Question: Where exactly is the left anterior descending artery situated?

The left anterior descending artery, an anterior interventricular branch of the left coronary artery, initially travels behind the pulmonary artery. It then moves forward, between the pulmonary artery and the left atrium, to reach the anterior interventricular sulcus. From there, it descends along the sulcus to the cardiac apex's notch.

Resuscitation electrodes are placed according to one of two schemes. The anterior-posterior scheme is the preferred scheme for long-term electrode placement. One electrode is placed over the left precordium (the lower part of the chest, in front of the heart). The other electrode is placed on the back, behind the heart in the region between the scapula. This placement is preferred because it is best for non-invasive pacing.

The Fabrica emphasized the priority of dissection and what has come to be called the "anatomical" view of the body, seeing human internal functioning as a result of an essentially corporeal structure filled with organs arranged in three-dimensional space. His book contains drawings of several organs on two leaves. This allows for the creation of three-dimensional diagrams by cutting out the organs and pasting them on flayed figures.[6] This was in stark contrast to many of the anatomical models used previously, which had strong Galenic/Aristotelean elements, as well as elements of astrology. Although modern anatomical texts had been published by Mondino and Berenger, much of their work was clouded by reverence for Galen and Arabian doctrines.

It is in the anterior compartment of the forearm. It is sometimes considered to be the deepest part of the superficial layer of this compartment,[1][2] and sometimes considered to be a distinct, "intermediate layer" of this compartment.[3] It is relatively common for the Flexor digitorum superficialis to be missing from the little finger, bilaterally and unilaterally, which can cause problems when diagnosing a little finger injury.[4]

The cardiac cycle refers to the sequence of events in which the heart contracts and relaxes with every heartbeat.[9] The period of time during which the ventricles contract, forcing blood out into the aorta and main pulmonary artery, is known as systole, while the period during which the ventricles relax and refill with blood is known as diastole. The atria and ventricles work in concert, so in systole when the ventricles are contracting, the atria are relaxed and collecting blood. When the ventricles are relaxed in diastole, the atria contract to pump blood to the ventricles. This coordination ensures blood is pumped efficiently to the body.[7]

Backward failure of the left ventricle causes congestion of the lungs' blood vessels, and so the symptoms are predominantly respiratory in nature. Backward failure can be subdivided into the failure of the left atrium, the left ventricle or both within the left circuit. The patient will have dyspnea (shortness of breath) on exertion and in severe cases, dyspnea at rest. Increasing breathlessness on lying flat, called orthopnea, occurs. It is often measured in the number of pillows required to lie comfortably, and in orthopnea, the patient may resort to sleeping while sitting up. Another symptom of heart failure is paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea: a sudden nighttime attack of severe breathlessness, usually several hours after going to sleep. Easy fatigability and exercise intolerance are also common complaints related to respiratory compromise.

A pulmonary artery is an artery in the pulmonary circulation that carries deoxygenated blood from the right side of the heart to the lungs. The largest pulmonary artery is the main pulmonary artery or pulmonary trunk from the heart, and the smallest ones are the arterioles which lead to the capillaries that surround the pulmonary alveoli.

From the minute a widow maker heart attack hits, survival time ranges from minutes to several hours. Rapidly progressing symptoms should signal the need for immediate attention. Symptoms of initial onset may include nausea, shortness of breath, pain in the head, jaw, arms or chest, numbness in fingers, often of a novel but imprecise sensation which builds with irregular heart beat. Early symptoms may be mistaken for food poisoning, flu or general malaise until they intensify. A widow maker cannot kill instantly but induces cardiac arrest which may do so within 10 to 20 minutes of no circulation. A victim with no pulse or breath is still alive, living off oxygen stored in the blood and may be able to be rescued if treatment is begun promptly within this window.[8]

Careful medical history and physical examination is essential in separating dangerous from trivial causes of disease, and the management of chest pain may be done on specialized units (termed medical assessment units) to concentrate the investigations. Occasionally, invisible medical signs will direct the diagnosis towards particular causes, such as Levine's sign in cardiac ischemia.[18] However, in the case of acute coronary syndrome, a third heart sound, diaphoresis, and hypotension are the most strongly associated physical exam findings.[19] However these signs are limited in their prognostic and diagnostic value.[4] Other physical exam findings suggestive of cardiac chest pain may include hypertension, tachycardia, bradycardia, and new heart murmurs.[4] Chest pain that is reproducible during the physical exam with contact of the chest wall is more indicative of non-cardiac chest pain, but still cannot completely rule out acute coronary syndrome.[20] For this reason, in general, additional tests are required to establish the diagnosis.

Common causes of heart failure include coronary artery disease including a previous myocardial infarction (heart attack), high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation, valvular heart disease, excess alcohol use, infection, and cardiomyopathy of an unknown cause.[2][3] These cause heart failure by changing either the structure or the functioning of the heart.[2] There are two main types of heart failure: heart failure due to left ventricular dysfunction and heart failure with normal ejection fraction depending on whether the ability of the left ventricle to contract is affected, or the heart's ability to relax.[2] The severity of disease is usually graded by the degree of problems with exercise.[5] Heart failure is not the same as myocardial infarction (in which part of the heart muscle dies) or cardiac arrest (in which blood flow stops altogether).[14][15] Other diseases that may have symptoms similar to heart failure include obesity, kidney failure, liver problems, anemia, and thyroid disease.[5]

The Thebesian veins within the myocardium of the heart are valveless veins that drain directly into the chambers of the heart. The coronary veins all empty into the coronary sinus which empties into the right atrium.


Question: What is the meaning of applying a contract of adhesion?

A standard form contract, often called a contract of adhesion, is an agreement where the terms are predetermined by one party, typically a large corporation, and the other party has little to no ability to negotiate or alter these terms. Essentially, the second party must either accept the contract as is or decline it entirely, hence the phrase "take it or leave it." This type of contract is also sometimes referred to as a leonine contract or a boilerplate contract, reflecting its one-sided nature and lack of flexibility for the party accepting the terms.

A job requiring a payment and performance bond will usually require a bid bond, to bid the job.[2] When the job is awarded to the winning bid, a payment and performance bond will then be required as a security to the job completion.[3] For example, a contractor may cause a performance bond to be issued in favor of a client for whom the contractor is constructing a building. If the contractor fails to construct the building according to the specifications laid out by the contract (most often due to the bankruptcy of the contractor), the client is guaranteed compensation for any monetary loss up to the amount of the performance bond.

Employers, in particular those in a small business environment, often make an error in believing that the "Written Statement of Particulars" - usually known as the terms and conditions of employment are "The Contract". The requirement in law therefore to produce the written express terms is often forgotten as they have the basis of a contract in place. Common practice is for a combined document "Contract of Employment" which provides the "Written Statement of Particulars" to be provided for the employee, which covers all the legal requirements.

Patent licensing agreements are contracts in which the patent owner (the licencor) agrees to grant the licensee the right to make, use, sell, and/or import the claimed invention, usually in return for a royalty or other compensation. It is common for companies engaged in complex technical fields to enter into multiple license agreements associated with the production of a single product. Moreover, it is equally common for competitors in such fields to license patents to each other under cross-licensing agreements in order to share the benefits of using each other's patented inventions.

Forum selection clauses have been criticised by a minority of courts as improper attempts to divest them of personal jurisdiction over the parties. Because of this, some jurisdictions refuse to give effect to these clauses, declaring them to be void as against public policy. However, most jurisdictions now recognise and enforce forum selection clauses, so long as the parties were acting in good faith.

If the transaction was a "good bargain," contract generally gives a better result for the claimant.

In India leonine contracts are generally deemed unconscionable contracts (though not all leonine contracts are unconscionable contracts) and are voidable. The 199th Law Commission report (2006) on "UNFAIR (PROCEDURAL & SUBSTANTIVE) TERMS IN CONTRACT" deals with it. The unfairness can be procedural or substantive.

Sections 2 to 15B concern how a contract is formed and, in particular, contains standardised implied terms in all contracts for sale.

This issue was related to the initial contract signed by Castroneves with Penske Racing in the fall of 1999. Greg Moore had already signed on to join Penske Racing for 2000, but was killed during the Marlboro 500 at California Speedway on 31 October 1999. During the trial, it was revealed that Castroneves' first contract with Penske (2000â€“2004) was signed with Moore's existing contract - with Moore's name simply scratched out and Castroneves' name handwritten in ink. The deal was signed by Moore's agent, Alan Miller, who signed Castroneves' deal just days after Moore's funeral as pressure from Penske sponsors forced a quick resolution to filling the vacated seat.

