Setting.

"Star Trek Online" is set in the years 2409/2410, thirty years after the events of "". The alliance between the United Federation of Planets and the Klingon Empire has collapsed, and they are again at war. The Romulan Star Empire continues to deal with the fallout of the loss of their homeworld twenty-two years earlier (as shown in J. J. Abrams' "Star Trek" reboot), while the Dominion rebuilds its forces. The Borg Collective has re-emerged as a major threat. In later expansions the Vaadwaur, the Iconians, the Na'Kuhl, the Krenim, the Terran Empire, the Voth, Species 8472 (called "The Undine" in the game), the Tzenkethi and the Hur'q are also introduced as adversaries.

Gameplay.

In "Star Trek Online", each player acts as the captain of their own ship. Players are able to play as a starship, controlling the ship's engineering, tactical, and science systems by keyboard/mouse or using an on-screen console. Players can also "beam down" and move around as a player character in various settings with access to weapons and specific support and combat skills relating to their own characters' classes. The two combat systems are intertwined throughout the game: away-team missions feature fast-paced "run-and-gun" combat, while space combat stresses the long-term tactical aspect of combat between capital ships. Both are offered in concert with the "Star Trek" storyline and emphasize ship positioning to efficiently utilize shields during space combat, as well as the player's away team's positioning in consideration of flanking damage and finding various weaknesses to exploit during ground combat.  Other aspects of the game include crafting, which in its current form involves using duty officers (junior crew members) to make items, depending on the level of the school (category- such as science, beams, etc.) chosen. To raise the level of the school being researched, it is necessary to perform a research project using a crafting material. Unlike in some other MMO's, crafting is a "set-and-forget" procedure. The player will set up the project, click a button and after a specified time the task will be completed, rather than spending time actually performing the crafting.  Duty Officers can also be sent on assignments which also follow the set and forget methodology, and are not available during the time the assignments are in progress.  Characters of level 52 and higher can send any ships they have, or have had, on admiralty missions, similar to duty officer assignments—but these do not use duty officers to perform them. Again, the mission is selected and a certain amount of specified time passes until the player is told it is complete, at which time they will be informed whether it was successful.

Free-to-play.

On September 1, 2011, Cryptic Studios announced that "Star Trek Online" would switch to free-to-play, but without full access to all the items. Later, it was announced that free-to-play would be starting Tuesday January 17, 2012. Free-to-play for existing, but cancelled, customers began Thursday January 5.

Development.

Cryptic Studios officially announced the development of "Star Trek Online" on July 28, 2008, as a countdown timer on Cryptic's web site reached zero and the new official site was launched. A letter was sent out from Jack Emmert, the game's online producer, detailing some aspects of Cryptic's approach.  Console versions were announced several months before the release, with no specific console platform specified, but Cryptic announced that all console versions of their games are on indefinite hold due to difficulties "on the business side of things," largely referring to the fees assessed by Microsoft for their Xbox Gold premium online gaming service and the difficulty in asking a player to pay both that and the Cryptic subscription fee to play a single game. Console support, for both Microsoft Xbox One and Sony PlayStation 4 was made available in September 2016. The initial release was in North American regions, but will be rolled out to additional regions in the Americas and Europe.  "Star Trek Online"s closed beta test officially began when it was announced on October 22, 2009. Cryptic Studios offered guaranteed beta access to users who bought 6-month and lifetime subscriptions to Champions Online. However, the offer did not explicitly state how early in the beta process the access would be granted. Some pre-order packages included access to the 'open beta' running from January 12––26, 2010.

Expansion pack: "Legacy of Romulus".

"Legacy of Romulus" is "Star Trek Online"s first expansion pack, announced on March 21, 2013. A third playable faction, the Romulan Republic, was added, with the choice of Romulans or Remans (at present) as player characters, as they battle a mysterious new enemy and try to discover the secrets behind the destruction of Romulus two decades earlier. Denise Crosby, who reprised her role of Tasha Yar during STO's third anniversary, reprised her role of Tasha's daughter Sela, the Romulan Empress. Also featured is a complete leveling experience from level 1 to 50 (the current level cap) for the Romulans and for the Klingons, a Tholian reputation faction, a customizable UI, and an overhauled "traits" system. "Legacy of Romulus" was released on May 21, 2013, between the Season 7 and Season 8 releases.

Expansion pack: "Delta Rising".

"Delta Rising" is "Star Trek Online"s second expansion, announced at the Official "Star Trek" Convention in Las Vegas on August 2, 2014. Cryptic had hinted of a new expansion in December 2013, with a release "late in 2014". The expansion is set in the Delta Quadrant, the main setting of "". Tim Russ reprised his role as Admiral Tuvok (who appeared in two feature episodes in Season 9), and he was joined by Garrett Wang as Captain Harry Kim of the USS "Rhode Island" (established in the "Voyager" series finale ""), Jeri Ryan as Seven of Nine, Robert Picardo as, and Ethan Phillips as Neelix. Lead Designer Al Rivera said that "several" "Voyager" cast members would appear in "Delta Rising". The level cap was raised from 50 to 60, adding two new ranks for each faction: Admiral and Fleet Admiral for the Federation and the Romulan Republic, and General and Dahar Master for the Klingons. Several Delta Quadrant races that appeared in "Voyager" will also were included in the new content, as well as a new tier of ships for the higher levels, and a Delta Reputation tree for players to progress through. "Delta Rising" was released on October 14, 2014.

Expansion pack: "Agents of Yesterday".

"Agents of Yesterday" is "Star Trek Online"s third expansion, announced on May 5, 2016, as the game's contribution to the 50th anniversary of "Star Trek". The expansion allows for the creation of Starfleet player characters from the era of the original series who become involved in an ongoing "Temporal Cold War" (a storyline that was introduced in "Enterprise", and brought into STO with the "Future Proof" missions in Season 11) with the Na'kuhl species. Matt Winston reprised his role as, the temporal agent who fought alongside Captain Jonathan Archer to stop the Na'kuhl in several episodes of "Enterprise". He was also joined by Walter Koenig, reprising his role as Pavel Chekov, and Chris Doohan as Montgomery Scott, filling in for his late father, James Doohan. The expansion also intersects with the alternate timeline from the reboot series begun in 2009 by J. J. Abrams; Joseph Gatt reprises his role as the cyborg science officer 0718, who appeared in "Star Trek Into Darkness". "Agents of Yesterday" was released on July 6, 2016.

Expansion pack: "Victory is Life".

"Victory is Life" is "Star Trek Online"s fourth expansion, announced on March 21, 2018, as the game's contribution to the 25th anniversary of "". The expansion opens up the Gamma Quadrant, accessible by the Bajoran wormhole, and also adds the Dominion as a playable faction, with the ability to create Jem'Hadar characters. The Cardassians can also be unlocked for the Starfleet and Klingon Defense Force factions in the in-game store. Several "DS9" actors reprise their roles in the expansion, including René Auberjonois (Odo), Nana Visitor (Kira Nerys), Alexander Siddig (Dr. Julian Bashir), Armin Shimerman (Quark), Max Grodénchik (Rom), Chase Masterson (), Aron Eisenberg (Nog), Andrew Robinson (Elim Garak), J. G. Hertzler (Martok), Jeffrey Combs (Weyoun and ), Salome Jens (the Female Changeling), and Bumper Robinson (Dukan'Rex, the Jem'Hadar youth who appeared in "DS9"s third-season episode "").  "Victory is Life" was released on June 5, 2018.

Release and operations.

Promotions.

Cryptic Studios partnered with several retailers for distribution of pre-order copies. Each retailer had a version with unique and exclusive content, such as a Borg Bridge Officer (Amazon), a classic Constitution-class starship (Gamestop), Sniper Rifle (Target), Chromodynamic armor (Steam), 500 bonus skill points (Walmart), Neodymium deflector dish (SyFy), or a Tribble/Targ pet (Best Buy). All versions of the game came with access to the Open Beta and Head Start launch date.  In addition, the code for a "" Admiral's uniform is included in the DVD release of "The Best of Volume 2" and the Blu-ray release of " – Season 3".

Ownership.

"Star Trek Online" was originally owned by Cryptic Studios and published by Atari Interactive, along with sister title Champions Online. On May 17, 2011, Atari indicating they no longer wanted to pursue MMORPG gaming, and that they planned to sell Cryptic Studios off. Later in that same month, Perfect World Entertainment purchased Cryptic Studios for $50.3 million and continued their operations.

Reception.

"Star Trek Online" has received mixed reviews, garnering a 66 on Metacritic. GameSpot praised the game's space combat as entertaining, but found the other aspects of the game to be "bland and shallow". MMOify's reviewer reviewed the game favorably but criticized many aspects of gameplay, including "poor voice acting" and repetitive quests. An IGN reviewer described the game experience as feeling like "two games" which did not mesh together well, and although visually it was "quite a gorgeous game", found much of the gameplay to be repetitive in nature.  In 2016, Tom's Guide ranked "Star Trek: Online" as one of the top ten "Star Trek" games.  In 2017, "PC Gamer" ranked "Star Trek: Online" among the best "Star Trek" games, noting that it includes original voice acting by actors from the live-action television series.

Star Trek Online is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) developed by Cryptic Studios based on the "Star Trek" franchise. The game is set in the 25th century, 30 years after the events of "". "Star Trek Online" is the first massively multiplayer online role-playing game within the "Star Trek" franchise and was released for Microsoft Windows in February 2010. At launch, the game required a game purchase and a recurring monthly fee. In January 2012, it relaunched with a tier of free-to-play access available. After a public beta testing period, a version of the game was released for OS X in March 2014. Due to technical issues with the port, support for OS X ended in February 2016. It was later released on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in September 2016.

Star Trek Online, oft auch einfach STO abgekürzt, ist ein Massen-Mehrspieler-Online-Rollenspiel (engl. MMORPG), welches von Cryptic Studios entwickelt wurde. Das Spiel basiert auf der von Gene Roddenberry erschaffenen Serie "Star Trek", wurde am 2. Februar 2010 veröffentlicht und ist das erste MMORPG im "Star-Trek"-Universum. Ab Januar 2012 wurde von pay-to-play (Kaufen um spielen zu können) auf das free-to-play Modell umgestiegen. Ab März 2014 wurde das Spiel für Benutzer von MacOS zugänglich gemacht. Aufgrund von technischen Schwierigkeiten wurde die Unterstützung für Mac-OS im Februar 2016 eingestellt. Im September 2016 wurde das Spiel für die Nutzer von der Playstation 4 und der Xbox One zugänglich gemacht.


History.

