Question: What song is played at the end of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy?

In the closing moments of the 2011 British espionage film Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, directed by Tomas Alfredson, a live 1976 recording of "La Mer" by Julio Iglesias is played, replacing all dialogue and ambient sounds, including a gunshot. The song and the film end simultaneously, just before the credits roll. This iconic French tune has also been featured in several other films and television shows, such as L.A. Story, French Kiss, Mr. Bean's Holiday, and an episode of The Simpsons titled "The Squirt and the Whale".

The second-season episode "Valley of Darkness" features "Metamorphosis One" by Philip Glass.[9] While the piece cannot be found on the show's second season soundtrack album, the original recording may be found on Glass' 1989 album Solo Piano as part of Glass' Post Minimalism work. The piece is played in Kara Thrace's apartment on Caprica (it is explained that her father is the fictional pianist) and plays over Lee Adama and Saul Tigh's conversation at William Adama's bedside at the end of the episode. It is one of the few pieces of music in the remade Battlestar Galactica that is both diegetic and extradiegetic.

The song has long been a "time honored Scottish farewell."[5] In this function, it is generally sung (like Auld Lang Syne) as a "first verse and chorus". Also like Auld Lang Syne, the song has acquired a more general use: it was sung by Canadians, for instance, in honour of George VI in 1939;[6] by Australians as a farewell to then-Princess Elizabeth in 1946;[7] and by Elizabeth II's "Scottish subjects" in 1953.[8] It was sung by an Australian choir to the departing athletes at the closing ceremonies of the Melbourne Summer Olympic Games in 1956, as seen in the 'Olympiad' documentary series by Bud Greenspan. American golfer, Bobby Jones, was serenaded out of St Andrews' Younger Hall to the tune, after being made an honorary freeman of the Borough of St Andrews, Scotland in October 1958.[9]

Cinematographer Jack Cardiff had previously directed an account of mercenaries in Africa entitled Dark of the Sun. Composer Geoffrey Burgon concludes the film with A. E. Housman's Epitaph for an Army of Mercenaries sung over the end titles.

Tyson Ritter wrote "There's a Place" while filming Miss You Already in 2014. Ritter spoke of the song, saying, "I had this ringing in my ear. Having not composed a piece of music for over a year at that point, I didn’t recognize that I was hearing a melody. With that melody, came the words. Immediately I knew what it was, it was a song for Milly, a song that was written as a goodbye note to her loved ones. ‘There’s A Place’ is something I’m very proud of as it came from the purest center of myself. As soon as I finished the demo, I sent it to Catherine and she was into it, and as simple as that, it was in the movie.”[1]

Winter played many of the instruments on the track, including keyboards, saxophone and timbales.[3] As the release's only instrumental cut, the song was not initially intended to be on the album, and was only included on a whim as a last-minute addition. It was originally released as the B-side to "Hangin' Around", but the two were soon reversed by the label when disc jockeys nationwide in the United States, as well as in Canada, were inundated with phone calls and realized this was the hit. The song features a "double" drum solo, with Ruff on drums and Winter on percussion. In fact, the working title of the song was "The Double Drum Song".[4] The single was one of the few No. 1 chart records to include an extended passage featuring the ARP 2600 synthesizer. The group performed the song on The Old Grey Whistle Test in 1973.[5]

The theme music featured in the series is entitled Silencium and is performed by John Harle. The arrangement, for chamber orchestra and soprano saxophone solo, was first performed as part of the Canterbury Festival on 22 October 2011.[10] The vocal section is performed by Sarah Leonard.[11]

The song "Texas" has been played through the years on Classic Rock/AOR radio stations in Texas, and is sometimes played as background music before Texas Rangers baseball games at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. Another track, "Daytona", is about the Ferrari 365 GTB/4 "Daytona", in which he sings about the car metaphorically, with the engine and tyre noise from the car ringing out toward the end of the song.[6] Also, the song "Tell Me There's a Heaven" was used in a 1991 public information film for the NSPCC.

The first episode ends with a historical timeline sequence, backed by the song "Magpie" by The Unthanks.[22] Reviewing the opening episode for The Guardian, Sam Wollaston said: "Mackenzie Crook and Toby Jones shine in the third and final series of this beautifully written and performed slice of life."[23]

Owing to a professional commitment to score for the film Hot Millions (starring Peter Ustinov and Maggie Smith), Johnson requested assistance from his keyboard player, Howard Blake, who scored some of the episodes of the final season, as well as additional music for other episodes which Johnson did not have time to complete. These were composed in a style remarkably similar to Johnson's. In 2011, to mark the 50th anniversary of the series, these almost-complete scores by Blake−including Johnson's themes for the main and end titles—were issued on a double CD set. Of the original Johnson theme, countless cover versions have been released on vinyl and CD, and the opening motif was retained on the series The New Avengers.

An instrumental version of the song was used in the trailer and soundtrack for the movie 9. It is used in the promo ad for the TV channel Versus. It is frequently used as "bumper music" in Sirius XM Holdings program The Howard Stern Wrap-Up Show on Howard 100/101.


Question: Who claimed victory in every men's biathlon event at the 2002 Winter Olympics?

At the 2002 Winter Olympics, seven countries received biathlon medals, Germany leading with the highest count (3 gold, 5 silver, 1 bronze). Norway, however, topped the medal standings with four gold medals. Ole Einar Bjørndalen was the standout athlete, securing victories in all three men's individual biathlon events and contributing to the winning Norwegian relay team. Kati Wilhelm dominated the women's biathlon, claiming two golds and a silver.

As the season's Champions League top scorer with nine goals, the youngest in the tournament's history,[87] Messi scored two goals and assisted two more to ensure a 4–0 quarter-final victory over Bayern Munich.[83] He returned as a false nine during the final on 27 May in Rome against Manchester United. Barcelona were crowned champions of Europe by winning the match 2–0, the second goal coming from a Messi header over goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar. Barcelona thus achieved the first treble in the history of Spanish football.[88][89] This success was reflected in a new contract, signed on 18 September, which committed Messi to the club through 2016 with a new buyout clause of €250 million, while his salary increased to €12 million.[77] His team's prosperity continued into the second half of 2009, as Barcelona became the first club to achieve the sextuple, winning six top-tier trophies in a single year.[90] After victories in the Supercopa de España and UEFA Super Cup in August, Barcelona won the FIFA Club World Cup against Estudiantes de La Plata on 19 December, with Messi scoring the winning 2–1 goal with his chest.[91] At 22 years old, Messi won the Ballon d'Or and the FIFA World Player of the Year award, both times by the greatest voting margin in each trophy's history.[71]

Putin's international prestige suffered a major blow in the West during the disputed 2004 Ukrainian presidential election. Putin had twice visited Ukraine before the election to show his support for the pro-Russian Viktor Yanukovych against opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko, a pro-Western liberal economist. He congratulated Yanukovych, followed shortly afterwards by Belorussian president Alexander Lukashenko, on his victory before election results were even made official[41] and made statements opposing the rerun of the disputed second round of elections, won by Yanukovych, amid allegations of large-scale voting fraud. The second round was ultimately rerun; Yushchenko won the round and was eventually declared the winner on January 10, 2005. In the West, the reaction to Russia's handling of, or perhaps interference in, the Ukrainian election evoked echoes of the Cold War, but relations with the U.S. have remained stable.

Thomas Bach's duties as IOC President have included responding to Russia's state-sponsored doping scandal. In an address to Olympic Committees at the national level, Bach criticized what he saw as a rush to judgment and stated that Russian athletes had a right to due process.[19] He led a meeting on December 5 which ultimately led to the exclusion of Russia from the 2018 Winter Games.[20] Speaking at the Opening Ceremonies of those games, his call to "respect the rules and stay clean" was widely interpreted as a reference to the Russian scandal.[21]

Ticket prices for the 2018 Winter Olympics were announced in April 2016 and went on sale in October 2016, ranging from ₩20,000 (approximately US$17) to ₩900,000 (US$776). Tickets for the opening and closing ceremonies range from ₩220,000 (US$190) to ₩1.5 million (US$1293). The exact prices were determined through market research; around 50% of the tickets are expected to cost about ₩80,000 (US$69) or less, and tickets in sports that are relatively unknown in the region, such as biathlon and luge, will be made cheaper in order to encourage attendance. By contrast, figure skating and the men's hockey gold-medal game carry the most expensive tickets of the Games.[3]

Those skilled at preparing arena ice are often in demand for major events where ice quality is critical. The popularity of the sport of hockey in Canada has led its icemakers to be particularly sought after. One such team of professionals was responsible for placing a loonie coin under center ice at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah; as both Canadian teams (men's and women's) won their respective hockey gold medals, the coin was christened "lucky" and is now in the possession of the Hockey Hall of Fame[10] after having been retrieved from beneath the ice.

In the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, Korea, Joyner-Kersee earned gold medals in both the heptathlon and the long jump. At the 1988 Games in Seoul, she set the still-standing heptathlon world record of 7,291 points. The silver and bronze medalists were Sabine John and Anke Vater-Behmer, both of whom were representing East Germany. Five days later, Joyner-Kersee won her second gold medal, leaping to an Olympic record of 7.40 m (24 ft 3 1⁄4 in) in the long jump. She was the first American woman to earn a gold medal in long jump as well as the first American woman to earn a gold medal in heptathlon.

Brightman is the first artist to have been invited twice to perform the theme song at the Olympic Games, first at the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games where she sang "Amigos Para Siempre" with the Spanish tenor José Carreras with an estimated global audience of a billion people, and 16 years later in 2008 in Beijing, this time with Chinese singer Liu Huan, performing the song "You and Me" to an estimated 4 billion people worldwide.[15]

India first participated at the Olympic Games in 1900, with a lone athlete (Norman Pritchard) winning two medals- both silver- in athletics. The nation first sent a team to the Summer Olympic Games in 1920, and has participated in every Summer Games since then. India has also competed at several Winter Olympic Games beginning in 1964. Indian athletes have won a total of 28 medals so far, all at the Summer Games. For a period of time, India national field hockey team was dominant in Olympic competition, winning eleven medals in twelve Olympics between 1920 and 1980. The run included 8 gold medals total and six successive gold medals from 1928â€“1956

Robert informs them that to win, they will need to get along and perform an element that has never been performed successfully: The "Iron Lotus", an extremely complicated maneuver that Robert developed years ago. However, it is also dangerous: the only attempt of the maneuver was "behind the Bamboo Curtain" in North Korea, and resulted in the man decapitating the woman with his skate blade. Nonetheless, they decide to attempt it as Robert is convinced that two males would be better suited for the move because of the physics of a same-sex team. In the meantime, brother and sister competitors Stranz Van Waldenberg, and Fairchild Van Waldenberg are worried that their spot as the top team is threatened when Jimmy and Chaz perform well at a Winter Sports Games qualifier, command Katie Van Waldenberg, their younger sister, to disrupt the duo by going out with Jimmy and then having sex with Chazz.

