Question: Where is the cerebrum located within the brain?

The cerebrum is a significant portion of the brain, encompassing the cerebral cortex and various subcortical structures such as the hippocampus, basal ganglia, and olfactory bulb. Located at the uppermost region of the central nervous system in humans, it originates from the prosencephalon during prenatal development. The dorsal telencephalon evolves into the cerebral cortex, while the ventral telencephalon forms the basal ganglia. The cerebrum is further partitioned into roughly symmetrical left and right cerebral hemispheres.

Finally, Magoun recorded potentials within the medial portion of the brain stem and discovered that auditory stimuli directly fired portions of the reticular activating system. Furthermore, single-shock stimulation of the sciatic nerve also activated the medial reticular formation, hypothalamus, and thalamus. Excitation of the ARAS did not depend on further signal propagation through the cerebellar circuits, as the same results were obtained following decerebellation and decortication. The researchers proposed that a column of cells surrounding the midbrain reticular formation received input from all the ascending tracts of the brain stem and relayed these afferents to the cortex and therefore regulated wakefulness.[42][26]

The pia mater (Latin: tender mother[5]) is a very delicate membrane. It is the meningeal envelope that firmly adheres to the surface of the brain and spinal cord, following all of the brain's contours (the gyri and sulci). It is a very thin membrane composed of fibrous tissue covered on its outer surface by a sheet of flat cells thought to be impermeable to fluid. The pia mater is pierced by blood vessels to the brain and spinal cord, and its capillaries nourish the brain.

As of recent, researchers have used neuroimaging techniques to find that along with the basal ganglia, the prefrontal cortex is involved with learning exemplars, which is part of the exemplar theory, one of the three main ways our mind categorizes things. The exemplar theory states that we categorize judgements by comparing it to a similar past experience within our stored memories.[28]

The term laterality refers to the preference most humans show for one side of their body over the other. Examples include left-handedness/right-handedness and left/right-footedness; it may also refer to the primary use of the left or right hemisphere in the brain. It may also apply to animals or plants. The majority of tests have been conducted on humans, specifically to determine the effects on language.

The vasomotor center (VMC) is a portion of the medulla oblongata that, together with the cardiovascular center and respiratory center, regulates blood pressure and other homeostatic processes. Vasomotor center is a fairly archaic term since this function relies not on a single brain structure ("center") but rather represents a presympathetic network of interacting neurons.[1] Upon increase in carbon dioxide level at central chemoreceptors, it stimulates the sympathetic system to constrict vessels. This is opposite to carbon dioxide in tissues causing vasodilatation, especially in the brain.[2] Cranial nerves IX (Glossopharyngeal nerve) and X Vagus nerve both feed into the vasomotor centre and are themselves involved in the regulation of blood pressure. The localization of VMC was determined by Filipp Ovsyannikov in 1871.[3]

The jejunum (/dʒɪˈdʒuːnəm/[2][3]) is the second part of the small intestine in humans and most higher vertebrates, including mammals, reptiles, and birds.

The majority of humans are right-handed. Many are also right-sided in general (that is, they prefer to use their right eye, right foot and right ear if forced to make a choice between the two). The reasons for this are not fully understood, but it is thought that because the left cerebral hemisphere of the brain controls the right side of the body, the right side is generally stronger; it is suggested that the left cerebral hemisphere is dominant over the right in most humans because in 90-92% of all humans, the left hemisphere is the language hemisphere.

The human reticular formation is composed of almost 100 brain nuclei and contains many projections into the forebrain, brainstem, and cerebellum, among other regions.[2] It includes the reticular nuclei, reticulothalamic projection fibers, diffuse thalamo-cortical projections, ascending cholinergic projections, descending non-cholinergic projections, and descending reticulospinal projections.[3] The reticular formation also contains two major neural subsystems, the ascending reticular activating system and descending reticulospinal tracts, which mediate distinct cognitive and physiological proceses.[2][3] It has been functionally cleaved both sagittally and coronally.

Lining the CSF-filled ventricles, the ependymal cells play an important role in the production and regulation of CSF. Their apical surfaces are covered in a layer of cilia, which circulate CSF around the CNS. Their apical surfaces are also covered with microvilli, which absorb CSF. Within the ventricles of the brain, a population of modified ependymal cells and capillaries together known as the tela choroidea form a structure called the choroid plexus, which produces the CSF.[3]

In vertebrates, inter-aural time differences are known to be calculated in the superior olivary nucleus of the brainstem. According to Jeffress,[1] this calculation relies on delay lines: neurons in the superior olive which accept innervation from each ear with different connecting axon lengths. Some cells are more directly connected to one ear than the other, thus they are specific for a particular inter-aural time difference. This theory is equivalent to the mathematical procedure of cross-correlation. However, because Jeffress' theory is unable to account for the precedence effect, in which only the first of multiple identical sounds is used to determine the sounds' location (thus avoiding confusion caused by echoes), it cannot be entirely used to explain the response. Furthermore, a number of recent physiological observations made in the midbrain and brainstem of small mammals have shed considerable doubt on the validity of Jeffress' original ideas [2]


Question: Where is the cerebrum located in the brain?

The cerebrum, the largest section of the brain, is situated in front of or atop the brainstem, depending on the animal's orientation. In humans, it is the most significant and evolved part among the five primary divisions of the brain.

The shape of the arachnoid does not follow the convolutions of the surface of the brain and so looks like a loosely fitting sac. In particular, in the region of the brain a large number of fine filaments called arachnoid trabeculae pass from the arachnoid through the subarachnoid space to blend with the tissue of the pia mater. The arachnoid is composed of an outermost portion (arachnoid barrier cell layer) with tightly packed cells and no extracellular collagen; that is why it is considered to represent an effective morphological and physiological meningeal barrier between the cerebrospinal fluid and subarachnoid space and the blood circulation in the dura.

The vasomotor center (VMC) is a portion of the medulla oblongata that, together with the cardiovascular center and respiratory center, regulates blood pressure and other homeostatic processes. Vasomotor center is a fairly archaic term since this function relies not on a single brain structure ("center") but rather represents a presympathetic network of interacting neurons.[1] Upon increase in carbon dioxide level at central chemoreceptors, it stimulates the sympathetic system to constrict vessels. This is opposite to carbon dioxide in tissues causing vasodilatation, especially in the brain.[2] Cranial nerves IX (Glossopharyngeal nerve) and X Vagus nerve both feed into the vasomotor centre and are themselves involved in the regulation of blood pressure. The localization of VMC was determined by Filipp Ovsyannikov in 1871.[3]

However, if blood flow cannot be increased or if doubled blood flow does not correct the problem, symptoms of cerebral hypoxia will begin to appear. Mild symptoms include difficulties with complex learning tasks and reductions in short-term memory. If oxygen deprivation continues, cognitive disturbances, and decreased motor control will result.[6] The skin may also appear bluish (cyanosis) and heart rate increases. Continued oxygen deprivation results in fainting, long-term loss of consciousness, coma, seizures, cessation of brain stem reflexes, and brain death.[7]

The octopus (along with cuttlefish) has the highest brain-to-body mass ratios of all invertebrates, and is also greater than many vertebrates.[43] It has a highly complex nervous system, only part of which is localised in its brain, which is contained in a cartilaginous capsule.[44] Two-thirds of an octopus's neurons are found in the nerve cords of its arms, which show a variety of complex reflex actions that persist even when they have no input from the brain.[45] Unlike vertebrates, the complex motor skills of octopuses are not organised in their brain via an internal somatotopic map of its body, instead using a nonsomatotopic system unique to large-brained invertebrates.[46]

Electrical brain stimulation (EBS), also referred to as focal brain stimulation (FBS), is a form of electrotherapy and technique used in research and clinical neurobiology to stimulate a neuron or neural network in the brain through the direct or indirect excitation of its cell membrane by using an electric current. It is used for research or for therapeutical purposes.

Phrenology is a process that involves observing and/or feeling the skull to determine an individual's psychological attributes. Franz Joseph Gall believed that the brain was made up of 27 individual organs that determined personality, the first 19 of these 'organs' he believed to exist in other animal species. Phrenologists would run their fingertips and palms over the skulls of their patients to feel for enlargements or indentations.[5] The phrenologist would often take measurements with a tape measure of the overall head size and more rarely employ a craniometer, a special version of a caliper. In general, instruments to measure sizes of cranium continued to be used after the mainstream phrenology had ended. The phrenologists put emphasis on using drawings of individuals with particular traits, to determine the character of the person and thus many phrenology books show pictures of subjects. From absolute and relative sizes of the skull the phrenologist would assess the character and temperament of the patient.

Some specific progress in understanding how motor cortex causes movement has also been made in the rodent model. The rodent motor cortex, like the monkey motor cortex, may contain subregions that emphasize different common types of actions.[35][36] For example, one region appears to emphasize the rhythmic control of whisking.[35][37][38] Neurons in this region project to a specific subcortical nucleus in which a pattern generator coordinates the cyclic rhythm of the whiskers. This nucleus then projects to the muscles that control the whiskers.

The reticulospinal tracts, also known as the descending or anterior reticulospinal tracts, are extrapyramidal motor tracts that descend from the reticular formation[38] in two tracts to act on the motor neurons supplying the trunk and proximal limb flexors and extensors. The reticulospinal tracts are involved mainly in locomotion and postural control, although they do have other functions as well.[39] The descending reticulospinal tracts are one of four major cortical pathways to the spinal cord for musculoskeletal activity. The reticulospinal tracts works with the other three pathways to give a coordinated control of movement, including delicate manipulations.[40] The four pathways can be grouped into two main system pathways â€“ a medial system and a lateral system. The medial system includes the reticulospinal pathway and the vestibulospinal pathway, and this system provides control of posture. The corticospinal and the rubrospinal tract pathways belong to the lateral system which provides fine control of movement.[41]

Throughout the cervical and thoracic regions the central canal is situated in the anterior third of the spinal cord; in the lumbar enlargement it is near the middle, and in the conus medullaris it approaches the posterior surface. It is filled with cerebrospinal fluid, and lined by ciliated, columnar epithelium, outside of which is an encircling band of gelatinous substance, the substantia gelatinosa centralis (or central gelatinous substance of spinal cord). This gelatinous substance consists mainly of neuroglia, but contains a few nerve cells and fibers; it is traversed by processes from the deep ends of the columnar ciliated cells which line the central canal.

