title: Mortar (weapon)

paragraphs: A mortar is an artillery weapon which fires explosive shells. The shells are known as (mortar) bombs. They are fired at targets which are close, as mortars do not have long range. It has a short barrel which fires the mortar bomb at a low speed high into the air to reach its target. They have been used since medieval times. Mortars are made in different sizes, from large and heavy mortars to infantry mortars which can be carried by just one soldier. They are called an indirect fire weapon because the bomb drops onto the target from above, rather than being aimed straight at it. Soldiers firing a mortar do not need to be able to see their target.

paragraphs: A mortar is quite simple and easy to use. Most are muzzleloaders made up of a tube that a gunner drops a bomb into. The tube is usually set at between 45 and 90 degrees angle to the ground. The higher the angle, the shorter the range. When the bomb reaches the bottom of the tube it hits a firing pin. The mortar bomb's weight is enough to set off the firing pin which ignites the round and fires it. Some larger mortars have a firing pin that is set off by using a string instead of automatically.

paragraphs: From the 18th to the early 20th century, very heavy siege mortars were used. These were very difficult to move around. These had up to one metre calibre. They were often made of cast iron. Smaller designs that were easier to move around were brought in during the First World War. Mortars are still used today.

paragraphs: Light and medium mortars are easy to move around. They are usually used by infantry units. Mortars can fire from a trench or .

paragraphs: Heavy mortars are usually between 120- and 300-mm calibre. These weapons are usually towed or put on to vehicles. They are sometimes loaded from the back (breech-loaded). They are usually used by infantry in battalions or divisions. Even mortars this large are simpler and cheaper than howitzers and field guns.

paragraphs: A mortar can be moved around by one or more people (bigger mortars can usually be broken down into parts) or moved around in a vehicle. An infantry mortar can usually be set up and fired from a mortar-carrier. A mortar-carrier is a modified armoured vehicle or one built especially to be a mortar-carrier. They have a big hatch on the roof. Mortars with two barrels—like the AMOS PT1—are the latest kinds of heavy mortar. They are put on carriers such as armoured personnel carriers, tank chassis and patrol boats.

paragraphs: Light versions of mortar are usually used by at least two men. Heavier mortars are fired by three to five men. Lighter mortars can be fired from anywhere that gives a good firing position. However, medium mortars are usually fired from prepared, well fortified positions.

paragraphs: Most mortars used today are made up of a barrel, a plate for the barrel to stand on, and a bipod.

paragraphs: Mortars are mainly medium calibre weapons. However, mortars both bigger and smaller than this have been made. An example of a smaller mortar is the British 51 mm Light Mortar. The 51 mm is carried by just one soldier. It is made up of only a tube and a base plate. A bigger example is the Soviet 2S4 M1975 "Tyulpan" (tulip flower) 240 mm self-propelled mortar.

paragraphs: Mortars are not very stable if they are used on snow or soft ground. This is because the recoil pushes them into the ground. The Raschen Bag can be used to avoid this problem.

paragraphs: The ammunition fired by mortars are properly called "bombs". One possible reason for this is that the fins that stabilise the round when it is flying, and the shape of the round makes it look like a bomb dropped from aircraft.

paragraphs: Mortars can fire many different bombs. Some of these are:

paragraphs: Mortars are usually smaller and lighter than howitzers and field guns. When the mortar bomb is launched, it descends at a very steep angle (almost straight down).

paragraphs: Mortars can be very helpful if they are used in hidden places. It can be even more helpful if there are people around the battlefield that help tell the mortar where to fire (forward observers).

paragraphs: Mortars have existed for hundreds of years. They were first used in sieges. A European description of the Siege of Belgrade (1456) by Giovanni da Tagliacozzo says that the Ottoman Turks used seven mortars that fired "stone shots one Italian mile high". The speed of these was said to be very slow. It was also said that men could be prevented from being injured by putting observers out who warned the troops of what angle the mortars were firing at.

paragraphs: Early mortars like the Pumhart von Steyr were big and heavy. They were also difficult to move around. An early mortar that could be moved easily was invented by Baron (Siege of Grave, 1673). At the Siege of Vicksburg, General Ulysses S. Grant reported making mortars "by taking logs of the toughest wood that could be found, boring them out for six or twelve-pound shells and binding them with strong iron bands. These answered as coehorns, and shells were successfully thrown from them into the trenches of the enemy."

paragraphs: Mortars were very useful in the muddy trenches of the Western Front. A mortar round could be aimed to fall straight into a trench because of the deep angle that the bombs fell at.

paragraphs: During the Battle of Iwo Jima, the Imperial Japanese Army used twelve 320 mm mortars against the American forces.

paragraphs: The biggest mortars ever made were the French "Monster Mortar" (36 French inches; 975 mm; developed by Henri-Joseph Paixhans in 1832), Mallet's Mortar (36 inches; 910 mm; designed by Robert Mallet and tested by the Woolwich Arsenal, London, in 1857) and the "Little David" (36 inches; 914.4 mm; developed in the United States for use in World War II). All three mortars had a caliber of 36 "inches". However, only the "Monster Mortar" was used (at the Battle of Antwerp in 1832).

paragraphs: "Home-made" mortars have been used by insurgent groups. They are usually used to attack well defended military bases or to scare civilians. An early example was the Davidka. This was used during the Israeli War of Independence in 1948. The Provisional Irish Republican Army used some of the best-known examples during the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. The biggest types came to be known as "barracks busters". They were usually made of heavy steel piping put onto a steel frame.

paragraphs: Well-known events using "home-made" mortars include the 1985 Newry mortar attack. This was when nine members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary were killed. Another well-known event is the Downing Street mortar attack in 1991. In this, the IRA mortared 10 Downing Street during a meeting. Three bombs were launched but only one exploded. It landed in the back garden of the British Prime Minister's house. It only broke the windows at the back of the house. Prime Minister John Major had to move to Admiralty House while the windows were being fixed.


title: Type 38 75 mm field gun

paragraphs: The was a field gun used by the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA). It became a standard field gun of the IJA after the end of the Russo-Japanese War.

paragraphs: Japan had experience with artillery in its war with Russia in 1904-05.

paragraphs: In 1905 ("Meiji 38"), the Imperial Japanese Army selected Krupp's artillery design. At first, the field guns were imported.

paragraphs: Over 2000 guns were produced under license at the Army’s Osaka Arsenal.

paragraphs: After World War I, the weapon was re-designed in Japan.

paragraphs: Plans to replace the Type 38s with Type 90 75 mm field guns went forward in 1931. However, Type 38s continued to be used.

paragraphs: Type 38s were used in the Second Sino-Japanese War and in World War II.


title: Himalayan cat

paragraphs: The Himalayan is a cat breed that was created in 1950 by crossing the Siamese and the Persian. It has point markings and blue eyes like a Siamese, and long fur like a Persian. Sometimes it is considered to be a color variation of the Persian, and not a separate breed.


title: Bombard (weapon)

paragraphs: A bombard is a large-caliber, muzzle-loading, medieval cannon or mortar. It was used in sieges for throwing heavy stone balls. The name bombarde was used in a French historical text around 1380. The modern term "bombardment" comes from this.

paragraphs: Bombards were usually used during sieges to hurl various things into enemy forts. Items such as stone or metal balls, burning materials and weighted cloth soaked in quicklime or Greek fire are have been written about.

paragraphs: The name comes from medieval Latin and French words from an earlier Greek word meaning the making of a humming noise.

paragraphs: A famous example of a bombard is Mons Meg, a large weapon built around 1449 and used by King James II of Scotland. It was very powerful and used for bringing down castle walls. Mons Meg could fire shots and was one of the largest bombards in its time. It is now on public display at Edinburgh Castle. Other known bombards include two wrought iron weapons, the Pumhart von Steyr and Dulle Griet. There were also weapons cast in bronze, the Faule Mette, Faule Grete, and Grose Bochse. The Tsar Cannon is a late 16th century show-piece.

paragraphs: The Dardanelles Gun was built in the Ottoman Empire in 1464 by Munir Ali. It weighed 18.6 t and was 518cm long. It could fire stone balls of up to 63cm diameter.

paragraphs: Bombards were replaced by weapons using smaller calibre iron shells with more powerful gunpowder.


title: Bombardment

paragraphs: A bombardment is an attack by artillery weapons against fortifications, troops or towns and buildings. It word came from the name of the medieval artillery weapon, the bombard, which was used to fire heavy stones during a siege.

paragraphs: Before World War I the word bombardment was only used for the attack of defenceless or undefended objects, houses, public buildings. Since then it has come to mean any mass attack delivered by artillery or short range missiles, and also as aerial bombardment if delivered by bomber aircraft or long range missiles.

paragraphs: It now is also used to describe activities in science, such as firing high energy particles like electrons into atoms in the study of nuclear reactions. The word can also be used informally, for example, a person could be "bombarded" with questions.

paragraphs: In its old strict sense the term was only applied to the bombardment of defenceless or undefended objects, houses, public buildings. The purpose is to destroy the courage of your enemies. Civilians in a besieged town would put pressure on their military leaders to surrender before the place was destroyed. The practice of using artillery to do this was especially common up until World War I. Since then long range artillery bombardment has been joined by aerial bombardment delivered by aircraft and missiles.


title: Rapier (missile)

paragraphs: Rapier is a British surface-to-air missile. It was developed for the British Army and Royal Air Force. It began being used in 1971 and eventually replaced all other anti-aircraft weapons in the British Army. It replaced both guns for targets that were flying low down, and the English Electric Thunderbird which was used against targets that were higher up and further away.

paragraphs: Rapier defends against fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, unmanned aircraft and cruise missiles. It is also able to fire two missiles at once.

paragraphs: Rapier can be moved around by ground and air.

paragraphs: Rapier started being developed in 1961. It was done privately at the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC). Then, the missile was known as "Sightline". The project was to fight supersonic, low-flying aircrat.

paragraphs: At the time the British Army was going to buy the American MIM-46 Mauler for air-defense. Mauler ran into problems in 1963, so the Ministry of Defence started giving money to Sightline. Sightline was supposed to be a backup in case Mauler failed. This eventually happened, and Sightline was eventually developed as "Rapier". The missile was 1966 for testing. Full versions of Rapier were tested in 1968. A contract was given in 1969 for the missile to begin being made. Rapier began being used in 1971 with the British Army, and 1974 with the Royal Air Force Regiment.

paragraphs: The first Rapier was a launcher on wheels. It had four missiles. The launcher is a large cylinder. It has two missiles on each side.

paragraphs: The first Rapier was accurate and simple to use. However, it could not be used in all types of weather. To fix this, BAC started working on a different radar unit. This led to the Marconi DN 181 "Blindfire" radar in 1970. The first Blindfires were sold to the Iranian Army in 1973. The British Army did not buy the Blindfire system until 1979.

