Ganesh Chaturthi

Ganesh Chaturthi (ISO: ), also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi (), is a Hindu festival celebrating the arrival of Ganesh to earth from "Kailash Parvat" with his mother Goddess Parvati/Gauri. The festival is marked with the installation of Ganesh clay idols privately in homes and publicly by Shri Bal Gangadhar Tilak popularly known as Lokmanya Tilak in Pune in the year 1893 on elaborate pandals (temporary stages). Observations include chanting of Vedic hymns and Hindu texts such as, prayers and "vrata" (fasting). Offerings and "prasāda" from the daily prayers, that are distributed from the pandal to the community, include sweets such as modaka as it is believed to be a favourite of Lord Ganesh. The festival ends on the tenth day after start, when the idol is carried in a public procession with music and group chanting, then immersed in a nearby body of water such as a river or sea. In Mumbai alone, around 150,000 statues are immersed annually. Thereafter the clay idol dissolves and Ganesh is believed to return to Mount Kailash to Parvati and Shiva. The festival celebrates Lord Ganesh as the God of New Beginnings and the Remover of Obstacles as well as the god of wisdom and intelligence and is observed throughout India, especially in the states such as Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, West Bengal, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh and Tamil Nadu. Ganesh Chaturthi is also observed in Nepal and by the Hindu diaspora elsewhere such as in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Singapore, Malaysia, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Suriname, other parts of the Caribbean, Fiji, Mauritius, South Africa United States, and Europe. In the Gregorian calendar, Ganesh Chaturthi falls between 22 August and 20 September every year.
At public venues, along with the reading of texts and group feasting, athletic and martial arts competitions are also held.
History.
Indian freedom fighter Lokmanya Tilak, championed it as a means to circumvent the colonial British government ban on Hindu gatherings through its anti-public assembly legislation in 1892.
Ganesh.
Though not alluding to the classical form of Ganapati, the earliest mention of "Ganapati" is found in the "Rigveda". It appears twice in the "Rigveda", once in shloka 2.23.1, as well as in shloka 10.112.9. Both of these shlokas imply a role of "Ganapati" as "the seer among the seers, abounding beyond measure in food presiding among the elders and being the lord of invocation", while the shloka in mandala 10 states that without "Ganapati" "nothing nearby or afar is performed without thee", according to Michael. However, it is uncertain that the Vedic term "Ganapati" which literally means "guardian of the multitudes", referred specifically to later era Ganesh, nor do the Vedic texts mention Ganesh Chaturthi. appears in post-Vedic texts such as the "Grhya Sutras" and thereafter ancient Sanskrit texts such as the "Vajasaneyi Samhita", the "Yajnavalkya Smriti" and the "Mahabharata" mention "Ganapati" as "Ganesvaras" and "Vinayak". "Ganesh" appears in the medieval Puranas in the form of "god of success, obstacle remover". The "Skanda Purana", "Narada Purana" and the "Brahma Vaivarta Purana", in particular, profusely praise him. Beyond textual interpretations, archaeological and epigraphical evidence suggest Ganesh had become popular, was revered before the 8th century CE and numerous images of him are traceable to the 7th century or earlier.
For example, carvings at Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain temples such as at the Ellora Caves, dated between the 5th and 8th-century show Ganesh reverentially seated with major Hindu goddess (Shakti).
Festival.
Although it is unknown when (or how) Ganesh Chaturthi was first observed, the festival has been publicly celebrated in Pune since the era of Shivaji (1630–1680, founder of the Maratha Empire). The Peshwa rulers in the 18th century were devotees of Ganesh, and started a public Ganesh festival in their capital city of Pune during the month of Bhadrapad. After the start of the British Raj, the Ganesh festival lost state patronage and became a private family celebration in Maharashtra until its revival by Indian freedom fighter and social reformer Lokmanya Tilak.
I followed with the greatest curiosity crowds who carried in procession an infinite number of idols of the god Ganesh. Each little quarter of the town, each family with its adherents, each little street corner I may almost say, organises a procession of its own, and the poorest may be seen carrying on a simple plank their little idol or of papier mâché... A crowd, more or less numerous, accompanies the idol, clapping hands and raises cries of joy, while a little orchestra generally precedes the idol.
– Angelo de Gubernatis, "Bombay Gazette" (1886)
According to others such as Kaur, the festival became a public event later, in 1892 when Bhausaheb Laxman Javale (also known as Bhau Rangari), installed the first "sarvajanik" (public) Ganesh idol in Pune. In 1893, the Indian freedom fighter Lokmanya Tilak praised the celebration of "Sarvajanik Ganesh Utsav" in his newspaper, "Kesari", and dedicated his efforts to launch the annual domestic festival into a large, well-organised public event. Tilak recognised Ganesh's appeal as "the god for everybody", and according to Robert Brown, he chose Ganesh as the god that bridged "the gap between Brahmins and non-Brahmins", thereby building a grassroots unity across them to oppose British colonial rule.
Other scholars state that the British Empire, after 1870 out of fear of seditious assemblies, had passed a series of ordinances that banned public assembly for social and political purposes of more than 20 people in British India, but exempted religious assembly for Friday mosque prayers under pressure from the Indian Muslim community. Tilak believed that this effectively blocked the public assembly of Hindus whose religion did not mandate daily prayers or weekly gatherings, and he leveraged this religious exemption to make Ganesh Chaturthi to circumvent the British colonial law on large public assembly. He was the first to install large public images of Ganesh in pavilions in Bombay Presidency, and other celebratory events at the festival.
According to Richard Cashman, Tilak recruited and passionately committed himself to god Ganesh after the 1893 Hindu-Muslim communal violence in Bombay and the Deccan riots, when he felt that the British India government under Lord Harris had repeatedly taken sides and not treated Hindus fairly because Hindus were not well organised. In Tilak's estimate, Ganesh worship and processions were already popular in rural and urban Hindu populations, across social castes and classes in Baroda, Gwalior, Pune and most of the Maratha region in the 18th century. In 1893, Tilak helped expand Ganesh Chaturthi festival into a mass community event and a hidden means for political activism, intellectual discourse, poetry recitals, plays, concerts, and folk dances.
In Goa, Ganesh Chaturthi predates the Kadamba era. The Goa Inquisition had banned Hindu festivals, and Hindus who did not convert to Christianity were severely restricted. However, Hindu Goans continued to practice their religion despite the restrictions. Many families worship Ganesh in the form of "patri" (leaves used for worshiping Ganesh or other gods), a picture is drawn on paper or small silver idols. In some households Ganesh idols are hidden, a feature unique to Ganesh Chaturthi in Goa due to a ban on clay Ganes idols and festivals by the Jesuits as part of the Inquisition.
Public preparations for the festivities begin months in advance. Local Mandapa or Pandal's are usually funded either from donations by local residents or hosted by businesses or community organisations. The making of the Murti in Maharashtra usually begins with "Padya pooja" or worshipping the feet of Lord Ganesh. The Murti's are brought to "pandals" on the day or a day before the festival begins. The pandals have elaborate decoration and lighting.
At home, the festival preparation includes purchases such as puja items or accessories a few days in advance and booking the Ganesh murti as early as a month beforehand (from local artisans). The murti is brought home either a day before or on the day of the Ganesh Chaturthi itself. Families decorate a small, clean portion of the house with flowers and other colourful items before installing the idol. When the Murti is installed, it and its shrine are decorated with flowers and other materials. On the day of the festival, The ceremonial installation of the clay "murti" (idol) is done along with chants of holy mantras and pooja including bhajans during a certain auspicious period of the day.
In preparation for the festival, artisans create clay models of Ganesh for sale. The Murti's range in size from for homes to over for large community celebrations.
The date for the festival is usually decided by the presence of Chaturthi Thithi. The festival is held during "Bhadrapada Madyahanaa Purvabaddha". If the "Chaturthi Thiti" begins at night on the previous day and gets over by morning on next day then the next day is observed as Vinayaka Chaturthi.
In the consecration ceremony, a priest performs a Prana Pratishtha to invite Ganesh like a guest. This is followed by the 16-step Shodashopachara ritual, (Sanskrit: "Shodash", 16; "Upachara", process) during which coconut, jaggery, "modaks", "durva" grass and red hibiscus (Jaswand) flowers are offered to the idol. Depending on the region and time zone, the ceremony commences with hymns from the Rigveda, the Ganapati Atharvashirsa, the Upanishads and the Ganesh stotra (prayer) from the Narada Purana are chanted. In Maharashtra as well as Goa, Aartis are performed with friends and family, typically in the morning and evening.
Visarjan/Nimajjinam.
On the last day of the festival, the tradition of Ganesh Visarjan/Nimajjinam takes place. The concluding day of the 10-day festival is also popularly known as Anant Chaturdashi. As the word 'visarjan' or 'nimajjinam'implies, on this day immersion ('visarjan' or 'nimajjinam' means immersion) of Lord Ganapati's idol takes place in a river, sea or water body. On the last day, the devotees come out in processions carrying the idols of their beloved God and perform immersion.
There is an interesting story behind the legend of Ganesh visarjan/Vinayaka Nimajjinam. It is believed that Lord Ganesha returns to Mount Kailash to join his parents Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati on the last day of the festival. The celebration of Ganesh Chaturthi also denotes the significance of the cycle of birth, life and death. Ganesha, who is also known as the Lord of New Beginnings, is also worshipped as the Remover of Obstacles. It is believed that when the idol of the Ganesha is taken out for immersion, it also takes away with it the various obstacles of the house and these obstacles are destroyed along with the visarjan/nimajjinam. Every year, people wait with great anticipation to celebrate the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi.
Celebration in India.
In India, Ganesh Chaturthi is primarily celebrated at home and in public by local community groups in the central and western states of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Goa and the southern states of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and eastern states of West Bengal and Odisha..
At prominent temples.
At Varasidhi Vinayaka Swamy Temple in Kanipakam, Andhra Pradesh, annual "brahmotsavams" will be celebrated for 21 days starting from Vinayaka Chavithi day. The processional deity of Vinayaka (Ganesh) will be taken in a procession on different "vahanams" on these days amidst large number of pilgrims across the country.
At home.
In Maharashtra, Ganesh Chaturthi is known as Ganeshotsav. Families install small clay statues for worship during the festival. The Murti is worshiped in the morning and evening with offerings of flowers, durva(strands of young grass), karanji and modaks (jaggery and coconut flakes wrapped in rice flour dumplings). The worship ends with the singing of an "aarti" in honour of Ganesh, other Gods and Saints. In Maharashtra the Marathi "aarti" "Sukhakarta Dukhaharta", composed by the 17th century saint, Samarth Ramdas is sung.
Family traditions differ about when to end the celebration. Domestic celebrations end after , 3, 5, 7 or 11 days. At that time the Murti is ceremoniously brought to a body of water (such as a lake, river or the sea) for immersion. In Maharashtra, Ganeshotsav also incorporates other festivals, namely Hartalika and the Gauri festival, the former is observed with a fast by women on the day before Ganesh Chaturthi whilst the latter by the installation of statues of Gauris. In some communities such as the Chitpavan, and the CKP, pebbles collected from river bank are installed as representations of Gauri.
In Goa, Ganesh Chaturthi is known as Chavath in Konkani and Parab or Parva ("auspicious celebration"); it begins on the third day of the lunar month of Bhadrapada. On this day Parvati and Shiva are worshiped by women, who fast. Instruments such as ghumots, Crash cymbals (ताळ(taal) in Konkani) and pakhavaj (an Indian barrel-shaped, two-headed drum) are played during the rituals. The harvest festival, Navyachi Pancham, is celebrated the next day; freshly harvested paddy is brought home from the fields (or temples) and a puja is conducted. Communities who ordinarily eat seafood refrain from doing so during the festival.
In Karnataka the Gowri festival precedes Ganesh Chaturthi, and people across the state wish each other well. In Andhra Pradesh, Ganesh Murti'so of clay ("Matti Vinayakudu") and turmeric ("Siddhi Vinayakudu") are usually worshiped at home with plaster of Paris Murti's.
Public celebrations of the festival are popular, and are organised by local youth groups, neighbourhood associations or groups of tradespeople. Funds for the public festival are collected from members of the association arranging the celebration, local residents and businesses. The Ganesh idols and accompanying statues are installed in temporary shelters, known as mandaps or pandals. The festival features cultural activities such as singing, theatre and orchestral performances and community activities such as free medical checkups, blood-donation sites and donations to the poor. Ganesh Chaturthi, in addition to its religious aspects, is an important economic activity in Mumbai, Surat, Pune, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai and Kurnool. Many artists, industries, and businesses earn a significant amount of their living from the festival, which is a stage for budding artists. Members of other religions also participate in the celebration.
In Tamil Nadu, the festival, also known as "Vinayaka Chaturthi" or "Pillayar Chaturthi", falls on the fourth day after the new moon in the month of Āvaṇi in the Tamil calendar. The idols are usually made of clay or papier-mâché, since Plaster of Paris idols have been banned by the state government, but violations of this rule are often reported Idols are also made of coconuts and other organic products. They are worshiped for several days in pandals, and immersed in the Bay of Bengal the following Sunday. In Kerala the festival is also known as "Lamboodhara Piranalu", which falls in the month of Chingam. In Thiruvananthapuram a procession marches from the Pazhavangadi Ganapathi Temple to Shankumugham Beach, with tall statues of Ganesha made from organic items and milk immersed in the sea.
Celebration outside India.
In Pakistan, Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations are conducted by the Shri Maharashtra Panchayat, an organisation for Maharashtrians in Karachi.
Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated in the UK by the British Hindu population living there. The Hindu Culture and Heritage Society, a Southall-based organisation, celebrated Ganesh Chaturthi for the first time in London in 2005 at the Vishwa Hindu Temple; and the idol was immersed in the River Thames at Putney Pier. Another celebration, organised by a Gujarati group, has been celebrated in Southend-on-Sea, and attracted an estimated 18,000 devotees. Annual celebrations are also held on the River Mersey in Liverpool.
The Philadelphia Ganesh Festival is one of the most popular celebrations of Ganesh Chaturthi in North America, and it is also celebrated in Canada (particularly in the Toronto area), Mauritius, Malaysia and Singapore. The Mauritius festival dates back to 1896, and the Mauritian government has made it a public holiday. In Malaysia and Singapore, the festival is more commonly known as Vinayagar Chaturthi because of the large Tamil-speaking Hindu minority.
Ghana.
In Ghana, ethnic African Hindus celebrate Ganesh Chaturti.
Foods.
The primary sweet dish during the festival is Modak ("modak" in Marathi and Konkani, "modakam" or "kudumu" in Telugu, "modaka" or "kadubu" in Kannada, "kozhakatta" or "modakkam" in Malayalam and "kozhukattai" or "modagam" in Tamil). A "modak" is a dumpling made from rice or wheat flour, stuffed with grated coconut, [jaggery], dried fruits and other condiments and steamed or fried. Another popular sweet dish is the "karanji" ("karjikai" in Kannada), similar to "modak" in composition and taste but in a semicircular shape. This sweet meal is called "Nevri" in Goa and is synonymous with Ganesh festival amongst the Goans and the Konkani diaspora.
In Andhra Pradesh and Telangana "modak", "laddu", "vundrallu" (steamed, coarsely ground rice-flour balls), "panakam" (a jaggery-, black pepper- and cardamom-flavoured drink), "vadapappu" (soaked "moong" lentils) and "chalividi" (a cooked rice flour and jaggery mixture) are offered to Ganesh. These offerings are known as "naivedya", and a plate of "modak" traditionally holds 21 pieces of the sweet. In Goa, "modak" and a Goan version of idli ("sanna") is popular.
Panchakajjaya is an offering made to Lord Ganesh during this festival in parts of Karnataka. It is a mixture of desiccated coconut, roasted Bengal gram powder, sugar, ghee, and sesame. Different versions of "panchakajjaya" are made. Roasted Bengal gram, green gram, roasted "chana dal" ("putani") or aval can be used.
Environmental impact.
The Madras High Court ruled in 2004 that immersion of Ganesh idols is unlawful because it incorporates chemicals that pollute the sea water. In Goa the sale of plaster-of-Paris Ganesha idols has been banned by the state government and celebrants are encouraged to buy traditional, artisan-made clay idols. Recent initiatives to produce traditional clay Ganesh idols in Hyderabad have been sponsored by the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board.Environmental concern is also making people in Gujarat to opt for Ganesh Idols made with a mixture of cow dung and clay. These are marketed as "Vedic Ganesh idols" by the organization making them.
Due to environmental concerns, a number of families now avoid bodies of water and let the clay statue disintegrate in a barrel of water at home. After a few days, the clay is spread in the garden. In some cities a public, eco-friendly process is used for the immersion.