Electrical brain stimulation was first used in the first half of the 19th century by pioneering researchers such as Luigi Rolando[citation needed](1773–1831) and Pierre Flourens[citation needed](1794–1867), to study the brain localization of function, following the discovery by Italian physician Luigi Galvani (1737–1798) that nerves and muscles were electrically excitable. The stimulation of the surface of the cerebral cortex by using brain stimulation was used to investigate the motor cortex in animals by researchers such as Eduard Hitzig (1838–1907), Gustav Fritsch (1838–1927), David Ferrier (1842–1928) and Friedrich Goltz (1834–1902). The human cortex was also stimulated electrically by neurosurgeons and neurologists such as Robert Bartholow (1831–1904) and Fedor Krause (1857–1937).


Question: When does the closure of the ductus arteriosus take place?

The ductus arteriosus, also known as the ductus Botalli, is a blood vessel present in the developing fetus that connects the main pulmonary artery to the proximal descending aorta. Its function is to divert the majority of blood from the right ventricle away from the non-functioning, fluid-filled lungs of the fetus. Following birth, the closure of the ductus arteriosus occurs, transforming it into the ligamentum arteriosum. This closure is a crucial physiological adjustment that takes place at birth, alongside two other fetal shunts, the ductus venosus and the foramen ovale, which also undergo significant changes.

The Greek physician Galen (2nd century CE) knew blood vessels carried blood and identified venous (dark red) and arterial (brighter and thinner) blood, each with distinct and separate functions.[81] Galen, noting the heart as the hottest organ in the body, concluded that it provided heat to the body.[83] The heart did not pump blood around, the heart's motion sucked blood in during diastole and the blood moved by the pulsation of the arteries themselves.[83] Galen believed the arterial blood was created by venous blood passing from the left ventricle to the right through 'pores' between the ventricles.[80] Air from the lungs passed from the lungs via the pulmonary artery to the left side of the heart and created arterial blood.[83]

Proper hormone secretion in the developing fetus is crucial for its growth in the womb of the mother. In order to allow a controlled hormone secretion in the developing organs of the fetus, stimulating hormones must be exchanged in the regulating structures in the brain in early stages of the development. Hormone-exchanging blood vessels between the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland, similar to those of the hypophyseal portal system, can be observed in early developmental stages of the fetus. In the current literature, most research is conducted using mice as model species. In such studies, development of the hypophyseal portal system begins as early as 14.5 dpc (days post coitum). Two populations of pericytes arise from the mesoderm and the neuroectoderm and form at the approximate location of the portal system in what will eventually become the mature brain.[4] Additionally, in research involving human fetuses it has been observed that the hypophyseal portal system fully develops by week 11.5 of the human fetal gestation period. This was determined by injecting a silicone rubber compound into specimens of various stages of gestation. In a specimen at week 11.5, the median eminence and infundibular stem contained the compound, suggesting the existence of the fully developed portal system.[5] Further research in this area would help determine whether or not development could be complete at an even earlier stage.

The earliest known writings on the circulatory system are found in the Ebers Papyrus (16th century BCE), an ancient Egyptian medical papyrus containing over 700 prescriptions and remedies, both physical and spiritual. In the papyrus, it acknowledges the connection of the heart to the arteries. The Egyptians thought air came in through the mouth and into the lungs and heart. From the heart, the air travelled to every member through the arteries. Although this concept of the circulatory system is only partially correct, it represents one of the earliest accounts of scientific thought.

The placenta grows throughout pregnancy. Development of the maternal blood supply to the placenta is complete by the end of the first trimester of pregnancy (approximately 12–13 weeks).

Post-operative complications include infection, sepsis, organ rejection, as well as the side-effects of the immunosuppressive medication. Since the transplanted heart originates from another organism, the recipient's immune system typically attempts to reject it. The risk of rejection never fully goes away, and the patient will be on immunosuppressive drugs for the rest of their life, but these may cause unwanted side effects, such as increased likelihood of infections or development of certain cancers. Recipients can acquire kidney disease from a heart transplant due to side effects of immunosuppressant medications. Many recent advances in reducing complications due to tissue rejection stem from mouse heart transplant procedures.[30] Surgery death rate is 5-10% in 2011.[31]

Fetal hemoglobin, or foetal haemoglobin, (also hemoglobin F, HbF, or α2γ2) is the main oxygen transport protein in the human fetus during the last seven months of development in the uterus and persists in the newborn until roughly 6 months old. Functionally, fetal hemoglobin differs most from adult hemoglobin in that it is able to bind oxygen with greater affinity than the adult form, giving the developing fetus better access to oxygen from the mother's bloodstream.

The IVY method is the traditional format for this test. While both the IVY and the Duke method require the use of a sphygmomanometer, or blood pressure cuff, the IVY method is more invasive than the Duke method, utilizing an incision on the ventral side of the forearm, whereas the Duke method involves puncture with a lancet or special needle. In the IVY method, the blood pressure cuff is placed on the upper arm and inflated to 40 mmHg. A lancet or scalpel blade is used to make a shallow incision that is 1 millimeter deep on the underside of the forearm.

All cardiologists study the disorders of the heart, but the study of adult and child heart disorders are through different training pathways. Therefore, an adult cardiologist (often simply called "cardiologist") is inadequately trained to take care of children, and pediatric cardiologists are not trained to take care of adult heart disease. The surgical aspects are not included in cardiology and are in the domain of cardiothoracic surgery. For example, coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG), cardiopulmonary bypass and valve replacement are surgical procedures performed by surgeons, not cardiologists. However the insertion of stents, pacemakers are performed by cardiologists

Experimental studies in animals and cohort studies in humans indicate no detectable increase in congenital malformations associated with paracetamol use during pregnancy.[95] Additionally, paracetamol does not affect the closure of the fetal ductus arteriosus as NSAIDs can.[96]

Deoxygenated fetal blood passes through umbilical arteries to the placenta. At the junction of umbilical cord and placenta, the umbilical arteries branch radially to form chorionic arteries. Chorionic arteries, in turn, branch into cotyledon arteries. In the villi, these vessels eventually branch to form an extensive arterio-capillary-venous system, bringing the fetal blood extremely close to the maternal blood; but no intermingling of fetal and maternal blood occurs ("placental barrier").[7]


Question: Who is the lead vocalist of Depeche Mode?

Dave Gahan, born David Callcott on May 9, 1962, is widely recognized as the lead vocalist of the electronic music group Depeche Mode, a position he's held since the band's inception in 1980. In addition to his work with Depeche Mode, Gahan has enjoyed a solo career, releasing albums in 2003 ("Paper Monsters") and 2007 ("Hourglass").

Panic! at the Disco is an American rock band from Las Vegas, Nevada, formed in 2004 and featuring the current lineup of vocalist Brendon Urie, accompanied on tour by guitarist Kenneth Harris and drummer Dan Pawlovich. Founded by childhood friends Ryan Ross, Spencer Smith, Brent Wilson and Urie, Panic! at the Disco recorded its first demos while its members were in high school. Shortly after, the band recorded and released its debut studio album, A Fever You Can't Sweat Out (2005). Popularized by the second single, "I Write Sins Not Tragedies", the album was certified double platinum in the US. In 2006, founding bassist Brent Wilson was fired from the band during an extensive world tour and subsequently replaced by Jon Walker.

Having first encountered the band at Ardent Studios in Memphis and been suitably impressed, producer Pete Matthews played their demos to his friend at Wind-up Records, Diana Meltzer.[13] It was when Meltzer heard "My Immortal" that she became interested in signing the band, saying she "knew it was a hit". The Wind-up A&R told HitQuarters that, although they already exhibited huge talent, they were still young and needed to be developed, and "given the time and opportunity they could deliver a breakthrough sound."[13] Once signed the band were relocated to Los Angeles, given an apartment and rehearsal space and enrolled in a gym. Lee was given acting and vocal classes. After almost two years producer Dave Fortman was brought in to produce their first album Fallen.[13] However, record label executives initially refused to release the album unless the band would agree to add a full-time male co-vocalist. When the band would not agree to this demand, the label relented and only insisted on having a male vocalist in the album's lead single, "Bring Me to Life". Lee was still not happy about this, but agreed to it.[14]

"Game of Thrones Theme", also referred to as "Game of Thrones Main Title Theme", is the theme music of the television series Game of Thrones. It plays during the title sequence and was composed by Ramin Djawadi in 2011, after series creator David Benioff and D. B. Weiss approached him requesting a theme. Asked to avoid flutes and violins, which the producers felt were overused in fantasy themes, Djawadi used the cello as the lead instrument. The piece begins in a minor key, then switches between corresponding major and minor keys repeatedly. Djawadi was shown a preliminary rendering of the title sequence before composing this music to accompany it. Several artists have covered or parodied the music, sometimes adding lyrics to the originally instrumental work.

The song is built around a simple verse-chorus form, but with added opening and closing sections, all performed in a stately tempo. After Robin sings about the ship in an orchestral opening, and some introductory lines are sung by the group, the song settles into the first verse and Robin singing solo to sparse accompaniment of rhythm guitar and quiet piano. The voices build to a big, slow chorus of all three voices led by Robin in an operatic style. For the second verse, the electric bass was added and proceeds at a faster pace through the same melody, into an even more intense chorus, augmented by a cello part by Buckmaster and some high notes by Robin. The extended closing section has a rhythmic instrumental and wordless vocal, building in power and then dropping off and back to the opening orchestra and vocal part until the song is finished.[3][6]

Both vocal versions feature the vocal performance of Waysted vocalist Fin Muir.