The Compasso d′Oro was set up in 1954, and now it is the highest honor in the industrial designing circle in Italy, as famous as the first grade international awards like the Red Dot Award. It was the first award of its kind in Europe and soon took on an international dimension and relevance, multiplying the occasions on which the exhibitions of award-winning objects were held in Europe, the United States, Canada and Japan. The Castiglioni brothers contributed to establish the ADI and the "Compasso d’Oro" awards. Enzo Mari was president of the ADI from 1976 to 1979. At present the management department of the Compasso d'Oro is Italy Industrial Designing Association, and it is also the members of the International Industrial Designing Committee and the European Designing Bureau.  Since its inception, approximately 300 designs have been honored the Award, covering a wide range of products such as racing bikes, portable sewing machines, desks, sofas, vases, clothes hangers, drawers, clocks, desk lamps, telephones, electric fans and coffee machines. Some of the awarded designs are exposed in Milan, in the Collection of the Premio Compasso d'Oro ADI. On 22 April 2004, the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities and Tourism – through its Superintendency for Lombardy – declared the collection of "exceptional artistic and historical interest", thus making it part of the national cultural heritage.

Trivia.

The award is given as a Compass, the one invented by Adalbert Goeringer in 1893 to measure the Golden Section.

Compasso d'Oro (; Golden Compass) is the name of an industrial design award originated in Italy in 1954 by the "La Rinascente" company from an original idea of Gio Ponti and Alberto Rosselli. From 1964 it has been hosted exclusively by Associazione per il Disegno Industriale (ADI). It is the first and most recognized award in its field. The prize aims to acknowledge and promote quality in the field of industrial designs made in Italy and is awarded by ADI.

Der Compasso d’Oro (Goldener Zirkel) ist ein italienischer Industriedesignpreis. Die Auszeichnung ist eine der bedeutendsten in diesem Bereich und geht auf den italienischen Architekten und Designer Gio Ponti zurück. Er wurde von 1954 bis 1963 von der auf Bekleidung, Kosmetik und Haushaltsprodukte spezialisierten Warenhauskette La Rinascente organisiert. Seit 1964 wird der Preis durch die Associazione per il Disegno Industriale ("Verband für Industriedesign" / ADI) verliehen. Der Preis soll die Werke der Designer, die sowohl ästhetisch herausragen als auch kommerziell erfolgreich sind, auszeichnen. Die prämierten Objekte werden in der "Fondazione ADI per il Design Italiano" in der "Collezione Storica del Premio Compasso d’Oro ADI" in Mailand ausgestellt. Der Preis wird von einer internationalen Jury verliehen. Ausgezeichnet werden nur in Italien produzierte Gegenstände, daher sind die meisten Preisträger Italiener. Es wurden aber auch internationale Designer für ihre in Italien hergestellten Produkte ausgezeichnet.


Personal life.

Perquis was born in Troyes, France. He is of Polish descent by way of his grandmother, Józefa Bierła. His Polish ancestors were from Strzyżewko, in central Poland. He is married, and has two children.

Club career.

Troyes.

Perquis came up through the Troyes AC youth system. He played in Ligue 2 with Troyes AC for 2 years, where he was rated as one of the best defenders of the league.

Saint-Étienne.

In 2005, he signed for Ligue 1 club AS Saint-Étienne as a free agent. In two seasons, he failed to impress with the club and was loaned to Sochaux. After some initial troubles, he finally found his form and became a regular in the starting line-up.

Sochaux.

In 2008, Sochaux bought the player outright. He made a total of 146 appearances for the club, scoring eleven goals, before leaving the club in the summer of 2012.

Real Betis.

In the summer of 2012, Perquis joined Real Betis in Spain. He suffered through various injury problems while in Spain, and was limited to 32 league matches in his three years with Betis.

Toronto FC.

Perquis was released by Betis and signed with Toronto FC of Major League Soccer on 26 January 2015. He mutually agreed to part ways with the club on 12 July 2016.

Nottingham Forest.

On 22 July 2016, Perquis signed a two-year deal with Nottingham Forest. On 27 August 2016, he scored his first goal for the club in a 3–1 home win against Leeds United. On 24 July 2017, Perquis and Nottingham Forest agreed to mutually terminate his contract at the club.

Gazélec Ajaccio.

In 2017, he moved to Gazélec Ajaccio in the French third tier, where he played for two years.

International career.

In December 2008, he declared his interest in playing for the Polish national team. Franciszek Smuda, manager of Poland, confirmed that information in July 2010. In January 2011, it was reported that Perquis had filed his citizenship application papers. However, his family had lost some required documents, and Smuda had to request that the Polish president Bronislaw Komorowski approve his application. Perquis received Polish citizenship on 1 September 2011.  On 6 September 2011, Perquis made his international debut during a 2–2 friendly draw against Germany in Gdańsk. He scored his first goal on 26 May 2012, in a 1–0 friendly win against Slovakia. He was selected to the final squad for the UEFA Euro 2012.

Damien Albert René Perquis (born 10 April 1984) is a professional footballer who last played for Gazélec Ajaccio. A defender, he represented France at youth level, before acquiring Polish citizenship and playing for Poland at senior level.

Damien Perquis (* 10. April 1984 in Troyes, Frankreich) ist ein polnisch-französischer Fußballspieler. Er steht bei Gazélec FC Ajaccio unter Vertrag und lief sowohl für die französische U21-Nationalmannschaft als auch für die polnische A-Nationalmannschaft auf.


History.

Larson had been inspired to draw comics when he was younger from the strip "Alley Oop", and later drew further inspiration from "MAD Magazine" and the work of Don Martin. He also enjoys comics from Gahan Wilson, B. Kliban and George Booth where humor was derived more from the comics' composition than dialog, which Larson considered "something almost organic going on between the humor and the art that conveyed it".  The series was preceded by a similar panel called "Nature's Way", also by Larson. He had been able to sell single strips of this to selected newspapers for income. Eventually "The Seattle Times" bought the strip to run on a weekly basis. However, the paper received numerous complaints about the strip, according to Larson, and so he sought to sell the comic to another market. While on vacation in San Francisco, he pitched his work to the "San Francisco Chronicle" and, to his surprise, the "Chronicle" bought the strip and promoted it for syndication, renaming it "The Far Side". Its first appearance was in the television pages of the "Chronicle" on December 31, 1979. A week later, "The Seattle Times" dropped "Nature’s Way."  "The Far Side" ran for fifteen years, syndicated initially by Chronicle Features and later by Universal Press Syndicate, until Larson retired with his final strip published on January 1, 1995.  In 2003, Gary Larson drew a cover for the November 17 edition of "The New Yorker" magazine (the Cartoon Issue), a prestigious offer he said he could not refuse.

Design overview.

Most "The Far Side" cartoons are a single rectangular panel, occasionally split into small sections of four, six, or eight for the purposes of a storyline. A caption or dialogue usually appears under the panel as typed text, although word-balloons are sometimes used for conversations. Sunday comics were double-sized, done in watercolor or colored pencils, with captions handwritten in Larson's own hand. Most of Larson's comics relied on some combination of a visual and verbal gag, rather than just one or the other. Some recurring themes in the comic include people being stranded on desert islands, aliens, heaven, hell, and the life of cavepeople. Many cartoons focused on animals, especially cows.  While Larson frequently used the same stereotypical characters such as a woman with a beehive hairdo, he purposely did not name his characters nor imply they were the same characters from cartoon to cartoon. He did not want to have a character-based series, as the characters were there to help serve the humor of the comic.

Notable cartoons.

"Cow Tools".

"Cow Tools" is the name of one "Far Side" cartoon first published in 1982. It shows a cow standing behind a table with strange objects, with the cartoon's caption "Cow tools". While most of the displayed tools had no apparent function, one was similar to a saw. The cartoon has become one of the most loathed cartoons in the series, with Reddit posters calling it the series' "notoriously confusing cartoon". Larson was frequently asked about the meaning of the cartoon by the media, and received numerous letters, some angry and questioning where the humor was in the comic. Larson said in "Prehistory of the Far Side" that he had so much mail from this strip he had to issue a press release to explain that there was nothing to explain about the "Cow Tools" comic.

Jane Goodall cartoon.

One "The Far Side" cartoon shows two chimpanzees grooming. One finds a blonde human hair on the other and inquires, "Conducting a little more'research' with that Jane Goodall tramp?" Goodall herself was in Africa at the time, and the Jane Goodall Institute thought this was in bad taste, and had their lawyers draft a letter to Larson and his distribution syndicate, in which they described the cartoon as an "atrocity." They were stymied by Goodall herself when she returned and saw the cartoon, as she stated that she found the cartoon amusing. Since then, all profits from sales of a shirt featuring this cartoon go to the Jane Goodall Institute. Goodall wrote a preface to "The Far Side Gallery 5", detailing her version of the controversy, and the Institute's letter was included next to the cartoon in the complete "Far Side" collection. She praised Larson's creative ideas, which often compare and contrast the behavior of humans and animals.

The Thagomizer.

In 1982, Larson published a comic in which a prehistoric lecturer refers to the then previously unnamed tail spikes of the Stegosaurus as the "thagomizer". The arrangement of spikes originally had no distinct name, but Larson's neologism was adopted gradually by paleontologists, albeit only in a casual context.  "" and "The Prehistory of The Far Side" include letters from angry readers alongside the comics. The letters were written to newspaper publishers and often demanded the removal of "The Far Side". Despite these protests, "The Far Side" remained popular and continued to run in many newspapers. Larson often laughs at the controversies as evidenced in "The Prehistory of The Far Side", in which he writes that the people complaining have usually misunderstood the cartoon.

Books.

Gary Larson produced 23 "The Far Side" books, which were all on "The New York Times" Best Seller list. The cartoons were first collected in small books (see list below), and some were then republished in larger best-of collections such as "The Far Side Galleries". Additional best-of collections were published, such as "The Prehistory of The Far Side", culminating in the final publication, "The Complete Far Side" in 2003.

Other books.

The five "The Far Side Gallery" books are the most popular, each of them collecting together the best cartoons from three smaller books, along with a humorous foreword by celebrity fans, including Stephen Jay Gould, Stephen King, Robin Williams, and Jane Goodall.  In 1989, "The Prehistory of The Far Side" was published to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the strip. In this book, Gary Larson discussed the development of "The Far Side", and the public's reaction to it, and presented a selection of his personal favorites from the cartoon's history as well as previously unpublished sketches and strips rejected by his editor.  In 2003, "The Complete Far Side" was released, containing nearly every "The Far Side" comic ever published (except for a few cartoons written for Christmas cards). The collection is also missing parody art pieces from "Wiener Dog Art", some material from "The Prehistory of The Far Side", and a panel run for a caption writing contest in the "Telegram-Tribune" newspaper. The set was released in two volumes (1980–1986 and 1987–1994) with a foreword by Steve Martin and an introduction by Larson's longtime editor, Jake Morrisey. The first-edition hardcover boxed set weighs. Some of the comics were altered for this book, either featuring a different caption, correcting errors, or simply becoming colorized.