Hindu Temple of Dayton

The Hindu Temple of Dayton, is a Hindu temple located in Beavercreek, Ohio. It serves the Hindu community of the Greater Dayton Area. Currently, there are shrines to the deities Venkateshwara, Rama along with Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman, Ganesha, and Radha Krishna.
History.
The congregation was first organized in 1976. A. V. Rangarajan was instrumental in organizing the Indian community in Dayton. He was a founding member of the temple. A temple was consecrated in 1985 in Beavercreek. In 2009, ground was broken next to the temple in order to build a Puja Hall. The hall serves as a multipurpose area for celebrations, classes, and cultural activities.
Starting in 2011, the temple underwent two years of major renovations. During these renovations, shrines to Bhagawan Chandramauli, Tripura Sundari, Bhudevi, Lakshmi and Navagraha were added. The end of construction was marked by a six-day festival.
Organization.
The Dayton Hindu Temple is organized by Hindu Community Organization, Inc, a non-profit organized for the purpose of maintaining the temple. Like most religious organizations, the Dayton Hindu Temple has an executive committee, Board of Directors, and a Board of Trustees. The Hindu Temple of Dayton publishes a bi-monthly newsletter, Mandir Vani, in which the organization, services, news, and religious information is discussed. The temple raises money through donations, fundraisers, and services.
Services and community.
Several hundred people visit the temple on a weekly basis. Two priests perform services based on Hindu principles. As with most Hindu temples, fees can be charged for special prayers and services. There are also scheduled events and services held throughout the week. Every Sunday, the god Venkateshwara is given a sacred bath, while Shiva is bathed on Mondays.
In addition, the Dayton Hindu Temple serves as a community center. There are weekly table tennis games, anniversary celebrations, summer camps for children, lectures, and yoga classes.


Black Stump Music and Arts Festival

The Black Stump Music and Arts Festival (called 'Black Stump,' 'Black Stump Festival' or just 'Stump' for short) was a four-day Christian festival that is held in the Greater Sydney Metropolitan region over the Labour Day long weekend, often the first weekend in October, from 1985 to 2014.
Features.
Although the format of the festival changed slightly from year to year, there were some constant features including:
Main Stage (called Big Top 1995-2006, 2011-) - the primary venue used for Saturday morning, Sunday night and Monday Morning Bible Studies, Worship & Music. During the nights it is the venue used for headline and international acts.
Fools Theatre (formerly Off Broadway) - interaction and comedy venue.
Sacred Space - Alternative worship.
The Village - food and service venues and addition performance space.
The Supper Club - small stage for music with cafe style tables and food.
Metro - primary Rock venue
History.
Black Stump was held annually since 1985 with the exception of four years: 1987, 1995, 2000 and 2010.
For most of its existence Black Stump has been held at Cataract Scout Park, Appin NSW, Australia and before that at Cattai.
Early history.
The first festival was held to coincide with International Youth Year and was inspired by Pebblebrook in New Zealand and the Greenbelt Festival in the UK. It was organised by individuals from Baptist, Church of Christ, Uniting and Anglican churches as well as other youth orientated Christian organizations.
The first and second festivals were held in 1985 and 1986 at Cattai (at the former Paradise Gardens site).
From 1988 it was then held at Cataract Scout Park until 2007.
Gap years.
The festival was not held in 1987 in order to plan to make it a regular festival, and to plan the relocation to Cataract Scout Park.
The intended 1995 festival was cancelled due to a significant financial shortfall resulting from the 1994 festival.
The festival was not held in 2000 because the Sydney Olympics ended on the October Long weekend.
The festival was not held in 2010 due to projected ticket sales being too low to meet increasing operating costs at the venue.
Equestrian Centre years.
In 2008, Black Stump moved to the Sydney International Equestrian Centre in Horsley Park, due to ageing facilities at Cataract Scout Camp. From 2011 Black Stump returned to a rejuvenated Cataract Scout Park.
Beyond Festival.
After the final Black Stump in 2014, some of its organizers went on to launch Beyond Festival. Considered the successor to Black Stump, but with an emphasis on promoting social justice from a Christian standpoint, Beyond Festival has been held at Greenhills Centre in Canberra on the Labour Day long weekend (first weekend in October) in 2015 and 2016. It was not held in 2017, with the next festival to take place at Kangaroo Valley, New South Wales on 23-25 November 2018.
Notable performers.
Many artists have appeared at Black Stump and then gone onto wide popularity in the Christian or secular world. These include the Newsboys, Priority Paid, Rebecca St James, David Butts (Hooley Dooleys), Tim Harding (Hi-5), Sarah Blasko, Butterfly Boucher and Paul Colman.