Temple of the Dog was an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington in 1990. It was conceived by vocalist Chris Cornell of Soundgarden as a tribute to his friend, the late Andrew Wood, lead singer of the bands Malfunkshun and Mother Love Bone. The line-up included Stone Gossard on rhythm guitar, Jeff Ament on bass guitar (both ex-members of Mother Love Bone), Mike McCready on lead guitar, and Matt Cameron on drums. Eddie Vedder appeared as a guest to provide some lead and backing vocals.

Other notable roles include King Henry VIII in the 2003 film adaptation of the novel The Other Boleyn Girl. He also portrayed Andy Warhol in I Shot Andy Warhol and John Lennon in the television movie Two of Us (2000). He played Vladimir in the black comedy drama film Happiness (1998), written and directed by Todd Solondz. He played the gruff Captain Anderson in the BBC2 adaptation of To the Ends of the Earth; Mac McGrath in the movie Mr. Deeds; Eamon Quinn on the FX series The Riches; and David Robert Jones on Fringe. One of his more recent film roles was Ulysses S. Grant in the Steven Spielberg-directed Lincoln.[4] He played Lane Pryce in Mad Men from 2009 until 2012 and returned to the series to direct the 11th episode of season 7, which aired in 2015. He also portrayed King George VI in the first season of The Crown.

In 1994, St Helens supermarket shelf-stacker Jacqui Abbott was brought on board to fill in as the new third lead vocalist for the band. Heaton had heard her sing at an after-show party in St Helens and remembered her vocal talents. Heaton referred to her as "the lass from the glass"â€”a reference to the Pilkington factory in St Helens. Abbott's first album with the band was Miaow in the same year. Hits included "Good as Gold (Stupid as Mud)" and a cover of Fred Neil's "Everybody's Talkin'", previously popularised by Harry Nilsson.

"Don't Give Up" is a song by British producer Chicane, with vocals recorded by Canadian rock/pop singer Bryan Adams. It was released in March 2000 as a single, peaking at number one on the UK Singles Chart and becoming a popular dance track in clubs across Europe and North America.

"New Perspective" is a song by American rock band Panic! at the Disco, released on July 28, 2009 as a single promoting the film Jennifer's Body. Vocalist Brendon Urie began writing the song two years prior to its recording regarding a lucid dream he had. The song was completed in the summer of 2009, and was co-written by producer John Feldmann. "New Perspective" was Panic! at the Disco's first single in aftermath of the departure of guitarist Ryan Ross and bassist Jon Walker, both of whom had no involvement in the track.


Question: Who is the current announcer for The Price is Right?

George Gray, a television personality, became the fourth regular announcer for The Price Is Right on April 18, 2011. He succeeded Rich Fields after initially appearing as one of the rotating auditioning announcers.

Among Forsyth's other quips, he would, at the beginning of some shows, say, "What a lovely audience! You're so much better than last week." The joke was that the same audience was used for more than one show, therefore it was the same one. Bruce started each show with his trademark "It's nice to see you, to see you nice" (whereby the audience join in on the last "nice".). When a pair was revealed, he'd say "You don't get anything for a pair, not in this game.", and the audience would join in with the "not in this game" part. On the 2002 series in particular, he would often start the show with a made-up quote.

After its cancellation by CBS in 1967, it returned in syndication as a daily production, moderated originally by Wally Bruner and later by Larry Blyden, which ran from 1968 to 1975. There have been several international versions, radio versions, and a live stage version.

Robert Jolin Osborne (/ˈɒzbɔːrn/; May 3, 1932 – March 6, 2017)[1][2] was an American actor, film historian, television presenter, and author, best known for more than twenty years as the primary host of the cable channel Turner Classic Movies (TCM). Prior to TCM, Osborne had been a host on The Movie Channel,[3] and, earlier, a columnist for The Hollywood Reporter. Osborne also wrote the official history of the Academy Awards, originally published in 1988, and most recently revised in 2013.[4]

During its history there have been many presenters, currently Lindsey Russell and Radzi Chinyanganya. The show is produced mainly in a television studio, but there is also a garden, often referred to as the Blue Peter Garden, used during the summer and for outdoor activities. The programme has always featured a number of pets; currently a tortoise called Shelly makes an appearance from time to time and also a dog named Iggy who has now gone on to being a guide dog

Arte Johnson, who created many memorable characters, insisted on star billing, apart from the rest of the cast. The producer mollified him, but had announcer Gary Owens read Johnson's credit as a separate sentence: "Starring Dan Rowan and Dick Martin! And Arte Johnson! With Ruth Buzzi ..." This maneuver gave Johnson star billing, but made it sound like he was still part of the ensemble cast. Johnson left the show after the 1970–71 season. Henry Gibson also departed after the 1970–71 season. Johnson and he were replaced by former Hogan's Heroes stars Richard Dawson and Larry Hovis, both of whom had appeared occasionally in the first season. However, the loss of Johnson's many popular characters caused ratings to drop further.

Bob Fitzgerald has done television play-by-play, and former Warrior guard Jim Barnett has done color commentary for the Warriors for more than 15 years, currently on NBC Sports Bay Area, where they telecast more than 70 Warrior games a year.[84] They also host Roundtable Live, a half-hour pre-game show leading up to the broadcast of select Golden State home games. Fitzgerald is in his 20th season as the Warriors' play-by-play man, while Barnett is in his 32nd season as color man. Greg Papa, Garry St. Jean, and Kelenna Azubuike are also members of the telecast team, specializing in in-game, halftime and post-game analysis, while Kerith Burke serves as the sideline reporter.

The first season was co-hosted by Ryan Seacrest and Brian Dunkleman following the format of Pop Idol of using two presenters. Dunkleman quit thereafter,[36] making Seacrest the sole emcee of the show starting with season two. Dunkleman did, however, return in the initial series finale on Fox. Seacrest also returned for Season 16.[37]

For the 1974-75 season, the show's set and introduction were changed. The tiles were done away with in favor of having blue walls with question marks painted on them, and the rest of the set adopted a red and yellow color palette. The animated intro was done away with in favor of the show's announcer offering a preview of one of the contestants's games, and the panelists simply entered the stage one at a time as they were introduced. The panel was still introduced from left to right, as they had been before, and Blyden was introduced last.

At short notice, Merton hosted the first episode after Deayton's departure, and was described as "merciless" in his treatment of his former co-star.[6] A series of guest hosts appeared for the remainder of the series, including Anne Robinson, Boris Johnson, and Jeremy Clarkson.[7] Despite an initial search for a permanent successor to Deayton, having a different guest host each week proved successful, with average audience figures increasing from 6 million to 7 million.[8] It was therefore announced in June 2003 that this feature would continue permanently.[9]

Talk-show host Jimmy Fallon was announced as the host of the ceremony on August 2, 2016.[2][3][4][5] Meryl Streep was announced as the Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award honoree on November 3, 2016.[6] The nominations were announced on December 12, 2016, by Don Cheadle, Laura Dern, and Anna Kendrick.


Question: What was the purpose of the Enabling Act?

The Enabling Act of 1933, an amendment to the Weimar Constitution, granted the German Cabinet, led by Chancellor Adolf Hitler, the authority to legislate without the Reichstag's consent. This law, ratified by the Reichstag and Reichsrat on March 24, 1933, and endorsed by President Paul von Hindenburg, was initially valid for four years but was extended twice. The act bestowed Hitler with sweeping powers, building upon the Reichstag Fire Decree that had already curtailed civil liberties and centralized power in the Reich government, effectively establishing a legal dictatorship.

The passage of the ordinance, which ceded all unsettled lands to the federal government and established the public domain, followed the relinquishing of all such claims over the territory by the states. These territories were to be administered directly by Congress, with the intent of their eventual admission as newly created states. The legislation was revolutionary in that it established the precedent for new lands to be administered by the central government, albeit temporarily, rather than under the jurisdiction of the individually sovereign original states, as it was with the Articles of Confederation. The legislation also broke colonial precedent by defining future use of the natural navigation, transportation and communication routes; it did so in a way that anticipated future acquisitions beyond the Northwest Territories, and established federal policy.[9] Article 4 states: "The navigable waters leading into the Mississippi and St. Lawrence, and the carrying places between the same, shall be common highways and forever free, as well to the inhabitants of the said territory as to the citizens of the United States, and those of any other States that may be admitted into the confederacy, without any tax, impost, or duty therefor."

In September 23, 1972, then Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile was ambushed while en route home. This assassination attempt (which was widely believed to have been staged but denied by Enrile himself[11][12][13]) together with the general citizen disquiet, were used by Marcos as reasons to issue Presidential Proclamation No. 1081, proclaiming a State of martial law in the Philippines on September 21.[14] Rigoberto Tiglao, former press secretary and a former communist incarcerated during the martial law,[15] argued that the liberal and communist parties provoked martial law imposition.[16] Enrile said that "The most significant event that made President Marcos decide to declare martial law was the MV Karagatan incident in July 1972. It was the turning point. The MV Karagatan involved the infiltration of high powered rifles, ammunition, 40-millimeter rocket launchers, rocket projectiles, communications equipment, and other assorted war materials by the CPP-NPA-NDF on the Pacific side of Isabela in Cagayan Valley." The weapons were shipped from Communist China which at that time was exporting the communist revolution and supported the NPA's goal to overthrow the government.[17]

Canada actually carried out a partial mobilization on August 25, 1939, in anticipation of the growing diplomatic crisis. On September 1, 1939, the Canadian Active Service Force (a corps-sized force of two divisions) was mobilized even though war was not declared by Canada until September 10, 1939. Only one division went overseas in December 1939, and the government hoped to follow a "limited liability" war policy. When France was invaded in May 1940, the Canadian government realized that would not be possible and mobilized three additional divisions, beginning their overseas employment in August 1940 with the dispatch of the 2nd Canadian Division (some units of which were deployed to Iceland and Newfoundland for garrison duty before moving to the UK). Canada also enacted the National Resources Mobilization Act in 1940, which among other things compelled men to serve in the military, though conscripts mobilized under the NRMA did not serve overseas until 1944. Conscripts did, however, serve in the Aleutian Islands in 1943 though the anticipated Japanese defense never materialized due to the evacuation of the enemy garrison before the landings. Service in the Aleutians was not considered "overseas" as technically the islands were part of North America.