In 2016, Bad Things drummer Lena Zawaideh brought a lawsuit against White, claiming sexual harassment and breach of contract.[42] White and Zawaideh reached an out-of-court settlement in May 2017; the terms of the settlement were not disclosed.[43] At a press conference following White's win at the 2018 Winter Olympics, he was asked if he was concerned that the lawsuit and settlement would tarnish his image. In replying, he referred to the incident as gossip, a response that created widespread condemnation of White for minimizing sexual harassment. White later apologized for his choice of words.[44][45]


Question: When did Brent Barry win the dunk contest?

Brent Robert Barry, the son of NBA legend Rick Barry, is a retired American professional basketball player. Standing at 6 ft 7 in and weighing 210 lbs, he played as a shooting guard in the NBA and won two championships with the San Antonio Spurs. Notably, Brent Barry also emerged victorious in the 1996 NBA Slam Dunk Contest, showcasing his exceptional skills.

In the 1994–95 season, the Magic's sixth season, All-Star forward Horace Grant was acquired as a free agent from the Chicago Bulls.[20] The Orlando Magic compiled a 57–25 record, best in the East and winning the Atlantic Division title,[33] becoming the second-fastest team (behind the Milwaukee Bucks in 1971, who were in their third season) to advance to the NBA Finals in league history.[34] In the playoffs, the Magic defeated the Boston Celtics, Bulls, and the Indiana Pacers, advancing to the NBA Finals where O'Neal, Hardaway and the young Magic bowed to a more playoff-experienced Hakeem Olajuwon and the Houston Rockets, winning their second consecutive championship in a 4–0 sweep of Orlando.[35]

The 2002 team competed in the World Championship in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. Coached by George Karl, the team finished a surprisingly disappointing sixth in the competition. During the tournament, Argentina defeated the USA in the second preliminary round group stage, thus becoming the first team ever to defeat a USA team composed of NBA players. Yugoslavia knocked out the USA in the quarterfinals, becoming the first team ever to defeat USA team of NBA players in knockout stage. Then Spain repeated the outcome in the 5th place playoff.[27] To a greater degree than in 2000, a number of top NBA players declined to participate, forcing USA Basketball to resort to picking mostly second-tier players. George Karl had a dispute with Paul Pierce, one of the few superstars on the team, which led to Karl benching Pierce, the team's leading scorer, in Team USA's final game. The group has been considered as one of sport's greatest flops, as they failed to produce as previous teams had. The United States lost 3 games in the tournament to countries with current or future NBA stars, like Argentina (led by Manu Ginóbili), Yugoslavia (led by Peja Stojaković and Vlade Divac) and Spain (led by Pau Gasol).

In 1974, the NBA's rival, the ABA, drafted high school star Moses Malone. He was immediately signed by the Utah Stars and became the first player to go directly from high school basketball to a professional league.[9] He became an instant success, averaging 18 points and 14 rebounds per game in his rookie season. He played in the ABA until the ABA–NBA merger in 1976. He then played 19 successful seasons with 7 NBA teams. He won the NBA championship, along with the Finals Most Valuable Player Award, with the Philadelphia 76ers in 1983. His other achievements include 3 Most Valuable Player Awards, 12 consecutive All-Star Game selections, 8 All-NBA Team selections and 6 rebounding titles. He has been inducted to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and was also named in the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History list announced at the league's 50th anniversary in 1996.[10]

In 1996, two notable players made the jump from high school to the NBA. The first was Kobe Bryant, selected by the Charlotte Hornets with the 13th pick of the NBA draft, but traded almost immediately to the Los Angeles Lakers. The second was Jermaine O'Neal, selected by the Trail Blazers with the 17th pick. O'Neal was traded in 2000 to the Indiana Pacers (and later to the Miami Heat). In 1997, another All-Star caliber player, Tracy McGrady, was selected by the Toronto Raptors. In 1998, three high-schoolers were drafted with Al Harrington and Rashard Lewis experiencing the most success. Darius Miles became the highest high school player selected with the third pick in the 2000, until the following year.

Led by new head coach Rick Adelman, and aided by former Princeton head coach Pete Carril, the Kings' Princeton offense impressed others for its quick style and strong ball movement. Some criticized the Kings for their poor team defense, Williams's "flash over substance" style with its many turnovers, and Webber's failure to step up in important match-ups. Still, they quickly garnered many fans outside of California, many of whom were drawn to the spectacular pairing of Williams and Webber. In 1998–99, they went 27–23, their first winning season in nearly twenty years and their first since moving to Sacramento. The new arrivals Webber, Williams, and Divac all played key roles in this resurgence; Divac ranked near the top of the team in most statistics, Webber led the league in rebounds and was named to the All-NBA Second Team, and Williams was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team. In the playoffs, they were matched up against the defending Western Conference Champions, the Utah Jazz. After winning Game 1 by 20 points, the Jazz surrendered two consecutive playoff games to the Kings. They would turn the series around, however, and win the last two to keep the Kings from advancing in the playoffs.

They bounced back with a series-saving 118–106 Game 6 win. Second-year defensive specialist Quinton Ross had a timely offensive game, scoring a then career-high 18 points. Brand had 30 points (his scoring average in this particular series), 12 rebounds, and five blocks. Corey Maggette came off the bench to score 25 points, with 7–8 shooting from the field, and 9–9 from the free throw line. Kaman and Cassell each scored 15 points. The Clippers lost the seventh game 127–107. General Manager (and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame member) Elgin Baylor won the NBA Executive of the Year award for leading the Clippers to the playoffs.

Howard reported to camp for his second NBA season having added 20 pounds of muscle during the off-season.[4] Orlando coach Brian Hill—responsible for grooming former Magic superstar Shaquille O'Neal—decided that Howard should be converted into a full-fledged center.[4] Hill identified two areas where Howard needed to improve: his post-up game, and his defense. He exerted extra pressure on Howard, saying that the Magic would need him to emerge as a force in the middle before the team had a chance at the playoffs.[4] Even though the big man played tentatively at times, he was able to build on his strong rookie year with an impressive sophomore season. On November 15, 2005, in a home game against the Charlotte Bobcats, Howard scored 21 points and 20 rebounds, becoming the youngest player ever to score 20 or more points and gather 20 or more rebounds in the same game.[10] He was selected to play on the Sophomore Team in the 2006 Rookie Challenge during the All-Star break,[1] and on April 15, 2006, he recorded a career-high 26 rebounds against the Philadelphia 76ers; his 28 points in that game also brought him close to an NBA rarity, a 30–30 game.[4][8] Overall, he averaged 15.8 points and 12.5 rebounds[8] per game, ranking second in the NBA in rebounds per game, offensive rebounds, and double doubles; and sixth in field goal percentage.[1] Despite Howard's improvement, the Magic finished the season with a 36–46 win-loss record and failed to qualify for the playoffs for the second consecutive season since Howard's arrival.[11]

The Warriors made the playoffs from 1971 to 1977 except in 1974, and won their first NBA championship on the West Coast in 1974–75. In what many consider the biggest upset in NBA history, Golden State not only defeated the heavily favored Washington Bullets but humiliated them in a four-game sweep. That team was coached by former Warrior Al Attles, and led on the court by Rick Barry and Jamaal Wilkes. Barry was named MVP of the finals.[14]

The following season, the Kings traded starting small forward Corliss Williamson to the Toronto Raptors for shooting guard Doug Christie, a move made to improve the subpar defense. They also drafted Turkish power forward Hedo Türkoğlu, further improving their bench rotation. Stojakovic moved into the starting small forward role, where he and Webber proved to complement each other extremely well, and as the Kings continued to improve, their popularity steadily rose, culminating in a February 2001 Sports Illustrated cover story entitled "The Greatest Show on Court" with Williams, Christie, Stojakovic, Webber, and Divac gracing the cover. That year, they went 55–27, their best in 40 years. In the playoffs, they won their first series in 20 years, defeating the Phoenix Suns three games to one, before being swept in the second round by the Lakers, who eventually won the NBA Championship.

The 1980 U.S. team, which featured a number of future NBA players, was the youngest American national team ever assembled. This team featured: Mark Aguirre, Rolando Blackman, Sam Bowie, Michael Brooks, Bill Hanzlik, Alton Lister, Rodney McCray, Isiah Thomas, Darnell Valentine, Danny Vranes, Buck Williams and Al Wood.[11] Unable to compete in the Olympics due to the boycott, it instead participated in the "Gold Medal Series", a series of games against NBA all-star teams in various U.S. cities, recording a 5â€“1 record.[11] It was coached by Dave Gavitt.


Question:
Preferential tariff arrangement - group of eight developing countries? (It seems like the example provided is actually the same question, just with a different formatting. If you're looking for a rephrased version, here it is: What is the preferential tariff arrangement among the group of eight developing countries?)

Let me know if you need a new question with a similar level of complexity and length. Here's an example:

Original question: What is the difference between a republic and a democracy?
Similar question: Could you explain the distinction between a republic and a democracy?

The D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation, also referred to as the Developing-8, is a cooperative body that includes Bangladesh, Egypt, Nigeria, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Pakistan, and Turkey. Its primary goals are to strengthen the member states' standing in the global economy, broaden trade opportunities, increase influence in international decision-making, and enhance living standards. The D-8 is a global initiative, not a regional one, as evidenced by the diverse membership of its countries. It functions as a platform that does not conflict with the bilateral or multilateral commitments of its members stemming from their involvement in other international or regional organizations.