Television productions.

In 1994, Larson produced an animated special, "Tales from the Far Side", featuring his art style and gags from the strips. He produced a sequel in 1997.

Online.

Larson has asked people not to use "Far Side" cartoons on the internet. In the late 1990s he widely distributed a letter in which he explains the "emotional cost" to him of people displaying his cartoons on their websites and asks them to stop doing so. In at least one case, he had sent out a cease and desist letter to a comics-aggregation site for reproducing "The Far Side" online. While an official "Far Side" site existed, it only offered information related to the comic and published books, but did not offer any of the strips.  On September 13, 2019, the official "Far Side" site was updated with a major redesign, teasing that additional updates will be forthcoming. The full site was launched on December 17, 2019. It features a "daily dose" of several randomly selected "Far Side" comics, a weekly themed collection, and additional material including art from Larson's sketchbooks. Larson wrote in an open letter announcing the site that he hoped that the official online presence of "The Far Side" would encourage sites presently hosting his comics to take them down and direct readers to the official site. Larson said that while he does not plan to draw regular "Far Side" comics, he may include new material every once in a while when updating the site.

Exhibitions.

In 1987, a special exhibit of 527 black and white "Far Side" panels was shown in the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. 127 of the panels were originals, displayed in the rotunda on boards that held 50 panels each. Later the display became a traveling exhibit that was shown in San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Orlando, Chicago, Toronto, New York City, Denver, and Los Angeles.  There was a "Far Side" gallery at the California Academy of Science that featured some of Larson's panels. The exhibit included a giant microscope under which visitors could stand, based on one of Larson's cartoons. Looking up through the objective lens revealed a giant blinking eyeball. The building was torn down and replaced and the exhibit is no longer in the new facility.

The Far Side is a single-panel comic created by Gary Larson and syndicated by Chronicle Features and then Universal Press Syndicate, which ran from December 31, 1979, to January 1, 1995 (when Larson retired as a cartoonist). Its surrealistic humor is often based on uncomfortable social situations, improbable events, an anthropomorphic view of the world, logical fallacies, impending bizarre disasters, (often twisted) references to proverbs, or the search for meaning in life. Larson's frequent use of animals and nature in the comic is popularly attributed to his background in biology. Reruns are still printed in many newspapers.

The Far Side (dt. "Die andere Seite") war ein Comic von Gary Larson, der vom 1. Januar 1979 bis zum 1. Januar 1995 lief.


Geography.

Ridgeway is located on the western side of the Kenai Peninsula at (60.519682, -151.060911). It is bordered to the northwest by the city of Kenai and to the south by the city of Soldotna, the borough seat. It is bordered to the east, across Soldotna Creek, by the unincorporated Sterling CDP, and to the west, across the Kenai River, by the Kalifornsky CDP.  According to the United States Census Bureau, the Ridgeway CDP has a total area of, of which are land and, or 5.13%, are water.

Demographics.

Ridgeway first appeared on the 1990 U.S. Census as a census-designated place (CDP).  As of the census of 2000, there were 1,932 people, 715 households, and 536 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 116.0 people per square mile (44.8/km2). There were 938 housing units at an average density of 56.3/sq mi (21.8/km2). The racial makeup of the CDP was 87.78% White, 0.36% Black or African American, 4.30% Native American, 0.78% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 1.55% from other races, and 5.12% from two or more races. 2.54% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.  There were 715 households out of which 39.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.5% were married couples living together, 9.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.9% were non-families. 18.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70 and the average family size was 3.09.  In the CDP, the population was spread out with 29.5% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 31.0% from 45 to 64, and 6.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.3 males.  The median income for a household in the CDP was $50,625, and the median income for a family was $56,985. Males had a median income of $51,488 versus $36,786 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $23,225. About 7.4% of families and 9.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.6% of those under age 18 and 15.5% of those age 65 or over.

Ridgeway is a census-designated place (CDP) in Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska, United States. At the 2010 census the population was 2,022, up from 1,932 in 2000.

Ridgeway ist ein Census-designated place im Kenai Peninsula Borough in Alaska. Beim United States Census 2000 wurden in Ridgeway 1932 Einwohner ermittelt.


Plot.

Lucia Nanami, the mermaid princess of the North Pacific Ocean, sets out on land to find the boy that she had saved from a tsunami wave seven years before the beginning of the story, to whom she fell in love and had entrusted her pink pearl. She eventually finds the boy: a teenage surfer named Kaito Dōmoto. However, Kaito does not recognize Lucia in her human form. She cannot directly tell Kaito who she really is; otherwise, according to mermaid legend, she would turn into bubbles and disappear. Lucia tries to convince Kaito into figuring out who she really is (since the legend doesn't say anything about the other person discovering a mermaid's true identity by him or her self).  At the same time, Lucia has been told that a group of water demons have invaded the sea world and she must gather six other Mermaid Princesses and their pearls to bring back the legendary goddess Aqua Regina to stop them. To fulfill this, she joins forces with Hanon and Rina, the Mermaid Princesses who came up to dry land, use their pearls, turn into singing Teen idols, and use their voices as an offensive power. After the water demons fail, the Black Beauty Sisters show up to steal the show. The Mermaid Princess believe in themselves and believe they can defeat the Black Beauty Sisters, which they do.

Media.

Manga.

The original manga, created by Yokote with illustrations by Hanamori, began serializing in the September 2002 issue of "Nakayoshi". There are a total of 32 chapters, with final one published on the April 2005 issue of the said magazine (released March 2005). There are a total of seven "tankōbon" volumes by Kodansha, the first six containing five chapters each and final one having two. They were released between March 20, 2003 and April 30, 2005.  Del Rey Manga acquired the rights to publish the manga for the North American audience. It began releasing the manga on April 2006 under the title "Pichi Pichi Pitch: Mermaid Melody". The English translations of the seven volumes were released from April 25, 2006 to October 30, 2007. The seventh volume, aside from the final two chapters, also contains two preview chapters from other manga.

Anime.

An anime adaptation produced by TV Aichi, We've, and Tokyu Agency, animated by Actas and Synergy Japan, and directed by Yoshitaka Fujimoto aired in Japan in two seasons. The first season, simply named "Mermaid Melody Pichi Pichi Pitch" and covers manga chapters 1 to 20, aired between April 5, 2003 and March 27, 2004. They were compiled into 14 DVD volumes. The second season, "Mermaid Melody Pichi Pichi Pitch Pure", which adapts events from chapters 21 to 30, was aired between April 3 to December 25, 2004. Unlike the first season, "Pure" was compiled into two DVD box sets containing a total of 11 discs.  ADV Films acquired the license to the anime on June 2004 for its North American release, but was eventually dropped due to difficulty in finding backers and securing a TV airing deal. While the acquisition of the license and the production of the English anime predated that of the manga, it is unknown if a release will occur. That is because as of 2009, the anime has been completely dubbed but is being held by Kodansha. In addition, some foreign dubs such as Spanish and French dubbed versions was translated from the unreleased ADV Films' English-dubbed version as a reference when Elastic Rights acquired the licensing rights to Mermaid Melody Pichi Pichi Pitch from Kodansha in Spain, Portugal, Greece, Cyprus, Turkey and French-speaking Europe and Africa. Likewise, there's an alternative English dub version which it was made in Malaysia by an unknown dubbing studio for (which released the anime series in Asia outside Japan and Korea on behalf of Kodansha). It aired on TV3 in 2006 and later moved its sister channel TV9 in English with or without Malay subtitles. However, the Malaysian English dubbed version became very hard to find than the ADV's dubbed version since it never officially released to home video neither in Malaysia nor in English-speaking Asian territories.  A total of six theme songs were composed for the anime. The first opening theme, by Miyuki Kanbe, and the first ending theme by Asumi Nakata, are used in the first 28 episodes. For 29th to the 52nd episodes, "Rainbow Notes♪" by Kanbe and by Nakata, Hitomi Terakado, and Mayumi Asano, are the second opening and ending themes respectively. For "Pure", the opening theme is "Before the Moment" by Eri Kitamura while by Nakata, Terakado, and Asano is the ending song.

Other music.

There are also other pieces of music used in the anime, either as battle songs performed by the Mermaid Princesses or their enemies or as insert songs. All songs listed below are compiled in several character singles, soundtrack, and vocal albums (which also include the theme songs listed above):

Video games.

Three video games (developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Japan) were released on Nintendo's Game Boy Advance console during the original run of the anime. All the games featured multiplayer capabilities, but required each player to have his or her own copy of the game in order to play.

Reception.

Reviews for the English manga have been generally unfavorable. Robert Harris of Mania.com has managed to score all of its volumes Cs and below, even going insofar as to rate its 7th and final volume an F-, making it the only manga series on site to receive such a score. Meanwhile, Anime News Network's Melissa Harper managed to only review the second volume of the manga and commented that while it has good visuals, its story is too childish in some of its elements.

A 91-episode anime series was produced by TV Aichi, divided into two seasons, aired in Japan from April 2003 to December 2004. The first season is composed of 52 episodes, while the second, entitled "Mermaid Melody Pichi Pichi Pitch Pure", lasted for 39.

Mermaid Melody – Pichi Pichi Pitch! (jap., "Pichi Pichi Pitchi") ist eine abgeschlossene Manga-Serie der Autorin Michiko Yokote und der Zeichnerin Pink Hanamori, die auch als Anime-Serie umgesetzt wurde. Sie ist der Shōjo-Gattung und dem Genre Magical Girl zuzuordnen.


Background.

Eminem, born Marshall Bruce Mathers III, began rapping at age fourteen. In 1996, his debut album "Infinite", which was recorded at the Bassmint, a recording studio owned by the Bass Brothers, was released under their independent record label Web Entertainment. "Infinite" achieved very little commercial success and was largely ignored by Detroit radio stations. The disappointment from this experience greatly influenced his lyrical style: "After that record, every rhyme I wrote got angrier and angrier. A lot of it was because of the feedback I got. Motherfuckers was like, 'You're a white boy, what the fuck are you rapping for? Why don't you go into rock & roll?' All that type of shit started pissing me off." After the release of "Infinite", Eminem's personal struggles and abuse of drugs and alcohol culminated in a suicide attempt.  The disappointment of "Infinite" inspired Eminem to create the alter ego Slim Shady: "Boom, the name hit me, and right away I thought of all these words to rhyme with it." Slim Shady served as Eminem's vent for his frustrations, and in the spring of 1997, he recorded the eight-song extended play "Slim Shady EP". During this time, Eminem and his girlfriend Kim Scott lived in a high-crime neighborhood with their newborn daughter Hailie, where their house was burglarized numerous times. After being evicted from his home, Eminem traveled to Los Angeles to participate in the Rap Olympics, an annual nationwide rap battle competition. He placed second, and the staff at Interscope Records who attended the Rap Olympics sent a copy of the "Slim Shady EP" to company CEO Jimmy Iovine. Iovine played the tape for hip hop producer Dr. Dre, founder of Aftermath Entertainment. Dr. Dre recalled, "In my entire career in the music industry, I have never found anything from a demo tape or a CD. When Jimmy played this, I said, 'Find him. Now.'" Some urged Dr. Dre not to take a chance on Eminem because he was white. Dr. Dre responded, "I don't give a fuck if you're purple. If you can kick it, I'm working with you." Eminem and Dr. Dre subsequently began work on Eminem's major-label debut album.