Kermanshah Christian cemetery

Kermanshah's Christian’s Cemetery is a collection of graves belonging to the Armenians and also graveyards of Christians in Kermanshah in the western part of Iran, which is in ruins.
Destruction of the cemetery.
The Destruction of the Christian’s Cemetery in Kermanshah is a fact that occurred in June 2017.
The graves in the cemetery belongs to the Armenians and the Christians, which the municipality of Kermanshah has destroyed it by irrigating the cemetery grounds. A large part of this cemetery has been acquired and sold by the municipality in the recent years and has been under construction for residential buildings. As a result, the large cemetery has left just a small part which is also being destroyed.
Background.
Before the 1979 Revolution in Iran, many Christians lived in Kermanshah.
The two largest churches belonging to the Assyrians, with the names of Pentecosti and Armenian on the Shari'ati Street of Kermanshah, were also their place of worship. But the Armenian Church was destroyed in 2002.
The British Consulate in Shahnaz Square or Ghadir and the Iranian and American Association were also a part of Kermanshah's famous Christian buildings which both of them were destroyed by the Islamic Republic of Iran.
There are also reports of destroying Christian monuments in Iran
Related Events.
The following are examples of the destruction of the Christian cemeteries in the recent years Iran:
- The destruction of the Ahwazi Christian Cemetery and the theft of the Armenian and the Poles churchyards in the city.
- The destruction of the Bushehr Christian Cemetery in the Bahmni area and memorials of the British in Bushehr.
- The complete destruction of an old Christian cemetery dating back 200 years in the castle city of Kerman. It was registered in 2008 as a part of national works and should have been protected and renovated.
- The Tehran Cemetery of Christians (Dolab), which after the Second World War has been named by hundreds of Polish officers and doctors of the Reza Shah Court and many other Armenians, Catholics, and Protestants artists, is also being destroyed.


Kyiv Islamic Cultural Center

Kyiv Islamic Cultural Centre (from 2001) – mosque and cultural organization in Kyiv, Ukraine. Islamic Cultural Centre (ICC) of Kyiv is one of the nine cultural centers located in the biggest cities of Ukraine. The building of ICC hosted the office of Religious Administration of Muslims of Ukraine “Ummah”, "Ukrainian Centre for Islamic Studies", "Shariah Committee", right protection organization "Together with the law", Alraid Halal Certification and Research Center, publishing office "Ansar Foundation", gymnasium "Our Future", public organizations "Mariam" and "An-Nur", head office of "AUASO Alraid".
Infrastructure of ICC.
In two prayer's halls of ICC – men's and women's, which can contain approximately 1500 people - Daily and Friday Prayers are held. Circles of Quran reading (tajwid) and memorizing Quran, lection about the basis of Islam (fiqh, sīra, etc.) open for Muslims. During the holy month, Ramadan, in ICC people gather for iftar every evening. Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha are celebrated solemnly and joyously with entertaining program for children.
In the center for women's development in ICC workshops for personal development, classes and lections dedicated to different topics, including family psychology, are often took place. Moreover, women have an opportunity to attend sewing and cooking circles, fitness classes.
ICC courses of Arabic language and Islamic culture are held using special developed program. Native speakers teach students using specially developed program.
Activity.
Main spheres of activity of ICC include promoting interreligious and intercultural dialog, spreading truthful information about Islam, breaking the myths about Islam and Muslims, and enriching of knowledge of Ukrainian Muslims.
Educational activity.
From 2014 gymnasium "Our Future" have functioned in ICC. This is a private educational institution for primary and secondary school education, operating within the authority mandated by a state license. School use national educational standard. Using following link you can do virtual excursion to the gymnasium.
Public activity.
In Islamic Cultural Centre of Kyiv “East Fest” was held on August 23, 2015 and May 14, 2016. That event wasn't a simple demonstration of Eastern traditions, but a link between representatives of different nations in our country.
On December 19, 2015 Islamic Cultural Centre of Kyiv hosted International Quran Recital Competition between representatives of Ukraine, post-soviet countries, near and far abroad countries. Altogether 56 participants took part in the competition; including one participant from Crimea and one from occupied Donbas area.
During July 20–24, 2015 our capital had hosted 4th International School for Islamic studies organized by "AUASO Alraid" and "RAMU Ummah". It was dedicated actual questions of modern age. During 5 working days participants worked on searching for identity, dialog, conflict solving and extremism.
In ICC of Kyiv activists of public women's Muslim organization "Mariam" organized the Day of Ukrainian Culture on December 26, 2016. Quests learned about Ukrainian traditions, particularly women's role in Ukrainian society today and in historical aspect, traditions accompanying girl's life from her birth to motherhood. After tasting halal Ukrainian dishes, prepared by activists of "Mariam", everybody could join the master class of Petrykivsky painting.


Alexander Ivanovich Shilov

Alexander Ivanovich Shilov ( ?-January 6 O.S. 1799) was one of the founders of the Skoptzy sect.
He was born to a family of peasants of Penza gubernia. He was married and even had children, but neither family life nor the official religion satisfied him. He found the founder of the Skoptzy sect Kondraty Selivanov and became an active proponent and preacher of the new sect.
For castrating 9 peasants Shilov was exiled to Riga but continued preaching of his heresy. In 1789 for castrating 12 soldiers in Riga, Shilov was beaten by batons and imprisoned to the Dunamond fortress, in 1797 he was transferred to the Shlisselburg Fortress but still advocated castrating to the prison guards as well as stated that Peter III of Russia is alive and is the true tsar of Russia. At the night from January 5 to January 6 O.S. 1799 (by other sources from January 5 to January 6 O.S. 1800 he was executed. The chapel on his grave soon became a popular place for castrating by Skoptzy, so in 1829 it had to be destroyed.


New Creation Church

New Creation Church (), or abbreviated as NCC, is a Christian megachurch in Singapore founded in 1984. It holds services at The Star Performing Arts Centre. It is a non-denominational Christian church, and a member of the National Council of Churches of Singapore. It is not affiliated to any church overseas. The senior pastor of the church is Joseph Prince.
The church was one of three megachurches to make it to a list of Singapore's 10 largest charities, according to a report by The Straits Times in 2019.
History.
The church was founded by a small group including Joseph Prince, Henry Yeo, David Yeow and Jack Ho in 1983. It was later officially registered with the Registrar of Societies in October 1984. It began its Sunday service with an average attendance of 25 people. Gradually, it grew to about 150 members in 1990 when Prince was appointed as the senior pastor of the church.
During the period between 1984 and 1999, the church used different worship venues such as a hall within the premises of the Young Women's Christian Association of Singapore and the ballrooms in local hotels to accommodate its growing congregation.
In 1999, the church moved to the Rock Auditorium in Suntec City Mall. On 23 December 2012, its services were shifted to The Star PAC.
Outreach.
The church is involved in outreach work and missions throughout the Asian region, and sends its pastors, leaders and volunteers to several Asian countries annually.
Ten per cent of the church's annual budget which was about US$4 million ("as of Year 2007") was set aside for missionary work. Currently, the church is still committed to helping missionaries. In addition, the church also makes donations to local charities annually. Specifically, the church has given SGD581,500 to community groups and charities during the period between April 2007 and March 2008.
Business arm.
The New Creation Church Group consists of the church as well as its for-profit business entities which it says have generated a net surplus every year.
The Star Vista.
The Star Vista is a shopping mall occupying the bottom six floors of The Star, a 15-storey mixed use complex that the church co-developed with CapitaLand and was opened in September 2012. In November 2019, the church paid S$296 million to acquire the mall after it heard that CapitaLand was in talks with buyers for a potential sale. The church said that the acquisition was made "to protect the interest of the church" because another buyer could have been less supportive of the church's use of the property for religious purposes.
Omega Tours & Travel Pte Ltd.
Omega Tours & Travel Pte Ltd is a travel agency that specialises in package and private tours to Holy Land destinations in Israel, Jordan, Turkey and Greece. Pastor Joseph Prince has been known to be featured in high-profile Holy Land tours speaking alongside other prominent pastors such as Joel Osteen.
Worship venue.
The church moved to a new 5,000 (5,142) seat theatre, now its main worship venue, at The Star PAC in Buona Vista on 23 December 2012.
Officially opened on 1 November 2012, The Star PAC spans levels 3 to 11, known as the civic and cultural zone, of the building called The Star. It is owned and managed by Rock Productions, the business arm of the church. The Star PAC comprises a 5,000-seat theatre, a multi-purpose hall, an outdoor amphitheatre, special function rooms and other facilities. The church rents The Star PAC for Sunday services.
The levels from Basement 4 to Level 2 of The Star, known as the retail and entertainment zone (including the car park lots), is called The Star Vista, and is owned by the church.
The Star, comprising The Star Vista and The Star PAC, was envisioned as a "futuristic complex with restaurants, shops and a 5,000-seat theatre", and costs an estimated SGD1 billion.
Controversies.
Adam Lambert's performance at The Star Performing Arts Centre.
In May 2013, the National Council of Churches of Singapore (NCCS) said it was looking into a complaint about Adam Lambert performing at The Star Performing Arts Centre, a commercial entity fully owned by Rock Productions, the business arm of New Creation Church. Lim K. Tham, general secretary of the council said it had received a complaint that "the gay lifestyle may be promoted at the concert" and that "The NCCS has conveyed this concern to New Creation so that it can make a response."
In a statement, the church said that according to stipulations from the authorities before the tender was awarded to Rock Productions, the venue had to operate "on a purely commercial basis and will not implement any leasing or pricing policies that will discriminate between religious groups, institutions or organisations from hiring the venue". The church said all public events require a public entertainment licence from the police, and it had "utmost confidence" in the policies and ability of government bodies such as the Media Development Authority to "protect the interest of the general public". The statement added that any event at the performing arts centre "should not be misconstrued or misunderstood" as the church "approving of its artistic presentation or endorsing the lifestyle of the performer".