paragraphs: It soon became noticed that a version of Rapier that could be moved around was needed. BAC decided to change Rapier to fit onto the M548, a version of the M113 armored personnel carrier. In 1974, this weapon was developed as "Tracked Rapier". The vehicles were bought by the British Army. The first Tracked Rapiers were used with "11 (Sphinx) Air Defence Battery", of 22 Air Defence Regiment, Royal Artillery in 1982-83.

paragraphs: Moving to firing takes only 30 seconds. This was a very big improvement to Towed Rapier. The biggest difference between towed and tracked Rapier was that the tracked Rapier launcher has eight missiles. The towed Rapier only has four.

paragraphs: There was no room for Blindfire on a single M548. Because of this, it is towed or put onto a different M548.

paragraphs: After Tracked Rapier entered service, it was upgraded many times to follow the upgrades being made to all Rapiers.

paragraphs: Tracked Rapier has been replaced by Starstreak missile launchers. These are put onto the Alvis Stormer.

paragraphs: The "Field Standard B" (FSB) added some basic upgrades to Rapier. Also, the radar which searches for enemy aircrat was upgraded so that it could be easily shut down.

paragraphs: Because of all the new upgrades, the first, cheap Rapier was gone. To make Rapier cheaper, BAC began developing the "Rapier Laserfire" in 1982.

paragraphs: Tracking and firing is similar to the first Rapier. However, the Laserfire lights up the target and automatically tracks it with a powerful YAG:Nd laser.

paragraphs: In 1988, a better missile started being tested. This missile exploded before it hit the target. This allowed Rapier to hit smaller, faster targets.

paragraphs: In 1992 the Army decided to upgrade Rapier to higher-quality versions.

paragraphs: The missile has two versions, the Mk. 2A to shoot down aircraft, and the Mk. 2B, which can be used against light tanks and other armoured vehicles.

paragraphs: In April 1982, the first Rapier was used during the Falklands War. Early reports about Rapier were good. They said Rapier got 14 kills and probably killed another 6 more. However, later reports said that around four enemy aircraft were shot down by Rapier. Only one Argentine aircraft, a Dagger A, was definitely a Rapier kill. The pilot was killed.

paragraphs: ""Within the total only five Argentine aircraft might have been shot down by Rapier, and, as originally noted by Ethell and Price, only one of these was certain, with two probables and two possibles. Similar discrepancies arose over other weapons systems, notably Blowpipe (one confirmed kill as against nine confirmed and two probables in the White Paper) and Sea Cat (zero to one against eight confirmed and two probables in the White Paper). […] This confirmation that MoD had exaggerated, however unwittingly, the capabilities of Rapier was deemed to be political dynamite. It was observed that if this assessment became publicly known it 'could have a serious adverse effects on sales' prospects for Rapier, which is the staple revenue-earner for BAe's Dynamic Group.""

paragraphs: The main problems were that Rapier could not fire very far, and that there was no proximity fuse. This meant that the gunner had to hit the aircrat with the missile directly. There were also problems with Rapier's IFF system.

paragraphs: It has been announced the UK Ministry of Defence was giving money to a company to find a replacement for Rapier. The Common Anti-Air Modular Missile (CAMM) would have some components the same as the ASRAAM missile which is in service with the RAF.

paragraphs: An example of Rapier can be seen in a hangar in IWM Duxford.


title: Step Up

paragraphs: Step Up is a 2006 American romantic musical teen drama movie set in Maryland. This movie is similar to "Bring It On" (which was released in 2000), except there is hip hop involved. This movie was released August 11, 2006 in the United States. The reviews were mixed to negative, though the movie had a high box office intake.

paragraphs: The sequel, "", was released February 14, 2008. It stars Briana Evigan, Robert Hoffman, and Cassie and directed by Jon Chu. A second sequel called "Step Up 3D" was released on August 6, 2010. A third sequel called "Step Up Revolution" was released in 2012 and the fifth and final movie, Step Up: All In, was released in 2014.


title: Type 90 75 mm field gun

paragraphs: This artillery piece was planned to replace the Type 38 75 mm field gun in front line combat units. However, Type 38s continued to be used.

paragraphs: Before World War I, the Imperial Japanese Army mainly had Krupp cannons from Germany. After the Versailles Treaty, the Japanese considered other options including field guns designed by Schneider et Cie from France.

paragraphs: In 1931, IJA began to use the "Type 90" which was based on Schneider designs.

paragraphs: The Type 90 was not considered successful.

paragraphs: The Type 90 75 mm field gun was used in Manchukuo. It was used against the Soviet Red Army at the Battle of Nomonhan.


title: Step Up 2: The Streets

paragraphs: Step Up 2: The Streets is a 2008 American musical teen drama movie. It is the sequel to "Step Up". This sequel is set in the Baltimore region and was released in February 2008. The movie got substandard reviews, though it received almost $151 million throughout the world.

paragraphs: The movie tells of teenager Andrea "Andie" West whose mother died from cancer when Andie was 16. Andie now lives with Sarah (her guardian and her mother's best friend), though in reality Andie always feels like she does not really belong anywhere. She loves dancing, although she is performing very poorly during school. One day, Andie, who is with Maryland School of Arts, is expelled from there by the MSA school director after the dance studio at her school is vandalized by students from 410 (four-one-oh), a competing hip hop dancing crew. She is also expelled from MSA due to her connection with a hip hop crew known as The Streets, at which point Sarah has had enough of Andie's behavior and threatens sending Andie to Texas to live with her aunt. Andie then receives a text by her best friend Missy.


title: Railway gun

paragraphs: A railway gun, also called a railroad gun, is a large artillery weapon, built on, transported by, and fired from a specially designed railway wagon. Many countries have built railway guns, but the best known were made by Krupp and used by Germany in World War I and World War II. Smaller guns were often part of an armoured train.

paragraphs: Railway guns are no longer used. Their large size and limited movement made them easy targets. They have been replaced by aircraft, rockets, and missiles.

paragraphs: The idea of railway guns was first suggested in the 1860s by a Mr Anderson. He published a pamphlet in the United Kingdom titled "National Defence" in which he proposed a plan of ironclad railway carriages. A Russian, Lebedew, claimed to have first invented the idea in 1860 when he is reported to have mounted a mortar on a railway car.

paragraphs: The first railway gun used in battle was a banded 32-pounder Brooke naval rifle. In the American Civil War it was mounted on a flat rail car and protected with sheets of iron. On 29 June 1862, Robert E. Lee had the gun pushed by a locomotive over the Richmond and York River line (later part of the Southern Railway) and used at the Battle of Savage's Station. There is also a photo of a Union 13-inch siege mortar mounted on a rail car during the Siege of Petersburg, Virginia. It was nicknamed the "Dictator" or the "Petersburg Express".

paragraphs: Railway guns were used by France during the Siege of Paris in 1870, and by the British during the Siege of Ladysmith during the Second Boer War.

paragraphs: Germany already had a few Big Bertha guns at the start of the First World War but the French had a shortage of heavy field artillery. Large coastal defense guns and naval guns were moved to the front. These were usually unsuitable for field use and needed some kind of mounting. The railway gun was an obvious solution. By 1916, both sides were using railway guns.

paragraphs: Baldwin Locomotive Works made five 14"/50 caliber railway guns on trains for the United States Navy during April and May 1918. Each train carried a Mk 4 14"/50 caliber gun. These were a naval rifle used on New Mexico and Tennessee class battleships, mounted on a rail carriage with four 6-wheel bogies. One of these guns is on display outside the museum at the Washington Navy Yard.

paragraphs: The Second World War saw the final use of railway guns. The Germans used the massive Schwerer Gustav gun, the largest artillery piece to be used in battle. The rise of the aeroplane effectively ended the use of the railway guns. Like battleships, they were big, expensive, and easily destroyed from the air.


title: Ion cannon

paragraphs: In science fiction, an ion cannon is a beam weapon. It shoots beams of ions (atoms or molecules with an electrical charge). Because of its power, it is usually said to be a superweapon. An ion cannon is a type of particle cannon. The particles it shoots are ionized. Because of their electrical charges, they can cause electronic devices, vehicles, and anything else that has an electrical or similar power source to stop working. Ion cannons are used in many science-fiction movies and television series. Ion cannons are also used in many video games.

paragraphs: The science fiction idea for these weapons comes from the particle cannon created by Nikola Tesla. Tesla's cannon shot ions into the ionosphere. This caused them to be charged more. Research of this idea is still being done with directed-energy weapons.


title: Lumsden, Saskatchewan

paragraphs: Lumsden is a town in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The population of Lumsden was 1,523 in 2006. The mayor of Lumsden is Bryan Matheson. The town was originally known as "Happy Hollow" in 1881 and was changed to "Lumsden" in 1889 after Hugh Lumsden, a senior engineer with the Qu'Appelle, Long Lake and Saskatchewan Railway.


title: How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

paragraphs: How the Grinch Stole Christmas! is a children's story. It was written by Dr. Seuss. It is written in rhymed verse. Dr. Seuss drew the pictures. It was published in 1957 as a book by Random House. It was also published in a magazine called "Redbook". The book criticizes the commercialization of Christmas. It also makes fun of those who profit from exploiting the holiday. An animated television program of the story was made in 1966. Boris Karloff narrated the show. The character then appeared in the television specials Halloween is Grinch Night and The Grinch Grinches The Cat in the Hat. He also was a recurring villain in The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss, an educational show for kids, and had a small part in the Broadway play Seussical. In 2000 a movie was made based on the book. Jim Carrey played the Grinch.

paragraphs: The Grinch is a nasty creature who lives high on a mountain with his dog Max. He hates the happy people of Whoville and their Christmas celebrations. He goes to Whoville. He steals all the presents, decorations, and food. He thinks Christmas will not come because he has been so mean. Christmas comes all the same. He realizes that Christmas is more than just presents and decorations. His heart grows three sizes larger. He returns all the presents and trimmings. The people of Whoville welcome him.


title: Mortier de 12 Gribeauval

paragraphs: The Mortier de 12 pouces Gribeauval (Gribeauval 12-inch mortar) was a French mortar. It was made using the Gribeauval system developed by Jean Baptiste Vaquette de Gribeauval. It was part of the siege artillery. The measurement of the mortar is given by the diameter of the ball. It is measured using the French ancient system of measurement, in which 1 pouce (1 inch) is equal to 2.707 cm. The Gribeauval system was a new way of making artillery as a single piece of metal and then drilling a bore hole. This meant they could be made much lighter and more accurate.

paragraphs: The Mortier de 12 pouces Gribeauval was first used during the American Revolutionary War from 1780-82. It was used during the Siege of Yorktown in 1781. It was later used in by the French army during the wars that followed the French Revolution and during the Napoleonic Wars.