It is unclear from the article whether the "sketch" of techniques set out in the chart are supported by evidence from prisoner interviews or whether it simply presents "communist" methodology in idealized form in accordance with the conventions of the time. While the chart ostensibly presents the methodology of the "enemy", it has come to have actual application at home. In the military, the techniques outlined by the chart are commonly referred to as "Biderman's Principles" and within the intelligence community it has come to be known as "Biderman's Chart of Coercion". The chart is also often used by anti-cult web sites to describe how religious cults control their members.[140]

Consistency allows us to more effectively make decisions and process information. The concept of consistency states that someone who commits to something, orally or in writing, is more likely to honor that commitment. This is especially true for written commitments, as they appear psychologically more concrete and can create hard proof. Someone who commits to a stance tends to behave according to that commitment. Commitment is an effective persuasive technique, because once you get someone to commit, they are more likely to engage in self-persuasion, providing themselves and others with reasons and justifications to support their commitment in order to avoid dissonance. Cialdini notes Chinese brainwashing of American prisoners of war to rewrite their self-image and gain automatic unenforced compliance. Another example is children being made to repeat the Pledge of Allegiance each morning and why marketers make you close popups by saying “I’ll sign up later” or "No thanks, I prefer not making money”.[19]


Question: Where does the pulmonary trunk get its blood from?

The pulmonary trunk, also known as the main pulmonary artery, receives deoxygenated blood from the right ventricle of the heart. This blood is then transported to the lungs via the pulmonary circulation, where it is oxygenated before returning to the left side of the heart.

Double outlet right ventricle is when both great arteries, the pulmonary artery and the aorta, are connected to the right ventricle. There is usually a VSD in different particular places depending on the variations of DORV, typically 50% are subaortic and 30%. The surgeries that can be done to fix this defect can vary due to the different physiology and blood flow in the defected heart. One way it can be cured is by a VSD closure and placing conduits to restart the blood flow between the left ventricle and the aorta and between the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery. Another way is systemic-to-pulmonary artery shunt in cases associated with pulmonary stenosis. Also, a balloon atrial septostomy can be done to fix DORV with the Taussig-Bing anomaly.

Because the ventricle is inadequately emptied, ventricular end-diastolic pressure and volumes increase. This is transmitted to the atrium. On the left side of the heart, the increased pressure is transmitted to the pulmonary vasculature, and the resultant hydrostatic pressure favors extravasation of fluid into the lung parenchyma, causing pulmonary edema. On the right side of the heart, the increased pressure is transmitted to the systemic venous circulation and systemic capillary beds, favoring extravasation of fluid into the tissues of target organs and extremities, resulting in dependent peripheral edema.

In humans, other mammals, and birds, the heart is divided into four chambers: upper left and right atria; and lower left and right ventricles.[4][5] Commonly the right atrium and ventricle are referred together as the right heart and their left counterparts as the left heart.[6] Fish, in contrast, have two chambers, an atrium and a ventricle, while reptiles have three chambers.[5] In a healthy heart blood flows one way through the heart due to heart valves, which prevent backflow.[3] The heart is enclosed in a protective sac, the pericardium, which also contains a small amount of fluid. The wall of the heart is made up of three layers: epicardium, myocardium, and endocardium.[7]

The Thebesian veins within the myocardium of the heart are valveless veins that drain directly into the chambers of the heart. The coronary veins all empty into the coronary sinus which empties into the right atrium.

The left main bronchus is smaller in caliber but longer than the right, being 5 cm long. It enters the root of the left lung opposite the sixth thoracic vertebra. It passes beneath the aortic arch, crosses in front of the esophagus, the thoracic duct, and the descending aorta, and has the left pulmonary artery lying at first above, and then in front of it. The left bronchus has no eparterial branch, and therefore it has been supposed by some that there is no upper lobe to the left lung, but that the so-called upper lobe corresponds to the middle lobe of the right lung. The left main bronchus divides into two secondary bronchi or lobar bronchi, to deliver air to the two lobes of the left lung—the superior and the inferior lobe.

Under normal conditions, electrical activity is spontaneously generated by the SA node, the cardiac pacemaker. This electrical impulse is propagated throughout the right atrium, and through Bachmann's bundle to the left atrium, stimulating the myocardium of the atria to contract. The conduction of the electrical impulses throughout the atria is seen on the ECG as the P wave.[3][5]

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

In the fourth week of development of the human embryo as the respiratory bud grows, the trachea separates from the foregut through the formation of tracheoesophageal ridges which fuse to form the tracheoesophageal septum and this separates the future trachea from the oesophagus and divides the foregut tube into the laryngotracheal tube. Before the end of the fifth week, the trachea begins to develop from the laryngotracheal tube which develops from the laryngotracheal groove. The first part of the cephalic region of the tube forms the larynx, and the next part forms the trachea.

There are two different types of transposition of the great arteries, Dextro-transposition of the great arteries and Levo-transposition of the great arteries, depending on where the chambers and vessels connect. Dextro-transposition happens in about 1 in 4,000 newborns and is when the right ventricle pumps blood into the aorta and deoxygenated blood enters the blood stream. The temporary procedure is to create an atrial septal defect (ASD). A permanent fix is more complicated and involves redirecting the pulmonary return to the right atrium and the systemic return to the left atrium, which is known as the Senning procedure. The Rastelli procedure can also be done by rerouting the left ventricular outflow, dividing the pulmonary trunk, and placing a conduit in between the right ventricle and pulmonary trunk. Levo-transposition happens in about 1 in 13,000 newborns and is characterized by the left ventricle pumping blood into the lungs and the right ventricle pumping the blood into the aorta. This may not produce problems at the beginning, but will eventually due to the different pressures each ventricle uses to pump blood. Switching the left ventricle to be the systemic ventricle and the right ventricle to pump blood into the pulmonary artery can repair levo-transposition.

Backward failure of the left ventricle causes congestion of the lungs' blood vessels, and so the symptoms are predominantly respiratory in nature. Backward failure can be subdivided into the failure of the left atrium, the left ventricle or both within the left circuit. The patient will have dyspnea (shortness of breath) on exertion and in severe cases, dyspnea at rest. Increasing breathlessness on lying flat, called orthopnea, occurs. It is often measured in the number of pillows required to lie comfortably, and in orthopnea, the patient may resort to sleeping while sitting up. Another symptom of heart failure is paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea: a sudden nighttime attack of severe breathlessness, usually several hours after going to sleep. Easy fatigability and exercise intolerance are also common complaints related to respiratory compromise.


Question: Where does the pulmonary trunk get its blood from?

The pulmonary trunk, also known as the main pulmonary artery, receives blood directly from the right ventricle of the heart. This artery is relatively short and wide, measuring about 5 centimetres in length and 3 centimetres in diameter. It is the initial segment of the pulmonary arteries, which transport blood to the lungs.

The right atrium and right ventricle are often referred to as the right heart and similarly the left atrium and left ventricle are often referred to as the left heart. The atria do not have valves at their inlets [4] and as a result, a venous pulsation is normal and can be detected in the jugular vein as the jugular venous pressure.[5][6]
Internally, there are the rough pectinate muscles and crista terminalis of His, which act as a boundary inside the atrium and the smooth walled part of the right atrium, the sinus venarum derived from the sinus venosus. The sinus venarum is the adult remnant of the sinus venous and it surrounds the openings of the venae cavae and the coronary sinus.
[7] Attached to the right atrium is the right atrial appendage – a pouch-like extension of the pectinate muscles. The interatrial septum separates the right atrium from the left atrium and this is marked by a depression in the right atrium –the fossa ovalis.  The atria are depolarised by calcium.

The heart derives from splanchnopleuric mesenchyme in the neural plate which forms the cardiogenic region. Two endocardial tubes form here that fuse to form a primitive heart tube known as the tubular heart.[34] Between the third and fourth week, the heart tube lengthens, and begins to fold to form an S-shape within the pericardium. This places the chambers and major vessels into the correct alignment for the developed heart. Further development will include the septa and valves formation and remodelling of the heart chambers. By the end of the fifth week the septa are complete and the heart valves are completed by the ninth week.[7]

The urinary system, also known as the renal system or urinary tract, consists of the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and the urethra. The purpose of the urinary system is to eliminate waste from the body, regulate blood volume and blood pressure, control levels of electrolytes and metabolites, and regulate blood pH. The urinary tract is the body's drainage system for the eventual removal of urine.[1] The kidneys have an extensive blood supply via the renal arteries which leave the kidneys via the renal vein. Each kidney consists of functional units called nephrons. Following filtration of blood and further processing, wastes (in the form of urine) exit the kidney via the ureters, tubes made of smooth muscle fibres that propel urine towards the urinary bladder, where it is stored and subsequently expelled from the body by urination (voiding). The female and male urinary system are very similar, differing only in the length of the urethra.[2]

The only vertebrates to have lungs, but no trachea, are the lungfish and the Polypterus, in which the lungs arise directly from the pharynx.[10]

The return of blood to the heart is assisted by the action of the muscle pump, and by the thoracic pump action of breathing during respiration. Standing or sitting for a prolonged period of time can cause low venous return from venous pooling (vascular) shock. Fainting can occur but usually baroreceptors within the aortic sinuses initiate a baroreflex such that angiotensin II and norepinephrine stimulate vasoconstriction and heart rate increases to return blood flow. Neurogenic and hypovolaemic shock can also cause fainting. In these cases, the smooth muscles surrounding the veins become slack and the veins fill with the majority of the blood in the body, keeping blood away from the brain and causing unconsciousness. Jet pilots wear pressurized suits to help maintain their venous return and blood pressure.