Islam in Guyana

Islam in Guyana is the third largest religion in the country after Christianity and Hinduism, respectively. According to the 2002 census, 7.3% of the country is Muslim. However, a Pew Research survey from 2010 estimates that 6.4% of the country is Muslim. Islam was first introduced to Guyana via slaves from West Africa, but was suppressed on plantations until Muslims of India were brought to the country as indentured labor.
The Islamic holidays of Eid al-Adha, Eid al-Fitr and Mawlid (the birthday of Muhammad) are nationally recognized in Guyana.
History.
As with most South American countries, Islam spread to Guyana through the transatlantic slave trade. Mandingo and Fulani Muslims were brought from West Africa to work as slaves in Guyana's sugar plantations. However, the oppressive conditions of slavery in the colony led the practice of Islam to essentially disappear until 1838 when 240,000 South Asians were brought from modern-day India and Pakistan. Records from the time show that while overwhelming majority of these servants were Hindu, a significant minority were Muslim.
Muslim Indo-Guyanese maintained their religious identity in spite of separation from their homeland by establishing mosques, Islamic organizations, and after World War 2, seeking international support aimed at creating "a political space for colonial Muslims". By 1890, there were 29 mosques in Guyana, and 50 by 1920. Some of the earliest organizations include Queenstown Jama Masjid (founded 1895), the Young Men’s Muslim Literary Society (1926) and the United Sad’r Islamic Anjuman (1949).
After Guyana's independence from the British in 1966, Guyana established diplomatic relations with Arab countries such as Egypt, Iraq and Libya who opened embassies in the capital of Georgetown. Some Muslim youths went to Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Libya to study Islamic theology and the Arabic language. In 1996, President Cheddi Jagan of Guyana toured Syria, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Lebanon and appointed a Middle Eastern envoy. In the same year, Guyana officially became a permanent observer in the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
In 1998, Guyana became the 56th full member state of the OIC. In August 2020, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali became president of Guyana and first practicing Muslim head of state in South America.
Demographics.
According to the 2012 census, approximately 6.8 percent of the population is Muslim (a total of 50,572 people). Almost all Muslims are of Indian descent. The Muslim population is declining due to emigration.
Geographical distribution.
Essequibo Islands-West Demerara has the highest share of Muslims with nearly 12% of its population being part of the "Ummah", followed by East Berbice-Corentyne with 10% and Mahaica-Berbice with 9%.
Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.
The first Ahmadiyya missionary to Guyana arrived in 1908. A community was established in the country in the 1960s and has several mosques across the country including Georgetown, Rosignol, New Amsterdam and Sisters Village. This reform movement, founded in India in the late nineteenth century, also has converts of the Afro-Guyanese community.
Interfaith cooperation.
According to Guyanese-American professor Raymond Chickrie, Hindus and Muslims in Guyana have always had "a cordial relationship among themselves. It would seem that these two groups had come to a mutual understanding of respecting each other's space while culturally and even linguistically identifying with each other."
Among the Indo-Guyanese community, there is an tactit agreement to refrain from prostletyzing between Muslims and Hindus. Hindi is popular among Indo-Guyanese Muslims who watch films and listen to music from Bollywood. Political antagonism between Indo-Guyanese Muslims and Hindus is non-existent, in contrast to India or other Indian diasporic communities such as Fiji. Intermarriage is perceived as a "tolerated deviance" rather than facing outright condemnation. In smaller villages, Hindus and Muslims come together to participate in each other's ceremonies.
Organizations.
Central Islamic Organization of Guyana.
The Central Islamic Organization of Guyana (CIOG) is the oldest Islamic group in Guyana. They are involved in relief work and orphan sponsorships.
Guyana Islamic Trust.
The Guyana Islamic Trust (GIT) is a multi-faceted, nonprofit organization which has been established since 1978. The GIT has dedicated itself to the process of bringing about intellectual, moral and spiritual improvement to individuals, families and communities in Guyana. Their goal is education, since they believe "ignorance is the root cause of the intolerance, racism, immorality and criminality that pervades our society and our world." The Guyana Islamic Trust manages its grass root work through fourteen Administrative Districts. Some of GIT's works include organizing classes, social activities, and youth programs, as well as partnering with Jamaats, and da’wah to Non-Muslims.
The National Islamic Sisters Association (NISA) is the women's arm of the GIT and focuses on women's faith-based and social needs.
Guyana United Sad’r Islamic Anjuman.
The Guyana United Sad’r Islamic Anjuman (GUSIA) was founded in June 1973. It manages the Shaheed Girls’ Orphanage in Oleander Gardens and boys’ Orphanage in Kitty.
Guyana Islamic Institute.
The Guyana Islamic Institute is an Islamic center of learning established in 1986 for teaching Arabic Language, Qur'anic Sciences and Islamic Studies.
National United Halaal Authority of Guyana (NUHA).
The National United Halaal Authority of Guyana was established in 2011. This organisation is dedicated to the inspection and certification of Halal products and food establishments in Guyana.


Ibrahim Basha

Ibrahim Basha Iddris also called Mallam Basha or Sheikh Bayaan, is a Ghanaian Islamic preacher, and one of the campaigners of the Sunni Islamic movement in Ghana. He founded Nuriyya Islamic Institute in Tamale in 1969 and is the leader of Masjidul Bayaan in Tamale.
He is widely considered to have been the initiator in transforming the traditional madrasas into Anglo-Arabic schooling and the pioneer of the creation of Ghana Islamic Education Unit.
Biography.
Early life.
Ibrahim was born in Kumasi but took his initial studies in Takoradi at Khairiyya Islamic School. He was taught by Hajj Shuab, a renowned Dagomba Islamic scholar. Ibrahim was given the nod to teach his colleagues as an advanced student. Later, he moved to Kumasi to study under Sheikh Ahmad Nurideen.
Coming to Tamale and Time at Anbariyya Islamic Institute.
Shiekh Basha occasionally visited his uncle Yusuf Soalih Ajura also known as Afa Ajura in Tamale. However, in the 1950s, he stayed permanently with Afa Ajura in Tamale and started teaching at the Anbariyya Islamic Institute. Notable amongst his students was Sheikh Saeed Abubakr Zakaria who is currently the leader of the Anbariyya Islamic Institute. Basha later left to form his own school.
Formation of Nuriyya Islamic Institute.
In the 1960s, Basha left Anbariyya Islamic Institute. Gow, Olonisakin, & Dijxhoorn (2013) cited the lessening of Afa Ajura's Wahhabi doctrine, difference in interpretation as well as the infusion of secular education as the main cause. Subsequently, he established Madrasat Nuriyya in 1969 now Nuriyya Islamic Institute. Nuriyya Islamic Institute became one of the first Islamic schools to be transformed from teaching only Arabic to Anglo-Arabic.
Controversies.
Ibrahim has been alleged as being a Tijaniyyah and a Shi'a. However, he denied those charges. In his own account; he asserted that although he was taught by a scholar who happens to have practiced Tijaniyyah, he never succumbed to its practice that strayed from traditional Sunni. Furthermore, on the issue of being a Shi'a, he claimed that he was a friend to Shi'as but never practiced their movement.
Ibrahim is also alleged to be rival to the Anbariya Sunni Community as he has been severally accused of speaking against them in his sermons.


Sosei

Sosei (, 844 – 910) was a Japanese waka poet and Buddhist priest. He is listed as one of the Thirty-six Poetry Immortals, and one of his poems was included in the famous anthology "Hyakunin Isshu". His father Henjō was also a waka poet and monk.
Sosei entered religious life sometime after his father, who took the tonsure after the death of Emperor Ninmyō in 850.


Islam in Finland

Islam is a minority religion in Finland. The first Muslims were Tatars who immigrated mainly between 1870 and 1920. After that there were decades with generally a small number of immigration in Finland. Since the late 20th century the number of Muslims in Finland has increased rapidly due to immigration. Nowadays, there are dozens of Islamic communities in Finland, but only a minority of Muslims have joined them. Pew Research Center estimates that in 2016 about 2.7% of Finland's 5.5 million population is Muslim. The real percentage is said to be 1.8% if counting together all language groups. In the high migration scenario, Finland's Muslim population could grow to 15% by 2050 which would equal almost a million Muslims in Finland.
In December 2017 the city of Helsinki rejected a proposal to build a large mosque financed by funds from Bahrain. The application was rejected as it was unclear which movement of Islam would dominate its prayers and the attendant risk of radicalization and conflict between different religious communities.
Baltic Tatars.
The Baltic Tatars arrived in Finland as merchants and soldiers at the end of the 19th century. They were later joined by other family members. The Finnish Islamic Association () was founded in 1925. In practice, this society only accepts people from Tatar origin, or Turkic origin in general, as members, excluding non-Turkic speaking Muslims. The Finnish Tatars's Islamic congregations have a total of about 1,000 members these days.
Modern immigration.
The number of immigrants, and Muslims as well, in Finland rose considerably in the early 1990s. Soon new immigrants established their own mosques and societies. In 1996 these groups came together to form a cooperative organ - the Federation of Islamic Organizations in Finland. It is estimated that approximately 1,000 Finns have converted to Islam. The vast majority of these are women who have married Muslim men.
Hundreds of Muslim asylum seekers and refugees from Iraq and Afghanistan convert to Christianity after having had their first asylum application rejected by the Finnish Immigration Service (Migri), in order to re-apply for asylum on the grounds of religious persecution.
In May 2018, the Minister of Justice Antti Häkkänen responded to academic who had demanded that sharia law and other laws from foreign cultures be incorporated into the justice system of Finland. He stated that "religion or culture can never justify abuse of women and children, such as female genital mutilation or child marriage. There is no place for Sharia law or parallel societies in Finland. Human rights apply to all equally."
Islamic societies.
There are dozens of independent Islamic societies in Finland. The oldest one is Finnish Islamic Association which was established in 1925. It has about 700 members of whom all are Tatars. The society has mosques in Helsinki, Tampere and Lahti. The only building established only as mosque in Finland is Järvenpää Mosque.
The Islamic Society of Finland was established in 1987. Its members are mainly Arabs, but also Finnish converts. The society has a mosque and Koran school in Helsinki. The Helsinki Islamic Center is currently the biggest society with almost 2,000 members. Furthermore, there are a dozen other Islamic societies in Helsinki region, some of them are not officially registered.
Most of mosques are multilingual, but the most commonly used languages are usually English and Finnish. Religious services are held in Arabic.
Demographics.
The population of Muslims in Finland from 2008 to 2018 ,according to the Statistics Finland:
Muslim majority ethnic groups by language.
Numbers are based on the Statistics Finland (language, 2019).
Total: 102,696
Terrorism and radicalisation.
The first Islamist terrorist attack in Finland was the 2017 Turku attack where Abderrahman Bouanane, a failed asylum seeker from Morocco, stabbed two women to death and wounded eight other people in his stabbing attack.
Islamic militants constituted the majority of those under surveillance by the Finnish Security Intelligence Service (SUPO) in 2020 and Finland is portrayed as an enemy state in Islamic State propaganda. The militant Islamist networks in Finland are multiethnic and span across generations, where the third generation of a number of Muslim immigrant families are radicalised. This leads to Muslim children growing up in a radicalized environment. The Foreign fighters in the Syrian and Iraqi Civil Wars movement has amplified transnational contacts for the Islamist movements in Finland. A number of militants have arrived from the conflict zone in Syria and the Al-Hawl refugee camp and constitute both a short and long term security threat.