Recording.

"The Slim Shady LP" was recorded at Studio 8 at 430 8 Mile Road in Ferndale, Michigan. Eminem, who had idolized Dr. Dre since listening to his group N.W.A as a teenager, was nervous to work with him on the album: "I didn't want to be starstruck or kiss his ass too much... I'm just a little white boy from Detroit. I had never seen stars, let alone Dr. Dre." However, Eminem became more comfortable working with Dr. Dre after a series of highly productive recording sessions. The recording process generally began with Dr. Dre creating a beat and Eminem using the tracks as a template for his freestyle raps; "Every beat he would make, I had a rhyme for", Eminem recalled. He later said: "Every time I sat down with a pen, everything was just like: fuck you, fuck this, fuck them, fuck that, fuck the world, fuck what everybody thinks. Fuck them." On the first day of recording, Eminem and Dr. Dre finished "My Name Is" in an hour. Three other songs, including "Role Model", were also recorded that day.  "'97 Bonnie & Clyde", which was formerly featured on the "Slim Shady EP" as "Just the Two of Us", was rerecorded for "The Slim Shady LP" to feature his daughter Hailie's vocals. Because the song focuses on disposing of his girlfriend's corpse, Eminem was not comfortable with explaining the situation to Kim, and instead told her that he would be taking Hailie to Chuck E. Cheese's. However, he really took her to the recording studio. He explained, "When she found out I used our daughter to write a song about killing her, she fucking blew. We had just got back together for a couple of weeks. Then I played her the song and she bugged the fuck out." Eminem also said, "When she (Hailie) gets old enough, I'm going to explain it to her. I'll let her know that Mommy and Daddy weren't getting along at the time. None of it was to be taken too literally, although at the time I wanted to fucking do it." The song "Guilty Conscience" contains a humorous reference to an occasion in which Dr. Dre assaulted Dee Barnes. Having only known Dr. Dre for a few days, Eminem was anxious about how he would react to such a line, and to his relief, Dr. Dre "fell out of his chair laughing" upon hearing the lyric.  "Ken Kaniff", a skit involving a prank call to Eminem, featured fellow Detroit rapper Aristotle. After a falling out between the two in the wake of Eminem's breakthrough success, Eminem instead played Ken Kaniff on skits on future albums. Ken Kaniff would end up appearing in more Eminem albums over the course of his career and was last heard in "The Marshall Mathers LP 2". Another skit, "Bitch", is an answering machine message in which Zoe Winkler, daughter of actor Henry Winkler, tells a friend that she was disgusted by Eminem's music. He met and had dinner with her in order to get permission to use the recording on the album. During the mixing process of "The Slim Shady LP", at the same time, Kid Rock was recording his fourth studio album, "Devil Without a Cause"; being friends with Kid Rock, Eminem asked Kid Rock to record scratching for Eminem's song "My Fault", which appears on "The Slim Shady LP"; in return, Eminem delivered a guest rap verse on Kid Rock's song "Fuck Off" for "Devil Without a Cause".

Production.

The album's production was handled primarily by the Bass Brothers, Dr Dre, and Eminem. The beats have been compared to West Coast hip hop and G-funk musical styles. Kyle Anderson of MTV wrote that "The beats are full of bass-heavy hallucinations and create huge, scary sandboxes that allow Em to play." According to the staff at IGN, "'97 Bonnie & Clyde" is backed by the "lulling serenity of a super silky groove". "Cum on Everybody"; which features guest vocals from American singer Dina Rae contains an upbeat dance rhythm, while "My Name Is", which is built around a piano sample from British musician Labi Siffre's "I Got The", features a prominent bassline and psychedelic-style keyboards. "I'm Shady" was originally written over a Sade track, but after hearing a sample of Curtis Mayfield's "Pusherman" in Ice-T's song "I'm Your Pusher", Eminem decided it would be more fitting to use "Pusherman".  Eminem's vocal inflection on the record has been described as a "nasal whine"; Jon Pareles of "The New York Times" likened his "calmly sarcastic delivery" to "the early Beastie Boys turned cynical". Writing for the "Chicago Tribune", columnist Greg Kot compared the rapper's vocals to "Pee-wee Herman with a nasal Midwestern accent". A skit entitled "Lounge" appears before "My Fault" featuring Eminem and the Bass Brothers imitating rat pack crooners. Jeff Bass came up with the line "I never meant to give you mushrooms" for the skit, which in turn inspired Eminem to write "My Fault".

Lyrical themes.

Many of the songs from "The Slim Shady LP" are written from the perspective of Eminem's alter ego, Slim Shady, and contain cartoonish depictions of violence, which he refers to as "made-up tales of trailer-park stuff". The rapper explained that this subject matter is intended for entertainment value, likening his music to the horror film genre: "Why can't people see that records can be like movies? The only difference between some of my raps and movies is that they aren't on a screen." Some of the lyrics have also been considered to be misogynistic by critics and commentators. Eminem acknowledged the accusations, and clarified, "I have a fairly salty relationship with women... But most of the time, when I'm saying shit about women, when I'm saying 'bitches' and 'hoes', it's so ridiculous that I'm taking the stereotypical rapper to the extreme. I don't hate women in general. They just make me mad sometimes.'" Despite the album's explicit nature, Eminem refused to say the word "nigga" on the album, with the rapper noting, "It's not in my vocabulary." "The Slim Shady LP" begins with a "Public Service Announcement" introduction performed by producer Jeff Bass of the Bass Brothers, and serves as a sarcastic disclaimer discussing the album's explicit lyrical content. Later in the album, a skit entitled "Paul" features a phone call from Paul Rosenberg to Eminem telling him to "tone down" his lyrics.  "Guilty Conscience" is a concept song featuring Dr. Dre. The song focuses on a series of characters who are faced with various situations, while Dr. Dre and Eminem serve as the "angel" and "devil" sides of the characters' conscience, respectively. The song draws inspiration from a scene in the 1978 comedy film "National Lampoon's Animal House", in which a man takes advice from an angel and devil on his shoulder while considering raping an unconscious girl at a party. In the film, he ends up deciding not to go through with the rape, but in "Guilty Conscience", the outcome is unclear. On "My Fault", Eminem tells the story of a girl who overdoses on psychedelic mushrooms at a rave. "'97 Bonnie & Clyde" features Eminem convincing his infant daughter to assist him in disposing of his wife's corpse. It is an epilogue to the song "Kim", although "'97 Bonnie & Clyde" was released first. Eminem wrote the song at a time in which he felt that Kim was stopping him from seeing his daughter. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic explained that "There have been more violent songs in rap, but few more disturbing, and it's not because of what it describes, it's how he describes it -- how the perfectly modulated phrasing enhances the horror and black humor of his words." On the song "Brain Damage", Eminem discusses his childhood experiences with bullies at school, particularly recalling a traumatic incident where he sustained a serious concussion after he was severely beaten by a bully.  Although many of the lyrics on the album are intended to be humorous, several songs depict Eminem's frustrations with living in poverty. When discussing "The Slim Shady LP", Anthony Bozza of "Rolling Stone" described Eminem as "probably the only MC in 1999 who boasts low self-esteem. His rhymes are jaw-droppingly perverse, bespeaking a minimum-wage life devoid of hope, flushed with rage and weaned on sci-fi and slasher flicks." Eminem was inspired to write "Rock Bottom" after being fired from his cooking job at a restaurant days before his daughter's birthday. The song bemoans human dependency on money, discussing its ability to brainwash an individual. He illustrates his struggles to provide for his daughter, describing himself as "discouraged, hungry, and malnourished." "If I Had" follows a similar theme, as he describes living on minimum wage and remarks that he is "tired of jobs starting off at $5.50 an hour". In the song, he expresses his irritation with fitting the "white trash" stereotype.

Critical reception.

The album was met with critical acclaim. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic gave the album five stars out of five, praising the rapper's "expansive vocabulary and vivid imagination", adding that "Years later, as the shock has faded, it's those lyrical skills and the subtle mastery of the music that still resonate, and they're what make "The Slim Shady LP" one of the great debuts in both hip-hop and modern pop music." David Browne of "Entertainment Weekly" described the album's "unapologetic outrageousness" as a reaction to the "soul positivity" of conscious hip hop, noting that ""The Slim Shady LP" marks the return of irreverent, wiseass attitude to the genre, heard throughout the album in its nonstop barrage of crudely funny rhymes... Even pop fans deadened to graphic lyrics are likely to flinch." Soren Baker of the "Los Angeles Times" gave the album three and a half stars out of four and stated that "He isn't afraid to say anything; his lyrics are so clever that he makes murder sound as if it's a funny act he may indulge in simply to pass the time" but lamented the "sometimes flat production that takes away from the power of Eminem's verbal mayhem."  Many reviewers commented on the album's lyrical content. Gilbert Rodman of "Popular Communications" states, "Eminem's music contains more than its fair share of misogynistic and homophobic lyrics, but simply to reduce it to these (as many critics do) doesn't help to explain Eminem. It merely invokes a platitude or a sound bite to explain him away." Rob Sheffield of "Rolling Stone" enjoyed the record's comedic nature, writing "Simply put: Eminem will crack you up", but also felt that the misogynistic lyrics grow tiresome, noting that "the wife-killing jokes of "97 Bonnie and Clyde' aren't any funnier than Garth Brooks', and 'My Fault' belongs on some sorry-ass Bloodhound Gang record." Nathan Rabin of "The A.V. Club" felt that although the album is "sophomoric and uninspired" at times, Eminem's "surreal, ultraviolent, trailer-trash/post-gangsta-rap extremism is at least a breath of fresh air in a rap world that's despairingly low on new ideas." Mike Rubin of "Spin" noted that "his scenarios are so far-fetched the songs almost never sound as ugly as they actually are." Chris Dafoe of "The Globe and Mail" opined that "Abused by fellow students and teachers, cheated on by his girlfriend, despised by society, Shady goes over the top now and then - or rather way over the top - but Dre's lean production, full of strange voice and comic interjections, hold things together." Reviewing for "The Village Voice" in 1999, Robert Christgau called the record a "platinum-bound cause celebre" and, despite succumbing to "dull sensationalism" toward the end, Eminem shows "more comic genius than any pop musician since", possibly, Loudon Wainwright III."