paragraphs: The Mortier de 12 pouces used a cylindrical chamber. Although this was quite efficient, it used to wear easily. This shape was later replaced by the Gomer system using a conical chamber.

paragraphs: Some of the Mortier de 12 pouces were used for coastal defense, in which case they were fixed on solid metal platforms.


title: Aerospace Valley

paragraphs: Aerospace Valley is a French group of aerospace engineering companies and research centres. It is in the regions of Occitanie and Nouvelle-Aquitaine in the southwest of France and is mainly concentrated in and around the city of Toulouse.

paragraphs: There are over 500 companies, including Airbus, Dassault Aviation, EADS and Air France Industries. About 120,000 people work there in the aviation and space flight industries.

paragraphs: The headquarters of Aerospace Valley is in Toulouse. The chairman of the group is Agnès Paillard.


title: Ivry-sur-Seine

paragraphs: Ivry-sur-Seine is a town and commune in the southeast suburb of Paris, France. It is in the Île-de-France region and the Val-de-Marne department. About 56,000 people lived there in 2006.

paragraphs: The engineering schools École spéciale de mécanique et électricité, École supérieure d'informatique, électronique, automatique and Institut polytechnique des sciences avancées are located at Ivry-sur-Seine.

paragraphs: The schools École des technologies numériques appliquées and IONIS School of Technology and Management are also located in the commune.


title: Doubochinski's pendulum

paragraphs: Doubochinski's pendulum is an experiment with an oscillator and a magnet. The most simple case is that of a pendulum that interacts with an oscillator. The pendulum (with a magnet at the end) will swing at a frequency of one swing per period of 1-2 seconds. A stationary electromagnet is placed under the equilibrium point of the pendulum. The electromagnet is then supplied with an alternating current of a fixed frequency, of between 10 and 10.000 Hz.

paragraphs: When the pendulum is released at any location, its movement will then evolve to stop at a height which depends on the frequency of the current of the electromagnet. This phenomenon was first discovered by the brothers Danil and Yakov Doubochinski in 1968–69.


title: Don Pasquale

paragraphs: Don Pasquale is an Italian comic opera in three acts. Gaetano Donizetti wrote the music. Giovanni Ruffini wrote the libretto (story and words).

paragraphs: "Don Pasquale" was the 64th of the 66 operas Donizetti wrote. It is about an old bachelor who wants to marry. The opera was first performed on January 3, 1843 at the Comédie-Italienne in Paris, France.

paragraphs: It was first performed in Italy at La Scala in Milan on April 17, 1843. In London, England, it was first performed on June 29, 1843, and in the United States on January 7, 1845 in New Orleans.


title: Tierra del Fuego

paragraphs: Tierra del Fuego is an archipelago at the southern tip of South America. The Magellan Strait sepearates it from the South American Mainland. The archipelago consists of a big island, Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego and a number of smaller islands. The land area of the archipelago is 73.746 square kilometers. With about 47.000 square kilometers, Isla Grande takes roughly half of the total land mass. The Archipelago (and the main island) is divided between Argentina and Chile. About 127.000 people live in the part belonging to Argentina, about 8.000 in that belonging to Chile. The Argentine part is called Tierra del Fuego Province, the Chilenan part has the name Magellanes. The biggest cities on the main island are Rio Grande, 57.000 people, and Ushuaia in the Argentine part, and Porvenir with 5.700 inhabitants in the Chilenan part. Puerto Williams, with 2300 people, is the most southern city in the world.


title: Mons Meg

paragraphs: Mons Meg is a mediaeval bombard made in 1449. It is now at Edinburgh Castle, Scotland. In contrast to modern shells, which are explosive, these older cannons fired solid balls. Mons Meg fired balls of iron.

paragraphs: It seems, from the accounts of Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, that it was made to his order around 1449 and sent as a gift eight years later to King James II of Scotland, with other artillery supplies. Mons Meg weighs , is in length, and has a calibre of . The final cost of the gun was £1,536. 2s.

paragraphs: The bombard was made from long bars of iron, hooped with rings and fused into one mass. The Duke's artillery maker constructed it, and it was tested at Mons, Wallonia, in June 1449. The Duke did not take delivery until 1453. The Duke decided to help the Scots against the English, and sent it to James II. James imported a lot of artillery from continental Europe during his reign. He used it against his enemies in Scotland, such as the Earl of Douglas. James died as a result of an exploding cannon used in the siege of Roxburgh Castle in 1460.

paragraphs: Another story suggests Mons Meg was made in order to help James II in the 1452 siege of Threave Castle in Kirkcudbright, when the Clan MacLellan used it to batter the castle. This version has little support.

paragraphs: The calibre cannon accepted balls that weighed about . It could only be fired 8-10 times a day due to the tremendous heat generated by the huge powder charge. In early years the gun, like the other royal cannon, was painted with red-lead to keep it from rusting. This cost 30 shillings in June 1539.

paragraphs: From the 1540s Meg was retired from active service and was fired only on ceremonial occasions from Edinburgh Castle, from where shot could be found up to two miles away. When Mons was fired on 3 July 1558, workmen were paid to find and retrieve the shot from Wardie Mure, near the River Forth. The salute marked the marriage of Mary, Queen of Scots to the French Dauphin.

paragraphs: The gun was fired in 1680 to celebrate the arrival of James, Duke of Albany and York, later King James II of England and VII of Scotland. The barrel burst. An English cannoneer had loaded the charge and many Scots believed that the damage was done on purpose, since the English had no cannon as big as this. The incident was also seen as a bad omen for the future King.

paragraphs: The cannon was left outside Foog's Gate at Edinburgh Castle. It was next taken, with other disused ordnance, to the Tower of London in 1754, but was returned to the Castle in 1829, after a campaign by the author Sir Walter Scott. It was restored, and now sits outside St. Margaret's Chapel.


title: Castelnaudary

paragraphs: Castelnaudary () is a commune in the Aude department in the Languedoc-Roussillon region in southern France.

paragraphs: A campus of the École nationale de l'aviation civile (French civil aviation university) is located at Castelnaudary.


title: Schwerer Gustav

paragraphs: Schwerer Gustav (English: "Heavy Gustaf, or Great Gustaf") and Dora were the names of two huge World War II German 80 cm K (E) railway siege guns.

paragraphs: The two guns were developed in the late 1930s by Krupp, the famous German arms manufacturer. Their purpose was to destroy heavy fortifications, especially in the French Maginot Line. The guns weighed nearly 1,350 tonnes, and could fire shells weighing seven tonnes to a range of .

paragraphs: Although they were intended for World War II, they were not ready for action when the Wehrmacht outflanked the Maginot line by sweeping through the low country (Belgium) to start the Battle of France. However, they were ready in Autumn 1941, after the Wehrmacht invaded the Soviet Union (Operation Barbarossa). Gustav was used at the siege of Sevastopol in the summer of 1942. By the end of the siege on 4 July the city of Sevastopol lay in ruins, and 30,000 tons of artillery ammunition had been fired. Gustav had fired 48 rounds and worn out its original barrel, which had already fired around 250 rounds during testing and development. The gun was fitted with the spare barrel and the original was sent back to Krupp's factory in Essen for relining.

paragraphs: Both Gustav and Dora were moved to Leningrad, and may have been intended for Warsaw. Gustav was eventually captured by US troops and cut up, whilst Dora was destroyed near the end of the war to avoid capture by the Red Army.

paragraphs: The Schwerer Gustav was the largest calibre rifled weapon in the history of artillery to see actual combat. It fired the heaviest shells of any artillery piece. A few other huge guns were never fired in anger: the French "Monster Mortar" (36 French inches; 975mm), the British Mallet's Mortar (36 inch; 914 mm) and the American Little David mortar (36 inch; 910 mm).


title: Dominion of Newfoundland

paragraphs: The Dominion of Newfoundland was a British Dominion from 1907 to 1949. It was in northeastern North America along the Atlantic coast. It was made up of the island of Newfoundland and Labrador on the mainland.

paragraphs: The territory was a British colony until 1907, when it was made a dominion. The Statute of Westminster of 11 December 1931 said that the Dominion of Newfoundland was independent within the British Commonwealth, along with Canada, Ireland, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. But on 16 February 1934 the Newfoundland parliament gave up its self-government, and governance of the dominion went back to being controlled from London. Though governed from overseas, Newfoundland stayed legally a dominion, until it joined Canada in 1949 to become Canada's tenth province.


title: Type 95 75 mm field gun

paragraphs: The was a field gun of the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA). It was used during World War II.

paragraphs: This artillery piece was planned to replace the Type 38 75 mm field gun and the Type 41 75 mm cavalry gun in front line combat. However, Type 38s continued to be used.

paragraphs: Before World War I, the Imperial Japanese Army mainly had Krupp cannons from Germany. After the Versailles Treaty, the Japanese considered other options including field guns designed by Schneider et Cie from France.

paragraphs: In 1931, IJA began to use the "Type 90" which was based on Schneider designs; however, the Type 90 was not considered successful.

paragraphs: The Type 95s were simpler and more sturdy than the Type 90s.

paragraphs: Type 95s were used in the Second Sino-Japanese War.


Douglas


title: Hamitic

paragraphs: Hamitic theory is a theory that claims that so called "hamitic" race is superior to the negroid races on the African continent. John Hanning Speke started the theory. Karl Richard Lepsius and Carl Meinhof extended the theory: they used languages to classify people into hamitic or non-hamitic; this is no longer done today.

paragraphs: Another way they classified people into hamitic or non-hamitic is by ethnic roots. Negroid people are perceived as Shemetic as opposed to the Hamitic Ethiopian, Sudanese, and some other West African ethnic groups as attested by the genealogy of ancient ethnic lineages. For example, a person who has ancestry from Rome would be considered closer to a Hamite than a person who's ancestry is in Africa. Ironically, the Hamites include some of the darkest sub-Saharan African groups like the Nilotes that were considered closest to Europeans as opposed to the Chadic sub saharan Africans who share a common RB1 lineage.

paragraphs: This theory also included giving classes to those members of the negroid races of Africa upon colonization. This, in part, contributed to the Rwandan Genocide, which pinned the members of the Tutsi ethnicity or tribe against the members of the Hutu people, although the tension between them was over small differences.


title: Muret

paragraphs: Muret (Occitan gascon: "Murèth") is a commune in the Haute-Garonne department, of which it is a subprefecture, in the Occitanie region of southwestern France.

paragraphs: Muret is at about to the south of Toulouse and has an area of , and its average altitude is ; at the city hall, the altitude is .

paragraphs: The "communes" that are around Muret are Seysses, Roques, Saubens, Villate, Eaunes , Le Fauga, Beaumont-sur-Lèze, Saint-Hilaire, Lherm, Lamasquère, Saint-Clar-de-Rivière and Labastidette.