Raymond Wang Chong Lin

Raymond Wang Chong Lin (May 12, 1921 – February 2, 2010) was the Roman Catholic bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Zhaoxian, China.
Ordained to the priesthood in 1950, Wang Chong Lin was secretly ordained bishop in 1983 and eventually was enthroned in a public ceremony.
Wang Chong Lin died of a cerebral hemorrhage on February 2, 2010.


Kruszyniany

Kruszyniany is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Krynki, within Sokółka County, Podlaskie Voivodeship, in north-eastern Poland, close to the border with Belarus.
The village has a population of 160. In the past, it was primarily a Lipka Tatar settlement. Up until this day, the Tatars still remain as the only minority in the village. The Tatars are Sunni Muslims. Sites of interest in the village include a wooden mosque from the 18th century (one of the two oldest in Poland), a Muslim cemetery, a Tatar centre and museum, and an Eastern Orthodox cemetery with an Orthodox church.
Around 1683, the Lipka Tatars were given land in Kruszyniany as a reward for aiding Jan III Sobieski in the Battle of Vienna and saving his life during the Battle of Párkány.
The village was named one of Poland's official national Historic Monuments ("Pomnik historii"), as designated November 20, 2012. Its listing is maintained by the National Heritage Board of Poland.


Alasitas

The largest Alasitas fair (or Alacita, Alacitas, Alasita; Spanish: Feria de las Alasitas) is an annual month-long cultural event starting on 24 January in La Paz, Bolivia. It honours Ekeko, the Aymara god of abundance, and is noted for the giving of miniature items. Other fiestas and ferias throughout Bolivia incorporate alasitas into religious observances: The Fiesta of the Virgin of Copacabana and the Fiesta of the Virgin of Urkupiña, for example.
Origins.
The indigenous Aymara people observed an event called Chhalasita in the pre-Columbian era, when people prayed for good crops and exchanged basic goods. Over time, it evolved to accommodate elements of Catholicism and Western acquisitiveness.
Its name is the Aymara word for "buy me".
Arthur Posnansky observed that in the Tiwanaku culture, on dates near 22 December, the population used to worship their deities to ask for good luck, offering miniatures of what they wished to have or achieve.
Based on Posnansky's observations, the manufacture of miniatures would have its origins in the pre-Columbian era and the Alasitas fair would have its first urban expressions in the early years of the founding of La Paz, specifically, when its founders moved it from Laja on the banks of the Choqueyapu River. During that occasion, Juan Rodríguez ordered the celebration of a mass where Spanish and Indigenous people participated, the latter wanted to contribute by bringing small stone idols and miniatures exchanging them for stone coins.
During the 1781 siege of La Paz, Sebastián Segurola re-established the celebration moving it from October to 24 January, as a gesture of gratitude towards "Our Lady of Peace", the holy figure for which the city of La Paz was named. The transactions were made with the same stone coins and slowly the cult to the "Ekeko" was reintroduced. He appeared for the first time modelled in clay; nowadays the figures are usually cast in plaster.
Modern celebrations.
The Alasitas festival is held annually for the Ekeko. It sprawls along many streets and parks in central La Paz and smaller events are held in many neighborhoods around the city. People attend the event from all over the city and even travel from other cities inside Bolivia to buy miniature versions of goods they would like to give to somebody else. These goods can be blessed by any one of the men and (less frequently) women acting as shaman. It is believed that if somebody gives a miniature version, the recipient will get the real object in the course of the following year. Examples of goods that can be bought are household items, food, computers, construction materials, cell phones, houses, cars, university diplomas and even figures of domestic workers (whom the recipient might hope to employ).
At midday on 24 January, the Catholic Church joins in the celebration by blessing the gifts at the main cathedral in La Paz.
This spring festival also celebrates the "'abundance'" or fecundity of humanity.
In March 2011 Elizabeth Salguero, Minister of Cultures, nominated Alasitas along with two other Bolivian festivals to UNESCO for World Heritage recognition as part of the cultural and intangible heritage of humanity.
In the year 2016 the Feast of Alasita and miniatures of the Altiplano of Puno was declared Cultural Heritage of the Nation of Peru, This declaration supports that the alasitas fairs and the ritual use of propitiatory miniatures are part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Peru.


Akromiya

Akromiya (sometimes referd as "Akramiya", in Russian : Акрамия) is an Islamist organization founded by Akrom Yo‘ldoshev.
Akromiya broke away from Hizb ut-Tahrir, a terrorist organization according to the Kazakhstan government, when Akrom Yo‘ldoshev formed Akromiya in the Fergana Valley area in Uzbekistan in 1996. The Uzbek Government says Yo‘ldoshev's pamphlet "Yimonga Yul" (Way to Faith) criticizes HT's goal of creating an international caliphate for impracticality. Yo‘ldoshev argues in favor of creating an Islamic state on a local level instead.
Muhammad Sadik Muhammad Yusuf, the former Chief Mufti of Uzbekistan, said, "Akromiya has nothing in common with Hizb-ut-Tahrir, and other radical political Islamic organisations. It is for entirely different reasons that I consider Akrom Yo‘ldoshev's teaching a heresy." Yusuf says Yo‘ldoshev teaches that Muslims do not have to pray five times daily or fast during Ramadan.
Sarah Kendzior, a scholar of Central Asia writing in the journal "Demokratizatsiya", cast doubt on the group's existence, arguing that the Uzbek government created the organization to justify putting down the 2005 civil unrest in Uzbekistan.
Andijan massacre.
Forum 18, a human rights organization based in Norway, reported that during the Andijan massacre (originally meant to be a peaceful protest) members of Akromiya "who had acquired weapons did not prevent free movement out of the square by those gathered there, but their attitude to the hostages did not meet international standards for the treatment of prisoners of war. Forum 18 learnt that several hostages received severe beatings. The hostages had wire tied round their necks and were placed at the perimeter of the square as human shields. Therefore the first to die from the shots fired by Uzbek government forces were the hostages."


Michael Chang (bishop)

The Rt. Rev. Kwang-Hsu Michael Chang was a Bishop of the Anglican Church.
He was educated at Trinity College Foochow and ordained in 1923. He was consecrated an Assistant Bishop of Kwangsi-Hunan on 10 October 1943 and appointed Bishop of Fukien in 1944.


Ma Yonglin

Ma Yonglin (Xiao'erjing: ) was a Chinese Muslim leader of the Multicoloured Mosque who participated in the Dungan revolt and the Muslim revolt of 1895 against the Qing dynasty. He antagonized mobs of Hui, Dongxiang, Baoan, and Salars to overthrow the Qing dynasty in Xunhua, Qinghai. Brigadier General Tang Yanhe sent soldiers to defeat the rebels. He belonged to the Khafiya Sufi sect. Ma Yonglin led assaults on Qing forces. Loyalist Chinese Muslims like Dong Fuxiang, and Ma Anliang defeated Ma Yonglin's rebel Muslim forces. Chinese Muslim officers like Ma Fulu and Ma Fuxiang opposed the rebel Muslims, and defeated them in combat.


Georges Guibert

Georges Guibert (1915 – 1997) was a French Roman Catholic missionary in Senegal and Réunion. He was consecrated a bishop by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre.


Bartholomew Albizzi

Bartholomew Albizzi (died 1361) was an Italian Franciscan hagiographer. He is known for his life of Gerardo Cagnoli.
Cow's milk and goat's milk have similar overall fat contents. However, the higher proportion of medium-chain fatty acids such as caproic, caprylic and capric acid in goat's milk contributes to the characteristic tart flavor of goat's milk cheese. (These fatty acids take their name from the Latin for "goat": "capra".) It also has a lower lactose content than cow's milk.
Goat cheese has been made for thousands of years and was probably one of the earliest made dairy products. In the simplest form, goat cheese is made by allowing raw milk to naturally curdle, and then draining and pressing the curds. Other techniques use an acid (such as vinegar or lemon juice) or rennet to coagulate the milk. Soft goat cheeses are made in kitchens worldwide, with cooks hanging bundles of cheesecloth filled with curds in the warm kitchen for several days to drain and cure. If the cheese is to be aged, it is often brined so it will form a rind, and then stored in a cool cheese cave for several months to cure.
Goat cheese softens when exposed to heat, although it does not melt in the same way many cow cheeses do. Firmer goat cheeses with rinds are sometimes baked in an oven to create a softer, more viscous texture.
List of goat cheeses by region.
Europe.
France.
France produces a great number of goat's milk cheeses, especially in the Loire Valley and Poitou, where goats are said to have been brought by the Moors in the 8th century. Examples of French chèvres include Bucheron, Chabis, Chavroux, Clochette, Couronne Lochoise, Crottin de Chavignol (largest produced goat cheese AOC), Faisselle, Montrachet (Burgundy), Pélardon, Picodon, Pouligny Saint-Pierre, Rocamadour, Sainte-Maure de Touraine, Chabichou du Poitou, Valençay, and Pyramide.
It is sometimes served hot as chèvre chaud.
Belgium.
Belgium produces several goat cheeses, most of them soft cheeses and some half-hard types. Some artisanal farm house cheeses are made with raw, organic goat milk: Karditsel in Lummen (province of Limburg), Farm Polle in Lichtaart (province of Antwerp) and Ferme du Chemin Chataigne in Ayeneux (province of Liège). While others are made by artisanal producers with raw or pasteurised, organic goat milk: the fromagerie Gros Chêne in Mean (Ardennes) and Het Hinkelspel in Ghent (East-Flanders).