The sinoatrial node is found in the upper part of the right atrium near to the junction with the superior vena cava.[41] The electrical signal generated by the sinoatrial node travels through the right atrium in a radial way that is not completely understood. It travels to the left atrium via Bachmann's bundle, such that the muscles of the left and right atria contract together.[42][43][44] The signal then travels to the atrioventricular node. This is found at the bottom of the right atrium in the atrioventricular septumâ€”the boundary between the right atrium and the left ventricle. The septum is part of the cardiac skeleton, tissue within the heart that the electrical signal cannot pass through, which forces the signal to pass through the atrioventricular node only.[7] The signal then travels along the bundle of His to left and right bundle branches through to the ventricles of the heart. In the ventricles the signal is carried by specialized tissue called the Purkinje fibers which then transmit the electric charge to the heart muscle.[45]

The two left lobar veins may be united as a single pulmonary vein in about 25% of people; the two right veins may be united in about 3%.[2]

The Thebesian veins within the myocardium of the heart are valveless veins that drain directly into the chambers of the heart. The coronary veins all empty into the coronary sinus which empties into the right atrium.

In a healthy young adult, blood enters the atria and flows to the ventricles via the opened atrioventricular valves (tricuspid and mitral valves). Atrial contraction rapidly follows, actively pumping about 20% of the returning blood. As diastole ends, the ventricles begin depolarizing and, while ventricular pressure starts to rise owing to contraction, the atrioventricular valves close in order to prevent backflow to the atria. At this stage, which corresponds to the R peak or the QRS complex seen on an ECG, the semilunar vales (aortic and pulmonary valves) are also closed. The net result is that, while contraction causes ventricular pressures to rise sharply, there is no overall change in volume because of the closed valves. The isovolumetric contraction phase lasts about 0.03 s, but this short period of time is enough to build up a sufficiently high pressure that eventually overcomes that of the aorta and the pulmonary trunk upon opening of the semilunar valves. This process, therefore, helps maintain the correct unidirectional flow of blood through the heart and circulatory system.

The right atrium receives blood almost continuously from the body's two major veins, the superior and inferior venae cavae. A small amount of blood from the coronary circulation also drains into the right atrium via the coronary sinus, which is immediately above and to the middle of the opening of the inferior vena cava.[7] In the wall of the right atrium is an oval-shaped depression known as the fossa ovalis, which is a remnant of an opening in the fetal heart known as the foramen ovale.[7] Most of the internal surface of the right atrium is smooth, the depression of the fossa ovalis is medial, and the anterior surface has prominent ridges of pectinate muscles, which are also present in the right atrial appendage.[7]


Question: When was South African Youth Day first observed?

Youth Day, observed annually on June 16th, is a significant public holiday in South Africa. It serves as a memorial to the Soweto uprising of 1976, a series of demonstrations that swept across the nation. These protests were sparked by the Bantu Education Act and the government's mandate in 1974 to use Afrikaans as the language of instruction in black schools for certain subjects. The poignant image of Hector Pieterson, a young black student fatally shot by the police, vividly illustrated the harsh realities and the impact of resistance during the apartheid era to both South Africans and the international community.

3 May was declared a Polish holiday (Constitution Day—Święto Konstytucji 3 Maja) on 5 May 1791.[134] The holiday was banned during the partitions of Poland but reinstated in April 1919 under the Second Polish Republic—the first holiday officially introduced in the newly independent country.[130][134][135] It was again outlawed during World War II by both the Nazi and Soviet occupiers. It was celebrated in Polish cities in May 1945, although in a mostly spontaneous manner.[130] The 1946 anti-communist demonstrations did not endear it to the Polish communists, and it competed for attention with the communist-endorsed May 1 Labor Day celebrations in the Polish People's Republic; this led to its "rebranding" as Democratic Party Day and removal from the list of national holidays by 1951.[130][134] Until 1989, 3 May was a frequent occasion for anti-government and anti-communist protests.[130] 3 May was restored as an official Polish holiday in April 1990 after the fall of communism.[134] In 2007, 3 May was declared a Lithuanian national holiday.[136] Polish-American pride has been celebrated on the same date, for instance in Chicago, where since 1982 Poles have marked it with festivities and the annual Polish Constitution Day Parade.[137]

President Ronald Reagan originally opposed the holiday, citing cost concerns. When asked to comment on Helms' accusations that King was a communist, the president said "We'll know in thirty-five years, won't we?", in reference to the eventual release of FBI surveillance tapes that had previously been sealed.[7] But on November 2, 1983, Reagan signed a bill, proposed by Representative Katie Hall of Indiana, to create a federal holiday honoring King.[8][9] The bill had passed the House of Representatives by a count of 338 to 90, a veto-proof margin.[4] The holiday was observed for the first time on January 20, 1986.

In the South African general election in 1948, in which only whites were permitted to vote, the Afrikaner-dominated Herenigde Nasionale Party under Daniel François Malan took power, soon uniting with the Afrikaner Party to form the National Party. Openly racialist, the party codified and expanded racial segregation with new apartheid legislation.[65] Gaining increasing influence in the ANC, Mandela and his party cadre allies began advocating direct action against apartheid, such as boycotts and strikes, influenced by the tactics already employed by South Africa's Indian community. Xuma did not support these measures and was removed from the presidency in a vote of no confidence, replaced by James Moroka and a more militant executive committee containing Sisulu, Mda, Tambo, and Godfrey Pitje.[66] Mandela later related that he and his colleagues had "guided the ANC to a more radical and revolutionary path."[67] Having devoted his time to politics, Mandela failed his final year at Witwatersrand three times; he was ultimately denied his degree in December 1949.[68]

Since the Defence Act of 1912, the South African Army has been comprised, in general terms, of three groupings. The first is the standing army, also known since the 1970s as the Permanent Force. A military reserve force was also established by the terms of the 1912 Act and initially designated the Active Citizen Force. The force was established on 1 July 1913.[10] Other designations through the years have included Active Reserve Force, Citizen Force, Conventional Reserve and Territorial Reserve.[citation needed] The Deloitte and Touche plan, as well as various policies over the years have referred to a 'One Force Concept' where reservists and reserve units are supposed to be treated on an equal footing with the permanent force counterparts. This is often not the case.

The TRC, the first of the 1003 held internationally to stage public hearings, was seen by many as a crucial component of the transition to full and free democracy in South Africa. Despite some flaws, it is generally (although not universally) thought to have been successful.[3]

On 26 July 2007, Sirleaf celebrated Liberia's 160th Independence Day under the theme "Liberia at 160: Reclaiming the future." She took an unprecedented and symbolic move by asking 25-year-old Liberian activist Kimmie Weeks to serve as National Orator for the celebrations, where Weeks called for the government to prioritize education and health care. A few days later, President Sirleaf issued an Executive Order making education free and compulsory for all elementary school aged children.[40]

The election was held on 27 April 1994 and went off peacefully throughout the country as 20 million South Africans cast their votes. There was some difficulty in organising the voting in rural areas, but people waited patiently for many hours to vote amidst a palpable feeling of goodwill. An extra day was added to give everyone the chance. International observers agreed that the elections were free and fair.[211] The European Union's report on the election compiled at the end of May 1994, published two years after the election, criticised the Independent Electoral Commission's lack of preparedness for the polls, the shortages of voting materials at many voting stations, and the absence of effective safeguards against fraud in the counting process. In particular, it expressed disquiet that "no international observers had been allowed to be present at the crucial stage of the count when party representatives negotiated over disputed ballots." This meant that both the electorate and the world were "simply left to guess at the way the final result was achieved."[212]

Broadly speaking, apartheid was delineated into petty apartheid, which entailed the segregation of public facilities and social events, and grand apartheid, which dictated housing and employment opportunities by race.[8] Prior to the 1940s, some aspects of apartheid had already emerged in the form of minority rule by white South Africans and the socially enforced separation of black South Africans from other races, which later extended to pass laws and land apportionment.[9][10] Apartheid was adopted as a formal policy by the South African government after the ascension of the National Party (NP) during the country's 1948 general elections.[11]

When the Union of South Africa was formed in 1910 from the main British colonies in the region, the Bechuanaland Protectorate, Basutoland (now Lesotho), and Swaziland (the High Commission Territories) were not included, but provision was made for their later incorporation. However, the UK began to consult with their inhabitants as to their wishes. Although successive South African governments sought to have the territories transferred to their jurisdiction, the UK kept delaying; consequently, it never occurred. The election of the Nationalist government in 1948, which instituted apartheid, and South Africa's withdrawal from the Commonwealth in 1961, ended any prospect of the UK or these territories agreeing to incorporation into South Africa.

There were fears that the change of power would be violent. To avoid this, it was essential that a peaceful resolution between all parties be reached. In December 1991, the Convention for a Democratic South Africa (CODESA) began negotiations on the formation of a multiracial transitional government and a new constitution extending political rights to all groups. CODESA adopted a Declaration of Intent and committed itself to an "undivided South Africa".


Question: Who possesses the highest number of trophies in La Liga?