Some federations are called asymmetric because some states have more autonomy than others. An example of such a federation is Malaysia, in which Sarawak and Sabah agreed to form the federation on different terms and conditions from the states of Peninsular Malaysia.

A World Trade Center (also World Trade Centre or WTC) is a building or complex of buildings established and effectively operated by the World Trade Centers Association (WTCA) as an instrument for trade expansion. The WTCA represents 317 members in 91 countries. Founded in 1970, it is an unofficial umbrella trade association that unites corporations and government agencies in international trade.[citation needed] A World Trade Center puts all the services associated with global commerce under one roof to foster networking processes among corporations and governments.

Countries are seeking to augment the efficiency of traditional extractive sectors but also to make greater use of information and communication technologies and other modern technologies, such as solar energy, to develop the business sector, education and research. In March 2013, two research institutes were created by presidential decree to foster the development of alternative energy sources in Uzbekistan, with funding from the Asian Development Bank and other institutions: the SPU Physical−Technical Institute (Physics Sun Institute) and the International Solar Energy Institute. Three universities have been set up since 2011 to foster competence in strategic economic areas: Nazarbayev University in Kazakhstan (first intake in 2011), an international research university, Inha University in Uzbekistan (first intake in 2014), specializing in information and communication technologies, and the International Oil and Gas University in Turkmenistan (founded in 2013). Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are both generalizing the teaching of foreign languages at school, in order to facilitate international ties. Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have both adopted the three-tier bachelor’s, master’s and PhD degree system, in 2007 and 2012 respectively, which is gradually replacing the Soviet system of Candidates and Doctors of Science. In 2010, Kazakhstan became the only Central Asian member of the Bologna Process, which seeks to harmonize higher education systems in order to create a European Higher Education Area.[28]

The economic history of India is the story of India's evolution from a largely agricultural and trading society to a mixed economy of manufacturing and services while the majority still survives on agriculture. Prior to 1947 that history encompasses the economy of the Indian subcontinent, corresponding to the modern nations of India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh.

Following the 1978 reforms, the People's Republic of China developed what it calls a "socialist market economy", in which most of the economy is under state ownership, with the state enterprises organized as joint-stock companies with various government agencies owning controlling shares through a shareholder system. Prices are set by a largely free-price system and the state-owned enterprises are not subjected to micromanagement by a government planning agency. A similar system called "socialist-oriented market economy" has emerged in Vietnam following the Đổi Mới reforms in 1986. This system is frequently characterized as "state capitalism" instead of market socialism because there is no meaningful degree of employee self-management in firms, because the state enterprises retain their profits instead of distributing them to the workforce or government, and because many function as de facto private enterprises. The profits neither finance a social dividend to benefit the population at large, nor do they accrue to their employees.

Studies suggest that several health indicators (life expectancy and infant and maternal mortality) have a stronger and more significant association with democracy than they have with GDP per capita, size of the public sector or income inequality.[19] Prominent economist Amartya Sen has theorized that no functioning liberal democracy has ever suffered a large-scale famine.[20]

The Tariff commission policies, including similar restrictions that applied to other industries, came to be known as the "license raj", which proved to be the greatest undoing of the Indian automotive industry, where bureaucratic red tape ended up causing demand to outstrip supply, with month-long waiting periods for cars, scooters, and motorcycles.

A republic is a form of government in which the people, or some significant portion of them, retain sovereignty over the government and where offices of state are not granted through heritage.[39][40] A common modern definition of a republic is a government having a head of state who is not a monarch.[41][42]

The member states are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.[20]

When in 1922 the Irish Free State seceded from the United Kingdom, the border between the Free State and Northern Ireland, which chose to remain in the UK, became an international frontier. This event became commonly known as the "partition of Ireland". Trade in goods and services across this frontier became subject to differing tax and tariff arrangements. Consequently, an infrastructure of Customs posts was put in place at designated crossing areas. All traffic was subject to inspection by the jurisdiction it was passing in to. This could entail full vehicle searches with consequent delay and inconvenience. However passport checks were not applied. The Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom were part of the Common Travel Area. This allowed travel between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. and between the islands of Ireland and Great Britain, without passport controls. The Isle of Man and the Channel Isles are also part of the area. This arrangement came into existence in 1922 with the establishment of the Irish Free State and so predated the freedom of travel provisions consequent on membership of the EU, which to some degree superseded it. In 2011, the British and Irish Governments agreed informally to continue their common controls on entry to the CTA [for non-EEA nationals].[213] According to statements by Theresa May and Enda Kenny, it is intended to maintain this arrangement after the United Kingdom leaves the EU.[214] After Brexit, in order to control migration by EU citizens (other than Irish nationals) across the open Northern Irish land border into the United Kingdom, the UK and Irish governments suggested in October 2016 an outline plan entailing British immigration controls being applied to Irish ports and airports. This would avoid passport checks being required between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.[215] However, this agreement was never finalised and was met by opposition from political parties in the Republic of Ireland,[216] On 23 March 2017, it was confirmed that British immigration officials would not be allowed to use Irish ports and airports in order to combat British immigration concerns following Brexit.[217]


Question: When was the first orca placed into captivity?

The first live capture of killer whales for exhibition began in the 1960s, with these majestic creatures soon becoming popular draws at aquariums and marine parks. Their intelligence, trainability, distinctive looks, playful behavior in captivity, and massive size made them appealing to the public. As of September 2016, 56 orcas were held in captivity globally, with 33 of them being born in captivity. However, the keeping of killer whales in captivity has stirred significant controversy over the years.

The Plumage League[8] was founded in 1889 by Emily Williamson at her house in Didsbury, Manchester, (now in Fletcher Moss Botanical Garden),[9] as a protest group campaigning against the use of great crested grebe and kittiwake skins and feathers in fur clothing. The group gained popularity and eventually amalgamated with the Fur and Feather League in Croydon to form the Society for the Protection of Birds.[10] The Society gained its Royal Charter in 1904.[11]

Manx cats have been exhibited in cat shows, as a named, distinct breed (and with the modern spelling "Manx"), since the late 1800s. In that era, few shows provided a Manx division, and exhibited specimens were usually entered under the "Any Other Variety" class, where they often could not compete well unless "exceptionally good in size and markings".[19] Early pet breeding and showing expert Charles Henry Lane, himself the owner of a prize-winning rare white rumpy Manx named Lord Luke, published the first known (albeit informal) breed standard for the Manx in his 1903 Rabbits, Cats and Cavies,[19] but noted that already by the time of his writing "if the judge understood the variety" a Manx would be clearly distinguishable from some other tailless cat being exhibited, "as the make of the animal, its movements and its general character are all distinctive."[19] Not all cat experts of the day were favourable toward the breed; in The Cat: Its Points and Management in Health and Disease, Frank Townend Barton wrote in 1908: "There is nothing whatever to recommend the breed, whilst the loss of the tail in no way enhances its beauty."[4]

An earlier underwater breathing regulator, known as the régulateur, was invented in France in 1860 by Benoît Rouquayrol. He first conceived it as a device to help assist in escaping from flooded mines. The Rouquayrol regulator was adapted to diving in 1864, when Rouquayrol met the lieutenant de vaisseau Auguste Denayrouze. The Rouquayrol-Denayrouze apparatus went into mass production and commercialization on 28 August 1865, when the French Navy Minister ordered the first apparatuses.[4]

Currently, the Aquarium houses one Pacific white-sided dolphin:

The earliest written mention of 'running-horses' is a record of Hugh, from the French House of Capet, gifting some as a present to King Athelstan of England in the 9th/10th century.[6] During Athelstan's reign a ban was placed on the export of English horses, such was supposed to be their superiority to continental ones. Continental ones were still permitted for import, and many were brought to England by William the Conqueror. Roger de Montgomerie, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury introduced Spanish stallions to the country.[8]

The Vancouver Aquarium was featured frequently in the 1980s Canadian series, Danger Bay, which followed the day to day exploits of the Roberts family, led by Grant "Doc" Roberts, a marine veterinarian and his two children, Nicole and Jonah.

The aquarium is a part of the Ocean Expo Park located in Motobu, Okinawa. The aquarium is made up of four floors, with tanks containing deep sea creatures, sharks, coral and tropical fish. The aquarium is set on 19,000 m2 of land, with a total of 77 tanks containing 10,000 m3 of water. Water for the saltwater exhibits is pumped into the aquarium from a source 350Â m offshore, 24 hours a day.[5]

Wild-caught specimens have greater difficulty adapting to a captive environment, which can result in refusal to feed, and they generally carry internal or external parasites. Specimens have survived for over 40 years in captivity, with the oldest recorded ball python being kept in captivity 47 years and 6 months until its death in 1992 at the Philadelphia Zoo.[13]

On September 5, 2008, Hayden Panettiere appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman and talked about her visit with the rescue dolphins at the Vancouver Aquarium.

Ashur-bel-kala (1073–1056 BC) kept the vast empire together, campaigning successfully against Urartu and Phrygia to the north and the Arameans to the west. He maintained friendly relations with Marduk-shapik-zeri of Babylon, however upon the death of that king, he invaded Babylonia and deposed the new ruler Kadašman-Buriaš, appointing Adad-apla-iddina as his vassal in Babylon. He built some of the earliest examples of both Zoological Gardens and Botanical Gardens in Ashur, collecting all manner of animals and plants from his empire, and receiving a collection of exotic animals as tributes from Egypt.


Question: When was the first orca placed into captivity?