Accolades.

At the 42nd Grammy Awards in 2000, the album won Best Rap Album, while "My Name Is" won Best Rap Solo Performance. "Rolling Stone" ranked "The Slim Shady LP" number 275 on its list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time and 33 on its list of the "100 Best Albums of the '90s". "NME" ranked it number 248 in its list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. "Blender" ranked it number 49 in its list of The 100 Greatest American Albums of All Time. "Ken Kaniff" was listed as number 15 on "Complex"'s "50 Greatest Hip-Hop Skits" list, while the "Public Service Announcement" introduction to the album, along with the "Public Service Announcement 2000" introduction from "The Marshall Mathers LP", was listed as number 50 on the list. It also won Outstanding National Album at the 2000 Detroit Music Awards. In 2015, it was ranked at number 76 by "About.com" in their list of "100 best hip-hop albums of all time".

Commercial performance.

In the album's first week of release, "The Slim Shady LP" sold 283,000 copies, debuting at number two on the "Billboard" 200 chart behind TLC's "FanMail". The record remained on the "Billboard" 200 for 100 weeks. It also reached number one on the R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart, staying on the chart for 92 weeks. On April 5, 1999, "The Slim Shady LP" was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America for sales of over one million copies. On November 15, 2000, the album was certified quadruple platinum by the RIAA. "My Name Is", the album's lead single, peaked at number 36 on the "Billboard" Hot 100, remaining on the chart for ten weeks. The single additionally peaked at number 18 on the magazine's R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, 29 on the Pop Songs chart, and 37 on the Alternative Songs chart. "Guilty Conscience" reached number 56 on the "Billboard" R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, while "Just Don't Give a Fuck" peaked at number 62 on the chart.  By November 2013, the album sold 5,437,000 copies in the United States. on the weekly Canadian Albums Chart and remained on the chart for twelve weeks. Additionally, the album was certified triple platinum by the Canadian Recording Industry Association for shipments of over 200,000 units. The record was also certified double platinum in the United Kingdom, where it peaked at number ten on the UK Albums chart and remained on the chart for a total of 114 weeks. In Australia, the album peaked at number 49 on the ARIA Chart, and was eventually certified platinum in the country. The album had also peaked at the number 20 and 23 chart positions in the Netherlands and New Zealand, respectively. It was certified gold in the Netherlands and platinum in New Zealand.

Aftermath.

After the success of "The Slim Shady LP", Eminem went from an underground rapper into a high-profile celebrity. Interscope Records awarded him with his own record label, Shady Records; the first artist Eminem signed was rapper and his best friend Proof. Eminem, who had previously struggled to provide for his daughter, noted a drastic change in his lifestyle: "This last Christmas, there were so many fucking presents under the tree... My daughter wasn't born with a silver spoon in her mouth. But she's got one now. I can't stop myself from spoiling her."  To promote "The Slim Shady LP", Eminem embarked on an extensive tour schedule. He joined the Vans Warped Tour as a last-minute replacement for Cypress Hill, a schedule that included 31 North American dates from June 25 to July 31, beginning in San Antonio and ending in Miami. He often played a show in the afternoon on the Warped Tour, and then drove to another location to perform at a hip hop club at night. During a performance in Hartford, Connecticut near the end of the Warped Tour, Eminem slipped on a puddle of liquid and fell ten feet down off the stage, cracking several ribs. He recalled that the stress of his newfound fame led him to drink excessively, and reflected, "I knew I had to slow it down. The fall was like a reminder." However, after receiving medical attention, he was well enough to travel to New York the following day for a performance on "Total Request Live".  Eminem also became a highly controversial figure due to his lyrical content. He was labeled as "misogynist, a nihilist and an advocate of domestic violence", and in an editorial by "Billboard" editor in chief Timothy White, the writer accused Eminem of "making money by exploiting the world's misery." During a radio interview in San Francisco, Eminem reportedly angered local DJ Sista Tamu due to a freestyle about "slapping a pregnant bitch" to the extent that on air she broke a copy of "The Slim Shady LP". The rapper defended himself by saying, "My album isn't for younger kids to hear. It has an advisory sticker, and you must be eighteen to get it. That doesn't mean younger kids won't get it, but I'm not responsible for every kid out there. I'm not a role model, and I don't claim to be."

Lawsuits.

On September 17, 1999, Eminem's mother, Deborah Nelson, filed a $10 million lawsuit against him for slander based on his claim that she uses drugs in the line "I just found out my mom does more dope than I do" from "My Name Is". After a two-year-long trial, she was awarded $25,000, of which she received $1,600 after legal fees. Eminem was not surprised that his mother had filed the lawsuit against him, referring to her as a "lawsuit queen", and alleging that "That's how she makes money. When I was five, she had a job on the cash register at a store that sold chips and soda. Other than that, I don't remember her working a day in her life." She later filed another lawsuit against him for emotional damages suffered during the first trial, which was later dismissed.  In December 2001, DeAngelo Bailey, a janitor living in Roseville, Michigan who was made the subject of the song "Brain Damage" in which he is portrayed as a school bully, filed a $1 million lawsuit against Eminem for slander and invasion of privacy. Bailey's attorney stated "Eminem is a Caucasian male who faced criticism within the music industry that he had not suffered through difficult circumstances growing up and he was therefore a 'pretender' in the industry... Eminem used Bailey, his African-American childhood schoolmate, as a pawn in his effort to stem the tide of criticism." In 1982, Eminem's mother unsuccessfully sued the Roseville school district for not protecting her son, as she claimed that attacks from bullies caused him headaches, nausea, and antisocial behavior. Additionally, Bailey had previously admitted to bullying Eminem in the April 1999 issue of "Rolling Stone Magazine". The lawsuit was dismissed by judge Deborah Servitto in 2003, who wrote her ruling in the form of rap-like rhyme. She ruled that the lyrics—which include the school principal collaborating with Bailey, and Eminem's entire brain falling out of his head—were too exaggerated for a listener to believe that they were recalling an actual event. The verdict was upheld in 2005, and Bailey's lawyer ruled out any further appeals.  In September 2003, 70-year-old widow Harlene Stein filed suit against Eminem and Dr. Dre on the grounds that "Guilty Conscience" contains an unauthorized sample of "Go Home Pigs" composed for the film "Getting Straight" by her husband, Ronald Stein, who died in 1988. Although the album's liner notes state that the song contains an "interpolation" of "Go Home Pigs", Stein is not credited as a composer and his wife was not paid royalties for use of the song. The lawsuit requested for 5 percent of the retail list price of 90 percent of the all copies of the record sold in America, and 2.5 percent of the retail price of 90 percent of the copies of the album sold internationally.

Track listing.

Notes

The Slim Shady LP is the second studio album and the major-label debut by American rapper Eminem, released on February 23, 1999 by Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records. Recorded in Ferndale, Michigan, following Eminem's recruitment by Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine, the album features production from Dr. Dre, the Bass Brothers, and Eminem himself. "The Slim Shady LP" is his first album with a major label after his first album "Infinite" was released on an independent label in 1996.

The Slim Shady LP ("Slim Shady" bezeichnet Eminems Alter Ego) ist nach dem Untergrund-Album "Infinite" das zweite Soloalbum des US-amerikanischen Rappers Eminem. Es erschien am 23. Februar 1999 über Dr. Dres Label Aftermath Entertainment sowie Interscope Records und stellt den Beginn des kommerziellen Erfolgs von Eminem dar.


Background.

Originally from West Orange, New Jersey, Vilar earned an economics degree from Washington & Jefferson College, a liberal arts college in Washington, Pennsylvania. He then earned a master's degree in economics at Iona College in New Rochelle, New York. In 1979, along with Gary Tanaka, he founded Amerindo Investment Advisors, an investment advisory firm based in San Francisco and New York, with offices in London. In 1981, Vilar made his first $1 million. Amerindo's main investment activities were in technology funds, which the stock market crash of 2000 severely affected. The value of the Amerindo funds declined sharply, and Vilar began to default on his pledges to arts institutions.  Vilar has served on the Washington & Jefferson College Board of Trustees.

Donations to opera companies and other organizations.

The arts organisations to which Vilar pledged donations included:  As a result of his philanthropy, in 2002 the Americans for the Arts organization gave him their National Arts Award, for "Corporate Citizenship in the Arts".  As noted in James Stewart's 2006 "New Yorker" profile of Vilar, at some point in 2002, Vilar was hospitalized for a series of operations on his back, and he claims to have nearly died as the result of complications: "they were ready to give me the last rites". There was speculation that he might have missed some planned donations as the result of his illness.  A lasting effect, however, clearly came from the severe decline in his personal fortune due to the crash in technology stocks around 2000. It is documented that Vilar still continued to make pledges even as his personal and his company's fortunes continued to plunge. Among the pledges were $5 million for money for voice loss research after meeting Julie Andrews and $30 million to a Berlin opera company: "Asking Alberto for money was like offering an alcoholic a drink". However, many of his pledges were never paid.

Fraud conviction.

Vilar and Tanaka were arrested on May 26, 2005, on charges of securities fraud. The government claimed that the two appropriated as much as $5 million of an Amerindo client Lily Cates' (heiress and mother of actress Phoebe Cates) money for personal use. It was alleged that Vilar used the money to pay for some home repairs and to make good on previously-promised charitable contributions. It was also alleged that Tanaka used money to purchase thoroughbred race horses. The SEC also filed a civil suit.  According to Stewart's article in "The New Yorker", an extensive analysis of Vilar's rise and fall, "Vilar maintains that when he was arrested he was on the brink of a financial comeback. Everything I predicted about the Internet has come true... I'm ready to go back to work and make money." Stewart continues: "if convicted, Vilar and Tanaka face fines of more than ten million dollars and prison terms of up to a hundred and fifty-five years. But Vilar says, 'We'll sort this out. I'll get beyond this. I will always try to help others... I still love opera and classical music... The Met is not going to get my money, but it will not kill my love of music.'"  The charges did not allege wrongdoing at Amerindo's mutual funds, and when the firm was wound up there were no missing funds. But Morningstar, a fund analysis company, advised investors to withdraw their money in any case, because the funds had been performing very poorly. In fact, as with many other funds investing in internet companies, investors had already been pulling out for some time, reducing assets and causing expense ratios to increase. Extensive seizures of records and computers in the course of the investigation compelled Amerindo's board to merge the fund with Munder Capital Management's fund, "Munder NetNet", later renamed "Munder Internet". The seizures were ruled excessive by a federal judge in early 2007.  Vilar and Tanaka's trial began in September 2008, with Herald Price Fahringer as Vilar's defence attorney and Glenn Colton representing Tanaka. The trial concluded on November 19, 2008 with the conviction of Vilar on all 12 counts with which he had been charged and the conviction of Tanaka on 3 counts.  On February 5, 2010, Vilar was sentenced to nine years in prison, while Tanaka was sentenced to five years. They were both featured in the fifth season of the television series "American Greed". In October 2012, after having served more than 2 1/2 years at the Fort Dix, New Jersey, Federal Correctional Institution, the appeals court, over the objections of the prosecution, ordered his immediate release pending the appeal. Vilar and Tanaka were returned to jail in November 2013. In April 2014, Vilar was returned to prison, and sentenced to an additional year for preventing the victims' families from recovering their lost funds.