2007 Oregon Ballot Measure 50

Ballot Measure 50 was a legislatively referred state statute ballot measure for the November 6, 2007 special election ballot in the state of Oregon. This measure would have increased the tobacco tax and dedicated the new revenue to providing health care for children, low-income adults and other medically underserved Oregonians, and to fund tobacco prevention and education programs. The proposal would have increased the tax on cigarettes by 84.5 cents per pack, and increased the tax on other tobacco products.
The purpose of the fund would have been to finance the Healthy Kids Program created by the 2007 legislature to provide affordable health care for uninsured children. The measure would have funded tobacco prevention programs, safety net clinics, rural health care and health care for Oregon’s lowest income families and individuals through the Oregon Health Plan. The campaigns for and against the measure spent the most money ever on a ballot measure election in the state's history. Because the measure did not pass, these health care programs were not expanded, and the Healthy Kids Program did not become law.


Clarence C. Smith

Clarence Collamer Smith (October 7, 1883 – October 16, 1983) was an American farmer, politician, and businessman from New York.
Life.
Smith was born on October 7, 1883 in Wilton, New York, the son of Edgar J. Smith and Mary Ella Collamer.
Smith attended the Wilton district school and graduated from Saratoga Springs High School in 1903. After graduating he worked as a dairy farmer. He became an active member of the Grange, serving as master of the Wilton Grange and secretary of the Saratoga County Pomona Grange Fair. He was also a member and secretary of the Saratoga County Farm Bureau.
In 1914, Smith discontinued his farming to focus on public affairs. In 1925, he became interested in the Farmers Hardware Company, Inc, and a year later he became its manager. The business was housed in the Collamer Building, a large building in Saratoga Springs he managed since 1911 and where he resided with his family. He retired as part owner of the company in 1946.
In 1907, Smith was appointed deputy town clerk. He was elected town clerk later that year and again in 1909, serving a total of four years. In 1913, he was elected town supervisor of Wilton and served in that office until 1918. In 1918, he was elected to the New York State Assembly as a Republican, representing Saratoga County. He served in the Assembly in 1919, 1920, and 1921.
Smith attended the First Methodist Church. He was a member of the Saratoga Chamber of Commerce since its organization and the Freemasons. In 1913, he married Nora L. Carr. Their three daughters were Dorothy Helen, Ruth Ellen, and Elizabeth Jane.
Smith died on October 16, 1983, 11 days after his 100th birthday. He was buried in Greenridge Cemetery.


Wetherill Park Nature Reserve

Wetherill Park Nature Reserve, also called Wetherill Park Reserve, is an urban park and a nature reserve situated in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The reserve contains an open woodland and bushland which feature native plants, such as eucalyptus trees, and recreational areas.
Landform.
The reserve is on an elevated ridge that is high towards the eastern point of the park, which features a broad panorama over the surrounding area within the park. The reserve is strategically placed between the industrial areas to the north and residential areas to the south of the park, thus giving a visual alleviation from these surroundings. The topsoil of many areas in the park has been eroded due to wind and water, leaving the clay sub soil exposed.
Features.
Recreational characteristics in the reserve include shaded picnic areas with barbeque, walking paths and a number of children's playgrounds all within the native bushland. In the park, there is a prominent monument made in bluestone that is dedicated to the fallen World War I soldiers who had resided in Wetherill Park.
Ecology.
Flora.
The reserve features a dry sclerophyll forest with an understory of sod grasses, and a gradient "meadow-like" grassland in the open areas. A number of native trees, such as, Forest Red Gum and Grey Box are found in the park, which are remnants of the Cumberland Plain Woodland. The trees would stand at and would provide shade. There is a differentiation between the vegetation at the western and eastern borders of the park. The trees on the western end are more thinly distributed, whilst those in the eastern portion are more lush with a grassy floor.
Native trees such as Paperbarks, She-oaks and Bottlebrush have been recently planted. Bunya pines ("Araucaria bidwillii") are also found in the reserve. Furthermore, some of the trees have sustained damages in their branches and trunks. Pine logs and wharf timbers are used to enclose the car park space.
Fauna.
The reserve contains Australian animals, namely birds, such as, Australian Magpie, Galah, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Eastern Rosella and Noisy Miner. Brushtail possums have been spotted in the park, but there haven't been any records of recent sightings. Frogs and lizards were also a common sightings once.


Abbey Arts Centre

The Abbey Arts Centre at 89 Park Road, New Barnet, England, was established in 1946 by William Ohly, an art dealer who ran the Berkeley Galleries in Davies Street, London.
Early history.
The area was undeveloped fields until the later part of the nineteenth century when Park Road and other streets were laid out. What is now number 89 was one of the first houses built in Park Road when it was constructed in 1873 and was originally divided into two semi-detached houses. It was known as Hadley Hall and the occupier, according to the Barnet directory for 1890–91, was George William Chambers Kirkham. Census returns show Kirkham to be a Manchester-born businessman in the cotton industry.
Abbey Folk Park.
Around 1930, John Sebastian Marlowe Ward became the owner of the site which a 1930 plan indicates was no longer divided into two houses. In that year, he purchased a circa 13th century tithe barn (grade II listed) and relocated it to the site from Birchington in Kent. He subsequently converted it to a church and founded a religious community. In 1934 he opened the Abbey Folk Park which by 1937 comprised 46 buildings, included historic shop fronts and a 17th-century smithy saved when East Barnet village was redeveloped and five old cottages relocated from Hadley Green. The park closed in 1940 and did not reopen before Ward sold it and moved his community to Cyprus in 1946 following legal difficulties in England.
Arts centre.
The Abbey Art Centre and Museum was established in 1946 by William Ohly, an art dealer who ran the Berkeley Galleries in Davies Street, London. A small museum of ethnography in the tithe barn was opened by the director of the Arts Council in 1952.
The Abbey attracted many expatriate Australian artists to its doors during the post war years 1947–1951. It became an early base of operations for artists, trying to gain a foothold in London's contemporary art industry.
Australian artists who stayed at the Abbey Art Center included: Noel Counihan, Leonard French, James Gleeson, Peter Graham, Douglas Green, Stacha Halpern, Grahame King, Robert Klippel and Bernard William Smith.
Other artists who visited the centre include the Scottish painter Alan Davie, the Irish painter Gerard Dilon, the English painter Philip Martin, and Helen Grunewald and Inge Neufeld from Austria and Germany respectively. Also known to have visited are Henry Moore, John Heartfield and Lucian Freud.
Animation pioneer Lotte Reiniger lived and worked at the centre for about 25 years.
Modern ownership.
As of May 2016, the property is owned by William Ohly's daughter Bienchen Ohly.


Cyrus Sullivan Clark

Cyrus Sullivan Clark (–), together with George Benson Hall Jr. and the British American Land Company, were the largest participants in the lumber industry in the Eastern Townships of Quebec in the 19th Century.
Biography.
Personal life.
Born in Minot, Maine, he attended Waterville College and graduated in 1828, becoming a grocer in Portland, Maine. He later went into the lumber industry, involved in both manufacturing and dealing, and lived in Bangor, Maine for several years. He moved to Portland in 1854, and lived there until his death.
Business career.
When the St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railroad was opened between Montreal and Portland in 1853, entrepreneurs from Montreal, Quebec City, New York City and Maine began to compete for berths around Lake Aylmer in order to replace Maine's declining lumber supplies. By 1856, Clark had become the largest licenceholder in the region, controlling of the total of of timber limits available. He also owned 145,500 arpents (about) of land adjoining Lake Temiscouata and the Madawaska River, 19 licences on the Saint-Maurice River, and a town lot in Sherbrooke.
Because of extra duties that were imposed on the export of unfinished logs in 1851, Clark built a sawmill at Brompton Falls in 1854 that, at , was the largest in North America.
Because of cash flow problems in 1855, Clark, together with his partners W.H. McCrillis and Thomas Howe, transferred all their Canadian properties and licences to City Bank and the Bank of Montreal in trust. When the Panic of 1857 resulted in an oversupply in the US timber market, the banks auctioned off their debt, which John Henry Pope bought for $30,000. Clark would later buy back the properties and licences from Pope in 1869, and Pope remained as the chief spokesman for the company afterwards.
In 1872, the British American Land Company sold to Clark, who purchased a further from the company in the following year. These holdings were approximately half the size of the Crown timber limits that he already possessed. During the Long Depression of the 1870s, Clark would lose these lands as a consequence of a default on the mortgage on his properties, but would be able to repurchase from the Eastern Townships Bank by 1879-80. He would formally enter into partnership with Pope to form the Brompton Mills Lumber Company.


Illawarra cattle

The Illawarra cattle breed was started by Australian dairymen improved their herd by introducing the bloodlines of superior cattle from a number of dairy breeds, especially the Ayrshire, Devon and Milking Shorthorn. The name Illawarra cattle was abbreviated from the earlier Australian Illawarra Shorthorn (AIS), and named after Illawarra, New South Wales where they developed from original Shorthorn imports and other breeds.
Conformation.
Illawarras are horned, large framed cattle of a predominantly red colour, with some whites or roans (mix of red and white) .
Production.
Illawarras produce large quantities of high butter fat and protein milk. In an official test in 1998, Illawarra cows averaged 4,829 litres of milk, with slightly over 4 percent butter fat and 3.4 percent protein, under Australia's pasture production system.
According to the 2010 Australian Dairy Herd Improvement Report, the average production of an Illawarra cow is 6733 litres with a butterfat percentage of 3.95% and a protein percentage of 3.29%,
Temperament.
Illawarras are very docile cows that are noted for their longevity. They make good handling cattle for shows and are easy to work with in the dairy.
Adaptability.
Illawarras can stand weather exceeding 40 degrees Celsius and below 0 degrees Celsius. They make the most out of feed and don't need much supplementary feeding. This adaptability under a variety conditions has contributed to the growth of the breed.
Exports.
Illawarra cattle, embryos and semen have been exported to Central America, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, , Canada, the Middle East, New Zealand, the Pacific Islands, Pakistan, United Kingdom and United States.


Conopini

Conopini is a tribe of the flies family Conopidae. The larvae of species are parasitic on bees, especially bumblebees. Most adults will feed on nectar.