The first known instance of a North Eastern Pacific killer whale being placed in captivity occurred in November 1961. A collecting crew from Marineland of the Pacific in Los Angeles captured an orca named Wanda, who was 5.2 meters (17 feet) long. Unfortunately, Wanda died the day after her capture, after repeatedly colliding with the walls of her tank.[10][11] The second killer whale to be captured for display purposes was Moby Doll, who was harpooned and shot in 1964. Moby Doll survived for three months after being brought to Vancouver, British Columbia for exhibition.[12] In June 1965, a third capture for display took place when a 22-foot (6.7-meter) male orca was found in a floating salmon net near Namu, British Columbia. This orca, named Namu after the location of his capture, was purchased for $8,000 by Ted Griffin, the owner of a Seattle public aquarium. Namu became the subject of a film that helped to shift public perception of orcas.[13]

Legal requirements for tank size vary greatly from country to country. In the US, the minimum enclosure size is set by the Code of Federal Regulations, 9 C.F.R. 3.104, under the Specifications for the Humane Handling, Care, Treatment, and Transportation of Marine Mammals.[42] In 9 CFR 3.104, Table III classifies killer whales as Group I cetaceans with an average length of 24 feet (7.3 m). Based on length, Table I states up to two killer whales may be held in a pool with a minimum horizontal dimension (the diameter of a circular pool of water) of twice that length or 48 feet (15 m) and a minimum depth of 12 feet (3.7 m), giving a minimum volume of 21,700 cubic feet (615 m3) for two killer whales. Each additional killer whale requires a pool with an additional 10,900 cubic feet (308 m3) of volume. 9 CFR 3.104 also requires a minimum of 680 square feet (63 m2) surface area per killer whale in Table IV (the example with a cylindrical tank 48 feet (15 m) in diameter for two whales provides 905 square feet (84.1 m2) of surface area per killer whale). Swiss regulations require a larger minimum volume: 400 square metres (4,300 sq ft) × 4 metres (13 ft) deep for two killer whales, or 1,600 cubic metres (57,000 cu ft). The Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums (AMMPA) goes further, and recommends 1,918 cubic metres (67,700 cu ft) for two killer whales.[43] The US exhibitors of captive killer whales belong to the AMMPA, but exhibitors in other countries do not.[44]

The Vancouver Aquarium was one of the first facilities to incorporate professional naturalists into the galleries to interpret animal behaviours.[7] Prior to this, at the London Zoo Fish House, naturalists James S. Bowerbank, Ray Lankester, David W. Mitchell and Philip H. Gosse (the creator of the word aquarium)[8] had regularly held "open house" events, but the Vancouver Aquarium was the first to employ educational naturalists on a full-time basis. Aquarium research projects extend worldwide, and include marine mammal rescue and rehabilitation.

Shortly after Victor was found, a local abbot and biology professor, Pierre Joseph Bonnaterre, examined him. He removed the boy's clothing and led him outside into the snow, where, far from being upset, Victor began to frolic about in the nude, showing Bonnaterre that he was clearly accustomed to exposure and cold. The local government commissioner, Constans-Saint-Esteve, also observed the boy and wrote there was "something extraordinary in his behavior, which makes him seem close to the state of wild animals".[2]:9 The boy was eventually taken to Rodez, where two men traveled to discover whether or not he was their missing son. Both men had lost their sons during the French Revolution, but neither claimed the boy as his son. There were other rumors regarding the boy's origins. For example, one rumor insisted the boy was the illegitimate son of a notaire abandoned at a young age because he was mute.[2]:17 Itard believed Victor had "lived in an absolute solitude from his fourth or fifth almost to his twelfth year, which is the age he may have been when he was taken in the Caune woods." That means he presumably lived for seven years in the wilderness.[3]:10

Videos were shared long before YouTube or even the Internet by word-of-mouth, film festivals, VHS tapes, and even to fill time gaps during the early days of cable.[17] Perhaps the earliest was Reefer Madness, a 1936 "educational" film that circulated under several different titles. It was rediscovered by Keith Stroup, founder of NORML, who circulated prints of the film around college film festivals in the 1970s. The company who produced the prints, New Line Cinema, was so successful they began producing their own films.[17] The most controversial was perhaps a clip from a newscast from Portland, Oregon in November 1970. In the clip, the disposal of a beached whale carcass by dynamite is documented, including the horrific aftermath of falling mist and chunks since the exclusion zone wasn't big enough.[18] The exploding whale story obtained urban legend status in the Northwest and gained new interest in 1990 after Dave Barry wrote a hysterical column about the event,[19] leading to copies being distributed over bulletin board systems—a sort of primitive Internet—around 1994.[17][20][21]

First Nations routinely captured slaves from neighbouring tribes. Sources report that the conditions under which First Nations slaves lived could be brutal, with the Makah tribe practicing death by starvation as punishment and Pacific coast tribes routinely performing ritualized killings of slaves as part of social ceremonies into the mid-1800s.[55] Slave-owning tribes of the fishing societies, such as the Yurok and Haida lived along the coast from what is now Alaska to California.[56] Fierce warrior indigenous slave-traders of the Pacific Northwest Coast raided as far south as California. Slavery was hereditary, the slaves and their descendants being considered prisoners of war. Some tribes in British Columbia continued to segregate and ostracize the descendants of slaves as late as the 1970s.[57] Among Pacific Northwest tribes about a quarter of the population were slaves.[58]

Bulls have held a place of significance in human culture since before the beginning of recorded history. They appear in cave paintings estimated to be up to 17,000 years old. The mythic Bull of the Heavens plays a role in the ancient Sumerian Epic of Gilgamesh, dating as far back as 2150 BC. The importance of the bull is reflected in its appearance in the zodiac as Taurus, and its numerous appearances in mythology, where it is often associated with fertility. See also Korban. In Hinduism, a bull named Nandi, usually depicted seated, is worshipped as the vehicle of the god Shiva and depicted on many of the images of that God. Symbolically, the bull appears commonly in heraldry, and, in modern times, as a mascot for both amateur and professional sports teams.

The first recorded instance of photographs capturing and reproducing motion was a series of photographs of a running horse by Eadweard Muybridge, which he took in Palo Alto, California using a set of still cameras placed in a row. Muybridge's accomplishment led inventors everywhere to attempt to make similar devices. In the United States, Thomas Edison was among the first to produce such a device, the kinetoscope.

The first military submarine was built in 1720 by carpenter Yefim Nikonov by order of Tsar Peter the Great in Russia. Nikonov armed his submarine with “fire tubes”, weapons akin to flame-throwers. The submarine was designed to approach an enemy vessel, put the ends of the “tubes” out of the water, and blow up the ship with a combustible mixture. In addition, he designed an airlock for aquanauts to come out of the submarine and to destroy the bilge of the ship. With the death of Peter I in January 1725, Nikonov lost his principal patron and the Admiralty withdrew support for the project.

In 1863, two sail-driven tankers were built on England's River Tyne.[9] These were followed in 1873 by the first oil-tank steamer, Vaderland, which was built by Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company for Belgian owners.[9][5] The vessel's use was curtailed by U.S. and Belgian authorities citing safety concerns.[6] By 1871, the Pennsylvania oil fields were making limited use of oil tank barges and cylindrical railroad tank-cars similar to those in use today.[7]

Whales are trained using a system of reward (called "positive reinforcement" by trainers) by giving the killer whale food or other reinforcement when they are successful, and withholding it when they are not.[51] Secondary reinforcement—things not essential to life, such as play time, tactile rewards and fun games—can also be used as rewards.[52]


Question: What is the meaning behind the song "Brown Girl in the Ring"?

In the song "Brown Girl in the Ring," the lyrics and theme revolve around traditional ring games played by children, particularly in Eastern Caribbean cultures. These games, as documented in the anthology "There's a Brown Girl in the Ring" by Alan Lomax, J.D. Elder, and Bess Lomax Hawes, are seen as a playful introduction to the social dynamics and rituals of courtship that children observe and mimic from adults.

Claudia Mitchell and Jacqueline Reid-Walsh, authors of Girl Culture: Studying girl culture : a readers' guide (2008), noted the lyrics of the song "gesture toward [Spears] longing for the return of an ex-boyfriend."[17] Spears said "...Baby One More Time" is a song "every girl can relate to. She regrets it. She wants him back."[18] The lyrics, however, caused controversy in the United States, because the line "Hit me baby one more time" supposedly has sadomasochistic connotations.[19] As a response, the singer said the line "doesn't mean physically hit me. [...] It means just give me a sign, basically. I think it's kind of funny that people would actually think that's what it meant."[7] Contemporary author Ben Shapiro deemed the song's lyrics as suggestive, mostly "Oh baby, baby / The reason I breathe is you / Boy, you got me blinded / Oh pretty baby / There's nothing that I wouldn't do" and "When I'm not with you I lose my mind / Give me a sign / Hit me baby one more time".[20]

Another interpretation concludes that A Walking Song references the inevitable journey towards death and beyond.[7]

"Thriller" serves as an autobiographical recap of the two years following From Under the Cork Tree's release, referencing the band's mediocre CD reviews and breakout success, as well as thanking their "diehard" fans.[29] The song discusses the band's Best New Artist Grammy loss, and Wentz calls it the "most narcissistic song on the album".[21] The line "Fix me in forty-five" is a reference to the length of a therapy session.[21] On "This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race", Wentz uses wartime-inspired metaphors to discuss their newfound popularity; he called the song "kind of a tongue-in-cheek look at the way we are so addicted and obsessed with new arts, cultures and loves â€“ to the point where it just becomes oversaturated."[20][29] "I'm Like a Lawyer..." has been described as "about as close to a love song as you'll get from this band, a rare moment of tenderness among songs about blog entries, guest lists, and therapy sessions."[29] In a tribute to the politicized Chicago hardcore scene, Wentz describes the story of a rigged court case of African-American civil rights activist Fred Hampton, Jr. in "You're Crashing, But You're No Wave".[21] The song has been described as a "very well-written track, a welcome respite from the one-liners which permeate the majority of the record."[24]

From this point forward, the suite almost completely abandons the previous storyline (the fur trapper's blindness is never explicitly healed). In this song a man attending St. Alfonzo's Pancake Breakfast engages in such appalling deportment as stealing margarine pats from the tables, urinating on the bingo cards, and instigating an affair with an attractive married female churchgoer whose husband is in the Marine Corps and who is into sadomasochism. The final song in the suite, "Father O'Blivion", is about a priest, Father Vivian O'Blivion, who makes the pancakes for the St. Alfonzo fund-raiser. Randomly the song becomes about a leprechaun who's masturbating in a sock. The leprechaun feels that St. Alfonzo would be proud of him for doing so. Then he utters the Latin phrase "Dominus vobiscum, Et cum spiritu tuo (meaning "The Lord be with you, and with your spirit."). Won't you eat my sleazy pancakes just for Saintly Alfonzo." There are many possible reasons why the pancakes are "sleazy"; Zappa leaves them to the listener's interpretation. The suite can only loosely be said to follow a story and is treated as one piece only because of the musical transitions, the way each song introduces the next, and how later songs reference previous songs.[4]