Real Madrid holds the record for the most La Liga titles with 33. Atlético Madrid was the last team outside of the Real Madrid-Barcelona duo to claim the championship, which occurred in the 2013-14 season. Barcelona is the only Spanish team to have achieved the treble, winning the La Liga, Copa del Rey, and UEFA Champions League in the same year, a feat they've accomplished twice, most recently in 2015. They have also won the Spanish version of the double, the league and cup in the same year, a record six times. The reigning champions are Real Madrid, who emerged victorious in the 2016-17 season.

The most successful breed in the modern era since Best in Show was introduced has been the English Cocker Spaniel. Of the breed's seven show titles, all but one of them were owned and bred by Herbert Summers Lloyd (known predominantly as H. S. Lloyd) from the "of Ware" kennel.[11] Only four dogs have won Best in Show on more than one occasion, and on three of these occasions they were English Cocker Spaniels owned by Lloyd. The fourth occasion was a Labrador Retriever named Bramshaw Bob,[12] owned by Countess Lorna Howe who is the second most successful breeder in the show's history as she also won Best in Show once more with another Labrador in 1937, Ch. Cheveralla Ben of Banchory.[13] Although no dog has won Crufts more than once since H. S. Lloyd's Tracey Witch of Ware in 1950,[14] owner Jackie Lorimer won the title in 1993 with Irish Setter Sh Ch. Danaway Debonair and again with the dog's son, Sh Ch. Caspians Intrepid in 1999.[15]

While Barcelona began a gradual decline, the 19-year-old Messi established himself as one of the best players in the world during the 2006–07 campaign.[56][57] Already an idol to the culés, the club's supporters, he scored 17 goals in 36 games across all competitions.[57][58] However, he continued to be plagued by major injuries; a metatarsal fracture sustained on 12 November 2006 kept him out of action for three months.[59][60] He recovered in time for the last 16 round of the Champions League against Liverpool, but was effectively marked out of the game; Barcelona, the reigning champions, were out of the competition.[61] In the league, his goal contribution increased towards the end of the season; 11 of his 14 goals came from the last 13 games.[58] On 10 March 2007, he scored his first hat-trick in a Clásico, the first player to do so in 12 years, equalising after each goal by Real Madrid to end the match in a 3–3 draw in extra time.[62] His growing importance to the club was reflected in a new contract, signed that month, which greatly increased his wages.[63]

Argentina's fiercest rival is Brazil and their rivalry is sometimes known as the "Battle of the South Americans". They have played each other numerous times in the Copa América and the Confederations Cup, and their clubs have met several times in the Copa Libertadores finals. Argentina is one of the few national teams in association football that have beaten Brazil on a regular basis. Argentine and Brazilian national youth teams have also met at various tournaments. At the 2008 Summer Olympics, the under-23 teams met in the semi-finals, with Argentina winning 3–0 in a hard-fought game. In addition, the aforementioned Maradona has been often compared with Brazilian iconic player Pelé.

Argentina's polo team won their first Olympic gold medal in 1924 and the second gold medal in 1936. Adolfo Cambiaso, Gonzalo Pieres, his brother Facundo, the Novillo Astrada brothers, the Heguy's, and Tommy Iriarte are currently ranked amongst the best polo players in the world. The three most important polo tournaments in the world, the Argentine Open, the Hurlingham Open, and the Tortugas Open are held in Argentina. Historically, Argentina has always been a leading country in this international handicapped sport, and have been uninterrupted world champions since 1949, and Argentine players comprise most of the world's top ten players. Argentina has won four World Polo Championships

Basketball is a very popular sport, mostly in the provinces of Argentina. The Basketball Clubs' Association organizes the Liga Nacional de Básquet, the top level league in the country. Although the national team won the first FIBA World Championship in 1950, the sport did not gain country-wide popularity until the 2000s, when the national team conquered the Olympic gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics and had a good performance in the 2002, 2006 and 2010 World Championships finishing on the second, fourth and fifth position respectively. The national team also won a bronze medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics. Argentine NBA star Manu Ginóbili also won NBA Championship rings in 2003, 2005, 2007 & 2014 as a member of the San Antonio Spurs, the 2007 victory included compatriot Fabricio Oberto.

Winners of each competition are referenced above. Numbers in bold are record totals for that competition. Clubs in italics are Double winners: they have won two or more of the top division, the FA Cup, and the EFL Cup. Trophies that were shared between two clubs are counted as honours for both teams. Clubs tied in total honours are listed chronologically by most recent honour won.

Ahead of the 2008 Summer Olympics, Barcelona legally barred Messi from representing Argentina at the tournament as it coincided with their Champions League qualifying matches.[282] After interference from newly appointed Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola, who had won the tournament in 1992, Messi was permitted to join Sergio Batista's under-23 squad in Beijing.[283] During the first match, he scored the opening goal and assisted another in their 2–1 victory over the Ivory Coast. Following a 1–0 win in the next group match against Australia, ensuring their quarter-final qualification, Messi was rested during the game against Serbia, while his side won the match to finish first in their group. Against the Netherlands, he again scored the first goal and assisted a second strike to help his team to a 2–1 win in extra time. After a 3–0 semi-final victory over Brazil, Messi assisted the only goal in the final as Argentina defeated Nigeria to claim Olympic gold medals.[284] Along with Riquelme, Messi was singled out by FIFA as the stand-out player from the tournament's best team.[285]

Although much emphasis is placed on retaining possession of the ball and dictating play, Guardiola's teams are recognised for pressing off the ball. Players press and harry the opposition collectively in an attempt to win back possession of the ball. This collective press is only conducted in the starting third of the opposition's pitch where less space exists and defenders and/or the goalkeeper may not be as good dribbling or passing the ball as a midfielder. At Barcelona, this was referred as the "six-second rule", in that the team should aim to win back possession of the ball within six seconds as this was the time when opposition players may still be out of position following turnover of possession and most susceptible to being dispossessed or forced into a mistake.[158] If possession of the ball was not won back within six seconds, players would abandon the collective press to conserve energy and revert to compact positions with men behind the ball to make it hard for the opposition to break them down.[159] The 'six-second rule' has largely been omitted after he left Barcelona however the principle of swiftly winning the ball back following a turnover of possession remains at Bayern Munich and Manchester City.[160] This pressing tactic has influenced the tactical approach of other managers such as Mauricio Pochettino and Jurgen Klopp[161] as well as those in other sports such as rugby.[162][154]

They have won the Gold Medals in football at the Summer Olympics twice, in 1924 and 1928 recognized by FIFA as World Championship, before the creation of the World Cup. Uruguay also won the 1980 Mundialito, a tournament among former World Cup champions. In total, Uruguay have won 20 official titles, a world record for the most international titles held by any country.

This table lists the total number of titles won by managers of each country.


Question: Who is competing in the 2017 SEC Championship?

The 2017 SEC Championship Game, held on December 2, 2017, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, saw the Eastern Division Champion Georgia Bulldogs take on the Western Division Co-Champion Auburn Tigers. This marked the first SEC football championship at the new stadium and the first time permanent cross-division rivals met in the championship game. Auburn, who previously defeated Georgia 40-17 on November 11, 2017, faced off again in this high-stakes rematch. The game was broadcast nationally by CBS, with Brad Nessler stepping in as the new SEC on CBS announcer, following Verne Lundquist's retirement in 2016.

The 2018 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament was a 68-team single-elimination tournament to determine the men's National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I college basketball national champion for the 2017–18 season. The 80th edition of the tournament began on March 13, 2018, and concluded with the championship game on April 2 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

The 2015 season is regarded by sports writers as one of the most successful seasons in Clemson history.[68] The Tigers possessed the nation's number 1 ranking throughout the second half of the regular season and ended with 14–1 overall record. Behind the leadership of Heisman Trophy finalist Deshaun Watson, the Tigers won the 2015 ACC Championship against number 10 North Carolina by a score of 45–37.[69] The Tigers were selected to participate in the 2016 College Football Playoff as the top-seeded team in the tournament. Clemson defeated the #4 ranked Oklahoma Sooners in the 2015 Orange Bowl by a score of 37–17 to advance to the 2016 College Football Playoff National Championship game against the number 2-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide on January 11, 2016.[70] Clemson lost the 2016 College Football Playoff National Championship Game to Alabama, 45–40 ending the school's 17-game winning streak. Heisman finalist quarterback Deshaun Watson had a historic performance setting the record for most total yards in national championship game history, with 478 yards (405 passing; 73 rushing) against the nation's best defense, and becoming the first player in history to amass over 4000 yards passing and 1,000 yards rushing in a single season.[71]

On November 24, during the game against the Missouri Tigers before a home crowd, Manziel left the game with an apparent knee injury late in the first quarter. He returned to the field for the next series of downs wearing a knee brace and finished the game with 439 yards of total offense, including 3 passing and 2 rushing touchdowns. During the game, he broke the single season record for offensive production in the SEC with 4600 yards, surpassing Cam Newton and Tim Tebow, notable recent Heisman Trophy winners. He also became the first freshman and only the fifth player in NCAA history to pass for 3000 and rush for 1,000 yards in a season, reaching that mark two games earlier than any other player. He won the SEC Freshman of the Year Award and College Football Performance National Freshman of the Year Award.[34] Manziel won the Davey O'Brien Award on December 6 and the Heisman Trophy on December 8, making him the first freshman ever to win either award.[4]