Consequences of his failures to pay promised donations.

In a 2000 interview with Philipp Blom, Vilar had estimated his donations to opera houses and other performing arts centers in some 150 million dollars granted over the previous 10 years  Many of the organizations to which Vilar had pledged donations gradually began to remove his name from parts of their institutions where it had been prominently placed.  In July 2005 the Royal Opera House announced that, following Vilar's failure to maintain the agreed payment schedule, his name would be removed from the building. Later his name was removed from the young artists program when a new donor stepped forward.  At the Metropolitan Opera, where his name appeared on the "Vilar Grand Tier", it has since been removed. The Washington Opera's young artists program has also been renamed (after additional support was found) as the "Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program", and the Kennedy Center's "Arts Management Fellowship" program has similarly dropped the Vilar name.

Alberto Vilar, a.k.a. Albert Vilar, (born October 4, 1940) is an American former investment manager who became particularly known as a patron of opera companies, performing arts organizations, and educational institutions. Following the collapse of his investment firm, Amerindo Investment Advisors, he was tried and convicted in November 2008 on charges of money laundering, investment advisor fraud, securities fraud, mail and wire fraud. He was sentenced in February 2010 to nine years in prison and released in 2018.

Alberto Vilar, auch "Albert Vilar" (* 4. Oktober 1940 in Newark im Bundesstaat New Jersey/USA) ist ein US-amerikanischer Börsenspekulant und Mäzen.


Playing career.

Ašćerić began his career in Yugoslavia, where he worked for several clubs from the second division from 1985–1989. In 1989 he moved to the UKJ SUBA Sankt Pölten of the Austrian Bundesliga. There he spent his most successful time of his playing career. Between 1993 and 1998, he won five National Championship titles and three National Cups. In 1997, he was honored as the Bundesliga Player of the Year.  In 1998, Ašćerić moved to PSG Racing in France. In the following years he played and Crvena zvezda of the YUBA League for several French clubs (Le Mans Sarthe, Hyères-Toulon and JA Vichy). At the age of 41, Ašćerić ended his career as a player at UBC Sankt Pölten in the fall of 2006 following a brief interlude as a playing assistant coach.  Ašćerić represented Austrian national basketball team internationally.

Coaching career.

After the end of his playing career Ašćerić coached the Bourg Basket of French league LNB Pro A and the Saint-Quentin of the Pro B. In December 2008, he took over the Mexican club Lechugueros de León, where he won 16 of 22 games and led the team into the playoffs.  In 2008, he became a head coach of the Austrian national basketball team. In February 2010, he also took over the post of head coach of the Austrian Bundesliga club Oberwart Gunners, with whom he won the Austrian champions in the 2010–11 season and celebrated his first title as a coach. Despite an ongoing contract, he resigned from his post in Oberwart after drop out in the Play–off quarterfinals during the 2011–12 season.  At the end of November 2012, Ašćerić became the new head coach of the Oettinger Rockets in the German ProA (2nd tier). He took over the team in 14th place after the previous head coach Marko Simić resigned from office, but remained barely a week before he asked again for dissolution of the contract. In December 2012, he then signed a contract with Hungarian team Szolnoki Olaj, who also played in the Adriatic League. In January 2013, Ašćerić was replaced by Werner Sallomon as a head coach of the Austrian national team. After a moderate start to the 2013–14 season in the Hungarian Championship and in the Adriatic League Ašćerić ended his contract in Hungary after almost exactly a year in December 2013. In the beginning of February 2014, he succeeded Darko Russo and become a head coach of the Austrian defending champion Zepter Vienna.  In January 2015, he became a head coach of the French ProB team Lille Métropole. He remained in office until the end of the 2016–17 season and then moved within the league to the Hermine Nantes.

Personal life.

His son Luka (born 1997) is a professional basketball player. He coached Luka during his stings with Lille Métropole and Hyères-Toulon.

Nedeljko "Neno" Ašćerić (; born August 29, 1965) is a Serbian–Austrian professional basketball coach and former player. He currently serves as a head coach for the Hermine Nantes of the French Pro B League.

Nedeljko „Neno“ Ašćerić (* 29. August 1965 in Salinki, Jugoslawien) ist ein österreichischer Basketballtrainer und ehemaliger -spieler. Als Spieler gewann der Small Forward fünf österreichische Meistertitel sowie drei Titel im österreichischen Cup mit UKJ St. Pölten. Nach der Verleihung der österreichischen Staatsbürgerschaft im Jahr 1995 bestritt Ašćerić bis 2001 22 Spiele für die österreichische Nationalmannschaft, für die er von 2008 fünf Jahre lang als Nationaltrainer fungierte. Seit März 2020 trainiert Ašćerić den französischen Zweitligaverein ALM Evreux.


Early life, education and career.

Stupak was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and graduated from Gladstone High School in Gladstone, Michigan in 1970. He is an Eagle Scout. He earned his Associate's degree from Northwestern Michigan College, a community college in Traverse City in 1972. He earned his Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice from Saginaw Valley State University in 1977, graduating "magna cum laude", and he earned a J.D. degree from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Lansing, Michigan in 1981. He worked as an Escanaba police officer in 1972. Stupak later served as a Michigan State Police Trooper from 1973 to 1984 and as a member of C-Street while in Congress. He also practiced law.

Michigan legislature.

In 1988, Stupak was elected a Michigan State Representative, representing Menominee, Delta, and Dickinson counties, defeating two-term Republican Jim Connors. In 1990, Stupak ran for state senator but lost a hotly contested primary to eventual general election winner Don Koivisto.

Political campaigns.

In 1992, Stupak ran for the House of Representatives in the 1st District, covering the Upper Peninsula and the northernmost swath of the Lower Peninsula. The district had previously been the 11th, represented by retiring seven-term incumbent Republican Robert William Davis retired. Stupak won the heavily contested Democratic primary, and defeated Republican Philip Ruppe, Davis' predecessor, in the general election. He was the first Democrat to represent this district since 1967, and only the third Democrat to win it in the 20th century. He was easily reelected in 1994 during a bad year for Democrats, becoming the first Democrat in 56 years to be elected to more than one term in the Northern Michigan district.  Stupak defeated Republican Don Hooper of Iron River in the 2002, 2004 and 2006 elections, and Republican Tom Casperson In 2008.  On April 9, 2010, Stupak announced that he would not run for re-election, and that he would retire from Congress at the end of his then-current term.

Campaign funding.

Electric utilities and health care professionals were among the top four industries contributing to his campaigns in 2006, 2008 and 2010. Of his top 20 largest contributors throughout his political career, 16 were unions and associations, two were energy companies, one was an insurance company and one was a telecommunications firm.

Caucus memberships.

During his service in Congress, Stupak sponsored 36 bills, but none became law. He cosponsored 157 bills, 5 of which were enacted into law. He voted with the members of his party 96% of the time, and abstained from 5% of the votes. Because of the 1st District's extensive length of Great Lakes shoreline (over 1,600 miles), Stupak was very active on issues related to the protection of the Great Lakes, including opposing sale or diversion of Great Lakes water and drilling for oil and gas under the lakes.

Political positions.

Financial system.

In 2009, Stupak voted against the Dodd–Frank Act, which expanded Federal regulation and oversight of the US financial system in the aftermath of the US financial and banking crisis of that year.

Civil liberties.

Stupak voted for the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009, which expanded the definition of hate crimes to include crimes motivated by sexual orientation or gender identity.

Health care.

Stupak expressed a desire to support the 2009 health care reform bill put forth by President Obama, but wanted restrictions on coverage for abortion. Therefore, Stupak and Republican Congressman Joseph R. Pitts submitted an amendment known as the Stupak–Pitts Amendment to prohibit such payments. The Stupak–Pitts Amendment was adopted by the House of Representatives, but a similar pro-life provision was defeated in the Senate version of the legislation (known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act). Stupak announced that he and several other Democratic representatives who supported health reform legislation but opposed abortion would not vote for the final version of the legislation unless the Stupak-Pitts Amendment was included. The ensuing controversy made Stupak "perhaps the single most important rank-and-file House member in passing the bill."  Abortion-rights advocates held a "Stop Stupak" rally on Capitol Hill in December 2009. In the ensuing months, Stupak publicly stated that the pressure and opposition he received in regard to his abortion stance on the health reform legislation had caused him to unplug the phone at his house due to "obscene phone calls and threats" and had made his life a "living hell." "My staff is overwhelmed and we're accosted basically wherever we go by people who disagree," Stupak added.  In March 2010, President Obama and Stupak reached an understanding whereby the President promised to sign an Executive Order barring federal funding of abortion through the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, and Stupak and several of his allies promised to withdraw their opposition to the bill. The Pro-life movement accused Stupak of betraying their movement, and the pro-life Susan B. Anthony List revoked an award it had planned to give to him and instead ran $150,000 worth of radio advertisements against him. Stupak was targeted by the Tea Party movement in the wake of his compromise. In April 2010, Stupak announced his intention to retire from Congress, leading conservative groups to point to the political consequences of his compromise as a possible reason for his decision. However, Stupak himself attributed his retirement to the exertion of constant travel back and forth from Washington, D.C.

Controversies.

Apartment controversy.

Stupak rented a room at the C Street Center, a Washington, D.C. facility of The Fellowship (also known as The Family), a Christian fraternal organization. The Fellowship has been the subject of controversy over its claimed tax status as a church, the ownership of the property and its connection to the Fellowship, and the reportedly subsidized benefits the facility provides to members of Congress.  Jeff Sharlet, author of a book about The Fellowship, said, "When I lived with The Family at Ivanwald, a house for younger men being groomed for leadership, I was told that Stupak was a regular visitor to the Cedars." The Cedars, according to the "Washington Independent", is also owned by The Family and hosts weekly prayer events. Stupak has denied any affiliation with the Family and appeared to deny knowledge of the organization, stating "I don't belong to any such group" and that "I don't know what you're talking about, [The] Family and all this other stuff."