List of steak dishes

This is a list of steak dishes. Steak is generally a cut of beef sliced perpendicular to the muscle fibers, or of fish cut perpendicular to the spine. Meat steaks are usually grilled, pan-fried, or broiled, while fish steaks may also be baked.
Meat cooked in sauce, such as steak and kidney pie, or minced meat formed into a steak shape, such as Salisbury steak and hamburger steak may also be referred to as steak.
Beef.
Beefsteak is a flat cut of beef, usually cut perpendicular to the muscle fibers. Beefsteaks are usually grilled, pan-fried, or broiled. The more tender cuts from the loin and rib are cooked quickly, using dry heat, and served whole. Less tender cuts from the chuck or round are cooked with moist heat or are mechanically tenderized (e.g. cube steak).
Fish.
Fish steak is a cut of fish which is cut perpendicular to the spine and includes the bones. Fish steaks can be contrasted with fish fillets, which are cut parallel to either side of the spine and do not include the larger bones. Fish steaks can be grilled, pan-fried, broiled or baked.
Pork.
Pork steak is generally cut from the shoulder of the pig, but can also be cut from the loin or leg of the pig. Shoulder steaks are cut from the same primal cut of meat most commonly used for pulled pork, and can be quite tough without long cooking times due to the high amount of collagen in the meat, therefore, pork shoulder steaks are often cooked slower than a typical beef steak, and are often stewed or simmered in barbecue sauce during cooking.
Steak sauces.
Steak sauce is a dark brown sauce commonly served as a condiment for beef in the United States. The original sauce which 'steak sauce' is derived from is known in Britain as "brown sauce". Also derived from "brown sauce" in Japan tonkatsu sauce has a slight variation in ingredients.


Jan Fennell

Jan Fennell, "The dog listener", is an English dog trainer who applied the insights of Monty Roberts into horse behavior to the behavior of dogs.
Her training method is based on the theory that dogs, being descended from wolves, fit the social model of the pack - an ordered hierarchy with a clearly defined leader. She believes that dogs are unable to understand any other social model, and when co-opted into human families as pets still see themselves as pack members. Fennell argues that most inappropriate dog behavior arises if the owner does not consistently signal that he or she is 'pack leader'. Theoretically this makes the dog anxious: it cannot conceive of a leaderless pack, and so if its owner abdicates leadership the dog has no option but to try to take on the 'alpha' role itself. In the attempt it may become aggressive or difficult to handle, as it tries to assert dominance; hyperactive, through uncertainty on what it should be doing, or sometimes acutely stressed.
Other dog experts have cited recent scientific research to challenge the theory that dog behavior is based on the model of the wolf pack, criticizing this as an over-simplification.
Due to this, many of Fennell's beliefs are considered dated and archaic, no longer being scientifically accurate.
Fennell's method, called Amichien Bonding (from the French 'ami', meaning 'friend' and 'chien', meaning 'dog'), emphasizes learning the signals (in her opinion) by which dogs recognize leadership, and using them consistently so that the dog perceives the owner as 'alpha' and itself as subordinate. It can then possibly trust its owner to take decisions and will become contented and relaxed. Fennell does not believe in physically dominating or chastising the dog.
Amichien Bonding essentially means the dog is consistently shown by the owner that the human half of the partnership is responsible for making decisions. The dog is not physically dominated, but is trained through, among other behaviors, ignoring the animal at certain times: this is done to reassure it that it is not the one responsible for leadership and decision-making. There is dispute over whether this type of training program can have negative effects and it has been called "psychologically cruel" by one author. Other dog trainers/owners believe it is a harmless and effective way of indicating to the dog which behaviors are acceptable and which are not.
Books.
In addition to her books and DVD, Fennell had her own TV show explaining the understanding of dogs and demonstrating successful interventions, currently playing on Animal Planet on Friday nights.


McMonies Barn

The McMonies Barn, near Huron, South Dakota, was built in 1915. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004.
It is a wood-framed feeder barn with a gambrel roof, on a cement foundation. It has also been known as the Mentzel Barn.


Tahaan

Tahaan – A Boy With a Grenade is an Indian Hindi-language drama film by Santosh Sivan. The film is based on the life of a young boy and his pet donkey. It is a fable-like journey of the eponymous eight-year-old boy, whose life revolves around the pursuit to find real purpose in his little world. The film stars Purav Bhandare as the young boy. Anupam Kher, Sarika, Rahul Bose, Rahul Khanna and Victor Banerjee form the rest of the cast. It was filmed on location in Jammu and Kashmir.
Plot.
After salvaging money using various means, Tahaan reaches the moneylender to reclaim Birbal. He is told that old Subhan Dar (Anupam Kher) bought the donkey and went across the mountains in which Tahaan's father went missing. Gathering courage, Tahaan goes in search of the old man. He finds him and he follows Subhan and his assistant Zafar (Rahul Bose) and their mule train, leading Birbal despite their protests. Although Subhan promises to return Birbal to Tahaan if he can win a race against the incompetent Zafar when he wins Subhan refuses to give him Birbal. Instead, Subhan gives the donkey to his eight-year-old nephew. Zafar tries to give Tahaan his sunglasses as a replacement for the donkey, but Tahaan will not accept the gift.
On his way back home, Tahaan encounters Idrees, a teenager who discourages him, saying that his efforts will not be sufficient to get Birbal back. Instead, he suggests to do him a favour. Tahaan is asked to take a package across the mountains in his onward journey. Upon seeing his eagerness, Idrees hands him over a grenade and says that when the time is right, he will be told what needs to be done. At a checkpoint, the package and grenade are not discovered due to the fact that the soldiers know and trust Subhan Darr. Tahaan is about to commit a terrorist act with the grenade and has already removed the pin when he changes his mind and throws it safely in a river. He then sees his father emerge from the building he almost blew up.
Subhan's nephew learns that Tahaan is fond of Birbal, and at his request, Subhan gives the donkey back to Tahaan.
Production.
After major commercial releases such as "The Terrorist" (1999), "Asoka" (2001), "Anandabhadram" (2005) and "Before the Rains" (2007), award-winning director Santosh Sivan got the idea for this film after reading a newspaper report. He formed a fable-like story from the report.
Since Kashmir is a strife-torn area, films are rarely picturised there. However, in the case of this film, Sivan thought that audiences can relate it to the film well. It was only after 18 years that a film was filmed in Kashmir.
While filming in Pahalgam, Sivan realised to his surprise that children were comfortable with guns. It seemed to him that it was a part of everyday life for them. The film makes eloquent use of Quranic verses or "azaan", for which the director took help from research scholars in Kashmir.
When shooting there we only wanted to show the real life. I had heard some Quranic verses there at some Dargah. I thought I could use them to send a message of hope. I wanted to use the azaan for a nice purpose, a beautiful thing, not for any wrong deed... At the end I wanted to show the positive power of a dream.
Critical reception.
The film opened to generally positive reviews. Ziya Us Salam of "The Hindu" hailed the film as a 'visual poem' and "Responsible cinema, brilliant cinema." Raja Sen of Rediff gave it 4 out of 5 stars, calling it a "must-watch". Rajiv Masand of CNN-IBN called it a "film of great virtue" and gave 3 out of 5 stars. Baradwaj Rangan called it a "film of first-rate performances".
Festivals.
The film has gone to the following festivals:
Distribution.
"Tahaan" was picked up for US distribution by GKIDS. The film will play as the Centerpiece Selection of the MIAAC Indian Film Festival, as well as the Starz Denver Film Festival, the St Louis Film Festival, the Three Rivers Film Festival, and the New York/San Francisco International Children's Film Festival.


Macanudo (cigar)

Macanudo is the name of a cigar brand produced by the General Cigar Company in the Dominican Republic. It is noted for its mild flavor and lite Connecticut shade wrapper, but is also available in a darker maduro wrapper.
History.
Macanudo was originally the name of a frontmark produced in Guatemala by the makers of the Cuban brand of Punch. A frontmark is the name given to a specific size of cigar within a brand, and is so called because it appears on the front of the box. In 1971, General Cigar, which had acquired rights to the name outside of Cuba, introduced a completely distinct Macanudo as a brand unto itself. It was developed in Jamaica under the leadership of Ramón Cifuentes, a veteran of Cuban cigar maker Partagas. Production shifted from Jamaica to the Dominican Republic in October 2000.


Sinhala Hound

The Sinhala Hound is a landrace of dog from Sri Lanka.
The Sinhala Hound is the native dog found throughout Sri Lanka, often living in a semi-wild state scavenging for food. Legend has it that when Prince Vijaya first set foot on Sri Lanka in the 6th century BC, he was greeted by the barking of dogs; the "Mahāvaṃsa" mentions domestic dogs belonging to the island’s Stone Age inhabitants, the Yaksha.
The Sinhala Hound can be found in a variety of colours, but brown or dark brown brindle are most common; they are described as alert, watchful, amiable and obedient with a keen scenting ability. They are very similar in form to the African Basenji, the New Guinea singing dog, and the Australian Dingo.
Long overlooked by authorities in favour of imported dog breeds, only recently have the Sri Lankan Kennel Club been encouraged to recognise the landrace as a breed.


Diamond Silk Mill

Diamond Silk Mill, also known as York Silk Manufacturing Company, is a historic silk mill located at Springettsbury Township, York County, Pennsylvania. It was designed by architect John A. Dempwolf and built about 1900. The mill is a 3 1/2-story, brick building with heavy timber frame trussing on a stone foundation, and measures 50 feet by 300 feet. It has a hipped roof, and features an octagonal 100-foot high smokestack and decorative corbelled brick cornice in the Romanesque Revival style.
In 1910, the mill's business had increased such that it was noted by an industry periodical as becoming a full-time operation and hiring additional workers. Silk manufacturing would become one of York's most important industries, feeding Lancaster's manufacture of umbrellas. A decline began with the Great Depression and continued with the introduction of synthetic fibers in the late 1930s, for which most York mills did not have equipment.
The mill was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992.