paragraphs: Muret is on the Garonne river at its confluence with the Louge, which flows northeast through the commune. The Garonne flows north through the commune and forms part of its northern border.

paragraphs: Muret has an oceanic climate with relatively hot summers, mild winters and abundant rainfall, Cfb in the Köppen climate classification.

paragraphs: The inhabitants of Muret are known, in French, as "Murétains" (women: "Murétaines").

paragraphs: The "commune" of Muret has a population, in 2014, of 24,975; its population density is of inhabitants/km.

paragraphs: Muret is a subprefecture of the Haute-Garonne department, the capital of the "arrondissement" of Muret and the administrative centre () of the canton of Muret.

paragraphs: It is part of the intercommunality "Le Muretain" ().

paragraphs: A campus of the École nationale de l'aviation civile (French civil aviation university) is in Muret.


title: Biscarosse

paragraphs: Biscarosse is a commune of 12,487 people (2007). It is in the region Aquitaine in the Landes department in the southwest of France.

paragraphs: A campus of the École nationale de l'aviation civile (French civil aviation university) is located at Biscarosse.


title: Saint-Yan

paragraphs: Saint-Yan is a commune in eastern France. It lies in the region of Burgundy. Today, about 1.141 people live in the city.

paragraphs: A campus of the École nationale de l'aviation civile (French civil aviation university) is located at Saint-Yan.


title: Vices & Virtues

paragraphs: Vices & Virtues is the third full-length studio album from Panic! at the Disco. It was released on March 18, 2011 under Fueled By Ramen and Decaydance Records. The album was produced and mixed by music engineers Butch Walker and John Feldmann. The album peaked at number seven on the "Billboard" 200 albums chart and number five on the Billboard Digital Albums chart. The lead single off the album, "The Ballad of Mona Lisa", was released on February 1, 2011. The single peaked at number 84 on the "Billboard" Hot 100 chart. The second single off the album, titled "Ready to Go (Get Me Out of My Mind)", was released on June 6, 2011. It peaked at number 14 on the "Billboard" Alternative Songs chart.

paragraphs: The album has a different sound than their previous two studio album releases "A Fever You Can't Sweat Out" (2005) and "Pretty. Odd." (2008). That is because two group members had left, and because of the amount of time between the releases of "Vices" and "Pretty. Odd." The album has elements from the band's debut album. It has heavy use of synthesizers and guitars. The track "Mona Lisa" returns to the idea of the band's first single "I Write Sins, Not Tragedies", which had heavier guitar and rock influences.

paragraphs: The song "Let's Kill Tonight" was released in the United Kingdom for the band's 2012 "Spring Vices & Virtues Tour". A music video was uploaded on February 10, 2012 on the Fueled By Ramen official YouTube channel with a minute and ten seconds of the band performing the song live in London.

paragraphs: "Vices & Virtues" was released March 22, 2011 in the United States, Brazil, and Canada. It was released on other dates in other countries. The record debuted at number seven on the US "Billboard" 200 albums chart, with first-week sales of 56,000 copies in the United States. This is very different from the group's previous effort, "Pretty. Odd.", which debuted without much commercial attention in 2008, with first-week sales of 139,000. The album also came in at #2 on Neilson SoundScan Alternative Albums chart and #5 on the Digital Albums ranking.


title: Type 14 105 mm cannon

paragraphs: The , also known as a "10-cm" gun, was a cannon used by the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA). It was used during for long-range fire.

paragraphs: This artillery piece was the first medium caliber cannon which was Japanese designed. It the first with a split trail carriage. It was used Imperial Japanese Army but was not considered successful. It was replaced by the Type 92 105 mm cannon.

paragraphs: Before World War I, the Imperial Japanese Army mainly had Krupp cannons from Germany. After the Versailles Treaty, the Japanese considered other options including cannon designed by Schneider et Cie from France.

paragraphs: In 1925, IJA began to use the "Type 14" which was based on Schneider designs; however, the Type 14 was not considered successful.

paragraphs: Type 14s were used for training units in the Japanese home islands.


title: The Ballad of Mona Lisa

paragraphs: The Ballad of Mona Lisa (shortened as Mona Lisa) is the lead single off the Panic! at the Disco album "Vices & Virtues" released on February 1, 2011 under Fueled By Ramen. The single was produced by Butch Walker and John Feldmann and written by band members frontman Brendon Urie and drummer Spencer Smith. The song peaked at number 84 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 single's chart. The song has received positive critical reviews upon its release.


title: Ready to Go (Get Me Out of My Mind)

paragraphs: Ready to Go (Get Me Out of My Mind (also known as Ready to Go) the second single off the album "Vices & Virtues" by American pop rock band Panic! at the Disco. The single is the follow up to the band's previously released single "The Ballad of Mona Lisa". The single was produced by Butch Walker, who produced the majority of the band's "Vices & Virtues" album, and written by frontman Brendon Urie and percussionist Spencer Smith along with co-producer John Feldmann. The single is a branch out statement relative to the group's other well-known songs as this song contains less rock elements and is lacking the group's sound from their previous two albums "A Fever You Can't Sweat Out" and "Pretty. Odd." The single peaked at number fourteen on the U.S. Billboard Alternative Songs chart in July of 2011.

paragraphs: The song was chosen as the opening act for the band's headlining Vices & Virtues U.S. Tour in 2011 duo to its rev-up sound and pop elements.

paragraphs: The single's music video premiered on YouTube and VEVO on May 2, 2011 on the official Fueled By Ramen YouTube channel. As of February 1, 2012 the video itself, on YouTube, has a round-up tally of 6,000,000 views.


title: The Producers (1967 movie)

paragraphs: The Producers is a 1968 American satirical dark comedy cult classic movie written and directed by Mel Brooks. The movie tells the story of a theatrical producer and an accountant who want to produce a Broadway musical, but they want it to fail. They take more money from investors than they need and plan to abscond to Brazil as soon as the play closes, only to see the show turn out to be a hit.

paragraphs: "The Producers" was the first movie directed by Mel Brooks. He won an Academy Award for his screenplay. Decades later, it was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry and placed 11th on the AFI's 100 Years...100 Laughs list. The movie was later remade by Brooks as a successful Broadway stage musical. The musical itself was adapted as a movie in 2005.


title: MyNetworkTV

paragraphs: MyNetworkTV is an broadcast syndication channel in the United States. It is owned by Fox Entertainment Group. It is a major network. Their sister channel is Fox.

paragraphs: List of programs broadcast by MyNetworkTV


title: Meu Bem Querer

paragraphs: Meu Bem Querer ("My Wishing Well") is a Brazilian historical telenovela. It was first shown in 1998. The series starred Murilo Benício, Alessandra Negrini, Leonardo Brício and Flávia Alessandra.


title: Infantry gun

paragraphs: Infantry guns are artillery weapons for the use of infantry units. The designs usually have short barrels which fire a low speed shell. They are lightly built so they are easy to moved around on the battlefield. Very few infantry guns are still used by infantry units. They have been replaced by grenade launchers, light anti-tank weapons and heavier wire-guided missiles. Pack guns are similar to an infantry gun, but mean those guns that are meant to be taken apart for movement. Mountain guns are infantry guns designed for use during mountain combat. Airborne guns are those designed for use by paratroopers. They are easy to move and lighter weight when compared to field guns.

paragraphs: Infantry guns were the first type of artillery used by armed forces, first in China, and later brought to Europe by the Mongol invasion. At first they were simple cast barrels called "pots de fer" in French, or "vasi" in Italian. These weapons were small, immobile, and fired large bolts or quarrels. As the barrels became longer, a way had to be found to move the guns. This led to two different solutions. One was the very light hand-gun, which became the arquebus. The other was to place the gun on wheeled carriages, such as the 2-pounder Culvern moyane, the 1-pounder Falcon, and the 3/4-pounder Falconet. These lighter Renaissance pieces led to the development of the 3-pounder and 4-pounder regimental guns of the 17th century, notably in the army of Gustavus Adolphus. The light field guns of the 17th century, known as a "drake" in England, came in almost 100 different calibres. Each had its own name, some of which were:

paragraphs: The saker and falcon had ranges of 360 and 320 yards if fired straight at the target, and 2,170 and 1,920 yards if fired in an upward arc.

paragraphs: Although oxen were used to pull the heavier field and siege guns, some on wagons rather than limbers, they were too slow to keep up with the infantr. Horses were used to pull the lighter pieces, leading to the development of the artillery carriage and horse team that survived until the late 19th century.


title: L'elisir d'amore

paragraphs: L'elisir d'amore () is an Italian comic opera in two acts. The music was written by Gaetano Donizetti. Felice Romani wrote the libretto, after Eugène Scribe's libretto for Daniel Auber's "Le philtre" (1831).

paragraphs: The opera was first performed at the Teatro della Canobbiana, Milan, Italy on May 12, 1832. "L'elisir d'amore" is number 12 on the Operabase list of the most performed operas in the world. The aria "Una furtiva lagrima" () is very famous. In 1840, Richard Wagner arranged the opera for piano. W. S. Gilbert wrote a parody of the opera called "Dulcamara, or the Little Duck and the Great Quack" in 1866.

paragraphs: Nemorino, a poor peasant, is in love with Adina, a beautiful landowner. She torments him with her seeming indifference. When Nemorino hears Adina reading to her workers the story of Tristan and Isolde, he considers using a magic potion to gain Adina's love. He is afraid she loves Sergeant Belcore. The Sergeant appears with his regiment. He proposes marriage to Adina. The traveling quack salesman, Dulcamara arrives, selling his bottled cure-all to the townspeople. Nemorino asks Dulcamara if he has anything like Isolde's love potion. Dulcamara says he does. He sells it to Nemorino at a price matching the contents of Nemorino's pockets. The bottle contains only wine. In order to make a timely escape, Dulcamara tells Nemorino the potion will not take effect until the next day. Nemorino drinks it, feeling its effects immediately.

paragraphs: Emboldened by the 'elixir' Nemorino encounters Adina. She teases him mercilessly, the audience senses that the attraction might be mutual, were it not for the marriage proposal of the Sergeant Belcore. In fact, their wedding date has been set for six days hence. Nemorino's confidence that tomorrow he will win Adina by virtue of the elixir, causes him to act indifferently toward her. This upsets Adina, but she attempts to hide her feelings. Instead, she ups the ante as well by agreeing to Sergeant Belcore's alternate suggestion: that they marry immediately as he has just received orders that the regiment must ship off the next morning. Both Adina and the Sergeant gauge Nemorino's reaction to this news, the Sergeant with resentment, Adina with despair. Nemorino panics, and cries out for Doctor Dulcamara to come to his aid.