Personal life.

Stupak lives in Menominee, Michigan, with his wife, Laurie, who is a former mayor of Menominee, and unsuccessful candidate for the Michigan House of Representatives. Laurie Stupak was defeated by Tom Casperson. In 2008 Casperson unsuccessfully challenged Bart Stupak, the incumbent for Michigan's 1st Congressional district seat in the United States House of Representatives.  The Stupaks' son Ken graduated from Pepperdine University's School of Law in 2006 and resides in California. Their other son, Bart Jr., committed suicide in May 2000. Congressman Stupak testified before the House Energy and Commerce Committee's Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee during a 2002 hearing on the safety of Accutane, an acne medication, which he believes contributed to his son's death.

Bartholomew Thomas Stupak (; born February 29, 1952) is an American politician and lobbyist. A member of the Democratic Party, Stupak served as the U.S. Representative from from 1993 to 2011.

Bartholomew Thomas „Bart“ Stupak (* 29. Februar 1952 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin) ist ein Politiker der Demokratischen Partei der Vereinigten Staaten. Er war von 1993 bis 2011 Abgeordneter im US-Repräsentantenhaus und vertrat den Kongresswahlbezirk 1 in Michigan, der sich aus der gesamten Oberen Halbinsel und dem nördlichen Teil der unteren Halbinsel von Michigan zusammensetzt.


Population.

In 2011 Punta del Diablo had a population of 823.  Source: "Instituto Nacional de Estadística de Uruguay"

Geography.

The village of Punta Del Diablo is situated from Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay, from the upscale seaside resort town of Punta del Este, and 43 km from Chuy (which borders the Brazil city of Chuí).  Punta Del Diablo is perched on a gentle rise overlooking the ocean and centered around a square of brightly colored buildings, including houses, shops, restaurants, bars, shops and grocery stores that line sandy lanes.  Due to strict building codes, there are no high rises or sprawling luxury resorts or high rises. Instead there are small hotels, a boutique hostel, cabanas and vacation houses.  The white sands of the beach below are separated by the main rocky point, "Punta Del Diablo," which extends more than 600 feet, and two other rocky points, together forming "The Trident."

Climate.

Punta del Diablo is in the Southern Hemisphere's temperate zone and has four seasons. Temperatures average 21 °C to 27 °C (70 °F to 80 °F) in summer and 10 °C and 16 °C (50 °F to 60 °F) in winter.

Tourism.

The high season for tourism runs from December through February, as well as through Easter week. During high season, the population of the small fishing and artisan village of approximately 400 people, grows to approximately 25,000.  Tourists rent homes and cabanas or stay in hostels and small hotels. Most of the hotels and hostels are open only during the high season; however, some like El Diablo Tranquilo are open year-round to accommodate the increasing number of visitors to the seaside village. In response several restaurants including fine-dining options are also open off-season.  In 2008, Lonely Planet ranked Punta del Diablo among the top 10 cities to visit. During that year, tourism was up to about 20,000 visitors during the December to February seasonal peak.  Punta del Diablo's popularity with holidaymakers has steadily increased. And the single farming family that has owned the entirety of Punta del Diablo has been steadily selling land to investors.  This tourism growth and Uruguay's positive investment climate are attractive to foreign investors. Foreign investors are treated the same as national investors, prior authorization is not required, and they enjoy fully free remittance of capital and profits. Uruguay itself is host to about 100 American firms with investments totaling approximately $656 million; and the small village of Punta del Diablo has attracted a steady stream of American and other foreign investors.

Activities.

Horseback Riding. Year round, visitors can rent horse or take guided horseback riding tours on the beach or in the forest.  Dune boarding. Similar to snow boarding only done on the sand dunes. The surf shop in Punta del Diablo sells dune boards. Popular locations in Punta del Diablo for sand duning include the south end of La Viuda beach.  Surfing. The surf breaks off Punta Diablo's beaches offer relatively consistent and uncrowded surf. Best conditions are in the autumn and winter with high season running from December to February. Visitors can rent or purchase surf boards at the Surf Shop on, Main Road.

Transport.

It is about an hour's walk from one end of the town to another. There is a regular bus service that transports people from the main village road to the beach. There is a taxi, which often parks at the bus stop.  Punta del Diablo has regular bus service to Chuy (bordering Brazil), Rocha and Montevideo. During the summer, there is service to the seaside towns of La Paloma, La Piedra, and Punta del Este. During the high season of tourism, January, all bus seats are sometimes booked days in advance.  Car rentals are found in Montevideo.  Going into Punta del Diablo, some of the buses go into town and others drop off passengers about 5 km from town at a square from which dirt roads fan out to various parts of the village. It is about a 3 1⁄2 bus ride from Montevideo.  By car: The village is reached by heading towards Rosario, and then traveling on Route 14 to Gualeguaychú and across the Puerto Unzué (Argentina) – Fray Bentos (Uruguay) border bridge. Route 2 is then taken, heading towards Florencio Sánchez until the road intersects with Route 11. This is taken to Route 9 and then into Punta del Diablo.  By bus: The schedule for Tres Cruces Bus Terminal lists the travel times from Buenos Aires to Montevideo, and then from Montevideo to Punta del Diablo. This is a day long ride, with the stretch from Montevideo to Punta del Diablo averaging 5 hours. The may stop at the center of Punta del Diablo or at the intersection 5 km outside of town.  By ferry: The schedule for Buquebus outlines trips to Montevideo or Piriápolis. From one of these points, a car or bus can be taken to Punta del Diablo.  By car: From Florianopolis drivers can get to Punta del Diablo via Porto Alegre by first driving to Porto Alegre. This can be done via either the heavy trafficked BR-290 or by taking BR-101 to Osorio and then taking BR-290 to Porto Alegre. The section from Osorio to Porto Alegre is a six-lane, toll-road.  From Porto Alegre, drivers can head south on BR116 to BR 392 and continue south to BR 471 to Chuy at the Brazil border where they are directed to the immigration office for their exit stamps required for crossing the border. From Chuy on Route 9 it is about 42 km to Punta Del Diablo.  By bus: There are buses that run from Florianopolis to Chuy, Brazil, and from there, after traveling to immigration for their exit stamps (either by bus, cab, or hitch hiking) to Punta del Diablo.

Punta del Diablo is a village and seaside locality in Uruguay, Rocha Department, east from the capital Montevideo. According to the 2011 census, its permanent population consisted of 823 inhabitants, mostly fishermen and artisans, while during high tourism season, the population swells to approximately 25,000, mostly with Argentinians, Brazilians and Europeans on holiday. As with the country it is located in, the primary language spoken in Punta del Diablo is Spanish. In 2008 it was named by the magazine "Lonely Planet" as one of the top 20 places to visit and invest.

Punta del Diablo (übersetzt "Kap des Teufels") ist ein im Departamento Rocha gelegener Badeort im Südosten Uruguays. Er liegt 298 km von der Hauptstadt Montevideo entfernt an der Atlantikküste. Rund 40 Kilometer nordöstlich befindet sich die brasilianisch-uruguayische Grenze bei der Stadt Chuy. Das ursprüngliche Fischerdorf, dessen 389 Einwohner (Stand: 2004) überwiegend als Fischer und Kunsthandwerker tätig sind, ist eines der bedeutendsten touristischen Ziele an der Küste Uruguays. Es stellt dabei aufgrund seiner Ursprünglichkeit und seines wenig modernen und mondänen Erscheinungsbildes den kompletten Gegenentwurf zum schicken, etwa 200 km entfernten Punta del Este dar. Punta del Diablo kann man dabei wohl als sogenanntes "Aussteigerdorf" bezeichnen. Trotzdem übt es eine hohe Anziehungskraft auf Touristen aus Argentinien, Brasilien und auch Europa aus und ist ein unter anderem bei Surfern beliebtes Urlaubsziel.


History.

Canadian-based Ivanhoe Mines discovered the gold-copper ore deposit in 2001 in the Gobi Desert of Mongolia. It is in an area known as "Oyu Tolgoi" (Mongolian for "Turquoise Hill"), where in the time of Genghis Khan outcropping rocks were smelted for copper. The place was suspected to have mineralization by Mongolian geologists since 1950s. By 2003 there were 18 exploration drill rigs on the property employing approximately 200 people, and Oyu Tolgoi was the "biggest mining exploration project in the world." In January 2013 Oyu Tolgoi started producing concentrate from the mine.

Description.

The Oyu Tolgoi mine is in the South Gobi Desert of Mongolia, north of Mongolia's border with the People's Republic of China, where the mined copper is expected to be shipped. Oyu Tolgoi deposits contain an estimated 2,700,000 tonnes of copper and of gold. It also contains 1,900 tonnes of silver and 205,000 tonnes of molybdenum. Production began in 2013 and is scheduled to reach full capacity in 2021. Over the anticipated lifespan of the mine (>50 years), Oyu Tolgoi is scheduled to produce of copper per year, an amount equal to 3% of global production. Oyu Tolgoi is also expected to produce of gold annually, with "by-product silver and molybdenum". Rio Tinto intends to employ 3,000–4,000 people from Mongolia.

Mining and milling.

Oyu Tolgoi will use both underground and open pit mining techniques. Initially the mine will process 70,000 tonnes of rock per day, ramping up to 85,000 tonnes from both the open pit and the underground mine (underground mining is to be done by block caving). The yield from the first phase of mining will be ground through one semi-autogenous grinding mill (SAG mill). Expansion to new underground areas will result in an additional increase of up to 140,000 tonnes per day with a possible increase to 170,000 tonnes per day.

Financing.

As of 2010, the estimated cost of bringing the Oyu Tolgoi mine into production was US$4.6 billion, making it (financially) the largest project in Mongolian history; however, by 2013 costs had ballooned to $10 billion, which caused some concern for the Government of Mongolia, which borrows its 34 percent share of investment from the foreign investors with interest. The mine is said to account for more than 30% of Mongolia's GDP upon completion. In early 2010 global mining company Rio Tinto owned 22.4% of Oyu Tolgoi owner Ivanhoe Mines (now Turquoise Hill Resources), and gave both technical assistance and financial support to the project. At the time Rio Tinto had the option of increasing their stake to 46.6%. On 31 March 2010 the Government of Mongolia approved an investment agreement where they would purchase 34% of the project. In October 2010, Ivanhoe announced a new US$1 billion share offering in order to raise funds to develop this mine. Rio Tinto increased its ownership of Ivanhoe in December 2010, also assuming direct management of the design and construction of the project, however without fulfilling another aim, to achieve direct ownership of the mine.  Disagreement between the Mongolian government and Rio Tinto came to a head in 2013, with the government urging Rio Tinto to settle the US$340 million tax issue and the cost overruns from the initially planned US$5.1 billion to US$7.1 billion during the initial stage of the project. In July 2013, the shares in Turquoise Hill Resources (Rio Tinto's unit that controls 66% of the mine) dropped 20% after a dispute between Tserenbat Sedvanchig, the executive director of Erdenes Oyu Tolgoi (the state-owned company that controls the other 34%), and Rio Tinto. Sedvanchig was fired in August and replaced by Davaadorj Ganbold, a former deputy minister and member of parliament. In the meantime, Rio Tinto cut 1700 Mongolian employees from the mining operation.