On 30 January 1933, the National Socialist German Workers' Party, under its leader Adolf Hitler, came to power in Germany.[19] While Weimar Republic had long sought to annex territories belonging to Poland, Hitler's idea to invade and partition Poland was his own concept and not a realization of Weimar plans[20] as Bohemia and Austria to Germany, as well as the creation of satellite or puppet states economically subordinate to Germany.[21] As part of this long-term policy, Hitler at first pursued a policy of rapprochement with Poland, trying to improve opinion in Germany, culminating in the German–Polish Non-Aggression Pact of 1934.[22] Earlier, Hitler's foreign policy worked to weaken ties between Poland and France, and attempted to manoeuvre Poland into the Anti-Comintern Pact, forming a cooperative front against the Soviet Union.[22][23] Poland would be granted territory to its northeast in Ukraine and Belarus if it agreed to wage war against the Soviet Union, but the concessions the Poles were expected to make meant that their homeland would become largely dependent on Germany, functioning as little more than a client state. The Poles feared that their independence would eventually be threatened altogether.[23] The population of the Free City of Danzig was strongly in favour of annexation by Germany, as were many of the ethnic German inhabitants of the Polish territory that separated the German exclave of East Prussia from the rest of the Reich.[24] The so-called Polish Corridor constituted land long disputed by Poland and Germany, and inhabited by a Polish majority. The Corridor had become a part of Poland after the Treaty of Versailles. Many Germans also wanted the city of Danzig and its environs (together the Free City of Danzig) to be reincorporated into Germany. Danzig was a port city with a German majority.[25] It had been separated from Germany after Versailles and made into the nominally independent Free City of Danzig. Hitler sought to use this as a reason for war, reverse these territorial losses, and on many occasions made an appeal to German nationalism, promising to "liberate" the German minority still in the Corridor, as well as Danzig.[26]

In 1922, Mussolini led a force of his Fascist supporters on a March on Rome. Prime Minister Luigi Facta and his cabinet drafted a decree of martial law. After some hesitation the King refused to sign it, citing doubts about the ability of the army to contain the uprising.

In October 2016 the Conservative Prime Minister, Theresa May, announced that Article 50 would be invoked by "the first quarter of 2017".[51] On 24 January 2017 the Supreme Court ruled in the Miller case by a majority that the process could not be initiated without an authorising act of parliament, but unanimously ruled against the Scottish government's claim in respect of devolution that they had a direct say in the decision to trigger Article 50. Consequently the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Act 2017 empowering the prime minister to invoke Article 50 was passed and enacted by royal assent in March 2017.

The British Parliament passed the Third Home Rule Act on 18 September 1914 with an amending Bill for the partition of Ireland introduced by Ulster Unionist MPs, but the Act's implementation was immediately postponed by the Suspensory Act 1914 due to the outbreak of the First World War in the previous month. The majority of nationalists followed their IPP leaders and John Redmond's call to support Britain and the Allied war effort in Irish regiments of the New British Army, the intention being to ensure the commencement of Home Rule after the war.[citation needed] But a significant minority of the Irish Volunteers opposed Ireland's involvement in the war. The Volunteer movement split, a majority leaving to form the National Volunteers under Redmond. The remaining Irish Volunteers, under Eoin MacNeill, held that they would maintain their organisation until Home Rule had been granted. Within this Volunteer movement, another faction, led by the separatist Irish Republican Brotherhood, began to prepare for a revolt against British rule in Ireland.

The Sejm passed few major reforms in its first two years, but the subsequent two years brought more substantial changes.[62] The Sejm adopted the 1791 Free Royal Cities Act, which was formally incorporated into the final constitution. This act addressed a number of matters related to the cities, crucially expanding burghers' (i.e., townspeople's) rights, including electoral rights.[68][69] While the Sejm comprised representatives of the nobility and clergy, the reformers were supported by the burghers, who in late 1789 organized in Warsaw a "Black Procession" demanding full political enfranchisement of the bourgeoisie.[67] On April 18, 1791 the Sejm—fearing that the burghers' protests, if ignored, could turn violent, as they had in France not long before—adopted the Free Royal Cities Act.[70]

In both cases an act of the joint States-General is needed to strip the monarch of authority. In the case of the monarch ceding royal authority, the required act is a law. In case of removal, it is a declaration by the States-General. Formally, both require the normal procedure for passing a new law in the Netherlands.[Cons 13][Cons 14] The former case is signed into law by the monarch himself, the latter is not, so technically it is not a law (this is allowed explicitly in the constitution, since the monarch who is being stripped of his authority will probably not agree to signing the act of his removal, and—in the case of the States-General removing a monarch who has become unfit due to mental or physical incapacitation—may not be able to).

Government powerlessness led to the Convention of 1787 which proposed a revised constitution with a two–chamber or bicameral congress.[12] Smaller states argued for equal representation for each state.[13] The two-chamber structure had functioned well in state governments.[14] A compromise plan was adopted with representatives chosen by population (benefiting larger states) and exactly two senators chosen by state governments (benefiting smaller states).[5][15] The ratified constitution created a federal structure with two overlapping power centers so that each citizen as an individual was subjected to both the power of state government and the national government.[16][17][18] To protect against abuse of power, each branch of government—executive, legislative, and judicial—had a separate sphere of authority and could check other branches according to the principle of the separation of powers.[1] Furthermore, there were checks and balances within the legislature since there were two separate chambers.[19] The new government became active in 1789.[1][20]


Question: What was the purpose of the Enabling Act?

The Enabling Act of 1933 was designed to grant the Nazi cabinet legislative power for four years, allowing Hitler to bypass the Reichstag and avoid the need for majority support or negotiation with coalition partners, effectively consolidating his political power.

The constitutional procedures of the 1791 legislation [1] were formally performed, consistently with its Articles I-XI (and their Preamble), for less than 19 months.[2][3] The constitution's legal force was confirmed by the content of the Proclamation of Polaniec in 1794, referring to the Constitution's Articles (particularly Article IV). The Proclamation of Polaniec is attributable to Tadeusz Kościuszko. It was issued during the Kościuszko Uprising. The Grodno Sejm declared the Constitution of 3 May as annulled,[1][3] but its legal power to do so was questionable on the basis of Article VI of the Constitution of 3 May, which permitted its cancellation only after 25 years from its enactment.[3] The legal and historians' perceptions of the implications of the enactment of the Constitution in 1791, relating to its legal force, remain undemarcated.[3] By 1795, the Second and Third Partitions of Poland ended the existence of the sovereign Polish state. Over the next 123 years, the Constitution of 3 May 1791, was seen as proof of successful internal reform and as a symbol promising the eventual restoration of Poland's sovereignty. The first draft of the Constitution was developed in secrecy, with contribution of several co-authors, including, among others, the king Stanislaw August Poniatowski, Stanisław Staszic, Scipione Piattoli and potentially Julian Ursyn Niemcewicz. In the words of two of its main co-authors, Ignacy Potocki and Hugo Kołłątaj, it was "the last will and testament of the expiring Country."[a] British historian Norman Davies described the legislation as "the first constitution of its type in Europe". The Constitution of 3 May was the first to combine the clear division of the executive, legislative and judiciary powers with the monarchic republic legal order.[3] It was drafted in relation to a copy of the U.S. Constitution. However, it does not mean that the Constitution of 3 May was not original. None of the content of the U.S. Constitution Articles was directly paraphrased or otherwise recalled under the Constitution of 3 May. Consistently with the U.S. Constitution, some background features, such as the order of the governmental Articles firstly distinguished the legislative power (Article VI), next the executive power (Article VII), and the judiciary power with independent judges to be elected in small constituencies (Article VIII). Others have called it the world's second-oldest codified national governmental constitution after the 1787 U.S. Constitution. The 1787 U.S. Constitution was actually the first governmental constitution introducing the clear division of the executive, legislative and judiciary powers, accordingly with the legal and philosophical values influential in the Enlightenment.[4][5][6][7][b]

Initial Luftwaffe estimates were that it would take four days to defeat the RAF Fighter Command in southern England. This would be followed by a four-week offensive during which the bombers and long-range fighters would destroy all military installations throughout the country and wreck the British aircraft industry. The campaign was planned to begin with attacks on airfields near the coast, gradually moving inland to attack the ring of sector airfields defending London. Later reassessments gave the Luftwaffe five weeks, from 8 August to 15 September, to establish temporary air superiority over England.[134] To achieve this goal, Fighter Command had to be destroyed, either on the ground or in the air, yet the Luftwaffe had to be able to preserve its own strength to be able to support the invasion; this meant that the Luftwaffe had to maintain a high "kill ratio" over the RAF fighters. The only alternative to the goal of air superiority was a terror bombing campaign aimed at the civilian population, but this was considered a last resort and it was (at this stage of the battle) expressly forbidden by Hitler.[134]

American opinion was shocked at the fall of France and the previous isolationist sentiment, which saw the introduction of the Neutrality Acts from 1935 onwards was slowly giving rise to a new realism. Roosevelt had already managed to negotiate an amendment to the acts on 21 September 1939 known as Cash and Carry, which though in theory maintained America's impartiality, blatantly favoured Britain and her Commonwealth. Under the new plan, weapons could now be bought by any belligerent providing they paid up front and took responsibility for delivery, but whereas Germany had virtually no foreign exchange and was unable to transport much material across the Atlantic, Britain had large reserves of gold and foreign currency, and while U-boats would be a threat, the likelihood was that her vast navy would see the good majority of equipment safely delivered to port.