Needing to go 80-yards for the win, Winston completed five of his first six passes of the drive, including a 49-yard pass to Rashad Greene, to take the Seminoles to Auburn's 5-yard line. After receiving a delay of game penalty, Florida State faced a third and 8 situation at Auburn's 10-yard line.[34] On the next play, Winston's pass fell incomplete. However, Auburn's Chris Davis was called for a pass interference penalty in the endzone, giving FSU the ball at Auburn's 2-yard line.[30] On the next play, Florida State took a 34â€“31 lead on a 2-yard touchdown pass to Kelvin Benjamin with 13 seconds remaining in the game. Auburn had one more chance to win the game. On the final play of the game, Auburn attempted several laterals in an effort to reach the endzone. However, Tre Mason was tackled at Auburn's 37-yard line with no time remaining, giving Florida State the victory and the National Championship.[34]

The 2017â€“18 NCAA Division I men's basketball season began on November 10, 2017. The first tournament was the 2K Sports Classic and the season ended with the Final Four in San Antonio on April 2, 2018. Practices officially began on September 29, 2017.[1]

Duke's 2013 season was a break-out year, as the Blue Devils have continued to cross off many of their infamous losing streaks. On October 26, 2013, Duke achieved its first win over a ranked team since 1994 with a 13–10 victory over #14 Virginia Tech at Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, Virginia, a rarity for the Duke football program.[627] That win over Virginia Tech was also Duke's first road win over a ranked team since 1971.[628] Following a bye week, on November 9, 2013 the Blue Devils achieved their first winning season since 1994 with a 38–20 home victory over in-state rival NC State,[629] their seventh of the season. Extending its winning streak to 6 straight by defeating #24 Miami 48–30 on November 16,[630] Duke appeared in the AP Poll for the first time since 1994, listed at #25 with a record of 8–2.[631] With a win at Wake Forest on November 23, 2013, Duke claimed its ninth victory in a regular season for the first time since 1941, the season in which the Blue Devils hosted the Rose Bowl.[632] The win also gave Duke at least a share of the Coastal Division title and a #24 AP Poll ranking.[633] With a 27–25 win over North Carolina on November 30, 2013, Duke locked up their first 10-win season in school history, the Coastal Division title, and a spot in the 2013 ACC Championship Game against Florida State, during which time Duke was ranked #20.[634] The Blue Devils lost that game to the Seminoles, the eventual national champions,[635] by a score of 45-7.[636] David Cutcliffe received the Walter Camp Coach of the Year award in 2013.[637] The Blue Devils were invited to the Chick-fil-A Bowl,[638] where they lost another close, hard-fought game 52–48 to Texas A&M to finish the season with a record of 10–4.[639] After the 2013 season, offensive coordinator Kurt Roper left Duke to accept the same position on Will Muschamp's staff at Florida.[640]

In 2016, the Texas State Fair in conjunction with the City of Dallas announced an expansion of games played during the state fair for 2018 and 2019. Following the Red River Rivalry weekend, the Texas Southern University Tigers will play against the Southern University Jaguars. The game will be a neutral site for both teams, Texas Southern University is centrally located in Houston and Southern University is located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana (South Louisiana). The two schools are long-time SWAC rivals and have nationally recognized marching bands.[13]

The Texans shared the Cotton Bowl with the NFL's cross-town competition Dallas Cowboys for three seasons. The Texans were to have exclusive access to the stadium until the NFL put an expansion team, the Dallas Cowboys, there.[7] While the team averaged a league-best 24,500 at the Cotton Bowl, the Texans gained less attention due to the AFL's relatively lower profile compared to the NFL.[7] In the franchise's first two seasons, the team managed only a 8–6 and 6–8 record, respectively.[11] In their third season, the Texans strolled to an 11–3 record and a berth in the team's first American Football League Championship Game, against the Houston Oilers.[10][11] The game was broadcast nationally on ABC and the Texans defeated the Oilers 20–17 in double overtime.[10] The game lasted 77 minutes and 54 seconds, which still stands as the longest championship game in professional football history.[10]

The UCF Knights football team represents The University of Central Florida (UCF) in the sport of American football. The Knights compete in the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the East Division of the American Athletic Conference (The American).[3] Their current head coach is Josh Heupel, formerly a player and coach at Oklahoma and offensive coordinator at Missouri.[4] The Knights play their home games at the 44,000-seat Spectrum Stadium, which is located on UCF's main campus in Orlando, Florida, United States.

The Sugar Bowl, officially the Allstate Sugar Bowl for sponsorship purposes, is an annual American college football bowl game played in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Sugar Bowl has been played annually since January 1, 1935, and celebrated its 75th anniversary on January 2, 2009. The Sugar Bowl, along with the Orange Bowl and Sun Bowl, are the second-oldest bowl games in the country, behind the Rose Bowl Game.[3] The Sugar Bowl is also a member of the College Football Playoff. Presently, its current sponsor is the Allstate insurance company.


Question: What was the intended purpose of building the Mall of America?

Mall of America, often referred to as MOA or simply "the mall," is a retail and entertainment complex situated in Bloomington, Minnesota, U.S. (a Twin Cities suburb). Conveniently located near the intersection of Interstate 494 and Minnesota State Highway 77, north of the Minnesota River, and opposite the Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport, it opened its doors to the public in 1992. The mall boasts the title of the second largest in terms of leasable space, the largest in the U.S. by total floor area (incorporating Nickelodeon Universe), and ranks twelfth globally in size. Its purpose was to create a mega-destination that combined shopping with entertainment, offering a comprehensive experience for visitors from around the world.

In 1881 Watkin purchased large tracts of land close to the MR line and began a grand scheme to build an amusement park at Wembley, laid out with boating lakes, a waterfall, ornamental gardens and cricket and football pitches. The centrepiece of this park was to be a soaring metal tower, known as Watkin's Tower; at 1,200 feet (366Â m) it was to be taller than the Eiffel Tower and would offer panoramic views of the surrounding countryside, just 12 minutes from Baker Street station.[5] Wembley Park station was specially constructed to serve these pleasure grounds as a destination for excursion trips on the company's trains.[6] The station opened for the first time on 14 October 1893 and initially operated to serve only Saturday football matches in the park. It opened fully on 12 May 1894.[7]

In 1975, Zodiac debuted in the Coney Island mall, which was billed as a "spinning, climbing double ferris wheel".[42][43] Manufactured by Intamin, the three-minute ride featured twelve gondolas on each of the two wheels which were mounted to a long, hydraulic arm.[48] It closed in 1987 and reopened at Wonderland Sydney in 1989.[49] In the 1980s, the area saw the additions of Skylab, Zephyr, and Vortex, a six-inversion looping roller coaster that briefly held a world record for most inversions.[6][50] Following Paramount's acquisition of the park in 1992, Coney Mall was further expanded in 1994 with Days of Thunder, a motion simulator ride in the new Action Theater attraction, and in 1996 with Flight of Fear, the world's first launched roller coaster to feature a linear induction motor (LIM).[6][50]

The Sports Authority, Inc. was founded in Lakes Mall in Lauderdale Lakes, Florida by a syndicate of venture capital groups and several key founding executives.  Jack A. Smith, formerly COO of Herman's World of Sports, CEO; Roy M. Cohen, Senior Vice President and General Merchandise Manager; Richard Lynch, Senior Vice President and CFO and Arnold Sedel, Vice President of Stores Operations were the founding executives.  The venture capital syndicate was led by William Blair Venture Partners and included First Chicago Venture Partners, Bain Capital, Phillips-Smith Venture Partners, Marquette Venture Partners, and Bessemer Securities.