"Part of Me" is a dance-pop and power pop song set to a house beat.[16][17][18] It is composed in the key of D minor[19] and set in a 4/4 time signature at a tempo of 130 beats per minute.[8] The melody spans the tonal range of D4 to D5, while the music follows the chord progression of Dm–F–Bb-C.[19] Production was done by Perry's frequent collaborator, Dr. Luke.[5] The song begins with Perry's somber and emotional delivery of the line, "Days like this I want to drive away/ Pack my bags and watch your shadow fade." At the bridge, the beat amplifies and Perry's lyrics become more aggressive as she commands "Now Look at Me!", signalling to her ex that she is still strong, regardless of what he tries to do to bring her down.[20] The beat reaches a peak at the chorus, and Perry's tone and the song's lyrics become more aggressive and prominent as she sings, "This is the Part of me that you're never gonna ever take away from me." As the song continues, Perry's lyrics become strong and empowered: "So you can keep the diamond ring/ It don't mean nothing anyway/ In fact you can keep everything Yeah/ Yeah Except for me". Perry repeats the ending chorus as the beat fades.[5][20]

The song's lyrics features revolutionary rhetoric calling to fight the "powers that be".[2] They are delivered by Chuck D, who raps in a confrontational, unapologetic tone.[11] David Stubbs of The Quietus writes that the song "shimmies and seethes with all the controlled, incendiary rage and intent of Public Enemy at their height. It's set in the immediate future tense, a condition of permanently impending insurrection".[13]

Clarkson pegged "Piece by Piece" as a follow-up song to her 2004 track "Because of You" and the album's "most personal" record, saying that "once you've worked through that and you find love and the kind of happiness you hoped for but didn't really know was possible. It's a happy song. And it has a happy ending, unlike 'Because of You'".[6][11] She revealed that she was inspired to write it after a discussion with her sister about their relationships with their respective families.[2][11][12][13] She remarked, "I was talking to my sister on the phone about how sometimes girls with daddy issues don't find men like that!".[2] Clarkson also noted that how their husbands were so supportive and loving were in stark contrast to the clichÃ© about people with "abandonment issues" dating "losers".[2] She also said that "Piece by Piece" is a positive song, despite its somber resonance, and that she's still grateful to her father for making her want to be much more present in her family.[2] Sonically, Jon Pareles of The New York Times compared it to the anthems recorded by U2.[14] While Marissa Muller of CBS Radio described its sound as having a stadium feel with big drums.[15]

The lyrics themselves speak of parental prohibition, especially against sexual activities, and have both the narrator and the person being addressed "trying to get away into the night" to avoid, evade, or defy such prohibition.

The collection begins with an imperial theme by paying tribute to the Shropshire lads who have died as soldiers in the service of The Queen Empress, as her golden jubilee (1887) is celebrated with a beacon bonfire on Clee Hill (I). There is little time for a lad to live and enjoy the spring (II). Death awaits the soldier (III-IV). Maids are not always kind (V-VI) and the farmer also comes to the grave (VII). Some lads murder their brothers and are hanged (VIII-IX). The spring's promise of love and renewal may be false (X). The ghost of a lad dead of grief begs the consolation of a last embrace (XI). Unattainable love leaves the lad helpless and lost (XIII-XVI). The playing of a game of cricket or football consoles a broken heart (XVII). But on this dubious sentiment Edith Sitwell commented acidly, "If he means to say that cricket, and cricket alone, has prevented men from committing suicide, then their continuation on this earth seems hardly worthwhile."[10]

These lines have led to conflicting interpretations among Harrison biographers regarding a supposedly superior attitude on the singer's part. Ian Inglis writes of "an increasingly familiar elitism in his apparent perception of himself", adding: "When [Harrison] sings of 'the pure of heart' and tells the Lord that 'there are just a few who bow before you,' the implied conclusion is that he counts himself among their number."[37] While acknowledging the ambiguity of this message, Leng writes: "This could be taken as Harrison's statement of his own spiritual superiority, or it might be his metaphor for a rejection of conceit. If ego-driven politicians and self-serving military leaders were able to bow before anything, even a 'concept' like God, the world would be a better place. 'The Day the World Gets 'Round' laments human nature and calls for a little humility."[27]


Question: What were the opening day earnings for the Assamese film Mission China?

Mission China, an Assamese film, was launched on 8th September in 55 cinemas across Assam, as well as various other theaters in major cities such as Delhi, Bangalore, Pune, and Mumbai. The film's opening day earnings were ₹ 39.97 lakh, followed by ₹ 39.50 lakh and ₹ 49 lakh on the subsequent two days. The fourth and fifth day collections stood at ₹ 39 lakh each. In its first week, the movie grossed ₹ 2 crore 40 lakh.[5] It is anticipated to become the most successful film in the history of Assamese cinema.[6][7] Notably, the film managed to amass ₹ 5 crore in Guwahati alone.

The film grossed $132,249,913.[9] First released in Germany on 1 September 2011, it topped the box office with $3.38 million and has since grossed $16.20 million. It was released in Austria the same day, topping the box office with $503,239 on its opening weekend.[10] It topped the box office during its opening weekends in Italy ($2,023,021), Brazil ($2,343,786) and Turkey ($219,645). In the UK, Ireland and Malta, it debuted with $2,312,509, when it was released on 12â€“14 October 2011.[11] Its highest-grossing opening to date overseas was achieved in Japan ($3.86 million).[12][13][14]

The film opened at #1 on the weekend of June 23, 2000, making US$24.2 million in its opening weekend.[4]

Outside the U.S. and Canada, box office analysts were predicting as much as $158 million opening.[168][169][170] It opened Wednesday, February 11, 2015, in 4 countries, earning $3.7 million.[171] It opened in 34 more countries on February 12, earning $28.6 million in two days.[172] The film set opening-day records for Universal Pictures in 25 markets and opening day records for an R-rated film in 34 territories.[169][170] Through Sunday, February 15, it earned an opening-weekend total of $156 million from 58 countries from 10,979 screens ($173.6 million through Monday) where it opened at No. 1 in 54 of the 58 countries, marking the biggest overseas opening for an R-rated film, the fourth-biggest of 2015, and Universal's third-biggest overseas opening weekend ever.[148] The film set an all-time opening record in 13 markets, Universal's biggest opening weekend ever in 30 markets and biggest opening for any R-rated film in 31 markets.[148]

In June 2008, Samoa announced it would be opening diplomatic missions in China and Japan - the country's first diplomatic offices in Asia.[219] In September, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement indicating that China and Samoa have always "conducted fruitful cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, agriculture, sports, culture, education and health, as well as international affairs", and that China intended to "make more tangible efforts to support Samoa's economic and social development".[220]

The film opened in first place at the box office, taking $23,275,194 during its first weekend. It ended up with a total domestic gross of $71,026,631 and $102,244,770 worldwide.

Kane opened at the RKO Palace Theatre on Broadway in New York on May 1, 1941,[5] in Chicago on May 6, and in Los Angeles on May 8.[10]:115 Welles said that at the Chicago premiere that he attended the theater was almost empty.[11]:216 It did well in cities and larger towns but fared poorly in more remote areas. RKO still had problems getting exhibitors to show the film. For example, one chain controlling more than 500 theaters got Welles's film as part of a package but refused to play it, reportedly out of fear of Hearst.[10]:117 Hearst's disruption of the film's release damaged its box office performance and, as a result, it lost $160,000 during its initial run.[104]:164[105] The film earned $23,878 during its first week in New York. By the ninth week it only made $7,279. Overall it lost money in New York, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., but made a profit in Seattle.[11]:216

Industry analysts feared that the storm could seriously impact the box office prospects of two films opening that weekend, Identity Thief and Side Effects,[21] both of which were seen as having potential to do better than most winter movies.[22] While it afterwards appeared that the two films were not seriously affected, and did better than expected, with Identity Thief even winning the weekend, despite generally poor reviews and word of mouth, with $36 million in receipts, overall box office was down 45% from the same weekend the previous year. Side Effects finished a distant third with a quarter of Identity Thief's take.[20] The clearest sign of the storm's effect, according to Box Office Mojo, was the 35% drop in earnings for Silver Linings Playbook, then in wide release after several Oscar nominations.[23]

In 2003, with the thawing of Sino-Indian relations, Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's visit to China led to the resumption of talks on opening the border. Later in 2004, the Indian Defence Minister's visit to China led to the formal opening of the pass. The opening, originally scheduled for 2 October 2005, was postponed due to last-minute infrastructure problems on the Chinese side. Finally, after a decade of talks, Nathu La was opened on 6 July 2006.[11] The date of the reopening, which also formally recognised Tibet as part of China by India and Sikkim's accession to India,[7] coincided with the birthday of the reigning Dalai Lama.[7] In the years before the reopening, the only person permitted to cross the barbed-wire frontier had been a Chinese postman with an Indian military escort, who would hand over mail to his Indian counterpart in a building at the border.

Internationally the film opened in six countries alongside the United States and grossed $6.3 million in its opening weekend, with Russia being the largest market with $4.1 million.[43]

On January 2, after just 16 days of release, it became the second film (following Avatar) to gross over $700 million in North America,[337] and on January 6 became the highest-grossing film of all time domestically, doing so in 20 days.[338] On January 9, it became the first film in cinematic history to cross $800 million domestically unadjusted for inflation,[339] and in the same weekend set a Saturday to Sunday opening weekend record for the studio in China with $52.6 million.[340] On January 17, 2016, it passed the $1 billion mark overseas becoming the first film of Disney, the third film of 2015 and the fifth film overall to achieve this feat.[341] It topped the international box office chart for five consecutive weekends, becoming the first film since Avengers: Age of Ultron to have five straight wins, before being dethroned by The Revenant in its sixth weekend.[342] In Japan, it topped the box office for six straight weekends.[342]


Question: Who ought to have won the election of 1824?