Controversial issues.

Environmental impact.

Oyu Tolgoi mine is located in one of the driest areas in Mongolia. Rainfall in the desert area ranges between zero and 50mm per year. It is estimated that the water demand will triple in the coming two decades mainly due to mineral exploitation in the area. Herders worry that Oyu Tolgoi is draining the region's water supply, since it uses more than a billion gallons of water a month. In addition, there is a substantial risk of acid rock drainage from the mine, from tailings storage facilities and from any overburden or waste rock stored on the surface and not deposited back into the mine.  South Gobi is also a critical habitat for at least six endangered and threatened species found nowhere else in the world. Two protected areas are located in close proximity to Oyu Tolgoi and are included in the mine's area of impact. In order to compensate for the loss of habitat, a biodiversity offset strategy has been released, however the NGOs are not convinced. They are stressing that company did not consider avoiding, minimizing or mitigating the damage and went directly to offsetting. They urge the company to develop a strong, detailed, long-term species conservation and habitat protection plan, including a rigorous monitoring strategy. They are of the opinion that the current mitigation strategies described in the ESIA are too general and are not based on empirical data. Consequently, the offset strategy presented by the company can be called into question.

Social impact.

Mongolia's Southern and Central Zones occupy terrain traditionally used by nomadic herdsmen. Diverting already scarce water resources to mining could jeopardize their livelihoods. In harsh conditions of Gobi desert herders have a very specific way of organizing summer pasture and its rotation, access to water, hay collection and hay storage. Any changes to these unique practises hamper the livelihoods of nomads. Steel fence that surrounds the gaping mine blocks traditional herding corridors and makes it difficult for the herd animals to find water. Roads constructed by the mine owners present additional barriers to animals. Some Mongolian herders forced to resettle because of the Oyu Tolgoi expansion have experienced herd loss. They were forced to move to inferior locations without adequate time to select spots that would protect their animals from harsh winter storms. The minimal assistance provided at the time of resettlement was not sufficient. Furthermore, they were forced to accept inadequate compensation based on their location in proximity to the mine, rather than the size of pasture taken away from them.

Economic impact.

Mining in Mongolia currently contributes about a third of GDP and accounts for 89.2 percent of the country's total exports. The numbers are expected to rise since government issued about 3,000 new mining licences. Building an economy on minerals puts country at risk of Dutch disease, or the relationship between the increase in the economic development of natural resources and a decline in the manufacturing sector or agriculture. Cashmere industry and agricultural sector are already feeling the side effects. Although Mongolia’s economic growth has helped to reduce poverty by more than 11 % in recent years, there is also a rising inequality in terms of income distribution. Poverty is higher in the rural areas (35.5%) compared to the urban areas (23.2%), as herders in the countryside struggle to survive as their traditional livelihood dissolves.

Corruption related issues.

Gantömöriin Uyanga, an MP has announced that former PM Sanjaagiin Bayar, who signed the OT Investment Agreement with 3 of its Cabinet Members, owns 7 properties abroad on the names of his daughters, ex-wife, and girlfriend worth of several billion dollars. However, S.Bayar has approached the Independent Agency Against Corruption with request to conduct investigation upon himself. His request reads: "Recently media coverage on possible money laundering through purchase of number of real estates abroad with the sources stating that I, Bayar Sanjaa, have abused my position as Prime Minister and lobbied the approval of the Oyutolgoi Agreement. In matter of these claims I hereby request the Agency to conduct investigations upon me in accordance with the Mongolian legislation". Also Sangijav Bayartsogt, the former Deputy Speaker of Parliament and one of the 3 ministers who signed the OT agreement has had his secret offshore account revealed by "The Guardian", a British Newspaper. According to the report the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Sangijav Bayartsogt, confirmed having a secret Swiss bank account containing more than one million US dollars, in the name of an offshore entity "Legend Plus Capital Limited". The Guardian reported Bayartsogt Sangajav saying, "I shouldn"t have opened that account. I should have included the company in my declarations," to the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ). "I don"t worry about my reputation. I worry about my family. I probably should consider resigning from my position."

The Oyu Tolgoi mine (, also Oyu Tolgoi, Turquoise Hill) is a combined open pit and underground mining project in Khanbogd sum within the south Gobi Desert, approximately east of the Ömnögovi Province capital Dalanzadgad. The site was discovered in 2001 and is being developed as a joint venture between Turquoise Hill Resources (a majority owned subsidiary of Rio Tinto) with 66% ownership and the Government of Mongolia with 34%. The mine began construction as of 2010 and shipped its first batch of copper on 9 July 2013.

Ojuu Tolgoi () ist eine große Kupfer- und Goldlagerstätte im Süden der Mongolei, ca. 235 km östlich von Dalandsadgad, der Hauptstadt des Ömnö-Gobi-Aimags im Landkreis (Sum) Chanbogd in der südlichen Wüste Gobi.


Early history 1925-1939.

The aircraft were awaited as they brought news of the outside world, mail, medicines, foodstuffs, and above all, new people to a community hundreds of kilometres from the nearest big town.  The first planes to land here were before World War II – in the 1930s, just a mere 30 or so years after the Wright brothers made their historic first flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.  The landing strip was then what is today Maun's main street, the strip later being moved away from the town centre to the present site of the airport.  The earliest known flights over the Okavango took place in July 1925, and were part of a survey of rivers in the region, using aircraft based in Livingstone. Two Airco D.H. 9 type, numbers 142 and 144 of the then Union Defense Force of South Africa, were used, piloted by Capt. C.W. Meredith and Lieut. L. Tasker. They routed to Livingstone from Johannesburg via Bulawayo.  Airlink commenced direct flights between Cape Town and Maun since March 2016.  In October 2016, Air Namibia suspended scheduled flights to Maun airport.  In May 2018 government officials confirmed their commitment to refurbish and upgrade the existing airport building.  In December 2019 Mack Air, a charter airline of Botswana, announces plans to commence scheduled operations to Windhoek (Namibia), Kasane (Botswana) and Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe) early 2020.

Accidents.

In March 2000 a Cessna 414 crashed on its way from Gaborone to Maun. The pilot and a passenger walked for over to find help.

Maun Airport is an international airport serving the town of Maun in the North-West District of Botswana. It is on the north side of the town and is accessible by shuttle bus or taxi.

Der Flughafen Maun ("") ist der internationale Verkehrsflughafen von Maun in Botswana und gilt als Tor zum Okavangodelta. Er liegt etwa fünf Kilometer östlich der Stadt.


Early life.

He was born in Redbush, Kentucky, one of 14 children. His father was a coal miner at the Van Lear Coal mine in Kentucky. As a youth, he had no money for instruments; he strummed a lard bucket lid, pretending it was a guitar, while listening to Bill Monroe on the Grand Ole Opry. At age 12, Adams borrowed a neighbor's guitar to perform on the radio for the first time on WCMI in Ashland, Kentucky. He formed his first band at age 14 called "The Rock & Roll Boys", soon renamed "The Rock-A-Teers".

Career.

Influenced by Elvis Presley's style heard on the radio, Adams formed a band in 1954 consisting of his brother Charles (guitar) and Curtis May (upright bass). Encouraged by local entertainer Luke Gordon, Adams went to Cincinnati in 1957 to record his composition "Rock, Pretty Mama", called by music writer Lorie Hollabaugh "a seminal Rockabilly classic". It was released on an independent label, Quincy Records, and the original 45rpm record is sought-after as a collector's item. The recording was included on a Sanctuary/BMG compilation album in 2003 called ""Rockabilly Riot" " along with songs by Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Roy Orbison. Brian Setzer used a similar title in two of his albums including the 2014 album ""Rockabilly Riot! All Original" " which pays homage to this original compilation but features all-new rockabilly songs.  In 1961, Adams married Freda Lousie Riffe; they had three daughters, Tina Maria, Teresa Louise and Janetta Darlene. They formed a family band toured together for decades. In 1965, Adams changed his direction and went into Christian ministry. He wrote gospel and country songs including the gospel tune, "I Saw The Man", by the Happy Goodman Family.  After his early rockabilly career faded and his focus had turned to religious music, his recordings from 45 years prior began a resurgence of popularity and were released by MCA, Bear Family and Ace Records. In 2002, he recorded a comeback album at Sun Studio in Memphis, called ""Legacy" ", which received critical acclaim. In 2002, the U.K.'s Sanctuary Records released ""Billy Adams– Rockin' Thru The Years" ", a 27-song compilation of his rockabilly career. This helped re-energize his career and he was asked to perform at Austin's "South by Southwest" and other music festivals in the U.S. and the U.K. in his later years.  He received the Kentucky Colonel commission by the State of Kentucky. His wife died of cancer in 2007 and he remarried in Sue Justice in 2010, who survived him.

Death.

Adams died in Westmoreland, Tennessee, March 30, 2019, twenty-four days after his 79th birthday.

Willie Murray Adams (March 6, 1940 – March 30, 2019) was an American rockabilly musician and a member of the Rockabilly Hall of Fame. He recorded the 1950s song "Rock, Pretty Mama", recognized as "a seminal rockabilly classic" by critics. Other songs he recorded in the 1950s include "You Heard Me Knocking", "True Love Will Come Your Way", and "You Gotta Have a Duck Tail". He toured with his family band for decades and, as his rockabilly interest declined, he entered the ministry and wrote Gospel songs. He made a comeback late in his career when a collection of 27 of Adams' songs was released in 2002. Fans re-embraced his rockabilly music 45 years after the original recordings, igniting demand for his appearances at music festivals in U.S. and Britain. Adams died March 30, 2019, at age 79.

Billy Adams (* 6. März 1940 in Redbush, Kentucky, als "Willie Murray Adams"; † 30. März 2019 in Westmoreland, Tennessee) war ein US-amerikanischer Rockabilly-Musiker. Adams ist der Rockabilly-Szene durch eine Reihe von Singles in den 1950er-Jahren bekannt.