The month following the approval of funding, the Department of Administrative Services purchased a single-level building in Hillsboro’s Techpointe Commons business park near Cornelius Pass Road for $5.5 million to house the labs.[5] They bought the 77,514-square-foot (7,201.3 m2) building after the location passed the criteria set up for the facility of being within 30 miles (48 km) or 45 minutes of major Portland area hospitals, Portland International Airport, and Oregon Health & Sciences University.[5] Built in 2002, the building had never been occupied and was sold by Schnitzer Investments.[5] Construction on retrofitting the office space into laboratory facilities began in January 2005 by contractor Skanska USA.[7] The new facility was designed by IDC Architects, part of CH2M Hill, who had to expand the facility from the 77,000-square-foot (7,200 m2) building to better meet the agencies’ need for around 95,000 square feet (8,800 m2) and convert it from light industrial use to the heavier uses needed by the labs.[7][8]

Leading the way was Gary Wachs, son of Coney Island president Ralph Wachs, who with friends and family owned a majority of stock. He decided it was time to relocate the park to stay competitive. After years of research and traveling abroad, he presented ideas for a new theme park to the company's board of directors. Some board members opposed relocating, including significant stockholder Charles Sawyer. It wasn't taken seriously until 1968, when actor Fess Parker announced plans to build a theme park in Northern Kentucky – well within Coney Island's primary market that extended as far south as Louisville. The announcement highlighted the need for change and gave Wachs' proposal credibility within the organization.[3][4]

On January 3, 2012, Macy's Inc. announced it would close its Bloomingdale's location at the Mall of America.[8]

Despite Minnesota's cold winters, only the mall's entrances and some below ground areas are heated. Heat is allowed in through skylights above the central amusement park area. The majority of the heat is produced by lighting fixtures, other electric devices, and people in the mall.[14] In fact, even during the winter, air conditioning systems may still be in use during peak hours to ensure a comfortable shopping environment.[15] Although the common areas are unheated, the individual stores do have heating systems.[16]

The city was on the site of a 64,229-acre (25,993 ha) Central Oregon property known as the Big Muddy Ranch, near Antelope, Oregon,[4] which was purchased in 1981 for $5.75 million ($15.5 million in today's dollars[5]). Within three years, the neo-sannyasins (Rajneesh's followers, also termed Rajneeshees in contemporaneous press reports) developed a community,[6] turning the ranch from an empty rural property into a city of up to 7,000 people, complete with typical urban infrastructure such as a fire department, police, restaurants, malls, townhouses, a 4,200-foot (1,300 m) airstrip, a public transport system using buses, a sewage reclamation plant and a reservoir.[7] The Rajneeshpuram post office had the ZIP code 97741.[8]

The Ansteys Building at the corner of Jeppe and Joubert Streets was designed by Emley and William and completed in 1937. It is recognised as a prime example of Art Deco Architecture, a style synonymous with modernisation, optimism and Americanisation before World War 2. The departmental store, N. Anstey's and Company, occupied the first four floors of the building. The tea terrace was on the fourth floor and was a destination of choice for the ladies of the northern suburbs. The building is 20 storeys high and was, when it was completed, the highest building in the southern hemisphere. The remaining storeys were offices and apartments, some of them occupying an entire floor. The building terminates in a mast designed for docking air ships.[87]

When commercial service began at Moisant Field in 1946, the terminal was a large, makeshift hangar-like buildingâ€”a sharp contrast to airports in then-peer cities. A new terminal complex, designed by Goldstein Parham & Labouisse and Herbert A. Benson, George J. Riehl and built by J. A. Jones Company, debuted in 1959 towards the end of Mayor DeLesseps "Chep" Morrison's administration. The core of this structure forms much of the present-day facility.[7] Retired United States Air Force Major-General Junius Wallace Jones served as airport director in the 1950s. During his term, the airport received many improvements.


Question: When is the last time that the Ducks won the Stanley Cup?

The Anaheim Ducks, previously known as the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, won the Stanley Cup once in their history. This victory occurred during the 2006-07 season, under the ownership of Henry and Susan Samueli and General Manager Brian Burke. The team has been successful in making the playoffs 13 times, including 10 times in the past 12 seasons, and has secured six Pacific Division titles.

Prior to the 2006–07 season, the Ducks adopted a completely new look to go along with their new name; their team colors became black, gold and orange, and the logo of a duck-shaped goalie mask was dropped in favor of the word "Ducks", with a webbed foot in place of the "D."[22]

After an extremely slow start to the 2008–09 season, on November 12, 2008, Burke resigned to take the same position for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Bob Murray replaced him as general manager, but the team struggled to make the playoffs as the eighth seed in the Western Conference. A bevy of trade deadline deals saw the departure of some mainstays from the Cup team, including Chris Kunitz, who was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins for defenseman Ryan Whitney; Samuel Pahlsson, who was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets for defenseman James Wisniewski; and Travis Moen, who was traded to the San Jose Sharks for two prospects. The trades gave the Ducks new life as a hot streak to end the season launched the team into the playoffs. Jonas Hiller emerged as the new number one goalie during the stretch drive. The Ducks defeated the number one seed and Presidents' Trophy-winning San Jose Sharks in six games in the first round before being eliminated in the conference semi-finals by the eventual Western Conference champion Detroit Red Wings in seven games. Before the 2009–10 season, the Ducks traded Chris Pronger to the Philadelphia Flyers for Joffrey Lupul, Luca Sbisa and two first round draft picks. Francois Beauchemin and Rob Niedermayer also left via free agency for the Toronto Maple Leafs and New Jersey Devils, respectively. The Ducks then signed free agent center and former Montreal Canadiens captain Saku Koivu to a one-year deal.

The Cubs, playing in their eleventh World Series and their first since 1945, won their third championship and first since 1908, ending the longest world championship drought in North American professional sports history. It was the Indians' sixth appearance in the World Series and their first since 1997, with their last Series win having come in 1948. The two teams entered their matchup as the two franchises with the longest World Series title droughts, a combined 176 years without a championship. Cleveland manager Terry Francona, who had previously won World Series titles with the Boston Red Sox in 2004 and 2007, fell short in his bid to become the third manager, and the first non-Yankees manager, to win his first three trips to the Fall Classic, after Casey Stengel and Joe Torre.

As the 2000s progressed, the Yankees' rivalry with the Boston Red Sox increased in intensity as the sides met multiple times in the American League Championship Series (ALCS), trading victories in 2003 and 2004. New York regularly reached the postseason, but were often defeated in the first two rounds. In 2009, the Yankees opened a new Yankee Stadium and won the World Series for the 27th time in team history, an MLB record. The furthest the Yankees have gone in the postseason since then is the ALCS, in 2010, 2012, and 2017.

1995–96 would mark a big change for the team, especially for second-year superstar Paul Kariya. During the season, he was chosen to play for the Western Conference in the 1996 NHL All-Star Game as the lone Ducks representative. At the time of his selection, (January 1996), Kariya was ranked 14th in league scoring with 51 points (23 goals and 28 assists) over 42 games, although the Ducks were overall a low-scoring team. Then a midseason blockbuster deal with the Winnipeg Jets improved the franchise. The Ducks sent Chad Kilger, Oleg Tverdovsky and a third round pick to the Jets in return for Marc Chouinard, a fourth round draft pick and right winger Teemu Selanne. Following the trade, Ducks centre Steve Rucchin commented, "Paul [Kariya] had a lot of pressure on him... He singlehandedly won some games for us this year... Now that we have Teemu, there's no way everybody can just key on Paul."[12] These three players formed one of the most potent lines of their time.[13] Although the trade proved to be an important effort in the team, they still finished short of the playoffs, losing the eight spot in the West to the Jets based on the number of wins.[14]

The National Hockey League season is divided into a regular season (from early October through early to mid April) and a postseason (the Stanley Cup playoffs).

The Norfolk Admirals won the AHL Calder Cup in 2012.

In the off-season, the Devils hired former Montreal Canadiens head coach Claude Julien to replace Lamoriello behind the bench.[93] However, in the last week of the 2006–07 Devils season, with just three games left, Julien was fired, and Lamoriello once again reprised his coaching role.[94] The Devils went on to win their seventh Atlantic Division title and earn the second seed in the Eastern Conference after finishing ahead of the Pittsburgh Penguins by two points.[95] They then defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning in six games in the Conference Quarterfinals, but fell to the Ottawa Senators in the Conference Semifinals in five.[50] The conclusion of the series marked the end of the Devils' time at the Continental Airlines Arena.[96]

The 2016–17 Vancouver Canucks season was the 47th season for the National Hockey League franchise that was established on May 22, 1970.[2] For the third consecutive season, they opened the season with a match against the Calgary Flames.[3] The team finished with the lowest-scoring season in franchise history, scoring just 182 goals.[4] The day after the Canucks' season-ending game, head coach Willie Desjardins was fired, along with assistant coaches Doug Lidster and Perry Pearn.[5] The Canucks overall missed the playoffs for the second consecutive year.

On January 24, 2015, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announced the 2016 World Cup of Hockey to be held in September 2016 at Air Canada Centre in Toronto. The 2016 edition featured a slightly modified format: alongside the Big Six countries, there were two all-star teams, consisting of Team Europe and an under-23 Team North America. Canada again won the championship, defeating Team Europe in the finals.


Question: When was the last time Congress passed a complete budget?

The United States budget process does not mandate that Congress pass a budget resolution annually. In cases where no new resolution is passed, the previous year's budget remains in effect. For instance, the Senate did not pass budget resolutions for FY2011, FY2012, and FY2013, but it did pass the FY2014 budget resolution on March 23, 2013, ahead of the April 15 deadline set by the No Budget, No Pay Act of 2013. This was the Senate's first budget resolution since the FY2010 budget was approved on April 29, 2009. Both the House and Senate have the authority to propose their own budgets independently of the President's budget proposal. For the 2014 budget process, the House submitted its budget proposal on March 21, and the Senate followed on March 23, while the President's budget was presented on April 10.