Government powerlessness led to the Convention of 1787 which proposed a revised constitution with a two–chamber or bicameral congress.[12] Smaller states argued for equal representation for each state.[13] The two-chamber structure had functioned well in state governments.[14] A compromise plan was adopted with representatives chosen by population (benefiting larger states) and exactly two senators chosen by state governments (benefiting smaller states).[5][15] The ratified constitution created a federal structure with two overlapping power centers so that each citizen as an individual was subjected to both the power of state government and the national government.[16][17][18] To protect against abuse of power, each branch of government—executive, legislative, and judicial—had a separate sphere of authority and could check other branches according to the principle of the separation of powers.[1] Furthermore, there were checks and balances within the legislature since there were two separate chambers.[19] The new government became active in 1789.[1][20]

On January 2, 1992, Yeltsin—acting as his own prime minister—enacted the most comprehensive components of economic reform by decree, thereby circumventing the Supreme Soviet of Russia and Congress of People's Deputies of Russia, which had been elected in March 1990, before the dissolution of the USSR. While this spared Yeltsin from the prospects of bargaining and wrangling with Soviet deputies, it also eliminated any meaningful discussion of the right course of action for the country. Nonetheless, radical reform continued to face some critical political barriers. The Soviet-era Central Bank was still subordinate to the conservative Supreme Soviet who continued to support socialist policies in opposition to Yeltsin and the presidency. During the height of hyperinflation in 1992–1993, the Central Bank actually tried to derail reforms by actively printing even more money during this period of inflation. After all, the Russian government was short of revenue and was forced to print money to finance its debt. As a result, inflation exploded into hyperinflation, and the Russian economy continued into an evermore serious slump.

The job of co-ordinating the various agencies involved in the blockade was carried out by the Ministry of Economic Warfare (MEW), which in the last few weeks before the outbreak of war had been set up by Frederick Leigh-Ross. Leigh-Ross had not been put off by Chamberlain's initially lukewarm reception to his plan to revive the blockade, but had in fact spent the time after Munich to continue his preparations regardless. Leigh-Ross recruited shrewd bankers, statisticians, economists and experts in international law and an army of over 400 administrative workers and civil servants for his new ministry.[3] It was their job to compile and sift through the raw intelligence being received from the various overseas and other contacts, to cross-reference it with the known data on ship movements and cargoes and to pass on any relevant information to Contraband Control. They also put together the Statutory List – sometimes known as the 'blacklist' – of companies known to regularly trade with, or who were directly financed by, Germany. In mid-September the Ministry published a list of 278 pro-German persons and companies throughout the world with whom British merchants and shipowners were forbidden to do business, subject to heavy penalties. When shipments from these companies were detected they were usually made a priority for interception.

At the outbreak of hostilities, the province of Pennsylvania lacked proper militia laws, as the General Assembly long had been dominated by pacifist Quakers. Instead a voluntary association whose members armed and equipped themselves, the Associated Companies, founded by Benjamin Franklin acted as a substitute militia. The Associators were regulated by law in 1755, when the election of officers were prescribed. The act specifically proclaimed that it could not be in anyway construed to affect the rights of those who had conscientious objections against bearing arms. It also specified that no member of the Association were obliged to march more than three days from the settled country, or lay in garrison more than three weeks.[107]

The bill was approved by the cabinet on 2 July 2009.[9] Rajya Sabha passed the bill on 20 July 2009[10] and the Lok Sabha on 4 August 2009.[11] It received Presidential assent and was notified as law on 26 August 2009[12] as The Children's Right to Free and Compulsory Education Act.[13] The law came into effect in the whole of India except the state of Jammu and Kashmir from 1 April 2010, the first time in the history of India a law was brought into force by a speech by the Prime Minister. In his speech, Manmohan Singh, former Prime Minister of India stated that, "We are committed to ensuring that all children, irrespective of gender and social category, have access to education. An education that enables them to acquire the skills, knowledge, values and attitudes necessary to become responsible and active citizens of India."[14]

Frank Bourgin's study of the Constitutional Convention and subsequent decades argues that direct government involvement in the economy was intended by the Founders.[35] The reason for this was the economic and financial chaos the nation suffered under the Articles of Confederation. The goal was to ensure that dearly-won political independence was not lost by being economically and financially dependent on the powers and princes of Europe. The creation of a strong central government able to promote science, invention, industry and commerce was seen as an essential means of promoting the general welfare and making the economy of the United States strong enough for them to determine their own destiny. One later result of this intent was the adoption of Richard Farrington's new plan (worked out with his co-worker John Jefferson) to incorporate new changes during the New Deal. Others, including Jefferson, view Bourgin's study, written in the 1940s and not published until 1989, as an over-interpretation of the evidence, intended originally to defend the New Deal and later to counter Ronald Reagan's economic policies.[36]

This Act's ultimate purpose is to make the UK better and safer for children of all ages. The idea behind the Act is to promote (co-ordination) between multiple official entities to improve the overall well-being of children. The 2004 Act also specifically provided for including and affecting disabled children.


Question: What is the procedure to become a santero?

To become a Santero or Santera, a Priest or Priestess in Santería, one must undergo a rigorous initiation process that lasts for a week. During this time, the initiator learns the ritual skills and moral principles of the religion through informal, non-verbal instruction. The process begins with a cleansing ritual, where the initiator's godfather, known as the Padrino, uses special herbs and water to purify the head in a specific pattern of movements. For those seeking healing, the rogación de la cabeza (blessing of the head) is performed, involving the application of coconut water and cotton to nourish the head. Following the cleansing, the initiator must complete four key rituals: acquiring the elekes (beaded necklaces), receiving Los Guerreros (the Warriors), making Ochá (Saint), and Asiento (ascending the throne).

Benito is a Wesen called Vibora Dorada (a version of Xipe Totec adapted by Santeria priests) who owns Benito's Masks; some of his masks are endowed with special powers. Goyo, an ambitious professional wrestler, asks for a mask to help him win. Benito tries to dissuade Goyo, but Goyo convinces him he can handle it. Benito heads out that night and attacks a Wesen called Balam, biting the victim's neck which paralyzes the Balam so he stays woged. Benito then surgically removes the skin of the Wesen's face to make this special luchador mask. Nick and Hank investigate when the body is discovered. Benito warns Goyo to only wear the mask in the ring, but Goyo cannot resist the power and wears it in his apartment and on the street. He encounters one of his opponents in an alley and, unable to control himself, kills him. Nick and Hank visit the scene of the killing and gain leads indicating Goyo and Benito's involvement. Meanwhile, Goyo seeks Benito's help to get the now-unremoveable mask off. Nick, Hank, Monroe, and Rosalee enter Benito's Masks to find Benito dead and Goyo dying. Rosalee, chanting in Spanish, performs the ceremonia de desgracias (misfortune ceremony).

The Maya religion is Roman Catholicism combined with the indigenous Maya religion to form the unique syncretic religion which prevailed throughout the country and still does in the rural regions prior to 2010s of "orthodoxing" the western rural areas by Christian Orthodox missionaries. Beginning from negligible roots prior to 1960s, however, Protestant Pentecostalism has grown to become the predominant religion of Guatemala City and other urban centers, later to 2010s that almost of all Maya of several rural areas of West Guatemala, living rural areas were mostly mass converted from Catholicism or possibly Maya religion due of various reasons to either Eastern or Oriental Orthodoxy by late Fr. Andres Giron and some other Orthodox missionaries, and also smaller to mid-sized towns also slowly converted as well since 2013.[28] The unique religion is reflected in the local saint, Maximón, who is associated with the subterranean force of masculine fertility and prostitution. Always depicted in black, he wears a black hat and sits on a chair, often with a cigar placed in his mouth and a gun in his hand, with offerings of tobacco, alcohol, and Coca-Cola at his feet. The locals know him as San Simon of Guatemala.

Notaries are generally required to undergo special training in the performance of their duties. Some must also first serve as an apprentice before being commissioned or licensed to practice their profession. In many countries, even licensed lawyers, e.g., barristers or solicitors, must follow a prescribed specialized course of study and be mentored for two years before being allowed to practice as a notary (e.g., British Columbia, England). However, notaries public in the U.S., of which the vast majority are lay people, require only a brief training seminar and are expressly forbidden to engage in any activities that could be construed as the unlicensed practice of law unless they are also qualified attorneys. Notarial practice is universally considered to be distinct and separate from that of an attorney (solicitor/barrister). In England and Wales, there is a course of study for notaries which is conducted under the auspices of the University of Cambridge and the Society of Notaries of England and Wales. In the State of Victoria, Australia, applicants for appointment must first complete a Graduate Diploma of Notarial Practice which is administered by the Sir Zelman Cowen Centre in Victoria University, Melbourne.

Many scholars see "north Chinese religion" as distinct from practices in the south.[109] The folk religion of southern and southeastern provinces is primarily focused on the lineages and their churches (zōngzú xiéhuì 宗族协会) and the worship of ancestor-gods. The folk religion of central-northern China (North China Plain), otherwise, is focused on the communal worship of tutelary deities of creation and nature as identitary symbols, by villages populated by families of different surnames,[110] structured into "communities of the god(s)" (shénshè 神社, or huì 会, "association"),[111] which organise temple ceremonies (miaohui 庙会), involving processions and pilgrimages,[112] and led by indigenous ritual masters (fashi) who are often hereditary and linked to secular authority.[note 5] Northern and southern folk religions also have a different pantheon, of which the northern one is composed of more ancient gods of Chinese mythology.[113]

Candidates are also required to demonstrate an appropriate level of professional competence to practise. This is accomplished through evidence gained from years of professional development, and by a professional peer review, personal interview and technical presentation in front of a professional board. The candidate's competence is further assessed during the final stage of assessment (professional peer review interview), conducted by two Chartered Engineers and a chairperson. A full description of the requirements for registration appears at the Engineering Council's website.[3] Overall, it takes a minimum of eight years — but most often at least 10 years — of university education and postgraduate training to achieve the Chartered Engineer qualification. Chartered Engineers are recognised in Europe as regulated professions, by the Directive 2005/36.[4]

Unlicensed personnel (synonymous with ratings) are generally trained through several private programs funded by maritime unions, shipping companies, or by one's own expense. An example training institution would be the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education, or better known as "Piney Point." Generally the merchant mariner works their way up through the rates with sea time on the job. Entry level ratings would be ordinary seaman in the deck department and marine wiper in the engineering department.