The 1824 United States presidential election, held from October 26 to December 2, 1824, was a unique and controversial event in American history. John Quincy Adams emerged as President on February 9, 1825, following a decision by the House of Representatives, as no candidate had secured a majority of electoral votes. This was the only instance where the House of Representatives determined the outcome under the Twelfth Amendment. It was also the first election where the candidate who won the popular vote (Andrew Jackson) was not elected President. This situation, often referred to as the "corrupt bargain," deeply angered Jackson and his supporters, who felt that the election was unjustly decided against the will of the majority.

Later in life, Calhoun became known as the "cast-iron man" for his rigid defense of white Southern beliefs and practices.[2][3] His concept of republicanism emphasized approval of slavery and minority rights, as particularly embodied by the Southern states—he owned "dozens of slaves in Fort Hill, South Carolina".[4] Calhoun also asserted that slavery, rather than being a "necessary evil", was a "positive good", benefiting both slaves and slave owners.[5] To protect minority rights against majority rule, he called for a concurrent majority whereby the minority could sometimes block proposals that it felt infringed on their liberties. To this end, Calhoun supported states' rights and nullification, through which states could declare null and void federal laws that they viewed as unconstitutional. Calhoun was one of the "Great Triumvirate" or the "Immortal Trio" of Congressional leaders, along with his Congressional colleagues Daniel Webster and Henry Clay. In 1957, a Senate Committee headed by Senator John F. Kennedy selected Calhoun as one of the five greatest United States Senators of all time.[6][7]

Weaver Adams, then one of the leading American masters,[69] was the best-known proponent of this view, which he introduced in his 1939 book White to Play and Win,[70] and continued to expound in later books and articles until shortly before his death in 1963.[71] Adams opined that 1.e4 was White's strongest move,[72] and that if both sides played the best moves thereafter, "White ought to win."[73] Adams' claim was widely ridiculed,[74][75][76] and he did not succeed in demonstrating the validity of his theory in tournament and match practice. The year after his book was published, at the finals of the 1940 U.S. Open tournament, he scored only one draw in his four games as White, but won all four of his games as Black.[77] Adams also lost a match to IM I.A. Horowitz, who took the black pieces in every game.[78]

In 1970, Rangel ran for election to the U.S. House of Representatives, challenging long-time incumbent Congressman Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., in the Democratic primary in New York's 18th congressional district.[7] Powell had been an iconic, charismatic, and flamboyant figure[4][7] who had become embroiled in an ethics controversy in 1967, lost his seat, then regained it in 1969 due to the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Powell v. McCormack.[48] In a field of five candidates, Rangel focused on criticizing Powell's frequent absences from Congress.[4] In the June primary, Rangel defeated Powell by 150 votes out of around 25,000.[7] Powell tried to take legal action to overturn the result, claiming over 1,000 ballots were improper,[46] but was unsuccessful. Powell also failed to get on the ballot as an independent. With both Democratic and Republican backing, Rangel won the November 1970 general election–against a Liberal Party candidate and several others–with 88 percent of the vote.[7]

As secretary, Calhoun had responsibility for management of Indian affairs. He promoted a plan, adopted by Monroe in 1825, to preserve the sovereignty of eastern Indians by relocating them to western reservations they could control without interference from state governments.[44] In over seven years Calhoun supervised the negotiation and ratification of 40 treaties with Indian tribes.[45] Calhoun opposed the invasion of Florida launched in 1818 by General Jackson during the First Seminole War, which was done without direct authorization from Calhoun or President Monroe. The United States annexed Florida from Spain in 1819 through the Adams–Onís Treaty.[12] A reform-minded modernizer, he attempted to institute centralization and efficiency in the Indian Department and in the Army by establishing new coastal and frontier fortifications and building military roads, but Congress either failed to respond to his reforms or responded with hostility. Calhoun's frustration with congressional inaction, political rivalries, and ideological differences spurred him to create the Bureau of Indian Affairs in 1824.[12][46] The responsibilities of the bureau were to manage treaty negotiations, schools, and trade with Indians, in addition to handling all expenditures and correspondence concerning Indian affairs. Thomas McKenney was appointed as the first head of the bureau.[47]

No longer questioning the need for a strong Navy, the U.S. built three new 74-gun ships of the line and two new 44-gun frigates shortly after the end of the war.[306] (Another frigate had been destroyed to prevent it being captured on the stocks.)[307] In 1816, the U.S. Congress passed into law an "Act for the gradual increase of the Navy" at a cost of $1,000,000 a year for eight years, authorizing 9 ships of the line and 12 heavy frigates.[308] The Captains and Commodores of the U.S. Navy became the heroes of their generation in the U.S. Decorated plates and pitchers of Decatur, Hull, Bainbridge, Lawrence, Perry, and Macdonough were made in Staffordshire, England, and found a ready market in the United States. Several war heroes used their fame to win election to national office. Andrew Jackson and William Henry Harrison both took advantage of their military successes to win the presidency, while Richard Mentor Johnson used his wartime exploits to help attain the vice presidency.

With World War I raging in Europe, Wilson became concerned that if Hughes won the election, the presidency would be occupied for four months by a "lame duck" during a crisis period. He thought it would be better for the country if instead Hughes could take office quickly. Wilson decided that if Hughes won, he would appoint Hughes Secretary of State. Then he and Vice President Marshall would resign. Under the Presidential Succession Act 1886, the Secretary of State would succeed as President. Thus Hughes would become President immediately. Wilson won the election, so the plan was never put into action.[14]

In response to the 1800 election, the 12th Amendment was passed, requiring electors to cast two distinct votes: one for President and another for Vice President. While this solved the problem at hand, it ultimately had the effect of lowering the prestige of the Vice Presidency, as the office was no longer for the leading challenger for the Presidency. The separate ballots for President and Vice President became something of a moot issue later in the 19th century when it became the norm for popular elections to determine a state's Electoral College delegation. Electors chosen this way are pledged to vote for a particular presidential and vice presidential candidate (offered by the same political party). So, while the Constitution says that the President and Vice President are chosen separately, in practice they are chosen together.

In addition to Jackson, his second vice president and one of the key organizational leaders of the Jacksonian Democratic Party, Martin Van Buren, served as president. Van Buren was defeated in the next election by William Henry Harrison. Harrison died just 30 days into his term and his vice president John Tyler quickly reached accommodation with the Jacksonians. Tyler was then succeeded by James K. Polk, a Jacksonian who won the election of 1844 with Jackson's endorsement.[33] Franklin Pierce had been a supporter of Jackson as well. James Buchanan served in Jackson's administration as Minister to Russia and as Polk's Secretary of State, but he did not pursue Jacksonian policies. Finally, Andrew Johnson, who had been a strong supporter of Jackson, became president following the assassination of Abraham Lincoln in 1865, but by then Jacksonian democracy had been pushed off the stage of American politics.

Jackson mobilized his political base[82] by vetoing the recharter bill[83] and, the veto sustained,[84] easily won reelection on his anti-bank platform.[85] Jackson proceeded to destroy the bank as a financial and political force by removing its federal deposits,[86][87][88] and in 1833, federal revenue was diverted into selected private banks by executive order, ending the regulatory role of the Second Bank of the United States.[5][89]

While both James Monroe and John Adams supported the Constitution being ratified, its most influential framer was James Madison. In Federalist No. 46, Madison wrote how a federal army could be kept in check by state militias, "a standing army ... would be opposed [by] a militia." He argued that state militias "would be able to repel the danger" of a federal army, "It may well be doubted, whether a militia thus circumstanced could ever be conquered by such a proportion of regular troops." He confidently contrasted the federal government of the United States to the European kingdoms, which he contemptuously described as "afraid to trust the people with arms." He assured his fellow citizens that they need never fear their government because "besides the advantage of being armed, which the Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation, the existence of subordinate governments, to which the people are attached, and by which the militia officers are appointed, forms a barrier against the enterprises of ambition".[9][10]


Question: In which episode of Charmed does Phoebe discover that Leo is a whitelighter?

In the series "Charmed," Phoebe learns about Leo's identity as a whitelighter in the episode titled "Leo Rising" (Season 4, Episode 22). Prior to this revelation, Leo had been a mysterious figure to the Halliwell sisters. When he becomes an Avatar and gains enhanced abilities, he becomes a target for Agent Kyle Brody. However, Leo realizes that the utopian world envisioned by the Avatars is not as benevolent as it seems.[episodes 23] In his final moments, Leo communicates crucial information to Phoebe, urging her to prevent the Avatars from altering reality. Phoebe, along with her sisters and Zankou, manages to reverse the Avatars' changes and restore the world to its original state, including Leo's resurrection, though he loses his Avatar powers in the process.[episodes 24]

Charmed's first episode "Something Wicca This Way Comes" broke the record for the highest-rated debut episode for The WB, with 7.7Â million viewers.[3] The show's ratings, although smaller than rival shows on the "big four" networks (ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox), were a success for the relatively new and smaller WB network. Charmed's premiere in 1998 helped ratings rise for The WB, with TV Guide's Mark Schwed noting that the network's viewing figures were way up than the previous year.[101] For its first three seasons, Charmed was the second-highest rated series on The WB, behind 7th Heaven.[4][102][103] During its fifth season, the series became the highest-rated Sunday night program in The WB's history.[5][6]

The reasons for Kelly's behavior first started to reveal themselves in episode 7, "Perfect Mom", when Kelly was forced to confront her mother's drug addiction and alcoholism. Several of her friends, particularly the Walsh family and Andrea Zuckerman, first came to appreciate Kelly's difficulties in life when they saw her handle this problem.[7] During episode 13, "Slumber Party,"[8] Kelly revealed that she was taken advantage of by a senior during her freshmen year in high school, which had led to a promiscuous lifestyle and reputation which deeply hurt her self-esteem. The others then began to realize that Kelly had been through more difficulties than they were aware of, and later, she and Andrea would become close friends. When Andrea was pregnant and was contemplating an abortion in season 4, Kelly was one of the primary people she reached out to.[9]