Congress has several powers related to war and the armed forces. Under the War Powers Clause, only Congress may declare war, but in several cases it has, without declaring war, granted the President the authority to engage in military conflicts. Five wars have been declared in United States' history: the War of 1812, the Mexican–American War, the Spanish–American War, World War I and World War II. Some historians argue that the legal doctrines and legislation passed during the operations against Pancho Villa constitute a sixth declaration of war. Congress may grant letters of marque and reprisal. Congress may establish and support the armed forces, but no appropriation made for the support of the army may be used for more than two years. This provision was inserted because the Framers feared the establishment of a standing army, beyond civilian control, during peacetime. Congress may regulate or call forth the state militias, but the states retain the authority to appoint officers and train personnel. Congress also has exclusive power to make rules and regulations governing the land and naval forces. Although the executive branch and the Pentagon have asserted an ever-increasing measure of involvement in this process, the U.S. Supreme Court has often reaffirmed Congress's exclusive hold on this power (e.g. Burns v. Wilson, 346 U.S. 137 (1953)). Congress used this power twice soon after World War II with the enactment of two statutes: the Uniform Code of Military Justice to improve the quality and fairness of courts martial and military justice, and the Federal Tort Claims Act which among other rights had allowed military service persons to sue for damages until the U.S. Supreme Court repealed that section of the statute in a divisive series of cases, known collectively as the Feres Doctrine.

Scholar and representative Lee H. Hamilton asserted that the "historic mission of Congress has been to maintain freedom" and insisted it was a "driving force in American government"[2] and a "remarkably resilient institution".[3] Congress is the "heart and soul of our democracy", according to this view,[4] even though legislators rarely achieve the prestige or name recognition of presidents or Supreme Court justices; one wrote that "legislators remain ghosts in America's historical imagination".[4] One analyst argues that it is not a solely reactive institution but has played an active role in shaping government policy and is extraordinarily sensitive to public pressure.[4] Several academics described Congress:

In the 1990s, ASPE provided leadership in particular for President Bill Clinton’s health care and welfare reform proposals. It played a major role developing HIPAA privacy regulations after HIPAA became law in 1996. In 1998 Congress supplemented ASPE’s research budget by $31.4 million specifically for the purpose of studying welfare reform outcomes over a five-year period. During the 1990s, ASPE formed two new divisions: one on aging and long-term care policy to directly address the challenge of the aging US population, and one on science and data policy.

TANF was scheduled for reauthorization again in 2010. However, Congress did not work on legislation to reauthorize the program and instead they extended the TANF block grant through September 30, 2011, as part of the Claims Resolution Act.[62] During this period Congress once again did not reauthorize the program but passed a three-month extension through December 31, 2011.

Terry Wynn, an MEP who served on the Parliament's Committee on Budgetary Control and reached the position of chairman, has also backed these calls, stating that it is impossible for the Commission to achieve these standards. In a report entitled EU Budget – Public Perception & Fact – how much does it cost, where does the money go and why is it criticised so much?, Wynn cites consensus that practice in the EU differs from that in the USA. In the USA, the focus is on the financial information, not on the legality and regularity of the underlying transactions, 'So, other than in Europe, the political reaction in the US to the failure to obtain a clean audit opinion is only "a big yawn"'.[16]

Six amendments approved by Congress and proposed to the states for consideration have not been ratified by the required number of states to become part of the Constitution. Four of these are technically still pending, as Congress did not set a time limit (see also Coleman v. Miller) for their ratification. The other two are no longer pending, as both had a time limit attached and in both cases the time period set for their ratification expired.

The Congressional Record is publicly available for records before 1875 via the Library of Congress' American Memory Century of Lawmaking website[3] and since 1989 via Congress.gov (which replaced the THOMAS database in 2016).[4] For the time period in between, the records are not freely available online, but are commonly found in large library systems or college libraries.[5]

Per the constitution, the House determines the rules according to which it passes legislation. The rules are in principle open to change with each new Congress, but in practice each new session amends a standing set of rules built up over the history of the body in an early resolution published for public inspection.[48] Before legislation reaches the floor of the House, the Rules Committee normally passes a rule to govern debate on that measure (which then must be passed by the full House before it becomes effective). For instance, the committee determines if amendments to the bill are permitted. An "open rule" permits all germane amendments, but a "closed rule" restricts or even prohibits amendment. Debate on a bill is generally restricted to one hour, equally divided between the majority and minority parties. Each side is led during the debate by a "floor manager", who allocates debate time to members who wish to speak. On contentious matters, many members may wish to speak; thus, a member may receive as little as one minute, or even thirty seconds, to make his/her point.[49]

Occasionally, a President either publicly or privately threatens Congress with a veto to influence the content or passage of legislation. There is no record of what constitutes a "veto threat", or how many have been made over the years, but it has become a staple of Presidential politics and a sometimes effective way of shaping policy. A President may also warn Congress of a veto of a particular bill so as to persuade Congress not to waste time passing particular legislation or including certain provisions in a bill when the President is prepared to veto it.

To allow the government to act quickly in case of a major domestic or international crisis arising when Congress is not in session, the President is permitted to call extraordinary sessions of one or both Houses of Congress. If the two Houses cannot agree on a date for adjournment, the President may adjourn both Houses to such a time as befits the circumstances. The last time this power was exercised was in 1948, when President Harry S Truman called a special session of Congress. That was the twenty-seventh time in American history that a president convened such a session.[23]


Question: Who performed the song "I Wanna Be Sedated"?

"I Wanna Be Sedated" is a popular song by the American punk rock band, the Ramones. This song is one of their most well-known tracks. Initially, it was included on their fourth album, 'Road to Ruin', in September 1978, and was the B-side of the UK single "She's the One" released on September 21, 1978. Later, the song was released as a single in the Netherlands in 1978, and then in the U.S. in 1980 by RSO Records from the Times Square soundtrack album.

Zantzinger was convicted of manslaughter on August 28, 1963, and was not tried by a jury of peers but by a panel of three judges. The sentence was handed down on the same day that Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech in Washington. Bob Dylan, aged 22 at that time, was one of the celebrities at the march and on the journey home to New York City he read about the conviction of Zantzinger and decided to write a protest song about the case. According to a 1991 Washington Post report, Dylan wrote the song in Manhattan, sitting in an all-night cafe.[1] A recent radio documentary on the song said rather that he wrote it both in New York and at the home of his then-lover, Joan Baez, in Carmel. According to Nancy Carlin, a friend of Baez who visited: "He would stand in this cubbyhole, beautiful view across the hills, and peck type on an old typewriter... there was an old piano up at Joan's... and peck piano playing... up until noon he would drink black coffee then switch over to red wine, quit about five or six."[7] He recorded it on October 23, 1963, when the trial was still relatively fresh news, and incorporated it into his live repertoire immediately, before releasing the studio version on January 13, 1964.[citation needed]

In early 1992, They Might Be Giants released Apollo 18. The heavy space theme coincided with TMBG being named Musical Ambassadors for International Space Year. Singles from the album included "The Statue Got Me High", "I Palindrome I", and "The Guitar (The Lion Sleeps Tonight)". Apollo 18 was also notable for being one of the first albums to take advantage of the CD player's shuffle feature. The song "Fingertips" actually comprised 21 separate tracks â€” short snippets that not only acted together to make the song but that when played in random order would be interspersed between the album's full-length songs. Due to mastering errors, the UK and Australian versions of Apollo 18 contained "Fingertips" as one track.

Margaret Whiting released the song on her 1960 album Margaret Whiting Sings the Jerome Kern Songbook. In 1961 Cannonball Adderley released the song on his album African Waltz. Bandleader Ray Conniff first released his arrangement of the song in 1962, on his double album The Ray Conniff Hi-Fi Companion;[22] it became one of the signature songs of his career.[citation needed] Saxophone player Boots Randolph released an instrumental version of the song on the B-side of his LP Yakety Sax in 1963.[23] On February 2, 1964, Judy Garland performed the song in a comical performance on the nineteenth episode of her variety television series, The Judy Garland Show. In her performance she sings longingly, sitting at a small table, as the house around her burns down; firefighters hack down the door behind her as she sits unfazed singing to the camera. A number of firefighters flee up the staircase, for which smoke billows down, in an attempt to douse the fire. When their attempts fail, they proceed to empty the room of its contents, presumably running them to the street. Eventually, after the room has been completely emptied, one man returns to save Garland; he grabs her by her waist, throwing her over his shoulder. Garland is still clutching the back of the chair she once sat on, now dragging it across the room as the firefighter carries her out. Throughout the scene, she never stops singing.[24]

"Paranoid Android" was recorded in actress Jane Seymour's 15th century mansion near the village of St Catherine, near Bath, Somerset.[7] The first edit was over 14 minutes long and included a long organ interlude performed by Jonny Greenwood.[8][9] Radiohead played this extended version during a tour with Alanis Morissette in September 1996. "When we started playing it live, it was completely hilarious," recalled O'Brien. "There was a rave down section and a Hammond organ outro, and we'd be pissing ourselves while we played. We'd bring out the glockenspiel and it would be really, really funny."[9] Before the song's first live performance, Yorke told audiences that "[i]f you can have sex to this one, you're fucking weird."[10] He also sarcastically referred to the version of the song played during the tour as "a Pink Floyd cover".[11]