paragraphs: Adina's outdoor wedding party is in full swing. Dr. Dulcamara is there, and performs a song with Adina to entertain the guests. The notary arrives to make the marriage official. Adina is sad to see that Nemorino has not appeared. Everyone goes inside to sign the wedding contract. But Dulcamara stays outside, helping himself to food and drink. Nemorino appears, having seen the notary, realizes that he has lost Adina. He sees the Doctor and frantically begs him for more elixir, of the type that will work immediately. But because Nemorino has no money, the Doctor refuses, disappearing inside. The Sergeant emerges, alone, wondering aloud why Adina has suddenly put off the wedding and the signing of the contract. Nemorino spots his rival, but is powerless to do anything. The Sergeant asks about Nemorino's dejection. When Nemorino says he has no money Belcore immediately suggests that if he joins the army he'll be paid immediately. He produces a contract, which Nemorino signs (with an X) in return for the cash Belcore gives him on the spot. Nemorino privately vows to fly to Dulcamara for more potion, while Belcore muses that he has easily dispatched of his rival by sending him off to war.

paragraphs: Later that evening the women of the village are gossiping that Nemorino is unaware that he has just inherited a large fortune from his deceased uncle. They spot Nemorino, who has clearly spent his military signing bonus, and has bought and consumed a large amount of 'elixir' (wine again) from Dr. Dulcamara. The women approach Nemorino with overly friendly greetings, the likes of which he has never seen. This is proof to Nemorino that this dose of the elixir has worked. Adina sees Nemorino in a jolly mood and, encountering Dr. Dulcamara, wonders what has gotten into him. Dulcamara, unaware that Adina is the object of Nemorino's affection, tells her the story of the smitten bumpkin who spent his last penny on the elixir, and even signed his life away, joining the army for money to get more, so desperate was he to win the love of some unnamed cruel beauty. Adina immediately realizes Nemorino's sincerity, and regrets teasing him. She falls for Nemorino, basking in the sincerity of his love. Dulcamara interprets this behavior as some sort of condition requiring a cure by one of his potions.

paragraphs: They depart. Nemorino appears alone, pensive, reflecting on a tear he saw in Adina's eye when he was ignoring her earlier. Based on that tear alone, he is sincerely convinced that Adina loves him. She enters, asking him why he has chosen to join the army and leave the town. When Nemorino says he's seeking a better life, Adina responds by telling him he is loved, and that she has purchased his military contract from Sergeant Belcore. She offers the cancelled contract to Nemorino, asking him to take it. He is free now. She says, however, that if he stays, he will no longer be sad. As he takes the contract Adina turns to leave. Nemorino believes she is abandoning him and flies in to a desperate fit, vowing that if he is not loved, if the elixir has not worked, and the Doctor has fooled him, then he might as well go off and die a soldier. Adina stops him and confesses that she loves him. Nemorino is ecstatic. Adina begs him to forgive her for teasing him. He does so with a kiss. The sergeant returns, seeing the two in an embrace. Adina explains that she loves Nemorino. The Sergeant takes the news in stride, noting that there are plenty of other women in the world. Dulcamara, his bags packed, pops out of a doorway, adding that he will happily provide elixir for the Sergeant's next conquest. A crowd has gathered by now, all agreeing that the elixir has done its job as they bid a fond farewell to the doctor.


title: Giacomo Leopardi

paragraphs: Giacomo Leopardi (Recanati June 29, 1798 – Naples June 14, 1837) was an Italian poet, essayist, philosopher, and philologist. He is considered one of the greatest poets of the 19th century.

paragraphs: Even if he lived in a secluded town in the ultra-conservative Papal States, he came in touch with the main thoughts of the Enlightenment, and, by his own literary evolution, created a remarkable, renowned and pessimist poetic work, related to the Romantic era.


title: Good Night

paragraphs: "Good Night" is the first episode of Season 1 of The Simpsons shorts. It was first shown on television on April 19, 1987.

paragraphs: Homer and Marge Simpson say good night to their children, Bart, Lisa and Maggie Simpson, but actually scare them with sayings they have not heard of.

paragraphs: Homer says good night to his son Bart, but then he asks questions about the mind. Homer tells Bart to relax, and makes a joke about mind and matter. Bart is still scared when the lights are turned off.

paragraphs: In Lisa's bedroom, Marge is good night to her daughter Lisa. After a few sentences, she uses the saying "don't let the bed bugs bite". This scares Lisa as well.

paragraphs: In Maggie's bedroom, Marge sings the lullaby "Rock-a-bye Baby", but in Maggie's thoughts she sees herself falling from a tree. Maggie becomes scared from this thought like Bart and Lisa.

paragraphs: In Marge and Homer's bedroom, they say good night to each other thinking they must be the best parents ever. Then Bart, Lisa and Maggie come in the room quickly, and start shouting and complaining. Marge tells them to come into bed with them to make them feel safer, and they go to sleep. Maggie is last, saying "Good night".

paragraphs: This is one of Maggie's small amount of words she has said in The Simpsons.


title: Brookesia micra

paragraphs: Brookesia micra is, , the smallest known species of chameleon in the world. It is small enough to stand on the head of a match. It can grow up to in length.


title: Airdrie, Alberta

paragraphs: Airdrie is a city in the Canadian province of Alberta. The population of Airdrie was 42,564 in 2011. The mayor of Airdrie is Peter Brown. The city was first established as a railway village in 1889 during the construction of the Calgary and Edmonton Railway and is named after Airdrie, Scotland.


paragraphs: The United States men's national ice hockey team is the national ice hockey team of the United States, based in Colorado Springs, Colorado and Ann Arbor, Michigan. The team is controlled by USA Hockey.


title: Type 92 105 mm cannon

paragraphs: , also known as a "10-cm" gun, was a cannon of the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA). It was used during World War II.

paragraphs: This artillery piece was used during the Second Sino-Japanese War and World War II.

paragraphs: It was intended to supersede the Type 14 105 mm cannon in front line combat service.

paragraphs: A Type 92 prototype was completed in 1932. Less than 200 Type92s were made.

paragraphs: The cannon was first used in combat at the Battle of Nomonhan.

paragraphs: In 1942, it was used during the Bataan and Corregidor Island.

paragraphs: On Guadalcanal, the US Marines called these guns "Pistol Petes".


title: Yamato, Kanagawa

paragraphs: Yamato () is a city in central Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan.

paragraphs: It has been recognized as a special city since 2000.

paragraphs: Yamato is in the plains of north-central Kanagawa Prefecture.


title: Yamaguchi Prefecture

paragraphs: The area of Yamaguchi Prefecture includes the old provinces of Suō and Nagato.

paragraphs: Yamaguchi is at the southern end of Honshū. The Sea of Japan forms its northern coastline; and the Seto Inland Sea is on its southern coast. Its northeastern border meets Shimane Prefecture and Hiroshima Prefecture.

paragraphs: There are 13 cities in Yamaguchi, including

paragraphs: National Parks are established in about 7% of the total land area of the prefecture.

paragraphs: "Tamanoya jinja" and "Sumiyoshi jinja" are the chief Shinto shrines ("ichinomiya") in the prefecture.


title: Nocturnal enuresis

paragraphs: Nocturnal enuresis, also called bedwetting, is a health issue that is often caused by or the symptom of certain health troubles. It happens when a person involuntarily urinates while she is asleep.


title: Orion nebula

paragraphs: The Orion nebula, or Messier 42, M42, or NGC 1976, is a diffuse nebula. It is one of the brightest nebulae, and is visible to the naked eye in the night sky. M42 is at a distance of 1,344 ± 20 light years. It is the closest region of massive star formation to Earth.

paragraphs: It is south of the Orion's Belt in the constellation of Orion.

paragraphs: Big as it is, the Orion nebula is just part of an even larger star-forming area known as the Orion complex.

paragraphs: The nebula is a huge stellar nursery. 700 stars are in the process of forming there. At its heart is a very young open cluster, known as the Trapezium because of the pattern formed by its main stars.

paragraphs: Recent observations with the Hubble Space Telescope have shown protoplanetary disks inside the Orion Nebula. This is a major discovery. They are called "proplyds" for short. There are more than 150 of these in the nebula. They are thought to be to be systems in the earliest stages of planetary system formation. The sheer numbers have been used as evidence that the formation of star systems is fairly common in the universe.

paragraphs: Stars form when clumps of hydrogen and other gases in an H II region contract under their own gravity. As the gas collapses, the central clump grows stronger and the gas heats to extreme temperatures by converting gravitational potential energy to thermal energy. If the temperature gets high enough, nuclear fusion will start, and form a protostar. The protostar is 'born' when it begins to emit enough energy to balance out its gravity and halt gravitational collapse.


title: Calgary Hitmen

paragraphs: The Calgary Hitmen are a Canadian professional ice hockey team that began playing in 1995. They currently play in the Western Hockey League. They play their home games in Calgary, Alberta at the Scotiabank Saddledome. The teams name pays homage to the nickname of retired professional wrestler Bret Hart. Hart was also a founding member of the Hitmen along with NHL players Theoren Fleury and Joe Sakic. The team has won 2 Ed Chynoweth Cups.


title: Bulacan

paragraphs: Bulacan is a province in the Philippines. Its capital is Malolos City. It is in the northern island of Luzon. It is surrounded by the province of Pampanga in the west; Nueva Ecija in the north; Aurora and Quezon in the east; and Metro Manila in the south.

paragraphs: It is an historic place in the Philippines. Many Filipino heroes and political persons come from Bulacan. It was also the former seat of the national government.

paragraphs: Bulacan is divided into 3 cities and 21 municipalities (towns):


title: Everett Silvertips

paragraphs: The Everett Silvertips are an American professional ice hockey team that began playing in 2003. They currently play in the Western Hockey League. They play their home games in Everett, Washington at the Comcast Arena at Everett. The team is named after the Silvertip bear. The team has won division titles in the 2003–04, 2005–06, 2006–2007 seasons, a conference title in the 2003-04 season and a regular season title in the 2006–0


title: Edmonton Oil Kings

paragraphs: The Edmonton Oil Kings are a Canadian professional ice hockey team that began playing in 2007. They currently play in the Western Hockey League. They play their home games in Edmonton, Alberta at the Rexall Place.


title: Lethbridge Hurricanes

paragraphs: The Lethbridge Hurricanes are a Canadian professional ice hockey team that began playing in 1987. They currently play in the Western Hockey League. They play their home games in Lethbridge, Alberta at the ENMAX Centre. The team was known as the "Winnipeg Jets" from 1967–73, the "Winnipeg Clubs" from 1973–76, the "Winnipeg Monarchs" from 1976–77 and the "Calgary Wranglers" from 1977–87. They have won 1 Ed Chynoweth Cup in the 1996-97 season.


title: Chocolate Rain

paragraphs: "Chocolate Rain" is a song and music video by Tay Zonday. After being posted on YouTube on April 22, 2007, the song quickly became popular.