Robert B. Pamplin

Robert Boisseau Pamplin (November 25, 1911 – June 24, 2009) was an American businessman and later philanthropist. A native of Virginia, he rose through the ranks of Georgia-Pacific where he later served as president and chairman of the board. He helped relocate the company to Portland, Oregon, where he retired and resided until his death.
Early life.
He was born on a small family farm in Dinwiddie County, Virginia to Pauline Beville and John Robert Pamplin, attended Midway High School in Dinwiddie County, and in the Fall of 1929 began attending Virginia Polytechnic Institute (VPI). While at VPI, he was enrolled in the Corps of Cadets. He graduated from VPI with a B.S. degree in Business Administration in 1933 and spent one year in graduate school studying business administration at Northwestern University. He married Mary Katherine Reese on June 15, 1940 in Augusta, Georgia. They had one son, Robert B. Pamplin Jr., born on September 3, 1941 in Augusta.
Career.
In 1934, Pamplin joined Georgia Hardwood in Augusta, Georgia, as one of five employees. In 1946, Georgia Hardwood was renamed Georgia-Pacific. He successively worked as accountant, secretary and treasurer, financial vice president, and president of Georgia-Pacific. In 1954, the company re-located its headquarters to Portland, Oregon, partly in response to Pamplin's suggestion. Owen Robertson Cheatham, founder of Georgia-Pacific, asked him to move west with the company. He had a personal conflict working with Lewis A. Pick (former Army Lt. General and VPI alumni) at Georgia-Pacific and terminated his employment on July 1, 1955.
After taking time off and traveling in Canada, he returned to Georgia-Pacific and served as President of the company from 1957 until his retirement in 1976. Robert B. Pamplin took Georgia-Pacific through a period of tremendous growth. When he started as President in 1957, annual sales were $121 million and profits were $7.4 million. At the time of his retirement, Georgia Pacific had sales of $3 billion and profits of $215 million.
Later life.
He created the R. B. Pamplin Corporation in 1957 in Portland, Oregon. He contributed greatly to his alma mater VPI, now known as Virginia Tech. Pamplin Hall at VPI was named in his honor in 1969 and the Pamplin College of Business Administration was named for him in 1988. His wife died in December 2008. Robert Pamplin died on June 24, 2009, at his home in Dunthorpe, Oregon, near Portland at the age of 97.


Stylops melittae

Stylops melittae is a species of the order Strepsiptera of flying insects, that parasitize various species of sand bees ("Andrena").
Biology.
The female "Stylops melittae" gives birth to a large number of motile primary larvae, that are strewn upon blossoms. From there they can be delivered along with the pollen at the nest construction of the sand bees for which the species is specialized. In the nest construction the primary larvae penetrate into the host larvae and molt into exclusively endoparasitic secondary larvae. These roam about feeding in the host, and after a few further moltings establish themselves in the abdomen, and with their anterior portion break through between two abdominal segments of the host's skin, where they pupate. The exit point lays mostly between the 4th and 5th, more rarely between the 3rd and 4th, abdominal segment.
There are substantially more females (77–92%) than males (2–23%). The females remain all their lives in this puparium where they will be visited by the females for the purpose of copulation. Therefore, the females release a pheromone (3,5,9-trimethyldodecanal) produced by cephalothoracic gland and attract the males.
"Stylops melittae" can emerge in two generations, but most emerge in just one generation, so that stylops-infested sand bees are encountered mostly just in the early months of the year March through May.
Influence on the host species.
"Stylops melittae" primarily parasitizes species of sand bees that use the blossoms of multiple plants (that is, those that are polylectic); sand bee species specialized for blossoms of a single or few plant species, are more rarely affected. This distribution regarding host specificity would not be expected.
"Stylops melittae" has a markedly variable appearance. The proportions of the cephalothorax of the female have a great range of variability and consequently at times sequences of apparently host-specific species have been described, that have since been subsumed under single species.
Female sand bees become parasitized far more often than males.
"Stylops"-parasitized female sand bees are sterile and express themselves in behavior and appearance rather like their male counterparts of the species. The pollen gathering apparatus is reduced, the abdomen is flatter, and also the coloration is reminiscent of male individuals. Furthermore the "stylops"-parasitized female bees leave the maternal nest a few days earlier than do uninfested female individuals, similarly as do healthy male individuals. The earlier flight of the infested females gives the parasite more time for the development of the primary larvae. "Stylops"-parasitized females are no longer active after they have dug out their nest, while healthy females then fly out to provide for their offspring.
The less often infested male sand bees are by their appearance less affected, but are rather reminiscent of the female animals.
In science and culture.
William Kirby was responsible for classifying the Strepsiptera as a separate order of insects. On the foundation of the Entomological Society of London in 1833 William Kirby was made Honorary Life President and "Stylops melittae" (then known as "Stylops kirbyi") was adopted as the society’s symbol. The seal was first used for a letter by the society to William Kirby, which was signed by the president and thirty members in 1836 to thank him for presenting the society with a cabinet containing his entire insect collection. The society's badge has remained almost unchanged since its first use.


Shredded beef

Shredded beef is a preparation of beef that features in dishes from various cuisines. Shredded beef is sometimes prepared using beef brisket and chuck roast. Pot roast is also sometimes shredded.


SeaGrown

SeaGrown is a seaweed farming and processing company based in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, England. It was established in 2018 and in 2019, it was given a grant to be able to grow its own seaweed in a specific area off the coast of Scarborough. It is England's first large-scale, commercial seaweed farm.
History.
SeaGrown was formed in 2018 by Wave Crookes and Laura Robinson; Crookes was previously a diver in the Royal Navy who was involved in other maritime occuptions, and Robinson, who is a professor of geochemistry. Initially, the farming of seaweed was literally the two of them cutting seaweed at low tide in and around Scarborough.
At the outset, the company was just the two of them and the seaweed was processed into use as a foodstuff, for pets, bath products and restaurants. The expansion plans, coupled with grants of £500,000 from the Coastal Communities
Fund and £25,000 from the Business Enterprise Fund, hope to see the company expand to nine and later 23 to 25 employees. The money also went in to buying newer processing equipment.
The company have acquired a site, out into the North Sea off the coast of Scarborough. The farm will have buoys and markers with sunken lines onto which the seaweed will grow. The farm area is well away from shipping lanes and is England's first large-scale, commercial farm for seaweed. Whilst Crookes and Robinson acknowledge that the seaweed farming industry has not taken off in Britain (it is farmed in Holland, Spain and Scandinavia), the coast around Scarborough is good for seaweed "prolifically and naturally."
The company have a processing plant located in the town of Scarborough in North Yorkshire, England. The seaweed will be landed at Scarborough harbour for onward transportation to the processing plant.
Accolades.
In 2019, SeaGrown was announced as the "Yorkshire Life" magazine's "Producer of the Year" in their annual Food and Drink Awards.
Products.
The harvested seaweed is used in bioplastics and the food industry. In 2020, a Yorkshire-based spirit distiller produced a rum derived from sugar-kelp harvested off the coast of Scarborough.


David Joyce (businessman)

David Joyce (26 February 1825 – 4 December 1904) was an American "lumber baron" and industrialist. His fortune was eventually inherited by Beatrice Joyce Kean who used it to establish the Joyce Foundation in 1948.
Early life.
David Joyce was born at Mt. Washington in the town of Sheffield, Massachusetts on February 26, 1825. His father John D. Joyce operated a blast furnace machine shop and foundry in Berkshire county (moved to Salisbury, Connecticut in 1844). John Joyce gave his son such moderate education as was afforded by the common school, until, at the age of twelve years, David Joyce was hired as the driver of one of his father’s teams. Desirous of learning and of aspiring disposition, he developed a taste for mathematics and for mechanic arts. By working for his father, he not only acquired a knowledge of machinery and the foundry business, but also became a practical civil engineer and surveyor, making the instruments of this profession with his own hands. He continued to work for his father until 1848, when, at the age of thirty years, he started his own mercantile business, assuming full control of two general stores.
Business in Clinton, Iowa (Lyons).
Joyce left his home in Sheffield, Massachusetts, in 1854 to see the developing frontier country that then was Iowa. He spent two years in Lyons, Iowa, engaged in the livestock and agricultural product business, before returning to his general stores in Massachusetts. He enlarged his business in 1857 by purchasing that of his father, John D. Joyce, in what was known as Joyceville in the town of Salisbury. He united the businesses and continued their operation until 1860 when he disposed of his interests and moved back west. David Joyce came to Lyons, Iowa in 1861 and leased the Stumbaugh mill, purchasing his log stock in the raft and disposing of his lumber in a retail yard. In 1869 he went into partnership with S.I. Smith, and "Joyce & Smith" erected a sawmill on Ringwood slough, with a capacity of of lumber and twenty-five thousand shingles daily. In 1873, Joyce purchased the interest of his partner and became sole owner. As his operations increased, he became one of the most influential lumbermen of the Mississippi valley, becoming interested in the manufacture of lumber at several other points. In July, 1888, his mill was burned, only to be rebuilt by the opening of the next season. The new mill had a capacity of of lumber, forty thousand shingles and twenty thousand laths per day. Joyce operated this mill until his death in 1895, after which his son, W.T. Joyce, carried on the business, which continued to run as the last of the big mills of Clinton, Iowa.
Other business interests.
The lumber and other interests of David Joyce spanned almost the length and breadth of the Mississippi Valley. He at one time was president of the First National bank of Lyons and served four years as mayor of that city. When he became mayor, the bonds of the city were selling at forty-five cents on the dollar, when he left the office the treasury was in position to pay one hundred cents on the dollar for every claim which existed against it.
Joyce was also president of the Trinity County Lumber Co. (Groveton, Texas); Langford & Hall Lumber Co. (Fulton, Illinois); Benjamin Machine Co., (Chicago); Crescent Springs Railroad Company; (Shell Lake, Wisconsin)., and Shell Lake Lumber Co. (Shell Lake, Wisconsin). In addition, he was one of the biggest stockholders in the White River Lumber Co. (Mason, Wisconsin); Park Hotel (Hot Springs, Arkansas); and the Mississippi River Logging Company. He also held stock in a number of Chicago banks, and owned large tracts of timber land in Wisconsin and Texas.
Finally, Joyce was instrumental in securing the construction of the first street railroad between Lyons and Clinton, which railroad was under his general management until the fall of 1891.


Mount Holly Cotton Mill

Mount Holly Cotton Mill, also known as Alsace Manufacturing Co., is a historic cotton mill complex located at Mount Holly, Gaston County, North Carolina. The original section was built in 1875, and is a 2 1/2-story, rectangular brick mill building with Industrial Italianate detailing. A three-story addition was built in 1916, and a one-story, T-plan brick machine shop and boiler house was added in 1919. The complex was converted into a research unit in 1953, and in 1973 was sold to an independent mill operator who presently uses the building for a variety of industrial and commercial purposes.
It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996.