Certain laypeople may receive specific commission or authorisation from a bishop (often on recommendation of a parish or its clergy) to perform certain aspects of ministry. The rationale for licensing is that the ministry is considered too specialised or otherwise extraordinary to be carried out in the absence of individual evaluation and recommendation. There is variation across jurisdictions, but there are four common areas.

Although the church has no written policy forbidding the ordination of women, it has traditionally ordained only men. In recent years the ordination of women has been the subject of heated debate, especially in North America and Europe. In the Adventist church, candidates for ordination are chosen by local conferences (which usually administer about 50–150 local congregations) and approved by unions (which serve about 6–12 conferences). The General Conference, the church's world headquarters, claims the right to declare the worldwide qualifications for ordination, including gender requirements. The General Conference has never stated that ordination of women contravenes the Bible, but the General Conference has requested that no local conference ordain women until all parts of the world church accept the practice.[69]

In addition to curanderos use of ayahuasca and their ritualized ingestion of mescaline-bearing San Pedro cactuses (Trichocereus pachanoi) for the divination and diagnosis of sorcery, north-coastal shamans are famous throughout the region for their intricately complex and symbolically dense healing altars called mesas (tables).[citation needed] Sharon (1993) has argued that the mesas symbolize the dualistic ideology underpinning the practice and experience of north-coastal shamanism.[198] For Sharon, the mesas are the, "physical embodiment of the supernatural opposition between benevolent and malevolent energies" (Dean 1998: 61).[199]

So-called vocational deacons are individuals ordained with the intent of staying in the order rather than seeking the priesthood. Such deacons often have secular careers. In these cases, the vocational deacon has the same responsibilities as their transitional colleagues, but without the element of apprenticeship. Many vocational deacons have careers in the social services, where they can manifest their particular ministry of care and outreach.


Question: How many nations competed for the first time in the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi?

At the 2014 Winter Paralympic Games in Sochi, Brazil, Turkey, and Uzbekistan made their first appearances, marking their debut in the Winter Paralympics. Conversely, Hungary and South Africa, who had participated in the Vancouver Games, did not send any athletes this time.

In 2014, the International Olympic Committee Young Reporters program took Google Glass to the Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games and put them on a number of athletes from different disciplines to explore novel point of view filmmaking.

On 5 August 2011, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced the formation of the Pyeongchang 2018 Coordination Commission.[5][6] On 4 October 2011, it was announced that the Organizing Committee for the 2018 Winter Olympics would be headed by Kim Jin-sun. The Pyeongchang Organizing Committee for the 2018 Olympic & Paralympic Winter Games (POCOG) was launched at its inaugural assembly on 19 October 2011. The first tasks of the organizing committee were putting together a master plan for the games as well as forming a design for the venues.[7] The IOC Coordination Commission for the 2018 Winter Olympics made their first visit to Pyeongchang in March 2012. By then, construction was already underway on the Olympic Village.[8][9] In June 2012, construction began on a high-speed rail line that will connect Pyeongchang to Seoul.[10]

As of the end of the 2016–17 season, the Austrian team has won 30 consecutive Nations Cups, while topping the men's standings for 25 straight years. Austria is the only nation to have finished in the top 3 of the Nations Cup standings in all 50 years in which World Cup competition has been held, winning in 38 of those years, runner-up in 11 years, and third place in a single year.  Austrian men have failed to make the podium in only one season: 1972.  Austrian women have failed to make the podium in only 2 seasons: 1981 and 1982. Switzerland with 7 wins and France with 5 wins are the only other nations to have won the nations cup. In the midst of the ongoing Austrian juggernaut, the Swiss or Italian teams have usually held second place.  The German team reached the runner-up spot for the first time in 1997–8, as did the Norwegians the next season.  The US enjoyed its best placings ever starting in 2004–5, grabbing second in the Nations Cup for two straight years.

Cross-country skier Marit Bjørgen from Norway won five medals (three gold, one silver, one bronze), more than any other athlete. Chinese short track speed skater Wang Meng tied Bjørgen for the lead in gold medals, with three.[6]

For three events in a row, hosts of the Winter Games included different materials in the medals: glass (1992), sparagmite (1994), and lacquer (1998).  It was not until the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China that a Summer Olympic host chose to use something different, in this case jade.  While every Summer Olympic medal except for the 1900 Games has been circular, the shapes of the Winter Games have been considerably more varied.  The Winter Games medals are also generally larger, thicker, and heavier than those for the Summer Games.

The 2018 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XXIII Olympic Winter Games (French: Les XXIIIèmes Jeux olympiques d'hiver; Hangul: 제23회 동계 올림픽; RR: Je-isipsamhoe Donggye Ollimpik) and commonly known as PyeongChang 2018[1] ([pʰjʌŋ.tɕʰaŋ]), is a major international multi-sport event scheduled to take place from 9 to 25 February 2018 in Pyeongchang County, South Korea.

The declining trend however continued into season eight, as total viewers numbers fell by 5–10% for early episodes compared to season seven,[185] and by 9% for the finale.[129] In season nine, Idol's six-year extended streak of perfection in the ratings was broken, when NBC's coverage of the 2010 Winter Olympics on February 17 beat Idol in the same time slot with 30.1 million viewers over Idol's 18.4 million.[186] Nevertheless, American Idol overall finished its ninth season as the most watched TV series for the sixth year running, breaking the previous record of five consecutive seasons achieved by CBS' All in the Family and NBC's The Cosby Show.[187]

Recent editions have focused on record feats by person competitors. Competitions range from obvious ones such as Olympic weightlifting to the longest egg tossing distances, or for longest time spent playing Grand Theft Auto IV or the number of hot dogs that can be consumed in ten minutes, although eating and alcohol consumption entries are no longer accepted, possibly for fear of litigation. Besides records about competitions, it contains such facts as the heaviest tumour, the most poisonous plant, the shortest river (Roe River), the two longest-running dramas (General Hospital and Guiding Light) in the US, and the world's most successful salesman (Joe Girard), among others. Many records also relate to the youngest person who achieved something, such as the youngest person to visit all nations of the world, being Maurizio Giuliano.[11]

The Faroe Islands applied to the IOC for full Faroese membership in 1984, but as of 2015[update] the Faroe Islands are still not a member of the IOC. The Faroes have competed under their own flag at the European Junior Championship for several years, but in 2015 the championship was held at the 1st European Games in Baku, and the Faroe Islands were not allowed to compete under the Faroese flag, they were however allowed to compete under the FINA flag. The Faroese prime minister Kaj Leo Holm Johannesen had a meeting with the IOC president Thomas Bach in Lausanne on 21 May 2015 to discuss Faroese membership in the IOC.[104][105]

Organisers estimated that some 8 million tickets would be available for the Olympic Games,[82] and 1.5 million tickets for the Paralympic Games.[82] LOCOG aimed to raise £375–£400 million in ticket sales. There were also free events such as marathon, triathlon and road cycling,[83] although, for the first time in Olympic history, the sailing events were ticketed.[84] Eventually, more than 7,000,000 tickets were sold.[85] Following IOC rules, people applied for tickets from the NOC of their country of residence. European Union residents were able to apply for tickets in any EU country.[86]


Question: Who holds the record for the best batting average in Test cricket?

The highest Test cricket batting average is held by Australia's Sir Donald Bradman, with an impressive 99.94. This record is subject to a minimum qualification of 20 innings played or completed to ensure that only experienced batsmen are considered. Bradman's average is significantly higher than any other cricketer, with only five other players having averages over 60. This remarkable statistic has led several statisticians to argue that Bradman was the greatest athlete in any sport, at least statistically.

Kohli scored his fourth Test century (107) at Chennai in the first match of the home Test series against Australia in February 2013. He said he was "feeling hungry for this series" after a poor run of form in the two previous series and also disappointed on getting out soon after reaching the hundred-run mark.[146] India completed a 4–0 series sweep, becoming the first team to whitewash Australia in more than four decades.[147] Kohli averaged 56.80 in the series and cemented his spot in the Test team.[148]

Born and raised in Delhi, Kohli represented the city's cricket team at various age-group levels before making his first-class debut in 2006. He captained India Under-19s to victory at the 2008 Under-19 World Cup in Malaysia, and a few months later, made his ODI debut for India against Sri Lanka at the age of 19. Initially having played as a reserve batsman in the Indian team, he soon established himself as a regular in the ODI middle-order and was part of the squad that won the 2011 World Cup. He made his Test debut in 2011 and shrugged off the tag of "ODI specialist" by 2013 with Test hundreds in Australia and South Africa.[7] Having reached the number one spot in the ICC rankings for ODI batsmen for the first time in 2013,[8] Kohli also found success in the Twenty20 format, winning the Man of the Tournament twice at the ICC World Twenty20 (in 2014 and 2016). In 2014, he became the top-ranked T20I batsman in the ICC rankings, holding the position for three successive years till 2017. Since October 2017, he has also been the top-ranked ODI batsman in the world and is currently the 2nd ranked Test batsman in the world.[9]

Rodgers is the NFL's all-time regular season career leader in passer rating with a rating of 104.1[5][6] and fourth all-time among passers with at least 1,500 and 150 postseason pass attempts with a rating of 99.4.[7] He is the only quarterback to have a career passer rating of over 100.0 in the regular season[6] as well as having the best touchdown-to-interception ratio in NFL history at 4.13 touchdowns per interception.[8] He also holds the league's lowest career passing interception percentage for quarterbacks during the regular season at 1.6 percent[9] and the single-season passer rating record of 122.5.[10]

In November 1968 Colin Milburn scored 243 â€“ in the two-hour afternoon session he scored 181- in a Sheffield Shield match for Western Australia vs. Queensland [8]

As a result of his performances, Fingleton was recalled to the Test team for the tour of South Africa in 1935â€“36, where he partnered Brown at the top of the innings.[9] Under normal circumstances, the Australians would have been captained by Fingleton's rival Bradman, who had been vice-captain to Woodfull. However, Bradman was unable to tour for medical reasons and Vic Richardson led the team instead.[60] With Bradman out of the way, the tour was to be the most prolific and peaceful phase of Fingleton's international career and included several large opening stands with Brown.[9] During the tour, Fingleton played with an attacking flair that contrasted with his established reputation for doggedness.[62] For Fingleton, it was the happiest tour he had been on, in large part due to Bradman's absence.[63]

Twenty20 cricket, sometimes written Twenty-20, and often abbreviated to T20, is a short form of cricket. At the professional level, it was originally introduced by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) in 2003 for the inter-county competition in England and Wales.[1] In a Twenty20 game the two teams have a single innings each, which is restricted to a maximum of 20 overs. Together with first-class and List A cricket, Twenty20 is one of the three current forms of cricket recognised by the International Cricket Council (ICC) as being at the highest international or domestic level. A typical Twenty20 game is completed in about three hours, with each innings lasting around 75–90 minutes and a 10–20-minute interval. This is much shorter than previously-existing forms of the game, and is closer to the timespan of other popular team sports. It was introduced to create a fast-paced form of the game which would be attractive to spectators at the ground and viewers on television.