paragraphs: The song and video are licensed under a Creative Commons by-nc-nd license. Even though this license is not completely free, it has been suggested that the relative openness of the license has helped to encourage the song's spread. Creative Commons has praised Tay Zonday specifically for this very reason. Zonday has expressed his own thoughts on the licensing situation on his Myspace blog, stating, "I want non-profit radio and small mom/pop cafes to be able to play my music for free. But I also want giant corporations who can afford to give me a dime or two to pay fair royalties."


title: CTV Television Network

paragraphs: CTV Television Network (commonly referred to as CTV) is a Canadian English-language television network.

paragraphs: CKCW Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island

paragraphs: CJON St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador

paragraphs: Since the 2007 acquisition of A Channel by CTVglobemedia as part of the takeover of CHUM Limited, media analysts had speculated that CTV may potentially extend its market-leading CTV brand to that network. It was first rebranded as A in 2008, then as CTV Two on August 29, 2011.


title: Viral video

paragraphs: A viral video is a video that becomes popular through the process of Internet sharing, usually through video sharing websites, social media and email.


title: Kootenay Ice

paragraphs: The Kootenay Ice are a Canadian professional ice hockey team that began playing in 1998. They currently play in the Western Hockey League. They play their home games in Cranbrook, British Columbia at the Cranbrook Recreational Complex. The team was originally known as the "Edmonton Ice" from 1996 to 1998 before it moved to Cranbrook in 1998. The team has won 3 Ed Chynoweth Cups in the 1999-00, 2001-02 and 2010-11 seasons.


title: Medicine Hat Tigers

paragraphs: The Medicine Hat Tigers are a Canadian professional ice hockey team that began playing in 1970. They currently play in the Western Hockey League. They play their home games in Medicine Hat, Alberta at the Medicine Hat Arena. The Tigers have won two national Memorial Cups, five WHL League Championships and seven Division Titles.


title: Red Deer Rebels

paragraphs: The Red Deer Rebels are a Canadian professional ice hockey team that began playing in 1992. They currently play in the Western Hockey League. They play their home games in Red Deer, Alberta at the ENMAX Centrium. The Tigers have won one Memorial Cup, one WHL League Championships, three Division Titles and two regular season titles.


title: Red Deer, Alberta

paragraphs: Red Deer is a city in the Canadian province of Alberta. The population of Red Deer was 90,564 in 2011. The mayor of Red Deer is Morris Flewwelling.


title: Dungeon

paragraphs: A dungeon is a room or cell in a castle to keep prisoners. Most dungeons are underground, some are high up in towers.

paragraphs: An oubliette is a type of dungeon that can be entered by using a trapdoor in the ceiling.


title: La fille du regiment

paragraphs: The Daughter of the Regiment () is a comic opera in two acts. The French libretto was written by Jules-Henri Vernoy de Saint-Georges and Jean-François Bayard. The music was composed by Gaetano Donizetti. The opera is famous for the tenor aria ""Ah! mes amis, quel jour de fête!"" It features nine high Cs. The opera was first performed on 11 February 1840 by the Paris Opéra-Comique at the Salle de la Bourse. It was performed at the Metropolitan Opera in 1902/03. The role of Marie was a favorite with Jenny Lind.

paragraphs: The Marquise of Berkenfeld and her butler, Hortensius, are on their way to Austria. They pause in their journey because a skirmish has broken out. The Marquise learns that the French troops have retreated. She comments on the rude manners of the French people (""Pour une femme de mon nom""). The sergeant of the 21st regiment, Sulpice, assures everyone that his men will restore peace and order. He is joined by Marie, the "daughter" of the regiment. She is an orphan and was adopted by the soldiers. Sulpice questions her about a young man she has been seen with. She explains that he is Tonio, a Tyrolean who once saved her life. Troops of the 21st arrive with a prisoner. It is Tonio. He has been looking for Marie. She steps in to save him. He toasts his new friends, and Marie sings the regimental song (""Chacun le sait""). Tonio is ordered to follow the soldiers. He escapes and returns to declare his love to Marie. Sulpice surprises them. Marie must admit to Tonio that she can marry only a soldier of the 21st.

paragraphs: The Marquise asks Sulpice for an escort to her castle. When Sulpice hears the name Berkenfeld, he remembers a letter he found near the young Marie on the battlefield. The Marquise soon admits that she knew the girl's father. She says that Marie is the long-lost daughter of her sister. The child had been left in the care of the Marquise, but was lost. She is shocked by the girl's rough manners. She decides to take her niece to her castle and give her a proper education. Tonio has enlisted so that he can marry Marie (""Ah, mes amis""). But Marie has to leave both her regiment and the man she loves (""Il faut partir"").

paragraphs: The Marquise has arranged a marriage between Marie and the Duke of Krakenthorp. At the Marquise's castle, Sulpice is recovering from an injury. He is supposed to be helping the Marquise with her plans. The Marquise gives Marie a singing lesson. Marie slips in phrases of the regimental song with Sulpice's encouragemment. The Marquise loses her temper (Trio: ""Le jour naissait dans la bocage"").

paragraphs: Marie is left alone. She thinks money and position are meaningless (""Par le rang et l'opulence""). She hears soldiers marching in the distance. She is delighted when the whole regiment files into the room. She leads them in singing a patriotic tribute (""Salut à la France""). Marie is reunited with Tonio. Tonio asks for Marie's hand in marriage. The Marquise is unmoved by the young man's declaration that Marie is his whole life (""Pour me rapprocher de Marie""). She says her niece is engaged to another man. She dismisses Tonio. The Marquise and Sulpice are left alon. She confesses the truth: Marie is her illegitimate daughter. She abandoned Marie long ago, fearing social disgrace.

paragraphs: Hortensius announces the arrival of the wedding party. It is led by the groom's mother, the Duchess of Krakenthorp. Marie refuses to leave her room. Sulpice tells her that the Marquise is her mother. The surprised girl says she cannot go against her mother's wishes. She agrees to marry a man that she does not love. She is about to sign the marriage contract when the soldiers of the 21st, led by Tonio, storm in to rescue their "daughter". The guests are horrified to learn that Marie was a canteen girl. They change their opinion when she tells them that she can never repay the debt she owes the soldiers. The Marquise is so moved by her daughter's goodness of heart that she gives her permission to marry Tonio. Everyone joins in a final ""Salut à la France"".


title: Atypical depression

paragraphs: Atypical depression is a subtype of major depression and dysthymia, sharing certain symptoms for both, though it is also marked with mood reactivity (having improved moods during positive events). Atypical depression is also associated with too much sleeping and excessive eating.


title: Salvatore Cammarano

paragraphs: Salvatore Cammarano (also Salvadore) (19 March 1801 – 17 July 1852) was an Italian librettist and playwright. He is probably best known for writing the text of "Lucia di Lammermoor" (1835) for Gaetano Donizetti. He was born and died in Naples.

paragraphs: For Donizetti he also wrote "L'assedio di Calais" (1836), "Belisario" (1836), "Pia de' Tolomei" (1837), "Roberto Devereux" (1837), "Maria de Rudenz" (1838), "Poliuto" (1838), and "Maria di Rohan" (1843). For Giuseppe Persiani he wrote "Ines de Castro".

paragraphs: For Verdi he wrote "Alzira" (1845), "La battaglia di Legnano" (1849) and "Luisa Miller" (1849). He had almost finished his libretto for "Il trovatore" (1853) when he died in July 1852. It was completed by Leone Emanuele Bardare. Cammarano started a libretto for William Shakespeare's "King Lear", named "Re Lear". He died before completing it. A scenario survives.


title: Tuenti

paragraphs: Tuenti is a mobile operator brand owned by the Spanish company Tuenti Technologies, S.L.U. Telefónica bought 100% of the company back in 2011.

paragraphs: Before, Tuenti was also the most popular social network in Spain between 2009 and 2012 with up 15 million registered users.

paragraphs: Tuenti works in Spain as a full virtual mobile operator (MVNO) using Telefónica's mobile network. Tuenti was launched by Telefónica in Latin-America in 2014 as a whole new brand.


title: Sofía Vergara

paragraphs: Sofía Margarita Vergara Vergara (born July 10, 1972) is a Colombian and American actress, comedian, television hostess and model.

paragraphs: Vergara stars on the ABC series "Modern Family" as "Gloria Delgado-Pritchett", for which she was nominated for two Golden Globe Awards, two Primetime Emmy Awards, and three Screen Actors Guild Awards for Best Comedy Actress. Her first big English role was 2002 film "Big Trouble".


title: LGBT rights in Israel

paragraphs: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) people in Israel are considered to have more rights than anywhere else in the Middle East. In November 2005, a groundbreaking (which has not happened before) court decision in Israel ruled that a lesbian spouse could officially adopt a child born to her current partner by artificial insemination from an anonymous sperm donor; this ruling came despite protests by the minority Orthodox Jewish parliamentary parties. Common law marriage, which grants most of the official marriage rights to the spouse has been achieved, but full official same-sex marriage has not yet been sanctioned. However, same-sex marriages performed elsewhere are recognized.


title: Pruchnik

paragraphs: Pruchnik is a town in the east of Poland. It is in Jarosław County, Subcarpathian Voivodeship about 17 kilometres from the town of Jarosław.


title: LGBT rights in the State of Palestine

paragraphs: In the Palestinian territories, there are no laws that specifically protect LGBT people. No laws protect LGBT people from discrimination (not being treated equally because they are LGBT) or harassment. However, the Basic Law of the Palestinian Constitution does give all Palestinians certain freedoms. For example, it covers freedom of belief, freedom of expression, and freedom of bodily integrity. It also gives Palestinians freedom from discrimination "because of race, sex, color, religion, political views, or disability". The Basic Law also protects people's human rights. In other countries, people have used these types of laws and freedoms to argue that LGBT rights should exist. However, hundreds of gay Palestinians have left and moved to Israel because they did not feel welcome or safe in Palestinian-ruled areas.

paragraphs: Homosexuality is still illegal in parts of Palestine. In 1951, same-sex acts were decriminalized in the West Bank, which was ruled by Jordan. Same-sex acts are still decriminalized there today. On the other hand, in the Gaza Strip, same-sex acts between men were made illegal in 1936, by the British Mandate Criminal Code Ordinance, No. 74. This law is still in place, so same-sex acts between men are still illegal there. Lesbian women are not covered by this law.

paragraphs: In both the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Palestinian Authority has not made laws either for or against homosexuality. Instead, the President of the Palestinian Authority decided to keep the laws that were already in place in the Gaza Strip and West Bank. On May 20, 1994, he ruled that laws that took effect before June 5, 1967 in these areas would not be changed. The laws are also more complicated because the Palestinian territories have been ruled by many different foreign powers, like the Ottoman Empire, the British Empire, Jordan, Egypt, and Israel. Each of these foreign powers created their own laws for the Palestinian territories. Because of the many different laws that have been in place there, the legal situation in the territories is confusing. Sometimes, the criminal law about homosexuality is applied (or used) in the territories. At other times, the laws are not applied. It can be different in the different territories.