The third season is set five months after the previous one. One night, Spencer, Hanna, Emily and Aria get together in Spencer's living room to drink and enjoy a life without a stalker. Emily, however, is still mourning over the death of her ex-girlfriend Maya St. Germain, who died in the same night of Mona's reveal. After drinking more than expected, the girls wake up in the midst of night to discover that Emily has disappeared. They later find her in the cemetery, standing on Alison's graveyard, with Alison's body gone. With Emily drugged and they involved in a crime, the girls then promise to keep the secret. They dispose of all evidence connecting them to the happening, including all of Emily's clothes. A new person using the "A" identity soon restarts the stalking game.[20] The new stalker threatens them with what happened previously. Mostly of the season's episodes revolve around the question of where Alison's remains are.[21][22] The girls later on befriend new resident CeCe Drake, a woman physically and psychologically similar to Alison. Drake reveals to them that she and Alison were best friends when Alison was alive, years prior.[23] Throughout the following episodes Drake gets intimate with the girls, who are suspicious of her Alison-like behavior. Later on, Alison is shown in more flashbacks of the night she disappeared, with some revealing that Alison met with CeCe, Aria's father, Jenna Marshall and Garrett Reynolds that night. In sequence, the girls discover, in Alison's biology notebook, a conversation between her and a friend in which Alison talks about a "beach hottie."[24] The girls investigate while a figure using a red coat starts to appear periodically to them, and they begin to believe that it is Alison. In the meantime, Mona and Spencer's boyfriend Toby Cavanaugh are revealed as helpers (and double agents) of the new "A." With the help of the two, the girls plot a trap to catch "A," but the stalker uses their own setting against them, and, during a fire, the girls are saved by Red Coat. Hanna wakes up and sees Red Coat staring at her, and the person is revealed to be Alison. Afterwards, Mona and Spencer claim that they also saw Alison. On the way back to Rosewood, Mona reveals that Red Coat would sometimes wear a mask that looked like Alison's face, meaning that Red Coat could have just looked like Alison.[25]

The "Power of Three" refers to the combined powers of the Halliwell sisters which is noticeably stronger than their individual powers. During the series' run, the sisters are able to protect themselves against powerful spells by destroying many demons and warlocks when using their combined powers. This can be seen in the first episode as the sisters battle a warlock and are able to protect themselves against fire and destroy him by chanting "the power of three will set us free".[1] While some spells require the "Power of Three" to take enough effect, it isn't always necessary for all three sisters to chant a spell together, only as long as they are all together at the same time.

When Leo finally found out that Piper was pregnant again and Chris was their son,[episodes 16] he decided that his place was to stay with his family. Trying to absorb the situation, Leo took his time in approaching Piper about the impending birth of their son and the future of their relationship. While Piper admitted that she thought about them becoming a family again, she tried not to because things had not changed — Leo was still an Elder.

In 2000, episode three of season four of Dawson's Creek, "Two Gentlemen of Capeside" loosely adapted the plot of the play. Written by Chris Levinson and Jeffrey Stepakoff, and directed by Sandy Smolan, the episode depicts how Dawson Leery (James Van Der Beek) and Pacey Witter (Joshua Jackson), formally best friends, have been driven apart over their love for the same woman. The play is referenced early in the episode as the characters are reading it for their English class.[114]

On February 7, 2018, TVLine revealed the reboot's casting breakdowns, with the three sisters bearing the unofficial names of Macy, Mel and Madison Pruitt.[231] Madison's name was later changed to Maggie, and the sisters' surname was changed to Vera.[232] The eldest sister Macy is a "practical, driven, and brilliant geneticist" with the power of telekinesis.[231][229] The second-eldest Mel is "a passionate, outspoken activist" and lesbian with the power of time-freezing,[233] while the youngest Maggie is "a bubbly college freshman" with the power to hear people's thoughts.[231][232] Madeleine Mantock has been cast as Macy,[234] Melonie Diaz has been cast as Mel,[233] and Sarah Jeffery has been cast as Maggie.[232][235] Rupert Evans will play college professor and the trio's whitelighter Harry,[236] while Ser'Darius Blain will play Macy's "aspiring filmmaker" boyfriend Galvin.[237] Additionally, Charlie Gillespie will play Maggie's high school boyfriend Brian, while Ellen Tamaki will play Mel's detective girlfriend Niko.[231][238] The pilot was filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia from March 19 to April 6, 2018.[239][240]

Hilda is on the rebound after she breaks up with her boyfriend, so she meets a guy named Will. They instantly fall in love and get engaged, however Sabrina and Zelda think this love should not be, so they plan to break up the couple. As soon as Zelda throws herself at Will, Hilda breaks up with him but then she suddenly turns to stone and falls to pieces. Once knowing Hilda's love was true, Sabrina takes Stone Hilda to a place where she can come back to life. Sabrina must gamble her true love (risking her relationship with Josh) to save her aunt's life. Sabrina then goes and talks to Josh, telling him that she will always love him. Later, after the wedding, Sabrina walks home and sits down to get her broken heel fixed by a guy named Luke. Suddenly, the spell kicks in. Harvey comes in the room and announces that he is moving to California. Josh also comes and says that he can't ever see her again. Then Luke says it was nice meeting her, but he will never see her again. Harvey, Josh and Luke then all say "Goodbye, Sabrina..." and leave through different exits. Sabrina is shocked, gets up and says "Goodbye???." She then suddenly turns to stone and falls to pieces, ending the episode and season in a shocking cliffhanger...

In the prequel episode "The First Secret" Jenna is first mentioned by Toby in a conversation with Emily. While unpacking some of Marshall's belongings from the moving truck, Cavanaugh describes her as someone who obtains whatever she wants. Later, at the costume shop, Alison spots then-new girl Jenna purchasing a Lady GaGa costume. Ali attempts to intimidate her into buying a different disguise, declaring that that she picked a similar outfit. Marshall noncommittally agrees to think about a change of heart, but turns her attention away from Alison. Before walking away, Ali offers her name, to which Jenna replies that she already knows it. They smile pleasantly, if not falsely, at each other, and Alison strolls away. At Noel's Halloween party, Alison notices Jenna dressed as Lady GaGa after all. Noel, dressed as a gynecologist, goes right to her. When a Lady GaGa song starts playing, Ali approaches Marshall. Jenna is flanked by boys, but they all scram when Alison orders them to. Ali then offers to befriend Jenna, thereby making her popularity in Rosewood a guaranteed thing. However, Marshall turns her down and says that she likes to pick her own friends. When Jenna saunters away victoriously, Mona declares her the best Gaga, and the two introduce themselves, seemingly starting a friendship. Outside on the porch, a sulky Ali jealously calls Jenna a slut. Back at the party, Emily is seen slow-dancing with Ben on the dance floor. Jenna is seductively dancing nearby, and Emily ogles appreciatively at her curves and moves. Alison turns her eyes from one to the other, and approaches Emily, alluding to her consealed sexual orientation.

Charmed has also become a pop culture reference in television shows and films. In the 2000 parody film, Shriek If You Know What I Did Last Friday the Thirteenth, Barbara Primesuspect (Julie Benz) is said to be yelling "Charmed my ass!" at Shannen Doherty, who does not appear on-screen.[161] The series is also mentioned in the episode "Ur-ine Trouble" of teen comedy-drama series Popular, when Josh Ford (Bryce Johnson) tells Brooke McQueen (Leslie Bibb) to go home and watch Charmed.[162][163] In another episode of Popular, entitled "The Shocking Possession of Harrison John," Josh asks George Austin (Anthony Montgomery) who is Michael Bernardino's (Ron Lester) "favorite hottie witch" on Charmed and George says it is Prue.[164] In the episode "Faith" of Third Watch, Fred Yokas (Chris Bauer) mentions to his wife Faith (Molly Price) that their daughter was upset she could not watch Charmed.[165] In the 2002 teen comedy film Big Fat Liar, Kaylee (Amanda Bynes) recalls watching an episode of Charmed on The WB where Alyssa Milano's character Phoebe was about to put a spell on her demon boyfriend.[166]


Question: What are the four fundamental principles concerning the exercise of sovereignty?

Although Bodin is often linked to absolutism, he advocated for some balanced views on governance. He suggested that the sovereign, while not obligated, should convene a senate for counsel, delegate power to magistrates for law enforcement, and use Estates to engage with the populace. Additionally, he stressed that a sovereign must adhere to fundamental rules derived from divine law, natural law, and the law of nations, as well as state laws that define sovereignty, succession, and power boundaries. Hence, Bodin's sovereign was constrained by state constitutional law and higher laws applicable to all humans. He believed that a blend of aristocratic and democratic governance was ideal for royalty, and his theory of sovereignty as divinely ordained laid the groundwork for the divine right of kings.

The second book of Jean-Jacques Rousseau's Du Contrat Social, ou Principes du droit politique (1762) deals with sovereignty and its rights. Sovereignty, or the general will, is inalienable, for the will cannot be transmitted; it is indivisible, since it is essentially general; it is infallible and always right, determined and limited in its power by the common interest; it acts through laws. Law is the decision of the general will in regard to some object of common interest, but though the general will is always right and desires only good, its judgment is not always enlightened, and consequently does not always see wherein the common good lies; hence the necessity of the legislator. But the legislator has, of himself, no authority; he is only a guide who drafts and proposes laws, but the people alone (that is, the sovereign or general will) has authority to make and impose them.[11]

State sovereignty is sometimes viewed synonymously with independence, however, sovereignty can be transferred as a legal right whereas independence cannot.[16] A state can achieve de facto independence long after acquiring sovereignty, such as in the case of Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.[16] Additionally, independence can also be suspended when an entire region becomes subject to an occupation such as when Iraq had been overrun by the forces to take part in the Iraq War of 2003, Iraq had not been annexed by any country, so its sovereignty during this period was not contested by any state including those present on the territory. Alternatively, independence can be lost completely when sovereignty itself becomes the subject of dispute. The pre-World War II administrations of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia maintained an exile existence (and considerable international recognition) whilst the entities were annexed by the Soviet Union and governed locally by their pro-Soviet functionaries. When in 1991 Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia re-enacted independence, it was done so on the basis of continuity directly from the pre-Soviet republics.[16][17] Another complicated sovereignty scenario can arise when regime itself is the subject of dispute. In the case of Poland, the People's Republic of Poland which governed Poland from 1945 to 1989 is now seen to have been an illegal entity by the modern Polish administration. The post-1989 Polish state claims direct continuity from the Second Polish Republic which ended in 1939. For other reasons however, Poland maintains its communist-era outline as opposed to its pre-World War II shape which included areas now in Belarus, Czech Republic, Lithuania, Slovakia and Ukraine but did not include some of its western regions that were then in Germany.