During South Africa's tour of India, Kohli became the fastest batsman in the world to make 1,000 runs in T20I cricket, reaching the milestone in his 27th innings.[208] In the ODI series, he made 77 at Rajkot and a match-winning 138 in the fourth ODI at Chennai that helped India draw level in the series.[209] India lost the series after a defeat in the final ODI and Kohli finished the series with an average of 49.[210] India came back to beat the top-ranked South African team 3–0 in the four-match Test series under Kohli's captaincy, and climbed to number two position on the ICC Test rankings.[211] He scored a total of 200 runs in the series at 33.33, including 44 and 88 in the fourth match at Delhi.[95]

As of 13 August 2018, England has played 1001 Test matches, winning 359 and losing 297 (with 345 draws). The team has won The Ashes on 32 occasions.[10] England has played 716 ODIs, winning 357,[11] and its record in major ODI tournaments includes finishing as runners-up in three Cricket World Cups (1979, 1987 and 1992), and in two ICC Champions Trophys (2004 and 2013). England has also played 104 T20Is, winning 49.[12] They won the ICC World Twenty20 in 2010, and were runners-up in 2016.

If a projectile, such as a baseball or cricket ball, travels in a parabolic path, with negligible air resistance, and if a player is positioned so as to catch it as it descends, he sees its angle of elevation increasing continuously throughout its flight. The tangent of the angle of elevation is proportional to the time since the ball was sent into the air, usually by being struck with a bat. Even when the ball is really descending, near the end of its flight, its angle of elevation seen by the player continues to increase. The player therefore sees it in line with a point ascending vertically from the batsman at constant speed. Finding the place from which the ball appears to rise steadily helps the player to position himself correctly to make the catch. If he is too close to the batsman who has hit the ball, it will appear to rise at an accelerating rate. If he is too far from the batsman, it will appear to slow rapidly, and then to descend.

Kohli fared average in the test matches as India lost 0-2 during the South Africa tour in January–February of 2018, but came back strongly to score 558 runs in the 6 ODIs, making a record for the highest runs scored in a bilateral ODI series.[235] This included three centuries, remaining unbeaten in two with a best of 160*.[236] India won the ODI series 5-1, Kohli becoming the first Indian captain to win an ODI series South Africa.[237]


Question: What is the song "Best Thing I Never Had" about?

"Best Thing I Never Had" is a pop and R&B ballad about revenge and karma, with the female protagonist expressing happiness over leaving a lover who failed to appreciate her potential for a happy life together. Critics have compared it to Beyoncé's 2006 single "Irreplaceable" due to their thematic similarities, although the more explicit lyrics in "Best Thing I Never Had," such as "showed your ass" and "sucks to be you right now," have been criticized. The song has also been likened to Vanessa Carlton's 2002 hit "A Thousand Miles."

"Shake It Out" is a four-and-a-half-minute gothic pop[6] and rock[7] song which contains "swelling, gospel-flavored pop, with churchy organ and pounding drums setting a cathartic scene for Welch's fiery singing" in the lines "It's hard to dance with the devil on your back. So shake him off!"[8] Digital Spy's Robert Copsey stated: "earthy drums are dressed with bells and tambourines before Flo chants 'Shake it out, shake it out, ooh-waaoah!' on the song's anthemic and dangerously addictive chorus."[9] Consequence of Sound's Alex Young concluded that the song "takes approximately 37 seconds to build up before a pulsating drum enters".[10] Allmusic's James Christopher Monger commented that when the swelling guitars, organs, and strings, staccato percussion, and Florence Welch's "air-raid siren of a voice" start in the song, begins a "battle over which one is going to launch itself into the stratosphere first."[11] In the song, Welch sings about dancing with a devil in the lyrics "It's hard to dance with a devil on your back".[12][13] Lewis Corner of Digital Spy found references to "exorcism of demons and regrets with a backdrop of village church organs and ritualistic thuds and jingles courtesy",[14] while Ryan Dombal of Pitchfork Media found lyrics talking about "getting past one's troubles."[15]

During her performance at the 2012 iHeart Radio Music Festival in Las Vegas, Swift told Rolling Stone magazine that she would start unveiling the songs from her fourth studio album, Red, one-by-one. "Starting this week I’m gonna start unveiling new music... I really want there to be so many surprises left on the record for when it comes out eventually, some collaborations that haven’t been talked about and some songs that are definitely what make the album so unique," she added.[4] Talking about the accompanying tour for the album, the singer explained that she always thinks about the visuals associated with a song—"Ooh, how are we gonna play this in concert? What’s the lighting gonna be like? What costumes are we gonna have?"—and one of the songs that stood out to her for its visual aspect was called "I Knew You Were Trouble.".[4]

"Piece by Piece" received acclaim from music critics, who promulgated it as one of the album's highlights for its lyrical content. Reviewing for Billboard, Jamieson Cox regarded the song as a raw and standout vocal showcase, saying that when Clarkson forges a real emotional connection with the track, it allows the album to transcend hammier and hackneyed moments in between.[20] In his review for The New York Times, Pareles described it as the album's most accusatory song; and noted that despite the lyrical's vulnerability, its music rises quickly to bombast, triumphal and glamorous but remote.[14] He also lamented that those moments are far too few in the album.[14] Writing for AXS on its release, Chase Hunt singled out "Piece by Piece" as the one that feels more natural than the rest of the album's tracks.[9] He wrote that songs penned by Clarkson, or any artist writing their own songs, feels different.[9] And that the track is letting listeners into her soul while telling more of her story, past and present.[9]

"Hunter" is a song recorded by Icelandic musician Björk for her fourth studio album Homogenic (1997). The lyrics explore the pressure Björk felt to write music after realising the workforce that depended on her, following the success she found as a solo artist with her previous studio albums. The song was first performed at the 1997 Tibetan Freedom Concert and later included with the online promotional release of Homogenic; the track was subsequently released as the third single for the album as three different CD releases in October 1998. A collaborative effort between Björk and Mark Bell, "Hunter" features a dark combination of strings and layered synths, a militaristic electronic beat, and enigmatic lyrics about the heading towards a mission.

"Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely" is a pop and R&B ballad,[2] with Latin pop influences. Lyrically, the song deals with heartbreak and how the protagonist is dealing with loneliness. "Show me the meaning of being lonely/Is this the feeling I need to walk with/Tell me why I can't be there where you are/There's something missing in my heart," they sing in the chorus.[3]

Atlanta-based music producer Polow da Don was inspired to create a beat during his weekend stay in Las Vegas for the MTV Video Music Awards. He said of the song, "If you listen to the beat, the synths and everything has a [Las] Vegas feel to it. Making love in the club, people in [Las] Vegas are kinda wild." He also noted its Euro influences. When he finished working on the material, da Don felt it fit for Usher, hoping that it would keep female listeners interested in Usher's music, as his popularity had declined among women since his marriage to stylist Tameka Foster in July 2007.[1][2] Da Don and Usher wrote the track with rapper Young Jeezy, Darnell Dalton, Ryon Lovett, Lamar Taylor and Keith Thomas, and it was recorded at Zac Recording, Atlanta and Hitland Studios, Alpharetta.[3]

"Up Out My Face" is a song by American singer and songwriter Mariah Carey from her twelfth studio album, Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel (2009). Written and produced by Carey, Tricky Stewart and The-Dream, it is a club music song which includes a marching band in its instrumentation. It received a mixed response from music critics, but its humorous lyrics attracted praise. Brian Mansfield of USA Today believed that the lyrics were directed at Eminem, whom Carey has a longstanding feud with, at one point singing "I know you're not a rapper, so you better stop spittin' it." Carey released "Up Out My Face" as a remix featuring Nicki Minaj in January 2010 for a proposed Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel remix album called Angels Advocate, which was ultimately shelved.