title: Vladivostok

paragraphs: Vladivostok () is a city on the Pacific Ocean shore of the Russian Far East. Vladivostok was founded on 2 July 1860. The east end of the Trans-Siberian railway is there. The city is the home of the Russian Pacific Fleet. The population of the city at the census of 2019 was 605,049. The highest point of historical part of Vladivostok is Eagle's Nest Hill (199 m), but the highest point of Vladivostok City District is unnamed mountain named by citizens as Blue Hill (474 m).


title: Cathy Cassidy

paragraphs: Cathy Cassidy (born 13 June 1962) is a English author of teenage books mainly based on domestic fiction. At the age of eight she wrote her first picture book for her brother, Jake. During her childhood, Cathy loved to create comics. She would often rent out comics to her friends for 5 pence, claim them back and then rent them out again to someone else.

paragraphs: Cathy attended an art college in Liverpool as a young adult. After passing her degree, Cathy worked for the "Jackie" Magazine, as a fiction editor. Cathy has taught as an art teacher in a number of schools - 7 primary and some secondary. She illustrates many of her books and has done so for all her books in a series of Daisy Star.

paragraphs: Cassidy lives in Galloway, Scotland, with her husband Liam and her two children, Caitlin (aged 17) and Calum (aged 19). Cathy has been a veggie for 35 years and a vegan for eight of them. She has a lurcher, named Kelpie, who inspired the dog Legg-It in "Dizzy", her first book.

paragraphs: Cathy Cassidy has currently written fourteen books. Her first book was Dizzy published in 2004, followed on by Indigo Blue, published in 2005. At the age of 50, Cathy Cassidy's last books were Marshmallow Skye and The Chocolate Box Girls.

paragraphs: Cathy is also currently writing three new additions to the "Chocolate Box Girls" series, named:

paragraphs: 'Summer's Dream', 'Coco Caramel' and 'Sweet Honey', based on the other Tanberry sisters. The plots for 'Coco Caramel' and 'Sweet Honey' have not been confirmed yet, however, 'Summer's Dream' plot has been confirmed.


title: French Revolutionary Wars

paragraphs: The French Revolutionary Wars consisted of conflicts between 1792 and 1802; there was fighting between French Revolutionary government and several European states. French Revolutionary Armies, with revolutionary fervor and military innovations, defeated a number of opposing coalitions. They expanded French control into the Low Countries, Italy and the Rhineland. There was also fighting in Egypt and on the high seas. These wars involved huge numbers of soldiers because the French used modern mass conscription.

paragraphs: France was at war with Great Britain constantly from 1793 until 1802, and other countries joined Britain in the wars of First Coalition (1792 to 1797) and Second (1798 to 1801). Hostilities ceased with the Treaty of Amiens 1802, though conflicts soon flared up again with the Napoleonic War.


title: Raoul Wallenberg

paragraphs: Raoul Wallenberg (1912 – 1947?) was a Swedish businessman and diplomat. He helped save about 100,000 Hungarian Jews from being killed by the Nazis in 1944, during the Holocaust in World War II. He often risked his life, and later won worldwide admiration for his heroic eforts.

paragraphs: Wallenberg was born in Kapptsta, near Stockholm. He was a member of a prominent family of bankers and industrialists. He visited Hungary on business in the early 1940s, during World War II. Wallenberg became increasingly disturbed by the plans of Nazi leader Adolf Hitler to kill all the Jews of Europe. In 1944, the World Jewish Congress and the American War Refugee Board asked Wallennberg to help and he agreed to go to Hungary to save the remaining Jews there.

paragraphs: The Swedish government sent Wallenberg to serve as a diplomat in Budapest, Hungary's capital. He gave Swedish passports to about 20,000 Jews, allowing them to ask for the protection of the neutral Swedish government. He also protected Jews in houses he bought or rented with his own money or money from the groups that had sent him. Wallenberg, a Lutheran, was assisted by Roman Catholic and other non-Jewish leaders.

paragraphs: Adolf Eichmann, a Nazi official who directed the sending of Jews to concentration camps, ordered Wallenberg to stop interfering with German plans for the Jews. Wallenberg said no. Eichmann tried to have Wallenberg killed, but he was not killed. In the final days before the liberation of Budapest by Soviet soldiers, Wallenberg persuaded the Nazis to stop a plan to kill 70,000 Jews who were forced to live in a ghetto (separated part) of the city.

paragraphs: In January 1945, Soviet forces arrested Wallenberg. They apparently believed he was an American spy. In 1957, the Soviet government reported that Wallenberg had died of a heart attack in prison in 1947. But several people said that they saw him alive in Soviet prisons and hospitals after 1947.

paragraphs: In 1981, the United States Congress made Wallenberg an honorary U.S. citizen.


title: Type 98 320 mm mortar

paragraphs: , also known as a "32-cm" gun, was a mortar of the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA). It is an example of a type of artillery called "spigot mortars".

paragraphs: This artillery piece was used by the Japanese military during World War II.

paragraphs: During World War II, the IJA had 12 Type 98s at the Battle of Iwo Jima.

paragraphs: The Type 98 mortars were also used on Okinawa.


title: Type 92 battalion gun

paragraphs: The was a howitzer of the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA).

paragraphs: Each infantry battalion was issued Type 92s. For this reason, Type 92s were called .

paragraphs: The Type 92 was available to front line divisions by 1932.

paragraphs: This artillery piece was used by the Imperial Japanese Army during the Second Sino-Japanese War and World War II.


title: Bernhard Riemann

paragraphs: Georg Friedrich Bernhard Riemann (17 September 1826 near Hanover 20 July 1866 Selasca, Italy) was a German mathematician. He had a short life and did not write down very much about his discoveries, but the things he discovered were all extremely important and had a revolutionary effect on mathematics. He contributed to many fields of mathematics, such as analysis, geometry, mathematical physics and number theory. Today, many people see him as a great mathematician. He was among the first mathematicians that worked on complex analysis. The kind of geometry he started (which is called Riemannian geometry today) is one of the bases of the theory of relativity, developed by Albert Einstein.

paragraphs: Bernhard Riemann was the second child in a family of six children. His father was a Lutheran pastor. The family was very poor and did not have much to eat. Several of the children died, and Bernhard always had poor health. His parents were loving, but he was a very shy boy. Later in life he had to try very hard to be brave enough to speak in public. His father was one of his first teachers. The young boy was very keen to learn about everything. When he was ten he had a specialist maths teacher, but he was often better at maths than his teacher. When he was 14, he went to Hanover where he lived with his grandmother so that he could go to a Gymnasium school. His father wanted him to be a priest, but Bernhard was much too shy to preach to people. In the end he let him study maths.

paragraphs: There is a well-known story from Riemann’s school days. The school director excused him from maths lessons because the lessons were much too easy for him. Bernhard asked the director whether he could borrow a difficult maths book to read, so the director lent him "Théorie des Nombres" (Theory of Numbers) by . This was a huge book with maths that was so difficult that only a few people in the world would have understood it all. The director was disappointed when the boy brought the book back after only six days. He asked him how far he had got. The boy said he had read the whole book. This was true, and he had understood and remembered it all. Later in life, when Riemann was 33, he developed the famous Riemann hypothesis. This was an article that was only 8 pages long, but he developed his idea from what Legendre had written. Mathematicians ever since have struggled to try to prove what Riemann wrote.

paragraphs: Riemann studied at the universities of Göttingen and Berlin. During his student days he was developing ideas that were to become very important to modern mathematical physics. In 1851 he got his doctorate for a dissertation called "Foundations for a General Theory of Functions of a Complex Variable". This was to become very useful in topology which deals with position and place. When he became lecturer at Göttingen he had to offer three lectures from which the professors would choose one. One of the professors was Carl Friedrich Gauss who was one of the greatest mathematicians who ever lived. Gauss asked him to talk about "On the Hypotheses that form the foundations of Geometry". Gauss himself had worked on this subject. Riemann was terribly nervous about lecturing on this subject in front of the famous Gauss. When he gave the lecture, it became one of the most famous events in the history of mathematics. Gauss did not often give praise to younger mathematicians, but he was very enthusiastic. Riemann’s ideas made it possible for Einstein to develop his theory of relativity more than half a century later.

paragraphs: At first Riemann had no salary. He depended on fees from the students. After four years he was given a small salary. In 1857 he became associate professor and in 1859 full professor, succeeding Dirichlet who had succeeded Gauss four years earlier. Riemann suffered from bad health. Overwork often resulted in periods of depression. There were many deaths in his family, but he worked very hard and made several discoveries that are now named after him. He was becoming very famous. On a visit to Berlin Borchardt, Kummer, Kronecker and Weierstraß - all very famous mathematicians - showered him with praise. He went to Paris where he met who greatly admired him. He was honoured by the Royal Society of London and the French Academy of Sciences.

paragraphs: He married and for a short time he was happy. Then he became ill. He suffered from pleurisy and made several visits to Italy for his health. He died in Selasca on Lago Maggiore aged 39.


title: Livius Andronicus

paragraphs: Livius Andronicus (died between 207 and 200 BC) was a Greek author who is seen as the first Ancient Roman poet. He was probably an actor, and grew up in the Greek city Tarentum. Scholars think he was captured as a prisoner of war and taken to Rome as a slave. He was later freed, so they called him a freedman. His first language was Greek and scholars think he learned Latin after coming to Rome. His most famous work is the Odusia, a translation of the Odyssey into Latin.


title: Type 91 105 mm howitzer

paragraphs: The , also known as a "10-cm" gun, was a howitzer used by the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA).

paragraphs: Type 91 howitzers were used in the Second Sino-Japanese War and World War II.


title: Regina Pats

paragraphs: The Regina Pats are a Canadian professional ice hockey team that began playing in 1917. They currently play in the Western Hockey League. They play their home games in Regina, Saskatchewan at the Brandt Centre. They are the oldest major junior hockey franchise in the world that has continuously operated from their original location and still uses the same name. Baseball player Nyjer Morgan played 7 games with the Pats in the 1999-2000 season and registered 2 goals and 20 penalty minutes.


title: Saskatoon Blades

paragraphs: The Saskatoon Blades are a Canadian professional junior ice hockey team that began playing in 1964. They play in the Western Hockey League. The Blades are the longest team to stay in the WHL in the 48-year history of the League.

paragraphs: They play their home games in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan at the 15,195 seat SaskTel Centre. They were originally founded in 1964 to be a part of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League but transferred leagues when the Western Hockey League was founded in 1966. They have never won the Ed Chynoweth Cup.