Italy repudiates war as an instrument offending the liberty of the peoples and as a means for settling international disputes; it agrees to limitations of sovereignty where they are necessary to allow for a legal system of peace and justice between nations, provided the principle of reciprocity is guaranteed; it promotes and encourages international organizations furthering such ends.

According to the principle of a numerical majority, the will of the more numerous citizens should always rule, regardless of the burdens on the minority. Such a principle tends toward a consolidation of power in which the interests of the absolute majority always prevail over those of the minority. Calhoun believed that the great achievement of the American constitution was in checking the tyranny of a numerical majority through institutional procedures that required a concurrent majority, such that each important interest in the community must consent to the actions of government. To secure a concurrent majority, those interests that have a numerical majority must compromise with the interests that are in the minority. A concurrent majority requires a unanimous consent of all the major interests in a community, which is the only sure way of preventing tyranny of the majority. This idea supported Calhoun's doctrine of interposition or nullification, in which the state governments could refuse to enforce or comply with a policy of the Federal government that threatened the vital interests of the states.[124]

The EU is a three-pillar structure of the original supranational European Economic Community and the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, Euratom, plus two largely intergovernmental pillars dealing with External Affairs and Justice and Home Affairs. The EU is therefore not a de jure federation, although some[who?] academic observers conclude that after 50 years of institutional evolution since the Treaties of Rome it is becoming one.[15] The European Union possesses attributes of a federal state. However, its central government is far weaker than that of most federations and the individual members are sovereign states under international law, so it is usually characterized as an unprecedented form of supra-national union. The EU has responsibility for important areas such as trade, monetary union, agriculture, fisheries. Nonetheless, EU member states retain the right to act independently in matters of foreign policy and defense, and also enjoy a near monopoly over other major policy areas such as criminal justice and taxation. Since the Treaty of Lisbon, Member States' right to leave the Union is codified, and the Union operates with more qualified majority voting (rather than unanimity) in many areas.[citation needed]

The doctrine and rules of state immunity concern the protection which a state is given from being sued in the courts of other states. The rules relate to legal proceedings in the courts of another state, not in a state's own courts. The rules developed at a time when it was thought to be an infringement of a state's sovereignty to bring proceedings against it or its officials in a foreign country.

Under the concept of parliamentary sovereignty, Parliament can enact any primary legislation it chooses. However, the concept immediately becomes problematic when the question is asked; "If parliament can do anything, can it bind its successors?". It is generally held that parliament can do no such thing.

On their website The Meritocracy Party lists five meritocratic principles[49] and thirteen primary aims. The Meritocracy International is the host of all meritocratic political parties in the world and the place where these may be found by country of origin.[48]

In the preamble of this act [. . .] religious freedom is defined; and after a recital 'that to suffer the civil magistrate to intrude his powers into the field of opinion, and to restrain the profession or propagation of principles on supposition of their ill tendency, is a dangerous fallacy which at once destroys all religious liberty', it is declared 'that it is time enough for the rightful purposes of civil government for its officers to interfere [only] when [religious] principles break out into overt acts against peace and good order.' In these two sentences is found the true distinction between what properly belongs to the church and what to the State.

A federation (also known as a federal state) is a political entity characterized by a union of partially self-governing provinces, states, or other regions under a central (federal) government. In a federation, the self-governing status of the component states, as well as the division of power between them and the central government, is typically constitutionally entrenched and may not be altered by a unilateral decision of either party, the states or the federal political body. Alternatively, federation is a form of government in which sovereign power is formally divided between a central authority and a number of constituent regions so that each region retains some degree of control over its internal affairs.[1][2]


Question: Why is bronze favored over copper for crafting statues?

Bronze is often favored over pure copper for sculpting statues due to its unique properties. When bronze is cast, it expands slightly just before solidifying, which enables it to capture the most intricate details of the mold. As the metal cools, it contracts, making it easier to remove from the mold. Additionally, bronze's strength and ductility make it a superior choice for sculpting figures in dynamic poses, as opposed to materials like ceramic or stone. This allows for the creation of statues with extended limbs or narrow bases, such as the equestrian statue of Richard the Lionheart.

The fact that it was a wash basin which was too large to enter from above lends to the idea that water would likely have flowed from it down into a subcontainer beneath. The water was originally supplied by the Gibeonites, but was afterwards brought by a conduit from Solomon's Pools. The molten sea was made of brass or bronze, which Solomon had taken from the captured cities of Hadarezer, the king of Zobah (1 Chronicles 18:8). Ahaz later removed this laver from the oxen, and placed it on a stone pavement (2 Kings 16:17). It was destroyed by the Chaldeans (2 Kings 25:13).

However, this is not the original murti -which is said to have been consecrated twice by Brahma, once before and once after being destroyed by the asura Sindhurasur. The original murti, smaller in size and made of atoms of sand, iron, and diamonds, was supposedly enclosed in a copper sheet by the Pandavas and placed behind the one that is currently worshiped.

The bronze equestrian statue of Louis XIV (Statue équestre de Louis XIV), a sculpture created by both Pierre Cartellier (1757-1831) and Louis Petitot (1794-1862) and completed in 1836, was restored in 2009. On April 27, 2009, the statue, having previously been situated in the courtyard (Cour d'Honneur), was placed outside the gates on the Place d’Armes (intersection of Avenue Rockefeller and Avenue de Paris).[58]

Most metals (with a few exceptions, such as gold) oxidize freely when exposed to air. Aluminium oxide is not an electrical conductor, but rather an electrical insulator. Consequently, the flow of electrons through the oxide layer can be greatly impeded. However, since the oxide layer is only a few nanometers thick, the added resistance is not noticeable under most conditions. When aluminum wire is terminated properly, the mechanical connection breaks the thin, brittle layer of oxide to form an excellent electrical connection. Unless this connection is loosened, there is no way for oxygen to penetrate the connection point to form further oxide.

Clay is a material frequently used for the making of votive statuettes or idols, even before the Minoan civilization and continuing until the Roman period. During the 8th century BC tombs in Boeotia often contain "bell idols", female statuettes with mobile legs: the head, small compared to the remainder of the body, is perched at the end of a long neck, while the body is very full, in the shape of a bell.[70] Archaic heroon tombs, for local heroes, might receive large numbers of crudely-shaped figurines, with rudimentary figuration, generally representing characters with raised arms.

The manganese content of some iron ores used in Greece led to speculations that steel produced from that ore contains additional manganese, making the Spartan steel exceptionally hard.[20] Around the beginning of the 19th century, manganese was used in steelmaking and several patents were granted. In 1816, it was documented that iron alloyed with manganese was harder but not more brittle. In 1837, British academic James Couper noted an association between miners' heavy exposure to manganese with a form of Parkinson's disease.[21] In 1912, United States patents were granted for protecting firearms against rust and corrosion with manganese phosphate electrochemical conversion coatings, and the process has seen widespread use ever since.[22]

Most scholars believe the Books of Samuel exhibit too many anachronisms to have been a contemporary account. For example, there is mention of later armor (1 Samuel 17:4–7, 38–39; 25:13), use of camels (1 Samuel 30:17), cavalry (as distinct from chariotry) (1 Samuel 13:5, 2 Samuel 1:6), and iron picks and axes (as though they were common) (2 Samuel 12:31). The historicity of the conquest described in the Book of Samuel is not attested, and many scholars regard this conquest as legendary in origin, particularly given the lack of evidence for the battles described involving the destruction of the Canaanite peoples. Most scholars believe that Samuel was compiled in the 8th century BCE (rather than the 10th century when most of the events described take place) based on both historical and legendary sources, primarily serving to fill the gap in Israelite history after the events described in Deuteronomy. This gap in the historical record is characteristic of the Late Bronze Age collapse; cultural memories of times before the disaster often became embellished as stories of a "lost golden age", as in the Trojan Epic Cycle.[citation needed]

In Mendeleev's 1871 periodic table, copper, silver, and gold are listed twice, once under group VIII (with the iron triad and platinum group metals), and once under group IB. Group IB was nonetheless parenthesised to note that it was tentative. Mendeleev's main criterion for group assignment was the maximum oxidation state of an element: on that basis, the group 11 elements could not be classified in group IB, due to the existence of copper(II) and gold(III) compounds being known at that time.[130] However, eliminating group IB would make group I the only main group (group VIII was labelled a transition group) to lack an Aâ€“B bifurcation.[130] Soon afterward, a majority of chemists chose to classify these elements in group IB and remove them from group VIII for the resulting symmetry: this was the predominant classification until the rise of the modern medium-long 18-column periodic table, which separated the alkali metals and group 11 metals.[130]

Inflation has caused the face value of coins to fall below the hard currency value of the historically used metals. This had led to most modern coins being made of base metals â€“ copper nickel (around 80:20, silver in color) is popular as are nickel-brass (copper (75), nickel (5) and zinc (20), gold in color), manganese-brass (copper, zinc, manganese, and nickel), bronze, or simple plated steel.

Despite its initial focus on the elites, the Union was successful in raising funds from across French society. Schoolchildren and ordinary citizens gave, as did 181 French municipalities. Laboulaye's political allies supported the call, as did descendants of the French contingent in the American Revolutionary War. Less idealistically, contributions came from those who hoped for American support in the French attempt to build the Panama Canal. The copper may have come from multiple sources and some of it is said to have come from a mine in Visnes, Norway,[38] though this has not been conclusively determined after testing samples.[39] According to Cara Sutherland in her book on the statue for the Museum of the City of New York, 90,800 kilos (200,000 pounds) was needed to build the statue, and the French copper industrialist Eugène Secrétan donated 58,100 kilos (128,000 pounds) of copper.[40]