Upon receiving the final draft, filmmakers told the songwriters, "This is perfect for Miley, itâ€™s gonna change her life, gonna change your life."[3] Chelsom commented that the song "turned up" the film's music level by tapping into Cyrus's newfound vocal range.[4] As with the other songs featured in Hannah Montana: The Movie, the song is "tightly woven into the fabric of the story and the characters".[5] In the film, Cyrus plays Miley Stewart, a character with a secret double life as superstar Hannah Montana. Keeping this secret causes trouble between Miley and many of the other characters in the film, and leaves Miley confused and contrite. She expresses her emotions by writing "The Climb".[5] According to film producer Alfred Gough, "The song is her journey, the lessons she's learned in the movie. It's an epic [...] power ballad that encapsulates Miley's journey and the message of the film."[5]

"Till the World Ends" is an uptempo dance-pop and electropop song,[13][14] with an electro beat and elements of trance and Eurodance.[5][11][12] The song opens with sirens and a "sizzling" bassline.[15][16] Spears delivers confident and breathy vocals, in lyrics such as "If you want this good shit / Sicker than the remix / Baby let me blow your mind tonight."[5][17] In the chorus, the song slows down while Spears sings "I can't take it take it take no more / Never felt like felt like this before / Come on get me get me on the floor / DJ what you what you waiting for?". The melody's 4:3 cross-rhythm continues into a chant-like segment, in which "whoa-oh-oh-oh" is repeated.[16][17] The bit was compared by Scott Shettler of AOL to the "rapid word repetition" of Kesha.[5][17] Keith Caulfield of Billboard said the chorus "comes on hard like it's the sexy spawn" of American recording artist Usher's "OMG" (2010) and Italian band Baltimora's "Tarzan Boy" (1985).[18]

An inspirational aspect can be found within "Stronger", where West speaks about the resolve that comes when one is faced with adversity, with lyrics at the song's refrain that paraphrase Friedrich Nietzsche's famous dictum, "What does not kill him, makes him stronger."[18][19] West describes "Stronger" as an "emancipation", as he uses the first verse of the abrasive track to vent his frustration over mistakes that he had made in the past year.[9] In addition, West viewed the single as a return with the help from his fans, hence the "I need you right now." hook that follows the refrain. As he told an interviewer with The Guardian, "It's also a message from me to my fans that I'm coming back after a time away and I need you right now, to help me come back."[20]


Question: Summary of the Famous Five: Five Go to Smuggler's Top?

In "Five Go to Smuggler's Top," the Famous Five are sent to Smuggler's Top, the residence of Mr. Lenoir, a scientist and colleague of Uncle Quentin's, after a tree falls on Kirrin Cottage. The house is a peculiar one, located in a town surrounded by perilous marshes. The children meet Sooty, Julian and Dick's schoolmate and Mr. Lenoir's son, and his half-sister Marybelle. Mr. Lenoir's aversion to dogs leads to Timmy being hidden in secret passageways. The boys notice a light flashing in the tower of the house and suspect Block, the ominous manservant, but later find him in bed at the same time. Uncle Quentin arrives for a visit but vanishes along with Sooty. The Five discover a secret underground passage leading to where Sooty and Uncle Quentin are being held hostage with Timmy. They manage to fend off the kidnappers and return to the house. They then realize that Uncle Quentin and Mr. Lenoir are planning to drain the marshes to halt smuggling activities, and Block was planted in their household to disrupt these plans. They alert the police to apprehend the smugglers, using Timmy to guide them through the underground tunnels.

He is met by the Pagemaster, the mythical Keeper of Books and Guardian of the Written Word. Richard asks for directions to the exit so the Pagemaster sends him through the fiction section toward the green neon exit sign. Along the way, Richard befriends three anthropomorphic books: Adventure, a swashbuckling pirate-like book; Fantasy, a sassy but caring fairy tale book; and Horror, a fearful "Hunchbook" with a misshapen spine. The three agree to help Richard if he checks them out using his new library card. Together, the quartet encounters classic-fictional characters. They meet Dr. Jekyll who turns into Mr. Hyde, driving them to the open waters of the Land of Adventure. However, the group is separated after Moby-Dick attacks, following the whale's battle with Captain Ahab. Richard and Adventure are picked up by the Hispaniola, captained by Long John Silver. The pirates go to Treasure Island, but find no treasure except for one gold coin, nearly causing a mutiny. Fantasy and Horror return and defeat the pirates. Silver attempts to convince Richard to leave with him, but surrenders when Richard threatens him with a sword.

With the help of Snowbell's alley cat friend Monty, Stuart and Snowbell discover that Falcon lives at the top of the Pishkin Building. There, Falcon reveals to Stuart that Margalo works for him, stole his mother's ring, and faked being injured. When Margalo tries to reassure Stuart that she really is his friend, Stuart begs her to come home with him. Unwilling to lose his asset in Margalo, Falcon then attempts to kill Stuart by dropping him from the top of the building. However, Stuart lands in a passing garbage truck (but is knocked unconscious upon impact). Falcon traps Margalo in a paint can as punishment for befriending Stuart, but Snowbell manages to reach the top of the building while Falcon is absent and releases her.

Dunno and Kozlik work odd jobs but are still starving and living in poverty in a rat infested basement. Kozlik gets bit by a rat and becomes sick.  Just then, Dunno gets a job as a dog nanny for a rich woman, Mrs Minoga ("lamprey"), and makes enough money for a doctor for Kozlik who slowly recovers, but Mrs. Minoga finds out that Dunno took her dogs to the rat infested basement and fires him.  Dunno and Kozlik then end up living on the street.  Since Kozlik has lost his hat and Dunno lost his shoes they are breaking the law and get sent to Fool's Island which has a toxic atmosphere that turns all the people there into sheep which are then sheared for their wool.

The novel began with an introductory chapter about the graduation day from kindergarten of Maya, Lea's daughter. A program and a celebration were held. In the beginning, everything in Lea's life was going smoothly – her life in connection with her children, with friends of the opposite gender, and with her volunteer work for a human rights organization. But Lea's children were both growing-up – and Lea could see their gradual transformation. There were the changes in their ways and personalities:  Maya's curiosity was becoming more obvious every day, while Ojie was crossing the boundaries from boyhood to teenage to adulthood.[1][2][3][4][6]

The book is about Sam Gribley, a 15-year-old boy who intensely dislikes living in his parents' cramped New York City apartment with his eight brothers and sisters. He decides to run away to his great-grandfather's abandoned farm in the Catskill Mountains to live in the wilderness. The reader meets Frightful, Sam's pet peregrine falcon, and The Baron, a weasel that Sam befriends. Roughly the first 80 percent of the novel is Sam's reminiscences during a snowstorm about how he came to be in a home made out of a hollowed-out tree, while the remainder of the novel is a traditional linear narrative about what happens after the snowstorm.

"The Tale of Scrotie McBoogerBalls" portrays young children as almost entirely uninterested in reading. The South Park boys only exhibit excitement for their reading assignment based on the promise of offensive and controversial material in the book.[1][2] Rather than finding any merit in the book, the boys are angry when they find the material inoffensive, prompting Cartman to declare he has been "tricked" into reading an entire book. Through the rise and fall of Butters' career as an author, the episode also demonstrates the perils of literary success and hoaxes.[1] The episode also lampoons the notion that a book can be identified as the sole reason for a reader to kill somebody, particularly through Butters' reaction to The Tale of Scrotie McBoogerballs. Butters experiences blackouts after reading The Catcher in the Rye and chanting "Kill John Lennon/Ronald Reagan!", until he disappointedly learns they are already dead. Later, a reader of Butters' book The Poop That Took a Pee goes out and murders the Kardashians.[3]

At the beginning of Book Two the narrator and the curate are plundering houses in search of food. During this excursion the men witness a Martian fighting-machine enter Kew, seizing any person it finds and tossing them into a "great metallic carrier which projected behind him, much as a workman's basket hangs over his shoulder",[8] and the narrator realises that the Martian invaders may have "a purpose other than destruction" for their victims.[8] At a house in Sheen "a blinding glare of green light" and a loud concussion attend the arrival of the fifth Martian cylinder,[8] and both men are trapped beneath the ruins for two weeks. The narrator's relations with the curate deteriorate over time, and he eventually is forced to knock him unconscious to silence his now loud ranting; but the curate is overheard outside by a Martian, who finally removes his unconscious body with one of its handling machine tentacles. The reader is then led to believe the Martians will perform a fatal transfusion of the curate's blood to nourish themselves, as they have done with other captured victims viewed by the narrator through a small slot in the house's ruins. The narrator just barely escapes detection from the returned foraging tentacle by hiding in the adjacent coal-cellar.

The Teacher requests that for a short period Aringarosa and Silas cannot communicate, while Silas does his bidding. Unbeknownst to Aringarosa, the Teacher instructs Silas to kill the four top members of the Priory of Sion, a secret organization pledged to protect the secret of the Grail. On the same night Silas kills Priory leader Jacques Saunière, Aringarosa goes to the Papal Palace of Castel Gandolfo to retrieve bearer bonds worth twenty million euros from the Vatican, as instructed by the Teacher. While leaving, Aringarosa is suddenly afraid that the Teacher would suspect him of running away with the money, as he couldn't be contacted in the hills with no phone signal. Unable to contact the Teacher, he calls the Opus Dei headquarters to ask if he had any messages. To Aringarosa's surprise, the sole message was not from the Teacher, but from a French police captain Bezu Fache. Fache tells Aringarosa that his fellow nun Sister Sandrine Bieil  has been murdered and asks him for information. Aringarosa realizes that Silas had killed Sandrine and that the Teacher had deceived him. He tells everything to Fache, and Fache also realizes that he had wrongly accused Robert Langdon for killing Saunière.

Two years later, the Foxes and their sullen son Ash are living in a hole. Fox, now a newspaper columnist, moves the family into a better home in the base of a tree, ignoring the warnings of his lawyer Badger about how dangerous the area is for foxes. The tree is located very close to facilities run by three farmers: Walter Boggis, Nathan Bunce, and Franklin Bean.

After being invited to the bank, Norgate gets Lt. Fitch to show him the location of the bank vaults and he counts the paces of the guardsmen to obtain a scale for the plans he traced earlier. When he learns that the guards are plagued by rats and that the floor has been reinforced, he goes to the Sewage Commission Records Department and discovers that a long-forgotten underground sewer runs directly under the bank vaults. Norgate finds an old knowledgeable tosher and after posing as an archaeologist trying to locate ancient Roman temple ruins, persuades the tosher to show him where the sewer had been sealed. The revolutionaries dig through an old entrance to the sewer and pickaxe their way into the wall leading directly under the vaults. They choose to carry out their heist on the first weekend in August, a long weekend wherein Monday is a bank holiday and most employees would be on vacation.