title: Type 4 150 mm howitzer

paragraphs: The , also known as a "15-cm" gun, was a field gun used by the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA). It

paragraphs: Type 4 was available to IJA forces after 1915.

paragraphs: This artillery piece was used during the Second Sino-Japanese War and World War II. This gun was designed to be moved by horses; and it continued to be used until 1945.

paragraphs: Type 4s were used by the IJA on Saipan in World War II.


title: Swift Current Broncos

paragraphs: The Swift Current Broncos are a Canadian professional ice hockey team that began playing in 1964. They currently play in the Western Hockey League. They play their home games in Swift Current, Saskatchewan at the Credit Union iPlex. The team moved to Lethbridge in 1974 and became the Lethbridge Broncos. The played 12 seasons in Lethbridge before moving back to Swift Current in 1986. On December 30, 1986, the team's bus crashed on the way to Regina and four players died. The four players had their jerseys retired and had a trophy named after them which is awarded to the league's Player of the Year. The team still wears a commemorative patch to remember them.


title: Bass (vocal range)

paragraphs: A bass is a type of male singing voice and possesses the lowest vocal range of all voice types. According to "The New Grove Dictionary of Opera", a bass is typically classified as having a range extending from around the second E below middle C to the E above middle C (i.e., E2–E4). Its tessitura, or comfortable range, is normally defined by the outermost lines of the bass clef.


title: H.M.S. Pinafore

paragraphs: H.M.S. Pinafore, or The Lass That Loved a Sailor is a two-act operetta by Gilbert and Sullivan. It is the fourth of their fourteen operettas. It premiered on 25 May 1878 at the Opera Comique in London, England. It had 571 performances. The operetta became an international success, and had great influence on the development of musical theatre in Britain and America.

paragraphs: The H.M.S. "Pinafore" lies at anchor off Portsmouth. Little Buttercup comes on board to sell things to the sailors. She says that she has a secret. Ralph Rackstraw says he loves Josephine. The Captain worries that his daughter will decline Sir Joseph's marriage proposal. She tells her father that she loves a sailor in his crew, but assures him that she will never reveal her love to him.

paragraphs: Sir Joseph comes on board with his sisters, cousins, and aunts. He says he rose from humble beginnings to be "the ruler of the Queen's Navee", although he has no qualifications. He then delivers a lesson in etiquette, telling the Captain that he must always say "if you please" after giving an order for "A British sailor is any man's equal". He has composed a song to illustrate that point.

paragraphs: Ralph is delighted with Sir Joseph's views on equality. He decides to declare his love to Josephine. Dick Deadeye points out that "when people have to obey other people's orders, equality's out of the question". Ralph is left alone on deck. Josephine enters, and Ralph confesses his love. She rejects his love and leaves. Ralph decides on suicide. He puts a pistol to his head. Josephine returns to say she loves him. They make plans to leave that night to marry. Dick Deadeye warns them against such a scheme. The joyous ship's company ignores him.

paragraphs: Later that night, Captain Corcoran tells Buttercup that he would have returned her love long ago if they were not so far apart in social class. She warns him that a change is in store for him. Sir Joseph complains that Josephine has not yet agreed to marry him. The Captain thinks she is probably dazzled by his "exalted rank". He suggests that Sir Joseph persuade her that "love levels all ranks". If he does so, Josephine will surely accept his proposal. Sir Joseph makes his argument to Josephine, but it only serves to strengthen her determination to marry Ralph.

paragraphs: Dick Deadeye tells the Captain of the lovers' plans to elope. The Captain confronts Ralph and Josephine as they try to leave the ship. The pair declare their love. The furious Captain swears. Sir Joseph has heard this oath and is shocked. He orders the Captain confined to his cabin. Sir Joseph asks what provoked the Captain's outburst. Ralph replies that it was his declaration of love for Josephine. Sir Joseph is furious. He has Ralph taken to the ship's dungeon.

paragraphs: Little Buttercup now reveals her secret. Many years ago, she had cared for two babies. One baby was of low birth, but the other was a wellborn babe. She "mixed those children up"  the wellborn babe is Ralph and the Captain is the babe of low condition. Sir Joseph realises that Ralph should have been the Captain, and the Captain should have been Ralph. He calls for both, and they enter wearing one another's uniforms. Sir Joseph's marriage with Josephine is now out of the question. He hands her to Ralph. Corcoran will marry Buttercup. Sir Joseph will marry Hebe. There is general rejoicing.

paragraphs: "Pinafore" had great influence on the development of musical theatre. According to theatre historian John Kenrick, "Pinafore" was an international sensation and reshaped the commercial theater in both England and the United States. Historian John Bush Jones writes that "Pinafore" and the other [Gilbert and Sullivan] operas show that musical theatre can provide amusement yet address current issues and events. He writes that "Pinafore" was the first musical to bring together story, song words, and music into a balanced whole. He adds that the show's popularity produced an American audience for musical theatre, and that the show has served as a model of the musical ever since.


title: WrestleMania 29

paragraphs: WrestleMania XXIX was the twenty-ninth yearly WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event made by WWE. It took place on April 7, 2013 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The event was the fifth WrestleMania in the New York metropolitan area and the third WrestleMania held in the state of New Jersey.

paragraphs: There was an 8-man mixed tag team match scheduled between Tons of Funk (Brodus Clay & "Sweet T" Tensai) (with Cameron & Naomi) and Team Rhodes Scholars (Cody Rhodes & Damien Sandow) (with The Bella Twins) but the match was pulled from the card on short notice because of time constraints.


title: Prince Albert, Saskatchewan

paragraphs: Prince Albert is the third largest city in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan.

paragraphs: The population of Prince Albert was 35,129 in 2011 The mayor of Prince Albert is Greg Dionne. It is nicknamed the "Gateway to the North" because it is the last major centre along the route to the resources of northern Saskatchewan. It is named after Albert, Prince Consort, husband of Queen Victoria


title: North Battleford

paragraphs: North Battleford is a city in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The population of North Battleford was 13,190 in 2006. The mayor of North Battleford is Ian Hamilton. The Battlefords area was home to several aboriginal groups including Cree, Assiniboine and Blackfoot tribes who contested for control of local resources before the European settlement.


title: Periwinkle (color)

paragraphs: Periwinkle is a color in the blue family. Its name comes from the lesser periwinkle or myrtle herb ("Vinca minor") which has flowers of the same color.

paragraphs: The color "Periwinkle" is also called lavender blue. The color periwinkle may be considered a pale tint of indigo – a "pastel indigo".

paragraphs: The first written use of "periwinkle" as a color name in English was in 1922.

paragraphs: Periwinkle is also the favorite color of Perry the Platypus from the children's television series, Phineas and Ferb.


title: Mallorquín

paragraphs: The Mallorquín or Caballo Mallorquín () is a rare breed of horse native to the island of Mallorca in the Balearic Islands. The breed was identified in 1985.


title: Sherlock (TV series)

paragraphs: Sherlock is a BBC television series based on characters created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The main characters are: Sherlock Holmes, a young highly talented detective who investigates crimes, his faithful colleague Watson, a exmilitar of the War in Afghanistan, and his great enemy Moriarty.


title: Pedro Bigas

paragraphs: Pedro Bigas Rigo (born 15 September 1990 in Palma de Mallorca, Balearic Islands) is a Spanish footballer. He plays for RCD Mallorca as a left midfielder or defender.

paragraphs: He start playing football at la Salle Palma, after that he played in Montuiri, and then in the Mallorca B. He left Mallorca B to join the Athletico de Baleares. While he was playing for Athletico de Baleares he was offered a position in RCD Mallorca.


title: Sasha Grey

paragraphs: Sasha Grey (born Marina Ann Hantzis on March 14, 1988) is an American former pornographic actress, who now does ordinary acting, modelling, and music. She was born and raised in North Highlands, California. In 2005, she started taking acting, dancing and music lessons. After she turned 18, she started to participate in pornographic movies in Los Angeles. She is openly bisexual.

paragraphs: Grey has released two books. A photo book, "Neü Sex", was released on March 29, 2011 by VICE books. On May 9, 2013 "The Juliette Society", an erotic novel, was published by Sphere.


title: Danish People's Party

paragraphs: The Danish People's Party is a Danish national conservative political party placed on the right wing. The aim of the Danish People's Party is to assert Denmark's independence, to guarantee the freedom of the Danish people in their own country, and to preserve and promote representative government and the monarchy.

paragraphs: The leader of the party has since 2012 been Kristian Thulesen Dahl. The former leader was Pia Kjærsgaard who also founded the party in 1995. By 2013, the party has over 12,000 members.


title: The Boxcar Children

paragraphs: The Boxcar Children is a children's story. It was written by Gertrude Chandler Warner. It was published by Rand McNally in 1924. Warner wrote 19 other books about the boxcar children and their adventures. Other people wrote more stories. There are over 100 books about the boxcar children. Over the years they have made the story into different novels, comic books and they are making a movie which will be released in April of 2014.

paragraphs: Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny are orphans. They have never seen their grandfather Mr. Alden. They have heard he is cruel. They run away because they don't want to live with him. One night, they find shelter in a bakery. They say they will help with the work the next day if they can stay the night. Benny is too little to work. The baker wants to take him to the children's home. The childen run away.

paragraphs: The children find an old boxcar in the woods. They make it their home. They find dishes, spoons, and other things to use in their new home. They help a dog with a hurt paw. Benny names the dog "Watch". The children dam a stream to make a swimming pool. Henry gets a job working for Dr. Moore. He mows the lawn and cleans the garage. He works in the garden for the doctor's mother. She gives him some vegetables. All the children pick cherries from the trees in the garden. The children are happy.

paragraphs: Dr. Moore reads in a newspaper that Mr. Alden is looking for his grandchildren. The doctor calls Mr. Alden. Mr. Alden arrives at the doctor's house. The children grow to like him. He is not cruel but kind. The children move to their grandfather's house. Mr. Alden puts the boxcar in the back yard for their fun.


title: The Country Bears

paragraphs: The Country Bears is a 2002 American live-action comedy movie. It was produced by Walt Disney Pictures, based on the Disney attraction "Country Bear Jamboree". It was released on July 26, 2002.


title: G. Hannelius

paragraphs: Genevieve Knight Hannelius (born December 22, 1998) is better known as G. Hannelius. She is an American child actress and singer who is the new voice of Rosebud in the "Air Buddies" series.

paragraphs: Hannelius was born in Boston, Massachusetts. She moved to southern Maine at age 1. She started acting at a young age. Her theater roles include Madeline in Madeline's Rescue and Jenny in "Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing" with Children's Theatre of Maine and Maine State Music Theater. She moved to California for 3 months to try out auditions, and she was so successful that her family relocated permanently to Los Angeles in 2008.