The song's music video was directed by Samuel Bayer, best known for his work with Nirvana and Metallica.[7] Bayer wrote the treatment for the video, which he envisioned as a mini-movie.[3] Bayer brought the idea of an Iraq War-themed video to the trio after interviewing soldiers who had signed up to fight after being persuaded by a television advertisement. The song's music video thus attempts to "turn the machine on itself" by acting as a commercial for "free thought or peace."[8] Although it was far from the song's literal meaning, Armstrong felt it appropriate considering the song's theme of loss.[9] Bayer noted that he felt bored with predictable music videos, and wanted to produce a video that felt like a film. Consequently, he and a crew spent a month casting actors for the roles and conducted rehearsals, uncommon for music videos.[7] The clip was filmed in Los Angeles in late March 2004.[3]

A late-night Tampa Bay Public-access television cable TV show hosted by goth high school students Azrael Abyss, Prince of Sorrows (Chris Kattan), and Circe Nightshade (Molly Shannon). The show, recorded in Azrael's home, begins with the theme song, "Bela Lugosi's Dead" by Bauhaus, and a station identification bumper, ironically from "Channel 33: Sunshine State Cable Access." The hosts speak in a melodramatic, woeful tone, and wear dark gothic clothes and black make-up. Azrael speaks in a grating, high-pitched voice and frequently makes noises like a cat. They try to be as dark and gothic as they can, making regular references to death and the macabre, but always end in matters that are in quite contrast to both, prompting them to end the show abruptly with the slogan "Stay out of the daylight!".

While "Rock and Roll All Nite" would eventually become a fixture in Kiss's live performances, it was not inserted into the band's setlist immediately. Nor did it immediately replace "Let Me Go, Rock 'n' Roll" as the closing number.[5] Kiss performed the song during the closing ceremonies for the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City which proved to be Ace Frehley's final performance with Kiss to date. They also performed the song live with Adam Lambert during the season 8 finale of American Idol, on May 20, 2009 at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles.

On 29 March 1969, she represented the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest performing the song "Boom Bang-a-Bang",[14] written by Peter Warne and Alan Moorhouse, the song chosen from a selection of six by viewers of her BBC1 variety series Happening for Lulu and on a special show hosted by Michael Aspel in which she performed all six one after another. One song, "I Can't Go On...", written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin, came last in the postcard vote but was later recorded by Cilla Black, Sandie Shaw, Polly Brown and Elton John himself as well as by Lulu. In Madrid, Lulu was accompanied by Sue and Sunny while the orchestra was conducted by Lulu's musical director Johnny Harris. Lulu later recalled:

"I Wanna Be Rich" is a song by American R&B duo Calloway. It was released in 1989 as the third and final single from their debut album All the Way. It is the band's only Top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, reaching #2 in May 1990 and also hitting #5 on the R&B chart.[1] The single was released in the United Kingdom on Epic records and included remixes by DJ Timmy Regisford.

The song makes frequent appearances as a sports theme and was once covered by the USC Trojan Marching Band. They later joined Coheed and Cambria on stage at Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival to perform the song with them.


Question: China, in Chinese, is referred to as Zhongguo, which signifies what?

The term "Zhongguo" is the most widely used Sinitic name for China in modern times, originating from the Western Zhou period on a ritual vessel called the He zun. It is derived from the combination of two characters: "zhong" (中), meaning "central" or "middle," and "guo" (國/国), which translates to "state" or "states," and currently signifies "nation." Historically, "Zhongguo" denoted the "Central States," referring to a culturally distinct core region, centered around the Yellow River valley, distinct from the tribal outskirts. However, in subsequent eras, the term "Zhongguo" did not retain this meaning. Instead, the state was identified by the name of the ruling dynasty, such as the "Han dynasty" (Hanchao 漢朝), "Tang dynasty" (Tangchao 唐朝), "The Great Ming" (Daming 大明), or "The Great Qing" (Daqing 大清), depending on the era. Prior to the 19th century and the advent of the international system, which necessitated a standardized legal language, there was no requirement for a singular, fixed name for the country.

Chinese New Year,[a][2] also known as the Spring Festival in modern China,[b] is an important Chinese festival celebrated at the turn of the traditional lunisolar Chinese calendar. It is one of several Lunar New Years in Asia. Celebrations traditionally run from the evening preceding the first day, to the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first calendar month. The first day of the New Year falls on the new moon between January 21 and February 20[3] In 2018, the first day of the Lunar New Year was on Friday, 16 February, initiating the year of the Dog.

As a strategy board game played in China, chess is believed to have been derived from the Indian chaturanga.[33] Chaturanga was transformed into the game xiangqi where the pieces are placed on the intersection of the lines of the board rather than within the squares.[11] The object of the Chinese variation is similar to chaturanga, i.e. to render helpless the opponent's king, known as "general" on one side and "governor" on the other.[33] Chinese chess also borrows elements from the game of Go, which was played in China since at least the 6th century BC. Owing to the influence of Go, Chinese chess is played on the intersections of the lines on the board, rather than in the squares. The game of Xianqi is also unique in that the middle rank represents a river, and is not divided into squares.[34] Chinese chess pieces are usually flat and resemble those used in checkers, with pieces differentiated by writing their names on the flat surface.[33]

Because many, perhaps most, Han Chinese do not consider their spiritual beliefs and practices to be a "religion" and in any case do not feel that they must practise any one of them exclusively, it is difficult to gather clear and reliable statistics. According to scholarly opinion, "the great majority of China's population of 1.4+ billion" takes part in Chinese cosmological religion, its rituals and festivals of the lunar calendar, without belonging to any institutional teaching.[7] National surveys conducted in the early 21st century estimated that some 80% of the population of China, that is more than a billion people, practise some kind of Chinese folk religion or Taoism; 10–16% are Buddhists; 2–3% are Christians; and 1–2% are Muslims. Folk religious movements of salvation constitute 2–3% to 13% of the population, while many in the intellectual class adhere to Confucianism as a religious identity. In addition, ethnic minority groups practise distinctive religions, including Tibetan Buddhism, and Islam among the Hui and Uyghur peoples.

Names used in the rest of Asia, especially East and Southeast Asia, are usually derived directly from words in a language of China. Those languages belonging to a former dependency (tributary) or Chinese-influenced country have an especially similar pronunciation to that of Chinese. Those used in Indo-European languages, however, have indirect names that came via other routes and bear little resemblance to what is used in China.

The term Neidi is also often used in Xinjiang and Tibet to distinguish the eastern provinces of China from the minority-populated, autonomous regions of the west.

Japanese: Morokoshi (もろこし; variously written in kanji as 唐 or 唐土). This obsolete Japanese name for China is believed to have derived from a kun reading of the Chinese compound 諸越 Zhūyuè or 百越 Bǎiyuè as "all the Yue" or "the hundred (i.e., myriad, various, or numerous) Yue," which was an ancient Chinese name for the societies of the regions that are now southern China.

Beijing, (/beɪˈdʒɪŋ/)[8] formerly romanized as Peking,[9] is the capital of the People's Republic of China and the world's second most populous city proper and most populous capital city. The city, located in northern China, is governed as a direct-controlled municipality under the national government with 16 urban, suburban, and rural districts.[10] Beijing Municipality is surrounded by Hebei Province with the exception of neighboring Tianjin Municipality to the southeast; together the three divisions form the Jingjinji metropolitan region and the national capital region of China.[11]

The name Huaxia (華夏/华夏; pinyin: huáxià), generally used as a sobriquet in Chinese text, is the combination of two words:

Libbrecht distinguishes two layers in the development of the Chinese theology and religion that continues to this day, traditions derived respectively from the Shang (1600–1046 BCE) and subsequent Zhou dynasties (1046–256 BCE). The religion of the Shang was based on the worship of ancestors and god-kings, who survived as unseen divine forces after death. They were not transcendent entities, since the universe was "by itself so", not created by a force outside of it but generated by internal rhythms and cosmic powers. The royal ancestors were called di (帝), "deities", and the utmost progenitor was Shangdi (上帝 "Highest Deity"). Shangdi is identified with the dragon, symbol of the unlimited power (qi),[14] of the "protean" primordial power which embodies yin and yang in unity, associated to the constellation Draco which winds around the north ecliptic pole,[8] and slithers between the Little and Big Dipper (or Great Chariot). Already in Shang theology, the multiplicity of gods of nature and ancestors were viewed as parts of Di, and the four 方 fāng ("directions" or "sides") and their 風 fēng ("winds") as his cosmic will.[15]

Chinese popular religion is "diffused", rather than "institutional", in the sense that there are no canonical scriptures or unified clergy—though it relies upon the vast heritage represented by the Chinese classics—, and its practices and beliefs are handed down over the generations through Chinese mythology as told in popular forms of literature, theatre, and visual arts, and are embedded in rituals which define the microcosm of the nuclear families, the kins or lineages (which are peoples within the Chinese people, identified by the same surnames and by the same ancestor-god), and professional guilds, rather than in institutions with merely religious functions.[213] It is a meaning system of social solidarity and identity, which provides the fabric of Chinese society, uniting all its levels from the lineages to the village or city communities, to the state and the national economy.