

paragraphs: One of "America's Army"'s different features is the way the enemies are. The players are split into two different teams. There is usually an "assault" group and a "defense" group. The "assault" loses the round if the time limit runs out, which is usually ten minutes.

paragraphs: The players on each team see themselves as American soldiers with American weapons, such as the "M16A2". Their opponents look like non-uniformed people with Eastern bloc weapons, like the "AK-47" (the counterpart of the "M16A2" in the game). In training maps the only distinguishing features are the players' uniforms. The development team did this to make the game realistic for players on both sides. They allowed everyone to play on the side of the American forces. They also avoided the problem of asking players to kill American soldiers.

paragraphs: On the Special Forces maps, players can also play as non-uniformed people with Eastern bloc weapons (known as Indigenous forces ("IF") in the game), but be on the same team as regular army forces.

paragraphs: This is confusing to many players because when they pick up an enemy weapon, it works differently than the US version. An AK-47 removed from a fallen opponent is fully automatic, more powerful, but less accurate than his M16. But when his opponent had it, to him it "was" an M16. The important thing is that each weapon behaves as the owner sees it. It transforms when it is picked up. If people pay a lot of attention might notice that the enemies weapons behave wrong, but it is hard to notice.

paragraphs: Every round starts with both teams spawning at the same time. Players can join the other team, but cannot play as the OPFOR. Equipment is not bought but selected through choosing a class.

paragraphs: The goal of the game is to complete the objectives, kill the enemy team. For example, one objective could be to kill the "V.I.P.", who is trying to survive and escape. If a player joined the other team, he would have to protect the same V.I.P. The round is over if a team wins0, or if the time limit is reached. For a listing of missions gohere.

paragraphs: The game remembers how many people each player has killed, how many times each team has won, how many times each player has been killed, and how well the player is completing the objectives. The game then distributes score which calculates the player's "Honor" level.

paragraphs: Every time a player is killed, every time he fails to protect an objective which he is assigned to defend, and especially every killing of teammates or his allies caused by friendly fire is called a violation of the "ROE" (Rules of engagement) in the game and has an extremely negative effect on his score and "Honor". If too many points are lost in a round, the player is put in "jail" and kicked out of the server. As of February 2005 95.2% of AA players had 0-20 HONOR points, 3.3% had 20-40 points, 1% had 40-60, and .4% had 61-80 points.

paragraphs: Every healing of injured teammates and every killing of opponents increases a players score and "Honor". Completing the game's missions affects a player's score in a good way and his "Honor" points as well. The score is saved in the player's account that was being used. Some servers only allow players with certain Honor levels to join. The most common is to not let anyone with less than 10 Honor in because this is the base level that everyone starts with. Some also do not let players with too much Honor in. The developers say that "Honor" is based on the values of the Army: "Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity and Personal Courage or Leadership". Its main purpose in the game is stop "team-killing", which is a problem in a lot of online first-person shooters (see team killer).

paragraphs: The game depicts real guns. The guns have all the same traits as the real versions. Each gun has different accuracy, power, recoil, and rate of jamming. To aim, there are cross-hairs and iron sights.

paragraphs: Players may select a "class" like "squad leader", "rifleman", "automatic rifleman", "grenadier", or "sniper"; these classes decide what weapon the player will have at the beginning of each round. Some players from each team may be "medics". Medics can help their teammates get better after they get shot. Being a medic is an extra ability which is added to the class. The Honor points are used to decide which players gets which class. Players with more Honor usually get to pick their class first.

paragraphs: Each gun also can jam in action. When a gun jams it means that it stops working because a part is stuck. The player then needs to press a button to fix the gun. This can be a problem because it makes it so that the player cannot shoot for a few seconds. AA was the first game ever to have player's guns jam.

paragraphs: Every firearm in the game has either iron sights or a telescopic sight (for sniper rifles); while using the sights, a zoom effect enlarges objects in view. The iron sights enlarge to a small degree, the telescopic sights to large one. Until he stops zooming, the player's moving speed is additionally decreased.

paragraphs: In the first few versions, weapons could only hurt players and glass. For example, a grenade could not destroy a television but a gun could put a bullet hole in the screen. Compared to most games, the grenades and are more deadly. They tried to make the blast radius of grenades more like real life than it usually is in other games. Getting hurt by weapons always leads to some bleeding, which causes a player's health gauge to go down over time. Injuries make players slower, they also make it harder for the player to shoot where they are aiming. Sometimes, if the player does not get help from a medic, they will die.

paragraphs: In the newer versions of the game players can make changes to their weapons. For example, the M4 Carbine can be change in different ways and let the soldier have features that work better on a certain map. For example, on a large map a scope and a bi-pod might be picked, but in a city a player might choose only iron sights and a M203 grenade launcher.

paragraphs: Every player starts the round with one or two guns, some grenades and, on some maps, night vision goggles or binoculars. A list of the weapons is here:

paragraphs: The map list is sorted by the version they were released with, with newer maps coming first. The game currently has 28 multiplayer maps and 14 single player training missions. Completing these training missions unlocks things like the ability to play online or to become a medic, a special forces unit or a sniper. Maps have different sizes, objectives, and weapons that players can have.

paragraphs: However, no known custom maps have been made because there is no level editor for the game and the developers made it impossible for players to use the level design computer program "UnrealEd", which works for other Unreal engine games.

paragraphs: Version 2.6 is available for Microsoft Windows, Linux and for Mac OS X.


title: Heterosexuality

paragraphs: Heterosexual people love people (sexually and romantically) of the opposite gender. A heterosexual man loves women. A heterosexual woman loves men. Another less formal word for heterosexual is "straight".

paragraphs: People who are not heterosexual may be homosexual, bisexual or asexual. Many people in Western society are heteronormative, which means that they believe that heterosexuality is better than other forms of sexuality. This often leads to discrimination.

paragraphs: In the Catholic Church and many Christian churches as well as in Islam and Judaism, a marriage can only be made in a heterosexual pair - man and woman. Marriage that is done in homosexual pair is often seen as a serious sin by those religions.